Art Supplies

I call this litte piece "Let my prayer rise up" because I was humming the Holden Evening Prayer while creating it. I love that prayer service - it held me in a difficult time. I miss it.

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After recently creating an art blog that I am considering making public, I think I may also take up a practice I observed 2 years ago: I kept an "art journal" with entries like the one above during the season of Lent. I tried to put paint/collage/markers to those pages every day. I know a few "real" artists (whatever 'real' means) that post daily art - I think that's what inspired me. But I am also facing up to the fact that I am MORE of a happy camper when I'm processing my thoughts creatively.

So, a trip to the art supply store is in order. Mostly for the paper. The Good Lord Knows I have plenty of the other stuff. (A whole 'junk room' full of it, it seems.)

Just some thoughts. Anyone else observing Lent in a new (or old) way?

Thanks for reading. ~ K

Marching with and for the Little People

Last night JT & I went out with our friends April and Stefun. April told me she wasn't going to stay out late because the next day (today) she would be marching for the East Lawrence Schools.

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Now, some of you know, I'm kind of a march-junkie anyway, so it wouldn't take much to twist my arm to come along. But East Lawrence is my neighborhood. And sometimes we get the shaft. It's the poorer, less gentrified end of town. Yeah, the poorer schools and families are there. And just to show you some pictures - there are some darling faces that would sure be sad if their schools were closed, if their teachers lost their jobs. So, here are some photos. The signs were my favorite part!

Ready to launch! Liberty Hall Theatre on Mass Street. Shirts? Signs? Coffee? Check, check, check.

This little girl was adorable. And the sign was awesome. Don't close our schools, close wall street! :)

"I Love My School" what a great thing to see a child express. Beautiful. :)

Some great signs. My favorite, of course, belongs to the little fella in the dragon hat that
says: Invest in ME

Even the dog cares!

Supportin' our neighborhood schools

This scene was just precious. And there were so many drums! I think I need a marching drum.

Yay! New York Elementary! The school I walk past all the time, holla!

Kids gettin' some press...

Ok, and this sign was just awesome. (She said her daughter made it)

Making Space

Tonight my friend Sharon inspired me. She called to tell me she was turning her spare bedroom into a "studio" for her creative work. After describing the space she was creating, I got a little envious. I decided it was time to transform my dumpy desk area and clear away some of the piles that were stacking up. Here are some photos of the 'new' space. The door into the bedroom. WELCOME! (It's been like this, but I thought you'd like to see the scarves and hats on the door.)
The side of the desk. Still a little clutter-y, but at least I've got a plant in here now and some art supplies and my pencil sharpener right by the desk.


3 purple candles in some sand in a pottery piece my brother made. (Purple & 3: To get me ready for Lent.)

So inviting!

Mail, Bills, Envelopes & Letter writing supplies (and a picture of the happy couple)

A pillow on the floor - in case I need a different perspective

Left corner of the desk

Right corner of the desk

Some art on the white walls
Art - from the way back (circa '04/'05)
origami cranes from Frank & Mimi's scarves to remind me of her
"The Space" ta-da!
Now maybe I'll sit her more often. :)

I Think I Blog More on Weeks That I Have to Preach...

A Girl & Her Dog
From 'Breakfast with the Divine Feminine' Group, my first mandala

I'm think it's an avoidance technique: do anything but the task at hand? Of course, the task at hand is ready, so...maybe it is just a distraction. Anyway, some photos for you. A picture of Tia & me in our front yard (We have a mailbox now!!! And you don't even have to use a key to retrieve the mail! Sorry, folks. This is a first...)

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And then the photo below that is from a group I recently discovered. I am starting to get involved at ECM, the Ecumenical Campus Ministry group at KU. They are hosting a Nonviolent Communication Workshop in February. My first volunteer "task" has been to promote this workshop. The presenter, Rev. Vicki Penner, is an ordained Mennonite chaplain who is very committed to nonviolence. (And a groovy lady to boot!) She told me about the Breakfast with the Divine Feminine group, so I've been checking it out. Basically it is a book group for likeminded women who need some spiritual/interfaith community and to be able to validate the feminine in their faith traditions. Anyway, the group met today at one of the member's houses. It was so great. The ground was lightly dusted with snow, her house is just outside the city limit on a few acres, and it was the perfect setting for creativity. We discussed A Wrinkle in Time and then created mandalas. I was both scared and delighted by what mine looked like.

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It has been a beautiful Saturday. I went to my breakfast group, ran 1.5 miles at KU's rec center, walked the dog, indulged in some pizza and LOST with John, and now (after blogging) I think I'll get back to my Sunday preparations.

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Thanks for reading.

OK. Now for something a little less SERIOUS.

For Christmas my mother in law and niece sent us a lovely care package. Homemade fudge and turtles (we gobbled them up quickly!) and some T-R-E-A-T-S for our new/old dog Tia. They also threw in these three magnets that say :Live, Love, Laugh. Well, they just weren't quite us. So, we altered them. Well, ahem, *I* altered two of them and I am still waiting on John to help with the third one. If you have any suggestions for him, just make them in the comment bar. Fill in the blank: "Live ____________" Thanks! Peace Out.

WOW

Hunchy - and a Hunchy Impersonator
Colorful socks for hip-hop dancing

The lineup (of adult sponsors)

WOW worship

On Saturday I left Lawrence at 6:57 AM to get to the church before 8. 11 youth and 4 adults from FUMC North Kansas City were headin' out on a little road trip to Springfield, MO to join 2500 other Methodist youth and sponsors for a weekend of worship, speakers, and various forms of zanyness. Zanyness? Is that a word?

Anyway, it was great fun. I can't get over how enjoyable these teens and tweens are to be around, for 36+ hours! We must not have even been sick of each other because when I got home I posted my pictures from the weekend on Facebook. And then, for about an hour, several of us commented in succession on the pictures; having our own little virtual reflection service.

It is actually a little bit ironic that in the last two and a half years I've been to 6 youth gatherings. As a youth myself, I H*A*T*E*D these things. I never went. I think I was too serious. I mean, I went to the bible lectures and on the mission trip...but there was something about that ski trip or camp whatever that just seemed like too much unscripted time. What would I say? Who would I sit next to? Who would I have to share a bathroom with? (ANXIETY,ANXIETY,ANXIETY...SIGH)

And now? I love them. I love sacrificing sleep. I love sleeping on the floor (OK, but just for a night or two) I love the "unscripted" magic that happens between kids when they get some extended time with one another.

One of the girls who went wasn't sure if she could go, but at the last minute we were able to register her. On her facebook status last night she wrote: 'I love WOW.' It made me happy.

So, there you have it. I'm a youth retreat groupie now, I guess. Not because I love them (well, I said I did) but not because I love youth gatherings in a idolatrous kind of way...but because they offer sabbath. A youth gathering can be a time to break from the usual orbit that teens find themselves in and hopefully a time to soak in the Spirit and surround themselves with the fellowship of their spiritual tribe.

That, to me, is worth the church-floor-camping, shower-sacrificing, bathroom-sharing sleep-deprivation.

Thanks for reading.

Hunchy and the Grannies

I hope you can see this picture. I know it is a little dark. John's sister Mary always gets us interesting things for Christmas. This year it was a pair of "racing grannies." The box said they race at "crippling speeds." So, here they are -- along with an invasion of HUNCHY!

And just in case you were worried, Hunchy is back on tour. He will begin his 2010 travels with a trip to Springfield, MO for a Methodist youth conference. Hopefully, more pictures will follow.