Yes They Can! ¡Si pueden!

Greetings!  ¡Saludos!  It's been a hectic week filled with meetings, so I'm glad to say I had my last 2 early this morning.  I spent the rest of the day getting ready for this weekend's services, and pray the rest of the week goes smoothly.  But as what Psalm 63:3 says, "Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you."

                                              

                                  

For my first project, I have mini-cards to place in my grandsons' Easter Baskets.  They were inspired by The Card Concept #225 {Spring Flowers}, Atlantic Hearts Sketch #673 by Michelle, Just Add Ink #781 - Wings!, AAA Card Challenge #310 - Animals, and Never Before Used Stuff #84.  I used a Sizzix Tim Holtz's Thinlits Vault Bunny + Chick set that I'd never used before, along with the Rosette & Gift Tags sets; a Tim Holtz Sizzix pic & Idea-ology Design Ruler;  Provo Craft Paper Shapers 34-0027; a hole punch; Kraft mini greeting cards; assorted papers & card stock; and a marker.  (BTW, I want to thank The Card Concept #224 for selecting the Honorable Mention!) 

Next, I have decorative Easter eggs I made to place in my grandsons' baskets.  It's a tradition I started with my daughters when they were children.  I was inspired by Inspirational Challenge #363 - Visual Prompt of green, repeating shapes, botanicals, & artistic backgrounds, Try It On Tuesday - Spring, and Everybody Art Challenge - Layers.  I used styrofoam eggs and collaged them with layers of organic shapes of tissue paper that I cut in various shades of green.  When the eggs were dry, I hand lettered my grandsons' initials with black and white Funcils Paint Pens.  To seal my work, I varnished the eggs with 3 layers of a mixture of Liquitex Gloss Medium and Spring Green Pearl Ex Powdered Pigment.  I hope they'll cherish them!

This last piece is a contour line drawing I did of a skull model.  I am submitting this to Sarah's What's on Your Workdesk? Wednesday 876/96 and Nicole's Friday Face Off 3/20/2026.  I was inspired by a verse from Ezekiel 37:1-14, which is one of the Lectionary Readings for the upcoming 5th Sunday in Lent.  My sermon for this weekend is based on this reading and John 11:1-45, where Jesus raises Lazarus from the Dead.  Here's an excerpt:

Jesus will always stand by us through the hardships, disappointments, and grief in our lives.   These type of life situations ask us to reassess ourselves; help us break old patterns that have become hardened and less than life sustaining; and help open our eyes to a deeper way of seeing and relating to others.  Jesus uses them to invite us to a stronger foundational reality than what we can possibly create for ourselves without him.  That's what's happening in this week's readings.  We must hold on to the premise of, “Mortal, can these bones live again?”  The answer to this question echoes throughout the valley that cuts through the center of our lives, and it is always "Yes they can!"  "¡Si Pueden!"

Thanks for visiting!  ¡Gracias por su visita!  Shalom!

Arnoldo+