TAKING A LEAP OF FAITH

When I was a little girl, one of my favorite things to do for my birthday was to go to the circus with my family. I loved everything about it! ~ the smell of popcorn, the festive music, the funny clowns in their colorful costumes. I looked forward to watching the jugglers and acrobats perform their amazing tricks in their sparkley outfits. I held my breath as the animal trainers confidently stepped into the ring with bears and lions, tigers and elephants...

...But my favorite thing by far was watching in awe as the fearless trapeze artists performed far overhead on the flying trapeze! Back and forth, they would leap from one trapeze to another, always trusting that their partner would catch them in mid-air!

Sometimes life calls us to be daring and take a similar leap of faith. At the beginning of this summer, I found myself needing to make a BIG decision... would I find a ho-hum minimum wage summer job in order to earn some much-needed extra money for our family? Or would I follow my heart and invest myself in "really doing something" with my art? For me, it felt like a choice between the cautious "sure thing" and the riskier "possibility with no guarantees."

Happily, as I talked with my husband Joe about what to do, and as I prayed about this choice with friends, it seemed clear that God was saying YES to taking a creative leap of faith.

And so, I'm very pleased to announce the opening of my new online CafePress shop, PHOLKART*BLESSINGS. In my shop you will find my original folk art and illustrations on a variety of products... from bibs and onesies for the little people in your life, to T-shirts, coffee mugs, and calendars. I will frequently be adding new designs and products, so please come take a peek and check back often as my little shop grows!

I hope the designs I love to create will be a blessing to you and bring you joy!!


Thank you, Lord, that you are the one who is faithful and who loves us beyond measure. Thank you that I can trust you to catch me as I take a creative leap of faith.

OFF THE BEATEN PATH

My husband, Joe, and I live in a small city. Every weekday I commute a short distance west on the Interstate to the suburbs where I care for two small children. It's an easy commute -- 20 minutes at the most -- past shopping centers, gas stations, fast food restaurants, schools, hospitals, the "Y", & several subdivisions. I often feel, as I zoom along to work in the morning, that my car knows the way by heart. For the most part, I see the same familiar scenes each day.

But recently, I discovered a "back way" to the childrens' preschool. It takes us past horses & pastures & an occasional cow, then down a windy road through the woods. At the bottom of the hill is an old mill pond. A narrow bridge crosses the bubbling stream where the waterwheel still turns. As we slow down to cross the bridge, sometimes we can see Canada geese swimming gracefully along in formation. At other times, we can see the ducks line up along the spillway -- and so, we have to slow down to say hello to the ducks...

I can't begin to tell you how refreshing this short ride through the countryside has been for me!! It is sooooo renewing to get off the beaten path, even just for a little while!

Written 10/24/06

TIME FLIES!!! (Family Update)

Somehow, August & September have hurried by quickly at our house this year:

• Jesse transferred to a new school in August & seems to be thoroughly enjoying college life! While we miss having him at home (our "nest" is empty once again), Joe & I are both soooo grateful that Jesse is happy & adjusting so well!!
• Ben is working long hours in Chicago at his job in computer networking. He's beginning to talk about the possibility of moving back to NC in the spring (we would, of course, be thrilled to have him living closer!!)
• Joe has changed jobs within InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. He is no longer in a management role; instead, he's using his gifts of teaching, listening & counseling in order to nurture IV staff & help them grow.
• And I have returned (after not quite finishing my summer painting projects!) to caring for Jane (now 2 1/2 years old) & George (now 16 months old). My days are once again filled with giggles & smiles, crayons & play-doh, sippy cups, Big Wheels, boo-boo's, & Sesame Street.

All-in-all, life is very good... and we count our many blessings!!

"So teach us to number our days, that we may present to Thee a heart of wisdom." Psalms 90:12

IN OUR OWN BACKYARD

Beautiful Saturday morning!...

I love being here on the deck! It's cool, shady, breezy, and quiet (as quiet as things get at our home here in town!). So many birds singing! I've been watching a monarch butterfly, who seems content to fly all around our yard. The azaleas are blooming, and the dogwood next door is covered with white blossoms. So very peaceful...

Joe has been transplanting hostas from our neighbors' backyard this morning. Little by little over the past year, he has seeded and watered and planted and weeded and patiently waited to see the fruits of his labors. Our yard is looking lush and green as a result now. I am so grateful for all of his hard work! And now I am understanding better his vision.

I think Joe saw potential out here that I just didn't see. I have to admit, I thought his one-man war against the wild violets that had overtaken our backyard was a little crazy -- they were green, weren't they? Wasn't it futile to fight against them when they were so determined to migrate over from our neighbors' untamed yard? Wasn't Joe just fighting a losing battle?

But I was wrong. And this Spring has proven it. This was a battle worth waging. Joe has taken back the yard from its' overgrown state, and now it is healthy and green... a testimony to Joe's hard work and diligence.

Jesus often used metaphors about gardening in His parables. Weeds. Fertile soil. Rocky soil. Water. Growth. Fruit. Seed planting. Tilling. Persistence. Providence. Hope. Faith. Harvest... There is much to think about here in our own backyard.

Written 4/15/06

MY OLD WAGON, “BESSIE”

Back when our youngest son, Jesse, was just learning to crawl (nearly 20 years ago now!), we traded-in Nana's hand-me-down Oldsmobile for a brand new, shiny black Celebrity wagon. I WAS THRILLED!!!

"Bessie" was a simple car -- no power windows or other frills -- but she had lots of room for our family of four to pack all our most important possessions (baby swings, booster seats, strollers, Big Wheels, Legos, Playmobil, Ninja Turtles, and the family dog...) and hit the road together for miles of family fun!

Over the years, after carpooling countless kids, hauling tons of groceries, and safely carrying us through all kinds of weather, things started to fall apart on "Bessie". Her paint began thinning, her ceiling sagged, and her engine struggled to turn over in the morning. After years of faithful service, it seemed "Bessie" had finally come to a well-deserved retirement. Or so we thought...

...'Til one day recently, "Bessie" was called back into active duty! My job, once close to our home here in town, was moved out to the suburbs. With no means to buy a new car, "Bessie" was needed to take me to work and safely back home again.

At first, I was unsure she was up to the assignment -- afterall, for years she had only been asked to make the short trip on local roads to the grocery store and to church on Sundays. "Bessie" hadn't been out on the highway in "Who-Knows-When"?! To be honest, I had come to doubt her reliability, and feared being stranded by the side of the road somewhere.

And so, it was with quite a bit of trepidation that I steered her up the on-ramp of Business 40 on my first day back at work and headed west. To my surprise, "Bessie" got up to speed with ease and gracefully glided onto the highway. She hummed along without a lurch or a sputter, like she'd been waiting for this day for a very long time...

Today, "Bessie" is in the shop having her engine tuned. She would be the first to admit she's not much to look at anymore. Mother Nature and family life have taken their tole on "Bessie's" good looks. But, that's O.K. -- she's got miles of wisdom and experience from her long life on the road; and she's happy to still be of service!!

Written 3/21/06