Art Matters.

Today, watching that yellow and red face sink below the horizon. Wondering: "Does knowledge of the artist affect my love for the art?". Sky looks beautiful - if it was painted it would look like a romanticized sunset (is that possible?) and I would not like the painting. But it's God's art, and I know that it's real - there is no mimesis here. That's why it is beautiful.

Why does knowledge of the artist make me love their art a little more? Am I surprised that people in my life are extremely talented? If you can express yourself, keep going! One of my best friends recently answered the question: "What is your greatest fear?" with "not being able to express myself." I'm learning that that is an important fear, because expression is part of the deep soul God has given us. Part of being made in God's image is expression, and I'm trying to be open to expressing the goodness of God to anyone who is listening.

Basketball

I played basketball for a few hours this afternoon, and I really am thinking about trying out again next year.

This is a scary idea for me, because at the beginning of last year I decided I was done with competitive basketball for the rest of my life - Senate and school were going to be my focus. But playing this afternoon with some close friends and some not-so close-friends has kind of opened my eyes to the possibility that God may have more ideas for me and basketball.

Here's one of the defining conversations of my life and as a bonus, my first attempt at playwriting!


Mr. Sharpe and Ben Bouwman take a cab home from Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute after another loss. It's night, it's raining, and they are talking.

Mr. Sharpe (jamming Ben's legs with his seat) - "Oh! Sorry Ben... I didn't mean to break those sticks of legs you've got.

Cabbie laughs.

Ben - "That's alright sir, I'm ok.

Mr. Sharpe - "I guess you don't need them anyway, you never dunk. You could have made some serious impressions for All-Star selection tonight if you managed to finish some of that stuff on the baseline -- Conroy was there, you know.

Ben - "Yeah, I guess.

Silence for a few minutes, Ben and his coach are arriving at St. James.

Ben - "Mr. Sharpe, do you think God cares about basketball?

Mr. Sharpe -"Of course he does! It's his favourite sport!

Ben - "How do you know?

Mr. Sharpe - ". . ."


I don't know what happened that night. Look up "Bob Sharpe" on a Canadian basketball website, and you'll find some impressive statistics - All Canadian, Olympian, Canadian Basketball Hall of Famer. Look up "Ben Bouwman" and you will likely find nothing. Maybe it was his impressive record colliding with my poor one, his theology colliding with mine, his god colliding with mine.

Does God care about basketball? Answer me please, whether or not you are athletically gifted!

Good Morning!

Right now I'm struggling with Plato and Christianity and my philosophy class and C.S. Lewis and heaven.

Is earth a copy of heaven, a flawed and sinful copy? Is the New Earth heaven? Is there time in heaven? Will contemplating the Forms in heaven get me any closer to truth? Is earth something I have to escape?

Am I emotionally weak for crying while reading "The Last Battle"?

Is everything true? Is there reason for believing what I believe beyond meaning for life? What if meaning for life doesn't really mean all that much anyway?

Dag, I missed Philosophy last semester.