Trip to Amarillo

We recently went to Amarillo to visit our son who lives there...

For some reason, there were so many interesting sights to see on the way home...

I started a list just so I could remember!  

Some funny:   

The Clarendon Outpost - we stopped there for gas, 

but it also had a full grill + 50s diner, 

gifts,

jewelry,

jerky, 

tiaras 

(YES there WERE Tiaras - be looking for those lady truck drivers wearing one!) ,

fabric you could buy "by the yard"

(for those ladies quilting on the road),

yarn, 

wheelchairs (that one I just don't know about...),

and good flavored coffee to buy "by the cup";

and finally - probably most importantly - 

hand-dipped Blue Bell ice cream!

some I wanted to remember for art projects:

Live well...laugh much...love horses

Cowboy morning trailing company

some firsts:

a motocross track out in an open field with bikes leaping the mounds -

I could imagine the dads out there building the course for their kids...maybe even themselves!

I saw my first cotton field with cotton bursting forth from the ripe pods...

cotton bales

stubble in fields already picked

walking irrigation units...

some corny:

Happy Pumpkin Ponderosa

 some inspirational...

a pasture full of shorn sheep

Water into Wine collection - 

that one just makes me want to go back just to see what it is about!

Another Angel quote...

"Isn't it awesome that God gave us fingers?!?  

Fingers and not some giant thumb...or hooves...

and we can pick up ANYTHING!"

Words weaving in and out in my mind...

Wounds to Worship
Healing worship
Worship brings healing
Bring your wounds to Him in worship, and let worship heal your wounds...

Christmas could last all year long....

The day is winding down, 

contentment and peace are everywhere, 

stomachs are full and sweet teeth satisfied...

I even have had time to finish this piece!  

A vintage bowl filled with ornaments (sans hangars) 

and glittered pinecones that I used on our breakfast table this year.

Christmas was a bit edited at our house this year, and the entire family

embraced the ideas of this word art...

I think these words are good to practice for the coming year!

Perhaps I will play with other photos as well!

Merry Christmas Day, 

to each and every one of you...

I pray the blessing of His Presence 

continues to lead you into pathways of peace and joy

as each day unfolds its treasures...

In the Place of Presents + Lego Nativity - enjoying HIM this Christmas

A couple of treats to help you and your family enjoy and reflect on the meaning of Christmas...

A worship song "In the Place of Presents", written and performed by our former music/worship pastor...as he pursues God's full purpose for his life!


And who knew Legos could be so meaningful!

Christmas Word Art for all - free download

Sweet tweener and I have been having fun doing art together on the computer...

So in the spirit of giving and giving and giving....
we made these prints for you to down load.  The resolution is 300 dpi, so should produce a good quality print in any way you choose to download them...



Click here for this red print with embellishments

You can have your choice of red or green...

Embellished, or...


Click here for this green print with embellishments 

not embellished...

we are lovin' Photoshop!


Just click for this red and simple print

Click here for this simple green print.

We simply wish for you to enjoy these, and to embrace the simplicity that is found in Christ Jesus during these merry days of 

C
h
r
i
s
t
m
a
s!

            Joining with Jennifer and other creatives at Studio JRU
 

Another Angel quote...

"I fit just right on your lap" - said to Poppa tonight as they cuddled...

"sigh" - love such contentment, and it is one of those perfect, stay tucked in, cozy rainy evenings!

New Vintage Postcards...

I'm playing with Kim Klaussen in her "12 Days of Texture"...here are two photos taken during our one beautiful snowfall in 2010 and processed with her new textures...

I love how the textures made the images look like old vintage postcards...I think I will play with these and have something ready for presents for next year!

Lamp post - you can see this same area in my Autumn Lingering post!

Simply processed with a soft blue layer + layer mask, a layer of "Annabelle" at overlay and another layer of "Annabelle" set to multiply

Snowy Stairway

Very simply processed with one layer of "Lilly" set to overlay and another layer set to multiply!

Love the look - thank you Kim for sharing!

Answers...

I know He delights to give the answer before the request is on my (our!) lips...(Isaiah 65:24).  Still, I was tearful as I read the "Voice of the Lord" devotional in my inbox...

"The things you heard from me ...commit to faithful people, such as will be competent to teach others also (2 Timothy 2:2)."

I had been getting confused, wondering if my leadings were just my own flesh, white-washed with Scripture and old quiet time learnings...

 When one has embraced being "on the sidelines", "on the back burner", really - simply "being" - it comes as a surprise to be being called out again, with a newer focus, a newer audience.  And where will it lead?  I do not know...I don't want to "commercialize" the Lord and His ways, but that cannot be the reason to not venture forth at all.  I have to come back to my old definition of success - "completed what He has asked, regardless of the response of others".  Sometimes it isn't the inner critic, but simply our groping along on the path He has given that causes us to doubt!

Somehow, this post of Jodi's really ministered...I believe that He was saying His image imprinted onto me was the source of the leading...there is still "me", but with the + Him.  My will and His rubbed together in this life I live...

Autumn lingering

Finally, pouring cold rain after the long hot draught - and the colors so rich, having remained day after day, unusual for a Texas fall, (which is normally perhaps 1 week long).  I raced out during a break in the sheeting rain, the sky still sprinkling, because I feared the color would be gone after the sure freeze of the night...

A canopy of reds and greens - autumn nodding its head towards Christmas?

Autumn's arms beckoned, loaded with color...

unwilling to release her treasures,

a rich surprise after the ravages of the scorching summer...

Entering the circle drive - plus photoshopped with "Fresco"...love the painting type look!

Nature had clung to life - had her fingers forgotten how to let go?

No! She was pausing, asking the Creator...

"May I stay here just a bit longer? 

I don't want to rush towards the time to come...

Let me linger here,

with You,

longer?"

The other side of the driveway - the county road is below

Just this - her wish -

whispered in my spirit...

"Stop."

"Look."

"Listen."

and I wanted to...

beyond the fairy garden

"Stop" - Be present in this moment

Right outside the front door

"Look" - Be aware. See what is right around you

Over the ridge and down the street

"Listen" - What do you hear?  Sounds without - thoughts within?

Beyond the garden - deer rest just below that hill, and come up to snack on my garden if I am not careful to put the "liquid fence" around it periodically!

"Stop."

"Look."

"Listen."

Linger long with the Lord...

Not holly, but the oaks are trying their best!

 No matter what the season...

Joining with Emily and other imperfects at Imperfect Prose

In Awe - Texture Tuesday Celebrate theme

The photo above is the true photo - somehow photobucket darkens the images...maybe I will try flickr next!

This is my sweet tweener in earlier days - 7 years ago! 

Mouse over the photo to see the original...

processed with: one layer of Kim Klaussen's Stamped Softly at 51% and a layer mask

one layer of KK's Look-up at 29%

and an oval layer mask of the background.

Text is Edwardian Script...

Joining with Kim and the community of photoshop enthusiasts...

A Psalm of Cinquains - X, Y, Z

Today marks the end of the journey through our English alphabet...and now that we are here, I have been inspired to gather these together in a booklet!  Still working on that, hopefully it will be ready to unveil after Thanksgiving...

"X"
Χριστός...
the Messiah...
Anointed One...anoint
me, bless me, cover me...please dwell
with me.

"Y"
Your Name
is the embrace
of who You are - and as
my soul considers, Your glory
fills me.

"Z"
Zion
God's Holy Hill
Here we gather to sing;
For Mount Horeb has been fulfilled
by Grace!

Just a note for your understanding this more fully....Mt. Horeb is another name for Mt. Sinai, where the law was given...
Mount Zion refers to the dwelling place of God, even tho' is is also part of the city of Jerusalem, especially when thinking of ancient Jerusalem and the part of Jerusalem called "The City of David".  Mount Zion is therefore associated with grace, and not the law...
Also, at one time I learned an acronym for grace: God's Riches At Christ's Expense...so perhaps now you know the fullness of where I went with this poem!


 I recently got inspired by David's work in writing Psalm 119...and at the same time had come across this instruction (from an old homeschool English book) for writing cinquains...I am sure it wasn't just a serendipitous coincidence!  So here I am, taking the 26 letters of the English alphabet and creating my own Psalm of Cinquain for my Lord...(one a week for imperfect prose, now upped to 2- or more!)

Joining with Emily and other imperfects at imperfect prose...

Here is the pattern for writing a cinquain: 
Line 1 - states the title.........................2 syllables
Line 2 - describes the title....................4 syllables
Line 3 - expresses an action ................6 syllables
Line 4 - expresses a feeling..................8 syllables
Line 5 - another word for the title.........2 syllables

Would you like to join me in writing your own?

Texture Tuesday + Sneak Peek Friday -All is Safely Gathered In

Thanksgiving Blessings to Everyone!

Mouse over to see the photo I worked from...

I have been missing the community get togethers I attended as a child, in the small towns of rural Iowa, where the churches would all combine and have one single, great Thanksgiving service on Wednesday night, to prepare our hearts rightly for the next day - with prayers, harvest hymns, and a short program of giving thanks to God for so. many. things. from the previous year's blessings...

The women would plan their baking and preparations around this service, for it was as important as the full table the following day - we would dress in our Sunday finery, the smell of apples cider and cinnamon in the air, the night temperature brisk enough for our breath to be seen...these memories have created their own "harvest home" in my heart!

This is another photo taken at our Pumpkin Patch field trip and processed using 2 layers of the texture "Phoebe" by Kim Klassen...each set to "softlight" at 50% opacity...the snip to the left shows my layers

Joining with Jennifer and other creatives at Studio JRU for Sneak Peek Friday...

Joining with Kim and the community of photoshop enthusiasts...

"& sing" - Sneak Peek Friday

We were in church one Sunday morning when I began to see this face in my mind.  We were singing a praise song with this line: “awake my soul and sing”…and the rest just flowed.  I sketched it in the notebook I had brought to take notes in, and knew this would be the first watercolor face I would do…trying out the watercolor sketching techniques Jennifer O. and Junelle have been doing recently (both "Sneak Peek" friends in blogland)!

Joining with Jennifer and other creatives at Studio JRU for Sneak Peek Friday...

A Psalm of Cinquains - U, V, and W

"U"
Under
the shadow of
His Wing we pause, finding
a place to rest, sanctuary,
His Peace.

"V"
You are
the Vine, I am
just a branch - grafted in,
nourished by pure Love, flowing with
true Life.

"W"
Worship
Him in Spirit
and in Truth - reality
meets belief - and we offer all
to Him.

I recently got inspired by David's work in writing Psalm 119...and at the same time had come across this instruction (from an old homeschool English book) for writing cinquains...I am sure it wasn't just a serendipitous coincidence!  So here I am, taking the 26 letters of the English alphabet and creating my own Psalm of Cinquain for my Lord...(one a week for imperfect prose, now upped to 2- or more!)

Joining with Emily and other imperfects at imperfect prose...

Here is the pattern for writing a cinquain: 
Line 1 - states the title.........................2 syllables
Line 2 - describes the title....................4 syllables
Line 3 - expresses an action ................6 syllables
Line 4 - expresses a feeling..................8 syllables
Line 5 - another word for the title.........2 syllables

Would you like to join me in writing your own?

Growing Old - Texture Tuesday - "Two"

This photo was taken on our field trip to the pumpkin patch in October - there were so many great rustic objects at the farm...these old chairs just grabbed my attention!  I'm not sure I am totally satisfied with the finished product, but it is time to start school for the day, and the sweet tweener needs the computer!

The texture I used is called "Shades of November".

Joining with the Texture Tuesday bunch...

She has a face, and wings...and a name...

Angel of Progress: holding fast to eternal hope while embracing the "what is"

She has been, and is, 

a "lady in waiting"

She is "becoming",

from this beginning...

She has more of me in her 

than I would care to admit...

she does have a face -

(where I would rather - sometimes - remain in the background, hidden...faceless).

I wonder why

I find it so hard 

to paint a wing, or a pair...

the desire for balance?

(continuing the learning that balance and perfect tend to be polar opposites).

I choose other projects

when one requires 

more time -
tosoak, to absorb, to ferment...

And perhaps the finished piece

may sparkle and flavor life

like water made into wine

by the Bridegroom Himself...

Joining with Jennifer and other creatives at Studio JRU for Sneak Peek Friday...

Remember - 5 Minute Friday

One flash -
like lightning in the mind...

and snatches of images and thoughts (more like beliefs) from my life all traverse my mind...the sameness of these last homeschooling years, the teen years of the boys before that, their early childhood, and then a leap to mine, and the thought of shame, ground in, stamped into, deeply forming even my bones, my bones of soul and spirit...and I stop abruptly.

Here I wanted to write something profound and deeply moving and of course spiritually inspiring, and I end up at the depth of shame that my life once held, and even now, there are times when I know I haven't gotten the bone marrow transplant yet, even tho' the rest of the disease has been arrested and healed...

I debated (before I started) whether to write this or not...if people knew shame was such an issue - still - would they want my art? Would they want my words? Would they want my counsel? Perhaps not, not all, not the ones who are seeking a refreshing drink before they go on their way, but perhaps the ones who would pause, take their drink, and then stay by my shoulder to offer their own small meal of loaves and fishes, hoping along with myself that Jesus would again create the miracle of multiplying our offering to feed thousands....

After the 5:
I had a friend (remembering her!) who used to love to take words apart and play with how the individual words develop the meaning of the word just dissected...so "remember" would be "re - member"...to member again.  And I think that is what the miracle Jesus brings into healing our shame entails, to "member us again"...

• when "member" means parts of our body - He puts back and heals that which was damaged or even chopped off...as He healed a man's withered arm or a man's chopped off ear and even gave eyes/sight to one who never had any...He gives back parts of me that were withered, chopped off, or were never there due to the shame that became a part of me...

•  when "member" means I am part of a larger body - He places me back where I belong, in the midst of other believers...and helps me be risky as I join with others, as I begin to be used within a group, as my weakness becomes strength...

Joining with the 5 Minute Friday group:

A Psalm of Cinquains - R, S, and T

"R"
Return
and rest in Him...
then quietness and trust
become your strength - when you press in
to Him.

"S"
Jesus,
our Covenant
Maker; a blood treaty
with the power of eternity...
Savior!

"S"
Saved from
sin: the problem,
the penalty, the prac-
tice, and in the end, sin's presence...
by Him!
 
"T"
Teacher,
teach me to be:
salt and light, merciful,
humble, holy, moldable, true...
like You...


I recently got inspired by David's work in writing Psalm 119...and at the same time had come across this instruction (from an old homeschool English book) for writing cinquains...I am sure it wasn't just a serendipitous coincidence!  So here I am, taking the 26 letters of the English alphabet and creating my own Psalm of Cinquain for my Lord...(one a week for imperfect prose, now upped to 2- or more!)

Joining with Emily and other imperfects at imperfect prose...

Here is the pattern for writing a cinquain: 
Line 1 - states the title.........................2 syllables
Line 2 - describes the title....................4 syllables
Line 3 - expresses an action ................6 syllables
Line 4 - expresses a feeling..................8 syllables
Line 5 - another word for the title.........2 syllables

Would you like to join me in writing your own?

Texture Tuesday - Guardian I

With one layer (of many layers) using "and then some"...

I painted this (mouse over the image to see the original painting) during the summer, and afterward thought "I wish I had made that background a lighter, country blue"...thus the idea to play with photoshop and the background + other effects...

Joining with Kim Klassen for Texture Tuesdays...

Halloween?

Here is a link to a great post and many good links concerning the observance of Halloween...did you realize not every nation on earth acknowledges these celebration?

Holy-Spirit Led Homeschooling

A Psalm of Cinquains - O and P and Q

"O"
Only
You, Lord, are True;
only You are the same
yesterday, today, forever...
for me!

"P"
Your peace
surpasses all
understanding, and my
understanding of You must be
by faith.

"Q"
Quail rained
down each evening,
sweet manna with the dew...
each pointing to this Truth: He will
provide.

(Did you wonder what "Q" would bring to mind? I know I did - smiles - ..."X" promises to be intriguing, as well as "Z" - oh, just as I typed that, the word "Zion" popped in...I think I do have "Z" now!)

I recently got inspired by David's work in writing Psalm 119...and at the same time had come across this instruction (from an old homeschool English book) for writing cinquains...I am sure it wasn't just a serendipitous coincidence!  So here I am, taking the 26 letters of the English alphabet and creating my own Psalm of Cinquain for my Lord...(one a week for imperfect prose, now upped to 2- or more!)

Joining with Emily and other imperfects at imperfect prose...

Here is the pattern for writing a cinquain: 
Line 1 - states the title.........................2 syllables
Line 2 - describes the title....................4 syllables
Line 3 - expresses an action ................6 syllables
Line 4 - expresses a feeling..................8 syllables
Line 5 - another word for the title.........2 syllables

Would you like to join me in writing your own?

Texture Tuesday - Angel on Elena

I am loving playing with photoshop!  I used Softly Stamped + Dream to do this sweet photo of my sweet tweener on her favorite horse...

Joining with Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday here.

Tree of Life - Klimt Challenge piece

Jane DesRosier hosted a Klimt challenge (for fun)...this is my submission

click here to find other works inspired by Gustav Klimt...

(there are mature themes, as his work explored the human body too.

 Here is my submission:

I love the message of the 

Tree of Life...

It holds a better promise
than the Tree of Knowledge.
One yields Life -
the other yields death.
One fuels the spirit -
the other fuels the flesh.
The New Testament says that knowledge puffs up,
but love builds up (encourages).
The Tree of Life so perfectly
represents man's two natures:
It reaches up toward heaven,
while it is rooted deep in the earth.

(don't we, too? Reach towards heaven while our feet rest deeply in this world?)

The Tree of Life reminds us of the choice we must make every day, every moment...

Will we choose Him - Life and Faith; or our own way - fleshly knowledge.

The Spirit of the Lord said through Moses:

"...I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants..." Deuteronomy 30:19

So choose Life, dear friends...partake of the fruit of life, and turn away from the fruit that brings death, every day, every hour, every minute, every moment!

Here is Klimt's Tree of Life that was my inspiration:

Joining with Jennifer and other creatives at Studio JRU for Sneak Peek Friday...

And joining Paint Party Friday

A Psalm of Cinquains - L , M and N

"L"
Jesus,
God's Light Who gives
Light to the world...be my
Light for this moment, this day, this...
my life

"M"
Mercy
and truth have met
together; righteousness
and peace have kissed each other at
the cross.

"M"
Many
are the deep cares
found in the heart, but the
Lord, from rubbled remains, draws forth
blessings.

"N"
New life,
new beginnings,
the old exchanged for new...
now clean, now holy, set apart,
set free!

"N"
Sparrows'
nests find shelter -
and I follow, Your altars
close, peace and safety to try out
new wings.

I recently got inspired by David's work in writing Psalm 119...and at the same time had come across this instruction (from an old homeschool English book) for writing cinquains...I am sure it wasn't just a serendipitous coincidence!  So here I am, taking the 26 letters of the English alphabet and creating my own Psalm of Cinquain for my Lord...(one a week for imperfect prose, now upped to 2- or more!)

Joining with Emily and other imperfects at imperfect prose...

Here is the pattern for writing a cinquain:Line 1 - states the title.........................2 syllables
Line 2 - describes the title....................4 syllables
Line 3 - expresses an action ................6 syllables
Line 4 - expresses a feeling..................8 syllables
Line 5 - another word for the title.........2 syllables

Would you like to join me in writing your own?

Sneak Peak Friday - Playing with Photos

Still playing with photos this week, this time with BigHugeLabs.com.


You can make photo mosaics for free here...and even create shaped mosaics...but I went with a classic style to show off Miss Tweener's school photos which were taken last Friday afternoon by a fellow creative in our homeschool group...

I love all the expressions she captured, and the textured walls she found to have pictures made in front of! There are over 100 pictures! Some goofy, some classic, but all are "All Angel"!

Joining with Jennifer and other creatives at Studio JRU

A Psalm of Cinquains - h and I; j and k

"H"

Heaven...
radiant the
spectrum beams transparent...
a spectacular display of
Worship

"I"
I will
lay down my life,
take up my cross - that my
heart might be conformed; bearing His
image.

"J"
Jesus,
Messiah King.
Riding forth in splendor,
Hoofbeats sounding the rally cry...
Battle!

"K"
King of
Glory, let my
eyes see You, Your Presence,
infusing the fabric of days...
my days.

I recently got inspired by David's work in writing Psalm 119...and at the same time had come across this instruction (from an old homeschool English book) for writing cinquains...I am sure it wasn't just a serendipitous coincidence!  So here I am, taking the 26 letters of the English alphabet and creating my own Psalm of Cinquain for my Lord...(one a week for imperfect prose, now upped to 2!)

Joining with Emily and other imperfects at imperfect prose...

Here is the pattern for writing a cinquain:Line 1 - states the title.........................2 syllables
Line 2 - describes the title....................4 syllables
Line 3 - expresses an action ................6 syllables
Line 4 - expresses a feeling..................8 syllables
Line 5 - another word for the title.........2 syllables

Would you like to join me in writing your own?

Sneak Peak Friday - A Little Bit of Everything

Over a year ago my sweet son loaded up the laptop that his dad (my dh) and he had decided I needed (I told them they were wrong - but it turns out I was!) with the awesome Photoshop program CS5!  Isn't he the best?  I had looked at it, played with it, tried to follow online tutorials to try to learn it...it is awesome and it is HUGE...with homeschooling and other leadings, it seemed I never had enough time to learn it...but this past week, I worked through part of a course (free!) by Kim Klassen and this is just a little of what I have learned...of course this is my precious tweener - photo from about a year ago!

You can "mouse over" the photo to see the 'before' that I worked from...Kim Klassen also has a tutorial on how to do that!  I am getting so techy!

she turned just as I snapped the photo!

Another project that we did together is this sock monkey you see her holding...she wanted this kit a long time ago, and recently began working hard on it. She did most of it - I did the machine sewing on the sock as it is a little difficult to sew that stretchy material...We finished it just in time to give it to a friend's baby - whose nursery is being done up in monkey motif!

I have been working on sketching and the "Till We have Faces" angel...but the angel doesn't look like there has been any progress (ahh, that tedious stage), and I want to post this, so look soon for more, including the sketches inpired by Junelle and Jennifer

Some of you asked last week about the book by C.S. Lewis "Till We Have Faces" - it is a book he wrote for the love of his life, his wife, Joy.  The jacket declares that it is a retelling of the classical myth of Cupid and Psyche...from the back description "This is the story of Orual, Psyche's embittered and ugly older sister, who possessively and harmfully loves Psyche.  Much to Orual's frustration, Psyche is loved by Cupid, the god of love himself, setting the troubled Orual on a path of moral development."  If you are a C.S.Lewis fan, you won't be disappointed.  If you think he is hard to read, this one is as easy and full of adventure as the Chronicles of Narnia...and that is all I will say!

Joining with Jennifer and other creatives at Studio JRU

Sneak Peak Friday - Mixed Industrial Angel wip

Remember these?

 (from this post)

and this.....

from this post?

(the flowers got obscured)

They are turning into this:

Sorry about the flash glare!

  She doesn't have a face yet...

she may not get one...

have you ever read C.S. Lewis's "Till We Have Faces"?

Joining with Jennifer and other creatives at Studio JRU