CHANGE, make a new Ending, Words of my Heart by Texas Artist Laurie Pace

Change

"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending."  Maria Robinson

They reported on the news as we are ending this month that it was nicknamed the month of Junuary... instead of January.  Very little snow in the USA and very little cold weather.  It certainly reminds us of last summer and temperatures from 110-117 degrees for over 85 days.   We cannot go back and start over this year...the month of January is gone... so with the climate changing so drastically, how do we start today to make this new ending?  We have to change how we view things.

Climb up where you can see what God offers.

From climate to relationships, from jobs to classrooms... we can begin again today with a new attitude and a new view.  Tonight I visit a local Girl Scout troop to do a program on being an artist.   I will be teaching about climbing out of the box.  That too is another way to start today and have a new ending.

EVERYTHING does not need to stay the same.  Your habits, your lists, the way you control your day.  Change it up and climb out of that box. View life in a new way as you begin the second month of this year.  When you stay in your box, you cannot see the world around you.  God has created so much for you to do and see and be... are you hiding in your box for a reason?

Words of my heart, Laurie

“You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.” Psalm 86:5 NIV

Claiming God's Good Plans, Words of my Heart by A Texas Artist Laurie Pace

Claiming God's Good Plans

After a week of travel we were so happy to be home in our own bed last night.   For some reason my Dad's words are stuck in my head right now.  He always encouraged us (the siblings) to believe in ourselves; to write down our goals; to cross them out as we achieved them.

Heck I remember at age 17 he gave me one of those pocket books about achieving the most you can from life. He was way before his times.

This was Lady L last year... she has on her bakers hat and is working diligently in her own little kitchen.  This trip to her house she has a new kitchen... got it from Santa.  She served me special tea made with watermelon and ice cream.  Her imagination races with ideas and colors swim before her eyes when she does her painting or coloring. She is poised and ready to apply the talents God has given her to use in her life. It is time for her to grow and begin creating the life God has for her.

We all have had dreams in our lives. Dreams of the ideal job or things we wanted to do, like learn to play the guitar, or take cooking lessons, or art lessons.  Pray on it now. What is your destiny? What are your gifts? Open your heart to God and see what is in store for you.  Be ready to claim His plans for your life.

Words of my heart, Laurie


Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”” Mark 9:35NIV

Happy Birth Day... words of my heart, by A Texas Artist Laurie Pace

Having a Birthday?  It's my Birth Day Too!

Our youngest son turns 31 today.  I told him it was my Birth Day too. I was there giving birth on that day...so doesn't that qualify?

My Dad would say he was in his 32nd year already, but that truly makes me feel older and I feel old enough already. 

We have watched him grow from a tow headed toddler into teen and then off to college.  Now we are seven years after college graduation... and with the bumps and challenges along the way, he has emerged to be a fine man.

Each man in life has his own journey to make, his own tale to tell and his joys to share.  The challenges in life make us stronger. We grow through learning sometimes painfully, trying to make things always be one direction, our direction.  We find as we grow older we have to live and love and accept not only ourselves for who we are, but others as well.

Mother and Son

When he married this summer we celebrated again joyful that he found a soul mate in his sweet wife that he knew from church as a young teen.

We discover with age that we have facets of our lives we keep hidden and protected. We realize we are vulnerable.  And if we are really blessed, we are listening and we realize God has full control over everything.

Accept this moment in this day and celebrate life. God is good.

Happy Birthday Son.

MOM

words of my heart, Laurie



 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians 6:12-13 NIV

What Defines You? Words of my Heart, By a Texas Artist Laurie Pace

What Defines You

With much reflection on the life of someone I loved dearly, I sat last night with my husband and two of my children and shared what was the essence of our loved one to each of us. Although his physical body no longer walks this earth, his spirit now seems to surround us and lift us in joy.  His completeness with the Father is a celebration as is his healing to be whole again.

He was a man of integrity and directness. He was a man that held each of us to high expectations and loved us deeply. He did not put up with anything he thought was out of line and often put fear into our hearts, but we still knew he loved us.  He had hopes and plans for our lives.  We did not always do what he expected, nor did we do it his way.  We took the tools he gave us and we made our way the best we could.  Every mistake made us stronger. Every new challenge encouraged our growth. He mentored us in life by setting the standards with strong core values and he led by example.

He was a man rooted in Christ. He derived his identity from Christ and lived his life in Christ.

Today we seem to be defined by the media, by what they are pushing and how we want to be seen by others. We seek things that are wants and not needs.  We are enticed by the world and we often choose to live seeking self gratification. 

We have choices this new day to live as we did yesterday, or to begin again in His light and put down  roots in Christ.

Words of my heart, Laurie

"He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,  who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
   
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testified about Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.' " For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses ; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.  No one has seen God at any time ; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him."

The Finish or the Start, Words of my Heart, a Texas Artist Laurie Pace

The Finish or the Start?

I was speaking again to our Pastor this week following the death of someone very close and dear to my family.  Writing often of God's call to us, Jack gave more insight in his reflections yesterday.  When death comes, it marks but the end of our 'calling' here on earth. While a new journey begins with death, it is not ours to judge others on how they lived their life, but it is ours to rejoice in the life they did share with all of us.

Words spoken, embraces exchanged, subjects debated, lives intertwined, tears shared, birth and death celebrated, all through the direction of the Father and His plans for each of our lives.

I am going to be spending time with family for the next few days and will blog when I have time.

You have time now to stop and reflect on what you are doing in your life to serve Him and serve others. What reflection do you see of your life when you look in the mirror?

Words of my heart, Laurie

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8 NIV

Grace of Togetherness, Words of my Heart by Texas Artist Laurie Pace

Grace of Togetherness

With young children they need constant watching. They are vulnerable to so many harmful things around them that having a 'visual' on them is a necessity to ensure their safety.

Many moms with young ones are near crazy by the end of the day trying to keep up with the busyness of their children.

God keeps the same watchful eye through the Spirit placed within us. As adults our lives are busy. Yet no matter what we are never alone. His spirit abides with us at all times, the watchful parent keeping a visual over us.

 
Knowing God is a partner in life with us each day, makes that day livable.  We are often pulled into rifts and problems; dealing with them depends on our trust in Him that we stay current in the moment with our eyes focused only on Him.

Every decision, every choice, every relationship brings a gift or opportunity. With God beside you, you will have a day filled with His strength and light gracing your every step.

Words of my Heart, Laurie

"Grace is poured upon your lips; therefore God has blessed you forever." Psalm45:2

Be Still, Words of my Heart by A Texas Artist Laurie Pace

Be Still

Yesterday in church Pastor Jack had us starting out singing an old favorite...
How Great Thou Art.  "O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder, Consider all the World thy hand hath made."

He is all around us. In the quiet of a sunset, or the gentle rain, or in the early morning dew, our God is our constant.

Be still where ever you are as you read this and know His hand made and provided all around you.

"I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy Power throughout the universe displayed."

Jack spoke about God calling to us and all the many excuses we come up with not to listen or follow His direction.

If we are burdened by life and it's circumstances, it is hard to be still and listen to Him. We are busy trying to repair things and get back our balance.  That is really the time to be still.  It is time to affirm His presence in us and in our world.

It is easy to view the sunset above and see God's hand, or the beautiful mountains in eastern Oklahoma in the next picture, but can you see Him here in this town ravaged by a tornado?

Be Still.

He is here as well.

When the mind and heart are still you become an open conduit for God to speak to you. Your thoughts no longer are centered on what is about you in the external concerns, but you are comforted by the pure presence of God. He will lead you out of the turmoil.  He has something more for you to do this day... can you hear His message? Can you be a sanctuary for others bringing a calm to their day and the light to their darkness?

Words of my heart, Laurie

"Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee, How great Thou art."

"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

Unanswered Prayers, The Elephant in the Room, Words of my Heart by A Texas Artist Laurie Pace

Unanswered Prayers, the Elephant in the Room?

It happens all the time. Elephants in the room. We step all around them, worry about them and they do not budge.

Terry's Aunt Jo used to keep a list of all the things she was praying about. She had a spiral notebook she carried around. Neatly she would write out the date of the first day she was praying about something.  If the prayer was answered... on the far right side there was a date of the answered prayer.

This really works in the sense you SEE how many prayers are answered and very few are unanswered prayers.  Everything is in God's time, not ours.

Right now there is something you are fretting over or worried about. Something that might even shake the foundation of your life...or so you are thinking. You begin praying about it. Often it is easy to offer a barter or trade. IF you do this, I will do this.... count on an unanswered prayer my friend as God does not take lightly to bartering.

When you pray you often have a waiting time for things to begin to happen. Rarely is anything overnight. Even if there is not evidence of things happening, God is working on it all.  It is time to go about your day and be strong in your faith and trust God. Affirm your love and faith in Him and stop fretting about the things that seems to be the elephant in the room. In quiet moments the Presence of God is evident and the elephant begins to fade from sight. Your eyes on are Him now, you cannot see that elephant any more. Now you are ready to receive.

Words of my Heart, Laurie

"And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." Luke 1:46-47

Kinesthetically Speaking Words of my Heart by A Texas Artist Laurie Pace

Kinesthetically Speaking

Wikipedia Kinesthetic learning is a learning style in which learning takes place by the student actually carrying out a physical activity, rather than listening to a lecture or merely watching a demonstration. It is also referred to as tactile learning. People with a kinesthetic learning style are also commonly known as do-ers.


I come from a teaching background and this word has been apart of me a long time. Every student has a different learning style. While they may all overlap, they are still distinctive to them.  As Terry always says... it depends on what motivates them.  Every one of us is motivated differently.

I have always been one of 'THOSE' people that can walk into a room and immediately feel the atmosphere or 'mood' of the room down to individual people.  One glance into their eyes or watching their hand motions tells me volumes.  I am often swayed by the emotions as they seem to wash through me. 


It comes from being a do-er... everything is tactile or hands on.  I watch tutorials for the new CFAI website, but I do not 'own' the material until I do it myself. I cannot in the same sense understand people unless my emotions can associate and feel their joy or pain. 

We are all connected by the threads of the Spirit that weaves us together as children of the Father. "We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord."  We have to have that same sense of connection of kinesthetically being hands on with God. That brings the harmony to our lives and to the lives of those around us.   While we all have outer differences as well as habitual differences, our hearts beat the same; our feelings get hurt just the same; we get too proud just the same; we love just the same and we hold grudges just the same.  Yet we are still bound by that same beating of the heart, the same need of our humanly  condition to be loved by someone during our life and the need to feel needed. We are truly one in the Spirit with God and this Spirit transcends any differences we come up with.


Words of my heart, Laurie


"You are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind" Philippians 1:27

Relationships, Words of my Heart by A Texas Artist Laurie Pace

Relationships

Terry is always leery when I turn off his television at night and want to talk. Immediately he feels he has done something wrong.  How did we get here? Does not seem like a healthy reaction, especially when I am not frowning. I have known him for 48 years of my life. I know him pretty well.

How can you improve your current relationship?  I know as we talked last night I literally prayed before responding to some touchy things we were discussing.

 I stayed quiet and sought oneness with the Father before replying. I did not want to speak out of emotions and not from my heart. Our lives have been up side down since he retired in April 2010. We need to get back on the same page and I was ready to talk about it. Praying as we spoke kept me from over reacting to some of his responses.

The impact of this spiritual security brought about a change in him as we talked and I could visible see him sigh and relax. He was still hesitant speaking of painful things but it was something that had to be done.

It is so easy to lose sight of God in our relationship.  Staying aligned with Him helps each of us stay aligned in our relationships with others. Knowing God is with you provides a sense of security and joy. Divine love nurtures all of us. Divine love will bless every relationship in your life.

Words of my heart, Laurie

"I want their hearts to be encouraged and united in love." Colossians 2:2

Healing Words of my Heart by A Texas Artist Laurie Pace

Healing

Injuries of the flesh take time to heal. When our youngest son was in a near fatal car accident, it took over a year to get him back on course....and even then there was fall out from the accident that affected his life for the next ten years.

Injuries of that magnitude leave a vulnerable place in our lives. All health challenges create that same vulnerability.

Often we cannot be healed in this lifetime and we must have faith in God to walk through our lives beside us with these illnesses or injuries.  Through our faith and His abiding strength we can make the best of each day.

Believe you are perfect just as you are at this moment in time. True healing begins from the inside out and that would be from your heart.

New growth comes from within. Allow your faith to sprout forth and share the bloom with your family and friends.

Words of my Heart,  Laurie

"Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well." and instantly the woman was made well. " Matthew 9:22

The Foundation, Words of my Heart by A Texas Artist Laurie Pace

The Foundation

When times are rough and you feel pretty beat down, you hold on for dear life. You pray hard that you are rooted strong enough to withstand the blow.

What keeps your rooted? What is your foundation? If you lost everything you had right now... materialistically, would you survive? If you lost your family right now, would you survive?

When winds are calm it is easy to pray and feel secure in your faith. When the wind picks up, your foundation in life will be tested. 

Putting God's truth into your day and sharing it will strengthen your foundation. God is with you no matter what storm hits. You are protected.  It does not mean you cannot lose all around you...but it does mean your faith will keep you strong to endure what the storm takes from your life.  

Affirm His presence daily. You are never alone.

Words of my heart, Laurie

"That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when a flood arose, the river burst against that house but could not shake it , because it had been well built." Luke 6:48

My Prayer for Gentleness, Words of my Heart by a Texas Artist Laurie Pace

My Prayer this week for Gentleness

For some reason for the second time this week I have been stirred in my morning petitions and prayers to the single word of gentleness.

Reflecting on the word brought to mind when Jesus met the woman of Samaria and asked her about her husband...and she immediately changed the subject to worship. Jesus did not press her on the true issue of her past, but allowed her to sway the conversation to her comfort zone and he reached out to answer that of what she asked him.

Gentle people will always be cautious of the feelings of others and not probe into unspoken areas. A gentle person seeks to offer comfort and protect others from being "exposed" and condemned. We seem to be forthright society now days in it to always grab what is best for ME and we often lose sight of need to be gentle in our heart and actions.

Words of my Heart,
Laurie

"Learn from Me, for I am gentle and  humble in heart."  Matthew 11:29

Thoughts from the Road Trip on Sunday by A Texas Artist Laurie Pace

Thoughts from the Road

We made a short/long trip to see the kids yesterday...there and back. Five hours total driving time.  One of those love hate things of being on the road, but knowing it is rare for the family to gather in one place.

It helped that our son-on-law Larry was whipping up some healthy chicken chili. It was the thought that kept us coming... that and playing with Lady L.

As we left Mount Vernon, Terry had on a variety of political talk shows.  That alone is a retreat into prayers or other thoughts for me. Everything gets hashed and bashed on the TV and I truly did not want to hear it for two and 1/2 hours in the car yesterday morning. But I did.

The saving part was as we hit the edge of Dallas crossing Lake Ray Hubbard the George Bush Turnpike was open.  Taking that cuts off about 30 minutes in driving time. THAT was a nice surprise.

We enjoyed our visit, good food, good conversation, many hugs, and not near enough time as we headed home by four...but with this return trip we had the Giants/Packer Game. It lasted the entire trip home. Those Giants really cleaned up.

How do men do this? Trying to follow that auction type gibberish almost drove me crazy. AND he could drive at the same time and change stations on his steering wheel.  Truly men must learn these things from an early age. There is not a radio or tv that they cannot figure out and work without a look or a blink.

God is truly good and patient.  He must feel very much the same way about us and our constant gibberish every day. We stay motivating in the direction we are heading. The few times we turn our attention to Him... we still have not slowed down to breath and prepare for conversation.  I think we have too many computers, too much TV and too much noise in our lives. We have TOO TOO much. We can control and conquer all the electronics but we cannot let go and live our lives with joy.  Maybe it is time for a challenge of less when it comes to electronics...of all sorts. Time to be set free.

Words of my heart, Laurie

" To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."" John 8:31-32

What is Indwelling within You, Words of my Heart by A Texas Artist Laurie Pace

Indwelling

If someone were ask to describe you with one word what would it be? What is indwelling in your so strongly that it is something identified with you?

HINT:  It is never what you think it is, believe me.  When we look in the mirror we see something totally different than everyone else sees.  We see what we want to see. So what do others see?

When we are born we arrive totally dependent on others for our existence.  So from earliest moments we relate to 'others' before we learn to become aware of ourselves. If we were blessed with a loving family, we were kissed and nurtured and raised in God's light. We felt significant and loved and we grew up knowing of the Father's hand in our daily life.

Now what about everyone else?

They missed the nurturing. They might have missed God. They grew up feeling rejection, hurt and hungered deeply for attention they never received.

We are each a by-product of our environment from birth forward.  We have the power to change. We can let go of that which no longer serves us.  At any time we can seek God's light and presence in our lives. We can become a by-product of His indwelling grace and share His word and truth with others.

So what is indwelling with you? What is the one word people would use to describe you?

Words of the heart,
Laurie

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:21

The Balancing Act, Words of my Heart by A Texas Artist Laurie Pace

The Balancing Act

I know I drive my husband crazy when we hang things in the house.  Finding that same balance in life is almost as crazy.

With TP working for American for 23 years you become aware of the need for balance and strick attention to detail.

How do we get there in our personal lives?  We are faced with the magnitude of our 'society' our 'jobs' and our 'families'.  Further down on the list is church and God.  I am learning now it does not work that way. There is no balance, only frustration and anger.  God has to be first. God has to be first.

We must learn to align our human nature with our divine nature and bring spirituality into everyday life.  This new awareness will take practice to make it a habit and then it eventually becomes a natural part of our lives.  With this new found balance, we set examples for others in our lives to witness our strength with the Lord within us.

Words of my Heart, Laurie

"We have this hope, a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul." Hebrews 6:19

Settling In, Words of my Heart by A Texas Artist Laurie Pace

Settling In.

Why is it so hard for us to let go and settle in somewhere?

Comfort is the couch or easy chair with a blanket to tuck around you in this cold weather. The next comfort is the heated mattress pad our daughter bought us a few years ago. Makes going to bed PURE comfort.

What is comfort? Comfort speaks to the ease of the Spirit, to enjoy resting in the arms of God, feeling His warm surrounding you; feeling His peace fill you.

Feel Him in silent moments. Feel Him in the midst of chaos. He is there surrounding you through all times...not just those snuggly lets get close times.  Learn to release your fears and drop all those rocks you carry around.



Reharge by His closeness. Be renewed through His Spirit  and be empowered by Him through His grace.

Words of my Heart, Laurie

"Then they were glad because they had quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven."  Psalm 107:30

Completing the Circle, Words of the Heart by A Texas Artist Laurie Pace

Completing the Circle

Did you ever think about currents and prayers?  Terry is always talking about circuitry and currents.   With the energy we create from praying, we send out currents to all those in our lives.

We have our friends and family that we pray for daily. This is a well established  current that has been tried and tried and relied on for over 45 years.

We have seen each other through the good times and the bad times for almost half a century.

I think the ties between the women are the strongest almost like we are the pray warriors and our connect is deep as sisters in our faith.

Then there are new friends that God brings into our lives. We add them to our prayers and immediately the circuitry expands as they begin praying for us as well. Every time one heart is lifted in prayer, all hearts are lifted and all lives are blessed.

We must wait upon the Lord.

Words from my heart, Laurie

"And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself."
John 12:32

Staying in Line, Words from my Heart by A Texas Artist Laurie Pace

Staying in Line.

Thoughts of childhood and all those lines we stood in. Minutes that seemed like hours.

Times you broke out of line only to be corrected and times your mind wandered and you forgot to follow the line... you were staring off into space.


OR there was a really neat rock almost five feet away and you desperately want to make a dash for that rock... while no one is looking. No one like the adult in charge.

Remember those lines? Hands to your side. Do not touch anyone. Walk in a straight line.

How about  these lines? These children have no food.. they are staying in line..hoping and lifting up there hands for nourishment. They are starving. They will not budge from this line. If they did they would miss what is being offered to them.

Are you starving for joy in your life?
Are you in need of a plateau to rest?
Is the climb to hard right now?

God does not demand a line...but staying in His light makes a huge difference. When you turn away from His light and make a dash for that special 'rock' or thing that is tempting you... or push the limit on the direction you want to go totally opposite of where He is leading you...the result will be less than satisfying. We are often tempted to put more faith in what we perceive around us than we do in what He offers from His kingdom. His light will fill you with the power to make this journey. His love and grace will support you in every need, providing exactly what you need.

Words from my heart,
Laurie

"When a land rebels it has many rulers; but with an intelligent ruler there is lasting order." Proverbs 28:2

Learning to Forgive Words of my Heart by Texas Artist Laurie Pace

Learning to Forgive

“Life is an adventure in forgiveness.” Norman Cousins (1912 - 1990)

One of the joys of a new year is the thought of forgiving and letting go of things that have piled up over the year. This process can open up your heart to find more love surrounding you. When we allow anger and issues to compile over time, they squeeze shut our hearts and we become cold inside. 

Forgiving rarely means forgetting. We are too human for that. Does God forgive and forget? It is reasonable to feel hurt and angry over memories because they fester over time. Without forgiving they will never heal. If you can forgive, the wounds will eventually heal and only a scar will remain. Over time even that scar will fade.

When you are ready to forgive, you are ready to ACCEPT the incidence. Open your heart to love and your world will change. Judgements you carry around year to year will only continue to pull you down. Isn't it time to let them go?

With God you have the power to release the weight of all these things you have not forgiven. God's love is stronger than anything you have stored up over the years. Another person's actions should not control you this long.  Let it go.  Open your heart to love and the light God has to offer.

Words of my heart,

Laurie

"Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses." Mark 11:25

 

Grumpy Day? Words of my heart by A Texas Artist Laurie Pace

A Grumpy Day? I don't think so.

Well yesterday was overcast and dark...with thick fog and altho the day started out good, by early afternoon I was tired and ready to nap. Terry was in a really grumpy mood as he has an injured back.

Despite the mood and the back, we took down the Christmas tree and dismantled the decorations on the fireplace mantel and put away the stockings. That alone was a mood setter for sure.  Then came the realization that there are always choices to make new things happen in our lives... my life is under God's authority, not the dark clouds outside.  

Choosing peace and prayer I retreated to my studio to work on a painting.  With that peace came a freshness to my work and the light seemed brighter despite the thick fog. The power of the indwelling spirit is strong if we open our hearts to Him.

Stacey sent this adorable picture of our Grand-dogs sleeping side by side. They have two kennels but they prefer to nap touching closely. That warmed me more with a wide smile.

Choose Peace by faith. Know you have support from Him and your earthly family and friends. The essence of life is God within. Let this year begin with the amazing power of a new start in your life.

Words of my heart,

Laurie

 "Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying"Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border..." and God graned what he asked. 1 Chronicles 4:10

Co-creator? Words of my Heart by A Texas Artist Laurie Pace

Co-creator?

Thoughts of God's touch creating so much beauty in our world, puts me in awe of His artistry.  As an artist, I feel so much responsibility to use my gift wisely and to allow Him to work through me as I am only a poor imitator of His dimensionally work.

Ladies at my summer workshop.

Painting in my own style, expressing what is important to me using line, color, palette knife and movement, is primary to the success of the work. Success that He was apart of the making.  I can do nothing with out Him.

Encouraging other artists to paint from the inside out is often hard. 'Copying' a photo or image from the internet is hard to pass up at times, and I cannot say I have never done it because in the early years of the internet it seemed easy to use it as reference. Not fully copying it, but copying it where I should not have done it.  You begin to realize it is not your work. It is not His work. It was something co-created by Him and another artist or photographer.  For me to be a co-creator with Him, it is something that is inspired by my work, my photographs, or if I have a photograph for a commission... it is with permission to be a co-creator.  Paintings completed without Him may be technically correct but they are not filled with any light or energy.

Feel prosperous in this new year and joyful that He is there with you as you do what your direction is in life.  Do it with His spirit there fulltime. It is God-power, or God-filled energy.  Abundance is there for the asking, and He will provide what we each need in life.

Words of my Heart,
Laurie

"For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance." Matthew 13:12

Perfect Order, Words of my Heart by A Texas Artist Pace

Perfect Order?

Not sure it exists in my world, but it is suppose to be there. God promises His perfect order.

As the days and weeks unfold things never go the way we think they should go. We all struggle with God's way as it happens, trying desperately to make it 'right' the way we think it should be.

One of my favorite chores is folding wash. I have so much control. I am very particular about things being folded in the proper manner to fit in the drawer neatly.  God has His particular way too and we fight Him all the time.  He is unfolding in our lives the path He has chosen for us. It is never neatly packaged because we are human and always tinkering with our own lives and those in our family.

If we would stop and look around in the world, we would remember that His plan is perfect. Examples are the way it all works from caterpillars to butterflies and more. He has a process for everything including us.

Patience is the prayer for the day, that we can be patient with this day, this week, this time in our lives to allow Him the time to work.

Words of my Heart,
Laurie

"Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming." 1 Peter 1:13 NIV

Deep Do-Do, Words of my Heart, by A Texas Artist Laurie Pace

Deep Do-Do

I KNOW you all have heard that phrase before.  We get there in life all the time.  Either we produce the mess we are knee deep in, or we wade in often not realizing it.

Well, I laughed until I cried yesterday when Stacey sent this image of Lady L. If you recall they have two new puppies they rescued that are about 4 months old. They are little miniature Schnauzers, but I really believe one is really part black lab.  So the dogs love playing in the back yard.  This is Lady L's personal territory with her new "Park".

She walked in the house late yesterday with dog poop all over her shoes, socks and lower legs.  Her mom could not even imagine HOW she got into this much puppy poop. The backyard is sniped every afternoon and these are only two little dogs... how did she manage to get covered in so much dog poop?

So this morning after the big clean up yesterday... Lauren solved the issue herself by putting on her bright new pink rain boots.  She was determined not to have poopy shoes this morning when she went out to play.

So my friends, remember to pull on those rain boots when you are knee deep in problems.  God has the perfect pair ready for you... in your favorite color.  Like reading in the bible about arming yourself... see below.

Words of the heart,
Laurie

"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Ephesians 6:14-16

Our Highest Good, Our Inheritance, Words of my Heart by A Texas Artist, Laurie Pace

Our Highest Good... Our Inheritance

When we are born we have already begun 'inheriting' things...such as our DNA from our parents.  Red hair, green eyes, long legs and spunky attitudes. By age two we continue to inherit things, like mannerisms and toys handed down from older siblings. Things continue to pile up as we inherit more through the years. These things are not for our highest good.

As hard as we look ... we never truly see everything we 'inherit' or recognize if it is truly 'good' for us. 

As a child of God I never doubt His kingdom is my inheritance. It is who I am. It is who I became as my parents set the example in our lives. At times I am definitely not worthy of this great gift. I fail and sin by thought, word and deed.   It is only through God's grace that I find my way back to this truth.  Home is not just where I lived and grew here on earth, home is where He is and where I am bound. His love keeps me safe and leads me there.

In this New Year I challenge you to stay on the path to His higher good.  Allow His love to shine in your life, your words and your actions. He will show you the way if you are waiting and watching and listening. When you falter, He will be there for you guiding you with the light. 

Words of my Heart,

Laurie 

"I commend you to God and to the message of his grace." Acts 20:32

Healing Thoughts for the Year, Words of my Heart by Texas Artist Laurie Pace

Healing Thoughts for the Year

The well being of our bodies can be changed at any given moment in our lives. We are often challenged by disease that appears unexpectedly.  Our bodies have a marvelous ability to rebound back and fight off and restore itself against most attacks.  Everything in us is alive and good health is a state we all seek.

It is at times that 'bad health' creeps in that we must keep our thoughts on life and healing and affirming His hand in our lives.

If you know someone that is suffering right now from a disease they cannot fight and 'win' on this side of life, time to prayer for healing to rise up and heal them with the life ever after.   Pray for each other. Times are hard and often people do not share where they are in life.  Affirm with God all things are possible in His time and His way.

Words of my heart,
Laurie




“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,” Titus 2:11-12 NIV

Oh What a Day to Whiz in the Park, Words of my Heart by Texas Artist Laurie Pace

 Oh What  A Day

I truly debated on my feelings last night. I was in my studio cleaning up and a group of children and some parents arrived at the pond behind our house. Part of the pond is our property, part is with the lot across the pond, which belongs to our Home Owners Association.

This is a gorgeous neighborhood of high end homes in the millions on this lake.  Ours is quite a bit simpler as we are next to the lake but not on it.  It is also a gated community. I love watching children fishing in the pond with parents as it warms my heart to see time spent with young ones...but late yesterday caught me totally by surprise as one of the men in the group basically unzipped and whizzed away right in public. A long whiz.

You seen pictures of where we live.. it is beautiful and very natural... but that was beyond my thoughts.

I decided next time I will shoot pictures and share them with the Home Owners Association. Perhaps they want a port-a potty in our neighborhood area. (I know not.)


I know growing up my parents demanded manners from us. There are certain rules accepted in our lifestyle that to me are pretty basic. This violated everything I have been taught. My anger grew and I walked away... bringing Paddy inside and settling back to work on my computer. I knew I had to recenter and not think about it.  Terry suggested having homemade cookies ready to share with them and try to approach it from a different angle.  Tomorrow we will walk around and clean up all the trash they left behind.

Think about others when you do things today. Your actions speak loudly.

Hummm...maybe a sign...No whizzing on this property? I can only imagine how God feels about many of the things we do that totally bring His jaw dropping.

Words of my heart,
Laurie

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12 NIV

Words of Hope, Happy New Year from Texas Artist Laurie Pace

Words of Hope

Well I certainly did not spend my day improving anything yesterday... or even with my darling husband. It was another day with CFAI.co.

Today I am going to pace myself to only 6 working hours as yesterday was 13 hours working on the site.  Those are my words of hope at least!

Praying you had a safe New Years and look forward to 2012.

We didn't dance or party like we use to... but we enjoyed the change in the year and feel like most people do that it a new start for many things in our lives.

Choose for it to be a closer time with the Father.

I am heading that way to my bible right now and will start my day in Psalms.

Words of my heart,
Laurie

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

The Joy of New, Words of my Heart by A Texas Artist Laurie Pace

The Joy of New...

 A new year. A first for me in years that I do not have that huge list of things to do and change. A first year that weight loss was not primary on the top of the list.  A first year that I did not write out a long list of things to add or change in my life.

WHY?
Because this past year I have gained some insight in dropping much of the worry. I have kept 16 pounds off for full year and I am ready to drop five more. I am getting better at it. I still fail. :^(   But I get back on my knees and realign myself with God.  My prayer for you my friends is to find peace and happiness in this moment.  God's plan is in place.

I had a huge joy at the end of the year last night. We arrived home around nine from eating out with Paul and Victoria for an early night out. The mail box at the street was stuffed with  a box I could not extract. Terry had to get out of the car and manhandle the mail box to release it's contents. We backed up the drive into the garage and whisk everything into the house. As I opened the package my breath drew out and the tears began to fall.

I am not a huge collector of things any more but one of my dearest collections was started by a good friend, sister of my heart, four years ago when she started sending me older Hummel pieces. I have ALWAYS loved them but never indulged in them. (My ancestors are from Germany. My grandmother was the last to come over and my mom was the first generation born here in the states. I am second generation.)  These beautiful pieces have been joyful sightings through out my life, so when my friend started my collection I was in love.  Tonight in my mailbox was a box containing the one almost in the center of the picture...slightly to the right. I cried for ten minutes totally amazed by how this new little piece caught my heart a glow.  These are in a glass case in the den where I see them all the time. I am reminded of her not just with these little ones, but with so much in our home.  Oh yes, this is all 'stuff' but we have parred down in our life to those things that are nearest and dearest to us in making our life simpler.   I posted once earlier in my blogs of my 'sisters' that sits by my kitchen window from another dear friend... and two paintings by another dear art friend (Linda McCoy) that are on the wall in my breakfast room... along with pieces from Diane Whitehead, Toni Grote and a few others.   God's blessings in love surround me not just in nature outside my window but in some tokens and treasures shared by my earthly friends.

Happy New Year.  May you find your treasures in this moment right where you are.
Laurie

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV