Do you ever think about music and how it affects us? Can the words of total strangers singing on the radio make us think about life, love, and many other things? I think they do. No matter how horrible I sound, I have always loved music and singing along with my favorites. I like to say, “When I am alone in my car, and the music is super loud, I sound just like Tina Turner or maybe Patsy Cline.” LOL, don’t I wish I had a voice like that? I would be in the choir and worship with that gift. But the reality is, I sound more like the one person in the back who should just shut it. Oh well, He did give me my art, and I am trying to use that for good where I can. Music makes me thankful for the gift of sound; the fact that I can hear is a gift, and I use it to deepen my faith all the time. Before, when I was a rotten person, I liked to listen to rock ‘ n ‘ roll and all of the most popular mainstream artists and bands. I wanted to be like everyone else, out having a good time, and thinking that my life was the greatest, but it was not. I thought I was enjoying life, people to hang out with and call them friends, sex to make me feel loved, drugs to lift my spirits, and money to make it all happen. Looking back, I had many crazy fun times that were not part of my deep-down faith and desire for true joy and happiness. I may have thought all the fun was that happiness for me, but it wasn’t. I still like that music, but primarily, I listen to worship music now, and I have so many songs that genuinely speak to me. Please talk to me in a way that the 80s and 90s didn’t do.
I am still working on my book, but am hoping to put a title and artist of some of the most heartwarming for me. Maybe someone will seek them out, realize that it is them, and look back to what matters most, God. My song for that one purpose is by Lauren Daigle and is called “Look Up Child”. I first heard this song in November of 2014. I was in Lajes Field, Açores, Portugal, and had made friends with one of the best people I have ever met, Miss Kami. She was the little girl’s mother who gave my inquisitive daughter the eagerness to learn about our Catholic faith. We became great friends, and she invited me to join her on a retreat called Kingdom Women. I was intrigued and thought I would give it a go. It was a lovely place called Quinta Das Merces. There were about 40 women there, and they would talk and sing and then give us alone time. It was beautiful, quiet, and thought-provoking during those alone times. After hearing that song, I wrote it down and downloaded it. At the time, I liked taking pictures (I still do) and walking along the island’s edge on the black lava rocks. Watching and hearing the waves crash into them, I looked up, and it was like He was calling me, holding out His hands for me to deepen my faith. I thought about that song, the words, and how they fit into my life. I took some lovely photos there and am thankful for my sight—the ability to see that majestic coast of lava rock and blue water. Rocks called mistérios are thought-provoking, telling stories of power, growth, and amazement of a higher power than us.
I did find more joy in art while I was in Okinawa, Japan. I saw something neat made by one of my supervisors, and she told me about it. After that, I watched video after video of artists online and found it so inspiring, and it made me happy. So far, I have just made gifts for people, but it certainly does feel good to see how they appreciate it. I love painting crosses, and even though I think I am just a hack, people seem to love it. I even sold a few in Japan because someone saw a going-away gift I made for another, and from there, people saw and started to talk. I probably gave three away, and about 6 or 7 more were requested. I sold those. But then I retired and left that place behind, so that all stopped. I still do this, and I call myself Lotus Arts by JMal1. I practice by making gifts and donations. I made about 36 crosses to send to my hometown church to sell at their Christmas Holly Mart. I heard they appreciated my donation, and many people loved my work, which made me very happy and feel I had a purpose.
