A Grief Observed knocked me over in the best way possible. It felt like someone running up and tackling you with a giant bear hug, if that makes sense. Although Lewis was writing about the death of his wife and I was (and still am) mourning the loss of my sweet baby, our experiences are similar in so many ways.
This weekend, I was able to get started on my first project in our home: repainting the back of this bookshelf! After seeing the way Haleigh of Sweet Sequels painted her bathroom walls, I knew I wanted to do some kind of a mural too!
Since we would be moving before September when we host our family’s annual Hobbit Party, we wanted to throw one last Hobbit Party in our house with the friends we’ve made over the past three years here. This one was a bit different because it was in the middle of summer rather than the beginning of autumn, so I tried to keep things a little more bright and refreshing rather than cozy and warm.
I wanted to put together a list of some resources and recommendations for those of you who might be considering reading The Lord of the Rings for the first time. Keep in mind that these are simply things that I’ve found helpful personally, and not a comprehensive list. I also answered more questions here. Happy reading!
I was reading through some of Tolkien’s letters this evening (compiled and available here) and I was so moved by this passage that I thought I’d share it with all of you. One sentence in particular stood out to me the most, “All we do know, and that to a large extent by direct experience, is that evil labours with vast power and perpetual success --in vain: preparing always only the soil for unexpected good to sprout in.” That is such an encouragement to my weary soul, and I hope it is for you, too.
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, a compilation of letters written by Tolkien to different members of his family, his friends, editors, colleagues, and fans offers a glimpse into Tolkien’s writing process, his personal life, and in particular — his faith.
Today I wanted to share a passage from one of these letters in which he recommends several prayers to his son Christopher…
It comes as no surprise that Tolkien, being both devoted to his Catholic faith and the study of language, found a way to combine his two passions — by translating several prayers into Quenya. Almost enough to pray an entire Rosary if you wanted to.
Peter Kreeft’s The Philosophy of J.R.R. Tolkien has been one of my favorite resources in understanding the role Tolkien’s Catholic faith played in the shaping of Middle-earth, so I was incredibly pumped to learn of Kreeft’s latest book, Symbol or Substance?: A Dialogue on the Eucharist with C.S. Lewis, Billy Graham, and J.R.R. Tolkien. And it was incredible. 10/10 recommend.
Flannery O’Connor is one of the most well-known Catholic writers, and novelists of any stripes, of the 20th century. She wrote pieces about broken people living in a broken world and the effects of grace on their lives. Sometimes her writings are labeled “too grotesque”–– and certainly they are. How else would you describe a serial killer slaughtering a family one by one–– mother, father, children, grandmother? There are many such instances in her writings.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been working on putting together a complete guide to hosting your own Hobbit Party and it’s been such a joy to work on it in my spare moments! The guide will be available for purchase within the next few months, but I wanted to share today some of the inspiring party goods I’ve found on Etsy!
