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Sunday, September 5, 2010

Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge 55 . . . water



Happy Sunday stampers! Its time for another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ. This week's hostess is Grace, who selected this verse from John 4:10, 13-14 (New International Version) 10Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." 13Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

Her challenge is to create a card or project that refers to water in some way, whether in image or sentiment.

Our sponsor this week is a new one, and it is in the United Kingdom for our international visitors! It is Craft Brulee, and if you have some time, please pay her a visit.

I couldn't decide which I liked better so I posted a brace-and-a-half of ducks. One of these is for my daughter's friend at college who got herself a pet duck for one weekend to keep herself company in her dorm room. Yes, she did return it to the farm it came from . . . ducks and dorms don't go together for long.

On to the verse Grace selected. . . this is from one of the most beautiful stories in the bible--beautiful to me. The dialogue in Grace's selected verse comes from an encounter Jesus has with a Samaritan woman who came to the well in the middle of the day to draw water. She deliberately is avoiding the traditional time when the other women of the village come to draw their water . . . we can only imagine why but perhaps one clue comes from the conversation she has with Jesus.

During their talk Jesus reveals he knows the Samaritan woman has had five husbands and is now living with someone to whom she isn't married. Picture the culture of that time and the scandal that would have created . . .the gossip, the sidelong glances, perhaps even drawing back their garments so they wouldn't be contaminated by this woman's touch. Women gathered at the well in the village for far more than gathering water; they also exchanged news, visited, socialized and this Samaritan woman was excluded from their company. Yet Jesus reaches out to her, personally, as he did so many times in the New Testament to the outcasts in society.

I like to think she accepted his gift of living water . . . there are some cues in the text to tell us she might have. She couldn't contain her excitement but ran to tell everyone in her village about her meeting with Jesus. When you are filled with the living water Jesus offers to everyone who believes, you can't help but want to share it with others. When He reaches into your life and lets you know you have incalculable worth in the Father's eyes, regardless of what the people around you think . . . it erases that outcast image. The living water fills up your soul and even in the dry times ahead . . .and there will always be dry times in this life, there is a little reservoir inside that never quite is empty.

Hope you find time to play along with our challenge this week. Thanks for looking.

Stamps: duck is Hambo, sentiments from PTI

14 comments:

Aimes said...

A pet duck, now there's something new!
Anyways, lovely cards Peggysue! I really like the third one; a super layout for that stamp!
Hugs,
Aimes
x

Chris Olsen, Glowbug said...

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the verse Peggy. Your thoughts are so true and inspiring. I so love your cute little ducky. Great design and coloring. Love the embossed border!
Have a great week!
hugs,
Chris

Grace said...

Oh Peggysue I love your cards! I just love that your DD adopted one at school for the weekend!!! I can just picture that on campus now!!! Thanks for your insights on this Scripture... it's so rich and there's so much to glean from it and I appreciate your time sharing today! You are a blessing to me Ps!!! Have a blessed week!
Hugs,
Grace

Patti J said...

Total cuteness! I'm lovin' that duck, Peggysue!!! Beautiful words this morning as well! Have a good week...hugs!!!

Becky said...

Just loved your thoughts on the scripture today. My pastor did a teaching on this a few weeks back. The disciples who were with HIM and was under His teaching and saw the miracles went to town to get food, they came back with hamburgers but this women came back with the town.:)
I love my pastor he is one excellent teacher.
Love these cards this morning they are just adorable.
(hugs)

Diane Jaquay said...

Love these, the duck is too cute!

Karen Lynn said...

Oh, I love the square card!!! And you know that I adore that duck! Cute cards!

Sharron said...

These are so adorable--love the duck! Great job on your designs!

Terri said...

They are all very cute. Love that duck! Sorry the pet duck didn't work out. You are right ducks and dorms don't go together very well.

Cindy Coutts Designs said...

Peggy, this is an adorable card and thank you for sharing your thoughts with us this morning. You always speak some great words of wisdom. God bless.

Miesje said...

That is wonderful - I really like your sharing, love how you took the story and ran with it!

Ujjwal said...

Love that image and you have used her beautifully in all 3 cards!!

I was looking for the blog hop post but couldnt find it!!

Traci M said...

I'm giggling at the pet duck on campus...glad he or she waddled away!!
These are all 3 adorable, so cute in design and love your pretty bright colors!!

Lovely Linda said...

Hello Peggysue - how adorable is this card - I love that image and your sentiment! It is perfect for this weeks challenge!! Thank you Peggysue for the inspiring words you always bring on the SSIC! God bless you my friend! {{{hugs}}}