Reflections of Christ all day everyday.

As I go through life, I find myself developing a sensor for sincerity and genuineness. I've been hurt and disappointed by people that I look up to and think of them as God's hands and feet. I continually ask for discernment for these things. I often think if I had one superpower, it would be to know if somebody is lying or not. I wish everybody had Pinocchio noses, but it's not that simple. I have tired to chose friends and mates based on these senses. For if you cannot know sincerity from your loved ones, what can you really know? My biggest turn off for friends and love is a fake person. I want friends that are the same everywhere, around every person everyday. I do not want a chameleon friend that changes their personality when they are around other people. I know certain people may bring out certain finer qualities in you (humor, tastes, conversations, interests), but I do not think you should change your character, what you believe in what is right and wrong, when your environment, company and circumstances change. 

                 Proverbs 27:19 

As water reflects the face,

    so one’s life reflects the heart

2 Corinthians 3:18

So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord--who is the Spirit--makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

Being a Christian makes this even harder. Especially when you have not had the same beliefs all your life, you may find yourself slipping back to your old ways when you are around old friends. Or maybe you are doing the same types of activities you did before, but find it hard to get in the Jesus groove in this activity. This is where we must decide, "Does this friend or activity make me a better person, or is is pulling me down?" I heard somebody say, you don't just need Christian friends to lift you up, you need lost friend that you can life up too. But if your lost friend are pulling you down, either your faith needs more work or you need to lose that friend. We are a reflection or Christ everywhere we go. When people know you as Christian, you are a constant target of their ideas of who Jesus really is. We have to be very careful. There's nothing Satan loves more that a wavering Christian. He uses them to make faith look weak. We need to be changed if He changed us. We need to be consistent in our Christianity. I think we should just imagine Jesus with us all the time. Easier maybe, wear a symbol of Christ everywhere we go, knowing that people see that symbol and are looking to us for a reflection of Christ. If you don't cuss at church, you should not cuss at home. If you wouldn't have certain conversations at church, don't have those conversations anywhere. If Christ is inside of you, you take Him everywhere you go. You should remember Peter. When Jesus was right there by his side, he thought he would never deny Jesus. But as soon as Jesus was out of sight and headed to the cross, Peter felt as though if was more comfortable to blend in with the crowd. He denied his beloved Jesus three times, as Jesus had told him he would. Our love for Him is not a physical reminder that can be taken off and put on when we feel appropriate. 

Personalized FingerPrint Trees

This is what the picture looked like at the wedding before guest arrived. We printed out fingers and our daughters in red. I made them look like birds. I had it in the frame with NO GLASS. I laid out the colored inks, wipes, and a extra fine sharpie pen for the guests to sign as they arrived. 

This was on an 18 by 24 paper with matte. 

After the wedding, this is what the picture looked like. We used a variety of greens for our guests. 

Starting the tree, I use pencil. 

I add the details with a thin permanent marker. 

Then I finalize the image with enough branches to support your guests. 

 These are some finished works I did for friends to use as examples. 

These were done on 9 by 12 paper. 

PRICES

these prices are for artwork only. 

The frame, matte, ink and maker are not included. 

$60 for 18 by 24

$40 for 9 by 12

*additional charges apply for shipping. 

Wedding Bells & Second Chances

Over a year later...

Invitation designed by 

LostSock Creations

Images taken in

Tomball, Texas 

by Debby Ditta photography.

Engagement photos by Debby Ditta photogrAphy....

See session and her amazing talent on display from her blog; 

http://debbydittaphotography.blogspot.com/2015/05/todd-and-tabbie-engagement-session.html

Wedding topper created

 by LostSock creations. 

In Him was Life

I created this drawing based on John 1:4-5.

Breaking this verse down was where I started. The verse is very deep. I asked my husband, Todd, for help with his idea of the verse. We both started simple with the idea of a glowing figure with flame light inside. After further thought, Todd thought of maybe having life showing inside the figure rather than a flame of light. Although this was more challenging, I really liked this idea. 

I see the "Life" as things growing and living. God created life from nothing in the Garden of Eden. Life sprung from Him. He is the Creator. 

That created life was the guiding light of truth for all other Creation to come.

 Life itself is a testament to a Creator. 

Romans 1:20 says, 

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities- His eternal power and divine nature- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse". 

This light that has been there since the beginning, shines in the darkness. We do not have to be afraid of being overcome by sin, darkness or satan. His light is always with us in the dark world if we choose to carry it. By GOd's Son, Jesus, death and darkness have been overcome. He won already. We know the end. It is not a mystery how it will turn out. It is promised. 

1 Corinthian's 15:55-57 says, 

"O Death, where is your sting? O death, where is your victory? For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sing its power. But thank GOD! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

I wanted to snake to be in the darkness, looming powerless behind God. 

The butterflies came from this creation and light, 

Ephesians 5:8

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of the light. 

John 8:12, says

Jesus spoke again to them, I am the light of the world: he that follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. 

1 John 1:5 says, 

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 

When the butterflies flutter together in fellowship, they are stronger. 

1 John 1:7

"But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin."

If our lights are on in the darkness, the sin cannot hurt us. We are fluttering with His salvation inside us. We are no longer like Adam and Eve, we have Him inside us everywhere we go. There is no forbidden fruit, slithering sneaky snake or lie that can smother the light of the truth. 

Lukie 10 :19 says, 

"I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions

 and to overcome all power of he enemy: 

nothing will harm you. "

These butterflies cannot be taken by the snake. 

Satan tried to ruin it from the start with the first created beings. 

But Jesus came and fixed it all, giving the snake no more power. 

The fruitful tree satan once used against us is known for what it truly is... a lie. 

God will have His way, no matter what. 

His way is the whirlwind in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. 

Nahum 1:3

So, look up and know that he watches over you. 

If He is for you, then who can be against you?  Romans 8:31

Have peace that He is with you on your journey. 

Hello Again Weight Watcher

This is not the first weight loss journey and not my first time to join weight watchers. In 2010 I reached my largest at 230 lbs. This was when I discovered I was pregnant with my first daughter. The Dr. told me I had gestational diabetes and that I needed to go on a special diet before the birth. I did at 7 months pregnant (over 230 now) and was roughly 200 the day my daughter was born! Yay!

I continued to keep some of this off and lose more as I was breastfeeding the first year of her life.

My then husband, Shannon Seaton (who has now since passed) decided the he wanted to join Weight Watchers. I was so excited! We could now do this journey together.

I became a lifetime member when I reached my goal 7 years ago of 160 (but got down to 155) at 5'9. I felt confident and happy with my body. I was healthier than I was at my High School graduation. YAY!

See my previous journey here...

http://thelostsocklife.blogspot.com/search?q=weight

 

 After this achievement, I had another child. I had lost again and gotten back to 160 by a year after her birth. Following what I learned from WW, I was able to keep it off pretty much for 6 years. This past year I have gotten comfortable and felt as though I didn't want to make the daily sacrifices as usual. It slowly added up to me being 20 lbs. away from my life goal. I sat in denial for a while, went do Disney World and lived it up for a week. But it's back to reality and can't be ignored anymore. I feel wrong in my skin. Being an art teacher, One of my favorite things to do is express myself with my clothing! I love my thrifty closet collection. I love to be open each day to wear what I feel. But it feel more and more lately, I am picking out clothes for the purpose of hiding myself rather than standing out.

My new husband, Todd, and I decided to join WW 2 weeks ago. I weighed in at 182 when we got home from Disney World. It has not even been a full 2 weeks yet and I am down to 177.5! Yay. Still got a way to go. I wanted to keep a diary on here of how I feel and what I am eating. I am not only doing this to help and encourage others, but for myself to refer to later if I should gain the weight again. I can encourage myself. It is weird, but I look back at my old self and am jealous of how much determination I once had. I am still "me", "her" though. So, this journaling to future self helps me.

 

Before Video

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydQvvN1BHdk&list=PL6Q7H5pTvuHuapFpWXHHl6OWrVmU0eTRJ&index=20

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For starters, I eat a little weird. I’m not quite a vegetarian ( although I could be easily). But, I rarely eat meN unless it’s cooked by someone else, I feel as though my body is in need of it or it’s all there is. Since pre-k, Happy Meal burgers have been a cringe for me. I remember being dropped off at pre-school and pulling all the pickles, cheese and veggies off my gross burger patty and putting it back on the bun for lunch. Bye bye burger. Hello veggie sandwich. My parents thought I was picky, but I just couldn’t explain it. My choices have been more of an inconvenience to me and others. I usually eat meat purely to please others and not seem rude. Honey, Meat gives me the wiggles. So, you will notice most of my meal choices are meat free.

———————————————

Spicy Black Bean Stacker

2 Black Bean Patties

(5 points)

1 low fat Frigo string cheese

(1 point)

4 Sandwich sliced kosher dill pickles, salsa & mustard.

(0 points)

* I do different versions a if this. If I had guacamole at home, I would sub the cheese for that. If I had lettuce that wasn’t slimy, I’d add a bed underneath. But I go with the flow of what’s available. I like to keep it real like a HappyMeal (without the patty of course). 😉

Selfie of a TabithArtist

This is a self portrait of things that I use often and symbols of things important to me.