Uphill idealist

The world and time are the dance of the Lord in emptiness. The silence of the spheres is the music of a wedding feast. The more we persist in misunderstanding the phenomena of life, the more we analyze them out into strange finalities and complex purposes of our own, the more we involve ourselves in sadness, absurdity and despair. But it does not matter much, because no despair of ours can alter the reality of things, or stain the joy of the cosmic dance which is always there. Indeed we are in the midst of it, and it is in the midst of us, for it beats in our very blood, whether we want it or not. Yet the fact remains that we are invited to forget ourselves on purpose, cast our awful solemnity to the winds and join in the general dance. Excerpt from New Seeds of Contemplation by Thomas Merton Early on Saturday morning, our dear family friend Patrick Moser died suddenly due to complications during heart surgery. Patrick was a unique, amazing, creative person and was a wonderful friend ...

This summer has been one where a great deal of painting (murals that is) going on. This first photo is an ongoing commission piece for Rogers Elementary School , that I'm working on privately with Renee Pye (a teaching artist in the Jamestown area.) There is some more detail, lettering and sealing to take place, but it's on it's way to being complete. This second project is taking place at the Eastside Y in Jamestown NY. First Lutheran Church staff and youth worked alongside students and staff from the Eastside to create a puzzle piece pattern in the new logo colors for the Y . The Y is currently revealing their new logo and shortened name and this local Y is jumping on board with the new look with this initial painting project. When the puzzle pieces were completed, each student will have the opportunity to create their own "mini-mural" on their puzzle piece around the them of "How I can lift Jamestown." Thanks to the Eastside Y , First Lutheran fami...

Nigel and friends from Cabin 1 at LCLC. It seems impossible that it's already August. This month is very full of church related activities like: summer camp sessions, a youth pool party, VBS (Vacation Bible School), a community service project, a day trip to a local farm, planning for the upcoming fall schedule,and the church picnic. Youth group members for the Waldameer trip. My most favorite times this summer so far have been taking trips with my family to places like the Corning Museum of Glass , Waldameer Park and working on an outdoor mural (Pics to come soon)above the entrance of a local elementary school. As always there are a few more summer family activities I'd love to squeeze into this month, so we'll have to see how that goes. My dog Aggie chilling with the cooler in the car. However, there was a happening this last weekend that took me by total surprise! Last Sunday, I was spending some time relaxing at my mother-in-laws home swimming and grilling. I took my ...

There is well that is deep and dark and full of things. Things that are slippery, elusive, and just out of sight at the corner of my eye. Once in a while they bubble up to the surface and spill everywhere. As far as I can see, feel and touch their presence drips over each part of my life. Then they quickly dry up with the heat and wear of life and retreat to where they came. I wish that well would not hide from me when I seek it out. I would be better prepared if I knew when it was going to rain down and out of me. It catches me off guard. It sneaks around to other entrances. It always leads to tears overflowing from my eyes as if the flood of water were coming from inside of me. Maybe that well does come from within me. There it has such a convenient place to hide, until the dam breaks and its waters rush over my silenced voice and spill out of my soul. Wishing well you are not. There are no shiny coins at the bottom, for there is no bottom to this weeping well to rest upon. It's ...

I've been begun reading the book "The breath of the soul" by Joan Chittister with a group of friends for the last few weeks and have greatly enjoyed the space for spiritual fresh air it's been providing. The chapters of this book are very short (2-3 pages at most), but Ms. Chittister - like always - fills each page with rich, hopeful and meaningful content. This last week's reading was based on the theme of responsibility in our prayer lives. Sometimes in prayer, I know I can become myopic - only seeing the needs closest to me and often losing sight of the big picture. Ms. Chittister says in her book, "Prayer is not meant to make us into a world unto ourselves. We do not pray in order to escape the world around us. We pray with one eye on the world so that we can come to understand what is really being asked of us here and now, at times like this, as co-creators of the universe." There are many ways to get more involved in community and world improvin...

Image found at Colorpictures.net I received this as an email from a friend of mine the other day. Isn't it wonderful when your receive the 'word' you needed to hear, just when you needed to hear it the most. :) Thanks friend. "The person who follows the crowd will usually gets no further than the crowd. The person who walks alone is likely to discover places no one has ever been before. Creativity in living is not without its attendant difficulties. For peculiarity breeds contempt. And the unfortunate thing about being ahead of your time is that when people finally realize you were right, they’ll say it was obvious all along. You have two choices in life. You can dissolve into the mainstream, or you can be distinct. To be distinct, you must be different. To be different, you must be what no one else can be…. – Anonymous"

The green chair sat in the corner of the garage. It was high-backed, sturdy, and proud looking - even though it might beginning to show some signs of wear. It had lost count of the books that had been read in it, how many morning cups of coffee drank and how many re-reuns of Seinfeld it had seen. A great deal of life had been lived in and around the green chair. Things had changed. It had moved out of the front room, then to the study and now it had settled in the garage with all the other odds and ends of the household. No longer did it's feet rest in cushioned carpet, it was being moved out to make room for the new. The green chair, that had once been so integral, a hub for focus in the home; had been downgraded to the outside and replaced by some new sleek swedish type of chair with an elegant name. The green chair had never been elegant, but it had been faithful and sturdy and strong. Isn't that all a good chair needs to be, it wondered as it took in it's new garage su...