Friday's Grace Notes

Friday's Grace Notes

I slept through the night. Didn't wake for pain medicines, only had some new wounds to treat for messes. I only struggled to breathe once I got up... and I was giddy. I gave myself shots, took blood pressure nmeds, I took my daily photos of my legs for my health care team..  today they are fire engine red (I am an artist you know so I can change from black to red if I want to),  it took me one hour to shower, re do some wounds and get dressed on my own and I was giddy,  my Mayo staff said That I still run a huge risk of losing my legs but due to new treatments using "balloon's" I should be able to live through the surgery.  Maybe NOW you can understand why I am so giddy!  Giddy up and go and

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com

Sunday's Grace Notes

Sunday's Grace Notes

Overcoming my obstacles one day at a time,  having a vision of abundance, believing that one day I will own a wheelchair accessible vehicle,  a jar of tandoori sauce to play with,  making friends in the produce isle,  being fully engaged in life...  most of the time,  my new book "A Woman's Guide To Living Alone... 10 ways to survive grief and be happy" and my new obsession with curry.

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

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

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

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

Friday's Grace Notes

Friday's Grace Notes

Momentum,  self employment means no "Christmas bonus"... no wait...  MY LIFE is my "Christmas bonus"!  Amen?,  GETTING to choose what I wear, what I need,  my early morning commute... leave bedroom and go to my home studio,  no road rage.... unless my dog Panda cuts in front of my power  wheelchair,  leftover turkey and dressing sandwiches... and leftovers from my sister,  new designs and new pet series, a yard to enjoy and chocolate peppermint candy canes.

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com

Thursday's Grace Notes

Thursday's Grace Notes

Being sick and having to stay home but celebrating the day anyway,  hot chai tea,  living out loud,  hanging out with Shannon, books to read, music to enjoy and a dog to pet,  retailmenot.com,  calling my soon to be 89 year old beautiful mother, and gourmet cupcakes.

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com

Wednesday's Grace Notes

Wednesday's Grace Notes

My pendleton clock suddenly working for the first time in years,  getting to go to Hallmark.  my fight with vasculitis and cellulitis and being alive to fight it,  having JUST enough milk for my morning cereal, watching the movie The Holiday"... it was very good, the freedom to design my own one day at a time, my new Electric Pets series and freshly baked cinnamon spice cookies.

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com

Saturday's Grace Notes

Saturday's Grace Notes

Thoughts that pop into my head like "my life is so rich",  16 Christmas CD's from the library... maybe a bit of an over do?  Nah!  Smiling at myself,  knowing that with out gratitude my heart remains closed, Saturday morning garage sales, meeting friends and saying YES to life!

Celebrate the day!  Yippee!

www.asbellarts.com

Friday's Grace Notes

Friday's Grace Notes

Rum raisin coffee creamer,  forgiving myself for my daily mistakes,  scanning and posting my paintings,  realizing that sometimes it's my attitude towards a problem that is the problem,  Haas avocados, being able to pay businesses like Pet Chauffeur to take Panda to the groomers and go to the library for me...  Thank you Linda!,  getting the mail and people to bake muffins for.

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com 

Thursdays Grace Notes

Thursdays Grace Note

Celebrating today... tomorrow can take care of itself,  learning that it would take $20,000.00 to save my house... good to know where I stand,  going from stolen identity, sabotaged business, near death 2 1/2 month hospitalization this past summer to where I am today... and being a victor and not a victim, bratwurst with cranberry relish and honey mustard, clean blankets, towels and sheets,  a totally overhauled and organized kitchen pantry and donating 15 cans of canned peas and unadorned Christmas trees... sometimes, like us, they look better that way.

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com 

Thursday's Grace Notes

Thursday's Grace Notes

My car was repossessed this morning and now belongs to the bank... but I'm still here and I still belong to Jesus, choosing to be a victor and not a victim, hearing pine cones fall in the woods, viewing my life as an exciting book and I always get to turn the next page, diet cranberry juice, choosing to love and not to hate, and my computer... I mean, hello!

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com

Monday's Grace Notes

Monday's Grace Notes

Trying to practice simple kindness, trying to view my adult life of responsibilities as a four year old "now which toy shall I play with next", feeding people, if only in my own home, trying not to demand so much from myself... it's exhausting!, and resting in the arms of Jesus... sometimes it's the only way to go.

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com

I am alive!

I am alive!

I am alive to celebrate another Christmas.  Another celebration of our savior's birth, another December to love and to be loved.  Another chance to live a New Year. My doctors, family, even myself, didn't fully expect me to be alive today, but Jesus did. December is not enough month to rejoice.  This year, for me, Christmas begins on November 15th. I have already cheated...  I have broken out my first Christmas mug.

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com

"I Once Was Lost But Now I'm Found"

"I Once Was Lost But Now I'm Found"

I got such a great deal!  A periwinkle blue $120.00 jacket from Coldwater Creek for $12.00! Sunday  I wore it to Publix, in my power wheelchair on a beautiful blustery day.  Once back home again I began to take the bags of groceries off of the back of my wheelchair and discovered my beloved jacket was missing! I said out loud "Lord I am too tired to ride back to Publix two miles down the road."  I started to get upset but decided to let it go.  It was only $12.00.

Later that evening my neighbor gave me a call.  "Did you ride down to Publix today?"... "Yes..."

Her husband and sister in law went for a long walk w/ the dog.  About a mile away they found a periwinkle blue Coldwater Creek Jacket on the ground.  "Hey!  That's an expensive jacket!  Karen likes that color!  Let's take it back to her!"

Once it was in my neighbors hands she remembered that I had Facebooked in my blog about my new Periwinkle jacket and sent it back to me.

"I once was lost but now I'm found."

Now THAT'S a God wink!

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com

Tuesday's Grace Notes

Tuesday's Grace Notes

Trying to learn to live in the moment... a moment at a time, egg nog coffee creamer.. yoo! hoo!, losing 5 lbs., selling art as fast as I can paint... is that cool or what?, remembering the fishy smell of goldfish flake food... better yet, how about a new box of crayons?, thanking God... it keeps me busy, keeping my potted plants alive and God keeping ME alive to joyfully experience another November.

Celebrate the day!

www.asbellarts.com