February 24

I had a beautiful conversation today about where art comes from. From somewhere within. We talked about watching a painter begin with a blank canvas and watching as the scene in her head becomes alive through the tips of her paintbrush. We talked about the gifts that we share and the ways that we sometimes surprise ourselves. It was a conversation that emerged from awe and wonder. And it was delightful and inspiring and made me think about the ways we can talk about our God-given gifts am using them well.

The conversation was inspired in part because I shared that we were going to the master class led by Marilyn Horne at the college tonight. The woman I was visiting with loves this class and spoke of her own awe at the singers and the way Horne draws beauty out of them. And it was true. Four students sang in front of a fairly large audience and then received critiques, still in front of the audience, from Marilyn Horne. The students were all remarkable and very talented. But the real delight came in listening as Ms. Horne drew more out of them. She spoke of support and breath and more support. She was funny and encouraging. And we could hear a difference in their performances spinning out right in front of us. She is a true teacher who clearly loves hat she does. She encourages and pushes to help her students use what is in them to the best of their ability.

One of the comments I found especially intriguing was that her legs were the most tired at the end of a performance. Because one must use her whole body and be grounded and supported, the legs and the buns are just as important as the vocal chords. Interesting how all of the sudden it's all about the whole integrated body, working to produce more than the individual parts.

Hmmm...sounds familiar, doesn't it? "Now you are the body of Christ, and individually members of it." We learn from each other and support and supplement each other. One person shares his gifts and another receives. No one person can do it alone, not does God intend for us to go through life alone. The result of the sharing becomes a beautiful patch work, multifaceted and many colored and intensely beautiful.