Seeking Inspiration?

I was once catching up with an old friend who had become an artist. He was in the middle of a big project and had fallen in a rut, that had lasted for several months. When I asked him what was wrong, he told me that what basically had happened was that he had lost his muse and he was trying to find it again.

Lost his muse... What is a muse? And how does one lose it? More importantly how does one find it again?

According to Webster, "Muse"
verb; to be lost in thought
noun; (Rooted in Greek and Roman Mythology) a woman, or a force personified as a woman, who is the source of inspiration for a creative artist.

Each person is an artist of sorts, regardless of how creative one happens to be. Some are just more obvious about it, or I should say more artistically creative than the rest of us. Accountants could be said to be artists with numbers, just as a roofer could be considered an artist with a hammer. So don't sell yourself short. Whether we're artists or not, we all need and seek inspiration.

We all have days where we 'lose our muse' or as I'm seeing it, need to find something that preoccupies our mind in a good way. We are looking for that something or someone that will inspire us to do even better. No one can find for you. You have to find for yourself.

Recently, I've been wonderfully surprised by interesting conduits for inspirations. Why does it take us so long to open our eyes and see all that God has put around us? If this day finds you lacking in 'muse', here are few things that I have found to inspire me.

People who are starting over - no matter how big or small
The sun glistening on the morning dew
Chimney smoke
The 19 yr old, who is majoring in music with her upright bass
The stillness in a fog
The Japanese girl who is seeing God for the first time and told me, "God is beautiful."
The uninhibited laughter and play of children
When random strangers break through social barriers to give another stranger a compliment
Answered prayer

Open your eyes and see...

~

Psalm 51:6
"Behold, Thou desirest truth in the inward being;
therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart."

Treasure in a Stream of Light

Today is an adventure. God has given us the map. Jesus leads the way. With the Holy Spirit as our faithful companion, it is up to us to find the treasure that today may hold.

I was walking through the woods the other day. It was a cold crisp morning and there was a beautiful and haunting fog. The kind of day that makes one forget what time it is and makes one want to quietly wonder about all sorts of things in life. As I walked along, the fog cleared just enough and the sun came bursting through the trees. In that beautiful moment, I wanted time to stop. Just long enough, so that I could play in God's light. I ran over to a sun stream and jumped in it, feeling the warmth through the winter's air. For a moment, I was a little girl just playing outside enjoying God's creation.

I think we need more moments like that, where we take time to enjoy the Light of Christ through the fog of our busy lives and to delight in the simple things the Lord has blessed us with. I pray that in the business of life, I can catch those treasures to pause and watch a bird, stand long enough in one place to feel the warmth of the winter sun, or quiet my busy mind to listen to the rain.

"The heavens are telling of the glory of the Lord, the expanse is declaring the work of His hands." Psalm 19:1&2

New Year, Same Heart

Step out into the freshness of the New Year! It lets us walk away from all that has happened last year and look ahead to all that is yet to come, not in forgetting but learning and moving on. I've heard over and over how resolutions are ridiculous, or not taken seriously, or made to be broken. January 1st is merely the gift of starting fresh that we need to move forward. Be they resolutions, goals, or determined deeds (whatever you wish to call them), I think they are good for us. Here are a few things that I would like to better myself in...

Enjoy each moment ~ Breathe Love ~ Listen Harder ~ Speak Slower ~ Take Time Out ~ Pray Purposefully ~ Talk to God as soon as I wake up everyday ~ Read my Bible, not just to read it but to love it ~ Walk Slower, so that I can really see what is around me ~ Drink more water ~ Encourage people around me ~ Thank the bagger/checker every time I go through the grocery line ~ Focus on one thing at a time ~ Continue to Dream Big!

Happy New Year