cool picture from the country i visited

no, i didn't take it

creativity

I said I'd post something creative...so I Googled "creativity" and this came up.  It's rather witty. Some of the vocab and dry humor makes me think Jeffrey Baumgartner is English.  

10 Steps for Boosting Creativity
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Johann Sebastian Bach	1.	Listen to music by Johann Sebastian Bach. If Bach doesn't make you more creative, you should probably see your doctor - or your brain surgeon if you are also troubled by headaches, hallucinations or strange urges in the middle of the night.

2.	Brainstorm. If properly carried out, brainstorming can help you not only come up with sacks full of new ideas, but can help you decide which is best. Click here for more information on brainstorming.
3.	Always carry a small notebook and a pen or pencil around with you. That way, if you are struck by an idea, you can quickly note it down. Upon rereading your notes, you may discover about 90% of your ideas are daft. Don't worry, that's normal. What's important are the 10% that are brilliant.
4.	If you're stuck for an idea, open a dictionary, randomly select a word and then try to formulate ideas incorporating this word. You'd be surprised how well this works. The concept is based on a simple but little known truth: freedom inhibits creativity. There are nothing like restrictions to get you thinking.
5.	Define your problem. Grab a sheet of paper, electronic notebook, computer or whatever you use to make notes, and define your problem in detail. You'll probably find ideas positively spewing out once you've done this.
6.	If you can't think, go for a walk. A change of atmosphere is good for you and gentle exercise helps shake up the brain cells.
7.	Don't watch TV. Experiments performed by the JPB Creative Laboratory show that watching TV causes your brain to slowly trickle out your ears and/or nose. It's not pretty, but it happens.
8.	Don't do drugs. People on drugs think they are creative. To everyone else, they seem like people on drugs.
9.	Read as much as you can about everything possible. Books exercise your brain, provide inspiration and fill you with information that allows you to make creative connections easily.
10.	Exercise your brain. Brains, like bodies, need exercise to keep fit. If you don't exercise your brain, it will get flabby and useless. Exercise your brain by reading a lot (see above), talking to clever people and disagreeing with people - arguing can be a terrific way to give your brain cells a workout. But note, arguing about politics or film directors is good for you; bickering over who should clean the dishes is not.

Tree of Life

A copy of this picture is now hanging in our bedroom, a little too high in fact, but at least it's up on the wall. It's been sitting in my room for months so I'm stoked for it to finally be a hanging picture, rather than a sitting one. The picture is a print of Gustav Klimt's "Tree of Life", and has many different things going on...which is why I love it.

The Explanation - sorry it's long:
If you'll notice the figure on the right is actually two figures - a woman being held and hugged by a man. You see the woman's face and the man's back. The woman is more simple looking. On the other side of the painting is a woman looking over her shoulder at the couple. She is much more done-up, with make-up on her face and her hair done. She looks kinda Egyptian. I think what I love most is the underlying dynamic. The Egyptian woman looks beautiful and alluring, but she is alone - watching the man embrace the woman - and she does it in this jealous, however longing way by looking over her shoulder as if to say "Humph! Why don't I have that!? Why does she?! I'M beautiful!" I feel like she characterizes the sin of jealousy and longing in each woman to be with a man. As far as the other woman, she has this restfulness to her: her eyes are closed, her head just lies on his shoulder...she just stops fretting and being anxious in his arms. I think, for me, it symbolizes how we can rest in the arms of those we love...God, a husband, a wife, a friend...but we all want that which is why the Egyptian is staring. In between them is this big tree which Klimt calls the "Tree of Life", and this painting contains two distinct phases of life - which Klimt labels "fulfillment" and "expectation"....so appropriate...I really like this painting!

When Finally Set Free

another song by Copeland. I think this one embodies lots of Village ideology and its something I've seen Jesus do in my life, both the lyrics and the title

When Finally Set Free

Feel the pain teaching us how much more we can take
Reminding us how far we've come
Let the pain burn away from our hearts
We have time to start all over again

Feel the pain teaching us how much more we can take
Reminding us how far we've come
Let the pain burn away from our hearts
We have time to start all over again

Feel the pain teaching us how much more we can take
Reminding us how far we've come
Let the pain burn away from our heart
We have time to start all over again

Well if you would shine your love down here oh 
Make our hearts as perfect as new
Oh if you would shine your love down here oh

I promise I'll reflect it right back at you
Oh I promise I'll reflect it right back at you
Oh I promise we'll reflect it right back at you

love is a fast song

Copeland and I have become better friends lately....

Some of their songs are a little too techno or pop-ish sounding for me, but the lyrics are usually pretty awesome and they have some pretty catchy lines.  Also, the harmony and lead singer's voice are awesome.  Check them out at www.thecopelandsite.com.  

Song that struck me today:

"love is a fast song"

You don't have to be ashamed
'Cause you're a miracle through and through
Oh, and you don't have to be ashamed
Of the miracle inside of you

What has love become?
(What has love become?)
It's not like we used to hear in those old songs
And it's not like yours
(And it's not like yours)
What has love become?

Whoa...your love is in motion
And it's spinning me around, yeah
Whoa...my heart is in motion
For the movement that's in you

You should not be angry
If all she wants is your money
Oh, you should not be angry
'Cause all you want is her body

What has love become?
(What has love become?)
It's not like we used to hear in those old songs
And it's not like yours
(And it's not like yours)
What has love become?

Whoa...your love is a fast song
And I'm dancing 'cause I'm loved again
Whoa...my heart is in motion
For the rhythm inside you
Whoa...your love is a slow song
It's resounding through my world again
Whoa...my heart is in motion
For the song inside of you

Whoa...your love is in motion
And it's spinning me around, yeah
Whoa...your love is a fast song
And I'm dancing 'cause I'm loved again
Whoa...your love is a slow song
It's resounding through my world again
Whoa...my heart is in motion
For the song inside of you

trees

I found these trees on a hike in the Catalinas. These two maple trees wound around each other in a rather unusual fashion, and for some reason the sight gripped my soul. There seemed to be an intimacy between them - which sounds crazy because they're only trees - but I think the closeness and the idea of being wrapped in or encompassed by another just got to me and hooked my sappy, romantic heart. I think God gave me the gift of stumbling along these trees to give me a beautiful picture of intimacy and love...yes, weird that it was trees, but it resonated with my longing for a friend, companion...well, a husband. Ahhh one day....

I'll post the series of pics one at a time so you can enjoy! Oh and these are the pics of the trees I said i was gonna post forever ago.

it's been a while

With moving to a location without internet, and now currently visiting home in Indiana, I haven't posted a picture in a long, long time. Boo for me...so finally, here's a few that I particularly like. They're from the prickly pears in front of our old house. God uses things like this to remind me of the beauty he brings forth in the desert. Since he often uses the desert as an analogy of my life, it gives me hope that God is doing a good thing, even if I don't get it right now; he sees the beauty he's building in me.

I think this is my fav

But I also really like this one...