67_Comforting Creativity
Come, taste and see with me that the Lord is good...
I know another week of wonder and worship lies ahead, but I feel weary in this moment. As I go through the motions of caring for my family and home, my mind repeatedly runs through the to-do list that comes with preparing for the visitors and travels that await us in the coming days. There is also the steady susurration of sorrow that becomes a constant companion in such times of loss. I think often of the loved ones who carry even more pain in the midst of this unexpected passing and lift them to the Lord in prayer. These supplications remind me of the prayer warriors around the world, who are currently crying out to the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort on my behalf, and I must pause to rejoice over the unity we are privileged to experience through the Holy Spirit. In the pause, a quiet peace steals into my soul, and with it, the power to persevere.
We have reached the middle of February without a picture book pick, so I have two for you this week.
This month's themes are friendship and feelings, which are delightfully united in The Very Grumpy Day by Stella J. Jones. Follow Bear through a bothersome day that impacts all his forest friends. Alison Edgson's adorable illustrations will draw you right into this story of a small kindness that brightens a gray day.
In the second book, Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller, the main character considers how to show kindness after a classmate has an embarrassing moment. With whimsical illustrations by Jen Hill, this story shares lovely ways to be a friend.
After uploading the pictures for each book, I realized that both covers feature rain and umbrellas—how fitting for our February weather in Bavaria!
We've had a busy morning of preparing for guests flying in from overseas. Many a moment felt rather chaotic, but at least the cake turned out perfectly. I think this may become my new go-to recipe for when we have visitors. I added almonds and raisins to this one, and I'm already considering other upgrades: apple-walnut, cranberry-white chocolate, or ginger-citrus. What are your favorite flavor combinations with cinnamon?
This verse came to mind throughout the day, as we traveled to the funeral, mourned with family and friends, and cherished conversations that repeatedly reflected God's faithfulness:
In the rare quiet moments this week, I have been listening in on snippets of Bonnie Christine's Print and Pattern Revival (free replays available until February 24). I've always wanted to create seamless patterns with my art and photography, so I decided to practice instead of only listening this time around. The course uses Adobe Illustrator, but I opted for a free design software called Affinity. That meant I had to do extra research, but in the end, I was able to create my first seamless pattern using pictures I took when trying to find beauty in the fog of fall 2024. I am hesitant to share this publicly because I see everything I need to improve, but learning is a process, and I took the first step!
The air whispered promises of spring this morning, and I was eager to go for a stroll to search for the first signs of warmer weather on the way. By the time we went outside for our walk this afternoon, the wind was decidedly winter again.
However, I still found exciting evidence that the world is waking up:
Thank you for being my guest. In God’s word you will find rest; Seek Him, be bountifully blessed. 💚
Continuing prayers for you. It is amazing to know that God’s people near and far are praying for one another in the Spirit.
I’ll have to check out that recipe! Do you know if there’s any English equivalent? 😅Thanks for sharing.
I loved the presence of this. I’ve really been practicing presence and nuance of just my everyday life. Enjoyed this one!