Creation

I was recently reading through my travel journal. (this is a great thing by the way. Everyone needs to do this. I know, I know, i hate journaling too, but reading back on it is amazing). I came across this excerpt.

"Today I watched the plane catch up to the sunrise.  It was magnificent.  I imagined I was at the creation.  I think a sunrise, especially over the ocean, is as close as we can get to Genesis 1.  I think is was raised like most Americans to think like an American about the creation.  I'd like to think we got it all wrong.  I think God took his time.  He made an amazing show of light and color and intracasy mixed wtih douses of unbridled simplicity.  I'd like to think he was not on a schedule.  He just was getting it perfect.  Whatever time he took to do all this he called, 'day'.  Not that it matters at all, I'd just like to think that our process of attempting to create art, beauty, music, is a pale glimpse (YET IT IS A GLIMPSE) of the divine beauty that so readily presents itself to us at all times."

Wow. I remember that often. I really want to believe that this is what it was like. It was a great masterpiece of God's art. The original art piece. What a thought. Art is is a reflection in to the divine heartbeat.

I have recently been into art. I think a lot of things about art, but one of the things i really love is that it starts with nothing. Not even a thought. Then things start to come into being. The artist has a thought, that turns into an idea, that makes her go get a frame and a canvas, and the color red. And she creates something.

I think we are wired to create. And in this we are a reflection of the Maker. I love that the Bible uses the imagery that we are created in the image of God. I like to think that in that image we have God-stuff in us. We often get caught in the physical part of that imagery. (this in itself is so profound. YOU look like God. Every part of you. This in itself may be the foundation of the sanctity of life. A solid reason to fully respect everyone. Why do we have such a problem with this?)

But, I think there is more to it than the physical part. I think we have the essence of the creator in our fabric. We have the desire to create from nothing, just like day one.

Further, I would say that if this stops, we are not being fully us. We are less than we are supposed to be.

So I ask myself, what am I doing to fulfill this part of my being. Am I a creator? What am I creating? Am I sharing this creation with others?

The last question is so dangerous. It is. I mean, I believe that this is one of the reasons that man is a cognizant creation, so that God could share God's self with something. So that (and I may be out of line, but) the creation could be liked, or disliked...thus forming relation, intimacy, love.

I think at the core being of God is relationship. That ever action that God has made has been out of a desire to relate to man, to increase the intimacy between the trinity, and what ever depth I cannot understand.

This to me is an amazing truth, God created/creates out of a desire to be relational, to love. so cool.

38 things I love (right now)

(not in order of importance)

1. home
2. my wife
3. british accents (I am convinced that I would be at least 105% cooler if I had one of these)
4. fantasy stories (especially with ones that have elves in them)
5. people
6. a great meal
7. a great meal with good people
8. a great meal with good people and good wine
9. wine
10. my frenchie
11. stuff that plugs into the wall
12. Apple products
13. playing music
14. Asian art
15. hotel cleaning services
16. meeting new folks
17. a long meal that you never want to end
18. accomplishment
19. talking about cars (and wishing someday to drive the sweet ones)
20. Snow Patrol
21. potty humor
22. text messaging
23. a great view of the city
24. a calm bay
25. fall in Japan
26. rain in Oregon (with a fire inside of your house)
27. the feeling you have about 1 hour after a good workout
28. the release of redemption
29. the security in knowing that I am loved.
30. articles by Bill Simmons
31. trash talking with anyone with the last name Sturm
32. my niece's jibberish
33. my mother's concern for me no matter what
34. change
35. spending time at Brad's house
36. playing golf (as long as I am doing well, beating Schnabel, or playing in a scramble)
37. hot tubs
38. a good suit

addendum to 'desperate hope'

Get out your hankie, Sheryl!

I recently had the honor of being in a wedding between two very dear people to me. It was a great time. I met a bunch of new friends. We laughed a lot, ate too much, and I actually danced.

All that was great and stuff, but the real meat of the thing was what struck me during the ceremony. What a setting to taste hope.

Here were two amazing people. And there was this audience of their most beloved people. The crowd was so excited to see these two get married. And not just because they were good folks, or even good folks together.

I think it was so holy in that place because everyone could see these two in their nineties together, still flirting, still in love, proud of a good life lived. Everyone, I think, sincerely wanted this for these two. And what occurred to be was that a wedding is more than a commitment, its a tangible setting for hope to descend on a crowd of people and just blanket that place for a moment in time. In that setting, it was something you could drink. It was surreal.

I was just in Chicago. I was there when Obama won. I haven't ever been in a city that was more filled with hope. It binds us together when we face the future, when we face uncertainty.

I hope.