Portrait Exhibition Finalist, David Lenz

Artist Statement (David Lenz)

(Oil on linen, 2005)

My wife Rosemarie had just given birth to our son Sam, and although he appeared perfectly healthy, something, nevertheless, didn't seem right. There was an awkward silence in the room, no words of congratulation or comments about how cute he was – even though he was cute. Five minutes later the diagnosis was given: Sam has Down Syndrome. "Are you going to keep him?" a nurse asked. Later that evening someone else came by to "console" us. "It's every mother's worst nightmare," she said.

Welcome to the world, Sam.

In America today, perfection is highly valued. We dump loads of chemicals on our lawns to try and get rid of every weed, every dandelion. Models and supermodels are tall, impossibly fit, their clothes stylish and wrinkle-free. Images like this tend to change our perceptions, our ideals, until finally they leave us looking around at the peeling paint on our own houses, and our less than fit bodies, and it leaves us wanting.

Perfection, I would submit, is overrated. And besides, I like dandelions.

In the painting Sam assumes the role of presenter, host, even tutor, of this most revealing examination of the civilization man has made for himself. Sam is not society's accepted definition of perfection. In spite of that, or perhaps because of that, he really does have an important message for everyone to hear.

Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery Finalists

Shopping!

I love Ebay. I rarely buy things off it, but I love to look. In fact, I was just there tonight looking at all the pretty pink and silver birkenstocks...oh how I'd love to have a pair! (I tried to convince hubby that pregnant women really *do* need new birks...*sigh*)

Anyhow, I came across this *awesome* Ebay song at Mommylife- Weird Al is close to our hearts here in the castle domain...DearHubby and I can hum the same tune but when we start to sing, I'm singing Madonna's version and he is singing Weird Al's. It's so cruel; he will begin humming some tune, or outright singing some goofy song he knows from childhood, and for the next three days I'm singing the *real* version- usually Michael Jackson's "Beat It." So annoying!

So here it is. This is hilarious and the lyrics are there too!

The Ebay Song

(p.s. those pink shoes from Ebay are my wedding shoes...but mine are off white!)

An Apology

I've been convicted! Of course I said nothing rude in my comments over at choosinghome over the past weekend regarding LDS issues. I knew better than that! But here I thought that because no one reads my blog, (because no one does, right?) that I needn't be careful with my words. Well, just as I follow the links to people's blogs that comment, so do they. I have read my blog through the eyes of my visitors (what a novel idea) and I'm afraid I didn't pass the test. Please forgive me for the way I spoke so candidly about Joseph Smith (or mormonism in general). Who am I to insinuate that Joseph Smith was a disreputable person. Please forgive me for not being sensitive.

Sincerely, me

Birth Control

Here's Al Mohler again. Maybe I should do some checking into this guy considering he's all over the internet...but anyway, I find his article on birth control very interesting, and would like to point out some interesting things I see with his "solution." This commenter from mommylife sums up what I'm thinking...

I love when Protestants "rethink" birth control. At least they're not just blindly popping the Pill...but it seems to me that whenever Protestants address this issue, they get *almost* to the point (children are blessings, why are we seeking to prevent them?) and then start backpeddling madly (but it's ok to prevent them if we have the right heart, and the trouble of children outweighs their "blessing-ness").
-Margaret

The other comments are worth reading as well (there's only a handful, and it's Holly's I appreciate so much), just so's you might broaden your thinking on the topic of big families. God is so good!

I'll post my thoughts on Mohler's solutions in a bit...got to get dinner together and run off to church!

If you haven't read the others...

Woo-hoo! Deputyheadmistress did an *excellent* job defending the faith, refuting the Book of Mormon, and generally showing she is very intellectually (and lovingly) involved with the Mormons in her area. Read her comment! Come on, it's not long, you don't have to read both posts and all 200+ comments...just read her comment!!

The LDS Dialogue

There are so many comments (131 as of this instant) on the Choosing Home blog under part 2 of the LDS discussion that I thought I would send you to the very heart of the discussion. I have learned very interesting (and scary, for the Mormons) things regarding the basis of belief for LDSaints. If you are interested (which I am hoping you are), begin reading here, at comment # 113...

I must warn you that at this point in the discussion there are a few emotional protests. The ladies get over it quickly; I think everyone is exhausted from the research and "heart" they have put into it, but again, I think it is worth the read to understand a little better our precious Mormon friends that God loves and wants as His own.

Happy Discovering!

The Mormon Discussion

I finished reading Molly's second post over at Choosing Home. She is a brave woman, and filled with grace and truth- able to clearly set the "Mormon Discussion" before her audience. Today's post laid out what the Mormons believe to be the Gospel, the "good news" as it is called in the Protestant church. In the Latter Day Saints church it is called "The Heavenly Ladder." This is what Molly plans to lay out in her post:

In this post, I will stick to the actual documented sources. It will be much more productive for all involved. What we want to learn is what the LDS Church actually teaches, not what someone claims it teaches, right?

Since our question is, “Who’s actually the Christian (one, the other, or both?),” learning what we each define to be the Good News of God really is important. Our definition of what the Gospel is forms the crux for the rest of our belief system. Who is Jesus and what exactly did He do for us? What’s the Good News for man?

I never knew this is what the LDS church believes. I have heard second, third, fourth, fifth hand accounts of what the LDS church believes- men become gods, get their own planet, women are perpetually pregnant (oh what *joy* Heaven must be!), but to hear it from their own books of doctrine? Honestly, after reading it, I find it unbelievable. Here is one quote that is really off the mark:

“I want to reason a little on this subject [of God’s father]…If Abraham reasoned thus - If Jesus Christ was the Son of God, and John [doubtless the apostle] discovered that God the Father of Jesus Christ had a father, you may suppose that He [God’s Father and Jesus’ grandfather] had a father also. Where was there ever a son without a father? …Paul says that which is earthly is in the likeness of that which is heavenly, hence if Jesus had a father, can we not believe that He [God] had a father also? I despise the idea of being scared to death at such a doctrine, for the Bible is full of it!”
-Joseph Smith, History of the Church, Vol. 6, p 476

God has a father? Jesus has a great- grandfather? I see this as one very puffed up man speculating over scripture and ideas (that may have occured to me while I was still smoking too much pot), and forming a completely unadulterated false gospel. I know this is harsh language, but this is honestly the only way I can make sense out of Joseph Smith's two plus two equals thirteen.

Another quote I'd like to borrow from Molly's post (as to draw you as deeply into the discussion as I am!) irks me to pieces. Oh! the precious blood of Jesus! Oh! the forgiveness he extends, the love, the grace...

as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our trangressions from us. Psalm 103:12

This is what the LDS has to say about Christ and forgiveness:

“Heavenly Father has promised forgiveness upon total repentance and meeting all the requirements, but that forgiveness is not granted merely for the asking. There must be works - many works - and an all-out, total surrender…It depends upon you whether or not you are forgiven, and when. It could be weeks, it could be years, it could be centuries before that happy day when you have the positive assurance that the Lord has forgiven you.”
Elder Kimball –the Miracle of Forgiveness, pp. 324-325

This is not biblical. This is a fase teaching. When we belong to Christ, it is not works that bring on forgiveness, it is the sweet blood of Jesus covering over us.

You may also want to read Molly's first post on this topic, 60 comments and all. The LDS followers are taught that the Bible cannot be trusted, due to mistranslations. So if ever the Book of Mormon contradicts the Bible, well, um, it must be a mistranslation.

Pray, pray, pray that the ladies who are Mormon will listen to the Holy Spirit speaking to their hearts. These ladies are being presented the truth and many of them have decided- never mind, we don't want the discussion after all (it was a precious woman who brought up the question of "why don't Christians believe I am a Christian- as a Mormon?"). Pray for these women who are deceived!

And go read Molly's excellent article.

Just A Quickie

Wanted to pass this article along...
I don't know much about Al Mohler, so don't take this as an endorsement for him. This article is worth reading, though (edit), for families who are living in a more "traditional" role!
Times- they are a'changin.

The Return of Patriarchy?