A few months ago I read Len Sweet’s Soul Salsa and loved it. I loved the creative ways of looking at paintings and designs and seeing the Bible messages come through each of those sights. It’s a more creative way of participating in devotions other than simply reading devotions.

There are questions, additional thoughts, and websites at the end of each chapter. I found myself going to my computer to look up those websites and find the paintings and ideas that Len referenced in the book. I love Van Gogh’s painting of The Church at Auvers showing a church building with no doors. There is a person walking up to the building trying to find an entrance. How many times do we make it difficult or challenging for people to find entrance into our churches? Or once they enter our church buildings, how many times is it challenging for them to really connect?

My favorite thought in the book is the love knot. Len illustrates the love knot with the traditional story that a sailor would send his lady friend some fishline loosely tied in a true-lover’s knot. The tradition says if the knot was returned to him just as it was sent, then the relationship wasn’t going anywhere. If the knot was returned tightly tied, then the feelings were mutual between the two lovers. If the knot was capsized, then it was time to ship out and cut the relationship.

After searching the internet and local stores for weeks for love knot jewelry, I showed my jewelry-making friend the picture in the book. And she designed 2 pairs of earrings and a ring for me! They are beautiful, just what I had been looking for, and ORIGINAL! I can hardly wait to show Len at the LEC5 cohort class in May.

Soul Salsa is highly recommended reading for a spiritual-pick-me-up.