A Sunset

This is a dramatic sunset taken at my house. It is from this past winter. 

NARNIA!

Here I am after a sugar high from gummy bears eaten in the car, an adrenelin rush, and the built up excitment from the last six months. Yes, I have just come back from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. My dad surprised us kids and took us to see the eight o'clock showing tonight. We had the theater to ourselves because Tuesday isn't your typical day for movie goers.
So, my review: Much better than the old BBC series. The scenery and effects were grand. Edmund and Lucy were great actors. The White Witch was cruel and hard (almost vicious, my dad said). The beavers were beaver sized. Aslan's mouth moved at the same speed as he talked (the opposite of the BBC series). I am definitely going to look for the DVD when it comes out. I think it fairly accurately portrayed C. S. Lewis's story and theme.
Now my complaints: The music did not always convey the mood right. There was a bit of a humanistic bent to the movie, not too bad, but the greatness of Aslan was downplayed. Also the children were not adventursome at all.
Okay, I'll save my severe movie critique for my poor sister to listen to. I already tore apart the Lord of the Rings for her (I'm very hard on movies based on my favorite books). But it was a good movie.

Note of Interest: Narnia Web has a hint that Prince Caspian is aimed to be finished by December 2007. How can I get a part as an extra?!?

LONG LIVE THE TRUE KING!

Previews

If you are interested in seeing some trailers of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, you can download them here:
http://www.narniaweb.com/trailers.asp

C. S. Lewis

I suppose most people know of the new movie "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" which is coming to theaters in the United States this Friday. My family are all avid fans C. S. Lewis's writings. We have followed the production of this film quite eagerly through NarniaWeb. So naturally I thought of writing about C. S. Lewis this week. Of course, this is made easier since lots of other magazines, blogs, and other places like that had the same idea. I have a "Christian History" magazine chock full of articles about Lewis. Well, I decided there was too much I could write about, so this is merely a tribute to C. S. Lewis.
He was a great Christian man who did his best to serve God in all the gifts he had (which were many) and he did it joyfully and humbly. His works have challenged me and encouraged me to think and to reason and to love our Savior all the more. I think they have done that for many people. And I hope God will use them to challenge many more.
Two pieces from his books that influenced me most were:
1. the law of undulation (from The Screwtape Letters) - I am reminded when I go through seasons of dryness that these will pass and they are just the troughs of my walk with the Lord. It encourages me to press into the Scripture and to keep going.
and 2. the stabs of deep joy felt here on earth are just a glimpse of the joy we shall have in heaven (from Surprised by Joy).
Praise God, He chose to use C. S. Lewis for His glory. I hope He will use me as well, whether I become as famous or not.

A General Thanksgiving

Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we, thine unworthy servants, do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us, and to all men; We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all, for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful; and that we show forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen
This was from The Book of Common Prayer. I don't normally go around reading it, but I came across this section in my literature book. It seemed to fit for Thanksgiving.

God our Provider

Psalm 34:8-10
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good;
Blessed in the man who trusts in Him!
Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints!
There is no want to those who fear Him.
The young lions lack and suffer hunger;
But those who seek the LORD shall not lack
any good thing.

God provides for us, His children. No matter where we are or how hopeless things look, He provides for us. This should bring joy to our hearts and thanksgiving to our lips. Is it not an awesome thought that the Creator of the World thinks of our needs?
Sometimes, His provision comes in strange forms. We think He should provide in one way, when He has another plan that will bring Him greater glory. My grandfather tells a story about this quite often. He was a maintenance man for a college. One day, his boss told him to go mow a strip of grass outside one of the college buildings and not to leave 'till it was done. While he was out mowing the grass, he grew hot and thirsty. As there was a little store across the street that sold sodas, my grandfather thought he would walk over and get a coke. But this caused a conflict in his mind: should he walk across that one street and get a drink or should he obey his boss and not leave the strip of grass? My grandfather talks about this conflict to a much greater depth than I am going to write about. Suffice it to say he listened to his conscience and stayed. But he was still thirsty. "Oh God," he said," I wish I could have a drink." As he said this, he looked up. There was a coke hanging in mid-air. He rubbed his eyes and thought, as any sensible person would have, that he was hallucinating. But still it hung there. Gradually, he perceived it hung from a string which came from a high window in the college building he was outside of. A man, a professor, was holding the string. He motioned for my grandfather to take the coke. So he did. Then the man pulled up the string and shut the window. I think this is a very good illustration of the unusual ways in which God may choose to provide for us.
Besides providing by unexpected means, sometimes God does not provide the things we think we need. I suppose you have all had the times when you said to God,"But Lord, this is absolutely necessary!" and it did not happen. We like to think we know everything we need. But God knows best. Perhaps He thought you needed to learn patience or trust more than you needed that thing.
Not only does God provide for our physical needs as He sees fit, He also provides for our spiritual and emotional needs. Suppose you were in prison for Christ's sake and you were treated very badly there - little food, clothing, or medical help. But God provides you with the strength to not give in and deny Christ. That is as much God's provision as the comfort we in America experience.
So let us thank God for His loving kindness to us in that He knows what is best for us and always does His holy will.

Note: My grandfather says he wasn't working at the college yet. He was working at another building, but he didn't specify what building it was. I think he would also like me to mention that God yelled at him when he started to leave the premises. Also, he was looking up to God, then he looked down and saw the coke. :-)

No Posts

This is an apology to all my anxious devoted readers (who, besides my family, exist only in my imagination) for the delay in any new and invigorating posts.
Let me think of some excuses.....Ah, here is some. I have been so busy working on physics and calculus and studying for subject tests that I ran out of time. Also the power has gone out several times lately, and that sends the computer all screwy.
All right, I know. I can't fool you. I've been dreadfully lazy. I've even procrastinated as to posting this. But I have the next one rolling around in my head.
My next post: God our provider.
OK, now I have to go serve out breakfast. Eggs and apple pie, anyone?

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Mom!!!
I love you!
Kirsten

God our Refuge

A friend unexpectedly dropped in last Friday evening. Her road had washed out, so she couldn't get home. That same evening, our neighbor's basement flooded, so Dad went over to help pump it out. One of my sisters said, "Our house is like a refuge." That started me thinking about how God is our refuge.

Psalm 46:1-3 says:

"God is our refuge and strength,

A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah"

"God is our refuge." What a beautiful promise! Brethren, who are struggling, does this not lift your heart up?
The great preacher Charles Spurgeon wrote: "The word refuge may be translated 'mansion', or 'abode' which gives the thought that God is our abode, our home." A Christian may find rest in God as he can in a warm and loving home. We can find peace in Him as one can when watching a storm from the comfort of a house.
Perhaps, brethren, you have been troubled by the terrific things happening in our days - hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, sicknesses, disasters killing hundreds or thousands of people. These verses, however, tell us not to be afraid. God is in control. He is sovereign and in Him we find our home. This does not mean that He will save us from all sufferings and tragedy, rather He will give us strength in the midst of those things. When everything is falling apart around us, we shall have the courage and joy to face it and to help others that nonbelievers will not have.
Flee to Jesus now. Do not wait for trials to force you to Him. Blessed be the LORD!

"He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, 'He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.' "
Psalm 91:1,2

This is a quote from Franz Joseph Hadyn. I hope to follow its advice.
"There are but few contented and happy individuals here below; everywhere grief and care prevail; perhaps your labor may one day be the source from which the weary and worn, or the person burdened with affairs, may derive a few moments of rest and refreshment."

Greetings! This is the opening post of A. U. Thor.
I am an amateur spinach-eating blogger. Also, I have practiced playing
"London Bridge is Falling Down" on the piano with my toes.
I particularily delight in writing and telling stories, so perhaps I shall
do some of that here.
A most important thing, though: I always write to the Glory of God.
A. U. Thor