out beyond ideas

I used a 10x10 canvas and started by drawing the lines in pencil. I had to mix some paint to come up with the colors I wanted and I love how they all turned out! I debated different ways to put the quote on the canvas, in the end, I chose to paint it on white paper and cut around each word. Glued them on and went over the whole thing with mod podge. I also painted the sides of the canvas black. This might be one of my favorite pieces I've made!! 

I read this poem for the first time recently and instantly loved it. It's exactly where I'm at in life. Realizing that there is something more beyond the ideas of wrong and right. It's a dare to look beyond right & wrong, good & evil, black & white. To me, it's about not letting our differences divide us but instead embracing our commonalities as human beings. 

The full poem is this: 

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there. 

When the soul lies down in that grass, the world is too full to talk about. 

Ideas, language, even the phrase "each other" doesn't make any sense.

~Jelaluddin Rumi

I believe in the sun

"I believe in the sun, even when it's not shining. I believe in love, even when I don't feel it. I believe in God, even when he is silent" 

Powerful words found scribbled on a wall at a German concentration camp. 

I started with a piece of corrugated card board and tore off the top layer. Patches of the top layer were left behind, but I liked the look this gave it. 

Get creative... You can do so much with corrugated cardboard this way. It gives great texture to your art work! 

DIY picture hooks

I found this online and I LOVE it... it worked perfectly! I had made some wall art out of a piece of wood... but then it was just laying around for days because I didn't have a way to hang it. I always made a mental note to swing by the store and pick up some hooks, but never actually got around to it. Then, I discovered this little trick. Soda can tabs.

I simply screwed the tab to the wood (be sure the screw won't go all the way through!), did measurements to make sure my screws in the wall would line up, and viola! Easy and free and it works!! :)

bingo coasters!!

It's nothing new to make coasters out of tile... but that doesn't make them any less awesome!! I've made some before with scrapbook paper... and I've also seen people transfer pictures of them. Tile is super cheap and the options are endless!!

I bought a Bingo game at a yard sale and made bingo coasters!!

i cut the Bingo cards down to a square (cutting off the top part that spells out B-I-N-G-O). the cards were pretty thick, so i peeled off the top layer- it peeled off pretty easily.

I used a variety of scrapbook paper... mod podged the bingo sheet to the scrapbook paper... then all of it to the tile. I used mod podge underneath and then a good coat on top.

Previously, I've used felt on the bottom so the coaster don't scratch any surfaces... but I didn't have any felt on hand, so I used what i had!  I cut squares out of an old pair of sweatpants and hot-glued that under each tile.

Finally, I added a water-resistant, protective gloss finish with clear spray paint.

no one has it all figured out

There are Christians who:

Believe the Holy Bible does not contain the Apocrypha. Do not believe in the Trinity. Believe Mary stayed a virgin. Believe woman today should wear skirts and have long hair. Believe tattoos and piercings are sinful or even open the door to demonic curse. Believe once saved, always saved. Are democrats. Believe we should confess our sins to a Priest. Believe the Holy Bible does contain the Apocrypha. Believe that people who are gay are going to hell. Believe that people who are gay aren't automatically going to hell, but are living in sin that is greater than most other sins. Believe that it is not a sin to be gay. Believe you can lose your salvation. Are pro-life. Believe everything is predestined by God. Believe the KJV is the only real Bible translation. Are racist. Do not believe woman should be pastors. Have a woman pastor. Voted for Obama. Believe you must be baptized to be saved. Believe drinking alcohol is sinful. Believe being a glutton is sinful (oh wait, no, that's no one really).

I could go on, but hopefully you get my point. There are people who identify as believers in Jesus Christ who believe differently than you. And before you say it, I know. They are misguided. You've studied, you've prayed, God has spoken to you. You know the Truth. Guess what? They are saying the same thing right now, too.  Everyone thinks they are right. That's why they believe it- because they think it's true. There are very smart, studied people on each end of the spectrum. 

So where does that leave us? I honestly don't know. And that's what I'm learning. That I don't know A LOT. That doesn't mean I stop trying to learn. That doesn't mean I stop caring. It means I do the best I can. I read the Word and study and come to the best conclusion that I can. I decide for myself what I believe. But when someone believes differently, in grace and humility I listen. I mean, really listen to what they have to say. If I still disagree, that's okay.

I know you've studied. I know you are passionate about what you believe. I know you want to advocate what you believe to be the Truth. And maybe you are right about a lot of it. But, here's the thing. You are probably wrong about something. Can you honestly say that you think are are right about everything?? If so, I would love to have a chat with you because that is quite an accomplishment!! And I've never met anyone that was always, 100% of the time right. So I would love to meet you. However, if not, think about it. You are wrong about something. One of those beliefs that you hold so tightly and advocate so firmly, you are probably wrong about one of them. At least one of them. If that does not cause us to step back in humility and grace, then I'm at a loss. I no longer know what to say to you. And it probably wouldn't matter.

No one has it all figured it. An honest admission of that can only lead to humility.


And posting the lyrics to this song again, This Side of Heaven by Chris August.

Everyone’s got their own opinions
There’s nothing they don't know about
But in the end nobody's winning
'Cause nobody's got it figured out

[Chorus:]
Oh the things we think we know
But honestly we really don’t
This side of heaven
Save the worry, stop the hate
It doesn't matter anyway
This side of heaven

You can make your own decision
You can write it on a sign
But when it feels like something’s missing
Listen up and I'll tell you why

[Chorus]

I remember how He showed me
Love is first above all
And that judgment should come slowly
'Cause we all have our faults