[3/27 Update:
Cognitive dissonance and historical revival links added —
may we be free!]
The Welsh Revival 1903
“The social impact was even more amazing. …
In some places the police were unemployed.”
* * *
Greetings!
I was delighted to find out from recently that my exhibit at Jitters Coffee House will continue another month, which is really good news because I still have a number of images that I’d like to display.
I replaced my 4-year-old laptop computer at the beginning of the month, being in desperate need for speed — because the files I process are huge, and the back-and-forth rendering time really was slowing me way down. I couldn’t wait to get a just-released quad-core MacBook Pro.
It did speed up my workflow tremendously — until the programs would crash and I’d lose my work — despite regularly ‘saving’ my work. I’ll skip the long explanation, but newly adopting computer hardware and software is always risky. I’ve learned the hard way with software before, but this was mainly supposed to be just a hardware change.
Apple finally released the first software update for the new MacBook a few days ago. That seems to have helped, but I just lost some work that I just did, again. No big deal this time, though.
Fine art is so time consuming even when there aren’t computer glitches. I try to get everything as good as I can — instead of “good enough.” I’ve probably spent more than 30 hours on some images. And part of this is printing proofs, because soft proofing (in the computer) really doesn’t show what the newest printers can really do — as John Paul Caponigro told me in the Brooks workshop. So I’ve gone through about 300 feet of paper….
I’ve had to abandon a few images that proved to be impossible to print to my satisfaction. One really set me back because it was a key one on the list. And Dennis (owner) was out of town for 1.5 weeks. I really thought it could be done. There is a huge difference between what easily works on computer’s display and what can be printed. The contrast is many dozens of times greater on a display as its color gamut is much greater too.
Despite the difficulties, it’s a joy to produce an image that can fill a room with its vivid, positive statement — without the necessity of being super-brightly lit — though getting some light on the prints is essential.
I’m mostly getting the prints mounted on black Gator Board, partly so glass cannot partially obscure the print. I’ve grown to really dislike glass over the years, including Museum glass, that is supposed to be totally transparent. I finally settled the issue for sure, getting samples of Museum glass and AR Reflection-Free. There really is a marked tint to the Museum. AR Reflection-free is almost totally transparent, not having the UV coating, and it still blocks 78% of UV light.
So the traditionally framed print at Jitters will soon have AR glass instead of Museum — which should help the print pop more.
I also had a huge disappointment this month, having seen the revival stopped cold, when it was obvious to me that it was going to happen once we got on the same page doctrinally. When they started the Bible classes for the first time in decades, I thought this is awesome. I can share my material before they teach these subjects — and we could get on the same page totally. But the weeks passed, and so did our tremendous opportunity to see ONE happen (Jesus’ heart-cry in John 17) early this year.
I was so disappointed — and shocked!! Never in my wildest dreams did I think they would totally shun what I had so carefully researched for decades. What can you do when they just shut their ears?
Willful Ignorance: Actively Resisting the Truth and Truth-tellers
WordPower: BEWARE, in the LAST DAYS People Will Be WILLINGLY IGNORANT
From Willful Ignorance through Cognitive Dissonance to “Could I Be Wrong?”
At least with fine art I have prints to show, being a solo project. Whereas ONE can’t be seen until real unity really happens. Then God can gloriously show up. Our lives and community will never again be the same — fully ready for whatever comes down.
We could be floating on Cloud 9 right now. But we’re still stumbling in the lowlands barely able to see life. This could be happening right now in Anchorage:
A newspaper reporter wrote of a meeting a few days later:
“When the meeting closed at 4:25 in the morning, they didn’t want to go home.”
“Didn’t you hear Robert Coleman say ‘that’s what it was like at Asbury College?’ But could you imagine a whole country like that? It was phenomenal. The reports were in every newspaper in the western world.
Not only were 100,000 people converted, but the social impact was astounding.”
Five years later:
“The number who remained in fellowship was 82.5%, which was astounding. But as I say, the social impact was even more amazing. … In some places the police were unemployed.”
– J. Edwin Orr
I was able to plant some seeds that may end up sprouting. But perhaps the Third Great Awakening won’t start in a church at all. Perhaps a tiny group of people can draw near to God in Spirit and in truth — and God will draw near to them in such a way that there will be no doubt. But to find those who are willing to meet has been so hard for me, personally. I’m not a pastor kind of guy. I’m more of a think-tank than the guy to directly lead the move….
I’m still thinking of the YouTube-videos option. Perhaps more would be interested if they didn’t have to read. But I never did like talking.
So all I can say for sure is that in April, I’ll be continuing to beautify the espresso manufacturing room at Jitters through what I’m privileged to hang on the walls. I was so bummed after the negative Abbott Loop experience. But then I found out that I have one more month at Jitters.
So I can think about things that are excellent and praiseworthy that I can now share with others.
If any of you who are reading are serious about seeing real Christianity finally happen in Anchorage, perhaps it can start with us making sure we’re right with anyone we’ve hurt:
With Azusa Street it didn’t take many. And really with Wales it didn’t really take many either. But I don’t even have a handful yet whom I know would like to meet.
The churches are currently going nowhere. Perhaps it would only take a few of us to really be living in Christ. Are you willing to be apart of what can transform Alaska and the whole world?!!
This is what I’m currently listening to while driving:
There’s a place for us,
Somewhere a place for us.
Peace and quiet and open air
Wait for us
Somewhere.
There’s a time for us,
Someday a time for us,
Time together with time to spare,
Time to learn, time to care,
Someday
Somewhere
We’ll find a new way of living,
We’ll find a way of forgiving
Somewhere.
There’s a place for us,
A time and a place for us.
Hold my hand and we’re half way there.
Hold my hand and I’ll take you there
Somehow,
Someday,
We’ll find a new way of living
We’ll find a way of forgiving
Somewhere
There’s a place for us,
Somewhere a place for us.
Peace and quiet and open air
Hold my hand and I’ll take you there
Somehow
Someday
Somewhere
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2zNB-6J4SE]Rhydian Roberts – Somewhere (with Lyrics)
Rhydian Roberts – Somewhere
One of Rhydian’s best known songs, “Somewhere” is from the 1961 musical “West Side Story”
As usual, enjoy
From X Factor (Britain’s American Idol)[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nhvtg4X2zKw]Rhydian Somewhere
Jeff : )
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