Aspire to Ascend ...

I'm posting another page I did a few months ago.  I recently learned I am a high-functioning autistic.  I was not ready to learn this ... perhaps I never would be.  There was a minute of hope where all my social challenges suddenly made sense ... and I felt a sense of freedom in knowing I didn't have to pretend to be normal any longer.  But my hope quickly disintegrated, as I realized God had placed me in some communities that would require me to step beyond my autistic abilities; He put me in a place of dependence on Him.  Actually, I've always depended on Him in social situations, but this was the first time that dependence became my reality.

I am slowly ascending out of a pit of despair and back toward hope.  It is a slow, but steady journey.

Patriotic Christmas?

This summer I was feeling the heat and got the crazy idea of doing a patriotic themed card for a friend with a snowman.  It seemed appropriate ... after all ... so many patriotic colors also work well or Christmas and vice versa.  Now I am wishing I could do another and send out for Christmas.  I called this card: The 4th of July Meltdown ...

Whisper ...

The word whisper seems to resonate with me this year ... not sure why.  Maybe because I feel like I have to strain sometimes to hear the direction my Lord has for my life.  I did this page earlier this year.  I've since added some journaling, but never rephotographed.  This page looks like the new me perhaps, but definitely not the old me.  I usually have at least 190 things competing for attention on the page.

Everything is meant to be used ...

I don't really date my work, so not when I made this page, but it was several months ago.  Many life-altering things have happened since I did this journal page and I can now hear the gentle whisper of God's encouragement, as He tried to prepare me for so much of what was to come.

"Everything is meant to be used," He whispers ... and so I can have peace in the knowing that nothing is too broken to be of use to God.  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me ... and He can use all things for His good purpose.

It's Been a Rough few Years

Hmmm ... I'm afraid to look at the last date on my blog post.  I've been in school for 6 years now and preparing to finish my last few classes.  I long for a life of normalcy I have not known for so long ... and may never know again.  I did very little art the first few years of my degree, but started working my way back into some art journaling last year ... and found I was so thirsty for it.  There was a hunger in my soul for expression that could not be met any other way.

And I also miss writing ... the pounding out of emotion on a keyboard.  Some day I will be a write ... but today ... I am an artist.

So ... I am hoping to get some long overdue art posted.  I've been working on art journals for the past 2 years, but haven't posted much of anything ... so hoping to get at least a few things posted on my blog again.