The Holy Land and Vrsly

    In this Holy Week-

looking at my Holy Land vistas

that have been combined with words

 added with the #Vrsly app on my phone.

Sea of Galilee

 near the Mount of Beatitudes

High seas at Caesarea Maritima

Be Thou My Vision

Tree near the Pools of Bethesda- Jerusalem

 Imperfect Me- Meets Perfect Jesus

The pagan niches and Cave of the god Pan-

Who do people say that I am?  Mark 8:27-30

Caesarea Phillipi

Remains of Herod's palace-

Caesarea Maritima

all the travels and buildings of Herod-

 did not fill his longings

Flowers at the Tel of Megiddo

Roman arch of the aquaduct system-

 Caesarea Maritima

Looking out to the Mediterranean

(Waterlogue app also)

Oh- that Jesus brings eternal life to all of us -

 because He is ALIVE.

Palm Sunday- Up to Jerusalem

                                                                              C. Denninger
And Jesus and His disciples

 were going up to Jerusalem.

Mark 10:32

 The prophesy of Zechariah 

comes to be on this Sunday-

 Zechariah 9:9

                                                                                      C. Denninger

Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, 

to Bethphage and Bethany,

 at the Mount of Olives, 

Jesus sent two of his disciples and said to them, 

"Go into the village in front of you, 

and immediately as you enter it 

you will find a colt tied,

 on which no one has ever sat.

 Untie it and bring it.

 If anyone says to you, 

"Why are you doing this?" say, 

"The Lord has need of it

 and will send it back here immediately."

And they went away and found a colt

 tied at a door outside in the street,

 and they untied it.

 And some of those standing there said to them,

What are you doing, untying the colt?"

And they told them what Jesus had said,

 and they let them go.

And they brought the colt to Jesus 

and there their cloaks on it, and he sat on it.

And many spread their clocks on the road,

 and others spread leafy branches

 that they had cut from the fields.

And those who went before 

and those who followed were shouting,

"Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes

 in the name of the Lord!"

Blessed is the coming kingdom

 of our father David!

 Hosanna in the Highest!

And he entered Jerusalem

 and went into the temple.

And when he had looked around at everything, 

as it was already late,

 he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

Mark 11: 1-11

The Hosanna mural

Prince of Peace Lutheran Preschool 

Springfield, Virginia

Ecclesiatses 7-12- Book of the Bible Study

Bible Marginalia Series- #79

Continuing the walk through Ecclesiastes.
Chapter 7:14
A clear thought here-
in the day of prosperity be JOYFUL-
 and in the day of adversity-
REMEMBER-
 God has made one as well as the other.

Chapter Nine-
Death comes to ALL.
Enjoy life with the one you LOVE.
 Whatever your hand finds to do,
 do it with your 
MIGHT.

The two page layout of the study.
Coloring around the headings
 helps me to keep my place-
 to know where I have been,
 as I come back to work here each time.
I liked the "bleed-through" of the clock stamp
 from the previous page and left the faint shadow
 on this page as it added to the topic here too.

Chapter 9:17

Quiet, wise words

 are better than a shouting ruler.

Chapter 10:19

And a verse that speaks of what Solomon 

has observed in the world:

Bread is made for laughter, 

and wine gladdens life, 

and money answers everything.

Chapter 11:5
 Just as you can't know how the wind blows
 or bones grow-
 neither can you know the way of the Spirit,
 how God works things.

Chapter 12:7-8
And all comes from dust
 and all returns to dust.

verse 13-14
the end of the matter is:
all has been heard.
SO,
 Fear God and Keep His commandments,
 for this is the whole duty of man.

the two page layout.

All is vanity.
All is vapor or mere breath.
Unless it has eternity impact.
Unless it is of KINGDOM purpose.

Process:
This study was actually done over
 a couple of weeks time.
Pages were started, new ones started,
and then  I would come back as the key verses
 began to come forward.
This Book of the Bible study
 was done in preparation of leading a women's retreat.
It is part of what helps me be able
 to take so much material and find the nuggets,
 as well as the application
 for the topic we were dealing with:
 The Spirituality of Change.

Supplies:
Small alpha stickers
 Sticky notes
Pottery Barn magazine Sizzix cutouts
Colored pencils
Fine- point Sharpie pen
Washi tape

Bible Marginalia- Ecclesiastes 4-7

Bible Marginalia Series- #78

Ecclesiastes 4- 7:10

Writing in the margins for a whole book study

seems to be a bit different than focusing

 on just one verse that might become

 the whole margin focus.

 This page held multiple highlights including

our wedding verse focus of 4:12-

a three-fold cord is not quickly broken.

Chapter 5-

Then some direction about proper choices

 about going to the house of God-

 guard your steps,

draw near to listen, 

don't be rash with your mouth,

 and let your words be few.

And then a word of wisdom about money:

He who loves money 

will never be satisfied with money.

Chapter 6-

Whatever has come to be

 has already been named.

Chapter 7-

A good name is better than

precious ointment.

Better is the End of a thing
 than its Beginning.

Don't say why were the former days 

better than these?

(that is not a wise thing to say)

Threads of wisdom in this book.

Grab them quickly.

 Time is fleeting.

Supplies:

Sticky notes ( Tuesday Morning)

Rectangle tabs and tags

Clock stamp- (Michael's)

Colored pencils

Black Fine-point Sharpie pen

Washi tape

Bible Marginalia- Ecclesiastes 1-3

Bible Marginalia Series- #77

Have been preparing to lead

 a retreat for clergy

wives last weekend.

The Spirituality of Change-

and a look at Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.

Using the work of Joyce Rupp in 

Praying Our Goodbyes.

But, found out that I needed to

 read and study all of this book.

Needed to get hold of vanities and

striving after the wind.

Two page layout for Chapter 2 and 3.

Simply using circle tags.

Added in on the left a copy of the book mark 

we had for each person.

The right side is a bookmark from a retreat led about 

15 years ago.

The thing about change is:

you always keep talking about it.

Left side with bookmark filled up.

Added this in with washi tape.

Right side with Chapter 3.

He has made everything beautiful in its time.

Right side with book mark flipped

 for extra journaling space.

Our God wants us to find JOY in our days.

Whatever God does endures forever.

Nothing can be added to it or taken away.

God has put eternity in man's heart.

In this space of time that we have here on earth-

there is nothing better than to eat

 and drink and find enjoyment in your work.

Here is this section we learn that vanity

is the Hebrew term- hebel.

It means vapor, or mere breath.

And all are from dust,

 and to dust we will return.

Thankful- that there is more than this

brief breath of time.

Supplies:

Circle and rectangle tags

Cardstock

Washi tape

 Colored pencils

Black Fine-point Sharpie pen

Spring Sightings

 Was visiting at middle daughter's home last week

A Thrift Store find of lovely eggs grace

 a bowl filled with old book page strips

Speckled eggs (from Michael's)

book page strips 

and a vintage Easter card  (100 years old)

copied for a touch of 

Good News!

Burlap wreath gets a touch of Spring yellow

An older framed photo of grandson Griffin 

makes a 

chick watch perch

A bit of neutral texture

 from a coffee filter wreath

And an inspiring trip to IKEA-

with cutie pie

 gets a Waterlogue touch.

Time to get

 some 

Spring  

out here at home!

Bible Marginalia- 2 page Layouts

Bible Marginalia Series- #76

I wasn't sure what to call this post.

It deals with consecutive pages

 in the book of Isaiah. 

2 margins face to face.

But, the reality is this wan't a planned out 

"styling" of  what a "layout" looks like.

It was just a matter of hanging out

 in the same verses-

over a number of days.

But, that said,

It helps to choose colors 

 and a style that work well

 as one visual statement-  

 to make the colors ease into each other.

Bright or soft.

The added- in pieces connect visually.

It makes one "story"

 in the margins of my Bible.

This was the first margin work.

I was using some printables for the wording.

It is talked about in the post below.

fear-not

This page I added a stamped paraphrase verse-

Isaiah 40:29-31

some stamping and finished the page 

with a short prayer and highlighted verses.

The tip-in was also a printable-

placed on scrapbooking paper.

Adding it in with washi tape.

So the time spent here--

reminders to Connie-

God holds my hand.

Don't be afraid.

He will strengthen me.

He will HELP me.

I will soar.

Supplies:

Printables- 

scripture-for-when-you-are-fearful

 Stamp and ink

colored pencils

Sharpie fine point pen

flat dimensional

additional supplies

 on post shared previously.

Bible Marginalia-Washed and Cleansed

                                                                           work of Laura Schumacher

Bible Marginalia Series- #75

Psalm 51

Wash me from my iniquity.

 Let me hear joy and gladness.

 Create in me a clean heart, O God.

and renew a right sprit within me.

Cast me not away from your presence,

and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, 

uphold me with your willing spirit.

Lenten heart words.

Life-long liturgy.

Thanks to daughter Laura-
 for sharing her journaling.

Supplies-

Gelatos- Faber Castell
 stamp

 Washi tape

 Prismacolor pencils
  I loved how she cut little pieces of washi tape
 and added them in to the design.

Bible Marginalia- Blessed be the Name!

                                                                                                      work of Jessica Meier

Bible Marginalia Series #74

Sometimes I just want to copy

 the visual of someone else into my Bible. 

I get wonderful inspiration

 from my three daughters-

who are all on this journey with me.

I have permission to share their 

work here in this space.

I will highlight from time to time

 their work.

And it may have ended up

 in my Bible too.

What a blessing!

Psalm 113 here.

A time for praise.

From the time the sun rises till it sets.

 The name of the Lord is to be praised.

BLESSED!

Do we often think to BLESS

 the name of the LORD?

Even as I am BLESSED,

 I can return the gift.

Supplies:
Watercolors- Michaels
 Signo White pen
Heidi Swapp date stamp
Washi tape
Fine point Sharpie pen- non-bleeding
Banner stamp- Michaels

All is Grace- Mixed media goodness

This is the beautiful handmade gift

 from a friend.

 Layers and layers of fabric

 and dimensional goodness.

A handmade rose

Laces

Sheet-music printed fabric

Worn and aged

Highlighted and embellished
Pinned and buttoned
Jeweled and layered

 Added to and stitched together-

a visual reminder of all that 

comes my way because of 

His great gift

 Thanks to Rebecca Ersfeld 

for her original design 
that inspired this work.

  Thank you to Bonnie- 
for this gift of grace.
Thank you God, for reminding me of 
that this saving, redemptive gift 
for ME-
is all grace.

Cana-Israel Pilgrimage-2

We visited what MIGHT be the town

 of Cana that Jesus visited 

with his family for a wedding.
Where Jesus performed his first miracle-
turning water into wine.

 Many symbols here of wine and jugs.

This church is in the town of Kafr Kanna-

in what is thought to be the 

Biblical New Testament Cana.

Kafr Kanna is an Arab town

 in the Turan Valley in Galilee.

It had a population of  18,000 in 2006.

 It is not very far from Nazareth.

I just love doors.

Maybe they are old?

Renewing our marriage vows in Cana.

 Thanks Rev. Martin and Rev. Jeff-

for doing the honors of this meaningful time.

One thing is sure in the Gospel of John in this story.
The city of Cana and the surrounding towns
 would never be the same after the story of Jesus
 and the miracle with the water and the wine.
Even today-
 the power of Jesus can change whole towns.

How are WE doing with changing where we LIVE-
 with the power of Jesus and His message?

Bible Marginalia- The Lord won't leave me

Bible Marginalia Series- # 73

I find that even if I don't do

 two both pages at the same time-

 I like to use similar colors for the two page spread.

This page was worked first.

  Deuteronomy 29:29

"The secret things belong to the Lord our God,

 but the things that are revealed to us and 

to our children are forever."

Not all will be revealed.

We are working out

 some things here on earth -

 without the whole story.

 That is hard for me sometimes

 as a "control the outcome" person.

And as I work it out here on earth

-- the wonderful part to remember is-

"The Lord will 

NEVER

 leave me or forsake me."

Deuternomy 31:6

gonna cling to that.

Supplies:

Printable Bible verse

Washi tape

Scrapbook paper

Colored pencils

 Fine point Sharpie non-bleeding

 Iridescent watercolors
American Crafts banner tag

Harod Spring- Israel Pilgrimage- 2

The Harod Spring-

the story of Gideon and his men

 and the battle with the Midianites.

Hard Spring is at the base

of Mount Gilboa 

on the southeastern side of the

Jezreel Valley.

This story is a 

 reminder of how quickly

we will take credit

 for good and well things.

For a win.

Any great accomplishment 

is certainly the will of our great GOD.

The credit is due HIM.

 This section is a bit confusing 

about how Gideon chose his men.

The verses seem a bit confusing.

Nonetheless- it was the system that God used

to reduce Gideon's army

 to a ridiculous small army of 300.

That is going into battle at 450 to 1.

 Israel had long been 

oppressed by the Midianites.

Gideon was now leading 300

valiant men into a battle with unbelievable odds-

because that is what God asked him to do.

A reminder to us when the odds look outrageous.

Working in the realm of God's will brings us 

unimaginable power.

Encouragement for TODAY.

This story was journaled in this post-

The victory is the Lords