Mountains, ocean, forests–which is your favorite?–which is God’s

My husband and I took a trip to England once.  We are not big travelers—it’s expensive for one thing, and why go to someplace other than the Blue Ridge Mountains, for another.

So we wanted to make the most of this trip to England. That meant walking through the English countryside, drenching ourselves in the beauty of the trees and forests and moors and ocean shores that inspired Narnia and Middle Earth.  There were roads with long stretches of trees that met overhead, roads with hedges on either side that were higher than our car, mountains with heathery moors or deep woods, and green hills that sloped down to a coast of waves spraying on rocks.

It was all incredibly beautiful and I tried to think which I liked best—the forested mountains or the green pastures with sheep grazing in them (lots of lambs), or the coast’s hills and wild spraying waves.  I was finding it harder than normal to choose mountains.

Impulsively, I asked God, “What’s your favorite?”

It was just pray chatting, and I didn’t expect an answer, but I got one.  It was one of those unmistakable times when you hear the voice of God inside of you.  He said, “People.   People are my favorite.”

He likes us best. Despite everything. We’re His favorite.

Tolkien–on fairy stories

The Gospels contain a fairy-story, or a story of a larger kind which embraces all the essence of fairy-stories.   This story has entered History.  It begins and ends in joy–the birth of Christ and the resurrection.  There is no tale ever told that men would rather find was true, and none which so many skeptical men have accepted as true on its own merits.  For it has the supremely convincing tone of Primary Art, that is, of Creation.  To reject it leads either to sadness or to wrath.

It is not difficult to imagine the excitement and joy that one would feel, if any especially beautiful fairy-story were found to be “primarily” true, its narrative to be history, without losing its mythical significance.  The Christian joy is of the same kind.  This story is supreme; and it is true.  God is the Lord, of angels, and of men–and of elves.  Legend and History have met and fused.

But in God’s kingdom the presence of the greatest does not depress the small.  Story, fantasy, still go on, and should go on.  The Gospels have hallowed them, especially the happy ending.

(Bits and pieces from Tolkien’s “On Fairy Tales,” Tree and Leaf, pages 71-73)

On coffee and eye rolling

“Her mother didn’t believe children should drink coffee.  When Janna had announced on her twelfth birthday that she was old enough, Berta had given her a cup of what was basically coffee-flavored water, which had led to a protest from Janna.  Her mother had insisted adult-strength caffeine wasn’t good for children, which had led to a full-scale eye roll from Janna.  This had brought about a big fight, which had led, surprise, surprise, to coffee-flavored water from then on.”  (Captives of the Fern Queen, p. 95)