Bedecked
You have ravished my heart, my sister, my bride, you have ravished my heart with a glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace. How sweet is your love, my sister, my bride! Song of Songs 4:9,10
Out in my Secret Place today, the whole landscape is wet... crystal drops poised on every surface, the whole world contained therein. Water drips, slides down branches in unrestrained play. The tree trunks are darker, the ivy greener, the bud tips brighter in this rain.
One raindrop, large raindrop, "plops" into my red tea— a promise, perhaps, of cleansing, of renewal? Drink this cup, said He.
The pine needles are hundreds of lady's fingers, hanging with new-bought diamonds, life contained therein. Look here, the needles wave to the ivy. Look here, at what my beloved has given. A gift come down, bestowed by tears. Heaven's groom, who wept for me.
Easter Egg watercolor, by Sara. And another freewriting from yours truly, L.L.
Labels: secret place, Song of Songs
posted by L.L. Barkat at 2:37 PM
17 Comments:
WOW, l.l. - thanks for that bit of beauty today!
L.L., Great photo and watercolor! And marvellous imagery. I'm grateful you write this way from time to time for us. Sounds like the heavens have opened up for you over there as well as here. Cold but it has its beauty.
Good to see how you can take the imagery and help us think on Jesus's devoted and deep love for us.
Nice watercolor, Sara!
Pine needles. I love to stroke them lightly across the surface, appreciating the texture. I don't know why, but they have always fascinated me.
And now that you have personified them, I figure that gives me license to begin talking to them. "Hellooo ladies..."
Beautiful words! And a lovely watercolor, too. :o)
My heart has been impressed of late that creation is one of the most beautiful gifts, given by the Bridegroom of heaven to His beloved.
Love the egg painting, what a clever little sausage to do that and is that your writing about your secret place? It was a joy to read!
Happy Easter!
Great writing and even better watercolor. Thanks for spreading a little brightness.
Visiting from Scot's. I very much appreciated the splendid watercolor and the marvelous images-metaphors that have come along with it. They remind me of the central place of Christ in the midst of the theodrama and how we have received a role in the play that is never ending.
Blue... you're welcome... and I always like the beauty I found over on your side of the blogosphere too.
Ted... thanks. And I'm grateful that you all are willing to read things like this from time to time.
Craver... yes, much of creation fascinates me too. You'll probably hear more about pine needles than you want to in the next year, since I've committed to doing this for at least a year (though I have a suspicion that this might become part of my "rule of life" Barton encourages)
Kirsten... indeed. And I have this little pet section in my book (unless it comes out, but then I'll just post it here!) that explores creation-as-gift.
Martin... I love how Sara draws and paints. It's a lovely thing! And yes that writing is from my Secret Place outside. Though Sara laughs and says it's not so secret when all the neighbors can watch us sitting under the tree!
Andre... thanks, and I'm glad it is a brightness to you. Easter is that odd holiday that is both great darkness and great light.
Greg... yes, I feel a little bit like part of a theodrama when I sit outside... creation is still pouring forth speech about everything from Redemption to the Glory of God, and I'm so blessed now that I've decided to take a seat in the auditorium.
thanks to Sara for her lovely egg - it makes me yearn for simpler times and the pleasure of mixing colors.
I don't know about the "secret outdoors place" in the winter - I think my southern blood has never adjusted to Chicago winters - but I know I long for the spring when it is warm enough to dig in the dirt and listen to the birds and feel the sun on my face - and it is, in those moments, that my soul is still enough as my hands are busy and my heart is happy, that I hear more clearly than any other the words of repetition on a theme - hope springs eternal, especially in the spring.
Happy Easter to you and thank you for sharing your writing - I know pine trees well - and love the thought of the long-needle pines as long fingers dripping with the gift of tears.
L.L., I hope "from time to time" doesn't sound like I meant I think it has to be limited. Not at all.
It's a gift to be able to write that way, like some of the poetic places in Scripture.
Halfmom... yes, I suppose Chicago can be rough in the winter. It gets pretty cold here too, and I've had to have especially strong commitment on those sub-zero days. Interestingly, I enjoyed the winter days as much as spring. (Never thought I'd say that!)
Do you have many pines where you are, or were they part of your growing-up place?
Ted... oh, no worries. I did not take your comment that way. But thanks for "checking in" on it nevertheless.
I love those thoughts--especially that last paragraph.
Thought provoking!
Have a happy and blessed Easter!
Ahhh what a beautiful picture you've painted with your words of your secret place.
I have visted this post a handful of times and come away with something new each time I read it. Who was it that said the real mystery of the world is the seen, not the unseen? How true.
Jennifer,
Irish,
S. Hunt... thank you for your kind and encouraging thoughts! I enjoy sharing with you.
23 Degrees... good to hear from you. Yes, isn't it funny, I've come back to read this a few times myself! (I suppose that's good when we somehow entertain and illuminate ourselves with our own writing.) The richness of what I receive outdoors each day continues to astonish me. And I'm glad it is somehow being passed on... God's gift in Creation, given and given again.
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