family

Daily Drawing#255, Dancin’ Makes the Heart Happy

| Whitt’s End Art

Today’s quick drawing is an homage to the Peanuts comic strips. The Peanuts comics have always been one of my favorites. Charles Schultz and his group of children were one of the reasons I wanted to be a cartoonist in the first place. I grew up watching the TV specials and reading the daily comic strips all the while seeing myself in the Charlie Brown character. I like him saw myself as the misfit who was always trying to fit in with others. Still like Snoopy I learned long ago dancing a happy dance makes the heart feel happy. There is something about getting out there and helping others which makes you forget about your problems. This I think was one of the lessons Charlie Brown learned inadvertently. He was always messing up when he tried to help others but in the end it worked out and all gang had a good time. So get out there and find what you can do for others so you can do your happy dance.

Daily Drawing #251, In Times of Trouble Take A Knee

| Whitt’s End Art

One thing I learned as a child was self-sufficiency. You see my parents split up when I was young and being the youngest child meant all my siblings had married and moved out. I loved and still love my mom and I know she tried her best to help me deal with things but she didn’t understand the comings and goings of many of my situations. So real early in my life I had to figure things out for myself. As I grew I learned not to ask for help. I tried to do everything on my own. When I gave my life to serving God I still struggled with trying to do everything on my own. Believe me, I got myself into a lot of jams financially with which I’m still dealing. I have learned from all my missteps God is there waiting for me to get on my knees and ask Him for help. So don’t be stubborn ask God in prayer He will be always be there.

Daily Drawing #240, Wanna Be a Rock and Roll Star

| Whitt’s End Art

Growing up the one thing I wanted to be most of all was a rock star. To stand on the stage belting out my songs to thousands of adoring fans. I had only two obstacles to overcome, I could sing that well and I never learned to play the guitar for lack of funding to buy one. As i grew the desire to be a rock star faded. As I now enter the fall portion of my life I fondly look back on the dream and wonder what if I had not given up on my dream so soon. Life is about dreams, some of which are attainable, others which we may never see but unless we try we will never know. Don’t give up on your dreams. Pray about them. Seek the Lord’s help and keep practicing because you never know.

 

 

 

Daily Drawing #237, The Lamb and Lion Together Again

| Whitt’s End Art

Today’s drawing is a throwback to a time when in the Garden of Eden all the animals got along together. The lion and lamb sitting around like best friends surveying the of what was around them. Selfishness ruined the Garden. The desire to have more than what was allotted. Since that ill felt day not much has changed in the world and until selfish hearts are changed from looking inward to caring hearts which are looking outward nothing in this world will ever change.

“People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.”— John C. Maxwell

 

 

 

Daily Drawing # 234, Talking to An Empty Space

| Whitt’s End Art

I don’t know where the quote came from but my one friend use to say, “Women you can’t live with them sometimes but you can’t without them all the time.” In the light of the cell phone phenomenon in our society I have changed the quote to, “Smart phones you can’t live without them all the time but you need to live without them sometimes. Today’s message is what a would another little rant. I have a smartphone and I have come to depend on a little more than I like but I know there are times my phone needs to stay away. Here is a list of a few:

  1. At the movies.
  2. If I was single on a date. (The date is more important than the phone. Also it is really rude to be looking at your phone when she is talking. Same goes for you ladies, turn off the phone,
  3. At church, unless you’re using it to read the Bible.
  4. In the library. At least turn the sound off.
  5. When you’re doing some public speaking.
  6. At a dinner party.

This is only a partial list. The key as the Bible says is to keep your habits under control Yes, using a cell phone is a learned habit and for some an addiction.

Daily Drawing #229, The Home Which Once Was…

| Whitt’s End Art

I would love to visit a so called “ghost town.” Not to search for paranormal events because I have my own theories on those but to see how people once lived. They say you can never go home again. In a sense ghost town is a reminder what we once knew as home is never the same as we remember. I have been back to the both my birth home in West Virginia and the home where I grew up outside of Philadelphia. Neither of the places resembles what I remember from my youth. The neighborhoods are different. The homes I knew are gone. Even many of the people that once lived there are gone, moved away or deceased. The homes which I once knew exist now only in my memory. This is one of the reasons I write this blog to write down my memories and thoughts before they are gone also. In my opinion everyone should write down what they remember about their lives, take pictures of old neighborhoods and people. This is one good way you can go back home again, if only in your mind.

Daily Drawing #228, Playing Music By the Moonlight

| Whitt’s End Art

There is an old saying, “Music soothes the savage beast.” While that may be true back in my day music was blamed as the source of a lot of misbehavior. Still I grew up a rock and roll guy. I like other bands like ABBA and the like but my favorite was 70’s and 80’s rock. I used to love to go to concerts, especially outdoor live events. There is something about the open air and live music. When I gave my life to Jesus I thought my rock music days were over. For some they because of the association with the past lifestyle. I however have always liked music for the music and the lyrics.

There are some in the church who disagree with Contemporary Christian Music especially the harder stuff. I however am one of those people who while selective and lyric content oriented understand that God can use any tool he sees fit to further His kingdom here on earth. I am a testament to that. He called me, a person who in my estimation is not suited for His ministry into His service for twenty some years now. So when it comes to liking Christian Rock or harder music, do as you with anything else, be discerning by checking into the bands background and testimony and look at the lyrics.

Daily Drawing #224, We’re Not All Cat People

| Whitt’s End Art

Growing up I had a good many cats. One of my favorites was a from the breed known as Manx. I don’t remember the cat’s name but it was one of my favorites. Still even with all those cats I had quite a few dogs. Two of my favorite dogs was one I called Hobo named after the dog in the show of the same name. I named the dog Hobo because he looked like the dog in the show.

The other dog was a Shetland Sheep Dog or miniature collie. I loved the dog. In fact we were inseparable up until the day the dog disappeared. I had no idea what happened to the dog until years later when my mother told me the dog followed me the bus stop and was run over by the bus. She didn’t have the heart to tell me. The whole point of this reflection is the fact we are all different. Some of us like both dogs and cats but their are others who like either dogs or cats. We are all different and need to learn to look past our differences and learn to live each other for who we are not who we want the other person to become.

Daily Drawing #222, The Dog Days of Summer

| Whitt’s End Art

What are the dog days of summer? The answer comes from Dictionary.Com, “the sultry part of the summer, supposed to occur during the period that Sirius, the Dog Star, rises at the same time as the sun: now often reckoned from July 3 to August 11. a period marked by lethargy, inactivity, or indolence.” The reason for the lethargy and inactivity is the heat. When it is hot it is hard to be moving around. I was in Las Vegas this year and the temp out there when I went averaged out to 115 degrees. I know it is a dry heat but to me it was still hot. My wife and I managed to push through the heat and have a great time. In life there are going to be times when the heat is turned up. The key to getting through these times and not become inactive or lethargic is to pray and seek God’s strength to help you remain sure footed. The dog days will always come but they don’t have to last.