Winner! SoulPerSuit Kit

Congratulations go out to Abby, winner of the SoulPerSuit artsy kit and CHOCOLATE!

We'll be sending your prize out to you directly. :)

Gallery Wednesday - Worship

""Restore My Soul" - by The Choir

I've been thinking a lot about how my decay inspires me to worship God, the divine. This was a rather easy card to put together. I mean how can you make depravity presentable? I really let myself get sloppy and it only added to the effect.

The lyrics to this song by The Choir are full of imagery:

"I crawl to you with 10 fingers blistered from turning the pages of sin...

With my vertebrae twisted from dancing with creatures of night...

Restore my soul.""
- Erin

See all of the Worship Gallery.

Song for the National Parks

Isaac Watts was born in 1674, and he is best known for penning the words to the Christmas carol, Joy to the World. Yet one of his lesser-known songs, I Sing the Mighty Power of God, has been running through my head in the past few weeks since my family took out 5,700-mile loop through six National Parks.

In all our travels I never once saw a BankofAmerica, but I did see osprey babies in a nest, watch a badger dig (impressive!), boars fighting, wild horses grazing, bison snorting... Nothing makes me worship quite like waterfalls and wildlife.

Take a moment to worship as you think on Isaac Watts's words:

I sing the mighty power of God, that made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at God’s command, and all the stars obey.

I sing the goodness of the Lord, who filled the earth with food,
Who formed the creatures through the Word, and then pronounced them good.
Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed, where’er I turn my eye,
If I survey the ground I tread, or gaze upon the sky.

There’s not a plant or flower below, but makes Thy glories known,
And clouds arise, and tempests blow, by order from Thy throne;
While all that borrows life from Thee is ever in Thy care;
And everywhere that we can be, Thou, God art present there.

Why not go a step further and sing it? Here's an instrumental background for you:

We Have Winners!

The winners of the drawing for free copies of Kona with Jonah are Kelley and Katybug.

But that doesn’t mean we’re finished offering freebies!

Want to be prepared for the next round of SoulPerSuit? Rhonda is giving away an SPS kit that includes these goodies: a journal, craft paper, clip art sheets, stickers, tags, a Sharpie pen, glue stick, playing cards and (the drum roll please) M&Ms.

To enter, leave a comment that includes your favorite kind of chocolate. Are you a Nestlés girl or a Godiva guy? Dark or light? With peanuts or without? Babe Ruth or Butterfinger? Let us know and then make sure to check back on August 31, when Erin announces the winner.

(SPS specifically disclaims all warranties with respect to the SPS-kit winners, their web pages, or your use thereof, express, implied, or otherwise. Materials presented in these pages are the views and research of individual authors of the documents. Tax, title, and license separate, according to the Surgeon General’s office. Win at your own risk.)

Jonah - coming in September

June, July, August 2009
* We've only got one week left in our mini-SPS this summer on Worship.

Please send us your art so that we can post it on Gallery Wednesday. You can also link to your blog or web site from the comments. Next Wednesday's Gallery has not been assigned yet so submit anytime up to midnight on Tuesday.

September 7 ??, 2009 - Kona with Jonah
We'll start a full SPS in September. We're excited because we'll be going through Sandra Glahn's new Coffee Cup Study "Kona with Jonah". It's available for free shipping when you purchase $25 so now's the time to bundle your order with the new "Frappé with Philippians" and another Coffee Cup you've been wanting.

*Amazon says that I should get my book by September 2 so we should still be o.k. to start by Sept. 7. We'll keep you up-to-date here.

* I just received an update from Amazon again today. My "Kona with Jonah" may not arrive until Sept 25! This is a discouraging pattern. I think we may have made a mistake in scheduling a new SPS so close to the book's release. We will have to regroup and decide what to do. Thanks and stay tuned.

* There are three more days left to leave a comment on Sandi's post for a chance to win a free copy of the book!

Speaking of Amazon, anytime you order, we recommend that you do so by going through the Amazon link provided in the left hand column.

Sandi's husband, Gary, is Special Projects Manager for the East Africa team of East West Ministries International. If you place any of your Amazon orders through theAmazon link in the left column a portion of your order will benefit Gary's efforts! How easy is that!

Check here on Fridays for other news and scheduling updates.

Gallery Wednesday - Worship

"I absolutely love the garden. My husband and I... worked feverishly the past month to put in a perennial garden. It was such hard work! We live in an area that is filled with huge rocks and stones so digging even the smallest holes was a challenge.

I feel this way a lot of times about my relationship with the Lord. My heart is the earth filled with so many hard rocks and stones that are so difficult to work with and remove. The Lord is so gracious though - with His love for me, even as a sinner - He plants those seeds within us and as long as we are willing to nurture them and care for them by living by God's plan, in time, we will grow with much wisdom and love and in our own right become the beautiful flowers in our Father's garden." - Trinh

See all of the Worship Gallery.

Art Cements People

The first impression from this video was amazement at the artist's skill and the simplicity of her medium. Sand on a light table... sheer genius!

As the video progressed, I was drawn into the story Kseniya Simonova wove and the response of her audience. The recognition in their eyes, the tears being wiped away as they collectively remembered a dark time in their country's history.
The entire studio audience was brought together in their understanding of her references. Ukraine shares Simonova's story line.
All of Europe can partake in the telling of this story.
Around the world, we all share in a portion of her tale- life in this fallen world is rife with pain.

Ms. Simonova's piece illustrates well how art transcends language, time and place and speaks a language common to all of humanity.

Gallery Wednesday - Worship

"I wanted to create (a card about) the names and characteristics that I use to describe my God." - Dena

See all of the Worship Gallery.

FREE! Kona with Jonah Giveaway

Starting September 7, 2009 we'll start a full SPS using Kona with Jonah, the latest in my Coffee Cup Bible Study series, due off the press next week. And that means now's the time to think about a couple of giveaways with winners to be announced August 24. Here's how you enter for the drawings: Write a few lines about a storm you remember. Here's mine to get you started:

When I was three years old, a terrible storm blew through Oregon's Willamette Valley on Columbus Day. We lost power for a few days and my dad was out of town, so a friend of my parents rode his bike out to our rural home to make sure my mom and five kids were okay.

Remember, winners will be announced August 24. You may enter twice.

Voice Like a Waterfall

My family and I just returned from a 5,700-mile trip through the western USA visiting six of the national parks--The North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Crater Lake, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Rocky Mountain.

When we were in Yellowstone, we pulled over to a lookout point and saw a path to the vista point. As soon as I stepped out of the RV, I heard the rushing of water. It sounded really close, even though the pathway to my left and right looked long. Then I saw through an opening in the trees that I was standing about five feet from the edge of deep canyon, and I was within yards of an enormous rushing waterfall. Powerful. Magnificent. Overwhelming in its force.

Later that day I read in the Book of Revelation that when Jesus appeared to John, the prophet fell as a dead man because he was so afraid. But Jesus told him not to fear.

I trembled with awe at the thought of that kind of power.

Gallery Wednesday - Worship

"I wanted a card to represent Christ and what sin did to Him on the cross. He was bruised for our transgressions. His body was beaten, torn, spit upon, hit and treated with utter disrespect."

"The scars are still there but He is healed. The visible scars remain for us to see but the bruising and violence of the cross are over. They are made right. " - Becky

See all of the Worship Gallery.

The Passionate Heart of Youth

My three daughters went to dance camp last week. This is their recital performance.

As a child, I never knew the words "worship" and "dance" could be used in the same sentence.
I am grateful that my children have opportunities to express themselves at such a young age-- body, soul, and spirit-- in worship of the One they love.

(The whispering in the background is another dance mom and myself enjoying the seriousness with which our daughters approached this dance. They owned their worship.)