Resurrection Mural by Ron Dicianni

I've come across wonderful artwork by Ron Dicianni in the past and just learned of this beautiful mural of the Resurrection that took him two years to paint. It's now displayed in the Museum of Biblical Art in Dallas, Texas. Dicianni even enlisted the help of four other prominent Christian artists as some of his models. Thomas Blackshear posed as Abraham, Michael Dudash as Isaiah, Morgan Weistling as David, and Chris Hopkins as John the Baptist.

Pictured from left to right:
Abraham, Isaiah, David, Moses, (an angel on either side of Jesus), Elijah, Noah, Queen Esther, John the Baptist, Daniel

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,
let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles,
and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."

[Hebrews 12:1, verse used for artist's inspiration]

-> Read more as Dicianni describes his painting and its inspiration...

Watch video!

The Colours of Canada

With today being Canada Day, I had this song in my head...

♫♪ ♫♪♪♫
"This land is your land, This land is my land,
From Bonavista, to Vancouver Island
From the Arctic Circle to the Great Lakes waters,
This land was made for you and me."

And it made me think of all the beautiful places
in this country of mine,
so I ventured on my own virtual tour,
collecting favourite photos of Canadian scenes.

Gray Monk Estate Winery, British Columbia

Upper Arrow Lake, British Columbia


Banff National Park, Alberta

Moraine Lake, Banff, Alberta

Saskatchewan

Coronach, Saskatchewan

Manitoba

Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Ontario

Rideau Canal, Ottawa, Ontario
(I get to enjoy this lovely view each Sunday
as I cross this bridge on my way to church)

Niagara Falls, Ontario

Georgian Bay, Ontario

Quebec City

Eastern Townships, Quebec


Hopewell Rocks, Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick

Fundy National Park, New Brunswick

Cabot Trail, Nova Scotia

& again... Cabot Trail, Nova Scotia
Orwell Cove, Prince Edward Island

Green Gables, Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island

Western Brook Pond, Newfoundland

Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland

Whitehorse, Yukon

Firth River, Yukon

Blackford Lake, Northwest Territories

Nunavut

Baffin Island, Nunavut


I'm in awe of the beauty and splendor found in this country
and humbled by the majesty of God's creation!

Pentecost Sunday

"Through the Holy Spirit we are restored to paradise,
led back to the Kingdom of heaven, and adopted as children,
given confidence to call God "Father"
and to share in Christ's grace,
called children of light and given a share in eternal glory."

- St. Basil

'In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
I will show wonders in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.'

Acts 2: 17-21

Celebrating the birthday of the Church!

Why - by Michael Card

WHY

Why did it have to be a friend
Who chose to betray the Lord
Why did he use a kiss to show them
That's not what a kiss is for
Only a friend can betray a friend
A stranger has nothing to gain
And only a friend comes close enough
To ever cause so much pain

And why did there have to be a thorny
Crown pressed upon His head
It should have been a royal one
Made of jewels and gold instead
It had to be a crown of thorns
For in this life that we live
For all who seek to love a thorn
Is all the world has to give

And why did there have to be
A heavy cross He was made to bear
And why did they nail His feet and hands
His love would have held Him there
It was a cross for on a cross
A thief was supposed to pay
And Jesus had come into the world
To steal every heart away
Yes, Jesus had come into the world
To steal every heart away

Listen to song on Youtube

(This is one of my very favourite songs written by Michael Card, from his CD, "The Life")

Christmas Meditation

Meditation on John 1:1-18
from the Word Among Us for the Nativity of our Lord

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. (John 1:14)

O you chosen of God, sing and exult with all the angels of heaven! The Word has been made flesh. He who was in the beginning with God, overseeing everything that came to be, has become man and lived among us. The longing of all of creation has been fulfilled, and the world is forever transformed.

O you redeemed of the Lord, rejoice! Grace and truth have come to earth in the person of Jesus. A child in a manger reveals the unfathomable glory of God. No longer do we rely only on his Law to know him. He has come to us, and in his presence we behold the depths of God’s love.

O you children of God, open your mouths in praise! We have beheld personally the glory of the Father’s only Son. His grace and truth were made visible to us in the mystery of his incarnation. He is no longer far off from us in our suffering and emptiness. He whom heaven itself cannot hold has taken on our flesh and dwelt among us.

O you beloved of God, bow down and worship the One who has made you his children! Kneel at the manger in awe that this humble baby holds in his person the power to take away all that separates you from God, to restore you to wholeness, and to open the gates of heaven for you.

O you enlivened by his life, celebrate! He has brought light and life where once there was darkness and death. The light of the world shines in the darkness, and the darkness will never overcome it. Victory is ours because Christ has come!

“Jesus, I receive your life today. I believe that you are the revelation of the Father, the Light of the World, the Word become flesh. I open my heart to you today—to you whom darkness cannot vanquish, to you who have conquered sin and opened the gates of heaven. Jesus, may I gaze upon your glory forever!”