Day 152 Ramblings

As I quiet my mind and wait for God to speak,

I find peace. It settles over my worn out body.

Tears release the tension. Through prayer,

scripture and reflection I find strength to carry

on another day. There's always strength for the

present day. Energy, time and worry often rob

us of the present. Beginning the day with God

is the only way I know to focus on the time at hand.

Wishing ourselves past hard days is no way

to deal with everyday matters. GOD FIRST.

The arrows of darkness pierce my hide and

I reel with pain. Satan attacks my every move.

Hidden negative power robs me of my hope in God.

One verse of scripture, one prayer of plea, one moment

concentrated on God lessens the pain, removes doubt,

and fortifies my day.

After a restless night I find strength to walk, spend

time with God and step aside from life's details.

After a brisk walk I find energy return if only

for a bit. After a talk with God I find new

contentment to accept the day's needs.

After a quiet moment I find the necessary

silence needed to ignore the noise of the world.

Allow the light of the world to penetrate the darkness.

Invite the Son of God into each weary task.

Find the Savior's love in the middle of hatred.

Know the Peace of heaven as your personal trainer.

Wait on the Giver of truth to embed His will into your life.

Believe the Lamb of God to protect your from slaughter.

Seek the Holy Spirit to guide you through the depths of despair.

Take faith from the Creator to begin anew each moment that you breathe.

Day 151 Finding Peace

Finding peace is a choice.

First find a quiet spot.

Then find an inspirational thought (scripture, quote, etc.)

Study the thought.

What does it mean?

What does it mean to you?
How can it give you peace?

Journal your thoughts.

Memorize the feeling and a key word.

When in the midst of a chaotic time,

bring the peace to mind with the memorized prompt.

Find P E A C E.

Most of the time what we need is right in front of us. We must slow down and clear our minds and eyes to see it, know it, feel it. Peace is a choice.

Day 150

words escape

floating from task to task

a calm

please stay

sleep eludes

peace comes and goes

rest please come

routine pattern holds

trouble, stay at bay

joy please stay

solitude remain

Day 149 GOOD NEWS DAY!

Each day is an opportunity to make a difference, be different, do things differently!

Make today that day! Do the best you can with all you've been given. Make it a day to put others first. Believe it to truly be the best day of your life. Listen to others with true interest. Lift someone's spirit. Smile at a stranger or better yet someone you don't particularly like. Smile at everyone! Be truly happy and it will spread like wildfire.

I always thought there should be one day a year where only good news is spread. I'm declaring today that year! Tell good news. Listen to good news! Look for good news. SPREAD IT! TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW!

Day 148 Artistic Understanding of Words

Each leaf was a brush stroke, my Dad said while in the mountains last week. To hear him make this comment lifted my spirit so. A few short months ago, he would not have even noticed. AND in years past, he would say that the leaves in the yard were just as beautiful, no need to ride to the mountains. Then I began to think about the word "stroke". How could a work mean a beautiful stroke of color or the terrible health issue my Dad has been facing. Stroke is a mark. Just as God touched color to each leaf, the stroke had touched Dad's brain and made its mark. Words are revealing. Words teach. Words inspire. Words describe. Words explain. Listen to the words you hear. Allow them to minister to you with their inspiration, explanation and wisdom. Trust words to make your life more artistic.

Day 147 Find the blessings you have

AND SHARE THEM.....for it is indeed more blessed to give than receive!

Unexpected Joys are the best!

Day 146 Where?

Where is God when my nerves are raw?

Where is God when my patience is thin?

Where is God when my mind is on overload?

Where is God when my head nearly bursts?

Where is God when my body is weak?

Where is God when my eyes won't sleep?

Where is God when my temper is short?

Where is God when no one understands or listens to me?

Where is God when I feel invisible?

Where is God in the midst of LIFE?

GOD IS WHERE HE ALWAYS IS--

just a PRAYER away!

Day 145 Beach Lessons

The ocean's constancy teaches the importance to have hope.

The beach's beauty teaches the ability to find peace.

The gull's song teaches the importance to express joy.

The seaside creatures teach the amazing creation of everyday miracles.

The tide's rhythm teaches an understanding of life.

Day 144 Recount

Thoughts from Kiawah...

It was an emotional time as the stresses melted through the cracks in my spirit. The salty air dissolved my fears and worries. The tears of gratitude flowed softly down my cheeks. I knew God was with me as he had been through the last several months. I found comfort. I found hope. They have eluded me increasingly for months. I knew peace is always found in the middle of the struggle but it was often hard to realize. God never once has left me. The old adage "If you can't find God, guess who moved" is oh so true! My life has truly been blessed. I truly can count on one hand the really bad things in my life. That's amazing. How many people can do that?

Families recover through illness along with the inflicted one. Hope is always present but it must always be actively sought. Answers are always there but must be prayed for and accepted. Joy is possible even if only for a few fleeting moments. Sometimes those moments are enough to carry you through the trenches of despair. Actively seek them. Embrace them. Enjoy them. Always look for them and expect more. Wishing may not make it happen but looking and expecting can. The "laws of attraction" is widely believed to truly bring what you want more of into your life by merely seeking it and expecting it. I believe this to be a spiritual truth. One that must be real and trusted and practiced just as all spiritual activities must be practiced to be strengthened, improved and constant. Life is always going to be filled with good and bad, hope and struggling, peace and adversity but we must always focus on the positive aspects to get us through the negative. I have never thought I could handle such bad times but I'm learning I can WITH GOD! Not just handle but surpass them. It is only possible through faith, prayer and seeking the good we do have an abundance of.

Image is a picture of beach wood on Kiawah!

Where is God?

Where is God's hope?

In every new life.

Where is God's peace?

In every quiet heart.

Where is God's love?

In every expression of gratitude.

Where is God's grace?

In every repentant soul.

Where is God's joy?

In every happy spirit.

Where is God's mercy?

In every forgiven being.

Where is God's promise?

In every life that invites them.

DAY 143 1000th Post WINNER is . . .

Susan Hosken of Australia!

She will receive the actual freebie posted on the 1000th post and other goodies as well! Check out her blog at www.susanhosken.blogspot.com and

www.srhosken.blogspot.com

and here's another freebie for all my faithful readers!

It's a section of a watercolor done at the beach. Click on it for ful size. Then feel free to print, alter and share anyway you wish!

Day 142 Change

Things change. We can't stop it! Someone said, "Change is constant. It's something you can depend on. Knowing that should make it a comfort." I still don't like it but I try harder to understand it and realized it is part of life and maturity. Thus this verse from the beach while thinking about change.

The ocean is new every wave.

The sand rearranges with every tide.

The skies continue to change moment by moment.

I must accept change, rearrange my thinking and

allow it to renew my life day by day.

An expanse of blessings are given to me.

A contented feeling.

A calmness.

The world is bigger than just me and my problems.

I am only one of those tiny every changing grains of sand

or tiny ocean droplets of water.

God made me and He supports me with every change.

Image is a small watercolor of the ocean course on Kiawah Island.

Day 140 Memories

As the waves wipe the beach of all debris,

God wipes my heart of all troubles.

As the ocean breezes clean the air,

God cleans my mind of all the bad memories.

As the sun shines through the Palmetto,

God's love shines through me

and I know joy is possible.

Image is from a series of watercolor Palmettoes completed at Kiawah.

Day 139 Home from Sabbatical

Home after a good week away. Even with a couple days worry over Dad's BP and trip to the ER, it was a great time away for my spirit, soul and energy. I will be sharing much from the trip. Here's a little painting and writing completed while at Kiawah Island, SC.

A tearful departure

from my escape to paradise

by the sea--Kiawah.

Will I be able to hold

a shell and feel its magic

once inland?

Hopefully my

words,

images,

and small treasures

will reveal a super power

to combat life's wars.

Closing my eyes

I will see the sun through the Palmetto trees,

feel the moist spray from the Atlantic,

smell the salty air,

and know its enduring

presence in my spirit.

REMEMBER: Monday I will send the freebie posted earlier this month to a lucky commenter!

Day 131 Sabbatical

This will be my last post for a week. Going away to Kiawah Island, SC for the week. All prayer warriors please pray for safety for my parents while away, and my family on the road. We so need a sabbatical and this is the place to have it.

God is always enough!

Enough rain on parched land.

Enough wealth for unexpected needs.

Enough healing for pain ridden bodies.

Enough love for hopeless situations.

Enough forgiveness for sin filled lives.

Enough hope for doubtful hearts.

Enough joy for sad times.

Enough guidance for lost souls.

Enough peace for worried minds.

Enough rest for sleepless bodies.

Enough goodness for a war weary world.

Enough light for a dark passage.

Enough energy for tired spirits.

GOD IS ALWAYS

ENOUGH!

Image is from Rhett's Bluff at the marsh on Kiawah.

Day 130 God is the artist!

Lord,

I am the clay;

You are the potter.

I am the canvas;

You are the brush.

Create beauty through me.

I am the ink;

You are the pen.

Tell your story through me.

May life come as you send it;

and may I accept it and live it!

Amen!

Day 129 Hope

Day 128 Let in the light

Darkness is the portal to light!

Shelly Klammer

Collage for Self Discovery

Creative Every Day - Connect

It's been one of those days where I do some chores and then do something arty, repeat and repeat. I like those days. There have been few of them lately. Here is a porject for the Creative Every Day Group, CONNECT. I connect through family, church, friends, silliness, prayer, words, art, and nature. Bet most of you do too! I painted the two pages of my art book with black paint applied with an old credit card, stamped turquoise with an old sponge, stamped letters spelling CONNECT, added circles (as a connecting device) of color and pics of each thing that helps me CONNECT. Then I stamped more circles. Added some white trim around the letters, dots and labels with an Elmer's paint pen ( my favorite white pen).

Freebie Celebration - More than 1000 POSTS

Since I have reached more than 1000 posts on this blog I wish to celebrate. Here is a set of four background painted images you are welcome to click on and save for your own use. All I ask is that you direct someone to view this blog AND if interested in having the original pages (@ is 9X12 hand painted and stamped with acrylic paint), just post a comment and I will choose one to receive the actual pages. You have two weeks to post - since I will be out of town next week. I will choose a winner the week of Oct. 17. Please give your email in the post so I can contact you for mailing instructions. Blessings to all my faithful readers and encouragers of this blog!!!!!!!!!!

Retreat

The blue skies reflect a hope almost forgotten after 4 long months of caretaking, encouraging and praying for my Dad's recovery and Mom's health to withstand the trauma of it all.

A flock of black birds gather in the trees above me declaring the phrase "safety in numbers". So why do I continue to prefer solo efforts? The way I grew up, an only child, I depended on few. I still do. One can only truly count on one's self as all others are not completely predictable. I do lean on God even though I sometimes hate to bother Him so much. Life is complicated as it is. Too many factors complicate it further. I truly believe in "less is more" and "keep it simple". I imagine even someone from a large family would have the wish for a solitary existence from time to time. Would they fair better or worse? I do know that Susanna Wesley, mother of John and Charles Wesley, who had over a dozen children (maybe 18, but I don't remember) often found the need to gather her skirt layers around and over her to shut out the chaos and pray. Just as I enjoy the same, but I gather my journal, pen, sketch pad and nature about me and crawl deep within my safe retreat. There I find amazing peace, comfort, warmth and safety. Shutting out problems, fears, worries, and troublesome components, I rest there until I can face the real world again. It isn't often I go extremely deep for it is then that I wish to lock the door of my spirit and stay there for eternity. Perhaps one day I will. Perhaps that will be my heaven .

Day 128 Finding a Good Life

A dreary morning

but I feel hope.

A rainy Monday

but I feel joy.

A busy week

but I feel happy.

A long year

but I feel strong.

A good life

and I feel grateful.

Day 126 searching

Seeking answers right

in front of my nose.

Wanting solutions found

in the pages of the "good book".

Pondering the meaning of life

found in every human soul.

Needing the purpose for existence

available if sought with the heart.

Hoping for guidance that

comes from the Holy Spirit.

Believing in a faith

that's there for accepting.

****

I seek a Christ

on demand.

I worship an automatic God.

I follow a simple life

of never do enough.

But I also

pray & keep worrying,

take & keep asking, and

hope & keep doubting.

****

The bluejays disagree in the oaks.

My heart cries in argument too.

The smaller birds chirp happier responses.

My heart cries with understanding.

The message is clear.

NEVER STOP TRUSTING THE SAVIOR!

****

Maybe I am too much like Samuel (1 Samuel 3:1-10)

I don't recognize the Lord's voice when He speaks.

Respite at Fernwood

Sitting by the creek

Fernwood sweetness

Leaves float by

Peace reigns

Joy floods my spirit

Hope rebounds

Life is good

*****

Breathing in nature's bounty

Seeing God's creativity

Feeling autumn's chill

Tastin' life at its best

Hearing the creek's song

Knowing the healing of solitude

****

Old enough to know

my wants aren't important.

Hopeful enough to hang

onto dreams anyway.

Smart enough to appreciate

all my many blessings.

Happy enough to die

with no regrets.

Faithful enough to accept

God's love.

Peaceful enough to carry

on a while longer.

Day 125 Vulnerability

Feeling vulnerable,

Bone weary.

Lost.

Tramped down.

But devotion time raises the standard.

Gos is key.

As long as I have Him

nothing can drag me down.

He is ALL

POWER
PROTECTION

PEACEMAKE

HEALER

STRENGTH

for every day in every situation

Seeking respite desperately

I pray

dear God

and I realize

respite comes when I turn to You.

No amount of bedrest,

sleep, or

running away

can energize me any more

than time spent with You!

Thank you!

Amen!

Day 124 More ATC art

Here are the 50 ATC's I made to go in the booklet.

ATC Fan Fold Book finished

for my son's 25th birthday!

Fan fold book has a fold to pocket each ATC.

Cover is MiTienes paper. Blue ribbon ties around to hold shut.

It is doublesided.

Day 123 Autumn Therapy