Making Crosses Day 2

Another busy day, I can see that it will be a challenge to make a cross every day. With regard to my ongoing projects I managed to squeeze in a mile run tonight after seeing Parker run in the DMR at the Prosper Relays; I began my Project Life scrapbook; and made a cross for day 2 of Lenten cross making (not in that order).

In the writing prompt for cross making the author said something that really sets the tone for the entire cross making project and coincidentally also fits with the Project Life philosophy and life in general: "God wants our attention not our perfection." So much of what I do has to be squeezed in like my one mile run. Was that a quality run that I'm proud of...no. It was what I had time to do and it was better than no run at all. Each day I prioritize those things that I will not rush through, I choose which activities will get my full and undivided attention. On the long run day it's running. On each day I try to give the things of God my full attention: prayer,devotional, Bible reading, preparing for Sunday school, Bible study. Sometimes I fail. Sometimes I do three lessons of Bible study in one day and I do several days of the read-the-Bible-in-a-year plan in one day to catch up. Sometimes I get distracted while praying but the point is that often I am successful and it is my intention to put God first.

Reading the affirmation that God wants our attention today was perfect on this day when there was so much to get done. Another thing the author mentioned is that "everything can be salvaged". She was speaking of the creation process, that if you make a mistake it can be morphed into something that isn't a mistake. And of course, she means that we as people can also be salvaged. I feel I am in a process of being salvaged by God's grace.

Madeleine L'Engle wrote: "Something we regret at the time as abysmally stupid may well end up being the one thing needed under the circumstances".  This made me think of the often-quoted verse (from Bible Gateway):

Romans 8:28

New International Version (NIV)

 ²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[a] have been called according to his purpose. 

The Bible Gateway notes say it this way: Or that all things work together for good to those who love God, : or that in all things God works together with those who love him to bring about what is good—

I can take a mistake I make while making a cross and turn it into something else, if I need to glue something over the mistake or paint over it, so be it, whatever it takes, it can be salvaged. Amazingly, God does the same for me. Whatever mistake I make, whatever sinful state I fall into, God can make it right. God doesn't have to resort to gluing something over the mistakes in my life, He is the original creator and what God does is transform, renew, restore. But the point is, I too, can be salvaged.

For my cross I wanted to do something that symbolized transformation. I thought of butterflies.

 

For the cross I copied images from Google of butterflies into Power Point and printed them out. Using a rubber stamp and brown ink I stamped all over the butterfly page. I then used watercolors and watercolor crayons to overlay color onto the entire design.

So I worked on Project Life, did my devotional and made a cross, went to Parker's track meet, ran one mile and then made butterscotch/peanut butter candy to take to Bailey tomorrow (Big 12 competition).

My mother and grandmother made the candy every year at Christmas. I am making it now because it travels well! Recipe below:

Taking the time to make the cross seemed impractical today. I am so glad I took the time to do it. It has given me great comfort throughout the day to picture God as the ultimate creator, creating something from so little and allowing me to return to Him again and again to be salvaged.