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Published January 14, 2017 by Rebecca Matheson

Time is an arkenstone

Apparently I’ve forgotten how to write. I know I love to write but I don’t do it. Isn’t that the way with so many things. With with relationships, with stillness. We forget, trivialise and fail to invest. Sometimes it’s about not knowing where start or how to keep going. Priorities get hung up on stupid things or things that are by-products of the things we actually want.

Time is an arkenstone.

What do you want? What really matters? These are questions that should hang around.

I was driving up the mountain one day – at least a year ago now, and there was a car stopped next to me at the lights. A small bird was frantically flying at and crashing into the drivers side window. Fly, crash, repeat. It was weird. There was a wonderfully ominous storm cloud at the top of the mountain. It fit together so well that I often think of it. Maybe we’re like that bird? Too invested in our own reflection to be properly connected with who we are.

Bird metaphors suck. But I still like them and I won’t forget it.

Life Observations Words

arkenstone bird metaphor Words

Published May 1, 2009 by Rebecca Matheson

Pocket poem, prose

April 30th (in America) is: Poem in Your Pocket day.

I love words goodly writ. But I don’t really have a favourite poem. My husband says the word poem: P-ome and I say it Poe-em. Regardless of how you say it, po-ems – and well written prose are the stuff of enlightenment – in a truly literary sense. Please share any quality author/book/poet/poem recommendations. I’m quite in love with Rainer Marie Rilke, but need some more variety to supplement the many fine novels still on my shelf.

As I do not have a poem to share, I will share a short story by Hans Christian Anderson (of whom I’m am using to make a book for my Publication Design class). I have chosen mostly lesser known work:

The Sunbeam and the Captive

It is autumn. We stand on the ramparts, and look out over the sea. We look at the numerous ships, and at the Swedish coast on the opposite side of the sound, rising far above the surface of the waters which mirror the glow of the evening sky. Behind us the wood is sharply defined; mighty trees surround us, and the yellow leaves flutter down from the branches. Below, at the foot of the wall, stands a gloomy looking building enclosed in palisades. The space between is dark and narrow, but still more dismal must it be behind the iron gratings in the wall which cover the narrow loopholes or windows, for in these dungeons the most depraved of the criminals are confined. A ray of the setting sun shoots into the bare cells of one of the captives, for God’s sun shines upon the evil and the good. The hardened criminal casts an impatient look at the bright ray. Then a little bird flies towards the grating, for birds twitter to the just as well as to the unjust. He only cries, “Tweet, tweet,”  and then perches himself near the grating, flutters his wings, pecks a feather from one of them, puffs himself out, and sets his feathers on end round his breast and throat. The bad, chained man looks at him, and a more gentle expression comes into his hard face. In his breast there rises a thought which he himself cannot rightly analyze, but the thought has some connection with the sunbeam, with the bird, and with the scent of violets, which grow bluxuriantly in spring at the foot of the wall. Then there comes the sound of the hunter’s horn, merry and full. The little bird starts, and flies away, the sunbeam gradually vanishes, and again there is darkness in the room and in the heart of that bad man. Still the sun has shone into that heart, and the twittering of the bird has touched it. Sound on, ye glorious strains  of the hunter’s horn; continue your stirring tones, for the evening is mild, and the surface of the sea, heaving slowly and calmly, is smooth as a mirror.

Books Life Words

Hans Christian Anderson literature poems Words

Published June 25, 2008 by Rebecca Matheson

Today’s online trek

Visit Sacred Space and while I’m on about wandering around the prayer/quiet thing, Jacob over at Sensus Divinitatis is starting a series on quiet times, which I still maintain is a crap name.

And then there’s this funky little java ap to make beautiful word clouds, Wordle

And wow. This guy is selling ‘his life’ on ebay… I’ve often wondered what it would be like to just up and move to somewhere entirely new with no-one you knew.

Thanks to Hammo, pretty sure two of those links came via you.

And lastly.

The Kingdom of God is like Dragonflies

Christianity Create Design

Design prayer sacred space word cloud Words

Published January 28, 2008 by Rebecca Matheson

Amends

atonementI saw the movie Atonement tonight. Interesting. I liked it, but I probably wouldn’t make a return visit. Stunning period costume etc. and Keira Knightly is quite good (Despite being consistently annoying).

I was trying to recall what I knew about the word ‘Atonement’ before I went in. The straightforward term is as such: Satisfaction or reparation for a wrong or injury; amends. That’s okay, it’s the theological application of it.

I recall a few years back – at my one year of Bible college. Reading a detailed analysis on the confusion of the understanding of atonement. It was fascinating. Of course cannot remember most of it. The dictionary defines it so: the doctrine concerning the reconciliation of God and humankind, esp. as accomplished through the life, suffering, and death of Christ.

It’s always interesting when Christian terminology takes a center stage despite being with it’s more useful definition – suddenly the word launches itself into public familiarity.

I cannot remember when this has happened before – I’m fairly sure something along the lines has, because this is not a new thought.

But does it leave scope for the actual use of the word when you find yourself in those ad hoc conversations where your fluid mouth takes over and you’re spouting brilliance that you only half understand?

To be honest, Christian theological terms are tripe {Upon Geoff’s questioning I admit that this is not 100% true – they do sometimes have their place – for the sake of the argument :P}. Give me ordinary every day understandable English that is easy to share and explain. Not words to explain concepts that need words to explain the words. It’s a useless wheel.

Although be kind and leave some of the poetry. It’s such a tightrope.

Christianity Movies Words

atonement keira knightly theological terms Words

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