Feb, 13th “Words, Deeds, Actions”

“All In One”

BLOG BURST:
"We all engaged in these three words, in fact that’s exactly what I am doing now. Sometimes we’ve all had success with them and we’ve all experienced miserable failures.

Artist Painters actual use these terms indirectly as the words of their minds and their visions come together. Then they execute what their vision is and what their actions produce: a work that comes to a point where they know that their endeavor is complete and vision has become reality.

That’s not what I want to talk about today though. I’ve had a few days that seem to have as much turmoil as what’s going on across the world. I’ve been involved with some friends who seem to be having their lives torn apart. Some are having sickness and health issues; some are questioning their abilities and relationships; and some are in circumstances way beyond their control. Another fiend is torn up about a relationship that has three kids and partner that controls every movement, every deed and seems to wants to control ever breath. If that’s not enough, I had heard another friend and his wife had been shot and decided to see if there was an update so I “Google” the local TV station and entered his name. He’s been arrested for killing his wife.

For some of us believing a certain way our lives are to “serve God and bring glory to His Name”. And, for many of us, including myself, we’ve fallen really short. As Paul said, move forward.

What is it about relationships that we don’t do what our words were, “love, honor, in sickness and in health, as long as we both shall live, and not just words but these were and are vows to God. Our deeds and actions that follow often take us down a road with no repair or at least that’s what the world tells us. We’re supposed to follow what the world says, right. Not exactly, let’s just say, “NOT AT ALL”! Jesus put it in a way when he was asked about divorce. “What are you crazy, haven’t you heard what God has put together no man must separate.” Read it for yourself. Yet we would rather choose to have no more feelings for our spouse and trash them, then ask God’s help and repair the relationship and bring glory to Him.

What if my friend had chosen to plead with his wife to bring glory to God. Would that have been painful? I’m sure it would have. Would it require change? I’m sure it would have. All of it would have taken time, energy and a new commitment, but in the end God would have been glorified. If more people were to chose this path many would be shown a better way, marriage would be a healthier institution, and children would not have been introduced to beliefs being worthless. And most of all in my friends case, his wife would have been alive and they could be in a repair mode instead of the tragedy and heartache and pain that now endures.

Instead of getting on with our own selfish lives, choosing that the family we were to leave is more important than the family God formed, losing our feelings, following our worldly friends and giving the worldly answer, putting our own interest in front of what God wants. Maybe, just maybe, our words our deeds and our actions should serve Him and His purposes and bring glory to God."

POETIC PONTIFICATION:
“God knows all about us whatever we’re to say or do
He doesn’t need our sacrifices He already sacrificed for you
He’s told us how to live and to follow His living Word
We’re not to play at life; paying no mind to what we’ve heard
He’s given His Spirit to live a life that counts for Him
We just got to make new choices; His glory and not sin!”

“Paintings are the visions of the artist; we’re God’s true vision through His Son. Have a week that you choose to serve and bring glory to Him. Think about some of the choices you’ve made and are making. It’s not too late. Have a great week till next time.”

"Find my paintings, or may my paint-tings find you!"
Douglas Auld
Copyright MMX Auld, Ltd

Feb. 6th “Feelings Nothing More Than Feelings”

“Swans Morning Swim”

BLOG BURST:
“There was a popular song with the title of this “Burst” in the lyrics. For many they have often rolled around in one’s head on several occasions. I looked the word “feelings” up on the net and there are about 8 different definitions from several dictionaries. Certainly if you were presented with your favorite chocolates you might experience a number of these definitions such as “the sensation of the perception of touch”; “the physical sensation of an emotional state” or the “the capacity to experience the higher emotions”. There is one definition which much of our society and the world embrace “the opinion based more on emotion than on reason”.

We see this definition at work every day and certainly we have seen it played out this past week with all that is in rebellion in Egypt. We’ve also seen it in the faces, hearts and lives of those who are experiencing the overwhelming weight of the snow on a large part of our country. Food, shelter, clothing, jobs, work, cars, family, possession, relationships, travel all of which is and has been affected by the emotions caused by the repeated snow weighing on the hearts, homes, buildings, and live of those affected by these things.

Certainly the finding and acquiring of a great painting is so personal that emotions can far outweigh reason. There is one other element that weighs in on this as well as other decisions and choices. That element is love. But love is a choice and you choose to love. Love is not feelings. When the snow gets heavy and unbearable, the frustration overwhelming and at a breaking point, and the stress continually grinding upon your very being, think about love. God is love and to know God is to know love. Love can overcome, if you choose to let it."

POETIC PONTIFICATION:
“We look around and think why don’t we have this or that
Can’t figure out why we chose a path over that left us flat
Don’t understand how we seem to have lost our way
Life left us disappointed as we didn’t have enough to play
Believe that if we get feelings we’re in control that day
Love is a choice not a feeling no matter what you say!”

“See the love in the paintings you engage with and your emotions and reason will stay intact. Have a great week! We look forward to talking with you again!”

"Find my paintings, or may my paint-tings find you!"
Douglas Auld
Copyright MMXI Auld, Ltd

Jan.30th “Not The Crazy Lazy Days Of Summer”

“Social Contact”

BLOG BURST:
"Do you believe what is going on all around the world and here in our country? The Northeast is getting socked like there is no tomorrow with storms rolling through New England about every Tuesday and Saturday. Plowing is leaving the snow at the top of the stop signs. There are more fires, break-ins, car crashes, robberies and freezing weather than people have ever seen before. Heating oil prices are putting millions at risk. Greed is at an all time high. Marriages are breaking like sticks and people are making up their own vows because nothing matters to them. Do you realize for the first time in our history new coins are being released that do not have “In God We Trust on them”. Is there a clue here?

The world is tweeting its way into chaos. Egypt has its own new revolution storm as do most countries in the Middle East. The killing, looting raping is unbelievable. China is a world juggernaut, doing what it wants, where it wants and with whom it wants, laughing all the way. North Korea keeps threatening and who can forget what’s going on in Haiti.

One nation under God, to have and to hold till this day forth, doctrine, where are we going and what have we been teaching our kids? What’s being preached from the pulpits? You can go to jail in Taxachusetts for disciplining your kids. Is there anyone home; is there anyone listening?

If you know, then you know where we’re headed and if you don’t; find out from someone who does.

We can still tell people there is hope. We can still love the way we should and we can still forgive and get back to where we should be. But for some their pride, their ego, their blindness and their choices will not allow them peace, comfort and the right relationship.

As great as paintings are for transporting us to our God given memories which act as positive influences, we’ve only just begun to see true realism."

POETIC PONTIFICATION:
“The Night is slowly draping her wings around the earth
Most humans miss the meaning of His significant birth
Most think that God is here to serve the ways of men
God in man’s image is something that didn’t happen when
Wake up to the facts, look beyond your world and feelings
There is only One who can truly bring about healing!”

“We desperately need the positives that paintings provide to our lives, but even more we need Him!
Have a great week, stay warm and ponder your relationships. Till Next time!”

"Find my paintings, or may my paint-tings find you!"
Douglas Auld
Copyright MMXI Auld, Ltd

Jan. 23th “Struggles of Mind, Flesh, & Brush”

“RealOrRemembered”

BLOG BURST:
" World disasters, Climate changes, MTV teen “Porno”, Intolerance, Taxes, State Bankruptcy, Religious Cultural Shift, Sainthood, Idol, and on and on, these are just some of the seas in which we find ourselves swimming.

Most of us are just trying to carve out a living. Few of us live out the carving.

A lot goes into the preliminary make up of a painting, especially when many today think of painting as paint thrown on canvas or that everyone is an artist. In the real world the painting begins far before any canvas is measured, cut and applied to stretches. Ideas, concepts and drawings, preliminary techniques and uses of materials often are not measurements of time which is considered in any work today. So many have no time to struggle with the concepts, colors, or applications, let alone gain experience and grow. Many simply want to be done with this one and move on. I once had an individual ask that if he would be famous faster by using oil paints or acrylics. Do you think there was any clue to the accomplishment and reward from the work in his mind?

Today it is brush it on or brush it out.

Isn’t that true of what our society is doing? The race for the technology of change has far outpaced the race to complete our human appointment. The views of elder Americans and the views of the younger generation today is a tension in the nation. So it’s me, mine, and feelings, and on with one’s life, no matter what it really cost.

It’s time to take the preliminary work and the discipline and apply some gesso to the canvas. Maybe one individual will get influenced to live and do His will."

POETIC PONTIFICATION:
“Days and years fly by at speeds that are unseen
Too many offspring of all ages totally not weaned
Parents spoiling children without any punishment
Growing up believing the untruths that’s been sent
We wonder why having not followed what we know
Gave up truths for worldly lies and on and on we go!”

“Look, listen, see with your very heart, and find a painting that speaks to your soul. Spend some time in front of it pondering where you are. It’s not too late to do what you know is right. Have a great week, I’ll be thinking of you!”

"Find my paintings, or may my paint-tings find you!"
Douglas Auld
Copyright MMX Auld, Ltd

Jan. 16th "Not Just Holding Hands"

“Petits Pétales Des Fleurs”

BLOG BURST:
"A lot has happened this week; snow all over the country at the same time except for Florida, Parole Boards fired, more speeches, name calling in sports and politics, and the major tragedy that happened in Arizona. It seems like every day there is more and more from every direction to cause our minds to go to the question, “What is going on?”

If you take a careful look at our history you will see that we were a nation founded on the principle of religious freedom. Freedom is what we have been about and what we fight for both internally and externally. The difference is today like no other time in our history families are torn apart for the sake of freedom. Before it was wrong to divorce, wrong to cheat, wrong to have affairs, wrong to be totally me oriented, wrong not to try to work things out. People were supposed to leave the family they grew up with and start a new family of their own. People spent time in that family eating meals and being together. Families went to church together and their beliefs were together and not a pick and choose whatever you like and throw away the rest. All the stuff of the world has dictated what we watch, what we sing, the music we listen to and the messages our subconscious’s believe. People stood for their faith and did not look at the person next to them and accept that they trashed their spouse, spent more time in bars then at home, or spent all their time on the phone with siblings and then complained that their partner never had time for them. They even had a sense of partnership over meism.

Not today! We’ve thrown that away for the love of self. My world, my life, my wellness and me all overshadow even a sense of servant hood. We no longer trust God and even though we’ve moved Him out for money we’re finding that money isn’t anywhere near the answer.

I heard a person say this week, “God created memories to keep giving us hope, keep us positive, and keep showing us that our lives are not in our control.” We sold out to the world and can’t quite figure out why we keep having and seeing what we do.

Great paintings provoke memories. The memories are of days of love and care and concern. The memories give us a peace and a pride in better times when it wasn’t all about us. The memories can even drive us to forgiveness and reconciliation even for those with the most pride and hardest of hearts.

Find a good painting that brings memories and ponder your relationship with the Almighty Creator of the Universe. It will be worth it."

POETIC PONTIFICATION:
“Why can’t we see why won’t we look deep within
Why do we immediately blame others for our sin
Why do we have to have this or be seen like that
Why don’t we put our partners first in any spat
Why can’t we asses what’s happens all around us
Why can’t we take responsibility for what we bust?”

“Find a painting that makes your memories feed your heart. It will bring a lifetime of positives to your doorstep. Have a great week and thank you!”

"Find my paintings, or may my paint-tings find you!"
Douglas Auld
Copyright MMX Auld, Ltd

Jan. 9th “So much Sight; So little Insight!”

"Miles 2 Go"

BLOG BURST:
"Here we go! Isn’t it comforting to know that the “lawyer lawmakers” have your best interest at heart! This week here in the great state of Taxachusetts our lawmakers openly announced that they “feel our pain”. Astonishingly they decided not to come up with a new tax but to sacrifice for the good of the people of the Commonwealth. The average lawmaker in the big house makes about $62 grand and each is not going to take as much; give themselves a cut. They even seemed a little sorry they had raised their own pay almost every year. Well, maybe they weren’t that sorry. Led by the grand Bo Ba, they all decided to jump on the wagon. Then, they actually announced it to the public! It’s a wonder the people didn’t rise up and elect them to another term. The population of Taxachusetts is around 6,200,000 and there are 200 State legislators plus the grand Bo Ba. The great pay cut of 2011 is about $307 per legislator and about $700 for the Grand Bo Ba. Wow, can they afford this drastic $6 per week slashing of their pay? So the state will now save 200 times $307 or $61,400 plus another whopping $700 which brings the grand total to around $62,100, just a monster of difficulty for these poor folks.

I suggest they hold a lottery where they identify and select 621,000 taxachusetts citizens. They then could have them on their own money come to the state house where each of them would get one tea bag. This would be just another overwhelming show of generosity by our lawmakers to help people in the state make it through the worst recession since the depression. Like other programs from our state nepotism and bribery may deplete the number of tea bags that were available for those 621,000 lucky citizens. Other than that this is after all a great way to connect with our past as tea bags are in our history. Unfortunately today, they’ve turned into lawmakers.

This whole episode parallels how people are involved for the most part with paintings. People acquire them because they match a pillow, are purchased at some “fraudulent starving artist sale” or have someone buy it for them. In other words there is no connection with the painting other than it has some color applied to canvas. There is no feeling other than the “happy feelings” the world sets our lives to, or it’s just something that fills an empty space on the wall. Gone are the days people tried to work things out and find the meaning and the answers. Gone are the days that structure, discipline, belief and truthfulness meant anything. Gone are the days that in spite of any issue you didn’t cash it in or walk away but you worked through it and saw the vale that lay directly before you. Mostly gone are the days we actually cared for each other over the selfish outward show.

We really need to take the time to not only evaluate what others are doing and saying, but carefully review and consider what we have done and what we have said instead of offering superficial teabags."

POETIC PONTIFICATION:
“You’ll never know the hurt and pain you offered up
Threw away time and reason for a superficial cup
Thought you’d go on living life totally fresh and new
Forgot who you were following and what it would do
Your choices halt the futures of others you don’t see
And you gave it all up telling yourself you’d be free!”

“Great paintings can connect with you, filling your life with the reasons to go beyond your own self interest. Have a great day and week! Talk with you soon.”

"Find my paintings, or may my paint-tings find you!"
Douglas Auld
Copyright MMX Auld, Ltd

Jan.2nd “Happy New Year”

“Happy New Year”

“You’ve made it; you’ve reach 2011, here now each day
What will the New Year bring; what will it have to say
What changes or challenges will you face; what will you pay
Will those choices you made haunt you in many new ways
Will you seek and do what’s right even though it costs
Will you take back your pride and recover what you lost
Will you rethink the paths you’ve shown others to follow
Don’t you even see what lays before them on the morrow
Will you forge ahead as the world lays it all out for you
Or will you seek Him first and get answers you know are true

The days are always filled with tests, hopes, and our dreams
Some will come true and others will fail and make you scream
Time will fly faster as it always moves quicker than one thinks
Some days will have the scent of flowers others will truly stink
He can always guide, uphold, and bring what He wants about
You must put off the world and let Him get rid of all the doubt
Get right, seek Him, and see the way the changes come a new
He is always with you and picks you up to carry you through!”


Douglas Auld