Catch up

Playing catch up on a blog is pretty much impossible.  So I won't try.  Here's the low down:

• I am in the midst of six weeks of unemployment.  It is a gift.  A gift that came with a steep price.
• I am hoping to get a job offer soon, thus limiting my unemployment to two weeks in January and the month of February.
• Unless of course I come into a lot of money.  Then I'm very contentedly home.
• Having just read 7, a household purge is imminent.
• I'm sitting at a clean desk which is just the beginning of the household miracles.
• I have 9 stitches in my right shoulder blade area.  They are ugly and itchy.
• Three weeks ago I had three moles on my back removed.  Not fun.  And one came back with suspicious cells, thus the further biopsy and seeking of a "margin" this past Wednesday.
• I've joined a gym, and went today.  I hurt.  But it's a good hurt. (and no, no upper body exercise allowed for a few weeks)
• The time I used to spend blogging is now spent in an art journal.  Or at least gazing at others' photos of art journals.  It's an obsession for sure - a mixture of my latent creative bent and my endless outpouring of words.  <3
• Our back yard looks nothing like my header photo.  This is the oddest winter ever, with hardly any snow.  Don't tell anyone, but I miss the snow.
• Class this semester is entitled, "Perspectives on the World Christian Movement," and is simply amazing.  Mind expanding.  What I thought would be a compilation of missionary stories is actually a deep theological look at God's plan for reaching the nations.  It began in Genesis and culminates in Revelation 7:9.  whew.  Check out the class at www.perspectives.org
• We only have one baby at home now.  A sophomore boy, Jake.  Anna is away at college, majoring in nursing.  Emily is living 80 miles away, waitressing and nanny-ing to make ends meet while she looks for full time employment in community health education.  Joey is the globetrotter, secure and happy as a chemist with an international company.
• Frank broke his foot and is hobbling around in a boot.  Accounting is evidently a highly dangerous career.  It happened at work.
• There's the gist of things.
• Have any of you learned to leave comments yet?  (hint!)

Seven

The book 7 by Jen Hatmaker is a life changer.  It's the kind of book that I want to lend to everyone, yet won't let it out of my sight.  The subtitle is, "an experimental mutiny against excess."

This young pastor's wife decided to spend a year examining the excesses in her life.  "7 will be an exercise in simplicity with one goal: to create space for God's kingdom to break through." (p.4)  The book is hilariously entertaining, as the author is crazy honest during her months of self discovery and self denial.  Yet the message is serious, and I found myself shifting a bit in my chair as she got awfully close to some of my personal habits.

Read it.  It's one of a kind.

I put it on par with Fresh Brewed Life by Nicole Johnson, All the Way to Heaven by Elizabeth Sherrill, and One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp.  Books to savor and keep on the closest shelf.

Enjoy!

Couched

Couched on this rainy Saturday due to a head cold.  Very drippy nose.  That bleary eyed stupor sort of feeling. Generally listless.

However, while being sick is bleak, I have found much pleasure in my plight, including that I...

• listened to the softly falling rain
• stayed in all day.  A long long Saturday.  Delightful!
• caught up on correspondence
• played online Scrabble
• sipped Chai Tea
• chatted with our oldest son for over an hour when he stopped home 
• was home alone most of the day (still a delight to this mom of four...)
• lit the first fire of the season in the gas fireplace
• gave this blog a new autumn look
• snuggled with Boomer
• just put life on idle.  A very lovely speed.

Tonight I am some better, and it will likely all be a memory when I go back to work on Monday.   Eucharisteo - I am thankful for the Sabbath rest - forced though it may be.

PS  I have spent an hour reading old posts, and have noticed that I blog when I am sick.  So...do not worry about me...I get a sinus thing twice a year - am generally healthy.  But when I am healthy I tend to be full speed ahead and not blog as much.  I will try to change that...

P.S.

The screen porch experience just got better!

Anna is now practicing piano. The piano is up against the screen porch wall, and there is a small window above it which allows fresh air from the screen porch into the living room. At this moment strains of classical music are filling the porch.

Anna is torn between nursing and piano performance as college majors. For the moment she will proceed with both. Thus she has a big audition on September first, and my summer promises to be music filled. Her three audition pieces are by MacDowell, Mozart and Brahms. Contemporary, Classical, and Romantic respectively.

Happy mama.

Eden

When we went house hunting four years ago, I had a list. (I always have a list). Screen porch was not on the list. But God knew better.

Here I am, still jammie clad, feet up, third cup of coffee (decaf now) sitting in our own piece of Eden. This is a delicious way to start a week. Oh how I love our screen porch, nestled in the back of our house, surrounded by my "secret garden." I have my routines... Journal, then Bible study, with a bit of email and Facebook thrown in...all interspersed with clipping and digging. Am I the only one who accomplishes much in teeny increments? Just now I went out to dead head a plant, and twenty minutes later I am back on the glider, ready to continue with my study. Thankfully the back flower garden is fairly private, but I'm sure by now our neighbors know my sleepwear, and they are used to my puttering habits.

The birds are singing to me, the fountain is gurgling, drops of rain are falling here and there. All is very well.

I have a long long list for the next two weeks as we anticipate the big graduation party on July 10. It will all get done, one putter at a time. Just about over a sinus infection (although my head is still under water) I am hopeful that great surges of energy are just around the corner. But for today, I will embrace a slower, yet thoroughly productive, pace.

I love love love our screen porch.

En route

Riding in the back of our inherited 1998 Camry, our two daughters in the front. Anna is driving, and we are en route to her soon to be college...UW Eau Claire. Tomorrow is freshman orientation. She and Emily are chatting away...warms my heart.

Child number three to college. Two have graduated, one yet to go in three more years.

Although there are blurry eyed moments, I am too grateful to be sad. Anna excels at everything, and had a fun filled high school career. Number nine in her class of 230. An accomplished musician. Sweet too. How can I be anything but elated at how well she is prepared to head off on her own?

And yet...

Well, for now I am enjoying being a passenger. I am reading three books for my July seminary class, The Cultivation of the Intellectual/Spiritual Life. They are:

J. P. Moreland, The Kingdom Triangle (Zondervan, 2007)
Dallas Willard, Renovation of the Heart (NavPress, 2002)
Klaus Issler, J. P. Moreland, The Lost Virtue of Happiness (NavPress, 2006)

Each one is fascinating. I need to write a one page opinion paper on two of them...I will post those when they get done.

Also reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. A*M*A*Z*I*N*G book which has me listing the gifts in my life in a separate journal. When we stop to count our blessings it changes everything.

And finally I am working through Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard. This version has a devotional worked in it, so our Saturday morning study is reading it for a lighter summer read.

All of these strangely weave together perfectly. His timing of course.

Time to listen to girl talk, unfamiliar music and delve into some wondrous reading.

Be Holy

1 Peter 1:15 NLT
15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.

This morning as I finish my time with God, I feel unease. I awoke early, feeling antsy. Went to my spot, and have spent time with God searching.

In First Peter I am sensing anew how we are called in gradual increments. And as I am honest before God, I feel He is calling me yet farther. More holy.

1 Peter 2:1. NLT
1 So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech.

ALL. Kind of an inclusive word. That is the word I get hung up on this morning.

Do you ever feel like you have a long ways to go?

Just do it.

Been contemplating blogging. Where to start? Have decided to just do it. Start.

Hoping I am back. One reason for this blog is to record a bit of me for posterity. While I cannot likely recap the missing months, I can start back in and end the gap.

I'm reading One Thousand Gifts and have begun my list of simple gifts for which to be thankful. Tonight I recorded the name of four friends with whom I had dinner, air conditioning, and the smell of late blooming lilacs surrounding our screen porch. Simple gifts. Luxurious gifts.

It's late and I'm tired. But I'm back.

Art Journals

Well...I am still alive and kickin'!
One reason I am slow to blog is that I am head over heels into this ART JOURNAL thing, and have found a permanent home for creative outlet. The slow part is posting my progress.

Since this blog is a mixed bag of art and theology and musings and *whatever,* I won't post all the art here. But if you're interested, you can look at the latest that I've managed to upload on my FLICKR account.

As usual, I'd love some comments. Blogging without comments is kinda lonely, you know? Just post as ANONYMOUS. It's not that complicated...honest! xo

The rock and joy of life

"There is no love so great and so wonderful as that which is in the heart of Christ. He is the one that delights in mercy; he is ready to pity those that [are] in suffering and sorrowful circumstances... Parents are often full of kindness towards their children, but that is no kindness like Jesus Christ." - Jonathan Edwards. (a great American theologian of the 1700s)

Friday again!

I'm already in bed with my corn pillow (I'll tell you about it another time...think heating pad...) but thought I'd tap a quick note on my iPad before snoozing.

This week...

I traveled Monday through Wednesday, covering a thousand Wisconsin And Minnesota miles. The hotel the first night was on Lake Superior. I'm pretty sure that's somewhere near the North Pole. My coworker had the stomach flu. Thankfully I didn't and don't!

We saw a bald eagle...within ten feet...he was pulling apart a deer carcass...WHAT a majestic bird.

I saw my sister from Vancouver, Canada at my brother's house in Minneapolis. We had a good, though brief, evening together.

Then the next evening that same brother had a heart attack. By then my sister and I were both gone. He had two stents placed and is doing well. He'll go home from the hospital tomorrow. He needs some major diet and lifestyle changes. Kind of wakes me up too.

Today my husband flew to Dubai for two weeks. And another brother flew here to visit for a long week end. Kind of a revolving family these days.

There is a turkey thawing. Cooking a twenty pound bird tomorrow. Family dinner, plus a boyfriend and a girlfriend.

The art journal is getting better and better and more and more natural and therapeutic. Photos soon.

Our Saturday A.M. bible study finishes our DAVID study tomorrow. I will miss him.

Wore me out. Good night.

Friday recap...a little late

Last week...

• was SNOWY. One official SNOW DAY, and I ended up working at home most of the week. I'm guessing all told we got close to two feet, with drifts over five feet. Thankfully my husband was IN TOWN and could do all that shoveling and snow blowing. :)

• the house was decorated for Valentine's Day. [and I put away lingering Christmas items...]

• was the annual Snow Ball. Jake and Anna both had fun. :)

Anna and Tyler (both seniors)

Shannon and Jake (both freshmen)

(is it just me, or does she look a lot older than that?!?)

• Saturday overnight to Sunday was savored at Sweet Sue's. Loved every relaxing minute.

• coffee was enjoyed at The Gingerbread House with a favorite friend and mentor, Susan. Isn't it a gift to have friends who share parts of your journey? Just to listen and nod and empathasize...makes you feel like you're not alone on the journey, you know?

• I was readying for this coming week ...I'll put a thousand miles on in the next 3 days. Thankfully I'm traveling with a wonderful coworker who likes to drive.

• the art journal continued. This unfinished page is spray painting glimmer mist over doilies...

• I ordered our next Bible Study: Preparing My Heart for Easter by Ann Marie Stewart. We finish Beth Moore's David: 90 Days with a Heart Like His this coming Saturday. I will miss David. :(

• We studied the Second Great Awakening in my seminary class. Since I've never had an American History class, I find this all fascinating. [I grew up in Canada]

• the rotten sinus cold might have ended. Whew. It was a stubborn one.

Have a great week!

Saturday fun

The weather allowed a brief stint outside, so Frank and i ventured to Whitnall Park, where, for the first time, i strapped on my snowshoes. Seems that I am either sick or it is unfriendly frozen when we have the right snow. But now that i know what i'm doing, I'm determined to get out there more! And the sick siege of 2010/2011 is almost over. almost.

And yes, even though our stint was short yesterday, i am feeling it today. Which i'm kind of liking. Sometimes my limbs feel so *unused* that i crave a good stretch and work out, you know?

The art experiment this week was a nib pen. After trying a few nibs, and learning online that you don't actually *dip* a dip pen (which sent me back to the hobby store for an eye dropper) i settled in to really enjoying it. It's hard to describe how natural it is for me to write. I am continually scribbling something. Writing on watercolor paper with a very pointy object was a bit challenging as the tip became stuck in the fibers here and there, but eventually i did get the hang of things. Most of the evening was spent playing on one 9 x 12 spread while listening to the glorious Hinds Feet on High Places audio book. While i wasn't happy with various parts of this experiment, i was able to find parts of this ink and paint work that are pleasant enough.

Art, like the rest of life, is a journey. I'll discover it one baby step at a time.

Friday Recap

This week

*flew by
*I studied Day 76 through 80 in Beth Moore's DAVID Bible study
*I was a single mom...hub in Pennsylvania
*I lived with a stuffed slightly achy head ... exhausted by bedtime... on the slow recovery route
*I worked 24 hours... A lot of appointment scheduling and one proposal for new work
*I joined the world of Twitter...receiving end only
*I began listening to the Audible version of HINDS' FEET ON HIGH PLACES by Hannah Hurnard. I am changed. Truly.
*I made art every day...fifteen minutes at a time...
*we laid off someone at work. :(
*we discussed the first amendment in our "History of Religion in America" class
*I've been sort of dizzily happy and content.

Art Journal interpretation of TRUST.

Pick ONE WORD.

My one word for 2011 is TRUST. More on that in the coming days and weeks...

Perspective

I'm sick of being sick and tired of being tired. Blah blah blah. I am still couched unless I *have* to do something like work... Or sing. Worship time went well at NDC this morning - just me and Anna - but that was simply God taking over and me trusting. I was hacking up hairballs during practice, but the service went well. Before the service I was literally curled up in a seat...wanting to be back on the couch. This is the worst stage of sick because I don't look too sick, or sound sick, I am just...exhausted. Maybe it is a diabetes thing. All I know is that I am lethargic and blurry headed. Blah, blah, blah.

So, after a two hour nap, I decided to catch up on the blogs that I have listed over there to the right. And when I got to The Simple Wife my whining ground to a stop, and PERSPECTIVE was gained. Joanne is a writer, blogger, 38 year old mom of two young girls. She was a seminary student for a while. She has a ministry regarding marriage ups and downs. She and her husband share a blog too. She leads Bible studies. Although she is more together and more well known, I feel an affinity to her, and I enjoy her blog. I had not visited for a month or so, so I was shocked to read that a couple weeks ago she had a major stroke, and she is still fighting for her life. I just read many blog and Twitter updates, and shed more than a few tears. I am praying for a dear sister I have never met.

I gained some perspective. I am thanking God for the simple annoyance of a sinus infection and a few weeks on and off the couch.

Perspective. It's a good thing.

This week in review

Frigid Friday...it's about zero degrees out there...and I'm staying IN. Not that I want to make you jealous or anything, but I have a four day week end...again. I used to work 4 days a week, but with this ecomony our firm has cut back hours, so now I'm encouraged to work 24 hours a week. Which I LOVE.

Still battling the head cold. I managed to work my 24 hours, but fell into bed each night, and am definitely blurry headed today.

I have been "art journaling" every day...because...well... I always journal every day. Now I'm just adding some fun accent or doodle now and then. I discovered clear mount stamps this week, and OH MY, what an amazing idea. They take so much less space to store, and they are sold in great big sets. LOVE THEM. I've been utilizing my 40% Michaels and JoAnn's coupons, and also picking up other sale stuff. One problem with reading all these arty blogs and books is that I am being introduced to SO MANY NEW art supplies. Thank GOD I have a lot already from olden artsy days...but still...so many new products.

Anyhow, on this Moleskine page I stamped a *flourish* (one of 8 or so in the flourish set) and then punched out a flower with my great big new flower press. No, I have not popped for one of those die cut machines, but will be picking up a few punches with coupons. So, after I punched the Moleskine page to make a peek a boo window, I dabbed a bit of acrylic paint around it. On the following page I stamped a script stamp (one of four in that set). I like the little hint of anticipation, don't you? And of course I wrote wrote wrote. Journal therapy. In color. :D

I'm not actually too artsy here...just playing around.

Then today I watched a video by Julie Balzer which got me ALL PUMPED UP to go and collage collage collage, but decided to make cards first. I really do want to GIVE joy with my art rather than just play in my journal, and have to somehow balance my time. Once complete, this time I remembered to photograph them before addressing. :D On all three cards you can see my flower punch again - the flower, and the leftover stencil after punching out two flowers.

Yesterday I spent 7 hours driving to and from a meeting in small town northern Wisconsin, and on the way home I stopped at a thrift store in a teeny town. For $3.50 I bagged an atlas, two dictionaries, some sheet music, a ledger and three books. Two books are $19.95 (each) current art books, and one book is a classic I've been wanting to read by Hannah Whitnall Smith. Anyhow, the other stuff is all to cut up and punch out and use in collage and on cards. Very fun scouting about in that little store.

On the sympathy card I used part of an old hymnal (of which I have many copies), and on the other card I used a passage from an old Bible. (of which I have way way many) It's kind of hard to cut into a book, but really... this is a great use of them. I loved adding a Bible verse to two of the cards, and think that is a pretty honoring way to highlight some old pages. The hymnal page is watercolor washed, too.

Oh, and those black spots...a new pencil's eraser...dipped in an ink pad. Thanks for that idea, Julie!







I wish I had more energy. I'm just puttering along at a snail's pace, usually simply curled up by the fire reading. Hopefully tomorrow I can get back to my art journal experiments. I did watercolor some pages this week, so tomorrow I'll do something with those.

Nighty night.

Just playing

I've been down and out sick for a couple days, but am on the mend today. Still perking slow, but at least I'm up and dressed.

Last night I had a rough emotional time, and so I wrote it all out on a blank journal page. Then I wrote over top: Just Keep Loving-- You are the Grown Up! (need to remind myself once in a while, you know?)

Next I broke out my brand spanking new oil pastels and colored over top. Blended with my finger. And then I wanted the big words to pop so I went over them in a black Sakura Glaze gel pen and the white Signo pen. I like it. It's a stretch for me. Next I ripped it out, trimmed some of the ripped edge and mounted it in my black sketch pad of experiments, noting what materials I had used.

I played a bit on my computer so nobody could read the raw journaling. My very own witness protection plan.

Sometimes I can get a bit too introspective, so one of my 2011 Eight Words is GIVE. One easy way to give art is through the mail. So today I'm popping four kinda fun envelopes in the mail. I hope they bring a smile. Again, the snowflake post it notes are simply for privacy...not part of the design.

You know, it takes about 5 minutes to stamp and color an envelope. Isn't that worthwhile to bring a smile to a friend?

The cupcake one has my niece's name all in stickers...the trademark Aunt Grace envelope. Inside I put a few birthday journal stickers...to encourage her to keep writing and decorating the journals we started in December. That card is completely homemade too...spent some real time on it...as I hope to do for all the journaling nieces.

Making cards and decorating envelopes is simple and fun and quick. Making time for art in 2011!

Art Journal Every Day

I'm getting in the groove of this.

Confession: i am more into the "journal" than the "art." Journaling is second nature to me. Art is further below the surface, needing to come out. That is why ten minutes a day has been appealing. It doesn't overwhelm me.

I have been playing with paint, but not much in my Moleskine. In my Moleskine journal i've been writing, but also trying to add a bit of color and fun to the pages. Mainly i'm trying out ideas that i'm seeing in books and online.

Let me show you yesterday and today. I took a photo before adding too much actual journaling.

I had already done the painting on the right...last week end. It was done using masking tape to create a grid and edges...very simple. Then one of the books i was reading suggested spending time doodling to get the creative juices flowing. Being the ever obedient reader, out came the black pen. That was one of my ten minutes this week...creating the doodling around the painted boxes. Today i will write in the boxes, and likely in between the boxes in really tiny writing. Having journaled for over 15 years, the daily musing is second nature. As you can see on yesterday's page, i didn't do much but write out verses and thoughts from my morning time in the Word. I spent time on the butterfly yesterday morning - likely 15 minutes. And as i drew her i was discussing my day with God. Prayer and doodles. Thursday is my LONG day - to work at 8 am, to a restaurant for a quick bite and right to class...home at 9:30 pm. So...yesterday didn't contain too much writing. I will likely color more on the butterfly as time permits.

Here's a closer peak at the painting/doodling. Simple, but fun. I look forward to writing on that page!

I woke up with a NASTY sinus yuk, so I'm not feeling too inspired today. But I am enjoying looking at art journal options online. Look at this one for inspiration: http://sherripelletier.blogspot.com/2011/01/wrapping-up-my-52-lists.html

So many options, so little time.

Happy Friday!