Mosaics and Drawing With the Boys

These are my sweet, adorable grandsons:-) Today was a relaxing day making art and hanging out with my grandsons. I tried to sleep in while they watched something on my computer with all three of us sleeping/resting in my bed starting at 6 AM. They have stuffy noses, so we decided to stay home from church and rest. Part of resting was teaching the boys how to make mosaics. They didn't have any construction paper, but I cut up little squares of a slick newspaper ad from Penny's. I showed them how to make a shape, cut it out, and glue down the tiles.

The boys soon moved onto drawing various "transformers", and I started in on my sketch of the gentleman handing a homeless man a blanket. Before we knew it, we had quite a few pieces  of art, actually a small gallery full of transformer art! I took a couple of photos with the boys pretending to be tough transformers; I think they are Optimus Prime and Bumblebee.

They put on scarry faces for the photo shoot. They hope you are frightened! They always make me laugh a lot. I did do some more on my homeless sketch as well. I'll post that after I do a little more tonight. .........That's all for tonight. I've got reading homework.

Running with the bulls, I mean grandsons.

Today I am visiting my two high energy grandsons who most enjoy running around and around a certain "course" in their home. I, of course, run pell mell after them as they try to catch me by overtaking me. I am literally running as fast as I can without crashing into a wall, but they always seem to catch me.

Fortunately, Caleb says, "Red light!" often enough to allow for pit stops to collapse on a sofa, then pretend to refuel ourselves with various colored gasolines, and then begin running like maniacs again. I imagine this is very similar to running with the bulls in Spain. OK, maybe not quite as dangerous, but almost.

Today I spent a nice bit of time drawing while Micah drew near me. Caleb took a nap, so we could draw quietly. I hope to work some more now that the boys are in bed, but frankly, I am really tired. I may just call it a night. I am continuing with my homeless theme, and I am drawing a man giving a gentleman a blanket.

Homeless Children 2

This little boy is under a tarp, his shelter for the night. I have spent a couple of hours sketching and watching Faith Like Potatoes. It is amazing to me, as I pray throughout my drawing time, how I feel God's presence. What should I emphasize, Lord. The eyes. Windows of the soul. The little boy has eyes of longing for something more, yet they are almost hollow. Is there a rescue? Is there hope of a rescue?

I don't know if it is done yet, but I need rest for now.....remembering many little boys and girls will not rest well tonight. Your kingdom come, Lord, in the dark places, under the tarps, on earth as it is in heaven. We need your healing and redemption.

Homeless Children

I was at my Perspectives class tonight, and the speaker was mentioning that 150,000,000 kids are homeless around the world. It's kind of difficult to really take in a figure like that. However, looking at photos of little kids, trying to keep warm under tarps, newspapers and blankets, makes it a bit more real.

I've sorrowed over losing my mom at 4, but I wasn't homeless. I've always had a roof over my head. I'm not much of a camper, and once camping adventures are over, I am really happy to sink into my cozy, warm, dry bed with fluffy pillows and matching quilt. But, many, many little ones are out there tonight, and it isn't pretty. No camping with the latest equipment from REI or Eastern Mountain Sports. Many have no mom or dad.

They also have homelessness within their hearts. They don’t know their maker, and we need to tell them they have a glorious Father. We need to be His loving hands and feet.

Some, quite a few of them, are part of child sex trafficking rings. The speaker went on to explain the horrific loss of the child's childhood and well, really, their sense of personhood, their worth and value. They are required to have multiple sexual.....per day. You fill in the blank. Right here in Seattle. Right here in Bellevue.

So, in honor of these little ones, who are precious and central in God's loving heart,  I draw them. Let us make much of God in these dark places, and let us love these little ones as ourselves.
I begin tonight.

The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate and let them know it: "Don't push these children away. Don't ever get between them and me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom. Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in." Then, gathering the children up in his arms, he laid his hands of blessing on them. Mark 10:13-16 (The Message)

You Jonah Part 3

It is late, and Jonah and I need to part company. The photo I took is not catching the mid-tones, so I hope to get a better photo done tomorrow.  I like some aspects of what I have learned doing the eyes and the folds of skin.

Jonah was so exclusive in a faith for a God who loves the world. How small his world became. His little plant was dearest to him. Reminds me of the lady who supposedly cried when I had a few trees taken down the other day.

You Jonah Part II

I have decided to draw a sketch that will go with my Jonah blog. I am thinking of Jonah's desire to be right rather than loving and forgiving. Yes, the nasty people he preached to, saying they needed to repent, were nasty people. However, they were sorry for the evil they had been involved in, and they showed it by sitting in ash heaps. Even the king put on sackcloth and sat in ashes - humbly sorry for his evil.

Why wasn't Jonah delighted? New friends who love God were suddenly right before him. Let's throw a party! Not party-pooper Jonah. His idols of self-importance and self-righteousness were more important to him.

He, too, is a sinner saved by God's love, mercy, compassion. If Jonah had taken a moment to look at the evil within his heart, he might have expressed a true humilty and compassion toward the nasty folks. Hey, he might have even figured out he was one of them, apart from God.

I'll try to add more detail tomorrow.

You Jonah

My two grandsons love a children's book I have of the story of Jonah from  the Bible. They are always fascinated with the fact that this guy(Jonah) went the exact opposite direction God told him to go via boat, was asleep during a horrific storm at sea, admitted God was mad at him and had himself tossed overboard by some knee-knocking, scared sailors, was swallowed by a whale, was spit up after he came to his senses and said he was sorry he hadn't gone to those nasty people, somewhat begrudgingly told the nasty people they were going to be destroyed by God if they did not repent, and then sat on a hill to see if they were going to be wiped out. (Hopefully they would be, he thought.)

The nasty people repented and Jonah was ticked. God gave Jonah a plant to give him shade in the hot sun. Then God had a worm destroy the plant. Jonah was ticked about his plant up and dying.

I think my grandsons and I always marvel at God's love for people, and that Jonah had trouble getting that. How could he like his personal plant that God gave him more than his fellow mankind? They think that's silly. Micah, Caleb and I always laugh, look at each other and snicker a little about Jonah liking that plant so much.

But, don't we all have those Jonah moments of fiercely holding onto our personal comforts with judgement in our hearts? I know the sharp sting in my heart when others speak judgement and condemnation over me. It's the opposite of God's character.

Thomas Carlisle wrote a poem entitled, "You Jonah" and the poem closes with these words:

And Jonah stalked

to his shaded seat

and waited for God

to come around

to his way of thinking.

And God is still waiting for a host of Jonahs

in their comfortable houses

to come around

to His way of loving.

Please Lord, break my heart over the things that break your heart, let me love your people, your image bearers all over the world; because you love your people and I want to make much of you and your character. Let all the peoples of the earth praise you. Psalm 67:3-5

Watercolor begun....Fresh Plums, Cinque Terre Farmhouse.

Father and Child

I had saved a photograph of this father and son to use for a study when I was thinking about Joseph and baby Jesus. Joseph can be neglected during Christmas, so I had thought to highlight the fact that He was right there at Mary's side for the birth of Jesus.

Sometimes pictures of the dads with their newborns are not as prominent as pictures of mothers and children. Here is the little one, so helpless, in his big, strong father's hands. It reminds me that we are in our heavenly Father's big, strong hands, and I like that very much.

What a great, magnificent and yet intimate, loving God we have. Our maker. He so deserves our worship.

Finished Portrait

I arose very early this morning; I had fallen asleep with my clothes on around seven PM last night. Total exhaustion. I decided to finish the portrait of my daughter Annie. So, here it is, and I hope to start another portrait today in order to keep up portrait practice.  My photo doesn't show midtones well, but it is still pitch-black outside, so this is it for now.

My thought for the day as an artist who is captivated by our great God: "True artists pursue greatness in craft in order to give the Lord the best fruit of the talent He has given them, not to build themselves up. They understand that true greatness is found in the heart of the servant."

In my Perspectives class, the speaker really helped me to understand the duality of blessing when we draw near to our Creator. As we draw close to God and enjoy that relationship, we are very much blessed in our gifts and talents and their expression. I experience this when I pray before beginning each drawing or painting. I ask God to be blessed in my drawing and to give me the ability to draw well and for His glory.

God's desire is for us to have personal humility, practice mercy and to do justice. (Old Testament prophet Micah) My prayer is to draw from that place of humility, mercy and justice in my heart.

I started a second sketch tonight. I'll continue tomorrow.

Life and Hope in First Grade

"In a society increasingly devoid of meaning, hope is a precious commodity. If redemption and hope are deep and genuine, experiences in our own lives, then the hints will be there. We will take them with us where we go - and that includes into our art." - Art & Soul, by Hilary Brand & Adrienne Chaplin

Today, I received art gifts from two students. I felt loved and blessed.  Hand-made art just can't be beat. Elise gave me a beautiful hand-made card and a 3-D heart made out of little plastic bits.  So incredibly sweet!  I wanted to cancel school. Then Eleanor came in with a lovely, cheery, small canvas that was painted with acrylics. I was overwhelmed with their gifts of love. Amazing!

I spoke with Eleanor about her painting after school. She matter-of-factly stated that she always puts something that glows in her work. Either a bright sun or bright stars. That's just the way it needs to be! Her confidence in her position that something bright or glowing is always in her work reminded me of the above quote by Hilary Brand. I told Eleanor that having the sun or stars in her work is so hopeful.

Finally, I made penguins with my first graders today because we have so enjoyed our study of penguins and the reading of Mr. Popper's Penguins this month. So, my art for today will be simple, fresh and alive first grade art. Real life and hope in first grade. The children enjoyed saying, "Gawk,  Gawk!" throughout recess as they pretended to be penguins flapping all over the recess field.

The canvas is by Eleanor and the penguin by me. That's plenty of art for today.

He knows your face.

I spent some more time on my daughter, Annie's, portrait after my Perspectives class tonight. I miss seeing Annie since she lives in Richmond, Virginia. She is a very kind, sensitive young lady who is known and loved by me and even more by her creator God. He made her on purpose, and she is His artwork. He really knows her face!

I have a friend named Jan who was kind to me today. She said she was blessed by this blog. That just really encouraged me, and I thought in my heart how much glory God gets in any goodness in my life. Thank you, Jan and God.

Tonight, I cried on the way home from the Perspectives class. The speaker had so powerfully shared a different perspective on missions. I've made God into something less than who He really is. Yes, He has sent a savior, Jesus, to redeem us. But that one big fact is not the whole story. His story is huge. He is so much more than that part of the story. He wants our worship, and He wants worship from all the nations, all the people he has created.

What stood out for me tonight was - even when there was worship at the Temple in Israel, the worship was perfunctory. (As it can be with us.) The prophet Micah really spoke to this. God doesn't need a zillion sacrifices, fatted calves, our knowing a zillion Bible verses and proud of it, our pompous self-righteousness because we think we've followed the letter of the law and been a good little American Christian.

Then there is our "perfect" judgement of others who aren't in our group or church. God was upset back in Temple days about all this because, as Micah says, there was no personal kindness, justice or humility among the sacrificers. Hmmm. Ultimately, they were worshipping themselves or the rituals or their interpretation of the law and not giving true worship from their hearts to God. Was it just a job for them to worship? Hardly worship.

The speaker tonight ended with a John Piper quote, "Missions exist because global worship doesn't."
We have a famous, glorious creator God. He really knows and loves your face and my face just as much as my sweet Annie's face. I pray to be an instrument of His love, kindness, justice, mercy, wisdom and worship as a part of global worship for Him. He is just a flat out amazing God.

Portraits and Italiano

I've just returned from Italiano classe or class' Italiano, where I handed out cards of my art. My instructor said I was fantastic, well, he is Italiano, but I ended up giving cards to everyone. One man asked if his wife could take lessons from me! I told them about the blog, and they got the whole Julie and Julia connection. I thought for just a momento that I am really an artiste!

I just can't really explain how much I enjoy learning, hearing and speaking Italiano. It even surprises me. I am really looking forward to my trip this summer, and I hope to spend at least a week in language school in Lucca, Italia because the classes are all solo Italiano,  no englaise! And, I think I will be freer with my painting and sketching by then.

OK, it is late, and I need to start a portrait. I'll post it in an hour. That's a good goal for drawing fast for me!.............OK, I began a portrait of my daughter, Annie. It's getting there. Sleep calls!

Portraits - quick sketch

I am going to try to sketch someone quickly who I know; Becky is very loving,  joyful and kind. I am hoping to sketch more and more acquaintances quickly to continue to push my growth in making portraits. Tomorrow, I hope to do a second sketch with the other person in the pose. Quickly.

I really admire a fellow artist named Aaron because he could quickly sketch anyone he was near. He took good risks in art-making. He could do it kind of covertly. I met him when we were on the Artslink team that went to Spain in 2009. He and others on the team have remained close through email, Skype and facebook. I thank the Lord for all my artist buddies! They are portraits of God's love and grace. Like Becky.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

I think I'll try a quick portrait of Martin Luther King, Jr. today. I'll post what I come up with this afternoon.

Here are some quotes of his:
• Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.

• I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. That is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant. –Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech, Dec. 10, 1964

• Let no man pull you low enough to hate him.

• Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars... Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.

• I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law.

• When you are right you cannot be too radical; when you are wrong, you cannot be too conservative.

• Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. –letter from Birmingham jail, April 16, 1963

• The good neighbor looks beyond the external accidents and discerns those inner qualities that make all men human and, therefore, brothers. –"Strength to Love"

• I submit to you that if a man hasn't discovered something he will die for, he isn't fit to live.

• The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. –"Strength to Love"

And finally...."I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear" - Dr. King

Turkmen Portrait

I went to the Turkmen Dessert tonight. How wonderful to hear all the amazing things God is doing in Turkmenistan. I really enjoy hearing all God is doing throughout the world, and I can see where an artist on a visiting team would be welcomed and valuable.

I think doing portraits and giving them away to those I draw might be a way to communicate God's love and that person's worth. So, in the spirit of drawing on a team, I give this portrait to you of a Turkmen girl for tonight's drawing.

Back to A Parable

I've decided to enlarge my "Parable" sketch on a big piece of watercolor paper, not canvas. I am working toward emptying the garage in order to have a spot for oil painting, but it is slow going. There is a nice niche in one corner with a window that would be perfect. I hope to spend 1 hour dumping old worldly possessions in the trash today to further my studio goal.

I'll post a photo of my Parable piece later today. The piece is ending up being biographical, so I hope the Lord allows me to use it someday to tell my story. I think we can express ourselves more honestly when our words and art are born out of life experiences. I am seeing that God will use our stories for loving other people and showing His love for them.

Well, there are 4 types of soil that receive the good seed in Jesus' parable. The sower first sows seed along the path, and the seed is quickly eaten up. No time to even soak into the soil. The second batch of seed is sown in rocky soil, and the plants die out quickly. The third batch of seed is sown among thorns and thistles, and the plants are choked out. The fourth batch of seed is sown in good soil. The seed in the good soil take root and grow. Eventually, the plants from this soil bear much fruit and birds nest in the branches.

I've worked on the soil on the path, the good soil, and the soil in which the plants are choked out. I am still thinking and praying about the spring up quickly and then die out plants. I also want people enjoying the fruit of the lush tree planted in the good soil. I am stretching myself to think up my own composition.

3 Day Weekend!

I am off from teaching for three days, so I am planning on getting some reading, Italiano homework and painting done. With my Perspectives class, I have homework as well. All I really feel like doing is sitting and blobbing out. Hopefully, I will get my second wind tonight before I crash!

Let me find that Italian watercolor I am working on..........

Hmmmm. The paper is lightweight and not holding the watercolor well. I will call it a watercolor sketch! I can't work much more on it because the paper is breaking down. I am learning something everyday. Good paper is worth the cost!

Back to Italia

I am just putting a few layers of colors on my Italian geraniums after a late night at church attending the Perspectives class. It was fantastico! I learned much, and I am greatly encouraged to continue in the direction I am going. Now all I have to do is juggle teaching, making art,  Italiano class, Perspectives, exercise and all the home chores! Wow!

Time for a break with a decaf cappucino and sunny Italia. I'll continue on this tomorrow,  Lord willing.

Haiti

I am just watching the news about the earthquake in Haiti. Lord have mercy. Many people were just trying to survive even without an earthquake. All looking for a way out. Profoundly sad. I pray for those who are bringing help. People still alive under the rubble. Crushingly poor. Such a sense of enormous gravity. Lord, please bring grace through loving and helpful people.

I have found a photograph of an elderly woman sitting in the rubble. I am going to sketch her tonight.

Rain, Rain, Rain

When somebody (me) has a cold and it rains for endless days (drip, drip, drip..... hour after hour, day after day), the memories of hot, sunny Italian days sparkle in my mind's eye. I miss those pots of red geraniums scattered on balconies and greeting visitors at many little shops. However, I am too sick to focus on details of a drawing or painting. Maybe after a little nap.

I have just returned from saying farewell for now to everyone in my small group. They have been just like these sunny geraniums through the amazing past year of my life. I have been so bountifully blessed by each of them. So, in honor of Kelly, John, Katie, Jack, Ginny, Kathleen, Janet, Glen, Leo, Lee and Gary, here is the beginning of a geranium watercolor. Thank you, friends!

Geraniums need to be in color! So, that will be for tomorrow, perhaps.

I'm Sick and Going To Bed

I am going to have to take a "sick day" in the midst of my 365 day challenge. Hopefully, I'll be feeling better tomorrow. Time  out. I'm extending some grace to my challenge. No drawing today. Just sleep. Gravity calls. Oh, does cartooning count?  Night all!

Response to Sermon

I sketched again tonight at church during the sermon. Pastor Jonathan spoke about the Bible being true, reliable, how we came to have the version we have. I pictured God giving us the Bible through men inspired by Him.  Pastor Jonathan spent a bit of time fleshing out how scribes copied manuscripts and how their copies matched the Dead Sea Scrolls. The books in the canon were already widely respected as the genuine thing before there was a "canon". I didn't know that or had forgotten. I did take notes, but then began drawing as ideas began to flow.

What really struck me is that Pastor Jonathan went on to say the Bible points to Jesus and His great love in giving Himself for each of us. It's about Jesus laying down His life and exchanging our sin with His righteousness, thus fulfilling the law. It is true, and it is incredibly good news. Loving, kind news.

I'd like to move the Bible in the sketch slightly up and to the right so the ends of the cross fit into the palms. I'll try to do that tomorrow and enlarge the sketch. It's fairly small right now. I kept praying as I was drawing, and the sketch kept unfolding.  ...........Here is one I did after I got home.

Spain Still life.

I was cleaning the garage today, and I found a still life I began in Spain last year. So, I hope to finish it today or tomorrow. I have fond memories of staying up late with Ellen and Aaron to work on this. Maybe Ellen can post her version of the same still life!

More  later.............
Well,  the nighttime light sure changes this painting.  Anyway, it is not this yellow. I want to be intensional about repeating some shapes. Tomorrow, I will continue.
I am not feeling well tonight, so I need to tuck in.

A Parable

CIVA - Christians in visual arts, has put out a call for paintings and other works of art based on one of the parables. As a member of CIVA, I am trying  to head toward a painting in response to the call. I have been thinking about a painting I would like to paint in response to one specific parable. It is the one Jesus told of the different types of soil into which is sown good seed.

Some seed is eaten up right away by birds as it falls along the path, and it never takes root.

Some seed falls on rocky soil, the plants grow up, but bear no fruit. Some seed falls on soil with thorns. The life of the plants is choked out by the thorns. And some seed falls on good soil. I have done a quick sketch to get ideas down. I hope to move to a canvas or watercolor paper tomorrow.

I'd like to move to canvas,  but I feel comfortable with watercolor. Maybe I will start there and branch out. I'll need to study birds a bit.

Orvieto Peppers

Ciao! I ate a lot of Orvieto peppers fresh from the market when Judy and I went to that lovely medieval town two summers ago. Favorite memories include a street life that came alive when we laid our heads on our sweaty, tired pillows, Orvieto Classico, that blasted accordion player with his infamous 2 songs playing below our room, cobble-stoned streets that cleared out when drizzle set in (he he he - we had the place to ourselves), and just the beauty of the people and places. I love Italia!

I was such a rusty painter when we arrived. I was timid and shy about painting in public. Judy, thankfully, nudged me out of my cocoon of insecurity. Before I knew it, Judy was making sure I drew local children and lots of cups of cappuccino and Italian rolls. In public. I always marvel at her confidence for others! I even drew a baby; the proud papa ran to the photo shop next door, and popped the drawing right into a frame:-)

So, back to the peppers. I had to paint the peppers below quickly enough to be able to actually eat them! I hoped to finish painting them, along with the tomatoes, when I returned to America. Well, tonight I finished up the peppers and tomatoes. They are ready for framing and displaying with other Italian fruits and veggies I enjoy painting! Buon Appetito!

God of Hope

I began this watercolor 2 winters ago. I gave up part way through. I was living out in the countryside at the time.  I liked the idea of the bright distance in contrast with the cold snow and trees. There were similarities to my life in the symbols in the painting.

I was longing for that bright warmth in the midst of a cold winter. Art can portray hope without words. I think the painting has hope. I added more yellows in the background and more blues in the foreground tonight.

God is a God of hope.

Day 61 blogging and making art!

I can hardly believe I have stuck with art making for 61 days! It is really becoming a habit.

Today, I also went back to teaching. Teaching is a very creative vocation. I had much fun teaching today. I know a great deal of that fact was due to being rested and having detailed plans for the day.

I did get a second wash done on a watercolor tonight, and I continued on the sketch from the Italian fresco. Here is my work for this evening.

Thank you to everyone who has looked at my site and my work. I am praying to continue to make art throughout the year as I share my faith and life story. I need to add exercise to my day. I just hate to face dark rainy mornings and expect to do 40 minutes in that.

It was a good day, all in all. Thank you, Lord.

A Full Day

School begins tomorrow for students, and I had a full day preparing. I decorated 3 bulletin boards and thought they should count for art making for today. I'm getting up at 5 AM again tomorrow with the real hope I won't cave on the early morning walk in the rain.

I've worked on a drawing from an Italian fresco. It is a good way to practice the human figure in a classical way. I think it would be a good painting with drapery practice. Thank you, Lord, for the gift of being an artist. Please use this gift for your honor. Night All!

Our Rescuer

I sketched during the sermon this afternoon. I went to the 5:45 PM service. Pastor Jonathan spoke about Jesus being on a rescue mission when he came to earth. He also spoke about the Father being well pleased with Jesus even before He implemented the rescue. This detail reminded me of one of my favorite quotes this past year.

"I love the fact that the Bible records that the Father loves the Son and is pleased with him before he does anything public. That’s the opposite of religion... Religion basically says, “Work really hard. Try your best. And at the end of your life, maybe God will say ‘I now adopt you. I will now love you. I’m pleased with your life.’” Our God is a God of grace. He reveals himself as a Father. And our relationship with him begins with love and approval and affection." - Pastor Mark Driscoll

There had been 400 years of silence before John the Baptist showed up on the Jewish scene. He came telling people to repent of their sins for the kingdom of God was at hand. Then Jesus showed up, was baptised (....for our sin?) and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit all met with Him. As He came out of the water, The Holy Spirit descended upon Him, and God the Father said He was well pleased with Jesus. Thus, His rescue mission began, and He died, rose and ascended into heaven for lost sinners.

Here is my sketch with a bit of watercolor added.

Painting Fruit With Grandsons

I enjoyed a wonderful visit with my daughter, son-in-law and two grandsons yesterday and today. I love wrestling with Micah (Army Optimus) and Caleb (Bumblebee Transformer) 
and playing in their imaginary worlds. I also enjoy painting with them. They really seem to like it as well. Micah, especially, enjoys painting.

Caleb enjoys painting in one spot until he needs some tape to repair a hole in the paper. Below are pictures of a watercolor of tangerines I started. That prompted more painting with the boys! The boys had so much fun. Me, too!  I'll try to post a later picture of my watercolor if I work on it tonight.

Deny Oneself?

I was reading this morning, and came upon a quote that well worded thoughts I have been trying to distill.  Naomi Zachariah has written an article about her current experiences helping women and children escape who are caught in the sex trafficking industry.

She writes, "What does it mean to deny oneself? I think the call of Christ went to a greater depth than even our selfishness. I believe the choice to look at life's pain, both our own and that of another, affords one of the greatest gifts to life. When we see each individual as a life created by God, and therefore with intrinsic value and honor, we find the convergence of the denial of self, following Christ, and meaningful life. We are then handed glasses into depths of our soul and that of another - and offered a window into the heart of God."

I had blogged last year my thoughts on denying self and following Jesus as coming to understand who we are and being set free from our selfish lives. I'm adding to my thinking today that seeing and treating others as who they really are in God's mind, helps set them free to be who God intents as well. As so many have spoken worth and value to me and helped heal and free me, I speak worth and value to others with the same outcome. And it is a part of denying myself.

Going on the missions trips I have gone on have helped me to look at life's pain outside the United States. The connections one makes with people living in totally different situations from ours, the mutual respect, value and honor we bestow on each other has been amazing to be a part of. It has also helped me to deny myself, follow Christ and find meaningful life.

In my teaching, I speak and give worth, value and honor to each child as I respond to them as God's priceless artwork. As I start the new year and return to school, I pray I speak and treat each child in my care with great respect and honor, even in the midst of training and correction. I love each one of them, and I pray I show that well.

I'm continuing to study portrait drawing today remembering the value and honor of each human being God has created. My new book is helpful.  Thanks to my brother and sister-in-law, I was able to purchase it for Christmas. I'll post a picture before I take Virginia to the airport.

Virginia leaves today.....that makes me feel sad.