IN TECHNICOLOR Epic of an Illustrated Life: God

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Tuesday, April 20, 2010

The Five Bee’s of Being Cool: Living with Purpose and Passion

Christians believe that Jesus is the mediator ...

by Teresa Carr

For many years I struggled through my life trying to make it work out. I spent time in isolation thinking my life never amounted to much. I re-evaluated my life what I had done so far. Practically, most of my life had been surrounded with some kind of interest in art and design. Art to me had become more of an interest. I’ve learned that it’s the only thing I’ve thought about. I enjoyed going to art galleries and museums. I had also taken an interest in writing about subjects that interest me such as graphic arts, painting, design, bible history, archeology, astronomy, sciences, poetry, education, and farming. But nothing really gives me more contentment than art. There is one other thing that has helped me along life’s road and that the love and grace of God the Father and his son Jesus Christ. It was he who gave me this gift of art. It’s my only love and the only thing that I can do without getting bored, making too many mistakes, or I just don’t get fulfillment from another venture that will eventually end up in the dumpster of life. It is God’s will that we are to find our purpose in life, develop and work with it that means find out how to make money at it, and give back to God what he has given you. In the Bible, Genesis 35:30-35 mentions how Bezaleel was a craftsman of cunning works and engraving. Bezaleel was a slave in Egypt and when Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt Moses elected Bezaleel to build the ark of the covenant. Bezaleel had it in his heart what the Lord called him to do. The Lord put wisdom (skill) into the heart of those that are stirred up to do with what gift He’s given us. Each one of us can do whatever God has called us to do. When we’ve not fulfilled our destiny it’s a set back in the life we are to live out. Remember it was said that when we get older we regret what we should have done earlier in life and never did it.

The problem I’ve encountered was it really what God wanted me to do? So far, I’ve come half way to achieving my desire only being stopped by a few obstacles and roadblocks. One of the big ones has been finance. This is due to the lack of work and fewer career opportunities. Geographically and demographically speaking I’m a prisoner who looks to escape to freedom of creative expression and productivity. To make something work it takes planning and hard work.

I’ve come up with the following Five Principles you can tackle about any challenge in your life all it takes is faith and truth in Jesus Christ. They have been proved and tested through time. These I call the Five Elements of Being.

1.Be in tune and follow your inner voice. Know what your talents are. It’s God’s way of talking to you. Speak your dream into being through the Word of God. Believe what God has for you. He gave you special talents and gifts. It’s up to you to know and use these talents and gifts for His glory. (James 1:17)

2.Be a Visionary. Write down your vision. Find your passion and figure out how to make money at it and give back to others. Take a leap of faith. Never give up on your hopes, goals, and dreams. If you have a dream in your heart it is God’s desire that put it there. (Habakkuk 2:2)

3. Never be a quitter. Always persevere. Never give up! When the going gets rough the tough get going. When one door shuts another one opens. Through obedience and persistence you can do it, because Philippians 4:13 says, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Don’t let anyone decide who you are. God made you unique and He has the final word on who you are, is God’s gift to you. What you do with your life is your gift to God.

4. Be Resourceful. It will take a lot of hard work. Build on your resources. It will pay off. Keep the LORD first place in everything. Commit your plans to Him. Don’t let your work be in vain, but trust in the LORD to direct your paths. (Psalm 127:1; Proverbs 16:3)

5. Be obedient. Always pray. Always let God be your guide. Seek him for direction and financial needs. Through obedience and persistence wait upon the Lord. He’s your support system. Accept where you’re placed and where you can best serve God. (I Thess. 5:17; Psalm 32:8; Psalm 48:14; Psalm 132:15)

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Using Your Creative Gifts

Posted by megagrafx@verizon.net in Jun 15, 2009, under Graphic Art Industry

: Image via Wikipedia

Using your Creative Gifts

by Teresa Carr

Some of you out there have a gift of sorts. Maybe you write, paint, sing, act, dance, decorate, design clothes, play a musical instrument, gourmet cooking, gardening, woodwork, sculpt, invent and just dream ideas and you felt good doing it. Those of you who have creative abilities may feel that you barely have time to be more devoted each day—let alone to practice your art. Do you sometimes feel guilty for not using your talents because your life is full of other things of everyday living? Some of us have fallen by the way side in favor of other mature responsibilities. But don’t be afraid of taking the time to develop your talents.

Recognize yourself as an individual, and see how God sees you.

Ask yourself:

Does God want me to give up on my creativity as an adult and feel lacking in fulfillment?

If God gave me a creative gift isn’t there a way to develop it?

Why would God the Creator who made us in His image expect us to just quit and forget our ability to glorify His creativity by expressing our talents?

The Bible mentions the usefulness of creativity and art. In Exodus 35:20-35, God called artists whom he chose to create the Ark of the Covenant and the Tent of Meeting. Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan were “master craftsmen and designers” who were filled with the Spirit of God with skill, ability and knowledge to lead the artists in this God-ordained mission. I Chronicles 25:1-7 tells how the musicians were set apart by God. Since God honored artists in the Old Testament, He still values artists today. In Matthew 25:14-30, the parable of the three servants who were given talents by their Master. The one servant buried his talent and returned it without increase and was found wanting. The other two servants had put their gifts to work that increased in value were praised and entrusted with more.

Instead of seeking, hearing and acting on God’s vision for our life we get too busy making our own plans we overlook the very thing that could set us on the path toward spiritual fulfillment.

Do you have a whole list of roadblocks that you think are keeping you from exercising your artistic gifts? If you do and you put it off for a numbers of years, you can still start using them again. Some people got started late in life. Take Grandma Moses for example. All we can do is trust God to bless our gifts and desires to honor Him. He was the one who gave us those gifts and desires. The Lord is great enough and good enough to provide what we need to use our gifts to glorify Him.

Let your art be a part of your spiritual practice. Start making your gifts what god gave you a part of your daily worship. If time is an issue, log how you spend doing other things. The least we sit watching T.V., surf the Internet or talk on the phone, that time can be used for your creativity time. Begin using a schedule to develop these talents.

Here is a list to help get started:

Set aside about 20 minutes a day to write in a journal. This is time to listen to what God is saying to you. Write as if you’re writing letters to God.
Keep a record or schedule of how you spend your time each day. Separate a few minutes from each activity that you can use to create a block of at least 30 minutes a day for practicing your art.
Let others know your need to answer God’s call to create. Take 30-45 minutes a day-or even one hour 3 days a week-to work on your art.
Most of all give thanks and praises to God for giving you creative talents and guiding you to use and develop them.

Writer Thomas Merton said, “Our vocation is not simply to be, but to work together with God in the creation of our own life, our own identity, our own destiny.” Poet William Matthews wrote, “One well-cultivated talent, deepened and enlarged, is worth a hundred shallow faculties. The first law of success in this day when so many things are clamoring for attention is concentration-to bend our energies to one point and to go directly to that point, looking neither to the right nor the left.” Stay focused. It’s a discipline that must be practiced every day. In other words, through our talents we can be part of the Creator’s creative process as He molds us into a masterpiece.

Thank you Thomas Kinkade for inspiring me.

Also thanks to the folowing artists: Chuck Close, Michelangelo Caravaggio, The Nazarenes, John Rosenquist, Richard Estes, Georgia O’Keefe, Heinrich Hoffman, Carl Bloch, Michelangelo of the Sistine, Da Vinci, Maxfield Parrish, John Singer Sargent, Vermeer, Ruben, and others.

Sunday, August 09, 2009

Inheritance

He gave His life as a Ransom so that we may inherit His Kingdom forever.

My Forever Ever King.

Christ Jesus

more about "Inheritance", posted with vodpod

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Old Paths and a Detour

2006-08-22 - Road Trip - Day 30 - United State...

Image by C. G. P. Grey via FlickrPosted by wisewarrior@rocketmail.com in Feb. 08, 2006, under Uncategorized

Hello! My name is Teresa Carr, and I started this blog because I want to leave something behind in any event I leave this world and my hope to journey to my final home in Heaven with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I didn't know how to begin this blog so I thought was to share to everyone the important things in my life that shaped who I am and what I did in the course of my short life here on earth. I love to make videos about sharing the Gospel of Jesus with others, showing my artwork, talk about books I've read, or about my favorite activities like survival in the wilderness, camping, organic gardening, cycling, digital photography, and astronomy. I love to write and this blog will be a get outlet to some of the thigs I feel passionate about. I have most of my videos at Youtube and Vimeo. I hope you can visit there and watch some of the videos that may be of importance to some of you. Most of them are not to scare you, but to give you hope that no matter what they say about God and His Son Jesus Christ he cares about people very much. Our world is changing and it is time to take the Gospel to others who have never heard of the Gospel of Jesus Christ before. When the demographics of other countries diminish and others increase who bring with them another culture of living it make it a good time to witness the saving grace of the Lord.
Jesus said to his disciples as they traveled through the country of Samaria long ago. He said to them look the fields are white and ready for harvest. That message still lives on today in our generation. We need to return to the old paths of living and stand up to face evil. Because the storms will come but the righteous will have a foundation to stand.
Also in my pages I will talk about life in the art world, bible study and historical studies in relation to the bible, journalism and writing, and fitness and health. So I hope you will bookmark my site and come back periodically.
Thanks for dropping by!
The Peace of YAH and His Son Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior go with you wherever you go.
TC

IN TECHNICOLOR Epic of an Illustrated Life

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Tuesday, April 20, 2010

The Five Bee’s of Being Cool: Living with Purpose and Passion