Search Results

To be a successful artist, you need a lot of charm and natural creativity and all these were fulfilled when I had narcissism. How do I get this talent back without narcissism? I read your question and had no immediate answer and was intrigued enough of it to contemplate it because it struck a chord in what I have observed in other artists. That they seem to worship at the temple of their own narcissism. Yep! Up on the alter screaming “look at me! look at me!” rather than pointing to the true author of their creation. God, who graced them with their blessed talents in the first place. For myself and my art I am nothing without Him. I can do nothing without Him. And the closer I walk with Him, lean in to Him, the better my art is and the more it is received by others. As i spent time with my daily meditations your question intruded and the Deseridata presented to me. Desiderata Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy. ~Max Ehrmann But back to you… you have not only moved on but have surpassed the “need”. You are standing on the threshold of going all in. To be elevated to the next level of allowing your art to outshine you. Which in turn casts it heavenly shadowless glow upon you. Thank you for this time on my path.

How did you make a life of happiness for yourself? It has been perplexing that as a fairly typical Type A that prefers all things neat and orderly that my life generates the exact opposite. What I do to not just exist or even maintain but to thrive is give each and everything over to God and expect. Expect what? Help! To live in peace in my own head and skin. Oh much easier said than done! Here’s what I do. In the morning, my eyes open and I reach for my phone and read the Bible App verse of the day. Yep! Before I get out of bed. As I start my day I enjoy my tea with another book of meditation for the day. These things get my mind and attitude right for the day. Each and every day I start new. And in them I have learned to twirl in the chaos like a child in a tutu. I have learned to duck rather than flinch. I am content, grateful and very happy. I love my life and those I allow in it.

What is something today's young artists go through that older artists never had to worry about? The perfection of digital art. You cannot "undo" real life.

What is your favorite method for choosing the right spirit animal for yourself? Hmmm… i don’t know and I don’t want one. I have the Trinity. I have the ultimate counselor, The Holy Spirit, often portrayed as a gentle white dove is the water that restores and cleanses my soul, the wind in the air I breathe, the fire that ignites my passion for truth while walking in love of my Father in Heaven. He is in the oil that anointed me into His kingdom and in the still small voice that speaks to my soul reminding me that I indeed am well loved. He is the eagle who shelters me under His wing. He is the honey that is a balm to my soul. He is the 1s and 0s in the codings as He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. He prepares me for the ultimate war of good and evil when “…heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True…” Jesus Himself, the One Who Saves. He is the lamb of my salvation and The lion of Judah, my King. Why settle for one when you can have it all?

Why is it that when a person is going through so much not due to their own fault, the world and their family think of kicking them when they are down only to make things worse in their lives? Have you ever had that happen? How did you respond? A pack or mob mentality empowered by most in hating the weakness exuded in victims. It seems to be true that like desperation weakness evokes a “smell”. And yes, I like most, did indeed experience this to a degree. I handled it by picking and choosing my friends and confidants better and dissolving associations with the “mob”. sorry. I was allocated to using a mob boss pic. hyenas, my first choice, was unavailable.

Does every human being have the potential to create happiness? Why? Does every human have the potential to create happiness. Happiness. The fibromyalgia of the emotions. My gram used to say “you will be as happy as you make up your mind to be”. So I guess it depends. Take the novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, an inspirational poverty story created from a harsh reality and the visual of a flower springing forth up through a crack in the pavement, beauty in all its glory finds its way through the grayest of circumstances. It always has. It always will. Those who need to see it are drawn to its color. It is a beacon that speaks to our soul. So to is happiness. It can be found and created in the same manner in ourselves, for ourselves. And then shared as all lights are a beacon in the dark. If one can look beyond the present circumstances (and present because “happiness” tends to be circumstance driven for the immature) it is plausible to find joy or peace or contentment in the midst. So yes it depends. Happiness is a creative experience we choose to make. And as all created things begins with a task of sort, this requires a sacrifice of drama, melancholy, woe, self, presumptions, etc.

What do you think of Leviticus 19:31? Should it be heeded today? Why or why not? Leviticus 19:31 that says “‘Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God." I have seen spirits all of my life. There was an elderly man that "lived" in my childhood home. He was quiet and bothered no one but he left an aura of depressing feelings. And then all of a sudden we moved! My parents began having bible studies in our new home and we all became "born again Christians" and were filled with the Holy Ghost. And then dun-dun-dunnnn...my brother came home from VietNam, an addict, and brought an attached demon home with him. Yep I saw that one too. No not as a benevolent or helpful or quiet friendly ghost but upfront and personal with all its agendas in tact and quite obvious. Just like people there are all kinds that use whatever persona required for the "job". As I aged and began to lose person after person through tragedy after tragedy, I used to seek them out. I ignorantly figured that they were here to help and boy oh boy I had questions! I could sort of comprehend a great aunt here but everyone in my family was beyond my scope and I was looking for help in an area where there were few answers. Many of these kind and gentle normal looking people were incredibly intuitive and provided reasonable and realistic information. It had to be legit. Right? Albeit a Christian, I was hopeful yet ignorant up until one day, I was sitting in my chair watching a television medium. The Holy Spirit showed me the spirits that this tv person was talking to. The ones that were imitating the deceased and who were of knowledge only due to eavesdropping on this familys life. It was all just a show! The Holy Spirit then pointedly asked me "why settle for lies and half truths when Jesus is the truth?" and "why go to the peons and not the Father in heaven?"

Are only boring people bored, or is boredom the origin of creativity? Boring people… boring to who? whom? I know a gal that I used to liken the conversational experience of her as “talking to a closed door”. Imagine my shock when I heard later on that she was one of those people with an alter ego. It was not that I was not worth her time but that she was busy on “inside of her mind”. It was my error. Not hers. I have learned that boredom lies within ones own dullard-ness. What I saw was this curtained door. But what existed is many many doors. Opened . For me… I have never had enough time in any given day for years and years and years to have the chance or luxury to be bored. On occasion though I will take a bathrobe day.

Take one Hobby Lobby wall decor, a few coat hooks, a picture hanger and paint. Add glitter appropriately.

I have had fun creating a great garage/man cave for Du this summer. It's been fun, a labor of love and appreciation as well as setting the artist in my soul free. Painting on a buffalo skull.

I have been asking God about an observation, the occasional encounters, for quite some time now and again it pops up like a stem of poison ivy in bloom amongst cultivated roses. And just what is it? Well...whether it is on a cruise, in a car, on a social media post, at the store (on normal days!) or even at church, what the heck is with the scowling, muttering, bitter old ladies whose countenance gives visualization to the word crone?! Googling crone you fill find... Since the late fourteenth century the word crone has been a not so polite term describing an old and bad-tempered woman. And in fairytales one is called a crone as a once beautiful human female turned ugly in spirit by a tragedy through witchcraft. The bible says in 2 Corinthians 9:7 “each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” So what is the lesson in crone vs cheerful giver? When we walk with Jesus, others will know Him by our love. They will see His countenance upon our face. In our words. In our deeds. We are His billboard of truth. So yes we know this and yet there are still those who need to say “screw that! I am fed up with people. With trying. With family. With friends. With the whole thing!” You know, that is more than okay! Jesus still died on the cross for you. He still cares about you. He still cares that you are lonely or were betrayed or do not feel good. He still cares that you have chosen to not choose anymore. He still cares you have sentenced yourself to a self imposed prison. He has others who fill in the void you create. He loves enough. But... yes but... He gives hope. He gives peace. He gives joy! Not feeling it? Move closer to Him. Scooch over just a bit. He is more than happy, willing and able to take up whatever is burdening your heart, whatever is chaining your thoughts to a cold cell, whatever has hurt you so bad that it has crippled your desires. He can give you back the rest of your life to live abundantly! Give it a go. You are still breathing and therefore young at heart. One more time. Bring your sweet self back to us. We need you. Jesus needs you. Just say “fix me Father”. He will. And yes... there is a male version of a "crone". Blessings and smile, Jesus loves you.

Laundry room make over that's what! I repainted all walls bright white. And took one piece of plywood (in pretty good shape) and cut it to fit the width and the length of the washer-dryer and decoupaged vintage paper onto the top and sides. On occasion the paper bubbles up and it did here as well. So I popped the bubbles and let the wood shine through. I sanded it all down and gave it two more coats of deco glue. ta-ta-dah! Free folding table. Not granite. Mine. It pleases me to look at it. And what better place to stand in the gap of prayer and fold laundry while looking at the smiling faces of my family. :) And the ironing board door and husband bench technique? Wait? What? What the heck is a husband bench? Before malls and when shopping was a dress up outing it was a common sight to see a row of husbands sitting outside the store fronts conversing with other husbands or beaus to be waiting to carry their ladies packages. Inspired my my gram's use of black glossy paint everywhere when that was the only color available to her back in the day. All good and loved things chip and each mark is a memory. So here too is an instant antiqued memory. Items used: The wainscoting = pallet boards sanded, painted and liquid nails attached. Bench my husband made = Spray paint, sander, heat gun. Folding table = Plywood, wrapping paper, decoupage.

“All great changes are preceded by chaos” Deepak Chopra It just takes a little inspiration... From a closet gone wild... To a storage locker for three. Why dark colors? Reality of kids baby. Reality!