Give me Jesus

This has been hanging out in my head for awhile, so those that think my head is empty- na na na na na.😁😂🤣😃

I love my regular decorative painting, but I have to admit, Mixed Media calls loudly for me to #create! 😉

I have shared so many times that I think anyone can learn to paint, if they are willing to put in the practice.

To me, Mixed Media makes art accessible for anyone to create. I am not saying it takes no skills, but it is so wide open, that one can bring their own special talents to it, without having to know the basic strokes of Decorative Painting, or tole painting.

I continue to share my process, in the hope that it will inspire you to pick up your supplies.

Again, I encourage you to USE WHAT YOU HAVE.

I am a DecoArt girl, but that doesn't mean you can't use other things--I just don't want to think about it, though.😉😊😂🤣

To begin, I used DecoArt Decoupage to glue on a piece of tissue paper to a 6 inch wooden canvas.

I used my catalyst to smear Prussian Blue onto the piece.

Now--my catalyst. A fun silicon wedge to move paint around.  Don't have one? Then use: an old cash card, palette knife, finger, or spatula (yep, artists often raid their kitchen!😉)

I repeated the process with Aqua Sky.

I printed a map from The Graphics fairy and painted a "sun". The butterflies that were added, also came from The Graphics Fairy.

If you have an ink jet printer, spray them with a clear varnish before adding paint to them, or the ink will smear.

I glued it onto the bottom with my Matte Decoupage.

I grabbed a sheet of deli paper --yes, it is what they use to wrap sandwiches-- and stamped my saying. I hand-wrote the word "Jesus".

I used stencils by Decoart to add texture to the background.  That is my favorite thing about Mixed Media--texture! 😁😊

The above stencil was used to create the sun rays, using the 4 colors below.

Another stencil I used. My thought with this was direction. That no matter what road we travel in our journey, Jesus is with us. I think the journey is better, and much easier, when we Rise with Jesus.

Now, a lot of what we do to build layers isn't often seen in the final design, but each element plays a part.

It is just like life --we each carry scars and tear-stained lives, but we get an opportunity to heal...to become a new creation. The old is past, and needs to stay there, but we must learn from each encounter. It is part of life to be hurt, but we have the choice to forgive, freeing us from the chains that bind us. We get to SHINE...to bloom into a new and improved version of us!

How cool is that!

Maybe that is why Mixed Media calls for me...maybe...

I used oil pastel around the edges and around the sun.

I also used my charcoal pencil to shade, too.

For some reason, I glued the square of the graphics, instead of cutting around it. Ok, I was lazy, but no problem, I added the elements of the background, and they melded together--oh, a cure for the lazies! 😁😂🤣😃

I hope that you make room and time to create! It will feed your soul and make you a happier, yes, easier person to be around.😉

I am simply blessed
to create~charlotte ♡

What if NOTHING ever changed? Serendipity Sunday

Am I the only one having trouble keeping up with what day it is, much less what the date is?

It seems that I have spent the entire year just figuring out how to get to such and such date, and now that I am here, I’m not sure that I am really here, or even where HERE is!  LOL

I’m not going to lie—it has been a tough year.

All of the craziness around me hasn’t helped, either.

I have discovered that my heart hurts when my friends hurt or argue.

We ALL think we are right and we have no clue how someone can’t see things as we see them.

You know, it is called LIFE~~Plain and Simple.

We believe the way we believe because of the way we were raised and with the experiences we have had.  We all were raised differently, and we have had different experiences, and THAT simply is WHY we are unable to see things as others see them, and sit down for this one~~PEOPLE are thinking the same way about YOU that YOU are thinking about THEM.

I’m sorry to have to be the one to tell you that… =) (nope, not really.  It made me giggle. Yes, there is still much work left to be done on me!)

Because of our differences, we have to work a bit harder to learn to live Compassionate Lives.

Today I am 54.  54!!

I am now OFFICIALLY an old maid.

My Aunt Lattie (Daddy’s only sister) was the measuring stick for me being an old maid, because, you see, she was 52 when she got married and was happily married for over 25 years to one of the kindest men that God placed on this earth.

I guess, really, I have been official for a while, now.  I just felt the need to confirm what I suspected…LOL

It’s ok, because thinking back over the Frogs I have kissed (sorry frogs—I don’t mean to use you as something evil), I am pretty happy to be right where I am and to have escaped some close calls~~whew!  Thank you, God, for protecting me when I was foolish.

It is tough not to look back on my life on days like this, especially when the world outside is so calm and quiet, so my mind can walk down the trails I have journeyed.

Yes, some tears have fallen, but that is nothing new.

It is so easy to go to the “poor pitiful me” parts and look around and feel lonely.  Time has a way of changing things, as it should, for where would we be if we stayed stagnant and didn’t move….if things never progressed, or yes, even digressed?  What if we had no serendipity moments…no moments that took our breath away (both for the good and for the bad)…how would we learn if we didn’t have experiences?  If we stayed in the past, where it might not necessarily have been safe, but comfortable, how would we revel in the goodness of mankind…the beauty of nature. 

What if NOTHING ever changed?

Boy, howdy, wouldn’t THAT be awful?

As I reflect on the changes I have been trying to make in my life, I still feel the old me constantly emerge, and it takes a sledge hammer on many days to wake me up to ME being a big ole brat.

I have worked on being compassionate~~to realize that I MIGHT not always be right (I said MIGHT)…to acknowledge that the times I want to share that I am RIGHT is not nearly as important as having PEACE in my life.

I cannot do one single thing about anyone else.  I don’t possess the power, and really, we should ALL be very happy with that fact. =)  BUT I do have the power (on most days) to control ME and how I react to others and how I treat others.  I can only hope that I will make a difference for someone, and let me be clear, THEN, I want to be certain to point them to God, the maker of Heaven and Earth, as the EXAMPLE to follow, and not me.  I just pray that my life will not turn people away from God.

You know how hard it is to change YOU?  Then image the impossibilities of changing someone else!!

I have lived the most blessed life.

You have patiently walked with me as I have retold the journeys I have made.  You have encouraged me when I felt as if my world had fallen apart.  You have lovingly given words of support when I needed them, and most of the time, when I did NOT deserve them or expect them.  You have listened to some crazy ideas that I have had, and either laughed and said, “there she goes again” or some have actually heard my heart’s cry for change and have made the efforts with me.  You have bought my patterns.  You have bought my hand painted items.  You have gone “oooo and aaaahh” when I have shared what I am doing. Yes, some have even told me when I was wrong.

You have been a family.

So, as I reflect on the past year of my life, while I have fought to stay positive and to keep the faith through trials, you have been there with me and for me.  I hope I have learned some lessons to make my life easier, but then, maybe I will make some of the same mistakes, BUT one thing is for sure, I know many of you will be right here cheering me on, and praying for me.

I have written down 10 items that I would like to ask you to join me in praying for in my life as an “unspoken prayer” because God knows, and if the time comes for me to share, I pray I will be willing to do so.  They aren’t frivolous items, but real needs.

I look forward to living each day to its fullest~~ To LIVE…to THRIVE…to PARTICIPATE!

I hope to remain Thankful.

As I look back to this day in 1962, I am THANKFUL for being placed in a Godly home with a Father and a Mother who led by example. ..Who allowed me to grow and to make mistakes...Who taught me what was important, and allowed me to have fun adventures.

I am grateful that I had two brothers, who loved me for part of my life, and I can only hope, who are thriving and living their lives to the fullest and are clinging to the values that our parents taught us and are passing them on to others.

I am so glad that Daddy was able to get that $500 loan to pay for me!!

I laugh as I remember the stories of Mother telling that she was not allowed to let her feet touch the ground for her 10 day stay in the hospital—10 days, folks!  LOL

I pray that I will continue to develop a heart of Christ.  That the things that break His heart will also break mine, and that I will do what I can to HELP.

Thank you, for continuing to stop by my little corner of the world.

I am simply Blessed to Create~~charlotte♡

Serendipity Sunday: I don't Need an Invisible Friend

What a beautiful Moon!  I KNOW the last full moon was called the Harvest Moon, but since it was cloudy here, I am claiming this one as my own special Harvest moon!

It is so big and so bright!

The glories of God are in full array.

I think God is kinda showing off, too!

This week, I became more aware than usual, of the importance of being a good example.

I saw a lady write about the demise of churches and how she was an atheist.

While, sadly, I agree with her about many churches, because it is MY EXPERIENCE that most serve only themselves.  I KNOW there are those doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing, but I fear, they are few and far between.  And when many of us walk out the doors, we forget that our mission is to SERVE as Christ did. I HOPE your experience is different than mine.

It is hard to believe that in America, there are people who do not know Christ.

We send missionaries to foreign lands, as we should, but we are failing our own neighbors.

I am ashamed that there are many times that the BIBLE that some see in me, causes them to turn away from Christ if I am what “those Christians” are like…heavy sigh…

I fail and fall so many times, but the AMAZING NEWS is that God forgives me and helps me to do better.

Since we are often the only Bible people see, I take it personally when we don’t set a good example.

While we ALL have the right to post WHATEVER we wish on our walls, once posted, it is out there for everyone to see, and is fair game for comments. If you post it, then expect disagreements. THIS is why I take it personally to remind us ALL to be careful WHAT we say and HOW we say it.

The nice lady made one last comment, that was in no way unkind, that I also agree with.  She said she did NOT need an “invisible friend to make me happy”.  Me either.

I do NOT have an invisible friend.

I have a friend that is ALIVE, Living and working in my life every single moment of every single Day.

He makes His presence known in the Full Moon, the clouds in the sky, the mountains, valleys, all living creatures, the sea, the oceans, the rivers, the rolling hills of Middle Tennessee, the sun rise, the sun set, the birds, bees, puppies, flowers, fields of grain, vegetables in the gardens, the gifts He gives us to survive, to make a living, in the kindness of a stranger, the smile of a child, the laughter of friends, the hugs, the tears, the pain, the joy, the love, the service of those who can, the hope of adventures, the planting of a dream, Oh my, I could sing of His Praises for many more words.

BUT, I want to kindly remind us that while God loves us and wants ONLY the best for us, He has given us free will, and He allows us to reap the consequences of our actions.  Bad things happen to good people.  Bad things happen to bad people.  Good things happen to good people. Good things happen to bad people.

So, today, I am SO HAPPY that “I SERVE a LIVING Savior, who is in the world Today.  He walks with him and talks with me along life’s narrow way.  He Lives.  He Lives. Salvation to impart. You ask me HOW I KNOW He LIVES.  He LIVES within my heart.”

I am so happy that I do NOT need an invisible friend to make me happy.  I am overjoyed that I have a Living Father who loves me, guides me and Keeps every single promise that He has made to me to give me EXACTLY what I NEED.  Amen and Amen.

I hope you have Him in Your heart, too…If you don’t, all you have to do is to ASK HIM to come into your heart.  Every single sin will be washed away and you shall be as white as snow.  You know, He is watching over you, even if you don’t think He is.  He loves you with a love like you have never known.  He doesn’t want to condemn you.  He wants to walk with you.  It really is that simple.  Go and sin no more.~charlotte♡