Saying Grace: November Desktop Wallpaper Download

It’s a few days tardy (what else is new?) but I’m delighted to share November’s desktop wallpaper with you. Feel free to click the Junkie To Go box below to grab it for your screen enjoyment. I love the utter glow of those yellow leaves, reflecting the sun. It reminds me of the story of how Moses would go into the worship tent in the Old Testament to meet with his Creator. When he emerged, it is said that his face literally glowed with having seen the glory of God face to face. Thanksgiving really provides us entry passage into that tent to experience the same encounter with the Father from whom every “good and perfect gift” extends. It focuses our attention on the source of our blessings, and when we emerge, our hearts are set aglow by His complete benevolence — his grace.

Oh give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting. (psalm 107:1)

When I read the verse again to include it in my wallpaper design, I couldn’t help but think about my old childhood mealtime “blessing”…

God is great. God is good. Let us thank Him for this food.

My parents always let me say it at our meals, and we called it saying “the blessing.” Some call it saying “grace.” Isn’t that what thanksgiving really is. It’s saying what we’ve been given–what we don’t deserve and didn’t earn–which is pretty much everything. It’s recognizing gifts, acknowledging them for what they are and looking with gratitude on the One who gave them. What a perspective shift — no wonder it makes us all shiny.

I’m ready to get my glow on. Are you saying grace this season? Tell me how.

Don’t Know Jack?

It’s October! Number 10 is my favorite month for so many reasons. It sort of serves as a personal New Year since my birthday falls at the end of the month. As the air turns crisp, I tend to air out my spirit a bit, appreciate the little pleasures more, and resolve to redirect my efforts where I really want them to count. And, let’s not forget orange. What’s not to love about orange!

For October’s desktop design, I couldn’t resist using a quote from my sweet Bug: “peek-ee-boot”. It was his first attempt at naming that giggle-producing game we all know. His unquenchable spirit is, well, unquenchable. (And, believe me I’ve tried many times in numerous public places.) But, it’s contagious in these free spirited days of early Autumn. The playful nature of transition always seems to peek through. Of course, one of Little Drummer Boy’s photographic efforts from last year made it into the mix with its toothy grin–a dude named Jack, nimble like the Drummer himself. The leaves are scans of ones we gathered in an autumn trip to the Great Smoky Mountains a few years ago, captured just as the color was waning.

Hope you enjoy! Point-clicky on the takeout box below to grab the full size version.

September

I spent most of the day at home today since my sweet Baby Girl is recuperating from a rough chest cold. Quiver and I tag-teamed her with kisses so that I could join in a couple of meetings at my office. Driving from work back home, I saw it. The brilliant blue sky that says September around here. It shows up revealing September’s spontaneity, it’s serendipity. Driving east, I was met with the faded and tired summer sky of August. But, turning north, peeking out above tree covered streets, there it was. The unmistakably deep and clear blue signaling that Autumn is on its way–in a month or two.

What a tease September is. You never know which season you’ll wake up to. It marks the transition to Fall, even in the South. Just this week, we are experiencing a welcomed relief from the summer heat. And even though I know it will return just as quickly, I can’t help but remark on the “touch of fall in the air” as I leave the house in the morning. The month of September brings expectations of cooler weather and breezy mornings. It brings a renewing anticipation of change from the doldrums of summer’s stagnating heat. Sometimes even the anticipation of change, having a change in sight makes all the difference.

September always recalls my memories of starting school. My children don’t notice as marked a difference between summer and the “school year” since they go to preschool year-round. But, for me September brought a big transition as a child since both my parents were public school educators. Summer meant my mother and I spent days at home playing and swimming. Going back to school was a big event. I still get a little pitter patter in my heart as I pass the “school supply” sections this time of year. Although the Charlie Brown, Suzy’s Zoo and Betsy Clark school box themes have given way to today’s Transformers, Nemo and Diego, the feeling of excitement is still the same walking through the aisles. Each new school year brought new lessons, new friendships, new teachers, new schedules, and new activities. It was a time to start fresh, to find focus again, to hunker down and learn. It still is, only in a much broader sense.

Fall has always been a time when my spirit feels fresh, when I’m eager to breathe in deeply and feel the wind in my face. Movement is inspiring. September brings spontaneity, transition and new start for our family. With Quiver laying aside his business and beginning a new job, we can already feel a deep breath coming on–a shift toward seeing more possibilities. It feels good. It feels fresh. It feels like September.

I love the poem Birches, by Robert Frost. It speaks of the triumph of play, of conquering the tree heights, of the freedom of flying matched by the security of swinging low to the Earth again. It’s the balance God graciously built into this world evident in the seasons, and in the bending of birch branches counterbalanced by a determined boy.

“I’d like to get away from earth awhile
And then come back to it and begin over”

“I’d like to go by climbing a birch tree,
And climb black branches up a snow-white trunk
Toward heaven, till the tree could bear no more,
But dipped its top and set me down again.”

“One could do worse than be a swinger of birches.”

The poem–and September– inspired this month’s calendar desktop wallpaper, which includes a scratchboard illustration I did several years ago. Click the Junkie To Go box below and enjoy!

That Little Girl

Welcome to August! This month’s desktop wallpaper calendar is inspired by the little lump of sugar and spice in my life. She’s turning one on August 30, and we are simply in awe of her. My compliments to The Searchers for their apropos lyrics. “Kisses sweeter than wine”–my sentiments exactly. You know that little girl is mine.

Click the
takeout box
to grab a
full screen copy.

Word Up! Wednesday

The Junkie and I have been on the outs this week. Nothing serious, I’m just regrettably behind on my posting.  I thought I’d better explain why and share a little enthusiastic “howdy” with an 80s-lovin’ Word Up! Wednesday. (If you’re over 45 or under 30, please consult your nearest UrbanDictionary.com for a translation.)

Did I mention that I love my day job? I do. Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to do lots of really fun things with the added bonus of being able to draw, write and play on the computer every day. It’s a tad more complicated than that, but you get my drift. The Queen has given me lots of leeway to explore many hair-brained ideas, and the last few weeks are a prime example. I am so excited that the evolution of our company marketing has given me the chance to start up some new work-related writing projects in conjunction with our new website design. In short, I am now authoring a company blog for Dux D’Lux Advertising called Quack! as well as a bi-weekly ezine called Quick Quack! Nifty. Holy Brain-Overloadus, Twatman! I’m also tweeting for the company and managing our Facebook fan page and group to build up our “social media presence.” Double nifty.

In addition, we are gearing up for the launch of our new website on Monday, July 20th — incidentally coinciding with the anniversary of the Apollo moon landing. The metaphor of the level of complication involved in this “launch” is not lost on me considering the 6537 hours I’ve spent obsessing about this newest iteration of the Dux website!

So, that’s the Word Up!  My thoughts and keyboard have been otherwise entangled of late, but I can’t wait to flesh out some of the ideas I have simmering just below the surface. You’ll be the first to know, Junksters.

I leave you with some screen shots of what’s been monopolizing my thoughts. We’re hosting a Website Preview Party facilitated by Facebook Guy tomorrow. I hope you’ll take a minute to click over to our fan page and cop a comment on what you see!