Have yourself a....

MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS!! I hope that everyone out there has a wonderful Christmas with people they love around them. My kids are very excited about this year and I love to see their little faces when they open their gifts! More importantly I want to express to my kids what Christmas is really about. The birth of our Savior!!! Take time to stop and really praise the ONE who made Himself flesh so that He could one day die the death we deserved to die. Merry Christmas everyone from our family to yours!!!!

Unspeakable

I went back and forth about whether or not to blog about the terrible events that occurred in Connecticut this past Friday morning. Really I just didn't know if I could put my thoughts into words. Then my pastor sent this email out to the entire congregation and I think it's perfect. Please read and share....

Dear Ones, I didn’t know what the right format should be. Addressing the horrors of this week needed to be done, but was tomorrow morning’s worship service the best venue? I’ve chosen GOL hoping it would reach the most people the fastest, and be the most appropriate. Today’s headlines in the morning paper was one word: UNSPEAKABLE. It is an apt word. What happened yesterday, and earlier this week in an Oregon mall, is indeed unspeakable. What sense are we to make of this? Apart from the enormous sorrow that surely we must feel for a group of parents whose kindergarteners have been senselessly murdered, what redemptive response is open to us? I humbly submit this. C.S Lewis, in his “Abolition of Man”, said this: “And all the time---such is the tragi-comedy of our situation---we continue to clamor for those very qualities we are rendering impossible…..In a sort of ghastly simplicity we remove the organ and demand the function. We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. We castrate and bid the geldings be fruitful.” This culture in which we live has attacked and opposed just about every moral underpinning that gives a bit of structure and sense to life, from the biblical definition of marriage, to the discarding of unwanted pregnancies. The culture has dismissed all sense of decency and morality and then wonders why so much evil exists. Castrated geldings simply cannot reproduce. A culture gutted of morality simply cannot live morally. We long for qualities that our morally vacuous culture renders impossible. That said, what redemptive response can there be? For us, as people who belong to the beautiful Savior, we possess a message that changes not just individuals, but whole societies. We must become, in the power of the Holy Spirit, more urgent in our efforts to broadcast a message that restores sanity to people and their culture. We must pray, yes. But pray not only for the sweet comfort for those in so much grief at this hour, but pray that the God of all grace will see fit to open blind eyes and exchange hearts of stone for hearts of flesh. We must give. Yes, give. Give so that more may hear of this Savior in Central America, in India, in Binghampton, etc. You may expect me to say this, and so that I won’t disappoint you, here it is: Jesus Christ is the hope of this world. His people must magnify Him. As for me, I know of no other response to these senseless tragedies. I love you loads, Jimmy Young

My Memphis

I've lived in Memphis most of my life....from when I was itty bitty. Well, technically Germantown but anytime you go out of town and someone asks you where you're from you always just say 'Memphis'. Honestly I can't always say that I've loved it here...just being honest. When I was younger, and even not that long ago, I longed for 'greener pastures'. Don't we all at some point? Although the grass seems greener elsewhere it's really only greener where it is watered. I have had to make a conscious decision to love my city and love the people in it. I've noticed that when I jump in and look at all this great place has to offer that that's when I find happiness here. It is a great place. Full of culture, art, music and awesome people. It gets better every year. Sure it has it's problems but what place doesn't? If you don't like something then I urge you to jump in and get your hands dirty. Form relationships, love on others...isn't that what we are called to do? I want to encourage all my fellow Memphians (no matter your zip code) to strive to LOVE this place too....and if you already have a love affair with Memphis, be contagious!! We are a great city and we need to be proud! Below is a painting entitled "My Memphis" that I did for an event at Market Central in November. See you soon! Katie

Life as I Know It

Lately my days have been spent painting and parenting. It's my busy time of year which means I have to close myself up in the studio more often than not. My poor hubby has seen me in 'painting clothes' AKA 'not attractive clothes' more than he cares to admit! Needless to say we are ALL looking forward to Christmas Day!! Here is a pic of me painting and an inspirational pic from one of my boys. I love to let them inspire my art....it makes it so easy!