Ezra Day

Last fall we had an "Ezra Day" at my church, a where the bible was read aloud by members of the congregation from about 9am to 6pm. We were in a sermon series on Nehemiah and rebuilding the walls, and it was a time of rebuilding in the church as well. People could come and go as they wished, coffee, soup and bread was available throughout the day - it was something new, and very well done.

I came in the afternoon with my little journal and art supplies. Rather nervous, as I hadn't really done much art journaling in church; but I knew it was what I wanted to do. So I set up in a pew at the side and settled down to listen and absorb it. It was a very nice atmosphere in the sanctuary - calm and reverent and beautiful - as one by one, or as families, members stood up to read.

There was a program (which, alas, I can no longer find) telling the books that were being read and when. I came in at the latter part of Daniel, and the prophecies swirled around me.

Prophecy

As I continued to add color I kept thinking of a quotation I had read, something like: His chariot is the storm, and His coursers rush furiously on, but there is a bit between their teeth... 

It took me a little while to find it, as the various quotations I've written down are scattered around in many books, but I finally tracked it down. And, as I thought, it was by C. H. Spurgeon:

In times of confusion, when everything seems to be swirling around you, when you can't find that solid ground, when nothing that you try seems to work - it's easy to think that God isn't there, that you're left alone to bear this. At one such time in my own life, when everything seemed to be crashing around me, and I didn't know what to do, and nothing I did seemed to help - God reminded me that "the mountains melt like wax at the presence of the Lord."

Clouds and thick darkness surround him;

righteousness and justice are the foundations of his throne.

Fire goes before him

and consumes his foes on every side.

His lightning lights up the world;

the earth sees and trembles.

The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,

before the Lord of all the earth.

The heavens proclaim his righteousness,

and all peoples see his glory.

~Psalm 97:2-6

When God comes in His power, the earth shakes.

It was an interesting experience, sitting there and listening for several hours. Usually I read verses, maybe a chapter or two. Hearing the whole sweep of books at one time, and different books, gave a very different perspective. You really got the feel of the whole book, the sweep of it. Sometimes I had no inspiration and just listened. Other times I was in the middle of working when something else caught my attention. I wish I had stopped to write down the thoughts and inspirations of such times, because now they're gone. If I have such an opportunity again I will be sure to have things ready for jotting down notes.

He has put Eternity in their hearts...

~ Ecclesiastes 3:11

I loved this, and it was as best as I could represent it. Each one of us is an eternal flame, a spark from His great fire. And He coaxes us out and draws us forward, growing into His light, becoming more and more like Him. He knows us, knows what we will respond to, what we need. And so He works with us individually, keeping us surrounded with His love and constant care.

The Way is Open.

The Spirit and the Bride say "Come"

The words on this were added later, but it was what I heard at the time. The drawing itself was just the curtains pulled back, and the glory within revealed. And as I looked at it, I felt His voice promising "The Way is Open." And I began to cry, because the way had seemed closed for so long. "The Spirit and the Bride say 'Come.'" Not only open, but I am invited, awaited. My heart overflowed.

I knew what the invitation was to me. When I showed it to a friend, she felt a different invitation. And so I offer it to you, for whatever the Father is inviting you to come into at this time.

The Way is Open.

The Spirit and the Bride say "Come."

Digital Whisper Challenge - Windmills

The challenge this week over at Digital Whisper was windmills. So, of course, it was off to the Graphics Fairy to look for windmills.

Just a suggestion of tilting at windmills in the minstrel's song.

Credits: The Graphic Fairy; also Marta van Eck, Rucola Designs, Eenas Creations and Tumble Fish Studios from Mischief Circus.

Take Me Deeper Week 3 - Transform Submissively

At his-kingdom-come.com they are doing a year-long free study called Take Me Deeper. Each week there is a Bible verse or passage, a teaching, suggestions for further study, and a worship video. And people can post pictures of their response in whatever art form they are working in. The theme for January is Transformation. The study has been wonderful so far, and seeing the images that people have created in response has been great. So many have touched my heart.

The theme for Week 3 is Transform Submissively. The Bible verse is 2 Corinthians 3:18.

"And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."

The version that really spoke to me was from The Message, and that is what I used on this spread. 

"Whenever, though, they turn to face God as Moses did, God removes the veil and there they are - face-to-face! They suddenly recognize that God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiseled stone. And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation is recognized as obsolete. We're free of it! All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him."      ~ 2 Cor. 3:16-18 (MSG)

"We're free of it! All of us!" - how wonderful, how glorious! Keep your eyes fixed on God, look to Him always, and He will remove the veil. That's hard to do when circumstances, and difficulties, and hard times get in the way. But it is His promise. When I read the passage, one of the first things I thought of was a phrase from the Psalms:

"They looked to Him and were radiant"

I looked it up, and the context emphasized the point. The Psalmist isn't talking about people who are living in glory - they are people in the middle of trouble, and danger, and fear.

I sought the Lord, and He heard me,

And delivered me from all my fears.

They looked to Him and were radiant,

And their faces were not ashamed.

This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him,

And saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the Lord encamps all around

those who fear Him.

~ Psalm 34:4-7 (NKJV)

Transform submissively - that's the theme this week. And maybe some of that is allowing God to do it in His way, in His time. And if that's not the way we think it's supposed to be - well, then it isn't. And if it isn't as fast as we wish it would be - well, then it's not.  

Nothing between us and God. I thought of the veil of the temple - when we look to Him, He takes it away, He brings us into the Holy of Holies. Our part is to look to Him, to be present to Him, to wait for Him, to trust Him.

Place your mind before the mirror of eternity!

Place your soul in the brilliance of glory!

Place your heart in the figure of divine substance!

And transform your whole being in to the image

of the Godhead through contemplation,

~ Clare of Assisi

My vision is so small! It's so easy to focus on the struggle, on the problems, on the hurt. And God is present in the struggle, and the problems, and the hurts - that's part of the Good News. But transformation comes from sitting at His feet, basking in His presence, in His love. Learning to see with His eyes,  listen with His understanding, care with His heart.

And so, for me, part of this is to look forward to a year of possibilities, of transformation, of freedom.

Image credits: images used from Rucola Designs, Tumble Fish Studio, Jagged Touch Studio, and itKuPiLLi Imaginarium - all from Mischief Circus.

Merry Christmas

Bid our peace increase,

Thou that madest morn;

Bid oppression cease;

Bid the night be peace;

Bid the day be born.

~ Algernon Charles Swinburne

A Merry Christmas to all. At each new year, Christ comes again into the world. Let Him be born anew in our hearts bringing His peace, His light, His life.

Blessings to all this Christmas.

Images from Lost & Taken, and from Holliewood Studios, Marta van Eck, itKuPiLLi Imaginarium, Tumble Fish Studio and Hidden Vintage Studios available at Mischief Circus.

Merry and Bright - Digital Whisper Santa challenge

The Digital Whisper challenge this week is Santa. This started out for the Take a Word challenge of "Red and Green" and didn't feature Santa. But he kinda snuck in and took over, and who am I to argue?

The images are from Lost & Taken, the Graphic Fairy, and Tumble Fish Studio and Marta van Eck from Mischief Circus.

Winter Shadow - Digital Whisper Challenge

Winter Shadow

I've been thinking it would be fun to try out some digital collage challenges, such as the wonderful Take a Word challenge. I started out working on the current word, "Winter" - but it veered in another direction, and now fits better with the "Gypsy Soul" challenge over on Digital Whisper. 

This has already gone off in two different directions, still trying to wrangle it back to the "Winter" theme. We'll see if I can keep it on track another time.

Images used from the Graphics Fairy, Eena's Creations, Marta van Eck, Rucola Designs, itKuPiLLi Imaginarium, and Holliewood (most from Mischiefcircus.com).

Welcome

     "Throw your dream into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back: a new life, a new friend, a new love."   ~ Anais Nin

Welcome to Wandering Heart - a journey, an exploration, an adventure, a beginning.  

     This is my dream, and I'm throwing it into space. I don't know the destination, I don't know what it will become. I'm setting out on the journey to find out.

     This is a log-book of sorts. A place to record and share what I find on my journey. Seeking treasures of wisdom and encouragement, wonder and joy, beauty and meaning and comfort. A place to play, and learn and grow. A place to reach out to friends, and make new friends. A place to share some of the things that I find and create and think, and a place to link to some of the wonderful things that others find and create and think. From the past and present, from nature and scriptures, from books and blog posts, from all that encourages me and draws me to adventure on.

There is so much to explore, so much to discover, so much know, so much to be!

Come, journey with me.