made a dent in the to-do list

with the countdown at t-minus 8 hours until the start of the new year and the beginning of the 365 day journey I have made a very small dent in the list of things to do in order to pull this off.  Today I was able to go ahead and make 5 frames, in which I went ahead and stretched canvas over after allowing time for the glue to dry.  so I am 360 canvas' away from being done...or at least in the way of making them...I'm getting very excited about starting to paint again.  It's really been a while since I was painting on a regular basis.  Images used to fly through my head like a slideshow they were coming so regular..i couldnt sleep at night sometimes it was so bad, but i guess i ignored so many of them for so long that i just lost it.  I'm hoping to fan that back into flame as I delve back into the bible again.  I'm pretty sure that is where the most of my inspiration was coming from.  I know it seems crazy to think that it would have such an effect on my creativity, but then at the same time if i truly believe that God made me and He also was the divine inspiration that created the bible, then why would it or does it seem so crazy.  i as the creation and the bible as the word of God my creator would seemingly have to effect one another as the sun does plants.  the one can't very well survive without the other.  anyways just wanted to share how things are going today, GOOD!! thanks for reading.

getting materials together

well as the new year and new challenge of painting or making one artwork a day approaches there are quite a few emotions that have tried to overcome me.  The excitement of facing a challenge being the best, or fear of not being able to pull it off being the worst.  which really isn't that bad.  the main thing i want to keep in mind while doing this is the reason for doing it.  It's not about me, it's about doing what I feel like God is asking me to do, that being to bear a burden to the best of my ability with a fellow christian and my aunt.  after struggling with cancer for 5 years you would think that committing to one year of something, so seemingly miniscule as a painting a day, would be easy.

the wood for making canvas frames (doesn't look like much)

I've taken some pictures this morning of some of the materials i've already started to put together in preparations.  so far i cut six-36" boards, twelve-24"boards and twenty four- 12" boards...and after doing the math realized that was only enough to make 10 frames and half of another one....yikes! making frames it going to be a bit of a pain.  i love painting i just wish i didn't have to make my frames to go along with those! haha.  I also bought a 21 yard roll of canvas...that should last A WHILE! at least i hope it does.

Looking toward the coming year

During the Christmas holidays we took a trip to Atlanta where some family lives in order to gather and celebrate.  While I was there I became all the more aware of the reality of what my Aunt Carla goes through on a daily basis.  Aunt Carla is struggling with cancer, diagnosed 5 years ago.  She is a mother of 5 and like the rest of us christians is having to fight off the devil and all his wiles.  You see she was told when she became sick with this cancer that she would live through it.  That was her word from God, but through various visits to doctors, different treatments, several complications that have mounded upon her during this struggle she has even started to have trouble believing the TRUTH she was once told.  She has become discouraged as we all do at times if we are trying to follow in the truth of Gods word.  So I began to ask God on the way home if there was a way that I could help to encourage her in any way or to help to restore hope, or if there might be some way for me to walk this with her, to help carry the burden with her. I feel like something that God spoke to my heart is to take what God has given me and walk with it daily, that being painting.

Impending change

     First of all I would like to start by saying that it has been such a great Christmas.  I've enjoyed family as always and hate that sometimes the only time I see some of my family is this time of year.  I was able to host one of the Christmas gatherings here at my house this year for the first time and it was so nice.  I mean I did stress out a bit at getting the house in a presentable form, but when all was said and done it was just nice having people that I love gathered in my home.
     I am starting to look forward to the upcoming 2011.  I feel like God is directing my heart to do a little bit of changing in my approach to selling my artwork.  I don't know absolutely what the changes are to look like yet, but I just keep feeling and or hearing the word change.  I'm very excited at the possibilities. I know one thing that I will be  reincorporating into my life as a whole, that is the bible.  I have been up and down the roller coaster over the last oh...3 months or maybe more.  I lost touch with God in a lot of ways and I lost a lot of my inspiration, but somehow, I feel that God is going to use that time as some sort of a lesson to teach me some of the change thats going to be occurring in this new year.  So right now, it's praying, reading, and waiting for direction on the next steps I am to take.  I know its going to be good whatever it is.  

I can do all things through Christ

I know it's been forever it seems since I last got on here and wrote.  To be honest, I've been putting way to many things in my life off until later dates.  One of which, and the most important, is God.  Have you ever had an elderly person in your family, like a grandmother or grandfather that you love more than you can put into words, but your life seems to get away with you and you find yourself driving by their house saying, "I will stop next time and visit".