Kid's church bag

Hello all. I've decided to stop saying my life has been crazy lately, b/c it has yet to stop being crazy at all. But I've slowly grown to love that about it ;). Recently, I've been using a felt purse I made London just to play with as her church bag. It's perfect because I can hold a few diapers and her cup of water for class, without being huge. I love that it fits inside my purse or Story's diaper bag and she can carry it if she wants.

I used 3 and a half pieces of pink sparkly felt (who do you think picked that out?) and just sewed them together, glued a few hearts I cut out on and sewed some ribbon on for a handle and there ya go! Mostly, I wanted to sew felt to practice on my machine (that still intimidates me) b/c felt doesn't fight back like other fabrics. So I decided this past Sunday that Story needed a bag like this and then I may actually be able to put both inside my purse and pull them out for the nursery workers and in the end, actually carry a PURSE (like a normal woman!) to church! So I went to my felt collection last night to start! Unfortunately, I was all out of girly colors so it was brown or green. Also, recently, I've bypassed all sewing by using a hot glue gun, and I completely recommend that. :) Small projects I have time for, learning a new skill? Not so much. So, I hot glued some green felt together and looked around for a way to make it less boyish. I saw some pretty pink material I had bought last summer and glued it on the flap part. I also cut out petals to make flowers out of the material and the ribbon I used for the handle. annnddd tada! cute little tote for a redheaded Irish lassie, in about...30 minutes or less.

Day 10- Future & a sneaky Day 11

So, I'm very very late posting this today, so I hope anyone looking for the focus went to another blog and got it. :) Today was day 10! Did everyone make it? We were praying for the Future...a lovely thing to end with :). and the focus was,

"Our focus:
Protect him.
Bless his health.
Guard his mind.
Hold fast to his heart.
Go before him.
Be his counselor, his confidante, his help and his refuge.
Surround him with people who will speak life into him.
Be his shield and his firm foundation.
Light his way and give him hope"

and the reason I'm late in posting is....my big girl turned 2 today. We had pancakes in the shape of 2's and spent the day at the Children's Museum and then Red Robin for lunch. It was such a fun day, but I honestly can not believe she's two! so crazy...

So, the original TYMTJ has 10 days, but I'm throwing in a Day 11 tomorrow for those that want to join me in it. I know we had a job day, but Lance's job isn't with the church. He works in a music store, but because he spends hours at the church throughout the week practicing and playing and meeting, I decided last week that tomorrow would be focused on Lance's ministry. Our focus tomorrow, if you wish to accept it ;),

That God will give him a clear vision for the works He wants him to do

That God will mold him into a man constantly after His own heart

That He'll give and protect the precious fruits of the Spirit through the ups and downs of ministry life

That He'll show him how he can best balance his family and the plan God has for him and us.

Day 9- Jesus Time

Is there anyone else still praying along? We're into day 9 now, one day left of the original 10 day prayer focus (though I'm going to switch things up and throw in a surprise day 11 at the end, but that's a few days from now ;))

Today, we're praying for our mens' Jesus time. Here's the post and focus from The Ingram Gang blog.

"Spending time with the Lord. A statement, a question, a request....
Whether or not you know that your husband spends daily, quality time with the Lord or not, let's seek this for him. Now, don't you start judging your man. What does your time with the Lord look like? Yeah. That's what I thought.
I kid, I kid.


As we go through our day today, let us really just press into this topic for our man. Pray for your future husband, that God would do these things in his heart this very day and that God would develop discipline in him now, rather than later. May we all step closer to the Lord as we take this cry of our heart to Him.


Our focus:
Draw him into an intimate time of worship.
Call him away to a quiet place.
Drown out life.
Speak with clarity.
Reveal yourself.
Love him.
Give life to your Word.
Pour out revelation.
Grant him accountability in his journey of following Christ.
Shape him into a man of integrity, character and self-discipline."

so many projects...

Is it just me or has the last two weeks been insane for everyone? London turns 2 Thursday (which is just insane in its own right), and the party is Saturday...which means things have to be finished for it tomorrow or Friday, since Thursday we'll be busy celebrating. The praying specifically for my husband thing has fallen at a very challenging time, but it's been a learning experience in making prayer a priority with a very very crazy life going on. I had big plans today that I would get so much accomplished before bedtime and maybe get to bed early! fail. I spent the morning removing all the pictures of my girls from facebook (a long story, but something I've been going back and forth on for months now.) Then ran errands with London, and then got home and didn't start on "projects" until late afternoon. Unfortunately for my procrastination, London has realized things she wants can be made for the most part, and I enjoy challenges. Not even halfway into working on her birthday banner, she requests a dryer for her dirty clothes. Not a lot of time, so all she got was this.

it was full of dirty clothes immediately, of course, and I hope she practices and can graduate to a real one soon. ;) finally, I started and finished the banner for London's party, and yes, it is up on my wall already b/c I'm afraid of little hands and the tearing of tulle.

future note, if someone makes this in the future...buy pink polk-a-dot paper...the painting step makes too many steps

the really ridiculous part is the list of projects I want to do that keeps building in my head....easter baskets anyone?

Day 8- His Past

So we've been praying for our men for more than a week now. Today, we're focusing on praying for his past. Here's the focus from the original blog we're borrowing from.

"Let's pray for our guys life, before today. We want life before today to be an encouragement for his present and his future. Though we cannot change the past, we can learn from it, grow through it and become mature because of it. When our man may not think to pray for his past, let us take that responsibility on ourselves. As we pray for his past, let us ask Jesus to reconcile it. May we also thank the Lord for developing him into the man he is today.


Our focus:
Seek forgiveness for yourself if there are any areas in his past that you have yet to forgive or have developed bitter roots.
Ask that he would have full forgiveness of himself for who he used to be.
Allow his past to be used to encourage him in his future.
May he learn from past triumphs, successes, failures, and sins.
Would he be able to use each part of who he is as a testimony to Christ and his faithfulness.
Pray that his past is not where his thoughts dwell.
Give him eyes to see that you are doing a new thing.
Reveal yourself faithful in the past, giving the promise of being faithful in the present and the hope of being faithful in the future."

Crafts and Blog Revamp

We interupt your regular programming (which is currently Taking Your Man to Jesus) to say that my blog is getting a makeover and I've decided to add some crafts to it. I've never posted my crafts on my blog before, but I really want other moms to be encouraged at how easy it is to do extra fun and "crafty" things with your kids. I'm no super mom. I just got a sewing machine last christmas and just stopped wanting to shout profanities at the bobbin within the last few months, except for the occassional sewing rage here or there :). So, I suppose this post is only to warn those that may actually read My Life and Journey that it has not disappeared, but is now Tastes of Chaos. It seemed more fitting to my life :). whenever I learn to make tabs, it may even be a tad...organized. gasp! but don't worry, the actual posts shall be full to the brim of chaos, since my life is increasingly so, and I have decided to stop fighting it and embrace this season of life instead. So...birthday party this Saturday. ....I still have a paper mache Minnie Mouse head to make, centerpieces, and a couple more things. Pictures shall follow. LUCKILY, the cake is being taken care of by a pro, phew. Elizabeth Goad has taken on the challenge of a pink, white, and black cake and I can't wait to see how it turns out!! :) annddd....to eat it. Hope there are lots of you out there praying for your hubbies and their families today! AND, I was reminded through another blog post today by Nicole Arbuckle, that there may be Exhusbands that need prayers too...and even if you don't think they do, you or your children might ;). I'd love to hear any stories of peace or enlightenment coming from this that I haven't heard yet. I've been keeping up to date with one group of newly weds with one bride-to-be and I'm lovin' all the things they're saying :)

Day 7-His Family

So today, (Monday. I'm posting the night before because of an assignement due date tomorrow) we're praying for the family of our men. This one is actually super easy for me, since I've been incredibly blessed in that aspect, but this one may take the cake in difficulty for some of you ladies. In fact, it may not have ever occurred to you before that you could pray for God to move the heart of the mother in law that can't stand you (or you equally enjoy the presence of ;)), or that you could ask God to rise up in your man's family a person that will be your cheerleader and friend (you may even be surprised who that could turn out to be). All in all, we have some amazing men, and we should be grateful for their families, whoever they may be.

Here's the post from The Ingram Gang. I hate to keep copying and pasting her entire posts, but it's just. so. good! Especially that last one, with the guys' night and all...right?

"Onto day seven...
I really think it would be meaningful to spend one day focused on your husband's family. If you are married, this is now your family as well, but these are the people that knew him and loved him long before you did.


I realize that families can be a very 'sticky' situation in some cases. I ask you to put opinions, disagreements and past hurts aside today. No matter the family circumstance, the Lord used family blessings and trials in your man's life to develop him into the guy you are so crazy about. As easy or difficult as it may be, spend today focused on your man's family, taking them before the Lord.


Our focus:
Thank Jesus for a family that brought such a wonderful man into the world.
Pray for mended family relationships (if needed).
Petition that Jesus would make himself real and known to his family; call each person out by name.
Ask for protection to surround his family members.
Pray for the health of family.
Give wisdom to family members.
Pray that your husband would be quick to honor his family.
Seek out wisdom so that both you, and your man may know and agree on what family legacies to pass along and what God desires to break and rebuild in your family"