A Masterpiece

 A few weeks ago, I had the amazing opportunity to have a new adventure 😊. Guess what my new adventure was?! A paint party!! Yes, I went to my first ever paint party and I loved it! It was so much fun 💝!! I'm so glad my friend invited me and hosted the party. She was a wonderful hostess!! Growing up, I loved to color and draw. My first real excitement for art was in first grade, which was great! Then, I remember in middle school, I loved art and it really helped me through tough times in middle school. Art was my favorite class and I always looked forward to going!! It was always a bright spot in my day 😊. It put a smile on my face, helped me to relax, and feel less anxious. I have a few pieces of artwork from middle school hanging in my bedroom currently 💜. In fact, one of those pieces was in an art show when I was in 8th grade. My former art teacher found some of my pieces in later years after I left and gave them to me. So, when I was able to attend my friend's paint party, I got real excited! It reminded me of my art class days and how happy it made me to create a masterpiece. A masterpiece is defined as a work of outstanding artistry or skill. At the paint party, I got to choose which picture I wanted to paint. There were so many beautiful drawings to choose from! I went with the first one that caught my eye: a woman with her hands on her hips and the word "Blessed" written above her. At the beginning of the paint party, we played fun games, ate a delicious lunch, and shared lots of laughs 😀. Then, we reached the part where it was time to paint our work of art. I had my hesitations at first of how my artwork was going to turn out. I also wanted to make sure I would use colors that went together. I did know I wanted her dress to be pink, and everything was going to center around that. I knew pink needed to be the pop of color. Anyone who knows me well knows I like the pop of color 😉. In addition to pink, I decided to use green, brown, black, gray, and blue. All of the colors went well together! As I created my masterpiece, it took me back to middle school art class (8th grade in particular) and I felt in such a zone. It was calming, relaxing, and so therapeutic. I hadn't picked up a paintbrush in a long time, but the feel of the paintbrush felt natural and wonderful in my hand 😊. It was also great to see the process of my masterpiece coming together. The closer I got to my final product, the more anticipation I got to see the end result. Guess who else is a masterpiece?! We are! In Ephesians 2:10, it says, "For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do." We are a work of art created by God Himself 👏! I know God must have been excited when He created us. In Psalm 139:13, we're reminded that God created our inward parts and knits us together in our mother's womb. Verse 16 of that same chapter reminds us that all of our days were written out and planned before we lived it out. Just like I had a plan for my painting, God has a plan for our lives 💜! Each of our plans are different, but they should all point back and reflect God our Creator. Every painting at the party was different, but the final outcome pointed back to the painter of that picture. At the end of the party, all of the paintings were placed on a table, so we could see all the beautiful masterpieces that were created. They were all unique and beautiful in their own way 💕. I remember at two points while I was painting that I messed up. One time, I accidentally dipped the paintbrush into the brown when I really wanted the gray. After one or two strokes in, I realized it was the wrong color and fixed the mistake quickly. The other time, I should have used a different size paintbrush for a smaller detail, but had used a slightly bigger paintbrush. I caught myself focusing in on my flaws and then had to stop. I couldn't let the flaws overpower the good things. The flaws couldn't keep it from being beautiful. Our flaws don't count us out- we can still be used by God! I'm so glad! We all matter. We're all needed. Our world needs your uniqueness. Our world needs my uniqueness. Every painting at the party oozed a confidence and uniqueness that could not be taken away. Here's my takeaways from my paint paint experience that I want to share with you: 

1. Use your gifts and skills. Don't hold back on them. Don't downplay them. Don't let anyone else downplay them. I remember something I heard someone share with my Mom a long time ago and that was to not use the word "just" when talking about yourself and gifts you're using. My Mom was saying she was "just" a volunteer and she was reminded she was more. Now, I think about that before I use the word "just" (or let anyone else speak that over me) in regards to what I do and how I serve. 

2. Acknowledge your mess-ups. We all make them, whether it is when we're creating something or in real life. Once we realize we have messed up, we need to fix the mistake and keep going.

3. Don't compete or compare yourself with other masterpieces. Now, we did have a friendly competition at the party and took a vote on which painting was the best. They were all so good and it was all in fun! However, in real life, we should not compete or compare. I want to see you win. The only person I want to be better than is the person I was yesterday. I could have easily fell into the trap of comparing my painting with the others, but I had to stop myself when the thought wanted to come. My painting was beautiful and so was theirs. Yes, people are beautiful and so are you 💜! 

4. Instead, give compliments to other masterpieces. Don't forget to say something kind when you see it in someone else. Let's spread kindness everywhere we go. 

5. Make time for you and have fun! The paint party was just what I needed that weekend. It had been a good week, but a long and busy week. The paint party allowed me to take time for me and relax. It also allowed me to have fun! I didn't think about the cares and issues I had going on. I focused on that present experience and enjoyed it fully 😊. I can't wait for my next paint party! It doesn't have to be a paint party every day, but I do have to make time each day to do something that makes me happy. 

You see, masterpieces are special and have to be taken care of. We have to take care of ourselves and get the rest we need. Don't let anyone treat you any kind of way. We have to treat ourselves with care also. We are valuable 😊. My artwork now sits on a table I set up in my Mom's room 💜. Every time I walk in her room, I look over and there is my painting reminding me I'm blessed and to go about my day like I know it! This is a great reminder especially on the tough days. Remember, my friend, you are a masterpiece and you have something wonderful to offer to the world! I love you!