Alison Hodgson

Expert on the etiquette of perilous times.

Archives for April 2012

O Come and Mourn With Me Awhile

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Today is Good Friday.  It’s the crux of the Christian story. 

Debby Topliff, paints entire books of the Bible in large-scale paintings. Above is her painting of the book of Mark, set to music and highlighting scenes from Palm Sunday to Easter morning. Watching this has become a Holy Week tradition for me.  

The song is by Jars of Clay and called, ” O Come and Mourn With Me Awhile.”  Debby sent me this link a year ago, when I was in the deep work of lament, which is to mourn and still hope.

A broken heart, a fount of tears
Ask and they will not be denied
A broken heart love’s cradle is
Jesus our Lord is crucified.

Jesus dying was a serious plot twist, not the way anyone around him thought it would be, even though it was exactly what Jesus said would happen.


I love the last image of the three women running from the tomb. Note that their arms are full. They brought oils to anoint Christ’s body.  Debby thinks they bookend Jesus’s life, with the three Wise Men who brought him gifts of oil in the beginning.

“They got out as fast as they could, beside themselves, their heads swimming. Stunned, they said nothing to anyone.” Mark 16:8 The Message

Oh I get that. 

Eventually Christ himself appears to Mary Magdalene, but when she tells others, no one believes her. I get that too.

Today we remember the point in the story where all hope seems to be lost.

Come and mourn with me awhile. 




Making Room, Again

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This is my study. Today my friend, Jane, came to help me sort things out.

When I wrote about my previous study, I mentioned that I haven’t been able to find a new desk that suits me. My writing group gave me a gift certificate to a lovely shop as a house warming gift almost a year ago. I have been very slow to buy things, for a variety of reasons. The main one is that I am trying to adhere to William Morris’ Golden Rule, “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” I would add to that the considerations of budget.

I stopped in that little shop the other day and noticed the desk pictured above. It was just the right size, though I had some concerns about how tall it is. It’s not as old as I like but it has simple lines and the price was so low, the gift certificate more than covered it. And then I realized, if I bought it, my writer’s group would be replacing my desk and my heart skipped a beat.

I brought it home today.

It is a little taller than is entirely comfortable, but the three drawers that deepen the apron make it worth it. All in all it’s a good fit.

We need to make a space for writing. In some ways that is figurative, and in others literal. I’m so thankful to dear friends for helping me to find and make room.