These are dry times. Summer slips away faster than you can catch it – a dime down the drain. The sky hangs damp and icy today. Across the globe, powerful little men toy with the world’s future like it’s a game of chicken. Hurricanes have ravaged large parts of our earth. Families will suffer the effects for years to come. Terrorists won’t let London sleep.
This planet can get so ugly. So broken. So disordered. So many of our mirrors are shattered.
There is order in beauty. A divine order, I believe, but whatever your theology you can feel it. The affirmation of disparate parts falling into place.
Jennifer Berkenbosch’s Cultivar matters because the world needs beauty today. We need to be reminded that there is goodness. There is a solid bed beneath this wild river.
Becoming your authentic self seems to be the work of a lifetime. Every once an a while someone comes along to speed up that process. Brené Brown researches shame, fear and vulnerability, so she has a lot to say about authentic living. That is the focus of her book, The Gifts of Imperfection
You have something to say–why not say it here? Email your blog post idea to dave@bleedingheartart.space and let's chat.
Welcome to a brand new feature on The Bleeding Heart Art Space Blog. The goal? To curate a weekly collection of links about art, faith, hope and love. Each week I come across many ‘goodies’ and events that I’d love to share, but have had no proper venue for doing so. Consider this ‘grab bag’ approach a way of getting it all out there - taking the best and brightest and sharing it with you.
I hope you enjoy!
Brené Brown is someone who studies love, vulnerability and community. She studies them. Scientifically. Her findings seem to lead us closer to the life we are invited to in Christ’s Kingdom, methinks.
This video is not a short watch, but it is worth every moment. I teared up. I got inspired. I wanted to put myself out there and risk my heart.
I discovered this video thanks to the fine folks at 99u.com, whose email newsletter comes highly recommended.
You can also find more videos from Brene Brown on The Work Of The People here (thanks to Nova on Facebook for the tip).
I’m sure this is not news, but the second instalment of The Hobbit film comes out today. To celebrate, here is a reprint of a review the CS Lewis did of Tolkien’s book when it first came out. Thanks to Jordan Majeau for tipping me onto this one.
http://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2013/11/19/c-s-lewis-reviews-the-hobbit-1937/
Yule Ave is a remarkable weekend of Christmas cheer on Alberta Ave. It’s free, and focussed on breaking through the commercial clutter of Christmas. Things kick off tonight with carolling at The Carrot, and a Christmas variety show called Yule Ave: A Blast, which The Bleeding Heart gets to be part of. We cannot wait, and we hope you’ll join us.
All the details can be found on the Yule Ave website at http://www.yuleave.ca.
SIDE NOTE: The Yule Ave website was built and is hosted by The Bleeding Heart Art Space as part of our sponsorship of this great event!
Sometimes when you hit that ‘buy now’ button your heart just flutters with giddy glee. This week I felt that excitement as I registered for The Glen Workshop West in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The Glen just recently announced their 2014 dates and plans and opened up for registrations.
I am especially excited for two reasons. First, this year marks Image Journal’s 25th Anniversary, and there are some surprises in store. Second, I’ll be taking songwriting for a week with Over The Rhine.
The Glen Workshop is a rare hybrid of arts conference, festival and workshop. The faculty are excellent and the time spent in community with creative Christ followers is second to none. For a glorious week, you are in the abundant centre, rather than on the thin margins. Food, lodging and all conference activities are included. It is SO worth it.
I think getting on that plane with me and heading down to Santa Fe for a week of art and faith is likely the best thing you could do this summer. But I may be biased.
Anyone care to join me?
James Altucher’s post on when we’d be better off to 'do nothing’ is a breath of fresh air amidst productivity pollution. Heading towards New Year’s resolutions, you may feel the pressure to do more and to be more. Before you make those lists, stop and read this.
Altucher’s post promises 5 Ways To Do Nothing And Become More Productive, but to me it’s more an invitation to let go of the need to prove yourself constantly. To simply be.
http://99u.com/articles/20576/5-ways-to-do-nothing-and-become-more-productive
To me, that sounds an awful lot like Paul's words here,
"The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.” - Romans 12:3b, The Message
A good encouragement, and perhaps the best last words, as we head into the hectic holidays.
Let us know if any of these finds are meaningful for you in the comments below.
You have something to say–why not say it here? Email your blog post idea to dave@bleedingheartart.space and let's chat.
