“O God, you are the unsearchable abyss of peace, the ineffable sea of love, and the fountain of blessings. Water us with plentiful streams from the riches of your grace.”
— St. Clement of Alexandria (c.150-c.215)
Archive for July, 2015
18 Jul
A Label-Free World
What an incredible truth! (And, oh gosh, how it indicts me.)
I LOVE this short video about labeling:
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12 Jul
Sunday Morning Quote (7/12/15)
Suggestion: Try reading this morning’s quote out loud. See how it feels to you. If it seems a little fake or unreal, that’s fine; as an experiment, simply try it on.
“I constantly find new ways of looking at my world. I see beauty everywhere.”
— Hay House “I Can Do It” 2015 Calendar
Here are a few pics I took of beauty I’ve seen (and NealEnJoyed) recently:
This I know, and I know FOR SURE: We find what we are looking for. So, what are you looking for this Sunday morning?
10 Jul
Five Friday Happy Bringers — 7/10/15
I LOVE July (even with its heavy Savannah heat). July’s a bit lazy, sultry and hesitant to enter the second half of the year. It doesn’t rush into things. July takes her time.
Here’s why I’m happy, finishing this second week of the month.
1. Summer sautéing.
2. Admiring window boxes in Charleston on Tuesday.
3. Yes!
4. The truth of this statement posted on a boutique in Charleston:
So we better get to it!
5. Having to hide from the paparazzi.
Okay, one more reason for joy–grandson fireworks:
Have a great weekend–and avoid the paparazzi.
10 Jul
Don’t Tell ME You Can’t Tell I Teach at an Art School!
(Van Gogh)
(Michelangelo)
Last evening, I grandson-sat Daniel (8) and Gabriel (5) while daughter Amy and son-in-law Orte went fancy gallivanting around town.
First, we played a quick game of basketball in the 110 real feel (Neal feel!) Savannah heat, quickly realized we were idiots and ran back inside.
Then we ate a hasitily prepared supper (I like the word “supper” in the summer south so much better than sometimes-pretentious “dinner”), consisting of peanut butter and honey sandwiches, and scrambled eggs and microwaveable bacon. (Okay, so maybe not the healthiest Savannah summer supper choice.)
Afterwards, I broke up a third fight over what level to play a video game (Skylanders? Huh?) and threatened pain if they didn’t stop. (Do grandchildren anywhere take grandparents’ threats seriously?)
Finally I suggested drawing pictures. Daniel immediately bought into the peace ploy, quickly pulling out the tools.
We went to work.
D and G:
D:
G:
Me:
To be honest, I think I felt more pressure since I teach as an adjunct at an art school (SCAD–Savannah College of Art and Design). Allright, so maybe I teach ESL (English as a Second Language) there. But still, it’s an art school.
Daniel’s first (of nine pieces!) finished work of the evening:
“Spyro Super Fire Balls.”
Gabriel’s first (and only): “Morning Apple Orchard” (which looks a little like “Spyro Super Fire Balls”):
(“This makes my hand hurt,” he exclaimed, upon completion–and immediately lay down under the dining room table to rest.)
My first work, “Spotted Dog with a Bad Attitude”:
The muses inspired, and the art continued to roll out.
Daniel: “Let me brainstorm on what to call my next one.” (Two second pause.) “Sharp Tooth Spyro!” And so it was.
“Mega Bolt Cynder”:
“Destroyer Horn Spyro”:
Daniel wasn’t the only one the muses attended to:
“Green Tree Circle of Life”:
“Self Portrait”:
When we finished, Daniel and I curated an art gallery in the sun room. (We barely heard Gabriel as he kept yelling from the playroom: “Stop drawing! Stop drawing!”)
At one point Daniel looked at me and said, “This is SO much fun! Don’t you agree, Abu?”
My artistic heart melted.
9 Jul
I Survived Plunging Over Niagara Falls! (Seriously!)
On this day 55 years ago, 7-year-old Roger Woodward, who was wearing a life jacket, survived a 162-foot plunge over Niagara Falls after a boating accident. Woodward, who later developed a love of boating, became a certified diver, even joined the Navy, became the first person to go over the Falls by accident and live. He had one peaceful moment during the chaotic, scary incident… (1960)
While he was going over the brink of the Falls, he said he felt like he was “floating in a cloud. I had no sensation of up or down.” Newspapers called it a “miracle” that he survived the rocky bottom of Horseshoe Falls. It may have been a “water cone” that broke his fall, a phenomenon of water and air bouncing back up from the rocks. The retired white collar worker, who now lives in Alabama suffered only a slight concussion, scrapes and bruises. His first word when rescued in Ontario by the tour boat at the bottom was reportedly, “Gosh”.
— Good News Network
More info: http://www.infoniagara.com/history/rogerwoodward_miracle.aspx
Wow.
9 Jul
Grateful for the Cry of Reason
I love it when a voice of compassion, strength and reason is heard so clearly. You may already have seen this, but here’s South Carolina State Representative Jenny Horne of Dorchester County as she delivered an impassioned speech last night after sitting through hours of attempts to avoid a clean bill taking down the Confederate Rebel Flag from the SC capitol grounds.
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Thank you, Representative Horne.
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: … A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.”
Ecclesiastes 3: 1, 4
