Lent Daybook, 28: are there any who seek after God?

My Lent daybook for these 40 days of prayer. Join me, won't you? (see previous Lent daybook 2016 posts here)

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look

Day 5, Lent 2016

Paul Soupiset

source

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read

Psalm 53:2

God looks down from heaven
    on the children of man
to see if there are any who understand,
    who seek after God.

all readings for the day: Psalm 53; Leviticus 25:1-19; Revelation 19:9-10

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pray

Almighty and most merciful Father, we are thankful that your mercy is higher than the heavens, wider than our wanderings, deeper than all our sin. Forgive our careless attitudes toward your purposes, our refusal to relieve the suffering of others, our envy of those who have more than we have, our obsession with creating a life of constant pleasure, our indifference to the treasures of heaven, our neglect of your wise and gracious law. Help us to change our way of life so that we may desire what is good, love what you love and do what you command, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (source)

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listen

Help, O Lord by Ordinary Time

( I invite you to listen with me to my ever-evolving Lent playlist & Lent Spirituals playlist )

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do

Take time today to talk with God about areas in your life you have not yet surrendered to Him. Ask for His help in learning to ask for His will, not yours. (source)

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(see all Lent daybook posts from 2015 here)

When Christmas feasting becomes wedding feasting

Ghost of Christmas Present, illustrations for A Christmas Carol
Yelena Bryksenkova
source

Friends, I'm going to leave you at the 6th day of Christmas with much love and gratitude for journeying with me on the blog this year.  We are in full-on wedding feasting now, which seems quite fitting during Christmastide.

If it's helpful, please feel free to use the Christmas daybook posts from previous years.  The lectionary passages have changed, but that probably won't hurt anyone.  

Christmas daybook 2013

Christmas daybook 2014

Also, here's a helpful post I wrote a couple of years ago: 12 ways to savor the 12 days of Christmas.

I'll catch up with you all in Epiphany (by the way, I'm excited for the second annual Walking Epiphany series to start.  If you'd like to contribute this year, please drop me a line!)

As you remain in Christmas Present, may you hear the invitation of the Christ (echoed Dickens) to "come in and know me better, man!"

Peace and Love,

Tamara

12/15 Advent daybook, 17: He will decide with equity for the meek of the earth

My Advent daybook for these 24 days of waiting. Join me, won't you? (see previous Advent daybook 2015 posts here)

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look

Jose' y Maria
Everett Patterson
source

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read

Isaiah 11:1-9: He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.

all readings for the day:  Isaiah 11:1-9; Numbers 16:20-35; Acts 28:23-31

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pray

• 
  

O God of the exiles and the lost, you promise restoration and wholeness through the power of Jesus Christ. Give us faith to live joyfully, sustained by your promises as we eagerly await the day when they will be fulfilled for all the world to see, through the coming of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen. (source)

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listen

When Jesus Came to Town

Layton Howerton

(Also, feel free to listen with me to my ever-evolving Advent playlist or a growing Advent Orchestral/Choral playlist on Spotify.)

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do

 make soup or a simple meal & eat with gratitude

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(see all Advent daybook posts from 2014 here)

Easter daybook, week 6: I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit...but remember the root command: Love one another

An Easter daybook for these 7 weeks of Alleluia! Join me, won't you? 

(see all Easter daybook 2015 posts here)

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look

Tree of Life - Enkel Dika
source

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read

John 15:9-17: I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit...As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you.  But remember the root command: Love one another. (MSG)

{all readings for the day: Acts 10:44-48  • Psalm 98  • 1 John 5:1-6  • John 15:9-17}

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pray  

Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. source

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listen

Garden
Matt Maher 

Listen to my Resurrection playlist here

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do

 Christ Church Eastertide Devotional 2015

download a copy by using this link: 

http://www.christchurchofaustin.org/sites/default/files/cc-eastertide-devotional-2015.pdf

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a Thanksgiving party in a post

Happy Thanksgiving, dear ones!

Fantastic Mr. Fox - written by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Donald Chaffin (1970).
source

FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH

by John Rutter

For the beauty of the earth; For the beauty of the skies, For the love which from our birth over and around us lies: Lord of all, to thee we raise this our joyful hymn of praise.

For the beauty of each hour of the day and of the night, Hill and vale and tree and flower, Sun and moon and stars of light: Lord of all, to thee we raise this our joyful hymn of praise.

For the joy of human love, Brother, sister, parent, child, friends of earth, and friends above, For all gentle thoughts and mild: Lord of all to thee we raise this our joyful hymn of praise.

For each perfect gift of thine to our race so freely given, Graces human and divine, Flow'rs of earth and buds of heav'n: Lord of all to thee we raise this our joyful hymn of praise.

An eclectic Thanksgiving playlist

Until the day we feast at one table together, 
God's blessing on you and yours.

Monday Mixtape: Kenyon Adams & American Restless, fontface from E+S studios, WeMakeStuff Volume 01 + an animation

There are few things in the world I get more excited about than imaginative, risk-taking, art makers sharing their work.

Each week, usually on Monday, I compile a metaphorical mixtape, a few "tracks" of art featuring the work of independent artists making good work.  (with an occasional pop artist thrown in for kicks)

Won't you consider this weekly post my little patched-together gift to you?  Hopefully, the post shares a little bit of happy with the featured artists, too.

Enjoy!

p.s., this mixtape is meant to be shared; help a starving artist and pass it on!

track 1: Kenyon Adams & American Restless

Yet another artist I've gotten to know at the Ministers to Artists Retreat at Laity Lodge each spring.  Just like most everyone I meet there, Kenyon's passions, talents, and work defy categorizing.  I met him first as the Arts Ministry Coordinator at the Center for Faith and Work, a ministry of Redeemer Presbyterian in NYC.  Then I watched him in the award-nominated indie film Lucky Life.  This past spring, he and Charlie Peacock teamed up on an inspired musical improv and I realized this man can sing!

Seems his band began kicking up dust this past year, recording and performing in New York.  Not sure why it took me so long to mention them here.  I promise you're going to love the sound!

From their Band Profile on Facebook:

"The blues is about a soul crying out before God..."

This statement captures our shared artistic vision to create progressive rythym and blues music which marries the southern soulful stylings of Kenyon Adams and the Chicago-based roots music of Noah Lekas (American Restless).

To this picture and in this scenario we wish to contribute our own "cries" out to God in solidarity with all who struggle to reconcile inner longings with the besieging cruelty of the mundane.

Band Instrumentation: Inspired by Muddy Waters Band, The Allman Brothers Band, The Black Crowes, Little Walter, Jimmy Hendrix, Elmore James, among others.

Kenyon Adams, lead vocals & amplified harmonica
"Restless" Noah Lekas, lead guitar
Shawn Best, Drums

Kenyon Adams & American Restless on Facebook

Kenyon Adams & American Restless on ReverbNation

 track 2:  fontface from E+S Studios

Speaking of that Laity Lodge tribe, Erik & Shannon Newby unveiled their newest venture, fontface on Etsy. E+S=fun and pretty every time!

About the shop (+ opportunity to be an arts patron x 2!):

We take pride in using 100% recycled, post-consumer and biodegradable papers and packaging. We also believe it’s important to invest in the arts, so we pledge to give 10% of our proceeds to supporting other creative initiatives and individual artists

fontface on Etsy

fontface on Facebook

Shannon Newby

the card I'm going to send Brian (don't tell him...)

track 3:  WeMakeStuff Volume 01

WeMakeStuff Volume 01 from WeMakeStuffVancouver on Vimeo.

I didn't know about this Vancouver-based indiegogo campaign until just a few days ago (thanks to DT for the hat tip).  How exciting to link there today and find out they've reached their goal already!  Still, if you'd like to contribute you have to the end of today to add your contribution (Monday, October 15).  Mostly, I love what they're doing and why they're doing it and thought you would, too.

The Artist-in-a-Tribe is a beautiful thing.

from the indiegogo page:

WeMakeStuff Volume 01 is a stunning book that will showcase one hundred artists and innovators from Vancouver exploring the collision of faith and creativity. It will be a historical document showcasing creative people expressing their process, intent and the tensions of their reality.

The one hundred are artists, innovators, inventors, engineers, architects, designers, film-makers, dancers, programmers, entrepreneurs, chefs and writers. For the first time, their collective voices are being recorded in one ground-breaking publication.

WeMakeStuff Volume 01 on Facebook

WeMakeStuff Volume 01 on Twitter

bonus track:  Homemade Portraits: Sophie Blackall

The Missed Connections of Sophie Blackall on Etsy blog

Watch more Etsy videos

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Before I go, I should tell you that I love to hear what poems, pictures, 

songs and reasonable words you are enjoying.

  Please do stop by the comment box and share a bit with me.

Waiting for Baby

When I was a little girl my mother read me a book called The New Baby, illustrated by Eloise Wilkin. It was a little Golden Book. The images were exquisite and formed my imagination. Even though I'm the oldest of six children and had plenty of opportunity to see what a nine-month pregnant woman and a red-faced, squalling newborn and a house full of hyper-active new siblings looks like in real life, these are the images that formed me.

My daughters and I are at my sister's house, waiting for her baby boy to arrive.  Her third son.  And it's still these images that come to mind.  

Waiting.

Source: images.search.yahoo.com via Beverly on Pinterest

Source: images.search.yahoo.com via Beverly on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via V_Smith on Pinterest

Monday Mixtape: [the all souls & all saints edition]

i chose a theme, found variations on the theme from the world of everyday art, literature, music, film, television, internet, travel, and mashed them together into one post, like separate tracks on a mixtape, see?

track 1: the teaser

track 2: notes on a theme

On Sunday, November 1, 2009 I was on a mini-"vacation" and spent the day visiting a church in our neighborhood instead of my regular church home.  I was able to observe the way they recognized All Saints Day.  Here are my thoughts from those moments one year ago:

November 1, 2009:  This is All Saints Day.  I've never celebrated All Saints Day, not ever before in my lifetime.  In fact, up until an embarrassingly few years ago I wasn't sure if that was even an appropriate remembrance for a Christian.  In the fuzzy catechism of my upbringing, saint-remembering equaled saint-worshipping and wasn't that an awful lot like ancestor worship of the pagans?  It was a joy to sit in this marvelously, gloriously ordinary gathering of neighborhood people and join in the remembering of the men and women who also had been purchased for God -- by the same body and blood we remembered together today -- but who were no longer physically present in the weekly bread line of communion.  I did not recognize one single name or photo projected onto the screen during the lovely special song from the worship team, but it didn't matter.  My heart and mind and body were lifted with hope of that future rest.  I am loathe to admit that I could barely remember the names of the saints my own congregation had lost this past year.  Shame on my forgetfulness -- not my lack of sentimentality over death, mind you -- but my utter self-absorption in the here and now-ness of my own life. This is shallow living and shallow worshipping and I no longer am content to live and worship that way.

After the benediction, I walked the four or so blocks to the coffee shop, drawn by the desire for more of this season's pumpkin-flavored coffees and sweets.  Rounding the neighborhood back toward my house, I stopped in the memorial park between the high school and the police station.  It seemed fitting to savor the intinction of muffin and latte in the midst of my community's fallen, but not-forgotten, soldiers.  Surrounded by the vibrancy of swirling autumn leaves and scampering squirrels I read the signs of the dead and remembered.

1.  For all the saints, who from their labors rest,
Who Thee by faith, before the world confessed
Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blessed
Alleluia, Allelu...

2. Thou wast their rock, their fortress and their might;

Thou, Lord, their captain in the well fought fight;

Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light.

Alleluia, Allelu...

3. O may Thy soldiers, faithful, true and bold,

Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old,

And win with them the victor’s crown of gold.

Alleluia, Allelu...

4. The golden evening brightens in the west;

Soon, soon to faithful warriors comes their rest;

Sweet is the calm of paradise the blessed.

Alleluia, Allelu...

5. But lo! There breaks a yet more glorious day;

The saints triumphant rise in bright array;

The King of glory passes on his way,

Alleluia, Allelu...

6. From earth's wide bounds, from ocean's farthest coast,

Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,

Singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,

Alleluia, Alleluia!

track 3: magazine cover art

thanks for the HT @ Oh Happy Day

track 4:  good blog-reading related to All Souls, All Saints and Halloween

• The Old Horror Movies: a reflection on the purpose of the horror genre in the Christian's repetoire at Diary of An Arts Pastor
• On the Eve of Something Hallowed: the redeeming affect of a community of saints in all things at In the Hush of the Moon
• Spirits and Spooks: a Christian who was brought up to love Halloween?!?  Good stuff from Dyana Herron at Good Letters: The Image Blog

track 5: poetry for All Saints Day 

Notes From the Other Side
 by Jane Kenyon

I divested myself of despair
and fear when I came here.

Now there is no more catching
one’s own eye in the mirror,

there are no bad books, no plastic,
no insurance premiums, and of course

no illness. Contrition
does not exist, nor gnashing

of teeth. No one howls as the first
clod of earth hits the casket.

The poor we no longer have with us.
Our calm hearts strike only the hour,

and God, as promised, proves
to be mercy clothed in light.

Beautifully told first today at Through a Glass Darkly.

Can you add any examples of art inspired by everyday experiences in literature, music, visual, poetry or film. Add your own "tracks to the mix" in the comment section below!  If you want to join in on my theme this week: what art related to the Church liturgy of All Saints or what everyday liturgy of Halloween inspires you?

Linking up at Life Made Lovely Monday and  On, In and Around Mondays.