#231

Clouds clearing away yesterday just in time for sunset...

'Fear God and give him glory, for the hour of his judgment has come; and worship him who made heavena and earth, the sea and the springs of water.' (Rev. 14.7)

#230

Ogre-shaped rain clouds heading out to sea, chased by the light of dawn...


'Rejoice with me, I have found my lost sheep.' (Luke 15.6)

#229

This morning at dawn... no visibility. Currently still no visibility, only light changed.

#228

Rain leaving...


'Death on a mountain is not frightening or appalling. Personal loss is one thing; fear of death another. I suppose if I were a philosopher I should care nothing for the place or manner of my death. As I am not, I must confess I would prefer to die amid natural surroundings. When I am on a hill it seems to me that my consciousness, the very essence of spirit, expands to blend with the universe. It is in such moments of spiritual exaltation that we lose all fear, and understand how by this simple process we call death, the spirit discovers that unity with a Divine love for which it craves.' (The Mountain Top, Frank S. Smythe p.38)

#227

Sunrise...

'There will be no more delay...' (Rev. 10.6)

#226

Twilight...

#225

Choose life.

#225

Everything He does is perfect and beautiful...

#224

'When the struggle to be passionately expressive, coolly laidback, or fiercely authoritative leaves us unsatisfied, a feeling of futility sets in. We wish we could get to the heart of the music, and we feel at a loss as to what to do next.

Usually, we view this moment of uncertainty as a moment of defeat. We feel inadequate because we can't simply make music. This self-doubt drains us of music-making energy. Instead, we could see our uncertainty as a victory. we have shed our armor of false confidence and are being our real selves.

When we see a great performer, we may assume that since she appears to be completely sure of herself, she doesn't experience such uncertainty. We don't think about the long, difficult process she went through to master the piece she is performing. And we forget that her communicative warmth and brilliance come from being vulnerable and spontaneous -- that at the moment of performance she doesn't know exactly what will come out of the instrument or how the audience will react.

Wanting a smooth, finished performance, we try to avoid the discomfort of being bewildered and out of control when we practice. We want to feel on top of the piece. But the uncomfortable moment of uncertainty is charged with vital energy that can transform us and the music we make. if we reverse our usual logic and let ourselves feel this uncertainty instead of shrinking from it, we release this vital energy. This is Step Seven: Drop your attitudes and be simple.

When you sense the futility of your struggle, stop and feel that moment, in between one form of struggle and the next, when you're unsure of what to do next. Let yourself feel it exactly as it is. You may notice that you feel a little disappointed in yourself; you long to feel more connected to the music. Let yourself feel that disappointment and longing. You may notice that you feel anxious not knowing how to reach your goal, not having an answer. Feel that anxiety without rushing to try another strategy. Don't fight what is happening. Be as you are.

After a few moments, approach the music again without trying to do anything special. Play or sing with that soft longing and with the feeling that you don't quite know what you're doing. Just be your unadorned self. Let the music play itself, no matter how strange or tentative it may feel or sound. Simple and unexaggerated as it is, it won't sound dull. This is an energetic simplicty -- alive, pulsing, communicative.

As you continue playing or singing, you will sense a new intimacy with your instrument and the music.' (Madeline Bruser, The Art of Practicing, pp. 160-161)

#223

'We cannot possibly give music to others without first receiving it ourselves. Practicing is the process of receiving what was written. Receiving can be difficult. Many of us have grown up in environments that did not sufficiently encourage us to enjoy or appreciate ourselves. Yet we need such encouragement and warmth to stay receptive to our feelings and to music. I sometimes point out to students that their frustration with a piece is an indication that they care deeply about it. One student told me it was one of the most helpful things ever said to him. He was able to stop berating himself and began to appreciate himself instead, which opened him up enormously to the music. We don't usually use experiences of dissatisfaction as signals to be gentle with ourselves. Instead, we blame ourselves or become aggressive with the music. Tension escalates, and the more we practice a piece, the worse it gets.' (Madeline Bruser, The Art of Practicing p.15)

#222

'These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.' (Rev. 7.14-17)

#221

#220

Waiting for sunrise...

#219

#218

#217

'Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!' (Rev. 5.12)

#216

"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created." (Rev. 4.11)

#215

Morning clouds putting up a fight against light - like a serpent with a jawless mouth swallowing the light whole. But light always wins...

'Listen! I am staning at the door knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come into you and eat with you, and you with me.' (Rev. 3.20)

#214

Almost dawn...

'To everyone who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give a white stone, and on the white stone is wirtten a new name that no one knows except the one who receives it.' (Rev. 2.17)

#213

Clouds like angels hovering over Manhattan...

'Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.' (Rev. 2.10)

#212

#211

#210

'Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So it is to be. Amen. "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.' (Rev. 1.7-8)

#209

A new day...

'For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing, provided they continue in faith and love and holiness, with modesty.' (1 Tim. 2.13-15)

#208

Silver lining...

'Beloved, do not imitate what is evil but imitate what is good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.' (3 John 1.11)

#207

Not quite dawn...

'For the director of music. A psalm of David.

The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech;

night after night they display knowledge.

They have no speech, there are no words;

no sound is heard from them.

Their voice goes out into all the earth,

In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,

which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion,

like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

It rises at one end of the heavens

and makes its circuit to the other;

nothing is hidden from its heat.

The law of the LORD is perfect,

reviving the soul.

The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,

making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right,

giving joy to the heart.

The commands of the LORD are radiant,

giving light to the eyes.

The fear of the LORD is pure,

enduring forever.

The ordinances of the LORD are sure

and altogether righteous.

They are more precious than gold,

than much pure gold;

they are sweeter than honey,

than honey from the comb.

By them is your servant warned;

in keeping them there is great reward.

Who can discern his errors?

Forgivee my hidden faults.

Keep your servant also from willful sins;

may they not rule over me.

then will I be blameless,

innocent of great transgression.

My the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be pleasing in your sight,

O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.'

(Psalm 19.1-14)

#206

Crisp, moist morning...

#205

Looks gorgeous, but feels like a dank, lukewarm sauna...

'And this is the boldness we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him.' (1 John 5. 14-15)

#204

Sparkling twilight

#203

A morning heavy, replete, exploding with impending rain...

'There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love.' (1John 4.18)

#202

Misty Manhattan

'Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God; and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. All who obey his commandments abide in him, and he abides in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit that he has given us.' (1 John 3.18-24)

#201

Glorious light...

#200

'The same God who suffers because of his immense love for his children is the God who is rich in goodness and mercy and who desires to reveal to his children the richness of his glory.' (Return of the Prodigal Son, p 111 - Henri Nouwen)