So lately I have been thinking about something we talked about at the very beginning of the year. The Prayer of the Cock.
The what? Its on the extra pages of Professor's website, prayers from the ark.
In his poem, the cock says,
Do not forget, Lord,
it is I who make the sun rise.
I am Your servant
but, with the dignity of my calling,
I need some glitter and ostentation.
Noblesse oblige . . .
All the same,
I am Your servant,
only . . . do not forget, Lord,
I make the sun rise.
Amen
Its the last part that really gets me. "All the same, I am you servant, only...do not forget, LORD, I make the sun rise."
Professor Leeper explained it something like this, "I'm only doing what you made me to do?"
Do you ever feel guilty about wanting to be an artist?
I do.
I mean isn't there something more useful I could be doing with my time? Your sitting here, writing you little stories and there's little kids starving in Africa.
It's a legit question right?
But if this isn't what I'm supposed to do why this strong desire? Why the desire to move away from my family and go to some school in University in Indiana to learn how to make REALLY REALLY REALLY good stories?
But aren't stories powerful?
Didn't Jesus teach in Stories?
Aren't people effected by stories in a way unlike any other?
But I am supposed to be the dog?
Lord,
I keep watch!
If I am not here
who will guard their house?
Watch over their sleep?
Be faithful?
No one but you and I
understand
what faithfulness is.
They call me, “Good dog! Nice dog!”
Words . . .
I take their pats
and the old bones they make me happy.
I take kicks too
when they come my way.
None of that matters.
I keep watch!
Lord,
do not let me die
until, for them,
all danger is driven away.
Amen
I so want to be that dog! Be willing to do WHATEVER my Master wants me to do, whether or not it is within my passion.
But that darn Rooster never shuts up.
"Do you ever feel guilty about wanting to be an artist?
ReplyDeleteI do.
I mean isn't there something more useful I could be doing with my time? Your sitting here, writing you little stories and there's little kids starving in Africa.
It's a legit question right?"
I was just talking with a friend earlier this year about that, how I almost feel bad about doing art instead of going out to do missionary work or helping in a soup kitchen or something. Compared to doing that,doing art seems silly and pointless; but in Ecclesiastes, it says Everything is meaningless, but we're to be content in our work ("A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God") and finally to fear God and obey his commands, because it's everyone's duty to do so.
Sometimes I do still feel like I should be doing something more direct, though, like you said.
clouds :)
ReplyDeleteYeah! I hear ya Cate!
ReplyDeleteI'm not trying to say that artists are above volunteering. Helping out at soup kitchen's and even going on short-term missions trips are valuable experiences to anybody, no matter background or occupation. You might even get good story ideas out of it! For sure interesting characters!!
With all this talk of documentaries I was wondering if that was what a good christian filmmaker should be doing. But that is WAY WAY WAY!!! to narrow-minded!!!
The filmmakers we watched today in class had tremendous amount of passion that they put into their work. A passion which quite frankly seems necessary. I think someday it would be cool to make a documentary! I just haven't seen a story yet that gets me revved up in that way.
I would love to go to Africa and film!
Anyways,
How do you tell when you are called to do something?
You mentioned the verse in Ecclesiastes. "A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work."
Does God put these desires in us? Does God put those needs for a specific satisfaction in regards to what work we do?
I have always been confused about the meaning of the Parable of the Talents.
When he says Talents I know it meant money and all that stuff. But what are the talents symbolically? Spreading the Gospel? Actually talents (like things you're good at)? Both? If you combine the two.... that's pretty cool!