A Little Project of Celebration

For a few days my grab this

when I sit down project was

this four page entry in my

sketchbook.  It was kind of
to practise illuminating
capital letters and really
to remind myself that
there is so much to
celebrate in my faith
in Jesus Christ.

Pain and Joy

Do you remember that feeling?

It came with youth and inexperience.

Something rocked your world

and it felt like there would never be

anything good in life, again.

God is good.

Life goes on.

We grow up

and learn these things.

Today, 

I am overjoyed to learn

that the doctor who

delivered my son

is recovering well from 

heart surgery.

It didn't go smoothly.

Today, 

I am to meet a treasure,

the daughter of two

young people who are

related to me 

and who are special.

In fact, he is an active duty

Green Beret.

She is a darling

who lost her first fiance 

suddenly

and has gone on 

to find life good.

I have been looking forward

 to this day,

for months.

Today, 

I learned that

the sudden death of a

young acquintance

on Christmas Day

was caused by

the physical abuse

heaped on her by

her husband.

Words are weak.

I have many of them.

None seem right.

Just for a few minutes

I have, again, 

that feeling.

My experience 

and

my faith

tell me that

I will love the baby.

I will find joy 

in the recovery of

the doctor.

I will see beauty.

I will have peace

and it will pass understanding.

It begins.

The joy returns.

The peace starts

to flood my soul.

Remember.

Remember

we are of 

the moment,

but our Father

knows the end

from the beginning.

Safe in the arms of Jesus --

yes, it's true.

 We all are,

no matter how we feel

just now.

Oh, Boy! JOY!

OK, so it didn't end up the way I
thought it would.

OK, so it would have been
a lot less work to do it "right."

It cost me nothing but what
I already had.

It says what I wanted it to say.

I had a roll of contact paper.

I bought it at Goodwill for $1.

I had some permanent markers.

I bought them at Wal-Mart for
around $13.

They were both well used,
before I started this.

What I really thought of
was a lush, three letter
motto that reminded
us of the Reason
for the season.

This will do...
...for now...

and it peels off easily. :)

God bless you with Joy
beyond the merriment.

Artistic Cropping

Take a "nothing" doodle,

crop it,

play 

with

the

colors

and

maybe

crop some more,
and you may have something.
Maybe not.

Here's the thing, though.

If you have a Master Artist

offer to crop, which means cut down,

your work, that changes it so it's no longer

just your work.

If we hold on to what we think is

good and do not let, even ask,

our faithful

God 

to cut out the parts that 

do not fit His plan,

we will end up 

with just our own work.

Of course,

we would rather have 

His beautiful plan

than what we can

make on our own.

So, when I want

my own way, 

help me to remember this,

please,

LORD.

But now, O LORD, 

thou art our father; we are the clay,

 and thou our potter; 

and we all are the work of thy hand.  

Isaiah 

64.8

 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? 

Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?  

Romans 9.20 & 21   

I sometimes wish I was 

more of an ornamental vessel.

Silly, me.

God made me for a purpose.

He knows what He's doing. :)

He Reigns!

I was thinking
(yes, that is dangerous)
about the title of this book
and how often people
act like they believe it.

Fact is, there are at least two
interpretations of this little
phrase, and the book
is a list of rules
about money.

I believe in being a good steward.
I sure can use some improvement
in this area, which is why
I picked up the book.

Back to my thought:
Whether I tend to think
that "it's who you know"
or
if you have enough money
(fill in the blank)
or
that dishonesty
trumps truth,
the fact remains

that

I want to keep focusing on this!

Thank You, God!

1 The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.

2 Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.

3 A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.

4 His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled.

5 The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.

6 The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.

7 Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.

8 Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgments, O Lord.

9 For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.

10 Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.

11 Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.

12 Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

Driving down the sunlit road,

blue skies piled with awe inspiring

clouds,

I recalled that I had not

formally committed the day

to my Father God.

I began saying aloud,

"Thank You!"

"Thank You."

By the time I said the 

third "Thank You!"

I was crying.

With the fourth, I laughed

at myself for crying.

The fifth sobbing 

"Thank you,"

may have been the last

as the acknowledgement of 

how very much I have

to thank God for

really began to well up in me.

I had to pay closer attention

to my driving, then, but

I am still blessed 

by knowing

I am blessed. :)  

ALL

So, what grabs your heart

and

reminds you of the

creative power of God?

Intimate Intricacy?

Awesome Majesty?

What creature is so small
as to be insignificant to
our Creator?
What being so great as
to be beyond need
of Him?

When first I heard Him referred to

as "the universe"

I was displeased.

I understand how reaching with

our finite brains

produced this label,

but it is not enough.

He is not too big to care

for the sparrow

or the wildflower.

He is intimate,

eternal,

vast,

and incredibly detailed.

He who formed the

stars and put them

in their place

also formed those

tiny systems

we call "atoms."

And more,

much more

than an impersonal

universe,

He formed us

in His image,

gave us the choice 

to embrace or spurn Him

and made the way

for us to be 

worthy

to be so near

as to become

His children.

No wonder that He said,

"I AM."

There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all.

Ephesians 4. 4-6 ASV

(emphasis is mine)

I Choose to Trust

In the mail

In the yard

We've had some bills, lately.
I don't know anyone who
doesn't have bills.
In Maine, it is prudent to start
planning for Winter's heat
and hunger quite early.

I got some figures, between
yesterday and today.
I had not even started to
worry, but I had started
to scrabble around for a plan.
Then I picked up the mail.
I had completely
forgotten about this program.
I've used it before.
It's good for some cash.
Then, I went out in the
yard.  There were blackberries,
all ripe and ready.
They were good.
Isaiah 65:24
"And it shall come to pass that,
before they call, I will answer;
and while they are yet
speaking, I will hear."
American Standard Edition
1901

I choose to trust.

I don't know what will
come, but I know
my Father has
it well in hand.

No need for donations.
We're fine. :)