Thought for The Day - Following The Pattern

"I have no choice..."

We need "expertise" to back up our hypothesis...

I've talked about it before, my new hobby: aquariums. As in plural, as in more than one. For me a dream and nearly overnight. In my 10 gallon, I have 5 Buenos Aires Tetra and 3 Red Eye Tetra. You can barely tell them apart and though the Buenos Aires came first, when the Red Eye were added, they learned quickly to do as the predominant group does. When they stand in formation, seemingly floating in space, little or no movement, you do the same. Or else, there's a nip here, and chase there. When the leader breaks formation, you wait a few seconds, then you break formation. But slowly, everyone does the same thing.

When we were children, we learned to speak the language, avoid hot surfaces and to sit up straight - I've struggled with the last one all my life, with a natural curvature of the spine. We learned - if we wanted to accomplish anything in life - to wake at the right time, what to eat for breakfast, which classmates to avoid and those that should be friends. Some lessons we learned the hard way, others, we simply accepted.

As adults, "success" is defined as a family, a home or apartment, a job and a car. While the world has been 'kind' and not required we all be accountants, doctors and attorneys, it has not been kind in telling us teachers, dancers, writers and artists are second class citizens; "you don't earn enough" or shouldn't "to contribute to the fabric of society. And yet, it is the individual who quietly or raucously, follows their own 'inner pattern' that blows the doors off our mundane lives EVERY TIME!

Some stand out as strange and eccentric and rarely outgrow that title. Some are just close enough to "normal" that they dazzle us with their eccentricity and yet do it with a quiet humility. But in my mind, everyone has the potential to be AMAZING!

For about 15 years, I secretly held the opening thought as my marching orders. "I had no choice" to be a minister, work in an office where no matter how well I served, I would remain a 'second class citizen.' I had little or no choice regarding with whom I spent Sunday afternoons or the movies and television shows I was allowed to see as a Christian...

But I do now! I'm choosing to break many of the patterns that define me and redefining the parts of me that no one knows. I'm declaring I AM AN ARTIST, and A CHRISTIAN! I'm saying quite emphatically that God loves diversity and the "oddballs" as well as the person who may never stray beyond the comforts of the sacred four walls. He love and celebrates the people who love with everything they have! He even loves those whose heart remains an open wound because it gets cut, bruised by those they love...

Thought for The Day - Walking

I've gotten in the habit of going out for a walk before eating lunch each day. Occasionally, I'll grab a bite as I make my way back to work. I see old and new architecture, young and old faces as I walk the streets of downtown Chicago. And my mind is absorbing and processing, creating stories, situations and focused on the internal. I gather ideas for "thoughts" and at some point very soon, I'm going to get adept at whipping out my phone and jotting these ideas down.

For now, for today, allow this placeholder until I gather those wandering, random thoughts...

Thought for The Day - Searching to Find...

Looking up, focusing on nothing in particular, glancing over my left shoulder, watching the fish swim and play and the orange, blue, red and white of the painting sitting on the easel...I absorb it, listen to it and wait for an answer. The question, unspoken, hangs in the air...how will my arm extend to the world today? A candle in hand, a light shone on the common place, bringing light to details we know, but ignore.

There are many details, messages and truths to know. I'm shining the spotlight on the ugly as well refined beauty. Innocence and joy, love and faith. But there's always another side to all of this and especially from a human perspective.

Thought for The Day - Troublin' Times

Oh it's a troublin'
These days and times
We don't know where we're goin
 And we sho' don't know how to get there!

I look out my window and see the movement of traffic north and south. All day, cars (people) going and coming, visiting and leaving, here and there. A billion thoughts, feelings, memories, todays and tomorrows going by. While it is dark, their thoughts are driving by, not resting, not enjoying a warm bed or the arms of a lover. It is, indeed 'troubled times.' Like a constant churning of waters from below, it leaves us all 'unsettled' and wondering.

I guess we love our drama...we like it served on fine china, on mahogany dining tables underneath crystal chandeliers. We like to trouble the waters - in another's life - and complain when others aren't giving us our dessert with the silver plated dessert fork. We are a troubled people.

All across the land, over the seas and in the far reaches of continents undiscovered (Maybe they should remain undiscovered; there might be peace there. But Lord knows we won't let it remain that way!), trouble rules the land! And when we lie down, our dreams are full of the raging, boiling waters of turmoil and chaos.

And yet the children play when we let them... undisturbed, full of laughter and not a care (trouble) in the world. But not for long; we need them as fodder for this fight!

Thought for The Day - Trying to Work Magic

As a kid, I was amazed at the idea of magic! Tricks were cool, things like linking two closed metal rings together was cool; pulling items from you sleeve was fascinating. But causing "change," bringing "something out of nothing" - now that was what I wanted to do. I wanted to animate my toy cars, make them go from "Hot wheels" to cars I could drive! I wanted my toy robots to live without batteries and to be ready to play when I got home.

I've always had a love for all things wonderful and seemingly unreal. I don't debate the existence of dinosaurs, their time on earth or whether there is a God or not. I am certain beyond a shadow of a doubt, that He not only exists, but that he holds mysteries in store for us, quite a few we may never discover while we are on earth!

Most of my life, I've known my relationship with God was "special." I remember being about nine or ten, and not wanting what "might be" to come true. I felt like preaching and being a minister was somewhere in my future, but I wasn't sure I wanted it to be. At 27, I was ordained as a minister of the gospel. Keep in mind, at 21, I realized there was no way to avoid it, so I welcomed the idea. But I also worked out in my mind how it would happen and the logical path to doing so. I learned a valuable lesson in my 20's: the "path" and "plans" of man don't compare to God's ability to order our lives! The larger picture is He wants far better for us than we could ever want for ourselves!

Each morning, before drafting the day's thought, I look at my statistics. It's a simple thing to do a quick refresh of the page to see how many "viewers" I've had till that moment. It's nothing to get excited about and I certainly can't quit my "day job." I receive emails from time to time about increasing my SEO for my website and such. No thanks, for the time being, I'm not sweating the traffic to my website or my blog. For now, I will trust communicating truth and my heart, will touch "you." The crowd? Later for that; for now, let's work a little magic on "you!"

Thought for The Day - Dinner is Served

Since it's fall, I have a desire for soups, stews, chili and pot roast! I love dishes that fill warm as they go down and stick to your ribs. Funny thing: as much as I like dessert, I typically don't eat them in the same meal. The phrase "save room for dessert" is lost on me, because typically, if I have a great meal, my concentration goes into "seconds" and "thirds!"

A month or so ago, I asked a coworker if she had ever had butternut squash soup. She looked at me like I was crazy and made a comment about that being a random thought - as if to say "you're weird." But it isn't weird to think of dishes you would like; I was just sharing the thought. Last week, I picked up a couple butternut squash, intent on trying to make them in my Vitamix machine. I looked up a recipe on the web and was completely blown away! I know squash can be slightly sweet, but the way the chef laid out her recipe, I suspect the squash would be too sweet for my taste! And some of the ingredients she suggested, I didn't have so I thought I would leave this until another time, after I purchased the other ingredients. Besides, my wife made a suggestion: check further, there are bound to be many recipes that don't call for molasses, brown sugar AND oranges!

But as I reflect on this little adventure, it occurs to me how many dishes require a certain amount of ingredients that, to an untrained mind, don't mix well. We, who don't cook, can't imagine putting salt in cookies, or that the flavor, vanilla is practically tasteless, if not sweet, when we put a sip on our tongue. We can't imagine putting sugar in soups or that carrots compliment pot roast and potatoes very well. That is until we taste the end result! Then we are stunned, blown away, completely amazed!

My friend, trust the process! I know you've had it hard. There are moments, days, weeks and in some cases years, when you and your dream seem to be galaxies away, but trust, since there remains a mind to consider the dilemma, you will be brought together; you will fulfill your life's purpose!

Many people go through life, uncertain and troubled. Oh they would never admit it; some of the same people try to raise children, work jobs and be good spouses. It's all very good, but they don't allow the disturbance in their soul to trouble them to the point of responding to the "call." Remember your dreams, hold on to them. In the dark of your present, dull life, recall it. It will be as a beacon, guiding you to a life that is fulfilling and rich!

Thought for The Day - Clockin'

Terrible for the senses

Makes you reactionary and wars against your sensibilities...

Some rise early, intent on getting a couple tasks for the day, completed before hitting the pavement. Some rise with a few minutes time before they have to get out the house; no "self-love" involved in their daily preparation for a demanding life. Up and out; no breakfast, grabbing whatever is clean or nearly so. And angry, frustrated is how they spend the day. And thoughts about the future? "I barely have enough energy to get through the day and you want me to think about what else I'm going to do?!" Yeah, sorry about that...

In the middle of "survival mode" there are people who are happy to have an expectation of income, however meager. They pool resources - i.e. income - buy cars, homes, and share food. And all the while their thoughts are constantly on the infinite possibilities that are ahead!

Sunrise; you've been awake for an hour or more. At this point, your mind and body are at peace. You've considered the day's activities, planned contingencies for what will go wrong - "if Bill comes in with the usual excuse of being up all night with his sick child, we will be weeks behind on this project, so I will have to _____." You have given thought to lunch, where and what and planned your evening activities: a trek through a nature trail not too far from home and a light dinner before relaxing with a book. Your income is sufficient, it provides for your current needs and a portion is saved for future investments and hopes...

Each of us are clocking; we are watching it, considering it, remembering what was lost, mindful of what is not available and where we should be in life. We are considerate of, angry at and hopeful -TIME. We want more of it and pray for better (timing) and bemoan the days, weeks and decades gone (i.e. "I should have enrolled in culinary school, I should have invested in my own business, I should have never married that ______!").

Time is a precious commodity and it seems to me, the best way to live in relation to it is living today, with resources reserved for the future you hope for!

Thought for The Day - No Quick Fixes

I Will Rise 18 x 24 pastels

Linen - A Storm's Coming 24 x 30 Oil painting

What do you do when the pace slows? What happens when the progress that was slow before, gets slower? When the energy wanes and your attention is elsewhere, then what? You dig in, you slow down and pay attention to what's going on.

There's always something occurring, seen and unseen. The energy is "there," just below the surface, seething, churning and looking for the right time to release. Wait. Patiently do so. It may seem the wait is long, it may seem "change aint coming" but wait, plan hope and dream.

Thought for The Day - Pencil

"Here! Go work with this for a while!"

Simple low-tech device and practically useless in a digital age! But remember, batteries lose their change and wall outlets aren't always available!

Some days, that's how it begins, a simple pencil. I have to admit, having spent years in college, I learned to choose my pencils carefully. I have a collection of several tones of pencils, everything from a 6H to a 6B. They produce tones from a pale grey to a very dark grey. But that's how it begins, that and a white page. A line, on a page, usually in the top left side of the page to ensure no space is wasted.

Quite honestly, I don't usually begin the process with a preconceived concept. Most days, this just feels like drills to warm up. But in the process of allowing my fingers and unconscious to connect, shapes, tones and shadows appear. An idea or theme comes to mind. I am off to shaping and planning; developing this idea with that shade of grey.

It's like that each morning, as I sit to write,  except I have "you" in mind. What will you say? What do you need today? As importantly, what should be expressed and where am I being lead? I don't get to set the tone of your life, or determine how the light and shadows play across your face. But I know that words, the expression of concepts, intentions and hope, contain power! And using this "pencil" is my way of lending my voice to the throng sending out truth and light!

Thought for The Day - Capturing a Moment

A few years ago, getting back to painting and drawing, I wanted to "capture the moment," to preserve images in my head, on canvas and paper. But at the same time, I was aware that the beauty of the moment was that it was transitional, transcendent. Certainly we have memories and words capture the tone, but nothing can capture that moment you turn, look up, catch a glimpse of light, shadow, colors and movement. The image, the memory is one that happens in a stream. We are only "here" for seconds and we are on to the next and the next.

Today, I think differently. I reason that this image, this moment will come along in one form or another, some other time. And quite honestly, it doesn't matter if I recognize it as such; just realize life moves on, good things (and some bad) comes back around and every day is an opportunity to experience life anew!

I have a head full of images, words, memories and concepts. I could write all day, paint all day and walk the streets of Chicago from sunup to sundown! But the external is a shadow of what remains unseen and I am not the sole "recorder of deeds." We are in this life together and we share this journey.

Thought for The Day - Gradations, Variations and Textures

As you can see, I love color...seriously, it never occurred to me, since I began painting years ago, that it should be any other way. I also love mixing and layering colors to get the effect of movement, light and shadows. For me, it's always felt like, even a wall, painted white, had variables and grades of white and shadows. There always seems to be more going on, everywhere and that life is this wonderfully complex movement. It's beginning and end, none of us will ever comprehend and quite honestly, that only lends to the mystery and majesty!

Tactile sensations...running my fingers across tile, polished and white, there are variations, tiny spots where the pores of the clay beneath the glaze, can be experienced. It's like skin, experienced in all it's wondrous complexity, with patience and intent. The clouds above, a child's opportunity to create without moving a finger, to imagine and see elephants floating above. There are shades, and colors and stories floating above, and not just for children. The clouds I see today, have seen a farmer's eyes, traveled over roads, dipped into valleys and stirred another's sense of wonder.

This sense of creation, the sense of wonder is one I cherish. It is my hope to render it in words and images. It is my hope to share my sense of astonishment at God's ability to amaze us!

Thought for The Day - Moving Energy Around

The Phoenix 18 x 24 (22 x 26 framed) pastels

It aint a pretty thing, this process of growing and progressing, but the "finished product" will be amazing!

We are all going through it, though some seem to do it with additional grace and style. But we are all growing and maturing and getting to know ourselves. For the most part, we spend our days chasing "the rabbit" around the track, and in doing so, we grow frustrated, disappointed, disillusioned and tired. We see the futility and vanity of living and question the purpose of breathing, eating and trying to be in relationships. But in all of this, there is a moving toward men and women who can be better stewards of the lives we're given! Mind you, I say this of those who are doing the "internal work," as well as those who work it out in the physical. Not perfect individuals or the lazy, who wouldn't lift their head off the pillow if they could help it. But those who hold on to that spark of hope, who secretly believe that life and their existence is more than occupying space.

I say this succinctly so there's no confusion: move that energy about!  Whether you make progress today or not, whether your plans are closer or far away DON'T. GIVE. UP!!!! Keep moving it, keep pressing forward toward your goals! Even if you wake today and feel so depressed and hopeless that you're ready to join the folks hanging on the corner - DONT! Sit in your frustration and let it work it's way through your system. Let the energy build and feel like it's tearing you up inside. Because in truth, that's exactly what it's doing! It is tearing down the internal barriers - fear, doubt, status quo - and making room for the "real you!"

Thought for The Day - Rise of a New Day

I am certain, I'm not the only one who considers this: there doesn't seem to be enough hours in a day!  Rarely is this said about our jobs, but for those times when deadlines are fast approaching, and the effort needed to complete tasks isn't enough, "work" gets thrown into the category too! We spend our conscious hours chasing a rabbit with a clock on his head, around a track! We rise early, go to bed late and wonder why we are exhausted all the time. Task after task after task fills our day! And of course, one of our biggest concerns is when do we have time for "me" or "us?" Is it possible to squeeze in a few minutes, an hour or two to relax or go for a walk - without it being a 5k for charity?

The dawn of a new day; there's nothing like it when you have time to appreciate it! Take time to appreciate it. Plan your day with a little extra time relax at the beginning of the day. Sit with a book or a journal, take some time to reflect on your progress, where you are in life. Calmly, with little thought of the day ahead, consider what you would like your life to be. Do so, pushing off "I can't" and "My finances" as much as possible.

Dream!
Consider!

And allow this precious time to become part of your waking moments!

Thought for The Day - I am "Here"

A red dot marks my location on the map...and this concept gets copied and modified on electronic devices and software. We can be found "here," or "there." Like the "dash" between a birth year and year of departure, there's no telling what that dot contains!  The dot, the dash, they're just indicators, but no indicator of the stories stored in that location. The reps can't tell you I've moved from this spot in the room, the house, or the office building. It can't tell you I'm on the first floor, getting in the tub or in the basement reclining on the couch while the television serenades me. And the dash doesn't indicate how many people's lives we have impacted for the good.

Words, representing a focal point for the day, a point of concentration, like the rudder on a ship. In this venue, the focal word or phrase says "use 'this' as a mile marker, a reminder of things important. Use it to build, tear down, plant and uproot." There exist thoughts, notions and intentions in us that are taking us to a dead end; we want life, especially in us. There are secret plans we've been plotting and scheming, perhaps we aren't aware how damaging and destructive they can be. We need a remedy, a sense of hope to redirect our course. Sometimes one word, a single concept is all that is needed to put us back on the correct path. And sometimes, the equivalent of an embrace (one word or "thought"); that basic human point of contact changes our location and the direction of our lives.

It's just a word, a thought or a feeling. In the language of "dots" and "the dash," it doesn't register. But in the day-to-day living, the microscopic details of the grand design, eternity is found "here."

Thought for The Day - This Day

The Turn  9 x 12 pastels

What will this day bring, this 24 hours, this 8 hour work day, commuting for 2 and the remainder? What is a necessity, a pleasure, a luxury and planned? Where will it take me? Who will I become and what will I discover about me?

A careful and detailed analysis doesn't yield new results, but each day is a new day. Each day brings new opportunities and another chance to make better, do better and be. So what will I do differently with this day? How will I improve on the plans for my life?

A few years ago, I worked briefly on this series "The Turn." My plans were as foggy then as they are now; I had intentions, desires but wasn't certain of the means. This day is much like that turn: I'm going in the direction the road takes me and I'm not sure where that is.

Thought for The Day - Effective Use of Tools

I bought a coconut the other day, for the first time. I've had countless coconut cakes, pies and such, watched my mom and wife prepare them and ate the remaining crumbs of coconut they had from the can. But I've never tried to crack a coconut myself. A "can of coconut", certainly, but never a coconut. So I did the research ahead of time. My mom said her mother bought them when she was growing up and opened them with a hammer. I had these "worst case scenarios" running through my head of my smashing open a coconut and the "inner parts" scattering all over the place.

So off to YouTube I go, to see what the "experts" said about opening and using a coconut. I had in mind to use the "meat" in my smoothies I make each day. Talk about a healthy way to get nutrition in your body! My personal favorite is a blend of fruits and vegetables and I'm fairly certain with the mix and the other fruits and vegetables I eat throughout the day, I'm getting my "five servings of fruits and vegetables a day!"

First things first, getting the coconut water out of the coconut. Still had "worst case scenarios" going through my head, based on the suggestions: using a hammer and a screwdriver to punch a hole in one of the soft spots. Okay, even if I cleaned a screwdriver with alcohol, I'm not sure I want to take the risk of getting infected because I used a device intended to turn screws. Usually screws aren't found in pristine environments, but dirty, oily 'contaminated' areas. Nope, not for me. I got a corkscrew and punched a couple holes in the coconut and out came the water!

Now on to the main event: getting the meat out of the coconut. I did have to use the hammer, but I tapped firmly around the center of it until I heard a crack. Then, with a few more hard blows, it was open and the semi-sweet taste of coconut was available! I spent a few minutes chopping the coconut into smaller pieces with a meat cleaver. My wife warned me over and over about holding down the coconut while bringing the cleaver down; old habits die hard, but no fingers lost! The next step was removing the meat with a paring knife. I also used the knife to cut the coconut into bite size chunks for the smoothie.

So from removing the juice to whittling down the coconut and putting it in my smoothie, I used five tools for a meal. There are far more tools available to use in a given day. Consider each part of your day, from rising to bed and you will be amazed at the amount of tools we use. But it's the practice of using them that makes the tools - and us - effective!

Thought for The Day - The Challenge

Well over a year ago, I began this habit of writing a "thought for the day." Funny how elements are introduced into your life. I've been writing and journaling for approximately 15 years and would have never guessed it would lead to a daily blog! And you know it's a habit when you wake, spend the day and practically go to bed with countless ideas on your mind!

My challenge is also daily; it's not a lack of content, but narrowing the subject matter. My challenge is selecting a topic that will be relevant and yet remain true to my inspiration. By that I mean it would be easy to write about what people have commented or "liked." But the true purpose of this writing is to encourage as I am lead to do. To write and give a little of myself away, as I do. There are times it seems like I'm empty or near spent. But I also find that sitting down to begin this process there's a wealth of "me" to share.

My challenge is overcoming my shortcomings and putting myself out for the world - EACH DAY!

Thought for The Day - The Gears are Moving

A car idling, is never really "idle..." External stimuli, anticipating your needs and responses. Or driven by the need to say, to render and present. I'm often driven by these forces and more. There is the "unseen hand," either turning my attention, redirecting, allowing the hurt of others (how is it I can feel the pain a friend experiences hundreds of miles away, without a word?) the smile of a child or feel of fabric, to catch my attention.

There's a world spinning, changing, unfolding like the blooms of a flower, day-by-day! The sound of a tune I haven't heard in years comes to mind and I'm quietly humming it and smiling. A beautiful woman standing at the door of the train and smiling at me; all parts of a intricate puzzle, a woven tapestry, a story with no end or beginning...

There are times when I sit in this room and consider the possibilities. There are times when I write and write and write. Sometimes while sitting at work, actively testing, I have to scramble for paper and pen, or open a new document to ensure I get this latest thought. Electronic sketchpad or old fashioned paper to document this concept, the shape of a nose or the gleam in an eye...

...the gears are moving, always!

Thought for The Day - The Calming Waters

It's a just a simple sound, a small whisper easily drowned out by the rumbling trucks and cars outside my window. But the gurgle from the water being filtered into the aquarium over my shoulder is welcome backdrop to the trouble mind that runs deeper in me. There are many expectations and as many disappointments in life. What you want doesn't always occur. But to watch the fish swimming in their schools, the snail making his slow circuit, the plants and rocks mirroring nature, it is calming effect.

Thought for The Day - Bacteria

"I'm infected!" 

This year has been challenging in that interesting way that if you aren't mindful, you ignore the blessings and make unwise decisions. A series of injuries, flooded basement a couple times this year, broken appliances, repairs and necessary purchases; it would seem that "someone" is trying to get my attention. But again, mindfulness, staying in touch with God, I am aware that "change is inevitable" and in truth, constant. 

We can allow what appears to be difficulty or calamity or misfortune, to alter our steps. I grew up with parents and relatives who observed weather changes and a collection of political events as a 'sign of changing times.' Of course, "the apocalypse" always looms on the horizon. That thought infected me, to the extent, I have had to work hard to ignore that line of thinking. When I say it's a struggle not to view life as an accident waiting to happen, I'm not joking! It's an everyday struggle!

But I've also received a dose of hope and confidence. I've viewed life from the other side, that is, an adventure, an opportunity to grow and progress. When I put my paints away shortly after college, 30 years ago, there was a sense that I might not pick them up again. But there was also this sense that it was an ABSOLUTE MUST to do so! And that same sense of hope drives me on, today!

Yes, I have a dis-ease; it will not allow me to rest! It will not allow me to accept the status quo and to live like everyone else! It drives me to solitude, to contemplation and to sharing "the good news" that a brighter day is coming!

Thought for The Day - Rise, Dreamer

Not much light around as I write this morning; I'm allowing the fish in my aquarium to sleep a little longer. As a matter of fact, other than the light from my monitor the room is dark. It's just one of my experiments in trying different approaches to the creative process. I'm also writing from a different room in the house, which lends another spin to the creative process.

What I find to be true: we humans are receptive tools of consciousness. Whether we are awake or asleep, we are constantly absorbing and "experiencing." Sometimes, we act "impulsively," but that action is a result of our mind, having processed a notion from a time before. There is so much to process, so much to work out and to express! And truly there is no limit what can be done when we make the effort to do so!

This is my challenge on a daily basis: break the chains, set yourself free! What seems like new ideas and methods of being are really paths of information untried! Open your heart and mind to soar!

Thought for The Day - Tracing Lines

Soul Dance 8 x 11 colored pencils

I've got my finger on the pulse

I'm drawing it across the path

Following the link

From source

To the place where it's needed

But I don't understand what's going on

Some mysteries are too deep to explain in a paragraph

And the network of interconnected lines and pathways

Too complex to map

At least, not alone

This is a group effort

Needs a team approach

The pattern

The intersecting lines

And the interwoven material

Leave me scratching my head