creativity

Daily Drawing #243, Which Way Do I Go?

| Whitt’s End Art

My wife is always getting on me because I don’t follow directions or ask for them when I get lost. I always try to rely on my not so keen sense of direction which never works out. Jesus tells us there are two roads, “the wide road which leads to destruction.” and the “narrow road which leads to salvation.” The problem many times we take the easy way out and follow the wide road because at the time it seems the easier ride. After all the road is filled with traffic and they all can’t be wrong.

Well the truth is this, the wide may be well traveled but it is not the way to travel through life. The best way to get through life is the narrow road and the way to get travel along the road is by reading the directions (the Bible). The narrow road may be filled with twists and turns and a lot of mountains and valleys but the right directions will get you there. Now get our your directions and start traveling the narrow road.

Daily Drawing #241, Give the Gift of a Smile

| Whitt’s End Art

What is in the gesture of a simple smile? The answer…everything. A smile from you can brighten the day of someone who otherwise might not have something to smile about. A smile can open doors to conversation that otherwise might not be opened. A smile can also lighten the heart or break the ice. A smile can lead to many things. Jesus said in the Bible, “To love our neighbors.” Jesus knew when you love someone in your heart the first you do when you see them is to be filled with joy which brings a…..smile. Think about it.

Daily Drawing #240, Wanna Be a Rock and Roll Star

| Whitt’s End Art

Growing up the one thing I wanted to be most of all was a rock star. To stand on the stage belting out my songs to thousands of adoring fans. I had only two obstacles to overcome, I could sing that well and I never learned to play the guitar for lack of funding to buy one. As i grew the desire to be a rock star faded. As I now enter the fall portion of my life I fondly look back on the dream and wonder what if I had not given up on my dream so soon. Life is about dreams, some of which are attainable, others which we may never see but unless we try we will never know. Don’t give up on your dreams. Pray about them. Seek the Lord’s help and keep practicing because you never know.

 

 

 

Daily Drawing #236, Having A Case of the Blues

| Whitt’s End Art

One of my favorite types of music is the Blues. I always love listening to some of the all time greats like Johnny Lee Hooker, B.B  King, Billie Holiday and bands like Little Feat, Canned Heat among others. The Blues to some is melancholy music built around a sorrowful situation but to me it is a taste of life seen through a lyrical representation.

The Blues and the Christian life do not on the surface seem like a match. The reason. Many people feel that a Christian is a happy go lucky person who runs around with a smile on their face and gladness in their hearts free from the troubles and problems of this life.

Truth be told, Christian do have their mountain top moments but are not immune to spending time deep in the valley during certain times in their lives. Like everyone else as Christians we have to make our way through these troubled times with the help of family, friends, professional help and most importantly God.

 

 

 

 

 

Daily Drawing #235, Hanging On To What We Love

| Whitt’s End Art

In life there are many things we try and hold onto like our youth, close friendships, the perfect job, memories and those close to us like family members. Still no matter how hard we try to hold tightly the rope of time slips through our fingers and the thing we have cherished in our hearts is gone. This week I lost a new friend. He lost his battle with cancer. The one regret I have is I would have loved to get to know him and his family a little better. My friend was a great man of God. His words could inspire and touch the hearts of those who knew him or heard him.

One of the great mysteries of life to me is why men such as him are cut short of their ministry in the church. I have countless questions about this but I have come to understand that God knows what He is doing and has a purpose for everything. So as long as I trust Him I will be okay. I know someday I will see my friend in Heaven and give him a big hug. Until then all I can say is enjoy your time Jesus Pastor Tim you are home, you are home.

 

Daily Drawing #233, Waiting For the Son to Shine

| Whitt’s End Art

Today is August 21sr. What is the significance of the day? For those who don’t know it is solar eclipse day. This is the day where thousands of people across the country have been waiting for. So much in fact many have traveled thousands of miles just to be in one of the total eclipse zones. While I think the eclipse is fascinating I am not changing too much in my day. I am not running around looking for the special glasses. Nor am I going to be sitting outside when the eclipse happens.

Thinking about this whole event has got me to thinking about one thing, the return of the Son. We’ve known about the solar eclipse for years and have had time to get excited for the event. We have known about Jesus’ return for almost two thousand years but it seems like we are taking a step back in being prepared for the event. The Bible says in Acts 1:11, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” The message is clear stop looking skyward and get to work getting yourself ready for His return.

Daily Drawing #232, When In Doubt Hum

| Whitt’s End Art

I have always loved music. At one time in my life i had over a thousand albums in my collection. At one point each of those albums was a new one so I had to listen to the songs over and over again until I learned the lyrics. Until that time came I would hum along with the parts of the song I didn’t know. I think life is like learning the lyrics of a song. Until we learn to understand what God wants us to do we kind of hum along until the lyrics become clearer with each time we read Bible and pray. Practice they say makes perfect. Paul states it this way in Philippians 4:9, “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

Daily Drawing #231, What Prompts You to Act?

| Whitt’s End Art

 

A few months ago I found this online art prompt generator. I use it from time to time when I was something unusual to draw. Today’s drawing came from one of those prompts which was, monkey.samurai. In my daily art you will probably see some more of these pictures. In fact I can almost promise there will be more. While creating this drawing a thought popped into my head, “What prompts you to act?” What I mean is this, your day to day living, what is the chief prompt which dictates how you act and react to the world around you?

My life has not been a rose garden, in fact it has been filled with a lot of weeds. In school I had to put up with constant bullying, I have dealt with self-esteem issues because of my school years. Still my raised me to always be respectful of others and show them love. This is how I have lived my life trying to be helpful and loving to others. I try to live life with an attitude of gratitude for whatever comes my way. The Bible says in 1 John 3:18 “Let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions” ). Our daily prompt in life should always be love.

Daily Drawing #229, The Home Which Once Was…

| Whitt’s End Art

I would love to visit a so called “ghost town.” Not to search for paranormal events because I have my own theories on those but to see how people once lived. They say you can never go home again. In a sense ghost town is a reminder what we once knew as home is never the same as we remember. I have been back to the both my birth home in West Virginia and the home where I grew up outside of Philadelphia. Neither of the places resembles what I remember from my youth. The neighborhoods are different. The homes I knew are gone. Even many of the people that once lived there are gone, moved away or deceased. The homes which I once knew exist now only in my memory. This is one of the reasons I write this blog to write down my memories and thoughts before they are gone also. In my opinion everyone should write down what they remember about their lives, take pictures of old neighborhoods and people. This is one good way you can go back home again, if only in your mind.