So Much 2 Say...

It would appear that I haven't been here in about 11 months. That seems to be a wee bit negligent on my part. I mean, there's not much worse than a blog that never gets updated, especially when millions of readers worldwide are hanging on your every word and the suffering these poor souls have endured in my absence must surely have been devastating at best. I can only imagine the horror you have experienced as you logged on each day, hoping for a few pearls of wisdom that never came. The void that I created was obviously vast and ... what? Come again? What do you mean, "You were gone?" 

Oh. 

Well then. Nevermind. 

Hey everybody! I'm back! Hoo-ray for me! It's been a busy year and the creative writing thingy had to take a back burner for quick minute while other, more pressing issues filled my existence. We bought our house just about a year ago and many of you know how we spent the summer and fall months that followed. Taking an abused structure and stripping it down to it's base, repairing every wall, replacing all floor coverings with new ones, clearing away years of neglect and debris inside and out. Drywall, tile, paint, lumber, fixtures, lighting, electrical, plumbing, carpet... and tons of mortar, screws and sawdust. So many hands helping with tasks that I had no skill or knowledge to attempt, let alone complete. Countless hours of scrubbing, sanding, painting, sawing and renewing. With a little help from our friends, we turned a neighborhood eyesore into a palace. It's a home I simply don't deserve and could never hope to  live in without the selflessness of others and the abundant grace of a God that likes me a little bit. Our time was completely taken by this project and little time was left for anything else. Our "vacation" was spent working on the house. By the time Christmas came, all I wanted to do was sleep. Happy, but tired.

Marcus left for the Navy in the spring. Michelle went back to school for another year in the fall. Nick is leaving in a few weeks to begin a new adventure in Flint as a youth leader. 

Busy.

Fluid.

Movement.

Change.

And the beat goes on...

Once I stopped writing, it was hard to even think about starting back up. Always a project to do. Another sermon to write. Another meeting to attend. Always some reason why I couldn't share a few thoughts and keep the questions stirring in my mind alive. 

But, the more I think about it, it would seem that I've got more to say. Maybe some of it even has some value to it. Maybe my mutterings can have an impact in someone's life, no matter how insignificant that impact might seem. Perhaps a simple word of encouragement could be the catalyst for a life-altering moment in a stranger's life. Maybe there's some merit in sharing a few thoughts now and then. 

Writing is fun. The mental dance required to order an idea into coherent thoughts makes my mind race and gets my heart pumping. I have missed this dance. I have craved the chance to do it again. And it appears that I'm ready to do it again. Cool.

So much to say... so little time.

New Point of View

I met the "new guy" yesterday. My new nephew - Atticus Louis Clement Cooper - son to my older brother Russell and his wife, Amy. Now the proud parents of a 3 year old cutie doll-face princess (Violette) AND a future linebacker, it seems like they are coping well and adjusting to life with an extra person in their family. I look back fondly at my own experience with babies and sometimes wonder how Michelle and I survived the onslaught of weirdness that comes from becoming parents and trying to raise two children in a sometimes chaotic world. Sure, it's a wonderful blessing to have kids. It's also the most crazy thing that we as adults attempt to do - actually bring new life into the world and try to navigate the minefield of human existence to deliver our offspring to the realm of adulthood. Well, good luck with that! Adults with weak stomachs and a low tolerance for pain and suffering need not apply! I am convinced that parenthood should be reserved only for those of us who are truly committed to devoting their lives to the betterment of their children's lives. Aside for giving your physical life to save another's, it's the pinnacle of self-sacrifice so that someone else might benefit.

I might add here that I chuckle a lot now that I'm older, for a number of reasons. First of all, that I survived raising two teenage boys and still have a bit of sanity left over. How cool is THAT? Second, I can't help but recognize the irony of being the younger brother whose sons are now grown and contrasting that with my older brother in the very early stages of the parental journey. Watching my 19 year old son hold his 1 month old cousin is kinda funny to me. Cute, but still funny. Oh, the FUN that awaits my brother! I'd let him know what's coming, but then again, why spoil the surprise? Hehehehe.......

I now have a different perspective on parenthood that I couldn't have while the boys were young. It's almost like looking back over your shoulder from high up on a mountain and seeing the winding road that you've been walking on for the past 20-plus years. Seeing the hills and valleys, the smooth straight-a-ways and the unpaved backroads that have led you to where you now stand. I see the times that I did things right and then see the epic failures that seemed to come more often than I wanted. It's a shame that you can't see the roadmap BEFORE you take the journey, but then that wouldn't be near enough fun, now would it? Only at the end of the journey can you fully grasp the enormity of what you've accomplished, that you actually had a hand in shaping a life and had the privilege of watching babies grow into men. At the end, you discover that the perceived failures weren't all that bad and that even if your best wasn't always good enough, it was still your best... and that's ok. I'm finding that I'm a little more relaxed and less irritable, perhaps because I recognize that I've transitioned into a different kind of parenthood. My sons are now men, making their own decisions and learning what the real world is like for themselves. This is uncharted territory for all of us, scary and fun all at the same time. And I guess it's just the way it should be. Let the next chapter begin!

Watching my brother take care of his young children with my new perspective has been wonderfully enlightening. He dotes on his little sweet girl like a good daddy should and I can't wait to see how he interacts with his boy as he grows and develops. I'm reminded of the love of God for His children when I see parents that love their own kids. As much as we love them and sacrifice for them, it cannot compare to the love that God shown to all of us. And He wants us to know how much He loves us. "And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God." (Ephesians 3:18-19 NLT). As much as you love your precious babies, it pales in comparison to the way God feels about you. Maybe if we actually believed that this is true, we might live lives that had just a little more purpose in them. Maybe.

Love your children. Enjoy the little moments. Refuse to be a friend to regret and disappointment. Have fun and smile more. You'll be happier and so will they.

 And don't waste time. They'll be adults tomorrow.

Bad Fit

I read an article recently by Thom Schultz entitled "Why Church Doesn't Fit Most People", which coincidentally, goes right along with some of the very things that I've been pondering as of late. The basic premise was that people that go to church are now in the minority in our society and that these folks fit a certain profile that the rest of society doesn't adhere to. Now, on one hand, that makes sense - the change that God makes in the life of the believer makes you DIFFERENT from the rest of the world, which is a GOOD thing. But if you look at this a little closer, you may find that this profile is missing some very important elements that would allow for growth and expansion of the Kingdom of God.

The main difference that I can see deals with simple movement. The average church-goer could be described as "passive" - content to sit and listen, to be fed from an authority figure, to risk little and watch much.
I've been pondering the concept of "church" lately and asking myself some thought-provoking questions that are generating less answers than additional questions. When I read the Book of Acts, I see something incredible happening that I've never really seen before in the modern church. I see people that are actively pursuing their faith from several angles. Acts 2:42 says, "All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer." Do you see the magic word there? DEVOTED. It means so much more than "interested" or "observed". Devotion means ACTION, the kind that will cost you a great deal to accomplish the goal. Someone who is devoted understands that hard work and perseverance will most definitely be involved. A devoted person DEMANDS that something gets done and is most likely the person to make it happen. Devoted people are DOERS, not just talkers.

I guess maybe I'm thinking about CHANGE. You know how you do the same things for so long that life itself begins to feel like a rut that you can't get out of? The monotony of an unchanging life quenches the flames of creativity and innovation. Growth is stymied when we don't make changes. New discoveries go unnoticed when we lack the initiative to make changes in our lives. CHANGE is ... GOOD! We should WANT to make adjustments to our existence, if only to shake things up once in a while! Our family is going through another series of changes, the biggest being seeng my oldest son Marcus off to the U.S. Navy a week ago. Things can't always stay the same if we want to become more than what we are today. For Marcus, he had to leave home and start a new life to reach his goals. For myself, the moments of greatest growth and discovery came when I made a concerted effort to force changes into my life. I became a BETTER person because I CHOSE to alter my present course and remove the preconceived limits that I had placed on my life. Once the barriers to progress were removed, then the FUN began! New challenges, new opportunities, new experiences - all because I decided that there had to be MORE to this life than just the same old thing.

Maybe the Church should try that more often. Maybe we need to change the way we think about "church" and "worship" and "service". Is it possible that the Church needs to reinvent itself? Are we asking the right questions? Are we even asking questions anymore? Are we more interested in maintaining the church traditions that haven't changed in the past 50 years than we are reaching the hurting people in our community? I'm concerned we might be missing some great opportunities because we haven't "rearranged the furniture" in the church for a LONG time (if you get what I mean). We need to ask better questions of ourselves. Questions like, "What do we have to do to reach the lost souls around us?" or "What changes should we make as a church so that people outside the walls might find a real relationship with God?"

It all comes back to DEVOTION. Back in the days of Acts, God was adding people to the Church DAILY! Wouldn't that kind of revival be GREAT right about now? I don't know about you, but I think we could use a little "shake up" in the Church. If the current way of doing things doesn't CONNECT with people, maybe we need to consider changing a few things. If people's lives aren't being changed by the Good News, then maybe we aren't sharing it the right way! You see, the Good News of the Bible NEVER needs to be changed or altered - it's just fine the way it is. But our METHODS could use a little adjustment if we want to be EFFECTIVE in sharing the life-changing Message that God offers to everyone.

I'm not saying that we need to throw every old tradition or method out just because its a little dated. Some of those "old" ideas actually still work. I'm just proposing that we challenge ourselves to NOT be satisfied with the status-quo and become willing to change for the sake of the KINGDOM. If we TRULY care about the souls of people, then we WILL ask the questions that need to be asked.

The question is... what am I willing to do? What about you? Anybody ready for a little revival?

Mission

Yeah, I know... don't start with me. I've obviously been away from the blogging world for quite a while, so let's just get the obvious out of the way. Call it writer's block, busyness or just plain laziness, I've just not been inspired to write anything of substance for several months now and I seriously considered not returning to this blog EVER, if just to alleviate to annoyance of having to deal with the void. But maybe taking a few months off was a GOOD thing for me - I've had plenty of time to ponder a few things and experience some new stuff in the interim, stuff that has caused me to dust off the keyboard and put a few words out that might carry a little weight. For me, that's really the point - if I don't really have anything worthwhile to say, I'm not about to just produce something for the sake of saying that I did. It's got to mean something to ME, something that really makes me think and react and evaluate the pieces of my existence. I think I might just have something to share along those lines...
Many of you know that I had the opportunity to travel to Guatemala a few weeks ago on a 13-day mission trip that my congregation promotes on an annual basis. Aside from a lovely case of gastro-intestinal weirdness (too much?) that just won't go away, life has returned to my version of normal since my return. I have been trying to put into words exactly how the trip affected me on several levels and have shared some of these insights during my last two Sunday morning sermons. I find it interesting that so many revelations have materialized in my mind since my return, things that I had not fully recognized as they were happening live. It was an experience that can only be described with words like rich, humbling, awe-inspiring, mind-blowing, joyful, exhausting, and beyond belief. I experienced personal paradoxes involving deep love and searing loneliness, wealth and poverty, and connection and detachment - all elements that I continue to try to organize in my mind and my spirit. It would seem that I may have gained some new sermon material to fill the foreseeable future.
It would be impossible to fully share all of my thoughts in one blog, or maybe even in a hundred of them. But as I attempt to sort out the pictures in my mind, I will do what I can to include you in sharing what I find. There is one thing that I am sure of - that God has called us to possess a heart that understands what MISSION is really all about. Mission is actually quite simple - love people. That's it - just love the people around you and the people around the world. Find and embrace the elements that UNITE us, instead of searching for the differences that polarize us and create walls of mistrust and division. I understand that this is a simplistic viewpoint and I know that life is a little more complicated than that. But couldn't we just start there and see where it leads? It couldn't be worse than the discord that we see permeating our families, churches, cities and our nation. Remember that old song, "What The World Needs Now..."? The answer is also simple - "it's love, sweet love." Yeah, that's it. Just a little bit of love to share with your fellow man, no matter who he is or where he's from. Simple. True. Easy.

Here's a virtual hug for you. Hit me up the next time we meet and maybe I'll give you the real thing.

Spreading a little love...

Somewhere in the middle of nowhere...

It's been awhile since I last wrote anything here. Not that I don't like to write or share my thoughts on various topics - I actually do like getting my opinion "out there". But the truth is, lately I've just been uninspired to write anything. I guess my mind is so FULL of stuff to think about that it's hard to get those thoughts out in written form. Maybe it's overload. Kind of like when your computer runs slow because of all the extra junk that you haven't cleaned up or throw away yet. Everything's all jumbled up and out of order so that the thoughts start mixing around and then become increasingly incoherent and unintelligible. Maybe it's time for a mental version of emptying the "recycle bin" of my mind. Clean out the cobwebs a little and shake off the dust. Let's give this a try...

I guess it's all about weight. You know, the heaviness that rests on your mind concerning the issues in your life that either need fixing or attention. If too many issues come your way all at once, the organization process gets thrown out of alignment and nothing seems to get resolved. There have been a number of things weighing heavy on my mind for some time now, some that can be shared and others that cannot. Sometimes it takes a few days away to clear the mind and attempt to restructure the disaster in your brain. As I sat on my parents little 4-person pontoon boat this weekend, I quietly reflected on my life and where I was in the grand scheme of things. (For the record, there were 5 of us on that 4-person boat, but we made it back to shore safely. Just remember to stay away from the front of the boat - ask Mom about that - it's a funny story). Anyway, I looked around me as we cruised around Hicks Lake - past summer cabins with children playing near the docks, at young city dwellers zooming around on jet-skis, watching seagulls fly overhead and feeling the warm summer breeze blow my hair around. I noticed that there was a simplicity to a single moment in time, that while all these things were happening around me, I was perfectly content and relaxed. No e-mail to respond to, no cell service on my Android, no appointments to keep. We didn't even have a set time for dinner, just whenever we got back to the cabin. Peace and quiet. Serenity. Calm.

We went fishing later. Crowded into a little fishing boat, trying to be careful not to capsize the craft by moving too quickly, we found a quiet spot next to some lily pads and tossed our bait over the side. There's something incredibly peaceful about sitting in a boat with a rod and reel in your hand. There was a visit from a rather large snapping turtle, who kept surfacing near the boat and staring at us, as if to say, "Go away! you're bothering me!". My son Nick tried in vain to catch the turtle, but the old beast wasn't interested in worms that day. Between 4 of us, we caught 23 fish. I only caught 2 that were worth keeping, but it was never about the amount - it was about the moment. 3 generations of Coopers sitting on a boat fishing, enjoying everything that life had to offer in that instant. Simple. Clean. Restful.

Seems to me that God wants us to take a step back every once in a while and stop overloading ourselves with the heaviness of life. If you strip away all of the issues and difficulties we face in life, we find a simplicity that escapes many of us on a daily basis. God offers us genuine REST for our souls, but do we even have ROOM in our souls for that rest? Maybe it's time to clean out our lives and make room for the things that matter. Maybe it's time to throw away the things that weigh us down and focus instead on the Creator, who loves us and only wants the best for us. Take a deep breath, let it out. Soak up some sun. Feel the cool breeze as you sway in the hammock in your heart. See, it's not about the location - we can't always hang out at "Casa Cooper" and forget the "real" world. But we can find rest for our souls by learning to trust God with all of the burdens that cloud our minds and make us ineffective for the Kingdom. If only we could live out the command from God found in 1 Peter 5:7 - "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you." (NLT) and if we could truly believe those words to be true. How much better equipped would we be to handle our daily lives.

Excuse me while I go find my fishing pole. I've got some "mind-clearing" to take care of.

Coop

Bad Day/Good Day?

I'm about to drop a quote from Lawrence Welk - yeah, THAT Lawrence Welk, the accordian player/band leader from back in the 70's. Unfortunately, my early upbringing included regular doses of polka music by Lawrence and company, followed by country music hi-jinks supplied by Buck Owens and Roy Clark on "Hee Haw". I'm scarred, truly I am. Sometimes, I don't know whether to say, "An-a-one, an-a-two..." OR sing "Gloom, Despair, and Agony". (Some of you won't get those references, and to you I say, "Be thankful".)

Anyway, the quote. Lawrence once said, "There are good days and there are bad days, and this is one of them." Nice work, Larry - never pegged you as a sage-like philosopher. Actually, it's kinda deep, in a strange kinda way. The truth is, there ARE good days and there ARE bad days and today just so happens to fall into one of those two categories. The question is (and here's where things get a little cryptic), which kind of day are we having today? It's either good or bad, depending on your circumstances and your personal point of view. My good day could be your bad day, even if we are experiencing the same events. In a paradoxical kind of twist, reserved usually for J.J. Abrams productions, we can stand side by side and experience the opposite ends of the spectrum in relation to good day/bad day scenarios. Weird how that works.


I started this blog on the suggestion from a friend that people (specifically the people I serve in ministry) would get a better understanding of who I really was as a person if I shared my thoughts on a more personal level. Great idea - let people see into the "inside" of the man, letting them get a glimpse of the person behind the title of pastor. I've enjoyed sharing my views on a variety of subjects and writing has become a bit of a therapeutic release of sorts for me. I feel more creative and introspective when I write and that has been good for my brain, which needs all the help it can get most of the time. But along the way I have discovered a real problem, one that has me slightly irritated and left with a possible nervous twitch. Simply put, the "open window" into my life only opens halfway - I can't open it all the way like the guy next to me can. Let me explain...


I have discovered that my position has handcuffed my ability to freely express myself. I have noticed how most other people communicate in social media forums and find myself feeling somewhat jealous of their freedom to say whatever they want, whenever they want, to whoever they want. I look at the news feed on Facebook and I can see everyone's opinion, gripe, rant and intimate medical details. I know so much more about other people's viewpoints because the FILTERS have all gone away. If someone is angry at a politician, they let everyone know and then try to get others to pass on a status that they themselves didn't write in the first place (another blog for another time, perhaps). If there is a religious discussion, everybody tosses their 2 cents into the fray, with little regard for quiet discourse or civility. People can and do say whatever comes to mind, just because they CAN. Nevermind that no one really cares what you think about the latest DWTS dismissal or your opinion on the NFL Draft - you can tell the whole world with just a click of a mouse. The filters have been turned OFF. Nothing is held in "bad taste" anymore it seems - if you've got a blog (and who doesn't these days) you have the perceived RIGHT to say anything you please, no matter how incendiary it might be. Who needs self-control when no one is policing the internet anyway?


Which brings me back to me. I have found myself deleting most of what I want to write down most of the time before I post it. I rarely share jokes, stories, quotes, personal details, etc., because the position that I have simply does not allow for it. You really DON'T want to know my political views or my thoughts about reality television or my latest cholesterol levels. Why? Because sometimes, these comments can POLARIZE people into opposing factions, making them unable to then work together and engage in profitable discussion. I have found that people expect their clergy or leaders to be a certain way and if he or she is not that way, then somehow we are automatically "at-odds". Make no mistake - I DO have very clear opinions on just about everything - politics, religion, pop culture, music, social norms - but you will probably have to work a bit harder to REALLY see how I feel about things. Sometimes, getting my opinion "out there" really isn't as important as operating in good taste and common sense. I am reminded of the scripture passage found in 1 Corinthians 10:23, which says, "You say, I am allowed to do anything" - but not everything is good for you. You say, "I am allowed to do anything" - but not everything is beneficial." (NLT). Just because I CAN do something (like force my personal opinion on everyone around the globe) DOESN'T mean that I should. My opinion is that we all should take a step back and think about the ramifications of our words BEFORE we press "enter". Just because you are sure that you're right doesn't mean that you are OR that we all need to know about it. Civility should reign above personal opinion. At least that's my opinion on the subject. 


So... today I bite my tongue. My rant will stay inside my head. My mood will stay below the surface for the sake of the Kingdom. Because in the end, this life is not about ME anyway. And do you want to know the really funny part? Even what you're currently reading isn't what I really want to say. You'll just have to read between the lines...


I think even Mr. Welk would find that to be a bit humorous.

You're The Inspiration

I think I'm old.

Well, at least part of me is old. Musically speaking, I can't seem to get with most of the popular music these days. I used to be "cutting edge" and current in my music selections, but apparently not any more. I guess I just can't feel the contemporary stuff that's out today. It seems like the talent level is way too low and the bar for excellence dropped to the floor. (Yikes - I sound like somebody's father - "Those darn kids and their rock-n-roll!" What's next - yelling at kids to "get off the lawn" and cashing in some sweet discounts with my AARP card?). The radio just sounds like "noise" to me anymore, which is why I usually just listen to sports or NPR in the car. Hey - I heard that! I am NOT taking my Metamucil and a nap! (Smart-aleck kids...)

I am a product of the 80's (the 1980's for all of you about to throw down an old joke). It doesn't seem like it was that long ago, yet many of the songs that I grew up with during my teenage years can be heard on "oldies" radio stations today. Really? How can Van Halen, Men At Work, and Tears For Fears be OLDIES? When did THAT happen? I remember when Prince and Madonna were EDGY and parents wanted them banned from the radio. They look pretty tame compared to today's "artists". I remember when Flock Of Seagulls, Simply Red, Simple Minds and The Police were all Top 40 bands. My favorites were Chicago, Anita Baker and Huey Lewis and The News. 80's music was fun and fresh and mostly positive. The music of the day reflected the flavor of the times - an uncertain world fueled by a Cold War and threats of nuclear annihilation. Our music was fun because we needed to believe that everything would be alright, and that Reagan and Gorbachev wouldn't actually do something to cause us to hide under our desks at school and wait for the inevitable mushroom cloud to vaporize us. Back then, we knew that "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and that "Everybody Wants to Rule the World". Somehow, it seemed like a simpler time. A happier time. Better than now. (Must be time for my nap...)

But I also remember a line from and old Billy Joel song called "Keeping The Faith" that goes, "You know the good ol' days weren't always good. Tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems." I think there's a little bit of truth in Billy's lyrics. What we remember as a perfect time rarely was. Our minds try to recall the best parts of our youth to suppress the bad parts and the final result is a skewed version of the reality that we lived in. Maybe the soundtrack of our youth doesn't tell the complete story. Maybe an honest look at the whole picture is a better way to assess the "good ol' days".

I was reminded yesterday of some other old days in my life, mostly from the years right after high school. Finding the perfect woman and marrying her before anyone else could snatch her up. Still incredibly amazing and beautiful after almost 22 years of marriage, my Michelle continues to make music in my heart. And as she writes in her latest blog - http://randomordeep.blogspot.com/2011/03/sweet-freedom.html?spref=fb - her own life has taken a few turns that created the jewel that she currently is today. Some people have forgotten what the truth about the past really was, preferring to gloss it over and remember only the parts that were "good". The actual truth is different from the way we choose to remember it. The "good ol'days" were definitely NOT always good and to believe that the past was a perfect time would be akin to foolishness. I see the woman that Michelle was and the woman that she is now and I see a dynamic transformation that defies conventional logic. She took the absurdity of that time in our lives and chose to remove the weight of the lies and narrow-mindedness that came from so-called "friends" out from the equation. The result of that choice is a woman that is wiser and stronger than any other woman I have ever met. She reminds me of the old 80's Chicago song, "You're The Inspiration" - the depth of character that Michelle has graced my life with is beyond measurement and certainly more than I deserve. Her choice to put the past behind her inspires me to put aside the garbage that tries to attach itself to my daily life and search to keep the important lessons in my mind. It doesn't matter what others think about you - what matters is whether or not you operate within the parameters of the life that God has chosen specifically for you. We are not copies of each other; what works for you probably won't work for me. To attempt to box people into a rigid existence is a crime. Shame on those who promote such shallow ideals.

My life's soundtrack sounds different from Michelle's. I prefer my music to hers, but to say that mine is superior is arrogant and prideful. What works for us is a combination of our "playlists" - taking our personal and shared experiences are merging them together to produce the musical brilliance that has developed over two decades plus. The truth is, we can learn SO MUCH by keeping an open mind about each other and respecting the unique differences between us. I think it works much the same way with most of our relationships. Inspiration comes from experiencing new ideas, and new ideas come from understanding that our own perspective needs to be adjusted from time to time. Truth remains the same - it's our viewpoint concerning that truth that can open up new worlds of understanding to us. Close your mind and you close your world. God even tells us that substantive change in our own lives occurs with a perspective adjustment - "Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 (NLT). 


Turn up the volume. Play your music loud and proud. Just be willing to try a new tune every now and again. You might find a new song to sing. And your heart might become just a little bit lighter in the process.