For those Christians who don't like Harry Potter

(And for those people who do, and haven't read the 7th book, there will be spoilers in this post)

I just finished reading the last Harry Potter and as I observed the overtly christian themes and even a quote from the Bible ("Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also") especially the virtually allegorical christian themes in the last book I became quite sad to think of all the Christians who have shunned the books as evil and thereby directing children who liked the books towards the wiccin religion (which is nothing like Harry Potter... I have a friend who was a wiccin before become a christian and she loves the books and says they are nothing at all like what she experienced.)

In every book Harry has been the hero that was selfless, and loved his friends and family and was so loyal to them that the evil people in the books could not overcome him. He was brave and always thought of others before himself. Risked his life at the end of every book. Showed mercy to his enemies... even saving them from certain death.

The seventh book has proven what those of us who are Christians (and love the books) have suspected, Harry gave his life... he died for others, to save them from being killed and hurt by the evil person (Valdemort) in the book. He didn't stay dead however. Rowling actually explains why he doesn't stay dead because of all the magical rules she created, but the reason he was able to save them and protect them was because he gave himself up willingly... and his love and self sacrifice protected them. A magic that Valdemort (the evil character) did not understand and underestimated. I'm reminded of the magic that the white witch did not know about in the "Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe" that was spoken "before timed dawned".

Why are Christians afraid to accept that Harry Potter IS a christian book? In fact the sacrifice that Harry went through was much more dramatic and powerful that Aslin's. So many children who probably aren't in christian homes have followed and read the Potter books and have wanted to be like Harry, and too many Christians have shunned these wonderful books! Pushing those open minds away from the religion that Harry demonstrated in the books! The main argument that I've heard is that children are using magic in the books unlike C.S. Lewis books or Tolkien, but why is that bad? Why would it be wrong for children to realize that they too can be over comers of evil and fight for the good and true and be like Harry loving other so deeply that they too would be willing to die for them.

Are we as Christians so narrow minded that we can't see past the wands and spell casting (not at all what wiccin's are about) and can't see the meaning in the books from the very beginning of giving your own life for the life of another...

"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." John 15:13

If you have previously shunned the Harry Potter books, because of what other uninformed Christians have said simply complaining about the magic in the books, I would ask that at least you would consider reading them for yourself. What a wonderful opportunity of ministry Christians could have if we accepted these books as they were meant to be without simply judging the cover, and could encourage those open minds to follow Harry's example...

....to love without restraint, to continue the journey set before them, to love their enemies, to stand for the truth, and be willing to die for their friends.

It's about birth and death, in that order

http://cgi.ebay.com/Original-Paperfolding-framed-unique-artwork-BIRTH-DEATH_W0QQitemZ220128599422QQihZ012QQcategoryZ20158QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItemDEATH_W0QQitemZ220128599422QQihZ012QQcategoryZ20158QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Some of you've wanted to hear what happened to Lynné's picture! Here's the first one's listing on eBay. You can find it really easily by typing in "Birth & Death" or "Birth + Death." It's got an enlarged photo if you roll your mouse over the link... not bad.

Impressions of this artwork...

This one was Lynné's least favorite. The black cover was once blue, which really taints the color of the piece (and the depth). When she revised it, she increased the role of the black material, creating intricate detail to the swirls. Also, the subject matter is a little dark for what Lynné likes (not that she can't do dark or dislikes it -- but you know what I mean.) Notice how there is a single eye, and it is smaller and less vibrant or active than in her other pieces. There are no large pools of color in this piece, and both of the figures in it are secondary to the motion, as if they're carried away in the direction of the swirls--mere players on a stage, pawns on a board. The cycle of eye-sight, where your eyes "want" to look, is driven into almost a single direction. Death feels like a one-way direction here; there is no rebirth.

When I look at this picture, I think of a miscarriage, or something like a premature death.

Birth and Death.

I like Rick Capezza's initial impression, that of a madonna (lower case).

The madonna image adds something to the picture. Her baby's fate is dictated by more influences than her own, and given a destiny beyond her comprehension--and maybe even her acceptance--which is the inference from the picture. Maybe. Maybe nothing serves this picture better than some silence where you can view it.

So, wants to comment? Or even start an initial bid? Looks like five people are tracking it.

- Further, I'm none too sure of eBay's ability to sell art. There are galleries that we'll do better putting these up in. However, we're already obligated to sell this one on eBay.

random pictures

These next pictures are of the day before Father's day when we walked to Riverfront park!

More Riverfront park pictures below

The pictues below are of Lily's bed time ritual which doesn't always happen dependig on what we are doing. ;)

She loves her massages and says "Mzz" for "massage"





These pictures are on Fathers day when we went to Priest Lake... I mean.. Granite Falls.

The drive was really long....

Youssef got to barbeque hamburgers and STEAK!





Lilly liked to paint with ther "finger paints" but didn't like touching it so we used brushes... her favorite color to use was the red and kept asking for that one over and over even though she called all the colors "boo"... even the blue one. ;)

We went strawberry picking and picked 21lbs of strawberries that took me three hours to wash and cut the tops off and freeze! We want to go back though because they were such a good price and we didn't need to feed Lily lunch since she eat strawberries all day (she must have eaten a lb or 2 all by herself!) and she LOVED them! (I put her in red for a reason. ;)

She looks like she's going to spit this out but she didn't... it was just a big bite and I caught her at a funny moment. :)






Lily and I played in her pool yesterday because it was so hot. We have a book from the Library called "Swim little Wambat, Swim!" In it the wambat learns to swim and since we started reading it she will hold herself up with her hands and let her feet float, and she'll kick them while holding her breath. There's a picture of her "holding her breath" too. ;)

A wedding scrapbook!

This is a scrapbook I just finished for a friend of mine (Sarah "Bell" now Runckel) and rather than put ALL the pictures that I scrapbooked I thought I'd just take pictures of the scrapbook to share with all of you who know her and didn't get to go to the wedding (I can of course post individual pictures if someone wants to see them more clearly.

Oh! And to start the pressed flowers on the front of the album were actually flowers that had fallen from someone's bouquet or coursage. I found them on the floor at the church after the wedding and saving them, I pressed them and then put them on the front of the album (I covered them with plastic that I sewed onto the cream fabric that was already there.

This was of course their invitation that I just cut up and rearranged (it didn't fit in it's entirety, and it's kind of fun this way, too. ;)





This was of course before the wedding when Sarah was getting ready I made the little bridesmaid dress in the picture out of scraps from her real bridesmaid's dresses (I had the scraps because I altered all the dresses). The beads were left over from the beads that I put on the straps to her wedding dress (no I didn't make her dress! Just altered it, and added the straps and beading on the straps to match the dress.)

I don't know how well you can see it in this picture but it's entirely covered with veil fabric (left over from the veils I made for her) I really like this page because it's like the brides point of view... seeing everyone but sort of blurred and behind a veil of course. ;) Sarah and her dad are on top of the veil fabric as you can see... I wish someone had of taken a picture of Brandon seeing her come in, but Sarah will just have to remember his face ... seeing him adoring see his bride for the first time. :)

This page actually has a "secret" panel (sorry my hand got in the way there) there is a clear tab in the center bottom of the right hand page that when you fold out will look like the pictures bellow.

The words are a copy of the prayer that Dan prayed over them. It's really beautiful so I'll include it here so you can actually read it. (Sorry the formating isn't as nice though!)

Lord, God Almighty Thank you for first loving u that we may now love Thank you for creating us in your image making us male and female that we may now enjoy marriage We commit to you this marriage. We ask you to bless and protect and guide and encourage and provide for Brandon and Sarah in this new life together of oneness. Sustain and deepen and cement the vows they make and the love they declare to each other this day. Lord, God Almighty Thank you for inviting us into intimacy and communion with you through your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Prepare Brandon and Sarah and us for that incomparable marriage yet to come When your children are united with you in glory as the bride of Christ. And now be ever in the embrace of the father. Be ever in the embrace of the Son. Be ever in the embrace of the Holy Spirit. Be ever in the embrace of each other. Amen

The quote under the picture on the left of this page says, "My best and chosen friend companion, guide, to walk through life, linnked hand in hand, two equal loving friends true husband and true wife."

This is another page that opens; not in the center but from all the way on the right till the next pages are a lay out of four.. below.

It's a little hard to see but it's a panorama of the reception (that is lots of pictures that I took and glued so that they look all connected) and also the ambiance of the room. ;) Such yummy food!

The picture on the left and the one on the right are the only two that I got of them actually letting me take a picture... I hate to annoy people and make them pose for me... so I do it sparingly, but I really like the big one... don't they look sweet? ;)

This was really fun. The photagrapher didn't like the lighting inside and so everyone trucked up the hill behind the church and got some gourgeous pictures! The girls were a bit more dareing in that they went higher and the guys. ;) hee, hee... I almost died a few times taking picture in a dress and sandels and got a big scrape on my leg and a bug in my eye, but the as long as the pictures look good! ;)

The picture on the left is my favorite! And the quote says, "It is difficult to know at what moment love begins; it is less difficult to know that it has begun." (by Longfellow)

I really like doing layouts like this with the lattice work on the left. It takes a while to do, but I think it makes the rose paper in the background have more depth and adds a neat demension.

I love this picture! They just fed each other the cake and kissed... it is so sweet...

The quote is from Shakespeares "Much Ado About Nothing" it says, "I do love nothing in the world so well as you. Is not that strange?" I love that last part! Too many people leave it out, but without it there isn't as much thought to the begining. ... loving the person even with their differences and disagreements...

The rose petals are some leftovers that I swiped from the wedding and the little cartoony people are holding little bags of petals that I made for them out of a real bag that held the petals to throw! The quote on the top right is from Jane Austin, " One cannot have too large a party" (I think she was actually refering to the number of people... a party of people rather than what we think of as a party as in a celebration... but it works either way. You can't have too large a group of close friends! ... Was that from Emma?)

Since Brandon is a pastor, I thought this verse from Ruth was appropriate, "Wherever you go I will go and wherever you make your home, I will make my home..." and also the map, because they will probably have to move a bit. The little signs I thought would be funny... the "one way" "Keep Right" and "no U turn" :) Perhaps it's not a typical "serious" wedding album, but I thought they might like the silly parts and it seemed to fit them better to make it fun.