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| In my studio making valentines with friends |
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| MaryElizabeth used simple designs with bold colors |
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| Towns' design was filled with texture and color. |
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| She beautifully stamped the verse Zephaniah 3:17 over the book print. It read, "I will rejoice over you with singing" |
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| This is a fun easy process. Here are some quick easy instructions to help you create your own valentine. |
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| True LoveLove does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. I Corinthians 13:6Hands down, my greatest joy is that my children have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Ever since our children were born, Eddie and I have worked to center our home around Christ. That sweetly resulted in our relationships being centered around Christ as well. |
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| I Love Love! 8x10 Mixed Media Canvas PanelI Corinthians 13:5 Love does not act unbecomingly; It does not seek it's own,is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered.In any relationship, but particularly in your relationship with your daughters, it's imperative that there be respect with love. Nothing will crush a spirit faster than disrespect. For example, when your daughter shares a dream, or an idea, or even a solution to a problem, the worst thing you can do would be to respond with sarcasm or disapproval. You think you would never do that, but when they say something very different from what you were thinking sometimes you speak before you think. You respond with a sarcastic remark you thought was harmless and funny and before you know it, the enthusiasm that was on her face when she offered the idea is now gone and her spirit is completely deflated. When you respect her ideas, you respect her. It's also very important that you respect her feelings, especially in public. whether she is 2 yrs old or 18 yrs old. If she says or does something that is inappropriate or unacceptable in front of others, if it can't wait until you get home, calmly remove her from the situation and address it in private. And since we are studying the love chapter, remember to address her in love and without sarcasm. You want your home to be a place where your daughter feels the freedom to share her heart completely. If you have held her thoughts and ideas with high esteem since she was little, more than likely she will continue to open up and share when she is older. This verse also reminds us that love does not seek it's own. This is Big because most women, whether they like to admit it or not, are control freaks. In a relationship where Christ is at the center, the control stuff belongs to Him. We are free! When our daughters share big things that freak us out we can rest in knowing that God Almighty is not freaked out or surprised by her creativity. If you can imagine, He loves her even more than You do and He delights in her. He's got this one! In a mother daughter relationship where there is not love, there will be hurt and anger and communication will shut down. But no matter how bad it's been, it's never too late to mend or even restore a relationship with your daughter. It's no secret that we all want to be loved. Where there is love there is forgiveness. And where there is love there is restoration. Thanks for stopping by! Leave me a comment! I LOVE knowing what you think! love love love Ruthie |
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| Almost DoneLove is patient Love is kind and is not jealous. Love does not brag and is not arrogant. I Corinthians 13:4 My sweet friend NancyJo and I lived next door to each other and had babies around the same time. I'll never forget a conversation I had with NancyJo that literally changed my life. She commented one day on how special her night had been the night before with her daughter. I of course assumed if she was so happy obviously the baby had slept through the night. I wish you could have heard NancyJo's response to me. She sweetly smiled and said that her daughter had not slept through the night, instead quite the opposite. She had waked up around 2:30am wet and hungry. NancyJo said she changed her and fed her, and in the quiet of the living room she snuggled her and talked to her, just the two of them uninterrupted. She was so thankful for their little time together. She said having that time was such a short season, and she wanted to enjoy every minute. I, on the other hand, spent the night before pretending to be asleep hoping my husband would get up and bring the baby to me. Then I broke records trying to feed her and change her and put her back down to sleep. After hearing NancyJo's precious example of patience and tenderness with her daughter, my late nights became treasured moments. When my girls were toddlers, if you didn't have patience it was tough because every other sentence was "I do it myself." As my girls have gotten older I have found that patience and kindness strengthen a relationship much better than when I am impatient or unkind. Love is not jealous. I love that! Teaching this concept in my home to my girls was and is very important to me. I so desired for them to be truly happy for each other when one of them won sports or received honors or just won a game of kickball in the back yard. I have to say the world does not teach this concept. However, learning to be each others biggest cheerleader has grown my girls relationship with each other by leaps and bounds. A relationship absent of jealousy creates love. Verse 4 also says love does not brag and is not arrogant. Bragging and arrogance usually occurs when there's insecurity or lack of confidence. If your daughter feels loved by you there will be no need for her to brag or to be arrogant. She will have what she needs. A sweet love relationship between a mother and daughter breeds strength and security. Thank you for listening. Love hearing your thoughts and stories! Love love love Ruthie |
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| My GirlsIf I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith , so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. I Corinthians 13:2-3 What are you teaching your girls? The day you become a mom you become a teacher. And for those of you who don't actively have children in your home, don't think you are off the hook. You to are a mom to all the girls that you come in contact with throughout your life. So again, what are you teaching your girls? I smile all over thinking back on teaching my girls when they were little. I loved teaching them to swim, to color, to whistle, to skip, to play games, to ride a bike, to read... the list goes on and on.They were so eager to learn new things and when they finally mastered the new skill they would do it over and over and over and obviously need an audience every time. Even as my girls got older I loved teaching them new things like driving or cooking, because it was those activities that provided the opportunity for us to spend time together and for our relationship to grow. Even though I am not the best swimmer, I was in the water with my arms outstretched ready to cheer them and squeeze them when they made it across the pool. Teaching them to drive meant being in the car with them every day for a year obviously learning the rules of the road, but definitely going through a drive through for a coke and a treasured conversation. However, the most valuable teaching moments were and are teaching moral values. Valuable for a couple of reasons. Training moral behavior when they are little establishes their belief system and helps them to determine right from wrong. And teaching moral issues as they get older provides more intimate and personal conversations that only deepen and strengthen relationships between mother and daughter. It's the teaching moments that we share with our girls that draw us together.The triumph of learning something new or the late night talk over a shared dream or even a broken heart. Being available with all your heart whether they are learning to whistle a tune or drive a car, it is essential to a meaningful relationship with your daughter. Without love you are nothing.Thanks for listening and hanging out with me today. I would love to know what you think or any input you have on this subject. Leave me a comment!!!!! Love love love always Ruthie |
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| The GirlsI've been asked to speak at a women's conference next week in Tuscaloosa. I am so excited! Guess what topic they've asked me to speak? Mother daughter relationships. One of my greatest joys is my relationship with my girls and their relationship with each other. I've known for a while about this engagement so I have been thinking about what direction I would take. I've been more in tune to conversations with my girls and treasuring each moment and hoping somehow to turn my heart flooded with emotion into an inspirational talk. God is so faithful, and He sweetly reminded me that it's not about me but about Him, and He led me to I Corinthians 13. Perfect! So this week as the Lord prepares me, I would love to share with you what He teaches me through His word. I Corinthians 13:1, "If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or clanging symbol.How do you speak to your girls? That's a pretty simple question. Think about it for a minute. Maybe your first thought is "could you rephrase the question?" Maybe, how do you speak to your girls "when?" ""When" I've asked them to clean their room 5 times, or "when" we're late to school, or "when"we are in front of others... Scripture says it doesn't matter "when" you speak to your daughter or what the circumstances, if you don't speak to her in love you become a noisy gong or a clanging symbol and she won't hear a word. You can easily avoid becoming a clanging symbol if you begin your day with the Lord, and in His strength every time you speak to your daughter it's done in an attitude of love. Even when they are infants you talk to them, sing to them and develop that sweet bond through communication. When they are toddlers, take the time to talk and teach and listen. At the end of the day, what's most important? The fact that the house is clean, you completed 4 loads of laundry and dinner is on the table, OR, that you enjoyed a tea party, read story books, played dolls, finger painted, and completed only one load of laundry and had cereal again for dinner. I unashamedly say the tea party is way more important. In middle school, they have so much to say, be a good listener. In jr. high school, if you've laid the groundwork for good communication then chances are that you will still have it. However, if she begins to pull away, run after her! Stay strong. Don't shy away from difficult topics. Big issues wrapped up with love plant seeds in the heart and bear sweet fruit later.While she is in high school, remember she does not need another friend, but she still needs her mama. You are teaching and listening allowing her to fail, learn, and grow. Think before you speak. Speak in love with your daughters. Relentlessly pursue her. She is your gift from the Lord. Thanks for stopping by! love love love Ruthie |
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| My ManI've missed being with y'all. Thank you so much for stopping by. Where have I been? I have been in my studio painting some and doing some cool mixed media, but mostly I've been being a mom. I love that part of my life! But my most favorite part of my life is being married to my husband. As moms it's very easy to put our children first. But really our husbands should be a priority above our children. I know that sounds crazy when out entire day seems to revolve around our children and their needs. When our children were little we were filling sippy cups, changing diapers, playing puzzles, pulling wagons, pushing swings...the list goes on. As our children have gotten older we're carpooling, volunteering, going to sports stuff, recitals, school events, late night talks, lots of listening, all those fabulous mom things, and unfortunately when our husbands walk through the door at night we are physically and emotionally spent. Not to mention, I'm usually still wearing sweaty workout clothes from earlier in the day. Do you remember when you dated your future husband? I do! It did not matter if I had climbed Mt Everest and run 26 miles that day, when my baby walked through that door to take me out I was dressed to kill and could hardly wait to wrap my arms around him! So my challenge is to get our relationships in order. Relationship with the Lord comes first, Husbands come second, and as hard as it may be, children come third. That does not mean that you neglect their needs. It does mean that when your man comes home from work that the children wait 15 minutes while you wrap your arms around his neck and give him your undivided attention and listen to him tell about his day. Though I must admit, I will probably still have on my workout clothes, I will try to at least have on little lip gloss and mascara!Love love love Ruthie |
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| The New Ewe 4x12 Oil on Gallery Wrapped Canvas Available in my StudioHappy New Year! I'm so glad you stopped by, it seems like forever since we talked! Now that my babies are all back in school I will blog more and be able to hang out with you more. I was wondering about your new year and all the resolutions you made or thought about making. I saw a friend of mine the other day and he was eating an apple as though it were a steak and potatoes and I smiled and said "new year's resolution?" He laughed and answered with an enthusiastic YES! What is it about January 1st? Everybody is obsessed with doing something new. Moving more, eating less. Cleaning up, cleaning out. I love cleaning out, throwing out, and getting organized. I love a fresh start. Whatever it is, out with the old and in with the new. Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature. Old things are passed away, Behold all things are become new. 2Cor. 5:17 When you commit your life to Christ it does not matter what your past looks like. Because of His grace, He sees you as righteous. Old things are passed away,Behold all things are become new. Are you looking for a fresh start? The new you? Don't rely on a membership to the gym or the latest diet to help you reach your goal. Give your life to Christ and experience real change. Out with the old and in with the new! Happy Happy New Year! I am so glad you came by today! Love love love Ruthie |
