Favorite quotes this week in study on finding a friendship spirituality!

“The eighteenth C dramatist G E Lessing used to say if he had one question to ask God it would be: “Is this a friendly universe?” Good question. The Father that Jesus revealed, says yes. If we accept a Father God who is loving, we may not understand life any better, but we will not resent life itself any longer.” William Barclay

I’m a firm advocate for a friendship type spirituality! Nice quote to come across! I’m currently working on an article on a creative friendship spirituality. Fun collecting quotes for it! As Barclay puts it, when we see God as friend, it’s easier to come Home to God. And I would add, funner to collaborate with Him creatively. Stewardship becomes a creative act, a collaboration!

Thomas Merton also said, the “deepest demand of the human heart, the religious demand, is the quest for a personal God. A type of God we can be friends with.” If we are to see God not in our image, but us in His, we will start to see Him as the ultimate sacrificial Friend. Van Gogh put it, “Be friends with God through all things.”

Martin Buber’s relational model of the universe, allows for this deep to deep friendship way in both art and living. He assumes it’s possible to actually have I-Thou encounters with God and others! Nice.

My thesis is that God was trying to make friends with Abraham and a people group, and then later through the prophets and most overtly through Jesus, The Friend who lays down His Life for His friends. He was trying to offer friendship with humanity, rather than just a set of esoteric or ethical principles-intimacy and union, were His preferred methods. To be “in Him” as St Paul put it!

That spirituality rest in a relational model. I’m enjoying finding those who were friends of God throughout history. A friendship spirituality also takes the pressure off a bit! It’s easier to approach a friend as we are, rather than a set of principles we can never live up to, or practices we can’t perfect.

Also, I’m looking at what happens existentially or experimentally, when we base our spirituality in a friendship model rather than a practices or laws model. Fun study! Enjoying collecting quotes as well!

St Francis, another friend of God, also has lots of great quotes of becoming a friend of God through nature. Not worshiping nature itself, but meeting God through tending it with God-like tending God’s art. His friendship led to a great stewardship of the earth model, many are still tracing their way back into! A Christian ecology would have to include and flow from friendship! Like we are tending a friend’s land, while hanging out with Our Friend. So let’s be friends, friends!

Good creative stewardship of the earth comes out of overflow from our friendship with God! We start to love what He loves, and in the way that He loves! That’s the organic fruit of a friendship spirituality!

Creativity is part of our true Homecoming as humans!

Towards and article on…..why art still matters in our true spirituality. How it helps us see “the redeemable other”, including ourselves, more accurately!

The imagination is bigger than just making art, it is part of being human, and part, of what, from a Christian perspective, we must bring into a tranformative, redemptive, formational relationship with The Nature of Life of Christ! What happens when Christ comes into the imagination is we begin to see both ourselves and others more as He does. We have a new creative interpretation of others. This strikes at the root system of both racism and poverty, for we start to coming into God’s dialogue towards people under or moving in both ways of seeing!

First, we must see ourselves more from God’s perspective, but we can grow to seeing others and our world, more as He does, if we allow Him to incarnate in our creativity. Creativity is not just for breakfast anymore, or art galleries, it is an essential part of our personal formation and becomes a huge part of how we disciple or guide others towards their true identities!

As one friend put it, “We no longer have the luxury of esteeming reason, our physical bodies or any other area as our “god”, we need to bring the whole self to the whole Cross and be transformed! This includes our creative faculties!” When we do, it affects how we treat and view others. A baptized creativity leads to better ethics, in short!

How racism and poverty can be overcome by a baptized imagination:

Just one of the reasons why creativity and art still matter in a real, lived, existential, day to day way—it helps overcome racism and poverty! Two of our greatest enemies in our times!

From a Christian perspective, Christ wants to incarnate in every area of who we are, including our creativity and imagination. When He does, we start to see other people differently and more dynamically, and this topples an I-it racist or class system based view of one another. In short, we come into an active creative dialogue with the “Living” God! The Creator. And together in creative dialogue, we begin to see ourselves and others more through His View. We begin to creatively steward ourselves and those around us, and His creation! Live, become a collaboration!

Through Him, as He gets into our perception and creativity, we start to see people more as family or kin. We become adept in emoting and expressing His View, treatment and emotions towards one another. We start to be more truly human in our encounters with one another; and we ourselves get more free to be, in the process. Art can help us see one another more as God does, and so love our neighbors as ourselves.

“Poverty of the imagination leads to all other sorts of poverty-economic, racial-if we do not see ourselves and our world through an illuminated by Love, imagination, we will always be trapped in a flat version of life, and even ourselves. When the imagination is healed, and made more whole-that is when we see more from God’s eyes, our actions into the world is altered and we encounter one another more in Love’s dialogue.” Anonymous Monk.

If, conversely, you have a rich spiritual imagination, no situation is desperate. For Spirit filled creativity contextualizes and interprets our situations. We perish from lack of knowledge yes, but also from lack of proper sight! When Christ get’s into our perception, we start to act out as we truly see through His Lens. That lens of Love!

“Racism most clearly, reveals a poverty of imagination! For it cannot imagine the poetry of others God is trying to write. Instead it writes others off, boxing their beings in a projection of our latest fears.” Anonymous Monk.

So, one way to head at to roots of racism, rather than just fighting false ideology, is to help heal the imagination- how we image others! When I see you as another friend in creative dialogue with their Creator, everything changes about how I treat you!

It seems self evident that we need a clearer view and more dynamic version of one another in order to make it in our times! Creativity in this sense becomes a healing agent, especially in times in which fear and projection from old wounds, dominate our perceptions and interpretations of one another! Can I see you through the creative, collaborative, dynamic lens of Love? Is still the question.

God is creative, and dynamic in how He perceives us. We too, are meant to have an alive and growing perception of one another. “Where the Spirit of The Lord is there is Freedom!” Freedom and growth in the area of how we see one another! This is His ministry to and into the imagination!

The same would be true of the spirit of poverty which sees self in terms of economics! We are more than what we have, as St Paul said—I’ve learned to have much or little and still know spiritual contentment!

It’s a matter of seeing our situation from God’s eyes, whether poor or rich, in prison, as his case, or free to roam about. How we “see” and interpret our situation is the key to freedom. And the imagination has a huge part to play in how we interpret things. Creativity is more than art, it allows for a more dynamic way of interpreting and hence loving one another! For that reason alone, it is worth “discipling and baptizing the imagination” in our days.

If we are called to disciple the whole person, and to be in a process of formation (including ourselves), and nations, into the Name or identity of Christ, then as Christians, we must not neglect bringing the imagination into the the fullness of The Head! How do you see me, and how do you see this situation or other person, is a spiritual practice now!

The imagination is meant to be what sees and images things as they are, and are meant to be! The prophets modeled this, but now we must all incarnate it! Help me “see” others and myself the way You see! Art is part of what we are as humans, and so part of what we are partnering in bringing “home” and stewarding into wholeness!

When we do so, we will begin to be better interpreters of the times, more prophetic (and it is no accident that the prophets were creative!), but also, perforce, move in more Love towards others, especially those unlike us! In this sense, an en-Light-ened imagination is key to overcoming a racist view of the world, and a way to overcome seeing ourselves as stuck in poverty. Overcoming a poverty of imagination is one way to fight both racism and abject poverty!

When we become rich in His Imagination, we no longer judge ourselves economically, or by skin tone or outer appearances. Jesus looked only at the heart in order to interpret and locate our true needs and quest-ions!

In fact, when we see what He has done and is doing for us, and the depth of care and desire to be in and with us, in creative dialogue, we immediately know we are rich spiritually, and want to serve others to escape those static categories of perception! Racism is shattered by His Own creative Perception and deep love for us all!

Jesus was constantly trying to reveal this. And He did so to the cultural insiders and outsiders, to Nicodemus and to the Samaritan woman and the Centurion! He wanted to free up their imaginations of things, and get them to start dialoguing again with the Living Father, and His Perceptions!

Baptizing the imagination into Christ is a great starting point of seeing things more as they actually ARE. And therefore, falling in Love with one another! As CS Lewis pointed out, if we SAW one another as God sees us, we would be amazed, and perforce come into a loving relationship with one another.

Art is part of being human, and so part of what needs to enter, come in communion with the Nature of Christ, so we can begin to see and interpret more in and from His Love—the God who is Love beckons us to enter more fully. What started at the re-formation, wants to go on into a deeper formation in every area of who we are to form us into the brothers of Jesus and sons and daughters of The Most High.

In this sense, the imaginations of His People are being “called home” into Him more deeply in our days. And our creativity can and should be becoming His playground for the New Creation!

Bringing our creativity into our personal relationship with God is essential for us all. This is not just a call for artist but for us all-to come fully home into The Father’s House of Love, for the whole of who we are, one another is, and for the whole of His Creation! Creativity is part of this homecoming!

I was blessed to have great arts and religion professors in school who encouraged me to integrate the two areas in my own heart and mind.

I remember one of my favorite professors—i had several (two active rabbis and another a great artist)-advising me not to become a philosophy major because i would forever be asking: Why is there everything, instead of nothing—and that would drive me crazy. “Study, religion there is more hope and ritual in it.”

I did, and was able to escape college with my mind and heart in tact! Thanks Dr Coleman for that, and for this new book collecting your thoughts on beauty, art and spirituality!

Earle Coleman is also a great magician, humorist, and scholar of St Francis and Martin Buber—he brought magic and those two great men under the same roof in his thinking!

Still remember reading Buber from the German and studying St Francis’ way, as a true pathway. Just the thought that you could bring a catholic mystic and mystical Jew into the same discussion on art and beauty, made me happy then and now. Some teachers put things in you that you never forget!

Dr Coleman in addition to writing many articles on aesthetics and spirituality, was also a great magician and humorist. He had thousands of jokes catalogued in his mind, and could pull them from almost any culture. Thankful for great teachers and models along the way today!

Here is his latest book on spirituality and art. He’s clearly a philosopher of religion and art, so some may find his writing dense, but i love what he has been bringing under the same roof for so many years. And he is a kind and generous scholar! Would always stop his day to answer my odd questions back then.

Fun to re-discover his thinking on line today! https://books.google.com/books?id=MKOERo1EEWsC&pg=PA110&lpg=PA110&dq=beauty+is+in+the+I+of+the+beholder+Earle+Coleman&source=bl&ots=M0CKNZ9WBn&sig=IhTJCvts7r02QE6FY2ei_mJxp_o&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjD1v-T7ZPXAhVnw4MKHRq0BNYQ6AEILTAC#v=onepage&q=beauty%20is%20in%20the%20I%20of%20the%20beholder%20Earle%20Coleman&f=false He’s been working on these for around 40 years! Beauty is neither fully subjective, or fully objective, it occurs relationally in an atmosphere and orientation of Love towards other, would be one statement of his basic thesis.

He has many great quotes about beauty in his book. I love collecting quotes. Here are a few I liked:
“Beauty is that which illumines.” Thomas Aquainus
“Beauty is the Real seen with Love.” Evelyn Underhill
“Things, being themselves, are beautiful.” St Francis

And many others…I love thinking about beauty as relational, which is basically what the book is about. That beauty is somewhere in between the I and the Thou, and has to do with the depth to which we are willing to encounter other, and the amount of Love we bring to the encounter. It is both in the I of the beholder, and in that which is beheld. God turns out to be relational, so is beauty and religion, Earle would say!

North Carolina moves in the tone of sitting. My grandparents, farmers and mill workers still mostly enjoyed just sitting with one another.

Everything there, just sits in its own being and considers things at the end of the day. It’s a “be still, and know” sort of thing. I like that about the Carolinas. Some people mistake sitting for laziness, but that’s a big mistake. Sitting in order to just be, is an active stance towards things—it’s not passive. It is akin to humility, i think.

It says, i’m not in charge of the universe, nor do I want to be. I am instead, an appreciator and participator in the days. Sitting is a needed virtue these days.

In Watchman Nee’s book: Sit Walk Stand, he describes the order of how to live well. Sit with God, walk with God and then Stand with Him in whatever task you are partnering in on earth. That pattern feels true. We have to sit first, then walk and stand. Otherwise we don’t know where we are walking nor why we are standing. I think my home state is good at the sitting part, though at times it drives me crazy how much sitting is going on. Yet, sitting is like sabbathing with what is. It’s a good practice to just sit together and be.

When I leave there, I often forget to stop and just sit with. It helps to be reminded to just sit sometimes. Thanks North Carolina for reminding me to do so from time to time! Although, Lord knows, I’m not the best sitter in the world!It requires and develops patience to just be. But one way to embody it, must be just to sit! At least, that’s how it seems to a runner like me.

Texas, of course, is more of a builder. It relentlessly finds and forms the frontier. I appreciate that aspect of its identity, that, “what happens here, changes the world” mentality, which is the university slogan, or Nasa’s just go to the moon; but at times, it struggles with just sitting.

Interesting to think what different gifts each region, city or nation carries, and what they would look like in collaboration and service towards one another. We probably need the gifts of each region, city and nation to be more ourselves, to be more fully human. But this weekend, i was appreciating the just sitting part of where I’m from. Rest into creative action! We have to be, before we do. Good reminder this weekend!

Good advice from an elder this week:

Just be a blesser and blessing wherever you are! Best advice this week. Go around doing good and being the fragrance of Christ and His Ways—you’ll be fine and live meaningfully then. Thanks friend. He continued..

The more of Him and His Ways people see through your life, the better. Don’t worry about what people think of you, just channel His Ways, so they can see Him more clearly and make their own inner choice about Him. It’s a heart rather than religious choice in the end. It’s a type of leaning towards, as you know. It’s something like saying, ok, we will be friends, that’s true spirituality.
Simple clear reminder this week.

Bless people towards His Actual Name and Identity! Don’t worry what it looks like, or what people think of you. Let your reputation be formed in His Heart. And then just be yourself in Him, let Him be the judge of that. The opinion of people wax and wane, but the Love of God remains the same. Stay in that tone of Love, and just continue to be yourself. Nice reminder this week from a spiritually older friend!

Ok, my mom really is cool!

This weekend, she woke us up practicing old hymns, and Bach, she had to perform for a funeral that day!

My folks do lots of funerals and weddings, which is why i like Klezmer music which can be slowed down or sped up for either occasion! I forgot how many verses those hymns have! And, I forgot how her gift is to really embody the meaning of the song, and plant it in the hearts of others—she’s still got it!
I learn more theology from hymns than a hundred sermons, and how to walk out life as an artist who serves, most from my mom. To integrate one’s spirituality and one’s creativity is a tight rope act! And mom’s walked that line well.

My mom’s a true star! She was in musicals growing up, so I learned all the broadway songs, and costuming from her. She was also a british literature major, so my sister and i memorized most of Shakespeare. I still pull it out when needed!

“In truth I do not love thee with my eyes, for they in thee a thousand errors note, but it is my heart which loves what they despise, who in despite of view, is pleased to dote.” for instance. These sonnets often come in handy!
We really are cut from the same fabric, or fell from the same tree-for better or worse. I hope we continue to bless others, despite ourselves. She sure does! She’s always serving with her artistic gifts! Funerals, weddings, whatever is needed!

Great to collaborate and share life with my mom this weekend! She’s a seasoned in the art of life!

As many of you know my mom is an artist and my dad a minister; it’s a unusual combination to bring under the same roof, much less into the same heart—but, I’ve tried!

And mom is even more dramatic than me! And has cooler costumes! When she got cancer she collected hats—that’s the way to do it!

Anyways, we clearly like each other, though we’ve often needed separate studios to make it work! Her soprano voice still comes down on high C as they say, even after cancer, and she can still hold a large crowd with the heart of her voice. She can still sing! Let’s keep singing and serving with our unique gifts, while here! Such a radiant blessing seeing you this weekend!

Glad to be cut from a similar fabric! Although it’s difficult being green, as Kermit the frog said! But, what else could we be!

Love ya mom! Thanks for being a consummate encourager over the years to me and so many others!! And just for continuing to shine authentically! Good to have models!

You are almost as weird as me! Thankful for that. Plus, we both like cool shoes and hats! And melt under great music and architecture! Love ya mom! So good to see you this weekend Karolyn Chapman, and glad we are still here to appreciate it all!

We too!

Some words of Hope this week: We all, too!

I just wanted to offer some seeds of hope for my many friends who are now talking about their abuse wounds. About 80% of the people I counsel have been abused on multiple levels: sexual, physical and verbal. I’m usually more surprised when people haven’t been abused than when there were. As a minister’s son and artist, it unfortunately often comes with the territory. It’s also, just part of being human.

It’s a human heart problem, and ubiquitous globally, but there is real healing possible! IF and when we are willing to make our wounds a place of God’s Presence and healing, and stop projecting our wounded visions outwards.

As long as we continue to interpret things through the lens of our wounds, and join the demonic discourse collectively around them, we will remain blind to what the true potentials are, and the Father’s tender heart towards us each. Sitting alone with His Voice is a good staring point, but this too often requires someone to usher that Voice in for you. Who you are outside your wounds, is a big room worth clearing out! And becoming.

There are levels of abuse, but it is the same spirit or way dating at least back to Cain the bible, and it happens to men, women and all races, and nations. Nothing new, under this Sun, but healing is still possible!

I think it’s important to say that abuse happens to all sexes, ages and races. It’s not gender specific, or generational or racial, it’s a human heart problem which has been going on forever. And so can the healing process. It’s very easy to dualize abuse into an us and them status, but this is dangerous. The bible is clearer, that all have sinned and fallen short, and there are the ways of abuser and abused in us all.

Having said that, it’s still wrong, and hurtful and has to be worked through in us to a level where we can actually walk in a forgiven and forgiving heart towards one another and our God. It’s a journey! But it starts by saying, ouch, that’s wrong, I’m angry and hurt. Good starting point. And glad that is coming out this season for many. Hopeful, that it is.

Abuse is a human heart problem, it’s a human nature problem, which is why we need God. But healing is real. It takes time but really can happen.

It starts with admitting it happen, and coming out from the shame and guilt which is usually embedded in the heart after the abuse. So many are taking this first step recently, and that in itself is hopeful.

Then comes the actual healing journey: anger, grief, forgiveness, planting new life in the area of abuse, and heading towards that place of “Father forgive them, they no not what they do.” And even, further, loving the very enemies who abused you.

And actually hearing the Father’s Heart and Voice of Love over your life personally, as if there were no one around and no jobs or pressures, just you and The Father in the universe, and letting His Perspective sink in thoroughly to your own heart and mind.

This is a long road, as many of you know. But it is possible to come out from under the shame patterns, and the control patterns which result from abuse. I’ve experienced it in my own life! Healing is real.

Once people open up or come out of denial, they are usually very angry at first, and need to learn to channel this well—i often use art-is important. Then there is intense grief and shame. This is where we minister Presence, and just be with one another. This is also where Jesus says into our hearts: I am not ashamed to call you brother, sister, friend! Hearing that voice displaces the others!

I often guide others around the rooms in their inner house, and ask them to grieve each room. Often there are unseen places which we didn’t know held pain. Just bringing loving light into each room helps displace depression as well! This also is a process, i often do in prayer with others.

Then often there is a choice to forgive and confess. Most people overlook this part, but it’s essential to getting your inner house cleaned, and moving in new light.

We too usually have sinned afterwards in our hearts towards others, and in taking control in areas where we need to learn to trust again.

This is all basic stuff, but it’s good to think of the whole healing journey.
I’m also very interested in hearing healing stories, especially from friends from nations which have been systematically abused in history. Often these voices have the most wisdom about the healing journey.

I travel lots, and some nations or even cities are more abused that others. Some still in denial, others in an anger phase, others have moved on the forgiveness and new life in that area. I love being part of those journeys.

Anyway, just wanted to thank all my bold friends for sharing their stories, and am praying for the rest of the healing journey in your lives. There really is new life available.

I came through shame guilt, depression in my own life, and have found real compassion planted instead. Specifically for the type of people who abused me. I know it’s possible to actually heal. But it takes time and courage.

My concerns in this current collective confession is that it not turn us against one another, or others, but towards. And that it start the actual healing process in us all! For..

We all have fallen short of the glory, and are all in need of healing.

I often also see us all as both abusers and abused. And we need to be delivered from both ways to be more freely ourselves.

I try now to not even be abusive with my eyes. I’ve found that a helpful practice, to love other even with my eyes. Jesus, who forgave us all despite our abuse of him, taught not even to lust with our eyes. Murder and abuse starts in the heart, and we can weed their ways out of our hearts, through forgiveness and planting new life and ways of seeing one another. I’m excited to hear more stories soon, especially of the healing journey!

As a counselor, i hear abuse stories every day, almost 80% of the people i see have been abused on many levels. And there are levels of abuse. I think it’s important to see that abuse is not a man woman or race thing, it’s a human thing. I’m so glad that many are now coming out and telling their stories. That’s the first step! Then comes the healing process: anger, grieving, forgiveness and putting new life in the wounded area. It is possible, and I myself have come through many stages in being healed in the areas where I was abused.

So I’m never surprised. I’m often surprised if someone wasn’t abused!
This is true among ministers, artists, and most people i work with. I usually just assume abuse, and ask which type. This is sad but unfortunately true for many many people.

Another little warning….

This abuse thing really isn’t meant to turn men against women or vice versa, or race against race. I was personally abused by women, but through the healing process have come to love and appreciate women in a special way. And I think i have become a safe place for women just to be themselves and honored.

Still, this was a process, as at first i did not trust especially older women, as I was abused by two who were supposed to be caring for me. I had to really forgive them in my heart, to get free of fear and hatred towards other. And ironically have a special care now for older women particularly. That’s redemption!

It’s possible through forgiveness to actually love our enemies, and to say with Jesus, “Father forgive them, they have no idea what they are doing.” But first of course, we have to admit something terrible and wrong happened to us. And that seems to be the step people are taking now! That’s good news!

But this is a long road to get that forgiveness fully in your heart. To incarnate forgiveness takes time. And to move in newer ways of life, as we also confess areas we have retreated in fear and shame.

So I will continue to pray for those who are trying to grow now into greater Wholeness in these wounded areas of life. Again, thanks for sharing friends. It’s a great start.

It is good to be angry, hurt, and grieve, and then forgive and confess areas where you have moved in control or fear in these wounded areas. Most people don’t think of confession as helpful for someone who was abused, but it is. More than likely if you were abused, you have areas you also have sinned to contain the pain, or keep yourself safe.

Understandable, but i always ask people—what about your own sins, assuming you had to armor yourself after this attack, and probably still have bitterness towards the type of people who abused you. Bitterness towards and tearing them down is also a sin. As is taking control of your boundaries in a way which allows no one to really love you. To be able to risk love again, is huge in the healing journey, and for enjoyment of life as well.

I’m hear to tell you that Jesus really can heal you, and will walk with you through your whole house, and let you grieve and get clear and walk in newness of life. I’m living proof of it.

Once your rooms gets cleared out through forgiveness and confession, often there is real relief! And shame, guilt and depression do actually lift off you. And energy returns which can now be used to help others.

Abuse is an ancient problem, at least going back to Cain. But historically many have actually healed from patterns of abuse, and lived freer creative and beautiful lives. It’s possible. I’m proof. I’ve learned to weed out patterns of abuse from my own life daily as a practice. And feel like He made me a safe place for others to come and start that same process. No joke, healing is real. We can really be being made whole, and learn to love our enemies with the heart of God.

Of course, it helps to have a Friend who really is acquainted with all our grief and was literally bruised for our healing. And by those stripes and his empathy with ours, we truly are healed. He really is acquainted intimately with all our griefs, and was even in the room when your abuse happened!

I’ve seen it over and over., Jesus is in every room ourselves! I often help people see Jesus in the room when the abuse happened, and sense his personal pain for us! He loved us at that moment to. To get love into those abused rooms, is life changing!

In counseling others, I often ask the Holy Spirit to guide us through the abuse rooms and I try to follow His Pacing with each person. Sometimes only one room at a time, depending on the level of abuse.

But Jesus can clean the whole house over time! I bear witness to this real thorough healing in myself and others! Then learning to walk in newness in those wounded rooms becomes our daily spirituality and practice. It’s exciting to find what that room was really intended for! Our most wounded rooms then become our greatest authority, for He is there speaking love from that place in us for others!

And sometimes we have to ask forgiveness for our anger even at God for not protecting us. Then confess how we went on to protect ourselves instead. This is a later stage of healing, but is essential in restoring our relationship with God.

Thanks friends for sharing! More soon on this needed topic which has come more into the light recently. Good first step. I’m thankful so many are saying they were abused, I now look forward to hearing from those who can say, i was also healed! Now the journey…each voice and story matters! These are exciting potential times of great collective healing. Bringing things into the Light is the first step.

If you want to share your stories with me, I’m open, and I’ll share more of mine. I didn’t really want to tell my whole testimony here, but to offer hope and empathy for my many friends who are starting to share theirs, and enter more deeply into their true stories!

Thanks again for the many who are sharing their hard stories right now. May the Light of His Healing begin to shine more fully and radiantly into the darker rooms in your heart friends this day! I look forward to the fruitful life giving and open dialogue which can come as we take steps towards healing together!

Looking forward to watching the healed, or those further along in the healing journey, start to speak into those who are just starting the healing journey. These are hopeful times for us all, as what was in the dark is being brought into the Light. I’m thankful that people are sharing.

I talk with so many people daily. Very thankful i am welcomed at many types, races and generations of tables. Recently talking about abuse and those who are starting to heal from it. Good and needed conversation i think.

I’m glad the healing journey is starting for many now. Being a person who counsels and has come through abuse healing, very glad people are starting to consider this healing opportunity in our times! We are more than victims! We are even those called to serve from and out of our victimization, and model Love for others.

What I’ve learned from listening and living is that all of us are at different levels of abuse and healing. So let’s be patient with one another, and help others get at least as far as we have come thus far.

God wants to form Himself in the exact area of your wounds, and make His Life apparent and obvious there. For some, this must become their primary spirituality in this season, so that they can truly walk out, be themselves and bless others again. Thanks for your bravery friends in starting the process, now let’s walk on…

Meeting God through symbol first—raw notes:

Sometimes people paint their way into the Kingdom. Sometimes the symbol is where they meet God first. And then they work it down into the other parts of life. Chagal for instance, seems to have met God a time or two, and even old Monet through his enormous water lilies seems to have wrestled his way into the Source of beauty. What artist do once at the gate, is up to them—some come all the way through. But, i’ve seen many encounter what is True directly through their creativity.
Knowledge is one way in, but if He really is at the center of what is Real, Lord over all realms, there are other ways in also. Jesus lives in dream as much as in any other place. Many people have direct encounters through dream or creativity. As my mentor put it. Some people are bent on meeting Him in vision and dream first.
I’ve seen this over and over with artist. We still choose what to do with what or Who we encounter. Whether we want to follow the Polar Star we meet in dream, as Heschel put it.
A life of incarnation isn’t easy, and many decide it’s just too much death to self required-too costly to pursue. Other’s go further in deeper once they meet The Gate. I like watching people meet Him in their art though. It’s direct, sometimes ironic, but always real.
If really is the Rock that all people eventually stumble over, then those who seek will find that Rock even if it breaks them into.
Information is just one way in, so is art. The good news isn’t just information.
I guess i believe in evangelism directly though the creative process. I’ve just seen it happen so many times, that it seems so. What comes after, is up to each of us.

Gleaning generations:

I’ve had this inter-generational thing going on lately, in my dreams and real life, being welcomed to the tables of both very old and young tables to be in their inner dialogues, and learn the concerns of each generation’s hearts.

I feel blessed, as I’ve always seen myself as somewhere in between the generations, and like learning from each! Sort of a watershed person, who is in love with whole River across time.

And I really do love all the generations and their gifts and thinking about how they fit together! Maybe i’m a generational interpreter, or at least appreciator of the gifts of each, and seeker of how our stories fit together symbiotically. We clearly need each other!

Regardless, to be welcomed by each generation is such a current joy. I’m a learner of the lessons we’ve each learned thus far. An inter-generational vision brings more clarity on the overall narrative going on!

I feel blessed to get to be part of at least three generations of current dialogue going on! I’ll keep listening and being thankful for each perspective, and considering how it fits into the big story we are all in, and learning to carry and write our chapters in! It’s a joy to behold more of the longer story!

The young are talking about meaningful jobs, finding their context, having hope in hard times. The old are talking about still being useful relevant, having a place to share what they learn. What if these two get together!

The local cooks:

Talking to these guys from local restaurants today—one french fellow, the other from here, another from New Orleans, they love cooking, but also feel the pressure of the industry globally. How to have it all prepped and cook well, have a sense of place, and then go play a gig at night with your band-have a life, in short.
How to balance life in short, in an emerging global city, and keep it real, seemed to be what was most on their hearts. All great cooks, a passion for composition and fresh relational ingredients, but also working 70 hour weeks, so it’s hard to maintain relationships and quality of life balance. Good to learn from the young, and taste their passions! One is the main chef at this french influenced local restaurant. Looks good. Plus, they all have catholic backgrounds and are curious how their faith interfaces with their passions. Good place to start a conversation! Finding calling still matters regardless of your medium.
Do you still like to cook? I asked. What do you cook for yourselves? Yes, but now i have an unlimited palette, so it’s hard at home to find all that i see which needs to come together. Interesting thinking about how one’s spirituality intersects with cooking well! Great topic! Enjoyed talking to these guys today. Look forward to visiting their restaurant: Politique. I learn much from those younger as well as those older! We are all just people at different stages of life in the end.