Buy My Stuff?

The Lord has filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts. He is a master craftsman, expert in working with gold, silver, and bronze. He is skilled in engraving and mounting gemstones and in carving wood. He is a master at every craft.

Exodus 35:31-33 (NLT)

Something said in a sermon on a recent Sunday, regarding how God shows his delight in us by giving us certain abilities, reminded me of a discussion with my friend a few months ago. We were participating in a Bible study and one of the lessons focused on contentment. April addressed a concern. She makes jewelry, lovely pieces that are more like wearable art. And she sells her jewelry with hopes of making a good income on it. Her question was, “If we’re supposed to be content with what we already have, and not be all about getting more stuff, how do we justify making products for people to buy? And is it wrong for us to want people to want our stuff?”

A paragraph in the study says:

“A study of godly contentment is not a survey of how to get along with less or how to live more simply. It has nothing to do with quelling your ambition. In fact, it’s the exact opposite of all those things. Contentment is all about how to live more abundantly in Christ. How to go deeper into the great things of God. How to press on with holy passion and to take hold with both hands of all that God has for you.” (Lord, Change My Attitude, James MacDonald, Barb Peil)

I read that to April and suggested to her that God has gifted her with the desire, skill, creativity, time, etc, to make beautiful jewelry. Using these gifts from God is pursuing with holy passion all that God has for her. Her motivation is to be all that God designed her to be. She is not responsible for what motivates people to purchase her pieces.

Someone has to make money in order to use that money for good. If we follow the instructions in James to work “as unto the Lord”, making a profit is a righteous endeavor. And another scripture tells us whatever our hands find to do, do it heartily. It’s all about what our attitude is regarding money and “stuff” and what it’s for. Raking in the money and then rolling in it is not where our happiness is produced. When a profit is made we give the glory to God for He has both created and blessed our hands to do so.

I’m delighted to wear April Shelley Jewelry myself. Here are some pieces she created just for me:

I’ll be wearing them at my daughter’s wedding in just a few weeks. Thank you, April!

Want to see more? April welcomes your browsing here:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/AprilShelley143

https://www.facebook.com/AprilShelleyJewelry?ref=hl

Be Fruitful and Multiply

It’s been several months since I last played over here in the light of Aniluminary. Have you missed me? I’ve missed being here. So where have I been?

Well, I’ve been on the move. The hubby and I made a major change in our lives and took ourselves 1,300 miles from where we’ve been for almost thirty years. A 1,300 mile leap of faith. We’ve returned to the Pacific Northwest where I was born and spent my growing up years, until I ventured out into ‘new territory’ by way of southern California. In that ‘new territory’, I met and married my husband. As a young couple with our first child, we responded to our shared attraction for the Pacific Northwest and moved back here. We stayed long enough to produce a double feature in the family, our twins. Then away we went again. And like a yo-yo a couple years later, wound up once more in this familiar neighborhood. After expanding the family with our youngest, the yo-yo re-looped to SoCal, for a much longer stay this time.

But let’s fast forward to the present and guess what? The yo-yo finally retracted and here we are—we feel like we are home. I am done with yo-yoing! And no-o-o-o-o-o, we will not be having another child this time!

Although…here’s a thought:

Every time I’ve written an entry for my blog, I feel like I’ve brought something to life, so maybe these writings are my babies. If so, if it please the Lord, may I be fruitful and multiply. And may these kids of mine enrich your lives.

Just for fun:

While visiting with my mom at the assisted living facility not long ago, Sock Monkey tells a story, not the one about how he got a knot in his tail—that’s too scary. (Sock Monkey came into existence at my mother’s sewing machine.)