Contentment

Anyone who knows me a little better than just a follower of my blog...which that is most of you, or else you wouldn't be following my blog... :) knows that this past week I've taken a step in my life journey that has led me to a new found freedom because of it. I let go of the control over something that wasn't mine to control. I didn't just say it in my head that I let go, because we all know that would be a lie, but I actually took physical steps in letting go and freeing myself to continue embarking on this road God has called me to.

That big step has opened my heart to taking charge of my identity and my health as a woman. I decided that contentment, while it is something to be learned over time,  is also something that I can take physical steps towards. Many times in my day to day life I find myself feeling like I am in a rut of somekind. I know I have no reason to be there at the time. I have my health, my friends, my family, my education, and a God-given income of some kind, but I still feel icky and unmotivated. I'm changing that today.

Our contentment is to be found in our Lord. However, it is also my duty to take care of myself and the body I was given to live this life in. IIf I am not keeping it healthy, being lazy, not eating properly, I will not feel motivated and even worse, I will feel discontented for no specific reason...WHICH IS THE WORST FEELING OF ALL TIME!

I'm changing that today. I need support and I need encouragement in that. It started today with takng my vitamins this morning, washing my face, drinking water, eating breakfast, stretching, running at town lake, drinking more water, calling my dad for a while, and now enjoying some crafts while taking a "humorous" defensive driving course....it's a trip.

Like I said, I need encouragement to keep up this routine of taking care of myself. I already feel amazing right now, but I have been here before, and it's over after three days! It's pathetic..lol.

My search for this learned contentment is continuing, and my heart fills full of grace and compassion. Please pray for me that I can keep this up, keep a balanced life and never quit getting this fulfillment from my Father.

It's History

So I was talking with a really close friend of mine a few weeks ago, and we were just discussing our pasts and mistakes we had made, and where we are now because of them, and she made a comment about a part of her past that she hated and it broke my heart because I know it broke hers. She said, "I just hate that it is my story."  At certain times, I could relate, and I started pondering on my past and the parts of it that I wished would have been different. If I had had things MY WAY, certain things never would have happened...

Our other friend interrupted my self-pitying thoughts with a few humble words of wisdom.

"It's His story though, not yours."

Huh.

Those words have stuck with me ever since. Who am I to wallow in the "cards dealt to me?" Who am I to criticize the romantic comedy/drama/mystery/thriller that has been written for me before I was knit in my mother's womb?

It is what it is. Love will be used for His glory, and so will hate. Darkness will be turned to light by and only by the grace of God.

It is what it is. And it is His story.

Love it. Embrace it. Learn from it. Glorify Him in it.

Let There Be Light

We are doing a "series" that is going to go verse by verse in Genesis at The Austin Stone. and we only got through about 4 verses this morning. It was very interesting how Matt showed up "the Gospel according to Genesis."

3And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness -Genesis 1:3-4

The he sited many references when Christ called Himself the "Light."

12When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” -John 8:12

This plan was from the beginning. And there was light. And it was good.

It challenges me to be light. It challenges me to look at light differently, to see it as invented by my Lord. Light is everywhere, it is why we can comprehend color. Light is what brings people joy when the sun finally emerges from the clouds. Light is what gets us off our butts and out of bed when all we want to do is be lazy. Light is good.

Color Theory

Gah midterms!!!

For Better or For Worse

Those words don't ring as very promising these days. However, I am blessed to have a couple of those marriages in my life to look up to. I just received my grandparents' 50th anniversary invitation in the mail today, and believe it or not, they truly love each other even more than what it looks like in their wedding photo. They share everything, even down to peppermints, and my Maw Maw still cries when she talks about how sweet my Paw Paw is and how much she loves him. This is why it's supposed to be a picture of God's love...never ending, never forsaking, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; until death do us part.

Exhibit-ready

The exhibit was a success, and the piece didn't fall apart. On to metals!

Why most artists are mad (as in CRAZY!!!)

I have been working on this piece for a little over a month now, and it's a mix of "just want I wanted" and "hmmm...I wan't expecting that..."

The piece is an abstract sculpture, inspired by a small clip of Eduard Manet's "Luncheon on the Grass." The woman in the background is my favorite part of this painting, and I love the grace of her bathing in the pond. I focused in on her hands dipping in the water, and this is where the sculpture started to take its shape. The "hand" is made out of a cedar log that I drug off of T Bar M's ropes course...and the "water" is lamenated plywood.

I just took my first step towards true artist's insanity tonight. The piece broke. In three places. I am saying this calmly right now, but only because I was just a wreck only a few moments ago. I literaly almost threw the wood up against the wall. I went mad. The wood is so top heavy that the place in the center where it snapped wouldnt stand upright while I was trying to glue on the two pieces on the side that I had just finshed sanding...which they kept slipping off as soon as the middle piece would stay put!...it was a MISERABLE experience!! Fortunately, God heard my prayers and I was able to get it to at least hold for the night... I have to drive it to school tomorrow and instal it before 11. I am terrified...PLEASE pray for me.

BIG PICTURE

When you hold your hand as close to your face as possible, it seems HUGE. You might think to yourself "holy crap my hand is HUGE!"...but in reality, is it really? Slow down, back it up, your hand is so small in the grand scheme of things. Focus on things bigger than your hand.

I think I've had my hand glued to my nose my whole life. Back it up.

Something about Red Beans and Rice

There's something about cajun food that brings people together. Something about LSU football that make people who don't even know each other, relate in ways that non LSU fans will never understand. Pair the two together, and it's community at it's best...They allow for making new friends, bringing back together old friends, and deepening present day friendships even more. I love Louisiana culture!