God's Abundant Life Insurance Plan

Hello!  ¡Hola!  The daily high in Del Rio, Texas, lately has been 90°F, which is 32.2°C, so it's still hot.  So although I've been enjoying our swimming pool, I am ready for Autumn.  What about you?

               

With Autumn in my mind, I decided to use my Spellbinders 3D Eggs & Flowers to make this felt egg decoration for my home.  I love making Easter Eggs, but didn't purchase this die until recently.  This was a nice afternoon project, using the basic tutorial found here.  Of course, I gave it my personal twist.  I am submitting this to Inkspirational Challenge #375 Scrabble Tiles, Ellibelle's Garden Party No. 18 - Anything in or from a Garden, and Simon Says: Get In Shape.

In October, we will be celebrating both my daughters' partners birthdays, so I decided to plan ahead.  I used the Spellbinders Quilted Stained Glass Window die set; assorted solid color cardstock; and a Sakura Gellyroll Moonlight pen for the hand lettered sentiment.  I am submitting this to Time Out #320 Photo Challeng from Kate Lesh,  The Paper Players PP801 - A Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge from Jaydee, and Color Dare Challenge #718.

   

This portrait is a timed drawing I did in 7-minutes last weekend.  The purpose of this exercise is to observe shape and direction.  I used colored pencils to sketch the portrait, without using an eraser.  That's why you can see all my strokes.  Once I was happy with the sketch, I completed the portrait with watercolor washes and detailing with the colored pencils, before my timer went off.  I am submitting these to Art For Fun Friday 4020, What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday 900/120 (Congratulations on the 900th post, Julia & Sarah!), and Friday Face Off 09/04/2026l.

😎 T Stands For Tuesday

🙏 Word Art Wednesday Weeks 768/769 & Mosaic Monday No. 204

💚 Saturday's Critters #664

😍 My Sunday Best #497

                         

                                

The mosaic above is from photographs I took since my last post.  The 1st photo is my mug from Mustang Island Conference Center, which is one of our 3 camps in the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas.😎  The 2nd photo is of me during our chapel service at St. James Episcopal School, during the Blessing of the Backpacks.🙏  The 3rd photo is a grasshopper, as I believe all creatures great and small, the Lord God made them all.💚  The 4th photo is of a Flor de Flamenco (Flamingo Lily), an indoor plant that my wife keeps in our living room.😍

In closing, I want to leave you with an summary from my last sermon, based on Matthew 16:21-28:

We all have happiness insurance plans, which cover the expectations we have for ourselves, guaranteeing our way of living, esteem, and control of our lives.  It works fine, until it doesn't, as our happiness insurance plan can easily be compromised by unexpected situations.  That's what Jesus did to Peter, when he told him he would undergo great suffering, be killed, and be raised.  Peter rebuked Jesus, "God forbid it, Lord!  This must never happen to you."  Peter wants to protect his happiness insurance plan, which is based on human things, not the divine.  We, like Peter, need to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus.  This means dropping our happiness insurance plans, which may include our politics, cultural issues, fears, angers, prejudices, and other worldly issues which stray us away from God's will.  It means being willing to trade our happiness insurance plan for God's abundant life insurance plan.

Thanks for visiting!  ¡Gracias por su visita!  Please leave a comment, and I'll be glad to reciprocate, so that we can get to know each other.

Shalom,

Arnoldo+