Stratoz: a life unfolding

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  Sophie Munns: visual electica

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  And the Other Thing Is…

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 A Different Story

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 Rita Smirna

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 PoetiClaims: adjust the words, control the damage

How does the noise of a city suddenly disappear just by seeing spring leaves lit-up by a street lamp?

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As i write this, it is Sunday morning.  And Monday begins Week 16 of 2012.

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I notice the days fly and begin to wonder what’s really important, even though i already know.

I can make a list of things that physically need to be done.  Things like cleaning, appointments, groceries.  But, i can’t make a list for things like, “take a picture of a tree at night, that has little white lights, with leaves lit-up in the green of spring.”  And there is no way to make a spiritual list, unless i could number one through infinity and continue to write “pay attention to God.”

The thing is, that the more i try to find ways for God to be a part of the things that i do, the farther i actually get away from from God being part of my life.  Because, the fact is, God is always with me, and i must be with Him in the present time. Which means that i must speak to God within the moments that i am living, and listen to God in the moments that He speaks to me.  There is no need for planning and list-making. There is no “trying to fit-God-into” what i do.  It is a relationship that unfolds in each moment.  You and i were given a gift of “relationship” with God, in Jesus.

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Quote by Charles Caleb Colton:

Time is the most undefinable yet paradoxical of things;

the past is gone, the future is not come,

and the present becomes the past even while we attempt to define it,

and, like the flash of lightning, at once exists and expires.

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Quote by Tennessee Williams:

Time is the longest distance between two places.

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this is my first “once-a-week” post. i am attempting to “press the off button…more often” on technology.  over-use of anything is not a good thing.  and i can see that over-use of technology is having a bad effect on adults and children alike.  the photos that i have posted are the paintings that i’m working on now. i’m still mainly learning what i can DO with acrylic and watercolour.

-the top two images are acrylic on canvas. the first one being 30″ x 40″, and the second one 18″ x 18″.

-the image below is watercolour on paper 20″ x 14″.

IF any of you are interested, i will continue to post photo updates as i continue the work.

as far as using less technology, i have found myself making small choices to us the “off” button more often, and a few times even making the choice to not press the “on” button in the first place. i have lately been reminded that if i don’t want to wither and be gathered up and put in the fire…i need to abide in the Lord.

although i know that God is always with me, my part is to abide in the Lord, soak Him up, walk in His Light (not in darkness), have fellowship with the Lord, and confess my sins.

(note:   your posted comments are delivered to my email, so even though i’m only posting once-a-week, i can read your comments, and my replies will show-up directly under your posted comment.)

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Love to you.

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Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush.

Doug Larson

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❀

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I MADE A CHOICE

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once-a-week blogging from now on.

i know that i need to cut ‘way back’ on all communication via technology.

 i’ve been spending too much time with machines.

i see it everywhere…too much…computers, phones, pads, pods, radio, television…

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look around.

if you really look, it should give you pause.

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press the off  button…more often

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i really like this musical rendition

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Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save me from its guilt and power.

Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All could never sin erase,
Thou must save, and save by grace.

Nothing in my hands I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress,
Helpless, look to Thee for grace:
Foul, I to the fountain fly,
Wash me, Savior, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyes shall close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.

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this photo is from my archives.  it was taken in 2008.  i had a table set up on the back porch near two

hanging hammock chairs, as a place to set reading books and cool drinks.  we get a fairly strong breeze

through here almost every summer evening, so we kept a few good size stones handy.  cj painted the cat

stone at a friend’s house.  the friend’s grandmother paints lovely backgrounds with verses on smooth

beach stones.  one day she brought stones, paint and ideas for the girls to do their own stones.

btw, the book in the photo “stone crossings”  is a very good read…written by L.L. Barkat.

last week was spring break, it rained a lot, and i just haven’t gotten many new photos lately.  as you can

see, i keep digging them out of the old stash.  i took some time to clean up my art area and i am finishing

a couple of sewing projects.  my painting is still in process along with a smaller acrylic and a small

watercolour that was half completed and set aside a year ago.  i have also been making granola from

scratch.  it’s easy and tastes much better than than bought.  i haven’t made it for ages. i wonder what

other old recipes i could bring out.  seems i keep digging into all the old stuff and giving it another go.

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urge

1550s from L. urgere, to press hard, push, drive, compel

from pie root werg- to work.  cf. avestan vereza, work, activity

gk. ergon, work, orgia religious performances, organon tool,

armeian gorc work lith. tie, fasten squeeze,vargas need, distress,

o.c.s. vragu enemy, o.e. wyrcan work, goth wrikan persecute,

o.e. wrecan drive, hunt, pursue, o.n. yrka work, take effect.

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play

o.e. plegian to excercise, frolic perform music

from w.gmc. plegan. – cf. m.du. pleyen to rejoice and be glad

of uncertain origin

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rest

1. sleep o.e. raeste, reste . rest. bed. intermission of labor. mental peace

from p.gmc rastjo rasto.  original sense seems to be a measure of distance

cf. o.h.g. rasta league of miles, o.n. rost league. distance after which one rests.

gothic rasta mile. stage of a journey.

2.remainder, early 15c., from m.fr. reste remnant, from rester to remain,

from l. restare stand back. be left.  from,re- back+stare, to stand.

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✢

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photo from my archives

this is a  photo from my archives

❀

here are three good words

do not worry

those words don’t imply that what you are worrying about does not matter

it just means you are not to worry

worry is not good

not a bit

so

you might ask

“how do i stop worry”

and i would say

“start talking to Jesus right away”

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Matthew 11:28-30  Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

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 Sometimes ya don’t need to do anything,

because just being there is enough.

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photo by casey

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portland, oregon

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∇

“One vegan bacon cheeseburger…”

“If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention.”

☂

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it’s just been one of those kind of days

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