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FREE Scripture Art Download {from Psalm 33}

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{Art available HERE in larger sizes}

Psalm 33:20-22

We wait in hope for the Lord;
he is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice,
 for we trust in his holy name.
May your unfailing love be with us, Lord,
even as we put our hope in you.

This verse has meant a lot to me and my husband over the years. The first time I remember it “coming to life” {ie: putting this verse into action in our personal real life} was when we walked through our first miscarriage. This Psalm along with Psalm 34 carried us through. We waited with hope in the Lord, not that the baby would come back to life, but that the Lord would bring healing to our hearts and pain. We understood His presence surrounding us like a shield of protection. We trusted in His holy name, not in the situation or circumstances {though we truly could not begin to understand it}. And, ultimately, we felt His beautiful unfailing love amidst such loss and sorrow.

Over the last couple weeks I once again cling to this verse. All around me is sorrow & suffering. We are broken people living in a broken world. My friend just lost her mom to a battle with cancer {of which she fought like a champ, btw!} A 10 year old child at my kids’ school suddenly died last week & our entire community is simply heartbroken.

In the midst of the pain all we can do sometimes is wait.

We wait for God’s comfort to fill us. We wait for redemption of this fallen world. We wait for strength and healing. We wait for Heaven. And it is only because we trust in His holy name and His loving character that we can even begin to have hope amidst our sorrow.

I chose the image of the couch in the field for 2 totally different reasons:

1. That beautiful red velvet couch is where I find rest & peace so often, so to pair it in nature was natural as I also find solace in the outdoors as I drink in the beauty of God’s creation. I am reminded to to hope, find peace, be still & wait.

2. That said, an empty couch in an empty field symbolizes just that: emptiness. So often when we are walking through suffering or a trial and we are so helpless, and a part of us feels empty. Empty of control. Empty of assurance, strength or confidence. Rather we are broken, awaiting His unfailing love to fill that emptiness in a way that only our Lord can do.

CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR FREE 4X6 PRINTABLE DOWNLOAD!

CONDITIONS OF USE

All photos and artwork are ©Julie Chen of Life Verse Design. Artwork in the downloadable 4×6 jpeg is free strictly for personal use, not for commercial use. Sharing these photos via Facebook, Pinterest, or your blog is welcome only if you agree provide credit to me as the artist and link back to juliechenphotography.com. Please be respectful and have integrity when choosing to download the free art. By downloading the art, it does not give you the right to sell it digitally nor on print nor in any other format. Thank you for furthering God’s Word in new & fresh ways.
Grace & Peace,
Julie

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We Wait in Hope - Psalm 33 | Pick Your Portion - […] Bonus! Julie is making today’s art available as a FREE DOWNLOAD on her site, where she also shares what this image and this passage have meant to her over the years. Read Julie’s thoughts and get your copy of her art here! […]

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Owl Creations

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We are crazy about owls in our house. Ever since My Favorite Little Mister read the Guardians of Ga’hoole series {combined with his love of nature & all things animals}, owls have become a permanent fixture in our home. He still sleeps with “Bubo” his great horned owl and this past weekend when the kids got quite an Easter candy haul, I woke up Sunday morning to his newest owl creation. I LOVE my son’s creativity. It never ends. From music to Legos to origami to drawing to building scenes out of colored rocks and now, CANDY!

 

He made the owl candy for me and I made the Proverbs 9 owl art for him. It hangs in “Owland” {his bedroom} & I will show you more photos of that at another time. I love you My Favorite Little Mister!

 

Grace & Peace,

Julie
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I Met a Rock Star!

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{o.k., so she’s NOT a rock star…}

 

You know how some people want to meet rock stars, actors, or famous authors? Well, I want to meet children’s book illustrators! And, last autumn my family & I got to!!! Laura Huliska-Beith is definitely a rock star in my world & I emailed her to ask if we could come meet her & see her studio, and not only did she welcome us into her AMAZING home, she fed my kids doughnuts & PAINTED with them!

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Here is a sampling of Laura’s work. I am sure most of you have seen it, either from playing Zingo with your kiddos or reading hilarious books like Little Red Hot.

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Here we are in Laura’s home studio {a converted attic space where I could easily live, if it were not for the dogs}. She pulled out TONS of original art & signed books for us. It was fascinating for me to learn a little bit more about her creative process. Of course, I thought of a million questions once we left. Ha!

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She then got out the brushes & let the kids paint with her GOOD brushes. gulp.

My Favorite Little Mister was explaining some origami he made for her.

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Here are some other views of her studio. You climb up a spiral staircase to enter the converted attic space which has wonderful natural light & is filled with little treasures & inspiration. LOVE!

Notice that sewing machine?! She is also creating art with fabric.

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Back to my home, where 3 of her original paintings reside.

Meet Pierre, the french chef in our kitchen.

As well as many of her books on our shelves.

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The other 2 original paintings are in the girls’ room. The elephant is from The Book of Bad Ideas {SO FUNNY!} and the race car is from Favorite Things {a very sweet story to warm any mommy’s heart}.

Please go to your local bookstore & buy some of Laura’s books to support this wonderful artist.

You will NOT be disappointed!

Some other fun facts about Laura:

1. She just painted a HUGE mural in the Kansas City library

2. She loves dogs

3. She is a kid at heart & it comes out in her work

Other illustrators I would LOVE to meet {in no particular order}:

1. Eric Carle

2. Lane Smith

3. Maira Kalman

4. Jago {who I worked with on the Jesus Storybook Bible}

5. Vivienne Flesher {I have 2 of her originals in my home also!}

{OK, there are many more… I will not fill this page with my dream illustrators!}

If anyone has connections with these artists, let me know. I am willing to travel 🙂

Grace & Peace,

JulieFreeSHIPPING

Meeting Caldecott Winner Dan Santat | Life Verse Design Blog - […] and greatly enjoyed his artwork. If anyone knows me, you know what a big deal this is. {Remember these encounters with my pal Laura Huliska Beith?!} Some people dream of meeting their favorite movie star, rock […]

Best Birthday Present Ever | Life Verse Design Blog - […] Do you remember when I met my “rock star” Laura Huliska-Beith?! […]

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Blogworthy: A Trip to the Zoo

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The kids are on spring break this week & today we went to the Brookfield Zoo. In the desert house, you will find a little cat called a “caracal”. We were happy to see that there has been a full net in the caracal’s “den” {floor to ceiling to contain her} & she is back at the zoo. Seeing her reminded all of us of our crazy caracal adventure from 2012 so I thought I would share it here:

 

June 26, 2012
Location: Brookfield Zoo
Time: about 4:30 p.m.
The kids & I went for a short trip to the zoo as Pumpkin-Poos had been dying to go for so long. As we pass the carousel, I say to Sunshine Girl, “Hey, do you think any animals will escape the zoo today like in that book we like to read at home?”

 

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{a very fun book to read to your kids}

 

Location:  the Desert House in the Brookfield Zoo
Time: about 4:45 p.m.
It is already considered a “good” zoo trip, as the jaguar is pacing back & forth, very active, the porcupine was out & about and the meerkats were on look out for anyone who may swipe their food.

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{photo copyright Martin Harvey source: gettyone.com}

We pass the porcupines and head toward a bridge that separates the caracal from some other sort of desert animals (they look similar to hedgehogs). A kind teenage zoo volunteer is on the bridge & eager to educate us about these animals.

Me: Is he (the caracal) alone down there?

Zoo volunteer: Yes, and more interesting is that he has been known to try to jump or climb the walls (it is like a fake rocky ledge) because he really likes kids… {i am thinking: “likes kids?” hmmm….}

I am holding Pumpkin-Poos as my Favorite Little Mister & I are tall enough to peek over the fence. I am looking for the caracal who has quickly moved, and glance over to see him JUMPING UP & CLIMBING THE WALL RIGHT FOR SUNSHINE GIRL who is squatting at the fence peering through the slots to see down.caracal_03

{photo copyright Martin Harvey source: gettyone.com how they look in the wild}
 
Zoo volunteer: GET BACK & MOVE AWAY!!!!
 
{The caracal’s paws are over the top of the fence and he is easily climbing out!}
 
Me: COME HERE!!!!
 
{I am quickly running away with the kids carrying Pumpkin-Poos in my arms & look back to see my Favorite Little Mister turn back to see if the caracal is all the way over the fence. HE IS COMPLETELY OVER THE FENCE!}
 
Zoo volunteer: ANY ZOO KEEPERS??? I NEED A ZOO KEEPER!!! ANIMAL ON THE LOOSE!
 
{I practically run into a zoo keeper who is out & about feeding the animals & tell her the teen needs help as the caracal is on the loose}
 
They shove us out the door & as they lock it behind us, all 3 kids almost in unison smile excitedly & exclaim, “NOW WE HAVE A STORY FOR DADDY!” {a phrase we often use around here}

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After we all stopped having our near heart attacks, we were able to laugh & think straight.  I was NOT going to mess with a wild animal near my kiddos. Mama bear came out in me & then I felt so bad that I left that helpless teenager RIGHT NEXT TO THE CARACAL all by himself!

All I could picture was my Sunshine Girl being scratched to death in her beautiful face, which as you know already sports 2 scars from previous accidents. {she was VERY brave by the way… OH, she told me she looked him in the eye & when I said you know you should never look an animal straight in the eye, she changed her story to looking at his big, pointy ears}.

Well, we looked up caracals online & found out some interesting tidbits for you all:
1. They are desert animals
2. They are very well known for jumping 10 feet or more & are most known for being the only land carnivorous animal who can leap to catch a bird in flight.
3. They are excellent climbers 🙂 {ummm… you ain’t kidding!}
4. They are solitary creatures.

So, that is our big excitement for the day… heck, for the year! Here’s to many more zoo adventures! {Oh, and my Favorite Little Mister wants you to know that the lion was roaring & the sloth bears were wrestling!}

Grace & Peace,
Julie
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Crazy Cute {Downers Grove Photography, Hinsdale Photography}

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This little crazy cutie is my Pumpkin-Poo’s bff & to take their photos last fall was (obviously) a treat for me. What a beautiful (& lively) family 🙂

 

Grace & Peace,

Julie

p.s. Do not forget to enter my Easter Inspirational Art Giveaway HERE
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