The Advent Journey

Presbyterian Today has published a wonderful Advent Calendar for 2011


"The Unfolding Journey" by Taylor Lewis Guthrie Hartman and John Blair Hartmann III
First Week: Wonder & Wander



Readers are invited to use their Mary and;Joseph from their family Nativity set to "wonder and wander" with Mary and Jospeh and prepare and pray as we discover the ways we are called to live out Christ's message in our lives.

We place Mary and Joseph on our porch or in our yard and think about how they might feel as they start their journey.

Mary and Joseph are in a flower pot in my yard, in the rain, in the dark. It's cold. I think about frightening times on the highway in unfamiliar locations, in the pouring rain, at night, wondering where the next exit might be. What if the car breaks down, what if, what if. I try to remember God is with me and

God will help show me the way.

Make me to know your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths. Psalm 25: 4-5

Step Into The Future

"I like stepping into the future. Therefore, I look for doorknobs."

— Mark Rosen

When stepping into the future I always have my iPhone with me. I am amazed by the photos I can take with the built in camera and assorted photo applications.I just enjoy the whole process. I may not understand how/why the technology works, but it sure is fun, and I love the results. Today at church I became facinated by the vintage door knobs. I took several photos, but it just begins to brush the surface of the fun close ups that can be taken throughout the building.

I think all of us are "called" to certain apps and they may dominate your work, not much different than an artist who uses fluid acrylics, or pastels, or charcoal.

Save The Sawmill Strays

Seek justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your neighbor.


That is what Beverly does.

I met Bev on a church mission trip to West Virginia. She has the most incredibly clear blue eyes, and I know when you look deep within, you see the face of God.
















Our task was to replace her roof. Which we did, and I thought I would head on home and have happy memories of the trip, but what I found was a "soul sister" as we came to call each other as the week progressed. A city girl and a coal miner's daughter, with so much in common. A love of life, God and animals. Seeking fair play and justice for all of God's creatures.

We took that trip in 2007, and Bev and I continue to remain in contact. I admire her perserverance, love of life, her caring and loving soul.

Bev lives a very simple life, she is a mountain woman with simple needs. She works several jobs to maintain her independence. She adopted 10 dogs from a local shelter when it was closing, knowing that she would be able to handle them and keep them fed and cared for. They each have their own pen, while not fancy, are safe and clean. They are her life.

Now we come to Saving the Sawmill Strays.

Bev lives in Welch, WV, up a mountain road called Sawmill Hollow. Folks there own the house or trailer and lease the land from the owner. An unusal concept for those of us in the city. The lumber company or coal mine or other entity own the land.

One of Bev's neighbors up the hollow have abandoned their "lease", moved out, perhaps there was a divorce, but the people only come by once every month or so. They have left their animals at the lease without food or water.

Most of us might call animal control, knowing that the animals would be picked up and put up for adoption. ( Where does that happen, let me know.) In St. Louis, where I live, I would contact Stray Rescue or the Humane Society of Missouri or The Open Door Animal Shelter. Stray Rescue and Open Door are no-kill shelters. In Welch, there is a dog -catcher who works for the County Commission.Bev does not want to contact them, as they use a gas chamber. Often the animals are just shot by people on the mountain. There is one NO-Kill shelter in her area and it always filled to capacity.

Bev has been going to the "lease" every day and feeding and watering the animals. One of the area animal control groups send food her way and others have donated money to help her feed these abandoned pets. There are 4 adult dogs and 7 puppies, 2 adult cats and 2 kittens. Bev, discovered the puppies in the last few months and has been feeding and caring for them. Since the weather has turned bitter she has decided to bring them to her small home to care for.

How can we help?

My wildest dream is for Bev to be able to start a No-Kill Shelter. That's my wild dream and maybe her's as well, but what she wants to do right now is spay and neuter the 4 adult dogs as soon as possible, and then generate some income to have the pups spay and neutered when they are old enough. Maybe out of this will grow the dream of a No-kill shelter. Perhaps in our semi-wild dreams we can generate income to build some additional kennels on Bev's lease, so that these animals can stay safe.

We are hoping that animal lovers all over the world will help us with a donation to our "Chip-In" account. I trust Bev, but you all don't know her. I am hoping that those of you I have met "on-line" will trust me.

She has discovered a local source that will assist low income families in paying for spay and neutering services. Those funds are drying up, and may not be able to assist with 11 dogs. She is going to check with them. She may be able to afford to pay for one of the dogs surgeries from money she has saved. My plan is to work with Bev, sending her payment for the first surgery and then additional payments after she sends the receipt for the previous surgery. This may not really be necessary, but I wanted the internet community to know that I am making every effort to insure that the money goes for the animals. I know that Bev will use it for the animals. I'm hoping in my wild dreams, for enough money to help build a few more kennels.





But first things first! We hope to raise $1,100 which would be more than enough to cover the surgeries and help with food and gas and a phone card. Bev does not have a phone and uses the phone at one of her part time jobs at a local church. The calls to the vet are long distance. The distance from her home to the vet, not close.

So much to tell.

At the top of the page is a photo of Bev with Samantha ( one of the Sawmill Strays) it was taken in 2007 when we first met Bev, the other shots are very sad and show the condition of the animals after Bev discovered them abandoned. She has since cleaned up the property and area where the pets were kept at the abandoned home.



















You can contact us at sawmillstrays@sbcglobal.net and check out our blog, under construction at http://sawmillstrays.blogspot.com/


PS I've been in communication with Bev ( who checks email at her part time job at the local theater and at the library, computer class, and other venues around town.) and she thinks it would be cool to have each donor submitt a name for the dogs and cats, then we'll have a drawing for naming rights. Great idea, Bev!

PS-2 Chip In Clarification. When you link to chip in it shows my email and Board of Religious Organizations. I also have a chip in for http://www.brostl.org/ a non-profit group I work with. Your donation will go specifically for The Saw Mill Strays, I'll work on cleaning up the link language. Thanks!

This and That!

A recent art project, mail art envelope swap!





My great Niece at her 6th birthday party, blowing out a candle, she had a hard day partying and getting diagnoised with strep throat at the med-stop. And Payton studying her new Hannah Montana sweat shirt, very cool!















My great-nephew Alexander.... 10 months!












Cocopuff being blessed by the pastor!
Here are my doggies heading home from the Blessing of the Animals, I had to stay at church and go to a community meeting with local candidates for office.



I've been neglecting my creative side lately. I've been too busy with church projects and BRO projects. The BRO did win a grant of 3,000 new books from FIRST BOOK, we pick them up October 23rd, at the Coast Guard Armory in Granite City, Illinois. And we won a grant of 101 toys from Hasbro, they should be delivered to us around Halloween. Just in time, as our toy distribution is the week after Thanksgiving. I've been prepacking toys for about 1500 children and will give those directly to the agencies during the first weeks of November for their holiday events during December. Imagine holiday shopping for 3250 nieces and nephews. We do some bulk shopping from a local vendor and a little online, but my favorite BigLots Wholesale has been rebuilding their website and haven't reopened yet, at least the last time I checked. So I have been hitting all of the local Big Lots, Tuesday Mornings, and Marshalls. They love to see me coming, I really boost their sales for the day.

At church http://oakhillpcusa.blogspot.com/ we have been busy with an Autumn Fest. We had chili, pumpkin painting and carving, crafts and stuffed candy bags to give out on Halloween. The Blessing of the Animals Service involved taking two of our 4 doggies to church for a service and blessing....and it was fun, followed by the MCU community meeting. Not to mention our Presbyterian Women's project of Care Kits for girls for the BRO. We packed 100 care kits for girls 9 -10 years of age. Each had a cheerful washcloth, shower gel, chapstick, colorful socks, African American Girl paper dolls, a small handmade jigsaw puzzle, mardigras beads, toothbrush and toothpaste and a beanie baby.

I keep muttering to my husband, "why am, I so tired?" ( His kind answer, " we ARE getting older",.....thanks dear, at least he said WE)

There was a birthday party for my 6 year old, great niece, Emma at the Rep, lunch with the retired teachers group, Book Club discussion A Thousand Splendid Suns, and......moving one of my church friends to a new apartment, ( first we had to locate one!)

Check out this blog give away.http://krishubick.blogspot.com/2008/10/blog-candy-giveaway-eyelet-candy.html An INCREDIBLE eyelet setting kit full of scrumptious eyelets that have been discontinued! If you win, you will get:An eyelet setter, THREE leather punches, and 1200 unique eyelets (these are EZ set aluminum eyelets that set beautifully and don't split on the backs)the types and shapes of eyelets include heart mixture, angel mixture, triangle mixture, teddy bear mixture, halloween mixture, pastel yellow, star mixture, diamond mixture, lavender mixture, square mixture, butterfly mixture, and holiday mix.



To Enter the drawing: Post about this giveaway on your blog and link back to http://krishubick.blogspot.com/2008/10/blog-candy-giveaway-eyelet-candy.html (a giveaway like this should be shared), and then leave her a comment.

Kristin will draw one lucky winner (using a number randomizer) on Oct. 31st, Halloween! Trick or Treat?

It's time for more art posts and fewer dreary political posts. I did like the swing music below. Be sure to listen.

And I finally mailed off my Mail Art Envelope swap.

Gulfport, Mission Trip, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance

Our Church mission trip to Gulfport, Mississippi was a huge success.

http://oakhillpcusa.blogspot.com/ Check out the church blog for more stories.

Check out this lovely outfit. That shirt has been on 5 mission trips. San Antonio, where we built wheelchair ramps, D'Iberville, Mississippi for Hurricane Katrina clean -up, Houma, Louisiana for Hurrican Rita clean-up, Welch, West Virginia and now....Gulfport, Mississippi.

I learned how to operate this table saw and how to cut left inside and outside mitered corners and of course right inside and outside mitered corners. Pretty cool! Still have fingers and toes!

Our group completed a lot of the finish work on this home for the McGrew Family. We installed base board, quarter round, door trim, light fixtures, ceiling fans, floor transitions, closet doors, door knobs, porch lights, caulked baseboard, painted trim.
Whewww....I've lost track.Their trailer had been knocked off of its pilings by the storm, and also lost its roof. It of course rained in a great deal and damaged everything. The family will be moving in to this new home in about a week. It has taken about 7 weeks to complete. All volunteer labor except for the electrical connections and plumbing installation.

The folks in Gulfport are amazing. I'm impressed by the ordinary people who work together to rebuild their community in such an extraordinary way

It was an honor to work with the 15 other participants from my church on this project. Looking forward to next year, wherever that may be!

Out of Chaos ....... Hope!

Check back here for more stories!

VBS - 50th Anniversary

Yep! It's the 50Th Anniversary of my first time at VBS. I was thinking about that today. I have been working at my church's VBS the last 15 years or so. In my previous life ( first marriage) I worked a few years, and while I was in high school. I, of course attended from the time I was about 5 or so til I was too old. Probably a Sophomore in high school.

It was always fun to hang out with church friends. They usually went to a different school, so you only saw them on Sunday and at camp or VBS.

Anyway, I am going to the same church I grew up in. My grandparents, started going there in the late 1930s when they moved to St. Louis from the Kansas City, Kansas area. My mom was from Texas, and met my dad when she was staying with her aunt.....but that is story for another day.

The past several years I have been the craft lady. I volunteered to do the Bible Adventure story this year, to give one of our newbie volunteers a stab at the crafts. I think Laura is having a good time. I was a bit reluctant about the Bible Stories. I am a Christian, ( a Liberal Evangelical as some of us like to call ourselves....so as not to be confused with the right wing..... and all of their baggage....I have enough baggage of my own.)

Anyway, I am a Christian, but I am not a Biblical Scholar. I confess I fall into the very same trap as the Conservatives.....we both suffer from "Selective, Literal, Biblical Interpretation. I pick and choose the scriptures I want to pay attention to.Dangerous for everyone involved. So...do you really want me to tell your kid Bible Stories. One of my favorite scriptures is from Micah...."What does the Lord require of you....seek justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God." And I love the story about Judith, who seduces the enemy, Holofernes, hacks off his head and saves her people. We never get to tell that story in VBS. Not to mention the fact I am a Presbyterian (PCUSA) , a reformed protestant, Christian group....and Judith is not in "our" Bible.....bummer.


Sometimes, I just have very basic rules about faith. "God loves you, love your neighbor, no exceptions!" It seems simplier that way.

So I need a lot of direction. But it's working out. Yesterday, we all had leprosy, but were cured by Jesus, and we learned to be thankful. Today, Jesus made the blind man see, with a little mud and spit....we reenacted the event....using blindfolds, and oatmeal....much tidier, and we learned to be helpful to others. Tomorrow we walk on water. The directions make is seem sooooo easy. Thursday is the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus and Friday is Pentecost. WOW! Heavy stuff! So keep me in your prayers.

check out our VBS here http://oakhillpcusa.blogspot.com/

Back to the start of this post.....I was thinking about it being the 50th anniversary of my first time at Bible School. My parents even taught at Bible School thru the years. In the photo you will see me, with the sunflower, along with my brother and sister-in-law, and my great niece ( their grand daughter), she is busy being shy. But this is Payton's first time at VBS. Her mom went to VBS here too, once or twice, and so did her grandpa, my brother, Jim. I'm not sure if my sister-in-law(Pat) ever attended VBS here or not, but she did join the church when she was in high school. Well, I talked Jim and Pat into helping out this year. Everyone seems to be having a great time, and learning that God loves them, and that they should love their neighbor, no exceptions. I'll wait and tell them the story about Judith and Holofernes on another day.

Take time to smell the roses

On See it Say if Saturday......last week, this great art work was featured, created by Joanna Grant. It makes me think about how I need to take time to smell the roses, and I haven't been the past week or so, (I did take some time on April 1 , I'll tell about it later.) I was way tooooo involved in setting up for our church rummage sale. I invested about 40 hours of work into the project over the past two weeks, it was worth the effort, we made about $850 and met some great people and sent our leftovers out into the world through "Free Cycle", sold some to a local thrift store who serves immigrants to our community, sent some books to an area book fair that is supporting one of the "old mansions" in St. Louis, and then this week we'll send some more clothes to an area shelter. Good work, but....it kept me away from my on-line fun for the past week. But I did manage to buy some goodies. Great things, that no doubt, will enhance my artistic endeavors for months to come. Check these out.

These cool buttons were on a fleece vest, that didn't fit, it was left at the end of the day, I took the buttons and sent the vest for recycling.

A future shrine, from a jewlery kit box.
Cute, tiny, vintage santa, made in Japan, has to be from the 50s.
I can feel myself becoming organized as we speak, two double drawer card files, I can see my little clipart pixs and ephemera filed in these.
This has to be a little church from a train set, I remember one of these either at my childhood home or grandmother's house. Hmmmm, it can become a pattern and who knows what else!!

There were a few other cool things I picked up, including some books, and bowls, and other assorted crafting things I couldn't live without.