c.s. lewis necklace

i know it's not the best quality picture.

i apologize! my "real" camera is M.I.A.! yikes :(

i'll take more pics once i can convince camantha to come out of hiding.

in my excitement, i just wanted to get this on my blog asap!

so, i embarked on a little arts&crafts journey last night...

and after an hour of sheer mayhem ... i emerged with THIS :)

i cut out two pieces of "Mere Christianity" and glued them to this metal pendant (front and back).

i know it sounds like borderline sacrilege, but with two extra copies of this little gem lying around, i see it more as an honor to my hero.

it has another little antique charm and the letter "e" that looks like an old typewriter key.

the chain is roughly 3ft long (about 1.5 ft from the back of your neck to the pendant)

overall, i LOVE it and am wearing it today.

my goal is to put it on etsy once i get better pics. i can, of course, do this with ANY piece of literature (besides any in my own personal library... i dont think i'll be chopping up my only copy of crime & punishment!) AND with any letter. for the moment, i only have Mere Christianity available for use on this pendant. i sold many of my extra copies during my move :( BUT i am a frequent half price book-er and will, soon enough, have a variety to choose from. but who doesnt want a little Clivey with them during the day??

and i promise. MORE & BETTER pics to come.

this was made for me.

crime and punishment.
the brothers karamazov.
anna karenina.

a few of my favorite books.

all of russian authorship

all authors... dead.

conclusion? i want this buttonnnnnn.

i wont wear it around. i promise.

it's a castle... it's a mansion...

it's my schooool :)
took this walking to class last night.
she's a beaut isnt she??
pretty sure a fair-haired princess lives in that top room...
spinning threads of golden yarn...
as the birds help her get ready in the morning...
and the forest creatures bring her breakfast...
ok. i'm done. it's an awesome building! the end! :)

"real knowledge...

...is to know the extent of one's ignorance."







this is the building my humanities class is in.

it's so adorable... and inside i learn how much i have yet to learn.

one day

i want my little girl to love reading.

and her room to look like this.

minus that creepy wolf-like creature on the shelf.

there is a paper monster behind me

growling and rustling...

and i'm too scared to turn around.

i should be trying to attack it with some sort of filing system.

or at least a giant paperclip.

but i would rather do something non-work related.

so i'll write about it.

i started volunteering at a local bookstore.

because one day i will own one of my own.

and i need some know-how.

when that day comes,

you are ALL invited to come and sit in a comfy little corner by the window,

and read the day away...

while i bring you little baked goodies and tea.

until then, i'll stay here.
it's messy. and dusty. and messy.
and the owner walks around with no shoes on...
and tie dye shirts he made himself.

also, i am starting school soon.

very soon.

five days away soon.

and i am so excited.

i love to learn.

pretty much everything and anything.

within reason, of course :)

two more years and i will have a fancy piece of paper with my name on it.

once upon an internship

so, i was looking through VERY old documents and came across this little gem. i remember writing this when i was an intern in 2006. i thought i'd share. i know it's nothing NEW and UPDATED, but i think you'll still enjoy it. and please overlook and forgive the hideous cliches.


:: john eight ::

I sat in the midst of burning eyes. So many people. They all listened to the beating of my terrified heart. I could not lift my gaze to meet the stares, especially His. It was as if He saw everything, knew everything. My appearance confessed it all. Dark hair hung over my face covered in tear stains and shame. Dirty, tattered rags hung loosely around me. A rough hand gripped my arm with the same hard jolt that tore me from the darkness. He led me to the One who had been teaching these hungry hearts. I had heard of this man, His words, His miracles, His claims. Son of God. King of the Jews. I felt His eyes break into the deepest corners of my filthy soul. It was as if I had known Him since first breath.

One of them behind me came forward. He had witnessed my capturing. He hissed between his teeth, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.” The words pierced my entire being. I bit my lip. Blood. The taste of fear flooded my mouth. Whispers rose from the sea of people. Waves of rumors and judgment echoed. Tears poured, washing the dirt from my face. I watched one fall onto holy ground.

“Now Moses in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned,” the voice aimed at the One before me, “but what do You say?” The ocean was still. Every eye rested on this man, and my life in His hands. My gaze fell hard on rough stones between white knuckles. Their grip tightened. I imagined the pain, the breaking, the death. Mercy. Have mercy. He said nothing. No one dared to speak nor I to breathe. We followed His every movement as he stooped to the ground. Exhale.

With his finger, he started to write so carelessly in the dirt. Aleph. What was He doing? The ocean grew restless. Vav. My eyes followed every stroke. Zayin. Lists grew. “Teacher, please answer us.” “Teacher, the Torah…” Kaf. Waves roared. “This woman is to be stoned!” Daled. He stood.

Silence.

“He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw at her.” That voice ripped through me. Again, he stooped and, with the same finger, wrote again. What were they to do? They were men. Sinful, hearts heavy with rags just as filthy as mine.

One stone dropped behind me. The silence was broken. I looked to him as He continued writing. Another dropped beside me. Another, then another. The sound of freedom. Soon, only cold, hard stones surrounded me.

He rose. “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” His words poured over me. I lifted my eyes to His for the first time. I saw life.

With a shaky voice, I replied, “No one Lord.”

“I do not condemn you either. Go. From now on sin no more.”

I dropped to His feet and wept. Speechless I remained until those few left picked me up and led me away. Alive. Breathing. New.

I stood around the corner, listening to His words as He turned to the crowds.

“I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”

I will follow. I will follow.

Deep cried out to deep in whispers, “Your holiness is what gets me, leaves me breathless, motionless. Pure, blameless, unstained, unspotted by the dirt of this world. Holy. I dare not place myself next to you. Rags. Filthy, torn, stained and worthless rags…at the very least. I should not try and excuse them. I should not try and wash them myself. Instead, I shall see Your garments and how they need no excuse, and I shall desire the feeling of holiness on my shoulders, covering my entire being. Yes. I desire your garments, dripping white. Beautiful they are.”