Choices

We are learning so much about what we don't know. I now understand clients that get overwhelmed in the fabric section of a design center...too many choices. No,I am not talking about packing. How do we set up contacts? Do they Skype or use imessage? Will communication work as we hit France, even with apps installed? Will I be able to remember how to use them? I think I am going to go sit awhile, like clients do when they have had too much creative saturation. Let me take you to my favorite spot. I want clear communication and a true message for this trip. 

 THE message Bible in 1John4:17-19 paints a picture of what I like to describe as hanging out in God’s beautiful living room. It is complete. Full of Love and GRACE. We know we are hanging out with him in the living room when we know His life lives in us by his very own Spirit. Let’s remember to “state openly that the Father sent His son as Savior of the world. Everyone who confesses that Jesus is God’s son participates continuously in an intimate relationship with God. We know it so well, we’ve embraced it heart and soul, this love that comes from God. God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that on judgement day--our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s. There is no room in love for fear. Well informed love banishes fear.”

 Let’s redecorate our room with JUST JESUS.

Paris Here We Come!

  We are off  on our adventure.  Our first stop will be Paris and our first fun thing will be staying in Chantilly and sharing our heart at St Peters Church.  We are so grateful for the opportunity to serve and share.  Thank you Lori for trusting us and opening the door.  We love you and can hardly wait to meet your friends!  French antiques, treasures and fashion.  Hope to unlock treasures to bring back to the design community.   It has been a long time baby since I have been in Paris, let the fun begin!

MARY ANN and RICH HOPKINS FROM PHOENIX, ARIZONA LOVING LIFE AND THEIR GRAND BOYS!

“WE are in our 27th year

year of our journey

together letting

God have

His way

in our life.”

Rich was “saved” from an all-consuming career managing bond money for one of the largest pension funds in the

world and Mary Ann was a single mom with 2 kids (ages 4 and 6) struggling to survive as an interior designer when their

journey began with YWAM. Their story together is the testimony of Romans 5:3-5 in the Message Bible. “We continue to

shout our our praise even when we are hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate

patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do

next. In alert expectancy such as this, weʼre never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary-we canʼt round up

enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!”

You will be encouraged by their testimony of hope and healing!

Summer Insights

Summer Insights

As clients come and then they go it is time for reflection.  This is the end of the season for most winter visitors, like putting winter clothes away we often get ready for change. We just celebrated a wonderful birthday party at the country club where most of my clients reside.  It was a gorgeous ending as the sunset faded our conversation lingered.  The gentle breeze seemed to cause the new friends we made from far and near make us grateful for another year of design.  

 We are now turning our thoughts to summer and the adventure.  We are not moving from our winter home to a summer one but we are still as concerned about the remaining days to get all secured and packed up. We will be welcoming new friends into our  life circle. This has been such a leap of faith.  I now know how my clients feel after they have purchased the items we have selected.  Did we make the right decision?  Will it really make our lives more comfortable or is it frivolous? 

This summer we are setting our sights on things we cannot  fully see.  We are already understanding how learning to listen to each other as a couple must occur.  I now, more than ever appreciate when clients equally share in the decision making in their interior selections.  Tension is created when things are held too tightly.  One side has to let go and cause a “give”. It takes much more than  great communication, we must balance and weigh our opinions and wait. I am really leaning on my husband and resting on his wonderful arms of love.  One thing for certain we are discovering how to hear our inner voice, and we know that it is the Holy Spirit at work.

Here is a taste of our sumer ahead!

RICH & MARY ANN HOPKINS

YWAM’ers in Europe

Being led by the Spirit often means you get to obey by faith and don’t get to see the results until later.

We are extending our 27-year relationship with Youth With a Mission by going to France, Germany, & London this summer, leaving June 4 and returning July 31. The main function will be to bring back contacts for the new YWAM “base” opening in Phoenix this Fall. However, the focus will be on the Holy Spirit. We heard from the Holy Spirit to “go where the bells stopped ringing & release the sound”. What will this sound look like and how will it sustain revival and change culture?  For two months we will become part of the people & history of France, Germany, & London, listening to the Father’s Heart and identifying with those lands knowing that repentance opens a door for revival. God always uses people that go with a heart to pray for the restoration of His Covenant People. We believe this outreach to Europe will unlock from history keys that will accomplish His Will on the earth.

As veteran YWAM’ers, we will first discover Paris. Then we are off to a small town where five thousand Jews were hidden from the Nazi’s and certain death during World War II. We will then help relocate a YWAM base in the South of France for a week, followed by a days train ride north & east to a YWAM base in Hurlach, Germany, about 40 miles west of Munich, for the base’s 40^th anniversary celebration. A young YWAM couple will then drive us north to another YWAM base (Herrnhut) on the north side of the German-Czech border, where we know greater insight will be unraveled regarding anti-Semitism. Herrnhut is known as the location of the Moravian prayer revival in 1727, which sowed the seed of early Zionism. We hope to gain insight into church history from Martin Luther’s time to the Holocaust and a greater identification with the Jews & repentance.

Finally, on July the Fourth, we fly to London from Frankfurt for the Summer Olympics. Our first London mission is with a YWAM ministry called “Megacities”, where we will spend at least two weeks evangelizing a borough of London. Finally, we will work behind the scenes in YWAM’s Summer Olympics effort.

It is hoped that this “outreach” will bring back to the new Phoenix YWAM base contacts for their school “outreaches”. The YWAM discipleship training school (DTS) consists of three months of teaching, followed by two months of an actual short-term mission ministering the Word of God in the neighborhoods of foreign lands. We hope to establish the connection for YWAM-Phoenix to minister in Europe. We also want to learn how “megacities” works so it can be implemented in Phoenix.    

                                                        

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But the trip is more than just a function – more than an itinerary. It is Holy Spirit-led evangelism. We carry God’s promise to us for this trip to “give us favor & abundance to give relief”. (2Cor 9:8-9) God has purposed in our hearts to be “attack lambs” as Mark Geppert describes in his book by the same name about prayer walking. It is illegal to evangelize in France, so we are asking God for creative opportunities to share our faith. We want to build up  & support missionaries there who are pioneering this effort. For example, funds are needed for the French YWAM base move as they expand to a bigger facility. And, we just received word that another YWAMer’s car needs $1,300 in repairs.

The instruction God has given us for this journey is Ephesians 4:1-3 as quoted from the Message bible. Paul says “in the light of all this, here is what I want you to do. While I’m locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk – better yet, run! – on the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline. – not in fits & starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.”

This is a dream come true …an Acts 1:8 moment.

We love you, Mary Ann and Rich

MIMI's BOYS

J

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?

Doors and Windows

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