Tag: hopeforthesoul

healing

National Mental Health Awareness Week

The Kedge Anchor

Recently I have been posting some funny National days in May. This week, I know it’s Friday, but May 10th is National Mental Health Awareness Week according to nationaldays.com.

I want to take the time to acknowledge this who are battling a mental health disorder. Depression and anxiety are very common. 6.8 million adults are affected by GAD – Generalized Anxiety Disorder, less than half are receiving treatment.

You are not alone. There is hope. It’s ok to reach out and ask for help. Click the link for resources https://tinyurl.com/bdd43aza.

Remember there is hope and someone is praying for you.

art

May 7 – National Packaging Design Day

The Kedge Anchor

Welcome to May 7, 2024 where only in the USA would we celebrate packaging. Well, not just packaging, packaging design. As unusual as this maybe, from an artist’s perspective, not so unusual.

The actual physical design of a package takes the mind of an engineer. I am not wired that way. But the decoration or design on the package takes an artist, a graphic designer. Back in my day they were called commercial artists. Still not my wheelhouse. The closest thing I come to making a package is for a greeting card which you can watch a video here. And if you think about the front of a greeting card, it could be considered packaging for a sentiment. It’s a stretch.

Packaging goes back to the 1800’s and they were expensive. It was mostly reserved for luxury items, like jewelry and were not disposable. Manufacturers saw an opportunity and a benefit to promote “after use”, what we call recycling today or repurpose.

The punch-cut tobacco tins originally designed by the Dixie Queen company to resemble picnic baskets, and then came the lunch boxes. Dixie Queen company was stamped on the tin and these such items were popular into the early 1900’s.

Tin “basket”

This branded consumer packaging became popular in the 1900’s and the tradition continues today. The reusable grocery bag is a good example. How many other products do we buy that the packaging is reused or repurposed. Amazon boxes don’t count. My skin care products come in a nice sturdy box with magnetic closure that I use to organize my art supplies. I like to think I get more than just product, I get organization too.

Surface Pattern Design is a huge industry and probably something we take for granted. The next time you buy wrapping paper, or a notebook with a floral pattern, someone designed that. For instance, you can find this “Bee Sweet” pattern in my Society 6 shop.

Bee Sweet pattern @ The Kedge Anchor -Society 6

Branding plays a huge role in how consumer’s decide in making purchases, from its attractiveness to its physical design. Think about it the next time you are out shopping or have to open one of those clam shell packages. Click on the link for further reading on National Packaging Design Day.

How much does the actual design and attractiveness of an item influence your purchase?

Please comment and follow on FB, IG and YT.

art, Obedience

What If … Obeying God

The Kedge Anchor

In the last post, I shared a creative process. I made up a game called “What If…” What if I just sat down to paint? What if I just made some marks? What if I mixed green and orange together? What if I tried something new or different? So I did. I sat down to paint and play and try some new art supplies. And I surprised myself.

When I was done, I actually liked what I painted. Was it perfect? No. Could I make improvements? Of course. Then I began to think. What if? What if I took more risks, more chances? What if I was more in tuned to hearing God’s voice? What if I was and obeyed Him? I guess this is where I began to reflect on areas in my life where I am hesitant to obey, not hearing to obey or just not obeying.

My intention in my artistic exercise was to paint, to stop procrastinating and do what brings me joy. It wasn’t to make a perfect piece of art, it wasn’t for anyone it was for me. Sometimes I find it hard to find time to do just this, paint. Once I began to evaluate what I was doing with my time, I began to see pockets of time with which to create. I really need to keep time limits on scrolling social media. When scrolling takes away from what I need to do and what I enjoy doing, it becomes an issue. Now, when I find I have an idol moment, if there is nothing pressing on my to do list, I choose to do something artistic. This takes a bit of practice, training, discipline.

When it comes to obeying God I believe the same can apply. It takes training, practice, discipline. I first need to actually recognize His voice and I can’t do that if I’m not reading His word daily. What’s my intent when I read my Bible? Like when I sit down to paint, why am I doing this? My intent is to hear God’s voice so that I can obey Him. Sometimes I feel like I’m not obeying because I’m not sure I am hearing His voice. John 10:27 – “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:” and there’s more, a promise, a blessing verse 28 “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”

Sometimes I feel like I am missing out on some things, blessings, because I am not paying attention to the God’s voice. God knows my heart. So when I am earnestly trying to do what I think He wants me to do in a situation or even in the slightest seemingly, smallest thing I know He sees me trying. Many times I fail. He might be telling me to reach out to someone and I may be hearing a voice that says “don’t disturb them.” Or it could be buy extra food at the grocery store and I hear, “you’re on a budget.” If God is telling me to buy extra food, it’s not for us. It’s for someone else. There have been times my husband has come home from work and asked if I could pick up some extra cans of soup, granola bars or cereal for the food closet at work and I listened to the voice that told me I was on a budget. Ugh!

Now that I have recognized this pocket of time, I need to act on it and paint or draw. Take the risk. Recognizing God’s voice is still a work in progress. When I recognize it I need to obey it. Take the risk. That’s a risk that will always give a return on investment. I can’t lose. I can’t loose by making messy art, I can still learn. It may not be pretty but I will walk away learning to do something or not do something. By obeying God, I really can’t lose. Even if I mess up somehow, God will work out my mess, Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

What if…, what if I stopped procrastinating and painted or did something creative everyday? What if I stopped to hear God’s voice everyday and obeyed? What if…?

hope

He Is Risen! – Free Coloring Page

The Kedge Anchor

Happy Easter Sunday! Jesus is risen, He is alive!!!

March 30, 2024Download
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Free Coloring Page – Good Friday 2024

The Kedge Anchor

Happy Friday and Good Friday. Although it wasn’t so happy or good for Jesus. So why is it called Good Friday? Jesus was innocent, yet He was crucified for the sins of the world. He endured pain for us. We are the ones who deserve what Jesus went through. But the cross gives us Hope. Sunday is coming!!

If you haven’t seen today’s blog post please take a few minutes to watch.

Here is another free coloring page to help remind and reflect why today is called Good Friday.

Good Friday 3/29/24Download
hope

Why is It Called Good Friday?

The Kedge Anchor

Why is today called Good Friday? Many times I come back to this video and watch it to remind myself why. Why the injustices? Why the hurt? But, we have hope, Sunday is coming!

Mike Donehey pretty much sums it up in this video. Please watch this video. If you have seen it before, I know I have posted it a few times, please watch it again. Share it. Sunday’s coming!!!

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Walking the Earth and Leaving Heaven

The Kedge Anchor

Walking the Earth and Leaving Heaven

Walking the earth as a human after leaving Heaven was a profound sacrifice for Jesus, motivated by His love for us, sinners. His purpose was singular: to offer Himself as a living sacrifice for our sins, for all of humanity. This act of love involved not only physical pain and death, but also encompassed an intimate understanding of the emotional and mental anguish experienced by all of His creation. Through His suffering, Jesus carried the weight of every form of physical and emotional pain, including heartache, depression, anxiety, and abandonment. His ultimate goal was to provide redemption, forgiveness, and eternal life to those who believe in Him, thereby granting them a path, the only path to spend eternity in Heaven. Jesus is the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but through Him. (John 14:6) This profound sacrifice illustrates His unconditional love and the depth of His commitment to freeing all of humanity from the clutches of sin and offering a way to eternal salvation.

Take some time to reflect with this free coloring page. Listen to some music, grab some colored pencils or markers and thank God for sacrificing His Son and for Jesus sacrificing His life and shedding His blood. Share your page on the Kedge Anchor page on Facebook or Instgram with #KedgeAnchorEaster24

March 27 2024_Click to Download
art

April – National Greeting Card Month

The Kedge Anchor

Like “video killed the radio star” the digital age killed hand written letters and cards. Sending greeting cards is becoming such an old way of communicating. It’s a shame because it’s such a personal way to show someone how much you care. The only real downside of sending a greeting card or letter is the fact it has to be mailed. Texting, messaging and emailing are quicker, more real time it can lack personality. Ok sure you can apply an emoji or a “sticker” (and I loved stickers growing up) to give your digital message more personality, but then again everyone is using them, the same ones.

Greeting cards are getting expensive. It is far less costly to send an email or a text or post a birthday greeting on a Facebook page. Hand crafting a greeting card can be much more rewarding. It doesn’t need to be elaborate, it can be simple. How many times have you poured over the greeting cards at a store looking for the right one with the right sentiment? By crafting your own card it you can write exactly what you want to say. I can hear you saying “that’s hard” “I’m not a writer.” You don’t have to be.

I have been making greeting cards since I was old enough to hold a crayon. I can remember making birthday cards for my mom and dad, their birthdays were pretty close together. My mom used to sew on occasion, so I took some fabric scraps and construction paper and cut out an apron with a little pocket and added a bow. For my dad I cut out a shirt with a tie. I glued the fabric to the construction paper and voila I had a greeting card. Genius, lol. My greeting cards have advanced a little since then.

Journey with me the month of April with learning the history of greeting cards, hand writing, and greeting card tutorials.

Wisdom

Is It Possible to Seek God Diligently and Not Find Him?

The Kedge Anchor
Photo by Jean van der Meulen on Pexels.com

Happy Friday!! We made it to the end of the week. It’s almost the weekend!!! First, I just want to say this blog post today is inspired by the Bible Cafe on Instagram hosted by Pastor Dave Therrien @therrien6034, New Hope Christian Church. He has been taking us through Proverbs 1 this week talking about wisdom. Whilst Pastor Dave has been talking about wisdom in verses 32 and 33 (I encourage you to listen to the past week, they are five short videos). Pastor Dave goes on to say we need to be intentional about doing what God says to “be at ease from the dread of evil.” It’s a promise if we are intentional about doing what God says? (which made me think, “am I setting out each day to intentionally do what God says?”, that’s a discussion for another day)

After reading verses 32 and 33, verse 28 caught my eye;

28 “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;
They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.
29 Because they hated knowledge
And did not choose the fear of the Lord,
30 They would have none of my counsel
And despised my every rebuke.
31 Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way,
And be filled to the full with their own fancies.
32 For the turning away of the simple will slay them,
And the complacency of fools will destroy them;
33 But whoever listens to me will dwell safely,
And will be secure, without fear of evil.” (NKJV).

(seriously, listen today’s video and what Pastor Dave says the Bible says about complacency)

So this reminded me of last week’s post and the one before that about seeking God wholeheartedly, diligently. The Bible says we will find Him when we seek Him with all our heart (Jeremiah 29:13). But, verse 28 – “… They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. That just smacked me between the eyes. Proverbs 9:10 came to mind – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” We need to have fear, a reverent fear of God, THAT is the beginning of wisdom. We must CHOOSE to fear God. My fear of God isn’t one that makes me run from Him. It’s not a fear if I mess up He’s gonna be mad me and punish me. He’ll correct me and get me back on track with love, grace and mercy. My fear is fear one that is in awe of Him. He is in control, He died for me, for us, God rose Jesus from the dead for me, for us, so that we could have eternity with Him. God is sovereign, there is no other like Him, He has NO equal! Choosing to fear the Lord, the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Proverbs 2:4-6

4 “If you seek her as silver,
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
5 Then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
And find the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;”

We can be diligent and intentional in our search but with out fear of the Lord, we ain’t gonna find Him. We ain’t gonna find wisdom and understanding without a reverent fear of the Lord. It comes down to choosing. Choosing to fear the Lord. Choosing to be intentional about seeking Him and doing what He says. There are only good things that come from choosing to fear the Lord. Diligent, intentional, wholeheartedly, seek, choose, we will gain wisdom and understanding.

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Seeking God Wholeheartedly

The Kedge Anchor
Photo by Monstera Production on Pexels.com

In the last post, Seek and You Will Find, I questioned myself. Do I seek God wholeheartedly? Am I just phoning it in? Am I desperately and urgently seeking him, like I was looking for my four misplaced (not lost) objects?

What is wholeheartedly? What does seeking God wholeheartedly look like? Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (The Shema) 4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength…” We are to love God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our strength. I am gonna guess that I need to seek God the same way. I needed to know more so I set out to find more.

First we need the right attitude, mindset, posture. We need to seek diligently, intentionally, continually and humbly. Let’s break that down a little more. Intentionally, 1 Chronicles 22:19 – “Now set your mind and heart to seek the LORD your God. …” Sometimes I don’t have a plan when I sit down to read my Bible, usually because I finished a devotional or a study and don’t have another lined up. So I kinda just aimlessly wander through my Bible, maybe old sermon notes, or the biggest trap; scrolling the internet for a devotional. I gotta change that. I need to have something lined up, be more intentional about how I am seeking God.

The ESV in Proverbs 8:17 says – “I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me. That sounds like a promise. : )

1 Chronicles 16:11 ” Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually! (ESV) Some translations say “seek his face continually.” And most importantly, we need to have a humble and repentant heart.

2 Chronicles 7:14 – “if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. I know one way to humble myself and that is to cast my cares on him because he cares for me, for us. 1 Peter 5:5-7 5 In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Which brings me to surrendering. Why do we hold on to our worries and anxieties? I know it’s hard to hand over, we want control as humans. For me, casting and surrendering need to happen. As I cast I need to surrender.

So the verses mentioned were more of a posture of the heart, the mind. What about physically? We all need quiet to study and pray, Matthew 6:6 – “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Maybe you do better with a little background music, worship songs, etc. that’s cool. For me it helps to have a quiet space ready to, meditate, ponder in my heart and journal and to pray. We need prayer to ask for forgiveness and align ourselves with God. Sometimes I need to change things up a bit and weather permitting I like to sit outside, which can be a bit distracting, birds, noises… squirrels. It takes a lot of focus for me outside but sometimes God uses my surroundings to speak to me.

Be patient in your pursuit. You will find Him. And in your search allow yourself to rest and absorb what you have learned. Meditate on the scriptural treasures you find. Just as it took me a few days to recover my misplaced items, God will reveal Himself and what He wants you to know in His time.

So seeking God wholeheartedly means having the right attitude, mindset, and posture towards Him. It means being intentional, diligent, continual, and humble in our pursuit of Him. We need to set our minds and hearts to seek Him, have a plan in place and a quiet spot for our time with Him, and approach Him with repentance and humility .

When we seek God with our whole hearts, He promises that we will find Him and that when we diligently seek Him, He will reveal Himself to us. And as we continually seek His presence and His face, He will hear us, forgive us. Let’s trust that as we seek Him wholeheartedly, we will find Him and experience His love, grace, and presence in our lives.