When You Have Too Much

Yes, I have seen it too often and experienced it too.... when one perceives that there is an uncomfortable level of "TOO much" it simply stifles the flow of hard core creativity.

For instance if someone has been sewing quilts using swatches of fabric from thrift stores, and has been happily creating quilts for friends and family for years, and all of a sudden some well intentioned donor gives her a gift card for an expensive fabric store. Does she automatically know what to do with all that extravagance? Nope not necessarily...unless her heart and mind were prepared in advance for the abundance.

It is noteworthy that how we are able to use materials and how we perceive their existence as either "simplicity" or "extravagance" really affects how well we are able to create with that particular medium.

Know how to draw? Prefer a $2 sketch pad from the dollar store? Or do you prefer a $50 set of stationary from a fine art shop?  I have discovered that I feel more free as an artist when I am not worried about the price of the raw materials I am using. That's why I love to use recycled or re-purposed materials in my art.
If they come from a low priced store that's all the better.

I even find sometimes that learning how to reduce your raw materials actually HELPS me to create MORE rather than less. It's ironic. I create MORE with LESS!

For example, have you ever opened a brand new box of pencil crayons and simply been overwhelmed by all the color choices?

But if you put most of them aside and force yourself to pick just 2 or 3 colors out of the box, you may find that you feel your creativity creep back into action again.

Never been afraid to minimize or REDUCE the number of choices when working with raw materials. Having FEWER choices forces you to make FEWER decisions and therefore you can focus more on what you are trying to say and create...

Is this making sense to you? Looking forward to reading your comments friends.
God bless your creativity.

Carla


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God can be trusted with Your Intelligence

It has not done Christianity a favor when folks affiliated with the christian church in North America have consciously or unconsciously advocated a lifestyle devoid of knowledge, calm peaceful decision making, and intelligence.

God has created us with a hunger for knowledge and wisdom. I don't know where some church people got the idea that God prefers those who live blindly by faith over those who think and ponder things over first before they make a decision about something in their lives.

God is not in a hurry. He is a God of Wisdom and Good Counsel.

Those who are encouraging you to rush into making a decision are usually trying to steal something from you...whether that be the control of your life and family or your wallet.

Be peaceful this sunday, my friends and colleagues. God is pleased with the knowledge that you have made an effort to learn. Don't let anyone bully your intellectually from within the church or outside of the church. And if a pastor or teacher trys to tell you something that doesn't pass the "thinking and pondering" test of a few good days, then bring it in prayer to your Heavenly Father in Heaven. He has the final say.....not your pastor.

It used to really upset me when I realized that pastors and preachers were human and actually made mistakes and errors in judgment. To admit that fact, just  made me feel like I had no floor beneath my feet.
But now I have Christ Jesus and His Word as my firm foundation......so that no matter what mankind or my circumstances dictate I can rest peacefully knowing His Word is my guide and that God is on the throne.

When you have the grace to go to a church service, please don't check your intellect at the door. Bring it with you and sift the words that are being spoken to you from the pulpit. Test them against your own wisdom and the words of Holy Scripture and retain only those things and teachings that pass through those two good filters.

God is all about wisdom. The book of Proverbs, which is located after Psalms in the bible, has a chapter fully dedicated to the search for wisdom. 
The New King James Version says it nicely in Proverbs 2:6,7a
For the Lord gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;


Therefore from these words we come to affirm that God is firmly in favor of knowledge and wisdom, not a flaky emotion based decision making process.
Be rightly proud of the knowledge that you have gained.....and may God bless you with even more knowledge to add to the grand collection you already have.

Peace and security.
Carla



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3 Minute Microwave Pudding---Easy Peazy

I bet ya can't find an easier or more convenient way to make a fresh steaming bowl of thick
deliciously sweet custard pudding.

All you need is:
3 heaping teaspoons of custard powder : the kind you can buy in a bulk food store or from a can such                                                                        as Birds-Custard-Powder-
3 full teaspoons of white or turbinado sugar

1 microwave safe bowl of cold fresh milk .---any kind of milk will do....2% or homogenized

How to Make It:

Mix all of the above in the bowl that already has the cold milk in it, making sure to stir out all the lumps of the custard powder until the mixture is completely lump-free.
Then set your microwave for 3 minutes.
Put something under the bowl to catch any overflow or drips during microwave cooking.
Put the bowl in the microwave and start it up.
Then half way through the 3 minutes ....just pause the microwave and stir your pudding with a spoon, making sure to mix in any thickened bits of pudding into the more fluid parts of the pudding.
Then let the microwave finish the rest of the 3 minute cooking time.

Voila....a steaming bowl of fresh custard pudding....perfect for an evening snack or a college student's midnight feast while cramming for exams.
Enjoy ")

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