Why Worry?

This morning before I got out of bed I asked God what I needed to do to improve my Etsy on line sales. Instead of hearing an answer I felt I needed to get out of bed and journal and read my bible.

I went to Matthew 12 and read the first few paragraphs.  The Pharisees were harassing Jesus because his disciples had picked some grain on the sabbath because they were hungry and were walking by a field.  Jesus asked the Pharisees what happened to King David when he ate the sacrid bread from the sanctuary when they were hungry, nothing. Jesus then asked  who is in charge of the sabbath, man or God.

So who is in charge of my life, man or God?

Unfortunately I have had many people in my past who have tried to control me and impose their will for my life onto me. This has lead me on a path of destruction, which I have been trying to shake for far too long.

How has this been destructive to me you wonder? Shouldn't we take good advice?  I once had a pastor who never gave us advice, no matter how much we needed it unless we asked for it and I liked that.

Most of my life I have been doing things because I feel I should do them and not doing them because I enjoy doing it.

To boost my Etsy sales I've been told to do certain things such as make sure I post items in the morning. So I'd get up and post first thing.  I have gotten exposure, but not sales.

For a year now I have been learning to play the drums and I am on a worship team at church. Due to the lesson I feel I need to squeeze in my practice and I have lost the joy of actually playing.

Making my pottery has become the same thing.  I feel I need to produce pottery and I do it when I don't feel like doing it, therefore I can't do as good of a job.

The only boss I have over me is God.  For years he has been telling my to enjoy my life.  When I listen to what others tell me I should do I loose that joy. 

I study other peoples' lives and learn from them.  As I was growing up my father would never tell me I had to do something.  He always asked if I would do it.  I knew I had to do it as he was my father, but I enjoyed doing what he asked, because he never demanded. He just turned 90 so maybe there is long givity in living like this. 

I admire the pastor at church who wants participation, but only if he asks and gives us a choice.  I am turned off by those who tell the congregation they 'have to' do something.   Those who tell people to do things are going against God's plan as he never once has told me to do anything.  He always asks as he has created me with a free will to say yes or no.

God has also given me a free will to lead my life with joy not stress, to do things because I want to do it, not because I feel I should do something.

'Wanting', to live my life, brings joy to my live.  'Having' to live my live and doing what I think I should do brings stress, worry and sadness and that is not God's plan for our lives.

In January 2012 God impressed upon me to simplify my life.  I feel He is continuing this line of thought by getting me to enjoy my life.  Last year I closed and opened many doors in my life to simplify. I can't wait to see how this will play out this year.

Home Made Child's Tiara

My granddaughter, age 4, loves to dress up and what little girl doesn't like to have princess clothes. 

Her mother suggested I get dress-up clothes for her for Christmas.

Me wearing the tiara

 I wanted to make something but didn't have the time to pull out my sewing machine.  While visiting a friend she showed me an interesting child's tiara which won't break as easily as a plastic one.



Here's how to make a tiara.

Cut off a long length of wire.  If you run out of wire before the end just add another more wire.
You take and ordinary hair band and wrap  flexible jewelry wire around it. (fig 1, 2)

Fig. 1 Hair Band

Fig 2 Wrap wire

 Then add some beads about 2" from the end of the band. I added eight beads. Fig 3. The  2"  start allows the band  to sit on a head comfortably. 

Fig. 4 Crown Beads

Fig. 3. Eight Beads

Next I added 3 larger beads for the point of the crown. Fig. 4

Fig. 5 Bead Twist

Twist the wire under the three larger beads to form the point of the crown. Fig 5 and 6.

Fig.. 6 Twist Beads

Fig. 7 Eight Beads

 Add 8 more smaller beads, same design, size and color of the first 8,  for the down side of the crown. Fig. 7.  Then wrap the wire around the band about and inch away from the first point. Fig. 8.

Fig. 8 Second Wrap of Wire Around Band

Fig. 9 Start of Second Point

 Start the next point adding the same amount and same type of beads. Fig. 9.  Repeat the pattern you have created for the tiara to about 2" from the end.

Fig. 10 Wrapping Ribbon

Fig. 11

Fig. 12

Fig. 13

To finish off wrap a ribbon around the band making sure you cover the ends of the wires. Fig. 11 to 13
Wrap the last to loops around the band loosely so you can duck the end of it under the loop. Then pull it tight.  I added a dab of glue to the end of the ribbon to prevent it from coming out. 

Fig. 15 Double Wire

Fig. 14 Single Wire

Be creative and make your own design.  In fig. 14 I used one wire.  In fig.15 I added a second wire and made a lower row.





Supplies  Hair band, cosmetic beads, flexible jewellery wire, ribbon, glue 

Same Size Mugs

Pottery is a journey. They say it takes twelve years to become a good potter. 

I have been making pottery for 10 years.  One struggle I have, which I've heard many artists say is, 'how do I price my work".  Now that I can make my bowls and cups easily I concentrated on making the mugs the same size.

Shown are some freshly turned mugs all the same size.  The shape still varies a bit, but this shows that they are all made by hand.  One problem solved.

Order and Beauty

When I started to make pottery I wanted to do the creative part right off the start.  I soon learned that I had to learn how to make the pottery first, how the clay operated and worked.  They say it takes 12 years to be a good potter.  Ten years into it, part time, I think I know what I'm doing, but I'm still growing. This past year  I have gotten back into decorating it, the fun part.

I was reading 1 King 5 and 6 where King Solomon is building God's temple.  I noticed two things about it.  First God was very precise on the size and measurements. His form was definite. Solomon was to build it according to God's plan, not his own. After the structure was built, according to the plan,  came the decorating part.  The temple was very elaborate with gold,  bronze and wood carvings and lined with wood of cedar and cypress.

We are now God's temple.  First he formed us out of clay, an ordinary product. We are precise too.  If we are healthy all of our body parts work together to keep us functioning. He created us after his own image and gave each of us a plan, Jeremiah 29:11 I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out -- plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you a hope and a future. 

One of God's images is being creative therefore we are all creative in our own way. Most of the time I  know I am doing what God wants for me when I have a great joy in the process. Taking ordinary clay and making something beautiful from it gives me great joy.

Jack Hutton Celebrity Portrait

The Bohemian Art Gallery and Cafe hosts a charity called The Celebrity Portrait.  Tammy, the owner picks a local celebrity and 5, this time 4 local artist do a portrait of the person. The portraits are silent auctioned off and the proceeds go to the charity choice of the celebrity. 

My great great grandfather carved statues and monuments of people and head busts of people from stone.  I have made many animals and wondered if I do a head bust from clay. 

In June four of us artist met with the celebrity Jack "eyebrows" Hutton, who entertains people with his piano on our local cruise ships and other places.  http://www.bala.net/museum/jack-hutton.asp.
We all snapped pictures of him then went back to our studio to create.

My challenge was his eyebrows.  His long hairs would have broken off with clay, so I made thick ones instead.  

 I wanted to include his piano but laying it flat underneath did not appeal to me. Then I thought surrealism. I was going to wrap the piano around him as if he was swallowed up by it.  Some times our gifts swallow us up.  Having the piano all around him would have covered his face. The piano became a collar. 

  I took out the porcelain and shaped and sculpted. After he a was sculpted I had the daunting task of cutting him in half to hollow him out.  The clay can be no thicker than 1", the thinner the better.  This allows it to dry .  Wet clay will explode in the kiln as the moisture boils.

The piano keys where the only colour I was going to have on him.  Once finished the eyes looked dead, they needed life.  Before I fired him I painted the eyes in under glaze. 

The time came for me to put him in the kiln.  As Tom Petty's song says,  the waiting is the hardest.  Three days latter I unloaded the kiln.  Had he exploded?  No, he was still in one piece except a chunk came off his scalp.  I patched this hole and painted the hair to camoflouge it.  Fortunately it was at the back. 

I had made my first head bust. 

On Friday, September 21 we met at the Bohemian https://www.facebook.com/tammy.gravina for the grand unveiling.  Jack is allowed to pick his favorite piece before he knows who did what.  Since I was the only one who does pottery it was obvious which one was mine.   The artists were then revealed as to who did what. 

The silent auction runs for one week at the Bohemian Art Gallery and Cafe.  The charity of choice by Jack Hutton is The Mustard Seed Foundation which helps out homeless people.  

Be Happy Don't Worry

Several years ago some one told me my life would be joyful and that is why God has called me Joyce.  The interesting thing about this prophetic word was I was in deep depression and suffering from bipolar at the time.  How could this be true I thought.  But as Peter said to Jesus when he told him to cast the nets on the other side of the boat.  "Master we've fished all night and caught nothing, but if you say so let it be."

Almost 20 years down the road and there's been a lot of water under the bridge. 

The other weekend we were at a off road vintage motorcycle enjoying lots of laughter and good times with friends. Many of our friends are Christians and I noticed that not once did I hear the Lord's name in vein by saying the popular "Oh my ______" expression. We as Christians need to laugh more when we get together and when we are in the world, even at studies, social times, and church.

I was reading Colossians chapter one and and what struck me was how God wants us to be passionate for him. Guess what the sermon at church was, the same thing? Don't you just hate it when God's gives you the message twice?

I was on worship, playing drums, and I decided not to be nervous but to enjoy the worship time.  I'm just beginning this.  I enjoyed myself and the pastor said that was the best I had played.

So what is it like to be passionate for God? In chapter 2 Paul explains.
1. We need to see things from God's perspective.  He's has a great sense of humor and Jesus loved to party with food with his friends.
2. Don't go by our feeling and emotions especially when some hurts us, but go by what Jesus would have done, forgive quickly.
3. Don't try to get the lime light.  Don't try to push your business or get the most attention in group studies.  Like the movie Field of Dreams, build it and they shall come.  Enjoy what God has called you to do and let him put you where he wants you.
4. Get along with others, stop complaining and be thankful.

When I have a troubling situation I looked for what I can be thankful for. Did I learn and gain wisdom, did God give me the strength to endure it etc?

Near the end of chapter 3 of Colossians it said "  sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives-- words, actions, whatever --be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.

A plate I'm enjoying making for the YWCA

To be passionate for God is lot of things but for me now it is to enjoy creating pottery, sing my heart out in worship even when I am on the drums.  When I am feeling down sing to the Lord. The other day I was feeling lonely and down then a worship song came in my mind.  I started to sing it and was lifted out of my pity party. I realized I was letting Satan put negative thoughts in my mind. My drumming last Sunday at church went better because I followed Colossians. While singing my heart to God I was happy and didn't worry.   

How is Jesus To You

I can read the same passage in the bible several times and all of a sudden it has a deeper meaning. This happened the other day while I was reading Revelations in the Message Bible.

Jesus appeared to John on the Island of Patmos while he was worshiping God on a Sunday. John fell flat on his face as if dead when he saw Jesus.  Suddenly for the first time I realized I would too if I saw Jesus this way. I had never felt this way the other times I have read this passage.

John writes "I saw a gold menorah with seven branches and in the center, the Son of Man in a robe and gold breastplate, hair a blizzard of white, eyes pouring fire-blaze, both feet furnace bronzed. His voice a cataract, right hand holding the Seven Stars, His mouth a sharp biting sword, his face a perigee sun.

This was a frighting and very powerful Jesus that appeared to John. Not the baby in the manger, or the kind Jesus walking this earth healing and helping people, nor the broken Jesus on the cross, dieing for our sins.  It wasn't even the white glorious Jesus who returned after dieing on the cross.  This was Jesus, God in his glory and power, our king.

This got me to thinking how much I have put God, Jesus in a box.  If I saw him this way perhaps my life would me more on fire for Him, who sits on the throne. We Christians have minimized God to suit our needs and wishes then we wonder why we don't have the power he has commanded us to have.

Have we become the church of Ephesus where Jesus sees their hard work and their refusal to quit, how they can't stomach evil, BUT have walked away from their first love and fallen like Lucifer fell?

Or like the church of Thyatira who is very persistant at loving faithfully to please God but allow the Jezebel into their midst and hearts?
Then we could be like the church of Sardis who was so busy doing life that they had not finished doing God's work.

At times I have done each of these sins and more. We are to put Jesus, God first in our lives. If I could remember Jesus as he appeared to John then I think it would be easier to have the fear of the Lord and worship whom he really is.

How would we the church react if Jesus appeared to us like this during our Sunday morning worship time?

All I can say is 'Lord help me see you the way you want me to see you'.