For our last week of teaching here at the school of worship we focused on creative worship. This was right up my alley! On Thursday we had an exhibit of responsive art to God and to the journey we have been on. I was so impressed by the creativity in that exhibit. Some did art work...collages with pictures, doodles, and paintings. One guy, Jordan, brought in water and a towel and washed feet. I thought that was an incredible act of worship. I think the way people looked at project assignment was unique. Almost all of them had something to do with loving other people....with how to reach them bringing them into a new realization of the reality and emotions surrounding. There were some videos with photos, a small clip from the Emperor's New Groove, and a fun film about 'gifts'. There was paper to write personal dreams. I was elated to see into the hearts of some of my fellow school of worshipers. My project was a bit different. It of course was a personal piece about my time here. Here are some photos with brief explanations. Enjoy!
This is the set-up. I had a long table with a purple cloth over it. There were four bowls with contents, four small paintings, and four different sized umbrellas stripped of their fabric.
The umbrellas were hanging from the ceiling. These umbrellas were representing trees with the metal branches and their trunks falling towards the earth. The second umbrella is upside down and that represents the roots of a tree instead. This tree is positioned over the desert. Some of those metal branch roots are reaching down down down to the water source.
The first setting was an apple drowning in water. The painting was there to provide a mood for what I was communicating. If the apple is me....or you....then you know the times that we become overwhelmed with the reality of giving of drowning and of treading water.
This was representing a desert time that I visited a lot since March. The apple has the potential of being a delicious thing, but the dry time has taken ruin. I put the apple outside of the bowl to indicate that times of not fitting in the place or get misused. The apple looks very gross as the sand has lodged itself into the juicy flesh. Hmmm this is curious.
The third setting was of a small bowl filled with seeds that represent the possibility of reproducing and restarting. I think there is a redemption that comes when there are fresh starts. The white in the painting is like the cleaning of a conscience and heart. There is always new life no matter what desert you are planting the seeds in.
The last setting was of this 'me' apple resting in a nest of twigs. The exhaustion of working with your mind and not resting is too much at times. I believe that as worshipers we will rest in that gifting. The fruit of our lives may not be fame, but may it be a lengthening of our hearts. That I can rest in my calling. The fruit is ripening and I do not stress about it. I just wish all of the other three would end with the rest. That is the way it should be.
This is the set-up. I had a long table with a purple cloth over it. There were four bowls with contents, four small paintings, and four different sized umbrellas stripped of their fabric. 
The umbrellas were hanging from the ceiling. These umbrellas were representing trees with the metal branches and their trunks falling towards the earth. The second umbrella is upside down and that represents the roots of a tree instead. This tree is positioned over the desert. Some of those metal branch roots are reaching down down down to the water source.
The first setting was an apple drowning in water. The painting was there to provide a mood for what I was communicating. If the apple is me....or you....then you know the times that we become overwhelmed with the reality of giving of drowning and of treading water. 
This was representing a desert time that I visited a lot since March. The apple has the potential of being a delicious thing, but the dry time has taken ruin. I put the apple outside of the bowl to indicate that times of not fitting in the place or get misused. The apple looks very gross as the sand has lodged itself into the juicy flesh. Hmmm this is curious.
The third setting was of a small bowl filled with seeds that represent the possibility of reproducing and restarting. I think there is a redemption that comes when there are fresh starts. The white in the painting is like the cleaning of a conscience and heart. There is always new life no matter what desert you are planting the seeds in.
The last setting was of this 'me' apple resting in a nest of twigs. The exhaustion of working with your mind and not resting is too much at times. I believe that as worshipers we will rest in that gifting. The fruit of our lives may not be fame, but may it be a lengthening of our hearts. That I can rest in my calling. The fruit is ripening and I do not stress about it. I just wish all of the other three would end with the rest. That is the way it should be.
