UNEXPECTED

I know it is trite, but it IS true...Life is what happens when we are expecting something else.

My pastor and his wife's oldest daughter, her husband and family had an unexpected passing of their 4th child ( 6th grand child). She was a full term still born delivery due to a cord problem. I felt so much sympathy for them as we also experienced a still birth at 5 1/2 months gestation of our first child 39 years ago. There are probably many others who have had similar experiences. We expect a living healthy baby, but God is the potter and we are the clay. Our children are his creation as are we. When things happen like this, we must look for the lesson He may be teaching us, for the change of direction in our life, for the difference we might make in another's life for having gone through such sad times. All things are meant for His Glory.

My sympathy card for them uses bright and cheerful colors. I used a Bazzill CS called Hopi, and then a little check paper from a pad called Itty Bitty Pads backgrounds in primary colors by Provo Craft. (A Michaels purchase a few years back.) The peach loop lace is a generic paper scrap punched with Martha Stewarts new loop punch. I ran a sheer white ribbon down the center if it, but did not put a bow as I thought it would look too "celebratory." The sympathy sentiment is from Paper Inspirations 2005, and is stamped with SU Really Rust on white generic CS, matted with Hopi and Saltillo rust Bazzill scraps. I punched all corners with my Creative Memories scalloped corner punch. I pop dotted the matted sentiment up as well as the little Hampton Art butterfly which I had stamped using the SU Really Rust and Summer Sun. I cut it out and raised the wings with small dimensional dots and added an orange jewel for the butterfly's head and added Glossy Accents to the wings.

I hope my sympathy card inspires you to reach out to someone in your life. There are lots of hurting people all around us if we but open our eyes and hearts. We are called to be ministers of His love and care.