Saturday, March 14, 2009

“I confess, the least sin should humble the soul, but certainly the greatest sin should never discourage the soul, much less should it work the soul to despair.
Despairing Judas perished, whereas the murderers of Christ, believing on Christ, were saved. Despair is a sin exceeding vile and contemptible; it is a word of eternal reproach, dishonor and confusion; it declares the devil a conqueror; and what greater dishonor can be done to Christ, than for a soul to proclaim before all the world the devil a crowned conqueror?

A despairing soul is a terror to himself; his heart a hell of horror; his conscience a field of black blood. He hath no rest at home, nor abroad, at bed nor board, but is as if infernal devils followed him in fearful shapes, terrifying and tormenting his perplexed soul. Eternity of misery, feared or felt, begets that monster which, like Medusa’s head, astonisheth with its very aspect, and strangles hope, which is the breadth of the soul. Other miseries may wound the spirit, but despair kills it dead.” Thomas Brooks




When I went looking for a picture to go with this post I came across Regina Lafay's web-site and was taken by her art. I decided to include her comments about herself and her art as an addition to the above quote. Her comments, thought related in topic to the quote, add a further dimension. She has found expression in art and some comfort. As Christians we may suffer the same afflictions in this life, but we have a hope that may have eluded the artist. I don't say this casually or in judgment, but in sympathy. This world has miseries in it that one would think go beyond remedy, and I am thankful, as I look around me, that I have been spared as much as I have been. But I have also heard the testimonies of many in the midst of great suffering that know the peace of Christ as well as His joy. This, of course, I desire for this artist.
May she, if she hasn't, and all those in the midst of suffering, find Christ our only hope.

"Wounded"
"I had someone actually ask me “what the hell is that?” I wasn’t sure how to answer. Wounded is a combination of a skeleton and a doll. It’s confusion and chaos. It’s pain and frustration. I think it was one of the first I did while trying to figure out my bipolar symptoms, prior to diagnosis. It’s that feeling of not being put-together properly, off-centered."
Regina Lafay –

Artist's Statement
"My father contaminated my childhood with sexual and emotional abuse, causing an anxiety disorder which has carried over ten-fold into my adult life. I was only recently diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder type 2 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I also have Fibromyalgia and other related illnesses. This makes it difficult to live a “normal” life. I am in physical pain and mental anguish more often than not.
"Four therapists and two psychiatrists later…I quit my 9-5 media job, because the stress of perpetual deadlines was unmistakably damaging to my mental and physical health. However, I am now your typical starving artist. I have little money to pay bills, never mind continue my therapy. Luckily, I have art…and a few good friends!
"Through art, I am able express myself in ways I cannot put into words. I discover and I heal. And sometimes I just scream. We all need to scream, and art is a quieter, more productive way of doing so. If sharing my experience and pain helps others feel that they are not alone, I am glad to do so. It gives me some sort of validation."
-- Regina Lafay

Angry Inner Child - Regina Lafay





8 comments:

FCB said...

You lost me?

Mel said...

"And sometimes I just scream. We all need to scream, and art is a quieter, more productive way of doing so."

Excellent post. Gut-wrenching, but excellent. We can always rely on you to find snapshots of true beauty, even if they are brutal.

This post calls to mind a couple of quotes I want to share, but it'll take time to find them... More to come later! :)

FCB said...

Hi Mel,
it is interesting that you wrote that line. I showed this post to my 17 year old granddaughter and when she was finished reading it she said, "I like this", and then she lowered her voice and said softly, "we all need to scream sometimes."
It's true for me, there are times when the suffering and oppression in this world build up, when the innocent are damaged and cast down and we are powerless, so it seems, to stop it, that to sing another light chorus just leaves me hollow. I reach in my secular music and find the most emotional, power-driven music and scream along with it.

I'm looking forward to those quotes,
Fred

Joseph Pulikotil said...

Hi Fred :)

This is one of the burning international news today:

Josef Fritzl, accused of imprisoning his daughter and fathering her children, has pleaded guilty to rape and incest but not guilty to murder.

The Austrian is accused of the murder by neglect of one of his daughter's children. He also denied enslavement.

Fritzl faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison if convicted of all charges. He reportedly expects to spend the rest of his life in jail.

You can check the BBC news on the internet.

Best wishes :)

Mel said...

Okay, here's the first quote... It's actually a poem:

"prophets yell because
their hearts are one fire.

they scream at the world
trying to wake us up.

they can't help it.
after all,
God is in their throats."

from the book Story, pg 67, by Steven James

There's another one, too, relating to Judas, but I don't have time to type it now. Hopefully tonight...? :)

FCB said...

Great quote Mel, thanks,
Fred

FCB said...

Hi Joseph,
I hadn't heard of that story and there was a time when stories like this were far less prevelant, but now it is far too common. Come Lord Jesus!
Fred

Anonymous said...

A message for Regina,

I hope you will consider this: We are not bodies and brains with a soul; we are souls within a body and brain. The afflictions suffered while in the body and the diseases of the body/brain are temporary and well pass away; but, the soul is eternal.

You have been given a gift through your suffering and that gift can be used in two ways: 1) to bring temporal healing to yourself and others, in that they relate and do not feel alone; or 2) to bring eternal healing to others by drawing others to the Savior of the soul.

For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

You have experienced much darkness and I pray that God will say to your soul, “Let there be Light” and you will one day be enabled by God to use your suffering and pain and your incredible gift (brought about by your suffering) to paint the beauty of Christ into the souls of men so that they can be “healed” eternally and not just temporally.