Christmas Vignettes Around the House {Heart at Home}

Just little bits and pieces from my home today…

Upper Level…

On the large tree: If you click to enlarge, you can see the diaper pins, one blue and one pink, from my two children’s diapers—yes we really used them (Pampers had just come into existence, but no way was I going to put paper diapers on my babies)…also the last pacifier (so it would’ve been Sharida’s) and two baby spoons, short one with curved handle was Mark’s, long one was Sharida’s. Tucked way inside by the trunk of the tree is a plastic book and a red firetruck, both from Mark’s first stocking.

On the tree in the music room, several of these little grand pianos.

In the music room, ready for singing around the piano, always a part of all our family gatherings.

Lower Level…

#ChristmasVignettes #HurryChristmas #ReadyforFamily

Sibling Christmas {Family Times}

This year our annual celebration was hosted at the home of my sister who is married to my husband’s brother (seriously-we have been married 51 years, they have been married 48 years). We were joined by my brother and wife (they live in Illinois).

Our celebration always includes the reading of the Christmas story from Luke 2 (Daddy always read it until he passed in 1988; since then, my brother reads it). As is our custom, we sing Christmas carols at their relevant places in the story.

We still draw names and enjoy the gift exchange. I hope we always do this.

We always take “family pictures” by the tree (a tradition in the Wilson family passed down from my Mamo and Grandad Wilson).

Russell and Barbara Ford

David and Janene Ford

Keith and Michele Wilson

After Mother’s death in 2013, we found our childhood stockings (from grandparents’ Christmases) in Mother’s things. They were handmade by our aunts and Mamo Wilson, and they hung over the fireplace at Mamo and Grandad’s all our growing-up years. Now, we take turns being the Stocking Santa and filling the stockings with nostalgic items like pick-up sticks, paddle ball, jacks, and candy like Bit o’Honey and ribbon candy. And, because our Mamo-and-Grandad stockings always included a tangerine or an orange (in the toe), so do ours!

We love traditions, as they remind us of the fabric from which we are made, and it gives us reason to celebrate our bond of family love, for which we thank our Heavenly Father.

#SiblingChristmas2016 #FamilyTies #Traditions #VintageStockings

Thankful for Christmas {Gratitude52 Art Journal}

The Gratitude52 Journal Prompt #49 is “illustrate your gratitude for the holidays.” I am thankful for Christmas for many reasons. I love the spirit of giving that I see more at this time of year.

I am thankful mostly that Christmas is the celebration of the coming to earth of Jesus, who was born as a baby into this world so that he could live, fully as man, while maintaining his Deity, to die as redemption for the sins of mankind, offering the gift of salvation to all those who will accept the gift of grace, by faith.

(Note: I did not sketch this piece. It is a stamp that I painted with watercolor. I applied a digital border to the photo, using Pxlr Express.)

#Gratitude52Journal #Gratitude52Community #G52Prompt49 #PennyBlackStamp #NeoColorIICrayons

Thankful for Warmth {Gratitude52 Art Journal}

This is Prompt #48 out of 52 for 2016. Only four more to go!

Yes, I am thankful for warmth. I do think about that every winter. I think maybe that is one of those blessings that I do not often take for granted (there are many that I do, sadly).

A year or so ago, I learned of this happening in some city parks: People tie hand-knit scarves around the trees in the park, and anyone who needs a warm scarf can take one. I love the idea. I did an art piece on this about a year ago, and for this prompt on “Warmth,” I decided to create another one. I sketched with pencil and then painted with acrylic paint.

Interestingly, PRIOR to receiving the prompt from Gratitude52 Community for this week, I was thinking about being thankful for warmth, and a couple of weeks ago, I posted this on our Family Wall. My children/grandchildren were fascinated.

#ThankfulTuesday As the weather really does finally turn wintry, I am thankful for a warm house. I can remember the times when the only warm place in the house was right in front of the gas stove. Felt great while there, but when I ventured away from it, it was SO COLD. We would put our PJ's on top of the stove to warm them up before changing, to give us a little added warmth while we ran to our beds and jumped under the covers. True.

#Gratitude52Journal #Gratitude52Community #G52Prompt48 #ThankfulForWarmth #artjournal #acrylicpaint #SweaterTrees

His Name {Bible Art Journaling}

I am currently studying the second week of the advent lessons in “God With Us” from Love God Greatly. This Bible study is well-written, inspirational and affirming. I highly recommend the studies from this ministry. They offer ongoing studies that are free, accessible on their blog and on device apps. This time, I purchased the study journal from Amazon, as I wanted the physical book, although I could have printed it at no cost, from the web site. I also like the fact that this is a non-profit group, so when I purchase the journal from Amazon, the proceeds go directly back into the ministry. They provide translations of the study in several languages, and I love that as well.

During the first week of the study, I was reminded of the prophecies of the coming of the Messiah. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in the actual “Christmas story,” the telling of the story of Mary and Joseph, the birth of Jesus, the stable, the shepherds, the angels, the wise men—that I forget how important it is to realize that this baby was the fulfillment of prophecies throughout the Old Testament.

The Love God Greatly studies use the SOAP method: Scripture (write it out), Observations from the passage, Applications from the Scripture, and Prayer over what has been learned that day.

Here are some of my SOAP notes for the first week:

God is in control of His creation, and He had a plan from the beginning (Genesis). The penalty for the sin of man was overcome by the plan of redemption, through the Messiah.

From Isaiah 9:6 (my Bible art passage), I observed a royal birth announcement of One who would be the Messiah; He would be a counselor (how awesome is that!); He would BE God; He would be eternal; He would be the definition of peace.

This Messiah, to be born of a virgin, was predicted 700 years before the birth. In my notes, I paired this part of the study with a quote from a sermon by my son, Mark Ford, December 6, 2015: “Who you believe Jesus to be will determine who you are—and it will determine not only your identity, but your eternity.”

Lastly, at the conclusion of the week, attention was drawn to the adjectives in the listing of the names of the coming Messiah.

My thoughts:
Wonderful – He is awe-inspiring.
Mighty – He is all-powerful.
Everlasting – He is eternal.
Prince – He is on the throne.

I love all the Bible passages about the names of Jesus. Simply repeating this verse, “His name shall be called…” gives me a sense of peace and joy.

“For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulders, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” 
– Isaiah 9:6

#Advent2016 #GodWithUs #LoveGodGreatly #Messiah #NamesofJesus #HisNameShallBeCalled #BibleArtJournaling #ScriptureArt #Illustrated Faith

Blessed Thanksgiving 2016 {Family Times}

This year we were blessed to have more of our family with us than usual. Our son and daughter-in-law were here from Washington state, our grandson and his wife from Kansas City, our daughter and her son from southwest Missouri. Our son’s daughter is serving as a missionary in another country; our daughter’s daughter had to work.

After the company had all departed, we put up our Christmas trees.

#Thanksgiving2016 #familytimeisthebesttime #soveryblessed

Thankful for Thanksgiving {Gratitude52 Art Journal}

Prompt #46 for the Gratitude52 Art Journal Challenge is to illustrate your thankfulness for Thanksgiving. For so many reasons, I am thankful for this holiday.

I chose to revert to my days of using the art form of mixed media to create a page about Thanksgiving, using a copy of a hymn from a hymnal I have on hand.

Yes, Thanksgiving is all about WHO we are to thank, not so much about all the things we have (although we should be thankful for those things as well). So, I chose this hymn to use, even though it is not one I have ever sung, as far as I remember. I love the title, “In Thanksgiving, Let Us Praise Him.”

Thanksgiving has always meant time with family, for me. It is a time for feasting, and a time to be with family as we are all thankful together—thankful for God’s gift of His Son, and thankful that He gave us each other to family with!

This year, most of my family will gather at our home for our traditional Thanksgiving Dinner. We will love our time together, missing those who cannot be here, but focusing our attention on our reasons for giving thanks.

(Maybe I’ll post a few pictures from our together time.)

Happy Thanksgiving!

#Gratitude52Journal #Gratitude52Community #G52Prompt46 #Thanksgiving #mixedmedia #artjournal #family

 

Thankful for Courage {Gratitude52 Art Journal}

This is week 45/52 of the Gratitude52 Journal Challenge. I’m determined to do all 52, and I’m glad I’m not behind!! Only 7 more to go!

There are several people that are in my close family that I could put forth as wonderful examples of courage. So best not to get started with trying to name, or illustrate, any one of them, because there is not just one!

So, I opted for a general illustration of the word itself, accompanied by one of my favorite Scripture passages about courage.

(This style of art is inspired by K Dornacher)

#Gratitude52Journal #Gratitude52Community #G52Prompt45 #watercolor

Advent Bible Study {GraceNotes}

For my personal Bible Study time, I usually have several things going on simultaneously, and I draw from at least one of these on most days.

I am currently working in Beth Moore’s Entrusted. I do the Beth Moore studies independently, and it usually takes me a few months to work through from start to finish.

I always am blessed beyond measure by the Beth Moore studies, and I highly recommend them.

Additionally, I like to watch and listen to the videos of my son’s sermons as a resource for in-depth understanding of Scripture. I access these at his church web site, here.

In recent years, I have learned to enjoy doing a special Bible study for Advent. I have found one that I can highly recommend; it starts November 28, and I am excitedly looking forward to participating. The study is called “God With Us.” I have ordered the print book from Amazon, but by signing up on the Love God Greatly website, you can receive free access to the download of the study journal, as well as email posts during the four weeks of the study.

“Love God Greatly” is a non-profit organization, and they have ongoing Bible studies. You can read about their studies on their web site.

#Advent #AdventBibleStudy #GodWithUs #LoveGodGreatly #BethMoore #Entrusted #FirstBaptistChurchLongviewWA #MarkFord

Thankful That He Holds My Future {Gratitude52 Art Journal}

I am plugging along, determined to finish the 52 weeks of Gratitude Journal art. This is Prompt #44/52, so I think I can make it. It is more challenging to create something every single week in a year, following the challenge “prompts,” than I thought it would be. Prompt #44 is to illustrate gratitude for “Future Plans.”

In this season of our lives, my husband and I try to stay flexible in planning the future. We talk a lot about where we want to be, where we want to go, how we want to get there, and so forth. But we want to stay open so that we can jump on it, if we think of something new and different than we had ever considered in all of our discussions. That’s one advantage of being retired and healthy (thank you, Lord)!

The one thing we DO know, and that never wavers, as we think about our Future Plans, is this:

We know that God knows the plans HE has for us.

And we know that those plans are good.

Those plans are awesome.

Those plans will make us prosper.

Those plans are to bring us hope.

Those plans will bring us a real FUTURE.

Hallelujah and Amen!

#Gratitude52Journal #GratitudeJournal #Gratitude52Community #journalsketch #Jeremiah29 #futureplans #G52Prompt44

Enjoying an Autumn Day

Still experiencing a bit of what we used to call “Indian Summer” in Missouri. It’s cool enough to be comfortable and yet much warmer than usual at this time of year.

My hubby has been clearing areas of our five acres, and with the wind calm today, he burned a big brush pile. I kept him company for a while, after I put this new vegetable soup recipe in the crock pot to simmer for the day. 

#FallisMyFavoriteSeason #CrockpotVegetableBeefSoup #BurningBrushPiles

Thankful for Community {Gratitude52 Journal}

Prompt #43 for the Gratitude52 Journal is to illustrate your gratitude for community. My first thought was my church community. That reminded me of the verse in Hebrews 10:25 that instructs us not to neglect meeting together.

#BibleArtJournaling #IllustratedFaith #Gratitude52Journal #G52Prompt 43 #Gratitude52Community #gorjussstamps #watercolor #faithart #ScriptureArt