When Two or Three Gather...Even on the Telephone.

Sometimes, when God reminds me how much He wants to hear from me,

He is so incredible:

it's almost hard to believe He would answer in such a way.

Often, it is easy for me to forget the power of prayer.

 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The first time I was asked on the phone if I had a prayer request I wanted to have prayed over,

it seemed awkward and strange.

It isn't that I don't pray.  I have prayed with my friends before, my family, my kids,

but when somebody you don't know asks on the phone if you want to pray about something,

it just kind of feels...

different.

I remember I had a friend in college who would sit on the phone with her head bowed

and when I asked her one time what she was doing,

she explained to me that whenever she called home, her dad always prayed with her.

I thought that was pretty neat.

When my husband was hired by his job,

there was no health insurance included for us,

so we had to find something.

Health insurance shopping can be daunting.

I had a friend who told me about a sharing program she was in:

Christians came together under an agreement to give a certain amount of money each month

toward the needs of each other.  There was different sharing programs depending on how much help you wanted toward the deductible, etc.  Those involved were of the same faith

and because of this, certain life behaviors were expected of each other,

cutting out a lot of the problems like smoking, drinking, and living promiscuously can bring with them.

I joined this health sharing program and have used it for several years now.

 

There is a place for prayer requests on their website;

they realize and prioritize the power of prayer.

I found that whenever I called about a question or something,

the worker on the other end of the line always ended the phone call asking if I had any specific prayer requests and if I would have time for a prayer.

I had a call to make today about a blood test I took for a healthy incentive program they offer.

At the end of the call, the question came.

 Last time, she prayed for my day home-schooling.

I can always use prayer for that.

Today was a day of going to the dentist.

We had put off one of the kid's six month check-up,

and now they had scheduled both the kids for the same time,

so as to save on gas and get two done with no extra waiting time.

I had called about what it was going to cost and warned my husband.

We go to a dentist who uses the safest methods of dentistry,

digital x-rays, white fillings, and he is very good with the kids,

does excellent, quick work.  I really feel confident in him.

Considering all this, his prices are good, but dentists aren't a gallon of milk and a dozen of eggs these days.  Having two go in at once was twice the pill to swallow.

"Can you pray for our dentist trip today?

My kids don't always have the best results from cleanings: it seems there is always something that needs to be fixed.  It can be hard to take sometimes."

The lady on the other end agreed and her prayer asked that God would be with our dental trip,

that he would give us a good day and cause our visit to be one that wouldn't be hard,

that the financial consequences would be minimal.

It was a specific prayer, and I again had that feeling,

almost a cringing inside,

"Should I really be bothering God about teeth?"

I always have this bad habit of thinking He must be so busy with things that are 

really important.

The kids disappeared into adjacent rooms

and I pulled out a sketchbook to work on a few things on my mind.

Lillie drew and then watched part of a movie.

When the kids emerged with their new toothbrushes and flossers,

I got up and went around to pay the bill.

"No cavities today.

Everything looks great.

No charge today, either." 

she said with a smile.

"Wait a minute.

What was that?"

I thought I had heard wrong.

"No charge.  Your sister-in-law came in with you for a reference,

and her family.  We have a $50 credit policy for each person you refer.

In fact, you have credit toward your next visit."

I had no idea.

I did not know my sister-in-law was going to start going to our dentist

or that she had.  My mother-in-law must have told her about our dentist and given us the referral.  How generous!  What a sweet surprise!

I thought of how we needed to thank my Farmer's sister,

his mom,

but more importantly,

I instantly thought of that prayer.

She smiled, like the news was as fun for her to give me as the look on my face must have been.

As we drove toward home that afternoon,

I told Violet about the answered prayer.

"Perhaps we should call her up next time we need something else to be prayed for,"

Violet smiled, and I knew she knew as I did that the answer to the prayer was a gift from God.

Then we both had the same thought,

"Let me call Daddy," she said.

"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

Matthew 18:20

To see the lesson on painting this watercolor, click  >HERE<.

Sharing at:
Themodestmomblog.com

"C"

"The three P's for the week."

Yes, I know this post is titled "C".

The three P's refer to my blog name:

I will post about something Pumpkin, meaning something from the farm, garden, you know, growing around here.

Next I will post something Pie, meaning kitchen related: food, kitchen, edible or decorative, etc.

Finally, I will post something Painted, or something I've created with my hands that will involve artistic materials of some type.

So there is the explaination of my subtitle,

clearly.

So today, because I wanted to join Jenny's blog fun of writing from a certain letter of the alphabet,

I will narrow this attempt even more by posting the three categories and they will start with the letter C.

Are you confused?

Confused.

 That starts with "C."

See?

1.

The letter "C" for the Pumpkin/Farming category:

Clematis.

My clematis are blooming, or at least these two are.

I love seeing these and forgot that I had decided to plant the 'Red Cardinal' clematis with the white one last summer.

I concede that it was a chipper choice to be made conscious of.

 2.

For the Pie Category today: I am talking edible in the kitchen.

Can you see it?

The kids and I have been checking them.

Others have been checking them, too.

Did you know that cows are curious.

Annoyingly.

Although they are pretty cute, too.

Yes, see.  He's checking out how far along the mulberries are, too.

We're all impatiently checking these countless candy-like clusters of suspended mulberries.

Ripen up, little creatures!

3. 

In the painting category,

I have just that to share: painting.

Ceiling panels from the barn roof that blew off in last fall's hurricane...

(okay, so they are roof panels, but I had to get the C in there somehow).

My super-duper-handy-recycling-penny-pinching-cents-smart farmer rehung the old panels on the back side of the shed that was rotting from too much water spray and lack of sunshine.

Corroding.

 I consciously chose to count this creativity-curtailed cause a commanding challenge.

To cut to the chase: 

I chunked the fun painting for chores.

Once that was done, I mixed some of the paint that was left with a bit of left-over black from another project,

added some floor texture,

and clomped on over to another chore that had been calling.

 These ummm....

uhh...

hmmm...

chippy children climbers that are cantankerous...

for their cutting creases containing chards of chips that cause crying when creeping into feet of children.

Corrected!

If your eyes happen to wander up to the crest of the porch, 

you will notice couch cushions helter-skelter.

Cushion chaos.

Cranky old cushions had seen too much weathering

and then the puppy last fall made certain I would have to recover them this season.

The fading strapping under the cushions became easy teethers for chumpy pup as well.

My clever creative man found this heavy lawn seat type strapping

and is carefully counting the measurements, cutting, creasing, and continuing his countless ways he's come up with cure-all ideas from his comprehensive collection in his many cabins 

(sheds: cabins was all I could come up with)

(maybe man-caves would have been better).

 >CLAP<>CLAP<>CLAP<>CLAP<>CLAP<

Cushion material has been purchased and curtain call will be coming soon!

(Confidentially, the cushion coverer is mentioning this to coerce herself into the sewing chair.)

And so I leave you,

with a certain sweet photo I cherish of my most current walk with child.

 Joining Jenny's blog party on the letter "C"

at: Jennymatlock.blogspot.com: Alphabe-Thursday
Firefliesandjellybeans.com

The Birthday, The Paint, The Whereabouts of PPP

Somehow or another, in between gingerbread house creations, Christmas ornaments, and too many toys that fell to their death on the floor where Spot found them and mutilated them into sad masses of torn material and drifting white fluff; somehow, the end of the year snuck up and disappeared into the dark, cold night.

I have not been on here much since then.  I celebrated a birthday this year that sent me into the decade everybody calls middle age; you know, the one that pretty much makes you think you've lived about half of your life...and I realized how quickly the first half went.

Don't get me wrong.  I'm not trying to say I've been drowning myself in tears using box after box of tissues.  Quite the contrary.  I don't feel much older than I did a decade or so ago.  In fact, I like this stage of my life.  I don't worry about so many of the superficial things I did when I was 20...no more hours spent on getting my hair perfectly curled and sprayed into submission.  I don't worry about what everybody thinks of me anymore...I figure they'll get it straight eventually, and if not, perhaps there's somethings more I can learn...or change...nobody's ever perfect and we all learn along the way; or just agree to disagree.  Life isn't such a drama...well, most of the time.  (I'm sure my Farmer wouldn't always agree with this summation of my so-far life, but if he knew me when I was 18...)

But one thing did especially trouble me.

I began praying pretty steadily, asking God what it was He wanted for me in the next stage of life.  He didn't answer me immediately, which is never very much to my liking.  I like to know things right away, so I can plan and pursue.  The heat of a new direction always spurs me on with the most momentum, and I wanted to utilize that enthusiasm.  But as the days passed, I still wasn't getting any peace in my tumultuous thoughts.  I wanted to do something productive and worthwhile, but something that would enhance my duties at home and with my kids.  That's a hard bill to fill.


Before Christmas, I was asked to make some wildlife ornaments for the cemetery where my husband works.  They were decorating a Christmas tree in honor of a celebration at the Orianda House, a beautiful old mansion in the Baltimore area. 

Baltimoreheritage.org: Image courtesy laura1119_photos/photobucket

I was a bit unsure about painting the ornaments which were to feature the wildlife seen in the cemetery as well as some of the trees there.

I started by base-coating the bulbs, because when I washed them with alcohol,

as is helpful to do before painting on glass,

the finish that was on the bulbs washed off.

I printed up some images from the internet.

(Thank you, kind people who posted pictures of these creatures on the internet!)

I then sketched with charcoal pencil in the shape of the images with a little bit of detail

to use as a guide when I applied paint.

I then etched in the fine detail with permanent calligraphy ink and my fine-tipped calligraphy pen.

I used Martha Stewart's all purpose paint for the color.



 

I realized as I was painting,

this is what I love.

It was challenging, but it was fun.

I asked God, "Is there a way you could use this somehow?
I have never felt like I am a fantastic artist, but I do love doing art
and using it in my home to fix things up."

I still felt as if I didn't know what God wanted for me,

I just knew that what I have been doing,

the different little things that seem to take me from my children,

were frustrating me and making me feel like I was missing out on them.

Creating small crafts for local Christmas craft sales was fun,
but the profit margin was so slim compared to how much time it was taking me away
from my kids, my house, my necessary work.

Not long after these thoughts were bumping around in my head,
I got an email from a friend asking me about possibly helping her daughter with her drawings,

maybe some tips to help her.

I have had several people tell me that their kids like to try out some of the crafts I have made

or the art lessons I give on my blog.

I used to teach a craft class for a few years at the camp where my father ministers,

and I taught art to a group of home-schoolers before I married and while my husband was in Iraq,

but since I had my children spread out in larger gaps of years

and have other responsibilities with my small plant nursery and craft sales,

the thought of throwing in the art classes was too much.

But I loved them when I did them.

I also helped teach a Bible study for kids
and enjoyed making the art pages for the kids to work on.

Memory verses are more fun to learn when there is a picture to color
or help one remember.

I got up from the computer and sat down at the table to give my daughter's schooling to her.

I opened her art book up and read through the lesson she was to be taught

and then the art project I had for her that we needed to finish...

and it hit me.

Perhaps I should start a blog where I could teach some art tips,

make time to work on art goals that I have had my whole life,
create memory verse pages or coloring books for kids,
and share home projects I have done for the older readers as well.

I would be reaching for the things I see as important now

instead of putting them off til next year...

or next decade...

or when my kids are grown...

or when I'm retired.

 I love this blog, and all that I have been able to share here,

but sometimes I think my mind gets jumbled with what to do best with the time I have.

I don't want to let this blog go:

I love to write the bits and pieces of my life on this virtual diary.

I just think it is time to create a more specific place

to fill in a gap that may be needing some specific colors of paint.

I am not the most knowledgeable or masterful artist,

and sometimes I think that that is what holds us back from pursuing our best for God,

our own selves questioning our abilities, fearing the possibility of failure or inadequacy,

 like Moses did in Exodus 4: 10-12,

"And Moses said unto the LORD,

O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant:

but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth?

or who maketh the dumb,

or deaf,

or the seeing,

or the blind?

have not I the LORD?

Now therefore go,

and I will be with thy mouth,

and teach thee what thou shalt say."

So that is where I have been...
and I've been afraid to share it,
because commitment and change always scares me a little.


I haven't forgotten you and I cannot tell you how amazed I am that you come by
to hear my ramblings at this place.
Thank you.
It is amazing to me that so many friends are people I have never met.

I will still come here to write
although probably not as much as I had in the past.

(I need this place to type out the wordy versions of my life's lessons.)

That is where I have been,
heaping up mounds of art sketches and ideas,
sketching out pictures onto verse pages,
creating artwork around the house,
taking pictures,
trying to figure out exactly how and with what kind of schedule and plans I aim to go,
trying to get this half-painted bathroom from 6 months ago finally finished,
cleaning up after 3 kids, 2 dogs, and 1 cat stuck in a house all winter,
and praying that God will use the second half of my life,
if He blesses me with such,
with His guidance
and lots of colorful pails of paint.
 

How to Paint Pinecones

Greetings, friends!

I thought I'd throw in this quick post on how to paint pinecones,

or, at least, some easy whimsical pinecones I think are fun to make.

I have really enjoyed using Martha Stewart's all-purpose paints

because the squeeze bottles and fine tip make them super easy to draw/paint with.

These little bottles have lasted me through a lot of projects, too.

They stick well to wood or glass, and I even found that they can be stained over.

First I start with a stem

and then the top of the pinecone is a fat "M".

(I just paint the "M" and then go back over it and spread it out some).

I then put a few dashes under the "M",

just enough to line up under it.

Another row of dots and dashes

(I try to stagger them under the first row).

And then another row.

I want to start making it narrow a little,

so the next row is just two dashes.

A dash and a dot.

A slightly longer dash finishes off the bottom.

There isn't a set number of dashes and dots.

Variety makes the pinecones look more natural,

well,

as natural as a whimsical pinecone can be.

Some random green lines at the top make pine needles.

I then use another color green to make some more needles,

to add a dimensional look to them.

I used a glitter green for the accent needles.

I love adding these pinecones to Christmas ornaments.

So, what do you think?

Do you think a few dots and dashes are ready to become pinecones in your life?

Linking up to:
Savvysouthernstyle.net

Simplykierste.com 

Firefliesandjellybeans.com 

Momontimeout.com 

Raisinghomemakers.com

Wearethatfamily.com
Twiggstudios.com
Sugarbeecrafts.com
Abowlfulloflemons.net
Homestoriesatoz.com
Somewhat Simple, A Crafty Soiree at Yesterday on Tuesday, Thursday Favorite Things at Katherines Corner, Link Party at Centsational Girl, Inspiration Friday At The Picket Fence, The Best Christmas and DIY Crafts Ever at The Nesting Place, Link Party at Craftberry Bush, Feature Friday at Five Days 5 Ways, Clever Chicks Bog Hop at The Chicken Chick