Frodo // A Character Sketch

(I wrote this as a guest post for the great LOTR read-along a few years ago. Thanks for letting me repost, Hamlette! :))

When first we hear of Frodo son of Drogo, he is an orphan. Brought up among the ‘queer Bucklanders’ and considered by many to be more than half a Brandybuck, he is being adopted by Bilbo as his future heir. Observant and clear-sighted, he is a lover of beauty, and also of maps and of elves, a ‘perky chap with a bright eye’ whom both Bilbo and Gandalf think the ‘best hobbit in the Shire.’

(Note, I still haven’t watched the movies, so I’ll be discussing all this as it appears in the books.)

With his rich inheritance comes the great and dreadful Ring. Gandalf had said of the Ring, in his first long discussion with Frodo near the beginning, ‘It is far more powerful than I ever dared to think at first, so powerful that in the end it would utterly overcome anyone of mortal race who possessed it. It would possess him.’ Of hobbits he said, ‘Among the Wise I am the only one that goes in for hobbit-lore: an obscure branch of knowledge, but full of surprises. Soft as butter they can be, and yet sometimes as tough as old tree-roots. I think it likely that some would resist the Rings far longer than most of the wise would believe.’

A bit farther on, Gollum’s name enters the conversation. At this point, if we’re picturing the Frodo we know from later, his first reaction may be a bit startling. ‘Gollum!’ cried Frodo. ‘Gollum? Do you mean that this is the very Gollum-creature that Bilbo met? How loathsome!’ ‘I think it is a sad story,’ said the wizard, ‘and it might have happened to others, even to some hobbits that I have known.’ ‘I can’t believe that Gollum was connected with hobbits, however distantly,’ said Frodo with some heat. ‘What an abominable notion!’ And farther still, ‘What am I to do? What a pity that Bilbo did not stab that vile creature, when he had a chance!’ ‘Pity? It was Pity that stayed his hand. Pity, and Mercy: not to strike without need.’ …‘I am sorry,’ said Frodo, ‘But I am frightened; and I do not feel any pity for Gollum.’ ‘You have not seen him,’ Gandalf broke in. ‘No, and I don’t want to,’ said Frodo, ‘I can’t understand you. Do you mean to say that you, and the Elves, have let him live on after all those horrible deeds? Now at any rate he is as bad as an Orc, and just an enemy. He deserves death.’

When he realizes what must be done about the Ring he says, ‘I do really wish to destroy it! …Or, well, to have it destroyed. I am not made for perilous quests. I wish I had never seen the Ring! Why did it come to me? Why was I chosen?’ Nevertheless, he sets out -- going through hard adventure and dread fear and frightful pain to Rivendell, and once there, voluntarily takes on the further horrific task.

He is called to a mission, a mission stressing with horrible intensity the very places where he most needs change, and -- shaped by grief and pain and the weight of his burden -- he does change. The Frodo who meets Gollum above the Dead Marshes is a very different Frodo from the Frodo at the beginning. Grown in wisdom, he has learned the place of mercy, and knows also that the dealing out of final judgment -- final doom -- is not his.

He has grown in wisdom and mercy, but at the same time, he is desperately fighting the growing power of the Ring. We see a lot of this through the eyes of dear, faithful Sam. As, in torment and travail, they near Mount Doom, Sam ‘guessed that among all their pains he (Frodo) bore the worst, the growing weight of the Ring, a burden on the body and a torment to his mind.’ Twice, he tries to fight Sam off. The second time, ‘A wild light came into Frodo’s eyes. ‘Stand away! Don’t touch me!’ he cried. ‘It is mine, I say. Be off!’ His hand strayed to his sword-hilt. But then quickly his voice changed. ‘No, no, Sam,’ he said sadly. ‘But you must understand. It is my burden, and no one else can bear it. It is too late now, Sam dear. You can’t help me in that way again. I am almost in its power now. I could not give it up, and if you tried to take it I should go mad.’

So we come to Mount Doom -- and to his claiming of the Ring and the final reappearance of Gollum. Frankly, this part always bothered me until recently. But lately, I’ve begun to see just how exciting it is. First off, if Frodo had somehow managed to drop the Ring into the fire himself (as well as trivializing the danger) we would have much more of a straight-forward allegorical tale with him as the central Christological figure. Instead, we have (at least) two other major Christ-type figures, with all of them together contributing to a much fuller, richer glimpse and a tale of marvelous depth and complexity.

Second: initially, Frodo was sent on an almost hopeless errand, not knowing (if he even reached the mountain) how he would ever gain the strength and will-power to destroy the Ring. Yet the conflict isn’t resolved by deux ex machina, either. Gollum was shown mercy over and over again -- by Bilbo, Aragorn, Gandalf, Frodo, Sam, and even Faramir -- all with the idea that he had yet a purpose to fulfill and offering further opportunity for repentance. He was under oath to both Frodo and Faramir against treachery. ‘Then I say to you,’ said Faramir, turning to Gollum, ‘you are under doom of death; but while you walk with Frodo you are safe for our part. Yet if ever you be found by any man of Gondor astray without him, the doom shall fall. And may death find you swiftly, within Gondor or without, if you do not well serve him.’ Frodo had earlier warned him that a similar oath on the Ring would twist him to destruction.

So the mission incredibly succeeds -- succeeds as themes of wisdom and mercy flash brilliantly into focus, and a divine, overarching doom falls. From Sam again, ‘Well, this is the end, Sam Gamgee,’ said a voice by his side. And there was Frodo, pale and worn, and yet himself again, and in his eyes there was a peace now, neither strain of will, nor madness, nor any fear. His burden was taken away. There was the dear master of the sweet days in the Shire. ‘Master!’ cried Sam, and fell upon his knees. In all that ruin of the world for the moment he felt only joy, great joy. The burden was gone. His master had been saved; he was himself again, he was free.’

Here we come to a really interesting point. Frodo had to be saved. Now again in some ways (his burden-bearing for others, the royal temptations he faces, the pain and the anguish, the knife-wound, and the chilling, torturing, death-like experiences, etc.), Frodo can definitely be seen as a Christ-type figure. But -- while all that is absolutely true -- I think it equally true that he could just as well be a picture of us. I’ve also come to the conclusion that, of any of the characters within the story, he might actually best be compared to Boromir. Both are strong and honorable yet stumble at the same temptation, both are saved by grace and repentance (also seeing their actions clearly), and both are treated afterwards as being no less worthy of all honor and respect. And both see something through all the way to the end of their road, though death (in metaphor or reality) lies at the end of it.

Finally, on the slopes of Orodruin, surrounded by spewing flames and shattering earth, Frodo (and Sam) lie prostrate, starving and thirsting. And against all hope they are saved. The eagles come, bearing Gandalf, and they are brought out of fire and death and the tumult of destruction. Awaking in a place of dappled sunlight and cool green shade, they find themselves in the garden of Gondor and in the keeping of the King -- of the King who has tended and saved them -- of the King whose crown Frodo later bears.

Frodo, a richly adopted heir is, in the fullness of time, given and called to a task. A humble being, fighting and winning and losing against temptation (and yet succeeding because of the wisdom and mercy he has learned), he is led by his calling on a path of sufferings and death and darkness. And he is brought out again to glory -- to light and to joy, to a place of fresh raiment and song. Brought with a multitude of others to a place of piercing joy, to ‘regions where pain and delight flow together and tears are the very wine of blessedness.’ And to a place where -- crowned with circlets of silver -- he and Sam are led with high praise to seats of honor at the King’s table.

~     ~     ~

Thanks for reading -- I'd love to hear your thoughts. :) And again, be sure to check out all the other lovely posts at The Edge of the Precipice!

Celebratory Easter Ideas

I missed posting this last week, but I figured since we’re still in the Easter season and some of these ideas might be interesting/worth putting more thought into for next year, we’d just go for it. So here ye are. (For my first post on this, you can click here.)

Now for the further discussion of presents.

And celebratory things in general.

And the presents. ;)

But first, decorations.

After all the twinkly lights at Christmastide it’s always a downer to go to nothing at all in January, so this year around Epiphany (Jan 6th)/the end of the 12 days of Christmas, I switched out and put up some different white string lights in our living room and running down the hallway, both of which tend to get a little dark in the winter anyway. I really like the idea of having them up through Easter and Ascension Day. It creates a nice ambiance and has actually served as a really good daily reminder of the forward march of the church calendar.

Oh, and I also got some neat lanterns last year I love and… forgot to pull out this year. (The consequence of having things, neatly organized of course! ;D, but in multiple places due to ongoing construction. At least that’s what I’m blaming it on. ;))

I’ve been thinking a lot about imagery to do with the Tree of Life. I know there’s debate about Christmas trees (personally, we stand firmly cheering Boniface), but either way the evergreens are a symbol of eternal life, etc. This might be obvious, but when I was little I remember being kinda disappointed when reading Genesis that we never got to hear much more on the Tree of Life and then I distinctly remember the thrill when I was around twelve or so and realized it's really the whole point. The Tree of Life runs through every chapter, looming large and shaping the entirety of the story of creation and redemption. From Genesis through Ezekiel and on to Revelation 22 wherein we find the tree whose leaves are for the healing of the nations.

And of course -- spilling out from this -- garden (and mountaintop) imagery is typologically apt: with Christ as the New Adam, Christ rising in the garden, the world becoming a garden, etc. etc.

Fresh flowers are always lovely. And I’m not generally too keen on silk flowers (cause they can get dusty so quickly), but I have invested in some realistic looking wisteria and rose garlands (ivy’s also nice). I’m hoping if I keep them boxed up they’ll last for quite a few years and be something of a family tradition to pull out.

Now to the feasting.

As always, I think we should give some thought to hospitality. (And I don't want to send a critical message re different preferences, situations, etc. -- we're just trying to get the thought wheels spinning here.) It does seem that folks tend to expect more of a family dinner holiday (i.e. like Thanksgiving -- I mean you might have other folks over too, but the general emphasis seems to be on family). And the day IS very specifically joy for believers and condemnation and fear for those who are not. But if Christ rose from the dead the world should be hearing about it. Our neighbors should be hearing about it. And step one, we should most definitely be warmly inviting and welcoming in our fellow Christian brothers and sisters.

Of course, when thinking about evangelizing, we want to be winning our neighbors. Not making them uncomfortable on the one hand or making light of the glorious feast day on the other. So cookies at their gate or doorstep is always a great initial idea too. And the cookies don’t have to have a message. The idea is that it’s an unexpected gift and it’s to get people thinking. Surprise them.

Another idea I’d really like to try is singing at nursing homes. We’ve done caroling around Christmastime (which is great), but I think it could be a particular Resurrection Day blessing as well.

And if you have an extra day of family time around Easter maybe a special outing... a trip to the zoo, day in the mountains, cave visit, water and sand time at the ocean, or even a fun backyard picnic. Something memorable and un-everday-ish.

And the presents.

I’m so happy some of you liked my thoughts on gifts in the last post. I really loved hearing from you! :)

The little Princess got some books I’ve had on hand and been wanting to give her for a while: A Time to Keep by Tasha Tudor and Flower Fairies of the Spring and Autumn by Cecily Mary Barker. I found the sweet wooden puzzle on eBay and the fairytale dress on Amazon. I’m really excited about the dress so sharing the link here. Y’know usually the play dresses end up being kinda itchy, but the tulle on this one is so soft and the top is cotton -- nice medium weight cotton. And it’s not $50, much less than $50 in fact, coming in to just about what the fabric cost would be.

So there you go. What d’ye think? I’d love to hear more of y’alls great ideas!

On Easter Baskets and the Concrete Reality of the Resurrection

(First off, I’ve been watching a lot of Jeeves and Wooster lately, so certain phrases keep bubbling to the surface. Consider y’selves forewarned.)

Let's jump right in.

I’ve been thinking about Easter a lot. As a church festival I feel it often has a way of falling by the wayside the slightest bit. But as Protestants to the backbone, who believe in joyously hearty feast days and letting the church calendar (chronicling major events in the life of Christ specifically) shape our days and souls, there’s a rich mine here to be explored. It's like Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter, leading to the culmination of Ascension Day and ultimately rounding out with Pentecost -- are each a golden jewel, strung perfectly together, each lending fuller meaning and deeper understanding to the others. We need Christmas -- with its celebration of the full Godhead and humanity of Christ, the Light breaking into the darkness, pointing from the very beginning to the Cross -- and we need Easter, Christ's vindication and full rising in the flesh.

Yet while Easter’s a tremendous culmination, I’ve been puzzling over why it feels more ethereal than the others. Of all of the events it’s the most startling. The disciples were stunned and downright terrified. The earth quaked, a huge boulder rolled, rough blood stained Roman soldiers lay knocked out. All of this is a far cry from cutesiness.

Resurrection. New life. New creation. A restoration to the garden of Eden. Ezekiel’s river running out of the new temple and the entire world becoming a garden. Lucy’s loveliest of lovely stories in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is something like it -- for the refreshment of the spirit. Or like the moment when Shasta bends to drink clear spring water from Aslan’s paw print.

“…after one glance at the Lion’s face he slipped out of the saddle and fell at its feet. He couldn’t say anything but then he didn’t want to say anything, and he knew he needn’t say anything.

“The High King above all kings stooped towards him. Its mane, and some strange and solemn perfume that hung about the mane, was all round him. It touched his forehead with its tongue. He lifted his face and their eyes met. Then instantly the pale brightness of the mist and the fiery brightness of the Lion rolled themselves together into a swirling glory and gathered themselves up and disappeared. He was alone with the horse on a grassy hillside under a blue sky. And there were birds singing.

“…‘Was it all a dream?’ wondered Shasta. But it couldn’t have been a dream for there in the grass before him he saw the deep, large print of the Lion’s front right paw. It took one’s breath away to think of the weight that could make a footprint like that. But there was something more remarkable than the size about it. As he looked at it, water had already filled the bottom of it. Soon it was full to the brim, and then overflowing, and a little stream was running downhill, past him, over the grass.

“Shasta stooped and drank -- a very long drink -- and then dipped his face in and splashed his head. It was extremely cold, and clear as glass, and refreshed him very much. After that he stood up, shaking the water out of his ears and flinging the wet hair back from his forehead, and began to take stock of his surroundings.”

I’m not directly equating Narnia and Easter at the moment, but it’s making me think more on the tone I want to foster in our home. Through all responding to the lavish goodness of God. Mystery, passion, wonder, and intense love.

And so now we get to the presents. If all our feast days are celebrating Christ’s tangible coming in the flesh, then I think (somewhere) there should be presents. And if Easter is a culmination in and of itself, snowballing to more and more glories, we need to think how to live this out in real earnest.

The world really doesn’t know how to embody the feast day. Because there’s no Santa Claus etc., from what I’ve read it tends to get lumped in more with the likes of Valentines Day. So we get left with people doing all sorts of rather confused buying, egg hunts, and Easter baskets.

I’ve never been crazy about Easter baskets. Not that there’s anything wrong with the colorful things. It’s just kinda hard to get super excited about plastic eggs and chocolate flavored candies. (Bitter, I know. Acerbic even. ;)) It’s not particularly even the whole goddesses and pagan bunnies thing (though of course that’s an issue). It’s that it’s all too cute. We do emphatically believe God created all the sweet, cuddly things of creation -- puppies and kittens and bunnies and downy ducklings. But when it comes to the great church festivals, I think we must be militantly beware of cuteness. (We can use it, we should just be very certain why we’re doing it.)

I’ve quoted this from The Christian Imagination before, but it’s worth highlighting again: “To many North Americans… Christianity seems soppy. That is because they have not seen the real goods. True Christian imaging meets violence head-on, mine and the world’s, but also God’s. The Christian imagination… must face the reality of Job’s cry, the cry of God’s crucifixion, and of our participation in it. Once this is recognized, faith becomes not only possible, but necessary; it can never again be rose-water belief in Santa Claus.”

So back to the presents.

First off, we’re not talking about breaking the bank. They can be homemade. Or maybe the Christmas budget could be adjusted and some of the gifts saved for Easter. And (if you watch how many things come in your house) this can still have a minimal approach as well. It’s in choosing things very intentionally.

When it comes to children particularly, and thinking on our new white garb in Christ, I love the idea of a new spring/summer church dress for girls. This could work just as well (and might carry nice emphasis) with new pants and a shirt for the little guys too. And this could fit right in too with a smaller, manageable wardrobe. They just wait to get their new things till Easter and then wear them consistently thereafter.

It can be something they need. (One sweet YouTuber mom I've enjoyed watching suggests giving their new swim outfit for the year.) Or a beautiful picture book. Or perhaps something children will share (new play dough or some sort of play set etc, etc). If you’re into games, maybe a new card or board game for the entire family. The idea is to give appropriate weight to it. And (this is a thought experiment) but thinking through the wrapping and presentation. Something wrapped up is most definitely a present -- a surprise. (Or on the other hand maybe an entirely different approach. There’re all sorts of creative presentation ideas out there. The idea is to think on it.)
 
So there ye are!

I’d really love to hear all your thoughts and if you’re interested in a follow up (including what the Little Princess is receiving this year along with a few home decorations and other ideas) let me know and I’ll try and whip my ideas into some sort of shortish crystallized word form. ;)

Have a lovely evening one and all!

Riot and the Dance film **one night only**!

Hi y'all!

So I'm holding a busy baby on one side ;) and popping on to remind everyone about the showing of The Riot and the Dance happening this upcoming Monday the 19th! From the trailers etc. I'm kinda SUPER CRAZY excited (but trying not to think about it too much, you know. ;P)

"Join in the glorious uproar of creation with The Riot and the Dance, a boisterous new nature documentary featuring a biologist who was once told he would never succeed if he kept blabbing about all that silly Creator-creature nonsense. But now you can follow along with Dr. Gordon Wilson as he traverses our planet, basking in God’s masterpieces whether he’s catching wildlife in his own back yard or in the jungles of Sri Lanka. (Yeah, he did get bitten, but not by the cobra.)

Showstopping footage and powerful narration will open your eyes to the extraordinary glory found all over the animal kingdom. From leopards and langurs to vipers and elephants and beyond, The Riot and the Dance is a cinematic exploration that you won’t want to miss."

Here's a link to their website with all the details.

Is anyone else going??

Now I'm off to change a diaper and switch the laundry. I hope you're all having a great week -- talk soon!

~Heidi

January Life

So! I felt like rambling a bit this morning, so here's a (very general) current life recap. ;)

#1: Married life is Absolutely Wonderful. ❤❤❤

#2: I'm thrilled to be living where I am. In the west. Sandwiched between two glorious western mountain ranges. With the ocean a few hours away.

#3: Moving is a lot of work. A lot of work. And it takes lots of time to get organized. And I keep realizing that I've just moved across country and that's actually moving. Meaning, I guess it's quite amazing that I already have almost all my boxes unpacked and that things are as organized as they already are. ;)

#4: I'm getting a lot better at driving and also navigating my way round this brand new territory.

#5: I'm painting the inside of our house, so there've been lots and lots and lots of (actually maybe ten) trips to Home Depot for paint samples. I'm finally down to picking the color for the den, i.e. the very last room, and I have the gallons of paint for the rest of the house, so I'm hoping to soon wrap up my paint sample extravaganza. (Seriously, I have a whole collection if someone would like to take up some sort of art form with them??)

#6: My tried and true hand-me-down laptop computer officially reached the finish line this winter. But my Very Dear Man got me a new laptop for Christmas(!!!), which I'm learning all the ins and outs of and typing on this very minute. :D I was trying to ease my old computer along through all the wedding planning and it made it(!), but very sadly it's been getting melting-hot-to-the-touch for quite awhile and making odd, loud whirring sounds. The only thing it's not doing, in fact, is rocking round on the counter like it's about to explode; but I'm still holding my breath for some sort of terrible smell and a small stream of some sort of black, sticky, melty stuff to come oozing out somewhere with a little strand of smoke spiraling sadly away. Now I just need to get all my files pulled off and transferred over before some such dire calamity strikes.

#7: My brain is spinning with all sorts of ideas for spring-ish headers and backgrounds, but I think I'll make myself wait a few weeks. (In other words, can you tell I've just been on Pinterest after four months of fairly complete abstinence?? ;P)

#8: Along those lines, I'm setting up a new author website (part of the whole name change transition), which is taking quite a bit of time and effort as well, but I think it's coming together and we're getting close to the grand unveiling. (Along with some other grand announcements in the writing/book department around the same time, so stay tuned for that.)

 #9: Hamlette is hosting an I Love Austen Week soon!! (Splendid, is it not?) If you haven't already, do read her post and you can join in HERE. I'm planning a couple posts and it promises to be an absolutely lovely time.

#10: What do you all think of a reading challenge? I know. I feel like I'm being extremely ambitious, but I would like to get back into reading more and I thought something super easy might work well. The number of books would be anywhere from 3-10 (because we're already nearly in February and everyone gets busy in December) and you could choose whether to share a mini or full length review. The only stipulation would be that they're books you've really wanted to read for awhile and haven't previously reviewed. (Preferably previously unread too, but I suppose a reread could be fine as well.) What do you all think? Does that sound manageable/interesting to anyone?

Now I think I'll head off to get some lunch and then outdoors for some fresh air and exercise. I hope you're all having a lovely Tuesday!

Let me know about the reading challenge idea and I'd love to hear what you've been up to this month!

Christmas // The Year of Our Lord 2016

"Man’s maker was made man that He, Ruler of the stars, might nurse at His mother’s breast; that the Bread might hunger, the Fountain thirst, the Light sleep, the Way be tired on its journey; that Truth might be accused of false witnesses, the Teacher be beaten with whips, the Foundation be suspended on wood; that Strength might grow weak; that the Healer might be wounded; that Life might die." Augustine of Hippo

The paradox of Christmas. Leading to and bound together with the cross, the bull's eye center of history and of this whole entire glorious creation that we run round every day.

The twists and turns and darkness and then the blinding surprise of joy round the roughest, darkest corner of all. And now our deep and yet yearning satisfaction. Our God delights in doing the unexpected, and His incredible goodness spills out over His creation.

And then there's Matthew 1:23 that knocks me breathless every time I try to really grab hold of it, "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, “God with us.”

God with us.

God in the flesh. A crying, hungry baby. Growing up and going to the cross for the salvation of the world. God the Son now reigning at His Father's right hand over the nations and hearing the prayers of His people. Knowing His people. Intimately. Knowing, as only the Shepherd can, all the deepest darkest corners around which He is leading us. Knowing, too, the blinding joy waiting on the other side. Joy to explode our hearts and minds if we had not been prepared and tested through the valleys. For He is creating us anew in His own image, always.

Our Great King has come in the flesh and it is earthshaking -- cause for the very greatest and highest joy indeed!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

Resurrection Day ~ The Year of Our Lord 2016

At the Name of Jesus

"At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow,

every tongue confess him King of Glory now.

'Tis the Father's pleasure we should call him Lord,

who from the beginning was the mighty Word:

 "Mighty and mysterious in the highest height,

God from everlasting very light of light:

in the Father's bosom with the Spirit blest,

love in love eternal, rest in perfect rest.

"At his voice creation sprang at once to sight,

all the angel faces all the hosts of light, 

thrones and dominations, stars upon their way,

all the heavenly orders in their great array.

"Humbled for a season, to receive a name

from the lips of sinners unto whom he came,

faithfully he bore it spotless to the last,

brought it back victorious when from death he passed.

"Bore it up triumphant with its human light, 

through all ranks of creatures to the central height, 

to the throne of Godhead, to the Father's breast; 

filled it with the glory of that perfect rest.

"Name him all creation name him, with love strong as death,

but with awe and wonder, and with bated breath;

he is God the Saviour, he is Christ the Lord,

ever to be worshipped, trusted and adored.

"...Brothers, this Lord Jesus shall return again,

with his Father's glory, with his angel train;

for all wreaths of empire meet upon his brow,

and our hearts confess him King of Glory now."

Caroline M. Noel

Of Deep Story & Beauty ~ Cinderella

Cinderella has always been one of my three favorite fairy tales, but over the last few weeks, I’ve started trying to figure out exactly why. Unlike the more obvious Sleeping Beauty or St. George, what is it about Cinderella particularly that makes it one of my greatest heart stories?

As is the way with most true fairy tales, I don’t even remember where I first heard it. I didn’t grow up with the 1950 film version and there wasn’t a particular picture book version that I read to bits. (Those all came much later. ;))

So what is it? Then about a week ago, it all clicked together.

With beauty of heart and hand, Cinderella is definitely the hardest working of any of the traditional princesses, which creates room for some amazing character development.

There’s her shining loyalty, her forgiveness -- her patience and kindness. 

There’s her hope even in the direst of circumstances, a hope that doesn’t deny darkness and despair and heart-wrenching pain. 

There’s her resilient fortitude and perseverance.

And there’s her courage. To quote C.S. Lewis, “Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point, which means, at the point of highest reality. A chastity or honesty or mercy which yields to danger will be chaste or honest or merciful only on conditions.” 

Some of these qualities are fleshed out/developed much more in good retellings and/or films, but they’re all there at the heart of the original story.

And found in cultures all over the world, spanning the centuries, woven into the very fabric of creation itself -- pointing to and mirroring the Deepest Story of all -- Cinderella is the only fairy tale that (as in the original story itself) has ever actually made me cry.

For it brings a glimpse of joy. To tie together two more quotes from C.S. Lewis, “Joy is distinct not only from pleasure in general but even from aesthetic pleasure. It must have the stab, the pang… The experience is one of intense longing… This hunger is better than any other fullness; this poverty better than all other wealth.”

Cinderella’s character is beautiful, but the second definitive element -- the golden nut at the heart of the fairy tale, making it different -- is her prince, her prince caring for and taking her for who she is. 

This is unconditional love; love akin to Christ’s love for His people (which, of course, goes infinitely beyond, as He loved us when we were unlovely). 

And -- since we’re dealing with deep story here -- it also runs multiple ways. It’s a picture of what He has done and what He’s still doing. This is an ongoing story and we’re right smack dab in the middle of it.

In Cinderella, there’s the ball, then there’s a separation, and then -- hunting the length and breadth of his kingdom -- the Prince comes seeking his bride. Meanwhile, she’s right back where she was, continuing to live faithfully in her wretched circumstances -- living out further good deeds done in good faith. 

Cinderella is found shining in the dirt and grime necessarily associated with her calling and place. She’s not afraid of getting her hands dirty in faithful service. 

And when her prince finds her, he isn’t frightened by any of it.

On an eschatological scale, this is the church awaiting the final consummation and marriage supper of her King. He has won our hearts -- holding them securely. Winning them, He has, too, our full allegiance and love, and we are now able and called to joyfully do or die in His service. 

And… keen and passionate, our Prince loves the beauty of His bride.

Ring Around the Rose ~ Week 1: Fantasy Worlds

The authors of Five Enchanted Roses are doing a blog hop event, answering different questions over the next couple weeks on their own blogs. They’ve opened it up for anyone else who wants to post their answers as well and when I saw this week’s question it was too splendid to resist!

Question for Week #1: If you could live in any fantasy world, which one would you choose (and why)?

My selection falls between those two overarching favorites: Narnia and Middle Earth.

To me, Narnia always seems very…transitory. A marvelous adventure ground, but hard to find a concrete place or time in which to settle down in (which is partly why I love The Horse and His Boy so tremendously… you get to stay). 

So when it comes to an absolute choice I waver—especially when I think of Shasta and Aravis plunging into that cascading waterfall with its mysterious, invisible scent of massing rhododendrons, and then of Shasta’s drink of the crystal stream running over the fresh grass and his first breakfast with the dwarves in their delightfully homey kitchen—but all in all (if it was a life choice and I had to choose), I think Middle Earth. 

I particularly love both Anórien and Ithilien.

From The Return of the King: 

“(Merry) could not see them, but he knew that all round him were the companies of the Rohirrim. He could smell the horses in the dark, and could hear their shiftings and their soft stamping on the needle-covered ground. The host was bivouacked in the pine-woods that clustered about Eilenach Beacon, a tall hill standing up from the long ridges of the Druadan Forest that lay beside the great road in East Anórien.” (Wonder of splendid wonders—there are pine trees in Anórien!)

And this earlier quote from The Two Towers:

“Day was opening in the sky, and they saw that the mountains were now much further off, receding eastward in a long curve that was lost in the distance. Before them, as they turned west, gentle slopes ran down into dim hazes far below. All about them were small woods of resinous trees, fir and cedar and cypress, and other kinds unknown in the Shire, with wide glades among them; and everywhere there was a wealth of sweet-smelling herbs and shrubs. …fronds pierced moss and mould, larches were green-fingered, small flowers were opening in the turf, birds were singing. Ithilien, the garden of Gondor now desolate kept still a disheveled dryad loveliness.

“South and west it looked towards the warm lower vales of Anduin, shielded from the east by the Ephel Dúath and yet not under the mountain-shadow, protected from the north by the Emyn Muil, open to the southern airs and the moist winds from the Sea far away. Many great trees grew there, planted long ago, falling into untended age amid a riot of careless descendents; and groves and thickets there were of tamarisk and pungent terebinth, of olive and of bay; and there were junipers and myrtles; and thymes that grew in bushes, or with their woody creeping stems mantled in deep tapestries the hidden stones; sages of many kinds putting forth blue flowers, or red, or pale green; and marjorams and new-sprouting parsleys, and many herbs of forms and scents beyond the garden-lore of Sam…

“The travelers turned their backs on the road and went downhill. As they walked, brushing their way through bush and herbs, sweet odours rose about them. Gollum coughed and retched; but the hobbits breathed deep, and suddenly Sam laughed, for heart’s ease not for jest.”

In the end, a place to put roots down deep into the brown-turned earth, a land of wide running leagues between one place and another, with fire wrought story at the turnings—hugeness and depth and darkness and the joy beyond words.

How about you? Where would you choose?