Kindness

This morning, we (The Gallery Church) took breakfast to a couple of modeling/casting agencies here in the city.  There is something so fulfilling about just doing something kind for total strangers. But even more fulfilling is to be kind in your heart knowing that you're showing love for mankind the way that God loves each of us so much.  His acts of kindness are everywhere if we are paying attention.  As one of my former pastors used to say, We can be Jesus "with skin on."  We can show God's love by just being kind...go figure!

"I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again."   - Ettiene De Grellet

Springtime in NYC

After our first winter in NY, I can't help but just have a big smile on my face right now enjoying the most beautiful spring weather the last few weeks.  We have enjoyed dinner on our patio and walks later in the evening because it's just so nice.  Here are a few photos I took of a volunteer garden near 90th street in Riverside Park...the colors are so radiant.

Artist, Joyce Lee

Last night, Todd and I attended an art gallery show where my friend, Joyce Lee, had some works on display.   She is a teacher's assistant at The Arts Students League of New York to Hugo Bastidas.  I love Joyce's art - she paints abstracts.  Her ability to capture the beauty of color is my favorite aspect of her art.  She has the ability to create something unique, but yet you feel very at home when you see it.  I think one reason that I am drawn to her art is that I love art that takes me somewhere else.  I enjoy letting my imagination run away as at look at it and wonder what it means, how it connects to my own idea of it, and the emotion it creates in me as I observe it. Joyce's art makes me happy and I like that!

Reconcilers

Tonight,  we had a member meeting for IAM members here in New York.  In our small group discussion time, the question was asked,"What do you tell people when they ask about 'IAM"?"  Most in the group agreed that you give different answers based upon who is doing the asking, but I couldn't escape the main thing that Mako has stated that IAM is all about - reconciliation.  For so long, artists have only talked to artists and the world has gone on without their dialog.  The church doesn't get them (I know, I am an artist in the church!) and frankly, we are just too quirky and always pushing things to the edge.  It's time for artists who believe in Jesus Christ to start dialog with people who are not like them and may not get them.  It's time to lay down our "weapons" and have some conversation.  There have been hurts on all sides and artists, the church, mainstream culture - everyone is at fault for stopping the conversation.  The important thing is for us to start talking again.  We are entering the creative age and conversations have never been more important than now.  Artists found community in the church for so many years.  The Sistine Chapel would have never been painted without art and artists having a home in the church.  It's time to find our Michelangelo and open our arms to his creativity.  I'm ranting - I know.  My heart resonates with this word - reconcilers.  Let that word resonate with you and your art and the passion that is God-given in your soul.  How can you be a reconciler?  Do you even want to dialogue or are you happy the way it is?  Are you willing to swallow hard and take the first step?

Colour Me Kubrick

Last night at the Tribecca Film Festival, I ushered for Colour Me Kubrick which is a comedy-drama film staring John Malkovich as Alan Conway. It is about the true story of a man (Conway) who posed as director Stanley Kubrick during the production of Kubrick's last film, Eyes Wide Shut, despite knowing very little about his work and looking nothing like him.  If you are a Malkovich fan, this is a classic.  In Q and A after the movie, Mr. Malkovich said that he didn't necessarily study the accents for Alan for the film, because Alan didn't know anything about Kubrick so he just when with layering many accents on each other.  Alan was a deeply disturbed man, but the director, Brian Cook stated that they chose to keep to the lighter side of Conway for this film. I am not endorsing this film by any means, but it was an interesting look at the life of this man who was able to con so many people.