Cases and Dice Blocks

Much fun is going on in the Perry household these days. Outside of record amounts of block orders keeping me busy, my mom came for a visit. We re-did the girls room, and re-arranged nearly the whole house (or so it felt) in two days. I feel as though I'm on vacation in my own home. HOW GREAT IS THAT!!! Thanks mama!

My supplier stopped selling the cases I've been using for the blocks. They may get them back, but for now they are gone. I had about two seconds of grieving before I had an idea; custom cases. Yep, there are so many great shops in Franklin TN and the surrounding areas. I'm officially on the look out for great unique one-of-a-kind looking cases. Here is a couple I've found already.

I've had a new idea too. What about dice blocks...you know for romance, or chores for kids, or game dice. Like, say I want my kids to do some chores. I'll tell them to roll the dice....is that like gambling? May be that's bad. I may try it and tell you later. Ok, romance dice...nothing dirty, but like one dice would say "kiss", and the other one would say, "nose". I don't know, always thinking. The game dice could be different activities on each side, for ideas when you get bored. I'd love to know your thoughts on dice blocks. :)

This idea came while sanding sixty blocks. That takes a long time and it can get awfully boring and dusty to say the least. Any way, that's all I guess. :)

Blockeroos.

I haven't written about blocks lately, but I'm still having a blast doing them. :) Lots of little changes I'm making as this business grows.

I've added a new photo album to my Photo Album page on the website. I'm going to start posting the different supplies I buy for people who like to visualize their blocks before handing all decisions off to me. haaha
I have ulterior motives though as well and that is I'm posting the supplies I want to work with!!!! haha I'm leaving out obnoxious ideas and things that insult my taste of course.

Let's see, I am also going to add the blocks of the month. These will be blocks I just LOVED making. Blocks that are unique and interesting with a new creative element. I get credit for a lot of creative ideas, but most of them come from you guys, my friends and customers! I love all your ideas....keep them coming.

Lastly, I have added Puzzle blocks to my list of blocks. I posted a picture of a set I did a couple weeks ago. This was a personal photo. Because some photos just may not work, I've asked in my form for a "back-up photo" to be sent as well. I think these are going to be a lot of fun and present me with a new challenge.

Love you all! Thanks for making this first year so fun, so great!

To Give or not to Give

I was thirsty and I got out of bed to get some water from the bathroom tap. I had just learned that if you put your hands together just right, they could be a personal cup whenever you needed one. All I wanted to do was practice this trick whenever I got the chance. On my way back to bed I heard my parents in their bedroom bickering. I was seven years old and very curious. I went to sit down outside their door and eaves-dropped on them until my eyelids were heavy. I couldn’t understand much of what they were saying but I gathered there was a severe lack of money.

I immediately picked up the worry as if it came sweeping under the door to me and gave me no choice but to consume it. I lay in my bed for quite some time wrestling with the fact that I could save my family. I had a five dollar bill in my piggy bank. If they had that money, it would all be ok for them. They wouldn’t argue, they would be happy, they would feel better.

The next morning I saw my mom and my heart just welled up. “Yes,” I thought, “I will save my family.” I ran upstairs grabbed that bill and with more joy than is explainable, ran to my mother and gave it to her. I was beaming, “Here Mom.”
“What’s this?” she asked
“My birthday money, it’s for you and dad.”
“Oh baby, you keep this.” She said sweetly.
“No Mom, it’s for you and dad.” I insisted “I heard you talking last night and you said you needed money.”
My mom’s eyes welled up. I felt joy. I had touched my mom's heart, whom I loved. I remember her insisting, and then me insisting again. Everything in me was pouring out liquid love, the kind that gives you a high.

My mama hugged me. She stood up, kissed my head and said thank you to me. She took my money. I felt joy again rush into me. I saved my families financial crisis. Never had any seven year old walked as tall as I did that afternoon.

After dinner, I was playing with my brothers when my mother called for me. I raced down the stairs and she handed me something in a bag.
“What is it?” I was perplexed.
“It’s for you.” She smiled.
I ripped into that bag and there she was. My mom had bought me the most beautiful doll I’d ever seen. Her hair was so long and her eyes looked just like mine.
“I wanted to buy her for you, so I used your money for that.” She smiled again.
I felt that same rush again. I didn’t worry about the fact that she didn’t use that money to save the family. I didn’t even think about that. I was in love with my doll.
What I didn’t realize at that time was that doll was worth at least $30-$40.
Here I am, a woman still moved to tears by the little threads of this story that have woven into my heart and shaped me forever.


My whole life I would hear about sowing and reaping and tithing and giving, I would think about it in terms of the “reaping” part.
If you want to reap anything, you need to learn to sow. When you sow, you reap a harvest much bigger than what you sowed. That is how God is, how he works and so on. I have preached this message and I have personal testimony that proves you cannot out-give God. When you give, He gives back, and it is a lot more.

Lately, something about this message has bothered me. I haven’t been able to quite put my finger on it, but for months now, I’ve been wrestling with it. Something just doesn’t fit right. It’s true, but it’s not quite there. I was in church recently and they started in on this again before they passed the plates around. Some people might think it bothers me because it’s a message that could manipulate people if it wasn’t told right. That true, but that’s a whole other issue, that wasn’t it.

A couple weeks ago, I had a vision of a hungry man in front of me. His clothes were torn and I knew he was starving. I had five dollars in my pocket and there was a McDonalds across the street. I raced over and bought him some food and brought it back to him. Then, the vision shifted. While I watched the man eat, I felt joy unspeakable. The Lord himself came into my vision and spoke to me while the man was eating,
“Did you pray whether you should sow into that man? Did you pray whether you should give him that food? Did you ask me if you should tithe to him?”

“No Lord, I didn’t do any of that” I responded.

“Why did you run to McDonalds and spend my money that way, without asking me?”

I started weeping, “Lord” I said, “He was dying of hunger and I had money and there was a restaurant.” I was explaining myself.

Then He grinned, he threw his head back and laughed. I started laughing too, but I was confused. His eyes twinkled and he said, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

My vision ended with me in tears. I knew I was on the brink of new revelation and there is nothing like fresh bread to apply to life immediately. I combed through that vision over and over. He didn’t want me to pray about it. That was so odd. I always felt as though I was to pray and seek Him as to where to give. Was He saying I didn’t need to consult Him, when I felt that surge of compassion? What if I have compassion for everyone? Am I supposed to drain myself and resources and finances and time… etc…

I went to my Bible and began thumbing through the gospels looking for red letters. What was He like? What did He say and do when needs were pressing Him from all sides. He gave. He gave. He gave. Over and over He gave of himself and extended himself. Why did He do these things? He was overcome with compassion. He was compelled by the Love of the Father within Him. He didn’t seem to get resentful or worn out, although He was a man. He must have been tired. What drove Him to give of himself even unto death? He was driven as a mad man in love.

I came across John 3:16, the most quoted verse in the Bible. “For God so loved the world, He gave….” I stopped. I wondered, did the Father give because He knew he would gain the whole world? Was He like a power hungry emperor, rubbing his hands together up in Heaven saying, “I’ll give you Jesus, to get the world!” I read it again, “For God so loved the world, He gave….” His motive was driven out of love for me. He loved me so much He gave His only son.

So there it was, the missing piece; the absence of love in my giving. I have spent my life giving to reap my harvest, and I have reaped. I have reaped so much, I’d sow it again. It’s a great Kingdom formula and it works every time. The church seems to think it’s our hidden secret. It’s not. If the world applies Kingdom principles to their lives, they will reap too, and so they have. “The rain falls on the just and the unjust”
It’s kindergarten basics and yet we preach it like it’s the greatest formula ever told. The reason that formula captivates us is it speaks to our inward need to grow, attain and to have. That isn’t entirely bad either. When we experience gain, we can be a blessing. The problem with formulas though is they lack intimacy.

Why do I give? What are my motives really? I realized that at times, the purest form of my motive was selfishness. Many times, I was giving to get. I was promised I’d get much more than I gave, and from a young age I learned that was true. To think though, that when I gave it was to receive seemed a little self centered. What it would be like to give the way God gave?

I immediately started asking God to remind me of a time I didn’t give to get. I wanted a reference point. That is when I remembered the story of the five dollar bill and my doll.
The Lord said, “Do you remember that first time you gave? That was so good. Do you remember your doll? Your mama did so good too.”

The revelation came full circle. I didn’t give that five dollars out of obedience. I didn’t give it out of guilt, or because of “teachings on giving”. I didn’t give out of exhaustion or emptiness. I gave it because I loved. I couldn’t keep it. A need had presented itself. I was inspired to give by the compassion in my heart. I felt joy when that money left my hands. I wasn’t thinking I’d get something for it. I gave based on a pure unaffected undefiled powerful motive. I gave from an overflow of my love for my mother. My motive was Love, just like my daddy in heaven's is when He gives to me.

Then I thought about my mother. She played the role of God in this lesson plan for me. She took my money, multiplied it and gave it back to me. She didn’t need my money; it was hers to begin with any ways. She wasn’t trying to thank me or reward me for my good deed.... she went to the store and saw that gorgeous over priced doll. She couldn’t help herself. She loved me so. She had to spend Heaven’s money to do it and she didn’t think twice. She didn’t need to pray about it either.

We think when we give and the Lord gives back to us, it’s a reward. It’s not; it’s a reflection of His good nature, His adoration for His creation. We think we had a part with our five dollars. It’s all His money we are playing our life with. He put in place Kingdom principles so that anyone on this earth could apply and see fruit from them, whether they know the King or they don’t. The advantage I have to someone who doesn’t know the King, isn’t a harvest, it’s a relationship. I get to know Him and learn His nature first hand, by the power of the Holy Spirit. I get to resemble Him and learn how to give like He did. Any fruit that comes to me as a result of giving is simply a testimony again of how much He loves me. I get to know how much He loves me.

Lovers give.

My Goal

I've been considering my friends lately. What is it that draws me to certain people? What is it that steers me away from some people, and is that ok? I know I can't be friends with everyone, but I also don't want to allow hang-ups to cause me to shut the door on someone. Where do boundaries come in? Some people don't understand boundaries...so where is the balance? What does it mean to "Love your neighbor?" and who is my neighbor?

The people who I would consider my close friends are definitely neighbors. They love me, I can trust them...it's easy. Then there is those people who are not trust worthy, and who I consider to be "mean or other negative adjectives". What about them? Are they my neighbor? What does it mean to love them?

According to one of my hero's, Dan Mohler, the definition of loving people means to treat that person according to their value to God. If I am able to see a difficult, mean, angry, depressed, annoying, hassle of a person according to their value to Jesus, I can love them. To Him, they were worth His blood. To Him, they are worth His blood still. Whether I think they are or not, just boils down to how arrogant I want to be about comparing my worth and theirs to our same creator.

We live in a society where the way we treat others depends on the way they treat us. People have to earn our love. When did I ever earn the love of God? There have been many times in my life where I may have given you an example of how I earned it, but I never did. He gave it to me for free. In fact, it's hard for me to wrap my mind around how He loves us. How is it that He doesn't love me more than a murderer? He doesn't even love me more than a rapist, or a pedophile. Why? How can that be? His love for me isn't based on my performance, it's based on my value to Him.

We were so valuable, He died for us...ALL! I still have to remind myself some days, that my performance is meaningless in terms of auditioning for more love. I have all His love, I cannot lose it. He loves me every moment of every day, even in the midst of my "sinning". He just can't get enough of me. He is chasing me with goodness and mercy every day. He does not see bad in me, He only sees himself in me. I am right. I am perfect because He lives in me and He is right and He is perfect. His righteousness far out weighs my deficiencies. How do I even consider such deficiencies in the light of such perfection, such bliss, such LIGHT? How can I even look at myself when He is so big, so perfect, so beautiful. It's His perfect Love that tangles me up every day I consider it. My eyes are not on me, they are on Him.


If I can't love someone, it's because I have yet to feel the love of God in every corner of me. So, when I have a difficult time loving someone, it acts as a big flashing sign that I'm in need of His love. It's not my love I'm giving anyway...it's His. It needs to come from an overflow so I don't burn out trying my best to love someone on my own strength. That would suck for them anyways because then I would expect something in return...some kind of pay back or reward.

"They will know we are Christians by our Love." This is the only way someone ought to know I'm a Christian. If they find out a different way, that's fine I guess.... My goal though, my single goal is to waste my life learning how to love like He does! I don't want to learn it when I get to heaven, what's the point then. How does that help anyone?

This is my time on earth. Gratefulness and thanksgiving are my two single weapons to keep me from selfishness and Love is my gift that I can freely give. If my eyes are on me, I notice how people treat me. If my eyes are on Him, I can actually love in a way that resembles how He loves so closely, you wouldn't know the difference. My goal!

Last night a security guard escorted me out of the hospital.

All day yesterday, I couldn't get the hospital in Franklin out of my head. I didn't have any plans and my husband told me to take the night off and do whatever I wanted to do.
All I want to do right now is practice loving people with no agenda. I just prayed that my motives would be pure and that God would lead me to someone who really needed a visit from Him.
I went to the first floor first. I figured I'd start there and work my way up to the sixth floor.
I wanted to be respectful of the nurses and their stations so I asked them at the desk if there was anyone who might be in need of a visit. May be someone who doesn't have family around. The first nurse, I'll call her "Nurse First Floor" teared up immediately. Then she got really close to the glass and spoke softly to me, "I can't tell you who this is, or her room number, but there is a girl on this floor that really needs prayer. She is in isolation." I said ok, and went to the waiting room across from that station to pray for her. How did that lady know I loved Jesus? Does nobody come there to visit? I was confused. I was in the waiting room for about ten minutes. I was getting ready to go to the second floor when Nurse First Floor came in to the waiting room.
"I just want to encourage you to continue on, listening to that still small voice." she said to me.
Then she hugged me really tight and thanked me like I had given her flowers or something.

Second Floor.
The nurses were busy so I decided to just walk down a hall. On my left, in a hospital bed lay a woman watching "The price is Right." I walked in, introduced myself and told her I was driving by and wanted to come visit her. Her name is Faye. She told me she is so anemic she fell out in Wal-Mart and they took her there. We talked for some time and I asked her if she wanted me to pray for her anemia. She said, "I don't ever refuse prayer." I smiled and said, "I don't either."
I love Faye.

Third Floor.
Stopped at the nurses station. They seemed a little concerned what I was there for. They told me that everyone on their floor had family visiting them. I thanked them and left.

Fourth Floor.
Stopped at the nurses station. Nurse Fourth Floor started tearing up. "Really? You came here to visit someone? That is amazing, I have to find someone for you. Surely there is someone, come with me. That is so sweet..." she went on.
We couldn't find anyone. One lady was getting an enema and another had family. We went back to the nurses station and she said, "I can't believe someone finally came and we have no one." I gave her my name and phone number and told her if anyone came that needed a visit, I would come back. She hugged me, said a few more nice things and I left.

Fifth Floor
Riding up to the fifth floor, I began to ponder on those two nurses. They were so touched and nothing had been done. How compassionate they were. That is amazing to me.
I had the same experience with a nurse on the fifth floor. She pointed me to the room of this 87 year old woman. She looked really sick to me. She was all shriveled up, so small in that bed that nearly swallowed her small frame. She was confused when she saw me. I told her I wanted to hear her story and asked if I could sit down. She motioned to a chair and we sat for probably 15 minutes and talked. I could hardly understand her, she didn't speak clearly at all and she was hard of hearing, so it took that long for me to hear the outline of her story. This is what I understood. Her name was Margaret, she had four children, her husband was still alive, they lived in Franklin and she was at the hospital because she almost had a heart attack. I told her about my girls. Right before I left, I brushed her silver hair back off her face with my hands and told her she had the most beautiful face. She did. I looked into her eyes and all her wrinkles and saw her beauty. It caught me so off guard I started to cry. Gosh, she is sparkly.

I left, just one floor to go. I hadn't seen any miracles, but I wasn't there for miracles, I was there to visit and to practice giving freely what God so generously gives me daily...I was there for love.

Sixth Floor.

I got off the elevator and immediately noticed this big security officer looking at me. He stopped me, "Why are you here Miss?"
"I'm visiting people."
"Who are you visiting?" he asked.
"I'm just visiting anyone the nurses tell me doesn't get too many visits." I answered him honestly

Before I knew it, another officer was there. This guy was shorter and started asking me the exact same questions. He asked me for my ID and went to the phone. I was left with the first security officer who was writing notes down in this little pad. I looked up. The nurses were looking at me like I was a criminal. To break this tortorous silence, I asked the big security guard, "How are you tonight?" He didn't respond, he just kept writing. Um....awkward silence followed, and more mean looks.

The second security officer finally came back, handed me my ID and began to inform me the the nurses on the third floor had told them that I was wandering the hospital and it was strange. I was thinking in my head that they must have been looking for me while I was in with Margaret. We were all just standing there and I was starting to feel emotional. I just wanted to leave. They said I had to wait. Apparently this was such a huge deal that I had to meet with the chairman of the hospital. He finally came, white coat and all. He was a tad rude. He actually was so rude, I felt more humiliation as tears sprang into my eyes. It was completely out of my control. The last thing I wanted to do was cry in that moment....ahhhhhhhH!
"We have people for that miss." he was referring to visiting.
He scolded me a little more and then left. I heard the security guard tell him that he would escort me out of the building.

Walking to the elevator like a little girl being accompanied by her teacher to see the principle...made me feel so sad. "I don't need to be escorted." I said. "I'll go."
"It's just policy ma'am." he said kindly.
Once the elevator doors closed, he touched my arm. He said,
"Hold your head up! You heard that still small voice and you obeyed. That is more than most people are willing to do. You hold your head up! Don't let this discourage you."
Well his kindness had completely undone me. I was blubbering at this point. I had went there to love and here he was loving me. Isn't that the very nature of the work of Jesus.
"What church do you go to?" I asked him, trying to get past the "ORDEAL".
He told me he was a deacon in this Baptist church downtown and then he said,
"Aimee, you are welcome anytime."
That made me smile and then cry some more. We stopped at the front door and he said again,
"Hold your head up. Don't be discouraged, you have no idea the impact your obedience had on this hospital."
I thanked him ever so quickly as his kindness had just hit a peak that would cause me to be crying hysterically. I held it together until I reached my truck. When I was pulling out, I noticed I was being followed by another security officer in his truck. That is when I started laughing so hard and crying so hard. What a combination. It was hysterical. I was embarrassed. I have never been that thoroughly escorted out of anywhere.

We live in times where visiting strangers in hospital beds is a potential threat. I understand, but it is so sad. I learned two things, probably much more, but it is only the next day. The first thing is that if I ever go again, I won't stop at the nurses station (just kidding...kinda) and the second is that we may never know or understand the impact we have, but when we obey, we can be sure it was great.

Jill Locke

I just made a very special block for an amazing woman. Her name is Jill Locke. Here is her story!

Diagnosed with Colon Cancer in 1996, 40 year old Jill Hamilton-Locke has been battling this harsh disease for years. After 7 years in remission, she was told she was cured and could start her family.

When her only son was 18 months old, the cancer returned and has spread to her liver and pancreatic area. Since December 2006, Jill has undergone more the 5 operations and over 30 treatments of chemotherapy. Unfortunately the chemotherapy has stopped working, and the doctors are running out of options as the cancer spreads further.

Jill’s family, husband Brian and six year old son Nolan, have been standing by her side throughout the courageous battle. Life has not been easy for them. Two years ago the company that Brian had been employed with for over a decade, closed there doors with short notice due to bankruptcy. Now the family is left without any health insurance, and is struggling to meet there monthly expenses and insurmountable medical bills…

Jill is considered terminally ill. However everyone continues to pray for another miracle. As an ongoing sign of love and respect for Jill: Mom, Sis, Cuz, Jill beans, Jilliebean, Chillie Hamilton-Locke. :-) We have set up this website for online donations. 100% of all contributions will go directly to: The Locke Family Trust, designed for the care and protection of Jill and her family during these trying times as well as the future. Donations are non tax deductible.

I think this tells her story so much better than I could. I was asked to make her a block for her little boy. The top of the block is a book she reads to him every night. The bottom of the block is personalized with a note to him. It also has the things that he loves and that are special to their relationship. It was an emotional experience to make this block, as I am a mother myself. I am praying for her, for a miracle. I am believing for one. If you would like to give to a family that is in need of support right now, here is the website to do that through.
www.helpjilllocke.org
Jill, thank you for letting me make this block for you. I am believing for your healing! So much love to you and your family! May His great love, simply put....conquer all!

As promised...one of my many "Most Embarassing Moments."

It was a beautiful morning, the kind that calls to you from inside. Eric and I decided to eat breakfast on our apartment balcony. We had a great apartment in that it backed up to a wooded area and it was angled just so, no one could see us. I decided to go eat my oatmeal in my cropped hot pink t-shirt. (important detail for later) Eric came out in his boxers.
There we sat, drinking in the sunshine, chatting, eating breakfast....spending our time the way we should have every day! I had to leave for work in an hour but that was still far enough away to relax.
I noticed the sliding door was open and I didn't want to let the air conditioning out. I opened the sliding door a little more to get the momentum to close it. When I closed it, that safety bar came un-attached and fell down......locking the door.
Panic flashed across both our eyes. There was no way in. We contemplated shattering the glass and then I came up with a plan. I gave Eric my cropped t-shirt to put on while I hid in the storage off the balcony laughing hysterically. He stood in front of my with a shirt that was about three inches above his naval and plaid green boxers. I watched him shimmy down to the neighbors ground floor padio and go knock on our 80 year old neighbors house to use her phone. She answered her door and let Eric come in to call my dad. She said nothing!
Then we waited........
we waited.......
My dad showed up with a ladder and laughed so hard he cried. "Where's Aimee?" he said.
"I'm in here" I shouted. Well, he laughed some more.
Up Eric went, in through our bedroom window which we had fortunately left-unlocked. I think I failed to mention that our door was locked and all the keys were inside.
My dad left the premises and I streaked across the balcony to the safety of the indoors.

I made it to work on time! Did I say this was embarrassing for me??? I'm sorry, this is probably more embarrassing for my husband. LOL