Karey's Overflow: Advent Basket Day 19

About Me

Name: Karey

Location: Colorado, United States

I garden at 8000 feet, cook from scratch, needle felt, read books continually, study history and epistemology, write daily, contemplate spiritual theology, and pursue heirloom arts. I love to paint pictures of living beyond maintenance -- living creatively, discovering beauty in everyday ordinary things. I've been happily married to Monte, who is a geologist, for a long time and still very much in love, even after raising a family and building two houses. Our children are our best friends. Heather is newly married to Bill. Travis, a minister of the fine arts, is married to Sarah. And Dawson is in college. I naturally live first-hand and have recently realized that this is how we educated our children and ourselves. I love to learn about everything, teach, and work with my hands. I love my home, but my life has overflowed -- as a teacher, radio/conference/retreat speaker, author, and most recently as a MOPS mentor. Kareyswan.com is an ideal way for me to share my overflowing life with kindred spirits and those hungering to move beyond maintenance -- to be known by who they are, not just by what they do.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Advent Basket Day 19

A miniature shamrock is in today's Advent bag. "This is a symbol of good luck. With Jesus we don't need good luck." Read Romans 8:28. (Do you remember this Heather? You used to always say you "hate the word luck!")

Some things don't seem to work out as 'good', but what do I know! And do I see and know it all? And so often I get so tired in the waiting.

The context from verse 18 with the "pregnant creation" is so pertinent to this season. "Waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting ... joyful anticipation/expectancy."

As I write this ... I'm thinking I wrote something like this before. Yes, I did a Birth Post last year, read it. It has my "Transformation" felted piece, which I'm posting again here.

The new birth in me is that I can now anticipate. A defense mechanism I developed growing up has been transformed by God, Who began a good work in me, calling me by name, and is completing what He began.

Advent season always seems to bring me back to this aspect of my growing faith as it relates to birth pangs and new birth. God knows me better than I know myself, knows my pregnant condition, and keeps me present before Him. Thus every detail of life works into something good.

Trusting ... as I gaze at my Bean Bag Nativity with the empty manger.

Labels: Advent, Contemplation, My Art