Angels With Highlights and Other Encouragements

This is part of the scripture I read at the start of today:

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Philippians 4:4

I lean on Paul's teaching that our inner thoughts don't have to reflect our outward circumstances. He did write the above while in prison, didn't he? His words are encouraging. I remain grateful for Carrot Top Studio's friends and clients and their words of encouragement. Here's a top five list of things you've told us. You humble us and cause me to rejoice especially while in the studio (which is thankfully not a prison!)--

Currently on our design wall.

1. "God's word will be experienced more fully because of the visual images created by your studio."
2. "We were able to give some of your stoles to visiting Russian pastors who felt stoles would give them credibility in a country where they aren't always respected."
3. "I wear the same black dress and black robe every Sunday. Carrot Top Studio stoles are my bit of Sunday morning expression!"
4. When adding angels to a church's banners I inquired about the skin tone and hair color...the client replied, "Pale skin, brown hair--with highlights..this is California after all." 
5. "The images on my new stole are a learning tool for the children on Communion Sunday tieing together the liturgy, the song, and the baking of bread in Sunday School."

Thank you for supporting us by sharing how and when you wear our stoles, how you use the visual to educate and motivate and for making us smile and laugh (what else would angels with highlights do?)

Peace

Peace has been on my mind this week. I started the week working on the pictured stole that will be offered on eBay beginning tonight. Maybe these symbols of God's love caused the Spirit to heighten my awareness and thinking of peace? For example, one of the books I'm currently reading is The New Good Life: Living Better Than Ever In An Age of Less by John Robbins. Robbins is from the Baskin and Robbins ice cream family. His book is not on the subject on peace per se but rather his story of why he chose not to inherit his family fortune. This author goes against the grain of popular American culture to embrace a lifestyle focused beyond money and status. While enjoying this read and believing in these principles I am seeing how his choices have created peace in his life. A lesson to be admired and learned from!


Another awareness came to me in my yoga class yesterday. Of course yoga itself equates peace but interestingly my instructor referred to the lotus blossom as a peace symbol. Even though I was struggling through my tree pose my ears perked up because Carrot Top Studio employs symbols and colors in everything we do. Symbols interest me! My instructor went on to explain that the lotus flower grows in muddy water and rises above the surface to bloom with remarkable beauty. At night the flower closes and sinks underwater, at dawn it rises and opens again. Untouched by the impurity, the lotus symbolizes the purity of heart and mind and the peace that is found through this purity. We've had requests over the years for the lotus bloom on a ministry stole and now I have a greater understanding of why.


Lastly, having recently sung the hymn "It is Well With My Soul" in worship has caused the words to spin round and round in my head.  Horatio Spafford wrote these words as a response to personal tragedy. He found peace through horrific events and made life changing decisions because of these experiences. Consequently I will keep meditating on these varied thoughts of peace. I wonder how it will impact my personal life?  I hope I can discover what gets in the way of finding peace and that when I have peaceful times God will use me...because this fruit of the Spirit can be contagious!


P.S....I suspect this pondering will also cause me to add to our peace and healing ministry stole collection.

Art for This Week's Lectionary Text: The Good Samaritan

If you follow the lectionary you know that one of this week's texts is the parable of the Good Samaritan.This is a familiar story from the Bible and has been illustrated by many artists throughout history. Here are two interesting examples...

The Good Samaritan, Vincent Van Gogh, 1890

Portrait of YOU As Good Samaritan, James B. Janknegt, contemporary

Some questions to help you think about this art in relationship to the Luke 10: 25-37 text:

• Do you recognize any images?
• What kind of lines do you see? How are they used?
• What do the colors remind me of, or what feeling do they give?
• Where are the important images placed?
• Would you like to meet these people?
• What does this art mean to you?

Verse 37 (go and do likewise) is currently speaking to me. Last weekend my family had the chance to serve a meal to several families from our community that are temporarily without housing. The program they are in provides shelter, food, and any other support needed to help get them back on their feet. My teenage children brought several friends with them to help prepare and serve the meal. At the beginning of the evening while explaining the program to one of our friends it was interesting to hear her responded with, "Wow, my church needs to be doing this too!" I had a second "ah, ha" moment while conversing with a client as we ate our hamburger dinner. This woman was in her 60's and listening to her banter about her children and grandchildren, her past experiences with her church community, and her pondering about how her husband's day at work had been caused me to think that I could have been talking to so many different women that I know. Her reflections, wonderments and worries were universal. She became my neighbor. Lastly, after dinner was served and the adults were settled in for the night my husband and I returned home. The teens stayed and played with the children because they were all having so much fun. Late into the evening we were all gathered back at our home and listening to everyone's reflections made me proud of the teenagers involvement but also found me causing to confess that we don't do enough to love our neighbor. I'm praying this week that I can have open eyes for who the neighbor is each day and a willing heart and hand to "go and do likewise." I hope the scripture this week and the above artwork will inspire you also.