"THE GIVING TREE" AN EASTER BLESSING...BOUNCITY BOUNCE BLOGGITY HOP-DAY 2

Day 2 of this AMAZING Bouncity Bounce Bloggity Hop is upon us! I hope that everyone is enjoying all of this creative goodness, becoming inspired by the creations, and most of all, making new friends. 

If you have arrived here by chance please go back to the beginning: Elsa at  http://www.JustaFewDesigns.blogspot.com to begin your hopping! She has an AWESOME "Scrapping Candy" giveaway if you visit all of the pride's dens and leave a comment. It will be worth the visit...I promise. She is one talented lady.

If you visited my blog yesterday...you got to see the cutsie side of my Easter tradition. I love the whole idea of the Easter Basket filled with tons of goodies and yummy chocolate. I love coloring eggs and hiding them with my Children and now my Grandchildren. But today I want to share the real reason that I love Easter, and what it truly means to me.

We will all get two maybe three days off this holiday weekend...but that's not what this weekend is all about. We might have the best meals and goodies to share...but that's not what this weekend is all about. We may make more memories and enjoy more precious moments than one heart can hold but that is not what this weekend is all about. We will definitely hop about, share blogs and make new friends but that is not what this weekend is all about.

What is this weekend all about??

It is about a man who gave His life for all of us. It is about a God who is so big who cared so much, that He sacrificed his only child, for you and I. It's about a life so powerful and so important that it literally split time. It's about the only God in the history of the world who raised Himself from the dead. He is the only God that is able to do the same for you and I.

It's about Jesus Christ and no other. Some may have lost the message of Jesus amid the brightly-colored eggs, the candy and the Easter Bunny that the world would love to have become the face of Easter. The true face of Easter was contorted in pain, was covered in dirt and sweat from a night of being beaten. It was covered with blood that ran in rivulets down the sides of His face, down His nose, around His mouth and into His eyes, from a "crown" of thorns that was cruelly pushed onto his head until the skin was punctured and blood flowed.

The true face of Easter looked up to the heavens and asked HIS Father to forgive those who were killing Him, because they didn't know what they were doing.

Do not let the world hijack these three days! They are about one thing, and one thing only—Jesus Christ. His death, His burial, and His resurrection. It's a beautiful love story about a God who wanted to be reconciled to his creation so badly, that He sent His one and only, one-of-a-kind Son (Jesus) to live a perfect life in our place, so that all who call out to Jesus as Lord and Savior can receive eternal life with their Creator.

This Easter, would you take some time away from all the man-made diversions and remember why this weekend exists in the first place? Take time to think about Jesus and all He was and is to our world, and to us as individual creations of an Almighty God.

Which brings about my creation for today. I constructed a "Giving Tree" from two sleeves of 18 gauge wire, a bag of wooden picket fence, a roll of floral stem wrap, a piece of styrofoam, and a bag of Spanish moss. I shaped the wire into a tree trunk with many branches like the many generations of this world. I covered them in white floral stem wrap to signify the purity of "Giving" and the God that gave the most. I then added leaves to these branches that represent the new beginnings of life...Our children, and our Grandchildren. I added small signs with the words that mean the most to me. These are all the words in the English language that you will ever need to be a blessing to others and they are...Patience, Kindness, Forgiveness, Generosity, Grace, Praise, Charity, Mercy, Faith, Joy, Peace, and above all LOVE. The flowers and the brightly colored eggs were added to signify friendships made, and the true fun that life can be if we live it well. The beautiful purple bird was made to remind us that if God feeds the birds of the field with such beautiful things... Then surely He will provide richly for his children. Believe me when I say that I have come to the edge of the cliff of  my life and I have looked over...all I could see was light and all I could hear was "FIGHT"...and fight is what I will do! I will live each day with true thanksgiving in my heart and praise God for such an incredible LIFE he has graced me to LIVE. 

Here are a few pictures of my "Giving Tree".

If you haven't already done so, won't you thank Jesus for His life as a whole, and for this weekend in particular. Then, once you've thanked Him, why not ask Him into your life?

Now that I have shared my creations for this special day...I am going to give a little Scrappin' Candy of my own away for this holiday that is so precious to me. All you have to do to win this special Scrappin' Candy giveaway is first be a follower on my blog...then remember to leave me a comment on these creations. And last but certainly not least, please visit the other den blogs and leave them some love too. And just to make this a little more fun...If you invite one friend to my blog and they become a follower of mine and they leave me a comment letting me know you sent them then I will put your name in the running for another chance to win! How's that for AWESOME?? Here is my Scrappin' Candy 6x6 "The Bright Side Of Life" Album Kit that I have created just for YOU! There are so many goodies here...I am so tickled to share this with you!!

You will be receiving a 6x6 scalloped Album, 10 pieces of The Scrap Cake's "The Bright Side Of Life" double sided paper, 4 journaling spots to use or cut as you wish, 4 tags with ribbon, 4 chipboard flourishes with hearts, 3 bunches of Wild Orchid Crafts 15mm opened roses(Green/Blue, Pink, and Two Tone Cream) pink and grey rosette trims, vintage lace, and an assortment of matching ribbon. You will also receive a strand of pearls and a rosette flourish along with clear sparkle bling, Melissa Frances ceramic flourishes, and some Prima flowers. And you will receive a beautiful little charm addition to add to the front of your album. It has a a rose, a diamond, a bobble and a Flor De Liz, I'm certain you can't see it all in this photo but, I just know you will love this little kit.

I will draw a winner on Friday April 22, 2012. Good luck to you all! :)

**And just in case you get lost in the Savannah...here is a link to the rest of the pride's dens...Go show them some HUGE love too!

Elsa- http://www.JustaFewDesigns.blogspot.com

Krystal  http://www.krystalsnight.blogspot.com

Kimi - http://uniquescrappiness.blogspot.com

Sue -  http://scrappingsuzieqtt.blogspot.com/

Linda -http://simpleandsassycreations.blogspot.com

Margaret- http://www.auntmargaretdesigns.blogspot.com/

Stacie-  http://www.creativyou.blogspot.com

I just want to take a minute as I end this post to thank you all for visiting my blog and for all the love you leave me with your comments. If you only knew the struggle that this week has been and how triumphant I feel tonight you would feel all the more blessed with your own lives.

Elsa, Krystal, Kimi, Sue and Linda thank you from the bottom of my heart for letting me hop along with you. This kitten has learned so much in this short amount of time. But, what I know for certain is that you are the most talented gifted, and wonderful ladies that I know. I am so proud to have spent some time with the Pride and hope that I will be invited back.

Listen to my ROARRRRRRRRR!!

May every person reading this blog have a joyous Easter.

Until next time...Be BLESSED because you are all such a BLESSING to me.

Tootles<3