Wednesday 11 January 2006
Tuesday 10 January 2006
What do you think ?
I'm a fan of Lawrence Block - writer of mystery stories - and especially of his Matt Scudder character. Scudder is an ex-cop turned private detective, and a recovering alcoholic.
He gives away a tenth of his fees, usually putting the money in collection boxes in churches, and usually catholic churches, because they tend to be open all the time.
In one of his short stories, he goes to church to think. "After breakfast, I went to St Paul's but there was a service going on, a priest saying Mass, so I didn't stay. I walked down to St Benedict the Moor's on 53rd Street and sat for a few minutes in a pew at the rear. I go to churches to try and think, and I gave it a shot, but my mind didn't know where to go. I slipped six twenties in the poor box. I tithe. It's a habit I got into when I left the department, and I still don't know why I do it. God knows. Or maybe he's as mystified as I am."
Reading that - a phrase popped into my mind. 'What do you think ?' Not, as in what's your opinion, but what do you think about ....
I guess for many of us, we just don't. Think, that is. We are so busy that we get through with the minimum of thinking.
So .. I'm going to try and spend a bit more time just thinking. No T.V. No book. No people. Just me, thinking.
He gives away a tenth of his fees, usually putting the money in collection boxes in churches, and usually catholic churches, because they tend to be open all the time.
In one of his short stories, he goes to church to think. "After breakfast, I went to St Paul's but there was a service going on, a priest saying Mass, so I didn't stay. I walked down to St Benedict the Moor's on 53rd Street and sat for a few minutes in a pew at the rear. I go to churches to try and think, and I gave it a shot, but my mind didn't know where to go. I slipped six twenties in the poor box. I tithe. It's a habit I got into when I left the department, and I still don't know why I do it. God knows. Or maybe he's as mystified as I am."
Reading that - a phrase popped into my mind. 'What do you think ?' Not, as in what's your opinion, but what do you think about ....
I guess for many of us, we just don't. Think, that is. We are so busy that we get through with the minimum of thinking.
So .. I'm going to try and spend a bit more time just thinking. No T.V. No book. No people. Just me, thinking.
Monday 9 January 2006
You made it your own
The nature of my work means that I get to read the Bible a lot. I read these words today, written by St Paul: "I press on to make Christ my own, as he has made me his own"
In the UK we have this (addictive for some) T.V. talent show called 'The X Factor'. One of the judges has a habit of saying something like ... 'That was great Sean - you made that song your own'. In other words .. the singer had imprinted on the song something of themselves. They had transformed the song in some way so that they have made it distinctively theirs. The singer has taken a song that 'belonged' to someone else and made it their own.
I guess this is partly what trying to be a disciple of Jesus Christ is all about. Christ makes us his own. He takes us and transforms our lives so that it is obvious that we belong to God.
I have a prayer that I use most days .. Faithful One, whose word is life; come free our praise, inspire our prayers, and shape our lives for the kingdom of your son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
In the UK we have this (addictive for some) T.V. talent show called 'The X Factor'. One of the judges has a habit of saying something like ... 'That was great Sean - you made that song your own'. In other words .. the singer had imprinted on the song something of themselves. They had transformed the song in some way so that they have made it distinctively theirs. The singer has taken a song that 'belonged' to someone else and made it their own.
I guess this is partly what trying to be a disciple of Jesus Christ is all about. Christ makes us his own. He takes us and transforms our lives so that it is obvious that we belong to God.
I have a prayer that I use most days .. Faithful One, whose word is life; come free our praise, inspire our prayers, and shape our lives for the kingdom of your son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Sunday 8 January 2006
Jeff Wall photos at Tate Modern
I've just been to London for New Year.
There's a great exhibition of Jeff Wall (Canadain photographer). Giant pictures, some of which have taken over a hundred separate pictures put together. Mostly very 'composed'. It struck me how much painters and photographers refer back to others' work.
Like poetry that is full of references to the classics, photos can be full of references to other works of art.
More of that another time.
The thing I wanted to say was ... it made me think about doing some photos ... just for me probably, but all with a theme of 'outside looking in'
Maybe shots through a shop window ... or into a family's front room .... to illustrate the way that so many people are outsiders ... sometimes through their own choice, but often not.
Financially, emotionally ... whatever.
Good ? Shepherd
There's a great exhibition of Jeff Wall (Canadain photographer). Giant pictures, some of which have taken over a hundred separate pictures put together. Mostly very 'composed'. It struck me how much painters and photographers refer back to others' work.
Like poetry that is full of references to the classics, photos can be full of references to other works of art.
More of that another time.
The thing I wanted to say was ... it made me think about doing some photos ... just for me probably, but all with a theme of 'outside looking in'
Maybe shots through a shop window ... or into a family's front room .... to illustrate the way that so many people are outsiders ... sometimes through their own choice, but often not.
Financially, emotionally ... whatever.
Good ? Shepherd
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