Graduattion Bible verses and Prayer

I will be graduating in just a couple days and have been thinking about where I am going and where I have been.  (To see where I am going be sure to check out my art blog.) I thought I would share some of the verses that are fitting for this time in my life. I hope you find them fitting and please share them with any graduates that you know. You can also pray the prayer at the end of this posts for any one moving on the new stages of life this Spring.

Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

1 Timothy 4:12 Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.  

Joshua 1:9 ...Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. 

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Psalm 71:5 For You are my hope, O Lord GOD; You are my trust from my youth. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails. 

Hey God, I just wanted to say thank you for all that you have shown me in the past few years. 

I have learned so much in and out of the classroom.

 I pray that my work and future could be dedicated and pleasing to you. I thank you for the opportunities that you have shared and as for continued blessings. 

 Amen! 

Happy Birthday Black Jesus!

For Christmas I would like to share some of my recent artwork dealing with Jesus Christ.

Happy birthday Jesus!!!

I pray that you will be with the poor, the lonely, the humble, 

and the weak on this beautiful day.

I also pray that people will be willing to help those in need,

just a Jesus of the oppressed would (and did) do.

Amen!

A Black Jesus

This poster, with an image of a Black Jesus, is designed to represent James Cone's theology in my Make it Plain art exhibition.  James Cone was a theologian who made the idea of a black Jesus famous.  Cone was responding to the images of a white Jesus and a white God that supported the oppression, murder, enslavement, and oppression of blacks. James Cone responded with the idea that Jesus represents the oppressed peoples, and Jesus therefore was seen as black.

Cone combined the ideas of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King.  He took Malcolm's ideas of self love and a added them to Kings philosophy of loving others.  Cone  used MLK Jr's Black Christian theology.  James Cone is known as the founder of Black Liberation Theology (which still had some grit if you read his actual sermons).

The church responded to Cone with the idea "God is not black; God is race-less."  Keep in mind before Cone, God was seen as white often with blonde hair and blue eyes....sorry, God is not European (don't worry I know Jesus was not biologically African either).

For Christmas I would like to wish Jesus a happy birthday and thank him for teaching us to love those our society sees as bad, evil, poor and untouchable. 

European Jesus from Sodahead.com

People who have heard of James Cone in response to the anti Obama campaigns, have heard incredibly distorted views of what black Liberation Theology actually is saying.  These same people seem to forget the circumstances that men like James Cone and Malcolm X were responding to and living with on a daily basis.

Visit my art blog to see more art work from this Make it Plain

Click here to listen to James Cone on NPR.

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Update: I don't believe the BLT is 100% perfect, anything that is "Jesus +" is not the true Gospel. Nor do I believe that Jesus was actually black. This poster was a component of a larger art exhibition.

Best Church Ever!

Ok so Emmaus Road Community Church in Laramie Wyoming may not be the best church in the world...and maybe I shouldn't encourage a competition between churches...and this project is inspired by the church I grew up in.  Anyways, this post is about how much the community and members at Emmaus Road rock.

Three days ago, on Sunday, I announced that there was a family in town that could really use a little help.  I had a wish list consisting of one item per person and asked if the congregation would help out with the gifts.  I gave a little background such as the family just decided to go without Christmas presents this year and that they went several weeks without toilet paper a while back.  The family is currently living in a 5th wheel as well.   I told the congregation that I would love to do more than just the gifts but it would really depend on how many people could help...It was a small service since all the college kids were away, so I was not expecting a lot... However, we will be doing much more than the three suggested gifts. 

Here is a bit of what the church helped the family with in three days. 

 Stockings

 Each family member will get 1 stocking filled with...

  

Personal Hygiene Items 

Toothpaste
Toothbrush
Flossers
Mouthwash
Razors
Deodorant
Hand sanitizer
Lotion
Soap

And a couple small candies.

A Coffee Gift Basket for Mom

Diane from church knows her coffee (and the mom) and offered to get some gourmet coffees.  She found one decent size bag of coffee, 12 single servings in assorted flavors, and 4 flavored dairy creamers.  Go Diane!

I added a scarf for decoration/warmth, a candle, two mugs and a coffee travel cup to the gift basket.
If you haven't noticed yet, I love gift baskets!

$40 for a Medical Alert Bracelet for the Daughter
The daughter in this family has several serious medical conditions and really needs this bracelet.  When I asked the daughter what her and her parents would want this was all she wanted for herself.  She was much more excited about her parents getting gifts.  We still wanted to get her a gift that was for fun and not a necessity.  So we made...


A girly Gift Basket for the Daughter

This basket includes a candle, nail polish, lotion, body spray, shower gel, a loofah and some festive candies. 
Again with the gift baskets :) 

An Amazon Kindle Card for Dad
The dad in this family loves to read.  He has a Kindle, doesn't have room for books, and doesn't have money to buy more.

A $100 Wall-Mart Gift Card for the Family
One church member donated a $100 gift card, which will be perfect.  

&

A Christmas Tree

The tree was donated from a lady that I work with.  

She works at a greenery and was actually looking for a family to give some leftover trees to.
Although this family does not have much living space, the tree will be perfect outside or inside.

$5 from the Dollar tree worth of decorations.
It was simple but really kept decorating the tree from being a family burden.

That was three days worth of love and there is still one more day.  We have around $200 left to spend.  I am looking at purchasing  

A Meal or Two or Three

One gal from our church wanted to buy the family a meal. I am not sure what this will be yet.

I would also like the purchase $50 worth of groceries including

A Christmas Dinner

a small ham

instant mashed potatoes

corn and beans 

3 Movie Tickets

When you work as hard as these guys are, and have their entire lives, you need and deserve to have some fun.

University of Wyoming Gear

The dad is a huge Cowboys fan and I was told by my pastor that he would love anything Cowboys.

I am not sure what this will be yet, but probably a sweatshirt, a hat, or gloves.

An Electric Blanket
Living in a 5th wheel in Laramie Wyoming's weather gets cold.
An electric blanket will keep them from midnight runs to get more propane, keep them warn and save money all at the same time.

2 More Gift Cards

One for the daughter and one for the parents.  

This will be the remainder of the money.

And I gave the daughter (who is a close friend) a small painting

Hey God, I would like to close with a short prayer.  

First of all thank you for placing this family in our lives and town.  Thank you for blessing them this Christmas season.  I pray that you would help these gifts make a significant impact and help this family pay off some of their medical bills.  I pray for the mother and daughter's health and the fathers strength.  Please please please lord help this project expand so that we can make some major changes in the community.  This is for me, but I would love to see our church do this for more than one family in the future.

Thank you for softening the hearts of those you have blessed. 

Amen!

Update: I absolutely believe that the church should be the ones taking care of the poor. It is the churches job, not the governments. I do not, however, believe that adding anything to the gospel is appropriate. If it become "Jesus + serving the poor" then it is not Biblical. Also, sharing the Gospel is a humans most basic need. Sharing the gospel should be the priority.

A Prayer for My Art

God,

Please help me to develop my niche in art. 

Help my art to glorify you and to be honest. 

I also want to use my art to help people. 

Whether you want my studio to be in a youth venue or 

youth center or you want me to volunteer at a homeless shelter, 

please help those desires to become my desires. 

Please help me find Christian mentors in the art field 

who can support me and encourage me to develop according to you will. 

Again I pray that your will would become my desire. 

Help me to develop discipline in the studio and 

help my business to glorify you and help those in need. 

Help me to learn what you want me to learn and use the gifts you gave me 

(Thanks again!) 

to glorify you and your kingdom. 

I truly believe that you would not have given me the passions 

(working with those in need and art) 

if you didn’t want me to use them in a specific or a variety of ways. 

Please grant me the wisdom to know what your will is and what your goals for me are. 

Amen!

Thomazeau, Haiti

The little village of Thomazea is located outside (North-East) of Croix-des-Bouquets. It consists of about 100 houses. Though I am not sure about the number of people living in the majority of the houses, some of them have ten to fifteen people.

We were working in this village to help build chicken coupes. The community was great; they did a great job when it came to working.

The kids were also a ton of fun to be around.

Here are some photos of the village and villagers. 

Just hanging out.

Big brother

The men were incredibly hard workers and the women took care of the families (Also not an easy task).  Some of the ladies from our group were frustrated when jobs on the chicken coupe were taken from them by the Haitian men.  Though I completely agree, it was frustrating; I think we were there for something bigger that simply building a chicken coupe.  We were there to equip a community to sustain itself.  We were there to be Jesus to the kids who have never had anyone out side of the community spend time with them.  We were there to learn about a culture.  We were there to teach and love on people.  I think these greater things can only be accomplished to their fullest extent when we let go of our selfishness and go with the flow.

This guy was great.  He was one of the hard workers.

This was just after we picked up her son to help with the chicken coupe.

Some of the kids.

Travel

Hey God! 

Thank you for the privileges that allow me to the opportunity to work on a missions trip like this.

I pray that you would send me back at some point.

I pray that you would help us to accomplish the tasks you have in mind.  

I pray that we would listen to you even when it is difficult.  

I pray that the impacts from this trip will last many more years, 

and touch many more lives, than we can ever imagine.

Amen!

You can see several more photos of the village "In the Country" section of my "Life in Haiti" post.

I am Thankful for My Water...

There are many things that I am thankful for.  As I was sitting, I was thinking that I was glad I could just walk into the kitchen and fill up my water bottle from the sink.

I was originally thinking that it was nice to not need a water filter simply to enjoy the taste.  Because in the Connor, I do need the water to be filtered.  See the Connor has some problems, like corroding pipes, rotting walls, and windows that don't open.  If you don't use the shower for a while (like Christmas vacation) you have to run the hot and cold water for several hours to get it clear.  It is completely safe, just has metal in it.  Anyways, if you look at some of these pictures of the building you might understand (why we live there and the beauty that is in the old buildings of Laramie).  We also have circular archways, which make it all worthwhile.

Anyways, I began to think a little broader and thought back to my recent Haiti trip.  I am extremely thankful that I don't have to pump my water, or bathe on the road or carry my water several miles.  I am thankful that I can turn on the faucet and even if the water taste funny, I can drink it.

I decided to write a post about the many things that I am thankful for.  Here are the first 13 that I rambled off in about 1 minute....what are your top 5?

 I am thankful that I can turn on a faucet and drink the water without getting sick
I am thankful for my friends and family
I am thankful for my husband
I am thankful for my education
I am thankful that I have the option to be a stay at home mom, artist, or work in a corporate position
I am thankful that I have a job
I am thankful for my computer
I am thankful for my artistic ability
I am thankful for music
I am thankful for flowers
I am thankful that I can spend time with those I love
I am thankful that I have had the experiences (both good and bad) that I have had
I am thankful that I have had positive role models throughout my life.


I created this YouTube video in response to this blog post and a video produced by Water.org featuring Matt Damon.

In conclusion,

Thank you God for all the wonderful blessings in my life.  

Thank you for both the big and the small.  

Thank you for everything that I take for-granted

and help me to see what is truly important in life.

Amen!

Haiti Journal Entry 1 or He is Risen Indeed

Disclaimer: Well this post is a bit of rambling (I'm not even sure if there is a complete thought, but I know there are at least two partial thoughts)…If you follow, great. If not check back later because I might try to tidy it up a bit (but for now I need to get back to studying...)

Wow, I am not even sure how to explain the power of Jesus’ resurrection other than amazing. Sometimes it hits me like a great big brick wall of love and grace and other times I seem to shrug it off (I think because I don’t fully comprehend it).

The process of trying to get my passport has been a nightmare. I wont go too deeply into the problems that I have been having but every time I have gone into the courthouse so far they seem to find a new reason why I cant just hand in the paperwork.  It is also frustrating because I cant help but wonder what the experience would be if I was a white male (I know people don't like to admit that racism still exists but it does especially in situations like this).  Anyways, I followed the directions online perfectly but the people at the courthouse keep telling me that this and that wont work but will not give me reasons why or how to fix them.  The most recent time they told me that they can’t accept my drivers license because it is out of state and the time before that they said that the photo paper my image was printed on wont work (The Copy Center used the paper that their (Passport people's) website had posted and the office couldn't tell me what paper to use).

Jim is convinced that the devil is trying to thwart the process and tell me that “God doesn’t want me to go.” It sure seems like God is telling me that I am not supposed to go for some reason, but I do agree with Jim that God rarely tells people not to serve. 

Today at Easter breakfast with some people from my church, I was really encouraged, and finally think that I have the information about how to fix the details of the problem. The church service was great too. Talk about the resurrection power of God when it comes to changing things around (The sermon went much deeper than a missions trip in content and make-you-think-ness). I am pretty confident that I am supposed to go and things are looking like they will work out.

Thanks you God for you son and all that he/you did throuhgh his birth, life, death and resurrection. Amen!

I think that the sermon from today (4/24) should be up soon. It was wonderful.

The Coininia Room

Jesus is relational.

Last Sunday in church our pastor was talking about how John was extremely focused on relationships (1 John 1 vrs. 3). Paul’s desire is to journey through life with God centered people.

Paul wanted fellowship. My pastor broke down the word fellowship into the original language. It came from Coninia, a word meaning to have in common, share life, and to be together. Having this understanding helped me to see why relationships are so important. Fellowship is also the reason that Jesus came to earth, so He could get to know us and we could get to know Him.

I grew up in a Lutheran church. The church had a lot to offer both the community and its members. Nothing could beat the community. Every Sunday between services people gathered together in the Coininia Room for coffee, donuts, and Cool-Aid. You were able to truly journey together. I would argue that there is no greater joy than this.

Dear God,

Please help us to experience true joy though you and with others.  

Help us to journey through life and experience true fellowship.

Amen!

Read through 1 John, 2 John and 3 John.  They are all really short.  I read most of 1 John in a day and the rest along with 2 John and 3 John the next day.

As you read think about relationships and joy.

Are there passages or verses that relate to fellowship?  Joy? Both?

What passage speaks to you the most?  What don't you understand?

Simple Christmas Gift Idea

Bath Salt is a last minute gift idea that you still have time to make before Christmas.  This gift looks great, smells great and from what I have read seems to be the cure all gift.

You will need…
Epsom Salt
Fragrance (essential oils)
Food coloring
And
Some empty jars that can be sealed (I used both a jelly canning jar and some containers from the dollar store with rubber bands plastic bags and ribbon to cover the band)

1. You can either poor the whole bag of salt into a bowl or poor just the amount you need in. I placed salt in the final containers then poured it into a bowl so that I would make just the amount I needed.

2. Mix the salt and food coloring together keep adding coloring until it is the color you want. I used neon food coloring because I knew that I wanted purple and didn’t already have the standard colors. If you have the standard colors, the box will have the number of drops to create the desired color listed.

I made frosting using this green and it was awesome!

3. Add fragrance – If you use oils the mixture will be fairly dry but if you use a liquid fragrance it will be a bit sloppy.  The sloppy slushiness it not a problem but will cause the next  step to take longer.

4. Lay out in a baking pan to dry. I let oils set for about an hour. You just want it to be a similar consistency to what it was before you added the color and fragrance
5. Measure into containers.
6. Tie a ribbon around the top and place in a gift basket or wrap.

To create the layered affect just poor salt into two bowls, adding fragrance to both but color to one.  Then poor into container alternating colors. 

Merry Christmas!

God I pray that we could all have a wonderful holiday 

and time sharing gifts with family and friends 

but I also ask that you would 

help us to remember Jesus and his birth in this busy time.

AMEN!

Christmas Prayer

God, I would like to pray for those that don’t know you and don’t know about Jesus. 

I pray that they could find you in this holiday season.

I especially pray for those who don’t have a family, friends or a home. 

I pray that they would feel safe and warm.

Please help people leave their selfishness behind, if even for a day.

I pray for Chino and Daniella as well as Crazy Horse (maybe I will share these stories).

Please keep those on the streets safe. 

I pray for the Rapid City Mission and similar organizations.

Please help the Soup Kitchen find volunteers for this holiday season.

Help those of us who have much to share with others who have less.

I pray for people living with and dying from disease.

I pray for my pastors (Todd, JeriAnn, Brad, Diane, Layne, Jennifer and their families).

I also lift up the prayers of others in this holiday season.

(Please add a comment for a prayer that you have…)

AMEN!

GRACE

Grace is Queer

This poster is hard for me because I chose to use topics that I am against and raise fairly strong emotional responses.  For example my biological father was murdered by a member of the KKK and in high school my dad's (adoptive/ real) car was bombed in our driveway.  The poster is telling the viewer that "we are called to forgive everyone," even the people that have done this things to me. 

I know that the call to action for this poster is not nearly as as easy to do as it is to say.  I know that forgiveness is a difficult everyday decision that we can actively make.

God, please help us to forgive 

those who sin against us.  

Lead us not into temptation 

but deliver us from evil...

Amen!

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Grace = seeing my own flaws

Sample Poster from my site.

I have recently been working on a project for a class (the next few posts will address my project). The project is in response to looking at the problems within and among GLBTQ communities’ and the Christians communities. I think that many of the problems that strain these relationships result from a lack of two features: grace and dialog. I am choosing to focus on the issue of grace for this project. The project is composed of a website that displays some posters that I have created about the topic of grace.
Grace is such an important topic in our society and Christian community. We should all be working to better understand what Jesus did for us as well as striving to show the grace of God to others.

I was having a conversation with a friend/mentor (Anthony Johnson or AJ) about grace. He explained that when he is having a hard time showing someone grace, he asks God to show him his own flaws. After seeing his imperfections he will often remember a verse such as “we are all sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God.”

(Romans 3:23 or Isaiah 53:6)

If you don’t read anything else from this page, I would like you to take the idea that a gracious attitude toward someone can be as simple as looking at your own flaws first.
 

hey God, please show me my flaws and 

help me to see that we all fall short of your glory and therefore 

we ALL need your grace.

AMEN