“You see people deeply before you talk to them—that’s a gift.” Nicest compliment today! I do try to see people from my heart before I talk to them, as best I can. I really do love people, and just try to receive them as and where they are. That always starts with trying to see them well first! And recognize them as a poem, i have only begun to encounter….I’ll keep trying to do that in life! It’s not just assuming the best, it is actually trying to see them outside myself for their intrinsic worth and beauty. That’s my practice. I hope I’m getting better at it. Nice to have someone say that today anyway!

This film being shot using the art building in Antwerp this week, where we have a studio! My landlord’s, both great artists, are doing clean up today! Bless them! As film making is magical and also makes a mess. Beautiful and messy at times, artists, and us all!

Well, at least our building in Antwerp is famous, it already was a character! When i return to our studio there, i will get the building’s autograph. This is a film being shot in Antwerp by de Palma about european terrorism. Should be interesting. All the world is a stage…i do like how film heightens reality long enough to realize everything is more than meets the eye. Or as Buber put it, “beauty is in the “I” of the beholder.

Film, having been involved in several, is also like circus in that it suddenly shows up to town, and sheds light on everything, and then is gone…there is so much which can happen in that space. When I met Steve Carrol last month on set, i realized also, it can be a place to bless from! To humanize by seeing well, and to realize that even every day life is art.

Film is like opera—team art; or just like life. Layered, collaged in meanings…in real and imagined life. And yet, i know artists are beautiful and messy in life.
After talking to my landlord today, hoping clean up afterwards goes well. Artist, in general, seem to always heighten things, and leave a residue to process afterwards! Alas, that’s us.

Blessings in cleaning the temple afterwards friend Agnes Nys! My landlord’s are also both brilliant artists, and had to host all this hoopla of film making. No easy task! Wish i was there to help clean up the set for you guys! Soon. Artists throw the best parties and leave the biggest mess, on many levels! Alas, that’s just how it is. Anyways, thinking of my friends there today, hosting and doing clean up for this film today. Thanks for sharing Agnes! I do like that our building is famous now! Hopefully it can quickly get back to being itself also.

Running through the whole church…

I’ve noticed different gifts in different parts of The Church through the years. I love getting to know the whole Body….
Baptist like word and fellowship! It’s an underrated part of baptist churches that they have a value on eating and fellowship even if you end up talking about whether or not you are saved. Presbyterians always leave me thinking, contemplating, with kindness and a sense of history. Vineyard and some charactismatics leave you you filled with worship and the spirit, but not sure where you are meant to eat—rarely had food around. However, Morningstar was an acceptation as they often had barbecue socials after prophetic sermons, and staff Harley rallies.
Anglicans are pretty balanced i think. Though perhaps they overemphasize social justice to the exclusion of personal formation. It’s cool looking at the gifts of different parts of the church. It’s not as simple as it seems. People often either throw the baby out, or just put the whole church into one “it” blob. Experientially its much more complex than that—and each part has its gift—i mean those pentecostals know gold, but could lose the bouncer deacons in the back of the church who make sure you can’t get out. Then there are the “catchers” in lots of Holy Ghost churches. I like those guys who catch people when they get slain in the Spirit—I’ve been caught a few times, and was thankful they had my back! (Happened in Toronto to me after i met John Arnold and literally got the blessing!)
I’ve gotten to meet many great leaders from different parts of the Body, they all carry special aspects of the whole. Dallas Willard, and other great baptist teachers, as well as many leaders in the more charismatic movements, and gotten to eat in their homes and talk life and God. I’ve been blessed in that way to know so many parts, and get to sort of be a joint between them.
Some are much more socially oriented; others all word and salvation; some power evangelism and healing etc…when you step back and try to see the living parts of the whole in each culturally unique instant, it’s fun to watch the Blood flow.
And I often think we should switch churches monthly, so we get the fuller picture of Him across His Body. All together we are a more accurate picture of Him.
Strengths and weaknesses in each part of the church, but with the baptist was missing that fellowship family gift they carry today. It is rare still to have ten different pies flowing from different houses in the church, as a gift to the whole. Unusual in the world to want to share home that much.
I once had a dream i ran through all the parts of the Body, including the catholics starting at their renewal in the 70’s—great dream which pointed out the best gifts each denomination still carries, and then how to integrate them all in Him. Having so many friends from different branches of the tree always leads me back to The Tree of Life. Yet, it does require some humor to stay friends with the whole Body.

Forever uninterrupted to create for God’s pleasure-the artist’s dream of the afterlife!

No longer for fame or money, or recognition from the eyes of men; but that sheering pleasure of encountering God directly through it all. Observing deeply out way into Him. No longer under the sway of the witchcraft of industry, or raped by sorcery’s and entertainment’s ways, but making art Now, to adorn the throne alone, forever uninterrupted in Love. In that final relational way, which things actually exist in. For God is relational, and desires us to come into friendship. This the prophets and true artist sang about and from!

Studying the history of Jeremiah in art today: the original post modern prophet!

Jeremiah was the first post modern prophet. Here’s a guy who is ironically involved in his own story. Self commenting constantly, has his text burnt shredded, many times, has someone else publish it, is the most autobiographical prophet, but also the most selfless in some ways.

And actually, we get to overhear him quitting his job with God. He’s the prophet for our generation—with so many rising and falling empires, someone staying true to an older Voice and Heart, but with his heart on his sleeve! And, as all prophets has a personal spirituality of friendship with God. Also, like Ezekiel one asked to do both performance art, and symbolic gestures to get across what God was trying to communicate.

I’m studying the history of images in art of Jeremiah today. Once again a man with a very cool grey beard of priestly dimensions, hiding out in caves. He was of course a minister’s son (which was probably his first challenge, as it has been mine), and bought land in his hometown, at a foolish, but symbolic, time to invest in the home team. Certain prophets have authentic style.

This guy’s autobiography was part of the message (i like it with people like Johnny Cash, when their personal story is part of the gospel God is telling), like David and later St Paul, God used their personal stories to tell a bigger story!

Digging Jeremiah today—the post modern prophet of his times! Lived outloud, lived big, lived through at least two generations of God’s purposes. Cool prophet. Good art study today! And inspiring me to grow a long grey beard! Here’s a man not afraid to grow old even if he dies in a foreign land. Also someone who talks to animals and mountains. I like his way. A bit crazy in a good way. I like this guy!

Turning grey in Grace!

Been thinking about grey beards lately, as I have one when i grow it out. I like the symbol! My favorite prophet Jeremiah, is always imaged sporting one, and he really is my hero—his ability to be authentic transparent and speak the truth creatively, with his heart on his sleeve still inspires me. Not to mention, as all prophets, he was an actual friend of God! Had a spirituality of friendship.

Plus, he rocked a cool grey beard. Wasn’t trying to be cool, ok with aging, ok with who he was, though at times openly complained about his task, as we all do, at times. Anyway, as i get older, i’m getting more attracted to grey. Perhaps grey is the new black, or something like that. Why compete to look like we are teenagers, or worse, stay teenagers spiritually. Let’s get older in Him, grow up into the Head, in every area, including facial hair! Just a thought i keep having recently. I like older wines. And I like becoming a spiritual father no longer in competition with others, but having a heart to bless them! Comfortable and accepting of my many years on earth, and year growing in Him!

Grey beards yes! It makes it apparent that you are a parent, no longer in competition with the world, rather wanting to bless others in Wisdom. I like grey beards. They make a statement. I’m ok with being myself. Ok to be getting older, no longer trying to look like a teenager. When you become a father, you are no longer in competition with the world, you are serving it, and covering it. It frees you up, once accepted, to bless more people. To embrace age, is the way to go, as long as you are also spiritually aging!

After counseling folks for a number or years, and being in counseling myself, some simple insights on the basic pattern of healing…

There are some basic patterns in healing. The most basic pattern is: becoming aware of immature parts of yourself (conviction), confessing them (i need help stage-do you want to be healed, Jesus asked), and forgiving in every direction (the Cross and blood), and then planting a new way in its place (restoration); then lastly, learning how to walk out in the newer ways of Life (discipleship in the new ways of life in that area). This pattern in christian terms is then: crisis of self, leading to conviction, towards the Cross of our need, where transformation begins, to finding what is meant to be planted instead, redemption and restoration, then learning to walk it out-sanctification. Not too complicated, and it seems to me how things actually heal or become themselves or whole again. It works, in other words.

Since God is One, we are being made one or integrated. The process involves these stages in healing.

Thinking about what it looks like to grow up in every area of my life—sex, finances, theology, inner healing etc; any area which is younger and needs to move into and get aligned with His Kingdom ways-parts of self which need to grow up, in other words. Managing my physical body well, managing my money, etc. Working on growing all parts into The Head. That’s one thing I’m working on.

The pattern in each area of healing is: to become aware of needed growth areas in ourselves, or wounds, or stunted parts of self, in certain areas; to confess and forgive in that area (Meet The Cross); then, to plant new life and ways in that area, and learn to walk them out with Him.

That’s always the basic biblical pattern for healing. Knowledge, confession and forgiveness (visiting the Cross, as they say), planting new ways in each area, learning to walk in them, are the basics of healing. And the process is lead by The Spirit, who brings up each area which needs renovation in Order, so we are not overwhelmed and can form in Wisdom. None of us is ever done healing, so might as well learn the patterns of healing, whether ourselves, friends, neighborhoods or our cities and nations. You can’t really skip any of the steps!

Reading about the “way of prophets” today..reading about their ways from a Jewish and Christian perspective, but as a way on earth in Him as well…combining some quotes and insights here:

Nice insight about the way of the prophets, I came across today:

“The great thing about prophets is that they just don’t care what you think of them—like King David dancing naked before the ark. The fear of rejection of others, has been killed, so they can just dance, naked before God, as we all are. They dance for us all, as we are meant to be. Example it for others, or make a way to be. And feel that gap between His Heart, and ours. Their (our) burden is to carry the mind and heart of God, and then His expressions, in tandem and while being tangibly aware of the hearts of people, and stay humble as they do.”

A terrible and beautiful and priestly chore theirs/ours also, even as we pray for one another in that way.

And a good solid Jewish warning: “So don’t envy the way of the prophets,” as one said: “it is deadly to them, but life to others. Unless a seed dies and is buried into the ground it is useless to bear fruit.” Nice prophetic study of being today! Plus, prophets are never welcomed in their own hometowns. Mis-understanding is a given by the nature of gap.

And from my studies, a prophet, or one moving in the prophetic way, is never welcomed in his own home! “That means, for a christian, the Church would be the place of most resistance for the prophetic voice.” For an artist, perhaps, the art world would be. Whatever area you are priesting for and in, without care or fear of rejection in (just standing before God in that area), will be a place of resistance. Adam and Eve hid when God showed up, and we continue to.”

(all quotes, mine)

Love is always where God is, and is the tone of discernment. When I hear that tone, i know I’m near home in myself and useful to others. Discern where the tone of love is in a conversation or dialogue, enter there, and the conversation will be fruitful. Where the candle is already burning is the room to talk into, and be. It’s also the safest place in the house to talk.

I love studying city’s and nation’s identities and their stories, what they were meant to be, what they did with their gifts, and how that could be redeemed! It’s the same with counseling people really. We were given certain things, we typically misused them, and we need healing to use them well again to bless others! Healing always has these three: realizing you are worth something, confessing a misuse of your gifts, and through confession being allowed to use them again in Love to bless others.

First place to outlaw slave trade—Denmark, which Pieter Bos, one of my favorite dutch city planner prophetic thinker people (“The Nation’s Called”), said, had and have an collective identity of “visionary friend, and friend sent” in his language. His basic idea of nations having collective identities, and then going through and naming some of them, has informed my thoughts over the years.

But also interesting to see when nations move in their redeemed identity at certain moments in history! Seems like Denmark moved in hers at that stage of history.

Bos’ theory was that nations have corporate identities, but we have to see the intended version, the broken or perverted version (which needs to be confessed etc), and the redeemed version even to pray for another nation. He also suggest that it is the most difficult to see the redeemed version of one’s own nation’s story! And how it connects to our own. Seems true from experience! Nice insights his.

And reading about the history of slavery today, interesting to think of Denmark as the first european nation to outlaw slave trade—sort of an early sign nation, based in a friendship type of spirituality (as all prophetic nations have; prophets are friends with God first and then proclaimers, they have friendship authority!)- those meeker northern countries. Good study nonetheless.

Love looking at nations as having collective destinies, identities, stories wanting to be made whole, makes sense to me. What each person’s gifts are, how they were mis-used, and how they could be redeemed, or brought back into alignment—how the story could be edited towards Love!

Love learning history, and when nations actually move under their mantels in a redeemed way, it frees up others, eventually. This must be part of discipling the nations—to understand their whole stories, and when they are moving in a true version of themselves, and what each needs to get there. Fun study today…. glad Denmark stepped up early on in it’s gifts to plant the seeds to end the ways of slavery! Hopeful.