Contemplative Comics day 9

One of the best forms of spiritual contemplation is menial tasks. Mowing the grass. Digging a hole. Filling in a hole. Placing bricks. Washing dishes. Folding laundry.

Reading Brother Lawrence really transformed those acts for me. So much of my day is filled with intellectual work, which is really hard to turn off. Labor creates space for my mind to be free. To simply BE.

Drawing actually is the same way to a degree. Once a comic is written and the layout is complete, the drawing simply happens the way a carpenter drives a nail.

Contemplative Comics day 8

Things have been rough with this little girl lately, but my goodness I love her so much.

Contemplative Comics day 7

I was pulled aside by several people and told that this was the best message I had given.

But at this point, I was mostly unable to accept that I was doing anything well.

Contemplative Comics Day 5

The world needs more Great British Baking Show right now.

Contemplative Comics Day 4

Since I made this comic, this reflection “Every Life Is A Sacred Space” has been a regular part of my prayers. Especially in dealing with difficult people and students. I would raise myself up above those who haven’t figured things out as well as I have, just as I lower myself under those who I think have figured out things better that I have.

Sorting people by their achievements and their mental or spiritual health is a ridiculous and destructive way to live.

Sorting people at all is counter to the Gospel.

All is grace.

However, I must say that I don’t mean Every Life Is A Sacred Space in the same way that some people say All Lives Matter (which is strangely used as a rebuttal when folks have to remind those of us in places of power, safety, and privilege that Black Lives Matter).

I am making a theological statement that every person we would cast aside as irrelevant, unimportant, or unholy was made in the image of God, to be in community with God, for the glory of God. As such, we dishonor the image of the Living God when we dishonor our enemies and neighbors. People such as Fr. Greg Boyle and his work with Homeboy Industries, Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker Movement, Dr. James Cone, Bishop Richard Allen, and so many others (a surprising number of Catholics now that I think of it) have helped to teach me this.

Every Life Is A Sacred Space.

Black Lives Matter.

-joshua.

Contemplative Comics Day 3

Since I posted this we would go on to see abuse stories pouring out across the spectrum of Christian churches and denominations.

This is one of my attempts at capturing what its like to wrestle with tragedy happening in the world while living a life far removed from the suffering that is still full of monotonous responsibilities. Weirder still, being happy with friends and family while knowing that so many are suffering. I always feel so silly with my guitar and microphone singing repetitive little songs about God’s love after something like Hurricane Maria ravaged Puerto Rico or witnessing someone murdered by a car plowing into protesters in my news feed.

It is wrestling with these realities that caused me to make these comics in an attempt at living a life of contemplation + action.

Contemplative Comics

CONTEMPLATION + ACTION

From August 2018 through January 1st, 2019 I began a practice of making daily comics as an act of contemplation.

Celebrations of moments. Remembering things to be grateful for later. Meditating on scripture. Wrestling through difficult events and pain. Learning the art of contemplative prayer.

I took crude pictures and posted some of these, but I have never edited them and presented them in their entirety. So from now until January 1st, please enjoy these contemplative comics.

The Lost Comics #9

This is the last of the “lost comics.” This was the most lost of all. It was laid out, written, and forgotten. Instead of trying to recreate it, I simply saved the dialogue because I don’t want to dwell on old projects. But I do LOVE this memory.

That first pregnancy was such a beautiful experience because it was mostly just the two of us navigating all of these changes together. Ashley excitedly sharing the science of what was happening to her body with me. Until the eighth month anyway. The end of her pregnancy took place during the June and July heat of Florida summer. It was my first time having a summer break. We did almost nothing. I watched the entirety of the Wire, Justified, the Last Kingdom, and probably several other shows and made a LOT of comics.

Our daughter, Jules Dean Dease, was born the day before I was supposed to report back to school. So I got an extra week off because of her.

It was the scariest thing I have ever experienced and the most incredible.

Thank you for reading these.

New comics starting TOMORROW!

peace + love,

-joshua.

The Lost Comics #7

I made this comic five years ago. This birthday will be 37. I feel like I have aged at least 20 since I made this.

20 wonderful years.

The Lost Comics #6

In retrospect, given what we went through with church life that brought us to Ocala, we should have taken a year off from “finding a church.” My faith hadn’t yet grown to the point where I found this acceptable.

I don’t regret being part of Brick City Church (which we eventually “found”), but taking a year to heal and rest from previous experiences before jumping into a new community and accepting little leadership roles here and there would’ve been very wise and more healthy than the path I pushed us down. Especially since I was in over my head with a brand new career and our lives were about to change with a baby on the way.

If you find yourself in this place, I encourage you not to rush. I don’t know that there’s a specific time frame you need to follow, but there’s nothing ungodly about taking a sabbath from church if you’ve been through a lot. Especially if you have some friends who can help guide you through.

The Lost Comics #1

During the boredom of COVID, a lot of cleaning has taken place. Which has turned up an unfinished sketchbook where I started a comic about Ashley and I moving to Ocala, getting pregnant, and having our first child.

These are the comics that I finished.