This morning I was looking at some fluid art in a group on facebook called "Let it Flow" with the swirly paint that forms into these cells, and I remembered seeing this sort of art as the backgrounds for some of the sheet music in chorus in about 1982 and I loved chorus class and looking at that art. And for some reason the only song I remember from that book was one on the page with the purple and white swirls and I looked up the song on You Tube and found it. We spend so much time practicing this song. And I had never heard this one before or ever again after that class. It's funny how some things seem to sing deep into the memory of the heart more than other things. This memory gives me a warm fuzzy feeling like my heart is lighting up and saying 'pay attention'. It was written by a songwriter named James Zimmerman and the song is called "Orion is Arising."



Some other people looked up the song too:

http://orionarising.blogspot.com/2008/03/song.html

https://redforkhippie.wordpress.com/2008/02/07/folk-thursday-orion/

http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=104784

Orion

By James Zimmerman

Orion is arising
You can see his stars ablazing
Way out here in the middle of a deep blue country sky.

And still what is amazing
You can see his stars ablazing
Way out here where nothing hides it from my eyes.

And sleeping outside in a bag as a kid
It seems like the best thing that I ever did

And chasing the shadows
and the tracks in the snow
Don't you know?

The world is getting older
and I really start to wonder
why we're clouding all the country skys to gray

The world is getting colder
I can hear it in the thunder
and the rain may come and chase us all away!

And sleeping outside in a bag as a kid
It seems like the best thing that I ever did

And chasing the shadows
and the tracks in the snow
Don't you know?

The moon is on the wane
And it looks like it might rain
Or maybe snow.

And how are we to stay here
When there's no room left to play here
Or to grow
Don't you know? Don't you know?

This song was published in the 1974, 1978, 1981, and 1985 editions of the school music program Silver Burdett Music, Grade 6, published by Silver Burdett Company. "Orion" is Part 1 of a musical composition entitled Orion Suite, which was written by James Zimmerman.

And here is the author James Zimmerman's profile page:
https://artswestchester.org/profile/jkzpoet/ And I found it on Amazon, and ordered the book to keep with the rest of my music book collections.



UPDATE: I got the book in the mail, and the song is not in this edition from this year, and so I am still on the hunt for the particular book that I remember from school.

Another update: On today I found the author doing a reading at St. Francis College with another poet Nina Tassi:

"Great things are done by a series of small things brought together." ~ Vincent van Gogh

“We always make the fatal mistake of thinking that it is what we do that matters, when really what matters is what we let God do to us. God sent the angel to Mary, not to ask her to do something, but to let something be done. Since God is a better artisan than you, the more you abandon yourself to him, the happier he can make you.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Seven Words of Jesus and Mary)

Every GENUINE art form in its own way is a path to the inmost reality of man and of the world. It is therefore a wholly valid approach to the realm of faith, which gives human experience its ultimate meaning. That is why the Gospel fullness of truth was bound from the beginning to stir the interest of artists, who by their very nature are alert to every "epiphany" of the inner beauty of things.

http://www.catholicliturgy.com/index.cfm/FuseAction/documentText/Index/2/SubIndex/20/ContentIndex/78/Start/72

This definition in the dictionary is what I feel they mean by being genuine.
free from pretense, affectation, or hypocrisy; sincere: a genuine person.

God's mirror, examination of conscience

I thought this woman's thoughts were interesting. It's about being real, examining your inner motives, being honest, and not posturing before God or others. About true intimacy.

No more lies

When I view this video I see the woman as sad because people are putting forth images that are of trivial things or not honest or are a distraction from true connection or intimacy, and she doesn't even have the words for the sadness. But the tear itself that she cries is the true art. And God sees. But forgiving the falsity and bringing it to God to transform the pain can bring healing and connection that way. Because where there is love, there is true connection. Forgiveness is an act of love and mercy that reflects the Father's love. And even if she doesn't have the words to speak it, and can only cry it out, God knows. He knows before you speak or paint or illustrate or explain. Just come to Him and Be in His Presence and let all that is false burn away knowing that He knows the real you, he knows other people's real self too, the part we don't see, and that He only comes to forgive and to save and not to condemn, and he knows what to remove that is obstructing who you are in Him.

Art, Window to the Soul ....

If you were just interested in learning to look at art, we could stop here. If this is to be a prayer experience, we need to go further. To begin, think about how we detect the presence of the artist in the artwork. First of all, we note the expression that lives on in the piece. Art is essentially a container which embodies the expressions of its creator. We also say the artist has spoken to us through the work. In addition, we talk of the artist having a characteristic style, which enables us to immediately recognize a Monet or a Renoir for example.

As creations of God, each of these three aspects of art can apply to us: God's expression lives in us, we are containers who embody the spirit of our Lord; God speaks through us; and we can say God has a characteristic mark or signature, which we are able to recognize - as Jesus tells us: "My sheep hear my voice." Each of these realities enables us to find God in each other.

To find God in art, we are joining these two premises together. God speaks through the artist, who speaks through the art. We are already accustomed to understanding this connection as we discover God in written words, especially scripture, but other sources as well. We listen for God in sermons, in hymns and music, in ritual and dance, and we listen for God in the visual arts. This Presence is detected easily where goodness and love are expressed. Elements of hope and beauty (as in Henri Matisse's "The Tree of Life"), justice (as in Mike and Doug Starns' "Lack of Compassion") and mystery (as in Mark Tobey's "Edge of August") also reveal God to us. God may be sensed as the source of life and energy (as in Vincent van Gogh's "The Starry Night"). Additionally, suffering and darkness (as in Pablo Picasso's "Guernica") may bring images of Christ to our minds.

As you look, be aware of this hidden voice of the Spirit in all of its varied manifestations. You might gain new insights or a broader view of your faith. You will certainly have many opportunities to increase your awareness of the inner realities of your fellow human beings as you listen to their stories from their viewpoint and know their joy, hopes and sufferings. Art allows for a special kind of window into the private, emotional world of another person. It is difficult to be truly intimate with others and not find God, since it is in the center of our being that God lives.

From Drawing to God, Art as Prayer, Prayer as Art, by Jeri Gerding

Jeri Gerding is a Roman Catholic adult mental health counselor, is a graduate of Northern Illinois University, and received a master's degree in social work from the University of Illinois-Urbana.

God's expression lives in us, we are containers who embody the spirit of our Lord; God speaks through us; and we can say God has a characteristic mark or signature, which we are able to recognize - as Jesus tells us: "My sheep hear my voice." Each of these realities enables us to find God in each other.



Information on the Real Presence: (It has everything to do with all of the above) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6SH93arrIE

Quote from GOD OF SURPRISES, by Gerard W. Hughes: "Hidden in our moods and feelings, thoughts and daydreams, experiences and hopes is our inner life. Father Hughes says: “God is in all things, so there is no particle in creation and no experience of yours in which God is not with you.” The author provides ways to clear the inner chaos and find the treasure within."