Tolkien created Middle-earth with painstaking detail and wove importance and meaning into nearly every page of The Lord of the Rings — and the dates of important events are no exception. Chiefly, March 25th marks the date when the One Ring was destroyed in the fires of Mount Doom. Being the most important event of The Lord of the Rings, this date is sure to hold some significance, don’t you suppose?
I so loved the comparison Bishop Barron made between Jesus and Frodo in his discussion of The Lord of the Rings. The way that evil is ultimately defeated, by both Christ and by the Fellowship, is so unexpected. Evil isn't conquered by a greater evil, it is conquered by good -- the ultimate expression of goodness: self-sacrificial love. The love that holds nothing back, that offers oneself entirely no matter the consequences. He "allows the evil of the world to spend itself on him."
Christianity is so thoroughly woven into every aspect of The Lord of the Rings; it must have been written, I had decided, by someone who was thoroughly steeped in Christian truth. I had known he was a Christian, or assumed as much given his themes of redemption and his Christ-like characters. But I had assumed, like me, he was a Protestant Christian.
You're probably wondering what an emo album from 2006 and a virgin martyr from the early Christian Church have to do with one another. Though their stories are set nearly two-thousands years and philosophical worlds apart, Saint Lucy and the My Chemical Romance album, The Black Parade, both speak to the power of commitment, perseverance, and a heart on fire for their beliefs.
Today was a good one. We just walked our neighbors home and are settling in for the night after a long day of feasting with friends, our fifth annual Facista family Hobbit party! Every year gets better, bigger, busier, and more wonderful. I'm thankful for days like this, celebrating my favorite author and unofficial patron saint, the changing season, and any excuse to throw a huge party and invite all of our friends.
This year, I was a complete failure at actually documenting the party. But I swear, it was awesome! I wanted to share the photos I did manage to take and some sources that I found inspirational when planning this year's party! (Is it too early to start planning for next year?!)
Because Hobbit Day is on the first day of fall, for our color scheme we went with traditional fall hues like orange, brown, and hints of green…
Moments from our 2012 Hobbit Party, all the way from my husband’s Caribbean medical school! This party was a lot different than usual because we were in Dominica, but it was incredible to celebrate with our new friends.
This post is so cute to look back on now — it was our first ever Hobbit Party! We had a few friends over for a Lord of the Rings movie marathon, complete with lots of snacks and drinks!
