God's voice

I am fortunate enough to believe in God.  I have been guided by many of His angels on earth.  My own life is one of transformation from hopeless darkness, to believing in someone else's faith in God, to knowing the love of God is mine, no matter what. 

What has inspired this writing today is a Catholic Monsignor named Don Fischer (Msgr. Don) and his weekly radio show. I have heard his voice for going on 30 years, beginning when Denise would drag me to church with her at the University of Dallas in Irving.  I am sure I listened but I did not hear. I remembered the sound of his voice and that it was without judgement.

Years later, I came to my breaking point.  I wanted to stop my destructive behavoir.  I stopped drinking with a lot of help and self-searching. It wasn't easy.  I felt I wasn't worth God's love because of who I had become and what I had done. I was given a belief that God doesn't judge, people have a monopoly on that. This faith absolutely works for me.  And it is freeing.

So, my first roommate, Jeannette, re-introduced me to, then, Father Fischer and his weekly program Sundays on 101.1 at 10:30 a.m.  I listened religously (pun intended) for years even taping the episodes for future times. Yesterday, the link "appeared" on my browser bar and I opened it.  I didn't have time to listen to it yesterday, but I did today.

The message was of forgiving.  Allowing yourself to forgive instead of resenting (re-living the hurt) as you are the benefactor of the act.  You are free of the poison you took hoping the other person would die.  It was perfect for today. Perfection. God is always on time.

I am still warmed by the words he chooses and how he interprets the gospel into real, today language.  It is always in the language of God's love for us. I am astonished at the gentle power of Msgr. Don's message.  I don't practice a religion, his program is the closest thing to it for me. I can believe in the God he represents when often I am mentally arguing with other's representation.

This is the description on Msgr. Don's program on the website http://www.pastoralreflectionsinstitute.com/ . 

For more than twenty-five years, a spirit-led message has flowed through Pastoral Reflections, a weekly radio program reflecting on the Liturgy of the Word for each Sunday. Listeners awaken to a Heart-Presence as they identify with Monsignor Don's journey of self discovery. A message rooted in the recognition that as believers we are called to accept our human condition and its perfect compliment, the indwelling presence of a loving God. As one who longs 'to see', Msgr. Don has always looked for the story within the story, the hidden teaching of Christ, which rather than telling us what to do or what to believe, heals and transforms us. As one of his listeners wrote,"He speaks not about the truth, rather his words resonate with the Truth". Many who listen are moved to bring this healing resonance of God’s love into the world and to live an authentic life of service in Christ.

I am hooked, again.  And, you can listen from anywhere in the world.

My new addiction...

Anagram tiles. What the heck is an anagram tile, you ask? Well, it is a beautiful piece of art in a small package. This wood tile, about 3/4 inch square, has the nicely aged character marks with a letter of the alphabet. It has texture and some even have an added carving on the back side. Such bliss!

How I discovered them was innocent enough. I went on a weekend trip with some moms from last year's Kindergarten class to Cedar Creek Lake. Is wasn't a cabin on the lake. This was a very gracious lending of a beautiful home on an inlet of the lake. Tricky to find after dark, but nice, nice, nice.


Aside from being with ladies I enjoy a great deal, and a weekend away from mommyhood, part of the allure of the weekend was a trip to Canton. OMG. Shopping mecca. Especially for a rusty junk hunter like myself. I found hammers, an anvil, texture galore and these anagram letters. I went right to them. They called me over with a subtle whisper. The letters were obviously vintage, at least, but mainly these had it all. They are old, textured, have character and peeling paint. What more could a girl want? Right?

But you want what for each letter? Really? Joanne and Karen were telling me they would buy a necklace with one of these letters on it. I have witnessed the scrabble tile rage. I like them, but frankly, scrabble tiles aren't hard to come by.

Click here to find this in my Etsy shop

Direct to Etsy listing, click here

So, the tile lady at Canton explained why they were so bloody expensive per piece. I bought 40 on the spot thinking for sure, bargain babe that I am, could not only find more, but get them at a better price. Ooo, not so much. Anagram tiles aren't so easy to find and people are proud of their tiles. But you can find 600 scrabble tiles on e-bay.

Anagram pre-dates the scrabble game. I have been busy obtaining more of these tiles and have discovered no two shipments have been alike except for their individuality. This is trouble for me. It is a challenge of sorts. Plus,crazy ideas fly through my head like making word braclets... my favorite being, "make me". Isn't that great.

So, you see my quandry. I have too many half finished ideas all over the house. But, I can't help myself.  An idea is a bolt of lightening that moves me to create no matter the circumstances.

I have listed some of these individual letters on Esty. Give me an A S, D, E, R, G, K, and a V

K tile  http://www.etsy.com/listing/92883217/upcycled-vintage-wood-anagram-tile
H tile  http://www.etsy.com/listing/92882372/upcycled-vintage-wood-anagram-tile 

The see the Etsy listing, click here

And here is the Etsy language I use to explain each one:

Each of the cream on black tiles are 20 mm square, just short of an inch. Each piece is made out of wood and is sealed with a spray lacquer and then I re-sealed with varnish to ensure the coloring will not bleed onto skin or clothing. The charm is super duper lightweight. I drill wee small holes and inserted a screw eye with wood glue so it will stay put.

Must I be so in love with everything vintage and jewelry making. Guess so. Not a bad addiction. I have had worse!

History

Reputed to have originated as a Victorian word game, Anagrams have appeared in many published versions in the last century. Anagram tiles were used in a game in which players would flip tiles over one at a time and race to take words. They can "steal" each others' words by rearranging the letters and extending the words.
The first modern version seems to have been the game The Game of Letters and Anagrams on Wooden Blocks published by Parker Brothers around 1890. Another game called Anagrams was published in 1934 by the manufacturer Selchow and Righter, who would later publish Scrabble in 1953. Spelling and Anagrams (a set incorporating two distinct games, Spelling and Anagrams) was also published in the 1930s. In 1975, Selchow published the Scrabble Scoring Anagrams version which featured tiles with point values similar to the familiar Scrabble system. The Embossing Company, formerly Halsam Products Company, also produced a yellow-on-black Eye-Rest set. Many other versions have been produced and used sets can still be found on internet auction and specialty sites.


Information was found @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anagrams




Click Here to Visit My Etsy Shop!

Bow crazy

Audrey's hair is finally growing out from when she cut it short last year.  She has beautiful blond hair that was on its way to being luscious locks of gold until I found the patches of the straw-colored hair all over my bathroom.  Not a proud mommy moment since I am the dope who left the scissors out.  Her golden locks had to be cut into a comb over to cover the fluff that were her bangs.

Audrey

Since THE CUT, Audrey has been referred to as a boy.  THEM: "Oh, how old is your son?"  ME:  "you mean the one wearing PINK?"  Really, people?  I digress.

Alligator clips

Back to the bow craziness.

The bangs are now in her eyes but I wanted to go with all one length so instead of investing a small fortune in bows, I invested a large fortune in bow making materials.  So much more fun to make my own, exactly as she and I want them. 

Jeff and I happened to be close to Micheals. Serendipity, right? I never miss an opportunity to stop in a craft store and Jeff, I thought, was preoccupied at the book store next door. He found me, so I had .2 seconds to decide on materials. I chose alligator clips and some flowers from scrapbooking.



More expensive but nice.

The next day, Audrey and I made trip to Hobby Lobby and purchased more bow stuff.  Armed with a glue gun, we went to town.  This is so ridiculously easy, all you need is a glue gun, some adornment, and clips.  One tip is to clip the clip onto something plastic while you glue the adornment on or you will glue the clip shut.  Or if you use cardboard, as I did, you get cardboard on the clip, which you can't see but it is still there!

Audrey and I loved this project and even though the bows are getting lost at school, she is wearing them and her hair is out of her eyes for a little bit. We have since been back to the hobby stores and have big, grand flowers from the floral section.  They cover half her head but the are sooo cute.

Amethyst, nuggets, necklace, fire polished and swavorski crystals - $37.50

Amethyst is the birthstone for February and of our first born, Brendan. The 18" necklace is made of natural amethyst nuggets that are a rich, deep purple. Interspersed between the amethyst are purple and clear swavorski crystals with a smattering of green fire polished beads. The large toggle (makes it easier to put on) and chain are silver plated.

Click Here to Visit My Etsy Shop!