Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Random thoughts.....

I work for a lot of people who live in houses ranging up to about 10,000 in sq footage. It’s starting to annoy me….don’t get me wrong. Jealousy is not one of my traits. I’m annoyed because 2 or 3 people are living in these behemoth energy guzzling structures….and no one is there during the day, except maybe one lonely little dog, because they’re all working for their “appearance.” They leave their air conditioning on 85, which is great fun for me when I’m hanging by my nose on a ladder. This is why I’m moving away from making money off these folks and instead doing art for those who can’t afford it, or art ideas that I receive from God. I know He’ll provide for me.

The houses I work in are beautiful….but they are not interesting. I like my friends' houses better. They’re interesting. Patchouli’s, Connie’s, B.K.’s. They all look like individual's homes, not some unlivable picture in a House Beautiful mag. Interesting can be beautiful, too.

I have this impish idea that one day all those big houses will be subdivided into apartments for 2 or 3 families because we’ve abused our natural resources and have to pay the price…kind of like the big mansions in the UK that are now subdivided into separate living quarters.

I captured this rainbow this morning as I was watering my little oasis. I thought of all of you when I saw it and wanted to share with you. You all make my day…I admire you, I worry about you, I pray for you, I laugh with you, I cry with you. I may walk past you on the street and not know it’s you, but we’ve shared our souls. If that’s not God at work, then what is?

I landscaped my whole back yard beautifully at one point….simple, arty, organic, etc. Then came Gracie….she ran paths through the yard, as you can see in the pictures. I had to dig up all the non pet friendly flowers (most of them). I have my work cut out for me now. I’m observing where things grow and where they don’t.
I’d rather have Gracie than the yard, though.

I wish you all were here to sit back here with me and talk. I guess that’s God in the glowy white chair on the left? :-)

This is Rufus, my metal rooster. I like him…he makes me smile. All the stuff in the garden is meaningful….sometimes it looks kind of kitschy to me…but I like it….some of the statuary I picked up at antique places for cheap because of a chip or two. My beloved kitties that have moved on to heaven are back here. Some of the yard art is from my late mom’s garden and it meant a lot to her, and I think of her. The old milk can has been around the family forever. The kids and my grandpa built some of the little benches and birdhouses.

One blue salvia flower says it all. There’s a lot of discussion about “correctness” in theology. I look at this one blue flower. This is God’s work. We are all His work. All that matters is Him and His love for us. Now, if we could all just get to that place of loving each other.

14 comments:

karen said...

I've always wanted to go to Scotland....I visit a Loch Ness web cam in the a.m. some days and sip my coffee. It's spectacular! The pictures you and Dave took are wonderful! I love the colors in the landscapes.

Larry said...

"We are all His work. All that matters is Him and His love for us. Now, if we could all just get to that place of loving each other."

I'm still surprised at just how resistant I am to allowing God to love me. I'd be discouraged but for the fact that God isn't discouraged.

Thank you for a lovely collection of little stories and images. They brought a smile to me after a long day of work.

Bar L. said...

I love the way you think! God will for sure bless you if you decide to switch your clientelle around. I would never feel comfortable in a house that looked like it belonged in a magazine.

Thanks for what you wrote in my comments. Life is just hard. I guess no one said it would be easy, huh?

bruced said...

We are much alike, my friend!

God's Woman said...

So, my house doesn't belong in House Beautiful???


Good!

Bruce said...

Thanks for the tour of the backyard. I love going out on my patio with a cup of coffee on Saturday (and if possible Sunday) morning and just sit. Sometimes the birds are so loud I feel like I'm in Hitchcock's "The Birds."

Hope you get more painting done for us poor people. Went to Salado last week and found you a great building to sell your paintings from. And it's empty, ready to move in! :-)

B~

karen said...

Larry smiling makes me smile....
Barbara, yes, He blesses me everytime I do something for someone...I've done a couple murals for kids of single moms, and some painting for an elderly couple in a mobile home. Nothing has satisfied me more.
No, 'Chouli...your house doesn't belong in House Beautiful...maybe HOME Beautiful...because there's a difference between a house and a home.

BruceD, yup...we are...there's a lot of us out here!
Bruce...Hmmmm....Salado, huh? Very interesting....

Joe said...

Welcoming and comfortable just like a home should be!

I agree with you bout huge houses. I think they can be so big that the people inside are not really living together. I once lived in a neighborhood full of houses like that. The neighbors were never outside. They never walked the street. They never talked to each other.

When my hill of wildflowers is in full bloom I'll post a picture. My flowers are not yet as far along as yours are.

Gigi said...

Wouldn't I just love that visit ...would a pot of coffee be in the offer??

karen said...

We'd love to see your wildflowers, Joe! Good to hear from you...your words are missed...

Becky...coffee? But, of COURSE!!
:-) (spoken with a French accent)

Helen said...

Karen, this made me smile, just beautiful words, I like the God chair!
Blogging is so encouraging, Christians all over the world with the same purpose to make a difference and to serve God, we are truly blessed, your home sounds cosy!

kc bob said...

Landscaping in Texas ... now that must be a spiritual gift :)

karen said...

Bob, you're funny! :-)
Actually, everyone landscapes their mansions very nicely...using tons of water to sustain them. I use native plants. A lot of folks are moving that direction, thank God. It looks cool, too.

Mark D said...

I love your yard! And, I would take Gracie over the former yard any day of the week. Our backyard has bare paths along each fence and it is lush green in the middle areas from the...um...fertilizer that our dog deposits. I am looking forward to the day when all the work I am doing inside our house is done and I can turn my attention to the outside.