Finally! After 13 long years, we have made it out of the wilderness and into freedom, to our promised land! Thank you, God!
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I painted this for my mother-in-law who owned this very sweet, super-accommodating (she let my daughter put the sunglasses on her!) and extremely vocal little Puli. Sophie was a quite the character! She had constant spunk and youthfulness even at 18 or 19 years of age (pretty old for a dog!) and outlived her owner yet was always joy-filled! I love that! If only we humans could live like that!
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I painted Shadow for yet another dear friend whom I seldom see but hold dear in my heart. Yes, God has been very good to me.
James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift comes from above…
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I painted this adorable character for a great friend and mentor who has since gone home (see you someday soon, Larry!) This was a gift for my friend’s client, and the client was delighted with the finished product. But, how could they not be? God’s original handiwork was delightful!
1 Timothy 6:17 God gives us all things to enjoy.
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All artwork displayed is under copyright and is available in print & poster formats. Please comment here to order.
I painted this adorable little furball for a wonderful friend who moved with her beautiful family to Tennessee from California, just shortly after our family left California. Every time I look at this painting, I’m reminded of the wonderful friendships God has gifted to me in my life. And even though I rarely have the opportunity to see my sweet friends, their love is always with me.
Proverbs 17:17 a friend loves at all times.
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Is there something that you really want?
Something that you have longed for a very long time?
And have you also sometimes felt selfish, undeserving or just plain crazy in even hoping for this thing?
I’ve been there.
But something I recently read by Holley Gerth (You’re Made For a God-Sized Dream) made me realize that it is God Himself Who often places wonderful hopes within us! Those HUGE, GOD-SIZED, impossible dreams!
I’m not, of course, speaking of things that would abuse God’s grace, but of dreams to do the noble or the magnificent, or to put to use your God-given talents in amazing ways; things that often sound almost too outlandish to be spoken out loud. (I’m thinking of Eric Liddell and Walt Disney right now.)
So, you ask, is my dream possible? With God, always! But two things, I believe, are required from us:
Perseverance; we cannot give up! Even if all we can muster is that lasting ember of hope that maybe, just maybe someday… and Faith, that the Lord God hears every precious thought and prayer of those who are His, who have embraced salvation through His Son.
The Lord tells us in Matthew 7:7: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”
So, don’t give up, dear friend! Keep wishing! Keep hoping! But do it prayerfully, in faith. Go to God for help in making those dreams a reality; go to the Lord Who adores you, Who created you, Who listens and Who will answer in unexpected ways!
And, if you need a little musical inspiration, go to YouTube: http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=to+dream+the+impossible+dream+youtube+elvis&view=detail&mid=E7CEF3243940085E907AE7CEF3243940085E907A&first=0&FORM=NVPFVR
Listen to Elvis singing the heartfelt words of “To Dream the Impossible Dream,” that excellent musical piece from “Man of La Mancha,” the stage adaptation of Don Quixote, acclaimed as the best novel ever written. Cervantes himself, using his God-given literary talents, surely dreamed impossible dreams!
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
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Well I have just thoroughly enjoyed watching the Rose Parade today again.
I never was a big fan of the Rose Parade while I lived in Southern California. But, I miss my home. Terribly. So I started watching this iconic New Year’s Day offering to get some glimpses of palm trees and Pasadena scenery.
But even if I didn’t miss SoCal, I’ve grown to appreciate the Rose Parade as inspiring, creative and interesting. The floats are truly magnificent works of genius in vegetation execution.
But the Rose Parade is so much more! It is heartwarming! I doubt there was a dry eye as the “Canines with Courage” float rolled up carrying a US soldier directly from Afghanistan for a surprise homecoming with his wife and young son. This same wonderful float conveyed a loyal German Shepherd who had recently lost his paw in service to our country.
The Rose Parade is exciting! My heart thrilled ~ even as watching from my home ~ as the stirring Korean War memorial float glided down the route timed to precision with a B2 flyover.
The Rose Parade is inspiring! The “Jesus, the Way to Heaven” float was not only breathtaking but expectant in its beautiful glimpse of heaven for believers in Christ. Also delightfully uplifting was the “A Child’s Magic Carpet Ride” float, built by the altruistic Kiwanis and carrying Miss Wheelchair of California.
The Rose Parade is fun! Who could help but chuckle when viewing Trader Joe’s “Recipe for Adventure” float, a cleverly constructed ship floating atop a sea of fresh fruits and veggies and utilizing kitchen utensils for the ship’s masts, platforms and propellers.
The Rose Parade is nostalgic! A plethora of excellent school marching bands from all over the world, and more horses and costumed riders than at a rodeo grace Colorado Boulevard. The atmosphere hearkens back to a more wholesome era and you get the impression you just might see good ol’ Ronnie Reagan saddled up alongside Roy Rogers. Themes range from sweet and fun to patriotic and the clothing is generally modest. Nice. Real nice.
In this day of removing nativity displays from public property, anti-American sentiment, over-exposed celebrities and exceedingly sub-par entertainment, it’s both a blessing and a miracle that the Rose Parade has survived. So, thank you, Lord, for a great start to a New Year!
Today I am thankful for many things but mostly for the blessed assurance I have in Christ. My prayer today is that God may richly bless all my friends and family with the fervent embrace of salvation in Jesus Christ alone.
In honor of Thanksgiving I thought I would share the proclamation given by George Washington on October 3, 1789:
Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor — and Whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me “to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”
Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be — That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks — for his kind care and protection of the People of this country previous to their becoming a Nation — for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of His providence, which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war — for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed — for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which He hath been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions — to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually — to render our national government a blessing to all the People, by constantly being a government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed — to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord — to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us — and generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.
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My husband’s dear Uncle just passed away, another in a long line of funerals over the past 2 1/2 years. The 7th one, to be precise.
He was another of that fine generation, a brave soldier who fought to protect our country, our freedoms, in WWII. My husband has such fond memories, as a child, of his uncle pulling quarters out of his ear and indulging him with his time.
The “good times” certainly pass, but the wonderful memories, now bittersweet in the face of death, live on.
Death is our enemy. But the Good News is that Jesus conquered sin and death once and for all. We have only to accept His free gift of eternal salvation to be saved. May all who read this know Him.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever. Psalm 23
I enhanced my watercolor graphically to look like an impressionist piece. It was used as an illustration for a poem written by a talented friend, who helped draw me to Christ many years ago, Larry Randall. His poem appears below:
NATURE’S SPRING by Larry Randall
Willow trees sway softly,
Deer graze in the meadows,
Soft clouds roll by slowly,
While casting giant shadows.
As streams of misty air,
Creep gently over hills,
A cloud’s ballet reaches upwards,
Fleeing the morning’s chill
The sun quickly rises,
After night has finally gone,
Birds begin their dance on air,
Then start singing nature’s song,
Jasmine adds such a sweet bouquet,
As its aroma perfumes the day,
Beautiful flowers compose an array,
As sparkling dew decorates its display.
No part of this poem may be use without the permission of the author.
It was nearly perfect.
You know the sort of day. Summer. Late afternoon. The low 80s. The sun still warm and inviting…not harsh, not too bright. The breeze….tender, caressing, so gentle; perhaps even imagined? Block out the street noise and hearken to the faint little bird melody, the soft chatter of playful squirrels, and the crickets’ sing-song tune. Drink in the jeweled tones of summer flowers against the lazy willows and grass arrayed peacefully in green… and breathe.
So I close my eyes and breathe deeply, contentedly, sighing….
Was this what Eden was like? In the moment before sin entered, when the Almighty God, Creator of everyone and everything, walked with man? No, Eden was incomprehensibly better. No sin, no sadness, no debt. But this, for me, was a little glimpse, a shadow of things to come, the “someday” when the earth rejoices and those who accepted Christ’s gift see clearly and are free to enjoy the reality that all has been forgiven, each tear wiped away, everything paid in full. Thank you, Lord. How nice. How refreshing.
Eyes open again, I gaze to the heavens, the clouds form fleeting images, seeking to capture my imagination…and doesn’t that one look just like Jesus smiling?
“Every good and perfect gift descends from above…” James 1:17
“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in
part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” I Corinthians 13:12
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Two little boys. Brothers. Both swept away by a current in Yosemite.
A few friends at my old church contacted me and asked me to pray for this family who are part of their congregation. My heart breaks for them. And, as I pray, I can’t begin to imagine how tremendous their grief. Dear Lord, please carry this family through this hard time.
As my heart shifts to a heavenly focus I try to imagine what these two little boys are doing right now. Perhaps they are playing and laughing. Or maybe they are holding the nail-pierced hands of Jesus Himself, gazing at an incredible image of God’s handiwork, as I depicted, above. One thing I do know, however…these beloved little children are having the most splendid and wonderful, bliss-filled time imaginable. They are with Jesus… their King, their Savior, their Friend! And, meditating on this future for believers in Christ, I pray, brings peace and comfort to all.
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also.” John 14:1-3
“We are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and
to be at home with the Lord.” II Corinthians 5:8
I was just praying for him this very morning. He was someone, along with several others, who were part of a world that usually didn’t include Jesus or any thoughts of God. And now, I can scarcely believe the reports that he is dead. Suicide.
Tony Scott was a wonderful person to be around. His signature faded “red” baseball cap ~ which decidedly looked more pink than red ~ and cigar made him recognizable from any distance on the movie set. And when you came closer you would see that he almost always had a smile, too. He would often hit you with some silly comment, as well, but he was invariably kind. That is what I remember the most. In a superficial world where people generally are so wrapped up in self, Tony Scott never seemed to be too busy to offer encouragement and a big, kind smile. Big, kind smiles, I’ve found, are vastly underrated and are precisely what our world could use more of.
It is rumored that he had inoperable brain cancer, which was probably the reason he felt suicide was his best option. I find it sadly ironic that a wonderful friend and beautiful sister-in-Christ just passed away this last May of the very same disease. This precious woman had accepted the free gift of eternal life from Christ decades before and chose instead to let God’s timing end her earthly life. She is now with Jesus, enjoying a blissful eternity. I can only hope, oh how I hope, that Tony Scott, too, accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior at some point before his tragic death! How so many miss you, Mr. Scott! I hope with all my heart I will see you amongst so many other friends and family in heaven someday.
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me
will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26
“And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!'” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.” “Revelation 14:13
A watercolor my darling little girl and I painted together of our precious kitty, Snowball. (You can see a photo of her at the bottom of this post.)
There is something about losing a beloved pet that hurts in a way nothing else does.
Their affection and companionship, their loyalty, their complete dependence upon you, their charming idosyncracies, their sweet love…all these and more grab your heart forever.
We lost our precious little kitty yesterday. She was a darling. Everyone who met her ~ even avowed cat-haters ~ fell in love with her. She was a part of our family.
When we lost our home 3 years ago and travelled “all over God’s creation” trying to find shelter, she was the stability and consistency of love and affection that made us feel like anywhere was “home.” When my little girl had lost all her friends in the move and had no one, this little kitty was her playmate and buddy. In the continuing trouble and turmoil of the last 3 years this kitty was so often a bright spot in our day. Suffice it to say that this loss is very keenly, deeply felt and we are sad.
But God.
In our losses He comes to us and brings hope. Oswald Chambers wrote:
“In the Bible, clouds are always associated with God. Clouds are the sorrows, sufferings, or providential circumstances…which actually seem to contradict the sovereignty of God. Yet it is through these very clouds that the spirit of God is teaching us to walk by faith. If there were never any clouds in our lives we would not have faith.’The clouds are the dust of His feet’ (Nahum 1:3) They are a sign that God is there.”
In our pain and loneliness and disappointment, God weeps with us us, holds our hand, carries us and teaches us to trust Him. It is only through our “utter poverty,” being completely destitute, having no one to lean on, no where else to turn, saddened beyond belief, that He can rescue us with His enduring love and plan to become our One and Only Everything.
So is there hope in the midst of pain?
With God, there is always hope. In this case, although I cannot give complete biblical proof that our pets will be seen by us again in eternity, I do know our loving God has things planned beyond our most wonderful imaginations, and I truly believe that includes our pets.
One thing I can state directly from the Source of all truth, however, is this: not one soul will ever have the opportunity to see God, or heaven, or any of the incredible things He has planned unless they bow their knee to His Son, Jesus Christ, and make Him the Lord of their lives after accepting His free gift of salvation. Their pets may well indeed be made new again, but they themselves will perish in Hell forever without a Savior. We human beings all need Jesus, just as assuredly as our pets need us.
And so, although we have a hole in our family and in our hearts today, we are living by faith and choosing to let God fill the void and give us hope.
May God richly bless you with faith in Him and His Son, and with all hope today.
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9
‘And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”’ Revelation 21:5
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
“And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.” Romans 5:5
Our sweet kitty.
This watercolor is of my daughter and her beloved kitty, the first year in our first home, back in Christmas 2004. We relished every moment of the blessed season that year.
But this year, Christmas seemed to pass in an empty blur of activity.
Not only did our family not do our annual advent studies or bake cookies tucked with scripture notes for the neighbors, but it felt like it was all I could do to just get through each day. Since, too, it was our first Christmas in years when financial issues weren’t completely choking us, we probably went a little crazy with the gift buying. So, the weeks leading to Christmas felt materialistic and empty to me.
But it was more than that. I still so deeply miss my home, my dear friends, and fellowship at our old church, hundreds and hundreds of miles away. Christmas seems to bring all this “loss” to the surface.
And so, as the day of the celebration of Christ’s birth got closer, I got sadder and sadder. I had failed my daughter, my husband, and myself, but mostly God. How could I have let this important time to reflect and honor Him just slip through my fingers, while I remained caught in the daily web of washing dishes, cooking, cleaning and helping care for the sick?
I felt unacceptable as a Christian.
And yet, over this last week God provided me a few truths to ease my heart:
And so, here is to a New Year. A year, hopefully, to be spent serving others, strengthening our family’s relationship with God and keeping Christ in every moment of every day.
God bless you all in 2012.
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus…
James 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
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This inspiration for this watercolor came from an old photo of my husband’s uncle and his young son.
This scene is so inviting and serene that it makes me want to step right into it, away from the heartbreak and busyness of life, and just simply “go fishing.”
And so, in the midst of all my weariness with life, I turn to Him, Who is my abiding rest.
“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
All artwork displayed is under copyright and is available in print & poster formats. Please comment here to order.
I painted this pretty little hummingbird as the artwork for a totebag birthday gift I intend to give to a sweet friend and beloved sister-in-Christ who loves both hummingbirds and the color purple. The verse I chose to complement the watercolor is a reminder to my friend ~ and to us all~ that we are of great worth and value to God:
Behold the birds of the heaven that they sow not,
neither do they reap, nor gather into barns;
and your heavenly Father feedeth them.
Are not ye of much more value then they? Matthew 6:26
May you know today how great your worth is to our Jehovah God.
To find out more, look up John 3:16
I painted this “Sweet Gum” leaf for its amazing autumn violet, taking over its green hues of summer.
The cycle of deciduous trees is much like our lives. The strong bright green apparel of summer evokes sunny, blissful days effortlessly slipping by in a lazy stream of contentment until cooler temperatures begin to overtake the warmth. Autumn sneaks in and slyly begins to adorn certain foliage in jeweled beauty. But this glorious beauty — the bright reds, oranges and violets — will not last long. Brown soon settles in and takes over, suddenly becoming the mode, foreshadowing scarcity and death for the leaves, as cold and darker days cut off the nourishment cycle. Seemingly without warning, all is stark, bare branches with biting winds and endless gray skies. All of creation hunkers down just to survive winter’s harshness. One can almost hear the plaintive cry, “Will this season never end?”
But then, on one longed-for day, a warmer sun emerges in a brighter sky. Tiny buds in gorgeous pastels suddenly appear, strength is renewed as the land arrays itself once again in the spectacular greens of springtime! Hope is restored!
Most of us have experienced a dark season of hopelessness in our lives, wondering how we got there and when it would end. Perhaps we gave up on prayer and pushed God away when our adversity turned more permanent. Or in our grief, we obscured and diminished His great love and care for us. In the winters of our lives, we desperately need to find our way back. Back to hope, back to joy, and most importantly, back to Him. Here’s God’s answer: look to Him, trust Him, draw close to Him, wait for Him. And remember, spring is but a season away.
“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” Proverbs 31:30
“Lift your eyes and look to the heavens” Isaiah 40:26
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5
“The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalms 34:18
“They that wait upon the Lord shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31
God cannot give us happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing. ~ C. S. Lewis
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