Romans 12:12
August 12, 2013 | My Jottings
Quite a while ago I painted a wall in our dining room with black chalkboard paint. After the paint cured for a couple of days, I drew a decorative border on it. Then I waited for inspiration to strike. Then I waited some more. And I waited a long time. I plan on writing on wall now and then, but since it won’t be a daily thing, I wanted to “christen” the wall with something meaningful.
Yesterday I chose Romans 12:12, and drew with chalk on the wall:
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer.”
I’m preaching to myself every single day with this verse. As a matter of fact, after something sudden and annoying happened yesterday, Michael could tell by the way I was moving around in the kitchen that I was a tad irritated with someone who had made a truly selfish choice. Guess what Michael did? He looked at me and pointed at the verse I’d just chalked up on the wall.
Sigh.
Exactly.
I still haven’t decided if I’m done with it, but this is what’s there for now:
I wish I could do something as beautiful as this, or this. Aren’t those examples absolutely stunning? And oh my, what about this?
Well, this is my first attempt and I think I’ll live with it for a while before I decide if all those bare spaces need a few little flourishes for fillers. A twist of fern leaf? A swirly or two? Some wheat?
What do you think? What would you add?
Julie, what a perfect verse for all of us. Your skill in writing it out goes way beyond my abilities! I think your board is a gift to God, reflecting your understanding and love of Him. I think it is the effort you are showing to put the Word into practice that He notices. The swirls and leaves, not so much.
Thank you for your building, soothing words, Roberta. You always make me look at something in a new way…such a blessing you are! xoxo
I think your board is lovely and the verse speaks to me as well. I recently read a quote by Joyce Meyer which goes something along the lines of, ‘Waiting in itself doesn’t show patience, it’s HOW YOU ACT while you’re waiting’.
I need to work on my patience. 🙂
xxoo
That is so true about how we are waiting, Kay! I also think waiting, and waiting on the Lord are two very different things, and I’ve been trying to focus on the latter lately. Thank you for always making me smile by visiting and leaving comments, dear Kay…. xoxo
I love your wall Julie! The verse is a nugget of gold and I love Kays comment on waiting. I will take those to heart. I would not add anything to the wall, I love the way you have it. Its beautiful and appealing, but easily readable. For me, I need to be able to see the important parts at a glance, especially when Im feeling less than patient or joyful. You have me looking around my house to see where I might be able to add a wall like that : )
Thank you so much Connie! I love Kay’s comments too. If you haven’t already googled “chalkboard walls,” there are some amazing ideas out there, large and small. There are some great chalkboard doors out there too. If you end up doing something I’d love to see it — send it to me and I’ll put it on the blog. God bless your day Connie… xoxo
I wouldn’t add anything – I love it just how it is!
Thank you so much, Helen! Thinking of you every day…. xoxo
I like your board best. Sometimes less is more. 🙂 Great verse too!
How nice of you to say! Blessings on your and yours today… xoxo
The chalkboard wall looks perfect the way it is. I like the simple artistic flourishes but the verse is the best reminder of where to put our mind. I have a vintage chalkboard from my childhood hanging in my entry hallway that I write things on it from time to time. Right now it is blank but the verse you chose has inspired me to write it on it as a daily reminder to me.
Oh, another thing you inspired me to do was look for my copy of The Pink Motel hoping that I still had it to read to my grandchildren when they get a little older. I found it on a bookshelf in my daughter’s old bedroom. The copyright is 1959 with yellowed pages. I also still have Caddie Woodlawn. I think my mom read it aloud to me when I had the mumps. Thanks for the memories of great books.
“About the Author” included inside the book – “Carol Brink has written several books for adults, but it is the children’s world which claims her. She has said, ‘Children need the lift and thrill of imaginative writing as well as the tangible foundation of facts. It is this combination of realism and imagination which I wish very much to achieve in my own writing.’
The delightful fantasies of Baby Island, the hilarious adventures of The Highly Trained Dogs of Professor Petit (a weekly Reader Children’s Book Club Selection in 1954), the historical novel, Lad with a Whistle, the Newbery Medal winner, Caddie Woodlawn, and the Pink Motel all testify to her success.”
Here is a list of books by Carol Ryrie Brink included in the book:
All Over Town
Anything Can Happen on the River
Baby Island
Caddie Woodlawn
Family Grandstand
Family Sabbatical
The Highly Trained Dog of Professor Petit
Lad with a Whistle
Mademoiselle Misfortune
Magical Melons
The Pink Motel
Looks like we may have to do some detective work to find copies of her other books to read to our grandchildren! Just thought I would share this with you.
Thank you so very much Carrie. I love the way vintage chalkboards look, and hope yours gets good use now! xoxo
I have read several of these books by Brink, but there are a few totally new to me. What a wonderful philosophy she had. I’m glad you shared all this here, Carrie. And so glad you found your copy of The Pink Motel. When I read it out loud to my grandkids, they loved figuring out the puns that the characters’ last names were. Thank you for taking the time to share all this, fellow reader! xoxo