Texas Premier Contemporary Fine Art by Laurie Justus Pace

The dog is watching the minnows, the boy is desperately trying to catch them...but they are elusive. Reminds me of life. We watch what is going on and see things we want to "Catch" or be a part of. Often it is not part of God's overall plan for our lives and I think we end up frustrating ourselves by trying to grasp onto things that will never be ours. Pray for the wisdom to know when to wade in the water. Timing is everything....that is a GOD THING!

Yesterday morning early found me painting. I finished up one that I will post on Sunday most likely. It truly makes me catch my breath when I hit the studio and see it on the easel. I hope it finds a warm wonderful home. It is large, 24 x 36 and of course one of my equine paintings.

Mom phoned early yesterday. We decided we would go visit Cousins' Pianos over in Garland as I continue my trek of piano hunting. It is a small store tucked just off Garland Rd but easy to find. The outside of the building did not truly invite you in, you had to want to be going in there to stop. As we crossed the threshold of the door we were welcomed with a huge showroom, filled with light, color and beautiful pianos. Quite a transformation from the outside of the store. On my immediate left was a tiny tiny grand. Like a Teacup Grand. It was a Knabe which is the same make as my mom's newly restored piano. The outside structure of the piano was worn...loved as it had been played often. As my hands rested on the key board, I smiled as my fingers stroked the keys listening to the hammer action and the beautiful voice that greeted my ears. I smiled at mom and said, NICE! We toured the room oohing and aahing over the $65,ooo Steinway and from there down to the $3000 import from China. The import sounded okay but you only have a value of $150 once it leaves the showroom floor.

I drew out my house plans in the front area for the piano room. With the Frank Lloyd Wright influence the music room has ceilings at 45 degree angle pitches to pull the sound up and then rolling it into the round living room and sending it through out the house. The only true walls in the main living area is the wall between the kitchen and the living room. Other than that, no walls. The bedroom wing has walls of course. So the sound fills the house. Upon examination we ruled out an upright and I "Climbed out of the boat to walk on the water".

"How much is the Knabe in the window?" That little "how much is the doggy in the window...the one with the waggly tail...." was playing in my mind. I felt stupid even asking. Terry always says if you have to ask how much it is you can't afford it. We walked over to "her" and the man told me the insides were totally rebuilt and to have it refinished would be $3000 additional dollars. I asked if it had to be refinished or could I buy it as it was. He gave me a price and my eyes almost fell out. $4500. The Chinese Import was $3000. This was only $1500 more for this absolutely most astounding sound. He showed me one more Knabe that was $6500 but I didn't like the sound on it as much and it did not have the insides redone but the outside was beautiful. Needless to say I am walking on the water in faith that I can paint and sell enough to cover my new piano. She will either be delivered this afternoon or in the morning. My mom was chuckling over all of this. She decided she loved "her" too. She said when she downsizes from her big house, she will take my tea cup baby and give me her baby. I promise pictures in the next few days....and will continue my walk in faith.

Grace,
Laurie

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." 1 Chronicles 16:34

Okay so I forgot yesterday. A lot going on! MORGAN did get a full time sub position with Nothwest ISD as a special Ed teacher at Nance Elementary. Your prayers were of such great support to him! Thank you! It is not official yet, but I think he starts Monday. They did not offer a "Contract" as in Full Time Teacher because we are passed the half way mark in the school year. This way the district does not have to pay benefits. Will keep you posted on progress.

This is a quick entry this early early morning. I could not sleep due to shoulder pain and am up in my jamas to paint awhile. Terry is sound asleep where I should be, but my rolling around was keeping him awake.

I have been unpacking his stuff now. Probably why my shoulder and neck hurt. I shake my head in disbelief at the accumulation of plastic model kits that are in this house. Remember they are in cardboard boxes. BUGS like cardboard boxes. This may lead to further discussion at a later date. I will give him time to see what he will do with the thousands I am unpacking. I did a big no- no yesterday. I unpacked some of the finished models and put them in the beautiful glass case I bought for displaying them. The light was on and after several hours, one of the models melted and was disfigured. he was not too upset, but I was frantic with guilt. I was trying to make him feel nested.

I long to get back to simplicity. I vowed as I carted boxes out for big trash pick up that I would fill the curb monthly of STUFF that was not needed. Simplicity meant unpacking and setting up a household in two days. Guys, this has been TWO MONTHS. I really do not like living like this. Simplicity is best. I will continue to week through my own personal stuff and hope eventually he will see the light and do the same!

Grace,
Laurie

“In the Lord you are light. Live as children of light.”—Ephesians 5:8

This was the original painting I did for Lynda in Connecticut. Her little girls were really little in this painting and are at least three or four years older now. Maybe even six years older. I believe when she sent me photos they were older even when I painted this. She also has three little boys. A well rounded crew to be sure. This painting took honors in an international art show when it was done.

Well, yesterday was full of surprises. I want to share with you right now.


Yesterday, after two days of hell with QUICKEN and both the PC and the Mac, finally at five p.m. it was figured out. Please remember I am not a huge computer person. It was not Quicken. Despite all my attempts around the problem I could not break through. I did break down. We even updated to 2008 version of Home and Business. Terry is convinced programs are set to break down at a certain point to make sure you buy the new version. I buy that one! So we did, but our problem still was there. It was at Five pm I realized that we use FIREFOX as our browser. Internet Explorer was not connecting to the internet. Not being a computer geek I did not click to this two days ago. I went to Microsoft and downloaded the latest greatest Internet Explorer and presto, it all works again. Even though Firefox worked and I could access the internet, Intuit products use IE for access and if your IE is broken you aren't going anywhere. Pressure let off. I could have brewed and stewed all day yesterday, but brother Kirk had said he would be home today and I knew he would help resolve the problem, so at eleven yesterday I had backed away from the computer to press on with other things.

That is when the phone rang and I was invited to come view the art dept at SMU. I have considered getting my Masters Degree. The Advising Professor seemed to think I was partially crazed as to why. I make my living with my art...and am finding success with it...why go back? The answer is crystal clear...I want to see growth. I want to press the limits in painting. I want to explore and question. I want to have to be accountable for this by peers that offer genuine response to my work. It is something I am praying over. Would life be better if?? Probably not, but it would change. Wisdom would be gained through the process.

Change you can count on every day. EVERY MOMENT. But right now enjoy this moment. I know when we were on the SMU campus, we also visited the Meadows Museum and saw the current exhibit. We had been wanting to go and had not been able to squeeze it in our lives with the heat out, the fixing of that situation, the catching up on the house, wash etc...but the Prof called and we were out the door in ten minutes. After the hour visit we were at the museum.

Take this day like a child would with simple anticipation of something happening. Accept the change in your life and float through it. God it there and keeps you wrapped in his arms. In less than a second he can Change your life.

Grace,
Laurie

"And the LORD changed the wind to a very strong west wind, which caught up the locusts and carried them into the Red Sea. Not a locust was left anywhere in Egypt." Exodus 10:19

WE HAVE HEAT! I even took a hot shower this morning and got to wash my hair. PRAISE the Lord for the plumber.

This painting was a commissioned piece for a collector in New York. I painted these two little ones when they were VERY little. Sisters in the Sand. I will post that one tomorrow for you. This is for their room. I kept in mind pinks and purples and light greens!

Today is full of packing paintings and trying to clean up the house a bit. It was neglected over the freeze period. Also am battling with Quicken on both the MAC and the PC. Any Quicken Coaches out there? No one speaks English with the Quicken HELP on the phones. Can't get anything from the forum either. So much for working on taxes. It is obvious the Lord wants my energy directed elsewhere.

Make a plan and hear the chuckles from heaven. Spiritual discovery and Enlightenment is ahead...I just need to be still and listen. One of those meditating moments in life.

Sending warmth out to all! Remember to keep my youngest in Prayer today in his second interview. We are all hoping that it works, but realize it must be part of the Lord's plan. Others back for the second interview have their prayers offered up as well, so we will pray that the Lord works in Morgan's life to bring him to the position he needs to be in.

Grace,
Laurie

“The God who has girded me with strength has opened wide my path.”—2 Samuel 22:33

This is a familiar composition to others I have painted. It is a relaxing composition of assertiveness. I hope you caught that one! They are gorgeous in person and make you feel like you are in a garden.

A warm garden would be nice right now. The house is at 45, my studio is at 62. There is no hope for heat until probably Wednesday or Thursday. The men got the hole about done. It has to be 24 inches deep for city inspection. We have to do the plumbing part and then get a plumber to OK the work ...of course that is after the permit procedure from the city. WHY did I move to the city? Someone remind me again. I just pray at this point to have heat before next Saturday when I am hosting an open house for perspective students and their parents.

Meanwhile I went to bed dirty, cold and hungry. I felt homeless, but knew there was a structure around me. Terry left for work taking my car again. I am sort of stuck here. He has his truck loaded with a door and blocking the compressor of the jack hammer so no one will steal it. So, I can't even get to my mom's to shower this morning or to get warm. It must be that Man Thing again. It is easy for Patience to be wearing thin, especially for me being stuck in this place trying to cook using my crock pot full time, washing dishes and clothes in one hundred percent cold water. It is wonderful that Monday is a national holiday and all city offices are closed. Brings a happy smile to your face knowing all those folks are at home in a warm place enjoying their day off.

Every day is a new day filled to the brim with unlimited possibilities. Miracles happen as well. God is at work blessing each of us, me and Terry included, and we have much to be thankful for. (Especially the hot cup of tea next to me.) I give thanks to the Lord for my family. For my son that worked 10 hours yesterday on this pit, Ben who came by giving guidance and direction, my mom for providing pizza for lunch and my husband for his body heat in bed last night. (Egads the bedroom never got above 55 with the little heater on.)

I wait for a miracle plumber, a city permit, a brand new connected gas line and eventually a new heater! I wait upon the Lord.

Grace,
Laurie

“This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.”—2 Timothy 1:9

Still freezing outside and inside. I have issues that I am dealing with on a both a physical and spiritual level. Trying to understand how we will have heat before the ice storm hits on Monday...and all the pipes freeze below the house because we have no heat in the house to keep them flowing. Morgan arrived yesterday about four and chopped down huge bush/trees by the gas meter. Then TP arrived with a jack hammer. Morgan is suppose to return today to jack hammer. TP will cut rebarb when he makes it home at four.

OF course my brain goes entirely a different direction. We are turning Morgan loose with a jack hammer and NO experience... while Terry toddles off to work. ( BELIEVE ME as I watched Morgan trying to do this yesterday and had to remove myself from the window out of laughter and fear rolled together.) Morgan has no jack hammer experience and no health insurance if he gets injured....and has a major second interview for his teaching position on Tuesday. He needs NOT to be injured or ill from working outside in 30 degree weather. HUMMM, then you think about this. The plumber wanted $1400 to do the job. If Morgan gets hurt we have to cover the ER and recovery and him not working. (Remember this is the son that fell off the roof hanging Christmas lights.) If Terry stays home from work the difference if minimal of maybe $250 of pay loss for part of the day. If the pipes freeze under the house over the next five or six days, we have a $2000 deductible on our insurance and then we would face the cost and time of repair. Hummm 1400 or 2000 and more construction....IS this truly another MAN thing again? To quote my husband, "I will take care of this."

Okay so I am suppose to turn this over to the Lord. I know the Lord gave me wisdom as well, but I don't think it holds up against the MAN THING "I can fix this." I laughed yesterday as Morgan knocked on the door and said Terry was leak testing and doing something. In my mind I thought, "Lord, I wish Ben (Terry's Dad) was here. I know he knows what he is doing." In a blink Morgan almost echoed my prayer...as I said, "Watch out for Terry and you all try not to blow up yourselves and the house." and Morgan replied, "I am not worried, Grampa Ben is here." It was then I heard the familiar whistle coming around the corner of the house. I give thanks for our dear Ben daily.

So my prayer today is for the Lord to guide, guard and protect my son as he takes on this MAN JOB that his father should be home doing. I am sitting here shaking my head NO NO NO....and reminding myself...this is part of a larger plan out of my hands. What can the Lord be thinking...is this another LORD THING? Well, of course. TRUST FAITH... keep reminding me.
Okay Daily word hits it all today "LET GO LET GOD".... I will trust my creator. I read this all when I went to pick up a bible verse...and as always God is speaking and I must listen...quiet my heart and listen.

Grace,
Laurie

“For I will restore health to you.” —Jeremiah 30:17

If I could type with rattled teeth I would be doing so. Hard enough to type with gloves on and will be more challenging to paint with gloves on this morning. I was happily chatting with a friend when hubby arrived home yesterday and announced it smelled like gas outside the front door. I hurried through the door to the outside and almost passed out.

We did further investigation and he did leave the propane turned on at the grill on the patio next to the kitchen. He promptly cut it all off and we waited ten minutes and investigated again. More gas smell but not as strong. We called the City Gas company. The Instructions left me shaking with laughter despite the seriousness of the situation. Realize it is 34 degrees outside at this time. The woman is saying do not flip any switches in the house on or off. Do not turn anything off that is running. Gather your purse and pets and evacuate the house. DO NOT start any cars. Then she proceeds to tell me I have to wait for the gas man to come or they will automatically turn off my gas no matter what.

I stopped and waited and repeated her instructions until the very end and said "and I evacuate the house with my large dogs, purse and have to wait outside until the man comes ...wait in the freezing cold? Might I add that I receive AARP now and come close to qualifying as a Senior Citizen at age 55 along with my heart condition which does not do well with cold?"

You my reader realize of course NO NEIGHBOR is going to take me in with my dogs. They are large and dirty right now. My husband says he will brave the situation, stay manning the sinking ship and the dirty dogs and sent me in my car to my mothers three blocks away. I needed to do my walking anyway so I used their treadmill. (Yes 8500 steps yesterday and Stacey it works knowing you have to blog it!) The gas man arrived in due time and announced we had a leak between the meter and the house. OUR PROBLEM, but they inflexible about cutting off the gas. NO hot water, no heat... but the computer works. We slept under blankets with my small electric heater blowing on the bed. Terry set it up on my cedar chest. It was noisy but warm. I now have the small heater in here, but the area is 25 x 25 so it may not warm up much today in here. It is only going into the forties outside.

With our tight budget at the moment the thought of a plumbers bill where concrete has to be torn up just squeezes my tummy into pain. I pulled out our American Home Shield book ( this policy came with the house) and I think we might be covered. Will know more later. Don't truly have an options to NOT fix this problem.

Meanwhile yesterday I did complete designing and printing my invitations that I will mail out to the homes in the area that I am ready to teach ....piano, guitar and art. Note I said Piano and I have none. Now my prayer warriors is your turn to pray for this miracle. No money for one, no hand-me -downs from anywhere,...but somewhere God has an instrument for me to raise praise on daily. A piano to teach and inspire others to play in his praise. To hear a piano ring and sing brightly with the joy and passion of the player celebrating the good in Life, the GOD in life. I am trusting and on through this blog we will see what happens. Divine order is in place. It flows constantly filled with God's love through our lives. Daily Word says, "I am where I need to be to give and receive a blessing today."

Laurie

"You are good and do good; teach me your statutes." Psalm 119:68

Tuesday is dawning slowly. I have been busy gathering up pieces for a new store in Marble Falls Texas. I have two commission pieces to do for the Stanges and their new store as well as some gorgeous canvas Giclees. LARGE ones. They are all embellished and I cannot even begin to describe the creativity and delight that went into these! In some ways it is so critical as you embellish and in others it is like icing a cake and doing all the decorations. I had not printed the large Canvas Giclees on my printer until last night. Terry and I were mesmerized by the clarity and color. There are tremendous in quality. Each is hand embellished (which takes about an hour of time with the size they are) and hand signed again. I printed up some posters for him too and have one of my new The Painted Pony Book Second Edition on it's way here to ship with his things. I do not remember the name of the store, but it opens in March and I will make sure I continue to keep everyone posted!

Walking with the dogs yesterday was interesting. I have been wearing my pedometer and egads realized I do not walk enough steps in a day. I am sure I have computeritis with my sudden weight gain of 15 pounds.... I am either at the easel or at the computer or cleaning the house. Neither of these entail major walking....so walking will become an obsession to get to the required 10,000 steps a day. I imagine it is good for all of us to set goals, especially since this is January. We need to depend on each other to remind gently when we stray. I know Stacey decided she has to loose weight. She is trying to get pregnant and doesn't want to battle weight afterwards. She had lost quite a bit of weight last year on Weight Watchers, but after the death of their 11 year old son...my special grandson that still tugs at my heart every day....she succumbed to the stress and put back on part of what she fought to lose. She decided she may try the blog system where she has to be honest about her thoughts, her food intake, her weight, etc and share it with her close friends. I don't know if I could go international with my weight loss. Terry cringes as it is when he sees me blogging now. That is why he is still asleep.

My son has a goal this year too. I need you all praying for him! After the death of little Grant, Morgan realized he had the gift of teaching. He is fourth generation to teach! He connected with Grant like none of us could. Morgan has been that way his entire life though. He always championed and befriended the special folks around him. He seems to have that innate ability to make those around him feel special and important. Folks like him have something seeded inside that allow them to feel what is truly needed in situations. He is substituting for Northwest ISD right now and has interviewed for a special education position with Nance Elementary. I told him last night, even if he didn't get the position, he had to hang in there because God was guiding his path and he would find his place through God's direction. Truly I say to you, it is impossible to live on the substitute salary, so continue to keep him in thought for me as he finds his way to a permanent teaching position.

So in celebration of my brave daughter and son, Goals it is for today. Set a simple one for the week. Add a prayer or a meditation moment somewhere in your day today and do it for a week. OR add a habit. Call someone you haven't spoken to in a long time. Do that every day for a week. Or, rearrange your priorities. God should be first, you should be second, your spouse third and then the crazy kids. Put your life back in order for one week. AND everyone...hug yourself today and each day for the rest of the week. Close your eyes and hug yourself. Breathe ~ relax~ and know God is with you always.

Laurie

"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:20

Six a.m. Wow I slept in today! Terry is still asleep but there is much to do so I am up as always working. Today is ship and pack day and I must have all my work ready for shipping so he can pack it. I am patiently waiting for a canvas order to arrive. I am down to almost nothing to paint on. Very frustrating.

I spoke with Stacey last night and she bought bacon for 50 cents. She said it was five dollar bacon but with all her coupon adjustments it was only fifty cents. Sounds like she could do this coupon thing for working people and save them tons of money. Wonder if I can hire her. Not going to the grocery store would not be missed.

Terry and Morgan are suppose to bring a load from the Storage Unit. Only about 14 more days until we have to have it empty. I am going to list the Lawn mower on Craig's List today as well. It is a huge one with lots of attachments for a large yard. You could probably cut ours with a push mower now...very small.

Terry says the dogs need psychiatric help over the change in their lives. Do you ever feel that way? Things are running loose out of control and nothing, simply nothing is happening or unfolding the way you thought it should? Welcome to my world. With age I have learned the trick is to float along and find happiness in what is there. Seek the positive and give thanks for it however small it might be. Just like the dogs, it takes time and patience to switch your thoughts from where you think you should be going to where you actually are. If you waste energy and thoughts on what should have been you are wasting your life. God has plans for you.


Grace,
Laurie

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8

Brrr Cold outside it is. I am up and ready for a hard day in the studio. I was rather distracted yesterday between my haircut, shopping with Stacey and added adventures through out the day. This painting was finished this morning with last touches. Simple splashes of color combining with light to bring out an early morning cup of tea from last Thursday.

Shopping with Stacey. My daughter has become QUEEN of COUPONS. Don't know exactly when she contracted the illness but it has it grasp on her pretty tight. I am not one to scoff at coupons. I remember when in my early days I had a pouch of neatly clipped out coupons all organized into their cozy little slots waiting to be plucked out and turned in at the cash register. I believe I did this in and out over about a ten years period. I finally trashed the little coupon holder about 18 years ago. I haven't really looked backward. This week EVERY time she spoke to me on the phone she kept clamoring on about toilet paper. Not only does she have a CVS pharmacy card now but she uses an online grocery coupon site to tell her all the best deals to combine with the Sunday coupons. I groan inwardly just wishing I had time or energy to even contemplate such things. Well this week the best deal going was at CVS pharmacy for those of you who used Cottonelle Toilet Paper. We switched from 35 years of Charmin when I discovered Charmin was on the top list of WANTED by the plumbers society. They truly dislike Charmin homes. So with this move I stopped buying the bad guy and choose to try Cottenelle. It is pretty good as toilet papers go.

One of the joys of old age is not feeling pressured to back stock so much stuff. Would hate to have the kids cleaning out the house and discovering 1000 rolls of Paper Towels, 3000 rolls of Toilet Paper, 80 cases of kleenix etc. They could open their own store. So when she began babbling about BEST BUYS on Cottenelle TP, I tuned her out. Saturday at the hairdresser while I was captive in the chair and could not escape she started in again as to our first stop after the hairdresser was to CVS pharmacy for more TP. Mind you she has already purchased 12 cases of twenty rolls, each roll considered to be the jumbo roll equal to two. So in the old world this translates to 480 rolls of TP. That is more than one roll a day. Here she is ready to go buy more. Her story is "Do you know how much toilet paper my husband uses?" I didn't want her to answer that one. At CVS there is a limit of 4 of those Case like sizes. After stopping at several CVS pharamcies (Some did not even carry them) we found an end cap filled with the long sought after Toilet Paper. She drags around the corner managing two baskets and begins filling them. We have eight huge loaded paper cases of TP and as I wheel my cart precariously forward, adding 19 cents Christmas Wrapping paper to the top...I look back and can barely see the top of her head. She is only 5 ft tall. I crack up with the image.

Yes I came home with four of those cases. She has four more for her house. I gave one to Morgan who was here working in the studio. I chuckle because he thought he was getting a four pack or a six pack. We seat belted the twenty pack in the front seat of his truck. It might pass for a second passenger in the HOV lane. I offered to put a floppy hat on it.

I can't wait to see what she finds this week to focus on.

Shalom,
Laurie


"Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." James 4:14