Information: Art and the Bible

What a nifty site! It's called Art and the Bible, and has been created and is maintained by contentecontent.com, an internet publisher based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Bu don't worry, it's in English!

Have you ever found yourself in front of a famous painting wondering what it was all about? Imagine if you could know more about the image and the artist's treatment of the subject. Wouldn't this add to the beauty of the experience? Art and the Bible offers background information on famous paintings and biblical themes.

Throughout the history of art great masters have turned to the Bible for inspiration. As an near inexhaustible narrative source depicting all conceivable aspects of the human condition it allowed the artist to express his piety while getting away with murder. And as often as not the work would have been commissioned by a religious institute, so that the subject matter was dictated beforehand by the prospective buyer.

Art and the Bible has collected pictures of hundreds of famous paintings and linked them to their corresponding Bible passage - the passage the artist may have read. They have also provided information on the paintings themselves.

Want a daily dose of biblical art? There are several ways for you to receive a fresh picture from Art and the Bible every day: an iGoogle gadget, a Mac OS X widget, and plain RSS feeds.

Enjoy!

Tom

Poem: On the Precipice

On the Precipice

We stand on the same spot,
one gazing east,
the other, west,
seeing entirely different worlds, yet,
so close we could almost touch,
one seeing the horizon,
the other, the abyss.

=========

The picture was taken on one of my many hikes in Southwest Va. You can click on it for a larger version.

Tom

Quote of the week - September 29

"From error to error, one finds the whole truth." - Sigmund Freud

Since 1991, I have put a "quote of the week" at the end of my e-mails. Often people ask me if I can pull up this quote or another and generally, I can't. So I decided to begin posting my quote of the week here on my blog. If you want to see a list of them, just hit the "quotes" tag to the right and they should all come up for you to view.

The picture was taken on the Roanoke City Market. You can click on it for a larger version.

Tom

Thoughts: Journaling

I seem to be on a "reading about journaling" kick right now. Perhaps it's because I am journaling a lot these days, writing long page after page of stuff whirling around in my head. I am pretty sure, that if my journals are found in an attic somewhere two hundred years from now, that readers will come to the conclusion that I am a madman, but it's in my journals I let some of madness out, think crazy thoughts, and let sense sift back into my brain. It's also in my journals that I wrote prosaic notes about the day past, or write down ideas for stories or poems.

I pray in my journal sometimes, writing down words for God's ears only. I review my prayers there too sometimes to see where he has answered those prayers, and where he has not, and where he has answered them in ways I didn't see until I looked back.

There are periods in my life when I journaled on paper, in store bought journals. And times I journaled on the computer, so I could cut and paste pictures, e-mails, links and things that I wanted to remember into my journal. Neither way was completely satisfactory, and it was only when I asked myself why it had to be one way or the other that my journaling came together.

So now I keep both, a hardbound journal and a computer journal using the Life Journal software I mentioned in my previous post. Now I have the best of both worlds, and what ever my mood, slow and reflective, (which is best satisfied with a hand written journal) or fast and furious with access to my often digital world (computer based), I have it at hand. I have my journaling tools, either the computer or one of my plain black journals, nearly always nearby.

My experience is that keeping a journal has all sorts of benefits. The simple act of writing things down clears my mind. I can sort through thoughts when I write in a way I cannot seem to do in conversation, or by mere thinking alone. And once a thought is down in writing, my mind calms down and I am more peaceful. In fact, it is that peacefulness that helps me sort through thoughts and look at them more rationally and accurately.

A journal is also good for looking back. At my age, I have been through a lot of the things most people have been through. I've had successes and failures galore. I've now been journaling enough that I can go back to other times I've had to go through some of the things that are part of my life now, and see what I was thinking and feeling and how I handled them internally and how they played out. It's wonderful for getting a perspective on things that in the moment seem so important, but in the long run, really did not prove to be so important after all.

Sometimes my journals make me laugh. I say some of the stupidest things when I am ranting to myself.

Sometimes my journals make me cry, as they bring back memories that are sad, or painful.

And at times, they make me proud, as I remember positive things I did that I had forgotten about. People I helped. Successes. Good choices.

No one would ever get a real history of me through my journals. Only I understand a lot of what was going on. For me, a journal is more an emotional and spiritual history than one of events and people. Thoughts and feelings abound. Actions are hardly to be found.

From time to time, I run into someone else who journals. I love to hear how they see journaling, and what a difference it has made for them. That is one of the things I have learned, talking to people who journal. Nearly all of them are passionate, even evangelistic about journaling.

I didn't understand before I began, maybe 10-15 years ago. But I do now. A few minutes a day writing is such a benefit. A blessing really, all for a few dollars a month for a journal and a bit of time.

Here are some of the links I liked as I putz on the web reading about journaling. This entry was supposed to just be the list, but then my mind got going, and it turned into this entry. Yes, I seem to have become one of those passionate people who journal!

• An article on writing travel journals from CNN
• Journal for You website, with interview with "Journaling Experts"
• Journaling for the Spirit, an article
• Journaling for Stress Management
• 100 Benefits of Journaling
• Creative Journaling

The picture is from Winterthur gardens. You can click on it for a larger version.

Tom

Information: Journal Writing helps Business Writing

This article from Life Journal Software talks about how journal writing helps develop better business writing. I'd argue that the author's points also hold true in any writing - fiction, magazine articles, sermons... anything. You may want to check out their journaling software at the same time. I've tried a dozen packages and years ago settled on theirs as the best.

Poem: Sunday's Prayer

Sunday's Prayer

It is raining outside,
and the debris of a day's work
is dimly lit by the rain spattered window.

To the stranger, it looks little enough,
but you know
the long hours it has taken, the effort

unseen that is part of what you do each day,
a struggle that matches the one in your heart,
just as unseen, just as dimly lit,

overcome by the window and colors outside,
by the light that is not yours, still.....
you know.

And you hold that knowing close,
waiting for the reflected light
to shine back on you, waiting

for someone else to see your colors,
even as you hide in the shadows.
Wait no longer. Stand in the sun

that is your own,
that comes from within, that defies
the rain, the shadows, and despair.

Let others see your truest light,
and more important, see it
yourself.

====================

The picture is from Mystic Seaport, CT. You may click on it for a larger version.

Tom

Wordless Wednesday

Poem: The First Day of Fall

The First Day of Fall

It is the first day of fall
and a chill like clockwork
fingers down the mountain,
bringing fog,

and a reminder that winter
is creeping closer,
that the rich greens of summer
that surround you this day,

will soon die in a blaze of color,
and fall with the late October rain,
and your eyes see what is not yet here:
snow, and the cold rawness of winter.

But you choose not to dwell there.
It will come soon enough.
For this moment the chill is brief,
and the sun will soon come,

unveiling the lush green of late summer,
lingering long this season,
God's gift to fill your mind and heart,
and carry you through the cold, yet to come.
==========

The picture is of a barn in Durkeetown, NY, taken last winter. You can click on it for a larger view. Today really IS the first day of fall. Enjoy the coming season!

Tom

Poem: Cleaning Day

Cleaning Day

It has been a day of doing small things.
Laundry. Wipe the counters. Planting bulbs for spring.
uncluttering desks and planked tabletops.

Small things, efforts unnoticed
by those who might drop by for a cup of coffee
or conversation,

but for you, they bring a new order,
a calmness and peace
that goes beyond the warm patina of wood,

or the fresh scent of apricots.
You do not hurry,
enjoying the light that rays through the gingham curtains,

and the dust fairies that dance in the sun,
and the sound of the fall winds
blowing off the mountain.

And when you are done,
there is quiet, save for the sound of the mantle clock,
chiming the hours, ticking the seconds.

It has been a good day, this day of work,
of small things, creating the gentle beauty
of home.

===========

I actually did spend a few hours cleaning this afternoon. Not very exciting, but I enjoyed it and wanted somehow to capture that enjoyment. This poem is what came of it. The picture is from a reconstructed 19th century house in Mystic, CT, You can click on it for a larger view.

Tom

Poem: Calm Seas

Calm Seas

You have seen the picture on a hundred walls,
the boat full of huddled fishermen,
waves and wind and rain
tearing the sea around them,
their faces full of fear,
distorted with the sureness
of the nearness of death,

but there, in the distance, Christ,
a soft light around him,
walking towards them,
his feet light above the water.
All about him the waves tower,
the storm rages.

Disregard the lighted figure,
and look at the sea
beneath his feet.
It is calm. Placid and peaceful,
a thing totally other
than what swirls around the frightened fishermen.

You know the story.
He will soon calm their own seas,
and they will row their way to the sureness of shore,
proving that it is not the weather
that brings wildness or peace,
but who joins the journey with you.

=============

The photograph was taken at Mystic Seaport, CT. You can click on it for a larger version.

Tom

Poem: How Firm a Foundation

How Firm a Foundation

The paint is peeling, exposing the Vermont hardwood
gray with weather, pocked with rot.
The walls inside are gone,
ripped out in despair, even
in the back of the house,
the floors have been torn away,
the huge ancient beams raw and worn.

Once, you can tell, marble stairs
graced the oddly Victorian entry,
but nothing remains of the porch,
save the fushia paint, a contrast
to the colonial simplicity
of the massive old house.
Windows are shattered throughout.
It is the picture of brokeness, except

for the stone foundation,
each rock defiantly perfect,
one on the other, solid
as the beginning of time,

reminding you that this place is no ruin,
but something more,
a starting place,
like your life, and
that beam by beam,
board by board,
it can rise again,
not as something preserved,
but resurrected.

==================

The picture is of an empty house in Manchester, VT. It really is as gutted as the poem describes, yet if I could buy any house in the country, I think I would want this one. It sings to me as few places ever have. You can click on the picture for a larger view.

Tom

Hurricane Relief - How you can help

Ike has turned out to be a terrible hurricane, with tremendous damage. Over 140,000 people did not evacuate, and millions are without power. If you are wondering how to help, here is a link to groups already mobilized and vetted to help.

Quote of the Week

" Patience is the key to joy". - Rumi

Since 1991, I have put a "quote of the week" at the end of my e-mails. Often people ask me if I can pull up this quote or another and generally, I can't. So I decided to begin posting my quote of the week here on my blog. If you want to see a list of them, just hit the "quotes" tag to the right and they should all come up for you to view.

The picture was taken on Craig Creek. In such places, patience is easy. You can click on the image for a larger view.

Tom

Poem: The Ashes of Wolves

The Ashes of Wolves
(Habakkuk 1:8)

Like Wolves at Dusk,
the dark thoughts descend,
a sadness inconsolable,
memories of failures,
faults and a past marked in darkness.

But like wolves, they are kept at bay
by fire, the burning light of truth,
the knowledge of truest love
that does not consume those it protects,
but grows with each flickering flame,

until all that is left
are the ashes of wolves,
and the dawn.

================

Alas, I had no pictures that illustrated this poem well, so it is unadorned. This poem came from my morning reading, which also had this commentary. If the language is a bit old sounding, that is because I am a fan of 19th century religious writers, and this falls into that category. Still, I think it has a truth to it.....

The evening wolf, infuriated by a day of hunger, was fiercer and more ravenous than he would have been in the morning. May not the furious creature represent our doubts and fears after a day of distraction of mind, losses in business, and perhaps ungenerous tauntings from our fellow men? How our thoughts howl in our ears, "Where is now thy God?" How voracious and greedy they are, swallowing up all suggestions of comfort, and remaining as hungry as before. Great Shepherd, slay these evening wolves, and bid Thy sheep lie down in green pastures, undisturbed by insatiable unbelief.

How like are the fiends of hell to evening wolves, for when the flock of Christ are in a cloudy and dark day, and their sun seems going down, they hasten to tear and to devour. They will scarcely attack the Christian in the daylight of faith, but in the gloom of soul conflict they fall upon him. O Thou who hast laid down Thy life for the sheep, preserve them from the fangs of the wolf.

We've all had dark days and darker nights, and it is good to constant have reminders of God's power and love around us. That's why a spiritual discipline like bible reading and prayer is so important - not to rob our already too busy days of yet more time, but to be that light that stays off the wolf at dusk.

Tom

Poem: The Cabin

The Cabin

At night, you hear the wind blow through chinks
that gape open and empty with windows long void of glass.
The weathered grey logs have begun to rot.
Above the doorway, the beam has broken
and the whole cabin is cogglejawed.

The roof is bowed with age,
and vines clamber over floors.
There has been no life here for two generations,
and to the passerby, the cabin sighs of death.

But look closer, at the foundation,
stone and true,
and you know the truth,

that even this wretched abandoned place
can be saved, rebuilt, and made whole,
a refuge against the weather to whomever
has the vision, and the courage,
to persevere.

============

The picture is of a cabin in Craig County, Virginia, abandoned for two generations, but still standing. You can click on it for a larger version.

Tom

An afternoon of smiles

Yesterday I spent the afternoon with my small group from church (Small Group is sort of like a Sunday School Class). We spent the afternoon on Craig Creek. There was volleyball, horseshoes, swings, a creek to swim and canoe in, lawns to play in, hot dogs and hamburgers. A simple taste of old fashioned Americana. Simply put, a good time was had by all.


One of the things that struck me was this.... I have come to know these people over the last six months or so since I began going to this group. They are like any gathering of people, with cares, worries, painful things in their lives, concerns. Nearly everyone there has worries and hurts. We pray for each other a lot in this small group.


But despite the worries, there is room for God's gift of fellowship. There is the ability to release those worries for a short while and simply enjoy. The creek was beautiful. We've had a lot of rain lately and it's no longer too low. The water was clear and cool, perfect for swimming or playing,
and deep enough for the canoes to make their way upstream without constant dragging over rocks.


There was an unusually large group of young people, mostly kids of the adults in this small group and there was such joy in watching them have a good time with each other. The fellowship and conversation and fun was contagious.


And at the end of the day, all our worries were still there. All our cares still existed. But for a perfect Sunday afternoon, God had given us all a respite, a chance to simply enjoy the beautiful place and good friends he has blessed us with, and there was reason to go home tired, but grateful for his goodness.

Tom

PS - you can click on the images for larger versions.

Poem: Simple Things

Simple Things

It is the simple things that bring you pleasure.
Sunlight on the rich grain of wood,
the coolness of water in a pewter cup,
the warmth of sun through a window.

It is the simple things,
Sharp cheddar on your tongue,
the flicker of a candle on a stormy night,
the feel of a pen in your fingers as you write.

The simple things,
a hand in yours,
warmth in the night,
prayers answered,

Simple.
Quiet.
Joy.
Love.

=============

The picture was taken at the American Museum of Frontier Culture in Staunton, Virginia. It caught the idea of simplicity well, I thought. You can click on it for a larger view.

Tom

Poem: Arriving Home

Arriving Home

It has been a long drive,
back from a week in the city,
working too hard,
feeling too much,
your mind a hurricane
of thoughts and feelings,
awhirl with more that you can grasp.

But you are home now.
In the mail, a card, a simple note.
On the porch, cool dew,
and you strip off your shoes,
and stand,
listening to the tree frogs
that sing on the banks of the distant creek,
feeling the wind, cool and heavy
with moisture of a coming rain,

and all slows down.
You have no more answers than before,
no grand solutions.
Nothing is resolved,
but it does not matter.
Life will keep.
You enjoy God's peace
and cease to think,
choosing instead
pure gratefulness
for this one perfect moment.

===========

The picture is of the gate outside my favorite house in Fincastle, Virginia. You can click on it for a larger version.

Tom

Wordless Wednesday: Doorway

Poem: Exodus

Exodus

The desert, dry
with a heat that drains
the water of life
out of our souls,

is not a place to dwell,
but a journeying place,
a hell temporary
and passing.

so fix your eyes
not on the sand around you,
but on the distant oasis.
Prepare your soul
for the clear spring water
that awaits.

==========

The picture is of the Grand Canyon. You can click on it for a larger version.

Tom