Today's word isn't necessarily a word at all but if it was it'd be called thomaslift. This particular segment that I'm sharing with you could be classified under many things; a video, musically enhanced photos or quite simply art but regardless it is very unique, personal and quite amazing. I had the privilege of getting to know William Butler through a variety of circumstances. One way or another I meet everyone that moves to town because I handle the city's utility billing and there are few people who stick out to me but William & his wife struck a chord with me through their humbleness and kindness. I would see them every month and I'd look forward to our couple minute conversations; mainly because they'd leave me with a "God Bless" and being in a government office you don't hear that every day. One year I took a season off from coaching soccer and actually got to experience games as a parent rather than a coach and our sons played against each other and again I was amazed to see them living out their faith in the community right there on the sidelines. Being the sucker that I am that fall I was back on the other sideline and my path crossed with the Butlers again only this time I had the privilege of having their sons on my team and William helping me coach and considering he was quite the accomplished soccer player I was more than willing to pick his brain and take any input he had to offer. It was during this time that I found out what he did for a living and I checked his work out and I was blown away. Fast forward through the season and I found out my church's pastor was leaving us after 9 years to move back home and be closer to his family and it just so happened to be that one of the other parents of a kid on my team was our church's parish staff relations person so I got the two together and they came up with the perfect going away gift and had William create 2 paintings (similar to the one in the video); 1 for our pastor to put in his new home and and 1 for our church to display. It is an amazing experience. That's the only way to describe it and it's something you'll never forget if you are blessed enough to be a part of it. Combining music with his art enhances the experience and you don't know if you should listen to the preacher or watch William create during the sermon. To truly understand the finished painting you have to see it from start to finish...just like our lives. William builds upon that blank canvas and creates a depth and meaning that you can't fully appreciate or understand unless you've watched it from start to finish and then every time you think this beautiful creation is done something else gets added. God does that with everyone around us including ourselves.....so look closely and if you can still see the painting underneath that's ok because we are all a work in progress and we won't be complete until we hear those words..."well done, good and faithful servant".
The Butler's have answered God's next call for them and have moved away and I'll forever be grateful that our church, my family and myself were graced by the presence of this wonderful family. Find out more about William here... http://www.thomaslift.com/
Everything from William Butler on Vimeo.
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