Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Christmas daybook, 7: I am the light of the world

My Christmas daybook for these 12 days of celebrating. Join me, won't you? (see all of the Christmas daybook posts from 2014 here)

.....

look

Merry Christmas from Trent Elders on Vimeo.

Colored Pencil Drawings in Circles of Darkness

Six and seven-year-old students at Church of the Servant, Grand Rapids, MI

source

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read

John 8:12-19: I am the light of the world

{all readings for the day: Psalm 148; 1 Kings 3:5-14; John 8:12-19 }

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pray

O God, you make us glad by the yearly festival of the birth of your only Son Jesus Christ: Grant that we, who joyfully receive him as our Redeemer, may with sure confidence behold him when he comes to be our Judge; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (source)

Even so, come Lord Jesus! Amen.

.....

listen

O Nata Lux
("O Light Born of Light", translation here)

Thomas Tallis

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do

walk outside after dark, seeking light (like this luminaria in our neighborhood)

12 ways to savor the 12 days of Christmas

.....

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

my 5 favorite reads in 2014

My top 5 favorite books from 2014.

-- 1 --

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell: (Ballantine Books, 1997. 408 pages)

This novel just about wrecked me -- in mostly good ways. Since it falls in the category of Sci-Fi, I'd probably not have picked it up on my own. But some dear friends shared how much they'd loved the story of -- well, a Jesuit priest in outer space. With only a little bit of experience reading science fiction, I've quickly learned that the power of the genre -- for me -- is the way a well-told story of an imaginary land and its inhabitants can help me reframe the powerful drama of my own land and species in the most surprising, touching ways. This was the case for me reading about the brave team of space explorers hoping to give and receive love on the planet Rakhat -- for some, even the love of the Gospel of Christ. The devastating results of offering pure, but misunderstood, love mirrors all the great tragedies we know since the beginning of man. And the beginning of my very own life on Earth.

-- 2 --

Reaching Out: The Three Movements of the Spiritual Life by Henri Nouwen: (165 pages)

I have never read a book by this man that did not touch me deeply at the spiritual, emotional and intellectual level. Reaching Out is no exception. So much so that we're using the book at a ministry retreat this fall. Also, Nouwen -- whom I'm pretty sure never had children of his own -- gave me the wisest words I've ever needed for parenting. You can read about that here: My top 4 parenting epiphanies, or My Child Is Not My Property But My Guest

-- 3 --

My Bright Abyss: Meditation of a Modern Believer by Christian Wiman (New York : Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2013. 182 pages.)

Amazing, amazing, amazing.

-- 4 --

Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton (316 pages)

This important novel of South Africa's history has been on my reading list for years. When our church book club chose it for August's selection I read along even though I couldn't join them for their discussion night. The story is exquisite, rich, sad and joyous and Zulu priest Stephen Kumalo has become one of my all-time favorite novel characters. This is a book I will re-read often.

To Better Remember Nelson Mandela, Get To Know This 'Country' at NPR

-- 5 --

Booked: literature in the soul of me by Karen Swallow Prior (T.S. Poetry Press, New York, 2012. 199 pages + discussion guide)

I really, really enjoyed this book. My sister received it for Christmas from her in-laws and recommended it to me. For one thing I love reading books that are about books. For another, it's a memoir woven within the framework of a book about books. My favorite sort of thing. And Karen Swallow Prior did not disappoint. There was nothing soporific or too matchy-matchy about the way she wove together her story of growing up formed by good parents, good community, good church and, yes, good books.

A tiny excerpt:

"I know that spiritual formation is of God, but I also know -- mainly because I learned it from books -- that there are other kinds of formation, too, everyday gifts, and that God uses the things of this earth to teach us and shape us, and to help us find truth."

*Go to my Book Pile page to see my reading lists from 2014 and previous years.*

What are you reading right now?

*Linking up with Jenna today

Christmas daybook, 6: Praise the Lord (yes, even you sea dragons)!

My Christmas daybook for these 12 days of celebrating. Join me, won't you? (see all of the Christmas daybook posts from 2014 here)

.....

watch & listen

No Lights -- Performance by Andrew Nemr and Max ZT

Box Canyon Sessions at Laity Lodge

source

.....

read

Psalm 148: Praise the Lord!

{all readings for the day: Psalm 148; Proverbs 9:1-12; 2 Peter 3:8-13 }

.....

pray

O Pray the Psalm for today with gusto (out loud even if no one else is in the room): Psalm 148

Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, and your faithfulness to the clouds. Amen.

.....

do

I dare you to dance today -- somewhere, anywhere, even if only for a few minutes

12 ways to savor the 12 days of Christmas

.....

Monday, December 29, 2014

5 favorite reads in November

No time for summaries, but here's what I read last month!

what I read in November

-- 1 --

41 The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester (Harper Perennial, 1998. 242 pages.)

-- 2 --

42 The Hound of the Baskervilles: Another Adventure of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (Penguin Classics, 2009. 195 pages) (Masterpiece book club)

Here's some places to watch this classic story:

Sherlock, Benedict Cumberbatch (2012)
Jeremy Brett (1988)
Basil Rathbone (1939)

This is the site my sister is drawing from to round up resources for our book club: Masterpiece Theatre website

-- 3 --

43 The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith : (Mulholland Books: Boston, 2014. 384 pages)

-- 4 --

44 My Bright Abyss: Meditation of a Modern Believer by Christian Wiman (New York : Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2013. 182 pages.)

Amazing, amazing, amazing.

-- 5 --

45 The Long Home: Poems by Christian Wiman (Ashland, OR : Story Line Press, 1998. 75 pages.)

Listen: Christian Wiman Reads Two Poems for Bill Moyers

*Go to my Book Pile page to see my reading lists from 2014 and previous years.*

What are you reading right now?

*Linking up with Jenna today

Christmas daybook, 5: even if a mother forgets her nursing child, I will never forget you

My Advent daybook for these 24 days of waiting. Join me, won't you? (see all of the Christmas daybook posts from 2014 here)

.....

look

Flor de Pascua - Madonna

M.C. Escher

source

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read

Isaiah 49:5-15: can a woman forget her nursing child? even if mothers forget, I will never forget you

{all readings for the day: Psalm 148; Isaiah 49:5-15; Matthew 12:46-50 }

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pray

Almighty God, you have given your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born of a pure virgin: Grant that I, who have been born again and made your child by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through my Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with you and the same Spirit be honor and glory; now and for ever. Amen. (source)

Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, and your faithfulness to the clouds. Amen.

.....

listen

Elizabeth Mitchell - Cradle Hymn | Listen for free at bop.fm

Cradle Hymn

Elizabeth Mitchell

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make

ask a friend if you can hold their baby for a few minutes, soak in the knowledge that our Messiah came to us this way

12 ways to savor the 12 days of Christmas

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Pages

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Christmas daybook, 7: I am the light of the world

My Christmas daybook for these 12 days of celebrating. Join me, won't you? (see all of the Christmas daybook posts from 2014 here)

..... look

Colored Pencil Drawings in Circles of Darkness Six and seven-year-old students at Church of the Servant, Grand Rapids, MI source

..... read

John 8:12-19: I am the light of the world

{all readings for the day: Psalm 148; 1 Kings 3:5-14; John 8:12-19 } ..... pray

Even so, come Lord Jesus! Amen.

..... listen

O Nata Lux ("O Light Born of Light", translation here) Thomas Tallis ..... do walk outside after dark, seeking light (like this luminaria in our neighborhood) 12 ways to savor the 12 days of Christmas .....

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

my 5 favorite reads in 2014

To Better Remember Nelson Mandela, Get To Know This 'Country' at NPR

Christmas daybook, 6: Praise the Lord (yes, even you sea dragons)!

My Christmas daybook for these 12 days of celebrating. Join me, won't you? (see all of the Christmas daybook posts from 2014 here)

..... watch & listen

No Lights -- Performance by Andrew Nemr and Max ZT Box Canyon Sessions at Laity Lodge source

..... read

Psalm 148: Praise the Lord!

{all readings for the day: Psalm 148; Proverbs 9:1-12; 2 Peter 3:8-13 } ..... pray

O Pray the Psalm for today with gusto (out loud even if no one else is in the room): Psalm 148

Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, and your faithfulness to the clouds. Amen.

..... do I dare you to dance today -- somewhere, anywhere, even if only for a few minutes 12 ways to savor the 12 days of Christmas .....

Monday, December 29, 2014

5 favorite reads in November

what I read in November

Christmas daybook, 5: even if a mother forgets her nursing child, I will never forget you

My Advent daybook for these 24 days of waiting. Join me, won't you? (see all of the Christmas daybook posts from 2014 here)

..... look

..... read

Isaiah 49:5-15: can a woman forget her nursing child? even if mothers forget, I will never forget you

Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, and your faithfulness to the clouds. Amen.

..... listen

.....

look

Colored Pencil Drawings in Circles of Darkness

Six and seven-year-old students at Church of the Servant, Grand Rapids, MI

source

.....

read

{all readings for the day: Psalm 148; 1 Kings 3:5-14; John 8:12-19 }

.....

pray

.....

listen

O Nata Lux
("O Light Born of Light", translation here)

Thomas Tallis

.....

do

walk outside after dark, seeking light (like this luminaria in our neighborhood)

12 ways to savor the 12 days of Christmas

.....

.....

watch & listen

No Lights -- Performance by Andrew Nemr and Max ZT

Box Canyon Sessions at Laity Lodge

source

.....

read

{all readings for the day: Psalm 148; Proverbs 9:1-12; 2 Peter 3:8-13 }

.....

pray

.....

do

I dare you to dance today -- somewhere, anywhere, even if only for a few minutes

12 ways to savor the 12 days of Christmas

.....

.....

look

.....

read

.....

listen