Our assignment this week was to create a ‘media autobiography’. What’s that? As I found out, it is a collection of books and songs to represent my life and who I am. So its in autobiography with media. Makes sense, I guess. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
These books and songs represent my interests, significant events, and shaping factors in my life. This is a collection of snapshots of me — a sort of collage of who I am.
“VeggieTales Theme Song” — Mike Nawrocki
Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber were my first fandom. By the time I was three, I could identify and name Bob, Larry, Jimmy, Jerry, Junior, and the French Peas. I checked the videos out of our church library (on VHS) and watched them with my younger siblings. We listened to the stories and songs on cassette and later CD. My aunt even made me piñatas of the different characters for my birthday.
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe — C.S. Lewis
Before I could even read, Daddy read aloud this book to me in the four-part, abridged version that came in our Chick-Fil-A kids meals. On car trips, our family would listen to Focus on the Family’s audio dramas of the Chronicles, and my siblings and I used to pretend we were Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, getting presents from Father Christmas and battling the White Witch. Now that we are older (and some of us have fallen in love with Tolkien), our interactions on Narnia have changed to things like debating which order to read them in (order of publication v. chronological order) and what exactly Lewis meant by Emeth in the Last Battle, but Narnia is still a favorite fantasy of our family. I have read all the books at one point or another, watched several versions of the different movies, and count Narnia as one of my favorite series. To me, the Chronicles of Narnia represent my earliest introduction to heroism, to courage, to faith, to magic, to other worlds, to imagination.
The Handmade Marketplace — Kari Chapin
Making things and making things beautiful is something I love, whether it be through art, sewing, or crafting. I have taken several art classes over the years, and really enjoy using all sorts of media, particularly pencil drawing, colored pencils, charcoal, and watercolors. Around seven or eight, I started hand sewing, and I took a machine sewing class at age ten. From handmade dolls for my sisters and I to headbands to skirts, I have made (and mended) all sorts of things. Though I do not craft as much, I still love scrapbooking, making cards, and making jewelry.
Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends — Sarah, Stephen, and Grace Mally
I am the oldest of seven (going on eight!) children, and my family is a significant part of who I am. This is a book I worked through with Mom when I was around twelve to help me develop better relationships with my siblings. To me, this book represents my big family, the time my Mom spent with me to read this book together, and the close friendships I have with my brothers and sisters.
The Tanglewoods’ Secret — Patricia St. John
This was one of our school read-alouds in fourth grade, and like most Patricia St. John books, it tells a captivating children’s story while expertly weaving in the gospel, making it understandable through parallels to the plot without being preachy. While this was not as exciting as some of her other works, this is the book I was thinking of when I asked Jesus into my heart in September 2007.
“Be Thou My Vision” — Dallan Forgail
In addition to being my favorite, this is one of the earliest hymns I learned. I love the beautiful, Celtic melody and the inspiring words. Hymns set to old Irish or English folk tunes are one of my favorite music styles. Ireland and old Celtic designs meet with the similar soft, green beauty of the Appalachian Mountains where I live to create a natural, yet elegant style that I love (as seen in my blog).
Stepping Heavenward — Elizabeth Prentiss
This was written in 1869 in the form of a diary chronicling a 
young woman’s journey with God from sixteen to her mid—thirties. The main character, Katy, is not a saint or an Elsie Dinsmore, but a real girl who genuinely wrestles with real issues — a quick temper, boys, death, marriage, children, difficult in—laws, sickness — yet seeks God in the midst of it all. Mom gave it to me to read when I was around thirteen or fourteen, and a couple years ago, I gave it to my younger sister to read. For me, it painted such a realistic picture of a human girl with human struggles committedly walking with God through all of her life. And this is what I want to do with my life.
Starter Vegetable Gardens — Barbara Pleasant
I got this book for my fourteenth birthday, and, aided by its wisdom, I have taken a stab at actually growing something productive in the backyard this year and last year. But to me, gardening is more than merely producing vegetables. Gardening means working outside — which I love. Gardening means breathing in summer — my favorite season. And gardening means the astounding miracle of gigantic amounts of life — vines and stems and flowers and tomatoes — coming from a few miniscule, dead—looking seeds. God’s creation is an unending adventure of marvels.
Pride and Prejudice — Jane Austen
I did not read this until high school, but when I did, Mom and Dad let my siblings and I watch the six-hour, BBC TV miniseries. After this introduction followed more books and movies: Emma, Sense and Sensibility, and Persuasion. Since our introduction to Austen almost three years ago, our family references something from her almost daily. Sometimes it is to illustrate a personality using Lydia Bennet, Mr. Collins, or one of Jane Austen’s other timeless characters. Usually, though, it is to quote some relevant line from the movie, one of our favorites being: “Why should I wink at you, silly child?”
Virginia: Simply Beautiful — Charles Gurche
Virginia is my favorite state for three reasons. First, I live in Virginia, specifically in the New River Valley in the middle of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Second, I love Virginia’s climate and natural beauty. My favorite scenes are shreds of hazy mist entwined about the deep green mountains, reminding me of Ireland. And third, Virginia symbolizes my favorite period of history: the founding of America. The eastern side of the state boasts the historical triangle of Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown, and nearly every year our family visits this modern—day museum as part of Dad’s single ‘destination’ business trip. Virginia is the best out of the fifty, in my opinion.
Brushing past some weary cobwebs, I reached the extremity of the attic. A board leaned against the dusty studs. Dad must have left the opening to the upper attic open, I realized. Since our house was an old church built in 1877, the highest heights of our attic was full of old beams – some with bark still on them – and the remains of the belfry. 
I shivered with delight, thinking of the fascinating history. Hoisting myself up into the dark hole – thank goodness I’d been up here before – I pulled myself onto the piece of plywood Dad had laid over the beams. If I stepped off the board, I’d fall through the insulation and through the ceiling of the living room – probably not what Mom would like. 
Initials, it looked like – scratched into the wood. Excitedly, I made out ‘ISK’. I wonder who ISK was…
Highlands of Halaran 