Let's Talk, I Really Mean, Let's Collaborate

 

"Coffee Break"

Truly Creative People Collaborate Often

It is a popular scene; artists and other creative types doing most of their work hidden away in some remote garret or dingy studio. While this may be the case for many and I know I like to work alone or with just one other trusted person, but before we get to that point we artsy folk usually spend a great deal of time talking, sharing and inspiring other creative people. Collaboration is our ‘Life Blood”

Collaboration… sort of a big fancy word, huh? Usually when you hear it you think of a bunch of people sitting around a table throwing ideas around or planning some big merger etc. The standard definition is; “Something created jointly by working with others” That’s a good start.

For artists (I’ll use that word for all creative types to save space) collaboration might take a slightly different path. When we get together, in person or online, we thrive on sharing ideas, brainstorming, critiquing and concocting. Often you will hear, “Hey, have you ever tried… or Maybe if you put this with that… or even, How about of marketing that to this other group/that other venue?” We might not physically put our hands on another person’s work, but we are pretty free with injecting our ideas into their minds… and you know what happens then!?  Great big new ideas and projects emerge. We don’t even realize that the seeds of that great new adventure came from the fusing of an idea tossed out and our own ideas.

Our heart and soul as artists is sharing. Sharing what we love, sharing what moves us, sharing our passion. Sometimes just hearing someone else get excited about their ideas gives us a renewed excitement for our own languishing projects. If we are prevented from sharing we begin to fade… if our voices are silenced we shrivel…. the blood is somehow draining from our being.

If you are struggling in your work, don’t turn away from us. As the tender spring flowers press upward toward the light, turn toward the noise of collaboration. Join in the rustle and clatter of the  camp. Come run away with us to the ‘virtual circus’ of artisans, share your vision and your dreams.  It’s a grand adventure, enjoy the ride.

If this little bit of prose has peaked your curiosity I encourage you to check out TheCraftStar  to buy and sell, and TheCraftStar on Google+ to collaborate your dreams with others.

I would also like to thank Bethan Davies, Mia Voss  and Gary Goldstein for their help, inspiration and encouragement.

 

"Need Less, Be Blessed"

"Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. For my brethren and companions' sake, I will now say, Peace be within thee" Psalm 122:7-8

Here we are beginning another year. SO many blogs filled with 'resolutions' and self-help idea. I'm not against them, but I guess I tend to shy away from whatever the current 'fad' is. 

Last year I read "Happier at Home" By Gretchen Rubin (She also wrote "The Happiness Project"), a great book about teaching yourself to be content with your home (or how to achieve that happiness)  It made me consider a motto for the year. Last year it was "Choose Joy". 

This year I have been considering the idea of living a more 'minimalist' lifestyle. No... not all white with bare walls. I just don't want my possessions to own me and take up so much of my time to keep track of them. This year (2014) I have chosen for my motto:

                                     "Need Less, Be Blessed"

I want to be content with less things and focus more on how blessed I am right now.

Joshua Becker and his site http://www.becomingminimalist.com/ have been very helpful.  

I have also recently found another blog that encourages The Art of Simple 

I discovered while on vacation, especially in hotels I was very content to have just the basics and it was very easy to keep track of things. (Obviously) It made me think about how much my 'things' and 'clutter' at home are making me feel less peaceful. I did not like feeling less peaceful. So, this year I am going to make a real effort to 'de-clutter' my life and reduce my possessions to an amount I can realistically use and efficiently keep track of.  Towards the end of last year I started already to comb through many things in my garage. It is not going to be a quick task, but I am fairly certain by the end of the year I will be at a place of more peace. 

"Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful, or beautiful" 

William Morris

It is always my hope that my paintings will make you feel relaxed and peaceful. Painting is a very intimate activity for me. (Currently I do not have the above painting available as prints or cards, but if you are interested, please feel free to contact me and I can arrange for some to be made for you.. gerdasgarden at gmail dot com)

My hope and prayer are for everyone to discover peace this coming year. 

Back at it Again

Proverbs 24:16  "For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again..."




Just like the industrious little ants in my painting. I am going to get back to work writing this blog. To my new followers,  "Welcome"


I am a very spiritual person. I won't apologize for that, but I also strive to be a very loving and compassionate person as well.   I hope here on these humble (cyber) pages you will find encouragement and inspiration. I am only sharing my view on things and don't think I have any new and astounding revelations to share. 

Since I last posted I have found a new place to share my paintings. If you are interested in purchasing anything of mine you can find an ever changing selection at The Craftstar (An exciting online community for artists of all varieties)  

I have also opened my own website/gallery Gerda's Garden where you can see some of my latest works and click through to purchase if you wish





 

RISEN!

Spring-time is upon us. The days are longer and warmer, and we start to think of flowers. I always think of the bulbs that have been planted a while back. They sit in the dark cold dirt receiving rain and nourishment from the earth. Then the warm spring sun begins to heat the ground. In only a few weeks the gardens begin to burst forth with the bright colored tulips, freesia and hyacinth, to name a few.

Just as the flowers were buried in the earth so was our Savior buried. As the third day dawned He rose from that cold dark tomb to walk on the earth once more. The angel declared. "He is not here, He is risen..." (Matthew 28:6) This is the apex of the gospel message. We serve a savior who is living, who had the power to resurrect himself! He is the only one that can give to us eternal life.
Acts 4:12
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Jesus' wants to reconcile us with God the Father that we might have fellowship with Him now and eternally.
Spring-time is a good time to reevaluate our relationship with God. Do you you know your eternal home? How long since you have visited with God in prayer and quiet Bible reading? Have you been in a dark, cold winter of despair or longing. Jesus is waiting for you. His arms are wide open to embrace you.

The words to this wonderful old hymn really say it best. (http://hymnal.calvarybaptistsv.org/409.html)
I wanted to link the actual song as well, but could not find it, maybe I will try to add it later. Some you over 30 might remember it. :)

Let the Sun Shine Again
Words and Music by John R. Rice
© 1972 by John R. Rice

2 Thessalonians 3:5
"And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God ..."

I remember the time when I first knew the Savior,
When the sunlight of blessing so flooded my heart,
Oh the sweetness of "first love," with Jesus so near me,
and I thought such devotion would never depart.
Chorus
Let the sunshine again, Let the flow'rs bloom again;
Stir the embers of love in my heart!
Holy Spirit reprove, then embrace me again;
Let the sunshine again in my heart!

Then how sweet were the Scriptures, they spoke to me daily,
How they guided my steps; but my zeal did not last,
And the sweet place of pray'r where I met with my Savior,
I neglected, and so soon my joys were all past.

Chorus
Let the sunshine again, Let the flow'rs bloom again;
Stir the embers of love in my heart!
Holy Spirit reprove, then embrace me again;
Let the sunshine again in my heart!

Oh, I loved will to walk in the way with God's children,
When we net with glad heart in a fellowship sweet.
But the pull of the flesh and some worldly companions,
In the paths of sin's pleasure attracted my feet.

Chorus
Let the sunshine again, Let the flow'rs bloom again;
Stir the embers of love in my heart!
Holy Spirit reprove, then embrace me again;
Let the sunshine again in my heart!

Lord, I come now again for forgiveness and blessing,
As Thy penitent child I am seeking Thy peace.
For the blood paid my debt and Thy Spirit within me,
Bids me come to my Father, my wand'ring to cease.

Chorus
Let the sunshine again, Let the flow'rs bloom again;
Stir the embers of love in my heart!
Holy Spirit reprove, then embrace me again;
Let the sunshine again in my heart!

Is God like a buffet?

What we 'need' is not always what we want. Most children don't want to eat their vegetables, but they need to eat them to obtain nutrition to grow healthy. If you got to a buffet restaurant you will often see children (and adults) fill their plates with a lot of enticing items... and a few vegetables. Do we treat God like a buffet? "I think I would like some of that Grace, but not that Judgement." or "Oh yes please pass the Salvation, but you can keep that bowl of Repentance." Perhaps it's; "Thank you for the nice serving of 'Blessings on my life', but I don't really want any of that 'Share my faith with others platter'." Just as a balanced diet needs all types of food a balanced Christian Life needs all that God has planned for us.

In James 5:10-11 we read, "Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy." God allows affliction, persecution, judgement, to mold us into the kind of believer He can use. The success of that molding depends on how we choose to endure. In the Greek (no I did not take Greek, but a few things stick when I hear them in sermons) the word endure in this verse can be further defined:
to remain i.e. abide, not recede or flee

1. to preserve: under misfortunes and trials to hold fast to one's faith in Christ
2. to endure, bear bravely and calmly: ill treatments

A good way to picture this is to think of a vaccination/hypodermic needle, and the word 'hypo' is from the Greek word hypomeno/hupomeno=endure. If you get a shot it has to go under your skin in order to be effective, it has to become part of you. If it were just poured onto your skin it would run off and be of no help. No one likes to get shots but we know that it is what we need, and the pain is worth the health outcome, preventing disease. The Christian life is more than just a one time decision it is a constant process of seeking God and learning from His plan for us.

Romans 8:28 tells us, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." Yup.. it said ALL... even the struggles, pain , and testings. Why? Let's look ahead a bit to Romans 12:1-2 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that, and acceptable,and perfect will of God." The term "this world" usually refers to the physical world we live in that is not in agreement with God. It's not hard to see that 'this world' is a spiritual and emotional battle ground, vying for your time, thoughts, and even money. God allows the trials to show us our need of Him and His guidance. With His help He wants us to make changes in our lives. If we don't want to be conformed to the world and we want to do the perfect will of God, where can we find that? How can we 'renew our mind' to be pleasing to God? II Timothy 3:16-17 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." Daily Bible study and prayer are the keys to having a balanced Christian life and knowing what God wants from us.

In times of trouble, pain, sorrow and fear God wants us to look to Him, not give up or become discouraged. He wants us to search His word and then look at our own heart and lives and see if any changes are needed. Perhaps enduring will mean waiting on Him and trusting in His plan. When we eat our "vegetables" and get our "vaccinations" we can live a much more balanced and productive life for God.


Greek New testament lexicon for Hupomeno:
http://www.searchgodsword.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=5278

May your house always be a home

May your house always be a home.

Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it..." Ps 127:1

Being a 'mom' is all I ever wanted. I can remember as a young girl I had several large wooden doll beds (made by my grandpa) that were FULL of baby dolls. I lovingly tended to their every need. I loved to play house with play dishes, pots and pans. I loved to dress up in over sized dresses and plastic high heels. Once I even dared to try and walk from my room on the third floor in said plastic high heels. OH DEAR!! I fell after only few steps and tumbled over and over until I hit the landing. Crying and in a state of 'shock' (for a kid) My mom came running. She hugged me and wiped away my tears. Then of course she sort of scolded me for trying something so grown up as that. My mom was as near to a perfect mom as anyone could have. I will admit during my teen years I had totally the opposite opinion, but once the Lord got hold of my life that changed and she was once again the wonderful person I remembered as a child. I could write a whole book on her life, no... several books. She was an amazing person, and if I could become even half the women she was I will have achieve a lot. I will save all of her fantastic live stories for another time.

Being a mom was her job and she cherished it. "Homemaker" certainly fit her well, and she never thought that a demeaning title... in the dictionary it's defined as ..."a person who manages the household of his or her own family, esp. as a principal occupation." That's ok as far as simple definitions go, but making a house a home is a bit more than just 'managing' things. There is a whole lot of love in there too... love that is filled with giving and serving. Being home and being a mom are just about the best two jobs I can have. I actually think being home presents a greater time management challenge than going to a work place. If you work somewhere, when you leave usually they don't call you and ask where their lunch is , or their socks, or ... Homemaker/Mom (I am going to use mom just because it's shorter) is a 24/7 job... you might get a little break here and there during the day, but around 5pm when everyone comes home for the day you are back at it for a few more hours... and loving it!

MOM upside-down is WOW.. pretty cool huh? Being mom is a very wow experience. I am so blessed that I have been able to stay home for most of my children's growing up. Home to take things slow when needed. Home to just sit and color on a rainy day. Home to take a walk to the park whenever. Home to be the one the kids talk to when they are just back from school and have to tell you everything about their day right then. Home to be able to help out at a moments notice. Home to be able to supervise repairmen and spend hours on the phone when repairs go awry.

This is all I ever wanted. I am so very grateful to God and my husband for making it possible. I know there are many many women who long for this and I am in no way condemning or judging their lives. This season of my life will be changing soon as my youngest graduates next June and goes off to college. So for one more Fall we will buy some new pencils and paper. For one more year I will drive her to school each morning, tell her "I love you" (even if she rolls her eyes at me sometimes). For one more year I will sit on the side lines and cheer her volleyball and softball games. For one more precious year I will know for sure where she is each night. I will always be a mom, but then I will be a different kind of mom. I hope I will always be the mom they think of when they think of home.

God so loved the world He came to be with us

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Hallelujah what a fantastic promise!
God, the creator of everything that was, that is, and that is going to be, wanted to have close fellowship with me (!?) Why me? I am really nothing special. None the less He did. To this end He put His Holy and divine spirit in a human, Jesus.

We think a lot about Jesus being with us at Christmas time. The wonderful story of how he was born just like us and was raised in humble surrounding so that anyone could understand the message of "God with us" After that, after the lights, tinsel and trees are gone. After the presents are not our focus anymore. After all that... what about Jesus? What are you doing with Jesus? Are you doing anything? You might think about him again in the Spring at Easter... and remember His ultimate sacrifice.... taking your punishment on His body. Celebrating His raising Himself from the dead , AMEN!!! Then what? What about everyday? On your way to work, or while you work in your home? What about at lunch break, while shopping, or at school? Do you think of Him then? I realize it's impossible to think about Jesus every moment, but do your thoughts go to Him when you can? Or do you avoid spiritual things? If you do, why? Do you feel it's not 'for you'? Perhaps you think "oh I am not that bad, others are far worse than me" that might be true, but is that really how you should be measuring yourself? By what others do? Why not let God set the standard for you ..."OH pleassseeee.... God is perfect", you might be thinking.... Yes , He is. Why not have a very high standard for yourself? God does not expect you to be perfect, in fact He knows you can't be, because of the sin in our lives, but He does expect you to acknowledge that sin, and realize that you can not of your own efforts erase the penalty for that sin,. Only Jesus who is perfect can do that for you.



Do you acknowledge your helplessness, or are you relying on your own strength to carry you though? Why not rely on someone who is far stronger and can never fail, to carry you, especially in the most dire of times? God is available to everyone, He was born the way he was to show even the poorest of people that He came for them. He was born helpless to show those who feel out of control He is their for them as well. He left the splendor of heaven to show His willingness and great desire to have fellowship with YOU.



I hope you will reach out to Him today. Please email me to find out more.

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee. Isaiah 26:3

Peace; such an important topic these days. We hear alot in the news about 'world peace', 'peace talks', I even remember a little saying from my childhood..."peace on earth or earth in pieces". Usually when we talk about peace we think about peace outside of ourselves, or a lack of strife and war between our fellow man. God is not speaking of that kind of peace in this verse. He is speaking of a much more important kind of peace; a lack of strife between you and HIM.

Luke 2:14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men" This was the angels proclamation as Jesus was born. Were they declaring an end to earthly strife? No, of course not. They were heralding the birth of God's Son who would bring everlasting peace between God and man. This is the most important peace of all. God is the creator and sustainer of all things. Therefore when we are in agreement with Him we will be at peace in our souls. We can only be in agreement with Him when we know what He says. The Bible is our record of what God wants us to know. He tells us all things He wants us to know.

God is perfect and can except no sin into His presence in heaven, so if we want eternal life with Him in a perfect heaven we must find a way to atone for our sins. Romans 3:10 and 23 tell us our sin keeps us from fellowship with God. Verse 12 shows us that since Adam we all have inherited this sin. The payment we will receive for this sin is eternal death and separation from God - Romans 6:23. This is a sad pronouncement indeed, certainly not one of peace is it?

"But God commendeth His love toward us, in that , while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8) This is the great message we had hoped for! God loves us, yes us, filled with hate, violence, greed etc. God has love toward us, and that love is so far reaching and amazingly gracious that He extended it to US! God sent His sinless son, Jesus Christ, to this wretched earth to stand in our place, to take the punishment that was meant for us... death... and being God, Jesus raised himself from the dead and lives eternally.

Having overcome death, Jesus has the ability to offer that gift to us. (Romans 6:23) How do we receive this gift? Acknowledge your sin. That is; agreeing with God about how your sin is wrong, offensive, keeping you from Him and just plain bad. Believe that only Jesus can pay the penalty for that sin, since He is the only sinless one that has lived on this earth. Confessing all of this, call on Him to be your only Savior. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10: 9-10.

If you have done this then you have peace with God, you are no longer barred from heaven. You have trusted in Him for your eternal life. That trust is called faith. Your faith in God's promises are what give you that peace.

By keeping your mind on God and His word you can cultivate that peace in your heart. Daily time in His word, the Bible will give you fresh messages from God to think on. Talking to him in your mind and heart is prayer, that is something you can do anywhere and anytime. He wants to hear about your life. Your joys, sorrows, and concerns. Yes, He does already know even before you tell Him, but just like a parent wants to hear it from their child's own mouth, God wants to hear us talk to Him. He created us for that very purpose, to have fellowship with Him. A relationship that we decide to have of our own free will. All this produces that perfect peace in our minds and hearts.

Forgiving as Christ Forgave Me

"Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye."

Colossians 3:13



When we can learn not to harbor the root of bitterness (Heb 12:15) God will show us so many wonderful things. Our spiritual garden can bloom with such amazingly brilliant plants. Our hearts can be enriched with His love so that it sprouts kindness and forgiveness in our lives.



Recently someone said something hurtful to me. It was an opinion they had. I was so hurt that when I got alone I cried. It was not a personal attack on me, or my family, but I got so upset about something I could do nothing about and I wanted to 'tell someone' and 'make someone do something'. What that "something" would have been I don't even know. While I was crying and having a 'pity party' about my hurt feelings the Lord impressed upon me that I should pray for this person and not mention the incident to anyone. That is what I did. It was hard... I really wanted to say something... if someone asked me I was going to 'spill it' ... but no one asked me (God must have told them not to )



God is SO good. The very next day that same person came to me and asked me to forgive them. I very happily said "YES!", and "Thank you for asking". I felt so ashamed about the feelings I had had just the day before. I also felt so grateful we have a God that forgives us and that helps us forgive others.



Christ forgave us so much more than we will ever have to forgive others. It should not be so hard for us to show that forgiveness.



"If I never receive another thing from God I have already received far more than I deserve." Pastor Stan Smith

Be Still and Know.....

"Be Still and know that I am God" Psalm 46:10



I decided to use this painting because I was thinking of the hurricanes and the people that are in the paths of those storms. While I have never been in a hurricane, I have been in an earthquake, and any place you go there could be some sort of natural disaster.

Our Pastor at Liberty Baptist Church preaches a sermon entitled "Storms" ... "Either you are going into a storm, or you are in a storm, or you are coming out of a storm" It might be a physical storm of bad health, lack of finances, loss of a job/home , etc... or it might the storm of mental distress, emotional loss, spiritual crisis, etc.

Earlier in this Psalm we also read, "God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in trouble. ...Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her and that right early." (vs 1, 3-5)

Out of a terrible and fightening 'storm' (physical or spiritual) God's help gushes forth, like the stream that makes glad. God's power is always with us but sometimes in the midst of a storm we don't see it right away. That is why God admonishes us to "Be still and know..." The world might run around in a frenzy looking for the solution, but we can rest safely in the assurance that if we are close to God He is going to be close to us. Next we read, "The heathen rage, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is WITH us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. (vs 6-7)

God promises in this Psalm; refuge, strength, help, to be with us, to be stronger than any foe, and to be exalted over the heathen. What more could we want?

When we are in a storm don't think for one second that God is in heaven 'wringing His hands' over our situation. He is in perfect control. He just asks us to 'be still' and let Him be who He is ... our loving, caring and protecting God.