Jennifer Clark Tinker Living Faith

Artwork by Jennifer Clark Tinker

Well, it’s still January, so I hope it’s not too late to wish you a Happy New Year!

It has taken me this long to get around to doing something about a “New Year’s Resolution.”

I am not normally a New Year’s Resolution person. Last year I did a word for the year. My word was “present” and I came up with three resolutions to go along with that word.

The truth is the word mattered more than the resolutions. I don’t even remember what all three of them were, just that there were three. The only one I remember is one I totally failed at.

That’s pretty much been my experience with resolutions.

2015 was almost going to be the year where I decided not to bother with resolutions.

And then my old buddy David Housholder posted something really lovely about the value of setting your intentions for the year. And when David Housholder is right, he is right.

Then I sat around and felt guilty about not having a resolution. And I’m sure that’s not how it’s supposed to feel in a year where you deliberately choose not to have a resolution.

So, once again I toyed with the idea of resolving not to make any resolutions this year. I mean, when you call it a resolution to not make a resolution, then you’ve got your bases covered, right?

Then…well, then I had a breakthrough…

See, in addition to my writing and speaking, I’ve always been a bit artsy-crafty. I gravitate primarily to crochet and paper crafts–especially those involving gel pens.

Over the past few years I’ve been working on cultivating my skills in doodling and hand-lettering. You may have noticed the art with my post titled Christmas Glow–the image of light shining in the darkness? Well, I doodled that.

Since I have this job now as the interim minister at a nearby church, I am preaching every week. And I am using a lot of words writing sermons. So, not a lot of writing is getting done here or otherwise.

But as I prepare for each sermon, after I do the majority of my study, I let the scriptures for the week bounce around in my subconscious for a while. Some words and images from the scriptures often pop into my conscious thoughts, and I have found it very meaningful–and fun–to create “scripture doodles” for them.

Meanwhile, I joined a spiritual reflection group that encourages “art journaling” as part of the process. And I got a new book, “The Art of Whimsical Lettering,” by Joanne Sharpe, for my birthday.

Soooo…I’ve been doodling and lettering like crazy. And I’m loving it. And I’m finding that the more I create, the more creative I feel. It centers and relaxes me, and it also refreshes and energizes me. It’s really quite wonderful.

And not to be boastful, but I think my doodling is getting better and better all the time. My son even remarked to me the other day, “I’m beginning to think your doodling is more than just ‘doodling.'”

It actually got to the point that I was a little worried that I might have been spending too much time with my doodling. But every time I mention it to my husband, he encourages me exuberantly–I think partly because he knows how much joy it gives me and also because he seems to enjoy what I create with it.

If it helps my creativity, gives me joy, and delights others, then I think these doodling “jenanigans” are worth pursuing. My son is most insightful, my doodling is more than just “doodling”!

And so, that leads me to my one and only official New Year’s Resolution for 2015:

Doodle more often and call it art.