We do bible journaling together every 2nd Tuesday of each month at 6:30pm at Wesley Memorial UMC. In September we used the same visual of the "world" or earth in different ways for different scripture passages. One of those verses came from John 15:19, "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." Remember those words the next time you are not feeling loved, and also remember that its cool to God to be "out of this world"! "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." John 15:19 Next time, same world visual, different verse... Daily Glory Glimpses Blog, www.janefnewman.com Look under the Daily Glory Glimpses tab in the menu.
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I had the privilege to work with a group of precious children last night at Christ United Methodist Church's LEAD program. Our art project for the evening was making prints of leaves using brayers, block printing ink and ziplock bags. To begin the project I posed the question, "Do you know who my favorite artist of ALL time is? He has impeccable natural Design skills, is the Master of color usage, and creates the most breathtaking scenes of artistry." God. As we enter into what is my favorite season, Autumn, look around and experience the artistry of THE Original Artist. Bet you'll catch a glimpse of His Glory! And He will take your breath away. "In the beginning, God created..." Genesis 1:1 Daily Glory Glimpses Blog; www.janefnewman.com I see glimpses of His Glory every Sunday morning listening to the message delivered in worship through my pastor, Reverend Clair Sauer. She has the gift for sharing the Good News in a way that keeps our congregation not only interested, but also involved by commissioning us to leave our sanctuary with a mission for the days and weeks ahead. That mission usually requires shoes made for walking The Walk. "As it is written...", her feet are beautiful. "And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!' " Romans 10:15 Daily Glimpses of Glory, www.janefnewman.com An apple is probably the most drawn object in art classes. For beginners it is the perfect object for learning sketching, contouring, massing, and value. After these initial lessons have been practiced I often let the students eat the apple leaving the core for our final drawing for the day. The core is for me the most interesting exercise because all of a sudden what was a smooth, shiny, "perfect" object now has a character all its own with interesting shape, texture, contour, value and sometimes even deep within the "heart" of it you can see the seed exposed. You can finally see what the object is made of. There is an allegory in this somewhere...the discovery of what lies beneath the surface can reveal a Glimpse of His Glory:) "...Did not he who made the outside make the inside also?"Luke 11:40 "Established artists are always seeking beginner minds." This quote from Leonardo DaVinci is one my favorites. I share it with beginning drawing students to congratulate them for pursuing something new and for being willing to expand they minds into another realm of Creation. We should never be too "advanced" to learn something new and if we are always seeking with the mind of a beginner there will always be something new to discover. Drawing classes introduce artists to simple, basic forms to practice drawing skills. No matter your skill level, these "pure" shapes are not only valuable practice, but there is always something that can be learned anew if we are open to learning it. Just like the lessons we can learn from rereading a biblical verse or passage over time. They hold a new meaning depending on where we are on our journey or what situation we find ourselves in. A Glimpse of His Glory peaks through each word revealing the pure & simple that we are longing for. "Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk,..." 1 Peter 2:2 Its easy for me to see a Glimpse of His Glory when the rising sun peaks through the windows and bathes any object in its path with its golden Light. My soul wishes to drop everything and and grab a paint brush to attempt capturing the moment. Every painting inspiration comes from the Light kissing objects and defining their form. Maybe that is true for us as well? When the Light envelopes us, our true nature is revealed. Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. Isaiah 60:1 If you want to be absolutely overtaken by a Glimpse of God's Glory, take a short drive out Ooltewah Georgetown Road. Over the next week or so there is a field of sunflowers blooming in all its magnificence! It is mesmerizing, like you are in the Land of Oz surreal. I am overtaken with the majesty and splendor of the artwork of our Creator! "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,..." Psalm 24:1 "...Let the sun shine in, face it with a grin; smilers never loose & frowners never win! So let the sun shine in, face it with a grin; open up your heart and let the sun shine in!" (Stuart Hamblen) When I graduated from kindergarten we sang this song at our graduation. I'm not going to discuss how long ago that was, but just know that I am amazed that I can remember it so well. Must be the message it shares that it has stuck in my head(&heart) so deeply. I long to live out this tune's refrain and pray that my grin will be a glimpse of His Glory for someone today. The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26 A fun teacher I experienced at a workshop not long ago advised that to become a better artist we must "draw something everyday". Just like the age old advise, "practice makes perfect". Since that workshop I have tried to carry a sketchbook with me everywhere I go. I use it for everything from taking notes in meetings, to sketching the sermon in pictures on Sunday mornings. And the more I doodle, the more comfortable I feel about rendering our world on paper. I guess it should be no different with our call to serve. The more we practice answering the call and saying yes, the better disciples we become. When we do answer, maybe we are a Glimpse of His Glory. And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” Isaiah 6:8 One of my favorite objects to use as subject matter to teach basic 2 point perspective in beginning drawing classes is a brown paper bag. Plain. Simple. Ordinary. Yet familiar. And if it has a few wrinkles and the opening is closed & then folded down and it bulges slightly from its hidden contents, it can make a lovely little sketch. And it is a perfect object for practicing perspective drawing since its basic form is the cube(or slice of the cube). It always amazes me how I find Glimpses of His Glory in these most "Plain Jane" objects, and for me, this particular one has a beautiful lesson to share beyond drawing. If we slow down in our fast paced world to take the time to meet and get to know plain, simple, ordinary folks, we discover lovely people. Some may have a few wrinkles from age or a tough life. Some may be the quiet ones who need time before opening up. But if we get the opportunity to see who they are on the inside, just like the paper bag, treasures can be found that might be the nourishment all of us need. Strangers become friends. "...He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him." Isaiah 53:2b |
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