Dear Liam,
After almost thirty years invested as a college professor, and a short time as a high school teacher, I have come to a realization that “Life is Art”. It is not art competitions, awards or commissioned paintings that I remember these days, but the many students I was privileged to share artistic points of view with. Art elements and design principles were also shared, but it was the benefit of making many friends that are now my greatest reward. The aspect of friendship was shown by students, like your dad, who I did not think I made much of a significant impression on; but when he came up with a design / art project that I will always remember my perception changed. He is my friend and I am proud of him, because he loves you and my daughter and works hard to sustain a loving family.
I love my daughter and tried in a story titled “Sunflower Seeds” (from Children, Dogs, and Sunflowers) to describe how important she is to me. A couple of days ago I found a Valentine card that proclaims her to be a star that rocks my life!
This is my first letter to you Liam; I will archive it with the other letters, notes, and pictures, in my online collection of stories for my grandchildren. In the prolog to these stories titled “Out of the Mouth of the First Fish”, I shared some things about myself I am not proud of. Growing up, I learned the hard way, I had wonderful parents and they loved and cared for me, but I was kind of wild and stubborn and did not allow God to direct my life as early as I should have. But, when I began to cooperate with His plan for my life, things went very well! By understanding the futility of my solitary effort to plan my own life, I realized by Grace, I could not completely chart my own course. An Enduring Spirit of a man called Jesus began to dwell in me and flow in such a way, the impossible became possible! Signs, wonders, miracles, that are said to confound wise men of this world, appeared to me in understandable everyday ways!
It has been said that each time a child is born, the world lights up with new possibilities. I believe God has a very special plan for your life, Liam! I have told my children and now you dear grandson, that you should cooperate with God’s plan for your life, because if you do so, I believe you will grow up to be one of God’s special people and be a leader helping others in ways God will reveal to you.
Through the Spirit of God, I have been taught to be patient and in patience I have looked for the agape spirit in others. It was this past December when your dad said to me he might need a little of my artistic ability to help him create a Christmas gift for your mother. It was at the time of creative sharing, that I saw the good spirit in your dad. He continues to work hard and share time he enjoys and values with you and your mom.
What Matters Ultimately is family; it is a blessing for those who value the meaning of love. It matters to me that I mentor, in authentic ways, not imposing my beliefs on others but by living a happy and joyful life. My, family will laugh when I leave in terrible weather to go fishing, but they know I do not fish to be happy, but am happy because the spirit of nature (part of a greater Spirit fishes with me). I hope you learn about a man named Jesus, who came from God to give us a Holy Spirit that is a wonderful comfort. When you are touched by His Spirit you will know about the agape way, a way that is a selfless and cares more for others. When I leave home to go “fishing” I make friends like “Old Paul” who I know God sent me to be his friend to, comfort and care for. Whether as an artist or as a fisherman I try to be a servant, and, thus, a disciple of Jesus. I also try to love others with the love of the Lord; serving them with all the creativity I am given. The early American President John Quincy Adams said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”
Whether you do this by playing soccer with your dad or in some passion you will find, and share with others, make friends and inspire them by putting your all into the pursuit and in a humble way share your expertise with others. And being a friend to another is what makes “Life Art”.
As an older man in my early sixties, I want to be more humble and I read the Bible with new understanding, taking special note of a main character who changed, this man Saul, was not a friend of Jesus, but rather a great enemy. He was changed, and his name became Paul. Reading about him I sing a song about amazing grace – I sing with joy that once I was blind, but now I see! I see what I may have accomplished as a teacher, was due to the power of God in me—not by me.
I hope you Liam will receive honors beyond your accomplishment and understand the explanation for this good fortune. I hope your mom, dad, grandparents or me will read (1 Samuel 2:30) and help you understand it along with the stories I have written for you and your cousins, Samuel, and Silas.
Love,
Papa Terry
02.16.2015
After almost thirty years invested as a college professor, and a short time as a high school teacher, I have come to a realization that “Life is Art”. It is not art competitions, awards or commissioned paintings that I remember these days, but the many students I was privileged to share artistic points of view with. Art elements and design principles were also shared, but it was the benefit of making many friends that are now my greatest reward. The aspect of friendship was shown by students, like your dad, who I did not think I made much of a significant impression on; but when he came up with a design / art project that I will always remember my perception changed. He is my friend and I am proud of him, because he loves you and my daughter and works hard to sustain a loving family.
I love my daughter and tried in a story titled “Sunflower Seeds” (from Children, Dogs, and Sunflowers) to describe how important she is to me. A couple of days ago I found a Valentine card that proclaims her to be a star that rocks my life!
This is my first letter to you Liam; I will archive it with the other letters, notes, and pictures, in my online collection of stories for my grandchildren. In the prolog to these stories titled “Out of the Mouth of the First Fish”, I shared some things about myself I am not proud of. Growing up, I learned the hard way, I had wonderful parents and they loved and cared for me, but I was kind of wild and stubborn and did not allow God to direct my life as early as I should have. But, when I began to cooperate with His plan for my life, things went very well! By understanding the futility of my solitary effort to plan my own life, I realized by Grace, I could not completely chart my own course. An Enduring Spirit of a man called Jesus began to dwell in me and flow in such a way, the impossible became possible! Signs, wonders, miracles, that are said to confound wise men of this world, appeared to me in understandable everyday ways!
It has been said that each time a child is born, the world lights up with new possibilities. I believe God has a very special plan for your life, Liam! I have told my children and now you dear grandson, that you should cooperate with God’s plan for your life, because if you do so, I believe you will grow up to be one of God’s special people and be a leader helping others in ways God will reveal to you.
Through the Spirit of God, I have been taught to be patient and in patience I have looked for the agape spirit in others. It was this past December when your dad said to me he might need a little of my artistic ability to help him create a Christmas gift for your mother. It was at the time of creative sharing, that I saw the good spirit in your dad. He continues to work hard and share time he enjoys and values with you and your mom.
What Matters Ultimately is family; it is a blessing for those who value the meaning of love. It matters to me that I mentor, in authentic ways, not imposing my beliefs on others but by living a happy and joyful life. My, family will laugh when I leave in terrible weather to go fishing, but they know I do not fish to be happy, but am happy because the spirit of nature (part of a greater Spirit fishes with me). I hope you learn about a man named Jesus, who came from God to give us a Holy Spirit that is a wonderful comfort. When you are touched by His Spirit you will know about the agape way, a way that is a selfless and cares more for others. When I leave home to go “fishing” I make friends like “Old Paul” who I know God sent me to be his friend to, comfort and care for. Whether as an artist or as a fisherman I try to be a servant, and, thus, a disciple of Jesus. I also try to love others with the love of the Lord; serving them with all the creativity I am given. The early American President John Quincy Adams said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”
Whether you do this by playing soccer with your dad or in some passion you will find, and share with others, make friends and inspire them by putting your all into the pursuit and in a humble way share your expertise with others. And being a friend to another is what makes “Life Art”.
As an older man in my early sixties, I want to be more humble and I read the Bible with new understanding, taking special note of a main character who changed, this man Saul, was not a friend of Jesus, but rather a great enemy. He was changed, and his name became Paul. Reading about him I sing a song about amazing grace – I sing with joy that once I was blind, but now I see! I see what I may have accomplished as a teacher, was due to the power of God in me—not by me.
I hope you Liam will receive honors beyond your accomplishment and understand the explanation for this good fortune. I hope your mom, dad, grandparents or me will read (1 Samuel 2:30) and help you understand it along with the stories I have written for you and your cousins, Samuel, and Silas.
Love,
Papa Terry
02.16.2015