...laurieanneland...

A new hobby!

2011-05-22T14:36:00.001-05:00

Well, I love to cook.

Didn't see that one coming.

Here are some photos of Bruschetta Chicken I made today!

november 7th, 2010

2011-04-06T10:57:00.017-05:00

photos by Stephen DeVries

yes, that's me standing under that gorgeous ginkgo tree marrying the love of my life.
taylor and i got married on a beautiful fall sunday in november.
it was perfect.
my name is now laurie anne gonzalez :)
we love being married. so fun!
in our 5 months of marriage we have moved twice and added a sweet baby girl pup to our family!
meet hazel:

hazel is a wire haired fox terrier.
we adore her.
she has been such a great addition to our little family!
hazel's personality is hilarious and she keeps us laughing constantly.
she is the perfect puppy!
and obviously she is ridiculously cute:)

taylor and i are still working at Sweet Pea Designs and hazel gets to go to work with us everyday. she is an excellent office dog!
life is wonderful. we are blessed beyond measure.

that's all for right now but stay tuned!
i have some fun ideas up my sleeve.
until then, adios from the gonzalez's!

*to see more of our wedding photos click here!

death in a mini-van in the K-mart parking lot.......

2010-06-19T23:08:00.011-05:00

you know when you are super dehydrated and you feel as though you might actually die of thirst???

i had one of these moments that i remember very vividly when i was about 6 years old.....

let me set the scene for you......

it was a hot summer day... me, my two older brothers and mom in her mini-van. it is scorching. this is alabama. it gets really hot. we are running errands with mom... and we are ridiculously thirsty.... i mean, like cotton mouth thirsty...

so, the search to quench our thirst begins...

we go into k-mart.... somehow all of their drink machines were broken.... the vending machines outside were also broken..... AND the surrounding areas drink providers seemed to all be broken as well.......... how this happened, is still a mystery to me....

so by this time, i was in tears.... i'm not sure if my brothers had cracked and spilled some tears at this point, but i know they were just as miserable as i was.

it was then that the knowledge of not being able to get anything to drink suddenly made me even more thirsty... of course i was like 6, so all of this seemed like a life or death situation... i even remember thinking... that if the car breaks down, i will literally die of thirst.... a little over dramatic, i know.

so, at this point, i feel as though i am ending my days on this earth in this hot mini-van in the k-mart parking lot and that i might as well be crawling in the desert eating dust and sand.... somehow through my imagination of dying in the desert i see an oasis... i see water... and it is coming to me in the form of a mcdonald's cup filled with water.... HALLELUJAH! death is not approaching me just yet!!! i still have life to live!!!!

to say the least that was an incredible cup of water... i felt as if i were a dry sponge that had been submerged in water... it was awesome.

that day easily goes into one of the most miserable days in my life history.... but in the end, oh how satisfying was that drink of water? amazing.

i do have a point to this glimpse of my life as a child....

lately, i have felt as though i am back in the k-mart parking lot stuck in that hot mini-van..... but this time its my heart and my spirit that is dying of thirst...

tonight, i opened my bible and read a couple verses that i had underlined at some point.... nothing really heart shaking happened.... no big revelations, no little revelations... i didn't hear God tell me what my next step in life is.....

but

i did feel as if i were walking in the desert and all the sudden, i saw a real life, incredibly refreshing and beautiful pool awaiting me... stocked with any beverage of my choice... everything necessary to hydrate this dry and weary soul of mine....

the word of God continues to amaze me. it is freakishly alive. i mean, how can my dry and weary soul all the sudden feel rehydrated after literally reading like 4 lines of scripture???

ummm, because it is the word of God... His breath is on the pages and He is powerful and He created all of existence with His words.... that is how.

His words are pretty powerful.

Jesus, Your word quenches my thirsty soul.

for this, my heart sings!

"my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water...." psalm 63:1

"I (the LORD) will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.... for i give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert....." isaiah 43:19&20

talented man alert!

2010-05-05T21:00:00.008-05:00

well...

i know this guy....

he has the bluest eyes i have ever seen...

he also has some pretty great artwork...

you should totally check it out :)

and if you happen to know of anyone hiring a graphic designer in birmingham, al please let us know!

http://taylorgonzalez.wordpress.com/

the skies proclaim the work of His hands....

2010-04-27T21:59:00.000-05:00

the heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of His hands... psalm 19:1

i miss my King...

2010-04-11T23:00:00.002-05:00

everytime i read anything about Jesus or hear anything that has to do with Him or anything my heart longs for Him... it absolutely aches for Him... i love Him so much

it drives me to tears of joy and peace

i love my King and my Savior

He is my life and my love

He makes me feel like no matter what ever happens in this world i am safe in His loving arms

i am his and he is mine

He has my heart

but i am such an unfaithful lover.. every single part of me absolutely 100 % longs and thirst for Him but i still somehow fill my day with other things other than sitting and being still and reading His words that He has written to me..

it is so weird

but He makes me happier than anyone ever could.. i want to take time every single day and just read His word

so i can just bask in His love and in His word

oh my gosh i love Him

and i love this.. bc i never felt this in my heart when i was younger

i didnt really know Him then

but gosh i know Him now and He is gentle and so good

i miss my King

new york, new york:)

2010-03-27T17:05:00.000-05:00

I had those most wonderful time in New York this past week.... I fell in love up there... Here is a little taste of my trip! :)

little taste of the old.... :)

2010-03-17T13:24:00.004-05:00

on my old blog.... the one before the Great Merge, i had some pretty cool pictures of my stuff that i had taken..... SO i want to share them with you again!

also, i have a bunch of new sketchbook pages and a couple paintings i still need to add to my website.... so those should be coming soon!! :)

enjoy!

Hello pretty sky...

2010-03-17T12:48:00.000-05:00

I have seen some insanely beautiful skies lately..... on top of that it has just felt glorious outside!! Spring is making her appearance!! Yay!

The beauty of creation never ceases to amaze me.... :)

Take a peek.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

in His presence there is fullness of joy.....

2010-03-07T19:09:00.012-06:00

this afternoon, i had time to just chill with Jesus with no distractions... just what i needed... i lit a lovely smelling candle, put on some music, wrote in my journal and read some in my bible....

as we were chillin, i came across a verse i have read and heard several times through out my life but it struck a chord deep in my heart today... Psalm 16:11

what struck me so deeply in this verse is the line that says, "in your presence there is fullness of joy".... i started to think about what that really means. to me it means that when we are in the presence of the Holy Spirit we have the fullness of joy... just like the verse says. but then i started thinking about those moments where i am the most joyful ever and it seems like just for a moment i don't live in a broken world... you know, those moments when it is a beautiful spring day and your listening to your favorite song and driving around with the windows down or whatever your joyful moment is:)... and it dawned on me that in those moments that is the Holy Spirit ministering to me.... and that just makes my heart sing... all those times, it's Him with me and Him making His presence known to me.

this is such a simple thought but today it spoke to my heart more than it ever has... i almost feel like i can trust my joy... not just happiness or laughter because you can be happy or laugh about things that are not really good for the soul.... but i mean, that supernatural joy. the joy of the Lord.... i can trust that He is with me and guiding me along that path and i can trust that He is going there with me... the joy is evidence of His presence with me....

i love this.

i love when He reveals these simple yet incredible truths to me.

its good for the heart. :)

everyday pretty.....

2010-02-26T00:23:00.003-06:00

Ahhh....

I love traveling...

I love finding beauty in everyday things.....

They make pretty pictures...

New boots... New phone...

2010-02-25T17:38:00.001-06:00

Well...... I got a new iPhone and I am SO excited!

So, i was trying to think of something to blog about so I could test blogging from my phone......

So....... Boots!

I got some new cowboy boots to replace my old ones that have been my faithful companions for about 4 years now.... Not gonna lie, it was hard replacing my old ones.... I've had some great memories in those boots..... But I still wear them from time to time!

But my new ones.... They are so pretty! And slick on the bottom, hence me busting my butt in office max, but that's another story... Haha.

Anyways, here's my boots and a test blog from my phone!

Cheers!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

i promise..........

2010-02-22T19:18:00.002-06:00

ok peeps.....

clearly, i have not posted anything in a LONG time.....

ehhh......... yea, i don't really have many excuses...

BUT

i do plan on getting back on the horse and cranking some bloggys out here soon....

we shall see what happens............. :)

peace and love my friends.

YOU ARE INVITED....................

2009-08-03T14:20:00.005-05:00

This is the invitation to me and Katie Calhoun's art show on August 20th!!

and guess what...............

we want YOU to come to our show!!

Here are the details incase it is too small to read......

Thursday, August 20th

@ The Townhouse at Mt. Laurel

23 Olmsted Street

Birmingham, AL 35242

6:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

www.laurieannejohnson.com

www.katiecalhoun.com

playlist to go with yesterdays blog...

2009-07-21T08:39:00.007-05:00

so, this morning i put together a playlist that i think goes hand in hand with what i wrote about in yesterdays blog... if you haven't read it, click here.

music has always played a huge role in my relationship with Jesus.. i am so thankful that God is so creative! He made those musician's brains to make beautiful music and write lyrics that somehow always express my heart in words that i can't always find on my own... i guess thats why i am a painter and not a writer...

im going to work on getting the actual songs on here but until then, here is the list...

Embracing Accusations - Shane Barnard & Shane Everett
Flesh and Bone - Sarah McMillan
Lay 'Em Down - Needtobreathe
Hold Me Now - Jennifer Knapp
Refine Me - Jennifer Knapp
Desert Song - Hillsong
Lead Me to the Cross - Hillsong
May the Words of My Mouth - Shane Barnard & Shane Everett
Everything - Tim Hughes
Madly In Love With You - Sean McConnell
I Will Not Take My Love Away - Matt Wertz
Doves Eyes - Misty Edwards

the treasures of Psalm 34...

2009-07-20T12:52:00.011-05:00

I read Psalm 34 today and something about v.19 struck a chord within my heart. I was reading this verse through and what stood out to me was seeing the word 'afflictions' and 'righteous' in the same sentence.... I sort of did a double take at those words because I am used to seeing 'afflictions' and 'wicked' in the same phrase but not the other way around.... hmmm....

I have committed my life to loving and serving the Lord but I can't tell you how much I stumble and fall flat on my face. Its enough sometimes to make me wonder if I am really living my life for Christ or do I just think I am?..... because surely a true follower of Christ would not screw up as much as I do... right?? Wrong..... every time my thinking goes that far, I am gently reminded of God's grace... His saving grace.... His strength and power in my weakness... His unrelenting love. Ahhhhhhh.... when those sweet truths are whispered into my ear, i cant even explain the feeling that my heart experiences... its like, like falling in love all over again for the first time.

I don't know about all of you out there but this verse is nothing but a breath of fresh air and a sweet whisper of hope to me!

It is flat out saying to me.... Laurie Anne, you are going to screw up and you are going to run into trouble and hardships, not just every now and then, but many times... BUT here is the clincher.... I, the Lord, will carry you, Laurie Anne, in my arms through all of it... you do not have to question my love for you....................... wow. That right there puts an end to those questions that start running around in my head, when I feel as though I have really done it this time.. I am finished.. the end. The reality is that it is actually the beginning! Woo hoo!

I feel as though chains have just been broken off of my brain. I am free. I am covered in the blood of Christ which has saved me from condemnation. I am no longer bound by the fear that I have to have a perfect track record to be saved or that I am going to run out of grace. I am free.

Praise the Lord! Ahemdulah!

a must read!

2009-07-19T12:09:00.002-05:00

I am currently reading "Guests of the Sheik" by Elizabeth Warnock
Fernea. For all of you out there who have interest in North African
and/or Middle Eastern culture, you would love this book!

This book is a journal written by the wife of a newlywed american
couple who moved to Iraq in the 1950's. She writes about all her
experiences living in this unfamiliar culture... about her
relationships with the Muslim women, trying to adapt to being a new
wife, cultural mistakes she makes along the way, etc.

It's honest, entertaining, informative and very well written. I highly
recommend it to anyone who has visited or plans to visit that part of
the world!

Fantastic read.

HEADS UP!!!!!!

2009-07-07T11:52:00.005-05:00

ART SHOW!!!!

LAURIE ANNE JOHNSON and KATIE CALHOUN

AUGUST 20th, 2009
Birmingham, Alabama

Katie and I are so excited to announce that we are having an art show! BUT we need YOUR MAILING ADDRESS so we can send you an invitation!!!!

please email your mailing address to laurieannejohnson@me.com!

THANK YOU!!!!

check out our artwork!!

www.laurieannejohnson.com

www.katiecalhoun.com

new painting! :)

2009-07-07T11:28:00.002-05:00

"Filled With Light" - Oil - 30" x 40"

I painted this painting for my high school art teacher and dear friend Amy Henry! It was such an honor that the woman who taught me to paint wanted one of my paintings hanging in her house!! She is also a very talented artist and has a great photography business going on!! Check out her work HERE!!

just for laughs and memories :)

2009-06-29T23:46:00.005-05:00

The ride of delirium! Me and my pea, Jenni on the way back to the US!

pour out your Spirit....

2009-06-29T23:08:00.007-05:00

"Stir the stagnant waters of my soul, merge me with your river which brings life. I don't have all the right words to say that will provoke you to want me anymore than you already do. So wont you come, come like you promised, pour out your Spirit, pour out your Spirit."
-Amber Brooks

I just want to share this song with everyone... it is awesome... enjoy...

"Like you Promised" - Amber Brooks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YinijbeK7LY

i like to doodle... :)

2009-06-17T17:30:00.002-05:00

Give me crayons and a paper table cloth and I will go to town on it............. :)

Merge Completed!

2009-06-15T17:33:00.002-05:00

WHEW!

i am glad that is over.... the merge of my two blogs is now complete!!!!

You can also check out my updated website here!

peace and love my friends.

April 9, 2009

2009-06-15T17:03:00.006-05:00

Hello!

I wanted to let all of yall know that I have new paintings up!!

I had such a great response to “Red Birds 1” that I decided to make it into a series... so now we have “Red Birds 2” and “Red Birds 3”!!!

To see the titles and sizes of the paintings click here.

YES, all my paintings are FOR SALE! :) Contact me for more information on any painting.

I hope yall enjoy!!

January 20, 2009

2009-06-15T16:59:00.003-05:00

I am back in Sweet Home Alabama! I had the most incredible time traveling Europe and really enjoyed spending my last semester of college in Florence.

I am now a graduate of Auburn University with a Bachelor of Art degree! (War Eagle!) I am now working part time and painting the rest of the time. It feels so good to be back in my studio!

Making art in Italy was a really good experience for me. It was a much needed break in my art education experience. I was able to pretty much start over without having expectations from professors who knew how I have painted for the past 4 years. It was like a breath of fresh air!

I experimented a lot in my paintings. I was limited in my resources and decided to take advantage of those limitations and really push the materials I did have. Mixed media and vivid colors ended up being a strong theme in my paintings.

All in all, my time in Italy was a fresh way of looking and painting for me. I am very excited to apply what I discovered in Italy to my paintings now that I am home!

November 6, 2008

2009-06-15T16:55:00.003-05:00

I took a quick weekend trip to Barcelona! The first night I went to see the Magic Fountain (as we called it) and it was amazing!!!! I think it was my favorite part of Barcelona... The fountain is HUGE and has lights that change the colors of the water and the fountain is timed to music... it is so awesome. If you are ever in Barcelona you MUST go to the fountain at night... I could have sat there and watched it all night.

We took a bus tour around Barcelona and saw pretty much all of the city. It was a good way to see the city when you do not have that much time. Along the way I saw the most beautiful wall with its paint pealing and some amateur graffiti on it.. it was art within itself. It was quite a treat to see!

We came across an older man sitting in the park, set up with his chess board as if he was challenging anyone who was brave enough to try and defeat him. One of my friends did challenge him... and to no surprise, he won.

Barcelona is a nice city. I hope to make it back to Spain again one day!

November 5, 2008

2009-06-15T16:48:00.005-05:00

I have some exciting news!

I had an art show in Florence! The art students in the Advanced courses had the opportunity to create artwork for an exhibition called “Art ‘n Food” that was held at a local restaurant in Florence called Gonzo. It was very exciting to know that a piece of my art was selected to be in a show in Italy! The show will be up for about a month longer.

My painting “Seeds” is 80 cm x 80 cm and my statement is below.....

My painting is inspired by the idea of the source of life. For me the source of life is clearly stated in Matthew 26:6 which says, "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?". This verse talks about the source of life in two different aspects. The first one is that God provides life for us and for the birds. The other idea is that He sustains that life with food. The seed represents the life that has been provided for us by God and also represents the origin of food. I am intrigued by the idea that not only humans eat from the seed but the birds use the seed as their life source as well. I believe that much care and thought goes into providing food in order to have life. I express this idea in my creative process which is very elaborate, slow and thoughtful. In these paintings I express my personal beliefs about the relationship between humans, nature and the supernatural through the process of creating.

November 1, 2008

2009-06-15T16:38:00.006-05:00

Yes, it is true! My parents traveled all the way from Alabama to see me in Italy! It was so good to finally be able to show my parents where I have been living for the last 3 months! We had such a good time together.

I joined my parents in taking an Italian cooking class! It was so much fun! We all learned a lot that we did not know before. We had a great teacher/chef named Roberto. Now I feel like I have a few cooking tricks up my sleeve... but I guess we will see!

We also went to the Chianti Region of Italy to Castello del Trebbio, a family run castle. They produce and bottle their own wine and olive oil. The family actually lives in the castle and we got to take a tour of where they live and taste their wine and olive oil. I loved the way it was decorated. It was an old beautiful castle but it was decorated with contemporary furnishings. There were great big sofas and several beautiful oriental style rugs. Although it was a big castle it still had a cozy and homey feeling. I loved it. The castle sits in between the Tuscan hills and has the most breathtaking views.

Along with the castle came the game keeper... and he was absolutely adorable. He was dressed in his uniform and has been working at the castle as the game keeper everyday for over 50 years... well, he took 10 days off of work for his honeymoon! He is 81 years old now and when you look at him and see his smile stretch across his wrinkled skin, you almost wonder if every one of those wrinkles has a story to tell. I feel honored to have met him. I don’t even know his name but he was precious.

October 29, 2008

2009-06-15T16:27:00.004-05:00

Well, at first, I was a little worried about my trip to Ireland.. because it was freezing and raining!!! As I was walking through the cold rain, I said over and over to myself that I will never live somewhere cold and rainy!! a.k.a. Ireland! BUT then we had the most wonderful weather the very next day.... it was still cold and windy but the sun was shining and it was absolutely gorgeous.. I could not have asked the Lord for a more beautiful day!

We took a bus tour to the Cliffs of Moher and it was so much fun! We had a wonderful guide and saw some of the most beautiful landscapes throughout the countryside. It was an artists dream... well at least for me it was.....

Ireland is a very colorful country.. and the grass is so green!!! I loved the buildings. They are all very colorful and when I looked over the city, it looked like a painters palette. It was almost like it was God’s palette that he used to paint the beautiful rainbow we saw.... It was amazing.

October 23, 2008

2009-06-15T16:20:00.005-05:00

Germany... I don’t even know where to start!

I had the most wonderful time in Germany!! I felt like I was home.. and it was probably because i was staying in the german countryside and it looked a lot like home to me but mainly because I stayed with an incredible German family!! The sweet family took us into their home in the breathtaking countryside. The Village we stayed in is about an hour and a half outside of Berlin.

Our 6 days there were packed with trips to Hannover, Berlin, and exploring the countryside. I relearned a lot of history that I have forgotten over the years. We went and walked along part of the Berlin Wall that separated West Berlin from East Berlin. When the wall was taken down, artists came and used the parts that were still up as their canvas. The wall now tells stories about what the wall stood for, how people felt when they were stuck on one side of the wall and how they feel now that it is down. It was an amazing site for me to see.

One day while exploring the countryside, this older man yelled “Hallo!” along with other German words that we did not know. He had the biggest grin on his face and he motioned for us to come over. He asked if we spoke German (Well, we think) and we said no... but that did not stop him. We had no clue what was coming out of his mouth but we knew he was telling us a story and he wanted to show us something and we knew it had something to do with hunting because he made a shooting motion and wanted us to follow him. So, we did! He took us to the back of his house into this other little house that was filled with all of the game he has shot! All I could think about while I was in there was, “My brothers and dad would love this!” This cute german man told us stories about all the different animals in his little house and then took us to the main house and showed us more and told us more stories. Keep in mind, he spoke zero English and we understand only a few german words, but it was so awesome. I felt like I knew every word he was saying. I loved it.

Germany was an incredible country and I am happy to say that I have another trip planned before I leave to go home to the USA. I am very excited!

October 12, 2008

2009-06-15T16:10:00.004-05:00

“Dear Mom,

It’s Market day in Cortona. The Piazza is an ongoing party and everyone is invited. Cliches converge at this naval of the world. You almost want to laugh, but you can't help feeling these Italians know more about having fun than we do. I ate a hot grape from the market and the violet sweetness breaks open in my mouth, it even smells like purple. I wish I could stay here longer but the bell of the Campanelli reminds me of time. Ding dang dong the bell says instead of ding dong. I wish you were here.

Love, Rodney."

** In order to understand the quote above you need to watch the movie “Under The Tuscan Sun”.... its really good!! Cortona is where “Under The Tuscan Sun” was filmed.

Cortona is such a charming and pretty little town that sits high on a hill top. It is the perfect destination for a day trip and is the location for some of the oldest houses in all of Italy. I spent the day exploring through the city trying to capture its unique characteristics with my camera. I was drawn to the side streets that looked like little secret passage ways. They made you believe somewhere beautiful and mysterious was waiting. These streets were everywhere and could easily be overlooked if you were not aware that they were there.

As I looked out over one of the main squares in Cortona, I enjoyed a bowl of tomato basil soup and a glass of white wine with friends. We laughed and soaked in the warm Tuscan sun. One of my favorite parts of the day was when we came across this adorable little soap and jewelry store. It was just a hole in the wall, but they sell the best smelling soap I have ever smelled in my life.... I bought a bunch of it.. I am looking forward to the day when I am back home and can enjoy a hot bath with my new soap!

September 27, 2008

2009-06-15T15:58:00.005-05:00

And then I fell in love with Venice.......

Venice... the most romantic place in Italy... well at least in my opinion. It is absolutely beautiful! I will say, that so far, Venice is the most inspiring city that I have seen in Italy. Every where I looked I saw a painting that I wanted to paint. I was jealous of the artists that were set up with their canvases and paint taking in the beauty of the city. The water streets and beautifully unique architecture is visually intoxicating and I could not get enough of it.

Oh and the gondola ride. What a trip! Angelo was quite the gondolier and entertainer. I thoroughly enjoyed sliding in between the buildings with beautiful exposed brick from where the plaster has fallen away. The bricks themselves looked like pieces of art.

The precious cafes that lined the canal created colorful reflections that danced across the water. The candle lit tables for two were so romantic and inviting. The sight of Venice at night will for a moment, take your breath away.

One of my favorite parts about Venice is Saint Marks Square at night... the crowds are gone and there is the “battle of the bands” which consist of three orchestras playing in different areas of the square all accompanied by cute little cafes. It is the perfect spot for you and your significant other to sit and share a romantic meal or enjoy a glass of vino and listen to the beautiful orchestra music. I felt like I was in a dream and I did not want to wake up. Given the chance, I will visit Venice again one day.

September 20, 2008

2009-06-15T15:56:00.002-05:00

Ciao!

I am in Italy! I have been here for about 4 weeks now and I love it! Now that I am somewhat settled in, I plan on updating this more often. I have a lot of catching up to do! A lot has happened in 4 weeks! This picture is of the Ponte Vecchio that crosses the Arno River in Florence. I live only a few blocks away from this bridge! I hope that all is well wherever you are reading this. Have a beautiful day!

The Merge of 2 Blog Blobs!!!!

2009-06-15T15:49:00.003-05:00

Alrighty.... I am making a few changes on my website.... and one of those changes is merging my old blog from my website with this blog!!!!

So with that in mind... do not be confused when you see a bunch of blogs that are from all over the world... i am currently in the US! :)

The title of my blogs will be the date of when i wrote them :)

that was confusing... but i trust you will figure it out... good luck and enjoy!!!!!!!

.peapod love.

2009-06-13T21:32:00.001-05:00

This one is for my pea!!

a verse that has been on my heart....

2009-06-13T16:00:00.002-05:00

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...."

- Romans 12:2

Meditate on that....

What does that mean to you?

.my colorful love.

2009-06-13T13:19:00.015-05:00

2 weeks ago i returned from a month long journey through the beautiful country side of North Africa... it was amazing, to say the least. I am so blessed to say that it was my second trip to that part of the world. My occupation as an artist has really opened up a lot of opportunities to travel around the world and create art... i love my job.

North Africa is breathtakingly colorful.... I have been to a lot of countries but i have never seen color like i have seen over there. Words and pictures do not do it justice... if you ever have the chance to go to North Africa, i HIGHLY recommend it... go. just do it. you will not regret it.

Anyways, i wanted to share just a taste of the beauty that i so desperately tried to capture with my camera...

Go ahead, fall in love..... i did.

chocolate peanut butter fudge.... mmmmm...

2009-06-13T12:41:00.007-05:00

ok... last weekend i went down to Destin, FL and came across this little shop in Baytowne called The Candymaker. It was there that i was introduced to something magical......... Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge. I mean, magical. And since i cant seem to find fudge in Birmingham, i guess i am going to have to resort to making it myself!

This is where i need YOUR help...... does anyone have any secret Chocolate, Peanut Butter, or Chocolate Peanut Butter fudge recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation in your family??? or just a good one that you have found? If so, please, drop me a line in the comment box with the recipe!

THANK YOU!!!! :)

a storm's a brewin'

2009-06-13T12:08:00.013-05:00

I took a little vacay to the lake this weekend hoping to catch some rays but instead i have been watching the rains come down. There is nothing like watching a storm roll in.... It is such a powerful and majestic scene. I love that man cannot alter the weather or the sky or the clouds or the sunset or sunrise or the stars... it is all in God's control untouched by man <---- that is a breath of fresh air for me....

Ahhh.... the glory of it all!!

pick it up and dust it off!

2009-06-12T23:58:00.004-05:00

SO....... i have decided to pick this blog back up, dust it off and use it again!

WELCOME TO LAURIE ANNE LAND!!! This land is full of random thoughts, inspirations, likes, dislikes, etc... you never know what will show up here... so beware.

This is me really happy about this new bloggin' lifestyle i am embarking on...

...beautiful mess...

2008-07-28T18:46:00.005-05:00

"Ask any person who has a passion to explore and discover and create, The choice to hide so many wonders from you is an act of love that is a gift inside the process of life."
- William P. Young's The Shack

As an artist this quote strikes a chord with me. Most of all, I love to create. I love the process of art making. I am inspired by all kinds of things... everything from the way two people interact with each other to the shadow on the ceiling that a vase of flowers is creating. The process involved in working out the idea in my head through different mediums like paint, metal, charcoal, clay and other materials is the most exciting thing to me. Very rarely have I ever ended up creating my original idea. The idea is constantly changing in my creative process and is always better in the end.

The time I spend in my own little world creating what my heart is trying so hard to speak is a beautiful picture. I always think about how blessed I am to enjoy the things I enjoy. This quote from The Shack sums it up perfectly. I love to create and to discover new ideas through my process of creating and the very fact that I am able to do that is an act of love and a precious gift from the Lover of my soul. Thank you Jesus! At the end of my creative adventure i am always covered in paint or some other medium and my work area looks like a war zone.

It is a beautiful mess.

Not only is this true of me in art, but this is true in life. When I really think about the sovereignty of God and I also think about how I have no clue what the future holds for me, I am filled with so much curiosity and excitement! Life is an adventure waiting to be explored and discovered. How boring would life be if we always knew the next move? There would be no mystery in that.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
- Romans 8:28

If we really trust in Gods sovereignty and bask in His love for us, we can look at the unknown future as an exciting adventure. We may not understand why part of the adventure seems to be dark and difficult but we must remember the promise that we have been given. He works for the good of those who love Him. Trust in that. Rest in that truth. Celebrate that truth. Thank the Lord for the gift that He has given us out of Love.

be loved and fly

2008-07-28T13:52:00.005-05:00

"Living unloved is like clipping a bird's wings and removing its ability to fly."
-William P. Young's The Shack

If you have not already read William P. Young's The Shack, I highly recommend it. It is a much needed breath of fresh air for the christian and non-christian today. I dare you to read it. I dare you to let God use it to change your heart and your thinking.

With that said, let me know how it goes.

Love ----> Trust

2008-07-28T13:36:00.007-05:00

"Trust is the fruit of a relationship in which you know you are loved." - William P. Young's The Shack

I love that. That is so true for every relationship.

In relationships between humans i think that everyone will agree that when you can completely trust someone and never have a second thought about the validity or integrity of what that person says or does, that is the most satisfying human relationship because you know that they love you and nothing will change that. And because of that trust you want to love the other even more.

In our relationship with God if we truly believe in our hearts that He does in fact love us unconditionally then the fruit of that belief in His love, is trust. We can fully trust that He has our best interest at heart and He wants the very best for the one He loves.

It is hard to see this relationship between us and God sometimes because we cannot see a physical being representing God. But what i think is so awesome is that in good relationships between humans we see a glimpse of our relationship with God in a tangible form.

Today i was reading in Genesis and the part that always sticks out to me in that book is in chapter 1. God, The Holy Spirit and Jesus are talking and they say, "Let us make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness." He made us to reflect himself or themselves if you will.. how incredible is that? I AM made us in the image of Himself!

I was reading in my book "Completely Loved" by Shannon Ethridge today and it says, "Search the universe, and nothing will say "God" more than the creation known as man and woman." I am just blown away that God created me to be a representation of Himself. As a result of living in this broken world i somehow forget way too often that i bear His signature. Its good to be reminded of it and to live completely loved by Him and to know that i can trust Him with my life.

I am constantly fascinated with how everything in life works out. It is just so mind blowing to me how perfectly and creatively He planned out life between us and Him and us and each other. Our relationship with God is meant to be reflected in our relationships with each other. Think about that.

Doves Eyes

2008-03-30T13:39:00.003-05:00

i don't want to talk about you like you're not in the room
i want to look right at you
i want to sing right to you

i believe you are listening
i believe that you move at the sound of my voice

give me doves eyes
give me an undistracted devotion for only you

- Misty Edwards