Perfect Sincerity

“There is a principle which is pure, placed in the human mind, which in different places and ages hath had different names. It is, however, pure and proceeds from God. It is deep and inward, confined to no forms of religion nor excluded from any, where the heart stands in perfect sincerity. In whomsoever this takes root and grows, of what nation soever, they become brethren in the best sense of the expression.” -John Woolman

Humility

“Humility, therefore, is absolutely necessary if man is to avoid acting like a baby all his life. To grow up means, in fact, to become humble, to throw away the illusion that I am at the center of everything and that other people only exist to provide me with comfort and pleasure…” -Thomas Merton, "The New Man

Christ in Darkness ~ Christ in Light

"Christ, come to me; Christ be with me.

Christ, go before me; Christ behind me.

Christ above me; Christ beneath me.

Christ in darkness; Christ in light.

Christ this day within and about me.

Christ with your light enlighten and guide me.

Christ in your saving power redeem me."

Affirming His Presence, by Rev David Adam

The Beginning of Love

 

"The beginning of love is the will to let those we love be perfectly themselves, the resolution not to twist them to fit our own image.  If in loving them we do not love what they are, but only their potential likeness to ourselves, then we do not love them: we only love the reflection of ourselves we find in them." - Thomas Merton

Here's to the Crazy Ones

"Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do." -Walter Isaacson

A Broken Winged Dancingbird

I've put off mentioning this in public much but I felt I needed to explain my Christmas absence to my faithful patrons and why, I'm sorry to say, but I won't be doing a Christmas show this year in my beloved Manhattan Kansas.

Due to COVID19 my glass business slowed to a crawl and I took a job to make ends meet, it was my first one in many, many years. I went to work in the garden center of a local big box home improvement store. 

I schlepped somewhere between 6-12 tons of mulch, dirt, manure, concrete, sand, rocks, bricks, lumber, et cetera daily, while walking an average of 16 miles at work to do it. 

As a result I suffered a pretty severe spinal injury this last summer. I have been under the care of a neurosurgeon, physical therapist, and pain specialist since the end of July. 

My prognosis isn't good. I may or may not be able to return to my passionate career of glassblowing.  Only time will tell that particular story.

I simply can't do production work any more.  No matter what I've tried in terms of setup and how I've tried to accommodate my new physical condition, the reality is, much to my despair, that I simply can't do what I once did.

I don't know what the distant future holds for me or my passion but I am finally coming to the realization that in the near future, the Dancingbird's wings have been broken and he can no longer fly.

When it's too tough for everyone else, it's just right for me.  I know I'll find a way to get through this and ultimately thrive in one way or another.  My faith is strong and with God, all things are possible and all things work for the ultimate good.

So folks, be safe out there this holiday season.  Life can change in a flash and when you least expect it.  Wear a mask!  It's such an easy thing to do and it'll keep your nose warm this winter! 

St. Martin's Lent: Litany For Peace

White Poppies For Peace

We would like to invite all of our friends and associates, who feel called, to join us in prayer on November the 11th, the Feast of St. Martin of Tours, praying for the peace of ourselves, our communities, and the world. As is our tradition, we will be offering the Litany For Peace every hour on the hour. Won’t you please join your prayer with ours? 

Litany For Peace By Archbishop Karl Prüter 

Leader: Lord, Heavenly Father help us to become peacemakers, that we may be called, "The Children of God." 

All: Lord, hear our prayer, and grant us Thy peace. 

Leader: Lord, Heavenly Father, help us purge ourselves of those attributes which make not for peace but which set the stage for war. 

All: Lord hear our prayer, and grant us Thy peace. 

Leader: Lord, open our minds to see ourselves as Thou seest us, or even, as others see us, and save us from all unwillingness to know our infirmities. 

All: Lord, hear our prayer, and grant us Thy peace. 

Leader: From all hasty utterances of impatience; from the retort of irritation and the taunt of sarcasm; from all infirmity of temper in provoking or being provoked; from love of unkind gossip, and from all idle words that may do hurt, save us, O Lord. 

All: Lord, hear our prayer, and grant us Thy peace. 

Leader: Grant us, O Lord, the strength to obey Thy commandments, that we defraud our brother in nothing. May we never commit adultery or do anything to disturb our neighbor's home or family. 

All: Lord, hear our prayer, and grant us Thy peace. 

Leader: Lord, Heavenly Father, grant that we covet nothing that is our neighbors, neither his house, nor his auto, his bank account, his job, nor anything that is our neighbors. 

All: Lord, hear our prayer, and grant us Thy peace. 

Leader: Heavenly Father, help us to maintain peace within our own households, with our neighbors in our communities, within our own nations, and in the world. 

All: Lord, hear our prayer, and grant us Thy peace. 

Leader: Lord, Heavenly Father we pray not only for the absence of war, but more especially for Thy peace, which passeth all understanding. 

All: Lord, hear our prayer, and grant us Thy peace. 

Leader: Lord, Heavenly Father, grant us Christ's wish that we may become One with Him, and with Thee; that in union with Thee, we may desire only what Thou dost desire, and thus come to know Thy perfect peace. 

All: Lord, hear our prayer, and grant us Thy peace, this day and for evermore. Amen.