Homegrown Hospitality

Uncommon Courage

This past weekends message at church was all about "Standing Courageously For the Truth" and if you were there or watched it on-line then you know it was jammed packed with ALOT of things and it would take me 74 blog posts to cover it, so in a nut shell, here it is...

This is a hot topic right now in our little home sweet home because TODAY, Jack is going to be learning about "Conspiracy Theory's" in his "History Through Film" class.

Again, TRUTH MATTERS and as a parent I have to reinforce that.  Does an 11th grader with an open mind need to learn about conspiracy theory's?  Maybe, maybe not...but I am going to stop here because I could be walking into a can of worms..and I do not like worms, especially those big gross green disney-character looking ones that eat tomatoes.

So back to the message..just a little more...

it all takes courage.

Something I personally battle with DAILY, sometimes...HOURLY!

There it is...the Truth about me. (I suppose that was courage right there by admitting that to you..) You might not know it or think it if you are around me, but it is there, more than ever and I tell you, ever since I "FULLY SURRENDERED" that damn red suited guy likes to sprinkle my day with doubt, anxiety and anything else he can muster up to toss in my path.. Sometimes I can karate chop it away..and sometimes I can't and that is what I am working on. (It is okay, you can call me a "fraddy cat.")

The thing that helps me get through this crap (and it is crap) is prayer and art.  The more anxiety, the HARDER it is to get up, but I make myself do it...and the more powerful I create.   This is yesterdays harvest:

I am finding comfort, peace and meaning through my art and I want to suggest that if you are in a spot that is not comfortable..try creating.  Many times I just work on getting the base of a project down so that when I am inspired, I can go out and create HEart.

I am using old marquee letters as my base.  I start by layering on tissue wrap and dictionary paper using Glue-n-Seal. Make sure to dry....

Then I add swipes of crackle paint  and while those are set aside, I use color wash and distress stain to add color to dictionary paper so that I can tear out hearts and just those steps starts to take the crap away...then when I am ready to create, I have all of the pieces and parts I need to create a piece of HEart!

Never Forget

New Things

Today is our first day back to school and my first day back to work/school and I am ready for the new beginnings...I am Iam Iam.

and speaking of new, I re-opened my ETSY and it will be the new place to list my ART FOR SALE...

here is the link : http://www.etsy.com/shop/StephanieAckermanDes

Including art for sale, there are going to be a few other things listed, including felt!  I spent the evening on the floor cutting fall colors and as soon as I get a sample completed, I will list them. 

and as I mentioned., I have a giveaway in honor of all of this newness....this doodle (shown below) ..framed!

All you have to do is leave me a comment...about anything.  I will announce a winner tomorrow morning!
Happy new day!

Love Always

Big Words...

doodled in a little 2 1/2" x 4" mini moleskin book.

Think about what you are doing and who you are doing it for and I betcha you will do it better....just sayin.

Tremendously Interested, Part 2

I am tremendously interested in coloring.

It makes me happy.

It is something I do to relax and when we are relaxed, we are happy.

Coloring is something you can do practically anywhere, which also makes me happy...
and is something you can do on practically any surface which eliminates confusion, and that makes everyone happy.

and you can color with the things you likely already have, and that is just plain good.  

Good things make people happy.

Can I suggest that today, heck right now, you do something that makes you happy...because when you are happy, it just may cause someone else to feel happy...and that makes me happy.

p.s. I have a self-paced online class that makes me happy and just might make you happy, too. Click here to check it out.

Yes, You!

Direct and to the point...

 

All is Forgiven

Grab some coffee....

I have been on a personal journey of faith for a several years now and have really started to share more of it with you here on my blog.  

Some of you embrace it and some don't .  

That is okay with me.  

Some of you are of the same faith as me, and some are not.  

That is okay with me too. 

It is more about the heart...

and we all have one.

More than we may realize, we are all in the same boat.  Some of us have paddles, some of us have life jackets and some of us don't.  A few stand at the head of the boat and scream "I am the king of the world" and some of us are hanging our heads over the railing throwing up from all of the waves.  Thing is, we are all in this together and we all go through similar things.

I hope that by me being authentic and transparent here, it will help someone elses boat ride along the way.  Just call me "Julie McCoy"...your cruise director because I am glad you are here.

Okay, so as you know, I am really sarcastic at times, and equally, if not more, dorkey.   Here is some good news I found out about that on page 137 of the book "Only You Can Be You"

I am self-conscience about many things (not as many as I used to be) and don't give a crap about other things (see, I told you)

I have always reminded you that I am open minded, share what I believe and create based on it.  I strive to walk the walk and talk the talk but I am human and dang it, I stumble and sometimes fall.

We all do.

THANKS ALOT ADAM (okay, and Eve!)

I have to admit, I have fallen hard.

No..not right now, in the past.

The thing is, I get back up, figure it out, confess it, ask for forgiveness (He will forgive you too, you just gotta ask) and then keep going.  I am continually and constantly learning who I am, what I am supposed to be doing and sharing it...through the creative abilities that God has given me..

and I am so glad you are still here.

With the completion of the "Only You Can Be You" study last week I was a little "okay, what is next..now what" and happily found the answer with the new series  Pastor Rick started this week called "Creating a Positive ID" 

whew.

So the big question was "Do you know who you are" and well, since I just finished learning and being reminded that "I am me" from "Only You Can Be You" (say that 5 times fast) I knew I was on the right track (or is it tract?)

and here was the phrase that stuck me like a thorn on a rose bush...10 words that reminded me of something.

"I am a product of my past..NOT a prisoner"

and it reminded me that I was holding my own self hostage.

Duh.

You see, I realized that I was unconsciously torturing myself because I had not fully forgiven myself. Maybe a little, but not completely and it does not work that way.

You either do or you don't...not kinda.

well, how can I not forgive myself when God has already done so..

done.

gone.

forgiven.

surrendered.

I think I am starting to mature.

and I am glad you are here with me on this journey.

Use 'Em

When I am tired, I become unsettled and when I am unsettled, I start wondering..questioning..doubting...

gulp.

"Am I doing what I am supposed to be doing??"

"Am I doing enough??"

"Am I doing too much??"

Late yesterday afternoon, I started wandering around, not wanting to do anything specific and knew that I just needed to relax.  

Easier said than done. 

How does one "just relax" when there is so much world noise going on, even when it is super quiet?  

and then, last night, I remembered....

I doodle.

duh.

so I wrote out this phrase:

"Only I can be me and you can be you, so let's work together and see what we can do.."

and then I started coloring...and that is exactly what I did last night...

I colored.

Just me, the couch and my markers...for a few hours...and I colored myself down off that wall of wonder.

This morning, that wonder, questioning and doubt was lifted by a single email that reminded me of what I already know...and I picked up my little Moleskin and added a new page.

and this is me reminding you of something you probably already know...

Use 'em.

Your gifts, your talents, your abilities...

Use' em to make a difference.

Mother's Day

When Lori asked me to do a doodle for Mother's Day, I waited, thought about it, drew out a few and threw out a few.  Then I asked her for a verse that she had on her heart and just at about the same time she responded,  I was rumaging through my bag for markers and came across a doodle that I had done a while back but had not finished.

I went back to read her response, took another look at the doodle and knew that it was the right one.  

Just like the different flowers above, we as mothers, no, as women, were created by God and have a reason.

We are all at different stages & different seasons, may have different lifestyles, different beliefs, some of us are still buds, some of us are in full bloom, but regardless of where we are, what we look like or what stage of life we are in, we must all remember not to compare or envy but gather around each other, lift each other up, support each other, celebrate one another...and most importantly, pray for one another.

That is one of the most valueable gifts we can give each other.

I encourage you to head over to Internet Devotions this morning to take a look at the post that goes along with the doodle and take some time to pray for one another.

Happy Mother's Day!