Where has the summer gone?? Oh I so love the time of flip flops, running out of the house quick without having to put on layers and layers of clothing. Sitting outside, doing events, spending time with friends or being on the road without the worry of icy conditions. Sadly they will be upon us faster than we think. The only thing I won't miss.....is.....the.....MOSQUITOS!!! I've never been bitten this much as I have this year. Have they become more vicious? Ugh! Today school has started here in Minnesota and for many of you it has already. Warren has gone back to driving the school bus, with new routes this year and new kids... Keep him in prayer as well as the kids for a safe school year! I hope you all had a wonderful summer and we look forward to next years summer months! MUSIC WISE: Part of September I will be hanging out in the Monticello, IL area doing some music events. I'll be playing for a ladies group (not listed), the coffeehouse, a church group and then participate as a vendor at the Monticellobration Festifall, the yearly arts/crafts event downtown Monticello, IL. Looking forward to spending time with friends, making new ones and being available to the Lord to minister through me in music and service. UPCOMING EVENTS: Date: 9/8 & 9/9/18 Time: Sat: 8-6 Sun: 8-5 Event: Old Creamery Arts & Crafts Show (NotesNBling Jewelry) 405 Main Street East Town: Rice, MN First time at the 22nd Annual Crafts Show at the Old Creamery in Rice, MN!! I'll be set up with two friends (Meg & Colleen) at their tent with my NotesNBling jewelry! So come on out to Rice and see us! Note that there are TWO days of this event, Saturday and Sunday! Date: 9/13/18 Time: 11 am Live Music/Original Songs/Organic Folk Place: The Steeple Coffee House 102 E. Lafayette Town: Monticello, IL Date: 9/25/18 Time: 12:00 noon Event: Young At Heart Luncheon Place: First Christian Church 1699 N. State Street Town: Monticello, IL Date: 9/29/18 Time: 11-4 Event: Monticellobration FestiFall (NotesNBling) Downtown on the Square Town: Monticello, IL I will be set up with my NotesNBling jewelry for the second year at this fun festival which takes place right downtown on the square. PAST EVENTS: Our second event in August was more BBQ related and an event we have attended now for 8 years, the Deerwood Summerfest. We've always loved the atmosphere there and have gained quite a following and have had that same spot for the last 6 years, in the Police Chief's parking spot in front of the Municipal Building/Police Station. Best spot in town! NOTES-N-BLING: Last month I talked about some classes I started taking. So here is the result of me learning how to solder sterling silver. It started out with a wire which we wound around a certain size dowel. Then we had to cut the individual rings which would become the bracelet links. The cutting also has to be done a certain way so that the ends once matched together would solder properly. Then after soldering it had to go into a solution, as all the silver turned black due to the heat from the soldering torch. Then from there into another solution and then we could hammer some design into the links and then polish them. I took it a step further beyond the bracelet and created some cool earrings to go with it! Here's the result of my new art. Once I can buy all the tools, I'll be adding some new design elements to my NotesNBling jewelry, handcrafted all sterling silver! It'll be some of my pricier items, however they will also not tarnish and are great for those of us who cannot wear base metals, or other materials aside from leather. So be patient on this one, as there's more involved tools wise which I need to purchase.... But then it'll be some fun times creating! IN ENDING:
Lots of possibilities have opened up since this spring. In Aspen at InspireSong, the interest in my song "Goodness And Mercy" by Paul Herman from CCLI is exciting yet daunting at the same time because he needs a professional recording of the song as well as a professional video done. All that isn't cheap and at the moment..... I will have to wait. The musicians are available for finally recording my next album, however they are in Colorado and the studio isn't free..... I will have to wait. My jewelry is getting attention and more "fans" and repeat customers, including some custom orders. There's new designs I have learned to create and new materials I've learned to work with which will bring it all up a notch. However, it involves the purchase of these materials including the necessary tools to work those materials..... again I will have to wait. With Warren's eye surgery 3 weeks ago much will be put on hold. So all this ...."will have to wait".... is daunting and I'm going to be honest, also a bit discouraging when you want to move forward - especially with the music opportunity! So I just want to share some thoughts, as my mind needs to stay on God, not the circumstances. One of the scriptures that go with one of my jewelry designs is Isaiah 40:31 - Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. So why is there the "YET"....? Before this scripture it says "He gives strength to the weary and to him who lacks might, He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly,..... YET.... The waiting we are to do is not the type of waiting by throwing up our hands and saying "I give up", I'll just sit there and wait. The waiting involves prayer, time with God, listening to Him intently, preparation, practice, learning, growing, trusting, staying in touch with the people who expressed interest or are willing to help, or can teach us more and of course those who encourage us spiritually. I love the book "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers! GREAT devotional book! Get it if you don't have it yet! On August 26 the title for that day's devotion was: "Are You Ever Troubled?" .....oh boy, that's a big fat yes! Many times we all have been troubled and facing trials, some horribly bad....and then some we just make a bigger mountain of than what they really are. In that section Oswald Chambers writes (and I'm paraphrasing) that true peace, which is inner peace is impossible unless it is received from Jesus when realities of life stare us in the face. What did Jesus say? John 6:63 - It is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. So the question is....have I ever received, really received what Jesus speaks??? John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. We must look into the face of Jesus and receive His quiet contentment. Right now, this moment, are you troubled? Are you in turmoil? In the book there's this question (quoted): "Are you afraid or confused by the waves and the turbulence God sovereignly allows to enter your life? Have you left no stone of your faith unturned, yet still not found any well of peace, joy or comfort? Does your life seem completely barren to you? Then look up and receive the quiet contentment of the Lord Jesus." So how do we get it or know that we have it? Well, in order to reflect His peace in your life you first have to turn your mind to Him. It's like when the circumstance hits, your mind goes to God, not the circumstance, in this you also know that you are right with God. For example: you remember scriptures, or you know to go to the Word and to the Lord in prayer. However, when your mind turns to yourself, you might check your relationship with the Lord, because if that's messed up your mind can't turn anywhere else but on the circumstance or yourself. Allowing anything in between our view of Christ which could hide the face of Jesus from us, is what causes us to become troubled or even creates a false sense of security, which is definitely not what we want! So....and I'm talking to myself here as well..... worrying ourselves out of a problem isn't going to solve anything!! It destroys His (Christ's) effectiveness in us, it taints our witness and it isn't changing the situation. Although circumstances may not change right away, our inner peace is needed in order for us to go through the trial without being in a constant state of upset. See, we become troubled because we don't take Jesus into account. When we confer with Christ, truly confer with Him, which includes talking and listening.....the confusion will stop. Remember, there's no confusion in Him!! Best thing to do is: Lay everything out before Him. Then, when you are faced with difficulty, sorrow, confusion, bereavement.....listen to Him say: "Do not let your heart be troubled"..... (Read in 2 Kings 19:14-20 what King Hezekiah did when he was faced with a threat from a dangerous enemy. Hezekiah took the threat, laid it out before the Lord and prayed....) This portion in scripture encouraged me to do the same many times... Maybe that's just what I need to do with the "..has to wait..." stuff and maybe it encourages you to lay it all before the Lord in prayer and hear Him say to you..."Let not your heart be troubled".....
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Soo....this update is a bit behind for the month of August. This month seemed like it was especially busy with a lot of out of town travel for music and BBQ as we were setting up for events in Wisconsin and here in Minnesota out of town. Yet, here's a recap of some of the things from this month and some from last month I didn't have the chance to share about. PERSONALLY: Warren had to have eye surgery. During umpiring a baseball game 3 weeks or so earlier, he had gotten a ball smack into the mask on that side of his face. He has had "floaters" since then and when we were in Deerwood at our BBQ event, he couldn't see out of the corner of his eye. 3 days later he had retina surgery as it was detaching. He wasn't allowed to lift or do much work these last couple of weeks and is still on restriction until "the bubble" (a gas inflation put in his eye to keep some pressure on his retina to heal) is gone. His follow up appointment two days after the surgery showed successful surgery and today at his appointment all is well and looking good and the retina is attached and healing! The wonders of today's medicine. Years ago he would have been blind! EVENTS: July was the TNT Fireworks Tent sales and following Tent Revival at the end of the Fireworks sales which included The BURN Central MN prayer/praise day on Saturday from 9-9 during the 3 day tent revival. At the beginning of August we were at Rock on the Rock, a Christian Music Festival put on by The Overflowing Cup & Total Life Center in Beloit, WI. We played music, Warren sold BBQ and I had a booth with my jewelry. We met a lot of cool folks, spent time in fellowship, gnawed on the best sweet corn ever, enjoyed each other's music as many bands and singer/songwriters played throughout the two day festival. On Sunday Warren and I got to lead worship for the church service held in the park, as the original scheduled musicians cancelled. We got to chat with Billy Saint John from Southern Exposure.... who might have us come down to one of his events in Indiana some time. UPCOMING EVENTS: Date: 8/25/18 Time: 10-4:30 Event: Art from the Heart Crafts & Car Show Place: Downtown Paynesville Town: Paynesville, MN Date: 9/13/18 Time: 11 am Place: The Steeple Coffee House 102 E. Lafayette Town: Monticello, IL Date: 9/25/18 Time: 12:00 noon Event: Young At Heart at First Christian Church 1699 N. State Street Town: Monticello, IL Date: 9/29/18 Time: 11-4 Event: Monticellobration FestiFall (NotesNBling) Downtown on the Square Town: Monticello, IL NOTES-N-BLING: Most of you are familiar with my jewelry designs by now, so I'm excited to say that I've attended a couple classes this month to learn more how to make stuff....new cool stuff. So in one class I learned how to rivet and work with leather and how to rivet stuff together for some cool items. So there will be some new earrings and other cool riveted jewelry added soon. Next month (September) update I'll show you what I learned to make with sterling silver wire!!! IN ENDING:
As busy as August was and in a way I'm glad all the events are done, there is a part of me that always misses that time, as we meet so many people and Warren is making new culinary friends with his food which is so cool. Setting up the BBQ events is a lot of hard work, many don't realize how much there is involved with that. If you ever would like to know, contact us and you can tag along and learn all there is to learn about setting up a food stand! But be prepared to lend a hand! It starts with getting electricity to the freezer/fridge in the trailer, on to setting up tents, the tables, getting the fryer out and positioned and the tiny refrigerator/freezer for the fried foods ready. Then the brisket gets put under fire/smoke to smoke for 12 hours minimum.... we may sell the first day, so there's food preps to be done, grilling chicken, hot dogs, brats and Warren will be making his BBQ sauce. If we sell Giros, there's chopping tomatoes, lettuce and onions to be done..... Once the event is over, the cleanup begins.....everything sorted back into the trailer with the tents being last to be taken down and put away..... and if there's a Thunderstorm looming and coming in faster than we can put things away (hopefully at the END of an event)....we are always grateful for every hand that someone can lend us so we can put things away safely and securely in a much faster and timely manner than the two of us could ever do! Yes it's an experience for sure!! So a HUGE THANK YOU goes out to all the folks who helped us in Beloit on the last day of Rock on the Rock when the thunderstorm came sooner than expected and came in on us as we were loading up the last items! Thank you to those who wiped tables, folded them up, brought items to Warren so he could sort them into the trailer before it got bad! Thank you to the three men who braved it till the end helping Warren hook up his trailer to his truck as the rain poured down and lightning all around us..... WE ARE SO GRATEFUL to you all who helped! |
Christian Organic Folk Singer/Songwriter & Author
based in Minnesota See my Jewelry!
Psalm 100 Scripture
1 Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. 2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing. 3 Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. 5 For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations. Archives
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