Masterpiece

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10 NLT

I have a confession to make - I'm a scrapbooking tool junkie....

If you ventured into my office/craft room, you'd see shelves from floor to ceiling full of paper, templates to make all sorts of shapes and 3-D embellishments and ribbon. One plastic dresser is full of different sized punches and another contains rubber stamps, markers, pencils and paints. Other dresser drawers contain fabric, brads, beads and whatnot for every occasion.

Each of my tools and supplies was purchased with a specific purpose and project in mind - carefully chosen to create just the right look for that special someone. Since many of those tools and supplies can be pricey, I usually choose carefully and use coupons!

Sure, I have a few superfluous supplies laying around - things I just had to have because they were on sale or because I saw a "really cool" card design which used that one special item. But for the most part I use everything I have here in my craft stash frequently. Since I've been creating handmade cards for over 10 years now, I have most of the things on hand that I need when I sit down to craft. But I am always on the lookout for new gadgets to make my crafting more efficient or more fun.

Best of all I love sharing those tools with my friends and grandchildren!

My wonderful Creator has been crafting my life for way longer! He has all the tools He needs on hand to create a masterpiece.

- He adds dabs of joyful colors here, dark shadows there - all designed to highlight His glory and power in my life.

- He carefully chooses from His pattern stash to provide life experiences along with God-ordained mentors which prepare me for tomorrow's challenges.

- He has all sorts of cutters to trim away excesses - those things which add unnecessary bulk and distractions.

- God stamps His image in my heart and embosses His promises on my mind as a constant reminder of His hand with me.

Everything I need - every lesson, every promise, every help along the way - all these things He freely gives me so I might live a life that glorifies Him!

Thank You Father for caring so much that you choose just the right tools to craft my life into a masterpiece fit to be used for Your glory! Amen.

My daughter Cammie visited us this weekend so we made a tried and true family favorite - Pizza! I like it because it's easy and the bread maker does the hard work while I get to enjoy my company. When the dough is ready. we get to spend some time cooking together which we've always enjoyed. And of course we all like to eat it. At about half the cost of ordering pizza from our local pizza shops, it is a frugal - and healthier alternative.

Pizza dough recipe: (makes 2 medium sized pizzas)
1 1/3 cups water
1 1/3 Tbsp of Olive Oil
1/2 tsp salt
4 cups bread flour ( or half whole wheat and half bread flour)
2 1/2 tsp yeast

Set your machine on dough cycle if possible.

When it's done roll the dough out on your pans and top with whatever you choose. We used sauce, cheese, garlic, peppers, onions, slices of the first ripe tomato from my garden, sautéed zucchini and yellow squash also from the garden for a yummy veggie pizza. Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes or until it is lightly browned on bottom and crust edges.

Enjoy your family and of course, the pizza!