Grin

What did you carve this year?

Prioritize Your Art

What are you working on today? 

Is it something that feeds your soul or is it a have-to-should-supposed-to-expectation-duty-obligatory-go-through-the-motions-check-list-task?

Yes, we all have things we are “supposed to do”; responsibilities that need fulfillment because others are waiting on us.  However, please don’t let this be your excuse from getting to your real work.

Every day you have an opportunity to creatively lean into that which brings you life.  You may need to change your day’s schedule so your art becomes a greater priority, you may need to change your attitude so you stop blaming others for your lack of production, or you may need to change your expectations of creativity so you can find beauty in what you are already doing.

We are all busy people with expectations too long to list.  The difference between the artist and the amateur is that the artist makes a way for their art to come alive.

Jack Money

The stream of conciousness for this doodle came when I thought about combining two holidays (Halloween and St. Patrick's Day).  What combination doodle will you come up with today?

Can Your Art Speak For Itself?

Doing the work to the best of your ability and letting it stand on its own is a difficult task.  We would rather give some kind of pre-emptive qualifier to distance ourselves from the work in case it doesn’t go over well. 

Upon turning in his paper the student tells his professor, “It’s not my best paper; I’ve been swamped with other coursework but here you go”.  Or just before the unveiling the sculptor tells her critic, “It’s not my favorite piece; I rushed things a bit, but here it is”.

This kind of commentary gives us the feeling of safety.  If the work is not well received, at least we identified it first; a sign of a high achiever.  If the work is well received, then we come across as humble and modest.  Either way, we feel like we're safe.  Yet in reality, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Pre-emptive qualifiers are dangerous to you and to your art.

Pre-emptive qualifiers are fueled by the desire to be liked; the need for approval. Its primary concern is constructing and protecting an image.  In providing us cover to hide behind we no longer have to pay attention to the harsh reality:  maybe we’re not as good as we think we are or maybe we are.

I’m not sure which is more terrifying.

Try submitting your next assignment without any additional commentary.  Allow the work to stand on its own and listen to what it teaches you.

The Ensuing Battle

To surrender or give up?

Neither one of these are particularly attractive.  In each case that which we wanted is given over to something else; another way, an outside force, a different ideal.  We would rather die than surrender and our American work ethic tells us that we cannot give up.  And so we do what most people do when faced with the prospect of surrender or giving up…

We fight.

Opposing armies fight, political parties fight, spouses fight, kids fight, co-workers fight.  We fight for our voice to be heard, our ideas to be understood, and for our dreams to be fulfilled.  We fight because we believe our way is worth subscribing to; a way worth living.

When we believe something is “worth fighting for” lines are drawn, elbows are thrown, and the battle ensues.  And it rages on until someone gives up, gives over, surrenders or is destroyed.

While commentary could be made of the many battles going on in the world around us, I’m wondering about the battle that is raging within you.  The battle no one sees because each day you dutifully report to the expectations placed on you.  The battle between:

Who others say you are vs. Who you think you are.

What you do vs. What you wish you could do.

Where you are vs. Where you wish you were.

This battle is exhausting.  It takes no prisoners.  It leaves one scattered; a displacement of self with no home in sight.   We fight because we long for a better way.  We fight because we can’t imagine surrendering and resigning ourselves to status-quo-living for the rest of our life.  But I’m not sure that this fight will bring the resolve we long for.

This is the endless fight of the prove-yourself-merry-go-round.  Maybe it’s time you simply stop.

Fighting.

Perhaps this is what Jesus was getting at when he said, “Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it.”

Maybe instead of training to fight, it's time you practice letting go.

The Wonderlust Wagon

To those who are:

studying for exams, working on a new idea, going through a bitter custody battle, coaching youth sports, spending money you don't have, excited about a new relationship, learning a language, dealing with a chronic illness, trying to make sense of someone else's decisions, rich, finishing your doctoral thesis, wishing golf was less frustrating, poor, traveling abroad, lying to your spouse, wishing you were never born, able to slam-dunk a basketball, terrible at remembering names but great at remembering faces, certain the Republicans cheat, still living with mom and dad, skeptical of the President's "hope and change", relieved your boss didn't notice, ecstatic that you found your glasses, leery of food labels that read "real cheese", nervous about an upcoming conversation, believing the best while others have cast doubt, trying to get their body back, giving their body away, a sucker for a "chick-flick", or...

playing the banjo across country in their station-wagon-sleeper with their "free hugs" sign-wearing dog,

Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, with all of your mind, and with all of your strength...and love your neighbor as yourself.

It will change everything.

Life, Liberty & The Pursuit of Happiness

This sounds like a beautiful promise, something worthy to achieve, but be careful.

These words may speak to our longings and calm our fears but be cautious.

This ideal may seem like an American Dream but don’t allow it to lull you to sleep.

Sadly, in our effort to have “life”, we resort to slander, we fight, we take others to war and we even justify killing.  Our desire for “liberty” becomes self-focused; one man’s liberty becomes another’s oppression.  The pursuit of “happiness” becomes our unquenchable narcotic; leaving us with an insatiable appetite for more.

In this season remember:

The American Dream

is not

The Gospel Dream.

A dream where the dreamers pursue self-sacrifice as a way to true life.  A dream where in becoming a servant to all, others are set free.  And a dream where suffering in solidarity with the least of these, unites us in joy.

Avoidance Is the Problem

Peace will never be achieved by pretending everything is “okay”.  It cannot be ushered in if you avoid difficult conversations.  “Wishful thinking” does nothing to jump-start the movement of peace.  Peace will never return if you keep running away from conflict.  Relationships will never be mended if you decide to “mind your own business”.  Peace cannot be experienced by others if you are unwilling to let go.  Darkness will continue to dwell heavily until you decide to turn on the light.

There is no easy way to usher peace.

Maybe today is the day for you to face a difficult situation.  Maybe today you need to discuss something with someone you love or maybe you need to begin by taking a deep look into the mirror.

May you be given the courage to face what lies ahead.  And may the Peace of Christ rule your days.

Lazy Walking Taco

I don't care much for walking tacos and so I am rather indifferent to them should they choose to be lazy.  What will you doodle this Friday?  And please, don't eat any walking tacos...they're gross.

Mom and Her Apron

A living planet is a much more complex metaphor for deity than just a bigger father with a bigger fist.  If an omniscient, all-powerful dad ignores your prayers, it's taken personally.  Hear only silence long enough, and you start wondering about His power.  His fairness.  His very existence.  But if a world mother doesn't reply, Her excuse is simple.  She never claimed conceited omnipotence.  She has countless others clinging to Her apron strings, including myriad species unable to speak for themselves.  To Her elder offspring She says, "Go raid the fridge, Go play outside.  Go get a job.  Or, better yet, lend me a hand.  I have no time for whining."

             -David Brin

How might this image of God shape the way you live in the world?

How does this image change your expectations of God?

Pencil Surfing Skeletons

"Long live the sombrero that sits upon the Pencil-Surfing Skeleton who writes 'Awesome' in reverse!"

A doodle isn't about making 'sense', it is about letting the pen do what it will.  Have fun today with a doodle (and if all possible, doodle during an important meeting).