As I stored up memories of time with my family over this past month, TBCBE (The Best Christmas Break Ever), a favorite literary passage came to mind. In C.S. Lewis's, Out of the Silent Planet, The hross creature of Malacandra, Hyoi, explains to the human, Ransom, the interrelationship of pleasure, remembrance, and really, even more but I'll quote just this short passage for now:
" A pleasure is full grown only when it is remembered. You are speaking, Hman, as if pleasure were one thing and the memory another. It is all one thing. The seroni could say it better than I say it now. Not better than I could say it in a poem. What you call remembering is the last part of pleasure, as the crah is the last part of a poem. When you and I met, the meeting was over very shortly, it was nothing. Now it is growing something as we remember it. But still we know very little about it. What it will be as I remember it as I lay down to die, what it makes in me all my days till then--that is the real meeting. The other is only the beginning of it."
And so to fully grow the pleasure and joy of this past month I will remember and I will write my memories here for future remembering. I want to remember the generosity of God in my life and in the life of my family: He so faithfully provides for us, he is gracious to us, and he makes his face shine upon us. He knits our hearts together in his love.
I will remember:
~the anticipation of having my children, including a lovely fiance, home together in Jordan
~God's generous financial provision for them to make the trip
~A family tea ritual, enhanced by a teapot gift from Active Son and his fiance, and Coconut Chai, brought by Artist Son
~Sibling conversations
~Art gallery day in Amman with Artist Son
~Tayta's creative chaos as she created gifts and cards for new friends and professors
~Watching the transformation of Active Son into a loving and faithful groom.
~Spending time with my soon-to-be daughter-in-law and observing how well she loves my son.
~Debriefing with our college kids
~Marveling at how each person has grown in grace since we were together just four months ago.
~Dear Husband as wise counselor to our children
~Tayta filling the house with Chopin once again
~Washing wedding rings together with Oldest Daughter
~Looking over Artist Son's shoulder as he worked at his make-shift art desk in our family room.
~Listening to the family prepare music together for church: Oldest Daughter on her new violin, Active Son on the piano, Artist Son on percussion, and Tayta and Dear Husband on vocals. Dear Husband got creative and added a little recorder as well.
~Bach's 2nd Sonata in A minor, 3rd Movement Andante, played so beautifully by Oldest Daughter
~Active Son and Artist Son juggling together
~Conversation, conversation, conversation
~Oldest Daughter's laughter
~Sharing favorite foods together: Maglubi, lasagna, artisan bread, granola, turkey soup with rice...
~Expanding the family circle to welcome another member
~Mother/daughter time: lunch out, exercising together (Jillian!), salon time
~Enjoying each other's company in our favorite places in Jordan
~Christmas decorations left up until January 17
~Jelsis--our weekly family time of Bible reading and prayer for each other. (Jelsi is the Arabic word for a sitting together, from the verb jelas, sit.)
~Looking at pictures and other memorabilia and remembering together
~Praying with and for one another. In person.
Such wonderful beginnings.
" A pleasure is full grown only when it is remembered. You are speaking, Hman, as if pleasure were one thing and the memory another. It is all one thing. The seroni could say it better than I say it now. Not better than I could say it in a poem. What you call remembering is the last part of pleasure, as the crah is the last part of a poem. When you and I met, the meeting was over very shortly, it was nothing. Now it is growing something as we remember it. But still we know very little about it. What it will be as I remember it as I lay down to die, what it makes in me all my days till then--that is the real meeting. The other is only the beginning of it."
~Out of the Silent Planet, Chapter 12, C.S. Lewis,
I will remember:
~the anticipation of having my children, including a lovely fiance, home together in Jordan
~God's generous financial provision for them to make the trip
~A family tea ritual, enhanced by a teapot gift from Active Son and his fiance, and Coconut Chai, brought by Artist Son
~Sibling conversations
~Art gallery day in Amman with Artist Son
~Tayta's creative chaos as she created gifts and cards for new friends and professors
~Watching the transformation of Active Son into a loving and faithful groom.
~Spending time with my soon-to-be daughter-in-law and observing how well she loves my son.
~Debriefing with our college kids
~Marveling at how each person has grown in grace since we were together just four months ago.
~Dear Husband as wise counselor to our children
~Tayta filling the house with Chopin once again
~Washing wedding rings together with Oldest Daughter
~Looking over Artist Son's shoulder as he worked at his make-shift art desk in our family room.
~Listening to the family prepare music together for church: Oldest Daughter on her new violin, Active Son on the piano, Artist Son on percussion, and Tayta and Dear Husband on vocals. Dear Husband got creative and added a little recorder as well.
~Bach's 2nd Sonata in A minor, 3rd Movement Andante, played so beautifully by Oldest Daughter
~Active Son and Artist Son juggling together
~Conversation, conversation, conversation
~Oldest Daughter's laughter
~Sharing favorite foods together: Maglubi, lasagna, artisan bread, granola, turkey soup with rice...
~Expanding the family circle to welcome another member
~Mother/daughter time: lunch out, exercising together (Jillian!), salon time
~Enjoying each other's company in our favorite places in Jordan
~Christmas decorations left up until January 17
~Jelsis--our weekly family time of Bible reading and prayer for each other. (Jelsi is the Arabic word for a sitting together, from the verb jelas, sit.)
~Looking at pictures and other memorabilia and remembering together
~Praying with and for one another. In person.
Such wonderful beginnings.
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