14×16 acrylic over collage papers on birch plywood

©Teresa Kogut

I LOVE THIS!!!! Pray that your children’s hearts aren’t hardened by this world. Pray that their hearts are full of kindness, gentleness, patience, peacefulness and love for the Lord!

OH MY! I think I’m in love! Legacy Publishing is coming out with a 2014 Angel Blessings calendar featuring my angel artwork!! The only thing that would make me more happy is if it was a 2013 calendar!! Thank you, thank you, thank you Legacy Publishing! ok….breathe…..

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The July winner of the 20 greeting cards is

Congratulations!

 

I was walking home from school on a cold winter day.
Took a shortcut through the woods, and I lost my way.
It was getting late, and I was scared and alone.
But then a kind old man took my hand and led me home.
Mama couldn’t see him, but he was standing there.
And I knew in my heart, he was the answer to my prayers.

Oh I believe there are angels among us.
Sent down to us from somewhere up above.
They come to you and me in our darkest hours.
To show us how to live, to teach us how to give.
To guide us with the light of love.

When life held troubled times, and had me down on my knees.
There’s always been someone there to come along and comfort me.
A kind word from a stranger, to lend a helping hand.
A phone call from a friend, just to say I understand.

And ain’t it kind of funny that at the dark end of the road.
Someone lights the way with just a single ray of hope.

Oh I believe there are angels among us.
Sent down to us from somewhere up above.
They come to you and me in our darkest hours.
To show us how to live, to teach us how to give.
To guide us with the light of love.

They wear so many faces; show up in the strangest places.
To grace us with their mercy, in our time of need.

Oh I believe there are angels among us.
Sent down to us from somewhere up above.
They come to you and me in our darkest hours.
To show us how to live, to teach us how to give.
To guide us with the light of love.

To guide us with the light of love.

 

Sung by: ALABAMA

Songwriters: GOODMAN, DON / HOBBS, BECKY

Another fun year at the Holy Rosary Parish Camp out! It was sooo hot this year….in the 90s and the humidity was very uncomfortable….but we still managed to have a good time! This was the 24th annual parish camp out (we’ve been going for about 7 years). Folks start rolling in Friday afternoon and end the day with a bonfire. Saturday there is tye-dying, pinatas for the kids, potluck dinner, outdoor mass, iron skillet throwing contest for the women, empty beer can toss for the men with lots of swimming in between and ending with another bonfire. Sunday morning pancake breakfast, more swimming, then after lunch time to pack up and head home.

We had a storm come through Saturday about midnight which cooled it off quite a bit…..we had a hard time leaving Sunday due to the perfect weather. Next year will be the 25th camp out so there are BIG plans in the making to celebrate this occasion. Excited for the next one already!

at cross stitch! Thanks a million to my generous best bud, Jann. She was so patient and thorough when showing me how to cross stitch last night. She created this cute lil’ primitive jack o’ for me to learn with since there are only three colors and not much detail. She also had me stitching on Klostern until I get the hang of it, then we will move to 32 ct linen. I plan to stitch two of these before moving to linen just to make sure I know it well. 

Once I stitch this adorable lil’ guy onto linen, I should be ready to start transferring my punchneedle designs into cross stitch patterns! Yahoo! I am very inspired and really enjoyed sitting under Jann’s grape arbor stitching, visiting and sharing a glass of pinot……until the mosquitoes ran us off!

Thanks again, Jann! Looking forward to our next class 😉

Another great year!! For the past 6 years Kevin and I have been blessed to  join a group of our closest friends for a kid-free weekend together at a cabin on the lake. It has changed to three different cabins over the years but we are blessed enough to have options. We start the day with a monstrous breakfast, drink tons of coffee, clean up our mess, throw on our suits and off to the water we go! We take the pontoon boat out and tie our flotilla to it and just chill in the water all afternoon….coming in only to eat! This year we had a speed boat as well so some of them when skiing and tubing. (not me……I’m not quite as adventerous as I use to be) We top off the night with another great meal, music and a bonfire.

It’s good medicine to be so relaxed in the company of great friends! Thank you Chris, Bob and Theresa for the use of your family cabin for the weekend, we truly appreciate it!

 
I thought the article below was a good explanation of this scripture so I decided to share it with you. (my painting features the New American Standard Bible verse which is worded differently than in the article below, but the meaning is the same)

    There are two things that we should understand when searching for the truth of this verse. Number one, the word angel here is the Greek word [aggelos], meaning messenger, and is the “exact” same word translated messenger throughout scripture. Example: 

That word translated Messengers is the “exact same” word translated angels. It’s talking about people, not angelic beings. 

Number two, the word translated “entertain strangers” is the Greek word [philoxenox], meaning to be friendly to those who you don’t know. It’s taken from the root words [philos] meaning friend, and [xenos] which here means someone with whom you are not acquainted. This is the only place where this is translated “entertain strangers”, it’s normal translation is hospitality. This verse is saying always be hospitable or “friendly to those who you do not know” because thereby some have entertained (or hosted) messengers. All believers are God’s Messengers [aggelos] (translated angels), and some have been a guest of another believer who was unaware that they were the Chosen of God. But the Hospitality which Christians show is to all men, that the Love of God shows in their good conduct. In fact, that Greek word [xenos] in certain contexts can mean any of three things. It can mean a stranger (alien), or by implication a guest (being a stranger in your household), or by extension a host (entertaining or be a host to a stranger to your household). 

We can use the understanding of this word as a goad for us, that in all we do, we show forth the love or charity which Christ has shown to us. For we may not know which of these roles we may be in at any time. Whether a guest, or a host, or a stranger ourselves, in any role we find ourselves we should be neighborly and charitable. This is what is so often hard for some Christians to do. It’s not coincidental that when we read of what is required of Christians, this virtue is given a lofty platform.