7 Quick Takes: a day at Laity Lodge, Kendra turns 17, making stuff at SXSW and more!
Total highlight from this gorgeous week in Austin.....
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| The Wall Project at SXSW 6th and Nueces between Haddingtons and Waltons |
....that's me making writing words on paper art while Jim and co. make painting art. I think, perhaps, in this shot Drake is making silent prayers but he also might be trying to figure out how to get the club DJ across the street throw on some Dave Matthews Band.
A couple links for more info about The Wall Project at SXSW:
A Spark of Christ in the City at World Magazine online
The Wall Project at SXSW (the Wall Project blog)
Also, here's a short video clip of the artist at work:
Jim Janknegt at work (video from Jeffrey Mays)
I told you last week that Brian totally hit the target on my birthday gift. A day road trip into the Texas hill country to drop in on the Ministers to Artists Retreat happening at Laity Lodge.
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| James K. A . Smith and W. David O. Taylor discussing Orson Scott Card |
It probably reveals my inner dork that my best idea for my birthday meant sitting in the back of a room listening to a philosopher and a theologian talk about art and church. Then so be it.
[I wrote a lot about James K. A. Smith's book Desiring the Kingdom in my Parenting Unrehearsed post: How to Keep Your Kids from Spending Too Much Time at Church]
annual photo (via David's camera and a really patient LL staff guy)
But it's never just about the good teaching. It's the land and the sky and the Frio River. Also, the food. And the art. A heavenly buffet of truth, goodness and beauty, yessir!
[For a brief idea of David's talk this year, read Artists as Caretakers of the Imagination: six thoughts at Diary of an Arts Pastor]
A highlight for us was sitting in on an evening of singing together under Isaac Wardell's disarming worship leading. Stop for a minute and think about the last time you held a piece of sheet music in your hand, trying to find the notes in a four-part harmony? Probably been awhile, right? Yep, me too.
A beautiful exercise with soul-stirring results. (click play to listen in a few seconds...)
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If I could transport myself to one more conference this year, it'd be this one (led by Isaac Wardell):
From the conference website: John Foley’s well-known hymn describes a God who is near to the broken-hearted, who hears the cry of the poor. When our spirit is crushed, God is a safe shelter for our fears.
This year’s Bifrost conference will explore the intersection of worship, community, and mercy. Speakers will include Makoto Fujimura (Director of International Arts Movement), John Witvliet (Director of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship), Greg Thompson (fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture), and Frère Emmanuel (brother from the worshipping community of Taize), as well as other panels and workshops.
We are also excited to have music from Sandra McCracken, Philadelphia Choral Arts, the Bifrost Arts Ensemble, and The Welcome Wagon. We hope you can join us!
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Another highlight -- visiting the art installation Laity Lodge commissioned Roger Feldman to build on the land.
The stonework structure hidden in the Canyon is already marvelous -- even in its unfinished state. I'm looking forward to going back again when it's completed.
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My friend Micha Boyett announced some really exciting news at her blog yesterday!
My Very Big Announcement: A Book Deal, Baby! at Mama:Monk
More good words on the internet this week:
- 11 Rules for Life from SXSW Interactive keynote, Tina Roth Eisenberg at culturemap Austin: a pretty decent list (my favorite is #11!)
- Papamoon! at SimchaFisher: a fun way to get to know the new Pope
- Rebuild My Church by Jim Wallis at Sojourners: good hopes for a new era
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In a practically-perfect in every way sort of weekend we spent all day Sunday celebrating Kendra's 17th birthday! (with a bit of lingering celebration for me as well...)
For her birthday gift, we purchased her bus tickets to visit Alex in Houston for two days. Yes, I do trust my college-freshman son enough with my highschool-junior daughter to let them hang out together on campus for two days without me knowing what they're up to every moment. (that didn't stop me from wondering a few times, though!)
Brian caught this snapshot of Kendra boarding the mega-bus. I didn't even recognize her at first -- like, who's that beautiful woman boarding the bus? Good golly, these kids amaze me...
Watch this gorgeously rendered short film documenting Roger Feldman and his process behind the creation of 'ekko', a stonework installation in the grounds of Freswick Castle, Scotland.
A beauty and grace-filled weekend for us all, dear ones.
For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!
