Hands & Feet Project :) (& other news)

I feel like I should give you all an update on how my project for our local Stations of the Cross installation is going. Especially since I have been rather silent over the past week - I have an excuse, life got busy!

It's going well. I have painted around 40 (or more) can's - have a few idea's for a couple more, but I'm unsure if I will get the time. Especially, since I am going on a retreat weekend from Friday through Sunday. Easter is coming so fast, I feel I might miss it if I blink.

I am in real need for this weekend. It is run by Recreate, for mum's of special needs kids (aka, in my life, Aimee). It is going to be held at St. Francis Retreat Centre in Hillsborough, and I've heard the food is fantastic - which is, of course, all I am worried about...

While I am away, Jonathan will be looking after the girls, and hopefully taking them to an Easter Egg Hunt (run by Cession) at Lloyd Elmsmore Park. I know he will do well. He is awesome for looking after them, and is going to do it again in May/June when I go to the Mainly Music Conference and also down to Christchurch to see my lovely nephew and sister (and brother in law too!). What a good man I married!

Whats my theological worldview... :)

You scored as Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan.

Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan		79%
Emergent/Postmodern		75%
Fundamentalist		46%
Charismatic/Pentecostal		46%
Neo orthodox		43%
Roman Catholic		39%
Reformed Evangelical		36%
Modern Liberal		25%
Classical Liberal		14%

You are an evangelical in the Wesleyan tradition. You believe that God's grace enables you to choose to believe in him, even though you yourself are totally depraved. The gift of the Holy Spirit gives you assurance of your salvation, and he also enables you to live the life of obedience to which God has called us. You are influenced heavily by John Wesley and the Methodists.

rik catlow|Crushed Can Artist

the art of Rik Catlow has been very inspiring to me - take a look here and here

stencils

these are the stencils I have been using for the project. they were made out of plastic ice-cream and yoghurt containers (more re-cycling :)). I am pleased with the results...

cross|three

cross|two

crushed can art|Charles Kaufman

Isn't this fantastic! WOW! This guy's art is amazing - love it!

His name is Charles Kaufman and you can look at his work here and his blog here...

service

no choice

bystander

cross|one

carry the cross

compelled

Happy Anniversary Baby...

"If you live to be a hundred, I want
To live to be a hundred minus one day,
So I never have to live without you."
Winnie the Pooh

Tomorrow, (18th March 2007) is our 12th Wedding Anniversary (Jonathan & Me). And so we decided to go out tonight to celebrate.

I have to say that this year has been one of the best years ever together. It seems to only ever get better these days, and I love him more now than I did when we met. Back then, it was infatuation. I loved the way he was arty, caring, loyal, sweet, attractive and a few other things we won't say here ;). He is still all of those things, but he is much much more to me now.

Beyond a doubt the love we share is real. It has stood the test of time, some stress (3 pregnancies, labours and children - lol) and we've both grown a lot (outwards, not just inwardly - hehehe!). What I really want to say here is simple - Sweetie, I hope we get to spend the rest of our lives together, that we grow old and wrinkly together! I LOVE YOU!

Hands & Feet Project

So, here I am, starting my project for "Stations of the Cross" this Easter. Stations of the Cross is an art installation our community is doing this year.

I hope to be doing station 7 - Simon of Cyrene carry's the cross. The bible speaks about this act three times (in Matthew, Mark & Luke). It has been interesting researching him, as not a lot is known about him. He was a bystander, chosen (forced) by the Roman soldiers to carry Jesus' cross, after He collapsed unable to carry it any further.

Matthew 27:32 Along the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross.

Mark 15:21 A passerby named Simon, who was from Cyrene, was coming in from the countryside just then, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. (Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus.)

Luke 23:26 As they led Jesus away, a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, happened to be coming in from the countryside. The soldiers seized him and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.

My concept was birthed at church on Sunday (see this post) and revolved around hands & feet representing what Christ did for us and what we are compelled to do in return.

A few brain-storming ideas:-
* Hands & Feet represent service (Simon carrying the cross).
* Jesus’ Hands & Feet were pierced.
* We are called to be His Hand’s and Feet (going about His business).
* I am thinking a pile of empty drink can’s representing us (we can feel discard able & empty). Some are battered, crushed – but represent us (followers of Christ) who are called to serve and be Jesus to others. There is some feeling of being compelled to serve God in this way – just like Simon was forced to carry the cross. We can no longer remain passive “passer-by’s”, action is required.
* The concept of the cans is also an interactive one – whereas the viewer is required (need I say it – compelled) to pick them up and take a look making it a tactile station.
* The cans will have 1-3 word statements on them relating to Simon of Cyrene and the verses above.
* Stenciled images of hands, feet, crosses speak of the subject of service - DOING!

I got the idea of art on discarded drink cans from the art of Rik Catlow, although mine is definitely not as good as his - it is a tribute to the idea of using recycled items as canvas.

I will let you all know the times/dates the stations of the cross installation will be open later - I hope that you might take this opportunity to spend easter in contemplation of what has been done for us.

I am a Caramel Crunch Donut

KUDOS to Jean - I had fun filling this one in!

You Are a Caramel Crunch Donut

You're a complex creature, and you're guilty of complicating things for fun. You've been known to sit around pondering the meaning of life... Or at times, pondering the meaning of your doughnut. To frost or not to frost? To fill or not to fill? These are your eternal questions.

What Donut Are You?

HANDS & FEET

I always seem to ponder more about the why and what of Jesus at this time of Lent. We're getting close to the time that we celebrate the death and LIFE (he rose from the dead) of Jesus. And it amazes me to think about why He did that and what it all means, both in a personal and global way.

At the moment I am thinking HANDS & FEET.
Which can mean various things; he was pierced in his hands (wrists) and feet, hands and feet can portray the act of DOING something (walking, helping, acting, contributing).

It came to me last night at church, Melissa was talking about a Stations of the Cross installation that we will be doing, and immediately my mind was thinking HANDS & FEET. The image of the cross with red hands and feet all over it (ours) - you see WE are the reason he was there. He did it for us, with His own blood. Hmmmmm! Something to really ponder!

And then, there's the Audio Adrenaline song that's been playing in my head since I woke up (well, since Jonathan woke me up at 5.30am - EEEK!!!) And reading the lyrics, as they are below, reminds me of one of the verses that was highlighted by Melissa last night; Romans 7:15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. Lot's of do's there, but in a sense it's talking about the struggle to do what is right. It isn't always easy - but then the best way is almost never the easy route!

Hands And Feet lyrics by AUDIO ADRENALINE

An image flashed across my TV screen
Another broken heart comes in to view
I saw the pain and I turned my back
Why can't I do the things I want to?
I'm willing yet I'm so afraid
You give me strength
When I say

CHORUS

I want to be your hands
I want to be your feet
I'll go where you send me
I'll go where you send me

REPEAT CHORUS

And I try, yeah I try
To touch the world like You touched my life
And I'll find my way
To be your hands
I've abandoned every selfish thought
I've surrendered every thing I've got
You can have everything I am
And perfect everything I'm not
I'm willing, I'm not afraid
You give me strength
When I say

CHORUS 2X

And I try, yeah I try
To touch the world like You touched my life
And I'll find my way...

BRIDGE

This is the last time
I turn my back on You
From now on, I'll go out
Send me where You want me to
I finally have a mission
I promise I'll complete
I don't need excuses
When I am your hands and feet
(I am your hands and feet)
(hands... feet... go... go...)

CHORUS 3X

I will go
I will go where you send me
I will go
I will go where you send me
I will go, go
I will go, go
I will go, go where you send me

CHORUS

babies, babies everywhere!

It seems to me that all the married couples I know are either pregnant or have wee babes at the moment. It is a fantastic time of new life and memories of my own pregnancies (not that mine were great or anything - I was sick the entire time!). Yet, there is a feeling of expectancy and joy around me.

It has brought up some interesting feelings. It would be a "miracle" if we had another child, and yet, it makes me think - "what if...". Very quickly that "what if..." changes into a big "Noooooo!" But it is hard not to be clucky when I know 10 (at least) pregnant women. Most of these women are around my age (early 30's) having their first, second and third children (actually 2 are onto number 5 & 6 - as scary as that sounds).

And here is me - I have three girls, ages 10, 8 & 7. A complete family, I thought. In a way, it's a good thing hubby got the "snip", as we may be, like an old friend of mine, on to number 6 (or was it 7?) I am hoping my friends will lend me their babies to hold when they arrive, let them cry a little around me, tell me their scary labour stories - all to scare me back into the reality of child birth and raising. :)

Breathe Deep

Since, both Jonathan and Vania have posted about our last cell group meeting where we watched the Nooma - Breathe, I thought I should write about a song it brought to my mind...

Breathe Deep (The Breath of God) 1996 - THE LOST DOGS
(from the album "Green Room Serenade, Part One)

Politicians, morticians, Philistines, homophobes
Skinheads, Dead heads, tax evaders, street kids
Alcoholics, workaholics, wise guys, dim wits
Blue collars, white collars, war mongers, peace nicks

Breathe deep
Breathe deep the Breath of God
Breathe deep
Breathe deep the Breath of God

Suicidals, rock idols, shut-ins, drop outs
Friendless, homeless, penniless and depressed
Presidents, residents, foreigners and aliens
Dissidents, feminists, xenophobes and chauvinists

Evolutionists, creationists, perverts, slum lords
Dead-beats, athletes, Protestants and Catholics
Housewives, neophytes, pro-choice, pro-life
Misogynists, monogamists, philanthropists, blacks and whites

Police, obese, lawyers, and government
Sex offenders, tax collectors, war vets, rejects
Atheists, Scientists, racists, sadists
Photographers, biographers, artists, pornographers

Gays and lesbians, demagogues and thespians
The disabled, preachers, doctors and teachers
Meat eaters, wife beaters, judges and juries
Long hair, no hair, everybody everywhere!

To me it speaks of God being available to us all - we need to "Breathe DEEP, Breathe deep the BREATH of GOD!" Also it speaks to me about the lack of perfection in all of us - I am sure that we could find ourselves somewhere in that song - and it's true God is available to us all! Taking a breath means, to me, pausing, reflecting, slowing down... And so I take this breath, this moment to reflect on God and what he means to us all.