Tis' the Season

So it's been a while since my last post again, but I do what I can. I always tell the kids..."do your best" My best may not be the best...but it's all I got! I joke about what my tombstone will say/read..."She did what she could" comes up a lot , sometimes I think maybe "She like to laugh" but one that comes back to me often is "Soli Deo Gloria" To God be the Glory! Bach the composer would always write this on the bottom of his music pieces. I have been writing this in hidden places on my canvases for the last few years. As an artist, I see life as a painter. I always say that without the darkest colors the highlights do not stand out and the painting doesn't have the depth it could. Such is life, without our really dark days and the contrast of good and bad our life would lack the depth that makes a life a masterpiece. I've said this before, but sometimes things are worth sharing more than once. Perspective is also important in life and in painting. We all have a perspective based on our life thus far, our values our beliefs and these are the things that gives us our perspective. I remind myself...that others are looking at things from where they are and sometimes it's hard to understand, but I believe it's important to respect another person's point of view, so I try.

My life I imagine so far is like a painting that started out pretty good but some where along the middle the light began to changed and from where I was standing in my NEW perspective everything in the painting was off. I feel like God gave me a bucket of primer and even though you are not able to erase what's underneath, the new painting now has an added texture that would not be there except for the painting underneath. I don't regret anything, because I know that I learned a lot from my past and with each brush stroke a lesson is learned. Every lesson helps me be a better painter....a better person.

So tis the season to reflect..the season of Christmas. It's when we celebrate our Lord's birth, it's also a time for giving and being with the one's we love. Why is it just a season ? I only wish we could celebrate the season of love and giving and our Savior's birth all year long. Being the end of a year and the beginning of a new YEAR just one page away, we tend to look back on our year in retrospect, the good and the bad. How we grew and dealt with things and how the Lord was able to use us. I pray that the Lord continues to grow me as a parent and wife and open new doors for me to serve HIM more. Thankfully He isn't looking for perfect, just willingness to serve.

So back to the beginning of my post...I guess it's not "she did what she could" It should be..."She allowed the Lord to do through her" or not "she like to laugh" but maybe " she found the joy of the Lord"... As I reflect on this past year my cup truly runs over!

Update on the family:

Lydia loves to read, enjoys her ballet classes and has started to show an interest in drama and singing.Creighton loves his friends and is so athletic ,he amazes us with his eye and hand coordination. Marilyn loves ballet ,she is learning to read and write and loves kindergarten and singing in the church choir, art is still her favorite. Eleanor is RUNNING every where she goes and with such purpose as she swings her arms. She has added a lot of words to her vocabulary and wakes up with a smile almost every morning. Michael loves his PMS (professor of military science) assignment as I know he enjoys working with the cadets and is reminded daily of why he truly loves being in the army and what brought him to serve in the first place. I'm so thankful for each one of my family and that God has entrusted me with such treasures. A wonderful man to share my life and each new adventure with. These four precious children that truly light up my life...these are the highlights of my life that help to give my life, my masterpiece the glimmer and depth it was meant to have. Thank you God! Tis the season to be THANKFUL!

My New Art Gallery

Dear Friends

I wanted to invite you all to share and join my Gallery group Blog. I will be posting my paintings available and sharing my inspiration to create them.

http://artbymarianthe.blogspot.com/2011/08/greek-island-view.html?spref=fb

Home again, home again!

We have lived here in Florence for almost 11 months now. We should be here for at least another 2 to 3 years or how ever long the Army sees fit. With moving means re-establishing ourselves in a new community again, new home,new church, new school,new friends and all the challenges that come with NEW everything. We are blessed, it has taken almost the entire past 11 months, but I truly am.... starting to feel at home here in "the Shoals" as it's called. Florence has embraced us as a family and I am so thankful. I am re- establishing myself as an artist and adjusting to all the "new". Michael absolutely loves his job as PMS-professor of military science at UNA and truly enjoys working with the staff and cadets. With every challenge comes growth, personal and professional. Our family journey takes us all over the world as a military family and we are blessed by having the opportunities to see more, meet more people and learn more about our great nation as well as a few foreign cultures.

My cup truly run-neth over!

We are prayerful, but believe we have found our church home. I had a peace the moment we walked in and with each person I talk to I feel I've known them before. I feel I have a place to serve the Lord by serving our community through the church, through my art and with all the opportunities God may bring.

In our kitchen we have a sign that says "Friends are the family One Finds along the way". It is so true. Not only are we blessed with our birth family, our army family but also our community of friends.

The kids are winding down the school year and enjoying the Spring season. Spent a few scary moments "camped out" in the hall way with tornado warnings and with all the rain we are beginning to enjoy the flowers. Soccer season keeps us busy with three playing and I'm painting every chance I get! so inspired by the beauty of Spring!!!

One woman's perspective...of "Church"

So from where each of us stand there is a different perspective. Where we live is a result of our life journey, our beliefs, understanding and personalities have developed from our life experiences.

That being said, I'm sharing my perspective and am not trying to convince anyone that I'm the only one right or that they should believe as I do, but rather by sharing my perspective it may help you see yours a little differently or more clearly or even help broaden your tolerance for others.

The thought that is on my mind this morning is Church. We have been in Alabama since May and we still have not found a home church. I remember looking up "churches" and found over 470 in our area....so many choices but only ONE God! Being from the Greek Orthodox/ Baptist background that I am from, my understanding of church has evolved. I cherish my memories of the church and my youth was spent in Churches, building a foundation for my current faith in God, my relationship with Christ. I believe church is vital in a person's life and helps to nourish the Christian walk as our relationship with Christ grows . It provides a place to serve God and community. At the same time I see the church building and denominations as man made. Christ "Church" is really his people not a building or an organization. That being said...as humans we do thrive when we have something to help guide us , we function better as a body when we have structure of some sort and not so flopsy/wopsy...( it's a word! LOL). I love the Lord with all my heart and I appreciate many different denominations as many strive to reach one goal...to bring glory to God, help the community, the ones less fortunate. I have been exposed to many different "church cultures" from fundamentalist, to free spirited charismatics.

My favorite church I've ever attended was the Main post chapel at Fort Leavenworth Kansas. All denominations welcomed, so many ministries to minister to every age group, NO building fund and it was Christ focused. I'm not saying it was perfect, but close ! LOL

So thankful for our time there and I know our family is better for the spiritual growth we had there.

Here I am wondering where we will find a church home. We could just continue bible study in our home, but we long for Christian fellowship and for our children to have a place to build their foundations with other little ones.

Trying to avoid churches that are country clubs and find a place to serve the Lord and share our gifts to glorify him. I don't attend church to be seen by others, but to see more of Christ in me!

I believe,Church should be like a mirror, somewhere you go to see Christ in you more clearly! A place to help find Christ in you more and more. Whether it's in serving the community through a church, singing praises to the Lord, teaching a children's Sunday school class or serving and sharing your gifts to glorify God by showing LOVE to your fellow man. WE are vessels to be used, may HE fill us so that we can pour out more of Him not us. ( climbing down off my soap box now)

To all the people in my past who judged and scared people away from church....and God... I'm still praying for you!!! I feel you are missing what God intended for HIS church. To the people who were HIS hands and feet and touched my life and help build a better foundation.... I thank you from the debts of my heart. To the free spirited new age liberal, if you claim to be tolerant...be tolerant, not just of those who agree with you, but of those who choose Christ and church as their spiritual path. You aren't truly tolerant if you judge , condemn, or even just make fun of.

So another Sunday will come, we will get dressed, climb in to the car and search for our next church home....until we find that church, a place to serve...please say a prayer for us.

CHOICES...

"Deep thoughts" ( not by Jack Handy!!LOL)Where we are...who we are...is based on choices we have made, our parents have made and our ancestors before us. It's mind blowing to me to think about the odds of my parents meeting, falling in love ( even though my mother could barely understand my father) and marrying. A Greek man born in Mitilini Greece in 1923 with so much turmoil in the region at the time....surviving WWII, TB, overcoming amazing obstacles,finding his way to the US in 1955, knowing virtually no one here, not able to speak the language and yet he made the choice to come here...a life choice, a journey that gave me life. I can still hear my sweet Daddy's thick Greek accent and the words " sometimes in this life Marianthe....we have to take a chance!" Boy did he ever and I'm sure glad he did. To take these types of chances , takes faith and fearlessness. It's these types of choices in life I believe change the world and history. Our history books and even the Bible is full of people willing to take a chance, to make a choice. We all make choices everyday, little choices that shape the world around us, but how often to we snuff out those scary choices. Being that I'm going to be 40 this year, it has made me quiet reflective on my life and where I came from. I have made a few choices in my life that have dramatically changed my history...it may be a small part of history and only effect a few, but I pray I will be able to continue listening to the still small voice in my heart and make choices that matter. Many times I feel led to do something small that may seem silly. Maybe it's an act of kindness or writing a letter to someone. Now those things may not make a big difference, but I believe they help me stay in tune with the voice of my heart ( not the voices in my head LOL ). If I act on the small thoughts, ideas and feeling, I will be more proactive and ready to act on the big choices and things that take Faith. Who knows...maybe one small choice may turn into a ripple effect and make a wave or two!!! Who would have imagined that a boy born in Mitilini, Greece and a girl from Atlanta,Georgia would marry and bring me here.

Now the story is even more complex when you think about Michael ( my husband) and how he came to Georgia, how the choices made by those around him changed his life and eventually brought us together.

So the thought that is on my mind as I type out this post is....what choices will I make to change the world, to change history? I pray I will look back on my life 40 years from now and be glad I made the choices I did and listen to my heart....and seek God's guidance.

So....I will make choices and pray they are the kind that make the right kind of difference!! Big and small! I'm so thankful for my parents, their choices and their faith to make choices that were not always easy, but eventually brought me here!!!!

Sharing my heart with my blog friends.

'tis the season

Making cookies with the kids...going to school holiday programs and savoring their childhood. I know in a blink of an eye they will be grown and so I savor.......

Eleanor is bubbling in personality these days, she is 6 months old in a few days and thinks Creighton is hilarious! Every time she sees him...she laughs out loud. He is such a sweet big brother. He is growing up so very fast and even though he is only almost four he is wearing 5 ts and solid as a house. I know he will love playing ball, but he has already informed Michael that he doesn't want to block, but be the quarterback! He always ask daddy to watch football..especially if it's bed time! Marilyn is our little sunshine and always smiling. She just had her 5th birthday and loves going to school. She is a daisy/girl scout and takes it very seriously,but still with a huge smile on her face. Lydia is our little drama queen and hilarious. She is also a girl scout and enjoying her 2nd grade class, but still really misses her friends back at Fort Leavenworth.

I am so excited about Christmas morning...it's one of my favorite Mommy moments of the year. My favorite moment everyday, is when I wake them up to go to school and make them smile...I've always loved going to get them...even when they were in their cribs. Everymorning now...Eleanor is in her crib and when she sees me walk in the room...her legs start kicking and she rolls over and raises her arms for me to pick her up. I love her little smile as I sing some silly made up song. She is such a precious little person!

God is so good.

I was praying a few weeks back , asking God to help me be a better mommy to my children and I heard in my heart the Lord say loud and clear...they are NOT yours , they are mine. I was in awe at the thought and then I found peace in that. Knowing they are HIS first and HE has entrusted me with them placed such an amazement in my mind and thankfulness in my heart. He chose US! I feel so privileged and blessed.

Michael and I renewed our wedding vows this past week. It's almost been ten years since our happily ever after began. I am so thankful . Looking into his eyes and saying our vows again was like a dream. It was chaos before and after...when the violins began to play and we walked the isle again together...I felt like it was a dream. Hearing the words all over again and seeing the sincerity in his eyes made me weak in the knees and my cup runneth over!

God is Faithful!

I wanted to share a little something with you this morning… I shared it with a friend and decided to also share it on my blog. Praying God can use it to touch others.

I was missing Mama extra much this morning, remembering some funny moments we shared and some Mama/ daughter private jokes that we shared. I was trying to start my quiet time with the Lord and was overwhelmed by the sadness I was feeling and the aching I had in my heart as I missed my Mama. I was searching for what the Lord wanted to tell me today. I kept saying “Lord just show me your word, show me what you want me to know today” . So I sat here and listened. I felt led to get up, get out a Bible that belonged to my Grandmother, one that my mother had given her the year I was born.

I opened it and prayed “ what Lord, where Lord, I’m not sure what I’m supposed to pray, or what I’m looking for or from you today. Please Lord lead me” In that moment I found a tiny scrap of notebook paper written in my Grandmother’s handwriting that marked a page in the Bible, it read “ Romans 8: 26, 27.” So I looked at it in the word and it says :

“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered.

27 .And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because, he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

NIV-translation (²⁶In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.²⁷And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.)

I had to share, for God is ever so faithful and when we are lost and don’t know the words to even pray…he makes intercession for us, when we cannot utter what should be said…HE does it for us as we search our hearts and asked to be filled with the Spirit. My prayer…LORD fill that void that I feel in my heart for Mama with more of your Spirit…fill me Lord today that I may poor out more of you!!!!!

Amen!

God is faithful!