One Body

Our church had a community art project. People from the church were encouraged to bring in small objects that they felt represented themselves. We collaborated these objects onto seven panels, done with encaustic (bees wax) and using oil paints. The motive behind this project was to have art the symbolized "We as a community."

Here is a few of us painting while listening to talented musicians. I wish I could paint to live music everytime!

Here are people sticking their objects onto the panels...



The project underway... of course the artist's table is messy!


The finished project. We are "One Body."
We shared later about why we brought in the objects that we did. The diversity was beautiful.
We are a community, we are one body, sealed together in unity and bound by the love of Christ.

Just for fun...

Meet my fiance Josiah Bokma...

My always-good-for-a-laugh cousin Caroline...

My wonderful friend Candice...

The juggling fanatic fiance... (and no, I'm not marrying him for the 'dough')...


New family members...



More new family members... (just kidding!)...
My pet roomate...

My fun beer guzzlin' sista... (actually she hates beer)...

My dance-partna roomate...

Just a couple of special people in my life...

Artistic Creation

"My art is an attempt to reach beyond the surface appearance. I want to see growth in wood, time in stone, nature in a city, and I do not mean its parks but a deeper understanding that a city is nature too-the ground upon which it is built, the stone with which it is made."
~Andy Goldsworthy

Check out some work by Andy Goldsworthy:

To Goldsworthy, art is a form of nourishment. In his documentary "Tides and Rivers", he says that he is fairly sure that nature does not needs him, but that he desperately needs nature, even for the case of survival. The link to our relationship with God is very powerful. He does not need our work, our art, our sermons, our thoughts... He does not need us to survive, just like Creation does not need Goldsworthy's work. God does not need us, but we desperately need Him.

How amazing to know that God does not need us, but how humbling it is to know that He desires us. Even though God doesn't need us, He still desires us! Let us bask in Creation, responding in a 'goldworthy' way... actively seeking out the beauty in our God, the beauty in His Creation, and the beauty in the city.

Christian Stuff

If often seems as if there is a Christian alternative to everything. Check out some things on the Christian market:

Today you can buy plastic hands pierced with a nail to serve as a type of coat hanger. Are we just leaving our coat at the cross, instead of our whole self?

Here's a great sweater gift idea for your teenage daughter! I wonder what message will get across...

Holy Mints!
Is this illustrating that whenever we open the Bible, we want to receive something sweet? Are we trying to be sugar of the earth instead of salt?

Product Features

• A Monopoly version where cooperation—not accumulation—is the key
• Be the first player to build a church in one of the Bible cities to win
• You cannot win by destroying your opponents—you can only win by assisting fellow players

"It's all fun and games until someone lands on 'Go Meditate' - and has to 'meditate' for 3 turns! In 'Bibleopoly' good deeds are rewarded, but look out for the 'Faith' cards - you might end up as the new caretaker of Jerusalem...or be swallowed by a great fish!"

Alright mom and dad, get rid of the original monopoly! Monopoly has now turned Christian!

"Now, the Modern Worship Expansion Pack is available FREE with your purchase of Dance Praise. You’ll get 35 extra songs, from top artists including Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, David Crowder Band, delirious?, Newsboys and more."

Now there's Christian DDR... don't have to worry about dancing to ungodly music! PLUS, dancing to good wholesome Christian music can make you loose calories!

When things are labeled 'Christian' or have some reference to Christ, does it has the validity of selling? We can now have Christian toys, Christian candy, Christian games, Christian wardrobes, etc. Why do we need all this stuff? Do these things really lead us closer to Christ, or is the motivation behind these productions simply for market? Are we selling Jesus? Are we making money off of Jesus?

There is a tremendous market for Christian 'stuff'. We don't like the secular stuff, so we Christianize it. Perhaps this greats a wider divide between secular culture and Christian culture.

Denial

It's the perfect love story
Damsel in distress,
Prince charming.
Whisks her off her feet
Saves her with a love so sweet

Too bad it's not 'happily ever after'
She rejects their love,
Starts running.
But with every step He's near
As she keeps running in fear.

She'd tired now, wrestling in vain
Braves to look back
He's weeping.
She stops in her retreat,
In regret, falls at His feet.

He doesn't point or condemn,
He lifts her chin,
He's singing.
A love song just for her
About a love that will endure:

"More than three times,
You've denied me.
I have just one question:
'Do you love me?'"

The mystery of a love unreturned
The mystery of a love rejected
That overlooks our fear, our pride,
Overlooks our denial.

Take to the World

Aaron Tate

Go in peace to love and to serve

Let your ears ring long with what you have heard.

May the bread on your tongue

Leave a trail of crumbs

To lead the hungry back to the place that you are from

And take to the world this love, this hope and faith

Take to the world this rare, relentless grace

And like the three in one

Know you must become what you want to save

‘Cause that’s still the way

He takes to the world

Go and go far

Take light deep in the dark

Believe what’s true

He uses all, even you

May the bread on your tongue

Leave a trail of crumbs

To lead the hungry back to the place that you are from