More Painting

William had talked with Justin last night and found out that Justin was coming here today.  Justin is a friend of ours who we had worked with in Ashland – he was homeless, had been so since he was 14 (he’s 36 now) and we met him at our homeless feed sometime the spring of 2011.   William was living in the basement of a church at the time (because he was homeless too), praying a lot and ministering a lot to the homeless, sometimes taking them into the basement with him.  Justin was one of those he was mentoring.   Anyway, we worked with Justin intently for about a year or so.  He ended up going to Colorado, then to Arizona in 2012 and actually made up with his mom and they were healing together in many ways.  We ended up moving to Colorado in July of this year and he decided to come join us.  I am finding God’s timing so impeccable, it blows me away.  I was reading my devotional again this morning:

The Dove, Aug. 5, Gen. 50:20:

Rising to a challenge reveals hidden abilities within you that otherwise would have remained dormant.  Just as you find out what’s inside a tube of toothpaste when it gets squeezed, adversity reveals what you’re made of.  Sometimes we say, “I could never go through what that person went through.  I would die.”  Then you go through it, and guess what?  Your heart keeps beating.  Your world goes on.  You don’t know what you’re capable of until you have to cope.  Wise people have always understood the connection between suffering and growth.  Meng Tzu, the Chinese sage, said, “When heaven is about to confer a great responsibility on any man it will place obstacles in the path of his deeds so as to stimulate his mind, harden his nature, and improve wherever  he is incompetent.”  God could have let Abraham stay in the comfort of Ur, and Moses in the splendor of Pharaoh’s courts.  He could have kept Daniel out of the lions’ den, Nehemiah out of captivity, Jonah out of the whale, John the Baptist away from Herod, Esther from being threatened, Jeremiah from being rejected, and Paul from being shipwrecked.  But He didn’t .  In fact, God used each of these trials to bring them closer to Himself – to produce the greatest scholars.”  And guess who the teacher is?  Adversity!  You either face it with God, or without Him.  And those without God are watching you.  When they see your faith sustain you and God bring you through, they’ll get interested in what you have to say.  And not before!

Tues, Aug. 6, 2 Cor. 12:9:

One of the classic stories of adversity in the Bible is about Joseph.  At the beginning of his life, he is the favorite son, envied by his brothers, with dreams of being someone everybody bows down to.  Then he’s kidnapped by his brothers and ends up serving as a slave in Potiphar’s house.  He loses his home, his culture, his security and his status as favorite son.  What does Joseph have left?  He is in a strange bed, in a strange house, in a strange land, with no friends, no prospects, and no explanation.  But he has one gift – one that makes all the difference.  “The Lord was with Joseph” (Gen. 39:2).  What happens when you lose everything but God, then find out that God is enough?  You experience His presence in a way you never did before!  Paul writes: “Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death … No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us” (Rom 8:35-37).  God wasn’t at work producing the circumstances Joseph wanted, He was at work in bad circumstances producing the Joseph that  God wanted.  Just as a diamond is formed out of common carbon placed under millions of pounds of pressure – so the character of Christ is formed in you by adverse circumstances.  So the question is, will you hold up or fold up?  When Paul thought he couldn’t stand any more, God told him, “MY grace is sufficient for you”  (2 Cor. 12:9).  And do you know what?  His grace is sufficient for you too.

This is so awesome!  Perfect word.   All those years I went through such horrendous abuse, I am now using to help others.   And even the years of recovery, I grew so much.  I can now look back and say for sure, I am glad I went through it all for the glory of God!   Going through it all, I wanted to die, I wanted to give up, and I could never see any good that could possibly come out of any of it.   But now, on the other side, wow!!  What’s even better, God has so totally answered my life verse:  “I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten … You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God.  Who has dealt wondrously with you.  And My people shall never be put to shame (Joel 2:25-26).   I can now say for sure, that I finally got it – in my 50’s now and I finally have the most wonderful life and I am truly thankful!  I can’t say that all the circumstances are to my liking, but that really doesn’t matter.  I am willing to be thankful no matter what – that is the key – willingness!

this morning's snow in the mountains - Pikes Peak - view from Fountain

So anyway, around  1 pm or so today, Justin showed up and he hung out with me for a bit in my studio.  I told him how I had started a 20-day fast today – for him and for our ministry.  I’ve been in prayer about both a great deal.  I believe that God will totally heal and restore Justin and I totally believe that God will continue to provide what we need ($$ wise as well as His presence) to continue this ministry.  We left the studio around 4:30 but I had forgotten to change my clock so when I got home, it was only 3:30!  Anyway, we had a great time catching up and I taught him some drawing techniques.  He loves to draw and I continue to give him lessons and be will become really good!

This morning before Justin showed up, I continued working on my aspen tree painting – it is really coming along great, but slow.  What was so funny, is that I have these 4 small paintings sitting and drying under my easel that I had been doing in class with Neil.  While I was sitting there painting on my trees, jamming to my praise music coming out of my iPod, I realized there was something under my feet; I just kept my feet a dancin’ and my mouth a singin’, but whatever was under my foot was starting to bug me, so I looked down – it was one of my paintings!!

Last night, we had gone to a new prayer meeting that started up – the Prayer Brigade  for Fountain – great meeting.  Twelve people were in attendance (perfect start) and we had a great discussion and prayer time.  Trevor announced that he was starting a 20-day fast that was from sunset to sunset  (which means I can eat dinner) – that is awesome, because I can do that.  I had a very difficult time doing the 7-day fast in 2012 and the 3-day fast in Aug.  (I have to get over loving food so much!).  I decided to do it as well.  We met a guy named Brett, who is going to do a video about Fountain and he arranged with us to come to my studio and talk with me.   What happened instead is that he showed up for our Tues. night prayer meeting tonight and we had a great discussion and a little prayer … he originally wanted to film that drum circle that had been meeting on the City Hall’s lawn the first Tues. of every month, but they didn’t show.  We regaled him with stories that we’ve been seeing and hearing about the area and he was greatly educated.

Yesterday, William took the day off and was supposed to spend it with his brother, but the kids are sick and David had to do something else, so William ended up having another great day of rest (he needed it).  I went to Colorado Springs at 11 and met Cathy for lunch – great talk – then I went to Neil’s for painting.   When I turned on my phone yesterday morning, I had a message from my daughter  about a cousin of mine (Lucille, age 48, a cousin on my dad’s side) who was found dead by her truck last night.  I had decided I was going to call my daughter back after painting class to find out more, but during class she called, so I answered and found out more – it was a drug overdose.  Laura also told me that my sister needed to hear from me because those two had been very close as children (1 year apart in age).  So, I finished my painting and told the group I was leaving to deal with all that.  They prayed with me and I left.

More paintings

Wow, what a great weekend.  And today even, it’s turned out to be a great day – William took the day off – he sooooo needed it.  He ended up sleeping all day.  This morning, I went to the gallery because Kang Lee and Reveille came to get their paintings.  Their work hung in my gallery for the past two months.  Even though I talked with a few other artists about hanging their work in my gallery, I never set a date … now I have to really hustle to get artwork in here this week!  The local Fountain newspaper is coming out with an article about us next week and it just won’t do to have no artwork on the walls!   I sent out a few e-mails, so I hope something pans out soon! 

I went to painting class at Neil’s this afternoon and had a wonderful time.  I thanked him (and the church) for sponsoring me to go on this wonderful women’s retreat this weekend.  I am so glad he mentioned it last week!  We worked on those monochromatic paintings again … today we did two rather than one at a time.  It makes sense, because after I got home and compared what I did today to what I did last week, even my technique changed, as well as the colors, so in order to do a triptych like we intended, we have to do all three at once.  I’ll be working on that this week.  The two I did today, I don’t like as well – I wanted to put in a few rocks, no I realized I put in too many, except in one area I have to go in and add more, it looks bare there, since I added so many rocks in the other areas.  Oh well, I’m learning and that’s the whole point.  Great practice. 

Winter is here!

It was very cold today and yesterday – actually, because of the wind, yesterday was colder, but the temp was warmer.  It snowed in the mountains, winter is finally here - almost anyway.   Everyone’s been saying how it will be a hard winter – lots of snow.  Who knows, maybe Farmer’s Almanac.  

Pikes Peak with Colorado Springs city in the foreground

William took another day off – I let him sleep in and I walked to the store.  I’ve been doing that most everyday; I need the exercise.   Haven’t seen him much yesterday or today – I was at the store all day and he was at home and ran a few errands; he did bring me lunch again – that was awesome.  We need time together to go have fun.   We are so busy ALL the time.  We finally got the 501c3 stuff in the mail today – I sent that off over a month ago, and William is officially ordained and licensed through Calvary Temple.  Only one couple came in to check out the store today.  Locals doing laundry and were bored  - I told them about what we do here, but they didn’t seem too interested.    I spent most of the day trying to find income – checking out sites and put our place on IBO – a new business connection site – it’s more for online ‘at home’ businesses, but maybe something will come of it.  I updated my other blog/website – haven’t done so since July.   If I pursued that one and get it posed everywhere (like that IBO site), maybe something will come of that.  I did a couple art pieces in prep for kids – I need to find a way to advertize to get more kids in here.  I finished my wheat picture – Facebook people liked it.  Marilyn Sullivan suggested I keep it simple, so I did.   

We opted for prayer meeting/church service tonight since David calls our evening service church.  All but Ryan and Nicole were there.  They seem to get a lot out of it – we talked a bit, shared what we were thankful for, put the music on for praise time, then listened to that sermon again by David O’Neill – very good stuff – I needed to hear that again.  William had David read 1 Cor. 2 prior to that – it seems to go well with it.

More painting

I taught my drawing class in CS this morning.  The people there actually like what I’ve been teaching them and are enjoying it!  That’s cool … I guess I haven’t lost my touch.  I went to Neil’s class this afternoon.  Big class today – some new girls.  It was awesome – Neil is quite good at teaching concepts I remember from college, but were so abstract in the way they were taught, I didn’t get anything out of them!  Today he talked about the Impressionists’ value scale, then did a bit of a lesson on how it is applied.   So very good.  I left at 4, but really wanted to stay longer – the others stayed to finish their painting.  However, since William called and needed to be picked up (he had gotten off at 2) and he and KC were hanging out at pool hall, so I met them there.  Free pool from 11-4 – that’s awesome!  So we stayed and played – what fun, we needed that.

Oct. 1 – I painted up the Impressionism value scale and did a bit of experimenting painting various things using that scale.  Very cool.  I worked on outside mural today.   Krystal walked by, but did not visit – I actually miss her!  She is very nice company in an otherwise quiet, lonely store!  However, I am so very blessed to have this opportunity to paint and draw all day, if I choose!

Having fun painting ...

William went back to work.  I talked with Bethany today and finally sent her a very long letter.  Krystal came in and worked on her oil painting, turned out cool.  

Krystal was working on perspective in oils

She started a ‘zentangle’ as well – wanted to paint with acrylics AND use markers.  She was quiet today, just wanted to create artwork.  She loves what she has done so far.  She usually spends lunch time there, so I feed her as well.  I can’t seem to get to my painting and drawing with so much computer work to do, so much basic ‘maintenance’ type things to do.  I found an alternative for the bed problem!  I fell asleep instantly last night since I was so tired.  I had to soak in the tub since I was so sore from painting on the ladder yesterday.  But in the middle of the night, again, I started tossing and turning, kept William awake.  About 4:30 am he mentioned it so I left the room and sat on his office chair for awhile, then got into the tub again to soak out the pain.  Got back into bed about 5:30 am and fell right asleep.  I woke up at 8:30 and William was gone.  So the solution:  we get two single sized blow up mattresses to put on top of the queen sized – he can keep his hard as a rock and I can keep my side soft – that should solve it!

Krystal's artwork

Sept. 19 – I went to Colorado Springs, downtown today.  I had to check out where I would be teaching next week: The Presbyterian Church.  Wow, they have a ton of things going on there!  Not only does it have a congregation of 4,000, but they hold classes all week for the community – MOPS, English (ESL) classes, as well as the Sheppard’s Art Institute.  I’m glad I checked it out today, rather than waiting until Monday.  I met the coordinator, Maggie, there, saw my room and found that I only have 3 people signed up for my drawing class and only 1 for the music and art history.  I guess I’ll cancel the music and just go for the drawing.  I spent hours on the notes, handouts, and PP for those classes!  I also went to pick up my hearing aids.  Wow, what a difference when I put those in!  It is amazing how much more I can hear.  William will be glad, he is tired of having to repeat himself!  I didn’t get back to the gallery until after 1, but I didn’t stay long.  Since tonight is prayer meeting, I had to get home to cook dinner.

I worked on this one, just for fun!

Sept. 20 – No one came to prayer meeting last night, but that was OK, we spent some quality time in prayer AND listened to another sermon on Sermon Index – one of the last sermons given by Clendening – awesome stuff.  Krystal is enjoying being here and doing artwork.  I am glad I am here for her, she’s talked quite a bit about her life and she finds art therapeutic.  That’s good.  I started a new painting for Carol today, since I scrapped the last one.  I just have it blocked out.  I hope this one turns out better than the last one - I hope she'll like it!

Hopefully, this will turn out better than the last one!

Pain

I keep getting sidetracked, trying to do too many things, trying to find ways to bring in an income, etc.   I have to focus on the gallery, giving lessons to whoever wants to come in and minister to people as the Holy Spirit moves me.  God will bring the increase and God IS supporting us - it is obvious the way He has taken care of us thus far!  Who am I to fret and worry?   William and I started our day with a discussion about woman at the well again, about the importance of always being filled up with the Holy Spirit and being ready to minister to all those in need.  We also discussed the tree of life from a whole other perspective – We are missionaries and we’re out on a limb, but it won’t break, even though all things around us make it seem like it will.  God called us to be here, he will lead us to whom he wants us to minister to, and he will give us instructions as to how to advertise our ministry house to bring people in.  Josh came out earlier and he and William jammed on guitars for awhile!  Ladell and Wilma came out for music night – that was totally awesome.  Ladell played a bit of guitar – a couple of things he wrote – it was very good.  I told him for sure, come back and do that again.  We had a great time talking and it was great ministry time.

Sept. 15 – William’s back was doing great until he decided to go bowling with his brother today – put his back out real bad.  We were supposed to go over to David’s for a BBQ after, but it not only rained in torrents, but William was in so much pain, he had to rest.  I worked a ton on my class notes for next week’s class (at the Sheppard's Art Institute - I teach drawing level 1 as well as music and art history starting Monday the 23rd).

Sept. 16  - We stayed home all day, rested.  William’s back was really hurting him.  All of our bills are paid!  It is a rare thing to be caught up and say everything is paid.  God provides!  He gave William a job just in time and hopefully, my income will pick up soon so he doesn’t have to work so hard.

Krystal and Ryan hard at work creating artwork!

Sept. 17 – William stayed home again with his back really hurting, better than yesterday, but still not good.  It was good to sleep in.  This bed thing isn’t working though … a blow up mattress on the floor with my memory foam over the top.  It’s too soft for William and too hard for me.  I toss and turn all night because I am in so much pain.  Keeps William awake so neither of us get too much sleep.  

We both went to the store about 10:30 am, he to work on his school work and me – tons of computer work: getting my classes ready for next week, grading papers, etc.   Krystal came in for a short time, but didn’t stay to do anything.  I think she is kind of intimidated by William.  A bit later, I had to run a few errands and when I was about to leave, she had come back, but when I offered for her to stay and work while William was there, she turned and left.  I had borrowed the latter from David earlier so I could do the mural today.   It's been several weeks due to the heat then the rain.  Anyway, I got farther up with the Wisteria, so far that I can’t reach with the current ladder, so I’ll need to find a taller one to finish the mural.  I worked on that thing from about 1 pm to after 5:30 and I was quite sore  - my back especially and my calves.  Very sore, so much so that I was in major pain by evening.  William showed up sometime around 5:30.  William was fasting all day since tonight is prayer meeting, so I heated up a can of soup (I am so glad I found that hot plate at the thrift store, it is so handy!).  Krystal came back for prayer meeting, and she was quite talkative - opened up quite a bit to William - I guess she decided not to be intimidated by him.  She left early, so we listened to a sermon on Sermon Index by David Wilkerson about the Holy Spirit - he got so powerful in his preaching in his last days!  Such great stuff!  We then praised God with only 1 song, then prayed over and anointed the place for His service, then left for home.  

The wisteria continues to grow!

Painting and Encouragement!

I finally got to go to Neil’s to paint.  I had been looking forward to that for the past two months, ever since I met him at the Springs North church and he had mentioned it the very first week we were there.  There was one other person there to paint, so Neil got out a picture of a lighthouse he took the week before on his trip out east – Aquinnah Lighthouse, Martha’s Vineyard.  Neil and the other lady (I forgot her name already) are awesome painters – they did a big painting and I just did a small one.  I learned several things there and that was the whole point of going!  I had dropped off my hearing aids to get fixed on my way to Neil’s and got kind of lost in Colorado Springs (that was my first time driving there by myself) so I was a bit late to painting class.

my painting area at my art gallery/studio

Sept. 10 – I’m still way behind on my devotional readings.  I read the one for Aug. 10^th in Our Daily Bread, “The Power of Compassion”, Is 42:  “Francis Schaeffer, author and Christian apologist, struggled to spell words correctly because of dyslexia.  At the college he attended, spelling errors lowered the grade on all written assignments.  During his first year, a professor told Schaeffer, ‘This is the best philosophy paper I’ve ever read, but it’s the worst spelling.  What am I going to do?  I can’t pass you.’  Francis replied, ‘Sir, I could never spell.  Could you please just read what I’m saying and not worry about the spelling?’  After a long pause, the professor replied, ‘You know, Mr. Schaeffer, I think we’ll do that.’  His wise, compassionate response encouraged a gifted young man who would later help many of the searching generation during the 1960s and 70s to find their way to faith in Christ.  Isaiah said of the promised Messiah, ‘A bruised reed He would not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth’ (Isa. 42:3).  The image is of a gentle, yet powerful Person who sets prisoners free and encourages those who are fainthearted and tempted to despair.  Jesus came to free us from sin, not to condemn us for our condition.  Today, He offers salvation and encouragement to all who turn to Him". – David McCasland

This is awesome – it is how we should treat each other – not with condemnation and judgment, but seeing that we are all in the ‘human condition’, and that we need encouragement, not condemnation.  That’s what I hope I am to everyone I meet; I want to be an encouragement and build others up, help to lead them in a correct path.

I got back to the art gallery/studio and decided to get disciplined again.  Last week was so chaotic and I was running everywhere.  Exhausted myself; however, did manage to get us moved into an apartment with a few things to function with.  Our bed is still on the floor (air mattress), storage tubs as our tables and such.   So I have to make this gallery/studio my ‘job’ and start setting schedules of art lessons, painting every day, bible studies, etc.  I worked on and finished the painting I started at Neil’s.  It’s ok, not the greatest.  I was encouraged when Krystal came in to paint with me today.  I had seen her walking around town the past week and waved to her.  I had hoped she would come back.  She showed me her sketch book of what she likes to draw (she likes geometric shapes and designs/lettering, and such) and we took it from there.  I had her start on a watercolor of a topic she likes – isometric perspective/optical illusions.  She’s got somewhat of an idea, but needs help with the technical aspects.  She then wanted to try oils, so I gave her a canvas, showed her the color wheel and explained mixing primary colors, then let her explore on her own.  She needs instruction.  I’ll start lessons with her tomorrow.

Aquinnah Lighthouse, Martha's Vineyard

We had prayer meeting tonight;  Krystal and Josh came – William gave a bit of a message about the Samaritan woman at the well who met Jesus.  It wasn’t about her sins that was the focus; but rather, that Jesus had been fasting and praying when he had met her, and therefore, was ready to meet her at her greatest need – to ‘see’ and be given the spiritual food and water.  That is the way we need to be – always ready ‘in season and out of season’ to give a Word to those God places in our path.

Painting

I am so frustrated with my painting – I can’t seem to get ‘Jesus’ right and I think I am going to scrap this painting for Carol and start over.  I have to take time everyday and practice drawing/painting people – I just can’t do very well!  The landscape portion of the painting is great, but I just can’t make the painting work like I want.  I was talking to John on Monday and he said he had a great idea and would sketch it out for me.  I guess he’s a bit of an artist!  Either way, Carol asked for this painting 2 months ago and I just have to do one for her!

my terrible painting job I'm going to scrap!

Sept. 6 – I got a free computer.  That free cycle online is great – I’ve gotten a few things off there and met some great people.  I got the computer because the lady who gave me the printer a few weeks ago couldn’t find the disks for it, so gave me the computer that she ran the printer off of … I had tried, but couldn’t find the drivers for it online, so we just solved the problem with her old 2004 computer – perfect!  Also, I went by the thrift store in Widefield and talked with the manager again there – she had me go to the basement and look over what they had, saying we could take what we needed.  I pointed out several things, including a huge dry erase board and a drafting table!  I’ll have to ask John if he can come back to picking things up in his truck.  I also got a great leather office chair for William and a working microwave!