Tag: Blogging

Blogology and Those Darn Tired Turns of Phrase

~ Elizabeth W. Marshall ~ 14 Comments


What about a little backing up and regrouping.

I believe if I were you I’d want to know the why’s and the how-come’s behind the space. The one right here which often irks the grammar police, I feel certain. Because I was born in 1959 I was taught there are two spaces after a period and last week I learned there is only one. And that looked like a run on sentence to some.

What were you thinking? Sort of a blogology or blogging credo or mantra or something.

I love that you are here and it blesses my heart, literally not like the wonderful southern  cliche which I use far too often. But it truly does.

So if you are here and when you are here this is a bit of the “what was I thinking”.

I do love that you are here and that we can walk shoulder to shoulder through this life, or parts of it at least.  And I almost said “walk through this journey” together. Darn those cliches. It is that though truly so until I find a fresher more unique to me and my voice way to say it,  I’ll  just say journey.  And then I’ll ask you to extend a bit of grace for the lack of originality.

I do love this community of ya’ll. You know who you are. I don’t want to label you or define you or put you in a box or slap a term on you. Because if you are here, until you tell me why I guess I don’t know. Really. For certain. But I am grateful. And every time you speak through the comment box I can feel and smell and hear your presence. And I am thankful that my spam catcher catches some CRAZY stuff. I mean ya’ll should read it sometime. But I digress. You all teach me, encourage me, and inspire me.

Please know that when I am here and you are there, my deep longing of the soul is to type, say, write, and present that which is honest, real, true, and authentic . Thank you for allowing me to share pieces and parts of my story as I feel lead and at the leading of the Spirit.You are gracious and you seem to be great listeners.At least from my vantage point.

Thank you for remembering that each post is just a snapshot in time, a piece of a larger part. In order to see and hear more completely, well, you may need to follow and read more of the parts and pieces. That is to say, one post does not make the man. Okay, I am a woman which you undoubtedly know by now. And when I update my “About Me” on this blog, I will add that though cliches seem to annoy me, I seem to have more than a few popping up. Got to fix that.

Which leads me to telling you how I would like to offer you fresh posts. Unique perspectives. And a mix of how I see with what we all see as a community of Christ followers. In our shared humaneness we share so much, but as individuals it will always be mad crazy deeply unique to me.  I can truly only really write honestly and passionately from my insides. From my own knower that was formed from my heart, soul, mind and spirit. So what I write, probably should look like my story. That you read and that you come is still amazing. Simply beyond amazing. But don’t we all hunger for the creative. And don’t we long for Art. And don’t we seek excellence and not mediocre. Please know I try to bring it and to lean on and into Him.Thank you for grace when you see stale. And when you see less than. I offer my apologies, truly.

Sometimes simple is  strongest and the straightest way to real. I love to write. But man oh man do I love God. You all should hear some of the things he’s brought me through. So I want to point to Him and honor Him with my writing. If I don’t, you all can help. Keep me accountable. That would be lovely. And I thank Him  for the privilege of writing and the honor of your eyes being here.

And because I just wrote that last point, you know the one above, I need to heed my own advice and keep this simple. Therefore, I will stop. But I do reserve the right to write a Part 2 of this Blogology post. You’ve seen some posts have both a part one and part two. If you haven’t you can search the archives. There is at least one there. Or rather here.

Did you think because there were shrimp boats in the photograph I was going to make a reference to this blog being a voyage? Well I am not. But I am going to thank my friend Harriett for her wonderful photograph. And I do try to mark my own photography with “wynnegraceappears” in the corner. At least I have for several months. But today and other days, my dear dear friend Harriett has given her gift of photography freely and generously for its use on this blog. Thank you Harriett. You’ll see some more from her.She’s got talent. And she loves the Lord in a big way. I will ask her permission to tell some of her story. It will bless your socks off. (mixing metaphors is so much fun).

Thank you for viewing life through this lense of grace. And if you were counting the number of times I used truly…..it was probably more than once. And you can practice wild grace even now for that.

And if you thought I was going to thank you for your comments before you even left one, you were right.If you come back tomorrow I will probably start more than one sentence with And. Got Grace? (Is that a cliche yet?)

Linking with Heather and Jen. And I am grateful for their hospitality. Thank you ladies.

Art Bus Project- Brooklyn Phlogg, Chapter One

~ Elizabeth W. Marshall ~ 2 Comments

Chapter One (sort of) – A Brooklyn Phlogg

Don’t cry becuase it’s over, smile because it happened”– Dr. Seuss


If things start happening, don’t worry, don’t stew, just go right along and you’ll start happening too.– Dr. Seuss


Art Bus Project {Roll With It Baby}

~ Elizabeth W. Marshall ~ 7 Comments

What will it look like to look out from the inside, out past the self, into the eyes of the others, and open the heart to love with Jesus’ love through art?

And creativity. And joy. And with new paradigms for spreading the gospel?

Or newer for this writer. But isn’t He a God of new each time.  Doesn’t he create, and re-create, and make all things. new.

The tools are willing hearts, a big bus, a little bus, bubbles, a grill, and art supplies.  I imagine. I don’t  know all the details. There are ways in which the trip, which starts  (or continues) for me tomorrow, is still evolving. But I need only know He loves and lovingly provides. Resting in His provision with each turn of a plane wheel, or bus tire, its all we really need.

The adventure is in the stepping out, and into, and onto, and with, and beside. It’s following. With the spirit  leading the way. Trust bending the head in gentle agreement, yes we are on board. Yes, we hear this call.  Yes, we know He has a plan. And it is good.  It always is.  It always was.  

It’s  in imagining how The Creator will and does lovingly use creativity to reach and speak and draw in with love. Everytime there is love.

So here for the next six days I will share everything I can about this studio with a mission.

This art bus. The one that we are rolling with.

The one we are riding on. Weaving our way from Brooklyn to Charleston.

We know a little, we don’t know a lot.

But we know and love the One that does know. Oh, He knows the plans, His plans for a colorful, joyful, creative ministry. And when we step out and trust and watch as He reveals, we will be blessed observers and participants in His kindgom plans for a string of souls, the ones that He will love and who will love us along the way.

Isn’t the story still being written.  Mine is.

Doesn’t He ask us to be willing vessels. We know that no one will be more blessed than those going to serve.  Those intending to be used by God to bless, will in fact receive the blessings. With humility. Honored to have any role at all.  That he would trust and entrust with anything of even small importance to Him.  Loving and reaching His children.

We hope not to waste any chance along the way, on the ride. To stay alert and awake and sensitive to His whispers of how and when and where to go. When to speak and when to listen.

If you are following here for the next six days, thank you for your interest and your prayers. And if you have friends who want to ride along on these pages here, invite.(And follow along here too.)

And we will watch with expectant hearts to see colorful joy spread in a stroke of His love down the eastern seaboard.

Oh the privilege of being a part. Oh the joy in being in a community on a bus with a mission, along for the ride, as The Creator creates a story of art displayed in love for Him.

May all the Glory and Honor be His.

Counting Gifts with Ann, at A Holy Experience.

*Attending my niece’s graduation with my daughter…. oh the family time. Oh the bread , doesn’t it always accompany a celebration.  The joy surrounding this milestone was oozing out for days.  So grateful to be a part and to have a wellspring of memories of laughing and remembering.

*A long, very long visit with a childhood friend whom I hadn’t seen, really seen and talked with at length, for over 24 years. For laughter in the restaurant that drew stares and remarks. The remarks of one bystander caused me to realize anew how valuable and even priceless this friendship is.

*Sitting with wisdom and hearing new insight into a parent struggle. Regaining and reclaiming hope to shift somethings. Replenished reserves of hope leading to optimism and new beginnings for leading and encouraging differently.

*Time with my daughter on a recent trip, the getting reaquainted time after a very long school year which kept her so busy.

*Getting on a plane tomorrow with her to walk out in Faith this art bus project

*Going to Brooklyn with her to shop, have lunch, explore before we begin the true ministry portion of the trip.

*Plans for lots of time as a family in our beloved moutains at the old family home.  Memories to be made and savored and secured under the roof with three generations.  A huge gift.

Linking up with these fine ladies today, Michelle, Ann, and Laura

Small Things Take Up A Lot Of Space

~ Elizabeth W. Marshall ~ 2 Comments

“Sometimes”, said Pooh,” the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.” —A.A. Milne

There is amazing power in the one small thing.  One small thing can create a big impact on a body, a soul, a mind, a heart, a moment, a day.

Like the last drop of rain on a leaf is enough to break the bough, tipping the scale, tipping it over.

Rippling through for better or worse, making its mark, this one small thing can impact with force.

One small fleck of dust in the eye distracts and blurs vision.

One small splinter in the finger causes pain and attention directed to the throbbing digit.

 And as a crack in the hull can sink the Titantic,  one word can start a war, one gesture can mend a wounded spirit, so one small action can really  shake things up.

I woke early, very early, restless.

What a slow learner I am.  How slowly I let lessons creep in, settle in and then stay.

I had stumbled, tripped up, been tripped up. And wanting a do-over, yearning for new-found patience, hungry for a re-written script of my narrative was surely at the root of my sleeplessness.

And a message pops up in the pre-dawn hours which changes me.  It softens and it loves through a back-lit screen.  It tenderizes the tough spots. And salves the tender ones.

A note so simple saying she just didn’t know why but she was praying for me.

A small few black words on a white background delivering hope and ecouragement.  The floodgates open and my insides want to erupt with the ripeness of the moment, hitting the bullseye of my heart with perfection.  Love crawling across a screen to meet my insomnia and my woundedness.

I receive so much from a young mother who is up nursing her baby.  She also nurses my soul.

She says that she just doesn’t know why but she can’t stop thinking of me, I am stuck in her head and when that happens she just prays.  So, she continues, “you are getting a lot of prayers.” And she says she just wanted to check in with me.

I will get to thank her today and to wrap my arms around her sweet spirit. And I will smell and touch and hug her first-born son, who is weeks old.

Because her one sweet small note to me opened up communication, I am now privileged to spend time over lunch and a new born with this precious young woman. Amazing grace. And if a note on a screen can deliver such joy and hope, I cannot imagine what time in the flesh will present to this soul.

And oh, how I want to stretch this forward to another. To go be small to someone today. To show-up in a life, to a heart, to a friend, to a stranger in all my smallness.

Don’t we long for these encounters with others.  How many have I missed.

Small opportunity.

Small invitation.

Small calls to be obedient in love, in encouragement, in offering a lifeline.

This blog is a baby.  It is a new-born by the world’s standards, months old.

As it grows up a little, I pray that God will use these pages in a small way.

But more importantly, that I will have ears to hear, and a heart to listen.

As I write, and I blog, and I listen, and respond, and dig in, and wrestle with, and process, and  tackle, and ponder and question, my hope and prayer is that it is pleasing to Him.

My sweet friend has taken up a lot of space in my heart today. Her gesture just sits there being all big and beautiful.

May we all go seek out and be one small thing in someone’s life today, delivering Joy, Hope, and Grace by the boatload.

I started my day praying for forgiveness and I will probably end it the same way.  But maybe  in the in-between times God can use this broken soul to be a blessing to another, to serve as I have been served in love and in obedience.