Weddings and Other Matters

Here is an interesting quote from Charlotte Bronte that I've also put on my facebook account.

Conventionality is not morality. Self-righteousness is not religion. To attack the first is not to assail the last. To pluck the mask from the face of the Pharisee, is not to lift an impious hand to the Crown of Thorns.
These things and deeds are diametrically opposed; they are as distinct as is vice from virtue. Men too often confound them; they should not be confounded: appearance should not be mistaken for truth; narrow human doctrines, that only tend to elate and magnify a few, should not be substituted for the world-redeeming creed of Christ. There is-I repeat it-a difference; and it is a good, and not a bad action to mark broadly and clearly the line of separation between them.

I think that quote is particularly to the times we are living in now. This does not mean I support the various attacks on conservatives etc. Not at all. I'm fairly conservative myself. I just think it's an important thing to remember as we become inextricably tangled with problems in the Middle East and with other complex issues. We must always remember to follow God's Truth and the teachings of Jesus Christ, to place that above whatever political or personal motivations we may have. And that means WHATEVER. No matter how strongly we are entrenched in the Republican Party, or the Democratic Party, or various conservative or liberal ideologies, or convictions about sticky subjects we must remember Christ's teachings and we must put Him first. He knows better than we. I don't know if this makes any sense, but hopefully you realize that what I'm saying is not intended as some liberal fluffy "tolerance" mumbo jumbo or some hardlining legalistic narrow-minded rhetoric. I genuinely do believe this. It's not easy, and it's something I struggle with. I will leave my pulpit now.

Oh dear this post is going to be one long rant. I've been wanting to post for a long time. First of all, why is it people who write introductions always assume the reader has read the book!? Sure, it is Jane Eyre or Sherlock Holmes or Shakespeare but I certainly can't boast of having read all the classics and I'm sure a lot of people older than I am are the same. They should put they're detailed plot analysis at the end of the book when we can be sure we'll know what they're talking about instead of going on and on about the significance of the red handkerchief in chapter 5 or what have you. Wow I really am in a preachy mood right now. I think part of it is just that it feels so right to type a blog late at night.

Okay, so as to the title of this post, there are a lot of weddings this summer. I will be going to two I think and my parents are attending about four. I think I mentioned that my friend Rachel is engaged, which is slightly weird but not entirely unexpected. Well, the other day I learned that another very good friend of mine is engaged and I must admit this one freaks me out a little more. I mean, this is the type of thing that's supposed to happen in my mid or early twenties at LEAST. Not while I'm still 18. It's freaking me out a lot. I keep wondering who's next. Actually, I'd like to ask for prayer for each of these girls, especially Laura who is my age. I don't like to get too specific as this is a public blog but I want them both to be happy and to make the right decisions. This kind of thing makes me feel old.

Other than that things have been fairly quiet. Kind of. My brother and his wife will be moving back to the Spokane area but they don't have jobs over here so my parents are kind of nervous. Milo's eye has been healing and the subsequent trip to the vet was much more peaceful. I've been keeping myself extremely busy just with various things. There was a potluck in church on Sunday so I got to see a bunch of people. I actually made it to church early. I forgot when it started so I thought I was late and really I was an hour early! I need to do that more often.

I've been trying to pick up some Italian before I start driving combine. It's in preparation for my Europe trip. I dreamt I went to London the other night... I'd like to but it won't be on this trip. I have a pile of suggested reading on the floor right now. Currently I'm reading I, Claudius by Robert Graves. I'm really enjoying it. Historical fiction. I don't know much about Roman history so I have to be careful I don't take too much of it to be fact but it is very interesting and hopefully I'll read some legitimate Roman history afterwards so I know what is fact and what is fabricated. I'd also like to recommend the movie Tea With Mussolini. A lot of the reviewers on Amazon say it doesn't have much depth but I thought it was a good film and had a few things to say about protecting that which you love. Maybe not very profound things, but then again, any time you're battling self-love, or more accurately, selfishness, I think there's a lot to be said. Maybe it's my Christian worldview.

Well, I'm getting tired and running out of things to say, amazingly. I'm sure I'm forgetting a lot of rants and raves I've thought up in the past few days. That's what you get for procrastinating. It's almost midnight and I should go to bed, so until next time I'll say

Arrivederci. Oh dear I hope that's spelled right, it's Italian for 'goodbye'!