March 11, 2007 Reflection Pond

What comes from the Spirit? I Corinthians 10.1-13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, ²and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, ³and all ate the same spiritual food, ⁴and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. ⁵Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness.

6 Now these things occurred as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil as they did. ⁷Do not become idolaters as some of them did; as it is written, ‘The people sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to play.’ ⁸We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. ⁹We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by serpents. ¹⁰And do not complain as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. ¹¹These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come. ¹²So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall. ¹³No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.

The water of life comes from the Spirit, making all things bloom and grow. All of nature, all of humanity lives because of this fount. This particular installation also provides a sense of peace, which also comes directly from the Spirit of God.

March 4, 2007 Reflective Cross

How we Change

Reflective Cross

Philippians 3 :17-4:1

17 Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. ¹⁸For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. ¹⁹Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. ²⁰But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. ²¹He will transform the body of our humiliation so that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself. 4¹Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

The cross changes us. In this work, the reflective paper allows us to see ourselves within the cross, allowing us to think about how the cross of Christ has changed us and continues to change us.

January 21, 2007 Sacred Heart of Christ

The Sacred Heart of Christ... a reminder that our Lord loved us first thereby, giving us the ability to love others. Thanks be to God! This photograph is of a statue of Christ of the Sacred Heart which stands in front of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Canton, Mississippi. This particular depiction of Christ emphasizes the love Christ has for humanity.

January 7, 2007 Toby and Jonah

These two works of art were painted by two of our children. In their paintings, Toby, 3, and his brother Jonah, 5, remind us that they are ours to love and teach, and teach us that they are teaching us and will continue to teach us much more than we will ever teach them. It is indeed a gift to watch them grow.

December 17, 2006 Rose

The advent rose is for the week of Love. This particular rose is called the Christmas rose, it is also related to the Luther rose, which is also has five petals, but includes a heart and a cross in the center

December 10, 2006 Dove

This dove is for the week of peace. The dove is a symbol used for both peace and the presence of the Holy Spirit.

December 3, 2006 Crown

Advent Manger and Crown

This is the first of four advent mosaics. This is for the week of hope. First, we have the hope of Christ's coming as depicted in this image of a manger. Secondly, the hope of Christ's coming glory as depicted in the image of a crown. The assortment of green tiles in the background suggest the green of the evergreen tree where our Chrismons are hung. Chrismons are white and gold, signifying purity and royalty and surrounded by evergreen leaves, signifying eternity. You'll see as the weeks go by these are images of Chrismons in mosaic form.