MY ARTIST FRIEND, JACKIE -- PT. B

Last week, I shared the story of how I met Jackie and how she had been placed in my life.  Needed to share another portion; hope you will enjoy it.  Not intense; blessed.
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Two years ago, during the Thanksgiving weekend, on Friday we went to Duluth after being with Dave's family in Minneapolis.  The North Shore time was our celebration for our 25th wedding anniversary.  [The anniversary was in September, but we never had time to take a trip until then.]  

We were looking forward to seeing Jackie.  She was at an art show at a mall in Duluth.  When arriving from Minneapolis, that was our first stop. There were many artistic aspects in the mall... knitting, sewing, quilts, photos, paintings.

Jackie had a special painting there that I'd never seen and it really was neat.  She sometimes didn't only paint, but she added threads, salts, and other ways of making them appear realistic.  This one actually had a section of a flower basket that she had woven with the paper of the painting.  

The price had been marked down from $250 to $125.  She saw that I really liked it, and said she'd drop it lower.  I thanked her, but shrugged and told her we couldn't afford it. 

Anyhow, we had a wonderful visit with her and her husband and we bought a few of her cards and a prayer shawl she had made.  That was it.  Said we'd try to see them again before we left the area. 

On Sunday, we were meeting friends in Duluth who were visiting up there from Luck, Wisconsin.  We hadn't been together for quite a while.  We met for a brunch in downtown Duluth at one of our favorite eating places.  

While there, Bev said she had something for me.  After eating, we went to their car, Dan opened the trunk, and gave me that painting.  They had stopped at the mall ... I had introduced Bev to her a few years earlier ... and, hearing we were meeting, Jackie had given it to them to give to me.

I nearly cried from joy.  WHAT A BLESSING! 

I called Jackie immediately and thanked her so much! 

Later, through a Christmas gift of money, I was able to have it framed.  The next June, when going through that area again, I took the painting with me to show her how the framing had been done which beautified the painting even more.  She was thrilled.  AND I can't imagine ever removing it off of my dining room wall.


 
       The painting is a blessing.

And so is Jackie.

 [And so is her husband.]

MANGER POEM

I wrote this preparing for Christmas in 2006.  I'm a fairly intense person [expect a number of you are already rolling your eyes when you read those words, because you've already figured that out and don't even know me personally] and at that time it was very, very stressful in our extended family.  One of several situations was this:  October 1st, when my grandson Jack was 12, his long-time kidney disease became overwhelming.  He was in the hospital over and over again, and when he was sent home he was always in serious condition.  I was involved at the hospital, staying with him as needed, and at his house, sometimes taking care of the other 4 family kids while parents were working or with with Jack at the hospital -- tried to be anywhere I was needed any time to help. Through exhaustion and emotion I cried a LOT that Fall through Christmas and into the Spring.

This poem dropped into my heart in November.  Those last two verses are exactly true.  Without them -- those blessings through people at church and fellowship --  I could hardly have "survived".  Through them, our dear Savior filled my heart with hope.  [3 years ago, Christmas Eve, Jack had his kidney transplant.  His Mom -- my daughter -- was his donator.  I was his caretaker at the ICU.]

Hope the info doesn't drive you nuts, but I always love how the Lord drops glory into our lives in the midst of UNglorious circumstances. 

PSALM 124 --

[A song was written based on this Psalm.  The words aren't exactly the same as what is in the Bible, but the theme fits in precisely.  And I have sung this song MANY times over

 the past 6 years when life is tough.

Today, life is tough.]

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If it had not been the Lord that was on our 
side,

When the wind rose against us, when the tide was high.

When the battle was lost, and we drowned in the dark,

We would be in despair, if it had not been the Lord!

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FIRST RESPONDERS - TRE'VEONA

Haven't posted about a First Responders event since August.  NOT that there haven't been other murders and that we haven't gone to serve the Lord and the people when those serious, horrific circumstances occur.

HOWEVER, this past weekend, an 18-year old girl, a senior at a local high school, was spending the night with relatives a couple miles from where she lived. At 3:45 AM, Sunday morning, someone drove by, or ran by, and shot at the side of the house.  She was in her grandmother's [some say great-grandmother's] bed and the bullets hit her.  She never woke up.  

Dean, my FR buddy, and I were the first ones that had arrived last evening.  We happened to be a few minutes earlier than the other FRs.  So many have to drive through the rush hours, leaving jobs; it definitely takes time.  Winter, we meet a little earlier, by 5:15, so there will be some light so we can share with the families who are in sorrow.

When I walked to that house, to the yard, almost immediately I talked to the teens - mostly cousins - and a couple of aunts.  My arms were filled with them, my heart with their tears.

Two police officers were on the sidewalk.  Three TV station workers had arrived to interview, to record the prayers and the instructions, to share the circumstances the family and friends were facing.  [At 10:00 last evening this was on the news and I saw our dear ones.] 

Many FR people arrived from all over town, and Tre'Veona's family and friends were there already.  The yard was filled with people.

But, I, not the yard, but a caregiver, was also filled with people, and I was filled with sorrow as the teens slid into my arms for prayer and peace and encouragement.

In spite of the fact that some of the teens were screaming and swearing, one of the boys told me that he had seen her in heaven when he was sleeping.  He knew he would see her again when he went there.  [She is not the first Christian teen who has been murdered here.  And we can never be certain sure nothing like this would never happen...anywhere.]

During nearly an hour, all I felt were hearts.  Usually, I'm mixed in with the FRs in a circle, praying about the circumstances for the family and neighborhood, and praying over family.  This time, for some reason, I was not in the circle; I was on the outside.  I was stepping towards the house where some of the hurting teens were.  Somehow I was able to touch a few of them.  And my heart was as seriously hurt as theirs at that moment.

A little later, while IN the FR group, and holding a boy [the one who earlier had said he'd seen her in heaven] who was sobbing on me, it was time to place a prayer shawl on Tre'veona's mom.  This is one of my FR main joyous events. It was handed to me and I was able to help place it over her shoulders.  A chair had been brought out of the house so she could sit, and after the shawl was in place, and several of us ladies were surrounding her, I knelt on the ground by her knees and laid my hands on hers.  And while we prayed, I heard her say, "Jesus.... Jesus...".  And, yes, she was teary, but, YES, she had her heart focused on our Lord.

Not long after, it was time for me to leave.  And, yes, I could walk to my car, and, yes, I could drive home.  But, NO, I could not empty my heart; it was frozen.  I had lived only a few blocks away from this house about 30 years ago; my kids went to the elementary school that could be seen from this murder site. What a "heart hurter" for me as I drove past the school to get back on the main road.

When I reached home, I was still filled with the sorrow poured into me through the hearts of those who had been in grief, in anger.
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Today, I needed to go grocery shopping.  The store was not far from where they lived, so I decided this would be the time to go by and see if I could connect with anyone.  AND it was daytime, not night, so I could get a better view.

I decided that, to bless and encourage them, I would bring some chicken.  They had so many people coming in and out that they could use some.

I also wanted to take a photo of the house and the area where the bullets entered.  I do this for my FR history file.

Only teens were there... I'm sure the family was where she had lived.  I was appreciated for the chicken.  [And I was given permission to take the house photos, which is a good thing.]

I hope I will be able to know that family over time, not leave them.  [However, I tend to become side-tracked.]  But I want to see the family whose hearts were so desirous for the Lord last evening.  And I'd LOVE to see the prayer shawl in the light, the colors would be much more beautiful.

OH... and the only light that can break through this for them and for all of us, is the Light of our Lord.

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I had written this post a couple hours earlier and pushed a post button ... normal one, so far as I understood ... and it all disappeared.  I don't think this is as well written, but I don't want to put off having it poured into hearts that will reach out to bless these suffering dear ones.

MY ARTIST FRIEND, JACKIE - PT. A

Sometimes I'm absolutely amazed at how the Lord drops people into my life, especially when nothing is anticipated.

On October 1, 2001, I had gone to the North Shore when suffering from depression connected to 9/11.  I was camping at Tettagouche S.P. in our van.  Was there for four days, and then the Lord had touched me and released the sorrow.

ONE huge blessing.  I went to Grand Marais and stopped at an interesting looking shop on the southern edge of town called Blue Moose.  They were filled with pottery, glass art, jewelry, and many other kinds of creativity pieces made by fairly local people.  I started to look at the cards and one especially caught my attention.

 "Out of the Blue"

So beautiful and very obviously filled with creativity, not just tossed together.

I asked Mary Ann, the owner, and she told me that these were drawn and produced by an artist in Duluth, Jackie Kotlarek.  I bought a few of her cards of various paintings.  LOVED them!

"Hollyhocks"

"Call the Fire Department"

 "Humming Birds"

I couldn't stop in Duluth on my way home; it was mid-afternoon when I got there, and I knew I wouldn't reach home until nearly midnight.  And extra stop wouldn't be a good thing.

The next Fall, 2002, Dave and I went up there to visit the Shore.  Our forever honeymoon place.  Made me feel like I was driving up the beach in Oregon with forests and waves roaring and, sometimes, not being able to see land in the distance. 

And rivers and falls pouring into the Lake.  Gorgeous.  

It was our anniversary and his birthday stretch covering a couple weeks.  So, we just enjoyed and played.  And that's definitely when I became a rock addict.  

 Their shores were so full of rocks and they were so colorful and shaped in ways that I never had seen before.

HOWEVER, on the way home, we stayed in Duluth for a day and I called Jackie from a shop downtown that was filled with her cards and paintings.  She was very welcoming and told us where she lived, how to reach her home.  It is about 3 miles up the hills from the downtown Duluth touristy area.  We were there a few minutes later.

Her studio was in her basement.  FILLED with original paintings, copied ones, cards, and many other types of creative presentations.  Really neat.

Since it was Dave's birthday time-ish, and he's a water-based person for photos, calendars, paintings, and anything else we could fit in, we looked for a painting for him.  And found one. 

Original, oil painted, and showing the rocks and waves of the water.  We bought it, immediately.

By the time we left, I had a pile of cards, and told her I'd stay in touch.  Any time I was in her area, I would try to be at her studio and look for more.  As far as I can recall, I've been to her place about a dozen times, sometimes 2 or 3 times a year.  She is a blessing.

This Thanksgiving, Dave and I had a little time with Jackie and her husband.  We all had family issues for mid-afternoon, so couldn't be together for long.  But it was a blessing to be with Jackie and Glenn.  We all smiled, touched and blessed each other.

When I came home Thanksgiving night, one of the posts the Lord laid on me was to share about Jackie.  This morning, about 3:00, I suddenly woke up and this story hit me again.  SO, could I put it off any longer?

Nope.  Most certainly, needed to obey the Lord. And I just did.

MIRACLE # 9 .. MY HEART, AGAIN.

October was a heart-filled spirit healing -- Miracle #8 -- and my heart and breathing was also a bit easier.  Made more friends.  Kept moving along.  Cried much... don't think I've ever cried as often and as long, but it was connected to the sadness of my life change.  Yes, the Lord certainly understood and had told me what to do re: the divorce.  The readjustment had caused me to be filled with sorrow, frustration and fear.  Not crying ALL the time, but often enough that most people knew the tears could flow just about any moment.  I wrote much, and that helped me unload.

The Lord had touched my spirit and heart and I was moving forward.  I had no idea He was going to provide another miracle for me.

In February, 1985, there was a man from Tulsa, OK, coming to a local Omaha church and a friend of mine knew him and wanted to go.  Patti wanted me to go with her and Ken was a friend with both of us, so he suggested it to me, too.  We all went separately.  When I arrived they were sitting in the front row of the church and had a seat for me.  It started out great with a lot of singing and a good amount of preaching.

Then at various portions of the evening, healing was brought forth.  NOT physical; but based on family relationship needs and spiritual challenges.  One reason:  this was the day before Valentine's Day.  LOVE was the focus.

I stepped up with the others a number of times to have my love focus adjusted to the Lord.  We'd sing, pray, have hands laid on us by the pastor and his friends, and then return to our seats.  Nice.

THEN life changed for me -- and I still laugh, I rejoice.


There were several hundred people in the service, so when stepping forward the front was filled with whoever had been asked to take that place.

All the men were asked to stand together in the front area and all were prayed over.  The words:  Give love, Be loving.

Then the women were asked to replace the men.  MANY women, about three rows of them, very long lines from side to side.  I was in the middle range and the 2nd row.  

A lady was chosen by the preacher to walk from one side to the other and touch every woman and give those same words connected to love.  And that's what she did.

I heard her coming a few people to the left of me, saw her reaching and touching.  She touched the person in front of me and said the same word.  THEN she touched me and said, "Lord, heal that heart."  And she continued on to the others saying, "Love."

I froze.  I was so touched by the Lord, I couldn't move.  I felt laughter rising from my belly, and suddenly I would roar out loud.  I had no idea why, and I'd try to close my mouth, but I couldn't keep it in.  While that was going on, I could tell all the people had sat down.  I simply couldn't move.  I heard the pastor tell them, "Don't focus on her.  God is touching her.  You pay attention to me and listen to my teaching."

The Lord told me more than one thing.  He DID tell me that He was healing my heart.  But He also told me that He was sending me a husband so I would have a marriage that would bless me forever.  

I rarely have had a message from the Lord before or after that evening.  It was several minutes before I finally felt my body soften, loosen, and I could take my seat.  People in the service, some of whom had known me for years, touched or smiled at me before I made it to the car a bit later.

And my heart stopped ... hurting.  Stopped ... pounding.  Filled with joy... with hope.
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Then the miracle increased.  A week later, I entered a church where I had been asked to write and act and "sermonette" for the Lenten services.  It was an intense time for me... writing, directing, acting, sharing.  After my first evening, the Lord laid it on me to attend on Sunday.  When I sat down, He said, "You are home."  So, I joined the church.

I had a youth and Renae became part of the youth group.  Three months after my arrival, the Lord dropped the youth director, Dave, into my life and four months later we were married.

 September 21, 1985

AND what the Lord had said to me, in that February service, was true.  He sent me a husband and he HAS been an everyday blessing for all these years.  And I'm absolutely certain sure that he will be forever.

              September 21, 2010