December 2013

It is a challenge to try to keep up on a blog with all that I need and want to do with each day. It is except the blog end up being last on the list. The problem lies in when I do make or have time to blog, there is just to much to share!  Lucky for us all, I took pictures and pictures are worth a thousand words, right?

So I think that I last shared that I was working on a project that paired with my husbands sermons during Sunday in Advent.  I will let you see all those, finished.  The pictures I did for worship services, I have been working on for months. I thought it might be fun to share some of the sketches and practices that got me to the finished picture.  Also some other paintings that I have done recently, mainly for gifts this Christmas and some projects we have done as a family. It has been a fun and busy few weeks!

I was so anxious with the first picture. I am thankful to the folks up at Faith in Thompson Station that let us visit them on  Saturday evenings to get a practice run in!

Week 1: Psalm 122

Week 2: Psalm 72

Week 3: Psalm 146

This was a challenge for me. I worked for hours on just trying to draw a chair! I have my favorite sketch of the chairs that I did further down the page.

  I very much enjoyed weeks 3 and 4 because I like the pieces the most and I was finally becoming more comfortable to be doing my art in front of a group of folks. (Thankful that they were all so kind to me!)

Week 4: Psalm 96

 

 

The sketch that the throne in week 2 was based off of.

A practice painting for week 2, before the decision was made to do the pictures as oil pastels instead of all acrylic paints. And of course before the throne was added in place of the cross. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paintings that were given as gifts

This was also given as a gift this year.

We had a blast making gingerbread buildings as a family. This our daughter did, it is a school!

My husband worked on this gingerbread home and made it quite inviting.

I made this to be a church similar to the one my husband is currently serving at. I hope it is not a prophetic gingerbread, since the sides did collapse in!  

I just liked this picture of our cat... and yes, we had our windows open this past month! It is a very mild winter here in Tennessee!

We had a great time making jar lanterns!

Christmas Eve Service

 We pray that you all had a blessed Christmas and that you remember to keep "Christ" in Christian all year through!

 

Advent Week 1.5

*Ad·vent -noun \ˈad-ˌvent, chiefly British -vənt\

Definition of ADVENT

1:  the period beginning four Sundays before Christmas and observed by some Christians as a season of prayer and fasting

2

a :  the coming of Christ at the Incarnation

b :  second coming 

It is the season of Advent. I thought it might be good to just start with Merrian-Webster's definition just so everyone would know what I am talking about. Sometimes there are "churchy" terms that "churchy" people may assume everyone knows the meaning of... when it is quite possible that most of us don't. (There are terms and things like come up in the church that I do not know and I google it or honestly ask my hubby when I get a chance!) 

So, this advent season, my husband is doing a sermon series on the Psalms that are part of the readings for us this year. Last Sunday was the first Sunday in advent and the Psalms that was focused on was Psalm 122. (If you would like to read it, here is an easy link: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20122&version=ESV ). While these sermons are happening, he has asked me to do art that fits the Psalm. I thought that it might be interesting to share last week's art.  I do want to let you know that I am not used to doing art in such a public manner with a time limit. This is a tad out of my normal comfort zone, but it is fun... once I did it a few times (I am doing art in three different services).

This coming weekend's picture has been a challenge for me. Hopefully it will be to God's glory when it is finish. I pray that you all have a wonderful Advent season!

 Oh! Side note for those who have prayed for me in the past, I am currently working part-time for the holiday season. It's a great job and I am very thankful for it! 

*Source
 "Advent." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 6 Dec. 2013. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Advent>.

 

Stress. Who doesn't have any stress? 

For some reason I get the feeling that spiritual people aren't supposed to be stressed. That they are supposed to always be level headed and calm in all situations, trusting God for all things.

I do feel stressed at times. And I am well aware of Bible verses that are often shared in hopes to help people to not be stressed: Be Still and know that I am God... Psalm 46:10; For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11; But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Matthew 6:30. All good verses and though they have been in my mind, it is not decreasing my indigestion. 

I am not stress about material possessions, nor do I have the feeling that I have to control or manage everything. I think my my concern might relate the the Jeremiah passage that I shared. I am fine with whatever plans God has for our family, I just would like to know what that plan is. 

If may help you to know that we have been considering different 'calls' (if you are not LCMS and not sure what I mean by 'call', it's like a job offer to a pastor, for our situation, that the congregation feels God has lead them to a certain man to be their pastor. Then the pastor has to determine if he feels God is calling him to serve at that congregation.)  Since I have last posted (it has been a bit) my husband has received a total of three calls. He has currently turned down two of them and is still considering a third. This weekend we will visit the congregation and pray that God gives us many good clear signs on whether or not we are a fit for the congregation and if they are a fit for us. 

The part that is stressful  is the work that I know that I will possibly need to do at some point. It feels like a looming mountain that will be moved on top of me and I am just waiting for it. All the packing and organizing that goes with moving plus the decision itself bears down on my family. I like to have a head start on packing, so it is not stressful and as much of a crazy whirlwind when the possible moving day arrives. But on the other side, if I start gearing up for moving and we decide that God is not leading us to make this move, then I have to unpack, why do all the work to just undo it?  And then if there is another call, again.... Let's not go there. I will just deal with it if/when it happens.

The root of this stress for me is about being a good wife and mother. I seem to think the more I can do, the less stressful it is for my family. There is probably some truth to it. But if I am so stressed out about it all that I am making myself ill, what good am I? Then here is what I do next, this is crazy, ready for it?? I stress out about being ill. And I am sure you can guess, it only makes me feel worse.    These stresses are self imposed. I know it. It is challenging to get out of the cycle of stress and being stressed about the stress. It is a silly cycle and a sticky one.

The verses I shared earlier are good ones, even for where I am today.  Though, I have found these verses most encouraging to me in the past so today I focus on it again today:
 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Not being anxious is easier said than done. But by the Grace of God, it can happen. I am trusting God for whatever comes next, whether we move or not. And may He give me the strength to get all that I need to done to care for my family and His peace through it all. I am thankful for God's love, grace and peace, I would be total mess without it! 

   This tortoise doesn't seem to be stressed, though does carry his home with him...