Astroturf or grass roots? Can't you read the signs?

Protesters of government run Health Care hold up their signs.

by Kevin Scott Collier
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There's and old song that I have been thinking about lately as I watch cable TV news coverage of the Town Hall meetings regarding the Health Care issue.

"Sign, sign everywhere a sign,
blocking out the scenery breaking my mind.
Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?"

I can read the signs, oh Boy, can I, as an artist!

It doesn't matter what side of the issue you are on, but if you have wondered which side is bussed in and organized, and which is indeed grass roots, just look at the signs. I recognize, as an artist and designer, which signs are homemade and which are full-color offset printed posters. And it's clear which side has each.

The folks who are against government run health care are making their own signs. They are handmade on poster board using markers or paints. Each one is unique. Nobody handed out these signs to people. These individuals MADE their own sign from scratch.

These are the same people far-Left Senators have been calling "a mob," "Un-American" and "thugs," They have been called "astroturf," not grass roots. They have been called everything, but genuine.

On the other hand, the vast majority of folks in support of a government health care program are bussed in groups to these Town Halls forums and brandish full-color offset posters, which are handed out at the event. It's quite revealing when folks on this side of the issue happen to be holding up identical, slick, printed signs. This is, my friend, is astroturf, not grass roots.

Is this a "sign" of where we are headed, America? "Sign, sign, everywhere a sign." Can't you read the sign?

Meeting Donna was anything but a "Topsy Turvy" experience

Donna Shepherd and Kevin Scott Collier

by Kevin Scott Collier
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Today I met (in person) an author whom I have illustrated books for since early 2005. Donna Shepherd and I met online and have corresponded and worked together on as many as 7 children's picture books since, including the popular "Topsy Turvy" series. I just completed the art for the latest in that series, "Sully's Topsy Tale."

Donna not only holds the distinction of being the author I have illustrated the most books for, but also the author who I illustrated my very first picture book for. "Topsy Turvy Land" began my career in children's book illustration, and a writer for World Magazine, in 2006, named it as one of the top 50 children's books of all time.

Donna lives in Cincinatti, Ohio. She traveled to my hometown of Grand Haven, Michigan. She bought our party lunch, gave me and my wife, Kristen some gifts, and I drew characters from her book for her, and even showed how I color them and the tricks I use in Adobe Photoshop to make them come to live.

It was a wonderful meeting. I can imagine the question most people would ask would be, "What surprised you most about meeting her in person?" I'd have to answer, what suprised me the most was she was exactly the same person I had always worked with. The way she looked, talked, her genuine courtesy... I was not meeting anyone I hadn't known all along.

It just goes to show, once again, God sends you the right people. No surprises when God is right.

I look forward to seeing her again in the near future.

God will help you when you are buried up to your neck

Caleb Bohn and Jarod Collier

by Kevin Scott Collier
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My son recently asked me that if he were buried up to his neck in sand, could he get out? I explained to him it depended on how deep the hole was that he was buried in.

The deeper the hole, the more of a challenge it would be to escape. But, I assured him, with head above the sand, he could get out.

Life is often like this scenario. At times, we are buried up to our necks. But, even if we are in a pit as deep as our height, our hands are only half way down. If you wiggle you arms, you can free your hands, bringing them to the surface.

You cannot walk out of a hole. You have to pull yourself up and out of it. It's all about direction, and the direction is up.

God doesn't enjoy seeing good people buried up to their necks. Buried in despair, financial troubles, worn out and feeling hopeless. That's why God put our hands at the half way point. He's already given us an advantage, and now wants to see our effort. The more trust in God, the easier it will be to rise above.

Getting ready for new TV season, and new season in life

Elmer and Kevin Collier

by Kevin Scott Collier
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My son and I are getting ready to be a part of TV land on a weekly basis. We will be appearing on KICKS Club TV soon when the new season begins. It will also launch a new season in life for my family and I. My wife, Kristen, is behind the camera on many occasions shooting segments for the program, as well.

Cameraman Tony Robinson shot over two dozen segments of me drawing for the host of KICKS Club TV, Elmer, a very big blue puppet. It was difficult at times to draw, as Elmer (Pastor Rick Robinson) had me laughing much of the time.

Our participation in KICKS Club TV involves shooting a lot of video here at home, too, with a High Definition digital TV camera they gave to us. But, although time consuming, the experience is fun and rewarding.

Watch for us this fall!

God not only can heal a past, but He can rewrite it, too

Jarod and Dad

by Kevin Scott Collier
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Last Friday my son Jarod was on the computer responding to emails from his classmates. He suddenly stopped, turned in his chair to face me, and said something touching.

"I want to thank you, Dad, for always being there for me."

I picked up, in particular, on the word "always." In fact, Jarod never had a father for the first 9 years of his life, living with his single mom. It wasn't until I married Kristen and adopted Jarod that I was, in fact, "there" for him.

"Well, I haven't always been there for you," I replied.

"Oh, yes you have dad," he said. "You were always there when I needed you."

I was humbled, and gave him a big, thankful hug. Then, came many days of thinking about what Jarod had said.

Defined, the word "always" doesn't allow interpretation. It means at all times. It means on every occasion. It means constantly, without variation or change. It means in every case.

"Always" is a pretty big word. And, the way Jarod said it, he didn't mean since 2007. He meant since 1997, the year he was born. Jarod was talking about a lifetime. His lifetime.

It serves as testimony that God almighty can reach back to heal a past, and even rewrite it in a little boy's heart.

God not only has paved a promising future for Jarod, He has rewritten his past, as well. As mere mortals, we cannot change the past, but God's supernatural power can.

God May Not Show Up Early, But He's Never Too Late

by Kevin Scott Collier
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Two summers ago, my family and I visited an evangelical church on occasion. Resurrection Life, an enthusiastic non-denominational church located just south of town, boasts a large band of singers and musicians that makes it a popular draw. Curious, we snuck on over. I heard more than a few sermons there, but I only remember one line from any of them.

“God never arrives early, but He never shows up too late," the Pastor said, passionately.

I will never forget that.

In these hard economic times, with a national unemployment rate at 8.1%, and my state of Michigan crawling toward 12%, we are challenged as a people. Michigan ranks #1 as the worst state economically of all 50. Surrounded by the magnificent Great Lakes, and internally holding a recreational paradise, appearances are deciving. We are in dire straits here.

Too often I have experienced what the Pastor said. The Lord doesn’t show up at the beginning of a disaster, He tends to appear when it seems all hope is lost.

Remember that Jesus wasn't rescued before he was nailed to the cross. No one pulled Jesus down from the cross and nursed him back to health. Jesus was only saved through sacrifice. Only when it seemed that all was lost, in the natural, did God raise his Son and bless us who trust in Him with eternal salvation.

There have been times in my life when I have felt as if I hanging off the edge of a cliff. Then, a hand broke free, and I was holding on by just one. Then, my fingers slowly lost grip. Soon, I was hanging off the edge of the cliff by just one finger. But, I held on, and held on. The pain was excruciating. Even when I thought, It would be easier to just to let go, I put all of my earthly strength into that one finger and held on.

Do you know what happened?

Just before the last drop of strength drained from my body, the Lord took hold of my hand and pulled me up. My faith in Him, and trust, sparked God’s awesome deliverance power. The difference between me falling and being saved was knowing that God would show up. He wasn't going to let me fall. He never will, as long as I hold on.

God didn’t show up when I had both hands on the ledge. He wasn't going to show up when I physically still had a chance to save myself. He showed up when it seemed all was lost.

God is not an opportunistic "bailout" program. God is an investment with insured returns. When you invest in God, you will prosper, personally and provisionally. I lost over $10,000 in my 401k retirement account since last fall. But, my retirement home is a place called Heaven. You cannot buy your way into there. You can only gain entry through the blood of our precious savior, Jesus Christ. Life is smattered with liabilities, but God is our only true asset. I may not be wealthy man, but I am rich man in the Name Of Jesus.

It's not the fall from the cliff that will result in your demise. It will be from a profound fall from grace. When you let go in life, you are letting go of God. Trust in Him. He may not show up early, but when you put your faith in Him completely, he will never show up too late.

The Challenge of Drawing Around Midnight

by Kevin Scott Collier
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As an illustrator of children's books, I draw pictures virtually every evening. I do not draw until midnight, but I do draw around Midnight.

Midnight is our 6 month-old cat, adopted in December 2008. She likes to hang out with me in the living room while I am scribbling out illustrations on my portable drawing board. She loves to sit on the art, bat the pens around, and eventually crashes, falling asleep, usually right atop my drawing board.

Many times when I am trying to craft a stylistic line, she tries to grab my pen. So, knowing when to lift the pen off the paper so there's no mistakes has become a challenge. She also has a habit of stretching out over what I am drawing, so there is a lot of manual maneuvering of Midnight's body to complete an illustration. I am literally drawing around Midnight.

I do appreciate the company long after my son is to bed on evenings where my wife works late at a local retail outlet. But, it can get crazy. And while Midnight shows great interest in what I am doing, I do not see that becoming her career some day.

She's just curious, and loves to be where the action is.

In the three photos above: Kevin Scott Collier tries to illustrate a book titled "The Jaloopa Jalopy and the Funny Farm" written by author Mark Childs, while Midnight the cat stretches out for a nap.

The finished illustration above.