Reflections

I recently received a comment on my photographs. It was quite interesting, but I though I would choose this fragment to expound further upon:

"Icons above the archway. Sunlight is shining directly
on them, making the halos glow."


I found her selection of words fascinating, insightful and
even "illuminating" by making the connection between
Sunlight and the "Glowing Halo". Her words are reflective
of the origin of Ukrainian iconography and its connection
to the Halo as a symbolic representation of divine authority
in ancient times...

While the comment focused on the symbolism behind the use of the sun as a symbol of Divine authority, I though I would focus more on the icons, and why they were glowing: they were not shining with their own light. Quite the opposite in fact; when the sun set further, they were quite drab. The halos were glowing because they were reflecting the light of the sun, making for a breathtaking sight.

Now, those icons depict the Saints. Likewise, they are not remembered for their own light, their own righteousness, but because they reflected the light of the Son. Without Christ, we are nothing; it is His light that makes us glow.

Photo Tour of Kyiv

Got most of my pictures sorted out. Still got a few more, but you can see a bunch of pretty churches and stuff now. :-P

http://plaza.ufl.edu/mikrav

Happy Birthday to...

Today is Mozart's 250th birthday. In his short lifespan, he wrote numerous symphonies, operas, concertos, and a great amount of chamber and keyboard music. Although these works are lesser known, he also wrote a great amount of religious music, including masses and his famous Requiem. Mozart's music is known for clarity, balance, and simplicity which still portrays a great amount of emotion.

This sounds like a bad joke...

What do six organists going on a field trip listen to in the van?

Hymns (just the organ part, no choir ;) ). We sing the first verse, and then, for the remainder, critique the organist's style and choice of registration...

computer

Got a new computer. Hooking up the old one to it in order to transfer my files is not providing any results, however. They simply refuse to recognize one another. As a result, I'm rather annoyed at the things right now.

fun fun

Classes start up again tomorrow. This semester has me whining about:

Music Theory 4
Organ
Accompanying
Organic Chemistry 2
Organic Chemistry Lab
Biology 2
Biology Lab 2

umm...

Do I really look like Jennifer Lopez in this picture? That face recognition site Bunnie posted seems to think so...

more thoughts

There's an American mission project in Ukraine that American churches donate millions of dollars to. The local people, for the most part, despise them. We went and talked to them while we were in Kyiv. On the cover, they look really great. Feed widows, establish churches, visit orphanages, etc. However, I can understand why the locals hate them. Their policy is to, for example, visit an orphanage, give out candy and clothes, put on some evangelistic program, and leave. Meanwhile, the building can have a leaky bathroom or whatever, but you just can't put money into the hands of locals because you can't trust them. I get the feeling that they'll give you a plate of soup and watch you eat it. I'm sorry, but you aren't going to reach the people by treating them like "You don't know any better, so I'll teach you how to do everything." Very arrogant. Living in an upscale apartment in the center of the city doesn't help either, or obviously spending lots of money on advertising, youth choruses and orchestras, and the like. (These are the same people who founded Holy Trinity Presbyterian in Kyiv, although the board of directors also has Lutherans and Baptists on it.)

On the other hand, the person who struck me as a true evangelist was the somewhat annoying Pentecostalish local minister who could have emigrated to Germany, and almost did, but chose instead to stay in a dying village taking care of the people who hate him and his Christianity, and living off of providence. He was practically begging for outside help though...he told us that he can talk about Jesus all he can, but until the old widow with 6 kids gets her roof fixed, or some means to support herself, the Gospel will mean nothing to her.

ick

It's too hot here. Silly Florida having 75 degree weather in January. Give me back my snow.