Sunday's ART of Truth - 4/19/20 - Fire & Grace

Today I wanted to share some thoughts about quarantine, pandemic, using our voices, standing up…with Fire & Grace…

Wow! I never saw this coming. School cancelled at first for 6 weeks and then for the remainder of the school year. As an employee of the School District, obviously, this has a huge impact. I am grateful for a great many things. I have a job. I am keeping busy with training, creating fun things for our kiddos so that they know they are loved, missed and cared for. Additionally, exploring resources for future learning. All from home. At first, it was awesome! Work in my PJ’s with my coffee. Never have to leave the house…Then, Stay Home orders. That is where I felt the decline in my thinking and feeling. I didn’t like the idea of a stricter order. I began to feel trapped. I kept praying about it and tweaking my thinking, changing my attitude and adjusting my focus.

Everyone is affected by this. Some are still going to a physical job every day. Many of us are at home. Yearning to be effective, responsible & continue to make a difference. No matter where we are in this, it is true that we are all in this together. If nothing else, tied together by the human factor.

In addition to quarantine stressors, we have a school levy being voted for again this month. Many jobs and services are on the line, perhaps mine. It has brought out all kinds of colors in people, including myself. While I have been able to remain kind and civil in online community chats, it has wore on me. I didn’t know how much until I sort of crashed late in the week.

It got me thinking about how we as human beings all living the ‘being human individual’ reality…we have choices.

I have wondered how do we balance our deep passion about something. Anything. Today, a levy. Religion. Politics…taxes…the list goes on. I have seen some pretty nasty stuff online about it. I have felt some of those things. I have allowed it to wash over me, pulling me down.

How do we communicate our passion, our beliefs, our deepest needs with both fire and grace?

The fire is the passion. The thing we believe in. The things we get hot and bothered about. The things that divide people, families and nations. It is important to have a voice. It is important to have an opinion. To not be a puppet…but how do we balance that with understanding, patience and grace?

I have been in a funk all week. I was able to get out my weekly Water Media Wednesday video but creating was a bomb. I was washed over with stress, conflict, doubt, worry and anger. I went to the studio yesterday and just opened my heart up in prayer. What could I create that would help me process these feelings. I came across this piece of chipboard that says “She has fire in her soul and grace in her heart”. Perfect, that was it. I knew I needed to create with that. So, I set about doing it.

I found myself swallowed up with peace, with perspective, and a renewed heart.

We can express the fire in our soul- our deepest passions, worries, fears, beliefs & pains while at the same time, with a heart full of grace. Grace for those who don’t think like us. Those who seem determined to just create discord and argument for what seems like, the heck of it. Those who don’t know how to own their words and be kind. I have certainly been that person.

Fire and grace- that’s what its all about.

This settled deep in me and opened up a place for me to set it all aside and focus on what I can impact, what I can influence, who I can love & where I can go…

I don’t know if this will resonate with anyone else but I wanted to share it. I hope that it encourages you. That it allows you a space to step back, like it did me- to examine my own heart, extend grace not only to myself but those around me.

I pray that you are healthy and well. I pray that your loved ones are as well. This will pass and we will be okay. Hold on to your loved ones, at least, those you can see 🙂 It is hard to wait for a day when life returns to some semblance of normal.

Blessings my dear friends-

Beloved- Reborn

Supplies used:

Stencils- From Shawnpetite.com – Lace and Background Words – https://www.shawnpetite.com/

Background paper from Shawn Petite Collage Packs- https://www.shawnpetite.com/

Chipboard- Creative Embellishments – https://creativeembellishments.com/

Liquitex Matte Medium – https://www.amazon.com/Liquitex-Professional-Matte-Medium-8-Ounce

Liquitex Heavy Gel – https://www.amazon.com/Liquitex-Professional-Gloss-Heavy-Medium

Golden Glazing Medium – https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Multi-Purpose-Acrylic-Polymer-GAC-100

Soho Black Soft Pastel – https://www.amazon.com/Urban-Artist-Fastness-Layering-Blending

Golden Fluid Acrylics- Titan Buff, Burnt Umber Light, Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide & Teal – https://www.amazon.com/s?k=golden+fluid+acrylics&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

Distress Crackle Paint – https://www.amazon.com/Ranger-TDC31888-Holtz-Distress-Crackle/dp/B005FY5HCW/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=distress+crackle+paint&qid=1587271001&sr=8