Escapist Coloring Club, October 2019

Linda G Hill has given us a fun monthly challenge of adult coloring or showing off your kids coloring. Today’s adult coloring books are great for me on nights when the brain just will not shut off.

This month’s Escapist Coloring prompt, I played more with feathering shades of colors together and blending them – similar to how I do some of my face painting techniques only this is done with pencils.

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A rhinoceros made fully of flowers showing a gentle side of a possible fierce beast. Even in a creation of power, a spirit of gentleness and kindness can be present. It is a tool we all have and can use at our discretion, so remember to show your kind side and gentle spirit.

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You Never Know….

Those who read my post know that I push kindness. There have been many a boiling cauldron that has been extinguished by kindness showing a better way to resolve a hot mess.

This summer, I have been hired by the city to participate in the park parties that they will have in various parts of the city, a total of 7 parties. There was live music, food vendors, games setup, the city officials were there to answer any question people may have and even the library people were there setup explaining about their summer program. Then there was me, the face painter – hey we made the newspaper. Cool.

I have been face painting since early 2000s and do it more for the fun of it than to make money. Don’t get me wrong, you can make some serious money if you get real good but that is not my focus. I charge enough to buy more paint because I buy the professional stuff which isn’t cheap, but safer to use.

If you see that yellow paper behind my young model, those are the 6 faces I would paint for this particular party. They will change each party. This model is getting a jaguar face. They really don’t care how great it is, they just want to play – so lets play. I will post some periodically through the summer so you can see how much fun we are having.

OK, so there is a story behind the title and I am getting there. This neighborhood is close to my church so I am familiar with some of the kids as I have done other functions at this park. There is a home of mentally and physically challenged that we have done things with so I knew some of the guys(adults) that were in line to get their face painted. The first guy came in and could talk real well and wanted the 3 horned dinosaur. He loved it and I chuckled with him as he laughed in the mirror. The next guy was in a wheel chair but could walk a little. So they got him up and helped him get into the face paint chair. His right arm was drawn in and not usable but his left arm was good and with that arm he pointed to his shirt. He had on a power ranger shirt. I don’t like doing the super heroes as they are BORING in face paint but for him, sure. So we did the red power ranger. He could not speak but could hear and understand very well and he was super excited on how well his face looked. He tapped his chest in a gesture of him loving it and I patted his hand and told him I was glad, and he smiled. They got him back in his chair and I went to the next child. But before I could get started good, I heard the guy from the wheel chair come beside my booth. His caretaker said “He wants you to have his star.” I asked her if he had made it and she said yes and showed me all the things he carried with him that he had made. I almost cried. I told him thank you and to come back to see me. Here is the star.

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My whole point in this post is to remind everyone to never pass on an opportunity to be kind and gentle. No small act of kindness is ever wasted. I have always believed this but this was an opportunity where God affirmed just how much kindness matters. So always be kind.

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Weeping Lilies

There is an old legend that many people don’t know about, I was one of those, but it says that for every drop of blood that fell from Jesus while he was on the cross, a lily grew. That’s a pretty remarkable legend. I was doing a research for a poem about Easter lilies and that’s how I came upon that legend.

IMG_20190413_213923 — The lily in my living room

The whiteness of the lily represents the purity of Christ. The shape of the lily represents a trumpet as it blows to welcome in the king.

Tonight we had a church service to tell the story of Jesus last day on earth. the horrifying cruelty in the way he was beaten, ridiculed and then crucified. The music was soft and mournful to help set the mood for this dark day. We left the sanctuary quietly to maintain the funeral like mood of death.

When I walked in the house, it was just getting good dark so I turned on the lamp by my sofa where my lily is sitting. Its fragrance has been beautiful filling my house with fresh gentleness for several days as three of four blooms have open to share their love; one new bloom beginning to open this evening. I reached over to smell the blooms and was amazed to see a water drop on the bloom and I wondered where it came from. Nothing on the ceiling, nothing close by that could have done that. So I looked at the other blooms. They all had small drops of moisture on each bloom. I am sure there is probably a scientific explanation but to me…it was weeping. Flowers weeping for Jesus’ death and Jesus’ weeping for us. We all know that creation is raging and wanting to be reconnected with Eden but can not be. So creation weeps.

IMG_20190419_162204 — Same bloom as bloom above three days later.

IMG_20190419_162322 — Bloom on opposite side

So understand what all of nature knows, that Jesus loves you and weeps for you and has compassion for wherever you are or whatever you are going through. Feel His love and share his love with kindness.

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An Evening Chuckle Before Bed

I saw this photo and chuckled out loud making Mimi wake from snoring as she snuggled under her blanket on the sofa and looking at me like something was alarming. Our pets can so make us laugh so I am sending the first picture in honor of Shelley’s cats over at Quaint Revival. They always have interesting stories about us hoomans.

catlizzard — Hooman I need you assistance as this prehistoric creature bited me.

The other picture is my crazy dog Mimi trying to entertain herself tonight in negative temps and many inches of snow because she did not want to come in. She was jumping up hitting the leaning over evergreen. When she realized just how cold she was getting she came running in.

img_20190131_181405 — She already pulled the icicles off and ate those.

Yes our pets do entertain us from time to time. It is what makes them special to us. And as my closing always speaks of kindness and we are talking of our pets, I though I would share some of my favorite pictures of animals showing kindness. We could learn a lot from them.

And one more chuckle… animalkind9

Animal Compassion

You have seen my post where I talk about kindness but I believe that animals, even in the wild, understand kindness and compassion, sometimes better than we humans do. The photographers across the internet are fabulous and I really enjoy viewing their work. While I was going through some new pictures from Pinterest, I ran across these and thought I would share them with you.

With domesticated animals we can kind of understand it as they sometimes get their cues from us humans. Even on the farm there seems to be some compassion spread about especially with younger ones who may have lost parents.

But sometimes you see it in zoo situations with the more fierce creatures where the animals become somewhat conditioned to trust and feel secure in their surroundings.

May we all show compassion in like kind to our human specie as needed.

Kindness As A Goal

In all of my post I ask all readers to remember kindness to others. It is the easiest and most difficult thing you could do. The book of Galatians reminds us the effects of not being kind in Galatians 5:15 – “If you bite and devour each other, beware as you will destroy each other.” But then in vs 22 the list of good attributes of following the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, KINDNESS, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. And again in Colossians 3:12 -“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, KINDNESS, humility, gentleness and patience.”

All of these commands come straight from the heart – God’s heart. And it is passed down to us for us to share with others in reflecting God’s precious love.

I ran across this posting the other day, not knowing who wrote it but I wanted to share it with you to remind you no matter how small an act of kindness you share, it makes a very large mark on life.

kindness14 — Your kindness always matters

So I ask you to leave fingerprints of kindness where ever you go and help the world to smile.

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Living Art…#JusJoJan & #SoCS

Art is very objective and life is ever a challenge so when you put the two together you get living art and living art can be terrifying or the most beautiful thing you could see. Artist over time have tried to capture the beauty of life as they see it but for me I have reconnected with the medium of photography now that I have retired. Many photographers here in this blogging world have exquisitely captured the beauty of this world and life as they see it and they share it with us.

I love the beauty of nature and thank God for His handiwork to awe us sometimes or make us giggle sometimes as nature like other mediums of art is tied to our emotions.

Today it is snowing. The first winter snow. Now in November we did have a freak snow come through with 14″ of wet heavy snow but that was in the fall. And after that storm, weather has been really mild. Just last week it was in the 40’s and for January that’s unusual…and weird. I fear we will pay for that mildness for the remaining of winter. This week temps have been in the teens but even with cold temps nature’s art was available to see if you looked for it. Below are a few pictures to share of what I saw first thing this morning. With a better camera than my phone, I am sure the art of snow would be more breathtaking. But it beautiful and peaceful to watch.

Everything looking pristine and fresh…and cold. Although the bird feeder is completely covered so the birds are having to did out their treats.

So very glad it is Saturday and I am not expected to go anywhere in this. Even though it is only a few inches, still, I am glad I don’t have to get out in it. I also want to thank Linda G Hill for a fun way to share the snow today with “art” being the theme word for Just Jot January and Streams of Conscious Saturday.

When going through the art of life, remember to paint to paint gently. Paint with encouragement, love and with an abundance of kindness. Kindness is felt in all of nature and can make your painting shine the beauty that God has intended.

Me, My & Myself…#JusJoJan#8

How can you write about yourself. With Ritu calling today’s prompt from Linda’s Just Jot January prompt, she chose “self “as our prompt word to write about.

I fully agree with Linda’s take as self is many parts of you. So for self I chose to write about my alter ego self of Skeeter C. As a face painter, Skeeter does functions with the church, community and PUNCH to help promote kindness and the love of Christ.

Skeeter has an alter ego herself that is Scatter C but I don’t have pictures of her. Scatter likes to go to hospitals and visit those who will tolerate her scatter brained self. She really was standing behind the door when the brains were handed out. Oh my, that was not a kind thing to say. Sometimes truth hurts, Sorry Scatter. Both selfs like to promote kindness, gentleness and encouragement. Having been on the opposite end of those attributes more times than they cared for they can really see the value of kindness and how if everyone could be kind there is an opportunity to engulf the world and maybe soften the hurt and sadness of it just a bit.

So I bid you, along with Skeeter C and Scatter C to be kind. If we can turn more frowns upside down and put more sparkles into those sad eyes, think how much fun that would be. Oh, and the “C” in their name stands for Christ as He is the center of what they do.

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New

What a exciting word Debbie Smyth has challenged us with for One Word Sunday. I don’t really have my own pictures but tomorrow promises to be a new day so I thought I would join in. New means a fresh start, replacement of something old or broken or the beginning a whole different adventure. For me its a whole NEW adventure or job as it were. Last February I retired from 40 years of quality control and management of the manufacturing process. A much needed and well deserved rung of my latter but of late, even though I have fully enjoyed my writing and my new found friends across the world, something was still lacking. So when my church asked me if I would be interested in being the secretary for the church, I thought about it for a while and then said yes. Going from standing the firm line on making sure the manufacturing process was correct to answering the phone and being gentle like the previous secretary was may be a bit of a challenge. While I have always been a strong proponent of always being kind, now I have to add gentle into the equation.

So as I start my new chapter( its only part time) I will have to add a reminder not only to be kind but to also be gentle. That also is a fruit of the spirit mentioned in scripture.

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