A Habitation of Dragons

I am a poor, weak creature; unstable as water, I cannot excel. This corruption is too hard for me, and is at the very door of ruining my soul; and what to do I know not. My soul is become as parched ground, and a habitation of dragons. I have made promises and broken them; vows and engagements have been as a thing of nought. Many persuasions have I had that I had got the victory and should be delivered; but I am deceived; so that I plainly see, that without some eminent succor and assistance, I am lost, and shall be prevailed on to an utter relinquishment of God. But yet, though this be my state and condition, let the hands that hang down be lifted up, and the feeble knees be strengthened. Behold the Lord Christ, who hath all fullness of grace in his heart, all fullness of power in his hand: he is able to slay all these his enemies. There is a sufficient provision in him for my relief and assistance: he can take my drooping, dying soul, and make me more than a conqueror. He can make the dry, parched ground of my soul to become a pool, and my thirsty, barren heart as springs of water; yea, he can make this habitation of dragons, this heart so full of abominable lusts and fiery temptations, to be a place for grass and fruit for himself.

-John Owen, The Mortification of Sin, 146-147

Sick Day Reading

A week-long cold has oficially graduated into a sinus infection. I'm sick of being sick - but thankful for a rich stack of old and new books...

Gone Crazy in Alabama, Rita Williams-Garcia
The Odds of Getting Even, Sheila Turnage
The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon, Alexander McCall Smith
Knucklehead, Jon Scieszka
Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Book?, Lauren Child
A Baby Sister for Frances, Russell Hoban
Hyperbole and a Half, Allie Brosch
So Brave, Young, and Handsome, Leif Enger
Grief Undone, Elizabeth W. D. Groves
The Pickwick Papers, Charles Dickens

Summer 2015 Reading List

Ruby Redfort Catch Your Death, Lauren Child
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, Anne Fadiman
The Imaginary, A. F. Harrold and Emily Gravett
Apple of My Eye, Helene Hanff
A Sudden Wild Magic, Diana Wynne Jones
Anastasia Again!, Lois Lowry
The Four Graces, D. E. Stevenson
The Two Mrs. Abbotts, D. E. Stevenson
Luther on the Christian Life, Carl Trueman
The Queen of Attolia, Megan Whalen Turner
Mennyms Alone, Sylvia Waugh
Mennyms Alive, Sylvia Waugh
The Cockatoucan, E. Nesbit

Weddings

"It went off very well, I think," said Mr. Grace. "In spite of the heat everyone seemed to be enjoying it, and the bride looked charming."

"It always does, and she always does," declared Liz. "I mean I've never heard of a wedding that didn't go off well, have you, darling? Can you imagine anyone saying, 'It didn't go off very well, did it? And wasn't the bride plain?"

-D. E. Stevenson, The Four Graces, 13.

Mr. Fezziwig's Ball

“He has the power to render us happy or unhappy; to make our service light or burdensome; a pleasure or a toil. Say that his power lies in words and looks; in things so slight and insignificant that it is impossible to add and count ‘em up: what then? The happiness he gives is quite as great as if it cost a fortune.”

-Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol