Thought for The Day - The Voice on the other End

...of the Line

....the text

....the IM

....the Prayer

It's apparent our tools are useful. Our tools allow distance to be bridged with sparks and whispers of electricity. We can hear, see and as such, we remain in contact.

Goodbye can have such finality. My mom wouldn't allow us to say it when we left for the day; she told us to say "see you later." She said "goodbye" was almost a way of ensuring we would leave one another (somehow) and never see one another again. And yet, the idea isn't a bad one. The years have brought many friends into my life, mostly through Church or Work environments. And many have seemingly gone away, never to be heard from again. But others remain a phone call, text or Facebook messenger away.

Physicality and proximity...nothing like it! My daughter lives in New York, my son attends school in Missouri. And certainly we talk on the phone and through text often. We have a family chat where it's like having them sitting around the kitchen table again. But nothing is like having family, friends and close associates present and for more than a few minutes!

Thought for The Day - Talking

Sometimes it's scary isn't it? The idea of having to talk. Typically the idea of public speaking gets to many. I would say with approximately 28 years experience teaching and preaching, I'm nervous, but expectantly so. And the butterflies in my stomach are trained to fly in beautiful, regimented formation. But there are those times when I have to approach a stranger, someone who might have information. They have been identified as the source or a possible source and depending on the setting, it may take a few minutes or more to formulate my greeting!

Talking is a means of communicating; should be as easy as breathing. But sometimes we can communicate irrelevant details or worse, not be heard when we are talking. Either way, it seems like a waste of this precious gift. Talking, singing, poetry readings even speeches; containers for impressions, thoughts, opinions, the facts and deeper: the truth. I've looked at this gift of communication for a while now and taken note of the lyrics of songs and seen this to be true. I think most of us push music into a category of "entertainment," and assume it has very little to offer in the way of truth. But listen closely; there are ideals communicated that run deeper than simple love songs. Love songs alone, communicate truths that many find difficult to uphold, but they are ideal at best. Love someone, give your heart and devotion to that person primarily, everyone else falling to a lower priority. Now a question for you to truly consider: Why are there so many love songs?

You know, I can write in veiled and flowery expressions; it feels right to do so. It is not contrived and flows from my heart quite easily. But whether I write as if I'm writing a 'thesis' or in the language of a creative, are you listening?

Thought for The Day - Sublime

Sailing under a Penny Moon (in process) 12 x 18 pastels

One of my friends, when she saw my work, said "it's so colorful!" Now mind you, I don't know what I was looking for in that moment, maybe something along the lines of admiration, adulation, a deeper connection to the imagery. But that was her reaction. I didn't question, though in retrospect, I wish I had. Sometimes you want more than compliments or a "like;" you want dialogue, a conversation about impressions and feelings. This isn't an ego thing, this is Eddie, wanting to make connections and have conversations about more than which restaurant has the best chicken or the temperature outside!

When I look at areas of the above picture (in process) I'm struck by the tones and the depths of the color. Again, not an ego thing, but realizing there is a current, a well or vast ocean beneath the surface. Creativity is not something to "own" or "possess." Someone may own the pond that sits on their property, but you don't own it's supply. One may have the advantage of owning a lake, also on property you own, but wildlife that feed on it, the water falling from the sky, the minerals and every organism making up that ecosystem, do not belong to you. We are caught in the beauty of it all and it surrounds us. In truth, it overtakes and dwarfs us!

The colors, the sense of movement; for me the very sense that each color conveys an impression, an emotion and thought...no, this is not ego; this Eddie expressing his view of the flow he was fortunate to enjoy!

Thought for The Day - Words

You come across as confident, defiant and brash. But inside, you are full of fear. You use your words as daggers, held closely at the throat of familiars; family and friends. But it's not until serious damage is done that you realize the impact of words and you withdraw your attitude and replace with a "sorry."

Words can seem neutral - some words at least. They can seem powerless; remember the saying: "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Not so; the fuel of words are the intentions. We communicate truth as well as what we hope to be true. We use words as weapons as well as defensively. We block - or attempt to - hurt with our words. And sometimes we are effective. But words are like seeds or weeds: they grow where they are planted and if they are poison, they leave a permanent mark, maybe destruction. Words can also be like medicine or nutrients; they can heal the soul and bring life to someone who is hurting.

Using words wisely; I would dare say, if we examine the impact words "can" have on others, we should communicate not only truth but hope to the worst enemy! We should tell others what we feel, but as important what we hope them to be. And in truth - maybe it's just me - the worst of us should receive God's best. Not as a matter of merit, but because God's love is a promise of redemption, a perfectly clean re-start and a wonderful future!

A word rightly spoken...

Thought for The Day - Input - Output

Expand 18 x 24 pastels

We falsely believe we are in control of our lives. We think we have the tools to manage our day-to-day tasks. But the truth is we are surrounded by millions of points of reference. Input if you will, that influence and in some cases, command control over our lives.

What you say can influence others. Choose words wisely. But what you feel, especially the charged, heated emotions sits below the surface and given the opportunity - an individual available for dumping - we spew out angry words as if it were our birthright! So, while we choose words wisely when we are calm and thinking "rationally," we relinquish control, usually on an innocent loved one. What follows for many, are apologies and promises to "never do it again" or "do better" next time.

We are influenced, we store in our heart and mind both encouraging and destructive thoughts and emotions. In a polite society, we find it necessary to remain in control, but give us the room and the space and emotions and attitudes run out of control!

So who are we? Are we in control or reckless, harmful creatures of nature? We are both; and when we learn to harness our attitudes, our fears and our love, we become vessels of glory and honor for God.

Thought for The Day - What Do You Do When...

Fire and Ice (in process) 8 x 11 colored pencils

Incomplete sentences

Delivered in parts

Fragments as I sit and contemplate

Communication

A theme

Subject matter - expert I am not

My pencil over the paper, will not render a well sketched portrait,

A bowl of grapes, a bottle of wine and a candle will not come forth

But a soul used yet full of life

Will tell a story

Share these fragments

Render you captivated

And provide food for thought

Thoughts

That come to mind years from now

Sitting at breakfast

An idea comes to mind

And you'll say "I remember when..."

Thought for The Day - Talking

Saying something

Communicating

Words

Expression

RECEPTIVITY

A dialogue is communicated 24/7; your response to it as instant, whether you know it or not. We filter and catalogue more than we process acknowledge at one time.





And even when there is very little visually to process, we are

Hearing

Reading

And

Seeing





Don't worry...later on it will make sense.

Thought for The Day - The Message

You can read words until your head spins,
You can sit in a sweat lodge until every pore pours water
You can meditate until your transcendental spirit floats out to the stars

But the message you want is where you are.
It's no mystery because it is written and spoken in a familiar language
It speaks in patterns and rhythms
In images that haunt long after they out of view
Listen, but don't fixate
Heed, but stay in the present...

Thought for The Day - Channel

Or this vessel...

This vehicle...

This portal...

This life, these moments we have here on earth...We concern ourselves with wasted time, "missed opportunities" and using our time wisely. We should be concerned, but also mindful of our capability. Our abilities really are limitless! And when we consider that one way or another, we are completing the "mission" of our lives, it should take the pressure off, just a bit!

You know, there isn't a day goes by, I don't want to be in "the studio." And yet, I don't schedule the time, don't carve out an hour or so a day to devote to my love. I have questioned my devotion for many years and ridiculed myself enough to give "me" a nervous condition. But when I consider in between the heartaches, the moments of grief, I produce WONDERFUL work, it takes the pressure off.

I use this 'medium' to send a message to who ever will read and see it. Many days, I sit in front of the screen and it isn't a shortage of ideas and words that would prevent me. It is the glut of ideas and inspiration that floods the channel. The equivalent is as if you had a thousand channels on your cable or satellite television and all of it was forced through at one time.

I don't have a large audience, but for a few minutes a day, I have your attention...

Thought for The Day - Say It Anyway!

Not the insult

Not the gossip

Not someone else's issues or concerns

The world is crowded with that stuff and quite frankly, that stuff is why we don't say what needs to be said. But say "it," anyway. Say what needs to be said, what is encouraging, what is truthful and what spreads love. Sometimes, the words seem to fall on death ears. It might seem that "no response" is the equivalent of "I'm not listening," but say it anyway.

The world is full of words, to the extent, it is perceived: "words are just words." But words have always and will continue to be a source of power. Carefully chosen words can change the world and words spoken with intention, certainly change hearts and mind.

Write it anyway; when no one responds, when the usual replies and "likes" don't occur, when you wrote with  ____ in mind, but someone else responds, write it anyway. Now it's easy for me to write these things. And quite honestly, given the "right place," they are just as easy to say. But please believe, there are more than a few times I have to "take my own medicine." I am a listener, by nature. My default practice is listening. But it seems, because I listen intently, I am to respond better. Because I hear what you're saying as well as what you aren't, and I listen to God's spirit as He tries to respond, my words contain healing.

You know, there are days when I don't say much; I've used this and other platforms to say what is on my mind. And it can be downright unbearable when I don't get a reply. But I say it, I write it anyway. In this way, words that needed to be said, expectations for this world are expressed and little by little, our perception shifts. We become more and more as the divine manifestation we are intended to be.

Say it anyway.

Thought for The Day - Respond

A Response 24 x 36 Oils

When you are called or summoned, you respond; you may say "yes," or "what can I do for you," or simply go to the person who called your name, but you respond.

When your attention is needed, your energy or someone needs to borrow a cup of your time, you might respond. You may stop what you're doing, allow your thoughts and feelings to take a back seat to the needs of someone else, or you may be reluctant and outright refuse.

When you call, when you're in need or want, you might call out to ______ or ______ and even ______, or you may decide "I don't want to bother them with my problems" or "it can wait." But you know you would rather someone came along.

Do you call repeatedly? Do you put out the request often? Is it heard? Does anyone ever respond?

A Calll

A Response