It has been a few months now. We have been on some dates. I took my Bible to Gaylord's in Piedmont and we chatted over a mocha. It was a lovely way to spend an afternoon, in the sun at a cozy coffee shop, watching the people on the street and wrestling with matters of scripture. We have had many an evening ride on BART, and I am increasingly comfortable together in public.
I have even noticed other people out with their Bibles. I was passing through my local suburban Starbucks on my way to work one evening, and sat next to a group of middle aged men having a very animated discussion, each with their very own Bible. What distinguished this experience for me (as I am from the Midwest) is that I could not understand the conversation--it was in Spanish. I was beginning to understand the relationship these men had with the books in their lap even without understanding their words, simply from my own experience.
So our newest activity together has been drawing. I often say I do not draw enough. It brings me great joy, and soothes my stress, so why can't I make time for it? Anyway, my spiritual director has been encouraging me to draw with my Bible. Lo and behold, my internship provided me the opportunity to (I often need a push). I am making a series of Advent banners for MBCC. Yes, banners seem a little traditional for MBCC... but back to the point.
Each week of Advent has a theme, and of course, lectionary scripture that goes with it. I have curled up with the lectionary passages, digging for images that relate to the themes. For peace, I was struck by the active nature of peace. Peace is movement. Peace is walking. Peace is going out. Peace is spreading. I combined images of peace with images of movement. This week will be hope--my hope comes through the branch of the tree of Jesse, grown from a stump. This branch came to baptize with fire and the holy spirit... images I am currently struggling to weave together.
When I finally bring my whole self to my relationship with the Bible, instead of my awkward first date self, the relationship is transformed. When I understand the words through the work of my hands, their meaning cuts deeply into my soul and grows.
So next time, instead of just taking my Bible to a coffee shop, I will take my Bible and my sketchbook.
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