Apologies and New Year

First I want to apologize to my readers for dropping out. I do have a good explanation! I fell helping my hubby put insulation in our attic hitting my head. It caused a concussion and I could not be on the computer or watch tv for any length of time.

Now! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I don't make resolutions, do you?  I used to years ago. It was tradition after all!  Then I found that as the time passed, I either forgot them or felt bad for not keeping them.  I punished myself by my own thoughts.  I looked over my rules to discover that I was leaving the most important things out; living and having fun and joy in my life.

Jesus came that we might have life and live it more abundantly.  He came that we might be saved by His Grace not by laws.  Of course being in His grace doesn't mean we abandon rules - that would lead to chaos.  But it does mean that in Him we can have joy in all things.

I have adapted a word for this year: FOCUS.  Focus on His word. Focus on loving others as He has loved me.  As long as I focus on Him, all will be well.

May your life this year be filled with much favor and many blessings!

Rhonda

Still Here! Just taking a break!

Hi all,
First, I want to thank each and every one of you for your comments. I do appreciate them! And each gives me more to think about!!

I have been unable to write any posts lately - but will be back to at least weekly posts soon. Please stick around!!

Thank you!
Rhonda

The Purpose of Life

We hear people talking and asking, we read books to understand what life is about.  Do we have a purpose on this earth? Do we die when that purpose is fulfilled? Some suggest we are meaningless creatures, a product of reproduction. (To that I totally disagree!) 

I believe that our purpose in life is to love and honor God by serving Him, keeping His commandments, and being a witness.  That by doing what we know as our purpose, we will also be an example to others.

But how do we serve Him? I cannot take Him a cup of coffee, as I would my spouse. I can however give a prayer of thanks that I am able to have the hot cup of coffee and that I have a spouse to joyfully give a cup. I can give the tired waitress an encouraging smile and greeting, as well as a monetary tip.  I can show patience when the checkout line doesn’t seem to move.  How many ways can you think of to show a kindness?

However, I also believe that there is a hidden purpose that we are not to know.  We are not to try to find it; because, if we found it we would become prideful.  It is only completed as a by-product of honoring and serving God. 

Butterflies in Flight

Following my mother’s stroke, we were visited by a Nun from the hospital.  Our conversation led to this statement by her.  She said she prays “for the people whose lives I touch, and for those who touch mine”.  For we may not know whose lives we touch, it might be the person at the next table, or behind us in line.  And, we may not know the person who has set an example that we see, but need to thank.

 
Today I thank you for reading my tidbits, for those of you who leave comments. May you go in peace and with God’s blessings.
Rhonda

Remembering 9/11

Thanking all the responders to 9/11 and to all who dedicate their lives to the service of others. 

Lifting Prayers for all the people of our country who have been touched by this tragedy.


Rhonda

Joy and Fun

This week would have been a birthday celebration for my grandmother. Although she went to our Father several years ago, she was almost 100 then.  I think what all she must have seen through all those years. She was born before 1900.  Those new to my blog won’t know that I named this blog after her. Mary Fox.  What I remember most about her was how much she showed her love for the Lord and for those around her.  She loved to sing the old gospels.  She played the harmonica and in her earlier years played both piano and organ in church.  She had a piano at home also.   One of her (and mine) favorite activities was playing harmonica and all the grandkids danced a do-si-do.

I played last week.  I needed to refresh myself and wake up my creativity. I created my very first collage! I painted the background on a canvas with acrylic.  With diluted acrylic and inks, I created my papers.  When dry, I “found” the various forms among the paper abstracts, tore them out and pasted them on.   Oh! What fun I had!

Iris Collage
18 x 14
(c)2011 Rhomy

I think everyone needs to play.  To allow ourselves complete trust in God so that we can be a child whatever our age.  Just like my grandmother!

 Have a blessed and funfilled day!

Apart into a Desert Place

And he said unto them, come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while. Mark 6:31

This week has been rather stressful. Not unpleasantly so, just a lot to do.  One thing I have been trying to do is to put my MIL’s computer on DSL instead of dial-up.  I think this will help her be on line easier and she will enjoy being on the computer so much more.  I had been checking off and on to see when this would be available in her area.  I spent about 5 hours one day helping her connect the units she received from her ISP.  Oh, I didn’t mention that she lives about 5 hours away from me.  So we were doing this over the phone!  Then I spent another 3 hours the next day on the phone, while we both were on Facebook so that I could help her become acquainted with the location of where to post, what the difference between home and profile were, etc.   I am sure there will be more days of being on the phone and navigating Facebook, but I don’t mind. I am so happy that she will get the enjoyment of seeing everyone!

The rest of the week was pretty much spent on errands, but required frequent trips to town.  I am pretty much a home-body and like to put all my errands into one trip if possible!   Believe me, I was ready to find my desert place – a place of solitude and quiet.   

I am blessed with several areas to find my solitude.  On the deck overlooking the small lake surrounded by lots of trees.  The dogs will come for petting but that is soothing and as enjoyable for me as it is for them.  My favorite place is my studio.  This was a bedroom suite we built on for my mom when she came to live with us following her stroke.  When she went to live with the Lord, I created a studio there. (She would love that!) I have a recliner that I curl up in to read or study art books.  And I have 3 tables on which to paint as well as a standing easel.  Once I get in the painting mode, all else is forgotten! 

Find your quiet place and rest a while!  And have a safe and happy Fourth!

A Day Of Learning

Some days I seem to have everything at my fingertips; and then there are those other days when nothing seems to go my way. Those latter days are what I call my day of learning.  I try to reason through the day and figure out my reaction to those obstacles. Am I being stubborn, unforgiving, or self-centered?  God allows obstacles to strengthen our faith in Him.  But, in order for our faith to become strong, we have to work through our problems and our reaction to them.

Anything that we want to accomplish is achieved the same way, by working our way through it.  Whether it is saving money, losing weight, or trying a new technique in painting, we have to plan our process and take the steps to fulfillment.

Here is a cypress knee I have painted. Cypress trees grow in a lake near here created by the backflow of the Mississippi in the 1811 earthquake. The knees are knobby growths that spring up from the roots and are called knees.  Special license must be obtained to cut the knees.  Then the knees have to have the bark peeled, cleaned and sanded to be ready for one's imagination to unfold. This is a penguin family.

The father is looking upward, the mother looking downward at their offspring.

I also post on Tuesdays at  A Passion for Painting giving tips and techniques on painting.  Check out the site for other artists that belong to this guild.

Thank you for visiting. I look forward to your comments. Have a blessed day!

WHAT A TESTIMONY OF FAITH

The past few weeks have not been easy for some people. In fact, as you know from news, the storms have wreaked havoc with losses of property and lives.  Joplin-ites have shown a wonderful testimony of faith that should be shown on every news channel and spoken from every preacher's mouth. The scenes I have seen of people pulling together to help each other speaks volumes of their faith.  Only one who has experienced such a deep loss could feel their pain.  Yet I see victory in their efforts and of those who have responded to give them aid.



How often do we allow the inconveniences of life interfere with our faith? If we allow minor disruptions to cast doubt, what would we do in a situation described above? Or, in spite of despair, do we continue to trust God? Only you can answer.

Be Blessed!

Learning the Wrong Lesson

Khalil Gibran wrote he who has not looked on sorrow will never see joy.

It takes a rainfall to see a rainbow.
I have had a lot of rain and a few storms in my life. And because my faith wasn’t as strong, I lost joy along the way. Some of it was due to lack of expectation. If I didn’t get my hopes up too high, I didn’t fall as hard when it rained. In other words, I let the fear of disappointment rob me of expecting joy.


To put in terms of art, I became rather monotone. No brights and no darks. Rather a muddy and dull composition if I had put that on canvas. Yet, I didn’t recognize that in my life. My happy days could have been much brighter.


Fear Not. I wonder how many times that appears in the Bible. God spoke it, Jesus spoke it and certainly the angels spoke it. Now when I awaken my thoughts are ‘it is going to be a great day!’ Certainly any day in the Lord is a great day. Fear Not: Whatever befalls I know God is going to see me through it. He saw me through the rain and storms even when I didn’t trust He was there. Although I was saved as a child, I didn’t learn to study the Bible. I didn’t know that God was truly a Father who cared about His children. I thought it was only about going to heaven when you died. Slowly I have studied more, read various authors, and learned much. I am going to continue to do so.

I hope everyone experienced a Happy Mothers' Day. I took time off to renew my spirit.

I am so happy to see my followers and I hope you do get as much reading my thoughts, as I do posting them. Thank you! Have a blessed day!