The Wedding Feast at Cana

The Wedding Feast at Cana painted by Pablo Veronese in 1563.  One of the most famous paintings in the world.  The painting hangs across from the Mona Lisa in the Louvre. The huge painting spans over 750 sq. ft. or 35' x 20' covering an entire wall of the museum. The painting was surely inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci's Last Supper painted in Milan around 1495.

The painting was first commissioned by monks in Venice for a new rectory.  The painting depicts a wedding feast that Jesus attended with his family and the apostles. The bride and groom were concerned since they had run out of wine. They asked if there was anything Jesus could do, and Jesus was hesitant but after some cajoling agreed. He then proceeds to turn the water into wine, and not only wine but excellent wine. The turning of water into wine was Jesus' first miracle, and really an announcement that he was here for a special purpose and not just a mere mortal.

 

 An interesting backstory about the painting.  In 1815, Austria controlled Italy and Napolean and his armies stole the painting by cutting it out of the frame rolling it up and removing it from the country.  When Austria asked for the return of the painting France explained that the painting was too large and would not fit through the doorway. With that lame excuse the painting still resides in France today. The Inquisition also questioned whether the painting was heresy since it included dogs and German thugs with Jesus. The artist Veronese explained that it was just artistic expression.

The painting captures the wedding celebration with Jesus and a little splash of 16th century Venice, while commemorating the immortal Jesus turning stone jars of water into a fine wine to ensure the success of the wedding feast. 

The Wedding at Cana was the first of Jesus' miracles that continue to this very day. 

 With Love,

 Coach K

A Blessing

 

The Lord Bless you and keep you

The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you

The Lord turn his face to you and give you peace

 With Love,

 Coach K

Silence

 What we are need is a little more quiet, a little more peace, a little more silence.  Turn it down, turn it off, disconnect, unplug, and take a deep breath. 

There is a reason for the old saying Silence is Golden. 

Make time for Silence in your life.  Silence has magical powers. It's let your body, mind, and spirit relax, recalibrate, and just Be.  The quiet can heal you.  Let your thoughts pass and just immerse yourself in simply just being alive in the given moment. 

Take in those deep cleansing life giving breaths.  Let it fill your lungs and feel the calmness and peace wash over you.  

Make time to include Silence in your daily living. 

God Bless.

With Love,

Coach K

Constant Chaos

 One of the best things you can do for your overall health and well being is to turn down the drama.  We are in a constant state of distraction with our phones, social media, tv, movies, video games, and the list goes on.  Is it any wonder our nervous systems and brains are overwhelmed.  There is a better way.

Instead of feeding ourselves and living off the constant drama.  Try a little peace and quiet. There's a reason Silence is golden. Disconnect from the constant chaos bring some more joy and peace into your life. 

 We can get rid of the anxiety meds and the anti depressants with some simple lifestyle changes.  And we need to be an active parent when raising our children and not let them be bombarded by the constant steam of information.  

Turn it off.  Go outside get some fresh air and sunshine.  All of today's noise is soon forgotten and we move on to the next drama of the moment. 

Just like we nourish our bodies, we need to feed our minds and souls the good stuff.  Turn off the violence, the drama, the dysfunction and turn on the uplifting, the good, the gentle, and the Peace. 

When we row our boat in the extreme we go around in circles. We expend all that energy and go no where. When we row our boat gently down the stream, we arrived refreshed while reaching our destination. 

There is a better way.  Let there be peace earth and let it begin with me. 

With Love,

Coach K

Practical Spirituality

 Connecting with God

We all have this latent power that resides within each of us that when recognized and harnessed can do amazing things.  When we were born into this world we all are infused with this Divine Spirit otherwise known as the Holy Spirit or even Soul.  Each of us could not exist without it. Some of us are exposed to the Holy Spirit early on in our lives and we may have a strong or weak understanding of its power.  Others may have no exposure to our inherent Divine essence. 

Just like we learn about our how our bodies, brains, and hearts function, we can understand how our God power operates to help us live our best life. Understanding and harnessing our Spirit can have tremendous implications on us realizing and achieving our best potential and our best lives. And just like we nurture our bodies with good food and drink, exercise, fresh air, and sunshine, we can do the same with nurturing our Spirits. 

Our connection with God and our Holy Spirits can bring us harmony, achievement, satisfaction, and perhaps most important Peace. We simply begin by acknowledging our Divine essence and living and working from that higher part of ourselves.  We can think and plan from this part of ourselves and ask for help in our every day decision making, life planning, and daily living. 

Think of your Holy Spirit as a good friend that is here to guide you, protect you, and help you live your best life.  All you have to do is ask.  Ask for help, ask for guidance, ask for all the good things you want in life and when they show up just gratefully and humbly say Thank You. 

For those of us not exposed to the teachings of Jesus, we can start with some basic readings of the bible and with the book or Gospel of John where he describes Jesus and his life. And pay attention to the actual words of Jesus, he speaks directly to us on how to live a good life.  When we slip or fall, don't beat yourself up and as the saying goes, the Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.  We all know that good food and exercise is terrific for our health and well being, but yet we still indulge in junk food and entertainment.

Knowledge is a wonderful thing but the magic is in the Doing.  

As I've grown and raised children and a family,  I look back on the early days of being raised by a young single mother with four boys and pinch myself.  I must be dreaming.  This concept of asking and receiving is very very powerful.  I remember vividly working my part time retail job in the Toy and Sporting Goods section and praying/asking to meet the right girl.  While I was friendly with all the wonderful female cashiers, I was waiting for the right one.  A week or so after my prayer, my good friend Fran who worked as a cashier, showed up with her friend Lisa and I knew instantly that my prayer was answered. 

Here we are 40 years later married with three beautiful children and are humbled by God's grace and blessings. Continue to ask the Good Lord for all the wonderful things you desire.  Be patient, be kind, be full of gratitude and when they do arrive just smile with that Knowing and say the simplest and yet most powerful of all prayers Thank You Jesus!

God wants us to be happy, wants us to share in the abundance of his fruitful universe.  He tells us to go out into the world and let them see the God Force within you beaming like a lantern on a dark night. 

Try to start every day with a simple prayer of Thanksgiving.  When we start each day from this powerful yet humble mindset, "This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad! And if God is for us, who can be against us"

We can shine brightly for the whole world to see.  Praise the Lord!

Thank you Father. 

 

With Love, 

Coach K