Friday, September 30, 2011

Find Beauty In The Mess

Find Beauty in the Mess piece is for sale here:  Jodene Shaw Etsy Store


Life never lets us catch up

does it?




Especially "balancing"

family {wife} [mom] (self)

household {cleaning} [money] (food-cooking-cost-nutruition)

health {weight} [nutrition] (mental)

personal {goals} [business dreams]

spiritual {growth} [quiet time] (worship)




But there is beauty in midst

of it all . . .





It take a conscious effort . . .






. . . does not come natural some --

no,

most

days






But it is there . . .





right there . . .




. . . so close . . .





like butterflies

in the

mud



beauty

just out my door

in the secret beauty of White Owl Creek,

in a mud puddle on my gravel road,

or in my messy kitchen

smiling through maple syrup and crumbs

on a 4 year old face.
*

Sneak Peeker, here's my finished "Open the Door" art work
with the doorknobs that I shared a couple weeks ago:
Thanks for stopping in & visit these other inspirational
artists, photographers, writers . . .

sneak peek

Open the Door


Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears me and opens the door
I will come in . . .

I am the Door . . .


Art.

Takes me on quite a journey

sometimes.





It can be like a
living
breathing
moving
act


of
prayer
worship
Bible study



all at once.



In which the LORD

speaks to my heart . . .

I'm knocking . . .
open up the door
. . . you know I am the Door . . .
to walk through for Life
the Door to open and come through
and to get behind for protection too . . .
let's talk, you and Me.


Journey through The Door of passover,
The Door of salvation,
The Door of relationship,
The Door of Life.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

This Matters {Part 2}



This matters.





This day.





This moment.




Of pink boots on the wrong feet
with purple socks, capris,
and a sassy shirt.




This moment of blonde hair in her eyes.




And holding hands with chipped polish.



This matters.

Sunshine through fall leaves.




Climbing on cool rocks.




Sorting cottonwood, ash, elm and woodvine.





Scattering summer's flower seeds.





And smashing wood vine berries.




Just to see what it looks like inside.




This matters.




Right here.




Right now.



Fall leaves are here today and gone tomorrow . . .
just like this young robin
and a little sass-a-frass.

This moment matters.

Monday, September 26, 2011

This Matters {Part 1}



There is much on my mind
about to-do lists & day-to-day stuff . . .




as well as what to focus on next

for art & photography.



But this morning

Erin is 4 1/2.



And she asks me to come outside

"I need a little push here, Mom."

And I hear these words whisper in my mind:

This matters.

Don't miss {Part 2} here:  This Matters Part 2

Finding Heaven

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Ospery On Snake River


Give me a camera
and I'm content.

A camera while I'm surrounded by birds . . .
well, it's going to be a challenge
to remove me from the situation!

Last month,
we were in Grand Teton National Park.




Ducks, geese, eagles, ospery.
Nests everywhere.



Husband and son fish on the Snake River.
My two girls and I camp on the side.
Girls with a little fish net for minnows.
Me with a camera.


Ducks & "adolescent" ducklings
floating 3 feet in front of me.
I had the camera on wrong setting
so I scrambled for a few shots.



Ospery swooping over the river.
I told my girls to keep an eye on him
because he was looking for fish to eat.



After an hour of them catching minnows,
me telling Erin to stay on the edge,
while I constantly was "bear aware" ~ looking over my shoulders,
here is what we saw . . .
{the photo quality is not great, but the experience was AMAZING}.









After the ospery patiently waited for the perfect timing
caught his fish and flew off,
a  young eagle swooped by and bullied him
into dropping his fish.
And then he went back to his tree to start all over again.

Me, being the "bird-nerd" that I am,
was out-of-my-skin excited to see something like that!

I decided I need some lessons though
on bird photography . . . or perhaps some new equipment!

{All photos owned and copyright 2011 Jodene Shaw.}
*If you'd like to share, please ask!
*Thanks for your kindness here!