By now it must come as no big surprise to my regular readers to find my blog posting to be sporadic this year. No matter how much I try or how sincere my desire, there just seems to be those seasons when there is either not enough hours, not enough energy, not enough creativity, or just plain ol' not enough me.
But here I am today, with a little time on my hands to try to catch up with at least a few pictures to show you that I actually have not dropped off the face of the earth. (Just in case you were wondering.)
Proverbs 3:13
Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding.
My classes have progressed and I am pleased with all that I am learning. This is my most recent piece from my jewelry/metalsmithing class, not nearly enough in this picture to show you the frustration I have experienced in class, but frustration with a point.
I've come to appreciate, through some not so cooperative projects, that there is a purpose to the obstacles, difficulties, and accidents. Without them, would I have learned as much?
Proverbs 1:5
let the wise listen and add to their learning and let the discerning get guidance.The silver spot in the middle of the back of this piece was the original tab to hold down the prongs of the pin back. A T-shape that looked much better then these little tabs but wasn't as functional. I guess it will take practice in order to produce a piece that is both functional and pretty on the back.
Practice, practice, practice, without it I will never be able to produce all the ideas lined up in my head.
I am learning patience.
Inside, as I stand at the soldering station, waiting for the stubborn solder to flow, I'm a bossy demanding child stomping my foot in front of the Lord. Why won't you make the solder flow for me? Come on Holy Spirit! Aren't you my helper? Stomp foot, kick the cat, stomp, stomp, stomp!
Outwardly I sigh and allow the instructor to guide me, to show me how to hold the torch, to demonstrate the proper technique.
I am learning humility.
I've been plugging along with a little Nikon Coolpix in my Digital Photography class, having broken my good camera just before the semester began. And while I am thrilled to be learning more about digital photography in general, it is learning Photoshop that has me so excited in this class. I put together the banner above before my free trial version of Photoshop ran out. It isn't what I had pictured in my head either, but it is a start. A considerable start as far as I'm concerned and I hope to refine it as my skills develop. This Friday I also took a day long workshop for Photoshop. Yeehaw!
I am learning to love learning.
Psalm 51:6
Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
"Pregnant"
Along with all the learning going on in the classroom, I'm still seeing my therapist and learning so much about who I am. I've been exploring all that I have learned through the wisdom of this lovely Spirit-filled woman in a series of collage-assemblages. I have shared the main image from these first two with you in previous posts, but felt they were incomplete and needed to be presented as a part of this series.
"Pregnant" represents to me all the possibilities that opened up when I allowed myself to think about change. The kind of change that began deep inside and allows me to embrace my past, not shrink from it, in order to heal and begin the voyage that God has in store for me. I will look to Him for the true inner healing and follow where He wants me to go. It is getting exciting but I still have some fear.
I am learning to trust.
Proverbs 4:6
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.
"Change Begins Within"
The series I've been working on will be titled after this piece, which represents a window from a dream like state deep in my own spirit where the seeds of change were first planted.
I look back over the storms of the past few years and now know that the Lord was plowing and working the hardened ground to make it ready to accept these seeds. It was a painful tilling, but necessary in order for the seeds of change to be firmly planted and allow them to take root.
I want this change more then anything. I can see it, taste it, breath deeply of it. As I fall asleep at night I can't help but envision it. I know the Lord has good things in store for me, but there will be plenty of weeding to do. I will open my heart to Him and let Him do the work he needs to do.
I am finally learning to surrender.
Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise
