(Re)introductions

You may be one of those who are reading this, and are thinking to yourself. “Why is her business name called River Rock Design- why does her website refer to a river rock? She isn’t painting river rocks, or selling river rock.  Seems kind of odd to me.”  I can understand why you would think that, and my explanation is very simple- and very personal.   It refers back to a life changing experience fifteen years ago.

It was borne from the aftermath of surviving a near death/drowning/waterfall experience on the Horsepasture River at Rainbow Falls, NC in 2005.  Not just myself, but also a nine year old girl, who is now a beautiful 25 year old young woman.  We shouldn’t have come out of our mishap alive- but we did, thanks to the efforts of three young people who were able to reach us in the river and rescue us.  Of course, the metanarrative to me even in the provision of our rescue that day, was that God in His sovereignty, provided the means of rescue.  We were in a pretty impossible situation.

I knew quickly that this day-July 6, 2005, was going to be a defining day in my life.  As in life before and after the waterfall incident.  I had worked in the medical lab profession for over 20 years, but my love and passion had always been creativity.  Through the years, I had done lots of things using it, from drawing pictures and cards, to decorating cakes (LOTS of cakes!), for family and friends, but never thought about developing or pursuing anything creative as a career.

As 2006 began and I moved forward from the waterfall incident, I felt that I was in a crisis.  Unsettled.  Was there more in life for me than where I found myself?  To be honest, my job was unfulfilling.  I was “reborn” in my faith and relationship with Christ as a result of this experience, and I was already understanding the importance of relationships in life- beginning with my faith.  That was one immediate and crystal clear revelation.  But my job, and thinking about the desires of my heart, using the gifts and talents God had given me was another thing.  I was feeling desperate to understand what more might be possible for me.  And in this struggle, God spoke to me, maybe not in an audible voice, but He spoke.

First- “I made you creative, why don’t you do something more with it?”  And then HE gave me the inspiration for a business name, River Rock Calligraphy and Design, along with a “logo”, the three waves that are encircled in a way that isn’t quite complete.  This is much more than a logo.  The three waves represent the river, and the circle represents the Rock- GOD- His sovereignty.  And the fact that the circle is incomplete also represents my life within the rock.  My life isn’t complete- God spared our lives that day in 2005, and gave me the vision for what I could do with the gift of time, and the talents He gave me.  I sign every piece of art I do, however big or small, with my “River Rock”.  I have been so richly blessed.

My life verse is Proverbs 19:21, “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” To God be the glory!   And now you know why my business name is River Rock Design.

PS-One more fact for those who have known my business as River Rock Calligraphy and Design.  I recently dropped “Calligraphy” from my name, as I am more involved with art and design than calligraphy at this point in my business.  But you will still see it in both formats- my FB Business page is River Rock Calligraphy and Design- it’s too hard to start over with a new page/new name.