Those of you who read my other blog, Christians in the Arts, know how much I love quotations. I collect them on the computer and in a Moleskine journal with a purple silk cover. I pull them out when I want to be inspired. I like to share them with others too. Here are a few quotations on beauty that I hope will inspire you today:
"A thing of beauty is a joy forever: Its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness; but still will keep a bower quiet for us, and a sleepfull of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing." -- John Keats
"Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful, for beauty is God's handwriting--a wayside sacrament. Welcome it in every fair face, in every fair sky, in every flower, and thank God for it as a cup of blessing." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, and creeds follow one another like the withered leaves of Autumn; but what is beautiful is a joy for all seasons and a possession for all eternity." -- Oscar Wilde
"Youth is happy because it has the ability to see beauty. Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old." -- Franz Kafka
May we always keep the ability to appreciate beauty.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
What Wondrous Love is This?
On my wedding day, two dear friends, Genny and Jason, sang the old hymn, What Wondrous Love is This? My groom and I used many types of music in our wedding but we chose this song because we wanted to proclaim the love that brought us together. “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).
An American folk hymn from the mid-1800s, What Wondrous Love is This?, with its beautiful, haunting melody, proclaims a profound and timeless truth. As my friends’ voices mingled and rose, my heart did too.
Old songs, dearly loved, like old friends, bring beauty to our lives.
What Wondrous Love is This?
What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul.
To God and to the Lamb, I will sing, I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb, I will sing.
To God and to the Lamb Who is the great “I Am”;
While millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing;
While millions join the theme, I will sing.
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on.
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing and joyful be;
And through eternity, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
And through eternity, I’ll sing on.
An American folk hymn from the mid-1800s, What Wondrous Love is This?, with its beautiful, haunting melody, proclaims a profound and timeless truth. As my friends’ voices mingled and rose, my heart did too.
Old songs, dearly loved, like old friends, bring beauty to our lives.
What Wondrous Love is This?
What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul.
To God and to the Lamb, I will sing, I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb, I will sing.
To God and to the Lamb Who is the great “I Am”;
While millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing;
While millions join the theme, I will sing.
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on.
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing and joyful be;
And through eternity, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
And through eternity, I’ll sing on.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Beauty Appreciation, Part 2
Last week I wrote about taking beauty breaks—giving yourself time to notice and enjoy the beauty around you. Have you been thinking about the types of beauty that move you most? Here are a few:
• Visual: creation, art, design
• Auditory: music, birdsong, laughter
• Written: poetry, literature, essays, scripture
How can you remind yourself to notice and look for the beauty around you? Think through your day. Where will you be? What will you be doing? Where and when might you see beauty? Be intentional. Consider keeping a beauty journal so you can record, remember, and continue to appreciate your experiences.
How can you bring more beauty into your life? Here are some ideas to get you started:
• Get up early enough to watch the sunrise. If you’re in the car when the show starts, turn off the radio and spend a few minutes watching and savoring.
• Take a walk and enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of creation.
• Buy an inexpensive, fragrant bouquet of flowers for your desk or kitchen.
• Put special art books, postcards, calendars, or even works of art on your desk, your kitchen table, or your walls. They just might inspire you.
• Visit an art museum or gallery. Spend some time examining the works that draw you. What do you like about them? If you want to, jot down the titles of the works and the names of the artists so you can research them later.
• Listen to music. Treat yourself to something new—maybe a classical CD—and see how it changes your day.
• Read from a book of poetry, a classic novel, or scripture passages on your lunch break or whenever you find yourself waiting.
• If you’re a parent, teach your kids to look for beauty. Make a game of it, watch what happens, and share the joy of beauty with them.
What are your ideas? I’d love to hear them.
• Visual: creation, art, design
• Auditory: music, birdsong, laughter
• Written: poetry, literature, essays, scripture
How can you remind yourself to notice and look for the beauty around you? Think through your day. Where will you be? What will you be doing? Where and when might you see beauty? Be intentional. Consider keeping a beauty journal so you can record, remember, and continue to appreciate your experiences.
How can you bring more beauty into your life? Here are some ideas to get you started:
• Get up early enough to watch the sunrise. If you’re in the car when the show starts, turn off the radio and spend a few minutes watching and savoring.
• Take a walk and enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of creation.
• Buy an inexpensive, fragrant bouquet of flowers for your desk or kitchen.
• Put special art books, postcards, calendars, or even works of art on your desk, your kitchen table, or your walls. They just might inspire you.
• Visit an art museum or gallery. Spend some time examining the works that draw you. What do you like about them? If you want to, jot down the titles of the works and the names of the artists so you can research them later.
• Listen to music. Treat yourself to something new—maybe a classical CD—and see how it changes your day.
• Read from a book of poetry, a classic novel, or scripture passages on your lunch break or whenever you find yourself waiting.
• If you’re a parent, teach your kids to look for beauty. Make a game of it, watch what happens, and share the joy of beauty with them.
What are your ideas? I’d love to hear them.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Beauty Appreciation
Good news! Now you can receive my posts in your inbox. Just type your email address into the box on the left and I'll add you to my subscriber list. I won't give anyone your address, scout's honor.
___________
“This world in which we live needs beauty in order not to sink into despair. Beauty, like truth, brings joy to the human heart and is that precious fruit which resists the erosion of time, which unites generations and enables them to be one in admiration!” Pope John Paul II, “Letter to Artists,” Easter Sunday, 1999.
I’m a beauty advocate. A beauty appreciator. Beauty brings joy to my heart and I know I’m not alone. The sad thing is, even though we are surrounded by beauty, we’re so busy talking on our cell phones or hurrying to the next appointment that we rush right by it. Beauty requires us to stop and look—or listen. When we do, we are refreshed, energized, maybe even encouraged to talk a little less and slow down a little more.
Where is the beauty in your life? Look around you—at home, at work, on your commute—and take note of beauty in your environment.
What type of beauty moves you the most? Here are a few:
• Visual: creation, art, design
• Auditory: music, birdsong, laughter
• Written: poetry, literature, essays, scripture
What are some ways you can remind yourself to take note of the beauty around you?
How can you bring more of this type of beauty into your life?
This week, give yourself beauty breaks, even if only for a few minutes. Think through these questions. I know you’ll come up with some ideas. Leave a comment and let me know. Next week, I’ll give you a few more ways to appreciate the beauty in your life.
___________
“This world in which we live needs beauty in order not to sink into despair. Beauty, like truth, brings joy to the human heart and is that precious fruit which resists the erosion of time, which unites generations and enables them to be one in admiration!” Pope John Paul II, “Letter to Artists,” Easter Sunday, 1999.
I’m a beauty advocate. A beauty appreciator. Beauty brings joy to my heart and I know I’m not alone. The sad thing is, even though we are surrounded by beauty, we’re so busy talking on our cell phones or hurrying to the next appointment that we rush right by it. Beauty requires us to stop and look—or listen. When we do, we are refreshed, energized, maybe even encouraged to talk a little less and slow down a little more.
Where is the beauty in your life? Look around you—at home, at work, on your commute—and take note of beauty in your environment.
What type of beauty moves you the most? Here are a few:
• Visual: creation, art, design
• Auditory: music, birdsong, laughter
• Written: poetry, literature, essays, scripture
What are some ways you can remind yourself to take note of the beauty around you?
How can you bring more of this type of beauty into your life?
This week, give yourself beauty breaks, even if only for a few minutes. Think through these questions. I know you’ll come up with some ideas. Leave a comment and let me know. Next week, I’ll give you a few more ways to appreciate the beauty in your life.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Bathed in Beauty
“We do not merely want to see beauty, though, God knows, even that is bounty enough. We want something else which can hardly be put into words—to be united with the beauty we see, to pass into it, to receive it into ourselves, to bathe in it, to become part of it.” C. S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory
For me, like many people, the beauty of creation opens my eyes to the Creator. While working late one August night, I glanced out my office window and caught a glimpse of the most beautiful sunset I'd seen all summer. Slipping on my sandals, I ran outside and stood in my front yard, staring up in wonder. My house sat at the top of a steep hill so my view was unobstructed. No neighbors walked down the street; no cars passed by. It was just me with this spectacular sight. My heart soared. Lavish streaks of pink and orange filled the darkening sky. Glancing down at my arms, I saw that same pinkish glow on my skin, as though I was being bathed in color and beauty from the heavens. The symphony of colors slowly rose to crescendo, then softened and faded away. For a brief moment—a moment that can hardly be put into words—I felt as though I was part of the beauty above me. I did not want it to end.
For me, like many people, the beauty of creation opens my eyes to the Creator. While working late one August night, I glanced out my office window and caught a glimpse of the most beautiful sunset I'd seen all summer. Slipping on my sandals, I ran outside and stood in my front yard, staring up in wonder. My house sat at the top of a steep hill so my view was unobstructed. No neighbors walked down the street; no cars passed by. It was just me with this spectacular sight. My heart soared. Lavish streaks of pink and orange filled the darkening sky. Glancing down at my arms, I saw that same pinkish glow on my skin, as though I was being bathed in color and beauty from the heavens. The symphony of colors slowly rose to crescendo, then softened and faded away. For a brief moment—a moment that can hardly be put into words—I felt as though I was part of the beauty above me. I did not want it to end.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Mary Cassatt and Lullabies
Years ago, when my friend found out I was going to have a baby, she gave me a copy of A Child’s Book of Lullabies, with paintings by Mary Cassatt. A tall, thin, pale yellow hardback, the book is filled with some of the artist’s most beloved oils and pastels. In college, I liked Cassatt’s paintings for their subject matter as well as their beauty. Through her work, she brought validity and importance to the role of women in the home by depicting them reading, working, and caring for children.
Long after my college days, as a mother-to-be, I looked at Cassatt’s paintings with new eyes, especially noting the intimacy and tenderness between the mothers and children. Anticipating the joy of holding and feeding my own baby, I could almost see us in those paintings.
The book, an early favorite of my daughter’s, brought about one of her first experiences with art and music. As a toddler, she would pull the book off her shelf, bring it over, and snuggle up with me, either on the floor or in the rocking chair. We would go slowly through the book, page by page. She looked at it carefully and pointed to the music. I sang the songs and talked about what we saw in the paintings.
Now six years later, my daughter still takes the book off her shelf and looks at periodically. She also uses it as a lap desk when she’s drawing pictures of her own, writing stories, or both. I wonder if when she looks at those paintings, she remembers the times in her little yellow room when we gazed and sang and snuggled. Maybe, maybe not. But I won’t forget them.
Long after my college days, as a mother-to-be, I looked at Cassatt’s paintings with new eyes, especially noting the intimacy and tenderness between the mothers and children. Anticipating the joy of holding and feeding my own baby, I could almost see us in those paintings.
The book, an early favorite of my daughter’s, brought about one of her first experiences with art and music. As a toddler, she would pull the book off her shelf, bring it over, and snuggle up with me, either on the floor or in the rocking chair. We would go slowly through the book, page by page. She looked at it carefully and pointed to the music. I sang the songs and talked about what we saw in the paintings.
Now six years later, my daughter still takes the book off her shelf and looks at periodically. She also uses it as a lap desk when she’s drawing pictures of her own, writing stories, or both. I wonder if when she looks at those paintings, she remembers the times in her little yellow room when we gazed and sang and snuggled. Maybe, maybe not. But I won’t forget them.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Seeking Beauty
Years ago, as I struggled through an extremely painful time of my life, I began to seek out beauty whenever I could. I couldn’t articulate it then, but on some level I realized that beauty brought me comfort and drew me closer to God. So, sometimes alone, sometimes with friends, I went to the museum, the theater, and the symphony. I browsed antique stores, gift shops, and arts’ festival booths. I listened to music that touched my soul and made my spirit dance. I reveled in the arrival of spring after a long, dark winter. And, as I watched my energetic toddler grow into a preschooler full of exuberance and dimply smiles, I marveled at the beauty of the creation of man.
I also discovered anew that the written word can carry inestimable beauty, particularly when it is scripture. Words I had read much of my life now became a precious treasure I held close to my heart: promises from the Lord, the lover of my soul. A phrase like “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God” (Psalm 42:1) paints a beautiful word picture of my dependence on God—a truth I began to understand more fully during that time in my life.
The classic works of great writers spoke to my heart as well. In the title sermon from The Weight of Glory, C. S. Lewis wrote, “We do not merely want to see beauty, though, God knows, even that is bounty enough. We want something else which can hardly be put into words—to be united with the beauty we see, to pass into it, to receive it into ourselves, to bathe in it, to become part of it.” His words helped me to understand my own desire for beauty as well as to articulate my experience.
This blog is one avenue I’m using to articulate what I believe is everyone’s desire for beauty. If you have an experience with beauty that you’d like to share, I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment or email me at contact@leannebenfieldmartin.com.
An excerpt from my article that appeared in Indeed magazine, September/October 2006.
I also discovered anew that the written word can carry inestimable beauty, particularly when it is scripture. Words I had read much of my life now became a precious treasure I held close to my heart: promises from the Lord, the lover of my soul. A phrase like “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God” (Psalm 42:1) paints a beautiful word picture of my dependence on God—a truth I began to understand more fully during that time in my life.
The classic works of great writers spoke to my heart as well. In the title sermon from The Weight of Glory, C. S. Lewis wrote, “We do not merely want to see beauty, though, God knows, even that is bounty enough. We want something else which can hardly be put into words—to be united with the beauty we see, to pass into it, to receive it into ourselves, to bathe in it, to become part of it.” His words helped me to understand my own desire for beauty as well as to articulate my experience.
This blog is one avenue I’m using to articulate what I believe is everyone’s desire for beauty. If you have an experience with beauty that you’d like to share, I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment or email me at contact@leannebenfieldmartin.com.
An excerpt from my article that appeared in Indeed magazine, September/October 2006.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
