The Sweet Spot, Why Blog???

Yesterday I was reading

Ecclesiastes

The teacher is giving a speech on

how useless things of the world are.

What in the world truly brings joy?

Wisdom?

Wealth?

Hard work.?

He exclaims it is all useless and

in the end anything apart

from God is Useless.

"The best that people can do is eat,

drink, and enjoy their work. I saw

that even this comes from God,

Because no one can enjoy life

without Him. If people please

God, god will give them wisdom,

knowledge, and joy."

Ecclesiastes 2: 24-26

"The Key" 2006 Watercolor canvas

Ah Ha Moment!!!

Why do I blog?

I blog because I want to be used by God.

I blog because I want to make a difference in someones day.

I blog to self promote and promote my art.

What is wrong with those three sentences?

 (  I  )

What I just realized is, it is not about what I want.

My selfish nature wants to know I am making a difference.

My selfish nature want instant gratification...

Acceptance, Recognition

Thank you mainstream society and technology.

I haven't been getting many comments lately.

COMMENTS....(sigh)

I was using that as a measure of my success.

Bad,Bad Idea.....

I just realized this it is NOT the plan God had

for me....This is not the Spot!

I just realized that joy comes when I bridge the gap between God and I.

This gap is bridged when you are in a place with just you and God.

Just you and God.

God working in you and through you in his perfect will.

 True joy is meant to come from God and the time

 we are spending on our relationship with Him.

 The gap is closed when I am still, quite and listening to

God. 

When I am writing what he has placed

 on my heart and honoring him with

my talent and devotion.

Nothing else matters. Time stands still or slips by.

It's also referred to as the, " sweet spot".

A moment in time where there is no fear and no worries.

JUST YOU AND GOD.

Max Lucado writes about this in,  

A Cure for The Common Life

To find your "sweet spot" ---

that place where your passions and talents intersect.

"For a person to really live in their sweet spot,

they have got to discover the

joy of pleasing and honoring God.

It's less about themselves and more about honoring Him." 

"Your sweet spot is that unique combination

of abilities and strengths God has given you.

 It's the zone out of which He intended for us to operate,

 and in which we're most fruitful.

 It's different for every person, and the closer

we can come to understanding our own unique

 sweet spot, the more fruitful

and satisfied we'll be in our work and life..."  Max Lucado

This book is a GREAT read...Check it out!

Leave it to me to miss the point of writing this blog.

Well not completely... Or get caught up in the hype!

Working hard for comments...Not important! Useless

Working hard for Recognition... Not important!Useless

Working hard for approval...Not important! Useless

Living in my creative "sweet spot" and honoring God is where I want to be.

I really do want this to be less about me and my selfish needs.

But, I also want this to be a vehicle where I can share my faith

 and promote my artwork.

I really feel like it is a fine line. 

God is my passion

 and my writing and artwork

 is the place where I feel they intersect.

Welcome to My,

"SWEET SPOT"
This is where I
live Life to the fullest!
In the spot God has prepared just for me.

What does that mean for my blog?

I am taking the follow me... off.

I am not gonna check 5 or 6 times a

day to see is If I got a comment.

I am gonna put it out there

and trust God to use it

however he wants too.

If he wants to?

I will share what is on my heart.

I will share my art, my dreams

and my journey.

Hopefully sell some art too!!!

I will try to inspire others to

create a meaningful relationship with

God through His

son Jesus Christ.

With His help!!!

In God Alone I trust.

Many Blessings Deborah

Aah Love Love Love....

February the month
Of...

Love.
What do you Love?

Here is a few of the things

I love to Love.

The foot of the cross

and the open arms of Jesus.

The Cowboy, My husband and

part-neer.

I LOVE, My wonderful family!

All my children

My mother,father and

brothers. 

&

The blessings of Friends

I Love

Watching my girls bloom into

beautiful women right before my eyes.

I Love...
 Making art that reflects the relationship

I have with Jesus Christ. 

 Messy Art and Soul Studio.

My collection of boots! Luv um!

I confessed to a boot addiction
in a prevouis post.
The truth will set you free! (Right?)

P.S. The Cowboy got me a new pair for

Valentines Day with some flowers.

Crayons!!! 

 The colors of the ocean. 

The color Aqua. (I heart)

 Painting Roses in watercolor.

The color Pink.

Looking out my window to see

our Horses.

I Love.....

 AMERICA and all she stands for.

Hope, Promise & Freedom!

Just a fun and quick pictorial of

what I heart!

Picture by Rebekah J. Ruby

John 3:16 (New International Version,

16 "For God so loved the world that he

 gave his one and only Son,

that whoever believes in him

 shall not perish but have eternal life."

 I Love...
GODS LOVE

“It’s difficult for our limited minds

to comprehend an unlimited God.

Don’t allow the limits of your mind

to limit what you will

 allow God to do in your life.”

 – Elmer Laydon

Love one another!

Happy Valentines Day!
Many Blessings, Deborah

Saturday Link up at
It's Grace
Come join the Fun!
http://www.itsgrace.com/

A collaboration between God and I. Art and A New Link.

Answered Prayer

&

Divinely Inspired.

I am so, so excited to share

my newest inspirational

art.

Titled,

"A Splash of Color

  A Dose of FAITH"

Here's the story

behind the ART.

Hope you like it!

Sooooo...

The Internet is abundant with

 beautiful works of art

and artist.

I love to look at all the

creative artwork out there in

blog land and ETSY it can

be so inspiring.

But, sometimes I feel overwhelmed

by all the talented people out

there.

I had begun to think its all been

done like...(art)

What is original?

What hasn't been done?

Flowers...done!

Animals....done!

Collage...done!

An artist teaches a class

and you come out with a

piece of art that is more a

reflection of their

style then your own.

I want my own style.

As an artist you want to be

unique and stand out in the crowd.

It is kinda hard to explain, I'll Try! 

What do I want from my art?

I want my work to show the connection

I have with God when I am creating it.

I don't want to be just another artist.

I want to be a Christian Artist.

 Is that a limiting label? Maybe but, I don't care!

I want the world to know I love Jesus and

without him I would not have these gifts.

I want my art to be less about

me and more about the

work God is doing

through me & in me.

"Art is a collaboration between

 God and the artist, and the less

 the artist does the better."

 ~André Gide

 This is one of my all time favorite

quotes.

So I have been praying,

God Give me something

NEW!

Give me something small 4 1/2"x4 1/2"and

affordable to all.

Give me something

that shows my LOVE  for YOU.

Let me first start by telling you

that I really didn't spend much time

in the studio last month.

Just not feeling IT!

So a couple days ago I walk

into my studio and as if in a daze

I spy a old piece of art

which I had cut up into strips and

woven it together with a verse on it.

I never finished it!

It was big 18"x20" or so.

The only explanation I have is

the Holy Spirit took over and I

just started cutting up old artwork,

Which I wasn't happy with.

Reclycled ART.

I don't think I could have stopped

creating these if I wanted to.

With in 3 hours or so I had these made.

Then I thought to myself,  Had

God

planted this seed in me 4 years

ago when I made the big one?

It was a Holy Spirit moment.

When I finished these pieces and I took a

step back, I felt tingles

and goose bumps from my

head to my toes.

Ya'all are thinking eek, she could

be crazy.

But, these I call  Holy Spirit moments

and they are

real to me!

I know... I know, CRAZY,

But, I know I am not alone it these

moments...which I can feel the presence

of the Holy Spirit.

(Cause I am blessed to know others

like me.) LOL!

I have some good... good friends,

and when we get together in prayer

we all get these same feelings.

Not all the time, just sometimes.

Like when we are praying for

others or our husbands...LOL!

In the end friends, MY truly

 honest intention

is and will always be

to honor God and to

use my gifts and talents to

Give my Father in Heaven all

the Glory!

My intention is to share this gift with others

so they to will be blessed and inspired to use their gifts.

I want to be transparent even if it means

I have to be vulnerable.

I refuse to white wash my faith or

 My truth...

God is my Father,

Jesus is His son,

and My Savior

and the Holy Spirit

Lives In Me.

I am a

CHRISTIAN ARTIST.

Welcome to my journey!

I am so glad you stopped

by.

Many Blessings, Deborah

Also, I linked up with It's Grace

yesterday and wanted to share

her wonderful blog with you.

http://www.itsgrace.com/

So hop on over, you will

be blessed by her

words and her heart.

 Here is another Great

Christian Blog;  Rachel @

http://www.a-steady-rain.com/

Stop by for inspiration and to

share the amazing Blessing

God has for each of us.

Renewal, Painting and In life...

Renewal...

This is the original painting I

began in 2008...

I say began because I realized

the other day it wasn't

finished...

Titled,

"Scout and Cheyenne, Splash"

Another Stroke of the brush...

Renewed ....
I added some warm colors on the
backs of the horses and lightened the
fronts of the horses.  I also cropped the
original size to Matt it. I added more blue wash
over the hoofs in the background to
create a better feeling of distance.
Can you tell a difference?
Before I kinda felt the painting was a little
flat. I (think) I am happy with the renewed piece.

 Speaking of....
Renewal

This time of year reminds

me of new life.

We are reminded & many celebrate the birth of

Jesus and all that His birth meant

for us as Christians.

Hope

Renewal

Forgiveness

A precious Gift from

GOD.

What gift could top this???

All this hustle and bustle

shopping for the perfect gift.

Sometimes I am overwhelmed by

the materialism in my life.

I get caught up in the idea of

something new...

New Furniture

New Car

New jewelry...

I have more so much more than

I need, Really!

My Family,

My Friends,

 A Savior...

This morning I told my children

we weren't having Christmas...

Whooooa!

That did not go over so well, try this at you own

risk...

Here is what I heard...

"You can't do that,

That is not fair...

You can't just not buy us stuff."

That is what Christmas is all about!!!

Whoooa! (Me)

Mind you my children have been privileged

to attend  a christian school

until the 8th grade.

Sure, we have made many sacrifices to pay that bill!

But It was important to the cowboy and I.

My thinking at this moment...They know better than this...Right?

The answer is a resounding no!!!

They are normal children living in a material world.

They may not have as much as some,

but they have more than many.

So where did this feeling of entitlement come from?

Really, Can youTell Me!!!

I can only hope and pray that one day they

will realize how blessed they are.

With age and maturity comes wisdom, Right?

I am counting on this scripture,

Proverbs 22:6

Train up a child in the way he should go:

and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

I really wouldn't take Christmas

from my children...

But it did open up the opportunity

to have a great conversation with them.

Lets call it a little training session!

One Point for the Parents....

Many Blessings, Deborah

Sometime a piece of art isn't finished

even when you think it is....

Fresh Paint from the studio...Fresh Water from my Soul...

New Art

Fresh Painting

This piece is another Acrylic and Plaster..

Mixed media

Title "Moon Light on the Water"

It is an 8"x10" canvas Gallery Wrapped

Sides are painted Black.

I just love how the plaster gives the

art & water

another

Dimension,

Texture,

Depth

and

Movement.

I am really having fun with this plaster technique...

It is a medium by Golden products.

This time I intentionally manipulated the plaster.

I had a vision in my mind.

I will be listing this later today on

ETSY

http://www.dlrubyspalette.etsy.com/

Fresh Water... For the Soul

I painted the ocean because..

I love the ocean, it calls to me..

Come and rest by the shores,

come and listen to the waves.

Come and you will find peace

on the edge of  God's vastness.

The waves come forth and

touch my toes and my soul.

The waves can be calm and

cleansing,

washing away the weariness

within my soul.

So cool and refreshing,

so alive and invigorating.

Reminding me how small

I truly am.

Reminding me how

BiG

 God IS.

For just as I can not perceive the depths

of the ocean.

It can be equally hard

to perceive the depths of Gods

LOVE.

From the shore the waters of the

ocean appear never ending.

From the foot of the

cross I can see God's Love

IS never ending.

The rhythm of the waves

remind me of the

rhythm of life.

The rhythm of

give and take,

the rhythm of

the storms in life and

the times when life is

peaceful and calm.

Water...

Water Gives Life

Water washes away the sins

of the world.

Water restores

the dying seed.

Jesus is the Water Of Life.

The ocean reminds me

of the peace

I have found in

Jesus.

And that my friends is why I love the ocean.

I hear it calling me.

I hear God calling me into

 his vastness of LOVE.

And God Loves YOU Too!

John 4:14 (New International Version)

14 but whoever drinks the water I give him

 will never thirst.

 Indeed, the water I give him will become in him

a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

Have a creative and blessed

weekend.

Remember God Loves You and He will

meet you where ever your at.

All you have to do is reach out,

His arms arms are open and waiting

Just for YOU!

Project In My Daughters Eyes, MY Letter to my daughters...

Over at PINK MOSS http://www.pinkmoss.com/ 

Janae is on an precious mission.

This project is titled,

IN MY DAUGHTERS EYES

She is a mother of 6 daughters.

 I hope you will stop by her blog and see what this project is all about.

IT is AWESOME!

In My Daughter's Eyes is an idea she had to ask women

to write a letter to their 12 year old self, giving advice

 on what true beauty and happiness means to them.

 There are no many guidelines because she wants the letters to be unique.

Please stop by and jump on board.

 My Letter....

I have choosen to write to my daughters about what I was taught at 12 and what I desire to teach them.
My dearest daughters, from the moment you were born and they placed you in my arms I saw beauty in the first breath you took. For in that 1st breath of your life, I began understand true love, a bond so strong it felt almost overwhelming. I began to dream of your first words, your first steps and all the first experiences of your life. Oh, I will not be in a hurry for you to grow up, I want to savor each and every moment and never let you out of arms length. Daughter, try to remember life is not a race to see who can grow up the fastest and take time to enjoy your journey one step at a time. Not all mothers and daughters will have the relationship I desire to have with you. I am you mother first and always. But, I will also seek to be your friend, your confidant and your own personal cheerleader.


The most important attribute I hope to pass on to you is my faith, I believe in God and I will pray for you to seek him through out your life. I will show you how to love like Jesus and forgive like Jesus in my actions and my words. I know you think I am over protective, strict and never let you have any fun. Just know this, as a your mother my first instinct is to love and protect you for as long as I can.

On your first day of school my heart will break just a little knowing I have to share you with the rest of the world, because you are my world. I promise you I will seek to do my best with the knowledge I have and do better as I gain more wisdom. My dearest girls, as you go out into the world on your own remember that you are never alone, God goes with you and my prayers for you will never end. Remember as your mother if you hurt I will hurt and that you can tell me anything and I will listen with compassion and speak to you with the wisdom I have gained from being a young girl at one time. Believe it or not I was a teenager once too.

In your teenage years when peer pressure is at a peek, I will still be seeking to protect you from the all the pressure of high school and this world. The path you are on will have ups and downs, trials and tears, laughter and joy. Allow me as your mother to share this with you. I want to be there for you always in all ways. As your mother I will be honest, strict and full of high expectations. When it seems as though I expect too much or have given to much responsibility remember this. I am this way because I believe you are a precious gift from God and an answered prayer. I am this way because I can see your potential and how special you are. I am hoping to teach you that true beauty is in how you live, love and forgive. True beauty is in how you treat others, true beauty is sharing, giving and respecting yourself.

You will always be beautiful in the eyes of God and your mother. The world will try to teach you that beauty is in the makeup, your looks and the clothes you wear. I will teach you that true beauty comes from within you. True beauty is not visible on the surface; it is in your words and actions.

Girls... when you pass by a mirror try not to focus on how you look, your style, you hair or your body type. When you look in the mirror at your own reflection, see what God sees. Try not to focus on the package with all the pretty paper and a big pink bow. Stop at the mirror and look deeper, see through the eyes of God. God sees a beautiful child of his creation; God looks at YOU and only sees what is in your heart and soul.

When you begin looking for the love of a partner, I hope you seek his friendship first.
"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13

Seek someone that loves you for who you are on the inside. Seek someone who doesn’t want you to change who you are to meet his needs, but needs who you are to complete who he is. Seek someone who inspires you and believes in you. Don’t look for love in a handsome face. Most of all you must learn to love your self before you can truly love someone else.

"Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. Try always to be led along TOGETHER by the Holy Spirit, and so be at peace with one another." Ephesians 4:2-3, TLB

I will preach purity and waiting until marriage, the world will teach protection against pregnancy. You are a gift, one to be treasured and honored. If you respect yourself, your partner will respect you. Marriage is a commitment, a contract and meant to be permanent. I hope to teach you this, if you seek God first in all things, happiness and joy will be overflowing in your life.

You can not stand long on sinking sand, but you can stand on solid ground with God as your foundation.

No matter what you do with your life, no matter where life takes you. Know this, I have loved you from the moment God placed you in my waiting arms. I hope that I have taught you this, beyond a shadow of doubt. Jesus loves you and is always with you. You were born because of I loved, I hoped and I had faith. You were an answered prayer, a blessing in my eyes and all that I dreamed you would be. You truly are a beautiful child of God and my precious daughters. I am truly Blessed!

My heart is overflowing with pride and joy and I will praise God all the days of my life for the gift of YOU.
In my daughters eyes I can see the future, I can see Gods promise, I can see the beautiful women they will become and a reflection of who I am in them.

All My Love, MOM!