The Chronicles of Narnia

Remember this post where I mentioned that we were reading the Chronicles of Narnia? Well, today we FINISHED! Yes - in 2010 my girls & I read the entire (not abridged) 7 books in the Chronicles of Narnia. It wasn't even a goal I really set for 2010, but we were so close that I decided to read the last 6 pages today. No - we haven't seen the movies yet. I'm not entirely sure I want them seeing all that violence, so if you know of a Narnia movie series geared to the little ones, let me know.

Can even say how much I love these books? Love. them. And I am so thankful that my children love them, too. It was our nap time/quiet time ritual the past year to cuddle up & read a few pages of this beautifully illustrated, amazing adventure. At first I just read to McKinley, but then I decided to read to both of them as Ireland was going to sleep. Now Ireland often asks for Narnia every time she lays down for bed.

I could seriously do an entire blog for this series, but I wanted to jot down a few of my favorites:

The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe: I can never read this passage without tearing up - feeling the endless deep hurt & humility: "The Hags made a dart at him and shrieked with triumph when they found that he made no resistance at all. Then others - evil dwarfs and apes - rushed in to help them, and between them they rolled the huge Lion, over on his back and tied all his four paws together, shouting and cheering as if they had done something brave, though, had the Lion chosen, one of those paws could have been the death of them all. But he made no noise, even when the enemies, straining and tugging, pulled the cords so tight that the y cut into his flesh. Then the began to drag him toward the Stone Table."

The Horse & His Boy: Aravis & Shasta get chased by lions. Aravis gets attacked by a lion outside of the Hermit's lair. Later Shasta meets Aslan and Aslan says: "I was the lion. I was the lion who forced you to join with Aravis. I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead. I was the lion who drove the jackals from you while you slept. I was the lion who gave the Horses the new strength of fear for the last mile so that you should reach King Lune in time. And I was the lion you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that it came to shore where a mat sat, wakeful at midnight to receive you."

This gives me the chills & I remember getting teary-eyed as I read it. Aslan laid out how He had always been there - watching over him - even though Shasta didn't recognize Him. And some events that Shasta saw as great trials were all part of a big plan & meant to teach him. It gives me such comfort to know that Jesus has been watching over me my whole life & I'm sure I will be amazed in the end to see Jesus in all the places, twists, turns, trials, events that have been meant to shape me.

The Silver Chair

“Will you promise not to - do anything to me, if I do come?” said Jill.
“I make no promise,” said the Lion.
Jill was so thirsty now that, without noticing it, she had come a step nearer.
“Do you eat girls?” she said.
“I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings and emperors, cities and realms,” said the Lion. It didn't say this as if it were boasting, nor as if it were sorry, nor as if it were angry. It just said it.
"I daren't come and drink," said Jill.
"Then you will die of thirst," said the Lion.
"Oh dear!" said Jill, coming another step nearer. "I suppose I must go and look for another stream
then."
"There is no other stream," said the Lion.

The Last Battle: Even though the dwarfs were on the other side of the door, in the "real Narnia", they refused to be "taken in" They said they were still in the stable. They said all the could see was darkness. They said all they could smell was mucky stable hay. And yet they were in a wide open country. Bright, beautiful sky. Delicious smells. But no matter how Lucy & Jill & the others tried, they refused to believe it & would not be "taken in". Later, Aslan explained "You see, they will not let us help them. They have chosen cunning instead of belief. Their prison is only in their own minds, yet they are in that prison; and so afraid of being taken in that they cannot be taken out."

Oh, this rings so true in our day & age - and in my own life. Even if you say you believe in Jesus, fear often gets in the way of truly letting Jesus take us out of our own selves, our own pains, our own hurt and see the big picture. The blessings! The amazing promises He has for us if we would just stop being so skeptical.

And another favorite phrase that was repeated in The Last Battle - especially when everything appeared hopeless: "...take the adventure that Aslan sends us"

I hope to re-read this series in a few years when they will understand more. Now, I'm thinking of the next series to read that will be wonderful for my girls. Any suggestions?

P.S. The cute bookmark above the book was a hand-stitched Christmas present by my cute niece, Tiarra. We used it all last year.