Wishing everyone a Blessed & Safe New Year!

Sorry I haven't been around much but it's not because I didn't want to be here, it's just that creating little gifts for friends and family took much of my time, and coming down with a cold like so many others caused me to spend more time resting.  Our Christmas day was spent reflecting on what the Birth of Christ Jesus means to us.  We praise God for taking on human form to come down from the Heavens to save all of us.  Being born of a virgin in a little stable all those years ago.  Christ Jesus lived a pure life then died on a cross for all our sins...Can you see how awesome that was???  God loved us so much HE knew he had to find a way to have us with him thru all eternity.  Course as you know it's a choice we must make so we can not stop sharing this beautiful story with all mankind.  God is Love!  He wants us to love those we come into contact with and to help those who need it.  Ok, I know most of you know this truth...and have hearts created by the Love of HIM. 

We spent Christmas Eve with most of our children and grandchildren sharing gifts and worshipping God for the season.   How awesome it was to see them all. 

I give thanks to God for all he does for me and my family...He surrounds us with His Love, Grace and Peace.  Even tho we face more challenges we fear not for we know He is with us and in us to guide us thru whatever comes our way...I believe that with all my heart.....May your New Year be so blessed!!!

Love to all my dear friends who come by to visit..and those who may just find their way here by way of another blog...Welcome!!!

Happy Holidays

As I woke this morning I discovered lots of ice on both decks, so I decided it was best if the dogs went out on their own today.  I usually walk out to take in the beauty of the very earling morning...it was 5am.  The suns out now, but the ice is still there because of the bitter cold.  Fireplace is heating up the living room where I"m going to be painting a couple more little paintings to give as gifts.   
I took some to Church with me yesterday, but many didn't attend cuz of the snow on the ground.  Not much but it was quite icy. It's a small Church, but there were only about 10 of us there.....so I came home with many of my little gifts in the hopes more will be there next Sunday.

Here are some of my prepared visual journaling pages ready to be written on.  I'd done most of them while with my sister, Mary down in GA back in Oct.  She of course shared with me a new technique which I really love doing...layering colors then scraping off the last layer which is usually black!! Actually there's more to it...a little sprinkle of water on the last layer then laying a paper towel to collect most of the sprinkles before scraping with a credit card...great results...right?

My DH and I decided the most important decorations for us to celebrate the Birth of our Christ Jesus were the Christmas tree, and our Nativity Set.  We'd always decorated with lots of things over the years when the kids were home, but now that it's just the 2 of us, we've decided to share all those things with them...Boxes of goodies are waiting for them to come pick them up!  Here are some of what we have decorated with...

While my friend, Betty and I were at our fav boutque last week, (Goodwill) I found something I had to have...you see while at the  Potter's House Retreat back in October our Hosts gave each one of us Scripture that they felt was a msg from God to ME....Yoooo Nancy and Pat look what I found!!! I had to share with you, and of course Mary you will appreciate this as well. I know it was no accident that I found it either, God led me right to it the minute I walked in the door...How awesome is that??

Blessings to all!!!  John 14:27

We went to our first Christmas Party on Sunday

We didn't take a ride over the weekend like we usually do because we went to our first Christmas party of the this year.  Getting together with both sides of the family means so much to us, so this one was with Dewey's ex-wife's family...It's always wonderful to visit with them all since we've been friends for more than 28 yrs.  Dewey's kids know I think of their mom as another sister...she's a real delight so we've always done things together whether it be shopping for them or just going out for lunch!
Joanne's sister Sherree, and her hubby, Ken were our hosts for this party, and we sure weren't disappointed.  Not only did we get to see many relatives, but it was the first time we'd seen their new home.  They own 3 exercise gyms so have been out of town while setting up one of them.  This home is more like a a mansion...their sense of style is awesome, and they went all out decorating for Christmas...5 full sized trees in different rooms.  I was just taken back by the beautiful of it all.  The food was wonderful....I will share some photos soon, (still have to figure out how to download from my cell) hehehe

I did find out that Ken had given big bucks to Breast Cancer awareness through the band, Chicago and was invited to sing with them.  What an awesome experience it was for him...you can here his wife screaming in the background too..hehehe
This is where you can hear it too... http://youtu.be/rXusrG1gveU  For some reason I wasn't able to share by clicking share with Blogger...sigh...I know I"m doing something wrong...nothing new..ehehhe!!!
Have a great week, and stay warm.  It's in the 20's here today!!!

We are celebrating the Birth of Jesus!

My sister Mary has been sharing scripture from the Bible this past week for each day of Advent leading up to the Birth Of our Christ Jesus...Many of you have already visited her blog, but if you haven't I would incourage you do as she's a gift from God in that she's being used by HIM to help many of us deal with issues of everyday life.  She's such a wonderful example of a woman who's been giving her complete heart to her (and our) Abba Father to further her walk with HIM. She can be found  http://www.asplendidadventure.blogspot.com/ 

Now I'd like to add that I'm enjoying waking in the mornings finding a comfortable place to have my quiet time reading God's Word...there's no other please to see just how much He loves us!!!  My heart has been changing for a time now finding the more I give it all to HIM the more I feel safe and secure...even in these hard times where my hubby's business isn't making enough to cover his expenses we feel blessed to have what we do have...we continue to try to help others who are less fortunate then we are..that's what it's all about isn't it??  I am making little Christmas paintings to give as gifts to friends, and family...getting together to celebrate the birth of Christ is much more important than any gift we could purchase...that's what truly matters!   May each of you find a way to reach out and give of yourselves.  A hug, and smile..you'll feel so much better yourself...I promise.  Blessings to all who happen by here!!!  I so enjoy hearing from you.
Now for a couple photos of paintings I finished this morning!!!

Today brought lots of rain, but I'm just thankful it wasn't a bunch of snow...we are expecting some on Sunday tho!!  I've had an awesome creative day today...here are a couple little paintings on watercolor paper I've done then framed for special friends and neighbors.  Not nearly enough for all those I want to give to, but it's a start...Happy creating to all my friends!!! Blessings.((hugs too))

I also wanted to share this very special Christmas Cactus most of which was from a little clipping of our Dad's that I took just after he passed away.  That has been a very long time..over 17 yrs...at first I only had 1 bloom the first year, and one each year for at least 10 yrs...I have all those dried blooms in a dish...in the last couple years it's been blooming on one side or the other...(I did add another cactus to it to make it full about 5 yrs ago)  this is the very first for this year...and it looks like it may bloom all over this time...what an awesome rememberance of our Dad...he loved plants!!!

Ahhh a beautiful Sunday morning!

Sun is shining gloriously this Sunday morning.. Time to get ready for Church...didn't think I would be going again this week cuz of a bad headache (sinus) and hip not working right, but I said "Satan get out of here...I'm not listening!  My Father in Heaven will move my feet and get me going...and He has for He knows I need to fellowship with other Christians as often as possible...don't you feel that way??  I've had to sleep in the recliner most of the night for the past couple weeks...and that's ok..at least it eases the pain in my hip and legs...whatever it takes to make each day bright and sunny just as it is today...I wanted to share a painting I just finished that represents Fall and God's awesome blessings I feel...Have a wonderful day know God's in control...we are his saints who are under his GRACE!!!  Blessings...

Whimsical Wednsday Wk2

Wednesday the 17th was the 2nd Wk of participating in this fun blog

http://dthaase.blogspot.com/2010/11/make-sure-you-check-out-more-whimsy-tab.html 
This is a 5x7 acrylic painting on canvasboard..

Blue Monday at Smiling Sally's blog

Good morning!

I have joined in the fun where anything BLUE can be shared each Monday moring!

This lovely CasAdes Clown was given to me for Christmas

Many years ago by my Bro Bill and his lovely wife Brenda!

http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/