IF:Geeky - Math

Final image originally posted on DL With It for Illustration Friday topic: Geeky.

I had several ideas for "geeky" but simply ran out of time to really pursue any of them. The final image was a last-minute idea that changed drastically a couple times as I was making it.

Some of the geeky elements:

- Classic computer-style font ("magnetic card")
- Binary numbers around the border
- Colors common to many tech/modernistic websites
- Glassy look also common becoming a standard
- Mathematic symbols that make up the main message
- Hexagons reminiscent of role-playing games

For the binary n umbers around the edge, I wanted them to "mean something" so I thought I'd pull up Excel and simply use the DEC2BIN function to convert some numbers. Problem: that function was never installed and I didn't feel like hunting for the installation CD.

So what's a geek to do? Write a quick calculator. So, there may have been an easier route available, but this only took about 20 minutes and it works fine... I could even make the output in the correct font since copy/paste into PSP's text editor was also copying the font. I made it to handle up to 16 binary digits, but then found that for the illustration I only needed 12. The formulas are completely copyable to the right, so it can conceivably be extended to nearly unlimited digits.

The main message is roughly: "ALL UNIQUE but EQUAL"

All geekiness aside, I'm not a mathematician, so these may be very loosely used. But according to Wikipedia's Table of Mathematic Symbols, it should work out.

∀ is "Universal Quantification"
∃! is "Uniqueness Quantification"
= is "Equality"

And basically that is what we have to keep reminding our kids. They are all equally cared for, equally loved, equally valued, but they are uniquely different personalities, at different stages of life, and what appears to them as "unfair" is usually completely fair.

So? Is that geeky enough?
~DL

IF:Safe - Inspiration

From Illustration Firday post "Safe" on DL With It

It's been a while... many years, in fact. Today I drew in church. Not just doodles on the Sunday School paper, but a full 15 minutes of scribbling. I'm sure if someone had glanced over, they'd have rolled their eyes and thought to themselves something about what's wrong with that boy.

But this was very different than the drawing I used to do as a child. Not the style --but the motive. As a kid, it was an escape from listing to something that I just wasn't the least bit interested in. This time it was an expression of what was on my mind and in my heart.

We had a special singing group in today, Soul's Harbor (can't locate a web link). They sang a good 'ol familiar gospel song, "The LIghthouse" and even though I've heard it many times before (mostly from visiting groups to our church), this time it touched me. It wasn't immediate though. It was durring another song that talked about safety. (I don't even remember the title of the song.)

I thought about our topic this week, SAFE. I had originally been thinking about something along the lines of a baseball player on home plate with a safe droped on his head and the ump saying he was safe AND out... maybe some spectators looking upward to try to figure out where a safe came from.

But the combination of Jesus being our safety and being our lighthouse inspired me to get out a pad of paper during the service and start scribbling. Literally. It was a vague idea, but here's what I did while the singers kept praising:


I know the religiously uptight would have had things to say. But I was worshiping. Many who are gifted in the art of music are applauded for expressing their faith through art. And that's what this was - an artist expressing his faith and belief through art.

Origianlly, I thought I'd beter get the ship in there for context. But later, I decided it would be better to just let the viewer had an unobstructed scene. Place yourself anywhere in the composition. Off to the side, avoiding the rocks, or stright down the middle, being warned that the rocks are there.

Here's a piece from the song:

There's a Lighthouse on the hillside
That over looks life's sea
And when I'm tossed it sends out a light
That I might see
And the light that shines in darkness now
Will safely lead us o'er
If it wasn't for the Lighthouse
My ship would be no more
Words and Music: Ronnie Hinson © 1971 Canaanland Music

Jesus once again addressed them:
"I am the world's Light.
No one who follows me
stumbles around in the darkness.
I provide plenty of light to live in."
John 8:12 (MSG)

IF-Insect-Cicadarama

Many people will remember the summer of 2004 whenever someone mentions cicadas. This was the year that the 17-year variety made its appearance. Many varieties, though burrowing for 5, 7, or other numbers of years have different populations that appear every year. But the 17-year cicada is completely absent for 16 years. Our annual tree buzzing comes from a variety that is mostly green and black in much a military camouflage pattern, whereas the 17-year is orange and blue.

Knowing that these were not going to be seen for another 17 years, it was mandatory that we take the kids out to place where there were countless thousands congregating along a back-road just over the border from Michigan in Indiana. Sure they were everywhere anyway, but this location was both secluded and concentrated. You literally had to watch every step. I have photos of a tree of bush that you can play "count the bugs" and reach some pretty high numbers.

My oldest was 10 when we had our cicada adventure and my youngest was 2. What made this experience so important is that my youngest will be 19 and beginning college when they appear next. This was literally a once-in-a-childhood thing for them to see. I hope others took the time to marvel at these beautiful (but noisy) insects, instead of simply being annoyed by them.

IF:Song2 - Identified

His Eye Is On the Sparrow
(refrain only...)
I sing because I'm happy.
I sing because I'm free.
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.

When I saw Sunny Rae Day's post, I wondered if it was supposed to actually be musical notes. That led me immediately to the PBS spot, "Be More... Inspired," where birds landing on a set of phone lines inspires the musician to start creating. So I thought, "let's take this up just a notch."

Hope you had fun with this. :-)
-Don

IF:Chair - Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

My first thought was the verb "to chair a meeting" or such. My immediate second thought was "My Father's Chair" by David Meece. This song has always hit me deeply. If you ever get the chance to listen, do. Better yet, visit the website and buy the album.

The lesson I get is to learn from the past, do better in the present, and look forward to the future. It is way to easy to let hurts from the past depress the present and rob the future. At the same time you can't deny past hurts. But it doesn't have to become today's reality.

No matter what yesterday and today present, there is assurance for tomorrow. I can't change the past. I can't always fix the present. But I know Who holds the future. As another song says, "Because He lives, I can face tomorrow..."

My Father's Chair
By David Meece

Sometimes at night I'd lie awake
Longing inside for my father's embrace
Sometimes at night I'd wander downstairs
And pray he'd returned, but no one was there.
Oh, how I'd cry, a child all alone
Waiting for him to come home.

Chorus:
My father's chair, sat in an empty room
My father's chair, covered with sheets of gloom
My father's chair through all the years
And all the tears I cried in vain
No one was there in my father's chair.

Sometimes at night I sit all alone
Drifting asleep in a chair of my own
When sweet sleepy eyes peer down from the hall
Frightened by dreams they cannot recall
I hold them close, calming their fears
Praying they always will say,

Chorus:
My father's chair sits in a loving room
My father's chair, no matter what I do
My father's chair, through all the years
And all the tears I need not fear
Love's always there in my father's chair.

Sometimes at night I dream of a throne
Of my loving God, calling me home
And as I appear, He rises and smiles
And reaches with love to welcome His child
Never to cry, never to fear
In His arms, safe and secure.

Chorus:
My Father's chair sits in a royal room
My Father's chair holds glory beyond the tomb
My Father's chair, my God is there
And I am His eternal heir
Someday I'll share my Father's chair.

IF:Flavor - The Deeper Meaning

Christians are called to be "salt" in this world. We are not called to be the same flavor as everyone else. If you are a true follower of Jesus Christ, then your life will have some zing to it that will cause two reaction in people who do not know Jesus.

First, you WILL stand out. If you blend in seamlessly with the culture around you, then you are not salt. A person does not add salt to make food taste the same as it did before you added it. Salt SHOULD affect the flavor. As Christians, our silence is nothing more than flavorless salt... and we wonder why we are thrown out and walked on.

Second, you will improve the flavor of those you are around. A touch of salt will help to bring out the flavor in dull foods. It's not that those foods didn't have flavor to start with, it's that it wasn't strong enough. The flavor was dull and bland. Salt is exciting. It ads zest to a boring dish. Our Christian witness is not to condemn anyone! It is to show them what God is really like.

"Taste and see the the Lord is good. Blessed is the person who takes refuge in him." Pslam 34:8 (GW)

"Make your light shine, so that others will see the good that you do and will praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16 (CEV)

As a Christian, are you being salt to your circle of friends? Your community? Are you adding flavor to your surroundings? Or are you blending in, trying not to cause any ripples?

Many who are antagonistic toward the Christian faith wish for religious silence. It was quite sad to see all of the illos a couple weeks ago for 'Imagine' that praised the words of the song "Imagine." The lyrics are not much more than a call to communism. No heaven, no hell, no religion, nothing to live or die for... these are not the pillar ideals of peace. It mentions no possessions... how many of those glorifying this song would actually be willing to give up their belongings? No car, no house, no computer? Nothing. The song revels in a false peace. One that is absolutely unattainable.

Peace does not come from abolishing faith. It doesn't come from political treaties. Peace does not come from the absence of wars or troubles. Peace comes when you are able to maintain faith in the future in spite of wars and troubles.

We cannot live in a fallen world and expect to be able to get by just hoping and wishing for troubles to go away. There is a peace that surpasses all understanding; it comes alive when we accept the Truth that God has shown us all through Christ... that we cannot save ourselves. But that there is a savior for us.

Salt also preserves. We are called to be salt. It is safe to conclude that we are called to help preserve those around us. We cannot save people, but we can show them a pleasant taste that will draw them to the source of our saltiness. Then they, in turn can become salt to flavor the world around them.

One more note... Too much salt and the dish becomes bitter. Too much salt and the blood pressure rises. The world does not need Christians bashing Bibles over their heads. But those who are lost DO need to hear truth. The key is to let God direct you and shake you over the places He desires for you to flavor. Not too much, not too little. The Master knows how much salt to add to each dish.

IF:Imagine - History

The spacecraft design that I used in Illustration Friday's "Imagine" illo was drawn somewhere between 18-20 years ago. This is a direct, unaltered scan of the original drawing. I remember doing this in high school, but I can't remember exactly what year. There were actaully a series of these all based on a similar design style. This one was intended to be a personal version of a larger military craft design earlier.

My first thought for "Imagine" was the song of the same title, but not the one most people think of. My first impression was I Can Only Imagine by Mercy Me. But the very idea they sing about renders an illo impossible. We can only imagine what heaven will be like... we can never do an illustration that will come close to the reality of the heavenly realms; we simply do not have the ability to visualize what is in store. "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love him." 1Corinthians 2:10 (GW)

The next thought was that of a kid's imagination... especially my own from childhood. We all marvel at the imagination that children seem to have. But then it dawned on me... I haven't lost it! My whole business revolves around imagination. So why not illustrate myself at my current age? Better yet, why not illustrate myself both then and now?

And there you have it. I sat looking at the IF welcome page imagining how I would look as I was sketching the memory of sitting in class imagining my drawings coming to life in a sci-fi movie some day.