A hard thing

After II Corinthians 2:5-11

A hard thing, to pour

yourself, and fill, then

to see the pouring

emptied on to the ground,

to pour one’s self and

receive, in turn, pain

and disdain, pain

and rejection pain

and isolation, and then

to understand that

the grief is not one’s own

but a collective grief,

a collective sorrow.

It is this sorrow, this grief,

that is forgiven, and once

forgiven, then forgotten.

Photograph by Jakob Owen via Unsplash. Used with permission.

Saturday Good Reads

Sevan Malikyan is a British Expressionist painter with an Armenian ancestry. His work has been exhibited at several venues in Britain, including the Brick Lane Gallery, Mall Galleries, and Riverside Studios. Somehow, we became Facebook friends, and I find myself rather captivated by his art. “Five Figures in a Landscape” is one example.

Jessica Eddings-Roeser reposted an Image Journal column that has to have one of the most interesting titles I’ve seen – “The Christmas I Sat Next to a Sex Offender.” Russell Moore credits Charlie Brown with saving his ministry – twice. And Justin Taylor reminds us that a little cynicism isn’t necessarily a bad thing when it comes to Christians (of all varieties) using hyper language, like “He’s just like Hitler!” or “If they pass that bill, it’s the apocalypse.”

Something about the Christmas holidays seems to inspire good poetry, and five good examples are linked below. Spitalfields Life has some delightful drawings of old London. Tim Good takes a photographic look at a farm. And Zak Schmoll has two of the best New Year’s resolutions I’ve seen – think more and don’t talk first.

A happy and blessed New Year!

Poetry

Hope – Daniel Donaghy at Image Journal.

Arrivals – Robert Rife at Allnine.

This Morning I Wondered – Laura Boggess.

The pouring out – Chris Yokel.

Stirring – Carolyn Martin at Abstract Magazine.

Art and Photography

Five Figures in a Landscape – Sevan Malikyan via Facebook.

The Farm – Tim Good via Facebook.

British Stuff

A Walk Through Old London – Spitalfields Life.

Faith

Three Christmas Presents – John Piper.

Digital devotion: Can social media boost the Church’s congregation? – Callum May at BBC.

The Christmas I Sat Next to a Sex Offender – Jessica Eddings-Roeser at Image Journal.

How Charlie Brown Saved My Ministry (Twice) – Russell Moore.

Why Cynicism is One of the Historian’s Great Gifts to the Church – Justin Taylor at The Gospel Coalition.

2017: A Christian Music Review - Jeremy Howard.

The Jealous Prayer - Bryan Bliss at Image Journal.

Life and Culture

2018 Resolutions: Think More and Don't Speak First – Zak Schmoll at Entering the Public Square.

Writing and Literature

The Radetzky March at Liberalism’s End – Rod Dreher at The American Conservative.

Rescuer – Rend Collective

Painting: Edmond Duranty Gouache, pastel by Edgar Degas (1879); The Burrell Collection, Glasgow.

A life of opposites

After II Corinthians 2

We live in affliction

we experience the comfort

we live in suffering

we experience relief

we live in pain

we experience grace

we live in darkness

we experience the light

we live in self-reliance

we experience dependence

we live in poverty

we live in ugliness

we live in hurting

we experience richness

we experience beauty

we experience healing

The life is made bearable

by the experience

Photograph by Tom Barrett via Unsplash. Used with permission.