Tag Archives: Christian parenting

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My Resume’

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I recently applied for a grant for “emerging artists”.

What is an emerging artist?
*an artist who pops (emerges) out of a cake?
*an artist who slips onto shore from primordial slime?
*an artist who suddenly appears after being hidden?
*an artist who is endeavoring to gain acclaim in her medium of choice?

I wasn’t sure about the designation – emerging artist. Maybe that is part of the reason I didn’t get selected for funding. Maybe I haven’t “emerged.”

I had to fill out a resume for my application.

Resume’?

Wife and homemaker – 38 years
Mother – 4 grown (are they ever fully grown?) children
Grandmother – 11 grandchildren

These are the things that define me and my life, yet they are NOT what reviewers are looking for on a resume’. They want to know what I have done “professionally”.

That means work I was paid for in legal tender.

I have been paid relatively little for my art work, but that has not stopped me from enjoying the process as well as the results.

The resume’ has made me think about being an artist and my motivation for creating art.

My life verse is Romans 12:2 (NLT)

2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

This influences my art work just as it does every part of my life. I must not be concerned about recognition from the art establishment (scary thought?). I must create from the place where I am a new creation. This may mean I am never “in” – or it may mean recognition. Michelangelo, widely considered one of the greatest artists of all time, wrote that he was compelled to create art by God. His statue Pieta was conceived from Michelangelo’s devotion to Jesus and Mary. One can hardly look at that masterpiece without sensing a divine inspiration.

Francis Chan writes in his book about the Holy Spirit – The Forgotten God – that our resume should look like the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Resume’ – Gayle Woody – birth – 1951, re-birth – 1957

Love – 56 years of experiencing God’s love,
expresses God’s love when she forgets about self
Joy – 56 years of knowing the joy of relationship with her Heavenly Father
joy spills over to others when her heart is thankful
Peace – 56 years of experiencing God’s peace which passes understanding
peaceful when her eyes are fixed on Jesus

These are the life qualities that really matter. Our time spent with children and grandchildren have eternal value. Nothing can take away the love, joy, and peace that comes from the Holy Spirit.

My art work is temporary. I have told my friends and family that when they are tired of the art I have “blessed” them with, they are free to dispose of it.

I plan to continue to create art. I plan to honor God through my artistic expression.

I want my resume’ to be filled with the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

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Don’t Look Down!

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I am not afraid of snakes or spiders. I don’t mind small places or thunder and lightning. I enjoy roller coasters and flying in airplanes.

I DON’T like to see people I love on the edge of high places.

I can literally feel my heart pound and my blood pressure rise when Phil is on a high ladder which he tends to do more often than I like to think. He washes windows and has painted our house which has places three stories up. He has patched the roof on the barn suspended from two ladders roped together. He cleans out the gutters removing leaves in the fall and seeds in the spring. All of these activites require climbing ladders.

He has asked me to hold the ladder while he assends or decends and I can only close my eyes and pray.

Phil doesn’t have a problem with doing these tasks up in the air because his focus is on his job, not the height. I have trouble watching because I am focusing on the “what if……”.

Jesus faced this same issue with His disciples.

Matthew 14:25-33 (NLT)

25 About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”
27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”
28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”
29 “Yes, come,” Jesus said.
So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.
31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”
32 When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.
As long as Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he was walking on the water. As soon as he looked down, he began to sink.

The same thing happens to me. As soon as I take my eyes off Jesus, I sink. I allow fear to control my thoughts. I worry about what others think, or what tragedy might occur.

I allow self pity or feelings of inadequacy to control me when I take my eyes off Jesus and look down at the circumstances around me.

As a mother it is so easy to allow worry and fear to creep in and control my thoughts and eventually my actions. I must learn to keep my eyes on Jesus – the author and finisher of my faith.

Hebrews 12:1-3(NLT)

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.

I just noticed that Phil has put the ladder up against the side of the house near the gutter down spout……I better re-read this……

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Where is Your Treasure?

Nana singing to twins

The idea of finding hidden treasure is something that has always captivated the imagination of people. Think of finding a Honus Wagner baseball card in perfect condition in an old cigar box in the attic!

Treasure hunts are exciting. Find a map with an “X” and all you have to do is follow the clues and dig up the treasure. Unless of course the map is a fake or someone else found the treasure before you. Phil and I like yard sales and flea markets. I like to think of these excursions we take as “treasure hunts” although our sons-in-law have discovered the truth – we are Christmas shopping.

Soon after moving into our current home, Phil was repairing a floor in the barn and came across a cardboard box. I got all excited thinking it might be something buried that belonged to someone from the Great Depression Era when they didn’t want to put money or valuables in a bank. It turned out that the box had glass coffee mugs in it. We washed that “treasure” up and use those mugs each time we have company. They probably originally cost about $1.00 each.

At the beach this summer, I drew a map and buried some treasure in the sand on the beach. Our grandsons followed the map and dug up the treasure – packs of gummy bears!

Treasure holds fascination for us no matter what age we are. Jesus used the idea of treasure in several of the parables He taught.

Matthew 13:44-45

44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
What is of such great value that these men sold ALL THEY HAD to purchase the treasure or the pearl?

The Kingdom of Heaven.

Knowing Jesus as Savior and Lord, allowing Him to reign in our lives is of immeasurable worth. The Kingdom of Heaven is that place where Jesus rules. That place needs to be our lives.

Our children and grandchildren are fascinated with finding treasure. Are we doing all we can to help them see what REAL treasure is?

Matthew 6:20-22 (NIV)

20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.Whatever we value most is our treasure. As parents and grandparents we should examine our hearts – ask ourselves – what DO we value most? If we see that we value a house, a career, education, or material things the most, that is our treasure. If so, our treasure is not of eternal value.

We only have to look at where we invest our time and resources – that is the true test of what we value, what we treasure.

I am blessed by the fact that the parts of the Church our daughters fellowship with puts a high priority on ministering to children. Their pastor recently preached “…”imagine the difference we can make in the next genreation if this one class of Confirmands (one of which is our eldest grandaughter) is taught the Bible, the ways of Jesus, and the lessons of faith learned by those who have preceded us.” (Pastor, Bob Thompson)

Another daughter has helped begin a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group where they fellowship. The previous location closed it’s doors to this group of young mothers and children so our daughter’s part of the Church has taken them in. I was so blessed to hear that.

Jesus taught that children are precious in God’s eyes. In fact, we must become like children to enter His kingdom!

So – where is our treasure? Is it our children and grandchildren? Do we value them enough to invest our lives and our resources in their growth as followers of Jesus?

That has eternal value.