CREATIVE THERAPY

Some of you may wonder if I've fallen completely off the face of the Blogosphere!! Thankfully, no!... But April & May were filled with many family events and needs that kept me both from writing & from drawing much.

In April, my husband & I had the JOY of traveling north to celebrate my nephew's wedding with family & friends. As co-pilot in the front seat of our little red Corolla, I happily counted the miles by knits & purls as I practiced my new knitting skills on a cozy blue scarf.

Home again in May, we learned of my mother-in-law's unexpected hospitalization & quickly repacked our bags (along with more yarn) and headed to the farm for 3 weeks. During that time, my mom also had knee replacement surgery... a very difficult experience for the whole family. My life felt upside-down & in limbo... and so I knit.

It's interesting now, looking back on my whole May experience... Much as I wanted to draw & create, I found I just wasn't emotionally able to concentrate. And yet, my hands still yearned to "make stuff"... so knitting did indeed become my creative therapy! Nothing very complex, mind you!... Just miles & miles of colorful scarves! It was one of those times when I wondered if I'd ever be able to draw anything again. But God is GOOD!... and I'm once again able to put pencil to paper & let my "sillies" out in living color.
    

Thank you so much, Lord, for your faithfulness to me!!

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."  James 1:2-4 NIV

MEET WINNIE!

Meet Winnie!!... She's our lovable Labrador Retriever! My husband & I are so blessed to have just passed the one year mark of adopting her into our family!

Winnie came to us through the Lab Rescue of North Carolina last winter, a few months after we said an unexpected goodbye to our sweet dog, Salem. Our home had felt quite lonely during those months between Christmas & February... and since both my husband Joe & I had grown up in dog-loving families, we became eager to find another companion who would "fit" into our family.

Unfortunately, we don't know much of Winnie's story. She was quite sick when she was rescued by the Humane Society & needed to be treated for heartworms. She also had recently had puppies... and though we tried to track down what had become of her little ones, we were never able to locate them. I have to think that she was a kind & gentle Mama!

This week Winnie & I went to the vet for her one year check-up... and I'm happy to say she is back to full health! With the exception of a few extra pounds she gained over the winter months (something we have in common!), Winnie is doing just fine! How thankful I am that the Lord has provided such a loving, laid back, & faithful friend for us to enjoy!

I hope you will consider whether or not you might be able to open your home to a rescued pet in need of love & kindness!!

"WHAT I DID ON MY SUMMER VACATION"

"Sailing with Spot"

It doesn't seem possible, but today is the last day of my summer vacation! One of the BLESSINGS of being a preschool teacher is having the whole summer off! I've enjoyed being at home with Joe and Salem (our sweet dog) and living life at a more relaxed pace. I've had fun...

* Celebrating my parents' 54th anniversary with all my family :)
* Spending a week at Myrtle Beach with Joe & Ben (Beach, pool, & eating out!)
* Sketching, reading books, & knitting a scarf (my first knitting project!)
* Creating art for children to put in my Etsy shop, PHOLKART*BLESSINGS
* Helping Jesse & Ben as they've settled into Ben's new house
* Visiting Joe's mom at her farm (Mmmm!... fresh veggies & sweet corn!)
* Caring for an adorable baby girl while her mom was working (such a blessing!)
* Watching movies at home & seeing "Harry Potter" with Joe at the theater

... So many GOOD things!! As I head back into the new school year, I know that the Lord has given me the gift of rest & refreshment this summer. And I'm so GRATEFUL knowing He has good plans for the children & for me in the coming school year! :)

LOVE ONE ANOTHER

"Love One Another"

I've been wanting to update my blog for the month of February... something appropriate for Valentine's Day, something "meaningful and insightful", perhaps some whimsical story or "fresh new take" on what it means to LOVE (and YES! I have been waaaay over-thinking this blog post! ;) ).

But in the end, I've returned to a favorite portion of Scripture that best sums up Love for me. From I Corinthians:13...

"Love is patient,
love is kind.
It does not boast,
it is not proud.
It is not rude,
it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil
but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects
always trusts,
always hopes,

always perseveres.
Love never fails..."

I Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV

Please love those who cross my path each day with YOUR perfect love, Jesus. Help them to experience YOUR love for them through me... Amen.

TIDINGS OF COMFORT & JOY!

My husband, Joe, and I have recently received several New Years cards in the mail from friends near and far. They've helped me realize that there are others like me who are still wrapping up Christmas, "UnDecking the Halls", and sweeping up tinsel in mid-January!

As always, these letters have told our friends' many stories... a new baby, a job change, a wedding, a family vacation, graduations, goals achieved, many ordinary moments, and extraordinary milestones. And sometimes the most honest of these letters have also brought news of difficult life changes and personal losses. Truly, for each of us, every new year holds something new...

And so, as I pack up the manger scene and take down the Christmas wreath, I think about how comforting it is to know that, into our everyday lives, Jesus was born. He is our Emmanuel ~ God With Us. He invites us to walk with Him into each new day.


May your New Year be filled with the comfort and joy of walking with Jesus each day!


From my sketchbook ~ Prismacolor pencil & micron pen on graph paper

JANE AND THE BEANSTALK

I've found there are many times while taking care of little children when I'm called upon to put aside my "big people" pride and practice some "little people" humility. Recently, I had just such a humbling experience...

On an excursion to our local Childrens' Museum last month, Jane (now 3 1/2) decided she was up for the challenge of climbing the Giant Beanstalk. She'd been thinking about climbing it for a very long time, and finally she'd summoned up the courage to do it!!

The Beanstalk is a steeply sloping stairway with netting around it that winds its way up from the museum's ground floor to the second floor. With great excitement, Jane slid off her tennis shoes and began her climb to the top...

Somewhere about two-thirds of the way up, I realized something was definitely wrong... Jane was stuck!! Without her shoes she wasn't able to get the traction she needed to keep going up, and she was too afraid to crawl all the way back down.

...And so, there was nothing to do but to climb up the Beanstalk myself and rescue her!

Looking back on it now, I know I must have been quite a sight! ~ a 51 year old babysitter (not as thin or as agile as I used to be) holding my bulky purse and a pair of little girl's tennis shoes tight and making my way (with great difficulty!) up the Beanstalk. But, to be honest, I really didn't care about what I looked like or what other people might be thinking about me. All that mattered was calming a little girl's fears and encouraging Jane in her climb to the very top!

As I've thought back on this, I have to admit that I sometimes feel just like that little girl, perched precariously and in need of rescuing. And Jesus comes into my situation with me. He stays with me in my predicament. He brings with Him just exactly what I need, and He cares for me. He calms my fears and then He encourages me forward.


Thank you, Lord, for little children, who teach us so much about humility and so many profound lessons in life about being loved by You.


edited by Patti Moore ~ Nov. 14, 2007