Author: God's Morning

For many, it is directly connected to experiences they have or have had with a specific organized Church.  Whether that experience was good or bad for them tends to color how they view the word.  Someone recently told me that they hated Sunday School when they were young, and so have had nothing to do with any of it since.  Unfortunately, if someone teaches that God is angry, vengeful and something to fear, a child probably would not want to have anything to do with Him.  But like a person who is bitten by a dog at a young age and goes through life always afraid of dogs, they miss out on the wonderful unconditional love and joy a dog (and God) can bring to your life.

I personally do not belong to any particular organized Church or denomination. I enjoy going to Church.  I love the music, enjoy the people, and can be inspired by a well-prepared and delivered sermon.  Over my lifetime, I have attended Catholic Church, every Protestant denomination Church, non-denominational Churches, Jewish Synagogue, Baha’i meetings, Pentecostal Church (an experience), UU Church, Episcopalian Church, Kingdom Hall, Russian Orthodox (where I was invited by a monk to experience their beautiful icon paintings), mega churches and little tiny out in the middle of nowhere churches.  I have studied Rastafarianism, Buddhism, the Kabbalah, A Course in Miracles, Christian Science, Unity, read more spiritual practice and belief books than I could possibly list, have investigated the occult, astrology, numerology, scientology, Obeah, and have read and studied the Bible.   I have gleaned knowledge from all.  In the end however, it is my personal relationship with God and His word in the Bible that has proven to provide all the truth and wisdom necessary to live a loving, joyful, peace-filled life; not religion, which can get all muddled up by man with their creed and dogma, and has a tendency to push people away from God and each other.  As the Apostle Paul said: “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

That is what that book causes you to do. It also causes you to connect on a personal level with God, and to hear what He has to say to all of us.  Call me crazy if you want, but it was He who told me to paint and share this series, and so I am.  It is for His purpose, not mine.  It was He who told me to get myself and my mother out of here and down to Florida in January last year.  Listening to Him saved us from experiencing the dreadful winter that none of us knew was coming, and which would have made it unbearable for me to care for Mom, not to mention miserable and dangerous for her during her recovery from major femur repair surgery, on top of her dementia, which had been made much worse by the anesthesia.  But He knew, and I listened, even though I really did not want to deal with the challenge of transporting her to Florida in her condition and state.  Do people consider that “religion”, or is it the wisdom of listening in faith to the source of all knowledge so that we might be blessed.

Here are a few definitions of the word “Religion”. There are many definitions, because it is such a hard word to define, but I thought these three were good (from http://www.religioustolerance.org/rel_defn1.htm):

Definition from an unknown dictionary:

Religion (ri-lij'[uh]n) n.

The beliefs, attitudes, emotions, behavior, etc., constituting man’s relationship with the powers and principles of the universe, especially with a deity or deities; also, any particular system of such beliefs, attitudes, etc.

An essential part or a practical test of the spiritual life.

An object of conscientious devotion or scrupulous care: e.g. His work is a religion to him.

The Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry (CARM)’s definition is more flexible and may involve a deity, multiple deities, or no deities:

“An organized system of belief that generally seeks to understand purpose, meaning, goals, and methods of spiritual things. These spiritual things can be God, people in relation to God, salvation, after life, purpose of life, order of the cosmos, etc.”

Wikipedia defines religion as:

“… a system of social coherence based on a common group of beliefs or attitudes concerning an object, person, unseen being, or system of thought considered to be supernatural, sacred, divine or highest truth, and the moral codes, practices, values, institutions, traditions, and rituals associated with such belief or system of thought.”

This painting, called Under His Wings, is from Psalm 91:1-7:

He/she who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, who abides in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence; he will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge;

E.J. Lefavour

http://www.hobbithousestudio.com

 Photography by Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Everyone has a measure of it. Children have faith in their parents, people have faith in their spouse or loved one, their friends, their community, their doctor.  No one gets in an airplane, train, car or bus without faith that it will get them safely where they are going.  No one goes in for surgery without a certain amount of faith in their surgeon and anesthesiologist to bring them through safely.

Faith is defined in the dictionary as: “complete trust or confidence in someone or something”; and defined in the Bible as: “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

Some would say that those who put their faith in God practice “blind faith”. That can only be said by people who do not know God, who is perfect, and created and is in control of all.  Those who don’t put their faith in God, by default put their faith in man.  Man was created in perfection, but, because he also was given free will, chose to become imperfect.  Hence anything man does or creates is inherently imperfect.  Just consider the current Takata airbag defect issue, possibly affecting up to 34,000,000 vehicles; and the exploding lithium batteries, to name just two current evidences of the imperfection of man’s creations (of course there are hundreds of thousands of examples).  On putting faith in man, a study in the September 2013 issue of the Journal of Patient Safety says that between 210,000 and 440,000 patients each year who go to the hospital for care suffer some type of preventable harm that contributes to their death. That would make medical errors the third-leading cause of death in America, behind heart disease, which is the first, and cancer, which is second.

The millions who know and put their faith in God can live with assurance in an imperfect world, being imperfect themselves and surrounded by other imperfect people, because we put our faith in the perfection of God rather than the imperfection of man. That is not to insinuate that nothing “bad” ever happens to those who put their faith in God, but we have the assurance that whatever does happen is in God’s control, and therefore not “bad” at all, but necessary for ultimate good. That allows us to live in a state of peace in a world that does not know peace.

Personally, I would much rather be viewed as foolish by people for putting my faith in God, than to actually be foolish by putting my faith in what I know to be imperfect.  To quote Mr. Spock: “I find that highly illogical.”

E.J. Lefavour

http://www.hobbithousestudio.com

images from https://www.pinterest.com/source/stuffistolefromtheinternet.com

Wouldn’t you just love to see this at Good Harbor Beach, as long as he didn’t poop!

E.J. Lefavour

http://www.hobbithousestudio.com

Those of you who were regular participants at the weekly Mug Ups at Khan Studio and the GMG Gallery on Madfish Wharf will remember Gigi and Stevie from Aquatro Gallery.  They were good friends, great artists and very determined competitors (and winners) in many of the food competitions we held.  They moved to Texas last year, and have started a Mug Up tradition there.  In this newspaper article, they say I started Mug Ups (which I did at the gallery), but we all know Mug Up is a very old Gloucester fisherman term for coffee break, and nothing I came up with, but we did have fun, and I hope they do in Texas too.  Nice to see one of our oldest seaport traditions making its way to Texas.

San Marcos Corridor News 2/24/16

Rio Claro Studio Announces Mug-Up – Community-Building One Cup of Joe At A Time

Rio Claro Studio, a San Marcos TX downtown gallery, is pleased to announce a big new monthly event called Mug-Up. The event will be held in the foyer of Rio Claro Studio at 120 West Hopkins Street, San Marcos TX 78666 this upcoming Saturday morning, February 27, 2016 between 10 am – 12 pm. Rio Claro Studio invites everyone to stop by and to bring your own mug! Mugs will be provided if you forget.

Mug-Up is a caffeine-fueled, informal meet-up. Rio Claro Studio will provide the coffee and some baked goods; all are welcome to bring a sampling of their favorite goodies and treats as well. Tradition holds that there are always deviled eggs to start things off.

The first Mug-Up was created by Ellen “Ejay” Lefavour on Madfish Wharf in the Rocky Neck Art Colony in Gloucester MA where Gigi Mederos and Stevie Black had their successful gallery, Aquatro Gallery. Mug-Up was a way for anyone and everyone to enjoy community building and networking on a grassroots level while enjoying a hearty cup of coffee and a tasty treat. It is because of Ejay’s love of deviled eggs that Stevie and Gigi will keep that tradition alive here in San Marcos.

Rio Claro Studio will hold the event monthly on the last Saturday of every month. Each month the studio/gallery will create an event page on Facebook with dates and times. The event will be held rain or shine, and the public is welcome and encouraged to attend this free event.

ABOUT RIO CLARO STUDIO

Rio Claro Studio is a concept space located on West Hopkins Street between Guadalupe and Comanche Streets in the West Downtown neighborhood of San Marcos TX. Opened in September of 2015, the unique space has a working fine art studio alongside a bustling retail gallery/boutique space. The two artist/designers, Gigi Mederos and Stevie Black, create and sell their own fine artwork, and design surfaces and textiles for their own lines of fashion accessories and home goods. Rio Claro Studio also carries local and international jewelers, and a variety of fair-trade certified goods from artists and artisans from around the world. For more information or to schedule an appointment to visit Rio Claro Studio, please go to their website at: http://www.rioclarostudio.com

E.J. Lefavour

This painting, called Ministering Angel, has to do with the account in the Book of Matthew of the forty days Jesus spent in the wilderness, fasting and being tempted by Satan. Today, some people observe Lent, a forty day period which begins around Ash Wednesday and ends before or after Good Friday, depending on various traditions.  During this period, some people give up certain foods, drinks (soda, alcohol), etc.  While Lent is not mentioned in the Bible, and was a tradition created by the Church to encourage people’s remembrance of this time in the life of Jesus, it is based on the biblical practice of fasting, which comes out of ancient Jewish law and tradition.  There are many accounts of people fasting in the Bible, anywhere from one day to forty days (Moses on three separate occasions while he was receiving the Law, Jesus preceding the commencement of his ministry, and the Prophet Elijah).

People fast today for a variety of reasons: before a medical procedure, to cleanse and heal their bodies, to lose weight, clear their mind, slow the aging process, and for spiritual reasons. On the spiritual, fasting brings a person closer to God and allows for revelation more clearly than in a non-fasting state.  Many Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Rastafarian, Baha’i and Mormon adherents practice fasting. A biblical fast can be a full fast (liquids only) or what is referred to as the Daniel Fast from the Old Testament Book of Daniel (no meat, sweets, or bread, drink only water and juice and eat only fruits and vegetables).  While working on this series of paintings, I have done three and seven-day full fasts and a forty-day Daniel fast, which I hope to return to now that I’ve had my fill of bread, cheese, eggs and fish, which I love.

Other proponents of fasting include:

Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine, who believed fasting enabled the body to heal itself stating: “Everyone has a doctor in him; we just have to help him in his work. The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well. …to eat when you are sick, is to feed your sickness.”

Paracelsus, another founder of modern medicine, wrote 500 years ago that “fasting is the greatest remedy, the physician within.”

According to Benjamin Franklin, “The best of all medicines is resting and fasting.”

Reference for painting – Matthew 4:1-11

“Then Jesus was led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If you be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But Jesus answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Then the devil took him up into the holy city, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, And said to him, If you are the Son of God, cast yourself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning you: and in their hands they shall bear you up, lest at any time you dash your foot against a stone. Jesus said to him, It is written again, You shall not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil took him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And said to him, All these things will I give you, if you will fall down and worship me. Then Jesus said to him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve. Then the devil left him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.”

E.J. Lefavour

http://www.hobbithousestudio.com

Abraham, or Abram as he was originally called, was one of the most significant Old Testament character. Abraham was a man of great faith. He trusted and believed God, and did what He asked, even though it would appear totally crazy to other men. God called Abraham his friend, and even though he was human and imperfect, God counted him as righteous (in right relationship with God) because of his faith — not because of his works, or goodness, or adherence to law, but for his faith and trust in God. He left his family and comfort and in faith followed God’s lead, not knowing where he was going.

Even though Abraham was very old and his wife, Sarah (originally called Sar’ai), was barren and never able to give him children, God told Abraham that he would become the father of many nations, that he would give him a son, and Abraham believed Him. The descendants that God tells him of are not necessarily the genealogical descendants of Abraham; they are all those who will follow in Abraham’s footsteps by walking in trust and faith in God. Those are the true descendants of Abraham, whatever their nation.

Now Sarah got impatient awaiting God’s promise of a son, and gave Abraham her maid, Hagar, to lie with. He did and she conceived and gave birth to Ish’mael. Abraham was 86 at the time. This turns into a mess, with Hagar looking down with contempt at her mistress, Sarah. Sarah does finally get pregnant, when Abraham is 99 years old and she is 89, and gives birth to Isaac, but Hagar treats him badly. Hagar and Ish’mael end up getting turned out.

Isaac is obviously an incredible blessing to Abraham, and the evidence of God’s promise. In spite of that, Abraham remains faithful to the point of being willing to sacrifice his beloved son when God tells him to do so. Of course, his faith was rewarded in the end.

Reference: Genesis 22:1-13

After these things God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Mori’ah, and offer him there as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him and his son Isaac; and he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar off. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the ass; I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.” And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here am I, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. Then Abraham put forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. But the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.

E.J. Lefavour

http://www.hobbithousestudio.com

Could you describe an orgasm to someone who has never had one? And if a person has never had an orgasm, would you think them crazy or foolish if they said they didn’t believe orgasms exist because they had never experienced one, or would you just feel a little sorry for them not having had the experience?  Further, every person’s experience of an orgasm is different from the next person’s.  They go from brief instances of pleasure to multiple earth moving experiences, and everything in between.  Even for the same person, they are different from experience to experience.  My youngest sister made a very profound statement at a birthday party when she was a child. She said to my mother: “No one knows what chocolate cake tastes like to me.”  I have never forgotten that, and how it applies to all experiences in life.

So it is with people who have experienced a personal encounter with God. There are no words to adequately describe an experience of such profound, life-altering magnitude, except to others who have had a similar experience, but even then, they are each unique.  Just as each of our experiences with another person are unique.  Does someone who has experienced God think those who haven’t are fools?  Of course not, they just feel sad that they haven’t and hope that they one day they will.  Why then do people who have not had a personal experience with God think those who have to be crazy or fools, and wish them to not talk about a most profound experience?  If you meet and fall madly in love with someone, how would you feel if everyone you know wished you not to talk about him or her; or worse, if someone believes they had a bad experience with that person, and wants you stop loving the one you love because of it?

So it goes too often with God.  Many people at one point in time may have had a relationship with Him, but then they turned away and followed a different path and now feel guilty, or something happened in their life that they blame God for, and now they are angry at him. Some have just never seen the need to have any kind of relationship with Him whatsoever, but feel there is something missing in their life.  Fortunately, no matter how we might feel or think about Him, God loves each and every one of us dearly, and will rush to us, if we just ask Him to.  He will never force us, but will always be waiting patiently for our call.  And He is always faithful and just to forgive our sins (missing the mark), if we ask.

I’ve long believed that God gave us orgasms for three reasons: our pleasure, to ensure procreation, and as a tiny hint of what the experience of a relationship with Him is like.

E.J. Lefavour

http://www.hobbithousestudio.com

This painting is of The Transfiguration of Jesus. The Catholic Church celebrates Transfiguration Sunday on the second Sunday of Lent (February 21 this year), whereas the Methodists (and possibly other Protestant denominations) celebrated it on the Sunday before Ash Wednesday (February 7 this year).

The Transfiguration of Christ is one of the five milestones in Jesus’ life and ministry, along with His Baptism, Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension. With the manifestation in the event of Elijah, Moses and the audible voice of God, Jesus, in that instant, is shown to be the bridge between God and man, the fulfillment of the Prophets (represented by Elijah) and the fulfillment of the Law (represented by Moses). His three closest disciples are there to witness the event for a most important reason. Jesus will soon be leaving them, and up to that point, they had not yet fully grasped who He was. Witnessing and experiencing this event would sear His identity as their Messiah and the Son of God into their beings, and prepare them for what was to come.

There is no way for an artist to paint, or even to describe in words, the Light that would have emanated from Jesus, so I had to settle for stark light and dark on the faces and clothing of Elijah and Moses, and have them turn away from Jesus because of the brightness.

Scriptural references:

2 Peter 1:16-18 (Eyewitness of Christ’s Glory)

For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.  For when he received honor and glory from God the Father and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” we heard this voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.

Matthew 17:1-8

After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

E.J. Lefavour

www.hobbithousestudio.com

This is out of order for Easter, but Paul Morrison, wanted to see Adam and Eve with no bellybuttons, and since the story of mankind in the Bible starts with them, here they are.

Whether you are an evolutionist or a creationist, the message of this story is the same.  I personally don’t think one belief necessarily excludes the other. They both start with creation, whether a single cell organism that evolves into man (which you have to admit is amazing) or a full blown man created from dust (which is equally amazing).  It is the message conveyed by the story that is important.

For general information, there are five styles of writing (narrative, poetry, parable, epistle or letter style, and prophesy) used throughout the 66 books of the Bible, written by 40 different authors over the course of 1,600 years. While I personally believe everything in the Bible to be the inspired Word of God, a fair amount of it is allegorical, metaphorical, figurative, and NOT meant to be taken literally. If it were, for example, there would be a whole bunch of self-blinded and maimed people in the world (Mark 9:43-47: If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off …. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off … And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out;”). It takes much study, common sense and discernment to comprehend this amazing book, which reveals more with each reading. It is not War and Peace, Alice in Wonderland, or Harry Potter; it is a living, multilayered book that never stops opening up new levels of awareness in those who take the time to plunge its depths.

Long before Moses was given the law by God on Mount Sinai, God had set down rules for the ultimate safety, wellbeing and happiness of man, just as any loving parent does. In the Garden of Eden, it was simple: “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.” Simple. Everything Adam and Eve could need or want was provided them. By going against the word of God and eating of the forbidden fruit, they sinned (which in Hebrew means “to miss”, unconsciousness, or forgetfulness), separated themselves from their state of unity and oneness with God, and death became a part of the human experience.  Pandora’s box was opened by Eve, and the rest of the book up through Revelation, is God’s attempt to encourage us back into the state of right relationship with Him that we were created to be in; back to the remembrance and desire for that glorious, perfect state of being.

Scriptural Reference: Genesis 3:1-13

“Now the serpent was more cunning than any other wild creature that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree of the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden; but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, and he ate.” “Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons.

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of thee in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom thou gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent beguiled me, and I ate.

So begins “the devil made me do it”, selfishness, pride, deception, blaming others, not taking responsibility for our own actions, not doing what is in our own best interest, and thinking we know best.

E.J. Lefavour

http://www.hobbithousestudio.com

Of all the many miracles Jesus performed during his time here, I find this one most profound, not so much because of what he did, although it is certainly impressive, but because of when he did it. Jesus just learned that John had been beheaded.  He withdrew to a lonely place apart and prayed.  Then he went back among the crowd of people, healed their sick and fed them.  Whether there were 5,000 or 500 in the crowd is immaterial.  It is his action that is the important lesson.  How many of us would respond that way upon learning of the gruesome death of someone we loved?  If we had the power he had, most of us would be blasting the living daylights out of everyone and everything in sight; but he is showing us how we are meant to respond; always with love and compassion.

Scriptural Reference: Matthew 14:13-21

Now when Jesus heard this [about the beheading of John the Baptist], he withdrew from there in a boat to a lonely place apart. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. As he went ashore he saw a great throng; and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick.

When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a lonely place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.”

Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.”

They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.”

And he said, “Bring them here to me.” Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass; and taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

E.J. Lefavour

http://www.hobbithousestudio.com

Since getting my mother safely and happily ensconced in an assisted care facility in her home town, near her friends and church family, I have been inspired to embark on a creative project of some magnitude. I am painting an overview of the Bible, starting with Genesis, the beginning, and going through Revelation, the final book.  Since we are in the Easter season, I wanted to share some of the paintings that correspond with this season celebrated by Christian churches around the world.  These will be familiar to the Catholic and other churchgoing readers, and may be enlightening to those not familiar with the Bible.

The style of all the paintings in this series is a modified medieval/iconic style, which at first seemed totally new for me, but I soon realized was a culmination of the varied bodies of work I have done over the past 25 years.

This painting is of the beheading of John the Baptist at the order of King Herod. In this painting, Salome, Herod’s stepdaughter, is handing the head of John over to her wicked, adulterous, bloodthirsty mother, Herodias. Herodias was married to King Herod, while at the same time being married to his brother, Philip, which John criticized, thereby making an enemy of Herodias.  While Judas is the most despised character in the Bible, I put Herodias at a close second. Bad enough she is so wicked, but to enlist her young daughter’s help in such a gruesome plot is unimaginable.

Scriptural reference: Mark 6:17-29

For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him.

Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. When the daughter of Herodias (Salome) came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.

The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”

She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”

“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.

At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

E.J. Lefavour
http://www.hobbithousestudio.com

Through the ice crystals on my window this morning.  Unfortunately, the camera just couldn’t capture the brilliant beauty of it, but it gives an idea.

E.J. Lefavour

www.hobbithousestudio.com

Valentine’s Day is a time to celebrate romance and love and kissy-face fealty. But the origins of this festival of candy and cupids are actually dark, bloody — and a bit muddled.

I

 

A drawing depicts the death of St. Valentine — one of them, anyway. The Romans executed two men by that name on Feb. 14 of different years in the 3rd century A.D.

Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Though no one has pinpointed the exact origin of the holiday, one good place to start is ancient Rome, where men hit on women by, well, hitting them.

Those Wild And Crazy Romans

From Feb. 13 to 15, the Romans celebrated the feast of Lupercalia. The men sacrificed a goat and a dog, then whipped women with the hides of the animals they had just slain.

The Roman romantics “were drunk. They were naked,” says Noel Lenski, a historian at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Young women would actually line up for the men to hit them, Lenski says. They believed this would make them fertile.

The brutal fete included a matchmaking lottery, in which young men drew the names of women from a jar. The couple would then be, um, coupled up for the duration of the festival — or longer, if the match was right.

The ancient Romans may also be responsible for the name of our modern day of love. Emperor Claudius II executed two men — both named Valentine — on Feb. 14 of different years in the 3rd century A.D. Their martyrdom was honored by the Catholic Church with the celebration of St. Valentine’s Day.

Later, Pope Gelasius I muddled things in the 5th century by combining St. Valentine’s Day with Lupercalia to expel the pagan rituals. But the festival was more of a theatrical interpretation of what it had once been. Lenski adds, “It was a little more of a drunken revel, but the Christians put clothes back on it. That didn’t stop it from being a day of fertility and love.”

Around the same time, the Normans celebrated Galatin’s Day. Galatin meant “lover of women.” That was likely confused with St. Valentine’s Day at some point, in part because they sound alike.

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William Shakespeare helped romanticize Valentine’s Day in his work, and it gained popularity throughout Britain and the rest of Europe.

Perry-Castañeda Library, University of Texas

Shakespeare In Love

As the years went on, the holiday grew sweeter. Chaucer and Shakespeare romanticized it in their work, and it gained popularity throughout Britain and the rest of Europe. Handmade paper cards became the tokens-du-jour in the Middle Ages.

Eventually, the tradition made its way to the New World. The industrial revolution ushered in factory-made cards in the 19th century. And in 1913, Hallmark Cards of Kansas City, Mo., began mass producing valentines. February has not been the same since.

Today, the holiday is big business: According to market research firm IBIS World, Valentine’s Day sales reached $17.6 billion last year; this year’s sales are expected to total $18.6 billion.

But that commercialization has spoiled the day for many. Helen Fisher, a sociologist at Rutgers University, says we have only ourselves to blame.

“This isn’t a command performance,” she says. “If people didn’t want to buy Hallmark cards, they would not be bought, and Hallmark would go out of business.”

And so the celebration of Valentine’s Day goes on, in varied ways. Many will break the bank buying jewelry and flowers for their beloveds. Others will celebrate in a SAD (that’s Single Awareness Day) way, dining alone and binging on self-gifted chocolates. A few may even be spending this day the same way the early Romans did. But let’s not go there.

From www.npr.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 10, 2016

CONTACT:

Suzanne Gilbert Lee

978-515-7004   617 872-7633 cell

director@rockyneckartcolony.org

“For The Birds” Raffle of Baskets of Birding Related Items to Support Mass Audubon.

The Cultural Center at Rocky Neck

6 Wonson Street, Gloucester, MA 01930

Gallery hours, Thurs-Sun, 12:00-4:00 PM

Drawing of winning tickets on Sunday, March 6, 2 PM.

Gloucester MA, February 10, 2016.  This is a fun and special opportunity to support Mass Audubon’s important work in protecting the flora and fauna of Massachusetts’s natural environment. In conjunction with the “For The Birds” multi-media avian-related art exhibition juried by Mass Audubon’s Director of the Museum of American Bird Art, a special raffle drawing for two gift baskets of birding related items plus An autographed copy of “The Birdwatcher’s Companion to North American Birdlife” by Christopher W. Leahy will be held on Sunday, March 6, at 2 PM. Ticket holders need not be present to win.

Support Mass Audubon with three chances to win. Raffle tickets: 1 for $5.00, or 3 for $10.00 available now at The Cultural Center gallery, Thursdays through Sundays, 12–4 PM.

The Rocky Neck Art Colony extends many thanks in appreciation to the raffle item donors: Ace Hardware/ Changing Tides Gift Shop; Animal Krackers, Gloucester; Bird Watcher’s Supply, Newburyport; Essex Bird and Pet Supply; Petco, Gloucester; Wolf Hill, Gloucester; Chris Leahy; and two anonymous friends of Mass Audubon. A sample of raffle basket items includes: a “Woodland Pines” birdfeeder, plus a $25 gift certificate from Bird Watchers Supply, Newburyport;  Sibley Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern North America; wooden suet feeder with 2 fillers from Essex Bird  and Pet Supply; turtle necklace courtesy of Changing Tides Gift Shop/Ace Hardware, Gloucester; Audubon note cards from Animal Krackers, Gloucester; a pet grooming Gift Certificate from Petco, Gloucester; $25 Gift Certificate from Wolf Hill, Gloucester; an autographed copy of “The Birdwatcher’s Companion to North American Birdlife by Christopher W. Leahy with Gordon Morrison, Illustrator.  Complete list of items below:

Raffle Basket # 1

• A lovely wooden suet feeder and 2 suet fillers from Essex Bird and Pet Supply.
• $25.00 Gift Certificate from Animal Krackers, Gloucester
• The Sibley Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern North America, by David Allen Sibley
• Turtle necklace, courtesy of Changing Tides Gift Shop/Ace Hardware, Gloucester.
• To See Every Bird on Earth: Obsessive Birding, nonfiction by Dan Koeppel
• Audubon Notecards donated by a friend of Mass Audubon

TOTAL VALUE: $150

Raffle Basket # 2

• “Woodland Pines” bird feeder, a 10# bag of their Premium Cardinal-Finch Mix Seed, plus, a $25.00 Gift Certificate from Bird Watcher’s Supply, Newburyport
• A  pet grooming Gift Certificate from Petco, Gloucester.
• Bracelet, courtesy of Changing Tides Gift Shop/Ace Hardware, Gloucester.
• A $25 Gift Certificate from Wolf Hill, Gloucester
• Fabulous Bird Calendar
• “Birds in Bloom” magazine

TOTAL VALUE: $185.

Raffle item # 3

An autographed copy of The Birdwatcher’s Companion to North American Birdlife by Christopher W. Leahy with Gordon Morrison, Illustrator. The quintessential A-Z guide, this is a book that anyone interested in birds will want to have close at hand. Readers will discover everything from the color of a dipper’s eggs (glossy, white, and unmarked) to the number of species of woodpeckers in the world (216).  And for those who want to go beyond reading about their favorite birds and take to the great outdoors, the book offers still more useful information: descriptive entries on a selection of the best-known bird watching spots of North America.

VALUE: $50 or more

______________________

The Rocky Neck Art Colony, a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization nurtures excellence in the arts through exhibitions, workshops, residencies and vibrant cultural events for its members and the public. Long renowned for its luminous light, this harbor and coastal location has been a magnet for some of the most revered realist paintings in American art and a catalyst for the progressive ideas of artists from Stuart Davis, Marsden Hartley, Milton Avery, and Nell Blaine, among many others. Today Rocky Neck continues to attract artists and art lovers to a thriving creative community. For up to date information visit rockyneckartcolony.org

https://www.youcaring.com/nate-and-amy-tyack-511394

Nate and Amy Tyack of Essex were pregnant with their first child…then found out they were actually having twins! But complications arose. Amy started getting sick, and was in abnormal pain. The babies were having complications, and at only 28 weeks were born via emergency C-Section. Liberty was born 2.2lbs and Prairie was born 0.8 lbs. They both have a long road ahead, which is now made much harder.  Amy’s pain would not subside, and after more tests over the next couple days, the Tyacks were given some unimaginable news.  Amy has stage 4 colon cancer that has spread to her liver and more. She has amazing faith in God, and is going to fight it with everything she’s got.  But Nate, Amy, Liberty and Prairie need our support. They need our prayers. This is going to be a very difficult battle, and anything we can do to ease their burden and lessen the distractions of provision would be a huge blessing.

E.J. Lefavour

This could also be a Bird Bush in bloom.

Taken out my very dirty window, so not a great shot.

E.J. Lefavour

I never knew there was once a Pavillion Hotel, apparently at Pavillion Beach.  I guess the new hotel is just history repeating itself.  Mike DiLascio sent me this link to share with GMG readers.  There are a number of really cool and interesting old photos of Gloucester.  In memory of Fred Bodin.  http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/search/index?utf8=✓&keywords=gloucester+massachusetts#

E.J. Lefavour