hold me near

This weekend I got away on a little retreat, well really I was taking a class but I was alone for the six-hour car ride.  I found myself thinking, praying and singing (very loudly and badly…) to pass the time.  Of the little music  I had with me this song was from one of the cd’s I listened to repeatedly, “hold me near” by Karla Adolphe/ enter the worship circle.  It is based on one of my favorites, psalms 73.

Hold Me Near

Hold me near when I’m restless

Hold me near when I’m bitter

Hold me near when I”m rebellious

Hold me near until the end

 

Hold me near when my heart is broken

Hold me near when I’m ignorant

Hold me near when I am jealous

Hold me near until the end

 

But as for me my feet almost gave out I nearly sold my heart

It’s good to be held by my Father it’s good to be where you are

 

We are creating these theme/scripture paintings as one of the spring crafts for the women’s retreat.  I just had to try it out ahead of time with some left over supplies I had at home and the lyrics from the song & psalm 73.  I love reading into the phrase,  it just has layers for me.

easter praise

 

Happy Easter.

I finished my vases in time… they didn’t make it to the gallery but this one made it to my table.

Hope & Friendship

This afternoon I went to a community Good Friday service. What a sweet thing to see so many of our local churches and families worshiping together.  We were able to walk there in the sunshine, as a family.  I needed that, sunshine, walking, family, friendship, hymns, hope, and sacrificial savior.

Also today, I was able to catch up on a few pieces of “homework.”  Using mishima technique I created these two raised tiles.  A daffodil for friendship and Iris for hope.  I can’t wait to see how these fire – I think I like using white clay.

38

 

This weekend I get to celebrate 38 with a special somebody, we’re celebrating with a little SanctusReal and JJHeller tonight LIVE.

Also In addition to MORE SNOW DAYS…and SICK DAYS, I have been getting ready to take over a gymnasium with crafts for our upcoming womens retreat.  I love testing out new DIY ideas. This week I made these giant 10″ crepe flowers! Just a few more ski days and I’ll be ready for spring… 

forget the bunnies

I wish I could say this was purely by discipline that I am working ahead on Easter projects.  But truthfully it is fueled by my new dining room table.  I have been slightly obsessed with tablecloths, vases, plates…. decorative stuff that I put little value on previously.  After following a few internet rabbit holes (pun intended) literally everything I saw was completely designed around fluffy bunnies and eggs. What a sad thing this holiday has become…

As if plastic eggs could ever replace the amazing story, of love, death, resurrection, and redemption found in the Bible.  I know hospitality is more than decorations and menus,  it is about the welcoming.   Oh to share a meal and have ones home reflect  the warmth of the Savior. It’s a learning and making season for me.   I am enjoying my Mains book , ”If Christians, corporately would begin to practice hospitality, we could play significant roles in redeeming our society.  There is no better place to be about the redemption of society with the captive, the blind, the downtrodden, the more we realize that in this inhospitable world, a Christian home is a miracle to be shared. ”  Do you have an Easter or Lenten tradition in your home?

 

Daffodils have long been some of my favorite spring bulbs.  Emerging warm yellow blooms from the snow-covered ground.  I carved two new daffodil blocks and used old printers letter stamps to lay significance in the clay.  We’ll see how these fire up and fill with spring blooms.

foundation for a legacy

 

This past week we celebrated at the annual SpringHill Christmas party.  It is always such a treat to gather all Michigan, Indiana and Daycamp staff and volunteers together and fellowship, something that doesn’t occur often as we are usually the ones serving from several location.  I love this group of people, for the shared vision and commitment to Jesus and kids.

This year our party coordinator/detail extraordinaire Dina, included us on the fun!  All the centerpieces were made by staff/volunteers and were part of a game.  Guess that Christmas Carol…  Mine I  bet will be obvious to you.  I was so excited to put my ‘O little town of Bethlehem’ votives together I was literally the first one to decorate my table, and one of the first ones to the party.   I tried to leave my hands open as to who would join us at our table and prayed that Jesus would bring the right people to the spots.  Well you can imagine my disappointment when after 35+ minutes of mingling not a single person sat at our table!

 

A little crushed and dinner almost ready to begin, two couples discreetly entered in.  Chuck and his wife, one of our creative duo at Site and Enoch and Joan, our Camp founders.  My fears aside, He brought just the right people, I am so thankful.  Even though we were the closest to the buffet line we were the last table called.  I didn’t mind,  I was in awe of the conversation taking place with Chuck and Enoch talking shop about the dining hall renovation.  Of all the conversations I hear around camp about kids, numbers, revenues… these two were talking about details of the building, specifically floor tiles.

Enoch recounted the 8000 tiles he personally laid in the original dining hall and still exist today in the space.  Talk about laying a foundation for a legacy!  I love that such a dynamic and personal leader was willing to get on his hands and knees to serve a place that reaches so many.  What a great example of humility to all who aim to serve.  Being willing to do even the most redundant lowly projects, that get walked on every day, not for recognition because it’s what needs to be done!   Not delegating just doing.  Something both of these men know a lot about.

I don’t think I could have hand-picked two better couples to sit with.  What a delightful evening it turned out to be, plus the girls crushed at family feud!   To pass on the fun, can you pick out some of the carols?

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“And there, in the stable, amongst the chickens and the  donkeys and the cows, in the quiet of the night,  God gave the world his wonderful gift.  The baby that would change the world was born.  His baby son… And they gazed in wonder at God’s Great Gift, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger.  Mary and Joseph named him Jesus, “Emmanuel” – which means “God has come to live with us.”   – Jesus Storybook Bible

upward reach

Moving from summer to fall.  I am looking up to see the beautiful change everywhere around me.

Who Thou art I know not

But this much I know; 

Thou hast set the Pleiades

In a silver row;

 

Thou hast sent the trackless winds

Loose upon their way,

Thou hast reared a coloured wall

Twixt the night and day:

 

Thou hast made the flowers to bloom

And the starts to shine;

Hid rare gems of richest ore

In the tunnelled mine.

 

But chief of all Thy wondrous works,

Supreme of all Thy plan,

Thou hast put an upward reach 

Into the heart of man.

 

-Harry Kemp

(American poet and son of a candymaker)

 

Sunprint lampshades & clay textured lamps

This has been one of my new projects – making lamp bases.  I have been experimenting with shapes and sizes, learning to wire, and now to pair them with the right shades (I think that is the hardest part!)  I have had fun using my different textures and glazing each uniquely.  Just a few for now but I plan on making more,  I don’t think I have a good photo of it but the square lamp was my favorite.

In experimenting with shades I revisited one of my favorite projects – sunprints!  I found a product called inkodye which produces photo-chemical ink which can be brushed on fabric and exposed in the sun to develop a gorgeous cyan blue color.  Any surface brushed with the chemical turns blue, even skin which I found out the hard way!  At least I didn’t get any on my face, can you imagine blue war paint for several days.  Like most photo sensitive materials, the ink must be washed in water to stop over exposure.  What do you think?

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I learned a little bit about ferns too, since I like to research about the plants I use.  I always thought ferns lived in wooded wetlands but it seems they are specialists in marginal habitats, remote mountain elevations, to dry desert rock faces, to bodies of water or in open fields, often succeeding in places where various environmental factors limit the success of flowering plants.  This weekend my best friend came up for her first visit after moving, and I could sense the adversity of being uprooted.  I think she is stronger than she realizes and I know that shortly she will return to thriving (in any environment) just like that resilient fern.    I love you friend,  ‘May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.  May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.’ Numbers 6:24-26

abundance

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This weekend I had the privilege of “working” at SpringHill, if you could call playing, rejoicing, praying, talking with ladies, awesome activities, great food, and crafts, “work.”    Glenna Salsberry was our speaker, who spoke boldly from the word,  I enjoyed her immensely.    I had such a great time meeting so many new friends and hearing the stories of your hearts.  Here are a few of my favorite scriptures from the weekend:

This is the one I esteem; he who is contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.  Isaiah 66:2

The Lord was not in the wind.. not in the earthquake… not in the fire… but in a still small voice.  1 Kings 19:11-12

The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.  Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.  1 Samuel 16:7

No one is like you, O Lord;  you are great, and your name is mighty in power.  Jeremiah 10:6

Our fall retreat dates are   October 5-7, 2012, with speaker RoseAnne Coleman and worship lead by Sarah Scharbrough.  I’d love to see you there!

locked out

Its been a bizarre 12 hours,  thunderstorms, grumpiness, power outages, and then I was locked out.  It kind of rattled my cage today, but once I was in I found myself gazing out.  It’s just one morning, one day, one miniscule trial – it’s the same air on both sides.  Just take a moment and breath and let it all wash over.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  2 Corinthians 4: 16-17