XOXOX Art Studio

Image by klimImage by congerdesign from Pixabay 

So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

~Colossians 3:12-14 The Message (MSG)

“Wear love”, says the Apostle Paul, to the faithful in the letter to Colossians. “Wear love…never be without it.”

PJs and Sweatpants

Many of us are working from home these days. Unless we are on a Zoom call, we may be working in our PJs or sweat pants. You’ve seen the clever jokes on the internet or maybe the most recent Saturday Night Live at home show – where one of the Zoom conference callers says “Be honest, who’s wearing pants?!”

Have you even rifled through your wardrobe recently? Do you even remember your good work clothes? I don’t. I confess, I’m mostly wearing my t-shirts and shorts these days. I live alone, so mostly no one sees me much, except for those Zoom calls.

As we enter the Easter season, post resurrection, we realize that we do indeed live in paradoxical times. The early Apostles traveled all over, sharing Christ teachings and the story of his death and resurrection with small pockets of people wherever they went. The early church was born through house churches and through community building. Much of the writings of Paul and the Apostles were instructions to the early church on how to live in community.

Today, unless we are on the front lines as essential workers, we live under “stay-at-home” admonitions. We are isolated from the very communities that sustain our faith. How do we love each other and be in community, if we cannot see each other and worship together as a community or church? Also, what are the “Love Garments” are we to wear, when most of us are simply finding comfort in PJ’s and sweatpants?

In our quest to feel connected to God and to one another in these tense and trying days, we all show up in our own, very unique Love Garments. These will take various forms for each of us. I want to share how prayer has become my “Love Garment” the past few weeks. I also invite you to share your own expressive garments, as we are all getting through the isolation and quarantine together.

Prayer – My “Love Garment“

I miss my church – the community in which I grow in love of God and fellowship – and the joyful communion we share. I miss Sunday mornings together in worship – I miss the collective spirit of connecting to God together in community.

However, I’m not giving up on Sundays and seeking connection to God. Along with the online worship experiences created and shared by our pastors, I carve out time to continue the worship experience alone, in nature. I reflect on scripture, read spiritual literature, and simply pray.

I’ve created an art piece – a simply cross. Weekly I make time to paint the prayers of my community into the cross and background of the painting. Weekly, I paint another layer of color over the cross and background. The cross now has been repainted several times over in layers of paint. This is not a finished art project. I will continue to add prayers, paint and layers to this painting until we are out of quarantine and back in community.

Share Your “Love Garments”

I’d love to hear from you what your Love Garments look like these days. Feel free to share in the comment section below. Also, if you have specific prayer requests, let me know. I will add you to my weekly “Holy Grape” prayers and to my “Simply Pray” painting.

Many blessings and much love, dear people!

Be safe!

XOXOX

~~Friends, do not let yourselves become too isolated during this time. Reach out and continue to connect as much as you can. Fear, anxiety and isolation can take it’s toll. Stay strong. Stay connected. Need prayers – drop me a line.~~

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