Lovin’ This – Page 2

Category: Lovin’ This

Where’s Waldo…

If you have tween kids you probably remember the WHERE’S WALDO books. Loved them as I sat with the kids and we all tried to be the first one to find the goofy looking Waldo character. Well….that’s kinds been my life lately! Friends keep asking WHERE’S JILL? Blog buddies check in periodically to see if I’m ok and most of the phone messages from family members begin something like this, “I know you’ve been busy lately but when you get a chance can you give me a quick call?” That’s the worst 🙁 First let me say THANK YOU for the “just checking on you” emails I received. It still amazes me that God has put you in my life. It amazes me that you would even care what a mess like me would have to say over on this little ole’ blog of mine. It has been a truly Blessed month for me and my family, full of ups and downs. The ups~

Co-chairing my church’s SPRING GALA with my hubby. Lot’s of hard work but we raised some much needed funds with a great community of people. God is trying so hard to make us a great team….we’re gettin there .

I was invited to attend the Surtex show in NYC by a friend who is a licensed artist. I learned SO much about the licensing art world. Fair to say the good, the bad, and the ugly! Not sure if this is my path but I’m open to the possibilities. NYC was very cool to visit for the first time as an adult.

these guys were having too much fun!

catwalk at the Surtex show
and Time Square
and Central Park

*************************Blessed to witness many Baptisms this last month, 8 to be exact! Not too sure why God allowed me to be at the right place at the right time but sure does put life into perspective when you watch so many come to Jesus through this sacrament. Holy WOW!

Attended Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral while in NYC

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The ending of many activities for the kids…soccer, acting class that ended with a play, spring musical and of course the end of a school year!

Yeeha! Welcome Summer:)
My sweet kiddos..Lauren is the mad scientist, Cooper is the goalie!

An exciting opportunity to wholesale with my very favorite local boutique. They have several locations and tons of foot traffic. I have been biding my time and waiting til the right opportunity came up to begin wholesaling…could this be it? I’ll keep you posted.

TRU workshops and ATC swaps! I am so thrilled that my workshops have blossomed into a place of creative support and love. It has taken me 2 years to finally see the fruits of this journey and God has been more than faithful to me. I am inspired by the women who join me on this journey and am in awe of the art they are creating . ********* TRUly inspiring women!

Putting my health on the list again, I’m exercising everyday, taking my vitamins, drinking more water, and enjoying whole, clean foods. Lost 10 Lbs! Not brave enough to post a picture here.
Getting my house organized. I know, i’ve been talking about doing this forever and i’m finally working it out! Again, not brave enough to post a picture…not of my messy closets!

The downs~ Missed my nephews 1st Communion because of my trip to Surtex. Computer officially crashed! This was more than a downer! Just yesterday we finally got all my contacts and documents loaded and this has been a day to day process. This was a very difficult thing to give to God as a real part of my life lies in this little laptop. My work, my photographs, and my contacts all sat untouched for weeks at a time as we struggled to find a solution to my computer problem. Finally the big black screen of nothing. Had to bite the bullet and just get a new machine, my mother board had died. I do not wish that on my worst enemy so as a friend my only advice is…shut your computer completely down each night.
Contracted a terrible rash from NYC?? Still not sure what it was but very itchy and left welts on me. Not sure if it was bedbugs…yuck! All gone now, no sign of critters.

My hubby and I finished up our first year as Youth Group leaders at our church…oh wait, that goes in the UPS section. We will miss our teens this summer!

Missed my sisters birthday but going out tonight to finally celebrate.

Missed some of my BFFs…finally catching up on walks, dinners, and phone convos.

Missed you, my bloggy friends. That’s it!! We are leaving for vacation next week and I will post some pictures while we’re there. Leave a comment to see if you know the location from my pictures, kinda like a virtual Where’s Waldo, and you could be the winner of a special give-away. Look for more details to come. I have not given up on the Choosing Hope series i have planned to post, so I hope you haven’t either. I will begin that in June, God willing (i’m learning to say that more!). xo jill

Third Day of Lent and Third Day

Third Day of Lent

Jesus Answered them, “Can the wedding guest mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?

The days will come when the bridegoom is taken from them and then they will fast”.

Matt 9:15

_______________________
*

Jesus,

As You journey into the desert, we walk beside You in our hearts. Help us to understand more fully the depth of Your love and of our salvation.

May we be grateful in our fasting for the sake of our lives, not death. Fasting is about freedom, not death!

May we never take our salvation for granted.

Thank you for dying for us Jesus.

In His name,

Amen

Nothing like rocking out with Jesus!

Third Day

My family and I, met up with some dear friends last night to rock out on the
Make Your Move Tour
with

Third Day and 10th Avenue North!

10th Avenue North

They were banging the house down, praising the Father with

2 sold out, 3 hour shows here in Indy!

If this tour coming to a town near you, you won’t regret checking them out.

Mac from Third Day

Thank goodness I didn’t give up MUSIC for Lent:)

Fat Tuesday!

HAPPY FAT TUESDAY!!
HEE HEE, a little Julian Smith.

I actually like cats, but hate to admit I feel this towards my 3 dogs, husband, and 2 kids at times. Oh lot’s to work on during Lent…

Enjoy your indulgences today! Prepare for tomorrow as we go deeper into prayer, fasting, and alms giving for the next 40 days. Lent is a spiritual journey that takes you right to the foot of the cross and makes you a greater witness to The Passion! Praise God!

During Lent, I will be attempting DAILY POSTS that offer short meditations written by
Daniel L Lowery. I encourage you to go deeper into these meditations by reading more of the Book from God’s Word where these verses are found.

I will also be running posts on CHOOSING HOPE in the coming weeks and have been spending lots of time in prayer over the enslavement that is caused by WORRY.

Walking beside you always, please join me.

I made this for you!!!

Julian just cracks me up…

I wish you all love, laughter, and joy.

Linking up with Sara over at YES, TEACHER. Stop on over to visit her Tickle Me Tuesdays post.

Outside My Comfort Zone

Ok, Ok….I know the last post was hard to take.

Who do i think I am anyway??

Trust me…

I’m nobody and certainly didn’t earn that day in any way.

BUT>>>>>>

It was awesome!

And I savoured every moment of it!!

So back to the day to day….

One of the goals I want to accomplish this year is to get back to the basics. In my art, my home, my health, my family. Try to live more simply and I guess more according to God’s biblical plan for us all. I’m enjoying this and find it easier to do in some areas and harder in others.

My art is one of the hard areas.

Being a mixed media artist is so amazing to me because you’re like a kid in a candy store holding a $100 bill. So many flavors, so much money. It’s kinda like that in mixed media, so many supplies and techniques and your mind just goes to a happy place as you think of all the possibilities. Through my workshops I have discovered that this is not the case for all, and many artist find this to be a scattered, undisciplined medium that leaves them just plain frustrated. Funny, art truly is an extension of who we are.

With God knowing the direction I wanted to move in my life this year, He has so faithfully offered His guidance and has been sending all the right people. Faithful Sweet LORD!

One of my sweetest BFF’s invited me this week to a figurative art class. I have not done figurative drawings in 20 years!! I was excited to be moving outside my comfort zone and get back to the basics of paper, charcoal and sketching the human form. We would be drawing 2, 1 minute poses; 2, 3 minute poses; and 2, 5 minute poses, with time after for painting. Really I thought it would be like riding a bike and I would pick up from where I left off 20 years ago.

uhh…NO!!!

Go ahead…laugh:)

They are funny!

BTW… the model is a beautiful, 25 year old girl that weighs about 100 lbs!

SHE IS NOT MRS. BUTTERSWORTH!!

It’s good to be humbled!

A Journey to Robin’s Well

Poppy

10×10” gallery wrapped canvas

I can’t believe how time is flying by lately…in a good way since I am enjoying the ride. Days aren’t dragging, they are flying and it is just amazing how God’s law is freedom. I have taken time to FILL UP as I walk along my journey of Faith. I was never really good at the filling up part before, wasting time and trying to fill the hole with lots of STUFF. Stuff that could never satisfy so I would just add more STUFF. What a amazing joy it is to drink of the Living Water and be quenched! I have been filling up with Him, creating art, getting organized still ( this is a journey in itself and not one I particually enjoy!) and spending lots of quality time with family and friends. You know what I mean by quality time, just being together and letting things happen.

I wonder what fills you up?

***************

On one of my last posts I promised you that i would turn you on to some of my favorite bloggers. Women who inspire me, challenge me, and who lift me up in so many ways. True Blessings that I never expected to meet out here in this blogosphere.

Meet Robin !

She is a amazing Godly women who lifts people up and inspires them to be brave. She believes in herself and I just love that. Not in a cocky way, in a way that tells you that she has confidence in her Holy Maker.

Robin has a new e-book out (brave soul) called MY CREATIVE PEACE.

Here is what she says about the course…

THROUGHOUT the e-course, we will:
-explore God’s creativity
-explore the beauty and VALUE of creativity
-explore creativity as an act of worship
-PINPOINT your creative journey
-INTEGRATE CREATIVITY AND SPIRITUAL JOURNEY MORE DEEPLY

Robin was so nice to take the time to answer some questions for me about her journey.

· What inspired you to want to do this creative workbook?
When I was fumbling my way through trying to figure out how to be more creative, I remember looking around book stores and libraries trying to find some guidance. For me Julia Cameron’s books (The Artist Way series) helped me immensely. But as I was going through I felt myself wanting to move into allowing my creative time to be a time of prayer and meditation. I had not come across any material that discussed that aspect and so I began to consider the idea of using my journaling as a means to create something for others to use.

· What are your intentions for this creative workbook?
My initial intention was to create this as an e-course. I was all set to go and even began promoting it on the Internet. But a series of events occurred that got me to reconsider. One very important one was a woman sent me an email saying she found the course and though she couldn’t afford to do the course, she wanted to thank me for creating something along the lines of what the course offers. This along with my desire to get back into serving in the local church caused me to temporarily move the course into this direction. My next step is to approach some local churches about offering the course within their small groups.

· How did you feel as you started to dive into the details and content of this creative workbook?
FEAR AND GRATEFULNESS SIMULTANEOUSLY
Fear because I was second guessing the idea that my experience of wanting to integrate creativity and Christianity is something others are desiring to do.
Gratefulness for how much GOD has answered my prayer to want to take the limited time I Have and let it be a time where I experience GOD and feel incredibly fulfilled.

· How did you feel when you started to promote the creative workbook?
I felt this relief about knowing I had done all I could do as far as putting my words and my art together in a manner that is aesthetically pleasing and in a way that anyone can pick up the workbook and begin. I am so excited because I have seen GOD do unexpected things! When I think I am doing something for one purpose, GOD is FABULOUS about taking it and doing more than we can ever ask or THINK!

· Can you offer any advice to someone who is contemplating doing something they have never done before?

If you really sense GOD is moving you in a new direction, you cannot FAIL! CANNOT! Take the little steps; the little things you KNOW TO DO. The steps may feel like you are bumbling around in the dark. It really did feel that way for me. And then you have this “suddenly” moment where you find yourself in the middle of this thing that is BIGGER than you and yet is THE MOST SATISFYING SPACE. And then rest in it and ENJOY IT.

What an way to fill up! GOD AND ART!

I’m in and can’t wait to get my hands on this book.

Thank you Robin for being brave and encouraging others to FILL UP!

Peace

Peace

Is this my new normal?

Living in the not knowing and feeling so safe and satisfied.

Giving you each of my days, letting go of MY plan.

Not thinking about the dropping ball or the ticking of the clock.

Being free to just BE and offering all of myself to the world.

I prayed for peace, now give me the GRACE to sit a while in this place.

More on Being Real

In keeping with the spirit of my last post, I wanted to share this video from country singer BRAD PAISLEY. If you have never seen it, check it out…totally hysterical! Always makes me laugh. And it is so true!

Here in blogland I often wonder what people are REALLY like?

I have had the pleasure of meeting some of you and can honestly say your blog doesn’t do you justice! I also know a few people who blog and they are nothing like the blogs they write. So sad because it shows in their writing. Don’t get me wrong, I try and put my best foot forward too, as I do in my everyday real life. No one wants to log onto a whiny, bitchy blog everyday (and believe me I can be those things like what I’m kinda doig right now!). But I also try and keep it real. As I’ve posted before, I never expected to blog about my faith journey as often as i do and I thought people that posted their kid’s pictures were asking for trouble. I just thought I would have a cute little art blog that would promote my work and workshops.
I have grown to trust you and myself more through blogging and now post any old thing, when ever the mood hits me. This is not a numbers game for me, it is an extention of who I am.
Not saying I don’t try to encourage or inspire you and I’m not saying I would mind more followers. Just saying I would rather have 10 followers on a similar journey, then 4000 followers who really don’t care to have a connection with me or what I care about or struggle with.
I feel so blessed that this blog is growing and you actually care about reading it!

In the next few week I am going to invite you to check out some of my favorite blogs. These blogs are written by genuine women who have touched my heart.

Jen at FINDING HEAVEN is like that. Stop over and visit her for a glimpse into her authentic life and journey of Faith.

Enjoy the show…

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas

to you and yours!

May your day be filled with the love and peace of Christ our Savior.

Thank you for all the support this year,

as I journeyed out of my comfort zone,

into the world of blogging.

You have made my experience WONDER-FILLED

and I have enjoyed getting to know you.

I look forward to 2011 as we continue to

laugh

and

cry

together

on this journey of

FAITH.

I’m so WEAK!

I’m so weak, I have no control of myself when I make my favorite Christmas treat. I honestly had to have my husband take the last batch of this I made and lock it in a padlocked tote. So weak!! And when I’m feeling entitled to a treat and hit that moment of weakness, I demand that he gives me the key. He lovingly tries to discourage me , just like I instructed, but I just get mad and go from demanding to threatening and he loses the will to fight.

*************

WARNING>>>>>this recipe is dangerous for your health and will power!

Make at you own risk…

Addictive Caramel Corn Puffs

2 sticks butter
2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. Karo (light)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 package butter flavored corn puffs

In a large saucepan, bring butter, brown sugar and Karo to a boil for 5 minutes stirring constantly. Stir in vanilla, salt and baking soda. (This will cause the mixture to bubble up.) Pour the corn puffs into a large bowl. Pour the mixture over the corn puffs and stir until well coated. Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour. Turn and stir every 15 minutes. Allow to cool on a wire cooling rack. To store, place in a sealed air tight container.

*I always double this recipe and have to make several batches to share because I’m the Corn Puff pusher and all my friends and family have developed a Caramel Corn Puff habit too!

Enjoy!

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