This Blessed House

I choose to write my interpretation on This Blesses House, because I felt I can relate to this story, and in looking at it even more closely, I can learn more from it. I have recently been in the same situation as Twinkle and Sanjeev are. They just got married and are going trying to adjust to their new life together. My husband and I were married this past June, so I understand some of the “disagreements” Twinkle and Sanjeev have in This Blessed House.
Twinkle and Sanjeev have known each other for about four months. All throughout the story, they are realizing different characteristics of one another that they might have not noticed before. Twinkle is a very go with the flow type of person. She is not worried of what others think of her, and she does not appear to be much of a home maker. Sanjeev on the other hand, pay close attention to detail. He is organized, and is anxious to get their new house unpacked and cleaned up.
Throughout This Blessed House, there is conflict between Sanjeev and Twinkle. Twinkle keeps finding old “Christian decorations” in the house that she likes to put up around the house, but it drives Sanjeev crazy. I believe the story needs an interpretation for some parts, because many people have not yet been in this type of situation. When I first read this story I did not pick up on the different meanings as I did once I studied it. I believe Twinkle and Sanjeev have a communication problem. They need to talk about their problems with one another, and work things out together. I think when people think of marriage, they think happily ever after. They think that right after the wedding everything is going to be perfect. Now, don’t get me wrong…marriage is a beautiful thing, and I love it, but it is also hard work at times.
Every time Twinkle finds something she is set on the fact that she wants it put on the mantle in their house.
““But is could be worth something. Who knows?...It’s pretty.”
“We’re not Christians.”
“No, we’re not Christian. We’re good little Hindus.”
She planted a kiss on top of Christ’s head, then placed the statue on top of the fireplace mantle, which needed, Sanjeev noticed, to be dusted.”
Twinkle does not seem to care what Sanjeev thinks, she always just goes about her own way, and keeps putting up all these decorations. Sanjeev seems to be very irritated, but in the end he doesn’t do anything about it.
Later, while they are getting the house ready for a housewarming party Sanjeev tries to put away some of the decorations.
“I’m going to put it in my study,” she informed him. “that way you don’t have to look at it.”
“What about the housewarming? They’ll want to see all the rooms. I’ve invited people from the office.”
When Sanjeev say this it shows that he is embarrassed by the decorations, and a little bit by Twinkle. No one has ever met Twinkle, and he is starting to get nervous how she will fit in with his friends.
When my husband and I were first moving in, I had all these plans of how I wanted to decorate, and what colors I wanted to paint. It seemed every time I went to buy something, most if it was things we really needed, I had to explain myself to him. Guys just don’t seem to understand that kind of stuff. In my opinion, they just need to let the women take care of it. I would get so frustrated with him, #1 because I wasn’t getting my way, and #2 because it seemed like he was raining on my parade. Although we are not as extreme as Twinkle and Sanjeev, it’s still the same situation.
As I mentioned before, Sanjeev does not do much about Twinkles decorations, even though he says he will. He let it all build up. One night Twinkle was taking a bath when Sanjeev came in and said he was going out to take down one of the decorations from out side and throwing it in the dump tomorrow on his way to work. Of course this made Twinkle upset and she stormed out of the bathroom dripping wet. They argued for a while and once Twinkle was in tears, Sanjeev apologized. Sanjeev want about this all the wrong way. It is not smart to go and tell your wife what you are going to do when you know it will upset her. He needed to communicate with her. Talk to her about it instead of trying to force it on her. A lot of their problems could be solved if they would have better communication.
In our family we joke about how to solve our “marital problems”. My sister-in-law, Katie, and I are very much a like. We look, act, and think the same, and even have the same name. We always say that our husbands, the brothers, need to go to the other Katie and see what she thinks or how she would react to something before going to their wife. Then they could avoid some arguments.
I honestly feel bad for Twinkle. Towards the end of the story, Sanjeev is wondering if he even loves her. I have heard people say that they don’t feel bad for Twinkle because she is crazy and they couldn’t handle her, but Sanjeev put himself in that situation. If he didn’t love her, he shouldn’t have married her. They should have dated longer so they had a chance to know one another before they committed to marriage. I believe that is the hidden message or lesson in this story. People tend to take marriage lightly so often. It is not taken seriously. That is not the way God created it to be.

A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings: A Tale for Children

I don't know what to think about this story yet. I was very different. When I saw that it was a tale for children, I got excited, but this is not what I expected. I read it a few times, and I'm still trying to figure a few things out. I hope we get a chance to talk about it in our groups tomorrow, so that I can hear what others think. Maybe they will be able to answer my questions.

My first question is...is this a dream or is it supposed to be "real?" At first i thought it was a tale, then when it said... "Frightened by that nightmare, Pelayo ran to get Elisenda, his wife,....", it made me think that he is dreaming or something. My other question is...Do they ever really say who/what this guy is? I don't know if I'm just missing it, or if they just don't say it to leave us guessing?

There was one part I liked. "Sea and sky were a single ash-gray thing and the sands of the beach, which on March nights glimmered like powered light, had become a stew of mud and rotten shell fish." This description painted a picture in my head of what it looked like. I liked the comparison of sand to glimmered like powered light.

If I were a child this tale would freak me out. I'm a big scardy cat anyways, but I would probably have nightmares of this old man. I imagine him looking dirty, and scary. This might be stupid, but I picture a mixture of a crow and a man...and it's not pretty. I wonder if this tale is widely know or not. I have never heard of it, but it says that he has won some awards for best fiction writer. It would be interesting to read some more of his work to see if they are all this weird or not.

Polk Museum

I loved this! I know it may sound stupid, but I felt important or high class in a way while I was there. I'm from a small town, so I have never really been to a museum like this. I have only been to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, and that is totally different. I'm glad we had to do this for class, because I probably would not have gone otherwise...I didn't even know of this museum. Now, I plan to go back. I think it's good to balance your life with different "activities."

Okay, so I had no idea how to pick just one piece of art to meditate on, and write a poem about. I love photography though, so I choose one of those pieces...."Havana." I'm not sure why this one jumped out at me, because usually I go for more of landscape/nature type pictures. "Havana" left me with many questions though...1) Where was this photo taken? 2) When was this photo taken? 3) What are the banners at the top of the photo...do they represent something? 4) What's going on outside of the photo? As I meditate on this photo, I try to answer these questions by observing the peoples clothes and hair style. At first I think it was taken in another country, but then realize that it could be anywhere! And just a side note...I like the flowers that are for sale:) Everything just seems so simple and laid back in the photo.

Once I retire or maybe even as a side job I would like to be a photographer. I have always been obsessed with pictures! I have been trying to get my husband to buy me a more professional camera, and I plan to take some photography classes sometime. I wish I could take one at SEU, but I don't have room for any electives:( Someday though!

Here's my poem...
I see a street of despair, concrete of rubble,
I see broken hearts and a mud-filled puddle.


There are broken down walls and faces of pain,
There is dried cracking hearts, for lack of rain.


Even their hair is wavering, dark with despair,
Standing room only, no relaxation, no chair.


It seems struggle and pain conquer this land,
a man waits for his fate, no weapon in hand.


Despite the muck and the dirty streets,
there is a light that shines bright past the calloused feet.


Ribbons in the air, colors all around,
Its as if there is life, despite the death on the ground.


The flowers struggle without soil, but soon they will bloom,
In their own time they'll be fed, hopefully soon.


It seems colors are all that live in this city of strife,
but something lives beyond the eyes, giving hope to this life.


The King conquers death, He cleanses the street,
He sits on the throne, empowering the meek.


Dirt cannot put a name on this passage of Havana,
Much like my savior, despite lurking death, He's the conquering Hosanna.


"I went to the Polk Museum of Art for this assignment, and I stayed there for at least 40 minutes."

"DARKNESS, QUESTIONS, POETRY AND SPIRITUAL HOPE" left me with a lot of questions, but none the less, I enjoyed it. Professor Corrigan put in some great quotes, and really made me think. This essay was much easier to read than the last, but the fact that it was about multiple topics did throw me off a little. I was trying to see how all of the stories went together or how they related. I understand that they were all about some darkness we go through in life, but it may have been to scattered.

My all time favorite quote from this essay was...“We should make sure we have truly heard the question,” Freeman states, “before trying to get the answer right . . . Important questions create silence.” This goes along with what we have been learning all semester. How we need to sit in silence to think about what we have just read and meditate on it, and re-read it. This reminds me of what it says in James...You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. I feel like today we are always trying to answer questions quickly because we are too busy, or feel as though a teacher will get upset if we don't answer quick enough, or maybe because we are so caught up in defending ourselves. That's the one that gets me. Whenever I'm in an argument, I always try to come up with a quick come back, that sometimes I don't even wait for the question to finish before I answer.

Another quote I really liked was... “One can never understand what hope is really about unless one wrestles with despair. The same is true with faith. It's like when people say " I know how you feel" when really they don't because they have never been in your EXACT position. What's hope if you have never been through a hard time or have ever been without hope??? You wouldn't know.

This was a great essay. I'm surprised that the other one was published and this one wasn't. I was able to relate to most of what was in this essay in one ay or another.

I hate that we are already closing up the nature section. This has been my absolute favorite part of this class. Being able to go outside as a class and on our own brought the poems to life, and helped me connect to them so much better. I was able to see a whole new perspective in both literature and nature. Loved it!

I enjoyed Mary Oliver's poems, but was able to understand them a lot better after reading Prof. Corrigan's essay. The essay brought up different questions, and views I would have not come up with, without reading the essay. I love how she was able to bring God and nature into her writing. I love to sit outside by a lake, or on the front porch, or pretty much wherever and just sit still in God's presence. I wish I could write poetry or something without getting frustrated. I would love to sit outside and write about what I see and hear. I know I could still do that, but if it didn't rhyme or sound good, I would try to perfect it before moving on.

I'm not sure how I feel about Mary Oliver. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against lesbians, and I try my best not to judge...that's God's job, not mine. I would like to get more information on her. If she is a true christian, then she would know better. I would like to know what her thought process was. When it comes down to it though, that fact that she was a lesbian, does not change the content of her poems or my opinion of them. She was a great writer, and I loved the way she wrote about nature.

Lake Bonny Park

This time the activity was a lot easier for me. I love being outside and at parks, so it was natural for me, unlike going to the cemetery. I re-read my favorite poem "Six Recognitions of God." I read it a few times, and then sat in silence listening to the wind blow, and the birds chirp. For a minute I was taken back to my old farm house in Illinois. We lived out in the middle of nowhere and I used to love siting on the front porch on a warm day listening to all the different sounds. I miss that.

The activity were we went to the cemetery and this one are similar, but very different. In both, we were to go outside, read a poem of story, and then sit in silence. Both of them caused us to take the time to re-read and then reflect. The day I went to the cemetery it was cloudy and very chilly, but when I went to the park it was warm and the sun was shinning. The weather kinda went with what I was reading. The story we read at the cemetery was sad, and about death, but this poem I read at the park was full of life. To be honest, I felt awkward at the cemetery and my thoughts were all over the place. I kept thinking about who these people were and what they accomplished in their lifetime. I also wondered if I will be able to accomplish everything I want to before I die. At the park I was able to focus on nature and just sit and watch everything that was going on around me. I was happy to be outside and focused on life, and how God created everything I was looking at. Here's the poem I came up while I was there.

As I sit here in I'm reminded of my childhood
Playing outside in my huge front yard was my favorite thing to do
Back then I noticed the little things of nature,
But now I'm forgetting it all to soon

Grass used to be the best bed,
On a warm summers night
Now, I couldn't imagine
Falling asleep with all that light

My biggest worries were,
If it was going to rain
Now I'm full of worry
from things that bring me pain

From tree climbing, fort building,
star gazing, and trampoline jumping
To school work, paying bills,
laundry and house cleaning

I only wish I could go back for a second
to be reminded what it's like to look at life as child
We can't stop life from passing by,
But we can change our thinking and begin our days with a smile.



As you can probably tell I enjoyed this activity much better, although I was able to learn a lot from both.
I went to Lake Bonny Park for this assignment, and I stayed there for at least 40 minutes.

Great class on Friday. I loved being out in the sunshine:) As I have mentioned before, I really enjoy the outdoors and nature. I love to do anything that's outside. Being able to re-read the poems outside with all the animals around, the sun shinning down, and the cool breeze made the poem come to life.
Most of the poems were pretty good, but the one that I felt I could really understand and relate to was the "Six Recognitions of the Lord." I loved the detail and description words that were used. They were words I could understand, but not boring or plain. The poem made me look at things in a different light. I felt connected to this poem, than with any other poem I have ever read.
I am anxious to go to the park tomorrow. I believe as I re-read the poem, I will learn something that I did not realize before. Hopefully it's nice out, so that I can just enjoy sitting, watching, and listening to the animals and trees and all other sounds of nature. It would also be nice to have my quiet time there also. We can use literature, such as these poems as an act of worship. I believe God can speak to us through them. I'm excited to see what God's shows me tomorrow!

This Blessed House

When I read this story the first time I felt bad for the couple. I just got married this past summer, so I can relate to the changes couples have to go through when they move in together. Even when you are dating someone for a long time, things are very different when you live together. Both people need to make a lot of sacrifices.
This is where the characters for This Blessed House come in. Throughout the story, we read how Twinkle and Sanjeev react to each other and make a few sacrifices. I did not like the way Sanjeev treated Twinkle. It almost made me mad when I read it. At first I got the feeling that Twinkle was full of life, open to change, and excited for this new step in her life. I felt like Sanjeev kept shutting her down and was dull, and boring. As we talked about it as a class, I realized that maybe Twinkle was a little over board. I can see how she would be hard to live with. At the end of the story, I felt better when Sanjeev gave in.
When we discussed this story in our group, Lauren informed us that the author of This Blessed House did not grow up with brothers and was not close to her father, so she wanted to write more about a man's character. This makes the story more clear to me. I felt as though most of Sanjeevs character was revealed, and Twinkel’s was not as much.
I liked this story a lot, mostly because I can totally relate to some of the feelings Twinkel went through, not that it’s all bad.

Character Based Story

Okay, so I have to admit I was not too fond of the character based story assignment. First, I did not think we were informed enough about the differences. I was not really sure what makes a story character based story. Second, I did not think we had enough time. We all have crazy busy schedules and honestly I did not have the time to really sit down and put forth my all. So I will try my best to compare the two and maybe this will help me better understand the difference.

From what I understand so far, a plot based story is one that starts out slow, builds up, and then hits the "top of the mountain" and then settles out. Most "popular" movies fall into this category. Character based stories revolve around a specific character. These stories usually are not too exciting. For what I understand, they contain a lot of dialogue. Throughout the story, a reader will continue to figure out all about the characters by what they say, what others say about them, their actions, and so on.

It was interesting to hear what the rest of my group came up with. We all had very different plots. It seemed to be a story about ourselves, or something very close to our hearts. I feel as though it brought out our hearts in some way. I think we should have another assignment such as this, but have more time and a better understanding of what’s going on. I think we would really be able to show others, as well as ourselves, what we can do. It brings another side out, at least for me. It could be interesting to maybe have a group write a story together. One person could start, and the others could build off of it. Each of us could have it for a certain amount of time. Overall, I was able to stretch myself a little more.

It's Time

Maggie woke up to the sound of rain beating down on the roof. “Don’t panic,” she thought, “We have plenty of time for it to stop.” So many thoughts were running through her mind as she showered and got dressed.
“Good morning Maggie, happy wedding day!” Sarah, her cousin, said while fixing breakfast. The rest of the girls woke up and they all ate breakfast, then Maggie was off the get her hair done, while the girls started their own hair and make-up. Maggie had always dreamed of her wedding day, and now it was here. She was so anxious to get things started, but yet so nervous as to how things would turn out.
“Hunny, this day is going to fly by, remember to cherish every moment.”
“Mom, you’ve told me that already.”
“I know, but I just want this day to be everything you have ever dreamed of, and I don’t want you to get too caught up in everything, that you miss out on the most important day of your life.”
“Okay mom, please stop crying, you’re going to make me cry already.”
“Okay Okay I’m done.”
As Maggie and her mom entered the salon, they wiped away all the tears and were ready to get going. Maggie sat in the chair and the hair stylist began working. Within about forty-five minutes the hair was done and they were ready to place the veil in. Maggie looked in awe once her hair was complete. “This day is really here,” she thought, “Wow.”
“Okay, time for make-up.” The stylists said as she started getting set up. Maggie explained what she wanted her make-up to look like and they began.
“Maggie, you look so beautiful!” exclaimed her mom.
“Thanks, but again, no crying yet!”
“Alright, let’s get going.”
The drive back to the wedding venue seemed like forever for Maggie. She just wanted to get back and finish getting ready. It was still raining, and the wedding is supposed to be outside. Maggie was beginning to panic a little. They had come up with a back up plan for if it would rain, but Maggie did not want that. Finally, Maggie and her mom returned. The bridesmaids were had their hair done, the flowers and bouquets had arrived, and for the most part, things were going as planned. Maggie looked through the flowers and bouquets to make sure they were all good. As she looked outside to where the ceremony would be held, she said a short prayer. The rain was slowing down, but the ground was too soft to put any chairs down yet.
“Maggie, you need to eat something,” her mom said.
“Oh yeah, I’m actually really hungry.”
Maggie and her bridesmaids sat down to eat some lunch while they talked about the exciting day. Maggie still couldn’t believe it was here. She can remember when she was about five years old, planning her wedding out. By the time Maggie was in middle school she had all her colors picked out, and the time of year she wanted to have it. Everything seemed to change since then, not because she changed her mind, but because with school, they had to get married in the summer. At that moment Maggie began to think about other child hood memories. She blocked everything else out, all the talking and laughing. Maggie pictured her and her brother playing outside on the farm, ridding four wheelers. She imagined her family playing baseball out in the front yard. She missed those times. In that moment, she wasn’t ready to grow up. Before Maggie knew it, tears were coming down her face. She dabbed her face quickly as to not mess up the make-up.
“Maggie hunny, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing mom, I’m just thinking about memories from when I was little. I just want to go back to those days. It’s funny how when you are little, all you dream about is when you’re in high school, or when you can drive, or when you meet that special someone, or most of all, your wedding day. When you do actually “grow up” you want to go back to when you were little and didn’t have anything to worry about. You were care free and had fun all the time. I’m not ready to grow up.”
“Oh I know how you feel, but you know you are ready.”
“I know. I’m not really being serious, but it is a little sad to see yourself growing up and you can’t stop it.”
“Oh trust me, if I had a way to stop you and your brother from growing up, I would have done it!”
They both began to laugh as the wedding coordinator came in to tell them that everything is all good, and they are going to start setting up the chairs. Maggie and the bridesmaids finished getting ready so they could go get their pictures taken. Everyone came into the room where Maggie began putting on her dress. They were all so excited.
“Mom, now please don’t cry, I don’t want to have to ruin my make-up yet.”
“I won’t, I won’t”
“Mom, stop!”
“Oh my goodness, you look incredible.”
Everyone screamed with excitement and they were off for pictures. Once the pictures were done, Maggie got out of her dress and tried to relax. They all ate some more and sat around to talk.
“Are you nervous?” asked one of the bridesmaids.
“Not yet, I don’t know if it’s just because I’ve been so busy, or if it just hasn’t hit me yet.”
Maggie sat at a window watching some guests arrive. Her grandmother came in to give her a ring from her great-great-great-great grandmother, for her something old. Suddenly Maggie began to become pretty nervous. She felt sick to her stomach and multiple emotions began to arise.
“Does anyone have any tumbs, or anything for my stomach?”
Maggie’s mom quickly found something. Maggie and her bridesmaids prayed together and Maggie began to feel calm again.
“Okay, time to get dressed. The wedding starts in fifteen minutes.” exclaimed the coordinator.
They all rushed around to get dressed and ready. Maggie was back in a whirlwind. The happiest day of her life was here and about to start.
“Maggie are you ready?” asked her mom.
“I’ve been ready for this day my whole life.”

Character

People's character has always amused me. You can never really know for sure who someone is, or what they are thinking. God can reveal someones character to you, but that's as close as we can get. We have all heard the saying "put ourselves in another persons shoes," but that's not really possible. Even when you have gone through a similar situation as someone, you do not truly know how they feel, because we all have different pasts, and we all deal with things our own way.
I enjoyed reading the poem "Picture Bride." A granddaughter asking questions about her grandmother. I don't know why, but it made me think of the question many girls ask about their own weddings. "How will I know if he's the one?", "What if it doesn't last?", "Is it okay to be nervous?" These questions all have something to do with ones character.
This poem, and the poem "Those Winter Sundays" are both about family, but "Those Winter Sundays" makes me sad when I read it. "No one ever thanked him" is a powerful line. I think about all the things my parents have done for me that I haven't thanked them for. Or better yet, all the things I haven't thanked God for. I am so quick to ask Him for His favor, but when He comes through for me a lot of times I do not thank Him right away. It's embarrassing to admit.
God created us, but He gives us a choice to determine who we will become. He has given us the tools, and provided us with people in our lives to help us grow in Him. Ultimately it's our decision, what is you character? Is it pleasing to God? Maybe it's time to ask Him what he thinks of our character.

Lectio Divina

I have never heard of Lectio Divina until class on Monday. It’s a very interesting, and somewhat challenging method of reading. In some ways it relates to what we did with the onion story/activity. With both methods we read the stories multiple times, gaining new knowledge and a better understanding. As I have stated before, I am learning how important it is to re read literature. Lectio Divina had more structure to it, than the onion activity did, but I feel as though it helped prepare myself for future activities such as Lectio Divina.

For the first part, lectio, we were to listen to the story, and then write down a word or phrase the jumped out to us. I pick out “…not many people really hear it.” The other two parts that we did both went around this phrase, which will help explain why I picked it. For meditation, while listening to the story again I began to think about the many moments we miss out on in life, because we don’t really ‘hear’ it, or ‘see’ it, ect. A lot of times people tend to let the little moments pass them by. When I look back on my childhood I don’t automatically think about the vacations we took, or the big birthday parties we had, I think back to the times my brother and I would play outside together, or a random conversation/moment I had with my family. So…for the third part, oratio, I prayed that God would open my eyes and ears to things that are ‘hidden.’ That I wouldn’t miss the many pleasures God puts in my life. I know we didn’t do this in class, but I did the last part on my own…contemplation. I just sat there and went over the different thoughts that popped in my head. Some were all about the story, but some were more about remembering some special, simple, ‘moments’ I have been through. It truly made me smile, and gave me hope for the many more great ‘moments’ to come.

opps...

Sorry I forgot this...


"I attended Southeastern's production of The Imaginary Invalid and watched the entire play."

Imaginary Invalid

Imaginary Invalid was quite different than I expected. I really had no idea what is was about before I went, besides that it was a comedy. When the dancers came out before the play started I was confused by their make up, hair, and costumes. It reminded me of cirque de soleil.

In my opinion the first scene was confusing and seemed to drag on. Once more characters came in, it got better. I don't know if I missed something, or if I'm not thinking right, but the story didn't seem very in depth, or exciting. Don't get me wrong, I think everyone did a great job, but the script was a bit boring. The dancers were my favorite. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I have a background in dance and cheerleading, but they kept my attention the entire time. They did the most random, "stupid" things, but were so funny!! My favorite actor/actress was the maid. She played the part perfectly, was made me laugh a lot. I wondered if that is how she always talks, or if she was doing it for the play; if so, she was amazing.

Honestly, afterward a friend and I were talking, and she mentioned that it seemed as though the writer of the play might have been high while writing it. Later we found out that Nixon added his own style with all the "crazy stuff", and it made so much more sense. He did a great job! I think I would have had a hard time watching it if he didn't add stuff. Does he always put the plays together? It would be interesting to go watch other "versions" of this play. I would like to see the original, and then see what others have done with it.

Silence

I have not yet written about my experience at the cemetery, so I guess I will talk about that in this blog. I will say that I didn't expect much out of the trip. I thought it was weird and a waste of time. This experience again made me slow down and think things through. Reading the headstones was sad to me. It's sad to think about how busy life gets and how we don't take the time to slow down and enjoy the little things, when I'm looking at headstones of peoples whose lives were cut short.

We have done multiple activities that have caused me to "slow down" or to
re-read." They all had the same idea, but worked differently for me. My two favorite would be reading outside by the lake, and the cemetery. Both were outside and with nature, which I love, but the cemetery trip related to the story the better. It was so quiet there, everyone and everything was silent. One line stuck out to me relating to this and that was..."The night in silence under many a star." It made me think of how at night time when everyone is asleep and quiet, but yet there are so many noises outside (at least at my house there were, because I lived on a farm). There were multiple things and noises going on around me, but in that moment it was quiet, like when you enter the cemetery everything else is blocked out.

I don't know if that will make sense to anyone else, but it sure did to me. Reading this story each time I was able to get something else out of it. I realized new things, of thought of a line in a different light. Going to the cemetery still scares me a little bit, but it did help me out, and I’m glad I went.

I went to the Lakeview, Roselawn and Tiger Flowers cemetery complex for this fieldtrip, and I stayed there for at least 40 minutes.

Lilacs...

When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d, was a very difficult piece for me to read. I had no clue what was going on. Whitman seemed to drag thing on. I prefer more of the straight to the point stories. I know that with poetry authors like to stretch things a bit, but not for nine lines! Readers, well at least with me, get bored when stories go on and on. These are the times I need help breaking down what the author is really trying to communicate. Maybe it will make more sense when I read it tomorrow at the cemetery, I don’t know.

Some lines that I enjoyed were, “Song of the bleeding throat, Death’s outlet song of life, (for well dear brother I know, if thou was not granted to sing thou would’st surely die.)” I am not quite certain what all that means, but I liked the way it was written. I also liked, “…with every leaf a miracle-and from this bush in the dooryard, with delicate-color’d blossoms and heart-shaped leaves of rich green, a sprig with its flower I break.” Again, I don’t think I really understand this, but I love nature, and this section contained ‘nature words.’

Overall, When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d is very well written, and definitely advanced. I feel like I need notes at the bottom of the page describing what he’s talking about, the way some bibles do. I am a little nervous, but never the less anxious to finishing reading it tonight, and then again tomorrow. Graveyards creep me out, as I’m sure they do many people, but it will again give me time to slow down and really try my best to break it down by myself. I pray that God would open up my heart to this idea.

Painting

Okay, so to be honest I’m not much of a painter. I have always liked the thought of painting, and wish I could paint, but I’m just not artistic. So going into class on Wednesday, I was nervous, but I enjoyed it a lot. It again gave me time to sit and take apart the story. It made actually think about what was going on.

I picked out the part that said the fields turning green, and the trees baring fruit. I painted, the best I could, a green field and some trees with fruit on them. I also painted the sun, and clouds, and rain falling. I don’t know why, but I guess I figured in order to grow and turn green the fields and trees need sunshine and rain. It reminds me of the different things we need to grow, both physically and spiritually. So many people think that to get to heaven they just need to be ‘good’ and do ‘good’ things. They do not understand that we need to have a personal relationship with God. We cannot grow without seeking Him and His will for our lives.

It was interesting to hear what other people painted and why they chose that. We all get different meanings out of stories. Some people drew actual objects and some drew abstract paintings. I would have liked to hear form more people describing what they painted. I would like to do the painting thing again. I think it is a great way to get emotions going, and to draw more out of the reading. I would like to do it with a story that maybe I can relate to better. I may try to do this again on my own. I mean I do have all this painting supplies now Maybe if I need some down time or something.

The Wonders of Nature

Oh my goodness, I absolutely loved class on Monday. Besides the dead fish and the smells. I grew up on a farm outside of town, so we had fields, trees, and a huge yard all around. I love nature…walks outside, sitting in the grass under the sun or stars, and just playing. When I was younger, anytime I got upset I went out to our tree fort and just sat there thinking, and most of the time crying.

Re-reading parts of Joel outside did help me out a lot. For the most part, it gave me a break from the busyness of life to actually sit down and take in the story. To be honest, the first time I read it I was in the middle of getting ready for class. I usually don’t wait till last minute, but I’ve had a lot going on. I was able to think more about what was going on and what Joel was about.

The second time around, I noticed more phrases having to do with nature such as, “For the pastures of the wilderness have turned green, For the tree has borne its fruit, The fig tree and the vine have yielded in full.” At first I thought we were reading outside for a different atmosphere and it seemed more “poetic??”, but then I realized that it had much more meaning than that. Joel mentions nature multiple times.

I was very nervous after the first day of class when we were told of everything “different” we would be doing. I knew it was going to stretch me, but so far I really enjoy the different approaches to literature. This class is not like any other boring literature class. I am learning to take out pieces of a story and figure out meanings, instead of just skimming over the book or story.

Themes in Literature

Chapter 3 was about the different themes literature can have, and how they work or what they mean. Themes are ideas that communicate meanings. There can be different ways to read a text. I believe everyone views a story differently, and will take different things away from it. Depending what experiences we have been through. I liked what someone said in class about trying to figure out what the author wants the reader to get out of the story, or what they want a reader to feel. In my opinion, a great author is one who tries to pull different emotions out of their readers. The books or stories I like to read are ones that I can relate to. I do however understand that an author cannot try to relate to everyone in one book.

I especially liked reading the different stories of Little Red Riding Hood. I have always known the story, but I do not remember the last time I read the story. The Girl and the Wolf was a little bit funny. It did not contain as much detail; it just got right to the point. Some stories need the detail though. Like when Professor Corrigan told the two stories in class, the second one was much more interesting. It brought out more emotion and made us want to continue listening. Now The Wild Man of the Green Swamp was harder for me to read. I felt as if it may have had too much detail. It was confusing to me. I did not really understand the point of it. I started reading 90 Minutes in Heaven, and I feel it also does this. The author tends to repeat himself a lot. I hate reading the same ideas over and over again. But I guess it all has to do with what the author wants the reader to get out of the story.

Love Shack...built of cards

A Grief Observed was a heavy reading, but I enjoyed it, if that's possible. In many ways I was able to relate or see where he was coming from. I have never had someone close to be pass away, but I have been through bad break ups, or loss of friendship.
Yesterday in class I found it very interesting that we build card houses, well tried to. It helped me understand better what he was saying. I have hear the phrase "a house of cards" before, but I had never really stopped to think about it. I liked where Lewis says," if my house was a house of cards, the sooner it was knocked down the better." There are many ways to take this, but the way I see it is that while we were trying to build that house with cards we were so nervous. The cards would shake and we would have to be so careful around them. It's like we were afraid to do anything. We were always worried the next move would send it crashing down. Why would you want a love, house, or family built like that. It's like you would never be able to move forward, because you would be too afraid to mess things up. We were meant to have solid foundations.
I like being able to brings topics out of the story and do an activity with them to help better understand what the author is saying. I am not much of a DEEP thinker. I like things clear cut and all out in the open. In my opinion if you are going to say something just put it all out there, but if literature were that way if would probably be more boring. So, this activity really helped me out, and I definitely enjoyed it.

The Shack

I loved class today! It was interesting to talk about literature that we picked out and see what the others in my group picked out. It was easier to go on and on about what we each brought. So in this blog I'm pretty much going to sum up what I talked about today.

I brought The Shack by William Young. I picked this book because, #1 I thought people in my group may have read it and we would all be able to discuss it, and #2 because I still do not know how I feel about the book. I read it about a little over a year ago and loved it, even thought it is a sad book at times. Young took my view of the Trinity, that I didn't really understand, and put them into characters I could understand. After reading this book I felt like I had a much better understanding of the Trinity and I felt closer to God. The reason I'm not sure how I feel now is because many churches are doing studies on this book and find things that do not agree with the Bible. I have yet to do any of my own research, but I am anxious to so that I can see where they are coming from.

There are so many great quotes in this book, but as I skim back through it I found one that caught my attention. " All of my best treasures are now hidden in you anyway. I want you to be my life." The main character, Mack, says this to Jesus. This is my prayer everyday. I want Him to be my entire life and to understand that He holds everything that I am. I would be nothing if I did not have Jesus in my life.

Do "Happy Endings" really exist?

WOW. "Happy Endings" was quite an interesting story. I liked the organization of how each 'ending' was separate, but I did get a bit confused. Throughout the story I just assumed that the John and Mary in each 'ending' were the same John and Mary at the beginning, but when we broke into groups, Sarah and Lauren thought differently which really got me to thinking. It is also so confusing how peoples minds work. I remember when I was younger always wanting to be able to read peoples minds. I wanted to know what my friends really thought of me or what a boy was thinking.

I don't remember exactly how the question was stated, but we were supposed to discuss the characters without judging them. When reading each 'ending' I think of different friends, or even myself who have experienced situation like them. B. was very sad, but in reality, that's how many women are treated in hopes that the man will eventually fall in love with them. Well each 'ending' is kinda sad. I like the way they twist and turn and then end up the same. It makes me think of our journeys through life. God has this ultimate goal, but we do not always get there the easiest/shortest way. We may make a few turns here and there, but hopefully, eventually end up where He want us, and has planned for us.

I do not agree that every relationship or marriage turns out to be a 'happy ending.' I believe that we choose to make relationships work and it is up to us to have a 'happy ending.' Having God in the center of that relationship is the only way to have a fulfilling happy ending. Not saying that non-Christians cannot be happy, but they could have so much more. I also think that people all have a different view of their 'happy ending', not everyone wants to end up like how A. describes. Again it all comes down to how people all have such a wide view of what love is and how it works.

"Love...is a Beautiful Thing"

"Frankie and Johnny" is a funny, sad, and crazy song. I always hate it when you hear a song on the radio or something, and cannot understand what some of the words are, therefore you miss the meaning of the song. This happens to me quite a bit, so I enjoyed listening to the song, and then listening to it again while reading the lyrics. Being able to read the words also helped me to really look deep into the song, and try to understand it.
Some questions I had about the song were, #1 What was the relationship between Frankie and Johnny? Were they married, dating, and just lovers? #2 Why did Frankie kill Johnny if she loved him so much? She could have left him instead. #3 If they were so in love, why was Johnny with another woman? #4 Why did Frankie think there "ain't no good in man"? Not all men are like Johnny.
I was reading today for my intro to Bible class about the creation, and how God intended for relationships to be. It explains how Adam and Eve each had their own strengths, and that those strengths complimented each other. They fit perfectly together, and were not jealous of one another. This is the kind of relationship we should strive for. To treat other the way God intended us to. The world we live in today has taught us the opposite of this. In relationships now we try to out do the other one, or try to do everything on our own. God made us to be in relationship with one another and to work together. I know it can be hard, trust me, but I am working on it everyday to make my relationship with my husband the way God intended it to be, and to honor Him with my words and actions.

Well, growing up my mom would read many stories to my brother and I, but two different ones seem to stand out. " I'll Love you Forever" and " Too Many Animals Sleep in my Bed" were my all time favorite books when I was little. My mom would read the first sentences on each page, and then my brother and I would say the end of the pages, because they were always the same. Actually, when I was home over Christmas break, I noticed my mom had those two books sitting up on a shelf in her room, so I took them down and read them again. My mom mentioned that when I was younger I explained to her that I especially liked " Too Many Animals Sleep in my Bed" because it had a pattern...a rhyme. It's so funny because now I am such a organized person and I like things that have a "pattern."

Some more recent memories involving literature would include "Redeeming Love." When my husband and I first started dating he left for a missions trip to Africa, leaving me with a lot of extra time I needed to fill. I was never much of a reader, but I needed to pass the time, and someone recommended it to me. At the time I had recently given my life back to Christ and this book really opened my eyes to what God's love is all about. I never wanted to stop reading. "Redeeming Love" touched my life and gave me a stronger passion for literature.

I believe the most important role of literature is to provide knowledge and information. You can learn so much from reading. The best part about it though is that literature is not just about learning. You can also read stories for your pleasure.

I would say the one downfall about literature, is that you cannot always learn everything from it. Such as in textbooks I have for Education, not everything is true for every student. A lot is learned by getting out there and learning from experience.