The GAB May 24
Sharing the Good and Beautiful with you.
Welcome one and all to another round up of books, articles, podcasts, art etc that I’ve enjoyed recently. I share each month in the hope that you will find something here to enrich, encourage and enliven your heart, mind and spirit. So, without further ado…
Art
I’ve been captivated by the art of the American painter and illustrator Winslow Homer. The Metropolitan Museum of Art describes him like this:
‘He enjoyed isolation and was inspired by privacy and silence to paint the great themes of his career: the struggle of people against the sea and the relationship of fragile, transient human life to the timelessness of nature. In ambitious works of the 1880s, men challenge the ocean’s power with their own strength and cunning or respond to the ocean’s overwhelming force in scenes of dramatic rescue. By about 1890, however, Homer left narrative behind to concentrate on the beauty, force, and drama of the sea itself. In their dynamic compositions and richly textured passages, his late seascapes capture the look and feel (and even suggest the sound) of masses of onrushing and receding water. For Homer’s contemporaries, these were the most extravagantly admired of all his works.’
This one in particular reminds me of the grace and mercy of God. How He came for each one of us and saved us from sin and shame. He ‘rescued’ us— bringing us out of darkness into His marvellous light ( 1 Peter 2:9 ).
Books
North Country Edited by Karen Lloyd
From the blurb:
A new one-of-a-kind anthology of Northern nature and place writing, featuring a diverse range of authors: from Thomas Bewick to Lemn Sissay, the Brontës to Sarah Hall, as well as emerging voices from the North of England.
I took my time reading this; savouring the nature writing and discovering new poets along the way. The mixture of historic and contemporary writers worked well. Recommended if you enjoy reading a variety of perspectives on nature, landscape and place.
Quote from the book:
‘I’m walking up England’s highest mountain, Scafell Pike, and my footsteps are words, commas, full stops and capital letters. I have come to walk-write. I don’t often just go for a walk. I am a fell runner and a rock climber. Most of my walks are on the way to climbs, and most of my summits are approached breathlessly, on lactic acid burned legs. Now I am gifting myself the time to assimilate something of what all those intense encounters mean to me, and what this place means. Time to seek words. Each slow step is a walk along a sentence.’ p.55-56
A Songbird Dreams of Singing— Animal poems to share at bedtime by Kate Hosford and Jennifer M. Potter
My children and I had a great time reading through this together. Stunning illustrations and fascinating insights into the sleeping habits of a range of animals. A great read aloud option.
From the blurb:
‘Otters fall asleep while holding hands; zebra finches practise their songs while dreaming; dolphins keep one half of their brain awake . . .
Beautiful poems about sleeping animals are interspersed with fascinating facts and beautiful illustrations - making this the perfect bedtime book!’
Articles
Sarah Walton writes about peace beginning with acceptance.
‘There have been many moments where I’ve stood before a proverbial fork in the road. Will I accept what has come from the hand of the Father, trusting there are purposes beyond what I can see in the moment? Or will I believe that God is a cruel taskmaster, using me as a pawn to accomplish his purposes, and is not truly for me and my eternal good?’
Kristen Wetherell on awakening virtue with classic stories.
‘We need classic stories because we need our futile minds and foolish hearts awakened to the truth (1:21). Even those of us who consider ourselves Christians need a daily reawakening to God’s reality and a renewing of our minds (12:1–2).’
Chris Yokel on surviving the creative doldrums.
‘If you want to be a healthy artist long term, you are going to have to find a way to recognize the value and importance of your artistic endeavors while also detaching your ultimate identity from how much art you are able to produce and how people receive it.’
‘I believe it is not only possible, but also acceptable, to hold both grief and gratitude in our hearts at the same time. And if there is anyone in the universe who understands this paradoxical truth, it is the heart of God.’
Todd Brewer on longing for enchantment.
‘Standing outside and peering at strangeness of a midday twilight, I couldn’t help but think another solar eclipse that occurred some two thousand years ago. In the hours before Jesus gave up his spirit, we’re told that darkness covered the whole land for three hours.’
‘I feel like the world around us is no longer predisposed to peace. I’m sure it never was, but it certainly felt like people used to try. But still we are called to work toward peace with one another.’
‘At times I feared that it would be impossible to fully heal from my suffering. In my darker moments, I succumbed to the lie that I was irreparably damaged and unworthy of the freedom I craved.
But God refused to leave me in that bondage. No matter how many times I collapsed from exhaustion or went running back to my old thoughts, he continued to chase me down, pick me up, and carry me to freedom.’
Joy Beless on what she wishes the church knew about grief.
‘I know I am not alone in this awkward and uncomfortable response to not only the grief journey of others but also my own. I did not know how to process what I was feeling and experiencing. My head and heart seemed detached from each other.’
Andrea Sanborn’s beautiful musings on keeping watch.
‘I watched the sunset tonight, thankful for the family I’ve been given in each place I’ve lived, the ones whom we’ve welcomed in, and the ones who’ve welcomed us. We’re all born as strangers, and yet are designed to know and be known. Bridging that gap is the work of our lives. It is holy work, this forging and maintaining our fragile web of relationships.’
A Liturgy
For those who feel distant from God
Andy Patton on how Paul used art to talk about the Gospel.
‘But Paul did not only use his mastery of Greek poetry to reframe the altar to the Unknown God, he used it to push the Greeks toward belief in the one true God.’
Rachel S. Donahue at
in praise of buying more books than you can read — amen to that!
‘The treasures of a home library require thoughtfulness and cultivation—and the willingness to spend money on books that may gather a bit of dust before they’re used. But when the day comes that that book is *just* the thing you need in your hand at that moment, it will be worth its weight in gold.’
Podcasts
The Bible in the Wild
It always excites me to come across scripture ‘out in the wild’ of everyday life. Here I found the profound wisdom of Ecclesiastes 12:13 in a Derbyshire National Trust property, proudly displayed over the majestic fireplace in the great dining room:
This reminds me of Acts 1:27 …
‘He did this so that they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.’ (CSB)
As visitors casually meandered past this astounding plaque of wisdom, I reflected on how God is always reaching out to people. Not willing that any should perish, but that they would know Him and live. Those who seek Him will indeed find Him, if they seek Him with all their hearts.
Lastly, some more photo treasures from the same property…
Praise God for the good and beautiful things He has given us lavishly to enjoy on this Earth. Please feel free to share your thoughts, recommendations and the things you have been enjoying recently. It is a joy to interact with you in the comments! Either way, thanks for reading.
Grace and peace to you and yours,
Ishah Xx
I enjoyed your collection of articles Ishah! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for sharing!