WOYWW: Advent

It's that time of the week again! Time for What's on your Workdesk Wednesday. What a difference a week makes, huh?   This is what my desk looks like today. I've been busy wrapping Christmas gifts. There's my box of ribbon scraps and gift wrapper...

In the midst of all the preparations of buying and wrapping Christmas gifts, putting up the tree and other decorations, I have to remind myself to observe Advent, "a season observed in many Western Christian churches as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas... The season offers the opportunity to share in the ancient longing for the coming of the Messiah, and to be alert for his Second Coming."  After all, as they say, "Jesus is the reason for the season."  

Have a happy week ahead!

WOYWW: Lost and Found

I did some tidying up last weekend but hardly got any space cleared!  There is just enough space for my watercolors, pencil box of basics (a pencil, an eraser, sharpener, a pair of small scissors, 02 and 05 Pigma Microns, and a white opaque Uni-ball Signo pen) and my prayer journal.

But because I tried to organize and tidy up, I found a painting that I misplaced!  I had been wondering where this painting was and I was delighted that it turned up!

That's it for this edition of What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday.  I am still trying to get used to being in the kitchen and cooking so I don't have much time for other more enjoyable activities like art and blog hopping.  But, although we have lost our cook, I'm hoping we will find our talents in cooking!  Have a blessed week, everyone!

WOYWW: A Blessed New Year!

Happy New Year this first Wednesday of the year!  My regular desk is not a desk these days.  More like a dumping ground for gifts that need to be put away and other stuff.  So I am showing you my small prayer desk with a work in progress...

When I was in Bangkok recently, I bought a rolling shelf from Ikea and here is the top view, with my colored pencils and pens and some rolls of washi tape...

And for the New Year, a blessing for you...

Wishing all of you from What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday, Word Art Wednesday and Inspire Me Monday, as well as all my visitors, a very happy New Year!

WOYWW: Last Day of the Year!

The year has flown by so quickly and it is now the last day of the year!

I have a different desk for What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday because we're taking a vacation in the beach. I brought my colored pencils with me...

Because I'll be doing my prayer journal illustrations... 

This illustration was for December 29.  St Teresa of Avila wrote... "The just Simeon didn't see any more than the glorious, little poor child. For by the way the child was clothed and by the few people that were in procession, Simeon could have easily judged the babe to be the son of poor people rather than the Son of our Heavenly Father." And so I wonder, would I have recognized the Messiah? And do I recognize Him today?

As the year ends, I look back and thank God for all the many blessings of this past year.  All of you, your visits and words of encouragement are among those blessings!  May the coming year bring all the best for you!

Also sharing in Inspire Me Monday and Word Art Wednesday.  If you're on Instagram, you may be interested in my other account which is for arts and crafts (username "peggy_aplSEEDS").

WOYWW: A Blessed Christmas!

This day before Christmas is also my birthday! 

And although there is an empty space on my desk, it is only because I have also taken over the floor for my wrapping activities!  This new Christmas book I bought has wonderful quotations...

May this blessed season bring you and your loved ones abundant blessings and like the wise men, may you "rejoice with exceeding great joy!" Matthew 2:10

Wishing all of you from What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday, Word Art Wednesday and Inspire Me Monday a very Merry Christmas!

WOYWW: Getting Ready

Advent is a time of preparation, of getting ready.  Ready for Jesus' coming; past, present and future. Past, as we celebrate His birth this Christmas; present, as we become aware of how he comes to us everyday or prepare for when we finally meet Him face to face, and future, when he comes again in glory.

My desk is also getting ready!  All is clear and it looks like the calm before the storm (by the way, the big storm Hagupit - which is a Tagalog word for a beating - did not pass our way.)  I am getting ready to do some gift wrapping and since there was no space on my desk, I just had to tidy up.

For my prayer journal illustration, I have a drawing of Jesus' Mother Mary, my favorite painting subject and a lovely quote from Pope Francis...

"The mystery of this girl from Nazareth, who is in the heart of God, is not estranged from us. She is not there and we over here. No, we are connected. Indeed, God rests his loving gaze on every man and every woman! By name and surname. His gaze of love is on every one of us. The Apostle Paul states that God “chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him” (Eph 1:4). We too, from all time, were chosen by God to live a holy life, free of sin. It is a plan of love that God renews every time we come to him..."  

Like Mary, "let us also recognize our truest destiny, our deepest vocation: to be loved, to be transformed by love, to be transformed by the beauty of God."

Linking up with What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday, Word Art Wednesday and Inspire Me Monday.

WOYWW: Christian Art

When I was a child, the days seemed to go by so slowly.  It seemed like Christmas (and my birthday the day before it) seemed to take forever to come.  But now, the days seem to whiz by and it is already September!  And it is already Wednesday and time for What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday and Word Art Wednesday.

Seems there is so much to do and so little time.  I guess it is because I have been traveling a lot.  See how I am packing for another trip.  This time to Seoul, Korea...

 

But, I'm delighted that I got to paint something during our "Paint Party" last Saturday...

and of course, no matter how busy, I try to keep up with my prayer journal illustrations...

How are your days going by?  Are they whizzing by just like mine?  I hope you continue to find time to have some quiet time and do the things that bring you joy!

Nothing is Impossible with God

Today is the Feast of the Annunciation, when we celebrate Mary's "Yes."  Even if at first she was greatly troubled, she still said, "Behold, I am the Handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word." Luke 1:38  

Whatever life brings, I, too, would like to be able to say yes and remember that nothing is impossible with God. Luke 1:37

Here is my prayer journal page today...

and "a modern meditation on the Divine Mystery of the Annunciation of Gabriel to Mary"...

Here are some pictures I posted in my new Instagram account (my user name is peggyapl).  A painting of Mary...

a mosaic I saw in Madaba, Jordan...

and the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth.

The lower level of the Basilica contains the Grotto of the Annunciation, where, according to tradition, the childhood home of Mary was located.

I'm sharing this in Spiritual Sundays and Inspire Me Monday.  And if you haven't joined my giveaway yet, you might want to have a chance at winning this painting...

Just leave me a comment in my giveaway post!  Happy Feast of the Annunciation!

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.

Emmanuel, God With Us

Two years ago, I made this set of twenty five Artist Trading Cards for each day of December until Christmas.  It was a sort of Advent calendar based on the tradition of the Jesse tree.  Each ATC has a symbol (like Jesse tree symbols) for a bible character and story which can be read and reflected on for the day and the ATC put in it's place until the whole picture comes together on Christmas Day.

The Bible characters and stories and their symbols for each ATC, from top to bottom row, left to right,

Day 2. - God, Creation, Gen 1:1-2:3 - Tree 
Day 3. - Adam and Eve, The First Sin, Gen 2:4-3:24 - Tree with Fruit or Apple
Day 4. - Noah, The Flood, Gen 6:11-22, 7:17-8:12, 20-9:17 - Rainbow and dove
Day 5. - Abraham, The Promise, Gen 12:1-7, 15:1-6 - Field of Stars
Day 24. - Magi, Worship, Matt 2:1-12 - Star

Day 19. - Habakkuk, Waiting, Hab 1:1-2:1, 3:16-19 - Stone Watchtower
Day 7. - Jacob, Assurance of the Promise, Gen 27:41- 28:22 - Ladder
Day 22. - Mary, The Hope for a Future, Luke 1:26-38 - Mary
Day 20. - Nehemiah, Return and Rebuilding, Neh 1:1-2:8, 6:15-16, 13:10-22 - City Wall
Day 14. - Samuel, The Beginning of the Kingdom, 1 Sam 3:1-21, 7:1-8:22, 9:15-10:9 - Crown

Day 12. - Joshua, The Fall of Jericho, Josh 1:1-11, 6:1-20 - Ram's Horn Trumpet
Day 21. - John the Baptist, Repentance, Luke 1:57-80, 3:1-207:18-30 - Scallop Shell
Day 17. - Hezekiah, Faithfulness and Deliverance, 2 Kng 18:1-19:19, 32-37 - An Empty Tent
Day 25. - Jesus, Birth of the Messiah, Luke 2:1-20 - Jesus
Day 23. - Joseph, Trust, Matt 1:19-25 - Carpenter's Hammer

Day 6. - Isaac Offering of Isaac, Gen 22:1-19 - Ram
Day 9. - Moses God's Leadership, Exod 2:1-4:20 - Burning Bush
Day 8. - Joseph God's Providence, Gen 37, 39:1-50:21 - Coat
Day 18. - Jeremiah The Exile, Jer 1:4-10, 2:4-13, 7:1-15, 8:22-9:1-11 - Tears
Day 10. - Israelites Passover and Exodus, Exod 12:1-14:31 - Lamb

Day 1. - Introduction of the Jesse Tree, Isa 11:1-10 1 Sam 16:1-13 - Stump
Day 11. - God, Giving the Torah at Sinai, Exod 19:1-20:20 - Tablets of the Torah
Day 13. - Gideon, Unlikely Heroes, Judg 2:6-23, 6:1-6, 11-8:28 - Clay Water Pitcher
Day 16. - Elijah, The Threat of False Gods, 1 Kng 17:1-16, 18:17-46 - Stone Altar
Day 15. - David, A Shepherd for the People, 1 Sam 16:1-23-17:58, 2 Sam 5:1-5, 7:1-17 - Shepherd's Crook

We, too, have our own faith stories and are part of His story - Emmanuel, God with us.  Wishing all of you, my dear blog friends and visitors from PPF, Studio Sneak Peek, Faith Filled Friday and Inspire Me Monday, a very blessed Christmas season!

Paint Party Friday: Madonna

Happy Paint Party Friday, my dear blog friends! Here's a Studio Sneak Peek at my latest Madonna painting.   She is one of my favorite subjects in my art because she is an example to me in the way she said "Yes" to God.  Have a Faith Filled Friday!

I'm giving away one of my artist trading cards.  Please let me know in a comment  in my previous post if you would like a chance to join my giveaway! I will pick a winner by November 20.

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: Madonnas

Happy WOYWW, my dear blog friends!  This is the tidiest part of my desk and I haven't even shown you the floor (Robin once commented that we should have "Floor Time Fridays"!)

Here is another Madonna and Child that I worked on while we were at the beach this weekend...

and last month's issue of The Word Among Us, a devotional I use.  This issue features "The Year of Faith" which is on October 11, 2012 to November 24, 2013.

"Pope Benedict XVI opened his announcement of The Year of Faith by telling us that the "door of faith is always open for us' (Porta Fidei, 1).  It is a door that we can pass through every day, deepening our relationship with the Lord and with all our brothers and sisters in the Lord."- The Word Among Us.  May we pass through this open door!

And lastly, a page from my prayer journal...

Take a peek at more desks joining What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday!

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: Women Works in Progress

Happy WOYWW, my dear blog friends!  Here is my desk today.  As you can see, I decided to put my Paint Pods in a cardboard tray.  I can take them out when I am painting and slide them under the desk to keep them.

While tidying up, I found some half finished ATCs.  I am getting ready for a trip to the beach for the long weekend and deciding what to bring along.  Perhaps I will finish these ATCs.  I know, I know, what a thing to bring to the beach, huh?

My Madonna WIP is sporting a new halo...

And what about you?  What have you been up to?  Join in the fun of showing off your mess, I mean, desk!  Here's the WOYWW list!