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.

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!