Sunday, April 3, 2011

Joseph


Once again God's wisdom and meets me in the form of Hindsight.

This week I was going to blog about my lunch hour on Monday. I am glad I am blogging about it now on Sunday after Circles. For those who were not there or have horrible memories we went over the story of Joseph. This fresh approach of the classic Biblical story is what I needed to tempter the truth I got on Monday.

The Monday Life Drawing Class is every other week with an emphasis on Gesture drawing. I had been avoiding that class because I am already quite strong in that type, style, process of drawing. The models ware costumes and I felt that I needed to work on the more technical side of life drawing. Basically I wanted to brush up on my anatomy. So over the last few months I had been going to the Wednesday Anatomy classes. But a few weeks ago when I spoke with the lady who was runs that Storyboard program at work she told me that I should go to the Monday classes because they are instructed by a storyboard artist. So I figured why not. Lets now go to last Monday, I had just eaten an early lunch and was the second person in the class room. I gather my supplies and pick a place to sit. I go to sign in and the guy who got there before me, who I am now sitting next to, is someone who I used to post on an art forum with, now he is a big storyboard artist there. The forum was really big for it's art and comics back in 2003-2006. My posting on that forum stopped shortly after they realized I was a "political conservative" and all started to ignore me. He wasn't mean about it from what I can remember. I didn't introduce myself because he was busy talking to other people by this point.

Other people start to fill the room and then we all start drawing. The class started with 1 minuet poses and eventually went to 2 minuet poses. During the class the instructor was walking around. He stopped at me and asked what department I was in, I told him I was a P.A. [Production Assistant] and he was surprised and said something along the lines of, "...oh. Well you seem to really know what you are doing, keep up the good work." Later in the class he took a drawing from the guy I was sitting next to and walked it around the class and was describing what he was doing right and such. When he got to me I went to look at it and he basically told me yours is just as good.

That was and is a HUGE encouragement! I was really encouraged. I even email the instructor after the class and "thanked" him for teaching the class. Since I am being honest here I just wanted to open a dialogue here and "encourage" him to remember me. And this is what stuck out to me when were were reading Joseph's story. When he told the cupbearer to remember him. Ha ha that is EXACTLY WHAT I WAS DOING!

I am royalty working in the kingdom as a page, watching others rule over the things that I am designed for. I don't mean to sound arrogant, but like Joseph I know what the Lord has something for me, and even more so like Joseph I need to stop promoting myself. The giftings and talents I "have" aren't even mine. I need to remember that they are not for me! They are for Him! When I keep that in the forefront of my mind and heart it protects me from the temptations of pride and vanity in the forms of grandeur, self sufficiency, and success.

Protect me lord from myself.

More of you less of me.

14 comments:

  1. Yes! yesterday was such a great lesson. I also had a similar, Ah ha moment, and the message came at just the right time to bring more clarity and understanding. I love that God has such perfect timing so teachings can impact us in the greatest way.

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  2. Me too. I had this moment where I was really struck down to the core. It was this feeling as though I had wronged someone, and I know it was God. Like what you said, we are called a royal priesthood. I realized that I was in God's favor so many times in my life, and yet I was so focused on myself. With all of my own life planning and connecting the dots, I realized again that I am insufficient to face the future in this way. Like Joseph, I want to live in God's favor, but where He is always greater and in the center. I want to stop predicting the future, and trust the Lord.

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  3. I am so glad that this got you too because it got me. I have been trying to get people to like me so that they can give me a job, visiting lots of old teachers I know to make sure everyone knows I am looking for a job...but God is in control and he will set forth the path that He wants you to take. He is preparing us all for what He has designed us to do.

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  4. The two prayers at the end of your post are what stuck with me most. "Protect me Lord from myself" & "More of you less of me." I feel like it is so important to recognize that we can be an enemy to ourselves! And in a lot of cases I feel like that is where the devil hurts and corrupts the most. You are so humble to pray those words. I will pray that you will continue to find the center of God's will and thrive in that. ALSO, I am glad to hear that you were encouraged about your art! You are so insanely gifted.

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  5. Really awesome thoughts and connections. God is so faithful and will not give His glory to another. Amen!

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  6. oh my goodness your last paragraph and your honesty in it. wow I am so encouraged. I do this with a huge passion of mine but not "dropping my name" so to speak, but looking for any or every open door in the field. I also know I need to grow into this person that could handle that responsibility but am I patient in that?? nope nope nope. thank you for your honesty! I am so glad that you are encouraged for your art! Gosh, sometimes I think it is hard to find the distinction between promoting myself and seeing an opportunity and going for it. does that make sense? but I suppose God already knows we will do that so when those particular doors slam in our faces, we should once again let HIM work it out and receive allllll the glory. : ) yay.

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  8. This is great. :) It reminds me of how selfless humility speaks forever louder than the words from a master of pride. Selfless humility is such an rarity so when it is noticed, it demands a heaven-ward glance.

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  9. I love listening (reading) your stories. You could probably write and then illustrate your own book some day ;-) What a great connection you made to the story of Joseph in your own life. Thank you for sharing...

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  10. Amen. John 3:30. This is great!
    Big "AHA!" moments given to us by the Lord feel like and are, the greatest blessing. Our gifts are exactly that, a gift!! When we take up that attitude that the gifts we possess are not really ours at all, we are in a better position to better see how HE wants to use those gifts for HIS Kingdom's purpose. So great.

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  11. That is so cool how when we actually take the time to listen and dwell on God's words and teaching, we can actually begin to connect all the dots (His work in our lives) at any point in time in our lives.

    I really enjoyed the lesson last weekend as well.

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  12. Seriously, I feel you on the cupbearer thing. It's so difficult to not want to promote yourself or to want to call the shots. Why is it so difficult to trust God sometimes? I'm so glad that we have the story of Joseph as a reminder and more importantly as an encouragement! This was an encouragement to acknowledge where we are promoting ourselves and then intentionally give the glory and the control to God.

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  13. Thanks frank!
    I tell you man, you have such an awesome go-getting Kingdom attitude!
    Beneath this post, I see such a bold confidence and eagerness to walk into your ordained days that the Lord has for you!
    You are all opposites of cowardly, brother!

    You seem very aware of falling into "me, me, me," but be mindful that we can take preventing pride to the other extreme of a paralyzing stagnancy.

    Thanks for the post, man

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