Surprised by art

Ok, advanced upon by the Holy Spirit to create, which feels like play is getting to be rather funny.

First, I've found that I have more supplies than I'll ever need. Yes, over time I've collected things. I'm guessing I believed that in purchasing these elements, I was also purchasing time. Or permission to play rather than work. Ughh! Life is a process. A journey. A long walk. And now that I'm paying attention to what I'm hearing, I'm having an awful lot of fun and finding an abundance of joy and love along the way.

So, today, I took the day off so my mom and I could use theatre tickets for a matinee of Harmony at the Ahmanson. My dear husband suggested the Wednesday matinee. (He was born on the left coast but he's more like a New Yorker without the subway tokens. Every theatre on Broadway has a Wednesday matinee, so L.A. must, goes the logic.) I snagged the day. Mom was in. The kids had plans and rides, so off I am. I planned breakfast with my Dear, then a little art time, then, the shower and the drive to the Ahmanson.

On a whim, my darling checked the time and, surprise!, we'll be seeing the Saturday show. Los Angeles does not have a Wednesday matinee. All of this is simply to say that here I am, with a free day to play with the art and reorganize a few supplies I've recently repatriated.

Along the way, I made this cute book for my friend Joan.

I'm all so joyously surprised that I feel the call to artishness and, that I'm obeying.

So I continue to wonder, "What's He doing?"

A new year

This year, a few friends and I are spending our time in Dr. Stanley's Life Principles Daily Bible.

I'm excited. I love spending time everyday in the Word. And when I say love I mean love. (I'm very aware that we overuse the word love and I'm working to be aware of how I, specifically, use it.)

I was talking with Lori and Tami the other night and they were discussing how they felt a couple of experiences that seemed like the presence of the Holy Spirit. They'd been to a retreat in a city far away and had words of prophecy spoken over them and as they told about how each of them had felt, then and later, it seemed very familiar. I've had experiences where I've felt overwhelming joy and enthusiasm and a closeness to God's Holy Spirit. As they spoke, I was secretly, quietly, exploding with joy. This is what happens when I sit at my kitchen table and spend time intentionally with God in His word.

So here I am in the middle of January, playing a little catch-up, but falling right in to the daily practice of a cup of tea, (or java), this Bible, my book and pen and some pretty candles. It's a nice setting. And I have great anticipation.

Join in any time. Jump in in fact. And do share your thoughts and experiences in a comment or so.

We are so blessed to have the Word in our hands. What will our Father do with us as we go this year?
I, for one, can't wait to find out.