Inklings || November 2024

Rules:

1. At any time during the month, on your own blog post a scene from a book or film that matches the prompt, including a link back here in your post.

2. Make sure to come back and leave a link to your entry in the box on this post. That's it!

~

November's prompt is:

A scene with family breaking bread together in book or film

I'm mixing it up a little by doing a picture book this time (which also feels only right as it's the title that inspired the prompt), i.e. Sharing the Bread by Pat Zietlow Miller.

Anyhow! This one is just charming. I love how they're all pitching in together to prepare the laden table... 

And I find the clean simplicity of the illustrations charming. It's actually giving me some inspiration for how I might do our decorations this year.

I reviewed it here last year. (Unabashed plug for my book blog that's been pottering along gently. Never know when a new review might happen to pop up though! ;))

You can pop your links below:

Have fun!

On A Most Important Birthday Occasion

Soooo..... today was the birthday of a Certain Wonderful Young Lady we all know.

A Story Lover. She's diligent and sweet and funny and loyal and thoughtful and encouraging. She loves her Savior with her whole being. And I am so very blessed and honored to have her as my sweet and faithful friend!

Happy birthday Natalie!!! :)

May our good God continue to bless you most richly in this next year, and I look forward to many more years of friendship and adventures (including emails and blog posts and Instagram messages and maybe even seeing each other again! ;)).

"I shot an arrow into the air,

 It fell to earth, I knew not where;

For, so swiftly it flew, the sight

Could not follow it in its flight.

I breathed a song into the air,

It fell to earth, I knew not where;

For who has sight so keen and strong,

That it can follow the flight of song?

Long, long afterward, in an oak

I found the arrow, still unbroke;

And the song, from beginning to end,

I found again in the heart of a friend."

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The happiest of happy birthdays to you dear friend!!

First wedding pictures!

(Photos by my talented friend Kezia of Step Up Photography.

Also, some of these are indeed running over into the sidebar again on purpose as I thought you'd all like to see them a wee bit better.)

The last month has been most entirely splendid (married life is simply lovely) and there's so much to tell -- so many adventures and plans and exciting happenings and projects (not to mention words) bubbling over to be shared. :) Such wonderfulness!

I can't wait to hear from you all!

Announcing... An Engagement!

Are you ready for one of the most exciting posts ever published on this blog? :) (Note: the pictures are indeed running over on purpose for this one as I thought you'd all like to see them a wee bit better. ;))

To make a very long story (somewhat) shorter, it all started back awhile ago when a certain young man from across the country entered my life. We first met through our pastors as we attend sister churches in the same denomination.

And while I’m not here to argue for love at first sight, I can thoroughly vouch for a certain ‘click’ happening upon the occasion of the very first conversation. ;) From those first initial, friendly conversations, we easily proceeded into a thoughtful, careful, thoroughly intentional courtship. 

It all culminated exactly one week ago today in a single question out in the pasture and then a beautifully fairytale-ish diamond ring!

(9/16 Edit: you can also read my post HERE for an update on the ring topic. ;))

How do you go about encapsulating the heritage of previous generations, two entire life times, and the wondrous workings of providence into any sort of semi-adequate summary? The goodness of God is immense and His ways deep and glorious past finding out.

So much was discussed throughout the courtship that it runs to multiple pages (yes, I kept a list! ;)), but very definitely, the first thing we wanted to make sure of was doctrinal agreement and unity. That covered, the conversations proceeded to life vision things: lifestyle, life choices, the raising of children, and on and on. Here we found more things in common -- things I'd dreamed of finding, but then begun to wonder if I ever would... Actually finding them true was (and still is) stunning.

And there are all the blessings that make it actually 'work.' We get what one another is thinking and saying. He makes me laugh. And I make him laugh.

Incidentally, the first love we ever found in common was our love for mountains and wide spreading places -- space running out to the sky, miles upon miles upon miles of it.

He  loves history. All of it. WWII… ancient history… medieval history… eastern European history… pirates… early American history…

He loves the American west and knows tons (and I mean tons) of good idioms and quirky, crazy, wild, marvelous happenings. (I’m starting to more thoroughly understand why – providentially – I hadn’t yet finished David’s Shoulders. It's going to be so much better. :))

He wants me to write.

Believe it or not, age-wise we’re very similar to Barney and Valancy in Montgomery’s Blue Castle.

Studying and falling in love with his character and convictions and personality, I (at some point, of course) had to start likening him to certain Austen heroes and (believe me, I’m not making this up) he’s really and truly startlingly like Mr. Knightley.

Speaking of Mr. Knightley, he actually had a nodding acquaintance with JA and N&S(!) years before we ever met!

On  the subject of N&S, he shares a given name with a certain well esteemed hero… John… Jehovah has been gracious.

He loves Tolstoy’s story of War and Peace and I love Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment.

Serious minded, entrepreneurial, and creative, he’s a business owner who's passionate about what he does.

Gentle, strong, and generous, he’s a leader living by his convictions, walking in diligence and faithfulness before his God and Savior.

And I'm now honored to be becoming his wife in five short months.

Our Lord is so gracious… Delighting in giving good and rich gifts to His people with an abundance running up and pouring over!

“Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the great mountains; Your judgments are a great deep; O Lord, You preserve man and beast. 

“How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life…” Psalm 36:5-9

Blessings to each one of you dear friends!

(P. S. And have no fear, I'm marrying a story lover and moving west across country, so I have no intention of forgetting the blog anytime soon. ;D There are hundreds of wonderful conversations yet to be shared on this grand new adventure!!)

In the New Year of our Lord 2016

I hope you're all having a most lovely New Year's! Right at the moment, I'm sitting in my blue room enjoying my sparkly white twinkle lights after coming in from enjoying the outside sparkle lights while doing chores. We don't have any snow at the moment, but we got lots and lots of rain last weekend and now there's plenty of that certain, thick, brown, squelchy substance in places. And after milking, I got to go up and help (most) of the herd find their new round hay bale. (Apparently, they got so excited about it that they completely forgot where the fence opening is to get round and to it. Quite ridiculous behavior. Really. ;)) 

And earlier this afternoon, I got to watch a movie with my family while sipping coffee from my new French blue coffee cup and smiling over my 2016 tropical water/places calendar (both Christmas gifts from my brother ;)).

:)

This isn't a new year's resolution post, but a lot of things have been wrapping up in the last few weeks and I've been thinking through some new things I'm hoping to do soon -- and as all of it delightfully coincided with the beginning of the new year -- some sort of post just seemed fitting. 

2015 was an incredibly full and really most blessed year. It had its share of tough and difficult days at times, but throughout every moment of them God was utterly faithful.

I read a lot more last year than I had for several years previous, which pattern I'm looking forward to keeping up! (And at the moment I'm feeling inspired to do book reviews, too, so we shall see...)

Along with and included in it, I discovered some MARVELOUS new stories -- both books and movies. I've been updating my top favorite films list here over the last month or so. (There are several more that might be making an appearance soon, but I'd like to rewatch them again at least once first. ;))

I was also blessed to go on some fairly epic travel adventures this year. In April, I got to go with two of my siblings for a fast road trip east and really and truly got to meet a dear friend face-to-face (whom I first met through blogging) AND attend her beautiful wedding!! In October, I was blessed to take a two week trip to stay with a very old and very dear friend (and her lovely young family) across the country, which was absolutely splendiferous. And in November, I was blessed to go road tripping across the country west for yet another dear friend's wedding (in which I was honored to be a bridesmaid, and which was altogether perfectly thrilling and wonderful). As I said, it was all quite epic. :) (And YES, I am still very much hoping to share some pictures!)

And.... some most exciting things have also been/are happening on the writing front lately. ;D

There are so many things that (Lord willing!) I'm eager about and praying for in this next year -- and here are just a few of them I'm planning to do on a daily level:

~ I really like the new Bible reading approach I tried during part of last year: reading from Genesis-Revelation in 10 chapter increments (or an entire book, depending on the length) + a psalm or a proverb, so I'm planning to do that again.

~ With my next sister in the house there are plenty of different exercise options floating around and she found a new walking routine recently that looks interesting. There's also my favorite Ballet Beautiful waiting to be picked up and I think they might compliment each other well, so I'm thinking of alternating between the two and seeing what happens.

~ Picking up my fiddle again would be excellent.

~ And (we'll see what happens with this one), but I've wanted to learn Spanish for quite a while. So now just to make a start.... :)

So there you have it! My (very) quick overview for this January 1st. Now I'm off to do some kitchen tidying and finish testing out a new spelt flour pretzel recipe I've got in progress. ;)

A Very Merry 8th Day of Christmas and a Happy New Year to one and all!!

Tell me! What's one adventure you'd love to take on in this Year of Our Lord 2016?

Happy Thanksgiving & New Blog Look! :)

(Yes, I'm getting extremely excited for Christmas.
Can you tell? ;))

Hello again, all you dear and wonderful peoples! We just got back from our great western jaunt yesterday and I'm spilling over with all the longing and glory and satisfaction of pine trees and mountain heights and wide spaces. I'm so glad we live on the edge of the west.

We were blessed with great traveling mercies, along with lots of delightful sights and adventures and lovely time with friends and family. I'm so thankful we were able to go; and I took about 2800 (and some few odd) pictures, so I hope to share some with all of you when I can.

And what do you think of my new blog design? I did it at one of our hotel stops and I'm still rubbing my hands about it.

Also, I have a big party idea coming up before too long, which I'm bubbling to share with all of you. I still have some details to iron out, so I haven't quite nailed down the date, but it's coming soon. VERY soon. (And it's super exciting, involving sparkles and swirling blue and sterling character qualities and different book and film comparisons. ;))

Now I'm off to plan some pies and finish consulting on our menu for tomorrow. :)

A Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!

Tell me! What are you planning for Thanksgiving? And what do you think of the new blog design and a party?

Resurrection Day: The Year of Our Lord 2015

The stones have been split.

Our great Prince has died, giving His own broken body for His people; Life Himself submitting to the nakedness, the bruising, the tearing, and the agony—dying to give flesh and blood and the breath of life to the dead bones of His chosen ones. He died standing trial in place of the guilty—standing trial in place of the guilty already dead.

And He not only stood trial—but dying—He won His case. Obedient, He trusted His Father to the point of death and the world exploded—galaxies and constellations spinning into new and glorious shapes with death itself running backward. Rising the third day for the full justification of the lost ones, He took the prisoners free—utterly and inconceivably acquitted.

“…The royal daughter is all glorious within the palace; her clothing is woven with gold. She shall be brought to the King in robes of many colors; the virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to You. With gladness and rejoicing they shall be brought; they shall enter the King’s palace.” Psalm 45:13-15 

Cleansing His bride—setting the strength and shame-despising intensity of His love upon her—He shattered her bonds. In place of the contagion of death, a dead body has now made us clean. The curse has been reversed, clean water incredibly making the filthy water pure—turning the black to a clarity of crystal. And running over and through us, this water runs on in a mighty flood to the ends of the earth, running for the healing of the nations: “Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed. …Then he said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed.” Ezekiel 47:5, 8 

A very inundation of joy and blessing and salvation. 

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy, and gathered out of the lands… For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.” 

Psalm 107:1-3, 9

Darkness, Glory and A New Year

As I was going over my bookshelves—trying to find words to catch some of the deep excitement I have for this new year—a dear, familiar, green-covered book sprang forward to notice: Greenwillow by B.J. Chute. A top favorite, I’m still always freshly and incredibly amazed by its delightful wordplay and rich goodness. And it had exactly what I was searching for…

“Outside darkness stayed, darkness and snow and ice, as if it would stay forever. 

So no one in Greenwillow was prepared for the morning when it came, not in a slow snowy dawn but with the sun shouting up over the hills and catching a million mirrors of ice storm, as if the music from a harp had been frozen and splintered and flung from the west and the east and the north and the south. The great trees were sheathed in ice, and so were the tiniest meadow grasses. Branches glittered and cracked under their frozen weight, and small autumn seed-coats turned to diamond stuff.

The sky was as blue as the first dawn itself, the one that woke Adam, and there was a fresh powdering of snow that had fallen before the ice began to creep. It was next to impossible to look abroad for the dazzle, and the Reverend Birdsong stood on his doorstep and shielded his eyes and felt very near to bursting with God’s wasteful glory and this new Creation. Charity the cat came out beside him, walking very daintily in the cold, looked at the snow, sneezed in protest and withdrew to the warm hearth. Birdsong rubbed his hands together and crowed.” Greenwillow by B.J. Chute

Over the past year I’ve had (and I know will most definitely have in this new one as well) some tough and difficult days—but at the moment I’m very thankful. Longing for some things…but yes, very thankful. God has been very good, and His grace and lovingkindness have been and will be sufficient!

For wonderful things also happened in this last year. Wonderful things that wouldn’t have happened if every day of 2014 hadn’t happened in the way it did. On story (and subsequent blog fronts), I have some tremendous goals for 2015. They’re pretty huge, but so many different areas of life seem to be falling into place—fitting together from disparate pieces to a cohesive whole—that, altogether, I can’t help rubbing my hands together, running from one place to another, and feeling very much like the Reverend Birdsong!

And with this beginning to a new year, the time is also most ripe and perfect for a heartfelt “thank you” to all of you wonderful followers and dear, encouraging friends! Thank you so much for taking of your time to read and visit!!

Merry Christmas (again) and a very Happy New Year to you all!!!

Thanksgiving

Thank God for life!

There! A meadowlark sings! Do you hear it?

For the sigh of the heart,

The contagion of laughter,

For the longing apart,

For the joy that comes after,

For the things that we feel

When we clasp, when we kneel—

Thank God for the sharing,

The caring, the giving,

For the things of Life’s living.

Thank God for the riches

Of flowers in the ditches,

For the roof from the weather,

The fireside together,

For the step at the portal,

For the love we have treasured,

For something unmeasured,

For something immortal,

For our grief, for our mirth,

For heavens on earth,

For the things of the spirit!

There! A meadowlark sings! Do you hear it?

~Douglas Malloch, 1877-1938

On a Giving of Thanks

Thankfulness…wholehearted gratitude for blessings bestowed. I’m still quite positive I don’t have it completely figured out, because properly figured out means it’s fully lived. (And I’m still laboring along trying to figure out why I had to come down with a trifling cold this last week—unless it was pushing me to ponder all this again—this giving of thanks.)

Thanksgiving: it’s closely connected with discernment and sanctification (Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, etc). And requiring discipline, it’s often as hard to remember when things are going well as when not. Yet God commands us to take joy and give thanks to Him in all things. And what’s more—somehow—He’s using our thanksgiving to change the world as He’s taking it apart and putting it back together again in most new and glorious fashion.

The gifting and calling to thanksgiving is intricately woven into the very fabric of His world, stretching back to the beginning—into all the careful, patterned placement of gold threads and dark highlighting shadows. 

It’s one of the primary evidences of our faith. The Israelites in the desert were cut off in their disbelief…they grumbled. 

It’s a sowing and a dying in thanks. It’s a daily resurrection and a springing forth of new life—in joy and thanks. It lies at the very center of our weekly worship—in the breaking and the giving of thanks and the taking and eating. 

Giving thanks is not a sugar coating over life. Giving thanks does not preclude wrestling and grappling and pleading. But giving thanks orients our hearts and minds and souls—training us in how to do it properly. It trains us to step back and see. It trains us to live in faith.