A Work Of Art

God's Painting

Luke 3:22 "And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased."

A Work of Art

I'm going to go out on a limb here and call myself a work of art. As a matter of fact, each and every one of us is a masterpiece in our own right. When we were created, we were not painted by the kindergarten class with our non-toxic paints and fat paintbrushes. We were crafted by a Master artist with the finest paints and brushes and we, each and every one of us, were painted by an artist better than Michelangelo!

You see, when we were forming in the womb, God had a plan for his piece of art. It took him nine months to create the perfection He saw in us. He didn't just blink us into existence like a genie, no He masterfully created each and every brushstroke of our life and when we were born, He already saw the finished fulfilled work of art in its completion to the end, hanging in the Sistine Chapel. 

He looked at us and it was good! He knew every brushstroke our life would take. He knew the perfections and imperfections because He saw us up close and personal, not from the marble floor below. No, your mother, father and everyone else saw you from below the art. They gazed at you and saw a tiny infant seemingly perfect. As you grew, people saw you and studied you as a piece of art and came to a conclusion of what they perceived. But to God, you were still a masterful work of art in progress. 

If you say that God makes no mistakes, you'd be correct in your assumption. The imperfections I referred to was our free will. You see Adam and Eve were made perfect! A completely perfect work of art finished and drying in the sun. Free will was the last brushstroke in giving us a chance to assist with the painting. The reason we're not the creating artists is that we botch the job. Our free will leads us to the imperfections of our life, all of which God saw in advance when creating you but he is not in control of our free will.

I knew as I got to this point in my life I had done a bang-up job of this masterpiece. I didn't handle the brush with the gentleness and care of the Master artist. Not that I turned Michelangelo's work into a Picasso but I think sometimes I turned it into an Andy Warhol meaningless jumble of paint. But I digress, I'm still in the planning stages so the brush hasn't been whisked out of my hand yet. God sees a Van Gogh in me; a little loose around the edges but awaiting perfection.

I now see this illness as a chance to complete what was a little messed up. My mind, my body, my soul all are taking a little tender care of the flamboyant brush strokes that I let onto the canvas; I'm no intense chapel in the making, and definitely not in Vatican City. These illnesses I'm being faced with are all a part of the whimsical flinging of the paint onto a blank canvas, I'm now in the process of making some sense out of what I want this painting to be. I want people to look at me as a work of art, not perfect but worth looking at for hours on end trying to sum up a conclusion of what they see and are going to walk away with.

Each day I wake, after thanking the Lord for another day to open my eyes and gaze at the canvas, I stare in awe of what has the potential to be a worthy piece of artwork! My writing, my healing, my poetry, my muse all are forming an exquisite piece of artwork ready to be hung in a gallery among the greatest artists who ever lived. 

I'm not standing here and proudly boasting of a swelled ego, I am an artist sharing with you my vision of just where this completed work will stand in the end. The gates of heaven have the potential to be open for me and the gallery of brilliant colors of a reflected prism are at my fingertips. I am a light-bearer, I am a shepherd, I am not here to tell you where you've gone wrong, I'm here to tell you what went right. You were born! You were created by a Masterful artist that saw all of your potentials and now it is time for you to take control of the brush and complete the painting that was begun when you were born.

We've all made mistakes! And if you're over the half-century mark, you are now in the final stages of completing your masterpiece. Are you going to finish up by botching up the canvas? Or are you going to make the necessary changes that need to take place to see you too entering the gates of heaven, or do you even care and are just happily strolling along in life not caring where this journey ends? My friends, take care of the work of art that is you. God did all the hard work and now He hands you the brush to take care of the finished product that will hang on the walls of Heavens gallery someday.

May the blessings of the Lord our God be with you today and always!

Poetry Sunday ~ My Talent

Matt. 25:15 “And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.”

* ~ * My Talent * ~ *

God asked me to use the talents

That He has blessed me with

The sharing of the Word I hear

The truth and not a myth.

I sent the Word into the world

A message delivered to me

It was a ripple on the lake

For all the world to see.

The words they entered in my ear

And out of my fingers bled

My gift of writing words to you

Is where my soul was led.

God was pleased when he saw

My talent not gone to waste

The gentle words about His Son

I fed the world a taste.

Some people sit idly by

Saving earthly treasures

Their talents, gifts and so much more

With all their worldly pleasures.

Rise up you sleeping people

For the new world that awaits

The life that’s left behind you

As you enter heaven’s gates.

Matt. 25:23 “His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”

I Bow to Him

Ps. 31: 2 Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.

 I Bow to Him

I bow my knee; I sing praise

To you my God for glorious days.

Is it just me or is it them

I bow my knee to the Great I AM!

I bow my knee; I sing praise

The God of All lightens my ways.

I have seen and I have heard

I bow my knee to His holy Word.

I bow my knee; I sing praise

The Rock in me shines through the haze.

I know He sees; always hears

I bow my knee through the tears.

I bow my knee; I sing praise

It is to Him my hands I raise.

Always near; never far

I bow to Him, my Shining Star.

Joni's Muse

“Some people choose to spread the darkness in hopes to shed light. Only in spreading Light can darkness be shed!” ~ joni

I feel like I’ve gone and dived into the reflecting pool. It is full of shimmering light, reflections from the Son.

Years ago I started this blog with every intention of helping me become a better writer and helping any writer become educated in the craft. I had felt that this is what God wanted me to do. He gave me the gift, so I felt it necessary to honor Him by helping writers by writing.

Boy was I ever wrong. Recently I’ve had a few God slap moments where God was trying to tell me something, but as a sinner and being human, I was misinterpreting. In hindsight, I apparently have been misinterpreting for years.

As we were driving to church yesterday, I had made a comment about my musically inclined friends. I said, As much as I love music and instruments I wonder why God never gave me the gift of playing an instrument?

*Whack* Slapped upside the head moment booming loud and clear He said, “I gave you the gift of poetry! Poetry IS the instrument you play to the SOUL!”

Rows and rows of harvested corn were fluttering passed my eyes and thoughts of the recent weeks came flooding my mind. What caused me to want to change this blog? What deep within me calling nearly forcibly had me change the entire years of work?

The past few weeks since the change over, I can look at a word or two and be inspired to write a poem. Not just any poem mind you, these poems have a rhythmic flow to them and when I read them I’m stirred inside as if singing praise songs to the Lord.

Also note that when I see words of hate or the bashing of something, it stirs in me hurt and angst! I’ve written many poems on pain and the angst I feel toward my fellow human beings, but seeing people hate this and hate that: “I’m against the Muslims”, “I hate this about the world!”, “I hate the president this and that and the other thing.”

Prov. 10: 29 The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

Do they not realize something? God is the Creator. He created all this to see how we humans would respond! We preach the gospel one minute, then the very next minute spew hatred? Is that not dividing your faith? Turn the other cheek does not mean, turn it to which YOU choose to turn. We must turn the other cheek to all this chaos going on in the world. Be aware of it yes, but hate it? Isn’t that like hating God’s plan for this world and everything He has already planned?

Isa. 47: 11 Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know

That is where my quote came from: “Some people choose to spread the darkness in hopes to shed light. Only in spreading Light can darkness be shed!” ~ joni

People feel as though they are shedding light on dark matters, but they are really doing satan’s work and spreading the darkness even further into the psyche. They are hampering God’s plan. God’s plan, evident to ANY and ALL true Christians is this, LOVE! Spread love! Plain and simple but complicated to the blind.

I don’t like that hundreds die because of raging storms. I don’t like that a tsunami can wipe out an entire country and disable it. I don’t like that leaders feel they own the human race but is that going to cause me to spread the darkness with them? I don’t think so.

I think that God gave me a talent, a musical poetic talent. When I think to send my poetry to a publisher, I’m met with the fact that poetry, especially rhyming poetry, is a dying craft. Like a tsunami to the writing world, poetry is being led out to sea.

Heb. 10: 5  Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

God has made it abundantly clear that my gift is to touch people, change people, and help them to find comfort in a darkened world. (The new me), Through poetry and my muse, I am living and am awakened to God’s plan for my life. My soul has been changed these past couple of weeks and through the grace of God, I will share and do what God had intended for me from the very beginning. Your life will be severely altered when it is His will you follow and not your own self-guided self. (The old me)

A dear friend wrote: “ (Joni) I love everything you write. Most times it seems as if God is leading you with a message for me too or a mentoring tip, or something meant for me -- I know your writing is from your heart and God's, but He uses it to touch others too.” ~Tiggs

Amen!

Quotation Saturday

Pss. 100: 4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

REFLECTION 

***

I chose REFLECTION because this is the time of the year I reflect on the year that has passed. Reflection is a good way to put things in perspective and get your priorities straight!

“Reflection must be reserved for solitary hours; whenever she was alone, she gave way to it as the greatest relief; and not a day went by without a solitary walk, in which she might indulge in all the delight of unpleasant recollections.”
~ Jane Austen

“Sometimes, you have to look back in order to understand the things that lie ahead.”
~ Yvonne Woon

“That’s sad. How plastic and artificial life has become. It gets harder and harder to find something…real.” Nin interlocked his fingers, and stretched out his arms. “Real love, real friends, real body parts…”
~ Jess C. Scott, The Other Side of Life

'Instead of possibilities, I have realities in my past, not only the reality of work done and of love loved, but of sufferings bravely suffered. These sufferings are even the things of which I am most proud, although these are things which cannot inspire envy.' "
~From "Logotherapy in a Nutshell", an essay -- Viktor E. Frankl
 

 THANKFUL

I chose thankful because I am thankful hourly, not only daily. Every hour something amazing happens and I have to thank the Lord! With my eyes continually on the Lord, my life is fruitful with many blessings. Yours is too, you just need to see!

The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but the thankful heart will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings.”
~ Henry Ward Beecher

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.”
~ Anonymous, Holy Bible: King James Version, Heb. 12:29

“The reality of loving God is loving him like he's a Superhero who actually saved you from stuff rather than a Santa Claus who merely gave you some stuff.”
~ Criss Jami

“This path was not that of my conscious choosing. But after persistent subconscious confrontation, I have finally embraced what is, 'souly' for me...and I am thankful, when called upon, to be able to share and give to those who seek their own way of the path.”
~ T.F. Hodge

MUSE

I chose muse because it is with my muse that I see glorious beauty all around me. It fills me with words I must spill on the page in praise and love of my Lord! I’m thankful my muse spoke up and had me change to the true meaning of my blog – Joni’s Muse.

“There is no place for grief in a house which serves the Muse.”
~ Sappho

“This is the other secret that real artists know and wannabe writers don’t. When we sit down each day and do our work, power concentrates around us. The Muse takes note of our dedication. She approves. We have earned favor in her sight. When we sit down and work, we become like a magnetized rod that attracts iron filings. Ideas come. Insights accrete.”
~ Steven Pressfield

“All of us need to be in touch with a mysterious, tantalizing source of inspiration that teases our sense of wonder and goads us on to life’s next adventure.”
~ Rob Brezsny

“I am thankful my muse allows me time for reflection and wondrous beauty of the world and blessed moments.” ~ Joni Zipp

Col. 3: 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

 

 

What a prompt will do...

We are all inventors, each sailing out on a voyage of discovery, guided each by a private chart, of which there is no duplicate. The world is all gates, all opportunities.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
***

If you’ve been to WVU or have taken f2k, you know that somewhere along the line, you’re going to run into a prompt. What is a prompt? Well a writing prompt is just that, it is used to get your muse flowing and start writing.

Some days, as writers, we get blocked for things to write about. Our story closet has been picked dry and so we need to dig into that storage bin and find something, ANYTHING to give our muse a lift.

Does an old smelly sock do it for you? No, What about a shoe? Aha an old shoe you haven’t worn in years. An old faithful shoe that has memories tied to it. Ahh, now we’re getting somewhere. What kind of memories? Good or bad? Oh I think I went digging and struck gold!

Do you realize there is a prompt waiting for you around every corner? Just walking out the door, the odor in the air can elicit a writing prompt, as well as the sights of a barren street or empty parking lot, slamming doors, bouncing balls on a basket ball court? All of these sights and sounds can trigger a writing prompt.

Julie likes to dish out the ‘Three Word’ prompts. Name three random things, tie those three things together in a story. It takes a little practice but sometimes you get some of the best unblocked writing ever. Why? Because you were not really thinking about writing, you subconsciously had those three things in your mind, you wrote about them and tied them all into a nice little ball of yarn and you shared it with your writing friends.

Some will look at you, (not knowing what the three things were) and think, “What is this story about?” A writer will give them a clear picture hopefully and they won’t have to ask that question.

Now some writing prompts are Picture Prompts. This is the one where you look at a picture and from what you see, you write a story. This one is tough because you have to dig into your memory pool and pull out some really creative writing. A picture is worth a thousand words, literally.

Then there is the Sentence Prompt. This is where a partial sentence is given and you finish it and spin it into a webfully woven tale. Take for example: “Clarice walked into the store and could not believe her eyes. What did she see?” Just something as simple as that can help you unblock the block and have you writing until your fingers pop off your hand.

As you journey down the writing road, always remember that there is a prompt that will bring in the shovel and start digging you out of the slump that you might be in. Don’t take writing for granted, use it to your advantage of being the healer that it is meant to be.

Freedom

FREEDOM
The pen is mightier than the sword…

How often have you heard that one? To me it is a mighty mantra and I put it to good use. Whenever I want to lash out at someone, instead of verbally abusing the situation, I sit down and write. Often times its just me babbling, but more times than not my pen becomes a sword while I watch a storm (story) brewing beneath the surface. With the blade sharpened it even becomes a mighty tool in the machinations of my work.

We writer’s have a freedom that every human being should have, but too often they would rather lash out in a verbal attack, not knowing that their pen is mightier. Writer’s can take the red, white and blue to new levels.

The red is the crimson that boils under the skin, painting a woman’s cheeks a soft hue. The blue is the battered bruising that a conflict can cause or the shade of sadness that creeps into your heart. The white is the glorious purity of a whimsical soul that has been allowed to soar amid the fluffy clouds creating the mystical lure to drink in the reader.

The flag stands for something to our country America. But what the symbol exudes is our freedom that was well earned through the bloodshed of men, the bruising of ego and pure love of a land that was/is worth fighting for to keep all of our constitutions words alive.

Words! Did you read that? It was words that brought about our Constitutional Rights. It was then followed by actions to make the rights of a nation stick like gum to asphalt. Sometimes they can appear a little gummy and uncertain, but in the end when all is said and done, the Law becomes a firm adhesive in forming a nation.

Just as writing will bring about an unwavering adhesion and will cling to you no matter where you go in this world. Words will build you a structure, shape and mold a story, bring you to move into action, so you become published while a nation stands in awe of your work. You raise the flag of freedom. You praise the country you live in, then you thank God for giving you the best gift anyone could ever receive, and that is the talent of writing.

So what are you waiting for? Let the Freedom of Writing take hold of your psyche allowing you to move into action as the cause and affect leap onto your keyboard. You will mold, shape, structure a tale then through action cause it to be released into the world on its own wings, watching it fly like the beautiful eagle.

Our fathers’ God, to Thee,

Author of liberty,To Thee we sing;

Long may our land be brightWith freedom’s holy light;

Protect us by Thy might,

Great God, our King.