Pictures in my home ...

Dusky Sleeping

I drew this picture of our cat, Dusky, with chalk pastels. As a teenager I did art at school, though this was not a school assignment. Dusky is curled up asleep on my mother’s chair. There is a touch of sunshine. She is warm and completely relaxed, her tail tucked neatly under her chin. 
I’ve always had a cat. Dusky was there during my teenage years, which were not easy years. This drawing of her is soft – you can almost feel her fur – and lovingly drawn with the detail of her ears. Cats have taught me how to rest. It’s relaxing to just look at this picture. 

Proverbs 3: 24
When you sit down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
… (and 26) for the Lord will be your confidence

​Lord you have been my confidence
You have been my resting, resting down
You have been my sunshine, feeling warm
You have been my stillness, slowing down
Lord you will be my confidence
You will be my rest, teach me how to rest
hold me in your rest
encircle me with your sweet sleep
soft sleep, warm rest
nothing now to do but this
nowhere now to be but here
O Lord you are my confidence
I am confident in you, only you I trust
You are my home
I am not afraid.

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Hebrews 12.6, 10-11: 
The Lord disciplines those whom he loves … in order that we may share his holiness. Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. 

Tapa: Poem and Prayer

Pound pound pound
women sit under the coconut frond roof 
mallets rhythmic on the log
pounding strips of bark 
Pound pound pound
They laugh as they work
and break into song
as the strips become cloth
layer laid on layer
one woman’s work seamless with another
Pound pound pound
brittle becomes soft
flakes become strong
separate comes together
small grows into large
bark becomes tapa
gift for the giving
Pound pound pound


​
Loving Father God, 
train me in your ways
paint me with your designs
crush me to remake me
flatten me
and layer me with others
until ‘me’ merges into ‘we
and together we are strong and soft
beautiful and useful
gift for the giving. Amen.