A Compilation of Quotes

As I read, I try to always have a pen on hand to write down thoughts or mark quotes that I enjoy. I'm about halfway through the Fellowship of the Ring (the first book in the Lord of the Rings series), and here are some of my favorite quotes. Grab a cup of coffee or tea, and join me! Loyalty, comradare, hope, faith, love, purpose, and courage are such prominent themes in these books that have only become more dear to me as time goes on.

'I am deeply grateful,' said Frodo; 'but I wish you would tell me plainly what the Black Riders are. If I take your advice I may not see Gandalf for a long while, and I ought to know what is the danger that pursues me.'
'Is it not enough to know that they are servants of the Enemy?' answered Gildor. 'Flee them! Speak no words to them! They are deadly. Ask no more of me! But my heart forbodes that, ere all is ended, you, Frodo son of Drogo, will know more of these fell things than Gildor Inglorion. May Elbereth protect you!'
'But where shall I find courage?' asked Frodo. 'That is what I chiefly need.'
'Courage is found in unlikely places,' said Gildor. 'Be of good hope! Sleep now!...' (Frodo and Gildor)
. . .
'It is going to be very dangerous, Sam. It is already dangerous. Most likely neither of us will come back.'
'If you don't come back, sir, then I shan't, that's certain,' said Sam. 'Don't you leave him! they said to me. Leave him! I said. I never mean to. I am going with him, if he climbs to the Moon; and if any of those Black Riders try to stop him, theyll have Sam Gamgee to reckon with, I said. They laughed.' (Frodo and Sam)
. . .
'Do you feel any need to leave the Shire now--now that your wish to see [the Elves] has come true already?' he asked.
'Yes, sir. I don't know how to say it, but after last night I feel diferent. I seem to see ahead, in a kind of way. I know we are going to take a very long road, into darkness; but I know I can't turn back. It isn't to see Elves now, nor dragons, nor mountains, that I want--I don't rightly know what I want: but I have something to do before the end, and it lies ahead, not in the Shire. I must see it through, sir, if you understand me.'
'I don't altogether. But I understand that Gandalf chose me a good companion. I am content. We will go together.' (Sam and Frodo)
. . .
'You can trust us to stick to you through thick and thin--to the bitter end. And you can trust us to keep any secret of yours--closer than you keep it yourself. But you cannot trust us to let you face trouble alone, and go off without a word. We are your friends, Frodo. Anyway: there it is. We know most of what Gandalf has told you. We know a good deal about the Ring. We are horribly afraid--but we are coming with you; or following you like hounds.' (Merry)
. . .
He fell silent again; but Frodo could not help asking one more question: the one he most desired to have answered. 'Tell us, Master,' he said, 'about the Willow-Man. What is he? I have never heard of him before.'
'No, don't!' said Merry and Pippin together, sitting suddenly upright. 'Not now! Not until the morning!'
'That is right!' said the old man. 'Now is the time for resting. Some things are ill to hear when the world is in shadow. Sleep till the morning light, rest on the pillow! Heed no nightly noise! Fear no grey willow!' And with that he took down the lamp and blew it out, and grasping a candle in either hand he led them out of the room. (Frodo and Tom Bombadil)
. . .
But either in his dreams or out of them, he could not tell which, Frodo heard a sweet singing running in his mind: a song that seemed to come like a pale light behind a grey rain-curtain, and growing stronger to turn the veil all to glass and silver, until at last it was rolled back, and a far green country opened before him under a swift sunrise.
. . .
...There is a seed of courage hidden (often deeply, it is true) in the heart of the fattest and most timid hobbit, waiting for some final and desperate danger to make it grow. Frodo was neither very fat nor very timid; indeed, though he did not know it, Bilbo (and Gandalf) had thought him the best hobbit in the Shire. He thought he had come to the end of his adventure, and a terrible end, but the thought hardened him. He found himself stiffening, as if for a final spring; he no longer felt limp like a helpless prey.
 As he lay there, thinking and getting a hold on himself, he noticed all at once that the darkness was slowly giving way: a pale greenish light was growing round him. ... The night was railing against the morning of which it was bereaved, and the cold was cursing the warmth for which it hungered... But the courage that had been awakened in him was now too strong: he could not leave his friends so easily.
. . .
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not whither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.

Looking back Looking forward

Sometimes I'll look back in my journal and can't believe that I wrote something...mainly because I've strayed so far from what my mindset was at that point. I came across this poem of mine that I wrote when I had this realization of surrender and obedience that must happen in order for revival to begin in my heart and life...it was a beautiful time, and I look back on the past number of months with so much regret. Filled with anger and bitterness, jealousy and pride, but I know that God has not abandoned me. He does all things well. I can look to the future with hope instead of fear and sadness.
Lord, please create in me the heart that I had when I wrote this...

Love is never simple,
And yet it is not vain.
It's not meant to be temporary
Nor fit into a span.

For 'tis a concept
Not fit for time,
Though it has stepped
Into your life and mine.

Love is never simple.
It comes at a cost.
And we shall never know it,
Until all is lost.

It is not, unless Someone pays,
For 'tis more costly
Than we can ever pay.
Jesus knew, and bore it softly.

Here's My Rest:

My rest is in heaven,
my rest is not here,
Then why should I murmur
when trials are near?
Be hushed, my sad spirit;
the worst that can come
But shortens the journey
and hastens me home.

It is not for me
to be seeking my bliss,
And building my hopes
in a region like this;
I look for a city
which hands have not piled,
I pant for a country
by sin undefiled.

The winds of affliction
around me may blow,
And dash my lone barque
as I’m sailing below;
I smile at the storm
as I lean on His breast,
And soon I shall land
in the haven of rest.

The thorn and the thistle
around us may grow—
We would not lie down,
e'en on roses below:
We ask not our portion,
we seek not a rest,
Till in glory for ever
with Christ we are blest.

Let trial and danger
my progress oppose,
They only make heaven
more sweet at the close;
Come joy or come sorrow,
Whate’er may befall,
A home with my God
will make up for it all.

With Christ in my heart,
and His Word in my hand,
I travel in haste
through an enemy’s land;
The road may be rough,
but it cannot be long,
So I journey on singing
the conqueror’s song.

Deserving of thought...

I'm borrowing this thought from William MacDonald's little collection of thoughts on modern education called, "Grasping for Shadows". Haven't read it for a while, but oh, does it challenge me!

Everyday, all around us, we're told to accumulate. Accumulate degrees, wealth, a good job, stuff, stuff, stuff. But Christ tells us to forsake all (Luke 14:33).
We're told that it isn't acceptable to be poor; Jesus said, "Blessed be the poor..." (Luke 6:20)
We're told to stay home and make good. The Lord tells us to "go...into all the world and preach the Gospel." (Mark 16:15)
We're told to provide ourselves/be provided with security on earth. The Savior tells us to lay up treasure in heaven. (Matthew 6:20)
We try to live for two worlds. Jesus says it can't be done. (Luke 16:13)
We walk by sight. The Word tells us to walk be faith. (2 Cor. 5:7)

Even when taking the path that seems "lower" or "less significant", I find myself with this "holier-than-thou" attitude, because in my diluted mind I think that somehow I am being more spiritual. God, break me so that the only path I tread is the one in which You pave each step of the way.

Posterous theme by Cory Watilo