Some thoughts in February

*If you have nothing profound or witty to say, you can always waste time fidgeting with the colors and layout of your blog, right? I took Julie's advice and just stuck with the quote I liked, even if it was an embellished one. It's such a good thought, and still one I'm trying to remember in my daily life of humble tasks. I'm going with the green theme because, as many of you know, we're contemplating a short-term move to the greenest of lands. This is news for the blog, I suppose, but I've been thinking about it non-stop for the past few months. I'm actually ready for some new thoughts. But for now it's an endless circle of questions like - How will this work? Where will we live? What will we do with our belongings? What will I do when we get there? What will become of my sweet Cordelia? All pressing questions that I'll be asking myself and probably you, too, a few more thousand times. It is an exciting time, even if I am impatient and ready for some answers. I do believe that though we are planning a course in our hearts as best we can, it is the Lord who will determine our steps, and I am glad that he is in charge because at this time I can feel how much I am not!

*Has anyone watched the new BBC production of Jane Eyre? I've read the book and seen three or four other versions of the movie, but I loved this one. I really liked the way they portrayed Jane, her mixture of passion and innocence, and her determination to do the right thing even when it cost her everything. I liked the beauty of the countryside, the connection between her and Rochester, and her supreme happiness at the end of the film. It reminded by of Ps. 68:6: "God sets the lonely in families . . . ."Although I know it would be a horrible life, especially physically, by today's standards, I do envy at least the romanticized idea of living at that time. Or at least living as someone other than a servant or a beggar at that time. I think I'd be happy to be a tutor, to have long walks outside as my entertainment, to read in front of a fire in the evening, to not worry about feeling unaccomplished because so little accomplishment was expected out of me. Of course that life would only be possible to a fortunate few, and I do think it's better that people in general have more options now. I am glad that I was able to marry for love and not pushed into a marriage at an early age or denied the chance to marry because of my lower position. But if I don't really wish I had lived at that time, maybe I wish that I had lived in a movie at that time. I'd also like to see the new Jane Austen movies that were shown recently on PBS. I'll be excited when they're on DVD. I just signed up for netflix, so I'll be on the lookout.

*This has been a pretty hard winter, weather wise. Layers of ice and not much snow. I'm longing for some spring!

*I finished reading Sinclair Lewis' Arrowsmith a few weeks ago. I heartily recommend it to anyone who would like to be bored on an ongoing basis for several weeks. :)

*More recently I've been reading John Piper's Desiring God, which I think is very, very good. Maybe I really am a Puritan at heart. (?)

*I've been making this each time we bring snacks for our life group. It's soo yummy and makes me think of the friendly state, which is always a good thought.