Whiteboards, Blackboards and Wordscapes

"It is not enough to like good books.

You must be a good book yourself."

Francois de Fenelon

1651-1715

"In the beginning was the Word.."

John 1:1

Today is day seven of my fast and my books are calling to me. I love books. The affair began with Pop's Reader's Digest Condensed collection. They made a good highway for Matchbox cars. The uniform size and large quantity afforded me bridges, tunnels- even skyscrapers to frame my literary landscapes. Everything changed when one day I looked inside them. I discovered wordscapes. My Mom allowed me to join a Book of the Month club, in lieu of allowance. Still, five decades later, books remain my highway.  But it is from books I am fasting.

Sunday, my wife asked, "Why do you read so much?"

My immediate response was, "It interests me." I knew there was more but I couldn't articulate more. So I  pondered that question the rest of the day. Then it occurred to me, the truer reason why I read- first, I continually seek answers to a never ending list of questions and second, I want to know what others think.

These titles patiently await my return:

Visio Divina

edited by Mel Ahlborn and Ken Arnold

Universe of Stone

by Philip Ball

Bright Earth

by Philip Ball

The Artist's Rule

by Christine Valters Paintner

The War of Art

by Steven Pressfield

Rumors of Water

by L.L. Barkat

and

A Long Obedience in the Same Direction

by Eugene Peterson

I haven't placed all reading on hold, just 'informational pleasure' reading. For twenty one days I have chosen to read Scripture, work-related emails and student work only (I teach a creative writing class... I can't ignore their words for three weeks. If you'd like to read some of their words, click here).  I have noticed that, while I am not reading more scripture, I am 'chewing' on the text longer. After all, one of the purposes of fasting is re-focusing, restoring clarity to our time-perspectives through reflection, or as they say in the South, "Chewin' on somethin' different for a spell." As an aside, I've noticed notes and drawings that have worked themselves into my Bible. Here are a couple of them, transcribed to my Moleskine pocket journal:

Theatrum Dei
Calvin Seerveld

Four Stages of Mastery
Lance Wallnau

As I reflected on the sketches, I thought about the lectures associated with them. Both, Dr. Seerveld and Mr. Wallnau, used Whiteboards for visual aid. I like chalk. It's earthy. I like the residue of words on my fingertips. Sometimes I let it remain. But, this is the 21st Century. This is the age of the Whiteboard.


Fourteen days of "chewin' on somethin' different" remain.


Here is a photo from one of my lectures for you to chew on- 

The Hands and Feet of Art
Michael Carter

Photo by
Samuel Carter

A few of my journals

"If you enjoy something in this world without saying a blessing,

it is as if you stole it."

Talmud Berachot 35A

"Remember now thy Creator

in the days of thy youth."

Ecclesiastes 12:1

Thursday evening, Sam, my 16-year-old son shared his heart with his youth group. He spoke about the parable of the talents, the story of a master who, before going on a journey,  entrusted his possessions to his servants.  The crux of his meditation was Matt. 25:25, when upon the master's return, one servant replied, "I was afraid, and I went away and hid your talent in the ground; see, you have what is yours."


'I was afraid...'


My son, Sam, said to a roomful of teenagers, "Alot of people say, 'I can't _____, or, I'm not ______ (fill in the blanks) because of fear. Fear keeps us from doing and being."
My son ministered to me as he spoke. Sam reminded me that fear is the great forgetter, and that a lie repeated and believed begins to sound like truth. He reminded me why I journal, and, why I return to former journals. I need to remember from whence I've come.


The fearful servant in the parable hid his master's possession. Centuries before, another servant spoke of hiding something. He said, "I have hidden Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You." Psalm 119:11. Eugene Peterson words it this way- "I've banked your promises in the vault of my heart so I won't sin myself bankrupt." 


I praise God for my Sam. He has the energy and passion of youth on his side. He is a blessing to me. And, he reminds me that through Christ I can do all things.

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