WELCOME SIGN - NEW TWIST

I was looking for a unique sign for my lake house but unfortunately, they all look alike.  I wanted something different.

So, I did this.  I found a slate that I had been storing since my son was 3 (he's now 23), just waiting for the right idea to come up.  No one can ever say I am a hoarder because eventually, I find something to do with what I store.  Lol!  I hope you like it!

MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY - LET THE WIND BLOW

Life can't help but be life.  There is a saying "don't sweat the small stuff" but can we really help it when constantly the small stuff continues to hang around like a pesky rain cloud?  Well, we can't but with the right attitude, we can.

How?  This may sound easier said than done but with persistence, then habit, we can begin to look at ourselves like rubber, letting things bounce off of us without a scrape, no matter how small or large the pings.

I've been practicing how to count my blessings.   Counting your blessings helps a lot.  When someone vindictive picks on your imperfections, it really isn't you that is the problem, it is he or she.  He or she might be going through something challenging in his/her life and you just happened to be in the line of fire.  Don't ever attribute other people's attitudes about what you've done because 9 times out of 10 it is about them not you.  Let it become the wind that blows past you and pray that God blesses that person to make them whole again.  If you happen to be on the other side of that equation, all I can suggest is to STOP!  Analyze what it is that is bothering you and give it to God.  God wants your problems because He wants to show you how powerful He can be to fix it for you.  Think about it.

Until my next rant... HAVE A GREAT WEEK, and of course Love one another!! Love you, mean it!

*The artwork above are scribbles in colored pens, sharpies and watercolor in my art journal

LIFE IS A CIRCUS

Do you sometimes ask yourself, how do I get a close relationship with God?  I know, I know this is so elementary, you think.  It really is easy when you are able to tap into the specific quickest way to it.  But some of you are stumped.  You really don’t know where to start or how to start.

Let’s get things straight to begin.  Begin by acknowledging that satan is real.  For a long time I have tried to avoid saying that name.  And now, the only time I really say it is when I cast it out of my life, my house, my day, my moment.  Or, when I write about it.

Some of you are in denial, not believing that it exists.  As much as you know God exists, you must also believe its existence.  So go ahead, when your day is crap, you know it is lurking.  When you cast it out, in whatever shape or form it is manifesting in you in that moment, you must cast it out.  All you really have to do is say “I cast you out satan” and then follow it up with, “in Jesus’ name.”  You will actually be surprised how quickly the tide turns.  

Next you have to believe that just because it is cast out that it won’t come back.  Trust me, it does, at every opportunity it can.  When a person is submerged in its ways, it doesn’t have to work too much with that person anymore, until... the person starts turning back to God.

Yes, folks, we have to always be mindful of this fact.  So, in order to avoid such travesty, we need to submerge ourselves with God at all times.  I find that the closer my relationship is with God, walking in his will gets easier and easier.  Now don’t get me wrong.  I’m not perfect... yet.  Why can’t I be?  Because I’m still on earth.  Because we are human, still vulnerable to earthly life and existence, we are vulnerable to all of life’s evil a well.  For instance, there are numerous things in this world which can cause a person to sin instantly.  The love of money is one of them.  Money alone is not evil, otherwise everyone who has a relationship with God would be broke.  Au contrare mon friar!  The LOVE OF MONEY is the root of all evils.  Notice that one word inserted changes the whole dynamic?  

Ok, let’s start with the word LOVE.  As we all know and as God has professed to be LOVE, we cannot love two things at the same time.  I don’t mean, oh I love you shoes!  No.  True and unmitigated love is what I’m talking about.  God is a jealous God.  He said  that we must truly love only Him and only Him.  Yes, folks, we love our family, spouse, children.  But the ultimate love is reserved for God.  I can truly and honestly say as I sit here that I love GOD first, then family, etc. down the line.    So if you love money, then you put it above your love of everything else, let alone God.  

God promises that we will all get the blessings only He can give when we love Him first.   How to tap into that?  Well, really it isn’t hard.  The Bible to me is a funny thing.  Not funny haha but funny giddy-because-it-is-so-amazing.  But after all, anything that is amazing (including you who took time off your life to read my rants) I attribute to God.

I digress.  The reason why I say that the Bible is funny amazing is because whenever I have a doubt in my mind, oh say maybe at night or first thing in the morning, the Bible always has an answer for me as soon as I click on that Bible app when I get up in the morning.  Yes, that’s how obsessed I am.  I read the devotionals every morning.  I am on day 265 of 365 right now and I cannot live without it.  Even when I don’t get network service up at the lake.  Again, I digress.

For example, this morning when I woke up I suddenly remembered that I was saying my prayers last night and I fell asleep before I could finish.  I must have been tired.  Anytime you are prevented from praying, or doing the right thing, we have to accept that evil has a hand in it.   Evil has far more power than we think and we would be fools to think otherwise.  The world is controlled by it but if you are in the shelter of God, who by the way has the most power of all, you can be protected by it.  But because evil owns this world, we are subjected to it.  We succumb to it because we are weak and do not possess the full armor of God.  Just a little tutorial before I continue with my story.  

So when I opened up my app, this is what it said regarding the issue I came across last night.  I asked God how to be able to pray at night and be satisfied that I have come to be resolved by the end of it.  Psalm 32:8  I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.  Ok so maybe some of you will think that this is pretty encrypted.  I can see how you would see it that way.

My interpretation of that is that as long as I keep my focus on Him, and keep directing my confusion to what He has to say about things, I will be ok.  As long as I continue to ask Him for explanations He will continue to give me answers.  Case in point, this blog post.  I now share with you what He impressed in my mind.  He impressed that evil lurks in this world because it owns it... FOR NOW.  At the end of days, Jesus will be reclaiming this world and satan will be locked up forever, no more Mr. Nice Guy! (Revelation 20:10)  That being said, any distraction from my time with God is the bad guy’s handiwork.  And boy does it work in overdrive with me.  I am not afraid of it because I believe that I have the full armor of God.  Do you?

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave it down below.  Thank you for reading this blog.  With that, I bid LOVE ONE ANOTHER!  Love you, mean it!

EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN

After sometime has passed, most generational icons that were in fashion or toys come back, and excitement about them are refueled.  One facet of this trend is the love of dolls.  Dolls are endearing to children no matter what generation we come from.  Through the years, dolls have transformed from just general features to the more detailed ones we have currently.  

I decided to breathe new life into dolls from the days of yore.  But instead of the original form, as an artist, it is transformedinto art.  I hope you enjoy and appreciate.  These dolls are available  for sale on my Etsy Store. click the link below 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/152118509/art-doll-wall-hanging

Until my next rant... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!  Love you, mean it!

MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY - Affirmation this week is "You are Special"

(pencil, copic markers, sharpie)

This week make it a point to tell yourself that you are special.  Do not let anyone tell you otherwise!  It is easy to lose sight of this because external sources may drag you down with them.  You do not have to succumb to such negativity, remembering that God breathed life in you.  Therefore, greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.

With that I bid you a great and fantastic week!  Until my next rant... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

NERD ALERT!!

I am a self-professed nerd and proud of it.    Along with it I am obsessed with art.  I guess it would have not been too cool at a young age to the bullies around who remind you daily that you are not pretty enough, smart enough, athletic enough and the list goes on.  I was very fortunate that the school I attended  was quite calm with not a lot of bullying going on.  

As I grew more mature, I realized something.  As different as we all are individually, we each excel in something (talent) and lack in others.  For instance, I was never athletic.  It wasn't that I didn't try, I just didn't have any athletic abilities growing up.  I didn't like the heat, the sweat, and the competitiveness is not inherent in me.  But ask me to draw an athlete, and I am glad to do so.  Give me a math problem, I would look at you like you're crazy.

That is the beauty of our own individuality.  Imagine a world where everyone had the same amount of talent, good in every way.  It would make for a boring world.  God created us all that way but as one unit, we all mesh into His whole makeup.  We are many parts, but one body.  God expects us to use our God-given talents to share in the promotion of Him, a loving and perfect father.  Then figure in His only son.  Jesus is so many things to us and God.  Jesus is both God and Man.  That is precisely why he is the source that bridges the gap between man and God.  He relates to both.  Believe it or not, you already have the gift inside of you, it is your talents that God will use to promote the life that He has in store for all of us.  If you use your talent to do so, you are just one more step closer to understanding who God really is. 

Your talents could be anything.  Whether you are an artist, a writer, someone with the gift of gab, an athlete, a craftsman, whatever it is, it is there because He gave it to you to use.  He already knows what it is and how you will use it, the rest is up to you.

Until my next rant... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!!!! Love yah, mean it... 

ARTFUL WEDNESDAY --- ART JOURNAL COVER

Watch the YouTube video for the steps I used to create this cover.  Time to start a new one!

click this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XsX2TZ2S4Y&feature=youtu.be

I added beads to the spine to create interest and so it looks good while on the bookshelf, right?

The backside.  

Until my next rant.... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!!!

Please comment by clicking the "NO COMMENT" link below.

MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY - Meditate and Be Grateful

We are constantly provided with blessings in our lives that are so mundane yet they are still blessings.  Some examples are that we are more fortunate that we get to eat three meals a day, a roof over our heads, healthy bodies, jobs, good people all around us.  Because of their rudimentary values as they are part of our everyday existence, we sometimes forget to be grateful for these blessings until the time that one of those blessings are absent due to some kind of circumstance.

Meditation for instance is a practice all of us should really be making a part of our daily lives.  Not only does it clear our minds of the day's negativity that might have happened, become aware of the fact that worry doesn't really fix anything for us except to take our minds away from the blessings we already have.  I know it is easier said than done but if we maybe put some effort into it, it will make a world of difference for us.

Sitting in a quiet space for at least 15 minutes, eyes closed, deep breathing, maybe a few stretches will give us some renewal that we might just find to be refreshing.  Let's focus in on the good things that happened that day, the continued blessings we get, the prayers we might be requesting God to grant us with the understanding that just because they haven't been granted does not mean God isn't preparing us for the answers to such prayers.  God always encourages us to meditate and focus on Him because He is always there for us.  Once you've tapped in to this magical state, you will be surprised what is in store for you.

Give it a try, get comfy, meditate and be grateful for every single blessing you are now receiving.  Remember, the more grateful you are to what you already have the more good things will come.

Until my next rant... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!  Love you, mean it!!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

Mother’s day.  Why is this day so special to us?  Better yet, why are mothers so special?  Becaus she is the vessel used by God to bring us all into this earth, therein lies a deeper meaning.

The lucky ones are we whose mothers continue to nurture us even as we progress along in this world.  The less than lucky ones are the ones whose mothers either pass away at an early age or could care less about her children. 

However, mothers have a more profound purpose.  Their wombs are sort of the incubators for God’s way in which we become human beings on this earth.   In Psalm 139:13, For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

God needed a vessel in which to bring to earth His only Son in the flesh in the most humble of ways, through Mary.  Mary was the chosen one, a virgin at that.  She endured the snares of those who didn’t believe but because God promised He would be with her always, her unwavering faith carried her through.

As mothers, we as well are vessels for our children.  This is why the responsibility and constant guidance are bestowed upon us by God.  My own mother is kind, generous, loving and very affectionate.  She with all her imperfection is loved very dearly.  I have seen her struggles and victories.  As her child, I looked up to her as my sole role model.  She did not abandon her children no matter how trying life was with her.  She worked her fingers to the bone day and night so that we could have the finer things in life.  To her I owe everything I am.  I love her to pieces.  Happy Mother’s Day! 

On this day, reflect on your own mother, or whomever you consider as your mother and be grateful to God for who she is.

Until my next rant… LOVE ONE ANOTHER!  Love you, mean it. 

THIS WEEK ON MY HAPPY COCOON - WOODEN GIRLS

Available today on Etsy!  These cool art dolls were repurposed from my own original art faces!  Perfect for gifting.  Price includes shipping in the continental United States.

MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY - IT'S ALL ABOUT THE LOVE

I am becoming more and more impressed with the summons to simplicity that Jesus issues: “Follow Me ... trust Me ... learn of Me ...” 

He makes no grand promises of a rose-strewn pathway. He doesn’t roll out a blueprint of predictable details forecasting our tomorrows. Nor does He guarantee that we will ever arrive at some comfortable state of perfected accomplishment. Rather, He says, “In the world you will have tribulation.” 

But He’s always there. That’s what makes any season of trial, any call to faith, any burden of responsibility a glory time. Jesus is there. Not a doctrine about Him. Not an idea of what He’s like. Not a memory of some past experience. 

No. Just Him.  

- Message borrowed from YouVersion insight.

Till my next rant... LOVE ONE ANOTHER! Love you, mean it!

MY HOUSE IN THE SKY - A Glimpse Into Heaven

Do you know what the difference between a Savior and a Redeemer?  God gave up His only Son for us to save us from death.  Death is not a physical death.  The kind of death we are saved from is the eternal kind.  The kind that our soul will receive if we do not accept Christ while on earth, will cause eternal fire.  I can't even imagine how horrible that would be!  Eternal means it never ends.  If you think your life sucks now, what more every single day and it never ends?  So what could you lose for knowing and loving Jesus Christ and acknowledging that He saved you and will redeem your soul from the fires of hell?  Folks, hell is a real place!  The truth about God and this whole saving and redeeming thing won't be so widespread if it wasn't real.  And yes, all you have to do is to accept that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior, mean it, confess your sins.  You are saved.  Forget the guilt and the sin, no matter what it is because God has forgiven you.  He said when you confess your sins and after He forgives you, He puts you back to the state of cleanliness. You may say that's too easy!  Yes, it is that easy! Why? Because that's how much He loves you!  We as humans find it so hard to forgive and forget but not God.  God is love and fortunately, whether you like it or not, He loves you because you are His Masterpiece.  We all are!  His is the kind of love so unconditional that it is so hard for us to comprehend, but that is only because we are human and He is God.  That is what being redeemed means.  You have been bought back through the death of His only Son!  Can you give up a child to die for someone else?  I bet no one could.  But God did!  How awesome is He?  I give Him all the glory for a life dedicated to gathering His lost souls for Him, in the humblest way that I can.  All of these is His, not mine. I'm merely an instrument ... and happy to be.

Till my next rant... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!  Love you, mean it!!! 

THE REAL FACE OF JESUS

Computer generated real life image by Ray Downing he worked on it for 6 months from the shroud of Turin with his techies which could finally bring science and religion together.  See for yourself.  This knocked me off my feet.  Literally.  Click the link below to take you to the full documentary.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNJPJ4JwHeE

About Ray Downing - http://www.raydowning.com/real-face-of-jesus/press-release.html

Until my next rant... Love you, mean it! 

ART DAY WEDNESDAY

What a great way to be!  As an artist I find it to be true.  But it's not only for artists, writers, and musicians feel this too.  What is your getaway?  

Until the next rant... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!  Love you, mean it!