Saturday Good Reads

After 11+ inches of rain in our area over last weekend, we’ve been watching the rivers rise and now falling. The St. Louis area is trisected by three rivers – the Mississippi, the Missouri and the Meramec (someone liked to name rivers beginning with the letter “M”). We live a few miles from the Meramec but have been in no danger from river flooding. Many, many others have not been so fortunate. Interstates and secondary roads have been closed, neighborhoods and suburbs evacuated, and businesses flooded or cut off.

With all the controversy over the professor at Wheaton College focused on what she said on Facebook (“We all worship the same God”), James Hoffmeier at The Gospel Coalition asked another question – about her wearing a hajib in solidarity with Muslim refugees. Except he asked the question of Middle Eastern women. And for them, wearing a hajib means something very different than showing solidarity.

And it was still a good week. Good poetry, some striking art and photography, and a video about a young boat builder in Britain.

Life and Culture

The Right Kind of Despair – Greg Foster at First Things.

Cracks in the Liberal Order – Ross Douthat at The New York Times.

Against Eternal Youth – Frederica Matthewes-Green at First Things.

The Friend – Matthew Teague at Esquire.

Middle Eastern Christians Speak Out on Wheaton Professor’s Actions – James Hoffmeier at The Gospel Coalition.

The Real Role of Diversity - R.R. Reno at First Things.

Poetry

Waiting for the Light – Chris Yokel at The Rabbit Room.

John Meade Falkner – D.S. Martin at Kingdom Poets.

Joys and Gray – Tim Good at Arts by Tiwago.

The grass tells me what to do - Donald Illich at Curator Magazine.

Writing

Plan a Playful Year – Ann Kroeker.

The Art of Memoir – Charity Craig.

11 Ways to Write Better – Joshua Fields Millburn at The Minimalists.

Faith

Christian Conflict: Five Ways to Fight It – Josh Squires at Desiring God.

On Not Seeing the Miracle – Mick Silva.

The heresy of worshiptainment – Mike Livingstone (Hat tip: Larry Meredith)

5 Things You Can Give to God Every Day – Tim Challies at The Gospel Coalition.

Art and Photography

Year-End Still Life – Randall David Tipton at A Painter’s Process.

Softening the Barriers – Diane Walker at Contemplative Photography.

Sweet Darkness – Susan Cornelis (Hat tip: Maureen Doallas).

From Timber to Tide – Boat Builder Ben Harris

Painting: Man Reading, oil on canvas by John Singer Sargent (1904-1908), Reading, Pennsylvania, Public Museum.