prodigious birth

carol has been having a prodigious whirlwind of a time.. effectively my last 3 weeks in glasgow before i make that epic flight back to sunnier shores. (you mean it can get any sunnier than this???)

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1750

Number seventeen, Hanover Square. It is past noon on a late April day. Spring is in the air. And inside the handsome, four-storey house with its big sash windows, five across, Lady St. James is about to take her bath.

Two footmen have appeared - crimson livery, white silk stockings - carrying the metal hip-bath and have set it down in the middle of my lady's chamber. They return three times, bearing huge, steaming ewers of hot water; they fill the bath, then retire. Her ladyship's maid tests the water with a small, plumb finger; indicates that all is well.

And now, my lady comes from the great bed with its richly embroidered coat of arms. She walks across the floor, her nightgown a wonder of blue ribbons and white lace. She hovers by the bath. A dainty white foot appears, an elegant ankle peeps from under the hem of the nightdress. Her foot touches the surface of the water and there is a tiny ripple. Now a little of the lace parts and a slim, bare calf is revealed. Her ladyship's maid stands close, reaches up to take the nightgown. There is a faint rustle, the whisper of satin flesh upon silk; the maid's arms draw back.

And - at last - she has emerged: slim, flawless, delicately scented. Her leg has slipped beneath the still water which now surrounds her high, round breasts, and laps those alabaster shoulders....

She rests in a chair, robed in a long silk gown, sipping a cup of hot chocolate thoughtfully. When she is done, her maid brings her a little silver basin of water and a brush; sprinkles a little powder on the brush. Carefully, but thoroughly, her ladyship brushes her pearl-like teeth. Then she is a handed a small, curved, silver scrapper. Elegantly, making a pout, she sticks out her pink tongue and, while the maid holds a looking glass, she scrapes it to ensure that not a trace of dark chocolate nor of whittish fur disgrace its surface.

- London the novel. by Edward Rutherford.

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though not as prodigiously luxurious or extravagant, my life has been this prodigiously relaxing.. been dipping my feet into all walks, all activities, been soaking my mind in all forms of books, art, film, conversation and thought. so yes, is carol's life rich now? yes it is. is it fun? indeed!

but above all that, people can do lots of fun activities but not receive joy our of them. but blessed am i, because God has blessed me with joyfulness despite everything that i'm going through just now.. 'oh please, how rough a patch can carol be going through?' you might think.. haha.. i kid you not, i have problems so colossal it's surreal. but God has been good.. He has shown me how to... 'stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.' - eph 6:13 and it is so like God to make the one thing that matters so simple to do...

born again. and i can tell you, it is a prodigious birth. (and no, we're not talking about material things)

the answer : look to Christ. because it is only and ultimately in Him that salvation comes.

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so anyhow, i did get my hair cut.. after complaining to ____ about how i can only trust one hairdresser in the world, and after a whole half hour of 'internal conflict' of whether or not i should make the hairdresser's appointment, i turned up, gave her strict instructions, and walked out of the saloon looking almost like what i did when i walked in! which left me in a slightly confused ambivalence, for:
1. paying all that money to look the same.
2. feeling safe for not looking too different.
3. thinking that if it were gill instead who cut my hair, i'd be pleased no matter what the outcome, which led to:
4. am i basing my opinions on a cut on the hairdresser or the cut itself?

meanwhile, over the last 2 days, i've had 3 passers-by and 1 friend calling me beautiful. if i extend this back to the last month, it'd be an additional 2 more friends. i'm not the type to get too big-headed about such things.. i mean, i've heard it so many times, i'm totally inured to it.. but it's just left me thinking.. wow, God, you're truly amazing. i've not come to realise it, but You've shown me what You've done using the mirror in people. (and no, we're not talking about superficial things.)