tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48674123708782463522024-03-14T14:02:57.319-07:00FAITHfull heART...sharing my heart and my art...Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15515359557758582980noreply@blogger.comBlogger1048125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867412370878246352.post-21435730308829178132024-03-14T13:53:00.001-07:002024-03-14T14:02:26.358-07:00Sometimes It’s the “Little Things” <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIQPKNZpICpmpkwlJFWhBmAXLj-fw_o5e7BuRCA2DBjoBM0XbZaU0wbjmgR1LmDuwzDUKNiqR-lw4x8ga_EbVSbK8y9r-qQwtARb6v6rCHl2-Td0uswxjUDAAZ_BnfYsq5jNDHKznVGScRXpgvHJWAbdajlAMd13Mk2RiJ5jbX8_t1hOt5sy1Np5v/s2655/IMG_7229.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2655" data-original-width="2219" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIQPKNZpICpmpkwlJFWhBmAXLj-fw_o5e7BuRCA2DBjoBM0XbZaU0wbjmgR1LmDuwzDUKNiqR-lw4x8ga_EbVSbK8y9r-qQwtARb6v6rCHl2-Td0uswxjUDAAZ_BnfYsq5jNDHKznVGScRXpgvHJWAbdajlAMd13Mk2RiJ5jbX8_t1hOt5sy1Np5v/w334-h400/IMG_7229.jpeg" width="334" /></a></div><br /><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">For whatever reason, and whether or not it’s a good thing, I am typically a deep thinker. Sometimes I wish that were not true. On any given day I could probably write several pages based on the deep thoughts I am having that day. It seems like I’m always looking for “the deeper meaning” in most every circumstance.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">Now and then I remind myself to “chill,” and to let my mind rest. Then I can take a deep breath and recognize and appreciate the little things.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">Like, yesterday evening I enjoyed a “cafe con crema.” When we were visiting our family in Argentina many years ago, I discovered that espresso drink (espresso with heavy, stiff whipped cream), but here in the States I hadn’t been able to replicate it without the work of actually whipping heavy cream (and being sure to use it before it spoiled). We recently found the Land O Lakes whipped cream that comes in a can like Reddi Wip and really is like heavy whipping cream. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">So with my Nespresso machine, using a Lungo capsule, and topping it with that heavy cream, voila! Same as cafe con crema in Argentina. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJGkOiqDOGkdENlwSgPKPn0eQX9FHms8N_NRbZJVBlzyRYOv60jVdjPrtTkgTwpXe6j_uNEyGznW5NVwXLSWN_uZ_kNikxHNTtNiFELKN1HFOHb2ru4lBu7UCbTmXB1C29Sxl_tDJkDv-wk5GWGZHxbfcFpuFsioQ9UJeOyjzenAGvM4Op8EE3T6-/s2850/IMG_7226.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2735" data-original-width="2850" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJGkOiqDOGkdENlwSgPKPn0eQX9FHms8N_NRbZJVBlzyRYOv60jVdjPrtTkgTwpXe6j_uNEyGznW5NVwXLSWN_uZ_kNikxHNTtNiFELKN1HFOHb2ru4lBu7UCbTmXB1C29Sxl_tDJkDv-wk5GWGZHxbfcFpuFsioQ9UJeOyjzenAGvM4Op8EE3T6-/w400-h384/IMG_7226.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">A little thing, but it makes me smile.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;">Today I was able to complete the Kingfisher art piece that I started a couple of days ago. That means it didn’t end up in the trash can. I have heard “real” artists talk about their art going through “the ugly duckling” stage, and it does happen to me on almost every piece. But if I stick with it through that stage, and actually keep on until it’s finished, it’s a good feeling. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">It’s a little thing, but it’s a feeling of accomplishment that I like.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">So, here in this writing is my evidence that I really can keep it simple sometimes and “bask” in the enjoyment of some “little things.”</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">#littlethings #cafeconcrema #nespresso #espresso #kingfisher #kingfisherwatercolor #watercolor</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15515359557758582980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867412370878246352.post-16933187459476648122024-03-04T13:24:00.000-08:002024-03-05T16:30:31.254-08:00On This Date: March 4, 1956 (Turning Point in My Family's History)<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;">Today, March 4, 2024, marks the 68th
anniversary of a significant event in my personal family history. On that date,
March 4,1956, my father acknowledged and accepted God’s call to become a
preacher. He was almost 30. I was almost 9, the oldest of four (later to become
five). And, yes, I remember it well.</span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">His decision on that date was even
more dramatic against the backdrop of his life to that point: he had started
drinking in high school, and after entering the Army Air Corps in World War II,
had become an alcoholic.</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjnkXhm1C_Rtpt144FqAxIa6mDXqMp2J9Go2YvP5aLRxoB-_76P27ItwhpLjoG01mrih_CSmmVJhZT2dJ2Tf_3jSAVygo1bUg820RLZh1sXK64-eJq09L5ZVj7E3wqCohX4BLKfmfbQHkO1JKzaU1cvHTzaENNNLCBoA8JtCoY83eAbpRid-v-mugR/s392/1954%20family.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="392" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjnkXhm1C_Rtpt144FqAxIa6mDXqMp2J9Go2YvP5aLRxoB-_76P27ItwhpLjoG01mrih_CSmmVJhZT2dJ2Tf_3jSAVygo1bUg820RLZh1sXK64-eJq09L5ZVj7E3wqCohX4BLKfmfbQHkO1JKzaU1cvHTzaENNNLCBoA8JtCoY83eAbpRid-v-mugR/w400-h325/1954%20family.jpg" title="Our Family Before Daddy's Decision" width="400" /></span></a></div><div align="center"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
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<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br />Our family in 1954, before Daddy's decision</span></p>
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<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><td style="padding: 0in;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: black; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">I remember with sadness (and still
some tears) those early days of my childhood with an alcoholic father. But I
also remember the day, shortly after February 29,1956, when he came into the
kitchen and said to his three daughters and baby son, “How would you kids like
to have a preacher for a daddy?” A preacher’s kid? Are you kidding? No longer
the embarrassing taunts from neighbors’ kids about how they were not allowed to
play with us because of our father’s condition (often passed out)? “Yes! I
would love it!," I remember answering. </span></div><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I never complained about, and was
always thankful for, being a “preacher’s kid.” I had been something else, and I
knew the miracle that had happened in our lives.</span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Daddy had made the choice to turn his
life over to God, a poignant story I’ll save for another time, a few days
before March 4 (on February 29, 1956). At that time, he had promised God that
if He would take away from him the desire to drink, he would do anything God
asked. Daddy didn’t expect God’s response: God asked for his service in the
ministry.</span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Here is an excerpt from “My Life Story”:</span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">__________<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -1.5in -1.0in -.5in 30.0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">March 4,
1956<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -1.5in -1.0in -.5in 30.0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Daddy
surrendered to the ministry at the First Baptist Church, West Helena, Arkansas,
where Mother and we four children had attended regularly. Shortly thereafter Daddy
preached his first sermon. I can remember seeing him come into the front yard
that morning, having returned from preaching his first sermon. It was the
happiest I had seen him. I think he knew that he COULD do what God was asking
him to do.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -1.5in -1.0in -.5in 30.0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">[Added March
4, 2011: Email from Mother to Janene, Keith and me: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It was 55 years ago today (on a Sunday night) that he went with us to
church, & when Bro. [Wilson] Deese gave the invitation, he went forward and
announced that he was surrendering to God’s call to be a preacher!!<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">When I asked for more detail, Mother wrote: W<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hen I looked up, as Daddy came back from
talking to Bro. Deese [at the front of the church, during the “invitation,”], I
saw that he was crying. The thought came to me that I couldn't remember
any other time seeing Daddy cry. Bro. Deese told the audience that "Red
Wilson is coming tonight saying that he feels that the Lord is calling him to
preach".<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In the next couple of days, Bro. Deese
came to our house and sat down and talked with Daddy for quite awhile. I
think Bro. Deese talked to Daddy that day about going to college.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">__________<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfNbf8qUiDL24oxK0zSE5tgca_KEJ7R_TrkHHpnhPCtn32PydudhDaOpPcTYCTfygPkOBh1kK3FHDlqzjV-a0j_TBrYhqNaEr5AFi8o72MhNpj6IXPr4pN2RsqAI__WPz5Tsrp6d7rcuYqWXlXMNJYemYYa9k5N116NulWEIjnFgAbptb4KfjFtX6X/s380/family%20summer%201956.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="380" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfNbf8qUiDL24oxK0zSE5tgca_KEJ7R_TrkHHpnhPCtn32PydudhDaOpPcTYCTfygPkOBh1kK3FHDlqzjV-a0j_TBrYhqNaEr5AFi8o72MhNpj6IXPr4pN2RsqAI__WPz5Tsrp6d7rcuYqWXlXMNJYemYYa9k5N116NulWEIjnFgAbptb4KfjFtX6X/w400-h391/family%20summer%201956.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Our family in Summer 1956</span></p>
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<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
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<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">So, Daddy and Mother, and we four kids
moved to Arkadelphia, Arkansas, later that same year, for Daddy to attend
Ouachita Baptist College, to prepare for ministry. He began preaching wherever
he could find the opportunity, and became pastor of his first church while
still in college, in August 1956. Daddy graduated from college in three
years, with a major in New Testament Greek and straight A’s on his transcript.</span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjU-DFbyXs2ZbQZ-xxJiGtlOMe2PEDNf82GKB8OoPZSSkfGwmJOemCPODu52NKGrjmS8XwvPHMDGELJWDMSSo5NWzP3uNqFcpmyG9GfuzxhkN_1wXm0gyp5ZU8KrurpMGgGxrdFGB-aM1RIo5HhKokLIEzqxG1dkR4PPMXgFBBIXXqGS0HgXpktrfE/s402/jessieville%20church.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="402" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjU-DFbyXs2ZbQZ-xxJiGtlOMe2PEDNf82GKB8OoPZSSkfGwmJOemCPODu52NKGrjmS8XwvPHMDGELJWDMSSo5NWzP3uNqFcpmyG9GfuzxhkN_1wXm0gyp5ZU8KrurpMGgGxrdFGB-aM1RIo5HhKokLIEzqxG1dkR4PPMXgFBBIXXqGS0HgXpktrfE/w400-h393/jessieville%20church.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />Jessieville Baptist Church, Jessieville, Arkansas, 1958</div><br /></span><p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnByTswf3TkA2FBKRkE26pvJlstb1AXjCYa9EVCZRvEXfPy6GnDkPdxJcWQNK3pUQBsC8IYowuIi4qN2Xy3cnxxw88P_OXRui8QCe-B2yziCMshAWc3dLoqAuYZ39fO6eSZ6fe-0cXEuBxne44fRSRZmIHadFoE7aCDe1Em_hTaoOztcD_JUG8Hgcv/s405/daddy%20preaching%201958.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="405" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnByTswf3TkA2FBKRkE26pvJlstb1AXjCYa9EVCZRvEXfPy6GnDkPdxJcWQNK3pUQBsC8IYowuIi4qN2Xy3cnxxw88P_OXRui8QCe-B2yziCMshAWc3dLoqAuYZ39fO6eSZ6fe-0cXEuBxne44fRSRZmIHadFoE7aCDe1Em_hTaoOztcD_JUG8Hgcv/w400-h386/daddy%20preaching%201958.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6w286ffA0NwO1Zt2M8qGb7LtHaOmUCp8BMz123CmGZCjG2t7sBwNIb88ORTom1ku_yGAGlx4__H9rAkq8CMSlKZDoOJxc9xpvNhYRQ3wHJiXz54AInZgDOJueY7wPWHTjcJDhAgezV68AfPmZn4A-mOyzdt8KhGqWJSod3l-VNrHZIu61MI7ZT0Q/s344/daddy%20college%20grad%201960.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="255" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6w286ffA0NwO1Zt2M8qGb7LtHaOmUCp8BMz123CmGZCjG2t7sBwNIb88ORTom1ku_yGAGlx4__H9rAkq8CMSlKZDoOJxc9xpvNhYRQ3wHJiXz54AInZgDOJueY7wPWHTjcJDhAgezV68AfPmZn4A-mOyzdt8KhGqWJSod3l-VNrHZIu61MI7ZT0Q/w296-h400/daddy%20college%20grad%201960.jpg" width="296" /></span></a></div><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">From Daddy comes my love of learning<br /></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My two sisters and I began singing, first
in two-part harmony and then shortly thereafter in three-part harmony, and we
sang “special music” a lot of times when Daddy preached. Thus began the
important role of music in our lives, that continues to this day, in my
siblings and our children and grandchildren.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Other than how my young little life changed dramatically on March 4, 1956, how
was that date a <i>turning point</i> in my personal history? It was because
Daddy followed God’s call to be a preacher that, when he finished college, he began
looking for a church to pastor in Missouri, where he could continue his studies
at a seminary (Midwestern). The church that called Daddy to be their pastor was Pleasant
Hill Baptist Church, Jefferson City, Missouri.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_gKNP370lTrk7tca31ZgyVYr-V6z9TY8UuQv2KL-5fiMQfiYNKC_VOCmP7_kWRs3eTo9qrf9bugVQ5KZGnKr8-Dv1awNPtp4uwIuihCOrbf-qPgRmZiGMOabMje6QytCNvPkmwSNIb9JKKQe50HvPqxjeWA5tf5D5VTRHbNOKzYazrwzYE3S1pawV/s400/phbc%201959.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="388" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_gKNP370lTrk7tca31ZgyVYr-V6z9TY8UuQv2KL-5fiMQfiYNKC_VOCmP7_kWRs3eTo9qrf9bugVQ5KZGnKr8-Dv1awNPtp4uwIuihCOrbf-qPgRmZiGMOabMje6QytCNvPkmwSNIb9JKKQe50HvPqxjeWA5tf5D5VTRHbNOKzYazrwzYE3S1pawV/w388-h400/phbc%201959.jpg" width="388" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, Jefferson City, MO, 1959</span></div>
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</tbody></table><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In that little church there was a
wonderful family named Ford. They had four children as well: three boys and a
girl. Daddy’s first day as pastor there was June 28, 1959. That evening, after
church, I staked my territory (remember, I had two sisters). “The oldest Ford
boy is mine,” I said. That was the day I met and fell in love with that
stinkin’ cute Russell Ford (he was 14; I was 12). My sister Janene is 15 months younger than I. She later
fell in love with another of the Ford boys, David, and they got married three
years after we did.</span></span></div><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhInON7H3NMb2opXXYJ9HznJP4YgbGmPbmbxS_U0G2t-HWCe7H8CObzGq78O_B7lxveszYDUyfGHfbkasxRxKhSKufGeCF01A9VDfHXZh1qvKwfNpICdkw3BJXxCNFo5ZbcuZJoqtZRUsBxnCKQ1U3dK5zC_wAJKo963tAt4ktzAlx-nhFcp_IERKuJ/s413/russ%201960.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="303" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhInON7H3NMb2opXXYJ9HznJP4YgbGmPbmbxS_U0G2t-HWCe7H8CObzGq78O_B7lxveszYDUyfGHfbkasxRxKhSKufGeCF01A9VDfHXZh1qvKwfNpICdkw3BJXxCNFo5ZbcuZJoqtZRUsBxnCKQ1U3dK5zC_wAJKo963tAt4ktzAlx-nhFcp_IERKuJ/w294-h400/russ%201960.jpg" width="294" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br />The love of my life, 1960</span></div>
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</tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">So, because Daddy turned his life over
to God, accepted God’s call to be a preacher, followed God’s call to college,
to his first pastorate, and then to Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Missouri, I
met the man God had ordained for me. And because of that, we have had a
wonderful marriage for 58 years so far, two wonderful children (Mark
and Sharida), and our four wonderful grandchildren (Tory and Conner, Alyssa and
Dawson), wonderful spouses for my children and grandchildren, and three incredibly awesome great-grandchildren.</span></div>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But beyond that, I am overwhelmed with
thoughts of how my children have influenced so many lives for God’s kingdom,
including our son who is a pastor and church-planter, our grandson who is a
pastor, our missionary granddaughter, our daughter who has a ministry as a high
school counselor in a public school and works with young girls in a ministry
program as well.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And what about Daddy, after that
turning-point day? The first thing I remember was that he no longer wanted to be called “Red Wilson.” He said he wanted a different name, to go with his new identity. After that, he was known by his actual name, R.V. Wilson. He went on to pastor four small churches, all while he was also
an educator (teacher, principal, and eventually Director of Teacher
Certification for Missouri). </span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So, he may have been your pastor, or your teacher,
or your principal, or he may have signed your teaching certificate (he was all of
that to me). For several years, he had a significant leadership role in
Alcoholics Anonymous. Think of all those areas of influence just in his own
personal life, based on that turning-point decision.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And how will the story continue? Only
God knows. There are other stories through experiences of my siblings (my brother Keith and my
sister Janene and her husband David) and their ministries, and prayerfully, through experiences of my husband and myself. </span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The story continues
through everyone whose lives have been positively affected by anyone in my family
since Daddy’s decision in 1956—and their stories are ongoing, too… I know there
are SO many people, and so, the story is never-ending.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That’s why I say March 4,1956, was a
turning point in my family’s history.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Even though we cannot know all the
ways the story will continue through the generations, the origin of the story
will never change.<br />
</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><br />
I am a thankful child of God—a thankful daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. </span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">I’m thankful that God called Daddy. </span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">I’m thankful that Daddy was
willing to answer (even though he was not educated and far from a public speaker--God equipped him and he became a sought-after speaker at public events). </span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">I’m thankful that God allowed me to personally witness the
awesome miracle of a changed life. </span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">And I’m thankful that the changed life positively
impacted history from his time forward. </span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><b>That’s the way it works.</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">One thing about growing older, you
know: you have the special perspective of looking back and actually seeing how
God “works all things together for good.”<br />
<br />
God performed a miracle in my family. He did that. He is still the same God.
But it has always been true that it comes down to a personal and individual choice.
Daddy “chose wisely.”<br />
<br />
And what about you? Are you making decisions with your life today that will
affect generations to come (infinitely)? The answer is yes, you are. The deeper
question to ponder is whether your decisions today will leave a positive or a
negative legacy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Romans 8:28: <i>“And we know that <b>all</b> <b>things</b> <b>work</b> <b>together</b> <b>for
good</b> to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his
purpose.”</i></span></span><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><b>TO GOD BE THE GLORY!</b></i></span></span></p>Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15515359557758582980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867412370878246352.post-59977527717409138932024-03-01T13:57:00.001-08:002024-03-01T14:05:20.990-08:00Coming Soon (the Hope of Spring)<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">For most of my adult life, I had a ready answer for, “What’s your favorite season?” Hands-down, it was Fall. Where I lived for most of my life, Fall signaled the end of a hot and humid summer and promised cool and crisp evenings to be enjoyed beside a wood-burning fireplace. I looked forward to sweaters and sweatshirts, apple pie and cinnamon baked goods, and cozy meals like chili and cheese suppers. </font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">The maple trees in the woods where we lived for a lot of years would turn yellow and orange and deep burgundy. My favorite flowers were autumn flowers, like mums. </font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">If we still lived in Missouri, Fall would still be my favorite season (it’s the season of my heart!). </font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">But now that we live in the Pacific Northwest, Fall signals the start of the Rainy Season, months on end of cold, dreary days and almost daily rainfall.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);">Here in the PNW, I have to say that my favorite season is Spring. Spring brings the promise of the end of the relentless cold and rainy days. A</span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);">s Spring approaches, there are some days of Sunshine (welcome euphoria), and then during Spring and Summer, the climate is like paradise, with days on end of sunshine (and almost no extreme heat or humidity!). </span></span></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white;"><br /></span></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white;"> When we go for walks, we need sunscreen instead of an umbrella! </span></font></div><div><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white;"><br /></span></font></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);">During the Spring season, we put flowers out on our patio. We turn on the fountain that draws some little birdies for drinks and baths. Even though we say we’re not going to do it again this year, we get new bird feeders (on order </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">as we speak)</span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"> and fill them with sunflower chips. (Birds are the “wildlife” I get to see in my yard out here in the PNW, not to be confused with squirrels and deer and rabbits and groundhogs in our woods in Missouri!) </span></span></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);">So, yeah, come on little goldfinch and house finch and orchard orioles and chickadees…</span></span></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white;"><br /></span></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: large;">So, yes, at this place and time in my life, Spring is my favorite season.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white;"><br /></span></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white;">The calendar says it’s not Spring yet. But I know it’s coming. So the hope of Spring is already in my mind, and that helps. Being in the mindset of the promise of Spring, for my watercolor subjects, I gravitate to flowers like tulips and daffodils.</span></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white;"><br /></span></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitClppxZPVmnpm-u-kRjOFqQ6i3mND6xv3coGcm7xumMac0FWkxJ9WwDvN8ke8VnfhKysi4OWVOlfNt3kPdkdSJCDoLmD_gR9ivo7zSOB1QuKF_jRrgNDbgku3cKXCPZkFtDbYzHllAEAJFLCnAv_rNEHHzJnHlsnvWekJ0-T6PjHpUTwPesJoFWKr/s2357/IMG_7185.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2357" data-original-width="2270" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitClppxZPVmnpm-u-kRjOFqQ6i3mND6xv3coGcm7xumMac0FWkxJ9WwDvN8ke8VnfhKysi4OWVOlfNt3kPdkdSJCDoLmD_gR9ivo7zSOB1QuKF_jRrgNDbgku3cKXCPZkFtDbYzHllAEAJFLCnAv_rNEHHzJnHlsnvWekJ0-T6PjHpUTwPesJoFWKr/w385-h400/IMG_7185.jpeg" width="385" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw4o_wfags0QrHpjtIhg3MoTMpVJghJYzmJY4za6TxVufyJgPrxSFo1R6vw1BHv28QzaeQBP7idfoQK-HqCKa8ITBl04iWVbWd5yLf5I0NW3OErMEJRaUyeMt8xsTxao8h8Z1DGArRczWgnT785spD6c16lFhD12967sJ2EPJP0fBArCSG2vNW4ym6/s3056/IMG_7188.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2827" data-original-width="3056" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw4o_wfags0QrHpjtIhg3MoTMpVJghJYzmJY4za6TxVufyJgPrxSFo1R6vw1BHv28QzaeQBP7idfoQK-HqCKa8ITBl04iWVbWd5yLf5I0NW3OErMEJRaUyeMt8xsTxao8h8Z1DGArRczWgnT785spD6c16lFhD12967sJ2EPJP0fBArCSG2vNW4ym6/w400-h370/IMG_7188.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white;"><br /></span></font></div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>“What does the Bible say about Spring? This season is a time of warming weather and nature coming back to life. As flowers bloom and animals are born, we are reminded of the innocence and beauty that exists in this world and that there is new life all around us. As Christians, we are given new life and new mercies every morning. Spring provides a wonderful reminder to us that we should be living a full life and leaving the old dead parts of life behind. There is always hope during the coldest, darkest winters of life. Spring will come and new life will come forth!“</i> - from BibleStudyTools.com</div></font></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white; color: #2563eb; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>Song of Solomon 2:11-12</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.</i></span></div><div><div class="p-3 md:py-5 text-xl md:text-2xl" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white; border-color: rgb(229, 231, 235); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 2rem; padding: 1.25rem 0.75rem;"><div class="bible-verses" style="border-color: rgb(229, 231, 235); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="leading-8 transition-colors rounded my-1" style="border-color: rgb(229, 231, 235); border-radius: 0.25rem; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 2rem; margin-bottom: 0.25rem; margin-top: 0.25rem; text-align: center; transition-duration: 0.15s; transition-property: color, background-color, border-color, text-decoration-color, fill, stroke; transition-timing-function: cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i>#Spring #EndofRainySeason #daffodils #tulips #sunshine #watercolor #watercolordaffodil #watercolortulip </i></b></span></div></div></div></div>Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15515359557758582980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867412370878246352.post-65389060205839073372024-02-22T19:37:00.001-08:002024-02-22T19:43:21.667-08:00“Too Tight,” “Too Loose” or “Just Right?”<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: large;">In the classic fairy tale of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” the familiar tale is told of finding the “just right” in the middle of two extremes. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">This tale came to my mind recently as I was once again experimenting with different styles of watercolor painting. Now that I have been painting for about three years, I kind of know the style that feels more comfortable for me. Still, it’s kind of fun to try other styles sometimes. I might find a style I like better, but if I don’t, then at least I have a new “commitment” to the style I already thought was “me.”</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">As I see the extremes in watercolor style, the continuum goes from extremely loose and abstract, where you have to hope the artist’s title of the piece will tell you what the subject is (“poppies in a field” or some such). </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">Then there is a myriad of levels of “loose” painting, and as the levels travel more to the other extreme, the subjects are obvious, but the artwork is not intended to be mistaken for a photograph! </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">Then the extreme style, on the other end of the spectrum from the extremely loose type, is a detailed, realistic style, where when taken all the way out, the artwork actually CAN be mistaken for a photograph.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">I have never wanted to even try the extremely loose style. But a lot of my work has certainly been closer to “loose” than it is to “realistic.”</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">Here are some of my recent examples:</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil4ydjgE2x2SA-3eoBXFMJTec5yVvRL3LhCT6iTfvV9ZWzAE1nnQq4Wf5Oy3OhrVi5bZKKvMxCdNUB-Xk3dFBTc9IpX9Ze-aEEfD6N4b2gywwP3ElkRUSC7Z3bNsnHwZEDDHoUgiwjzhUAZtgD7KPHoGXYGWPiapyPGDnDk0_K9CKm5tAp1X15jFY5/s4032/IMG_7161.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil4ydjgE2x2SA-3eoBXFMJTec5yVvRL3LhCT6iTfvV9ZWzAE1nnQq4Wf5Oy3OhrVi5bZKKvMxCdNUB-Xk3dFBTc9IpX9Ze-aEEfD6N4b2gywwP3ElkRUSC7Z3bNsnHwZEDDHoUgiwjzhUAZtgD7KPHoGXYGWPiapyPGDnDk0_K9CKm5tAp1X15jFY5/w400-h300/IMG_7161.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>This is about as “loose” as I will allow myself to paint. This Eurasian Bluetit took me less than a half hour and was fun. The technique was wet-on-wet (wet paint on wet cold-pressed paper).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD2VvWZTTv9qAffLqEJ27N_NEGoqIu11rHkbgh2zFZeXHQNQFxsmHv7boGda3h-YESyPtpfieAlUYwZe-kpFE_mZOQ1EJyAc62ARlarltPOujJtJEyOrIbHfDrrU3IqZsIBm8yyR9C6A-_wDpZEUPY3Y-iMZ3bNTnCiORGNMsn1kL2BJpdEDnAXua7/s4032/IMG_7162.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD2VvWZTTv9qAffLqEJ27N_NEGoqIu11rHkbgh2zFZeXHQNQFxsmHv7boGda3h-YESyPtpfieAlUYwZe-kpFE_mZOQ1EJyAc62ARlarltPOujJtJEyOrIbHfDrrU3IqZsIBm8yyR9C6A-_wDpZEUPY3Y-iMZ3bNTnCiORGNMsn1kL2BJpdEDnAXua7/w400-h300/IMG_7162.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">This Banana is about 3/4 of the way across the continuum between loose and detailed. The technique was wet-on-wet, on cold-pressed paper).</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ptWROMIyBhwSgLP9cRVhvn6TBhMN_eH8KDXgtXSNnJ3cYZuLDl1aYduLO5P5GjrcP8DeehebOs8tLWqqAVPsJR6FcffoRmhw8ipy32qXwDAn1VMJwpM0kYIMWvzuMyad5M_MDesYRC3S7mAbDz5pWUSzbdLFrs19PP71eyQFbGImkDwpLh5qXx8g/s4032/IMG_7163.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ptWROMIyBhwSgLP9cRVhvn6TBhMN_eH8KDXgtXSNnJ3cYZuLDl1aYduLO5P5GjrcP8DeehebOs8tLWqqAVPsJR6FcffoRmhw8ipy32qXwDAn1VMJwpM0kYIMWvzuMyad5M_MDesYRC3S7mAbDz5pWUSzbdLFrs19PP71eyQFbGImkDwpLh5qXx8g/w400-h300/IMG_7163.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>This Forget-Me-Not is pretty detailed, though would not be mistaken for a photograph. The technique was wet-on-dry (wet paint on dry hot-pressed paper).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxaGHHa0vJAW0s0sULVvhkyL63QWFV78j8oQRuZYvmop5ryRYzm5SDM8f0712lAdK7aTp8Ex5Up3d6r2jPiOuGqJH2OLdtYd87QjXUZKgVCrrUeCX5dLUlS1ufvp-VnuGJSVy9i_vGIP7_ug4z-yumLXovqIwAP6xU8vJ2VZA0IvW3Un0Ea8kzd6Nv/s3243/IMG_7145.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3243" data-original-width="2943" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxaGHHa0vJAW0s0sULVvhkyL63QWFV78j8oQRuZYvmop5ryRYzm5SDM8f0712lAdK7aTp8Ex5Up3d6r2jPiOuGqJH2OLdtYd87QjXUZKgVCrrUeCX5dLUlS1ufvp-VnuGJSVy9i_vGIP7_ug4z-yumLXovqIwAP6xU8vJ2VZA0IvW3Un0Ea8kzd6Nv/w363-h400/IMG_7145.jpeg" width="363" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">This Ladybug is an example of very detailed and realistic; I’ve been told it looks like it could crawl off the page. My great-grandson said, “It looks REAL!” The technique was wet-on-dry, on hot-pressed paper.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: large;">So, where am I on the continuum at this point? Which is my Goldilocks’ “just right?” </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">Well, the painting I’m most “proud” of is the Ladybug. It has drawn a lot of compliments from family and friends. Problematically, it took me several hours, and, quite frankly, it was not fun.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">I’m all about the process AND the product. So, while I love the product, I paint for not only the product, but also for the enjoyment of the process. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">So, the detailed, realistic style is really not for me.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">The Eurasian Bluetit makes me smile and was quick and fun to do, but I’d like the finished product to look a LITTLE more realistic.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">The blue Forget-Me-Not, a little more toward the detailed style, was done on hot-pressed paper (as was the Ladybug and most all realistic and detailed pieces), which I do not like to use. And it simply was not fun to do (though I love the colors).</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">The Banana, while not my favorite subject, is my Goldilocks “just right.” It was loose in that it was done wet-on-wet. But it’s realistic enough for me (certainly not mistaken for a photograph, though.).</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">So for at least the near future, my pieces will be this wet-on-wet but not extremely loose style. That style is “just right” for me.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><b><i>#loosewatercolor #realisticwatercolor #Goldilocks #justright #watercolorladybug #watercolorforgetmenot #watercolorbanana #watercolorbluetit</i></b></font></div><div><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div>Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15515359557758582980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867412370878246352.post-19426459636650938192024-02-13T16:49:00.000-08:002024-02-13T16:56:53.346-08:00Catching Up (and On My Work Table Now)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9hil9Duh0yYPbO1MDVlLZJ40kFPq_0A9CnFv0lLLrS3EBctqqvqnr1a5YZmYsR6_K91NgzVMZSQJXINzAQ5uHhg3ADN_2JnFtT6yOwlXUXG7lRMgou9o-XO5r5FuNMQqbKmRbe6MoNo5YkGzbyTekC9YyTTdmmjvJV8QPID-DczyeT0qQEwMUlCGr/s5712/IMG_7133.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9hil9Duh0yYPbO1MDVlLZJ40kFPq_0A9CnFv0lLLrS3EBctqqvqnr1a5YZmYsR6_K91NgzVMZSQJXINzAQ5uHhg3ADN_2JnFtT6yOwlXUXG7lRMgou9o-XO5r5FuNMQqbKmRbe6MoNo5YkGzbyTekC9YyTTdmmjvJV8QPID-DczyeT0qQEwMUlCGr/w400-h300/IMG_7133.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On My Work Table Today </td></tr></tbody></table></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I have several projects in progress, and that’s usually the way I roll. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">My 2023 scrapbook is now complete, and November and December are the “biggest” months as far as photos, so it was a good feeling to have that done! </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I am enjoying a Bible Study on Exodus, simultaneous with a free seminary class on Exodus. I have always loved Old Testament history.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A new weekly planner is in process also (Erin Condren), though I’m not sure I’ll stick with it. Every time I think it will be really fun to do a cute planner, the new wears off quickly. So, I will only continue with it if it’s really how I want to spend my time (cuz I’m in charge of me!).</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">My watercolor art has been a challenge lately, manly because I am not enjoying the wet-on-wet technique that most art teachers use. I am now going to once again try the detailed, wet-on-dry style of Anna Mason, and I’ve spent a couple of days setting my my palette and getting everything ready to switch to that style (I already have all the supplies, so that makes it easy to get started). Soon I will post some of my work with the new style.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here are a couple of recent wet-on-wet watercolor pieces:</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxpos6FYpZd7bx-2Ckaa7MGchtTDheJbT2btMdFmLp8Z4EkUeyZLMX6idFO_iyHans6ku9aILjRIo20jN265ruHKg5oES_gPQ6NBKruqrPpHm6ZOM2B1rqrGRqArbYEr0NOyRro4YOQ0amQDZli3NGmr-1uqLeEz2wol2_xvc6IiKhCFa1BTEU65t/s2944/IMG_6167.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2944" data-original-width="2671" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxpos6FYpZd7bx-2Ckaa7MGchtTDheJbT2btMdFmLp8Z4EkUeyZLMX6idFO_iyHans6ku9aILjRIo20jN265ruHKg5oES_gPQ6NBKruqrPpHm6ZOM2B1rqrGRqArbYEr0NOyRro4YOQ0amQDZli3NGmr-1uqLeEz2wol2_xvc6IiKhCFa1BTEU65t/w384-h400/IMG_6167.jpeg" width="384" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnnjXztmrLFb29Pg3V8m3E-344ckeLRzMuYXiUTgRK540mE21Gc4K2WBE7tzDBXwFsfKjbR2ZWIYqH3YOCswKPR9lIAvK0o7CAOyBoD5-CZ5L_jsyEvHNet_jh5F4E8tTl3YPVEPjw7oTU2Xrut-UmW0bWMfniaWXaqBAn9-OMUTWMOlu98LPmFEFY/s4032/IMG_7122.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnnjXztmrLFb29Pg3V8m3E-344ckeLRzMuYXiUTgRK540mE21Gc4K2WBE7tzDBXwFsfKjbR2ZWIYqH3YOCswKPR9lIAvK0o7CAOyBoD5-CZ5L_jsyEvHNet_jh5F4E8tTl3YPVEPjw7oTU2Xrut-UmW0bWMfniaWXaqBAn9-OMUTWMOlu98LPmFEFY/w300-h400/IMG_7122.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">#wetonwettechnique #watercolor #Exodus #planner</p>Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15515359557758582980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867412370878246352.post-50186335905478011622023-12-18T15:21:00.000-08:002023-12-18T15:24:58.173-08:00Generation to Generation<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> I have written before and will write again about the importance of LEGACY and how highly I value the relationships I have with my children (and their spouses, whom I think of as also my children), their children (my grandchildren, and that includes my grandson’s wife whom I think of as my granddaughter), and the children of my grandson and his wife (my great grandchildren).</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">In recent years, the Scripture passages that talk about “generation to generation” are overwhelmingly meaningful to me.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Like this one:</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>But from eternity to eternity the Lord’s faithful love is toward those who fear him, and his righteousness toward the grandchildren of those who keep his covenant, who remember to observe his precepts</i>. Psalms 103:17-18 CSB</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This may be my favorite of all!</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Speaking of “family pictures beside the Christmas tree,” (referenced a couple of blog posts ago), here are a couple from this year, as we had a Christmas celebration at our house a few nights ago. This grouping is my Washington family (where we live). We will be seeing our Missouri family (our daughter’s family) in a couple of weeks. We are so blessed.</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdSLcbYZ4qUT8XKP6KGOUJSIMi_3NYG5lsA0pLNe9A9mbOsOAjwmT_oJtyajr_HkqhM76GpvYOd4VPSr_siIplWUHy5Vx0-HPrkVDVXnv_jaR5Y7r8WKyHgsO90P0dbvKqxIHxUrxBMjKhyfwMTeWIhfL102BR-vub_RjoCDXoG3TrwdIO1_nJDW7s/s5712/IMG_6636.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdSLcbYZ4qUT8XKP6KGOUJSIMi_3NYG5lsA0pLNe9A9mbOsOAjwmT_oJtyajr_HkqhM76GpvYOd4VPSr_siIplWUHy5Vx0-HPrkVDVXnv_jaR5Y7r8WKyHgsO90P0dbvKqxIHxUrxBMjKhyfwMTeWIhfL102BR-vub_RjoCDXoG3TrwdIO1_nJDW7s/w400-h300/IMG_6636.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">L to R: our son Mark and his wife Kristy, our grandson Conner and his wife Caroline, my husband Russell, myself, our granddaughter Tory. Front row, our Greats: Lily (2), Oakley (10 months)and Leeland (5).</span></p><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZgr4vLLlutTEMyPp2FPE7zwHwXuAV57mZoL72kjP3unAshxuZmaClE8n3KsDeckawfYED4gQcCFIvtiC5PNFX1egnaYfASsq45L685gA1Jr5FGApaEeMESlj_6uEjRwMReKTxqXBibnSubNwqL91CsmNyrxKvQuWWRNwyH1BqrTw7amapZWhgDlE/s4519/IMG_6677.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4519" data-original-width="3846" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZgr4vLLlutTEMyPp2FPE7zwHwXuAV57mZoL72kjP3unAshxuZmaClE8n3KsDeckawfYED4gQcCFIvtiC5PNFX1egnaYfASsq45L685gA1Jr5FGApaEeMESlj_6uEjRwMReKTxqXBibnSubNwqL91CsmNyrxKvQuWWRNwyH1BqrTw7amapZWhgDlE/w340-h400/IMG_6677.jpeg" width="340" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><div style="text-align: center;">Merry Christmas, everyone!</div></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">God is so good, and I am so undeserving of His love and mercy!</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">#<i>familyChristmaspictures #generationtogeneration #Godissogood #childrenandgrandchildrenandgreatgrandchildren</i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 22.92px;"><br /></span></span></p>Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15515359557758582980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867412370878246352.post-22491372419946101842023-12-16T14:02:00.000-08:002023-12-18T15:37:48.116-08:00Relationships/Communication: Goal of Conversation<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">One of my high priority Life Values is RELATIONSHIPS. The primary sub-heading of that Value is COMMUNICATION (because, obviously, a good relationship is based on good communication).</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Several years ago I made a list of topics I would like to share on my blog. On that list is a reminder to recount a conversation that I had with my son a long time ago. Since that conversation, I have shared what he told me many times, with Bible study groups, friends, etc.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">On the occasion of our conversation, I was thinking about having a very difficult conversation with a beloved family member. I was talking to my son about how I dreaded it and hoped I wouldn’t say the wrong thing.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">~~~~~~~~~~</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">His words to me (paraphrased):</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1">“My advice would be to make it a priority to remember the </span><span class="s2" style="font-style: italic;">goal of the conversation. </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“If the goal of the conversation is to get them ‘told,’ or ‘tell them off,’ that would be one approach. If that is what you decide is the most important goal, then do it. You may feel a whole lot better. After you have told them off, you may have a tremendous sense of relief that feels pretty good at the time (the “so THERE” effect).</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“But if the goal of the conversation is to discuss something and then be able to leave the conversation with the relationship at least intact, and maybe even better, then your approach to the conversation will be entirely different.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“You have to realize that with the first option, you risk fracturing (or totally breaking) the relationship, as a result of your doing what you needed to do to feel better.”</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">~~~~~~~~~~</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Well, I must say that I took that advice to heart for the occasion I was seeking advice about; I thought it was insightful and wise, and I do believe it helped me maintain and possibly repair and save a relationship that was very fragile. I was able to make my points in that difficult conversation, but because my primary goal was to protect the relationship, I didn’t blow up and say some of the things I really “wanted” to say (but should not have).</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I will also admit that through the years, in our own relationship, this wise advice has not always been followed by my son or myself. That’s when the need for forgiveness kicks in (a topic for another blog post). But, the reason this principle is so important is because words have consequences, and they cannot be un-said. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">But, we are human, and I dare say that everyone who tries to remember and implement this “goal of the conversation” principle will have successes and failures.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">So, it’s an “easier said than done” goal, but nonetheless, it is a wise and important point to consider when facing a difficult conversation.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone</i>.” Colossians 4:6 NIV</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I read this at kidscorner.net: “Why does Paul tell us to season our conversation with salt? He means that our words should be tasty and delightful to people who may hear them. Our words can also be used as a preservative—to build and to strengthen relationships.”</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“<i>Timely advice is lovely, like golden apples in a silver basket.” </i>Proverbs 25:11 NLT</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Likely my last post before Christmas, I want to wish all my faithful followers and readers a very Merry Christmas!</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBEcuKGfFCuTlEndi6eN_CSBowHKlO_Iu4qUUQF_yveTn2Y8eTubrzqc0YWCgLKwplrViBmzDl4cmJ1UKjs5Wynia5a6GA6tqYYL-yNrmyZd6CSPU3pO3GqUSDLtbEvxjhqzzDIYcD20GWVm8swJPmbQMbShkW806xqWENtKTGSLtZ9DatRG_1srCA/s3322/IMG_6585.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3322" data-original-width="2615" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBEcuKGfFCuTlEndi6eN_CSBowHKlO_Iu4qUUQF_yveTn2Y8eTubrzqc0YWCgLKwplrViBmzDl4cmJ1UKjs5Wynia5a6GA6tqYYL-yNrmyZd6CSPU3pO3GqUSDLtbEvxjhqzzDIYcD20GWVm8swJPmbQMbShkW806xqWENtKTGSLtZ9DatRG_1srCA/w504-h640/IMG_6585.jpeg" width="504" id="id_1bb8_5724_537e_84eb" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin: 4px;"></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br></span></div><span class="s1" style="font-family: helvetica;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br></span></div></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">#GoalofConversation #OhBeCarefulLittleTongueWhatYouSay #watercolorcandycane #MerryChristmas</span></i></p>Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15515359557758582980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867412370878246352.post-22450878575848910422023-12-13T20:05:00.000-08:002023-12-13T20:10:56.226-08:00Holiday Tradition: Family Pictures “Under” the Tree<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> <span>I know that many families have the tradition of taking pictures by the Christmas tree.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">My Mamo Wilson was the queen of taking pictures. I was never at her house as a young child up until her last couple of years (she was 95 when she passed) that she didn’t say, “Before you go, let me make your picture.” And she not only took the pictures, but she had them printed, and ordered reprints for us as well (and mailed them to us—that’s right, hard mail).</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">In my family, it was Christmas at my Mamo and Grandad Wilson’s where the holiday tradition of taking family pictures was ingrained into me, burned into my heart and soul, as it were.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">In our case, it really was “under the tree.” We sat down under the tree for the picture of our family group.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I’ll share a couple of those early pictures here.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvRHoFp7XqzTtYi87FySIdhW3x9fOuyirz70C4IWZTqCz5mF0TBrPNe9zwx2yaaRncWj1CjAcMcaMA1jZIsoQzZu3ZUI59Jf9RLFFAIyuC9wdCFoPPcQOUpYJ9lOKjmw7uYJMxe2ktLZMfGpBdehavqIe81CuXDATIjPJ6K7PxHB9A3a_zZ-t5V2Z/s622/christmas%201948.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="622" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvRHoFp7XqzTtYi87FySIdhW3x9fOuyirz70C4IWZTqCz5mF0TBrPNe9zwx2yaaRncWj1CjAcMcaMA1jZIsoQzZu3ZUI59Jf9RLFFAIyuC9wdCFoPPcQOUpYJ9lOKjmw7uYJMxe2ktLZMfGpBdehavqIe81CuXDATIjPJ6K7PxHB9A3a_zZ-t5V2Z/w400-h280/christmas%201948.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">At Mamo and Grandad Wilson’s, this was Christmas 1948. I was about 19 months, and my sister Janene was about 4 months. Notice how Mother and Daddy dressed up for Christmas at Mamo’s. Mother looked so pretty with her nails polished (bright red, you can be sure). Mother was 20, and Daddy was 22.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9UD5rbir1lGqbzpWuDpc-2m8csFER1vz0rtJ3KmuMxQqai5JMrRqI8WaH8WrDnSfVNdEAnw86zyJdBJe8TOd5jWX7QyYUGYFoKYKI5MRMeiBePUjkFC1A2_NSyVUVeI3a2thM52kXhofo7IpFh_PX6guTppyjpIfaLG44YXmmZliluOdufNuDiaH3/s641/family%20of%205%20chr%2052.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="641" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9UD5rbir1lGqbzpWuDpc-2m8csFER1vz0rtJ3KmuMxQqai5JMrRqI8WaH8WrDnSfVNdEAnw86zyJdBJe8TOd5jWX7QyYUGYFoKYKI5MRMeiBePUjkFC1A2_NSyVUVeI3a2thM52kXhofo7IpFh_PX6guTppyjpIfaLG44YXmmZliluOdufNuDiaH3/w400-h289/family%20of%205%20chr%2052.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;">At Mamo and Grandad’s again (Helena, Arkansas), Christmas 1953.</div></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzaDyzyXF7wdZqmitzebfus0GYaRquEtOzKee5-70S3cZILYjihbqFKHwzpbJP-r1NZ7mCxlPnlzDny-3iUQbj9OpZqzvqO5NT7F6PPKLdxgMlnN2F-Ntlhr1mIPzhGiFTUeNR5m7rP84C2HwWVkXObRfbZGQtFQOxUPOHBRz_M1TEvR86Qpi2fiO/s516/family%20of%207%20chr%20at%20mamos%20early%20sixties.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="516" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzaDyzyXF7wdZqmitzebfus0GYaRquEtOzKee5-70S3cZILYjihbqFKHwzpbJP-r1NZ7mCxlPnlzDny-3iUQbj9OpZqzvqO5NT7F6PPKLdxgMlnN2F-Ntlhr1mIPzhGiFTUeNR5m7rP84C2HwWVkXObRfbZGQtFQOxUPOHBRz_M1TEvR86Qpi2fiO/w400-h390/family%20of%207%20chr%20at%20mamos%20early%20sixties.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Early 60’s, now there are 5 of us kids, still taking pictures under the tree at Mamo and Grandad’s (they had moved from Helena, Arkansas, to Crane, Missouri). My turtleneck sweater was my Christmas present from my boyfriend, Russell Ford (now my husband). I was a freshman in high school.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn0LrPjG1vZK6EoafaI9CE689kUtNJWcktdiEM3zv6lpwLgcbmCqUK4NVSJ8YXrMg4AdXhfEsvc8FxuuYs1aGOQWov3ctWE0geCCD3Ctq9h-yFrD5JI8Y5dXIQ7McrotoiTPGUpRkm0BuYZV6IeotUedkQkaaZ993g01sqxawL2JhZxouYh1eLQdrl/s1869/our%20second%20christmas%20bolivar%201966.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1821" data-original-width="1869" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn0LrPjG1vZK6EoafaI9CE689kUtNJWcktdiEM3zv6lpwLgcbmCqUK4NVSJ8YXrMg4AdXhfEsvc8FxuuYs1aGOQWov3ctWE0geCCD3Ctq9h-yFrD5JI8Y5dXIQ7McrotoiTPGUpRkm0BuYZV6IeotUedkQkaaZ993g01sqxawL2JhZxouYh1eLQdrl/w400-h390/our%20second%20christmas%20bolivar%201966.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Now we have our own little “home” (8’x29’ trailer) in Bolivar, Missouri, and this is our second Christmas together (1966). This is our own little “picture by the Christmas tree.”</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYjhiKV-k2ZbMmuk3JZvev4p0otFuwOZVpXKszhej6vpK4nkXavr91gHeVlFHhJhtsiMVv4tYKXijUalgikYAvxTUPjvstMt-yXbztiYmeNW68YHWw9oyqJ02FbUtQLob812sMOjzTGLpGnKVsv6SoNU5gYwkxxlhrDHPqFlmMMO2vDhBqYb9fwik/s1008/1971%20sharida's%20first%20christmas.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="1004" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYjhiKV-k2ZbMmuk3JZvev4p0otFuwOZVpXKszhej6vpK4nkXavr91gHeVlFHhJhtsiMVv4tYKXijUalgikYAvxTUPjvstMt-yXbztiYmeNW68YHWw9oyqJ02FbUtQLob812sMOjzTGLpGnKVsv6SoNU5gYwkxxlhrDHPqFlmMMO2vDhBqYb9fwik/w399-h400/1971%20sharida's%20first%20christmas.jpeg" width="399" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;">Christmas 1971, now we’re having Christmas pictures “by” the tree at my parents’. Our son was 18 months, our daughter two weeks.</div></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> <br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-n4yTeKBckArYcvuinS9XkT8n7tFUtzP3XyGE1TL-5KR9rakuNW1JLfp4PeP02_ZcibEHaFT3RmeMHAwtOH4eUU4lO9ozUOFRbBGPNFEqaLiLyUrmQTObrNPt9Hew9Ohp2iXNGlFsZHsX-IPoAY89qesJCf3geKjIZVFJlRSaG7QCY3zl5VQk111s/s1031/1972%20christmas.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1031" data-original-width="1004" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-n4yTeKBckArYcvuinS9XkT8n7tFUtzP3XyGE1TL-5KR9rakuNW1JLfp4PeP02_ZcibEHaFT3RmeMHAwtOH4eUU4lO9ozUOFRbBGPNFEqaLiLyUrmQTObrNPt9Hew9Ohp2iXNGlFsZHsX-IPoAY89qesJCf3geKjIZVFJlRSaG7QCY3zl5VQk111s/w390-h400/1972%20christmas.jpeg" width="390" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;">Christmas 1972 at my parents’.</div></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZfnyPsgoRGFQmcoYr4ceBUw7VvjhyphenhyphenbMikcLTwuBLWCTcfve3tlywgbHD45ZR9gv6831L3yXrMgef64bPrf8du71e9-WQUZ0-mqFLFD64erORoaW8l2inK3MRClD7y02lPw5acasIZhyH0qdVmM4jVZWr37U69E6L9jpYJHPh4qpIbhztkhPCEZwuD/s1026/1974%20christmas.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1026" data-original-width="997" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZfnyPsgoRGFQmcoYr4ceBUw7VvjhyphenhyphenbMikcLTwuBLWCTcfve3tlywgbHD45ZR9gv6831L3yXrMgef64bPrf8du71e9-WQUZ0-mqFLFD64erORoaW8l2inK3MRClD7y02lPw5acasIZhyH0qdVmM4jVZWr37U69E6L9jpYJHPh4qpIbhztkhPCEZwuD/w389-h400/1974%20christmas.jpeg" width="389" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Christmas 1974 at my parents’.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Fast forward. Now our children are grown and have their own children, who are grown, and our son’s son has his own children as well.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Still, family pictures by the Christmas Tree.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOMd6ObKOcbqirVk0oBup-UsbWskc1PzVYJ8eNXwFMgPV4bfJwEiBa_NnyLbDaUiPFrUDrgqXtCZa7IdxPkdavyLIgikY9g8yXIfa6zlY2f840A2407j-i4uh4CXKuAsCzGtcS4VttgMpE_HacZHkwy5EwMVQomWzjGpf9bbrVn8NDbE-UEg8HoZw7/s2049/12-14&15-2019%20mo%20christmas%20(38).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1537" data-original-width="2049" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOMd6ObKOcbqirVk0oBup-UsbWskc1PzVYJ8eNXwFMgPV4bfJwEiBa_NnyLbDaUiPFrUDrgqXtCZa7IdxPkdavyLIgikY9g8yXIfa6zlY2f840A2407j-i4uh4CXKuAsCzGtcS4VttgMpE_HacZHkwy5EwMVQomWzjGpf9bbrVn8NDbE-UEg8HoZw7/w400-h300/12-14&15-2019%20mo%20christmas%20(38).jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;">Russell and I with our daughter’s family, at our home in Troy, Missouri, Christmas 2019.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfhbITGVlcGX40Y0syIXZ6oYwSZI-TOB7XkoUsDM_spcyhf0Ew3AiaN0pwp0Spkhg79t07-f1wccjT1SLp-uAA_o3k3RqSzWVYMvVforYZfAjUFarwGq7ltVWfgiBB8JAdUQOgVA2KzNrQ_IBxogD869MPAnzo7Ufa_xZ2veu4sEesGfCd1dOzCeLc/s2049/12-23-2021%20our%20chr%20eve%20fam%20pics-my%20phone%20(12).jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2049" data-original-width="1375" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfhbITGVlcGX40Y0syIXZ6oYwSZI-TOB7XkoUsDM_spcyhf0Ew3AiaN0pwp0Spkhg79t07-f1wccjT1SLp-uAA_o3k3RqSzWVYMvVforYZfAjUFarwGq7ltVWfgiBB8JAdUQOgVA2KzNrQ_IBxogD869MPAnzo7Ufa_xZ2veu4sEesGfCd1dOzCeLc/w269-h400/12-23-2021%20our%20chr%20eve%20fam%20pics-my%20phone%20(12).jpeg" width="269" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: left;"><br />Here we are with our son’s family (their daughter was on mission field in Mexico)-their son, his wife and two little ones (now they have another little girl)—at our home in Ridgefield, Washington, Christmas 2021.<br /><br /><br />Unlike many folks these days, I actually print (and scrapbook) all the photos.<br /><br />I’m 76 years old. So, 75 years or so of “family pictures ‘under’ the tree.” <br /><br />So, yeah, it’s kind of a big deal to me.<br /><br />#ChristmasFamilyPictures #PassingofTime #Blessings #ChristmasPicturesUndertheTree<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15515359557758582980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867412370878246352.post-55708252374500088082023-12-08T15:15:00.000-08:002024-02-13T09:19:19.182-08:00Holidays and Heartaches: Hope<p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><i>“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”</i></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">Ps 34:18 NIV</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">I recently found this verse (again) and have been leaning into its message each day for the last few weeks. </font></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="s2"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">Much has been written about the challenge of facing the holidays for those whose hearts are hurting. Often we think that holiday heartaches are those that result from having lost a loved one. But there are other causes of heartache, and the fact that the pain is a result of something that coincidentally happened during the holiday season just means it may feel like a little deeper hurt during a time that should be joyous.</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">Heartaches can come from various sources. And although a heartache is not necessarily related to the season, there’s no doubt that the season can make the emotions more intense. Joyful things are more joyous. Sad things are sadder. Hurts are felt more deeply.</font></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="s2"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">As I was searching on the Bible app for a devotional that might help my emotional upheaval, realizing that I needed to allow God to “rescue” me, I actually searched for “heartbroken” and “crushed spirit.” Most of the devotionals that came up were about depression (not actually what I need right now), but one devotional caught my eye because I remember the author, Jim Cymbala. His devotional title didn’t seem to be related to my search. But as soon as I started reading Day One of “The Reason for the Season,” I realized that God had directed my search.</font></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="s2"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">In “The Reason for the Season,” Day One, Jim Cymbala writes:</font></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="s2"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p4" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 72px; text-align: center;"><span class="s3" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits…” (Psalm 103:2)</font></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="s4" style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="s4" style="font-style: italic;">Beginning with Thanksgiving and on through the New Year, the holidays are a busy time, with lots of activity and happy moments. But the festivities can highlight our problems and </span><span class="s3" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">heartaches</span><span class="s4" style="font-style: italic;"> as well, and even believers can end up with the holiday blues. </span></font></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="s4" style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="s4" style="font-style: italic;">…a lot can happen in life; and</span><span class="s3" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> if we meditate on that, it will pull us down to the depths of despair.</span></font></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="s4" style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="s4" style="font-style: italic;">Do you know that we have a choice today? We can choose to dwell on the negatives, </span><span class="s3" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">or we can choose to praise God for all of his benefits</span><span class="s4" style="font-style: italic;">. We can thank God for the gift of our Savior (which is the reason for celebrating Christmas in the first place); for giving his Son to die in our place; for forgiving our sins; for the gift of eternal life… That’s not counting everything else he gives to us, because every good gift comes from above.</span></font></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="s4" style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="s4" style="font-style: italic;">And while it's true that even Christians go through difficulties on this side of eternity, we need to remember that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that he is greater than the mountains in our lives. Therefore,</span><span class="s3" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">every day is a day when we can give our challenges to the Lord and begin to count our blessings instead of our problems and our sorrows.</span></font></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="s4" style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s4" style="font-style: italic;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">Perhaps you are going through a difficult time, and it’s an even greater distraction to you at this time of year when the tinsel and the lights can seem to form a contrast with the way you are feeling. If so, why don’t you pray right now: </font></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="s4" style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s3" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">“God, you know what I am going through. I love you, but I feel sadness today, and you know the reason why. Help me, Lord, to cast my care upon you. And then help me to forget none of your benefits! Thank you for salvation, for being a God who hears and answers prayer, for being a friend who sticks closer than a brother, and for sending the Holy Spirit to be my Counselor, my Advocate, and my Comforter!” </font></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="s3" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="s3" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Then choose to praise the Lord today, even through tears. </span><span class="s4" style="font-style: italic;">As you bless the Lord and glorify his name, he will manifest his presence in your life, and this time of year will become a time of rejoicing in the true meaning of the season.</span></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</font></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="s2"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="s2">As I read this, I burst into tears, understanding that this was exactly what I needed to read at that moment, and realizing that God had directed my search. It was also a much-needed and emotional </span>reminder that God cares about my pain. He collects my tears in a bottle.</font></p><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></div><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">Psalm 56:8 NLT</font></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="s2"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">It seems to my human mind that a broken heart is difficult to heal, and a crushed spirit even more. And I admit that a mountain can seem more imposing as I get older.</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">But do I believe and know that God can perform this healing in my heart? Yes, and though I do not know how, I do believe He can and will. </font></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><br /></font></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">So, this prayer (above, in the devotional text) is my prayer. And I DO choose to praise the Lord, even through tears.</font></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="s2"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Helvetica" size="4">*My experience is my own, but I share it here in hopes that someone who reads this will be encouraged and find something here that is uplifting in his/her life right now.</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="s2"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 28.4px; text-align: center;"><font face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="s2"></span>#Heartache #CrushedSpirit #Hope #ThankGodforBlessings #ForgetNotAllHisBenefits #CloserThanaBrother #ThankGodforSalvation </font></p> Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15515359557758582980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867412370878246352.post-17230731449825869962023-12-06T17:11:00.000-08:002023-12-06T17:11:50.580-08:00Christmas “Tags”<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> A few years ago I was creating mixed media art, using, by definition, many different types of media. It was before I started watercolor painting. It was more of a “craft” than an “art,” but it was sort of my introduction into the creative world, and I totally enjoyed it. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">For about four years, I created several tags each holiday season, and since that time, I always have at least some of them as ornaments on my Christmas tree. I was highly complimented recently when my granddaughter told me she loves them and thinks that’s what makes my tree “unique.”</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Alrightey-then, just the excuse I need to keep going with the tradition!</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Here are a few from this year’s tree:</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMAf9mTqNj6K7V4jnPiX_Ewwkpga70xtoJjnBMw2gOg9LvlRUiC1F_wLnm_LeV5IT-38VTTzQRIHGqQoKaSArGlQDOtFxek9TXr6ZBuHI2wf1PEQtVRXrcYAhrbMIxWdnr_hblfrxS-ddHo2r70Te9Gl0oC587hUBHQwWs30N-D6eyR5rFUsj6W5sS/s4032/IMG_6564.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMAf9mTqNj6K7V4jnPiX_Ewwkpga70xtoJjnBMw2gOg9LvlRUiC1F_wLnm_LeV5IT-38VTTzQRIHGqQoKaSArGlQDOtFxek9TXr6ZBuHI2wf1PEQtVRXrcYAhrbMIxWdnr_hblfrxS-ddHo2r70Te9Gl0oC587hUBHQwWs30N-D6eyR5rFUsj6W5sS/w480-h640/IMG_6564.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVFZOfXp6KEDJy9zMv-1VITF5PWxgudqG4YQSOXqjfqDZbOQznLpzXYMrBcJPbA7PuqsCVtm0YPZh7n2J1F4w-DFMMOorh113sDvnCr-mu1hXzkXMyHXYuQuZ0pE_Xi5xbFi4A-tH1xc9CoBV82YAfCI6ERT6y3Q9TtbaNlKSovd2bWpwdOoKz5bN_/s4032/IMG_6565.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVFZOfXp6KEDJy9zMv-1VITF5PWxgudqG4YQSOXqjfqDZbOQznLpzXYMrBcJPbA7PuqsCVtm0YPZh7n2J1F4w-DFMMOorh113sDvnCr-mu1hXzkXMyHXYuQuZ0pE_Xi5xbFi4A-tH1xc9CoBV82YAfCI6ERT6y3Q9TtbaNlKSovd2bWpwdOoKz5bN_/w480-h640/IMG_6565.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXpYnYKXlm5Zxr9pR_XyI5Pq8C-W45d9cP6wYhq90McLTszuym21nLp2cG8vs7nCdsgxSX8bUqk97y9y7wsrQtf0UqoYiS4uOAmCDiY3leQHxWFIu8oMmgN-UC6KGf0uCzXhdGGrCudyroxIcokQyqTLwQN0-x1izx-HQ9FzsETaC1MIuKhVsrnaPW/s4032/IMG_6566.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXpYnYKXlm5Zxr9pR_XyI5Pq8C-W45d9cP6wYhq90McLTszuym21nLp2cG8vs7nCdsgxSX8bUqk97y9y7wsrQtf0UqoYiS4uOAmCDiY3leQHxWFIu8oMmgN-UC6KGf0uCzXhdGGrCudyroxIcokQyqTLwQN0-x1izx-HQ9FzsETaC1MIuKhVsrnaPW/w480-h640/IMG_6566.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU3ebEqPco8-HHf01itSKVuBnmbKRKUvLiiuJXeEINpkLM8cYFXkodo6c78uqw5IzDbVjvS-TJA0RwrSiXY0IeDfJ4RKhMkRvx12M3VO5Fi1Se0VgLkgdkA_1VA3SSNPLnl73wyDHF7K0JjjKl8t4NlhXXzJwG9IYCvhn4_Gcm5esBKrinDNxoCiqA/s4032/IMG_6567.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU3ebEqPco8-HHf01itSKVuBnmbKRKUvLiiuJXeEINpkLM8cYFXkodo6c78uqw5IzDbVjvS-TJA0RwrSiXY0IeDfJ4RKhMkRvx12M3VO5Fi1Se0VgLkgdkA_1VA3SSNPLnl73wyDHF7K0JjjKl8t4NlhXXzJwG9IYCvhn4_Gcm5esBKrinDNxoCiqA/w480-h640/IMG_6567.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOEqr5XNEm1JquyWz3ApVSVeYLr0nyfKLgLTYKOFaOeWKCSxKUeEpBO7SJUI-L9XM1pCESQZlYBcwGCs-aoMNYs03F9wy6iruRvnCxpBiua8yplQ82V7QFdnjr8abR7UXQQUmaEEmqDXUDoi5wSZBepk8WSJvpWuRddme-h09f-mPs4GPAXjmHjNbz/w480-h640/IMG_6569.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis-3Vt_QoPFtxaK1316CVrH_3I-N1QlZKQ1BV4cC3QGx6s0MirI-NJEG2-Gv6dxtfCItHJQgyle7wWt_4QQdEHJ88vU1lY6qtFhodl7PBCWjTyZw3XuxB2fDpRtyAGP0qzsoOPrEd6NGg4DWQUPSFlw-qN1gXrqG_cyrN2Yvkwkam4vW0AflaoXCXo/s4032/IMG_6570.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis-3Vt_QoPFtxaK1316CVrH_3I-N1QlZKQ1BV4cC3QGx6s0MirI-NJEG2-Gv6dxtfCItHJQgyle7wWt_4QQdEHJ88vU1lY6qtFhodl7PBCWjTyZw3XuxB2fDpRtyAGP0qzsoOPrEd6NGg4DWQUPSFlw-qN1gXrqG_cyrN2Yvkwkam4vW0AflaoXCXo/w480-h640/IMG_6570.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDF5IWVtu56eELGmy4CiZDekhlpR8VRNZ22_wbGtDqpcKVKo9U-Oi7J92p22TGT9DFDUJ_xehHvofSB20hQ1gF4WzO-HJyWw5lOJeudIC4BkIbQMEcVDINd2iCfGvy8aRKUuzwDCCyLw5778kMlAsf-nuDIbIIiZt4eyChXexMs43U2Ct_gXa_MCWc/s4032/IMG_6571.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDF5IWVtu56eELGmy4CiZDekhlpR8VRNZ22_wbGtDqpcKVKo9U-Oi7J92p22TGT9DFDUJ_xehHvofSB20hQ1gF4WzO-HJyWw5lOJeudIC4BkIbQMEcVDINd2iCfGvy8aRKUuzwDCCyLw5778kMlAsf-nuDIbIIiZt4eyChXexMs43U2Ct_gXa_MCWc/w480-h640/IMG_6571.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQXbGls3FkyBbIbAZzZlep623_SoYV-i4VyaT5OJm2hjEJJIim9ug-UOFzQBRYf6O4xWggwSmT8ozfY-XSTI-K8a7hydQbVTav1JP07FKuoC_sLSf5CWwEvSVPtmk9MAfP5G7Mb3C5j1I82XJgOc0TCPtMrHT9Blmz9FHLaaFp5QP5B5VW9TzigOaP/s4032/IMG_6573.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQXbGls3FkyBbIbAZzZlep623_SoYV-i4VyaT5OJm2hjEJJIim9ug-UOFzQBRYf6O4xWggwSmT8ozfY-XSTI-K8a7hydQbVTav1JP07FKuoC_sLSf5CWwEvSVPtmk9MAfP5G7Mb3C5j1I82XJgOc0TCPtMrHT9Blmz9FHLaaFp5QP5B5VW9TzigOaP/w480-h640/IMG_6573.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHD051v_MjpyVQtWMcBUhu8T60Xih7BB2B7ZwHN-Y58eZB5BMfXwQK0FrPnlDvzMXzMA1RmTLNismJDHq_WN0CjSvvgiUBBZpqCd-PoyENC4NU7-2tP4M8en97KRPosy7yK5E1bSn8mKaz9JxYzvsI3XcnF5lvdU6aXQaoKRK4oz0nZWwc4cKZILfh/s4032/IMG_6574.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHD051v_MjpyVQtWMcBUhu8T60Xih7BB2B7ZwHN-Y58eZB5BMfXwQK0FrPnlDvzMXzMA1RmTLNismJDHq_WN0CjSvvgiUBBZpqCd-PoyENC4NU7-2tP4M8en97KRPosy7yK5E1bSn8mKaz9JxYzvsI3XcnF5lvdU6aXQaoKRK4oz0nZWwc4cKZILfh/w480-h640/IMG_6574.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;">Even though it was really fun to make these (hours on each one), I wouldn’t attempt to do it again, because at that time I had a dedicated craft room with TONS of supplies. Watercolor (what I do now) requires very few supplies and I no longer need an entire craft room (good thing, because I don’t have one!)!</div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: helvetica;">#ChristmasTags #ChristmasArt #ChristmasMixedMediaArt</i></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15515359557758582980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867412370878246352.post-77700486732804994652023-12-03T17:28:00.000-08:002023-12-03T17:34:06.514-08:00Christmas Watercolor<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Okay, so here we go with a trial on using the actual platform of blogger rather than the third-party BlogTouch that I have been using for a long time. The problem with the photos disappearing is real, and I am trying to resolve that.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">So, here are the watercolor pieces I have done this holiday season. I’m not thrilled with them, and I am moving away from the teacher that I was following when I painted these pictures. Hopefully I will be happier with a new instructor.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Rather than writing out a lot of my thoughts just now, I am going to publish this post with minimum text, to see how this different platform works for me.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG-dL5HI2fXSqDuQlB_ZUZL85YrdMgLBThOcBNycp6RaN7SE0HYOoGMkHvytVGL0sZSPd5-RBikbjq-eEqvNgosewxiPZ_t7TWdcL6fUSxEK_bPBo-gNTFy9xOdJJZQ8zGzD3GWWe1Pn6HU3qsSLgPtHvO7_bKUS4UXqBGGqq7FTcaoikwdmCh5c3P/s4032/IMG_6512.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG-dL5HI2fXSqDuQlB_ZUZL85YrdMgLBThOcBNycp6RaN7SE0HYOoGMkHvytVGL0sZSPd5-RBikbjq-eEqvNgosewxiPZ_t7TWdcL6fUSxEK_bPBo-gNTFy9xOdJJZQ8zGzD3GWWe1Pn6HU3qsSLgPtHvO7_bKUS4UXqBGGqq7FTcaoikwdmCh5c3P/w480-h640/IMG_6512.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisKMYfI0XCW11X0_zZjgxT59ksJGWBE_icI6FR8sT2Vi3UsNx1iTIb3Ciy-sF-YV7a6ZhDpgYeNcRMAZesYGWUsiYiHdcs35X0CdG6oW5w__Wty2TUX__JG8yH3U7e_Mi8ZhYWZYs7mJey9-rbvYD4zCk4YBUKz_TZCdloJsFQiF7j3cVKzFk-4H2I/s4032/IMG_6513.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisKMYfI0XCW11X0_zZjgxT59ksJGWBE_icI6FR8sT2Vi3UsNx1iTIb3Ciy-sF-YV7a6ZhDpgYeNcRMAZesYGWUsiYiHdcs35X0CdG6oW5w__Wty2TUX__JG8yH3U7e_Mi8ZhYWZYs7mJey9-rbvYD4zCk4YBUKz_TZCdloJsFQiF7j3cVKzFk-4H2I/w480-h640/IMG_6513.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqKZeUGYzN28FcGMFKTHTHFkrGpQqt_Vo4zzmFqbb1xXnNg45GGs5zJ6RMsWN-w4UVNEeqtQuBiOH6MLUfofJ8xJiC1P9vmo7Auf_tF193maPRHU6lF-nG-YfNyjI_qlYUahrBJNBCBOzg4WYcyg0gdd_q318TT5WdBIdu9YF1R9Pjrrgcqoio68qb/s4032/IMG_6514.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqKZeUGYzN28FcGMFKTHTHFkrGpQqt_Vo4zzmFqbb1xXnNg45GGs5zJ6RMsWN-w4UVNEeqtQuBiOH6MLUfofJ8xJiC1P9vmo7Auf_tF193maPRHU6lF-nG-YfNyjI_qlYUahrBJNBCBOzg4WYcyg0gdd_q318TT5WdBIdu9YF1R9Pjrrgcqoio68qb/w480-h640/IMG_6514.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfrXBKrHp0gD643NIGn1wA82RV1SKFs624tyQ_APeE9AUz0XWiv-XwqEfhXX_h-m_ubljpSLrYgkHctUsAmYwLh-P5eLfcbrhH-CqZqJJIrZC-82Bs-pJGDHF5lZfXOlZyQNLHubqhYgZjsLdDFt6uiOx5szHWQPTCCoYayBisbze2KjmPpGIaZmmU/s4032/IMG_6516.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfrXBKrHp0gD643NIGn1wA82RV1SKFs624tyQ_APeE9AUz0XWiv-XwqEfhXX_h-m_ubljpSLrYgkHctUsAmYwLh-P5eLfcbrhH-CqZqJJIrZC-82Bs-pJGDHF5lZfXOlZyQNLHubqhYgZjsLdDFt6uiOx5szHWQPTCCoYayBisbze2KjmPpGIaZmmU/w480-h640/IMG_6516.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /> </span><p></p>Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15515359557758582980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867412370878246352.post-76806524054296869282023-09-15T14:03:00.001-07:002024-02-13T09:27:05.522-08:00Praying For My Children…and Grandchildren…and Great Grandchildren<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">I have always loved the imagery of a lamp or a light or a lantern, and there are many Scripture passages that use that imagery, and I love all of them. God’s Word is a lamp, a light… we are to let our lights shine, and the references go on and on. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">But yesterday I painted this lantern, and though it is certainly not my best artistic work, I was thinking about how I would like to see myself as a “light,” maybe like a flashlight or a beam of light that shows direction. That would be great, if I could be a beacon. A worthwhile goal, of course.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">But I kind of like the comforting thought of just a simple lantern shining in the dark—that I would like my family, especially the little ones in our family, to think of me in this way…providing a comforting glow in the darkness.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjys0jYKRW3RIp_NQ_l62b7kSRwSBQyfe4pls6g78rcAJzB-SrGbAgs3TgNawNH3tLhZstyRx5bOxoKBc0eovMPYim_WVuEdAQlrsNPx1sopjKqzLIKAn8Spz4LqgnYqZjGDTl4f46BzkZSozTENoaARV5sQszIqpseFNwGw1-7ufSVm8B0zkOT5q7s/s2048/IMG_3393.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1937" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjys0jYKRW3RIp_NQ_l62b7kSRwSBQyfe4pls6g78rcAJzB-SrGbAgs3TgNawNH3tLhZstyRx5bOxoKBc0eovMPYim_WVuEdAQlrsNPx1sopjKqzLIKAn8Spz4LqgnYqZjGDTl4f46BzkZSozTENoaARV5sQszIqpseFNwGw1-7ufSVm8B0zkOT5q7s/w379-h400/IMG_3393.jpeg" width="379" /></a></div><br /><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">As I was already in this frame of mind, I started reading a new book by Sharon Jaynes, </span><u style="font-family: Arial;">Praying for Your Child from Head to Toe: A 30-Day Guide to Powerful and Effective Scripture-Based Prayers.</u></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><u><br /></u></font></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I knew I would love this book, being familiar with the author and also loving the subject matter.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I read Part One this morning. She had me at Chapter 1, “The Battle for Our Children.” As she sets the stage for talking about praying for our children, she begins by telling of the birth of her child, and her words resonated with me for sure. It has been 53 years since I became a mother, but I remember it like it was yesterday. She writes, “An inexplicable bond exists between a mother and her child. While the new life is being knit together in a mother’s womb, her very blood is pumped from her heart to her child’s. And even though the umbilical cord is cut in the delivery room, an invisible, indelible cord of love holds mother and child together for the rest of their lives. A quote attributed to Elizabeth Stone says it so well: ‘Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.’”</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">Sharon goes on to say, “God has given moms the privilege and parental responsibility to shape and to mold not just another human being but an eternal soul, for a very short, very fleeting period of time. While our roles and responsibilities change throughout the stages from childhood through adulthood, one constant remains…prayer. And though hopefully our children will outlive us, they will never outlive our prayers that are etched in the heart of God.”</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">The first 50 pages of the book are an introduction to the actual 30 days of prayer, and then, following, each day uses Scripture to pray over the child from head to toe.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">To impress upon the reader (mothers and grandmothers) the importance of our role as prayer warriors for our children, Sharon recounts this poem written by a grown man, entitled “The Warrior.</font>” </div><div><br /></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4">This morning my thoughts traveled along</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4">To a place in my life where days have since gone</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4">Beholding an image of what I used to be</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4">As visions were stirred and God spoke to me</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4">He showed me a Warrior, a soldier in place</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4">Positioned by Heaven, yet I saw not the face</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4">I watched as The Warrior fought enemies</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4">That came from the darkness with destruction for me</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4">I watched as The Warrior would dry away tears</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4">As all of Heaven’s Angels hovered so near</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4">I saw many wounds on The Warrior’s face</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4">Yet weapons of warfare were firmly in place</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4">I felt my heart weeping, my eyes held so much</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4">As God let me feel The Warrior’s prayer touched</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4">I thought “how familiar” the words that were prayed</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4">The prayers were like lightning that never would fade</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4">I said to God “please, The Warrior’s name”</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4">He gave no reply, He chose to refrain</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4">I asked, “Lord, who is broken that they need such prayer?”</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4">He showed me an image of myself standing there</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4">Bound by confusion, lost and alone</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4">I felt prayers of The Warrior carry me home</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4">I asked “please show me Lord, this Warrior so true”</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4">I watched and I wept, for Mother, the Warrior was you!</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4">—Larry S. Clark</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">I read this a few times. Picturing myself as possibly in the role of The [Prayer] Warrior for my children and grandchildren and great grandchildren—yes, it makes me realize how very important, even urgent, it is that I continue to pray for each of them, every day. Who knows what battles it may help them win, if God can continue to use me as The Warrior. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">Pretty big job. Pretty important role. Behind the scenes. Unseen but always fulfilling my role.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">Yes. That’s my goal. That’s my ministry. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">#SharonJaynes #children #grandchildren #greatgrandchildren #watercolorlantern #prayingforourchildren #prayer #thebattleforourchildren #prayerwarrior</font></div>Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15515359557758582980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867412370878246352.post-6990079709723571812023-08-08T13:41:00.001-07:002024-02-13T09:25:11.732-08:00Oh “Goodness”<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">Wow, I just checked and was shocked to see that it has been almost three months since I posted on the blog. Also it has been that long since I painted. I always wonder if I’ll be able to “get back to it” after a long break.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">Any time my painting subject is fruit, I think about the Scripture reference about “fruits of the Spirit.” My prayer journal documents this passage as one that I pray for myself.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: #001320; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"><font face="Arial" size="4">Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><font face="Arial" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: #001320; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: #001320; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. </span></font></i></div><div style="text-align: center; text-indent: 25px;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center; text-indent: 25px;"><font face="Arial" size="4">I always know that I fall short of exhibiting every one of those fruits. I guess that’s why it is a prayer request for myself.</font></div><div style="text-align: center; text-indent: 25px;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center; text-indent: 25px;"><font face="Arial" size="4">Of the fruits that are listed here, for no real reason, this mandarin orange that I just painted makes me think of GOODNESS. </font></div><div style="text-align: center; text-indent: 25px;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbdRlhMdYcNVGyl88BkP-Bs_K9dewSG-Rq8HAfXHLPWQQxpI7r_EjzBTcGNMsUfiLjRX-yWEQLcy5KITs-7Cmtxw8_eDdWyeeSwHOP7jPylEe-_fAHU6CVMAs2xzL9UMhDndyn8mqaa5-l-t9PMLvMXwZsUe3iiOV-4GGYgn9HzVyYwV6vIlp8k1Hs/s2048/IMG_3394.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1734" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbdRlhMdYcNVGyl88BkP-Bs_K9dewSG-Rq8HAfXHLPWQQxpI7r_EjzBTcGNMsUfiLjRX-yWEQLcy5KITs-7Cmtxw8_eDdWyeeSwHOP7jPylEe-_fAHU6CVMAs2xzL9UMhDndyn8mqaa5-l-t9PMLvMXwZsUe3iiOV-4GGYgn9HzVyYwV6vIlp8k1Hs/w339-h400/IMG_3394.jpeg" width="339" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center; text-indent: 25px;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; text-indent: 25px;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Well, I do love citrus fruit, and I always feel sorry for someone like my sweet granddaughter-in-law who is allergic to citrus. She doesn’t get to enjoy some of the most delicious fruits in the world!</span></div><div style="text-align: center; text-indent: 25px;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center; text-indent: 25px;"><font face="Arial" size="4">Side note: I have become more and more disgruntled about the “state” of social media these days. I am backing out of some of my previous involvement. For now I am still sharing on Instagram, and I am maintaining my blog, because it may be that it becomes the only place where I share my art. (Well, and for a long time now, my blog has been the only place where I can get on my soapbox and/or “vent”!)</font></div><div style="text-align: center; text-indent: 25px;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center; text-indent: 25px;"><font face="Arial" size="4">Also will keep sharing on my Pinterest boards for now. </font></div><div style="text-align: center; text-indent: 25px;"><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/bkford/bkays-watercolor/" id="id_7b4c_4b08_ecd4_1948" target="_blank">BKay’s Watercolor Pinterest Board</a><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center; text-indent: 25px;"></div><div style="text-align: center; text-indent: 25px;"><font face="Arial" size="4"></font></div><div style="text-align: center; text-indent: 25px;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center; text-indent: 25px;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">#watercolor #watercolormandarinorange #mariaraczynska #fruitsofthespirit #goodness #socialmedia #pinterest</font></div><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"><br /></div>Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15515359557758582980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867412370878246352.post-76549422654508096782023-05-16T15:21:00.001-07:002024-02-13T09:22:49.811-08:00“Roots” and “Home”<p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Since we moved to Washington State full-time almost two years ago, I have been thinking about the difference between ROOTS and HOME. I believe this could be answered in different ways by different people, but for me, this is it:</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 26px; text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span class="s2"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4">My ROOTS are “where I am from” - and the term “roots” carries with it a depth of meaning. </font></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 26px; text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span class="s2"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4">My ROOTS are in Missouri. I spent most of my 75 years (so far) there (with time away for hubby’s military locations during his three years in the USMC).</font></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 26px; text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span class="s2"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4">I love my ROOTS. I love Missouri. It’s a great place to live and raise a family, especially in the rural areas, which is where we always lived. </font></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4">I love the four seasons as they occur in Missouri. I even love the heat, because it is part of what defines Missouri. </font></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 26px; text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span class="s2"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4">I love the wildlife and the trees and the crop farms and the cattle farms. I love the state parks and the caves and the springs and the country roads. </font></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 26px; text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span class="s2"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4">I love the thunderstorms and the fact that when it “comes a rain,” I can know that it is going to be over soon and there will be sunny skies afterward (not to be confused with the months of rainy weather in Washington).</font></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 26px; text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span class="s2"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4">In Missouri, things just “seem to make sense” (quoting my daughter-in-law, who also has Missouri roots).</font></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 26px; text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span class="s2"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4">I could write a book about my roots.</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">When I was first married, my husband and I spoke of “home” when we were talking about our parents’ homes. When we were newlyweds and in college, for example, we would say “We are going home for the weekend.” We meant we are going to our parents’ homes, where we each grew up and lived until our marriage.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 26px; text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span class="s2"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4">For some people, the place of their ROOTS is also the place of their HOME. They live where they always lived, likely where their parents lived and maybe their ancestors before that. So there may not be a clear differentiation between roots and home. </font></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 26px; text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span class="s2"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">But, for me, now when I speak of HOME, I am talking about where I live…where my life is…where a large part of my family is…where the setting may sometimes feel “foreign” because I’m not “from here” (my roots are not here), but it’s still HOME because it’s where my life is right now. And that is by choice. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 26px; text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span class="s2"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4">We really do miss Missouri, but we choose to live where there are now 10 of our immediate family (Hubby, me, son, daughter-in-law, granddaughter, grandson, granddaughter-in-law, three great grandchildren) who are in our home most every Sunday for dinner, after church (where our son is Pastor and our grandson is Pastor of Worship and Discipleship).</font></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 26px; text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span class="s2"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4">I know the saying is “Home is where the heart is.” And that’s true. Clearly, as I have described it, I love my ROOTS, and I love my HOME. But my heart is where I live, so, yes, my HOME is where my heart is, and that’s in Washington State right now. </font></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4">My roots and my home are 32 driving hours apart. And that’s okay. This is where God has placed me for now.</font></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 26px; text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span class="s2"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4">My art sometimes reflects my roots and sometimes my home. I just painted a blue jay. We do not have blue jays in Washington state, but we had a lot of them in Missouri. They would always disrupt the peaceful environment of our bird feeders when they visited, scaring away all the birds who play nice (not to be confused with the blue jays, who were bossy). But I do miss them, because I associate them with my ROOTS. </font></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 26px; text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span class="s2"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4">They are fun to paint because they are so colorful.</font></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 26px; text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span class="s2"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4">This blue jay was painted with direction from a tutorial by Louise de Masi.</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSc9BEHw7aUH28KHJtGKLwvsAsTt9UVtU9N5jXmQ2jngP-Goko6h7sK-pl0yrShYERbFOIC0O2cBDop1rBVkW8xHBWedsGSRfrFSjeSf8u-VTbbQvY2ycX5ju5bl4IvSHX1j4_QRUY1Ywi4RP5IRverTm23urdiDDzlFLdMJPkR8lI18xp69Kas4dv/s2048/IMG_3402.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1861" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSc9BEHw7aUH28KHJtGKLwvsAsTt9UVtU9N5jXmQ2jngP-Goko6h7sK-pl0yrShYERbFOIC0O2cBDop1rBVkW8xHBWedsGSRfrFSjeSf8u-VTbbQvY2ycX5ju5bl4IvSHX1j4_QRUY1Ywi4RP5IRverTm23urdiDDzlFLdMJPkR8lI18xp69Kas4dv/w364-h400/IMG_3402.jpeg" width="364" /></a></span></div><span class="s2"><br /><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></span><p></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; width: 385px;"></span></font></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><br />Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15515359557758582980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867412370878246352.post-6746133870991524072023-05-01T13:06:00.001-07:002024-02-13T09:12:24.987-08:00“Ripple Effects”<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">I just finished reading the most inspirational book I have read in quite some time. My granddaughter-in-law mentioned this title to me when we were thinking of a book for our second Girls’ Book Study (which didn’t materialize, sadly for me). This book, written by the mom of one of my favorite sports figures of the last several years (Tim Tebow) is all about my favorite topic, influencing family. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">The book is <u>Ripple Effects: discover the miraculous motivating power of a woman’s influence</u> by Pam Tebow.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">The entire book is filled with inspiring stories, written by someone who sees her mission in life as this (derived from Psalm 127): “To love and train my children as the gifts and rewards that God intends them to be and aim them toward the target of an influential life that honors God and impacts their world.” Quite a mission statement, and she has seen her mission fulfilled with all of her five children. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">She goes on to say, “I had no sense of a mission when I was growing up, so I was highly motivated to provide a framework for purpose and influence through the unique missions God created for my children.” </span></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Then she paraphrased the passage that I am adopting as MY mission statement, Psalm 78: “My role,” she writes, “is to tell the generations to come the praises of God, His strength, and the wonderful things that He has done, so their confidence would be in God. One generation influences the next when we convey God’s wondrous works. Tell your God stories to influence those in your sphere to ask Him to write amazing God stories just for them.”</span><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="Arial" size="4">So, that caught my attention, because I am kind of “known” for story-telling. By “known” I mean, when I start to recount a true story from my [long] past, there is some eye-rolling happening, and I can almost hear the “Oh, here we go… again.”…. Then, my rationalization is, “Yeah, but now we have another new one to our family who hasn’t heard this story yet” (and I’m thinking, “and, honestly, it wouldn’t hurt YOU to hear it again…..”)</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="Arial" size="4">So, yeah, I tell those stories, and some of them are stories of actual miracles that have happened in MY own lifetime, in my own family. So, yeah, I’ll tell them AGAIN.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="Arial" size="4">My Mission Statement:</font></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">“I will declare wise sayings; I will speak mysteries from the past — things we have heard and known and that our ancestors have passed down to us. We will not hide them from their children, but </span><span class="s2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-weight: bold;">will tell a future generation the praiseworthy acts of the Lord, his might, and the wondrous works he has performed. </span><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">He established a testimony in Jacob and set up a law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach to their children so that a future generation — children yet to be born — might know. </span><span class="s2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-weight: bold;">They were to rise and tell their children so that they might put their confidence in God and not forget God’s works, but keep his commands</span><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">.”</span></font></div><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="4">Psalms 78:2-7 CSB</font></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 26px; text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span class="s1"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="4">Today I read further about what the Bible has to say about generations (it’s a lot—I only touch on it here).</font></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span class="s1">I read this, “Modern Americans tend to think of our own life and—if marriage and kids are part of the picture—our children and perhaps grandchildren. </span>But God thinks in terms of generations, a much longer view.”</font></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">Here are some verses that encourage us to think about family in terms of generations, generations of influence.</font></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Genesis 9.12: And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations.”</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Genesis 17.7: And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Psalm 22.30: A posterity shall serve Him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation…</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Psalm 103:17-18: But from eternity to eternity the Lord’s faithful love is toward those who fear him, and his righteousness toward the grandchildren of those who keep his covenant, who remember to observe his precepts. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Joel 1.3: Tell your children about it, and let your children tell their children, and their children the next generation.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Ephesians 3.21: …to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font size="4"><span class="s1" style="font-family: Arial;">From Pam Tebow’s </span><span class="s3" style="font-family: Arial; text-decoration: underline;">Ripple Effects</span><span class="s1" style="font-family: Arial;">:</span></font></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="4">“What would happen if you decided that when you put this book down, you would influence people on purpose through the mission God has created for you? God designed you for influence. Your role is to seek Him by faith, day by day, for grace to live out the perfect plan He has for you. God’s part is to accomplish more than we could ask or think according to the power, the miraculous motivating power, that works within us (see Ephesians 3:10). And heaven will reveal the ripple effects when we fulfill our God-created missions.”</font></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="4">How challenging!!!</font></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Artwork from last week: Carolina Wren</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6D1yiQMT5KRPmDh7jqonUYc0M4tkdwsLW0r-z3BIM5Ns8A2J2wLmvw_-N0TdK6z3f-K8B21CtWKLF8GGB5HYONkilqXqKC02CGLTeLMpOMSTvWDS2sd8yWlSInHwrdsv4pEfWvS8f2x0eTD4nJHLld0M3zzOiharWjRaI8eNr1GUIoy2D2l91tbhY/s2048/IMG_3395.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1421" data-original-width="2048" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6D1yiQMT5KRPmDh7jqonUYc0M4tkdwsLW0r-z3BIM5Ns8A2J2wLmvw_-N0TdK6z3f-K8B21CtWKLF8GGB5HYONkilqXqKC02CGLTeLMpOMSTvWDS2sd8yWlSInHwrdsv4pEfWvS8f2x0eTD4nJHLld0M3zzOiharWjRaI8eNr1GUIoy2D2l91tbhY/w400-h278/IMG_3395.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b><i><font face="Arial" size="4">#generationstocome #influenceofawoman #PamTebow #RippleEffects #MyMissionStatement </font></i></b></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div></div></div>Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15515359557758582980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867412370878246352.post-13627457158902360432023-03-10T14:26:00.001-08:002023-03-10T14:38:52.968-08:00Think on These Things<img id="id_c085_ad5d_3852_9c8c" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/9gQO5ngLG3ZK2enJWO665bbcxfll9BdCpsQbjXo6gcqUZNzVxekxRRxHazNgFpM0NBk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">LEUCADENDRON (LILY)</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I chose to paint this flower because it is a lily, and I was thinking about this Scripture passage, Matthew 6:28-30 (ESV):</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><font size="4" face="Arial"><span class="text Matt-6-28" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;" id="en-ESV-23311">And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </span><span id="en-ESV-23312" class="text Matt-6-29" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </span><span id="en-ESV-23313" class="text Matt-6-30" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">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?</span></font></i></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="text Matt-6-30" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">This is a “think on these things” passage for me. It is an admonition not to worry. I need to “think on” that. A lot.</span></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="text Matt-6-30" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">For Christmas, I received a journal from my grandson and his wife. I decided to use it as a “Think on These Things Journal.”</span></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br></span></font></div><div><img id="id_8c8c_6e94_57a7_e99a" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/obuyauqwUBkBpU1HUYwqFDTV0jjjzb4plp7OdYiVxnUBwUxkNhqxHKUOjWu1kO9hD8w" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><img id="id_b169_837_5f1_8318" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/7q8zz1iLKDJuRZeZwPZ5ph140a21bOnQC983Hsl2DbVHU7cGc9VZdGf0StWWdfQije4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">Following is what I wrote in one of my entries in this journal:</font></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">I like what Courtney Doctor says regarding the following passage:</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span style="font-style: italic; text-align: start; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: rgb(61, 61, 61); color: rgb(61, 61, 61); text-indent: 24px;">Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires;</span><span style="font-style: italic; text-align: start; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: rgb(61, 61, 61); color: rgb(61, 61, 61); text-indent: 24px;"> but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.</span><span style="font-style: italic; text-align: start; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: rgb(61, 61, 61); color: rgb(61, 61, 61); text-indent: 24px; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-style: italic; text-align: start; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: rgb(61, 61, 61); color: rgb(61, 61, 61); text-indent: 24px;">The mind governed by the flesh is death,</span><span style="font-style: italic; text-align: start; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: rgb(61, 61, 61); color: rgb(61, 61, 61); text-indent: 24px;"> but the mind governed by the Spirit is life</span><span style="font-style: italic; text-align: start; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: rgb(61, 61, 61); color: rgb(61, 61, 61); text-indent: 24px;"> and peace. </span><a data-datatype="bible+niv" data-reference="Romans 8:7" rel="milestone" style="font-style: italic; text-align: start; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none; text-indent: 24px; display: inline-block; height: 1em; width: 0px; color: rgb(0, 94, 195) !important;"></a><span style="font-style: italic; text-align: start; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: rgb(61, 61, 61); color: rgb(61, 61, 61); text-indent: 24px;">The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God;</span><span style="font-style: italic; text-align: start; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: rgb(61, 61, 61); color: rgb(61, 61, 61); text-indent: 24px;"> </span><span style="font-style: italic; text-align: start; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: rgb(61, 61, 61); color: rgb(61, 61, 61); text-indent: 24px;">it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. </span><span style="font-style: italic; text-align: start; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: rgb(61, 61, 61); color: rgb(61, 61, 61); text-indent: 24px;">Those who are in the realm of the flesh</span><span style="text-align: start; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: rgb(61, 61, 61); color: rgb(61, 61, 61); text-indent: 24px;"><i> cannot please God. - </i>Romans 8:5-8, NIV</span></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.575em; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: rgb(61, 61, 61); color: rgb(61, 61, 61); text-indent: 24px; font-family: Georgia;"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">In her Bible study “In View of God’s Mercies,” Courtney says, “The focus of your life will determine the trajectory of your life…<i>Setting your mind on the things of God </i>means that you think about God, His Word, and His ways. You seek the things of God, trust the ways of God, and live under the influence and authority of the Word of God.”</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">I tag my entries in this Journal with the relevant topic from the list in Philippians 4:8 (see my handwritten note in the journal, above). This entry is tagged</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">*true</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">*pure</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">*praiseworthy</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">I also painted the Leucadendron on a page in my Interleaved Journaling Bible:</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_187c_c9a7_35ea_3df7" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/mlTVyA8D49HZauhjLw1TOl28P01JUgzGwM7zpfNf_UszmjI1zgUnhN8-MMObRYVD9jM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">This Bible has a totally blank page (front and back), between each page of Scripture, allowing space to paint and write in the Bible without marking or painting on the actual printed pages in the Bible.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><img id="id_a641_4e07_aa5b_b067" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/x5z8e2d4V3ts1PDIhIuRyJoSFmOLmbMyVFfVAtLPkRBO3_sd0Nto8Mks130Us3C-JSE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">Note: It has been a long time since I have done a page of art in one of my Journaling Bibles. I had forgotten that watercolor does not play well with a page that has had gesso applied first (which I did here). It was a challenge to make it even presentable! (Totally different from painting on watercolor paper, as was the case for the piece at the top of this post.)</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><b><i>#watercolor #bibleartjournaling #leucadrendon #liliesofthefield #donotworry #thinkonthesethings</i></b></font></div><font face="system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Arial"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br></span></font></div>Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15515359557758582980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867412370878246352.post-68231728871866621802023-02-22T16:01:00.001-08:002023-02-22T16:14:55.717-08:00Two Themes of My Current Quiet Times (Related?)<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><font face="Arial">First of all, a completed watercolor art piece serves as my “cue” to write a blog post. Thoughts that have been swirling in my head begin to come to a focal point as I finish a watercolor and think about sharing it. Usually, as is the case today, the painting and the “thoughts in my head” are not related topically. </font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><font face="Arial"><br></font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><font face="Arial">A finished painting that I want to share on my blog is my prompt to also share some thoughts. Again, usually not related.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">Today’s art work, however, IS related to today’s weather, coincidentally. Here in the PNW, we rarely get ANY snow, and even more rarely do we got an accumulation. It has been snowing all day today, and we may even get six inches of accumulation. While my family in Missouri is pretty much DONE with snow for this winter, I am NOT tired of it and am really enjoying it. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">The artwork for today is a Fox in Snow.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_c19a_20bd_6851_c6c2" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/WpVIPPIwPyHqtNY0xonpb0gYZSRjbY2raj1uBE9F7TEH1QTYKSTYl93Pr-uCIiS2wAI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">As I said, the finished artwork which prompted me to post is not really relative to the THOUGHTS on my mind. </div></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">Sometimes it’s strange how several “elements” all point to the same topic, appearing to happen quite coincidentally.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">As I wrote about in my last post, one of the current themes in my quiet times has been that Gratitude Brings Joy. Simultaneously, I am always interested in devotionals and books about stress and worry, as that is the area where I need the most spiritual discipline.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">I am seeing that there is definitely a relationship between experiencing Joy that comes through Gratitude, with a resulting by-product of being able to more effectively deal with stress and worry.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">So I came across a Bible study (in the Bible app) called “Breath as Prayer.” I was so taken by the devotional that I ordered the corresponding book (author Jennifer Tucker, Foreword by Ann Voskamp).</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_7acf_ede9_a16b_6f0e" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_r_XsDVRWFLtftjGtDpXFhCPZe6O9hgVlq3AYAGNILCqiCz1FM3xS-hJTJB3o9RrM2M" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">“The science of breathing and the practice of praying God’s Word can work hand-in-hand to help calm your body and reorient your mind toward Christ.”</div></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">In the Foreword, Ann Voskamp says, “…the real purpose of prayer is not about convincing God to do what we want but about awakening to what Gods already is doing and doing that redemptive work with Him. Prayer is the subversive work that defies the lie that all that is happening is just what we see but trusts that underneath, and through everything, God’s revolutionary and redeeming work is still victoriously happening.”</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_dc95_9da8_2ab3_4021" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/sZL-SAQZp2VSeRcHcRZyWX-Mx5HDkxmw4dmkDQKmoUrRjTUBP4GwqSZrQCNre_nXPNM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">The first Breath as Prayer that I learned in the Bible app devotional:</div></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Arial"><div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_48b_57e7_e7d1_84e8" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/iuBSA3vZL-C-UsmsL6L6Z0rBjJY7kT7L0xyd4G09Afa-iYhHNxMBjlNzCX8PAJN5hkg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 307px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><div></div></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">Another example:</div></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Arial"><div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_6571_faa9_b0ca_57b9" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/R5acu5MccE3ASxJ7t8AJItbUhJYOTXKaf1VA7D1QgLuGfnb1Fxvf7Uy8zR7jQjDXrhI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 307px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><div></div></font></div><div style="text-align: center;">So, I like this combination of deep breathing and praying God’s Word.</div></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">Today after finishing the fox painting, I have been baking Honey Oatmeal bread and organizing a large basket full of books-in-progress, Bible studies-in-progress, prayer journals, other journals.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_60a1_d8d6_e264_358b" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Aqokg3nM1w0fMKp80bUX6JrkO0H0yME0R1yZquGe-kTusJbqJfcSUsd7wTsD3BXFvww" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div></font><img id="id_1f55_cda6_322a_9a7c" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Y8B88Okv3xjthIfOQV3NzosWi538cSe-5ghWMMxFNp3noSO22MM1H1WQ9IimYVmvSKc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div></font></div><div><img id="id_ecbd_278d_782c_b0d0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/wgfIVGDW1xC18EzWRlQEn-xj2hPT5lEOC9UaeCQi-fFMUSxaISeY07ktvsbblEfXamw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">As I’m putting in bookmarks and trying to re-stack things in such a way that I will be able to actually finish a few of these in-progress things, I can’t help but take note of the fact that I’m seeing things on my two themes:</div></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">In my “All God’s Creatures: Daily Devotions for Animal Lovers,” the devotional for today closes with this prayer: “Father, thank You that all creation declares Your glory. Help me remember that worrying is not part of Your plan for my life. Amen.” (Well, I suppose the fox painting does somewhat fit here—All God’s Creatures, just sayin’.)</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">In my “As Long as I Have Breath: Serving God with Purpose in the Later Years” devotional, today’s topic is “Addressing Anxiety” and one of the suggested practices is “Keep a list of all you’re thankful for.” (See previous blog post.)</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><font face="Arial">One of the printouts I pulled out of a journal to add to a “stack” has this quote that I just saw: “Willful worry amounts to rejection of God’s character and damages our capacity for the life he calls us to. It is rooted in a theological misunderstanding of who God is, the nature of life in this world and our place in the universe.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><font face="Arial"><br></font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><font face="Arial">And I’ve just noticed that one of the books in my stack that I have not yet even opened (gift from my daughter-in-law) is “Choosing Gratitude: Your Journey to Joy,” by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth. Seriously?!</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><font face="Arial"><br></font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><font face="Arial">As I’m trying to organize, in a markedly DISorganized manner, these reminders of how Gratitude Brings Joy and how Breath as Prayer helps with stress and worry, and how that all of this is, yes, in fact, related—I love how God brings things together sometimes!</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><font face="Arial"><br></font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><font face="Arial"><i>#GratitudeBringsJoy #BreathasPrayer #watercolorfoxinsnow #GodisSovereign</i></font></span></div><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div>Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15515359557758582980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867412370878246352.post-30797251063788943442023-02-08T15:45:00.001-08:002023-02-08T15:49:37.096-08:00Gratitude Brings Joy<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">Periodically I look for Bible Studies on the topic of Joy. Christ- following, self-diagnosed “worriers” like myself need reminders of how we should be living, and exhibiting, a joyful life.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">So today I started another Bible study on the topic of Joy, and I copied the first day’s devotion into my journal. I share it here. It’s good.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">From my journal today, From Roxanne Parks Bible study, “The Transforming Power of a Grateful Heart”</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">(Note: All italicized words are quoted from Roxanne.)</font></div><div>
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<p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><font face="Arial" size="4">My Journal of Gratitude</font></i></p>
<p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><font face="Arial" size="4">Depression and anxiety are suffocating emotions. During a particularly difficult season in my life, I fought back the onslaught of both. To name a few of the issues: my teens were lying, my parents were dying, we were dog broke, and I was dealing with too many menopausal issues to count. I was spinning plates as fast as I could, and yet there was no peace on the horizon. Life felt extremely heavy! The burdens I carried were weighing me down into a miserable pit. But as a Christian, I even piled shame on myself for feeling this way. Wasn’t I supposed to be living an abundant life? BUT GOD! He graciously intervened.</font></i></p>
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<p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><font face="Arial" size="4">During that particularly difficult season, I read the book 1000 Gifts by Anne Voskamp. Desperately needing some oxygen for living, and inspired by Anne’s story, I started journaling everything that I could possibly be grateful for. I asked God to open my eyes to even the smallest gift . . . like a knuckle to help wrap my finger around my coffee cup, like heating and air conditioning, like toilet paper, like fresh air. This daily exercise didn’t lift me out of my pit immediately, but it started a rich journey toward a new type of wholeness—a wholeness birthed through the lens of a grateful heart. </font></i></p>
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<p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><font face="Arial" size="4">As I continue to diligently open my eyes and my heart to all the gifts in my life, I began to recognize them everywhere. It was like there was a whole new world to appreciate that I hadn’t taken the time to see or made the choice to notice.</font></i></p>
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<p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><font face="Arial" size="4">Across weeks of writing down and” naming” these gifts, a light-heartedness developed even amidst the trials of each day. My grateful heart slowly pushed out the weightiness of my days. I began to realize that a grateful heart and an anxious heart could not simultaneously reside in the same person at the same time. It was either anxiety or gratitude taking up the space of my heart. I became excited to venture into each new day with new eyes to see new gifts. Depression gave way to a gratitude, and gratitude became my best antidepressant. Not just a “one and done” type gratitude, but a consistent diligent gratitude that almost refused to be sucked back into that pit of despair again. My life was too precious to live that way.</font></i></p>
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<p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><font face="Arial" size="4">I flew through 1,000 gifts within months and decided that this was a new way of life. A grateful heart had transformed my days. Even more exciting, my grateful heart began to permeate my home and my family. So many things began to change when I changed my heart. This is a battle ground worth fighting on. I celebrated this new life-giving habit. I found that there is transforming power in a grateful heart.</font></i></p>
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<p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><font face="Arial" size="4">Ponder:</font></i></p>
<p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><font face="Arial" size="4">Ponder the tension between your gratitude and depression, between joy and sadness. How can you make deliberate choices to open your eyes and journal all the gifts you have been given?</font></i></p>
<p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><font face="Arial" size="4">Prayer:</font></i></p>
<p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><font face="Arial" size="4">Lord, help me constantly and daily choose to see Your gifts everywhere. Open my eyes to gratitude and the choice to give You thanks in all things.</font></i></p>
<p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><font face="Arial" size="4">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</font></p><p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></p><p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><font face="Arial" size="4">*So, I have read the book by Anne Voskamp. At one time I started listing hundreds of things, small and large, to be thankful for. It was a good thing to do.</font></p><p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14.3px;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></p><p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><font face="Arial" size="4">I’m deciding to do that again, with the desired outcome of increasing my joy. </font></p><p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14.3px;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></p><p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><font face="Arial" size="4">Some days I will only list one thing. Other days, several things.</font></p><p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14.3px;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></p><p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><font face="Arial" size="4">I need to develop an attitude of gratitude and learn to be aware of all the thousands of things that I have to be grateful for--big things, small things. </font></p><p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14.3px;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></p><p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><font face="Arial" size="4">BECOME MORE AWARE.</font></p><p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14.3px;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></p><p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><font face="Arial" size="4">Today I am thankful for the awareness that I am “back on track” with my favorite hobby, watercolor art. It has been a bit of a challenge, after taking a break through November and December. I am now able to move forward, and although I always know that I need to improve--a lot--I do allow myself to enjoy feeling good about a piece that I have completed.</font></p><p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14.3px;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></p><p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><font face="Arial" size="4">Yesterday and today I was able to follow along with a tutorial by Louise de Masi to complete this sweet little giraffe. </font></p><p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14.3px;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></p><p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><font face="Arial" size="4">So, I’m thankful for this today.</font></p><p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></p><p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14.3px;">
</p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><img id="id_2a26_a08c_a15b_cb7a" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/hy067OHlmix6a7dSOQCU5fGLDVK3PvXYvI9m82bTa6hp6LIMu-_wgij-PdC-snOvnAM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><b><i>#gratitudebringsjoy #attitudeofgratitude #keepajournal #joy #gratitude #watercolorpractice #watercolorgiraffe</i></b></font></div><br><p></p></div>Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15515359557758582980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867412370878246352.post-54180288461644377222023-02-04T15:31:00.001-08:002023-02-04T15:31:14.535-08:00Two Paintings and an Encouraging Word<p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4" face="Arial">Having a bit of a hard time getting back into the comfortable feel of painting where I was before the long break over the holidays. I am not particularly proud of either of these two pieces, but I share them in the interest of being accountable. </font></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><span class="s1"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center; width: 385px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><img id="id_81a_58b1_2a04_238f" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/3vsFtB9clcPu3p8XgaG4EJBJBayqPUux-_IreCb0fFspDhpk_Ru2apDg0CpI4KTy8Ow" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img id="id_686f_8695_c19b_711e" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/kAMWRYC_KaNJTWLO1EJBbrFv8AWBjsgriUrSLve4xy3MbGMb0fPj9WX3dxD-iszlKrI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"></span></font><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">This is one of my favorite verses. I have likely posted it before (and will again). It feels like a promise to me. If it’s not a literal promise, I can for sure say that it is encouraging to me. </font></div></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><i><font size="4" face="Arial">The righteous thrive like a palm tree and grow like a cedar tree in Lebanon. Planted in the house of the Lord, they thrive in the courts of our God. <b>They will still bear fruit in old age</b>, healthy and green, to declare, “The Lord is just; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.””</font></i></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4" face="Arial">Psalms 92:12-15 CSB</font></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><i><font size="4" face="Arial">#watercolorpainting #watercolorpuppy #watercolorapple #encouragingwordaboutoldag</font><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody"><span style="font-size: 21px;">e</span></font></i></span></p> Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15515359557758582980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867412370878246352.post-45791844856087933752023-01-24T14:02:00.001-08:002023-01-24T14:06:28.558-08:002023 Already Underway!<div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">Wow, it seems like I was thinking about 2023 being almost here, and now, the first month is almost gone! </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">We had a wonderfully holiday, first with family celebrations here in Washington, and then a road trip to Missouri where we spent holiday time with our daughter and her family as well as our siblings. We tacked on a few days in a cabin in Branson before beginning the return trek.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">So, we admit to being crazy with our choice of driving instead of flying, which resulted in 8 of our 14 days of “the trip” being “on the road” (and I do mean literally driving 8-12 hours on each of those days). We were pretty tired by the time we got back home!</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">I am just now getting back into routines, so this week I got the paints out, after several weeks of holidays and travels. I always feel like it takes me some time to get “the feel” back. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">I started with a simple painting of my favorite bird from Missouri, a male cardinal. For this one, there was not a tutorial to follow, but my teacher Maria did a painting from this reference photo, and I copied Maria’s painting, using my own “process.”</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">Reference photo available from a site that allows free use of the photos:</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_ed06_eb31_b3e7_5b41" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/QhGXlePuSHxIGCTFE5--BBYkDPCAiyLFrAIdtUQkjZ67iJ04sPFyhEhsN5a9hEVmax8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">My “version:”</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_8cda_e387_33d9_fd58" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/LSlaKq_j8_bpvt-5890kQAugJ_1_wx2IZaYfbj3pba-M_ahTVk6wVifplzG3wRg5UpE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><font face="Arial" size="4">It’s always nice to travel, it’s especially nice to see family, but it’s also great to be back home, with our routine of spending time with our Washington family, enjoying our weekly Sunday dinners with 9 of us at our house, after our wonderful church service with our son Pastor and our grandson Worship/Discipleship Pastor.</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4">Best Wishes for a Blessed 2023,</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="4">Barbara</font></div>Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15515359557758582980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867412370878246352.post-28237348546419716272022-12-22T15:50:00.001-08:002022-12-22T15:52:06.572-08:00Watercolor Art “12 Days of Christmas” (Part 3)<div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">Here are the remaining Christmas 2022 art works (not yet shared).</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">I’ll be taking a break from art until mid-January or so, while we celebrate Christmas with our family here in Washington and then drive across the country to Missouri, where we will celebrate with our daughter/family and our siblings.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_6e04_352c_4ea6_6963" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/w-2JeGTtd2GeQpa9zF-lWLshzJqGkgVQOwuxfZ4AXzAuaGVO4hewQhsAmkgxr4gTpns" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><img id="id_4842_cf2c_430e_d9ac" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/q0Uit7VGymkHeU8z-tScjZjkzfNUnrgU1nB8VL7NNXnBbBocIED6Y_iqJ8YrN4oNb_g" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><img id="id_196c_6d98_6a5_22b0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/RlR4fDGcXbI4a2vaZ8RKetrYzpbQy8_Y1NRIUvNrmxhcr9S82FMFyfjjA7oj7RDttgI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin: 4px auto; display: block;"><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><img id="id_3a11_8b97_6e1f_ccf8" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/TUk2Z2d-PJe6_I79heBhjI7HrwhtmA3iVaEYnC1wnQ2SxFjsxRpqjuXr-9vNWkJChpQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><img id="id_f5f1_b3c8_fcfc_a3d0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Zz2gLIEnCaWA2VaY0Ysgik-tmZCMZ-nXlDXXZ1QUpt0X9M3QJTts7BW3v6DM0wCtjZY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">From one of my Advent devotionals: </font></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><i>Jesus came to bridge the gap between us and God. He came to bring the hope of Heaven to our lives. Jesus was born to die for our sins, to show us the love of the Father. Jesus also came to advance the Kingdom of God on earth. To be our bridge in making right our relationship with God. The Holy Spirit helps in those efforts, empowering us and equipping us to be the children of God and to live as He calls us to live. </i>- Janelle Keith</font></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font size="4" face="Arial">And to close out my thoughts of 2022, this verse that has had several different applications for me throughout the years. It’s a verse I love to pray over loved ones (specific ones at specific times):</font></span></div><font face="Arial" size="4"><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div></font></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><i>“I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints,”</i></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">Ephesians 1:17-18 CSB</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">#AdventDevotional #watercolorchickadees #watercolorsugarcookies #watercolorsnowman #watercolorcardinals #watercolorhedgehog</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div>Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15515359557758582980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867412370878246352.post-23911273619821510282022-12-18T15:46:00.001-08:002022-12-18T15:49:51.180-08:00Watercolor Art “12 Days of Christmas” (Part 2)<div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">In today’s post I am sharing three more of my art pieces from this year’s “12 Days of Christmas” watercolor classes from Maria Raczynska.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_b1b6_f744_3fe3_9a56" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/x-_wtnP5HBu_sKrFaQa2qYHsY4ApvgdX-J6hH-UOcWxGdRsoF-EMHBq5KfCB5td3Ixs" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><img id="id_8f_ef67_a688_8c82" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/b10PTHGfx1Hrgtm1PPSjdM7AfFKZBzYQbI4mju2rg5jnfv-l7XsmI9pFjqIYvyX7_aI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><img id="id_6adb_9c84_ead_da90" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/N4Fm9J9YY2GUYxcYHmAzyCAEI9JweBf6axQ_V4UfsfyvAL5S_UaNvLEA8lwL2lu4VyA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">Today I am focusing on the profound reminders from my pastor’s sermon today (I am blessed to have my son as my pastor), in his message “Who is the Christ of Christmas?” </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">Pulling out one of the most meaningful parts of the sermon for me, “The Christ of Christmas is TRUSTWORTHY.” </font></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">Pastor Mark pointed out that in our present culture, there has been an erosion of trust. It is sad. He said, “But Christ is always trustworthy. He can be trusted to BE who He says He is, to do what He says He will do. We have an anchor, a foundation.”</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><i>My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.</i></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><i>-John 10:27-28</i></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">#WhoistheChristofChristmas #watercolorChristmas #12daysofChristmaswatercolor #watercolorgingerbreadcookies #watercolorcandycane #watercolorstocking #Christistrustworthy</font></div>Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15515359557758582980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867412370878246352.post-70862235910513899572022-12-16T14:31:00.001-08:002022-12-18T15:06:42.385-08:00Watercolor Art “12 Days of Christmas” (Part 1)<div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">I have always loved Christmas time. For so many reasons I love it. Those reasons and feelings have, of course, changed through the years. It’s a different feeling now that I’m a great grandmother (another way of saying that so many years have passed) than it was when my children were small. I remember those days like they were yesterday, and it was such a joyous (and fun) time. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">Today’s feelings are more somber, more reflective, more emotional, more heart-full. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">But still, Christmas time is a special time for me. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">Of course it’s special because it’s a celebration of the coming to earth of the Messiah, my Savior, who came to earth so that he could live as a man and die on the cross as the payment for my sins (and for all those who accept His gift of salvation). </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">But in my own little private way, it just has a special place in my heart, for many reasons, most of which I am unable to articulate.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">But I feel them.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">Probably because of how much I love Christmas, I love doing art that has a Christmas theme. I follow various artists for their watercolor tutorials and classes. The artist that I have followed the most consistently since I started with this new hobby about three years ago is Maria Raczynska. Each year she does a 12 Days of Christmas series. I do not typically do all of the pieces of her 12 days, but this year I did most of them.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">During the next few days, I will post a few of the pieces, along with a devotional thought from my Advent Study, <i>Prepare Him Room </i>by Susie Larson. I did this same study last year, and it may not be a good sign that, as I read each day’s devotional, I feel like I’m reading it for the first time. But then again, sometimes when I read a Scripture passage, I feel as if I’m seeing it for the first time, and I KNOW I’ve read the Bible through multiple times and some passages MANY times. Oh well, I suppose it’s the nature of humankind. Or typical for me, at least.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_c924_5fc1_d71f_3ce8" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/8229dXzhYqMukAjP0tSVZm0ptx0vpiaZPkTaN3uVQOKzJq3cXSuLRRWG7PLbHj9QFgI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><font face="Arial" size="4"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Prayer from Today’s Devotional (Scripture Passage: Luke 16, December 16)</b></div></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><i>King Jesus, You’ve made Your heart perfectly clear. I’m not sure why I miss it so easily. You care about the lost, the hurting, and the broken. You came to heal broken hearts, bind up their wounds, and save their souls, just as You’ve done for me. Forgive me for being so wrapped up in my own story that I miss the bigger story [that] You’re writing on the earth today. I want to be creative, innovative, and profoundly generous for Your name’s sake. I want to steward opportunities with an otherworldly wisdom from above. Help me to live like Your promises are true. I’m just passing through, on my way to live forever with You. Amen. (Susie Larson)</i></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><b>Three Pieces from 12 Days of Christmas</b></font></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><img id="id_651b_cf6f_8264_8ec1" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pEKdXa2IU52rd2GdiE8nku3wT64dIb2ItuGuioO93qr-migFwrJI3n50S4EW0iFSYe8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><img id="id_ad17_d4cd_3f4a_55c0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/MP-BkVxIF5rhs1LwmLmaQSxcSmZtvLsyirYgdvvDo6-5muwNFbHu-Tnc6zTBx13ceaQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><img id="id_30d1_97a8_91d4_ec4c" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/8Ube8CyGOZttDbxzWYxQL5DSbXjsVuL1gpcYqASsW59UkmHukdOuheBJlNwif4Pgepw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">(I paint chickadees often. I think I’m drawn to them because (1) they’re so cute and (2) it is a bird that we see in Missouri and in Washington.)</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">These are busy times, but I am thankful for my hobby and for having time to reflect on God’s blessings each day. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">His love is overwhelming.</font></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial">I believe HE IS CRAZY ABOUT ME!!! (So undeserving am I!)</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><i>#12daysofChristmasWatercolor #blackcappedchickadee #evergreeninsnow #candlesinthesnow #watercolor #prepareHimroom #advent #Christmas</i></font></div><font face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div>Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15515359557758582980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867412370878246352.post-82720031751125504662022-10-26T15:22:00.001-07:002022-10-26T15:31:43.852-07:00Let My Teaching Fall Like Rain<div style="text-align: center;"><font color="#001320" face="Arial" size="4"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><font size="4" face="Arial"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: rgb(0, 19, 32); text-align: justify; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><i>Let my teaching fall like rain and my word settle like dew,</i></span></div></font><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: rgb(0, 19, 32); text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Arial"><i> like gentle rain on new grass and showers on tender plants.</i></font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: rgb(0, 19, 32); text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Arial"><i> Deuteronomy 32:2 CSB</i></font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: rgb(0, 19, 32); text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: rgb(0, 19, 32); text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Arial">I am 75 years old, and I honestly cannot remember a time when I didn’t think of myself as a teacher. As the oldest of five children, we spent a lot of time “playing school,” and I was the “head teacher” in all those scenarios, presenting report cards to our parents when they would return from a church meeting, during which time I had been “in charge” of the younger siblings. </font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: rgb(0, 19, 32); text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: rgb(0, 19, 32); text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Arial">“Always the teacher.” That’s what my parents said. </font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: rgb(0, 19, 32); text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: rgb(0, 19, 32); text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Arial">My first actual public school teaching experience was when I was in the sixth grade. Seriously. That year, at a little school in Jessieville, Arkansas, the fifth grade (my sister’s class) and sixth grade were all in one class. Our (frankly) incompetent teacher would sometimes direct me to teach reading to the fifth grade. I rather enjoyed it.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: rgb(0, 19, 32); text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: rgb(0, 19, 32); text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Arial">The phrase “I was a teacher” is really not a part of my vocabulary. </font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: rgb(0, 19, 32); text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: rgb(0, 19, 32); text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Arial">I AM A TEACHER.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: rgb(0, 19, 32); text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: rgb(0, 19, 32); text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Arial">It is part of who God created me to be. It was always my calling. When I was old enough to think/talk about vocations (and calllings), I would always say that my first calling was to be a wife and mother. After that, it was to be a teacher. It went without saying that I would study education when I went to college.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: rgb(0, 19, 32); text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font color="#001320" size="4" face="Arial"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">At Southwest Baptist University, I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in social studies and minors in English and secondary education. My teacher certification from the state of Missouri was (and is—my Missouri certifications are lifetime) in 7-12 social studies and English, and K-12 Gifted. A few years after that, I completed the coursework to obtain a lifetime certificate in elementary (K-6) and subsequently earned a Master in Education from Drury University (Missouri).</span></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font color="#001320" size="4" face="Arial"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font color="#001320" size="4" face="Arial"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Recently I read a blog post about living in the “now,” forgetting the past and not thinking about the future. I get it. There are parts of that philosophy that I agree with, and I certainly understand the “Look, I am doing a new thing” passage of Scripture. But, for me, while I am loving the “now,” I find it to be a good thing to reflect upon the past, because it is so full of blessings. I like to think about the future, too, as there is so much to look forward to. </span></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font color="#001320" size="4" face="Arial"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font color="#001320" size="4" face="Arial"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">So, I believe I can appreciate and be blessed by the past and the future and the now.</span></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font color="#001320" size="4" face="Arial"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font color="#001320" size="4" face="Arial"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Along those lines, recently when I was reflecting on the opportunities I have had to “be a teacher” (and the many lives I was blessed to touch—and be touched by), I made a list of some of those teaching experiences that came to mind. In all honesty, I’m not sure I remembered them all. But these made my list:</span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 26px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><span class="s2"></span><br></font></p><p class="p3" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font size="4" face="Arial">Piano lessons (off and on for years, starting at age 17)</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font size="4" face="Arial">Sunday School classes (children and adults)</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font size="4" face="Arial">Missions organizations (church)</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font size="4" face="Arial">Children’s Choir (two churches)</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font size="4" face="Arial">Children’s Ministry Leader/Teacher</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font size="4" face="Arial">Life Group Leader (church)</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font size="4" face="Arial">Ladies Bible Study</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font size="4" face="Arial">Color Me Beautiful classes</font></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 26px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Substitute Teacher, Elementary (on USMC base)</span></p><p class="p3" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font size="4" face="Arial">7th grade English/Social Studies</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font size="4" face="Arial">High School Social Studies</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font size="4" face="Arial">Kindergarten</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font size="4" face="Arial">Grade 5 </font></span></p><p class="p3" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font size="4" face="Arial">Elementary Remedial Language Arts</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font size="4" face="Arial">Gifted students grades 1-7 (13 years)</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font size="4" face="Arial">School District Technology Coordinator</font></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 26px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Adult computer classes</span></p><p class="p3" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font size="4" face="Arial">Adult Basic Education (those studying for GED)</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font size="4" face="Arial">College (English and Teacher Education) (3 colleges)</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></span></p><p class="p3" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font size="4" face="Arial">I know that I sometimes still slip into “teacher mode” when I am with my children and grandchildren and great grandchildren. But you know, I think I’ll stop apologizing for that. “Teacher mode” is how God made me, and I kind of like what He did there. I like me. In fact, I am one of my favorite people.</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></span></p><p class="p3" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font size="4" face="Arial">Just to prove that I can be “in” the now moment, too, here is my latest very quick, very easy art piece. I’m spending some time these days on Christmas art, but I painted this plum right before I started on the holiday projects (to be shared later).</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></span></p><p class="p3" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start;"><span class="s2"><font size="4" face="Arial"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center; width: 385px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><img id="id_b112_2800_542d_4aca" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/cWpBncTi64d0Ip6dS8p-kwuJc0Jr8AKzPgy5p8MfbgzgQsWFnSkwi7_sQL3E5CL4wqo" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="text-align: center; width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"></span></font></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><font size="4" face="Arial"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><div style="text-align: center;">I do thank God for the opportunities He has given me through the years to follow my calling. And yes, this continues to be my prayer, even now, for any ways that I am able to continue to BE a teacher…</div></span></font><p></p><p class="p3" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></span></p><p class="p3" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: rgb(0, 19, 32); text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Arial"><i>Let my teaching fall like rain and my word settle like dew,</i></font></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: rgb(0, 19, 32); text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Arial"><i> like gentle rain on new grass and showers on tender plants.</i></font></span></div><p class="p3" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font size="4" face="Arial"><i><span class="s2"></span></i></font></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: rgb(0, 19, 32); text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Arial"><i> Deuteronomy 32:2 CSB</i></font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: rgb(0, 19, 32); text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Arial"><br></font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: rgb(0, 19, 32); text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Arial">#teacher #calling #grateful #letmyteachingfalllikerain</font></span></div><p class="p3" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><br><p></p></div>Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15515359557758582980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867412370878246352.post-47903658577054723032022-10-12T15:53:00.001-07:002023-12-03T17:13:58.506-08:00Seasons <div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I have said this SO many times (for so many years): Fall is my favorite season. Always has been. I love everything about it (except in the PNW it is often the precursor to the rainy season—that I DO NOT like).</span></div><div><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 26px; text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span class="s2"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4">But, seriously, just some of the things…</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4">Crisp temperatures outside, sunny and yet a little cool…</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4">The cooking/baking (apple, cinnamon, caramel, soups, chili)</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4">Baseball post-season, and even sometimes college football</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4">Sweaters, sweatshirts, and boots</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4">Autumn colors to use in decor and in wardrobe (this year’s trend is olive green—one of my faves, trending or not)</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4">Autumn fragrances: spiced pumpkin and sparkling cinnamon candles</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4">Playing my favorite “Autumn Leaves” on the piano</font></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 26px; text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span class="s2"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4">Autumn leaves—in MO there are so many oak and maple trees—yellows and oranges and reds. </font></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 26px; text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span class="s2"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4">These are some pictures from the place where we lived in MO. </font></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4"></font></span></p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 385px;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><img alt="" id="id_a87b_9971_2b81_3721" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/BIR7Vnds1zJwPxOwceaDLxd4ObHuPmXCG2axbOrID8inYbUGlaWabPWcNSm-PegSOZY" style="display: block; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; width: 385px;" title="" tooltip="" /></font></span><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 385px;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><img alt="" id="id_f6b9_7bad_95fb_68d9" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/n3ItOjQwltmBWJ3DWVU3aVI0MOlTp7So7jFm6SnoSm9aydnG9ghzeRNq4aXKgtIHqM0" style="display: block; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; width: 385px;" title="" tooltip="" /></font></span><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 385px;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><img alt="" id="id_938_b371_6d4_feea" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/e6u36OgJWim6gBMYe-8gbpThtmeLpy_01_S8OYFpP_SKr1l-sznLeo4XZ3--SPlPUQs" style="display: block; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; width: 385px;" title="" tooltip="" /></font></span><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 385px;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><img alt="" id="id_be91_e021_38d0_3aa4" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/apvi-NeRpM5Z9BZ-cSd6hxLPUOHWZ3l766d9qomJ_-b1XCEncTktgcl2gwP9EsKs62c" style="display: block; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; width: 385px;" title="" tooltip="" /></font></span><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_dae6_973f_fcc7_5296" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/TOocdlRIL0v7uo596K_unSVRB3qz0fjGT58Cs0ym8Bnqfd8yuhL7DhQD2zrtIsX6E-M" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; display: block; font-family: Arial; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 385px;" title="" tooltip="" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_ea54_b501_492e_e1f0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/analgBr7jSyLBqeOLN3tijUzbQ2FHLMOBzYzYVGt9z0JNW6V96d_YlP-F-0-H7Zdnm0" style="display: block; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 385px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /><img alt="" id="id_eca1_345_26ed_9432" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/5NNmlAaDvOV_3DrU5CTFXZaRhdaaq2e-Xm6gzKMvfF9xh7yL4s8suzyRbx52I6q0qE8" style="display: block; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 385px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">We lived on five acres (Peaceful Acres), and though we love being out in Washington now, with several of our close family (son, DIL, granddaughter, grandson, granddaughter-in-law, great grandson, and great granddaughter), we do miss Missouri, especially this time of year.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></span></div><p></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4">In Washington, there are certainly colorful trees (maple, etc.), and the interesting thing here is the different picture that is painted, as you look into the distance—the colorful trees are always mixed in with the beautiful evergreens, and the contrast is stunning.</font></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 26px; text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span class="s2"></span><br /></font></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4">Another thing I love about the fall is the art projects, really fun for me since, did I mention, fall IS my favorite season.</font></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; display: block; margin: 4px auto; text-align: center; width: 385px;"><img alt="" id="id_a807_5e43_9d90_c3e0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/AoKHPN0ElSQv_CZ0CppSQ7ZRw3FBEdfu1WtZ3_FlQ5d-zhlP0oMzMYBsHCTRwULzofs" style="display: block; height: auto; margin: 4px auto; text-align: center; width: 385px;" title="" tooltip="" /></span></font></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_a272_35b2_1e32_9ec8" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/__-WIypfzuZcjnU1CfNqC8-Li-zbObdmuOqwIVrESUGb8snITeg6uWTQZAxAqOqPLmM" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; display: block; font-family: Arial; height: auto; margin: 4px auto; width: 385px;" title="" tooltip="" /></div><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 26px;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 385px;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><img alt="" id="id_1321_1201_b1f3_1f76" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/95TI5Z33fheo29kS8e_u_e3MeG6Zm94ivt5Kd1WXe3TF6Vx3H6tHGtYdPpv8nJN-Des" style="display: block; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; width: 385px;" title="" tooltip="" /></font></span><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">So, I was going to talk in this post about “seasons of life,” but now that I have this warm, cozy feeling about autumn, I’m not in the mood to spoil it with thoughts such as this<i>: I wasn’t even aware of the seasons of life when I was flying through them (the spring, the summer, even the autumn…)…but now that I suppose I must admit to being in the “winter,” it’s not such a warm, fuzzy feeling.</i> </font></div></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 26px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">So, I just won’t think about it….today.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 26px; text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><span class="s2"></span></font></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 26px; text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4">On another day, I’ll write about the blessings of the “winter” (and there are many), but today I think I’ll just bask in the autumn sun and enjoy THIS season.<span class="s2"></span></font></p></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><b><i>Ecclesiastes 3:1</i></b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"><b><i>For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: #001320; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"><font face="Arial" size="4"><br /></font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: #001320; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"><font face="Arial" size="4">#autumn #fallismyfavoriteseason #seasonsoftheyear #seasonsoflife #fallthemeart #mariaraczynska #annamason #watercolor #autumnleaves #toeverythingthereisaseason #ecc31 #homesickforMO #pensive</font></span><span face="Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: #001320; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">thoughts #peacefulacres</span></i></div>Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15515359557758582980noreply@blogger.com0