Plan Ahead

I found this shell in 1999, on the beach in Gulf Shores, Alabama during a spring break trip. I was going through a rough period in my life - nothing compared to what I'm going through now, but everything is intense when you're 19. As I walked and prayed, this shell washed up practically at my feet. The cross shape in it was impossible to miss, and I took it as a reminder that God heard me and was with me. I've kept it displayed on my dresser ever since, and whenever I look at it, I remember His faithfulness.

I've been redecorating my bedroom and decided it was time to give the shell an artsier, safer home. So I made this shadowbox, complete with the verse that usually comes to mind (Psalms 139:7-10). I hadn't done anything crafty in a while and it felt great to create something. I'd never made a shadowbox before, but I knew enough to make sure the shell would fit under the glass. I tested it a few times - with the brads on the back extended because I didn't feel like bending them all back and forth an extra time. It fit, so I went crazy with the hot glue! When it was all dry I put the glass back on and tried to "close" the back. You guessed it...it won't close. Those extra few millimeters make all the difference. I can't move anything without ruining the display, so I don't know what to do now. Just throw a glassless frame around it? Bleah.