Spring Has Sprung!

It always seems to happen this way... temps are in the 40's, I'm wearing my turtlenecks, fuzzy socks & fleece... and overnight SPRING suddenly appears! It teases at first with a crocus or two in my neighbor's front yard... and then unveils itself with drama & flair.

This year the cherry trees that line the streets in our neighborhood were truly spectacular! And now the dogwood trees are beginning to blossom... and yes, the azaleas are not very far behind. So far, I've watched out my kitchen window as a mama starling built her nest... and I was entertained by a squirrel very carefully filling a notch in the big oak tree to make her cozy nest. All the baby leaves are unfolding, making the whole world green again.

NEW LIFE!!... Just when it seems that winter will never end, along comes HOPE, and the whole world sighs in relief.

Thank you so much Lord!... for the gift of beauty, for the promise of hope, for new life that springs up when we least expect it. We can see You in all You have made... The whole world is praising You!!

Three Goals For 2014

(Background photo © Darya Petrenko | Dreamstime.com)

And suddenly... It's January, 2014!! Time to hang the brand new calendar in the kitchen & give some thought to my priorities for the year ahead!

It always seems that, as I take the Christmas ornaments down & try to shift life into 'Normal' again, I have the overwhelming urge to purge our home of things we don't need... and to organize myself better for the New Year.

This year is no exception.

I'm not a fan of making New Year's Resolutions... but I am a fan of reevaluating from time to time & setting new goals... What worked? What didn't work? And what needs to be changed?

So, here are a few of the things I'm hoping to do in 2014...

DRAW REGULARLY - OK, you might be surprised by this one, given my love of doodling!... But days can go by while I fritter away my time online, admiring what everyone else in the world is creating! Mind you, I do love that finding creative inspiration is as easy as clicking my mouse!... Still, the best way for me to grow as an artist is by picking up my pencil (& eraser!) everyday & practicing.

JOURNAL - With all those creative 'voices' out there pursuing their many different passions, it's easy for me to feel a bit lost about what it is that I'm called to do. That's where journaling comes in for me. Scribbling my thoughts down on a semi-regular basis helps me process what I'm thinking & feeling. It's also my way of having conversations with God about what He wants me to do & be. Keeping a journal helps me tune my ear & my heart to the Lord's voice.

(A little side note... I'm not talking about some form of artful journaling here!... I'm talking 'scribble your honest thoughts on notebook paper with your favorite Sharpie pen to get them out of your head & heart and onto the page.')

EXERCISE - My husband & I recently joined a nearby gym. I've 'failed' gym several times over the past few years, but I'm determined this time to keep it simple. Go three (or more) times a week, walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes... Repeat, repeat repeat! It's all about showing up & doing the work. My middle-aged bones will thank me later!  ;)

How about YOU???... What do you hope 2014 will hold for you? And what are some simple steps you can take to move toward your goals?

So Very Thankful!

As so many of you know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. To be honest, until recently that didn't have much meaning for me. At 57 years old, I had been blessed with good health & I was looking forward to enjoying middle age with my sweet husband, Joe. But all that suddenly changed for me...

The morning after my 'routine mammogram,' I got the phone call no woman ever wants to receive... "We want you to come back for a second screening. The radiologist found a problem on your X-ray."

So began several weeks of not knowing & waiting & trying not to think the worst. My husband & I prayed. We asked our family & friends for prayer. We believe the Lord wants us to bring our needs & our hearts before Him... and at the same time we believe, for better or for worse, God is in control.

I ended up needing to have a biopsy... and truthfully, I was afraid to go through that process almost as much as I feared learning about the test results. But the nurse & doctor who cared for me could not have been more compassionate. They listened to me & talked me through the entire procedure. I felt like I was treated as a person who mattered & not just another nameless patient... They helped put my heart at ease.

My story has a very HAPPY ending!... though now I know I could easily have received very different news.

And so today I am THANKFUL!...  Thankful for the love & support of my husband. Thankful for the prayerfulness of family & friends. Thankful for compassionate caregivers. And yes, thankful for the very good news I received... I don't take the gift of good health for granted any more.

Thank you Lord for caring for me in the midst of uncertainty & fear. Thank you for being my strength, my comfort, my rock. Thank you for your compassion & mercy on me. Please help me to remember that, no matter what I may face in this life, I can ALWAYS trust in You.

Welcome Spring!!

Photo Courtesy Big Stock Photos

I don't know about you... but SPRING could not come quickly enough for me this year!!

Now, I know as a "North Carolina Gal" I really have no room to complain! While the Northeast was being covered repeatedly by snow this winter, we were mostly just cold & soggy, with day after day of gray skies... Nothing multiple layers of warm clothes & an extra pair of wooly socks couldn't cure! Oh!... and LOTS of hot coffee!!   ;)

Truth be told, Wintertime is always challenging for me. Like so many other artists, I struggle with depression... and there's nothing like soaking up some early spring sunshine to lift my spirits! My studio is on the south side of our home... definitely the best place to be year 'round to catch Mother Nature's warm glow when the sun does peek out!

"Kite Flying Lessons"

Back one gray day this past winter, when I was especially yearning for spring, I asked my arty friends on facebook if they could suggest some SPRING Ideas that I could illustrate. I really needed some help in pulling my imagination out of winter's chill & back to warmer weather. And they gifted me with a loooong list of inspiration!... as well as the encouragement that YES!, there would be spring again!

...And that's how "Kite Flying Lessons" was "born"... An itty-bitty piece of artwork that reminded me again of my need for the encouragement of creative friends and the hope of SPRING!