Happy Anniversary Of Your Birthday, Roxanne!

Roxanne is an artistic, vibrant, and prolific blogger whose marvelous mosaic of photographs and quotations provide her loyal readers with daily inspiration. She is not only the mother of the incredible Nyssa, but, a pathologist and devoted daughter and sister. We share favorite composers, Beethoven and Bach, and a best loved artist, Caravaggio. We are mutual and devoted fans of Vicki's esteemed blog, Outside In, and I thank Vicki for introducing me to the magnificent Mélange! Apparently, Roxanne's extraordinarily handsome photos will soon be delighting our senses even more, thanks to her brother's perfectly chosen gift!

Because Roxanne shares a birthday with Martin Luther King and has a special reason for loving opera, I humbly post an MLK Day tribute to the great operatic contralto,
Marian Anderson.



Marian Anderson as photographed by Richard Avedon

Sometimes I feel discouraged and think my work’s in vain,
But then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again.
There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole;
There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin sick soul.

If you cannot preach like Peter, if you cannot pray like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus and say, "He died for all."
There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole;
There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin sick soul.

Don’t ever feel discouraged, for Jesus is your friend;
And if you lack for knowledge, He’ll never refuse to lend.
There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole;
There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin sick soul.
~There Is a Balm in Gilead/African American Spiritual


Bonnie and Roxanne by Caravaggio
(Mary Magdalene Condemning Martha's Vanity)*
Detroit Institute of Art
*It's your birthday, Roxanne - I'm Martha.

Happy New Year!

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.~John 16:33

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ~ eight maids-a-milking! What a lovely way to remember the eight beatitudes from Matthew 5:3-12:

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,
for they shall possess the earth.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice,
for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure of heart,
for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called sons of God.

Blessed are they who suffer persecution for justice sake,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

The Milkmaid by Jan Vermeer (c. 1600)

Beatitudo is Latin for happiness. I wish you happiness and blessedness, even in times of tribulation, in the New Year and always!