Beholding and Becoming
My summer theme is Flexible Love and I hope we can all love one another and be flexible and not let the devil get a foothold. We truly need to behold the gift of each day and pray that in the process of life we will be transformed more and more to the likeness of Christ.
"Nearness to God brings likeness to God.The more you see God the more of God will be seen in you."
Charles Spurgeon
I want to share Ruth's glossary about what you will see in her paintings. All of her books are gorgeous visually and spiritually. I encourage you to check her out.
"Bees-workers that produce great dividends
Beetles-unwanted and unfavorable but sometimes secretly helpful
Birds-representative of God's value and care for His children
Blackberries-the thorns and blood of Christ
Bluebells-humility
Butterflies-transformation
Cherry blossoms-fragility of life
Cranes-life, direction
Dandelions-the cares of life
Dragonflies-fleetingness, transience of life
Gingko-perseverance (one of the only trees that survived the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima)
Honeycomb-fruitfulness and provision
Hummingbirds-continue, remain, and are tirelessly persistent while discovering sweetness within
Koi-productiviity
Lily of the Valley-redemption
Morning Glories-open and close with the start and end of a day
Moths-the temporary, earthiness, fading
Pomegranates-fruitfulness, blessing, abundance
Poppies-remembrance
Thistles-toil and labor
Trumpet Vine-adiding
Sweet Peas-tenacity
Water Lilies-peace
Wheat-harvest and provision"
"We become what we behold."
William Blake
There isn't one of us that will ever forget 2020. Not only were we taken from our places of worship, work and school, but all that was replaced with reports, rules and regulations that caused many people to become very anxious.
Simons writes, "We are so captivated by our technology and all that it puts before our eyes that we overlook the ways that God displays His glory through creation, relationships, and our ordinary circumstances in the day to day. We look for dramatic ways to experience God, but His presence and transforming work in our lives happen minute by minute."
There is so much beautiful and kindness to behold. Similar to Blake's quote is what I've told our children for years. What we put in ourselves, in more ways than one, is what comes out of us. So, let's fill ourselves up with Jesus, whose image we are supposed to be transforming into.
"So our faces are not covered. They show the bright glory of the Lord, as the Lord’s Spirit makes us more and more like our glorious Lord." 2 Corinthians 3:18
Paul David Tripp reminds us...
"Human beings by their very nature are worshippers. Worship is not something we do; it defines who we are. You cannot divide human beings into those who worship and those who don't. Everybody worships; it's just a matter of what, or whom, we serve."
Simons challenges us..."How we direct our eyes, minds, hearts, and hands in the everyday will determine whom we ultimately worship and what we ultimately become."
As for me and prayerfully my household (whom a lot are hiding out at Shiloh this summer) we want to worship the Lord.
There is so much beautiful and kindness to behold. Similar to Blake's quote is what I've told our children for years. What we put in ourselves, in more ways than one, is what comes out of us. So, let's fill ourselves up with Jesus, whose image we are supposed to be transforming into.
"So our faces are not covered. They show the bright glory of the Lord, as the Lord’s Spirit makes us more and more like our glorious Lord." 2 Corinthians 3:18
Paul David Tripp reminds us...
"Human beings by their very nature are worshippers. Worship is not something we do; it defines who we are. You cannot divide human beings into those who worship and those who don't. Everybody worships; it's just a matter of what, or whom, we serve."
Simons challenges us..."How we direct our eyes, minds, hearts, and hands in the everyday will determine whom we ultimately worship and what we ultimately become."
As for me and prayerfully my household (whom a lot are hiding out at Shiloh this summer) we want to worship the Lord.
"But if you don’t want to worship the Lord, then choose right now!
Will you worship the same idols your ancestors did? Or since you’re living on land that once belonged to the Amorites, maybe you’ll worship their gods. I won’t.
My family and I are going to worship and obey the Lord!"
Joshua 24:15
