Color me black

 

Colour me Black – Part 1 of a 9 part poem on mixed media

Black makes me think of death and darkness. The absence of peace and all that is good. It also makes me think of depression and moodiness. Deep inner sorrow and soul emptiness. A few other things come to mind when I think of black are evil, wickedness and injustice. The absence of God and all the contents of a Pandora’s box.

Black, however, is also a colour that is made up of all other colours, excluding white, so its meaning isn’t all bad. For example, black clothing is very slimming for the figure. It portrays an air of sophistication and is associated with elegance and even mystery.

Looking at black on an individual and very personal level, I see black as the dance of death and the dance of life. The song of sorrow and the song that produces joy. My greatest enemy, but also my best friend. As a Christian, I believe in what the Bible says, “suffering produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” I see it as a paradox. The death of self actually causes a life that is full and a peace that passes all understanding.

Black is a very real colour in the lives of all people. Suffering, pain and death are inevitable, but white and light makes it all bearable. I am thankful to be under the umbrella that rains white and protects me from pure blackness, without hope.

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What does black mean to you?

 

Swing on a Star

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

I have been invited by Geralyn, from Where My Feet Are, Sibella, from Arts & Rhymes, Himali, from Decoding Happiness, Sagarika, from In Depth, and Christina, from The Wordy Rose to participate in a ‘3 quotes/3 days challenge. I don’t think I’ll be able to do this consecutively, but I will get all three out sooner or later 🙂 (this is post #2)

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I’m a huge fan of being counter-culture (I touched on this a bit in a past post here). I want to be who I am meant to be. Not what society says I should be. Not what others say or think I should be. Not trying to live up to the expectations of others.

I used to be really insecure and my self-esteem was sooooo low. I remember when I was a teenager trying to decide what kind of ‘style’ I wanted to ‘be’. What for? Why not just wear what looks good on you, and what you like on yourself? Why not just do what you were made to do? Why not just be who you were made to be? Why not be an original, and not a copy of someone else?

How about you? Do you try to live up to the expectations of others? Have you tried to be someone you’re not? If so, why? Are you comfortable and secure in who you are? Are you living that out?

Spiritual Fruit (Tanka and mixed-media)

Spiritual Fruit (Tanka and mixed-media)

A sprinkling of salt

Illuminating bright light

Chasing away lies

Darkness flees in His presence

Life-giving fruit will appear

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Salt serves to season, preserve and disinfect. Metaphorically, it has symbolized loyalty, fidelity, usefulness and purification throughout history (source).

Light chases away darkness. In fact, darkness is the absence of light.

As a Christian I’m a fan of the Bible, and read it regularly. I meditate on what it says and try to live accordingly. There is this one part that says:

“Remain in Me, as I also remain in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, neither can you, unless you remain in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who remains in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit. For without Me you can do nothing.”

And so I present to you this simple art piece and poem. My prayer is that I will bear much fruit. Beautiful fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. I know that in and of myself it is impossible. But then again, I guess that’s why these fruits are called, “The fruit of the Spirit”. As I remain in Him and He in me, these fruits are possible to obtain.

Do you believe yourself to be a person full of these fruits? Which area is your greatest struggle? For me it is patience and self-control.

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Just a quick note to let you know I will be traveling on Friday and will be gone for about two weeks. I will not have regular access to the internet while I’m gone.

The Pursuit

Ahhhhh, it’s so good to be back. I’ve missed blogging. My big move and all the craziness in my life these past few weeks (months actually) have taken a toll on me. I’m back on WordPress now, and hoping to settle into my new normal and routine. Can’t wait to reconnect.

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Don’t you love that word, ‘pursuit’? It makes me think of using all of one’s strength in the quest of accomplishing something of importance. The Free Dictionary gives the following definitions:

• The act of pursuing, chasing, or striving after
• The act of striving to gain or accomplish something
• An effort to secure or attain; quest

Being that I’m a Christian, I like to read the Bible. There’s this one passage where a number of Jesus’ followers turned away, because what he was teaching them seemed too tough to swallow. When he asked his closest friends if they were going to leave him too, one said, “…to whom would we go? You have the words of real, eternal life.” That’s a pretty heavy statement, but I believe it.

My pursuit then, will be for Truth. I don’t understand it all, and expect I never will. But when you find something so good, so fulfilling, so meaningful and freeing – it’s something you want to grab on to with both hands and never let go.

Have you ever pursued something? Have you ever grabbed on with both hands and not let go until you’ve attained it? Would love to know your experience hmmmmmm… 🙂

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I’m part of an international creative community online called, His Kingdom Come. This is my response for this week’s prompt. 

Photo: Ouro Preto, Brazil

Power for Living (double Tanaga)

I have been soooooo busy lately. The past couple of weeks we have been renovating, painting and trying to get ready to finally move into our own place. The final lag of our ‘big’ move will be complete.

🙂

From Death to Life

Have you ever considered what it means to live? Did you know that the Greek have three words for our English word, ‘life’? I just recently found that out.

Bios: Physical or biological life.

Psuche: Psychological life of a human. Soul, mind, emotion, will.

Zoe: Absolute fullness of life, spiritual life, the divine life uniquely possessed by God.

Isn’t that amazing? The Greek words go so much deeper. It makes me think about how the physical, psychological (soul, mind, emotion, will) and spiritual are all interconnected. It also seems to answer certain questions I’ve grappled with in the past. Questions about life, death, meaning, purpose, fear of death and what happens when a human dies.

What do you think about these three Greek words, and their meanings?

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Photo taken in Ouro Preto, Brazil

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.

 

Dagger of Truth

 

Do you believe in the spirit world? Do you think that there is anything beyond matter, time and space? I do.

I know not everybody believes what I do, nor has had the same type of experiences. We are all individuals. We are all unique. Not one of us has the exact same experience in life.

When I was a child, and all through my adolescent years, I just accepted what was taught to me in school. I didn’t believe in God, nor the spirit world. It wasn’t until I started asking the questions that all humans, at one point or another, ask themselves. How did I get here? What is the meaning of life? What is my purpose in life? Why are people frightened of death? Where am I going when I die? So at the age of 20 I made a decision to believe in God? I had found Truth, or better yet, He had found me.

Over the years though, I’ve had to water that relationship. I didn’t just make a decision and leave it at that. No relationship thrives like that. It takes dedication, commitment, and quality time spent. If I don’t feed my spirit the healthy nutrients it needs, it is very easy to start believing subtle little lies. When that happens, things get dark and I need to run to the light. That’s where I hear words of life again. That’s where I am restored and refreshed again. That’s where I’m safe and sheltered from fear. I need to catch those little foxes before they dig up the garden. Before they scratch away the seeds that were planted for the growth of amazing fruit.

So, do you believe there is a spirit world? Do you think that there is anything beyond matter, time and space? Do you believe that there is good and evil? Light and darkness?

Connected Endearment

Love
beyond
imagination

our souls rhyme
in the fullness of time
ignited by the sparks of Grace

my reason for living
my nourishment
my breath

when famished
when gasping
You are my base

solace of beneficial
rains falling on
suspended gardens

confidence
that nothing
can efface

when eternity is home
and unearthly treasures
are finally known

revealed
as I’m encompassed
in Your embrace

and I turn my face
towards Your light
I cease to wander

I pray

This poem was written in collaboration with the talented Frederic, of ‘poems & poèmes‘. It was an honor to do this with him because he is a wonderful poet. Please take some time to check out his blog.