Getting Back Into the Groove

It feels strange...the feel of the keys under my fingers typing this out. I'm out of practice and I feel rusty. It has been about 9 months since I have typed an update on my blog and I guess it is true what they say, especially of languages...if you don't use it you'll lose it. I didn't really abandon my blog on purpose. The flame of writing and posting just slowly dwindled into some hot coals that were barely visible anymore. I was burned out. I didn't feel like I had much to say anymore. It was time to take a self imposed hiatus from my blog.

That doesn't mean that I've been idle, though. To the contrary, these past nine months have been filled with finishing my Project 365, applying and preparing for a new job, starting that job, traveling, parenting, and monitoring my health. Recently, since the completion of my project, I have been rather quiet online altogether, including my Facebook Page. I am finding that I am throwing myself into my teaching position 100% which doesn't leave me much time, if any at all, for in the studio. At first I didn't miss it that much because of the excitement of teaching at Harford Community College, but now I am starting to feel the flames lick the inside of my ribs again, fueling a desire to create and get back into the studio. I have a few more weeks left to teach and then I have a six week or so break for the winter holidays. I look forward to spending a lot of that time busy in my studio.

For now, I still may not have a lot to say, but it does feel good to exercise my writing muscles again. Hopefully things will quiet down, fall into a more predictable schedule, and I can get back into writing and creating on a more steady basis.

Have a wonderful day, y'all. I've missed you.

T

Using Vintage Photography in Mobile Art

Larceny

I have an obsession with looking through old mug shots. It's weird, I know, but over at Flickr Commons you can browse through vintage mug shots that were taken over in Europe and I have wasted plenty of time doing just that. Many of the mug shots come along with the story behind the person's arrest. I love reading the circumstances behind these mugshots. I noticed that many of the crimes had to do with larceny, theft of personal property. Many of the stories indicated that the perpetrator was either trying to steal to feed their family or themselves. I found myself feeling sorry for them. Many were orphans with no source of income. They just ran the streets and tried to get food when they could. So tragic and sad.

Anyway, I was inspired to create this digital collage art piece after browsing those images. I took 4 mugshots of 4 boys who were accused of larceny (thus, the title of this piece) and used various parts of the 4 faces to create a collaged face of a young man in Photoshop CC. 

Then, I imported the above image into my iPhone 6S Plus and used 4 different apps including Snapseed, Distressed FX, Trigraphy, and Fragment to create the vision I had in my head for this piece. I ended up with the piece below.

I still wanted to add some moths to the background and add a triangle connecting the eyes and while I could have done this on my phone, I chose to import it back onto my computer and use Photoshop CC to do this. I added the vintage moth texture and then drew in the triangle, finishing the piece.

I hope you liked this glimpse into artistic process! Have a wonderful day.

xo

Hello, New Year 2018

As 2017 passes into 2018, it is a time to reflect and a time to set goals. It has been a wonderful year in so many ways but also a difficult year.  There has been a lot of changes, a lot of "new normals" for all of us, but one thing that hasn't changed is the incredible amount of love of family and friends.

Mill in Darlington

LOOKING BACK-

In August, Brenna, our oldest daughter, moved out into her own apartment (with a roommate) in Florida and began her studies at Full Sail University. She is in an accelerated program and will graduate in 20 months with a Bachelor of Science in Film. So far she has completed 24 credits already and is carrying a 4.0 GPA. She has adjusted to “adulting” quite well and we are very proud of her. It took me weeks and weeks to adjust to the sadness I felt when she left, but through it all I knew my pride in her would eventually overshadow the weight of her leaving. She has made it through her first hurricane, adjusted to living on her own, and is rocking her academic studies.

Just as I was adjusting to Brenna moving out, our oldest son, Tyler, moved out in October. He moved to Exton, Pennsylvania where he is living in his own apartment (with two roommates) and is attending Universal Technical Institute to become an auto mechanic. He will graduate in about 2 years as well and will have 10 certifications under his belt upon completion. He is in his third rotation of classes and is maintaining high scores. He is working at a nearby auto shop and is learning the trade not only in school, but also while earning money. He and his girlfriend, Leah, have been dating almost two years. We are so happy that he has found a career he is excited about and that he is happily settled into his routine.  We could not be more proud of him! I felt another wave of sadness and emptiness when he moved out but as expected, we all adjusted to the new normal of a half empty nest.

Our twins are growing up! They recently turned 10 and are in 4^th grade. They returned to public school this year after homeschooling for two years and both are both doing very well with the transition. Zachary is into sports and played his favorite, baseball, this spring. Then, he played rugby for the first time this summer. He had tons of fun and we enjoyed watching him. He is currently in rec basketball and loves that as well. Natalie found her love this year…singing. She joined Deer Creek Youth Choir back in January and has been active in the program since. She has sung in front of hundreds of people at colleges and churches around the state. Both twins were baptized this year and we couldn’t be prouder. They are amazing kids with unique personalities. It is fun to watch them grow into the young people they are meant to be.

During all of these changes with our children, my husband was doing some transitioning of his own at work. His company went completely independent this summer and continues to grow my leaps and bounds. The growing pains this time around weren't nearly as stressful as in past years and I am thankful for his dedication and hard work every day to support us.

Y'all pretty much know how I've been through the year, but to summarize, I am still in treatment for Chronic Lyme Disease and co-infections although I just received the amazing news I will begin weaning off antibiotics in a few months. This past year I struggled with a jaw infection which I had surgery for and now I discovered I have the same infection on the other side of my jaw which will require surgery again in a few weeks.  I continue to pursue art and was the Featured Artist at Arts By the Bay Gallery in May where I showed approximately 40 pieces of art.  My art was published in two publications this year, one an international art magazine, Somerset Digital Studio, and the other a local magazine, Harford’s Heart. My work was also displayed digitally at the Ruderman Inclusion Summit in Boston, Massachusetts in November. In addition, I have been writing articles about living with Lyme Disease for The Mighty, an online magazine, and have had 4 articles published. In the coming year I look forward to teaching digital art classes! Praise be to God for all the wonderful blessings in my life. I am so thankful to Him for each and every thing.

Top 9 images from my Instagram account from 2017

 LOOKING FORWARD-

If you know me then you know I don't set resolutions per se, but I do choose a word to stand for the theme for the upcoming year. This year I am choosing the word "EXPLORE" for my theme. Some goals I want to set in relation to this theme is to explore more places (go places I have

n't been before), explore new ideas (take classes and read books to expand my knowledge in various areas including art) and explore more opportunities (look for new places to be published, new places to show my art, and new outlets to teach classes.). EXPLORE...I am so excited to make a large banner with this word and post it in my studio to remind me throughout the year to step out of my box, get out of my comfort zone, live life more.

Here's to a wonderful 2018!

49/365- Hospital for Sinners

 

A church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints. 

 -Pauline Phillips

46/365-Book Worm

Digital Painting created using a reference photo by Wendie Strickler

"A room without books is like a body without a soul."

― Marcus Tullius Cicero

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Happy Sunday to you all. This digital painting was created using a reference photo taken by a friend of mine, Wendie Strickler, of her beautiful baby girl. I was struck by the gorgeous light and the sweet, tender moment captured in her photo and so I transformed it into a digital painting, with her blessing. Thanks for letting me share, Wendy!

xo

41/365- The Missing Pole and the Morning Newspaper

Digital Art by Tracey Grumbach

“Heaven, such as it is, is right here on earth. Behold: my revelation: I stand at the door in the morning, and lo, there is a newspaper, in sight like unto an emerald. And holy, holy, holy is the coffee, which was, and is, and is to come."

-Sarah Vowell, Take the Cannoli

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Today is a bittersweet day. Tyler, my oldest son, is flying out of the nest and heading out to live in an apartment with some roommates while he attends school at Universal Technical Institute in Exton, PA. While I am so happy for him and am so proud to see him pursue his dreams, it leaves me with a knot in my stomach because I will miss him. He is the silliness in our household. He loves to make us all laugh and he is all the time lifting our moods. In the span of two months, I have watched my two oldest set out on their own and start a new chapter of their lives. After raising these kids for 18 years, guiding them along the way, it is not easy to let them go. The house feels incredibly empty and I am incredibly weepy, sad for myself but happy for him.

I will be in Exton today attending school orientation and helping Tyler move into his new digs.  Hug your children tightly today. They grow up so darn fast.

xo

39/365- Sun Setting Over Arizona Inn

Digital Art featuring the Arizona Inn in Tucson

“Ô, Sunlight! The most precious gold to be found on Earth.” ― Roman Payn

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 Happy Sunday, y'all. I am heading down to Johns Hopkins Sibley Hospital in Washington D.C. today to hear Dr. Neil Spector speak about his experience with being a Lyme patient and the treatments he has been researching. It should be an informative presentation and I am very much looking forward to it.

Have a great day!

xo

38/365- Arizona Bicycle

Arizona Bicycle by Tracey Grumbach

“A man on foot, on horseback or on a bicycle will see more, feel more, enjoy more in one mile than the motorized tourists can in a hundred miles.”

― Edward Abbey, Desert Solitaire 

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 Just a reminder that today I am working my shift at Arts By the Bay Gallery in Havre de Grace from 11:00 AM until 2:30 PM. Please stop in and say hello! I will be hanging Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse today to replace a framed piece that sold last week. Also, if you are interested in picking up the current edition of Harford's Heart Magazine which features my art, we have those for FREE at Arts By the Bay and I would be happy to give you one and discuss either the interview or the art that is featured. I'd be happy to see you!

Happy Saturday!

37/365- Through Time and Space

Digital Art by Tracey Grumbach

“Whoever said that loss gets easier with time was a liar. Here's what really happens: The spaces between the times you miss them grow longer. Then, when you do remember to miss them again, it's still with a stabbing pain to the heart. And you have guilt. Guilt because it's been too long since you missed them last.”

― Kristin O'Donnell Tubb, The 13th Sign

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I turned and saw him standing there next to my brother with his arms held out to me, arms formed in a downward but wide open V, palms facing me, inviting me to him. I ran, stunned at his presence, and threw myself into his embrace. After a long hug, I looked up into his face, his countenance younger than when he left, his expression soft and calm.

"How is this possible?  How are you here?" I blurted out to him, heart pounding both with excitement and a knowing dread.
"I've been working." came his simple reply with a slight smile on his lips.  He looked around at the crowd of people milling around about us and he said, "I can't stay here. There are too many people." He patted me on the back with his huge hands as if telling me it was time to step away from his embrace

"But," I started to protest as I stepped backward from him.

He turned and without hesitation, walked away from me. He turned once, several steps into his retreat and said, "I'll see you soon."

And then he was gone and I opened my eyes.

Thank you for visiting me, Dad, through time and space. I am so thankful to have had this brief time with you. It has been a while.

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For those who don't know, my father passed away suddenly in 2014. This is the first "encounter" I've had with him since the year he died when I had two similar incidents.

xo

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About this digital art-

Flying home on the plane from Arizona I was thinking about time and space and how, when you fly west to east, it is a bit like time traveling. At least it is as close to time traveling as we will probably ever get here on earth. As I was contemplating this idea, I was staring out onto the wing of my "time machine" watching the light from the setting sun flicker on the wings. The sky turned cotton candy pink and blue and the moon reflected off the shiny silver of the wing. It was captivating. So, I created this digital art piece to remember that stunning moment, the moment I traveled through time and through space. 

36/365- Mother Mary

Digital Art by Tracey Grumbach

"Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen."
 -Traditional Catholic Prayer
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On one of our outings in Tucson, Brian and I had the privilege of visiting Mission San Xavier del Bac. It is an amazing Catholic mission that dates back in history to the 1600's and the current building dates back to the 1700's. The mission is still in operation today, serving the community that surrounds it. I will have more information and pictures about the mission building at a later date, but the reason I mention it is because next to the mission is a hill of ancient volcanic rock where, carved out of the hill, there is a shrine to Mary, Mother of God. This is the focus of today's digital art.

Before we explored the mission building, Brian and I took a walk around Grotto Hill, the volcanic outcropping to the east of the San Xavier del Bac Mission. The hill is topped with a white cross and on the north side of the hill, we discovered this replica of the Grotto of Lourdes. The shrine to the Virgin Mary was constructed in 1908 and was oversaw by Bishop Granjon.  It is a quiet and peaceful place where one is inspired to reflect. In the near distance, the beautiful desert mountains surround the hill and the amazing white mission church structure gleams in the desert sun. No wonder it is called the White Dove of the Desert.

I was honored and awed to be able to visit such a beautiful and sacred site full of history. I look forward to posting more digital art from this place soon.

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Be sure to check out the Upcoming Events page as I have added some dates where I will be showing art at the Susquehanna Symphony Orchestra in December, March, and May. It is such a fun night filled with music and art so I highly recommend y'all to mark it on your calendars and come on out to Bel Air High School.

Also, I will be working at Arts By the Bay this Saturday from 11:00AM- 2:30PM. Come on out and visit me so we can chat about art or Lyme. I will also be bringing in Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse to hang in replacement of Long Shadows of Empirical Knowledge, which has sold. If you are interested in this framed piece, please stop in early Saturday to purchase it!

35/365- Evening At the Pool

Digital Art by Tracey Grumbach

“A man who calls his kinsmen to a feast does not do so to save them from starving. They all have food in their own homes. When we gather together in the moonlit village ground it is not because of the moon. Every man can see it in his own compound. We come together because it is good for kinsmen to do so.”

― Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart 

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We come together because it is good for kinsmen to do so. Yes, it is. Especially in this current world we live where hate and misery seem to be gaining strides to smother love and tolerance.  In the next few days, gather. Round up your beloved family and friends. Break bread together...not to save your stomachs from starving but to save your souls from being hungry. Spend time listening to one another, playing with one another, laughing together. Turn off the media. Turn of the electronics. Play a board game by candlelight. Scrabble, anyone? 

Have a wonderful Wednesday.

xo

34/365- In the Shadow of the Sun King

"From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.”

― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring 

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 I'm so excited to announce that my art is featured on the cover of the October/November issue of Harford's Heart magazine. In addition, there is a short interview and additional art work inside! I am so honored to have been selected and to have the owner, Fran Johnson, chat with me about my work. If you are out and about in Harford County, please look for it and pick one up, it's free! And it is a fabulous magazine.

As always, thank you so much to everyone who continuously supports what I do! A special thank you to Fran Johnson and Sandy Kapinos for their support in making my art the face of their magazine for these two months!

xo

33/365- Bull Headed

“It's useless to lecture a human.”
―Rick Riordan; The Lightning Thief

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I couldn't get away with just one piece of art featuring the bull skulls...I loved them too much. When I saw how the contours of the textured wall mimicked the texture and contours of the skull bone, I was smitten. 

I'm safely back in Maryland, having traveled home from Arizona late last night. I'm looking forward to unpacking and beginning the process of downloading all the images I took on the trip. Have a fabulous Monday.

xo

32/365-Papago Buttes

Papago Buttes landform as seen from The Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona

"Too much good fortune can make you smug and unaware. Happiness should be like an oasis, the greener for the desert that surrounds it." - Rachel Field


"Faith is an oasis in the heart which will never be reached by the caravan of thinking." - Khalil Gibran

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I couldn't decide on which quote to pair this creation with today, so I picked both. As I am sitting here at my Arizona Inn patio table typing this, my last full day here in Arizona, my heart is happy. I am so blessed to have had this vacation and these experiences this week. These are days I will never forget and will continue to live in my heart forever. Such beauty I've seen. It is so restorative to the soul.

I was sitting at breakfast this morning thinking about how writers will often travel to get themselves inspired to write. At least in the movies, they always seem to be holed up in a hotel room or a rented room somewhere charming, typing away at the typewriter. The older I get, the more I understand that concept. To remove yourself from your normal surroundings and get out to explore new cultures, new places, new ecosystems it just ignites the soul and one's creativity. There is so much I have wanted to write and create while I am here.  If only I could spend a week of each month traveling! My only regret this week was not taking my notebook with me as I traveled around to jot notes and ideas.

While I am not quite ready to return home, traveling also has the effect of making one appreciate going home. There is something to be said about being in your own environment, your own routines. And yet there is this burning fire of wanderlust that simmers just beneath the surface of my heart. It seems unquenchable. I come from a line of wanderers on my mother's side, so maybe it is genetic.  So, I will continue to collect my travel reward points so I can wander. I can't wait until the next trip, wherever and whenever that may be. This country, this world of ours, has so much to offer. I want to drink it all in and experience all of it.

For more information about the Papago Buttes or the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona, please visit the hyperlinks above.

xo

27/365- Fairmont Princess, Scottsdale

Digital Art by Tracey Grumbach, artist

"Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now without wishing it was different..." -James Baraz

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  While I am here on vacation in Scottsdale, Arizona, I have been focusing on being present in the moment, trying to rest my weary body and mind. I've been fighting off what I am assuming is a virus the kids brought home from the first weeks of school. While sitting outside under the cloudless azure sky, I close my eyes and concentrate on my senses. I hear the giggling of children playing in the pool. I hear the high, almost metallic, call of the rosy-faced lovebirds perched in the palms above my head. Their song mixes with the beat of the music streaming through the speakers at the bar. I smell the acidic chlorine from the pool barely overpowered by the wafting smells of grilled meats and fried potatoes from the pool grill.  I feel the hot, dry sun on my skin making it tingle as if it is close to burning.  I feel the air moving, almost undetectable, against the hairs on my arms and head, cool in nature with a lack of humidity. I breathe deep, feeling my belly expand as my chest fills with the air. I exhale slowly through my nose, imagining all the bad viruses and bacteria living in my body leaving my system and restoring my health.

I open my eyes to release the bright orange under my closed lids and I find myself squinting from the powerful brightness. I sheild my eyes and look above me at the stucco architecture, the ceramic barell tiles and I am drawn to the neutral colors of the style in a viceral way. It's like the buildings have sprung from the earth itself, a part of the natural landscape created from the same particles God used to create me, dirt, ashes, minerals. I think about how grateful I am to have this time to be still, to recover, to focus on myself and rest. I say a prayer of thanksgiving to the others who made this trip possible for me...my husband, my goddaughter, my son. Because of their love for me I can have this week to focus on myself. I am so thankful.

xo

21/365- The Longwood Tourists

Digital painting by Tracey Grumbach

“The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see.”
―G.K. Chesterton

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Today I am 45. I am half way to 90. Enough said. 


Until tomorrow

xo

20/365-Our Picnic Spot- Digital Painting by Tracey Grumbach

Digital Painting by Tracey Grumbach

It's not fair to compare one artist to another because they all come with their own sort of elements to the picnic, you know. Annie Lennox
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/annielenno574518.html?src=t_picnic

It's not fair to compare one artist to another because they all come with their own sort of elements to the picnic, you know. Annie Lennox
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/annielenno574518.html?src=t_picnic

It's not fair to compare one artist to another because they all come with their own sort of elements to the picnic, you know.
-Annie Lennox

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For this digital painting of a pond at Longwood Gardens, I took a photograph using my Canon 5D Mark III and then painstakingly used different brushes in Photoshop to paint over it. Next, I exported it to my iPhone 6S Plus and used various apps to add elements and textures. Then, I returned it to Photoshop and tweaked colors, contrast, and sharpness of details.

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Brenna made it safely back to Winter Park yesterday. Her car was covered in leaf debris, but otherwise unharmed. Her apartment complex has a lot of piles of debris, but her building seems to have faired the hurricane well. The apartment building next to hers had some minor damage to the siding but seems otherwise livable. Her food was a complete loss in the refrigerator, of course, but she went grocery shopping last night to replace what was lost. She is scheduled to start classes again today. Thank you all for your amazing support during this difficult time for her. Now, if we can keep the other hurricanes away, I will be one happy Mama!

I am heading back to Longwood Gardens today with some dear friends. I am looking for inspiration and beauty!

Have a great day!

xo

19/365-Whiskers on Kittens

Digital Painting by Baltimore area artist Tracey Grumbach

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things

-Rodgers and Hammerstein; My Favorite Things

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What a blessing last night turned out to be. After coming home from my Harford Lyme Advocates meeting, I walked into the house to see a mini surprise birthday party waiting for me! Since Brenna is leaving to go back to school today, Brian thought I would like to celebrate my birthday a few days early with all the kids home. There was a balloon, a mum, presents, my favorite dinner, a gluten free and dairy free homemade strawberry shortcake, and best of all, my whole family. It was a wonderful celebration. Even better, we recorded the Ravens game from earlier in the day and watched it after my little party. They won! It doesn't get any better than that.

So, Brenna is headed back to regroup her life back in Florida after Irma. It should be interesting to see what she finds when she gets back. Hopefully, her car is ok and her apartment isn't too gross.  We worry about mold with that many days without electric and air conditioning. Please pray that she has an easy transition back into her life. She will return to classes at Full Sail tomorrow. 

I hope you all have a wonderful Monday.

Until tomorrow!

xo

18/365-The Key to Happiness Is Within Yourself

Wagon Wheel- Digital Art by Tracey Grumbach

“All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts and made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, suffering follows him as the wheel follows the hoof of the beast that draws the wagon.... If a man speaks or acts with a good thought, happiness follows him like a shadow that never leaves him.” -Gautama Buddha

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 I tell my kids this all the time. Happiness is not something you find. It is not something someone else can give you. It is a disposition. It is an inner peace and contentment. It is constantly being an optimist and seeing the good in every person and situation. It is embracing what you have and where you are without desiring what someone else has. This last piece is what my kids struggle with the most, especially the young ones, but we work on it almost daily. What helps me as a parent with this is exposing the kids to situations that allow them to serve others less fortunate than us...church activities, missions, volunteering. Recently we started having the kids divide their allowance into thirds. If they get $30 a month, they put $10 in their savings account, keep $10 to send to a charity, and they can spend the last $10. I was so excited to see how thrilled they were to decide where their charity money goes. They talk about all the possibilities and are excited about making a difference. Now I am teaching them about researching charity organizations to see where the money actually goes...to line someone's pocket or to actually help a cause.

I by no means am anywhere near perfect. I get grumpy and sad and discontented sometimes. But overall, I try to spend time meditating and writing about what I am grateful for each day. Focusing on blessings and having a positive mindset is the key to being happy no matter your circumstances.

Have a wonderful Sunday. I am starting membership classes at our church, so it is going to be a great day here.

17/365-Why Being Told "No" Is a Blessing

The Solution is to Work Harder- Altered Photography by Tracey Grumbach

“I do not understand it. I would not have believed that such things could happen on our farm. It must be due to some fault in ourselves. The solution, as I see it, is to work harder. From now onwards I shall get up a full hour earlier in the mornings.”
―George Orwell; Animal Farm

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Today I am grateful for being told "no."  I know that sounds like a strange thing to be grateful for, but honestly, I've come to appreciate it. The other day I was chatting with a girlfriend about opportunities and making choices about a direction in life. As I have grown in my relationship with the Lord, I have not only realized that God hears all of our prayers, but He also answers all our prayers with either a "yes", a "no", or a "wait".  In my "before" life, that is life before Chronic Lyme Disease, I would often feel rejected and defeated when the answer to a prayer or a wish was "no." It made me feel not good enough, like something was wrong with me.

In my "after" life, that is life after Chronic Lyme Disease, I have drawn closer to God and began trying my best to allow Him the driver seat of my life. Instead of thinking I knew what opportunities and direction were best for me, I began trusting that His vision of my life was much better than my own. That is when I began to pray a bit differently. Now, when I pray about an opportunity or direction in my life, I pray that I may trust and be content with whatever direction He sees fit for me.

Sometimes that means being prepared for a "no" or a "wait" answer and trusting that His will is way better than my will. Matthew 20:22 shows us that sometimes, with our measly human brains and human will, we do not know what we are asking of Him. Even in asking for greatness for her sons, the mother (in Matthew 20) knows not the implications of what she is asking. How could she? How can we? We can not see into the future and all the implications and directions a certain choice will bring us.

So, today I am grateful that in two recent situations I have asked for something and have been told "no" or "wait". One was to have my art published in a certain magazine and the other was to write for a collaborative blog. Both times I was told no. My first reaction was to feel rejected and hurt, not good enough. But then I reminded myself that I can not forsee my future path. Perhaps the timing isn't right for either of these jobs. Perhaps God has in store for me even better opportunities that I can't see yet. Perhaps neither of these opportunities matched with the path God wants for me. I don't know the answer, but I do know that the one thing I can trust is God. Now, I am even more excited to see what is in store for my future rather than be dejected by "no."

To tie this all in back to the digital art piece and quote, sometimes our solutions to problems are misguided and lacking in perspective. God is never misguided and has the ultimate perspective...He is all knowing. So, perhaps the solution is not always to work harder at something but rather be still and trust Him.

Have a wonderful Saturday.

xo