Immense Solitude

“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, 'What! You too? I thought I was the only one..." It is when two such persons discover one another, when, whether with immense difficulties and semi-articulate fumblings or with what would seem to us amazing and elliptical speed, they share their vision - it is then that Friendship is born. And instantly they stand together in an immense solitude."  C.S. Lewis

1st Degree Angel

Also for Maggie's "Dreaming" Journal, this is another piece on friendship.

Lean on Me

My last entry for Maggie's Journal. The theme is dreaming about where you want to be. Mine is about friendship.

Glimpses

This entry is for Heidi's "Longing" journal. I titled this Glimpses. My greatest longing is for Home, where there is no pain, tears or mourning. Where I never have to say goodbye to someone I love. Where all the relationships are pure and true. Where I am safe and at rest. Where my greatest fulfillment is casting my crowns before the throne.

Sometimes I get glimpses of Home and they are like a mist or vapor that I try to grasp yet can never fully hold onto. Sometimes this happens with music and there is that moment that can never be recreated, but then is gone. Sometimes it's looking into the eyes of someone I love or pure laughter.

The leaves are from my new baby Japanese Maple tree which symbolizes rest and peace.

p.s. Brahms, of course.

For Good Reason

The theme for this entry in Riki's journal is 'bake.' Each page of her journal has a different word (theme) used in baking bread, such as: water, rise, yeast, flour, salt, etc. I chose BAKE. I was trying to think of something significant, deep, thoughtful...but when I told a friend about it, she said "shrinky dinks." Hmmmm, how literal. Okay. I can work with that. Actually this piece does have sweet significance. It comes from hours of conversation with a friend (not the shrinky dink friend) regarding pain. As I thought about the pain we face in this life, I was reminded of that verse in Psalms: You have kept count of my tossings, put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? It gives me hope that those tears are producing beauty in those bottles. The growing flowers are bluebells, signifying humility. The remaining text is from a song by JJ Heller. And the tears-in-bottles are created on a shrinky dink, of course. Baked.

Grateful

This one is about gratitude. How can I find the words to say 'thank you' to Him who has given so much? Another unexpected gift comes my way and I am so caught off-guard by it - the timing, the need, the grace, the safety and the pure delight - and so my best response is without words. Rather, the bowing of the head in silence and accepting His Perfect Goodness. Grateful.

The Third Cup

This piece was inspired by some of my good friends who are missionaries. My friend was sharing about the Muslim culture and this is what I learned: "Every part of the Muslim culture is based on honor and shame...it is common upon arrival to be offered a cup of coffee. This is called the cup of salaam or "peace". It is my host's way of saying, "There is peace between us." The second cup is the cup is sadaqa or "friendship". This cup represents an offer of friendship on their part and our acceptance as we receive and drink together. But a third cup of coffee, not always offered, is perhaps the most significant. It is the cup of the sayf or "sword". This cup demonstrates that our friends are willing to protect us. They are willing to stand by us. It doesn't matter if we are right or wrong, they are bound by their honor to protect us."

Surprised

My entry for Ann's "What Nourishes You?" journal. The surprise was that the parts of my life that I thought were thorns were not; they were seeds. Once the healing waters started flowing, there were blooms everywhere. I was surprised.

p.s. Brahms, of course.

A Safe Place

I created this piece for Maggie's "Dreaming" Journal. Maggie encouraged the artists to think about anywhere they wanted to go and I chose "A Safe Place." I am talking about relationships: my husband, my children and my dear friends. I desire to cultivate those precious and safe places.

b. filled

My 2nd entry in Heidi's journal themed "longing."

Making the Cut

Sometimes something comes along that is so Good that it is scary. It's scary because you have put your heart out there and taken a risk. It's scary because it Matters. This piece is about letting go of the things that kill the Good, the Rare, the Gift.

Safe in 2419

I was at a retreat a few weeks ago. A few of us girlfriends ended up talking late into the night. Sometimes, it can be risky talking late into the night! This is my response.

filled...spilled

My friend Jan Jackson died a few days ago. It was a shock to many of us, because we didn't know she was sick. But now as I look back on our time together, I remember the words she said, reminding us that we might not have much time together on this earth, but that we would be sisters in eternity. She had this smile and this light in her eyes like she knew a secret. She knew where she was headed.

I made this piece in honor of Jan. Her life was filled and then spilled out for all of us who knew her. The text is from our studies together during the days surrounding her death.

We love you, Jan.