What I read in December 2017

Unusually I didn’t reach the end of any books in December apart from my regular reading, which doesn’t usually feature here. I have been using daily readings from the Bible Reading Fellowship for many years, with occasional breaks, when I have tried readings from other publishers, such as CWR or Scripture Union. New Daylight has been my usual reading matter since it took over from its predecessor – Daylight, I seem to remember – years ago. For the last couple of years I have also been reading The Upper Room, a publication written by some of its readers, rather than by theologians. I know one or two of the contributors. Both these booklets are published three times a year in January, April and September. Thus reaching the end of the year coincides with reaching the end of an issue.

I have not yet finished reading the French translation of The Prisoner of Azkaban.

The books I received for Christmas are in the photo, which shows what I may be writing about soon. (The Wild Places by Robert Macfarlane, another in the French series of Harry Potter, a biography of C. S. Lewis and Jane Hawking’s book about her marriage to Richard Hawking, the physicist.)

My Christmas books

Some of the reasons reading books has not featured much in December are that I have been busy knitting, taking part as a choir member in concerts and church services and doing my Christmas correspondence.

I have also been reading blogs, but again that is something I usually do alongside any books I may have started.

For Booklovers, if you haven’t already encountered the blog of dovegreyreader, I recommend it. Also for writers, More than Writers to which I contribute posts is usually interesting.

 

Enchantment

I am intrigued by magic.  However, there is only one particular way I’d be prepared to practise it.

There is a sort of completely harmless magic, which is able to conjure up all sorts of images and experiences.  I’d love to be an expert practitioner of this kind of magic, weaving enchantments over young and old alike.  If you came under my spell the time would pass so quickly, you would not realise that you had spent a day enthralled – it would only seem like a few moments.

I might transport you to a world of giants and fairies, of unicorns and wizards.  Or I might draw you into the world I grew up in with its limited technologies.  Perhaps I could whisk you into a future world or a distant land.  In theory there is no limit to the scope of my magical abilities.

One problem is that I do not have a magic wand or the means to visit Mr Ollivander as Harry Potter did.

What I do have is a shorter stick with a magic of its own.  Of course that is old technology and the magic I seek to perform through the power of the written word comes to you via the keyboard of laptop computer and the technological wizardry of the internet.

It’s all right, this is the end of today’s spell(check)!  You may return from wherever I have taken you!  For the Daily Prompt

You have been transformed into a mystical being who has the ability to do magic. Describe your new abilities in detail. How will you use your new skills?

Photographers, artists, poets: show us ENCHANTMENT.

Superpower

Hello, Daily Prompters.  I’m putting in an appearance after taking time off to Blog Every Day in November.

Are you well?  I hope you are inspired by this prompt.

A superpower of being able to appear or disappear at will, now that’s worth thinking about!

Harry Potter had an invisibility cloak.  Anything covered by it could not be seen.

The Cheshire cat disappeared slowly with his grin being the last to vanish.

In the Bible angels appeared at important moments in the history of God’s people.  They were messengers from God.  There are people alive today who claim to have met angels.   Sometimes kind people are told, “You’re an angel.”  I have even been told this myself, but it didn’t give me the power to appear or disappear at will.  I am only human.  Angels are heavenly beings.

So would I like this superpower?  I think not.  There are quite enough decisions to make each day without deciding whether or not to be seen.  Of course, I already have this power on Skype.  I am able to turn the video on or off.

Now you see me; now you don’t!

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Daily Prompt: Now You See Me

by Krista on December 3, 2013

You have a secret superpower: the ability to appear and disappear at will. When and where will you use this new superpower? Tell us a story.

Photographers, artists, poets: show us EVANESCENCE.