Allow Me To Drool a Little...

While looking for an idea of what the house in my England story might look like, I came across pictures of this absolutely GORGEOUS house in Abingdon, Oxfordshire: Kingston Bagpuize. The name is derived from the original name of the village it is near (Kingston) and the name a Norman nobleman named Ralph-de-Bagpuis. The house is so beautiful; I would love to visit there if I ever go to England. :-)

Get a load of that humongous staircase!!!!

I could not get the pictures any larger than you see them here, as I got them off of the website.

Enjoy! :-D






When you look at pictures like this, you cannot deny that a someone took the time to lay out the pattern, to make the bricks, to build the walls, to guild the windows, to make and arrange the furniture....

It reminds me to God's perfect creativity and design. All we see, the birds, the leaves, the grass, the flowers... He made them. And He made us... with a very particular purpose!

"For we are His workmanship (as Kingston Bagpuize was someone's workmanship!), created in Christ Jesus unto good works,which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10)

We serve a wonderful God! May we fulfill the purpose for which He created us, through the grace and power of our Lord Jesus Christ!

A beautiful love story...

here!

NaNoWriMo

This year I am going to attempt to write for NaNoWriMo: National Novel Writing Month. The goal is to write a 50,000 word novel in the 30 days of November. Just a rough draft, but a novel nonetheless. Look on my sidebar for the link to my profile. My username is "tara_byrne". According to Facebook, that is my "Irish name"; I doubt there is any basis for that, but I thought it was pretty so, behold, that is my username! ;-)

I'm not 100% yet which of my name story ideas I am going to use. Following are the ideas I will probably choose from:


WORLD WAR II STORY (no name):
Japan has bombed Pearl Harbor. The United States has declared war. American men are leaving behind their parents, siblings, wives, fiancees, and children to defend their country overseas. Among those left behind are Pastor and Mrs. James Stirling, and their five children. It is particularly hard for their eldest, Helen, who, at twenty-three, had been expecting a "happily ever after" to her engagement to Dick Harris. Now separated by thousands of miles and who knows how many years, Helen must help her family fight the war at home, as well as fight the war inside her own heart as she strives to trust God and do His will. Can Helen trust Dick to God and reach out to the needs of others despite the struggles in her own heart? Will Dick ever come home?


17th CENTURY ENGLAND STORY (no name):

Ann Williams never knew her father, and barely remembers her mother. Raised in a strict Anglican home by an icy, status-obsessed, unloving grandmother, Ann longs for something beyond the walls of Abercromby Park... for the truth about her father's death... for the truth about God that so many people seem in conflict over. Now that she has reached the age of matrimony, Ann discovers that her grandmother is determined to marry her off to a self-satisfied, unfeeling, very rich baron, Lord Barrymore, because of his high position in the House of Lords and because of his support of the king, Charles I. About the same time, she meets a quiet but interesting merchant named Polydore Tyler. Does he have the answers to her questions about her father as well as about eternal life? Can Ann make the right decision despite fear of her grandmother's displeasure? Can she find peace in a world that is crashing down in religious and political turmoil?


THE KAMI STORY:

Seven years ago, Kami was in love with a young man named Jim. But then Jim's busybody family started telling stories about Kami's father that led to the breakup of Kami's family and the suicide of her father. Kami and her younger sister lived together for several years after that... But now her sister has died of a sudden, unprecedented seizure and Jim all of a sudden returns! Kami doesn't know that she can trust him-- or any Christians, for that matter. Aren't Christians just people who say they are "saved" and use that as an excuse to do whatever they want? Is Jim really sincere in His love for God... and for her? Can she lay aside the doubts and bitterness that she has stored in her heart against God, and allow him to heal her life and give her hope and a spirit of forgiveness?


I am posting a poll on the sidebar for you to tell me what you think I should write. There's also the comments section. ;-) I'm sort of leaning towards the England story after writing that description.... but we'll see. :-)

Eric Liddell

Eric Henry Liddell was born in Tientsin, China, on January 16, 1902, to Scottish missionaries James and Mary Liddell. He lived there with them in China until he was six years old, when his parents enrolled him and his brother Robert (then age 8) at Eltham College of Blackheath, England, a boarding school for missionaries' children. His parents left them there and returned to China with his younger sister, Jenny.

While at Eltham, and later at Edinburgh University, where he went for a BSc in Pure Science, Eric became noted for his athletic skill and sportsmanship. People began to hale him as a potential Olympic winner.

Eric trained for Olympic running and chose to run the 100-meter dash in the Paris Olympics of 1924. When he found out they would be run on a Sunday, he chose to run the 400-meter dash instead, as he believed the Sunday was a day dedicated to his Lord. People didn't think he would win the 400-meter, but he pulled out at five meters ahead of the silver-medalist and beat the world record at 47.6 seconds. Eric was an Olympic hero.

After his Olympic victory, Eric surprised the world by going to China as a missionary in 1925. There he taught at the Anglo-Chinese college for wealthy Chinese students, using his athletic experience to train in sports. He was also Sunday School Superintendent at his father's church, Union Church, there in China. In 1934, Eric married Florence Mackenzie, the daughter of Canadian missionaries who were working in China. There they had two daughters, Patricia and Heather.

But things weren't going altogether smoothly. As World War II began to terrorize the Pacific Rim, Eric began to realize that his family would be safer back in Canada with Florence's relatives in Toronto. So Flo and the children sailed to Canada while Eric stayed behind, with hopes that they would be reunited after the war's end. Not long after they left, Eric received the news that his third daughter, Maureen, had been born.

In 1943, Eric and many other Americans and Brits were taken to Weihsien, a Japanese Interment Camp, or, prison camp. There he took up teaching and leading at the camp, and became a godly and revered example for many of the young people there. But soon people began to notice that he was getting more easily tired and was complaining of headaches. On February 22, 1945, Eric went home to be with the Lord as a result of a tumor that was killing his brain. At his funeral, the Salvation Army band played his favorite hymn, Finlandia (“Be Still My Soul”). The runner had finished his dash through life, and was at rest and at home with Lord.

Many people remember Eric for his athletic reputation. However, the young people that he taught and befriended at Weihsien remembered him for his deep love for the Lord and his godly influence. They remembered him not only teaching on the Sermon on the Mount and the Love Chapter (1 Corinthians 13), but also living it out in his daily life. Eric ran his race through life well, and the message of his life still touches us today.

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith...” Hebrews 12:1,2

This article was originally featured in the March/April 2007 issue of the Tuckleberry Times.

Poll

I enjoyed this last poll! Here are the results:

2 voted for Amy Carmichael
3 voted for Eric Liddell
3 voted for J. O. Fraser
1 voted for Gladys Aylward
2 voted for Jim Elliot
1 voted for Darlene Deibler Rose

The reason why I didn't state the answers sooner is because I wanted to include an article about each person, but don't have one for Amy Carmichael.. but then I decided I don't have to go in order, so.... Keep an eye out for a short bio about Eric Liddell tomorrow!

And keep your eye out for a new poll! Then let me know what you vote. It's fun. ;-)

Encouraging Quote...

...here.

Just what I needed.

Moss for the Master's Feet

"What did it matter if we were noughts? It was for the Lord our God to write the figure to head that row of noughts. He Himself was the Figure. And we saw our calling, how that we were truly of no account ("like a shell disinhabited") that no flesh should glory in His presence.

Nothing anyone thought of us could reach lower down that that, no one could ever count us less than we were. But he that is down need fear no fall. He that is down cannot get between God and His glory. And we knew then that there was nothing that He could not do through us if only we were nothing.

It was then that a prayer came that we have often used since in our Fellowship life,

Oh, we're too high, Lord Jesus, we implore Thee,
Make of us something like the low green moss
That vaunteth not, a quiet thing before Thee,
Cool for Thy feet, sore wounded on the Cross.

And it was then, too, that those fathomless words became our very own: "God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and tings which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in His presence.' "

-Amy Carmichael, Gold Cord, pages 60-61 (italics from the text)

My Lifelong Friend is Being "Discontinued"!?!?!?

I remember the day she first entered my life… I was almost seven years old. My aunt had come out for Christmas, and as usual, the holiday was filled with anticipation. Beneath the decorated tree in the corner of the living room were numerous “packages, boxes, and bags”, each exciting wonder and interest in me. When no one was looking, I would crawl under that tree and feel some of the packages to see if I could guess what was in them.

There were two boxes in particular that drew me. They were equal in size—about 20½” by 8”. One was addressed to me. The other was addressed to Amanda. What could be in them? I had only to wait for Christmas Day to find out.

It came with the usual Christmas excitement and long waiting that Christmas mornings always seem to bring in books—and I always viewed my life as a book. Amanda and I hurried out of our beds as soon as we woke up and ran to see what we had in our stockings. Daddy Clause had been there during the night. We found a fun assortment of goodies—Riesens, a toothbrush, a TY beanie baby, and some other things. We had to wait a little while longer before we could find out what was under the tree.

Once we finally had everyone gathered, we began to open gifts… and as usual, the most intriguing was saved until last. In my usual fashion, I tore off the green wrapping paper, and to my delight, saw the emblem written on the white box: The American Girl Collection. With a gasp of rapture, I ripped off the tape that held the box closed and lifted the top. There, sleeping comfortable with her mouth parted slightly and her long, dark lashes brushing her cheeks, was the doll of my dreams—Kirsten. Her smooth blonde hair was braided on either side of her part and looped up just like I had seen in the catalogue, and she wore her lovely blue sprigged dress. And there was the first book in her series, and a separate box of her accessories! What thrill!

Mommy told me not to take her braids out—she knew what would happen when I did. When I finally got permission, the inevitable happened… poor Kirsten’s hair became quite the rats nest. I only have gotten it tamed in the last couple years, though I think the damage is irreparable—she has some very frazzled ends.

Oh the fun we had, Amanda and I, with Kirsten and Felicity! I remember going to Campobello with our cousins, and purposefully driving my cousins crazy with Kirsten’s voice. One of my clearest memories of our childhood friend Megan was playing dolls with her—she had Samantha—and when the boys would come bother us, we would start undressing our dolls to get them to go away. (Terrible, I know!) Grama bought me a new outfit for Kirsten every birthday and Christmas, so I have almost the whole collection. I stopped collecting only a couple years ago, but I must say, it’s been hard to give up dolls. Kirsten still sits on my bed, and I dress her and do her hair now and then.

With all this said, you can imagine my dismay when I received a copy of the October 2009 American Girl catalogue and read the terrible words:

"SOON WE WILL SAY FAREWELL TO KIRSTEN."

WHAT!?!?!?! Silly as it may sound, I was nearly devastated. Discontinue Kirsten, as they discontinued Samantha? Whatever for? (They haven’t even made her movie yet! :-( ) I have always loved Kirsten, not only because she was my doll, but also because of her stories—the exciting pioneer spirit has always enraptured me. And now to discontinue her—little girls like I once was will not be able to have the enjoyment I had in her. Poor Kirsten. I would really like to know why American Girl is discontinuing some of their beloved characters.

WAAAAHHHHH!!!!!

American Girl has been an important part of my growing-up. But I am very disappointed to see some of the decisions they have been making. Also, I have come to see that while they have great stories, in their desire to help girls solve life’s problems and such, they do not offer Biblical solutions to life’s problems. Instead they offer a philosophy that says, “Follow your inner star.” (Whatever that means!) One of my dreams—perhaps it is a wild one—is to create something like American Girl, but Christ-centered, so that children will have godly “friends” (book characters and dolls) who will help them to want to honor Christ. Mission City Press has made some of those available in their Elsie, Millie, Violet, Laylie, and Kathleen books and dolls, but they have recently shut their doors and discontinued all their characters. :-) So maybe one day the Lord will allow me to reach out to children and give them a mix of what American Girl and A Life of Faith have given me. We’ll see where he leads! I know how to write the stories, but how to have dolls made, and how to sell them, I have no idea! :-)

By the way, I am not saying farewell to Kirsten! She’s a-stayin’ on my bed! :-) And my little friends who don’t get a Kirsten on time are welcome to come and play with her. :-)

Update on Denise

Thank you all so much for your prayers for Denise!

Denise was put on dialysis which has helped bring her numbers up, so things are looking a little better for her, and there has been some improvement, but she is still not out of the woods yet, and things could change quickly. So please do continue to pray for her.

Most importantly: My mom talked to my aunt (Denise's step-mom) yesterday, and we learned that it is doubtful whether Denise actually knows the Lord. Of course, we cannot know that; only the Lord does. But please do keep her especially in your prayers, that the Lord would bring her out of this illness that He might bring her unto-- or closer to-- Himself.

Thank you all!

PLEASE PRAY!

I'd like to ask you guys to pray for my step-cousin, Denise. (She is my aunt's husband's daughter from a first marriage.) She is dying from H1N1 (swine flu) which developed from pneumonia. She is on life support now; the doctors have done all they could for her.

But God is more powerful than all the technology man can come up with. Will you all please pray that the Lord would show Himself strong, and, if it is His will, that He will heal Denise in a miraculous way so that people will see His glory and know His power? And that if He chooses to take her to Himself, that He would comfort and strengthen Uncle Everett and Aunt Golda and the rest of the family. As most of you know, my aunt (and my mom) lost her mom, both grandmas, and her sister's sister-in-law within the last couple years; this must be really hard for her.

I have never met Denise, but she is my cousin and I am asking you girls to unite in prayer for her and for her family!

Thanks so much! <3