Lessons from a prayer plant.

One ounce of prayer is worth many ounces of good intentions.

Calatheas (prayer plant)

This plant has been crushed by a grandchild, hit with a dog toy and moved around by a not so plant loving husband, yet still it never ceases to remind me to pray more everyday. It is so easy to get too busy or distracted (like me) and not pray as we should.

“The way you keep your house, the way you organize your time, the care you take in your personal appearance, the things you spend your money on, all speak loudly about what you believe. The beauty of thy peace shines forth in an ordered life. A disordered life speaks loudly of disorder in the soul.”   ~ Elisabeth Elliot

This Sunday is the Global Day of Prayer to end famine.

Hunger is sweeping across East Africa. May 21st Churches are gathering to pray worldwide. 

#praytoendfamine

Prayer makes your heart bigger, until it is capable of containing the gift of God himself. Prayer begets faith, faith begets love, and love begets service on behalf of the poor.

~Mother Teresa

This is a little sketch I did with a book on prayer that I got at a World Vision conference. "For the least of these" by Laurie Delgatto

“God shapes the world by prayer. The more prayer there is in the world the better the world will be, the mightier the forces of against evil …” E.M. Bounds

I do need more growth in the area of prayer.  Distraction is my largest enemy!

When I don't have words to pray,
I just say Jesus.

My daughter gave me some heirloom seeds for Mother's Day so I planted a garden. 

A garden always represents hope for me.  A belief that tomorrow can bring beauty from ashes and dirt.  I planted sunflowers , bush beans, peas, pumpkins, lettuce, cucumbers and wildflowers this year in this small space. Hopefully something will grow!

My garden that I just planted for this year is going to need a little prayer!

Wish me luck!

This sunflower above was one of our own from our tiny garden last year.

"You can do more than pray after you have prayed; but you can never do more than pray until you have prayed."
~A.J. Gordon  
                                    

                                                                                            

“There is no other activity in life so important as that of prayer. Every other activity depends upon prayer for its best efficiency.” 
~M.E. Andross

Fact notes...

Prayer plants have big, oval leaves that turn upward at night and bloom little white flowers every Spring.


For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat.
Matthew 25:35

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 
Phil 4:6-7

Everyday folks and short stories

We have ample evidence that the Lord is able to guide. The promises cover every imaginable situation. All we need to do is to take the hand he stretches out. 

~Elisabeth Elliot 

I have written before that my grandmother is a folk artist.  I mean the true "old school type" ripped pants from the carvings that she worked on her lap.  She is a wood carver, a craft that she didn't even pick up until she was in her eighties. I remember visiting her one year with a few other relatives and was very inspired by her pep and independence even now that she is 99. 

Her amazing carvings were on her shelves, buffalos, eagles, the pope, some were painted bright colors.  At the end of our visit my grandmother handed everyone a carving of her choice to match their personalizes and what she fancied.  One by one she gave a fish, a cow, colorful folk people, the anticipation was killing me!  I noticed a cute little dachshund on the shelf that I would have liked, but I knew she definitely wouldn't give me an eagle!:)  I was more curious I suppose, of how she saw me since I only got to see her once or twice a year growing up.

I was the last one and she turned to me and hands me this necklace.  She did not carve this so I was perplexed.  The necklace was given to her by someone else in Poland when she was younger. It has two sides, one side with an edelweiss flower and the other side a painted folk design.

Edelweiss flower

When wearing this humble wood piece I cant help but feel the history and sense of roots of an humble folk artist of a time long ago.

I wonder what projects they worked on , churches, buildings, mantles, perhaps just brightening the world around them.  Although I wont ever know the whole story I can still feel the richness of their quiet life of working with their hands and creating a more beautiful place to live.

clarity

If the person that made this humble necklace only knew it would end up in America some day with me. In a place of glitter and glamor, and that I would find it quite the treasure. 

✯ My little shop announcement ✯

Etsy is making a few changes for the small shops that only take PayPal. So I am moving my shop to my website bannerandsail.com. The website contact will be bannerandsail@hotmail.com. They will officially turn off my shop May 17th, so I can accept all orders through Etsy https://www.etsy.com/shop/bannerandsail?ref=hdr_shop_menu until the 17th of May.

I am not ending my shop or doing artwork!

I am still working on the transition right now, but I thought I would let you all know first!

I am sad to leave Etsy! I have made some wonderful friends and worked with some wonderful clients from around the world that challenged me to do better and never settle for less than excellence. I have had my art on the front page a few times and many pieces have had the proceeds go to charity (World Vision) for trafficking, hunger, and disasters such as the Napal earthquake. 

 I'm a self taught embroidery folk artist for over 20 years and have carried my work in shops long before Etsy. This was an very unexpected move and I thank you for your understanding. With 1610  admirers a five star rating☆☆☆☆☆, I have been  an Etsy seller for 5 yrs.(it seems longer)

Please expect good things out of me!:)

Ordinary butterflies

I like narrative storytelling as being part of a tradition,
a folk tradition.
~Bruce Springsteen

Folk art is made by untrained ordinary people, brightening their world with vibrate colors with paintings, embroidery and all kinds of craftsmanship.

Passion flower

So creatives create, with no need for a "blaze of glory", they just do because its in them to build, create, make the world a more beautiful place and bring some joy and maybe a little entertainment to go along with it. Brightening someone's day that may need little uplifting and encouragement.;)

It is my choice to care deeply about others.
No kindness is too small to be important -
the smile to the bank teller,
the sincere "thank you" for all kindnesses received,
the reassuring hand on the shoulder of a loved one or friend.
There is compassion in selfless generosity,
but there is also compassion in heartfelt empathy.
~Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Folk art bird

As for me...

More volunteer work

More art

Hopefully more growth

Perseverance in faith

Always stories

Always creating

More love and friendship

More hope

Little match girl

Either we are adrift in chaos or we are individuals, created, loved, upheld and placed purposefully, exactly where we are. Can you believe that? Can you trust God for that? ~Elisabeth Elliot

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you,  so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12