Take Me Deeper

My word for 2015 is ‘CREATE’. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while now, you already know that ‘create’ has been a strong word in my life for the past couple of months. I really want to do it all: poetry, song writing, photography, mixed-media art, design, etc. I have joined a new on-line faith-based community called ‘His Kingdom Come‘, and am excited about growing in various art forms. I have been asked to be the lead moderator for the poetry group, which will allow me to continuously challenge myself to grow and produce quality content.

The above photo is the journal cover I created for this journal. The girl is also wearing black shoes, but you can’t see them here. I haven’t completely finished it yet, but will work on it here and there. I hope to have a book full of creative works that I have produced by the end of the year.

Do you have any New Year’s resolutions? Do you have a word that is strong on your heart for 2015?

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Just a quick note to say that I will be sooooo busy until mid-March. My family and I are moving from north-east Brazil to the south-east, so we will be packing up all week. Then we will take a mini-vacation to the beach in Porto Seguro, just to come back and prepare to move. Apart from all this, I will also be starting to home school our oldest, who has Asperger’s syndrome (school year starts in February here) and will be unable to read or comment much. Then my mom is coming from Canada for a month in February. If you write me a comment (and I loooooovvvvveeee your comments) I will reply, but it may take me some time.

 

Shine – (Haiku)

The light of the world

Who gave all for those He loved

Shines brightly in me

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This is my first whimsy girl mixed media piece. In all honesty, I loved it before I added the words and started playing with it more. The hair kind of makes her head look wide now, and before it didn’t. Just goes to show that the expression “Keep it simple, stupid” has credit.

 

These Sticks, This Tree

I’m super excited. I have joined a faith-based arts community on-line, because I really like mixed-media art and want to learn how to do it. I also have this crazy urge to just create, so this gives me the opportunity to learn and grow. The above picture is the first I’ve done since elementary school I think. It is the first piece I’ve done of a five-week course offered within this online community. Once I was finished, I was inspired to write the poem.

Ok, I know it’s no Picasso, but there is really something exhilarating about creating something yourself and seeing the end product.

Do you like to create? What are your creative outlets?

Creative Burst – Haiku

These past days I have been wired. Why? Because I want to create. I want to write poetry and songs, do contemporary dance, learn more about photography, especially creating art with photos, like surrealist photography. But what I’m really dying to do is experiment with mixed-media and whimsical art. There’s so much I want to do, and so little time. I’m one of those people that, once I set my mind to something, or once I get an idea in my head, I become somewhat extremist. So my mind truly felt like it was about to burst.

I wrote a post some time ago, Impulse to create and establish order, in which I wrote a quote from author, Steven Altrogge – “God has filled our veins with creative juices. We can’t help it. We must create.” Maybe that’s why I just want to create.

Do you ever feel like this? What, or where do you think this need to create comes from? Have you ever felt like you were going to burst if you didn’t just let go and create?

Music of my Heart (Gogyohka)

My heart beats

to the rhythm of your drum

and sings

to the tune of your spirit

as I submit my all to you

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I fell in love with the various poetry forms a number of months ago, thanks to this girl. I started following her blog and was smitten by all the different poetry forms she used to write her own creations. Thanks to her, I have been challenging myself to push myself just that tad bit further with writing poems under the constraints of rules and order.

Is there something that your heart beats too? Would love to know….. 🙂

Poetry form: Gogyohka

Disconnect & Creativity

Metropolis life
Information addiction
Mental exhaustion

Far from media
Pockets of silence are found
Centeredness restored

Do you ever feel like you are addicted to information? Like you just can’t get enough? Do you ever feel like your brain is about to explode with all the information that is available to us now-a-day? I do.

Media is nothing new. It’s been around for many years. The first alphabet is over 3000 years old. Over time though, it has greatly advanced. From the first printing press to modern digital technology, where one can create, upload, and share information with people all over the world.

The internet has drastically changed the way we receive information. Not just the source, but the speed at which we do. With this though, I find myself obtaining way more information than I need, with a continual thirst for more.

The above poem was inspired by a message I heard at an Anglican church two Sundays ago. I absolutely loved it and couldn’t help but meditate on it more. Below are a few quotes from it:

• “Mediated boredom doesn’t allow us time to think.”
• “Unmediated disconnect opens doors for creativity.”
• “Come to God the creator and be re-created through rest.”

The times I’m most at peace are when I’m ‘disconnected’. The times I most create are when I’m ‘disconnected’. The times that I’m most at rest mentally and spiritually are when I’m ‘disconnected’ and in my secret place with Him.

How about you? Do you consider yourself to be addicted to information. Do you find it overwhelming? Do you think that it can hinder personal creativity? Do you ever ‘disconnect’ and allow yourself time for un-mediated thought?

Resting Art – Haiku

Vast divine artist

I rest between your shoulders

Peaceful and secure

Do you ever think of yourself as a work of art? An intricate and beloved work of art? I do.

It’s very freeing for me, knowing that I am one-of-a-kind, unique and carefully thought out and crafted. My life has an amazing purpose and I have been given the privilege to create art together with the greatest artist of all. Wow.

I’m also overwhelmed by the peaceful security I find resting between the shoulders of He who made me. Not only was I created a masterpiece, but also for intimate relationship with Him.

Do you think you’re a piece of art, a one-of-a-kind, unique and individual? How does that make you feel?

The Divine (clogyrnach)

Sublime intelligent design
Emotion and reason entwine
Creativity
Precise artistry
To a tee
The divine

Do you believe in intelligent design? And if the universe, and all within it were intelligently designed, do you think that requires only reason and logic? If so, why would we, humans, have such strong emotions?

I was doing some research on intelligent design and found a few quotes that really caught my attention:

• “DNA is like a computer program but far, far more advanced than any software ever created. – Bill Gates”
• “The believer in the God of creation is the rationalist.”
• “This most beautiful system of the sun, planets and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being.” -Issac Newton
• “We are intelligent beings: intelligent beings cannot have been formed by a crude, blind, insensible being: there is certainly some difference between the ideas of Newton and the dung of a mule. Newton’s intelligence, therefore, came from another intelligence” – Voltaire

I have always been an emotional person. Often times I’ve acted impulsively off of my feelings. This hasn’t always worked out well. I’m so glad I married the man I did, because he is a strong thinker. So then, he being the thinker, and I being the feeler, I guess you can say we compliment each other. I have learned so much during these past 10 years of marriage. Trying to not let my emotions guide me, stopping and looking at things rationally, recognizing that feelings can often blind a person and cause one to regret impulsive actions. These are some the lessons I’ve learned.

Being a Christian, I believe in intelligent design. In considering the fact that everything in the universe is bound by laws which have no choice but to obey, and the complexity and logic that is involved in order that the universe runs orderly and smoothly – I find it hard to believe that an unintelligent being could have done it all, or that it merely happened by chance.

I’ve often thought that humans are such extremists. We have a difficult time finding balance. I find that some Christians are very strong feelers and live their lives by emotional/spiritual experiences. Then there are others that tend to shun the emotional, because they know that feelings can be deceptive and often blind people. They may know all there is about the Bible and be able to debate logically and intellectually about philosophy, theology and what have you, but are scared of having an emotional experience.

What I am learning now though, is that there is a balance.  If God made me with intellect and emotions, then there’s a reason for it.  I have had some phenomenal emotional and supernatural experiences with God, but have left the reason and logic off to the side. Now I find myself reading and researching out more of a rational basis for my faith. Because ultimately experiences and emotions can be found and generated in any belief system, but I want to know what is true and what is real. I used to read the Bible and pray to find peace and have an ‘experience’ with God. I don’t want that to go, but I want the balance now. The balance between reason and emotion.

How about you? Do you believe in intelligent design? Do you find yourself more of a strong feeler or thinker? Do you long to find balance between the two?

 

 

 

 

Impulse to create and establish order

“Because we are created in the image of God we all have an irresistible impulse to create and to establish order” –Steven Altrogge

Why do you blog? Is it because you want to connect with others? Is it because you want to promote your product? Or maybe it’s just a place for you to unload and release your feelings.  I blog because I have this irresistible impulse to create, establish order to what I create, and share it with the world. The amazing relationships that have developed and that are being developed because of this is the icing on the cake.

The above quote is from a book that I got a sample of on my kindle app (sorry to all of you die-hard ‘real’ book readers, but I live in Brazil and for me to get the books I really want to read, I can only do so electronically).  It’s by an author named, Stephen Altrogge, and I have definitely decided to buy it.  The name of the book is, “Create: Stop making excuses and start making stuff.” Allow me to just share one other quote from it:

“God has filled our veins with creative juices. We can’t help it. We must create.”

I love this. Being a very strong feeler, and having suffered with depression, I find that the creative process is so therapeutic. So, ultimately, it’s not just creating for the simple need to create, but also for the therapeutic benefits that come from it.  The ability to express oneself through the creative process in unlike anything. I remember going for my daily run and ‘reflection walk’ last Friday.  I told God that I needed to create something.  That it was a need in me. I arrived home afterwards with a whole new poem, “When we’re alone“, which I posted this week.

I would love to know what it is that drives you to create? Why is it that you blog? What satisfaction do you find in creating something that comes from you? Please leave a comment and share your creative process. What makes you tick? What drives you to share your soul with the world? What do you get out of it?

Also, if you would be so kind, please take a look at my most recent Haiku poem that was featured here, and let me know your thoughts.