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Friday, August 23, 2013

Paint Party Friday: A Shaft of Light

Had two paint parties recently!
Last August 9 and 21 were holidays
here in the Philippines,
and my friends,sister and I took advantage of this
by painting the day away!
The first paint party,
I painted a lot of backgrounds.
In the second, I concentrated on ATCs
for giving away.
I like inviting my friends to play,
to encourage them in their creative journey.
It is so exciting to see them blossom
and enjoy making their own unique art! 

"Looking upon others 
with tenderness and love
is to open up a horizon of hope;
it is to let a shaft of light
break through the heavy clouds."
Pope Francis said this during his 
Inaugural Mass.

There are many ways to 
"let a shaft of light break through heavy clouds."
One of my favorite is to use my gifts 
to help others discover theirs.
And that is why I hold paint parties in my home.

"There is nothing small in the service of God."
St. Francis de Sales said this.
He rejected a brilliant career in law,
his father's patronage as senator, 
but instead went into the Church,
became Bishop of Geneva,
wrote books, and started so many 
congregations and missions.

Francis was very loving and kind 
with all who returned to the faith.
"Come, my dear children," he would invite,
"let me put my arm around you,
let me hide you in the bottom of my heart!
God and I will help you,
all I ask is you do not despair..."
He believed the worst sin was to judge others
and gossip about them.
We can learn a lot from St. Francis
about how to give people a new hope!

Every week I choose one wonderful visitor
who leaves a comment
to receive an ATC from me.
I know it takes so much time and effort
to leave a comment
and I appreciate it soooo much!

This week,
Random.org chose
 #7, Jessica Mack of
Brown Paper Bunny,
who is a delicious illustrator.
And #19, Blue Cotton Memory-
I couldn't find her name,
but she writes delightfully!
Two winners because I missed
picking a winner the past week. :^(

Linking with

Sometimes I put on my best pajamas and
join these wonderful blog parties!!!
So many WONDERFUL blogfriends to discover!

Posted by at 18 comments:

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

WOYWW: Only Believe!

Here is my desk
when I woke up this morning.
I was making ATCs last night.

From where I am, we are having BED weather.
Rains and more rains.
But in other areas of my city,
there is flooding and evacuations.

Can you believe this picture?!!
Here I am at home, blessed,
safe, dry, no flood at all, just buckets of rain
And in other parts of the city,
people are waiting on the roof to be rescued.
So many things to be afraid of, to be anxious about
in a time of calamity.

I read in my Bible this morning
about a man, Jairus,who was very afraid
his daughter might die.
He went looking for Jesus.
While they were on the way to his house,
his servants came to meet him with 
the news that his daughter had died.
"No need to trouble the Teacher anymore!"

But Jesus said to him,
"Do not be afraid any longer,
only believe."

What things do we fear?
What are we anxious about?
I have to confess that
my prayers are all full of 
"Please heal my mother!"
I want to know what I can do,
what needs to be done,
how to pray,
who to see....
But I take this word today,
"Do NOT be afraid any longer,
ONLY BELIEVE."

Gideon in Judges, Chapter 6, was called by the Lord
to save Israel from the power of the Midianites.
"How can I do that? 
I am the MOST INSIGNIFICANT
in my father's house!!!!", Gideon cried out.

"The Lord is with you, O champion!
Go with the strength you have...
It is I who send you.
I shall be with you."


NO matter how unimportant we feel we are,
God calls us, like Gideon,
to do something
that only we can do.
He gave us so many talents,
gifts, resources...
if only we could see ourselves
through His eyes!
Imagine God saying to you,
"The Lord is with YOU, O champion!"
If we could see ourselves
the way God sees us,
we will not be afraid.
Only believe!


Every week I choose one wonderful visitor
who leaves a comment
to receive an ATC from me.
I know it takes so much time and effort
to leave a comment
and I appreciate it soooo much!

This week,
Random.org chose
 #3, La Abela , a woman who talks to herself,
as she claims, and draws amazingly
with charcoal and graphite.

Posted by at 28 comments:

Monday, August 19, 2013

Running the Race

"If you wish to be perfect,
go, sell what you have
and give it to the poor,
and you will have treasure
in heaven."
Matthew 19:21

When I read this passage I think of
Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
How she really gave everything she had,
all for the love of God
and those whom God loved.

She ran the race,
keeping her eye on the prize,
Jesus Christ!

Like Joshua in the bible,
I say, "As for me and my house,
we will serve the Lord."
We may not have given up everything,
we may not be perfect,
but we choose to serve the Lord,
and run the marathon of life,
not in sprints,
but daily,step by step.



Every week I choose one wonderful visitor
who leaves a comment
to receive an ATC from me.
I know it takes so much time and effort
to leave a comment
and I appreciate it soooo much!

This week,
Random.org chose
 #3, La Abela , a woman who talks to herself,
as she claims, and draws amazingly
with charcoal and graphite.

Posted by at 6 comments:
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