More RAKs

Well, I almost hate to post another post simply because it will cover up my last post of "It Is What It Is" which has my most recent art on it. I hate to cover Isla up! LOL She is my most fave art now and will be hard to top. Not that I try to out-do myself. But I think I can gladly give it up for my son's picture here. The things we give up for our sons...

So many things happened.... So much to remember and no time to post it all. Such is the current theme of my busy life now. Trying to leave out all the negatives and be thankful for the postitive things that have occured in our lives. Not the petty stuff or the petty people. Trying to just maintain in the many struggles of life with aging parents. Praying for patience(which I lack)while my art keeps me sane. Just praying, praying in general for many, many things. And many blessings have come forth from these prayers and from those prayers of my friends. My parents were blessed by others and we are indeed thankful for every blessing. We have future blessings to look forward to in the months ahead... We just have to get through the present and we shall with the good Lord's help.

I did want to mention last week I did a Random Act of Kindness (RAK) where I smiled at someone in the car next to me and they smiled back. I hope it made her day as much as it made mine. It might have been the only smile she received. Also I have been noticing others' expression when stopping at red lights. Everyone is so preoccupied in their thoughts probably thinking about the things they need to be doing or should have done. Or perhaps mulling over their problems. So if I can give someone a smile, maybe it will help.

Then this morning, I saw a mom with a car full of kids who looked totally exhausted before 8 am and looked like she forgot to comb her own hair. She did not see my smile, but I felt her exhaustion and frustrations. Been there, done that.

The art show was a bust due to extreme gusty winds from the storms last Friday. I was having to hold one of my "walls" that Don built with main force. I called it quits at 1 pm. I didn't sell anything, but Rhett sold some of his stars he made and designed which are pictured here where he has his mom's look of concentration. His artwork almost blew away and he was ready to cry. Still he was the "star" of the show so to speak! I am so glad he sold some things so it will hopefully be an encouragement to him to continue doing artistic things. He has gotten lots of great feedback from other artists and friends. Being cute helped too. He got tips instead of having to give back change!

A lady came up to my art display. She took quite an interest in my work. She liked one weird photograph in particular. It was of a broken doll. I saw it as I was leaving work one day a week or so ago. The head was separated from the doll's body. My friends told me this photo left you with the same feeling as if you looked at a war picture. The lady told me it was wrong on so many levels but that didn't bother me. I guess I take critism well now. She said she had stuff I might like. As we were packing up to leave, I thought about her and she showed up not long after that. She had 4 altered art books/magazines she was giving me plus an envelope of altered images and slide holder mounts I can use! I couldn't believe it. I couldn't let her leave empty handed. I asked her what piece of my art did she like and she said the broken doll! I let her have the photo which she said she was going to frame and hang on the wall at her house! My photo in someone's house! How cool is that?

Funny story about that broken doll... The body was still there the next day but not the head. Then the next day the body was moving back up the road to where I work. One friend said it reminded him of the movie "Chuckie". LOL

Because Don helped me set up & take down my art, I felt it was only fair we went with him to the hunting land to get the camper. I always love going there so I can take pictures. I enjoyed just sitting in the truck listening to the peace and quiet before getting out to take pictures. I got lots of tree faces and a caterpillar which all my friends/fans loved. I'd captured a lunar moth at work on my memory card. As digital camer buggs, we can't really say captured on film any more, can we?

I enjoyed looking at my newly acquired altered art books Sat nite. I can't wait to show them to Cindy, the other abstract artist in PC.

I have had my ups and downs this week as always. It seems you have something good happen then very depressing set backs that bring me down, but that is life or at least it is mine these days. Some days life just seems harder than previous days.

I was really tired yesterday after work. I still had to go to the store for my folks and make it to church. I just felt the need to get my hair washed so I did. I read my vamp book while I waited patiently. The hairdresser was someone I'd never seen before. She asked a lot of questions I didn't care for, but I answered her. Like "Do you prefer others washing your hair?" "No, I was just tired and felt I needed this today." I cannot tell you how much this relieved me. When she was finished, I parted my hair, scrunched it and left feeling like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Who knew just a simple little thing like this would help me so much? I am always saying it is the little things that mean the most to me. This was one of them.

I was lucky enough to talk to my BFF who I will be able to visit with on Friday! I am so lucky to have all the special friends I have in my life. Don't know what I would do without them.

Today I am thankful for the free barbecue chicken I had for lunch today.

What are you thankful for this week? Did you do any Random Acts of Kindness? If not, try mine. Also do a small thing for yourself this week. Please join us at Thankful Thursday to share your thankfulness at Lynn's place at the following...
http://www.spirituallyunequalmarriage.com/my_weblog/

Hoppy Easter! Hope you don't have any split hairs! LOL We are going to try a new kind of egg dying kit this year to make speckled eggs. Not that is the real meaning behind this holiday. Just another tradition for my son and I to do; more mother son art. More photo ops. We will all be in matching turquoise attire. Got Don turquoise striped tie on sale at JCP for $5! Just call us the Turq's! LOL

"It Is What It Is"

I did this altered art at the art class last month and I fell in love with her. Her name is Isla. The title of it is "It Is What It Is". Isla hung in the art studio as a color copy for well over a month. I have been told it/she is "mesmerizing" by another artist. She is loved by many. She is now encased in a black frame and to be shown at the art show tomorrow. I am taking orders for her reproductions unless someone makes me an offer I can't refuse! LOL The lady who works at Wolf Camera loved her too and kept making such postive comments.

Isla inspired me to run around town looking for lacy things. I began at Hancock Fabricks two days after her creation. I took pics of myself thru many layers of lace. I bought small amounts of two pieces of lacey materials. I photographed my son, my mom, girls at church and my BFF church friend's daughter Tiffany who had the best shot. I found lacey blouses at Dillard's and captured my eye thru that lace. One was mint green which went well with my green eye. Some black lace made me look like I had a tatoo over my eye! LOL I found a bra at Khol's that worked well. My DIL cannot believe I put my eye in a bra! LOL What this artist will do for a photograph! So I have a series of these photos. The mint green one will be in the art show also. At Kohl's I found 2 glittery scarves on sale. One blue the other black. I prefer the blue one. They have sequins hanging down and they were used as a headband on a little girl, but I feel she is smiling too much in the photo. I wanted the same mood I had in Isla's which is more haunting than happy.

I could just stare at Isla forever and a day. I dare not put her up at work for that would be what I would do all day! LOL I most proud of her. In my opinion, she is one of my best pieces of artwork that I have created thus far. I have been told I need to put her on zazzle.com and I shall when I am less busy with an art show. I was even told she'd make a great postage stamp. She'd look good anywhere.

I hope to create more like her although maybe I should just leave well enough alone. Wish me luck on the art show tomorrow. Pray it doesn't rain.

FROG

I guess I am a rebel. I don't always do things they way others do things. I have my own way of doing things. I don't always follow the instructions. I try to figure things out on my own which isn't always best I know. I guess that is one reason why I love art so much... no one can tell me I am doing it wrong or that I made a mistake except me. Well, they probably could but... that doesn't mean I would necessarily change my art. LOL Although I am very thankful for the job I have, I wish I had a more artistic job, but then I would probably have to still please someone other than myself. Life is hard for me now trying to please and take care so many people. I am still trying to be the good daughter, the good wife and the good mother. By being the good daughter, I have to let my family slide sometimes so I have not been the good wife and mother, but I am doing the best I can.

Yesterday on the way to work, I asked the Lord to give me something to say to Rhett's Bible class last night. First, I heard another inspirational message by Dr. Hal Brady of St. Luke United Methodist Church in Columbus, Ga on the radio for which I was thankful. His message was about a man who climbed a mountain, but got lost on that mountain. The man stated he didn't believe in God. When asked why, he said, "Because God didn't rescue him." Instead the town's people rescued him. DUH! Who did he think sent the town's people? Dr. Brady said we tend to let the world or people rescue us and not God. I know I tend to let others rescue me at times rather than God. I am thankful I heard this message so next time God can rescue me.

Secondly, I use an on line Christian service that sends me emails of ideas to teach 1year olds up to 11 year olds. My son is approaching his 13th year. I realize some of the activities and craft projects are too immature for him and his Bible study class. The theme I read yesterday was FROG (Forever Rely on God) which is pretty popular and perhaps overused. The craft project was to take paper bags, draw frogs and put eyes on them so the kids would remember what FROG stands for.

I had to work late. I had no paper bags much less wiggly eyes to glue on the nonexistent bags. I had to get gas then go to 2 different stores to get things for my folks as well as fish food for Rhett's fish. I had forgotten this item for days! So much for being a good fish mom! In a tired moment, I even told Rhett I had too many people to look after besides fish! I had to go by mom's, drop off the groceries and get Rhett. Needless to say we were late to church. There was this nagging voice in the back of my head saying, "Don't go. Just go on home. You are tired." But I ignored that Satanic voice and we went on to church anyway. Better late than not at all. I am thankful we went now.

This left me little time for my lesson, but I stood up and began. They knew FROG stood for something about God. They got the Forever part. I finally had to tell them as all their R guesses were becoming nerve-racking. So I told them R was for Rely. One girl wanted to talk about her problems with her boyfriend. I think they tend to see me as their friend or one of the girls and not their teacher so I have to remind them that I am the adult here teaching a class.

I told them about the FROG project. If they wanted to make this craft, we could do it another time. I told them often the 1st thing I do is call my mom, Don or my best friends when I have a problem or I email them. I know I should talk it over with the Lord first and not with others. I need to Fully Rely on God more myself so this was a lesson for me as well. I was thankful for this lesson.

I told them of Dr. Hal Brady's message of the morning. One girl said, "But you didn't you say he was Methodist?" Yes, yes I did. "Isn't what he says not the truth?" I had to bit my tongue. I would never say what he says is not true. Sadly the Church of Christ is against denominational churches. I had to tell her he was not saying anything scriptural; just telling a story that had a point to it. This is not the 1st time she has challenged me about what I say or do. There was nothing wrong with what he said. I had to stand my ground. But they all got that God did rescue the man by sending the people. Some even agreed God sent His angels to the lost man.

Then I told them about a wounded sheriff's officer in West Virginia that we needed to pray for and that we should make him a get well card. Of course they wanted to hear all the gory details about the shooting. Rhett was doing the sound effects of a guns going off. I told him to stop. The girls thought he sounded realistic which encouraged him to continue. I told him if he didn't stop, I'd make him stand outside the door! I told them the officer has a humble family with him that when asked what they needed, they say nothing. Other sheriff's departments are gathering donations for his family. This man is determined to walk again.

I asked them what they were supposed to remember...
First, they said too pray for the wounded officer which was excellent although I was still focused on FROG. Then they said, "Don't talk to your Momma first, talk to God." They learned well, my students. So did I. You can learn a lot from teaching. Your students can also teach you. I am thankful I am still able to learn new things.

I am thankful for the blessing my parents received this week when least expected. Things happen in God's time not our's.

We will be celebrating our 17th anniversary this weekend. Ironically today I received an invoice which had a stamp which had wedding bands on it! LOL

If you would like to participate in Thankful Thursday by sharing your blessings and thankfulness with Lynn and the rest of us, please go to the following...
http://www.spirituallyunequalmarriage.com/my_weblog/
I am thankful to be among you today. Lynn, I hope to meet you someday too and as you said, "Hopefully this side of heaven first."