Welcome are the passionately curious

"There was one Elephant--a new Elephant--an Elephant's Child--who was full of 'satiable curiosity, and that means he asked ever so many questions. And he lived in Africa, and he filled all Africa with his 'satiable curiosities." Rudyard Kipling

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Tough Little Guy by Kit Allen

This is a really sweet story with beautiful illustration...I hope this gets published, because I would love to read it to my little munchkins someday.

Monday, April 25, 2011

A Moment of Thanksliving

Mine is this...my thanks to God for His gift of a humiliation.

An outstanding growth of character came from my Biology and Chemistry classes my first semester sophomore year. I've always been gifted in the area of English, words, and writing. I'm not bragging: I acknowledge it is a treasured gift from my Father. However, prior to the aforementioned semester, I esteemed my gift lightly--I had an unkind attitude towards others who weren't on the same level of understanding English as I was. I never spoke these things, but I would think, "Wow, you're stupid if you can't get this--what is wrong with you?! This is simple." During the course of that semester, I failed basically every Chem. and Bio. lab, quiz, and test--I studied, I got a tutor, and nothing worked.

I've been gifted--however, that's no free pass for me to despise others because they can't do what I can. I pray I never forget those moments of complete confusion and dismay during Chemistry and Biology, because I need them to remind and move me to compassion on those who struggle.

I am thankful for God's gift of humiliation, and I am thankful that He even gave me the ability to learn from it.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Paraphrase of Psalm 136: A Prayer of a Twenty-first Century Woman

Thank You, Yahweh, for being good,
because Your steadfast love endures forever.
Thank You, God above all other gods,
because Your steadfast love endures forever.
Thank You, my Lord above all other lords,
because Your steadfast love endures forever.
To You who alone does great, wondrous things,
 because Your steadfast love endures forever.
To You who by infinite brilliance made the heavens,
because Your steadfast love endures forever.
To You who spread out the earth above the waters,
because Your steadfast love endures forever.
To You who made all the great, beautiful lights
(because Your steadfast love endures forever)--
the sun to rule over the day
(because Your steadfast love endures forever)
and the moon and stars to rule over the night
(because Your steadfast love endures forever).

To You who intruded on my despair,
because Your steadfast love endures forever,
and brought me out of the dark wolves' mouths,
because Your steadfast love endures forever.
With a strong hand and outstretched arm,
You lifted a broken reed and nourished a dying candle-wick,
because Your steadfast love endures forever.
To You who walked these sorrowful ways before me,
because Your steadfast love endures forever.
To You who holds and watches over the life of my mother, a wounded sparrow,
because Your steadfast love endures forever.
To You who sees my tears and feels my pain as if it were Your own,
because Your steadfast love endures forever.
It is You who remembers me in my low estate,
because Your steadfast love endures forever.
It is You who stays with one word the wolves lying in wait for me,
because Your steadfast love endures forever.

It is You who provides for my every need and hunger that I should not want,
because Your steadfast love endures forever.
I thank You, Yahweh, the only God of heaven...
because Your steadfast love endures forever.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Commission

I am commissioned to paint a portrait of an artist,
A prince among men.
I would first sketch out the proportions,
the lighting
And try as I may,
every angle—such a puzzle for copying!
Shading, so delicate, too,
To balance the lights and darks so well
As he can—
It’s hard.
Drawing up the lines of his life as he did
Measure,
measure
line—
Steadier hands than mine
Should copy down the works of his hands,
Strength under control.
Oh, how clear my mind’s eye sees
The castles he architected—
Trifles, to him
But stretching to the sky to me.
It’s done.
I present it—
“Look what I made, Daddy.”
Taking it with a broad sweep of a smile,
He places it on his special shelf—
The one just for his little girl’s gifts.

{I wrote this poem for my Daddy's birthday, which is in February. His careless, procrastinating daughter, however, did not get his cards sent in the mail until earlier this week. He got them today, so now I can post it here for you to read about my darling Daddy without spoiling his surprise.}

Sunday, April 3, 2011

J. W. Waterhouse, The Lady of Shalott, 1888


The wanton lily bloom gone, you’re the last
Pale flower in this river’s dim expanse—
The mirror of the wild wold—waning fast—
That was once yours to weave. Now, take this chance
To feel the river creep up your white sleeve,
Drift down the river that leads you to your
Dark, mysterious Death, who by your leave
Glides to your unmoored boat by foreign shore.
You lift your face to his: keep it there, greet
Him with your song, art such as Lancelot
Cannot deserve. So, sing your carol sweet—
Indeed, in death ne’er will you be forgot.
The poets metered life beyond your death,
And painters caught your last immortal breath.

{Sonnet inspired by John William Waterhouse's The Lady of Shalott. Here is a beautiful thing for your ears.}

Identity


B estMu
a                        d
r                             P
e                             i
f                              e
o                             C
o                          h
t                        e
e                    f
D a r i n g
R               B
o                  e
b                    e
I                       -
n                      F
H                     o
o                    e
o                  …
Dog-tired!