Happy Birthday, Jack!

On November 29, 1898, Christian writer and scholar C.S. Lewis, one of modern Christianity's best-loved writers, is born in Belfast, Ireland. When Jack (his preferred nickname to Clives Staples!) was on earth, he was a conscientious correspondent, answering hundreds of letters from friends and fans personally -- and at least three books of his letters have been published: Letters to Malcom, Letters to an American Lady, and Letters to Children.

Let's celebrate Jack's birthday by writing virtual notes addressed to him. You can write your message in your own voice or else you can pretend you are one of the characters from the chronicles and write him a birthday wish.

Let's Celebrate!

Dear Jack,

Sometimes, I wonder what the world would be like if World War One had claimed your life, or if you had never followed your faith journey to its end. Apart from your influence, countless other Christian thinkers and leaders might have never known Jesus, and certainly would not have had their widespread influence. God has used your writings, and your imagination, and your unique life experience and worldview, to reach so many people, and the lives you have touched have gone on to influence others.

If you had died in World War One, my life, a century later, would be so different. I cannot even imagine who I would be, without the stories, beliefs, ideas, and friends that your vivid, lingering influence has brought into my life. Apart from your books, I never would have encountered many of the influences that make me who I am.

I'm so thankful that you were born, and I'm so thankful that you lived, and I'm so thankful that you came to know and follow Christ. God has used your work in an incredibly powerful way in my life alone, and you have touched countless others both directly and indirectly. I look forward to meeting you in the new heaven and the new earth that you so beautifully pictured in The Last Battle. I know that there will be countless people there who never would have known Jesus apart from Aslan, and never would have believed in God if not for your other writings. Thank for the way you spent your days on earth.

Further up and further in,

D

Dear Jack,

i was in 4th grade when my teacher Mrs. Blue first opened the door to the wardrobe as she read through all seven chronicles after lunch recess to my class. That year definitely was my favorite year; I was instantly drawn in by the wonder, humor, characters, and themes. Then I started meeting other Narnia lovers too with a delighted, "What, You too?!" instant bonding.

In 5th grade sometimes I would actually use my recess time drawing, coloring and then cutting out pictures of your characters from the chronicles with my friend Debbie. She specialized in drawing the animals and mythical creatures while I sketched the people. I think we filled at least two boxes with our paper figurines... and when we grew up she was one of my bridesmaids. So thank you, Jack, for your Narnia stories were a bridge to friendship for me.

I also love the way You came alongside me as a reader, giving me tips about life. For instance having read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, I would Never Ever pull the door tight if I entered a wardrobe, and I would certainly hope I would have the sense to clean my sword after using it. But the more life-changing power of your books lies in the way you unlock the imagination so I could truly emotionally grasp the immensity of sacrificial love, and I could viscerally sense the wonder and privilege of having a personal relationship with a Creator/Savior. Your stories transformed how I understood suffering, death, heaven, the cost of obedience, faith, vanity, self-image, forgiveness, and so much more. Narnia baptized my spirit.

It was a joy and a privilege for me to introduce others to Narnia over the years. I used to read one of your chronicles to my cabins when I was a camp counselor and my goodness that certainly motivated my campers to settle down at night like a charm! When I got married I introduced my husband to some of the Narnia stories he had not yet read, and he in turn shared some of your apologetical works with me. When we became parents, we really loved introducing our children to your stories, playing dramatized versions or audiobooks while we ran errands or took road trips. My daughter Eden once decorated a sun shield for my car's dashboard for Mother's Day, covering it with words that made her think of me. One of my favorite descriptors from that special gift is "Narniholic."

Starting this fall I am assisting Eden, who is leading UpVoice, a book club/hangout with her friends, all of whom have cognitive delays. They have just started The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and get together twice a month reading one chapter together and then they work through activities from a curriculum which is part of a literature-based character development research project from the University of Leeds, U.K. (and then they take turns picking a restaurant to walk to for dinner). I am not sure how many stateside groups or English classes are participating in this Narnian Virtues research project, but I would guess my daughter's club is probably one of the very few with a majority of members with special needs. One of the coolest parts of our involvement with Narnian Virtues is that my daughter --all on her own-- writes a script based on one of the scenes from the chapter for the evening, simplifying some of the words because, according to Eden, "Lewis uses a lot of big words that are not Down-syndrome-approved." You would really get a kick out of seeing her and her friends act out your story. So cool!

So thank you Jack for how you not only have enriched and impacted my life through Narnia (and through your other works I don't have time to elaborate on), but also how you are continuing to challenge and bless me and my family.

I look forward to meeting you in heaven so I can thank you in person...
Gratefully,
L