Task as a challenge, Touch of the arm

Busily getting this wholesale order of Labradorite, Tourmaline, and Emerald crosses to an art gallery. Created a few extra for my etsy shop.

How do I get strength to be effective and accept responsibility? I will ask God for the strength I need each day. Like today. When I am quiet before Him he lays His hand upon my head, and Divine spirit flows through that powerful Touch to point the way. Sometimes I have to wait in silence before feeling that.

When in mental, physical or spiritual weakness I cry to Him for healing, His Touch brings Strength and Healing, renewal, the power to climb and carry on. Often I faint by the way, and stumble, His touch of the Strong Helping Hand supports me on my Way.

I'll go forward today. Bravely and unafraid.

Friendship

Glad to report the subtle sexiness of my new Nicole Miller dress and my fave cowboy boots was a hit!




For the sake of my relatives and friends,
I will say, "Peace be within you."
Psalm 122:8

My hubby and I traveled to Indiana this weekend to experience a retro flash back to 1989. How on earth did I get this fine head of hair to stand so high? I highly recommend this experience to everyone who grew up in a small, quaint community where everyone knew your name. My favorite surprises rested in the most unexpected places. Gracious God, I thank you for touching the lives of so many forgotten friends. I re-acquainted with faces that I pray God reaches out a hand and blesses.

Oooh, and my dearest friends. Thank you for all that we shared together. I pray for these ladies, I realize that my connection is just a shadow compared to the closeness I have with You. God, You are always there, always ready, always available. Open my ears that I can listen with Your loving attention; keep me in your perfect will so that all I say and do with this rekindled friendship reflects you.

Listening

The ability to listen is a skill I'm still honing. I no longer try to think something up, reaching for something that's just beyond grasp, "way up there, in the art stratosphere where it resides." No, when I'm in the moment, I'm engaged in listening for the next right thing creatively. I may begin with a plan, but that plan soon surrenders to that piece's own plan. I love moments of clear inspiration that nudge me gently into them on faith.

Listening is a form of accepting. Stella Terrill Mann

Complete satisfaction

I've decided I don't want all the satisfactions from this world...so I serve God, right? That's where I want it. I'll take full & complete satisfaction in God, but don't I want it from the world too? I can't have it both. If I'm working for Him, then I've got the reward. But then why do I turn to the world, to people, and expect that reward too? It's a decision to not expect love, gratitude, acknowledgment from any. I've figured out where all the necessary reward comes from.

So today, I will stand apart from the world and not expect too much from it. Yep, quite content with the rewards that come from Almighty.

Tibute to Africa

I'm so excited to make etsy front page this morning!!!

You should've been gone.

Oh, dear blog-how you've been abandoned and neglected. Forgive me and find comfort in the resurrection of word, pics, and video to bring you back to life again. How could I just turn and walk away. Yes, I'm typing this with Journeys "oh, Sherry" chorus line humming in my head.

Working on new, new, new crosses.

Wisdom - Psalm 121

I look up to the hills,
but where does my help come from?
Psalm 121

What is wisdom? Where do I go to become wise?

Ah, insights into the working of the world. If I seek wisdom, perhaps I'll know how to handle my neighbor who keeps parking illegally in front of my house. I'll be in tune with how it works to get along in conversation about today's healthcare opinions. The proper behavior towards the clerk at Circle K that won't acknowledge me as a regular customer.

I believe that God (call it as you please-sustainer of the universe, Creator, etc) knows how the world works in all its different ways.

pink sheep

“The pink sheep of the family”

Alexander McQueen

Day #4 in Africa










Dear daughter Mariah,
Today we prepared for our day in the "bushes." The villages we are bringing medical care to are so far away...literally we drive through narrow paths of bushes. I worked alongside the dentist identifying tools, instruments, and medicine we'll have available to use this week. I trust in God that He will put me to good use alongside her assisting the doctor best as He sees fit. They say tomorrow will be crazy whereas we will see so many people who have great need of medical care and spiritual food. The medicine we'll provide is a temporary fix, but lives will be introduced to God as an eternal solution.

We spent the afternoon playing with the kids here at the seminary. The children were fascinated with the digital camera. I take their picture...show it to them...they laugh and laugh and laugh. They all want their picture taken.

Acceptance - A part of life

Many insights were revealed along our journey in Africa. I pray that I may accept everything that comes my way as a part of life. I pray that I may make use of it in helping other people.

...accepting difficulties and disciplines of life so as to fully share the common life of other people.

Perhaps this experience of working in the "bushes" was in order that I may share the sufferings and problems of humanity. I need sympathy and understanding. Sharing experiences in life, in order to compassionately understand with others.

Unless I have been through the same experiences, how can I even begin to understand other people or their makeup well enough to be able to help them.

Much of what I must accept in life perhaps is not to be accepted as being necessary for me personally, but to share in the sufferings and difficulties of mankind.

Ah, but he path has tender lights and restful shades that no other walk in life can give.

Cameroon, Africa - CWE medical mission

View Blog
Just returning and catching up from an amazing medical mission in Africa! A spiritual recharge. Cameroon touched my heart and the spirit shined a light in my life.

Some moments scared me. But I'm here now, talking with you. My family is thrilled to have me home, and I am safe.

Protecting God, you held us safe. You were with us. You carried us. You sustained us. You delivered us.

I am thankful for the loving, caring presence.


But let everyone who trusts you be happy;
let them sing glad songs forever.
Protect those who love you
and who are happy because of you.

Lord, you bless those who do what is right;
you protect them like a soldier's shield.
Psalm 5:11-12

Our lives gradually become brighter

Wooaa...I've been creating brighter than usual cross pendants. Walk towards the light, LOL.

Looking around, today is obsessed with speed, but God is more interested in strength and stability than swiftness. The quick fix, the shortcut, the on-the-spot solution. Wanting it right here, right now, or an experience that will instantly resolve all problems, remove all temptation, and release from all growing pains.

But real maturity is never the result of a single experience, no matter how powerful or moving. Growth is gradual. “Our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Here is a rosary obsession!

I have a new obsession with rosaries!! I scour the villages for old, vintage awesome rosaries. Click here to check out my latest re-assemblage!!

Words create worlds

I stumbled upon a very cool pic this morning Words create worlds that led me to imagine what my life would be like without prayer. It's more than a time of asking for "stuff." More than just a time of petition, but a time of adoration, a time of recognizing all You are to me.

A time of forgiveness from where I've strayed.
Thanksgiving, supplication,
speaking, listening,
begging, laughing, crying,
singing.

Prayer is more than just words. It is a connection with a God of my own understanding.

I think of my prayers as smoke rising up and God's blessings as rain falling down gently on my head. More comes down than goes up!

Aqua Velva man! What a cool treasury created by abbasgirl ...a kindred spirit giving God all the glory!

Watching...waiting...hoping...

Watching...waiting...hoping...
Originally uploaded by law_keven

I'm watching...waiting...hoping...for the next few weeks as I prepare for our trip to Africa! Mosquito netting, Deet, sunblock...NO make up, NO heels...passport, working visa...

Unplug

Unplug
Untweet, unlink, untext, unplug all gadgets large and small
Turning eyes and ears to nature, soaring seagulls squealing call.

The froth and foam the sounds of surf expansive sea and sky
Unlimited unbridled unloosen binds that tie.

Free the soul and free the heart, life's rhythms ebb and flow
Waves of intuition will guide which ways to go.

Let not the pull of this and that upset my state of mind
Nurture now with nature, the path to peace I find.

True success

God is leading. I see His hand all day. I rely on this and go forward. I have no doubt that this is true success. I see it beyond all doubt. I know it. It is true. So I go forward unafraid.

My father took these amazing pics. Ssssh...don't tell...the high flying bird on the left is the inspiration for my next tat. I love how this pic captures the blissful present moment essence.

Quote of the Day
Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.
Carl Sagan

A calm and sane mind - Attitude

If I'm truly seeking a spirited path, then I would like to have a serene mind. The calm and sane mind sees spiritual things as true realities and material "stuff" as temporary...fleeting. Hmm, look at life in balanced perspective. When I look up, around, and away from myself, and I see that things that upset me will shortly disappear. The sort of mind that can't be reached by reasoning, or by reading, because of the limits on space and time. That spiritual mind is by an act of faith...the venture to believe.

As these posts traverse the course of blogosphere time - let us assume much refinement to be expected...In the meantime, Here's my Chi-chi!!!
A little dog with big attitude.

Love is the beauty of the soul

Milagros are tiny miracles. I created a new Milagro cross for my etsy shop!

Since love grows within you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul.

Saint Augustine

Delightful symbolic charms commonly used in Mexican churches for thankful offerings after a miraculous prayer has been granted. Also used in focusing attention towards a specific ailment, based on the type of charm used.

Milagros were pinned, glued, or hung to adorn the Holy statues around the churches. Believers also carry them in their cars, pockets and keep them in their homes for protection and blessings.

Mission - Cameroon, Africa

Oooh...Inspiration is flooding me as I prepare for our medical mission trip to Africa! Love mixed metals...these are hand formed {Kenya and Indonesia} rings made out of copper and brass suspended from drapes of oxidized sterling silver.

Ok, so the crosses I make don't look exactly like this...but cool pic, eh?

Expect Many Miracles

God Almighty, Bhagwan, Yahweh, all knowing, Buddah...however you are led, I believe the guardianship is so wonderful. Expect not one miracle but many.

I hope to never believe that human nature cannot be changed...it can be changed and is always changing. I expect miracles of change in peoples lives...and in my life.

Today I pray that I may be used by God to help change the lives of others and that my faith in miracles doesn't falter.

Three is a spiritual concept

Day three on the blog journey.
ThreeLemonsLeft.
The threeness in my life has powerful, motivating significance. In fact, I recently created an amazing crucifix assemblage aptly titled Three.
If you think about it...All things complete and entire are stamped with the number three.

Gods attributes are three - omniscience, omnipresence and omnipotence.
Three divisions of time - past, present and future.
Three persons in grammar - me, myself and I.
Sum of all human ability is threefold - thought, word and deed.
Three kingdoms of matter - animal, vegetable or mineral.

...Three is the average number of times my teen looks in the mirror on the way out the door.

Three spiritual awakenings that led me to a deeper truth and the pursuit of happiness...more will be revealed, along with the LemonsLeft, on a rainy day. For now, I must go out and enjoy the sunlight.

God is leading

http://www.ChristianCrossShop.com
God leads us to discover His truth, not only through creation, but also through our conscience.

"bloooooog, blooooog"
Just start somewhere.
Do a blog, get a blog, blog about that. About what? And who IS reading this? I feel as though I'm already being followed, tweeted upon, and now highly inspired to blog outloud. Let us assume it will evolve into something more than random disconcerted thoughts.

“Never forget the power of silence, that massively disconcerting pause which goes on and on and may at last induce an opponent to babble and backtrack nervously.”

Lance Morrow quotes (American Journalist and Essayist, b.1939)