Reminders. We all need them. Reminders to remember what is true. Reminders to remember what our calling is. Reminders to remember that life is more than sadness, trouble, frivilous things or a fleeting moment of earthly happiness. I pray that these illustrations will become reminders of the truth in your heart and home for years to come.
Fall & Winter Collection
But if it Die
Lela and her sister are out for a walk on a beautiful autumn day. It is during this outing that Lela realizes something special and important. Read the story here.
Art Print will be 8×10
Weak Things for Great Things
Dottie lives with her family in the hills of Virginia. Her home is a nice one, but there is something that Dottie doesn’t like so much. That mirror–and what it shows. Read the story here.
Art Print will be 8×10
Encourage One Another
Susie and Betty the Bunny love spending time together. And even though the weather is cold, they decide to make the best of it and enjoy some hot chocolate with popcorn. Susie bundles up in one of her favorite big sweaters and Bettie enjoys her handmade scarf.
Art Print will be 8×10
Give and You Shall Receive
Hannah loved wandering the hills outside her New Jersey home. Sparrows often nested in the nearby woods and many a day would see her stopping by with a new handful of seeds and leftover pieces of fruit from the table.
It was cold, crisp, cuddly-sort of day when Hannah stepped outside on December 1st. Snow flickered and twirled in delicate spheres, riding on the wind like the musical notes of a Bach cantana.
Perfect. Yes, it was just right.
Putting on her favorite scarf she filled a basket with seeds, fruit and some nuts for the squirrels.
Today would be lovely.
Art Print will be 8×10
It was a long day.
A day full of new and energy-taking discoveries.
Playing in a fresh landscape of snow. Building a tall happy snowman with Daddy. And helping Mommy bake a whole batch of pumpkin muffins.
All such big jobs. Big jobs for a girl who had only seen two snowy seasons before this and she couldn’t even remember it.
Once the muffins were out of the oven and the stove was sending off cozy whiffs of warm air mixed with lingering cinnamon smells, Susie held her arms up and Mommy wrapped a warm patchwork blanket around her.
Big days were wonderful. Exploration was exciting. But sometimes?
Sometimes Susie just wanted to cuddle with Mommy.
Art Print will be 8×10
Corner Stones
Winter was a beautiful season in southern Florida. At least, that’s what Isabella thought.
She loved taking afternoon walks through the nearby great hall filled with hothouse plants and beautiful hanging moss.
And as she wandered, she smiled.
She wanted to be an adornment for God’s palace just like the flowers that decorated these elegant halls.
And in her heart, she prayed. “Please help me to be beautiful for You.”
Art Print will be 8×10
Unto the Upright
Fall was fast changing into winter.
Brisk walks and cold, frosty air now graced almost every succeding day.
Bella liked taking her puppy Snowy out for long afternoon rambles in the woods behind their home.
Especially now, when everything seemed discouraging from the current news of the day.
This partiular evening, the sun glowed especially bright through sillhoutted trees. Bella noted the glory it brought to the bare surroundings.
“It’s like the light He gives.” She whispered to Snowy. “For those who are upright, God gives light in the darkness.”
Art Print will be 8×10
The Weary World …Rejoices
I think I’ll always remember it.
The winter of 1940 was not particularly hope-filled for many homes. The knowledge of faraway bombings felt like faint echoes of encroaching pain.
War was just like its name. An indication of feisty combat, a sign of disunity, a warning flame of trouble.
An art Print may be available in the future.
Watermelon Sky
Dust.
Or was it dirt?
I couldn’t tell.
Brushing a finger across the wooden surface I inspected the granules for myself.
No, it was probably dust.
Though dirt wouldn’t have surprised me. Ever since arriving in this inspiring landscape I had noticed the expanses of broad land–flat dirt spreads with a scattering of scrubby green bushes. Or perhaps they called some of the dirt–sand? I didn’t know. Many might have thought me a little put out over dirt because of the meaning of my name–Sarah. As much as I liked the idea of being a princess, I didn’t mind “living normal” too. Dirt, dust, sand …what did it really matter? I wanted to paint and that mattered more.
An art print may be available in the future.
Herein is Love
Perhaps it really didn’t matter.
Gigi picked up her dolls and scurried down the hallway. Using her elbow she pressed the large wooden door open and looked inside.
Yes. It was perfect.
Soft winter light caressed the quiet interior like invisible feathers of white down. It smelled a bit dusty, but that didn’t matter.
It was hard to miss out on a special Valentine’s Day sleigh ride because of a light cold, but this …this would be quite fun.
Gently seating the dolls against a round pillow, Gigi pulled over a wooden box. Opening it, she began to set up a little tea set on the floor.
An art print may be available in the future.
You are Loved
Rosalyn really enjoyed encouraging others.
Some days, she’d send pretty notes filled with Scripture cards, tea bags and handmade paper glitter to her friends across the states. Other days she’d create pretty banners to hang up on doorways in the home. And sometimes on the weekends she’d make little notes with Scripture verses and leave them for her family to find.
Rosalyn loved encouraging others.
And that’s why she liked Valentine’s Day so much.
This year, she was going to do something extra special. Using big pieces of pink cardstock, she cut out seven hearts. On each one she wrote, “You are Loved”. Then, she sewed ribbon to the edges and in the early hours of Valentine’s Day morning, Rosalyn laid a pretty pink heart on her Dad’s Bible, her Mom’s Bible and on each of her sibling’s Bibles.
What a lovely surprise this would be!
“The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Jeremiah 31:3
An art Print may be available in the future.
Pray …for us.
War has come. War is here. War is real.
Many thoughts are on Ukraine right now, and understandably so. Russia looms as an enemy.
But …both sides hurt.
Both sides feel pain, loss and trouble.
Because a leader decided to use his power in a negative way we should not judge all Russians by his actions. I think there are probably those in the body of Christ hurting and caring on that side too.
Pray …for them.
“And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” 1 Corinthians 12:26-27
“The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.” Psalm 34:7
And one day …
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” Revelation 21:4
Spring Collection
It was time …for spring.
Charlotte skipped twice and twirled, laughing as several butterflies flickered into the air. What a beautiful day it was to be out among the mountains gathering flowers!
She smiled as she thought of one of her favorite Scripture verses: “For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.” Isaiah 61:11
It was time …for spring.
An art print may be available in the future.
But I will sing …
It didn’t bother her …really.
True, the grass looked like it had been fried twice on the frying pan and put out to dry the rest of the way. The trees wove a netted tapestry of thin branches that cut the clouds into flat cornucopias of gray glass. And the few bits of brave buds blatantly looked blown over by the best of winter’s blows.
But ahhh …the signs of spring!
It brought a happy bound to her heart anyway.
Hothouse flowers made up for the current lack out-of-doors, and Mae practically jumped every step of the way down to the muddy creek. Usually, the water was clearer, but no matter …even muddy water on a warm day held its own delight.
All the snowy, sleepy, so-cold days of winter suddenly began to dissipate in Mae’s memories. Winter certainly held its own delights and merits, but how nice it was to experience spring again! Stopping by the small creek, she lifted up her head and sang with joy …
I sing the mighty power of God
That made the mountains rise
That spread the flowing seas abroad
And built the lofty skies
I sing the wisdom that ordained
The sun to rule the day
The moon shines full at His command
And all the stars obey
I sing the goodness of the Lord
That filled the earth with food
He formed the creatures with His word
And then pronounced them good
Lord how Thy wonders are displayed
Where’er I turn my eye
If I survey the ground I tread
Or gaze upon the sky
There’s not a plant or flower below
But makes Thy glories known
And clouds arise and tempests blow
By order from Thy throne
While all that borrows life from Thee
Is ever in Thy care
And everywhere that we can be
Thou God art present there
– Isaac Watts, Xavier Ludwig Hartig
“But I will sing of Thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of Thy mercy in the morning: for Thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.” Psalm 60:16
An art print may be available in the future.
It was a strongly contested topic.
Known as The Lane of Lagoons, many protested that this long, winding road should be titled with the more palatable words: “Redwood Lane”. And thus, many spoke of it by this name.
“More romantic.” Said one author who had written an essay on the topic.
A professor well-known for his worldly wisdom, said it was “more decorous”.
And there were others who just shrugged their shoulders. They had no plans to walk it, so why should they care? It was someone else’s business.
The pleasant-sounding title was more visually appropriate during the day. The idea of a marsh, wet land or lagoon was a foreign language rather than a common understanding for those who walked this way in the light.
An art print may be available in the future.
ARTIST’S NOTES
“While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” Genesis 8:22
Do you like the seasons? The empathetic grays and burning colors of autumn, the still, yearning gray moods of a waiting winter, the hope-filled expectation of newborn spring and the warm, heartfelt colors of summer?
You have probably heard of the saying, “Jesus is the reason for the season” when it comes to Christmas time. But you know, when we are His child, we can trust that there is a reason for the seasons we walk through. :) Seasons do not only happen visually around us in the flaming colors of autumn or the cool, anxious eagerness of spring …seasons can happen in our walk with God too.
Seasons of wondering and waiting. Seasons of joy and satisfied longings. Seasons of hurt and trouble. Seasons. They’re a part of life.
I don’t know for a certainty if I’ll continue the illustrated collection for a long time. It may be just another season where I will continue to learn and grow. :) But while this season is here, I hope it blesses and encourages you in your walk with God. That is what all our hearts are looking for. God Himself. Immanuel. Prince of Peace. Our hearts will never be content without the right Center. I pray that you will cling to Him. That you will see that He is enough. That He is always good. Always trustworthy …even in a season of cold grays and continuous snows–without seemingly a sign of life.
His ways are not our ways …they’re much better ways.