Balloon Race

Last weekend, Tim and I went with some freinds to the Great Froest Park Balloon Race. It was a beautiful day, with a lot of wind and we got some great shots of the balloon glow the night before the race and the balloons taking off on Saturday.

Pick of the Week: BJ Jones Art Gallery

BJ Jones, Mizzou graduate and friend, now lives in California where he bringing remarkable vison to the art community. His light/dark contrast is striking and never gets boring. There is new detail and intrigue with every sketch or painting. He is a brilliant artist, who's perspective on the human form is unique, enlightened and speaks to the "Beauty in the Mess" theme that I am so big on. Look out for my favorite pieces, "Community", "Blues", "A New Birth", and "Splitting Heads".

http://www.bjjonesart.com/

Pick of the week: Post Secret

I learned about this website in the class that I took last semester. I'm sure that it is old news to some of you, but I was intrigued, especially when I learned that the All American Reject song, "Dirty Little Secret was about this blog site. It is called Post Secret.

People from all over the country, maybe the world, send this guy, Frank, post cards with their "dirty little secrets" on them. Some of them are painful, some funny, some scary, some just artistic, but still it is this beautiful collage of all these people's art. It is all anonymous, and the site might not be for everyone's eyes, but there is something to be learned from this site.

It had 25 million hits last year. People come to the "alter", so to speak, and pour themselves out. All kinds of people with all kinds of things to confess. Frank changes the post cards every Sunday for an all new hodgepodge of art and feeling and realizations. He has also set up a Hope Suicide Hotline for people to call in and have someone to talk to about their pain.

This site brings to light not only the problems that the American people are dealing with, but forum, where people can come as they are and share their deepest hurts and longings and receive help for whatever they are struggling with. A place where they can feel save and not judged. Obviously, there is a need for this in our society since so many people have responded to the Post Secret site.
You can link from my home page or here is the link.
http://postsecret.blogspot.com/

Pick of the Week: Firefly

So I haven't been keeping up with my pick of the week, but I'm so into the show firefly, that I have to get give you a chance to know that it exists. My first reaction was the same as yours. "You think that I would have any interest in a Sci-Fi, meets western, written by Joss Wheaten?" Well, I gave it a chance, and it is brilliant. The TV series Firefly was a FOX television show that was canceled mid-season and recently released to DVD. There are only 13 episodes, and I watched them, completely devastated that there were no more. But then, Serenity, the movie, which is also kind of the show's finale was released in theaters. I know, who makes a movie out of a cancelled TV show? (Okay, yes, Star Trek, but this is way better!) Firefly has all the humor that most Sci-Fi's miss, the intelligence that most drama lacks, and the mystery and intrigue that has me almost feeling guilty trying to get you all to watch it, b/c I know that 13 episodes and one movie later, there will be no more. You will be left with the same questions as the rest of the firefly watching world. There are websites and polls and petitions trying to get the show released straight to DVD, or some other station to pick it up. There are charity events that raise thousands of dollars for wellness organizatoins based around the comminatory that Firefly brings.

Am I Happy?

I wrote this in response to one of my friend's blogs that posted the question, "Are you happy?"

I am stupidly, ridiculously, shamelessly happy. I usually don't even know why. I start by thinking I have everything and more, and more. I love the street that I have to drive down on my way home from work. It is the most beautifully street in the world. I have my perfect dream house, with wood floors, built in bookcases, and it is painted in colors that I got to pick out. I have the perfect dog, who knows tons of tricks and just looking at him makes me happy. I have a beautiful husband, who loves me and takes care of me and we celebrated our third anniversary in June. God has blessed me at being good at visual production and photography. I have a love for hanging out with jr. high and high school kids, that most people would classify as crazy, but being around them just makes me understand why we are alive. I love my church and the people who I'm in leadership with and I have great friends and I have freedom to worship.

But this is all fleeting.... So why am I happy? I then think because this world is not my home, because there is a angry, worrier God who is fighting for justice and redemption in darkest most hellish corners of the world. Because I have more than today, more than all these earthly blessings to go Home to.

I usually forget about how good I have it, I take for granted that I get to eat 3 meals a day and breathe on my own, and STILL God is faithful to keep pouring on all the earthly blessings, even though they aren't the point. I am happy because I have a God who delights in me and desires my happiness. I am happy because I have a purpose, a home, and a Good Father, who opens my eyes to how good I really do have it. To say that happiness cannot measure a life well lived, is kind of stupid. If you are truly happy it is because you are living life in praise and thanks for life God is letting you live well. To not be happy with all the blessings you have earthly or not, is not giving God his due.

So if you read this, tell me what makes you happy on my comment page.