"Tale As Old As Time..."

Have you ever noticed that suddenly the lyrics of a song you love have even more meaning?  Have you ever adored a song, but never really took the time to sink in the words? I have. And the most recently revelation is the song "Beauty and the Beast"... the Angela Lansbury version, of course. 

I have always loved this song.  But I have loved it in different stages.  When I was a little girl, I loved the whole scene; the beautiful, golden ballroom, Belle's flowing dress, the romance, the Beast swirling her around and around.  I knew I loved the song, but only because it fit in so well with the scene.  As I grew, I realized the song was so romantic! (Because isn't almost everything romantic when you're 15?) There was suddenly something so magical in the whole thing! I was beginning to realize how beautiful romance could be! But recently, I listened to the lyrics and found that this song is truly romantic, because it contains many of the emotions that ladies and gentlemen experience in a relationship. And many important key components to a happy and Godly relationship and marriage. 

"Tale as old as time

True as it can be

Barely even friends

Then somebody bends

Unexpectedly..."

The beauty of friendship is transformed into something magical. Love. It's a "Tale as old as time." Because someone bends unexpectedly. Bending is necessary in any relationship!  It can't be "my way" or "your way."  Both parties have to bend - or sacrifice their own desires - for the other person. But it strengthens the relationship.  And in marriage; brings husband and wife closer together in unity before God.

"Just a little change

Small to say the least

Both a little scared

Neither one prepared

Beauty and the beast..."

Just the smallest change can make the difference.  Suddenly, friendship becomes something more! The touch of his hand means something special, her smile is directed just at you, your eyes meet in a crowded room and hearts leap.  Suddenly, both boy and girl know they want to spend the rest of their lives together in marriage.  But it's a big step.  Both are scared; this is all new.  No one is prepared and many mistakes are made, but the joy outweighs the struggle. And one learns from mistakes. 

"Ever just the same

Ever a surprise

Ever as before

Ever just as sure

As the sun will rise..."

True love and romance is enchanting and beautiful in any language and in any culture. When united with the Will of God, love remains the same. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud... Love never fails." (1 Corinthians 13:4-8) It is selfless, it is virtuous, it is full. It is as sure as the rising of the eastern sun.  It is a gift from God.

"Tune as old as song

Bittersweet and strange

Finding you can change

Learning you were wrong..."

 

How important is that verse? "...Finding you can change; Learning you were wrong." Many times our pride prevents us from following the path of God.  Pride blocks the way for grace to enter into our heart.  Jesus told St. Faustina that, "The greatest misery does not stop Me from uniting Myself to a soul, but where there is pride, I am not there."  How can we forgive if our pride is in the way?   Admitting you were wrong and changing is so important in a relationship - any kind, actually.  Whether it be a friendship, sibling relationship, marriage, dating, or a relationship with God, we should never let pride hinder our love for another person.  Do we want to risk losing them? What would have happened if The Beast hadn't changed? 

I love this song.  In a deeper way than I would have ever guessed.  It's not just romantic, it true.  It's rich and full.  It is enchanting! 

"Beauty and the Beast..."

Go! Listen to the song and drink it in (Along with that ballroom... and the chandelier! And the glorious night they admire out on the balcony).  Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to watch Beauty and the Beast...

-

A Long-Postponed Book Tag!

Hello, lovelies!  My two good acquaintances here on the blog did a Book Tag awhile ago.  Since it's rather late and my mind doesn't want to totally compose a blog post, I though I would complete this tag myself! Hope you enjoy the answers! 

Do you snack while you read? If so, favourite reading snack: 

I don't normally snack while I read (after all! You have you use both hands to keep the book open), but if I do, it would probably be pretzels. 

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?

I usually don't like the idea of marking my books, but there are times I do.  More specifically, if it's a text or school book.  Then I usually need all the notes and help I can get! ;)

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book flat open? 

Mostly a bookmark, but if not that, I usually just close the book and find my place again when I pick it back up.  It never takes me that long to find it. 

Fiction, non-fiction, or both?

I used to read nothing but fiction, but as I grew older and broadened my reading sphere, I learned that I equally love both! Fiction is fun to take you away from the world, but non-fiction is so informative! I especially love non-fiction about the World Wars.  

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of a chapter, or can you stop anywhere?

If I have the time, I like to read to the end of the chapter.  However, there are plenty of cases where I have had to stop suddenly or even *gasp of horror* IN THE MIDDLE OF A SENTENCE! 

Are you the type of person to throw a book across the room or on the floor if the author irritates you?

Absolutely not. Books are friends, they are not meant to be thrown.  Of course, there are the occasional books where the author annoys me, but I will just put the book away for awhile until I am further prepared to read it again.  

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop and look it up right away?

No, not usually.  I have done so before, but only because I needed the clarification. I probably should make it a habit, though... It would enlarge my vocabulary quite a bit! 

What are you currently reading?

Christy by Catherine Marshall 

The Search for Joyful (sequel to Mrs. Mike) by Benedict and Nancy Freedman

Murder in the Cathedral by T.S. Eliot

What is the last book you bought?

Well, it's hard to list them all since I just made myself present at a book sale, but some of them are:

A Little Treasury of Great Poetry

Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer

Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather

Charles Dickens Best Stories

and 

The House of Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne 

Do you prefer series books or stand alones?

By all means - BOTH!  I love stand alones like A Tale of Two Cities, but at the same time I've devoured the Anne of Green Gables series more times than I can count!

Is there a specific book or author you find yourself recommending over and over?

Yes! Absolutely! 

G.K. Chesterton, Cardinal Henry Newman, Fulton Sheen, L. M. Montgomery, P. G. Wodehouse, and C. S. Lewis.  Always good reads.  As far as books go, I would recommend the Narnia Series and the Lord of the Rings Series - both amazing.  And also The Best Man by Grace Livingston Hill and The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy.

How do you organize your books? (by genre, title, author’s last name, etc.)

I would say I mostly organize my books by the author - I try to keep all the same authors works together. But if they're stand alones, then I will probably do it according to size.

I nominate:

Clare from Come Further Up

Samantha from Heavenly Aspirations 

Peregrin from Traveling Home

Rosamund from The Earthen Vessel 

and 

Patricia from In Corde Jesu

And whoever feels so inclined to do this! :)

"Come, Holy Ghost..."

     Pentecost is here. A beautiful High Feast in the Liturgical Year. Pentecost Sunday is one of the most ancient feasts of the Church! Today we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Here we know that the Holy Spirit instituted His Seven Gifts. 

     "The holy mystery of the day of the Holy Spirit, Pentecost, is to be understood in the following manner: the spirit of man must be completed and perfected by the Holy Spirit, that is, it must be sanctified, illuminated, and divinized by the Holy Spirit..."

" This holy mystery is realized continually in the Church of Christ and because of this the Church is really a continuous Pentecost.... From Holy Pentecost, the day of the Holy Spirit, every God-like soul in the Church of Christ is an incombustible bush which continuously burns and is inflamed with God and has a fiery tongue within it."

-St. Justin 

     I don't pray to the Holy Spirit as much as I should. Did you ever notice that the Holy Spirit seems to get neglected? I pray to the saints, I pray to Jesus, I pray to the Blessed Virgin - but for some reason, prayers to the Holy Spirit seem to always be forgotten. But think of how much He does for us! Think of the inspiration and guidance He gives us! Josemaria Escriva says that, "You are not alone....the Holy Spirit, living in your soul in grace – God with you – is giving a supernatural tone to all your thoughts, desires and actions." How beautiful. The Holy Spirit, living in your soul in grace – God with you. God is living in our soul!! Think about that! The Holy Spirit is there - now - guiding our thoughts and actions and helping us with the hard decisions we face everyday! 

     In one of his sermons at Pentecost, Josemaria Escriva profoundly states that, "The Holy Spirit comes to us as a result of the cross - as a result of our total abandonment to the will of God, of seeking only his glory and renouncing ourselves completely." Have you ever thought about it in that perspective? 

     But I love his next point...

"Only when a man is faithful to grace and decides to place the cross in the center of his soul, denying himself for the love of God, detaching himself in a real way from all selfishness and false human security, only then - when a man lives by faith in a real way - will he receive the fullness of the great fire, the great light, the great comfort of the Holy Spirit."  If we accept our cross and offer to God all our sufferings, we will receive the fullness of the great fire. If that isn't inspirational, I don't know what is! I want to burn with the fire of the Holy Spirit! I want to be a soldier of Christ and fight the Great Battle with Him! Do you? 

Listen to one of my favorite Pentecost songs. Your day will be immediately better. I promise!