The Spiritual Discipline of Painting

I have observed over the years a particular phenomenon.  Whenever I set out to go deeply spiritual, I seem to  become overly um, what's the right word...secular?  It happened again.  I recently completed reading Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster, thinking I would implement some new spiritual habits, feel God's overwhelming presence, and become this centered, holy soul overflowing with spiritual creativity and action.  

The book was SO VERY GOOD, and I marvel at Foster's way of translating the writings of the ancients into my heart language.  It will be a reference manual for the rest of my life, for it is very yellow with my highlighted lines.  

So what have I done with all this spiritual gleaning?  I have been obsessively painting and redecorating my house, sewing pillows and curtains, thrift shopping, reading shallow decorating blogs, pinning and pinning, driving inordinate distances to pick up Craigslist purchases, and studying my Benjamin Moore giant paint chip stack like it was a Bible.  Really?  Where's the fasting, the worship, the prayer, the study?  

I have been avoiding writing on this blog, because I had hoped to share some insights from the book, chapter by chapter, discipline by discipline.  I stopped at the early chapter on fasting.  I set a lofty fasting goal and quickly failed.  My dear friend reminded me that we successfully fasted a few years ago when we actually had a friend in crisis and were doing it together.  Doing it simply as a discipline is HARD, but even in failure I am drawn to a God who says, "Yep, this is why you are saved by grace, not by works."  

Since finishing Celebration of Disciplines, I have painted 6 rooms (can this count as a spiritual discipline,) sewn all kinds of pretties, read another book, watched innumerable episodes of The Voice on Hulu, wrapped up our school year, cooked some killer meals, gathered with friends, ran many miles, moved to the passenger seat so my son could drive, and have barely sat in my "quiet time" chair to study and pray.  

But perhaps there is not such a division between spiritual and secular as it seems.  This overflow of domestic energy and creativity emanates from me, a very spiritual being, who wants to add to the beauty of this world, within my home and without.  For now, I'm going with it, because I have a bunch more house projects on my list.  And I'm going to look for God in it all.