Artistic Role models

I was privilege last year to hear Dana Gioia, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, at the IAM conference in New York City...Here is an excerpt from a speech he gave at the commencement in June 07 at Stanford...

"...The loss of recognition for artists, thinkers and scientists has impoverished our culture in innumerable ways, but let me mention one. When virtually all of a culture's celebrated figures are in sports or entertainment, how few possible role models we offer the young. There are so many other ways to lead a successful and meaningful life that are not denominated by money or fame. Adult life begins in a child's imagination, and we've relinquished that imagination to the marketplace..."

For the entire transcript, click here

Edge living

I have been undisciplined in the last few weeks with my personal blog because so much is going on! I just finished Richard Paul Evan's book The Sunflower last night - he is one of my favorite storytellers.  I was so reminded of how I love stories that have such points of great sorrow that lead to great courage.  They inspire me to live on the edge.  When I look back at the last 2 years of my life, I feel in so many ways edge living has become a lifestyle which makes me ponder...can edge living become a lifestyle?  My faith in God has so greatly increased and my sense of absolute dependence on Him has even amazed me.  I'm such a "I've got it" and "I can handle it" person naturally that I have really seen myself lose so much of that to letting God "get it and handle it." Maybe the thing I value the most in a good novel is what I am finally seeing about my own life - only with great sorrow are we led to be courageous.  I am loving the unknown of being a part of this new church plant here in Hilton Head.  There are so many questions without anwers and I am really ok with it.  All I do know is that God can handle it...I may have moments of "freak-out" because I am human and flawed, but in my heart of hearts, I truly believe that I am privileged to be a witness of what He is going to do through my edge living experiences. Hang on...