In Memorium 09-06-07

Monday, September 01, 2008

Category: Life

I can’t remember the first time that I read anything by Madeleine L’Engle. But I would imagine that it was A Wrinkle in Time like most people. I do however remember vividly when I fell in love with Madeleine L’Engle’s writing. I read that same book aloud to my son when he was four. He and I poured over it page by page in intimate detail. And I was hooked.

That year I consumed as many L’Engle books as I could get my hands on as fast as possible. I re-read a number of them more than once because I didn’t want to miss a thing or forget. Not many people realize the scope of L’Engle’s writing. The Wrinkle trilogy (which is really a quartet but many omit

Many Waters,but they shouldn’t) is the tip of an astounding iceberg of incredible work by a woman who could write about children, teens, or adults and matters of art, science, government, music, literature, espionage, theology, philosophy, history, love, parenting, loss, emotions, life, and so much more.

There are books written with/ by Carole E. Chase that tell Madeleine’s story and share quotes from Madeleine’s many novels, epistles of poetry, nonfiction, fiction, serials, journals, theological works, plays, interviews, news articles, and more. She was an incredible woman and a phenomenal writer who deeply and profoundly affected me. I went to one of my favorite book shops today to find a new (to me) book because I miss her speaking into my life.

I never met her in person. I wish that I could say that I had. I did write to her and tell her thank you and her wonderful granddaughters shared the letter with her and wrote me in return. I have shared before that one of my all time favorite song writers Andrew Peterson wrote a line about the late Rich Mullins (both men, also heroes of mine) that said, “He never really knew me at all, but I loved him just the same.” I felt that way about Madeleine. She challenged me. She provoked me. She encouraged me. She mentored me. She inspired me. She still does through her works.

If I had five minutes to sit and speak to her; if I were given audience with her for just a few minutes, I know without a doubt that no matter how incredibly child like or simple or just plain nuts it might sound, I would say again what I already told her in my letter.

. Madeleine L’Engle will be celebrating a year in heaven this Saturday, Sept. 6. I hope she gets to hear Rich Mullins lead the hallelujah chorus or something like it on the hammered dulcimer …………And I hope she hears the eternal thank you from me and others like me.

“Perhaps what we are called to do may not seem like much, but the butterfly is a small creature to affect galaxies thousands of light years away.”

(On personal significance and scientific theory of the butterfly effect)
(Madeleine L’Engle, A Stone for a Pillow, 97)

——————————————————————————

Oh Madeleine, you let me ride on zodiacs at sea

You allowed me the chance to hear hoof beats

Of a unicorn

Madeleine, you gave me hope that there can be

The perfectly imperfect family;

The extraordinary in the common place- like a starfish.

You whisked me across wrinkled time

We found a Love that can’t be defined

You gave me a fresh view of faith, music, and art.

And I miss you.

Oh Madeleine, I always cry to read of your Joshua’s fall.

I read again of Louise, feathers, and the wall

And Meg’s my hero.

Oh Madeleine, I find myself on a bridge in the Crosswicks’ rain

The joys of love thrill me time and again

I think of Tallis, Vicky, poetry, and penguins.

I felt so very misunderstood till I met you

I could believe the miraculous and in simple truth.

You give me hope that my dreams and visions weren’t that odd

You gave me a bigger view of our micro – macro cosmic God.

And I miss you.

And there’s so much more

To one day thank you for. ~ April

…”And the only angels that I’ve ever seen
Look like tears on the face of the sky
Though it sure breaks your heart to see heaven all streaked up
With sorrows like theirs still you know all the while
From where cobbles shine golden like emeralds shine green
From where gems stud the streets and the walls
God looks out a window at us just to see
If anything frail as a sparrow should fall

Madeline fusses and Madeline laughs
The angel who watches says “Hey look at that”
There’s your faith (there’s your faith)
mountains will shake (mountains will shake)
God gladly bends just to hear Madeline when she prays

God gladly bends just to hear Madeline when she prays”

(Rich Mullins, Madeleine’s Song, As recorded by Beggarman on Fallen Deep (2001))

Currently listening :
The World as Best as I Remember It, Vol. 2
By Rich Mullins
Release date: 1993-02-01

Filed under: Christianity, art, hobby, life, nature, poetry, purpose, relating well, relationships, wonder, writing on September 1st, 2008

Dreaming of Silver Roses