"If" ... My Daddy didnt want to teach me "faith" He wanted me to learn poetry.

My Father did not take us to church or teach us to pray. However, he wanted us to memorize poetry.

I started to look up the word "poetry" and see what its sources are, but decided not to. Poetry always come from the heart not the head.

I would only add to this, faith found on your own, and not memorized is my message here. To me, my Father's plan was a good path..poetry borne in the heart (not the head) has to me at least helped lead me to Jesus....and it is all about living in the moment.

"If"
by Rudyard Kipling
as I memorized it from one of my daddy's poetry books.

If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you.

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you...but make allowances for their doubting too.

If you can wait.. and not be tired by waiting.
Or be lied about.. dont deal in lies
or be hated... dont give way to hating.

And yet...
dont look too good
or talk too wise

If you can dream and not make Dreams your Master
or think and not make Thoughts your Aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster,
and treat both those Imposters as just the same

If you can take one heap of all your winnings,
and risk it all on one turn of "pitch and toss"
and Lose!
but start again at your Beginnings
and never breathe a word about your loss.

If you can bear to hear the Words you have spoken twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
or see the Things you gave your life to broken and stoop and build them up again with worn out tools

If you can walk with Crowds .... and not lose your Virture,
or walk with Kings ....nor lose your Common Touch

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you.
If All men count with you, but none too much

If you can fill the unforgiving minute with 60 seconds of distance run.
yours is the World and everthing in it, and what is more.. you be a man my son...

****

or, IMHO

"which is more, you will be in the kingdom my child."



Peace and Love
Keren

Monday

Dear Heavenly Love,

Please us help us be grateful and not grumble today as we go about our daily chores. Please give us healthy open minds and hearts; a positive outlook and fresh perspectives to help us not be mired in criticism and negativity of the things that support us, the leaders who make tough decisions for us or for the people or situations we don't understand.

Please fill us with your spirit of confidence, as well as hope, charity and love as we pull up our boot straps and get to work.
Amen

Peace
Keren

Jesus was a boy and did not have blond hair

Love sometimes requires confessing your sins.

Ok ok ok. It wasn't really all about the hair.. but well..I lose it (mind and hair) sometimes, hopefully you don't, but probably you do too. This painting is still not complete, but I wanted to change it...for me and for you.

We don't know what Jesus looked like, but most bets have it that he had black hair and dark skin. Many paintings depict him differently, and I tried.. but couldn't do it even with the doll. However, I do not see anything wrong with people who want to have a visual of him that fits their culture.

An icon or image of a saint or Jesus (or religious or spiritual people or places), sometimes contain symbolism to help gain an understanding of what the painter wants to convey.

We know Jesus was poor. The crown represents not only His Kingdom, but also His authority. The collar - His "yoke" of Wisdom. The Robe - His mantle of Glory, His preeminence. The crucifix - His Passion. The vessels for the Eucharist, in this painting, represent us - you and me as the vessels for the risen Christ.

Also, in this painting, the various colors of the robe are the various colors of the robes priests wear for Mass during the Liturgical year. Green for Ordinary Time, Violet for Advent, Purple for Easter, Red for Masses for Martyrs, and White for Special masses, Christmas and Easter.

That's all, I just wanted you to know I truly did not intend to be idolatrous, but I do realize that is just what I was being...please forgive me.

I do believe we have to put ourselves in the picture to make any belief real to us. Ie., start with a little imagination and then put your heart and soul into it, but not necessarily your hair color.

:o)
Peace and Love
Keren

What is Love Looking For?

Love is seeking healing to create unity and connection in People and Communities. Even among people and communities who may not always agree. Believe in it...Healing can Happen...Love is there.
That's a promise.

Peace
Keren

Love is not destroyed by evil. Why do people continue to give evil consciousness over Love? Forgive them they know not what they do.

Didn't Jesus tell us how? Love is for all of creation each and every particle.

"…who prays for Satan? Who in eighteen centuries, has had the common humanity to pray for the one sinner that needed it most, our one fellow and brother who most needed a friend yet had not a single one, the one sinner among us all who had the highest and clearest right to every Christian's daily and nightly prayers, for the plain and unassailable reason that his was the first and greatest need, he being among sinners the supremest?
- Mark Twain's Autobiography

Mark Twain ... curmudgeon...seemingly unbeliverish...but Christian Mystic IMHO
Peace and Love
Always open for comments or questions.

Keren

God is inside each of us, but He does not just sit there

When we begin to move past awareness, to actual consciousness, of a Loving God living inside of us individually...he is not just sitting there...He is moving and it isn't always comfortable.

What are we supposed to gain from this?...
our personal and individual growth, so each of us can gain something of value that we can then share with others.

What is valuable?...
consciousness of the God inside of each and every one of us.
God/Love is already inside you and me and other people too.

God/Love is inside each individual creature on this earth...even the nasty ones...even our adversaries.

What is a sign my eyes and heart have been opened?...
when you also become conscious of God/Love inside of your personal feelings...your emotions, fears, frustrations, aspirations, yours up and downs, your joys...

God is Loving every drop of our existence, because he is right in there with us.

So you can say to struggles... "Hey this doesn't bother me anymore!" but that doesn't equate to "I can stop growing now"

Life requires, no.. demands, constant growth - probably even from rocks.

The question is How do we move past awareness to consciousness...?

Here is how I work with it (in no particular order):

*meditation/prayer
*recalling dreams
*playing with my imagination
*finding frequent spaces of silence
*looking for it in others
*imitating what I recognise it to be
*feeling it moving inside my struggles, hurts, and pains
*taking frequent long hard looks in the mirror.
*participating in the Eucharist as frequently as I can

Peace and Love
Keren

I dont know about you, but I still need dreams.God shines in my desires, my longings, my dreams.

Peace and Love
Keren

Love Blessing for Today

May your day be touched
by a bit of Irish luck,
brightened by a song in your heart,
and warmed by the smiles
of the people you love.

From "Irish prayers" website
Peace
Keren

Emptiness; Wisdom; Truth; Love

In the arts:
Vanitas is a type of a visual Parable on reality; a symbolic representation of a message regarding the wisdom of viewing youth with death
and/or
abundance, or lack, with truth.

The term “vanitas” itself refers to the arts, learning and time. The word is Latin, meaning "emptiness".

Wisdom and Emptiness from the Old and New Testament:

do not chafe at [Wisdom] Sophia's bonds,
once you have grasped Her, never let Her go.
In the end She will transform Herself into pure joy;
Her fetters will become your strong defense
And her collar a gorgeous robe - a royal mantle
****
My burden (bonds/fetters) is easy, and my yoke (collar) is light.
****
You say, "The LORD's way is not fair!"
Hear now, house of Israel:
Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair?
****
Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth,
vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!
****
Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory;
rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves,
each looking out not for his own interests,
but also for those of others.
*******
Have in you the same attitude
that is also in Christ Jesus,
Who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
something to be grasped.

Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance,
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.

Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
*****
Peace
Keren

Top photo: the Infant Doll with Crucifix...work in progress (see previous post).
Bottom photo: "Destiny's Wheels" oil/canvas

Different: Cultures, Imagination, Reality

Regarding my previous post....I have something to add. If I win the lottery or it somehow becomes possible, I would go back to school, even at this age and get a degree! Major Theology / Minor Studio Art. I would first go to my home town, and enroll in seminary, Episcopalian Seminary because it is the only seminary I am aware of in "these parts" that allows women to become priests.

I have heard about a group of Catholic Women Priests and briefly looked at their web site, not yet in depth, basically out of respect for and, albeit, lack of knowledge about why men are considered the spiritual leaders in our faith tradition.

I have no problem in a Father figure of our Triune God, and I love or adore, and have tremendous respect for the men in my life who are or have been Priests or Pastors with education, degrees, honors etc.

However...At least in the Roman Catholic world...men don't seem to be standing up to the call, the responsibility, or, if it is truly only for men...the gift of priesthood.

Living in a big city as I do, I have been exposed to Catholic Priests from different countries. In particular, a priest from India, a priest from Korea, and most recently a priest from Nigeria.

I have a special interest in the priests from India. I asked the one I know if he was born a Catholic or if he was a convert. He said that he was born a Catholic; his Hindu family had been previously converted via missionaries to his country.

Hinduism is not really a religion...it is more a way of life - as Christiany should be. However, Hindus are not a monolithic group, any more than Christians are, or Muslims, or Jews, or Buddhists, etc.

I love reading about the various forms of yoga, and I recently bought a book "the Yoga of Discipline" which is full of Love /Jesus like teachings! The images I have seen of Hindu Gods, to me, are extremely imaginative!

To me, it seems to be reasonable that a Hindu convert to Christianity as practiced by Roman Catholics would not have a problem with Angels and Seraphim and Saints and Virgin Birth, and the transformative agent of the Body and Blood of Christ. In other words, they don't seem to have a problem with Jesus Christ, and all He encompasses in the Old and New Testament, being the essence of Love through with in all of existence, seen and unseen.

With regard to the Nigerian priests, there was an article in the paper several years ago about Christian missions from Nigeria coming to the United States, to be missionaries to us. Missionaries to us, the US people who have lost the Way, "The Way of Life" that we originally travelled afar to teach them about and to open their hearts to...the way of God who is Love.

Peace and Love
Keren

Amateur (Lover), Outsider Art, and Melchizedek

This is the painting I began a couple of weeks ago, beginning with the monochromatic under-painting. The next photo is the next "stage" where I have begun to add color and a little definition. I also cleared out a place for a chalice and ciborium, and since the Infant is standing on the Lectionary...it has some of the elements of a sacristy. Since I usually only paint on weekends, it will probably by 2 -3 weeks before this is complete if I am lucky.

Side Note: I moved it a little more forward today but had to stop to hunt for a document, and to do that I am having to slug through probably at least a year's worth of neglect of our desk and files. YUK! I'm taking a break now.

I used to bristle at the term "outsider art" which basically means art done by an "untrained artist" "self-taught" (which I am but didn't want to admit it)

However, I am now beginning to embrace the term because the more I know about Jesus, and Love...being an outsider / nobody is not necessarily a bad thing.

Outsider art can be characterized by the use of raw color. I do that. I usually only will mix one with a bit of its compliment to dull it a little, or make a darker color - like equal parts of fr.ultramarine blue and cadmium orange to make a brilliant black.

Many outsiders employ religious themes and figures in their painting. I do that too. Many outsiders are considered "different" or eccentric - but to me it seems many people who paint/make art are that way also, even the highly educated ones.

Yes, I intentionally put straight blondish hair on the Infant. I have begun putting "myself" in all my paintings with people. I know that in itself probably seems strange.

"Amateur" fits right in there as the opposite of "professional" Even though I do hope to make a living at it one day!

I have read it is not considered good form to describe yourself as an artist of any kind, it is a title that someone else bestows on you.

In the same regard, I sometimes wonder..."who do I think I am?" to say or blog that? I was giving someone at work a blessing the other day, and after he told me "it didn't work," he asked "don't you have to have some kind of certificate to do that?" I'm thinking he is probably right. A willing recipient; however, might be helpful too! :o)

Then, I remembered Melchizedek. Is it OK for somebody to say "I am a priest in the "order" of Melchizedek?" He was an outsider to the extent that he didn't seem to have any records at all - no paperwork, no certificates or degrees.

All that to say...my intention is good - to simply "put myself in the picture" (literally and figuratively) with my paintings and my Faith/Spiritual life.

Putting yourself in the picture may seem presumptuous, but it can be another way to say "to take responsibility for", or "have compassion with" a situation, or "turn a dream into reality".

Back to filing.

Peace Keren

The purple plant is called Persian Shield.

Loving love

It is like a home, a safe place, solid and secure.

Please understand, Love does not necessarily make you happy or peaceful or beautiful, or fit, or wealthy; it can be scary, it can and will hurt if it is real ...it is safe though.

Once you enter into true Love, not fantasy, it is always with you. Eternal Life.

It is a place you have ready access to; it is a place you never have to leave, but if you do...it is a place you can always return to. It even has a beacon, which you can fix your eyes on no matter the distance; and, it watches you too....always bringing you inside.

Once safe inside Love, you are free to be Love to others.

Peace
Keren

My pastor's email sig line

Seek justice. Help the oppressed. ~ Isaiah 1:17

Hang On Galveston! We Love You!

My prayers and my heart are with Galveston and all areas in Ike's sight or reach.

My Him and I lived on a boat in Galveston for about a year, approx Jan 1991 - Feb 1992. We love the island, and its people - the BOIs (and the people that may not have been born there, but who love it so much they want to live there). It is a wonderfully unique, even eccentric town - its archetecture, its history, its tremendous spirit. There is nothing like it in the US.

I am praying for Ike's winds, waves, storms and surges to subside and for safety of the people, and the best of all possible outcomes for all areas in Ike's potential path.

God's blessings and protection and peace
Keren

About Me

I haven't mentioned this in a while, so I thought today would be a good day to do it. I blog alot about Catholic ways of Love and Church, you may think I was born in a Catholic church or have a long standing in the church, but I have not. I was baptized and joined the church 4 years ago.

No one in my family is Catholic. My husband is not Catholic. I am the only person among my friends whom I actually socialize with outside of work or church, who is Catholic, aside from two or three people I have met at church.

I am also pretty much the only person I know who even goes to church at all. My mother, who live in another city, belongs to a baptist church. My two "best" frieds are Baptists.

In this same regard I feel different than most people at church, because I have no Catholics in my life, other than them. The people at church i worship with in essence are my family whether they know it or like it or not. :o)

AS strongly as I feel about my church and faith, I feel strongly about Love as expressed on the front page of this site. To me they are the same. I feel called to both, and cant seem to quit doing either even though I most of the time seem to be all by myself...except for the Spirit that holds us all together of course.

Happy Friday
Peace
Keren

Praise Humilty and Grace

There is a female cantor, at the church closest to my house, with one of the most beautiful voices I have ever heard. Once, after an excruciatingly beautiful Ave Maria, I rushed up to her and thanked and told her how beautiful it was and how much it meant to me.

Her reaction surprised me. She pretty much recoiled from me and blushed painfully and was so uncomfortable I felt bad I had mentioned it. She was sweet but definitely uncomfortable with my praise.

I'm a little slow, so it took me awhile to realize her true beauty was her complete and utter humility, her complete and utter lack of pride. It occurred to me that had she reacted with pride, the pure gift of her voice would somehow have been sacrificed to her ego at my doing.

So now, when I am blessed enough to hear her sing, I just close my eyes and listen to the pure and clear voice of Love streaming through her. I thank God for the beauty he put inside of her to share His Glory with everyone who can hear.

I am not saying we should not encourage each other and compliment sincerely, we should... I am not saying we should all act with that kind of extreme humility when receiving a compliment, most of us can't at this point - especially not me.

I am just recognizing, no, I am praising the Grace inside of her gifts - that in of itself inspires.

Peace
Keren

Just some more thoughts on loving church

I can relate to Love in the way God revealed Himself to the world through Jesus. The misunderstandings, the ultimate rejection, as well as His teachings of loving eachother and forgiveness, the hope of second chances, over and over again...resurrection.

I can relate because I have problems and issues across the board, and it sometimes seems no one understands me, I dont fit in anywhere, I've been rejected, black-balled, ignored....when all I really want to do is good things, and be Love.

To me, Church (in my case Roman Catholic) is a rock...a constant in a constantly changing world. Church helps me find center and return to center over and over again - as needed.

In Mass, the focus is God, anything else is distraction. Married and single people, rich and poor, happy and sad, nice and nasty, losers and winners ... we are there in one place together to take in the life force of our God who is Love - the body and blood of Love; and through the Word, be reminded of Love's ways for us to have and to hold and to share out in the "real" world...for better or worse, in good times and in bad.

If we were perfect we would not need to be there. If we were perfect on our own we would not need other people, nor would we need Love/God/Jesus.

I am grateful for my imperfection and for that of others.

Peace and Love
Keren

About Love's Truth

I listened to Your heart this morning, what you spill out in Words. Love is never completely without pain for ordinary humans, unless you are somebody who has never completely loved.

Peace
Keren

cc w/gratitude fr rminijsa

A Prayer of Cardinal Newman

Lord Jesus,
teach me to be sweet and gentle in all the events of life;
in disappointments,
in the thoughtlessness of others,
in the insincerity of those I trusted,
in the unfaithfulness of those on whom I relied.

Let me put myself aside
to think of the unhappiness of others,
to hide my little pains and heartaches,
so that I may be the only one to suffer from them.

Teach me to profit by the suffering that comes across my path.
Let me so use it that it may mellow me,
not harden nor embitter me,
that it may make me patient, not irritable,
that it may make me broad in my forgiveness, not haughty and overbearing.

May no one be less good for having come within my influence;
no one less pure, less true, less kind, less noble
for having been a fellow traveler in our journey toward Eternal Life.

As I go about my rounds from one distraction to another,
let me whisper from time to time, a word of love to Thee.
May my life be lived in the supernatural, full of power for good,
and strong in its purpose of sanctity.

Lord Jesus, Friend and Brother, may I know you more clearly,
love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly day by day.
Amen.

Im going to add..
Please forgive me for being an over-reacting overly dramatic, pompous jerk to people I care about, like I was yesterday with Myhim.

Peace
Happy week
Keren

Spirit of Truth and Love

The truth is simply “not a lie” The truth is anything that is not deceit. Love is not necessarily an emotion or a feeling; Love is any truth that is borne from the heart.

God might say something like...

"Please don’t block my Spirit of Love just because you don’t understand me. Please don’t keep my Spirit at a distance because you know that I do understand you. I love you with so much compassion and mercy that I will always understand you...and,..I know your conscience, why wouldn’t I ? I created it; it is borne from my heart."

Morning musings.

I have a whole day to myself . MyHim is working overtime today. It is SOOOO NICE to have a day to myself. He took my car, and I can’t drive his, so I am on foot or stuck at home, unless I want to ask someone to drive me somewhere.

Stuck at home is good though, because I have tons of projects that need to be completed or moved forward and it is wonderful to have some uninterrupted time to do that.

Peace and Love
Happy Weekend
Keren

Meditation on Emmaus

I held you in mmy heart in meditation last night. We were walking, we had walked for some time together. I saw you start to walk away, and I asked you to please stay with me and hold my hand. You said you would not let me get lost.
I believe you.

Happy Day
Peace
Keren

Love is the Greatest Healer to be Found

What kind of transformation are you looking for? A fearful heart with a protective shell can be transformed two ways....into tenderness (compassion) or into stone (apathy).

Crack open the shell..,let some light in...free the prisoners and the slaves inside of you, then go free the rest of the world. The Spirit is easy and Its burden is light.

Peace and Love
Keren

NEW!!! Labor Day revelations

Happy is good! Spread the Spirit of Love. Help eachother along the way. What ever you do for the poor, the lonely, the outsider, the little ones in life... you do for Love. Feed your sheep, dont deprive them of food and drink. They wont be transformed by your neglect, but they will be transformed by your LOVE.


Peace and LOve
Keren