This page is my ongoing list of things I am thankful for. I'm taking the dare from
One Thousand Gifts by Ann Vos Kamp (pictured right) is a wonderful book, which I highly recommend. I work on my list (below) through out the week and will be adding to it here each Friday.
Continuing An Artist's List of 1000 Gifts..
I thought today would be an appropriate time to reflect on my list of 1000 gifts. Each gift on the list records a moment when God showed up in some real way. What I learned from doing this was, that whether or not I choose to notice or acknowledge God and the good things He does give us every day... He is still there and He is really good. I've noticed that whenever a horrible catastrophe occurs or and accident happens, people are quick to say, "Where was God when that happened?" or "If God is good, then why this or that?" or "This isn't fair, why me, I deserve better... etc " I understand this line of thought, because I've been there too, asking the same whining questions, and that thought process lead me to nowhere but pain and anger, depression and frustration. Writing this list didn't change the bad things that happen in our world. There was still dying, wars, hunger, tragedies going on, but it changed me. Instead of focusing on the negatives, it lead me to focus on the many small positive things and grew an attitude of thankfulness inside my heart. Instead of arguing with God part of the time and doubting He even cared the rest of the time, I was drawn to know Him more. He does have good things to give us, if we would just quit worrying about what we don't have, and focus on what He is doing and trust Him, we would all see. I learned that God cares and He shows us in a million different ways a day, invisible ways that most people never see. I've been lucky enough to simply notice 1,000 of them and I feel blessed.
Friday, March 9th, 2011
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942) Bulbs
943) Pansies
944) The first pink rose of the season
945) Work
946) Rest
947) Grass
947) Grass
948) Isaiah
949) Being loved
950) Belonging
951) Father and son talking
952) A gorgeous day outside
953) Goals
954) My family working as a team
955) Hot water
956) Digging and planting in good dirt
957) Water in the bird bath
958) Flowers in the earth
959) Geraniums
960) Sore muscles
Friday, March 2nd, 2011
921) Duke back after his long trip away
922) Last lunch with my Dad before he drove back home
923) High five with an 86 year old hand and mine
924) Art journaling with my daughter
925) Shivering through the first scrimmage of the baseball season
926) The look on my baseball son's face after playing
927) Surprise visits
928) Sharing my art with others
927) Surprise visits
928) Sharing my art with others
929) A job so close to my home
930) The smell of spring starting in my backyard
931) Helping my dad tape up his car window
932) Getting to eat chocolate without a migraine
933) The absence of constant pain
934) A sky full of red
935) Sitting outside on a bench in the middle of a beautiful day watching Titus
936) Bulbs
937) Birds singing
938) Just enough being more than enough
939) Decent report cards
940) Seeing life as a journey
Friday, February 24th, 2011
901) Routine
902) Change
903) Stretching
904) Growth
905) Milestones
906) Gladness in my heart
907) Realized hopes I didn't know I even wanted
908) Talking about flowers with a new friend
909) Four women painting vases o flowers at art class and laughing while we do it.
910) Relationships
911) Remembering my heritage
912) Helping things that grow
913) New life
914) A good neighbor showing kindness
915) Caleb selling his mugs for football
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| Blue Vase of Flowers Oil on Canvas Board by Cheryl Harris White 9" x 12" |
917) Damp shadows on the grass
918) The cool earth getting ready to bloom
919) Hearing my kids laughing
920) Shower gel
Friday, February 17th, 2011
881) Depression
882) Darkness
883) Pain
884) Sadness
885) Tears
886) Sorrow
887) Crushed dreams
888) Rebellion
889) Loss
890) Wishing
891) Hope
892) Acceptance
893) Understanding
894) Humility
895) Naming gifts I am thankful for
896) Contentment
897) Trust
898) Joy
899) Believing
900) Color, Light and Life
Friday, February 10th, 2011
861) Seeing things I want to paint
862) People under umbrellas
863) A pink glow in the sky at the end of the day
864) A child's laughter
865) Canadian geese
866) Pink lady apples
867) Juicy pears
868) Catching up with old friends
869) Crisp air
870) Walks
871) Tulips
872) Poppies
873) Pansies
873) Pansies
874) A daughter who sings
875) A son who plays baseball
876) Recovery
877) The stories of Madeline
878) and The Velveteen Rabbit
879) Mist shrouded trees
880) Music in the morning
841) My birthday dinner in Rockwall
842) Losing and Finding Titus because it showed us how special he is
843) Family quality time
844) Assertiveness
845) Things that inspire me as an artist
846) First attempts
847) A day of rest
848) A pantry of food
849) Wine and cheese at art class
850) Having to carpool with my teenage daughter,
851) Great people to work with
852) Seeing Caleb work so hard for baseball
853) Fresh air
854) Paws racing on the wood floor855) Beginning oil painting
856) The science of color
857) Yellow
858) Blue
859) and Red
860) Finishing my value study
Extra thought... I did this value study with my new oil paints using no black. I hate thought of buying black paint. The painting above was really done with just red, yellow, blue and white paint. It looks kind of boring, I know, but I had so much fun doing it. It is a gift because doing it, led me to think a lot about color. Isn't it interesting that this can be made from yellow, blue, red and white, but nothing colorful can be made from black?
Friday, January 27th, 2011
821) Flowers for my birthday from Dad
822) Birthday wishes
823) A cake at work
824) Birthday hugs
825) A grove of huge trees with twisty branches
826) Daffodil sprouts
827) Duke home safe from travel
828) Family dinner
829) People who care when you are hurting
830) Strength
831) Laughing during oil painting class
832) My art teacher's beautiful French accent
833) Color mixing
834) Caleb home sick two days
835) The golden sun at 7:35AM setting the dew aglow
836) Rain
837) Kind words
838) Listening to my kids tell me what they remember about their childhood
839) A pink envelope in the mail box
Friday, January 20th, 2011
801) Guessing riddles
802) A day spent at home just with my son
803) Kiwis
804) A cleaned off desk
805) Listening to some of the wisest women I have ever met discussing the subject of prayer
806) My mom once prayed to become pregnant for 20 years and I was the answer that God gave her. She was over 40 when she bore her first child. I was her gift.
807) My daughter once prayed for 20 seconds that her brother would win his soccer game and her prayer was answered in 20 minutes. It was the only game his team won all season, and my son made the goal. Seeing her mustard seed size faith grow, was my gift.
808) My mom learned patience and long suffering
809) My daughter learned that God really is there and that He listens to every care upon our hearts, no matter how small.
810) Knowing that there is nothing too small or too big for God to care about.
811) My husband's servant heart
812) My oil painting lessons.
813) Playing with our cute puppy on my lunch break
814) Medicine making my ear aches go away
815) A beautiful January day
816) I like actually seeing the whole shape of the trees this time of year.
817) Sharing my thoughts and art with you
818) Birthdays
819) How happy my dog is to see us
820) A voice mail from my sister
Friday, January 13th, 2011
761) The changing seasons
781) Saturday Evening Worship Service
782) Learning new song
783) Working on a collage with my daughter
784) A rainy Monday after a great weekend
785) A chat with a close friend I rarely get to see
786) Family dinner
787) Hot tacos in crunch shells
788) Hearing Courtney sing
789) Caleb's love for Titus
790) Inspiration for Summer Tree
791) Encouragement about my art
792) Finishing painting 3 of 4
793) Endings and Beginnings
794) Car chats
795) A home
796) A car
797) A job
798) A beautiful January day
799) Being home for lunch
800) A new painting for the blog tomorrow!
Friday, January 6th, 2011
761) The changing seasons
762) Things that grow
763) The bright white blooming paper white narcissus blooming in my kitchen
764) Pink winter roses on the rose bushes by my door
765) Rythems of nature
766) Bulbs sleeping in the earth
767) Getting ready for school to begin again
768) New dishes
769) Finding one last christmas gift that had been forgotten under the tree
770) Playing games and laughing with friends on new years eve
771) Everybody home sick, but at least we are together
772) Rest
773) Hot bean soup
774) Last visit with Dad before he flew home to Minnesota
775) My kids playing with their cousins
776) My son holding his puppy
777) My daughter making her own brave decisions
778) Words cut out of magazines
779) Inspiration for Spring Tree
780) My second painting of four almost ready
Friday, December 30th, 2011
741) Christmas Eve service next to my Dad
742) Squeezing his 86 year old hand when Isack sang O Holy Night
743) Silent tears
744) Singing hearts
745) Laughing while stuffing stockings
746) Another wonderful Rockwall Christmas
747) Barbara's birthday lunch at PFChang's with all our family
748) Watching people receive gifts
749) Watching my nephews play legos and mousetrap
750) New Pajamas
751) Seeing my kids play dominoes with their grandparents
752) Peace in my home and my family
753) When Ian said, "An angel would kind of be like seeing a dinosaur, but with light shining all out of it."
754) Titus and Libby playing
755) Caleb and Titus bonding
756) A four day work week
757) Inspiration for second season painting
758) Time to work on it
759) Light
760) Music
Friday, December 23, 2011
721) The inspiration for Winter Tree722) Glue
723) Magazines
724) Bold colors
725) Being connected to others
726) Time passing
727) Raising teenagers
728) patience
729) waiting
730) slow, but steady growth
731) kindred spirits
732) empathy
733) understanding
734) memories
735) being grounded and rooted
736) deep roots
737) clean air
738) sleep
739) short days
740) long lasting relationships
Saturday, December 17, 2011
701) Breath prayers
702) Nourishment
703) Sparrows
704) Christmas shopping with Duke
705) Our family having game night
706) Spending all day painting on Saturday
707) I can't wait to share it soon
708) Being inspired
709) Time
710) Candlelight
711) Seeing my kids wrapping presents
712) Caramel flavored coffee
713) Giving
714) Hugs
715) Puppy paw prints on the floor
716) Seasons
718) Change
719) Growth
720) Wet leaves on the sidewalk
Sunday, December 11, 2011
681) Hearing Fifty voices harmonizing while belting Christmas Carols...
682) and being one of them
683) Dan's Christmas Devotional
684) Sharing a meal with friends I've known since we lived in Lubbock
685) Knowing that there is a Courtney shaped void in the world and that it is up to God to help her find it.
686) Watching Caleb pitch
687) Seeing his smile when he walked off the mound
688) An amazing day watching boys play baseball sitting among friends...
689) A perfectly crisp blue sky
690) Catching up with old friends
691) 13 year old boys who love playing baseball
692) A 16 year old girl's confidence and strength
693) Clarity after the fog
694) Coffee in a thermos
695) Everyone running around trying to figure out how the puppy keeps getting out
696) Bells on the doorknob
697) Scampering paws on the wood floor
698) Wrapping presents
699) Philip Yancy's book on Prayer
700) The sounds of house waking up in the morning
692) A 16 year old girl's confidence and strength
693) Clarity after the fog
694) Coffee in a thermos
695) Everyone running around trying to figure out how the puppy keeps getting out
696) Bells on the doorknob
697) Scampering paws on the wood floor
698) Wrapping presents
699) Philip Yancy's book on Prayer
700) The sounds of house waking up in the morning
Friday, December 2
662) Rain dripping down the window pane
663) Fresh roasted Coffee
664) Folded laundry
665) Christmas plates
666) Art in my home
667) Festive tissue paper
668) Gift wrapping
669) Perfect rolls hot from the oven
670) Warmth
671) Learning what it means to treasure someone
672) Catching up with friends rarely seen any longer
673) A note from my Aunt reminding me of my childhood
674) Joy
675) Wet golden leaves
676) Glowing candles
677) Less pain
678) Energy
679) Efficiency
680) Inspiration
Friday, November 25
641) Thanksgiving memories in Rockwall
642) Kids helping set the table
643) Visits from old friends
644) Noticing how fast kids grow
645) Talking about college with my daughter
646) Talking baseball with my son
647) A 4 day weekend
648) Thanksgiving
649) Duke's amazing pecan pie
650) Crisp air smelling like wet leaves
651) Staying home
652) Not shopping on Black Friday
653) The sound of our puppy running on the wood floor
654) My phone going through the washer and not having to answer it now
655) Making a Christmas ornament
656) Post lighting our prelit tree with Duke
657) Decorating for Christmas
658) Seeing my kids make wise and good choices
659) Liking my kid's choices in friends
660) Looking at my home and family and feeling my heart about to burst with thankfulness
Friday, November 18
621) Humility
622) Encouraging blogs that inspire me
623) Waking up
624) No back pain
625) Balance
626) Rhythm
627) Hearing thank you
628) Saying I love you
629) Paw Paw's Birthday dinner
630) Courtney's show
631) Being surprised by her
632) Having family there for support
633) Seeing them have fun634) Hope
635) Patience
636) Wonder
637) Perseverance
638) Honesty
639) Endings
640) Beginnings
Friday, November 11
602) Freedom
603) A Future
604) A Legacy to pass on to our children
605) A Heritage
606) The death of pain
607) My family
608) Computers
609) New friends
610) Laughter
611) Joy
612) Hope
613) Washed dishes
614) A laundry machine
615) Warm clothes
616) Light shining out from the edge of a cloud today...
617) Getting to tell a woman at work this week that an anonymous cash donation of $1000.00 was applied to her electric bill.
618) Gratitude
619) Autumn
620) November
Friday November 4th, 2011
581) Creative motivation
582) Finishing a brand new painting
583) Something to celebrate
584) Joy
585) Welcoming our new family member...
586) Titus
587) Our new furry little puppy
588) Family moments
588) Family moments
589) Bonding
590) Love
591) A change of season
592) Time
593) Rest
594) Comfort
595) Home
596) Kids doing their chores
597) A day without constant pain
598) The massage bed...aaaahhh
599) Finding an awesome chiropractor
600) A plan for wellness
Friday, October 28th, 2011
561) A painting for my pumpkin pal from Cheryl!
562) New friends at my new job
563) new hire training class
564) Candy Corn
565) Finding joy in learning something new
566) Fall
567) Family at home
568) My daughter making dinner
569) Chilli weather
570) Sharing my art with people
571) Perfect timing
572) Carpooling
573) Baseball moms
574) 13U AAA Baseball! Go Vipers!
575) Middle school football games
576) Snuggling under a blanket
577) Warm toast
578) Duke surprising me with a frap when he picked me up from my work.
579) Back rubs
580) Hugs
Sunday, October 23, 20111000 Gifts 541-560
541) Three generations of Ranger fans
542) A great weekend watching my son play baseball
545) Online learning
546) Solitude
547) Friendships
548) Watching responsibility grow in my kids
549) My Dad
550) Help from my family after going back to work full time
551) Growth
552) Having enough
553) Challenges
554) Knowing there will be time to paint soon
555) Support and encouragement from others
556) Believing
557) Learning
558) Loving
559) Living
560) Dreams
Friday October 14th,2011
541) Three generations of Ranger fans
542) A great weekend watching my son play baseball
543) Family
544) Refocusing 545) Online learning
546) Solitude
547) Friendships
548) Watching responsibility grow in my kids
549) My Dad
550) Help from my family after going back to work full time
551) Growth
552) Having enough
553) Challenges
554) Knowing there will be time to paint soon
555) Support and encouragement from others
556) Believing
557) Learning
558) Loving
559) Living
560) Dreams
Friday October 14th,2011
521) Ice Tea
522) Liking where I work
523) A weekend to catch up on things
524) Fall
525) The changing weather
526) My nephews giggling
527) A visit from my dad
528) A visit from a cousin
529) Watching my son play middle school football
530) Poking bruises
531) Morning drives to work with my daughter
532) Telling my kids I am proud of them
533) The color pink
534) Old work friends
535) New work friends
536) Making people smile
537) Friday lunch with Duke
538) A family
539) Dinner with my Dad at Palazio's
540) Hearing my Dad's story
Friday October 7th,2011
501) Physical pain
502) Empathy for others
503) Struggles
504) Endurance and strength in the midst of the next one
505) Annoyances
506) Persevering patience
507) Witnessing the mistrust planted by others indulging in gossip
508) Conviction and resolve to earn trust by avoiding it
509) Seeing a friend win
510) Watching my children succeed
511) Joy from investing in their lives
512) Independent kids
513) Laundry
514) A great Vipers Win this week
515) Trying your best
516) Seth Godin's blog
517) Appreciation for how Steve Jobs has changed our lives
518) Training at work
519) Online learning
520) A future
Friday September 29th,2011
481) Starting work at CoServ
482) Making new friends
483) A 7 minute commute
484) Being worth waiting for
485) Being believed in
486) 6:30am football practice
487) Watching Caleb's football game
488) Fall
489) Kids bringing home good grades
490) Shopping with Courtney
491) Finding the perfect dress
492) Homecoming
493) Being able to trust my kids
494) My awesome husband
495) A cleaned kitchen
496) My sister
497) Family
498) Something to strive for
499) Time to read
500) Time to just be quiet
Friday, September 23,2011
461) My last day at work
462) Well wishes from co workers
463) Their smiles saying we are happy for you
464) Me smiling back and knowing there are better things coming for them too
465) Motivating people (people who motivate me)
466) Motivating people (being able to motivate other people)
467) Laughing at jokes
468) Our kid's doctor
369) Bronchitis
470) Folded laundry
471) Having just enough
472) Not more
473) Not less
474) A new book club
475) Women speaking beautiful thoughts
476) Insights shared
477) Silence
478) Not even the sound of crickets
379) Liking the silence and not wanting it to end
480) Being still
Saturday, September 17,2011
441) Fountains
442) Watching kids eat ice cream cones
443) Making a tough decision, but knowing it is right
444) Finding home grown tomatoes
442) Watching kids eat ice cream cones
443) Making a tough decision, but knowing it is right
444) Finding home grown tomatoes
445) Seeing a child's growing independence
446) Watching father and son wrestling
447) Weekend
448) Courtney driving herself to Thoroughly Modern Millie
449) Ideas for painting
450) Duke's birthday
451) Nook friends to share books with
452) RAIN
453) Knowing what to do next
454) New e friends from Uruguay
455) Brunch with my dear friend
449) Ideas for painting
450) Duke's birthday
451) Nook friends to share books with
452) RAIN
453) Knowing what to do next
454) New e friends from Uruguay
455) Brunch with my dear friend
456) Celebrating long term relationships
457) Something beautiful
458) Something magical
459) A long suffering hope that will not die
457) Something beautiful
458) Something magical
459) A long suffering hope that will not die
460) Faith while waiting
Friday, September 9th, 2011
421) Duke sharing my art with people in Uruguay
422) Their beautiful art work
423) Sharing my story
424) Helping my friends
425) Friends helping me
426) Laughing
427) Caleb loving football
428) Courtney loving Thoroughly Modern Millie
429) Finally getting her schedule straight for junior year!
430) Finding a great company
431) with great people
432) who think like I do
433) A great interview
434) And a new job to start in 2 weeks
435) Courtney assisting with a dance class
436) and giving advice about dance shoes
437) to little dancers and their mommies
438) A freshly cleaned bathroom
439) The joy of inspiring others
440) with words and art
Friday, September 2, 2011
401) Positive comments from my kid's teachers... so far.
402) Seeing old friends at parent teacher conference night
403) A friend going out of her way for me
404) Being in the right place at the right time
405) Rest when I am weary
406) Strength when I have none
407) A quiet evening to spend reading
408) Duke's hamburgers
409) Five sold paintings last week
410) Provision
411) Perfect timing
412) Hugs
413) Coffee with friends
414) Amazing women I am thankful to be friends with
415) Conversations I leave feeling rejuvenated from
416) Perspective
417) Music at CBC last Sunday
418) Kids doing the dishes together
419) Time with son at 6:30 AM every morning
420) Sleep
Friday, August 26th
381) Courtney's school getting a new drama and art teacher. We are so thankful we made this choice for her high school years and looking forward to an amazing year.
382) Her developing leadership skills. I love what a strong person she is becoming.
383) Caleb's great start as a 7th grader at a new Middle School.
384) His maturity and independence amazes me daily.
385) My kids motivation to make good grades this year
386) Positive attitudes
387) Discipline
388) Paintings getting finished
389) Friends who encourage my artistic pursuits
390) Friends who challenge me to deepen the roots of my soul
391) Hello Hugs
392) Another idea to paint
393) Sharing my art with people around the world
394) A new opportunity to share my art in Uruguay
395) Rest before a long night ahead at work
396) A Job for today.
397) My Nook Color!
398) Connection
399) Conversation
400) Looking into the straight in the eye of the future and feeling absolute calm.
Monday, August 22nd, 2011 (Family Vacation)
361) Visiting my Dad in Minnesota
362) Seeing my kids chat with their grandpa
363) Two sunny, sparkling days in Duluth
364) Lunch with Dad at the top of the Radison and ice cream at Portmans!
365) The nicest man working at the awesome Schlotzkys downtown Duluth
366) Playing in the sand at Park Point
367) Wading in Lake Superior... the water was so cold it made our feet numb
368) Peddling a 4 person surrey Lake Superior Canal Park
369) Watching a boat come in
370) Sounds of seaguls
371) Skipping rocks
372) Remembering summer days spend there with my mom and sister
373) Gooseberry Falls hike
374) Going to the cabin in Cable, Wisconsin nestled in a circle of 50 foot tall pine trees.
375) Reuniting with cousins
376) Belly Laughter around the dining table
377) Seeing my kids play with cousins and making them friends
378) There is something so comforting and familiar about being around people who have known you since you were small.
379) Milking the last drops out of the summer with the Wisconsin side of the family...Doing a scavenger hunt, Pinecone Pete story, Big Foot, Keep A Way, Kick ball refereed by Duke, Toy airplanes and The hammock, Delicious food, Poolside chats...all memories made for keeps
380) The four beautiful deer bidding us goodbye as we drove away the last morning.
Friday, August 12th, 2011
341) Brunch w/ a friend I hadn't seen in 3 years
342) A spiritual sister
343) Timely words touching my soul
344) Aspen tree inspiration
345) Leaves trembling in the air
346) Colors shining in the sun
347) Encouragement in the dry spell
348) Friends who put wind in my sails
349) 1000 Gift group study sisters going to see my art
350) Beauty in nature
351) Created by our Creator
352) Pausing
353) Refreshing
354) Deep breaths
355) Learning to overcome resistance
356) Valleys ...
357) that help us appreciate the view when we are through them
358) Focus, Drive and Inspiration to paint
359) Relief from the heat
360) My Dad's enthusiasm at our soon coming
Saturday August 6th, 2011... a bit late this week.
321) Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentice
322) Discipline
323) Football camp
324) Courtney's audition
325) Hello Dolly at MCL Grande Theater
326) Our Anniversary, 21 years
327) Having Courtney help me in my art class last week
328) Encouragement
329) Plans to visit my Dad
330) Love in our home
331) Duke fixing our AC!
332) Electricity
333) Insight
334) Understanding why we give thanks
335) Catch ups with friends
336) Understanding loss
337) Understanding giving and receiving
338) Knowing God is good
339) Believing it also
Friday July 29,2011
301) Daughter's homemade birthday wish to her little brother
302) Son turning 13
303) Students in my art class creating
304) Thick paint, heavy a canvas
305) Wednesday evening dinners at CBC
306) Shots
308) My kid's friends
309) Enough work
310) Enough rest
311) The Acting Studio's summer student production
312) and the beautiful story it told
313) of grace
314) of redemption
315) and of love
316) Courtney's solo and beautiful gift she shared on stage
317) Laura's singing
318) Laughter and tears at the same time
319) Standing ovation, applause and cheers celebrating
320) The beauty of Les Miserables
Friday July 21st, 2011
281) Carpooling for Les Mis working out perfectly with my work schedule!
282) Singing
283) Music
284) An orchestra playing
285) and a beautiful show
286) Strength during a very busy week
287) Birthdays
288) Relationships
289) Rest
290) Pizza
291) Evening Quiet
292) Perfect Timing
293) My Wednesday night art class
294) doing stained glass window paintings
295) Home just in time to get daughter to her show
296) Listening to her sing in the car
297) Energy
298) Tuesday night book study
299) Peace in the house
300) Sleep
Friday July 15th, 2011
261) Dinner w/ friends
262) Art class
263) Caleb's finger
264) The lady at the gate
265) Ice
266) 1 on 1 time w/ each kid
267) Squeezing hands
268) Joy
269) Two finished paintings
270) Art supplies just in time
271) Just a Warning
272) Vacation schedule
273) Summer
274) The Color Yellow
275) My sister helping me get my website up
276) Cheesecake
277) Oatmeal
278) Birds and Crickets
279) Help washing the brushes
280) Sharing favorite colors
Friday July 8th, 2011
241) Having my art accepted to be in the
Fresh Ideas ART SHOW
Date: July 9, 2011 Time: 7:00 - 9 PM
242) Courtney's courage
243) Caleb and Duke on their way home from Orlando tournament
244) Veggies
245) The color orange
246) Idea for Eucharisteo paintings
247) Seeing quiet confidence growing
248) A determined spirit
249) The texture of trees
250) Reunion
251) Family dinner at Red Lobster
252) A set table
253) Paw Paw doing so well after surgery
254) A Pool at Maw Maw and Paw Paw's
255) Brother and Sister bonding
256) Firecrackers in the birdbath
257) Independence
258) Fourth of July in Rockwall
259) A country worth fighting for
260) Freedom
Friday July 1st, 2011
221) Caleb and Duke getting to play baseball in Florida
222) Sleep
223) Our family of four missing each other when some are away
224) Coming home
225) Birthday dinners
226) Father's day in Rockwall
227) Walking into a room of women and leaving a room of sisters
228) My weaknesses that allow others room to shine
229) A broadened perspective
230) Eyes that see what I need to see
231) Sharing a spinach omelette
232) Courtney's dog sitting job
233) Community service
234) Court helping at VAL art show
235) Mother / daughter time
236) A part time job
237) The beautiful sky full of shining clouds I saw on my way to work this morning.
238) Giggling
239) Keeping a secret safe
240) Peace in my home
Friday June 24th, 2011
201) Paw Paw's surgery finished, all is well
202) Caleb's cleaned room
203) Courtney home from NYC
204) Dishes done, not by me
205) Blueberries
206) Today at work someone gave me a wonderful sandwich
207) Coupons
208) Idea about how to paint Peter
209) The color red
210) Tea
211) Friends that miss you, and tell you so
212) Squash
213) Hearing thank you
214) Idea about how to paint Judas
215) A painting worthy of the story it tells
216) The story
217) The washing, sharing, giving, dying and living story
218) Knowing I am loved
219) and have worth because I was paid for w/ a price
220) Feeling just washed
Friday, June 17, 2011
181) Caleb riding bike home from hitting practice 3 miles a day
182) Boy becoming man
183) Courtney getting to go on tour to NYC
184) Her solo
185) Her gifts
186) Her personality full of joy
187) Duke fixing our cars
188) His patient heart
189) Family dinner out
190) Caleb's triple
191) Daughter's hug
192) Baseball Moms
193) Theater Moms
194) Morning Quiet
195) Time to paint
196) Inspiration
197) Beginnings
198) Creative flow
199) Color on my palate
200) Having the feeling that I just can't wait to get home and start painting.
161) Birds chirping through the quiet at 5:30 AM
162) Knowing truth and living in it
163) A three day weekend
164) Color purple laughing on my canvas
165) And the color red dancing with it
166) Beginning of June Forest painting
167) Last Supper Idea for my art class
168) My children being friends with each other
169) Sweet summer memories and many more to come
170) Steve Roese's message
171) The story of Joseph
172) God's plan
173) His Purpose
174) His Love
175) His Sovereignty
176) His Silence
177) Our Wondering
178) Our Waiting
179) And the deep life changing growth that comes from it.
180) Joy
Friday June 3rd, 2011
141) Today my dad is 86 and I celebrate him!
142) He served our country on Sipan, Tinian and Iwo Jima in WWII
143) and belongs to the greatest generation of Americans yet.
144) Our freedom is their gift to us
145) Our remembering is our gift to them
146) Red White and blue flags blowing in a row
147) Our family
148) Our home
149) A Memorial Day chat with Dad
150) Another weekend of Viper baseball
151) Hot sweaty dusty boys playing like gentlemen and winning like champs
152) Three home runs in a row ! Way to go Vipers!
153) Lunch in Rockwall
154) Happy red poppies
155) Kids doing their best
156) Finals over
157) Last trip to school
158) Summer beginning
159) Dreams
160) Hopes
Friday, May 27,2011
121) Watching Caleb's crazy side arm pitching
122) Talking baseball with son
123) Rain on the weekend
124) Son's "Jackson Pollack" style artwork
125) Reverend Tony's special blessing on the phone at work
126) Glasses
127) Another sold painting
128) Connections with old friends
129) Goodnight hugs
130) A good laugh
131) Couch time
132 ) Cleaned pots
133) A mopped floor
134) Homework getting done
135) Spotlight 2011 at the Palace Theater
136) Courtney's magic moment
137) Laura's song and standing ovation
138) A dance beautiful all together
139) One evening recognizing an entire year of accomplishments
140) Family night at Sonic
Friday, May 21st
101. Caleb's strawberries with sugar
102. Being trusted
103. A buy one get one for a penny canvas sale!
104. A mom to carpool with
105. Encouragement from friends
106. Caleb's love for baseball
107. and his team, the Denton Vipers
108. Courtney's love for theater
109. and all the opportunities she has had to share it
110. meals prepared, kitchen cleaned, laundry going
111. a new opportunity at work
112. new glasses for son
113. daughter's clean room
114. crosses on my wall
115. paint on my floor
116. a new sketch book
117. solitude
118. reflection
119. stolen midnight moments
120. morning sounds
Friday, May 13th, 2011
81. Lunch with son, one on one
82. Extra rest
83. Late night chats with daughter
84. Pink roses blooming like crazy by the front door
85. Mother's day family lunch
86. Fresh flowers in a vase
87. Blueberries
88. Just in time finances provided unexpected
89. Caleb's commercial
90. Courtney's voice
91. Duke's faithful steadfastness
92. Dad's new found purpose
93. WWII veterans legacy
94. Singing in the car
95. Hearts of loyal friends
96. Understanding and forgiveness
97. Shade
98. Wind on my face
99. Sunshine filtering through trees splashing on the lawn
100. Smell of the air after the rain
Friday, May 6th, 2011
61. My ART on display at PREMIERE GALLERY!!!
62. The colors Red and Blue framing love made crosses
63. Hearts on their art
64. Jill Briscoe's coming to us
65. Giving and Receiving
66. The practice of being present with people and God
67. One on one conversations
68. Till We Meet Again Hugs
69. Laughter
70. Tears
71. Prayers shared
72. More Laughter
73. Discovering a spiritual discipline
74. My daughter making a cross in my class
75. Watching a person grow
76. The house to myself after the hardest day at work
77. Tuesday night family night dinner
78. Wednesday morning's answered prayer
79. Knee therapy
80. A quiet corner , coffee and and a cookie
Friday 4/29/11
41. An entire day with nothing on my calendar
42. Easter morning Sunrise Service at CBC
43. Rain
44. Art enthusiasts putting wind in my sails
45. Frames for my crosses feel like giving them a home
46. A daughter's friend
47. A son's heart
48. Husband 's steadfast faith
49. and a frap date
50. and his home roasted coffee beans!
51. April
52. the color green
53. frequent phone chats with Dad far away
54. Visits with friends close
55. Conversations I leave feeling glad I've had
56. Caleb's hair cut day
57. An art workshop helper
58. A job offer extended that I didn't accept
59. Art show invitation that I did accept
60. And a pretty good day at work
Friday 4/22/11
21. Paw Paw and Caleb playing catch
22. Five cousins round a table
23. Family meals at Grandparent's house
24. Viper baseball
25. Reunions
26. Swinging
27. Morning Coffee
28. Time to paint
29. The perfect nap
30. Encouraging words
31. Heart to Heart with teen daughter
32. Love of son
33. Chat with Friend
34. Courtney's song
35. Two restful days
36. A friend's burden's shared
37. Trusting hearts
38. Tears tender
39. Car ride conversation
40. Resolve
Friday 4/15/11
1. Paint On My Walls
2. My Creator
3. His Creation
4. Colors dancing on my canvas
5. The PIT that taught me
6. The love that bought me
7. The hand that lead me into light
8. Sunlight piercing stained glass window
9. Eyes that listen
10. Colors that speak
11. "Made In His Image" flowing through me
12. Dripping love off the brush
3. His Creation
4. Colors dancing on my canvas
5. The PIT that taught me
6. The love that bought me
7. The hand that lead me into light
8. Sunlight piercing stained glass window
9. Eyes that listen
10. Colors that speak11. "Made In His Image" flowing through me
12. Dripping love off the brush
13. Parable Paint
14. Finished Pictures
15. Stories in Paint
16. Following Friends
14. Finished Pictures
15. Stories in Paint
16. Following Friends
17. Freckled Faces
18. Smiling Braces
19. Small Hands
20. Big Hearts
18. Smiling Braces
19. Small Hands
20. Big Hearts
