44. Stitched -- last Christmas my younger sister gave me a lap robe that she had made out of bits of fabric from our father's old coveralls. That she made it by hand was special. That she used the old work clothes of our daddy -- a treasure. Thank you, Georgi!
"The craftsman uses various instruments in shaping his tools - hammers, forges, anvils. Other tools are still on the anvil, being melted down, molten hot, malleable, changeable. They wait on the anvil, being shaped by the craftsman's hammer, becoming in the sometimes painful process what they were meant to be. They become tools of usefulness: sharpened, primed, defined, mobile. They lie ready in the craftman's tool chest, available to their master, ready to fulfill their calling."
"Does the clay say to the potter, 'What are you making?'"
Last night I set my alarm for 4:55 AM so I could listen to BBC Leicester's coverage of the University of Leicester's announcement this morning regarding the results of the DNA tests on the skeleton unearthed a few months ago.
I still marvel from time to time about the wonders of the internet and did so again this morning as I lay in my darkened bedroom. Over three thousand miles away history was being made and thanks to the internet, I was a part of it. I have always loved history and none more so than English history. For me this was a thousand times more exciting than any super bowl ever would or could be.
I am not going to go into any detail or analysis about today's findings. There are scholars far more qualified than me you can look to if you are interested in finding out more. Suffice it to say, the DNA proves the skeleton is Richard III. Technology is simply awesome! Not only were they able to prove it was the last Plantagenet King, they were able to do facial reconstruction based on the skull and give us a glimpse of what he may have looked like. When I saw the picture, I got shivers up and down my spine.
What a glorious day to be alive and witness this!
On the subject of the Super Bowl, I found this quote from country singer Brad Paisley very endearing:
“Nothing is geekier than skipping the Super Bowl and going to ‘The Hobbit.”
February 3, Joy Dare, 3 gifts found in writing:
38. The Bible
39. works of CS Lewis
40. works of JRR Tolkien
Today's Joy Dare, 3 gifts found when bent down:
41. the remains of a king
42. the furry faces of my felines
43. earrings I thought long gone
What does a single woman who's extremely weary after working six days straight do on a Friday night? Why she eats a couple slices of pizza, drinks a couple glasses of wine, and watches a couple episodes of BBC's Robin Hood -- with friends from all over the world.
Thanks to the genius of two women and Twitter, several of us are "getting together" on Friday nights to watch and tweet. For more info check out Armitage Watch.
And if your Saturday nights are free, we are watching Spooks (known as MI5 here in the States), 9 PM EST.
After a couple of carefree hours, I become quite a bit more serious while reading Ann's latest blog post, How to be a Better Lover. The simple intensity of this woman's writing makes me gasp for breath and the tears fall while I read:
"Marital love is a demanding and dying thing compared to the stuff of movies and mirages. The love of imagination — it’s a different beast entirely than love made in the image of a Saviour with nails in His hands. The Farmer writes little with pens. He’s a man who prefers to write his love letters with his life. There are no standing lovers: the only way to love is to lay down. Lay down plans. Lay down agendas. Lay down self. Love is always the laying down. This is how to make love out of a marriage: Love lays down it’s own wants to lift up the will of another. Love lets go of its plans — to hold on to a person."
And it leaves me yearning to experience this kind of love -- to know and be known.
I have quite enjoyed the different memes that have been made of Boromir's "one does not simply" statement in Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. This is the first I've seen where it is used as almost stated in the movie. It is too bad they had to use the contraction of does not. I have no idea who created it. If I did, I would give them credit. Obviously in the second picture, Richard is not in character as Thorin, but to find a picture using almost the exact gesture is priceless.
"I forgot to look at my watch. Forgot there was a world outside of Jackson’s conception of Middle Earth and when the movie arrived to its conclusion—the first of two cliffhangers—all I knew is I wanted more.
If The Lord of the Rings was the epic, then The Hobbit was always the haunting lullaby and Jackson captures this. There are scenes in the film that feel familiar because they are narrated with the spirit of ancient oral tradition. Where the first intended to thrill us, this one is aiming for our love. It wants us to show it to our children.
From the score, to the cinematography, it seems as if the movie wishes to imagine images we imagined growing up. The whole mood of the film is one where you can see a child asking “and what happened next?” with a glow in his or her eyes. There is an undeniable feeling of familiarity but never one of tedium. Now, more than ever, I wonder why did the movie go by without people showering it with more enthusiasm? Have we truly become so cynical that getting more of something good is something we can look down on? Has joylessness become part of being an adult? I went into this movie as a 26-year-old with a cold who was sure he was in for an awful time, I came out realizing my heart had grown three sizes that day."
Three of my 1000 Gifts, today's Joy Dare:
29. A gift on paper: a letter from my father
30. A gift in a person: my daughter Katie
31. A gift in a picture: my cats, Johnny and Winnie
"There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life:
I haven't done very well in consistently posting what I'm thankful for, using Ann Voskamp's Joy Dare prompts. It's not that I am ungrateful! Sometimes it's difficult to personalize the prompts. Ann has such a gift of expressing herself in a unique way and it has carried over into these prompts. At times, I just have a hard time wrapping my head around them. But, I have renewed my determination to thank God for three things each day and share that journey here woven in and through other posts.
Today's prompts: three old things seen new (gifts 26, 27, and 28). I just finished a post in my family history blog and that subject matter is definitely something old seen in a new way for which I am extremely grateful. But it sort of seems like cheating to use it. Then I thought I could reference my parents, because I am so very thankful for them. But even though they are seniors, I don't really like referring to them as old. I am also very thankful for having discovered the past projects of Richard Armitage. I am making my way through these shows and am immensely enjoying that journey. I'm not quite sure he would appreciate them being referred to as old, but they are new to me, and I am thankful for them.
As I mulled the prompt over, I thought back to the music I discovered when I was a teenager. One of my first vinyl LP's I bought was by Tom Howard entitled, "View From the Bridge." Thanks to a friend from college who I reconnected with on Facebook (ah, yet another old thing new) who sent me mp3's of it, I am able to enjoy it again. This is my favorite song from that album:
Towards the end in the harmonizing, the unmistakable voice of Randy Stonehill can be heard. Twenty years after "View From the Bridge" was released, Randy released his 18th album, "Thirst". I was in the midst of divorce and clung to the truths shared in those songs. I could not find my favorite song "Hand of God" on YouTube, but I did find a recording of it live with Phil Keaggy (another of my favorites) on guitar and Randy on vocals:
In those dark days this song ministered to my heart over and over again. The phrase that was burned into my soul is highlighted below in red:
Can you confront these shadows? Can you face your fears up close? When you look them in the eye, you'll see they're just a lie, an imaginary ghost, Can you embrace your sadness, taste the salt of your tears? Start laughing when you cry, 'cause it means that you're alive; and thank God you're standing here.
Can you confess your darkness? Gaze in the mirror of your soul, then rise above the shame, for mercy is a flame and its light will lead you home, Will you lay down your anger, ah, the wayward sons of Cane? And fall upon your knees, for truth will set you free and forgiveness kills your pain.
Jesus is standing before every man, shining bright as the sun, All of creation cries out his name; from the stars in the heavens, the blood in our veins, Only one glimpse of his face - the whole world has changed.
And there's a road through the mountains high, There's a boat that can take you across the river wide, For every heart love has healed, every hope faith makes real - in all these things, oh, I have seen the hand of God, In all these things, oh, I have seen the hand of God.
The third "old thing seen new" for which I am extremely thankful is another song by Randy from that same album:
I have struggled so long on this strange pilgrim journey
And the wild wind has cut me as the sands of time blow
But it all will be worth it when I kneel before Jesus
And His face has been carved in the stone of my soul
About a year ago and a half ago I discovered the incredible book, One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp. Her writing is like no other that I have ever read before. I dare you to find this book and read it.
I also read her blog, A Holy Experience as often as she updates it, which is quite regularly. Not once, I am not exaggerating, not once, have I been able to finish reading it without tears welling up. Her writing deeply and profoundly touches me.
If you click on the Care Guide link above you will be taken to her blog where she explains each of the 25 points. Please join me in implementing them. I believe it will change how we live each day.
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