This week I have been working on a mixed media project (sneak peek of it above) that had me thinking about being consumed with ourselves. While I was working on it Thursday afternoon, I was being interrupted by my little man. He wanted my attention. So, I would stop, play a while and then start up again on the project. Then, I would stop, go play playdough. Stop and color. Stop and have snack. Stop and play outside. Stop, stop, and stop some more.
When I was in high school I took an International Baccalaureate visual art class. This is not your ordinary art class. In two years we had to have at least 20 pieces done for a show, including a sketch book of progress for each year. I never worked on my pieces at school. I always painted at home. Whenever I paint I have to start a piece and finish the piece in the same day. This would be difficult working in a classroom for only an hour a day with the distractions of a self-pased classroom. There would be talking, music, sometimes even movies playing in the classroom. When I work I am so focused that there couldn't be any distractions. I used class time to sketch in my sketch book. I realized this week that when I work on any project it is still the same.
During bible study this week, we were talking about being fully committed to God. You know, take up your cross and follow him. In America, we don't really know what that means. In other countries, to follow Jesus is to give it all to him and lose everything. In my life time I have never seen with my own eyes persecution for following Christ. I have heard from those on the mission field but not where I live or in my own life. One woman in my group was questioning, if in our churches there are people not serving when there are needs to help the community or in ministry could those members be considered "half-hearted" Christians.
Sometimes we are so focused on what we are doing when all the while God is trying to get our attention. He wants to be intimate with us and we are too busy doing our own thing. Every once and a while we will look up, step away from what we are doing, spend some time with God, then go right back to our old selves doing our thing. After bible study, I was driving home and stopped at a red light. There I noticed a man walking across the street. It dawned on me then that I didn't know this man's eternal destination and it shocked me that it was the first time I had thought of this of a stranger. Then I looked across the street and there was a woman. My heart ached that I don't look around myself more often.
I do not want to be self consumed. I am so thankful for the little lesson God showed me this week.
