Saturday's Grace Notes

Saturday's Grace Notes

"Make your own kind of music, sing your own special song, even when nobody else sings along",  planning a party for one,  New Years resolution- have more fun,  creating my own happy endings,  caffeine- I "needs it!",  pairing together new outfits with my old clothes,  my new 'bling' black shoes that fit my swollen feet... too cute!,  being able to stand today,  the joy of being alive and never truly being alone.

Celebrate the day!

Happy New Year!

www.asbellarts.com

Friday's Grace Notes

Friday's Grace Notes

Choosing to wake up in a good mood heading for my morning coffee,  daybreak,  showing my paintings at Perdue Jacksonville for the month of January,  New Years resolutions- they are great if I make them fun!  Chipping at my procrastination list,  lowering my steroids and being less hungry,  making my 'to do' list then knocking off 1/2 of them and "free shipping".

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com  

Thursday's Grace Notes

Thursday's Grace Notes

Encouraging others to give God a try,  making time for fun,  eating dessert first,  trying to add value to the world by being my best self,  Irish music,  boxes of stoma paste and a closet full of medical supplies, and connecting with others on a daily basis.

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts

Wednesday's Grace Notes

Wednesday's Grace Notes

Putting first things first and keeping it simple,  cooking full meals for myself and sharing/freezing the rest,  "Jesus didn't die so we could have a religion, strong enough today to stand and put away the glasses,  giving myself two anticoagulant shots a day and KNOWING that I have a otherwise hidden blood clot to treat,  being my own life coach (she says to paint more), Bank Of America not calling December 24 and 25.  Heavenly peace.  Now we are back to 3 to 8 times a day,  warm clothes on a cold December day and living out loud.

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com

Tuesday's Grace Notes

Tuesday's Grace Notes

Feeling stronger today... woo hoo!, cooking for one,  White Diamonds perfume and smelling like a girly girl,  having the courage to be seen by others when I am so bloated from steroids and edema,  dressing up for my psychy even though I don't teach today,  getting a high from saving money,  spilling the coffee and deciding that it's a great time to really clean the counter,  and learning to laugh at myself- it keeps me busy.

Celebrate the day!
www.asbellarts.com

Monday's Grace Notes

Monday's Grace Notes

The bestest Christmas ever!  All four of us were sick but Christmas came anyway!  Having a home for the holidays,  Santa sending Panda pup his third reincarnated stuffed quacking dog toy...  "he does exist!" Happy to be me... because everywhere I go, there I am,  not having to explain yourself,  praying for EVERYONE in my life,  and new beginnings.

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com

Saturday's Grace Notes

Saturday's Grace Notes

Saying "Merry Christmas" to everyone you meet, seeing the beauty within,  a warm biscuit will jam,  advent calendars,  giving gifts that you would want to give yourself,  The Nate Berkes Show and The Chew's December shows...  really fun,  taking the scenic route,  scaling back, going the extra mile and finding some sort of balance.

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com

Friday's Grace Notes

Friday's Grace Notes

Mmm... hot vanilla cinnamon coffee in my sister's huge purple "You're Amazing" mug,  Christmas isn't a deadline but a birthday celebration,  putting Jesus on my to do list,  faith, hope and love can't be bought in WalMart,  "the truth shall set you free",  seeing the good in everybody,  seeking and finding fresh faith every morning.  It may seem like an Easter egg hunt but the golden egg is always there.

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com

Your Name Here

Nancy

I know the plans I have for you

plans to prosper you

and not to harm you

plans to give you hope

and a future.

love

Jesus

Jeremiah 29;11

Now replace my name

with yours.

Celebrate the day!

Thursday's Grace Notes

Thursday's Grace Notes

Ho ho! Ho ho! It's off to work I go!... wait a minute...  I'm already here! Laying out my clothes the night before and just throwing them on in the morning ,talking with your hands, childlike faith,  listening more, talking less... I am still working on it,  reconnecting with old friends and cultivating the new,  my children,  sleepy hibiscus flowers in my garden, the joy of giving,  learning how to receive, and putting a limit on my Grace Notes...  I could go on all day.

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com

Wednesday's Grace Notes

Wednesday's Grace Notes

New beginnings,  multiple choice; a box of chocolates, fortune cookies, taking a different route, mixing up the schedule, choosing to have a positive attitude....  lying in my peaceful bedroom watching T.V. and thinking "I feel like I am in a luxury hotel room",  simple BBQ pork roast in the crock pot,  baking chocolate candy bar brownies to give away ( I ate one!),  patience with others- patience with myself,  and a humble pair of Keds tennis shoes.

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com

Tuesday's Grace Notes

Tuesday's Grace Notes

Embracing change when it's God's will... He is the potter, I am the clay, a sunny glass of orange juice,  sometimes "good enough" IS good enough,  extended injunctions,  quiet time first thing in the morning so that I can be nice the rest of the day,  getting over my sweet self,  and pounding out Jingle Bells on the piano.

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com

Monday's Grace Notes

Monday's Grace Notes

Shopping therapy,  having the freedom to reschedule art and music lessons,  bright ideas,  hot apple cider,  baking cranberry coffee cake and cappuccino caramel brownies with walnuts,  ordering in,  wearing comfy cozy sweaters,  favorite Christmas mugs all with a story behind it,  candles, lights, ribbon and evergreens lighting up the fireplace,  and presents from Santa.

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts

Sunday's Grace Notes

Sunday's Grace Notes

Purple pens,  Indie Christmas music on Pandora, three heirloom tomatoes- one yellow, one purple and one red... all good,  lounging on a Sunday morning in my bedroom with my white chair and white Christmas tree w/ blue, white, silver and glass decorations,  A Christmas Carol movie classic w/ George C Scott,  baking eggnog chocolate muffins,  "rolling" to church today,  being able to ship boxes of paintings to my clients straight from my home using direct shipping,  and my awesome sisters.. I am the "baby" who is about to turn fifty...  I hope that they never catch on... it works for me!.

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts



Saturday's Grace Notes

Saturday's Grace Notes

Baking chocolate chip muffins to give away first thing in the morning then teaching voice,  the sappy fresh smell of evergreens,  a pop of red in every room,  Southern Living Magazine,  twisted passion flowers blooming on a holly a holly tree with berries in the middle of December,  Christmas angels, organized messes,  thinking of others and a perfectly ripe banana on my morning cereal.  Oh!  And clicking on spellcheck with now misspellings!

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com

Friday's Grace Notes

Friday's Grace Notes

Everything pulling together,  not asking "why" and letting God be God...  He's better at it than me,  being taken to get groceries,  God taking the ordinary and making the extraordinary,  mailboxes decorated for Christmas,  sharing the neighborhood with Blue Herons, Snake Birds, Egrets, Red Tail Hawks and Mallard Ducks,  and my son, though low on gas and time turning left instead of right to show his Mom the Christmas lights,

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com

Thursday's Grace Notes

Thursday's Grace Notes

Trying to focus and stop chasing my tail,  not being ruled by fear,  an iced eggnog latte from Nancy's Cafe (me),  being hungry for life and learning new things,  baking peanut butter Brownies,  giving away treasured possessions... it feels good,  checking off my procrastination to do list,  looking forward to a new year and Facebook friends.

Celebrate the day!

I celebrate you!

www.asbellarts.com

Wednesday's Grace Notes

Wednesday's Grace Notes

Filling up my soul with the beauty of the ordinary,  my sister loving my artwork so much that she may have to start using it as wallpaper,  sparkly green gel pens,  going down memory lane,  using my walker more,  strong enough today to open the blinds and make my bed,  and  getting the mail.  I never know when I might receive a check from one of my galleries, websites or clients.

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com

Christmas Means Nothing

Christmas Means Nothing

without the deliverance of Easter.

According to scholars in the Upper Room during the Last Supper Jesus spoke of His impending death.  When departing they sang "this is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it".

In all things

give thanks!

Celebrate the day!



Tuesdays Grace Notes

• Tuesdays Grace Notes
• My boss (me) is giving me three breaks a day,  an old friend that I haven't heard from in years calling last night and reconnecting, removing the bubble wrap and truly feeling sorrows and joys,  the cantata A Ft Lauderdale Christmas, healing,  making friends w/ my postal worker Linda,  and opening my hands like the little drummer boy and giving what I can.
• Celebrate the day!
• 
  www.asbellarts.com

Monday's Grace Notes

Monday's Grace Notes

Telling my boss  not be so demanding... wait a minute, that's me!... talking to myself again!  receiving Christmas cards,  a new shipment of art supplies,  decking the halls,  checking in with my sisters,  a regular sleep schedule,  a roll of ribbon full of possibilities,  baking spice cookies to give away,  kefir yogurt,  new creations from the pantry,  and daily stepping outside of my comfort zone.

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com

Sunday"s Grace Notes

Sunday"s Grace Notes

It takes a village to raise a Nancy... thank you village people!,  writing in long hand,  doing what my 12 year old self wanted to do when she grew up,  Jars Of Clay Christmas CD, realizing that if I am thankful for somebody, keeping my mouth and hands closed doesn't bless them at all,  staying in on a windy cloudy day,   marketing my artwork even when I'd rather be painting,  and ME doing a neighbor a favor for a change.

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com

Saturday's Grace Notes

Saturday's Grace Notes

Morning glories and passion flowers in December,  "give your troubles to god, He'll be up all night anyway"... and He listened,  sock monkeys,  book markers,  teaching 8:30 A.M. voice lessons "I'm up!",  making a fragrant pot of lemons, cloves, cinnamon sticks and cider,  fuzzy socks instead of shoes,  and a variety of baking mixes to get creative with and share with friends.

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com

Thursday's Grace Notes

Thursday's Grace Notes

"Anticipate joy"... can't wait!,  my adult art students becoming my friends,  people watching,  lotions and potions,  my daughter in love fixing me quiche,  a fuzzy yellow tennis ball + an old dog = a really good time,  the riser in my power chair so that I can cook and paint large canvases, doctors who call me at 7:00 at night,  magazines at Christmas time, and 'clearing my head'.

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com

Wednesday's Grace Notes

Wednesday's Grace Notes

My Mayo doctors allowing me to go home yesterday and NOT admitting me to the hospital with a severe life threatening cellulitis infection, the same doctors calling me throughout the day and having me email them photo updates, neighbors going to the bank for me,  friends bringing me lunch and dinner,  pain medicine:),  the public library paying off my overdue fines since I can't get there (I kid you not!) and renewing ALL of my 18 overdue  Christmas CD's through Christmas,  having the strength and endorphins to complete four Animal Postcards (due today),  enjoying the crisp crunch of a golden delicious apple while listening to Andy Williams croon...  and I woke up so overwhelmed and in pain and depressed.  What a difference a day makes!

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com

Monday's Grace Notes

Monday's Grace Notes

The gift of sleep,  taking the time to smell the candle before  blowing it out,  new commissioned artwork to work on today,  marshmallows in my coffee,  trying to type with one hand while I pet the dog with the other,  wearing turquoise and white,  ceiling fans,  Casting Crowns and their song "Hear The Bells"... where's the hankie,  more time in my art studio and a profusion of palmettos in my beautiful backyard... I love Florida!

Celebrate the day!

This painting is called "My Backyard".

www.asbellarts.com

Pastel Study "Girl At Beach"

Pastel Study "Girl At Beach"

Pastel Study "Girls At Beach"

Pastel Study "Girls At Beach"

Hot Off The Easel!

Hot Off The Easel

"Love Came Down At Christmas"

Pen, ink and colored pencil

Sunday's Grace Notes

Sunday's Grace Notes

Not becoming complacent with my miracles....  My legs may not work well... but I'm out of a sling,  My body is broken, deformed and bloated... but my soul still has a body to live in,  I may not be cutting CD's and performing this year... but I can still hold a guitar, play the piano and sing a song,   I may rarely get to leave my house... but I am no longer in a nursing home...  and I may not have much hair but I get to wear a lot of pretty wigs....  all in "flame darling". 

Celebrate the day!  I am!

www.asbellarts.com

Saturday's Grace Notes

Staying up late drawing, getting up early to teach a voice lesson then teaching a 2 hr art lesson this afternoon all from my home art and music studios... from a power chair,  "Hello, my name is Nancy, and I am addicted to popcorn"... with Parmesan cheese and garlic,  finding out that my "help I've fallen and I can't get up" button is NOT waterproof... oh please!  In order to be first I have to be last... and learn how to wash feet,  taking the time to smell the candle before I blow it out and Micheal W Smith Christmas music.

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com

Friday's Grace Notes

Friday's Grace Notes

My dog giving me snuggelie buggelies at 4:00 AM, going back to sleep at 5:00 AM, then  getting up at 7:00 AM for my morning commute to my home studio,  fixing myself a hot breakfast,  the movies "Noel" and "A Home For Christmas",  Emmanuel... God is with us,  pretzel M & M's,  being able to lift my legs today,  and friends that love and trust me enough to share their sorrows with me as well as their joys.

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com

Thursday's Grace Notes

Thursday's Grace Notes

Happy December First!  Let the festivus begin!  No wait, I already started... my medical supplies came! My medical supplies came!  I am thankful for my power wheelchair, independence,  baking cookies and then, um, eating them... a cold brisk sunny day, knowing that God's time is not my time. remembering people's birthdays, and finding a pen and paper when I need one.

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com