Bravo to "Dove" for this commercial...their premise is "you are more beautiful than you believe"...oh, if we could just teach all our young people to believe this...or to at least see themselves as we see them.
Showing posts with label Beauty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beauty. Show all posts
Monday, May 20, 2013
Friday, March 22, 2013
Musical Mice
I try to find a moment or two each day to spend in the pure enjoyment of "being". Whether it is music, a book or story, a picture or piece of art, or perhaps a little knowledge that I did not have before, it is a gift that I relish and enjoy. This was today's discovery:
Orchestra Da Camera is a musical installation in which the 40 elements of the chamber are mais running on their wheels.
Each wheel its connected to a carillon and when it turns the carillon starts playing its musical note. The great number of carillons and the random actions of the living creatures makes unrecognizable the melodies (lullabies by Brahms, Schubert and Mozart ) creating an unexpected musical carpet determined by the mice.
Orchestra Da Camera is a musical installation in which the 40 elements of the chamber are mais running on their wheels.
Each wheel its connected to a carillon and when it turns the carillon starts playing its musical note. The great number of carillons and the random actions of the living creatures makes unrecognizable the melodies (lullabies by Brahms, Schubert and Mozart ) creating an unexpected musical carpet determined by the mice.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Beauty
This was originally posted on 9/19/08 but I felt it was time to pull it out again...
It has been said that truth,
goodness and beauty are the 3 fundamental values. Anything worth
anything can be judged by these 3 standards. Everything is either true
or false, good or evil, beautiful or ugly. But do we see the beauty in
our world?
Have you ever heard "Stop and smell the roses"? Not only does this statement encourage us to slow down but also to observe the world around us.
Not long ago Gene Weingarten staged an experiment during morning rush hour in Washington DC. A normal looking, youngish white man in jeans, long sleeve t-shirt and a baseball cap went into the subway station, removed a violin from its case and began to play. He left the case open and put a few dollars in it to encourage people to give but the main focus was to see how many people would stop and listen to the beautiful music. You see, the young man playing was Joshua Bell who is one of the finest classical musicians in the world and he was playing on a Stradivarius violin worth 3.5 million dollars.
During the next 43 minutes he performed 6 classical pieces and 1,097 people passed by...did they recognize the beauty in their midst? No. He was almost entirely ignored...out of all the people who passed (1,097) only six or seven people even noticed.
Some might say that it was because of the type of music as many are not classical music lovers; but this goes deeper than that. We have become so wrapped up in our own lives that we cannot (or do not) take the time to observe what is all around us. God is beauty and true beauty, wherever it resides, is a glimpse of God Himself. Take some time to see Him in your world.
Have you ever heard "Stop and smell the roses"? Not only does this statement encourage us to slow down but also to observe the world around us.
Not long ago Gene Weingarten staged an experiment during morning rush hour in Washington DC. A normal looking, youngish white man in jeans, long sleeve t-shirt and a baseball cap went into the subway station, removed a violin from its case and began to play. He left the case open and put a few dollars in it to encourage people to give but the main focus was to see how many people would stop and listen to the beautiful music. You see, the young man playing was Joshua Bell who is one of the finest classical musicians in the world and he was playing on a Stradivarius violin worth 3.5 million dollars.
During the next 43 minutes he performed 6 classical pieces and 1,097 people passed by...did they recognize the beauty in their midst? No. He was almost entirely ignored...out of all the people who passed (1,097) only six or seven people even noticed.
Some might say that it was because of the type of music as many are not classical music lovers; but this goes deeper than that. We have become so wrapped up in our own lives that we cannot (or do not) take the time to observe what is all around us. God is beauty and true beauty, wherever it resides, is a glimpse of God Himself. Take some time to see Him in your world.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Body Image
As always happens, the "New Year" brings body image (and self image) issues to a head. After all, we seem to be constantly inundated with gym memberships, diet plans, and a hundred other ways to spend our money and make us "look" better. But according to whom? To those who love and cherish us, or to those whose pockets we are filling?
Why aren't we encouraged to focus on being healthy in our mind, body and spirit rather than to just be a size Zero? However are we supposed to compete with the cult of celebrity? Those who say that if you are larger than this, you're fat and not worthy...if you don't use these products, your hair, teeth, face, fingernails aren't perfect so you are not worthy...if you don't wear these clothes, shoes, sunglasses or drive this car or take these vacations you are not worthy. If you don't fit into the media stereotype then you deserve to be ridiculed because you are not worthy. Really? Am I supposed to judge myself against society's photo-shopped, surgically enhanced standards? Are we to believe that our outward appearance is the true measure by which we should be judged?
It is no wonder that studies show our children are suffering. How could they ever hope to compete? Even worse, why are we teaching them that they are supposed to compete on these levels? What about the hundreds and thousands and millions of beautiful minds and souls? Doesn't the Bible teach us that God looks at our hearts? If you feel then need to make a resolution for the New Year, why not choose one that really matters? Commit to love, nurture and encourage yourself and those around you to be as beautiful as you and they can be...from the inside.
Why aren't we encouraged to focus on being healthy in our mind, body and spirit rather than to just be a size Zero? However are we supposed to compete with the cult of celebrity? Those who say that if you are larger than this, you're fat and not worthy...if you don't use these products, your hair, teeth, face, fingernails aren't perfect so you are not worthy...if you don't wear these clothes, shoes, sunglasses or drive this car or take these vacations you are not worthy. If you don't fit into the media stereotype then you deserve to be ridiculed because you are not worthy. Really? Am I supposed to judge myself against society's photo-shopped, surgically enhanced standards? Are we to believe that our outward appearance is the true measure by which we should be judged?
It is no wonder that studies show our children are suffering. How could they ever hope to compete? Even worse, why are we teaching them that they are supposed to compete on these levels? What about the hundreds and thousands and millions of beautiful minds and souls? Doesn't the Bible teach us that God looks at our hearts? If you feel then need to make a resolution for the New Year, why not choose one that really matters? Commit to love, nurture and encourage yourself and those around you to be as beautiful as you and they can be...from the inside.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Stars....
The sun has one kind of glory, while the moon and stars each have another kind. And even the stars differ from each other in their glory.
1 Corinthians 15:41
Even though we are small, we are gloriously so...and like the stars, each different from the other. We serve a marvelous God!
Friday, September 24, 2010
Prehistoric Art
I believe that art and music are created within the soul and are spiritual expressions...
For years I have been fascinated by the prehistoric cave paintings found throughout the world. I can't help but believe that those who were able to throw off the limitations of their time and create such beauty were truly close to God and the earth...
Whether the paintings were created as a form of storytelling, as a pictorial history or merely to beautify their living space...
I am pleased they have been preserved to be enjoyed even today...to check out one such site...visit here.
Enjoy!
For years I have been fascinated by the prehistoric cave paintings found throughout the world. I can't help but believe that those who were able to throw off the limitations of their time and create such beauty were truly close to God and the earth...
Whether the paintings were created as a form of storytelling, as a pictorial history or merely to beautify their living space...
I am pleased they have been preserved to be enjoyed even today...to check out one such site...visit here.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Be Beautiful
1 Peter 3:4 tells us, "Be beautiful inside, in your hearts, with the lasting charm of a gentle and quiet spirit which is so precious to God."
As per usual, this verse goes against everything society teaches us today. It seems no one cares if you have a beautiful heart. What about the face and body? We are constantly reminded that unless we are rich, young, thin and beautiful...we don't count for much.
Look at the celebrities we are expected to imitate...many are beautiful and meet all of the above criteria. But how many have a beautiful heart? Some would ask, how many have a heart at all? In their world it is all about me, me, me. Now before you start about the money donated (it's a wonderful gesture but if I commanded the fees they do per movie, I could give a million also and never miss a beat), countries visited (how many have they truly left a better place) or the children adopted (let's not even go there)let us look at what is not done for publicity.
If they truly were giving money and time for charitable purposes, you wouldn't know about it. They would perform these acts in secret. And what have they done to perpetuate the cult of celebrity? If you met face to face would they look you in the eye and hold a conversation? Would they care about what you had to say?
I'm not trying to condemn them all. As with every group, there are those who do try and I say...Bravo! But when you're watching a movie or reading an article or listening to an interview...don't let them make you feel inferior...remember 1 Peter 3:4...because your beautiful heart is precious to God...isn't that worth so much more than the praise of man?
As per usual, this verse goes against everything society teaches us today. It seems no one cares if you have a beautiful heart. What about the face and body? We are constantly reminded that unless we are rich, young, thin and beautiful...we don't count for much.
Look at the celebrities we are expected to imitate...many are beautiful and meet all of the above criteria. But how many have a beautiful heart? Some would ask, how many have a heart at all? In their world it is all about me, me, me. Now before you start about the money donated (it's a wonderful gesture but if I commanded the fees they do per movie, I could give a million also and never miss a beat), countries visited (how many have they truly left a better place) or the children adopted (let's not even go there)let us look at what is not done for publicity.
If they truly were giving money and time for charitable purposes, you wouldn't know about it. They would perform these acts in secret. And what have they done to perpetuate the cult of celebrity? If you met face to face would they look you in the eye and hold a conversation? Would they care about what you had to say?
I'm not trying to condemn them all. As with every group, there are those who do try and I say...Bravo! But when you're watching a movie or reading an article or listening to an interview...don't let them make you feel inferior...remember 1 Peter 3:4...because your beautiful heart is precious to God...isn't that worth so much more than the praise of man?
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
A woman...
Proverbs 31: 30 - 31 tells us "Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned..."
Society's image and God's image of the perfect woman are worlds apart. If we look to what the "world" wants us to be we will spend our lives totally consumed with our outward appearance. We are told to be this size, wear these clothes, drive this car, have this career, etc. Unrealistic goals to say the least. Not to mention being shameful...if we followed the worlds advice, we would all be cookie cutter images of a vain and shallow human.
God does not concern Himself with our outward appearance...He is concerned with the heart and soul. Funny thing though, if you ever see a woman who matches the description in Proverbs you'll be amazed at how her inward beauty shines through to the surface and makes her well, beautiful!
Society's image and God's image of the perfect woman are worlds apart. If we look to what the "world" wants us to be we will spend our lives totally consumed with our outward appearance. We are told to be this size, wear these clothes, drive this car, have this career, etc. Unrealistic goals to say the least. Not to mention being shameful...if we followed the worlds advice, we would all be cookie cutter images of a vain and shallow human.
God does not concern Himself with our outward appearance...He is concerned with the heart and soul. Funny thing though, if you ever see a woman who matches the description in Proverbs you'll be amazed at how her inward beauty shines through to the surface and makes her well, beautiful!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Hubble
With astronauts working on changes/ repairs, this final picture from the WFP camera aboard the Hubble. It has brought us so many amazing images and shared the beauty of God's universe...
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