Feeling odd and old but variously happy (quotes approximate)

"Are you excited about our meal date? I've been bragging about it to the other girls."

"I was talking to someone about how there are only like seven of your posters the whole student centre, but they're all in the perfect strategic places."

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In more legitimate news, here is something that makes me feel odd and young and variously happy:

"I know that you can do all things;

no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?'

Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,

things too wonderful for me to know.

"You said, 'Listen now, and I will speak;

I will question you,

and you shall answer me.'

My ears had heard of you

but now my eyes have seen you.

Therefore I despise myself

and repent in dust and ashes." [Job 42:2-6]

Today is Ash Wednesday -- so here is holiness that makes me feel uncomfortable in both real and silly ways, and there is hope that I will master the dizzying balance of despising the myself-that-is-not-me while reveling in ineffable illumination.

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... and evidently I am getting distracted by somewhat effable humour, because I just remembered the best line ever from my bible study this morning, a line which also happens to be an amusing compliment:

"Your neck is like an ivory tower." [Song of Songs 7:4a]

One wonders what is being implied about the life of the beloved's mind, at least under today's current metaphors. But (very evidently) a surer way of minimising amusing compliments with possibly insulting insinuations about the life of my mind is to wonder about stuff that has less silly rhyminess and more real words. I hereby re-Lent.