Scripture Sunday: The Ultimate Sacrifice

{Golgotha, "The Place of the Skull", where Jesus was crucified.}

After all this, God tested Abraham.  He said , "Abraham!"

"Yes?" answered Abraham.  "I'm listening."

He said, "Take your dear son Isaac whom you love and go to the land of Moriah.  Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I'll point out to you."

Abraham got up early in the morning and.....set out for the place God had directed him......

Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and gave it to Isaac his son to carry.....

Isaac said to Abraham his father, "Father?"

"Yes, my son."

"We have flint and wood, but where's the sheep for the burnt offering?"

Abraham said, "Son, God will see to it that there's a sheep for the burnt offering."

And they kept on walking together.

They arrived at the place to which God had directed him.  Abraham built an altar.  He laid out the wood.  Then he tied up Isaac and laid him on the wood.  Abraham reached out and took the knife to kill his son. 

Just then an angel of God called to him out of Heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!"

"Yes, I'm listening."

"Don't lay a hand on that boy! Don't touch him! Now I know how fearlessly you fear God; you didn't hesitate to place your son, your dear son, on the alter for me."

Genesis 22: 1-3; 6-12 (The Message)

It's amazing to me that as I've been gradually sharing Scripture from Genesis that this was the next passage I had planned to share......it ties in so wonderfully with the whole point of Easter!

But first I want to back up just a little.  If you remember, Abraham had prayed for years that he & his wife Sarah would have a son.  He waited patientently as God continued to promise him that not only would he have a son, but that he would have more descendants that he could ever imagine.  Finally, when Abraham was 100 years old, God answered his prayer & blessed him & Sarah with a son, Isaac.

So, after all of that, why in the world would God even think about asking Abraham to sacrifice Isaac as a burnt offering?!  After all, we all know how God feels about murder!

So why did he ask Abraham to do such a thing?

It was to test him!  To see if Abraham was willing to give up the most important thing in his life for the sake of God!  To see if obeying God was really Abraham's top priority!

God didn't really want Abraham to sacrifice Isaac.  He simply wanted Abraham's willingness & obedience!
(I Samual 15:22 tells us that our obedience is better than our sacrifice.)

How many of us would be willing to sacrifice one of our children, or maybe a spouse, or another family member if God wanted us to?!

Most of us wouldn't even be willing to sacrifice something much less important, such as our house or our job!

But there was One who gave up His only Son.........who allowed His only Son to be persecuted.....to be sacrificed on a cross......to die.....that we, the sinners that we are, might live!!

As hard as I try, I cannot fully imagine how great our God's love must be for us!

Who of us would give up a family member so that a bunch of sinners, who don't even care about us, might live?

But God did just that!  And it's that love for us, for me, that makes me want to serve God, to obey Him!

After what He did for me, how can I not want to live for Him?

My obedience to Him is nothing in comparison to the ULTIMATE SACRIFICE He made for you & me!

And one more thought, I love that fact that Abraham tells Isaac that God will provide the sheep (or lamb as another version puts it), because ultimately, that's exactly what God did!  Jesus is the Lamb of God, provided as a sacrifice for our sins! (John 1:29)

So today as we gather with family & friends for Easter, may we remember the One who loves us so much that He died & rose again that we might live!

{Jesus' Empty Tomb!}

May God bless you & yours this Easter!

Friday Favorites: Basket Case

Today I'm making a case for baskets & containers.  {Get it?  Basket Case.}

Why?  Because I love them.....any shape, any size, any style. 

I love using them not only to organize my huge amount of "stuff," but also as gifts. 


And since putting together fun gift baskets is one of my FAVORITE things to do, I thought I'd share a few gift "baskets" I've put together over the past few years {& maybe along the way it'll get your creative juices flowing as well}!

Up first is this little gift basket I put together for a co-worker who was having a sweet baby boy.  {I bought the basket clearanced after Easter.}

And this is an all blue & green Easter basket I gave to my husband a few years back.

{I was too lazy to dig up some of my pre-digital pics, but one year I put together a golf-themed Easter basket for my husband, using more natural materials.  The brown twig-like basket not only held golf supplies, but it was lined with a golf green (made out of moss), complete with a hole (made out of a little sauce cup) & a golf flag!}

 Or instead of a basket, you could use a trunk.

 I put this together for my little "tween" cousin, who was re-doing her room in turquoise, lime green, & zebra at the time.  It's full of fun desk accessories!
{I also made the memo board in the background......I'll have to do a tutorial on it someday!}

Another option is to use an urn or planter!

 I put this together for my husband for Valentine's Day a couple years ago.  It's filled-to-the-brim with tools.  I attached little notes to each tool that went along with the item, such as "you light up my life" & "we make a good pair."

You can also use caddies to hold the items.  I love using containers that coordinate with the theme & can serve multiple functions!  This is a "basket" of fun pink & green cleaning supplies I put together for a young friend who was getting married.  It would also be great for someone who was moving into a new house.

 I tied various styles of pink & green ribbon to the handle to add a little more pizzazz.

Remember the cousin I made the "desk accessory" basket for?  Well, the following year, I put together this "bathroom accessory" basket, complete with a personalize bathwrap.

 
I added ribbon to the flip flops as well {another future tutorial!}.

It even includes coordinating blue & green nail polish!

I think this would make a great gift for a college student, too!


Another option is to use a colander!
I put this together for another friend who was getting married.  Again, it would be great as a house-warming gift.

 I randomly pulled ribbon through the holes in the colander & tied bows.

Another colander basket with a simple bow tied around it:

 

And last year for Easter, I made a basket for my hubby using a trash can!  It's filled with OU items. 


I love doing themed baskets.  For the past few years, I've done a different "theme" for my sister every year.  For instance, there's been polka dots, houndstooth, eiffel tower, damask, numbers, etc.  Here are a few examples.

This one included polka dot bowls, napkins, coasters, etc.

I used this beverage tub as a basket, holding other polka dot serving pieces.  Notice the ribbon, tissue, & notecard are also polka dot.

Just recently I did an all numbers theme, including cocktail napkins, plates, & a little pitcher.

I had already purchased all of the filler items items, when I came across this fabulous mirrored box at TJ Maxx, with numbers all over it!  It was absolutely perfect to use as a gift basket.

{It's hard to take pics of mirrored items because all of the surrounding items - including the carpet it was sitting on - are reflected.  Oh well.}

I even found some "number" tissue paper!

And last, but not least, remember these galvanized tubs I decorated for a couple friends' baby showers?
They'll be great for holding baby supplies after the baby arrives!

Well, even though this is just a small sampling of the baskets I've put together (just the pics I could quickly get my hands on), it's quite easy to see that I love gift baskets. 

Hope it got your creative juices flowing.  I'd love to hear from you some creative gift baskets you've put together!

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great Friday!

Tablescape Thursday: A Shabby Chic Easter

This is how much God loved the world: He gave His Son, His one and only Son.  And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in Him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. 
John 3:16 (The Message)

With Easter quickly approaching, I decided to share a few pics of last year's "Shabby Chic Easter" tables. 

I'll start with the table in my formal dining. 



I used a cream color tablecloth to set a neutral background, but there seemed like there needed to be a little more "oomph" to it.  So I layered a sheet of green tulle (left over from the baby shower I had hosted) over the top, scrunched up here & there.  I like the extra sheen & color it added.


The fairly simple centerpiece consisted of a couple of shabby chic bird cages (one containing a nest & the other eggs) & some fresh flowers scattererd around the table.  (I didn't have small glass vases, so I actually used ice cream dishes!)






A scrolled iron charger grounds each place setting. 
Cream, pale yellow, & light green dishes are mixed together, & a bird's nest rests in the bowl.





I used my clear, acrylic flatware (that you've seen so many times!).


And because my little 4 year old nephew was coming, this place setting got some special "kiddie-size" flatware, too.  (It's actually a little appetizer fork & spoon).

A small cream colored bird cage, holding a tealight candle, also adorns each place setting.



The silver-rimmed goblet holds a sage green napkin & place card, tied with raffia, along with a faux egg.
{Click here for a little tutorial on the place cards.}

For my second table, in my breakfast nook, I used my bird's nest chargers, followed by the same green,  yellow, & cream dishes, again rotating the order of the colors at each place setting.  (I have to admit, looking back now, this table desperately needed a tablecloth!).
  A sage green napkin is adorned with a bird cage napkin ring (each one is a little different), while the acrylic flatware rests casually in the bowl.





A glass goblet with white polkadots contains a few faux eggs & the place card.

Because there was no room for a centerpiece, only a set of bunny salt & pepper shakers sits in the middle.....


 .....but a shabby chic pitcher serves as a side piece, holding a bouquet of fresh flowers.

Table #1:
scrolled iron chargers - Gracious Goods/Horchow
yellow & green dishes - Isabella Collection/JC Penney
cream dishes - Chris Madden/JC Penney
acrylic flatware - Walmart
silver rimmed goblets - Dillards
bird cage tealight holders & bird cages - Michael's


Table #2:
bird nest chargers & bird cage napkin rings- Pottery Barn
dishes & flatware  - same as table #1
polka dot goblets - Target
pitcher - Garden Ridge
salt & pepper shakers - Hobby Lobby

Thanks for stopping by.  I'm linking with Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday, French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday, How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday, A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday, All Things Heart & Home for All Things Inspired, & The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays.  Be sure to check them out & be inspired!

Stop back by next Thursday, when I reveal this year's Easter "vintage-inspired" tablescape!