The Passage:

I bless God every chance I get: my lungs expand with his praise. I live and breathe God; if things aren’t going well, hear this and be happy: join me in spreading the news; together let’s get the word out. God met me more than half way, he freed me from my anxious fears. Look at him; give him your warmest smile. Never hide your feelings from him. When I was desperate, I called out, and God got me out of a tight spot. God’s angels set a circle of protection around us while we pray. Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see — how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him.

Ps. 34:1-8
The Message

Phrases that rose up during lectio:

“when things aren’t going well, hear this and be glad…”

“God met me more than half way…”

” Open your mouth….be glad.”

The collage:

I was pleased to find these images in just two magazines at Jen’s house. The background is a photo of the aurora borealis. It perfectly matched the thing green rim around the cracked egg. The cracked egg was an from an article on how to know when food is safe. I liked the idea of the eggshell protecting us, yet being afraid for our safety because we aren’t sure what might break through the cracks. The yellow jade ring was from an article on wearing family heirlooms. This spoke to me because in this practice, I am trying to recapture scripture as a family story, as a family heirloom. There were several rings like this in different colors on the page. I chose yellow because yellow jade means “calmness.” Two days later I found a yellow jade ring for $7 at a local import store and promptly bought it for my right hand. The whole image is encircled by a ring of chalk on an Olympic playing field. I liked that the circle is thin in places and somewhat ephemeral…because frankly, I never feel so sure that those angels are quiet lined up so well. In the whole photo, the all-female team was running off to tackle thier coach after wining a medal. I liked how that echoed the “run to him” part of the verse — even though you can’t see that part in the collage.