Wishing for Christmas & Colder Weather...

Today I came home and found this in my driveway!

They were so kind to do some yard work. I didn't even know they were coming.

I am so ready for Christmas and cooler weather; so much that I came home and decided to set a holiday atmosphere! I began by making Chicken-n-Dumplings my favorite way (with buttermilk biscuits instead of regular dumplings)! YUM!!!!

With the heart-warming aroma of my mulled cider candle wafting through the air....

And my favorite Christmas CD Chris Botti "December" playing in the background. This is a must have for your Christmas collection!!!

Yes I'm ready for the holiday's. This is why I now have Christmas music on my blog!!! :)

I sing because I'm happy!

Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.

More PEAK pics...

Peak 2010

Belated PEAK pics...

If Women Controlled the World...

My Godwink!

So today was one of those days....

I was taking a late lunch break on the other side of town, completely exasperated with things that weren't going right...... when, as I was getting back on the highway a truck past. A boy in the passenger seat was smiling and holding up a piece of notebook paper with the words "I Love You"! It did make me smile!

My Inspiration for not doing Laundry!

The thermostat in my laundry room says 104 degrees! Could you imagine running the dryer?!?! Inside the house it's a little cooler, but my poor air condition still can't keep up.......plus the humidity outside makes it absolutely miserable! This is the time of year when I'm thankful for an inside job!

Religious Rituals

(Excerpt from a song called "Believe")
I say on Sunday how much I want revival
But then on Monday, I can't even find my bible.
Where's the power of the cross in my life?
I'm sick of playing the game of religion.
I'm tired of losing my reason for living.
Where's the power of the cross in my life?


I'm not satisfied living in yesterday's hour.
I'm not satisfied to have the form but not the power.
I'm not satisfied there's no love in my life but You.
I'm not satisfied doing it my own way.
I'm not satisfied to have church and walk away.
I'm not satisfied. Lord I am crucified in You.


So we lay down our cause that our cross might be found in You.


If we find ourselves in a religious ritual, is it really doing us any good? It can be an easy thing to let ourselves get caught up "going through the motions". What if it all looks good on the outside? It may seem we have it all together or that our heart is in the right place, but are we really serving God out of a deeper love and commitment? What is it to you: faith or religion? Are we living for God or others? Do we live our lives to please God or out of fear of what someone might say or think about us?


Matthew 23:27
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.


What about prayer? Is it done with a sense of foreboding? Do we pray because that's what is expected of us? When we pray, do we really pray? It's so easy to kneel down and start saying those common prayer phrases that we don't have to give much thought. What about vain repetition?


Matthew 6:7
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.


I realize that every day I have to make a conscious effort not to get caught up in these religious rituals. I have to constantly remind myself.


All for the Glory of Christ...........

You Can't Buy Fulfillment!

I Don't Want to Go Through the Motions

Listen to: Motions by Matthew West

Lately I've had this song on my mind. It's been resonating in my heart. I tell people all the time, I want to live a life with no regrets. I don't want to look back and say "What if I had given everything, instead of going through the motions"?

I don’t wanna go through the motions
I don’t wanna go one more day
Without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don’t wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything?
Instead of going through the motions

Ghetto Boom Box

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

I couldn't resist! :)

Well as they say...

"Where there's a will there's a way"

and

"Necessity is the mother of invention"

But on your Go-Cart? I'm not so sure about that!?!?

Hope this brightens your day! It did mine, I almost fell out of my chair!!!

Eat Dessert First!

If you know anything about me, you know I love chocolate! And there is a special place in my heart for chewy brownies (with nuts)! So, as has become my tradition, I decided to "Eat Dessert First" the other night. Ciara shared the "Brownie Sundae" from Chili's with me. IT IS WONDERFUL! I little slice of heaven!!!! No kidding. It's moist, delectable, melt-in-your-mouth delicious! The picture doesn't do it justice. So if you like chocolate, next time you go to Chili's you have to try it! And you know what's great about Chili's now? You can order online and have it ready when you get there....so you don't have to wait to experience this piece of paradise! It was so good Ciara and I were fighting over it (j/k)! BTW I'm not giving a thumbs up, I'm trying to keep from getting fudge, ice cream and brownie all over me!

This picture doesn't do it justice! We had so demolished it that it kind of looks like mashed potatoes w/ gravy! LOL! :) Here's a menu picture to show you what this wonderful dessert looked like originally...

Yummy, huh!?!?! Help keep up tradition and always "Eat Dessert First"!

A Graphic Designers Freedom Wish!

(This is not my original idea but if you know anything about computer design codes it'll make you laugh)
Happy 4th of July. Hope your holiday was #FF0000, #FFFFFF & #0000FF !!! 
:)

Do I Really Believe?

I saw this interview several years ago, but the last couple weeks it has really stirred me. Do I really believe?

Fireworks in 4D!

 Pic of the fireworks from Shelby's camera.

I love watching fireworks every year! This July 4th we decided to park downtown and walk to the river, to avoid the mad traffic rush. The fireworks were shot from the LA side of the Mississippi River; we were on the MS side. We stood on the sidewalk that bordered the chain link fence at the top of the bluffs. We were so close to the fireworks, they filled the entire sky! You could feel the force of the explosion in your heart with each firework. You actually had to lean your head back and look straight up to see the whole display! I would say it's the best fireworks display I've ever seen, because we got the whole 4D experience (lights, feel of the explosion, smell of the smoke which was rising from the river right in front of us). Let freedom ring...

Post Campmeeting Syndrome!

Campmeeting last week was packed with great services and great people! Bro. Booker and Bro. Coon were the speakers this year. It was so wonderful to see so many friends at one time. It was my pleasure to be able to work with some of the most talented singers and musicians in this region. I think we represented just about every style of Christian music (except rap)! We had a great youth choir on Thursday night! Cory brought the house down with "I'm Not Ashamed" - I was so proud of him! It was a great service. The SCC Minister's Quartet did such a good job on Friday morning that they were asked to sing again Friday night. I think they've been asked to sing a couple of other places too...... they really are awesome! Friday night, Sis. Angela blessed me with singing a solo for the SCC Chorale to "All I Need" by Rizen. WOW! She can sing like nobody's business! After lugging my camera around all week, I managed to capture a few pics of some friends.

Me & Amber

 Me & Corrigan (He loves his Tia!)

Me and Kaylee

This week I'm going to take it slow. I may take up knitting! Just Kidding! :)

What is the Square Root of 1280????

Today is the day before Campmeeting, which will be held at our church. My day has been crazy. In a last minute effort, hoping that one more try would work, I ran the roads trying to find a converter for our platform monitor. I inquired at 5 stores, but of course had to go back to the first store.

I spent hours on the computer today trying to configure the projector. The resolution is 1280x1024. I promise this thing has a mind of it's own. I would configure it several different ways and each time it would do something completely different 1280,0 & 1280,0 were different each time- so there was no rhyme or reason! I even tried doing a little math to outsmart the computer. DIDN'T WORK! I had the bright idea that finding the square root of 1280 would solve my problem, then I could just find 1280, (square root) and it would work! Only one problem, 1280 does not have a square root! You would think by my writings that it would be simple to figure out the computer issue, just take my word it's not! Finally, after 12am it decided to cooperate and I have agreed to leave well enough ALONE! I hope tomorrow makes a little more sense than today....

Youth Camp: He Wants It All

So it seems like the theme of Youth Camp was "He Wants it All", such a moving song by Forever Jones. The youth choir sang it both Tuesday and Friday nights of camp. I must say that Abbey McKinney was my favorite soloists on this song, none could do better! :) Before camp, the first time I heard this song on the radio was on 95.5 Hallelujah FM while I was on my lunch break at work. I was so moved by the lyrics that I went back to my office and transcribed the entire song.

He Wants It All
Forever Jones

There's a voice that cries out in the silence,
Searching for heart that will love Him,
Longing for child that will give Him their all,
Give it all, He wants it all
 
There's a God that walks over the earth,
Searching for heart that is desperate,
Longing for child that will give Him their all,
Give it all, He wants it all
And He says...
 
Love Me, love Me with your whole heart
He wants it all today
Serve Me, serve Me with your life now
He wants it all today
Bow down, let go of your idols
He wants it all today
He wants it all today
He wants it all

All of you
More of you
Wants it all today

He wants it all today
He wants is all today
So give it all

There's a voice that cries out in the silence,
Searching for heart that will love Him,
Longing for child that will give Him their all,
Give it all

He wants it all

The services at camp were incredible! Thursday night resulted in a 3 hour altar service. The Spirit of God was so thick in the sanctuary. It was a life changing week!


On the lighter side- Our drive up to Kamp Kumbaya was eventful! We teased Alex for over an hour about why he hadn't brought his mom's cream cheese squares. We would all call him and text him He finally text back:
I regret to inform you that I do not have any cream cheese squares. Have a nice day! :)


When we arrived at camp, Sis. Johnson and I were helping Shelby and Ciara get settled in "Dorm 3". One of the matrons asked if I was Shelby's mom!!!! That's never happened before! Most of the time I'm mistaken for a camper, but to have a 17 year old daughter, that's a stretch!?!?!


Since Tuesday was such a blur, especially because I had just made it home from Kid's Camp and was back the next week at Youth Camp, I had to wash my hair and ended up going to P&W rehearsal and dinner with wet hair. I wasn't the only one though. Here is the wet hair club: Shelby, Me and Bethany - Beautiful Huh! (My head is turned so you can see the wonderful outcome of WET HAIR!)

I had to take a picture of this, Shelby's luggage for Camp......WOW! I think her bedroom was empty when she left! :) (She hated me for taking this picture) Love ya Shelby!

This is a pic of me and Kassidy... She is one of the sweetest and most genuine girls you will ever meet!

Til next year...

Kid's Camp: Jesus is My Superhero!

Kids Camp was a blast last week! Here is a pic of me and some of my favorite girls!

Not only were the services great, but so were the people! I feel like I have an extended family from all over Louisiana and Mississippi! The day sessions were filled with great lessons and also an hour of black lights, puppets and action songs. Needless to say, I'm still singing "Superhero" because I heard it for 2 days! So if you've never heard this song (and if it isn't already playing on my blog) go down to the playlist and enjoy. And for the rest of you who were at camp, sing along...

SUPERHERO!

He's the one who makes the sun shine
He's the one who puts the moon in the sky
He's the one who hung the stars
One by one

He's the one who makes the birds sing
He's the one who makes your dreams so high
He's the one who makes me smile
Day by day

Jesus you're my superhero
You're my star, my best friend
Jesus you're my superhero
You're my star, my best friend

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah

Better than Spiderman

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
Better than Superman

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
Better than Batman

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
Better than anyone

Jesus you're my superhero
You're my star, my best friend
Jesus you're my superhero
You're my star, my best friend

(repeat) 

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
Better than Yu Gi Yo

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
Better than Barbie

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
Better than Action Man

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
Better than anyone

Jesus you're my superhero
You're my star, my best friend
Jesus you're my superhero
You're my star, my best friend

Hope you enjoy singing it for days! ;)   
(Cause it'll be stuck in your head!!!!!)

P.S. This post is dedicated to Donald Rand who is already happily singing "Jesus is My Superhero"......all because of me! LOL

Ballet Magnificat: Deliver Us!

Last night, we went to a performance of "Deliver Us" by Ballet Magnificat. It was absolutely incredible. The story line tells about the captivity of Israel and how Moses became the key to their deliverance. It then shifts to the crucifixion of Jesus and how he became the deliverer for all mankind. The performance was beautiful and gripping, set to the music of "The Prince of Egypt". This is definitely a must see!

I also got to meet Keith Thibodeaux, whos wife started Ballet Magnificat. For those of you who are familiar with the "I Love Lucy" series (which I've never seen), Keith Thibodeaux was Little Ricky. He also played the drums for the christian group, David and the Giants. (I have a pic but am not able to upload it from my phone yet)

Needless to say it was a great evening! :)

Get the Fans Out!

It's officially sweltering in Mississippi. Get the fans out, the ice cream and anything else that will keep you cool! I guess since it snowed here 3 times last winter, it decided to extend summer from 3 months to 5. If you're anywhere above Jackson, MS be thankful that you're not miserable too!

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Wikihow.com has a few interesting suggestions about how to keep cool this summer. A few of them sounded more like torture to me! :P

How to Cool Yourself Without Air Conditioning

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

A day without air conditioning? Here's how to cool yourself down before the heat overwhelms your body.

Steps

1. Just add water. The relief is almost immediate, and will last for up to one hour or more.
   
   • Ball up and soak a t-shirt in the sink, wring it out, put it on and sit in a lawn chair (or other chair that lets air through to you) in front of a fan. Re-wet as it dries. Make sure not to soak it with cold water. It can be colder than you think. Instead use lukewarm water so you get cool without freezing. Using a synthetic shirt will ensure no "wet T-shirt" look.
     
   • Wear a short sleeved shirt and put water on the sleeves. If there is a breeze or fan blowing on you, you can actually get cold. Use a squirt bottle, the sink or hose if outside to keep your sleeves wet. If you are outside and wearing long pants and you put water on your legs, the water will cool your legs.
     
   • Fill your bathtub with cool water and get in. Once you are used to the temperature, let some water out and refill with cold water. Keep doing this until you are sufficiently cold. Your body will stay cool for a long time after you get out.
     
   • Or just soak your feet in a bucket of cold water. You can do it almost anywhere and don't have to stay in the tub. The body radiates heat from the hands, feet, face and ears, so cooling any of these will efficiently cool the body.
     
   
   
2. Sweat it out. Water vapor produced by sweating actually takes heat away from your body if it is exposed to air and allowed to evaporate. The best thing to do is to put your sweaty self in the path of a cool breeze or fan. Also try using a Water Misting Fan. These portable devices are battery operated so you can take them with you wherever you go. As you mist and fan yourself, the water is evaporated on you skin giving you an instant cooling sensation!
   
3. Dress for the heat. There are several strategies to dress, depending on your situation:
   

1. • Wear Light Colors: Darker colors will absorb the sun's rays and be warmer than light or white clothing, which reflects light and heat. Wear natural summer clothing.
     
   
   

Cover Up: Covering up may actually keep your cooler, especially if the heat is low in humidity. In the scorching temperatures of the Middle Eastern deserts, traditional cultures wear clothing covering from head to toe. By protecting your skin from the sun beating down, you'll also shade your skin. Be sure your clothing is natural fabrics, and loose.

1. Go downstairs. Warm air is less dense than cooler air so it ends up layered on top of the downward moving cooler air. If you're in a house, for example, get lower than the roof. Make your way to the basement or lower level. It will be cooler there. Position a fan in an upstairs window to draw off heat collected in upper rooms--set it up so that it sucks air from indoors and pushes it outdoors.
   
2. Keep the air flowing. Turn on the ceiling fan, box fan or battery operated fan in the room. In the evening, open windows and use fans to create a cross-breeze, circulating cooler evening/night air through the rooms. As soon as the sun hits the building the next morning, close all windows and keep doors and windows closed throughout the day until it is cooler outside than it is inside. Then you can open everything up again and cool off to be prepared for the next day. Leaving kitchen cabinets open all night helps too; if you leave them closed, they store the heat and your house won't cool off as much.
   
3. Close your blinds. Close your blinds and curtains during the day to block the sun. For even better protection, get aluminized blinds (or use removable sheets of cardboard cut to size and covered in foil.)
   
4. Turn off electrical heat sources.Turn off the stove or other sources of heat. Don't use the stove or oven to eat--eat out, eat cold food, or use the microwave. Incandescent light bulbs also create heat - switch to compact fluorescents. Turn off your lamps, as well as your computer when you're not using it.
   
5. Adjust your pilot light. If you have a gas stove with pilot lights, make sure they are set correctly. Too high and they'll produce excess heat. We stop using the oven in the summer and just turn the gas off.
   
6. Use a hint of mint.Try a few minty or menthol products to cool your skin: slather on lotion with peppermint (avoid your face and eyes), shower with peppermint soap, use a minty foot soak, and powders with mint. Mint refreshes the skin and leaves a nice cooling sensation.
   
7. Try a heat snorkeling system. Take a glass and fill it almost to the brim with ice cubes. Then hold it up to your mouth and blow gently into the cup. The ice causes the air you are blowing into the cup to cool down drastically, and since the air only has one way out of the cup (the hole which should now be aiming right at your face) the cold air is forced out over your skin. This is a great alternative to air conditioning and is very simple. Note that this is not any more efficient that A/C, as energy goes into freezing the ice.
   
8. Breathe like a dog. Try the [[Breathe Like a dog} Roll your tongue into a tube with the tip outside the mouth. Continuing slow deep breath, breath in through the tube and then move your chin to your chest as you breath out through your nose. Do that 5-10 times and you should start to feel cooler. Dogs often use their tongues to cool themselves; perhaps this yoga practice comes from noticing that.
   
9. Eat spicy food. It's not a coincidence that many people in hotter regions of the world eat spicy food. Spicy (hot to the taste) food increases perspiration which cools the body as it evaporates. It also can cause an endorphin rush that is quite pleasant and might make you forget about the heat.
   
10. Use alcohol--rubbing, that is... Take ordinary rubbing alcohol and a wash-cloth and pour some alcohol onto the cloth and rub it onto your face, being careful not to get any in your mouth or eyes, and stand in front of or under moving air and the evaporating alcohol makes it feel around 30 degrees.
    
11. Put a freeze on things. Get a 1 or more 3 liter bottles, fill them mostly full of water, freeze them, then place them in a large bowl (to catch dripping water). Position a fan to blow on them. As the ice in the bottles melts, the air cools around them. The fan will blow that air at you. The water in the bottles can be frozen overnight and used again, repeatedly. This will supplement your AC if you have it, and will serve as a ad hoc AC until you can get a decent AC system. Note that this is not any more efficient that A/C, as energy goes into freezing the ice.
    
12. Think cool. Read books about climbing Mount Everest, visiting Norway, or watch "March of the Penguins", "Ice Age", or "The Day After Tomorrow". You might not be physically cooler, but if your mind envisions a cold environment, you might feel a bit cooler.
    
13. Find a shaded area and set up water misting system that connects to an ordinary garden hose that can be found at home improvement stores. Then, just sit there and let the mist cool you off.
    
14. Sit Still. Do not try to fan yourself because it can make you hotter. Trying to move while feeling hot can make you feel hotter.
    
15. Cool as a cucumber! Slice a thin piece of cold cucumber (from the fridge or a cooler) and stick it in the middle of your forehead! This feels fantastic on a hot day or when stuck in a hot car, and works almost immediately!
    

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Cool Yourself Without Air Conditioning. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Strength

Saw this today:
"I'm only as strong as the coffee I drink and the hairspray I use!"

MUSIC

I've been developing a deep like for retro music lately! I recently downloaded a couple of albums by Chuck Girard (I believe he was popular in the 70's). I have a new favorite though: There is a Christian-Canadian group called NEWWORLDSON. Now, you may think I'm crazy but I love them! They have an old-school, blues, reggae sound. Check them out....

http://www.newworldson.com/newworldson/index.htm

Furniture

I'm in the process of moving so I'm keeping my eye open for nice but inexpensive furniture. That's how I came across this phenomenon....Cardboard Furniture!?!?! I know it's hard to imagine, so I included a picture:

I  don't think I have the skill or patience to try this.... but you have to agree that it looks very cool! I am also told that it is very sturdy and durable due to the protective coatings that are used. ¡Hasta la vista!

Quote from Mary Higgins Clark

An inspirational quote from a Mary Higgins Clark book 'Two Little Girls in Blue"

Waiting does not seem so long once it's accomplished.

Decorating with Paint Chips

I'm looking for ideas to decorate my design studio. I'm currently intriguited by the idea of using paint chips to decorate. So I found this website called Handmade Detroit and they had a cool idea about creating a paint chip wreath. This one was for Valentine's Day.


I also found another idea about creating wall art with paint chips.Looks like fun!

And for those really creative people... a paint chip pixel painting...



I think this is an idea that could be crafted into some very cool and inexpensive wall art for my studio. If I come up with anything, I'll post...

Another one bites the dust.... :)

New Furniture!

Bought some pieces for my house Saturday. All of it is in storage, so I'll post pictures in a couple of weeks.

Indaba Music

So, I was browsing through a magazine called "Gourmet" today at the library and I saw an ad for the my touch cell phone by T-Mobile. One of the people they used was Daniel Zaccagnino the CEO and co-founder of Indaba Music, a web platform that enables musicians all over the world to create music together in online recording sessions. Isn't that cool? Anyway, I signed up......so check it out.

http://www.indabamusic.com/

Dream

NEW Website!

Our new mdesigns site is up and running. Please check it out:

NEW! mdesigns website

We are available for all of your design needs. Please recommend us to your friends and family.

Melody@mdesigns

e. melody@wedergren.com

Website

I'm currently working on the winter version of my graphic design website. We change the theme for each season. As you probably know, today was the first day of winter. Here is the current header, it's always subject to change.......

We'll be doing a big marketing campaign and I'll post a link when it's up and running.

Merry Christmas!
Melody@mdesigns

The Most Beautiful Christmas Tree Ever

by
William Theron Yates

The Christmas tree stood in a corner of the room, decorated from tip to floor with lights and tinsel and garlands and ornaments and a star shining down from the top. It was a beautiful tree. The family had spent many hours decorating it. Boxes of things from Christmas past had been pulled out of hidden places in overstuffed closets and the dusty attic. Cries of "Oh, remember this one?" and "Didn't Grandma make this decoration?" and "Where's my little toy soldier?" and the rustle of wrapping paper filled the air. Music of the season flowed from the stereo and the intoxicating scent of cinnamon and gingerbread filled the air as Mother baked Christmas cookies in the kitchen.

Gradually the tree had been transformed from a somewhat scraggly and slightly lopsided piece of greenery into a joyous symbol of Christmas. "Isn't this the most beautiful Christmas tree we ever had, Daddy?", a young voice asked. "No", cried another, "it's the most beautiful Christmas tree ever!"

As all pairs of eyes in the room turned to me, awaiting confirmation of this most excellent judgment, my mind suddenly filled with trees -- a veritable forest of evergreens and elms, oaks and maples, sycamores and cypresses -- and one certain tree. Before I quite knew what I was saying, I replied, "No. This is not the most beautiful Christmas tree ever." Cries of "What?" and "Yes, it is!" assaulted my ears. "Hush!" I said, "Shall I tell you of the most beautiful Christmas tree ever?"

"Oh, yes, Daddy, please tell us!" they chorused.

"Well, a long time ago, long before the very first Christmas, God said, 'One day, I will send My Son to the world, and He will show all people how to live and how to worship Me. He will give them a never-ending life with Me in Heaven where they will be happy forever. All they have to do is to be repent for doing things their own way instead of My better way and to be baptized and receive My Spirit.' "

"Long years passed and it was time for Jesus to be born. This is what we celebrate as Christmas."

"Yeah, there were shepherds and angels and wise men," said one. "And Joseph and Mary, His mother," replied another.

"Yes. You all know the story of Christmas. But do you know the story of the first Christmas tree?"

"No, tell us! Tell us!"

"There was no tree at the first Christmas. In fact, the first Christmas tree didn't even come at Christmas!"

"What do you mean?"

"How could it be a Christmas tree if it wasn't at Christmas?"

"Well, Jesus grew up and told everyone about salvation and that they could live forever with Him in Heaven. And many people believed. But some people did not want to change the way they were living. And they were very powerful people. And they got together and arrested Jesus and sentenced Him to die."

"Yeah, they nailed Him on a cross", said a sad, small voice.

"Yes. That cross was the First Christmas Tree! We hang ornaments and decorations on our tree to make it look beautiful, don't we?"

Heads nodded.

"Well, when they hung Jesus on the cross, they hung the most beautiful ornament ever! He had a wreath -- of thorns -- and garlands -- of the blood He shed for us so we could go to Heaven. Those were the most priceless decorations ever. Because Jesus, God's greatest gift to us, died for us nailed to that tree, it really is The Most Beautiful Christmas Tree Ever!"

And all agreed.

Comic Relief

FEAR

Fear is the perception that there's no one who can control the chaos.

A Christmas Card to you...

May the joy of this CHRISTMAS make your heart MERRY!

My Christmas Wreath

I made this Christmas wreath at Melrose (Antebellum Home) Christmas open house today. It is made of all real materials. It was a festive experience! My door is now adorned for the season!

Wreaths have been used as a decorative sign of Christmas for hundreds and hundreds of years. Christmas wreaths can adorn any part of your home, inside or out. In many homes, this symbol of growth and everlasting life can be found both inside and out. It is common to find a number of wreaths on doors, over the mantle, or hung in windows. 

The wreath is made of evergreens, most often pine branches or holly. They can be real or artificial. But, an artificial one just doesn't smell the same as a real wreath. It is decorated wit a variety of items including pine cones, holly berries, fruits, and just about anything you can imagine. 

The wreath has significant meaning for the season. It's circular shape represents eternity, for it has no beginning and no end. From a christian religious perspective, it represents an unending circle of life. The evergreen, most frequently used in making wreathes, symbolizes growth and everlasting life. Holly branches have thorns. When used in a wreath it represents the thorn on Jesus' crown when he was crucified. Bright red holly berries symbolize Jesus' blood that was shed for us. 

Today, it is sometimes hard to remember the real meaning of Christmas. We get all caught up in the hype of Santa and his arrival. The wreath over the hearth brings a warmth to our hearts as we stop to reflect upon the true meaning of this very special day.

MERRY CHRISTMAS one and all!

Another Class Completed!

Advances Selections was a very needed class! These are professional Graphic Designer techniques. I'm excited to try this stuff out! It takes a lot of time. This is why advertising costs so much!

Baby Taylor: One of my goals!

Many of you will probably be very surprised to know that one of my goals is to play the guitar, specifically a Baby Taylor. It won't be my primary instrument, but I want to know just enough to be dangerous! If I can play basic I, ii, IV, vi, V chords; I can play almost any song and might be able to write songs using the guitar.

I recently heard a great songwriter say that the best way to become versatile and write songs for various genres is to learn to play different instruments. The acoustic guitar could go 3 ways: contemporary p&w, southern gospel or even some ballad type black gospel songs like Kirk Franklin's 'Without You'. (Check it out on the playlist below)

Finished another class!

Finished a VERY DETAILED 2 hour Dreamweaver class today. My brain hurts, the information was overwhelming. Someday I'm going to put it all together! Kudos to the Creativetechs team & Eric Fadiman! So if you need a website, I'm becoming qualified. Actually at the Art Institute I studied the actually wiring of building a site, now I'm learning the easy way to do it!

Now I'm off to study Spanish... ¡Hasta la vista!

Dining in the fall...

Redecorated my table place settings with my fall decorations today. These are my favorite soup bowls, they are acorns. I'm going to be making a lot of soup...

The learning curve

I just finished a Creativetechs in depth 2 hour class about the pen tool. Needless to say, I'm on information overload right now. I have 2 pages of notes on the pen tool! WOW! Gonna take a break my next class starts in 1.5 hours. Great training resources at www.creativetechs.com .

Powerful Placebos?

I heard an interesting fact on the radio today. Placebos are getting more powerful. Meaning that taking 'medicine' causes something in your body to react and actually begin its own healing process. Another interesting fact is that exercise can give the same results as a pill. Illnesses that are usually given a prescription, like some cases of depression, can be remedied with EXERCISE! I guess the majority of the population would rather take medicine?!?! I'll catch you later, I'm going walking...

Overflowing Unashamedly!

I’M NOT ASHAMED



I'm gonna dance for You

Like nobody's watching, nobody's watching me

Dance for You my Lord

I'm gonna sing for You

Like nobody's listening, nobody's listening

Sing for You my Lord

I'm not holding anything anything back

I will worship You with all that I am


I'm not ashamed to worship the name of Jesus Jesus

I'm not ashamed to shout out the name of the Lord

 
I'm gonna worship You

Like nothing else matters, nothing else matters

Worship You my Lord

I'm gonna worship You

Like nothing else matters, nothing else matters

Worship You my Lord

I'm not holding anything anything back

I will worship You with all that I am

I'm not ashamed to worship the name of Jesus Jesus

I'm not ashamed to shout out the name of the Lord

 
Lord I’m gonna dance for You

Lord I’m gonna sing for You

Lord I’m gonna worship You

I’m not afraid I’m not ashamed

 
Nothings gonna hinder me

Nothing’s gonna silence me

Shout it out if you believe

I’m not afraid

I’m not ashamed

Photography

I don't really consider myself a photographer, but Photoshop is amazing! I took this picture of Corrigan when he was 10 days old. Originally, he was laying on the couch looking at the light that was coming through the window. After Photoshop I think the picture turned out great! Who knows I may add photography to my list of to-do's..... By the way, Corrigan is Tim & Amber Hadden's new addition! Congratulations!

Fall is in the air!

The temperatures have dropped slightly (to 85) , which means Fall is coming soon! I've already started listening to Christmas music, it always puts me in great spirits! If you would like to join the happiness, check out itunes/radio. My current favorite station is under Holiday, it's called Big R Christmas. They play a great collection of the old classics, the good stuff! I'm going to get my fall dishes out next week, can't wait. I have a set of pumpkin soup bowls and coffee cups that are very festive. Fall begins on September 22, 2009 at 5:18 pm EST.