so what does parapalla mean??
If you've ever wondered, "what does parapalla mean??," then please allow me a minute (or five) to share! :) And if you don't have time at the moment to read through the whole back story, feel free to scroll down to the bottom, to the "so in a nutshell" conclusion.
I got to sit with my dear friend, Mattye, this week and catch up on life. And you know, it's amazing how our friendships really can add such rich value to our lives! I'd found myself this month somewhat distracted and feeling kind of frustrated, anxious, and floundery (my word), when it came to working on designs and sharing from parapalla. Being able to talk and share these thoughts out loud really helped bring clarity and a prayer request for direction. It also inspired a verse to keep in front of me on a regular basis for this site and beyond:
So, those are MY little footprints in Orange Beach! One of my favorite places to reflect and just "be"; spring 2012
I love this verse. It was first spoken to me about a year and a half ago, in the beginnings of trying to figure out what this creative platform of mine would ultimately look like and how I would get there. He has the power to do "immeasurably more" than we can even begin to ask or IMAGINE. It's written in the context of Paul praying for inner strength and insightful understanding for the Ephesian believers and concludes with, "according to the power that works in us—to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever, Amen."
This encourages me in many ways, but applied to this site and my creative work, it reminds me that He is the fuel behind my dreams, and ultimately keeps me going, and takes me farther than I can ever begin to imagine for myself. And I can humbly point back all through my life to see examples, mostly through the gift of relationships, of how He's done that in other ways. So cool.
before parapalla
I had another name picked out. I'd held onto it for over 10 years and for about three years, owned a domain name for it. Well, in 2012, I kind of accidentally learned that there were a few definitions associated with this name I thought I had made up, that were completely contrary to my goal and heart for the project. Soooo, I had to go back to the drawing board, a little sad initially, but got over it quickly and just entered into a season of prayer that lasted maybe two months(?), for what this new name would be.
I prayed and thought, and prayed and thought—tried a few ideas of various combinations of things I loved like stars, blue stars, October, 23, etc. Nothing seemed to click though. I entertained the idea of just using my name since so many designers do, but I just wanted something different, and I didn't feel like I needed to build this brand around just my name (talk about pressure!) It's a great practice and obviously works well for so many, but it didn't feel like me. And if you've read this post on childhood awards, you know I'm a fan of being true to you!
So I kept seeking. Awaiting the answer I knew would come. And it did. :)
answer: part one of two
I came across the Hebrew word "pala" in a Beth Moore study on Paul. When I read it, and the meaning of it in the original text, it completely resonated with me, and I can remember sitting at my dining room table reading it like it was yesterday, feeling fairly confident this word would somehow be a part of my work.
It took me three years to complete a "90 day journey", but I'm happy to say I finished it last month! Learned so much!
The vow Paul took is described back in Numbers as a special Nazarite vow that was strictly voluntary, "something consecrated to God, distinguished from others, something marvelous (and even miraculous) often coming from something difficult" ( . . . and at this point in my life I was a little more than 6 months past a broken engagement . . . I'd say that qualifies as difficult . . . ). The other cool part to me was that it was a public vow open to both men and women alike—which was unusual in ancient Judaism. So that meant it was something I could easily identify with too!
In our terms, Beth breaks it down to say of the people who took this vow back then, "They knew that in order to be victorious or obedient, they needed extra help and concentration on God."
And friends, that's exactly what I knew I needed in starting—and maintaining—this endeavor.
answer: part two of two
So within days of reading this and feeling hopeful, I was out running one of my favorite Birmingham trails, and again, was thinking/praying, and the Lord brought to mind the word "para" which I'd heard many times in sermons at Highlands. It's a Greek word pastor Chris has referenced a lot to being in the New Testament, most often used when talking about the Holy Spirit. One of the meanings is "alongside." As in, the Holy Spirit comes and lives "alongside" us to help guide us through life.
So on this run, those two words just came together, and I thought, "parapala! — I like how this sounds! . . . annnnd it's kinda fun to say!" :)
As far as the extra "L" entering the picture, my new at-the-time friend, Mattye, accidentally misspelled it in a text with two L’s because she'd not seen it written out . . . and I loved it! It looked prettier, and too, from my limited study of French, ha, I know it's a feminine form of usage, so it fit coming from my voice even better. So yeah, it stuck!
I adore this running trail.
so in a nutshell
"parapalla," is in fact, a word I made-up — “para” from the New Testament Greek meaning “alongside” and “pala” derived from an Old Testament Nazarite vow showing consecration to God and recognizing one’s need of God . . . and so . . .
Personally, it means to me that this endeavor isn’t all about me; that I can be mindful not to solely put all the weight on every bit of me to create and execute ideas, stories, and designs. And I can honestly say from experience, my work flow is always better when I pause and pray for guidance, and too, when I encourage feedback and am fully open to ideas from clients — you guys have some great ideas!
Professionally, it means to me that I’ll work alongside clients and be committed to help create something marvelous for you! It's absolutely about partnership and collaboration. And more than anything, I want what's created here to fully connect with the audience and/or individual it's intended for, whether it's a random fact blog post that reminds us that it's okay to laugh at ourselves, or a fun tribute to a fellow artist and a nostalgic walk back in time to celebrate a Small World and the art it inspires today.
It all matters. It's good stuff. And I'm happy to be a part of the process.
So here's to being more expectant for all we can create and enjoy here!
and PS: a bonus piece of fun trivia . . . the spelling of "Google" was also the result of a typo. Who knew?!?