"I will only add, God bless you" (Pride and Prejudice)

Hello blogland! It is STILL blustery cold out here in Northern NJ, which means I have had PLENTY of time  in the craft room (when I can steal the heater to warm the basement!) :) I will be back in a few days with some VERY cool announcements and new posts but in the meantime, I made the quickest card with the most heartfelt meaning to it in like fifteen minutes tonight and I just HAD to share it real quick.... :)

This is for our Pastor, William Hegedus, who is retiring later on this year. And it makes me sad to realize that in the ten or twelve years that I've been going to Bible Baptist Church in Hasbrouck Heights, I have only made him one or two cards. When I started thinking to myself that I needed to send him a card to encourage him as he prepares for his retirement, well, I was insecure... And I think I've felt that way EVERY time I've thought of making him a card! It's so weird... And when I really think about it, I know that feeling is NOT of God and I'm so upset that I have given into my insecurities over and over again... But at least I was able to make this one today for him, and I do so hope he likes it... And more important, I do so hope he realizes the impact he has had on our church family through the years. I have had such a back and forth relationship with my church, because, well, Christians are humans lol. Forgiven, yes. Humans yes. :) And so I have thought of leaving the church and then come right back to it when I remembered that the foundation of our church family is really the fact that we are a Bible believing community and a faith-based one... And that in a nutshell describes our church and our Pastor. He does NOT sugar coat a single thing, and he keeps it real. Even if that means that you are falling out of line and need to get a reality check.

Anywhoo, I may end up making Pastor Bill a card every month to make up for the years worth of cards I SHOULD have sent him, but in the meantime, here's my first one, nice and simple, and heartfelt. :) The main image is a digi provided by Paulette over at TLC creations and the papers and embellishments are from Close to my Heart.  I am submitting this one to Word Art Wednesday and The Squirrel and the Fox (Something New; new papers from CTMH and new bling!). Thanks for looking and have a GREAT week!