Happy Resurrection Day!

It is Easter Sunday, a day of celebration for Christians all over the world, as we go to church and give glory and thanks to God for Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who was crucified and paid the price for our sins, then defeated death just three days after his crucifixion. Hallelujah indeed!!

On Easter Sunday most of us gather together after attending church as family, either at our mothers', grandmas', aunts' or even at restaurants to have special family time; or we cook dinner, have Easter egg hunts for the children, and most importantly, show off our new clothes. After all, what good is Easter if we don't get to dress up, right?

This year my family didn't do any of the above. No one planned anything to celebrate the day, so I decided that going to church was all I would do. Though I miss getting together with family, I feel a sense of accomplishment and revelation as I spent time with my other family, my church family. Some of us arrived before 6:00 am for Sunrise service; others for the 8:00 am service; and still others for the 11:00 am service. Many, like me, did all three. Too much, you think? Not at all! Each service brought different messages that fed my soul; each had something different to offer, and that's where my sense of accomplishment and revelation comes from.

For 40 days I observed Lent trying to experience what Jesus went through in the wilderness; I prayed, I fasted, I served, but none of these things brought me any closer to experiencing what Jesus did. In fact, though Jesus withstood temptation, I failed at it. There were times when I said I'd fast for 24 hours and at the end of 12 I couldn't resist the hunger pangs. I admitted to myself what I've known for a while but failed to accept: I cannot do it; I don't have the strength or will power to do it on my own, I need Jesus! I am weak and he is strong! Only he can fortify me and lead me out of the wilderness; only he!

That is why today I'm holding on to the blessings I received at the Easter services at church, for I know that because he lives, I have the strength to carry on; because he lives, I can live on the Bread of Life only he can offer, I can drink the water that quenches my thirst, I have hope for a new life, a new beginning, and I can tap into the endless possibilities open to me because of his Resurrection.

Jesus' resurrection means I don't have to do things as usual; it means I can "flip the  script" and do something new, something that allows me to step out of the box I have traced for myself and paint new lines that have no boundaries, and give wings to my vision and embrace the calling God has placed on my life.

So to you I say, resurrect your dream, expand your horizon and step outside your comfort zone to the possibilities that await you. Happy Resurrection Day!

Though I didn't cook, I did one thing I usually do for Easter Sunday -- I baked a cake and guess what, it was a first for me: a Key Lime Cake with Coconut frosting.  Talk about doing something new! Mind you, this was no ordinary cake, for if you knew me you'd know I make all my cakes from scratch, so it's not a walk in the park, as I have to experiment with new ingredients and adjust measurements, lol!

I leave you with this photo and the recipe. Feel free to try it!

Key Lime Cake

Ingredients:

1 lb. butter ( I prefer salted or unsalted, no sweet cream)
2 cups sugar ( I use sugar cane, not white sugar)
6 eggs
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 taps. baking powder
1 package Key Lime gelatin
1/2 cup orange juice

Frosting:
1/2 stick butter
1 package cream cheese
4 cups powdered sugar
3 tbs. fresh lime juice
1 package flaked coconut (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix all dry ingredients (except gelatin) and set aside. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy; add eggs one at a time until well mixed; add Key Lime gelatin; add flour mixture until all mixed, then finally add the orange juice.

This batter will make enough for three layers baked in 8" round pans or two layers in a 9" round pan. Because I was making it to give away, I just did two layers.

Bake cake for 35-40 until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Set cakes aside to cool (15-20 mins.) then transfer to a rack for complete cooling.

Mix butter and cream cheese until fluffy; add powdered sugar and lime juice. You can also add green food coloring to frosting if you want to color the frosting the same color of the cake, but that's up to you. Once the cakes are cooled, cover with frosting, then top with coconut flakes, and voilà, your cake is ready to share.

Enjoy!!

No way to avoid being inspired

I've been missing in action for a few months, but it's not because I've not been working on creating. In fact, the reason why I haven't been posting anything is due to the opposite: I've been very busy creating!

I have been in demand making art work for others and the creative flow has been non-stop; no time for writing or posting, lol.  Here are a few of the pieces I have put together. Most of my recent work have included working with mixed media techniques that include watercolor, markers, fabric, cut files, digi artwork, and of course, my Make-the-Cut and my Silhouette Cameo.

Back in September I shared the first piece I was inspired to make. I made this and gifted it to my sister, a fellow lover of art and an artist in her own right (though she won't admit it, lol). I used cork board to make the woman cut out and colored it with a Copic marker.  I bought the fabric from Jo-Ann's and cut it by hand (this was my first attempt and though I don't sew, I tried my best).  The accessories were cut with my Cameo via Make-the-Cut and were from the Lettering Delights collection Create-a-Face-Bling.

This other one on the left was my second attempt at making my own artwork. I used a combination of files to put this together including the Create-a-Face and Create-a-Face Bling collections by Lettering Delight. I cut this one from brown cardstock from Gina K Designs. Again, I purchased the fabric from Jo-Ann's for $1.00.

From these two pieces I was asked to make pieces to give out as recognition awards to men/women in my church congregation and/or the community.  For some of these I simply used the person's photograph and created a silhouette I cut with my Cameo from Make-the-Cut and embellished with fabric, etc.

Digi art courtesy of Robert Jackson

Birthday gift for an 80 year old

Award for Cynthia Davis. The doll is a mini replica of her "Dolls of Hope" 

This last award was celebrating the leadership of the Organist/Choir Director of the Holman Choir, the senior choir at my church, in commemoration of its 55th  Concert of Negro Spirituals, held on February 22, 2015. Again, the digi art is from Robert Jackson. I used Gimp to alter the body of the digital file and painted the body with a musical notes pattern.

Prior to finished/framed work

Finished product put together by my sister Joni

I am giving full credit for inspiring me to God. Most of these pieces are followed by or include scripture and these usually come to me once I've finished the piece or based on information pertaining to  the recipient. 

I have other pieces to share and will do so at a latter date.  In the meantime, enjoy!

Are You Listening

Recently, in my Disciple 5 class we were studying the kingdom sayings of Jesus Christ. The class is focused on painting a picture of who Jesus is and for us to have a better understanding of his ministry. To that end, we not only read about Jesus in the New Testament, we also read the Old Testament, which pointed towards Jesus' coming and what his ministry would be about.

As I was reflecting about the kingdom sayings, the following scripture kept playing over and over in my mind, "And he said, “Go and say to this people: ‘Keep listening, but do not comprehend; keep looking, but do not understand.’ (Isaiah 6:9, NRSV).  This scripture was referenced by Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels as well: "You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look, but never perceive".  (Matthew 13:14, NRSV).

This scripture intrigues me because I hear some folk saying they don't understand a certain sermon or don't like the style of preaching of a pastor, or they comprehend because of the way someone speaks (it could be the person's accent or intonation).  It got me to thinking, "are they listening?, are they really paying attention?, "Are they even trying?" 

I feel revelation is given to some and others, as stated in the above scripture, will listen, and not comprehend, will look and not understand.  Some folk are not where they need to be in their Christian walk. As stated by the Apostle Paul, they may be on milk and not meat ("I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food. Even now you are still not ready" 1 Corinthians 3:2). Jesus' Disciples certainly didn't get it immediately. They didn't understand when he spoke in parables. Jesus had to die on the cross for his words, his kingdom sayings, his actions to be understood by his Disciples. The cross became the symbol of the price Jesus paid for (their) our salvation. When Jesus died on the cross, and was resurrected, his words became real; understanding and revelation was like a switch being turned on for his Disciples and those who followed him.

Some people have to endure trials and tribulations: the loss of a job, or sickness; the death of a loved one; falling into addiction of some sort and feeling as though there is no way out. These are all crosses some must bear and it is in the carrying of the cross that we experience what it means to lean on Jesus. It is in the carrying of our cross that we cry out to God for help, for release, for strength. When we reach a breaking point in our struggle and surrender completely to God and invite him into our lives; when we seek him through his Word, and develop a relationship with him, it is then that revelation and understanding will slowly begin. It is not instant. It is day-by-day. It is constantly seeking and doing his will. It is following in his footsteps: loving the unlovable, seeking the unreachable, by our witness to God's grace and mercy in our lives.

The recent decision of the Grand Jury in the Michael Brown case in Ferguson, Missouri is one such example of what it means to live as Jesus did. Despite our anger and unbelief at the injustice carried out against our black men (and boys) and the rampant racism that still exists in America, Jesus is calling us to do things his way. To turn the other cheek, to not allow anger to take hold of us and lead us into sin, to love and pray for those who persecute us, yes, even officer Darren Wilson.

Today, on a day when most Americans celebrate a day of giving thanks, it is my hope that the words Jesus spoke, which are recorded in scripture, will come to life in your mind and you will experience the revelation of being able to listen and comprehend what Jesus is calling us to do.

I pray that as you celebrate this day, you will remember the one who paid the price for our freedom from sin. Blessings for a Happy Thanksgiving!