Labor Day is approaching. Folks talk about it since school's are opening this week and next.
Each Monday in the late afternoon and early evening, I support a community service project. This has been a part of my current Journey over the last year. I support food preparation, assist with cooking, wash dishes, and complete kitchen cleanup. We serve 75 - 100 local folks in families with a tasty, nutritious meal. This past week, we experienced a new high of 125 served.
I had a chance the week prior to support a seasonal, special project where we handed out school supplies. I know that helped the families stretch their dollars because I was shocked by how much I had to spend on my one youngest child to outfit her this year with the school-prescribed list of supplies. It was very pleasing to me to hand out colored pencils, crayons, colored markers, etc. because the elementary grade children in particular will be so excited to have those instruments of creativity. I can envision their earnest faces with tongues out and heads down concentrating on the Artistic Endeavor and the Creative Pursuit.
I have been doing this weekly bout for a year and I look forward to each Monday's Daily Walk. As I approach the kitchen, I walk by a canal adjacent to an old New England mill complex. The canal changes its complexion throughout the seasons. The water is deep, cold, dark, and rushing over hidden boulders in the winter months. This late in the summer, it is shallow and languid.
I noted the sunlit, underwater plants swaying in the ripples this week and it caught my eye as a unique waterscape and pattern in the late afternoon.
Each Monday in the late afternoon and early evening, I support a community service project. This has been a part of my current Journey over the last year. I support food preparation, assist with cooking, wash dishes, and complete kitchen cleanup. We serve 75 - 100 local folks in families with a tasty, nutritious meal. This past week, we experienced a new high of 125 served.
I had a chance the week prior to support a seasonal, special project where we handed out school supplies. I know that helped the families stretch their dollars because I was shocked by how much I had to spend on my one youngest child to outfit her this year with the school-prescribed list of supplies. It was very pleasing to me to hand out colored pencils, crayons, colored markers, etc. because the elementary grade children in particular will be so excited to have those instruments of creativity. I can envision their earnest faces with tongues out and heads down concentrating on the Artistic Endeavor and the Creative Pursuit.
I have been doing this weekly bout for a year and I look forward to each Monday's Daily Walk. As I approach the kitchen, I walk by a canal adjacent to an old New England mill complex. The canal changes its complexion throughout the seasons. The water is deep, cold, dark, and rushing over hidden boulders in the winter months. This late in the summer, it is shallow and languid.
Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Summer Canal
I noted the sunlit, underwater plants swaying in the ripples this week and it caught my eye as a unique waterscape and pattern in the late afternoon.
Copy right James E. Martin 2014 Sunlit Sway
There is so much complexity in the light-dark contrast, the coolness underneath the bridge, the warmth in the sunlight, the transparency of the water, and the reflections of the sky and the field-stone wall.
Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Complex Water Reflections
It makes me ponder that there is so much to learn about painting subjects of this complexity. A lifetime is not long enough to try all these scenarios to see if it can be captured with intrigue. I catch only a glimpse of the artful truth in a moment's impressionistic passing. Mindful of all these complex interconnections or not, the water continues to flow each day, season to season, even after I depart. I am provoked by the wisdom and perspective in Ecclesiastes Chapter 3 as it speaks to me today about our labors:
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. 9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? 10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. 11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. 12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. 13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God. 14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him. 15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past. 16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there. 17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work. 18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. 19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. 20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. 21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? 22 Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
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