“Don’t be a fool. He
is under no enchantment but his own.” – Gandalf the Grey, The Hobbit, by J.R.R.
Tolkien
As October sets upon us, I think of all my friends and
relatives who crave the celebration of Halloween. My friend Ashli is vigilant over this celebration
and can be quite creative about it. My sisters,
Echo and Ivy also find great enjoyment and are quite enchanted by the
festivities.
What, you may ask, does that have to do with Gandalf the Grey? When the Hobbit and the Dwarves escape the Goblins in the Misty Mountains, they are delivered by the eagles to the territory guarded by Beorn. Ori and Dori are specifically worried about being in the presence of a Skin-Changer. Dori offers that he must be under some evil enchantment. That is how we get the line above.
It is quite revealing that the dwarves, aware of the power
of evil and magic in the world, seek an outside source to explain Beorn’s
condition. Beorn is aware of the power
he wields and of what he becomes. The dwarves
do what we often do and seek to blame an outside force for what he is.
I want to ponder what enchantments we believe and how we
blame circumstances on things that we think have power over us. In following Christ, I am declared free from
other influences. How far then does this
go? What is my defense against other
factors? I must learn who I am and then
see what enchants me and its source. I
am not speaking of magic or wizardry.
Rather, I seek to undo the more common and just as powerful incantations
in the mind. I wish to be sure that I am not blaming outside forces for my own
foibles.
As we approach All Hallows Eve and what for me becomes the
most enchanting months of the year, I would build a bit of freedom from the
things in my mind that hinder following Christ.
I invite you to journey with me as I firm my grip on embracing the freedom
I have and deepening my faith and following relative to the enchantments we
face. As always, Dear Reader, your
thoughts and questions are vital, valued, and welcome.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every
writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a
homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Every human story is part of the great story that leads
to the Father getting everything back to Good.
Contacts for Aramis
Thorn:
#aramisthorn
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