WOYWW: Painting, Painting, Painting

I've been busy!  I finished a mother and child painting (top right).  See how it started out in last Friday's post.  I also started out three smaller ones.  I'm planning to have an Easter giveaway and I thought an angel would be nice to make.  Be sure and come back to visit me if you would like a chance to win.

What's on your workdesk this morning?  Come join the WOYWW fun of showing off your desk or taking a peek at desks from all over the world.

We're celebrating Holy Week, for me, a good time to reflect on God's love and mercy, new every morning.  Do you celebrate Holy Week? I'm sharing this illustration from my prayer journal in Word Art Wednesday.

Holy Monday

Today is Holy Monday, the Monday of Holy Week, the week when we remember the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  For me, a good day to reflect on God's amazing love and mercy.

Sharing this in Spiritual Sundays and Inspire Me Monday.

Paint Party Friday: Practice, Practice, Practice!

Happy Paint Party Friday, dear blog friends!  Thank you so much to all those who joined last Friday's Auction Blog Hop to benefit the Sandy Hook Elementary School.  The winning bid was Geralyn's who also offered a wonderfully whimsical Santa for the auction. 

I joined the All Things Mixed Media Art Google+ Community and there, I came across Ardith's post How to Become a Better Painter. She encourages us to "Paint....just go paint and practice, practice, practice."  So I decided to stop making excuses that I don't have time and just do it, even for just a short time every day.  Here's the mixed media piece I'm working on.

Drop by Paint Party Friday and see how other artists are practicing!

WOYWW: Habemus Papam!

Last Thursday morning, I woke up to the news, "Habemus Papam", we have a Pope!  So now, I have a new "hobby" - Pope watching!  I've been delighting in news about Pope Francis, who has such a cute smile, and does things like petting a guide dog, kissing a handicapped man and kissing babies.  I love him!

Yesterday, during his installation mass, the Pope said he "must open his arms to protect all of God's people and embrace with tender affection the whole of humanity, especially the poorest, the weakest, the smallest, those whom Matthew lists in the final judgment on love: the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick and those in prison."  The Catholic church has had all kinds of popes in the past, and even some really bad ones, so it is wonderful to have one who loves the poorest, the weakest, the smallest.   

My prayer journal illustration for today reflects on God's faithfulness through all generations.  This is what keeps the Church alive today, whoever the Pope is.  This is what Meg writes about in her post He's Just the Pope - "He’s not going to save the Church–it already has a Savior." Yes, indeed, we have a Savior, praise God!

To take a peek at more desks (messy and otherwise), drop by Stamping Ground. Also linking up with Word Art Wednesday.

Paint Party Friday Auction Blog Hop

The auction has ended.  Thank you so much for participating!

Hello, dear blog friends, welcome to my auction post for The Paint Party Friday's Auction Blog Hop to Benefit the Sandy Hook Elementary School!  We're celebrating our 2nd year anniversary!  

Although I live far away from the USA, events like the shooting incident in the Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14th, 2012, affect all of us.  Twenty innocent children and 6 brave adults lost their lives that day.  It reminds me that life is uncertain.   "Cherish every moment, for you know not what tomorrow brings and life holds many surprises;"  This is a line I wrote in my prayer journal before we found out that my late husband had cancer (my post about this).  And indeed, the challenge is to cherish every moment and "Find joy in the journey."

About the Painting:
This painting is an original mixed media piece (5 3/4" x 9") painted on book paper coated with gesso, with text added using the direct image transfer method.  I used acrylics, watercolors, colored pencils, dimensional paint and it includes bookpaper circles and real lace.

All proceeds from this painting will go directly to a Sandy Hook Elementary Charity.

Auction Details:

This auction will run from Friday March 15th, 2013 until Monday March 18th, 2013. Shipping (anywhere worldwide) is free.  (The buyer is responsible for any duty/taxes/etc.)

How to bid:

1. Please, please please, place a bid (with a way to reach you) in the comments section (any amount is okay and I dread not having anyone making a bid for my painting!)  Do I hear $1?  ;-)

2. Bookmark this page so that you can easily check back to see if you've been outbid or let me know if you want me to email you if you've been outbid.

3. If you are the winning bid, I will contact you.

4.  I will not personally be collecting any money and payment will be made from you to any one of these Sandy Hook Elementary charities. 

https://newtown.uwwesternct.org/

http://newtownmemorialfund.org/

http://www.mainelovessandyhook.com/

5. Once you have made your donation to the Sandy Hook Elementary charity, you will send your proof of donation (a forwarded receipt) to me at: peggyapl (at) gmail (dot) com

6. After I have received your proof of donation (and you have given me your address), I will mail your painting out to you! 

As you make your bids, please keep in mind that all proceeds go to a worthy cause (and that you will make me very happy!)...

Happy 2nd Anniversary PPF and happy bidding, dear blog friends!  Of course, even if you don't bid, please leave a comment to let me know you've dropped by.  I am also linking this to Inspire Me Monday.

WOYWW: The Paint Party Friday Auction

What's on my Workdesk this Wednesday?  This Friday, to celebrate Paint Party Friday's 2nd Anniversary, there's going to be an Auction Blog Hop to benefit the Sandy Hook Elementary School.  I am thinking of joining and looking for something to auction off.  Which one of the paintings do you think I should choose?  Perhaps you would like to join in auctioning something off or buying one of the pieces?

I also want to have an Easter giveaway but maybe I should paint something new.  What do you think?

If you were following my posts about my trip to the Holy Land, you might enjoy my latest post about Israel.

For more desks to take a peek at, drop by the Stamping Ground's WOYWW list!

On to Israel

Since I have just come back from a trip to Holy Land, I can imagine the scenes described in the bible more clearly.  

Traveling from Jordan, hours of watching the desert scenes pass by was tiring (and imagine, the Israelites weren't even riding in an airconditioned bus like we were!)  

Sometimes in life, our promised land, the answer to our prayers, takes so long in coming and we get tired of waiting.   We don't see how we'll ever get to the promised land.  And sometimes, like the Israelites, we start complaining.  

A rainbow reminded us of God's promises, so fitting after our experience of the flash floods in Petra.  

Right when we crossed the border to Israel, while we were waiting to disembark, we heard birds singing and to our amazement, there were so many birds in the olive tree outside the bus.  

It was raining when we were on Mount Nebo, and we did not see the view of Israel from there.  At last we were in "this land flowing with milk and honey." 

After the browns of the desert views, I enjoyed the beautiful colors around... 

God's creation up close is awesome!

Yes, it may take a while, but we will eventually get to our promised land!

I recalled the words from Galatians 3:29: "If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to the promise."   What a wonderful verse!  I am an heir according to the promise and this is the land of my descendants!  

Sharing this in Inspire Me Monday and Word Art Wednesday!

WOYWW: The Promised Land

Hello, dear blog friends!

On my desk today (obviously, I used the push and shove method to clear up some space) is a lovely Madonna and Child ATC from Voula...

and a page from my prayer journal for the reading today.  This verse reminds me of our recent visit to Mount Nebo in Jordan, the place where Moses viewed the Promised Land.  

It was a rainy, foggy day when we went there, so we didn't get to see the view of Israel.  We didn't even get to see this landmark and had to resort to taking pictures of  pictures hanging on the wall of the chapel there...

Sometimes in life, we can't see our own promised lands.  We can't see how God's going to answer our prayers, we can't see how His promises will come to pass.  

Our vision is blurred by the fog and rain of fears, doubts, and all sorts of other things.

I did manage to get a picture of this landmark.  Even if the guide didn't tell me, I would know this is Mount Nebo because of this landmark. And I know that the view is there even if I didn't see it that day.

In life, my landmark is the Word of God.  When I can't see my promised land, I look to God's Word to remind me that the land is there, even if I can't see it.  I look to God's Word to remind me that His promises are true even when it is rainy and foggy.  Eventually, the sun shines, the fog clears, and the view is beautiful.

More posts about the Holy Land.

Sharing this in What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday, Word Art Wednesday, a belated Inspire Me Monday and Paint Party Friday.