Check out this video. This guy does some of the coolest stuff. I love watching him create his artwork.

Praise God!
Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessings on the coming Kingdom of our ancestor David! Praise God in highest heaven!
Mark 11:9-10

Jesus was on a donkey and he was in the center of a crowd. People were laying their coats on the road. And leafy branches. It was a red-carpet reception for Jesus. Mark says that He was the “center of the procession”. Everyone was shouting. They were SO happy to see him.

Can you picture tons of people shouting “Praise God! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessings on the coming Kingdom of our ancestor David! Praise God in highest heaven!” Close your eyes and imagine what it would be like. What would you be shouting about?

Just finished this sweet little painting. I have to admit that I LOVED it when it was just the green background with the flowering tree. I like it OK with the added animals, but I would have preferred to keep it plain. Oh well! Gotta do what the people want!

Tell the people of Israel, ‘Look, your King is coming to you. He is humble, riding on a donkey – riding on a donkey’s colt.’
Matthew 21:5 

As we begin Easter week I’ve been thinking about what that really means. How should I react or do I even need to. I grew up in a church where every palm sunday it was the same message. A message of people waving branches, Jesus riding into town on a donkey. Everyone loved Him. He was a hero. For a day.

And I guess I wonder should this week matter more? This was the biggest most important week in the life of Jesus Christ. And if He truly is the most important person in my life, shouldn’t there be more? More than worship practice, 3 church services, new dresses, easter baskets and a big lunch? How do I need to prepare my heart for celebrating the week ahead. How do I need to prepare for participating in worship Easter Sunday morning. How bout you? What do you need to do to make it matter more?

This week Mom and I drove down to Asheville to see my sister. She’s getting married in July so our time was filled with wedding planning, cooking, and seeing the Hunger Games of course. Parts of the movie were actually filmed here in Asheville so it was cool to see places that I actually recognized and have been up on the big screen. Spring is in full bloom down here and the mountains are just beautiful. I love mountains. Redbud trees lined the roads and green was everywhere. We had a good time. Here are some fun pics from the trip.

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I feel like there’s something out there this week that I am supposed to learn, but I haven’t figured it out yet. Things about selfishness for sure. And things about not being bossy. Or not being over-opinionated. Or being ok with not being in charge. Or things about being ok when people won’t listen to my ideas even if I think my idea is the only right way to do something. Planning weddings is hard. And trying to keep your sister happy and never frustrated is even harder! I love my sister. She is wonderful and she is not hard to please. I just think that four of us here trying to get things done with VERY differing opinions is HARD.

I’m going to elope.
Sorry everyone.

So I have been frustrated and just keep thinking there is something I am supposed to learn from this “vacation”. And I’d like to learn it. I’d like to put it all into one word. Maybe humility. Submission. Quietness. Servant. Selflessness.

Proverbs 11:25 The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.

I think servant is the right word. No, selflessness.

Selfless: having, exhibiting, or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish.

Well they are all the right word. But I think I am realizing that I LOVE to serve people. On my terms. My way. And that’s not really being a servant is it? Do I only serve when I feel like it or when I actually like what it is I will be doing? And I think to some extent when serving and using your gifts you will find enjoyment while doing it. I just think that sometimes I am not as selfless as I should be. I need to learn to more often take a step back, and refresh others, be motivated by my concern for others, be a servant.  Maybe this is my lesson for the week.

Matthew 20:26&27 Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a reason for many.

It was a baking day…My bestest friend and I decided to be GREEN. For St. Patricks day that is! We made Irish Soda Bread, Green Velvet Cupcakes, Guinness Cupcakes, Coconut Lime Scones, and Lucky Charms Marshmallow treats. So fun!

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“I listen to the tramp, tramp of my feet, and wonder where I was going, and why I was going.” Bart Kennedy

Spring is here! It’s so beautiful outside. I love it. I enjoyed my day off by joining my friend Rebecca and her nephew for a walk near the zoo. We climbed some trees, got a little muddy, saw the elephants at the zoo and witnessed more than just a few angry geese. It was grand.

It was so nice to tramp through the woods and spend time with a good friend. It was the perfect way to spend a day off.

And we saw some of the ugliest birds ever made.

This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently and remain faithful…This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently, obeying his commands and maintaining their faith in Jesus…Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed for they will rest from their hard work; for their good deeds will follow them!
Revelation 13:10, 14:12-13

Sometimes I wonder what I’m doing. What is God doing. Should I be doing something different? Somewhere different? My life seems so mundane. I go to work and then come home and do more work. And I don’t feel fulfilled in any of it. Or at least most of it. This year has been hard. Sad, painful, lonely, discouraging and just plain hard.

I’m not complaining. I am so abundantly blessed. Sometimes its just difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It’s hard to know which direction to go. And even though I know that God is faithful and that He indeed does have a plan and a purpose for my life, it’s not always encouraging. I’m reading through Revelation and these verses jumped out at me. I know I’m not necessarily being persecuted. And this is directed at the end times, but I think the same principle applies.

Be patient.

Obey.

Remain faithful.

It is not in vain.