A Note From the “Fishing Professor”
On Saturday, August 24, I “departed” from social media to focus, primarily, on my students. By doing so I am better prepared to contribute to my Face book friends and those who visit www.firstfish.weebly.com.
I have been away for a week, the departure was not because of sickness or any other problem and I sincerely appreciate some of you who inquired about my well being!
My seven days away are the basis for this note.
The past week was a time of reflection and self-examination.
I discovered that peace can be found in the midst of a busy people filled world. There surely are times when I enjoy the solitude of a wing dike, and seeing the sun set on the river, but I am also learning peace of the workplace! The past days have been very rewarding and memories of the past week are what I want to share:
The beginning of my week was a return to art, after a summer of fishing. I try to create the same art projects that I assign to my students. This helps them see how my process works and it keeps me productive as a practicing artist.
The school year began with my basic design class working on a collage project and my printmaking class exploring the diversity of owls (also the William Woods University mascot). I am using an Owl to accompany James 1:5, as my illustration for this note.
My design project will be posted as an illustration for next week's note.
Anyway, the students work is in conjunction with the regional libraries “One Read” program. The one read book, the “Ruins of Us”, is the story of a woman’s spiritual journey to recapture identity and to return home.
My students are getting to know one another in the process of creating collage art that relates to the theme of home.
For my collage, I am portraying my grandparent’s home and my fond memories of being there with them. In my search for photos of them I returned in a spiritual way, to my youth. I found my Catechism workbook from the early 1960’s. I matriculated through the catechism class at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Springfield, Missouri. I must admit that I memorized some prepared answers and passed my question and answer test. I do not believe, I did much critical thinking back then. Much like now I was in a hurry to do something else like go fishing! But still, fifty years later, I am seeking; therefore finding some answers to questions I was asked in my youth.
Please excuse me for digressing in memory of my catechism; I must get back now, to my inspiring week. The days of this week were a revelation for me and rather mysterious. On Thursday while I was in the art studio away from my office, an anonymous messages appeared on my desk.
First message: “The one reality is spirit. The surface of life is only a disguise with a thousand masks that keeps us from discovering what is real”.
Second message: “you have to swim far out beyond the shallow waters, plunge deep into yourself, and search patiently until the pearl of great price is found”
As a former scuba diver and as a devoted fisherman I have explored the deep waters! Now I venture into deeper spiritual waters. Perhaps the pearl of great price was found this week! And something of a long awaited second catechism was also discovered.
Friday August 23, I attended a birthday party for a family friend who recently reconnected with me through Face book.
This friend, Mary, turned fifty five and retired from the University of Missouri. She worked with my father more than thirty years ago and was very supportive at the time of his death. Mary has coped with rheumatoid arthritis her entire life. After multiple surgeries and years of pain she still has the most beautiful smile! When I saw her at the American Legion Hall in Ashland, Missouri on her birthday, she radiated that smile and rose up out of her wheel chair, hugged me and collapsed back into the chair to rest before repeating the same effort with many others. She also left the wheel chair to dance! I did not realize how my Friday night reunion at Mary’s party would be a prelude to the coming week.
The next day I offered a Saturday critical thinking activity for college freshmen. This effort also seemed to help usher in the Spirit for the last week of August 2013.
The first day of class, I met a student who was trying to find the correct classroom. She was late for class. I teaching class when I saw her, I realized she was in the wrong building and some distance from the correct room. I saw my friend Dennis, a WWU staff member who might have his maintenance truck was parked nearby. I asked him to help the student. He was glad to help. Dennis has recovered from cancer, and is a person who inspires me. The way we helped the lost student reminded me of the truth that “all things work together for good, for those who love god”. I met the same student again the next day and learned her name is Kaitlin. We attended the first meeting for new program, called “Inspire the Woods”. This was in the University Chapel, located on the south east corner of the campus. After words I walked with her and observed how difficult the walk back to the building where we both were heading, really was for her. The heat was terrible, about ninety six degrees. I could not understand why she did not use a motorized scooter. But now I understand.
Another influence early in the week that positively impacted me was a visit with a friend and valued colleague who is battling cancer, some of my visits with him this summer I shall always remember! I was further motivated by a return to the Rosa Parks Center to once again assist teacher and her students.
I believe a Great Spirit connected these events in such a way, to make the week a part of the design God has for my life.
A focal point in my perspective was the critical thinking activity with college freshmen. To begin the program with the intended arts and humanities majors, I described some of the learning opportunities outside the classroom available at William Woods University. One of the programs I described was the Mentor / Mentee Program. I shared my feelings of reward, for more than a decade as a participant, in the M/M Program. I projected images, which are part of a website that I created as an M/M project in 2012, with Erica Begley.
www.firstfish.weebly.com
I projected a few highlights from “Stories for Samuel”. I shared with them, my motivation for the stories that span fifty years of my life. Then I asked the students to remember an important time in their own lives when they experienced something powerful, important and worthy of a story telling. I asked them to construct a story and tell another student in the room their story. I will never know the stories they told, but I observed the sincerity and attention to something very important on August 25th!
By weeks end I knew I had been blessed. I even experienced something of a long awaited catechism. At the age 62. Self-examination, questions and answers prompted critical thinking. I see the circle of the design, elements of my life that were emphasized when a lost friend reconnected with me on Face book, time away from social media and a return to Fb to tell the story of my “time away”. Nothing was lost; but much was gained, after I swam away from the shore.
I will swim away again, like an old man struggling against the sea, because I have not reached my final destination but I am assured that someday I will get there.
I do not believe the experiences I have described are unrelated, mere chance occurrences; rather I believe they are result of a tremendous Spirit!
Late the night of August 25, and early in the morning of August 26, I lay in the dark of an upper room listening to a pod cast that I found among a plethora of spiritual teachings on the Internet. I discovered a most synergistic message, by John MacArthur, after I typed the key word assurance.
I listened to part of the sermon and fell asleep. Then before dawn I woke feeling I would really benefit by hearing the last part that I slept through. John MacArthur ended the teaching and began my morning with a “little question and answer, catechism”! I have replayed, the oral instruction every night, not memorizing, but appreciating the message. And maybe I appreciated my first catechism more than I realized; maybe it stayed with me in spirit, if not as a tangible memory but as a Holy Spirit, never abandoning me, working in a mysterious way!
Sometimes we just need to take a swim far out beyond the shallow water and plunge deep into our selves!
http://www.sermonaudio.com/playpopup.asp?SID=7210123660
At week’s ends, after some time away, I returned to my friend Jim Dunn, once again we enjoyed fellowship and meal of fish!
On Saturday, August 24, I “departed” from social media to focus, primarily, on my students. By doing so I am better prepared to contribute to my Face book friends and those who visit www.firstfish.weebly.com.
I have been away for a week, the departure was not because of sickness or any other problem and I sincerely appreciate some of you who inquired about my well being!
My seven days away are the basis for this note.
The past week was a time of reflection and self-examination.
I discovered that peace can be found in the midst of a busy people filled world. There surely are times when I enjoy the solitude of a wing dike, and seeing the sun set on the river, but I am also learning peace of the workplace! The past days have been very rewarding and memories of the past week are what I want to share:
The beginning of my week was a return to art, after a summer of fishing. I try to create the same art projects that I assign to my students. This helps them see how my process works and it keeps me productive as a practicing artist.
The school year began with my basic design class working on a collage project and my printmaking class exploring the diversity of owls (also the William Woods University mascot). I am using an Owl to accompany James 1:5, as my illustration for this note.
My design project will be posted as an illustration for next week's note.
Anyway, the students work is in conjunction with the regional libraries “One Read” program. The one read book, the “Ruins of Us”, is the story of a woman’s spiritual journey to recapture identity and to return home.
My students are getting to know one another in the process of creating collage art that relates to the theme of home.
For my collage, I am portraying my grandparent’s home and my fond memories of being there with them. In my search for photos of them I returned in a spiritual way, to my youth. I found my Catechism workbook from the early 1960’s. I matriculated through the catechism class at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Springfield, Missouri. I must admit that I memorized some prepared answers and passed my question and answer test. I do not believe, I did much critical thinking back then. Much like now I was in a hurry to do something else like go fishing! But still, fifty years later, I am seeking; therefore finding some answers to questions I was asked in my youth.
Please excuse me for digressing in memory of my catechism; I must get back now, to my inspiring week. The days of this week were a revelation for me and rather mysterious. On Thursday while I was in the art studio away from my office, an anonymous messages appeared on my desk.
First message: “The one reality is spirit. The surface of life is only a disguise with a thousand masks that keeps us from discovering what is real”.
Second message: “you have to swim far out beyond the shallow waters, plunge deep into yourself, and search patiently until the pearl of great price is found”
As a former scuba diver and as a devoted fisherman I have explored the deep waters! Now I venture into deeper spiritual waters. Perhaps the pearl of great price was found this week! And something of a long awaited second catechism was also discovered.
Friday August 23, I attended a birthday party for a family friend who recently reconnected with me through Face book.
This friend, Mary, turned fifty five and retired from the University of Missouri. She worked with my father more than thirty years ago and was very supportive at the time of his death. Mary has coped with rheumatoid arthritis her entire life. After multiple surgeries and years of pain she still has the most beautiful smile! When I saw her at the American Legion Hall in Ashland, Missouri on her birthday, she radiated that smile and rose up out of her wheel chair, hugged me and collapsed back into the chair to rest before repeating the same effort with many others. She also left the wheel chair to dance! I did not realize how my Friday night reunion at Mary’s party would be a prelude to the coming week.
The next day I offered a Saturday critical thinking activity for college freshmen. This effort also seemed to help usher in the Spirit for the last week of August 2013.
The first day of class, I met a student who was trying to find the correct classroom. She was late for class. I teaching class when I saw her, I realized she was in the wrong building and some distance from the correct room. I saw my friend Dennis, a WWU staff member who might have his maintenance truck was parked nearby. I asked him to help the student. He was glad to help. Dennis has recovered from cancer, and is a person who inspires me. The way we helped the lost student reminded me of the truth that “all things work together for good, for those who love god”. I met the same student again the next day and learned her name is Kaitlin. We attended the first meeting for new program, called “Inspire the Woods”. This was in the University Chapel, located on the south east corner of the campus. After words I walked with her and observed how difficult the walk back to the building where we both were heading, really was for her. The heat was terrible, about ninety six degrees. I could not understand why she did not use a motorized scooter. But now I understand.
Another influence early in the week that positively impacted me was a visit with a friend and valued colleague who is battling cancer, some of my visits with him this summer I shall always remember! I was further motivated by a return to the Rosa Parks Center to once again assist teacher and her students.
I believe a Great Spirit connected these events in such a way, to make the week a part of the design God has for my life.
A focal point in my perspective was the critical thinking activity with college freshmen. To begin the program with the intended arts and humanities majors, I described some of the learning opportunities outside the classroom available at William Woods University. One of the programs I described was the Mentor / Mentee Program. I shared my feelings of reward, for more than a decade as a participant, in the M/M Program. I projected images, which are part of a website that I created as an M/M project in 2012, with Erica Begley.
www.firstfish.weebly.com
I projected a few highlights from “Stories for Samuel”. I shared with them, my motivation for the stories that span fifty years of my life. Then I asked the students to remember an important time in their own lives when they experienced something powerful, important and worthy of a story telling. I asked them to construct a story and tell another student in the room their story. I will never know the stories they told, but I observed the sincerity and attention to something very important on August 25th!
By weeks end I knew I had been blessed. I even experienced something of a long awaited catechism. At the age 62. Self-examination, questions and answers prompted critical thinking. I see the circle of the design, elements of my life that were emphasized when a lost friend reconnected with me on Face book, time away from social media and a return to Fb to tell the story of my “time away”. Nothing was lost; but much was gained, after I swam away from the shore.
I will swim away again, like an old man struggling against the sea, because I have not reached my final destination but I am assured that someday I will get there.
I do not believe the experiences I have described are unrelated, mere chance occurrences; rather I believe they are result of a tremendous Spirit!
Late the night of August 25, and early in the morning of August 26, I lay in the dark of an upper room listening to a pod cast that I found among a plethora of spiritual teachings on the Internet. I discovered a most synergistic message, by John MacArthur, after I typed the key word assurance.
I listened to part of the sermon and fell asleep. Then before dawn I woke feeling I would really benefit by hearing the last part that I slept through. John MacArthur ended the teaching and began my morning with a “little question and answer, catechism”! I have replayed, the oral instruction every night, not memorizing, but appreciating the message. And maybe I appreciated my first catechism more than I realized; maybe it stayed with me in spirit, if not as a tangible memory but as a Holy Spirit, never abandoning me, working in a mysterious way!
Sometimes we just need to take a swim far out beyond the shallow water and plunge deep into our selves!
http://www.sermonaudio.com/playpopup.asp?SID=7210123660
At week’s ends, after some time away, I returned to my friend Jim Dunn, once again we enjoyed fellowship and meal of fish!