For Nikki and Erin

Another two gifts for some great friends:

For Nikki: He who loves, flies, runs, and rejoices; he is free and nothing holds him back. -Henri Matisse

For Erin: “God does not comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters.” - J. H. Lovett

Showing Me

Willie grins broadly and giggles.
He draws his face near to mine
So that our foreheads touch.
And in this moment, I see God
Showing me that He loves me.

Peggy sits and watches the world,
Expecting nothing, hoping for conversation.
She cracks a joke and goes back to observing.
And in this moment, I see God
Showing me that He is patient.

Marcell hopes for a good day
When everyone he loves with his whole heart
Will truly love him in return. He is upset.
And in this moment, I see God
Showing me that He is jealous.

Wally cries out, time and time again,
Trying to express himself to a world
That cannot or will not understand him.
And in this moment, I see God
Showing me that He is calling out.

David raises his hand and waves,
Lovingly beaconing a stranger in,
Greeting everyone, regardless of purpose.
And in this moment, I see God
Showing me that He is welcoming.

Annie Pearl kisses Jonathon’s hand,
Though he has just wronged her
With his words or his actions.
And in this moment, I see God
Showing me that He is forgiving.

Jonathan waits patiently, sitting or laying,
On the sofa or at the picnic table,
Always present in the simplest of ways.
And in this moment, I see God
Showing me that He is dependable.

Elmore asks, again and again, if we
Will go to Rosie’s singing class.
His excitement bubbles over and brightens his face.
And in this moment, I see God
Showing me that He is joyful.

Harry devotedly paints each piece of clay
In a color chosen with care,
Then he gladly hands it over to a friend.
And in this moment, I see God
Showing me that He is generous.

Barbara Jean reaches out slowly
Trying to grasp her cup of juice
And hoping she doesn’t knock it over.
And in the moment, I see God
Showing me that He is gentle.

Diane grasps a puzzle piece in her hand
Resolutely searching for its mate,
Forming an image that makes her proud
And in this moment, I see God
Showing me that He is a loving creator.

Stephanie looks at the people around her
And sees in each a friend to be had
She looks deeper than the skin I’m in.
And in this moment, I see God
Showing me that He knows my heart.

Lillie Belle becomes so disappointed
When she doesn’t get to see a friend
When she can’t share her day with that person.
And in this moment, I see God
Showing me that He is faithful.

Eddie’s smile brightens the whole room
And though anger may have come before or after,
His joy enters my heart.
And in this moment, I see God
Showing me that He is good.

Sarah may embrace you in the biggest hug
Or play around with you like a sister
Or she might focus on the task at hand.
And in all of these moments, I see God
Showing me that He is not one-dimensional.
He is many things in many ways.
He may be angry and He may be merciful.
He may be comforting and He may be unsettling.
But He is God, and He is love.

For Briana and Dan

I've really enjoyed making these little decorative quotes, and it has been a great outlet for me, both to express myself and to relieve stress. So I keep doing it, since it makes me happy :)
Here are 2 more that I made for a couple friends:

For Briana:
"He prayed - it wasn't my religion.
He ate - it wasn't what I ate.
He spoke - it wasn't my language.
He dressed - it wasn't what I wore.
He took my hand - it wasn't the color of mine.
But when he laughed, it was how I laughed,
and when he cried, it was how I cried.
- Amy Maddox"

For Dan: "To walk alone is possible, but the good walker knows that the great trip is life and it requires companions. - Dom Helder Camara"

Faith

They say that faith is
being sure of what we hope for
and certain of what we do not see.
Yet I feel unsure of everything—
my opinions, me decisions, my feelings.
I am not certain of anything anymore—
love joy, myself, God.
The things I once held so dear
now seem as sand through a sieve
and I am left grasping nothing.
Who I once believed I was
has faded with passing days.
Who I once believed I could be
seems as far away as the stars
hanging in the night sky.
I have very little faith in people
least of all in myself.
I am shaken to the core,
grasping for something solid enough
to support this existence that
I hope can pass for a life.
uncertain, unsure—
faithless.
Yet searching, hoping, progressing,
and perhaps, someday,
believing.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

To replace the Mardi Gras decoration I had made a few weeks ago:

Have a great day, and may all Irish blessings be upon you!

Breathe In

For a moment in the morning—
Sometimes for a few moments—
My mind is not awake enough
For smells to transmit themselves into my consciousness.

But by the time I am ready
To set out for my day,
To wander this road that is life,
And to scratch my name on these hours,
I am aware of
The sharp smell of deodorant,
The clean smell of my shirt,
And the fresh smell of a new day.

Once at work,
I await the scent of 25 people:
Shoes that have visited mud
And dirt and grass and concrete
And perhaps some fecal matter.
Hair that may or not have been washed
Last night or this morning,
May or may not have been washed
Yesterday morning or the night before.
The scent of 25 different combinations
Of laundry detergent,
Soap, shampoo,
Toothpaste, deodorant,
And body odor.
And as I am wrapped in each embrace
I experience each scent
And the story that it tells.

As I sit down in the afternoon
For a moment’s peace,
I catch a quick whiff of the lunch I just cooked—
Stir-fried chicken and vegetables,
And somehow I detect both cooked rice and
Raw rice in one inhalation.
I feel well fed.

On the walk home
I relish in the soft Southern breezes
Entering my nostrils with
Reminders of tall grass,
Bright blue skies,
And brilliant clouds.
I am at peace with my surroundings,
And I wish for a moment
That I could delay my walk a bit longer.

Later, sitting and reading,
Smells of beans
In a slow cooker
Assault my senses.
They whisper of a meal that is soon to come,
Of conversations around the table
And laughter.

My head rests upon the pillow
In much the same place
As 17 hours ago
When a scent had yet to enter my consciousness.
I bury my head in a t-shirt.
There I am warmed by a familiar scent
One that I dream of at night,
One that brings me home,
One that reminds me of who I am
And of the millions moments that led me here.

This familiar smell
Reminds me of love,
Just as the scent of the night air
Reminds me of life.

More Quotables

A couple more wall hangings that I made as gifts for friends:

For Mary: "I have found the paradox: if I love until it hurts, there is no more hurt -- just love." -Mother Theresa

For Liz: "When the bowl that was my heart broke, love poured out." -Beatrice Wood.

L'Arche

During my time working at L'Arche, my supervisor, Val, has begun to trust in my creative abilities. Although I haven't taken pics of everything I have done, here are a few highlights, in reverse chronological order:

This one was a special one for Sr. Maria, who is in town for the Regional Council that is taking place in Mobile this week.

This is another special one for JoAnn, who is also in town for the Regional Council.

Apparently there is a man who has donated to L'Arche and who also ran the marathon, and he got married. I was given this assignment 2 days before the wedding. Two very intense days, let me tell you. My emotional attachment to this canvas is very negative. Haha, oh the memories....

These are the ones for the members of the Regional Council who are not getting the special canvases pictured above.

I only did the background of this one, but I show it here because I made 120 of these in 4 days for the marathon.

I made 10 of these for a group of Americorps Volunteers who worked at L'Arche for a couple months.

These were made to sell at the International Festival in Mobile, which L'Arche uses as an opportunity to fundraise. I didn't do all of them, but I did most of the ones that had an detailed painting (including the ones featured here).

I have no doubt that I will be given more canvas assignments as the year goes on, so keep your eye out for a part 2 of my work at L'Arche.