Oxford Christmas Light Night!

Imagine Disneyland and Christmas all rolled into one...and that is the Christmas Night Light in Oxford. Tonight was a spectacular memory.
Cornmarket street was strung with lights across the tall buildings, twinkling merrily.
All down the streets and cobblestoned allies, vendors sold glow sticks and Santa balloons. Broad Street was closed down entirely and became a solid mob of families, kids, strollers, wheelchairs, students.
Tents and booths lined the side walks, selling food and warm chestnuts, jewelry and Christmas paraphernalia. We bought the most amazing sugary, doughy donuts.
Every shop in Oxford stayed open-- lit up and decorated festively. Small kids in snow hats and furry jackets rode on the shoulders of parents as everyone pushed towards the huge Christmas tree in the middle of the street.
When the bell chimed 6, all the street lights were turned off and all the Christmas decorations turned on! Every lampost was frosted with twinkle lights. The colored lights from the Christmas tree dazzled the whole street. The loud speaker played Christmas music (and some random Debussy and Norah Jones!). Flashing spotlights danced on the walls of the old stone buildings. All of Oxford was alive, twinkling, bustling with Christmas cheer. Parades marched down every main street with trumpets, dancing, singing.
On Broad St., all the elementary school children carried poles strung with lit-up paper stars and angels.
On Cornmarket St, there was a band all dressed up as Santas.
The Oxford Castle had ice carving and fake snow.
The Ashmolean Museum had cider, wine, and a strange women's choir.
I walked down the street in the brisk, freezing night air in my hat and mittens, singing christmas carols out loud with my friends (seriously).
I tried to take it all in-- the sparkling, magical sights and sounds of Christmas, and I couldn't have been more happy.

Hearts

"We shall draw nearer to God, not by trying to avoid the sufferings inherent in all loves, but by accepting them and offering them to Him; throwing away all defensive armor. If our hearts need to be broken, and if He chooses this as the way in which they should break, so be it."

“The natural loves (affection, friendship, and eros) prove that they are unworthy to take the place of God by the fact that they cannot even remain themselves and do what they promise without God’s help.”

--C.S. Lewis from The Four Loves

King Alfred's Jewel

This is a creative writing assignment. I went to the Ashmolean Museum here in Oxford (sooo cool!) and looked at a jewel that is from King Alfred the Great, the British Anglo Saxon King from the 800's AD. It was lovely. So here's my description of it:

Fragile as a raindrop
With a snowflake’s intricacy
The flecks of colored gems
Blend in mosaic delicacy

A saintly face peers out
In the fragments that are whole
Entombed in the web
Of pure gossamer gold

The twisted threads weave
A tale of aged legacy
Enwreathed exquisite jewel
Exhibits King’s supremacy

Wisdom

"But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere."

James 3:17

The Beloved Burford the Stoodle

On our way to see the town of Burford, in Cotswolds of England, Kelsey and I created a Children's book character! His name is Burford and he's a stoodle. What is a stoodle, one might ask? Well, I am pleased to enlighten you. Burford is the only one of his kind. He looks slightly like a bear. He has cute cuddly ears, and a big fluffy body. And he's blue. Burford lives under the big knotty roots of Mr. Tree. Mr. Tree (who has a slight stutter) tickles Burford with his roots in the morning to wake him up. Burford is enamored with leaves, he collects them and sleeps on them for his bed. He burrows into them until only his butt and little tail stick out. And yes, he has polk-a-dots on his butt. But considering he can't see them, he doesn't believe they're actually there. He has a big towel that he keeps on a large spool in his cave. Whenever he gets wet, which he hates, he pulls out his huge towel and rub rub rubs it on his back and wiggle wiggle wiggles his little polk-a-dotted bottom. He also keeps a comb in his cave, which he uses to keep his fur nice and soft. Burford is known for his big belly laugh, which can wake up the whole forest. His favorite pastime is to roll down grassy hills. He just plunks onto the hill and down his big cuddly body rolls! Burford makes the noise bur bur (one high and one low).
As for his friends, Burford's best friend is Murdle the Curly Tailed Squirrel. But don't mention to him his curly tail, for Murdle is very sensative about it. He also lives in Mr. Tree. He chatters away quickly, sometime too rapidly for Burford, and that is how they get into their crazy hairbrained adventures. They are also friends with Priscilla the Butterfly. Well, Burford and Priscilla are friends. She and Murdle don't always get along, you see. Murdle the Squirrel like to call her names like "Prissy" or "Miss Priss" and that does not go over well with our little butterfly friend!
But they all live happily and peacefully. And Burford the Stoodle is unbelievably cute and lovable!