Why does God allow death? (My newest Assemblage)

untitled, originally uploaded by Bascom Hogue.

Why does God allow death? I don't know.
Thank you to Anita Yoder Kehr. She makes me feel better by saying wise things:
The writer of Psalm 90 has it right: The span of our days is fleeting. Each day that I wake is one less day that I live. And so the most obvious gift in entering the mystery of dying and living is the gift of appreciating the ordinary: waking and sleeping, heartbeat and pulse, the rhythms of the seasons and the unexpected joy of blue sky and warmth in November, the smile of a child, the wisdom of an elder. The truth of the fleetingness of the span of our lives also teaches that each day becomes a gift of opportunity. Each day becomes more precious—a gift of potential to see and to be and to experience and to grow and to love and to serve and to discover. (Now even as I say that I think about one of my favorite books which is, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Not every day is wonderful—or even filled with wonder. Some are really awful—and for reasons well beyond not getting the breakfast cereal you really wanted. But every day is opportunity.) Can we give thanks? Yes. Oh, yes we can.
The Apostle Paul also “has it right” in his letter to the Colossians: To those who belong to Christ Jesus, God offers spiritual knowledge and wisdom and understanding so that we can lead lives worthy of our calling, bearing the good fruit of the Spirit more and more each day. In the dailiness of those opportunities for growth and deepening, we are also being prepared to endure the hard things—those awful days—that each of us will indeed need to endure—and to be able to endure them with both patience and with thanksgiving. Death is one of those hard things.
One of the ways that I’ve often dealt with those things that are fearfully difficult--to me at least--is to look around at those who have done the same thing before and say, “Look, they’ve gotten through it. So I can too.” A test? A presentation? Going through labor and delivering a baby? Lots of people have done it and survived, and so I can, too. The thing about death is that there are those who have gone near and returned--like Neuhaus--but there aren’t so many who, having died, returned to give reassurance to those who come after. But there is One, and that One who promises to make a way for those who come after.
Colossians 1:15-20
As hard as death may be to face when our time comes, Jesus Christ has gone before and broken the power of death over humanity. God’s love is steadfast, faithful, reconciling, and eternal, and the presence of the Holy Spirit will not desert us in our extremity. Everything is ready. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death is your sting? (2 Corinthians 15:55) Can we give thanks? Yes. Oh yes, we can.

We miss Riley

This Morning Our Dog Riley Died Unexpectedly

Here he is sleeping yesterday. This morning he got up and was not feeling well. Two hours later at the veterinarian's office he vomited blood and died. He had an advanced stage of cancer and bleeding in his insides. I loved him very much and I will miss him for ever.

Sock Monkey and Medusa

Sock Monkey and Medusa, originally uploaded by Bascom Hogue.

I think that context and scale are important qualities for art. Sock Monkey is always ready to give perspective. You can see because of his perspective, Medusa has no effect on Sock Monkey.

Poor Medusa

I like to carve plaster and above is my latest work.

Medusa in Myth
Medusa was a terrible monster who had laid waste to the country. She was once a beautiful maiden whose hair was her chief glory, but as she dared to vie in beauty with Athena, the goddess deprived her of her charms and changed her beautiful ringlets into hissing serpents. She became a cruel monster of so frightening an aspect that no living thing could behold her without being turned into stone. All around the cavern where she dwelt might be seen the stony figures of men and animals which had chanced to catch a glimpse of her and had been petrified with the sight. Perseus, favored by Athena and Hermes, the former of whom lent him her shield and the latter his winged shoes, approached Medusa while she slept, and taking care not to look directly at her, but guided by her image reflected in the bright shield which he bore, he cut off her head and gave it to Athena, who fixed it in the middle of her Aegis. from Bulfinch's Mythology

Many later images of Medusa thwart our expectations of what she should look like. From the previous story, we are led to believe that she was a creature so hideous in appearance that her very glance could petrify the viewer. However, in works such as the Medusa Rondanini, Medusa has the face of a beautiful woman. It is only her expression of deep sorrow - and the intertwined snakes around her head - that hint that this is a representation of the monster of myth and legend. This manner of depiction reveals that Medusa was originally a lovely woman - it was her tragedy that she was foolish enough to compare herself to a goddess.

In our house the days of childhood are officially over

In our house the days of childhood are officially over. The offspring are off to study and the house is just me, momma, and the two dogs. I think that if one can afford it, one's kids should not have to work while in college. And I worked hard to make it happen for our family. Now, I can relax and get back to my research and art.
Recently my asthma acted up and I did not take good care of it and ended up hospital. I guess my time is not yet up - fate should not tempt me. The after effect was I have been extremely tired for many days. However, my chest is feeling better and I am ready to get back in action. Oh so many blogs to visit, and projects to complete.

Major Astro, a blast from my childhood