Linda Israel

Multi-Media Artist

I was going through all of the ATC’s that I made for the year 2010 and I thought I would share most of these in one place. To get a better view click on the thumbnail. I hope you enjoy having a look!

While reading some quotes regarding Christmas I found the following quote by Billy Graham:

“One response was given by the innkeeper when Mary and Joseph wanted to find a room where the Child could be born. The innkeeper was not hostile; he was not opposed to them, but his inn was crowded; his hands were full; his mind was preoccupied. This is the answer that millions are giving today. Like a Bethlehem innkeeper, they cannot find room for Christ. All the accommodations in their hearts are already taken up by other crowding interests. Their response is not atheism. It is not defiance. It is preoccupation and the feeling of being able to get on reasonably well without Christianity. ”

Billy Graham
Billy Graham Organization

As I sat there reading that quote I couldn’t help but think of the time period that Billy Graham would have said this to whomever he was talking to at the moment. At that point in history those people were busy, had busy schedules, places to go, people to see and things to do immediately. Now with today’s mind set and technology I would think that this quote would apply even more so than before.  If a person didn’t already know Christ, didn’t have someone to teach them how to live a Christ like life then the person would continue on with their life, texting, twittering, facebooking etc with no regard to their salvation. To them there is nothing to worry about, live for today and don’t worry about tomorrow.

So how do we make a difference in today’s world. In the realm we live in today. With technology I can reach thousands of people with the click of a mouse, but do I have any real clout with these people? Do they know me? Can they see Christ in me and have the desire to want to know more?

Some time ago a lady that I became Facebook friends with (because of a game) contacted me. She contacted me because she saw from my profile and from the posts that I made that I was a Christian. She began asking me questions. I began answering the questions to the best of my ability.  She was going through a rough time in life and didn’t understand why. Why were things happening to her? What did she do wrong? It wasn’t that she did anything wrong, it is the world in which we live, the prince of darkness has a hold on this world and wreaks havoc where ever he can. Because he wreaks havoc in people’s lives this causes them to doubt. I think at the time I was put in her life to restore her faith, to give her a little pat on the shoulder and a little reassurance that life can and will be better.

I think that if we make the effort to show that we care, that we care for more than our own little world, just as Christ has called us to do, then we will make a difference. You don’t have to run off to a foreign country and save the “lost”, you can make a difference sitting where you are now, just by showing at least one other person you care.

When was the last time you picked up a phone to call that friend you haven’t talked to in a while? Written a letter by hand?  I was so blessed to have both of these things done recently.

First a former boss called me not just once but several times over the past couple of months. Just to tell me how much he appreciated me. He didn’t want something from me, he wasn’t trying to get me to do something for him, no he wanted to tell me how much he cared about me. He called to tell me how much he appreciated our friendship.

Second a friend sat down and wrote a three page hand written note. She took time to tell me about the little things in her life and asked how I was doing and that she appreciated our friendship. She could have written an email or posted on my facebook wall, but instead she hand wrote a letter to me.

Do something special for those around you this Christmas, so that they can feel the love you know and feel from your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. If you don’t know this love I’m talking about, lets talk…

The small acts of love that you perform for others will cause them want to know more  and before you know what happened you will have planted a seed of Salvation in their heart. Then there will be room for Christ to come in so that He can show them how glorious life can be with Him. Take time today to find room…

Merry CHRISTmas!

Linda

Today I made something that I haven’t made in many years!!! A friendship bracelet! One of my coworkers sent a link to me yesterday and asked? Could you show me how to make one of these bracelets? I said Sure I can! lol… I went home and dug around in my craft supplies and found my box of cross stitch tread and crochet thread and brought some of the items to work today.. Then John came to my office and I showed him how to make a bracelet.

What is amazing to me is that I remembered how to make the bracelet and how many people stopped John and said, hey I remember those, we made those back in school for all of our friends!!! lol…

When I was in school I made them for my friends and then kids asked me to make them for them to give to their friends.. Well I started selling them. I wasn’t going to be making dozens of these bracelets for nothing! So I made a ton of these bracelets for the kids at school and I had money in my pocket most of the time too!

Thanks John for bringing back those good memories. I hope you have fun making the friendship bracelets…

What childhood craft do you remember? Have you taken the time to teach someone else how to make something? If not, it isn’t too late to start today!

Linda