Thanks Giving

THANKS GIVING

“And God is able to make ALL grace ABOUND to you, so that having ALL sufficiency in ALL things at ALL times, you may ABOUND in EVERY good work. . . He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and MULTIPLY your seed for sowing and INCREASE the HARVEST of your righteousness. You will be ENRICHED in EVERY way TO BE GENEROUS IN EVERY WAY, which through us will produce THANKSGIVING to God. . .” 

(II Corinthians 9:6-15, emphasis mine) 

 “Thanks Giving” speaks of FLUID abundance--a possibility rarely discussed over our Peppermint Mochas and Pumpkin Spice Lattes. In cozy coffee nooks we bubble about our Thanksgiving plans and “give thanks” for this and the other thing. . . but what if we blathered exuberantly about the “GIVING” that our “Thanks” compels? 

Or ARE WE SILENT BECAUSE GOD’S ABUNDANCE IS NOT COMPELLING GENEROSITY? 

God says first to Abraham, but also to all his children, “I will bless you and make your name great, SO THAT you will be a blessing.” (Genesis 12:2) The exiles in Babylon are commanded to seek good and pray for the city, to SHINE and SHARE the abundance of God with it. (Jer. 29:4-7) And again, the bountiful fruit of vine-abiding in John 15 is for tasting! For sharing! For living radical love! (Jn. 15:1-17) 

GLORIOUSLY, gifting is only a piece of the precious cycle God has set in motion. WHAT BRINGS GLORY TO OUR GOD: BLESSES OTHERS: BRINGS 

 PERSONAL FULLNESS. ALWAYS. 

To miss this is to allow the Devil to douse us with all his “gray” and to dilute the powerfully good heart of our Father! Abraham was BLESSED! God’s chosen people were protected and promised healing, intimacy, and good fortune. (Jer. 29:10-14) And the vine: it is like an eternal spigot! God says, I tell you these things SO THAT my generous joy may be IN YOU, and that consequently YOUR joy may be FULL also. 

Christmas!

 It’s time to think about Christmas Cards again— and

I’d love to (re)introduce you to mine:  "Joy-Noise," "Purpose," "Welcome," and "Evergreen." 

Each is both whimsy and truth . . . And my goal while drawing was to balance these two aspects so gingerly that any of the designs could be sent to any person, regardless of his/her God-orientation.

Each card is a 5x7, highest-quality, textured giclee print, blank inside, with scripture printed on back.  Inserts are also available that share a hint of the Big Story within my story, and invite recipients to my site for more . . . (Please see example of card front and back at bottom of post.)

Each card is sold individually or in sets of 10 of one design. Additionally, "Evergreen" is available as an 8"x10" or 11"x14" print.  

Also . . .be sure to take a peek at the Novelties page for some delightful

gifts, accents, and bookmarks that make special stocking stuffers, hostess or teacher gifts, friend surprises, etc. 

Happy Mailing!  Happy Sharing.  Enjoy!

"Ever Green"
For you shall go out in joy and be led
forth in peace; the  mountains and hills
before you shall break forth into singing, and
all the trees of the field shall clap their hands,
Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
 . . . and it shall make a name for the LORD,
an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
 Isaiah 55:12-13 (ESV) 

"Welcome"
Lift up your heads, O gates!
And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the
King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory!
Psalm 24: 9-10 (ESV)

"Purpose"
For as the rain and the snow come down
from heaven and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the
sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty, but it
shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed
in the thing for which I sent it.  Isaiah 55:10-11(ESV)
(This drawing folds in the center to form
card front and back. Snowman/winter forms front;
lamb/spring forms back.)



"Joy-Noise"

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises! . . .
make a joyful noise before the King the LORD!
Psalm 98:4,6 (ESV)

Sample Card, Front and Back

Refuge & StrongHOLD

StrongHold
"Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint.  Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.  . . . . Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings." (Ps. 61:1-4, ESV)

 Refuge
"I love you, O Lord, my strength, my stronghold, my crag and my haven."
(Psalm 18:1-2, Book of Common Prayer)

"Refuge" and "StrongHOLD" . . . and Humility

Both “Refuge” and “StrongHOLD” are the fruits of my effort to create manly art. Specifically, I was attempting to draw for a man who not only runs to, and enters into, our God-Rock consistently himself, but who also models the security of Christlikeness to all those in his care. 

I completed “Refuge” first and was highly disappointed with myself. Too much detail and whimsy for a man, and maybe even for me.  To counteract these feelings, I began again and drew “StrongHOLD.”  Cleaner, stronger, simpler.  And my son hates it.  “It’s not your style, Mom,” he said.  I feel ambivalently toward it myself.  

Disappointment and ambivalence prevented me from posting either of these drawings upon completion, but my desire for authenticity compels me to post them now. 

Life is not merely a series of successes.  Our purest LIFE was forged for us in humanity’s most heinous pain and humiliation.  (Phil. 2:5-11;  Hb. 12:1-2; Jn. 10:10-11; Is. 53:10-12)  Why should I pretend otherwise?  Why should I happily parade visible success, while madly scurrying to obscure my failures?  (Mt.23:5-7,12)

I actually ADORE the fact that God operates an upside-down economy. And he doesn’t work this way begrudgingly.  Instead, his heart THRILLS to turn things around (Lk 3:5-6; Is.42:16, Is. 45:2-3), redeem, and surprise (Is. 51:3)!  Simple things confound the “genius” (I Cor. 1:27-28). The humble are exalted. (Lk. 14:11, 18:14; Js. 4:6; Ez. 21:26)  The dead seed becomes a gargantuan tree.  A rude hay-stuffed trough becomes Divinity’s Cradle-Throne.  Surprise!!!!  And shepherds get the universe-changing news FIRST!  (Lk. 2)

So maybe God likes these drawings of mine best!  It’s possible.  I do know that the childlike and dependent spirit they evoke in my heart makes him smile (Hs. 14:8; Mk. 10:14-16).

And so I share them with you.  I share them because I have no desire to hide my mess on this journey.  My mess makes me approachable, accessible . . . to others housed in flesh AND to my Jesus.  (I Pt. 5:5-7)

And, you know . . . HE might just turn it ALL around!  

Upside-down Me.  Hmm.

Bold Love






Bold Love
Ps. 136: 3-4; Eph. 5:1-2

   

 

Bold. Love.


Like Thunderous Water Plummeting and
Fireflies’ Twinkling Whispers.


Like Arms that Encircle, Bear You Up, until Bedtime and
Shining Day Spots that Dab your Tears.


Like Horrific Pain becoming Resplendent Beauty and
Blood Ribbons Streaming from a Matchless HEART.


And like Peacock Feathers.

Bold. Love.


Like Wet Rolling on Cheeks Together and
Hopes Handed High.


Like a Deep Look into Eyes, into Soul, of EVERY Person and Emptied Pockets, Hours, Heart.

Love. Bold.


 

Flourish

Psalm 1:1-4

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.  He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.  In all that he does, he prospers.  The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.”  (ESV)

REMEMBERING 

Wow!  I wish enormously that I could fully express the elation, security, abundance, and adoring-Jesus-heart that winds in and out, over and through, these words!  HOW?  How does one freshly consume the worn-out familiar and seemingly inconsequential?  And how does truth become contagious hope-filled breaths? 

Abundance

“Oh how ABUNDANT is your goodness, which you have STORED UP for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you . . .” Psalm 31:19, emphasis mine (ESV)

“The LORD will open to you his good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands . . .” Deuteronomy 28:12 (ESV)

REMEMBERING

God—UNCHANGEABLE, INCAPABLE of deceit (Hebrews 6:17-18),  Authenticity and Trustworthiness personified, PROMISED to dump out storehouses worth of good on his crazily-adored children who wait with eager expectancy!  . . .

Tears

"You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle.  Are they not in your book?"  Psalm 56:8 (ESV)


REMEMBERING

I wrote this verse in my sketch book months ago because I love to know that God is personally engaged collecting my tears, carefully managing what breaks my heart. . .

New

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.”  II Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)

Hope

Isaiah 51:3—“For the LORD comforts Zion; he comforts all her waste places and makes her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song.” (ESV)

James 1:22-25—“Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don't act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.  But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God—the free life!—even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action.” (MSG)

REMEMBERING
“Hope” is me—my own story—you should know . . .   

My Father's World

“O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all . . .” Psalm 104:24 (ESV)

This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world: He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world: the battle is not done:
Jesus Who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one.

By Maltbie D. Babcock, 1901

Beyond Clay

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.”  II Corinthians 4:7 (ESV)

REMEMBERING

Creator God’s shining all over, and into, my weak little heart and gifting me with the story of JESUS is “TREASURE” (II Corinthians 4:6-7).    And it is SO life-changing and resplendent that no intelligent person can competently credit ME. . . 

Truly Gifts

Romans 8:32 . . . He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?  If God’s love compelled Him to give me Jesus’ agonious redemption, what good thing will his Love refuse? 

REMEMBERING

 “Truly Gifts” began as musings over 2010 . . .