House Hunting

I've never been much on shopping around for anything.

I know what I'm looking for, I go find it, buy it & go home.

This simply doesn't work when you're searching for a house, does it? 

It took me quite awhile, but I finally did find a house. 

Then the fun began with the inspections, appraisals, paperwork and realizing just how connected you still are to someone if you were married to them 

for 16 years (divorced or not.) 

I'm glad that we are still on relatively friendly terms because it could have been 

quite difficult if we were not.

I'm pretty sure most of the tedious running is completed and that I'll actually be able to move in by the end of January. Oh, the joys of moving. I've heard of deals "falling through" and people having their hearts broken over it so I'm not going to post any pix or say that I actually have the house until it's a done deal...but if God wills, it will be so nice to be in a more rural area and out of the busy little neighborhood I'm living in now. 

It will also be great to know that what I'm spending on my house payment is actually going to be mine and I'm not just lining someone else's pockets with rent money. 

It's quite a charming little...well, maybe not so little, home on a couple of wooded acres in the Dungeness Valley area. A little further to drive to work, but not too far. 

It's got a lovely, large covered back porch looking out over a cute little pond...a wonderful place to paint, read, or just enjoy being outdoors.

There's a shop that will be perfect to turn into my little art studio. 

I am grateful for the prayers that have gone up on my behalf.

I've been out of touch with my poor blog again, because I've been in and out of my 'dark place' lately...October through December typically does that to me...but I'm really looking forward to the move, to settling down. I have a few great friends here at home and tons of on line friends who are all so encouraging. The artists I've met on line seem to understand the ups and downs I go through because many of them go through it as well.  

I can't complain.

 It seems that things are looking up in my world. 

AND

I get to see my baby boy later today! 

Can't wait to show him our 'new' house, where he will actually have his own 

room/man cave/private place.

Merry Christmas to us....and to all of you! 

Past and Present

It's crazy how I can look back on so many different situations in my life and realize that I have managed to push SO many people away. Good people. People who loved me. 

I believe in my heart that I have stopped doing that now...but at the same time, 

I do not easily get close to anyone. 

I have only really allowed one person to actually get close in recent years, and that bit me pretty hard. I consider myself to be intelligent enough to learn from my mistakes, and the fact that I made that one doesn't bother me in the slightest anymore. I simply chalk it up to the fact that I had a lot of changes happening in my life all at once and 

I was in a vulnerable place. 

The snakes...they know exactly when to prey on the the weak and how to target the strong when we're down,  don't they? It's cool though, because they'll get 

what they've got coming. 

I have re-connected with some of the friends I had back in my younger days. I have kept in sketchy touch with them over the years, but recently have talked a lot more to some of them. They are all long distance, of course, so that helps me feel "safe" I suppose. I really really miss the close friendships I had. I am so glad that they have forgiven me for my shortcomings and shallowness and seem to love me just the same as ever. I saw one of them in person in August and am planning to go see another after the Holidays. I can not wait. I almost have butterflies in my belly just thinking about it!!  

:))))))))

 I just had the conversation with my sweet baby boy about how nearly ALL of the people I talk to nowadays are on line. Most of them I have never met, and I'm okay with that. It amazes me the avenues that the internet opens up for me. Like I said in my previous post, I am really happy to be able to network with people who are fellow artists. I love getting ideas from them, having the chance to share stories and even exchange art work. It's a real blessing for me.

It seems that creative people (at least the ones I have 'met') have a similar pattern of emotions as I do...the roller coaster type mood swings, for example. 

At one end of the spectrum there are times when I am on top of the world and those are the times when I seem to be really cranking out art work. I'm happy, I talk a lot, I don't mind receiving phone calls, emails or messages.  The opposite end is when I can just barely make myself get out of bed, I have frequent migraines, and I have a creative block and can't seem to get anything onto paper, canvas or even write any words. Those seem to be the times when I neglect my blog and my blogger, FB, Twitter & Etsy friends and just hide in the cave of my mind waiting for it to go away so I can feel good again. 

I don't know positively that everyone goes to such extremes, but most of them have discussed the "down" time and the "block" that goes with it. It may be assuming too much to believe that every creative person has as jacked up a brain as I do, but hey...

I suppose I'm a little narcissistic sometimes.

I do have ONE good friend here who was sort of an "instant friend" when we met. We are the same age, we are both artistic and although our backgrounds are totally different, we can just hang out together and be comfortable. Like family. She's wonderful & I love her.

I really appreciate being back 'home' and being able to really be myself. I was so very happy to get out of the South where people play nice to your face, then immediately go and gossip to whoever will listen about what a sinner you are...or whatever they can come up with to gossip about. 

DON'T GET ME WRONG!!!

I'm not stereotyping every person in the South because I do know some super great people from there, some are my current on line buds!  I'm just saying that the vast majority of those I met and believed were my friends, were really stabbing me in the back the whole time I lived there and I didn't even know it until I went through my divorce.

 I'm happy to be aware now. 

I'm glad I am in a place where most people are real. Not afraid to say it like it is...and once they do, it's out in the open and we can still be friends afterward.

I'm trying to practice the little poem at the beginning of this post! 

I'm getting closer to picking out a house that I like, by the way...I'll share pix once I decide and get approved. 

Thanks for the prayers! 

My Latest Project

I'm in the process of house hunting. Winter is supposedly a buyers market, so this is a good thing. I'm hoping to land a home where I can set up an art studio/workshop. I've looked at several and have a couple picked out. 

For those of you who pray--Please pray for me as I search! 

I love the internet. 

Why? 

Networking. This is something I have heavily relied on to keep my sanity over the past couple of years, but particularly the past 6 months or so. I believe I communicate more with people on line than I do with people I have actually met in real life. That's okay with me because I'm introverted anyway, so I enjoy being "alone" while I socialize on line.

I have started an etsy site called AngelaQ s Abstract Reality in order to advertise my artwork. I've been using Facebook, Twitter, and yes, I have an additional site: 

Angela Q s

I figure if I'm going to be an artist, I may as well advertise as much as possible. The more you're out there, the more chance there is of people actually seeing your work, right? 

This is my most recent work. I intentionally lightened up his face to accentuate his features a bit, especially the baby blues :)

I'm going to try to keep up on my blog posting a little more. 

I seem to get side tracked and simply don't make the time to blog, even though it's something I really enjoy. It's a great outlet, but then again, so is my artwork and I've stayed pretty busy with it recently. 

I'm working on a custom piece for my boy and I'm really excited about it. I hope he likes it when I'm finished. He will be here to spend the week for Thanksgiving (((((YAY!!!!))))) 

I can't wait. 

Oh, and he finally made it official! 

Did I predict that before it ever began? Yes, of course! 

Am I happy about it? 

UM....YEAH!! 

Thrilled!

A Wonderful, Beautiful Soul

Once upon a time there was a wonderful, beautiful young lady. God worked her into our lives in His own special way, and there she stayed for a fairly long spell. Speaking of 'spells', she was magical in the sense that she brightened up the room when she arrived someplace. She made your heart smile when you looked into her eyes. Yes, this girl was indeed quite special. 

Sometimes she seemed to be almost too good to be true. It was so frightening!

Why?

 Well, when you have a mind like mine, people who are really good are so intimidating. It's as if that darkness (which lies within us all) might decide to rear it's ugly head even higher just to try to overshadow the pure beauty in it's midst just for the sake of doing it. That's how the evil one functions, right? 

Oh, and he did work. He worked within all of our lives. He was sly, allowing us to be comfortable initially, but then BAM! Creating havoc in the minds of each one of us, trying to be certain that nothing good could come of the bonds we were making...that we had made. He snaked his way in like he so loves to do...and there he remained for quite a long time. We tried to make believe that he wasn't really there and that we were letting God be in charge, but were we? I don't think so...at least not with regard to the way we all chose to see and interpret each other. We all made so many mistakes, holding on to ideas we may have created; or did that slimy snake plant them there? 

God has been patient with us. He loves us so. 

You know, that lady is even more beautiful today. 

You can't hide God's light, can you?

God works in mysterious ways. He opens our eyes to the splendor of His creation...and we are His creation, aren't we? Yes, when He created us, mankind, He didn't just exclaim that it was "good", but that it was 

"very good"! 

He created us in His image. He has the power to open our hearts...our minds, if we will only allow Him to do it. 

I am so grateful that He is alive and well in our lives again today. That He is shining brightly in each of us and that we see Him working in our daily comings and goings. 

Especially...I so love that wonderful, beautiful young lady and I am beyond happy that God has kicked that slimy serpent out of our lives. God will be the author of our future...and I pray that His plan includes making that bond even stronger and our love deeper than it ever was before.

Yes, it is pure joy to know that God has chosen to bring such  

a wonderful, beautiful soul

into our lives. 

Thank You Lord!

It's Been Awhile!

You will note that I have another website 2 other websites if you look at the sidebar on the right. 

One is my etsy site, and one is my original art website.

I just recently opened my etsy account in order to promote myself as an artist. I hit etsy every day just to check for traffic, and to get ideas for how to have more web strollers to hit the site. (I'm so ignorant with regard to computers, even after all these years!) 

I've posted some of my portraits here on blogger as well. I figure the more places you have something posted, the more chance there will be of people actually finding it, right? 

Here is a link to Angela Marie's Art which is my original artwork website. I don't actually frequent that site, because I have it set up to send me an email if anyone is actually interested in purchasing anything...but I did go look around today and realized that there is a blogging area on that site too. I went ahead and made a blog entry discussing my beginnings with acrylic painting, along with a photo of my most recent piece:

If there are any bright ideas that you have for someone who is still pretty 'green' when it comes to working on the internet, I am very open to suggestions. I have actually been commissioned to create a couple of acrylic pieces...but I need all the help I can get! 

Blessings to you! 

Thanks for sharing your ideas with me!

Hello Again & Happy Birthday

Happy Happy Birthday Dad.

Today, you would have been 64.

The last (nearly) 3 years has been a rollercoaster of emotion for me. I wish so often that I could pick up the phone and talk to you about it. I still haven't been able to take your name and number out of my phone. Crazy, huh?

 That's what they call me...."Crazy". 

 You were so wise. You always knew just what to say

to put a smile on my face.

You were so witty, so much fun to be with.

I've stepped in "it" again Dad.

I know you're out there somewhere...and since you were always Mr. Fixit, will you have a conversation with our Maker and see if it can be repaired again?

Maybe because I was doing so well and actually getting back into the Word, then I somehow invited Satan to come in and lead me away for a few days.

Maybe.

I miss you Dad.

I can't wait to see you again!

You're probably having a perpetual celebration far better than any Birthday you  had here on earth though. It will be a glorious occasion when

I am able to join you.

Until then, I'm going to keep doing my best (which is not all that great much of the time) to be a loving, humble, godly person.

I love you.

Lies

 Proverbs 17:4
A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.
John 8:44
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

1 John 2:4 (Whole Chapter)
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

1 John 2:22
Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.

1 John 4:20
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

                                                        1 John 5:10
He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record     that God gave of his Son.

Revelation 21:8
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

                                                      

Seems to me that speaking TRUTH is the best way to go, regardless of the situation. It's so much easier to love a person when they are honest with you,  which means that the reverse is also true...

I'm more lovable when I'm being honest.

Being lied to sucks. Plain and simple.

God groups liars in with some (socially) rough individuals!!

He is a good God, He is merciful and forgiving....but that is not a license to behave in a way that you know He does not approve of.

Misleading someone and withholding information are the EXACT same thing as lying. Deceit is deceit no matter how you look at it.

Wow, if I wasn't in the Word, I suppose I'd really be venting.

Thank You Lord for helping me bridal my tongue.

Decisions, Decisions....

Who do you turn to before you make an important decision? Spouse? Boyfriend/girlfriend? Ex-bf/gf? Parents? Philippians 4:6,7: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ. If we look to God and God alone for the answers, He is faithful and in HIS OWN TIME He will show us the way! What an awesome God we serve!!

Five Minute Friday

Ok, here goes my five minutes...

Reflections of the study of 1John (so far.) 

I am really enjoying this study of 1John. I am so thankful that I was invited to participate. In my meditations over the first few verses, one of the things I realize is that John wanted to be absolutely certain that his audience was aware that he was telling the truth. He stresses the fact that he writes about that which he saw, heard and touched with his own eyes, ears, hands.

Considering that he begins to tell us about Christ, our gateway to eternal life, the author is careful to be absolutely sure we know that he did witness Christ, and that He is REAL.

It is so important when we relay information that it is 100% truth. I really appreciate that about John. It is so refreshing to begin the study of a book in my Bible and have the author be adamantly reassuring his audience that he is being honest, and WHY we can be certain of that. 

Another thought along that line is that when we DO believe something, we should know why. We ought to be able to back it up somehow. If I was the Biblical scholar that I should be, I would quote the place in the Bible that says so, but I am not. I'll simply tell you that I know it's there. (What a contradiction that sentence was, huh?--I guess that's what I get for publically agreeing to type for 5 minutes without editing, erasing, changing anything.) 

OK....my time is up. I shall continue to share my reflections as I get further into the book. For now, I'll simply say:

Have a Fabulous Weekend! 

God Bless! 

Behind the Scenes

SOAP

If you've been reading my blog, then you are already aware of the fact that I've started a Bible study, using the S.O.A.P. method.

I am thoroughly enjoying it! There is something really really cool about knowing that you are "with" women from all over the country, learning more about the Lord every single day!

Something that's been on my mind since I began is the people who function behind the scenes. Regardless of whether you're talking about church, business, or a family reunion, any time you get a lot of people together they will inevitably "divide" into groups.

Some will naturally be leaders while others just go with the flow. Some will be outgoing while others will be more behind the scenes.

Where do you fit into the group?

Have you ever considered how important the latter group is? I believe that many times we forget about them.

Abuse?

I needed to share this...it is SO very true. Click on the link:

Silent Treatment

Thank you Angela (Ambroise) !

S.O.A.P.

I am so excited about the places God takes me in the blogging world!

Beginning Monday, I will begin studying the book of 1John with ladies from all over the world! How did this come about?

Blogging!

I have been following Angela Talks for quite some time now.

 I am very encouraged and uplifted by her blog.

**Side note: The first time I emailed her to comment about her blog, it took her a good while to get back to me. The reason? Her name is also "Angela Marie" and she thought she had accidentally emailed herself...haha.

No, it's not just the fact that we share the same name that makes me think she is so awesome. She IS! I admire her devotion to the Lord and the positive attitude she always displays on her site.

Recently, she mentioned something called

"Good Morning Girls"

A diverse group of women connected via internet who follow a study plan which includes daily quiet time, Bible study, reflection & prayer.

Following our individual study, we then will get on line (on Angela's site) and share our thoughts, insights & opinions regarding the verses we have studied.

What a great encouragement to stay in the Word daily!

Obviously no one will come beat down my door if I don't participate, however, it is wonderful to feel somewhat 'accountable' to do my part.

We will be using the "SOAP" method of study:

This is how Angela described it:

 "1.  S-write out the Scripture passage of the day.
2. O- write down one or two observations from the passage.
3. A- write down one or two applications from the passage.
4. P- pray over what you learn from that day's passage.

By the end of the 12 weeks, we will have written out the entire book of 1 John in our journals.  And, we will have meditated on every single verse in the book."

I am thrilled to be a part of this study!

I am excited about the new (to me) method of studying God's word!

Again, I thank God for leading me toward these wonderful, godly women through the blogging world.

What an AWESOME God we serve!

Badger Valley Loop

A day of hiking with Mom is always pleasant, and this was no exception.

There are several different trails to choose from in the Olympics and this day we chose to

head out to Obstruction Point and take the Badger Valley Loop trail.

I (intentionally) didn't tell Mom how long the trail was (4.5 miles) because she may

not have agreed to go along if I had....tee hee hee...

You have to look really close, but you can see the zig zag going down the mountain

in just about the center of the picture?  That's how the loop begins.

What goes down must come up....right?

No, it's not a badger, it's a marmot...

but he was nice enough to greet the hikers.

A shot of Mt. Baker in the background with

wildflowers, taken from the 'Obstruction Point' road.

One of the few creeks we crossed along the trail.

Yes, the trail continued to drop in elevation....

The blue sky waaaaay up there is where we would eventually end up.

Whew...long & quite steep in a few places!

Here comes Momma!!

We were huffin and puffin....but we made it up the other side!

Once we reached the trail at the other end, it was a downhill slope back to the car.

Mom did such an awesome job! I am so proud of her for making it the entire way

without a word of complaint! It was quite a strenuous hike once the climb began. She wouldn't have made it a few weeks ago. She was very proud of herself as well!

A great accomplishment and a beautiful Mother/daughter outing.

Rainier Trip

Can I describe our Rainier trip this year?

In 20 photos or less?

I'll try!

Beavers are natures best dam builders!

The classic shot from the bridge at Myrtle Falls.

Randall Hodges, the professional, giving us a short macro lesson.

Not 100% sure what the names of all the wildflowers are

but they're pretty!

If you look closely, you can see the road in front of Rainier.

(The diagonal line)

Notice the bumper to bumper cars parked along the road?

The parking lot at Paradise was completely full!

The place was PACKED!

From the 'Sunrise' side.

A shot of me and Mom on the Sourdough Ridge trail at Sunrise.

Another shot from the Sourdough Ridge trail.

I call these "mopheads" and I've only seen them growing in

subalpine territory. Not sure what their true scientific name is.

A red Indian Paintbrush!

Sunrise was the place for wildflowers this year.

We had a lot of snow last winter and there were very few flowers on

the Paradise trails.

Mom's about to come across the suspension bridge in

"The Grove of the Patriarchs"

You have seen how incredibly wide I am...

So you KNOW these trees are pretty darn big!

...and TALL!

They were as tall as 300 feet according to the signs & flyers.

I don't know why this fallen trunk fascinated me so....

BAXTER!!

Yes! We saw 2 black black bears (yes, I said black 2X on purpose)

AND

One cinnamon black bear! It looked like a grizzly but it's face and legs were black,

hence the title, 'cinnamon black'.

They were wandering around in the "Paradise Valley" area.

We also saw 3 foxes. This black one with a white tipped tail,

(You can barely see through the weeds) this light tan/white one

and a solid gray one. They were not bashful, in fact they came up to

people and cars in the parking lot and on the road.

Signs explicitly tell you not to feed the wild animals, but obviously not

everyone heeds signs.

I can't remember the name of this little waterfall, but Mom and I vowed

to go back soon, hopefully before it snows us out, and hit all the waterfalls, making note of

their names. There are quite a few.

OOPS!! 22 Photos....I was close!

Another wonderful trip to my favorite place in Washington...possibly the country.

God's art is the very very best!

Bucket List

I remember recently seeing a post related to one's "Bucket List".

Another post I see every Friday is one with a link to "5 Minute Friday" where people are encouraged to write, unedited, non-stop for 5 minutes about whatever comes to their mind.

I don't have a whole lot more than that to spend at the moment, so even though it's not Friday anymore as of 4 1/2 hours ago, I'm going to try combining the two!

WELL

I'm in the process of learning how to really blog.

I want my blog to be interesting enough for people to read and actually comment on. I have seen several suggestions on line and I'm working on it. Right now, I have an actual written out "bucket list" in the back of one of my diaries. (Yes, I have more than one, AND my blog...obviously, I have a lot to say!)

Some of the things on my list are:

-Summit Mount Rainier

-Summit Mount St. Helens

-Summit Mount Hood

-Summit Mount Adams

(Yeah, you get the idea...this will take training and an extremely good physical condition.)

-Travel across the country on a Harley.

-Visit each State in the US at least once.

-Visit the Florida Keys...ALL of them.

-Spend time in Italy

-Travel to where Christ lived and walk where Jesus did...(Like my Dad did)

Okay, my five minutes is up. I did go back real quickly and edit a couple of words.

I cheated...but it's Saturday, so I made it

"SIX minute Saturday"!!

Rushing back to work now...I was just on a little break.

I'd LOVE to hear some of the things on YOUR Bucket List!!

God Bless, Take Care...

Talk Soon ;-)

Learning From Children

Ok, so my child is going to be 20 years old in three days.

I learn something from him every time he visits.

There are lessons he probably doesn't even know he's teaching in most conversations!

Is it wrong to just beam with pride just looking at a picture like this one?

Well if it is, then I'm in trouble!

What is he doing here? Reading a "self help" book of some type.

Not an assignment for school. Not a required read.

A hobby.

A constant striving for improvement.

A continued willingness to stand up in front of congregations of people and preach Christ.

Yes, he taught Bible class and preached for us on Sunday morning.

Later, he asked me to recite one memorable thing from either class or the sermon.

My answer?  

When he discussed Jericho and how the Lord (The Commander of the army of the Lord) instructed Joshua to defeat the city. The instructions probably sounded pretty silly, don't you think? Yeah, march around the city for six days. Oh! Then on the seventh day? March around the city seven times and have the priests blow the trumpets

and have all the people shout!

Really?

Then what?

That's all! God's in control so just do what He says and you will win.

PERIOD.

If God's in control and we do what He says, then we can not go wrong.

If we do not do what He says?

We LOSE.

Bottom line. No ifs ands or buts....the end.

He loves the ocean, so when he visits, we frequent the Pacific beaches.

You find solitary in watching, hearing...feeling the rhythm of the waves.

Ever curious as to what he is thinking...I pick his brain as we comb the beach.

As he looks out over the beauty of the Pacific he says,

"Can you imagine how incredible heaven will be? The beauty God has laid before us is impossible to describe with words, and yet He had to use words and images of things we are capable of relating to in an attempt to show it to us...."

To what does he attribute his intense passion for God and self improvement?

He wants to make a difference.

He does not want to be a mediocre human being.

I don't think there's much chance of that!!

I don't know how many 19 year old young men have this type of thing on their mind when they are at the beach, but I would venture to say that it is quite rare. Maybe I'm biased?

A deep discussion continued as we strolled along.

The sheer power of water.

He bent down to dip his fingers in the fluid & splashed me with it and said,

"This wetness should not be powerful enough to toss these massive logs around like twigs, but it is...and God just spoke it into existence."

It reminds me of how insignificant we truly are and yet...

 God send Christ here to be perfect and to die for me.

God gave me a wonderful child who has taught me valuable lessons through the years and continues to do so today. He is devoted to being a man after God's own heart.

I thank the Lord for blessing me so greatly. Especially because I know I am so undeserving.

What an awesome God we serve.



Visiting Baxter & Pals

I am a die hard animal lover. I can't say that Kory shares my (bordering on obsessive) love for almost any critter...but he did seem to be having a great time when we visited the

Olympic Game Farm.

It's a drive through animal sanctuary where you may feed them wheat bread only!! Along the drive there is a variety including:

Yaks, "Ricki" the rhino, zebras, bunnies, reindeer, wolves, tigers, cougars, llamas, ground hogs, emu, ostrach and....

Elk lazing around.

How majestic he is!

An adorable baby! He's the only one of the herd

who would get up to come get snacks from us!

The mascot! Bison!!

Yes, I'm fascinated with babies of every shape & size haha.

The highlight of this adventure was meeting "Baxter".

No, this is not the name they gave him, but this is the name Kory gave him. In fact, Kory calls most every animal (stuffed or real) Baxter. It is quite comical actually. In Maine (where he just spent his second summer in a row working as a youth minister) the family he stayed with even got slightly irritated with him because before the summer was over, he had their dog coming to his NOT new name.

We decided that Baxter was a perfect name for this Kodiac though.

He catches his bread mid air.

Then poses with a smile for you.

When he's ready for another piece, he waves at you.

BAXTER!

Taking a little break to cool off.

Doing his best to chill, one of several other Kodiac bears in the park.

It was an enjoyable and relaxing way to spend a couple hours with Mom & Kory.