boo, being sick!

rick and i have both been sick for almost two weeks.  though, we've enjoyed watching old episodes of LOST together during our days home on the couch, it's been frustrating not to be doing any art - or anything art-related.  i think we're on the tail-end of whatever bug we've had, and i'm hoping to be creating again (as well as working on getting my online shop up and running), within the next few days.  i've had some ideas about things i'd like to try in my art - and i'm excited to see how it will all turn out, going from my brain to the canvas, wood, paint, paper, etc. 

more on the art front, soon.  but, for now, it's back to the couch - and LOST, season 4 - for me.  hope you are well, friends!

my first commissioned piece!

my good friend in texas, melissa, contacted me a few months ago to make an original piece of artwork for her boys' room.  i was truly honored that she asked me!  she had a prayer that she had prayed for her boys for years that she wanted me to include somewhere on the piece, and she had some thoughts on the colors she might like.  other than that, she gave me complete freedom.  i had so much fun making it!  here are pictures that she took of the finished piece.

cling to hope.

while working on this piece, God was speaking Truth to me... for me. and also for a friend of mine who is in the thick of it right now.

love & prayers, dear one... take heart. cling to hope.
this is not the end.

house of love...

i finished this piece a couple of weeks ago - i've been trying to upload the photo for over a week now, but for some reason, blogger wasn't allowing me to. i tried using a smaller file size today (note to self), and, thankfully, it worked.

my time-lines for things (like posting photos on my blog, opening a shop online to sell my art, etc.), have not happened the way i've planned or thought they would. i'm learning that with my art stuff - as well as with all the other areas of life - things don't always work out according to my plan. well, they usually don't. and that's okay. actually, it seems to often be better that way.

after several weeks of utter life craziness, i'm starting to work on my art again. i'm trying my best to throw my agendas and time-lines out the window. to just take my time with it - enjoying it. being fully present with it. it's such a life-giving, heart-filling thing for me...

the piece of art above was Truth spoken to me - a reminder (for all of us, i think), from the one who is Love...

YOU are always welcome, dear one.

for nancy...

the main reason i haven't updated this blog recently (other than the holidays just being a wonderful, crazy, busy time), is that rick's mom died last week.

she was a lady who had a lot of pain, health problems, regrets, and despair in her life - but there were also jokes and laughter, her beautiful organ and piano music, and her absolute love for her son.

we're grieving our loss today, but we're also thanking God for the healing that took place the last few days of her life on earth, the Truth that was spoken and shared, and the fact that she's now experiencing true joy and peace for the very first time.

just for fun...

christmas (and charlie brown)-inspired artwork... =)

grief, love, and mercy...

my dad

my little sister, my brother, and me...

i've really been missing my dad and my brother lately. i always miss them, but when the holidays come, the ache in my heart for them becomes more intense.

if i'm honest, the last few weeks i've been frustrated with God. even though i love Jesus with all of my heart, i was telling a friend how i go from not wanting to talk to Him at all, to longing for His presence - like a child who is angry at her father, but then, a moment later, happily asks him to spend some time with her.

sometimes things seem so bleak, the world around us so dark, that i find myself questioning things in my heart, even though my mind knows them to be true.

today i read an entry from the advent devotional i've been using for many years. it's called, "the Lord is near," and it has scripture along with excerpts from the writings of one of my favorite authors, henri j.m. nouwen. i'm always surprised (though, i shouldn't be by now), at how God meets me head-on in the midst of my grief, anger, and frustration, with His love and mercy.

the following is what i read today:

Called Back

As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, crying loudly, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!"

Matthew 9:27

O LORD, all you ask of me is a simple "yes," a simple act of trust so that your choices for me can bear fruit in my life. I do not want you to pass me by. I do not want to be so busy with my way of living, my plans and projects, my relatives, friends and acquaintances, that I do not even notice that you are with me, closer to me than anyone else. I do not want to be blind to the loving gestures that come from your hands, nor deaf to the caring words that come from your mouth. I want to see you as you walk with me and hear you as you speak to me.

Your heart is so full of the desire to love me, so aflame with a fire to warm me. You so much want to give me a home, a sense of belonging, a place to dwell, a shelter where I feel protected and a refuge in which I feel safe. You stand at so many squares and corners of my life and say with so much tenderness, "Come and see, come and stay with me..."

I trust in you, Lord, but keep helping me in my many moments of distrust and doubt. They are there and will be every time I turn my eyes, ears or hands away from you. Please, Lord, keep calling me back to you, by day and by night, in joy and in sadness, during moments of success and moments of failure. Never let me leave you. I know you walk with me. Help me walk with you today, tomorrow and always.

i pray that this speaks Truth to you, as it did to me.

praying for all those wrestling with grief, as well as joy, this christmas season... blessings to you, dear ones...

happy belated thanksgiving!

hope you all had a wonderful thanksgiving! wanted to update you on the latest... got the test prints back last week, and i think they look AMAZING! it was SO exciting to walk out of the printers with them in hand, knowing that i'd accomplished one more step towards selling my artwork.

i was sick last week, having caught what my husband was sick with the week before. i'm still recovering, therefore, my productivity has been down regarding photographing my artwork, pricing it, etc. hoping to get this all done SOON! i'll keep you all posted along the way...

thanking God for all of his blessings... which include all of you. =)

don't give up.

a few of my very close friends are going through really difficult things right now... my heart has been burdened for them and their situations... this piece was another way for me to express my love and support to them.

and, once again, God used my art to speak some Truth to me, as well.

much love, dear ones. you will get through this.

choose love.

when i made this piece, i was thinking about two of my great loves... my love of the sky, and my love of mobiles. random, yes. but i like how the combination of the two turned out.

i'm constantly looking up when i'm outside... my friend, anne, is like this, too. "sky-watchers", is what she says we are. so often i'm overwhelmed by the beauty i see up there... day or night, there are glorious things to behold... i find hope and joy in the clouds and in the stars...

and the mobiles... well, they're just fun.

be present.

each and every moment is unique.

be still. be present. listen. learn. grow. heal.

embrace the process.

each little step, each roadblock, each victory, each detour, even each mistake... they are all a part of the journey... embrace the process.

one step...

SHINE.

i've really been amazed at how God has been speaking Truth to me through my art...

don't be afraid to let the true, hidden part of you shine...

trust that there are safe people out there you can be vulnerable with.

there's beauty and light within you... let it shine!

anchor for my soul...

hello, dear friends!

i'm going to do my best to start updating this blog at least once a week. i've been busy the last few weeks with all things creative. rick and i went to ikea and bought some organizational stuff for my "art studio" - a.k.a. formerly, the kitchen table. michaels had a big sale on art supply stuff, so i spent an afternoon there getting a few supplies - SO great! we went to the home depot yesterday to buy some poplar wood for me to paint on. that was a lot of fun. i really do love the home depot. i told rick that i'd love to work there - if i knew how to do anything handy. =)

i've been spending time with God, seeking His will for my life - and for my art... i'm just really thankful to Him for where rick and i are in our lives right now. it's new and exciting - and scary and overwhelming, at times - but it's soooo good. =)

and on top of all of that - i've been making art! asking God to help me find my "creative voice." i've been trying new things - new techniques... and doing my best to enjoy each new step of this journey. (below is one of the pieces i've made in the last few weeks.)

more soon... much LOVE!

the first signs of fall...