Uniqueness

Lately, I've been reading the Tao te Ching (an ancient text upon which most modern Asian philosophy is based). Some of the verses and commentary made me think a little deeper about a few topics, including individuality. These thoughts lead me to want to write and the best way I found to express my thoughts was by writing these poems and commentary. It's probably obvious to anyone that has studied Chinese Proverbs that these ideas are not original and are based heavily on several fundamental Taoist ideals including the concept of the unformed block.

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Stuck
Between unusual and ordinary
Between regular and strange
Between perfect and imperfect
Somewhere art stands, alone

Alone
With few on the right or on the left
With a few that amaze but mostly mundane
Apart from tradition and cut off from fresh
All by itself, with hardly a friend.

But
Fear it feels not
Nor worry or pain
By standing alone
Contentment remains.

Strong
Is the art that stands up unique
Not like the others but somewhere oblique.
The maker is pleased and satisfied
When art stands alone, it’s justified

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When deep underneath
Uniqueness resides
No pleasure or life stands outside

When rays of the sun
Warm the innate
Creativity and love are not restrained

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Warm the uniqueness
Penetrate creativity

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Inwardly I look to see myself
But the vision I see may not be me.
Do I see my reflection or notice another?
The likeness I see depends on me.

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Inner Voice
Thoughts in the mind forever will swirl
And one I hear never is shrill.
To the voice I acquiesce.
Self I become, my noblesse

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What is my own nature?

Like art, true nature is intrinsically connected to the maker. Cultivate your own true nature by conversing with the Maker. By developing your true nature you develop an independent mind. Don’t seek approval from those around you—this is the need of a dependent mind. Instead, connect with your Maker to understand your true identity. God given distinctiveness invites originality and creativity. Don’t be concerned with what others think. Follow your independent mind, your true nature, or in other words, fulfill the purposes of your creation. This is the intent of the Maker.

Becoming Christ-like does not cause you to loose individuality. This is not an either/or situation. By ever listening to self (finding your own true nature) the image of the God is reflected through your life. When His art is unaltered, the Artist is apparent. Don’t let your outward self hide or alter your inward self.

Christmas in Tucson

Christmas was great. Lynette and I went down to Tucson again to spend time with her family. Jeff was in town from Boston so it was a real family reunion.
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We did some shopping, but mostly stayed home spending time with each other. I had a chance to experiment with a couple of Dutch Oven recipes, including Potato Soup and Chile. Both turned out pretty good.

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We ate the soup on Christmas Eve out on the porch in front of a burning chimenea. The warm soup and home made bread (which was a gift from neighbors) was a perfect way to enjoy Chrismas eve.

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Then of course, Christmas morning we opened presents. I love finding what was left in my stocking. Lots of Reeces, which is good...and 'buttered popcorn flavored lip gloss' which was weird. Still, everything was great.

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I got some outdoor cooking stuff (like gloves and utensils) and computer stuff for Christmas. Everything was perfect.

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Other notable things were...Lynette ate at Eegee's and Jeff, Lynette and I all went on a short hike in Tucson's Catalina Mountains.

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Eating Soup out on the Porch

Chimenea:
Debbie's Present--A Movie Popcorn Maker:
Pics from Our Hike:

Mmmm. Chile....

Christmas in Phoenix

It seems silly to post this after the new year, but this Christmas I often reflected on how Christ has been taken out of Christmas.

My parents, Lynette and I all went to see Christmas lights about a week before Christmas. We drove to a great street in Chandler (or maybe it was Mesa) where all the homes had huge Christmas displays.

Most were of Santa, elves, or reindeer but at the end of the street there was one house that had a 'Bethlehem' exhibit. The home owner opened up his backyard and allowed visitors to see the decorations he put up that represented the night of Christ's birth. There was a shepherd's display, a wise man display and of course, the manger display. As far as home Christmas decoration go, this one was truly unique.

I was happy somebody tried to remind others of what Christmas was truly about.

Here are the pics.
Scott

Metalworking

Here is another catch-up blog post. Last month the Metals studio at ASU helped the scouts earn the Metalworking Merit Badge. It was awesome. They all worked hard and made belt buckles. Next month, we will be doing leather work and will be making belts.

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Check out the pics below, and on Lynette's Blog, and on ASU Metals Club Blog.

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Scott

Laundry Lessons

I've been doing the laundry a lot lately and have had a lot of time to think about it. Here's a summary of my thoughts.

10 Lessons Learned From Doing Laundry.

By Scott Andreasen

1. You get out what you put in

Just like in life, if you only put in half the effort, you will only see half as good a result. There is absolutely no way to get all your clothes clean if you only put half of them into the hamper.

2. Don’t stop once you’ve started, or it will stink

Finish something. When the laundry sits in the washing machine for a day or so, it begins to stink and you have to start over. So in life, if you’re committed to something, finish it.

3. The towels and sheets always need to be done

Unfortunately there are always mundane tasks that constantly need to be done. They may seem monotonous, but they are important.

4. It’s likely an eternal task

As much as I’d like to believe the contrary, I can’t imagine clothes washing themselves in heaven (I hope I’m wrong). To me this represents that there will always be something important that needs to be done even if we don’t enjoy doing it. If you believe I'm wrong, change this lesson to: Endure to the End

5. First in Last Out (laundry basket)

I can’t think of anything specific, but I’m sure this represents something.

6. Wrinkles come to those who wait

If you don’t pull the clothes out of the dryer quickly the clothes begin to wrinkle. Likewise, by procrastinating, we add unneeded wrinkles, or stress to our lives.

7. Share the Load

Husbands, wives and kids should share this annoying task. Think of it as a way to serve each other.

8. Consider Balance

This reminds me of my mission when someone in my apartment started the washing machine before he left for the day. The load wasn’t balanced properly and caused the machine to malfunction and spill water out onto the floor all day long. It even leaked into the apartment below. The result was embarrassing and real mess. So live a balanced life, keep your friends and enjoy sanity.

9. Take it one step at a time

You can’t dry your clothes before you wash them. This process must be done methodically in order to obtain the desired results. In life, do one thing at a time and do it well. If you do, the results will surely be worthwhile.

10. Enjoy the Results

Don’t you love it when the sheets are freshly washed? How about when you put on a sweatshirt just out of the dryer on a cold day? Taking time to enjoy the results of your labor will lead to a happier you.

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