Page one + Page two=ME

Knowing what you truly love is the key to loving how you live. A simple way to begin to know what you truly love is to gather beautiful images that speak to your soul. So, let's do just that.

Gather scissors, glue, your favorite magazines and your art journal. Place them all together in a basket or other container and keep it by your bed. At night after the kids are asleep, the day's responsibilities are (hopefully) taken care of and you can devote a few minutes of relaxed down time (stop laughing), crawl up on your bed and flip through the magazines. When you see a picture you love, cut it out and paste it in your art journal. Spend several quiet moments doing this. When finished, put your journal away for another night.

I realize that night may not be your relaxing time or your bed may not be your comfy contemplative place, adjust accordingly. Find your spot.

Now listen to me because this part is very important. Do not over think your choices. You do not need to have a reason why an image speaks to you...it simply must speak to you. Also, do not plan or fret over the arrangement of the images on the page, just paste them on a page one at a time. Let your collages happen, evolve.

Now listen to me again. If you begin this one night and the love is not flowing, drop it. You will know if you are forcing the process. Also, do not feel like you must work on this every night.

At the end of two weeks, (yes, do this for two weeks) crawl onto your bed, snuggle up with your art journal and look at the pages you have created. I expect that you will find colors, patterns, themes, styles, things...something...which reveals loves, hopes, passions you've never realized. Your collages will give you directions where your heart wants to go...a map of your heart.

Try it.

Tell me, where does the map of your heart lead? ---Melody at Wrapped Emotions

As Melody "enjoyed" getting new heart related parts last week, she took the time to create this heart related prompt. I love how what looks like a simple prompt takes me on quite a journey.

I don't have a lot of magazines, like books the few I get I read and pass on. I'm excited I had these pictures! Per the directions, I just cut what I liked and threw them in a pile over the days. As I put the creation together last night I kind of saw a theme per page.

The first page is full of hot air balloons soaring to new heights, living free. A snowboarder in the air living on the edge. A blue heron strongly speaks to me because it was a symbol of my life last fall. Rest, tranquility, peace. A cowboy gaining perspective. A rock climber in a victory pose, but also reminding me of a stance that is like Indiana Jones---taking a leap of faith when you have no idea what lies below. When victory as you define it just might not be your final answer. It may be way better, it may be way worse, in your mind. But God's all over each of these pictures authoring freedom, risk, perspective, rest, and victory, His way.

The second page speaks of my faith journey in the works. You might wonder why would I have a sign of Jewish faith there? I have a heart for Israel. I pray for this country and its people. I hate that because they are God's beloved people and land, they suffer in ways I will most likely never know.

Somehow I don't think the pictures of Christ, red rose, a bride and beautiful shoes where the heels are holding wedding rings are a coincidence when I tried to make sense. I'm currently reading Joy Chickonoski's Becoming Lovers: The Journey from Disciple of Christ to Bride of Christ. Her passion is for people to seek intimacy with God. The relationship is like a marriage. I want to be that captivating bride wearing girlie girl heels and there He stands with a red rose proposing. Maybe I've read too many chick lit books this winter but I love the image. I'm not there, but I want it. Desperately. And if I add page one plus page two---it equals me.

Now is the perfect time for you to join the fun. Click on the Wrapped Emotions button to get started. It truly has been a blogging highlight for me. Melody, so glad you are back and recovering well.

I invite you to come back tomorrow (Monday the 18th) for two great reasons:
1--I'm a stop on Susan May Warren's Taming Rafe tour. Just like the cowboy in the picture above, I am a sucker for a western. Read what I think tomorrow.

2--I'll start Monday's Journey with Joy---my summary each Monday of a chapter of her book, mentioned above. This is a great next stop after Captivating and I invite you to check it out, and tell others!