Uphill idealist

  For a Prophet, empathy is a gift, that sometimes feels like a curse.   I was taught, or maybe assumed, that a prophet is: MALEANGRYSHAKINGFISTSGROWLING JUDGING what they see, as ugly.   But maybe a Prophet can: Smile. Paint. Listen, Write. Speak. Sing.  Be human AND connected to the Divine.   A Prophet with empathy: Comes to tiredness and tears, because they care.   A prophet without empathy: IS LIKE AN UNPLUGGED MICROPHONE. It should be saying something important…………………...............................But isn’t.   Being a Prophet is a curse, if empathy, is forgotten.   T.L. Eastman   Copyright  August 2020 Written in honor of poet   Lucille Clifton

We are are facing difficulty - but where do you find  encouragement to let your light shine? Ink and watercolor by T.L. Eastman 2020

This post is published at We Talk, We Listen Blog. If you would like to see that post there visit: " Pregnancy, Mary and Me " Painting "Let it be unto me" by Pastor Tara L. Eastman As a pastor, I spend a lot of time in hospitals and nursing homes. It has been common for me when visiting an elderly person – most often women; that after communion or prayer to ask if there is anything they would like to talk about and they say with wide smile and glimmering eyes, “Oh I see that you are expecting – when is the baby due?” While there is sweetness to this statement, the truth of the matter is that truly, “I am not pregnant.” When this first happened to me, my ego and self-image took a deep dive. The defensive statements both internal and external bubble to the surface, “My children are grown!” or “Am I really that heavy?” and “Why do I keep being asked this question?” Not too long ago, I was wrapping up a visit with an elderly woman and I asked her if there...

What happens when you combine canvas, acrylic paint and an open invitation for people to come and create? Community happens. Earlier in 2015, I was in the midst of considering a practical way to prayerfully observe the season of Advent and my first inclination was to do something creative. In my own heart, I was longing for some space to rest and reflect upon the season of Advent, where hope, peace, joy and love reside. Through the social networking site, Meetup, I started a group called, "Buffalo Artists Share" and set some dates for a group to gather at a local church to work on an Advent mural project. (For the lesson plan on how to make a canvas mural, email: eastman_tara@yahoo.com.) Church members as well as folks from the Meetup group were invited, over a period of three weeks to come and paint, eat some lunch and get to know each other. The most engaged participants in the project, turned out to be from the general public.  Over four weeks, the p...

Art is something that lifts my heart and helps my mind to stop it's spinning. Art is rest and release as well as a way to connect and interact with others. Art is an expression of spiritual matters in simple physical matter. Art (in all its forms) - from cooking a new dish to painting on a fresh canvas bring flavor and color to each day of my journey. I hope this colorful collage of text, watercolor and mixed media help illuminate a new shade of  hope for you too. "Color for the journey" is a mixed media original art piece integrating text, color and simple everyday resources.