Renaissance in Brandon, Florida

Monday morning... and the "tile-guys" were already in our kitchen by 7:30 AM! Fortunately Scout and I took our trek around 6:00, so Rebekah and I were already loaded up on coffee when the latest installment of noise and mess got underway.

I can't help but think about some other tile-work we've been admiring lately. Namely the amazing marble and mosaic designs all around Tuscany and Rome. Simply breathtaking!

Here's a sampling from Pisa, on the Duomo at the Field of Miracles. The color, the design, and the sheer sense of celebration in the work is awe-inspiring. It doesn't matter what our vocation is, what exactly we do for a living; what counts is the commitment and the creativity we bring to the job.

So I'm praying that the tile-guys have the same idea. Whenever possible I want to work with artisans and laborers who see everything they do as an extension of their life of faith, and as a response to this tremendous opportunity we all have to act as co-creators with the One who got the process going in the first place.

Here's how I see things once the news-media get a hold of the story:

• DATELINE: BRANDON, FL - "Here in the suburbs to the east of Tampa there is a new renaissance under way. Scholars have identified the home of Derek and Rebekah Maul as an active site in this movement. Reports are also surfacing that the impetus is taking root in many families associated with the First Presbyterian Church of Brandon. It's a Reformation of sorts, a re-capturing of the spirit of light and creativity that first galvanized Europe 500 years ago..."

Hey, it's a great concept. Get on board.
Love and blessings - DEREK