Hidden Art

“Look at the streaks of lightning that split the black sky with zigzag patterns, or gasp over a northern light display. Watch a falling star cut through a night sky, and then look down over a cliff to the white foam bright in moonlight washing the rocks in black wetness. Swim in southern waters and open your eyes to the fish, a variety of shapes and colours, flashing among weeds and coral. These are God’s light shows." – Edith Schaeffer

God is the ultimate artist.
 “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible.”- Colossians 1:16

I remember specifically thinking in high school about the question, “what is art?” and feeling very overwhelmed by the task of fully unraveling the mystery. To partially understand remains an easy task. I believe it is, as Colossians says, all things visible and invisible. Art is those things that communicate and communication itself. It is something, tangible or intangible, that is inclusive, revealing, inspiring, beautiful, expressive, refreshing, satisfying, imbued with structure or design, pleasing, painful, uncomfortable, comforting, communicative,  humbling, involving, reflective, convicting, instructive, transformative, powerful and dangerous. This is by no means an exhaustive list.

God is the ultimate artist. I am created in his image and as such am, in one sense of the word, an artist because of this. We all are. However, we are not His only creation. Art is not only in us, but all around us.

I was thinking yesterday about how often art on art occurs. For example, when I play my violin an inconceivable amount of art is working together and being produced simultaneously. 

1. My body and soul is a work of art. Each muscle, bone, cell, and the innate tendencies and desires God created in me from the moment of my inception were crafted. 

2.  My violin is a piece of art. It has an unique build and sound. As I look at the winding scroll, trace the elegant perfling around its body and admire the grain of the wood on the back, I am in awe of not only each raw part, but the craftsmanship, skill and design that is reflected.

3.  My performing and playing is art. There is the technical skill acquired through use of other arts such as thinking and movement of my body. Then there is the art of communicating a feeling, mood, picture, or who I am to my audience when I play. There is also art in the communication between myself and fellow performers when I am joined by others on stage.

4. The music itself is art. The speed of vibrations that differs for each note played, the beauty in how the notes visually lay on the page, and the harmonic, rhythmic and overall construction of form skillfully designed by the composer are reflective of artistry.

Where is the hidden art in your life? Thank you Edith Schaeffer for your artful and inspiring book...

People As Projects

People should never be reduced to this, but oh how common it is. I see it frequently within the church and society as a whole. We often reach out to others by offering practical help, a relationship or both. This is a good thing, but I think our motivations are sometimes problematic. We can engage in these acts of kindness, because it boosts our feelings of self worth and benefits our mood. ("The antidote for being loved is to love.") We also use it to make ourselves feel important by putting ourselves in a mental state of superiority over the person we are helping. I've been struggling with this recently, because I see it happening around me. I am disturbed and this has caused me to question whether I have been guilty of or currently am practicing people projecting. (Yes, I regularly invent new and useful words. One of my favorites is spyful.) I like to think that I don't treat people as projects, because I have experienced what it's like to be one myself. Unfortunately I don't think this necessarily makes one immune. So how do you know if you are treating someone like a project? I think it comes back to motivation and the heart. Do you truly care about the person beyond their needs? Would you be their friend if they were not in a position of great need or if certain people had no knowledge of your actions? I think another way to asses motivation is to evaluate how the supposed projector talks about their supposed project. If the focus is on improvement and success as defined by the projector, rather than the transformative process, it is likely that there is something wrong. If both people can't be equally transparent and share life together then beware, projecting is likely taking place. Does the person who sees themself as the helper continue the relationship long term or do they remove themselves once the other person has sufficiently gotten back on their feet?

So where does projecting come from? I think it often comes from people in places of leadership who feel the heavy weight of should. I'm not condemning short term service like volunteering with an organization or really acts of kindness in general, but rather am asking the question of, "why do we do what we do and is this good?" This is about relationships where one person approaches another under the guise of true friendship, when in fact ulterior motives govern the relationship- motives that the projector has likely not realized exist.If motivating factors include anything other than genuine care and concern about another individual as whole, then we are deceiving ourselves by believing and acting as if our actions are for the benefit of the person we are trying to help.

Contentment & Turkeys

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:10-12
 
Within about three days of ending a trimester or semester I usually get sick. This time I've been battling it for almost a week. It's strange- like my body knows that it doesn't have to hold it together any longer. And so it's time for blogging!

This Thanksgiving I found myself thinking about the relationship between contentment and thankfulness. I think it's impossible to be content without being thankful. Being thankful isn't something we should practice to produce warm, fuzzy feelings or satisfy expectations. In essence it's not something we should do for ourselves or others- we should just live it, because every single person has numerous reasons to be thankful. I have this circular piece of plastic that I picked up at one of those artsy independent coffee shops. It says: " I walk in a constant state of gratitude."  That's the goal... Living every second in gratitude for who God is and what he has done-being content and thankful for the good and the bad. Focusing on what there is to be thankful for. Side note: I'm not advocating apathy here.

So this Thanksgiving I was thinking how ironic it is that on Thanksgiving Day, the one day of the year dedicated to being thankful, many people spend their time scouring the newspaper ads- planning their shopping route for the next day- or even that night. Apparently this year some sales started 10 PM on T Day. It's ironic that Black Friday is the next day and that so many people allow it to become the focus or at least a significant portion of their T Day instead of spending meaningful time with their family and friends. They think about what they don't have rather than what they do.

I'm sitting in my room on a Saturday night working on a mound of incomplete applications, blowing my nose and trying to drinking a small lake to get rid of my headache. Hello contentment. 

I'm going to skip the long "I'm thankful for ____" list that typically includes things like family, friends, shelter, food, air, snowflakes that melt on my nose and eyelashes, silver white winters that melt into springs, sleigh bells, schnitzel with noodles, and Christ's sacrifice. I'll just leave it at I am so very thankful that I get to go home for Christmas and that God is omnipotent, omniscient, merciful, personal and loving.

Monumental Day

About five years after I started taking college classes (starting in high school) I have finished my first degree. Three schools and three states later I am done with enough credits for at least two degrees and a minor. I should be out celebrating this evening, but am so exhausted and have a recording session tomorrow.Whoever approved weekend finals has never had to do them. I started #1 at 8 AM Saturday morning and finished #4.5 today at 4:30 PM. What's next? One week spent in practice rooms and coffee shops. I'll be preparing pre-screenings and completing applications for five schools this week. January 3rd I start another program here. Yes, I have contemplated the idea of taking a break from school. It's time to start kicking the coffee addiction. It's Turkey week. More thoughts to come. For now ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

Be Still My Soul

It always comes back to trust. In God I hope and find my strength. This is true, but these things are not yet a  part of every fiber of my being. When my world crumbles I am often not completely at peace. Each time I experience stress or trials I lapse into periods of doubt, fear and worry. Yes, much of the time I am at peace, secure in the hands of my ever- present, loving and all powerful father, but I don't wholly trust at all times and this is a problem. I am in awe when I look at how God has provided for my every need and how he has worked in my life in the past. Reminding myself of how He has proved faithful in my life and meditating on God's promises helps, but unfortunately combating these periods of unrest is still a part of my life. Maybe I have to keep struggling through scary trust building situations, because I just don't learn. How many of these do I have to work through before my reactions are consistently those of a person who truly believes that God is utterly in control and will work all things according to His good, glorious plan? A few weeks ago God gave me another opportunity. I prayed and struggled daily for about 2 1/2 weeks. Then in the eleventh hour I saw God act in ways I couldn't have imagined. One week later I find myself pessimistically curled up in the corner of a practice room immobilized by worry and doubt. How quickly I forget and how easily I despair. Reminding myself that this is all a process and I'm on the path.


I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to the Lord are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. Psalm 34: 4-5

I've always loved Finlandia and the hymn, Be Still My Soul. The music itself is beautifully haunting and heroic.

Be Still My Soul   

Be still, my soul; the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul; thy best, thy heavenly, Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul; thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence, let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul; the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul, though dearest friends depart
And all is darkened in the vale of tears;
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrows and thy fears.
Be still, my soul; thy Jesus can repay
From His own fulness all He takes away.

Be still, my soul; the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul; when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.