Marvelous Monday!!

Good Morning!
It's been a busy weekend around our house filled with great fun things. Tristin scored his first soccer goal yesterday, which he reminds me that I missed due to parking the van darn near a 1/2 mile away. I dropped him off at the field and went to find a parking spot with the other three. He scored right as the game started...YAY!! I feel bad I missed it, though I think it bothers me more than him. The dairy queen blizzard tasted pretty good for celebration! Keith returned home safe and sound after being gone for five days for Military training. It feels good to have him back! He was up and out the door early again this morning to his civilian job without complaint. I'm so thankful for him...he takes such good care of us!

So today is a typical catch-up Monday which I'm thankful for with lots of cutting, sewing, cleaning and laundry in between. I wanted to hop on here quick and let you know the winner of the tote bag. Here it is....

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:30
Timestamp: 2008-09-29 13:39:44 UTC

Becki said...
I am so glad that I found your website. I love your dolls and I love your LOVE FOR THE LORD!! Bless your hearts-Becki

Congratulations Becki!!
Well I'm off....I hear Kolton screaming!
~Tina

Yay Free -I shall not want, Friday!

First off...this week I would like to offer a little Baby be Blessed toddler tote. This is one of the totes that I told you would be put in the shop over the week...is it Friday already? There are many more in the works which you will hopefully be seeing soon. It measures 10x9 inches (not including the handles) and is made from Amy Buttler cotton prints and vintage pink smooth minky. I embellished it with a little lamb with ivory ribbon bow and the scripture "The Lord is my strength and song" Psalm 118:14 The rules for the giveaway is the same as every week. Please leave your contact information in the comments under this post Friday-Sunday and I will pick the winner on Monday.

Secondly...I'm reading the Book A shepherd looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller (hence my last post). It is for sure the second, maybe the third time I've read this book. SO GOOD! This time instead to reading a good portion of it at a time, I've decided to read it one chapter at a time. I really want to ponder or chew on each chapter, allowing it to soak in so the Lord can speak to me through it. I plan on sharing a little bit of each chapter with you. Yesterday I read Chapter two: I shall not want. I love it! Keith and I live a pretty simple life, I wouldn't have it any other way. But I examine myself...am I satisfied with where I'm at? Satisfied with what I have been given for today? Today my answer is yes, but it is a constant examining of my heart and mind to keep that peaceful feeling. I can always say yes...but do I always feel it? Personally if I am too busy and I don't keep God's word flowing into me...I start to rot. =) At least I feel like I start to rot. I get bitter and sour with a poor me attitude. A worldly perspective sneaks in and starts to take over. I love Jesus, I'm a Christian, I go to Church, but nothing good flows out from me...rotting fruit on the vine. Nothing like God's word to knock that right out of you, and I praise Him for that. Starting and living each day with the right focus and attitude has been my daily choice. Some days I start out good and then disaster strikes. Praise God for His grace and Mercy! So here is a little section out of the chapter. I pray the Lord meets you exactly where you are today in your spiritual walk and speaks to your heart as He spoke to mine.

Despite an unparalleled wealth in material assets we are outstandingly insecure and unsure of ourselves and well nigh bankrupt in spiritual values. Always men are searching for safety beyond themselves. They are restless, unsettled, covetous, greedy for more-wanting this and that, yet never really satisfied in spirit. By contrast the simple Christian, the humble person, the Shepherd's sheep can stand up proudly and boast. "The Lord is my Shepherd-I shall not want." I am completely satisfied with His management of my life. Why? Because He is the sheepman whom no trouble is too great as He cares for His flock. He is the rancher who is outstanding because of His fondness for sheep-who loves them for their own sake as well as His personal pleasure in them....

In spite of having such a master and owner, the fact remains that some Christians are still not content with His control. They are somewhat dissatisfied, always feeling that somehow the grass beyond the fence must be a little greener. These are carnal Christians- one might almost call them "fence crawlers" or "half Christians" who want the best of both worlds.

So something for us to chew on...are we fence crawlers, who want the both of best worlds? Who always is searching and wanting more? The world is always telling us we need more. Do we? Or are we COMPLETELY satisfied and at peace in our heart with what we have been given. This goes beyond material things...I'm talking every situation as well. Every peak and every valley of our life. Lord...you ARE my Shepherd, and I shall not want!

The Lord Is My Shepherd

The Cross
by Melanie Pruitt

Jesus made it clear when He stated emphatically, "If any man would be my disciple (follower) let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." Basically what it amounts to is this: A person exchanges fickle fortunes of living life by sheer whimsy for the more productive and satisfying adventure of being guided by God. It is a tragic truth that many people who really have never come under His direction or management claim that "The Lord is my Shepherd." They seem to hope that by merely admitting that He is their Shepherd somehow the will enjoy the benefits of His care and management without paying the price of forfeiting their own fickle and foolish way of life. One cannot have it both ways Either we belong or we don't. Jesus Himself warned us that there would come a day when many would say, "Lord, in Your name we did many wonderful things," but He will retort that He never knew us as His own. It is a most serious and sobering thought which should make us search our own hearts and motives and personal relationship to Himself.

Do I really belong to Him?

Do I really recognize His right to me?

Do I respond to His authority and acknowledge His ownership?

Do I find freedom and complete fulfillment in this arrangement?

Do I sense a purpose and deep contentment because I am under His direction?

Do I know and rest and repose, besides a definite sense of exciting adventure, in belonging to Him?

If so, then with genuine gratitude and exaltation I can exclaim proudly, just as David did, "The Lord is my Shepherd!" and I'm thrilled to belong to Him, for it is thus that I shall flourish and thrive no matter what life may bring to me.

From the book A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller

Painting by The Creators Palette

Marvelous Monday!!

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!! It was pretty quiet around the Thompson house without soccer games and other activities to run to....it was so nice! I did get some "redneck sewin" done yesterday so I will have some finished crowns and the newest creation...Baby be Blessed Tot Totes, which will be added to the website throughout the week.

So now for the winner...............


Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:17
Timestamp: 2008-09-22 15:57:08 UTC



ThreadBeaur said...
What a cute idea! I love the crown. Your model looks like she is having fun with it!



Congratulations and thanks to all who entered! I also want to thank those of you who voted for the Baby be Blessed website over at DivineCaroline . I am blessed to announce that we are in fourth place...so if you haven't voted yet, please do! You have to register and then go back to vote. It only takes maybe a minute.

I hope everyone has a wonderful week! I'll be back soon!! ~Tina

Yay...It's Free Friday!

This weeks giveaway is a crown/skirt combo. Crown for your little princess, and matching skirt for your BbB doll! The quilted crown is made from a Heather Baily Pop Garden print, embellished with a

pink satin ribbon and scripture patch which reads "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." Corinthians 13:13. The matching skirt has an elastic waist trimmed with a pink satin bow. The BbB model was hard at work this morning for a quick photo shoot!

To enter please leave your contact information in the comment section under this post Friday-Sunday and I will pick the winner on Monday. You may only enter once each week.

In other news, we were blessed to be nominated for a "love this site" award!


The site with the most votes in its category will win a Visa $250 gift card. Please help us to win this money to donate to our monthly Give a Blessing Recipient! They do require you to enter register with their site, but it only takes a minute and the more votes we get the better chance of winning! This is another way to help someone else with just a few clicks a little of your time! Tell your friends!!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!
~Tina

Prayer Requests and Praises!

I wish to invite you all to visit our new Prayer Request and Praise category at Baby be Blessed! Laura and I are blessed to have gotten to know so many people and with each of those people are many praises and prayer requests. We would like you to to let us know what prayer requests and praises you would like to share and we will post them on our website. It is our hope that we can use this little spot in the big internet world to bring others together in times of prayer and always with the heart of praise.

I also would like to share a few Treasure a Memory dolls with you along with a portion of the story that goes along with them. I used a few T-shirts worn by Kelley's brother who went home to be with the Lord on July 28, 2008. He died in an auto accident at the age of 40. Kelly personalized the dolls with her Daughter, Niece (Daughter of Blake), and Great-Nephew's name, scripture and a sweet personalized message of remembrance. What a blessing it was to make this keepsake for their family!

I cannot thank you enough for these dolls. Losing my brother in such an awful way has been so difficult. He leaves behind a son who is in Iraq, a 14 year old daughter, and a 10 month old daughter. I miss him so much. I didn't see him day to day because he lived in Texas and I in Arkansas. He would come home for every holiday. Thanksgiving was his favorite. The boy loved to eat. Our dad is in poor health. The last conversation I had with my brother was for me to take care of dad for him. I appreciate you making the dolls for his 10 month old, our new great nephew (born the day of his funeral), and my daughter (the babies of our family.) These three will have keep sakes from Blake that will last a lifetime. We are truly blessed to have friends like you who will make these dolls for us. You are so special to our family. Thanks again for making something so good out of such a tragedy. Please pray for us. Kelley

We love ya, and will be praying for you all!!

~Tina

Marvelous Monday!!

Don't worry!!!!

It's 8:10 p.m. but I have not forgotten about the winner of Yay Free Friday!! I've been busy today working on custom orders and this evening we had a soccer game (lost 4-0, sorry Tristin) so no surprise doll...sorry! So since my big plan didn't work out the way I expected, I'm going to offer the winner a Baby be Blessed $35.00 Gift Certificate! You may keep it for yourself or we can send it off to someone you would love to bless!!

So the winner....

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:24
Timestamp: 2008-09-16 00:08:09 UTC

Anonymous said...
Happy Birthday Lola! Oh, and please enter us for the contest this week! Rebekah

CONGRATULATIONS REBEKAH!!

Thanks for entering for last weeks giveaway! I'll try to do better this week! ~Tina

Yay...It's Free Friday!

Is it Friday already?! With the craziness of the week, I have not yet gotten it ready! So on Monday....SURPRISE...the winner and the item will be announced! If you are interested, simply enter by leaving your contact information under this post Friday-Sunday and I'll be back on Monday to let you know who won and what they won!

Until then....we have a birthday in the house!!!!

Happy Birthday to my Lola....six years old today!!

September 12, 2002

Thankful for today...

" Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil. Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

____________________

Over the past few days the Lord has really spoken to my heart. The things that He has spoken are just reminders of what He has already told me...but He needed to remind me. I praise Him for the Holy Spirit that is working 24/7 within all of us who have made the choice to live for Christ. Some days I bet the Holy Spirit just wants to knock me over the head to get the cobwebs cleared so I get refocused, but that is NOT how the Lord works. Even though He did knock me over the head literally once...hard! I'll have to share that story at another time. But for today I just want to be thankful for today. Maybe the day won't hold the same plan in it as I have in my mind. Most days around here are like that and sometimes I get discouraged by it. But to just take it as the Lord gives it to us. How do we handle it? Will we throw a fit and fuss or take it in stride. What perspective do I have today? I read an awesome blog yesterday that I want to share with all of you. I pray that it will speak directly to your heart...that the Lord will use it to refocus and motivate you. At least that is what He did for me. So today lets check our attitude, who are we living for...ourselves or for the Lord? If I have my focus on myself, a pity party rolls in. If my focus is on what the Lord has for me to do today...a feeling of "BRING IT ON"!! This is a daily, moment by moment choice. I praise you Father for your great work in my life and I pray today that I would be obedient to that plan instead of an obstacle of that plan. I do not wish to whine, complain and grumble over every obstacle but to walk forth straight to Your will and work for me. Reminds me Lord of your deliverance of Israel from Egypt. They could have had a much shorter trip, but instead Lord they whined and complained, so as punishment they had to take the long 40 year route. I don't my life to be the long hard 40 year route. I desire Lord to walk the straight path right to your promises. There will be many hard times in the life of a believer. Much that we will need to overcome. Your standards and will for our lives is much higher than what the world requires but I thank you Lord for your faithfulness!! So in EVERYTHING I will rejoice, pray without ceasing and give thanks...for today this is Your will Lord, not mine!

Marvelous Monday!!

Round #1 8am

Natalie & Tristin's 1st day of School 2008

Round #2 11:30am

Lola's first day of Kindergarten 2008

First off....some Thompson family news!

Today is the first day back to school. It is always bitter/sweet for me to watch them get on the big ol' yellow bus and drive away. I miss them and the house seems too quiet...though as I type this Kolton is throwing a big screaming fuss behind me. =) They were so excited to go and I am looking forward to them coming home. As they anxiously looked down the road for the bus this morning, I anxiously will be looking down the road this afternoon ready to hear all the fun details of the day. As I told Laura this morning...it's good for all of us to be apart, but I'm looking forward to their return. Gosh, I'm going on like they are miles away from me and it's going to be days until I see them, when actually they are just a few blocks away for 7 1/2 hours. I'll be okay...no excuses NOT to get my work done today!

Second...the BbB giveaway GIVEAWAY!

I want to thank all of you who took the time to enter this week. Our hearts were caught by each and every comment! We are thinking maybe will do this the first of every month. It not only gives you the chance to give, but gives all of us more people and situations to pray about. Thank you! I feel this was one of the best giveaways ever!! So the winner......

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:5
Timestamp: 2008-09-08 16:02:04 UTC

Jen said...
I would choose to give this lamb to Noah and Julie Roberts, parents of Magdalena Grace who has Trisomy 18. She has been with them for about 4 weeks, every day they are sharing with her is a blessing. I do not know them personally but I am sure they would love this lamb for their daughter.

Thank you Jen for thinking of little Magdalena!

Well...I'm off to get to work! I hope everyone has a wonderful week!! ~Tina

Free Friday Giveaway....GIVEAWAY!

"Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to me;

for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14

Sage green minky dot lamb with smooth light yellow minky face and inner ear.

"In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' "

In honor of our first official month of Give a Blessing, I encourage you all to give! This week our giveaway is meant to be given away! You will be entering to win this lamb to give it away to someone else. Someone who the Lord lays on your heart that lives outside of your household. Simply leave a comment under this post stating who you would like to give this blessing to and why you have chosen to give it to them. You may enter Friday-Sunday and I will draw the winner on Monday. I will contact you for the address of your chosen recipient and I will send them their little lamb including a message from you. (You must follow the rules to be qualified)

In the spirit of giving I encourage all of you to give to our little Janessa who is the Sept. Give a Blessing recipient! Baby be Blessed does not make one penny from the T-shirt sales or take a percentage from any of the donations directed towards her cause. We simply want to help in anyway we can! If you are unable to help financially, please help by praying for little Janessa and please pass the word to those around you who can also pray and maybe financially help this sweet baby! By teaming up together we can make a difference!!

We all have something to offer. I don't deserve what the Lord has given me. I am beyond words as to how thankful I am for what I have and what I can give! Even the very toughest points of my life in which I asked "why?", I reflect back to that time and just say thank you! It was those tough times that has molded me into who and what I am today. It will be those future tough times that will continue to mold me into what I should be and strive to become. But in this very moment of where I am...what can I do to make a difference? What can I give? Maybe it is just my time or a kind word of encouragement. It's simply making the choice daily to follow His leading. ~Tina

Marvelous Labor Day Monday!!

YAY!! Today's winner is strong on my heart! My husband Keith was deployed to Iraq three years ago and was gone for 18 months. It was the loneliest time in my life, but the Lord used it for good in each of us. So today Miss Sarah, you are the lucky winner of Emma!! I'm happy to send her your way! I ask all of you to pray for this family and all of the troops serving our country!

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:15
Timestamp: 2008-09-01 20:47:04 UTC

Anonymous said...
My husband is deployed in Kuwait. I hope i can win her for my 3 year old Ava and buy 2 more for my other children Olivia (5 yrs) and Aidan (9 mon). Precious little snugglies to have while daddy is away! :)Sarah