Art Journaling

Yesterday was a snow day.

There was a crackling fire going

and coziness all around.

Got myself a comfy

place and actually

spent the

afternoon with my 

journal!

Are you...

 I have been

enjoying some

different journaling prompts

from Sabrina Ward Harrison lately.

I was feeling like

I kept writing

about the same things.

So I started my list...

"Some things I just love..."

 What do you love? or like? or wish?

or hope?

What are some Brave Dreams?

My word this year is 'Remain,'

so whenever I come across it, it jumps

out at me.  

I was reading John Maxwell's, 'Be All You Can Be,'

and my word came up as the definition

for Abide.  John 15, great chapter.

I was going to stop my list at 51, because 

I had just had my birthday, but

I had to keep going

it was inspiring

and fun.

Then I read it to my

teenager and she

started her list too.

 I have an old Bible from the 70's

that was my dad's.  The Berkely Translation, which

I'd never even heard of.

He was a preacher, so there's 

quite a bit that is 

underlined.  I have to underline

in it too, 'cause some verses are just popping

out at me!

I absolutely love

this translation of Hebrews 6:18 and 19

Bits and pieces add interest, these vocab

cards were an ebay find.

I really like making boxes.

They define my writing space.

 This is what my journal is for me...

A great reminder....

Always.

 Yep.

That's me.

My current journal.

My favorite books have blank white pages.

Off sizes are great.

I have to be able to open the pages

wide or bend them back.

Being able to sew on it

is an added plus.

So...Whatcha waitin' for?

Writing is soul therapy...

Journals are safe places.

I can art in them and no one

usually sees, so there's no

pressure that it has

to be right or beautiful on the

first go around.

From one Brave Girl to another...

grab the colored pencils, the glue,

those bits of cute paper...

and have a blessed day,

deedee

Remain

I finally settled on my word.

I've been mulling this one over

and it has continued to

pop up at me in different places,

so

Remain

it is!

The clincher was the book by 

Emily Freeman

"Grace for the Good Girl:

Letting Go of the Try-Hard Life"

I had a little time to spend at the bookstore

last week and got to sit with my pile 

of books for an hour or so.

I grabbed this book and there

was a whole chapter with my word!

I love her words, 

"...to remain in Him, means to

refuse to get up from His lap.  Jesus gives

us permission to remain still and 

to trust deeply that He will be

strong on our behalf."

A single mama by choice,

sometimes

the weight of it

all is just too much.

Am I doing enough right,

am I spiritually training,

or exhaustion training?

Am I teaching them

to worry like me

or to let God be in charge?

Do they

see how God takes care of us?

Do they see me sitting in His lap

or just striving?

This year I choose

to let

Jesus be

strong enough for me.

to remain.

and let go.

and let Him.

What a perfect reminder.

Enjoy the journey,

deedee

The Best Gift Ever!

My kids recorded a song for me for Christmas.

Absolutely Love it!

In Christ Alone

was a favorite song of my dad's.

I was traveling with

a friend and her 5 kids and we

stopped to see my parents in Oregon.

Picture 9 kids and mamas gathered

around my dad's bed singing.

Yep, tears.

And ever after, when this

song is played in church, it's hard not to cry.

That was the last visit my kids had

with grandpa.

Told ya, 

best gift ever!

In hope,

deedee

More Christmas Joy!

I guess I must love creating,

because yesterday

I kept squealing

at how cute 

everything kept

turning out!

Squeal a little,

it's Christmas!

deedee

Snowpeople and Glitter!

I really like my snowpeople!

I found these cans in

a garage at an

estate sale a few months ago

and pictured what

they could be.

Rusty, peeley,

broken,

a bit worn.

Kinda like me.

But add

a little joy,

some glitter

and fun,

and look how

they are repurposed.

I get to choose.

I choose joy.

And sparkle.

I tend to forget sometimes.

God made me,

my quirky,

weird,

sparkly self.

I hope people smile when

they think of me,

like I smile

when I see my 

weirdish-cute snowpeople,

Have a sparkly day,

deedee

'Tis the Season of Joy!

It's almost here!

You know that time when

we should 'extra remember,'

that Jesus

came so that

we might have

JOY!

more abundantly.

Here's a sampling of some Christmas cheer

I've been working on...

But my favorite holiday

of all comes first,

'Thanks' giving

The no pressure, cook and eat

'til you're stuffed and

then when you're playing

games, eat some dessert.

Then, when the die-hards are still

playing Scrabble

heat the leftovers!

Who doesn't love this holiday!

When my children were in elementary school,

We decorated a sheet around the edges

and put out fabric markers

so that people could write and draw

what they were thankful for, all over

the tablecloth!

It's a precious reminder year to year,

of who was with us, the kid's sense

of humor (and the adults!),

and what 

BLESSINGS

the Lord had bestowed 

on us that year.

This year I am extremely thankful for my mama.

I just got back from spending time with her.

  She has decided to downsize 

and move into a retirement village.

Let me backtrack and say that

my grandma had told me once when we were digging

around in her attic, that

my mom wasn't going to have anything to do 

when she was old, cause she hadn't saved

anything to sort.  Grandma was a keeper and my parents

had moved enough times, mama is a tosser.

Well...after a week of sorting, I'm glad that she's pared

down over the years!  There was plenty to sort.

 An organized tosser, saves

what's important and knows how to pack it in!

I had fun reading old letters and looking

at photos.  A reminder of the

blessed heritage I have. 

Godly parents

who taught what matters

and

LOVED

unconditionally.

She had a health scare a few weeks ago,

so I am ever grateful that she

is still with us and

that I was able to

take a week to be with her.

I am also thankful for

the 'adopted' mama's in my kid's lives

that cared for them

this past week.

I love you mom.

May grace and peace and thankfulness be yours,

deedee

The Faithfulness of the Lord

"The faithfulness

of the

Lord endures

forever."  Psalm 117

This verse jumped out at me

in my quiet time.

I love this gentle reminder.

Fret not, dear.

He's got this one.

...And that other one too.

And all those ones in the past.

Remember how He has carried you,

over and over.

I have the added blessing

of a Christian heritage,

so I love to recount the many

stories I've heard,

some of which I lived as a child, of

God's faithfulness.

Over and over, God has been incredibly faithful.

My little worries seem so insignificant

in the big picture.

The big picture that says,

write it down, lest you forget

what the Lord has done.

Talk about it.

Those boots that came to the post office

at 3:00 am, when my sister was

on her way to college in Canada,

and my dad actually checked to see if they

were there on their way out of town.

That financial gift that showed

up unexpectedly,

several times actually,

right when I needed it.

The Boy's Ranch 

http://mastersranch.org/  that saved

my son's life, and took him on such short

notice a few years ago.  And still prays for him and loves him.

Yes, Deedee, God

will supply all your needs

according to His riches

in glory.

All your needs.  

Thanks Lord for this gentle reminder today.

Health, Spiritual, Home, Family,

all your needs.

Are you worrying?  Do you have needs

in your life that you are hanging onto with fret?

God wants to carry those for you too.

You can live free.

Pray, it's enough.

Blessings,

deedee

Alley Cats n' Scaredy Cats!

Alley cats:

imperfect, scruffy, brave.

 This one is my favorite, love the mix of textures and 

patterns.

Hula cat is pretty cute too.

 They were fun to make and I like

how they are all so different.

 I have a house cat that loves the outdoors.

He's a bit of an alley cat.

I'm starting to lose track of the

number of birds I've found

in the house.  The most

recent startled me when I was

sorting laundry in the basement!

I was inspired by a blog from 

http://theadventuresofbluegirlxo.blogspot.com/

to make these fun black cats

for Halloween.  

I made a simple pattern, sewed them up

in muslin and then painted them black.

Digging in the fabric box and button

jar helped to add character.

'Cause I love character!

Perhaps I've got a bit of 'alley cat' in me.

Not the tough part, but I've

got a bit of a hobble from stubbing

my baby toe so many times,

got a tuft of hair sticking out more often than not, and 

I'm learning to be brave.

Deuteronomy 31:6 

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. 

I'd rather be an alley cat than a scaredy cat,

'cause I've got the promises of the Lord to carry me.

May your days be filled with courage and hope,

deedee

God, you are FAITHFUL!

Caught in the act.  The 'bloomin' act.

Do you remember my garden?

It grew!

My daughter captured these sunflower

photos.  I love the visual image as they are ready to open.

And they open, as God intended.

And bring beauty to their world.

Blooming in his time.

I think I can learn a lesson or two from

the sunflower~

In everything there is a season.

A time to laugh, a time to be born,

a time to dance, a time to love,

a time to forgive,

a time to mourn, a time to cherish

each moment God has given.

A time to substitute teach, aaah!  Just 

a little fear there!

And a time to make jewelry and other

cute things.  I am on a new schedule

this year since I chose to sub.

I'm enjoying having more hours in my day.  And yes,

I have thus far survived the subbing and

had a little fun too.

Here are some pictures from the most recent show at 

verasvintagedecorloveland.com

We didn't bring as much as usual, but it was

a great show.   And I didn't

have to drive the massive trailer.

I will be making more of these pumpkins for sure.  I

love how cute they turned out.  

~

What season are you in?  Are you bloomin?

Are you seeking God in  your life?

He is the master artist after all.

Isn't it fun to figure out what he created

you to be?

I feel like I am in a new season and I don't

exactly know what God is up to.  

But I do know that I am 

doing what he asked me to do.

I love being home with my kids after school.

I spent 2 years working a schedule that

sent me to work when they got home.

They've mentioned it too.  They like

that their mama is kind of like a 

stay at home mom. 

This makes me smile.  I've been canning and cooking

and cleaning and organizing and creating and subbing.

I worry though.  It is a joy-sucker, and in our Bible time yesterday,

our chapter was on the non-benefits of worry.  It does absolutely

no good.  Did worry bring brightness to our family?  Did it pay the bills?  Or

was that God, being FAITHFUL as he ALWAYS is?

Yep.  He is faithful.  I've seen it over and over and over.

Countless times in my life.  God carries me and leads me.

And brings me peace.

May your days be filled with grace and peace

as you go and bloom as he intended you to.

deedee