Yellow Reflections...{Finding Sanctuary - Part 18}

The chop characters in the picture mean peace (top) and joy (bottom)

Pictures of our cherry blossoms from last year...they are blooming again this year, but aren't nearly as full since we have had less rain.
Processing:  a layer of Kim Klassen's texture "red" at soft light
                     Chinese character brushes from Obsidian Dawn
                     Chaos mask and snow textures from ShadowHouse Creations
                     Masked Wonderland Brushes
                     Font:  Haiku

The rest of this post is part of a series on exploring personal issues through healing art...

Did you take a step yesterday? 
Take another today...it could be the same one as yesterday, or it could be the next on the list you and the Holy Spirit developed...or another that you can do...

Another action: assign a color to your steps if you haven't already (a different color for each step perhaps?)...and add one color into the vertical (reflection journaling) strips of your weaving...paint it, use colored pencils, weave another paper or string or yarn or ribbon...place it so it pleases your eye...

• do one each day this week, or 
•  spend some dedicated time to place more
• you can use different colors than you did on your mind map...
• think about which color you want more of...does it correlate to a step that you need to focus more on?
• do your color additions and the intensity (through value or repetition) reflect the amount of change required in each area?
• spend a little time, even just five minutes, to journal your insights...
• (if you wish) start planning to recreate your art piece with colors only to become a final work of art to display that commemorates your work and journey.

My brief reflection as I recorded my yellow highlights...

Yellow:  

This you know, my beloved brethren.  But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger, for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.  Therefore putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.   James 1:19-21

So I have healthy anger - that is not the one that flashes...that is what still needs healing.  It was interesting to see the idea of "planting" in the next verse as well as putting aside what remains of wickedness - the process I am in!

Note:  "to save"is the Greek word sozo, and is in the aorist tense (meaning there was a specific point in the past when the action began, and the action continues into the present and on into the future....wonderful!!)

 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.  1 John 4:18

(The verses around this one are good for more study, too.)  
Orge is righteous anger - concerned about defending the defenseless - is anyone defenseless?  God sent Jesus to satisfy His righteous anger at sin.  Anger needs to lead to Jesus...

Yellow had  

• immaturity
• rooted in childhood
• and fear of punishment 

       connected to it...

- this connection needs more addressing
- the idea of growth is evident in this verse, too (the 1 John 4 passage) 
- orge and thumos are intertwined - there is intensity, but it IS limited...


My step that corresponds with this journaling is to meditate on these two scriptures, keeping the "ears of my heart" open to hear what the Holy Spirit whispers through them...I actually have been doing this for the past ten days, and it has served to be a grounding type activity, dampening the "flashes to anger"... the phrases moving through my mind and heart when the same situations arise..."...no punishment...", "...what are you afraid of?", "...no need to fear...", "...trust My love {for you and for _____...."

It truly has been a time of experiencing the becoming and feeling encompassed by His love - 

"When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me."  I Corinthians 13:11

For all the posts in this series, click below: