Thursday, March 6, 2008

More coffee!!!


I had ordered some card packs from California Paper goods recently, and one included two tones of brown that looked perfect for coffee cards. (And it turns out that the color name for one is "cappuccino" so obviously I was on to something, lol! They had one of their quarterly auctions the weekend before last, and I managed to win bids on both colors. The order arrived yesterday.

Making cards for workshops is a major challenge for me, as I never feel like I've made quite "the right card," so I constantly am changing my mind and coming up with something different last minute. I had a workshop this evening, and had decided a week or two ago, when we planned it, to not even bother choosing/making cards until two days before as I'd just end up taking as much time as I had, so it wouldn't help to start four days earlier.

So ... I finished my last card at midnight last night, and just needed to remake the coffee card & and get the carstock cut, etc for it (the two of the design I posted yesterday had had sold or were currently in my friend Cheryl's shop where I sell cards - and where I was to do the workshop). Pulling out the cardstock for that design, I realized that since I was making all new cards for the store (whichever cards I made/designed for the workshop would be added into this month's batch), I really did not want to make a card that had already been in the store. At least, that was the excuse for getting into my bronze and cappuccino mica cardstock!!!

They loved the card, so I'm glad I did it! (But I won't tell you what time I went to bed... I had a Bible study to lead and a dr. app't today, so had to finish last night)!

My son, a senior in high school, is taking a couple of classes at a college 40 minutes away, and was going to take the bus back to town, stopping at my husband's place of work to pick up our one vehicle. Then he would drive home, just in time -- actually a little later than I like to leave -- to finish loading me up, and drive down with me to the workshop. It's a 40 minute drive over winding Pennsylvania roads, and night driving is not something I do well at (this was my first night workshop). He also unloads most of my stuff so I can set up, and then packs it all into the van as I slowly get it boxed up. Well, of all days to miss the bus, he missed it today. I didn't receive his e-mail until about ten minutes before he was due to arrive! I'd like to say I handled it with grace and peace, but I'm afraid I was pretty upset with him. I called a friend who was willing to bring me to the van. I called Cheryl to tell her I was going to arrive just a few short minutes before the workshop, and she could hear the anger in my voice. She reminded me that in the light of eternity, what did my son's inablilty to come & the lateness of the workshop really matter? My friend Jacki happened to be online, and told me she'd pray for me. And of course, my friend Denise who picked me up and took me to the van prayed as well. Because of God's work in my life, I don't have a really short fuse, but between lack of sleep (mostly my own fault for being up late, but I have other sleep issues) and the stress of a workshop, I know it was the prayers and encouragement of my three friends that, even before I pulled out of the driveway for the workshop a half hour later, enabled me to not only let go of the frustration, but to actually enjoy the drive down. The ladies at the workshop were completely unconcerned about starting late, were totally unhurried to get out of the store, and all pitched in and helped me get packed up! Isn't that amazing? I stressed for no reason at all... Lord, help me to have right perspective when these things happen, and not sell people short in their abililty to flow with delay...

2 comments:

Diane Noble said...

Just checked back to see how your workshop went. Love the additional coffee card. Sounds like it went very well in the end though you had to wade through some challenges. God always provides, doesn't He? Even when the provision is a lesson, He is faithful to meet our every need. Love the way your share your faith WITH your cards...or would it be the other way around!!!

My husband and I took a vacation several springs ago in your area of the country. Oooh, my very favorite places are there. Beautiful!!!

Sharon in NE said...

I hate that kind of stress too. It seems God sends special people to you at that time just to remind you He's in control and you're not. (I just love Jacki) Glad things worked out.

LOVE coffee cards!