French Press and The Lord of the Rings

I was making coffee this evening in a french press. Simply because, I find it a challange to make coffee in a real coffee maker. Something about a coffee filter daunts me like no other paper product can. Except for lined paper ready to be written on.

For those of you who don't know what a French press is, it was invented by the French knights when they wanted coffee and they were away from their power sockets or horse-powered generators. It consists of a jar of glass with a wire filter attached to a plunger and a lid, which when depressed exerts pressure on the content of the jar, namely the coffee and the boiling water, after which the coffee forms a fine brew when left for 3 to 5 minutes.

...I'm an expert.

I drank it out of a FLAGON. I neglected to take a picture of my flagon, however you can look up the definition of it if you want...it's basicly a mug made of star dust and astroid chunks. Or you could watch the following scene for a good sampling of flagons...

"What's that?" -Pippin
"This, my friend, is a pint! -Merry
"It comes in pints??" -Pippin

...which brings me to my next point. Read on, companions!

You cannot pass! I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you, Flame of Udun! Go back to the shadow. You shall not pass!  -Gandalf

I will not say "do not weep", for not all tears are an evil. -Gandalf

How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on, when in your heart you begin to understand... there is no going back? There are some things that time cannot mend. Some hurts that go too deep, that have taken hold. -Frodo

Sons of Gondor! Of Rohan! My brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me! A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship. But it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields when the age of Men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you stand! Men of the West! -Aragon

Epic. Makes me want to stand up and shout "THAT'S WHAT I'M TOLKIEN ABOUT!!!"

Thoughts on the New Year and Apple Sludge

Hey there. It's been a while hasn't it. Yes it has. I've been quite busy lately with some awsome friends who came to visit for Christmas. They actually brought us a second Christmas Day as big as the first Christmas Day, due to more awsome friends who sent us awsome gifts.

 This mostly what we did the whole time. When we weren't doing this...

(wow that's really ugly)

or visitng awesome places like this:

and this:

and this:

We celebrated New Years shooting off fireworks (actually we shot one firework) and watching the world explode.

Apple sludge is what happens when apple pie, ovens, and temperature have an argument and don't mix properly. The pie just ruuuns over when you cut it open, creating a swamp of gooey cinnamon with apple and crust chunks floating in it. Doesn't that sound yummyyyy?? You may like your pie cut into perfect wedges with the crust perfectly crinkled, but if you think about it, the minute it into your mouth, it becomes apple sludge...well, actually  you don't have to think about that. Anyway, as I was eating my apple sludge this evening, I realized...It has been a wonderful winter. But...winter isn't over yet. (Even thought the temperature here says otherwise) Good, because I love winter.

2010 was a wonderful year in general. I learned so much, did so much, and met so many awesome people. With a new year now upon us, It's hard not wish some things had never changed, and that some things that haven't changed would. I dislike change...very much. That includes throwing away things, rearranging things, and anything that has to do with doing things another way. But life goes on. If things never changed, I would not be where I am, who I am, and what I am, and I am very thankful for the One who has changed me.

With all this change going on around me, it's hard not to worry about what's going to happen, to be so afraid of what the future holds. What am I going to do? What's going to happen be in 3 weeks? In 5 months? In 3 years? After that? And sometimes even "Why can't things be the way they were?" But when I catch myself thinking that, I realize that if things were always the way they were, there would be no "...the way it was before..." to look back on!

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." -Matthew 6:34

There is hope. Christ has come, Christ has conquered and gone to Calvary. When all else fails, Christ remains firm and steadfast.

In the words of downhere:

Overwhelmed by the thought of my weakness
And the fear that I'll fail You in the end
In this mess, I'm just one of the pieces,
I can't put this together but You can, Here i am

 Don't let me go.