momoftheartist

WOW! A post!

2006-12-11T16:00:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I have been very absent from the blog here. But I am back for now anyway. Life is just so busy! Have you missed me? 14 days until Christmas and I am in my usual "I can't wait" impatient mode. December is always a crazy time with many moods. First it is the scrooge, Bah Humbug Christmas mood (I don't want to even think about it). Then it is how can I get this to fit into my budget worry mode ($$$$). Then it is Oh my goodness I have too much to do stress mood. (ARRGGGG!) Then it is what if I forget...(Can you say lists lists and lists of lists?). Then it is Ok,I'm done with everything and ready for it to get here already. And as usual on the 26th there will be that familiar sadness that it is all over and there isn't anything more to look forward to for at least 4 months or so blues. (Dear God, Please send Snow) Dear me, maybe I need psychotherapy!?

post to fix a post

2006-04-24T18:49:00.000-07:00

This post is to fix the previous post. Don't ask me to explain cause I don't understand why it is doing this, but without this post the previous one only halfway shows up. I know, this doesn't make sense but it is ok cause I rarely make sense anyway. Those who know me already know this.

Pointe of Grace

2006-04-23T18:20:00.000-07:00

This is another piece that my daughter did. It won first place in the ASU Beebe contest. It did not win anything at state however but that was due to the fact that "the artist" forgot to bring it along that day. There is always next year!

State Art Competition

2006-04-19T16:51:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone! Over the next few days I will be uploading the artwork that won in the state art contest. As we promised our good friends, the first drawing to be uploaded is one that my daughter did of one of them. This particular piece won honorable mention (5th place) in the colored pencil category. (Click on the picture for a larger version)

Check back soon for these other pieces that won:

2nd place charcoal
honorable mention pencil/graphite

Lady in Blue

2006-04-10T19:05:00.001-07:00

This is the piece, entitled "Lady In Blue", that my daughter entered into the BMW art contest this past week. We found out today that her entry won 2nd place!! There were 700 entries and 1st and 2nd prize get the honor of displaying their work in the BMW showroom. She also gets a check for 125 dollars and theater tickets to see "The Frog Prince" at the local Childrens theater. I am very proud of my daughter!! Can you tell??!!

More info on Amazing DOG

2006-04-08T16:38:00.000-07:00

Hello! Maybe some of you are interested in learning more about the amazing dog I spoke about below in the post called "The Two legged Dog". The dog's name is Faith and you can see the video and learn more about him at this sight:

http://www.faiththedog.net/video.asp

You may have to cut and paist that webiste into your browser window, and it is a big file, but it is worth the download! The dog's owner also has published a book which you can also learn more about on the website.

The 2 legged Dog

2006-04-06T18:51:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine sent me the most amazing video today. It was an excerp from The Montel Show about this absolutely amazing dog that only has 2 legs. It just so happens that the 2 legs the dog has is his back two legs. The vet told the owners that he needed to be put to sleep, but the owners did not and taught this wonderful dog to walk on his back two legs UPRIGHT like a human. I have never seen ANYTHING like this. And bless his little heart, he walked around..hopped around just like that was how it was supposed to be. Just as happy as he could be. WOW.

I am reminded of people who are in similar situations. Have physical handycaps or even mental ones and they do not let it get to their spirits. I REALLY need to learn lessons from these people. Me, the person who gets put off if I get a stain on my shirt and/or other minor inconveniences.

Please help me Lord to be thankful for what I have and all you have given me instead of resentful for those things I do not have. Help me to keep my eyes on you rather than the world and its idea of what makes one whole. Help me to remember that although I may fall miserably short of what the world may consider attractive and ideal, in YOUR eyes I am perfect. Amen.

2006-04-04T16:12:00.000-07:00

Have you heard this song? Man this song has some things to say! These are the lyrics, the actual song is even better.

Artist: Todd Agnew
Album: Reflection Of Something
Song: My Jesus

Which Jesus do you follow?
Which Jesus do you serve?
If Ephesians says to imitate Christ
Then why do you look so much like the world?
Cause my Jesus bled and died
He spent His time with thieves and liars
He loved the poor and accosted the arrogant
So which one do you want to be?
Blessed are the poor in spirit
Or do we pray to be blessed with the wealth of this land
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness
Or do we ache for another taste of this world of shifting sand
Cause my Jesus bled and died for my sins
He spent His time with thieves and liars
He loved the poor and accosted the rich
So which one do you want to be?
Who is this that you follow
This picture of the American dream
If Jesus was here would you walk right by on the other side or fall down and worship at His holy feet
Pretty blue eyes and curly brown hair and a clear complexion
Is how you see Him as He dies for Your sins
But the Word says He was battered and scarred
Or did you miss that part
Sometimes I doubt we'd recognize Him
Cause my Jesus bled and died
He spent His time with thieves and the least of these
He loved the poor and accosted the comfortable
So which one do you want to be?
Cause my Jesus would never be accepted in my church
The blood and dirt on His feet would stain the carpet
But He reaches for the hurting and despised the proud
I think He'd prefer Beale St. to the stained glass crowd
And I know that He can hear me if I cry out loud
I want to be like my Jesus!
I want to be like my Jesus!
Not a posterchild for American prosperity, but like my Jesus
You see I'm tired of living for success and popularity
I want to be like my Jesus but I'm not sure what that means to be like You Jesus
Cause You said to live like You, love like You but then You died for me
Can I be like You Jesus?
I want to be like my Jesus

Online Prayer Journal

2006-04-03T19:09:00.000-07:00

Prayer requests:

Enough of a raise at work so my daughter and I can afford a house.

A loan for a house.

A house that fits into our budget.

To be a better example for my daughter in her new walk with Christ.

To be more spiritually minded.

For closer friends at church.

That my Aunt handles chemo well and goes into remission.

That a former co worker will find work and be able to get over her depression.

Who am I?

2006-04-02T13:26:00.000-07:00

It has occurred to me that I have done several blogs without really telling you a bit about myself. So, in case your interested, here goes.

I am a single mother of a 16 year old girl who is a talented artist and the best daughter any Mom could ever want. I am a Christian who attends a local congregation of the church of Christ and I strive to be the kind of Christian and mother I aught to be although sometimes I do fail miserably short of that goal. I am not dating nor do I plan to date anyone anytime soon, mainly because I feel like it takes time away from the time I need to be giving to my daughter. In order to date someone, one must dedicate a lot of time toward the person you are dating and I really don't have the extra time for that in my life right now.

I enjoy reading, being humorous and making people laugh, spending time with my daughter, playing video games and computers. I think I have a lot of wisdom to share with people, I don't know how others feel about that. :o)

If you are reading this right now, Welcome and I am glad you are here.

I'm on a roll, can't stop me now! :o)

2006-04-01T17:33:00.000-08:00

Yes ladies and gentlemen, she is still blogging. Since I have just recently discovered the art of "Blogging" I have a lot of lost time to make up.

I have been thinking lately about Heaven. What will it be like? How will I get there? Will it be that I will live out an old life and die after so many wonderful years? Or will Jesus come again and take me, my family, my friends and all other faithful Christians home to be with Him, showing each of us around our "new home". And if it is a "rapture" as they call it what will that be like? I often drive down the road and imagine looking up an seeing Jesus standing on the distant cloud, illuminated and wonderful, smiling down at those of us he is going to bring home. Erma Bombeck has a book, and forgive me because I don't remember the name of it, but in one of the excerpts she talks about how she thinks those of us who are believing need to have "rapture practice". Go out in our front or back yards and JUMP up and down pretending we are being caught up in the air to meet HIM. Even better if you have a trampoline. Excellent idea and you could get in some exercise while you are at it. I would recommend reading a book or two of hers. She is an excellent writer and has a great since of humor and uplifts the Lord in all of her works.

What I look forward to the most when I get to heaven is the family reunion that I know will be going on when I get there. Seeing my Grandma and Grandpa on both my Mom and Dad's side. And meeting my other relatives that I did not get to meet because they passed away before I got a chance to know them. I tell my daughter all the time about my Mother's mom and honestly, I can't wait to see them meet!

Don't fret though, I am not wanting any of this to happen tomorrow. But in Christ the ultimate outcome of death, although initially scary because it is the unknown, is all happy thoughts!

Thunderstorm Warning

2006-04-01T17:18:00.000-08:00

My third post for today. I guess I am really liking this blogging thing. To bad no one is interested in reading my blogs. At least no one has commented so It seems like I am the lonely one here. What counts is I am enjoying it!

There is a thunderstorm moving in right now. It is thundering and lightening. The lights are blinking like they are going to go out and one of the biggest indications of a incoming thunderstorm, my dog is going nuts. Standing at my feet (no matter where I go causing me to trip over her often), tail between the legs, ears turned back, shaking and panting so hard I am afraid she is going to hyperventilate. (Can dogs hyperventilate?) We have medicine we can give her but getting it down her is another blog post altogether!

Am I scared? Naw. I think it was the way I was raised. My aunts and uncles were always hugely scared of storms and would run to a shelter at the first sight of a raindrop. My parents? Oh no. They would sit on the couch, rain coming in under the door, winds blowing the trees sideways outside, the tornado sirens going off and there they sit... "Honey, you think we need to go get in the hall?" "I don't know, maybe it might not be such a bad idea." By the time they had actually decided it would be over.

So, here I sit with an incoming storm. I actually enjoy a good thunderstorm. I think they are pretty, like God's version of fireworks. :o) I just hope the lights don't go out before I save this blog!

Mom of the Artist

I am a survivor!

2006-04-01T13:46:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am happy to report that I am alive and well after a hour and a half in a shopping mall. But any more time than that and I might have started suffering unmentionable symptoms. I was lucky to get out when I did. I am proof that you CAN go shopping, get 4 outfits in an hour and a half and LIVE to tell about it. They are cute outfits too, that is a bonus. Good thing I am a Christian and I am going to heaven because my hell would probally be a huge shopping mall with fluorescent lighting, racks that are to close to one another and NO BENCHES. Sizes that are just not right no matter how many you try on and huge flowers and sequins on EVERYTHING. Ok, anyway the point is, its over. I am SOOOO happy its OVER!

The Shopping Trip

2006-04-01T09:08:00.000-08:00

Ok, Today my daughter and I are out on an expedition to find spring clothes and/or an Easter outfit. Probally not both because my patience for shopping will not last that long. You see, when God was designing me, I think he left out the shopping gene that is supposed to come standard on all women models. I HATE shopping! I have always hated shopping. When I was a kid, my biggest nightmare was school shopping and the nine million trips to the dressing room. I have decided that the malls put some type of draining device in their lights that SUCK your energy. It must help keep their electric bill down or something.

So, here I go. Submitting myself to some self torture. If you are reading this right now, pray for me! I will need it.

Mom of the Artist.

My daughter, The ARTIST!

2006-03-29T19:09:00.000-08:00

I am the mother of a future very famous artist. I just know she is going to be famous! She is very talented and I tried to upload one of her works but for some reason, the upload is not co-operating. I will keep trying. :o)

Sigh, tried again.Not sure why it won't load. The window comes up and it says it is done but the images never appear. Oh well.

Finally! Success! I guess patience was never my thing, I just didn't wait long enough. One day you will see these in the most famous art galleries in the nation! You just wait!

Churchy Stuff

2006-03-29T19:05:00.000-08:00

Many things evolve as you grow older. So does the Church. I think back to my childhood and there is never a time that Church was not a part of my families weekly schedule. In fact we went religiously Sunday Morning, Sunday night, Wenesday night and any other supplemental event that might come along such as VBS or Gospel Meetings. Oh how I dreaded Gospel meetings, where the usual preaching would go past the usual 20 or 3o minutes and last an hour or so. If it wasn't an hour, it seemed like it. Now days, it is rare that we even have gospel meetings and VBS is usually something only those with Kids attend.
I remember one particular Sunday when the elders of the church made a special announcement asking Ladies of the congregation NOT to wear pant suits to church. Skirts and dresses were fine but NOT pants. Now days, the only thing that people might really refrain from doing is wearing shorts on Sunday morning. I am not going to make a judgment here on which stance is right because I think there might be benefits and drawbacks each way. I remember as a child wearing shorts on Saturday and my dad not letting me go inside the church building because I was wearing shorts. Seems strange to me now.
Tonight I was in a discussion with some friends about the Church where I am a member. We were discussing attitudes, past and present between the church that I am a member and other faiths. As a child, our biggest rival were the Baptists and in my mind I formed an opinion that the Baptists were the enemy. I remember to this day being a small kid (small enough to be in a car seat although I don't remember my exact age) and listening to a heated discussion going on between my mom and dad. After taking it all in for a few minutes I exclaimed, "DADDY, You sound JUST like a BABISH!" I think about it now and I think about the phrase, "what would Jesus Do." Not exactly sure but I don't think he would have sat around having theological debates about how everyone else was wrong and he was right. Even to this day, I try to avoid the "THIS is what I believe" discussions. Because it ends up with "What church do you go to?" and then...."Oh, church of Christ? (little c on church big C on CHRIST for those 'old school' c of Cers) aren't you the ones that believe you are the only ones going to heaven?? " No, but how do you change someone's perception of you after it has been that way for so long. I hope one day we will be known more for the way we Uplift Jesus in our lives, the way we reach out to others in need and in our community and the way we strive to be more like Him every day.