These are 3 very small paintings. Last year, I really got into sketching and painting very small landscapes. In spite of their size, they are among my favorite finished paintings. And something about them being together makes them seem like more than they are individually. When I look at them in isolation, they are less than impressive. Pretty blah, as a matter of fact. But I think that they are so much more dynamic, and play off of each other, together. These little paintings like being in community.
I didn't know that until they were completed. Each one, when it was finished was "ok". But when I saw them together, I was amazed, and encouraged to see that something had happened that I didn't plan. The sum was greater than it's parts.
Honestly, left to my own devices, I don't prefer community. I would rather live in my own peculiar brand of "ok-ness" than have to stretch myself, and communicate, and be social. I love solitude. No...I relish it.
But I know that's not ok(well, maybe sometimes). I know I need to be with others in order to be who I really am. I know that the best of me is drawn out when I am not isolated. And I know that it's my God given responsibility to draw the best out in my family and my friends. This blogging adventure has me questioning so much- do I have the time for this? Isn't this selfish? But now I have 2 bloggy "friends", and we need each other's encouragement to press on with the creative call that God has given us. 3 of us figuring this out together. And that is a good thing.
Such a good point! (I love them by the way! :)And remember, even God never wanted to be alone!
ReplyDeleteIt reminds me of a story I heard from a pastor: The first time he had ever been to the South, he stopped into a diner and saw that they had grits on the menu, and having no idea what grits were, he asked the waitress if he could just have one grit since he didn't want to order too much. She laughed and said "Honey, you can't have just one, they always come together!"
I think if you keep God's glory as the center of every post, there's no way you can be steered wrong (or selfish,etc)
Thanks for "visiting" again! I was thinking the same thing- how God in the Trinity was the first "community". And my aim is to keep this always pointing the way to Him- I want to find Him everywhere and point Him out in the obscure, mundane, ordinary places where we just don't think He might be.
ReplyDeleteI liked your grits story...sounds like something I'd say!