heart shines

Four months into my happy "DO" year, lots has been accomplished and much stash moving, organizing, using, and purging has occurred. 

There have also been mutterings and curse words and phrases like "damn --- where did all this crap come from?"

For instance --- the box shown below.

I have moved this box at least 50 times over the years. Tucking it in this drawer or that one. Or on this shelf or that. Shoving it to the side to fit in "one more thing". 

Well..... about two weeks ago, as I moved the dang box AGAIN, I decided that my DO year needed to include the word FINISH as well. The studio table was piled with the stuff I was putting away and sorting through, so I took this box in the house and decided to sit down and just make the ornaments in the kit. 

I dumped it all out and read the instructions........ yes I DID READ THEM and FOLLOWED them.

I pinned and pinned and pinned and pinned. 

Resulting in this. It really is very pretty. 

And it's a very generous size too. (see below) 

FYI --- although the directions for these do not include glue, I have found it to be valuable for these in the long run. I have several beaded ornaments from my mom and over time the pins can loosen and fall out and then you have gaps. To avoid this, I squeeze a dollop of glue on a scrap of paper and after I make my bead and sequin stack up, I touch the tip of the pin into the glue just before I pin it into the foam shape. Just a bit of extra security. 

Then - because Teresa is "MaggieGraceCreates" and  ---- because MaggieGraceCreates has a GINORMOUS stash of stuff and ------ because making two of them "just alike" would be incredibly boring, I pulled out some corded trim and proceeded to design my own ornament.

I glued some red and green trim diagonally across the ornament and then beaded between them.

Then a solid green top half and a solid red bottom. 

The result 

I think this one is pretty too. 

One of the pair is winging its way to a new home as we speak. 

I'll reveal which one, when the new owner lets me know it has arrived. 

Now --- would you have simply made them both alike and called it done or are you like me and would have taken off and tried your own artistic design? 

As for myself ---- I'm just glad I can add this finish to the DO year list and move the box one last time ----- to the recycling bin. 

It's a beautiful day. 

His eye is on the sparrow ---

image from here

She was beautiful ----

Ebony skin.
A tiny bit of a foreign accent when she spoke.
Bright white dress.
A young woman originally from the Ivory Coast and a part of the group who came to sing at my church.
Stepping to the front of the Sanctuary, she gently cupped her hands and began. A capella (without music).

The first few words to His Eye Is On The Sparrow, those beautiful words, send chills over me.

Suddenly - you could see that this was not a performance for her. Hands cupped, you could almost picture the tiny bird being held gently. An image of trust and worship in the words she sang. The young lady was worshiping God with her entire being.

It was one of those moments. Where chills run all over. And you know that what you feel truly is the presence of God.

It moved me. In ways I still don't have the words to express. Other than to say that the young lady opened herself to be the full on vessel for God to touch many people in the congregation.

Then something else happened.

I sit with David and Melissa most Sundays.( Melissa was one of the first I called when I found out I had cancer for the second time.) Wonderful friends who welcome this often alone "third wheel" to join them in the pew.

As the young lady sang, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw David reach in his pocket and hand Melissa a tissue. To my knowledge she didn't ask for it. He was simply aware of a very practical need for the tissue and provided it for her.

That moved me too. In a way that do I know how to express. That seemingly insignificant gesture was a huge display of his love for her.  Of being aware of her in a deep and wonderfully adoring way. In a way that says "I love you" and I am focused on making you my priority. I hoped she wasn't struggling with any specific problem that caused the tears. But I also know that if at all possible, David will be right there to handle the tears if needed.

That --  my friends was one of the most beautiful demonstrations of love I have witnessed. A tiny little action. Caught out of the corner of my eye.

My friends, I am so very happy for her. She is one of my best friends and I am want her to be cared for and loved like that here on earth.

Actually, I am very happy for me too. God allowed me to see beauty and love in that action. I saw the song demonstrated in a very real manner.

"His eye is on the sparrow
and I know he watches me"

Bet I shed tears the next time I hear it.

I SEE THRU A GLASS DARKLY

http://pinterest.com/pin/195132596327211778/

THIS IS STUNNINGLY GORGEOUS. 

When I saw this picture on Doni Hall's pinterest this morning, I immediately saw the following details ----- It's a dark night --- looking through old glass ---- see the canyon in the front. the trees up on the ridge to the right. The city lights off in the distance. Almost as if looking through a glass darkly. It fits me of late, I have spent hours looking out at the night. 

MaggieGrace goodies are happening. 

MaggieGrace is struggling on a very personal level. More to be said about that when the time is right. Please don't worry it's not a life threatening thing. Just heaviness. And fatigue associated with stresses affects me a lot. Those close to me know about it, but I refuse for that to interfere with loving life. 

MaggieGrace is working hard towards a goal she has had for many many years. 

I am leaning into the MaggieGrace alter ego part of Teresa as a sanity preservation role. 

The good thing is I have lots of MaggieGrace goodness to work with in the stash ---- 

I have several things finished and some things in process. 

I'll be doing a couple of shows in the fall and Christmas season. 

I'll be back next week - hopefully with some pretty pictures of MaggieGrace goodness.