Mar 27, 2010

Slideshow of Today's Painting Class

Today was such a beautiful day!  We had a wonderful breakfast at Robye Andrews new home and embellished our somewhat plain photo model into something beautiful!  Sorry if you missed it!  Enjoy!


Mar 17, 2010

The Simple Way of Love

My sweet niece Marla Delong has written a beautiful book that is a must have.  Her quotations are so well written and the depth amazed me. I'm so proud of the way God is using her and her dedication to serving him.  The site is under construction but you will be able to order soon using PayPal.  Meanwhile, e-mail me at tinaS@pclnet.net and let me know if you'd like a copy.  They are $25 each.

Do you honestly believe that you are loved?

This simple little book is a warm, grace-filled, thought-provoking invitation to taste and discover what it means to live deeply loved in a relationship with God.

Read it in twenty minutes, but be changed for a lifetime.

“The Simple Way of Love” is a visual parable of what it means to dwell in grace. The dialogue between art and words will take you on a journey to the inward places of your heart that will challenge your innermost beliefs and help you discover the secret that can deeply transform your life.
The Simple Way of Love

Mar 13, 2010

Check out "Click Chick!" and the Valley Cats

My sweet friend Stephanie Fenton (also my sister in "Sister Grace")has started a new blog called "Click Chick!" and she is taking some excellent photos these days! She had some most unusual and interesting characters to photograph last night!  Well, it is true!  She has posted some photos of "The Valley Cats" from our photo/video shoot last night.  Check out her blog but please, continue on to some of the other things she's been posting and check out some of the links from there.  Special thanks to Steph, Deon Hargrove from Railroad Bazaar, and Tom "Sound Doc" Macgruder for using their special skills to make us look good last night!  Well, they did the best they could!  We'll be posting the video when it's ready. 

Mar 6, 2010

Who would have thought....

 
When I was about 5 years old I discovered this picture of my entire family other than me.  I remember Mama was at the kitchen counter, probably rolling out the dough for some of those daily home made biscuits we grew up on. I can clearly remember standing there just barely tall enough to see over the kitchen table and staring at that picture for a long time.  Then, the moment I became so upset at not being in that picture and ripped it in half.  My mother couldn't believe that little temper (which would later get me into lots of trouble). I guess I hadn't figured out yet that when the picture was made that family of brothers didn't know they were going to have a little sister come along.  Well, who would have believed it would wind up blown up on a huge screen at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville today when my brother, Roger Murrah, was honored in an interview as a legendary songwriter in the Hall of Fame's "Poet and Prophet" series.  I went through lots of emotions and memories listening to the words of his songs and to him talk about his life, his songs and the journey that brought him to this well deserved place of honor.  I'm very proud of my brother.  Songwriting and the success he's had is not something that happens over night.  He's spent countless hours honing the art and craft of writing and struggled through many years to see that dream come true.  He's been a huge influence in my life and I'm so thankful to have shared an ounce or two of the success he's had and to have been a part of that history he talked about today.  Way to go bro!  Keep a-kickin'! 

Mar 5, 2010

Let Hope Shine in Your Work

I wanted to share a newsletter I get with you.  I thought this was very encouraging and I want to continue to strive to let Christ's light shine in all that I do.  I hope you will find encouragement here.  You may want to subscribe to the newsletter too. (The photo is a preview of the portrait I'm currently working on.  I'll post again when I'm done.  It's a full body 36" x 30" oil....I love painting!) 

March 4, 2010

Volume 5, Number 5

This is the bi-weekly e-newsletter you requested from the National Women's Department, to bring an encouraging perspective to the hectic lifestyles of career women and working moms.

Let Hope Shine in Your Work

by Kristin Huffman

I remember when my first-born child was beginning to chow down on real food. I tried diligently to introduce him to a variety of pureed vegetables, fruits, and meats, all in the appropriate order. But he had his definite likes and dislikes. He’d gravitate toward sweet potatoes, carrots, and pumpkin and refuse the green things. Being the firm, principled mother, I let him have what he wanted.

One morning he woke up and looked like he had a tan, one of the instant bottle-variety tans. In fact, he was orange. I carried him all over the house to look at him in different lights, but he was definitely orange.

In a panic, I called the pediatrician who quickly reassured me that the carotene in the orange veggies had changed his skin tone from the inside out. My son would turn back to his normal color if I varied his diet.

Since then, I can spot babies who love carrots. Their skin gives them away!

As I live and work with others, I have also learned how to recognize those who have Christ and His truth as their foundation, those who base their whole lives on Him. They shine from the inside out, exuding hope and confidence and joy even when work is tough. Keeping Christ at the center of our lives shows through to the world.

In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus describes what people look like who follow Him and put His words into practice. It’s a story about people who build houses. The wise man built his house on the rock—on a solid foundation. When the storms came, the house didn’t fall because of its strong foundation. The foolish man built his house on the sand, a foundation that fell apart when the storms came.

In our lives, Jesus lets us choose how to build. Will we trust in things that won’t last? Will we trust in strength outside of God? Will we be battered by the storms of life?

Or will we trust in Jesus and His promises? If we follow Him, live like Him, and participate in building His kingdom, that foundation will support us through any storm.

Living in this world is difficult. We face temptations and struggles and worries. But we can trust Jesus as our foundation. In our relationships, in our families, and in our work, He will show us the path we are to follow. We can stop and breathe and listen to Him with our hearts and minds.

As we make space for Christ, we ask Him to lead us. He will help us make the right decisions, use our gifts creatively, and trust Him for the outcomes. He even gives us the courage and determination to accept His leadership. We need to lose our fierce desire to do it our way, and let Him lead us, His way.

What a relief to know that He will be our strength and our hope—even when the world crashes in around us. What a relief to know that others will see this hope shining through us, from the inside out.

Reprinted with permission. Originally published as “Let Hope Shine in Your Work” on 03/2/10 at TheHighCalling.org.

To view previous issues of Women @ Work, click here.