Tonight I Art!

I am attending a workshop tonight on Bible Journaling. A group of about 16 of us is totally going to play with different mediums, and colors, and stickers, and tracing paper...and I am so excited!

I used to paint quite a bit before I had babies, and those babies went to school, and those babies aren't babies anymore and keep my calendar without any blank spaces.  Painting was therapeutic for me and was the one thing I did in my life that was detail oriented, although I pretend that I have every aspect of my life operating within the fine lines.

I am also a big fan of coloring books.  I loved when the kids were toddlers and I had an excuse to buy coloring books and crayons.  I tried my best to be patient when they wandered on to the next activity and I was not yet done with my masterpiece.

intheplayroom.co.uk

If you follow me on Pinterest, you know that I started a board, Copy Cat (so very sorry that I bombarded your home feed), just for the pure inspiration of all that my new Journaling Bible can be.  And not only am I giddy about the prospect of beautiful bible art, I am looking forward to finding fresh (to me) impactful scripture to jump out at me on each page.  I find myself envisioning my current favorites and how I will illustrate them, give them life, and create new visual memories of how very good God is to us.

I can be fun, but I am not always known as the fun parent.  When did I forget to be childlike?  At what point did I opt out and begin to pick up the problems of the world?  Why do I constantly allow perceived responsibility to trump dirty kitchen, laundry piles, and throwing a bouncy ball in the craziest of ways with my thirteen year old?

I am here to tell you all that I need to lighten up my friends.  Knowing and doing are on opposite ends of the spectrum most days, but I am going to make every effort to meet them in the middle.

You know what is crazy cool?  We are all the children of someone forever.  And whether or not you have an enriched relationship with your earthly parents, or one that is strained, quiet, or at a point of termination...you will always be a child of God.  He loves you and finds great joy when you build forts, play with legos, answer a toy phone, ride a bike, skip rope, hula-hoop, do the cabbage-patch, sing like a rock-star, and when you color like it is going to be hung on the walls of your very own art exhibit.

What childhood activity have you let go by the wayside?  I challenge you to make time to rediscover it, embrace it fully like a second grader doing double-dutch, channel all the silliness that your adult self has submerged, and put a smile on your Father's face!

Mark 10:14-16 ..."Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all".  And He took them in His arms and began blessing them...

Let's Not Tire of Doing What is Good

So, for the fourth time since Wednesday, I have received the following verses, either through a devotion, random search on Pinterest, or going through an old journal:

Galatians 6:9-10 So let's not get tired of doing what is good.  At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up.  Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone, especially those in the family of faith.

thewordfortheday.tumblr.com

I was having a hard time with three financially unexpected hickies and was totally weary of doing life the 'good way'.  I finally had a teary-eyed pity party at lunch Wednesday, much to my husband's surprise - because remember, I am the good-front-hold-it-all-together gal - and although I usually try to prioritize my devotions for first thing in the morning, Wednesday did not go as planned.

So I cry, and get back to work, and THIS scripture above is in my inbox.

I had also thrown in a "life is not fair" party, "when will we catch a break?" party, "maybe I will try to skirt the issue" party, and my newly negative word "really?" party.  I may or may not have talked to God in an angry, despondent tone...

And so, because HE is awesome...He had adjusted my morning in order that I would read this 'Verse of the Day' at just the right time of the day.  And later that night at WBS, we received the challenge of the week to STOP COMPARING!!  And yesterday...twice I found this verse in front of me and then early this morning (like 5:30ish), here it comes again.

Although I know better by now, I am constantly amazed that emotionally, spiritually, physically, effortly, judgementally, and needily...today is not a whole lot different than when the Bible was being penned. 

Trying to stay morally grounded in this earthquake world; trying to fight the battle of patience in this instant-gratification war-zone is challenging; and remembering that God has an even better bigger-picture plan for your life in this everything in a 2"x4" cell phone screen is hard to comprehend in human minds.

What I am focusing on today is turning it over to God...the fear, worry, and anxiety that is always waiting for an opportunity to glue itself to me.  I have to pray to have the burden lifted, to tell God I am angry about it and accept that He is not obliged to lend me understanding at this time, and to embrace the realization that there is not a thing I could or would have done different.

If anyone knows what we are battling, it is Paul...hot-headed, passionate, eager to do what was right, constantly lifting up the 'weary', patient, stead-fast, enduring, jailed, and set-free.  I have a shirt that says "Hate is Easy, Love Takes Courage".  I think Paul would have liked it. 

It is easy to get caught-up in a whirlwind of negative and forget to stop, be still, and focus on the good.  ALL the good that we never even asked for.  Ephesians tells us that it is by God's grace we are saved and to pretty much quit trying to earn it, expect it, or work for it.  If we can hold on to this unfathomable gift that simply is because of who He is...for me, it means that He is good, even when I yell at Him.  He is good even when I am debating earthly fairness.  He is always good, never weary, even with me...who can be a little difficult and the thrower of parties themed with all things questioning and doubting.

I read in another blog this week "bad paths are easy to get into, but hard to get out of...like a bag of Oreos".  We may be emotionally spent and think that cutting corners will alleviate some of the burden, we may even think we can stop whenever we feel like it...but "Hello Instant Gratification" will lead to harder paths (and more calories) in the long run.

So by God's grace and a little salt water purge...I am renewed, refocused, and throwing a party that is a little more thankful, a lot more humble, and fully anticipating that big-picture harvest!

My Own Personal Staircase

Okay, last week and this week, I am experiencing some major writer's block y'all.  I have prayed over it and I even read 3 (three!!) books last week hoping to be inspired and I think all I did was completely cloud my judgement and perspective on a few things.  So something that you should know about me when this happens...I get quiet.

If I am not sure what direction you are coming at me from...I get quiet.

If I am not sure if it is kosher to throw something out there...I get quiet.

If I read something that deeply affects me, I have to set it aside and...I get quiet.

In situations where many, many people are being passive aggressive and/or down right rude...I get quiet.

My Timehop on Facebook these past few days has been from 4-5 years ago of not-so-fun memories...it makes me quiet.  And as I sit here wondering what message God wants me to share with you, I guess it would be that feelings are human, they are hard, real, always just beneath the surface, and...they are okay.  

He wants us to know that moments of deep despair will rock our little worlds and bring us to our knees, but there is this wonderful staircase of grace and mercy that is begging for ascension when we dry our tears and change our course.  We can't begin this climb in the middle of the stairwell, it has to begin at the bottom.

We have been studying the parables of forgiveness in WBS and it is hard to discern if you have or have not forgiven sometimes, especially when the wonderful world of feelings throws lumps in your throat and sprinkles emotions in your eyeballs.  We discussed feeling's sneaky little side-kick trust last week.  Forgiveness is the tread before you get to the first step.  Trust and feelings can be a tall, steep climb.  It took the first disciples a very, very long time to trust Saul/Paul.  They "felt" he was a bit aggressive in his commission...and Paul said:

2 Corinthians 11:6  I may be unskilled as a speaker, but I am not lacking in knowledge... 

So, sometimes the words don't come out quite right, people don't get us...or we get quiet.  Those are the times we find ourselves at the top of an incline, where the oxygen gets a little thin, and God breathes new life into us.

Every once in awhile a little meloncholy Timehop is good.  It lets you look back at all the stairs you have conquered, at all the dried puddles of saltwater and fear, at rickety steps of regained or extended trust, and at a smooth wrought iron handrail of acceptance, love, and a peace that only God can provide.

So if you happen upon me and I am quiet, know that I am just pausing on my staircase, holding onto the handrail so I don't fall, fixing some squeaky boards, examining my tread for wear-and-tear, and chilling with God at the oxygen bar.  

Pic courtesy of becauseofgrace.wordpress.com

I'm 'Really' Not Complaining...

Philippians 2:4  Do everything without complaining and arguing.

Soooooo...we were issued a seven-day challenge at WBS this week:  Give up Complaining for Seven Days!  There is nothing quite as cheerful as a group of women...laughing.  It was a bit of that "yeah right" nervous laugh we heard this past Wednesday.

And less than 12 hours later...I needed a point of clarification:  If I grumble in my head, but refuse to verbalize is it complaining?  And it just so happens that my little 'go-to' dictionary.com says "to grumble is to utter ill-natured complaints half to oneself".  Yep.  Nailed it.

And if I am to go by their definition of 'complain' - 1. To express dissatisfaction, pain, uneasiness, censure, resentment, or grief; find fault; 2. To tell of one's pains, ailments, etc; and 3. To make a formal accusation - well...it would appear that I have a wee bit of work to do.

In scrolling down this revelation, I came across the Antonym (Opposite for those of you, who like me, need a refresher in "English before I was 18"):  Rejoice!

That is it!  One word to turn that frown upside down - Rejoice!  So, in my complete and utter defeat, I decided to claim three Rejoices for every (wink-wink) grumble.

1. Issue at work with someone not turning in their paperwork (see point of clarification):
                  1.  Mmmmmmmmm.....coffee!
                  2.  One more day to Friday!
                  3.  My husband gets me!

2. Received a text (generalized to protect the innocent); Can you be in charge of this?...Great thank you so much! (all part of the same text).
                  1.  Yum - My house totally smells like fresh baked cookies!
                  2.   Squeezes on the best daughter and friend for making my house smell like fresh baked cookies!
                  3.   New toothbrushes are the bomb!

3.  Giant tractor with Giant tires flicking mud as I keep a safe driving distance behind it.  My immediate response was:  Really?  - OMG - How many times a day do I say just that word and not even notice, nor give it credit for being a complaint (see dissatisfaction)?
                 1.  Beautiful Sunrise!
                 2.  First5 Devotion on trading your "bowl of beans" (if you do not have this app - go now!)
                 3.  Love theHouse FM keeping me company on my morning drive!

4.  Still hasn't turned in paperwork (point of clarification and complaint 1. that began my demise):
                 1.  Mmmmmmmm.....coffee!
                 2.  It is Friday!
                 3.  My husband still gets me and supports (calling) me (out) in this 7 day quest of "good intentions"...

5.  Me:  This morning in sure taking its own sweet time
     Husband:  That was a reportable complaint
     Me:  No...that is an observation.  (Oh alright!!)
                 1.  It is 64 degrees outside - Welcome Fall - My Fav!
                 2.  Chili Bowl for Lunch!
                 3.  Co-worker back from vacation - thankful for a smile to greet me and safe travels for them to and from their journey.

And I am beyond thankful, seventy times seven times, for my fearless WBS leader for issuing this challenge.  I may not ((cough-cough) will not) boast a 100% success rate, but I am completely and utterly examining every thought that hits my feeble human head and discerning whether or not it should be put out into the world.

Psalms 104:34  May all my thoughts be pleasing to Him, for I rejoice in the Lord.

Jen Hatmaker says "the hardest part of being human is the human part".

Just as we have co-workers, kiddos, spouses, drives to work, accountability, requests for assistance...we are ourselves co-workers, kiddos, spouses, drivers, accountables, and requestors.  Our lives up until this very moment have shaped how we approach circumstances, responses, and daily human duties.  I don't want to have any encounter where people's response to me is "Really?".

Not complaining, just observing...five more days seems like a LONG time!  (Oh alright!!)
               1.  Thank you for reading - so overwhelmed by your support!
               2.  This is my 23rd Post - I flippin' love that number!
               3.  It is the weekend!  Capture your thoughts and Rejoice!
               4.  BONUS - God is so very good to me...Really!

(Photo Courtesy of my Pinterest Addiction and beckythompson.com)