Contemplative Photography

Photograph (c) Christine Valters Painter

The heart of Vertical Creativity is to encouage one another to become aware of God's presence in daily life through our own creative endeavors. Those of you who know me, know that photography is one way that I slow down and notice the beauty of God's creation, contemplative photography. In doing so, those moments become sacred. And I'm not the only one who feels that photography is a sacred practice. I'm on the newsletter email list for the website Abbey of the Arts. In the most recent newsletter, there is an article titled, "Photography as a Sacred Practice." It's worth taking a gander.

Makes me excited for the next LWCC photo field trip.

Grace & peace on the journey ~ deAnn

Sabbath

Enjoy your Sabbath - do what bring rest to your soul.

grace & peace ~ deAnn

Thought for Food

Reflect on this quote for a little while. Then, move into your creative endeavor mindful of this truth.

"Since prayer connects us to God, creativity -- as it connects us to the creative power of God -- becomes prayer."

From chapter six in Daniel Wolpert's (awesome) book, "Creating a Life with God."

Grace & peace on the journey ~ deAnn

Embrace Your Language

In high school I took Latin and two years of French. I can't remember anything, even if my life depended on it. Several years ago I spent four weeks in Turkey and, with help from a few Turks I befriended, I learned to say some of the more popular greetings in Turkish. In return, I taught them some English. However, when even words become barriers in human communication, we resort to using our hands or drawing stick pictures to get the point across. It can be frustrating and a tad scary.

Take the time I traveled from London to Holland alone. I needed to take a bus from Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam to a remote little village in the north. And I didn't speak a stitch of Dutch. After the conference was over, on my journey back to London, that is when the real adventure began. Craig dropped me off at a tiny two track train station in the middle of Dutch cow-country. Alone, vulnerable, and a bit anxious about my travels back to Schiphol, I stood in front of the large ticket machine trying to "read" how to purchase a ticket to the right location. I just laughed and verbally said, "God, you've gotten me this far on my journey - I know you'll get me home. Now, which button do I push?????" That entire leg of the trip, it was just me and God. I had to switch trains four times before reaching the airport. The conductor spoke only Dutch and spoke it with incredible speed, so literally, I depended on nudges from the Holy Spirit to discern my every move. Gigging internally the whole time, I prayed, and God provided me with peace and grace. What an amazing experience that was. (I made it safely to the airport and flew back to London. Back to English territory!)

I was blown away by God's guidance, giving me the ability to "understand" the language enough to get from point A to point B safely. The power of the Spirit to give us what we need just when we need it...reminds me of a little story that I'm sure you're familiar with. There was a group gathered in a quaint little house when a Divine windstorm blew through and caused each person to speak a language not of their native tongue. Acts 2:4 says, "And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability." Then the devout Jews joined the ruckus and were completely amazed. "How can this be? These people are from Galilee, and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages!" Acts 2:7-8.

With God, nothing is impossible. He had an eternal purpose for this group. So He filled His beloved followers with the power of the Holy Spirit - gave them this special gift so they could share the Word with many different people groups. No more language barriers. And today, we have churches all over the world and it all started there.

Your life has a purpose. My life has a purpose. We are no different from that group that gathered in that house. Jesus returned to heaven and in His place - the Holy Spirit blew in and now dwells in each believer's heart. He longs for us to "live into our skin" but often we don't know what that looks like or we are afraid to try. This passage in Acts speaks to me deeply and addresses my doubts head on. With confidence, I trust God will give me the "language" needed to fulfill His purpose (mission) for my allotted time on earth. I must ignore the excuses that I make and the lies I tell myself and just trust He'll give me what is needed as I trust my next step to Him. Just like the train ride in Holland. Me and God. All the way home.

Maybe you sense God leading you in a direction where you feel unqualified. Maybe in adequate. Or, under developed. Can you consider that, like in Acts 2:4, God will give you the "language" you need to fulfill the purpose He's entrusted you? Can you consider that through your creative endeavors, art will be borne and will speak all languages, by the power of the Holy Spirit. In what ways do you doubt? What would it look like to give in to the nudges of God and develop your "language" He has for you to speak? Remember, your church and my church would not exist today without the blazing power that was released on Pentecost. Well, that power is still here. It dwells within each follower's soul. Own it. Embrace it. Unleash it. You never know how God will grow it and use it for His ultimate purpose.

Grace & peace on the journey ~ deAnn

The "D" Word

God must be trying to tell me something. I've picked up several books lately and the theme that jumps out with flashing lights and sirens is "discipline."

I admit it, I'm not the most disciplined person in the world. And I know that to become better at something, I must be disciplined. In my junior year of high school I had a job blowing up balloons and renting out gazebos for lavish weddings. I worked at "California Party Time." (On slow days, my co-worker and I answered the phone after sucking helium - we sounded like Minnie Mouse. Our boss didn't think it was very funny.) I saved up enough money to buy a 10-speed bicycle so I didn't have to bum rides to work from my parents. It was only seven miles to work but I found I really enjoyed riding my bike, especially on the busy down-town streets of Sacramento. It was a pure adrenaline rush!

It wasn't long before I began hanging out at "Sacramento Schwinn," a cool high-end bike store near my house. The owner was awesome and the guys who worked there liked that a "chick" was into bikes. Long story short, I got a job at this bike shop, put my dream bike on layaway, moved into the head bike-mechanic position, and joined the Schwinn Racing Team. I became a full fledged "roadie." Joining a race team meant a LOT of long rides, time trials, sprints, and of course, throwing up (the body's reaction to really really hard work!). Yes, racing meant DISCIPLINE.

Later, when I came to know Christ, that word popped up again, spiritual "disciplines." It didn't take me long to learn that growing spiritually meant discipline - reading Scripture, prayer, reflection, spiritual listening, self examination, silence and solitude, and giving. Discipline means intentional effort. No wonder Jesus' closest followers were called disciples.

Then it will come as no surprise that creativity also requires discipline. Karla M. Kincannon says in her book, Creativity and Divine Surprise, "Discipline cannot be avoided in creativity or spirituality if either is to bear fruit." To know God more deeply requires discipline and to develop your creativity requires discipline.

You may already set time aside each day to be still before the Lord. And your spirit is lifted because you are intentional to be with Him. How good are you at also setting time aside to exercise your creative voice? It's easier to set that aside, especially if you are short on time. But if you sense God calling you to Himself through creativity - don't ignore that nudge - or you may miss something incredibly exciting, something meant only for you and Him.

Grace & peace on the journey ~ deAnn

Noticing the Sacred

I had mentioned in a previous blog that winter has been a long dry season for me on all accounts; spiritually, creatively, and relationally. Watching the tulip leaves push their way up through the garden soil, a little each day, it has reminded me that all growth happens only when one is intentional. Looking at the three major areas in my life that need nurturing - first and foremost, I knew I had to begin with my soul. So I plucked a trusted book from my shelf, "Seeing What is Sacred ~ Becoming More Spiritually Sensitive to the Everyday Moments of Life."

Ken is a wonderful storyteller and shares many personal and touching stories from his own journey. But more than that - as I read his words now, they speak to me as if I've never read them before. I'm sure you've had experiences like this.

Life is so busy. Often rushed. We move through our days at break-neck speed, never really connecting with loved ones, with ourselves, or with God. We become lost. Dry. Lifeless. I knew this was exactly where I was headed, and God knew it too. He directed me back to Ken's book - simple in nature - but extremely vital and foundational. I needed to be reminded that life is FULL of God. Even when the outlook is dim or even dark. Sacred moments are everywhere, and I need to see them. Really "see" them.

Every moment, I want eyes (heart) that are sensitive to God's presence. I want to slow down and go for a walk with a friend around the lake, which He is present. I want to listen to birds in the morning, really hear them joyfully singing, ushering in springs newness, as I walk to my car before work. I do not want to miss this little miracles. And I had not been very attuned to them as of late. I allowed "life" to narrow my vision. My soul suffered. My relationships suffered. My creative life suffered.

But I'm awakening once again.

As I walk through life with a re-newed awareness of His presence - I can feel my creativity come back to life - ideas are emerging and excitement is building for art projects. One can certainly be creative and never notice God. But it is true Vertical Creativity when one creates through sensitivity to His movement in and around their lives. This deep creativity stems directly out of the intimate relationship with our Creator. And that is truly fulfilling.

May you become more spiritually sensitive to the everyday moments of your life.

Grace & peace on the journey ~ deAnn

Paper, Light, and Shadow

While at Mulberry Art Studios last week, I met a guy named Paul Lambert. He's an artist and creates the most unique artwork I've seen in a while. The photo above is a sample of his work, paper and light. Check out more samples online at Mulberry Art Studios THEN you will want to see it in person. It's awesome! It inspired me in unexplainable ways - so much so, that I felt my creative hibernation melt away as I took in each piece. This exhibit is up for only a couple more weeks so you'll have to go soon!

Grace & peace ~ deAnn

Emerging

I've never been this ready for spring! The brown hues of winter are working on my last dangling nerve. Like never before, I look forward to spring with great anticipation and excitement, with a hope for new beginnings. I'm bursting - much like the bright green bud on the acorn tree in the above photo. I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE FLOOD OF SPRING COLORS AND SCENTS!

This winter has been particularly rough. Friends are loosing their jobs, the economy continues to sink lower than expected, families are living in make shift tent cities in some areas, uncertainty is the order of the day for just about every living soul. It's been a long season of winter - not just because the calender says so. Personally, I've been in a deep hibernation - relationally, creatively and even spiritually. But, I sense hope. With the onset of spring - comes hope - new beginnings - and I think every one can use that right about now.

As I emerge from near lifelessness, much like a new bud on a tree, I am bursting to life - exploding! Reaching toward the Son! Opening up fully as to soak in each ray of hope He has to offer me. My creativity is also emerging from near death. I have inspiration once again. New projects to begin as ideas flow like the melting snow. And with that said, I need community. I've been an island all winter. The spring warmth floods the island and brings us all together. I long for a community of creative people, a place where inspiration ignites among us and each of us are better because of togetherness.

Spring is knocking. And I'm running to get the door! WELCOME!!!

Grace & peace on the creative journey ~ deAnn

Woo-Hoo!

It's so exciting! You have to check it out! ~ go to the LWCC-Arts blog to find out what I'm talking about!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day ~ grace & peace ~ deAnn

Let's Go!

I saw this commercial on TV the other day and it so moved me that I had to find it on the web and post it here on Vertical Creativity. Yes, it's a VISA commercial and you'll have to get past that, which I think you can easily do.

The message of "Let's Go" inspires me on many levels: to rethink how I use my time, to follow my dreams, try something new or think outside the box, to love the simple things in life. It inspires me to... GO.

GO is a busy little word. Dictionary.com has 98 listings for this tiny two letter word. Of those 98, some are verbs (of two varieties), nouns, adjectives, interjections, verb phrases, and idioms. Then there are subcategories (are you bored yet?). Nonetheless, this simple word denotes "movement". Jesus said to his disciples "follow me." Basically He said, "Let's Go!"

And still today, He says to us, "Let's Go!" We don't always know where He's taking us, or how it will all work out. But what's important is to know in our heart that He will never leave us as we journey beside Him.

Each new dawn, He gives us - a fresh start. A chance to go in a whole new direction. So will you? Will you walk out the door and go left instead of right? Will you create a new recipe, find a new song? Do something you always wanted to. Will you go forward by also giving back? And will you keep going no matter what life throws your way? Can you hear Him? He's saying, "Let's Go!"

Grace & peace as you... GO! ~ deAnn

(now, take a look at that commercial again. Minus the last few seconds of "more people go with visa." More people GO with Jesus, if you ask me! And you don't have to pay Him interest.)

Moment of Awe

Last night as I sat in the parking lot waiting for my son to get off work - saw through the empty trees a silvery moon that hung stately in the sky. (No, the photo above is not where my son works - but the image captures the feel of last nights sky). The wispy thin clouds provided a translucent veil over the night-light that brightly illuminated the surrounding sky. Stunning doesn't fully describe the scene. I sat there in my car - peering through my windshield, mesmerized by beauty and wonder.

Suddenly, I was startled out of my trance when my son knocked on the passengers window, wanting inside the car. I pointed up to the sky and said, "look at that. Isn't it amazing?" He glance up from his iPhone for one milli-second then replied, "yeah. It's nice." Then back to his technology. I turned the key on my Subaru and took a right out of the parking lot.

It was one of those skies where you feel a strong urge to pull the car off the road, get out, and lay on the hood - gazing up at the captivating sight until you are filled up with beauty to the point that you can' handle any more. Yes, last night's sky was that kind of sky.

What is it about those moments? They are special and often I drive right past them, going to my destination. I don't let anything interfere with my journey, not even a moment to be fully present before God. I zoom through the journey just to reach the destination. And I miss so much...

All the way home, the silvery moon followed us. Every turn we took - it was there. Every stop sign or light we halted at - it halted too. It even kept up with us as our speed increased. It was there as we loaded the car in the barn for the night and the silvery moon even ushered us to our back door as if to say "good night - sleep tight."

As I drifted off to sleep last night, I reflected on that caring moon and how it held me in its grip. I quietly prayed and thanked God for that experience and grateful that I slowed down and really took it in. Just as that brilliant silvery moon reflects the unseen sun into our night sky - I long to be like that moon and reflect the unseen Son every waking hour.

Grace & peace on the journey and may it be filled with moments of awe ~ deAnn

Words from Johannes

Straight-away the ideas flow in upon me, directly from God, and not only do I see distinct themes in my mind's eye, but they are clothed in the right forms, harmonies, and orchestration. ~ Johannes Brahms

Johannes Brahms (May 7, 1833 – April 3, 1897) was a composer and pianist and was one of the leading musicians of Romantic period (never knew that existed!)

To learn more about Johannes visit Wikipedia or Naxos.com.

grace & peace as you allow creative ideas to flow into you, directly from God ~ deAnn

New Art Exhibit

This little girl is Genet. She stands with her mother, who created this beautiful basket. You can see the basket in person and more stunning images from Ethiopia and India taken by John D. Briggs at the "Global Grace" art exhibit at the Gallery @ Common Grounds. To see more photos and read about this special exhibit, click here.

Grace & peace ~ deAnn

Genesis Foyer

"Desire is at the heart of creativity. When we engage creatively, we depart from the fixed world of daily routine and grounded facts. We enter into a kind of "genesis foyer," where something that not yet is might begin to edge its way from silence into word, from the invisible into form. This is the excitement that fuels the writing life: the desire for what might emerge when the imagination begins to trawl the crowded seas of the white page. There is some pure desire in us to know what is original, to take leave of all the expected scripted perceptions that manipulate our experience. We long for an experience that is unfiltered, where the unknown could reach toward us without being filtered by us. For this reason the artistic life is vulnerable; it is often a chaotic and overwhelming place to attend. Yet when something true begins to emerge, it becomes the golden moment that redeems months of splintered time." ~ John O'Donohue from To Bless the Space Between Us.

Read that a time or two and let it sink in deeply.

To create means to be reckless. Reckless has a bad connotation. I dated a guy in high school who was completely reckless and my parents hated every moment I was with him. But creative recklessness, to throw fear out the window and create that painting that won't leave your mind or compose the poem that lingers silently ~ that is a scary recklessness. As John says above, the artistic life is vulnerable. Do you sense a "genesis foyer" inside of you - a space with many doors leading to unexplored or abandoned rooms? Are you feeling a creative recklessness emerging from within? Go with it - you don't want to miss a golden moment that could redeem months of splintered time...

Grace & peace on the creative journey ~ deAnn

Thoughts on Creativity from a Left Brained Friend

My friend, Jenna and I have unique conversations about creativity and personality. I liked what she was sharing and asked her to write a post for Vertical Creativity. Her she is, in her own words...

I’ll admit it – I’m a left-brained, A-type, list-loving, logic-abiding, balance-the-checkbook, dot-the-i’s and cross the t’s kind of gal. I can’t hold a tune, can’t paint a picture, can’t sculpt clay, and can’t deliver a line to save my life. So what the heck am I doing blogging on a creativity website?! Well, I’ve been learning that creativity has nothing to do with artistic ability – thank goodness! - and that I’m creating every moment of every day, whether I realize it or not. I may be creating beauty or I may be creating chaos, but I’m creating!

Beautiful creativity stems from an inner awareness, not an external talent. Creativity begins with perspective. When I wake up each morning, do I feel restricted by the routine and demands of the day, or do I anticipate all the miracles God has up his sleeve? Is my creativity imprisoned by the appointments, the office, the carpools, the chores… or do I eagerly expect the Spirit’s charisma to whirl through my daily encounters? Am I pounding through my list of things to do, or am I connecting to the Source of creativity, dancing through my day with the Divine?

When my perspective allows for joyful expectation of God’s moment-by-moment presence, my lenses brighten and my vision expands. This awareness of the Spirit’s presence allows me the choice to create beauty in tandem with the Master Creator, or create the all too familiar chaos all by myself. I don’t have a choice about whether or not to be creative – but I can choose how and what I create.

So today as I tap away on my 10-key and analyze tax plans, I’ll know God’s eternal presence. As I pick the boys up from track practice and cart them to their appointments, I’ll feel God’s hand on the wheel. And as I season the tilapia and toss the dinner salad, I’ll choose to co-create beauty – regardless of my artistic inadequacy, my right-brain anemia, or my infamous title as most incompetent cook. ~ Jenna Peeler

You can visit Jenna's blog, Perpetual Providence, the heart of personal finance.

Grace & peace ~ deAnn

Pathways

Living into the skin is hard to do. God created me in a unique fashion, different from any other person on earth. Same thing with you. You were fashioned by His hands to be the person you know is inside you. But, living as that person is challenging.

There is a creative side of me that is often pushed to the back burner or taken off the stove all together! I have a sense this grieves God's heart. It grieves my heart...but why do I allow it to happen? Busyness. Dumb answer, I know. But life sucks so much energy from me, I feel as though I have nothing to give to my creative life. That is when I suffer and the depth of my relationship with Jesus suffers as well.

People meet with God in many different ways. Three primary "pathways" for me are being outside taking in the essence of nature, periods of silence & solitude, and exploring my creative Imago Dei. Wrap all three together and I'm in heaven!!! When I allow life to squeeze out times like these to meet with Him in these special ways, I become spiritually dry and brittle. That is a dangerous place to be...

What are your pathways to meet with God? Those special practices that are unique to how you are are created - practices where intimacy with Him are most touching. Pay attention to times when you feel particularly close to God, times that may seem out of the "norm." Reading scripture and intercessory prayer are part of our spiritual journey - but there is so much more than just those two pathways. Listen to your life, listen to the Holy Spirit. How has God crafted you? How does He want to meet with you? Where is He calling you to "live into the skin?"

Grace & peace on the journey ~ deAnn