The Storms of Life

[Prologue]Since I had started the previous post ("November? Really?") a month ago, I decided to go ahead and post it just like I had left it the last time I was editing it on April 6th. (And even though Blogger had a severe glitch yesterday, the post was saved because I created it last month.  So, I just re-posted.) I couldn't get the "Publish Post" button to work that original day in April for some reason, and so I just got busy again and forgot about the post until I came here yesterday... determined to post something since I have been away so long.  [end]

God never promised that this life would be easy, and He knows just how awful it can be from walking this earth in human flesh. So, why am I surprised when the storms of life come? I guess it's because I would really like to live in the fairytale world of happily-ever-after NOW, instead of when I reach heaven. Our hearts long for that, and we do everything we can to bring love, beauty, and even perfection (whatever our version of that happens to be) to our little corners of the world. But, sometimes the storms of life come, and we have absolutely no control over them. We may be doing EVERYTHING right and still be staring devastation in the face.

Such is the case here in Alabama, in the aftermath of the tornadoes of April 27th.  When the Federal Government declares 39 out of 67 counties to be Federal Disaster Areas, you know that it was bad. I have personally never seen with my own eyes destruction from the elements like I have witnessed in the wake of this latest group of storms. When someone mentions the word Supercell Tornadoes in the future, you can be sure we will take the appropriate safety measures. Unfortunately, in this storm many did just that, yet they still lost loved ones and homes... whole communities destroyed.

The community in which I lived and ministered for over 20 years was utterly devastated. I have lived about 20 miles away from this community for the past 6 years, but there are four families in our current church family who live (or lived) there. Two of our four families lost their homes. As we drove through the area on our way to help these families salvage what they could, I could hardly recognize the town I had lived in for so long. How does that happen... and all in about 5 minutes? It is too much to try to wrap your mind around. In some places, for as far as you can see in front and back of you, there are NO tops of trees. Can you imagine that? Would you want to have to walk out your front door to that each day? I know I wouldn't... yet, some of these people (i.e. the ones who didn't lose their homes) will have to continue to do just that. Why, you may ask? I certainly have, and there are no easy answers.

This Supercell spawned 308 tornadoes and killed 243 people in Alabama alone. The most devastating of these tornadoes ravaged a path of destruction spanning the entire width of the state of Alabama, and at times it was a mile wide. The Super Cell was so devastating that it now has its own Wikipedia page which states, "An extremely large and violent tornado outbreak, the largest in United States history[citation needed], occured from April 25 to 28, 2011, affecting the Southern, Midwestern, and Northeastern United States, leaving catastrophic destruction in its wake, especially across the state of Alabama."

Those words do not begin to describe what I have seen with my own eyes. It destroyed both Pleasant Grove (the place in which I lived and ministered for 20 years) and my beloved college town of Tuscaloosa. So many have lost so much.

And yet, I have seen God's people at their very best. The faith community has gathered around these people and tried to provide for every need. Our particular community has first-hand experience at this, having been some of the first to get into the Gulf Coast (and still ministering there) after Hurricane Katrina. So, God has His people ready, prepared to show His love, to be hands and feet in a devastating and rapidly deteriorating world. No matter how much we would want to bring our idea of perfection, beauty, and love to our corner of the world, only He can really do that. And for now, He is choosing to use His servants to minister and bring hope into a place for which -- from all outward appearances -- there is no hope.

If you think of it, pray for us as we strive to bring His love, His hope, and His healing to a very broken place. We are clinging to His promises...

"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." - John 16:33

November? Really?

I can't believe it was November when I last posted. Since that time we have had Thanksgiving, Christmas, lots of snow (yes, even this far south), and now Spring has officially arrived. I have been painting away, along with building websites and trying to make improvements in our massive yard. I will share a few pictures below of what has been keeping me occupied. That way, at least, you will know I haven't just been goofing off these past few months. :)





I have an art show coming up this weekend and have been getting ready for that in the midst of all else that is going on.





So far this spring in our yard we have planted irises, azaleas, phlox, clematis, yellow jessamine, bronze ajuga, hostas, daylilies, 2 winged euonymous bushes, a lorapetalum, a cleyera, and petunias in pots. We have also transplanted three large crepe myrtles. We also have planted a veggie garden with lettuce, potatoes, cabbages, baby tomato plants, peas, and peppers. So far, everything seems to be doing well, and thankfully we dodged a frost last night by a few degrees. The birdsongs are keeping me quite entertained each morning. I have seen numerous redbirds, robins, and even a bluejay or two in our yard. The gentle harbingers of spring never disappoint.





I am also keeping quite busy with a couple of new websites I am working on ... more to come on that in subsequent days. For now, I am just glad to be back. I would love to know what is going on in your part of the world!

Whew... I can breathe again!!

For the past four weeks, I have literally worked day and night on my newest website design. I can honestly say that many days it was 9 am until midnight. I am happy to announce the birth (and in some ways it indeed did feel like childbirth...lol) of

NancyGordonMusic.com

Many of the graphics I "drew" on the computer, including all the little banners, buttons, and of course the background wallpaper. Her logo is designed by a very talented visual artist, Julia Azar, and she wanted her website to feel very much like her logo... a bit free, hand-drawn, and very welcoming.




So that was the look for which we were aiming. I incorporated a Blogger Blog, a separate "Gratitudes" (devotional) page, a Prayer Request page, and a Shopping Cart.... on top of the other five main website pages (Music, About, Contact, and Stories) . I know a lot of web design companies have different people in charge of doing all those different tasks, but there is only one of me. Which means, I get to do it all. Design is such fun, but it is not easy. There were times of extreme migraine and then times of delight. But, here we are with our new "baby" to share with the world (wide web).

I tell a short story about my relationship with Nancy and how her music has personally been a blessing in my own life HERE. Years before I knew who she was, her music was impacting my famiy. I would love it if you -- my wonderful blog friends -- would take a look around the site. (And while you're there, if you see anything that's not just right please let me know!) I hope that you'll be blessed because you visited.

Now it's time to get back to the drawing board.

Blessings,
Christi

Fall... ahhhh

Has it really been since August 4th that I posted last? Where does time go? These last couple of months have flown by in a whirlwind. Four commissioned art pieces and a massive website design, plus two weeks in another state, have made it seem like yesterday that I was telling you my in-laws had moved out. At least I have a little something to show for my time away. :) Here are some samples of artwork I have been doing...

Commissioned Work - Austin, TX

Commissioned Work - Dallas, TX

Commissioned Work - Enfield, CT

Commissioned Work - Chicago, IL

Commissioned Work - Thomasville, AL

And I must tell you that I am really excited about the new website I am designing for a friend and songwriter in the Christian music industry, Nancy Gordon. I have so enjoyed getting to know her through our phone conversations and e-mails. I hope that once her new site is live, you will go and visit. It is a really extensive site design, so I have been sucked far, far down into web code & design world. I am loving that I am getting to do this for someone whose business is writing praise and worship songs and lullabies. The neatest thing is that she found out about me and contacted me through a "friend of a friend," though she didn't really know much about me. But, I knew about her and actually sang her lullabies to my children while rocking them when they were babies. It just amazes me how God brings people together for His purposes. And if you have ever sung "Firm Foundation," then you have sung a song she wrote.

Lastly, I will share a couple of paintings that I have done in my painting class:

"Chateau" - oil on canvas (my attempt at really, REALLY loose)

"Blue Autumn" - oil on canvas

Well now you know what's been going on with me. I'd love to hear what's been going on with you!

Blessings,
Christi

In and Out

Well, the in-laws moved out about as quickly as they moved in. So many life lessons were learned during their stay, but none more meaningful than how to be an unselfish houseguest. What a blessing they are to me and my family! And I thought I would share a little artwork that I have been working on in class. My mother and I have the best time painting together, and it's really quite a wonder that we get any painting done at all. But here are a few...

This first one is finished. Not my favorite but my teacher thinks those of us (me) who are trying to paint too realistically need to loosen up. I really did try in this painting of a spot in Norway which he shot a photo of on his recent trip there.



This next picture is of a few bottles. Something in this photo just caught my attention, and I had to paint it. I am not quite done with it yet... still need to work on the table as it looks like the bottles are falling off the back.



And this one is really loosely done... about 30 minutes of work in it, so far. I am by no means finished with it... a field of wildflowers. Can you guess what is missing?



Hope everyone is staying out of this wretched heat. My car thermometer read 104 degrees today, for the fourth day in a row. I think I could stand that kind of heat if the humidity were not at 95%. I feel like a piece of steamed broccoli wilting my way here and there to my various errands. Surely this can't go on and on.

I am also busy with a couple of new commissioned home drawings and staying busy with website and logo design, too. Not much time to visit my friends during these busy days. Hope to come for a visit to your place very soon.

Love,

Must've been His timing...

A year and a half ago we put our house on the market. At the time we prayed that the Lord would help us to sell it if it was His will for us to move. It was on the market for 9 months. We showed the house over 50 times (no, that is not a typo and I have the realtors' cards to prove it). Not a bite, not an offer, not even a sniff. It's a lovely house, in a nice neighborhood, and was not over-priced. We took it off the market last summer.

A month ago my in-laws put their house on the market. They showed it twice. The first people who looked at it made an offer, and then in about three weeks' time they closed the deal. And just like that, they're living with us for a few weeks until they can get into their new place. We (as well as the two of them) have had a complete upheaval in a month's time. So there are seven of us living in our lovely home. Fortunately I dearly love my in-laws, and we are having a great time. Still, moving an entire house full of belongings/furniture and rearranging my own home were not in the plans for these past four weeks. And yet, they were obviously in His plan.

I hope you are all having a lovely summer and staying out of the heat. It has been fairly miserable here the past week or so. But, artwork is keeping me inside. I will post some pictures of my most recent commissions soon. And I am taking a painting class with my mother on Tuesdays. Here's one of my recent paintings from the class...



Blessings,
Christi

Unselfish Flowers

This beautiful snowflake hydrangea hangs its head so elegantly...



These Asiatic lilies have the most wonderful scent, very light and clean...




Is there a more unselfish flowering plant than a daylily? They require so little, yet give so much.







And now, most everything in my yard is green. Just green. Which is not so bad really. But, oh how I appreciate the generous flowers (that don't have to be sprayed, watered constantly, pruned, and generally tended) that bloom and bring such beauty and color to my home and yard.

Back to the drawing board...

It has been a really interesting spring, and I am looking forward to summer days. I have just completed one of the commissioned drawings that I have currently been working on. It is a beautiful local home, and the residents are moving due to job relocation. She wanted a drawing to remember it by. I was so pleased that she asked me to do it for her.

Hope you're all having a greatly blessed week!

Kidnapped by LIFE ... again

I suppose it will be this way for a while yet ...three teenagers, three cars, and one car in the shop... too many places to be ...all at the same time. Life has gotten so busy that it kidnapped me, once again, and took me away from my blogging adventure. I love blogging... I really do. But, I just don't have the time for it that I would like to. My family is top priority, and they have schedules to keep. On top of those schedules, I have had three new commissioned pieces to come up in these last few weeks. Yay! So my life is planning itself... and blogging hasn't been in its schedule... until now.

My beautiful daughter has been busy with ballet, and her mom has been busy taking her here, there and everywhere. The result was a spectacular performance of "The Battle for Lucinda's Heart."

Modern dance... "Merrymakers"



Traditional ballet... "Spirits of Darkness"

Then there have been more art shows and three new commissioned pieces... unusual this time of year. In addition, I have built an entire website for a new client since my last post, along with some unusually large updates to other sites that I maintain. Life is definitely an adventure!

Blessings to all my dear blogging friends,

Victorian Tea Party hosted by Cielo at The House in the Roses

Victorian Tea Party




Hosted by Cielo at The House in the Roses.



At Charm & Grace Cottage I have brought in some lovely roses to prepare for our party...





I have picked out an organza apron decorated with a rose, along with my silver service.



I have chosen to use my china... "Hermitage" by Noritake... teacups with my silver "Chippendale" by Towle.





I am serving "Paris" tea by Harney & Sons.







I have enjoyed having you to tea today! Please come back and visit again soon. To visit others having a tea party today, visit Cielo's House in the Roses.