Mrs. Donna is also a brilliant artist.  She designs VERY unique t-shirts, graphic art, and craft items. Here I can let her art speak for itself.

http://www.zazzle.com/donnapool  

or

http://www.etsy.com/shop/donnapool

       Her daughter Becky is also a brilliant artist of absolutely unique things! She has a different eye for specialty items. Her art is trendy and clean and modern. She recycles old comics for some of her art! Which takes retro and makes it relevant and now. She does other forms of modern trendy art as well. She recentlywon a highly prized award as a graphic artist.( http://www.flickr.com/photos/thepinksamurai/sets/72157622826890961/ ) She is a very talented blogger and more.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/thepinksamurai

 Unique 1 inch buttons by The Pink Samurai, Becky Pool

       These ladies  have items you won’t find anywhere else. They can custom order certain things. They respond to your emails personally and help you figure out ideas based on people’s interests. The art you find on their items would make terrific stocking stuffers or special gifts. Mrs. Donna does amazing hand sewn craft items like teddy bears, quilts, puzzle balls, and Christmas ornaments. Because each item is hand created some items require time, so she needs a heads up. If  you don’t see exactly what you want, talk to them. They are fantastic listeners and so creative that I bet working with them will result in art that you or someone you love will treasure for a long time to come. See for yourself.

       More than anything, Mrs. Donna is a remarkable lady. She has a lot to say and loves well. She always has time for you. She makes it her business to be sure that if you’d like to, she wants to get to know you. She is not just someone creating a product you’d love or that someone you love will treasure;  she genuinely cares about you. I can honestly say with all my heart that our friendship is personal, real, and treasured.

       If you are still looking for a gift idea that speaks specifically to someone’s heart, check out the work these ladies do. It is all about heart as much as breathtaking art. If you know others who love arts and crafts, please, get the word out about these incredible artists!

 Amish Patchwork Puzzle Ball Ornament by Donna Pool

You can also find these ladies at http://twitter.com/DonnaDPool  and http://twitter.com/BeckyPool. Please get to know them!

(Mrs. Donna, thank you for loving and having time for me. You’re one of my super heroes.)

I don’t often repost someone else’s articles, but this article intrigued me. So I’m sharing it for all moms who surf, blog, tweet, Facebook it, myspace it, or in general use the web to stay connected or get connected. The web community is amazing because of it’s access to so many globally. If you’ve wondered why you connect with joansmith@somewhereincyberspace.org better than just about anyone in your real life that you know… well…. you might not be so alone.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Increasingly-Isolated-Moms-bw-510302110.html?x=0&.v=1

            A number of years ago, I was part of group who went through World Vision’s 30 Hour Famine. A number of teens and a handful of adults grouped together to fast for 30 Hours to raise awareness and money for fighting hunger around the world. It is still one of my fondest memories. Abbey was a baby and Mathew was a toddler, so I couldn’t participate in all the activities like the others, but I could fast and pray. (http://www.30hourfamine.org/portal/pages/donor/index.html)

             During the 30 Hour Famine for World Vision that I participated in, we as a group were prepped for mood swings, tension, possible aggression, weariness, or even hyper activity in some of the kids. We had games and community service projects planned, did research about the countries we hoped would receive our help, did a community canned food drive and more. We had to keep the kids awake and moving a bit the entire time.

            I read this from Mr. Abrams website about the Gabriel Method for weight loss:

              Mr. Abrams discovered that human biology is hard-wired for two basic types of stress responses, corresponding to the two major life-threats that confronted our Australopithecine ancestors: attack and starvation.

             The classic fight or flight (FoF) response has been studied exhaustively in stress research. A sudden onset/rapid release response to imminent physical danger, FoF is essential for animal survival, an instinctual mechanism we share with the entire vertebrate kingdom. FoF has very distinctive physiological and biochemical features, primarily a strong cortisol surge, rapid insulin release and speedy glucose metabolism.

             But imminent physical threat is only one type of stress. The other major stressor for all animal life is starvation. Humankind, like other animals, has evolved a distinct physiology for survival during food shortage.(http://www.gabrielmethod.com/documents/holistic_primary_care_article.pdf)

             Abram’s article was discussing actual physical hunger. I’ve personally sense other kinds of famines. Hunger hurts. Hunger drives.

             When the famine time for us was over at 30 Hours we made a pot of plain pinto beans and plain white rice to break the fast much like we’d expect those in some of the third world countries would have based on research we’d read. It was amazing to listen to some of the teens talk about the taste and how good it was to eat the rice and beans. They drank water.

             Although it’s cliché’ many students and some of the adults said over and over again that you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. You really don’t know what you have until you’ve been without it for a prolonged amount of time and suddenly it’s reintroduced to you. There’s a new value to whatever was lost. A new respect for what was found to be so precious. There is also a sense of community built in the midst of loss and in serving together.

              One of the downsides to unprepared fasting (or in serving with a group and then going back to whatever is normal for your life- as a missionary or military person) is found in the tendency to gorge afterwards. You find that you have to fight the urge to hyper stock whatever it is you are either missing or suddenly have reintroduced. Some of our teens decided to go eat at a buffet style restaurant after! NOT a great idea. Some friends of mine and I have experienced the need after an intimate service time- like building houses for Habitat for Humanity, or working with children in Mexico at community after school clubs, or the summers I spent in small towns assisting ministers or youth workers, or I have heard tales about time spent over seas by many friends – to really feel exhausted, depressed, and utterly alone. You were surrounded by similarly focused and like minded people doing something specific that would have purposeful long reaching effects… then crash. You’re doing dishes and homework and life went on without you there as it went on without others where you were. It’s a grieving process to deal with introducing yourself to what was your “norm” and finding the miraculous in the every day common place (for you) life again. It’s hard then when the opportunity arises to experience something similar not to go over the top and gorge on it. Ask a starving man to go easy on a home cooked you give him and you’ll see.

             I found that I often didn’t see my regular every day world the same way. Being driven to find higher purpose any way, it was really a struggle for me to remain non-judgmental about the ignorance of others who haven’t experienced the same thing. It was hard to remember that they had never been deprived of what it was that I now valued differently. They had never seen what I had seen. Because of my life and these experiences, my values are a bit more third culture kid (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Culture_Kids) and global nomad-ish.

             There is a different sort of famine I have realized I was experiencing. Recently, I’ve been watching a show and reading along side a group of women on what to me is a very special forum-the BPD. They are a group made up of individuals who are from all over the globe. I get so giddy just hearing about their lives and their world views. I rave like a nut about how interesting, cool, unique, and beautiful they are to me. Some respond well. Others are embarrassed because I can be a loud fangirl. But I see such a higher purpose in listening and learning from them.

             I have seen the globe in bits through their eyes. Culture, politics, art, music, love, life, and religion all in such infinite diversity shared in one spot. It’s amazing.  I’ve seen what moves them. I’ve seen what they are passionate about. And I admit I’m such a child at heart that I am sincerely in awe of things they see every day or think all the time. But when something is novel or remarkable to me, I feel it like a seven year old at Christmas. And these women move me. They make me curious. They teach me. They make me hungry to see and know more. They make me value what I have more. They make me think about what I believe. They make me work to find just the right words to communicate what I am saying better. They make me want at times to fight beside them or protect them where I think I can. They make me proud to be their friend.

              So, I do stand in awe of who they are- collectively and as individuals. I stand in awe of who they are every day as they move and breathe and have their being on the same ole city streets for them, but on a whole new world for me. I love to cheer their accomplishments and victories. Some are doing things I always dreamt of and some so much more!  I think some of the reason it struck me so profoundly goes back to the same reason the teens I worked with loved those pintos and rice – You don’t always recognize what you’re missing in your life until it’s gone and when you do really eyes wide open see it, you sense and value it more. I am grateful for the fellowship and community.

I adore his view of love in Wedding

I love the stories he tells in his art like in The Walk.

He often depicted love as flight. He used his wife, Bella, as a model many times. I love the way his use of various colors depending on the painting always surprises me. His subjects he chooses are always a surprise- apparently he liked goats a great deal. He loves Biblical and poetic themes. He also created great stain glass work.

He makes me feel as if I were part of his world, joy, and loves.

“Work isn’t to make money; you work to justify life.”~ Marc Chagall

            I have spent this week combining two of my favorite things – small kids and books! I worked at the Scholastic Book Fair at Mat and Abbey’s school. It was a blast for me.

I had the most fun today. My job this week has been to stock the shelves with TONS of pencils, posters, games, specialty items, and books (yeah, real burden for the bookworm). Then to escort the classes through the process of either buying the items they wanted or creating a wish list to take home to show parents so if they wanted to do so they could purchase them later.

A class came in today and just could not get the price thing for themselves. I showed them individually and corporately about four times where to look on the items and it was just simpler to them to keep asking me how much each item was! They are first and second graders so I didn’t mind. I can’t tell you how many of the kids would look up at me for a second, pause as if asking permission, and hug me. I can’t tell you how many hands I held. I can’t tell you how many “big tough boys” would sneak over shyly and act like they were showing me a football player book just to get as close to my body as possible so that I would put my hand on their shoulder and say “Oh yeah? I see. Wow”! Oh yes, hog heaven for me on so many levels!

I was able to talk about Narnia, Junie B. Jones, Skippy John Jones the Siamese Cat who thinks he’s a super hero Chihuahua, Corduroy the bear, science books, history books, current video gaming stuff, music – Hannah Montana, Raven, Beyonce and more, Barbie, Tinkerbelle, and by the time I’m done I will have a liberal arts degree in High School Musical 1 & 2- and tons more. I was able to hear the kids. I was able to hear visiting parents, tired teachers, tired staff, and more. Very loving words were shared and some complaints (not many actually, but some). I really loved it. It was a sacred moment to grasp.

Some of my favorite memories will be my boy leaning over the second floor rail looking into the open roof of the library nestled in the center of school surrounded by a double decker shell of classrooms calling down as discretely as a second grade boy a story above you can, “Hi, Mom!” and waving. His classmate, a young girl in line behind him, said, “THAT’S yo mama?” “Yeah?” said Mat as they were walking away into their classroom. “Oh yeah, she’s cool, dude.” “Yeah, I know.” says Mat very matter of fact.

Or Abbey seeing me walk into the lunch room to tell her I arrived with a huge grin. Mean while every kid at the table called out, “Abbey, it’s your mama! Look! Turn around and look!”

Or a small red haired freckled boy clasping my hand softly (I have a terrible weakness for red heads. Always have. It’s horrible.) and looking up at me with bright blue eyes, “You got a dollar, Miss? I would do anything for just a dollar.” I could have cried on sight at his sincerity. “I’m sorry, honey,” pulling out my empty pockets to show him, “I don’t have anything with me.” He sighs and walks away. I help a few girls and he comes back with a small cute grin and sidles up to me tenderly grasping my hand. “Miss, I found this.” Pressing a dime in my hand. “It’s not much but you’re broker than I am!”  We both laugh so hard and I immediately go to the locker and and pull 50 cents from my purse and buy a big heart shaped eraser and sneak it to his teacher with the story and ask her to discretely give it to him for his giving heart. (But you knew I would do something didn’t you. That is a little man who know the value of “You had me at hello” power!) There was a small girl who kept coming over and asking me a million questions about various things and I finally after petting her, “Very cool, smart girl!” She ran off telling every kid in her class, “She said I was smart! She called me smart girl I’m a smart kid!” There was a little boy named David and off the cuff while working with him I said, “Did you know that there was a great king of Israel named David? He didn’t start out as a king, but just a kid.” “What did he do to work his way up?”

It has been a really fun experience. I have one more afternoon tomorrow to relish. I can’t think of anything I have enjoyed as much in a while.

I love the Lord, I love my family, I love people.Luke 10:27
He answered: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]“

    I fight the urge daily to figure out some rationale for why I do what I do. Why am I choosing to write. What is the purpose? It will never make me rich or famous. Few writers achieve great financial acclaim or huge popularity, J.K. Rowlings being an exception and perhaps there are more rarities. I seriously doubt large crowds of people will flock my house.

        I think of the countless number of books that make it to publication yearly that sit untouched on shelves, some good, some just are. I doubt I will ever see a made for T.V. edition movie out about what I write. I am astounded (and deeply honored) when I check the blog manager on my websites and see the number of reads that hit what I throw up here. So money and notoriety aren’t really motivating factors for writing for me – for those who are ready to flog me for thinking small I add not yet! I will confess to about a thousand times a day seriously thinking of cashing in the chips and walking away with the winnings I have at this moment of the gamble.

     I will confess to fighting to push my way out there and post, mail in ideas to my professor and mentor, or even just having a good friend scan through a manuscript. Art is a horrifying profession no matter how you create it. Dr. Calvin Miller- author, speaker, artist, pastor, and more- once said in a lecture at my college, “The most audacious act of any artist is signing your name to the work.” No kidding! Audacious and I would add terrifying! Two things keep me writing (aside from healing conversations with the right people). Isaac Asimov wrote: “I write for the same reason I breathe- because if I didn’t I would die.”

That is number one. Telling stories is historically what I am known for the most. Ask my mama! It is something I have always done. It’s in my blood – research my dad! For reasons good &/ bad, I tell great stories! Those who know me would say I draw a crowd and I talk a lot.

     There was a brief time after some run ins with some professors and some reality checks on the level of education I actually possessed upon entering college, I stopped… except for journaling, emailing, letters, bedtime stories for my kids, remembering aloud or in post cards, video clips, and more for my nephews, teaching Sunday School or VBS classes. The point is, in a thousand little ways, I write meaning to or not. I breathe, I write. That is my first reason. I can’t help it. It’s what I do.

The second is summed up in the following email I received from the Nouwen Society.(http://www.henrinouwen.org/)

 Speaking Words of Love

Often we remain silent when we need to speak. Without words, it is hard to love well. When we say to our parents, children, lovers, or friends: “I love you very much” or “I care for you” or “I think of you often” or “You are my greatest gift,” we choose to give life.

It is not always easy to express our love directly in words. But whenever we do, we discover we have offered a blessing that will be long remembered. When a son can say to his father, “Dad, I love you,” and when a mother can say to her daughter, “Child, I love you,” a whole new blessed place can be opened up, a space where it is good to dwell. Indeed, words have the power to create life.

     Or here are some other words I have read and recorded: The wise king once said: “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” – Proverbs 18:31

 “Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.” – Rudyard Kipling

 “Some books are undeservedly forgotten; none are undeservedly remembered.” – W. H. Auden

 That is my second reason. I believe that there is an intoxicating, irresistible power in words. I know Lytton has been quoted a million times: “The pen is mightier than the sword.” But it is. The recorded word lasts and will haunt or heal.

      So I have to stand with George Burns and say,

 “I’d rather be a failure at something I love than a success at something I hate.“