Receiving a Gift

This week I was sitting with a group of women in a bible study.  The speaker, who was leading us on a video, said something like….”what a blessing it is to be given the GIFT OF DESPERATION.”

I’ve been pondering this all week.

We all have gifts and talents.  Many are God given and breathed.  Often times using those gifts and strengths not only comes naturally, but even ‘easy’ for us.   When something is easy to do, we usually don’t ask for help.  Even more so, we might not ask for “GOD”.   If we live every day of our lives only doing what we can do naturally, we will miss many (most) of the wonders God wants to reveal to us.

So…..if your back’s against the wall, the task you face is something way beyond your comfort zone or your strengths, you may have received a gift.  A gift God wraps in a package called desperation.

What color, design, or shape is YOUR package wrapped in??

When we are desperate to accomplish something we cannot accomplish in our own power, we are in prime position to see God work.

I have unwrapped a package of desperation more than once, in fact…I’m still going through the contents of one right now!

I can’t wait to see what all is packed in this gift straight from the hands of God.

Oh how sweet and generous is our God.  The gifts He gives, even when life seems to disguise them as trials.

 

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Driving Hooptie Doo

For some reason today I was thinking about my crash course in how to drive a stick shift….many years ago.

My Daddy had a teal blue-green, 64 Ford pick up truck, with an “a-oooga” horn on it.  We called it Hooptie Doo.  I can even remember the license plate number because we had made up a little rhyme to go with it  ((“E-A-N … Three-Fifty Two;  that’s the number for hooptie doo”)).

SOmetimes Daddy would get home from work and push the horn, especially if we were outside, and DEFINITELY if we had friends hanging out with us so that it caused the most embarrassment possible.

The driving date that sticks out most in my mind was made up of me, my Mom, and my Dad.   We went for a ride in Hooptie and my Dad decided this was the perfect day for me to learn to drive a standard.

Stick in the floor, no power steering, nothing easy about this AT ALL.

I vividly remember coming upon a stop sign that was located at an intersection towards the top of a hill.  (I’m sure the hill was not as steep as my mind sees it, but at the time it was TOO steep for this situation.)   After I stopped, of course, some unknown driver behind me pulled up RIGHT behind our truck.  I had no rolling room and could not get the clutch, gas, shift functions to coordinate.     I was in a full out panic mode.  My Mom broke out into hysterical laughter, which was not uncommon.  My Dad broke out into full out driver instructor mode.  Neither one of them helped.

Good O’ Daddy saved the day by easing his foot onto the brake as I let mine off, then easing his other foot onto the clutch in the same manner.  I opened the driver side door and bailed.   I ran around the truck, waved at the car behind us,and hoped in beside my Mom.

I don’t know If I ever drove Hooptie Doo again, but I wish I could drive it now.   It is just one of those memories that make me smile more the older I get.

Painting with God today

Today has been a very good day.

DH (dear hubby) took me out to breakfast at the Pancake Pantry in downtown Nashville this morning, then on a short hand-holding stroll along 21st avenue in the brisk (cold) winter air.  After buying me a couple of delicious tea flavors from Teavana and driving home the long way, I got to spend some time in my favorite room….my art studio!!  🙂

I have to say, my favorite painting days are when I am working on something I’ve been commissioned to paint for someone special!!

It’s always fun to paint.  I mean, blending, dripping, throwing, and brushing colors together….what’s not to love, but  when I know right where the painting is going, who it is going to, and what colors THEY want to see, it is extra fun for me.    Today was one of those days!!!!

Painting is sort of like working in a flower garden for me.  I feel a little closer, and more connected to God.  I don’t know why really, but I find myself praying, remembering scriptures, thinking of a worship song, or sensing something deep inside of me that seems to be a ‘brush of God’s color upon my heart’ when I paint.

I can’t wait to see what the canvas will look like in the end; how many mistakes I will make, how many times I will start over, how many colors, brushes, and days will go into the process of creating a finished  piece of art.   I wonder if God feels the same way about ME?

 

Some of the colors for today

 

 

 

what ‘ cha gonna do???

So, today we spent our day shopping for health insurance.  Last night we got the word that the premium on our health insurance, provided by my husband’s company, was going to be increasing by a few hundred dollars per month.  By the time it is all said and done, we are looking at paying almost $1000.00 our of OUR pockets per month for insurance.  WHAT??????????????

We are looking for something on our own, and already finding we will be able to save some money, but….regardless, it brings to mind to me (once again) that SOMETHING is NOT RIGHT with our health care system.

I don’t know what the answer is, but there has to be something better than this.

High cost of doctor visits, hospital visits, PRESCRIPTION drugs, HEALTH INSURANCe….ugh…..HELP!!!!!!!!

Somebody!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Snow Days

Well, I have to say, I’m a little disappointed that it is not supposed to snow in Nashville, TN.  I have been checking the weather the past two days because my sister in TX and my kids in OK City are supposed to get LOTS of snow.   I was crossing my fingers that the weather would do a little shuffle and we would get a snowfall in middle TN as well.

Most of the people I have met here would NOT want to hear me wish that,  BUt…..I get SO excited when I hear it is going to snow.  Just the thought of a ‘snow day’ makes me giddy.  I love it when the kids are out of school unexpectedly or the hubby has to stay home….when all the world around us just slows down and everyone has an ‘excuse’ not to go anywhere.   I’m getting excited just typing about it.

It is so beautiful, refreshing, and cleansing when the world gets covered with a blanket of white.

Maybe I just haven’t lived through a hard enough snow experience to think any different, or maybe it is because we spent the past 5 plus years living in the desert, but for NOW….i LOVE snow!!!  BRING it on!!!

BoooHooooo......

Hello world!

I don’t know what to expect on this blog.  If it turns out anything like my usual thoughts…it will be random and chaotic.

We just moved back to the Nashville area after a little over 5 years in Las Vegas.  (LOVED Vegas, but it was too far away from our family)

Today is my first day settling into my ‘art room/studio’ in our new house.   I’ve been looking forward to getting in here and getting back to work.  I think my day is going to go too fast.

I love to paint and create things.  I have an affinity for hearts and  drippy paint on canvas!

i sit in the corner by the window to dream, plan, research, sketch and ponder