Lloyd's Art Info

How Long?

A sermon by Mary Koon

Riverside Presbyterian Church

June 26, 2011



Prayer of illumination:



Awaken us, this morning, O God, to the truth found in your Word, that our lives may be transformed and conformed to the image of your son, Jesus the Christ. And may the words of my mouth and the meditation of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer.



Our scripture this morning comes from the book of Psalms, a book of the Bible that is significant in both the Christian andthe Jewish tradition of worship. We will read the 13th Psalm, an honest cry to God in the midst of the suffering. I invite you to listen with ears of empathy, of recognition, and to pay attention to the emotion these words evoke.



Psalm 13:

1How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?

2How long must I bear pain in my soul, and have sorrow in my heart all day long? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

3Consider and answer me, O Lord my God! Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,

4and my enemy will say, “I have prevailed”; my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.

5But I trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.

6I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.



So ends the reading and may God’s Spirit illuminate our understanding. AMEN



How long? It is the cry of a Palestinianin occupied territory, navigating streets where gun fire and violence are too frequent realities. How long? It is the cry of the homeowner in Joplin, Missouri, picking through the rubble of his home that was destroyed in a tornado. How long? It is the cry of a parent whose child is hurt, or sick or heartbroken. How long? It is the cry of the widow who mourns her partner and best friend.

How long? It is my cry. It is yours.

The truth is that the human condition includes suffering as well as joy. Built into the very fabric of life is illness, loss and death. It is sobering to recognize that in the best- case scenario, our marriages, our friendships, indeed all our relationships will end, finally, in death; hopefully at a very old age without debilitating illness.

But this is why I love reading the psalms. The poetry, though the language is ancient and some of the images unfamiliar, speaks to a place deep within me. Though it may be important to know their historical context, it isn’t as important to me as how the words make me feel. Perhaps this is why psalms are included in the lectionary selections each week and are frequently the call to worship.

Patrick Miller, a scholar from Princeton, says that it is the form of the psalms that allows us to identify and relate to the speaker. The words in the psalms are directed at God and are from humans. God almost never addresses humans in the text. The structure of the psalms helps us structure our own prayers.



Psalm 13 is what is considered anIndividual Lament: This type psalm is the most frequent one in the psalms. In it,the author addresses his or her personal distress – sickness, abandonment, imprisonment – to God, and asks God to intervene and deliver.



Psalm 13 begins with a complaint that describes for God the problem in which God is sometime implicated:



My God, how long? Are you going to forget me forever?

How long will you hide your presence from me?

Must I bear pain in my soul and my heart 24/7?

How long will my enemy (be that enemy disease, grief, unemployment, etc) oppress me?



Then the author begs for God to help:



Consider and answer me, O Lord my God! Help me to see you. Help me!



Why does the author feel that God should help? Because if not,



I will die, my enemy will have won, and celebrate my downfall.



But then something amazing happens. The one crying out to God seems to tap into a memory of God’s goodness. The author is stirred, a resolution is found and a promise is made:



But I remember that I trusted in your ever-present love in the past,

My heart is filled with joy because I am confident that I am saved.

I will praise you because of the blessings you have shown me before now.



Even though God’s voice isn’t heard explicitly, we get the feeling that somehow God is interacting with the writer, that deep within the soul-- mystically – the author leans into God, whose mysterious love embraces us all. When that happens, cries of pain are transformed into cries of hope that God’s love will see him or her through their darkest moment.



Christianity is an odd sort of faith, isn’t it? Faith in the risen Christ doesn’t provide a free pass that somehow eliminates or helps us avoid failure, disease, heartbreak or disappointment. Rather, faith in Christ assures us that not only does God suffer with us, but that by loving one another through suffering, we are all transformed. Loving one another through pain and suffering can transform the world.Through Christ’s life, death and resurrection, we know that in the fullness of time, good will prevail, life will trump death and love and wholeness will be all.



And if we are to be part of the transformation of our world, both individually and corporately, if we are to be the hands of Christ on earth and bear one another’s burdens, we must all practice compassion andbe witnesses to one another’s suffering.



Frederick Beuchner writes that “compassion is sometimes the fatal capacity to feel what it is like to live inside somebody else’s skin. It is the knowledge that there can never really be any peace and joy for me until there is peace and joy finally for you too.” So, in other words, compassion is suffering with someone --we feel one another’s suffering so clearly that we are moved to do something to ease their pain. Jesus was the master of compassion. He eased pain and brought light wherever he went.



Honestly, some pains are easier to ease than others. It seems evident that offering water to the throat that cries out in thirst, or food to the belly that grumbles with hunger is compassionate. Bandaging a wound, smiling at a stranger or a frazzled store clerk is compassionate. Lifting a prayer for a person mute with grief, sending money to World Vision, or volunteering at BEDS are all acts of compassion.



But what of the needs of those hurting that aren’t as easy to identify? How can we help our children, our spouses, our friends, our fellow church members or even strangers? What should we do when we see that someone is grieving, confused or broken hearted, depressed, discouraged, or frightened, lonely, lost or just having a bad day? What should we say, how might we act?



Consider Job, an Old Testament hero who lost his family, his wealth and his health all because el Satan and God made a little wager. The Satan bet God that if God’s faithful servant, Job, was brought to his knees, Job would curse God. As Job sits on a pile of ashes, after losing it all, three friends show up. The most compassionate things these guys do is sit quietly by Job for days. When they begin to speak, their support flies out the window, as they cannot bear Job’s anger toward God, his questioning, his pain. In attempting to help Job discover the source of his losses, they accuse, they badger, they argue – in a word, they make matters worse. Sometimes the best way to help is to refrain from giving advice, to refrain from trying to fix the problem, or change the person and just let the suffering one yell at God, stomp, cry, shake, howl – and just be present and bear witness to the suffering.



The twelve step group, Alcoholics Anonymous, does this beautifully. These meetings bring people together who suffer in similar ways, who publically acknowledging their dependence on a higher power to heal from the alcoholism that has robbed them of abundant life and relationship. They lean on this power, and on one another. In meetings, advice or help is not given unless requested. No one is allowed to interrupt another’s story or try to fix their problems. Prayers are said together and strength is found in community. These people witness each other’s struggles, though they may not fully know or understand the details of their situation.

I hate to admit how often I’ve attempted to comfort a friend, my spouse or children by stating, “ I know just how you feel.” And I’m working on this. Because even if we’ve been through a similar circumstance, the truth is we can never really know exactly how someone feels, but we can be present with them in a supportive way.

There is a marvelous scene in that quirky“indie” movie called Lars and the Real Girl. The church and community rally around the protagonist, Lars, though they don’t understand why he believes that a plastic doll is a real person. They do it because they love him. The scene I refer to takes place in the living room where Lars is keeping vigil as his friend (who isn’t real) dies. The church ladies have come bearing Jello molds, ham and casseroles. They lead Lars into the living room, where they are quietly knitting, and give him a plate of food. “Should I do something?” He asks, “No, dear, we just came over to sit.” The ladies say, “That’s what we do when tragedy strikes – we come and sit.” There are times when action is needed, and times when the grace of silence is demanded.



How long, O God, will you forget me? It is the song of the soul in a world of pain. There will always be hearts calling out to God, imploring God to heal and restore, forgive and make new. As people of faith, we are called to help those who suffer remember that they are not forgotten-- by God or anyone else. Surely compassion takes discernment – is this the time for food? A phone call? A joke? A letter writing campaign? Or is it the time for showing up and sitting still, recognizing that as we journey with one another through the dark times, we open our lives to God’s transformative power to restore the world to wholeness.



Thanks be to God. AMEN

From Marion Boddy-Evans, your Guide to Painting
I suspect many of us will related to this inspirational art quote from Abstract Expressionist painter Arshile Gorky: "I never finish a painting, I just stop working on it for a while." It also takes the pressure of deciding a painting is absolutely and definitely finished.

How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and strong — because someday in life you will have been all of these.
-- George


This small 9x12 is title season;s forest . A romatic couple secreat meeting ....LLOYD

Halfway along the road we have to go,
I found myself obscured in a great forest,
Bewildered, and I knew I had lost the way
I called out for GOD
He was within
He was always there
To calm my dispair
My fear was gone
there was a new path

….lloyd

Lunt's World

Monday, August 27, 2007
The White Castle Preacher
While walking down the street here in Chicago next to a White Castle fast food establishment, I noticed three lampposts that had a strange message plastered all over them. It looked like this message was hand written on two unique posters. A photo, probably of some actress, captioned "Beautiful Mary" was added to both posters. There was a different picture on each poster.
I figured that if someone took the trouble to write this rather preachy "sermon" to preserve the honor of his dream girl, I should publish it and share it with the world. I took a picture of the two posters from one of the lampposts and tried to make out what they said. Exact copies of these posters were on the other lampposts. Here is the sermon as written in the rough poetry of the streets. I tried to keep the spelling and grammar intact to preserve the flavor of this work.

First Poster
BEAUTIFUL GORGEOUS MARY DONT YOU DEAR SELL DOPE OR BURN IN HOT LAVA FOREVER HELL HEAVEN IS A MILLION TIMES MORE THRILLING THAN SIN IS. ITS THE GOD TRUTH. GOD THE FATHER TOLD SAINT WILLIAMS ORG - THAT HEAVEN IS A TREMENDOUS THRILL OF ECSTCAY FOREVER. DONT BE A BIG BIG FOOL AND GIVE UP HEAVEN. STOP SHACKING UP OR BURN IN HELL. STAY SOBER FOREVER OR BURN IN HELL HOT LAVA FOREVER. ASK CHRIST TO COME INTO YOUR LIFE. THROW AWAY FILTHY MOVIES FILTHY BOOKS.
Second Poster
PRAY THE ROSARY IT HAS GREAT POWER TO KEEP THE DEVIL AWAY OR PRAY IN MIND A FEW MINUTES. DONT YOU DEAR SHACK UP OR YOU WILL MAKE GOD THE FATHER AND CHRIST AND MARY CRY BLOOD. STAY MARRIED CHRIST SAID ONE MARRIAGE. IF YOU ARE DIVORCED DONT YOU DEAR MARRY AGAIN OUT SIDE OF THE CHURCH OR YOU WILL BE LIVING IN FILTHY ADULTERY MORTAL SINS YOU MEN DONT YOU DEAR TALK A WOMAN INTO SHACKING UP WITH YOU. COWARD RAT IS WHAT YOU ARE. YOU STOP WITH CRIME OR HOT LAVA FOREVER HELL.
written by The White Castle Preacher (This is what I call him.)
Many bloggers are used to reading well written and neatly formatted stories. Yet, many of the people in the world around us still have a great deal of trouble communicating with their fellow human beings. This individual is pretty much like a primitive blogger without a blog or a computer, just a couple of lampposts on the streets of Chicago. He, probably, will never know that his prophetic words have passed into the collection of data perpetually circulating throughout the vast reaches of cyberspace.
Posted by George Lunt at 1:29 PM

June 18th & 19th
Cantiny : Art in Bloom
Wheaton, IL / Cantiny Park at 1 S 151 Winfield Rd
10am to
This is one largest This was a canvas found I painted it 20 years ago. It still hangs above the sofa. I painted When nall alone in the city,,in a steel cave,feeling sorry for myself. It is acrylic, about 3x4 Everyone sees the creature differently!

All Art by LLOYD I Bradbury


Nearby Luz en route to Haran, Jacob experienced a vision of a ladder or staircase reaching into heaven with angels going up and down it, commonly referred to as "Jacob's ladder". From the top of the ladder he heard the voice of God, who repeated many of the blessings upon him.

Many of us dream, but few listen. We dismiss the will of God. This belief of his spirit has been scenically proven. One can (Seeing is believing) Today I celebrate the Christian church. I can only trust Christ that his words bring. His contact is the spirit connection to my soul...Lloyd as Selfenlightenemt.

Show them the sword!

Behold! The Sword of Power! Excalibur! Forged when the world was young, and bird and beast and flower were one with man, and death was but a dream!
-- Merlinfrom: Excalibur (1981)
Another Insperation to paint. My mind is full of dreams. Man dreams of perfection....lloyd

The greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions, and not on our circumstances. We carry the seeds of the one or the other about with us in our minds wherever we go.
-- Martha WashingtonCategories: Martha Washington


My comment I ran out of canvas so this mounting is a bottom of a dressor drawer from the flood of Riverside Lawn IL It was one of the painting that appeared in my mind with no one that I jnow. It is Acrylic.I do not know to varnish or not. It seems content to hang on the wall without a frame. There 3 in this series painted on dresser drawers from the flood. I was thinking of painting on styfoam sheets? Buyt geto art store or I will have to paint bathroom walls. but will leave it as the libary. ..lloyd

I often refer to Abraham Lincoln, who said, "When I do good I feel good. When I do bad I feel bad. And that is my religion." I think we all have a little voice inside us that will guide us. It may be God, I don't know. But I think that if we shut out all the noise and clutter from our lives and listen to that voice, it will tell us the right thing to do.
-- Christopher

I never saw this place. I am sure some one has before it was farmed for its minerals. It reminds of yellowstone at what my mind sees. The lone tree can be me or you. ....lloyd

I have heard many comments about an artists painting. Many people have little imagination. They buy a painting to match the color of their furniture. Others want a realistic rendition of a of their house some want realistic portraits of love ones. My paintings display life not a bowl of fruit. I try to capture The mood of the living... This is why I do not fit in in traditional artist groups. As one critic that rejected my for an Art leaguer. ;; your abstract have body parts. Do you see body parts in my paints or a barn with a cow. They told my re an abstract is when rotate a painting you do not see an image. So, nuts to them! I will not change my art to fit what they think is a proper painting. I believe art is an expression of the world around us . This does not a bowl of has no character. To a fly it is a work of art. A cow loves his barn. To each his own. To hang a painting for wallpaper is an insult to the artist. I would rather paint for a fly or a cow for they may love it.

I have made a true friend in You! You inspire me. Both of us know how to face adversity. So we share a lot of the same feelings. This comment from you means a lot. Our art is so different from each but both express ourselves with love of our world. LLOYD


Ebb Tide has left a new comment on your post "Lloyd Irving reply to the critic.. Love Me Or Leav...":

I know you'll not be discouraged by your art critics. Don't change your style, techiques & subjects, to please them. Your colors are harmonious. Your style & technique are unique. You are very creative
w/ lines & forms. A good & great artist. You painted the world around you w/ beauty & passion. I feel sorry for those critics who don't understand what you painted. Many lacks imagination.



Posted by Ebb Tide to Lloyd's Art Info at 10:07 AM

MODERN OIL PAINTING
“It is not hard to understand modern art. If it hangs on a wall it's a painting, and if you can walk around it it's a sculpture.” Tom Stoppard (British playwright)


My new series are posts with insperational ideas. They all hang on my walls as this date. As I paint my clams they are all hers! Many come and go. but Marija fears I will stop painting. She etates:When they are gone we will not see them again; If I had keeeped all 500 or more of them the gallery would on the moon!

Artist and vacation.

A canvas is like a trip. You can plan a destination or not. We could have random trip as well without a specific destination once I decided to go around Lake Michigan. At that I had a partner that had not seen this area of this country. Just this memory spurs memories to paint.

When I paint I do not just spill paint on canvas. The memory of past or present is my diction of my picture of a thousand words. I also use dreams of the future. Some times my expression of a mood is the object of my painting.

The blank canvases begins the and the finished painting is my destination. My adventure leads me to use many sides of emaginationexpression of self. This trip is the mosst fun . Although the complete trip gives great ratification. The record of this afventure is told on one page of canvas.

Just wanted to share the news:
I won the "Award of Excellence in Fiber Art" yesterday at the Naperville Woman's Club Fine Art Fair.


I was also included in 2 newspaper articles in conjunction with the fair...you may read them on-line (you'll need to scroll through the photos in both place) at: http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20110604/news/706049884/photos/EP1/ and http://napervillesun.suntimes.com/photos/galleries/index.html?story=5737060


If you're local to us here, I hope to see you at the fair today!!
Come see us between 10am and 5pm
You'll find us just SOUTH of the Riverwalk all about the area of Webster & Water Streets...in fact, my booth is right there at the end of the covered foot bridge!!

Tammy L Deck ~ ArtWear

TLD Design Center & Gallery
26 E Quincy St.
Westmont, IL 60559

ph: 630.963.9573

www.tlddesigns.com

Regular Hours:
Wednesday through Saturday
11 am to 6pm

To view classes coming up this week:
http://www.tlddesigns.com/this.week.in.classes.htm

Life is a blank Canvas.
Description A blank canvas reminds us of life. It houses so much potential and so many opportunities for creativity, and the artist has the knowledge and the tools to make it into something beautiful. We are new creations, blank pages ready to be crafted into an incredible work that brings glory to the artist. Our lives are God’s canvas.
In the most simple way, tomorrow without creativity is like a re-run of yesterday. Creativity realizes the blank canvas before it and begins to create something beautifully suspended in the endless white space. Our tomorrows should be filled with innovations and ideas that glorify the God who inspires creativity with His sheer greatness. Canvas will emphasize the invitation Jesus gives to experience real life, where being connected to God and joining in His cause for world restoration are at the center of who we are. And everything we were created to be, comes alive as we join our lives with His body

A lady waiting to have her car fixedd. Yes it is a lady bug!!!
so give a lady a hug... Thankyou Evaine Stahrr for the photo....

Atempt at a poem LLOYD IRVING Bradbury

June 4th & 5th
10 to 5 each day

Naperville Woman's Club
Fine Art Fair
New Location:
Webster & Water Streets

at the riverwalk on foot?
cross the river using the covered bridge
by the dandelion fountain..

Look for me with my Weaving Loom.

Tammy L Deck ~ ArtWear
TLD Design Center & Gallery
26 E Quincy St.
Westmont, IL 60559

ph: 630.963.9573

www.tlddesigns.com

Regular Hours:
Wednesday through Saturday
11 am to 6pm

To view classes coming up this week:
http://www.tlddesigns.com/this.week.in.classes.htm