Creation

We met a Texan at breakfast this morning! He asked us about Ken Starr and how we felt about him.
In Oxford Christians today, Dr. Hanks had us all sing "our note" as loud as we could, and we could change it around just for funsies. I had fun being the one ruining the whole thing with sevenths and ninths and just plain out of tune notes. Yes, I played the part of Melchior. Brooke did a lit bit of opera on top. Dr. Hanks motioned everyone to be piano and brought her out and we all started laughing. But his point was about human subcreation and how every thought we have and every sentence we form is creating something. We argued about whether all music or art is heavenly or not. It was just a fascinating class, and we all continued the discussion throughout the afternoon. I love discussing that sort of thing.
I personally believe that you can see a bit of God or heaven in all music, no matter what circumstance inspired it or how dirty and horrific the lyrics are. Even if it isn't "great" music, it wouldn't be played if it didn't bring at least one person joy or comfort and out of a bad moment. The inspiration doesn't really matter. It's all about how a person perceives the music and how awesome it is that a person could even create music in the first place or how people can play it and somehow communicate such raw ideas through their hands or voices. If you disagree with me or don't understand what I'm saying, please email me or comment, and I would love to continue the discussion.

We then went to the Kilns and had a tour of Lewis's home. You have no idea how much I spazzed out. We got to feed the ducks that Lewis and Tolkien fed. We got to enter Narnia and Middle Earth. Agh! I might just go back tomorrow and just spend the whole day in those woods that Lewis walked through to work and with Warner and everyone...

Oh, it was just great. We'll all have to go sometime. You can actually stay in his house! It still functions, and students can live there and go to Oxford. I would love to die there. The house is so rambling and has so many bay windows and flowers...
I'm completely incoherent, I apologize, but I just had one of those life moments today. Our group apparently seemed very interested, because Dr. Hanks said that the tour guide gave us the longest and best tour he has ever given that Dr. Hanks has ever had in the Kilns throughout all the years he has visited. The tour guide shook my hand and asked for name.
I knew it pays to take notes and look interested.
Okay, just a couple of stories.

Old Tom was their cat. He was a mouser, but he had lost all his teeth. The cook wanted to put him to sleep, but Lewis was fond of the old guy. Lewis had the cook buy fresh fish for the cat every other day. Once when Lewis and Tolkien were walking, Old Tom crossed in front of them. Lewis stopped, took of his hat, and did a little bow saying "That's the old pensioner."
Puddleglum in the Silver Chair was based off of their gardner. Lewis was a bit obsessed about stuff not changing, especially nature. In order to cut a limb off of the tree, he had to wait until Lewis took a nap, and then he would cover it with mud to cover up his destructive pruning.
The gardner was also paranoid that the Germans would attack Oxford and built them a bomb shelter in the woods.
Joy Davidman used to take out her shotgun and shoot animals in the garden.
They all smoked so much that one of the layers of paint was entirely yellow with tobacco.

The original Eagle and Child sign looks like this, and they have it in the garage-converted-to-library now. Someone bought it for 10 pounds when they were replacing it. Remind you of a certain eagle and wizard and hobbit?
When we came into the kitchen, Debbie gave us delicious cookies, warm out of the oven. You could see a wild garden with orchids and roses out of the shutter windows from the kitchen.
I was just home! When I find my notes, I'll tell you more.
We went to see C. S. Lewis's grave and his parish church afterwards. He actually went to church with the butchers and shop owners like he writes in the Screwtape Letters. Oh my dear Wormwood...
I felt as though I saw my entire childhood coming alive in front of me. This is one happy little girl!

After we got back and had dinner, we went to the Eagle and Child. Jaclyn read some of her poetry she had written and Caleb read a short story called "The Monster." There we were, hearing new work they had just written, discussing it afterwards. That's what it's about. Creation.