frozen grapes

My roommate is out of town until tomorrow which makes the house super quiet and a little lonely. But I still have plenty to keep me busy. Saw the Spain and Germany game today at the pub with K. Despite my love of my German roots, today found me cheering for Espana. They haven't won the world cup yet, and they just earned it more than Germany did. So sorry Deutschland. Vamos Espana!!!

I had a lovely quiet time outside this morning. It was an uncharacteristically cool morning for midway through July, so I was soaking it up, enjoying the cool morning before the blazing hot ones that are sure to come. Anyway, I was thinking about beauty (big surprise there...I have a bit of a fascination with beauty), and I realized that the most perfect and complete beauty comes from a manifestation of God in a person's life.

There are two specific instances in Song of Solomon where the Bridegroom praises the beauty of the Bride. The first is in Chapter 4 and the second is in Chapter 6. The first time the Beloved praises her beauty, He is telling her what He sees. The second time He praises her beauty He not only tells her what He sees, He says that everyone else sees it as well. What happens in between these to instances is that she experiences the dark night of the soul. She doesn't respond to His calling, and when she does it appears to be too late. She is wounded and ridiculed when she does seek Him with all her heart.

And out of that place of hurt and anguish she cries out with praise for the Beloved. In her heart there is revealed to her what she desires most in the world...her Beloved. In that manifestation of this great desire in her heart, she is transformed in such a manner that "the young women saw her and called her blessed; the queens and concubines also, and they praised her." (Song of Solomon 6:9)

True, radiant beauty comes from the manifestation of God's Spirit in our lives. And it spills over so that everyone around us is touched by it and can see it clearly displayed.

There's Hope - India Arie

Peace out yo!!

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