:-)

hello one and all! i referred some of my archival posts to one of my oxford friends the other day and thought that maybe i should take the time to read over some of them myself. well, i realized that i used to write a whole heck of a lot more than i do now. it's true i've been quite busy with school here (I LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT!), but i figured it was time to give you some meat.

well, where to start? oxford is another world. it's difficult for me to describe in words; the surroundings, the people, the experiences. even now i feel like i should just stop writing because nothing i could say can really impart it to you properly. perhaps i'll post some poetry i've written inspired by this place.

my seminar on chaucer is SOO inspiring. the tutors here are phenomenal. this whole experience reminds me of an extended enrichment study-trip from my elementary school days. even the people challenge and arouse my creative and analytical enthusiasm.

it's not without its struggles though: these mostly come in the form of resurfacing sinful inclinations. Christ is ever faithful though. i'm attending (alternatingly) two churches: st. aldate's and st. ebbe's (both Anglican--a very different "Anglican" church than we're used to). i know i should probably choose one, but they are each distinct and each such a blessing. st. aldate's is more charasmatic and "evangelical" (like my own Missionary denomination)--it brims with life and excitement for Christ; whereas, st. ebbe's is very CRC-like; very Bible-focused and doctrinally-based--still very much operating out of love. well, right now i'll continue to attend one in the morning and the other in the evening.

Christ continually blesses me and shows me new things about Himself and His creation. i love spending time in Christ Church meadow. it's like a place from the movies or a Romantic poet's imagination.

speaking of "Romantic poet's imagination", the other day i found the most incredible cemetery! (i know that might sound morbid to some people, but you have not witnessed such a santuary!--gravestones delicately embraced by loving vines; celtic crosses reaching heavenwards; ancient trees arching their cooling canapies over the pregnant earth; all surrounded by an old stone wall. they've let it remain in somewhat of a natural state for the animals who make their home amidst the underbrush). i've visited it three times now and each time i see and feel new things. a couple of days ago i found a gravestone marked, "Charles Walter Stansby Williams: POET". i began to tear up and get shivers...COULD THIS BE THE CHARLES WILLIAMS? dear friend and fellow Inkling of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien? author of The Place of the Lion and adaptations of the Arthurian tales? AAAH!!! his birth and death dates seemed to fit, but perhaps it was too good to be true. i went home and looked his burial ground up on the internet...and...SURE ENOUGH!!!! i found, quite out of the blue, the burial place of my Charles Williams. i was standing on ground Lewis and Tolkien likely graced at his funeral...the ground that will one day be rent in two delivering up a one destined to reign with Christ forever. WHOW.

life is beautiful.

i still stay up to late. i've made great and inspiring friends. my sister was here last week to visit. NEXT WEEK SHAWN IS COMING TO STAY FOR A FORTNIGHT!!! i'm not speaking with a British accent yet, if any of you are wondering. i hang out with too many Americans for that to happen any time soon ;-). (though i do find myself picking up their word-usages and word-patterns at least in my writing.)

i miss all of my dear friends from home, but i'll see you in a month and a half! Christmas is going to come sooner than anyone (except my kid-cousins) expects, i think.

i shall now leave you with some pictures of my favourite cemetery :-D (please see the pictures which follow...including them in the body of this post isn't working...grr...)

enjoy!