Etsy shop finally open

I finally open my etsy shop. These look a little crooked (they are not) because of a crappy cropping job.

Abiding Monday

I have come to realize that when I fall short of living the life God has called me to it is because I have failed to love well.  Really, it all comes down to that.  Loving well.  If you look at all the commandments in the Old Testament, all the do's and don'ts, the bottom line is love.  That's why Jesus could narrow them down to two.  

"Love the Lord your God will all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and Prophets." 

(Matthew 22:37-40) 

I can honestly say there are more times I do not love well than there are that I do. And I have come to understand that I cannot MAKE myself love better. I could go through the motions and make it look like I am doing a better job, but looking at my heart would show something else. And I do believe I am called to act like it when I don't feel like it, but I also believe it's not the same thing.  

I have been a believer for all of my adult life, but about 4 years ago I began a new and deeper journey. One that has taken me into my heart to look at all the dark places that I was afraid to face.  We all have them, we just don't always look.  I was ready to do some hard work, to begin pulling weeds that long entangled my wounded, broken heart.  

"The descending way is a way that is concealed in each person's heart. But because it is seldom walked on, it's often overgrown with weeds. Slowly but surely we have to clear the weeds, open the way, and set out on it unafraid."

(Henri Nouwen - Lenten Readings-The Way of Humility)

The Lenten season is a good time to really be about this. A time of deep reflection, a time to mourn our lack of  love and our hardened weed entangled hearts.

But I want to say something else here because the process of this can at times send me into a tailspin. A downward spiral of self-hatred. A focus on all the things I do not do right.  The enemy of our soul would like nothing better than to make us feel defeated and utterly useless and worthless.

God never makes us feel like that. NEVER!  

It is good to mourn, but we have a God waiting with open arms to forgive our failings. He waits patiently for us to turn to him and admit we cannot do this on our own.  He longs for us to finally cease our fruitless striving and rest in Him.  To crawl up in his lap and say, "Daddy I cannot do this in my own strength".

Only God can change a heart.

I receive a mailing from Jan Johnson once a month. This months is titled Guilt Odyssey.  Please take some time to read it.  janjohnson.org/march_2011_wisbits.html

Grace and Peace 

I will never watch a movie the same again

Signs that's something's up

A few posts back I mentioned NBC was going to use my home for a few scenes in an upcoming movie. The movie crew began arriving around 7:00 am yesterday.  It was a long fascinating day.  I was going to leave for the day but it was too much fun to watch it all.  They were here for 17 hours and shot 5 or 6 scenes which will end up being only about 5 minutes in the movie - if that.  It is amazing the amount of people and work it takes to pull one of these off.  I really do have a new appreciation for those in this business.

The Movie is called "The Magic Eye" and airs June 11th on NBC.  I think I got the date right, will remind you all closer to the date.

You may recognize a few of the actors. Faith Ford, Tony Oller, Alyssa Shafer, Philip Casnof, Joe Adler, Tommy Creswell and Kathy Payne. There are more, but these are the ones who where here.

Seeing them film this piece of mine was pretty cool.  It says "Open Wide Your Heart." They felt that this was the theme of the movie. I am not sure what they will do with it...

something a little different

I feel it needs a word...

                    

Abiding Monday

I am abiding with HIM over here

If you do not already know Pat Miller, it's my great pleasure to introduce her to you.

You will be fed, encouraged, and challenged.

Grace and Peace

just breath...

24 x 24

24 x 24

Meg left this morning to go back to school.  

We had a week of relaxing, sight seeing, and some hard things thrown in. 

Wednesday, my son, daughter-in-law and grandson were in a car accident. Thankfully, they walked away though the car may be totaled.  Seth took Brooke, who is 7 months pregnant to the emergency room as a precaution. On the way there she began to have contractions. After an overnight stay they were able to get them to stop, but the waiting was scary. We are thankful.

Friday we took Meg to the High Museum of Art. It was so much fun to walk around and look at all the wonderful art. Can you guess when I got excited???  I loved seeing it all, but when I got a glimpse of the contemporary art around the corner my heart and yes, feet did a little dance. Funny how one can be so drawn to color and texture. 

 We then went to Atlantic Station and had lunch. A beautiful day in Georgia to enjoy lunch outside.  

I even had time this week to work on the above painting.  It, as many of my paintings started out far different, and has many layers underneath. It ended up being very similar to another of mine. It has been overcast all day and I had a very difficult time getting a good photo.

I have a busy and interesting week coming up.  NBC will be here for part of it...

want to know why???  

They are filming part of an NBC family movie here.  I'll tell more later...

I also have another journaling workshop next weekend, so if you all will say a little prayer that I stay focused and organized I would surely appreciate it my friends.  

Abiding Monday

I apologize if today post is...feels fragmented.  It's kind of how I am feeling today. 

 I am having a hard time living out my word for the year.  

WHOLEHEARTED.  

I am in an uncomfortable place, 

my own skin.

I think I read books about God and the Spiritual Life more than the Bible. They are really good books, and contain much truth and they all point me in the right direction.  And God uses them in my life in a very good way.  But I think that I substitute them for reading God's word...a lot.

So, I decided that from now till Easter I will read two chapters a day.  Beginning with Matthew and reading through Luke.  

Reading Jesus.

 Today I read, "Worship the Lord your God, and only him. Serve him with absolute
single-heartedness." 

Yes, Lord...

Oh Father, this is really my deepest hearts desire, but I fear it is buried too deep.  I fear it will take some painful digging to get there,  

am I willing...

am I willing...

Maybe that's why I don't focus my reading in the Word.  They are more than mere good words.

There is power in them...they are living...

But isn't that what I say I want?  

His word - Him to change me? 

Yes, yes, but I am afraid.

So I am asking myself what it is that I am really afraid of....

At the beginning of Lent my church handed out a calendar of sorts.  Each day of Lent has something to do.  Some of them are things to give up for the day, some of them are things to do.  Some of them will not be hard for me.  Some of them will be incredibly difficult.  

I thought I would begin to post them weekly...

Monday, March 14th - Write a prayer to God explaining the habits, behaviors, and sins you want to die to.

Tuesday, March 15th - Call someone with whom you have had a falling out and make amends.

Wednesday, March 16th - Fast during the daylight hours.

Thursday, March 17th - Do something that you've been putting off or trying to avoid.

Friday, March 18th - Go for a walk in your neighborhood and pick up any trash you see.

Saturday, March 19th - Spend 30 to 60 minutes in self-imposed silence.

isn't yellow beautiful...

Sally's parked in the driveway...

And that means...

Meg is home!!

A little someone has been waiting for her too.

Wishing you all a glorious weekend my friends!

Lenten painting

I painted the first layer of this at our Ash Wednesday Service. I added to, and changed it a bit today.  It will be displayed each Sunday through Lent.  I will take it home during the week and possibly add to it...or not.

.

ah... the joys of duck/duct tape

My calendar was boring!!

Solid Red, not enough...well you know...

I have this cool duck tape. Yes, it's Duck brand duct tape.  

I call it duck tape, and always thought I was saying it wrong....

until I looked on the inside of the tape.  Now I can say duck tape

without feeling silly. (now I feel silly I did not know something you all

probably have known for years)  lol

The little covered Moleskine's contain scripture from "Made to Crave"

that I want to keep close by.

Hope you all are having a good day. I am adding to to the painting that I started in Church last night at our Ash Wednesday service.  Yes, I painted in front right next to the band...I asked if they were sure they wanted me next to the instruments with paint...I was careful...even when i dripped paint.

creating space

I really liked what my pastor said this past Sunday about fasting from something during the Lenten season. It's not just about giving up something that we love, a sacrifice for us,

 it's to 

"create space for God to meet and work in me, to expose the things in my heart that need to die."

My share group just began a new study. The timing of it is incredibly interesting to me.

The study is

 "Made to Crave" by Lisa Terkeurst 

"Satisfying your deepest desire with God, not food."

When we (when I) stuff ourselves with food or ANYTHING to fill the emptiness, to numb ourselves we leave no room for God to work. 

I have never been excited about giving something up for Lent. And I can't say I am excited, but there is a hopeful expectation this year. 

I know it will not be easy, I am expecting it to be downright hard, painful at times.  

But I want the things that keep me from true fullness, from true freedom gone!!! 

Grace and Peace to you!

weaving of lives

I have a story I want to share with you all.  One story of many that shows me God works behind the scenes. So much is hidden from us, but sometimes something happens and we say yes, "God did this!" I say one story, because there are many in each of our lives that we may never see, though they are there.

About a year or so ago a woman named Katie left me a precious comment.  She had opened a blog but did not use it, but I was able to leave her comments every now and again too.  Throughout the year she would pop in and leave me a comment.  A month ago I mentioned my visual journaling workshops in a post.  Katie left a comment saying she was interested in them.  I left my email on the post and she contacted me.

Okay, now we get to the good part.  She did not live too far away, and in our communications I found out she used to live in my area and she used to attend a local church that I also attended at one time.  The next time I was at church I asked one of our pastors and his wife (who had started the church she had gone to) if  they remembered Katie and her husband.  Yes they did.  And I just happened to ask another friend who had attended that same church if they new Katie.  Well, my friend's eyes teared up and come to find out they were great friends and had lost touch with each other.  

So last Saturday Katie came to the workshop!!  I cannot tell you what a blessing it was to finally meet her. I told her to expect to see a lady running toward her when we made eye contact.  Yes, I did!!  I asked her how she found my blog...she said, "you know how you just go from one blog to another looking around"...

It was a God thing!!

Katie brought me a precious gift.  Well actually she brought me several.

One being the gift of getting a glimpse of God working behind the scenes.

The gift of herself...she is precious.

And this lovely painted likeness of me...see my glasses and grey hair..

She sits in my entryway to remind me of sweet blessings and of how God weaves lives together.

Abiding Monday

"I am your devoted Friend and also your King of kings,

accomplishing My divine transformation in you.  All things

are possible with Me!"

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted...and provide 

for those who grieve in Zion - to bestow on them a crown 

of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of

mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of

despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting

of the LORD for the display of his splendor.

Isaiah 61:1-3

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do 

not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your

hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

John 14:27

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is

impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Matthew 19:26

Brokenness

Nothing is wasted when it is shared with Me. I can bring beauty out of the ashes of lost dreams; I can glean Joy out of sorrow, Peace out of adversity. This divine alchemy will become a reality in your experience as you learn how to share more and more of your life with Me. You believe I am capable of creating wholeness out of your brokenness and struggles. So I urge you to bring all these things to Me for transformation, trusting in My healing Presence.

I take great delight in transforming My precious children. Give Me your broken dreams! Release them into My care and keeping. I will not only heal the brokenness, I will give you a new dream - one that is in harmony with My plans for you. As you seek to nurture this budding dream, you will find yourself becoming more content and increasingly aware of My beautiful Presence.

Give Me you sadness and your problems as well. Sorrow shared with Me is permeated with brilliant glitters of Joy - like numerous Christmas lights sparkling in the darkness. Accept adversity as My gift to you. You will find golden pockets of Peace hidden in the hardness of your problems. 

(Jesus Lives, by Sarah Young)

I read this on the heals of Thursday's post. I love how God places the pieces of the puzzle that is my life together.

He does that for you too. 

don't stop asking

I am preparing for another journaling workshop this Saturday.  I was going through an older booklet that I prepared for a retreat I taught at in 2009.  

I paused at this page.

"The Spirit, not content to flit around on the surface, dives into the depths of God, 

and brings out what God planned all along."

1 Corinthians 2:10 (The Message)

Do you have a dream?  I had a dream that I did not know I had.  God has done, and is doing something in me I would have never expected.  I prayed for years that God would reach down and move in my heart.  I prayed that he would help me discover my gifts. I prayed that he would use me. I still feel that in myself alone I do not have much to share, but he has reached into my heart and stirred and pulled something of worth...it's all his doing. 

I wanted to share this because I know how I struggled, and much of life is a struggle. We struggle with finding our true selves, seeing our true heart, that can be quite ugly at times. But unless we really look deeply into our hearts and ask the questions and face the hard things about ourselves how can we ever begin the healing??

My journey began several years ago and is not finished by a long shot. But, God is using me in ways that I could never have imagined.  

I want to encourage you - you, that have dreams. You, who do not know what dreams to dream yet. God has dreams and plans for you. Wonderful dreams and plans.  

Don't stop asking God to show you. Yes, God has plans for us, but sometimes it takes a YES from us before he moves.  

Invite him to move in you and open your eyes and heart.  

new friend and journal pages

11  x  5 1/2 

Hi Pam, if you are seeing these, they are the one's I began with you yesterday.

I met a lovely lady yesterday...Pam.  You know how you meet someone and you know immediately that you are going to like them...a lot.  Pam is one of those women.  A mutual friend suggested she give me a call to get together.  Pam is creative, but has not been doing much and was ready to dive back in.  

(Pam, have you thought about which room will be your studio??)

I think I did most of the talking...must work on that.  I get so excited about this thing called visual journaling and have so much to share that I think I may give too much information for one's brain to absorb in one sitting.

I began these as examples and completed them after she left...I think, I hope, excited about beginning this visual journaling journey.  

Pam you did a great job, get playing with all your supplies...

 16 x 11 1/2

it began as a nice day

Yesterday started out lovely. A little overcast, but temperatures were right in my range.  Cool, but not cold, a little breeze.  So of course since I had not been out on the porch for a while I had to do a little re-arranging. I have a smallish wicker coffee table. Too small for what I wanted so I pulled out this large board I had doodled on in my studio.  It was perfect.  So I painted the edges black and topped it with a few lovelies.

I spent most of the day in and out, till the skies started to turn greenish-black and the sirens began.  The storm that woke my daughter up in Kentucky had arrived. I gathered the animals, three cats and a dog and came in and turned the TV on. Yep, we were under a tornado warning.  The wind and hail were pretty intense, I was prepared to dive down into our cellar, not a pleasant place to be, it's basically a hole in the ground, dirt, musty, and damp, but you go if you have to, and we have had to.

We did have fair warning about the storm.  Meg sent us a text early morning.  She said, "I officially hate Kentucky weather...woke up at 5 am to a tornado siren and had to go to the basement for an hour and now I am soaked from walking to class even with an umbrella...yay..."  Meg hates tornado's, has for years, ever since she saw "Twister". I am one of those people who love storms, as long as no one is hurt. Meg used to freak when I would go out on the porch and watch.

The sun is shining this morning.