Monday Mixtape

i made you a mix tape of all my favorites this week!

Books:

For the Beauty of the Church: Casting a Vision for the Arts by W. David O. Taylor

I know I mentioned this once already, but now I've had a chance to read it.  You can buy it here at Baker Books or here at Amazon.  It doesn't matter where you click, just go buy it.  Even for the cool artwork that accompanies each chapter, it's worth it, but it's much more than that.  The book is ten chapters written by ten accomplished advocates for art in the church.  Advocates for artwork that is more than a sermon illustration or an effort in following trends, but art that is forming and being formed by whole and healthy persons.  So, if you are an artist or a pastor or a church-goer or an ex-church-goer or a patron or just someone who likes to read well-written non-fiction - go buy the book.

The Hidden art of Homemaking. Ideas for Creating Beauty in Everyday Life by Edith Schaeffer

This is a re-read for me.  It's been years, though, and I finally purchased my very own copy.  I think I'll wrap this book and give it my daughters and daughters-in-law when my children form their own households.  It's a classic book that is more culturally relevant than anything on the new title shelves today.  In fact, I think it's the fact that it is an older book that makes me trust it even more.  The ideas Mrs. Schaeffer shares are timeless.  She was green before green was a buzzword.  She was handmade before handmade was a buzzword.  She was organic before organic was a buzzword.  You get the picture.  Even more than that, her world view of Christians as stewards of earth and home and family and self is straightforward, yet eloquent.   

She also reminds me -- in several important ways -- of my mother.  And my grandmothers.  I hope my own children will be able to say the same some day.

Links:

• Eight Questions about the Arts and Faith Top 100 Films at Image Journal:  I know the Oscars have come and gone, but this post by Jeffrey Overstreet is a good read anytime. (I especially like question #'s 5 &6!) My husband and I regularly fill our Netflix queue from lists like this. 

      Just want the list? Go here.

• IJM on ABC World News:  Click through to the news clip.  May God get glory for His name from this good work being done.

Music:

• The Welcome Wagon and Miriam Jones:  I met all these musicians at Laity Lodge a few weekends ago.  I'm still working on that post and will say more -- lots and lots more!  In the meantime, do yourself a favor and check out the music on their websites.  Good, good stuff.

• I want to put a plug in for my friend, Brian Moss.  I've talked about him several times here and have a deep respect for the work he is doing in crafting new melodies for the Psalms.  His next project is supposed to go to the studio in May, but only with the help of patrons.  This album is a By/For project -- which means that all the music -- audio and charts will be available for free, licensed under Creative Commons.  This is work being done by the church, for the church.  Brian needs about $1,600 more pledged toward the project by March 31.  You can patron this work for as small an amount as $20 which includes a CD of the completed album.  In essence, you'd be pre-ordering the album.  $1,000 gets you a free concert -- so think big!  You can hear all the info from Brian himself at YouTube or at his blog.

The sweet photo of Brian performing at Art Show on Main last fall. 

(taken by Hope Spicer)

Film & Television:
I don't have time to write much about these tonight, but maybe you trust me enough to just take my word on these suggestions?

• Life on the Discovery Channel: the sequel to Planet Earth, Sunday nights on the Discovery Channel.  Watch it. Tape it and watch it again. Pre-order it on DVD. It's A.MAZ.ING!!  I'll never think of a chameleon's tongue or a stalk-fly's eyes or a flying fish's wings in the same way again.  Watching this, like its prequel, is an experience in worship.

• Precious: Based on the novel Push by Sapphire (2009):  Hard, hard, hard to watch, but totally worth it.  About half-way through I told Brian and Andrew:  I don't think I can watch any more of this. And Brian said: I think we need to watch this.

• Bright Star:  Total film and romance gorgeousness.  We watch the couple -- poet, John Keats and his love, Fanny Brawne --  following both deep passion and strong conscience in the midst of heart-wrenching circumstances.  The story and the integrity of the main characters reminded me of the deeply- feminine courage and allure of Jane Eyre.

Visual Art:

My Secret Self / At Rest

• A few weeks ago, my artist-friend, Phaedra, featured work by Olivia Jeffries in a post of work that was inspiring her.  I totally fell for this woman's work.  In some ways, it affects me much like Phaedra's own drawings. This particular piece charmed me. On many days, it could be a self-portrait of my heart.

• Shannon Newby:  Another artist I met at the retreat and hope to talk about  more in the yet-to-be-written missive on my time there.  In the meantime, check out her work on her site.  Then you'll feel like you are old friends when I talk about her here.  Plus, she is the first person since, I think my fourth-grade teacher, who got me to actually try to make a piece of (gasp!) ART! And it came out half-decent, so that's really saying something...trust me.

Places:

In anticipation of the promised retreat post -- the first shot I took during my road trip from San Antonio to Laity Lodge.  This is the rest stop that I had intended to explore for photos of the hill country.  I only got as far as this sign.