'Romans 8;28'

²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[a] have been called according to his purpose.


After painting todays work I just thought that this name Romans 8v28 seemed right, because all of these things stacked on top of each other are working together to make a complete picture.


Lord I pray that no matter what our circumstances that we face from day to day that you will use those for good.  Lord when a day brings something that seems that no good could come of it, that whatever lesson that you would have us to learn you would bring that to the surface.  Amen

'Humbled Today'

well today was a great day for painting.  There are some days that it just doesn't feel like when i get done with  a painting that it is complete...there always seems to be something or many things missing and i'm always very critical of them.  Today was different though, it was just one of those times where it felt like the paint was working with me, sure i was doing the usual...sometimes talking to my paint...sometimes asking God to help to show me what i'm missing but today it just all fell into place so nicely.  After I was done  I even stood back and sort of 'proudly' said to myself wow..i like it.  haha but as God always has such a graceful way of showing us our faults and humbling even the proudest of peoples so he did with me!  when i finished the painting i took it outside as i always do to coat it with a clear acrylic sealant, i looked up at the sky and saw the MOST BEAUTIFUL clouds i've seen in a long time...and I heard God's gentle voice say..this is the work of my hands.  Of course after that i look down at my little canvas that i'd just brought outside and it didn't seem near as wonderful as the glory i beheld when looking up into the canvas of God's sky!  So that is why i named todays painting 'Humbled Today' because i was humbled by the glory of God's hand and how that he so magnificently displayed it to me!

#5/365 'Can't Force a Mule'

'Can't Force a Mule' 12x14 acrylic/oil pastels on textured canvas.

I always love how God uses my mistakes to help make something that feeds my soul.  Let me tell you about how glorious he really is.
I started prepping my canvas today, should have done it last night so that the prime coat would be finished but...I'm a bit of a procrastinator at times and well that just didn't happen! so anyways I was just trying to get my textured layer that I put on the canvas today to dry faster and somewhere I read that with acrylic material it's better to use the oven that a blow dryer because it dries through and through instead of just the top layer.  So i did just that..stuck it into the oven.  10 or so minutes later I'm starting to smell a potent chemical type smell as it wafts through my home in all it's glory and i say to myself "guess i better go check on the canvas".  I open up the oven door and the stuff is bubbling up on the canvas like a bad case of the chicken pox! OH DEAR.

#4/365 'Mary' Acrylic and Oil pastels on Canvas

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.

good, bad, or in the plan

The family loaded up this morning and we all headed to huntsville.  although the day started off sort of shaky because for some reason I was in an inexplicably crabby mood.  Do you ever have those? Anyways, thankfully I got over it before the ride was over.

Lot's to think about, Lot's to do

We have started considering and I guess, more so making the steps in order to make a possible move to Birmingham Alabama.  Haven is now applied to a couple of position in the area we have been looking at.  What has prompted the move...I think to really explain, we have to take you back all the way to a job Haven had when we temporarily moved to Colorado for a couple of months last year.