Silence

"Be still and know that I am God."

Psalm 46:10

propaedeutic (prō′pi do̵̅o̅t′ik, -dyo̵̅o̅t′-)

Gr propaideuein, to teach beforehand pro-, before + paideuein, to instruct pais (gen. paidos), child

of, or having the nature of, elementary or introductory instruction

Over my desk hangs a crucifix, sculpted by an artist who lived with us for a time. Over the years I have reflected on the power of this work. I sit here now, and as I gaze upon the gaping mouth filled with silent anguish, I hear these words from the Psalms-

"Be still and know that I am God."

For most of my life the focus of Psalm 46:10 has been on the command to 'cease and desist', to stop and and make time to be still. A few weeks ago I began a painting based on this verse. While working through the Hebrew I stopped at the expression and know. In the Hebrew, the expression contains four characters, beginning and ending with a vav- the Hebrew letter which, to the ancients, symbolized a nail. Two nails frame a thought that should form my thoughts. Upon two nails hung the wisdom of God.

The apostle Paul penned it thus-

"For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe." I Cor. 1:21.

Jeremy Begbie said, "Wisdom is lived knowledge."

Life is found in knowing the One between the nails.

Sam

Sam playing my Stringer

Sam's Strat signed by Leigh Nash

"Failure to hit the bulls-eye is never the fault of the target."

Gilbert Arland

Recently, one of my students suggested I mount a refrigerator door on the art room wall. "You can hang all the 'crappy' pictures on it with magnets" he said. In a world steeped in mediocrity there is, I suppose, a multitude of 'crappy' pictures. But, in an ongoing effort to promote young artists producing good work, pieces that hit the 'bulls-eye', it is with great pleasure I feature the work of my youngest son, Samuel Christian Carter.

Sam is a true warrior poet, defender of the oppressed (I have witnessed him step between small peers and large ones, ending fights with a glare). He loves music (currently being privately tutored on guitar by Luke Skaggs, son of music legend Ricky Skaggs, thank you Luke!!), writing poetry and painting. Fives times Sam's work has been named Watercolor of the Day in Teen Ink, an online magazine for teens. At Trinity, Sam's school, he is editor of InkVein, the school literary magazine. He is frequently asked by his youth leader to speak to the youth, sharing things that God is doing in his life. On several occasions he has worked on paintings in front of the church congregation and last week a lady purchased the painting produced that night. He is an amazing young man. I am blessed to call him son.

And he has only been on the planet sixteen years.

I look forward to seeing all that God has planned for him.

These are a few of the pieces produced to date.

A Place For the Heart

A Drawing by Cadence Helser for me

"What we know about God and what we do for God have a way of getting broken apart in our lives. The moment the organic unity of belief and behavior is damaged in any way, we are incapable of living out the full humanity for which we were created."

Eugene Peterson

"Do you wanna play 20 questions?" Cadence asked. It was more a statement of introduction than a question. Earlier I noticed him explaining one of his drawings to Chris, an intern at A Place For the Heart. I asked him if he would draw something for me. That is when he asked, "Do you wanna play 20 questions?" Over the next few days we would play several times. And, Cadence drew a picture for me (now on my office wall).

For the past decade the staff and students of Trinity have gone to A Place For the Heart for spring camp. It is unlike any camp I have ever experienced. From the moment we walked onto the property I sensed the overwhelming expression, "You are welcome here!"

I stayed in cabin Malachi with six of my students, and guys, tho' a little smelly, you were great!! The first night, after a gourmet dinner (all the food was awesome! Thank You Linda Helser!), Jonathan David Helser led in worship.

The next few days were a blur...a shaving cream battle- Brave Heart WaterBalloon Siege- a water slide of near-Biblical proportion- late night 'smores, and anointed worship music.

But for me, the best moments were spent in the woods, alone with the Lord. The first day I found a trail marked 'Prayzebo' and headed up the hill. It was late afternoon. To my left a Cardinal sang, on my right I passed a stand of Sassafras saplings. And then, at the end of a ridgetop trail, there it was, the Prayzebo; an octagonally-shaped prayer chapel, set apart from the world and time. As I stepped inside I was overcome by the presence of the Holy Spirit. My next three mornings would be spent there- my Bible in one hand- a carafe of coffee in the other.

God is good.

Jonathan and me

Ken and me

"The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what's ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we'll never settle for less."

an excerpt from a letter to a struggling church in Corinth,Greece,

written by a former Pharisee named Paul

The Wall

Plan for Art Room Mural


"How do I know what I think
'till I see what I say?"
E.M. Forster

"...there is nothing new under the sun."
Ecclesiastes 1:9

And so it begins, a new project for the Art Room; it is, to date, the most ambitious I have been a part of. The students will paint a mural around the entire room- 2 feet in height around the upper perimeter of the entire room- a visual time-line of art history, 136 linear feet in length. Beginning with cave paintings, the mural will progress through the ages by featuring one work indicative of each era, coming full circle into the 21st Century with graffiti art. Early man painted on walls, and today, men paint on walls.
There really is nothing new under the sun.

Sam working on the drawing

Students will stand on scaffolding and work shoulder-to-shoulder. The project may take a couple of years, depending on the students (I am selecting the images-I want the students to produce the mural). The goal is to one day have a student stand in the middle of the room and experience thousands of years with their eyes.

Proposed Images- Wall #1

Progress reports will follow from time to time.