A New Creation

When I began designing coasters I thought I had learned "the way" to do it. I liked what I saw when I had a new creation. It certainly was much better than a blank tile staring back at me. I just love the process of figuring out what will work on a small space like I work on, 4"x4". It can seem monumental at first. Then as I play with designs, it just sort of happens. It was all working well. Then ....

I came across a youtube video about a product I had been using in another application, scrapbooking to be specific. I wondered about using it in designing coasters and just had to see if it would work. If it did, then it would add a new dimension to my work. It would add some color to the background, and in some instances, make the design look totaly different than if I left the background plain. So I attempted and I must admit, clumsily at first. However, I love how it can give a new appearance to an old look. I am including a photo of one of the coaster designs I did with this format ....

This is a design I call "I love you." I've been having sort a French fetish lately when I design and this is so awesome to me to have the little French sentiment and the Eiffel Tower. The background technique gives it that mottled effect. Almost any colors can be used for this effect and it can be designed to go with your decor in mind.

Well, most of the time things work out when I come up with a new creation. There have been times I created something and I had to chunk it and start over. However none of it really goes to waste. I save the "messed up" tiles and use them for experimentation with new techniques I see online or that I just plain make up myself.

You know, this reminds me how when we may have messed up our lives and think we need to chunk it. We may feel we need to start over. There is a way to do this. When we ask Jesus to come into our marred, messed up life we become a new creation. We start out as a blank canvas that is marred, messed up from life’s journey like one of my coasters ...
     "everyone has sinned and is far away from God's
     saving presence." (Romans 3:23, Good News Translation)

But then we can become a new creation.
　
2 Corinthians 5:17 says:
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.
The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Just like the coasters become a new creation when I add the designs, Jesus Christ, in a much bigger way, makes us a new creation when He is added to our life. He saturates us, like the background color saturates the stone, infusing us with life and love and purpose for living. With Jesus, nothing that has happened to us is wasted. He will use it for His good. Let Him make you a new creation today. Here is a video of one of the popular stars of Duck Dynasty and how Jesus has made him a new creation.

http://www.cbn.com/tv/2383064549001

Toodles for now,
Cindy