the meek shall inherit the earth

cutting out letters for a bulletin board (it actually will say, "checking in with children's ministry")

113 degrees is way too hot.

i grew up in weather very similar to england's in the coastal north of this state.  the only way we knew it was summer was because it rained LESS.

when, in a freak fit of nature, the last throes of summer lashed thick tentacles of disgusting heat out into san luis county, i did not embrace it.  the whole thing actually made me angry (real mature, i know).  

our house is like a toaster when it's hot outside, which leaves me as a wanderer, exiled from my dwelling.

while i was pitching a fit to ian about it, he reminded me in his sweet gentle way that if i had a better perspective about it, the harsh weather might be a blessing.

i ended up driving up to my my church in morro bay (figuring the coast was the only place that would be not hellish on such a hot day) and asking them to put me to work just so i could hang out in their huge, naturally cooled building.  it turns out that there were a couple large informational bulletin boards that they had wanted to do for a while.  

all this to say, God, in His sweet mercy, proved me wrong and actually turned what i thought would be a wasted week into a peaceful, useful, and bearable (temp wise) week.  i dare say that this week has actually been a huge blessing that would not have happened if the heat had not driven me out of SLO.  i got to serve God, hang out with my friends and do art like the third grade art major that i am/was.

i'm convinced that God seriously uses everything... especially after God took the time to re-convince me this week :)  if you find yourself pitching a fit about something... He probably has such a rad purpose for that very thing that is irritating you or stopping your plans that it's worth the trouble and trust it takes to remain calm and walk in whatever new road He has laid out for you.

notes to myself: receive.

"we then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak and not to please ourselves.  let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.  for even Christ did not please Himself...

...receive one another just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God."

{romans 15}

Herman the Hero

playing around with the idea of illustrating a children's book my mum-in-law wrote called Herman the Hero.  it is about a kind hearted goose :)

this is a watercolor i did of a picture i got off the internet.  just practice.  i wish illustration were that easy!  it's harder than you think.

"that spring Herman and Harriet raised their own little brood of goslings.  Herman, though, was never too busy to watch out for the welfare of all the goslings including those of the wild geese."

notes to myself, two

"let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this not to put a stumblingblock or a cause to fall in our brother's way." romans 14

tree outside my window

7"x10" acrylic on panel

cloudy ceiling

my most faithful patron had me paint clouds on the ceiling of her little boy's room last week.

they are painted to look as if you are literally beneath them, looking up at them.

the little boy's grandmum gave me blackberries and lemon balm while i painted.    

   

notes to myself, because i need all the help i can get.

"owe no one anything except to love one another...love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.  and do this [love one another], knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed." 

-romans 13:8, 10-11

never noticed that these two verses (10 and 11) were so linked before.  it's pretty clear what paul is trying to say.

p.s., ian's scanner is my new favorite toy :D

gospel reverie

hilarious

this guy is hilarious.  

here's his website: http://www.marcjohns.com/

i love the bread.

flickr

this painting is from a series i did called "wait."  this particular painting, though, actually does not exist...ah the glories of photoshop.  i turned a brown painting blue....sheesh.

well kids, i'm not too smart about internet stuff, but when someone wrote me an email asking if they could view my art portfolio online (and they asked if i had a flickr account), a light bloomed over my head.  flickr is a genius place for a "portfolio."

so if you wanna look, or direct future patrons to samples of my shtuff, go to flickr and look for me under cas.andersen (notice the dot.)  flickr is still new and weird to me...so as far as i know, this is the best way to find me: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_andersen/

i'm in flickr though as cas.andersen.

i'm working on starting up an etsy thing too...but that'll take more time.

and now, for something completely different, a quote from robin's blog:

"A whistling girl and a cackling hen will never come to a good end."