The Road Goes Ever On and On

"Praise is awaiting You, O God, in Zion; and to You the vow shall be performed. O You who hear prayer, to You all flesh will come...You crown the year with Your goodness, and your paths drip with abundance. They drop on the pastures of the wilderness, and the little hills rejoice on every side. The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys are covered with grain; they shout for joy, they also sing." (Psalm 65: 1-2, 11-13 NKJV)

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HAPPY NEW YEAR, dear friends! I can't believe it's 2015 already! This past year just went by so fast! So many things have happened. Many blessings and joys to be thankful for! Many challenges faced and conquered by His mercy and grace! However, new ones have also come that are still being faced and challenged back and others might show up in this coming year. I walk forward, though, confidently knowing that what He began He will finish. He is there holding my hand. Sometimes I may not 'feel' Him there beside me, the mists hanging low and obscuring the light, fear and doubt making me falter, but He is there all the same, ready to pick me up when I fall, ready to forgive, ready to heal.

"For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, 'Fear not; I will help you.'" Isaiah 41: 15

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My prayer is that I He will give me His grace and strength to hold onto Him more firmly; to learn to trust Him fully and without fear; to always commit my hopes and dreams to Him, knowing that only in His hands can they become something really beautiful for His glory; o love Him more who loved me first and unconditionally; to serve Him in everything I do, make or think; to do wholeheartedly and conscientiously anything He wants me to do; to be faithful and diligent in my duties; to learn to love and serve others better and unselfishly;  to be always thankful and contented; to pray and seek Him more wholeheartedly.

I don't know what this year will be like, but it is enough knowing the One who knows and that this One is my Father in heaven! It's a great comfort! Because of this I know it will be good!

So...

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...knowing He is holding my hand!

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I love how this picture portrays our journey going straight to the glory of the horizon - where our Lord is! Everyday takes us one step closer to the Celestial City! 

Tom, William, and Bert...Bilbo's Trolls

Biblo's Trolls: Tom, William, and Bert!
via Google Images.

'Tolkien fever' is in air and the second Hobbit movie, The Desolation of Smug, is almost here...Yay!! Though, we have to wait till the 26th before we can see it here in Australia. We're trying our very best to be patient, but it's hard!!! We're passing the time well, however, enjoying watching the extended edition of first Hobbit movie, An Unexpected Journey, and watching and re-watching all the trailers we can find!! This second one looks really good and very epic, too! 

Here is a sneak peak! 

I hope you enjoy this fun poem, too. In The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring book, Samwise Gamgee composes this song about Bilbo's Trolls. 

The Stone Troll

Troll sat alone on his seat of stone, 

and munched and mumbled a bare old bone; 

For many a year he had gnawed it near, 

For meat was hard to come by. 

Done by! Gum by!

In a cave in the hills he dwelt alone, 

And meat was hard to come by.

Up came Tom with his big boots on. 

Said he to Troll: 'Pray, what is yon?

For it looks like the shin o' my nuncle Tim,

As should be a-lyin' in graveyard.

Caveyard! Paveyard!

This many a year has Tim been gone, 

And I thought he were lyin' in graveyard.' 

'My lad,' said Troll, 'this bone I stole.

But what be bones that lie in a hole?

The uncle was dead as a lump o' head, 

Afore I found his shinbone. 

Tinbone! Thinbone!

He can spare a share for a poor old troll; 

For he don't need his shinbone.'

Said Tom: 'I don't see why the like o' thee

Without axin' leave should go makin' free

With the shank or the shin o' my father's kin;

So hand the old bone over!

Rover! Trover!

Though dead he be, it belongs to he; 

So hand the old bone over!'

'For a couple o' pins,' says Troll, and grins, 

'I'll eat thee too, and gnaw thy  shins.

A bit o' fresh meat will go down sweet!

I'll try my teeth on thee now. 

Hee now! See now!

I'm tired o' gnawing old bones and skins; 

I've a mind to dine on thee now.'

But just as he thought his dinner was caught, 

He found his hands had hold of naught.

Before he could mind, Tom slipped behind 

And gave him the boot to larn him. 

Warn him! Darn him!

A bump o' the boot on the seat, Tom thought, 

Would be the way to larn him.

But harder than stone is the flesh and bone

Of a troll that sits in the hills alone.

As well set your boot to the mountain's root, 

For the seat of a troll don't feel it. 

Peel it! Heal it!

Old Troll laugh, when he heard Tom groan, 

And he knew his toes could feel it. 

Tom's leg is game, since home he came, 

And his bootless foot is lasting lame; 

But Troll don't care, and he's still there

With the bone he boned from its owner. 

Doner! Boner!

Troll's old seat is still the same,

 And the bone he boned from its owner!

by 

J.R.R. Tolkien

from 'The Adventures of Tom Bombadil,' in Tales From the Perilous Realm

This song is sung by Samwise Gamgee in 'The Ford,' in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Chicago Trip 2013 (Part 2)

Are you ready for Part 2 of a glimpse into my last month's USA trip? If you haven't seen Part 1 yet, please, do so.

Well, during the first week, we (my mum, my aunt, and me) spent our time in downtown Chicago. We toured the city and enjoyed seeing many different places, including the Adler Planetarium, the Shed Aquarium, the John Hancock Building Observatory (see photos in last post!), Navy Pier, and Macy's Store on State Street (the one with the mosaic ceiling and the vintage-looking clock!). We also went on the double-decker tourist bus and a river cruise and enjoyed sightseeing and learning about the different buildings in Chicago and their history. It was real fun! 

The second week we spent it in Wheaton College, IL. (about 1 hour by car west of downtown Chicago) for a Christian Conference. It was an amazing week and we were greatly blessed. Perhaps I'll share some highlights of those spiritual blessings sometime in a future post. However, today, I'll show you a glimpse of the Wheaton College Campus. Wheaton College is full of history...Billy Graham was one of its illustrious alumni, as well as such missionaries as Jim and Elizabeth Elliot, and most of the other missionaries who were martyred with Jim Elliot in Ecuador...just to name a few.

It's a beautiful college...not only in the natural, scenic way, but also in its spiritual heritage and present influence.

Beautiful, peaceful college grounds...It was just lovely spending my 'quiet time' there sometimes...so peaceful.

'The Castle'...beautiful, isn't it?

The Fountain!

One of my favourite places in Wheaton College was The Marion E. Wade Centre...a museum and research centre for the works of seven British Christian authors: Owen Barfield, G.K. Chesterton, C.S. Lewis, George MacDonald, Dorothy L. Sayers, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Charles Williams! A paradise for anyone who's interested in these great writers and their works! Guess what I saw in this centre, too...

Well! Can you guess what this is?
It's the wardrobe that was in C.S. Lewis' home.
It's the one that inspired The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe!!

Yes, the coats!!!

I just loved this warning sign they put on the door of the wardrobe...
"Warning! Enter at your own risk. The Wade Centre assumes no responsibility for persons who disappear
or are lost in the wardrobe."
LOL!!!

C.S. Lewis' desk and bust!! The one on which he wrote his works, including the Narnia books...

J.R.R. Tolkien's desk!! The one on which he wrote The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings!

At first I wondered why this lamp post was lit in the middle of the day...and then,
I got it! The Narnia Lamp Post!!!

Another place I really loved in Wheaton was the Billy Graham Museum. Unfortunately, it's impossible to really portray what I saw there in photos...one has to enjoy the exhibitions in person...they're just amazing! But here is just one example...

An amazing experience to pass through this narrow cross-shaped passage to get to the cross.

As you can see, Wheaton College campus has quite amazing things! It's really worth visiting. 

I really hope you enjoyed these photos!