What does being a Christian feel like?

I was scrolling down my facebook feed and I came across a post from one of my very favorite pages, Christ Effect , that posed the question - what does it feel like to be a Christian? And to answer in the comments because someone is going to read it and really want to know.

What could I possibly say to convey even a teeny tiny piece of what being a Christian feels like? I mean, it's bigger than words, it's just so much more than thoughts or even feelings.

"It feels like you're always getting a hug. From your dad. And it makes you want to hug everyone else, even when they're mean to you or different from you or piss you off. Because your dads hugs are so awesome you want EVERYONE to get one.
That's the best metaphor I have. God = Abba = FATHER. He's my dad and he has got me. No matter what." - Me

Love is the whole point

My father is my hero, always has been, always will be. He has been by my side, unwavering (even when I was a horrible, conniving, awful person), from the day I was born. I am by definition a daddy's girl. It's hard wired into me. So God the Father is not a jump for me. I know some people who did not have good fathers and for them it's not just a jump, it's a leap. How can you really understand and experience the Benevolent Father without knowing what a benevolent father is? But anyway, that's completely the way I relate to The Lord, as my father. Knowing that my father in heaven is unchanging, steadfast, will always be there no matter what forever and ever and ever - it brings a security that surpasses all understanding. I've tried to stay away from posting any really theological type things on here because there are people far more qualified to speak to these things than I, but the question really jumped out at me.


What does being a Christian feel like? Not what does it look like or even what does it mean (on an intellectual level). No, we are talking about those gut level feelings. Feelings are what move people, whether it be to laughter or tears. They come from your heart. People can arouse emotion in us, but our feelings are our own. They belong to us, uniquely and completely. So asking what being a Christian feels like is a loaded question. It lays you bare. Christ is so central to who I am.

He loves you so much!!

Anyway, the point of writing this is that I really want to know - what does being a Christian feel like to you? Again, not what does it mean to you, but how does it feel? Leave it in the comments, send me an email, I don't care, but I do want to know. Imagine all of those feelings compiled (anonymously) for people to read. Imagine the change those feelings could work in the hearts of those who need to hear them. Imagine the impact they could have on a world that thinks Christianity is this dry, sterile, uptight religion. All of those beautiful, joyful, feelings just bursting with the love of The Lord. Let's show people what God's love feels like.

Please say you're with me.

Who is your alter ego?

I have a board on my Pintrest entitled 'my alter ego'. I pin things like clothes I would've worn when I was 16 and dressing to shock (and secretly wish I could still wear now, alas, I've made the decision that as a 30 year old mother of three there shall be no more midriff unless one is on the beach). Pictures of brooding young girls, scaling fences and smoking cigarettes, partying with their equally attractive and pouty boyfriends. Beautiful bizarre things, covered in butterfly wings, clad only in slips of fabric. You get the idea. The point is, it's not representative of the life I lead. Except maybe in my head.

Compared to most of collections of pretty things on my Pintrest, this board is quite small. I usually only pin there when I can not find another suitable home for the image. When I just can't make it fit on my style board, or even my Beautiful Loser board (where I collect things of the bizzare and lovely type). No, this board pays homage to another woman/girl entirely. She's not who I am or even quite who I once was, but she is a part of me nonetheless. My alter ego.

Alter ego is Latin for "the other I". It is defined (by Wikipedia) as "a second self, which is believed to be distinct from a person's normal or original personality." And "the role or persona taken on by an actor or by other types of performers." I think the idea of a persona best synchs with what I'm *attempting* to say here. You know how after you have a fight or an argument with someone you sort of play it back in your head? You imagine all the things you could have said differently, done differently. In that imagining you say all of the things you couldn't say in real life, out of fear or anxiety, whatever. You pull on your alter ego's ass kickin boots and make it right.

My alter ego is not afraid of anyone. She speaks her mind with intelligence every time. She makes dangerous things look fun and she always leads the way. Now, I may just have a particularly vivid inner life, but I think we all do this to some degree. The shy girl who imagines speaking her mind without whispering. The mother of four who just wants to hit the open road unencumbered, wind in her hair and a song on her lips. The woman who has got it together, imagining a world in which it's not her job to run the show. No responsibilities, not a care in the world.

Am I wrong? Do you do this? Who is your alter ego?

It's not about not loving who we are are, our lives, our families and our jobs, everything we have built and nurtured (as women we are wont to do). No. It's about that secret bad ass we keep inside. The one that helps us when we need a nudge (or a shove) to step out into the unknown. To do the things that frighten us. That excite us. My alter ego is actually responsible for everything I write and share. Christine can't put herself out there in front of the world, to be criticized or loved (both are equally frightening). But the tough as nails chick inside my head can. I call her the hipster housewife. And she doesn't care what you think of her, or if you think of her at all.


It's incredibly freeing ladies. To BE the woman you think you could be, if only you were braver, or smarter, or prettier. The truth is, courage, intelligence, and beauty are already yours. You just have to own them. Scary sh*% I know. No ones saying it's easy. But certainly doable.


I don't write here claiming to know it all, have it all, do it all. I'm not an expert anything. At 30 years old I am just learning who I am, as a wife and mother, as a friend, and above all, as a women of God. Sometimes I feel incredibly strong, and at others unspeakably weak. I write here to give legs to my dreams. So they can walk out of my head and actually be.

My Happy Place

I got to spend my day drinking coffee in my happy place (my studio, for the less imaginative among us) making art and clever greeting cards. What's better than doodling all day and brainstorming sarcastic love notes? Nothing, that's what. I even got to take a trip to the art supply shop. Where I spent too much money, but justified it as shop expenses. Which it is. So there, bank account conscience.

My happy place was actually a productive place today. Hooray! I got a bunch of pieces done for Love Buzz that I'm pleased with, put down the gesso (it's like canvas primer) on my big custom commission, AND I did the laundry. Bam. I'm practically Super Woman.

Yeah, I'm talkin' to you

Bon Jovi valentines. I dare you to top that.

Remember, these still count for my 30 Days of Hand Lettering challenge. Because it's my blog and I
get to make the rules. Two birds, one stone.

The highlight of my day has nothing to do with any of this though. Well, I guess it does, but not directly. I was checking out at the supply shop, paint brushes, canvas, and markers all akimbo (I should have gotten a cart, I just never think I'll need one), and the woman behind the register asked,

"Are you an artist?"

And for the first time in my life, I said yes without feeling like an asshole. It might seem silly, but this was a big deal moment for me. I've been creating one thing or another for my entire life, and I've never felt like anything but a pretentious fake when I referred to myself, or was referred to as an artist. Is it because I'm selling my stuff? Because I'm being accepted by my peers?

Or is it because I finally feel like my will and God's will are in alignment? That by creating I'm giving him glory and being blessed by it, so I finally feel at home with myself as an artist? As a person for that matter.

I'm not sure what it is, maybe a combination of all of it. I do know that God is behind it. Philippians 4:8 says, "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." Because these things are of God. Truth, purity, beauty, excellence.... God. When I fix my eyes on him it all just seems to 'click' into place. My life, my art, all of it.

"And if our God is for us, than who could ever stop us? And if our God is with us, what could stand
against?"

                                                   

What's your cheesy line?

What's your cheesy line?

 

Love Buzz, Baby

Guess what?!

No, really, guess.

Ok, I'll just tell you. I applied to this amazing art show out in Lowell at Mill No. 5 (which is an actual old mill. So cool.) a while back, kind of on a whim. I've never done any vendor shows on any scale and Love Buzz is a rather large scale event.

So, did you guess yet?! I'm in! I'm one of the cool kids! I get to sit at the popular table! I'm so excited I can't stop writing with exclamation marks!

The Hipster a Housewife has her first gig ladies and gentlemen. They like me, they really, really, like me.

It's on February 1st, so I have about a month to get my sh*% together and make a bunch of pretty stuff. It's a valentine/lovey-dovey themed event and my first thought was cards, people love cool cards. And then I thought, well, I'm already challenging myself to make a piece a day, why not make card designs? And then I said to myself, why am I using so many italics?

Totes xx

Nothing like a good old fashioned, tongue in cheek valentine. I think I'll give this one to my bestie.

I also have to figure out how to get some good quality prints done of my work without spending an arm and a leg. Isn't it scary when you catch yourself saying things your mother says? 'An arm and a leg' who says things like that? My mother, that's who. I'm old.

Anyway, I digress.

I have a ton of work to do. But as it turns out, I actually have some time to do it in. I found out this morning that we have no work (that's at my day job, construction, not my fabulous night job in which there is always something to keep me busy). And of course I immediately called the husband and freaked out, because we depend on my paycheck, like big time. He talked me down (like always), we got off the phone, and I just started praying. One of those desperate, please help me Lord prayers that you mumble under your breath as you drive down the street in the snow, or rain, or whatever. I was scared. I am scared, but I have faith that my father in heaven will provide.

And of course he did, almost right away. I got home an the email was there, along with the opportunity to bring in some funds. The whole thing is a HUGE opportunity to get my name and brand out there. I just feel so blessed tonight.

Great is His faithfulness.

 

Super sneak peak

This is a VERY rough sketch of a custom commission I'm doing for a friend of mine. I've been hard at work transferring it from the original (even rougher!) sketch all afternoon.

So it's also going to count as my day 3 of my 30 Days of Hand Lettering challenge. Because I said so and it's my blog. So there.

 

30 days of Hand Lettering

So I'm in the middle of putting together my studio, and I'm already in love! I had to force myself to stop what I was doing and create the second piece for my 30 days of Hand Lettering challenge. Yesterday I made the commitment (30 whole days, gulp) to the creation and sharing of one hand lettered piece per day, but said that some days I'd be lucky if that's all I'd post. Looks like today's going to be one of them days.

Yup, I'm working on my new desk!!

I (finally) got to bust out some of the new water color brushes the husband got me for Christmas. So much better than the ones I was using before, which were not cheap and still shed little brush hairs all over my paper. Not cool.

Be not afraid

I haven't done much lettering with water colors, so I'm pretty pleased with the way this one came out.
I definitely like the design and color, enough so that I think I might put it in the etsy shop after I refine it a bit. I usually sketch the design out with a pencil first anyway. I'll make one or two more until I get it just right, and then you'll see it on The Hipster Housewife!