MarillaAnne Blog Entry

There are times I feel old and humbled
12/19/06

When only the people my age and older can remember a person ... I feel old.

When I realize that I was exposed to teachings and thoughts that were so carefully delivered so that I could understand so much at a very young age ... I am very humbled.

When I look at all the gifts of knowledge and all the wisdom laid at my feet ... and how careless I was ... I shudder.

When I look at how so many times I wasted the love of my Savior ... made plain to me by my teachers ... well ... the tears fall.

So, you are wondering what has brought me to this point?

Well, I'm working on my "Shopping with MarillaAnne" pages. If this site is to be my full-time occupation, then it needs to be pulling in a full-time income.

Of course, I am starting by creating pages about my favorite books. This was inspired by the arrival of some of my library that I call my "wisdom books." Part of them are missing. I'm assuming there's still another box or two in Daughter V's apt. (hint hint along with my heirloom nic-nacs and the Christmas ornaments ... but don't worry about me ... I'll be fine until after Christmas ;.)

Anyway ... One of the books that did make it was my very first "grown up" Bible. It is King James, of course, because I am old. It has stickers in it with my name on them from various events.

And on the fly-leaf there is an autograph.

May God be good to you,
Pamela,
forever & ever.
Your pastor,
W. A. Criswell
Isaiah 40:8

For those of you who may not know Isaiah 40:8

The grass withereth,
the flower fadeth:
but the word of our God
shall stand for ever.

And then it came pouring over me. My love for the Christmas story, and all of its intricacy and nuance, was given to me by Dr. Criswell.

And I remembered ... and this would please him to no end ... that a great many of his sermons are now up on the Internet so that other teachers can use them.

I've been listening to them for the last few hours. I came to realize something else ... he was also one of my teachers who influenced me in the art of telling a story.

Go and pick one or two of his Christmas sermons and you will understand ... they have five listed on the home page W A Criswell.com or here's a list I pulled by topic: Christmas.

You may notice that some of the Christmas sermons were not taught in December. These are probably from when he peached all the way through the Bible ... a series called "The Scarlet Thread Through the Bible."

Well it is far and away past my bedtime. I will talk to ya'll later.

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(7)

Last comment made by MarillaAnne ~ 12/20/06

Christmas Story

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Comments

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Mary-LUE 12/19/06

Pam, what a special Bible to have and how awesome the discipling you were given! After Christmas, I will go listen to some of the sermons. I lived in Dallas while Dr. Criswell was still preaching there. Although I never heard him preach, I do remember his name and excellent reputation.

I would love to hear more from you about those days and teachings!

Wendy Ann Edwina D'Cunha 12/20/06

Isaiah has some of the most beautiful passages in the bible... I love reading them

Daughter V 12/20/06

First Baptist Downtown where Dr. Criswell preached, had more of an impact on me. I remember visiting when I was younger and thinking how huge! it seemed. It still has a grandness to me.

I am wondering if some of your ornaments are on my tree but then i'm pretty sure we separated them out last Christmas. Is the angel yours or mine? She is in need of some repair, her starched bell skirt is not so stiff any more. Her poor wings have curled around her so it almost looks like its a pointy shall. I was thinking of sending it on with my brother (he'll be up in about 2 weeks) for some tlc from grandmother. I do love that angel but if she is yours I will request a new one because I am sure you love her just as much.

I think there are other boxes with a few books in them but i'm not sure. All the boxes we could fit are in storage for Christmas (yours and mine).

MarillaAnne 12/20/06

Ok good I feel much younger now. Two people remember Dr. Criswell.

Well V, now mind you this is the last I recall, my ornaments and your ornaments were in the same box ... but in that box was another box ... and uh either mine or yours was in the second box and the ornaments belonging to the other were outside of the second box ... inside the first, ya know? But then that's also the last I recall.

I thought I brought two angels as well ... one for each of us. Regardless, send that poor angel back to grandmother for the much needed tlc. I'm not sure but I think that she kind of refuses to do repair and makes new ones ... but that was years ago and may feel differently now.

Also I'm fairly certain I brought my Christmas tree skirt ... if you see it anywhere I'm claiming it.

Alright, that should give you plenty to ponder through St.Patrick's day.

To the rest of you peoples ... The moral to this story is ... uh ... never move? Sounds good to me ... but ... then we're also wondering where we'll be next ... as much as we love it here it doesn't feel permanent. We're open to feeling permanent ... just isn't happening, yet.

time will tell.

ttyl
pam

Daughter V 12/20/06

You can keep the tree skirt - i got grandmothers at Thanksgiving! But i haven't seen your tree skirt - frankly I can't remember what it look likes but i know a tree skirt when i see it and i haven't seen yours.

You know, its possible i have all the ornaments because it felt like a lot when i was unwrapping them. Maybe i'll take pictures when i take them off and we can sort this out.

P.S. I bought White Christmas w/ a soundtrack bonus CD. I'm trying not to sway to the song "snow" while i'm at work.

MarillaAnne 12/20/06

Hmmm well sigh the tree skirt was a log cabin patchwork design in Christmas prints. I remember holding it in my hands in TX in storage trying to decide if it stayed or went.

You can take pics with them on the tree, too. It doesn't have to be an individual shot of each one.

I had no idea I would develop such strong feelings for my stuff just by packing it up and leaving it 1000's of miles from me. I'm starting to feel like I left a little finger behind or something. And there's got to be a big toe in that storage unit in TX.

(Think figuratively here people.)

Glad you're enjoying "snow." I'm starting to think Billy will go uh off the deep end if he doesn't see snow this winter. Maybe we should take the train further north at some point.

ttyl
me

MarillaAnne 12/20/06

Mary-LUE, I've been meaning to say this all day. The first time I went the www.wacriswell.comI was so struck by the vocabulary level in the transcripts (they didn't have any audio or video up at that time). I remember being able to understand these sermons from early on. Yet, today, they would be considered above the heads of most congregations.

I am convinced it has something to do with the way that Dr. Criswell delivered the sermons. I am also convinced that as Americans we are becoming ... in a word ... uneducated.

Unfortunately, I do not remember those days and teachings as I would like to. That is why I have decided to listen to the sermons much more.

When I listen to them, they sound familiar -- like listening to a recording of a conversation from your past would feel familiar. It all comes rushing back.

Anyway ... I've had these pictures ready to post for two hrs now ... but other things have happened instead.

ttyl,
me