“Anointed psalmist….joyful exhorter, published illustrator, watercolorist, writer and conference speaker.” She is the director of Embracing Grace Ministries, located in the rolling hills of Upstate New York. ”She delights her audiences with a unique blend of humor and warmth, yet with a prophetic boldness that penetrates the superficial. Marji proclaims the Living Lord.”
Marji was happily married to her husband, Bill, for forty years until his passing in 2007. She has two grown sons, Kyle and Jonathan, and seven blessed grandchildren.
Marji…Mimmy?
I was baptized Marjorie, or Marji, but my family and friends call me Mimmy. That’s the name my grandkids gave me. Being a grandmother is pinnacle…happy…deliriously joyful…and healing. Because of my new identity as Grandma Mimmy, when I opened my store I called it: Mimmy’s Pickety Place.
The term “Pickety” evolved over the years, in my household, to mean anything that is: creative, fun, homemade, hand-done and happy.
It all started out of the center of a very painful season caring for my ailing mom. My my heart began to hunt for anything that would turn my attention away from the sadness. There were so many wonderful friends who blessed me during this time that I started drawing light hearted, inspirational artwork to give as a thank-you. My first drawing was a Noah’s Arc picture for my neighbor, Coleen.
Friends began to asking if I sold prints…so, I made prints. Then people asked if I had note cards….so, I made note cards. Sales were solely by word of mouth, or, wherever I had a speaking engagement. Later, I opened Mimmy’s Pickety Place.
When my husband, Bill, became ill, I closed my store and stopped accepting speaking engagements so I could stay home to care for him. I am so grateful that I did that, because we shared some of the sweetest years that we ever had together. His difficult battle with Sarcoidosis ended in August of 2007.
Widowhood has been the most difficult challenge of my life; but, thanks to the Lord even during the darkest times I never lost the joy of creating. Some of my most beautiful work was done during the first year after his death. Today, four years later, fresh winds of change are blowing, and I can feel myself being moved to more pleasant places. I’ll never get over losing him, but I am learning to embrace my new normal…and even enjoy it.
I hope this website will be a blessing. I hope you’ll visit often. I hope everything I write and create will bring glory to God and happiness to your heart. Thanks for joining me on this most wonderful of “Pickety” adventures.
Congrats on pursuing your dreams. This is great! It is amazing how He gives us beauty for ashes & the oil of joy for mourning. The beauty of creativity heals you as it flows through you & heals us as it flows out of you. Thank you for being His conduit=).
Your “creative expressions” are always reflective of the Father’s love to His children of whom we all are. I pray this will bless and touch many including you Marji.
On our alter at Bethesda Fellowship is one of my favorite s ..Jesus arms around a child ,in a hug that makes a Heart… one of your creations…(I hope that kind of describes it ,Also in my friends kitchen are two of your pictures with old chairs and “words”… You just can not look at these creations of yours without a smile on your face… Now I have an oportunity to see and order more Thanks Marji..You have been a friend for many years Shirley St. Johnsville NY
Shirely, thank you for such wonderful words of encouragement. I’m going to blog as often as possible. Please tell all your friends and church family about my website. It will be word of mouth that will make the difference. God Bless you.