I need to slow down

Oh my goodness! I haven't posted in a very very long time. Sorry 'bout that! I'll try to be better.

My weeks have been filled with work and spiritual boot camp. I do a hard-core women's ministry on Monday nights until 9:00, Tuesdays I meet with my life coach, Wednesdays I have my small group/bible study and by the time I get to Thursdays I'm just pooped and that doesn't include church and fellowship on the weekends.

Work has been very busy. I've been taking over maternity leave for a co-worker who is due back in another week or two. I'm thinking of taking a vacation once she gets back. Hopefully my life will get back to some sort of normal soon. Although I fear that "some kind of normal" is retirement.

However, even though my days seem to be filled, I've managed to do some painting. This has helped me to reconnect with myself. Here's one painting I did for a study on Matthew 5: 1-12, the "Blessed be's":



The title is "Newsong." I chose this title because in the old testament God is One to fear, One to say, "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth," One about sacrifices, order, and commands, One to punish the sinners and put to serious tests the faithful. However, in the new testament there is a new God, a kinder God, a more loving and intimate God who came to Earth and became more like us through His son, Jesus. Just like God reveals Himself with a new body, He brings a new song and new command, to love your Lord with all your heart but above all love your neighbor as you love yourself (1 John 2: 7-8). He shows us in Matthew 5: 1-12 how blessed we are. In this new song there's hope, faith, love and peace.

I tried to reinvent this through my painting by showing this new song as it is in my heart. Because the pictures came out kind of fuzzy I'll describe what elements the painting contains. The staff lines are made up of 5 themes (from bottom to top). For the bottom line I wrote, "You've put a new song in my heart Lord," which marks the beginning of the song. Next comes "forgiveness" because that's where we first must understand that our Lord forgives all of our sins upon redemption. The third line shows "hope" because once we've asked for forgiveness and accepted the forgiveness from God, we start to gain hope for a new life, a better life. On the fourth line is "faith" because we must trust in the truth and faith is what gets us there. Last is "love" because above all else there's love.

I didn't do this painting to preach, I did this to inspire...mostly myself. This is a reminder to me of how God has worked in my life and I hope to inspire that fire to light up in the hearts of others.

God bless!