Revelations of a Sinner

Revelations of a Sinner.

How does one attempt to write on that topic if the very title seems drastic or even extraordinary  Well, I suppose I shall have to simply go for it.

A Sinner. Ooh...  none of us like that word. (Well, I certainly don't.) It seems Christian society has somehow managed to label and box into categories what we define as Sin, and who of us are sinners.

Truth is, we live in a fallen world, we all sin, and we are all sinners. Ooooh. 

Now bear with me - before you think I am either extreme or hypocritical.

I did say these were revelations. 

Firstly, to be a sinner we all have to do something - Sin.

Unfortunately its so natural to us that it becomes a default mechanism.

Sin is disobedience against God. There, I've said it. You know that, you say? 
Well, I believe what is more important than the act of sinning itself is the attitude of the heart. That's what God sees. 
Something that is not considered 'sin' can be obviously sin - in Gods eyes - if in the heart, the motive is rebellion against God. 
Oftentimes, we are not even aware of this sin, and it repeats on us , creating repetitive default patterns. Sometimes there is sin in our lives we know about but cannot stop doing - chances are it is an established pattern caused by a wrong heart attitude.

God looks at the heart if men. He sees often what we do not. 
Sometimes, I think we believe the confusion and the deception so much we refuse to search our hearts and discover they are stinking rotten.
The Bible says they are. Yet even when we have found, or discovered that rottenness it seems impossible to clean. 
Well, as Christians, we do all know the answer to that. 
Jesus. He came in order that we might be cleansed, made whole, every stain removed.

But.

In order for this to happen, one thing has to change.

The attitude of the heart.

Yep. Jesus can, and will cleanse and restore us if we ask, but in order for that cleansing to remain in all its fullness, something has to change.

Oftentimes we are unclean because of choices we have not made; other peoples influences and decisions, etc. but even the heart of a little child can choose to rebel - against God and its parents - and that little act there is Sin.

In order for Jesus's cleansing to be complete, there is a third step.

Repentance.

Repentance follows confession. Confession is the act of recognising sin and asking forgiveness for it.

All very well, but a child could confess, ask forgiveness  and keep licking a power point  Eventually this dangerous rebellion will destroy them. (Example only.)

Repentance is a changed attitude. Repentance is a choice.
A choice to confess, and to turn away from the old. 
Repentance is not easy.
But when the attitude of the heart changes, God honours that. When the heart changes towards God, the sinful habit dies. Sure, it can be reattached  but that is entirely up to the sinner - he who chooses.

Recently I have been. Studying the Book of Jeremiah. One passage particularly caught my attention:

19 Therefore this is what the Lord says:

“If you repent, I will restore you
    that you may serve me;
if you utter worthy, not worthless, words,
    you will be my spokesman.
Let this people turn to you,
    but you must not turn to them.
20 I will make you a wall to this people,
    a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you
    but will not overcome you,
for I am with you
    to rescue and save you,”
declares the Lord.
21 “I will save you from the hands of the wicked
    and deliver you from the grasp of the cruel.”

This verse comes after a pretty heavy passage where Jeremiah is pleading for the lives of the Israelites.

what I couldn't understand about this verse was the way God was telling Jeremia to repent. (To me, it seemed as if he was about the only one upright in the land, and he was delivering God's message to the God's people who had rebelled against Him - the people who, in turn, punished Jeremiah and tried to kill him.

So what did he have a.need to repent for? Asking God for revelation, I waited. A few days . Finally I read another version. This is (paraphrased) what God said to Jeremiah: "Repent of the undeserved thought/s in your heart that I am unfaithful and untrustworthy."

Ouch.

Put simply, Jeremiah wasn't fully trusting God.

Simple enough, it almost seems passable as reasonable. Sure, he is afraid, isn't doubt expected?
Well, that's the thing.
He was sinning, and what was wrong was the attitude of his heart. He didn't trust God.

Mmmm. That's a tricky one. In order for many of us to admit that, to God, let alone to ourselves, means we have to search our hearts and be willing to see ourselves as we are - unclean. Jesus will make us clean, yes!  But first  we must want to be clean, and repent. To turn. Turn from that which is not God. And God, in his faithfulness will restore us.

With this concept in mind, we realise that what makes us a sinner is not so much the sin but the attitude inside  Sin or the act which displeases God is only the surface problem, like a bubbling, or the top of the volcano as it explodes that lava has to come from somewhere.

This attitude is decided by a choice - a choice we make in our hearts, that we often may not even be aware of a choice to rebel, to say no in our hearts, this is sin.
Yes, the outward sin matters, but it id only a reflection of what is within.

....

I challenge you - Search your heart. Ask God to search your heart. Thats scary stuff right there. 

Do you want to live for God or against him? It is the attitude God sees. You cannot serve God and keep sin. Yes, there are things, sins, God waits to deal with. But it is the Attitude which he sees.
God wants us pure, like he is. Cleansed, and available, having a deep relationship with him. 
Search your heart. Repent. Turn from what is not of God. From that which hinders your relationship with him. 

Australian Outback Photography

Art Experimentation - Paper Clay Model Horse

Paper Clay model horse. Yes, you read that right. Paper clay? Ah, sounds, interesting...
Well, it is. And this, being my first ever experimentation with paper clay (take note, not paper mache), I figured it deserved some attention. Considering also, that this is my first.... show a little sympathy for the way it turned out. (Nah, it was actually pretty good for 1st attempt.)

As for the clay made of paper, I found this recipe on the internet which used very simple ingredients like toilet paper and glue - and was thrilled with the results! It can be lump if not mixed properly, but when the mixture is right, it goes on/ molds beautifully.
So exciting! Be prepared to see more and more of these 'experiments' using paper clay, as I practice and learn by mistakes (as it goes) my own methods of creating masterpieces. I do, in future, intend to get a lot better at my sculpting art and actually start selling. Hopefully soon.

Shire Horse Model - Handmade, handpainted.

Actually, I think I should take this back to the beginning. To where I started. As I was fumbling about... trying to make something out of all the ideas whirling around.... and this is how it began..
(The original drawing outcut, prior to fixing up... note: I didn't trace this one. I think proportionally, the stomach area should have been longer, as well as perhaps the neck.)

All my lovely cardboard cutout pieces, as I began to create.... an armament and a base for my model. Hmmm. Do the legs stand up, or hide in close to the body... eventually I wedged cardboard between the legs and the base.

The armament covered - foil for padding, covers the cardboard layers and creates excellent base for moulding/sculpting onto. Also lots of sticky tape used at this point.

The same armament/foundation again, only this time it has been finished off with some wonderful layers of masking tape. Not only does it provide for excellent adhesive for the sculpting clay, but the masking tape actually adds padding where necessary. Yay!

During sculpting! This process took about 2 hours after I had made my clay, which took at least an hour also. All up, I think it would have taken quite a few hours (after painting/drying time) to complete this sculpture.

Top view also. This one took a lot of time to mold whist wet.

And now, for some completed photos after the long arduous work of painting. The painting process itself took a minimum of 5 coats of acrylic paint and much detail/photographic references. The completed horse is coloured/designed to look like a Black and White Shire Horse breed, complete with Shire Horse markings, colouration, body physique, docked tail, and characteristics.

Where does inspiration come from - and the thought of repeating history

It seems my blog is missing some words lately. Photographs are great, as are many millions of projects, but there is always something to be said for words - literally.
Okay, ignore that part. My point being, it is time to write again. At least, it will be soon.
I'm not sure what though. Something will come, and when it does, it will be, I daresay, a profound and relevant revelation.

Something new under the sun.
You know, something interesting that I have discovered lately, is that, despite what King Solomon stated in Ecclesiastes (there is nothing new under the sun) new things are being discovered all the time. A lot of old principles are being discovered, too, but new things are being 'created' inspired, etc.
Thinking on this topic the other day, I had been asking God for divine inspiration regarding some of my more recent artwork.
And yes, this may sound silly, but the thought did cross my mind that I would only be doing something re-hashed of something once done.
How silly of me! God has been showing me that despite ideas being repeated over time, there is still always something new - providing God is the inspiration leading you to that new something!

He particularly pointed out to me that being the God of creation, as He is, well, there just isn't anything He cannot do. So, well, if God made this earth, thought of all the incredible and amazing things we have around us today (I shan't list them all), how much more so can He still create, and reveal to us also!

God truly is the author of inspiration - when ideas dry up, ask God. There is no end to His ideas. To His brilliance. To the genius of God.

Vintage Sunbaking Dolls - Photography

While we were away, I stumbled across some lovely, quaint little vintage dolls in the quaint little vintage house we were staying in. They appeared so calm, so at peace with this world yet lost in their own. Sunbaking dolls - many a child's best friend and playmate, with a greater insight than we know.

Australian Wildlife Photography - Frilled Neck Lizard

Sunbaking. Ah, the life. Looks like heaven actually. This rather large sized fellow happened to be minding his own business while I was shifting sheep about. He was handsome enough - and still enough - for me to race inside and grab my canon/zoomie. What a beautie. I am glad though, that I didn't have to get too close.

All photographs copyright me.

Upcoming model repaints..

 Yes, this is the very same horse at the heading of the previous post. As I have clumped all photos of the past 4 weeks together, though, this one is more accurate of this model's current stage. Here this model is coated in 3 coats of grey base paint, and 4 coats of white... and he is also subject to a colour change... originally I intended to paint him dapple (hence white)... but I am thinking more that a rich, bright red and black bay will be more striking.

The same model in the last post, this one also is prepped and awaiting his first layer of colouration! Oh, the excitement... I still have not decided on a colour/range for this model, but I am thinking somewhere along the lines of a Chestnut/Palomino Quarter Horse type.

Again, the same model (as above) prepped and ready, other side view. From the original model, I kept only the mane hair, ditched the tail & forelock. I am debating removing this mane entirely, but for now it can stay. Painting around real hair isn't actually that easy.

Change of pace... as well as horses (which are by far the more popular model), I also collect and repaint dogs, of course, as they are my favourite species. This model is a Giant Schnauzer, probably going to be black or salt/pepper variety, realistic-looking.
Half painted here, undercoat visible.

On the subject of dogs... another miniature model. This one is really quite old, and has been collecting dust for some time. Originally felted, I repainted (without undercoat, I might add =/) this guy about 5 yrs ago. Now he is being undercoated and redone - realistically. Poor beggar.

- One of the 'raw' $1 horses I picked up recently. Still only the very first coat of colour, I intend this one to be a palomino of some kind - and likely a Quarter Horse or Stock Horse variety. Keep watching for this one.

One of my 'experiments', this dog (if it appears that way) was actually.... a goat. As its a miniature, I had a hard time shaping this one correctly, but it now (after much carving) takes the form of a Doberman Pinscher (in miniature) and will likely be painted as a Black and Tan (or correctly, with Red Rust points).

A cheap, sad looking, very bad anatomical little donkey model. Keep watching this one - I intend to make him a very adorable Welsh Mountain Pony.
There is hope for rubbish bin rescues....

Second side-view of Welshie to be. Don't let his horrible anatomy put you off - he will be adorable once completed.
I must say, the head is a bit offputting, however...

And, finally, another old repaint - covered in fluff. Ergh, poor thing. Yep, another repaint with no undercoat, and one I am not too proud of. Nevertheless, he shall be rescued, and may once again be a realistic canine.
Originally a Gordon Setter (as pictured here, before that he had a tail), I am not exactly sure what I will make him to be. Perhaps a Spaniel type would be more fitting.

First, to scrape of the fluff....