Think about this, Jesus chose 12 disciples. He hand-picked these men and none of them were perfect people. Each had their faults, short comings and weaknesses. Peter was hot tempered, loud and he liked to fight. Thomas was a doubter which means he was skeptical, cynical and negative. Mathew was a tax collector. They were known for being dishonest, crooked and manipulative. Yet Jesus looked these men in the eyes and said, “You are the light of the world, you are the salt of the earth.” He spoke the blessing. He was saying in effect, ‘I'm proud of you men. You are something special. You are going to do great things. You’re even going to impact the whole world.’ He was speaking it by faith. He was calling forth their potential. The fact is in the natural they weren’t anything special. They were fisherman, carpenters, tax people and just ordinary folks. But here’s what happens when you speak the blessing. Those 12 men rose to the level of what Jesus prophesied. They became what he declared. They not only impacted their generation, but what they did is even impacting us today. When you speak the blessing, when you call forth the potential,when you look at somebody and say I don't see just what you are but what you can become, you speak words of life, faith and victory and those words can help shape their destiny. That person will rise to the level of what you are prophesying. Your faith filled words release God’s favor, ability, confidence, and creativity. You can help set them down a whole new course. Don’t ever use the excuse that you’re not going to say it until you see it. No! You’ve got to say it and then you will see it. You've got to call it forth and your words have created a power. This soap box sermon comes from life experience. My former boss Mary Ann spoke blessing words over me. I in turn speak them over my staff. As I have said before, I am blessed most of all watching and helping my staff grow. This week I’d like to introduce you to Daniel Cruz . This young man is one that God is calling forth. He is named after the famous Daniel of the Bible. You know the guy with all that integrity and wisdom, who was thrown in with the hungry lions and lived to tell about it. Our Daniel is like him in many ways. His name literally means, “God is my judge” and he strives to live a life in his relationship with God as lovingly, seriously and respectfully as he can; a man after God’s heart. Daniel has come a long way from his beginning days here. He too started off with no experience in this industry like the rest of us. Daniel was hired as a sander in the finishing department in the beginning, and later, he advanced as the assistant to the department manager. One day, after months of conversations I was having with the Lord about a person to oversee the manufacturing and production, I was talking to Daniel and all of a sudden I saw him. Meaning, I saw him, an illumination that God gives you. I blurted out “It’s you! You’re the one! You’re supposed be the one overseeing manufacturing! Do you want to do it?” He looked me in the eyes and said, “Yes.” During this season many things changed for the better under Daniel’s direction. A year later, Daniel had to take a leave of absence due to a knee injury which required a surgery that took him several months to heal from. I wish he would let me tell you the miracle God blessed him with, but I understand that it was such an intensely personal moment with just him and God that I too would cherish it so much that I would want to keep that between me and God. During that time, one of the carpenters took the lead in Daniel’s absence and brought yet more positive changes to the production process. Another one of God's moves. Another thing that was happening at this time was the collapse of the economy that affected us all. Due to this, I had to ask Daniel to wait until January to come back to work. It wasn't a good time for him coming through a difficult, painful surgery and recovery. The position he was in before his surgery now looked as though it was filled by someone else. However it was a “looked like” situation. I had the download from God to let the man standing in Daniel’s position finish what He, God, had going. Honestly friends that was so hard for me to do, but I trusted that God had a plan and I too would have to wait until he revealed it. When Daniel came back, he humbly went back to being a sander. Now, I want to state that he didn’t perform any less than 100% and when asked to hang tight until God showed us what to do next, he didn’t have any problem with that. As his journey continued on, about half a year later, he again assumed the role of production manager until this past April. He now has accepted the new position of what I’m calling The Banker. He is overseeing the daily finances, purchasing and payroll. All of which he’s doing a great job at. I would really like to express my gratitude to God for blessing me with a very unique and dedicated staff. I am so proud of Daniel and I truly believe in and trust him. He adds so much to our organization with his hard work and humor. I am honored to have him as my co-worker and friend. Blessings, Nelson J. Nelson

This is the “Ava” Accent Chair. The name Ava is a variant of Eve, and by now, if you've been reading these blogs, you can understand the spiritual correlation. The Ava chair is kind of like the traveling gnome: you see her in some various and exotic places. The only difference between Ava and the traveling gnome is dress and style. Ava has many looks, the gnome only has one. From her beginning days, Ava has been seen in many places. Currently, she is dripping in crystals with her Hollywood look. One of my favorite stories about Ava is the time when Jewels, our fabric coordinator, chose her new “look.” At the time one of our favorite shows on television was “Project Runway”. In that season there was a designer who used human hair in his runway collection. As a joke I told Jewels that I wanted hair. What she came back with was these beautiful feathers that were rich in color and iridescence. Her statement to me was, “This is as close to hair as I'm choosing to get, if you want hair, you’re on your own.” Jewels put together a combination of fabrics with textures and colors. Then she designed a pleated fold that layered across the entire back of the chair using an iridescence fabric that gave the viewer a vision of multiple colors from various angles. This selection of fabrics, feathers, and design launched Ava internationally. She was chosen to be used in a million dollar add campaign for the World Market Las Vegas. This was all because of our beautiful Jewels. I can’t tell you how proud I was of Jewels for her accomplishment and how incredibly honoring it is to see one of the pieces Emmanuel designed plastered almost life sized on promotional columns in Las Vegas, at the World Market, and to know that that same ad was being used as one of the Market’s international marketing pieces As a side note Jewels name is actually Julie Stearman, however the day she interviewed and hired it was decided that she was officially Jules. Later when she gave her heart and life to the Lord the spelling was changed to Jewels, as in the “Jewel” of the Lord. Ava has been designed by many designers and placed in homes, night clubs, and offices, since her birth in 2004. She has the ability, like a seasoned muse or model, to be transformed into whatever is desired for the project. She has been dressed in silk and leather, pink pleats and white feathers for a little girls room, to deep richly saturated velvets and dangling crystals. She can be “a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll.” She has one of those classic shapes that allows one to curl up in and read a good book, or just quietly stand on her own and create “Red Carpet” attention. Currently we’re deciding on her new fall look, it hasn’t been decided yet so you will have to keep an eye out. What we and designers have discovered is that the Ave Chair is a perfect accent piece for almost any interior. She only has to be dressed for the occasion. So think about it, how can she be dressed for your project? And if you have an idea for her fall 2010 look let us know. She has classic beauty that only needs your touch. Blessings, Nelson J. Nelson

I love to brag on the amazing talent that is here in our furniture manufacturing shop. My greatest delight over the past seven years has been to witness the growth of everyone here and watch them take on more and more responsibilities. Being teachable, they have developed departments and then taught others their job and moved on to developing another department. Along the way, each person has taken an ownership mentality of their department, which is exactly what I hoped for. It began with our now Production Manager and resident Color and Finish Artist, Eddie Hernandez. Eddie’s starting position was that of a sander in the finishing department seven years ago. Unfortunately, the lead finishers at the time saw no promise in him so they purposely withheld information and teaching. When I asked why, they laughed and told me that he wouldn’t ever amount to anything significant. At the time they were all that I had in the finishing department, but that laugh and that statement rubbed me the wrong way. So, I fired them. That turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made. The talent that has emerged out of Eddie since then is amazing. I placed Eddie in charge of the finishing department, which has had more than 10 workers at times and he was so successful that he has moved on to Production Manager over all manufacturing. That includes the carpentry build shop, finishing shop, all the way to delivery. While Eddie has a creative talent in all arts, creating finishes is still his first love. His trademark techniques include hand-mixed paints and stains, custom made textures and distresses, which bring out a 3D effect. He works with a collection of tools, some mundane, and some quite unexpected, which results in varying levels of “erosion,” and an air of timeless beauty. Eddie experiments constantly and it was one of these experiments that resulted in an entirely new collection. Eddie created this weathered naturally aged finish, and when we saw it we immediately knew we needed to create a piece of furniture for this finish he named Harvest. We began designing a piece that would depict one of the great old castles of Europe. What developed is the Strong Tower collection. The first piece that was designed was a console after the Caldecott Castle in England. The piece features a flat screen rising up out of a 3” heavy distressed top. Since then it has taken on many functional designs from a Billiard table and cue rack to entertainment centers with special iron grated openings for sub woofers, to the current project as a massive fireplace surround and mantel that will house a flat screen behind a pair of Old World pocket doors with hand forged wrought iron strap hinges. One of the designs on the piece is the cross cut outs on the towers. It appears as a decorative design, but actually was a military defense. The arrow slits allowed archers to shoot out easy but it was difficult for arrows to come back through. Suggestive in symbolism, those behind the Cross of Christ are safe. The name of the collection comes from Proverbs 18:10. “The name of the LORD is strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” It’s a reminder that we have a place of safety and refuge in our Lord. Blessings, Nelson J. Nelson

A new kitchen is one of the most rewarding gifts you can give yourself and your family. As the heart of your home, your kitchen is where late-night talks, homework sessions and casual celebrations (the best kind!) happen naturally. It’s where memories are made. Your kitchen is where you nurture your loved ones’ souls as well as their bodies. So you want it to be efficient, comfortable and just plain beautiful. Other kitchens may have an exotic flair but few can be said to transport homeowners and guests to a time of legend, romance and fantasy. This one does. It started off as an entertainment armoire. After it was created, the idea came to me to take the design farther and create an entire kitchen. Back to the sketch pad we went. I have to say there was some resistance by the carpentry team to have to deconstruct a piece that they already finished. After it was completed the second time, as the French Chateaux kitchen, everyone was happy with the final outcome and seemingly had forgotten about all the hard work. For someone who can’t forget a visit to France’s lovely cathedral towns or for anyone who just wants to recreate the ambiance, this kitchen is captivating. The range hood, ornately carved and shingled, is the perfect frame for the beautiful medieval inspired stained glass artwork backsplash. Furthering the theme, we incorporated four additional shingled roof tops to give it a French countryside feel. To further echo centuries past, we used paint and stain finishes that are ragged and distressed, seeded glass, wrought iron drawer and door pulls as well as natural stone for counter tops and tiles. The oversized strap hinges on the refrigerator and cabinet doors actually came from a pair of antique doors off a church in New Orleans that we had recast. Combined, these materials evoke the feeling of traveling thru a small hillside town in France and approaching the doors of an abbey. What’s your dream Kitchen? With courage and clever planning, your kitchen can be as individualistic as you are. That’s where Emmanuel Design Group comes in. Love the sleek sophistication of contemporary style? Admire the look of updated country, with distressed finishes and unexpected colors? Maybe it’s the simplicity of old world decorating that sooths you with the echoes of centuries past. Whether you live in a New York condo, a Colorado lodge or a Florida ‘50s ranch, Emmanuel Design Group can help you translate the looks you love into ideas for your kitchen. So, start planning. Dream big. And, when you’re ready to start the journey, either by building an ambitious new design from the ground up or you just want refresh and update your existing space, we would love to be a part of creating the new or improved kitchen you’ve always wanted. Blessings, Nelson J. Nelson

Family and friendship is most celebrated at the dining table, but that’s not the only table that can be gathered around for friendship and conversation. This pool table, for more traditional clients’ billiard table, is another table that we can create exclusively for you and your family. We have been commissioned to custom design and manufacture several pool or billiard tables for some very wonderful clients. Each wanted a table that celebrated a specific time in their lives. One of our clients told us a story about how her husband who is a Big Game hunter was on safari in Africa and was charged by a Cape buffalo bringing him close to death. Apparently it was a big adrenaline rush and made for a thrilling adventure. She asked us to design and create a pool table that celebrated his successful “take downs” in the wild, if you get what I mean, by incorporating the animals that he overtook as the theme for the table. This billiard table featured alligator leather insets, hand carved Cape buffalo horns and Cheetah pockets. These, along with other details, commemorated his “big game” hunting trips to Africa. Another was commissioned by a client who after years of success in ranching wanted a billiard table fitting for a Cattle Barron’s game room. This one featured inset panels of brindle hide and close to 2000 individually hand hammered nail heads adorning the table. The billiard table featured here is of Gothic design that we created with Old World homes in mind. To its credit this table was recently chosen as the cover for the game section in the upcoming publication, for Coldwell Banker called Portfolio, which features spectacular homes across the country. The table features traditional European iron designs taken from abbey gates and cathedral fences inspired by renowned English architect Augustus Welby Pugin. Augustus was a leader in the mid-19th century Gothic Revival movement. Constructed here in America from solid North American maple, it is built to the exact standards that combine dramatic creativity while using only superior materials. This billiard table, just like the custom ones that were commissioned, has symbolic meaning. The pointed arch points towards heaven lifting our eyes to the Father. The quatrefoil seen in the ironwork unites four different entities; one in each of its leaves. The top leaf symbolizes God as creator, and the two side leaves represent Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The bottom leaf is believed to symbolize the church of Christian followers. We chose the finish to be Espresso (black paint that is sanded down in various places). The reason is that black is the color you get when you mix all colors together which represents all the people of the world. God delights in diversity. Sanding down represents Gods use of trial in our lives to show us amazing things that we wouldn’t see without them. The color gold, hand painted on the iron work, represents Divinity, majesty, righteousness, Divine Light, and mercy. So whether you’ve fallen in love with this one, fallen for the idea that you can make a personal statement with your own design or coordinate it with the décor and style of your game room, our design team would love to be a part of creating it. By having a billiard table in your home you will discover something. It is simply enjoying a true family activity that will bring you and your friends closer together in a game that grows with you while providing laughter, entertainment and great memories. Blessings, Nelson J. Nelson

Hi Friends, We have so many wonderful stories about clients and projects that we’ve been privileged to work with and on. The story about this fireplace is one of those stories. We were commissioned to create and build this beautiful fireplace mantel for a lovely family in Texas for their new home being built. We originally met with them to talk about building a custom dining room table. After the meeting, it turned into two tables, a custom iron chandelier for the dining room, dining chairs, stone flooring for the entire house inside and out and a custom hand carved fireplace to be the focal point of the home. Now all of this was in the range of what we were already accustom to building with the exception of the fireplace, that we hadn’t done before, but I truly believe that with God all things are possible. The problem was finding a talented carver. The solution, pray. Have you noticed that in the bible there’s a verse (Philippians 4:19) that says, “My God shall supply ALL your needs according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus” So, with that, I just believed that the carver would come. Several months went by before the builder needed the fireplace and during that time I stood on that verse that God would bring the right person. I really wasn’t too worried about it, now I don’t want this to come across as arrogant, but I didn’t write that verse He did and He made the promise. I just have to believe it. Well the time came for the project to begin. I still had not yet seen the carver materialize and the plan was to start on the project the following day. So what do you think happened??? The following morning a man walked into the office that had just moved here from California. He was looking for a job and of course he was a carver. After reviewing his application and looking through his photos of work, I hired him and he began working. The entire piece was crafted from premium North American maple hardwood. The Old World fireplace stands at an impressive height of 10’ with a firebox that is large enough to sit in. Designed by the family, the carving depicts the family’s present history. Family name, first born son, the church they belong to, hope, security, strength, and the year the home was built. After completing it, we were asked to carve the panels for the massive iron entry gates in front of the home. After that, a carved bench to match the beautiful antique piano that sits in the foyer. It was a really great experience. I love it when the words of the Bible are lifted right off the pages and you can see and live them. Not to mention that I now have met a very gifted carver who does incredible work and clients who let us be a part of preserving their family history while creating a family heirloom. Blessings, Nelson J Nelson

Okay, here’s what happened. We were in Las Vegas showing at the World Market and a fellow Texas Designer and dear friend Debbie Diershaw of Ambiance introduced me to her client and proposed a challenge. The client wanted a fabulous furniture piece to showcase her many family photos. Over the years Debbie and I have collaborated on many projects. Debbie is a highly creative designer herself but always gives me the freedom to create. It’s such a joy to be able to design without limitations. After drafting up several ideas for her client she chose “The Tree of Life” concept. As you all are probably discovering I enjoy looking deeply into each project and putting in as much spiritual symbolism as possible, to give each piece individuality and deep meaning. Here’s what the “Tree of Life” means to me. The “Tree of Life” concept came from the family tree. The tree of life is a universal symbol found in many spiritual traditions. It symbolizes many things, including wisdom, protection, strength, bounty, beauty, and redemption. The tree is symbolic of the creator as He sustains creation with its abundant fruit, protection and regeneration. The tree also represents humans as we too develop roots, strengthen our trunk and branch out to a wider vision of life as we grow. (I love that) The tree provides shelter. Tall and strong, it has deep roots, and reaches skyward. It loses its leaves and grows new ones…bears fruit… and gives shelter. Construction began. It took about 3 months to complete the piece. Hand made from solid hard maple, it stands over seven feet tall with roots, a thick trunk and over 300 individually hand carved leafs. The client also had a special statement that she wanted carved into the piece “Other things change, but we start and end with family” which we strategically carved in between the branches and leafs. Her response was what we all hoped for; she appeared overwhelmed seeing it for the first time and expressed her love for it. Now it is at home, featuring many generations of family and memories. So lastly whatever your design inspiration is we can help you create the exact piece you’ve always wanted for your home. We are wholly focused on building furniture that gets passed joyously from generation to generation. This is Furniture for life. Blessings.

This article is about one of our prized pieces the “Cathedral Bed” The inspiration for this majestic bed originated after a trip to the National Cathedral in our nation’s capitol, Washington DC. If you haven’t been, I recommend it, as it is one of the “must sees” in our glorious country. It has a fascinating history as well as it is one of our countries true cathedrals. As I was wandering though the many chapels that are underneath the main sanctuary I wandered into one where I felt a very peaceful feeling. As I sat and rested in that feeling I was visually moved by the massive vaulted arches and columns. When I returned home, I brought my idea to the design team and we began to make plans and drawings for the piece of art that was to function as a bed. In the design of this piece there are specific details I would like to share with you, because it’s these things that make this bed so special. • The Pointed Arch: (canopy) The Shape points towards heaven. To the faithful, the pointed arch thrusts the soul of man closer to his creator. • Four pointed star: (found on the base of the columns) each point of this star represents a point of the cross. We chose that place because it’s the foundation of the piece. What we put our trust in to hold us. • Quatrefoil: (molding detail) the quatrefoil in Christianity unites four different entities, one in each of its leaves. The top leaf symbolizes God as creator, and the two side leaves represent Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The bottom leaf is believed to symbolize the church of Christian followers. • Color Espresso (black paint that is sanded down in various places): Black is the color you get when you mix all colors together which represents all the people of the world. God delights in diversity. Sanding down represents Gods use of trial in our lives to show us amazing things that we wouldn’t see without them. “As Christians we are simply called to follow Christ and love the people in this world. But how we do that in real life completely depends on our individuality.”. [editor’s note: who is this quote attributed to? If you use quotes, state who said this as in, Nelson said. Since this entire piece is you speaking, there is really no need for quotation marks. I would delete them. • Color Crimson (found in the hand painted artwork on the inside of the canopy) is used to remind us of sin, and that it is completely forgiven through Christ. • Color: Gold (found in the hand painted artwork on the inside of the canopy) Deity, wealth, Kingliness, Refining Fire, the Godhead, glory, purification, Divinity, majesty, righteousness, Divine Light, mercy. • Sword: (found in the hand painted artwork on the inside of the canopy) the sword with the maple leaf symbolizes power, protection, authority, strength, and courage. • Maple tree leaves: (found in the hand painted artwork on the inside of the canopy) Symbolizes promise, longevity, balance, love and longevity. • Number 8: (found in the 8 sides of each column and also the number of points on the top of the canopy) Eight- The number of new beginnings. It is 7 plus 1. Hence it is the number specially associated with Resurrection and Regeneration, and the beginning of a new era or order. When the whole earth was covered with the flood, it was Noah "the eighth person" who stepped out on to a new earth to commence a new order of things. "Eight souls" passed through it with him to the new or regenerated world. • Gold: (the chandelier body that the crystals hang from) Deity, wealth, Kingliness Refining Fire, the Godhead, glory, purification, Divinity, majesty, righteousness, Divine Light, mercy. (you get it) • Clear Crystal: (the chandelier) A gem stone that symbolizes wisdom, making it representative of spiritual revelation. Crystal speaks of clarity of thought and purity that is difficult to corrupt due to its transparency. • Amber Crystal: (the chandelier) represents God’s Glory and the brightness of His presence, fiery passion, and the Fathers heavenly care for us down here. As you can see there is a lot of intentional detailing in this piece; detail that has great meaning and depth. It is always such a pleasure to be part of a process in creating a piece of art that will last for generations. In just a few months this magnificent bed will be featured in a coffee table book from Posh Publishing. We will keep you posted when it comes out. I guess the last thing to say is this, you no longer need to be part of a monarchy to sleep in a regal setting. Blessings, Nelson J. Nelson

A statement that is made quite often by the designers and clients that meet me is, “Your home must really be decked out and large, based on the size of the furniture that you design.” A smile always spreads across my face as I get to explain to them that I live in the same condo that I purchased ten years ago for $110,000. At that time I worked in a gift store at a mall. You can well imagine my choices in real estate were somewhat limited. However, this small condo served as my blank canvass on which I was able to express myself. It reflects soul, personality and attitude. What started out as a pretty plane Jane three bedroom, two and a half bath condo was transformed into a cozy retreat that feels as though one has stepped back into time. It’s a marvelous mix of 16th century Gothic and English Castle, with a touch of the theater. A gorgeous place that I get to go to everyday that feels completely cut off from the outside world. Being both the designer and the client was a sobering experience. When you’re designing for clients you’re creating something so they’ll be comfortable. When you’re designing for yourself, you’re isolated. You’re really answering to yourself. You start with a blank canvass, and you could have a hundred ideas. Then you have to commit. You’re also paying the bills, so you’re very aware of what things are costing. This intimate condo showed me where I was as a designer, where I’ve come from and how I’m building my carrier and business. Now before you take a peek, keep in mind that it was built in the 1970’s and there have been no changes. So let’s begin.

Seventeen Dollars and the American Dream Opportunities sometimes present themselves at our lowest points. It happened to me. With $17.00 left to my name in the winter of 2004, I was faced with the fact of losing my job and a stack of bills that left me as cold and desolate as the winter outside. A prayer led me a “friend” who was closing his business. He offered to sell it to me. Seriously. I convinced him to let me pay it out over time. What I didn’t know was that my friend was selling me a lemon. The inventory was, let’s say difficult to get rid of. The client list had gotten used to “Bargains,” and the small warehouse/shop had no electricity. But still, this was my opportunity. I had faith that I could turn it around and make it mine. Designing had always been a dream of mine and now my chance to make it happen was before me. God guided my steps. He brought creative people into my life whose talents helped shape the company. He also showed me abilities that I hadn’t realized I possessed which helped me form the company, Emmanuel. Today my joy comes from working with the exceptionally gifted and talented people. Emmanuel is a company where not only are the customers pleased with their purchase, but our artisans and craftsmen have the pleasure and satisfaction of succeeding in creating one of a kind exquisite works of art. And I get to be a part of it. As creative director I am blessed to oversee every aspect of our products creation—from the first glimmer of a design concept through the handcrafting, to the glorious completion and delivery. I watch ideas become a reality. A stack of wood becomes a beautiful furniture piece. Blocks of metal is shaped into forms that symbolize strength reflecting the very material it is made of, all of which is imbued with quality and meaning that will be passed down through many family generations. I AM LIVING THE AMERICAN DREAM! Let me design a dream for you. Next week see what it looks like where Nelson lives……………………….