Today, as we remember again JonBenet, the abominable nature of sin reveals itself. Unspeakable consequence for one child and one family. And, the horror of the darkness is only skewed by a malfeasant public.  

But, I was struck by one story. The story of an artist whose Christlikeness shines like a gracious candle in a pitchy, heartless room.

You blessed me, Betty Morris Hamilton. May God bless you.   

My first musical love, without a doubt, was Elton John. I am a huge, huge fan and I have been for almost as long as I can remember. He was my first album, my first concert. The first person who caught my musical attention.

When I was a kid, I had this awesome neighbor, Debbie. She was an older friend; I was 12 and she was probably in her late 20s. She owned a horse farm and she taught me to ride and hired me to work with her horses. She took me to horse shows and the movies and included me in her life. She treated me like a real person. She was a primary saving grace of my childhood. She also sold me my beloved horse, Ginger, and bought her back when I went to college. She and her horses still live across the street from my parents' house.

And Debbie was the one who introduced me to Elton John; she loved him more than even I did, but I gave her a run for her money. I loved Elton's voice. I absolutely loved the way he played the piano. And I loved the Bernie Taupin part of Elton. Oh, those lyrics. There is really nothing like them.

I recently learned that you could download music and music videos to your blog. I thought that it might be fun to try and put some music on my blog and I was looking for some of the Christian music that I have come to love. While there, though, I stumbled on some old favorites, Elton being one of them. Then, I saw this particular video. I thought it was so fabulous. I had never seen it before or even heard the song before and I thought that I knew all of Elton's songs. Apparently, I have been away from the world of music videos for quite a long time.

If you could imagine a much less beautiful look a like girl, the starlet in this video was me thirty years ago. I didn't have the posters on the wall or the dream to necessarily marry or even meet Elton John (it wasn't THAT kind of love) or be part of his imaginably glamourous life but, boy, did I long for freedom. I spent hours plotting my escape out of the cage, down the yellow bricked road,  and over the rainbow. I ached for a fairy godmother (or, at least, Samantha Stevens or Mrs. Brady) to lift me out of the deaf and blind and dirty world that I found myself living in. Elton John and his music became like comfort food to me.

I am all grown up now and no longer desire a fairy godmother. In fact, I have found something far better. But, I still love Elton John and when I listen to his music today, I am still comforted, still moved.

I have been on a journey for the last year or two. It may, now that I think about it, have been longer. It may have been one of those journeys that you find yourself halfway along before you realized that you have even begun.

I have discovered that I love art. Pretty much all of it, but lately my fascination has been with mosaics, altered arts, fine art decoupage, leather art, art quilts and pretty much any kind of mixed media, especially mixed media with a fiber twist. I love it all. I want to do it all, too, but I have neither time nor skill to pursue every dream that catches my fancy.

So, I have been in compensatory mode. What I do when I am compensating is read obsessively and buy supplies. 

: )

Maybe someday, I will get that craft room assembled to the extent that that I could actually access all of my supplies and try a few things out. When I do, I will post some of my efforts. In the meantime, I will stick with sharing what I am learning and revealing a glimpse of what fires me up.

For example, Gil Elvgrin has taken first place in the race to hold my attention. You have likely seen his work before. He is the guy that does those pin up girls from the 1950s. It never really caused me any hesitation in the past, but I must say lately I can't seem to get enough of viewing his work. I just think it is so beautiful. And so fun.

I think my interest reflects my high regard for women, in general. I love women. I think, as a lot, we are smart and beautiful and have a depth of character that is daunting and formidable. I think we are spunky. I wonder if that is how Elvgrin sees his women. That is certainly how they come across to me.

I know they are pin ups and pin ups are not necessarily the thing you would most likely think that a good Christian girl, like myself, would find intriguing. But, God help me, I can't deny who I am. I don't think pictures of beautiful women are bad in and of themselves. It is your heart and your intent and your behavior. It is what you DO with them that counts.

Personally, I would really like to decopauge one on a purse. Then, I would add few beads, maybe a little handspun tassle ...