This video about self-perception, strangely appearing as an ad before a grainy video of Jonathan Groff singing "Bohemian Rhapsody", reignited ruminations on the essence of beauty. The phrase "Beauty is more than skin deep"--though trite--invokes a deeper truth. Yes, beauty is more than "pretty" or "gorgeous"; it involves identity. It reflects the pristine beauty of the Creator. "He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end." Ecclesiastes 3:11
April 22, 2013
April 7, 2013
Tuned In
This morning I fumbled with the sequence of knobs on my dad's guitar, tentatively adjusting them as directed by the darting wand of an small, battery powered tuner. Several twangs later, the strings struck more harmoniously, though I can't speak so positively as to my rhythm. Fast forward to the convalescent home service when Sandi and I launched into the first line of my favorite hymn:
"Come, Thou Fount of every blessing; tune my heart to sing thy grace."
Instantly I was back in front of the music stand, straining to tighten or loosen all six strings according to the authority of the tuner. As we sang out the next few lines, I reflected: Tuning? Yes, this is what the Lord does for us. There is a true, absolute message coming from the throne--music is a poetic description--and He wants to stretch us to join in the pure song. Most days I am discordant--a little off tune. I repeat His message of grace, but bitterness and disappointment and busyness and lies distort my song. He is faithful to readjust me.
As we continued to sing the next few verses ("Here I raise my Ebenezer; hither by Thy help I've come"), my eyes drifted to Edna and Kathrine, the two stalwart residents who come faithfully to join in praise. It's true that you learn more among the weak and broken. They always thank us so heartily for coming, but I think I learn the most here and from little children. They both help me to see more clearly the truth of how we relate to God. Edna and Kathrine have outlived their husbands and many (if not most) of their closest family and friends. In the past two years, they have both struggled with significant health impairments, including eye failure, cancer, and a stroke. As we sing, I often think about the weight of their words as opposed to mine: "It is well with my soul"; "I surrender all"; "Farther along, we'll know all about it". Today they inspired me to recall this quote from St. Augustine:
"God of our life, there are days when the burdens we carry chafe our shoulders and weigh us down; when the sky's gray and threatening; when our lives have no music in them, and our souls have lost courage. On such days, flood the path with light, we beseech Thee; turn our eyes to where the skies are full of promise; tune our hearts to brave music; give us the sense of comradeship with heroes and saints of every age; and so quicken our spirits that we may be able to encourage the souls of all who journey with us on the road of life, to Thy honor and glory we pray.
Amen.
"Come, Thou Fount of every blessing; tune my heart to sing thy grace."
Instantly I was back in front of the music stand, straining to tighten or loosen all six strings according to the authority of the tuner. As we sang out the next few lines, I reflected: Tuning? Yes, this is what the Lord does for us. There is a true, absolute message coming from the throne--music is a poetic description--and He wants to stretch us to join in the pure song. Most days I am discordant--a little off tune. I repeat His message of grace, but bitterness and disappointment and busyness and lies distort my song. He is faithful to readjust me.
As we continued to sing the next few verses ("Here I raise my Ebenezer; hither by Thy help I've come"), my eyes drifted to Edna and Kathrine, the two stalwart residents who come faithfully to join in praise. It's true that you learn more among the weak and broken. They always thank us so heartily for coming, but I think I learn the most here and from little children. They both help me to see more clearly the truth of how we relate to God. Edna and Kathrine have outlived their husbands and many (if not most) of their closest family and friends. In the past two years, they have both struggled with significant health impairments, including eye failure, cancer, and a stroke. As we sing, I often think about the weight of their words as opposed to mine: "It is well with my soul"; "I surrender all"; "Farther along, we'll know all about it". Today they inspired me to recall this quote from St. Augustine:
"God of our life, there are days when the burdens we carry chafe our shoulders and weigh us down; when the sky's gray and threatening; when our lives have no music in them, and our souls have lost courage. On such days, flood the path with light, we beseech Thee; turn our eyes to where the skies are full of promise; tune our hearts to brave music; give us the sense of comradeship with heroes and saints of every age; and so quicken our spirits that we may be able to encourage the souls of all who journey with us on the road of life, to Thy honor and glory we pray.
Amen.
April 3, 2013
April 2, 2013
First World Problems
Question for tonight: If all of the niggling irritations and ongoing frustrations in my life were suddenly resolved or removed, what new things would suddenly strike me as worthy of complaint?
March 30, 2013
Pre-Easter Story
The Parable of the Tenants
33 “Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. 34 When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit.35 And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. 37 Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ 39 And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41 They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”
42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
“‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord's doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord's doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. 44 And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”
45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. 46 And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet.
Matthew 21
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