Glory and Beauty

This morning, I was reading the part of the Book of Exodus in which God is giving Moses instructions on how to make the priestly garments to be worn by Aaron and his sons when they enter the Tent of Meeting and the Holy Place to offer sacrifices before God. It struck me that in two different places, God's instructions are to "Make sacred vestments for your brother Aaron to symbolize glory and beauty", and later, "Make tunics, sashes, and hats for Aaron's sons to express glory and beauty". (Italics added for emphasis.)

God even tells Moses to "Consult with the skilled craftsmen, those whom I have gifted in this work, and arrange for them to make Aaron's vestments...."

In the midst of what feels like rather dry reading, I find it somehow comforting to see that the things that make my heart race a little faster--glory and beauty--are also on the heart of God. In fact, I think they reflect His very character. It's not just that He appreciates glory and beauty, it's that glory and beauty are part of who God is!

I love that God directs Moses to go consult with the skilled craftsmen, and that He even calls those craftsmen "those whom I have gifted in this work". As an artist, it is very affirming to see that God values artists and artistry and that He is explicit in letting Moses know that He has gifted them in this work.

Often in my adult life, I have felt like the very talents with which God has gifted me are the very hardest skills with which to earn a living. I have felt like a dreamer most of the time and like a slacker during a few low points, but during those golden moments when I am working as an actress--when I am doing exactly what God has created me to do--time seems to stand still, because in those precious moments, I am able to reflect the beauty and the glory of God, simply by being who He made me to be and by doing what He made me to do. Those brief moments in the grand scheme of life shine like stars in the night sky of my memories, and I hope they will bring glory to my great God for all eternity!

Tell About a Book You Really Enjoyed

Ladies, get thee to a bookstore or library, and pick up a copy of this novel! (Or buy it online here.)

Warning: You may be up 'til all hours reading, because it is impossible to put this book down.

Set during the days of the California Gold Rush, Francine Rivers beautifully crafts a modern-day retelling of the biblical story of Hosea, whose love for his unfaithful prostitute of a wife just won't quit. (And you thought the Bible didn't have stories like that!) 

Historical fiction meets romance in this heart-gripping story that you won't soon forget. I actually read this book in 2001, and seven years later, the story is still with me. I know a lot of women who have read this book, and every last one of them raves on and on about it! If that's not enough of an endorsement, it has a five star rating on Amazon.

I loved it, and I hope you enjoy it, too!

Books: A Meme

My blog buddy J from Thinking About tagged me earlier this week for this meme.

What book are you reading right now?  I just finished reading a book called The Life You've Always Wanted: Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People by John Ortberg.  Hubs and I read and discussed it on a chapter-a-week basis with a group of friends.  I included a passage from the book in a post I wrote here.

What was the last book you read on a plane? Flying back from Texas last week, I read the play Amadeus by Peter Shaffer.  It is a wonderful play about Antonio Salieri's competitive friendship with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and on a deeper level about Salieri's anger at God for not giving him the same degree of fame and success that he gave Mozart.  You may remember the Academy Award winning movie by the same title from the '80s.  (J, did you enjoy my use of the apostrophe?)

What was the last book you read on a roadtrip? I, too, have a guilty pleasure called People Magazine! 

What is the most unusual place you found yourself reading? Three o'clock in the morning.  (That's a place, right?) A really good fiction novel keeps me reading long into the wee hours.

What books would you take to keep you occupied on a two week vacation to the beach? My sister gave me a book years ago that I really want to read called A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers.  It is the first in a trilogy called The Mark of the Lion.  It is historical fiction set during the time of the gladiators.  I have heard nothing but raves about the series.  Rivers also wrote one of my favorite fiction reads of all time called Redeeming Love.  If you haven't read it, go buy it now.  It is a retelling of Hosea's story, set in San Francisco during the gold rush. That book definitely kept me up 'til the wee hours because I simply could not tear myself away from it.  The book has nearly 500 reviews on Amazon and a 5 star rating.  It's really excellent!

I definitely have some readers in my life who I'd like to tag for this meme:

Hubs at The White Stone

Sharon at Grab the Fish

Jennifer at Jennifer Disney Photo Blog