Where Did You Get Your Artistic Ability?

Have you ever wondered where our artistic ability comes from?  Where anyone's ability comes from?  Where does creating art come from?  I was contemplating this lately - about the beautiful soaring of the soul that is art.  Expressing ourselves from the depths of our being.  Seeing the world in unique ways.  Transforming our life, and loves, and beauty, and passions into beautiful swathes of color, and form, and sound.  How could we not have this ability when our Father can do this?

and this...

and this...

They are like the most beautiful paintings hanging in the most auspicious art gallery.  Only they are living and evolving.  How wonderful our God is to have created untold numbers of awe inspiring pieces of art just waiting to be discovered.  Created by His all powerful, infinite hand.  A true artist at work.

God's artwork courtesy of:  NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day Archive

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Garbage Follies

So I have a 15 year old who is, shall we say...garbage challenged.

It's simple really - the "garbage man" (not garbage-person, sorry ladies) comes on Wednesday and Saturday. The "recycle man" comes on Saturday too. So I ask my oldest, #1 son, fruit of mine loins, to please bring in the garbage can because today is Wednesday, and the empty can has been sitting out there all day, waiting patiently for him to bring it in. "And while you are going that way," I ask, "could you please take the recycles from under the sink and put them in the recycle bin?" Pretty standard request really. Recycles live in a bucket under the sink. Simple. Number One Son comes back in the house and goes back to doing teenage boy things. All is well with the world.

So my husband and I go out front for a moment and low and behold...could our eyes deceive us?...maybe I'm not seeing right since I don't have my glasses on? I squint. I walk over. Yep, here it is a Wednesday night and this is what I see:

It is the Saturday recycle bin sitting at the curb...he did bring in the garbage can, and in the recycle bin, amongst the plastic milk bottles, soup cans, and aluminum soda cans that were supposed to be separated from the rest, sits the bucket from under the sink. In the bin...at the curb...on Wednesday.

Can't you just see the neighbors panic as they get up and leave the house for work and think..."Oh no! It's recycle day! Crap! I forgot to put it out again!" And either be annoyed, OR turn around and put their recycles out! It could affect the whole neighborhood. Alternately, the neighbors think it is Saturday and turn around and go back to bed, missing a whole day of work. The thought is hysterical and all I can do is laugh.

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"Come My Lovely" - The Assumption of Mary

My love lifts up his voice, he says to me, ‘Come then, my beloved, my lovely one, come’. (Song of Songs 2:10)

August 15th is the Feast of the Assumption of Mary, when we celebrate the Blessed Mother of Jesus being assumed body and soul into heaven.  It is a beautiful, tender moment and a lovely feast for a lovely lady.

If you are interested in the basis for this feast please read these two sources (there are lots online, these are just two):  
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary by Marcellino D'Ambrosio and
Assumption of Mary into Heaven by Msgr. Charles Pope at the Archdiocese of Washington

Update:  You should find the Women for Faith & Family Assumption page to be very informative also.  It includes the history, readings for the day, prayers and devotions and more...

Also:  Fr. Z's wonderful Meditations of the Assumption as part of his excellent Patristic Rosary Project


Image:  The Assumption of the Virgin, Peter Paul Rubens, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
More Info:  Shafe 

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