Hearing From God in Walmart

"Give us this day our daily bread."

Matthew 6:11

When praying for 'daily bread' becomes a personal reality you learn to be a good listener. Several years ago my family and I were involved in a 'faith-based' ministry (another way of saying the pay comes from God's hand). Many days our son would ask, "What's for dinner?" My wife would say, "Whatever God provides." We never missed a meal. One day my wife made a grocery list. She placed it on the kitchen counter and said, out loud, "Lord, this is what we need. I'm asking You for it." Later that day, we returned home to find 14 grocery bags on our front porch. Everything from my wife's list was there, and, items not on the list like cookies and ice cream (it hadn't melted). I guess God cares about dessert.

On grocery expeditions I try to be Spirit-led, praying while walking between aisles of food. Today I was in Walmart and I asked, "Lord, what can I get today?" My current funds were limited, so I knew His response would be short. I heard 'milk and sugar.' Now, I know some of you reading this will be rolling your eyes at this point. "Come on, Mike. The voice of God in Walmart?! Maybe in the Middle East or a burning building!" As I said, praying for daily bread is a personal reality for my family. Interesting thing about 'daily bread'- it's daily. We Americans prefer 'monthly', stockpiled, pantry-filled bread. The 'what I want when I want it' bread. When the cupboard is bare we worry. The issue for me is one of trust. Do I trust (believe) that God loves me? 

I love hearing music performed live. My son and I have been to a few amazing performances in the past few months and every time there is a moment I look for- the look of knowing. It is a look exchanged across the stage between musicians, followed with a brief smile. The look of knowing says, "That's it! Well done." I believe God has a look of knowing when we pray, from the heart, "Give us this day our daily bread."

Psalm 19
Roz Dimon
Click here for a beautiful interaction with Psalm 19

Moments of Beauty

"Artists of the world, may your different paths all lead to that infinite Ocean of beauty where wonder becomes awe, exhilaration, unspeakable joy."
Pope John Paul II
Letter To Artists
1999

There was in the Art Room today
a moment of complete and total silence. It happened during fifth period. I looked up from my work to see a classroom of high school students working, silently immersed in the process of picture making. It was a moment of beauty.

Google Results for beauty


Moments of beauty abound. I understand what it means 'to teach'. Well, at least most of the time. I feel right, true in design, when I am teaching. For me, teaching is a series of beautiful moments, and the most beautiful is the 'aha' moment. Every true teacher lives for the 'aha', the exclamatory-  εὕρηκα (I have discovered it)! Good teachers know that the 'aha' is reciprocal. Here are a few personal 'aha' moments I was recently blessed by:

The Lion, The Sheep and The Fire

Acrylic on paper

My wife was visiting a friend and one of the children, a five-year-old, was painting. When the friend's daughter finished, she presented the painting to my wife. It is amazing.  With economy of stroke the child rendered a lion leading sheep though a fire. Picasso said, "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up." I am looking at the painting now, it hangs in our kitchen, and the words of Jesus speak to my Soul, "Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all."

Backwards Logic

Cyanotype Proof

Christopher Shreve

One of my students has been working/ruminating on an art project for months. He will tell you, as he has me on numerous occasions, "I can't do art." He and I have shared hours of conversation, on a variety of topics, and I know that his mind yearns for logical order. One day I asked, "Do you know of the unsolved proofs?" This question began a new series of conversations, culminating in a printmaking project appropriately titled- Backwards Logic. I watched him today as he carefully arranged layers of formulas, screen printed on vellum, in a precise pattern. It was a moment of beauty. It was art.

Jamie Morgan - Enamored from Shutter Down on Vimeo.


Another moment of beauty occurred this morning before school. Teresa and I attended the Twenty Fourth Annual YMCA Community Prayer Breakfast. The speaker was James Morgan, President and CEO of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. He shared his heart, the heart of a father, with 2.200 people in the Grand Ballroom of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. His sincerity and humility ministered to me. Then he introduced his son, Jamie, to the crowd. It was a beautiful moment. Jamie spoke and sang with an honesty that is refreshing, and again, it was a moment of beauty.


To hear more of Jamie Morgan's music click here.


I think, however, today's top 'aha' award goes to a colleague- Amy McNelis. Today is recognized as the National Day of Prayer and she led some of the students in a group prayer.
Thank you, Amy, for that moment of beauty.

Voices of Sudan

"A 'worldly Christian'? What a misnomer.
You might as well talk about a heavenly devil."
Billy Sunday


David Johnson is changing the way we see our world, one picture at a time. Last Thursday I had the privilege of meeting him. He shared his story with my students and within the span of one hour an eternity of possibilities were revealed; a story about the most powerful force in the universe- the love of God, fleshed out through a faithful follower of Christ.


David Johnson is the President and Founder of Silent Images, a non-profit organization whose mission is to give voice to the voiceless.
Here is the Mission Statement:


MISSION
Silent Images is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization that seeks to tell the stories of hope in the midst of persecution, poverty, or oppression through journalistic photography, videography, and writing. The stories and images are provided to non-profit organizations in an effort to educate and be a voice for the voiceless around the world.

David's message to the students of Trinity Christian Preparatory School was a call to arms; a challenge, I pray, some will accept.

Curriculum, Rubrics and Things People Say

cur·ric·u·lum  (k-rky-lm)

Origin: L, lit., a running course, race, career
latin; currere, to run

a fixed series of studies required, as in a college, for graduation,

qualification in a major field of study, etc.

I love questions. Well, some questions, the ones that cut to the chase. Certain questions are fun, like, "Does God have favorite colors?" He does use blue and green alot. Some questions are tricky.
How about these:


Where is the line that separates contentment and apathy?


When does confidence become arrogance?


What is the value of a teardrop, or a timely word?


And then, there are questions that chafe our minds, leaving blisters on our pride. These are the questions that speak to underlying issues. These are the questions we pose to ourselves. A few weeks ago a parent said to me, "I don't even know what you do." What I do? I was offended. For nearly two years her child has been a student in my art classes. Then I asked myself, "What did she mean by that?" My mind traveled all over the board, from the Slough of Despond to the Valley of Humiliation (to borrow from John Bunyan). I searched the ancient records (my lesson plans), checking them against State and National Standards (which they met or exceeded). Finally, a classic movie line came to me- "What we've got here is failure to communicate" (voted #11 in American Film Institutes' 100 Movie Quotes Poll- click here to see the entire list), from Cool Hand Luke.


Daily, I am inundated with the thought process of the teenage mind so I understand a few things about it (2 of my 5 children still remain in this category). Here is one thing I know- as a general rule, teenagers don't communicate well with their parents, especially when it comes to school-related matters. And, in their defense, after spending all day doing schoolwork they don't want to give a recap in the evening. As a result, many parents have no idea what occurs in their child's classrooms, unless something exciting or challenging happens, and that is why the comment from the parent went deep. My job, as a teacher, is to communicate. I am called to meet students where they are and lead them further. I must be persistent and consistent. This includes ongoing conversation with parents. 


So, I must say, "Thank you!" to the parent who reminded me that my job doesn't end when the bell rings.


I have been asked, on occasion, "How did my child get a 'C' in Art?"
Here is the answer-


1. Occasionally pays attention
2. Completes every other assignment
(odd or even, the student's choice)
3. Finishes assignments as quickly, and poorly, as possible
4. Files a formal request for mediocrity
(see below)


Formal Request
For Mediocrity 

On a more serious note, here is the rubric I developed for Westminster Academy, Memphis, TN-

On Priorities, Performance and Purpose

Isaiah 61:1

It has been said, "Be careful what you pray for- you may get it!" On September 30, 2007, I was in Winston-Salem listening to Roger Wiles give an eloquent message to the Covenant of Grace congregation. His sermon included this passage:

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news

to the afflicted;

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to captives,

and freedom to prisoners

Isaiah 61:1

As I meditated on the passage I prayed this- "Lord, give me the afflicted and brokenhearted youth of the Piedmont and by Your grace and strength I will help teach them." Two years later, God answered that prayer. I did not realize how challenging the task would be. And so, I did what I have always done- I went into 'Martha-Mode', pouring my time and energy into lesson plans, study, reading countless articles... exhaustion ad infinitum.

A few weeks ago I heard these familiar words, "Michael, Michael, you are worried and bothered about so many things", words originally spoken by Jesus to Martha. I can relate to Martha. Here is a piece of her story:

Now as they were traveling along, Jesus entered a certain village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. And she had a sister called Mary, who moreover was listening to the Lord's word, seated at His feet. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him, and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me." But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only a few things are necessary, really only one, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

Luke 10:38-42 NAS

Here are a few comparisons:

Martha - Mary

Busyness - Simplicity

Alone and Grumbling - With Jesus and Listening

Focused on doing - Focused on being

Many things - One thing

I received my work ethic from my father, a hard-working man who, at 78 years of age goes into the office six days a week.  I believe work is important. I believe work honors God. But yesterday I realized that all my life I have worked for one purpose- acceptance; I wanted a father's approval. When performance becomes more important than purpose, priorities realign- a realignment that becomes cancerous. It is subtle, insidious and at enmity with the unit known as family. I have allowed it to come between me and my family.

I am a Martha who desperately wants to be a Mary, but this I know- I am accepted by God the Father. And tomorrow is a new day.

Wednesday, during faculty prayer, Bruce Corwin (Trinity's Principal), played a song by Misty Edwards. The song is written from God's perspective as He sings over us. The title-

'I Knew What I Was Getting Into'. Here is the link:

Teaching To The RMS

Root Mean Square

Digital 

Michael R. Carter

2011

In the Spring of 1974

a miracle occurred- I graduated from High School. It happened in spite of myself. My interest, my goal, my life was music- specifically, the band. I played a Farfisa Combo Compact with two Leslie 145's stacked (some of you reading this will actually know what that means). In my Senior year I played every weekend- teen clubs and skating rinks in two states. Life was good. Behind the band was a wall of amps- Marshall, Crate, Orange, Peavey. Quantity made up for quality. One thing we knew- the music had to be loud. When discussing amps, two things always came up- peak-to-peak and RMS. The first deals with an amplifier's potential. The second- the consistent average. Musicians are interested in the consistent average, the RMS.

In this moment, 37 years later, another miracle continues-

I teach High School.

God, in His infinite wisdom and humor, has called me to teach the very age I least enjoyed being. Now, thirty seven years later, I finally understand the difference between peak-to-peak and RMS. I am surrounded by students with uncharted potential, content with their RMS. I am surrounded by versions of my 1974 self, a person oblivious to potential, and I am concerned.  

May God give me strategies. 

Judy Racz

Creation Primordial Chaos
Oil on canvas
"I see the whole world as a holy place,
a reflection of the glory of an infinite, yet loving God."
Judy Racz


Inspiration is a curious thing; never sure of when it may 'show up', it is almost always welcome. Much like Jesus' descriptive language to Nicodemus in John 3, inspiration can be "like the wind." The word inspire is, after all,  from the Latin inspirare- to breathe upon or into. The works of Judy Racz inspire me.  


Here is a sample:

Gravity Waves

Mixed media on canvas

David and Jonathan Make a Pact

Oil on canvas

Transfiguration of Jesus

Oil on Canvas

Symphony No. 2, Gustav Mahler, Movement 3

Oil on canvas

Ayin

Oil on linen

Gimel

Oil on linen

Aleph

Oil on linen

To read about Judy Racz and view more of her work go to-

http://home.vicnet.net.au/~richard/racz.htm

and

http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/judy_racz/