December 10, 2009

Last year I took a pine knot and carved a chicken from it. I thought it was kiind of cute and interesting. When I did my show at Red top Mountain there was a gentleman there who purchased it and says he sits it on his grand piano. So, I decided I would make some more when I had the extra time. There's a man who has a shop on the side of the road close to Gatlinburg who saves me his pine knots. You can almost see something in them (Or at least I can)...anyway, it's lots of fun to take something that would probably be discarded as a fungus from a tree and make something interesting from it. Makes me think of how God can take a life that is in the pits and make something beautiful from it. He did that for me, and I am so thankful for His amazing grace.

Jeremiah 29:11 "I know the plans I have for you" declares the the LORD, "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

These are my latest 2 "Pine Knot Animals"; My Goose and Snail.

December 10, 2009

This past summer one of my repeat customers came to see me at a show in Culhowhee, NC and brought a wooden book for me. I set it out at several shows for a witness of Christ and had great response. I ask my friend Mary if she thought they would be hard to make and she said she didn't think so. She and Sam, her niece's husband cut down a poplar tree on her property and began to make the wooden books. They've been cut, planed, routed, sanded and hinged by Sam and Mary. I did the woodburning and sealing. I'm looking forward to the witnessing tool they will be. The front side says "Why Jesus Died" and when you open it up it says "On The Cross" and has a mirror where you see your own image. Children love them and many Sunday School teachers have ask for them for a gift for their classes. I hope they will be a blessing and give me and opportunity to start a conversation about Jesus.

December 7, 2009

Today I am mailing a woodburning I have finished of "Sarah Grace". In the summertime our families all get together in Gatlinburg and spend a week in a huge cabin. We have so much fun! We actually have "Christmas in July"...put up a tree and everything. "Sarah Grace" was sitting on a rock outside the cabin when I took a photo of her. She was so so cute, pure, and innocent that I couldn't resist doing this woodburning of her. I'm sending it to their family in Oswego, Oregon for Christmas. I hope it's as much a blessing to them as they have been in my life.

Sarah Grace asked Jesus to come into her heart this past year and she was baptized this summer while they were home. I have prayed for her often that God would save her and use her for His honor and glory.

I look forward to doing a woodburning of Samuel, her brother. They are precious children and I love them dearly.

December 8, 2009

This is my first attempt at writing blogs. I have felt for a while that I needed to write down some of my stories about the work I do with my walking staffs and canes, and my woodburning in general. There have been so many great stories of people who have been blessed by my work, as well as the blessings I have received for making them. They need to be shared. Something that good doesn't need to be kept silent.

I am currently working on a plaque for my boss, Jerry Jackson. His Mother had seen some of my work and wanted to know if I could make him a plaque for the barn he has been building for some 7 years now. After deciding between 3 pieces of wood, we decided to go with a rough cut piece of basswood. She said "Can you put some trees or something on it.?" My mind kept thinking about all the time this was going to take, and wonering if she was REALLY willing to pay for the time it took. When I finally settled in my mind that it's not about the time or the money, then I had a lot of fun with it. I pray it is a blessing to him. He's one of those folks that it's hard to buy for because he has everything he could ever need. Hopefully, I will have it completely finished by Friday.