Farewell!

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Let The River Run

I was in a cab the other day, talking to the taxi driver about God and this song came on his radio and lit up my spirit. Made me think of this verse:

The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. - Romans 8:19

'Let The River Run' - Carly Simon

We're coming to the edge
Running on the water
Coming through the fog
Your sons and daughters

Let the river run
Let all the dreamers wake the nation
Come, the New Jerusalem.

Silver cities rise
The morning lights the streets that lead them
And sirens call them on with a song

It's asking for the taking
Trembling, shaking
Oh, my heart is aching

We're coming to the edge
Running on the water
Coming through the fog
Your sons and daughters

We the great and small
Stand on a star
And blaze a trail of desire
Through the darkening dawn

It's asking for the taking
Come run with me now
The sky is the color of blue
You've never even seen
In the eyes of your lover

Oh, my heart is aching
We're coming to the edge
Running on the water
Coming through the fog
Your sons and daughters

It's asking for the taking
Trembling, shaking
Oh, my heart is aching

We're coming to the edge
Running on the water
Coming through the fog
Your sons and daughters

Let the river run
Let all the dreamers
Wake the nation
Come, the New Jerusalem

Reminded me of this hymn that was playing in my head earlier on the same day even though I could never remember the tune before! Excited to see what God is up to in Singapore this season! Take the land!

'Jerusalem' - William Blake

And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountain green?
And was the Holy Lamb of God
On England's pleasant pastures seen?
And did the countenance divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among those dark satanic mills?

Bring me my bow of burning gold!
Bring me my arrows of desire!
Bring me my spear! O clouds, unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire!
I will not cease from mental fight,
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand,
Till we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant land.

Matthew 11:12

Take the gates of heaven and shake them with thy vehemence, as though thou wouldst pull them up post and bar and all. Stand at Mercy’s door, and take no denial. Knock, and knock, and knock again, as though thou wouldst shake the very spheres, but that thou wouldst obtain an answer to thy cries.  

‘The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.’  Matthew 11:12

Cold prayers never win God’s ear. Draw thy bow with thy full strength, if thou wouldst send thy arrow up so high as heaven. - Charles Spurgeon

The Greatest Gatsby

I know what my green light is, what's yours? I can't even count how many times I've read 'The Great Gatsby' over the years... it fueled my already burgeoning love for the 1920s and its fashions. I even started collecting flapper gowns and 20s accessories for a couple of years and formed a minor obsession with Dorothy Parker, her razor sharp tongue and the Algonquin gang. My interest in the era has since waned considerably but still, to finally watch an adaptation that does the whole zeitgeist and the opulence of the book justice was just beyond satisfying.

Riveted I tell ya, riveted from start to finish. Utterly. It was just so breathtakingly lush and gorgeous. A veritable cinematic feast. Baz Luhrmann, you are hereby pardoned for the oatmeal mess of a movie that was 'Australia'. His usual 'Go Big or Go Home' approach worked like a charm with the source material. There was just so much to take in; the sumptuous locations and superbly detailed sets interspersed with dazzling costumes, the alternately frenetic and haunting music and sweeping, swooping cinematic shots - prepare yourselves for goosebumps. Big ol' knobbly ones. He did that scene where Daisy and Jordan are introduced so perfectly with the flowing, fluttering panels of white chiffony gauze. Sigh... it's so nice to see scenes in your head come to life. There were also great comedic moments just before Gatsby and Daisy's reunion, color me surprised! I have to say, Jay Gatsby is just about the saddest character ever. If ever a man needed Jesus...

And casting director, please give yourself a hand. The acting was superb in every direction. Carey Mulligan's take on Daisy's languid voice and winsome, tremulous nature was exactly as I'd imagined. The actress who played Jordan - what a find! Like some pale, exotic, angular bird. Only throwaway moment: tiny Isla Fisher as Myrtle was not at all what I pictured but she certainly made up for her lack of girth with hussified brazenness.

And Leo, Leo was born to play Gatsby. Eat your heart out RR. Despite the fact that he was strangely Oompa Loompa-ed with orangey spray tan, I haven't liked him this much in a film since the seminal Romeo+Juliet and What's Eating Gilbert Grape?. Postdated swoon! As the lights came up, I shook myself ever so slightly and trailed out of the theater feeling like I'd been rudely awakened from some wonderfully immersive Technicolor whirl of a dream; every bit as exhilarated, disturbed and heartbroken as when I'd finished reading it the first time.

 

The Baz: A slow clap is in order sir.

"Young & Beautiful" by Lana Del Rey captured the feel of the movie so perfectly

There's nothing surer,
The rich get richer and the poor get laid off!
In the meantime,
In between time,
Ain't we got fun! - 'Ain't We Got Fun' circa 1921

Matthew 10:8

Zechariah 4:6

How good is a timely word!

 
I have better things in mind for you—salvation things! God doesn’t miss anything. He knows perfectly well all the love you’ve shown Him by helping needy Christians, and that you keep at it. And now I want each of you to extend that same intensity toward a full-bodied hope, and keep at it till the finish. Don’t drag your feet. Be like those who stay the course with committed faith and then get everything promised to them. - Hebrews 6:9-12 (MSG)



"A mark of spiritual maturity is a willingness to sacrifice personal comfort to strengthen other believers." - Henry Blackaby

Music on Mountains

Great music blog by Davide from Belgium - http://musiconmountains.wordpress.com

Mark Rothko (1903 - 1970)

The Moomins

Amuse Bouche