The road goes ever on and on

I didn't mean to be away for so long. School doesn't even have me that busy. I should be sleeping though. Alas...

I am sitting her flipping through LOTR: FOTR...I've only read about 100 pages. Not enough! But, I am here to share my favorite passage in the book, and part of the movie too, (so good they had to include it!)

Page 60

"I wish it need not to have happened in my time," said Frodo.

"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."



Sure, it's small- only a few sentences... but it is so twisted up with all my memories and all the time I spent with this book, this story, and Tolkien. For fans, for serious fans, how can this book not be religious? It WAS my religion for a few years. My religion, companion, friend, escape, commitment, obsession... So much. Gandalf, whether or not he's an adequate Christ figure, was someone to turn to in times of need, doubt, sadness... He's not just a character in a book to me, he's so much more.

I probably sound insane so I'll stop now. It just works its way into my heart and tugs at everything...

In other news- today is day 13 of fasting (well, it hasn't technically started yet, as the sun has not risen quiet yet ;) but that's almost 2 whole weeks! I've been entertaining the idea of posting my reflection journal entries on here. I might at the end. They're a little spastic, and probably redundant.

Merton trip is this coming weekend! *Dances around room happily!* I cannot wait! I wish we were going later for a) warmth and b) it looks so pretty and green in the Spring! with flowers and bright green grass! I'm sure it will be just as awesome, though.

Scope is doing "A Kingdom Without Walls" this week. It ties in splendidly with the stuff we worked on for MLK week. It's about tolerance and acceptance and inclusion. It's a really great LTQ episode. Last week we made kits for Haiti- our small contribution to all the help they need right now!

I saw this on Twitter today: All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring. ~ Chuck Palahniuk.

I don't agree, but it is interesting to think about. I don't think we should be boring, either.

Oh- I am not sure if I wrote about it before or not, by my family has given me soooo much flack for fasting. My dad, being a smartass, asked if we needed to say grace over dinner the other night. (We don't say grace...well, on Christmas and Easter...but we don't have that here...) And he asked me why I couldn't just do anything "normal" for once in my life. Supportive, I tell you, so supportive. Can't I just got to Gethsemani and never come back???

It's late, I need to read still... so I must be off!

-Rachael

(ps- I wish there was some way to record my thoughts while they're sloshing around in my head while I work because I think about awesome things while vacuuming and can never remember how I worded them afterwards which is really lame! I also (tend to) entirely forget what I thought about)

Classes

So, I think I have between 5-6 drafts sitting on here that I don't know where I was going with...or couldn't articulate properly how I feel about whatever it was I decided to write about. I think I get worried that what I am writing isn't really valid or important- until it struck me that what I write doesn't always have to be some highly polished deep thing, because that's not how I work as a person OR feel spiritually. My religious life is such a mess, so much chaos and uncertainty I don't think I could ever articulate it all with precision and eloquence. Some of the stuff I was trying to write about is also difficult for me to address, personally...and really confront it.

Might I note it is freezing in the Chapel! I need to bring a blanket with me here, my coat just isn't cutting it. (Today is a day I wish I lived on campus...as always, really).

I'm taking a lot of religion classes this semester. 5, actually. Spiritual disciplines, Merton, Christianity in the New Testament, colloquium, and my LOTR/Gandalf & religion independent study. (I'm also taking math and international cinema). Now, I don't need to be taking half of these classes... but I want to, so I am. I really want to be immersed in religion this semester, so no matter which way I look I really am encountering God.

Spiritual disciplines seems like it will be interesting as well as fulfilling. We have to pick 3 disciplines to do, 5 weeks each. I've decided to do fasting for my first. I'm going to do it Ramadhan style and eat only after sunset, which is kind of early right now, so I am going to aim for eating after 7. Then I want to do meditation, and then perhaps service. I am toying with the idea of starting mediation now as well as fasting. It's been years since I've done mediation on a regular basis, and it was rewarding before so I feel like it would be now. Alan is also giving us the option to hand-write our journals which makes me exceedingly happy. I think it will be much more beneficial for me that way.

Merton looks to be awesome as well. Great people! And I cannot wait for our trip!

Christianity in the New Testament seems to be cut-and-dry, biblical history class. It's my first (and only) scripture class, so it wil be interesting to do.

In colloquium we are reading Speaking of Faith! Which is my favorite religion book! I am so so so excited to read this book with my friends in the department. It has touched my life so much. I really hope they enjoy it. (I've quoted it here before). This was the book that introduced me to tikkun olam. I am sooooooo excited I can barely stand it!

My LOTR/Gandalf and religion indy study is going to be amazing. The books I am looking at are fantastic. It's just going to be a lot of reading. A ton. A crap ton. Starting with re-reading LOTR and the Hobbit (hopefully!) by the end of next week. I need to get it out of the way asap so I can start my research.

I have to be off now for Christianity, but I will write more... things are swinging in me