A Father’s Tribute

Tribute – A tribute (from Latin tributum, contribution) is wealth, often in kind, that one party gives to another as a sign of respect or, as was often the case in historical contexts, of submission or allegiance.   ~Wikipedia

trib·ute

noun \ˈtri-(ˌ)byüt, -byət\

a : something given or contributed voluntarily as due or deserved; especially : a gift or service showing respect, gratitude, or affection <a floral tribute> b : something (as material evidence or a formal attestation) that indicates the worth, virtue, or effectiveness of the one in question <the design is a tribute to his ingenuity>   ~Webster
For the ‘Holy Week’ 2012, I am posting images of my father’s art, depicting the Crucifixion of Christ, John F. Wecker, created in the mid 1960’s. As I remember, he did a series of sketches and color studies on the subject. He completed one final painting in oil but began two others much larger, from which these fragments of the preliminary sketches were taken.
A most dear, Treasured Tuesday feature.

Love

As I thought about Valentine designs, naturally I thought of love. Over the weekend I had a little fun with digital collage using coordinates from my last few fabric groups and a favorite vintage Valentine. The result:

Happy Valentine’s Day!

For God so loved the world,
that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in Him
should not perish,
but have everlasting life.
John 3:16

A New Year

In anticipation of the new year, I found myself looking back again, to this week one year ago. I had big plans for the joy studio and determined goals that I intended to accomplish in 2011.  Quickly, as life shows us sometimes, it became apparent that our year would be personally, a difficult one, not planned, unfathomable. So, for the last few days, happy new year, would not easily roll off my tongue but rather, caused me to pause and ponder the coming months.

Our new year’s eve was an enjoyable one. It was spent with family, laughing and playing games. We rang in the new year by rattling pots and pans on the porch as distant fireworks exploded in the clear starry sky. The original plans to spend it around a campfire were thwarted by an increasingly (a little too) breezy night. Yes, 2012 is blowing in with a vengeance on extremely high winds that are predicted today.

New Year wishes, no, not quite. However, my prayer for you, is that your 2012 be filled with ‘Joy – gladness of heart’ as I refer to in my about page and that your joy (and mine) overflows!

“These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” – John 15:11

Boot Straps & Brass Tacks

I’m getting a strong sense that it’s time for the tough (me?) to get going, to pull oneself up by the boot straps and get down to brass tacks. Time to get back on the front lines and keep going. Time to clean up this joint (house/studio) and back to the business of making art and living life. To both, follow the examples set for me and to be an example for those coming up, after me.

My mom was a strong believer in old sayings and recognized their significance. She often referred to them and passed them on. Both my mom and dad would be telling us now, ” don’t give up, keep going.” Their generation truly was the “great generation!” I miss them. I miss their encouragement.

I like to research these oldies but goodies, interesting & remarkably, they hold true:

Get down to brass tacks – Deal with basic realities, hard facts or details of immediate practical importance.

The origin perhaps refers to fabric shops a strip of metal, a yard in length, is ofter set along the edge of the corner so that material can easily be measured. An alternative to this used to be and sometimes still is, two brass nails set a certain distance apart. After a customer had selected a fabric, the sales assistant would suggest getting down to the brass tacks to work out the practical details of measurement and price.

Boot Straps –Improve your situation by your own efforts.

The origin of this descriptive phrase isn’t known. It refers of course to boots and their straps (laces) and to the imagined feat of a lifting oneself off the ground by pulling on one’s bootstraps. This impossible task is supposed to exemplify the achievement in getting out of a difficult situation by one’s own efforts.

The past few months have been tough going.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going. – When a situation is difficult or dangerous, strong people work harder to resolve the problem. This saying relies on a difficult play on words; it could be rephrased word-for-word as: “When the situation becomes hard, strong people start working.”

Origin, this saying is attributed both to Joseph P. Kennedy (1888-1969), father of the USA President John F. Kennedy, and to Norwegian-born American football player and coach Knute Rockne (1888-1931).

The Armor of God – “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God,…   Eph. 6:10-11

It’s Official

Sunday was a day of celebration and marked the official opening of the new church building. The variety of volunteer tradesmen were the guests of honor. Gratitude and goodies were in abundance. It was great to be a part and to help break in the new kitchen.

Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. ”Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.  John 4:35

Time Well Spent

The latest report on the new church building: We moved in one month ago. Since then two new committees were formed. I was asked to serve on one of them. The decorating committee! Somebody has to do it, right? Much time has been spent actively shopping, a lot of time shopping. Below – some of our finds.

The rest of the time? Spent making ourselves at home.