35 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS: love bookmark and wooden heart -11-20-19

(to read the entire post click on the above title “35 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS”)

Part 1 What

I was inspired by my Bible study leader Glenda’s statement “Keep a pure heart.” Both the heart and the bookmark (photos below) are very simple to make and cost very little too. My goal is to share a craft with you that points you to the Lord.

This morning the Bible study group I’m in completed our last lesson in our First Corinthians study. I made a heart and a bookmark for each member of the Bible study.

The bookmark is I Corinthians 13 which was my Mom’s favorite chapter in the Bible. it turned out so sweet. Just like my Mom.

The other gift is a wooden heart with “Keep a pure heart” on it. The unfinished hearts which I used were purchased at a garage sale. They looked like they were made in someone’s workshop and not by any fancy machine. I love that. Because none of us are duplicates and neither is our heart.

Part 2 Why

The important thing about these items is the spiritual value. This website was set up to give glory to God and share His Word with everyone who visits. I decided to make something that would remind me daily to keep a pure heart. I wanted to have something that would make me ask myself if what I’m thinking, what I’m about to say, or what I’m about to do is lining up with what it means to have a pure heart. I decided to make both a heart with “Keep a pure heart” on it and a I Corinthians 13 (the love chapter) bookmark for my Bible study group.

Prayer

Lord I pray we will have the opportunity to ascend Your mountain and stand in Your holy place because we have clean hands and a pure heart. I pray we will not lift up our soul to anything false nor sware any oaths deceitfully. I pray we will receive a blessing and righteousness from You the God of our salvation (Psalm 24:3-5 AMP). Lord I pray we will be pure in heart, that is people with integrity, moral courage and godly character for Your Word says then we will see You (Matthew 5:8 AMP). Lord I pray we believers will think on, center our mind on and implant in our heart whatever is true, honorable, worthy of respect, right, confirmed by Your Word, pure, wholesome, lovely, peaceable, admirable, of good repute, and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8 AMP). Lord I pray our goal will be to love from a pure heart, good conscience and a sincere faith (I Timothy 1:5 AMP). Lord I pray we will run away from youthful lusts. I pray we will pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace with believers who call on You out of a pure heart (II Timothy 2:22 AMP). In Christ Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN.

Scripture prayed in above prayer

Psalm 24:3-5 (AMP) ³Who may ascend onto the ^[c]mountain of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? ⁴He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to what is false, Nor has sworn [oaths] deceitfully. ⁵He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, And righteousness from the God of his salvation.

Matthew 5:8 (AMP) “Blessed [anticipating God’s presence, spiritually mature] are the pure in heart [those with integrity, moral courage, and godly character], for they will see God.

Philippians 4:8 (AMP) Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].

1 Timothy 1:5 (AMP) But the goal of our instruction is love [which springs] from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

2 Timothy 2:22 (AMP) Run away from youthful lusts—pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those [believers] who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Part 3 How

“Keep a pure heart”

The wooden hearts were purchased from a garage sale but you can find something similar at Hobby Lobby, Michaels or maybe even Walmart. Don’t limit yourself to wood though. There’s also unfinished clay hearts and heavy paper hearts available. You could even purchase other shapes that are round or square or whatever as your base and attach a paper heart with your message written on it.

Directions to make one “Keep a pure heart” heart

1. Paint your heart/heart base if it is not already painted. I chose bright red (representing Jesus’ blood shed on the cross for our sins).

2. While it is drying make yourself a paper heart. Cut out a heart smaller than your heart/heart base.

3. Write your message on the paper heart. (Though I printed my message, if you’re just making one heart writing your message by hand is fine.)

4. Glue your cut out heart with your chosen words on the heart/heart base. Let it dry and you’ve got a heart to keep or share.

Suggestions

1. The finished heart can be put in your purse so you can grab it to remind you to consider your words or actions.

2. The finished heart can also be placed on your vanity or nightstand as a daily reminder to “keep a pure heart.”

3. You could come up with another statement to put on your base. Just make sure it will fit on the paper heart you’ll be gluing on the heart/heart base.

4. Think through your project. You may have a better idea than mine. Build on my suggestions or go in whatever direction you are drawn.

“I Corinthians 13 Bookmark”

1. Open a blank document on your computer.

2. Click on page layout. Click on margin. Scroll down to custom margins. Set the margins (top, bottom, left and right) at 0.3. On this same page select landscape as the orientation and click ok at the bottom right corner.

3. Click on page layout again. This time choose columns. Then in number of columns box enter the number 4. This will give you the space you need for the entire chapter to fit on one bookmark. (In fact you will have three more columns to make three more bookmarks if you want).

4. Minimize this page and go to Biblegateway.com

5. Enter in the top left box I Corinthians 13 and enter in top right box New Life Version (NLV), then click search.

6. Copy the entire chapter (just I Corinthians 13 (NLV) and the verses no comments).

7. Leave this site and return to your document.

8. Paste the chapter in the first column of your document, it will fill at least two columns.

9. Being sure the chapter is still highlighted change the font to Times Roman and the size to 12.

10. Justify the body of the text. Center the chapter title I Corinthians 13. Delete from the title the words New Life Version and just leave I Corinthians 13 (NLV) for your title. Delete any added titles found in the body of the text.

11. This should bring all of chapter 13 into two columns. Bring the first column down about three spaces. You will have given the top enough space when the last line in column one is Love believes all things.

12. Keep advancing the second column until it goes into the last column of the second page and about three spaces from the top also.

13. Now you’re ready to print. Though I laminated my bookmarks if you use cardstock paper it’s not really necessary. Load one sheet of cardstock.

14. Click on file at top left of the screen. Click on print, then copies 1, then pages 1-2.

15. Click on Print one sided which will bring down other selections, then click on Print on Both Sides flip pages on short edge.

16. Print your bookmark. Trim your bookmark. Punch a hole in the top center and loop a piece of yarn through the hole.

17. I trimmed with a glitter marker the edges of the bookmark front and back.

Suggestion: I pasted a few hearts at the top of the bookmark. You could buy stickers and spruce yours up too.

F.Y.I. I don’t know the kind of document you’ll be using on your computer for this project. Nor do I know what computer or printer you’ll be using so if you have any trouble following these directions just email me and I’ll get back with you and try to help.