Saturday, October 1, 2022
Memorial of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church
(click here to listen to or read today’s scriptures)
 O taste and see
Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned, you have revealed them to the childlike.”
Yesterday Jasper said, “Let’s go see the peacocks.” Miles said, “I want to see everything.” Andi said, “I do too!” And I took pictures, so many pictures on the most beautiful day in the history of Austin, Texas.
At the Laguna Gloria Museum of Contemporary Sculpture, we sat underneath “Looking Up,” 33 feet tall man made of aluminum foil roasting pans. I wanted to be sure we didn’t get caught underneath his very large feet. We each drew a picture of the Miffy Rabbit, weeping baby bunny tears into a round Miffy Fountain. Three bald men considered conversation, then decided against it.
I fell behind, taking photos of unusual angles, and then suddenly, standing beside the mansion, the side doors swung wide open and there stood Andi and her two butlers, welcoming me inside. We pretended to be post-bellum occupants for awhile, but the flowers and sculptures drew us back outside. Esperanza trees drew bumblebees and honeybees into their deep pockets of sweet nectar, and we followed them in with our cameras and binoculars.
But I guess the highlight of this trip to Laguna Gloria was down by the riverside, an ancient junked out 1953 Chevy in the trees, bronzed up, headlights on, and a black blues and gospel preaching service pouring out of the trunk. “Road Angel,” she is called. Everyone was a little stunned, caught up in the rhythm and blues, swept away by the preacher’s voice, shouting us into heaven.
And Job cried out to God, I had heard of you, but now I have seen you, Lord. Therefore I repent, in dust and ashes. And thus the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than the earlier ones.
The nearby peacock garden was closed for a special event, but the peacocks watched us from across the fence. I drove downtown to a Brazilian steak food truck and picked up lunch, took a long nap, swam with the Tomitas while Miles had another swim lesson, and we got all dressed up for an Artists’ Reception at the Grand Opening of the umpteenth Hill Church juried art gallery’s fall and winter show.
The revelation of your words sheds light, Lord. Let your face shine on me.
Paintings and mosaics and photographs and drawings and sculptures lined the halls of the Hill Church gallery. For Dee Day, the curator, art draws a wide swatch through worship. A sign beckons us into the exhibits: “Creativity is a response to God.” We spent much of the evening with our friends George and Anne, listening to live jazz, eating incredible gluten free chocolate chip cookies, and marveling at the art.
One artist, Sheryl Artmann, has been our friend for years. Others are in our Sunday School class at Grace. We felt surrounded by so many who believe, as we do too, in what one beautiful multi-media piece proclaimed: “I will pray until I become prayer itself.”
(Job 42, Psalm 119, Matthew 11, Luke 10)
(posted at www.davesandel.net)
#
