Author Archives: christartist

2016 Word for the year

I was given a suggestion – one little word. Based upon Ali Edwards’ One Little Word. (scrapbooking focused)

12/26/2015
We have done that in the past, but last year, I was in a mental hospital and wasn’t sure.

This year I’m hearing prepare. Maybe two words, faithfully prepare.

I tend to forget them through the year, until I look back over the year and see God’s hand. I think this year’s leading will be much more obvious as I walk 2016.

12/30/2015
Stewardship would work with the “prepare” for me, as I’m to prepare for coming storms. Stewardship fits in there. Blessed to be a blessing is our giving phrase…which works with stewardship and preparing things so that you are a blessing, not a burden.

Plans, which were supposed to be the focus of this week, and have not been, are the cornerstone of my word preparation…with bible prep being the most important. That’s where I get adding faithful.

I could snag so many of your words(from my friends), probably all of them, and though they have things in common, they mean something different too us as individuals!

Prayer – the war room was timed perfectly for one of my middle of the night needs for encouragement. My prayer life will be changing this year as I practice and prepare for battles, and attack old ones anew. But I wasn’t given the word prayer, this year! That had been my word before. As has faith. Trust. Sounds the same , don’t those two? But they weren’t for me!

Another friend recommended the site My One Word for those that don’t scrapbook.

My word is PREPARE
faithfully prepare

And the first four things I’m to focus upon are
Faith
Foundations
Finances
Food

Here we go!

Me and My Love

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I want to thank Blue Letter Bible and Bible Gateway for the ability to search the Bible online.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment!
Or choose to LIKE me on facebook, or other social media!
I’d love to stay in touch with you – we are working on email subscriptions…sign up!
Soon, we will have a gallery for the art I have created by the hand of God.

There are many organizations that support children and families. Here is one that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.

Naomi’s Heart Ministries

Christmas Day 2015

Christmas Day – 2015

Christmas on the Advent Log

Luke 2
2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Christmas Candles

Isaiah 9:6
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.

May you be filled with the Joy and Peace of the Lord Jesus reigning in your hearts and minds.
May your year finish with a real sense of purpose.
May your 2016 begin with a purpose, and the determination to take on what lies before you.
Give of yourself freely – you will never suffer want when you share all that you have. You will find that love multiplies all things.

With much love and big hugs and many kisses!

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I want to thank Blue Letter Bible and Bible Gateway for the ability to search the Bible online.

There are many organizations that support children and families. These are two that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.

Naomi’s Heart Ministries

Advent 2015 Adventures 1

This year(2015), I’ve decided to do Advent for myself. In addition, I have invited my friends to join me via this Advent blog.

New this year(2018) is a Facebook group Advent at the WildBerry Patch, where we can discuss ideas, recipes and photos of our advent preparations!

On Dec 7, I wrote on Facebook:

I was given several new ideas, but the main vote was the branch and vine.

Now – how to create a branch and vine ornament? My dear husband went out and cut some branches off of some unruly bush, and brought them into the house, leaves and all!

Jim’s bushes

(photo)

Today(Dec 9), I went to Hobby Lobby, and bought a beautiful vine that will wrap around branches!

I was able to find some key ornaments as well! Keys of David!

Key of David

But what really excited me was a set of stones, mosaic stones, that have crosses, and the name of Jesus!

I’m not sure how I”m going to hang them, but, the Lord led me to them, He’s going to lead me how to finish!

What I really wanted was a lion and lamb ornaments. Not together, but to symbolize Jesus is the Lion AND the Lamb. All of my lamb ornaments went with Rachel, my little lamb.

I was checking out, and the cashier asked the typical question: “Did you find everything you need?”

No. I wanted to find a lion and a lamb to use to symbolize Christ on my Christ-tree.

“I know we have them! They are back with the science things!”

She wasn’t sure that there was a lamb, but she was certain of there being a lion.

I was shouting “Praise God! Thank you Jesus!”

And yes, there was a couple lions…

and there was a lamb!

This whole week I’ve been struggling with migraines – and when the migraines let up, the hip and leg pain would come back. I’m doing this blog out of faith that the Lord has called me to this, and He will bring me through this…if He calls, He will enable.

I was ready to drive to Winter Garden to buy the animal ornaments I saw there yesterday. I didn’t want to. Going out on my own, with a mild headache and right leg pain was an act of faith. Driving 45 minutes away would have stretched that act of faith. God didn’t need me to do that. He provided for the plan He has been showing me. My Father has shown me again that HE knows my frame, and HE knows what He asks of me, and if I am faithful to follow, HE is faithful to guide me, and keep me in the palm of His hand.

For this, I am eternally grateful.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for calling me.
Thank you, Holy Spirit, for leading me today.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for the forgiveness for my sins, and the grace to live like you.
Lord, help me to over come sin, and to embrace grace, mercy and love from the Father of Lights, in whom is no shadow or turning!
Amen.

Merry Christmas!

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment!

Copyrights and Legal-eze

There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.

Naomi’s Heart Ministries
Obed’s House Ministries
Project Based Missions, Global
The son of a friend will be interning with CRU – previously known as Campus Crusades for Christ. If you’d like to support someone I can vouch for in this area, please consider going to Matthew Plant’s donation page.
Compassion

Advent 2015

This year, I won’t have a Christmas tree. But for me, it’s a Christ memory tree. All of the ornaments celebrate the life of Christ, or the gifts he has given. I usually start the first Sunday of advent, and remember all month long. This year, I’m posting things on face book instead…to thank God for what He had given me through Christ. This will be my advent remembrances.

After my first post on Facebook, I came to this conclusion:
Ok, I may end up with a tree as I share my advent memories…first advent in the new house and we aren’t settled in yet…But remembering Christ is our life blood!

So, I am going to be adding an Advent Blog – not fancy, but just showing what I do for the year end remembrances.

This way, I can add photos, maybe some craft instructions, even some music.

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

What’s up?

It’s February – 2015…what’s up world?
Life has been crazy here at the WildBerry Patch.
January was spent at a wonderful Residential Program called LaAmistad.
I have spent January there for the residential program, and I have spent February, until next Monday, in the Partial Hospitalization Program.

Mental Health – Web MD gives a huge overview.

What is my problem?
I’m human.
But mostly, because of how I grew up – traumas in my life – and genetic make up from my parents – I have mental illness. actually – illnesses.

I would love to be so vulnerable and transparent as to list all of the illness I have – but, one is a biggie – and is something that many of our returning Veterans have as well for different reasons – PTSD.

What is PTSD?
Again – Web MD comes to the rescue with the definition of PTSD.

Why don’t you just ‘choose joy’ Christi?
Why not just forgive and forget, Christi?

Repeated trauma changes the brain chemistry – and little road maps are created in the brain – and it becomes trained to react to things that remind you of the initial trauma. These are called triggers. Someone with PTSD did not choose to have to react to triggers – but they do.

Wounded Warriors do.
Rape Victims do.
Domestic Violence victims do.
I do.

Yes, there are many verse in the Bible that are comforting to the abused.

Psalm 23 is very good:

And, God promises to be with us:

And yet – we struggle. But the Christian has another source:

http://youtu.be/L5bLvVjJ4MA

So – through my storms this last three months, I’ve been learning to praise IN the storms. If you, or anyone you know, is having trouble with depression, dark thoughts, dangerous thoughts – seek help.
Suicide LifeLine Online

or call:
1-800-273-TALK(8255)

And know this – Jesus will be with you in this storm – and, if you need me to – send me an email – and we’ll talk.

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

Naomi’s Heart Mission

Sponsor a Child

Help a child in need. Check out Naomi’s Heart Mission or Compassion International. The life that changes will be your own!

Not a spoonful of sugar, just a dash of color!

One of the things that I did while I was in a residential program was to teach an expressive art class.

Here are some of the examples I used:\

simple painting class

Shhhhh, I’m not sure they were supposed to allow a client/patient to do one of the activities – but, I wanted to, and my life is changed by it!

Here is what I did with the leftover canvases:

painting class leftovers

Here is everything I did, as my own quiet time activity while at the residential program (minus 2 that I gave away as gifts):

painting meditations

I also did a pen and ink of an orchid type flower while sitting in the front lobby – (I hope I can get the person I gave that one to to send me a copy of it).

And, the other day, while at the conference – I was sitting in the dark quiet room, and my artist was drawing a covered bridge…she gave it away, but the friend says it was absolutely gorgeous. I may get her to scan that one as well.

The point of this?

Ever since the first painting that someone asked me to do for them so that they could look at it and just take a break, I have wanted my paintings to be a source of peace and joy.

(find the photo of Susan with her painting)\

When I painted this painting – my friend Mitzi kept saying she could walk into that back area and just sit down with a book. That back area is now called Mitzi’s garden!

Being able to find a place to go to meditate on the things of God to fill your heart with joy is not easy.

But what if you could paint your own hiding place – where you could imagine yourself sitting down and listening to your music, your Bible, your God speak to you?

Maybe I can create a program just like this and bring it around to various churches and organizations that help wounded women…what do you think?

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

Naomi’s Heart Mission

Sponsor a Child

Help a child in need. Check out Naomi’s Heart Mission or Compassion International. The life that changes will be your own!

January 2015 – Where did you go?

For all that have chosen to befriend me, and watch me for various reasons(of which we will not ask here), January was very obviously missing from my internet charades or escapades. I have many things to write about – and this year, 2015, I will be writing, and painting, and I hope that I will be speaking – but that will come.

Oh what a difference a month makes! And, what a prophetic post about Simplify!

I learned a lot last month, but had no consistent ability to write this blog. I spent January at a residential program for behavioral health – mental illness.

And, the draft – on Dec 21 that says ‘The End’…

The point is that on Dec 21, I wrote the draft that I am going to post right now – and on Dec 25th, I did attempt to take my life. It would appear that Dec 21, I was writing a suicide letter – despairing of my ever being able to be good enough to live.

The End
This post is password protected with TheEnd – so that only those that are reading THIS post will know how to get to the other.

I have an illness, a mental illness with several other issues surrounding it that cause me to have things happen that I am not aware of.

Jim’s comment to a friend was that I told him I didn’t remember taking the pills – and, I don’t. Until I talked to that friend, I didn’t know that I didn’t remember it at THAT time…that it wasn’t an amnesia occurring from the overdose.

Of course I am ultimately responsible, in a way that someone with cancer would not be – but, DID/MPD is very complicated, and I am not always myself. Major depressive disorder can spiral because of chemistry in the body – and then trigger the DID/MPD. AND – PTSD, from the abuse that caused the DID/MPD can trigger all of it – and that’s if no one human decides to be part of my life!

I have hope for the future – and even a hope that there will be a future as long as the Lord allows it. I don’t know what the people in my life will do with me, I know what my 2 bffs will say – and I know that my God is all about forgiveness – and as one bff says – GRACE.

Pray for Jim – he is exhausted from taking care of me.
Pray for my family – they don’t know what to think of me.
Pray for my friends – they don’t know what to do with me.
Pray for me – that we will learn enough about this disorder, and my additional mental illnesses, while I am in remission and can change behaviors and be prepared the next time this disease tried to take my life.

BTW – to be a bit sacreligious – God is a multiple! Father, Son, Holy Spirit all in One! if no one else gets me – HE DOES!!!

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

Naomi’s Heart Mission

Sponsor a Child

Help a child in need. Check out Naomi’s Heart Mission or Compassion International. The life that changes will be your own!

Simplify

This was my post on Facebook on October 31.

I am working on simplifying my life – to focus on only those things that are important.

In the book A Year of Biblical Womanhood by Rachel Held Evans – she talks about a prayer life, a bible reading life, and then, she discusses Mary and Martha – the quintessential dichotomy of being a Biblical woman in the home, and being at the feet of Jesus.

THIS HAS BEEN THE BASIS FOR MY STRUGGLES BETWEEN MY CALLING AND MY RESPONSIBILITIES!

When we were first married – and I had no urgent responsibilities, and only the fresh memory of being single – and desiring to read the Bible, I read the Bible for hours.
We chose NOT to have a TV, because of the distraction it would cause Jim in his studies, but that ended up allowing me to have the freedom to study the Bible.

My first love – when I first understood my salvation I thirsted, and hungered for the Bible. I read the Bible to understand this man that had given his life for me, and how to be more like him. I read the bible to understand the roots of the religion I was now embracing. I read the bible like some eat bread and drink wine. It was my sustenance.

My first love in our marriage was to please Jim in all ways – cleaning, cooking, sewing, decorating, and pleasing him by meeting him at the door with a smile and a kind word when he returned home.

In Revelation 2:4 Jesus says to the church:
Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

This is after he praises them for their good deeds.
His counsel is this, in Rev 2:5

Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

I need to repent so that I can simplify.
I need to return to my first loves.
I hope that it is not too late!

update Nov 5, 2014
Of course it’s not too late – I am not dead, I have not been raptured, Christ has not returned, and I have not faced the white throne of judgement. By grabbing onto the horns of the mercy seat, and crying out for mercy, and grace – I can change my life to glorify God. It’s not too late as long as I have breath!

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.