Thursday was simply delightful. After school I went to help at the Neighborhood Impact House. Volunteers assisted children and youth to make Mother's Day cards and paint pots and plant seeds for gifts.    Last week was the first time I had the privilege of helping. This amazing collaboration between Central Christian Church and the City of Lancaster provides a cozy home and …
The Seeding of Artistic Desires
"The heart seeds desires long before we whisper prayers!" Have you ever noticed that a longing for something more precedes change? A restlessness and indescribable pull takes you in a direction before you understand what is happening. I have noted this reoccurring pattern in my creative life; a notion for a new art form plants inside my mind and begins …
50 Renaissance Thank You!
Renaissance: Rebirth, Reawakening, Resurgence.  Recently, my husband and I revisited the Renaissance Faire held in Erwindale, CA. This is a spectacular event worth the trip for any one seeking fresh inspiration.      Participants are eager to pose for pictures and discuss their ornate hats and costumes.    Everywhere you look another photo jumps out at …
The Waiting…
I have dreams... hidden in my heart as seeds of hope. Dreams once whispered through darkness tucked inside husk of soul. The waiting can be so very long. The husk remains unbroken…for years...until life crushes and a tiny crack appears. Seventeen years ago while living in Amsterdam, I began having unique dreams. In one of them, I saw granaries …
49 Perspective
Perspective is a heaven-sent gift for those of us muddling through life trying to find meaning. Moreover, discovering perspective often requires leaving the familiar and venturing out into the unknown.      One desire I had for my children was that they would experience international travel. Leaving one's country helps to clarify values and pursuits.           We see our lives from a …
That was then…this is now!
I haven't had time to post lately. Working life has been all-consuming. Going back into the classroom after two weeks of spring break was intense. All IÂ want to do in the evenings is sort, scan, edit, and savor photos of my children growing up. When the house rests quiet, years flood back to heart and …
Wicked Sisters? Envy and Insecurity
   "It is difficult to see clearly when looking through eyes green with envy!"   While walking out of church on Sunday, I saw women crowded around a registration table. I glanced for evidence of the event and saw a book propped up titled Overcoming Insecurity, written by renowned author and conference speaker, Beth Moore. Upon seeing that the date …
48 Contrast
We live life more fully by embracing contrast: spring, winter, life, death, creativity, career. Flowers radiate glory one day and wilt the next. Their exquisite beauty contrasts with their shriveled forms. This brevity makes me ponder my own worth.    If God would create such magnificent specimens whose lifespan is so short, would He not design my life with a …
Silenced
The hope of Easter silenced me today. I sought for words to express this strange co-mingling of gratitude and grief lodged in my heart. Yet, only awe of Him who has risen quieted my soul. The years passing by rendered me mute. Today, I needed to be alone...and to weep. He is pure...I am humbled...He is here...I am thankful...and, I am …
JoDee Luna Art 