Tag: Paint

365 Snap Shots of Life: Day 118

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Today I was having a hard time coming up with a post. Then my 11 year old daughter said,” Mom just go on Pinterest and find something on there to blog about. You don’t always have to use YOUR WON photos you know! ” HA! So off I went 🙂

This picture reminds me of the times I have told my uncle in whose home I grew up in, ” I love you.” And his response has always been,” Thank you.” When I met my husband and I told him that, it freaked him out. I just didn’t think anything of it because that’s how he raised me. Thankfully, I see it all differently now. Have a superb week-end blog world!! 🙂

365 Snap Shots of Life: Day 117

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Star Light

FRAGILE by DESIGN

We are all fragile by design.

Some act tougher than what they are.

Some whip themselves into shape,

still others fall one step behind.

Then there are the “might oaks of righteousness”.

Don’t be fooled by such,

it’s all  a cover up,

a disguise for a great hoax.

With their many words, they give themselves away;

pretty soon you see their many words don’t line up,

with the way they walk.

Always making grandiose plans, dreaming away their lives,

always forgetting that planning is futile,

when they leave out the master planner.

They order their steps without Him;

from on high He looks down and laughs.

He knows without Him,

their chances in life are slim.

So then there are others who lead quiet lives,

only doing what they see the master do.

Eva Santiago copyright 2012

365 Snap Shots of Life: Day 115

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Yesterday I blogged about how a very dear friend of mine passed away this past Sunday. What caught me off guard were the strong emotions I felt when I heard the news. Then I realized that you don’t have to talk to a friend everyday or even see them to feel close; when a  dear friend passes away you’ll feel the loss just as strong . Then I remembered the letters I received from her and I took them out and re-read them to my kids. There was my healing balm. Re-reading them after all these years, I felt her love all over again.

The cool thing about hand written letters is that when your loved one is gone, they are pieces of them you get to keep. ♥
 I am so happy to have those! So today my photo is of those precious letters I’ll treasure forever. Happy Tuesday everyone :)!

365 Snap Shots of Life: Day 114

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I just received news that a wonderful woman I knew passed away today. She was the midwife who assisted me in delivering my 4th child in a lovely home birth. I wrote this poem a while back about her and I’m posting it here today in remembrance. R.I.P. Sweet Kaye…

I post no actual photo today but in its stead, I’ll paint you my word picture of this precious soul.

KAYE

Blue eyes that tell a story,

of loves’ loss,

tinged with perhaps a bit,

of yesterday’s glory.

 

Eyes of azure,

tinted with sadness;

azure,cerulean, lapis-lazuli,

oh why have they not seen their jubilee?

 

Hiding behind a curtain…

…seen way too much?

perhaps losing hope?

is it too much with which to cope?

 

Life and death situations abound all around,

one day up, the next, she’s low to the ground,

and still Kaye hearkens her ear to the sound….

…. phonic, sonic, supersonic faith sings her resounding song.

 

Not a faith based on what is seen,

but on trust and belief,

that only comes once,

from the secret place.

 

Kaye will dwell ,occupy and reside,

in the secret place of The Most High,

she’ll abide and remain under His shadow,

proclaiming Him always her refuge, her tower, her strength!

-Eva Santiago copyright 2012

365 Snap Shots of Life : Day 111

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The Invitation

Ever since I said yes to my cross, my life was revolutionized. My cross has taken me places I’ve never been; tight, narrow, difficult places that can only be attained through my cross. I have seen great heights and been to the lowest  abyss and came back to surprise my enemies. They jeered, they taunted,” Where is this God of yours? You say He loves you and yet He abandons you, giving you up for dead. HA! HA! HA! What a pitiful God who squashes the ones He supposedly loves…”

And yet through all the flaming arrows and accusations I am able to stand, though it is not I who stands. It is through no strength of my own that I’m able to bear the weight of my cross. ” Pick up YOUR cross and follow me” is not a command, rather it’s His invitation. Many are called,  few respond.

I did this painting when I first visited Tucson AZ. It was spring and I was astounded to see such a colorful landscape…I fell in love with the desert back then. I hope everyone has a fantastic week-end!!

365 Snap Shots of Life: Day 110

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I noticed something interesting. When I write my blog offline on my computer, I  flow better than if I just go on WORDPRESS and write it from there. I don’t know, do any of you fellow bloggers out there ever experience that?

Today I went and got rid of crap I have not used in forever. And by forever I mean more than 6 months to a year. A long time ago when I used to go to church a visiting preacher from South Africa was talking about storing up treasure in heaven. At the end of his lesson, he mentioned that he had a rule he lives by in order not to amass stuff. He said that if he looked around his closet and if he saw something he hadn’t worn in at least a year, he would donate it to charity. Well I adopted the same rule and I’ve done that since then.

My family knows, if I have not worn it, touched it or even looked at something in at least a year, it’s GONE in 60 seconds 😀 Ok, ok, I’m exaggerating there, but you get the point. I find it liberating. Anyway, this rule doesn’t apply to some things like books and family heirlooms. For everything else though, there’s the Goodwill!

So I leave you with this photo of the ocean taken when I went to Malibu…BREATHE!

365 Snap Shots of Life: Day 109

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I was journaling earlier today and I did a little exercise called a gazillion questions day. I allowed myself to write down all the questions  swimming around in my head. Some I answered. Others, I had no answer for and I just left blank.There is something very freeing about writing down those questions even if you don’t have an answer or if the answer is something you don’t want to accept. At least it’s out of my head and I anchored it down on pen and paper. Or in my case, hammered them down with each strike of the keys on my key board. So now that I’ve told you what helps me clear my head, I feel a nap coming on :). Chao for now!

365 Snap Shots of Life: Day 107

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I took up painting during a time in my life when I needed a friend close by. We had moved out west and I had 4 kids under 10 years old. Painting became a trusted friend; I could turn to my paints and brushes at any hour of the day and they’d be there faithfully waiting for me to take a little road trip and see where the journey would take me. With paint and brushes I managed to brighten my spirit and uplift those of  people I gave my paintings to. I still paint now and then. Now, I’m busier with teaching and writing but I’ll never turn my back on painting-my still trusted friend.

365 Snap shots of Life: Day 104

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I discovered how much I enjoy painting when my kids were toddlers. One frigid winter afternoon in Georgia I took out some finger paint and construction paper and they spent the next few hours delving into the paint with such enthusiasm that after a little while I joined them. I did a little picture and I put it on the fridge next to theirs. When their dad came home from work that evening, he noticed mine right away and he was as surprised  as I was at how good it turned out. Ever since, I enjoy experimenting with different mediums. One day I am going to get the nerve up to use oil paints. So I leave you with this picture I did in water-color. Happy week-end everyone!

Lonesome Coyote

Tell me what you see lonesome coyote,

the moon is your lover,

bathes you gently with light,

you respond in a howl- haunting Don Quixote.

-Eva Santiago copyright 2012

Julia’s Hands

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Julia’s hands tell a story, 

 all cut up and bruised-

paint a sad picture of painful loss-

no pain, no gain, no glory.

Julia a young teen,

 been working those hands

since her mama died at eighteen.

 She took over a grown up’s work load

when tragedy hit their lowly abode.

Julia sent away to labor in far away lands.

Her hands never wore any rings.

Not once did she ever paint her nails,

 no time  for self adornment;

always outside carrying heavily filled pails.

She  looks at girls her age, in sheer wonderment;

pretty dresses, perfumed locks, perfectly painted nails.

Does Julia cry,”Why me? Why me?” ever?

No, this young girl knows that alas,

her lot in life is for now, certainly not forever.

 

Eva Santiago Copyright 2011