A Well Lived Life

 Hello!  ¡Hola!  I want to begin by thanking everyone that stopped by my blog last week, especially those that took the time to leave a comment.

Americana Boat
Cardz 4 Guys #477 Boats
Shopping Our Stash #555 On or in Water
Tic Tac Toe Challenge - Blue/Nautical/Ocean 

I have three art projects I worked on this week.  First of all, I have an Americana Nautical Boat and Paper assemblage I put together.  I used a miniature wooden boat & barrel; Spellbinders' Classic Mouse Flags & Banners, Frames & Sentiments, Classic Mouse Borders, & Classic Mouse Alphabet Cutting Dies; glue & tickytac.  I am dedicating this piece to all my family members and friends, as well as others, who are USA Veterans.  May God Bless you always!

Let Us Pray
Word Art Wednesday Weeks 714-715
Friday Face Off 8/29/25 
What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday? #847/67

Next, I have a digital photo collage I did, using a photograph that one of my parish members took of me leading my acolytes in prayer before a Sunday morning church service.  I love their cherubim faces.  Using the Procreate app on my iPad Pro and my iPencil Pro, I illustrated the cluster of grapes.  Then, I layered the word art scripture, by Karen Letchworth.

My third project is a "Día de los Muertos" card.  All Souls Day, as it's called in English, is a day during which there are prayers and remembrance of the faithful departed.  It is observed primarily by Latin-American catholic (universal) Christians on November the 2nd.  I made the hand-carved candle stamp using a Speedball Speedy Carve block, carving tool, block printing blue ink, & brayer; a We R' Memory Keepers Corner Punch; "papel picado" print & white cardstock; a Kraft cardstock card; and acrylic markers to add details and write the sentiment on the candles.

Recuerda (Remember)
Freshly Made Sketches #701 by Jen B
The Male Room Challenge - Universe
Love Those Pretty Papers August Challenge

In closing, I'd like to leave you with an excerpt from my sermon this morning:

"The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well."

This quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson, the 1800’s American essayist, lecturer, philosopher, minister, abolitionist, women’s rights advocate, and poet, summarizes the way I was reared.  My parents instilled this philosophy in me, ever since I was a young child.

The timeless wisdom of this quote is about servitude, moral strength, and humility.  It challenges a person to test their character.  The reward is to become a master of oneself.  I’m not perfect, but I thrive to be loving, inclusive, and caring of all people, regardless of who they are.

That’s what Hebrews 13:1 is about.  It says, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.”  This was an important reminder then, as it is today, to avoid divisions and cherish this Christlike grace.

Thanks for your visit and comments!  ¡Gracias por su visita y comentarios!  I look forward to visiting and commenting on your blogs as well.


Comments

I absolutely love the card with the candles. Such amazing textures and colors. Thanks so much for sharing with us at Word Art Wednesday. I greatly appreciate your art and your fellowship. Have a blessed week, my brother and friend.
Sarah Brennan said…
So good to see you at WOYWW again Arnoldo and glad you found us after the change of host. Some excellent art work on display. I am celebrating my first official day of retirement by visiting desks, as the weekend and last week were rather manic. Stay safe and Happy belated WOYWW. Sarah
Your candle card is so colourful and wonderful. Thank you so much for joining us in our Universe challenge at The Male Room Good Luck and I hope you will join us in our next challenge.
Faith DT
Sin duda la experiencia habrá sido muy satisfactoria por las imágenes que puedo apreciar. Me alegra pasar por su blog que desprende armonía en estos tiempos tan convulsos. Un abrazo
My dear Arnoldo it's always a pleasure to see what you're up to. I love the nautical theme and I'm just getting started with my sea theme. Take care and happy creative week. Hugs Angela xXx
Jen Brum said…
This is a beautiful card! I love how brightly coloured it is! Those candles are perfect for the sketch! Thanks for joining us this week at Freshly Made Sketches!
Barb Finnical said…
Reverend Arnoldo, your creativity is amazing! I love the fact that you have so many different mediums, and that you make your own stamps. That's so inspirational! Although I'm not too good at drawing, I'll have to check out the Procreate App. I love what you've done with that. Your boat is stunning too! Thanks so much for playing along with us at Word Art Wednesday. We always appreciate you and your many talents! :)
MortiCraft said…
Thank you for joining our challenge with your lovely candle card. I’m very impressed that you created your own candle stamp! Don’t forget to add our challenge graphic to your blog post to be eligible for votes. Thanks again from The Male Room. X

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