Art Fest, Here I Come!

I'm finally going to Art Fest!

And I am so excited to get together with artist from all over and play and learn and laugh together in Port Townsend, Washington.

Go here and check it out:

http://www.teeshaslandofodd.com/artfest/info.html

Healing Rooms

Yesterday I went to check out a new place in Helena called the Healing Rooms. It is a place anyone can go for prayer and healing. I was afraid of it for a long time, but when I found out that it was a legitimate, Bible-based ministry, I decided to give it a try.

On the form they gave me when I first entered, I asked for prayer for the anxiety that I've been struggling with for the last six years. Then they take the form into a prayer room, cover it so the people praying don't know who it is or what it is about. They pray for God to give them a Word about the person. After my form was prayed over, they came and escorted me to the prayer room where three people anointed me with oil and laid their hands on me and began praying.

The first woman said that God gave her the scripture Psalm 27:1-3, which says:

¹ The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? ² When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh,when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.³ Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.

Then she prayed away the enemy and the anxiety in the name of Jesus.

The second woman said God gave her a vision of a huge crop of corn -- corn with large, tall stalks. I looked at her completely puzzled, because it didn't really mean anything to me. (I thought of a certain strain of blue corn found by an ancestor of mine, which my father has continued to harvest and purify, but I couldn't find a connection.) She said to her it meant abundance and she went on to talk about the abundance I have in God, my abundant personality, etc. Then she said God gave her a vision of the Holy Spirit "trickling down" into the dry spots of my life. She said, "Then look out because behind it is a flood of love."

The third person praying was a man who said God showed him to put the sign of the cross on my hands and my forehead because everyone I come in contact with will see His light shine through me. He said I will affect many generations for Christ. He also told me that he sees an abundance of joy in me and that he had a vision of me skipping. Yes, skipping.

So, I don't know what all of this means, if anything, I just thought I'd share it with you.

Mom is Welcome!

This is the chalk board on the door to Caroline's room. In case you can't read it, it says, "Caroline's Room - I just need some quiet time with God. Mom can come in."

Ah, I love Caroline being 10. She WANTS her mom in her room. I'm going to enjoy this as long as it lasts!

The Mommy Balance

A mother's life is a constant struggle to find balance.

All I did was add exercising back into my life the last few months, and it feels like I can't get anything else accomplished. I feel better. I need to do it, to keep osteoporosis away, as well as other diseases that come from being sedentary, but that few hours in a week seems to be pushing me over the edge of my to-do list limit.

I have considered quitting my part-time job and just volunteering a few hours there a week. But I truly have a vision for the pregnancy center and I have already seen the difference we make there and I don't want to leave it in the hands of someone else. And anyway, I have always felt like God called me to this work.

So, like all mothers, I'm back to trying to find the balance where I can be my best both at home and at work. To make the most of the short time I have with my little girls. It takes focus and creativity; and while I sometimes lack focus, I make up for it in creativity.

This summer the girls and I can exercise together outside. For now I squeeze it in when it least affects them. And I try to hit the grocery when they are in their dance and theatre classes.

And my amazing husband has given me a gift this week. He is going to take the girls to our river house and leave me home for some quiet alone time. Hallelujah!

Don't call me. I'm turning off the phones.

Maturity

I heard today that

"Maturity is going from having soft skin and a hard heart to having tough skin and a soft heart."

I like that.

New Post

I know I've been slacking lately as a blogger, but I go in spurts with my creative expression, and lately my spurt has been visual art. I've been trying new techniques in my art journal and even doing some painting.

I used to dream about being really good at something, an expert in my field. but I never could quite find the field to stick with long enough to get good at it. Now that I'm knocking on 40's door, I figure i'll just always go from one spurt to the next, wherever my muse and whims take me, and just try to enjoy it, rather than put the pressure on myself to be good at it. I say "try," because it is in my nature to want to succeed in whatever I do, but enjoying the process, I believe, brings more joy.

God has been showing me lately that fulfillment is in simplicity; and significance is in Him.

I love to complicate; and I love to feel significant in the eyes of others. At least I do on the surface. But there's no true contentment there. It's never enough. And I'm learning to settle into this life He has for me and be content.

Latest Piece of Art

"Tall Poppy"
5'x5' oil pastel on wood panels