Week Something or Other

Really terrible quality image this time. Sorry about that. =/ I've been working a little bit on drawing figures, but still have quite a lot of work to do when it comes to faces...and hands...and feet...

Still, I kind of like her. :)

Week #... (Oh dear...I've lost count. This probably should be week 8 or 9, but it's only week 3.)

AH! "Once a week" indeed. Well, I shall try my best to catch up. For now, have a chipmunk. n,n

I cheated, though. One of my art homework assignments was to copy this picture. Copy. *sigh*

Week #2

I think I liked the concept/idea behind it better than the actual finished product, but still... Here is the fruit of this week's labor. :D

Snow Day

On a side note: My scanner is currently out of commission, so that means I have to take photos of my art, instead. I happen to find this extremely difficult, so, I don't know, the quality of these images isn't the greatest. :P

Week 1

I can't count the number of times I've received the suggestion/advice "draw something every day." Finally, I have decided to really make an effort to heed such advice. Each week, I will choose one or two of the projects I worked on during the week to post here; this should also help generate some updates/posts on my poorly kept blog. ;)

I hope you enjoy, and feel

free to leave comments. :)

The Mirror's Tale

Transfixed by the eyes

Gazing back from the mirror

"Someday

One day

Perhaps it will be clearer"

But the doubt, staring back

Only mocked her foolish hopes

Twisted

Tangled

Torn apart

Her dreams tied down

With iron ropes

It's hard to draw breath

When loneliness chokes it down

You push and pull

Attract

Repel

Crack a joke and fake a smile.

"They come, then they go,"

She cried,

"Or...

Do I pull away?"

The conscience in the mirror

Had no need to say.

~"As in water face reflects face, so a man's heart reveals a man."

Update!

First off, I do apologize for the lack of posts in the past... WOAH .... four months. O.O "Life happened," and then, to tell you the truth, I went through a very confusing time that was also void of any good inspiration for a new post. But I am back, or so I hope to be, and finished making excuses [for now]. :)

So, for a couple weeks I've been telling myself that I MUST write a new post...that slowly turned into, I MUST write a filler post...which has now turned into this, a quick update of little or no consequence. >_> I do have a few topics that will hopefully become subjects for posts in the next few weeks. If you know me, hold me to that, will you? Thanks.

Here are some of the general topics (in case you're interested):
Worth- how we view ourselves and may allow doubts regarding our worthiness of His plans for us to creep in.
Christmas Ornaments & Tennis Balls - (I'm going to leave it at that. Maybe you'll be curious enough to check here later to find out what in the world I'm thinking ;)
Love - The Greatest Commandment...the Greatest Gift.

In regards to my last post, the four month old one, my summer finished out very nicely. I had a wonderful time at both camps and saw many lives changed forever. God most certainly had some amazing things in store for us when we arrived.

Youth camp was a much needed time to stop and re-sort my brain, and my heart. While my mindset going into the week wasn't the greatest, as predicted, the week was an awesome experience and time of growing closer to God. One of the things He impressed on me while I was there was my eagerness or tendancy to rebuild walls that He had torn down -Walls within my heart that had hindered my relationship with Him.

Galations 2:18 - "For if I build again those things which I have destroyed, I make myself a transgressor."

Those words pounded me one morning, during our personal devotion time. I am not and never will be strong enough to tear down those walls myself. But when I asked Him to, and He did, it's as if I turned right around and scrambled to put them back up. In that section of Galations, Paul had just finished talking about how no sin is greater than another, they are all on an equally abominable level. And while I was earnestly seeking Him out, and pleading for Him to cleanse me, and help me grow stronger, I was still sitting there rebuilding walls, making myself a transgressor. That morning, one of the things I wrote was "If my goal is to truly give Him my undivided attention, that's not possible with a brick wall blocking my view."

I also had a bit a of a slap across the face when it comes to how I see myself. Completely unworthy...of anything and everything. While that's true and it's only by God's grace that we are saved, I was allowing that feeling of being "disposable" or worthless to overwhelm me. I struggled with the idea that I was a shame to Him, becoming blind to how He had used me so many times and given me opportunities, wrapped me in love. For some reason, this is still a struggle every once in a while, but the words of Hebrews 11:6 & 16, along with much prayer and encouragement have reminded me that God does have a plan specifically for me, for each of His children. These plans are bound by a goal of glorifying Him, but unique to each of us and our relationships with Him.

Hebrews 11:
6 - "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that he is, and that He is a rewarder of those who dilligently seek Him."
16 - "But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them."

Every morning, there was an early group prayer time. But after a while we would go off separately to spend some one on one time with our Master. During one of these times, He brought to my attention something that had been going on all week, and can still happen every day. It had been raining every morning all week long, and on that particular morning, it was more like deluge. As I sat there under the pavillion, I realized how God was so ready to pour on us. As if the roof of the pavillion didn't exist, He wasn't just ready to drizzle on us... but to POUR. And as we sat there, claiming to be equally as ready for Him to do so, it was like we each had umbrellas; umbrellas to sheild us and stop us from feeling His rain. It's high time to toss out your spiritual umbrella.

At the end of the week, I stumbled across Ezekiel 2 & 3. A section that God used as a final word of encouragement to those who I shared it with and me.
2:6 - "And you son of man, do not be afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you dwell among scorpions, do not be afraid of their words or dismayed by their looks, though they are a rebellious house."
3:10 - "Moreover He said to me; "Son of man receive into your heart all my words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears. And go get to the captives, to the children of your people, and speak to them and tell them 'Thus says the Lord God,' whether they hear or whether they refuse."

The following week of Kids camp was one of the best ever, in my opinion. Although, I've only been to a few years. It was a well focused week of learning and encouraging some kids who come from some pretty rough households. A humbling experience as well, to see them excited about serving God, regardless of some unbelievable circumstances in their home life. I was privileged to see many of them baptized and drawing nearer to Him.

As for the rest of my summer... well, it was eventful. We took an emergency trip to AR at the end of August, and I discovered that am by no means made for life in the south. Not to mention the fact that AR is quite possibly one of the ugliest states, even by the standards of its residents. It was a nice and long overdue visit with some family, however, so I guess it was worth it. ;)

So, there is at least a re-cap of my summer. Yes, I realize it is now December and that leaves quite a gap in the calendar, but do you really want to know any more boring details? I thought not. But be aware that I adore the Autumn season and I am still reminiscing over it's various successes this year. :)



Until later,

~
"Lord, blow the coal, thy love enflame in me."

A conglameration of thoughts.

Alright, this post isn't going to be overly formal. I suppose that's laziness on my part...but I'm also feeling the last of my time at home slip away... Yes, it's that time of the summer. Everyone seems to be going off to camp or vacation and well, it's my turn. I'll be gone for most of the next two weeks, so I thought I'd at least try to put SOMETHING on here for during my absense. :)

First, I'm finally starting to look forward to camp. That may sound completely ungrateful, but it's true. My way was paid for anonymously; therefore, I was sortof commited to going. It was definitely a blessing and God most certainly was good to me. Plus, the only other girl in our church that is going, is going for the first time to teen camp; and I'd hate to leave her in the lurch. Seriously, the girls in that family have been looking forward to it ALL YEAR. They came to me excitedly about five months ago, asking if I planned on going. xD But it's great to see them so excited...and for the RIGHT reasons.

Camp is always an AMAZING time with God. A great environment to forget everything else and just focus on Him, give Him my undivided attention. But there are two main things about it that have always bothered me. 1)Drama. Endless and (suprisingly) highly sought after DRAMA. Even if you're not caught in the middle of it, it just seems to put a damper on everything. [I have a post that I've been writing and tweaking for a long time now on the subject...problem is, it resembles a rant more than anything. Comment if you think I ought to post it anyway, because I'm undecided.]
2)"The camp experience"....yeah, it's the fever that everyone gets after having a great week depending and focusing on God. Everybody comes back home and for two, maybe three weeks, they're on fire for God. But then, it starts to dwindle, and after a while standards start to decrease and once again we're back at that "low point" where God's shoved off into the sidelines. I've feared and hated that fever ever since my first year of camp. It just seems like we're being so deceptive to God. I mean, obviously He sees our hearts and knows what's going on, but meh... It's just grrrr.... So anyway, my goal is and has been to "get real" with God; any prayers that I could keep my eyes on Him during the week would be greatly appreciated. :)

Despite those two things...like I said, I'm getting excited. God is so ready to burst forth into Jess's life and I can see that. I feel really priveleged to be going with her see what awesomeness God has in store. ;)

Ah yes, there was one last thing I wanted to mention. Last night I was reading in Lamentations. I just really wanted to share the chapter with you because it really touched and encouraged me, hopefully it does the same for you. It reminded me of how much He really loves and adores us. Reading it was like getting a big warm fatherly hug from Him. It talks about God's wrath when we rebel against Him, but then Jeremiah recalls the time when he was in persecution and affliction. He CRIED out like a frightened child at night, and God soothingly answered... "Do not fear!"
I recently went through a situation where I was reminded that I can truly depend on God, I was forced to look to Him alone for support...and it definately changed my outlook on my relationship with Him. The really interesting part to me is that I read Jeremiah 26-29 and it was just like everything in there was exactly how I felt. The verses in lamentations (starting w/55) look to me like Jeremiah is recalling that specific time and remembering how great and merciful God is.

He cares, He knows, He's there...and ready to answer.

I know it's kindof long, but do enjoy it. ;)

1 I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of His wrath.
2 He has led me and made me walk
In darkness and not in light.
3 Surely He has turned His hand against me
Time and time again throughout the day.
4 He has aged my flesh and my skin,
And broken my bones.
5 He has besieged me
And surrounded me with bitterness and woe.
6 He has set me in dark places
Like the dead of long ago.
7 He has hedged me in so that I cannot get out;
He has made my chain heavy.
8 Even when I cry and shout,
He shuts out my prayer.
9 He has blocked my ways with hewn stone;
He has made my paths crooked.
10 He has been to me a bear lying in wait,
Like a lion in ambush.
11 He has turned aside my ways and torn me in pieces;
He has made me desolate.
12 He has bent His bow
And set me up as a target for the arrow.
13 He has caused the arrows of His quiver
To pierce my loins.
14 I have become the ridicule of all my people—
Their taunting song all the day.
15 He has filled me with bitterness,
He has made me drink wormwood.
16 He has also broken my teeth with gravel,
And covered me with ashes.
17 You have moved my soul far from peace;
I have forgotten prosperity.
18 And I said, “My strength and my hope
Have perished from the LORD.”
19 Remember my affliction and roaming,
The wormwood and the gall.
20 My soul still remembers
And sinks within me.
21 This I recall to my mind,
Therefore I have hope.
22 Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
24 “ The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
“ Therefore I hope in Him!”
25 The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him.
26 It is good that one should hope and wait quietly
For the salvation of the LORD.
27 It is good for a man to bear
The yoke in his youth.
28 Let him sit alone and keep silent,
Because God has laid it on him;
29 Let him put his mouth in the dust—
There may yet be hope.
30 Let him give his cheek to the one who strikes him,
And be full of reproach.
31 For the Lord will not cast off forever.
32 Though He causes grief,
Yet He will show compassion
According to the multitude of His mercies.
33 For He does not afflict willingly,
Nor grieve the children of men.
34 To crush under one’s feet
All the prisoners of the earth,
35 To turn aside the justice due a man
Before the face of the Most High,
36 Or subvert a man in his cause—
The Lord does not approve.
37 Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass,
When the Lord has not commanded it?
38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
That woe and well-being proceed?
39 Why should a living man complain,
A man for the punishment of his sins?
40 Let us search out and examine our ways,
And turn back to the LORD;
41 Let us lift our hearts and hands
To God in heaven.
42 We have transgressed and rebelled;
You have not pardoned.
43 You have covered Yourself with anger
And pursued us;
You have slain and not pitied.
44 You have covered Yourself with a cloud,
That prayer should not pass through.
45 You have made us an offscouring and refuse
In the midst of the peoples.
46 All our enemies
Have opened their mouths against us.
47 Fear and a snare have come upon us,
Desolation and destruction.
48 My eyes overflow with rivers of water
For the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49 My eyes flow and do not cease,
Without interruption,
50 Till the LORD from heaven
Looks down and sees.
51 My eyes bring suffering to my soul
Because of all the daughters of my city.
52 My enemies without cause
Hunted me down like a bird.
53 They silenced my life in the pit
And threw stones at me.
54 The waters flowed over my head;
I said, “I am cut off!”
55 I called on Your name, O LORD,
From the lowest pit.
56 You have heard my voice:
“ Do not hide Your ear
From my sighing, from my cry for help.”
57 You drew near on the day I called on You,
And said, “Do not fear!”
58 O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul;
You have redeemed my life.
59 O LORD, You have seen how I am wronged;
Judge my case.
60 You have seen all their vengeance,
All their schemes against me.
61 You have heard their reproach, O LORD,
All their schemes against me,
62 The lips of my enemies
And their whispering against me all the day.
63 Look at their sitting down and their rising up;
I am their taunting song.
64 Repay them, O LORD,
According to the work of their hands.
65 Give them a veiled heart;
Your curse be upon them!
66 In Your anger,
Pursue and destroy them
From under the heavens of the LORD.
[NKJV]