Book Review: This Rich and Wondrous Earth

This Rich and Wondrous Earth, by Mrs. Linda Burklin, is an excellent and well-written book telling about her childhood growing up in central Africa at a boarding school for missionary children.  Mrs. Burklin clearly and in a manner easy to read tells about her adventures and education there. She conveys her ideas and experiences clearly. This book is very enthralling! I thoroughly enjoyed it, and especially her account of their half-term amusements. During their time at the river, they would select shady areas to build “half-term houses” in, because at half-term they were allowed to spend the Rest Hour in those “houses” with the others who helped build it. Groups of girls would select a spot and build the half-term house together. Much time was passed by discussing what to furnish the house with!  

I really suggest that you read this book.

Bailie 

A Poem about part of the Simarillion

One day I was reading the Simarillion and I decided to write a poem about the section where it describes how Arda (Earth) was created. So here it is:

When all was dark and empty still,

Before the world was made or formed;

Ilúvatar did create all

The Ainur, out of the great Flame.

They sang, and learnéd many things

That Eru taught to them himself,

The Great Creator of all things.

Ilúvatar calléd them to sing

And he declared a mighty theme

More great than any made before.

A graceful chord was forméd then,

Each sang of what he thought, adorning

The base Motif with varied strains,  

All in accordance with the Theme.

But Melkor brought into the song

A new theme which was strange, discordant; 

He sought more power for himself

And discord quickly rose about him;

So many then did silent fall,

And sang they then no more that day;

With him some joinéd his theme singing

Until a storm began to rage

And neither then did mastery gain.

Arose with lifted hand Eru;

New theme began amidst the storm,

Both like and unlike to the old;

But Melkor’s theme was louder still;

Ilúvatar grew stern of face.

Then did he rise again, this time

His other hand uplifted high.

This theme did seem full soft and sweet,

But yet it still could not be quenched;

It grew in pow’r and wisdom great. 

Full beautiful yet blended with

A sorrow that could not be measured,

From which the beauty chiefly came.

Now Melkor’s theme had now achieved

A unity, still it vain and clamorous was;

It seeméd like to many trumpets braying

Upon a few notes endlessly.

But yet it seemed the most triumphant notes

Were taken by the other, and

Then woven in, and made its own.

Then Eru rose, both hands upraised;

A piercing chord and all was still.

He spoke to all and said to them

That he would later bring these things

That they had sung and show them forth,

To show Ilúvatar was he.

And told he Melkor to recall

From he, Ilúvatar, sprung all

Of what was ever made.  

Then Melkor shaméd grew;

And from this shame great anger sprung

Secret, fierce, and strong.

Ilúvatar went forth arrayed

In splendor very great;  

And showed Ainur a vision grand.

Behold your Music! he declared.    

He gave them sight to put with sound.

Thus he made Arda at the start. 

Bell 

Why The Constitution is Important

The Constitution was created by the Founding Fathers. Why? Because they were looking for liberty. Liberty, not Democracy. The people who started the French Revolution were looking for Democracy. They wanted power. The Founding Fathers wanted freedom. They knew what human nature is and they came up with this system of checks and balances to combat it.

People want power. People like power. There is something satisfying about showing another person that “I’m better than you are.” We like to be the person in charge, the top dog, all those things. But people can’t be trusted with power. Once we have some, we want more.

The Constitution is not a charter, granting us the rights mentioned inside. It protects these rights, but it does not grant them. These rights are part of our birthright. They cannot be changed, modified, or removed by anyone. This is very important! The Constitution is based on old British Common Law, which in turn is based on the two fundamental principles: Do all you have agreed to do, and Do not encroach on other persons or their property. All major religions and philosophies support those two principles.

Humans have a sense of right and wrong. Children know when something is fair: they know that it is not right to take all the toys, or more of the toys, instead of sharing them equally. This is not something that we learn from books or movies, it is part of us. We are born with it. 

We have moved into a law system where what is right and wrong is based on political law. Political law is the law that the current government has laid down. With this system, what is right or wrong can change every time the government changes hands. You cannot predict what is right or wrong under political law, because it is always changing. There is no stability. A country cannot do well under political law because the law is different with each new government.

Decisions are no longer made according to whether they are right or wrong, but they are made according to the whim of the people. Since this whim changes all the time, so do the laws. This makes it very much like trying to play a game of baseball while the audience is voting on changing the rules every few minutes. It is very difficult to know what to invest in when the rules are changing so often. Under the Constitution, politicians cannot change the law whenever they want. It is based on the two fundamental principles and not on the whims of the people.

 This is why the Constitution is important. 

-Bell

As You Like It--Act 1, Scene 3

Celia is teasing Rosalind about Orlando when the Duke comes in and orders Rosalind to leave on pain of death. She was astonished, but there was no choice but to obey. Celia decided to go with her, though her father forbid her to follow Rosalind. They decided that Rosalind, the taller one, would dress as a man and take the name of Ganymede, while Celia would dress as a poor girl under the name of Aliena.

Here the scene ends.
More soon,
Bell

As You Like It---Act 1, Scene 2

Rosalind is sad because her father has been deposed of his dukedom and sent away. She is still at court with Cecilia, the daughter of the present duke. They are watching the wrestling, and they are very surprised when they see Orlando come to wrestle Charles. Everyone tries to persuade Orlando against wrestling, but he insists and wins. Rosalind has fallen in love with him, and Orlando with her.

The scene ends here.
More soon!
Bell