An ending and a beginning

Today is the last day for the 21 Day Art Journal Challenge. I find that I don't want to quit. and since I am not quite done with the poem I think I will continue for a few more days to finish it out. I love seeing the pages unfold in my art journal. My son asked me if I would sell it when I was done and I had to laugh. But then I got on a website where a person is actually selling her journal pages. I guess it wasn't such a crazy idea after all. But still, I won't be heading down that road. I got the book, "The Creative Call" in the mail yesterday and I am anxious to start. It will be an in depth look at developing as an artist. I will be challenged and I think that is why I challenged myself to the 21 day thing. It got me started in the habit of art journaling daily. I have read the Forward, Preface and Introduction. Here is what stood out to me. Being creative is not just something that God is giving to me but something He is using through me. Janice says, "Our gifts are not from God to us, but from God through us to the world." When we don't use them we feel a void and our life lacks fullness. There is something deep down inside needing to get out. But, instead of hoping that finding ourselves will result in practicing our art again, we need to realize that only through losing ourselves and becoming reliant on God can we discover how to use those gifts the way He wants us to use them. The book is set up to read a chapter a week with 5 daily exercises to do if you want to go through the process of discovering the artist within. I have not looked ahead. I want to be surprised and experience it as it comes. I am tempted to jump right into chapter one but I am waiting. I want to take my time and absorb it all. So I will sit and ponder and wait until next week to dive into chapter one. I once again am challenging anyone who may be tempted to join me. We can take this journey together. How sweet that would be to have fellow travel companions who are growing and developing along side me. Oh, the anticipation is almost unbearable. I must go finish my last day of the art journal challenge and distract myself with what I love.