Day 5: Favourite Quote

Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy

"you make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Day 4: Favourite Book

What a ridiculous question. As if, out of the world of literature at our fingertips, I could possibly pick one favourite book. You could at least narrow it down to a genre, although choosing a favourite crime novel would also be difficult, seeing as how I've only ever read crime books as a result of desperation at having absolutely nothing else to read.

Anyway, I suppose I could answer this with the list of books I took to Senegal with me; luggage allowance restricted me to only a couple so I chose 'The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets' by Eva Rice, and 'I Capture the Castle' by Dodie Smith. They were chosen on the basis that I thought I would be able to read them over and over for a year and not go too mad. Which was true. People who know me well might be wondering about the lack of Jane Austen in my luggage - that was due to my theory that any community of more than 3 ex-pats would probably include owners of classics (fyi I was right. It also included people with almost all Georgette Heyer's regency romances - I call that a win.). I also didn't take any L.M.Montgomerys, partly because they're mostly series' and you can't just take one of a set, but also because they're all available online.

Right now my brain is filling up with books, all of them shouting 'pick me! pick me!' Maybe I should write my own version of that BBC top 100 books... It would definitely include the Harry Potters (sorry to those of you out there that think they're evil but I love them), Narnia (oh, Narnia!), LOTR, some Sproul (not fiction but fabby), Tozer (ditto), Enid Blyton (just finished re-reading Malory Towers, great nostalgic reading), as well as all the ones I rejected in the 'favourite film' post for being better as books. Man, this is turning into an epic ramble...

Also, for those who are wondering why I didn't just pick the Bible and be done with it. Don't worry, I still love it! But I've always held the view that it's totally cheating to pick that in these situations. Akin to those people who, when asked what item they'd take to a desert island, answer 'a boat'. Gah! Aside from that, I wouldn't really put the Bible in a list with Jane Austen. It has a category all of it's own, a much higher one!

Finally, completely gratuitously, look at all my books! Okay, only about half are mine, but the hallway in my flat is lined in bookcases filled with our (mine and Beth's) books and it makes me happy! Sometimes I'll just look through the open door of my room at all those books and heave a sigh of contentment...

Spring...

Is one of my favourite seasons. A large part of that is because it contains Easter, which is my favourite of favourite festivals! Creator of the universe dying for you and me can't really be beaten. But, in second place on my list of 'things I love about Spring' (probably tying for second with the sun making much more frequent appearances) are Daffodils! Possibly the happiest flower in the world. It's so glorious to be living in Somerset right now and seeing 'hosts of golden daffodils' everywhere I look.

Day 3: Favourite TV programme

This is a fairly easy one. Not too long ago I would have said 'Friends' immediately, but that was before I was introduced to 'Outnumbered', a fairly recent British series about an English family. The thing that makes it so fabulous is that, while there is a script and a plotline and all, a lot of the kids' lines are totally adlibbed and it's beyond hilarious. Americans/other internationals, I'm not sure if you can experience this joy yet, but I'd highly recommend that you find out! In fact, series 3 started last night and I was at work... No prizes for guessing what I'm about to do - thank you, BBC iPlayer!

silly...

I take it back. My favourite film is 'The Princess Bride'. How could I forget that? Clearly some sort of mental breakdown...

"rodents of unusual size? I don't think they exist... aaargh!"

"I'm not saying I'd like to build a summer house here, but the trees are really quite lovely"

"I'm not a witch, I'm your wife!"

"Bow down to her! Bow down! Bow to the queen of slime, the queen of filth, the queen of putrescence! Boo! Boo! "

"you've fallen victim to one of the classic blunders; the first is 'never get involved in a land war in Asia' but the second, only slightly lesser known is 'never go up against a Sicilian when DEATH is on the line' a ha ha ha, a ha ha ha, a ha ha-"

What's not to love?

Day 2: favourite film

Alright, alright, I know it says 'favorite movie' but I'm English, so I translated! I got kind of excited when I saw this one, because I figured it was easy - BBC Pride and Prejudice, hands down. Then I realised that, technically, that's a TV series so I was a bit stumped. I find it difficult to pick a favourite of anything - there's just so much choice!

So, I love 'the Railway Children' - it always manages to bring tears to my eyes ("Daddy, my Daddy" I'm almost welling up just thinking about it) and is very feel good. And I've just realised I no don't really own it anymore as it was on VHS, which is no longer a part of my life. Gah!

I also love 'the slipper and the rose'. Very few people have seen this version of Cinderella, but it's fabulous! All singing, all dancing, and hilarious. Also, a lot of musicals - 'sound of music', 'my fair lady'... Do they really count? I'm sure if I saw them (which one day I will) I'd prefer the stage shows... Does that mean I also discount 'the Railway Children', because I prefer the book?

I will also confess to being a 'Twilight' fan, but again, if we're discounting films of books that I love...

It looks like the Slipper and the Rose wins. At least today...

30 Days of Blogging : Day 1

My favourite song... Is a hard one! Dammit. It changes so frequently that I can't pick just one. So instead I'll tell you my current favourite playlist. I've been working on it for a while - it's called 'iWorship' on my ipod and it's supposed to be songs that make me, well, worship, as well as having a general over-arching chronological Biblical history thing going on.

The Singer (Let There Be Light),David Phelps
Undo, Rush of Fools
I Need Thee Every Hour, Jars of Clay
On Jordan's Stormy Banks I Stand, Jars of Clay
Stars, Switchfoot
You're Everywhere, Third Day
House of God, Forever, Jon Foreman
White As Snow, Jon Foreman
You're Beautiful, Phil Wickham
Prepare the Way of the Lord, Jeremy Riddle
Come Let Us Return (Gloria), Brenton Brown
Instead of a Show, Jon Foreman
One King (Live), David Phelps
Your Love Is Strong, Jon Foreman
These Thousand Hills, Third Day
East to West, Casting Crowns
True Love, Phil Wickham
How Deep The Father's Love For Us, Spring Harvest Hymns 2
O Come and Mourn With Me Awhile, Jars of Clay
Sunday!, Tree63
Jesus Saves, Travis Cottrell
He's Alive, Suzy Wills Yaraei
Christ Is Risen, Jeremy Riddle
From the Inside Out / Majesty, Soul Survivor
The Stand, Soul Survivor
Joyful Noise, Jeremy Riddle
A New Hallelujah, Paul Baloche
Marvelous Light, Charlie Hall
I'll Fly Away, Jars of Clay


Currently there are no changes pending, but I'm sure as I discover new music/get bored there will be some adjustments. I'm loving that playlist right now and listen to it most days. The last year or so has been so good for finding new music that I love! A lot of it is Christian; Jon Foreman has improved my life vastly, as has my recent acquisition of 'redemption songs' by Jars of Clay - it's going to be my soundtrack to this Easter, alternating to with my iWorship playlist. Lovely.

This is most impressive. Two posts in one day.

Cat xxxx