It's just a number...

It's my Birthday today. 39...I mean 40...I should say 43...ok I'm 45. 45? How can this be? Just yesterday I was celebrating my 30th. It really is true that the older we get the faster time goes! I mean it's not REALLY true but it sure feels that way.

I will be intentional to focus on the verse in Proverbs that tells me that "what I think in my heart is what I am"! That's good stuff! Sorta like a "get out of jail free" card! Even though some days I feel 45! Today I will believe with my heart that I am young, full of the joy of life, energetic and adventurous, creative and productive. It's not a number. It's the mind focussed on good things which turns the heart, which changes our perspective, that defines who we are.
29, 39, 45... it's a matter of the heart not the calendar.

Thank you God for 45 incredible years and I'm asking for 45 more!

Treasurebags "wristruths" accomplish mission

My mission and hope for TreasureBags has remained consistent from the day I was inspired to share it; to encourage, equip and inspire women to walk in truth, love and freedom. Here is an email sent to me from a woman who received one of my wristruths at a women's retreat event. Would love to share it with you. My heart is full when I get the privilege of a glimsp at the treasurebags mission.. accomplished.

Hi Dana,

I thought you might enjoy this picture and the story of my wrist truth.
I received my wrist truth, while at the ladies weekend with Fox River Christian Church.
Your friend Rachel was the guest speaker (and she was awesome by the way)
The braclets are also awesome, and I was wearing mine constantly and showing it off!
The attached picture (check it out) was taken in Kenya, while I was on a recent mission trip to visit ophanages and children's homes.
The little hands were hands of some local children who were so excited to see my friend
Carrie and I. They were too excited to worry about the barbed wire they were reaching through. Thankfully noone got hurt.
I'm pretty sure you can tell which hands were mine. (The old ones, with the dirty finger nails :/, I tried to get my daughter to photo shop it :), but that didn't happen.) Any way did you see the wrist truth? When I saw the picture, I thought it was kinda cool, and I wanted to share it with you. Some of our mission goals were to share the love of God, let the children know God loves them and read a childrens story (that some friends wrote and illustrated) regarding salvation. To me this picture , (with the wrist truth of GRACE in it), kind of summarizes our mission!
But the story doesn't end there. In Mombasa, Kenya there is a home/school for disabled women, called Shanzu.
The women are taught how to sew, so that they can make a living for themselves. There is a small store there where they sell
all kinds of hand sewn purses, bags, back packs etc. Plus some handmade jewelry. We stopped to do a little shopping at the store, and of course I had my (Your) wrist truth on. Before leaving, the manager of the store measured my wrist band and made some notes about it. I  wouldn't be surprised to see Shanzu wrist bands, made with African looking materials, being sold at their store. I thought it was exciting and I hope you'll be honored by that and not upset that your idea is used.
One more thing. My friend and travel mate, Carrie is working with and has established a company with two Kenyan women. One is a lawyer and one is a phycologist, Carrie also has a law background. Their company is called PARC, Pilgrims Adoption Resource Center(in Kenya). They are currently working on raising awareness of issues regarding adoption in Kenya. There is a real need, and a lack of regulation. Their dreams are to be a resource, and to open an adoption center and chidren's home. Well.....
why am I telling you all this?
Because there is also an adoption agency in Mombasa called "Little Angels" and we met with the woman in charge. She is doing wonderful work and was very willing to share her information with us! Her name is GRACE, and she is now the owner of my (your) wrist truth. I just had to give it to her, :) like it was meant to be.
Thats it, I hope you enjoyed reading about how one of your braclets has "touched" alot of lives in Kenya!

AND THE WINNER IS....

TERRY PETERSON!  Thank you to all who participated to win the free custom wristruth for January!
 I appreciate you all! There will be more to come so keep checking back!
Much Love to all and Congratulations Terry!!!

Wrist Truth by Treasurebags

This is a promotion I am doing for the month of January. I thought it would be a great time of year to remind your spirit to walk in a specific truth for 2012!  For any wrist truth ordered by January 30th (my birthday!) you will be entered in a drawing for a free custom wrist truth! Read on!If you are unable to see the attachment or for larger photos of each wrist truth shown here click treasurebags pag

Need a reminder of truth for the New Year?

Inspire your spirit to believe His truth for 2012 with 
Wrist truth by treasurebags, 

...formerly known as gracelets,

would love to have the opportunity to adorn your wrist with a word of truth for the New Year.

 What word might inspire, equip and encourage 

YOUR heart in 2012?

here are the Details:

You can place an order in a few easy steps. 1. choose a color combination from the wrist truths above 1-11. 2. Choose your word. 3. Tell me if your wrist size is small(6 1/2) medium(7 1/2) or large(8 1/2) and lastly do you prefer a flower? or no flower. And then just leave the rest to me and anticipate a stunning creation custom made for you. Each piece of wrist truth is individually hand created and no two are ever exactly the same. Fabrics will be artfully chosen and put together like a beautiful mosaic based upon your color choice. If there is a pattern you really love just let me know and if it’s available I’ll do my best to include it in your piece of wrist truth.  Each bracelet is $30.

 If you place your order on or before January 30, 2012 you will be entered in a drawing for a free piece of wrist truth, whatever you’d like which will be announced on my blog 

February 1st. I will email the winner! Good Luck!

email me at dana@ treasurebags.net  I Look forward to hearing from you!

“Where your treasure is there your heart will be also.”

Countdown to Christmas...

My dad drew this on the chalkboard last year for Christmas. SIMPLY amazing.

It seems to sneak up on me every year, no matter how early I pull out the decorations, glitter the house, do the shopping, wrap the gifts and plan the menu. There never seems to be quite enough time to get it all done. Is it because there really isn't adequate time or is it because we try to do too much, expect too much or perhaps we make it about what it's really not. Is He receiving our praise through our efforts?  

Seems funny to me that there is so much emphasis on decorating and making things looks beautiful and sparkly when the event we are celebrating actually took place in polar opposite conditions- a stable, dark, dirty and about as primitive as conditions get. I struggled with this for years- the conflict between wanting things to feel lovely and festive and then coming to reality about the real conditions and meaning of Christmas. I guess the great thing about this struggle is that it challenged me to seek Him for wisdom re: what the season really suggests and how to glorify Him through it all.

One of my favorite parts in the story of the birth of Jesus is when  the  angel comes to the shepherds and scripture  says the glory of the Lord  was shining around them and the shepherds were afraid. But then the angel says, 
"Do not be afraid. I bring good news of great joy that will be for all people."
And then it goes on to say that suddenly a great company of heavenly host appeared with the angel praising God and saying,

"Glory to God in the hightest,

and on Earth peace to men on

whom his favor rests." 

How awesome would that have been to witness the sky singing praises with these humble shepherds to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Oh so awesome!

And then this precious part of the story about how the shepherds decide to go look for the baby that they have just been told about. They hurry! They can't wait to find this amazing family.  Then after they see them they are filled with an overwhelming excitement about what they have seen and what has been told to them about this baby. They must have shown great enthusiasm because the scripture says that all who heard their story were amazed. 

And then this is the part that gets me every time.. .
It says Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. She takes it all in -savors every moment. Everything about that evening and what led up to it was a treasure that bubbled up inside of her. Can you even imagine what was going on inside of her heart? Take a second and think... really think about it.  I think about how I feel when my boys have accomplished something that means everything to him. Or when I've been blessed with a great evening together as a family, or when God answers a prayer, or seeing my children awarded for something they did well. The joy inside and the awe of God's power to do what he wills in and through us is simply stated...         
a miracle.
I want my heart to know and my actions to speak that  everything I do this Christmas is done for the glory of God so that I can experience the supernatural gratification that Mary had, knowing that is was ALL about Jesus. 

So now when I decorate, I do it in honor of Jesus. 
I ILLUMINATE the house to represent the glory of the Lord. 
I GLITTER to remind myself of the humble means by which Jesus came into this world.
 I SHOP to be reminded of the gift we have in Jesus.
 I WRAP pretty packages and place them under the tree to remember that Jesus was wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed into a manger.
 I PLAN my menu to prepare for the time we will have as a family to go humbly before God together in prayer and thank him for his wonderful gift.
 And I DECORATE to tell the world that, 

"On this day a Saviour has been born to us, 

he is Christ the Lord!."

Much love and Merry Christmas...ALL for his glory.

I just showed up for my own life...

I think Sarah Groves spoke my heart the best when I heard her sing these words recently...

There are so many ways to hide

There are so many ways not to feel

There are so many ways to deny what is real

Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by life.  Do you?

It's many demands, in every area. A continuous stream of activity- physical, emotional, mental, ever-flowing and overflowing energy; most of the time excessive. Do you ever feel this way?

And then the never ending relentless task of putting a finger on it, diagnosing the problem and trying desperately to figure out how to repair it only to find most times it's beyond repair. So we do what Sarah describes in her song- We find ways to hide- ways to numb the pain- ways to deny what's really happening. How do you hide? I go to Target. How do you numb the pain? I eat and drink.  And how do you deny your reality? I tell people, "I’m good, great, things are good, just busy- you know. Just keep smiling”, I tell myself. 

                                                                                               

We can't hide from God. In Psalm 139 David says to God,                                                                    "You have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely O God. You hem me in- behind and before. Where can I go from your Spirit?Where can I flee from your presence?"

                                              David continues to name all of the places that it would seem impossible for God to be with him and then agrees with God that even in those places, God is there.                                                                         

  In the heavens, in the depths, on the wings of dawn, on the far side of the sea.                                                  I don't know about you but knowing God is EVERYWHERE with me all the time gives me great reassurance. I think often times we take that reality for granted. I mean really????...everywhere?! That is awesome. That is God. Pure Awesomeness.                                                                                        Sarah's song continues to address the issue:                                                                                      Spending my time sleep walking                                                  Moving my mouth but not saying a thing                                             Hoping the changes would take by working their way from the outside in

I was in love with an idea

Preoccupied with how a life should appear

Spending my time at the surface repairing the holes in the shiny veneer

"Preoccupied with how life should appear." That line gets me. This trips me up. How much time I spend thinking about how my life should appear- and trying to repair the holes, instead of putting my weight of the world on the one who created the world. But we have to make the decision to choose to put our hope in HIS promises:                                                                                                                          With Him all things are possible. He will never walk alone or ever be in need. He wants us to live an abundant life. If He is for us who can be against us? He will give us perfect peace... just to name a few.                                                                        Listen to Sarah pour out hope- which is why I love her so much...                                                           I'm going to live my life inspired

Look for the holy in the common place

Open the windows and feel all that's honest and real until I'm truly amazed

I'm going to feel all my emotions

I'm going to look you in the eyes                                               I'm going to listen and hear until it's finally clear and it changes our lives

 I want to start looking for the holy in the common place. Even when my common place feels overwhelmed. Especially when my commonplace feels overwhelmed. When I started asking God to show me the holy in my commonplace of feeling overwhelmed, I heard him tell me to share it:                                                                                                                                          Tell them you feel this way often. Offer them my hope and direction. Tell them what brings you perfect peace when the storms in your life are whirling uncontrollably around you...tell them it's me that brings you perfect peace. And tell them I'm using it for good. They may not see the good right this minute but I am using it. That is a promise. Using it to make them more like me. Tell them to trust me. It's all I am asking them to do. Trust in my strength. I have redeemed them. Whatever is true, pure, lovely, worthy... think on these things. Tell them to think on these things. 

                                  

The chorus in the song is the best part:                                                                                                      And I just showed up for my own life

And I'm standing here taking it in and it sure looks bright
listen to the song!

Welcome to treasured life!

This is my first post to my new blog who's purpose is to get you excited and help you to find nuggets of joy in all facets of your life. My hope {on my knees girls, don't let me down!}... is that you are inspired by my own life; personal experiences, daily struggles, and creative endeavors.  I will share my heart through it all- home life, creativity, family, indulgences , etc and hopefully offer you laughter, a smile, a little guidance or reassurance because of  the confidence I have in the promises of my maker. He created me. He loves me. He knows my every thought and has equipped me to do what he has called me to. I am a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister and a friend... some days not such good one.  I work in my home, run a small business and try to serve where I am called...I said try.  I make lots of mistakes...did you hear me??...LOTS, and am often led astray only to humbly return to the one who makes all things new.  It is by His grace through faith that I can do all things. I KNOW! I can't believe it either! And you can do all things too. YOU CAN!!!
Thank you for following my journey or should I say my chaos through treasured life and may you be inspired to embrace and commit to living your very own, custom made treasured life. Oh yes, and please feel free to leave comments...only nice ones. haha

much love,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Dana McNamee