C.S. Lewis on Praise

But the most obvious fact about praise-whether of God or any thing-strangely escaped me. I thought of it in terms of compliment, approval, or the giving of honor. I had never noticed that all enjoyment spontaneously overflows into praise unless (sometimes even if) shyness or the fear of boring others is deliberately brought in to check it. The world rings with praise-lovers praising their mistresses, readers their favorite poet, walkers praising the countryside, players praising their favorite game-praise of weather, wines, dishes, actors, motors, horses, colleges, countries, historical personages, children, flowers, mountains, rare stamps, rare beetles, even sometimes politicians or scholars. I had not noticed how the humblest, and at the same time most balanced and capacious, minds, praised most, while the cranks, misfits and malcontents praised least.…


I had not noticed either that just as men spontaneously praise whatever they value, so they spontaneously urge us to join them in praising it: "Isn't she lovely? Wasn't it glorious? Don't you think that magnificent?" The Psalmists in telling everyone to praise God are doing what all men do when they speak of what they care about. My whole, more general, difficulty about the praise of God depended on my absurdly denying to us, as regards the supremely Valuable, what we delight to do, what indeed we can't help doing, about everything else we value.


I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation. (C. S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms (New York: Harcourt, Brace and World, 1958, pp. 93-95)

Skipping classes to go to Charlottesville tomorrow.

:D

I love MS Paint

Sometimes when I need a homework break, I draw things. Often my sketches personify my feelings. In MS Paint, I can draw and color a picture in about ten minutes. It's easy to erase and delete. No paper is wasted. The pictures look like they were drawn by a five-year-old... but that's kind of the point. You should try it sometime when you are stressed; it's very relaxing, even if you just draw some lines. Here are two examples of what I mean ("Homework" and "Sad"):

My last semester as an undergrad.

I'm taking biology, literature, international accounting, and strategic management.

Life is busy but good.

Time goes by almost too quickly.

I have no idea what I am going to be when I grow up.



Acts 20:24

Harvest Party!

Last night I went to a Harvest Party and I dressed up like Sandy from Grease. After I got home, Anna took a few photos of me. Here is a photo.

You're the one that I want (ooh ooh ooh) the one I need oh yes indeed

And, in case you were wondering (people kept asking me last night)... John Travolta was not with me.

Better shape up, 'cause I need a man, and my heart is set on you.

i just really don't have a clue what i'm going to do.

(and i needed to express that.)

Phenomenon.

Almost one month into the semester and I am still loving college.

This year my classes are all pretty good, but what I like even better than classes are some of the people here.

I used to think that I didn't like talking to people. I guess it was because I didn't feel like I had anything in common with anyone and I found it difficult to find things to say. Also, I didn't think that anyone would want to talk to me, so I usually kept my distance.

Now I'm not afraid to talk to people I don't really know and I've been working on finding things to say and trying not to seem like I'd rather be somewhere else... and I like talking to people. :)