Alison Hendrix's Blog, page 4
August 25, 2021
8 25 21 One Month
This is part of my journal entry from today, I felt I needed to share it someplace because it proves to me, yet again, that God gives good gifts to His children.
08 25 21
One month ago today; I knew it would go by so quickly, so blurry, and that somewhere in the madness we would start piecing together a picture without you in it.
Yesterday was amazing, but it brought tears because I know you would want desperately to have shared it with us. Nothing would’ve kept you away from hugs and celebrating. Know that you were thought of, and not with sadness, but with joy for knowing we had such a precious saint in our lives for so long. Joy for knowing how you love us, even still I am certain. One month.
In today’s Bible reading God gave me a very special gift. It was Psalm 116. The special gift of the morning came in vs. 15 and 16. Verse 15 reads, “Precious in His sight is the death of His faithful servants.” I wrote “Mama” next to this verse, and I treasured that thought for a moment: how my Mom is so precious to Him, her death moved Him so. I picture him holding her close like a precious child, a newborn baby, hugging her and healing her and loving her. That’s what I choose to hope for, anyway. And then, as I turned the page to finish the chapter, verse 16. Oh my loving God, on the one month anniversary of my Mother’s death, you gave me this verse. “Surely I am your servant, oh Lord. I serve you just as my mother did.” Thank you, Lord, Amen, may it be so.
August 17, 2021
Hope breathes with the dawn
Hope breathes with the dawn. Hope. Dear God, I want my Mama back, but I’m glad she’s with you, I hope she’s…I hope. What a beautiful and bright thing, a reminder that though the world is black, though we do not understand and cannot see the plan, we can choose to hope that there is one. We can choose hope. And what a way to live.
In hope, we can have sunshine on our faces, though we hear of slaughter and wars and plague, though we are personally affected and personally grieve. Even still, there is hope.
It shines like that liquid gold pouring through the leaves this morning, that glittering, cheering, brightness that’s falling across my front yard and painting the world gold. That, is like hope.
Hold on to it. Hold, hold, hold it in your thoughts, hold it in your heart, hold it in your peace and in your storm.
Hold hope.
August 16, 2021
Grief is like a curling vine
It’s light and creeping, stealthy and twisty: a curling vine, unfurling it’s leaves as it runs along. Quietly, it winds itself through and around the spirit, filling in the hole that once was her. Its flowers open painfully, beautifully, as memories. There are thorns, too, when flashes of fear and guilt intermingle with those memories of melody and warmth.
My mind tries to prune, to guide, to tie it down. (But never will it try to uproot. No, it is too entangled with the soul, so deeply planted that it is part of me, and will ever be.) But really, it is a wild and pressing thing, and will not be suppressed unless it is feeling tame.
It will spread like weeds sometimes, and then settle into a guiding strength, like an oak tree. Perhaps in time, it will grow to shade and to shield and to rain down peaceful memories and suggestions, soft as leaves drifting on the breeze, as if from Heaven.
August 11, 2021
Stream of consciousness, final days at the cabin
In flashes it breathes. Memories fade-not quickly enough, and too fast. Clenching, fear, selfishness, then the voice of a friend in tears and agony, “Bless your heart,” so precious, so painful. Now the look on her face- she can’t breathe. Oh God help me, why isn’t anyone coming to help me? “She’s gone, Alison.” My Daddy crying. He doesn’t cry. I’ve never seen him cry. No one is here. Facetime with my husband. I’m terrified I’m going to die and leave Molly with no mother. Andy Griffith, something light to watch. It breathes again. Oh God, our sweet neighbors. He can’t make it, renal failure, isolation. “Can you pray with me?” The nurse says, “Leave, you can’t go in, absolutely not!” The worst is the last glimpse of my Mama. I’m so sorry, please tell her for me, God! I need my Mama! Once more it breathes and I am on the floor alone, crying out to God so loudly that some part of my hurting brain wonders if the neighbors will call the cops. Cops. They all showed up yesterday to honor her, in uniform. Precious. She text me to say Goodbye. My hand in the air calling to God outside in my pjs. The Holy Spirit. Yezzi, too. I’m not alone. I touch the recently moved ground by the yellow roses and plaque- and it breathes and I breath with it. “It is well with me, because it was well with her.”
August 4, 2021
Some words for Mama
You weren’t old. I don’t think you could ever be, no matter how many years you could have resided with us. Your laughing blue eyes used to sparkle when you were teasing, and when you gave. There’s too much left Mama. So much of you is wrapped so tightly around so much of me. And it’s too soon. I wish you hadn’t gone, but I’d never wish you back from where you are. You see full glory, light and perfection. We see only broken pieces of the light that once was. You, Mama, your life glows with that light, even now, and for always.
July 19, 2021
Mama’s Back Yard
The cicadas sing and their happy chatter floats along the fragrant grasses. The birds chirp their sweet good evening to the pink clouds drifting above. The crepe myrtles are simply majestic: full, vibrant, rouge and lavender. And they nestle a white bench and arbor beneath their colorful branches.
Oh, there, the solar lights by the bench just popped on, adding a fairy-like magical glow to the corner of the shed and the crepe myrtles.
And, hello there! A thrumming humming by my ear. A green hummingbird with a bright red throat hovers by your feeder-a treat to see from the kitchen window.
Mama’s backyard is very like her: vibrant, full, fragrant, cozy, magical, and safe. A weatherer, a brightener, a sustainer of all seasons.
July 3, 2021
Lucky Earrings
This super quick story was inspired today by a lovely pair of earrings I bought at the Fourth of July artisan event in Blowing Rock. It turned out to be such a special day with my two favorite people, and I hope I’ll always remember it. The earrings were made by a beautiful little hippy chick who is incredibly talented! Please follow her on IG @brownpaperbling. You will be glad you did!
Lucky Earrings
It was the fourth of July and Molly and her family went to an outlet mall in a pretty town in the mountains. There were booths set up with strange and wonderful things, including a tent full of hand made jewelry. Mommy bought some turquoise earrings there that dangled all the way to her shoulders.
Mommy said, “Maybe they’ll bring us some luck today.” And they did.
As Molly and her mommy and daddy continued on, they found a kettlecorn vendor and bought some to eat later. Then they walked through several stores, ate some delicious lunch at a deli, bought Daddy some shoes, and then ended their stroll at the icecream shop.
Molly’s favorite flavor was vanilla, so she and her daddy sucked down vanilla shakes while Mommy opted for chocolate. The best thing, though, was where they sat to eat the yummy icecream.
In the center of the mall was a courtyard with seats and tables with umbrellas. A band was playing to celebrate Independence Day, and people were doing fun things all around. There were cornhole boards and ball tosses and the kind of cars you put a few quarters in to ride for a minute or two. Where Molly’s family sat, there was something even more special: a giant chessboard patio with giant chess and checker pieces to match! The pieces were nearly as big as Molly herself!
The little girl slurped on the milkshake for only a second before planting it next to her mommy. Then she ran to move the huge chess pieces. She separated them all, one at a time, by color, lugging them all the way across the patio each time.
After a moment or two, Molly was joined by two little girls. They had the greatest fun rolling, pushing, and even dancing with those huge game pieces. They played together for a very long time and became great friends. Though it only lasted for one sweet afternoon, the girls never forgot the fun, the sunshine, the live music and all the laughter.
That night, as Molly’s eyes were drooping, Mommy bent down to kiss her goodnight. Molly touched the lovely turquoise earrings dangling from her ears and said, “They brought the best luck. Today was the best day ever.”
Then she yawned and closed her eyes.
The End
Illustrating Fun for “On Whimsy’s Wings”
If you’re following my newest venture book release, “On Whimsy’s Wings: Stories for Magical Children,” you’ll know it’s a book of short stories that I wrote and illustrated myself. Illustrating is not entirely new to me, however, this kind of illustrating-digital illustrating- was completely new and not exactly in my wheelhouse. I had SO. MUCH. FUN!!!!
This past Christmas, I asked my husband if we could possibly get me a tablet for illustrators, because I love to sketch. I also write children’s books, so, learning to create digital illustrations seemed like a logical next step. I researched several tablets, and became a little discouraged. It seems the most popular tool is an ipad (which is definitely not in our price range) and a program called pro-create. Then, you also have to purchase a special pen to used. Read that as an additional 100.00. Luckily, I discovered the Huion Kamvas Pro 13! It was less than half the price of the apple products, included a pen, and was perfect for beginner illustrators!! This is not a plug for them, it’s just what works for me.
Once I had my new toy, I set straight to work. I had already written the short stories during the spring, summer, and fall of 2020, as a relief from Covid. So it was easy to see what I needed to do. The more I drew on my new tablet, the more I learned. I am still perfecting and playing with technique, but I am happy with the resulting illustrations. Check out the video below for a sneak peek at those illustrations!
July 1, 2021
NEW BOOK RELEASE!!
I am absolutely thrilled to share that my newest book, “On Whimsy’s Wings: Stories for Magical Children,” is now available on Amazon! Watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTa3O03x8KE
This book is a collection of magical short stories, all very dear to my heart. I had specific inspiration for each of the stories, and plan to publish an essay about those inspirations.
Once I’d written these stories, I had the pleasure of illustrating them! My husband can tell you how I lost track of time creating the illustrations, forgetting to eat and sleep in the midst of the fun I was having!
On Whimsy’s Wings was such a fun experience for me, and flowed so easily, that I have been counting the days until I can share it! I hope you will give it a look, and I sincerely hope that you and your children will be blessed by it!
https://www.pinterest.com/alilikestowrite/on-whimsys-wings/June 19, 2021
Broken Mirror
Reflections, reflecting, glimpses, flashes, fractions: little pieces of the Creator. Our world is a shattered mirror, fragmented and disconnected. The shards pierce and scratch, cut and bite, but only on the cold jagged edges. The smooth and liquid reflection of golden light calls to us. Bathe in me, be dipped in purity, in light, in perfection. Be held, be rocked like a newborn, be loved, be.
The reflections are soft and caressing and push us to be more. Calling us from the sharp edge of oblivion, come home, come here where adventure is waiting! Plunge into the depths and see how far eternity goes! Leave the woes, oh lost one, stop bleeding and wash your wounds. You’re already well-acquainted with that glittering, shining gold; you know it and it calls to you. Fall in and be made new.
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