I finished it!

Art projects, for me, are opportunities to play with new mediums. Generally by the end of the experiment, I will have learned how to use it and whether I like the medium enough to use it again in the future.

My most recent experiment was with matte. I chose a paste that would dry clear and not shine, effectively just adding texture to the painting. This endeavor gave me a bit of a heart attack, as the matte goes on completely opaque. I was so scared that I would never again see the image that took me months to paint. Hours later as it began to dry the colors started to show through. It still took the painting a week to completely dry. Yes, I was stressing it the whole time.

My friend Nathan was the lucky candidate for the art as his birthday was coming up (and so also inspired the subject). Well, his birthday passed and so did his graduation. Luckily, I finished the painting before Christmas, and can now say that I was ahead of that time of gift giving.

Here is a picture of the finished product!

Song for november five

"Burn Out Bright"
Does it have to start with a broken heart
Broken dreams and bleeding parts
We were young and world was clear
But young ambition disappears
I swore it would never come to this
The average, the obvious
I'm still discontented down here
I'm still discontented
If we've only got one try
If we've only got one life
If time was never on our side
Then before I die
I want to burn out bright
A spark ignites
In time and space
Limping through this human race
You bite and claw your way back home
But you're running the wrong way
The future is a question mark
Of kerosene and electric sparks
There's still fire in you yet
Yeah there's still fire in you!
I keep cleaning up the mess
I've made I won't run away
I can't sleep in the bed I've made

Song for November Third

Equally Skilled – Jon foreman

I feel like a fruit-picker who arrived here

After the harvest

There's nothing here at all

Nothing at all here that could placate my hunger

The godly people are all gone

There's not one honest soul left alive

Here on the planet

We're all murderers and thieves

Setting traps here for even our brothers

And both of our hands are equally skilled

At doing evil, equally skilled

At bribing the judges, equally skilled

At perverting justice

Both of our hands

Both of our hands

The day of justice comes

And is even now swiftly arriving

Don't trust anyone at all

Not your best friend or even your wife

For the son hates the father

The daughter despises even her mother

Look, your enemies arrive

Right in the room of your very household

And both of their hands are equally skilled

At doing evil, equally skilled

At bribing the judges, equally skilled

At perverting justice

Both of their hands

Both of their hands

No, don't gloat over me

Though I fall, though I fall

I will rise again

Though I sit here in darkness

The Lord, the Lord alone

He will be my light

I will be patient as the Lord

Punishes me for the wrongs I've done

Against Him

After that, He'll take my case

Bringing me to light and the justice

For all I have suffered

And both of His hands

Are equally skilled

At ruining evil, equally skilled

At judging the judges, equally skilled

Administering justice

Both of His hands

Both of His hands

Are equally skilled

At showing me mercy, equally skilled

At loving the loveless, equally skilled

Administering justice

Both of His hands

Both of His hands

Something about the rain

Once again, it has been a wonderful weekend. I say that as if it is almost over, truth is I have another day :) This week, my weekend included Friday!
For Friday, though it was raining, my friend and I went hiking around Mt Pisgah. It was great getting out in nature and exploring all the miles of trails that surround the hill. Plus, there weren't that many people out because it was raining= glorious. We got pretty soaked but had a good time.
I just got back from the REI scratch and dent sale (very similar to the REI garage sales). I purchased a thermarest, thermal pants, a portable chair, and some bike gloves all for under $34. Surprising also, was a friend from klamath waiting in the line. It was nice to catch up and just chat.
The sun is shining and I just picked up two free pumpkins! Really could the day get any better?! Actually, yes! I now am off to watch the u of o football game at a friend's house and then there is a birthday party for a girlfriend this evening. Then tomorrow, I am checking out a new church and having a dinner party. Somewhere in between all this, pray that I get some studying done, as I have a test over radiation protection this coming week.
I hope you dance by lee ann womack is the song going through my head right now.
Enjoy the day!

Living for the Weekend

Last weekend, I visited my cousin and his community group. It was a great time of talking to people that love Jesus and then worshiping Him. The next day, I went hiking with some friends up to Mary's Peak. Mary's Peak is the highest point in the coastal range at 4,097 ft. The weather was great and we were able to barely make out the Cascade Mountains through the fire smoke.

The following day my friend Nathan and I drove out to the Three Sister's Wilderness to do some hiking. We hiked Tam McCarther's Rim, to little Three Creek's Lake for camp and then finally to Park Meadow. It was an exhausting and wonderful time being at the base of my mountains. I even got a sun burn to prove it!

This weekend has also been a wonderful time of enjoying all things "Fall." My cousin and I went to the Eugene Independent Film Festival, hiked Mt Pisgah, picked apples, bought other produce at a local farm (squash, pumpkin, pears, tomatoes), and went to the Saturday market. I watched the football game, went to a ballet production, and tonight I am going to hang out with Bekah and then go to a corn maze! All the trees outside my window are changing color and the air has a bight that I enjoy so much in the sun. I love fall!

pushing against a wall

some days i wonder if what i am studying is truly what i am meant to pursue. i suppose my resolve waivers proportionally with my confidence and success during the day.
this week, i have been disappointed by the amount of time i have spent in the OR merely standing and observing. Yet, when i was given he opportunity to practice, my lack of confidence was evident and my ability to preform was questioned.
i need the practice to become more efficient and am thankful for those persons that are patient. it is frustrating when asked to move the c-arm using the in-correct medical jargon for the motion desired. i am set up to fail in that scenario. i also feel that i am trying to pay attention to too many details and instead of being recognized as cautious, i am labeled as incompetent. don't people remember when they were learning? i wish people would just communicate what they want visualized and I'll get that image, but i can't read minds and i am not yet familiar with enough of the cases and doctor's preferences to anticipate perfectly.
it is hard persevering and continuing to care when made a fool.
pray for me.

Thankful

Faithful- Brooke Fraser

There's distance in the air and I cannot make it leave

I wave my arms' round about me and blow with all my might

I cannot sense you close, though I know you're always here

But the comfort of you near is what I long for

[CHORUS]

When I can't feel you, I have learned to reach out just the same

When I can't hear you, I know you still hear every word I pray

And I want you more than I want to live another day

And as I wait for you maybe I'm made more faithful

All the folly of the past, though I know it is undone

I still feel the guilty one, still trying to make it right

So I whisper soft your name, let it roll around my tongue,

knowing you're the only one who knows me

You know me

[CHORUS]

[BRIDGE]

Show me how I should live this

Show me where I should walk

I count this world as loss to me

You are all I want

You are all I want

God is like a wind that comes into your life; you don't know where it comes from or where it is going but only that life will be great!

Somehow, this week I lost my fervor for life. I went through my routine trying to hold my energy level at the same as normal. Tired, I hit the weekend finally. It was then that God made me aware of the reason for my weeks exhaustion; I had forgot Him. My effort for overflowing joy of course fell short, and was the reason for my exhaustion. No one can keep a facade going and not be tired.
My God, my energy and joy, grant me grace.
I feel like the people of Israel in the book of Nehemiah. I want to cry, read the word and remember everything that You have done for me. I am so thankful that God, you extend grace every time I forget that You are my reason for everything. Restore my passion and fill me with love. I want to live in a way that reflects my dependence on you. Thank you for your faithfulness.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1k8yIwS5nI
None but Jesus- Hillsong United
In the quiet
In the stillness
I know that You are God
In the secret of Your presence
I know there I am restored
When You call I won't refuse
Each new day again I'll choose
There is no one else for me
None but Jesus
Crucified to set me free
Now I live to bring Him praise
In the chaos in confusion
I know You're sovereign still
In the moment of my weakness
You give me grace to do Your will
When You call I won't delay
This my song through all my days
All my delight is in You Lord
All of my hope
All of my strength
All my delight is in You Lord
Forever more