A Tribute to the English Language

Last week, I worked in the gift shop some, helping with inventory and restocking. We have a variety of books available throughout the store and a particular room for art books, books on writing, etc. While doing my inventory checks, I stumbled upon this book, "For the Love of Letters" by Samara O'Shea. My new favorite book! It discusses the need to continue the art of letter writing, the personal nature a hand written note takes, the loss of the English language when we resort to only communicating via technology. She goes through the various types of letters - love, erotica, goodbyes, break ups, thank yous, apology letters - and, by using letters from history, shares tips with the reader on how to write good letters. As a huge fan of writing to people, this book immediately caught my eye. I read through it on breaks until I got paid and now have my very own copy!

I just want to share my favorite passage with you. This passage is in the introduction and, as soon as I read it, I knew this book was for me. Just soak it up, experience the sensuality of her words, and consider the truth of what she says...

My concern is, though, that what we gain in speed we lose in language - and, just a reminder, we are the heirs of a resplendent language. English is curvaceous, complex, and beautiful. Fluent and fierce. She is the lover you will always adore but will never fully know because there's too much to know. She is a true seductress - devious and overt, offering endless possibilities. With her I could tell you that you look gorgeous or that you look exquisite or that my body lost its breath when I happened upon you. When we encounter her placed in uncommon and alluring order we find inspiration and purpose. We find connection with ideas, with emotions, with people we know, with people we will never know, and with time periods that we must learn from and understand... Let's set time aside and allow our lovely language to bask in a place that has already proven its staying power: on paper. We must spread her our so that she can dazzle and breathe. Like all living things, if she does not breathe she will die.

- For the Love of Letters, Samara O'Shea pp. x-xi

Thanks to God for the peace He brings.

Wow, I have yet again gone a long while with no update. I wish I could excuse it with "oh I am soo busy" but really, my life seems to have taken on a very regular pace. I normally work from about 9-4ish then come home for a facebook check, workout with Hannah, make supper, watch our nightly movie and head to bed around 10ish. I kid you not, if our nightly movie is not finished bye 10:00 we, mostly Hannah though, seem to kind of freak out. Who knows why - I guess we are all just creatures of habit. So, it's not that I am particularly BUSY but once I find a routine, I rarely break it.

However, today my boss, Vicki, broke my routine for me. She's having me come in at 5 to "help" in the restaurant. Basically, I will more likely be in the way but will be able to put on my internship report (for the semester credit at school...) that I helped in the restaurant and now have experience there. I will probably bus a few tables, maybe take an order or two...who really knows! Haha, either way, I like the bartender working tonight so it will be another adventure in the life of Abby.

This past weekend was a very delightful one. Each weekend thus far has been marked by a specific event: 1st weekend was the party at Mitch's with him, Clay, and their crowd; 2nd weekend Sam and Sarah came out; this weekend was my favorite. On Saturday, I drove the 2.5 hours to El Paso to 1) CASH MY PAYCHECK!!! 2) go spend some of that hard earned money at a target and 3) MEET UP WITH RACHEL!!! For those of you unaware, Rachel is my best friend. We have known each other through Campmeeting for many years but did not realize the potential of besties until we were Freshman roommates at Texas Tech. Many factors from that year helped us establish a very unique roommate relationship. I hurt for those who have horror stories of their freshman roommates. The worst thing mine ever did was encourage me to workout more than I wanted to or spill hot candle wax on my bedspread. And, those few complaints I had at the time are mere laughing matters now. Anyways, life has not let us live together again but I fully intend on having her as my roommate once again as a senior in college - we started off with a bang, might as well end it that way!

Needless to say, getting to meet up with Rachel after over a month of her absence in my life was a very special thing. Well worth the drive, we did some shopping, LOTS of talking (there are some things that just CANT be said in a phone conversation), plenty of eating, and some laughing tagged along as well. I wish I could portray in this post just how much she means to me but, well, words fail sometimes. So, instead, just know that getting to hang out with her was perfectly wonderful but only increased the desire to return to my life in Lubbock so we can be together all the time haha!

One thing that has been on my mind lately is just how great our God and our Faith is. I work with a proclaimed agnostic and another who refuses the gospel. The agnostic, let's call him Joe, believes in nothing after death. That this life is all we have. The other, "Ellen", believes in something after death but it's not Heaven. They were both raised among Catholics and Protestants so the word of God is no unknown book to them. They both are aware of the religion's beliefs and find it ridiculous, for the most part."Joe" seems to be unhappy in general. He recently told me that there's nothing to live for but morals and ethics because this life is all we have. Wow. These conversations seem to come up quite often. Both are very aware of what I believe and, though they try to not be offensive, do not refrain from discussing the ridiculousness of religion or Christian beliefs. This is fine with me - everyone has a right to believe what they choose to believe. Yet, it hurts my heart to see all this taking place. I see "Joe" and his unhappiness, his lack of hope or reason to live. I see how he deals with situations and just hurt for him. Having something and Someone to live for makes such the difference in life. I might not live my faith as completely as I should - I definitely mess up enough. But, it's the knowledge and peace, that only God can provide, that having faith in Jesus brings, that makes the difference. I know that, no matter how bad or depressing things get in the world, no matter how much destruction occurs, there is something so much better to come. I have more than my few years here on earth, whether I live to be 21 or 101. I believe that even just the knowing of an eternity spent with a loving God, and not just a decaying body in the ground, makes a person's demeanor and view of things change. Yes, it is true that much of Heaven is unknown. Yet, we know so much more about that destiny than what happens if there's just "something" after death. And, it's much more comforting to picture a golden paved pathway leading me to my Jesus than to see my decaying body slowly disintegrate under ground.

I have also seen how lonely a life without Salvation must be. When you have no expectation of a better life after the one on earth, it makes sense to fill life with anything and everything that brings a small amount of happiness. If this life is all we have to experience, if there is nothing better to come, how lonely it must be to experience your short lifetime alone. No wonder so many people shack up and stay in unhealthy, unsatisfying relationships or jobs. No wonder so much time is spent experiencing life's pleasures and staying in relationships that, in reality, are not healthy at all. I would do anything to spend the few years of my life with someone and not alone. But, fortunately for me, I know that whether alone or with those I love or even those I am no fan of, I will be okay. As long as my life is lived to the fullest and I experience God's glory, his gifts to us, and use my talents for His Glory, things will be okay in the end. I love that not only is He in control of my life but He is a friend, a comfort when there's no one else around. I will get to be with him for eternity, not just the time I get here on earth.

Please keep in your prayers those who do not know the peace and hope that comes from salvation, from a God who interacts with his people. A God who CARES. My favorite verse, Isaiah 40:28-31, claims that "those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength." How exhausting and lonely it must be to not have Hope, to not have the peace of something better to come even when things here get worse and worse.

Well, I must go work on my book! I really am writing one...keep your eyes out for it in the next few years haha!