On a Rare, Warm, Sunshine-y Day in January
The sun rose this morning, all pink and peach and luminous in the horizon outside my bedroom window. Dressing quickly, I downed the espresso my pastor made for me, and then got into the studio the moment “The Preacher” left for his meetings. (post edit: this very painting I worked on this morning - featured below - sold in under a half hour, after sharing it to social media. That never gets old. Thank you, friends!)
This that you see above? This is my “alabaster jar state”. Based on the Luke 7:37 account of the woman who broke her alabaster jar and poured out the rare, exquisite contents onto Jesus, this way of being in the world (and being this way openly) is vulnerable and so real and it makes me subject to a certain kind of criticism and misunderstanding.
But oh, how I live for moments like this. I won’t worship the Lord in a way that is reserved and buttoned-up. That costs me nothing.
Some call this a “flow state”. Whole books have been written about it. Ted-talks abound, telling you all about “flow state” and about how to call up this elusive way of being in the world. I simply call this state….worship. It does not always have to involve musical accompaniment (look up “Come to the Deep” by Kimberly and Alberto Rivera on YouTube for what you hear on this short video). In fact, sometimes there’s no music at all.
But this state of being will always, for me, involve passion. It will involve the creation of or experience of beauty. It will always involve the presence of the Living God. It will always involve a personal practice of the consciousness of His nearness.
I paint paintings, make custom artisan jewelry, create video, and I painstakingly make prints, and then I release all these things into the atmosphere of others’ ordinary life, believing with all my heart that a particular sort of anointing can “go with” each work of my hands. I believe the aroma of “Presence” and of worship can “fill the room” where each piece of art lives. I know that the costly “oils” I pour out, through a paintbrush, in full-on reckless devotion to Jesus, can create a fragrance of healing - body, soul, and spirit - in the room in which they land.
And now, I’m off to gather with some good friends over a meal. We are going to laugh our backsides off, and talk about church-y stuff.
I am going to eat carbs and gluten, but mostly I am just going to feel so happy to be alive today.
Sunshine and art. And grandkids and cream puffs homemade from a girlfriend. Hot dang, it has been a gorgeous day.
