An experiment today, picturing the portrait and portraited.

Advertising Bikes

This postcard, sketched at lunchtime, is winging it's way Northwards beyond the border.

More and more recently bikes have been popping up around Cambridge with Advertising Boards strapped to the frame. Today I saw one with a Free NewsPaper dispenser attached to the back rack...

Rooted in Faith...

An eclectic crowd gathered for our Christian Writers group this week. I dug out my book and a pencil as Tom spoke, after a while he read us a chapter from his book - an amazing work in progress.  My pencil started moving, I wondered how what I was drawing was inspired by what was going on in that room. We seemed to be drawing nourishment and learning through our faith roots together.

Sketch finnished I headed the writing side "Rooted in Faith", but had to stop at that point as we moved on.
I thought I had an idea of words mapped out in my head, but revisitting the page today other words poured out. Those words need reworking, as writers we are continually changing. But I think I understand now just a little of what God was prompting.

I imagined a plastic flower, designed for purpose of looking beautiful.
Sometimes they are made so well, you maybe poke and prod, 'Is it real? Is it not? I thought of a potters passion, or that of an athlete, digging deep into their hearts to produce what is best.

I can learn with my head all the facts on how to make a pot or run a race, and maybe succeed passably at either. But unless I have passion and dedication rooted in my heart and soul for potting I will not throw a masterpiece.

The plastic flower can only give an impression of being alive, a real plant has roots drawing up goodness from the ground.

It is easy to slip into a mechanical faith routine, led by the head and putting on a good display. But it's not being good at something, it is doing it for the right reason.

1 Corrinthians 9:24a   Run in such a way as to get the prize.
Our race is not against anyone else, each one of us a solo runner.

I guess this makes me think, because sometimes I ponder the difference between

• 'doing' an act of kindness because it's the way I'm ROUTED through teaching. An action to produce a result.
•  or because that's the way my heart is ROOTED  in Jesus. A natural responce gaining a result.

In a worldly view, both are winners.
Colossians 2:8  See to it that no-one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.

RanDOM Cartoon Strip: Unique!

A Thinking, not Sinking, Sketch...

The picture started fairly similar to a previous sketch, with a calm blue (Black n White Blue!) sea.

But when the ship appeared I could see it more beating it's way to port in driving wind and rain.
I wondered the difference between difficult circumstances happenning to or around us,
- or the act of willingly taking ourselves out of our comfort zone into adventure.

Either way we must trust in God to guide is in from the storm.
Is there an element too of it being wise to live outside our comfort zone...?

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23 verse 4

First entry in my new Journal...

I wonder if you can read it all.
If you click on the picture, a larger version should appear.

Luke 10:11

Read more here...

Vicar anon

Drew this whilst bouncing around on the Citi 6 today, took most of the 20 minute journey.