Fingerprints of God

~ Fashioned by God’s hand and perfectly planned to be just who you are ~



"I can see the tears filling your eyes and I know where they’re coming from
They’re coming from a heart that’s broken in two by what you don’t see
The person in the mirror doesn’t look like the magazine
Oh but when I look at you its clear to me that…

I can see the fingerprints of God when I look at you. I can see the fingerprints of God and I know its true. You’re a masterpiece that all creation quietly applauds. And you’re covered with the fingerprints of God.

Never has there been and never again will there be another you
Fashioned by God’s hand and perfectly planned to be just who you are
And what He’s been creating since the first beat of your heart
Is a living breathing priceless work of art and

I can see the fingerprints of God when I look at you. I can see the fingerprints of God and I know its true. You’re a masterpiece that all creation quietly applauds. And you’re covered with the fingerprints of God.

Just look at you - you’re a wonder in the making.
Oh and God ‘s not through, no, in fact, He’s just getting started and ...

I can see the fingerprints of God when I look at you. I can see the fingerprints of God and I know its true. You’re a masterpiece that all creation quietly applauds. And you’re covered with the fingerprints of God."


~ Song by Steven Curtis Chapman




Featured art:

2.5” x 3.5” watercolor and ink

trading card sized portraits:

The Beauty School Divas
Rachel Parfait,
Sherrie Mango,
and Hairy Mary

Visit my eBay auctions via the link in the top left area of this page - thanks!



Joy in the journey,

katey-D

Available for JoY

Okay! Okay - I relent! I am suppose to be getting ORGANIZED! (says who? Says ME)



Well - really - I was suppose to be discussing the topic of ‘organization’ way back in April per a theme suggested in our artists’ blog topic list at the CaaT group. Today I will finally discuss organization ~ which is quite different than BEING organized.

Mondays are always a weird event….
Yes… EVENT.
On Mondays, I face all that is piled up (and let me tell you, the piles are high). My fellow arteests are brave and have shown their creative spaces before and after major reorganizations. My studio is dubbed “the room of doom”. (says who? Says ME)
I cleaned it out completely at Christmas time… sorted everything into giant clear bins and moved them to another room for storage. The idea was that I would pace myself by allowing only a couple bins into the studio at a time.


BAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHHAHAHAAA!
(loud maniacal laughing , like “Arnold” laughed in ‘Happy Days’)


Yeah, sure… that worked.


Hardly.


So ... many Monday’s later - still the day in the week that is the EVENT that sets up the whole week. As I glance at the calendar I see there are already too many things to accomplish in the days printed…and it is Wednesday. Forget Monday - I made cabbage rolls. I think I have a defective calendar. I could cut and paste a few extra days from a different week, but that somehow doesn’t help… I really should ORGANIZE my time this week.


BAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHHAHAHAAA!


As much as I don’t think I am in any way “organized” I actually have a system of sorts… I have everything photographically emblazoned in my brain and what I forget isn’t important. Ha. Wait, that’s not it…

In any case, I do have a bazillion-hours of various projects, jobs, and driving to-and-fro to accomplish each and every day this week… and last week … and next week…
Things like routine dusting, enjoying sparkling windows, and pressed clothing are reserved for special occasions (or dearest hubbly who quietly does them when it gets too scurry to ignore).
What is important rises to the top of the list (well, sometimes it is an imaginary list, but a list just the same)…

It simply comes down this:


Matthew 6:33
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.


And in this…


Micah 6:8
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

I am organized in my own strange way. I wish it were less strange, but if I focused on that I’d be giving up something else. I choose to be available to whatever need presents itself - like in the case of a phone call (I don’t ‘time’ them as I know some do (ugh) -- I simply multi-task) I am available.

And by-the-way: If I am on the phone I never give that "it's not-you ~ it's me break up line: “well, I’m going to let you go now…” . I simply listen and partake until it ends naturally ...or the other person, usually one of those ‘timer-people’ uses that heart-breaking let-you-go line ha ha...I bet they have organized junk drawers). I straighten sofa pillows, put away dishes, load laundry, move piles from one place to another (ha ha) - and with certain people, I can actually work on art while I talk! Amazing things can be accomplished with ONE HAND! (I really should get a hands-free set huh?). If I do need to get off the phone - I am honest and SAY SO ... Non of this "I’m going to let you go now I am not actually interested in ‘chat’ and my monthly ½ hour with you has expired so shush already" line.) I’m not bitter - I value honesty.

Anyway - being available has allowed incredibly wonderful life ministry experiences to take place. In the last week alone we were available to several people with needs … from computer repairs to errands to making dinner for a grieving family on the spur of the moment…and so it continues.
Our home is not a sty (oink) - though it has its moments (ha ha) - but the main hoopla is corralled for the most part. It could be a lot more stuffy & formal (I do have formal rooms - but stuffy is not the theme).

A house is a vessel to shelter and protect in more ways than just the physical - so, ours has been that - a place of refuge and fellowship 24/7.
Sleep, like organization, is sometimes optional around here.


The JOY comes in serving and following … and being available.



Yes, I wish I had a fairy-maid to keep my studio organized. *sigh*
Joy in the journey,
katey-D

Featured Art on eBay today: CLOWN BeBe (pictured above)
ALTERED ART DOMINO NECKLACE (more to follow this week!)

"Our House - is a very very very fine house... with two ducks in the yard... life used to be so hard ... now everything is easy cuz of You... "

(with a nod to Crosby, Stills and Nash)

The front door area

my studio garden (last spring) - my azaleas are poor this year and may get (shhh, don't tell them) removed!

my studio table - so NOT this organized at this very moment!!!

Beauty for Ashes

Pain - it’s such a pain

I have many artist friends who have pain in their lives. Some of them are in physical pain from acute injury and some are in physical pain from chronic illness.
I relate.
Some of these dear ones have emotional pain from circumstance and the everyday trials and insults of life.
I relate.
We have had long and inspiring discussions about working through pain…creating “beauty from ashes”. I desire to learn how to work in and through pain, but the truth is, I tend to close up and lose all my creative hope when I hurt. Physical pain doesn’t stop me, but emotional pain sometimes freezes my heart…and my art comes from my heart. I am working on getting through the occasional roadblock.


A song comes to mind (by Crystal Lewis) …

He gives beauty for ashes
Strength for fear
Gladness for mourning
Peace for despair
When sorrow seems to surround you. When suffering hangs heavy o’er your head. Know that tomorrow brings wholeness and healing. God knows your need. Just believe what He said.
He gives beauty for ashes
Strength for fear
Gladness for mourning
Peace for despair
When what you’ve done keeps you from moving on. When fear wants to make itself at home in your heart. Know that forgiveness brings wholeness and healing. God knows your need. Just believe what He said.
He gives beauty for ashes
Strength for fear
Gladness for mourning
Peace for despair
I once was lost but God has found me. Though I was bound I’ve been set free. I’ve been made righteous in His sight. A display of His splendor all can see.
He gives beauty for ashes
Strength for fear
Gladness for mourning
Peace for despair

So here is the deal…

Forgiveness is at the root of emotional pain - or so it seems. I figured out that forgiveness is like a white ember - don’t even try to hold onto it - it is something to be hurled away! It is so hot and so holy it has to be dealt with.
Even when the offending party is unaware of the offense… or even if the offending party is dead… or even if the offending party does not want forgiveness, think they need it, or doesn’t give a flying fig - hurl it anyway!
It is about your own heart attitude (my heart attitude) -- only they can deal with their heart.

My peeve is injustice. I struggle to forgive injustice. I struggle when I am misrepresented or misquoted or misjudged. I struggle when an entire group is misrepresented or misquoted or misjudged. I struggle with liars and their lies (or half-truths or so-called untruths … it’s all lies no matter how prettified)…lies really, really annoy me. Manipulation - false numbers… all that ... It’s filth.
And it hurts... so, now I'm back on the subject of pain again...

STiLL - the white ember of forgiveness must be launched away in all sincerity…

if I hold it… I burn.

I have just realized a new thing about this song that was going through my head…
“He gives beauty for ashes” - ashes come after fire don’t they? Perhaps when we hurl away the white hot ember of forgiveness it burns up the offense - lovely ashes… lovely beauty for ashes…

The fire of forgiveness...

Hold onto to it and the pain grows.
Release it ~ give it away...

and it burns up the pain.

The act of forgiveness is one that needs rehearsed & remembered -- when we remember the pain, we need to remember we have already forgiven the offense… Rehearse again the act of tossing the ember … letting it go.
I have been forgiven much. I must rehearse forgiveness always.

joy in the journey,

katey-D

psalm 103

Romans 4:7-8 "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him."

** featured art: mechanical artist trading card 2.5" x 3.5" **

please visit my link in the upper left to see art I have for sale on eBay

Please allow music to load - worth the wait (use the pause feature and allow the gray bar to fill up) ~xo~ THIRD DAY / Wherever you are...

~*~SiLENCE~*~

Sometimes
you just have to be
silent....
even when
it makes no sense
to anyone else
even if they say
it is
unreasonable
even though
you want to shout
even though
it hurts

Sometimes you just have to be silent.






featured art:

~Altered Art~

handmade necklaces

created from actual dominoes
See my eBay store for more info
(top left)

joy in the journey,
~ katey-D

The wisdom of Linkin Park

(Note: I have posted this Linkin Park video as an illustration of a powerful realization :examine your own heart first. I don't endorse any other vids that may pop up as ads afterwards, etc etc ~ thanks! The ORIGINAL group video continues to be removed on youtube (I understand) - this is the music only - Please, DO LISTEN)



WHAT I'VE DONE...

Romans 3:22-24
This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
In other words: (from “The Message”) ~ But in our time something new has been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this. Since we've compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we're in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ.

So, don’t go blaming everyone or anyone else … don’t blame your parents, your job, Bush, ‘global warming’, 'karma', or your crappy job. Examine your own heart.
ALL have sinned - and yet, God has made a way for ANY of us who receive it.
I stand in awe.

Linkin Park’s newest song has it right - self-examination and accountability is where it begins.

Psalm 6:9

~ The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer. ~

"What I've done” ~ by Linkin Park


In this farewell there's no blood … there's no alibi.
Coz I've drawn regret from the truth of a thousand lies.
So let MERCY come and wash away what I've done!
I face myself to cross-out what I've become!
Erase myself and let go of what I've done!
Put to rest what you've thought of me…
Well I clean this slate with the hands of uncertainty
So let MERCY come and wash away what I've done!
I face myself to cross-out what I've become!
Erase myself and let go of what I've done!
For what I've done …
I start again and whatever pain may come today this ends.
I’m forgiving what I've done.
I face myself to cross-out what I've become.
Erase myself and let go of what I've done.
What I've done… What I've done… Forgiving what I've done.

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. ~ Hebrews 4:16

Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. ~ I Peter 2:10

It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy. ~ Romans 9:16

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. ~ Micah 6:8

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Featured Art: 2.5” x 3.5” art card titled “Princess You-Don’t-Know-Me”
(SOLD)

Watercolor and Ink with Swarovski crystal embellishment

~~Joy in the journey,
Katey-D
Blueyeduck Studios

http://www.blueyeduckstudios.etsy.com/

http://www.blueyeduckstudios.com/

HoME

A prayer for anyone who pauses to read this...

Prayer For Home

~Fernando Ortega~

Grant them peace, most precious gift of all, keep the worried world far away and small.

When they return may quiet fill their souls.

Dearest Lord, keep them safe within its walls.

May the stone be cool beneath their feet, the canyon breezes circle soft and sweet.

When darkness falls the stars and opal moon find them wrapped in each other, ever warm.

May it be a refuge for their love, a harbor for their deepest prayer.

May they come to flourish in the grove, grow ever nearer to you there.

Many a burdened friend in their company rises.

A heavy heart is soon released to fly.

May their table be blessed with laughter and with grace, and by the comfort of kinship be surprised.

May the cold winds blow far from their front door.

May the winter rains never bring them harm.

May their hearth fires burn throughout the night.

Grant them sleep until morning's perfect light.