Journeys and Destinations

Tired and foggy



She wanders into her studio.


A splash of paint and a scrap of paper later she finds a bit of peace.


Alone and weary she hits the button on the CD player. The low solemn chords of the cello reach her soul and she feels life begin to mellow.


Forlorn and lost


She settles on the deck, opening her journal, she pens a few phrases and her spirit swells.

(This was written just before learning of Mom's gall bladder. The pic is of her sun room before daybreak-where I met God each morning to fuel me for the day.)

Life is often unexpected!

There are many seasons in life...
        giving seasons
        receiving seasons
There are many mysteries in life...
        unanswered whys
        unexplained blessings
There are many gifts in life...
        unexpected joys
        undeserved mercies
There are many influences in life...
         godly mentors
         friendly guides

(Image is a new piece begun before Mom's
surgery and hospital stay-guess you can see a
pattern here with the previous art piece. There
will be more!)

She is doing great and all the prayers have gotten us through this long, exhausting week. How precious to take care of the people who took care of you for so long.

I call this piece CORE! It is the core that keeps us going and the core is pure GOD!

Noting the Absence

Sorry to have been MIA. My mom had gall bladder surgery this week! I'll post later today.
I will also be out of town a couple days this week. Please continue to visit my blog.

Release

I wish I were          

a butterfly with a brief life of beauty.

I wish I were

a cloud floating in an endless sky.

I wish I were

a tree standing tall and strong.

I wish I were

Flower of great color and fragrance.

I wish I were

a lush lawn of grass keeping the parched earth cooled.

I wish I were

a great ocean rolling into never never land.

I wish I were

an enormous mountain reaching into the wild blue yonder.

But I am not any of these things.

I am a lowly human with deficits, weaknesses and trying times.

But I am also God's child and He is my loving Father.

I have no need to be anything more.

I - "still the most overused word in the dictionary"

I wilt

not only from summer's heat

but from life's firing squad.

I wonder

not only how many more days I can withstand the heat

but will there be years?

I pray

not only for my own endurance

but for all who must endure more.

I cry

not only tears for my own pain

but for the more excruciating pains of others.

I ask

not only for my own understanding

but for those who have no knowledge of God.

I believe

not only that God is real and by my side daily

but that through me, He will be by the sides of others.

Daily Battles are not always easily chosen!

Pain is my daily foe.

Fear is my companion.
How can I claim God as my Father?
Dread is my daily opus.
Fatigue is my method of living.
How can I trust God more?
No questions just do it daily.
Over and over and….
God will be there.

Image is a watercolor inspired by a walk around Bass Lake in Blowing Rock, NC. I was recently there with my family. The watercolor wasn't working so I went back in with a no. 6 B pencil over it and I really liked the results.

joy

Overwhelmed with reality, imagination camouflages her fears.

Frightened by a faith she believes in strongly, she prays anyway.

Lost in the land of the aged, she understands her fate and she adapts unwillingly.

Knowing her own weaknesses can lead to her fate sooner

she attempts to strengthen her spirit through

creating a world of imagined hope and joy.

still fighting

His light spills over me but



I still feel in the dark.


His love pours into my soul but


I am void of felling.


His mercy covers my life but

I am naked.


His grace removes all my sin but


I am still a sinner.


His joy fills my heart but


I am without happiness.


His peace reigns in my spirit but


I am in turmoil.

suffering is part of the game of life

raw
turned inside out
she battles

exhausted
forced to surrender
she struggles

tomented
made to accept
she lives

doubtful
reestablished purpose
she hopes

focused
prayed up
she believes

(I suffer from IBS. If you have it you understand. If not be thankful. I wrote this during last night's bout.)

Some days you must just find a little levity to survive!

Ignore what you can.

Change what is possible.

Accept what you must.

Believe in God.

Trust prayer.

release

His amazing power

lifts me out of life's muck and mire.

His gracious mercy

forgives my greatest sin.

His mighty love

energizes my spirit.

His comforting peace

centers my life and

I release all fear and struggle.

lessons

I see the wind.

It billows through the tree tops.

I smell the earth.

It is rich with life.

I hear nature.

It never sings off key.

I feel God's breath.

It sustains me.

I taste life.

It is awesome.

Life is good!

Two butterflies frolic in the morning sun.

Dozens of bumble bees breakfast on sweet nectar.

Dry flies rub their tiny legs in harmonies unbelieved.

God is with us and life is good.

"Life isn't as good as you think!

It's better!"

anonymous

Amazing Grace

Why do humans fight and struggle against the strains of life? Do we not realize that God is forever by our side ready, willing and able to help us? All we need to do is ask, wait, and allow. He will do the rest. Instead we make mountains of mole hills, oceans out of tears, and deserts out of dried up spirits. Not to say being a Christian makes life a piece of cake or even a cup cake but being one of God's own does mean we are never alone. He sees us hurting; he wants to heal us. He knows our faults and He still loves us. He sees us crying and He wants to hug us. That is pure amazing grace.

accomodating

listen inside

Day for Solitude

Devotions done

Walk over

I watch the bumble bees

Enjoy nectar from the

Rain laden Salvia blooms.

Sun out

Day begun

I seek energy for the day's chores

Of housekeeping.

Prayers said

Fears creeping back

I watch a swallowtail butterfly

Float effortlessly through the air.

Questions posed

Answers sought

I relax into a day of

Details with God by my side.

If you could see inside my head....................................

Window of Hope

She dreams of all that was

And all that can be.

She sees hope and possibilities

Where everyone else sees doubt and impossible situations.

She believes things will work for good if given enough time.

She has faith that God is in control and always has a better plan.

She trusts life to bring her dreams into reality and her wishes true.

She knows her heart and allow love to guide her steps.

Hope conquers

words stick in a tired mind

thought fail me

answers don't come easy but

hope still resides in my spirit

prayers are wordless

hymns are without tunes

life is a struggle but

hope still fills my soul

tasks are impossible to complete

chores multiply endlessly

work is a constant but

hope still consumes my heart

joy comes f rom a place of hope

God is everywhere!

God's love reaches
every direction in my life.
His mercy stretches into every living cell.
His grace fills all the cracks in my soul.
His goodness overflows my spirit abundantly.
His peace overtakes my heart joyously.
I am grateful for His presence.

passing of days

The light fades into a heated sky.

Fireflies dance among the dark trees.

Katydids sing a familiar tune.

Warm sleepy breezes wrap around the last moments of the day.

Hopeful tears sting my eyes.

A tiring day draws to a close.

Sleep in a wishful dream.

Dread is my daily reality but

God is my daily reminder to breathe and keep dreaming

of peaceful days and happy times.

I Wait

Hopeful



Grateful


Joyful


I wait.


God hears.


God loves.


God blesses.


I wait.


Blessed.


Peaceful.


Happy.


I wait.

sacred finds

A walk on sacred ground



And my spirit revives.


A quiet reverie and


I find my mind again.


A break from routine and


My body relaxes.


A creative outlet and


I find my soul.

Help for All

Quiet beauty
calms a restless mind.
Peaceful words
reach a weary spirit.
Gentle hands
touch a hurting soul.
Serene moments
heal a searching heart.

God is there.

God is there when sleep isn't.

God is there when the world is too much.

God is there when strength isn't.

God is there when no one else is.

God is there!

One Message

So many voices.
One message.
Live today.
So many hurts.
One message.
Forgive today.
So many fears.
One message.
Trust today.
So many doubts.
One message.
Believe today.
So many attacks.
One message.
Survive today.
So many questions.
One message.
Accept today.
So many paths.
One message.
Follow today.
So many words.
One message.
Live today.






Can I follow my own message and my own voice? Believe my own spirit? My own path and Guide? Do I just speak tongues I don't understand myself?


Do I turn a deaf ear to my own truths? Do I forget to be grateful for all the miles I've covered? Do I realize I am never alone?

Some days the message is clear. Some days I allow fear and doubt to spoil my better judgment. Too many times I get lost in my own whiny thoughts and ignore the voice of God and His leading to keep me on the path and in the message.

God can!

I may fall down but God can make me rise up.

I may be lost in a rut but God can find me and pull me out.

I may be pushed to my limit but God is limitless.

I may be confused but God understands everything.

I may be weak and hurt but God is strong and healing.

I may be without but God will guide me to where I need to be.

I may be doubtful but God is my assurance in everything, every day, all the way!

no matter

Praise God



No matter the situation.


Believe Christ


No matter the trouble.


Live through the Holy Spirit


No matter the pain.


Life is better through the trinity.

To Know or Not To Know

Sometimes we know too much.



Sometimes the darkness is safer.


Knowing less is worrying less.


Hearing the truth can be painful


But it can also bring us closer to God.


Knowing the details of a situation can lead to over saturation.


But God never leaves us alone in it.


Trusting His plan can be scary but


It always leads to greater faith.


So taking it day by day, situation by situation, and truth by truth


We find our peace with life.

Finding life!

She stands at the foot of the mountain.

It is her strength.

It is her hope.

It is her focus.

It is her aim.

She stands at the edge of the valley.

It is her heart.

It is her depth.
It is her world.
It is her life.

simple joys

family time

quiet walks

a bird's song

hidden paths

slow journeys

sweet melodies

a loved one's voice

friends

a special poem

a favorite scripture

an unexpected note

thank you

easy meals

a good book

 walks on the beach

a sunrise or sunset

a gentle breeze

clouds

tall trees

blossoms

7 paintings in 7 days

The Journey

Life twists and turns over and over

Like the earth on its axis.

Suns rise and set.

Moons wax and wane.

We live breath by breath.

We never know where or when we will leave our earthly journey

but it's the journey after that matters most.

If we love God and spread His love to others,

We’ve lived a good life on earth.

If we count all our blessings we realize we've had a good life on earth.

And if we've confessed Christ as our Savior, we will live a good eternity in His everlasting arms.

Our journey on earth may end but our journey hereafter is just beginning.

Blessings of Art

Art has blessed me in so many ways but especially as therapy and building friendships. I have an artist friend who is legally blind by macular dengeneration and still paints once a week. OH! She is also 101. Every time we visit I am the one who is encouraged and uplifted. She is not happy with her situation but boy! is she still going and now she is wheelchair bound too but she continues to live! She still has 6 piano students each week too. SO...why do I let life ever get me down with Eugenia finding so much to still do at 101!!!!!!!?

Been on a painting streak myself! Here is the results from day 4. I call it "Jonas Ridge Christmas Tree Farm". It's in watercolor. It was my therapy for making it through a trying day of parent care. All turned out fine and I continue to learn how to get through.

God's camouflage

God is my camouflage

from a hurtful world

of pain and suffering.

His armor protects

my body.

His love guards

my heart.

His joy fills

my spirit

His mercy shelters

my soul.

His grace shields

my life.

Release...to live

This gorgeous cooler July 1....the wind kicks up just enough to ruffle my journal pages and I am free for this moment. Free of worry and doubt. Free of fear and disappointment. As a wise one said "God is in heaven and all is right with the world." Maybe I can live by than and not let life's temporary set backs cause me to stumble or fall. Too many times, I'm the camel with the back load of straw. My final straw comes not with major catastrophe but with one tiny reed that sets off a chain reaction. My Irish temper comes out fighting and mostly it's a losing battle. Another wise one said "choose your battles." I say "you must choose peace." By so doing, live a happier life, one that includes all of God's goodness and blessings. One of abundant joy. Praise God! He's always just a breath of fresh air away.

In order to live happily ever after, one must:

• kill fear and create faith
• abhor negativity and embrace positive attitudes
• negate worry and practice hope
• release struggle and accept challenge
• stifle anger and propagate peace
• decrease hatred and increase love
• forget self and sever others
• cry less and laugh more

CHOOSE WHAT KIND OF DAY YOU WANT!
Even when you can't choose what comes your way, choose how to react to it or release it!