Watching, Waiting...

This morning as I read my Bible, I came across a portion of scripture in Luke 12:35-39 that brought me to tears.

I've read before in Matthew 20:28 this... "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many." And I've always attributed that to His going to the cross for us. But after reading Luke 12, I saw so much more.

I saw One Who serves because He loves

I saw One Who serves because it is Who He is

I saw One Who serves as an example to us to serve one another through love


Be Ready for the Lord’s Coming
35 “Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning,
36 as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks.
37 The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat!
38 He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn.[a] But whenever he comes, he will reward the servants who are ready.

39 “Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would not permit his house to be broken into.


Did you see the part that brought me to tears? HE will serve ME... I will sit "at the table of the Lord" and He will put on an apron and serve me. Hasn't He done enough already?! I can't imagine... (the tears again...)


This reminds me of a beautiful song that I've loved for a long time. Please listen.





Wounded and forsaken
I was shattered by the fall
Broken and forgotten
Feeling lost and all alone
Summoned by the King
Into the Master's courts
Lifted by the Savior
And cradled in His arms

I was carried to the table
Seated where I don't belong
Carried to the table
Swept away by His love
And I don't see my brokenness anymore
When I'm seated at the table of the Lord
I'm carried to the table
The table of the Lord

Fighting thoughts of fear
Wond'ring why He called my name
Am I good enough to share this cup
This world has left me lame
Even in my weakness
The Savior called my name
In His holy presence
I'm healed and unashamed

You carried me my God
You carried me
You carried me my God
You carried me


Are you watching? Are you waiting? How are you serving through love?

TODAY is the day... watch, wait and serve through love. Go on! Do something to serve someone in love TODAY!

Do You Answer When a Friend "Calls"?

I do! Especially when we have been friends for 22+ years. She asks and I jump!
That is love...

My good friend Sheila Atchley recently did an unstyled photo shoot through her home for her blog and it has taken off like wildfire. She has asked some of her friends to do the same to get the ball rolling for a community effort in helping we women share our "real" lives. Today, my readers and friends, you will see real... LOL!

I'll begin in my art / business area. In this space, I create my art pieces, write my blog, sell items online (I've made $2000 toward our next daughter's wedding!), etc.

And yes, that's my blue exercise ball that I sit on sometimes - but not since back surgery a year ago - it hurts my leg that's still healing on the sciatic nerve path. Soon!

This is my livingroom, with several art projects to share. I redesigned and repainted the letter "K", redesigned, repurposed and repainted the tree with the word "thrive" (see my blog post on the word the Lord gave me for the year). I made the garland on my fireplace - and if you look very closely, you might see a Sheila Atchley original on a shelf to the right of the fireplace "In Christ Alone" - my strong belief!

The master bedroom (we are almost empty nesters - except for a son who comes and goes, and comes and goes... and... ) This is one of my favorite spaces. As you'll see, today is "clean sheet and towel" day so things are a little messy. Good news - clean sheets and towels are coming. Bad news... wait for the last picture...

Something new - I've been fascinated with essential oils for a while now and finally had the opportunity to attend a class on Saturday. I'm in love with my new oils AND best part? After using some on my leg and foot that are still healing after surgery, I spent most of yesterday with minimal pain which is very unusual, especially for a Sunday which usually wears me out.

What do I read at night? A Christmas gift from hubby. I happen to love sci-fi and some fantasy / adventure, so Lord of the Rings it is - in a leather bound set! (Don't you love the color pink in that shirt?!)

And finally... the good news and the bad news. I'm getting a new floor in my laundry room after having our vinyl ripped for about 2 years! Yea! Bad news? The house is a WRECK! LOL! AND I can't do laundry. But my sweet daughter and son-in-law have been taking our laundry for us the last few days so it's all good. And I have extra towels and sheets so we'll still get to enjoy those later today. (Oohhh, I just noticed that door and wood trim are WAY TOO CLOSE to our Jonathan Howe original painting!!) Better get that moved...

So, there you have it! My "unstyled" photos of my home as it is today. Still lots of beauty amid the chaos, but isn't all of life that way?!

Be blessed today friends!

Three Ways to Re-purpose Sale Items

I've been looking for my "artistic voice" the past several months. I'm not saying I've found it totally, but I'm having some fun along the way.

For several years I've realized I'm drawn to natural materials: wood, metal, textiles, glass, etc. I also love the Arts & Crafts style of decorating, which incorporates all these natural materials well. And as is typical with A&C style, handmade items are a treasured part, whether passed down to you or personally created.

A few weeks ago, I saw a beautiful metal and glass "tree" wall art on an online store, but it was $100 or so, which I thought was a crazy price to pay! So, I started asking around and keeping my eyes open for my own version. (Look at the verse at the top of my blog to understand why a tree was needed to go along with my word for the year!)

My thoughts were to:
Redesign
Repaint
Embellish

A friend found a "tree" at Hobby Lobby that was 50% off (the only way I shop H.L.) The paint on the leaves was a little dull, so I spruced that up (Repainted), added glass pieces (Embellished) and then painted my word for the year on the wall (yes, directly on the wall!) below. (Redesigned)

Here's the finished project along with a detail of the leaves.

I purchased a letter "K" at the same time, but it was a dull, boring teal color and I decided it fit into the Redesign and Repaint category!

Here is my "new and improved" "K" made to look like a stained glass piece (another favorite!)

What's next for this wall area? I'm not sure, but I know this project will evolve. I'm going to be on the lookout for an "e" an "a" and an "r" so that our last name is spelled out on the wall using different fonts and materials. Won't that be fun!

And I think my tree needs some birds... I have a few on order that I found in the clearance section online.

Stay tuned for my next Redesign, Repaint and Embellish project!

Clay Pots

Exodus is an exciting book in the Bible until you get to the details of God telling Moses how to build a Tabernacle for His presence. So often I’ve read mindlessly through the “boring” details of what metals, thread, linens, etc. to use for this important task. I’ve noted some of my favorite colors were used – purple, red and blue!


But today, as I was reading chapter 25, the word “ark” stuck out in my mind. We all know what the ark was. The ark was where the 10 commandments were kept. And above the ark, between the gold cherubim, the presence of God rested.


An “ark” was first mentioned in Genesis 6:14 when Noah was instructed by God to build this structure to save his family and the animals God would send from the coming flood. God destroyed all the earth, but kept safe those who were in the ark.


In Exodus 2:3 we read that Moses’ mother got a papyrus basket and coated it with tar and pitch so she could put Moses in and save him from Pharaoh’s decree to kill all Hebrew boys when they were born. The Hebrew word for Noah’s “ark” and Moses’ “basket” is the same: Tebah. So an “ark” was constructed to save Moses from impending death.


In Exodus 25:10 Moses is told to have the craftsmen build a chest, or ark, which will contain the Testimony or commandments God is going to give Moses for the Israelites. Under the Old Covenant, the ark was where God’s law was kept, where His presence would rest, and this application was the only one in which the Israelites had a chance of a right relationship with God through the sacrifices the priests offered for them.


Then Jesus came…
He became our place of safety from impending destruction and death. He became our “application” for right relationship with God. Jesus replaced the Ark of the Covenant with Himself.


And now we have become “arks” of His presence. We carry within us the answer to salvation, to rescue and safety from impending death.


In Exodus 27, as the ark is being prepared, it is instructed to make wooden poles covered in gold that will be put through gold rings on the corners of the ark, so that the ark can be carried – so that God’s presence could be carried with the Israelites.
The Tabernacle was being built to be a place where God would meet with men. By making the Tabernacle portable, men could carry God’s presence with them wherever they went. When the Israelites moved, it was the priests’ job to carry the Tabernacle and all its articles.


Men “carried” God.
Men “contained” God.


Today, we who are followers of Jesus Christ are “carriers” or “containers” of the presence of God.
We are “Jars of Clay” carrying the greatest Treasure. And that Treasure is able to give Salvation to all who believe, to rescue and bring to safety from impending death those who are ready to receive.


We are New Testament “arks”


2 Corinthians 4:7
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.