"Joy, the end and purpose of human existence, involves several preconditions... God aspires to create a universe teeming with possibility, change, development, and variety... God purposes to foster a universe--and a human realm--that is rich in diversity, difference, and alternatives, and that also teems with growth, novelty and change...statis is synonymous with sameness, stagnation, death and purposelessness.

"Growth, flourishing, and human joy all require the vibrancy of a free soul choosing among numerous options... To 'prove,' in nineteenth century usage, is to ascertain or evaluate the truth or value of something by means of comparison or experiment. In other words, no value emerges in a vacuum; meaning can only appear, truth can only reveal itself, by virtue of our experience of contrary aspects of reality."

"A universe in which such sets of contraries are absent does not bear thinking about"
---Terryl Givens

Art credit: De Leie in Astene by Emile Claus

"Man must be arched and buttressed from within, else the temple wavers to the dust."
--Marcus Aurelius

Art credit: Interior of a Church by Daniel de Blieck

"Let everyone sweep in front of his own door, and the whole world will be clean."
--Goethe

Art credit: Girl With Broom in Doorway by James Wells Champney

"Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily tasks, go to sleep in peace....God is awake."
--Victor Hugo

Art credit: Mother and Child by Christian Krohg

"God grants liberty only to those who love it . . . "
--Daniel Webster

Art Credit: The Fourth of July, 1916, by Childe Hassam

I was just looking at all the spices in my cupboard and thinking that the riches so many explorers were after were spices. I am pretty rich! Magellan's ship finished its trip around the world loaded with cloves. Black pepper and later salt was treated almost like gold.

So I asked myself why? And then I thought how bland food is without the spices. Maybe let your kids try a meal or two with no spices or flavorings added and ask them what if that's what they had to eat all the time.

Then my brain made a connection. Life without the Arts is like food without the spices. Yeah, you can survive, but it's not nearly as delicious.

Art credit: The Spice Shop by Antonio Barbieri

"In the very rocks and trees...God's meaning is lodged--meaning that it can reach the center of the soul."
--Truman Madsen

Art credit: Bogeskov i Maj by P.C. Skovgaard

"I have thinks as how I can bring happiness to folks about. That is such a help when lonesome feels do come. Angel mother did say, "Make earth glad, little one--that is the way to keep the glad song ever in your heart. It must not go out."

--From Opal Whiteley's diary

Art credit: Grandfather's Little Nurse by James Hayllar

I just went down a little word rabbit hole. I've never thought of the meaning of 'alma mater' other than referring to the school I went to.

Maybe y'all know this already, but I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the name 'Alma' is used in many languages and "generally translates to mean that the child 'feeds one's soul' or 'lifts the spirit'.

And mater is latin for mother.

So I would say 'Alma Mater' definitely describes the work going on in your homes!

Art credit: Young Woman and Child at the Well by Camille Pissarro

This quote by S. Michael Wilcox, who belongs to the same church as me, really struck home:

"Traveling and learning about all the different religions and beliefs and faith and literatures and musics, mythologies and natural beauties in the world--

"Now, I would say to you: God has been talking to His children every way He can, all the time, everywhere. And if you can't listen to an apostle or a prophet, maybe you can listen to a sage or a philosopher or a musician or a poet or a playwright, or an artist, or you'll see God in the lives of good people all over...I get to bring all in all the goodness of the world, I get to bring into my soul and my life, whether I find it in a Catholic saint, or a Chinese sage, or a renaissance artist, or a New England poet."

I so agree--The more I study these things, the more I see the love of God for ALL His children everywhere. He has taught the ways of happiness in so many ways. We just need eyes to see, ears to hear and hearts that feel.

Isn't this a marvelous age to be alive?? So many beautiful vistas out there to take in--no need to wallow in the mire. It is the great day of the harvest--thrust in your sickle and reap!

Art credit: In the Summer by Carl Johann Lemoch