Dear Friends,
God bless you, your loved ones and your ministry today!
Have you ever found yourself getting a little lazy?
Well there is nothing like having no food in the house to get me to step it up and get back to work. I had applied to be a substitute teacher in Dec. and I received my first job on Tues. of this week. When I visited the school on Wed., I found out that I could have a one day teaching job five days a week if I wanted it that way, which I don't. However, our budget requires that I make money, which is not always easy to do with art.
I have not had a paycheck for 5 years. Of course I have worked: parenting, painting, doing domestic work at home, plus some volunteer work. But I was free all the time. Whatever I did was my choice, because my husband is not demanding and he's very willing to work to provide for our family. He supported me in my dream to be a fulltime artist.
My art career has grown...slowly. Even though I am passionate about painting, I am less than thrilled about the work of promoting my work. Business is not my forte.
This morning I jumped up out of bed and hopped into the shower, because I knew I might get a call to teach and if I didn't, I would be prepared to paint. (I just received a call to teach this afternoon and I said, "Yes.") Now I will hurry to get the dishes done, walk the dog, and paint as much as I can before 11:15.
I am having to step up my stress handling skills and my self discipline to get everything done that I want to do. I used to be much better at this when I was 22! Now that I'm 55, I have to push myself harder. But it's good to be pushed a little, just not too much.
Love, Sue
Friday, February 26, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
The Faith of a Child
Dear Friends,
God bless you, your loved ones and your ministries today!
Have you ever wished upon a star?
When our son was 7 he wished on a star for a golden retreiver puppy. Two weeks later, Daisy came to us as a stray. She wasn't a puppy, but she was a golden. She smelled like road kill and had blond dread locks hanging all over her. I gave her a bath, brushed her and started calling her Daisy. She licked my hand and stayed.....for awhile. She was used to hunting for fresh meat (such as Bambi or Garfield) and thought that dry dog food was unacceptable. So everytime she got hungry, she jumped the fence and went on a hunting expedition.
We lived in the country and our next door neighbors raised champion sheep and I worried that we could owe thousands of dollars if she got into their pasture!!!! So I called her back and scolded her about staying in our yard, everytime I caught her leaping over the fence like a deer.
She never talked about her past, but the vet guessed that she was about two years old. One thing was obvious; she had been abandoned, probably more than once. I said that she had attachment disorder, because it took her six months to adopt us. But once she did bond, it was for life.
We had a male dog named Moses when Daisy came to us and he fell in love with her at first sight. He licked her, snuggled up to her and played with her endlessly and quite frankly, she never cared a hoot for Moses, or so we thought.
After we moved to town, I took the two dogs with me back to the farm so I could move some boxes. I opened the door to the pickup and Moses jumped out and ran all around the yard. Not Daisy! She stayed in that truck for 45 minutes until I got back into it and took her home with me. She was taking no chances of being dropped off again!!!
I laughed and told her, "You're making me feel better about myself!" I have a reputation for being clingy in a romantic relationship, because of my abandonment issues. In fact I drove all of my boyfriends crazy with it and was blessed to meet my husband who has even greater abandonment issues than me. Our son has them too, from being in a orphanage in Vietnam for five months. So we call ourselves the "cling family!" Even our dog is clingy!!!! We were made for one another!
When Moses died Daisy moped for a month and it wasn't until, I took her to the woods and let her run, allowing her to do every naughty thing that she could think of, before she snapped out of her funk. She waded in the black swamp water, rolled in the dead carcasses and ate you know what. Somehow, all of those totally disgusting activities reminded her that she was still a dog and that life was worth living.
Daisy came to us as a gift from God and now it is almost time to give her back, because she can't get around anymore and my heart is aching. But death is part of life and I must be brave.
I will never forget my amazement at our son's faith when he made his wish upon that star and God granted it. When Seth was little, he could pray for anything and it would happen! I often asked him to pray for my parishioners when they were deathly ill and like clockwork, they revived.
Oh to be able to have that kind of faith as an adult! I think I understand what Jesus meant when he said that in order to enter the Kingdom of God, we must come as a child.
Much Love, Sue
God bless you, your loved ones and your ministries today!
Have you ever wished upon a star?
When our son was 7 he wished on a star for a golden retreiver puppy. Two weeks later, Daisy came to us as a stray. She wasn't a puppy, but she was a golden. She smelled like road kill and had blond dread locks hanging all over her. I gave her a bath, brushed her and started calling her Daisy. She licked my hand and stayed.....for awhile. She was used to hunting for fresh meat (such as Bambi or Garfield) and thought that dry dog food was unacceptable. So everytime she got hungry, she jumped the fence and went on a hunting expedition.
We lived in the country and our next door neighbors raised champion sheep and I worried that we could owe thousands of dollars if she got into their pasture!!!! So I called her back and scolded her about staying in our yard, everytime I caught her leaping over the fence like a deer.
She never talked about her past, but the vet guessed that she was about two years old. One thing was obvious; she had been abandoned, probably more than once. I said that she had attachment disorder, because it took her six months to adopt us. But once she did bond, it was for life.
We had a male dog named Moses when Daisy came to us and he fell in love with her at first sight. He licked her, snuggled up to her and played with her endlessly and quite frankly, she never cared a hoot for Moses, or so we thought.
After we moved to town, I took the two dogs with me back to the farm so I could move some boxes. I opened the door to the pickup and Moses jumped out and ran all around the yard. Not Daisy! She stayed in that truck for 45 minutes until I got back into it and took her home with me. She was taking no chances of being dropped off again!!!
I laughed and told her, "You're making me feel better about myself!" I have a reputation for being clingy in a romantic relationship, because of my abandonment issues. In fact I drove all of my boyfriends crazy with it and was blessed to meet my husband who has even greater abandonment issues than me. Our son has them too, from being in a orphanage in Vietnam for five months. So we call ourselves the "cling family!" Even our dog is clingy!!!! We were made for one another!
When Moses died Daisy moped for a month and it wasn't until, I took her to the woods and let her run, allowing her to do every naughty thing that she could think of, before she snapped out of her funk. She waded in the black swamp water, rolled in the dead carcasses and ate you know what. Somehow, all of those totally disgusting activities reminded her that she was still a dog and that life was worth living.
Daisy came to us as a gift from God and now it is almost time to give her back, because she can't get around anymore and my heart is aching. But death is part of life and I must be brave.
I will never forget my amazement at our son's faith when he made his wish upon that star and God granted it. When Seth was little, he could pray for anything and it would happen! I often asked him to pray for my parishioners when they were deathly ill and like clockwork, they revived.
Oh to be able to have that kind of faith as an adult! I think I understand what Jesus meant when he said that in order to enter the Kingdom of God, we must come as a child.
Much Love, Sue
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
New Paintings
Dear Friends,
God bless you, your loved ones and your ministries today!
How do you feel when you finish a project to your satisfaction?
When I was little, I followed my grandmother around the farmhouse and yard like a puppy dog. I dried the dishes she washed, made the beds with her (slapping the feather pillows to fluff them), put the cinnamon rolls into the baking dish after she kneaded the dough, rolled the brown sugar and cinnamon into it, then cut it into magic pinwheels. I caught the overhauls when they came through the wringer on the washing machine and pushed them down into the cold rinse water, then I caught them after they went through the wringer the second time and put them into the laundry basket. I handed the clothespins to her as she hung them on the line and simply watched in fascination as she sprinkled them with water and ironed them.
Everything my grandmother did was a ritual and she did it perfectly. When she taught me to quilt, she emphasized how important it was to have the corners meet exactly. Her knitting was so tight that the mittens she made for all eight of her grandchildren every year, kept the cold and snow out, no matter how long we played outdoors.
I learned my craftsmanship from her and set my standards equally as high as hers.
In Seminary, I learned that getting a B+ instead of a A+ was "very good" and I changed many of my standards for myself, especially when it came to housework!
However, there is still one area of my life where I try to be as absolutely perfect as I can be and that is with my art. Before I can sign an oil painting it has to "be my baby" and I have to be able to live with it on my walls at home. So calling a painting finished is not easy for me.
But I did it! I finished Painted Prayers for Haiti #4 and #5! I posted them for you to see. I hope you enjoy them, dear friends.
Much love, Sue
God bless you, your loved ones and your ministries today!
How do you feel when you finish a project to your satisfaction?
When I was little, I followed my grandmother around the farmhouse and yard like a puppy dog. I dried the dishes she washed, made the beds with her (slapping the feather pillows to fluff them), put the cinnamon rolls into the baking dish after she kneaded the dough, rolled the brown sugar and cinnamon into it, then cut it into magic pinwheels. I caught the overhauls when they came through the wringer on the washing machine and pushed them down into the cold rinse water, then I caught them after they went through the wringer the second time and put them into the laundry basket. I handed the clothespins to her as she hung them on the line and simply watched in fascination as she sprinkled them with water and ironed them.
Everything my grandmother did was a ritual and she did it perfectly. When she taught me to quilt, she emphasized how important it was to have the corners meet exactly. Her knitting was so tight that the mittens she made for all eight of her grandchildren every year, kept the cold and snow out, no matter how long we played outdoors.
I learned my craftsmanship from her and set my standards equally as high as hers.
In Seminary, I learned that getting a B+ instead of a A+ was "very good" and I changed many of my standards for myself, especially when it came to housework!
However, there is still one area of my life where I try to be as absolutely perfect as I can be and that is with my art. Before I can sign an oil painting it has to "be my baby" and I have to be able to live with it on my walls at home. So calling a painting finished is not easy for me.
But I did it! I finished Painted Prayers for Haiti #4 and #5! I posted them for you to see. I hope you enjoy them, dear friends.
Much love, Sue
Sunday, February 21, 2010
A Pretty Purse
Dear Friends,
God bless you, your loved ones and your ministries this day!
Have you ever made a gift for someone that thrilled them?
Eliza Jane carried her new little purse that her mother and I made for her everywhere she went after we gave it to her. She is a darling three year old with blond hair, green eyes, pearly white teeth and two dimples in the same cheek! Her smile would melt the hardest of hearts!
We made the purse in my quilting class at church this morning. Nicole, our daughter-in-law, a.k.a. Eliza's mommy, had never sewn before, but always wanted to learn. She chose some cute cloth and we whipped together a little bag with a simple nine patch quilt pattern on each side and two little handles. We didn't have time to line it, but three year olds don't care about linings in their purses. Eliza thought it was as perfect as could be!
As a child I received many such gifts from my mom, grandmother and aunt. It feels so good to be all grown up and passing on the tradition of making handmade gifts for my own little ones! I remember how good it felt as a kid to receive those gifts, but it feels even better to make something with a loved one, for a loved one and have them both be delighted!
Love, Sue
God bless you, your loved ones and your ministries this day!
Have you ever made a gift for someone that thrilled them?
Eliza Jane carried her new little purse that her mother and I made for her everywhere she went after we gave it to her. She is a darling three year old with blond hair, green eyes, pearly white teeth and two dimples in the same cheek! Her smile would melt the hardest of hearts!
We made the purse in my quilting class at church this morning. Nicole, our daughter-in-law, a.k.a. Eliza's mommy, had never sewn before, but always wanted to learn. She chose some cute cloth and we whipped together a little bag with a simple nine patch quilt pattern on each side and two little handles. We didn't have time to line it, but three year olds don't care about linings in their purses. Eliza thought it was as perfect as could be!
As a child I received many such gifts from my mom, grandmother and aunt. It feels so good to be all grown up and passing on the tradition of making handmade gifts for my own little ones! I remember how good it felt as a kid to receive those gifts, but it feels even better to make something with a loved one, for a loved one and have them both be delighted!
Love, Sue
Friday, February 19, 2010
Spring in the Air
Dear Readers,
God bless you, your loved ones and your ministries today!
Have you noticed that Spring is in the air as of yesterday?
I heard birds chirping and the air felt mild in my nose as I took a deep breath yesterday morning. It's coming!!!
My dad LOVES to call me from FL when the temperature in MI is below zero and brag, "I'm sitting by the pool, having a drink and watching the pellicans...." (GRRRRR......)
I love snow more than most middle aged folk, but I am so ready for signs of spring! I need some new hope, rebirth, green pastures, still waters!
There is something very reassuring about the changing seasons and being sure that spring will always come again.
Love, Sue
God bless you, your loved ones and your ministries today!
Have you noticed that Spring is in the air as of yesterday?
I heard birds chirping and the air felt mild in my nose as I took a deep breath yesterday morning. It's coming!!!
My dad LOVES to call me from FL when the temperature in MI is below zero and brag, "I'm sitting by the pool, having a drink and watching the pellicans...." (GRRRRR......)
I love snow more than most middle aged folk, but I am so ready for signs of spring! I need some new hope, rebirth, green pastures, still waters!
There is something very reassuring about the changing seasons and being sure that spring will always come again.
Love, Sue
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Faith in Christ
Dear Readers,
God bless you, your loved ones and your ministries today!
Have you ever been afraid to step forward?
One of the lovely perks of going on a mission trip to Haiti was our day off when we got to go to the beach and swim. As we were approaching the cabana that served as an open air restaurant, there was a walkway with stepping stones that frightened me. Someone had taken pieces of coral and pressed them into cement in Voodoo symbols. I stopped in my tracks and was afraid to step on them. Call me superstitious, but I had just enough casual contact with Voodoo, to be scared by it.
I asked our tour guide if she thought it could be harmful to walk on them and this was her reply, "It could. But if you believe in Jesus Christ then you are covered in protection and it can't hurt you a bit."
I walked across the path with no qualms whatsoever.
I have mixed feelings about Voodoo. On the one hand, I see that it's very much like our legal system in the USA. In America people sue one another; in Haiti they use spells to keep people from harming them again. Also, the revolution against the French began in a Voodoo ceremony.
But on the other hand, there is something that feels very scary to me in my limited experience with Voodoo and I don't want to mess with it.
My confidence in walking across that path in faith has served me well at other times in my life. For instance when I drive home on country roads in the dark and I'm afraid of a deer running out in front of my vehicle, I recite the 23rd Psalm over and over again. I gives me the peace that passes understanding and it feels wonderful!
Love, Sue
God bless you, your loved ones and your ministries today!
Have you ever been afraid to step forward?
One of the lovely perks of going on a mission trip to Haiti was our day off when we got to go to the beach and swim. As we were approaching the cabana that served as an open air restaurant, there was a walkway with stepping stones that frightened me. Someone had taken pieces of coral and pressed them into cement in Voodoo symbols. I stopped in my tracks and was afraid to step on them. Call me superstitious, but I had just enough casual contact with Voodoo, to be scared by it.
I asked our tour guide if she thought it could be harmful to walk on them and this was her reply, "It could. But if you believe in Jesus Christ then you are covered in protection and it can't hurt you a bit."
I walked across the path with no qualms whatsoever.
I have mixed feelings about Voodoo. On the one hand, I see that it's very much like our legal system in the USA. In America people sue one another; in Haiti they use spells to keep people from harming them again. Also, the revolution against the French began in a Voodoo ceremony.
But on the other hand, there is something that feels very scary to me in my limited experience with Voodoo and I don't want to mess with it.
My confidence in walking across that path in faith has served me well at other times in my life. For instance when I drive home on country roads in the dark and I'm afraid of a deer running out in front of my vehicle, I recite the 23rd Psalm over and over again. I gives me the peace that passes understanding and it feels wonderful!
Love, Sue
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Teenage Honesty
Dear Readers,
God bless you, your loved ones and your ministry today!
Have you ever noticed how honest teenagers can be?
It's rare to get our 14 year old son to talk to us, but every once in awhile it happens. This morning I needed an outside opinion on my painted prayers for Haiti #3, #4 and #5, so I asked our son to give me a quick critique before he left for school.
He took one look and said, "I like that one (#3). I don't like the green in that one (#5), but I like the tree. I like that one (#4) except that her face is kind of ugly."
I asked, "Do you dislike the shape of the green or the color."
He repied, "The color." (He doesn't seem to like green very much, at least not in my paintings, so I took that comment with a grain of salt.)
However, he was exactly right about the woman's face being kind of ugly. Why couldn't I see that? My husband didn't notice it when he looked at it. Of course beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
I spent another hour or so, making the face prettier on prayer #4 and now I love the painting and I had serious qualms about it before, but I couldn't put my finger on why it was bothering me.
I wonder if he will still give me honest critiques when he becomes an adult. I hope so, because I find them helpful.
A lot of people in my life have criticized me for being "too sensitive!" OMGosh! I have heard that way more times than I can count!
However, when it comes to my art, I appreciate honesty, because I want to improve as much as possible. Of course there are criticisms that are not helpful, like, "That stinks!" But when it is sincere and specific it can be very enlightening!
Love, Sue
God bless you, your loved ones and your ministry today!
Have you ever noticed how honest teenagers can be?
It's rare to get our 14 year old son to talk to us, but every once in awhile it happens. This morning I needed an outside opinion on my painted prayers for Haiti #3, #4 and #5, so I asked our son to give me a quick critique before he left for school.
He took one look and said, "I like that one (#3). I don't like the green in that one (#5), but I like the tree. I like that one (#4) except that her face is kind of ugly."
I asked, "Do you dislike the shape of the green or the color."
He repied, "The color." (He doesn't seem to like green very much, at least not in my paintings, so I took that comment with a grain of salt.)
However, he was exactly right about the woman's face being kind of ugly. Why couldn't I see that? My husband didn't notice it when he looked at it. Of course beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
I spent another hour or so, making the face prettier on prayer #4 and now I love the painting and I had serious qualms about it before, but I couldn't put my finger on why it was bothering me.
I wonder if he will still give me honest critiques when he becomes an adult. I hope so, because I find them helpful.
A lot of people in my life have criticized me for being "too sensitive!" OMGosh! I have heard that way more times than I can count!
However, when it comes to my art, I appreciate honesty, because I want to improve as much as possible. Of course there are criticisms that are not helpful, like, "That stinks!" But when it is sincere and specific it can be very enlightening!
Love, Sue
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