Something is happening.
A shift of sorts.
My heart is constantly feeling (empathy) and my mind is always wondering, thinking and ready to do something to help (compassion).That is the only way I can describe it. My heart is full of empathy and
the compassion that comes from it makes the wheels in my mind spin at
full speed.
With both empathy and
compassion I am being “moved” to respond to others feelings
and situations through art.
so now what?
I am not sure, but I am ready to move.
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This past weekends message at church was all about "Standing Courageously For the Truth" and if you were there or watched it on-line then you know it was jammed packed with ALOT of things and it would take me 74 blog posts to cover it, so in a nut shell, here it is...
This is a hot topic right now in our little home sweet home because TODAY, Jack is going to be learning about "Conspiracy Theory's" in his "History Through Film" class.
Again, TRUTH MATTERS and as a parent I have to reinforce that. Does an 11th grader with an open mind need to learn about conspiracy theory's? Maybe, maybe not...but I am going to stop here because I could be walking into a can of worms..and I do not like worms, especially those big gross green disney-character looking ones that eat tomatoes.
So back to the message..just a little more...
it all takes courage.
Something I personally battle with DAILY, sometimes...HOURLY!
There it is...the Truth about me. (I suppose that was courage right there by admitting that to you..) You might not know it or think it if you are around me, but it is there, more than ever and I tell you, ever since I "FULLY SURRENDERED" that damn red suited guy likes to sprinkle my day with doubt, anxiety and anything else he can muster up to toss in my path.. Sometimes I can karate chop it away..and sometimes I can't and that is what I am working on. (It is okay, you can call me a "fraddy cat.")
The thing that helps me get through this crap (and it is crap) is prayer and art. The more anxiety, the HARDER it is to get up, but I make myself do it...and the more powerful I create. This is yesterdays harvest:
I am finding comfort, peace and meaning through my art and I want to suggest that if you are in a spot that is not comfortable..try creating. Many times I just work on getting the base of a project down so that when I am inspired, I can go out and create HEart.
I am using old marquee letters as my base. I start by layering on tissue wrap and dictionary paper using Glue-n-Seal. Make sure to dry....
Then I add swipes of crackle paint
and while those are set aside, I use color wash and distress stain to add color to dictionary paper so that I can tear out hearts
and just those steps starts to take the crap away...then when I am ready to create, I have all of the pieces and parts I need to create a piece of HEart!
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So..."What do you do?"
I sorta cringe and honestly, exit stage left when the conversation starts. If I miss my exit and get caught with the "What do you do" for a living question, well, even though it is clear in my mind what I do, when I try to put it into a sentence to answer that question, it is easier to say "I make crafts".
wrong answer.
Not completely wrong, because I do, you know...make crafts, but it is so much more and as I "mature" in various ways, I am learning to give myself a tad bit more credit than just to say "I make crafts"
What I do is "create soulful art" and what that means is I create things from paper, paint, ink, batter, dough, fabric, felt, sticks, rocks, you name it..whatever my girl-macgyver mind, trailer park martha hands and God filled heart can get ahold of and in the process of turning it from one thing into another, I also incorporate a message, well, like a reminder to you, and for myself.
See, it is easier to say "I make crafts" but I will stop saying that and come up with something that won't be a paragraph long.
Now, speaking of making things, see those letter up there in the heart? Here is how I turned them from one thing into another:
I know..awesome!
Here is what I used
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Grab some coffee....
I have been on a personal journey of faith for a several years now and have really started to share more of it with you here on my blog.
Some of you embrace it and some don't .
That is okay with me.
Some of you are of the same faith as me, and some are not.
That is okay with me too.
It is more about the heart...
and we all have one.
More than we may realize, we are all in the same boat. Some of us have paddles, some of us have life jackets and some of us don't. A few stand at the head of the boat and scream "I am the king of the world" and some of us are hanging our heads over the railing throwing up from all of the waves. Thing is, we are all in this together and we all go through similar things.
I hope that by me being authentic and transparent here, it will help someone elses boat ride along the way. Just call me "Julie McCoy"...your cruise director because I am glad you are here.
Okay, so as you know, I am really sarcastic at times, and equally, if not more, dorkey. Here is some good news I found out about that on page 137 of the book "Only You Can Be You"
I am self-conscience about many things (not as many as I used to be) and don't give a crap about other things (see, I told you)
I have always reminded you that I am open minded, share what I believe and create based on it. I strive to walk the walk and talk the talk but I am human and dang it, I stumble and sometimes fall.
We all do.
THANKS ALOT ADAM (okay, and Eve!)
I have to admit, I have fallen hard.
No..not right now, in the past.
The thing is, I get back up, figure it out, confess it, ask for forgiveness (He will forgive you too, you just gotta ask) and then keep going. I am continually and constantly learning who I am, what I am supposed to be doing and sharing it...through the creative abilities that God has given me..
and I am so glad you are still here.
With the completion of the "Only You Can Be You" study last week I was a little "okay, what is next..now what" and happily found the answer with the new series Pastor Rick started this week called "Creating a Positive ID"
whew.
So the big question was "Do you know who you are" and well, since I just finished learning and being reminded that "I am me" from "Only You Can Be You" (say that 5 times fast) I knew I was on the right track (or is it tract?)
and here was the phrase that stuck me like a thorn on a rose bush...10 words that reminded me of something.
"I am a product of my past..NOT a prisoner"
and it reminded me that I was holding my own self hostage.
Duh.
You see, I realized that I was unconsciously torturing myself because I had not fully forgiven myself. Maybe a little, but not completely and it does not work that way.
You either do or you don't...not kinda.
well, how can I not forgive myself when God has already done so..
done.
gone.
forgiven.
surrendered.
I think I am starting to mature.
and I am glad you are here with me on this journey.
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Dang July went fast....pretty sure that I was reminding you that once 4th of July passes..it is all down hill till Christmas...
see, I was not making that up.
It happens every year.
Anyways, if I were a scrap booker, maybe an active participant of Project-Life 2012 (I do have all of the stuff..) or had Insta-Gram (which Jack referred to last night as the "world's greatest invention") then this would you might have seen:
starting at the top and moving left to right:
Today...or maybe tomorrow, bake some and share some...Click HERE for the recipe.
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When I am tired, I become unsettled and when I am unsettled, I start wondering..questioning..doubting...
gulp.
"Am I doing what I am supposed to be doing??"
"Am I doing enough??"
"Am I doing too much??"
Late yesterday afternoon, I started wandering around, not wanting to do anything specific and knew that I just needed to relax.
Easier said than done.
How does one "just relax" when there is so much world noise going on, even when it is super quiet?
and then, last night, I remembered....
I doodle.
duh.
so I wrote out this phrase:
"Only I can be me and you can be you, so let's work together and see what we can do.."
and then I started coloring...and that is exactly what I did last night...
I colored.
Just me, the couch and my markers...for a few hours...and I colored myself down off that wall of wonder.
This morning, that wonder, questioning and doubt was lifted by a single email that reminded me of what I already know...and I picked up my little Moleskin and added a new page.
and this is me reminding you of something you probably already know...
Use 'em.
Your gifts, your talents, your abilities...
Use' em to make a difference.
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Whether it is being creative with paper, paint, wood, computers, spreadsheets, organization, food,etc. we are all creative in one way or another and it is our responsibility to do our best at what we were created to do. In "Only You Can Be You" page 102 there is a great verse that reminds us of this fact.
"Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life" Gal 6:5
I really love this verse so I painted it on a canvas over layers and layers of paper, paint, texture and more paint...well and added a heart, of course!
It is part of my "HEart" Collection because HE is the reason for my ART and this piece is for sale. I have decided that as I create, share and sell my art, 10% of the sale price will go towards the purchase of socks for Joy Jars.
Canvas Details:
Price $37.00 plus $5.00 shipping.
SOLD...thank you Linda!
More coming soon...
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It is week three of the Homegrown Garden Project 2012 and everything has officially broken ground. This is what my sweet little cucumber looks like this morning:
It may seem corny to you, but sometimes I just like to sit a look at what is going on in this little garden we have created. Although our hands placed the seeds in the soil and we have to water them to grow, it is awesome to really think about what is going on during the growth process. My mind then wanders to how amazing (and hard, I know) it would be to live somewhere like this and experience new growth in a huge way. I am going to totally dork out right now, but that makes my heart flutter....
told ya I was going to be a dork. I am SURE it is painfully hard to have and work on a farm and the amount of determination and faith along with blood, sweat and tears is huge, but the rewards would be so....abundant.
The word ABUNDANT leads me to another piece I created based on words printed on the inside cover flap of the book "Only You Can Be You" which is an upcoming women's summer study that I would LOVE for you to come to with me...
and speaking of discovering the ABUNDANT life God designed for each one of us, I am so excited and proud of my dear friend Mel and all of the amazing things she and her posse are creating in Idaho at the new Brave Girls ranch. Mel and her entire family have truly found their purpose, planted the seeds that are part of their mission and their dreams are growing and living..ABUNDANTLY. This also makes my heart flutter and I do not feel like a dork saying that! I look forward to making my way up there later this summer to spend some quiet time with Melody & Kathy to experience new growth for myself...creatively, mentally and spiritually (Oh, and PHYSICALLY as I told Mel this morning that I am a way better helper than guest, so I will be there to work...and rest)
Today, I want to encourage you to ask GOD to show you what HE has designed for you...it is good..it really is.
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I am reading a few new books, one called "Soup" by Jon Gordon (author of "The Seed") and the other book, "Only You Can Be You" written by Erik Rees, pastor at our church and Jessie's Daddy.
I am excited to share that there is going to be a new 4-week summer study in July at Saddleback and I would like to invite you to come. Erik & Debbie Eaton will be teaching this summer study starting July 5th and I am excited, so excited that I got the book early to read up and create art based on it to inspire you here on the blog...which leads me to new art that I just created this morning:
Start off today by reminding yourself that YOU are ONE OF A KIND and only YOU can be You!
"..You are a Master-designed, handcrafted original" Only You Can Be You, Preface.
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Being the home builder on my world was just as fun as I thought it would be. I simply cut and stuck the way I wanted to without the stress or worry about what coordinated with what or how it looked to others.
What a concept...You should try it out. I am going to do this more often.
Then I needed to add the thoughts. I thought a little about hand painting the words, stamping the words or stenciling the words and then, out of the blue, I decided to scan some dictionary paper, add some text, print it out on "newsprint" paper, tear it out and stick it on.
For me (and if I may suggest it to others) to starting changing the world, whether it is a globe, your family, your community, your relationships, etc., stay centered in faith, focussed on your journey and then go for it..well, and remember, home is best.
and what am I going to do with this? You are wondering...
It is for sale, so if you are interested in owning the world, just email me.
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