Saturday, July 31, 2010

A wee bit of art

I've been looking at all these blogs and the incredible talent that is in them. I was thinking about my lack of artistic endeavoring and was also thinking that I might like to be endowed with this drive(as if I need another time consumer in my life).

Today I realized I have tried my hand at it, but only once.
I was at a eight day retreat in 2002 and this scene presented itself to me. I was drawn to take up pencil and paper to record it.
After all these years I have pulled it out to look at it once again.
The picture is of an Inukshuk on the Kenebecasis river near Saint John. These rocks were precariously standing on another rock as if they were glued there. They were perfectly balanced with the flat table top. Beside this was a fish net and hoop carefully laid out as if to be used as a center piece or something.
Anyway the piece caught my attention and I spent much time during my stay there contemplating and meditating on it.

My journal indicates that I saw the flat rock on top as God's banquet table for me that week, and what a feast he had prepared for me.
The net is an instrument of death yet it brings life to many by providing food.
The grace I asked for ; "to open my heart so that I can grasp the treasured gift He has to offer and call it my own."
The week became one where God was  re-treating me to the generosity and gentleness that He is and I spent the week re-experiencing that which I have known but perhaps stored out of mind.
The treasure I found that week was that I can be the fertile soil that the word of God needs to flourish in and feed others. For that to happen I noted that God would have to stretch me.... a lot.
I asked God to stretch me. He gave me 1Samuel 3:11  "See I am about to do something.."
I spent the week like a crow, gleaning every little tidbit of God's grace from many different venues.
I left the retreat with Francis of Assissi's instructions to his followers:" Go out into the world and preach the good news of the gospel...use words if you have to.


Apparently God has stretched me a bit because I have become so revved up about sharing my journey that I now willingly share with anyone who shows interest in learning about God.
That was an awesome retreat week, one I am glad to have revisited.

5 comments:

  1. I Still think you should take up a wee bit more of art!! Maybe after your surgery, with nothing to do you could try the left handed form of art and I would let you use some of my stuff too.:))

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  2. ...well I must admit that the way you use a pencil/pen to express your thoughts is a definite gift...But I'll be darn here you go again ! Using the pencil in another gifted way! What's going to come out of you man!

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  3. Obviously, you have talent....the drawing is great.
    And yes, it wonderful to be able to express ourselves in different ways other than word but it sounds like your primary spiritual language must be words as you have such a desire to tell other about your God and your faith in Him.....but it doesn't mean you can't use both.....Sounds to me like God is explanding your world......

    I love reading about your retreat....

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  4. In response to your comment about your workroom having a tin ceiling and loving hearing the rain..
    Our mountain cabin has a tin roof and I love it when it pours rain...it always lull's me to sleep...Like you said angels singing to us....

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  5. Beautifully written bro, and beautifully sketched. Why does it not surprise me that you have talent in the art department, considering you have a talent for everything you take on! To whom much is given, much is expected :-)

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