Fresh Mercies

It's going to be one of those weeks - the busy kind. The kind that have you meeting yourself coming and going. The kind where you hit yourself in the head for being a procrastinator. The kind where you have to make a list every single day to make sure you don't forget to do each very important thing you have to do. The kind where it's so easy to forget to stop...and pray...and trust...and be grateful. You know those kind of weeks...those kind of days...

Thank You Lord for your fresh mercies each morning. Help me to not hurry past them with my own agenda leading the way. Help me to pause, to breathe, to reflect...help me to seek You first in all things. Thank you for this new day...may it be Your priorities at the top of my list, and not my own. May I feel Your gentle guidance, and take Your easy yoke, and pull Your light burden....mine are just too heavy to carry.

He has fresh mercies for you this morning...don't let your agenda push you past them. Enjoy them today and all this week, and I will try to do the same. I have a feeling that we'll still get everything done that is important, but we'll also get some much needed peace in the process...

Create!

Oh yes, I am a huge fan of Pinterest, no doubt. LOTs of great inspiration to be found. But when I find myself doing more pinning than creating, that's when I have to step back a bit. Somebody has to create that next awesome 5 ingredient casserole recipe, or try that fabulous art journaling technique, or crochet a granny square garland....and it should be, us! We were created by the Creator to be creative!!

So, what's on your creative plate today? I encourage you (and me) to step out and do it, try it, experiment with it, enjoy it! It's what you were made to do...

...and oh yeah, I'll be sure to pin it once you're done!

You just have to laugh...

When it's 104 degrees outside, and you're a heatwave hostage, you just have to laugh...and color! Feel free to grab my little coloring page as my gift to you for your personal use - and get coloring before your crayons melt! 

(click the image, then right click and "Save As" - then just print and enjoy!)

I'm sorry I have been away from the blog for so long - I was out of town at a women's conference most of last week (connecting with old friends from Colorado) and I have been working on a licensing project and a blog design project...plus I have been working on a grown up girl coloring book idea (the coloring sheet is from that project). If you enjoy coloring, I'd love to hear from you. I find it very relaxing...do you? Anyway, look for more from me on the coloring book project soon!

Thanks for hanging in there with me...I just didn't want to let one more day without stopping to say hi! Stay cool friends - we'll chat again real soon!

Savor the Summer!

It's the weekend - what'cha got planned?

Will you play in the water, 

or play in the sand...?

Or lie in meadow, gazing at the sky

pretending you're a butterfly, flying up high...?

Will you open a paint box

and make a glorious mess...?

Or color outside the lines

without one ounce of stress...?

Will you scale the highest mountains,

or climb the tallest trees...?

Or fly to the farthest planets,

or sail the seven seas...?

Will you dance with abandon,

and skip as you go...?

Or catch fireflies just after

the sun's final glow...?

Will you rejoice in each day,

let your imagination run wild, 

and savor your Summer

like you did as a child...?

But Jesus said, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! 

For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children."

Don't Worry...Pray!

(click image to enlarge)

Many thanks friends for your prayers as the Dyer Mill wildfire burned a few miles north of our home near Plantersville, TX. I am happy to report that we had a glorious, slow moving, soaking rain yesterday (first one in months) which helped the fire situation immensely. Though the fire is 75% contained now, there are still trouble spots, but we are in much better shape overall and breathing a sigh of relief!

So, I thought it would be good to create a little word art poster with one of my favorite verses, 

Philippians 4: 6-7 from the Message translation to emphasize the importance of praying instead of worrying. I hope you can apply the truth of this encouraging passage to whatever worrisome situation you may be facing today...

Hugs all around, and thanks again!

Father's Day Freebie(s)!

In celebration of Father's Day this weekend, I designed this word art based on Psalm 112:1-9, which is full of beautiful promises for the important dads in your life. It is my gift to you for your personal use, and I hope you will use it as a blessing. It would be great to use for card-making or as a simple piece of framed art. Feel free to pass it along on your blog or Facebook page too. Simply right click the image and save to your hard drive.

Speaking of freebies and Father's Day, Casting Crowns is debuting their latest  *amazing* music video titled "Courageous", which is the title song for the new movie "Courageous" premiering in theaters September. (This movie is made by the creators of "Fireproof" so it is sure to be awesome!) The message in the song is custom made for dads. If you go to this link on God Tube, you'll also see a link to get a free download of the song "Courageous" - it would be a great, free gift for Dad!  When you view the music video, after the song ends it plays a short trailer for the movie - it looks really good...

Enjoy your Father's Day celebrations this weekend - and hug those awesome Dads in your life! We are heading off to Louisiana to see all of sweet hubby's kids and grands - perfect Father's Day gift!

A Little Piece of Quiet

Hey Y'all...

I'm at that strange, quiet place between projects...

You know the one...the time when you have a gazillion things you need to, but you just finished something kinda major and want to just enjoy a bit of nothingness...a little "piece of quiet"...

I think that's appropriate for a Sunday, don't you?

My projects will still be there Monday morning...they'll keep...

I hope you find your own little "piece of quiet" today...

"Be still, and know that I am God..."

Psalm 46:10

Holy Land Homecoming: a Retrospective (part 2)

(view of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives)

It Happened One Thursday

Matthew 26:17-75

On Thursday night, the first night of the celebration of Passover, Jesus and His disciples gathered in a room in Jerusalem to share the Passover meal. Afterwards, they walked across the Kidron Valley and up the Mount of Olives to a garden called Gethsemane to pray...

Garden of Gethsemane

(2000 year old olive tree)

"Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

Matthew 26:45

The House of Caiaphas on Mount Zion

(Armenian Church on the Site of Caiaphas' House)

"Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”

“You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”

“He is worthy of death,” they answered..."

Matthew 26:62-66

It is believed that Jesus was placed in a cell like this empty cistern in the basement of Caiaphas' house...

He would have likely been let down through this very small opening into this cistern by ropes tied under his arms, bound, as depicted in this mosaic...

Our entire tour (50 people) gathered into this small cistern where Jesus spent His last night on Earth and our pastor read from the Bible (Psalm 88) and spoke about what it must have been like for Jesus...

At that moment, there in that prison cell, I began to weep and I couldn't stop. With my back up against the wall of the cistern, I felt with raw unfettered emotion the reality of what my Saviour had done for me...how He had willingly taken MY rightful place in that cell...what love, what sacrifice, what grace!  The Lord whispered gently to my spirit that He thought of me that night...I could hardly bear the beauty of that thought...

He thought of ALL of us that night...

...He thought of Peter, even as he denied knowing Jesus three times before the rooster crowed...

"Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly."

Matthew 26:74-75

...He thought of you reading these words now...

...and every human soul ever created and those yet to be created....

...in the midst of His immense suffering...

such. amazing. grace.

Warm thoughts...

...for a COLD day...

______________________________

A cup or two to warm you,

Precious hands to hold...

Bunny slippers on your feet

for when your toes are cold...

Lots of layers over you

when outside you must go...

And God's Love deep within your heart

warming others that you know.

May His Love warm you through and through today,

melting every cold thought and healing every hidden hurt...

Hibernating in Summer

Formula for "Summer Hibernation":

99 degrees and 95% humidity

Yes, it is hot and humid here in the Houston area, and if you're like me, the relentless muggy heat drives you indoors for keeps, and like Winter in parts North, one turns to indoor activities to pass the days.

So, I've been snuggled up at the computer creating illustrations for my "Between us Bunnies" Calendar for 2011. The above design is for August, and is a tribute to my dear Colorado friend Sue C., who happens to be celebrating her 10th Wedding Anniversary today! Congratulations Sue & Bill!! Sue is one of the most hospitable, generous people I know. Our sweet friendship began over shared cups of coffee on Sue's deck after our morning workout at Curves, and grew into one of the most endearing and enduring friendships in my life! Love you and miss you Sue!! (wow is this a fitting Scripture for you!)

"The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed"

Proverbs 11:25

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With the AC cranked, and the three Summer months of designs completed, I decided to pretend it was cold and motivate myself to create the January bunny design....

This is a tribute to another dear Colorado friend of mine, Nancy M. Nancy is a real nature lover and is most at home hiking in the gorgeous Colorado wilderness, so she became the inspiration for this cozy Winter design. Girl, I wish I could lace on some hiking boots and hike with you up there in cool Colorado, but I'll have to settle for hiking to my mailbox in the heat right now :o)  But someday...someday...we'll head for the hills and enjoy God's glorious creation together! Meanwhile, this Scripture has "you" written all over it - you are the most tireless servant of God I know. You don't need the reminder- you already live it out every day! Bless God for you my dear friend!

"Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God."

Hebrews 13:16

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So, my blogging has been quite sluggish in the wake of this "frozen" Summer. I've been able to dedicate myself to the calendar illustrations, but not a whole lot else. In discussions with my ever-so-smart Texas friend Connie (who will be the inspiration for my next design for February), she gave me some great insight into my current state of molasses-speed activity - I'm in the process of "decompressing". With the exception of a short period of time in 1995, I have been working non-stop since I was 15. When I was outsourced from my full time job in early 2009, I kept busy remodeling our mobile home, then an intense time of illustration for Universal and Aimee Asher, then preparing and filling my studio, then preparing for opening a space at Whispering Willow, then working at the Willow and maintaining our large space...  and now, suddenly, with the Willow space closed, most all my external obligations are gone for this season. Thus, I am now apparently in decompression mode...it makes sense. I am unwinding after being wound pretty tight for the past 35 years...and I need it. I take naps, I read, I pray, I move slowly and if I manage to defeat the guilt I feel from "not doing anything", I actually enjoy myself...

 I know this slower pace will not last forever, but if I am wise, I will learn and take to heart the valuable lessons from this season of slow, and invest in guilt-free rest when I need it. It is as necessary as food and water and air... Even God Himself rested...and He not only invites us to rest, He commands it! With the busy back-to-school time upon us and the new projects ramping up for the Fall, I pray that you will find (and take) the rest you need when you need it...

"For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall."

Hebrews 4:10-11

50 by Fifty: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Boy, have I been putting off this post! In case you're new to 50 by Fifty, I gave myself a challenge to lose 50 pounds in a year (average 1 pound per week)...by my 50th birthday to be exact. I started on my 49th birthday in March and got off to a good start. I lost 10.6 pounds in about 10 or 11 weeks. Then May hit. From mid May until now we celebrated (insert 'with food') 5 family birthdays, Mother's Day, Memorial Day, Father's Day, and 4th of July, plus a lot of just life in between. Although I was still careful *in general* about what I ate, I abandoned keeping a journal of my meals and their points values.

I suppose it could have been worse. I only gained back 2.2 pounds (I'm at 8.4 pounds lost overall), but I lost almost 2 months of progress - 1 step forward, 2 steps back. This is the point typically in my past weight loss attempts where I would just give up...especially if I was paying money for a weight loss program. So, unless I want this to end up like SO many other past attempts, I HAVE to keep going. And for me, that means writing down everything I eat and of course making better choices. Exercise is another must, but I could do an entire blog on just exercise excuses!

I am truly not beating myself up over this setback. I have certainly done that in the past. I am recognizing it as a natural part of the process, especially when you have made the determination that this is not a diet, but a lifestyle change. These celebrations will go on...life will get crazy and unpredictable...but if I learn a bit more after each challenge and apply those lessons, then I'll keep making progress. It may be a slow, but that's OK...I didn't get this way overnight...

If you are on a similar journey and have hit a wall or fallen way back, I just want to encourage you (and myself) to not give up. See the setback as a learning tool and launch forward from that point equipped with new insights and renewed determination.

I'll let you know next week how it's going. Thank you for coming back by to check in on me. Knowing you are there cheering me on has been a true blessing! Have a glorious weekend and enjoy these all too fleeting days of Summer!

"So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up."

Galatians 6:9