My Perspective on Sufjan Stevens’ Song Vesuvius
To me, the song ‘Vesuvius’ by Sufjan Stevens, is almost a worship song. Not a typical one. And others might say it has nothing to do with God at all. To me it’s a song about choosing to follow God. To prefer Him above all things.
Vesuvius, I am here, you are all I have
Fire of fire, I’m insecure, for it has all been made to plan
Though I know I will fail I can now be made to laugh
For in life as in death I’d rather be burned than be living in death
Vesuvius, are you a ghost? Or the symbols of light or a fantasy host?
In your breast, I carry the form, the heart of the earth and the weapons of warmth
Vesuvius, the tragic oath, for you have destroyed with the elegant smoke
Oracle, I follow at last, to pay for the feast of the permanent blessed
Vesuvius, oh, be kind, it hasn’t occurred, no, it hasn’t been said
Sufjan, follow the path, it leads to an article of imminent death
Sufjan, follow your heart, follow the flame or fall on the floor
Sufjan, the panic inside, the murdering ghost that you cannot ignore
Vesuvius, fire of fire, fall on me now as I favor the ghost
Vesuvius, fire of fire, fall on me now as I favor your host
(It’s in your favor)
Follow me now or fall on your death
(It’s in your favor)
Why does it have to be so hard?
And if you enjoyed reading this, I think you might like these things as well:
Chalk Art on The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
This was maybe the first movie that really spoke to me visually. My best friend...
This Relient K Song Will Help You To Let Go Of Your Heart Aches
When life feels hard or when you don’t understand why things are happening, it is...
Practice Resurrection – My Favorite Poem by Wendell Berry
Expect the end of the world. Laugh. Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful though you have...
What I Learned From My 90-year-old Friend
When we got to know each other we were surprised at how similar we were,...
A Revolutionary Thought
"What a revolutionary thought;that God is all we hoped He’d be,closer than the air we...
The Second Coming of the Trees – A Poem by Wendell Berry
The country where he lives is haunted by a ghost of an old forest. In...
“I’m so Glad I Live in a World Where There are Octobers” – From Anne of Green Gables
“October was a beautiful month at Green Gables, when the birches in the hollow turned...
Oh, I Smell Spring!
“It was a bland day in early April and spring was looking at you round...
You Are Alive
“And what is it like: to be alive in this maybe one place of all...
The Man Who Turned Pain into Ecstatic Beauty
Dr. Who is a time traveler and in this episode he takes the painter Vincent...
What it Means to Be Yourself – Inspired by Virginia Woolf
To be yourself is not as straightforward as it sounds. In fact, yourself has everything...
The Undiscovered – My Favorite Worship Song
This song is one of my favorite worship songs. The lyrics and the music together...
What Love Really Means
Love. It’s a word often used. But what does it mean? In a dictionary love...
Not a Dancer? Try This Instead
Follow Napoleon Dynamite's example
I’ll Show You The Sky
This song reminds me of summer. Of little things that bring joy. Give it time...
Practical Remedies Against Melancholy – By Sydney Smith
Sydney Smith was born in the 18th century and writes about his solutions to melancholy...
Thoughts on Hope at the Post Office – By John Berger
“The post office at Auxonne is small and the postmistress has blue eyes. I have...
A Hopeful Song for When You Don’t Feel Strong
Sometimes songs say it better than anything else. As long as God surrounds us with...
7 Questions to Ask Yourself to Become A Better You. – by A.W. Tozer
In the following passage from the book ‘That Incredible Christian’ A.W. Tozer helps us to...
Herman Brood & Henk Binnendijk
Henk Binnendijk in gesprek met Herman Brood. Geen logische combinatie, maar het levert wel interessante...
You Are Not Who You Were Last November
“The human body essentially recreates itself every six months. Nearly every cell of hair and...
“Let’s Be More Real With Each Other.” – Interview with Thirze
I would love it if we would communicate more of what we really think and...
My Perspective on Sufjan Stevens’ Song Vesuvius
To me it is almost a worship song. Not a typical one. And others might...
Be Reminded of The Greatness of God
This song is simple in melody and lyrics, but it can linger in me for...
5 Wonderful Ideas from Illustrator & Designer Olle Eksell
Olle could not draw people very well, still he became a very influential illustrator. Learn...
Tell Him What You’ve Never Dared to Say Out Loud
You can end up having all you desire, yet end up lonely anyway. You can...
Light
Find my way back to the light through light
Van Gogh’s Advice on Dealing With Suffering
Vincent van Gogh suffered a lot in his lifetime. He was very poor, didn’t have...
How to Alter the Past
This letter is one of the most interesting and thought-provoking things I’ve read so far....
Turning Sadness into Joy – Vincent van Gogh’s Life
He was very poor, got heartbroken several times, got betrayed by friends, had a complicated...
Don’t Turn Down This Invitation!
"There is only one invitation it would kill me to refuse, yet I’m tempted to...
Who is God? (According to St. Augustine)
A couple of years ago I started reading the book ‘Confessions’ by st. Augustine and...
Oscar Wilde’s Take on The Bible
When Oscar Wilde ends up in prison, he starts to read the Bible and writes...
“God is Here When We Are Wholly Unaware of It.” – By A.W. Tozer
God is here when we are wholly unaware of it. He is manifest only when...
Jane Eyre Fan? Here Are 3 Paintings You Can Download
While I was in my bubble reading it for the first time I ended up...
What is Grass? – Walt Whitman’s Beautiful Answer to this Question.
A child said What is the grass? fetching it to me with full hands, How...
I Am Not Who I Am (Rembrandt And I)
God says “I am who I am.” But with human beings it should be: “We...
An Encounter with God by Anne Bronte
“God help me now!” I murmured, sinking on my knees among the damp weeds and...
A Good Home
“A good home. What is it? Food and shelter? Yes. But it is something more....
Does It Have To Be So Hard?
Jesus wants us to stick with Him through the awkward learning parts so we can...
Learn to See New Things
even now, 50 years later, it is still an interesting show to watch. It teaches...
Is God Here?
We all wonder from time to time, is God here? Is he present in our...
How to Always Look Lovely According to Roald Dahl
if you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and...
Lovely Song About The Joy of Beauty in Spring and Summer
I hope you enjoy this lovely song by Karen Peris, it reminds me of those...
The Snail on The Garden-Path
Dorothy L. Sayers writes in The Mind of The Maker this beautiful sentence: “God is...
