the unlikely orange

"bread alone" mixed media collage (bread tabs, cut paper, acrylic paint, glue on stretched canvas) february, 2019 gregory a. milinovich "one does not live by bread alone," said Jesus, when he was out in his own spiritual wilderness, feeling hungry and tempted to use his power to satisfy his own wishes.  the voice of the tempter came to him, saying, "c'mon....look at all these stones...if you wanted, you could easily turn them to bread...you could satisfy your hunger, and instantly meet all the needs of the world."  it had to be tempting.  but Jesus knew that there was more than just bread and stones at stake here.  he knew that "easy fixes" wouldn't really be an answer to the problem of evil and brokenness.  he knew that bread was going to need to be broken, in order to really provide the wholeness that the world was so desperately hungry for.  so he quoted scripture.  he recalled deuteronomy 8, where the israelites we...

"games" mixed media collage (found papers, glue on cardboard [album cover]) february 2019 gregory a. milinovich no fancy commentary today.  just happy to be back to the process of gluing things together again (after two and a half years of making almost nothing).  collaging is both spiritual practice and sabbath self-care for me.  sometimes when i am making something very particular and specific, or as a response to a particular text or idea, it is more spiritual discipline.  but sometimes, when i just let all my preconceived ideas go, and just glue things together, it is absolutely good for my soul.  i've made several collages over the last few weeks, which i will continue to share, if for no other reason than to encourage you to keep doing (or go back to doing) the things that make you alive and abundantly you. 

"better together" mixed media (puzzle pieces, found papers, acrylic paint) on hardcover bookboard february, 2019 gregory a. milinovich i finished up my "better together" series a couple of weekends ago with this idea that we really need each other. honestly, it's that simple for me.  we need each other.   but that doesn't mean i'm always really good at it.  i shared an example in my sermon (which you can listen to here ), about my experience this last november going to vote.   i wanted to vote before work, and i had hoped that by going early i could just slip in and out quickly.  but unfortunately there was a long line.  and it was cold.  and on the verge of raining.  and i stood there in line without an umbrella or an overcoat over my suit.  i put on my headphones to listen to something, and pass the time, when (of course) it started to rain, lightly at first.  the man behind me tapped me on the sho...

 we are going to (hopefully) sunny florida in a couple weeks.  but today is covered in snow and ice.  so, to distract from the sounds of ice pelting against my windows, i thought i'd make a cd to serve as the soundtrack for our trip to south florida (miami, florida keys, everglades, etc.).  here is what i came up with.  1. the florida song - ricky sylvia 2. soak up the sun - sheryl crow 3. 1,2,3 - gloria estefan 4. island in the sun - harry belafonte 5. the yacht club - owl city 6. florida time - bob seger (with the beach bums) 7. miami 82 (avicii edit) - syn cole 8. conga - gloria estefan 9. kokomo - the beach boys 10. miami - will smith 11. orange blossom special - johnny cash 12. saltwater heart - switchfoot 13. florida key - the new basement tapes 14. ice, ice, baby - vanilla ice 15. margaritaville - jimmy buffett 16. havana - camila cabella 17. everglades - the kingston trio 18. get on your feet - gloria estefan 19. the old folks ...

"black and white" mixed media collage (found papers, acrylic paint, glue on hardcover book board) february 2019 gregory a. milinovich i've been thinking a great deal about race and racism recently, reading a fantastic book by Austin Channing Brown called "I'm Still Here," and preaching a sermon on january 27th about how race divides us in our country, in our communities, and in the church.  i've been thinking about the way that my color has positively impacted my life.  and how i so often so carelessly participate in a system that impacts others negatively because of theirs.  i've been thinking about justice, and that long moral arc on the universe.  i've been thinking about how i've always had a soft-spot for the underdog, but have so often failed to consider my own fortunate place in a world full of underdogs.  i've been thinking about how i might be a part of changing this.  of erasing some small part of the line th...