Elements Earth, Wind and Fire
Horse Oil Painting by Laurie Justus Pace

30 x 40 x 2 on Canvas

Contact me to purchase and include the painting name. Laurie

It was a beautiful relaxing day yesterday. We so enjoyed a huge lunch with all the kids and my parents. Here are two photos...one of Terry and I and one of my parents. They are always so cute. Our children ordered Terry and I an Italian Margarita and my mom tasted it and had to have one. So she and dad shared one.

Terry and I before the feast.

Mom and Dad and their margarita.

Anniversaries make me reflect back over the years. I have known Terry since age 11. At age 11, I could not have even begun to know what was God's plan in my life and his life. We never know the true purpose that God created us. His plan existed before we did. We are here at this time for a reason for His plan. We each have a purpose and our lives entangle with others here on earth. You can never be sure in what moment your actions or words affect the lives of those around you. A simple word or a simple act can bring great nations to their feet. A simple word or simple act can send bombs flying across the oceans. A simple word or simple act can create a new life.

Do not be discouraged today. Replace those thoughts with joyful anticipation of what you will do through His spirit. Guard and guide your thoughts to the positive and bring the light into the lives of those you touch each day. One simple word...one simple act; the world changes, lives change and the light of the Lord brightens.

Grace,
Laurie

"Be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble." 2 Peter 1:10

THE CONDUCTOR
By Laurie Justus Pace

3 ft by 4 ft Oil on Canvas


SOLD

Today is a celebrated day in our family. This is our wedding anniversary.

I was eleven when I threw a note in study hall over his shoulder. It was the beginning of a lifelong romance. He didn't think the note was for him and passed it to the girl in front of him.
Eventually he got it. Guys are slow at that age.

We had a fairy tale romance through junior high and parts of high school. But when I said I wanted thirteen children, he sort of disappeared in shock. Our best friends today are the same best friends we had growing up. Life long friendships of trust and love.

This morning I woke to beautiful vases of roses through out the house. We have not had breakfast yet, but I will whip up something special to start the day. I hurried in here to blog first.

After we graduated it would be nine years before we saw each other again and another nine before we dated and married. Always timed in with the high school reunion and the knowing of a trusted love and respect for each other.

This was our engagement picture 17 years ago. We had not planned for this at all. We were in jeans fresh from sailing at the lake, Terry has on my dad's clothes and I my mothers, including the pearls. By nature we are quite a bit more casual, a definite product of the sixties.

The next two snap shots are from our wedding album. We were married 17 years ago today. It was a Saturday with the wedding at two in the afternoon. We had already packed for our honeymoon in Miami Beach and I was at the church nibbling biscuits from Kentucky Fried Chicken while Terry was frantically trying to find a belt...a belt long packed and in the luggage in the car. He jumped in the car not wanting to be late and took off for the four mile drive to the church. He made it about two blocks and my car, Tiny Hiney (A VW Jetta my older brother had found for me) came to a halt. She was out of gas. Terry had to walk to his Dad's house to get a gas can and have his dad take him to get gas and back to the car. By the time he made the church it was almost time for the wedding. My dad's best friend, Paul Schwartz, donated his belt to the nervous groom. This was before cell phones so I had no clue as to what had happened.

My father walked me down the aisle of the church I had grown up in. We were surrounded by friends and families that had been woven into our lives since birth. Our entire group of friends from high school were there making it a dream come true.


Today our love is deeper and richer than it ever has been. We give thanks to God for the years together and the richness of our love and our lives and the many blessings of friends and family that will celebrate with us today.

I chose to post "THE CONDUCTOR" today... I feel the Lord is the great conductor in our lives. Individually we sometimes hit sour notes, but as a whole in our families the song that comes from the joining of all of our lives in His Glory celebrates His love for all of us.

Grace,
Laurie

"My lover spoke and said to me,
"Arise, my darling,
my beautiful one, and come with me.

See! The winter is past;
the rains are over and gone.

Flowers appear on the earth;
the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves
is heard in our land.

The fig tree forms its early fruit;
the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.
Arise, come, my darling;
my beautiful one, come with me." Song of Solomon 2:10-13

Inspired One Time
by Laurie Justus Pace

8 x 10 inches Oil on Linen Panel

Contact me for pricing. Laurie

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SISTER IN LAW LESLIE AND TO MY NEIGHBOR JO!

They shared the same birthday last week... a special day to celebrate life and the gifts they bring into our lives.

Henri Lebasque painted this first in the 1800's. I repositioned my woman in the chair a bit and pulled her one leg up and placed the chair on the surface a bit differently. I fell totally in love with the colors and had to paint it. I think I am going to frame it for my own because of the colors.

Yesterday was a maddening day as Julie from Guidry Designs came by to pick up the first of the work completed this week. It went to the framers at the Dutch Art Gallery in Dallas for framing. Julie will be placing the work into homes in the Highland Park area that she stages for Realtors.

Today I will finish up two matching 5 x 6 ft pieces...HORSES! Then I will take a break for our anniversary....and next week back to the grind. Did I say that?? I truly love painting, I am just grouchy and sleepy as I worked until eleven thirty last night and Terry got home just after that. Earlier in the evening Catherine came and ate a salad with me and we watched August Rush. I have bought the album on my ipod and will be painting by it today. FABULOUS music.

Could you imagine life with out a watch or clock? Could you imagine life with out concern of TIME? Time can waste as well as be wasted in our lives. Every moment that ticks by brings you closer to what? To our Father and that release of time. In this lifetime we cannot serve two masters...God and time. That schedule you keep is filled with stress is it not? There is an abundance of Christ in your life and the beauty of God's creation surrounds us in our world. We choose what we take on in our time schedule and what we allow to clutter our lives. Can we choose to not be controlled by time? When I stopped teaching back in 1997 I took off my watch and I have never worn one since. It was so liberating and I smile today realizing how liberating it is. I do not wear a watch.

While you examine your life to see what you can "give up"... I can only ask you to do it and anticipate peace in your life. Welcome quiet blessed time and added energy. You were created with potential and gifts to use in this life. If they are buried in your schedule you are not serving your purpose here in this life. Some of us have trouble accepting the fact that we are completely dependent on the Father. He created you and you are filled with his holiness. When you use your gifts you are serving Him by the giving of your spirit (a part of His light and love) and blessing it forward to others.

Is there something you can give up? It will only be gain to you spiritually as well as physically and psychologically.


Grace,
Laurie

"May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice." Psalm 141:2

Portrait in Turquoise
by Laurie Justus Pace

18 x 24 inches Oil on Canvas
SOLD

Today will be busy. I feel a bit frantic. The painters are suppose to paint the house today, but it is NOT sanded properly and the repairs to the wood are not correct. I shoved the phone number of the contractor in Terry's hands to call them at eight this morning.

I have paintings to finish up for my client today along with a Fire Inspection. One of the Dallas Fire Marshals will be out to give me a fix it list I am sure. I left Terry in charge of the list but I have not had time to go behind him to see if it is all right. I am hoping they do not care if the house is dusty and needing scrubbing as I have been studio bound all week.

I was reading about escaping from darkness this morning. It is written in a different angle than I wrote about earlier this week. In seeking peace and joy you have to escape from darkness. Define darkness as a lack of light just as sin is a lack of love. (Often it is a lack of love for ourselves!) Darkness has no unique properties of its own. To get out of the darkness you have to first recognized that darkness cannot hide you. Usually fear keeps us in areas of darkness. You have to come to the realization that through forgiveness of yourself you can come to a place that you have nothing to hide even if you wanted to hide it. The fear is then removed and in its place are joy and peace.

Keep the thought that truth is abundant to you at all times. When you get to the point that you recognize you truly have no needs because everything is in abundance, you will find joy and peace.

Fear only breeds emptiness and keeps you in the dark. Forgive yourself today and sit for a few moments and take in and acknowledge the abundance in your life. God is Good.

Grace,
Laurie


"He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom and broke away their chains." Psalm 107:14

Paris, Open Cafe in the Rain
by Laurie Justus Pace

4 ft by 12 ft

SOLD

I am one TIRED artist today. These are not even the final shots. It was late late last night when I finished up the faces of each character and that is not shown in any shots. These are shots Terry took While I was working. Scramble Monet and Renoir into this Paris Rainy Night Cafe with strollers under umbrellas in the background. A weary waiter is my favorite part of the canvas. May have to do one JUST of him.


Today I will be working on a 3 ft by 4 ft Conductor from the symphony. Muted tones so I hope not to fall asleep.

Starter Bread. Have any of you gotten any of the FRIENDSHIP STARTER BREAD lately? I had not had any since Dec of 1998. I was thrilled to get a bag yesterday. In ten days I will have mini starters that I can share and from those grow even more. So if you have a hankering to have some of that great bread, email me. I will fedex it overnight in the starter bag and we will get this rolling.




We should have the same enthusiasm with sharing and spreading the light of the Lord. I cannot ship that to you FEDEX, but I try every morning to put something small in for your thoughts to chew on for the day. This inner divine light can transform lives if we share it. My bread will come with "HOW TO" instructions for incredible yummmy bread. Through the sharing of our light with others we can provide the pure essence of God with the community around us. The "how to" instructions are simple... One Lord, One God.... and Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Just by example, living your life as a Christian will serve as a "how to" for everyone that knows you.

Grace, I am off to paint.
Laurie

"And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever." -- Revelation 22:5

THE QUILT
by Laurie Justus Pace

3ft by 4 ft Oil on Canvas


SOLD

Had to post before I started working. I have a 12 ft canvas on my easel. TWELVE FEET. I will take pictures today. Other than an errand with my mom mid morning I will literally be painting on this one all day with FAST DRY impasto added to the oils. This has to hang this weekend in a home. I love God's sense of humor. Meanwhile please keep me on prayer today.... as I take this on. I am pretty calm at the moment pulling in the spirit and the power of the Lord. He has to be heavy in hand as I take on this project.

Believe you can be successful in what you do today too! God gives us the gifts and the desire to go forth. It is His spiritual vision that guides us toward our greater goal. With Him you can be successful in all endeavors.

The above painting is for the same client. I will be doing several over the next five days.

Grace,
Laurie

"But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth." -- 2 Thessalonians 2:13

Talking It Over
Horse Art by Laurie Justus Pace

SOLD
Thank you!

Talking it over is a good place to start. I know we all have squirrels living in our head that keep all the cages roll as they go in circles. I try repeatedly to rid myself of the squirrels. Then Hamsters moved in after I turned fifty. They don't run as fast as the squirrels but they never stop to rest either.

During the day we are faced with so many things to absorb into our minds and our lives. Our society today is basically in high gear. Between the media, the traffic, the stores, the constant congestion, we can't hear any more and that means we can't talk any more. When decisions need to be made and thoughts need to be examined the squirrels and hamsters take up their trot in our heads as we begin to justify different scenarios floating through our thoughts.

With age I have decided this is where I do get rid of the hamsters and squirrels. Stop thinking, begin with a simple prayer and then listen. God is talking to us all the time and we rarely hear him over the noise in our heads. We all have constant conversations with our selfs, our ego if you may. Begin to listen with your heart, stop and take in peaceful things around you. Remember your grandma telling you to stop and smell the roses? Learn to meditate and take yourself to a place of calm. Decisions that come from calm are good ones. Even better, decisions that come from God are blessed ones.

Grace,
Laurie

"The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.' " So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening." Samuel 3:8-10