Dictionary Word of the Day

descry \dih-SKRY\, transitive verb:
1. To catch sight of, especially something distant or obscure; to discern.
2. To discover by observation; to detect.

I love this word, descry.  I've only ever come across it in The Lord of the Rings, by J. R. R. Tolkien and other of his writings, so to me it is a distinctly Tolkien-ish word, like provender.

 

At its bottom ran a hurrying stream:  Frodo could hear its stony voice coming up through the silence; and beside it on the hither side a road went winding down like a pale ribbon, down into chill grey mists that no gleam of sunset touched.  There it seemd to Frodo that he descried far off, floating as it were on a shadowy sea, the high dim tops and broken pinnacles of old towers forlorn and dark. 

Can any of you Tolkien fans tell me where this quote came from?  Book and chapter? 

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

March 14
Tender Comfort

As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you. (Isaiah 66:13)

A mother's comfort! Ah, this is tenderness itself. How she enters into her child's grief! How she presses him to her bosom and tries to take all his sorrow into her own heart! He can tell her all, and she will sympathize as nobody else can. Of all comforters the child loves best his mother, and even full-grown men have found it so.

Does Jehovah condescend to act the mother's part? This is goodness indeed. We readily perceive how He is a father; but will He be as a mother also? Does not this invite us to holy familiarity, to unreserved confidence, to sacred rest? When God Himself becomes "the Comforter," no anguish can long abide. Let us tell out our trouble, even though sobs and sighs should become our readiest utterance. He will not despise us for our tears; our mother did not. He will consider our weakness as she did, and He will put away our faults, only in a surer, safer way than our mother could do. We will not try to bear our grief alone; that would be unkind to one so gentle and so kind. Let us begin the day with our loving God, and wherefore should we not finish it in the same company, since mothers weary not of their children?

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

More evidence

More evidence of the trouble with cats.

 The trouble with cats is that they are trouble.  The trouble with cats being trouble is that they are so endearing in their troublesome ways.

And oh, so, pretty and sweet. 

 

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

March 13
Despise Not Thy Youth

Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold I cannot speak; for I am a child. But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. (Jeremiah 1:6-7)

Jeremiah was young and felt a natural shrinking when sent upon a great errand by the Lord; but He who sent him would not have him say, "I am a child." What he was in himself must not be mentioned but lost in the consideration that he was chosen to speak for God. He had not to think out and invent a message nor to choose an audience: he was to speak what God commanded and speak where God sent him, and this he would be enabled to do in strength not his own. Is it not so with some young preacher or teacher who may read these lines? God knows how young you are and how slender are your knowledge and experience; but if He chooses to send you, it is not for you to shrink from the heavenly call. God will magnify Himself in our feebleness. If you were as old as Methuselah, how much would your years help you? If you were as wise as Solomon, you might be equally as willful as he. Keep you to your message, and it will be your wisdom; follow your marching orders, and they will be your discretion.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

And the Winner is. . .

Connie, from Practicing Theology, come on down!  You're the winner!  To claim your prize, all you'll need to do is browse the gallery and see what you like.  You can personalize anything that is already there, order something as is, or come up with your very own bookmark based on what you would like it to say.  Just send me an email when you know what you want and I'll get started!

Congratulations, Connie!  And many, many thanks to everyone who played along and generously shared my link with your readers.  Your help generated a lot of traffic and even a couple of orders, so I am very grateful!

UFO

Unidentified Frozen Object(s)

Found this strange UFO in my freezer this morning.  There are actually four neatly zip locked bags inside a bigger neatly zip locked bag.  Two appear to be a sauce of some kind, the other two contain, well, it's anyone's guess what they contain.

They are thawing on the counter.  I'll let you know once I figure it out.  If I figure it out. 

I have no personal recollection of this frozen mystery. 

UPDATE:  I can now tell you what was in the little baggies--LUNCH!  It was mussels and scallops in a garlic and wine sauce.  I have no idea why I froze the seafood and the sauce separately, or why I froze it in in two batches instead of one.  That remains a mystery. 

Never mind all that.  Lunch was delicious.

Bookworm Meme Round up

Annette at Fish and Cans reminds us not to read while driving.  Good advice, Annette!

Jen at JoythruChrist wonders what to do with some books that she really can't endorse or recommend.  Should she give them away or throw them out?  Her son has an idea. . .

Shanna at inspirations shares her favorite book, The Art of Travel, by Alain de Botton.  It's been on my "need to read" list for some time.  I think I'll move it up.

The indefatigable MissM, from regainingparadise, has taken my shameless request for a link to a whole new level, for which I am very grateful. 

Carla's response was a reflection of her family's reading habits as well.  She recommends two very good books; one I have read and one that I can't wait to read.

Leslie, from Lux Venit, had me laughing. Go read about how her husband turned her from her "evil ways."

Kim, from the Upward Call, reminds us that footnotes are a great place to find book recommendations. 

Rebekah, from Sweet Tea with Lemon, is what I call a balanced book lover; she likes every kind of book, reads all hours of the day and, like me, even reads when she is cooking!

Candy from Shook Foil tells a sad story about some illustrated books.  I admire her zeal, tragically misplaced though it was, but I admire her stance on bad theology even more. 

I discovered another participant, Paul-probably-maybe-Liz at Exiled from Groggs.  I know I should probably quote from his/her book meme post, but I was so taken by his/her banner quote that I decided to share it with you instead:

 Data is not information, information is not knowledge, knowledge is not wisdom, wisdom is not truth. 

I enjoyed reading Amanda's answers--and questions.  She added three great questions of her own.  The responses are mine but you really should go and read her answer to the last question.

Fiction or NonFiction?

Definitely non-fiction.  I do love fiction, too, but I read mostly non-fiction books. 

One book at a time or have several in process at the same time?
Always.  Right now I am reading two and have two more on hold for a little bit.

Crack the spine or leave it unbroken?

I would never deliberately crack a spine, but I have read my original Lord of the Rings volumes until the spines are cracked and the covers are loose.  They have been retired but I still love them and take them out from time to time if I am looking for a particular passage in any of the books.  I know right where to find my favorite parts.

Rebecca's answers are up. She included a picture of the bookmark I made her a year or so ago.  Rebecca says that the Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia are "different kinds of books and serve a different purpose."  I agree with the statement and wonder if I would agree with the differences in their purpose.  (I have my own idea and the difference is what makes LOTR my favorite.)

Pam, from a rustling of leaves, has her therapeutic answers posted.  We really MUST get that girl a bookmark!  : )

Connie jumped in this morning, too.   You can find here answers at Practicing Theology, one of my newest favorite blogs. 

 Here's the last addition before I draw the winner!  Lisa, from Lisa Writes, posted her answers this morning.  (Lisa's banner is one of my "all time favorites of all time" as I like to say when I really love something.  It nearly makes me want to put cream in my coffee!)

Have you played yet?  If you have, let me know and I shall add your link to this page.  For everyone who has taken the time to visit Bookworm Bookmarks, I say "thank you!"

Now, I'm off to find my son and have him draw a winner!

Bookmark Drawing

 UPDATE:  I'll do the drawing at noon.  I want to make sure I haven't missed anyone.  If you played and you don't see your name in the round-up post that means I missed it.  Drop me a note in the comments of this post and I'll be sure to visit you before noon.

I'll be drawing the name for the free bookmark on Monday morning, Monday at noon Central Time, so if you haven't played yet, try to play soon so your name will go into the hat!

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

March 12
Going Out with Joy

And of Zebulun he said, Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out. (Deuteronomy 33:18)

The blessings of the tribes are ours; for we are the true Israel who worship God in the spirit and have no confidence in the flesh. Zebulun is to rejoice because Jehovah will bless his "going out"; we also see a promise for ourselves lying latent in this benediction. When we go out we will look out for occasions of joy.

We go out to travel, and the providence of God is our convoy. We go out to emigrate, and the Lord is with us both on land and sea. We go out as missionaries, and Jesus saith, "Lo, I am with you unto the end of the world." We go out day by day to labor, and we may do so with pleasure, for God will be with us from morn till eve.

A fear sometimes creeps over us when starting, for we know not what we may meet with; but this blessing may serve us right well as a word of good cheer. As we pack up for moving, let us put this verse into our traveling trunk; let us drop it into our hearts and keep it there; yea, let us lay it on our tongue to make us sing. Let us weigh anchor with a song, or jump into the carriage with a psalm. Let us belong to the rejoicing tribe and in our every movement praise the Lord with joyful hearts.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Philippians 4:4 

Quote of the Week

The Lord takes His worship very seriously . . .our worship must reflect both God's great saving work in Christ and His holy zeal for the purity of worship.  Only such worship will be acceptable to Him.  When Hebrews 12:28 speaks of acceptable worship, it means that it is first and foremost acceptable to God.

Robert Godfrey, Pleasing God in Our Worship

(You can read the entire pamphlet here:  Pleasing God in Our Worship )

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

March 11
Whose Battle?

And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saith not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hands. (1 Samuel 17:47)

Let this point be settled, that the battle is the Lord's, and we may be quite sure of the victory, and of the victory in such a way as will best of all display the power of God. The Lord is too much forgotten by all men, yea, even by the assemblies of Israel; and when there is an opportunity to make men see that the great First Cause can achieve His purposes without the power of man, it is a priceless occasion which should be well employed. Even Israel looks too much to sword and spear. It is a grand thing to have no sword in the hand of David, and yet for David to know that his God will overthrow a whole army of aliens.

If we are indeed contending for truth and righteousness, let us not tarry till we have talent, or wealth, or any other form of visible power at our disposal; but with such stones as we find in the brook, and with our own usual sling, let us run to meet the enemy. If it were our own battle we might not be confident; but if we are standing up for Jesus and warring in His strength alone, who can withstand us? Without a trace of hesitancy let us face the Philistines; for the Lord of hosts is with us, and who can be against us?

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

I'm getting the news out early

Tomorrow is the birthday of a special friend, one I've never met but one I've known for about ten years.  This friend has taught me the deep things of God, gently corrected me, lovingly encouraged me, generously included me, shared her wisdom and her knowledge, her humor and joy.

Psalm 27:17  As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

 Happy Birthday, Rebecca!  I'm glad you're my friend!  I hope your birthday is filled with joy and contentment.

Visual DNA

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

March 10
Walk in Light

I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. (John 12:46)

This world is dark as midnight; Jesus has come that by faith we may have light and may no longer sit in the gloom which covers all the rest of mankind.

Whosoever is a very wide term: it means you and me. If we trust in Jesus we shall no more sit in the dark shadow of death but shall enter into the warm light of a day which shall never end. Why do we not come out into the light at once?

A cloud may sometimes hover over us, but we shall not abide in darkness if we believe in Jesus. He has come to give us broad daylight. Shall He come in vain?  If we have faith we have the privilege of sunlight: let us enjoy it. From the night of natural depravity, of ignorance, of doubt, of despair, of sin, of dread, Jesus has come to set us free; and all believers shall know that He no more comes in vain than the sun rises and fails to scatter his heat and light.

Shake off thy depression, dear brother. Abide not in the dark, but abide in the light. In Jesus is thy hope, thy joy, thy heaven, Look to Him, to Him only, and thou shalt rejoice as the birds rejoice at sunrise and as the angels rejoice before the throne.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

Redemption Accomplished and Applied

Notes for the next chapter or two will be posted over the weekend, Lord willing.  As usual, the longer I read, the harder it is for me to stop and type up notes, but I do want to have a record of this time through Murray's book, so hopefully I will be able to post up all the chapter notes for Section One (Redemption Accomplished) before Easter.

On your mark,

Get set, go!

I've been trying to think of some fun ways to get the word out about my new online venture, Bookworm Bookmarks.  I'm generally a behind-the-scenes, bookwormish sort of person, so self-promotion is difficult for me.  And yet I know that without some well placed links, my little bookmark page will languish in anonimity.

 So, in the interest of making this as fun as possible, I'm inviting ALL of you to play this meme on your blog as a way of getting the word out.  I am NOT asking for you to promote my bookmark undertaking; only to introduce the meme with a link to Bookworm Bookmarks.  And of course, invite ALL your friends to play along.  Maybe their friends will play along,too.  (why do I feel a little like Kermit the Frog?--it's a whisper campaign)

I'd be very grateful if you take me up on my invitation!  Here's the meme , found online, with a few tweaks of my own:

Bookworm Meme

Hardback or trade paperback or mass market paperback?

      I much prefer hardback books, but I've bought and read a lot of paperbacks.  (It's a budget thing, you know.)  Some books become such favorites, however, that when I wear them out I replace them with a hardback copy.

Online purchase or brick and mortar?

      Both.  I love to browse in bookstores, but I find I'm buying more books online in recent years.  My favorite online bookstores are Monergism Books, Soli Deo Gloria Books, (a division of Ligonier Ministries), and Solid Ground Books. I also order a lot of books from amazon.com.

Barnes & Noble or Borders?

      I prefer Borders, myself.  I think it has a more library-ish feel about it.

Bookmark or dog-ear?

      Dog-ear?  What a dreadful thing to do to a book!  Especially when you could have your own, unique laminated-for-durability bookmark, rendered by yours truly. (hehehe)

Mark or not mark?

   The only novel I've ever marked is Les Miserables because it is so satisfyingly quotable, but I do mark most other books.

Alphabetize by author or alphabetize by title or random?

      You mean when they are on the shelves and not in beside every chair and bed in the house?  I don't alphabetize my books, but they do "live" together with other like-minded books on my shelves.  I shelve all similar books together (theology, biography, history, fantasy, novels, resource books, etc.) but they are never alphabetized.  There is a hierarchy of sorts which makes sense to me and probably no one else, and even if a book lives at my bedside for months, it still has a spot to go home to somewhere on my shelves.

Keep, throw away, or sell?

      I almost always keep my books.  I usually give novels away, unless they are classics.

Keep dustjacket or toss it?

      I keep them, but not on or even with the books.  I don't really like dustjackets myself, but they do belong with the book, so I keep them.

Read with dustjacket or remove it?

      I take them off immediately and deposit them along with all the other dustjackets.

Short story or novel?

      I love them both. 

Collection (short stories by same author) or anthology (short stories by different authors)?

      I prefer collections.  My favorite is my two volume Kipling, A Selection of His Stories and Poems, by John Beecroft.  I do like anthologies of poetry, though.

Lord of the Rings or Narnia

      Lord of the Rings, by a mile.  I do like The Chronicles of Narnia, but Tolkien far surpasses Lewis, in my opinion.

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?

      That depends.  Usually I stop reading when I fall asleep.  I do not feel compelled to stop at the end of chapter breaks; however, especially if I am reading a theological book, I will stop at a natural break.

“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”?

      "Once upon a time."

Buy or Borrow?

      I mostly buy books unless they are novels because I mark my books.

New or used?

      I love cracking open a new, hard-bound book, but lately I have learned that I can have more books if I buy them used.  More is better.

  Buying choice: book reviews, recommendation or browse?

      I select books through a combination of reviews and recommendations from friends. 

Tidy ending or cliffhanger?

      I prefer everything tied up with a bow, which is not to say I do not like cliffhangers.  I just like them near the end with a sense of closure.  I guess you would call them temporary cliffhangers.  Kind of like kissing the Blarney stone.  You dangle there for a moment, but deep down inside you know that someone is holding your ankles.

Morning reading, afternoon reading or night time reading?

      Every time is reading time. I love to stir the pot with one hand and read from the other.  Cooking and reading is a very satisfying activity.  Have you tried it?

Standalone or series?

      Both.

Favorite series?

      The Lord of the Rings and the Silmarillion.

Favorite book of which nobody else has heard?

      That's a tough one for me because I like classics and theology.  I guess it would have to be my copy of God's Minute.

Favorite books read last year?

Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo

Jonathan Edwards, A Life, by George M. Marsden 

The Christian Life, by Sinclair Ferguson 

Favorite book of all time?

    The Bible.  It really is a book of all time!

_______________________________________ 

If you let me know you've played along, I'll add your link to a list.  I'm thinking that, with the fellow literary-types who frequent my blog, we'll all end up with some good reading lists.

Thanks in advance for playing!  Oh, and if you leave a comment to let me know you've played, your name will go into a drawing for a free custom bookmark.

 

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

March 9
Prayer for Peace

And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pay unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace. (Jeremiah 29:7)

The principle involved in this text would suggest to all of us who are the Lord's strangers and foreigners that we should be desirous to promote the peace and prosperity of the people among whom we dwell. Specially should our nation and our city be blest by our constant intercession. An earnest prayer for your country and other countries is well becoming in the mouth of every believer. Eagerly let us pray for the great boon of peace, both at home and abroad. If strife should cause bloodshed in out streets, or if foreign battle should slay our brave soldiers, we should all bewail the calamity; let us therefore pray for peace and diligently promote those principles by which the classes at home and the races abroad may be bound together in bonds of amity.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

March 8
Our Substance Blessed

Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. (Deuteronomy 28:5)

Obedience brings a blessing on all the provisions which our industry earns for us. That which comes in and goes out at once, like fruit in the basket which is for immediate use, shall be blest; and that which is laid by with us for a longer season shall equally receive a blessing. Perhaps ours is a hand-basket portion. We have a little for breakfast and a scanty bite for dinner in a basket when we go out to do our work in the morning. This is well, for the blessing of God is promised to the basket. If we live born hand to mouth, getting each day's supply in the day, we are as well off as Israel; for when the Lord entertained His favored people He only gave them a day's manna at a time. What more did they need? What more do we need?

But if we have a store, how much we need the Lord to bless it! For there is the care of getting, the care of keeping, the care of managing, the care of using; and, unless the Lord bless it, these cares will eat into our hearts till our goods become our gods and our cares prove cankers.

O Lord, bless our substance. Enable us to use it for Thy glory, Help us to keep worldly things in their proper places, and never may our savings endanger the saving of our souls.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

C'est vrai

Il y a une infinité de conduites qui paraissent ridicules, et dont les raisons cachées sont très sages et très solides.

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

March 7
From Fetters Free

The Lord looseth the prisoner. (Psalm 146:7)

HE has done it. Remember Joseph, Israel in Egypt, Manasseh, Jeremiah, Peter, and many others. He can do it still. He breaks the bars of brass with a word and snaps the fetters of iron with a look. He is doing it. In a thousand places troubled ones are coming forth to light and enlargement. Jesus still proclaims the opening of the prison to them that are bound. At this moment doors are flying back and fetters are dropping to the ground.

He will delight to set you free, dear friend, if at this time you are mourning because of sorrow, doubt, and fear. It will be joy to Jesus to give you liberty. It will give Him as great a pleasure to loose you as it will be a pleasure to you to be loosed. No, you have not to snap the iron hand: the Lord Himself will do it. Only trust Him, and He will be your Emancipator. Believe in Him in spite of the stone walls or the manacles of iron. Satan cannot hold you, sin cannot enchain you, even despair cannot bind you if you will now believe in the Lord Jesus, in the freeness of His grace, and the fullness of His power to save.

Defy the enemy, and let the word now before you be your song of deliverance; "Jehovah looseth the prisoners."

Charles Haddon Spurgeon