Experience the ARTIST

4/02/2010 Lately I’ve been feeling like education is really getting in the way of my schooling.   Honestly, I don’t have time for all this “class” and “studying” and like I’m really going to read my textbooks daily.. I have a job to work, friends to hang out with and a town to explore, lets be serious. (its 2:30 AM by the way- welcome to college) Also, being undeclared, GenEds don’t seem to quite satisfy the notion of learning for a purpose, a greater goal or future career. One thing I do usually love, regardless is English, but after having Mrs. Roland, I wanted to personally crown my professor the queen of dullness and all things boring. Originally, I was excited because the class was centered around advertising schemes, until we started reading a book (that I didn’t actually own) about the different ways to see art. It was quite the drag, until we got into an incredibly interesting discussion that struck home with me. (It’s a little wordy at first, but has a point, I promise)

In John Berger, Ways of Seeing, he addresses the problems of art. Art is no longer what one sees or individual appreciation, but has become a devaluated empire rooted in commerce. Confusing, I know, but let me explain. Once upon a time people visited museums, historical sites and famous artworks. They actually saw the Sistine Chapel, looking from below. Then along came cameras which captured images to show the rest of the world, creating reproductions. At a glance, objects that are reproduced in such a way seem to be more valuable, and they are, monetarily. Although, in the midst of this process they have become appreciated for their fame and worth and no longer the meaning for which they once represented. If I were an artist I would honestly prefer someone to view my work and appreciate the value behind it, to interpret it for themselves or try to see my interpretation, over fame. As a result of this process, we can go to any museum and experience people “oooing” and “ahhing” at an artwork that is supposedly, “exquisite.” It’s almost humorous to see the trap they have unknowingly fallen into. In a poll, Berger found that the majority of people correlate their museum experience with church; probably because of the reverence and commonality of purpose. He referred to this as “bogus religiosity” Which makes me wonder if the renaissance period, one of art and appreciation, was partially spurred by the rarity of the art, by the lack of reproduction of images, and worth based on fame. Maybe these people were better off. Which got me thinking..

It is great that Christianity has been so widespread, but it also creates inevitable problems. How much fame has God gotten and how much of his meaning has been lost? We go to church to show reverence for the One who created us all, but many times that reverence comes from being seasoned to being reverent. It becomes a routine, a monotony. I realize this is a sermon we have all heard a thousand times, “don’t just go through the motions.” But how many times have we stepped back to see the irony and humor of the situation and viewed ourselves as the sheep, as Emerson would say, in the museum? It makes me wonder if we would be better off in the first century church. A time where “church” wasn’t popular. Worship wasn’t out of habit. Reverence was felt because of true awe, not as a result of brain produced wonder and feeling because we are supposed to feel that way. A time where spiritual “highs” came after experiencing the nature of God, daily.

I’m not saying don’t go to church and worship. What I’m saying is don’t worship him for who He has always been or for what others know Him to be, worship Him for how your ARE experiencing him. Personally I want my experiencing God to be in constant present tense. I want to see His works daily. Not just the seven natural wonders of the world, which are great evidence of his handiwork, but I want to see every aspect of his art. I want to recognize not just the panoramas, but the snap shots, the candids, if you will. When I see a father pick up his toddler and swing him around, I want to see art in motion. When I see a couple holding hands, I want to see love incarnate. When I see rain drops on piece of grass I want to see the nurture of God. His art is all around us.

“Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing.” (or merely what everyone else sees) -Camille Pissarro

I want to know The Artist in the rawest form. I want to be stripped from all influence and pre conceived feeling that I bring to worship. I want to experience the Artist in his original context, and all of his handiwork, how it was meant to be experienced. Through his eyes.

“Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.” Henry Ward Beecher

Psalm 34:8 “Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see— how good God is..”

Awaken your senses, Experience the artist.

Oh Sweet Redemption :)

So I babysit a precious nine month old baby girl named Kelsie. I get there at 1:30 after she has gone down for her nap and I do homework or watch TV until I hear her cry through the baby monitor around 3:30. Then I pick her up out of her crib and feed her her bottle. I still don’t know if she knows who I am or thinks I am just a strange girl, but regardless she reaches up to me to pick her up out of her crib because she is so anxious to play after being confined to a bed for a couple hours. She doesn’t know me, but she clings to me. I am her way out. She may not know me, but for at that moment she likes me for that reason alone, and it’s enough for her.

Last week I was talking to a friend who is beyond overwhelmed with school work and the competitiveness of getting into med school. She mentioned that she knows God is there and would listen but that is the last thing she wants in those moments of utter frustration- to pray. One of my other friends mentioned that at the very least it defiantly wouldn’t hurt anything, and would probably even help.

The thing is sometimes we are confined to a crib and even though we would love to get out, we don’t want to ask Him to take us out because to be frank, we don’t fully know that side of Him and are a little bitter because we feel like maybe He is the reason we are in “the crib” in the first place.

SO I was thinking.. Kelsie doesn’t know who I am or where I am going to take her, but she knows that at the very least, it can’t be worse than a being hungry in a crib in a lonely dark room with no toys and a dirty diaper. So day after day she trusts me to take her out with a heart full of hope and faith, like a child.

After a few weeks I think she may be starting to recognize me; I am there when she wakes up from her nap and wants out of the crib and I take her to play. Every time I take her out of the crib, she knows and trust me more. I will be there consistently (duh, I’m getting paid) and as long as she keeps crying when she wakes up, I’ll hear the baby monitor and I’ll be there to pick her up. Not only will I get her out, I will proceed to feed her until she is full, change her diaper and let her play.

Sometimes we realize we want out of our crib and we try to do it all on our own, but the fact is that many times we are not strong enough to scale our cribs. (trust me, I have my own issues of control over my own life and have tried to scale my “crib” on my own. Two words: crib fail.) Other times we prefer to wallow in our despair because it is comfortable, it is easier and we are frustrated we are there in the first place.

And really, not much can be worse than our current situation of “hunger in lonely dark rooms, with no toys and dirty diapers.” Not only will He pick us up, He “satisfy our souls with the richest of foods,” (Psalms 63:5) make us clean, (Mark 1:41) and lead us to something greater than our crib. There’s a new start and a world to be played in if we will just trust Him to pick us up out of the crib, with faith like a child.

Our God is a God of REDEMPTION. Not only did he redeem us from our sins and our pasts life, but he continues to redeem us, time after time. He redeems everything from circumstances and life paths to bad days! Mighty is the redemptive power of the cross! Praise to the God of second chances who hears our calls and rescues us from the depravity of our cribs!

“I called, You answered and You came to my rescue and I, I want to be where You are.”

Some last thoughts: (the PS if you will)
This is what The Lord says in Isaiah 50:2,” When I came, why was there no one? When I called, why was there no one to answer? Was my arm too short to ransom you? Do I lack the strength to rescue you? By a mere rebuke I dry up the sea, I turn rivers into a desert..”
And yet we don’t ask this God for help?

It’s ok to be angry. It’s ok to be frustrated. But also let yourself experience the rescue. listen to the lyrics of Psalm 13 (even if you already have it memorized, it’s so great to hear, every time.) It’s the story of humanity, it’s David’s story, it’s my story, and I have a feeling maybe it’s your story too.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmaZAJ7HaqI

Oh hey there blog world

I love to write. It is how I make sense of my life and sometimes how God speaks to me. I have kept a journal since my freshmen year in high school and although I have wanted to blog I haven't really got around to, consistently at least. Until recently Hailey Jones started blogging (http://clockworkphotography.blogspot.com/) (read it!) and encouraged me to. So this is it (hopefully) and I’m going to try to be consistent because it keeps me accountable for searching for His voice. Although I can’t promise anything. I’m not sure you really care how consistent I am, I’m not sure who “you” really is, but it doesn’t matter. I just need to write, for me, and if someone else reads it then great, I hope that at least a little something sticks with them, and if no one reads it, thats fine to. But I say all that to say that when I say “you” or “we” I’m not talking down to anyone, or think that I have all this figured out, by any means. I’m reminding myself of the lessons God is teaching me, if anything because I am first and foremost a mess, and I am a work in progress.
And if someone else benefits from the words I write, its Him, not me. Because my words are human and fail, but His words- they are perfect. They last, forever. I can only pray the two may at least be intertwined at some point through these blogs.

Finally, the blog is entitled “By His Grace” because I truly believe Grace is the basis for our very existence. It’s implications and benefits extend far beyond comprehension. It’s been on my heart ever since I read The Ragamuffin Gospel and went to Kadesh after my junior year where the theme was Grace. Ask me about it sometime. Only if you have time on your hands that is..