![\"\"](\"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/lighthouse-580x301.jpg\" "\\"lighthouse\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
It’s the weekend and I have a suggestion of a few things to think about (ponder)! \u00a0Before we get started let me say something. \u00a0I write the pilgrim’s Chronicles in hopes that it helps someone. \u00a0First it helps me, I daily, try to write about the things that are on my heart, that God is speaking to me about, or that interest me, and I hope interest you! \u00a0I am sure that everything I choose to share is not of interest to everyone who reads my blog, and that’s o.k. \u00a0We are not all in the same place, have the exact same interests or are dealing with the same problems, so if it doesn’t apply, it doesn’t apply! \u00a0I think this will apply to all of us though!<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I’m still absorbing the wonderful book by Chris Orwig, \u00a0The Creative Fight<\/span><\/strong>,\u00a0it is a deep read, that requires some thought and introspection, but very valuable to help open your creative eyes and heart. The book can be bought on Amazon and as a Kindle book. \u00a0I HIGHLY Recommend it<\/span>!!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In one chapter Chris deals with the issue of dealing with critiques of your work, (and I might add, your life). He shares some very valuable thoughts on just how to deal with both good and not so good critiques.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He says, “You can’t listen to every comment with equal weight. \u00a0As an artist, the goal isn’t to be liked by all. \u00a0You have to choose where you’re going to stand and then shine your light. \u00a0Complying with every critical word will make your head spin. \u00a0As Ann Lamott \u00a0put it<\/strong>,” \u00a0<\/span>\u00a0“Lighthouses don’t go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining.” \u00a0 With your feet firmly planted, you have to decide what to shine and where to stand.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n That is a very important thought and one worth seriously considering. \u00a0What are you shining and where are you standing. \u00a0My goal is to stand on the solid ground of my Heavenly Father’s Truth. \u00a0I attempt to Shine His love and Grace to all who can see it. \u00a0Is the light in my lighthouse always clearly visible? \u00a0No, sadly some times the fog of my self interest, or ego, or confusion dim the light. \u00a0However the light must remain on, firing a beam through the fog, because the fog will lift, and then the light will be clear again, it must remain on even in the dark times.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Chris has exercises at the end of each chapter and at the end of this one he says that we should look to only a few people to get our help. \u00a0People we trust completely and we know they will help us out of concern for us, not their own self interest. \u00a0He challenges us to make a list of the five people we know we can trust, and whose opinion really matters to us, and that we can turn to for \u00a0help. \u00a0It took a lot of soul searching to complete my list. \u00a0My first person was easy, my wife and love of my life, Sherelene, second, Jim Haverstock, a man whose opinion, thoughts and council I always consider deeply and count on. \u00a0 Then Jack Graham who I respect and admire deeply both as a photographer, workshop leader, but most as a friend and man I admire. \u00a0Then my daughter Catherine who has always been there for me, and who I know will tell me the truth, but gently, and lastly my late father, who was always my father and my friend. \u00a0Of course I can take anything to my Heavenly Father and my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. \u00a0I challenge you to make your list of five. \u00a0Five people you trust. because you know they have your best interest at heart and are not just your friend because of what you can do for them! \u00a0Five people you know really love you and are always pulling for you.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Alright, the next thing!<\/strong><\/span><\/span> \u00a0Sherelene has been needing an office and she wouldn’t set foot in the one we were supposed to share because, let’s put it kindly, you could barely walk through my mess. \u00a0It depressed her to even come in my office! \u00a0So for several days we have been cleaning out and reorganizing, it is almost finished, and now I know what color the carpet is!!! \u00a0Something really interesting has taken place during this cathartic project. \u00a0I came to realize just how much junk I’ve acquired and how owning anything, even junk, requires your attention, maintaining \u00a0it, storing it, protecting it, changing the batteries, all that stuff can rule your life!!!! \u00a0So I’m doing something about it! \u00a0So far we have carried 16, 24 Gallon Contractor bags out to the garbage! \u00a0I already feel sooooo relieved, and I have two more rooms to do, the Darkroom (which now is a massive storage room) and what used to be a projection room, also a storage area, too much stuff!!!!!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I’m going to simplify my work area, and I will be able to do my work with a clear head! \u00a0I have long been a proponent of having your gear simple, your approach simple, your compositions simple, now I am going to make my work area simple, well simpler anway!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Blessings,<\/p>\n <\/p>\n the pilgrim<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It’s the weekend and I have a suggestion of a few things to think about (ponder)! \u00a0Before we get started let me say something. \u00a0I write the pilgrim’s Chronicles in hopes that it helps someone. \u00a0First it helps me, I daily, try to write about the things that are on my heart, that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16455","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-chronicles"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16455","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16455"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16455\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16465,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16455\/revisions\/16465"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16455"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16455"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16455"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}