We try hard not to jump on every bandwagon, and in every occasion possible we try to create our own bandwagon. Yet as with the recent Tolkien craze and Harry Potter, we are once again slap in the middle of a media blitz involving one of our favorite book series.
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events are some of our favorite books to read with the children. After we read the Chronicles of Narnia out loud to the kids on some of our travels, we searched for the right series that we would all enjoy. When we started the tales of the Baudelaire orphans we knew that we would read every word of the entire series. It has become just one of the things that you become interested in.
When we learned this summer that Jim Carrey would be playing Count Olaf in the movie adaptation of the first three books, we were both excited and hesitant. On the one hand, there is simple no one like Jim Carrey, and any movie with him in it, (in my opinion) is worth watching just to see what faces the guy will make. But I was kind of worried that he would be too funny playing such a genuinely creepy villian such as Olaf.
After watching the movie, I can say that I really enjoyed it as a movie, but then again I enjoyed the books tremendously. (Sometimes that makes you like movies more even if they are poor, and sometimes it makes you like movies less even if they are very good.) The costumes, the sets, and the atmosphere is just stunning, and even though it is alittle less serious than the books, you still empathize with the orphans and you still root for them to outsmart Count Olaf. I do recommend the movie though, even though it isn't a perfect replication of the books. But I think I am again going to say that, just like Tolkien and just like Rowling, you owe it to yourself to read the Snicket books for yourself. (Maybe while you are waiting for the last few books to be written you can breeze through King's The Dark Tower Series)
You should also check out the movie website for a pretty slick look at the series.
I decided to walk around the grounds today. I took a bunch of pictures and had a great time. Most memorable was the cemetery filled with cross markers on the graves of all of the monk brothers who have died here at Subiaco Abbey. I really enjoyed the architecture and the art. The stained glass is just magnificent. There is statuary all over the grounds and little grottos here and there for prayer.
I found it easier to listen to God in this kind of quiet. It was also interesting to hear what my own heart had to say after a few days of my mouth not speaking. What does my heart say in the quiet? I know what I want it to say. Even in the stillness, when there is no one around to hear, I want my heart to brim with praises to my Father. Occasionally this week, I have heard my own heart, praise God, for no other reason except for the love that fills it.
