OVE bade me welcome; yet my soul drew back, - Guilty of dust and sin.
- But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack
- From my first entrance in,
- Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning
- If I lack’d anything.
- ‘A guest,’ I answer’d, ‘worthy to be here:’
- Love said, ‘You shall be he.’
- ‘I, the unkind, ungrateful? Ah, my dear,
- I cannot look on Thee.’
- Love took my hand and smiling did reply,
- ‘Who made the eyes but I?’
- ‘Truth, Lord; but I have marr’d them: let my shame
- Go where it doth deserve.’
- ‘And know you not,’ says Love, ‘Who bore the blame?’
- ‘My dear, then I will serve.’
- ‘You must sit down,’ says Love, ‘and taste my meat.’
- So I did sit and eat.
- “Love” – George Herbert
- I just sat at a table and feasted until I could feast no more. I’m always a little shy around strangers, but they didn’t turn me away. There was comfortable conversation and laughter, and while I wasn’t with any relatives, I felt like I was with family. Though I may have inwardly resisted, because this family’s brand of crazy is a little bit different than to what I am accustomed, I accepted the invitation. The host gave me grace, and I sat down.
- So hopefully goes the time when I come to Love’s table. (Except after feasting at Love’s table, I don’t get merciless heartburn and my host has to give me medicine to relieve the pressure. I feel a lot better after a couple hours.)
- Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. I am so very grateful for all of you. I have my reasons, which I’m also grateful for.
November 25, 2010
He Forgets Not His Own
Posted by mayiwrite under food, friends, holiday, nostalgia, observations, relationships | Tags: family, food, george herbert, owwies, poem, thanksgiving |Leave a Comment
November 23, 2010
Alerts
Posted by mayiwrite under travel, weekend | Tags: byu, thanksgiving, the snow might actually stick, weather |[2] Comments
At 1:33pm:
The National Weather Service is warning of a winter storm today that “will far surpass anything that we’ve seen, probably for the last several years.” The combination of snow, extreme cold, and possibly damaging winds will make travel extremely hazardous. The storm will begin in the north and move south, hitting Salt Lake City later this afternoon.
Please watch the weather reports and be prudent in your travels.
At 2:06pm:
This is a Y-Alert. As you were informed earlier, a major blizzard warning has been issued by the National Weather Service. Because of the severity of this expected storm, BYU will close campus at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2010. All classes should be canceled after this time.
Campus will be closed on Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2010, except for essential services as determined by unit supervisors. If you have questions about specific locations or events, we encourage you to contact the respective organization.
At this time, the men’s and women’s basketball games are still scheduled.
I’ll spare you any sarcasm about the basketball games. Please be careful out there. I’ll be so very pissed if you die. You know this.
November 19, 2010
Un Plan
Posted by mayiwrite under holiday, observations, weekend | Tags: blog, blogging, keeping busy, miscellany, thanksgiving |Leave a Comment
So, I know about who’s in Australia, some people in Utah, and a lot of people along the East Coast. I don’t know about anybody anywhere else. Western Europe, Russia, East and Central Asia; the one blip in South America; and who’s the little guy swimming in the middle of the South Pacific? He’s probably browsing the internet while holding an umbrella-adorned beverage and wearing board shorts (and nothing else) and sitting under a palm tree as the waves crash upon the shore. Lucky. According to the information, he’s from Wallis and Futuna.
I imagine whoever’s in Russia is doing the exact opposite. Is that even still Russia? Yep, I checked. Parka, boots, slow internet; tundra, timberline; vodka.
This weekend is going to be busy with school stuff. The university should just make this whole next week part of Thanksgiving break. I’ve overheard a lot of conversations about people leaving tonight to fly/drive home to spend time with their families. I vote throwaway days, since there’s no class on Wednesday anyway.
November 30, 2009
Starting adrift
Spiraling down
a tunnel
of thick darkness
Desperate
Blind
suffocating
Pain leads to
sadness
leads to numbness
Pulling deeper still
then
toward a core?
Led within a path
more strongly
toward a flicker
toward a point
a center
of light.
Where I came from.
November 28, 2008
Photos of Thanksgiving, 2008
Posted by mayiwrite under food, friends, my life, new york city | Tags: 2008, friends, parade, photos, thanksgiving |[2] Comments
This one was for me. I’m on 6th Avenue, and not on Broadway, so the actual parade was a block away but the view was straight on the intersection of 37th and Broadway. I knew Snoopy (as Joe Cool) would be there:
These are for my little friend, Aerie:
This one kind of wraps up the rest of the day:
I spent from 3PM to nearly midnight with some friends from church. I was in charge of the mashed potatoes. Nothing some butter and heavy cream can’t make delicious, right? We had great conversation and good laughs and amazing food. We went around the table a couple of times saying what we were thankful for. We had a pretty in-depth political discussion, and on my way home I replayed that dialogue in my mind, except trying to interject a republican viewpoint. Yay, cognitive dissonance!
More photos at flickr.
My tummy is full, folks. My heart goes out to those victims of terrorism across the world. My prayers are with them as well as with all those who might be sad for whatever reason. Abuse, hunger, loneliness. May you find comfort and peace. May we all.
November 28, 2008
Imperative
Posted by mayiwrite under friends, music, my life, new york city | Tags: annie poon, coldplay, friends, lost, music, thanksgiving, video |[3] Comments
I need to post a video. Not only did I have Thanksgiving dinner with the creator of this video, and not only do I think Annie is ultra-cool, and not only do I not believe I’m actually friends with her and her friends so now they’re my friends even though I was already friends with some of them because I didn’t know my friend was her sister, and not only did she create this video for a contest Coldplay is holding, and not only am I posting this video so more people can see it, and not only is she indescribably talented, but because of her creativity and sheer effort that are so apparent in this video, I cannot stop watching it.
I. Cannot. Stop.
Press play. Then, before you press play again and again and again times infinity:
If you like what you see, go to Annie’s YouTube page and comment on the video. Don’t forget to rate it.
If you like what you see, pass this video on. Post it on your blog, email the link to all your friends.
Everyone has to see it, because everyone deserves at least this glimpse of brilliance. Check out the detail, the layers, the shadows, the story, the mythology, the smoothness in transitions, the virtually seamless editing. See if it doesn’t move you.
When I found out she’d be showing the video at her home tonight, I immediately expected greatness, because that’s just her. But this exceeded that, so now I’m obsessing about it. I hope she doesn’t mind.
more about “Lost? Coldplay music video“, posted with vodpod
November 27, 2008
Thanksgiving Morning Observations
Posted by mayiwrite under friends, my life, new york city | Tags: 2008, blessings, meditation, thanksgiving |[2] Comments
I wake up at 6:15 this morning. I set my alarm for 7:30, but I can’t go back to sleep. I listen to the quiet rumble, the muffled echoes of occasionally passing vehicles bouncing off the buildings that form a labyrinthine cavern. I am in that cavern, and the sounds are like a blanket.
Dusk. I look out of the window, and barricades line 6th Avenue, and people have started gathering along Broadway. I hear more cars. I see more people. It’s not too cold outside; it’s actually a perfect day for a parade to celebrate gratitude. History. The sky fades into morning, and the clouds are translucent, like a twilight mist, except they decorate the sky.
My roommate is spending Thanksgiving in London. Interesting situation. Thank you, Britain, for letting us get fed up with your restrictions on worship and commerce and teas. We needed more variety of teas. We got fed up, crossed the pond, established a country I love with all my heart.
The rising sun rouses the east facades of this concrete canyon, New York City. The natural and manmade fuse, and the glow from the buildings isn’t artificial, quite. It’s other-dimensionly, and it’s magnificent.
Police cars are testing their sirens. I’m switching between VH1 and GAC while waiting for the parade to begin. I see cameras flash from neighboring buildings. The crowds are growing.
My head still hurts. The bump is virtually gone, but it’s still somewhat tender, and the pain radiates toward my left temple. I’m grateful that it didn’t get any worse. It’s nothing a little time and good company and food in abundance won’t cure.
family
friends
food
shelter
gospel
However many hundreds of subcategories apply to this list, I’m grateful for them all. Everything. My gratitude reaches through the internets and across the country and around the world and hugs you. I am thankful for you, for all you do, for all you are. I hope you feel that, and I hope today isn’t the only time you do.
It’s almost time to put on another layer or two, camp out on my balcony, watch some floats and giant balloons pass by (hi, Snoopy!), listen to music, feel grateful evermore.
Happy Thanksgiving.
November 26, 2008
Thanksgiving Letter to My Seminary Class
Posted by mayiwrite under church, mormonism, my life | Tags: letters, seminary, thanksgiving |Leave a Comment
Dear Class,
My heart is full. Tomorrow, my stomach will be very full, and it will push up against my full heart, and it won’t be very comfortable. That’s why I’m writing this today.
Gratitude is one of those things that keeps us remembering the Lord. Friends, family, other blessings and the little things in life are the bounty that I behold and cannot comprehend and do not feel I deserve. Heavenly Father is so good to us, even in these tough times; especially in these tough times. I know you can see and feel that. We’re pretty safe in the boat. I’m glad we have the strength of our class to help see us through.
Below is a little activity. Try matching the class members to the reasons I’m grateful for them. You might have to use process of elimination if some of the descriptions are vague. Please note these aren’t the only reasons I’m grateful for you.
[A matching activity involving class members' names and some of their characteristics]
No logic can really explain why I’m so excited to wake up at 4:30 every morning. Nothing really makes sense at that time of day. You fill my waking moments and float through my dreams. I get to class and I see you walk in and you’re glad to be there. Smiling, awake. I’m suspicious at first, but I’m also glad you’re there. It makes me nervous sometimes, how I wonder if people are going to show up. Without fail, you do. Beyond that, you analyze and discuss and share personal experiences. Every morning, the classroom is about to burst with camaraderie and laughter and testimony. Every morning, my heart swells. It is full.
In Elder Holland’s talk on Sunday, he mentioned the Lord’s Prayer. He specifically mentioned the passage, “Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” He tied this in to the importance of families and children: Families are the fundamental unit of society in heaven, and we should strive for strong families here on earth. If they have seminary classes in heaven, our class? the class we have now, every day, that makes my heart so grateful? That’s how I imagine heaven’s seminary.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Love, Sister Anderton
