Praise the Lord!

Saturday, December 25, 2010

The End Of All Things Wonderful.

Well, another Christmas has past. After seventeen Christmas's you think I'd be used to that feeling. The one I get when all the presents have been open, ripped wrapping paper is sprawled across the living room floor, half the relatives have left, and dusk is approaching. The only food left are the cookies and fudge on the table and everyone sits in sort of a daze talking of random nothings.

In this moment there is always a strange feeling I get, it feels like pain, but it also makes me feel warm inside. It's the feeling of unsatisfaction and yet the feeling of a full belly. It's pleasantly bothersome, and every year I feel the same way. Like I've just missed something wonderful. Like I've fallen asleep at my favorite part of the movie. Like the song ended before I took my earplugs out. Like reading a supper intense book only to get to the end and find the last two chapters missing. Like the director has just screamed, "That's a wrap!".


Perhaps I will never understand this feeling. Mayhaps you've never felt it before. And maybe, just maybe, you deal with this issue every year, same as me. I wish I could tell you a secret. The answer and cure for this feeling. I wish I could at least tell you where it comes from or what it is. But I can't. I just don't know. All I have to share is this, (And I believe this is a vital clue to the answer!) "All things wonderful . . . Must come to an end."

Thank you Christmas. You've been a wonderful blessing. Hope to see you again next year.

And to you, reader fair, Happy Christmas!

Monday, December 20, 2010

A Man Named Allen and The Magical Shoebox

"People are always telling me that change is a good thing, but what they are really trying to say is that something that I didn't want to happen... has happened."-Kathleen Kelly, You've Got Mail.

"I wish I had a million dollars... Hot dog!"-George Baily, Its a Wonderful Life.

"Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?"-The Mad Hatter, Alice in Wonderland

"A man sees things differently at different times in his life"-Jenny, Big fish

"Tomorrow night my face is going to be as big as a house and everyone will find me out!" Pauline Fossil, Ballet Shoes.

"Gabriel is a good name for a farmer."-Jean Villeneuve, The Patrioit.

"Rise and rise again until lambs become lions."-Robin Longstride, Robin Hood.

"If I could love a mam, who would take me for a mere fifty pounds a year, I shall be very well pleased... But such a man can hardly be sensible and you know I could never marry a man who was out of his wits."-Elizabeth Bennet, Pride and Prejudice.

"Beware of fainting fits, beware of swoons, run mad as often as you choose but do not faint."-Fanny Price, Mansfield Park.

"I knew a young lady very like your sister - the same impulsive sweetness of temper - who was forced into, as you put it, a better acquaintence with the world. The result was only ruination and despair. Do not desire it miss Dashwood.

"Things do not always happen the same way twice dear one."-Aslan, Prince Caspian.

"He's in love... with a girl."- Jack Sparrow, Pirates Of The Caribbean - Dead Mans Chest.

"You know something? Vermont should be beautiful this time of year all that snow."-Phil Davis, White Christmas.

"Missed it by that much."-Max Smart, Get Smart.

"Well darn this stuff!"-Pegg Boggs, Edward Scissor Hands

"That's-whad.... Iii'M   talking BOUT!"-Gru, Despicable Me.

"I'm afraid I'm not learned at all aunt, but I do know a thing or two about pirates."-Wendy Darling, Peter Pan.

"I'm like a dog chasing cars, I wouldn't know what to do if I Caught one."-The Joker, the dark knight.

"I was led a little further down the rabbit hole that i cared to go, and though I have dirtied my fluffy white tale... I have emerged... Enlightened."-Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock Holmes


Monday, December 13, 2010

The Girl and The Lion.

Well since I've written a post about Harry Potter, I think it only fair that I write one about Narnia.
The other night I accompanied a few siblings and few friends to the cinema to see 'The Voyage of the Dawn Treader' the latest movie about Narnia.
A mon avis, it was a wonderful movie full of adventure, dragons, sailing ships, handsome kings, a lovely queen, and many lessons well learned. At the end of the movie there is a scene where Eustace Clarence Scrub turns around and asks, "Will I ever get back?" At which time the Lion replies with a smile in his voice, "Narnia may have use of you yet." At that part my smile could not get any bigger . . . or so I thought. After the Pevensie children and Scrub returned to our world, Eustace’s mother hollered up the stairs, "Eustace! What’s going on up there? Come down, Jill Pole dropped in for a visit." Needless to say my smile grew.
Why? You ask. Why, because Jill Pole is truly one of the best written little girls in the history of children’s literature. At least . . . I think very highly of her.
Jill Pole is everything a girl ought to be, she is proud, strong, bold, dramatic, adventurous, selfish, emotional, hardworking, joyful, and caring. It is very obvious that not everything on this list is admirable. However they are the characteristics that make a girl.
Another character in Narnia that is most admirable is Aslan. Aslan, the name makes you feel warm inside doesn't it? I think one reason I love Aslan, is because he is the fiction model of our perfect God. One thing that will always amaze me about C.S. Lewis is that he combined theology and children’s stories.
One time my dear cousin Hannah and I were sitting on her front porch, starring out over the large field that stretched before us leading to the pond that had a forest behind it. With a searching look in her eyes she said quietly, "Sometimes I think reading about Aslan makes it easier to love Jesus"
Don't you suppose that was Jack's aim while writing the books, to reveal the attributes of God that we may read about them and glorify Him, or turn our lives over to Him if we hadn't already?
Jack always portrays the relationships between the characters and the lion so well. We see it with Lucy the child, Eustace the ass, and Jill the girl.
Another reason I love the story of Jill is because of her relationship with Aslan, how he was constantly checking her, challenging her, rebuking her, and ever loving her. All he did for Jill, he did for her ultimate good. However, Jill doesn't see this at first, she becomes disobedient and rebellious and try’s her hardest to do the opposite of the Lions will. In the end we see Jill humbled and contrite toward the Lion.
I am like Jill Pole in many ways. With sweet little Lucy we see the caring, gentle, yet majestic side of Aslan. With Jill we see the stern, disciplinary, yet loving side of Aslan.
In my walk with the Lord I am a Jill Pole. No matter how hard I try to obey, things always get in the way (Have I made a rhyme?) distracting my gaze from the Lion, and distracting my mind from the task he has given me. But Christ is always there, rebuking me out of love, and disciplining me by his grace.
 God Be Praised!

Thursday, December 9, 2010

The Bestest Idea- Ethan James

Children are wonderful.

There is hardly a blessing more sweet.

The characteristics and habits of a child are countless... I'll do my best.

1. innocence, 2. orneriness, 3. close to unconditional love, 4. faith, 5. quick to forgive, 6. quick to forget, 7. messy, 8. humorous, 9. honest, 10. full of fun, 11. ambitious, 12. eager to learn, 13. constantly asking questions, 14. dreaming, 15. singing, 16. dancing, 17. laughing, 18. racing, 19. hating, 20. crying, 21. jumping, 22. refusing, 23. accepting, 24. eating, 25. eating, 26. eating, 27. sleeping, 28. watching, 29. giggling, 30. snickering, 31. being mean, 32. being nice, 33. yelling, 34. bossing around, 35. hitting, 36. imagining, 37. journeying, 38. whooping and hollering, 39. creating, 40. learning, 41. being, 42. rolling around 43. pretending, 44. playing, 45. worshipping, 46. sinning 47. looking, 48. sitting still, 49, wiggling, 50. just being a kid.

Well I made it to 50.... 

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

That Does Put a Damper On Our Relationship!

There are several different levels of relationships, to name a few there's acquaintance, friends, best friends, just friends, boyfriend/girlfriend, engaged, married ect. Today I'm going to be writing about the level "just friends" Have you ever heard someone say "We're just friends." I'm nearly positive that you have heard it... In fact you may have said it once before! 

'Just, what a terrible candle-snuffing word' as Johnny Depp (whom I love) says in the movie Finding Neverland whilst playing J.M. Barrie. C'est Vrai, it is true, we hear it often to belittle or dismiss something, "Oh it's just you." or "That's not a wolf its just a coyote!" We also hear it used as an adj. of things hidden. When one says 'just' often times they are trying to hide something!

Par example-
Barny: What is that?
Blake: What's what?
Barny: That? (points to blanket)
Blake: Nothing! it's just a blanket. See, just a blanket.
Barny: Why's it all wrinkled up? (lifts up blanket) Gasp! There is a box of cookies under here!

Therefore to hear the word 'just' in the phrase "We're just friends" seems terrible. For a long time I thought it was a horrible thing to say, "That's like saying he can't climb that mountain he's just a man, or that's not a diamond it's just a rock" says Johnny Depp (whom I love) in the movie Finding Neverland whilst playing J.M. Barrie. As if being friends, is insignificant, not a big deal, or of little importance. C'est Faux it is false... "We're just friends"... Just.

Then I began to look it as an adj. of things hidden and the phrase turns around completely. It turns into a perfect definition of that awful in between stage... You know that stage where a boy and a girl who were previously friends, start liking each other but their too shy to talk about a relationship. So gradually they start hanging out more, then people- as people do- start speculating, then asking question, and that horrible phrase rolls of the tongues of the guilty "We're just friends..." All innocence is lost. 

This level of friendship is most common among those who, "don't date." Because they "don't date" they are more likely to be shy in discussing and or considering a relationship with the person they are 'just friends' with. Therefore they become "just friends" so that they can date... without calling it dating. Heavy stuff, huh?

They have most likely, made a pact, an oath, or a promise to themselves not to date and therefore by staying "just friends" with the friend whom they like and likes them, they can hide their relationship, which is in fact more than friendship, as everyone, who isn't an idiot, knows.

I believe it is a stage for cowards. To be 'just friends' is to be below and above real friendly love, therefore it is not a good place to be in. If you are caught in this awful stage my advice to you would be to decide and make your choice. The longer you tack the word 'just' on your friendship the heavier the damper gets. Know truth and honesty and fess up to it.

Just.