ARTIST

Hi There !

So, I'll just bet you're an artist,

and a really good one at that,

but you're simply not telling anyone,

even yourself, right?



OK, OK. I can almost hear

a hurried, definitive

"Oh no!  No way, Not me!"



Well, I'll still bet you're really a gifted artist.

That's because our whole spiritual life is

a work of art, a work of creating and crafting

aliveness and beauty,

the art of the divine

that's not at all out of this world:

:  - deep sharing with our lover

    - advocating for environmental responsibility

    - being a fascinating story teller

    - raising kids

    - allowing ourselves to free fall into

      the ocean of Love we call God

    - looking out for the lonely and lost

    - being a community organizer

    - singing in the choir, car, shower

    - developing a community garden

    - cultivating a contemplative soul manner

    - mentoring

    - going on a spiritual retreat

    - planning a family vacation

    - taking an inner city child with you

      on that vacation

    - supporting social justice concerns

    - corresponding with a prisoner

    - cultivating friendships

    - hosting dinner parties and barbecues

    - doing  regular and substantive spiritual reading

    - sharing a hearty sense of humor

    - resisting media obsessions

    - having quiet Soul Time each day

    - finding or founding a

      Soul Share Community

    - being politically astute and  active

   - keeping a spiritual journal

   - and limitless more ways

     to be an artist,

     creating and crafting

     aliveness and beauty.



Happily, we find ourselves alive in

the dynamic energy field we call God.

We get to create with the Creator.

Each of us doing so

with our unique spirits, hearts,

minds, eyes, hand, ears, touch -

our special life giving art gifts.



Most of all, though,

our art enlivens

by our very being -

our being in Being -

 exuberantly,

 rambunctiously alive.



Donna J. Stone tellingly highlights

the art of being alive:

        The most visible creators I know of are

        those artists whose medium is life itself,

        the ones who express the impossible -

        without brush, hammer, clay or guitar.

        They neither paint nor sculpt -

        their medium is being.

        Whatever  their presence touches

        has increased life.

        They see and don't have to draw.

        They are the artists of being alive.


    (Quoted in The Artists of Being Alive,

     by Nancy Zapolski, PhD ).


                    ****



A suggested practice for reflection

and prayer over the next week:

ask

   - how can I relax more in Being,

     free fall into the ocean of Love that is God?

   - what has to go so that can come?

   - what has to come so that can stay?

    - what realization and practice

       would help on a day to day basis?

let me

     - jot down five ways I can be part

       of creating and crafting

       aliveness and beauty

       where I live,

       how I live.

    - in prayerful reflection recall, re-feel,

      three people whose touch

      increased my aliveness

      and be happy and grateful

      in that  reflection.

     - respond to what

       The Spirit speaks

        to my spirit when I hear

        the words of Jesus:

        "I have come that you

          might have life and

          have it to the full"

             (John 10:10)


                 ****


Please do invite family, friends, colleagues

to check out "frankly speaking"

  -by your word of mouth,

  - your postings

    on Facebook and other media.



"frankly speaking" is posted

 toward the end of the week,

     - It can be bookmarked

        for easy access,

     - It is  available online at

         johnfrankshares.blobspot.com

     - And is also available automatically

       each week by email.

       Please see the sign up,

       top right of the online posting.

      - Past postings are available at the

         Blog Archive,

        bottom right of the online version.

                         Thanks!!



Happily quite a few new people

have recently joined us

in our weekly gathering here.

How good to now have participation

 now from Hong Kong.

Welcome and thank you

for your welcome!


                                 ****


God has given use free run of

His Creation Studio

and invites us in all sorts

of ways to be a

   Life Artist.

    "YES!!!"


Holding each

and all in

God's Dear Love,

 John Frank


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