Approaching Glory

Art Class

Some of you may remember that last fall I took the plunge and started taking some art classes - after a hiatus of thirty plus years.  I took a beginning oil painting class and a drawing class.  The painting class frustrated me and the drawing class was fantastic.

In January I decided to take both drawing 2 and a different beginning oil painting from Chris - the drawing instructor.  I don't know why - but Chris and I seem to click on some level and I feel comfortable in his classes.  This fall I started and finished the sunflower picture - a great learning experience but not an original.  I have laid out plans for a set of pictures that potentially could be fantastic, but refuse to start them because I know I don't have the ability I need yet to get them where I want.  So I started looking at this pic again and realized how shallow it was.

Sorry about the quality of the photos.  My camera and I need a parting of the ways.   I loved the colors of this plant (there really is a plant that has these great colors)  But knowing what I know now,  I realized how flat and poorly composed the picture had been. So I decided to work on it again.  I changed the direction of one of the main leaves, took some elements out, put some elements in, balanced the colors more, and did  (what felt like) endless shading of colors.  I don't know if you can tell because of my poor pics - but now you can sense the shape and roll of the leaves.  And even if my latest photo doesn't pick it up - that gorgeous blue is still there.

What blessed me was that my art teacher said this should be the first of my paintings to enter into a show.  He said it showed my potential. That was the icing on the cake.

PS:  I never, ever use black in my paintings - that is Alizaron and Prussian Blue mixed to create an almost purple black color.  Wish the colors were more evident.

Thanks I Needed That

Thanks so much for the kind comments.  I took K's advice and cut the toes off a pair of socks - it works very well.  I had to take Jbird to the dentist this morning.  No cavities - PTL he has great strong teeth.  He is going back next week to get a whitening pen.  The one I've provided a link to is not necessarily the one we will be getting but I wanted you to see what I'm talking about.  This is the first I've heard of this and must say I'm impressed.  Picture days are coming up for J and he wants to look his best.  I also realized we've got to schedule his wisdom teeth extraction - ugh!  Forgot about that.

Then I called my doc - who told me what I already knew - there is nothing else they can give me except some steriod cream.  I told him to call it in, but it really doesn't do anything for me.  I did some fast grocery shopping (philly steak sandwiches for dinner) and then took two Benydryl and slept for three hours.  Jbird wanted some caramel apples so we made some of those.  Trust me - I did not protest this activity at all.  I've always loved them.

Hubby and sonny just got back from the video store so I think I'll go watch a movie with them and then take some more meds and go to bed.  Still have things to tell y'all.

Thanks again SO much for your advice, care, and concern.  Blessings to you.

Pouring Forth

Tonight it is pouring.  Rain.  Water.  Our drought parched state is gobbling up every drop.  In my life it has been pouring also.  These have been some of the most difficult few weeks.

1. The root canal.  Survived.  Made it through the meds - albeit not without some stomach/intestinal issues.  Traumatic - yes.
2. The broken tooth.  Survived.  Consider it a lesser confrontation than the root canal.  However, still (for me) a tough thing to deal with.  Like I've said before these are MY issues from childhood trauma. 
3. The on-going prayer battle for T goes on.  She is back on chemo - trying to get her back into remission.  Emotionally - this is SO tough.
4. I wanted to help Hubby by doing some outside work.  I knew better.  I disobeyed my inner voice.  I used latex gloves, I was covered from head to foot, and I threw all my clothes in the wash immediately upon getting in the house.  I thought the outside work would help get my emotional state of being into a little balance.
5. I got poison ivy.  If you've read my blog, you know I'm severely allergic to it.  Think - get treated ASAP or you will end up in hospital.  I saw two spots and went to get the shot and the dose pac.
6. I got the shot on Hubby's birthday.  So much for our plans.  Within one hour of the shot I was ready to cry one moment and angry the next.  I was shaking like a leaf.  My blood pressure had to have shot up - because my face was flushed.  Add to that my heart was pounding and every nerve felt like little demons were jumping on them.
7. On Friday the 19th I started the five day dose pac.  I became highly confused.  I tried to knit and couldn't remember from one stitch to the next what I'd done.  I became so exhausted I could barely speak above a whisper.  And yet my anxiety level (along with a blazing headache) was so high that I took the last Valium I had from the tooth thing just to be able to exist.
8. On Saturday I made it through three pills of the five and said, "Forget it".  I was a complete basket case.  I thought I was going to end up in ER with either a complete mental breakdown or a heart attack. 
9. Sunday I had to pack and drive three hours to Rome, Georgia.  My son was participating in the North Georgia Music Festival at Shorter College.  I don't know how I did it but I got there - barely.

More details to come.  Let me just ask for prayer.  I am itching.  I still feel terrible - although I am beginning to think more clearly as each day goes by.  I made it home safely - thank God.

I have/had an opportunity to go away with Hubby this weekend -but at this point I don't know that I am able to do so.  I don't know if this post makes sense but I guess I was hoping someone was wondering where I've been.

Blessings to you all.

A Family Day

Well, I guess it is to be expected that the day after a root canal your jaw would feel like someone slugged you. I took some Naproxen to help with the discomfort.  BTW my stomach is doing so much better now that I'm taking the PPP's.

I got lessons plans made out for this week for Jbird.  He is a child who definitely needs structure for lessons.  I got his Trig curriculum ordered and it should come in this week sometime.  I'm sure he'll be overjoyed about that.

We went out later to get some movies at Hollywood videos.  I like the fact that they've got a good selection of the classics.  We ended up getting some Monks and a couple of movies.

Then we headed out to Publix to do some necessary shopping.  We decided to get a garlic bread crust pizza from DiGiorno to eat while watching Monk.  It was great.  Of course Hubby didn't like it because he isn't a garlic eater.  I made something else for him.  Then we all had strawberry shortcake for dessert.  Yum!

After the Root is Over

I came home and got something soft and light to eat.  Then we headed out to Forsyth for swing choir.  We had to skip orchestra today.  Jbird had a lifeguard/Bible study/worship/eat thing at the Y.  I'm very impressed with these efforts by the Y to reach out to their staff and patrons with the Word and praise and worship.

So I drove home and worked on my painting.  This is the latest effort.  Jbird got a gorgeous gift bag at the local Christian bookstore.  I took a picture of it and decided to see if I could replicate the picture.  I believe the artist used watercolors in the original painting -something about the brush strokes and white paper showing through here and there.  But I did my copycat in oils.

Now before you get on to me about copying someone's work:

1. I don't intend to pawn it off as my own
2. I'm not going to sell it
3. Most students of art learn by copying master's works to learn techniques and skills

And let me tell you - I learned a bunch from this little picture!  It is NOT my normal style at all, and it took alot of concentration and effort to try and make the brush strokes like this.  The artist did a super job with shading and color placement.  I had to do alot of mixing of colors in order to come near what the original looked like.

Mixed reviews from the guys, but I'm pleased with what I learned and the bold colors.

Root Root Root Canal

Today was THE day.  When the office called yesterday to remind me of my appointment (like one can forget their prescribed day of torture?) - I asked if they give gas.  No.  Uh huh.

This is where I gently reminded her again that I suffer high anxiety with ALL dental related situations. Don't ask.  Won't tell.  Suffice it to say I have very good reasons and that I have PTSD.  I'm very upfront about my condition.  I've gone to the same dentist now for twenty years and he knows me.  I may cry even if I don't want to and it takes every bit of faith I have to walk in his office. 

However, this is NOT my normal dentist.  This is a specialist - because I have infection grabbing roots.  Once my roots grab said infection they don't like to let go.  This is a nasty habit on the part of my teeth because this (more often than not) leads to root canals.  My regular dentist is getting tired of my quirky teeth and sent me to a specialist.   Considering my dental phobias and my allergies to most opiads (which are the best things with which to feel no tooth pain) - I face alot of opportunities to be an overcomer.

Before you even think it - I brush and floss and take good care of my unappreciative teeth. Anyway....

After assessing the situation of NO gas, I asked the nurse what she intended to do for me.  Bottom line - Valium.  Okay by me.  Jbird will drive me to and fro and hopefully the stuff would relax me enough.

And guess what?  It worked!  Woo hoo!  This guy is good and I do mean good.  I was SO happy when he said, "We're just about done now."  I was doing great  - until I got to the front desk and was told I needed to fork out over $1000.00 - like  - right - then - and - there.  Say what?   The nurse told me I got services and I needed to pay for them.  Like - would a couple of hundred suffice for today?  Nope - the whole thing and nothing but the whole thing.  I rummage through my purse and come up with a credit card.  Hubby is going to have a fit.  Now I'm NOT feeling so good.

I sign over my life and wait for her to give me an appointment date for a year check up. 

"Oh!", she exclaims, "You've got dental insurance!"

Uh - yeah.  She begins to profusely apologize.  I begin to breathe again.  We cancel payment and I pay the co-pay - which is about $279.  PTL.  Much more do-able.

Unpleasant Stands

I believe it is becoming increasing unpopular and difficult to take a stand.  The world would have us believe that it is possible for all of us to live in one big bowl in which the various ingredients have been whipped into some kind of indiscriminate palatable mush.  But. It. Is. Not. So.

Irregardless of what the general masses would like us to believe - there are absolutes in this world.  And they don't exist because of anything I believe or disbelieve about them.  Of course, in order to accept that, it would require a shifting of people's lives - and no one feels comfortable doing that.

Hey - you say - I come here to read light, everyday happenings and not some philosophical rantings.  Right.  Well - sorry.  Come back again some other day then and I'll probably accommodate you.

I was confronted this morning with a little fox.  Oh - not the one that I saw in the woods the other morning.  He was real and very cute.  Nope.  I mean the little ones that spoil the vine. Song of Solomon 2:15

I love music.  A good friend remarked about how much I surround myself with music.  Up to that time I didn't realize how much I really did.   The more I thought about her comment the more I realized that music plays more of a part of my life than I ever realized.  Music has accompanied me through all the facets of my life.

That all being said - last night I was surfing the Net and decided to download a few songs via a music store - a first for me. Now I don't have an MP3 player (yet) so this was a download to my hard drive.  I could discuss the difference between MP3 and WMA files but that's not the point (go for the MP3 files).

Of the four files I chose to download - two were contemporary Christian selections and two were secular.  The two that were secular were played as background music for a TV show that I watched and liked.  One of those songs has currently made the "crossover" and is being played on Christian radio channels.  And that my friends, is where my problem started.

For some unknown reason I (wonder where the prompt came from?) felt like I needed to go and look at the band's site for the one song that is being played on the Christian stations.  I did and looked up the bios for the band.  Uh huh.  Okay - that was an eye-opener.  And then I looked at their videos and clicked on one which purportedly was another big hit for the band.  Let's just say the deception and worldliness of the video totally upset me.  They took something pure and holy and totally mocked it and in the process were promoting wrong.

And I wanted the file that I purchased off my computer ASAP.  Well, part of me did.  I pulled up the file and sat there with my finger poised over the delete completely button and the thought came - Uh - you just paid for this last night.  (88 cents - give me a break) Well, maybe that other song is raunchy but this one is being played on the Christian radio stations.  There's nothing wrong with this song.  After being amazed at the mental resistance over a dumb song - I pushed the button.

Now before you think I'm trying to be "holier than Thou" I am not.  I can not tell you why this is an important test for me - today.  But I know that it is.  This test today falls under the category - "some may but you may not."  Why would I hesitate - it is just one dumb song!  Right. Do you really think the test was about that dumb song?  I do not believe so.

I don't serve a general god.  I serve a General God. (I'm not scared to serve a God who has authority are you?)  A God who knows my specific needs, and my specific life, and how to specifically build my character.  That may not taste so good to some people who want to live their lives in a bowl of mush.  But then again we are called to stand - whether or not it is pleasant.

* photo by P.Bushnell