Ox Bow Park, Surreal and Psychedelic

I live so much in the built world, urban area that a visit to Ox Bow Park in Elkhart County Indiana seemed somewhat surreal. A gloomy day that aspired to allow sun penetrate the overcast cast a landscape in varying degrees of grey distinguishable only to those with acute sense of color or vision.

    Not only did the color of the day and nature intrigue us, but also the sounds.

frog-inhabited swamp

   Sherry and I noticed a sound which, at first, seemed man-made, almost mechanical. When we investigated it turned out to be a cacophony of comingled sounds of bird guffaws, frog chortles, and peeper peeps.

I imagined myself a stand-up comedian before the applause of nature.

   The intertwining limbs of bare trees looked like dancers in still pose, objects of photography.

    A Psychedelic natural experience graced our walk with periodic discoveries.

insect hieroglyphs

   Sherry pointed out the “insect hieroglyphary”. The designs in the tree were made by insects crawling around under the bark. I would never have guessed! I would have been certain it was alien signals!

psychedelic design

And the fuzzy-buds promised the blessings of spring soon to burst out.

fuzzy buds

In the midst of bare trees, overcast skies and, grey landscape, spring will not be resisted. Green growth will not be denied.

greenery

Cursive Writing as Act of Compassion

I originally composed this essay a number of months before Covid 19 prompted “stay at home” isolation. I post it now as an invitation to those of you who are skilled at such penmanship to revive it and make it an act of compassion by writing letters and sending cards to those in isolation.

“I noticed for the first time how cramped and unformed was my own handwriting; without individuality, without style, uneducated even, the writing of an indifferent pupil taught in a second-rate school.” Thus concludes chapter eight of Daphne Dumaurier’s novel “Rebecca”.

   This post is an encouragement to reclaim the art of cursive writing. I am not promoting the compulsory practice of cursive writing in school.  Rather, I encourage it as an art form which can enhance the enjoyment of writing, reading, and presentation of self.

DuMaurier’s sentence implies that cursive writing can reflect a person’s individuality. In a society where people are always wishing to be unique and “set apart” from the masses, cursive can deliver such an attribute in a dramatic fashion with minimal expense.

   Her sentence hints that a person can articulate an aspect of personal style, intimate an achieved level of education. These attributes can be convincingly accomplished through writing on paper, in cursive. The writer has choice of what color and grade of paper. You also can choose the color of ink.

Cursive can give even the most unimpressive gathering of words and punctuation majesty and make it emotionally fetching.

My own handwriting is and always has been just barely decipherable, even to me at later read. Therefore, to be practical, I will stick to block lettering and that from computer software.

   Of course there is cost of paper, envelope, and stamp. But, I assert that if you want to make an impression, improve your reputation, create a sense of individuality and style, apply yourself to the art of cursive. Imagine the admiration a reader would gain for you upon seeing your words in personal, authentic, and intentionally moved ink.

Imagine the sense of anticipation inspired in the recipient of such a letter as they break the seal of the envelope with a letter opener, pull out the sheet of paper, unfold, and feel very personally addressed by your artful and comforting words to them.

The Return of Jonathan Livingston

Jonathan Livingston

A sunny, 57 degree day invited Sherry and me to visit Island Park in Elkhart Indiana. People were walking dogs and children.

As we were walking across the bridge to Island Park, I spotted a seagull resting on the fence. It was as if he was prompting us to continue. Wishing to snap a good photograph, I approached too closely and he flew away. “Sad”, I said to Sherry.

We walked a bit and then, by chance, Sherry said he was back “It must be his perch” she added. “Ah…Jonathan Livingston returns.” I quipped.

Many gulls flew around, dipped into the lake and congregated near the shore.

Sherry and I continued our springtime exploration of nature.

Geese also congregated in the river. They must be finding adequate food supply, judging by the adornments they left for us upon the sidewalk.

I am eagerly looking forward to Rhapsody in Green. New are the burgundy, metal benches occupied now only by twigs and tree seeds. Of course everyone else will want to be the first to claim a spot. So, we will have to arrive early enough to make a claim.

The next sunny, warm day we have, just like Jonathan Livingston, I invite you to visit Island Park

My 1967 Detroit "Lock-Down" Experience

   My son asked if I had ever previously experienced anything like this Covid 19 disaster. The experience that comes closest is the 1967 riot in Detroit. It was July; I was soon to turn twelve years of age, my attention to the recently released “Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club” album shifted to the news of the day. Riots had erupted in Detroit.

   The situation had grown beyond what the mayor or the Governor of Michigan could handle with their recourses.  President Johnson intervened and sent in military troops to assume command of Detroit.

   I think Detroit is the only city in our history that has been occupied by the military.

  A state of emergency had been declared. No one could go to work or even be on the sidewalks. People not complying with the “stay at home” order were incarcerated on Belle Isle.  A food truck, accompanied by military personnel came around. You could go to the truck, buy food, and then back into your home.

   During this intense, military lock-down, I, being almost 12, thought that surely the lock down would not apply to me. I was in my back yard listening to the news on my transistor radio. Curious as a cat, I ventured into the alley. All was quiet. So I took a walk down the alley. I came to the intersection of alley and street. When I stepped from the alley into the street, a soldier, the only human aside from me on the street, dressed in full military gear, turned around quickly with his rifle pointing at me.

    This almost twelve year old kid then knew the danger of thinking that “nothing will happen to me”.

I humbly said “Ok” and I turned and went back home.

I am sure that the well-trained soldier, a human being, had quickly excercised control sufficient not to pull the trigger.

    But this Covid 19 virus has no cognitive reasoning with which to restrain its full, aggressive, attack.

   Be safe. Be healthy. Stay home.

God Uses the Church Rather than Natural Disaster

Posted on Facebook recently is a suggested connection between the recent fires in Australia, the current Covid 19 pandemic and verses from 2 Chronicles 7: 11-16.

Please consider the following.

Review of 2 Chronicles 7: 11-16

    Context:

   Solomon has completed the Temple which is to be used for sacrifices. God affirms the Covenant He has made with the Israelites.

   It looks like God is providing a promise that when the Israelites stray away (as they had a habit of doing) and then turn back to him, he will accept their sacrifices and all will be well. The more faithful reading and context of this passage is that God, in mercy, by accepting the Temple which Solomon built, and by placing His Name on it, is providing for reconciliation.

    It does not appear to be an end-times prophecy. This Scripture is most faithfully read as applying to the Israelites, the Temple that Solomon built, and the sacrificial system of that day.

   I remind you of the Book of Job… Job was completely innocent and yet seriously bad things happened to him. Just because we suffer a flood, a tornado, a drought, does not indicate that God is punishing us or making a display of anger.

    Transition to the new Covenant of Jesus…

Matthew 26: 27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

   We are not under the sacrificial system which applied to the Israelites and the Temple.

   Jesus is our ultimate and fully sufficient sacrifice.

   To claim that God uses natural disasters as He did with the Israelites during Old Testament times as a means of disciplining us today is to make the sacrifice and reconciliation of Jesus of no effect.

   The church, rather than natural disaster, is the means by which God provides for confession and reconciliation today. The church continues to pray in confession and as intercession for everyone around the world.

Being the Church Outside of the Sanctuary

    Yesterday, Bishop Trimble of the Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church called for a four week suspension of worship services including Easter. This creates an opportunity for us to be yet more the church in the world and not merely in the sanctuary. It serves as impetus to be creative in how the church can be relevant to the world.

    As the popular hymn sings “We are the church together”!

   Let us be the church and show love for others by not placing them in danger of contracting this virus. One never knows from whom or where one may have already been exposed to the Covid 19 and then may unawares pass it along to someone else, someone with a compromised health condition.

Surely we would not want the sanctuary to be the place that someone is infected.

    Let us be the church in solidarity with those who have lost jobs, put plans on hold, and have had to dramatically change the routines of their lives. Let us make phone calls to others and speak an encouraging word. Pray with others over the phone. If you are uncomfortable creating your own prayer, recite the Lord’s Prayer. Often, in solidarity with those who suffer cancer, people will sympathetically shave off their hair. Somewhat the same, suspending worship services for a few weeks can let people know that we walk with them during this crisis.

    Let us be the church in humility. When Jesus was tempted by the Devil to throw himself off of the pinnacle of the Temple and rely upon angels to protect him, he declined to make a “show-off” display of his relationship with God. Jesus relied upon Scripture and said “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” Likewise, we should not test our God by intentionally placing ourselves or others in danger by insisting upon gathering in buildings during this time.

    In the “united in Christ” section of the United Methodist hymnal we find the song “We Are the Church”.  Oh, how many times we have sang that song and embraced its sentiment. Especially during this time we have an opportunity to actually live out what we have been singing…

” The church is not a building;
the church is not a steeple;
the church is not a resting place;
the church is a people.

I am the church! You are the church!
We are the church together!
All who follow Jesus,
all around the world!
Yes, we're the church together!”