Safari Sam - HQ

This blog will be Safari Sam HQ until the movie comes out I guess...:-)

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update and review of The Last Legion

I haven't been on in a while, so I just wanted to brush off the cobwebs, so to speak.
Not much going on right now, working quite a bit with the printing and such and fitting in school where I can...reading and writing quite a bit. I'm up to the 9th chapter I believe in my novel, so almost half way done with the writing. I've typed up to chapter 6.

I need to get some art in there somewhere!:-) I did do a drawing and a watercolor at the art class last week that turned out quite well. Maybe I'll post them...

I also will try to get those trip pictures up soon!

I'm currently reading Rifles for Watie, and am really liking it. A very well written story.
Before that, I read The Last Legion by Valerio Manfredi, which I liked, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend because of some immorality and language. The frequent flurries of violence involved with the story could also be a little disturbing. For the most part the fights and such a fairly well done. What I found worse then the violence was the (in some places thick) spattering of foul language. I may be mistaken, but I doubt that 1st century Romans used that kind of language. There are also two scenes that contain immorality between Aurelius and Livia. The first is not graphic, but the second one, which comes before the final battle, is significantly more graphic then the first. I skipped over it. There are also some references to things that should not be referenced.
Ambrosinus was raised by Druids and so some things he says are a little...weird.
Those were my objections.
I really liked the mesh of characters and how they all worked together for the common goal of freeing Romulus. For his part, Romulus is loyal to his friends, not wanting to leave them in the end when they say that he has to. Aurelius overcomes his past(with some help from Ambosinus) to finally defeat Wulfila. Livia is supportive and protective of Romulus and her friends, but also defends her purity from the villains.(One can only wish she had excercised the same defensive stance toward Aurelius, but alas, it's not so.) Ambosinus, in writing his memoir, thanks God for giving him time to write it down, and makes lots of references to God helping them on their journey. Some of his lines that I liked were:
"We sang all together, Christian and Pagan, because in the splendor of the sun rising after night we see the face of God, the glory of Christ who brings light to the world."

testing pictures

Ahh! There. I've got it!~


I'm just testing to see how uploading pictures works. There we are

The Empty Stocking

As we approach the season of the year when we celebrate Jesus' birth, I often hear (and just as often join in) criticism of people who lose the true meaning of the holiday in the 'trappings' of the celebration. However, in all truthfulness, I have detected over the past few years, my own losses in the way of maintaining the "Christmas Spirit", that is, remembering and centering the birth of Christ at the center of my own celebration of Christmas.
The other night, while the whole family was folding Timken instruction sheets, we watched The Bishop's Wife (really good Christmas movie)(highly recommend). At the end, the Bishop gives his Christmas service, and it starts like this(may be paraphrased somewhat:-)): "Tonight I will tell you the story of an empty stocking." The empty stocking, he goes on to say, belongs to Jesus, and it is empty, because people do not give themselves to Him. I was thinking about it, and I had been wanting to write some poetry lately. So this is what came out of about...maybe a half an hour-45 minutes worth of typing:(nods and apologies to the author of The Night Before Christmas:-))

The Empty Stocking
by Caleb Pieplow

‘Twas the night before Christmas
And all through the house
Not a creature was stirring
Not even a mouse.

The stockings were hung
By the chimney with care
All, that is, but one
There was no room to spare.

Amid the gay tinsel
And the lights’ warm blush
This stocking lay well hidden
Forgotten in the holiday rush.

Above, one child peered down
His eyes wide with hope as He looked on all the trim
Would this year be the one?
The year when they’d remember Him?

But when the morning came
And the children sprang from their beds
The gift tag inscriptions only
Danced ‘round in their heads.

And the stocking of Bethlehem’s Child
Was not filled
But took its usual place in the background
As around the tree they milled.


They did not read the story
Of when the Blessed One came to Earth
Or how the angels heralded
His unexplainable birth.

And yet again, they went to their beds
Without a hymn or even praying
And once again, He turned back
Saddened by His empty stocking.

Years pass, the sands of time sift through
And in many homes the Christ Child still is disappointed
As His day passes vainly by
Stripped of the purpose for which it was appointed.

Now, friend, let me make it plain to you
The ‘stuffers’ for which He inquires
Are not to be found in toyshop windows
But in fact, love-laden human hearts are what He desires!

Will someone remember Him this Christmas?
Will someone fill our Savior’s stocking, too?
The Child born so long ago
God’s perfect gift - for me and you.

So in this season of hope and good cheer
Let’s fill up that lonely stocking
With love, with praise, and with our lives
May we remember whose birth we are celebrating.

And may we exclaim, ere we scramble for cookies and gifts
“Happy birthday, dear Jesus!
We offer ourselves this day to you,
Heaven’s perfect Son, come to rescue us!”



Merry Christmas!

postscript:

I will soon add the details of our trip!:-)

Why did I call my blog what I called my blog?

So, you're probably wondering why I called my blog "Waiting on the Ramparts," right?
Well, I'll see if I can explain:

Because I'm waiting, Anticipating,
Watching for Your return,
You'll come and get me,
You know I'm ready,
I've enjoyed my stay, but You'll take me away
Like a thief in the night, Like a runaway train,
Like a first class lightning-fast hurricane
I'll keep my ear to the ground, and my eyes to the skies
I'm ready now, but somehow I know You'll take me by surprise
~By Surprise by Joy Williams

I've always liked the picture of the watchman standing on the wall staring toward the horizon...
waiting. What is the modern Christian 'watchman' watching for? The Day of the Lord, the second coming of Christ.

...And 'rampart' is just such a cool word.:-)

And so that's...pretty much why I called it what I called it.

Just starting out...

I'm just testing this out.
Never done any blogging before.
So here I go!: Blog! Blog! Blog!
Hahaha