In February we had an “end of joy project” party at Kim and Curtis Smith’s house.  It was good.  There was home-grown visual art on display.  Some girls performed a dance. Curtis played some music with Wade and David Oostra.  There was karaoke and fireworks and lots of food.  Some neighbors came.  It was a full house and it was fun.

Of course everything is cyclical; it all comes to pass. So does this mean that there is no more talk of joy and art around here after that party?  Do we need another theme for the next cycle?

No.  It does not mean that.  As long as we are of the kingdom of God, joy and art will be essential ingredients.  That’s because God made us and that’s His way.  There will be other things to think about and other directions to pursue, but if joy is missing, something ain’t right.  Ditto art.

Speaking of that, awhile back I was trying to explain to my mother what I do all day long.  I organize music, I said.  I try to stimulate art and participation.  We stage events and try to make people think.  To which she said, “don’t you ever do anything spiritual at that church?”

Well yeah, momma, we surely do.  If our heads/hearts are in the right space, everything we do is worship.  All of life is a gift from God; we recreate, we respond, we give ourselves back to God.  We aspire to love the Lord God with all our faculties, with our whole being. And our neighbor too.

And speaking of that, there’s a big concert planned for June 15 at family camp.  There will be lots of good music.  There will be food.  Hopefully lots of our neighbors will be there. And if we are thinking well, if our hearts are good, it will all be to the glory of God.  It will be a spiritual event in the fullest sense possible.

Maybe we should say that the coming of the kingdom of God on this planet is one big joy project.  Can anybody really disagree with that?