WOYWW: An Adventure in Petra

This is supposed to be a short post for What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday but alas, not this week!

I did some tidying up!  And I had some help...

Last week I didn't get to post a close-up of a wonderful surprise I received from Jo.  Thank you so much, Jo!  You must visit her and see her lovely eyes ;-)

Here is a quick sketch I made in my travel journal.  Notice the waters at the bottom left...

While we were in the amazing World Heritage Site of Petra, Jordan, I marveled at the ancient structures...

and amazing rock formations of the "Siq," the dim, narrow gorge (in some points no more than 3 m wide)  that winds its way approximately 1.2 km...

 

The first glimpse of Petra's most elaborate ruin, Al Khazneh (The Treasury), was awesome...

David Bjorgen

 and to see The Treasury up close was a dream come true.  But the dream turned into something of a nightmare when we experienced what would have been a terrifying experience for me if not for my faith in God - a flash flood!

It was drizzling when we started our walk and our tour guide made a remark about not dilly dallying because of the possibility of flash floods.  I thought he was joking and I said, "Oh, that would be too exciting for me!"  

By the time we reached The Treasury the rain had gotten harder (see the edge of the umbrella in the top of the picture above?)  and right after we took a group picture, our tour guide told us to hurry back.  Some of our older tour mates were able to ride the horse carriages but there were only a few carriages available.  

In a few minutes, he was shouting, "Move!" and pointing to the water flowing through the Siq, "See, the flash flood? It's starting already!"  Oh my gosh!!! By now we realized he wasn't joking after all, and not knowing just how high the floods would eventually reach was frightening.  Walking as fast as I could and getting breathless at the effort, the water quickly rose to knee high, and it was freezing!

After a while, a Petra guide told us to stop under an overhanging rock (this is what I later drew in my journal).  Here, we were able to catch our breath and we prayed together. For a while I thought we would wait it out under the comfort of the cave but in a few minutes, we heard the familiar, "Move!" and out we went back into the rain and the freezing floodwater.

But this time, I recalled these verses,

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 

Philippians 4:4

In every thing give thanks. 

1 Thessalonians 5:18

I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise; continually in my mouth. 

Psalm 34:1

and decided to do just that.  Thanking God while walking through the freezing flood, I felt courageous and victorious!   I had other lessons to be learned from this experience but that is for another post and I leave you with this verse from Isaiah.  

Thank you, Lord, for your protection, and for renewing my strength!  Also sharing this in Word Art Wednesday,  Inspire Me Monday and Paint Party Friday!

You are My Beloved

Visiting the Holy Land and renewing my baptismal vows with water from the River Jordan, where Jesus himself was baptized, continues to fill me with gratitude.  And as I looked back in my prayer journal, I saw this entry about Jesus' baptism, with a quotation from Saint John Chrysostom,

...Why did heaven open when Jesus Christ was baptized? To teach that the same thing invisibly happens at your own baptism: at that moment God calls you to your homeland in heaven and invites you to have nothing further in common with earth... If we do not now see the same signs nevertheless we receive the same graces of which these signs were the symbol.

Then a dove was seen descending... It would also teach each one of us that the holy Spirit comes down on our soul at the moment of baptism.  It no longer comes in visible form because we no longer need it to: faith is enough now...

...This dove also reminds us of an event we read about in the Old Testament: when the earth was inundated by the flood and the whole human race in danger of perishing, the dove appeared to announce the end of the disaster; it carried an olive branch bearing the good news of the restoration of peace in the world. Now all this was a prefiguration of of what was to come... When all was lost, deliverance and renewal came about. What formerly took place through the deluge of water now takes place today as if by a deluge of grace and mercy... It is no longer only one man that the dove calls to leave the ark to repopulate the earth; it draws all men to heaven. Instead of an olive branch, it brings to all humankind the dignity of adoption as children of God.

What an amazing gift the Lord wants to give each and every one of us, no exception.  Just as I shared in my previous post about the River Jordan, even when we are dirty and muddy, God calls us to be holy.  He wants us to be his children.  He wants us to hear him say, "You are my beloved!" Luke 3:22  Thank you, Lord!

Sharing this in Paint Party Friday, In the Studio Sneak Peek Friday and Faith Filled Friday!

WOYWW: Walking Where Jesus Walked

 

I have just come back from an amazing pilgrimage to Jordan, Israel and Egypt (and a side trip to Taiwan).  No time to put away all the maps and brochures I collected along the way so they are all on my desk today for What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday.  

In Jordan, we visited the Jordan River, the place where Jesus was baptized.   I put my hand in the flowing brown water.  This is where Jesus was!  Fr. Dave, who was leading our pilgrimage, invited us to look at the muddy waters of the river, made holy because Jesus chose it for His baptism.  And so now, it is set apart among all other rivers.  Holy, even if it is muddy.  And so it is with us, sinful and dirty though we are, when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, He chooses us to be His, set us apart for Him, holy.  Reflecting on this while looking at the muddy river, so grateful for God's goodness and mercy, it was hard to keep from crying (actually, all throughout the trip, I seemed to be crying!)

Right there, in the river where Jesus was baptized, we renewed our baptismal vows, and one by one Fr.Dave anointed us with water from the Jordan. Here is an illustration I made in my pilgrimage journal...

And as I often do, I leave you with a page from my prayer journal...

 

 God spoke to me through His Son, Jesus, as I walked where He walked in the Holy Land.  Hopefully, I will get to share a bit of the places I visited in the coming days.  For now, why not visit the WOYWW, Word Art Wednesday and Inspire Me Monday lists!

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: Lent

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Lenten Season in our church. And so I thought I would make a quick post even if I am away from home, to share with you my desk for WOYWW...

and my prayer journal illustration in progress...

I couldn't post last week and I was in a different country from where I am now, but I did take a picture of my desk...

I hardly get to do any art when I am travelling but oh, what a lot of inspiration there is all around!  

Visit my blog friends over at WOYWW, Inspire Me Monday and Word Art Wednesday!

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: Happy Thoughts

Warm greetings to all the WOYWWers and other blog friends who drop by!  I've taken a super close up of my desk today because even I can't take the pile on it.  Not inspiring at all!  I am preparing for a trip and everything is in chaos!

But, as this wonderful ATC from Kimberly says, even with a messy desk, "The world is so full of a number of things, I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings."  Kimberly is having "52 Weeks, 52 Artists, 52 Trades" so if you want to have one of her beautiful ATCs, go visit her lovely blog!

And speaking of being happy, here is a page from my prayer journal.  May this verse become more and more true in my life...

Why not spread some happiness and visit blog friends over at WOYWW, Inspire Me Monday and Word Art Wednesday!  And there's still time to join Lulu's great giveaway!  There's a whole bunch of goodies to win!

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: Prayer Journal in Progress

Happy What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday, my dear blog friends!  On my desk are my standard journaling materials, and the page I am working on today...

If you happened to visit my previous post, you will know that this week we are celebrating the The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.  This week is "about Christians deciding to make up.  We have called each other names in the past, and now we want to give each other one name that unites us all together, the name that links us to Christ, Christians, so that we can be friends again...Christian unity is about our different churches choosing to be friends, even though we are very different, copying the Lord who calls us all friends."  - Sword of the Spirit Reflection Guide.  We do not have to agree all the time to be friends.  We do not have to express our faith in the same way to be friends.  Let us stretch out our hands in friendship with one another. (Sharing this in Word Art Wednesday)

Aside from journal stuff, I also have a Christmas tag I won from Wendy, an ATC made by Joy and a re-usable card from Lindley.  Lindley didn't write directly on the card so that it can be reused!

Drop by the Stamping Ground for other desks to visit!

What Does God Require of Us? The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Every year, The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is celebrated around the world (traditionally from January 18 to 25).  This year's theme comes from this bible verse:

With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with tens of thousands of rivers of oil?  Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?‘ He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?  (Micah 6: 6-8)

Is Christ divided? (1Cor 1:13). For this reason we gather in worship to pray for that unity which Christ wills for his Church, and we are called to break down such walls of divisions among and between us. - Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Brochure 2013 

Let us love one another because He first loved us.

I'm sharing this with blog friends in Inspire Me Monday, Monday Mantras Inspirational and Word Art Wednesday.

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: A Hat, A Cat and All That

It seems Wednesdays are the only days I get to post on my blog, thanks to our weekly link party, WOYWW, where we can travel the world peeking at desks full of arts and crafts and all sorts of other stuff.  On my desk is a "hat"  which I wore to our office hat party last night...

an ATC of our cat, Truffles, that Lindley at ATCs for All made for me...

(here is Truffles in her Christmas collar...)

a new book...

and a page from my prayer journal (for Word Art Wednesday and Art-Journal-Journey)...

 May we all have this hope in whatever challenges that come our way.  Happy WOYWW, everyone!

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: Love One Another

I've been trying to tidy up for this new year and on my desk is a binder I'm using to help me organize stuff I'm supposed to do.  I also finished the pages in my prayer journal and I'm starting on a new one!

Here is a page I made recently of one of my favorite verses, one I always try to grow in obeying.  As one of Regina Brett's Life Lessons goes "All that truly matters in the end is that you loved."

My reading for today says "Whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him... perfect love casts out fear."  1 John 4:11-18  Whatever challenges I face or fear, I hope to remember this - He loves me, I have nothing to fear.

My unfinished journal for today

I also received some love from a blog friend, Jozart, who traded a lovely ATC with me and sent me a whole bunch of lace goodies. Thank you, Jo!  

Give some love as you drop by love-ly blog friends who join WOYWW, Inspire Me Monday and Word Art Wednesday!

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: Happy New Year!

On my desk for WOYWW today, is a set of my favorite Prismacolor pencils and my prayer journal (for Word Art Wednesday), opened to my page for the first day of 2013.  Here is my prayer for you, my dear blog friends and visitors...

Thank you for all your visits and lovely comments!  May this new year be full of blessings for you!