Reasons To Be Cheerful

Reasons To Be Cheerful
By Tom Wachunas

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
- 2 CORINTHIANS 9: 6 – 8 -

First, I offer my sincerest Thank You to fellow artist and blogger Judi Krew for her recent post (Tuesday, August 23 at www.snarkyart.blogspot.com), reminding us about the August 25 (tomorrow!!) benefit soiree for Brennis Booth, to be held at the Cultural Center for the Arts. Read it. Right now, please. I’ll wait.

OK, you back? Second, I offer another Thank You to Dan Kane for his Repository article in the Ticket section (Friday, August 19) on the event. Read it. Right now, please. It’s on line at http://www.cantonrep.com/entertainment/x1852624512/Friends-rally-to-support-downtown-gallery-owner.

Still with me? Kane’s article acknowledged an earlier SnarkyArt post wherein Krew wrote, “Brennis and Todd are amazing people who truly have no idea just how big a footprint they have within our local community.” That loving assessment, it would seem now – judging from the astonishing volunteerism and support generated by The Brennis Bunch – is an indisputable fact of Canton’s cultural profile. You simply can’t grasp the realities of ‘the arts district’ without embracing Second April Galerie - its history, its community spirit, its continuing impact.

Did I just say “astonishing” volunteerism and support? Let me retract. I’m not astonished in the least. Gratified and overjoyed, yes, because God said there’d be days like this. He delivered. For I’m convinced that the successful outcome of Brennis’s surgery, and the outpouring of help in his time of physical healing and financial indebtedness, is first and foremost the result of God’s hearing many prayers – Brennis and Todd’s included. And in hearing those prayers, God uses servant hearts – even as they may not consciously know they are Divine instruments - to accomplish His ends.

So my last but biggest Thank You is to God and how He moves in this needy world. And included in that is my gratitude for the generosity and sensitivity of all those who stepped up to organize and contribute time, goods, and services to the August 25 fundraiser. The Brennis Bunch – what I called back on June 22 “Second April’s Effluent Spiral of Friends.” You are the manifest hand of Providence.

It’s His story and I’m stickin’ to it.

Photo, courtesy The Repository: Brennis Booth (left) and Todd Walburn, co-owners of Second April Galerie.