There comes a time in every young man's life...okay, maybe that is a little too cheesy...ah, what the heck!
There comes a time in every young man's life when he must throw caution to the wind and jump from the roof of a skyscraper hoping that his parachute will open an he will in fact not die. This skyscraper may be literal, but quite possibly it is a metaphor for something else. In my case it is a metaphor (as well as a daredevil dream of mine). An honestly the 'skyscraper' is a bit of an exaggeration. A more accurate comparison might be the roof of my old house on Williams Road. Which, I might add with pride, I jumped off of many times. It was only about ten feet off the ground, but it provided quite a rush nonetheless (ten feet to a 10 year old child is roughly equal to 34.56 meters to an adult). And although I may appear to have been insane, that formative experience has taught me many valuable life lessons. Take the following for example:
The Law of Gravity is non-negotiable
Jumping off tall things is fun!
Hitting the ground....not so much fun.
Life is full of risks. Sometimes you've just gotta jump.
Anyway, here I am today on another ledge. Though it may not be physical, it is literal. In order to really see if this art thing is ever going to happen, I've gotta jump. Sure, it is important to plan ahead to minimize the risk of 'injury', but in the end we are all left with a choice; jump or not. That choice makes all the difference.
So, what do I do? Do I peak over the ledge and slowly back away, rationalizing my way out with countless reasonable excuses? Or do I jump? There comes a time in every young man's life...now it is my time.
Autumn's Arrival
Autumn is almost here! She will be back in the States today!!!
This summer has been long and hot and I have been looking forward to this fall with great anticipation. Not only will the change of seasons bring with it crisp cool weather and nature's warm colors, but it signifies the return of my beloved. As we bade farewell at the beginning of the summer Autumn reminded me to look for the leaves to change colors, because she said, that is when I am coming back to you. Her words sustained me in the months of seperation, giving me something tangible upon which to place my hope. So earlier this week when I noticed the first yellow leaves scattered round the base of a sapling my mind went back to that moment and the thought of seeing her again filled my heart with joy.
This summer has been long and hot and I have been looking forward to this fall with great anticipation. Not only will the change of seasons bring with it crisp cool weather and nature's warm colors, but it signifies the return of my beloved. As we bade farewell at the beginning of the summer Autumn reminded me to look for the leaves to change colors, because she said, that is when I am coming back to you. Her words sustained me in the months of seperation, giving me something tangible upon which to place my hope. So earlier this week when I noticed the first yellow leaves scattered round the base of a sapling my mind went back to that moment and the thought of seeing her again filled my heart with joy.
Digital Decision
So here is the deal. I am about to make the first big investment in my art career. Well, let me clarify. I am about to make the first big monetary investment...Acutally that is wrong too.
What I am trying to say, is that I am about to buy a digital camera. And although I'll probably be spending around a grand for it, considering how much I've spent on my education, it really isn't that large of an investment. Kinda funny how money is such a relative concept, isn't it? I mean $1,000.00 is a ton of cash to a young person like myself, not to mention to how just that much would absolutely boggle the mind of a child. When I was 9 years old, a thousand bones would have bought everything my heart desired a million times over...albiet all my little heart desired was some candy (Twix or skittles were ideal).
And then on the other hand, when I am an adult...okay when I start thinking like an adult, 1000 bucks will seem insignificant compared to my annual bill payments. Then there is the whole circumstance thing to consider. Here in Chattanooga, that much cash won't do much, but in an impoverished village it would feed several families for quite some time. Which brings me to where I am right now.
As I sit here writing these words, the idea of spending money on a digital camera seems selfish and calloused. When I consider the people who actually need just a little bit of money to survive another day, any uncharitable use of my money makes me feel guilty. So I must ask myself some hard questions. And in the end my decision is obvious...I will buy the digital camera. Is this wrong? I think not. You may find fault in my logic, and I welcome any opinions or advice you may have. But here is my reasoning:
The Lord has given us all gifts and charged us to be good stewards of them. Those gifts take many forms not the least of which is money. I am called to be wise with all my gifts including the passions and abilities He has graciously bestowed. Since I am confident that I am supposed to be using my gifts to pursue a vocation as an artist, it is wise to pursue that goal while making the most of these gifts I've been given. I envision using art as a tool to communicate in ways the would otherwise be impossible.
The intangible ideas of hope, love, beauty, and the very message of the Gospel cannot be expressed with mere words. Nor can the be fully realized though art, but it is my hope to flesh out these incredible concepts in a deeper way. And then to share that with others. So using the gift of money, I intend to purchase a digital camera which would aid in the development of my career. More specifically I plan to use it to document my work and compile a portfolio. Which I can then use to get commissions and ultimately share my art with other people.
Therefore, although it may seem like an insignificant decision, buying a digital camera truly is the first big investment in my art career.
What I am trying to say, is that I am about to buy a digital camera. And although I'll probably be spending around a grand for it, considering how much I've spent on my education, it really isn't that large of an investment. Kinda funny how money is such a relative concept, isn't it? I mean $1,000.00 is a ton of cash to a young person like myself, not to mention to how just that much would absolutely boggle the mind of a child. When I was 9 years old, a thousand bones would have bought everything my heart desired a million times over...albiet all my little heart desired was some candy (Twix or skittles were ideal).
And then on the other hand, when I am an adult...okay when I start thinking like an adult, 1000 bucks will seem insignificant compared to my annual bill payments. Then there is the whole circumstance thing to consider. Here in Chattanooga, that much cash won't do much, but in an impoverished village it would feed several families for quite some time. Which brings me to where I am right now.
As I sit here writing these words, the idea of spending money on a digital camera seems selfish and calloused. When I consider the people who actually need just a little bit of money to survive another day, any uncharitable use of my money makes me feel guilty. So I must ask myself some hard questions. And in the end my decision is obvious...I will buy the digital camera. Is this wrong? I think not. You may find fault in my logic, and I welcome any opinions or advice you may have. But here is my reasoning:
The Lord has given us all gifts and charged us to be good stewards of them. Those gifts take many forms not the least of which is money. I am called to be wise with all my gifts including the passions and abilities He has graciously bestowed. Since I am confident that I am supposed to be using my gifts to pursue a vocation as an artist, it is wise to pursue that goal while making the most of these gifts I've been given. I envision using art as a tool to communicate in ways the would otherwise be impossible.
The intangible ideas of hope, love, beauty, and the very message of the Gospel cannot be expressed with mere words. Nor can the be fully realized though art, but it is my hope to flesh out these incredible concepts in a deeper way. And then to share that with others. So using the gift of money, I intend to purchase a digital camera which would aid in the development of my career. More specifically I plan to use it to document my work and compile a portfolio. Which I can then use to get commissions and ultimately share my art with other people.
Therefore, although it may seem like an insignificant decision, buying a digital camera truly is the first big investment in my art career.
So, I just realized it has been an entire year since I last posted on here. Wow, a lot has happened since then! My life in some ways is relatively unchanged and in others vastly different.
As it happens, I am still in Chattanooga, but no longer at Covenant College. I am in the much hyped, ever dreaded, but surprisingly normal 'real world'. The biggest change I can see is in the amount of freedom and responsibility. In college, my whole day was chock full and though not always productive, my days were busy. My freedom was stifled by class schedules and assignment deadlines and my main responsibility was to follow instructions. Now, I have much more freedom with regards to my schedule. That carries with it however the added responsibility of determining what to do and when to do it. In some ways this is a good thing but it also could have some negative effects.
Basically, I am learning to be more conscious of how I use my time. Knowing that I must determine my own schedule, I've had to figure out where I am going in this world and how I plan to get there. Not being one to plan out even one week in advance, I find this task to be rather daunting. It is an exciting place to be nonetheless. The past few months have been a crucial time for me as I attempt to make the transition into "grown-up" territory. I've been seeking a clearer vision for my career and have found a lot of encouragement and support from many different people. One of the most unexpected connections came through my friend Sarah Lester. She has been working at CreateHere since graduating from Covenant and she introduced me to their SpringBoard program which encourages and equips entrepranuers to pursue thier dreams. It was through this program that my passion for art and community seems to have found an outlet.
I am currently finishing up my business plan to open a working artists studio. I don't know how things will turn out, but I am hopeful that the Lord will continue to refine my vision. I am both nervous and excited to see where He is leading and I am glad to have such a supportive crew on this voyage. The Lord truly has surrounded me with some awesome people and it is really cool to be a part of something larger than yourself.
As it happens, I am still in Chattanooga, but no longer at Covenant College. I am in the much hyped, ever dreaded, but surprisingly normal 'real world'. The biggest change I can see is in the amount of freedom and responsibility. In college, my whole day was chock full and though not always productive, my days were busy. My freedom was stifled by class schedules and assignment deadlines and my main responsibility was to follow instructions. Now, I have much more freedom with regards to my schedule. That carries with it however the added responsibility of determining what to do and when to do it. In some ways this is a good thing but it also could have some negative effects.
Basically, I am learning to be more conscious of how I use my time. Knowing that I must determine my own schedule, I've had to figure out where I am going in this world and how I plan to get there. Not being one to plan out even one week in advance, I find this task to be rather daunting. It is an exciting place to be nonetheless. The past few months have been a crucial time for me as I attempt to make the transition into "grown-up" territory. I've been seeking a clearer vision for my career and have found a lot of encouragement and support from many different people. One of the most unexpected connections came through my friend Sarah Lester. She has been working at CreateHere since graduating from Covenant and she introduced me to their SpringBoard program which encourages and equips entrepranuers to pursue thier dreams. It was through this program that my passion for art and community seems to have found an outlet.
I am currently finishing up my business plan to open a working artists studio. I don't know how things will turn out, but I am hopeful that the Lord will continue to refine my vision. I am both nervous and excited to see where He is leading and I am glad to have such a supportive crew on this voyage. The Lord truly has surrounded me with some awesome people and it is really cool to be a part of something larger than yourself.
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