Remarkable Creatures

Fossilized snail-shell, originally uploaded by Roberto Verzo.

Fossils are remarkable creatures, as are two women in the early 1800's who defy convention and share the passion of fossicking for fossils. I have to confess that I am rather ignorant about fossils.  This is despite the fact that I have a husband who is fascinated by rocks and fossils.  I remember my surprise when we married, that two boxes of rocks and fossils were coming too.  Not only that, but they were to be displayed on a shelf in our lounge room - they are still displayed in a glass cabinet.

Tracy Chevalier's latest book Remarkable Creatures is a treasure.  Having read it over our Christmas break, I now know much more about fossils and the two women Mary Anning and Elizabeth Philpot.  These women actually existed as this book is based on real events.  This makes it even more fascinating, as both women contributed richly to our knowledge of the world.  These women found fossils of creatures that no longer exist, plunging them into a debate with the church about creation.  Surely, God could not have made a creature which then became extinct?  What did this say about God? At the time, it was men who engaged in such debate and it was men who went fossicking for fossils.

Neither woman is particularly likeable, both are eccentric and have few friends.  They share an interest in finding fossils.  For one, Mary, it becomes a livelihood and a way of putting food on the table.  For Elizabeth, it is a way to fill an empty life and empty days, but they form a friendship of sorts. Tracy Chevalier is such a wonderful writer, that I was gripped by this book and became fascinated in the life these women lived in Lyme Regis on the Dorset coast of England.  Elizabeth could well have crossed paths with Jane Austen, who visited this town.

This week at work, I had a client ask me about laws covering the exporting of fossils from Australia.  I couldn't help myself, so I asked her "have you read Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier?"  Indeed she had, and had met the author herself during her book launch last August.  This client is also an author and had returned from a fossil dig in a part of Queensland researching for a new book to discover that this book had been published.  I am often asked quirky questions and I love fossicking for an answer and yes, I was able to answer her question.  I will keep an eye out for her next book, which I am sure will explore the discovery of fossils and their disappearance overseas - she is a crime writer.

Reading and Kindles

My sister is gadget queen.  She takes after my father and any new gadget quickly becomes an indispensable part of her life.  Her latest gadget is a kindle.  As I spent Christmas with her, I was able to have a good look and ponder whether I would consider converting to reading books on a kindle.

In 2008 when Keith and I travelled to England, most of our luggage consisted of books.  They were heavy and took up considerable space, but the idea of not having a book to read was inconceivable.  Keith had a number of books with him, necessary for his work on Richard Baxter.  A kindle would have certainly saved space and weight.

What would Richard Baxter have thought about a kindle?  He was a keen reader and collector of books.  On his death he left one of the largest and most comprehensive libraries in England at that time.  Much can be gleaned about Ricky from this quote:

"I must confess, it is much more pleasing to my self, to be retired from the World, and to have very little to do with Men, and to converse with God and Conscience and good Books."

Ricky might well have purchased a kindle and then downloaded his core library to have at his fingertips. I think he would have embraced this technology with open arms.  This morning, I read an article by Stephanie Raethel "I kid you not, I'm a Kindle convert", in which she confesses that she is enjoying her kindle immensely.  I am not the only person wondering about kindles and reading.  Mark Pesce has also considered the future of books and kindles in an opinion piece "year will be more than just a page turner, it'll be a new era".  However, there is something about the look and feel of a book, that no kindle can replace.  Many of my friends ask me for suggestions of what to read and I freely lend books again and again.  Can I do this with a Kindle?

My ipod has transformed my music collection into a bite sized library that accompanies me everywhere, so I guess, a kindle will eventually become a part of my persona - catching buses, trains, even sitting in doctor's surgerys waiting could be transformed as I have on hand a magazine, a book or two, my bible, a devotional book ready to read - compactly stored in my handbag!

Whether by kindle or retro book, reading is here to stay.  I have a family of bookworms.  We read with a passion.  Our Christmas at the beach was spent with noses in books.  Well, my sister's and her husband's were in their kindles, but they were equally engrossed and content.  The inclement weather kept us indoors, but it was bliss.  Our children snuggled up immersed in books - each in their own world.  It was a delight to behold.

I have just read an article from the Age on the very topic of kindles v books and the author Gabriella Coslovich captures my thoughts perfectly in her article "E-Books lack the magic of the real thing".

Christmas Eve

What a beautiful welcome greeted us last night when we had dinner with our neighbours.  Sue is a talented artist and painted these three angels.  It was the angels who rejoiced and sang songs of jubilation on the night of Jesus' birth.

After dinner, Keith and I went to visit his Mum in hospital.  Last Friday she completed five weeks of radiotherapy and was very excited.  That night, in her sleep, she had a massive stroke, which has left her with very little movement down her right side and no speech.  The phone awoke us at midnight - the start of a long and harrowing weekend.  The specialist spoke with Keith and his father that morning and gave very little hope of her speech ever returning or that she would gain much movement on her right side as such a large part of her brain had been affected.

Many tears have been shed and we have all cast our cares into the hands of our great and loving Father and asked for mercy on May, who has had a terrible two years with health issues.  On the Saturday night, there were twenty Condie's gathered in our home.  It is sad that it takes a tragedy such as this to get us together.  My sister-in-law Cas had spent the day cooking and we ate a feast.  The Christmas tree was up and candles adorned our table, but most of our hearts were with May sitting alone in hospital and the uncertain prospect of what a new day would bring.

In the days since, we have watched a miracle take place, as May has gradually done more each day.  Last night, she was moved to a bed where she has spectacular views of the harbour and together we watched the sunset.  She greeted us with a smile that lit her beautiful face. She can nod and shake her head in response to questions.  She is not fully comprehending what is being said, but she is trying so hard.  The physios have been working her hard and she has sat and stood each day since Tuesday.

There are many Condies, but we are trying not to bombard her with visitors and just stay for short visits. Keith has been reading extracts of Psalms and praying with her each visit and she seems to delight in being reminded of God's great and marvellous love and that He is with her at this time.

Sue's angels reminded me of Psalm 91 and the angels that are referred to here, as well as Hebrews 1:14.  The words of this Psalm have brought much comfort to me in these last few days.  There is much sadness in our hearts, but also a deep joy in knowing that our lives are in God's hands completely.  I have been reading Christopher Ash's book Bible Delight and he quotes from an old hymn which seems to capture how I am feeling:

He gives us more grace when the burdens grow greater,
he sends us more strength when the labours increase;
to greater affliction he adds his great mercy,
to multiplied trials, his multiplied peace.

The True Spirit of Christmas

We bought this nativity yurt in Kyrgyzstan.  This delightful Christian woman Mira made it with her group of women who she has taught the skills of felt making and sewing so they can become self-employed to earn an income for their family.  Most of these women have found Christ during their time with Mira, as she is also a gifted evangelist.  I bought three yurts to bring home and many other beautiful items she had made.  With tears in her eyes, she said to me "I had all these bills to pay, wages to pay and mouths to feed and I had no idea how I would pay them, but I prayed.  God has answered my prayers abundantly."  How much had a spent?  In Australian terms, very little.

We had visited Mira in her home and met her mother, grandmother and extended family.  Most of them lived with Mira in a tiny two room apartment, with a tiny bathroom and kitchen.  This space doubled as her workspace, so they slept on mats which were rolled up each morning and stored.  There was no clutter of "stuff" anywhere.

I came home keen to declutter my life.  However, it has taken considerable time and effort.  The lure of covetness is deceptive - a new book, a cd, new tea - do I really need them?  For a long time, I have been keen to change the gift giving patterns of our family at Christmas.  As I unpacked the yurt and erected it, I remembered Mira and my resolution.

The weeks leading up to Christmas are normally filled with stress, heat and chaos.  Normally I awaken on Christmas morning exhausted and try hard to remember what we are celebrating.  The last four years have not been easy for my family.  We have lost beloved friends - both men in the prime of life, leaving wives and children and friends.  My health has dominated family life for almost four years and erecting a Christmas tree was not high on our list of priorities.

This year, Keith bought us a fresh Christmas tree on our wedding anniversary.  I put beautiful Christmas music on, decorated the tree with decorations filled with memories, erected our nativity yurt and found our advent calendars.  Two of our children were away and our third was involved with the Glebe Street Fair, so they returned to a home filled with the scent of a Christmas tree - much to their delight.

I sat and listened to the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols as celebrated on Christmas Eve in the Chapel of King's College Cambridge and feasted on the words in the Bible readings and songs.  My mind has been filled with the story of the coming of God's saviour - from Isaiah's prophesies to the story of his birth in a stable in Bethlehem.

I have two friends who are "40 weeks heavy with child" and can't imagine either of them giving birth in a stable and then placing their precious child in an animal's feeding box!  But this is what Mary did, and this is how God chose to bring His saviour into the world.  I have slept in a yurt and it smells, and the odours are not particularly pleasant.  Even from his birth, Jesus was "lowly and despised".

I read these words "lowly and despised" this morning in Psalm 119 and they are not referring to Jesus but to us:

"Though I am lowly and despised,
I do not forget your precepts.
Your righteousness is everlasting and your law is true.
Trouble and distress have come upon me,
but your commands are my delight."  Psalm 119:141-143

It was shepherds, some wise men and angels who witnessed this remarkable event - Joseph and Mary's relatives were noticeably absent, although they must have been in Bethlehem for the census count.  It was the angels who rejoiced with music and the wise men who brought gifts. This year, my extended family are giving gifts to others who need things more than us.  We have done our shopping from the world's most useful catalogue and purchased a community school, a heifer and a toilet.  We are hoping they bring the same delight to a community that I brought to Mira in Kyrgyzstan.

The Best Nativity Ever

As I mentioned in my earlier post, finding books in bookstores that depict the story of Jesus has been difficult - they are just not on their shelves. Christine and Erin have reminded me of some gems which were not available for me to purchase.  Here are four books that remind the readers that the best Nativity ever is when baby Jesus is present.

Each tells the story of Jesus' birth simply, compellingly and with magnificent pictures that you and your children will adore and they help tell the story.  

Wombat Divine by Mem Fox, illustrated by Kerry Argent. Seeing Wombat playing baby Jesus is truly delightful. I love how all wombat's friends are keen for him to find a part that he can play in the Nativity Play. Not only is the story of Jesus' birth told in an Australian context with animals that children will know and recognise, but it is summer and the theme of friendship is explored beautifully. 

The Nativity by Julie Vivas is simply wonderful. The words are straight from the bible and the illustrations brings this beautiful story to life - Mary looks pregnant, and exhausted after giving birth and Jesus looks like a real baby. There is an earthiness and honesty expressed here which children will love from an early age and older.

Thank you Christine and Erin for directing me to this book and Wombat Divine.

The Christmas Book as told and illustrated by Dick Bruna is a masterpiece.  He originally published this in 1964 and it was not around when my children were small.  How I wish it had been.  The story of Jesus' birth is told succinctly and with simple clear illustrations.  Thank you Christine for telling me about this book.

Fear Not, Joseph! by Julie Stiegemeyer was published in 2008.  It is for older children as there is more text on each page than on the other three.  However, the illustrations are captivating and I can imagine smaller children in a larger family sitting quite happily listening and looking at the pictures.  Joseph and Mary look like they come from the Middle East and Mary looks pregnant.  The author has relied heavily on Matthew and Luke's account of this story.  It is a beautiful book to cherish with your family.
Each of these books would help families think about Christmas and ensure that our focus is on the birth of the Christ Child.  I have listed other books in another post.  Can I encourage you to visit our local book store and ask that they stock some books about Christmas where the story about the birth of Jesus is told.  Or you could order one as a gift for one of your children and gradually over time develop your own collection of Christmas picture books.  I am going to order these books as gifts myself and suggest that Berkelows, our closest bookstore stocks all these titles.
I have now purchased some wonderful books for my friend which will delight her and her young friends.  My sister and brother in law were with us last night and I was so keen to share these books with them.  They now live up in Newcastle with their two gorgeous children who are 3 1/2 and 14 months.  However, they arrived very late and this morning it was mildly chaotic, so I will do this another time.  Every time I spend time with this family, I wish they lived closer to us.  They lived "just around the corner" until two years ago when a "seachange" called.

George Herbert and Richard Baxter

George Herbert, Priest, Poet, 1633, originally uploaded by johnhanscom.

George herbert

This week I read Nicole's post about George Herbert in which she shares his poem titled "Christmas".  I was amazed, as I had been meaning to investigate his poetry. Why my interest?
Richard Baxter.  I have discovered that much of my musing leads me to back to good old Richard Baxter and this makes me laugh.  Why?  Because Keith is doing his PhD on this man and he has been a part of our family for the last ten years.  Seriously.  His picture sits on our fridge and I have talked further about what Keith's PhD is about in other posts about Ricky Baxter.  He is not always my favourite person.
Keith uncovered some correspondence between Ricky and a woman called Katherine Gell, a wealthy woman, a committed Christian who had lost a child in his early infancy.  It is a remarkable collection of fourteen letters of which Keith discovered three that were thought to be extant which adds to the dimension of their relationship and what solace and comfort he offered her. Keith speaks about these letters and what his PhD is about in a conversation between himself and Michael Jensen and David Hohne in  The Common Room.
Katherine is deeply ashamed of the doubts she has about her salvation and the salvation of her lost child. She has read Ricky's "Saint's Everlasting Rest" and not found it encouraging as it made her conclude that she was "not in a state of grace".  His letters are a remarkable insight into the work of a pastor minstering to a woman who is depressed and deeply troubled by her spiritual state.
After a period of correspondence, Ricky gives her a copy of George Herbert's Poems as he thinks she might find them helpful.    When thanking him for his gift, she quotes from his poem "Affliction".  Katherine says she was "much affected in the reading and especially at that place 'let me not love thee  if I love thee not.'"  This poem put her "into a very good praying frame which I seldom am in".
Katherine was a wife, mother and keen to love her husband, her children and faced many similar pressures that we face today, and in this season of life depressed, and that she was not doing a very good job coping.  She was also keen to conceal her struggles from the outside world.  Sound familiar?  Katherine's questions and struggles resonate and arouse my interest considerably.
 I am keen to explore the impact that Ricky's correspondence may have had on her after the letters ceased, but I will have to go to England to do this.  Her papers and correspondence are with the Derby Archives. Dream on Sarah.
Back to George Herbert and Richard Baxter.  Ricky turned to Herbert's poetry on the death of his wife Margaret.    He says "I must confess, after all that next to the Scripture Poems, there are none so savoury to me as Mr George Herbert's - he speaks to God like one that really believeth a God, and whose business in the world is most with God."  "Affliction" is a long poem and I need to read it again and ponder its words.  I am looking forward to what poem Nicole shares next and whether she continues with George Herbert.

Hark! The herald Angels Sing

Hark! the Herald Angels Sing: Carols for Christmas was produced by the National Gallery, London.  I bought it for my son who plays the piano beautifully and has done so from a very young age.  It includes the music and words to a number of traditional Christmas carols.  Each carol is illustrated with beautiful paintings that have depicted the story of Jesus' birth.  Each painting is reproduced to an A4 size, so it is wonderful to sit and gaze at each picture and marvel at the detail.
Michael still uses this book for playing at any carol service.
There are three wonderful CDs that we also have enjoyed each December as a family.  Brightest Morning, Perfect Day and Glorious Night are compilations of Christmas music of "peace and tranquility", produced by the ABC.  Not sure of they are still available.  There is a quote from Charles Dickens on one of them from his book 
The Christmas Carol: " I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year."  
I think it is sad that most of us approach Christmas with a sense of dread sitting in the pit of our stomach - so much to do, presents to buy and wrap, concerts to attend, extra social gatherings to fit into an already busy schedule, meals and holidays to plan, hot humid weather and long balmy evenings when the last thing that children want to do is go to bed and go to sleep.  These CDs provided me with much solace.  
Years ago, we were captivated by a ten minute segment that used to happen every morning on ABC Classic FM radio when Christopher Lawrence was the presenter.  At 8.10 am each morning, he would play a "swoon" - a piece of music that was simply beautiful and all you wanted to do was sit, listen, relax and be transported momentarily into another world.  We all worked around this spot in our morning routine.  Even the mornings when we all had to be in the car, it would be a race to be seated, buckled and ready to put the radio on for our daily "swoon".  
To me, these Christmas CDs are my Christmas swoon.  I also enjoy those moments when Michael chooses to play some Christmas Carols from this book.  I will sit and listen and sing along.