Overcoming Terror

This has been a good week for me. I am overcoming a gut level, soul-shaking terror of the Lake County, Illinois judicial system, and this victory is very satisfying. Today, I walked the halls of the courthouse with no fear and this makes me feel incredibly light-hearted and hopeful. God's favor went before me, and I loved seeing it in action. A task that could have been complex and troublesome, was made easy with God's favor.

As a result of my experiences this week, I have to agree with those who have said it before me: "to overcome your fear you have to face it and walk straight into it." And, in my situation, the prayer and physical support of my brothers and sisters in Christ have made all the difference in the world. There is nothing on earth sweeter to me right now than the love of Christ as expressed by his body - the church.

Suffice it to say that once again, I didn't have this ready in advance, and since I'm teaching school, I won't be able to add much until the end of the day. But until then, I'll leave you with this thought.

The business of the storyteller is to ask questions, not to answer them.

—Joseph Conrad, novelist

Now I'm going to show that I really stay almost entirely in the genre of children's writing, because I don't remember who Joseph Conrad is. But I do find this statement from the Oxford Essential Guide to Writing interesting, and have been mulling it over. It was given in context in a section where they were talking about using natural endings for essays and papers. Their suggestion was to use discretion about making a final judgment at the end of the essay, and this was why.

Comments? Opinions?

Just Around the Corner

Just around the corner from my regular daily route I discovered a treasure. Most (like my sister who accompanied me) may not call it that, but I'm just a sucker for quaint little restaurants occupying cute little historical homes in the middle of preserved 1800's towns.

The name, Benedict's Eggs and More. I know, not very romantic, but as Shakespeare said, "What's in a name?"

It wasn't just the fact that it was a lovely restored home. The food choices were wonderful. I had, The Waldorf Chicken Wrap. This flavorful cold wrap had walnuts, apples, grapes, and dried cranberries. A tasteful combination, served along with a cold, Orzo Pasta Salad, which turned out to be equally enjoyable.

Making this choice was not an easy task. Menu items also included, Smoked Turkey with Orange Cranberry Relish (sandwich), Cucumber Avocado and Gruyere Cheese Sandwich, and a Muffin Melt - Choice of chicken salad or tuna salad nestled on top of a tomato capped english muffin and finished with melted white cheddar cheese. Served with chopped salad and breakfast potatoes. These were a few of my favorite options, of which I had a hard time choosing.

I also enjoyed a cup of tea. The waitress brought out a wooden box filled with possibilities. My choice was Chamomile Citron. I would probable need the expertise of someone like Steven Knoerr (tea connoisseur and critic) to describe it, but I was pleased.

So if you ever find yourself in East Dundee and you are hungry for breakfast or lunch, I highly recommend this enchanting little spot to please your pallet and warm your spirits.

Unpleasant characters

This past weekend I watched the film "Where Angels Fear to Tread" based on the novel by E.M. Forster. I also saw the musical "Children of Eden." Although very different in many ways, the two had these things in common: unpleasant characters and no message of redemption.

"Where Angels Fear to Tread" is a story of Victorian England and its unpleasant, unloving, snobbish upper class. This movie was remarkable in that almost none of its characters were changed in any way by their experiences. And, two of the characters kidnapped a child, who was almost immediately killed in a related accident, but suffered no discernible consequences or life changes as a result.

The woman who kidnapped the child was portrayed as a religious Christian who read the Bible. And, the film implied that it was a Bible verse that inspired her to take the child. Another character, the daughter of a pastor and a woman who did charitable works, had also determined to come for the child because she was in love with the father. However, the pastor's daughter would never have married the man because he wasn't appropriate.

"Children of Eden" is an interpretation of the first part of the biblical book of Genesis. The musical portrayed God as a creative genius of a human father who wouldn't let his children grow up and punished creativity. The message of hope and redemption was entirely missing. And the meaning of love was certainly confused.

Although both of these works referenced the Bible in many ways, the writers didn't appear to have an understanding of God's goodness or his plans for his children. They didn't understand that God's is a giving and sacrificial love. They condemned and judged human beings, but didn't understand redemption.

What a thought-provoking time these two works produced in me! Because of them, I am trusting that God will direct my writing to be clearly understood, and to be rightly motivated.

Update: The Chick Is Out

This is a second post today, but I don't think anyone will care. The chick extricated itself from the shell while I was gone during lunch. Dwight got to see it. The kids got to see it. I did NOT get to see it. I'm trying not to be bitter, but somehow it just seems wrong. For example, I didn't miss even one of the births of my kids. Moms should be present at births. It may take extensive therapy including large quantities of twizzlers for me to come to grips with this.

In the mean time, I'll post pictures of the new arrival. It's snuggling with a small stuffed dog at present, having felt a little lonely when it popped out of the shell.

Birth Announcement: It's Official

I've been making blogs ahead and then setting them to post automatically, but this weekend I wasn't quite as organized as usual, so you get the late breaking news.

We are in the process of watching a chick hatch today.

Here's the lowdown. After ordering our chicks through the mail for the past few years, we finally got a chicken who actually wanted to set on her own eggs. This was very exciting for all of us, since it also meant that when the chicks hatched, the hen would take care of them herself. We knew from past experience that being the mother hen for a bunch of chicks was a lot of work, so we were pretty happy to pass this off on an unsuspecting chicken.

So after waiting breathlessly for 18 to 21 days, two little chicks appeared from the original four eggs. Just on the off chance that some of the eggs were not fertilized, we had belatedly added a couple extras to the nest about ten days later. Sure enough, when the first two hatched, we eventually discovered that three of the remaining four were not going to produce chicks. And unfortunately, as soon as the mother hen had to chase the new chicks around, she no longer wanted to set on the remaining egg that seemed to be a chick.

So we took a desk lamp and our chemistry thermometer, set up a little bowl with a towel, and put the egg in it. It has been a long ten days trying to keep it between 38º and 40º Celsius and flipping the egg several times a day. Talk about primitive conditions. But last night, all our work paid off.

Dwight heard the egg cheep.

Hearing an egg cheep is significant. It means that the chick is indeed alive and has broken through the inner membrane. This morning—more cheeps. And a tiny hole. Talk about a long labor. Once the first hole shows up, the chick usually sleeps for three to eight hours. We're still looking at another eight to 16 hours before it emerges completely at some point today.

So consider this an official birth announcement. Of the first two chicks, one is mostly barred rock, and the other is partial austrolorp. We are hoping that there is at least one rooster in the bunch, since ours is getting on in chicken years, and that the mommy will take over with this chick once it is old enough to hang out with it's siblings.

If any of you have little ones (or even big ones) who would like to stop by and see the chicks, try to soon. They grow quickly!

Realization and Retribution

Attention Laura and Beth. I am calling you on the originality of your story entries on our retreat.

Laura quote, "Her hair was bright green, and she lunged toward him, shaking her fist."

Beth quote, "'Look, Sal," he pleaded. "I didn't know that peddler was crooked. He said it'd make your hair black as a crow."'

I knew this sounded familiar, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Ahhh Haaa! Your deep seeded plot to masquerade as classic novelists has been uncovered by yours truly. The secret is out, to be revealed for all the world to see. Your dastardly deeds are undone!

Here is the evidence, concrete and impenetrable.

Lucy Maud Montgomery penned this quote taken from, Anne of Green Gables, Chapter XXVII, Vanity and Vexation of Spirit.

'"But I didn't mean to dye it green, Marilla," protested Anne dejectedly. "If I was wicked I ment to be wicked to some purpose. He said it would turn my hair a beautiful raven black--he positively assured me that it would."'

I shall expect a written apology for this malicious, vindictive, threat against one of our beloved authoresses.

Now let us reflect on that skillful work of fiction Montgomery has bestowed upon the world with some memorable quotes.

"Overhead was one long canopy of snowy fragrant bloom. Below the boughs the air was full of a purple twilight and far ahead a glimpse of painted sunset sky shone like a great rose window at the end of a cathedral aisle."

'"Oh,, I don't like that name, either. I shall call it--let me see--the Lake of Shining Waters. Yes, that is the right name for it. I know because of the thrill. When I hit on a name that suits exactly it gives me a thrill. Do things ever give you a thrill?'"

"Anne's beauty-loving eyes lingered on it all, taking everything greedily in. She had looked on so many unlovely places in her life, poor child; but this was as lovely as anything she had ever dreamed."

Here's to the classics, may their words remain esteemed and cherished forevermore.