It, They, He Never Fails

It never fails.  I peek at the news, both sides, and they’re still at it.  They are mean people saying and doing mean things.  These people are frightening.  I believe many of them would do mean things to all of us if they could get away with it to make us believe and do everything they believe and do.  I may not be the brightest kid on the block but I know a mean person when I hear one.  I am not scared of any of them individually but collectively with power, they are very dangerous.  

It never fails.  I spend a considerable amount of time reading and meditating on The Bible.  I read commentaries on the passages.  I read about Jesus and His work.  He is very kind.  He is always looking out for the little person, the hurting, the sick, the one the world is up against.  He never talks mean because He isn’t.  He also calls me to His work, every day, to everyone I meet.  What is his work?  Believe in Him and help others too by loving them with the kindness He loves me with.  I am not that religious but I know a kind person when I hear one.  I am not afraid of Him because He tells me all the time to not be afraid and collectively with His power, we are brave and committed enough to be His kindness.            

Benson Sculpture's work, The Light From Within
installed in Kokomo IN

 

You Should Think "Thank You" If You're Thankful

I was reminiscing yesterday to my wife about my exploits when I was younger.  Actually, I was reminiscing about my parent's response to my exploits, always gentle, forgiving, and caring.  I was not your typical wayward preacher’s kid, I was over the edge but there was a certain wonder of it all, my parents.  In all the fall after going over the edge I never felt shamed by them nor did I feel anything other than a complete security of my place in their family.  I often marvel at how these two only children, from such disparate backgrounds, could have become such remarkable parents.  Only God can account for it.  One of the results of this is, not only have I always felt my parents to be the greatest hero’s, I have also longed to know God in the way they do/did.  When someone is so wayward and living in rejection of all that another stands for and that other can allow that person to feel such ongoing and persistent gentle care and forgiveness, you never get over it.  That was my introduction to Jesus in whom is the perfection of what my parents modeled and to Whom they always laid my glory for them at His Worthy Feet.  

My mom and dad, my sister Tressella and brother PR, and me 
in my mom's arms, the way I always feel.

   

The Un-Sterning of Good Morning

Who is the first person you say “Good Morning” to?  It is important.  The first person I kiss every day is my lover as I am rolling out of bed with a quiet, “love ya, baby”.  I tell God “Good morning” first thing I say to him.  Want him to know I know who is doing it and if you can pull off morning someone ought to tell you “good!”.  The reason I write this is because saying “Good morning” always makes me smile and I like that.  My wife’s resting facial expression is a smile, mine more a neutral stern.  Now I am not naturally stern but Zoom has shown me that one's natural, resting expression is important and stern is the only word I have come up with to describe how I naturally look.  This is a very long go along to just say, smiling is important to everyone who is looking at you and if saying Good Morning makes you smile you should say it a lot—and, if morning is important, which it is because if you didn’t get morning you don’t get anything afterward, which is plain to see important, then we all should tell The One who makes them all, “Good Morning!”

Resting and un-sterning by saying "Good Morning!"

   

Momma Was A Rolling Stone

I am a rolling stone.  I married a rolling stone.  We have such meaningful times always going to look around the bend.  There is so much beauty to see.  We saw several waterfalls yesterday, lost on a back road where we were in three states in less than 30 minutes.  In one deep hollow hosting a winding stream we came upon an old homestead, Russell the old sign said.  In the 1800’s he had driven cattle to Sacramento California, sold them, sewed the gold coins in his vest so he wouldn’t get robbed, and came back to North Carolina to settle this hardscrabble farm deep in the Appalachians.  Only remnants remained, an old spring house, a few outbuildings, and three corners of what was once a fine home were all that was left.  Miles from nowhere and no one; here we were, two rolling stones rolling along the path of another one.  God is good.  All the time.  God is good.   

old spring house with Hounder

The Man Builder Knitter

I know two men who are trying to rebuild their lives after devastation visited their bodies.  Both men are qualified for the enormity of their task because both men have secured themselves to the Man Builder.  All of us become who we are with very little consciousness of the act.  We are born and as we grow we become us.  But there are a few that for one reason or another, often tragedy, have to redo it conscious of the whole event.  Becoming a man is not easy.  It is the most difficult task imaginable because there is no manual.  Each part of you tragedy took away, you must now learn to do all over again.  If you lost the use of your right foot you will have to learn to do all the things your right foot used to do in some other way.  It is perhaps the greatest accomplishment of humans to consciously rebuild themselves from the parts tragedy didn’t take.  This is where the Man Builder part comes in.  Every step of the process is salved by the gratitude that blooms in you as you are remaking this most wonderful gift, the gift of being.  And that gift is given freely by the one who knew us all before time began.  Being you is because someone built you,  “knitted” in fact.  And some of us, the meaningful few, get to do it all over again, only this time we help The Man Builder Knitter.  

     

GO!

I was reminded again this morning what a great gift starting is.  Remember when we were children, the “Get Ready!  Get Set!  GO!”  and we were off.  Oh, the possibilities; winning the race, climbing the hill, breaking the red rover chain, getting the girl.  That is what today is, a new beginning, a new start, a new GO!  I read somewhere lately, “Don’t look back.  You’re not going in that direction.”  Good advice for old artists, and first-year teachers.  Half the battle is won by just showing up.  It’s raining today, natural obstacle course.  What will we do today?  Get Ready! Get set!.....GO! 

My sculpture, "Oh, The Possibilities or Great Baby Names"

It Is Like That--Off The Grid

Fair Haven is off the grid, no internet, no cable, and barely a phone signal.  It is strange how quickly we become disconnected, just pull up, get out and you are off the hotline.  How do we fill our days?  First, we are conscious of being together, there is another human present and we are naturally drawn to developing that relationship, she is my only human contact, the way I get all my news, information, commentary, and opinion.    Secondly, we work together.  Making a home in what was forested shoreline comes with a lot of work.  Yesterday was spent working on a trail we are making across and up our mountain.  Learning to work together is exactly like learning to dance, each one learns the moves, in dance, it’s called grace and in work, it’s called efficiency.   Third, we read, study, meditate and learn.  This is often done in silence but the sincereness is physical.  It begins with two souls nourishing and continues off and on throughout the day with enjoyment, learned conversations, and what I can best describe as meaningful being.  And then there is God.  This is much harder to explain but the most obvious result of being off-grid.  We know the days slow passing.  It begins with dark morning and routine; we see the sun come up and move veristically overhead but also we see it move horizontally across the mountains as the earth tilts toward the coming season.  We consciously observe the sky, the forest, the lake, and all the life that passes through them.  We celebrate the day, the eagles, the pelicans, the breeze, the warmth of the sun, the animal tracks, and all the sounds that make up the natural world.  Every day the world is new, vibrant, alive, and teeming with meaning.  It is almost never loud even though there have been tremendous storms, but it is really, deeply, spiritually, meaningful.  Each day is filled with that.  It is like the world was made so we could be alive.  It is very slow because each moment is alive and available for us to live.  It is being with God.  It is like that.