Dear blog, I haven't forgotten you...

....summer projects have been taking up my time. For the past 2 weeks or so we've been completely re-doing a back room in our house and it's finally starting to shape up. {Nota Bene - don't ever assume wallpaper simply glides off drywall. Reality is quite the opposite.....}

Dolce far Niente by John Waterhouse

I've been meaning to post more about The Warden but it's been difficult to get to. As this is the case, I think I'll just finish the book and post about it when I'm done. Is it just this book or do Anthony Trollope's stories have really sloooowww beginnings? I heard he and Dickens were similar writers, but so far, they seem incredibly different. Dickens usually grabs my attention right away.

Since summer's here, I've made a list of books I'd like to try reading before school starts up again. The Lord of the Rings, The Twelve Caesars, Five Cities That Ruled the World, Living for God's Glory, and Anne Dutton's Autobiography are some that I'm really excited about. Hopefully I'll be able to pull it off!

I hope yours is a relaxing summer!

The Warden? Oh yeah.....

I don't even remember when I said I was going to start reading this book.....maybe it's better that way. Boy am I pathetic. Oh well. I'm not too far into The Warden yet, but I was starting to stress out over how lazy I am on here so 2 chapters is better than nothing, right?

So far, the characters don't seem to be as brilliant as those in Bronte or Dickens. Maybe Villette has me addicted to 1st person narratives.

Anyways, so far, the character that stands out to me most is Dr. Grantly. Who is Dr. Grantly? Well, allow me to give you a short family run down of the main character - Septimus Harding. Mr. Harding, a widower, has 2 daughters - the elder is maried and the much younger one still at home. One of Mr. Harding's best friends is the bishop of the diocese, and the bishop's son, Dr. Grantly, is married to Mr. Harding's daughter. Dr. Grantly, that worthy man, is an archdeacon  in the Anglican church and his is an awe-inspiring, conservative, puritanical personality. The people of the town almost live in fear of him. But when he's at home with his wife, he miraculously reverts to being a normal person! It is his wife alone who seems to know his opinions, fears, observations, etc. To everyone else, he is rigid and cold. That dual personality cracks me up!

The aforesaid Septimus Harding is almost the opposite of Dr. Grantly. Everyone loves him - he's warm and friendly, chatty, and open minded. Simple things are what please him most, and he is especially fond of music. He's in charge of a charity hospital (it's really more like a senior home) which houses 12 elderly men. This institution was founded back in the middle ages and as time has gone by, it's become a very valuable bit of property. Mr. Harding, however, is generous and even lowerd his personal salary in order to give more to his men in Hiram's Hospital.

As I mentioned earlier, Mr. Harding's younger daughter, Eleanor, still lives at home. But maybe not for long. In the town, Barchester,  there is a young surgeon named John Bold, who admires Eleanor. As he is a friend of her father, John Bold often comes to visit them in the evening. Dr. Grantly, however, doesn't entirely approve of the match - John Bold is a zealous, progressive reformist.

Tension rises when Bold's new cause is a matter of how the funds are being spent at Hiram's Hospital. He shocks several in town when he comes to inquire after the Hospital's accounting. Dr. Grantly is scandalized and Mr. Harding is hurt. And I have no clue what happens next.

This quest for the holy grail, i.e. the truth of how the hospital is run, looks like it's the main conflict in the story. John Bold's eagerness for reform brings up a good question - which causes are worth our time campaigning for? There's an organization for everything from drinking milk to self-esteem to recycling to being nice to our pets. And which should we concern ourselves with? As Christians, our primary focus should be God's glory and advancing His kingdom. That cause will be here till the end of the earth, and whole lifetimes can be and are filled by doing so. It's so easy to become sidetracked by secular causes and forget about serving in the church, evangelism, discipleship, etc. 

So, where is the balance between the sacred and the mundane? I have two humble ideas. First, (obviously) we should take care that we never involve ourselves in something that would be contrary to what God says in His Word. Second, activities that could potentially point others to Christ seem to be better choices than others. For example, volunteering at a pregnancy center or supporting a child in a third world country might open doors to evangelism, whereas promoting ethanol usage is sort of a dead end. I'm not saying you should never do the latter kind of thing (the last thing I want to do is be legalistic!), but the former seems to have so much more potential for good you can do others.

Well, my mind has blessedly run out of things to say, so, until next week, adieu!

On the importance of miracles in the Gospels

Gresham Machen:

"It may certainly be admitted that if the New Testament narrative had no miracles in it, it would be far easier to believe. The more commonplace a story is, the easier it is to accept it as true. But commonplace narratives have little value. The New Testament without any narratives would be far easier to believe. But the trouble is, it would not be worth believing. Without the miracles the New Testament would contain an account of a holy man - not a perfect man, it is true, for He was led to make lofty claims to which He had no right - but a man at least far holier than the rest of men. But of what benefit would such a man, and the death of which marked His failure, be to us? The loftier be the example which Jesus set, the greater becomes our sorrow at our failure to attain to it; and the greater our hopelessness under the burden of sin. The sage of Nazareth may satisfy those who have never faced the problem of evil in their own lives; but to talk about an ideal to those who are under the thralldom of sin is a cruel mockery. Yet if Jesus was merely a man like the rest of men, then an ideal is all we have in Him. Far more is needed by a sinful world. It is small comfort to be told that there was goodness in the world, when what we need is goodness triumphant over over sin. But goodness triumphant over sin involves an entrance of the creative power of God, and that creative power of God is manifested by the miracles. Without the miracles, the New Testament might be easier to believe. But the thing that would be believed would be entirely different from that which presents itself to us now. Without the miracles, we should have a teacher; with the miracles we have a Savior."

(Christianity & Liberalism, pp. 103-104)

Hither and thither

John Waterhouse, A Grecian Flower Market

1. I recently finished reading The Rule of St. Benedict. Whooaaaaaaa. I'm so glad I'm Protestant. Those monasteries are something else, let me tell ya. For instance, there was a no talking rule. Even if you had guests or a hoity toity bishop or something there, you'd be in deep yogurt* for speaking to them. (Obviously, these monasteries are for men....women wouldn't survive for 5 minutes with no chit chat) Also, you had to go to prayer services around 7 times a day. That meant waking up in the middle of the night. Yeesh. Usually I'm a pretty laid back person, but let me tell you, if I have a bad night's sleep, watch out! Yeah, so I'd never make it there.
2. For all those who like the game Monopoly, you'll like it even more after reading this article. Surprising, huh?
3. The school year's coming to a close. Remember when I mentioned in September that I made the mother of all reading lists? Well, that mamoth number of 24 books has now been whittled down to 15. Funny how that happens. What was I thinking? [shaking head]
4. I love the paintings done by John Waterhouse. It's probably because his subjects are mostly of  legends or the myths of my beloved Classical world. Ahhh. Do any of my 3 readers have a favorite painter?
5. Charles Spurgeon had a great morning devotional for today.

*"deep yogurt" is a phrase easily recognized by anyone who's taken an IEW course. Mr. Pudewa is awesome.

The Road to Emmaus

"Behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them. But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him. And He said to them, "What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?" And they stood still, looking sad. One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, "Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?" And He said to them, "What things?" And they said to Him, "The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him. "But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened. "But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning, and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive. "Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see." And He said to them, "O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! "Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?" Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.

And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as though He were going farther. But they urged Him, saying, "Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over." So He went in to stay with them. When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight. They said to one another, "Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?" And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, saying, "The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon." They began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread."

 Luke 24:13-35

My litterary hall of shame....or....The books I wish I didn't bother reading

THIS COULD BE YOU

In no particular order:

1. The Mysteries of Udolpho. Ok, well, I'm sort of glad I read this one, because I kept hearing about it in Jane Austen and such. But boy, was this one a doozy. The character line-up includes a flighty heroine, a hero who eerily resembles John Willoughby in Sense & Sensibility, an aunt perpetually having a bad day, and the evil Count Montoni (he was really mean). It also boasts one of the sappiest plots ever. In parts where Mrs. Radcliffe intended for me to cry, I usually ended up laughing like a madwoman.
2. Wuthering Heights. Perhaps one of my 3 readers has already noticed my disdain for this book. Cathy has too much of an attitude for me to sympathize with her, Heathcliff must be mad, and what is with the cousin marriage at the end? {shiver} Besides that, the tone of the book is so dreary that you feel depressed after each time you read it. And don't get me started on the plot...
3. The Inheritance (Louisa May Alcott). This one makes Udolpho look serious. Also, if you've read Little Women, this would most definitely be the book Jo wrote. Features include archaic language complete with "thee" and "thou" usage and a predictable plot. Its one of the rare occasions when the movie is better than the book.
4. Messenger. Lois Lowry is too out there. Unless you like books that don't make sense and end bleakly with conclusions that make you scratch your head.
5. Gilgamesh. The ancient Sumerians had strange, strange minds. Nuff said.

I would have included Twilight here, but as I haven't had the horror of reading the series, I didn't think it'd be fair to include a book I haven't read. :D

Rutherford's Hymn

The sands of time are sinking,
The dawn of heaven breaks,
The summer morn I've sighed for,
The fair sweet morn awakes;
Dark, dark, hath been the midnight,
But dayspring is at hand,
And glory, glory dwelleth
In Emmanuel's land.

The King there in his beauty
Without a veil is seen;
It were a well-spent journey
Though seven deaths lay between:
The Lamb with his fair army
Doth on Mount Zion stand,
And glory, glory dwelleth
In Emmanuel's land.

O Christ, he is the fountain,
The deep sweet well of love!
The streams on earth I've tasted
More deep I'll drink above:
There to an ocean fullness
His mercy doth expand,
And glory, glory dwelleth
In Emmanuel's land.

The bride eyes not her garment,
But her dear bridegroom's face;
I will not gaze at glory,
But on my King of grace;
Not at the crown he gifteth,
But on his pierced hand:
The Lamb is all the glory
Of Emmanuel's land.

Primavera

On three unrelated notes...

1. Sorry about falling off the face of the blogosphere. In the past few weeks I was busy planning a surprise party for Callie (which turned out great!), racing to try to end the school year well, helping out with errands and such while tax season plagued my mom, and then there was the death of an old friend of the family. So next week, I'll try to return to my regularly unscheduled blogging. I promise to write a Junto post. :D
2. Do you ever associate books (particularly fiction) with seasons? With spring here, all I can think about is Robin Hood. Summer would get The Odyssey and Fall, Persuasion. Not sure about winter.....anything depressing I guess (Wuthering Heights?).
3. This has me almost as giddy as a 12 year old girl who's won tickets to a Justin Bieber concert. I can't wait till it comes out!

What I did today

No, nothing exciting. But some of the ordinary stuff was sort of funny.

Lately there's been a warm spell around here, so my mom and I have been trying to go walking each morning. Well, today was a cold, rainy day (welcome to spring in WI ), so we decided to expand our horizons: We joined the mall walkers. Boy, was that an experience. We walked in, confident but slightly concerned that it might not be as big of a work out because there aren't any hills and stuff. But then reality set in. The place was full of power walkers! Ten minutes into it, mom and I, forced to walk faster than we usually do, were about to fall over. And then we saw some senior citizens, with a walker booking it in front of us! Yeah, so we only made it around 2 1/2 times, suffering and thoroughly humiliated. ;-)

Later on, I was reading The Year 1000 for school, and I came across this:

There was no concept of antiseptic at all. If a morsel of food fell off your plate, the advice of one contemporary document was to pick it up, make the sign of the cross over it, season it well - and then eat it.

The sign of the cross was the antiseptic of the year 1000.

Oh my goodness. I knew nobody knew about germs, but that they were that "earthy"? No wonder people died at 30!

Then, after church, we went to Walmart. In the check-out line, Mary spotted this:

You saw it right. I think this one doesn't require comment. Sorry if the picture's blurry - I was laughing too hard to keep the camera steady.

Today was interesting.

The Resurrection

O God of my Exodus,

Great was the joy of Israel’s sons,

         when Egypt died upon the shore,

         Far greater the joy

         when the Redeemer’s foe lay crushed

         in the dust.

Jesus strides forth as the victor,

   conqueror of death, hell, and all opposing

     might;

He bursts the bands of death,

   tramples the powers of darkness down,

   and lives for ever.

He, my gracious surety,

   apprehended for payment of my debt,

   comes forth from the prison house of the grave

   free, and triumphant over sin, Satan, and death.

Show me herein the proof that his vicarious offering

     is accepted,

   that the claims of justice are satisfied,

   that the devil’s sceptre is shivered,

   that his wrongful throne is levelled.

Give me the assurance that in Christ I died,

   in him I rose,

   in his life I live, in his victory I triumph,

   in his ascension I shall be glorified.

Adorable Redeemer,

   thou who wast lifted up upon a cross

   art ascended to highest heaven.

Thou, who as Man of sorrows

   wast crowned with thorns,

   art now as Lord of life wreathed with glory.

Once, no shame more deep than thine,

   no agony more bitter,

   no death more cruel.

Now, no exaltation more high,

   no life more glorious,

   no advocate more effective.

Thou art in the triumph car leading captive

   thine enemies behind thee.

What more could be done than thou hast done!

   Thy death is my life,

   thy resurrection my peace,

   thy ascension my hope,

   thy prayers my comfort.

(The Valley of Vision)