A Look at Prince Caspian

So here is my continuation of my Narnia thoughts. I told you all my thoughts about The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and now I'll move on to the next book in the series: Prince Caspian.

The story of Prince Caspian is a young boy who is the heir to the throne of a people group called the Telmarines who have conquered and mostly eradicated Narnia and it's people. But when he gets a tutor who starts feeding his curiosity about the ancient stories of Narnia before the Telmarines had taken over, Caspian finds himself longing to be in the old days. He flees from the castle when his uncle, King Miraz, has a son of his own and no longer requires Caspian to be his heir. His tutor tells Caspian to run to the woods where Narnians are still living in secrecy, giving him the magic horn gievn to Susan Pevensie that will bring help wherever it is blown.

Caspian finds the Narnians and they agree to join him and take back the Telmarine throne in return for being free Narnians again under his rule. After the small army gets desperate, they blow the magic horn which calls the Pevensies back into Narnia where they join with Caspian's army to help defeat Miraz and reclaim Narnia for the Narnians.

The Narnians, under Caspian's leadership, are victorious in the battle against Miraz after Aslan teaches all of them their own lessons about faith. Caspian is named King of Narnia and the Pevensies return to England after being told Susan and Peter will never be able to return to Narnia.

Some of my favorite quotes from Prince Caspian:

"She was at death's door, but when she opened her eyes and saw the bright, hairy head of the lion staring into her face, she did not scream or faint. She said, "Oh, Aslan! I knew it was true. I've been waiting for this all my life. Have you come to take me away?"

"Yes, dearest," said Aslan, "But not the long journey yet." And as he spoke, like the flush creeping along the underside of a cloud at sunrise, the colour came back to her white face and her eyes grew bright and she sat up..."

"Aslan," said Lucy, "you're bigger!"

"That is because you are older, little one," answered he.

"Not because you are?"

"I am not. But every year you grow, you will find me bigger."

"Why have your followers all drawn their swords, may I ask?" said Aslan.

"May it please Your High Majesty," said the second Mouse, whose name was Peepicheek, "we are all waiting to cut off our own tails if our Chief must go without his. We will not bear the shame of wearing an honour which is denied to the High Mouse."

"Ah!" roared Aslan, "You have conquered me. You have great hearts. Not for the sake of your dignity, Reepicheep, but for the love that is between you and your people, and still more for the kindness your people showed me long ago when you ate away the cords the bound me on the Stone Table (and it was then, though you have long forgotten it, that you began to be Talking Mice) you shall have your tail again."

There are, of course, many more quotes I could add! I am going by the book for this blog post, of course, because the book contains so much more of a storyline than the movie (although I DO love the movie). For example, when Lucy claims to see Aslan, no one believes her but Edmund and even he is swayed to follow Peter's directions after they vote on it. Then Aslan tell Lucy in a dream to follow him even if no one else will (clearly a Biblical reference and a reference to the very life of a Christian) and she awakens them all to tell them to follow Aslan. One by one, Edmund, Peter, Susan and finally Trumpkin the Dwarf, see the Lion as they start to believe they are actually following him. Each is praised or chastised according to the faith they displayed.

Another awesome part left out of the movie is when Aslan, Susan, and Lucy go on a wild romp to find more soldiers to help fight in the battle. They pass through village after village and encounter weary souls in every one. The tired and oppressed people, at the sight of the Lion, leave behind their work and obligations and follow him without a worry or a care (a symbol of revival) and the merry and wild band arrive at the edge of the river to halt the Telmarine soldiers and Aslan releases the River which frightens the Telmarines into surrender. Some of my favorite people they encounter in this village are the burnt out school teacher who Aslan refers to as "Dearheart", the little boy being beaten who is freed and immediately joins the band, and the old woman close to death who rises from her deathbed and serves Aslan.

Books are so often much more in depth than a movie adaption and Prince Caspian is no exception! It is truly a lovely book!

The end of the book tells us that Caspian is Aslan's chosen king for Narnia and, even though he feels unworthy and unsure, that he will be (and DOES become) one of the greatest kings Narnia would ever have.

Peter and Susan are told they have learned all they can from Narnia and Aslan intends on them to take what they have learned and apply it to their own world, to England. This, to me, is kind of what we should do with the knowledge we as readers gain from these stories. These books can be a powerful witnessing tool!

So...yep. There's my thoughts on this book :) Oh...and Prince Caspian's character is TOTALLY inspired by Alexander the Great! (seriously...go look him up!)

Books!!

Books have always been dear to me. Sometimes more dear that they probably should be because they distract me from my homework, from social outings, from reality...

But the thing is, books are like old familiar friends. They never change, but you always find something new when you open them again! Every time I pull one of them from my shelf I anticipate the adventures within and know that when I am finished reading it, I will be slightly sad that said adventure has ended.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is one of my favorite books of all time! I love the sarcasm of Scout and the wisdom of Atticus and the big brotherliness of Jem. Familiar characters and a story of a child's innocence among troubled times, what a great read!

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde is another one I like very much. A story of vanity, self-pleasure, denial, and bad decisions. A very dark novel that will draw you in so fast that you'll not want to stop reading!

But of all the books I have read in my lifetime, none are more precious to me (besides the Bible of course!) than The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.

I was a late reader of these books. I think I was 11 or 12 when I first read them. I had heard of them all my life but I had never had taken the time to sit down and read them. I rented the battered and torn copies from my library and read them all within a few days. I was hooked. I had never read a story that made me feel so...happy but sad at the same time. How much I wished this story was true! (Come on, admit it...you've looked in the back of your own closet/wardrobe/cupboards.)

As I got older, I read them every year and was always surprised at some little thing I didn't remember reading before! It was like experiencing the story over again for the first time ever single time!

Well this year, after two years of not reading them (college got in the way!), I read them again over Christmas Break. Again, I found things I didn't remember. But as I read them this time, I focused not just on the story, but on the characters' connections with Aslan. I found when you read them in this state of mind, they mean SO much more!

So I just wanted to share some of my favorite things about these amazing books and some things about each character and their interactions with Aslan. It amazes me how much they connect to me in almost every instance and how I can use my favorite story to make wise decisions in my life.

I will be making a blog post for each book in the series and the things I find inspirational about each character and story.

THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE

These are some quotes in particular that I like from this book:

"Yes, of course you'll get back to Narnia again someday. Once a King in Narnia, always a King in Narnia. But don't try to get there at all. It'll happen when you're not looking for it."

"Wrong will be right, when Aslan come in sight,

At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more,

When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death,

And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again."

"Aslan a man!" said Mr. Beaver sternly. "Certainly not. I tell you he is the King of the wood and the son of the great Emperor-beyond-the-Sea. Don't you know who is the King of Beasts? Aslan is a lion-the Lion, the great Lion."

"Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But h

e's good..."

"For when they tried to look at Aslan's face they just caught a glimpse of the great, royal, solemn, overwhelming eyes; and then they found they couldn't look at him and went all trembly."

"But Edmund had got past thinking about himself after all he'd been through and after the talk he'd had that morning. He just went on looking at Aslan. It didn't seem to matter what the Witch said."

Ok so, the characters are some of the most lovable and memorable characters in literature and for good reason! There is hardly a character in this story that we can't compare to!

Lucy: the picture of innocence and trust. She knows what she knows and she would never pretend otherwise. When I read about Lucy, I think of how much I would love to be like her in character. She never doubts Aslan once in this story. She sees who He is and never takes her eyes off of Him during all of their trials. She also is never silent about Narnia and Aslan as we as Christian are far too often when it comes to sharing Christ to our world.

Peter: Peter kind of reminds me of a college student. Yep. He has all kinds of responsibility on his shoulders what with being the oldest and promising to take care of his family. He loves his family but his extra responsibility makes him hesitant and worrisome. I often feel like Peter, like I have to be the one to take care of things and not let God handle them. But when Peter meets Aslan, he is changed from being overprotective and worried, to being confident in his purpose and loving toward his siblings.

Susan: Susan is the one who stops and thinks about everything. Her problem is, however, she thinks far too much about things sometimes. She hesitates to trust anything going on in Narnia and complains a lot about how things could turn out. Many, many times I find myself fretting about things as Susan does. We all have our times when we doubt that God is working in our lives. But as we see throughout all of these books, Aslan never abandons Susan, it is she who abandons Him.

Edmund: Who in this world CAN'T compare to Edmund? The picture of our sinful nature in the first part of the book, we can all see bits of ourselves and our selfishness, hatred, bad attitudes, and disobedience. However, once he meets Aslan he is changed rapidly and permanently into one of the best characters of the entire series. If we, like Edmund, would willingly let God transform us from the inside out we would all be much better off.

Mr. Tumnus: Mr. Tumnus is, of course, a snitch. One who feels like he is between a rock and a hard place. He works for the White Witch because he feels he has no other choice. Until he meets Lucy and sees that there is another way. I see Tumnus as a lost person in our world. Seeking a life free of his bonds if only someone would come along and show him the truth.

Mr. and Mrs. Beaver: The Beavers always remind me of a cute old couple who have lived their whole lives serving Aslan! They always make me wonder what my legacy will be like when I get older. Even if I have not felt or seen God working, will I still be faithful?

Yep, there you have it. I don't know why I wrote this but I just really felt like doing it. I know you may already have heard or thought about these things, but it's just something I appreciate. God uses written words to get a hold of me quite often and when I read Narnia this time, it really sunk it. Ok...I'm done!

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I'll Never Forget 2010!!

January:

A new semester of school. Student Observation of a 2nd Grade teacher. First Education class of my major. Didn't like it.

Feburary:

Singles awareness month...whoopty doo.

March:

Spring is on it's way! Weather is getting warmer.

April:

Found a mission trip to Ireland. It was called Royal Servants and after praying for 2 years, I felt God calling me on this trip. $4,000 to earn in two months.

May:

MayMester mission trip to Vancouver, BC, Canada. Made new friends from many different backgrounds and cultures. While I was there I learned invaluable knowledge of one-on-one evangelism which, little did I know, would be priceless in the months to come! Became good friends with Sarah Heitbrink and God pulled one of His famous nudges and told me "Hey, you need to change your major. I want to you on the medical field." So...I'm now a Nursing student.

Oh, and not to mention...God gave me that $4,000 I needed.

June:

Royal Servants Training Camp. Hardest thing I've ever been through. 5 A.M wake up calls, running an obstacle course ever day, no showers for a week at a time, no privacy, going to the bathroom in groups of three, sleeping in tents, thunderstorms and tornado watches...and a group of people I will never forget. A heart for missions that grew 10 times in size.

July:

Derry, Northern Ireland. My heart's desire. I finally walked those streets, talked to those people, made friends, saw the murals, experienced the culture...even though my heart was aching for my best friend to be with me.

My attitude was terrible. I wanted to be able to go out and see the city for myself, to be alone, to do my own thing...but God had to break me, and break me He did. He took away the selfishness and showed me how deep His love for those people is and gave me an even deeper love than ever before. I settled into the mission and let my desires take a back seat. I saw many people come to Christ through our team's efforts and feel like I am blessed beyond all compare.

Oh...and I went to London and stood in the door of 221 Baker Street, walked across Abbey Road, took a boat down the Thames, rode the Underground, shopped, prayed, wept, and saw God continue to work even unto the last second of my time with my Ireland Team/Family.

August:

Happy 21st birthday, me! Had the Guinness I couldn't have in Ireland with my oldest brother to celebrate. Held a Great Dane in my lap. Hugged my family again after being away for months. Had a tearful and happy reunion with my best friend. It's good to be home...but my heart remains in Ireland and always will.

September:

Back to School. Got in Jazz choir and it was a ton of fun, but very hard work. Found out the terrible news about the College's name changing to University of Hannibal. This is unacceptable and won't happen under my watch!

October:

Halloween! Went as a Stressed College Student...amen. Went to the Missouri Baptist Convention and suggested the name Hannibal-LaGrange University...which was a success. Hard work and determination pays off and I am proud to be a student at HLGU!

God also got a hold of me this month. Being single has been very hard for me recently...but when I finally took my hurt to God and broke myself down in front of Him, He gave me a peace...and a love for Him I haven't felt for far too long. I am love...but with someone who's love is greater than I can even desire.

November:

Sociology...the bane of my college existence. Mr. Schoonover...the worst teacher I have ever met. Glares, misunderstandings, unfairness, backtalk, and a mutual distaste for eachother. I sure am glad that is all I will ever have to see of him.

December:

Passed all my classes with good marks. Saw The Voyage of the Dawn Treader 3 times. Followed God's leading and made an impact on a hurting soul. My brother got to come home for Christmas. Had a great time celebrating Jesus' birthday with the people I love and care for...and a new niece, Chloe, on the way!! (she was born January 14, 2011!!)

2010 has presented me with obstacles, good times, heartbreaking moments, harsh trials, triumphant achievements, and people I will never forget...but what has been the best part of this year is the love and faithfulness God has shown me. I feel my relationship with Him is deeper than ever before and I have experienced His voice, His hand, and His Spirit...for me. Personally connecting with ME. Little me who doesn't even deserve to be noticed by Him. God Loves ME. And that blows my mind!

Thank you, Lord God Almighty for the blessings and trials of this year. They have molded me into a new person who I barely even recognize. And I'm better off this way :)

Called, Determined, and Misunderstood

When I tell people I am called to Ireland, they rarely understand what I mean. They see my love of the culture, my desire to share the gospel, and my admiration of the land but they really can't fathom how I feel when I think about my future there.

Most people, when they hear about the history of Derry, Northern Ireland, their reactions are something like "Oh my, that's so terrible!" or "I'm so glad I don't have to go through that." or "Something needs to be done." Yes, all these things are true, but Derry is more to me than a city on it's hands and knees. Derry is where my heart is.

How can anyone fathom my mad desire to be right in the middle of the pain, bombings, and hopelessness? I am not afraid, nor am I swayed by the possibility of being injured or even killed in a bombing or a shooting, even if they are rare these days. They still happen and are happening more frequently as of late. All I desire is to see as many of the Irish people, for whom God has given me a burning passion to save, fall to their knees for a whole new reason...acceptance of the forgiveness and salvation that Jesus is offering them.

I had the opportunity (God-given, in fact) to go to Derry this summer for two weeks and finally see and experience the city I am in love with. It was a humbling and heartbreaking experience. To see, firsthand, the murals depicting the painful history of the city, the drunks weaving down the streets, the blank looks of people who have seen too much for too long, and the silent, lonely streets of Bogside was eyeopening and, also, finalizing.

This was where I belonged.

Two weeks later, I left Derry behind with tears streaming down my cheeks, knowing it would be some time before I saw it again. But, in my heart, a new hope was blooming. I would return. And I would return with the fire of the Holy Spirit in my words, actions, and very life! I will return to spread the story that can deliver this city from her pain. I will return to start the life I know God has been planning for me since my very conception. I will return.

Until then, I continue to think of the people I met there and I pray for the work we started there to continue on through those we touched with the message of Christ. I pray for myself to be ready when my time comes to go back. I try to live my life everyday in preparation to continue my work in the town I love so well.

Missouri :)

Driving down to Springfield today I was awed by the beauty of the state of Missouri. Normally, Missouri isn't the first state that pops into your head when you think of amazing landscape, after all there are no oceans, deserts, or huge mountains. But, to me, Missouri is fantastic! Especially in the Fall.
Well just wanted to tell you that, if you get the opportunity, take a drive down to the Ozarks in the Fall.

Personal Connections

My God is so big! My God is so awesome. He is Creator of the Universe, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, He is the Bright Morning Star. He rose from the dead, parted the Red Sea, shut the mouths of starving lions, and walked on water.
Yes, my God is indeed mighty and deserving of awe. But what awes me the most is more than just His power and strength, it is His gift to us.
God, all powerful God, humbled Himself and became one of us, weak, mortal, finite human beings. He went through all that we do on Earth, was tempted, betrayed, beaten, humiliated, and painfully killed. All this He did so that He could have a relationship with us.
This knowledge floors me, literally. When I think, really THINK, about this, my tiny human brain cannot fathom the love and devotion it would take to give EVERYTHING for someone who didn't deserve any of it.
God loves us SO much that He want to communicate with us. He WANTS to talk to us and bless us and spoil us rotten. But, too often, we rebel against the One who loves us more than anyone else and He is unable to give us all he wants to give us because we are not willing to accept it.
Today, I felt that powerful love of God through a very personal connection He made with me. I was sitting in my dorm room in the Wiehe at Hannibal-LaGrange College, procrastinating on Facebook like always, letting my MP3 player go on shuffle. A praise song that I like very much came on (Marvelous Light) and I started listening to what was actually playing. The next song was an Irish jig which made me smile and think about my trip to Ireland over the summer. I had NEVER felt so close to God than I did sitting on Carrick-a-Rede Island, looking out over the Irish Sea with the high sea cliffs beside me. I began to think, "It's been a while since I've had a quiet time with God."
The next song to play was Be Thou My Vision played on bagpipes. And that's what broke me. I felt the tears coming and my throat tightened at the sound of those pipes. I laid flat on my stomach on my bed and just began praising God for who He is and for all He does for me everyday, I asked for wisdom in areas in my life and for a broken spirit to be completely focused on His goals instead of mine. This whole time, my shuffle continued to play bagpipe hymns.
When I had to leave for class, I stood up and the song changed back to an everyday band. I smiled. God used an earthly passion to poke me and say "Hey, let's hang out for a while. I miss you."
What other Deity on earth cares enough about their followers to want to connect with them on such a personal level?! Our God is worthy of all praise and adoration!

My Instrument

I thank God for the gift of music! He created it so special and so intricate that human beings can do almost anything with it that we can imagine! Look what we have done! We have gone from the simple concepts of Gregorian Chant to amazing orchestral scores, to the discoveries of harmony and instruments, to the use of electronics! Music can make us feel things we don't normally feel and calm our ever active spirits.
I love music. And because I love it, I have tried different instruments over the years. Piano: loved it at first until I started learning to play by the rules. Guitar: LOVED it! Still want to get back at it, but I didn't take the time to practice. Pennywhistle: am currently working on it and find I can play it fairly well if I try. But I'm just a very lazy person and practicing is not something I often do.
I want to kick myself sometimes because God has given me a natural feel for music, especially rhythm but my mom shot down my drums and bass guitar plans, and I never take enough time to use that feel and actually learn to play something.
Thankfully, God must have known how lazy I would turn out to be because he blessed me with a voice. A voice with a very wide range. A voice that can reach above and below the treble cleft with ease. A voice that comes easy and naturally to me. A voice I trained without hardly any effort.
I am very thankful for the instrument God has given to me. I am indeed blessed.