Take Me Deeper - November Week 4

Life has been somewhat hectic these past couple of weeks! We have a close family friend, 89 years old, who desperately needed help but didn't realise she needed help. It wasn't easy and Social Services and her one relative who lives miles away wouldn't do a thing to help sadly. So mum and I have stepped into the breach. It means extra 'work' for us, but the alternative, of leaving her to starve in her own home was just unacceptable. Then I had to sort out her medication...and thanks to a mistake by the GP, and compounded by her carers not even noticing that one of her medicines had run out three weeks ago, she has gone without it since early November. It is truly shocking how a person can slip through the cracks like this.

That said, we did see in the week even more kindness from the carer I mentioned last week, who was paying for food out of her own pocket for this lady. She managed what her bosses and the lady's relative could not - to get her to understand that there was nobody doing food shopping for her, and so she had so little food in the house it was not possible to make a balanced meal. Also that it's around 4pm, when she is getting hungry again, and has been alone for so long, that she needs a bit of food and company so she doesn't have to make the dozens of phone calls to my parents or the lady across the road whose husband has just died. Finally the lady has agreed to pay for a carer to come at that time, who will do a bit of shopping, washing or cleaning (also not being done before) if it is needed. Thank goodness!

So with that tiny ray of light ahead, the realisation hits that it's Advent! I'm a bit late uploading this so Advent is actually here now! His Kingdom Come is offering daily devotionals as part of Take Me Deeper for Advent, so there will be more posts coming very shortly! Praying I can keep up!

For now though, here is my piece for this last week of November.

November Week 4 - Promises

Having read the Devotional, I didn't have time to create anything for a few days. When I came back to it, the words "God promises us that he will never leave nor forsake us" just jumped out at me!

I did a google search for God's promises and of everything, I kept coming back to Hebrews 13:5 - Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you.

So I wanted to run with that. As I started to search for textures and brushes that I could use, I didn't have the intention of creating an abstract. But then I saw one texture image - bleached paper - and the shapes within it made my heart beat faster - seriously! I just looked to me so much like figures with their arms raised that I had to use it!

I added some brushwork to give a bit of dimension whilst keeping the abstract feel, plus some stars and branches and introduced a little colour (as the original had been black and white)...and this is what I ended up with!

I sat and looked at it for a while but it just kept feeling finished, so it is!
I have absolutely no idea where this came from; I just started to create from a position of being completely open to whatever should come. I wanted to capture the promise of Hebrews 13:5 but also show the thanksgiving of mankind. Hopefully this will come across!

I'm never sure whether I like this kind of piece when I make them, nor whether I should actually use them, but this just feels right!
TFL!
Bernie x

Take Me Deeper - August Week 3

As the school summer holidays seem to be passing way too quickly, we've been super busy with house decoration and garden reorganisation and decoration...the past week it seems there just haven't been enough hours in the day! So, here it is, my August Week 3 Take Me Deeper response! You can find the class HERE at His Kingdom Come if you'd like to join in!

August Week 3 - Put It Into Practice

Continuing with this month's nature theme for the art, I chose to make a piece depicting the kind of place we like to go walking! Inspired by photos taken last year of a forest covered in bluebells, I embellished a little more lol!

I think getting myself out and closer to nature is the fastest and best way for me to feel and keep feeling thankfulness! I really feel closer to God even just sitting in my garden under our big tree! As I tend to hide away indoors from the sun and heat in summer, I know I definitely need to get out there more at present!

The readings that really spoke to me were:

Romans 12:2 - Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God - what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect.

Ephesians 5:20 - In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, always give thanks for everything to God the Father.

Colossians 2:6-7 - Since you have accepted Christ Jesus as Lord, live in union with him.

Colossians 3:12-17 was also so meaningful, perhaps particularly the verses...You are the people of God; he loved you and chose you for his own. So then you must clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

It reminded me of Week 1 and the grass being 'clothed' with the wild flowers - so I added in more wild flowers to the 'bluebells' in my piece to represent my attempts to clothe myself with these attributes! Then just added in a few butterflies to represent transformation.

Four CU textures and a load of CU brushwork!
TFL!

Bernie x

I'm taking part in Thankful Thursdays - a meme originating from His Kingdom Come.
We're trying to spread the idea of listing 3-5 things we're thankful for from the past week - it's such a good thing to do, remember and be thankful for the good things in our lives (and even the not so good, if something positive came from them!)

So, here are my 5 things - please think about joining us and spreading the word!

This week I've been thankful for:

1. The skills God has blessed my family with, and their willingness to use them in times of trouble.
2. The work done by so many around the world to improve the lives of animals harmed by humans.
3. Time spent with my youngest daughter, on the bed, watching a DVD and eating chocolate!
4. The kindness of strangers.
5. God, our Father. Knowing He has the reins when everything is falling around about our ears and that whatever comes to us in life, He will get us through it.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Phil. 4:6

Digital Faith Art Group Challenge at His Kingdom Come

For this week's challenge we were given a great download from Hummie to use - her hand holding a photo frame (there were others to choose from but I chose this one!).

I used the believing Is Seeing collection  from Altered Amanda's Studio, which can be found here. Lots of blending of papers and elements to create this, which I hope to get printed and put up on the wall along with several others I'm making currently!

If you'd like to join in our challenge, you can find it HERE along with details of where to download Hummie's kind gift!

TFL!
Bernie x