Living Simply

I think I would be perfectly content living without a lot of stuff. I know I don't have as much stuff as some people, but I still think I have too much. I'm still very involved with, and preoccupied by, technology and getting as much done in one day as I possibly can. But I know I'd be okay without those things. When I went to New Orleans last spring, I had to live with the bare minimum: shelter, a place to sleep, food, water. Yes, there was running water and electricity for lights, yet the daily routine was so restful and laid back. We did have a lot packed into each day, sometimes getting little sleep, but there wasn't the stress of rapidly going from one thing to the next. I was able to rest AND be productive.

We stayed at an old gymnasium that was connected to a small church. They had to hold church services in the gym part though because the flooding had caused so much damage to the sanctuary. As ruined and dirty as the entire place seemed, though, it soon became a comfortable, familiar, and hospitable place during my week-long stay. I slept on a cot at night. I loved it! In the early morning, some of us would meet for prayer in the sanctuary, with almost no light and no no chairs. Then breakfast would be whatever they were serving. And it didn't matter to me because I was just grateful to have food. After breakfast, we'd make our sandwiches and bag them for later. Then we'd go to the work sites. I learned how to do sheetrock and did that for a week staight at the same house. Again, I loved it! We'd break only for lunch. Then the bus would pick us up and bring us back to the church, where we'd hang out and take showers until an early dinner. Again, I'd eat whatever was served. There weren't a hundred meal options to choose from. It was nice not having to think about it. After dinner, I'd hang out until the evening Bible study. Then I'd either stay and chat or go go to bed. Such a wonderful routine! Start the day with God, serve with God, end the day with God... and no internet access, no meetings to attend, and no stressing out over work. To live that simply was my earthly Utopia. When I got back to campus, I was disgusted with how much stuff I had, and how dependent I was on the computer.

The thing that sparked this thought happened tonight when I returned to my room after a long day. I had packed my computer for class earlier, and so when I got back, I didn't take it back out right away. I just made myself a cornbeef sandwich for dinner, sat at the empty desk, and ate. I didn't do anything else. I simply sat and ate. No internet, no phone, no homework, just dinner. It was relaxing. But of course, I felt the need to blog about this wonderfully simple experience. See? My dependence on technology. Yuck. And I check my email like ten times a day. And it's late now, yet I had wanted to go to bed early.

I want to live simply... and with less stuff.

Good night.

God Through the Woman in Yellow

It's amazing how God can use one seemingly insignificant situation to bring you back to Him. Other people might bring something to you over and over, trying to get you to see the error of your ways, not because they are out to get you but because they love and care about you. But being the stubborn, prideful monkey that you are, you don't really let what they are saying to you soak in enough to effect you. You know they are concerned, yet you are too stubborn to admit they are right. So out of your own stubbornness, you continue on the way you've been going, regardless of what you know to be the right way.

Then God Himself comes and gives you a push. Subtle, yet so convicting. Through someone I don't even know, and may never know, He showed me the severity of the choice I was making not to spend time with Him. It's funny how a direct message won't cause you to budge, but then the indirect happens and you just get it.

Praise God!

No Run-All Circles and Two Pieces

I woke up early this Monday morning to go run, and just like almost every other day since I've started the group, no one showed up. And being the unmodivated scaredy-cat that I am, not wanting to run alone, I went back to the room. But the morning was not a complete waste. No, it was quite nice outside this morning. The air was cool and fresh, and there were birds chirping. Also, despite my sleepiness and lack of physical endurance building, I did manage to come across twenty-one cents along the way. A dime on my way down the back stairway, eight pennies scattered on the front porch of Konover, another penny in a parking space nearby, and two more in the grass on the way back. To add to the pile was a penny I'd found some days ago, still waiting in my coat pocket to be dealt with. So I cleaned up my findings and fed them to Penguin. He was quite satisfied.

On another note...

Praise God! I got a call last night from MCC about two illustration pieces I submitted over the weekend. They both made it into the show! Totally wasn't expecting that. I remember thinking, as Adam and I left that Friday night, after handing them in, that I shouldn't have bothered. I had seen other artwork in the room that was probably being submitted, and it was all so good. And I saw the long list of other pieces entered as I wrote down my info underneath them. I was doing that self-doubt thing again, telling myself I wouldn't be suprised if I didn't even make it into the show. I'm really not good enough, I thought. How could I possibly compete with so many other artists who are probably all ten times better than me? What have I gotten myself into? And then I regretted putting anything in. Now here I am, trying to find a ride to the Opening/Awards reception for Tuesday. So yeah, PRAISE GOD!!!

Although, I'm still doing the doubt thing. Not about winning. I don't care about winning, really. But I wonder how harsh the judging was. What was the judge looking for? Technique, draftsmanship, idea, composition, execution? How much was taken into account? Did they have a gallery quota to fill? Was I one of the last choices to fill it? I was joking with Adam that the only reason I got in was because they saw an acurately drawn ear in one piece and glowing watercolor eggs in the other, both compliments of Dennis Nolan.

Dennis is one of my professors. He's always stressing the importance of being able to draw the ear the right way because there are so many artists out there who don't know how. As far as the eggs go, I had no idea how to paint them when Dennis gave us that assignment, and he showed me what colors to use and how to use them to get the right effect. I've learned a lot from him.

Still, I tend to doubt my abilities as an artist. Couldn't tell you why. But praise God! I'm in the show! I think it might be His way to encourage me and reaffirm the abilities He's gave me.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
-Psalm 139:14