Strings

Earl Klugh set my ears towards the nuance of jazz.

The improvisations of music reflect the amazing dexterity of God in turning twists and turns into a concert tapestry.

Everything works together for good for those who are in Christ.

Yes, even for snapped strings such as I. 

Sketch: David Talaguit / Finding Klugh based on my Sunday Sermon: All Things New / Book of Revelation Chapter 21

Steps

Every summer, my church holds a Daily Vacation Bible School that features a distinct gospel theme.

Each year, a petite Romanian girl and her sister living at the condominium next block gets drop off by their parents.

I have seen the miracle of a slow but steady witness turn lil' Mimi into a fine young lady.

Her cruciform began with a few steps leading to the house of God.

Climb

Upper body strength propels the climb from point to point.

But it is the stability of foot traction that provides the crucial balance for the next step.

I find this basic principle informing my daily ascent.

What I know cerebrally must always be augmented by practicality.

When I say I believe in grace.
Mercy must anchor my steps.

Rise and Shine, O my soul!

Study

The crucial part of parenting involves the aspect of careful study.

Children are a gift from God that assumes deliberate time involvement.

The wisdom of Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go ..." speaks of a specific direction ( דֶּרֶךְ ) that has been divinely crafted into every child. 

I remember observing my firstborn constantly veering towards clothing and fashion as early as two. It was quite challenging to navigate her world but I found respite in seeking wisdom from the LORD who claims to know her much more than I do.

As I sought to study my daughter's guided path, I found HIS lamp so sufficient and safe.

Nika's early steps into her Father's ramp

Signature

When a branding iron marks a stallion, ownership is made public.

Human tattoos are rather tricky.

Current trends leverage the craft of ink from various orientation.

There are those who go for art.

There are those who flaunt their conquest.

There are those who flag their allegiance.

And there are those who declare their death through life.

Yanika Karmine's ID

Empty Nest

The gift of children is most ironic.

I am given two precious daughters whom I both held close to my breath upon birth.

I witnessed their first straddle, their indescribable syntax, their insatiable thirst for play.

They'd ride my back as I turn horse.

I was crossfit gym for them to hang.

My old Raleigh was locomotive express around the block.

Laughter and snot were constantly served á la carte.

I made up songs to enliven their treks to boring practice hikes.

I was school bus driver.

I was driving instructor.

Just to name a few ....

then one day the playground is without a noise.

You wish for just one more day of blissful frolic.

Grace So Amazing

Just recently I might have experienced the most emaciating four days of my senior life.

I offered hand to help my youngest daughter move to her new apartment.

I flew in from Dallas to NYC on a Sunday night as work commenced at midnight until the wee hours of Wednesday.

Clean up. Carpentry. Painting. Boxing. U-Haul Trips. Walk-ups. Heavy-lifting. Starving. Dehydrating. 

I did not realize the accumulated fatigue but on the third day, I gulped down a giant Gatorade in about seven seconds flat.

It was about 2 am Thursday when Bianca (tired as she was herself) snuggled a word of endearment before I took my power nap prior to my 3:30 am departure.

Bianca: Dad, thank you for being so amazing.
Me: (no words, but a rush of tiredness evaporating from my wearied soul).

It was all God's grace infused in this joyful work.

I'd do it all over again.

Disease

From the Old French desaise derives our term for illness or lack of ease.

Five years ago, I had a medical prognosis that had me involved towards surgery. I had an aggressive tumor in my lower jaw. Benign as it was, its nomenclature was hideous. 

In one of my chats, a doctor friend confessed that medical jargon is nothing more but a handle on things that we all grope for ... it is just a name attached to all these mysterious malady.

Prior to my 12 hour surgery, I was given three honest scenarios. Since my lower jaw will be resected and replaced by my right fibula bone, I was to prepare for three unsettling possibilities:

I may not be able to speak as clearly.
I should practice smiling with my eyes.
I may have challenged difficulty to run.

Disease has a way to our inner sanctum. It pushes us right towards a hole. For a season, I believed its darkness instead of trusting the PHYSICIAN who names all things by fiat.

It is merely by grace that I was granted mercy to drop the tag and turn to Christ for help.

I now speak clearly.
I  now smile wide.
I now run fast.

Holy Frat

It was circa 1985.

With mere faith in the veracity of Christ's calling, I resigned from all my then current preoccupations and headed to basic seminary training.

The grant of unforgettable friendships moved me to a place of reckoning on who I am as a child of God.

It is incredible how one gets transformed through the grit of others.

Iron sharpens Iron.

Thank you Al, Chris, Edsel, Alvin, Rommel ... to name a few.

© 2016 Oil and Dew Ltd