A place for poetry, music, literature and art
I’m singing Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen. Someday I’ll look back on this timid guy and smile. But, like Harry Potter told Dumbledore’s Army in the Room of Requirements,
“Every great wizard in history has started out as nothing more than what we are now: students. If they can do it, why not us?“
And to pay tribute to the man whose song I sing, here he is performing:
[Leonard Cohen performing his Hallelujah]
[display_podcast]
You weeded the garden then
But it ne’er takes too long
Before the old which was removed
Returns again & strong
You were bitten
& your heart was hard
But as I do
I gave you a way
In that mist
Which covered your eyes
You saw not,
You perished & died
So simple for you
That you could not see
A rod & a serpent
I only required you look
And why would you not
Just look and live?
Because, dear one,
You did not believe
So believe in me,
Believe in my Son
Study my word
& see what he’s done
Believe all things
The Spirit tells you is true
And give place in your heart
For those things to do
Only then,
through simple means
Can I work in your life
To accomplish mighty things
And one day hence,
As you look back & reflect,
You’ll remember the staff
That Moses held up
You’ll see the way of deliverance
Was always there
Waiting, ne’er forceful,
For all who would care
And because you believed
Your eyes opened wide,
You now experience
The change deep inside
And though life is long
One day we’ll meet
After sorrow & toil
You’ll rest your feet
Right in my kingdom
Right here with me
So keep moving forward
& always believe
~ Ryan Mendenhall
in God’s Mighty Care
Monday, June 20, 2011
As I read through Alma 33:19-20 in the Book of Mormon, it became again clear to me that we do not believe once we see, but that believing opens our eyes to all the possibilities.
Walk with me a minute & consider the blind man who climbed Everest, the highest mountain in the world that people literally die trying to climb. Think about the man who rides his bike around clicking his tongue & echo-locating like a bat so he can “see” where he’s going. How about Rick & Dick Hoyt who have run Iron Man competitions together with Dick carrying, pulling, & pushing his son? Or what about Bethany Hamilton who had her entire arm bitten off by a shark and still competes in surfing competitions?
So, what “disability” do YOU feel you’ve been unjustly given? When you look in the mirror, do you have a hard time believing in yourself? Do you doubt your greatness? Let it go. Look to Him & live. Believe that planted in your very soul are the seeds of greatness, the very divine spark that gives life to everything. You have the seeds of creation built right in. So, when the sea of life seems too fierce, when you mess up, yet again, when you feel you have no strength left, look to to Him, remember who you are & live.
I’ve always loved art. I used to watch my older brother Michael draw at his drafting table. Thought it was so cool, I got my own and tried to make droopy lettering like he did. Did a pretty cool Pearl Jam pic once.
Well, it wasn’t in the same class that I met Santiago, but it was back in the day when Mr. Nelson used words like cosmic & groovy to describe art to us. In that Springville High class we learned that we could borrow his ruler, but that she was at home. He also told us about something that was pretty cool, the fridge. It was in that class that Cliff offered to barter with me. In the end I didn’t have anything with which to trade, so I gave him 20 bucks for a little electric guitar, my first. We took it home and plugged it into Melissa’s karaoke machine. It’s amazing how much like a rock star you can sound like if you just play really loud and if you have someone scream Dr. Seuss rhymes.
Well, it was in those days that I ran across the Beatles playing, soccer ball juggling, art work rockin Santiago Michalek. Our interactions were more about soccer back then, but he’s pursued his art career and it’s looking really great!
Well, just found out it’s his birthday today and I learned he’s having an art giveaway! Here are a couple pieces you could win. Just go do a couple things and boom! There ya got it.
Take a moment to check out some of his work and get some entries in his art contest.
I see a cliff & slowly I ascend to its peak
Standing mesmerized I scan the breathtaking view
Closed-eyed & breathing deeply its majesty fills my soul,
Confidently, I feel that I am one
Now ready, united, I take a mighty leap
And for a moment I am free
But the freedom I felt fast flees from my heart
As quickly I’m approaching my end
Then in the split of a second it all grows quite clear –
The fault in my thinking & act –
I had “faith” to fly, but not God’s will
Nor even the wisdom to harness true flight
So here I pen for you some thoughts on the essence of real faith
That you shall not follow the haste in which I sealed my fate:
Faith’s a right knowledge of God & his perfect will for you
Followed by devoted action to make it all come true
(penned Sept 24, 2010 by a fan of flight & faith overlooking Bell’s Canyon from a large granite slab a top the lower falls)