It’s OK To Play.
Carol says it’s OK to play with paper crafts and scrapbooking. Sometimes it reminds us how God has truly transformed us in unique ways.
Things We Do To Relax
We all have things we enjoy doing to relax. Puzzles can be one of those things but others enjoy reading, crafting, or going for a hike. At times in our busy lives we forget it is okay to play, in fact the change helps us be refreshed along with a good rest.
I have been guilty of pushing myself to keep doing, attacking my to-do list and forgetting to take time to enjoy a hobby or to just play with my crafting for no other reason than to enjoy myself. I looked at all my paper crafting supplies and all the photos that could be scrapbooked. I thought of all the cards I could make and give to people. I would be enjoying my hobby and feeling like I was accomplishing something off that never ending list. But could I just take those supplies and have fun?
Junk Journal
One idea I had heard about was to make a junk journal. You may ask what that is. Even though I like to scrapbook and had heard the term, I didn’t really understand what it might involve. It intrigued me. I like to have pretty journals. I actually use them. But junk and journal together didn’t make sense. So I googled it.
The pictures of the examples were beautiful, different, and very unique. So why the term junk? These handmade books are made from many types of paper and often different sizes within each book. They often have recycled material – hence the term junk for some people’s junk became the supplies for another person’s creative endeavour. I discovered you can use old envelopes, tattered sheet music, brochures, maps, old ledgers, magazines, old papers, or just about anything else you might think of. The covers can be from cereal boxes or tissue boxes or even an old book cover.
A Small Scrapbook of Memories
These little journals come in all sizes and shapes, limited only by the person’s imagination, I think. They contain bits and pieces that are repurposed and assembled to give them new uses. Sometimes they have a theme such as one about sewing that uses old patterns and the envelopes, they came in. They do leave spaces that the owner can write on. Some people add photos and make it a small scrapbook of memories. There are so many ideas and uses for these junk journals made of bits and piece many people would discard.
As I read about this and planned to try it, I thought about the bits and pieces of our lives. Some of those bits are old and worn. Other pieces are tattered from pain and problems. A few are bright, new, and exciting but together they form a whole. They all are part of who we are and represent the journey we’ve traveled.
Unique Experiences
Each of us has many unique experiences. Some are good, others are tough, while a few might be downright ugly. We might wish that some hadn’t been part of our lives at all. We’d cull out the junk and keep the good stuff. Yet it has all helped shape us, taught us, and become part of the bits and pieces of who we are.
The mess to finished product, a person takes odds and ends and makes something useful and beautiful, making you hesitate to call it junk journal. God can and does take the mess in our lives when we give it all up to him and gives us a message of transformation and hope to share with others.
God Transforms Us From Junk
1 Peter 2: 9, 10 says,
“But you are a chosen generation a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
People can transform what most call junk into something useful. God does that for everyone who asks him to. He transforms us by his mercy into someone chosen, holy, and belonging.
How has God transformed you? We would love to hear from you. Comment below or contact us at HopeStreamRadio.
Carol Harrison
Listen to Carol’s program Puzzle Pieces Of Life or visit Carol’s website carolscorner.ca
Carol Harrison B.Ed is a speaker and published author with one book, Amee’s Story and stories in twelve anthologies. She is passionate about helping people of all ages and ability levels find their voice and reach their fullest potential.
She knows, through personal experience that some of life’s experiences are tougher than others. Carol encourages people that even in the twists and turns of life God’s amazing grace provides hope.
She lives in Saskatoon, SK with her husband Brian. They have four adult children and a dozen grandchildren.
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Images courtesy of:
Scrapbook – Darkmoon_Art
Woman with Camera – StockSnap
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