amsterdam

dear amsterdam,

they said you were free

i still wonder when

i look eight ways before

i cross the street and

billions of bicycles are barreling

through door and window

careless of love and honor.

freedom music?

then bind me to Reality’s song!

every nation riding two wheels

peddling their chains of “freedom”

cruising through red lights

stopping at green smoke.

dear amsterdam,

if you would be a free city

enslave yourself to Truth.

jarrod

shake-able kingdom

pairs of buildings

flying window in a green gold sky

green gold door

green gold window

bridges to freedom city

a moment of choice

three boats on the canal

between the layers

middle red

middle green

leaning a little

tulips

i was hit by an old bicycle

slanted streets

tree of abundance

for janet and terry.

a life of abundance,

tree of hope and oneness,

be still and know,

abundant life.

pray & obey (trees)

between the city

for jeff & karen...

between the city

we live

we breathe

we love

we need

a place to meet

in-between

the sun shines through

embracing light

escaping shadows

peering into heaven (two)

peering into heaven (one)

better than the emerald city

blue doors

beyond the buildings

scraping the clouds (red)

scrape the clouds

maybe rain pours down

scrape the heavens

maybe Jesus rains down

scraping the clouds (blue)

scrape a cloud

maybe rain pours down

scrape the heavens

maybe Jesus rains down

everybody's got a window

everybody's got a window

we seem to forget that

just down the road

someone's looking out.

just above this floor

someone might be lonely too

our windows

our perspectives

our realities

each person just might be a real one?

get in someone else's shoes...or look through their window at least once.

different homes... same needs

different homes...

same needs.

water

love

bread

shelter

love

belonging

affirmation

love

food

and 

love

we're more similar than we think.

city tree and door

a city tree 

choked by concrete

and yet strong and mighty

the tree moves the city streets

cracking sidewalks

raising asphalt 

reminding us

that maybe our magnificent buildings

are temporary

and we escape through a peaceful door

windows on a string

over the earthy hills and houses

a window i see

windows like kites flown in the sky

glass to peer through

look through

into something real

we look into eternity

sidewalks still connect us

from door to door

the sidewalks still connect us

though we sometimes forget we have neighbors...

the sidewalks seem to remember

they still connects us

so why not leave the couch and take a stroll?

homesick

homesick

i groan for home

this earth is not my home

above the busy city

above the darkened streets

the straight and narrow

leads me heavenward

to a city

whose Builder is God

i groan for home

i'm homesick

above the skyline

i have had an absurd idea:

a window on a string

flying above the chaotic city.

and so, beyond the dark clouds

i squint to see a new reality.

or maybe a door on a rope

scraping the sky for truth

and groaning for hope i wonder...

can i crawl through?

or maybe Someone came down to me.

becoming one

painted for matt and susan

wonderful couple

they love Jesus

love others

and represent Jesus

with the fruit of the Spirit 

in their lives

the way home back to life

painted for my "thew"

living in austin, really living...

matt "thew"

is taking the road

home back to life.

check out his sweet songs

and the acoustic jams he writes

at matt graham on the virb.com

"open every single door and

swing wide the windows

let a little light inside"

"turn the darkness with a spade

lay your secrets down on me"

"gonna take the way home back to life, it's the weak way that is strong"

-matt graham

with her tears

painted for katie.

with her tears

alabaster jar

perfume

hair

a mess of love

washing Jesus' feet

humility her reality

forgiven much

loving much

a sloppy mess of love

meeting

a regal robe

royal feet

and Jesus was forever

honored by the sacrifice

of her tears

crossroads

crossroads.

painted for K.A.R.M.

Knox Area Rescue Ministries.

despair or hope

one or the other

two roads

a fork...the crossroads

two doors

death or life

choose Jesus. 

Thus says the LORD: "Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.  Jeremiah 6:16

refuge

refuge.

painted for Mike Jones.

my Father in law, the Father to my wife,

and a true Father in the Lord.

Mike lives in Houston.

He takes refuge from the city storm, the worldly storm, the business storm.  His refuge is Jesus. And strangely enough... although the idea was from him nearly a year earlier.  And the painting was in my mind's eye for months...it was painted within days of hurricane Ike hitting the Gulf...when Houston sought refuge.

home, city, country three

home

city

country

three of three

red and green

daily we go

daily we have to go

daily we wish to go

we end up

home

home, city, country two

home

city

country

two of three

blue and green

daily we go

daily we have to go

daily we wish to go

we end up

home

home city country one

home

city

country

one of three

pink and green

daily we go

daily we have to go

daily we wish to go

we end up

home

door and window three

door and window

three of three

green and red

a choice

and

a reality

door and window two

door and window

two of three

tan and blue

a choice

and

a reality

door and window one

door and window

one of three

yellow and blue

a choice

and

a reality

jeremiah plans

one way, one truth, one heaven, two homes, two cities, one Father, one Son, one Holy Spirit, one heaven, one way, one truth, two homes, two cities, Tennessee & Indiana quite shakeable, one feast, one party, one fun, wedding feast, reunion, love remains