“To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble,
but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven.”
Johannes A. Gaertner (1912-1996); Art History Professor, Theologian, Poet
Last Sunday we were preparing for my son's return to Baltimore. Instead of him catching a train to New York City, my husband offered to drive Mike to New York instead so that he could catch his bus to return directly to Baltimore. Little did I realize that God had a wonderful treat in store for us! We were enjoying the many sights and sounds of a bustling metropolis. We couldn't done better with any other tour guide. We rolled through side streets and main thoroughfares. Truly we enjoyed the scenery including catching a glimpse of Central Park and watching the natives and tourist feast on their outdoor activities on a warm summer's afternoon.
Before long we were in neighborhoods imaging which brownstone we'd occupy, where we'd shop and play. Broadway (On and Off), China Town, Manhattan, Harlem, the Garment District, The Met, and Wall Street were on the itinerary. I was giddy with joy, when my husband said, "Linda look over there!" Brother Nnamdi Okonkwo's work was right there, in "my face!" Yes, it was in broad day light! I ran across the street as though I were greeting beloved friends. What came to mind were these are kindred spirits. Little did I realize until again visiting the artist's website that just what he calls them! How about that! Kindred Spirits! And my being able to connect with the artist's work! These figures are robust, as large as life! They are ample, alive, beautiful! All I could do was smile and request like a little girl, "Come on Mike take my picture!" I wanted to be apart of this divine work and have a photographic moment to relish.
The irony about the sculptures was, not that long ago I stumbled upon the artist website and marveled at his work never imagining that I would see, visit and experience up close Nnamdi Okonkwo's powerful work on a Sunday afternoon, An afternoon spent in NYC taking our son to the bus station. As Craig would say, "Who knew?" This was surely another simple abundance moment that God had orchestrated. I can't help but celebrate! God is great!
If you haven't made it to New York City just yet, in the meantime be sure to appreciate this amazing sculptor at: http://www.nnamdiart.com/sculpture_monumental.html your heart and spirit will be glad you did.
Shared in Love, Linda Mose Meadows; Blogger, Motivational Speaker and Inspirational Author of: Destined To Receive: Reflections and Devotionals Celebrating The Love of God (Createspace, 2013) and Blessedness of Believing A Devotional Journey of Life's Lessons and God's Promises (Tate Publishing, 2007)
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him Psalm 28:7
I haven't seen this commercial recently, but it was one of my favorites. I am guessing you may remember it also? Here's the scene (of course I’m taking creative liberties): dusty cowboys
are gathered around a campfire, we imagine them settling in for the evening.
It’s a lone, quiet atmosphere, an ebony blanketed starry lit sky which
envelopes them is complete with loud crickets.
This scene is the backdrop for the "grubbing"
cowboys hungrily eating their meal. For a split second the television viewer is
given space to imagine many things. First what in the world are they
eating? Is it really that good? Many
agree with Van De Camp and me, that it is just that tastey? Yummy baked bean by the fire. But there's more to the message.
Where
have they been? Where are they headed-just what is their destination? And why
are they so tired? Then one cowboy says in a matter-of-fact tone to the others, that
the one who's responded to his comment about the delicious bake beans is from New
York “Yurk” City! His words place great
emphasis on the sound of "ORK" and "ITY" in an
exaggerated twang! Hearing this always
caused me to laugh out loud! The over-the-top diction was clever on the part
the ad agency. I surmise that by then they had our ears and our purses. We now associate their
product with a destination and recall that the outrageous enunciation of New
York City. I
suspect this humorous method worked. But on the flip side there were other messages I suspect. It was surprising to witness
the apparent discomfort that these rugged trailblazers were having with learning about a
distant land. A place they had yet to venture. They had noticeable trepidation. Why of course it’s unfamiliar territory. The cowboy’s
seemed to be in shock and awe. Seemingly their experiences and bravado belied their truth. These trailblazing gun totting cowboys possibly being timid seemed strange? "Umph, ain't that a contradiction?" (I could hear you saying that!) Yes,
my friends even for rough, tough people unknown places can be frightening, no
matter the proximity! It's the bigger than life fact of the unknown. In defense of these
cowboys and often being timid regarding the unknown- they had no frame of reference. They simply knew New
York City was far from their familiar prairies. Awe, but there was one who dared to venture out. Thank God for the courageous heart! For those that step out on faith and score! This unknown cowboy's tenacity to venture
out makes me think of the countless scriptures
that assure us that God hasn't given us the spirit of fear, but a spirit of power/courage, love and a sound mind/clear thinking! (2 Timothy 1:7) It's evident that when we are with God we are safe-complete.
TheLordis my
strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts,
and I am helped; my heart
exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. Psalm 28:7
It blesses our spirits when we realize that often like the timid and the free spirited cowboy our authentic spirits yearn to move beyond the familiar frontier borders and when we do often it's rewarding! Our horizons are expanded and life lessons occur that richly bless us. As Pauline Wilson aptly penned
in her lyrics, "you've got to follow your road, follow your road..."
Well let's fast forward to our recent drive from Florida
to Connecticut one mile at a time,
crossing one state border after another. Our rocking-over packed vehicle was
filled to the interior roof with essentials for starting anew. (At least until the moving van arrived.) Onlookers must
have wondered where are they headed?
Well the journey wasn't for the faint at heart! Surely we were capturing and
living out our spiritual urban cowboy and cowgirl experience. Truly it’s been a long awaited sojourn. This
again is a heartfelt journey that we’d never before traveled, but earnestly longed
for.We were reminded in prayer to shake the dust off our feet and push fear aside. Scripture has assured us that God had gone before us and made room for our
arrival. We’re anticipating ministry in places and spaces we’d never seen; excited
about seeing more of God-realizing His plan over our lives and others. Like our
ancestors and many others we desire witnessing again the Holy Spirit first hand. The 2 day drive
was long and packing was labor intensive! But so much and many awaited us! God rubbed stamped the journey-it was confirmed through the many expressions of kindness experienced before and during our destination!
It was comical but true, almost at our destination's end; finally
seeing the New York City and Connecticut
highway traffic signs, and then being in a traffic jam. Yep, for 90 minutes not being able to move. (Imagine instead of an hours delay, suffering through years of being at a standstill? You are ready to move forward and can't!) The traffic was nothing like
I imagined for a Sunday afternoon! Instead traffic halted before moving toward the GeorgeWashingtonBridge. It didn't matter if drivers selected the upper level or lower level, all roads
converged towards the toll booths! (Pay up!) Mind you this was the route we
believed was necessary to reach our destination. There we were seeing our
destination in view and stuck! What to do? The answer was to simply wait! Wait our
turn and proceed when an opening occurred. It was just that simple! Friends, we
are headed somewhere like the brave cowboy! And so are you! So as you embrace your
call and are sailing, driving, galloping, trotting, trekking, moving steadily and facing an
occasional interruption in plans-be encouraged by God's leading and Pauline Wilson’s Follow Your Road.
However, as it is
written: "What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard,
and what no human
mind has conceived"
-- the things God has prepared for those who love him—
1
Corinthians 2:9
Shared
in Love, Linda Mose Meadows; Blogger, Motivational Speaker and Inspirational
Author of: Destined To Receive: Reflections and Devotionals Celebrating The
Love of God (Createspace, 2013) and Blessedness of Believing A Devotional
Journey of Life's Lessons and God's Promises (Tate Publishing, 2007)
