Over the weekend, I dived into a fascinating series of lectures on The Hobbit by Joseph Pearce. If you're not familiar with his work, he's written extensively about the deeper layers of Tolkien's stories, especially their Catholic themes. But this lecture series really opened my eyes to something I hadn’t fully appreciated before: the role of grace and providence in Bilbo’s adventure.

A lot of people dismiss certain events in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings as mere "luck." But Tolkien himself saw luck as something much deeper—what he would call Providence. Those seemingly improbable moments, like the dwarves arriving at Rivendell just in time for the moonlight to reveal the hidden map, aren’t just convenient storytelling tricks. They reflect a worldview where things happen for a reason, guided by an unseen hand. Providence in Tolkien’s world is, in many ways, the opposite of the will of the One Ring. The Ring manipulates and coerces, while Providence works gently, almost imperceptibly, to bring about the good.

This perspective reshaped how I see The Hobbit. I’ve always preferred The Lord of the Rings because it felt deeper and more mature, but now I realize The Hobbit has just as many profound layers.

Speaking of The Hobbit—LEGO fans, brace yourselves! A new Lord of the Rings LEGO set has leaked, and it’s stunning. This time, we’re getting a large-scale version of the Shire, a more horizontal design that expands on the classic Bag End set. It’s detailed, full of minifigures (including Gandalf and his iconic cart), and might just be as impressive as last year’s Rivendell set. Yes, it’ll probably be expensive, but if you're a fan of Middle-earth, this looks like a must-have.

So, what do you think? Are you excited about the new LEGO set? And have you ever had a moment in your life that felt too perfectly timed to be just a coincidence?