Prayers for my Children Project- HOW-TO

The Covers for the Prayer Flip-Chart

This post will show two examples of the

 Prayers for My Children 

that I made last week.

Finally got one done for third daughter- Sara.

 Then one for her dear sweet friend Megan- 

a brand new mommy.

  Here is the dedication page- 

for the Wilsons and the Schmitz family.

I will show the daily prayer pages- 

side by side.

All 31 days.  

I tried to use a collage app to 

shorten the post,

 but then only one shows up well.

I had been asked to give them as examples

 for those who have a challenging time 

 coming up with a page design

 and just wanted a guide.

I started with 6 pages of

 coordinating scrapbook paper.

Then I cut them into strips just an 1/8 of inch 

smaller than the calendar page.

 I tear the words of the printed sheets

 and add a bit of distress ink to the edges.
(KEY- you can tear the strips of words so they are ready to go 
but keep each set of words, number, 
and prayer verse together- 
or else it is a big mess to sort out. 
SO do this as you go along....)

If you are a straight-edge 

kind of person you can do that too.

Distress ink just looks 

really cool on TORN edges.

The order of the day was to keep it simple-

in order to complete the project.

The scrapbook paper 

can also be torn to fit the calendar page.

I move through and do all the pages first.

Washi tape makes an easy addition for variety.

There is no right or wrong way

 to do this project.

The calendars are printed in 3 different fonts

 and can be found in the FILES section here:
Visual Faith Community- DC Metro
 You don't have to 'be on" Facebook to get to this files.
 If you have trouble- contact me on this blog and I can email them to you.
 But, you have to give me your email.

We have the calendars sets

 made at a local printer.

I tried making them myself. 

There were a mess to line up and get straight

 and the holes punched?

Not so easy to have it look professional.

 The basic card is white cardstock here.

You could also use other neutral colors.

It measures- 3 1/2 by 5 1/2 inches.

 I added a page in each calendar 

with some vintage images

 from IDEALS magazines from the 1940's.

Two blank pages are in each set to add photos

 of the children you are praying for each day.

When done you can go back 

and add all sorts of doo-dads, 

paper clips, brads, ribbon, stamps, yarn.

I love this project 
because it stands up by itself.
Now that it is finished-
 simply pray each day for your children, 
their spouses if married, and grandchildren,
and great-grands.
Right into the next generation,
day after day after day,
And then next month- start again.
Pray with intention.
Pray with a tool 
that helps you be accountable.
Pray and believe that the Holy Spirit
 guides your heart in prayer.
May this BLESS your family.

Living Blessed - Part 4

Living Blessed- 4

So the story really starts here I suppose.

This year we celebrate

 35 years of marriage together.

We met when I was in fifth grade 

and John was in sixth grade.

His dad came to be our new teacher

 at Bethlehem Lutheran School

 in Ossian, Indiana.

The Lord has truly showered gifts

 and blessings on our years together-

over fifty years of knowing each other so far.

And also thirty-five years in ministry together.

May the Lord grant us many

 more years as He desires.

May we continue to follow

Jesus together- 

for the sake of others.

Living Blessed- Part 3

So --on a fine morning we gathered 4 boys.

Three of them born in 2016.

In varied moods and pliability.

 And you bribe with duckie, ball,

and brother.

                                                       And then one hollers-

so you are down to three.

 What do mean my treat is a baby brother?

I don't want to look at you anymore.

Hey, grownup, why are you jumping

 up and down and waving your arms?

I will take care of you, brother.

You're gonna be ok.

But, now I need to smell a flower.

Help! Help! 

One is escaping!

YES! 

 Time to wrestle!

What do you mean we have to stay in the

 pack and play for three minutes?

I am not so sure 

of all of this camera stuff.

But, I sure like all 

the toys they have for me.

Wonder what they will have us do 

the NEXT time they get us all together?

It might be even more challenging

 to gather and seat this crew together-

it is all good.

Living Blessed - Part 2

So on that beautiful Spring day-

 we tried it.

All together.

 Sitting together on the antique quilt-

in the garden-

making funny sounds to get smiles.

 And wondering if the odds are good for 

three out of four, 

or two out of four.

 Or one out of four.

 So they smiled anyway and just because-

and hey that's the way it is going to be.

So you whisper a quick secret 

and plant a kiss and keep on hugging.

Because it is just too wonderful-

 to BE TOGETHER.

Laura with a "Mr. Big" Griffin

 of almost three years old, 

and the three month old Gordon- 

of funny faces.

Jess with eleven month old-

Mr. blue eyes Jack.

Sara with Levi- 14 months 

and into his "own thing" these days.

And so we keep on teaching our children,

when we gather together,

talk on the phone,

share life stories, 

and build the legacy

 for the next generation-

with intention.

                             

                               You shall teach them diligently to your
                             children, and shall talk of them when you sit
                              in your house, and when you walk by the way,
                        and when you lie down,
                          and when you rise. Deuteronomy 6:7            

                                                           

Living Blessed- Part 1

 For a few days in early April 

we had all four grandboys 

hanging out at the same time in Virginia.

Daughters arranged a family

 photo shoot- right in the back yard.

 If you have ever tried to get

 2 kids to look at the camera----

well, you know the challenge with 4 of them. 

 And then we had to sneak in kisses and snuggles-

 in between the jostling, and coaxing, and well, yes, 

outright bribing.

 On the move and moving parts- 

all the time-

and of course they smiled-

as soon as we were done.

Brothers- Griffin and Gordon here.

                                  Cousins Levi and Jack 

sure know how to make Papa smile.

 And someone has to direct the party.

And we have been greatly blessed.

For two parents that raised only girls-

we now are learning 

about the "other" side of the world.

What fun!

Oh give thanks to the Lord,
 for He is good;
for his steadfast love
endures forever,

Psalm118:29

Photos courtesy of 
Megan Schmitz Photography
http://meganschmitzphoto.com