Reflective Squash

Sitting at my desk this afternoon, I was working through my Russian homework and eating a smoothie (yes, eating, it was frozen, so drinking was not an option), when I glanced up and saw my decorative squash and miniature pumpkin reflected in my spoon. I got up, crouched under my bed, unlocked my giant box of photography equipment, and extracted my camera. The photographs of the spoon and squash reflections didn't turn out, but I took a few other photographs of the squash and my awesome old salt shaker that turned out quite nice.

Today was a busy day. I started working on my 3D-Approaches transformations project! It's going to be super cool. We're given a 12" x 12" x 1/2" piece of MDF wood that we have to transform into something that looks nothing like a flat piece of wood and is a self portrait, but not a face self portrait, something that represents you. I decided to create a 2" by 12" fork. It will have a matroshka doll (Russian stacking dolls) stuck on it's prongs, a carrot on the end of the four prongs and a vine snaking down the fork, transforming into a string of pearls halfway down. Sorry for that awful run-on sentence. I had a few stressful minutes as I carefully cut the outline of my fork with a ban-saw. Saws and power tools terrify me, there is simply so much room for mistake! I carefully slid the wood into the tiny row of rotating teeth. They cut through the wood slowly and methodically. It was a bit mesmerizing, I wish I could have taken a picture.

Everyone in art class is working with their wood in different ways. A few people were carving their wood, the shavings falling in perfect spirals on the floor. I loved them, they looked so flawless and intricate, but if you were to pick them up their fragility would cause them to fall apart.

I was reading in Matthew this morning. One of the Beatitudes talks about being peaceful. I took a yoga class this morning, and at one point we did the Warrior Pose. The teacher told us to feel our power and strength, but in a peaceful way, not a way that desired to dominate and fight with this strength we possess. It's interesting to compare these two sides of 'being peaceful.' Yoga is all about yourself and who and what you are on the inside. I love doing yoga, but the mindset and worldview behind it is pretty self centered. God's instructions on peace do not focus on the self. When I read that verse I thought about how I need to focus on being more peaceful towards others, not arguing with my siblings for example. Yoga is a great workout, but I'm definitely a fan of Jesus' worldview.