ART

The Christian church has always held that God speaks to us, not only through Scripture or history or conscience or ultimately in Christ, but also in nature and in artistic creativity and our aesthetic sensitivity. Art takes the real stuff of life - complex, colourful but often discordant.

A work of art, said Denis de Rougemont, is a 'trap for meditation.' I like that.

HYPOCRISY

I have met pastors who have not been able to deal with the situation where their own views are at odds with their congregation's (or of permission-withholders in their congregations). It's a phenomenon, for example, where a racially progressive pastor in the American South is 'integrationist in their prayers but segregationist in their sermons'.

JOY

Notice how often Paul breaks off from his exposition of some doctrine or other and expresses spontaneous worship - sometimes even without finishing the sentence he was writing (eg. in Romans - 1:35, 9:5, 11:33,36, 16:27).

HOW TO BE HAPPY THOUGH MARRIED!

The Swiss have a proverb which underlines the element of risk in marriage: 'Marriage is a covered dish!'

For my basic articles about marriage start here. For a basic marriage enrichment procedure see here.

STRANGERS

(viewing them as Jesus would)

Here's one way: the famous YouTube video 'Free Hugs' -



One person wrote: 'Free Hugs Campaign is a great story about how an unknown Sydney band was discovered after its YouTube video took off. Now in the YouTube all-time top 20 after just two months, the video is shot in and around Sydney where Juan Mann starts offering strangers a hug. Inspired by Mann's mission, Shimon Moore from the Sydney band Sick Puppies videotapes the serial hugger.'

MUSIC - THE FOOD OF LOVE (AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH)

First, 'You Raise Me Up' - Morriston Orpheus Choir:



Listen to Nathan (cellist, age 11) gracefully commenting on Saint Saens' "The Swan":



And now an 8,000-voice Welsh Male Voice Choir:



And another: