New Year Resolution with God not Me in Mind

I started off drawing a "simple winter scene" as a model for my elderly nursing home art class this Friday. However, one thing led to another, and I could not stop. I spent most of the morning working on this pastel. It quickly gobbled up the time I had intended to spend earning a living working on editing or writing my new book.

This was perhaps not the best use of my time. My entire week has been spent helping a pregnant mom who was being coerced to abort. I had little extended time to sit down and earn my keep.

So if anyone wants to buy this pastel, it is for sale. $50 plus shipping. You can't have it until after Friday since I need it for my art class demo. And only if you promise to buy one of my books and leave a review. I have only four reviews on Gidget - The Horse I Didn't Own. I am desperate since reviews drive sales. (Break out the violin. Cue sad music.)



Despite the fact that I should have been editing or marketing my books, it felt good to start the New Year drawing. One of my friends called just as I finished the pastel, and we talked about her daughter who is a gifted singer. The girl is at the age where she must choose a career path. Her heart longs to sing, but she knows the arts are a tough way to make a living.

Tell me about it!

I know. It was the dilemma I faced as a young adult. Every fiber of my being wanted to draw and write. However, I chose a career that would pay the bills. God in His gracious mercy allowed me to circle back to become an artist/writer. I will never be rich, I don't think, unless one of you out there is a movie producer and recognizes that my books would make great movies. (They would, too. Call me.)

However, I do love what I spend my time doing. There is a lot to be said for doing what God has gifted you to do. We are to use our gifts for His glory. He didn't equip us so we could squander what He has given.

I did a little study on the gifts of God.
Here is my summary:
1. Every gift is from God, and everything He gives us is a gift. We didn't earn any of it, nor can we buy any of it from Him. Thus we are to be grateful, but not prideful.
2. Every gift of God is to be used for His glory. This includes our time, money, resources, talents, etc.
3. We are all gifted differently and uniquely. No gift is more essential than any other. In God's eyes, we are to use our gifts for His kingdom to the best of our ability. In that we are equally charged. However, there the equality ends. We are not gifted equally. But we ARE equally precious before God with the equal command to serve Him and His kingdom with all we have been given to our utmost.

This would be an excellent New Year's Resolution: I vow to use all God has given me in service to Him. Done!

Romans 12:6-8 

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

1 Peter 4:10-11 

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

1 Corinthians 12:4-11 

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, ...