See It Before It Happens

I have been doing a lot of painting on windows over the past few months. It has been something that has allowed me to use my talents and has opened the door to be able to share my faith. When I start a painting, I must visualize what it is going to look like. I also must try to keep it to a certain scale.

One secret that I’ve learned in art that I would pass on to anyone, is that I don’t try to draw or paint a specific object. I try to paint shapes or lines that eventually become an object. I treat letters, flowers, faces, or whatever else I am working on in a painting as its own separate shape. I have learned this takes the pressure off of objects trying to look like something specific. In the end, that object comes out looking like it, but it is because I have matched up lines, etc. to allow it to become the two-dimensional object it ends up looking like.

Whether it is painting or goals, we must be thinking about it ahead of time so we know what we are to end up with in the end. That brings us to this week’s quote…

The entrepreneur is essentially a visualizer and actualizer, He can visualize something, and when he visualizes it, he sees exactly how to make it happen. ~ Robert L. Schwartz

Not all of us are “entrepreneurs” but we all have a goal in mind when we go to tackle a project. Be it cleaning out the garage, preparing a lesson plan, or painting on a window, to have a goal in mind, in the end is helpful to see what you are expecting to see in the end.

What goals/projects are you visualizing today? How are you going to make that happen?

Now it’s your turn…What have you had success in by being able to visualize it first and then seeing how it is actually going to happen?

Getting Past the Stopping Point

When I was in high school art I was given an assignment to do a pointillistic picture in black and white, using ink. Pointillism is a practice of using dot after dot after dot to create a picture. Any value of shading is all done with dots. The pen we used had a very small point, which would mean that my picture literally had at least 20,000 dots on it, as much of it is solid black.

I was working, working, working on it, and it seemed to take forever. I needed to get it done, so I took it with me on my Thanksgiving trip to see my relatives. At this point, I was probably 65% finished with the project, and it had taken me a couple of weeks to get to that point. With the pen that is used, you have to shake it to get the ink flowing, kind of like you do with a can of spray paint. I was shaking my pen, getting ready to do the next set of dots, when my pen leaked, causing solid black ink to splatter on my picture! I was mortified!!!

My teacher said we couldn't use white out to cover any mistakes. "At this point," I told myself, "I don't care." I wasn't going back, I went against the cardinal rule and used white out. I moved past that area where I thought was going to be a stopping point. Actually, many times I thought I was going to stop, as it became very frustrating to just keep dot, dot, dotting.

Despite the frustration, I kept going...that brings us to this week's quote...

Nearly every man who develops an idea works at it up to the point where it looks impossible and then gets discouraged. That's not the place to become discouraged. ~Thomas A. Edison (1847-1931, American Inventor, Entrepreneur, & Founder of GE)

Keeping on going, working past my frustration paid off. My teacher didn't fail me. He understood and I believe I received an "A" on the project. I also received an award at an area art show, despite the noticeable white out spots! It was one of the pictures that I have kept over the years.

Whether it is a project or life, sometimes we encounter the impossible or the seemingly impossible, and want to stop. If we can get past that point of stopping and work through the frustrations and discouragement, we might be amazed at what can happen as a result.

Keep going...work through...don't give up!

Venturing Out While Losing Sight

In Junior High I had an assignment in Art Class to recreate the line drawing (at right) of Igor Stravinsky, as originally drawn by Pablo Picasso. Forget the fact that it was a "famous" drawing; I was more concerned with doing the assignment! Not only were we to try to recreate it, the drawing was hung upside down and that was how we were to recreate the drawing. "Why is it upside down?" were the questions, followed by many groans and complaints.

Nevertheless, we started to tackle what seemed to be impossible, with our 4' X 4' sheets of paper before us. I drew some, erased a lot. I drew more, turning my paper around every so often to see how it was looking. This assignment took a few days to finish, but in the end I had impressed myself. That brings us to this week's quote...

One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time. ~ Andre Gide

At the beginning of the assignment I remember being very frustrated. Like anyone who is inexperienced in drawing, you want it to look "perfect" in the end. You try and try and try to make it look good. You are longing to stay close to the shore because that is where you feel safe. You don't want to venture out and just let yourself see what you might discover. Venturing out requires trust - in this case, in yourself and your abilities. The assignment was to teach us to draw what we see and not what we think we see. In other words, draw lines, not fingers, eyes, cuffs, etc.

Much the same is life. We like to stay in where we feel safe. We don't like to venture out. However, when you venture out you not only lose sight of the shore, you gain sight on something you haven't ever seen before.

So, what seems impossible for you? Making new friends? Losing weight? Learning a new hobby/skill? Sharing Jesus? Giving up a bad habit? Praying? Completing a degree? Forgiving? Reconciling a relationship?.....Go ahead, venture out. Don't look at what you think you see, obstacles, but look at what is actually present, opportunity. By the time the "assignment" is finished, you may impress yourself with the results!

Losing sight of the shore...

Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!

Gomer Pyle was one who often was "surprised" on the Andy Griffith Show. Lately, I've been able to share in some big surprises.

Last week was the Tulsa International Soul Winning Workshop. The biggest single gathering for the Church of Christ - since 1975. There are people that come from practically all parts of the country and world. The speakers are from all over as well.

As it worked out, this year I was able to design the PowerPoint slides that were used for promotional purposes. I thought that was awesome! To get to help out a workshop that I have enjoyed going to was a neat thrill. People from all over world use the slides I designed!

Then, while I'm there, one of the speakers wasn't able to speak. I notified the director if he needed a fill-in, I could be ready. As God worked it out, I was given the open door! I was stoked! I was on cloud nine and had to pinch myself. The theme was "Prayer" and I spoke on "How Prayer Impacts Marriage". I didn't know how many people would come being a "fill-in" situation, but it was standing room only! It was a great experience!!! I am still praising God for this experience. I don't know if it will happen again, but I loved that opportunity!

Then, I was surprised by being able to design the next year's logo, PowerPoint slides, and magazine cover. God has blessed me with a great idea already for the theme logo, and I can't wait to build the slides and create the cover.

These are a few of the bigger, out of the ordinary, surprises. God is still putting surprises along my path as I interact with people! I am thrilled with the day-to-day surprises, just as much as the bigger surprises!!! God is Good...All the Time!!!

How have you been surprised???

Anxiously awaiting today's surprises ~