It is literally the 11th hour (I'm even currently in California, where I've gained an hour!) as I write these words of conclusion to my 31 day series-- my thirty one days of pushing myself to pick up a pencil, a paintbrush, a piece of chalk, a messy chunk of charcoal. It's been an entire month of exploring the practice of expression...of seeing for the sake of savoring. It has been thirty one straight days of me prioritizing (even if for 10 minutes a day) the voice God has given me through art and words, a voice that can sometimes feel dampened in the cacophony of daily logistics and productivity. And while I've been drawing my heart out for all of October, I've been drawing close to the adoration of Him and all that reflects His great name.
And this Latin proverb repeatedly comes to mind:
"Ars longa, vita brevis." Art is long, life is short.
Which is to say...the mastery of any art or skill takes a LONG time, but life is brief and we are but dust. But when someone truly accomplishes artful living and the mastery of something worthy...their artistry and the truth of what it is that they communicate will go on and on...eternally.
"...ergo festina lente." ...therefor make haste, slowly.
So let us get after it; that is, the art of living! Let us run hard after mastery and cultivation...let us run the race with endurance: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." (Hebrews 12:1)
And yet...the race is long and many small and seemingly insignificant steps pave the path to the prize. All things worthy take time, and things that we give deliberate time to become areas of cultivation and mastery. Let that be said of my following after God's heart and the proclamation of His greatness...long after this brush and these words fade and are forgotten.
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Festina Lente: Make Haste Slowly[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="800.0"]
Drawing Close {31 Days of sketching and noting grace through drawing.}[/caption]
Join me everyday this month for the Drawing Close series.
Day 1: Drawing Close Intro Day 2: A Portrait Day 3: Parts of A Whole Day 4: Be Strong and Courageous Day 5: A World Where There Are Octobers {My Birthday} Day 6: Keep Moving Forward Day 7: Bearing Fruit Day 8: Capturing Life In Motion Day 9: Real (Uncomfortable) Hospitality Day 10: In Process, In Progress Day 11: Beginnings Day 12: Underpinnings Day 13: Rest In Him Day 14: The Mercy of Layers Day 15: Tulips For Morocco Day 16: On His Side Day 17: Dear Soul Day 18: Flowery Beds Of Ease Day 19: Dogwoods Sketch Day 20: Weekend Watercoloring Day 21: Because Love Abounds And We Abide Day 22: The Water To My Color Day 23: Significance of Dogwoods Day 24: By Faith Day 25: The Old Toolbox Day 26: Thankful For Breath Day 27: Number 4 Day 28: Nothing More and Nothing Less Day 29: He Calls Us By Name Day 30: It Takes Time Day 31: Art is Long, life is short.