Hands, Feet and Wings. . .
"Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good works . . ." Hebrews 10:24
I acknowledge here my friends who use their time and talents to benefit others.
I consider them "Gifted Givers" because they give so much more than material possessions or wealth. They give themselves to their communities, their talents to God, and to the rest of us they give an inspiring example. I thank God for the community of creativity of which they have made me a part.
These friends and more, my creative community, have mutually
shared their gifts with me.
I consider them "Gifted Givers" because they give so much more than material possessions or wealth. They give themselves to their communities, their talents to God, and to the rest of us they give an inspiring example. I thank God for the community of creativity of which they have made me a part.
These friends and more, my creative community, have mutually
shared their gifts with me.
Larry Henry
Photography
Photo @ Pam Richards 2010
Larry and I met in 2009. I'm always inspired by his generosity with his time and talent, his love of all things living, and his drive to preserve things that are at risk of being lost--like Nature and American Indian storytelling. We have worked together on his website, on using Facebook, and on making videos. Mostly we meet up at a McDonald's halfway between our homes and make use of the wifi while I ungraciously complain about eating fast food--and Larry chimes in about my fast food choices. You will find a lot of Larry's photography on my blog. I'm proud to be Larry's friend. Here's the story of how we started working together.
Photo @ Pam Richards 2010
Larry and I met in 2009. I'm always inspired by his generosity with his time and talent, his love of all things living, and his drive to preserve things that are at risk of being lost--like Nature and American Indian storytelling. We have worked together on his website, on using Facebook, and on making videos. Mostly we meet up at a McDonald's halfway between our homes and make use of the wifi while I ungraciously complain about eating fast food--and Larry chimes in about my fast food choices. You will find a lot of Larry's photography on my blog. I'm proud to be Larry's friend. Here's the story of how we started working together.
Kathleen Pooler
Kathleen and I "met" through my blog interviews for Seeds Born to Light. Here's her interview: Kathleen graciously followed my blog posts and contacted me about the Parhelion. We struck on several similarities in the themes of our memoirs: hope, miracle, healing through our faith, surviving domestic abuse. Kathleen has kindly hosted me on her blog, and I've had the honor to return the favor. She approached me about a blog interview supporting victims of domestic violence, which in turn led to some of my blog posts on PTSD. I have been personally inspired by Kathleen's gift for including a whole community of writers in very affirming and healing discussions, setting a gentle tone of "conversations around the kitchen table." She has recently been named to the Advisory Board of the National Association of Memoir Writers. Congratulations, Kathy!
Diane Young
Fine Art
Photo from CBC 1975 Nautilus
Diane and I have known each other since 1974-1975, my freshman year at Cincinnati Bible College. The next year, I attended the Art Academy of Cincinnati. You'd have thought would have been the one to become a full-time artist, but somewhere along the way we each did the unexpected. Diane is a full-time landscape painter, and I'm doing much more writing now than fine art. I've always been impressed with Diane's devotion to her art, and her dedication to living within her means. I remember cooking popcorn stew with Diane when we roomed together in Clifton. The really remarkable thing she shares through her painting is the sense of peace she enjoys in Nature. She has been gracious enough to extend the use of an image of one of her paintings, "Road Home," to Rod Ellis for use on his website. You can see some of Diane's restful paintings here.
Photo from CBC 1975 Nautilus
Diane and I have known each other since 1974-1975, my freshman year at Cincinnati Bible College. The next year, I attended the Art Academy of Cincinnati. You'd have thought would have been the one to become a full-time artist, but somewhere along the way we each did the unexpected. Diane is a full-time landscape painter, and I'm doing much more writing now than fine art. I've always been impressed with Diane's devotion to her art, and her dedication to living within her means. I remember cooking popcorn stew with Diane when we roomed together in Clifton. The really remarkable thing she shares through her painting is the sense of peace she enjoys in Nature. She has been gracious enough to extend the use of an image of one of her paintings, "Road Home," to Rod Ellis for use on his website. You can see some of Diane's restful paintings here.
Debbie Blackwell Buckley
Community Resources
Photo from CBC 1975 Nautilus
Debbie lived next door to me in Alumni Hall at Cincinnati Bible College our freshman year, 974-1975. I started to get back in touch with some of my old college friends after Singing from Silence was published, and Debbie was one of the first to review it. Once she'd read it, she had some idea what I'd been up to for all these years. We had a lot of catching up to do! I learned that Debbie is now professionally dedicated to getting businesses settled in her community, so she's all about connections. Debbie promptly found me a highly challenging graphic art project to work on and insisted I was the only one who could do it. Graphic art is not my area of expertise, so I agreed to take it on the condition that she not find any more graphic art projects for me until she's published a book of her own brilliant writing. Despite the standoff, (or perhaps because of it) we've kept in touch, and when she saw my posts about domestic abuse back in February, we started talking about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I really admire Debbie's great big heart, and her big concern for returning veterans. She knew our mutual friend Dr. Ellis was working on a PTSD project, and I'm grateful she suggested I get in touch with him to see if I could contribute in some way. I'm still waiting for her to write that book, though. Here's more about Debbie.
Photo from CBC 1975 Nautilus
Debbie lived next door to me in Alumni Hall at Cincinnati Bible College our freshman year, 974-1975. I started to get back in touch with some of my old college friends after Singing from Silence was published, and Debbie was one of the first to review it. Once she'd read it, she had some idea what I'd been up to for all these years. We had a lot of catching up to do! I learned that Debbie is now professionally dedicated to getting businesses settled in her community, so she's all about connections. Debbie promptly found me a highly challenging graphic art project to work on and insisted I was the only one who could do it. Graphic art is not my area of expertise, so I agreed to take it on the condition that she not find any more graphic art projects for me until she's published a book of her own brilliant writing. Despite the standoff, (or perhaps because of it) we've kept in touch, and when she saw my posts about domestic abuse back in February, we started talking about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I really admire Debbie's great big heart, and her big concern for returning veterans. She knew our mutual friend Dr. Ellis was working on a PTSD project, and I'm grateful she suggested I get in touch with him to see if I could contribute in some way. I'm still waiting for her to write that book, though. Here's more about Debbie.
Rodney A. Ellis, Ph. D.
Mental Health Professional
Photo from CBC 1975 Nautilus
Dr. Ellis and I met at Cincinnati Bible College back in 1974-1975. He was a junior when Richard and I were freshmen. He was such a Big Man on Campus, I kept out of his way so I wouldn't have to deal with crowds. But when Debbie Blackwell Buckley got me back in touch with him, either he'd mellowed or I'd become more courageous, because I found we had more than our ultra-conservative upbringing in commmon-- and we've both changed. Rod--he prefers to be called by his first name--is highly motivated to help people dealing with domestic abuse, trauma, or addictions and as a fellow storyteller I admire how effectively he uses metaphor, storytelling, and jokes. If you'll read his new book, The Old Man's Guide to a Brand New Ride, you'll even find him sharing a gift for poetry. Conversations with Rod lent a healer's perspective to my recent series of blog posts on PTSD Awareness. He's also gifted me with the opportunity to create a website for Baxter Medical Clinic, where he volunteers time and serves on the Board of Directors. More about Rodney A. Ellis, Ph.D.
Photo from CBC 1975 Nautilus
Dr. Ellis and I met at Cincinnati Bible College back in 1974-1975. He was a junior when Richard and I were freshmen. He was such a Big Man on Campus, I kept out of his way so I wouldn't have to deal with crowds. But when Debbie Blackwell Buckley got me back in touch with him, either he'd mellowed or I'd become more courageous, because I found we had more than our ultra-conservative upbringing in commmon-- and we've both changed. Rod--he prefers to be called by his first name--is highly motivated to help people dealing with domestic abuse, trauma, or addictions and as a fellow storyteller I admire how effectively he uses metaphor, storytelling, and jokes. If you'll read his new book, The Old Man's Guide to a Brand New Ride, you'll even find him sharing a gift for poetry. Conversations with Rod lent a healer's perspective to my recent series of blog posts on PTSD Awareness. He's also gifted me with the opportunity to create a website for Baxter Medical Clinic, where he volunteers time and serves on the Board of Directors. More about Rodney A. Ellis, Ph.D.
Beverly Walker
Genealogy, Copy Editing
Beverly Walker and I met through an ancestry research group on the internet. I knew I wanted to include an anecdote about Richard's ancestors in Singing from Silence, and I wanted to keep the reference as accurate as I could. Beverly kindly responded to my request for information about Richard's ancestors in Letcher County, Kentucky. Then she immediately got busy with volunteer activities when her hometown was struck with one in a series of horrific tornadoes. We lost contact for about a year. When we re-connected, she had discovered in the interim that she shared five of Richard Wayne Mullins' lines of descent! I sent Bev a first rough draft of Singing from Silence. She got to about page 82, and then called me. In her boldest voice, she intoned: "It. . . is. . . so . . . intense!" Then she did not hesitate to inform me that it badly needed copy editing, and promptly offered her services! I explained that I had no money to pay her, and she said, "I know. It's a God thing." When the book finally came out, Bev and I met in Letcher County, Kentucky where I had the pleasure of meeting many of her cousins. As far as I am aware, Beverly holds the dubious honor of being the one person who has read Singing from Silence as often as I have! Among her many gifts, Bev instilled in me an appreciation of the significance of ancestral memory. While I prepared for the publication of Singing, I assisted Bev in producing a video celebrating her ancestors. Beverly has also compiled a limited edition bound book of her many years of research on Rich's family lines and donated the proceeds from its sale to a charity of her choice. I consider her a gifted giver of her time and talents, and the big sister I've never had. More about Bev here . . .
Beverly Walker and I met through an ancestry research group on the internet. I knew I wanted to include an anecdote about Richard's ancestors in Singing from Silence, and I wanted to keep the reference as accurate as I could. Beverly kindly responded to my request for information about Richard's ancestors in Letcher County, Kentucky. Then she immediately got busy with volunteer activities when her hometown was struck with one in a series of horrific tornadoes. We lost contact for about a year. When we re-connected, she had discovered in the interim that she shared five of Richard Wayne Mullins' lines of descent! I sent Bev a first rough draft of Singing from Silence. She got to about page 82, and then called me. In her boldest voice, she intoned: "It. . . is. . . so . . . intense!" Then she did not hesitate to inform me that it badly needed copy editing, and promptly offered her services! I explained that I had no money to pay her, and she said, "I know. It's a God thing." When the book finally came out, Bev and I met in Letcher County, Kentucky where I had the pleasure of meeting many of her cousins. As far as I am aware, Beverly holds the dubious honor of being the one person who has read Singing from Silence as often as I have! Among her many gifts, Bev instilled in me an appreciation of the significance of ancestral memory. While I prepared for the publication of Singing, I assisted Bev in producing a video celebrating her ancestors. Beverly has also compiled a limited edition bound book of her many years of research on Rich's family lines and donated the proceeds from its sale to a charity of her choice. I consider her a gifted giver of her time and talents, and the big sister I've never had. More about Bev here . . .
Ted and Donna Yoder
Music
Family
Not long before Singing from Silence came out, musician and family man Ted Yoder contacted me about a post I'd made on everythingdulcimer.com. A National Hammered Dulcimer Champion, he was a huge Rich Mullins follower and he very much wanted to read the book. So did his wife and muse, Donna Yoder. By that time I was nearly ready to publish, and I was looking forward to polishing up the finishing touches. So in the interim, we talked a lot about Richard's music and I actually got to visit Mr. and Mrs. Yoder and all seven of their beautiful laughing children. Richard preferred original compositions, but he used to humor me from time to time with a folk tune, and there is one I especially associate with him. Ted performs mostly original work, some well-conceived contemporary covers, and virtually no folk tunes at all. So despite his brilliant musical background it was something of a stretch for him to come up with an arrangement for "The Water is Wide" on hammered dulcimer. He did very well indeed, and I was honored when it was one of the songs included in his fan request album, Chocolate Skies. Ted also kindly gave me permission to use his version of The Water is Wide on a video trailer celebrating the release of Singing from Silence.
Family
Not long before Singing from Silence came out, musician and family man Ted Yoder contacted me about a post I'd made on everythingdulcimer.com. A National Hammered Dulcimer Champion, he was a huge Rich Mullins follower and he very much wanted to read the book. So did his wife and muse, Donna Yoder. By that time I was nearly ready to publish, and I was looking forward to polishing up the finishing touches. So in the interim, we talked a lot about Richard's music and I actually got to visit Mr. and Mrs. Yoder and all seven of their beautiful laughing children. Richard preferred original compositions, but he used to humor me from time to time with a folk tune, and there is one I especially associate with him. Ted performs mostly original work, some well-conceived contemporary covers, and virtually no folk tunes at all. So despite his brilliant musical background it was something of a stretch for him to come up with an arrangement for "The Water is Wide" on hammered dulcimer. He did very well indeed, and I was honored when it was one of the songs included in his fan request album, Chocolate Skies. Ted also kindly gave me permission to use his version of The Water is Wide on a video trailer celebrating the release of Singing from Silence.
"Christ has no body on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion for the world is to look out; yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good; and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now." ~Saint Teresa of Avila
