fresh courage

We sang a song in church on Sunday which I’m sure I’ve sung many times before. But I had never really noticed the third verse and, in singing it, was struck rather breathless by it. The song is God Moves in a Mysterious Way. The third verse:

“You fearful saints, fresh courage take, the clouds you so much dread are big with mercy and shall break in blessing on your head.”

What powerful words. Words that I long to be true. For me. For Mark. For the friends whose clouds are visible and invisible. Known and hidden.

Unable to get the song out of my head, I did “response time” on Sunday afternoon. Response time in Children in Worship (where Zoe worships during the service) is when the kids have individual time to ruminate on the story they have heard and to respond in art, music, literature, etc. It is a lovely time.

On Saturday I had been to an art gallery with my friend Emily. I had seen some of the artist’s work on my friend Sara’s windowsill and was so taken that I had to see it for myself. It was a great gallery (the artists live in it), but it was the pocket paintings (like the ones I had seen at Sara’s) that really enchanted me. So, I snatched up a few (for $5 each) and moved the tiny blocks delightedly around the house all weekend.

I tell you this because, just like the children I often worship with, my response time was not all my own idea. I used what I had seen in Rachel Van Dyke’s work and personalized it. Is there some way that I can justify being inspired by one work and basically copying it as my own? Peri? Any thoughts?

Anyway, below are the photos. First Rachel Van Dyke’s pocket paintings, then my response time art (on a bigger piece of plywood). If you look closely, you’ll notice what Zoe did right away. Rachel’s figures are actually birds. Mine? Not so much. Unless birds have pockets these days…