Inspiration... breathe it in!

The Smoke by lucaszoltowski

http://lucaszoltowski.deviantart.com/art/The-Smoke-100571961

I search for inspiration... i scour comics, pictures, speeches, sermons, music, and movies to find it. Its what makes us as humans want to be better, to be different. I like to think of it as reaching out beyond ourselves, the mundane if you will. Reaching out and touching something divine and supernatural. That doesn't mean that all that is inspired is pretty or beautiful. Its something that can push you to see things through a different perspective and alter your perceptions. The picture above is not beautiful by typical standards. It is not full or bright colors and curvy lines and is not full of hope and all that stuff. But it is creative and a lot of work and heart went into it. When I see something that simple make such a huge statement I smile and mentally kick myself for not doing more or not thinking of it myself.

Just for kicks here are a couple of definitions of inspiration that are inspiring themselves:

1. divine guidance or influence exerted directly on the mind and soul of humankind

2. stimulation of the mind or emotions to a high level of feeling or activity

3. an agency, such as a person or work of art, that moves the intellect or emotions or prompts action or invention

4. arousal of the mind to special unusual activity or creativity

Doesn't that make you want to get out there and paint or write a sonnet? It makes me wish that I was more in tune with everything out there. The worst thing about it is that material for inspiration is everywhere. All we have to do is breathe it in!!

"the act of drawing in, especially the inhalation of air into the lungs"

Its as simple as breathing. Just open up and let it in! I would continue but its early and I am worried I am not making much sense. Get out there and be inspired and inspire others! Take the "ugly" and watch how quickly it can grow into something beautiful.

Let me know how it goes!

...better times by Kat-Art http://kat-art.deviantart.com/art/better-times-102182319#

for poor

So I went to church the other day... that wouldn't surprise some people, but I guess some people would be surprised. I have nothing against church. I used to enjoy it. I loved getting caught up in meeting people and trying to wow them with your Sunday best. There were pizza nights and youth group and there was this general lovey-dovey-warm-fuzzy-kind-of-feeling when you walked in. People are supposed to like you when you walk in. (whether or not it happens is a different story!) You are supposed to learn deep mysteries about the world here and beyond. Your brain and heart are supposed to be challenged as you meet with other serious spiritual seekers!



But its been a long time since I have been. And the reason I went the other day was for work.



So I have been thinking about the whole church thing. I was blown away with the beauty of this particular church and just all that it has to offer in terms of atmosphere and awe. I was dwarfed by its high arching ceilings and stained glass windows. There were candles in there that were bigger than I am! Everything in there is carefully crafted with a purpose and with beauty. I know that God doesn't literally live in the church, but us humans have built a pretty nice cage for Him (Her/They... i will go with Him simply because that is what I am used to. God is beyond gender and what kind of genatalia He posesses is really irrelevant.) So anyways... I went to church... I always get so sidetracked on weird tangents! I was listening to the Father deliver a message and I watched the eyes of a lot of people light up. Even though it was just for a wedding people were in there looking for answers and looking for something more. It made me miss where I have been. I like looking for answers and my eyes will light up with every opportunity I get, but church is not the place where I want to do that anymore.

I want to experience God and truth and love outsides the sterile confines of the sanctuary. I want to interact, experience, try, fail, and live out this faith, this hope, this spirituality... whatever you want to call it! There is dangerous safety and safe danger out there and I want to live it!

I have no issue about doing that with a church. There have been churches, pastors, and even christians that have inspired me to seek out the best for myself and others. It can be done! I long to go to a building, a sanctum, that lives the life that they advertise and can positively influence me to do the same outside the confines of its walls.

So all this to say that I went to this church to "work." I stood in awe and the beauty of a building that I hope was inspired by the awe, majesty, and beauty of the Creator (there! no gender identification!). I was inspired to quietly contemplate beauty. I was pushed to be still and silent and take in the grandeur that surrounded me. I was challenged to rethink the way that I interacted with things greater than me and why I wasn't doing this more often.

There was also a little metal box that read "FOR POOR thank you." There is a deeper message in there somewhere and I can't wait to find it.