Flower_of_Ithilien's Xanga

A Return to Xangadom

Sat, 15 Dec 2007 17:12:55 GMT

So it's effectively been a semester since I've blogged. I got a Facebook (after a very long time of being told by practically everyone I needed to do so), so feel free to friend me if you want... I'm on Facebook considerably more than xanga these days, although I still love xanga more.

The school year has been...a very interesting one... I think this semester has been the most stressful of my life (and that's saying something), because of the whole "first year of teaching" stress added to the whole "senior year of college" stress, then the fact that I'm still working at the public library...I know, I'm crazy. The hardest part has been grading and dealing with parents (okay, that's two things), but those are things I'm just going to have to get used to. I've gotten a lot of positive feedback, as well as some pointed criticisms (some of which I agreed with). All in all, I still love teaching and really like my students (although I don't think they like me... I'm still a strict and challenging teacher). There have been talks about next year, once I've graduated, my teaching full time (eek!)

So that's been good. I have been reading all of the Subscription Digests, so I'm keeping up with all of you and have been praying for you. I hope you're all doing well!

Recently I have been pretty interested in Japanese literature, culture, and history. So I thought I'd post some of my newly discovered Japanese poetry. I think I prefer the prose and plays of Japan, but the poetry is remarkable at times.

From the Man'yoshu:

referring to snow:

Having met you as in a dream,

I feel I would dissolve, body and soul,

Like the snow that falls,

Darkening the heavens.

A dialogue poem:

If the thunder rolls for a while

And the sky is clouded, bringing rain,

Then you will stay beside me.

Even when no thunder sounds

And no rain falls, if you but ask me,

Then I will stay beside you.

From Sinkokinsho:

The hanging raindrops

Have not dried from the needles

Of the fir forest

Before the eveing mist

Of autumn rises.

From Masukagami, "The Exile of Godaigo":

A fictional exchange between the Empress and the Emperor-

Turn your thoughts to me,

And behold these, my tears,

Too thick to brush away;

They fell on the strings of the lute

When I saw how thick the dust lay.

When I plucked the notes

After many months of silence,

I yearned for you,

And the notes became cords

On which to thread my tears.

Finally for my last request (in the post, not my life). If you recall, I have been very interested in the issue of Modern-Day slavery (including forced child soldiering, human trafficking, and other tragedies). Lately I've felt the urge to do more than post things and sign petitions, so I've decided to start an email newsletter about it. Basically, once every two months starting (God willing) in January, I (and friends) would email those interested a short (3-4 page) newsletter which would include articles about the problem, articles about those who are working to stop slavery, and a profile on a specific person involved in the campaign against slavery. The purpose would simply be to 1) raise awareness of the issue and 2) provide information on how others can help. So, essentially, I'm asking if any of you or people you know might like to receive the "introductory issue". I so, just email savingtheslaves@yahoo.com and tell us the email address you want us to send it to. Just fyi, this isn't like a major commitment or anything. If at any time you want us to stop emailing the newsletter, just email us and we'll stop. And of course, your privacy will be protected. Thanks! (We still haven't thought of a name, or really much of anything yet, but that will come...)

Till next time, God bless!

I'm a teacher!!!!!

Fri, 07 Sep 2007 18:09:18 GMT

Wow. All I can say is... wow!

The reason why I haven't been posting (and I realize this is sounding more and more like a site where I give excuses why I haven't communicated with all my online friends....) is because as of Monday, August 27th, I have been teaching 7th and 8th grade Ancient History at ACS (my old high school)!!!!! Freaky!!!!! I mean, it was so sudden (I had literally a week to prepare lesson plans and everything), and it's just so strange to hear people calling me "Miss Rice" who just a few months ago were pulling my hair and calling me Aimster....

Apparently, though, I've really scared them to death (I'm not mean or anything, just intimidating, which is really good conisdering they're junior highers, taller than me, and many know me from when I was a highschooler there...). And I've heard rumors that my nickname is Miss Purgatory, since I give so much homework (Molly, you don't need to be telling Beau any of this...) Yeah, that's another thing. One of my friends, Molly, has a younger brother in my class. So Beau keeps saying "You can't be my teacher. You're my sister's friend.."

But we've had SO MUCH fun the last few days. The test over ancient Mesopotamia (Sumer, Akkad, and Old Babylon) is Monday, and the review today was good (really good, we played a game and the kids behaved themselves nicely and knew their stuff). Yesterday we made clay tablets and wrote in cuneiform.. (they loved that). I've decided I love this so much, I can't wait until I finish college and can devote myself to full-time stress as a teacher. God really does work in mysterious (and amazingly fast) ways!

But anyways. It's really hard, since I'm a full time college student, working part time at the public library, and teaching at ACS. I officially despise grading, and really am fond of all my students already. If you want to, those of you who still read this can see my online profile at: http://acsb.org/Faculty___Staff.html#Rice_A . One word of vanity: I forgot about the picture-taking that day, didn't even get a chance to comb my hair, so cut me some slack..... You'll also get to see some of the most important people in my life: Pastor Joe (gave me my love of history and the tools whereby I understand everything I learn about history), Miss Eppinger (possibly the most patient woman alive, taught me calculus and chemistry, and is now a good friend), and my pastor and mentor since 8th grade, Pastor Swygard (affectionately called PBS), who changed my life in so many ways... I don't think I'd be who I am today if it wasn't for him.... (and his puppy-eyes, which can hypnotize the hardest of criminals).

I really wish I had time to talk more (especially with you, Esther- I am really upset that I've let our communication slide so badly), but I can't promise anything.

Thank you all so much for still hanging around my xanga and looking at it occaisionally! I do read all my subsciptions, so I've been keeping up with you all, just not... saying anything....

Au Revoir! God bless!

Yes, yes, I know... I've been gone a while...

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 17:23:42 GMT

I think I owe you all an apology for being absent from xanga without explanation for so long. At first it was due to our phone lines being down, (blasted internet service provider/phone companies) then due to general business, then to my trip to Houston to visit dear friends , now to general anxiety due to the begining of college classes. At any rate, I have tried to keep up with you all, and greatly appreciate your comments about my last post.

Lately I have reading a very good biography of Queen Victoria, who was really quite different than my conception of her. I found this amusing anecdote about her coronation in the book Crown, Orb, and Sceptre: The True Stories of English Coronations by David Hilliam. Apparently, her coronation ceremony, highly ritualized and infused with symbolism, was only rehearsed once, the day before, for only a few minutes. Since her accident-ridden ceremony, all the coronations have been extensively rehearsed.

"In many respects, however, Victoria's coronation was oddly marred by a series of mishaps. She arrived half an hour late, having driven from Buckingham Palace dressed in a robe of crimson velvet. Her attendant ladies were quite at sixes and sevens trying to cope with her train, twelve yards long, as well as their own. Then, after she had been conducted to King Edward's chair, one of her attendants, the octogenarian Lord Rolle, having to walk backwards, stumbled over and rolled down the steps to the throne. A contemporary writer described how 'the large infirm old man was held up by two peers, and had nearly reached the royal footstool when he slipped throughthe hands of his supporters, and rolled over and over down the steps, lying at the bottom coiled up in his robes.' Everyone nearby rushed forward to help, including the queen herself, and the sight of the queen's sudden and natural concern was spontaneously applauded by the lords and ladies surrounding her, who had witnessed the affair.

Then there were problems over the presentation of the orb [apparently Victoria already had it in her hands when the time came to present it to her], and after that the bishops of Bath and Wells clumsily turned two pages of the service order together. Victoria told him to go back and start that section again. However, the worst incident of all happened when the Archbishop of Canterbury tried to put the ruby coronation ring on her finger. Victoria's fingers were so tiny that a new and special coronation ring had been made for her. Now, fingers can be counted in two ways: either starting with the thumb or else starting witht he index finger, and unfortunately the jeweller wrongly assumed that he should start with the index finger, thus making a ring to fit Victoria's little finger, whereas he should have been making one to fit the third finger. The good archbishop insisted on ramming this tiny ring on to Victoria's middle finger, thus causing the poor girl agony. In fact she spent two hours later that day trying to get it off."

I need to be off, but I hope to return your comments soon.. Toodles!

"Going Bad"

Thu, 12 Jul 2007 12:44:35 GMT

I recently re-read my favourite Narnia book, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and found something I thought I'd share, because it speaks about a terrible issue in our times: modern-day slavery. This post is going to be somewhat grave, but I beg of you all to bear with me and read it, pray about it, and consider it, at the very least.

From The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis:

"Secondly," said Caspian, "I want to know why you have permitted this abominable and unnatural traffic in slaves to grow up here, contrary to the ancient custom and usage of our dominions."

"Necessary, unavoidable," said his Sufficiency. "An essential part of the economic development of the islands, I assure you. Our present burst of prosperity depends on it."

"What need have you of slaves?"

"For export, your Majesty. Sell 'em to Calormen mostly; and we have other markets. We are a great centre of the trade."

"In other words," said Caspian, "you don't need them. Tell me what purpose they serve except to put money into the pockets of such as Pug?"

After Caspian demands the end of the slave trade, the governor responds:

"But that would be putting the clock back," gasped the governor. "Have you no idea of progress, of development?"

"I have seen them both in an egg," said Caspian. "We call it 'Going Bad' in Narnia. This trade must stop."

My friends,
Slavery exists today.

Whether we call it trafficking, bonded labor, forced labor, or sex slavery, it exists:

globally, nationally, and locally.

Bonded labour affects at least 20 million* people around the world. People become bonded labourers by taking or being tricked into taking a loan for as little as the cost of medicine for a sick child. To repay the debt, many are forced to work long hours, seven days a week, up to 365 days a year. They receive basic food and shelter as 'payment' for their work, but may never pay off the loan, which can be passed down for generations.

Early and forced marriage affects women and girls who are married without choice and are forced into lives of servitude often accompanied by physical violence.

Forced labour affects people who are illegally recruited by individuals, governments or political parties and forced to work -- usually under threat of violence or other penalties.

Slavery by descent is where people are either born into a slave class or are from a 'group' that society views as suited to being used as slave labour.

Trafficking involves the transport and/or trade of people -- women, children and men -- from one area to another for the purpose of forcing them into slavery conditions. Human Trafficking is now ranked as the second largest criminal industry globally—second only to drug smuggling, and tying with illegal weapons transactions. The U.S. Department of State estimates that between 15 and 20 THOUSAND individuals are trafficked into the United States to become slaves EACH YEAR! This does not include those U.S. citizens trafficked from city to city within our borders.

*Source: Antislavery.org and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

The U.S. Government estimates 600,000 to 800,000 men, women and children are trafficked across international borders every year into slavery, including 14,500 to 17,500 into our own country. Some estimate the global number of trafficking victims to be in the millions--in domestic servitude, sex slavery, forced labor, child soldiers, child camel jockeys, and other brutal schemes.

From World Vision:

The sixth annual report (TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT) sheds new light on the alarming number of people trafficked for purposes of slave labor, estimating that as many as 27 million people are subject to forced or bonded labor, or sexual servitude, at any given time. Of those, more than a million children a year are coerced or tricked into prostitution, according to the report. World Vision commends the diligent work of the State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, led by Ambassador John R. Miller, to evaluate and reveal the global problem and urge foreign governments to effectively combat all forms of human trafficking.

"The scope of the problem makes it clear we have to address both supply and demand in order to stop trafficking and its many forms of human exploitation," said Joseph Mettimano, director of public policy and advocacy at World Vision, an international Christian humanitarian organization focused on helping children and their communities worldwide. "The global sex trade in children and women is fueled by demand–-a substantial amount of it from our own country-–which makes targeting and stopping abusers critical."

Child sex tourism, the practice of traveling to another country to have sex with children, exacerbates the trade in vulnerable people for commercial sex. Some sex tourists are pedophiles, specifically seeking underage boys and girls. Others travel for legitimate reasons, but decide to “experiment” while abroad. Health concerns, such as HIV/AIDS, also create an increased demand for younger victims.

What Can You Do?

Visit www.theamazingchange.com. The Amazing Change Campaign is aimed at bringing the forces of abolition together, to end modern-day slavery. The site lists other organizations which are working against slavery.

Pray. Prayer is a mighty weapon for good, and one of the best ways to reach those suffering in modern-day slavery with God’s love.

Write. Write to your congressperson. Write to any representative of the American voice. Tell them your stand against modern-day slavery, and urge them to pass legislation against it.

For more information on Modern-Day Slavery, human trafficking, and how you can become involed, visit websites such as www.WorldVision.org, [just do a search for key words] www.theamazingchange.com, and www.stopthetraffik.org

It really bothers me that so many people have become overbearingly concerned with global warming and environmentalism, when millions of people are being exploited, trafficked, and harmed right under our noses and without our action. God made man in His image, special and more valuable than the animals or the environment. When wicked men trample on the dignity of mankind by buying and selling people, they are also spitting on the image of the Creator. Not only is it evil and cruel, but it is treason against God's established order, and it should be fought. I pray that God's glory will be seen through the destruction of this trade and the salvation of many who have been involved in it (like John Newton or Olaudah Equiano).

"Remember the prisoners as if chained with them, and those who are mistreated, since you yourselves are the body [of Christ] also" (Hebrews 13:3).

The Graceful Antics of Language

Sun, 08 Jul 2007 17:17:03 GMT

So how are all of you peoples doing today? Excellent. Me, I'm doing fine, although a bit tired at the moment. The flood crisis is pretty much over, (yay!) and now all there is to worry about is the awful stink that has permeated the town. You never think about how badly it smells after a flood, but I'll bet Noah and his sons had major allergy attacks coming off the ark. Anyways. The missing Miss Eppy about whom I was so worried has shown up- she was doing volunteer work for the Red Cross at a shelter in Dewey, and her house (miraculously, in my opinion) escaped the flood. So as far as I can tell, everyone I know is fine. (Except the Archambo's mansion-- it got flooded and apparently ruined the newly renovated kitchen.)

The other day I woke up at about 6:30 a.m. and couldn't go back to sleep. I felt quite chipper, actually, so I just got up and tried to be productive (ha). But the interesting thing was, since I woke up so early and was working so hard, I got hungry a lot more. So I decided to follow the Hobbit diet. I think it's a great diet that should be marketed... You wake up early, have a nice breakfast (toast or something like that), then about 9ish you have second breakfast. Then you have something light for Elevensies (I had yogurt), and around 1p.m. you have lunch. I had tea around 4 p.m., with jello (no biscuts or cucumber sandwiches around, sorry), and had supper at about 7 p.m. Of course I didn't go to bed early, so I had a midnight snack (bread and butter) before finally retiring. Mother pointed out that the diet doesn't always work, as many hobbits are known for their pudgyness, but it should work if you get up early and expend a lot of energy during the day. I think it's a good diet, but I can't seem to wake up early enough to try it again.....

Time for some more Elizabeth Gaskell!!! I went through my copy of Wives and Daughters and found a lot of underlined quotes (some of them I can't figure out why I underlined them), and here are a few of my favourites.

First sentence of the book: "To begin with the old rigmarole of childhood."

~"Once a year she was condescending."~

~"Well, but it seems people consider you as a young woman now, and so I suppose you must run up milliners' bills like the rest of your kind."~

~"But fate is a cunning hussy, and builds up her plans as imperceptibly as a bird builds her nest; and with much the same kind of unconsidered trifles."~

~"It was quite true that the squire had become very fond of Molly. The charm of having a young girl dancing and singing inarticulate ditties about the house and garden, was indescribable in its novelty to him."~

~"It is odd enough to see how the entrance of a person of the opposite sex into an assemblage of either men or women calms down the litle discordances and the disturbance of mood."~

~"I daresay it is foolish; perhaps all our earthly trials will appear foolish to us after a while; perhaps they seem so now to angels. But we are ourselves, you know, and this is now, not some time to come, a long,long way off. And we are not angels, to be comforted by seeing the ends for which everything is sent."~

~"He felt as if high principle and noble precept ought to perform an immediate work. But they do not, for there is always the unknown quantity of individual experience and feeling, which offer a tacit resistance, the amount incalculable by another, to all good counsel and high decree."~

~"So apt are people to look forward to a different kind of life from that to which they have been accustomed, as being free from care and trial!"~

~"When there's only two of us, we get along better if one of us thinks the other can do no wrong."~

~"But isn't she beautiful?" persevered Miss Phoebe. "Well! and if she is, Providence made her, and not she herself."~

~...the ingratitude of misery...~ ~...the underbred fop...~ ~...the graceful antics of language...~

~"Besides, I would rather he was weak than wicked. Weak people may find themselves all at once strong in heaven, when they see things quite clearly; but I don't think the wicked will turn themselves into virtuous people all at once."~

~"She had alwasy wished to come into direct copntact with a love-story: here she was, and she only found it very uncomfortable; there was a sense of concealment and uncertainty about it all; and her honest straightforward father, her quiet life at Hollingford, which, even with all its drawbacks, was above-board, and where everybody knew what everybody was doing, seemed secure and pleasant in comparison."~

~...one of the insults which, as it could not reasonably be resented, was not to be forgiven...~

~...it was only that he was too indolent to keep an unassisted conscience...~

~"Such various forms does man's vanity take! Sometimes it stimulates philanthropy; sometimes a love of science!"~

~"I won't say she was silly, but I think one of us was silly, and it was not me."~

~"I sometimes think he's half a woman himself, he spend so much money and is so unreasonable."~

~"Molly, you must never trifle with the love of an honest man. You don't know what pain you may give."~

~... But she would try and walk in a straight path; and if she did wander out of it, it should only be to save pain to those whom she loved...~

~"My dear, don't repeat evil on any authority unless you can do some good by speaking about it."~

~"I think the world would get on tolerably well, if there were no women in it. They plague the life out of one."~

~"The future is hidden from us by infinite wisdom, Molly, or else I should like to know it; one would caculate one's behaviour at the present time so much better if one only knew what events were to come."~

Sometimes I think this needs to be remembered more often: ~"People may flatter themselves just as much by thinking that their faults are always present to other people's minds, as if they believe that the world is always contemplating their individual charms and virtues."~

~...Mrs.Gibson was dozing, but believing herself to be reading...~

~"But sometimes one likes foolish people for their folly, better than wise people for their wisdom."~

~"His was not the poor vanity that thinks more of the possible mortification of a refusal than of the precious jewel of a bride that may be won."~

~"Give me a wise man of science in love! No one beats him in folly."~

I realize I've been remiss in communicating with many of you (Esther especially), but I'm hoping to catch up on all that today or tomorrow or soon... Until next time, adieu and goodbye!

Random Question: What do you think about marking, highlighting, or underlining in books? Good idea, or bad? I don't generally like to, but sometimes I feel like if I don't mark a quote I'll never find it again. What do you think?

Old Man River

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 13:24:00 GMT

Well, the last few days I haven't been able to post because of all the flooding problems around our neighborhood. I live in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, right next to the Caney River, so it's been really interesting since Thursday... On Sunday Mom and I got really worried because they were talking about releasing the dams, at which point the water would be at 29 feet, (right now it's at 23 feet), and the last time there was a major flood (1986), the water was at 27 feet and our house was flooded. So we were looking at what to take with us when we left, and thinking where to go, when the the previous owner of our house called and said that in 1986 the water had just passed the bridge a mile away from our house, and that since our house is on a bit of a hill we should be perfectly fine. We'd just be cut off from the rest of town. So we went shopping and got a lot of stuff, and I told my boss I may not be able to come in (not a big surprise for her). But this morning I found out that the flood waters have actually gone down. So I have to go to work. And we should be safe for the rest of the week too.

But the rest of the town is shocking. The police department had to evacuate, the Lowe's parking lot is completely flooded out, neighborhoods just two miles from us (on the other side of the bridge) are completely under water. (Completely-they're literally getting around by boat)) And Adams Boulevard was completely submerged (that road is elevated about 15 feet above the ground, and now you can't even see the bridge). Billboards are halfway under water... it's just so eerie. A lot of people from church are cut off by high water (including the pastor), and two widows had to be moved out on Saturday. Need to call Miss Eppy to find out how she is... So we're fine, (for the moment) but if you would please pray for the city, it would really be appreciated.

In other news, Wednesday before the flooding really started, our church attended the National Founders Conference (we only went to part of it). It was pretty good, but the best part was the Book Room. It was basically a basketball court with huge tables set up everywhere and covered with books. Not just books, mind, but good theological books. Authors such as R.C. Sproul, J.I. Packer, G. I. Williamson (who also happens to be the pastor who married my mom and dad), Schaeffer, John Piper, Jonathan Edwards... A whole table dedicated to Puritan works (eek!), Wilberforce, Newton, and much more... Even a collection of Elizabeth Elliot books. So after much sifting through and paring down, I bought Desiring God by John Piper, The Bruised Reed by British Puritan Richard Sibbes, God's Passion for His Glory: Living the Vision of Jonathan Edwards by John Piper, and The Battle Belongs to the Lord: The Power of Scripture for Defending our Faith by K. Scott Oliphint. So happy. Would've bought The Five Points of Calvinism: Defined, Defended, Documented by David N. Steele,Curtis C. Thomas, and S. Lance Quinn, but Mom assured me that we already had it, and also told me that we knew those authors, since we used to go to their church in Little Rock. So that was cool.

Lately I've been playing two songs by The Newsboys which I think express how I feel perfectly, and I though I'd share them with you.

He Reigns by Newsboys

It’s the song of the redeemed

Rising from the African plain

It’s the song of the forgiven

Drowning out the Amazon rain

The song of Asian believers

Filled with God’s holy fire

It’s every tribe, every tongue, every nation,

A love song born of a grateful choir.

It’s all God’s children singing--

Glory, glory, hallelujah

He reigns, He reigns

It’s all God’s children singing--

He reigns, He reigns!

Let it rise above the four winds

Caught up in the heavenly sound

Let praises echo from the tower of cathedrals

To the faithful gathered underground

Of all the songs sung from the dawn of creation

Some were meant to persist.

Of all the bells rung from a thousand steeples,

None rings truer than this.

And all the powers of darkness

Tremble at what they’ve just heard

‘Cause all the powers of darkness

Can’t drown out a single word!

When all God’s children sing out

Glory, glory hallelujah

He reigns, He reigns!

Glory, glory hallelujah

He reigns, He reigns!

And then there's Hallelujah, which really touches me because I've been reading Hebrews lately, and so I've been thinking about the promises of God and His faithfulness to preserve His people. Hebrews really emphasizes how Christians must hold on the the promise of God's reward for us, that our conviction that, because of God's faithfulness to us, we will see Heaven one day -- that is what give us hope and strength. To really get the power of this very simple song, just reread Hebrews 11 quickly first.

Hallelujah by Newsboys

I'm looking up

Holding out

Pressing forward

Without a doubt

Longing for the things unseen

Longing for the things I believe

My true country.

We hope and wait

For the glorious day

All tears will vanish

Wiped away

On the saints this day already shines.

On the saints this day already shines--

It already shines!

We'll be singing hallelujah

At the top of our lungs, hallelujah

(With all of our breath, hallelujah)

To Your glory, hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

And I know that it's coming

But I can't see it now

And I've touched it in moments

But I can't hold it yet

And it glows in the darkness

And it calls us away

To our true destination

To that glorious day.

I realize that was kinda long. Didn't mean it to be. Sorry! Anyways. Must go now. Toodles!

The Tangle of My Mind

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 23:46:59 GMT

Well, it's been some time since my last, rather lengthy post, but I have been enjoying myself away from the internet.

Thursday I went to a local cafe (aptly named The Rolling Pin) to meet some friends and discovered that some of my other friends actually worked there. So we had fun talking and stuff. Some really strange and random quotes from those conversations... Then on Friday, I apparently went on some kind of a shopping spree. I meant to buy Christine a birthday gift, and ended up spending $45 (which is really exorbitant for a tight-wad like me). But for that amount I managed to get two books, two dvds, and three cds. One of the cds was a Johnny Cash compilation for Christine (we both like Cash). So I guess I did okay. Anyways. I rushed off to the mall to meet Christine, and showed up 20 minutes late . But we had a great time. We went to Romancing the Stone, which is an exotic store with all sorts of stuff (incense, Gothic lanterns, rainsticks, that kind of thing). We had a great time dancing to the music in the store---really scared a few guys from my college who think I never have fun and who saw us doing an Egyptian style dance to Indian pop. And then we tried on kimonos and played with the hermit crabs they had on display. And the evening just kept getting stranger....

Saturday Mom and I went to our church's Missions meeting. Bob Selph, the coordinator for missions at ARBCA (I think that stands for Association of Reformed Baptist Churches of America), was in town for the weekend, so he showed us a bunch of slideshows about our missionaries in France, Switzerland, Canada, Chile, and Argentina. It was realy amazing. Sunday Mr. Selph preached on having a love for the lost (really convicting and heart-touching) and then after our Fellowship Meal, showed more pictures of Reformed believers in Africa, Malaysia, and China. I had a great time fellowshiping with everyone there, and was greatly encouraged to finally have faces to connect with the names I've been praying for. God's loving care and sovereign providence is so astounding and so matchless!

Here are a few memorable passages from A Man For All Seasons, a movie based on a play by Robert Bolt. It details the life of Sir Thomas More, who was Chancellor for Henry VIII during the time when King Henry was trying to divorce Katherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn. More's approval of the divorce and concsequent establishment of the Church of England is paramount for the King's success. But More, now a saint in the Catholic church, refused to go against his principles. Rather than state his opposition openly, he simply refused to give an opinion at all. This did not work, since eventually Richard Rich perjured himself in order to convict More of treason. More was executed, but not before showing a great amount of courage. So without further ado....

William Roper: So, now you give the Devil the benefit of law!
Sir Thomas More: Yes! What would you do? Cut a great road through the law to get after the Devil?
William Roper: Yes, I'd cut down every law in England to do that!
Sir Thomas More: Oh? And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned 'round on you, where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This country is planted thick with laws, from coast to coast, Man's laws, not God's! And if you cut them down, and you're just the man to do it, do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then? Yes, I'd give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake!

Cromwell: This silence betokened, nay, this silence was, not silence at all, but most eloquent denial!
Sir Thomas More: Not so. Not so, Master Secretary. The maxim is "Qui tacet consentiret": the maxim of the law is "Silence gives consent". If therefore you wish to construe what my silence betokened, you must construe that I consented, not that I denied.
Cromwell: Is that in fact what the world construes from it? Do you pretend that is what you wish the world to construe from it?
Sir Thomas More: The world must construe according to its wits; this court must construe according to the law.

Sir Thomas More: I think that when statesmen forsake their own private conscience for the sake of their public duties, they lead their country by a short route to chaos.

Sir Thomas More: Why not be a teacher? You'd be a fine teacher; perhaps a great one.
Richard Rich: If I was, who would know it?
Sir Thomas More: You; your pupils; your friends; God. Not a bad public, that.

Sir Thomas More: Why Richard, it profits a man nothing to give his soul for the whole world... but for Wales?

Sir Thomas More: God made the angels to show Him splendor, as He made animals for innocence and plants for their simplicity. But Man He made to serve Him wittily, in the tangle of his mind. If He suffers us to come to such a case that there is no escaping, then we may stand to our tackle as best we can, and, yes, Meg, then we can clamor like champions, if we have the spittle for it. But it's God's part, not our own, to bring ourselves to such a pass. Our natural business lies in escaping.

I really wanted to post some pictures of my friends Becca and Jessie (Jess is at www.xanga.com/britlitlover), my dog Brin, and myself, but either my internet provider or xanga hates me (probably both). So those pictures may be coming later. Till then, may God be with you!

The Art and Joy of Words

Thu, 21 Jun 2007 13:33:19 GMT

Just as a change of pace, I thought I'd post a few excerpts from some works of fiction. I tried to post yesterday, but the internet declared war against me. Today is amnesty day...

The conclusion of Middlemarch, by George Eliot (Don't worry, this shouldn't give the storyline away.)

Certainly those determining acts of her life were not ideally beautiful. They were the mixed result of a young and noble impulse struggling amidst the conditions of an imperfect social state, in which great feelings will often take the aspect of error, and great faith the aspect of illusion. For there is no creature whose inward being is so strong that it is not greatly determined by what lies outside it. A new Theresa will hardly have the opportunity of reforming a conventional life, any more than a new Antigone will spend her heroic piety in daring all for the sake of a brother's burial: the medium in which their ardent deeds took shape is for ever gone. But we insignificant people with our daily words and acts are preparing the lives of many Dorotheas, some of which may present a far sadder sacrifice than that of the Dorothea whose story we know.

Her finely-touched spirit had still its fine issues, though they were not widely visible. Her full nature, like that river of which Cyrus broke the strength, spent itself in channels which had no great name on the earth. But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs.

An excerpt from the preface to Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte. Bronte had been criticised for her critical portrait of the hypocrisy in the Church at that time, and I think her response the critics is breathtakingly wise.

I turn to another class; a small one, so far as I know, but not, therefore, to be overlooked. I mean the timorous or carping few who doubt the tendency of such books as "Jane Eyre:" in whose eyes whatever is unusual is wrong; whose ears detect in each protest against bigotry--that parent of crime--an insult to piety, that regent of God on earth. I would suggest to such doubters certain obvious distinctions; I would remind them of certain simple truths.

Conventionality is not morality. Self-righteousness is not religion. To attack the first is not to assail the last. To pluck the mask from the face of the Pharisee, is not to lift an impious hand to the Crown of Thorns.

These things and deeds are diametrically opposed: they are as distinct as is vice from virtue. Men too often confound them: they should not be confounded: appearance should not be mistaken for truth; narrow human doctrines, that only tend to elate and magnify a few, should not be substituted for the world-redeeming creed of Christ. There is--I repeat it--a difference; and it is a good, and not a bad action to mark broadly and clearly the line of separation between them.

The world may not like to see these ideas dissevered, for it has been accustomed to blend them; finding it convenient to make external show pass for sterling worth--to let white-washed walls vouch for clean shrines. It may hatehim who dares to scrutinise and expose--to rase the gilding, and show base metal under it--to penetrate the sepulchre, and reveal charnel relics: but hate as it will, it is indebted to him.

And last but certainly not least, one of the most famous and most brilliant parts of Till We Have Faces, by C.S. Lewis. (For context, Orual has just presented her grievances to the gods, saying what her complaint against them is.) Can you guess that I got this picture from Amazon?

The complaint was the answer. To have heard myself making it was to be answered. Lightly men talk of saying what they mean. Often when he was teaching me to write in Greek the Fox {her tutor's nickname, just fyi} would say, "Child, to say the very thing you really mean, the whole of it, nothing more or less or other than what you really mean; that's the whole art and joy of words." A glib saying. When the time comes to you at which you will be forced at last to utter the speech which has lain at the center of your soul for years, which you have, all that time, idiot-like, been saying over and over, you'll not talk about joy of words. I saw well why the gods do not speak to us openly, nor let us answer. Till that word can be dug out of us, why should they hear the babble that we think we mean? How can they meet us face to face till we have faces?

Upon reflection, this might be a rather long post... oh well. An update on the Neville-stalker thing: I've decided to give him one last talking to, and if this one doesn't penetrate, I'm going to my boss and SHE will talk to him (which will really be scary, trust me). He can be banned from the library, if worse comes to worse. (Of course, that won't solve the problem, since he goes to my college and knows some of my regular haunts, but it's a start.) Well, hope you're all doing well, enjoyed that post, and God bless!

...To Madness Near Allied...

Sun, 17 Jun 2007 16:02:15 GMT

Wow. This has been a strange weekend.

Friday I spent an hour searching through my old high school's office for laminating sheets, and then [mysteriously] found the master key and was able to search through the new administrator's office (a strange experience-learning about a man through his office), but to no avail. So then I used the master key to sneak into one of the teacher's rooms and found a secret stash of laminating sheets to use. I left her a note saying I'd pay her back, but still felt a bit like a pirate.

And then I had to pay an overdue fine at Hastings (they really track you down if you're so much as two days late).

Saturday was the worst, though. I'm working as a shelver at the library, and because... well, I don't really know why... but anyways, I get a lot (a handful) of stalkers following me around as I work The only one who is really that noticeable is Neville. (That's not his real name, I gave him a pseudonym.. Becca knows why this alias makes sense.) According to my coworkers and friends, Neville is half in love with me. And he's persistent. Saturday he followed me for TWO AND A HALF HOURS despite my friend C.'s best attempts to distract him, kidnap him, or get rid of him in general. I would go into hiding for half an hour, and when I came back he'd be waiting for me.

"For every inch that is not fool is rogue." -John Dryden

Now, don't get me wrong. Neville is a very nice guy. He's intelligent, funny, and great to talk to. But he also talks loudly, while following me around in the library as I try to work. And he's kind of slow to get the point. I've talked with him several times about his..issues. My boss has talked to him. Part of the problem is that I still think it's kinda funny, his single-minded constancy. (Well, sometimes I think it's funny. Other times I get downright vexed with him.) So another talk is coming. Becca and Elissa and I are concocting another plan to use as back-up if the diplomatic approach doesn't work (ignore the evil laughter in the background-it's just one of my minions)

"From even the greatest of horrors irony is seldom absent" - H.P. Lovecraft

So finally I told him "Go irritate someone else" and it seemed to penetrate. So he left. I was so excited I went to friends J. and E. and exclaimed in my best happy-Gollum-voice "we told him to go away and away he goes! Smeagol is fffrrreeeeeee!" I was very happy.

Your ignorance is the mother of your devotion to me. -John Dryden

And then, not fifteen minutes later, my other stalker came in. Fortunately he only talked for a few minutes and then left. And then I accidently confused Sue and she made the announcement saying "the library will be closing in 30 minutes" when we actually had an hour... It was funny to see people come rushing to the desk to check out books because they thought they had to.

"The better I get to know men, the more I find myself loving dogs." -Charles de Gaulle

There were a few other memorable things that happened, but I can't remember most of them...

"Great wits are sure to madness near allied, / And thin partitions do their bounds divide." -John Dryden

You may have noticed that I've included a lot of quotes from John Dryden. I decided I don't know enough about him, so I thought I'd stick some of his stuff up here... Just because. John Dryden lived from 1631 to 1700, and was appointed Britain's poet laureate in1668.

From PoeticPortal.net: It is said that his poems "represent the superb language of the Augustan style at its best: dignified, unaffected, precise, and always musical — a noble instrument of public speech." Because Dryden took literature seriously and enjoyed it, Samuel Johnson called him: “ the father of English criticism.” This talent was brought to the attention of the king, who in 1668 made him poet laureate.

Johnson's final estimate of his work is backed up by this metaphor: "lateritiam invenit, marmoream reliquit, he found it brick, and he left it marble." [Ref Source: The Norton Anthology, M.H. Abrams, Gen Ed. Sixth Edition]

I am resolved to grow fat, and look young till forty- John Dryden

Well, I'm sure you've had enough of my ramblings and stories of my life. So I'm going to shove off now. Thanks for reading all this, and God bless you all!

"I know I was writing stories when I was five. I don't know what I did before that . . . just loafed, I suppose." -P.G. Wodehouse

Splashes of Beauty

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 14:51:51 GMT

Well, as I'm enjoying quite a lot of poetry right now, I thought I'd post some here. This may be a bit too much for one post, but they're shortish and quite beautiful (I think). There's no common theme between the four, or at least not that I can find. I used to hate poetry, but my English prof. (the best in the state, I think), by the name of Professor Hughes, has convinced me that English poetry should not be judged by the self-absorbed whiny stuff of the Romantic era, nor by the modern junk which is frequently put into mass production by those who think it's "avante-garde". [Can you tell I have strong opinions about this?] So I have discovered the medieval, Renaisance, and Victorian poets (my two favourite poets are Donne and Tennyson), and found a wealth of beauty and delight.

I'm curious- what kind of poetry do you like? Who are your favourite poets?

I don't know the title of this piece, as I found it a while ago and saved it on my computer without a title. It describes the way I wish I could be when facing Darkness and Despair. Incredibly idealistic picture of woman, but uplifting nonetheless.

She met the hosts of Sorrow with a look

That altered not beneath the frown they wore,

And soon the lowering brood were tamed, and took,

Meekly, her gentle rule, and frowned no more.

Her soft hand put aside the assualts of wrath,

And calmly broke in twain, the fiery shafts of pain,

And rent the nets of passion from her path.

By that victorious hand despair was slain;

With love she vanquished hate, And overcame,

Evil with good, in her great Master's name.

-----William Cullen Bryant

The next piece is also a folk song, I do believe. There is an excellent version of it sung by an Irish band, but at the moment I can't remember which one.

We'll Go No More A-Roving by George Gordon Byron

So we’ll go no more a-roving
So late into the night,
Though the heart be still as loving,
And the moon be still as bright.

For the sword outwears its sheath,
And the soul wears out the breast,
And the heart must pause to breathe,
And Love itself have rest.

Though the night was made for loving,
And the day returns too soon,
Yet we’ll go no more a-roving
By the light of the moon.

And the next is sung to one of the most hauntingly beautiful tunes ever played. I was able several years ago to see Sir James Galway play this song on the flute in concert. It was heartstoping. To say the least.

Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms by Thomas Moore

Believe me if all those endearing young charms,
Which I gaze on so fondly today,
Were to change by tomorrow and fleet in my arms,
Like fairy gifts, fading away.
Thou wouldst still be adored as this moment thou art,
Let thy loveliness fade as it will,
And around the dear ruin each wish of my heart,
Would entwine itself verdantly still.

It is not while beauty and youth are thine own,
And thy cheeks unprofaned by a tear,
That the fervor and faith of a soul can be known,
To which time will but make thee more dear.
Oh, the heart that has truly loved ne'er forgets,
But as truly loves on to the close,
As the sunflower turns on her god when he sets,
The same look which she gave when he rose.

A rather dark but melodic and beautiful poem by Tennyson is next. I think it comes from his magnum opus, The Princess, but not sure. I love how, for Tennyson, the faery world is just a glimmer of the light away.

The Splendor Falls by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

The splendor falls on castle walls
And snowy summits old in story;
The long light shakes across the lakes,
And the wild cataract leaps in glory.
Blow, bugle, blow, set the wild echoes flying,
Blow, bugle; answer, echoes, dying. dying, dying.

O, hark, O, hear! how thin and clear,
And thinner, clearer, farther going!
O, sweet and far from cliff and scar
The horns of Elfland faintly blowing!
Blow, let us hear the purple glens replying,
Blow, bugle; answer, echoes, dying, dying, dying.

O love, they die in yon rich sky,
They faint on hill or field or river;
Our echoes roll from soul to soul,
And grow for ever and for ever.
Blow, bugle, blow, set the wild echoes flying,
And answer, echoes, answer, dying, dying, dying

I think I'll stop there. Hope you made through all that, and enjoyed it. Till next time, God bless! -Amy-