Pie

When Randy and I went up north there were signs for "Homemade Pies" everywhere. I wanted pie so bad, but the driver never stopped to satisfy my appetite. One day while crusin the tunnel of trees, a wasp got stuck in my pony tail and stung me twice. We stopped in Hart for baking soda and there on the counter was a raspberry pie with a heart cut out in the middle. I wanted it, but it was such a big pie! Last week, I made raspberry pie, but I made sure there were little hearts cut into the crust of every piece. I gave a piece to Elizabeth and she said it was the best raspberry pie she ever had. It must be because it was made with love. I had her take a piece home to Jim.
Jeff and I ate most of the pie. Turns out,Randy doesn't like raspberry pie. It only took 20 some years to learn that fact. So. . . I am looking for a small pie plate for future raspberry pies.

Chair-ity

It's my third year making chairs for the local Boys ans Girls club chair-ity auction.
This I did two chairs. The following is my artist's statement for the chairs.

Round Heaven, Square Earth, 2010


Round Heaven, Square Earth
Spirit, Matter
Spherical, Flat Planes

I had been thinking about the phrase, “We are spirits having an Earthly experience.” Additionally, I have thought about the spiritual and Earthly battles waged within and outside ourselves.

I took some time to study Ephesians 6:11 – 18, parts of Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War,” and I listened to the Flobots album Fight with Tools.

The syndicated cartoon character Pogo said, “We have met the enemy . . . and he is us,” additionally the saying goes, “We are our own worse enemy.” While these statements suggest that we might sabotage our own efforts, perhaps these sayings also suggest that the naive thinking “everyone is essentially good and has our best interest at heart” is what does us the most harm. Maybe it is our preoccupation with the worldly that weakens our spirit?

Some of us seem to have limited endurance, while others, both good and bad, seem limitless. Readiness for war includes understanding your enemy while building up your strengths as a warrior. These are the best weapons to WIN the battles we each face.

Where there is war bring peace.
Where there is sickness bring healing.
Where there is poverty and disaster bring resources.
Where there is hate bring love.


That's it. I love them. It was an emotional struggle to do anything creative this year, but these chairs helped to get me through that battle.

OH! When I went to Dr. Garza's to take picture's of the chairs I saw what I thought was a butterfly, once I focused I realized it was a BAT! It was out in broad daylight! I tried to put a positive spin on the situation. The word for bat in Chinese sounds like the word for blessing, so the image of a bat in Chinese art means blessing (the bat is revered as it helps out the farmer by eating bugs). Otherwise the bat was just ill and wanted to attack me.

Climbing Like a Crazy Man

A few weeks ago I shared with my friend Beth some of my ideas, my secret musings and hopes for the future. I suppose in my voice Beth detected some doubts, but also she sensed some vision flowing from the Divine. Beth challenged me and said, “What do you need, a burning bush?”
I have been interested in the burning bush for sometime now, mostly after discovering a painting from Albert Herbert that shows a burning bush at the birth of Christ. Also, I did a brief study of the work of Minnie Evans, and Seraphine Louis and found in the works of these spiritualist artists, burning or illuminated bushes. The plants in their paintings had a scary other worldliness quality about them. They were both considered “crazy.” Even Albert Herbert wasn’t taken seriously.
Recently I have been reading some devotional lessons comparing Mt. Sinai and Mt. Zion. Sinai is where the LAW was handed down, where Moses found the burning bush. Zion is where our MERCIFUL God sits on his throne.
My niece stumbled across some of her old writings, and in a journal she found what she recorded as she hiked toward the summit of Machu Picchu. In her blog she shared her find, the memory of her experience, and her long ago journal entry recording the sensation of her climb. In her reflection she discovered that she longed to feel that way again, “Feeling terrified and persevering at the summit; your summit, not necessarily the one on the map. It was all completely unknown. More than wanting it again, I want to know it when I feel it. . . honor it and document it.”
I haven’t been sharing that fact that I lost my job at Morenci. I don’t like talking about the poop, the hassles, the grief, anger, loan deferments, fear, unemployment, or the retirement issue. I’ve been quiet. This spring and summer I have been descending down Sinai.
Lately, I have been quiet and quietly moving up a mountain pass, thinking of the possibilities of a new summit, and feeling terrified. I responded to my niece’s entry saying, “I am on the side moving UPward feeling excited, doubtful about my own strength, wondering if where I end up will be less meaningful than what I hope for. I can hear and feel the thoughts of others; psychically reading their encouragement, doubts, and jealousy of me. I keep reminding myself to block out the voices and forget the results. It's the adventure of the journey and the trying that matters.
Am I on the right path? Do I need a burning bush? Which mountain am I climbing, Sinai or Zion? There is a passage in 1Chronicles that tells of David receiving some discipline. David could choose whose hand he would suffer under, God’s or David’s enemies. David chose God, because He is merciful. I don't need a burning bush to tell me what to do. I am at a point where I want to take my chances with God, with Zion, even if I look crazy doing so.

Glacier

The hydrangeas have faded, but a new flower have won my attention. These beautiful Glacier morning glories. I love the Heavenly Blue, but these have been so sweet and delicate. The plants have been robust and have given me many flowers. Flowers truly ARE comforting.

I apologize for the blurr I was in a hurry to take his picture before I bit his arm off. I was surprised to find a gingerbread man at Johann's in Boyne City in August. He was more molasses tasting than ginger. My recipe has more spice and I use mild molasses. But he was very tender to the tooth.

The lovely cupcakes were made by Wendy at Dr. Garza's office. She had bake sales on Fridays to raise money for relay for life. The pink swirl was soooo good. It was pink lemonade flavored. The violet hydrangea was red velvet cake, and the sunflower? I don't know. Never tasted it.

The Sun Sets in the East

On sunny evenings the light from the setting sun can be seen in my north/east living room. The light is reflected off the windows of the old school across the street.
It is a strange phenomenon that I'm sure isn't Feng Shui approved. But it gives me a thrill when it happens. On this day I took pictures of the school. It appears that the radiance of God is beaming from the windows, or that the sun is actually inside the building.

Forgive, but do not Forget

The Cats of Mirikitani is a fascinating documentary.
Trained artist Jimmy Mirikitani lost his family and American citizenship while placed in a California internment camp for Japanese Americans. The scars following the experience eventually left him homeless and living on the streets of NY. In spite of his circumstance he devoted his life's energy to creating art(cute cats) and artfully documenting his painful experience in the camp.

When he is offered help to improve his living status he is reluctant. Help can seem intrusive. But his persistent friend helps him obtain the fifty or more year old documentation (passed out in the 1950's) restoring his citizenship. He never received the papers and never knew the government's regret over asking him and others to renounce their citizenship.
His life for more than 60 years had been fueled by this injustice placed on him.

At first I felt saddened that his life had been consumed by this act of discrimination. I wondered what would his life had been like if he had received the papers. In reflection I think the intensity of what he remembered and the manner in which he expressed his story was needed. History was waiting for just the right moment, for the right people to hear and apply wisdom gained by acknowledging the tragedy of Jimmy's experience.

Jimmy's life was restored so that he got a home off the streets, but even more amazing is the love, forgiveness, and joy which now consumes his life.

Forgive, but do not forget
Do not forget to forgive

Seeker

"A seeker is a person who makes honest and sincere efforts on a daily basis to grow spiritually."

It has been a long while since my last entry. I have allowed myself to become consumed by many distractions.
My last entry was about seeing and giving full attention. Today I am thinking about seekers. I guess I accept the definition above. I think a lot about:
"life is a journey about becoming a better version of yourself"
"create conditions for success"
"there are no ideal conditions"

I recently read in Time magazine "Reading, in its quietness and sustained concentration, is the opposite of busyness." Lev Grossman, writing about author Jonathan Franzen made other insightful comments that struck a chord in me, "The place of (internal and external) stillness you have to go to ... to engage productively ..."

Reducing the external (and to a lesser degree, internal)distractions has been a challenge. For me the steps toward a "better version of self" requires "quietness and sustained concentration" to work at exploring/exposing my potential.

I feel a need to write a list.