I think this will make you smile...but it might make you shed a tear or two.  Keep a Kleenex handy!
Thank you, Judi, for sharing this with me!
Jean :)

God Made the earth, the sky and the water, the moon and the sun. He made man and bird and beast. But He didn't make the dog. He already had one.

Native American saying

Seventh Week of Eastertide

May 20, 2012
Seventh Week of Eastertide
The Ascension

Acts 1:6-11
“He Was Carried Up Into Heaven"

Can you imagine what it was like to be there with Jesus when suddenly, he was lifted up into the sky? What was going through the disciples' minds when they were standing there staring up at the cloud that hid Jesus from their sight? Were they confused, sad, or amazed? Did they expect him to return very soon? Did they comprehend that their time with Jesus in this earthly realm was really over?

Jesus had just told them that they would "receive power" from the Holy Spirit and be witnesses "to the ends of the earth." And now he was gone! Two men dressed in white assured them that Jesus would come back in the same way. But soon enough it was time for them to return to Jerusalem, to their homes and families, to the fellowship of believers. Surely they didn’t know exactly what Jesus wanted them to do. And so they waited, remembering Jesus, all that he said and did. They remembered the day on which they saw him ascending, glorified. They waited until the day of Pentecost…

Prayer of Waiting...
Lord, we wait for you as well, waiting for your return, for a sign of your presence. Waiting in faith isn't easy for us; we want to see you NOW! Thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit that is within us today as we continue to wait...guiding us as we listen to your gracious guidance as we are witnesses to the gift of your love to the ends of the earth.

"...but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31

Sixth Week of Eastertide

May 13, 2012
Sixth Week of Eastertide
Jesus and Peter

John 21:15-20
“Feed My Sheep”

Jesus, you ask me three times if I love you! Of course I love you! Why do you keep asking me? What on earth do you mean by feeding your sheep?

Wait a minute...if I listen carefully...I do see that I could do more to show you how much I love you. I really do love you, you know. There aren't any sheep running around my neighborhood, but there are a lot of hungry and hurting people around me. Help me to use the gifts that you've given me to make your world a better place for them and for me. If I pay attention to the gifts you've given me, I know I can figure out a way to feed those sheep of yours!

Prayer of Intercession...
There are so many "sheep" in your world that need tending...hurting and hungry, lost and lonely. Today, God, I lift those people up to you in my prayers and ask you to wrap your loving arms around them. God, I also ask that you help me to be more aware of the gifts you've given me that I can use to make our world, your world a better place...to bring a little bit of heaven to our earth.

Christ has no body on earth but yours, No hands but yours, no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion is to look out to the earth. Yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good, and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now.   Saint Teresa of Avila

Fifth Week of Eastertide

 

May 6, 2012
Fifth Week of Eastertide
Jesus Appears at the Seashore

John 21:1-14
“Come and Be Fed"

What an amazing God you truly are! You fill those nets so full of fish that they can't be hauled back into the boat! When you call out, "Come and be fed" you really mean it! There are times when I throw out my net, over and over again, and it keeps coming back empty. How I long for my net to be filled to overflowing with your abundance! How I long to hear you call out to me, "Come and be fed!"

Is my net full, but not with what I am expecting? Are you calling out and I just don't hear you? I admit that sometimes it's difficult for me to hear your voice...when the distractions of my hectic life are so loud that they drown out your loving call. Open my ears so I can hear your voice...the voice of the one who loves me more than anyone else. Is Jesus calling out to you, offering you words of encouragement, inviting you to be fed? Listen...

Prayer for Guidance...
Guide me, O God of abundance, during the times when nothing seems to be going right...when nothing is working no matter how hard I try...when I throw out my net, and it keeps coming back empty. Help me to remember today that you are here for me, ready to fill my empty net and provide me with nourishment through my difficult days.

Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. John 16:24

Fourth Week of Eastertide

April 29, 2012

Fourth Week of Eastertide
The Walk to Emmaus
Luke 24:13-35 “Were Our Hearts Not Burning?"

Two people were walking and talking about all the unbelievable things that had been happening lately in Jerusalem. They encountered Jesus on their walk, though they were "kept from recognizing him." When he opened up the scriptures to them, he spoke with such wisdom and authority that they wanted to hear more from this wonderful teacher.  They urged him to stay with them. How sad it would have been if they had gone a different way, failed to welcome this stranger, or dismissed his words. They would have missed the unforgettable moment when they recognized Jesus as he broke bread with them.

Do you sometimes discover that Jesus has been walking with you? Is there something that is keeping your eyes closed to his presence today?  Some places, some activities, may remind you so strongly of his presence that you feel a special warmth in your heart when

scripture is opened up in your weekly worship, when you prayerfully read God's word, when you break bread with friends, when you experience the love and support of special people, when you enjoy the beauty of nature. Remember that Jesus still walks with you on all your journeys.

Prayer of Thanksgiving...

Thank you, God, for all of the ways that you make yourself known to me.  Thank you for the blossoms of spring that remind me of the possibility of new life. Thank you for the people I meet on my path who make your presence known to me.

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:6-18

© 2012 Jean Foley

Third Week of Eastertide

April 22, 2012
Third Week of Eastertide
Jesus and Thomas
John 20:19-29 “Do Not Doubt...Believe"

We don’t know why Thomas was not there the first time that Jesus stood among the disciples saying, "Peace be with you." Later they told him what had happened, and it was just too incredible. We have no reason to think that Thomas was a faithless person, less loyal to Jesus that the others. He just couldn’t believe the unbelievable. When Thomas encountered his risen Lord, seeing with his own eyes, hearing Jesus’ voice, touching the wounds, the incredible and unbelievable became a wondrous reality, and changed his life. It's difficult to believe what we can't see with our own eyes. During those times when we question, we can remember the story of Thomas, keeping our eyes open for signs of God around us. Our faithful friends may tell us that they have seen the Lord in their lives.  And we can feel the blessing of Jesus when we hold on to our faith and become one of “those who have not seen and yet come to believe.

” Prayer of Faith… I know, God, that through you all things are possible. Help me to remember this when my life is filled with doubt...when I am troubled by difficult moments and hard questions. And remind me that I have a community of faithful friends to turn to when I need to be reassured of your presence. May our knowledge of you shine ever more clearly within us, that we may perceive the breadth of your blessings, the extent of your promises, the height of your majesty, the depth of your judgments. St. Francis of Assisi, from his prayer inspired by the Lord's Prayer.

© 2012 Jean Foley

2nd Week of Eastertide

April 15, 2012
Second Week of Eastertide
Jesus Appears to Mary
John 20:11-18
"Why Are You Weeping?"

We know the entire Easter story, but Mary didn't know how the story
would end on that early morning when she went to Jesus' tomb. To her
amazement, the stone was rolled away...but even worse, Jesus' body was
gone! Of course Mary would be weeping! Jesus was probably the one
person she knew who loved her completely. And then, not only was
Jesus dead, but his body was missing.

But they weren’t mere humans who asked Mary why she was weeping.
They were "two angels in white" and Jesus himself who asked the
question. They obviously knew something she didn't! Finally, Jesus
spoke her name...then she knew who he was..."Rabboni"...her Great
Master and Teacher.

The refrain of an old favorite hymn describes this moment,
“And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.”

Prayer of Recognition...
Dear God, you know when I am hurting, and you know why I weep.
During times of pain, help me to remember that you are there with
me...that your love is the one thing that is constant in my life. Help me to
be open to your presence, so that like Mary, I can feel the joy of
proclaiming, "I have seen the Lord!"

“When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your
heart, I will let you find me,” says the Lord. Jeremiah 29:13-14

© 2012 Jean Foley.

Happy Easter!

April 8, 2012
Easter Sunday
At the Empty Tomb

Mark 16:1-8
“He Has Been Raised!"

Our God is mighty! Even death could not hold him back! This very same God is present in our daily lives. When you are walking into an unknown situation, do you expect to see emptiness, pain or death? Or are you open to seeing the unexpected, maybe even a miracle? Today we celebrate the fact that Jesus rose from death for each of us, paying the ultimate price for our sins and offering us life, abundant and everlasting!

What "dead" areas in your life do you want to be given new life? Can you give those things to God and ask for His blessing? What is it that's holding you back from being an "Easter person?" Ask God to let the news of Jesus' resurrection change you, your attitude, and your relationships. Remember how God showed his love for us and go and live a life filled with joy!

Prayer of Praise and Adoration...
All powerful and loving God, God of miracles, I praise you for your gift of new life. Today, I will be mindful of all of the ways that you have made the miracle of new life present in me. Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Hallelujah and Amen!

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 26:36

Choir of Angels!

One of my favorite things to do is play with clay. You may have seen my photo of these before they were glazed. What a difference a bit of color makes!

What do you do in your free time that brings you joy?

"True happiness comes from the joy of deeds well done, the zest of creating things new.” Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Ready for Glazing...

Good thing it's another snow day! I have my work cut out for me glazing these sweet fellows! Once their finished, they'll be taking a trip up to Lake Geneva, WI where they'll be waiting for you at the Roycetra shop!

I call them Prayer Partners, and they are based on Asian Jizos. They are a thoughtful gift for someone who might be going through a difficult time. I like knowing that my ceramic pieces are bringing some comfort into the world!

Stay warm if you must travel outdoors in the midwest today!

I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.
-Ephesians 1:16

Road Trip

Well...it's not an actual road trip. It's really a book cover. I am a confirmation partner with an 8th grader at my church and we decided to make covers for our Bibles. I found some old maps lying around, and decided it would be the perfect use for a Bible cover. Here's the back...


I used a map of the United States amd intentionally placed New Mexico on the front cover. I feel I'm being called to Santa Fe sometime in the future. Maybe a trip to Ghost Ranch!! So many courses to choose from...

Art & Spirituality
Artful Journaling
Artful Spirit
Exploring Your Spiritual Journey: A Contemplative Art Retreat
Handmade Tiles: Images of the Southwest in Low Fire Earthenware
Mapmaking: The Art of the Personal Atlas
SoulCollage® As A Spiritual Path

There! My Ghost Ranch wish list in a nutshell! Maybe I'll see you there!

Till next time!

All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.
–Martin Buber

A bird in the hand...

...is the most wonderful way to start the morning!



This morning, when I took a peek in the hanging basket, there was only one baby wren left in the nest. I could hear the other four in our crab apple tree, and I could see "Daddy Wren" in a nearby branch keeping an eye on his last little one (since the basket is directly under my morning coffee spot, he's used to seeing me there).


I took the basket down and put it on the ground, thinking the little one would hop out and join his siblings. After a few minutes, I gently lifted him out of the basket and placed him in my hand. He was sooooo beautiful!! Talk about joy and creating! I think this little fellow has cornered the market for the day!

Have fun taking flight, little one!!

Creating Ceramic Crosses

My latest project is underway! In the last week, I've created TWENTY ceramic crosses from hand rolled slabs of white stoneware clay. First I used a template to cut them into the same shape. Then as they began to dry out, I stamped each of them with one of my hand carved ceramic stamps. I used different stamps for each one, so I now have 20 original design ideas!

Twelve of them are already bone dry (which means they are ready to go into the kiln), but the remaining eight have a day or so left till before I can load them for their first (bisque)firing. And the twelve little ponies have been waiting patiently for temperature to start rising...(kind of like I've been waiting patiently for the warmer summer temperatures here in the midwest!!)



Within the week, they should all be glazed and ready to load into the kiln for their final firing! Which glazes will I use?
Turquoise...Chun Plum...Seaweed...or something else? Only time will tell!!















Hmmmmm....I can't wait to see the final results! I'll keep you updated! Thanks for visiting, and till next time...