even MORE makings

Here are a few other things I've been creating the past few days. Everything is for sale except for the silver and turquoise necklace. So sorry. It's my fav! If you would like to purchase, please visit camieallison.etsy.com!!! Let me know what you think.

vitalize publicity photos

Displayed below are a few interiors and pieces of furniture and decor that I've worked. Take note that the interior walls that were painted were crooked, heavily textured mortar and lath walls in a 1920's home. Also note that the wall joints are NOT straight. All finished lines on ceilings and corners were free-handed.

vocation inspiration

I've been dragging my heels on starting a small business lately for all the obvious reasons that I'm sure you'd guess. So, today I'll begin taking publicity pictures of some of my work for

 Vitalize: Painting and Repurposing. "Bringing the life you've always wanted to your home."

 Most of the pictures will be of my own home and the interior painting I did (along with my husband and his parents' help) as well as some furniture I have stripped, refinished, repainted, and repurposed. I hope to add more pictures in the next few days of my girlfriends' house that she and I painted. Business cards will be printed in a week or two once my cellphone plan is changed to an Illinois number. So, keep an ear to the ground because more is on the way!

i am undone.

This afternoon I finished reading Francis Chan's book Crazy Love. I've been left undone per God's word through Francis. To be challenged and left unchanged is to not desire God. I pray my life, not merely my words, reveals change.

I would consider this book a must-read because the change in lifestyle that it suggests is a must-have. I've also compiled several different lists of books that I hope you would consider delving in to!

heartache and hope

God points to nature and says, "take care of it." Nature points to God and says, "Be aware of Him! No one else is greater." My heart aches for the oily disaster in the Gulf. Beautiful awe-inspiring creation is now devastated by a life-taking swamp of petroleum. I'm learning that when my heart is on the brink of discouragement because of the now, I am to remind myself of the future. Though the battle is apparent in a very physical way on creation, it is and always will be spiritual at its core.

This is my Father’s world

O let me ne’er forget

That though the wrong seems oft so strong, 

God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world: 

the battle is not done.

Jesus Who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one.

"out of the habit"

     Easily for the last month or so, I've been in one of the most apathetic states of my life. Complacency was my leprosy. And I find it very ironic that around the beginning of these days unfolding I had written this quote in my journal:

a lifestyle of believing God makes you bolder in your love for others and in what you can believe God for in their lives. -beth moore

     Now let me expound on the irony. Instead of grasping on to that truth and letting it soak in to be lived out, I very harshly rejected it. Subconsciously I honestly thought that in my months of living in a new place feeling as though not much has prospered, why should I try to love others who don't want to love me? I need a job, but no one has contacted to even say I'm under or over qualified. If I'm offered a job, can I even accept knowing all the places I'll be traveling to this year? And where are the friendships that really go deep? I knew I needed help living in and extending the mercy and grace God had shown me. But I SHO NUF did not want to even try. Goodness, my selfishness and arrogance was (and is and will be, I'm sure) absolutely suffocating.
     So I simply muddled through those passing days crying out here and there for God to meet the needs that I thought were important. All the while He was setting the stage to meet the needs that were essential to our relationship's vitality. (Hebrews 8.12) Well that was around the end of April. So at the beginning of May, and only a page later in my journal, I proceeded to ask for consistency in my life. (James 1.26-27) Guess what? Didn't come. That was May 4th. Then I found myself on May 27th laying in my bedroom floor listening to music re-reading my journal realizing how pathetic I thought I'd become, only to realize later that I've always been. I'm not consistent. I don't remember things I've learned. I've forgotten who God is and what He is all about. (head vs. heart ...) I was becoming exactly who I never wanted to be.
     Then God rocked my world. On the day marking 25 years since my birth, I had a new fresh breath of life breathed into my lungs. I had the privilege of delving into the Word with friends and fellow worshippers at FBC Rogers while being taught God's glorious truths by my 'faja' and pastor Wes George. I will simply bullet the rest and let you tie your own conclusions together. It shouldn't be that hard. But I hope this hits you anew as it did me!

• growth and grace should continue in the life of the redeemed.
• salvation is the PROCESS (it takes time y'all) by which God redeems His creation. (justification, sanctification, glorification) It is rooted in His Character. It is all about Him. (Rom. 3.21-25; Is 64.6; Eph. 2.1-2)
• the problem is realizing how needy we are. we need Jesus to live out his purpose through us, redeeming fellowship w/ God for HIS glory. (Mk. 10.45; Lk. 19.10; Jn 1.29)
• faith is NEVER intellectual ascent or historical acknowledgment.
• i MUST keep reminding myself of my former days. (Hebrews 10.32-39) i was enlightened! i was brought out of darkness into Marvelous light when i came to know Christ.
• i have and will endure sufferings. there was a time when i was willing to suffer for the cause of Christ. It didn't matter what everybody else thought. i need to remember that.
• i need to stop crying and start asking myself, ' what does God want to teach me through this today?'
• i HAVE to remember or else i will drift (like i did for daaaaays!). HERE'S THE KICKER PEOPLE: KNOWING what i'm SUPPOSED to do and NOT DOING IT is WILLFUL SINNING!!!
• care has to go beyond emotion to action and activity, even when it costs me.
• i need to remind myself of the future. my life is about the King and His Kingdom!
• have confidence in GOD.
• i didn't get "out of the habit." i quit believing God. (James 1.6) faith doesn't allow doubt to keep me from obeying. abiding in faith perserves me. (Heb 2.3-4 = Rom. 10.37)

whew. all of that in one day. God does speak.

the how's and why's

The time spent contemplating blogging has been far too long. Decisions have become such time consuming things for me! But despite the fact that I wrestled with so many points of contention, I can honestly say I believe this was a decision well-made.
I like to write and more specifically journal. However, I've fallen way behind in the hand-written area, while spending more time emailing. I'm also not a huge fan of posting my every moments' emotion on a facebook status, although there are times when I need to write and communicate my thoughts with people I know (and love dearly) who live miles away. So, to make an incredibly long story short, blogging will suffice my need to journal and communicate. And after 25 years of life and ten months of marriage, I have a few things to write about.
So, here we go ...