The swan drawing came from an exercise in a drawing magazine that I buy every now and then. I loved working on the black paper, although I really had a mess of white everywhere, since it was pastel I was using. We are currently on recess from my classes and so I am having fun doing what I want. I finally worked up the courage to finish my graphite drawing. I scanned it and then did it in sepia (on the computer) to soften up some of the parts where the paper flaked off from erasing it so many times. I think you'll see an improvement from the previous self portrait. Still not exactly me, but I think it's closer. I don't quite seem to bring me to life... of course it doesn't help I'm not smiling. But I am not crazy enough to try to draw teeth yet. I'll get there some day. Rome wasn't built in a day, you know.
Things are pretty quiet on the home front these days. I am cook and clean and grocery shop, answer my e-mails, do some drawing and of course spend lots of time in prayer and Bible study. I am preparing four messages for September. I will be preaching at a women's camp back in Vitória, where I first started my work here in Brazil. Although I've been gone for 20 years, I still have a lot of friends there. It will be nice to see them. And I love working on the messages.
I was reading Challie's blog the other day (it's in my list of blogs on my sidebar) and he said there are two types of devotional reading. One that is broad, with no definite direction or goals and that which is focused and study oriented. I realized that when I chose and pick or even read the Bible through, as I am doing this year, I have a hard time focusing. So since I was in Isaiah in my annual reading, I decided to study, really study Isaiah and make notes on each verse or thought or chapter (depending...). So after some time, I have now completed four chapters and I am so much happier. I really really get what I am reading. If my Bible study is not fruitful, neither is my prayer time. I have also come to realize that my Bible study is also prayer... it is the part where God speaks to me. Nothing mysterious or mystical, but His Word is His voice in the world. And so much clearer and safer than waiting for a nebulous direction that comes from some kind of "gut" feeling.Temporarly I have put Isaiah on hold to study Philippians 3:12-14 and Hebrews 13:7, which will be the basis of two of my messages. I have spent over 8 hours analyzing the words of these verses. Now I will begin to put that together. Oh, how God's Word falls fresh to my ears every day! I thank God that I have the time and resources to really delve into the Bible. Psalm 119:103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
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