Room with a View

MIMI's BOYS

2011-11-26T19:58:00.000-08:00

Jeremy with his son Cole Pic 2 Max 18 and Cole 10 months Pic 3 Cole...Mimi's BOYS!

It has been such fun to have crumbs and sippie cups and little grand boys under toe! This has truly been a Thanksgiving to remember. Now it is time to put out the mistletoe even though the decor changes with each passing season the sweet memories linger. Never mind the unswept floors, laundry and all the leftovers. While people are swept in a shopping freenzy I am choosing to linger a little longer.

As I kissed my youngest 10 month old good bye as he bundled up to get ready for an early flight to San Franscico it made me remember tucking in my son soon to be 32 in a few days. Where did the time go? We were running off to soccer and football and packing for college. Seems like the only room I remember decorating was the nursery, the next years time was spent cleaning and sorting, in fact I cannot honestly remember the color or even the furniture in his room, the smell of football uniforms still remains! And now all I remember is the precious smile that framed his face and looks so much like little Cole.

This brought back the first time he caught my eyes with the sparkle that said "I love you mommy" and we connected. Now, as Mimi I assume another role to see things differently than before. My eye for design always catches the unusual. The unusual caught my heart. I saw the interior of my son light up. His eyes attached to the smile of his son. The attraction was mutual. They hit the "sweet spot". Both corners of their mouths lovingly curled. My heart melted with the interplay of emotions. This explains why a room takes on so many directions and often one color interplays against another giving it the strength to remain. Love is that way.

All of a sudden it did not matter to me the frustrations of the week before and the misunderstandings that Jeremy and I had had over the years. Wasted words and frayed emotions steal our sleep. This holiday truly was a time to give THANKS. Never mind how having a fussy, sick baby is exhausting. Even though Cole's nose was runny he never stopped smiling, that was enough to make us forget his cries. This reminds me of the color of paint for my bathroom. It was a designers migraine. I have been so frustrated with three different colors and purchases of paint. Like harsh words they are costly. If only we could paint over them like my bathroom. I finally 'let go" of worrying about the color and asked my painter to bring over some left overpaint. I would choose from his overages. I selected a subtle grey taupe. It was perfect. I let go of expectations.

This Thanksgiving I wanted to serve my family. There were moments when I was reluctant. I kept letting go and allowing love to lead. I watched each glass clanging as we toasted and lovingly waited for each child's warm response. Even the hurtful moment with Jeremy, like Cole's crying vanished when I heard his warm remarks. As I kept observing his reaction to his own son my own misunderstood feelings dissolved. I now understood how fierce his love and care for his son was. Like I told him LOVE ALWAYS WINS.

My mother heart yearns to always restore and strengthen the foundation of our relationship. Honor mixed with love will be the winning touchdown. This is something I want him to teach his son. This builds a secure family. If there is anything I have learned in a design process there are NO short cuts. You will always pay more later. I often tried to patch up a hurt when more preparation was required. Because of fear inside me from a fractured marriage. I often tried to do a quick fix instead of a lasting repair. I needed to expose the pain before trying to cover it up. We try to plaster our way over the rough spots in life when we really need to examine the size of the crack.

This week seeing my son look into his precious Cole's eyes was a delight. There bonding is deep. There love and compassion will increase. My hope is they will not take short cuts in their relationship and plan their course. We spend so much time planning our rooms, purchasing the furniture and collecting. If only we spent as much time, money and energy in our family building skills. What we own, store and collect is never as important as the time we spend looking into the eyes of a child and encouraging them in their development.

Over the years most of my collecting has been showing up beneath the dust, tucked inside unopened boxes in the garage. The last two months I have been sorting, giving and hoping the kids would want some of the treasures I so neatly and secuely stored. I even found a trophy with the head off, not sure which kid that belonged to but it finally hit the trash. My eyes have been opened. I am thankfully letting go. My heart is filled with expectation.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SON...YOU WILL ALWAYS BE MIM's LITTLE BOY!

Have you ever wondered why?

2011-09-13T16:16:00.001-07:00

2011-09-13T16:14:00.000-07:00

Doors and Windows

2011-07-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

Architectural details: Holmsted Manor, outside West London

Have you ever noticed all the different styles in architectural elements? Doors and windows always captivate my imagination . Who lived here? What is behind the darkened panes? Noticing the substantial hewn frames and often refined woodwork entices the senses to savor more. Recent travel to Israel and London in June heightened these taste buds. Sights kept widening my view. I wanted to see, touch, and taste all the architectural elements. Time etches a myriad of organic patterns that fascinate the eye.

When looking through the eye of a camera lens one finds a focal point. As the pictures are reviewed we either delete or save. A trip away always reinforces what we know. For me what the Bible says in Romans about all things working together for our good because He LOVES us kept me going. His LOVE remained my center of attention. Every day was not filled with sunshine but there was always a new point of interest. As I touched and felt the history and researched what was behind the closed doors and gates, a new sense of purpose was formed.

Looking thru gate to King David Hotel Jerusalem

The trip was not only a new experience to assist in a film project(Israel) but also "sourcing" for the newly forming non profit, come create.org. and re-aligning with YWAM London. For you not in the DESIGN world, we are always "sourcing" new materials and compiling our vendors for new projects. Discovery of wonderful products leads to innovative ways to change an environment. I always enjoy when the publications come to my desk- it seems to get creativity moving. One just arrived, got me thinking..

Are you always looking for ways to access change? Change is constant. I met a wonderful writer in London Christen Forester, in his book THE SUPRA-NATURAL LIFE, he wrote some things that changed me. His thoughts on our pasts strengthened me. He said they cannot be erased; however, they can re-shape our history. He refers to how "our soul carries our story".

Starting to open the closed heavy doors to my marred past caused me to re-claim the wood to re-use. If one woman can open a new door of hope and look thru spotless glass to her bright future, then late nights wondering and uncertain days will turn to good. Without faith, it would be impossible. Without hope it would be unbearable, but with HIM it has been foreseeably possible. So glad it has been said "you have a prophetic eye". Eagle sight soars. G-d's gifts create insight, leading to foresight avoiding hindsight. In the case of exploited women, keen perception is necessary because there are unfortunately no beautiful magazines to "source".

Design is a natural. In this new project I must rely on the supra-natural. The doors are opening and there are ones yet to be closed. We must remember not all closed doors are forever. It was once said "where there is a closed door there is always an open window".

Hiding in the past of exploited women caught in sexual slavery there is always more to untie. It is like peering through a GLASS DARKLY tied together with wire. Like abandoned buildings often the glass is broken and dirty. One touching story unraveled in my London connections, one of many. http://www.beyondthestreets.org.uk/index.php/blog/entry/the_church_and_prostitution/

This led me to believe that there is much more to dig up in the graveyard of the past. Lest HISTORY repeat itself we must learn how to be the solution. The pictures saved in my mind are the ones that tell this story. What develops will only be met with more open and closed doors and I am sure darkened, damp windows. If we can COME CREATE CHANGE that frees one woman bolted behind closed doors, then history will be rewritten.

The doors keep opening and connections are unfolding for an art venue in London. This exhibit prior to the Olympics would raise awareness and funding for existing organizations who already open their doors to sexually exploited women. Will you believe with me that dreams will come true. It is time to open doors and windows and let the LIGHT shine. We will re-claim ancient pathways. Open wide the doorways of your hearts!

Commonwealth Buildings London Christies art auction 6-28-11

personal discovery

2011-04-12T11:28:00.000-07:00

As co-founders we believe all creativity is G-d given and within the fabric of a women's soul and when discovered it becomes a motivating force to fulfill life purpose. Passion has pushed us into purpose. We women give life. We are carriers for greatness. We believe in lasting cross generational legacies. As a mother, daughter team we expect to learn as much as we impart.

Our creative assignments have knit us together. Our different world views have strengthened our friendships and balanced our sight. We share career dreams and have even worked together in my interior design company. We both have taught art to children and are constantly learning from them "how to create". Our artists inspire us. Vision compels us. Our canvas is the world and we have no favorite color. We want to depict colors that portray a womans' heart. We believe we have a G-d idea. May this idea incubate and create new streams of thought and action.

Our education is not as important as the life lessons. We both have studied at the University of the Nations and consider Youth with a Mission vital to our DNA. However I have a B.A. in art with graduate classes and am even an ordained minister. I refer to myself as the "minister of the interior". We have both travelled the world studying and observing . Joy has completed courses in design, photography and now completing her degree in film. 20/20 vision drives us to continue our search to see a solution for social injustice.

Life is a discovery. Let life discover you. Uncover potential.

Mary Ann Hopkins and Joy Hopkins

Contagious Creativity

2011-03-13T19:29:00.000-07:00

COME CREATE.org contagious creativity

WHO WE ARE

Come Create with us. We believe creativity is contagious. We expose women to creative ideas that paint themselves out of the dark corner of their world of INJUSTICE through education and contagious love by connecting women to women who will offer HOPE and practical assistance.

A VOICE

With our creative endeavors and special artistic workshops, women will display their corner of the world through art. This traveling art exhibit will release a SOUND as well as sight. EMPOWERMENT will come as corporations and Nations listen. Our VOICE becomes louder as we are one. We will partner with existing organizations that are active in women's advocacy. Our target will be to identify women at risk, those exploited through sex and trafficking caught in gender and domestic violence on a daily basis.

EDUCATION

We want creative expression to be realized and dignity restored. Just like job training skills are often learned more readily on location, we too believe this collaborative effort will generate new courage for women to face their fears. Inspiration will come as they listen,laugh,and share their story with other women on the team. Our artists will be a springboard for imagination. Art, like confidence, is more often caught than taught.

ASSISTANCE

Listen. Learn. Link. We want to identify the needs, connect and link the women at risk with other NGO's for practical assistance in their area of expertise and lend creative ideas that stimulate new job opportunities.

JOIN US

YOU CAN END SLAVERY OF WOMEN WORLDWIDE. COME CREATE A CHANGE THAT INFECTS THE WORLD. CONTAGIOUS CREATIVITY.

SPRINGS VISION

2011-03-11T06:23:00.000-08:00

SPRINGS

an oasis for women seeking HOPE

OUR VISION: A NONPROFIT THAT PROVIDES A CREATIVE SPRINGBOARD TO REBUILD WOMEN’S LIVES AND PROVIDE DESTINY FOR THEIR FAMILIES.

OUR BELIEF: CREATIVITY IS G-D-GIVEN AND WITHIN THE FABRIC OF A WOMANS SOUL.

OUR MISSION: CREATIVE IDEAS USED for EDUCATION and ENPOWERMENT TO END THE CYCLE OF GENERATIONAL LOSS OF DIGNITY AND INABILITY TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES.

OUR METHOD: WORKSHOPS CONNECTING WOMEN WITH WOMEN. UNSUNG HEROINES USING ART AND DESIGN TO STIMULATE INJUSTICE AWARENESS AND ENGAGE IN BECOMING COMMUNITIES OF HOPE.

OUR MOTIVATION: “HAVING A LIFE WHERE THE HARD KNOCKS ALMOST KEPT ME UNDER AND ARISING TO BE A WOMAN WHO COULD FIX ANYTHING”. *

THE HISTORY BEHIND SPRINGS:

A single woman with 2 small babies, left penniless and a husband in prison and nowhere to turn- what can she do? That was me 28 years ago. The RESOUCES of HEAVEN opened and the greatest TREASURY of CREATIVE IDEAS erupted. As I waited, a WELL SPRING of HOPE surfaced! Further inspiration and help from other women encouraged me that I could live out my dream. I literally painted my way out of a black corner. A successful Interior Design company was launched after years of creative discovery and job opportunities of serving others. The focus and desire of SPRINGS is to be a resource and “water spring for dry women, withered and bent under life situations, and to offer an atmosphere where solutions to life’s hard problems, the cracks in the walls of hearts are fixed”.* My utmost desire is to be able to generate creative ideas with a traveling art exhibit that will create injustice awareness and new jobs.

*excerpts from the Bible Is.58:11-12

internation women's day!

2011-03-10T20:10:00.000-08:00

So excited as I launch SPRINGS, a non profit for women. ( follow upcoming blogs to learn more) Yesterday, I got the unction to start. Who would know it was International Day for Women, love those nudges!! I know my CREATIVE efforts will be a bridge to enable women to get to the other side. As a designer I can SEE the BIG PICTURE. This will take lots of connecting and resources from women on the FRONTLINE. I just attended a conference with women from the nations becoming a voice for the voiceless. This shouted loud, "now is the time. " It is of utmost importance to clearly announce freedom. HOPE for a better future comes when we point the way. I may go to London this summer. Share the excitement in this announcement. (See related article below)

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/europe/100th-Womens-Day-Marked-Globally-117592703.html

My son in law is from Germany, thrilled that this nation took the lead 1oo years ago. (read the following article) Susie Childers from YWAM, by the way is a German started an organization called VOICE TO THE VOICELESS. She vividly captures the heart of hurting women in the world thru a camera lens. I hope to connect you to her treasures. They are rare finds. The Springs project is a little different than most of my design career. I always was in search for the right piece to awaken the room. Now my quest is to find the particular women's organizations and help them thru a creative endeavor be remembered . My client's always remarked how I made a room come to life. Usually an overlooked treasure in a shopping expedition would win my heart and give life back to an ordinary room. True love for a designer. My heart's desire is to find True Love and make her recognized. The procurement will be costly, one life at a time. I intend to fill hearts, not homes with love that lasts. Love does not get stale or fade. Style depicts a trend. Love is a trend that adds style. We can set Trends. Wait and see how using mixed media and good design in a women's creative workshop will become a TREND SETTER. We will partner with women philanthropists and professional artists. As the art projects grow it will be our greatest pleasure to have an exhibit and auction of the designs and art projects.

International Women's Day: What's it all about?

I will be most excited to share my daughter's pictures she took in Egypt. She was a young woman on a mission, we will be in search of more photography to tell the story. Pictures speak volumes. We will proclaim the GOOD NEWS. Springs will be an oasis for women seeking HOPE. The Mid East will awaken to love. We will see how women who stand and fight for freedom will have creative expression. Get a taste of women in the below article caught in terrible bondage who will come out to the other side. We will exhibit their crossing. Believe with us.

In Egypt's Tahrir Square, women attacked at rally on International Women's Day

FRESH BREAD

2011-02-13T15:51:00.001-08:00

Every Thursday The Historical Society of Kona sells 'fresh' Bread at the Greenwell Coffee Farm.

Across the road on any given Thursday from Kings Mansion you can smell the aroma of fresh baked bread. It is made by members of the Historical society and tempts many a visitor. We were tempted. We stopped. Savoring the taste of the fresh bread, old Hawaii came alive in us. We realized we had been caught in the whirlwind of renovation. We needed SELAH TIME. In between bites we began to muse about the many unfinished rooms.

Come inside one of the rooms at KINGS. There is a chair marked GRACE, one "not now”, over there a pillow, like ideas tossed to the floor and picked up later with "new intention”. Here is an unfinished area. Try to imagine walking through. You will get there if you keep your eyes focused on where you are headed. Please do not open that door - that is "unfinished business”.

You must keep on this home tour with me. Do not enter the "taped off" areas. The tape is keeping people from the yet- to- be- imagined kitchen. Can you fantasize with me the smell of a roast cooking for arriving dignitaries? Permits were in place to complete the kitchen. Yet when we arrived in Kona we reacquainted ourselves with God's timing and resources.

We all can understand rooms marked ”delay”. Our visions must not get stale. We must savor the aroma of hot bread. Our time with Jesus tells us to “taste and see how good He is” even when we have no remembrance of hot bread. Our satisfaction must come from the belief that what he whispered to us before we bought the ingredients to make the bread will remain fresh. He never gives us too much at one time so we will not over eat. I love the way He tells us just what we need for the day. Manna. My mind is always racing to a new project and I forget I have unbaked bread. We need to complete what He has set before us. Is your bread in the heavenly oven? As psalm 37 says"keep delighting yourself in HIM and HE will give you the DESIRES of your heart".

Explore. Dream. Discover

2011-02-13T14:18:00.000-08:00

HISTORY always has a way of repeating itself. When you look at the Kings Mansion history prior to the purchase by YWAM in 1977 you can almost see a parallel. Mr Henry Greenwell left his English shores in 1867 with a big dream. He was in search of a cure for the "orange blight"; instead he found his bride. His dream lead to his destiny - in 1870 he put Kona coffee on the map. One historian said "his knowledge of the world gave him the confidence to expand beyond Hawaii". He was a cattle baron and a Kona coffee plantation owner. The Greenwell motto was VIRESCO - "I grow greener, I flourish".

When Henry came to Hawaii in 1866 there were only 39 foreigners. Mark Twain lived in Kona then and was surprised at the lack of Protestant missionaries.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain

Look at the rebirth of MISSIONS now in Hawaii.

The Hawaiian Islands were destined for GOD's GREATNESS. Loren Cunningham founded YWAM on the premise "TO KNOW GOD AND MAKE HIM KNOWN". He spent a life of integrity pursing this dream.

Missionaries came to Kona

I find it interesting to compare both the Greenwells founder to Ywam's founder. In the Greenwell historical notes it read: "He respected all peoples regardless of their ethnicity. He was morally and financially upright. He was hospitable. The land was important to him. The Christian Principles were the foundation of his integrity. He nurtured strong women in his family."

Loren Cunningham shares many of the same values and similarities. They are both pioneers. He planted a university not coffee. Loren was a trailblazer in missions like the Greenwells were in settling Hawaii. Think about when Elizabeth Greenwell arrived. There were only 4 other white people. She had to make the most of her creativity, not unlike Darlene Cunningham who always made the most of new situations thru her ingenuity. Warm hospitality graced both these wives. The character of their spirits remained in their homes.

Cattle,Coffee and Farming

Loren and Darlene have been in places where they felt as though they were the only ones who shared their love for JESUS. They were constantly looking for ways to expand their lands, not cattle but sending young people into new territories. He started YWAM with a dream . He saw his dreams take root as the organization flourished after its founding in 1960. He started with a dream seeing waves of young people covering the earth…with over 1300 locations for YWAM at present this dream has become reality.

We all get an opportunity to set sail for a new land. Our undiscovered field may be waiting. So many great men and women are writing books on their dreams. Let this little journal launch you into believing and seeing your rooms come alive and imagine holding meetings for great men. We can purposefully live out or aimlessly throw darts at our dreams. Where are you aiming? As we define our dreams, ideas…. we can invite our guests to sit in our rooms filled with people shaping history. Loren and Dr Bill Bright both shared the seven spheres from such a "listening moment" which has invaded our day. Christian teachers share about the need to take the 7 mountains of society worldwide. The mindset of the KINGDOM of God has expanded beyond Church walls.

What walls are restricting your creative flow? Movements change communities. Hearts are changed. Come inside and see what you will find. Use Loren's vision keys to fill your rooms. Explore new rooms, dream new colors that will lead to brilliant discovery.

MEMORY LANE

2011-01-18T10:00:00.000-08:00

Cornelia and Theo Eggenberg are a wonderful Swiss family we met while visiting the dolphins at Kealakekua Bay. As it turns out they were the last class to do their DTS at KINGS MANSION. We invited them to take a "look" at the project. They shared their story of how their lives were transformed while in the school and are still connected with building the KINGDOM while they are living in Redding, California.

As we walk down memory lane it was so rewarding to hear how many lives were impacted thru the schools at KINGS. Dave Gustaveson had tremendous vision as he taught nearly 80 schools and trained nearly 140 leaders. The worldwide schools producing leaders leave a valuable legacy for KINGS and the unfinished visions still to be seen. Many leaders will still gather here to pray, formulate ideas and change nations.

Many weddings and wonderful events took place on the grounds. Imagine how many more memories will be made. Libby Goehner shared one "fairy tale" wedding of Debbie Musick nearly 30 years ago where the very long wedding cake started to melt. The bride kept smiling and the festivities continued to melt hearts together. She also said that she had worked on various other gatherings that involved the community. They hosted an art gallery on the second floor in 2000. So many dreams were made and will continue to have happy endings!

The undergirding message in all the stories was how much love and family time was shared on the large lanai. The Greenwell's would have been right at home creating fun family times and making memories . The sunsets were unparalled; the rain never dampened a gathering.

At the GLC meetings after the Fiftieth celebration the barbeque went on as the food was still served on the covered lanai. The rain continued, but the guests were amply served and enjoyed the change. Hospitality continued in spite of a shift in barometric atmospheric conditions. The hearts and stomachs were satisfied. One of the greatest attributes this home carries within its bones is the gracious way it welcomes home her guests!

I find it heart warming to have discovered that Darlene Cunningham in 1972 answered the "call" to YWAM HOSIPTALITY. The home was not purchased until 1977 but learning to serve with "graciousness" has never left. Like Darlene, hospitality was a common thread in the former owner Elizabeth Greenwell. It was woven throughout both their lives and into the lives of Darlene's children, many YWAMer's! Here is another story recently from Debbie Rettier who was trained in Switzerland to work side by side Darlene in hospitality and still serves ." It is a priviledge to host at KINGS MANSION! Loren loves meetings at KINGS! I was given the challenge durning the remodeling to host meals for our advisory board and the President's gathering. Realizing there was no water I had to use a new basket I brought along. We used hand wipes, t.p., cloths and coolers of ice, etc...to make it a special time. In the midst of lumr, construction tools, we had delightful meals with incredible rich fellowship. God showed up. Can't wait until KINGS will be completely restored physically and spiritually."

As you see memories can be made when our rooms are not quite adequate. There will always be room for improvement. We will always have an unfinished place. The important thing to remember is to never stop dreaming and believing. We must realize potential in others. We must make room to invite guests to share with our yet to be completed dreams and visions. We can pray together, break bread together and continue to grow and GO from these unfinished spaces!

P.U.S.H.

2011-01-09T20:57:00.000-08:00

I love to have dreams come true. As a woman who prays I have seen many answers to my dreams. That is why I love to journal. We can recount the heartfelt answers. We can encourage one another as we record our mile markers.

We must still believe even when logic and medical opinion contradicts. One such dream happened yesterday as our son Jeremy and his wife gave birth to Cole Thomas. There is nothing too difficult when prayer and faith in a wonderful G-d collide. ONLY one word and all creation was formed. Let your prayers create rooms where faith, hope and love reside.

We need to pray until something happens. Our church is starting this new prayer initiative called P.U.S.H. Never get too tired that you quit. What in your room needs a PUSH? I always get help to move furniture I just ask. Do you need to rearrange your room? Is your view blocked and the color dim? Your room can take on new life.

A new YEAR, a new grandson I am determined to complete what is set before me, I will pray and jot down the ideas while in "listening prayer", wait until I "see" the dream unfold. Loren Cunningham founder of YWAM expanded on this in a wonderful teaching. He lives his dreams. Vision continues to occupy his space. Will you try and journal using this simple process? First pray, then jot down ideas record your dreams and turn these into movements that will impact communities and individuals. You will create your own rooms of vision.

King of Kings

2010-12-22T21:01:00.001-08:00

Joy and I were driving out from Kona to visit King's mansion. The car was filled with anticipation as we looked outside the window we saw the unopened crate of furniture from our warehouse in Phoenix. I began to mentally unpack and place the furniture in the rooms.

It was so fun to see the rooms of the "mansion" come to life like toy soldiers appearing to announce Christmas. As a child I loved the sugar plum fairy. The moment the rhythm of the first note I was dancing on tip toes. I was peering in the windows of my mind to see what gift would surely arrive, just like my crate of unopened furniture. Our delight was opening the crate and reminiscing what had crossed the ocean.

We arrived ahead of our crate. That was a good thing as we were fast at work cleaning and preparing the rooms. We were thankful all arrived in time for Thanksgiving. This was a season to GIVE THANKS. We at YWAM were recounting and adding memorial stones to all that the Lord had given us these past 50 years. Somehow the disappointment of unfinished floors faded as we polished the plywood. Our dreams and expectations saw the soon to be beautiful hard wood.

We went about town securing other pieces and even gathering up items from the Cunningham's. We especially loved the old Victrola. This seemed to set the "stage". I could almost hear the reverberating notes of music in the early 1900's.

We had to get the home ready for the guests to arrive. We took the liberty to decorate for Christmas. This was a great disguise for unfinished corners and bathrooms. The splendor of the rooms seemed to strike a note of sugar plums dancing in the air with each added light. The wonder of Christmas is the joy that we bring by allowing our light to shine.

One area of delight was when we had rummaged thru the shed to find old boxes of tarnished silver and an old oak dresser. This would flank the hall. The silver began to gleam with each wipe. We now began to allow the fragrance of Christmas to fill the air. We were preparing to serve even without floors, kitchen or running water. We were like children waiting to get our hands on the cookies. We would serve tea and cookies. Hospitality danced from inside the rooms like our hearts. We had discovered what was buried and unused. We would pour what we had -- LOVE.

As the guests began to come, they shared memories of former days when Youth With a Mission purchased the home in March of 1977 from the Greenwell's. This made it the first outright owned property by YWAM anywhere in the Pacific and Asia. This home would see many students and brides leave the front lanai. Guests talked about the schools they were in remembering the nearly 80 back to back training schools(DTS). It was hard to believe that at one time an estimated 4000 young Christians were trained for missions. We were all a little gray around the edges. Many of the remaining leaders in YWAM toured and traced their roots to a transformational encounter with Jesus in these rooms. We will share a few of the delightful stories in the upcoming posts and tell of all the global ministries that were birthed.

You should have heard the gasps as they turned each corner to see the beautiful finish work. The baseboards were whitely polished showcasing the love and care of the craftsman. Their gleaming eyes told it all. The mansion never looked so good. She was beginning to shine like former days. The Greenwells were considered leaders in the development of West Hawaii. Their hospitality was known throughout. Parties and family gatherings for the coffee plantation owners were the custom. The rooms must have bustled with all the love and excitement that family gatherings bring, not to mention Christmas. We were inside the heart of the home.

We now were grasping how this 1903 Hawaiian plantation-style structure perched on six acres got her name "KINGS MANSION". She truly was gracefully displaying the title in honor of the KING OF KINGS! This was a home of HONOR. It would continue to be a legend.

Plan B

2010-11-07T11:59:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been so excited that all your plans were successfully underway and you are positioned for the next task? This Saturday I was enjoying my morning cup of coffee and realizing I better do a load of wash. Plans were underway to get myself packed and organized. The morning is a peaceful place to plan for the day. I was going to spend some time celebrating the goodness of the LORD as I washed the first load.

I headed to the sunlit patio, bible in hand expectant to see and hear more clearly what else was necessary for the KINGS project. I so wanted to spend time waiting to hear if I had missed anything. Anxious thoughts vanish when GRACE comes in. That is why it is so important to know who is the giver of ALL GRACE. I love to start my day ASKing HIM big. He never fails to give us just enough GRACE for the task at hand.

Shock went thru me, not grace or peace, as I stepped from the kitchen into the family room. There was water running into the room. My emotions were in a flood and so was my floor. So much for the serene quite time. It was the mad dash for the mop and dial to stop the machine. There is more to this machine; it is washing me clean. Patience is still working herself out and JOY is spilling over. It is begining to FLOOD.

I reached for my phone to try and call the gentleman I recently purchased the machine from on Craig's list. I was sure I could get him on an early Saturday morning. Problemo number two, I could not find his number in my new phone. MY PLANS WERE NOT WORKING. I forgot, I purchased a new phone yesterday. This phone I am told will make my life "more efficient". I could not get the new SMART PHONE to find his number. Moments seemed like hours as I scrambled to find a land line and the ad with his number. Was I ever learning how man plans his day but it is only thru the GRACE of GOD that we realize how to let go of our controls. Later I learned that it was an imperfect control dial that fizzeled out. All sensors can go haywire when left untended, it had been unused for 6 months. We really can learn from this and see where are lines are plugged up. This throws the timing and sensors all off. He delivered a better machine to me with more cycles and sensors to go wrong. Blessings do come with unexpected surprises. GRACE had washed frustration and anxiety away.

Next on my "list" was a scheduled pickup at a client's estate. Saturday continued, in spite of 'my timing' being off. I managed to call him before my new phone episode. He assured me not to worry, he would handle it and told me to enjoy my grandson. Then came the unfamiliar ring. Who could be calling? "Mary Ann , this is Eric we are at the gate. Is it the very large home with the lake inside"? "Yes", I respond what is the problem? He goes on to say that the gentleman is not answering his call. I immediately wonder if he got a new smart phone and cannot answer it? Should I dare try voicemail? Not sure how to text... The efficient plans I had scheduled this day were drawing to an end. Like the phone I did not know how to make them work!

Alas my bundle of joy arrived. Max was here. My plans would now be just as expected. WONDERFUL INDEED. I opened my computer before reaching for Max. Oops! No this could not be so. The crate had NOT departed safely and was NOT securely inroute sailing the ocean blue. They changed the PLAN. This news was unexpected. It did not suit my plan. The plan was efficiently executed on my end. Was God speaking louder? It was begining to FLOOD. Grace got reintroduced. She came at just the right time. Suddenly Plan B came into my space suggesting that perhaps Gods' timing will work it all to our good.

So many times as a designer I had thrown myself at the mercies of the Heavenly Father and He always worked His PLAN to my good. The projects usually turned out better. He came thru. This reminded me how in the midst of this KINGS project, anxious thoughts flew in. I love the way He teaches me His truths. A bird flew in the same patio that I never got to sit with Him this Saturday morning. "You are better than a bird" just like the Bible says in Matt6:20 became music to my ears!

I am now setting sail to rely on His Plan and will B at PEACE! Mahalo!

wrapped up

2010-10-28T09:56:00.000-07:00

DO YOU FEEL LIKE LIFE IS UPSIDE DOWN? Do you seem to be jammed and wrapped so tightly that you wonder how will you get out? All life's problems and major decisions can be adjusted making room for one more thing: remembering all the wonderful days that life has packaged.

Looking at this crate, I remember purchasing the nailhead sofa for an estate high on a hill, reminicent of TUSCANY. The chairs flanked the massive carved stone fireplace. Embers burn, reflecting a time to recount history. Blessings are to be recounted rekindling pleasant memories. Now the joy of unpacking- they will grace the KINGS MANSION. Will future generations enjoy the view? Will the leaders that sit in these chairs dream of future generations bursting with dreams for a brighter future.

One of my favorite verses in Psalms is to DELIGHT yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart. Sometime it takes the tight corners we get ourselves into to make us stop and remember that He always gets us out of the TIGHT SPOTS. We can recount the times when we wondered how everything would work out or even FIT in our PLAN. He always found enough ROOM to rearrange us and make everything work out for our good. The beauty of a matter is we often do not see the JOY in it until it arrives safely and is perfectly placed.

This crate will sail the "ocean blue" to HAWAII. All the unanswered design decisions will wait. The memories will unpack as the forklift drops the crate at the designated location and the items come to life in another ROOM. These will be rooms of NEW VISON. People sitting on the furniture will see and remember the TIGHT SPOTS they have traveled to get where they are now. So often in life we never sit long enough to enjoy the view. We are always in such a hurry to move to the next location.

My heart is that the rugs and furniture, as small as it may be, will create memories that will last a life time. The floors may not be in or the pillows completed, but somewhere in the sea that separates us from pressing decisions and the listening ear to hear the gentle voice saying "you can make it". Joy will dance inside as we know we have done all we can do and it is now left to the LORDs design. ALOHA!

ROOMS of Vision

2010-10-08T09:19:00.000-07:00

Everything starts with a dream. You perish if you do not have a vision for your dream. On January 25, 2010, I awoke from a dream: “a large Victorian home with several stories. I was getting the bride ready in her dress. Preparation was key to the event.”

Two years prior my husband Rich had a dream that we were preparing a large white house in Hawaii for visiting dignitaries, sort of as caretakers of the property.

In April 2010 I got a call from Darlene Cunningham, co-founder with her husband and founder Loren, of Youth With A Mission. She wanted me, an interior designer, to help furnish “King’s Mansion”. This is a property owned by YWAM near Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. I enthusiastically began visualizing the project. Working on something BIGGER than you presents challenges that only an INFINTE GOD can COMPLETE. I went to Kona in July, 2010 to review the scope of the project. When Rich saw King’s Mansion he knew immediately that this was the house in his dream. We had both been to Kona many times since our Crossroad DTS in 1985. This latest visit strengthened our vision.

During that visit Loren was giving a tour of the Mansion to a group of leaders from around the world. He turned to Cindy & Tom, who are currently on the property and key to the renovation. He asked Cindy to share the dream she had while a SOE student at YWAM on another Hawaiian Island in 1973. “This is the house I saw in the small group as we were praying for direction for YWAM in the Hawaiian islands”.

Let her words continue to give VISION. “Jill Dawson (now Jill Bills) saw a large white house on a hill with a veranda and green shutters. As she spoke this out, I had, as it were, a vivid picture of this house--even where it was located on the island. Of course none of us had ever been in Kona before.

Several years went by and Tom and I were in Kona for the first time. Loren picked us up from the airport and took us to the new property that YWAM had gotten not too long before. It was King's Mansion we saw that day in prayer. Exactly!” she exclaimed.

This property was purchased in 1977 from the old Greenwell Estate a home steeped in history dating to 1903. Shortly thereafter John Dawson, Jill’s brother and now President of YWAM, started sharing about the Mansion being a place of prayer as well as a gathering place for leaders. Confirming how key leaders with a heart for prayer that bring forth VISON would be coming together, he had recently met with Lou Engle and Mike Bickle on the property. This will be a special place, a place to CATCH DREAMS.

Loren Cunningham along with Bill Bright founder of Campus Crusade for Christ both got the vision for the 7 spheres of society in 1975. In this they knew YWAM was to be an “influencer” to every arena in life. Loren’s vision and insight has caused the YWAM organization to be a leader in missions with over 1300 world wide locations. The Manison will be such a place where leaders can mingle from all the spheres of society. (read vision following)

He shared with us a progressive principle that “ prayer leads to ideas, ideas to vision, vision to events, events to communities and individual impartation.” The vision of his life has come from this progression. See the following vision for KINGS MANSION and look at their web site for more information of the history for past 50 years.

I now know why there was so much preparation in my dream. I want to make this the most beautiful place to get the “BRIDE READY”. I remember preparing and serving lots of food to the guests. Will you be ready to come to the wedding? Your place is set. Dreams do come true. We will complete and furnish all the rooms that really matter in life. DREAM BIG.

KING’S MANSION

YWAM Kealakekua, Hawaii

The vision for King’s Mansion is to serve as a gathering place for global leaders to relate and network around kingdom purposes in an environment of scriptural enrichment and spiritual renewal.

These leaders will be convened at King’s Mansion in Kealakekua, Hawaii according to categories that influence society, such as church and mission, government, business (including science & technology), education, media, etc. King’s may host an event focused on one sphere at a time, or bring together a mixture of spheres for catalytic networking and multi-generational purposes. Though Youth With A Mission will serve as the host for these gatherings, the events will be multi-organizational, drawing individuals from a broad cross-section of Christendom and society.

King’s will also be a place committed to fast-track young leaders, providing a context where the young mix, mingle and discuss together with experienced, mature leaders in the various spheres of society, allowing for impartation and multiplication.

Kings will serve as a gathering place for senior YWAM leadership teams as well—a place to fellowship, pray and strategize around future initiatives.

The Heritage Center at King’s Mansion will house displays, photographs and artifacts of key significance to YWAM’s history, values and vision—the DNA of this missions movement. Resident and visiting researchers and writers will use King’s to connect the past with the future.

All of the gatherings and events outlined above will provide the opportunity to offer internships for those called to roles in hospitality, operations and administration. These six-month and one-year internships will equip people to multiply these practical ministries. The internships will be overlapped to provide in-house continuity for the running of King’s Mansion.

YOUTH WITH A MISSION / UNIVERSITY OF THE NATIONS

Youth With A Mission (YWAM) is an ever-expanding global "family of ministries" born in 1960 which has reached into every nation. The work of YWAM encompasses evangelism, training and mercy ministries and is manned by nearly 20,000 full-time staff from more than 200 nationalities and a wide variety of denominations who serve at more than 1,300 ministry sites in 177 nations. More than four million students, short-term volunteers, part-time and full-time staff have served with YWAM since its inception.

The University of the Nations (UofN), is YWAM's global university. Since its inception in 1978, the UofN has grown

to offer more than 800 different kinds of courses and seminars (some of which are offered in 95 languages), held at more than 520 locations in more than 140 countries. Hundreds of thousands of students are registered within the global UofN system who have taken at least a Discipleship Training School (DTS), the entry course and pre-requisite for all other UofN courses and/or for becoming YWAM staff.

Anyone who has completed a DTS is qualified for "continued education" in UofN courses

anywhere they are offered worldwide, for the rest of his/her life. With appropriate course

credits he/she will receive UofN degrees through Masters level, when qualified. But more

importantly, he/she will be better equipped to serve the Lord in the role He has given

him/her to glorify Jesus and transform nations. For more information and course registration,

Loren Cunningham

Founder, Youth With A Mission / President, University of the Nations

3/10

STEP INTO YOUR DREAMS

2010-10-08T08:58:00.000-07:00

STEP INTO YOUR DREAMS

There is JOY when we know our life takes on new meaning. We have just gone thru the celebration of GREAT JOY, Sukokot in the HEBREW calendar. In Israel it is a time to share meals and vision with family members in the Sukkah. ( related posts 0ct 3-6-09) To me it is such a special time to make ROOM for my KING. I love to hear what is on HIS heart.

I have always invited my LORD into my dreams for interior design projects. Working on a NEW design often causes sleep deprivation. Furniture becomes my “sheep” as I struggle for sleep. New ideas swirl. VISION dances before my eyes. Surely vibrant color will capture the eye!

This year the Sukot celebration reminded me of RENEWED VISION and purpose. As the closed warehouse chapter in my life came to a conclusion, I turn the pages in my dream journal. They are coming into FULL VIEW.

May I open my dreams to you.

I am SO GLAD my REDEEMER LIVES. He never lets me MISS OUT! All the years of designing MANSIONS for others has finally brought me into the room with HIS VIEW. If I can say one thing to you “HOLD ON TO YOUR DREAM. IF IT IS DELAYED, WAIT, IT WILL COME INTO FULL VIEW”.

Awesome triple inspiring year ahead!

2010-09-04T11:14:00.000-07:00

Love to look into the Hebrew year as it approaches and read what others are saying we can expect. One Jewish scholar said this will be a year where 771 is the multiple of 3! I have been seeing and saying 333 for months. The bible verse Jer. 33:3 leaps. It's actually been seen so many times, often written on people's heart. One time I met a girl from Japan while hiking the vortex in Sedona who I was able to share G-d's love. Let me share how this happened. I realized her hesitation to talk with a stranger. I even wrote about this G-d collide in a previous blog. We chatted before I asked her a question that changed her life. I saw so clearly the numbers 333 over her heart. I asked if this means anything to you? It was her exact age, 33 and ,wow, the thrill on her face to know that someone loved her. So fun to know I was on track with my running shoes laced. I am so ready to start afresh and finish strong. Anticipation sets in as we prepare to see what awesome and awe inspiring triple blessings are on our hike. I know I am going to be like the deer that pants for water in Ps42 awaiting the Messiah's return! I am so thirsty for a drink of the fresh water.

Summer is still upon us in arid Arizona. The last 2 days of August we knew we must clear our warehouse. We entered the racks of furniture spilling with plants and accessories. We sensed urgency and cleared, moved, and gave so much to wonderful people in need. We are in the PEACE PROCESS. We will make way for change.

Wow the meaning of PROCESS, to get things moving! We certainly have begun and like the Mideast talks often it is the PROCESS that seems to get in the way of PEACE. We are learning that when we hear "do it now," we will! The accumulation of 8 years in the staging business had caused our barn to burst. We found a verse in Proverbs 24:27 that week that stirred us to the timing of NOW. It said that do not build barns before there are fields. The scorching recession had withered our crop, our field was no more. This brought back to memory how we started with a simple word TRUST. We had no furniture, no barn but a very fertile field. So we planted and watered and built a barn in fact 3 of them! A sense of sadness emerged mixed with glee as we are letting go. We are now free to plant in a different field. Now we're going to walk in a new field of FAITH. I know we will have triple blessings. I got so excited with that word because I always listen up when the 3 thing occurs. I know it is time to move. READY, SET, GO...

I have been documenting my dreams over the years and I know this will be an inspiring year. What I see will come alive. They will no longer be scribbles in my journal. The business of INTERIORS is bursting inside. You will see the MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR EXPLODE. Mark it this will be a year when DIVINE AID is in everything I do! New avenues of creativity will SPRING forth as I lay down the thought PROCESS with the "how will I" achieve them. THE AWESOME G-D that lives inside me will make a way. His AWE-INSPIRING ways will direct. I wish for you an awesome triple blessing ROSH HASHANAH!

RACE FOR FREEDOM

2010-06-27T14:31:00.000-07:00

http://www.yo

utube.com/watch_popup?v=ZprVPKi-W6s

I AM ISRAEL.

Sometimes we listen to others without SEEING for ourself. A False sense of reality is SHAPED and takes form, leaving us without BALANCE. My children could not learn to ride a bike unless they held onto the bars. We are all looking at people trying to ride bumpy trails. Mountain bilking in the desert is often treacherous, even for the EXPERIENCED.

We love to live the lives of others. The danger on the road is that we are not adapted to the terrain. We have no concept for the climb and rugged trail. We always give advice when we are not on the road. Designers know this better than most professionals. We have learned to balance OTHERS opinions and keep peddling.

Others wonder WHY CARE ABOUT THIS TINY PIECE OF REAL ESTATE - ISRAEL? Mary Ann you have so much to do, why bother? This clip put NEW TREAD on the MOUNTAIN BIKE! Amazing when family and friends question. Focus and determine to keep moving forward against all odds. We in AMERICA seem to be riding down a different bike path.

All focus this weekend in WASHINGTON is dividing the trail. We used to ride together. Now we seem to manage to push the OTHER off. Cycling used to be a sport we enjoyed together. Israel and America in the past even shared bikes. We were known to ride TANDUM. Now we are not on the same BIKE.

Don't you remember trying to ride together and the other was not balancing correctly? This called for a crash. We are tipping our points with ISRAEL and leaning on the wrong side. We are not even holding on to the handle bars correctly.

America - regain BALANCE . RIDE in the RACE for FREEDOM. LET go of WORLD VIEWS regarding ISRAEL. Look at what our FOUNDING FATHERS saw in the Bible,"he who BLESSES ISRAEL will be blessed". It would do us all well to experience the TRUTH THAT WILL ALLOW FREEDOM TO REIGN. G-d has a plan. He wants us to RIDE again with HIM. PRAYER WILL CHANGE A NATION.

May we BELIEVE TO SEE that we will be riding with HIM.

SEA SAW

2010-06-07T08:02:00.000-07:00

Smooth sailing cannot happen in any one's life without integrity. We have to have accurate facts. We must honestly discern "DANGER AHEAD". I know as a designer I cannot be swayed by pressure to make decisions. It is so important that we not "listen" to popular opinion. What really is at sake? The NATIONS are in an UPROAR. The waters are troubled and boats with passengers spewing HATE. So similar to the OIL SPILL. It KILLS everything it touches. We all want to advise.

It is so easy to make DECISIONS when we don't have to live with them ! It is like purchasing a sofa that your friend suggests. She is swayed by her tastes. She however, has no children and dogs. Her recommendation is a pale silk. You cave into pressure and "suggestion of the trends". She only visits your sofa. You live with it .

We need to remember to listen closely. The media loves to appeal to emotions. The power of persuasion helps influence decisions. How are the words conveying truth? What sea are we seeing? Truth will triumph over evil and a voice will be raised. The book of Psalms shouts loudly that we need to BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS G-D. We are not sailing in the TROUBLED WATERS. We need to listen and PRAY. We will SEE what the ALMIGHTY will DO. HE WILL BE HONORED IN THE NATIONS!

There are so many articles on the FLOTILLA. I picked this one as another view. Everyone is QUICK to JUDGE and offer ADVISE. We never seem to weigh the facts and the "wear and tear" of our decisions. Words like purchases are costly. We often cannot take them back. Choose what you say wisely. There may be a NO RETURN POLICY! Make sure you are sailing in the SAME SEA, not the one you thought you SAW.

Hello, Turkey?

By AARON SCHOCK
06/06/2010 05:09

The Turkish foreign minister recently called the flotilla episode ‘Turkey’s 9-11.’

Talkbacks (42)

There are some vital points being overlooked in the international coverage of the Israeli response to the Gaza flotilla, and a mountain of hypocrisy that needs to be exposed. Egypt, the Palestinian Authority (PA) and every Arab foreign minister agreed that Hamas not be allowed to control the southern border crossing with Egypt after the terror group violently seized control of Gaza in 2007.

Yes, Egypt has blockaded Gaza under Hamas’s control as much as the Israelis have – and with the widespread support of Arab governments and the PA. Where’s the outrage?

Palestinians are supposedly experiencing a humanitarian crisis, and yet no Arab or Islamicgovernment has demanded Egypt open its border with Gaza. Hello, Turkey?

When Israel pulled out completely from the Gaza Strip in 2005, it imposed no blockade. It was only after Hamas began a terror campaignwith 10,000 rockets fired at Israeli civilians thatIsrael and Egypt imposed this blockade – with PA and Arab support. No Arab governmentwanted a terror-prone Hamas to flourish in Gaza, let alone spread.

ONE NEEDS to ask: If the Kurds or the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) across the Turkish border in Iraq rained 10,000 rockets on Turkish civilians, what would the Turks do? After all, the Kurds have legitimate disputes with the government of Turkey, and have been viciously repressed.

What if international NGOs decided to airlift humanitarian supplies to PKK refugees in Iraq, with those shipments containing civilian equipment that could easily be made into weapons?

Only Turkey recognizes a Turkish republic in Northern Cyprus. What would the Turkish military’s response be if organizations from nations that do not recognize the Turkish occupation of Northern Cyprus decided to break that military occupation?

Again, regarding Turkish hypocrisy, the prime minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, received the international pariah who leads Sudan – President Omar Bashir – a man who has committed genocide. The International Criminal Court has an arrest warrant out for him on charges of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Not only has the Darfur region of Sudan experienced genocide directed by Bashir and hisgovernment, but other regions of southern Sudan have as well. During the visit in mid-August of last year, Erdogan said he did not believe Bashir was guilty of the war crimes for which he was indicted.

And here is how the Turkish prime minister justified that widely disputed contention: “It is not possible for those who belong to the Muslim faith to carry out genocide,” said Erdogan. He deems Bashir innocent. End of story.

THE TURKISH foreign minister recently called the flotilla episode, “Turkey’s 9-11.” Shame on you sir. No American should ever forget such an insult.

This brings me to the reason for the blockade of Gaza, including the Israeli naval blockade. Some of the items on the ships were dual-use, with both civilian and military uses. For instance, there was rebar for a small amount of cement.

Heaven knows Gaza needs a lot of rebuilding. This tiny amount is insignificant for construction, however, although it’s a nice supply of iron to be converted into weapons.

If the Israeli naval blockade ends does anyone really think Hamas won’t be importing a wide array of weapons? If the ships don’t have to go through checkpoints, arms shipments would resume without a doubt – and so would the rocket attacks.

What nation would sit back and allow arms to pour into a neighboring territory that will certainly be used in more attacks on its people? If the blockade ends, arms shipments into Gaza will resume, and rocket firings into will Israel resume. It’s that simple.

None of the United Nations peacekeeping organizations and observers has kept out the sophisticated weapons imported by Hizbullah into southern Lebanon – despite absolute UN assurances to do so. No similar observers are capable of standing in the way of Iranian arms shipments to Hamas either. Only Israeli and Egyptian checkpoints can do that.

Again, I ask, would Turkey allow similar organizations to ship uninspected cargo to the suffering PKK Kurds in Turkey and Iraq? Hamas needs to negotiate with its estranged brothers in the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, and commit themselves to peaceand recognition of Israel. Then peace and prosperity will prevail.

Let’s get the facts straight and the hypocrisy exposed as this debate proceeds.

The writer, a Republican, represents Illinois’ 18th Congressional District. He is the youngest member of Congress.

A PLACE WITHIN HER WALLS

2010-05-16T20:59:00.000-07:00

Photo by: Ariel Jerozolimski

Rejoice on Jerusalem Day

By ISI LEIBLER
11/05/2010 21:21

It should be a day in which we pledge that the city must never be divided.

Jerusalem, referred to over 600 times in the Bible, has represented the cornerstone of our Jewish identity for more than three millennia since it became the capital of King David’s Israelite monarchy. It remained at the core of our spiritual longings following the second dispersion when for 2,000 years our forefathers faced Jerusalem in their daily prayers, yearning for a return to their ancestral homeland. Moreover, even throughout their exile, Jews retained a significant presence in their Holy City and since the 1840s have constituted the largest group inhabiting the city.

Read the rest of the articlehttp://www.jpost.com/Home/Article.aspx?id=175303

This article made me start to think about the place called Jerusalem. Why is everyone fighting over this little SPACE of REAL ESTATE? How does this PLACE I love apply to me?

The place designated for the resting spot of G-d should be reviewed. The writer of the article went into great depth to describe the city and its emerging history. Jerusalem has long been the place designated to be the CITY of our G-d. What is this city really like? Let's take an INTERIOR VIEW. Pretend it is not so much a location but an interior state or SPACE.

The war in all of us is how to find the RESTING PLACE, A PLACE WHERE HIS PRESENCE DWELLS. To me, having done a study on the names of G-d in the Hebrew, Jehovah Shammah resonated. This name implies " JEHOVAH is there." Listen to what the BIBLE has to say about such a city: "...and the name of the city from that day shall be, the LORD is there" (Ezekiel 48:35)

It is understood that the LORD will be with His people in this PLACE. The prophet Ezekiel went on to say that "the presence of the LORD will be there." He spoke while the people were in captivity in Babylon because the people were in gross sin. The situation was rather grim. They wanted out of the PHYSICAL PLACE they were residing. Sound familiar?

He went on to describe a new place, and temple.

As a designer I understand room frustrations. New places and plans are put on the paper of our minds. We all dislike where we are at times and wonder how can we escape. Imagination and strength are drained. How do I feel settled when everything around me is shaken? I am in a strange new place. I must find HIM in this place. He is my RESTING PLACE. HE IS THERE.

Just like the Israelites of old that were shaken in the strange land, they threw in the towel so to speak. They laid down their HARPS. This was their VOICE of TRIUMPH.

This was said so well in Psalm 137:5,6. A true love for beloved JERUSALEM was heard. They were voicing where they wanted to BE. Joy was drained.

"If I forget thee, O Jerusalem,let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief JOY."

I believe Jerusalem's voice today is being heard. I also know JEHOVAH'S pledge of HIS PRESENCE. He will remain. He is not going to leave HIS PEOPLE. They have in 62 year's truly risen like the Phoenix out of the ashes. This city is important to the Jewish people. My hope is that they will discover the PLACE WITHIN HER WALLS WHERE HE IS. FRIEND SHIP and INTIMACY.

We must remind ourselves to not throw down "our harps." May we echo a voice of triumph and refrain not our prayers in rejoicing for the CITY OF OUR GREAT KING!

As we enter into a new season after the COUNTING OF THE OMER let us reflect on what has been given to us. May this Shavuot be a time of EXPECTANCY. May we believe change is on the way.

Just like in a room renovation let's put the whole process in perspective. Take time.

We are all so obsessed with having the perfect house and dwelling. The PLACE is not as essential as who occupies the SPACE. Will my family and guests feel welcome.

I am in the midst of repainting my family room now. A brighter hue on the walls will lift the drab dated tone. I am looking for that perfect solution to make my room brighter. Paint alone cannot make my space come alive.

When I hear His gentle whisper I light up. He talked to Adam in the cool of the night, just walking in the garden. They were hanging out! Be expectant that He wants to just "hang out" with you. I have to make my room HIS space.

He always feels welcome to come into my family room when I move over on the sofa. Lot's of time I have to stop what I am doing . Move the junk on the floor so He can sit awhile . The closer He is to me the easier to hear HIS VOICE. I love it when HE IS THERE next to me.

I anticipate that this has helped you find your place within her walls. This is my view on JEHOVAH SHAMMAH and the parallel to Jerusalem. A cozy spot in my family room where HE IS. HE BECOMES like FRESH PAINT IN MY ROOM. He walls me in with HIS BRIGHTNESS.

Israel you are not Alone

2010-03-24T14:24:00.000-07:00

Having just returned from a month in Israel and seeing the "circus" our State Department wants Israel to jump thru, it is refreshing to hear a LEADER THAT LEADS! Please read the entire speech that follows. My eyes have been opened to the facts. I am going to work in every effort to help build Zion.

You will be hearing how you can get involved and support Israel. There are so many opportunities to invest in this country, both spiritually and financially. With every visit new wonder is displayed about the TIMES. It is the TIME to jump in and be hands and hearts extended to a country that Biblically is the clock for all TIME!

Part of this trip was to attend a CUFI Jerusalem Summit, ironically Bidden was in town. We made a statement. We as Christian Zionists, are a lobbying group much like AIPAC. Our support was so warmly received from shop owners who ran out of their stores to THANK US FOR STANDING! We all knew we were sent FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS! The feast of Purim had just ended, we were marching in one accord chanting, "Israel you are NOT ALONE"...

The Prime Minister addressed our group with a shorter version of this excellent address below. Please enjoy reading, praying and getting involved!

Netanyahu's AIPAC Speech in Washington Receives Standing Ovation
Teresa Neumann (Mar 24, 2010)
"The connection between the Jewish people and the Land of Israel cannot be denied. The connection between the Jewish people and Jerusalem cannot be denied. The Jewish people were building Jerusalem 3,000 years ago and the Jewish people are building Jerusalem today. Jerusalem is not a settlement. It's our capital."

(Washington, D.C.)—A March 23 report in Haaretz describes the highly charged difference of opinions addressed in Washington when Israel's Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu met with Secretary of Defense Hillary Rodham Clinton. In contrast, however, at the same time, the Prime Minister received an overwhelming voice of support and a standing ovation from nearly 8,000 attendants after delivering a powerful speech at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

The Prime Minister reportedly spoke several hours after Secretary Clinton charged that Israel's building in parts of Jerusalem that the United States does not recognize as being under Israeli sovereignty "undermines" U.S. policy.

Noted the report in Haaretz, when Netanyahu spoke, he "pointed out that Israel has made constant to the concessions to the United States and Palestinian Authority but drew the red line at Jerusalem, reasoning that building houses for Jews in all of united Jerusalem in no way precludes the possibility of a two-state solution. More than half of the American Congressmen were among the more than 7,000 people listening to the speech at the annual conference of the pro-Israel lobby group in Washington. The speech was delayed in order to allow people to enter the packed convention hall." (Photo: Haaretz)

The following are excerpts from Prime Minister Netanyahu's speech:

"As the world faces monumental challenges, I know that America and Israel will face them together. We stand together because we are fired by the same ideals and inspired by the same dreams—the dreams of achieving prosperity, security and peace for all. Now, this dream seemed an impossibility to most Jews a century ago.

"This month, my father celebrated his one-hundredth birthday. That's not his only achievement, but when he was born, the Czars ruled Russia, the British Empire spanned the globe and the Ottoman Empire ruled the Middle East. During his lifetime, all three of these empires fell. Others rose and fell, and the Jewish destiny, the pendulum of Jewish faith, swung from despair to a new hope and a new beginning—the rebirth of the Jewish state.

"See, for the first time in two thousand years, a sovereign Jewish people could defend itself against attack. And before that—understand what transformation this was—before that, in our dispersion, we were powerless, absolutely powerless to defend ourselves against an unremitting barrage of savagery from the bloodletting in the Middle Ages, to the expulsion of the Jews from England, and then from Spain and then from Portugal, to the wholesale slaughter of Jews in the Ukraine, to the pogroms in Russia, culminating in the greatest horror of all—the Holocaust.

"The founding of Israel didn't stop the attack on the Jews. But it merely—well it's more than merely—it gave the Jews the power to defend themselves against those attacks.

"I want to tell you about the day when I realized what this transformation was. It was the day I met Shlomit Vilmosh over forty years ago. I was nineteen years old. I served with her son, with Shlomit's son, Haim, in the same elite military unit. And one dark night during a battle in 1969, Haim was killed in a burst of gunfire. At his funeral, in a kibbutz in the Galilee, I learned something. I discovered that Haim had been born shortly after his mother and father had been freed from the death camps of Europe. If Haim had been born two years earlier, this daring young Israeli officer would have been tossed into the ovens like a million and a half other Jewish children. Haim's mother Shlomit told me that though she was in great anguish, she was proud. At least, she told me—and this is something I'll never forget as long as I live—at least she said, my son fell wearing the uniform of a Jewish soldier defending the Jewish state.

"And time and again Israel's soldiers were forced to repel the attacks of much larger enemies committed to our destruction. Yet when Egypt and Jordan realized that we could not be defeated in battle, they embraced the path of peace and we value the peace treaties we've achieved with both countries. Yet there are those who continue the assault against the Jewish state; there are those who openly call for our destruction. They seek to achieve this goal through terrorism, missile attacks and most recently by developing atomic weapons.

"It's instructive that the ingathering of the Jews to Israel doesn't deter them. In fact, it whets their appetite. Iran's rulers say "Israel is a one bomb country." The head of Hezbollah says: "If all the Jews gather in Israel, it will save us the trouble of going after them worldwide."

"My friends, these are unpleasant facts, but they are the facts. The greatest threat to any living organism, to any nation, is not to recognize danger in time—not to recognize the facts.

"Seventy-five years ago, many leaders around the world put their heads in the sand. Untold millions died in the war that followed. Ultimately, two of history's greatest leaders helped turn the tide. Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Winston Churchill helped save the world. Indeed they deserve every applause. They helped save the world, but they were too late to save six million of my own people, the Jewish people. The future of the Jewish state can never depend on the goodwill of even the greatest of men. Israel must always reserve the right to defend itself.

"Today, an unprecedented threat to humanity looms large. A radical Iranian regime armed with nuclear weapons could bring an end to the era of nuclear peace that the world has enjoyed for the last 65 years. Such a regime could provide nuclear weapons to terrorists. It might even be tempted to use them and our world would never be the same. Iran's brazen bid to develop nuclear weapons is certainly first and foremost a threat to my country, to Israel, but it's a threat to the entire region; it's a threat to the entire world. Israel thus expects the international community to act swiftly and to act decisively to thwart this danger. But we always reserve the right of self-defense.

"...I want to be clear. This doesn't mean that Israel is above criticism. Of course not. Israel, like any democracy, has its imperfections but we strive to correct them through open debate and through scrutiny. Israel has independent courts, the rule of law, a free press and a vigorous parliamentary debate. Believe me, it's very vigorous. Well you've just gone through a week of healthcare voting. In Israel, every week is healthcare week. It doesn't stop.

"I know that in this city, members of Congress refer to one another as my distinguished colleague from Wisconsin, the distinguished Senator from California. In Israel, members of Knesset don't speak of their distinguished colleagues from Be'er Sheva or Kiryat Shmona. Because in Israel, self-criticism is a way of life, and we also accept that criticism is part and parcel of the conduct of international affairs. But Israel should be judged by the same standards applied to all nations and to other democracies. Sometimes I think there's a triple standard: one standard for the dictatorships, a second standard for the democracies and a third standard is the standard for Israel. We should be judged by one standard and allegations made against the State of Israel must be grounded in facts. One allegation that is not grounded in fact is the attempt to describe the Jews as foreign colonialists in their own homeland. This is one of the great lies of modern times.

"In my office, I have a signet ring that was loaned to me by Israel's Department of Antiquities This ring was found next to the Western wall, but it dates back 2,800 years ago, two hundred years after King David declared Jerusalem as our people's capital. This ring is a seal of a Jewish official, and his name is inscribed on it in Hebrew. The name is: Netanyahu. Netanyahu Ben-Yoash. That's my last name. My first name, Benjamin, dates back 1,000 years earlier to Benjamin, the son of Jacob. One of Benjamin's brothers was named Shimon, which also happens to be the first name of my good friend, Shimon Peres, the President of Israel. Nearly 4,000 years ago, Benjamin, Shimon and their ten brothers roamed the hills of Judea.

"Ladies and Gentlemen. The connection between the Jewish people and the Land of Israel cannot be denied. The connection between the Jewish people and Jerusalem cannot be denied. The Jewish people were building Jerusalem 3,000 years ago and the Jewish people are building Jerusalem today. Jerusalem is not a settlement. It's our capital...

"Our soldiers and your soldiers fight against fanatic enemies that loathe our common values. In the eyes of these fanatics, we are you and you are us. To them, the only difference is that you are big and we are small. You see, you are the "great satan" and we are the "small satan." There's an important point here. This fanaticism's hatred of Western civilization predates the establishment of modern Israel by a thousand years. Militant Islam does not hate the West because of Israel. It hates Israel because of the West—because it sees Israel as an outpost of freedom and democracy that prevents them from overrunning the Middle East. That is why when Israel stands against its enemies—it stands against America's enemies."

You may read this speech in its entirety by clicking on the source link provided.

2010-02-04T12:57:00.000-08:00

This is the LOVE month. I was born on Valentines Day, so it has always had special meaning. As a little girl the thrill of cutting out paper hearts and attaching lace dollies to put in the mail made me wait with anticipation for a response. Isn’t that like us. We are always waiting for someone to respond. That somehow answers our heart that says "love me", "notice me", "look at me" and "understand my unmet need."

Many boyfriends and broken hearts later, Valentines Day took on new meaning. It becomes a lonely day with out a special guy to say "Be MINE". Marriage and valentines came, and I began the struggle over "be mine". There were years I was ready to say "be yours". Remember I am in the business of trading spaces and furniture, my heart had to be tenderized to see "me". Amazing how we always think it is "him or them".

How is a woman to forgive her husband when he jam's birthday into Valentines Day in one card? I have tried over 25 years to express that these are 2 separate occasions. I have decided now that we do not celebrate birthdays anymore we will just celebrate LIFE!

Like working out struggles we have with a friend, particularly our spouse, when we want to say this will not work. I am not going to bend on this issue and we want to pack up and leave, we learn to rearrange our thinking to engage in their thoughts and the things that make their space more comfortable. Sometime we have to say “I am sorry for the way I held this against you. I will make it work". Letting go and letting G-D has always helped.

Just read an article today. So true for the love month. Read it at bottom. Great wisdom. When we can communicate our feelings and pray about the outcome, we discover the possibilities that our life has. We have each other. It is just like the rooms of furniture and all the changes to “our plans” that take place. When we believe in love and the commitment we have vowed, the moving of furniture from the past isn’t so hard. Our unmet expectations change but our commitment to each other changes not. Our love is the “glue stick” that holds us together.

This Valentines do not let your heart be broken . Look at ways to redesign your space. I am putting my expectations in things that are lasting. I am not hoping in romantic surprises. I will admit though that I love them when they come and they show up just in time.

I now have learned to place my hope in things that are lasting and not let the build up of unmet expectations disappoint me. The LOVE I have found never leaves me feeling shortchanged.

This year I am traveling to Israel for a month to fulfill a dream with purpose. I am setting my heart to be a blessing to women who have lost hope thru tragedy and loss. I have a husband who loves me even though he sometimes does not give me the unspoken dreams of my heart. He is my VALENTINE.

Scientific Study Finds Prayer Sparks Forgiveness

News Release (February 4, 2010)

"The scientists defined forgiveness as the diminishing of the initial negative feelings that arise when you've been wronged. Their results showed that those who had prayed for their partner harbored fewer vengeful thoughts and emotions: They were more ready to forgive and move on."

The following is a news release from American Psychological Science News(APS):

We have all been guilty of a transgression at one time or another. That's because we're not perfect. We all commit hurtful acts, violate trust, and hope for forgiveness.

That's simply a fact, and here's another one: Nine out of 10 Americans say that they pray—at least on occasion. Florida State University psychologist Nathaniel Lambert put these two facts together and came up with an idea: Why not take all that prayer and direct it at the people who have wronged us? Is it possible that directed prayer might spark forgiveness in those doing the praying—and in the process preserve relationships?(Photo by: Adrian van Leen)

Lambert and his colleagues decided to test this scientifically in two experiments appearing in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. In the first, they had a group of men and women pray one single prayer for their romantic partner's well being. Others—the experimental controls—they simply described their partner, speaking into a tape recorder.

Then they measured forgiveness. The scientists defined forgiveness as the diminishing of the initial negative feelings that arise when you've been wronged. Their results showed that those who had prayed for their partner harbored fewer vengeful thoughts and emotions: They were more ready to forgive and move on.

If one single prayer can cause such a striking difference in feelings, then what could prayer over a period of time do for a relationship? In a second study, the researchers had a group of men and women pray for a close friend every day for four weeks. Others simply reflected on the relationship, thinking positive thoughts but not praying for their friend's well-being. They also added another dimension. They used a scale to measure selfless concern for others—not any particular person but other people generally. They speculated that prayer would increase selfless concern, which in turn would boost forgiveness.

And that's just what they found. But why? How does this common spiritual practice exert its healing effects? The psychological scientists have an idea: Most of the time, couples profess and believe in shared goals, but when they hit a rough patch, they often switch to adversarial goals like retribution and resentment. These adversarial goals shift cognitive focus to the self, and it can be tough to shake that self-focus. Prayer appears to shift attention from the self back to others, which allows the resentments to fade.

Live And Become

2010-01-27T12:58:00.000-08:00

I went to a touching movie last night “LIVE AND BECOME”. This was a story of a nine-yr-old Ethiopian boy escaping to Israel. It is the story of how he survived leaving his mother behind and adapting to the Jewish culture as an adopted imagrant. His conflict surfaced for his convictions and pain of loss. This really instilled in me a desire to look at matters of the heart. What are my interpretations of my faith? Who is my G-d? How can I make my relationships connect with matters of the soul?

This made me realize the struggle we all are going thru to survive. What will a mother do to save her child? In this movie she gave him away so that he could LIVE. He BECAME against all odds a surgeon and eventually went back and saw his birth mother as a field doctor.

The relationship he had being raised Jewish and not understanding who he was. This became a constant inner conflict. Who am I? Why am a different than everyone who is "white"? He still had human emotions. He wanted to LOVE . He was unsure how to LIVE. He released his pain by praying every night, by looking at the moon and somehow connecting with the soul of his distant mother. Tragedy produces all types of defense mechanisms for survival.

We have to stay connected with the warm felt memories from lost love. We are all looking for a semblance of love. We all have a desire to know G-d. We look to Him in our greatest need.

He expressed his pain so beautifully by saying it was as though he had been taken away and lost or stolen and dropped into a large thorn bush. The stickers could not be removed the harder he tried the worse it got. The pain was particularly cruel underneath his fingernails. He could not remove the “STICKERS”. Is not this the way broken dreams of the heart from lost love and earthly relationships affect us?. We cannot see the “stickers” that are underneath our skin. The Hurt is unbearable.

Pain only goes away when we can release and love again. He had a new baby to encourage and show love. His heart must be stretched to reach beyond its limits. The family he was forming needed emotional stability. The future of his family depended on his emotional strength, not merely his surgical skills.

His history remembers pain, the isolation from his mother in Ethiopia, without food and water, seeing death at every turn. He witnessed his own siblings dying before his eyes and somehow feeling responsible for their death.

He Lived to become a lover. He is a champion of triumphing over adversity and conquering pain thru continuing to live and LOVE again.

As we are remembering the history of the Holocaust today on January 27 it is a good time to look at love and hold dearly those things that are close. We learn how people survive tragedy and those who helped become heroes.

Conflict, like in the movie, produces new bonds where love can become evident.

The pastor at Le Chambon, André Trocmé(pictured left with his family) challenged his small flock with this very issue of who was their neighbour.

We must look for stories that portray how people care and love to rescue the perishing. We can look for opportunities to help heal “hurts” when we read stories that inspire us to greatness. This is one such story written below about a town in France. I particularly loved it because my grandmother came from Marseilles France. We connect our heart to others in the hope that we will respond with such great LOVE.

On Holocaust Day: Remembering a French Village "Where the Most Remarkable Expressions of Love" Were Sacrificed in WWII

Teresa Neumann (January 27, 2010)

As Holocaust Day, January 27, is noted, an historian says: "A small community of Protestant Christians, descendants of Huguenots, were faced with a choice that would challenge the very essence of their faith. Would they live what they preached or would they put their own safety first?"

(France)—Somehow, stories of faith and heroism resonating from WWII continue to inspire us. Perhaps it is because we are still connected to the war by parents and grandparents who fought in it. Perhaps it is because in our times of tribulations there are more lessons to be learned from those who encountered similar trials before us.

Case in point: Le Chambon sur Lignon, a small village in south central France set on a plateau high in the mountains. It is where, according to reporter Russel Bowles, one of the most remarkable expressions of love of the whole war occurred when the Christian inhabitants defied the Nazi occupation and provided a safe haven for thousands of Jewish people—many of them children. No Jew that requested shelter was turned away.

As reported in Inspire Magazine, it was the pastor at Le Chambon, André Trocmé, who challenged his small flock with the question of who their neighbors were in the Biblical context. Soon, the small flock—risking their lives to do so—began taking in Jews.

According to the report, eventually the pastor and his assistant Edouard Théis were arrested. "However, amazingly, they were released before they were due to be deported to the east. The Gestapo also arrested the Pastor's cousin, Daniel Trocmé, and he died in Majdanek extermination camp."

"Bad as these events were," writes Bowles, "it seemed that the Almighty had His hand of protection on the village, for in all about 5,000 Jews were sheltered when the Nazis were leaving no stone unturned elsewhere in their pursuit."

What is your House Built on ?

2010-01-20T10:21:00.000-08:00

This story from NBC news(see article below) really hit home. My occupation as an Interior Designer affects the way people live and how their homes reflect their family “likes and dislikes”.

   It is so much more than taste. It is about quality of life. What picture do we portray?
We work so hard to get our rooms looking “just right” and a child has a friend over and everything is askew! Family ties and relationships we share with each other are so much more lasting than the “perfect room”. Do we really care about the people who sit in the linen chairs putting the puzzle together?
   It is so true what it says in the Psalms about how we build a home. It refers to the fact that “unless the LORD build the house we labor in vain”. The “things “ we acquire to take up “space” in the rooms we live in are not nearly as important as the people we TREASURE who occupy and congregate in the ROOMS.
   This dad in the story built family time that will last when all the ROOMS TUMBLE.
Underneath the rubble he had built a lasting foundation with his kids that will last far longer than the “latest home DECORE”.
   May we all take a closer look as situations crumble and fabrics “wear out” and get up close to the “ones we love”. If we were inside your FAMILY ROOM what would we VIEW?

Buried in Haiti rubble, U.S. dad wrote goodbyes
But with iPhone info, he treated his injuries and was rescued after 65 hours

The words on the pages of the plain black notebook are written in a semi-scrawl, punctuated by smears of blood — stark evidence of the desperation in which they were written.

Sitting with his wife, Christina, in Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital, Dan Woolley showed the notebook to TODAY’s Meredith Vieira via satellite hookup Tuesday. Trapped for 65 hours under tons of wreckage in the lobby of his hotel by Haiti’s Jan. 12 earthquake and knowing he could die, Woolley had written notes to his two young boys and his wife.

“I always wanted to survive, but I knew that was something that I couldn’t control. So I decided if I had to go, I wanted to leave some last notes for them,” Woolley said. Opening the book and fighting his emotions, he read an entry he addressed to his sons, Josh, 6, and Nathan, 3:

“I was in a big accident. Don’t be upset at God. He always provides for his children, even in hard times. I’m still praying that God will get me out, but He may not. But He will always take care of you.”

‘Boy, I cried’
Woolley had taken refuge in an elevator shaft, where he used an iPhone first-aid app to treat a compound fracture of his leg and a cut on his head. He had already used his digital SLR camera’s focusing light to illuminate his surroundings, and taken pictures of the wreckage to help find a safe place to wait to be rescued — or to die.

Writing the notes to his wife and children wasn’t easy, the deeply religious man said.

“Boy, I cried,” he admitted. “Obviously, no one wants to come to that point. I also didn’t want to just get found after having some time — God gave me some time — to think and to pray and to come to grips with the reality. I wanted to use that time to do everything I could for my family. If that could be surviving, get out, then I would. If it could be just to leave some notes that would help them in life, I would do that.”

Woolley had been working for Compassion International, a mission organization, making a film about the impact of poverty on the people of Haiti. He and a colleague, David Hames, had just returned to the Hotel Montana in Port-au-Prince from a day of filming when the earthquake struck.......
finish reading -- http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/34933053/ns/today-today_people/

Ready, Set, Go!

2010-01-14T10:45:00.000-08:00

This has been an interesting week. I have learned a lot about interpersonal relationships.

I manage a crew of around 5 on a given day for a design installation. The challenge comes when one of the people does not carry their weight. My husband gave me a wonderful sense of encouragement on Monday morning as he read from the Message Bible “Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray.” It went on to say “let G-d know all your concerns. Before you know it, it is a sense of wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down.”

This was going to be a great Monday, as a builder called me to have us “stage” 2 of his homes, one he took in on a trade and another of his $5million custom homes he had built, to help clear out his present inventory. This seemed to be a “match made in heaven” I am trying to “let go” of furniture from “previous relationships” - a furniture affair!

This “match” had a few added pieces to the puzzle. Some of the furniture was already happily “arranged” in another home. How would it be “broken up” and split between 2 households? Would it work and have the right sense of arrival? Rooms, like people, talk and make a statement. The timing of the day was essential. We had 3 houses to do, one to undo , a warehouse pick up, and 2 new houses to stage.

I am so glad I am only moving furniture and not people with emotions and children with broken hearts form one parent and home to the next. My frustrations come from unheaded worry about how “things will work out” and nothing will be broken, missing, or not fit. Will my crew be responsive to the day?

Are they READY to GO?

I love and hate cell phone communication. I love it when I get the call from my married son in San Franscico saying “I made the Presidents Club”. I hate it when I get the call from the driver and he is LATE. I am ready to go. How many times have we made people wait? I say no problem. I know the traffic is bad on Monday morning, so will you be there in 20 minutes? “Sure”. I settle into a hassle free day knowing I can go to the warehouse and sort thru the necessary components for the “rooms”.

The next call: “I am here but I am LOST”. This is over an HOUR LATE. I say “did you get a map from the guard at the gate?” “No”. he says. I say “where is the map with the lot numbers I gave you?” At this point everything my husband has said to me has gone out the window. Worry changed to ANXIETY. Now all I need is another “call” saying they have no room in the truck for all the furnishings. Sure enough, the CALL came “we don’t think it will all fit”. I was near breakdown but I knew that I had to reach into that place hidden inside and pull up those BURRIED TREASURES… PEACE JOY & FAITH.

I had done these moves many times and they always worked out. The furniture like relationships change and move but the lasting ones work and stay with you .

What else could go wrong with this wonderful blue- sky- filled Monday? We were already LATE and LOST. What next??

I get the CALL they were leaving the gated golf community and I could meet them at the next house, the NEW HOUSE. I must start being excited to see where all the pieces from the “past relationships” would fit. It is just like meeting people for the first time. You are not sure how they will like you and the other way around. There is excitement mixed with apprension. I had everything I needed for the first trip so I better go and MEET AND GREET my CREW. The next truck could get anything I forgot. My nerves were calm, my heart was steady, SET to GO.

By this time I had prepared to take the crew cookies and chocolate for the explosive phone conversation…after I lost it, like when your husband brings you flowers when he comes home LATE! I was really “settling into the words of Paul read from my husband to START my day, I like NIKE, JUST WANTED TO DO IT!!

I turned on the key to my car - not a sound, not even an engine grind. Oh my, the BATTERY is DEAD. I must REJOICE IN ALL THINGS, but this was getting ridiculous!! I truly had seen the CALM before the storm. My warehouse is next to several people who could help me “jump” the car. I needed a JUMP START TODAY!!

I finally arrived at another beautiful European Villa, LATE but not LOST. I realized this day would turnaround. I turned it over to prayer. IT is like LOVE and MARRIAGE. They do stay together when we work on keeping our BATTERY CHARGED.

I will write next week on how the houses turned out and perhaps include some pictures. One thing for sure, the G-d that loves me watches over me. He is NEVER LATE & LOST and always EVER READY TO HELP!!

Box Office Hit

2010-01-04T08:03:00.000-08:00

Well. I will tell you something about a great night out. Have you ever gone to something based solely on a recommendation from someone else. Or better yet a movie review that made you believe it would be better than the “Titanic”, after all it was the same director & producers. $200 million in one week - surely this would be a great pick for a Saturday night flick.

Since we live rather close to the theater I thought a brisk walk would be fun to start our “date”. This would give us time to talk about what we were going to see. Sometimes this is our only time to play catch up & find each other. Emotions tug and our hearts break when we don’t find each other. Walking clears the air and opens communication. Blue skies clear our cloudy days!

There was a shift in the barometric atmosphere as plans changed. Alone I ran across the golf course to the mall where the theater is located. I averted snow showers and ”freezing” heart conditions with warm thoughts of popcorn. So much for a nice walk to start our date!

He hurried ahead to save 2 seats in the middle. He was fearful they would “sell out” early, since this was such a box office hit. I acquiesced and bought the bait. It happened the other day when I let him take me out to dinner because of a coupon he had. I should have remembered he never told me the menu. I trusted his taste. I walked into the movie to “will call” picked up my ticket not even sure of the name of the movie. Was it Atomizer, or Aviation, oh, I know, Avant Guard. He hands me the ticket it reads AVATAR. I thought it would be a romantic love story that would make me tear up over the thoughts of seeing an actor like De Caprio. This would be a great escape.

As I joined him center seat, like he said, I braced myself for romance and laughter, perhaps a step back in time. I think that is why we are always decorating homes after a place we have so often never been. We somehow get to dream we are in Provence or Tuscany instead of where we are.

As the movie opened I realized we were in some scientific lab with far out ideas about changing brains and places. We were being thrust into the Future. I wanted to be some place other than in the land of Pandora . Avatar got my attention all right. I never liked Jurassic Park - I shut my eyes the whole time! Sci-fi I detest, give me a doctor like Dr. Zivago. I am not drawn to GI Joe in some techni-colored Vortex. I know there will be after market dolls that my grandson will hug. After all his mom had an ET doll. Another movie not high on my favorite list. These movies confuse spiritual issues making the reality of the ONE TRUE G-D a myth. See the movie review "Plugged In" http://www.pluggedin.com/movies/intheaters/avatar.aspx and you can further decide if this is great food for a child’s soul. We all want to cuddle and embrace something thinking this will FIX our pain.

People are looking for a justification for the messes we and our world are in. We want something to hold and value. We want the gods to come down and fix things!

I looked up the meaning of the word Avatar in the Webster’s Dictionary to discover why I felt uncomfortable with the content. It stated this fact of incarnation by the god’s. The central theme of this movie was based on a Hindu concept where the god’s come down in bodily form to the earth. The worship of the EARTH in the movie was mesmerizing. A true departure from worship of the LIVING G-D.

We are always looking for an imaginary land to move to, a place where everything will be better. I have embraced the one true G-d concept central in the Bible. When you study the Pentateuch a warning is pronounced to have NO OTHER gods besides ADONAI. As a child I discovered this and sought to know HIM, He grew real BIG inside of me. My world changes because He changes me.

Life teaches us lessons. The book of Proverbs talks about man planning his way but the LORD directs his steps. We have wonderful building blocks if we will apply them in every area of our family life. Our communication strengthens as we grow in HIS LOVE language.

So am I a romantic by not wanting to save the “trees”? I want to save lives that are slipping and connect them to purposeful living and meaningful relationships. I want to hold on to life and enjoy the pleasures that a precious baby bring. I want children to dream big because G-d is dreaming big in them.

Live dreams thru loving life. Allow the G-d that holds the universe in place to complete His plans and purposes in you.

Francis Bacon said, “A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.”

I am yet to uncover all the mysteries in this world. Just like in the movie as they were discovering how to see their world thru the forest’s eyes, I too am so sensitive to my CREATOR. I am beginning to have HIS EYES AND SEE AND FEEL LIKE HIM. Am I really from another planet?

Invisible Resolutions.

2009-12-28T21:06:00.000-08:00

This week is a time for reflection and a closer look at those things that are hidden from VIEW. It is a time to work on resolutions. The first of the year make us look at personal choices, weigh-ins and work outs. A resolve and determination to take action for the future. I always love to get a new calendar and planner. I am determined to use my iCal this NEW YEAR! At least it is in the forefront of "my intentions". Have you ever thought about "good intentions"? What is behind them? Are you doing them to impress someone or does it make you feel like a better person than you "know you are"? I have really been introspective the last few days, year end inventory control. The reassessment has left me with some unanswered questions that have prompted this post.

The design principle to re examine is "unity". This is the sense that everything in the SPACE is in order. All the objects have a certain "feel" and balance . We like to say everything "belongs in the room". We usually unify a room by repetition of pattern or color using the "same element" to create a STYLE. All the pieces work together in the room. One piece does not compete for attention. They work together! Harmony. If life and relationships could be so easy as furniture placement.

Let's go into our own living rooms and sit awhile. Where is the wall sconce out of balance? It is like we are hanging around the wrong room of "friends". Why do we wreck the design harmony by being too dimly lit or to garish and obvious. I love great design that is understated, yet important. Each element speaks. I want to unify the room with pure heart intentions. So often I have been like a fixture that is out of place. This year I resolve to hang out in the "right rooms". I don't want to go into those rooms of "regret" again.

Now, I am not in the New Year yet so I must confess a little room of regret. I want to know the "WHY" behind my "DO".

When I go to the store a preoccupation with the latest "gossip" headlines grabs me. Why is there so much intrigue with someone else' s mistakes and failures? I really hit a wall today as I thought of how a world famous and dearly loved "golf icon" could tumble so hard. Humpty Dumpty had a great FALL. I read in USA Today on December 15 09 how the "tiger" talked about his eye surgery for the TLC Laser Eye centers. His invisible handicap came into full view. The website had a recorded message : "Hi, this is Tiger woods. For years, I played golf with an invisible handicap. Invisible to everyone but me." Woods says.

We have many invisible handicaps that we can only "SEE". I guess if you're like me it must make us feel a "little better" than who we are reading about. I can sneak the chocolate as I pay. Later I pay again when the jeans are too tight! It is time to bring to light the things that are hidden so the invisible handicaps do not cost me.

This years resolution : let's unify the design style in our rooms. We can make everything brand new again. We can determine to know the G-d who made the universe and all the elements that make for GREAT DESIGN. He is watching our moves. He makes our invisible visible. The place to begin is to keep HIS number one commandment. How do we really love Him with our whole heart? We begin by obeying the "little nudges" to do what He says. We must not only do as Adonai directs but also FEAR Him this coming Year. Invite Him into your own living rooms. He will make a visible difference!

CHERISH the gift

2009-12-22T14:11:00.000-08:00

As I scurry to this store and that one wondering what is in sight. I look at my list and say "oh no, this is not a welcome delight!!" We do not have some of these, Swiss cheeses to make the holiday fondue. I decided to send my husband to the store. Not a welcome sight! Three cell phone calls later, I ponder the day and say oh e ve! What kind of french bread? I try to not yell at him on the phone so all the bystanders will hear.

How can French bread be so complicated? He says there are 4 different kinds. I say "just get the one that looks right". "You have to feel it and make sure you can cut it easily", I say. I know men are from Mars and women Venus, but this is ridiculous. All I want is some wonderful French bread. The kind you cut in cubes for the fondue. We are only beginning the list - one store and three to go, oh no!

Family time used to be so easy when mom was in the kitchen with help nearby. Now with our busy workloads we "job share". I thought the grocery would be a welcome delight, as plenty of samples to tantalize the war-torn knight.

I am married to a wonderfully complex man. The best of him comes out at the grocery stores. He is a bond trader. I, on the other hand, am a blond designer. Further explanation not needed. I thought this expedition would run smoothly. I even wrote neatly. I tried to categorize by store. Today I even took the cookbook out to show him the pictures. I want "baby carrots" with the green on the ends. I am a visual learner; this seemed sensible. Facts, like the price out way the picture. He says"so how am I going to find a boneless leg of lamb this size?". What will it cost? My answer " not to bother. I will go to "the other store".

Now the "other store" is where the "yuppies" shop, our daughter for sure! It is expensive and sure to have whatever dear husband can't find insight!

He would never come home with the items if I sent him to that store. I learned to make love and marriage work this way: there are some "things" you never tell a husband. Shopping "details" is one for sure! The way I beat inflation is stay away from the stores. When I do go I just close my eyes and swipe the credit card. He of course reads the statement at the end of the month. The festive meal is consumed and that favorite dress is admired, somehow the pain is not remembered!

This reminds me of a wonderful design client I had in California. We handled some of the decorating choices ourselves! The fabrics she selected were all from France and quite expensive. We did not weigh the "cost" to sacrifice the beautiful window dressing. I presented the bill unashamedly to her husband, after the installation. They were exquisite and no one cared at this point about price.

The enjoyment and beauty in life is often missed by hidden fears that spoil the gift. Consider the joy that comes when we open our hearts to each other. The hurry and scurry vanishes from sight as we see the faces "light up" in sheer delight as they open the gifts and share the festive meal.

The joy of a finished design job comes with the thrill of satisfied clients. They soon forget the delays, wasted phone calls and budget overruns when they are cozily sitting on the "french sofa", musing , laughing and loving...

We can be extravagant some of the time so memories are remembered and shared. Extravagant loving comes from extravagant giving. Meal time is the best way to let love flow. Remember to let the "small stuff" go and forget the things that do not matter.

We will have 3 to 4 different fondue pots and conversations going. The meal will last 2 to 3 hours and we will laugh a lot and remember this Christmas when we were together. Family time, "cherish" is the name. The gift we remember!

I read an interesting article about a study done on rats. Researchers at Yale University found that rats that were in isolation and lonely were prone to cancer. They suffered greater levels of stress. Stress has actually been shown to "trigger cancer-causing genes in humans". Fear and anxiety were discovered in these rats that create higher levels of cancer like breast tumors.

We have to guard our hearts at this time and not let the shopping frenzy or unfulfilled groceries lists steal our joy. We need to be so grateful that we have family to shop for and are not alone during the Holidays. I always look for people who are alone, or children who will not get presents to bless. We have so much, we have each other. We combat loneliness and little irritations by looking for opportunities. May you be blessed to be a BLESSING!!

I thank G-d for everyone who has come into my life and circle of love. May we open our hearts to the best gift life has to offer. We as Christians celebrate the birth of our Messiah. He is the reason for this SEASON of GIVING. He gave LOVE. So we can LOVE. Let us celebrate with a reason to look for ways to " love on" each other and forget about the flaws.

Pass the chocolate to the "ones" you LOVE. Cherish the gift.

LOVE Connection

2009-12-16T11:03:00.000-08:00

Private dining room at the Eden Rock Hotel, Miami

The Eden Rock Hotel was a wonderful escape. The bold new decor was a designers dream. I felt like I had stepped back in time as I imagined the movie stars that had graced these walls. You must check out their website http://boldnewedenroc.com/ and see the fabulous renovation. The wall in the private dining room depicts a blending of old and new. If only these walls could talk and tell stories, I am sure they would share of the countless people who have dined before. Imagine the movie stars who have graced these interiors.

In any relationship you will use elements from the past to bring out a new dimension. I love the small mirrored cutouts. The reflection of a little glitter against the natural stone with the embedded shell fossils was so intriguing. Something of a previous generation was left to give an imprint to the Florida Chic dining room.

I discovered more than a beach getaway in a fabulous resort. The true imprint left in the wall of my heart is forever lasting. I was invited to the 70th anniversary of the voyage of the St. Louis. In 1939 it carried Jewish refugees from Europe, but was turned away from Havana, Miami, and Ft. Lauderdale ports. This was a reunion for the remaining survivors. Look at the front page Monday, December 14, 2009 Miami Herald Miamiherald.com for the article.

Life is so fragile. I saw this reflected in the many vases displayed throughout the hotel. The glass vases reminded me of the lives that were just as transparent. As I saw thru their precious hearts and felt the warmth in their stories, I somehow felt a part of it. Stories connect the heart. Life lessons mirror others love, laughter and heartbreak. They let us see and connect to people who we have never met before. We feel the love connection.

New "friends", a survivor and her sister from NY and me!

1939 was a time when the existence of Judaism was in question . History cannot change the past; it only paints a picture to help redesign our future. We preserve our stories thru scrapbooks that recapture events and reunite hearts. A picture portrays much more than a thousand words! I so delighted to see the faces of the "survivors" light up as Rosemary Schlindler of Schindler's Ark opened her album of their past get-togethers. Memories unite families, bridge the gap between generations and are the glue that bind us together. We really learn we are so much more than "scrap". Do not throw away your valuable times with your families and friends. This is the season to "cherish" and "cherish is the reason..."

Family legacies of faith and fun are kept alive as we share holidays together. View the last two blogs to learn more The stories told of their families and how they had managed thru difficult times showed the roses so beautifully. In years past they were playmates in the orphanages. Now they were sharing losses of spouses and old friends. Life sails by and we miss the beauty of each passing day by rushing too fast past memory lane. Celebrate each season you are in and share the joy of it!

There was one wall in the hotel filled with large, medium and smaller cylinders. They had beautiful rose buds floating in a row . I loved the patterns that were reflected. The precious people I met so displayed the beauty in these vases. I saw and heard the love and joy of old friends reuniting. The wall to my heart these precious friends display is much more beautiful than a thousand walls of roses. Their fragrance will last forever. You will not have to keep changing the display and adding fresh flowers. Stories of the heart last forever. They can be viewed by all.

Ceremony outside and a Rabbi singing!

This weekend I listened slowly and absorbed fragments to pass on to my children. Life lessons enhance future generations. I so remember my grandmother sharing recipes with mom. She loved us tenderly and spoiled us wonderfully. I am so excited to "grandmother" next May. Love passing from one generation to the next. We must hold tightly the values we share and the faith we resemble.

I could not smell the roses in the vases. However, the fragrance of cherished lives I met is lingering. It will forever be remembered. I saw in these heroic people that love wins out. Love and laughter can only help soften the tears. Tragedies are buried forever in the heart. I had tears as I listened. What could I do to soften the pain?

We as Americans were attempting to bring closure to buried hurts. We were attempting to acknowledge our guilt in turning the ship away. A Congressional Resolution was being signed. Now ownership was shifting. How many times do we dodge responsibility to a friend? When have we turned our hearts away from doing what is best in a situation? Compromise is the enemy of the soul. We all tread water and think we can make it when we join the current of pressure. I do not know what FDR faced in his soul as he sent the ship away.

I am attempting to be a love connection. This weekend connected me. My faith compels me to continue. My heart leaves a trail of roses behind the event, to all the wonderful people who made it happen. Thank you for being a love connection. In our own room we can re-arrange the furniture of our thoughts. We can rehang memories that will endure the test of time. We can love lots, kiss slowly, color outside the lines and see joy light up a face when we learn to live from the inside out. Live to laugh. Love to live.

Saying goodbye to Rosemary...Old friends

A REUNION!

Food For Thought...

2009-12-11T09:48:00.000-08:00

One of the wonderful trade offs for working hard as a designer is the wonderful people I meet from different parts of the world. Sharing a meal around a newly acquired dining table rings warm thoughts. One memorable time was when my NY clients have a Chanukah party just for me! They knew I was fascinated to learn the Jewish roots to this holiday.

This year I am having them over to kick off the celebration and enjoy family time where we can see similarities of our “faith”.

This is my first time to make potato latkes, last year I bought them. I know the grease will fly and laughter will abound. I love new kitchen episodes. Who will clean up the mess? The homemade applesauce a breeze and the sour cream no sweat, I am beginning to feel like a Jewish momma. The chicken is in the pot. The smells of garlic, invade the air. We will have great boost to our immune system.

Not being Jewish I found it interesting to learn how this custom originated. This originally started as a Sephardic tradition where there was an abundance of cheese however the Russians and Europeans had an abundance of potatoes. Thus potato latkes, a delightful substitute. I heard it said that this holiday Judith saved her city by cleverly feeding wine and cheese to the enemy. We have a lot to learn from this as we look for opportunities to bless others at this time. We can trick the enemy of our soul by feeding our thoughts with good things.

I am working on my heart now as I have several situations where contracts are not being paid. (The failing housing market I want to make sure I am keeping my heart right and eating the sweet food and not allowing a sour taste to poison my heart.

One of the parallels for me at this time as a Christian Zionist is to see the similarities between the Maccabees and where we are today. This is a time the righteous should not be silent. We must stand up and be counted for our “beliefs” and ideals we believe in that promote righteous. It is not a time to sacrifice our beliefs in a G-d we trust and cower down to “popular” opinion. The Maccabees stood up and were not politically correct at a time when everyone wanted to retreat. There is a price to be paid to stand tall in the face of tottering moral decay. As a designer, I have often gone against “popular” opinion of a client’s friend on a design decision that I knew was wrong.

Let us celebrate our differences and embrace our Faith in what we do share in common. We believe in the one true G-d as mentioned in the Shama. May we embrace this prayer daily as we go into the days ahead knowing that we have stood for righteousness and triumphed over evil.

Let’s laugh, and love not just the next eight days but prepare our homes to celebrate inner JOY. As we linger around the meal let our conversation be sweet. Let us at this season speak kind words and hear the kind echoes.

Contagious JOY!

2009-12-04T08:54:00.000-08:00

At this time of year hectic lifestyles surface. Traffic jams, like a cluttered room, cause confusion. Long lines and all the delays make us loose the JOY and the REASON FOR THE SEASON. Tis’ the season that brings out the best and the worst in us. We are sharing axioms or self -evident truths that paint a real life picture.

One of the most frustrating things I deal with as a designer is how to meet client’s expectations and handle the hassles of vendor delays and unmet deadlines. I am so tempted to “blame shift”. I must be solution oriented, driven by heart integrity. I read an interesting article that drove this home, making it a heartfelt truth.

Shifting Blame is a Contagion

Teresa Neumann (December 1, 2009)

"When we see others protecting their egos, we become defensive too. We then try to protect our own self-image by blaming others for our mistakes, which may feel good in the moment. Blame creates a culture of fear, and this leads to a host of negative consequences for individuals and for groups.

REPORTER'S NOTE: Wow, does this hit home! Blame shifting may not be human nature at its worst, but it's directly related to some of history's most abhorrent moments: Cain killing Abel, Saul's hatred of David, and the Pharisees condemnation of Jesus, to name just a few. Perhaps this is a timely reminder for all of us to guard our hearts against it. I know it is for me. -Teresa Neumann, BCN. 

Though it should go without saying, new research from the USC Marshall School of Business and Stanford University reports that merely observing someone publicly blame an individual in an organization for a problem—even when the target is innocent—greatly increases the odds that the practice of blaming others will spread with the tenacity of the H1N1 flu.  The reason: blame spreads quickly because it triggers the perception that one's self-image is under assault and must be protected.

The study called "Blame Contagion: The Automatic Transmission of Self-Serving Attributions" is believed to be the first to examine whether shifting blame to others is socially contagious. The results will be published in the November issue of Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.

"When we see others protecting their egos, we become defensive too," says Fast, the study's lead author. "We then try to protect our own self-image by blaming others for our mistakes, which may feel good in the moment." He adds that in the long run, such behavior could hurt one's reputation and be destructive to an organization and further to our society as a whole.

Fast is quoted as saying when public blaming becomes common practice—especially by leaders—its effects on an organization can be insidious and withering: Individuals who are fearful of being blamed for something become less willing to take risks, are less innovative or creative, and are less likely to learn from their mistakes.

"Blame creates a culture of fear," Fast said, "and this leads to a host of negative consequences for individuals and for groups."

A manager can keep a lid on the behavior by rewarding employees who learn from their mistakes and by making a point to acknowledge publicly his or her own mistakes, Fast says. Managers may also want to assign blame, when necessary, in private and offer praise in public to create a positive attitude in the workplace.

Fast is also quoted as saying anyone can become a blamer, but there are some common traits. Typically, they are more ego defensive, have a higher likelihood of being narcissistic, and tend to feel chronically insecure."

The axiom taught in this article may free you up in this season of agitation. Let me share a self-evident designer truth that I recently learned. It is so easy to “blame shift” when promised orders are lost, delayed and not meeting deadlines. This holiday season was no exception. We ordered the dining table and chairs in plenty of time ahead of the Holiday rush. We were promised delivery before Thanksgiving.

Many calls to the showroom seemed everything was on schedule until the week before when everyone’s promises changed. Words heard now were never mentioned before now. I all of a sudden learned of fabric that was still not woven, thus the delay to the chairs. The most disappointing news was the promised table that was not finished. Thoughts of canceling the order entered my mind. It was not ethical. I searched my heart for the right thing to do. Who could I blame? I then turned my thoughts to the items in the home that were in place, the beautiful drapes, the bedrooms, and sitting areas were well on there way. I emailed the client these words: we have so much to be thankful for, this is ONLY FURNITURE!

My word had always been my bond. I had always tried to back up what I perceived as truth regarding what was best for the client and the design. I always want to be solution minded and apt to shift and re-arrange my thought process to reflect CHANGE. The client was having twelve for Thanksgiving with no table in sight. This was not a welcome delight!

Our crew went to the warehouse and delivered a “substitute table” and chairs. The family gathered and to their delight were THANKFUL for all they had in sight! They were together celebrating moments of laughter and love with a sister whose life is being drained by cancer. The truth was the table was not as important as the LOVE-FEAST they shared.

May we live to celebrate life and be grateful for every passing season. As a Christian, I am so grateful at this time to reflect and realize what drives me. My faith in CHRIST makes this time of year so meaningful. I have many guests at my table, I always want to make sure I am ready to “entertain a stranger”. Please pass the PEACE , JOY and LOVE. I want to make room for everything that is good.

When we are in the dreaded line, with annoying thoughts lets remember to recount our blessings of this past year. Let’s not blame the girl at the “checkout”. Let’s spread JOY not BLAME. Contagious JOY, let it spread!

Broken glass...

2009-11-08T13:35:00.000-08:00

I hear the sound of "broken glass" as I move one of the table tops in the warehouse. The sound is deafening. Shattered glass is everywhere, under sofas behind chairs I try to sweep the pieces clean. This is going to take much more than a broom to reclaim a clean floor. I wish the glass fragment remains of one man's quest to dominate the world as witnessed at Kristallnacht could be picked up and thrown away. Today, over 70 years later, you can still find slivers of glass. See the articles I read today in the Jerusalem Post.

http://cgis.jpost.com/Blogs/warpedmirror/entry/kristallnacht_reflections_posted_by_petra

Swastikas painted in German synagogue ahead of Kristallnacht anniversary

Police in the eastern German city of Dresden said a synagogue in the city has been defaced with swastikas and other far-right symbols.

Dresden police said the symbols were painted on an outer wall of the downtown Neue Synagoge.

There were no immediate suspects but state police are investigating.

The vandalism comes just ahead of the 71st anniversary Monday of the 1938 Nazi Kristallnacht - Night of Broken Glass - pogrom.

On that night, at least 91 German Jews were killed, more than 200 synagogues were destroyed, and more than 7,000 Jewish businesses vandalized and looted in state sanctioned, anti-Jewish riots.

   Our hearts welcome those who voice things are going to get better. May we all be aware as we go thru the season's of our life to notice CHANGE. We need to handle glass carefully.
   In America,some people are excited about the "changes" taking place. Change is everywhere. We see the weather shifting and even our HEALTH! We in Phoenix do not see fall foliage, however we welcome a few moments of cool evenings. I wish life could be as easy as bagging up the "trash" and racking the leaves. Are we not noticing the "signs of the times"? Have we failed to realize how quickly "things" break and are swept from view.
   There are fragments of shattered dreams beneath our feet. We are looking for ways to sweep things under the carpet instead of realizing the effect of our mess. Later someone will pull up the rug and view our selfish motives. Fear will stain the floor of our lives if we do not look for opportunities to not be careless where we cover our mistakes. Glass is easily broken, promises are not kept. We look for ways to get ahead instead of getting behind heart issues. We wear our words. Like a glass table top they leave fingermarks and smudges. Our attitude and our ambitions in life will make us transparent. We will leave marks when others touch us. How clean are your motives?
   Today let's look at these words written so long ago by a man of wisdom. He seemed to see the future while surveying the past. He chose to change his broken view into a time of growth. He expected an outcome of what he was planting. I now walk thru the warehouse more carefully. The table tops are always sparkling at the final destination. We must keep these words in view.
   Changes
   Night to day.
   Winter to spring.
   Sorrow to joy.
   Loss to victory.
   LIEE IS FILLED WITH SEASONS OF CHANGE.
   IN WHATEVER SEASON YOUR.E IN, GOD IS ALWAYS WITH YOU!

   In every season:WELCOME HIS GRACE, TRUST HIS PROMISES, AND REJOICE IN HIS FAITHFULNESS. Ecc.3:1-8

BRAVO!

2009-10-21T15:58:00.000-07:00

A preview of " Corrie" performing. She appeared at CUFI Phoenix

The music was alive. Notes of HARMONY drifted through the air! The stage was set for us to remember and pledge our solidarity with Israel. We were in unison. The Night to Honor Israel, CUFI.org., opened with Pastor Eddy Paul Morris who orchestrated the event. The venue was held in Phoenix Symphony Hall on Oct. 18.

There was no better place to create a unified sound. A symphony indeed. The dictionary says that this is when any HARMONY of sounds of any kind especially color exists: anything characterized by harmonious composition. Full color displayed our intent to harmonize on our similarities as Christians and Jews. When the Rabbi blew the shofar a united sound for Israel reverberated. Throughout the night we heard the words from AVOT 1:2---our world stood still as we heard the Torah, shared worship and deeds of loving kindness! We were united.

We were reminded through the dramatization of a “Righteous Gentile”, Corrie ten Boom, that we must not be silent. The above promo video was a fore taste to “Corrie” presented by Susie Sandager. Her portrayal of this woman made it A NIGHT to REMEMBER.

To know Susie is to love her and because of her heart I now write about Israel. We started at her kitchen table more that 10 years ago wondering how we could bless Israel. We decided the best way was to give our money. We were Christians and did not know how to begin. I was part of the group she formed, Yad B’ Yad. We had one agenda- Love that does not require anything in return. It was from this humble beginning that her heart to heal the wounds of “survivors” began. Her simple faith in telling a story of a “Righteous Gentile” has astounded audiences worldwide.

For more information on Susie www.SandagerPresentations.com

Our involvement with CUFI has enriched this circle. We have seen the generosity of Pastor John Hagee’s vision . CUFI’s generosity by blessing and standing speaks volumes, especially at a time when others decline. The money raised at these events goes for the Jewish Federation projects. On my last trip to Israel I was a guest of the Federation to see where our local money went. It was as though I traveled full circle.

The night prepared our hearts through strong contrasts. A standing ovation occurred as petite Helen Handler stood tall against any attempts that deny what she endured as a child survivor! The evidence pierced through the Jewish heart, raising the reality that it still exists. ! And Susie’s dramatization of the life of one enduring the holocaust stirred Christians. It has been said that without faith, we are as stained glass windows in the dark. Helen’s true colors shined bright! TRUTH AWAKENS FRIENDS Jews and Christians alike applaud her love for her G-D! BRAVO!!

When Dennis Prager spoke he was like a mezzo-soprano! He did not miss a note! He was the “pop” the audience anticipated and much more! He shared his heart. The reality of his message strengthened hearts. He was vulnerable and poignant. As a Jew he addressed Christians with stark reality the threat of another Holocaust. Apprehension in the Jewish mind mistrusts the times and the hidden agendas of Christians. As a Jew he struggles with the thought are they in it for me? He speaks at these gatherings because he has seen the TRUTH. He now can believe. We are CHRISTIANS UNITED FOR ISRAEL. We will stand up and be counted! The final song written by a ”Preacher’s daughter”, raised in an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood echoed the cry “Arise”!

For more info on Dennis Prager.. http://www.dennisprager.com/

The musical score and arrangement was superb. As a designer, the element that caught my attention was the use of CONTRAST. This design element occurs with the use of many contrasting elements such as color, value, size etc. The vibrant colors were reflected in a variety of ways. One way stood out - our responsibility to Stand with Israel. Just as color or scale play a key part in bringing a focal point to a room, we were “centered” on the point of the evening. Israel you are not alone! The center of interest for the evening was highlighted by the great blend and “mix” of distinguished GUESTS. The contrast and certainly the “pop” in the room brought music to my ears! The tone and special mix of speakers from distinguished Jewish and Christian communities highlighted the evening. The delightful contrasts balanced the tone of the evening. This is a sobering time. Our sound must be heard. Israel, never again will we not sing your song! The back of the program resounds this truth . “All the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.” Is:52:8,10

The final crescendo came as we each searched inside our souls. What part will we play? Will we just hear the music or will we write the score so others will join the song? This symphony released a new sound. The use of contrasts demonstrated what happens when two contrasting instruments play in harmony together. Bravo!

TRUTH AWAKENS FRIENDS AND CAUSES ”ENEMIES” TO REST.

TRUTH LOVES A CAUSE THAT UNITES FRIENDS. A NIGHT TO HONOR ISRAEL…CHRISTIANS UNITED FOR ISRAEL

continuation...

2009-10-14T09:56:00.000-07:00

It is great when parents teach children about the past to build for their tomorrows. When universities educate using this axiom societies flourish. Look at this article and see for yourself. If we deny pain we live with an open wound. To confront it brings HEALING.

THERE IS HOPE IN THIS ROOM!!!

Muslim Scholar Says Holocaust Denial a Case of "Tragic Gullibility"

Teresa Neumann (October 14, 2009)

"Perhaps in acknowledging that immense past of Jewish suffering … Muslims can help the Jewish community to understand the current Muslim pain in Palestine, Iraq and other places. In finding out about others, we encourage others to find out about us."

(Nashville, Tennessee)—Vanderbilt University's Holocaust Series is being held this month and will highlight lectures by survivors, historians and social scientists. The series is still relevant in today's world because Holocaust denial continues to impact entire people groups. As noted in The Tennessean, deniers of the Holocaust ignore thousands of detailed studies, eyewitness accounts and court testimony that attest to the genocidal killings by the Nazis during World War II. (Photo:www.martinfrost.ws/htmlfiles/holocaust.html)

On the evidence, says reporter Ray Waddle, "The Holocaust denial game can't be won. It insults reality."

One of the speakers will be Muslim scholar Hamza Yusuf who says Holocaust denial is a case of tragic gullibility. Writing in The Best American Spiritual Writing 2008, Yusuf is quoted as saying historical facts become accepted as reliable because they are based on multiple sources of evidence, not conspiracy theories.

"We are all entitled to our own opinions," he writes, "but not to our own facts," adding that the motivation behind denial is simple: "In order to validate our own pain, we deny the pain of others."

Yusuf suggests that mutual acknowledgment of collective suffering is key to reconciliation and peace: "Perhaps in acknowledging that immense past of Jewish suffering … Muslims can help the Jewish community to understand the current Muslim pain in Palestine, Iraq and other places. In finding out about others, we encourage others to find out about us."

Source: Ray Waddle - The Tennessean

2009-10-14T01:14:00.001-07:00

Designed by HARMONY

2009-10-13T15:37:00.000-07:00

Christians as well as Jews also celebrate Succot seeing similarities between the Old Testament Festivals and New Testament Scriptural evidence that both Christ and the Apostles observed and taught these Holy Days to Early Christians, Jew and Gentile alike. Israel is annually invaded by tens of thousand of Christians - black and white from all corners of the world - brought together in a spirit of joy and happiness and welcomed with great generosity and warmth by the Jewish people.

The annual 12 kilometer walk through Jerusalem by 70000 Christians and Jews took place shortly after rioting on the Temple Mount by Moslems who had been incited to do so by Imams on the false claim that Jews intended to occupy the Temple Mount. They failed to deter the enthusiasm of the visitors or the local inhabitants - demonstrating once again a total disregard by Moslems for others and a blind faith to follow what their religious leaders commanded them to do - no matter how outlandish and improbable the incitement might be.

Christians and Jews march through Jerusalem during Succot

Israel was a hive of activity and the people were united as I have never seen them before.

for more on this article. feed://www.blog gersba se.com/users/%202000/blog/personal_blog.rss

The above picture is Jews and Christians in a street in Jerusalem. Now picture a room filled with all types of people. The street outside is called Scottsdale. The place is the Jewish Community Center. The fall Arizona night’s atmosphere drifts inside. Excitement hinges like the ending of a long hot summer. Will the topic of why Christians support Israel bring harmony? How can two faiths have anything in common?

The Talmud gives a view of what I think took place last night. “A person who seeks help for a friend, while needy himself, will be answered first”. One such woman lived in Germany during WWII on a quest to discover a hard question. Could she come to grips with her own conscience and the heartache of God’s Chosen people. Miss B.Schlink went about “changing the future by confronting the past” this was the title of the film that depicts her dream. Her legacy continues thru her Sisters and the organization she founded. The Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary continues on in several nations. Her legacy lives. The night to remember centered around the documentary we reviewed.

We saw in the film her life long dream fulfilled. We faced the question can healing and reconciliation still be possible? This night to remember was the result of one woman’s quest to find answers to a hard question. Our response becomes the answer.

Let’s look at a design principle and gain understanding. Harmony in a room’s décor triumphs thru just the right balance. A sensitive eye knows when there is the right balance of variety. Unity comes into play by using complementary colors. You can paint a wall a bold orange and anchor it with a bright blue painting.

Another way to identify harmony can be thru a common trait, theme or style like furniture. I like to use this to unify the project. It is interesting to choose furniture that complements not competes. I never try to match. I want the room to look and feel like it belongs together even with a variety of furnishings.

Ideologies like furniture can be different. We found a common thread in the room.

We all shared an alliance with Israel. We all had wounds. As Christians and Jews we experienced misinformation and misunderstanding. Harmony came as we viewed forgiveness and repentance. Could this be possible?

Like in any room there will be different VIEWS. We saw that in the presenters. The diverse panel included a Nun a NY film producer, Rabbi, Pastor, and Israeli. The moderator of the evening set the tone as head of the ADL. The documentary opened the evening changing hearts. There was a blending of views as questions reflected more than intellectual stimulus. We saw and heard from our hearts.

In a great design project harmony produces visual appeal. This makes the room more interesting. Last night this room of Christians and Jews produced HOPE. It was very appealing! My hope is for you to step inside this ROOM and see the VIEW!

temporary dwelling place

2009-10-06T07:54:00.000-07:00

In the land of Israel this is a time of celebration at the FEASTS. My last trip was at this time. As an interior designer I was so taken be all the "temporary dwelling places". They were brightly displayed everywhere, on peoples balconies and backyards. The Sukkot looks like a grass hut, festive meals are shared and family fun happens. This is a season where the bounty of the Lord's faithfulness is expressed. It is "a time of happiness". The time to remember that the only safe dwelling place is in Him. As the children wandered in the wilderness He was their canopy. A protection from the storm.

The news showcases disasters in the world. Now everyone's homes are being swept away by "natural storms". We know that what we think will last for ever is often temporary. Our tastes change, our houses move. We even decide to redo our space. This is a time to reflect on what is lasting. We must rethink what is important in life. People matter and places change. Life inside our soul will continue to live if we make our shelter in the Lord. Read proverbs 14:26 you will have undersanding on this subject. It will bring confidence.

Ask yourself these questions. What does my dwelling place look like? Where am I dwelling? Am I maintaining a mansion or dwelling in a hut? Who is dwelling in my space? Is it time to make over my past by removing regret. Re paint Hope this will remain. Pain will become a temporary dwelling place when you rearrange your heart. Faith in who our SOURCE is becomes our strength. We must run inside to the SHELTER finding hope again.

Calm before the storm

2009-10-03T12:35:00.000-07:00

This is a photo of the Samoan shore before the storm. The gentle breeze can be felt as you smell the salty air reminding you of the restful place on the beach. A Vacation, a break from the routine. Whenever I start a remodel or a room redesign I am reminded of calm before the storm. When the project starts moving everything shifts.

I usually start by boxing up all the accessories and removing the furniture and window coverings. The space expands as I remove things. This is so true in our heart. I awakened with a sense that I have to let go of some "things" in my own heart.

Have you ever thought of what occupies your personal space? If we understand what SPACE is maybe we can gain insight. Space is the area set aside for a particular function or use. A kitchen is used for cooking and eating. Length and width give a space two dimensions, like a wall or a floor. Length, width,and height complete a ROOM or DWELLING!

When you look at the before picture of the peaceful beach it reminds me of a Bible verse in the New Testament in Eph. 3. This talks about how we can have all have wisdom to comprehend how to make sense out of where we are headed when life is all messed up. It talks of a SPACE where we are surrounded by the LOVE of GOD. The whole inside space, length,width and height encompasses His great WISDOM and LOVE. We can only pray for all the people that have lost their DWELLING PLACES. May God grant them the eyesight to find the INSIDE SECURE SPACE when shambles are in FULL VIEW.

The Scottsdale building boom has been hit with a tseunami. Everyone is scrambling to pick up the pieces. The resources that seemed unlimited have depleted. We are reviewing new strategies to make homes marketable. Many people are buying properties and doing remodels. Some of the fear of how we are going to adjust with the times is not comfortable. We must take inventory and begin to build again.

Our DWELLING places are definitely changing and rearranging. We must not loose heart and work together to complete the project. The article at bottom of page depicts the beauty of the Samoan people. Their faith in God will pull this island together as they regain VISION and purpose for the future.

This picture of a room after the redo gives us all a belief that there is an EXPECTED END in VIEW. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, this is so true. We must all build and work together and clear out the devastation of what happened in our past. Our tomorrows can clear a path for our todays. We must begin to dream and have FAITH AGAIN.

Samoa is a deeply Christian country where Sunday church services are an integral part of life."

(Lalomanu, Samoa)—The AP reports that Samoans gathered at churches en masse on Sunday to mourn victims of the recent tsunami. In American Samoa, residents were "set to hold a national prayer service that territorial Gov. Togiola Tulafono said would bring the community together. It was reportedly to be held at the headquarters of the Congregational Christian Church of American Samoa, the largest religious denomination in the U.S. territory." (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

An APIA report noted that Samoa's Prime Minister Hon. Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi was "near tears" when he addressed his nation shortly after the tsunami hit. He reportedly ended his address by encouraging people to pray, especially Church leaders. According to the report, "Tuilaepa, in Chiefly language, acknowledged the power of nature and sought the blessings of God."

Some descriptions of the earthquake that preceded the tsunami defy the imagination. "It shook the whole place. It was like the earth was a bouncy ball," said one eye-witness Keisha Brown, to the New Zealand Herald.

As reported in the Honolulu Advertiser, another eye-witness told his son, "Have you ever seen a mountain move?"

Please keep the storm and tsunami ravaged Pacific Island nations in your prayers.

Source: Audrey McAvoy & Rod McGuirk - AP

STAND UP and be COUNTED

2009-09-25T12:08:00.000-07:00

Joy is a flag flown high when I choose to dance on injustice!

I applaud a nation whose leader has back bone. He stands tall against popular opinion. " Like an oak of righteous," he is truly planted in the LORD!

We need to STAND UP and be COUNTED. A VOICE for the VOICELESS.

So many times under pressure from a client I have wanted to acquiesce to their demands. I always give several directions to go. Their taste must reflect their space. To stand up to my "gut" design decisions is often a risk.

Visual interpretation must be transferred. I cannot speak in a foreign language. The design direction is conveyed when they "see" where we are headed and are at ease. When I know their decisions violate one of the 5 elements of design I speak up.

A client puts their trust in my professional decisions and good taste. My role is defined by the people I hire to execute the project. I cannot rely on the "next door neighbor's" taste to influence my client. I must foresee the bigger picture. Satisfied clients become my best friends. Even when I have executed "tough love".

A ROAD MAP to PEACE comes when the barriers are moved. Confidence in the designer results when I lead . They listen.

NETANYAHU has won my vote. Israel should be proud of a leader who leads. We cannot deny that history does repeat itself. I am an advocate for Israel. History tells us we cannot afford not to STAND UP and BE COUNTED. Next time it could be me in harms way.

Compassion drives me to support local organizations that believe we can never forget! I am on local Phoenix committees that share these views. I work with Canaan in the Desert and CUFI.

You can learn more from www.kanaan.org about a film project. We are most excited to show it at the Scottsdale JCC on Oct.12. The title tells the story of our hearts "CHANGING THE FUTURE BY CONFRONTING THE PAST". We also are very excited about our NIGHT to HONOR ISRAEL at SYMPHONY HALL. Check out AZCUFI.ORG. to learn more. At this venue we are so thrilled to have a live dramatization of "Corrie,"a "righteous gentile". We need more in this world of HATE.

Please take a moment to listen again to the words in this clip.

Thank you PM NETANYAHU for VOICING loud and clear my heart!

facebook#Len Munsil

Delighted to see at least one elected leader willing to stand up to the wimps at the United Nations who sat still for the Holocaust-denying lunatic from Iran. Although when I first heard the audio tape of Netanyahu asking, "Have you no shame?&quote; I thought he was referring to Tom Delay and his appearance on "Dancing with the Stars."

Peace parallels "composure" when I triumph over a "wrong" slung my way!

This is a wonderful blog you might like to read.

http://www.bloggersbase.com/users/david%202000/

New Begining

2009-09-20T23:30:00.000-07:00

We celebrated the Jewish New Year 5770 this past Sept.18. We get to start over. A new beginning to restore hope and build character with the KING! This is a time to start seeing things differently. It is a time to take inventory of our hearts and see where we are going. I like to use this time to check out what is on the inside of "my space". Motives move me in a certain direction. Where I place them affects the view. The room gets congested when I crowd everything in a corner. Where I place accessories like regret highlight features in my room.

Will I disguise guilt and make everyone feel responsible for my mistakes? Past mistakes limit my ability to see clearly. A room can always shift direction by moving furniture. When pride surfaces, pain hides. I always know when I have a glaring piece of furniture staring at me. It is easy to move furniture. The hard part is to know proper placement.

I have been thinking about all the missed opportunities. We can never think it is too late to re-arrange our view. I am still praying that we will understand how to face our future in the LIGHT of day. I have had to make things right. This next week may we keep Israel in view. We must stand by the covenant given to Abraham. Many Americans do not think it necessary to see this way. There is too much noise in the room. We must be still and know that He is G-D and listen to HIS VOICE. Let us pray for our President for September 25 regarding the LAND. We should not be so quick to throw out all the furniture.

Decisions I have made based on presumption instead of a sure word cost me. Gain for approval by man always rates lower than expected. Just because I want to be accepted does not assure popularity.

New beginnings start when I change my view. A world view changes when it gets G-D'S view. May we really take time to SEE what is at stake. Shalom

Persistence of Vision

2009-09-02T17:01:00.000-07:00

Rooms like real life present challenges. How we face them tells the story. So often I am sure ROOMS want to talk. The chairs we sit in listen to our conversations. We loose sight of our design when we are stuck. Frustrations and dreams get lost when we get stuck and loose sight. Vision must remain fresh. To keep the project moving constant excitement about the room must be felt. I must see where it is going.

I found this wonderful example of why it is imperative to keep our vision. This tells how vision is used in filmmaking. My daughter Joy attended a film workshop. This was from the workbook by Jonathan Nixon. He formed Point of View Films in 1968. The wisdom he shares is noteworthy for all life challenges. We will learn to see our room take VIEW. Persistence pays off.

"Persistence of vision is the phenomenon within the eye by which an afterimage is thought to persist for approximately one twenty-fifth of a second on the retina, supposedly to compensate for the blackout that would be experienced otherwise through blinking. The theory was invoked to explain how the perception of apparent motion in film created the illusion of moving pictures. When you look at a series of still images flashed before your eyes, you have the perception that the image is moving.

Just as persistence of vision is a physical law of image creation, persistence of vision can also be a spiritual law used in media creation. The reason a series of still images are perceived as a moving image, is because the image persists on our retina. In the same way that our retina works to bring a series of still images to life, our persistence in faith operates to bring to life what we envision. If we will persist in faith and in the vision that God has given us, God is faithful to fulfill that vision."

Vision or Division

2009-08-25T09:01:00.000-07:00

I just heard a wonderful teaching on Sunday that opened my eyes. I always knew how the brain perceives color, but I had never thought of it in regards to vision. As a designer what I see determines the scope of the project. My job is to convey what I see to the client. Potential.

Thoughts like elements of design dictate lifestyle

Did you know that according to scientific facts only 50% of what we see is termed

“ VISION”? We gather information from our surroundings. Our brain interprets the impulses of what we see. We can send a wrong message to the brain. Others help us interpret what we see, but my preconceived thoughts often shape the style of the room. That is why I have to listen to the client so that the client’s dreams are produced rather than mine. If I have a style of room in mind this shapes me. We often have a mindset that determines how we respond.

We paint pictures with words. Stories are told using visuals. Decorating magazines translate wonder and help the reader transform a room.

As an interior designer it is essential that I listen as well as see. My job description demands visual interpretation. If half of what I see does not exist, then I must get inside the space and imagine. I must see where the room is headed so harmony is achieved. Listening to others and really hearing what is said opens communication.

One Vision

Have you ever been in a restaurant and the chatter was so loud no one could hear the others at the table. This is so true in forming good client relations. We need to make sure distractions die. We need to be reading off the same menu at the beginning of the project. Selections and tastes may differ but we all appreciate fine food. Great design comes when I hear my client’s heart and deliver what was ordered.

To make anything run smoothly ONE vision is necessary. I read this anonymous quote: “A task without vision is drudgery and a vision without a task is a dream; a task with a vision is victory”.

Division

When too many visions collide they cause a wreck. In most life situations we call this DIVISION or two visions. They each are vying for attention. In marriage as well as in interior design we must be one. A team effort and collaboration of ideas transforms situations. We arrive at a clear vision on how to proceed.

My husband and I always seek answers by listening to each other first. We then pray together and doors open. We are working as a team. Clues come, adding to our success. Joy jumps up inside when we form one VISION. I am so excited when his or my old mindset moves and makes way for change.

VISION defines your SPACE; One vision simplifies your TASTE and solidifies your STYLE.

Questionnaire

A good interior designer draws out what is inside of the client. As we muse and collect what we gravitate to in a picture, a story is revealed. Take time to imagine and believe your greatest dreams can come true.

Here are some suggestions & questions you may ask yourself to get you started with your project.

1. How do I translate this dream home into making it my home?

2. Look through the magazines and books and imagine

3. Would this feel right?

4. Do I see myself behind this stove?

5. Eating in this space?

6. Enjoying the spectacular view?

7. As you gather material categorize

8. Over the top- comfortable-pleasant

9. You will see a trend in your collection

10. Always exposing the real you- what’s inside your heart!

11. Remember the words of the psalmist

Food for thought:

“Delight yourself also in the Lord and He will give you the desires and secret petitions in your heart” -Ps. 37:4

continued, CHANGE

2009-08-20T20:39:00.000-07:00

I just read this article tonight. It is a continuation of how we start to rearrange our ROOM. Change begins by a personal inventory. We will discuss design points later. Here are a few excerpts that got me INSIDE my OWN SPACE! You can read all of Rabbi Ecksteins article with the link below. I am so glad we do not have to wait outside the GATE. We just go in. Are you ready ?

The King is in the Field

August 20, 2009

During this time, doing teshuvah calls us to do an accounting of the soul. What this means practically is taking an unflinching inventory of who we are, where we are, what we've done and what we need to do, and asking ourselves some hard questions. What sins or mistakes do we need to atone for? What gifts or talents do we need to better utilize? What personality traits do we need to work on in the coming year? When we come to this point next year, what do we hope to have accomplished? This process of self-examination may be uncomfortable or even painful, but it is necessary.

There is a parable associated with the month of Elul that sheds light on its significance and its power: Jews, like Christians, believe that we always have access to God. But, Elul, the Jewish Sages say, is the time when "the King is in the field"—when God's Presence is even more immediate, even more accessible. During the year, a subject could see the King: But he needed an appointment, and he'd have to go to the King's Castle where he'd wait at the gate, and then be let in through a series of chambers, and, finally, to the throne room where he'd have his audience with the King. During Elul, though, the King comes to His subjects—He is right there, waiting. It is only up to us to approach Him.

http://www.ifcj.org/site/News2?abbr=rabbi_&page=NewsArticle&id=29049&news_iv_ctrl=1481

Changing Places

2009-08-20T17:49:00.000-07:00

We have talked about a focal point in a room. How this is what grabs your attention. When a room's decor shifts, other design elements become secondary. When you move a large scale piece of furniture the balance shifts. To avoid confusion we learned how color can often play up or down a focal point. So often we are unsure of changing the room's position by readjusting the point of view. A life lesson learned came as a sudden surprise when I had to let go of an incident with my teenage son. All I could think about was how could I let go of the disappointment of his action. The late phone call and sleepless night. My focus had to change.

As the pieces of my ROOM came in FULL View, I knew nothing in my space was holding together. Balance was off. It was not a matter of being asymmetrical or symmetrical. The dominant FOCUS in my interior was not pleasing. I changed the center. Re-centering perspective. Visual appeal shifted. My STYLE in the room changed. The subconscious confusion improved as I moved furniture in my soul. Praise surfaced. I suddenly saw beauty.

Praise unlocked and recaptured my VIEW. The wonder of G-d's creation! He was a fine scholar, star athlete and a GREAT kid. He did not have to change. His position in my room CHANGED. I am so thankful that I changed PLACES.

I moved the focal point. Things in our life change and get re-arranged. I have learned we must remain STEADY as we move furniture. We may loose our grip. Like our heart furniture can be BROKEN.

LAUGH

2009-08-17T10:50:00.000-07:00

I laughed in the movie Julia and Julie till I knew I had found something. We take everything in life too seriously. I am always say this to the unexpected designer days. Take for example a color selection on a fabric for a sofa. Our perception is different than when it arrives. The color seems a little off for the design direction intended. Will this wreck my world? Or can I readjust the room to balance this using different pillows and accessories. We can not get our heart set on perfection in this imperfect world. We start examining too closely the "things" around us we forget, "it is only furniture". I want to be like Julia and learn to flip any omelette with flair. To learn how to recreate a wonderful French sauce and serve with laughter! We need to enjoy life. Are others reading our recipes and enjoying the Joy of Cooking?

Thank you Julie for teaching me to blog. May laughter line your thoughts. May peace direct your view.

As we expand our view

we often expand our SPACE.

Moving regret often makes room for more comfortable SEATING.

WHICH WAY ARE YOU LOOKING?

Peace Fatigue

2009-08-13T14:05:00.000-07:00

I find it so amusing that everyone is talking about land. We all want a piece of it.

The Peace of it!

One time in my travels to Israel everyone was wearing orange. Not Orange Bowl hats!To my surprise they were protesting the taking of their land in Gush Katif. I went there. I saw homes visited families. Talked to children disturbed by the peace process.

I read an amusing article about a woman standing up to the Peace process. She shows how actions over rule words. She is painting another view. She showed solutions producing HOPE. She became an answer to the FIX. Read the article maybe you can become a solution. She is not waiting for OTHER’S to be the FIX! Here is the article:

From the Sands of Gush Katif to the Rolling Hills of Lachish

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull&cid=1248277940963

Nothing has changed ”Peace Fatigue” has set in the Land. See the blog that follows this post. We are all wearied. Waiting for change is exhausting. I know when my Peace Index is tested.

Builders are buried in the mire of banks! Furniture seems like an overwhelming sea when I survey the scene. Where will it go now? How do I turn this into revenue? Room Service’s plans are changing. The occupied territory, designing and staging spaces for spec builders must be re-arranged.

The real estate market in Arizona is changing. The land is shaking; a fault line is present. It is time to shift perspective and present another VIEW. People are loosing land and homes. The peace process is de-valued. We are fatigued.

What value do your words hold? Change occurs when you do what you say. Words like purchases are always non-refundable, costly transactions. The stakes are high; we must live life-changing spaces. Trading spaces with words of fear. Repainting hope. We can paint our way out of a corner!

Color like emotions change rooms. Emotions lift as we start painting. Creativity stimulates change. Actions flow as a result of this creative surge. The designer challenge speaks when a room lift occurs. I have tried to use the 5 basic elements of design to implement the change. Look at the view.

1. Line----like actions “takes shape”

2.Texture—adds richness like “good conversation”

3.Form---always follows function

4.Space---yields to others and let’s “something in”

5.Color---like praise refreshes and revives dark days

Peace can’t be purchased. Nations can’t exchange it. Individuals acquire it. We choose PEACE by principles of the heart. Recover from fatigue. Open the windows to your soul touch the fabric of your heart. Peace becomes the blanket to your dreams.

Rosner's Domain: Why Obama should not waste time communicating with Israelis

Posted by SHMUEL ROSNER
Comments: 150

Follow Rosner's Domain on Twitter!!!

If you missed my article in The New Republic earlier this week, read it in full here. The headline says: "Hey Obama, don't waste your time giving a speech in Israel". Here's a paragraph:

Yes, Israelis might appreciate the honor of having the U.S. president talking directly to them. (As Benn writes, "In the 16 rosy years of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, Israelis became spoiled by unfettered presidential attention.") But what exactly is he going to tell them? That peace is good for all and that he wants to advance peace? They know. That Palestinians suffer? They know. That he cares deeply for Israel's security? They know he says that, and would like to believe it, but the real game-changer will require proof, not words. Clinton and Bush didn't just say "We care for Israel" and instantly become darlings of the Israeli public. They showed they care--mostly by getting along well with the Israeli governments of Rabin and Sharon respectively. The Obama administration has done little to curry Israeli trust with their churlish attitude toward Netanyahu. In this sense, I agree with Benn and Burston: Regardless of the inevitable vapidity of an Obama speech directed at Israelis, the act of making the trip to Israel would be at least be a "deed"--a demonstration of good will on his part.

But words alone will not make Israelis trust Obama. Israelis do not suffer from lack of understanding of the issues; they suffer from peace-fatigue. They look at "peace processes" with suspicion, based on experience and events. They are scarred enough to know what has working and what has not, and they are tired of the good intentions of enthusiastic novices, believing that with their youth and their smarts they'll be able to come up with some magic trick that can somehow round a square. What Obama needs is a convincing plan that makes sense. It does not look like he has one.

Now,who's wasting words? Solutions become answers when actions follow.

Peace alert

2009-08-11T23:46:00.000-07:00

What a computer doesn't know will hurt him. My peace was dramatically wrecked, my borders unguarded. Even though in most countries the Minister of the Interior secures the borders of a land and makes sure home affairs are in order. In this case Justice issues were violated.

I was fast approaching the wonderful ending of the other Point of View. I listed the 5 elements or principles of design. They secure the borders in a room.

I thought computers monitor our borders? What is securing our emotions? Will I react in this moment of frustration with anger and retaliate or will I simply smile at this thing? As an interior designer I am faced with a lot of "things". Choices. Design decisions like words can be wasted. Feelings like fabrics always fade. We must monitor the check points to illegals. What is creeping in ?

I thought I had mastered the blog. I thought all you had to do was post your thoughts , express yourself show your STYLE. I can do this I am a creative interior designer. No one ever said there would be wasted moments, lost words. Like crushed velvet they leave a mark. I felt as though my spirit had been walked on. Someone had taken my space away. In one brief hit of the keys. The post vanished into thin air. It was before me so alive. This is the amazing thing about things and how they vanish. I keep thinking of how little regard we have of others borders. We are so busy with our own THING.

I am in the business of managing other's things and making them fit. I have to use design principles. What is the plumb line I use to measure my own PEACE? This was unfair treatment at the border of my heart. Why had the post failed? Where did it go? The wonderful thing about "things" is they are just THINGS. What controls my joy is not your opinion of what I write. I will protect my land. Selah

2009-08-08T15:33:00.000-07:00

Did you know that there is a peace index that rates countries? You can read the article below. I find this fascinating since it talks about Israel. One of my favorite places to be, a place where I've never felt safer, in the 5 times traveling there.

This shows how irrelevant it is to let others gauge our peace.

In making design decisions we must guard our own borders. Make sure we have peace about color selections and the cost of the furnishings. I tell my clients before signing off, they need to have peace and joy when they go to bed, if not, call me. This may not be the right choice for them. Our internal monitor is the best gauge. It's our homeland security.

Sunday Aug 02, 2009

The Warped Mirror: Peace for our time

http://cgis.jpost.com/Blogs/warpedmirror/entry/peace_for_our_time_posted

2009-08-06T11:43:00.000-07:00

Perception, perspective, plans all have to do with a point of VIEW! Take your room what are you perceiving? Do you envision soft velvets and worn tapestries? Or do you notice how the perspective is fore-shortened by the way you are looking. When doing a drawing one incorrect shift of the line changes perspective.

Blueprints and electrical plans can all be short circuited by one change. Life changes shift our perception. They alter our perspective. A change in plans is often disturbing. To prepare for these sudden "interruptions" we must search our soul. It sometimes is as easy as turning on the "LIGHT". See how you can re-arrange the furniture of your thoughts.

I have to get the clutter out of the way and find a focal point. In home re-design it is often as easy as playing up an architectural element in the room. Is there and arched window in sight? how can I emphasize the design and detail in the space? One way is to balance the window with bold elements. You can use a large scale sofa with rich texture or a bold color. A wall could be accented with a great paint to play up the center of interest. This will cause the window to pop with excitement.

Translate this to the windows of your heart. What is grabbing your attention? Is your window cloudy? We know that our day is determined by "our outlook". Detailed drawings are essential for a renovation. We must PLAN each day to SEE differently. Let PEACE possess your soul.

2009-07-20T10:11:00.001-07:00

Perception is how we act out the sense of our mind. This is where all our intuitive recognition and all our aesthetic qualities arise. Keen understanding starts here that's why we can't "cloud the windows of our souls" with too much pressure, care and concern. Never look at your room as impossible see the bright side of every day and determine to wash your thinking with PEACE and re-direct your thoughts with a PLAN.

When my husband was laid off the only way I could face a new day was to remember to thank my Creator and know that He would help me meet my fears. Like a blank room, I was gripped with fear, how would I design this space? Peace with purpose moved me forward.