Please join me in welcoming to blogland David Vallejo the artist behind our "paint with the preacher" series (not our real title though I prefer "medium with the message").

We are in the process of bringing David over to Theobloggers so his blogsite name may change in the next couple of days.

To the delight of a certain segment of the population (the kind that almost steps into open graves) a banjo was featured on American Idol last night.

That’s right kids, in a night to showcase songs by Lennon & McCarthy fans were treated to a banjo intro and a southern rendition of "She’s A Woman" by Chikezie.

He (Chikezie) will sign a recording contract, regardless of how far he goes on the show, for his name alone.

The audience, the judges, nay I say Americans everywhere were crazy with Beatle Banjo Fever.

The next thing we will see (remember you heard it here first) is skateboarders everywhere learn to pick and grin (the banjo that is).

We have a resident artist in our community of faith.

He’s quite talented with the brushes and the paint (and other mediums) and happens to play lead guitar for our praise band.

This past Sunday we had our third installment of "Paint With The Preacher".

While the message was being delivered he painted a three panel (triptych) depicting Jesus serving the bread and the wine at the last supper.

We are hanging these works around the auditorium with the plan of telling the story of Jesus, depicted through the major events of his life, on canvas.

Much like the purpose of the stained glass stories.

It’s quite an experience to see a picture like this slowly fade into view in real time.

Remember the skateboard fad, phase, phenomenon?

Thought it was a relic of the past along with other fads of the eighties (baby on board signs, keyboards played like a guitar, video arcades, trivial pursuit and MC hammer pants)?

Not so my fellow connoisseurs of hip and hop.

The skateboard and boarders in general are alive and well in Stockton, CA.

We have a whole den of them just down the street.

I’m amazed at their balance, poise, construction skills, and fearless pursuit of self-expression.

With Danny finally removed by the American public I will for abandon my boycott and resume watching.

I know, I know – alert the media!

In just a few weeks our first-born will graduate from 8th grade.

She’s working to find a couple of songs for the graduation exercise.

Always eager to work on this kind of thing I jumped at the chance to help her.

I’m a little misty eyed thinking about the transition and that we’ll soon have a high schooler and how fast the next four years will fly by.

I get to suggest an "old guy" song for her consideration.

My suggestion is Hallelujahs, by Chris Rice: 

A purple sky to close the day
I wade the surf where dolphins play
The taste of salt, the dance of waves
And my soul wells up with hallelujahs

A lightning flash, my pounding heart
A breaching whale, a shooting star
Give testimony that you are
And my soul wells up with hallelujahs

Oh praise Him all His mighty works
There is no language where you can’t be heard
Your song goes out to all the Earth
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!

O cratered moon and sparrow’s wings
O thunder’s boom and Saturn’s rings
Unveil our Father as you sing
And my soul wells up with hallelujahs

Oh praise Him all His mighty works
There is no language where you can’t be heard
Your song goes out to all the Earth
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!

The pulse of life within my wrist
A fallen snow, a rising mist
There is no higher praise than this
And my soul wells up, O my soul wells up
Yes my soul wells up with hallelujahs

Oh praise Him all His mighty works
There is no language where you can’t be heard
Your song goes out to all the Earth
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!

O hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!

Dream? 

Reality?

Just out of our grasp?

I’ve been trying (not as diligently as I probably could) for the last few years to transition from de-paper to digital.

It just doesn’t seem like I’m making a dent.

Any helpful suggestions?

Born partially paralyzed and stricken with polio at 1 year of age Alma lived 86 years in a faulty container.

The doctors told her parents she wouldn’t have a long or productive life.

She outlived her entire family save one.

Those who knew here said she was the embodiment of

Let the little children come to me.  Don’t stop them, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to people who are like these children.

They said this passage fit her because it accurately described her world view (the way she lived and saw things).

She trusted.

She found joy in simple things.

She saw good in people

And looked forward to receiving presents.

Sounds like a productive life to me.

I’ve never been much of a dancer.

Blame it on genetics, blame it on religious tribal upbringing, blame it on the rain that was fallin’ fallin’, blame it on the stars that did shine at night.

It’s that whole feeling that people are looking at me and saying stuff like:

"hey look at that clown, come on you can’t be any worse than that!"

"is that guy okay, is he having a seizure."

"should we tell him the music has stopped?"

I thought of this while waiting yesterday afternoon to pick up the girl from softball practice.

A mid to advanced in years man came riding on a bike to the park.

He dismounted his bike, engaged the kick stand and began to dance.

Not a hip-hop, rapper, grab your crochet needles kind of dance but a graceful, gentle waltz.

A step here, a twirl there – he swayed and moved with the music that I could not hear in perfect time with the partner I could not see.

He danced for about ten minutes, got back on his bike and rode away.