"But what does it all mean?" asked Susan when they were somewhat calmer.
"It means," said Aslan, "that though the Witch knew the Deep Magic, there is a magic deeper still which she did not know. Her knowledge goes back only to the dawn of time. But if she could have looked a little further back. . . She would have known that when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor's stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backward." - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
C.S. Lewis believed that a good story doesn't make a spectacle of itself or it's writer, but that it gave us "spectacles" to see the world differently.
May we be given eyes to see the beautiful and good truth that Christ has truly made death "start working backward."
Abbey Meditation : No Fear in Death “To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” - Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
The best heroes in the greatest tales overcame the most difficult villain, themselves. And they do it by understanding that if death is the end of themselves, they don’t have to be afraid of it. In the greatest tale ever told, the one we are all living, death is a conquered foe not worthy of our fears. To us, it is the next great adventure.
Abbey Curator : @samwaynescott
Abbey Meditation: "The truth." Dumbledore sighed. "It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution.” - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
We live in an age where truth can seem to be so cheap, that some don’t even believe it anymore. May we be a people who seek the truth with reverence.
Abbey Curator: @samwaynescot
Abbey Meditation: Some of Jesus’ favorite analogies were about the harvest, bearing fruit and vines: what causes them to grow, how laborers are needed in the fields and that fruit doesn’t simply grow overnight. Each and every field and garden you see is telling a story of what God’s grace looks growing in someone’s life. As you walk by a neighborhood garden, drive past a tomato patch or see acres of corn off the highway, take a moment to reflect on how our own lives are growing and bearing fruit. And think of the diligent farmer who is out there each and every day tenderly caring for his crops.
Abbey Curator : @samwaynescott Picture : @brittonsharp
Abbey Meditation:
I remember when this event happened. It spoke to me then, it speaks to me now. This month we are reflecting on what does it mean to be a peacemaker in the world around us.
This is an excerpt from a follow up article 17 years later after the event pictured. May God give us the strength to love others, just as He has loved us.
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Images of a black teenager leaping into harm's way to protect an alleged Ku Klux Klan member from an angry mob have lost none of their impact 17 years later.
Keshia Thomas spoke with the BBC about the day when 17 KKK members held a rally in mostly liberal Ann Arbor, Mich., in June 1996.
"She put herself at physical risk to protect someone who, in my opinion, would not have done the same for her," he said. "Who does that in this world?"
Thomas, who had previously experienced violence, says that the man did not deserve to be attacked.
"Nobody deserves to be hurt, especially not for an idea."
She has never met the man she protected again, but months later a young man approached her in coffee shop and thanked her. When she asked what he was thanking her for, his reply was simple.
"That was my dad."
You can read the full article here: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/black-woman-recalls-day-saved-alleged-kkk-member-mob-article-1.1501050
Abbey Meditation:
Jan. 22, 2014 – An Orthodox priest tries to stop a clash between protesters and the police in the center of Kiev, Ukraine. Anti-government street protests in Kiev turned deadly overnight, as opposition organizers announced that three demonstrators had been killed, one from a fall and two shot by police.
Sergei Supinsky / AFP/Getty Images
For me, this is such a tangible picture of what Christ has called us to be as the church, what it means to be a peace maker in our city.
Lord may you grant us strength. May you bring peace where there is war, hope where there is despair, light to where there is darkness and healing where there is pain. May you love with our hearts, speak with our lips, serve with our hands and create with our minds.
Abbey Meditation:
Architect: Mark Ross Johnson / Grand Canyon Skywalk
Besides the awe inspiring view from the skywalk, it also obviously speaks about faith. Walking on this glass bridge that cantilevers the Grand Canyon requires faith in the engineer that built it. Similarly, we walk through life with many uncertainties, but it’s our faith in God’s plan that keeps us confidently on the straight and narrow.
If you have ever wondered how God uses artist to speak truth, check out @drewholcombmusic and @johnnyswim new album
AbbeyMeditation:
Architect: Louis Kahn /@salkinstitute of Biological Sciences (1965).
The client was Jonas Salk, the physician who developed the polio vaccine. It’s a structure that represents the test of time and represent peace and tranquility. The experience within the building encourages meditation and can be spiritually transforming.
Abbey Meditation:
Artwork by @justingerardillustration “It was at this point that Bilbo stopped. Going on from there was the bravest thing he ever did. The tremendous things that happened afterwards were as nothing compare to it. He fought the real battle in the tunnel alone, before he ever saw the vast danger that lay in wait.” May we have courage to carry on, even when there might be dragons ahead.
Abbey Meditation: “I’ve heard it said that men open their door each day to a field of failure. Things break, nothing works—not our tools, not our hands, not the soil—even the work itself fails. On my own, I try to be enough: for the world, for my wife, for my kids, for my art, for my career, even, God forbid, for God himself. Striving to be enough, and believing I could be, I fail. But amid the ugly tumult of my own decisions, deep hurt, wounds, and a relentless enemy, I seek refuge in the shadow of God’s wings until the disaster has passed. And it is there—only there—where I am enough, because he makes me so.” -@ericpeters - Listen to Eric Peter’s song “Field of Failure” by visiting http://ericpeters.net
Artist: @jagosilver
I have been a fan of Jago's work after first seeing his illustrations in the Jesus Storybook Bible. However, after following him for awhile you start to see the depth of the pieces he creates. He is able to capture this beautifully, intricate, simplicity. May God give us eyes to see, the beauty He has intricately created around us.
Artist: @theportersgate
Let the favor (the beauty) of the Lord our God be upon us,and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!” -Psalm 90:17
We spend more time working than doing anything else. And yet we rarely sing and pray together about our work when we worship together. Check out this album: http://portersgateworship.com
The Mildred B. Cooper Chapel in Arkansas overlooks Lake Norwood. It is encompassed by towering pines and stately oaks. It was designed by architects E. Fay Jones and Maurice Jennings. Its open construction creates a harmony with it's natural surroundings. Many people feel at peace with God within nature rather than a building. The Cooper Chapel is a great blending of the two.
In December 1878 Vincent Van Gogh arrived in the Borinage, a bleak coal- mining district near Mons. He was 25 years old. Drawing was just a hobby — an artistic career was the last thing on his mind. He’d come here as a preacher, with a heart for the people of the area. He cared deeply for them, however struggled with the administration elements of the vocation. Some say the problem was, he was far too pious. He gave away everything he owned. These miners didn’t know what to make of him. They called him ‘the Christ of the coal mines’. After six months, he was fired by the church. With a broken heart, he left his parish and pursued his hobby of painting.
Many say that Van Gogh suffered from mental illness. While I think this is true, I also believe that he struggled with a deeper passion. The passion to see the beauty in the world among the everyday. I think his discouragement and depression where enhanced by his frustration of others not seeing the value of the beauty he saw. He longed for people to see it, to value it. His heart broke and he began to despair. You can see this reflected in his letters to his brother Theo in talking about his parish of simple people.
May we find and value the beauty of God in the simplicity of life.
@andrewpetersonmusic 's album The Burning Edge of Dawn is one of the most spiritually honest albums that I have ever heard. Its lyrical content causes your heart to pause and contemplate. Andrew's honesty about life and faith is like a welcome companion in our journey of life. Your souls would be refreshed in listening to his work.
Architect:
Frank Lloyd Wright / Falling Water
This home was designed as a nature retreat. It has features such as a cantilevered deck with a view into the woods as well as the sound of the creek of which the house spans overtop of. The design intent of this house was for one to connect with nature and let it’s peace restore you.
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. - Psalm 23: 1-3