Friday, August 5, 2011

Lost and Found
Anthony of Padua with the Infant Jesus by Antonio de Pereda

I've always believed that miracles can and do happen.
I've even witnessed one or two.

But I can't say I've been one to pray to any given saint to
help me resolve a problem. Not since I was a student
at St. Thomas More School, anyway (back when dirt was new:).

Yesterday I lost my Sketchbook Project sketchbook.
Tore my art room apart looking for it and finally when
I was looking in the same hundred places for the
third time, I said to myself, how ridiculous is this...
if it wasn't there the first 2 times, it won't be there now.

So I gave up, and said a prayer to 
St. Anthony, the patron saint of lost articles. 
Not having any idea how or if my sketchbook would appear...
...skeptical, but hopeful and desperate enough to believe.
Some 15 minutes later, as I sat at my computer concentrating
on something else, a thought popped into my head from nowhere,
of one final place I hadn't looked.

You guessed it...there was my book sandwiched inside a stack of
Christmas CDs that I had quickly shoved into a drawer
with a bunch of camera paraphernalia. The book is small.
(come on Sketchbook Project People, 
couldn't you have sold us a slightly bigger sketchbook??)
I must not have seen that it was buried among the CDs.

This has truly amazed me, because I know for certain
I would not have found that book except by accident
at some much later date. When it was too late to
fill all the pages by the deadline.

Hmmm...has anyone else had such an amazing
experience with St. Anthony? Or, as I believe,
been allowed to tap into the power we have in our
brains by the energy that is "St. Anthony"?

****************

OK, now for some BIGGER news than my lost sketchbook.
(Saving the best for last :)

Last Saturday, I was able to meet up with Lisa,
(of Priti.Studio) in Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania, US,
for those who live far far away).

Lisa had to travel here to pick up her daughter Mia,
who, amazingly, has been studying dance 
in Pittsburgh for the past six weeks. 

It started with a chair which sadly wasn't able 
to come because of size issues :)
But it was still a chance to meet up with one of my
Inspiration Avenue buddies and favorite artists.
Yay! Here we are in Oakland 
checking out the shops and restaurants.
Photo was taken by Lisa's friend Deb, 
whom it was also a pleasure to meet!
Deb is full of energy and kept us moving along.
(Lisa and I might just have stayed in the
used book shop 'til nightfall :)

The morning went quickly, and soon it was time for 
Lisa and Deb to go to Mia's performance.

So off they went, and off I went, picking up some
fresh corn for dinner on the way home.

All in all, a lovely Saturday!
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4 comments:

  1. Aw I didn't know you were meeting up with Lisa, how lovely!! I wish I was near enough to have joined you - that bookshop sounds fun!!

    I'm glad you found your sketchbook - I wonder if St Anthony works for lost marbles lol...! xx

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  2. I liked reading about the saint...I am starting Catholic classes this fall and cannot wait to learn all about the different Saints...:) God Bless and have a nice weekend...

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  3. What a great story. I am not sure but I know that I have prayed to Saint Anthony for help but just can't remember what happened but we did pray to St Joseph and placed a statue in the ground when our house would not sell and it sold the next week. I felt very funny when we did it but I feel that it made a difference. We have the statue in a special spot in our house today. 15 years later and I still feel that was a miracle. How fun that you two got to spend time together and explore interesting places. Maybe another miracle.. or at least it made me smile to see the picture of you both together as I have a painting from each of you in my art room. I was thinking I should put a copy up and then have the artists with the art. Life is full of big and little miracles isn't it.

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  4. *Angie ~ wouldn't it be nice to meet up...I wish you were close enough also! If only there were a sort of central-ish location. (I know, the middle of the Atlantic is out of the question)...hmmm, it would take some planning for sure but, not impossible?

    *Kathy ~ Good luck with your classes! St. Anthony is a very interesting saint, as I just found out.

    *Amanda ~ I have heard about burying a statue of St. Joseph to help sell a house. In the stories I've heard, the houses were sold quickly! I think it's wonderful that you have a painting from both Lisa and me!

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