So, for all my scrappin' friends out there, I've started a
new blog. I hope to post pictures of all my scrapbook layouts that I complete this year. The goal is to finish 208 pages in 2008. The key here is that they have to be pages for our own albums, not albums that I give away, LOL! I gave 6x6 mini-albums of Kenna pics to the grandmas for Christmas, and those were pretty quick and easy to make. I've decided it's high time I put a priority on getting our own albums caught up.
I know it's not a HUGE priority. This year I hope to lead our children into some service projects and help them find ways to share Jesus' love with others in a more tangible and consistent way, and that, for example, truly IS a priority. But the fact is, I put myself and the things I enjoy doing at the bottom of the to-do list. Don't think it's for a noble cause, serving others before myself and all that. Ha! If only I could truly say that were the case. Sadly, though, I confess that I'm as selfish as they come, and instead of always thanking the Lord for the precious gifts He has given me to shepherd, I find myself grumbling and complaining with a woe-is-me, I'm-such-a-martyr attitude that disgusts even me.
So what to do about it? Scrap, of course! Follow me on this one...I'm trying to justify making this a priority. :-) Seriously, working on our family scrapbooks is something that brings me joy and also benefits our family. We all love going back to look at pictures and reliving the memories together. The kids and Ted all enjoy flipping through our albums. That brings me great pleasure in and of itself. But the creative process also helps me fight stress and discouragement. When I work on a layout, any troubles I'm facing somehow leave the room. My focus is completely on what I'm doing.
Focus--that's another goal I have for this year. I'm as bad as a 2-year-old some days, with an attention span of a gnat. I am hoping that by slowing down and scheduling in some activities that help me develop the habit of concentrating on one thing at a time, perhaps I can get past this obsession to multi-task, which often leaves me feeling frazzled and as if I just can't quite get things done properly. Ultimately I want my focus to be on Christ, who alone is worthy of all my praise and energies.
So, if you're a scrapper (or a wanna-be scrapper), I invite you to check out
"208 in 2008" and let me know what you think. Pass the link on to any scrapping friends, and come by often. That will help keep me accountable so that I'll actually DO the pages, take pictures of them, and then post them! I hope it will be an encouragement and creative inspiration to many others!
