Shadow of Death - William Holman Hunt

Shadow of Death

by William Holman Hunt (1827-1910)
I think the different themes are fascinating.

If you're not familiar with this painting, read this Wikipedia squib. I don't think they catch all of the symbolism, but it has some interest tidbits.

The Apostle Paul - Rembrandt (1606-1669)

Ruth meets Boaz - Edward Burne-Jones

Ruth meets Boaz

Ruth 2
Drawing from 1876

by Edward Burne-Jones

Scenes from the Life of Esther

Queen Esther

by Andrea del Castagno (1421-1457)

The Feast of Esther

by Frans Francken II (1581-1642)

Esther before Ahasuerus
by Claude Vignon (1593-1670)

Haman Begging Esther of Mercy
by Rembrandt (1606-1669)

The Banquet of Esther

by Jan Victors (1619-1676)

Festival of Esther

by Edward Armitage (1817-1896)

Esther
by Sir John Everett Millais (1829-1896)

Esther
by Minerva Teichert (1888-1976)

This Little Babe - Robert Southwell.

"Adoration of the Shepherds"

Anton Raphael Mengs (1728-1779

This little Babe so few days old,

Is come to rifle Satan's fold;

All hell doth at his presence quake,

Though he himself for cold do shake;

For in this weak unarmed wise

The gates of hell he will surprise.

With tears he fights and wins the field,

His naked breast stands for a shield;

His battering shot are babish cries,

His arrows made of weeping eyes,

His martial ensigns cold and need,

And feeble flesh his warrior's steed.

His camp is pitched in a stall,

His bulwark but a broken wall;

The crib his trench, haystalks his stakes,

Of shepherds he his muster makes;

And thus as sure his foe to wound,

The Angels' trumps alarum sound.

My soul with Christ join thou in fight,

Stick to the tents that he hath pight;

Within his crib is surest ward,

This little Babe will be thy guard;

If thou wilt foil thy foes with joy,

Then flit not from this heavenly boy.

-Robert Southwell

"If thou wilt foil thy foes with joy"... Love that.

I really like a lot of Christmas songs, but this is my favorite. :-)

Hope you are all are having an amazing Christmas. I am. :-)

Thanks for reading,

Miss Pickwickian

Christmas was God declaring war on the World

"Adoration of the Shepherds"

by Rembrandt

I've been very blessed to hear some amazing Christmas sermons this year.

The Reversal of Barrenness by Pastor Tuuri

Luke 1:26-33

"Fruitfulness comes by walking in the light and pursuing righteousness in the dark."

This one came at just the right time.

I don't really know why, but I've had a harder time getting excited about Christmas this year.

I was feeling pretty irritated (feeling irritated is not a way to fix it...just so you know) about the feeling when Mama and I went Christmas shopping over a week ago. I couldn't even find anything I wanted to buy (this is normally not a problem:-).

Several hours after we got home I realized part of the reason why...I'd caught the great church plague. :-P

After that was over (nearly a week latter) things were improved, but I've still been in a Christmas blah.

I don't know why exactly, but this pretty much fixed my problem. I think I was basically just being a jerk and than over analyzing it.
It's okay that every Christmas is different and just because it's Christmas doesn't mean our problems will disappear.

Plus, Pastor Tuuri read some Bob Dylan lyrics in the sermon. I love it when he does that. Score!

The Messiah in Isaiah (Part 4) by Greg Strawbridge

Isaiah 7

This sermon detailed more of what is going on during the famous Immanuel prophesy.

Besides the fact that I've been in love with Isaiah all year, this was also a convicting sermon for me.

Where do I turn to in trouble?

Joy to the World by Doug Wilson

1 Peter 1:6-9

Recently I've been studying and memorizing 1-2 Peter. I didn't even know the text when I turned this sermon on, but it made me really excited when I found out. :-)

This sermon really hit the nail on the head when it comes to the way we try to celebrate Christmas and how dumb it often is. I was trying to fold laundry while I was listening to it. I didn't get much done because I had to keep taking notes. This is one I really want to listen to again.

He really redirects back to the real essence of Christ's birth and what it has changed.

Here are a few notes I scribbled that really made an impression on me-

"The peace f God is our armor. It's not something we have to protect. Is the things that protects us."

"Peace is not the Gospel itself it is the result of the Gospel."

"Christmas is God's D-Day...the thunder of Heaven's guns."

"Sentimentalism is a pacifist...trying to celebrate the effect of Christmas without the story."

"True joy is fundementally realistic."

"The Magnificat is a declaration of war."

I found the whole sermon intoxicatingly joyful.

I'm very thankful God put this in my way!

General Christmasness

On Wednesday one of my brothers took me to downtown Portland, which was amazing. Even with all it's problems, I just love Portland so much! And even though we didn't go to Powell's it's near presence refreshed my spirit. ;-)

I also love my brother. He's pretty awesome. ;-)

Last night Mama and I were able to go to a beautiful Messiah performance. It was wonderful...of course. :-)

I also finally allowed myself to start another Chaim Potok novel. Happiness!!!!

Other recent Christmas activities include seeing Tangled, going out to eat, watching movies while wrapping presents, being ill, squeezing reading time in, receiving truck loads of Amazon packages, working on Christmas presents (mwhahaha), wonderful mail and Christmas cards, seeing lots family and friends, eating very unhealthily, listening to lots of music, and....very little writing. :-P There will be a schedule again though...Right? :-)

I have had the most amazing year. I am so grateful!!!!!

Christmas has been a flurry this last week and now I'm looking forward to the actual celebration of it all...which should include some relaxing time with good friends and family, good conversation, good food, good presents :-) and all beautiful Christmasified house!

But most of all, a celebration of victory. Christ came to save his people from their sins. To wage war (and to win!) against death. What more do we need to be joyful? What more do we need for such a clear mission?

There is so much to do and to learn!

Sometimes I feel quite hopeless...but only because there is such an wonderful, perfect, un-understandable, complex yet beautifully simple hope!

Have a very blessed and amazing Christmas. :-)

Many of you are in my prayers. I know I'll being seeing some of you soon.

Christmas!!!!! Yippee!

Thanks for reading,
Miss Pickwickian

(Sorry this was a long rambling post. If you got to the end know that I am extremely grateful. :-)

Behold, I am a servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your Word.

"The Annunciation"

by Fra Angelico (1395-1455)

My soul magnifies the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he had looked on the humble estate of his servant.

For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

for he who is mighty has done great things for me,

And his mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with his arm;

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;

he has brought down the mighty from their thrones

and exalted those of humble estate;

he has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy,

as he spoke to our fathers,

to Abraham and to his offspring forever.

Luke 1:46b-55

"The Annunciation"

by Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)

"The Annunciation"

Woodcut
by Albrecht Durer (1471-1528)

"The Annunciation"

by Orazio Gentileschi (1563-1639)

I love the fabric folds in this one...

"The Annunciation"

by Anton Raphael Mengs 1728-1779

Sorry if little putti make you uncomfortable...

"Ecce Ancilla Domini"

by Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882)

"The Annunciation"
by John William Waterhouse (1849-1917)

"The Annunciation"

by Henry Ossawa Tanner (1859-1937)

Do you have a favorite? I was having a hard time finding any more recent "Annunctions". Know of any?

Thanks for reading,
Miss Pickwickian

For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's...and on them he has set the world.

"Hannah presenting her son Samuel to the priest Eli"

Gerbrand van den Eeckhout (1621-1674)

My heart exults in the Lord;

my strength is exalted in the Lord.

My mouth derides my enemies,

because I rejoice in your salvation.

There is none holy like the LORD;

there is none besides you;

there is no rock like our God.

Talk no more so very proudly,

let not arrogance come from your mouth;

for the LORD is a God of knowledge,

and by him actions are weighed.

The bows of the might are broken,

but the feeble bind on strength.

Those who were full have hired themselves for bread,

but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.

The barren has borne seven,

but she who has many children is forlorn.

The LORD kills and brings to life;

he brings down to Sheol and raises up.

The LORD makes poor and makes rich;

he brings low and he exalts.

He raises up the poor from the dust;

he lifts the needy from the ash heap

to make them sit with princes

and inherit a seat of honor.

For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's,

and on them he has set the world.

He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,

but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness,

for not by might shall a man prevail.

The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces;

against them he will thunder in heaven.

The LORD will judge the ends of the earth;

he will give strength to his king

and exalt the power of his anointed.

~1 Samuel 2:1b-10~

Christ in the Storm on the Lake of Galilee - Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn

The Kiss of Judas - Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio

This painting is also known as The Taking of Christ.

Jesus and the Woman Taken in Adultery - John 7:53-8:11

We recently saw this in an art gallery at Canon Beach. I thought it was beautiful. I didn't get the artist's name and couldn't find it online, but I enjoyed their work. There was also a really neat painting incorporating all of the parables in a more medieval style. It was pretty neat.


They went each to his own house ¹but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
² Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them.
³The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst ⁴they said to him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. ⁵Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?" ⁶This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him.
Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. ⁷And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her." ⁸And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground.
⁹But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. ¹⁰Jesus stood up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
¹¹She said, "No one, Lord."
And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more."

Deposition from the Cross - Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio

It's been to long with out a Caravaggio....

Peter and Andrew - Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio

Modern Mediocrity in Christian Art

The arts (music, literature, and visual) are all amazing gifts from God.

We are made in His image.
We are made to create.


In history art has been largely dominated by believers. And that is certainly the way it should be.
Who are the Christian giants today?

I don't want to bash anyone, but it certainly seems like Christians have settled for mediocrity.

Christians should be setting the pace in art - plowing a head - showing an example to the world. Today we seem to either be following the non-Christians and becoming utterly indistinguishable or separating ourselves into whole different genres of rather mediocre fuzzy-feeling comfort art.

We, as Christians, can show truth through art.


Another attitude that I do not believe honors God (and I am sure it turns unbelievers off) is our refusal to recognize talent and hard work by non-Christians.
An unbeliever can be an amazing violinist or an outstanding painter, and we can enjoy his work. Yes, we need to be careful because a lot of non-Christian art has very non-Christian themes. That does not mean music, art, or writing is evil because it was created by a unsaved person. The truth will be known in everything. Often a non-Christian can not help showing the story no matter how hard they try to stay away from it.

We can not say..."such and such a persons creations are evil because he is a non-Christian". If they are evil, there should be a much better basis for arguing that point and you should use it. God uses sinners to create beauty. Every man on earth has his purpose. No matter how they may try to run from the Truth and from their Maker, they will be used to glorify Him.

We should recognize talent, non-Christian or Christian.
And
Christianity should be producing the most and the best musicians, artists, and writers.


I feel like these thoughts are incomplete, but I really wanted to write something on the subject. It is time for Christianity to reconquer the arts!

Thanks for reading,
Miss Pickwickian

The Return of the Prodigal Son
Rembrandt

The Flagelation of Our Lord Jesus Christ - William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905)

Bouguereau didn't just paint pretty girls. :-) He really has a talent for facial expressions. I'll never get tired of Bouguereau's paintings.

Miss Pickwickian

The Sacrifice of Isaac - Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio

The Increduilty of Saint Thomas - Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio

Christ Before the High Priest - Gerrit van Honthorst (1592-1656)

The Calling of St. Matthew - Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio

"28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

What ever his personal faults, Caravaggio was one of the most amazing painters ever! We have a small print of this on our wall in our room. It is a good constant reminder of how we are called and what we are called from, besides being a beautiful painting.

Thanks for stopping by,

Miss Pickwickian