I just had another one of those moments thinking, “Wow, this is gonna be a great Art Card for someone to draw out of a deck– and these words are pretty awesome!”

I’m writing again– can you tell?– working on the text that will accompany my Listen For Joy Art Cards in a little guide booklet.  Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the task, and sometimes it’s actually big fun to dig into each image, remember where it came from, and listen to the Spirit helping me find words for what the card is about.  I’ve had some rough days along the way, but tonight it was the fun kind, so I thought I’d share a peek of the text for the joy of it and to see what you all think.

Above is the image, a vintage painting made in 2001, with my actual handprints.  I can just about feel that wet paint on my hands when I remember making this one on the bathroom tile floor!

Below are the draft words I’m writing for it (unedited!), in four sections.  Of course these phrases are just places to start– whomever owns the Art Cards will get to decide what the images mean for them!  But sometimes it’s helpful to have a few ideas to bounce around in that process.  First is the intention of the card– one word I’ve chosen to represent one of its main messages.  Second is the invitation that the card makes to the viewer.  Third is the way a viewer might feel if she/he/they are feeling in balance or living in a balanced way. Fourth is what it might be like to be out of balance with regard to the invitation or energy of the card image.

Ok, so look at the image again, and then see what you think of these:

Intention:  Involvement

Invitation:  To cross a threshold and contact something personally, to let it touch and change you.  To get involved, engaged, or committed, which almost always means getting messy and being brave.

In Balance:  Willing to step beyond clean and comfortable when the situation or relationship calls for more.  Playing with gusto and abandon, letting go of appearances.

Out of Balance:  Refusing to engage discomfort or challenge.  Unwillingness to be affected or changed by life or a particular situation.

I felt inspired just writing some of these phrases.  In fact, they gave me some courage to make a blog post and share the messy, unedited process a bit more.    And I feel the conviction in these important political times to speak out, even if I’m awkward or unpracticed– about healthcare, and Black Lives Matter, climate change, and government accountability…