Who Gave You This Authority?

Hello!  ¡Hola!  Being out of town for most of the week, there has been a lot of catching up these past few days.  I may get a little reprieve this week, but it's still going to be busy.  Regardless, praise the Lord anyway!

With Halloween coming up in October, I decided to make my first card for family members.  I was inspired by Freshly Made Sketches #755 - A Sketch by Donna, Inkspirational Challenge #377 - Fall and Halloween Cupcakes, and Just Add Ink #795 Stencils and/or Dies by Nikki.   I went all Tim Holtz with this one, and used Sizzix Cauldron Bigz die, Sweet Treats Thinlits, and Vintage Labels Thinlits.  I used Funcils oil markers and Mont Marte brush pens to color all the pieces and for the hand-lettered sentiment.  The prints are from my old stash.  As a finishing touch, I added the "charms" with hemp cord.

Next I have a postcard inspired by The Alphabet Challenge K is for Kittens, Sunday Postcard Art Knitting/Crochet by Rein, and Can you Handle the Pressure (9/2026).  For my postcard design, I wrote an original haiku poem.  Using a Sharpie Marker, I hand-lettered it, and then did a simple line drawing of a cat.  To give it a knitted texture, I embossed it with a Spellbinders Mariner's Weave folder, and colorized it with Faber-Castell Gelatos.

In my pencil portraiture journey, I continue to use reference photographs from Pypah Santos' book.  These take a little time to do, as I really need to focus.  However I find this type of exercise very calming.  I'm submitting this to the Path of Positivity Challenge #143, What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday, Friday Face Off, and Art For Fun.

😛 - T Stands for Tuesday

😎 - Saturday's Critters

⚘ - My Sunday Best

⛪ - Mosaic Monday

These last 4 pictures are from last week. 😛 The 1st picture is of the mug I use in the mornings, when greeting our students as they're dropped off at our parochial school.  It helps keep my coffee warm. 😎 The 2nd picture is of another Mexican Gulf Coast Toad I rescued from my swimming pool.  They always look so grateful. ⚘ The 3rd picture is of a Society Garlic plant from my wife's garden.  She keeps it in a pot, so she can bring it in during winter. ⛪ The 4th picture was taken during our Grandparents’ Day Chapel service at our school.  You can see me sitting on the left side, while our Assistant Head of School was speaking.

In closing, I have a summary of my sermon in response to Matthew 21:23-32:

We all have issues with authority.  We often question, test, and challenge authority.  We may even do it to God!  We’re to love God above all things, and all our neighbors as ourselves; yet we may idolize politicians, cultural figures, and wealth, and choose who deserves our love.  That's the issue in the parable of the 2 Sons.  The first son says “no” initially, when asked to work in the vineyard, but later changes his mind and complies.  The second son promptly says "yes," but fails to do the work.  The first son represents sinners who repent, and go on to do God's work.  The second son represents the hypocrisy of those who use all the right formulas of "yes, sir," but fail to repent and do as God asks.  God is not the boss of us, because he's given us freedom of choice.  However, he is our creator, redeemer, and sustainer, so each and every day he invites us to work in his vineyard; to act in this world with his authority and on his behalf; and to use our God given gifts to do his work.  The choice is ours, but we must choose wisely, for as John the Baptist said, the Kingdom of God is at hand.

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

Shalom,

Arnoldo+