Texas Peaceful Acres Farm
  • Blog
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Blog

The Shepherd's Studio             

A Life Well Lived For Yehoshua!

     My Joyful Journey. A place to worship, create,       live, love & LAUGH!!!              

The Joy of The Lord is My Strength!

Listening...

1/16/2016

2 Comments

 

WARNING...THIS IS LONG!

I'm not very good at listening to directions. That's just the honest truth.

When our son was in Kindergarten, his standardized testing came back and said he had advanced "listening" skills....he followed directions very well....OH REALLY??? See, I was his teacher....and his Mum....and well, I knew better. But dang if he wasn't able to listen and follow directions on that test!!!

If I ever have any really important documents that require a signature, I get The Hired Hand to read them....cause apparently, I don't have very good reading skills either!!!! 
I wonder if this isn't the plight of the creative right brainer. I'm not trying to make excuses....not really.....but our brains do work differently. They aren't constantly working analytical problems and doing numbers and working toward perfection. If we color outside the lines....well, for one isn't that what you are suppose to do, and two, who cares!!! 

Right?

We're sorta that free spirit, fly by the seat of our pants, sing like no one is listening, dance like no one is watching, hope there is a black balance in the checkbook and love like there's no tomorrow kinda girls!

Right?
Ok....here's where I'm gonna get deep....so if you wanna bail out now, I understand. 

We (being us who love and know Jesus), all go through ups and downs, famines and abundant harvests, joys and sorrows in our walk. I've been walking hand in hand with Jesus for 45 years....and sometimes He just carried me.

45 years is a long time. It's a long time to know someone.

The Hired Hand and I have been married for 34 years. We finish each others sentences. We sigh at the same time. We even speak the exact same words in unison on many occasions. We just know each other SO well, that nothing surprises us anymore. 

I really love that about a good long relationship. 

If you've followed my blogs for a while (9 years!!! Holy Cow!!!) you know I have had and still deal with many health issues....Lyme Disease and it's company was the worst of it and probably the reason for any of the other. Thank The Lord, I'm on the other side of that now!!! 

It's during those times of desperation we are on our knees....as  in my case on my face....seeking, asking, knocking. Then when things are good....we are doing that less. Call it human nature....whatever....but I think it's the plight of the human heart. When we're full we don't ask for more. 

​Although in this case, we should. 
Picture
I thought I should throw a picture in here soon....so I don't loose you!!!! Trust me, it gets better...the picture that is.
Picture
After signing up for I think, 3 year long classes....wouldn't ya know, I have signed up for well....to be honest....I can't remember....but I think at least 3-4 more short classes. 

One of them that I haven't counted is over on Jeanne Oliver's site. It's called, Listening, Finding The Quiet. It's FREE! It's more of a Spiritual girlfriend time of women/girls that Jeanne asked to speak on "listening" to Jesus. 

I've done my share of listening to others....and I mean nothing disrespectful...because there are some excellent teachers out there...but I'd much rather listen to The Lord and The Spirit....and really PLEASE don't get me wrong...... (SO, I'm sure you're thinking...Pride, she's just filled with Pride. Well, you're entitled to your "opinion" about me, but before you start pointing out the splinter in my eye....you better get the log out of your own. It's not pride....it's a place where I am. After years and years of being too sick to "GO" to church....and truly only being able to trust The Lord for HIS teaching and HIS voice....well, I just prefer it!!!! If there is any Pride....don't fret, I've already confessed it and asked for forgiveness.) 

Geeze.....I can't believe I'm being SO honest......really! But as I say....just keepin it real!!!! So, now that we've done that bit of housekeeping.....

There was one gal (and perhaps....just perhaps....it's because we're at the same stage in life....trust me....it does matter), Julie Johnson in week 2, truly spoke to my heart. Not only did SHE speak to my heart BUT The Holy Spirit spoke to my heart through Julie. Spoke and broke.

I wept. And I wept. I got on my face and wept some more. That my friend is where I listen the best. ON MY FACE.

The above word painting was something Julie did in the "lesson" she taught on Listening. I chose Psalm 16 which is one of my favorites......and I started with one of my favorite words....JOY. JOY ALWAYS. Then it was JOY ALWAYS IN THE LORD. IN THE LORD I AM BLESSED ALWAYS. MY FLESH IS SECURE ALWAYS. 

On and on it went, until I felt spent and poured out. There is nothing truly beautiful about the picture. It's just words. You don't even have to do this in paints.....just try it sometime on paper. It is amazing as you meditate upon THE WORD, how it will speak to your heart. You are chewing it up and digesting, THE SPOKEN WORD. 
Picture
After I got finished with my WORD exercise, I thought I'd work "IN THE SPIRIT". I cranked up the music and had a canvas prepped for when it hit me. I'd already laid down the papers, glazed over them and sketched a head and shadowing. I'd left it sit for over a week....just waiting.
Picture
I'm working on faces this year....but sometimes a "realistic" face eludes me! Especially things like hair and yes, eyes....I know. 

But I decided to also "listen" to another wonderful teacher Annie Hamman who I'll be taking my first class from her soon on FEARLESS EXPRESSION!!! Annie says, it's all about having FUN and it's not about practice, practice, practice! Hey, I'm all for that!!!

Just let go!!! Isn't that the free spirit of the creative right brain anyway!?

SO, I did. I let go and I tried to allow The Holy Spirit to just use my hands for expression. Fearless Expression. 
Picture
She started to take form.

She started to speak to me. 

She started to sing.
Picture
I got my hands dirty.

I was beginning to be fearless.

​I didn't like the eyes....so I covered them and started over. 
Picture
The entire time I painted I was thinking of a few Scriptures. 

We battle not against flesh and blood....it's a spiritual battle. 

He will command His angels to guard you.

So, half the canvas remained in darkness. Half in The Light!
Picture
In the end, I felt as if I HAD LISTENED! TO HIM! 
Picture
Listening to The One who is higher then I. 
Trying to stay humbled and honest.

​xoxo Diane
2 Comments
Tori Beveridge link
1/16/2016 02:29:34 pm

Beautiful post and art.

Reply
becky link
1/17/2016 02:19:14 am

Reading this post, especially the part where you re-did the eyes, I thought of the transformation that happens to believers as we allow the Spirit of God to lead us. God is the ARTIST of all that we see. How splendid that you were able to tap deeper into your ability to express as you saturated yourself with his Word. The eyes are full of soul, but my favorite part of your painting is the crown.

Reply



Leave a Reply.



    Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014

    Categories

    All
    2015 WORD
    2016 Word Embrace
    2020
    30 Days Of Gratitude
    AAT
    About
    Acrylics
    Adrenal Fatigue
    Annie Hamman
    Antiques
    Art
    Asaph
    Brandi Dayton
    Brave Girls Club
    Cancer
    Carnivore
    Chickens
    Chinese Medicine
    Christmas 2019
    Cleaning My Genes
    Composting
    COX 2 Inhibitors
    Danielle Donaldson
    Dirty Genes
    DLP 2016 The Unplanner
    Documented Faith
    Donna Downey
    Doodles
    Dr Ben Lynch
    Dr Terry Wahls Protocol
    Dyeing
    Eat For Your Genes
    Ebooks
    EBV
    Election Day
    Erhlichiosis
    Faith
    Farm
    Farmher
    Farm Yarn
    Ferments
    FREE Downloads
    GAPS
    Gardening
    Grandchildren
    Grand Littles
    Grassfed Meat
    Gratitude
    Health
    Heirlooms
    Hens
    Herbalism
    HIS
    Histamine Intolerance
    Hormones
    India
    InkWash
    Inspirational Wednesday
    Instant Pot
    Intention
    Jeanne Oliver
    Joyful Journey
    Knitting
    Lyme
    Mast Cell Disease
    MCAD
    Meat
    Mixed Media
    Mixed Media Art
    MS
    Nana
    Nikon
    NRT
    Organic Gardening
    Painting Originals
    Photography
    Prayer
    Prayer Walks
    Printables
    Prophecy
    Raw Food
    Real Food
    Recipes
    Salicylate Intolerance
    Salve Making
    Sheep
    Sourdough Bread
    Spirit Of Prophecy
    Spiritualism
    Standard Process Supps
    TEXAS
    Texas Gardening
    The Shepherd
    Vacation
    Vegan Recipes
    Vegetarian Recipes
    Walking
    War Room
    Watercolor
    Whole Food Plant Based SOS
    Yarn Along
    YHWH
    Young & Raw

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.