7 Heads Tall

7 heads tall.......that came to my mind yesterday when I started to sketch out another painting. A term that stuck in my mind from one of my art teachers. We had to sketch a live model in class and our teacher reminded us to use the standard of "7 heads tall". This is a measurement that gives you about the right proportion of drawing the human body. Give or take a half or so....some say 8 heads tall in classes now, but they average it out and it's around 7 to 8. I kind of chuckled to myself as I had not thought of that term in quite some time, but then most of the times I am drawing old barns, jars, jugs, etc.

Then my mind wandered to another term I had heard before. "Don't miss heaven by 18 inches." The distance between our head and our heart is 18 inches. Sadly there are lots of people who use their heads only when they think or don't think there is a God. They don't have a REAL RELATIONSHIP with Him. Some say He's there.....He's lots of different things and can be how you want Him to be.  But it's just head knowledge. They don't use their heart in finding out who God really is. It's too easy to stay in your "head" and rationalize all you want to of there not being a God or could there be a God?? But what comes down to it.....is your heart. God requires us to have that personal relationship with Him....that comes from your heart, not your head. I'm not talking about being in a church or going to church or following rules and regulations....I'm talking about a RELATIONSHIP, not religion....BIG difference.

Being sketched 7 heads tall is the rule of thumb in art.....having all of your body filled with head knowledge can be great.....but God just wants your HEART. Sometimes a child finds it so easy to understand....and we adults get so full of the knowledge crap.....we may miss heaven by 18 inches.

"Then He said: I promise you this. If you don't change and become like a child, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3 CEV)

"God does not see the same way people see. People look at the outside of a person, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
(1 Samuel 16:7 NCV)

Shadows

I know right now that some folks are going through some "shadow times" in their life. Some have recently had to go through the shadow of death. For some it's been a shadow of debt, or shadows of conflicts. Shadow times can be depressed times, and shadow times of discouragement. You just feel you have hit a dark spot.

I remember as a kid walking home in the dark and how afraid I would feel looking off to the side of the road in between houses.....a street light or porch light might cast shadows from trees, cars and other objects, and it could be scary. Even some of us have been afraid as a kid just lying in your own bed and seeing shadows on our walls. I have to admit, you don't have to be a little kid to be afraid of certain shadows that come to you in your life.

Something I have learned though as I have gotten older.....a shadow can't hurt you and shadows are always bigger than the source it comes from. Good news is that wherever there's a shadow, there has to be a light. You can't have a shadow without the light. So remember this when you're going through a "shadow time", turn your back on the shadow and look to the light. As long as I keep my eyes on the LIGHT, and to me, Jesus is The Light of the World, then the shadow times don't scare me.

"Once again Jesus spoke to the people. This time he said, “I am the light for the world! Follow me, and you won’t be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life.” (John 8:12 CEV)