#(God would I love to take Tozer)

[saints-who-never-existed]

I want to think a bit more about this but right now I just want to say that I'm blown away and delighted by all the thoughtful replies this has gotten already! :)

I hope it didn't come across as condescending in any way - lord knows there have been plenty of times I myself have struggled to parse the funky wee accents and unique dialects of my own countrymen...

And I also hope I haven't given the impression that some mystical new level of understanding is unlocked when one happens to know one's Liverpudlians from one's Mancunians because that's certainly not the case.

Really, I just like thinking about language and locality and all the possible influences that could have on character - nature vs. nurture and that sort of thing. :)

I've been thinking about Terror character/actor accents and origins again today and I'd love to hear some non-British/otherwise outside perspectives on the subject at some point - might even attempt to make a poll about it.

I'm just curious!

Do you find the different accents in the show difficult to understand at any point? Are some more challenging than others? Do you think having more context on different character accents and origins would change anything about your understanding/interpretations of the show and the relationships within it?

[laststandx3]

I'll be bitter for a minute and say it: i think the terror for how good it is, is also very partial on crozier on being #1 mister only good colonizer in the arctic, and i sort of hate it because the change happens only because he sobers up. and sure alchool makes people cruel, but sobering up doesnt make them perfect. he went from let silna be left on the ship without protection/kick her out for the tuunbaq if she doesnt help us/ rip the guy that died to get me a bottle of whisky, anywayy to peace and love on planet earth lets us all take this walk together while i share words of wisdom and love with this other colonizer who's also very sorry he didn't do anything good with his life. Crozier started the journey at least as a heavy day-drinker and i understand how that's different from heavy alcholism but at the same time i can't imagine all of crozier's faults being the consequences of whisky alone. and having him overcoming his alcholism and wising up immediately after being clean for a few weeks is FOR ME a terrible writing choice that paints him as being naturally good and his 'bad' behaviors coming ONLY from the alchool. yes he sees blanky getting hurt and that's starts his sobering up path. but that's not enough for me. the people (other characters state aloud for the audience) he loves more than god loves them are dying left and right. and i really dont care if corzier cares about the crew or not but if he cared he should have cared about them even when he was drunk and not remembring about their wellbeing AFTER he got clean. i'm not saying you cant enjoy crozier. i just believe his character development isnt earned and that he got it only because he's the designed good character that canonically survives in the book. i dont think that him shitting himself for a few weeks while sobering up can count as having the emotional development to go from one extreme to the other. especially because everyone else is also there sufferring physically and psychologically even more than him due to the fact that their all stranded in the arctic and dying of scurvy and no one else in the crew could have the time off work, privacy and attentions to heal. crozier being the 2nd on command and then captain used his power to become a drunk and later to clean up. and i just dont believe that a man who abused his position like that from the beginning just becuase he was pissed he couldnt marry the woman he wanted suddently stops abusing his position because he's now clean and pure. TO ME it's a bad writing choice that is also force-fed to the audience with the line 'more than god loves them' so that you get it for sure that he's the good guy who cares about people not like those others evil characters who would do anything to survive like killing innocents and being racist (the good guys could never. except they canonically did- but wait, not in THIS continent so it doesnt matter) and eating people (which is a sign of being naturally evil, no matter the circumstances) or following a religion in a desperate last chance of survival (again no one on the good guys side would put religion above good sense and the safety of fellow human beings. in this continent?? maybe? ugh)

in summary i think the main flaw i find in the terror is how much it still tries to draw a line between good and evil. instead of just trying to portray the human disperation for their mortal condition. how much having to come face to face with tuunbaq must destroy all of those men convinctions on what life/afterlife are (for what i remember it just addresses it for tozer AND in the SCRIPT) nobody else gets a life shuttering experience. it's either the devil, then good christians should be safe, or it's a different religion, then what?? what do you do when your life looses its meaning? and the answer for most of the charactes was 🤷‍♀️guess we'll think about it after this awesome party we're about to throw. i dont want this to be about religion, but these men are wrecked in every way, there's nobody to save them and everyday they're a little more in pain than the one before. there shouldnt be a camp of the good men lead by the strong and wise one who take care of their sick and lets the dying die peacefully with morphin. while in the bad guys camp they eat people and have evil laugh competitions and kill their sick with knifes bc giving them poison might make them unedible. and specifically those evil guys where also the reason why the expedition happened to hurt the locals, the good guys have nothing to do with it.

i dont think there's nothing wrong (narratively) in doing anything to survive. even if it's something cruel, because those men are at the end of the world alone, it's at least realistic that they'll try everything to avoid death. crozier(and jfj even if offscreen) gets to be cruel at the beginning of the story but by middle point they're shown to be sad (about unrelated things) and spend the last few episodes being kind and brave (and forgiven by the narrative) while their chance at character development is uniquelly given by their ranks. in the meantime the consequences of those cruelness (only hickey, because we dont get to see survivors of jfj trip to China, if he left any) dont get the chance to heal and change because hickey's position of subordiante never allows him to be really safe, and because his torture was public, automatically making every witness taking the side of the perpetrator. hickey's never given weeks off work to recover because he got lashed because of his own actions. hickey doesnt get words of wisdom from a companion because in his mind everyone agreed with crozier in him deserving the lashes, (except maybe tozer? but even that isnt that clear cut) hickey, manson and hartnell also magiaclly heal from the lashes after a few weeks (even when ANYOTHER character cant heal because of scurvy) so the narrative can't held crozier accountable for the pain he caused.

the good guys and the bad guys' actions are treated differently by the show. even when the good guys actions should have consequences and the bad guys' shouldnt. the narrative has already decided which sins will be forgiven and which will be punished. and it's a bit annoying to me because for how wonderful the terror is, i cant help but feel like i'm being spoonfed a narrative about morality when at its core the story is about humanity.

[bloggin-by-zama]

Practical steps to help you grow in your faith. (via. ChatGPT)

1. Cultivate a Personal Relationship with Jesus

• Daily Prayer: Make time to pray each day. Share your thoughts, fears, and gratitude with Jesus as you would with a trusted friend. Remember to listen as well, seeking His guidance.

• Scripture Reading: Dive into God’s Word regularly. Start with the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) to understand Jesus’ life, teachings, and heart for humanity. Reflect on how His words apply to your life.

• Be Honest with Him: Jesus already knows your heart (as seen in John 2:24-25). Don’t hesitate to bring your doubts, struggles, or joys to Him.

2. Strengthen Your Foundation in Faith

• Study the Bible Deeply: Go beyond surface-level reading by studying the context, background, and meaning of passages. Use study guides or commentaries to gain deeper insight.

• Memorize Scripture: Commit key verses to memory. This will help you rely on God’s truth in challenging times. For example:

• Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart…”

• Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything…”

• Understand Theology: Explore the core beliefs of Christianity to deepen your understanding of God’s character and His plan for humanity.

3. Build a Life of Worship

• Worship Regularly: Worship isn’t just singing—it’s a lifestyle of honoring God in everything you do. Make time to express your love and gratitude to Him through worship, both privately and in a church community.

• Live for His Glory: Seek to glorify God in your daily actions—whether at work, in relationships, or in how you treat others.

4. Be Part of a Community of Faith

• Join a Church: Being part of a local church allows you to grow alongside others, receive support, and learn from experienced believers.

• Participate in Bible Studies or Small Groups: These provide opportunities to discuss scripture, share experiences, and gain accountability.

• Serve Others: Jesus modeled servanthood. Look for ways to serve in your church, community, or even your own home. Acts of service help us reflect God’s love to others.

5. Trust God in Difficult Seasons

• Life isn’t always easy, but faith grows strongest in trials. Surrender your struggles to Jesus, trusting that He will guide you and work all things for your good (Romans 8:28).

• Develop a habit of thanksgiving, even in tough times. Gratitude shifts your perspective and reminds you of God’s faithfulness.

6. Share Your Faith

• Tell others about Jesus—not just through words but also by living a life that reflects His love and grace. Let your actions speak of your relationship with Him.

• Pray for opportunities to share your testimony. Your story can inspire and draw others to Christ.

7. Pursue Continuous Growth

• Read Christian Books: Authors like C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity) or A.W. Tozer (The Pursuit of God) provide deep insights into faith and spiritual growth.

• Attend Workshops or Seminars: Look for events or conferences in your area focused on deepening your spiritual life.

• Embrace Discipline: Set spiritual goals, like fasting, journaling prayers, or taking quiet retreats to focus on your relationship with God.

8. Rely on the Holy Spirit

• The Holy Spirit helps us grow in faith and gives us the strength to live as followers of Christ. Pray for the Spirit’s guidance and empowerment in your daily life.

• Galatians 5:22-23 reminds us of the fruit the Spirit cultivates in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Reflective Questions to Deepen Your Faith:

1. Do I truly believe Jesus knows my heart and loves me unconditionally?

2. How can I make more room in my daily life for prayer and scripture reading?

3. Am I trusting God fully, or am I holding back in certain areas of my life?

4. How can I serve and encourage others in their faith journey?

Closing Encouragement:

Remember, growing in faith is a lifelong process. Don’t rush it or feel pressured to be “perfect.” God is patient and delights in every step you take toward Him. Trust in His love, seek Him wholeheartedly, and allow Him to transform you from the inside out.

[awideplace]

i was curious your opinion on my friend’s situation:

my friend is in school to study psychology and go into research. one of her professors approached her to do a summer internship to work under the professor and help with her research. it’s basically a great opportunity for experience, networking, etc. the only thing is that the research her professor does is focused around the LGBTQ+ community (note: her professor is apart of that community). the internship would be to recruit people in that community to partake in an interview where they would share their coming out stories. my friend is a Christian, but when i asked her if she would do it, her only hesitation was that she doesn’t have any connections to that community so it would be hard to recruit people for the interview. as a Christian, should there be more hesitations for this internship? like is doing this internship supporting LGBTQ+ in some way? idk. i don’t think i would take the internship, because not every opportunity is from God.. but i’m not sure how to explain that to her or if i’m even right in that?

thank you in advance!

Hmm...I have friends in the LGBTQ+ community, but I would: never condone homosexuality, transgenderism, etc. or attend a wedding of such persons. Why? Because of love. Because the Bible teaches clearly and plainly on such issues and there is no skirting around it. I must honor God. Yet I have friends in that community because I care about them very much and like them as people, but my soul hurts for their destination and living apart from God and I cannot condone what God says He hates. How can I love and embrace what God calls evil? I cannot. Which is why I also cannot embrace a spouse cheating on their husband, sex before marriage, pornography use, etc. Sexual immorality is a devastating evil prevalent in many human hearts and it is our downfall more often than not. Lord, deliver us. And He does, but we don't respond. Anyway...back to your friend: I don't think it would be bad to seek people out and ask about their "coming out" stories, but I would not condone their choices. So I would have a hard time doing this project because I would have to bite my tongue and act as if I somehow condone this by highlighting these stories. The issue is this though: the root is that your friend is working with someone who is a part of that community and is 100% focused on that community, what did they expect? So I would not align myself in partaking in research/an internship with someone with celebrates willful sinful lifestyles against God's creative order.

For example of another sexual perversion: if I was to align myself with doing research with a professor who is a proponent of pedophilia I would expect that any projects with this person would be, in their own way, a proponent of pedophilia. I would be careful who I align myself with. We are to honor the Lord and His Word first and foremost: He will take care of the results.

Even though I care deeply about people who are homosexual, I love God more and cannot condone that which He hates. I have compassion for them because who would I be without Christ? Really, what made me to differ besides His grace and studying His Word and knowing what He teaches? What do I have that I haven't received? I have compassion, but I cannot turn my back on God.

"Much of our difficulty as seeking Christians stems from our unwillingness to take God as He is and adjust our lives accordingly. We insist upon trying to modify Him and bring Him nearer to our own image." – Aiden Wilson Tozer

[hacash]

Series asks:

• The Terror

• The Musketeers

• the last movie you watched

Marvellously the last film I watched was LOTR, which makes this beautifully easy! Also I want to sue for making me choose just one husband-candidate from the Terror character list, this is nothing but pure biphobia.

The Terror

Character I’d want as a best friend. - Depending on my mood it would either be Bridgens (sweet, gentle, loves books, will clearly be a comforting presence) or Fitzjames (gossipy, kinda bitchy, would enjoy drag brunch and hopefully sharing his fabulous wardrobe with me).

Character I’d want as a parent. – I was going to say MacDonald, as he’s just so nice and dry-witted and shaped like kindness, but honestly one of the fundamental rules of life is that you can't think your parent is hot and Charles Edwards remains an absolute dish, so it's gonna have to be Captain 'Grumpy Pants' Crozier here.

Character I’d want as a sibling. - Irving, my troubled dweeby little baby queer: I have so many queer Christian groups to share with you.

Character I’d want as a significant other. – SOL TOZER. LOOK AT MY TAGS. THIS MUCH IS APPARENT. He's loyal, he's snarky, he's genuinely protective of his men, he's the hottest one of the bunch and clearly takes orders well: which is basically my dream husband. Because I'm greedy I will also dub Fitzjames and Hartnell as very close runners-up: two absolute Good Eggs who also happen to be very pretty.

Character I’d want as a child. – Honest to God, if I could pop baby Thomas Evans into a sling like a baby kangaroo and carry him around all day, I would, with his curls and his pinchable cheeks and his heartbreaking loyalty to his buddies.

Character I’d want as a weird inlaw. – There is only one possible right answer for this, and that answer is Thomas ‘Monsterfucker’ Blanky.

BBC Musketeers

Character I’d want as a best friend. - Porthos, 100% the best musketeers of the bunch.

Character I’d want as a parent. – Obviously Captain Treville; apparently a specific blorbo-type I have is ‘gruff figure of authority who would die for anyone under their command’ and Treville was definitely a foundational blorbo here.

Character I’d want as a sibling. - Sylvie only had a single series and I'm still gutted about it; not only do I think she'd be a great sibling but we could overthrow the government together.

Character I’d want as a significant other. – I didn't spend several years spamming your feeds with reams of d'Artagnan gifsets and meta not to dub him my honorary husband now.

Character I’d want as a child. – Aramis: granted he’s an adult man but I feel like he needs a full-time parent just to tell him what not to put his dick in.

Character I’d want as a weird inlaw. – Can you imagine going to family dinners and having Louis as an in-law? Those meals would be so messy, I would absolutely love that.

LOTR

Character I’d want as a best friend. – I would argue that pretty much the entire point of the trilogy is ‘you will never get a best friend better than Samwise Gamgee’, so obviously my answer’s gotta be Sam. We both like gardening, planting, being snarky little shits and loving Frodo Baggins so we’d probably get on.

Character I’d want as a parent. – Absolutely Theoden: Bernard Hill’s delivery of ‘no parent should ever have to bury their child’ ruined me twenty-two years ago and honestly I’ve never quite recovered. (He makes such a good dad!!)

Character I’d want as a sibling. – Boromir is the archetypal big brother; I would bond with him over adorable hobbits and being aspec so so much.

Character I’d want as a significant other. – My little eleven-year-old self’s crush on both Pippin and Merry was a significantly formative period in my life, so honestly, either of them. They’re both Good Eggs, we can bond over cooking, Pippin can make me laugh lots and Merry can compensate for my utter inability to plan anything ever.

Character I’d want as a child. – Those two adorable baby hobbit kiddos played by Peter Jackson's kids.

Character I’d want as a weird inlaw. – Gandalf is the only weird inlaw.

[pomodoriyum]

i love that its billy who gives hickey the idea for the mutiny. and i love that hickey seems— if not apprehensive— perhaps cautious? about the idea

-

also. collins. aww horrible from supper you poor little guy

-

those rations look fuckign disgusting, jesus christ

hickeys eyes. big and wet like bug

silna staring at him :0

-

ooooof morfinn having. bad time /(

tozers lil ‘oh christ’ where he drops his lighthearted “im talking to the men” <3 voice

UHOHHHH <3

-

kwwping that secret is gonna backfire. woof

its quiet but james fitzjames is Doing Badly

tozer im so sorry why would you try to get hickey armed. did you thibk that wouldnt be suspicious as hell???????

THIS FACE IS SO FUCKING FUNNY. LIKE. HELLO?????

—

aw, goodsir. him crying is sooo. mmm. panic attack :,(

also that bed is fucking filthy jfc

SILNA <3

—

jopsons “oh thank you very much sir 😒” WAS SO FUNNY

promotion~ ! (not sure if jopson is actually happy abt this????)

—

HICKEYS FACE WHEN HODGE THINKS HES SUGGESTING HE STOLE SOMEONES FLESH LOL

^ he says ‘is that really what you think of me’ (george is RIGHT tho is the thing)

also georges lil ‘god blind me’ woof :3c

its so so clear that tozer is. gently threateninf hodg here. and hodge is Not Interested In This At All

—

i love how hickey is on the outside of the hunting party. hes not With Them. in the way that matters?

also parallels how hes pretty clearly not putting it in while hauling, and also has a reputation for not doing things that hes been asked to (‘layabout’ fits him really well)

—

hickey The Killerrrrrrr (nah tho its so fucked up. he only does this bc hes racist in the extreme!!!!! and like. hes very bitter about francis’s idea potentially working b/c itll take the legs out from under his little mutiny— and the numbers *still* wont work!) *slams his head into the ground*

irving. thank you for being the only normal person here about the inuit

also im sorry but that murder scene audio is so funny to me. help. the tonal switch is too abrupt

hickey. also. looks kind of confused for a second after hes finished killing irvin?? like???????

SCREAM flashback. i love how he fucking throws his bag down the ladder. what an ass. like what if that hit anyone????

^^

face of someone who is realizing that their whole ‘catch a trip to oahu’ idea is going to be more complicated than they thought

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Daily Cross Carrying

by Aiden Wilson Tozer

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." – Luke 9:23

Our Lord called men to follow Him but He never made the way look easy. Indeed one gets the distinct impression that He made it appear extremely hard. Sometimes He said things to disciples or prospective disciples that we today discreetly avoid repeating when we are trying to win men to Him. What present-day evangelist would have the courage to tell an inquirer, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it" (Matt. 16:24-25)? And do not we do some tall explaining when someone asks us what Jesus meant when He said, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law" (Matt. 10:34-35)? That kind of rugged, sinewy Christianity is left for an occasional missionary or for some believer behind one of the various curtains in the world. The masses of professed Christians simply do not have the moral muscle to enable them to take a path so downright and final as this. When will Christians learn that to love righteousness it is necessary to hate sin? that to accept Christ it is necessary to reject self? that to follow the good way we must flee from evil? that a friend of the world is an enemy of God? that God allows no twilight zone between two altogethers where the fearful and the doubting may take refuge at once from hell to come and the rigors of present discipline?

[bilgewater01]

2,3, 10, 22 for violence

2. I think every character would top or bottom given enough incentive; I make my faves bottom more often because I find that hotter but I do acknowledge they'd do either; however I don't think Des Voeux would bottom easily in his natural state. He doesn't trust anyone, he would not turn his back on you + he has more interesting things in mind + he wants to be called "Mr. Des Voeux" even in the relaxed social structure of mutiny camp, this is not a man who likes to be denigrated in any perceivable capacity (note: Des Voeux in my Devious is not the show version of the character therefore doesn't count, as for him propositioning Hickey in that one piss fic, well idk it fit there, really it isn't very rigid with me)

3. Worst take is something common among casual watchers and probably/hopefully not the fandom people; namely that Hickey is 100% evil and that Gibson was just his manipulated victim, something like "even the other gay guy was sick of Hickey's shit" when talking about the breakup scene

10. Either "Gibson overlooked the red flags on Hickey" (as he himself wasn't the worst boyfriend Hickey could ask for with that whole accusing him of rape at the slightest sign of adversity), or, something I am somewhat guilty of participating in, that Armitage wants to be a sex slave of the Marines and not a Marine himself. He didn't kill two of the unarmed natives himself only to be perceived as a "uuoohh pls daddy Tozer hold me in your strong arms and breed my boypussy until pregnant🥺🥺" (I do it more in the spirit of "by God I love the smell of Marine balls in the morning" which is funny and gives him some agency. I generally do not like men without agency, even or especially if they take it up the ass, it's 2yaoi4me you know)

22. The Terror, a novel by Dan Simmons from 2007 particularly the parts where Hickey and Manson ♥️

but serious answer regarding the show would be Hodgson's fucking Blood Meridian monologue

[psalmonesermons]

Following Jesus Part 2 What does Jesus expect of his followers? Here are three things that Jesus requires of his followers (disciples). 1. If we love Jesus, Jesus expects that we will obey him. John 14:15 If you love me, keep my commandments. What commandments – the three found in the New Testament; Love God, love your neighbour, love one another as I have loved you John 15:12 2. We are expected to follow his example Jesus told His disciples to follow Him, while He showed the disciples how to follow God. Jesus did not tell His disciples to follow other teachers; in fact, He warned against "false teachers" and rejected teachers of questionable beliefs. Paul followed the example of Jesus as he instructed believers to follow him, 1 Corinthians 11:1 “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ." It is scary thought to consider ‘just who are our children following today’? Our modern society "teachers/leaders" can include both people and peers and even the media. Media includes influences such as educational curriculums, books, television, music, movies, gaming, internet, etc. This is an urgent need for people especially our children to see just who it is that we are following. Many people would rather follow someone on Twitter rather than follow Jesus in life. 3. Jesus expects His disciples to count the cost of following Him. In the book ‘Mere Christianity’ [1] C.S. Lewis put the idea of counting the cost like this: "The terrible thing, the almost impossible thing, is to hand over your whole self--all your wishes and precautions--to Christ. A.W. Tozer on this topic expressed it like this: "Among the plastic saints of our times, Jesus has to do all the dying, and all we want to hear is another sermon about his dying." Part of following Jesus is being willing to put the self-life to death. Rom 6:11a Think (reckon) of yourselves as dead to sin. Death to self is NOT optional for Christians- We need to count the cost of following Jesus and the effects it will produce in our lives. It is a sobering thought to read- Mat 10:38 anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Amen Personal Prayer [1] C S Lewis Mere Christianity Chapter 23: 24 https://www.instagram.com/p/Co5lTGvIIJr/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[yhwhrulz]

Morning and Evening with A.W. Tozer Devotional for December 16

Tozer in the Morning SPIRITUAL CONFIRMATION

The human personality has a right to be consciously aware of a meeting with God. There will be a spiritual confirmation, an inward knowledge or witness! This kind of confirmation and witness was taught and treasured by the great souls throughout the ages. Conscious awareness of the presence of God! I defy any theologian or teacher to take that away from the believing church of Jesus Christ! But be assured they will try. And I refer not just to the liberal teachers. God has given us the Bible for a reason - so it can lead us to meet God in Jesus Christ, in a clear, sharp encounter that will burn on in our hearts forever and ever. When the Bible has led us to God and we have experienced God in the crisis of encounter, then the Bible has done its first work. That it will continue to do God's work in our Christian lives should be evident!

Tozer in the Evening Looking Beyond the Created World to the Creator

To persons brought up in the Judaeo-Christian tradition the thought that anyone should actually worship nature seems absurd, but we have only to step across into almost any of the cultures we call pagan to learn that such worship has been and still is common enough. Indeed there is scarcely a natural object anywhere that has not been worshiped by someone.

The created world is to be prized for its usefulness, loved for its beauty and esteemed as the gift of God to His children. Love of natural beauty which has been the source of so much pure music, poetry and art is a good and desirable thing. Though the unregenerate soul is likely to enjoy nature for its own sake and ignore the God whose gift it is, there is nothing to prevent an enlightened Christian who loves God supremely from loving all things for God's dear sake. This would appear to be altogether in accord with the spirit of the psalms and the prophets, and though there is less emphasis upon nature in the New Testament much appreciation of natural things may be found there also.

Copyright Statement This material is considered in the public domain.

[saints-who-never-existed]

Rereading The Terror

Chapter Forty-Five: Blanky

The end is nigh for poor Blanky and I for one am heartbroken!

He's on his third leg now. The first was finely crafted but snapped off around the time that Pilkington and Le Vesconte (Blanky calls him Harry) died. That day he rode in a boat with Mr Honey the carpenter who fashioned him a new one, rather impressively, while on the move.

When he's up and hobbling along once more he does all he can to show solidarity with the men. They're doing things just as Blanky describes to Fitzjames in the show - carrying half a load a day's march then doubling back for the other half. And even though Blanky himself can't carry much or haul at all, he still tries to do those things anyway and makes a point of marching in both directions alongside the other men.

The only thing that's really keeping him going is the thought of being able to take to the water in the boats and put his ice master's knowledge to good use once more. It's come up a few times now, this notion that many of the men who survive longest and show the fewest signs of illness are those who have the most to live for and Blanky's definitely in that group, I think. There's even more immediacy to his situation though: "Still, it was not only his usefulness that was being decided by the ice, but his survival... once the ice master was at sea again, he would survive... If he could last until they took to the boats, Thomas Blanky would live."

Then, of course, there is Tuunbaq, still stalking them on their journey south and coming for Blanky first, so he believes. And, to be fair, that's an astute assessment of things - his leg is in a sorry state indeed and he leaves a trail of blood for it to follow wherever he goes, after all.

Blanky does what he can to hide the extent of it, sweltering in his greatcoat long after the other men are hauling in their shirt sleeves in the comparative heat of summer. "I'm cold-blooded, boys" He'd said with a laugh. "My wooden leg brings the chill of the ground up into me. I don't want you to see me shiver." :(((

Blanky reflects on a few other events as he hobbles painfully along. He recalls that two other men have died of the same tin-based poisoning that killed Fitzjames (though Richard Aylmore remains unaffected). And he notes that, even with the temperature rising, the men are plagued by frostbite still as well as snowblindness and headaches from refusal to wear their mesh goggles. One man notes that "wearing the God-damned wire goggles was as difficult as trying to see through a pair of lady's black silk drawers but much less fun." which is very amusing to me.

Blanky is especially aware of these medical issues as he's begun to help Goodsir where he can. Interestingly, Goodsir trusts Blanky not only to fetch things from the locked medicine chest but seemingly trusts him not to blab about the final secret vial of laudanum he's got in there, despite lying to the men that it's all gone.

Blanky also notes, heartbreakingly, how their minds and very identities as sailors are deteriorating away along with their bodies: "Sailors who had tied off complicated rigging and shroud knots in the roaring darkness fifty feet out on a pitching spar two hundred feet above the deck on a stormy night off the Strait of Magellan during a hurricane blow could no longer tie their shoes in the daylight."

When his third leg finally snaps, Blanky sits down on a rock and accepts his fate. It's gut-wrenching just like the show but also funny as Blanky finds opportunity to be sassy to both Tozer ("He had always enjoyed irritating the stupid sergeant by using his first name.") and Crozier.

He doesn't have quite the same close relationship with Crozier as in the show, though there's clearly still respect and some love there. They argue the matter a little but Crozier respects his decision, offering him a water bottle and promising to get word of Blanky's fate back to his family (although, as with Irving and his supposed Bristol-based upbringing, Blanky's family and home in Kent (?!!) are details that Simmons apparently pulls right, infuriatingly, from his arse)

It is after midnight when Tuunbaq finally appears. Blanky greets it like an old friend ("Welcome back," said Thomas Blanky to the shadowy silhouette on the ice.") before meeting his fate grinning fiercely all the while. "You're late," said Blanky. He could not help it that his teeth were chattering. "I've been expecting you for a long time." Unlike with the front he put up for the men beforehand, Blanky knows it doesn't matter anymore if Tuunbaq sees him shivering... :(((

[yhwhrulz777]

Morning and Evening with A.W. Tozer Devotional for October 26

Tozer in the Morning Gazing Upon Christ

We have all seen the person who begins all arguments with the unassailable proposition that he is right and reasons from there. We have received a few letters which purported to settle all questions, not by bringing forth reasons, but by establishing the writer's qualifications to pronounce judgment. "How dare you question my actions," he says. "I am the foremost leader in my field. I have written this many books and spoken to this many people over a long period of this many years." Ergo, I am not to be trifled with, nor are my opinions to be questioned. If I do it, it is right. Ispe dixit. He has said it.

This kind of thing would be comical if it were not tragic. We mention it only to point up the truth under present consideration and to show by horrible example what long continued self-assurance will do to a human character. Let the public accept a man as unusual, and he is soon tempted to accept himself as being above reproof. Soon a hard shell of impenitence covers his heart and chokes his spiritual life almost out of existence. The cure, if there is to be a cure, would be simple, of course. Let him look to his past and to the cross where Jesus died. If he can still defend himself after that, then let him look into his own heart and tell what he finds there. If after that he can still boast, close the coffin lid.

Tozer in the Evening Being Who We Are

This need for external support for our sagging faith accounts for the introduction into religious activities of that welter of shoddy claptrap that has become the characteristic mark of modern Christianity. . . .

To guarantee immunity to this disease of the heart, we must cultivate a spirit of faith and humility. This works as an antibody to destroy the moral bacteria that cause bloat and distention.

If we have faith, we will be concerned only with what God thinks of us. We can smile off man's opinion, whether it be favorable or unfavorable, and go our God-appointed way in complete confidence. The excited devotees of the twin gods Publicity and Reputation will race past us with no more than a pitying glance. The self-acknowledged Great of the kingdom, the Eminent, the Outstanding will ignore us or patronize us or perhaps seek to cultivate us for their ends. We in the meantime will step neither to the right hand nor to the left. We will honor all men, be courteous to everyone, love our Christian brothers, glorify God and fear nobody.

It takes a lot of courage and independence of mind to insist upon being just what we are, and no more. But when the Lord comes, we will not have cause to regret that we did.

Copyright Statement This material is considered in the public domain.

[lindajenni]

jan 12

familiar friday - the pursuit of God

"when gideon came to the jordan, he and the three hundred men who were with him crossed over, exhausted but still in pursuit." judges 14:14 i had a dear friend write me the other day.  she is a fairly recent friend but one that has entered my heart with the warmest of welcomes.  she wrote me the other day about one of the dailies i had written.  it was just a short note commenting about it's content. since i am relaying her message anonymously, i feel safe in repeating it here.  "beautiful, linda. always, just beautiful. how could anyone every read these tributes and not want to know the Jesus YOU KNOW????" i do not repeat this in any way to try to lift up myself.  i only want all of you to know, "this is indeed my mission ... to make you want to know the Jesus I KNOW".  He has at last become the greatest desire of my heart.  for years i wandered around in the dark.  for years i ignored His gentle tugs at my heart and sought to find happiness in things transient and unfulfilling.  but He was always there, waiting to greet me as the Father did the prodigal son.  not just waiting, but rushing out to greet him and celebrate his return.  yes, he was returning; returning from the filth and squalor the world had finally driven him to.  it is the only outcome that can be in a heart that has not prepared a place for our Lord. "the thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.  I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."  john 10:10  he will entice you with pleasures, fame and fortune.  he may grant you these for awhile.  he offered our Lord the kingdoms of the world if He would just bow down to Him.  it would truly be a foolish heart to give what he could never lose for that which he could never keep. i love the book "the pursuit of God" by aw tozer.  we are all in the pursuit of God.  our God has set it up this way.  "truly You are God, who hide Yourself, o God of israel, the savior!"  isa 45:15 it is like the verse from a poem i know.  "take heart and let the thought of God allure you further on."  our pursuit of knowing Him can be a most fulfilling task in itself.  ah, but the finding.  shall we ever know the finding of all that He is?  eternity will not be long enough for such a task.  all the goodness, all the holiness, all the love, all the many perfect things that make Him God.  the pursuit - yes it is worth it; worth it a thousand times over to me.  "there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul."  deut 4:29 if you've never felt the release of all the shame and guilt and hopelessness, it is there waiting for you.  often it is at the rock bottom.  we often have to reach the end of ourselves.  from the bottom there is no place to look but up and up is where He is.  "a broken and a contrite heart — these, o God, You will not despise."  psa 51:17 do i want you to know this God i love and serve also?  with all my heart.  would that my heart extended to the lengths the apostle paul's did, but it does not.  "for i could wish that i myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh."  yes, i love you but i am in the pursuit of my God and i will not let go.  follow not me.  follow Him! i leave you with this invitation and warning from the word of God.  "know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts.  if you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever."  1 chron 28:9 i pray you will begin your pursuit today.  if you already have, intensify it.  seeking and finding will be one's reward over and over again.  try as we might, we can't never out give God.

[stovepiperat]

terror camp ‘22 day 1: an informal reclist

HOW A-FUCKING-BOUT that CAMP huh guys!! Good shit!! Anyway, here’s two (variably) related recs (that weren’t previously mentioned in the server, to the best of my knowledge!) for every TC22 panel. Just because. 

Please click through to AO3 to see full individual taglists, warnings etc. Other half of this post is in progress. Also, you may have noticed that the descriptions get a little bare-bones as the post goes on. This is because I am slapdash and sleepy. Sorry. But please let me know if I need to fix anything, as always!

(Get in contact with the mods at terror.camp to get access to recordings and Discord!!) 

‘There Will Be Poems’: Franklin, The Terror and the Noble Failure Narrative

Principles of Magnetism (a Comedy of Manners) by acaramelmacchiato (Fitzier, 21k)

Less horrific consequences than in canon, but this IS a noble failure narrative, one which, fittingly enough, pivots nimbly around a pastiche of Britishness and features the futility of attempting to reason with Sir John Franklin.

the waiting room by Ias (Fitzier, 10k) 

Maybe the real noble failure narrative was the delirious, calcifying regrets that haunted us along the way. I think there are deeper reasons this fic relates to the theme, but it would be a disservice to its understated angst for me to try and drag it all out and dissect it here.

Imperial Apparitions: Victorian Periodicals and the Search for Franklin (1848-1860)

My Name Is John Franklin And I Like To Fuuuuuuuuuck by Charlotte_Stant (Lady Jane, 1k)

I know the title is... but it’s a Lady Jane character study! I promise! Gosh, speaking of things I love about Terror fandom, EXEfest is so neat.

Three Winters, Four Springs by halotolerant (Fitzier, 50k)

“Han,” I hear you say, “I love psychic wolf sex, but what does it have to do with contemporary British imperialist propaganda takes on the lost Franklin expedition?” Well, that’s a fair question, but there’s some really fascinating worldbuilding specifically relating to the gaps between the filthy, miserable, selfish-surviving reality of expedition life and the memoirs that make mint on it.

Always Simple & Sincere: Protestant Doctrine & Difference In The Franklin Expedition

Like Unto a Man by disenchanted (Hickey/Crozier, 6k)

Crozier has weird psychic powers like in the book, but good. This fic is basically just him lying there and unwillingly astral projecting into Hickey’s sex memories but he is very Protestant about it, somehow.

old habits die hard by MOUSE9000 (Terror lieutenants, 5k) I don’t really want to explain how EXACTLY the modern AU vampire roommates and their ambiguous relationships are kinda Protestant with it, but they are.

The C, the C, the open C: Classics and The Terror

A More Appropriate Hole by chatterleysghostwriter (Hodgson/Dundy, 6k)

Hodglove, Catullus, having an ever-so-slightly anachronistic depressionwank. What more could you need?

Ex Illustri Vagantium Ordine by annecoulmanross (Fitzier, 3k)

Meta-classicism with a touch of everyone’s favorite (Latin footnotes.)

(I’m going to level with you guys 100%: I feel like probably most heavily classics-referencing fics in the fandom are Bridglar, which I don’t really read (just not my thing) and as such that’s just, like. A gap in my knowledge. Sorry, Bridglar, I don’t want to erase you from this narrative! If you want to add your own rec in reblogs, feel free.)

and sang no more: The Fictional and Historical Impact of Traditional Music in The Terror

all seasons, at all hours, and in all places by Gwerfel (3k, Hickey/Tozer) “Rat Catcher’s Daughter” song played for horror. Spooky and crawling.

A delightful God-fearing man by Lilliburlero (3k, Gibson/Irving)

Irving seeks out a songbook, in a delightful romp which also happens to be very well-cited.

Poetic afterlives of the Franklin Expedition

Something different for this one—let’s have a little fanpoetry!

Northwest Passages by kitsuneartemis

Spoon River Anthology, but make it The Terror.

An Arctic Sonnet by hangingfire

Sonnet 130, but make it Fitzier.

[hacash]

I'll be real my knowledge of who is 'qualified' to take this job is patchy at minimum, but thinking of who else among the semi-senior folks could do it is even funnier

mcdonald – literally the only person on that ship that I would trust to deliver any sort of sermon. he probably spends two hours rambling on about medicine and nature and bizarre scientific discoveries in a way that is technically about the 'glory of creation', but only mentions one bible verse and in a very bizarre context. survivors of sir john's sunday sermons vow that this is definitely an improvement. blanky – would try to fistfight god. could probably tell a sermon which would probably cause irving to simultaneously faint and have a religious re-awakening all in one go.

tozer – as the senior ranking marine who non-marines refer to as ‘sir’, could potentially get lumbered with this duty. however as tozer's approach to religion is probably comparable to brian blessed in blackadder - 'love thy neighbour as thyself, unless he's my enemy in which case kill the bastard' - he probably only has to do it once.

stanely – oh please god no.

hickey’s mention of ‘sir john’s sunday services’ makes me wonder who took over that job once franklin dies. you’d think that, at least on the ships, they’d try and keep religious services going as long as possible to keep up the routine: on a navy ship I would expect there to be some parson or chaplain but I can’t seem to find one on the list of personnel, and anyway it’s much funnier to imagine the task falling to one of the luckless officers. maybe crozier believes in god but at least at the start of the expedition he’s essentially a naytheist: he might believe in the almighty but that doesn’t mean he likes him. fitzjames probably has a faith but he clearly has too many daddy issues to preach about a heavenly father with any degree of detachment and would manage to get out of it. dundy only really believes in the god of good hair. poor irving’s so tangled up in knots by his faith that he couldn’t compose a single sermon to save his life.

I suppose hodgson could do a decent job, but honestly it’s funnier to imagine the role falling to little. the man is the best example of a divine chew-toy it’s possible to get. he’s the epitome of divine disfavour. every sunday he has to preach about an all-loving god and just…look at his life. look at him. this is not a sterling advertisement of the joys of a christian life.

(is he saying we should live a good pure life like him then? manson asks innocently.

nah, I don’t think so, magnus, says hartnell. look what that did for him.)

[charliemack]

MORE Erebus & Terror crew as seats in an 8+ (2nd boat*)

For those of you who enjoyed the first Terror lineup post, have another.

Stroke/8: TOZER. Used to be in the 1st 8 (5 seat and if he'd stayed they would have medalled easy) but left because he hated not being stroke. Regrets it hourly. He wants to take it back so bad but you can never go home again Solomon

7: ARMITAGE. Look, y’all. Rowers are fit and tan and at least 40% naked at all times (with the remaining 60% wrapped in lycra) and sometimes you just wanna sit behind a hot jock and stare at their lats for 2 hours 3 x week. On the bright side, these two have a stroke so matched it brings a tear to the eye of god himself.

6: HARTNELL. Listens to every call. Tries so, so hard. You actually really love it when the coach tells you to drop to bow 6 because his technique is 💯😘. He’s got a consistent ratio and rolls up early so he’s just so, so easy to follow. Sadly technique and an earnest heart aren’t enough to control a boat of 8 men who love to rush the slide, you need to be an asshole too. So he’s kind of peaked TBH. Coach’s pet.

5: MANSON. Again, 5 seat is where you put your Largest Boys. 5 seat is also a starboard seat (usually, though you starboard-stroke rigged types are worthy of respect), so as long as he’s got his head in the game and follows the guy in 6 seat, he’ll lift the boat out of the water almost all by himself. Do as you’re told, Manson. No talking in the boat.

4: GIBSON. Yes, it’s a waste to have a tall skinny guy in the engine room but the man can drive and he’s very precise. V-splash on the catch every time. Has his eyes on stroke seat and is plotting m-u-t-i-n-y. Very creepy. Says weird stuff in his weird voice while you’re waiting to launch.

3: BOBBY. Way too young. Honestly shouldn’t be rowing at this level at all. 3 seat is the place he’ll do the least amount of harm. No talking in the boat. Shut up and drive, Bobby. 

2: DES VOEUX. Watching. Full of thinky-thoughts. Guilty of taking little sneaky strokes if he thinks the point is off which - GOD. There’s a lot of shit that pisses me off about rowers but the Super Genius in the bow who likes to scoop little oarfulls of water up and let it splashy-splash down deserves every crab they catch. IDGAF if we docked perfectly CHUCKLES quit fucking around with your goddamn oar. 

1: PEGLAR. Despite, well ... (gestures to everything above) the set on this boat is utterly toothsome. That’s because of Peglar, who is a tiny man but has also been doing this a lot longer than you might think cuz he’s got chronic babyface and the beard isn’t fooling anyone. Able to roll through every wake with the grace of a Buddha. Doesn’t hang out with these guys outside of the shellhouse which, I mean ... would you?

—

Coxwain: GOODSIR. Tiny bearded man. He does not shout. His voice comes to you through the speaker box like an angel from the skeg. He will say the warmest, most inspiring words you have ever heard. He will give the crew hugs after the 1st boat beats you in practice again. You bend your oar for this man because he believes in you. Until. UNTIL you cross The Line. Until you shout something rude at his friend Silna in her kayak. Until you show off and break equipment. Until you don’t pull into your marks and release late, for chrissake there is just no excuse for this. LAZY. Until - and this is a mortal sin in rowing - you’re not in the boat when it’s time to launch and you scratch your heat. And whatever your transgression, WHEN THAT HAPPENS, you are dead to him. D-E-A-D except Goodsir speaks to the dead and so he will tell you, to. your face, how you specifically have failed your crew. 

*in rowing, the same school/club will often enter two boats in the same race which means that you’re competing against your family as well as those assholes from the other college/clubhouse. As you might expect this can cause p-p-problems!