Not for your gifts

Not for your provision

Not for your wisdom

Not for anything you do

Just for you

You

-DHS

I used to feel like "less than a real artist" because as my body of work developed, it didn't all look the same.  I finally realized one day that I simply like doing a lot of different things... and that's OK.  

Over the years, I've learned I am a colorist (not a minimalist) and I'm not a realist.  I also LOVE water media, and don't care for oils.  It's fun for me to paint homes and pets, but not people.  Every time I paint, I learn more about how the Lord has hard wired me as an artist.

If I don't paint, I can't see these things and you can't either.  The important thing is to keep painting and see what we learn.  After all, it's all a journey of discovery... and stopping short of what the Lord has for us would be sad. Very sad.

The Pondering Palette: What's one thing you've learned lately about how the Lord has hard wired you?  (If you can't think of an answer, pay attention over the next month to see what He shows you... )

One of the things I love about summer is downtime for reading.  I've read some great books and here are three I'd like to recommend:

The Daily Bible- In Chronological Order 365 Daily Readings (Harvest House):  This has been my favorite "read through the Bible" choice for years.  I'm using it as a guide to teach through the life of Jesus in chronological order.  It's awesome!

The Christian Athiest by Craig Groeschel (Zondervan): A statement inside the book jacket says it all, "This honest, hard-hitting, and eye-opening look into the ways people believe in God but live as if he doesn't exist is a classic in the making."

Devotional Classics- A Renovare Resource for Spiritual Renewal, edited by Foster & Smith/ (HarperOne):  A great encouragement with a Bible passage, biographical info about a person of faith (past or present), an excerpt of their writing, and thought provoking questions for group or individual study.

The Pondering Palette:  What's a one great book you'd recommend today?

This week, we're hanging out as a family with a simple agenda: swim, read, ride in a boat, swim, talk, sleep late, swim,float, laugh.  And did I say swim?

The Pondering Palette: What kind of R & R refreshes your soul like none other?  Try to squeeze in a bit of R&R this week, even if it's just for 10 minutes.  You'll be amazed at the difference it makes! 

I'm a Bible teacher and I LOVE the Bible, yet there are moments (like this morning) when I look over at my Bible and IT looks more overwhelming than I can handle.  It appears to be a big, thick, book (with no pictures) that's intimidating more than comforting. Scripture has changed my life in ways I can't begin to count, but these moments come along where it seems like too much.  Here's what I've learned to do when this happens:

Take one little piece of Scripture to graze on for the day--- especially Jesus' words. 

We saw hundreds of sheep grazing on the hills outside of Jerusalem.  The sheep in my painting are the little specks on the right, above the rocks. What were these sheep doing? Grazing. Chewing on little bite after little bite of food.

I went walking this morning and took along John 14:27 simply written on a little card: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."  John 14:27

From chewing on these 32 words in my mind, I received deep encouragement in my soul and fuel for my prayers on behalf of others, especially for friends who are hurting and in need of peace today. . .

• Jesus loved me enough to leave me something precious & powerful when He went back to heaven: peace
• His peace is a gift 
• Jesus' peace is not like the counterfeit peace the world tries to give me
• I can choose to not let my heart be troubled or afraid, but to rest in Jesus' peace instead

Grazing on a little piece of God's word helps me overcome feeling intimidated by the Bible.  I've found that it always feeds my soul, and, today, it gave me a much needed little piece of peace for my journey.  I hope it helps you, too!

The Pondering Palette:  Where have you been needing peace in your life lately?  Where have you been looking to find peace? What encouragement does John 14:27 give you right now?

I featured this story in my last newsletter...  hope you'll consider subscribing! (on the right of this page)

The Beautiful Blessing of Unevenness

Do you ever have times when your life seems uneven or out of sorts? Most of us feel that way at some time or another. I hope the story and picture I have to share with you on this subject renews your perspective on these times.

I painted the watercolor above, Uneven Steps, because of something I noticed while in Israel that's an echo of a greater reality in life I call the "blessing of unevenness."  Here's the story:

I found myself getting really mad while at a car wash recently.  This will sound silly and petty, but it was the slowest car wash west of the Mississippi and I had a schedule to keep. I'd set aside about 30 minutes to have simple routine maintenance performed on my vehicle then squeeze in a quick ride through the wash. In the past, I'd zipped in and out, but not this day. An hour and fifty minutes after arriving, I drove away with a clean car--- and a convicted heart.  You see, I started seething inside when my carefully laid steps for my day became uneven. (Did you notice the overuse of "I" and "my" in that paragraph? That was part of the problem...)

In America, we're surrounded with even steps, for which I'm verygrateful.  They're carefully choreographed by architects to be a precise, standard height and depth.  It makes them safer for us to walk upon, but also means we can can climb up or down them without thinking.

Do you ever find yourself climbing up or down a set of familiar steps in "automatic pilot" mode?  I've done that many a Sunday morning while hurriedly making my way from upstairs where I teach Bible study to the downstairs choir room at our church.  I'm often slapping on some lipstick at the same time and hope that one day they don't find me in a crumbled heap at the foot of the staircase, with a big, zigzag smear of "Fresh Rose" on the stairwell above--- where I tried to break my fall!

My plans can be like those even steps.  Check. Check. Check. I can go through my daily to do list (as I was doing on car wash day) on automatic pilot.

With that in mind, I noticed something much different throughout the Holy Land.  It's full of extremely uneven steps, like those in my painting above. They demand slower movement and careful attention. There is no multitasking possible upon them because you've got to concentrate to keep from falling.

Of all the uneven steps we walked upon in Israel, none were more moving to me than those on the southern side of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. It was breathtaking to pause and ponder that this little section of original stone stairs were walked on by Jesus. The feet of Mary, Joseph, Peter, Paul, and people living in breathless expectation of the coming Messiah- like Simeon and Anna- would likely have touched them too.

I expected the steps leading to the magnificent Temple structure to be even. Wrong. They were uneven, imbalanced, crooked.  What floored me was when I learned they were designed that way. Here's why. . .

Uneven steps prevented worshipers from entering the Temple with careless, thoughtless, or haphazard movement of body or mind.  They were structured to force worshipers to pause and think about what they were doing while on approach to the Temple. Careful consideration instead of casual indifference was required, making a necessity of Ecclesiastes 5:1 which says Guard your steps when you go to the house of God.

Each day, our "steps" are both external movements of the body and internal meditations of the heart.  Just as the stairs leading into the Temple physically prevented worshipers from bounding up and down them, the unevenness that comes our way in daily life causes us to pause and ponder the Lord as well. A diagnosis, a delay, a disaster, a desperate cry for help--- all these are the gifts of unevenness.

It was just a silly old car wash, but I was caught off guard by the emotion that welled up inside of me. No one around me knew what was going on, but I did. My impatient heart attitude due to a schedule interruption was revealed in the resentment I felt over unexpected uneven steps. That day, I stumbled over them.

Unevenness Can Be A Blessing

The Lord sometimes allows the blessing of unevenness in our walk with Him.  How can this be a blessing? you may ask.

I'm learning that unevenness can provide a beautiful break in the monotony of my daily steps, an imbalance that cuts through predictable patterns of routine and schedule. I can fight against these places or welcome them as a gift. What a difference it makes as I enter each day (and enter times of corporate worship, too) mindful of the Lord's sovereign control of all things, like my calendar, family, and schedule.

I hope you'll join me, as we step our way through summer, and give thought to the steps you take, especially in the uneven places of life.  Proverbs 14:15 says:  A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps. Instead of stumbling over uneven places, let's embrace them as opportunities to thoughtfully turn to the Lord, ponder Him, thank Him, and draw close to Him.

Proverbs 16:9 reminds us that In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. Our steps are in His hands and He is worthy of our trust.

Thinking back on my car wash experience, instead of thinking, "Why are they moving so slow?" a wiser response would have been, "Lord, thank You for the gift of slowing down my schedule.  Thank you for this place to pause, take deep breath, and think about You."

May the Lord bless you as you savor every step of your way this summer--- and rest in His direction of each one, whether even or uneven.

Blessings,

Debbie

The Pondering Palette:  What has brought you uneven steps lately? What positive purpose have they provided for you?

She made this during a Bible class on the topic of prayer.  The colors are faded now, but it's a simple traffic light.  It's really precious to me because, in her beautifully crooked, elementary handwriting, three words are written on it: no, later, yes.  Her teacher helped her understand that when we pray, sometimes the Lord gives us a red/stop light saying "no." Other times, He gives us the yellow/yield light for "later." Then there are times we pray and receive an immediate green light for "yes."

For two years, our family has been asking the Lord for a full time job for our daughter amidst a stumbling economy.  Today, the "yes" came in the form of a full time job. What a privilege and inspiration it's been to walk along side her in the roller coaster ride of a job search.  Waiting.  Glimmers of possibility.  Dashed hopes.  Ups.  Downs.  The Lord has walked beside her (and her parents), giving her a faith in Him that's her own and not ours.  Watching the Lord sustain our kids for two years through her wonderful part-time job then fling open the door to full time employment this week has been amazing.

Sometimes He says, "no" or "later."  Today, I'm praising Him for His "yes" and for being Jehovah-Jireh, our provider.

The Pondering Palette:  Where have you received a "no"? a "later"? "yes" lately?

Psalm 20

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

1 May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. 2 May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion. 3 May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings.

Selah

4 May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. 5 We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests.

6 Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand. 7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. 8 They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.

9 O Lord, save the king! Answer us when we call!

The Pondering Palette:  Selah is a cue to pause and think about it. Which verse in this Psalm is most encouraging for you to pause and think about today? Why?

I had a great time last week speaking for the Christian Women's Connection luncheon and the Boy Scouts of America Regional Retirees Auxiliary Reunion.  What a privilege to meet such great women from across the country... right here in Amarillo!  

One of the many delightful aspects of our recent Sabbatical was time spent in Denver in the home of our friends, Kari & Mark.  One afternoon, Kari and I did a bit of acrylic painting.   Here's my landscape painting from that day... or at least part of it.  

It was originally a 16x20 piece on canvas, but due to a little accident in my suitcase, it's now resized into two 12x12 pieces.  (Apparently, my sneaky little hair brush decided to poke a hole in the middle of the painting as we traveled home.)  What's funny is that I actually like the composition better at this size!

One of my favorite Bible verses is Romans 8:28:   "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."
Jay McSwain said, "God does not promise that all our life experiences will be good, but that He will use them for good."  This little "canvas accident" definitely turned out for good, and it reminded me of the many, many times I've watched the Lord unexpectedly, yet lovingly, resize different aspects of my life for good as well. 

The Pondering Palette:  Has your life ever been "resized". . . and you discovered you liked it better than you did before?  

Flashbacks. That's what I've been having from our trip to Israel.  

As Sabbatical began, I picked up a little pocket notebook in a Denver gift shop.  On the cover, it reads:  "We do not remember days, we remember moments. ---Cesare Pavase" Below that quote is the question, "What will you remember?" I scribbled notes and made sketches in that little book every day of our Sabbatical time.  It's helped me remember special flashback moments I'll never forget.

I also took along my watercolor travel palette and tried to capture just a few of the hundreds of memorable moments by painting on the bus while traveling from place to place.  I didn't have enough time (or watercolor paper) to capture everything, but "Pondering Samaria" (above) was one memorable moment.

We'd stopped one afternoon in Samaria.  After our teaching time, we roamed the ruins of a hilltop temple, with time for picture taking at the end.  I was drinking in the view and snapping pictures when I looked over and saw this scene of our new friend, Geoff, who had paused to sit down and experience the lovely scene as well.  This is the painting that popped out onto paper once we got back on the bus.

When I go back to Israel (notice I said "when"--- we're exploring the possibility of taking a group next year!), I plan to stop and "ponder" more.  Not doing so is like swimming underwater without coming up for a breath.  I was busy trying to take photos and keep up with the group on this visit, but pondering while I'm there "on location"---taking intentional time to pause and think about it---will be higher on my list of priorities in the future.  Thanks, Geoff, for your visual reminder to pause and ponder!

The Pondering Palette: What have you been "drinking in" lately?  Is it satisfying you?  Ponder this passage that took place in Samaria this week. . .

John 4:4- 10 And he (Jesus) had to pass through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.7 There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”

When we returned from Sabbatical last week, we were welcomed home by flowers---the perennial daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips in our yard.  I'm so thankful that the Lord, in His creative genius, made room in His creation for plants... especially flowers!  He even designed seeds within plants to pass on the beauty of creation from year to year (as well as giving us nourishing, food-bearing vegetation). 

One of the many special surprises for me in Israel was the vivid color of beautiful flowers dotting the landscape.  :-)  There were tons of rocks in the terrain, making the color of poppies, daisies, wisteria, etc. stand out in brilliant contrast. Here are a few of the flowers I photographed while there...  

The Pondering Palette:  What is your favorite  spring flower?  Try finding one this week and take time to drink in it's beauty over a cup or coffee or tea. It may bring some spring to your soul! :-)

My heart and head are full of the sights and smells of the land I'd read about since I was a little girl.  Words that were black ink on white paper now have an unexpected life and color as I picture where they took place.  Thank you to Bible World Seminars for helping the Bible come to life for us! 

I'll be blogging about the experience in the days and weeks to come. . . 

Sunday, March 7th: "Landed safely and are now in Gloria Hotel in old town."

Monday, March 8th: "Great day. Saw Jacob's well. Shechem. Mount Gerizim. Saw a replica of a house like Jesus might have lived in for the early parts of his life."

Tuesday, March 9th: "We made it safely to Taba, Egypt.  Along the way we stopped at the burial spot of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and climbed over 2,000 feet to the top of Wilderness of Zin where we had a Bible Study. Thank God for sustaining my knees! Amazing place... more Amazing God, :-). "

Wednesday, March 10th "We finished climbing a possible site of Mount Sinai. Rode a camel up 2/3 of the way and climbed the final 1/3 and walked all the way down 5000 ft. Astounded that God wants us to know him. God instructed moses to climb up the mountain to meet him face to face. What a thought."

Thursday, March 11th: "We were in three different countries today. Woke up in Egypt crossed over into Israel, walked in the Red Sea. Went to Timna today. Saw a life sized model of the tabernacle given by God to the Children of Israel. Heard an Israeli believer tell about the symbolism of the Tabernacle.  Have now entered Jordan to go to the ancient city of Petra."

Friday, March 12th: "On the way to Petra. Had adventure yesterday when bus didn't show up at border crossing. We were in a caravan of Kia cabs to Timna and back. At Timna was a life size model of tabernacle in the wilderness. Incredible. Made it into Jordan for Petra and Amman today. This trip is turning a black and white understanding of the Bible into living color. Continued prayer for guidance and safety are appreciated. "

Saturday, March 13th: "Driving in Jordan between Mt. Nebo and Jesus' baptism site. Driving from Jordan Valley toward border crossing back into Israel. - Made it into Israel. Headed to hotel on East side of Sea of Galilee. Visited Mt. Nebo where three major biblical events occurred. 1) Balaam prophesied that "the prophet" would come to Israel. 2) Moses saw the promise land and transfered authority to Jeshua or Yeshua. 3) Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River at the mountain's base. Jesus (Yeshua) was baptized by one as great as Moses, John the Baptist.  We are back in Israel."

Sunday, March 14th: "Powerful teaching time this morning at Cesarea Philippi. Now on road to Damascus. Words cannot describe what we are learning."

Monday, March 15th : "Took boat ride across the Sea of Galilee to Tiberias. Devotional study on Jesus Galileean ministry today. Love you all! - We have had an incredibly full day. Learned Jesus spent 90% of his ministry in this area. Beautiful fragrant flowers. Singing birds. Fishermen. Seeing the Bible in a whole new way."

Tuesday, March 16th" "Had a great day viewing Bet She'an, learning where Deborah judged Israel, saw the plain of Megiddo, and finished by touring Caesarea Maritima. Heading now to Jerusalem."

Enjoy!

 "Ephraim Doorway" 

Ephraims Doorway in The West Bank north of Jerusalem. We had morning class in a model of a first century Judean home in this city of refuge. This painting is of the front door.

"Sheep on the Hills" seen outside Jerusalem

"The Church of Jacob's Well"

I never realized that Jacob's well in Genesis was the same well where Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well years and years later. Here's "The Church of Jacob's Well" that sits atop the well. It's been a fun challenge to paint on the bus between stops!

Samaria is amazingly beautiful, especially from this view overlooking the city.

"Wilderness of Zin" 

This barren area in southern Israel was where some of the wilderness wanderings took place. (You may notice the colors are very different from the Jerusalem area in previous paintings.) This stark place reminded me of awesome photography in the National Geographic magazine my photographer dad subscribed to when I was a kid. I thank God for allowing me to see an amazing place like this with my own eyes- it made me cry. I also thank Him for sustaining my knees to climb from the canyon to the top today. We will rest well tonight!

Thanks to everybody who has entered this month's painting giveaway!

This week, I've had lots of conversations with a precious friend who's waiting for answers. Her wait happens to be in regard to where her family will be living after this summer, but we all know what it's like to spend time in the waiting room.  Hearing the angst in her voice reminded me of the countless times the Lord seems to whisper to my anxious soul, "Debbie, wait right where you are..." 

Four things I've learned about "waiting room days" are that they. . .  

• precede His provision of clear direction for what's next.   
• present a time to choose to cling to Him in faithful trust. 
• provide a place to linger before launching out. 
• prepare us to see God act on our behalf.                                                      

The Pondering Palette:  What's been going on in your waiting room lately?  Which of the four bullet point items above are you needing most in your waiting room today?

When I grasp this truth, it helps me. . .

• celebrate gifts others have instead of feeling jealous of them.  
• realize how blessed I am to have believers around me who can see, do and understand things in ways I cannot.
• appreciate how those working along side me at church "complete" me by bringing strengths I don't possess to a situation or ministry.
• value the quiet, "behind the scenes" ministers who make it possible for me to exercise my more "public" gifts... instead of envying their silent service.
• stop the comparison game (like, "Oh, her gifts are so much greater than mine...)

I saw an episode of "Hoarders" yesterday about a couple of the 3 million people who are afflicted with a mental disorder in which they hang on to things.  (It was simultaneously disgusting and motivational---  it made me want to go clean something, anything, and also throw out useless "stuff" I've accumulated!)  With 1 Corinthians 12 gifts fresh on my mind, the show also made me remember I'm not to be a "hoarder" with my spiritual gifts. They're meant for shared use for the blessing of the church, not for my own stingy collection.   

Gotta go.  It's cleaning time!

The Pondering Palette:  Do you have a gift you've been hiding lately?  Is there a way you could use your giftedness this week to bless and encourage others?

It was really encouraging to work on this together while simultaneously creating an inventory of my paintings from the past ten years.  (If you're just getting started with art here's some advice from "Debbie's School of Doing Things the Wrong Way"- keep an inventory as you go!)   

It was amazing to see how many paintings had been created over the years.  That's what it's like in the Christian life, as well.  Some days it feels like there's no growth, no development--- but when you stop and look back, taking inventory of little life changes the Lord makes in you over the years, you can see the progress.  

The Pondering Palette: As you take inventory of your life over the past decade, what's one change you've watched the Lord bring about in your life?

One of my goals for this month is getting more organized.  That can be a challenge for anyone with an artistic bent, but I've discovered that when my personal space gets too crazy it works against me by shuting down my creativity.  

Extreme disorder makes me like the woman in Proverbs 14:1 who is tearing down her house, with the "house" I'm tearing down being my ministry with words and watercolors. That makes it imperative that I straighten things up so I can get back to the things I've been called to do (instead of wasting my time searching for stuff).

As a right-brained artistic type, this has always been a trouble spot for me.  I have pictures from magazines in my head of what a perfectly organized office and studio would look like, but my space has never looked that way (for more than 15 minutes, that is).  I'm finally learning that my space does not have to look identical to those picture in my head, but I do need a creative system I can celebrate and embrace in order to more effectively get my work done.

A couple of years ago, I hired a professional organizer to help me with my office.  Things were really neat and tidy. . . for about ten hours.  That experience made me realize that there's no such thing as "one size fits all" organizing system for everyone.  Sometimes very left-brained (i.e., neat, structured, tidy, meticulous, detail-minded) organizers are gifted with the ability to create orderly spaces, but those plans don't always fit right-brained (artistic) types.  

I've realized my need for a fun, creative, personal system to keep things in order--- one that fits my personality, learning style, brain hemisphere preference, etc.  To that end, I'm reading Organizing from the Right Side of the Brain- A Creative Approach to Getting Organized by Lee Silber.  It's giving me some great ideas, most of them simple baby steps. I'll keep you posted on the progress.

The Pondering Palette:  How can getting yourself organized glorify God?  What's one wise way you've gotten organized lately?

A great place I've found to contribute is to a group called Texas Baptist Men.  It's a reputable group of dedicated Christians who mobilize people and materials to help those in need. They've put together 5,000 water purification systems to help Haiti that cost about $30 each. 

If you want to help, you can go to www.texasbaptistmen.org and click on the Donation tab or send a check to:     Texas Baptist Men      5351 Catron Drive       Dallas, TX 7522

After she berated him about something, he turned to her and asked:  "Are you praying for me as much as you're criticizing me?"  

Whoa.  That's one piercing, penetrating question.  

It convicted me, and I wasn't even involved in the incident.  Let's be gentle out there... and pray for others before we point accusing fingers.

The Pondering Palette:  This is a hard question--- is there anyone you've been pointing at more than praying for?  (Why not stop and pray for that person? Right. Now.)

The woven seagrass chair was found on sale at World Market a couple of years ago, while the storage cabinet with woven front (being used as a side table) came from Hobby Lobby.  Animal print accessories are leftovers from Hannah's high school girl space and makes me think of how much I love her.  Even though she has left our home to make her own, she will always be in the home of my heart. The tall cabinet to the left (you can hardly see it) belonged to my Grandma Hannah, an early sewing influence in my life. Her cabinet is now a storage space for fabric.  

The framed print on the wall was painted by our former pastor, Dick Moody.  It was a piece he donated for reproduction and sale to support fundraising efforts for mission work in Texas.  A cool thing about it is how he hid religious symbols all throughout the painting.  An even cooler thing is it's a great example of how art can be used for good.

I believe that art used for good is really good art (...and you can quote me on that!)   

The Pondering Palette:  Where is the last place you saw art being used for good?  I'd love to hear about it. 

Putting things in order helps me think and create more clearly.  When I get too many stacks and piles going, it chokes out my creativity.  Does that happen to you, too?

The sewing room (that used to be my daughter's bedroom) is newly painted with the Laura Ashley paint color named "Sand."  Five years ago, I would never have chosen that color, but now I love it--- a soft neutral the color of (you guessed it) sand!  

It's funny how my home color preferences have changed over the years.  I still have more wall color in my home than most people I know, but my desire for restful, neutral backgrounds seems to grow with each passing year.  Interesting.  I'll post pictures soon.

The Pondering Palette: ��How have your color preferences changed over the years?  

I hate that it happened (and apologize if you received a newsletter and that kind of thing drives you nuts).  But, I'm also glad about it, because it reminds me I can't do things on my own.  It also proves once again the beautiful truth of Scripture.  You see, Proverbs 12:15 says: The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.  

I thought I had things right in my writing, but needed to take time for wise feedback and advice from others. Not doing so in my rush to meet a deadline was foolish of me.   

Debbie's note to self: Allow yourself time to seek out and listen to wise advice.

The Pondering Palette:  Is there something you overlooked recently that you wish you wouldn't have?  Do you need to seek out wise counsel about an important life issue today?

I haven't posted a painting for a while, so here's a piece called "Christmas Berries" I painted during December. 

This watercolor was inspired by pyracantha berries I spotted in my back yard. I played around with my photo software to soften the edges a bit. 

I got a Flip video camera recently and hope to post some "live painting" videos on the website once I learn how to use it. That way, you can see a work in progress. . . then the completed painting.  

My life is a work in progress--- isn't yours, too?  A painting under construction is an earthly illustration of that spiritual reality.   

Not only was the music great, but I was surprised by the tasty spinach enchiladas.  Yum.  

Travel Tip: If you get a chance to visit Stubb's, be sure to make a reservation for the Gospel Brunch.  Thanks to my sister-in-law's excellent planning, we were able to walk right past the lines of people outside. 

OT- Genesis 12:1-3

NT- Matthew 1:1

As you read these verses, answer this question---whose name is mentioned in both places?  In whose "family tree" is this same name listed in Matthew?

I hope you like the piece of the colorful painting on the left.  It's part of the border of a "Christmas Scripture Soother" (a brief Bible verse you can meditate on as you go through these hectic days between now and Christmas).  

Just go to my free resources page and you can download a copy, print it off and frame it or carry it around with you as a happy reminder to keep your focus on Christ during the holidays.  

The Pondering Palette:  What's one thing you can praise Jesus for in light of these verses? 

I thought I'd add one to the blog every day or two between now and Christmas so you can read this for yourself:

OT Promise- Genesis 3:15 and NT Fulfillment- Galatians 4:4-5

(It's painting time for me this week.  Eight commissions to go before Christmas!)  

The Pondering Palette: What do these verses tell you about God's faithfulness?

Here's what I was thinking about "contentment with Christ at Christmas" this morning. . .

Biblical contentment is a continual turning of my heart to the Lord to meet my every need. It's an inside job that's not dependent on the external trappings of life. . . including Christmas.

The Pondering Palette:  Where is your heart turned--- right now?