Persistence - Creating in Faith

 

Prayer bookmark covers - Persistence

‘Never give up’, 'keep on going’ 'endure' and ‘stay on course’ are all phrases and words we have come across and can think of ways we may have applied it in our own lives.  There is that ‘something’ we do, despite the odds or what others are going to say (positive or negative) in order for us to reach the finish line and achieve our goals.  If we think about the times when we have given up on a goal or dream we see that it can be a culmination of the naysayers even words and thoughts from our own mouths that predict failure.  For some, though there is something they can draw on that is deep within that keeps saying ‘pick yourself up, start again, keep on going.

Being persistent can often see some go through unimaginable hardships for their loved ones, so that they may have a better life. There are people around the world who despite their circumstances and situation, through adversity and hardship answered the call deep within to strive for making the changes and the actions necessary.  They didn’t give up but kept going and their actions not only impacted their own lives, but the lives of those they came into contact with and even the wider community.

When I look at my own life there are many things I want to achieve.  I can see some things in the past where I either talked myself out of doing or allowed myself to be discouraged due to negativity of others.   One thing that has been consistent with me is my desire to bless others dispite how I feel, to see them use their talents and abilities and grow.  As I delve deeper as an artist I know that it is in the creative field that I want to work and see others not only be blessed by my work, but to find where they fit, where they can bloom and shine their light.  I love encouraging others to step out and find their passion using their talents and abilities, and I hope that comes across in my art and the things I post.

We will come across challenging situations or circumstances where we will  wonder whether it is worth persisting and is our time spent better somewhere else, but it could be like oncovering the gold that lay covered the more you sift and clean it,  the clear it is to see the gold that lies beneath.  So with persistence we can truly say we gave it a chance.  It says in Matthew 7:7 ask and ye shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened.  What do you need to do to open some of those doors?

..greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.... 
1 John 4:4

Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do... John 14:13

 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.  Romans 13:4

Gratitudes and Celebration Journal - Week 9 - There is so much to be thankful for..

Gratitudes and Celebration Journal - Week 9

The page reads ....Inspire -There is so much to be thankful for...

Take a moment to stop and just sit in all that you are blessed to see and do.  Be that someone who goes on to inspire others.  Here is the page once I have noted some of the things that I celebrate and am grateful for....

Take a moment to think about what you can be thankful for today - and then go out and do an one small thing for someone else!  Blessings for the weekend!

Release - Thought for the Week - 52 Weeks of Colour and Inspiration

Thought for the week

Right this moment, everything is where it should be, step out of the way, take a deep breath and get ready to live your life - right now!

This is the 52nd week of posts.  The year has gone by so fast and it has been a pleasure not only taking the photographs but also altering them digitally.  The main aim being for me to learn how to create interesting images with the tools.  There is still so much to learn and I am exited about what I will be doing next, I have always wanted to do my own poster series, so I may do a series of inspiring images to share alongside some more quotes and scriptures.  As I grow in my abilities I hope you also grow in the gifts that you have been given to share.  As always take time to think about your plan of action this week and be a blessing, as you too will be blessed!  Amanda

Quote

Tell me, what is your plan to do with your one wild and precious life? Mary Oliver 

Scripture 

There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.  The one who fears is not made perfect in love

Gratitudes and Celebration Journal - Week 8 - Treat yourself with Kindness

 Gratitude and Celebration Journal Week 8

 The page reads - Treat yourself with kindness....

 We can sometimes forget that we need to nurture ourselves and when we stop and treat ourselves as special we open ourselves up and unlock hidden treasures!

Here is the page once I have noted some of the things that I celebrate and am grateful for....

Take a moment to think about how you can be kind to yourself today - and then go out and do an act of kindness to someone else!  Take a moment to think about how you can inspire others.  Blessings for the weekend!

Traveller Returns - After the road trip

It has been two weeks since I came back from my holiday, the fresh faced sun kissed exterior has all but gone as we get back into the routine of every day life.  Having gone away to take time to recharge my batteries I am appreciative in being able to spend 3 weeks away from home in a new environment. 

Along with my husband Alan and son Sekani we went to see my sister-in-law in Huntsville, Alabama, and then met up with a few more members of the family spending a further 2 weeks in Florida.  We had a great time, the weather was very hot - so got my share of vitamin D.   I was able to take lots of photographs, chill out, go shopping for art supplies, and visit museums and art galleries.  We saw a couple of exhibitions at the Huntsville Museum of Art - there were some mixed media pieces, silver and glass exhibits on show.  If you get a chance to go down there it is well worth the visit;

 Here is a small fraction of things on display.  It is alway inspiring to see the work of others.

Sloan Bibb - Life is a Spectator Sport

Gary Chapman - To be with you

Goat - Gianmaria Buccellati

Cappy Thompson - Riding feathers into the future

At the Davidson Centre for the Arts which runs alongside the Museum of Art we were able to catch a quilting exhibition by local quilters, there were some lovely exhibits.  I have had a growing desire to learn how to make a quilt and seeing some of the exhibits really inspired me. 

Susan Keziah Hobbs Fennell Henderson - Crazy Quilt 1887

This quilt is over 100 years old!

Elaine Rowe - All I can see is green

Babara Black - Night

Anne Clough - A string of cosmic pearl

Another highlight whilst in Huntsville, was meeting fellow blogger and author Christina Carson

After finding out that she lived in Huntsville, I couldn't go all that way without meeting up in person and saying hello. It was lovely to meet her and we stopped and had a coffee.  Christina will be doing an interview about her writing and her current books on my wordpress site soon!

I also managed to get to the Botanical gardens which had a butterfly house.  I got some lovely images of the flowers and this will be dotted around my blog in future posts.

I was really good while I was in Huntsville and I managed to get out each morning and go for a walk.  The environment was beautiful, so much lush greenery.

An extremely steep hill that I managed to conquer

Before we left Huntsville we paid a visit to the Lowe Mill Centre for the Arts a venue with artist studios, theatre, exhibition space and a restaurant.  If we had been able to stay a few more days there was a music festival that was also taking place that weekend.

Sekani found a piano and gave us a couple of songs.....

Next stop Florida, stayed mostly in Orlando and then drove down to Daytona, and Miami.  It would have been great to spend more time in both these locations - next time!
 

Enjoying the water at Daytona Beach

Miami

Miami Beach

Miami Sunset

Took some time out at a couple of theme parks - Universal and Island of Adventure.  Went on lots of fun rides and I definitely recommend, the Transformers ride....

The Harry Potter ride was also exciting.  The down side to the theme parks were the queueing and they were charging $70 for a fast pass.  For some of the rides you could go on and cut the cues as a single rider (without a group) We took this option on a few rides, even though they slot people in who didn't mind being seperated in their groups, you mostly ended up with your party in the same car anyway,  and it cut the wait by half. There was additional entertainment around the park and we took in the Blues brother performers

Blues Brothers

Talented  musicians at the Blues Brothers stand

All in all it was a lovely trip there are so many more photographs that we took, I hope you got a flavour.  I developed a chest infection in the last week so had to slow it right down and just rest.  All better now though, and I now have to get down to the business of Art and mixed media.  There are a few classes coming up that I am hoping to take.  I also have some things to share that I had been working on - it's time to step up!   It would be great to hear about a break that you are planning or have done already.  Looking forward to reading your comments.  Blessings for the rest of the week.

Prayerfulness - Thought for the Day - 52 Weeks of Colour

Thought for the week

All is well, all is at peace. You have so many gifts waiting to be birthed, take time in prayer, to be still to centre yourself all will begin to unfold. Much blessings for the week, Amanda

Quote

We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.  ...Anais Nin

Scripture 

For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we may boldly say: "The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" Hebrews 13 5-6

Food - Creating in Faith

We eat to nourish our bodies, hoping to get the right vitamins and minerals thus enabling our bodies do a variety of activities.  We know that sometimes we can eat food not for the nourishment but the feeling associated and there is also a social aspect to eating food and we can eat without thinking about what we are putting into our mouths.  

For some there are foods that will cause immediate harm when consumed, and those with allergies are very careful about what they eat. For those with an intolerance, and there are times when knowing that you have a problem with a particular food this is over ridden by the feeling you get having eaten it and you then have to deal with the consequences when this happens.  I have been guilty of this, in the last two years I've had to give up wheat, dairy, and more recently soya but every now and then I am tempted to eat one of these food groups and then felt the effects after.  As a family we have been trying some great smoothie combinations and to get more fruit and vegetables into our diet.

 

Green smoothie - using spinach and, pears and apples

Nourishing our bodies can also take the shape of getting regular exercise, and rest, giving ourselves the necessary breaks and this is something that cannot be over looked.  You know how you feel when you have been taking regular exercise and if allow your circumstances to get in the way and you take a break from it you will begin to feel all the aches and pains and start feeling sluggish.  I am currently at that point where before I went away on holiday I had started a great exercise routine even carrying it into the first week of the holiday, and then I allowed stuff to get in the way and have in the two weeks since coming back not got my routine going, but now that I have owned up, will get on the case!

Having nourished our bodies, our minds have to be nourished, rest plays a part in this but we have to feed the mind with information that will edify, we have to ensure that we are continuing to learn new things, don’t let a month go by without you having read a new book, or considered a new idea, or taken a course.  There is no point in your life where you can say ‘I’ve learnt all there is to know about everything’, we have to continue to challenge ourselves and grow. 

Creating in Faith Bookmark holder

Lastly we have to feed our spirits with the nourishing word that comes from God.  We have to be in the ‘Word’ on a daily basis, applying the principles to our lives, renewing our mind, seeing what insights we can gain, and how the word applies to what we need to do.  We grow spiritually and we also have to look at our lives and question how we have grown from yesterday, last week, month and last year, it can’t be the same thing year after year, we have to be making an impact into the lives of others using our gifts and abilities as we meditate and apply his word. 

As an artist I see much of where my purpose lies with the creative field, I want to bless others with my art, my words, and all the other creative areas that I am passionate about, and so too as an artist there is still much to learn, new things to try, and doors to go through.  

What are you ‘feeding’ yourself that you need to give a rest, what new things do you need to try and how can you express that in your creativity?

Salvation is from the Lord ....Jonah 2:9

If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;     if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. Proverbs 25:21

Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23:6

Gratitudes and Celebration Journal - Week 7

Gratitude and Celebration Journal Week 7

The page reads - Don't endure your life, enjoy it

 
We can get really hung up about how things are while we are in the moment and forget that we can take action, one small action every day can bring about change on the bigger scale.....

Here is the page once I have noted some of the things that I celebrate and am grateful for...

What small change can you make today?  Have a blessed weekend.

Forgiveness - 52 Weeks of Colour - Thought for the day...

Thought for the week 

Abundance will flow - you need go where the peace. You have a choice, don’t let doubt creep in and tell you otherwise! it is time to forgive yourself and move on. 

 

Quote 

Don’t compromise yourself. You’re all you’ve got. ...Janis Joplin 

 

Scripture 

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13