Love so Amazing

I remember reading a true story about a little boy, 5 years old, who was asked to give his blood so his sister could live. When the doctor explained it to him and asked if he was willing to do this, he hesitated for a moment and said, "Yes, I'll do it if it will save Liza". As the process began, he laid down in the hospital, his sister in a bed beside him. Quietly he asked if he would start to die right away. You see....he mistakenly thought he was going to have to give her ALL his blood. It brings tears to my eyes to think of this again, a little boy only on earth for 5 years, loved his sister SO much, he was willing to lay down his life to save hers. 

God loves us that much and more.
He knows the numbers of hairs on our head (Luke 12:7),
He knows every tear we shed (Psalm 56:8)
His thoughts toward us outnumber the grains of sand (Psalm 139:17-18)

God IS love....

He defines love....

His nature is love...

His attributes are love.

His love is:  

personal.....
never changing.....
no beginning or end....

He knows and loves YOU individually.  

God loves us so much that he sent his son Jesus to die on the cross and pay the penalty for our sin. (John 3:16-17). Believing this and putting and trust and hope in Jesus will save us.

J. Wilbur Chapman wrote the hymn "One Day", the chorus sums up the Gospel message well.

Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;

Buried, He carried my sins far away;

Rising, He justified freely forever;

One day He’s coming—O glorious day!

You're welcome to save these graphics and use them for personal or ministry use. If you use them on your blogs or web pages, a link back is always appreciated. These images/graphics are not for resale, thank you.

My last blog post was titled "Surprising Thoughts on Prayer". If you receive my blog posts via email, the entire post didn't go through, you can find it here: SURPRISING THOUGHTS ON PRAYER


 I have added a new page to my blog with some freebie graphics. You can find it here:
Little Birdie Blessings FREEBIES

Other places you'll find me on social media are below, just click to go to the site. My facebook page recently reached over 50,000 followers. It amazes me that God can use my little corner of the internet to reach so many people with His word. If He can use me, He can use you, ask him how.

FacebookInstagram

As Elisabeth Elliot said when she closed her radio program each day:  Remember, you are loved with an everlasting love and underneath are the everlasting arms! 

This post is linked with Word Art Wednesday

A Beautiful Love Verse

Free Valentine Images

With Valentine's Day just two weeks away, I thought I should get some Valentine freebies posted for you.  This first one features a verse from Colossians 3:14. Of course there has to be some pink in it, and a little birdie. 

This next digital graphic features a verse from Proverbs 3:3

Here is the above graphic as a plain heart. 

Lastly, here are some vintage Valentine images.

The vintage images are from my personal collection. You may use them on your blogs, webpages, or print them out for your own papercrafting. If you use them online, a link back is always appreciated.

If you are using a computer, click on image for largest size, right click and save to your computer. For mobile devices such as ipads, or phones, hold finger down on screen to save to your device.

I hope you've enjoyed these fun images. If you make something with them, I'd love to see it, email me your projects at: littlebirdieblessings@gmail.com 

You can find me on facebook here: Little Birdie Blessings

My facebook page is growing faster than my grandchildren, and am at 20,000+ followers. It's amazes me what God has done with that page. If you're on facebook, I'd encourage you to "like" my page. I post 1-2 x day.


Lastly, I've been having fun on Instagram, and you can find me here:
Little Birdie Blessings - Instagram
I usually post 1x day and share some papercrafting, sewing, digital graphics, vintage images, photos I've taken or other snippets of life that I find interesting.

Thanks so much for visiting today. You are loved and appreciated. Have a blessed day.

Lovely Graphics & a New Baby to Love

I think this verse from Proverbs 3:3 is beautiful! Can you just picture these two qualities around our necks like a strand of lovely pearls that can't be broken or removed? The words written on our hearts, engraved there forever! Feel free to use the heart graphic, or the one below on your blogs, webpages, social media or print out for art work. 

Our family received a very special gift this past week in the form of a little baby girl, born to my daughter and her husband. Little Natalie Joy was welcomed home on Sunday by her three brothers, her aunt and uncle, and of course her Nana (that would be me) and Grandpa.  Little Natalie has enough hair, her mom could style it if she chose to. So very precious.

The miracle of birth - a miracle that's often overlooked, until it's brought fresh to us. Our hearts are full!  "He hath made everything beautiful in his time" Ecclesiastes 3:11a

Here's a tag a made for my daughter in celebration of the birth. 

 

Here are a couple vintage Valentine freebies for you.

I hope you have a delightful rest of the week. 

Valentine Freebies

A kind and thoughtful deed
Or a hand outstretched in a time of need
Is the rarest of gifts, for it is a part,
Not of the purse but a loving heart.
~ Helen Steiner Rice ~ 

Hello my friends. I've missed being here on the blog, so thought I'd pop in and say hello. Here are some vintage Valentine freebies for you. Feel free to print them out for crafting, pin them, or use on your blogs or websites. A link back is always nice but not required. To save to your computer, click on image for largest size, right click, and save.

Here's a tip that I do when saving images from sites that have free graphics - I have a specific folder on my computer for each site I save from. That enables me to easily know the source. Enjoy!

I think the last vintage postcard is particularly amusing as my husband has white hair and I have a "lame gait".

Here are a few verses regarding LOVE.

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Ephesians 4:2

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 

Colossians 3:14

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.

Psalm 143:8

Have a blessed day.

The Depths of God's Love

Love is in the air with Valentine's Day fast approaching.   A time to recognize those we love. 

As much love as our human hearts can hold for those dear to us, there's a kind of love that we cannot comprehend.  That's the love that God has for you and for me.  One of his many many names is LOVE. 

 He who does not love does not know God,
for God is love.
1 John 4:8

Did you catch that last part of the verse

GOD IS LOVE

He IS love........
He defines love....
His nature is love...
His attributes are love.

God loves us so much that he sent his son Jesus to die on the cross and pay the penalty for our sin.

His love is: 

personal
never changing
no beginning or end
He knows and loves YOU individually.

So . . . Just how much DOES God love us:

He knows the number of hairs on your head
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Luke 12:7 (NKJV)

He knows every tear you shed and stores them in a bottle
You number my wanderings;
Put my tears into Your bottle;
Are they not in Your book?
Psalm 56:8 (NKJV)

His thoughts toward you outnumber the grains of sand
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!  How great is the sum of them!  If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.
Psalm 139:17-18 (NKJV)

As Elisabeth Elliot says: 
Remember, you are loved with an everlasting love and underneath are the everlasting arms!

The scripture graphic at the top of this post is free for personal use or sharing.  The scripture layout was designed by Karen at Papercraft Memories. 

Scripture Thursday ~ The Depths of God's Love

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life,
nor angels nor principalities nor powers,
nor things present nor things to come,
nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing,
shall be able to separate us
from the love of God
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39 (NKJV)

God IS love....He defines love....His nature is love...
His attributes are love.

God loves us so much that he sent his son Jesus to die on the cross and pay the penalty for our sin.  His love is: 

personal.....never changing.....no beginning or end....

He knows and loves YOU individually. 

In the year 1917, a man named Frederick M. Lehman wrote these words below that became a hymn.  Here is a portion of them.  You can find the full hymn, The Love of God **here**


Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

free for personal use or sharing

Just think about the words in that hymn, a spectacular visual way to even begin to comprehend God's love. 
If you filled the oceans with ink and the skies were made of paper;
If every stalk on earth were a pen, and every person on earth a scribe
(one who copied documents before printing);

It is still not enough to contain the amount of God's love.

I told my grandsons this week, "I love you to the moon and back."  The older one replied:  "And I love you to the moon and back to the earth, and to the moon and back to the earth, and to the moon and back to the earth.... "

I'm sure you get the picture.  His younger brother said (not quite remembering all the words)  "and I love you to the moon, and to the moon, and to the moon."  A very tender moment for this Nana.  As much as we love our children and grandchildren, God loves us more than that.

Today, I had the privilege of spending time with a husband and wife, watching them loving their brand new baby, fresh from God.  They love him as much as their human hearts can possibly hold, yet God loves that little precious baby more than their two hearts combined.

So, just how much DOES God love us?

He knows the number of hairs on your head
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Luke 12:7 (NKJV)

He knows every tear you shed and stores them in a bottle
You number my wanderings;
Put my tears into Your bottle;
Are they not in Your book?
Psalm 56:8 (NKJV)

His thoughts toward you outnumber the grains of sand
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.
Psalm 139:17-18 (NKJV)

As Elisabeth Elliot says: 
Remember, you are loved with an everlasting love and underneath are the everlasting arms!

Vintage Valentine Freebies

I thought you might enjoy some more free vintage Valentine graphics with Valentine's Day fast approaching.  The poem sprinkled among the graphics is titled What Is Love? by Helen Steiner Rice.

What is love? No words can define it
It's something so great only God cold design it.
It grows through the years in sunshine and rain,
In gladness and sadness, in pleasure and pain.

It's ever enduring and patient and kind - -
It judges all things with the heart, not the mind.
And love can transform the most commonplace
Into beauty and splendor and sweetness and grace,

For love is unselfish, giving more than it takes,
And no matter what happens, love never forsakes.
It's faithful and trusting and always believing,

Guileless and honest and never deceiving.
Yes love is beyond what we can define,
For love is immortal, and God's gift is divine.

Have a wonderful day my friends.  I hope you have enjoyed the poem and the graphics.  I have a giveaway going on until February 11th.  If you haven't entered yet, you can click **here** for more information. 

If you missed my last post of Valentine freebies, including free Facebook covers you can click **here**.   One of my readers asked if Facebook covers could be used for something else.  If you have another use for them, by all means, feel free to use them. 

Pink Valentines & Facebook Covers Free for You

free valentine postcard

“I think of the love of God as a great river,
pouring through us even as the waters
pour through our ravine at floodtime.
Nothing can keep this love from pouring through us,
except of course our own blocking of the river."

~Amy Carmichael ~

free valentine postcard

I've been having fun making some facebook covers.  Click for the largest size, right click and save to your computer.  Ready to upload to your timeline.  I may offer some free blog headers in the near future.  Let me know if there is any interest in that. 

The original graphic of the roses below is
compliments of Dawn at The Feathered Nest

You can find me on Facebook here:  Little Birdie Blessings

and here:  Little Birdie Blessings for Moms

Have a wonderful day my friends.  Remember to:  Count your Blessings.... Name them one by one....and it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

 Linked to:  Pink Saturday

It's a Four Prize Giveaway

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ENTERED THE GIVEAWAY
This is now closed. 
I appreciate all the responses. 
The winner will be announced 2/12/13


People need people and friends need friends,
and we all need LOVE, for a full life depends..
not on vast riches, or great acclaim,
not on success or on worldly fame,
but just in knowing that someone cares
and holds us close in their
thoughts and prayers.
Helen Steiner Rice

It’s a Giveaway.  I'm so very thankful for my 400+ blog followers,  email followers and all the wonderful online friends I’ve made since I started my blog.

If you’ve spent any time here, you know I love vintage images and regularly give them away, digitally altering many of them with scripture.  It makes me happy to see God’s word portrayed in a lovely way, and I'm thankful to have this blog as a way to share them with all of you.  I also share a weekly devotion based on Scripture, every Thursday. 

I try not to focus on numbers on my blog, but it's kind of hard not to notice the 400+ blog followers, and close to 350 email followers.  I wasn't sure where this blog would take me when I started, but my vision was for it to be a place of Christian encouragement for women.   Little did I know that I would be the one that ended up being encouraged time and time again from all of you.

free vintage postcard

Okay, now for the giveaway details.  I’m giving away four different prizes which will be drawn randomly and given to four different people.   You must be a follower of this blog to enter, either through blogger or email.   Click below if you'd like to follow by email and be notified when I have a new post. 

Little Birdie Blessings by Email

For your chance to win, please leave a comment telling me one of your favorite Scriptures, quotes, or hymns that gives you encouragement.  

If you want more chances to win, you can leave individual comments for each piece of encouragement you want to share, up to 4. 

It's important that you leave an email address for me to contact you if you don't have a blog, or check back here when the winners are announced. 

This giveaway will close Monday, February 11, 2013, 9:00 p.m. EST.  Winners will be chosen randomly and announced here on Tuesday, February 12th. 

These gifts are my way of being thankful for all of you.

Here's what you could win:

Giveaway #4

a set of 8 note-cards picturing Victorian Children

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I appreciate you all.  Can't wait to read what you leave me for comments.  I'm so excited. 

From the fullness of his grace
we have all received one blessing after another.
John 1:16