Life has been full and I haven't felt inspired to write very often, so I am sorry if you've been missing my posts here on the blog...
I have chosen to write 'full' rather than busy, because it's not that I haven't had time to write, rather my days are often full with other things.
I'm still homeschooling my three sons and along with their study, keeping house and family time, I've been blessed to now have the resources to focus more on my own art.
I say resources because I was quite limited and restricted before becoming remarried in regards to time, finances and capacity.
Backstory: I've always been an artistic person. In secondary school I excelled in fine arts, dance, music and drama. In final years I felt the need to 'choose' one, so I only enrolled in dance alongside more academic subjects. I chose dance because this was the subject my mother had spent the most money on educating me privately. If you know my blog and story, you'll know I became a performing arts teacher and worked in this field for over a decade. Over the years I did some fine art and textile projects at home. I always loved to create.
When I had been single for around a year (in 2013) I decided to enroll in an art class. It had been a long time since secondary school, but I went for around a term and loved it. I continued after at home, as I found it too difficult to attend class as a single mother.
Art became an enjoyable hobby while studying theology via distance. I often photographed my artworks and used them as blog images. Now with returning to homeschooling and being at home more, I've been able to focus on gaining more skill in painting...and this has been an amazing new chapter and adventure.
You can see my art on Instagram just look up @mjsymesart
It's been interesting too in the ways my art has been connecting me with others. I've met many new people and also reconnected with others. Art has become a new bridge...
I've been really encouraged by people who take the time to stop their 'scrolling' and like, love or comment.
I've been encouraged because while we see so often our world in chaos, I know it takes a conscientious effort for someone to stop, comment and encourage, when it's so much easier to just keep scrolling...
With the recent passing of a relative, and my boys growing up so fast before my own eyes, it makes me think about how we treat even our own families while we still have them...Do we stop and look up from our screens to give praise, encouragement and thanks...or do we just 'keep scrolling', passing up the opportunity to stop and say something nice, even when we get nothing in return?
I know many of us do, but I just want to say what I'm saying now to encourage us to continue to do so...and to say how important and refreshing it is to have 'real' friends and loving family members, even if we can only count them on one hand...
These truly beautiful people are the ones who care and respond even when there is absolutely NOTHING for them to gain by doing so...I have found in life they are quite uncommon.
To me these are the truly beautiful people, and while I stumble and falter at times, I want to be like them and I want to be remembered like that...as someone who stopped, noticed and encouraged, while expecting nothing in return.
I want to love freely and give freely...reaching out, both in real life and online...to love like Jesus, who taught costly godly love...the love that sacrifices by reaching out and making an effort when there's no personal gain...the love that encourages more so than reprimands...the love that loves those who aren't just our 'friends'.
So I hope we can 'Just STOP Scrolling!' and connect more...yes, these are tough times and our world is so often just a mess...but if we just stop scrolling and connect I'm sure we'll find a weight is lifted, both for the other person and ourselves.
While we can't control the world or other people, we have the choice to either complain, or decide to be someone who lives differently...
Love always, Melanie.
You can see my art on Instagram just look up @mjsymesart
It's been interesting too in the ways my art has been connecting me with others. I've met many new people and also reconnected with others. Art has become a new bridge...
I've been really encouraged by people who take the time to stop their 'scrolling' and like, love or comment.
I've been encouraged because while we see so often our world in chaos, I know it takes a conscientious effort for someone to stop, comment and encourage, when it's so much easier to just keep scrolling...
With the recent passing of a relative, and my boys growing up so fast before my own eyes, it makes me think about how we treat even our own families while we still have them...Do we stop and look up from our screens to give praise, encouragement and thanks...or do we just 'keep scrolling', passing up the opportunity to stop and say something nice, even when we get nothing in return?
I know many of us do, but I just want to say what I'm saying now to encourage us to continue to do so...and to say how important and refreshing it is to have 'real' friends and loving family members, even if we can only count them on one hand...
These truly beautiful people are the ones who care and respond even when there is absolutely NOTHING for them to gain by doing so...I have found in life they are quite uncommon.
To me these are the truly beautiful people, and while I stumble and falter at times, I want to be like them and I want to be remembered like that...as someone who stopped, noticed and encouraged, while expecting nothing in return.
I want to love freely and give freely...reaching out, both in real life and online...to love like Jesus, who taught costly godly love...the love that sacrifices by reaching out and making an effort when there's no personal gain...the love that encourages more so than reprimands...the love that loves those who aren't just our 'friends'.
So I hope we can 'Just STOP Scrolling!' and connect more...yes, these are tough times and our world is so often just a mess...but if we just stop scrolling and connect I'm sure we'll find a weight is lifted, both for the other person and ourselves.
While we can't control the world or other people, we have the choice to either complain, or decide to be someone who lives differently...
Love always, Melanie.
2 comments:
Stop, notice and encourage. Three small words that make a difference in the life of another. Reminds me of the words I woke up with the other morning, “Don’t keep love in your pocket.” In other words, reach out and be willing to give. Blessings to you Melanie as you walk in this new season.
Love it, thanks Jeannie! I think sometimes we can act out of a mentality of 'lack' when it comes to giving love...We feel our own hearts craving and lacking, so are therefore scared to give and share what little we think we have left in our 'pocket' with others...especially when we've been hurt! But in truth love given will return to us in the right time, much more abundantly compared to what we gave...love multiplies :)
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