// A Living, Breathing House // C.S. Lewis

Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.

-- C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity)

Source: Goodreads

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more than words poem // winter midnight

hissing flame

sputtering matches flee

from these lifeless ashes

as midnight strikes

hungry tiles beneath

hungry walls surround

digesting warmth

preying upon basic delight

// I strike my match again... //

w h o o s h !

finally all aglow

from whimper to r o a r

 in the hearth 

by these flames I lie

dear silent night

oh raptly waiting  world

Christmas is near

You, Lord, are here

Hope was born
long ago

on a cold Winter's night

The Voice of a Mystery: Amelia Earhart

If you've never heard of Amelia Earhart, she was an American aviation pioneer and author. She was the first woman to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross, awarded for becoming the first aviatrix to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, and wrote about her record-setting flying experiences. Ever heard of The Ninety-Nines (an organization for female pilots)? Amelia was influential in getting that organization started. 

She disappeared near Howland Island over the central Pacific Ocean during her attempt to make a circumnavigational flight of the globe in 1937. Possible traces of her plane and personal effects have been discovered, but exactly where Amelia and her crew died remans unknown. Her humor, adventurous spirit, and tenacity will never be forgotton by the world. 

“Courage is the price that Life exacts for granting peace,
The soul that knows it not, knows no release,
From little things;
Knows not the livid loneliness of fear
Nor mountain heights where bitter joy can hear
The sound of wings.”

“Never interrupt someone doing what you said couldn't be done.”  

“Everyone has ocean's to fly, if they have the heart to do it. Is it reckless? Maybe. But what do dreams know of boundaries?” 

“Adventure is worthwhile in itself.” 

“Some of us have great runways already built for us. If you have one, take off. But if you don't have one, realize it is your responsibility to grab a shovel and build one for yourself and for those who will follow after you.” 

“The most effective way to do it is to do it.” 

“No kind action ever stops with itself. One kind action leads to another. Good example is followed. A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees. The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves.”

“The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.”  

“There is no doubt that the last hour of any flight is the hardest. If there are any clouds about to make shadows one is likely to see much imaginary land. . . .

As I approached shore I strained my eyes to see something recognizable, and there was nothing. However, I noticed a low place in the hills, and I thought, like the bear, I would go over the mountains to see what I could see.” 

"It's today I must be living": Quotes from "Christy"

 “The only time I ever find my dealings with God less than clear-cut is when I'm not being honest with Him. The fuzziness is always on my side, not His."

"So many people never pause long enough to make up their minds about basic issues of life and death. It's quite possible to go through your whole life, making the mechanical motions of living, adopting as your own sets of ideas you've come to any conclusion for yourself as to what life is all about."

 "A Christian has no business being satisfied with mediocrity. He's supposed to reach for the stars. Why not? He's not on his own anymore. He has God's help now."

"It's today I must be living." 

(Fairlight Spencer)

"What you've undertaken...isn't a state of perfection to be arrived at all of the sudden. It's a WALK, and a walk isn't static but ever-changing. We Friends say that all discouragement is from an evil source and can only end in more evil. Wallowing in self-condemnation or feeling sorry for yourself is worse than falling on your face in the first place. . . So thee is human."

"My father always told us that if we will let God, He can use even our disappointements, even our annoyances to bring us a blessing. There's a practical way to start the process too: by thanking Him for whatever happens, no matter how disagreeable it seems."

Praise the Lord! Psalm 116

1 

I love the Lord because he hears my voice

    and my prayer for mercy.

2 

Because he bends down to listen,

    I will pray as long as I have breath!

3 

Death wrapped its ropes around me;

    the terrors of the grave overtook me.

    I saw only trouble and sorrow.

4 

Then I called on the name of the Lord:

    “Please, Lord, save me!”

5 

How kind the Lord is! How good he is!

    So merciful, this God of ours!

6 

The Lord protects those of childlike faith;

    I was facing death, and he saved me.

7 

Let my soul be at rest again,

    for the Lord has been good to me.

8 

He has saved me from death,

    my eyes from tears,

    my feet from stumbling.

9 

And so I walk in the Lord’s presence

    as I live here on earth!

10 

I believed in you, so I said,

    “I am deeply troubled, Lord.”

11 

In my anxiety I cried out to you,

    “These people are all liars!”

12 

What can I offer the Lord

    for all he has done for me?

13 

I will lift up the cup of salvation

    and praise the Lord’s name for saving me.

14 

I will keep my promises to the Lord

    in the presence of all his people.

15 

The Lord cares deeply

    when his loved ones die.

16 

O Lord, I am your servant;

    yes, I am your servant, born into your household;

    you have freed me from my chains.

17 

I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving

    and call on the name of the Lord.

18 

I will fulfill my vows to the Lord

    in the presence of all his people—

19 

in the house of the Lord

    in the heart of Jerusalem.

Praise the Lord!

(NLT)

more than words IIII // freedom from slavery

accumulate

accentuate

self enthralling

siren

deceved

scoured

secured

sold

search

greive

ransomed

wait

remember

respite

surrender

wait

hope

resurges

discover

no shackles

deliverance

you 

found 

me

more than words III // wanderlust

implode

archaic

antarctic

foreign scape

crevasse

conundrum

circumference

excavate

translate

boldly go

ever last

catastrophe
overcast

windswept

yearn

homemade
homeland
once again


rediscover

measure

evaluate

meditate

unconcentrate

fully awake

these eyes are open now.

{Memorable Quotes from "The Magician's Nephew"}

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“As he rose to his feet he noticed that he was neither dripping nor panting for breath as anyone would expect after being under water. His clothes were perfectly dry. He was standing by the edge of a small pool—not more than ten feet from side to side in a wood. The trees grew close together and were so leafy that he could get no glimpse of the sky. All the light was green light that came through the leaves: but there must have been a very strong sun overhead, for this green daylight was bright and warm. It was the quietest wood you could possibly imagine. There were no birds, no insects, no animals, and no wind. You could almost feel the trees growing. The pool he had just got out of was not the only pool. There were dozens of others—a pool every few yards as far as his eyes could reach. You could almost feel the trees drinking the water up with their roots. This wood was very much alive.”


"Grown-ups are always thinking of uninteresting explanations.”


“A voice had begun to sing. It was very far away and Digory found it hard to decide from what direction it was coming. Sometimes it seemed to come from all directions at once. Sometimes he almost thought it was coming out of the earth beneath them. Its lower notes were deep enough to be the voice of the earth herself. There were no words. It was hardly a tune. But it was beyond comparison, the most beautiful sound he had ever heard.”


“Far overhead from beyond the veil of blue sky which hid them the stars sang again; a pure, cold, difficult music. Then there came a swift flash like fire (but it burnt nobody) either from the sky or from the Lion itself, and every drop of blood tingled in the children's bodies, and the deepest, wildest voice they had ever heard was saying: "Narnia, Narnia, Narnia, awake. Love. Think. Speak. Be walking trees. Be talking beasts. Be divine waters.”


 “You see, friends, he said, that before the new, clean world I gave you is seven hours old, a force of evil has already entered it; waked and brought hither by this son of Adam.” 


“I had forgotten that you are only a common boy. How should you understand reasons of the State? You must learn, child, that what would be wrong for you or for any of the common people is not wrong in a great Queen such as I. The weight of the world is on our shoulders. We must be freed from all rules. Ours is a high and lonely destiny.” (Queen Jadis to Digory)


“Child, that is why all the rest are now a horror to her. That is what happens to those who pluck and eat fruits at the wrong time and in the wrong way. Oh, the fruit is good, but they loath it ever after."


“But length of days with an evil heart is only length of misery and already she begins to know it. All get what they want; they do not always like it.”


“That's all YOU know,' said Digory. 'It's because you're a girl. Girls never want to know anything but gossip and rot about people getting engaged.”  ;)


"For what you see and hear depends a good deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are.”


“Look for the valleys, the green places, and fly through them. There will always be a way through.”


“But please, please - won't you - can't you give me something that will cure Mother?'

Up till then he had been looking at the Lion's great feet and the huge claws on them; now, in his despair, he looked up at its face. What he saw surprised him as much as anything in his whole life. For the tawny face was bent down near his own and (wonder of wonders) great shining tears stood in the Lion's eyes. They were such big, bright tears compared with Digory's own that for a moment he felt as if the Lion must really be sorrier about his Mother than he was himself.

'My son, my son,' said Aslan. 'I know. Grief is great.”


“Well, you know how it feels if you begin hoping for something that you want desperately badly; you almost fight against the hope because it is too good to be true; you've been disappointed so often before.”


“No great wisdom can be reached without sacrifice.”


“He thinks great folly, child,' said Aslan. "This world is bursting with life for these few days because the song with which I called it into life still hangs in the air and rumbles in the ground. It will not be so for long. But I cannot tell that to this old sinner, and I cannot comfort him either; he has made himself unable to hear my voice. If I spoke to him, he would hear only growlings and roarings. Oh, Adam's son, how cleverly you defend yourself against all that might do you good!”


 “Digory never spoke on the way back, and the others were shy of speaking to him. He was very sad and he wasn't even sure all the time that he had done the right thing; but whenever he remembered the shining tears in Aslan's eyes he became sure.”

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"I Am": Jesus

Jesus is the  S o n  of  G o d .

God is Love.
He is humble,

gentle,
mighty, 
healer,

the Prince of peace,
the light of the world,

the perfect One
Who sacrificed Himself to die brutally in our place...
Now Jesus is risen,
victorious Lord!

We are forgiven,
in Christ, we live.

Jesus is Savior.

He is all-powerful, 
all-knowing

surrounding, 

overpowering, 

trustworthy,

true,

holy,

righteous, 

beautiful,

glorious,
actively moving, 
loving,

ever & always present,

never forsaking us,
He hears when we call.

He knows us intimately.

The Lord rules with compassion.

His throne is a throne of Grace,

and he sits on a seat of mercy.

He is self-existent.

Before Time, and forever, God lives.

He is infinite, the beginning and the end of all things.

He is I AM. 

Wow. He is amazing!

Classic Quotes from "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass"

“And what is the use of a book," thought Alice, "without pictures or conversations?”  

“If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?” 

“'Do you know, I always thought unicorns were fabulous monsters, too? I never saw one alive before!'
'Well, now that we have seen each other,' said the unicorn, 'if you'll believe in me, I'll believe in you.'"

“Mad Hatter: “Why is a raven like a writing-desk?”
“Have you guessed the riddle yet?” the Hatter said, turning to Alice again.
“No, I give it up,” Alice replied: “What’s the answer?”
“I haven’t the slightest idea,” said the Hatter” 

“One of the deep secrets of life is that all that is really worth the doing is what we do for others.”  

“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says "Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.” 

“Alice laughed. 'There's no use trying,' she said. 'One can't believe impossible things.'

'I daresay you haven't had much practice,' said the Queen. 'When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.

 “If everybody minded their own business, the world would go around a great deal faster than it does.” 

“Why it's simply impassible!
Alice: Why, don't you mean impossible?
Door: No, I do mean impassible. (chuckles) Nothing's impossible!”  

“Curiouser and curiouser.” 

“No, no! The adventures first, explanations take such a dreadful time.”  

“The Mad Hatter: "Would you like some wine?"
Alice: "Yes..."
The Mad Hatter: "We haven't any and you're too young.” 

“Take some more tea," the March Hare said to Alice, very earnestly.
"I've had nothing yet," Alice replied in an offended tone, "so I can't take more."
"You mean you can't take less," said the Hatter: "it's very easy to take more than nothing."
"Nobody asked your opinion," said Alice.” 

“You used to be much more..."muchier." You've lost your muchness.”  (the Mad Hatter)

“Speak in French when you can’t think of the English for a thing--
turn your toes out when you walk---
And remember who you are!”  

“It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards,' says the White Queen to Alice.” 

“Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.” 

“I'd give all the wealth that years have piled,
the slow result of life's decay,
To be once more a little child
for one bright summer day.”  

 Alice Liddell, the girl who inspired Lewis Carroll to write "Alice in Wonderland' and "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland"

{ For love is as strong as death }

My favorite quotes from "The Great Divorce" by C.S. Lewis

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“This moment contains all moments.”  

“There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, in the end, "Thy will be done." All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. Those who knock it is opened.” 

“You cannot love a fellow creature fully till you love God.” 

“I do not look at myself. I have given up myself. I had to, you know, after the murder....And that was how everything began." 

“No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. To those who knock it is opened.” 

“Every poet and musician and artist, but for Grace, is drawn away from the love of the thing he tells, to the love of the telling till, down in Deep Hell, they cannot be interested in God at all but only in what they say about Him."

“There is but one good; that is God. Everything else is good when it looks to Him and bad when it turns from Him.” 

“That is what mortals misunderstand. They say of some temporal suffering, "No future bliss can make up for it" not knowing that Heaven, once attained, will work backwards and turn even that agony into a glory.” 

 “I wish I had never been born," she said. "What are we born for?" "For infinite happiness," said the Spirit. "You can step out into it at any moment.” 

“Shame is like that. If you will accept it – if you will drink the cup to the bottom – you will find it very nourishing: but try to do anything else with it and it scalds."

“No natural feelings are high or low, holy or unholy, in themselves. They are all holy when God's hand is on the rein. They all go bad when they set up on their own and make themselves into false gods.”  

“I cannot love a lie," said the Lady. "I cannot love the thing which is not. I am in Love, and out of it I will not go.” 

“And yet all loneliness, angers, hatreds, envies, and itchings that it contains, if rolled into one single experience and put into the scale against the least moment of the joy that is felt by the least in Heaven, would have no weight that could be registered at all. Bad cannot succeed even in being bad as truly as good is good.” 

 “Heaven is reality itself. All that is fully real is Heavenly. For all that can be shaken will be shaken and only the unshakeable remains.” 

“One gets glimpses, even in our country, of that which is ageless--heavy thought in the face of an infant, and frolic childhood in that of a very old man.” 

Bible Verses about Gentleness

What is Gentleness?

It is not severe, rough, or violent, but is instead considerate or kindly in disposition, amiable and tender. It is mild, full of humility, gentle in reproof. Gentleness is one of the Fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22, 23), in which it is also called "meekness".

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"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
~  Galatians 5:22, 23

"And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another."  
~ Galatians 5:24-26

"But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere."
~ James 3:17

"You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great."
~ Psalm 18:35

"But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect..."
~ I Peter 3:15

"To speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people."
~ Titus 3:2

"Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."
~ Matthew 11:29

"A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."
~ Proverbs 15:1

"Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God."
~ James 1:19-20

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful."
~  Colossians 3:12-15

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
~ John 13:34-35

“Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the Lord; “I will place him in the safety for which he longs.”  
~ Psalm 12:5

"He [Jesus] will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young."
~ Isaiah 40:11

"He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth."
~ Isaiah 53:7

"When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly."
~ I Peter 2:23

"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" 
~ John 14:6

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."
~ John 3:16

"Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God." 
~ Romans 15:7

Helen Keller Quotes

Helen Keller is one of my favorite authors. I first discovered her unique story when I watched the movie, "The Miracle Worker". Born in 1880, Helen became blind and deaf at 19 months old from unknown causes. This made her unable to learn language through sight or sound. She grew into a wild, unruly child given to erratic tantrums, unable to properly communicate or fully comprehend or perceive the world around her. Her parents were desperate. In 1887, Helen's life changed, and her miracle arrived. Anne Sullivan, a young partially blind graduate from the Perkins School for the Blind came to be her teacher. She was successful in transforming Helen by giving her the gift of language, spelled into her hand, opening the door for her to identify feelings, objects, and sensations, and to express herself verbally. She was greatly admired by Mark Twain and Alexander Graham Bell. Helen Keller has inspired me through her beautiful, strong, witty, incredible spirit. Her story is an encouragement for anyone who has disabilities, no matter how mild or severe, to not give up on their dreams.

I hope you go check out her full biography, books, and the movie, if you would like to learn more! It's worth the read/watch. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy her quotes.

“You don't love someone for their looks, or their clothes, or for their fancy car, but because they sing a song only you can hear.” 


“Be of good cheer. Do not think of today's failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow. You have set yourselves a difficult task, but you will succeed if you persevere; and you will find a joy in overcoming obstacles. Remember, no effort that we make to attain something beautiful is ever lost.”


“What we once enjoyed and deeply loved we can never lose, for all that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” 


“Everything has its wonders, even darkness and silence, and I learn, whatever state I may be in, therein to be content”


“For three things I thank God every day of my life: thanks that he has vouchsafed me knowledge of his works; deep thanks that he has set in my darkness the lamp of faith; deep, deepest thanks that I have another life to look forward to--a life joyous with light and flowers and heavenly song.” 


“Face your deficiencies and acknowledge them; but do not let them master you. Let them teach you patience, sweetness, insight.”


“When we do the best that we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another.” 



“We can do anything we want as long as we stick to it long enough.”


“My friends have made the story of my life. In a thousand ways they have turned my limitations into beautiful privileges.” 


“I who am blind can give one hint to those who see: Use your eyes as if tomorrow you would be stricken blind. And the same method can be applied to the other senses. Hear the music of voices, the song of a bird, the mighty strains of an orchestra, as if you would be stricken deaf tomorrow. Touch each object as if tomorrow your tactile sense would fail. Smell the perfume of flowers, taste with relish each morsel, as if tomorrow you could never smell and taste again. make the most of every sense; glory in the beauty which the world in all the facets of pleasure reveals to you through the several means of contact which Nature provides. But of all the senses, I am sure that sight is the most delightful.”