witnessing beauty and blessing.

our pastor's last sunday with our church is today. i've been filled with emotion and grief. she is amazing, and she will be so good for the church she's moving to as their pastor. she believes in long term pastorates, serving grace for 23+ years. we'll miss her.

yet we won't be lost.

yesterday we had a benefit concert for the soon-to-be-new-to-us organ. our church and the church our pastor is moving to choirs sang together. we sang. they sang. voices joined together in unison, with a common purpose, celebrating the same soul.

the presence of this pastor in our life has been deeply healing for me. for us. there are so many stories of conflict from previous churches. we've found healing with her. what i have come to realize, too, is that we've found healing with each other.

sharing. accepting. receiving.

knowing that we are blessed by her. we bless her. we are blessed by her church-to-be. we bless them.

amazing. i've never heard of two baptist churches who come together and share with one another in such a beautiful way. the experience was moving. the experience will usher moments of healing.

as i sat there, with this sweetpea in my belly rocking about with the music, i thought to myself that the table is set to go and visit their church. to know that door will always be open. anytime. there is no end to relationship here, just the type of relationship.

today i will celebrate. i will grieve. i will know and be known. she will know and be known. she is loved. she is blessed. she is blessing.

for you :: a photo postcard blessing.

new series! feather love. in process.

feathers bring such delight.  i love my collection of feathers in my kitchen window altar.  they're so lovely to look upon.   often i think of my dreams not as clouds but as feathers.  one day when i have enough feathers gathered, my dreams will spread wings and fly.  

as such, feathers are becoming as significant to me as circles.  

feathers are carrying the wisdom to new spaces. 

i've been sitting with these for weeks.  

do they receive color?  are they white + black?  

both?  

still sitting, but not for long.  these are meant to fly!  

grow. love.

a hand stitched blessing on a quilt made with love nearly complete!

there are blessings all around.

the world offers so many blessings.  

we just need to look up.  

take notice.  

use our senses.  

receive through our senses.  

name the blessings.  

breathe.  

xo.

in the studio: creativity circle 2012

For those in or near Richmond, VA, i gather groups in my studio to engage their creative spirit.  One of those offerings are my Creativity Cirlce gatherings. 

In a Creativity Circle we: gather and share a light snack, coffee & tea. we listen as i lead you in guided imagery and deep breathing.  we stop and sit, creating rest for our bodies, our minds, and our spirits.  we create together a selected project with abundant materials.  and we share time, energy, and presence with one another.  you're asked to be present to yourself and those gathered at the table with you, sharing as you feel led.  

Current 2012 Creativity Circle Calendar: 

EVENINGS: 

4th Tuesday evenings from 6:30 - 8 p.m.  ((next date: January 24th))

MORNINGS: 

4th Thursday mornings from 10 - 11:30 a.m.  ((next date: January 26th))

1st Monday mornings from 10 - 11:30 a.m.  ((next date: February 6th))

AFTERNOON: 

2nd Monday afternoons from 1 - 2:30 p.m.  ((next date: February 13th))

**Holidays may alter the dates, but you'll have plenty of notice.**

REGISTRATION: 

The first time you attend is my gift to you.  Once you have experienced the space of the studio with others around the table creating, you decide if the gathering is a gift to yourself.   I appreciate knowing when you're able to come.  If you are able to attend any of these dates, please let me know.  I'd love to have you! 

After you gift yourself with the time and space to create, each session is $35 which includes food & art materials.  If you sign up for 6 sessions ((to be used when you choose)) the cost is $165 (($27.50 a session, a slight decrease for 2012)).  If you sign up for 12 sessions, the cost is $300 (($25 a session)).  

the shift for 2012: You can gather as often as you'd like during the month.  You can gather twice a month or once a month or every other month.  It's all up to you when and how you gather and how many sessions you attend in a month.  

Payment Options: I accept cash, check, credit card, or paypal.  

IF there isn't a time listed that there's a current group that you can join, please email me when you can attend and we'll see what we can do to get a group together. 

Do come if you're in Richmond, VA.  Contact me for information and to register, which is so quick & easy.  If you know others in the area who would benefit from such gatherings, please share!  

reverberations: party: day 9

December 9 – Party Prompt: Party. What social gathering rocked your socks off in 2010? Describe the people, music, food, drink, clothes, shenanigans. (Author: Shauna Reid)

shenanigans. love that word.

my recent studio blessing rocked my socks off. it was amazing, soulful, filled with laughter, light, good food, great company, and brought together every aspect of motherhood, ministry, and the arts. some cross over the lines, weaving between one groups and another: folks from bereavement groups, friends, creativity circle folks, women in ministry folks, arts community folks, kindred spirits, clergy friends.

women, vino, and soul food. oh, my. it was enchanting. i have photos, but they are at the studio and not here with me. photos to share soon.

life stories: studio blessing

i'm having a studio blessing with a small group of folks. the studio has been blessed through the creativity circle, through birthday celebration, pep talks, good visits, creativity, and introductions. it's been blessed through many hands creating, painting, unloading, sharing, and loving. i'm so, so glad for this space.

i invite you to participate using your voice...

i want to enlarge the circle of blessing by inviting you to write a sentence or two as words of blessing for the "wish jar" that we'll be creating. it's a jar that will have rolled up pieces of paper containing blessings for those who need to reach in, read, and hold on tight.

i'll collect your words and print them out using good fonts. i'll roll them up and stash them in the jar. the jar will be in the studio available for folks to reach in anytime they need. it's a good space, this studio. it's a good space, this blog. it's a good space, this wish jar. thank you!

i've created my button blessings that are available in my etsy shop if you'd like one for yourself written in my hand. it's meant to be a good word that you need to hear, to speak, to hold in the right moment.

blog birthday! we've turned three!

on the 14 october 2007 i welcomed you to this blog. since then i've written about motherhood, ministry, and the arts. sometimes one side of the discussion is present more than another. sometimes there is silence. but always, i have found appreciation and welcome from you. you are kind, caring, and thoughtful. you have emailed and commented. you have sent good energy and encouragement. i know you're there.

sometimes if i think too hard i worry about what you'll think. but mostly i don't because this is a safe space for my pondering, reflection, prayer, life stories, recipes, photos, art, invitations, and so much more. i've been dreaming lately about how to express my thanks. how to say hello! and i'm so glad you're here.

so...i'd like to invite you to say hello! and let me know what you value most here. you may just want to say hello or perhaps mention a favorite post or post series. maybe 2 of you or 20 of you comment. maybe not. either way, it's our birthday and i'm so glad. it's a celebration and i've invited you to the party.

now for the presents! for three of you folks who share a good word on this post through a comment, you'll be given *through a random number generator* a present. i like giving away presents. comments will be welcome, but the opportunity for the gift(s) end on sunday, october 17th. it's a birthday month! my mother has a birthday this month, and my grandmother's birthday just passed. my love and my mother in law celebrated birthdays as well. these made and make me me. they gave me life and continue to influence my art, my love, and my daily acts of creativity. in honor of them, i gifts include some of my prize creations and a special block print:

peace to you and yours this day. happy birthday, reverend artist mother.

here's to many more! cheers!

daily bread: a prayer for nourishment

in whatever form this blessing finds you, receive it as you read it. make it yours as you translate it to your space in life this day:

may your spirit be nourished through the work of your hands.

may your children feel the blessing of your presence,

renewed and refreshed, all the way to their toes.