Saved!
Apparently, while the boys are away, I watch a lot of movies, and then post about them here. This will stop when the boys get back, I'm sure.
Today I watched "Saved!" which is about a teenaged girl (Mary) who finds her voice and wrestles with her faith. It's actually quite a funny movie. At the start of the movie she finds out her boyfriend is gay and she goes about trying to ungayify him and ends up pregnant. And she has a hypocritical, intolerant friend.
My favortite scenes were:
-when she's thinking she might be pregnant she watches this movie about a woman who had cancer and how she found out she had cancer. Movie lady had been throwing up every morning and had missed her period so she got a pregnancy test and found out she wasn't pregnant, she had cancer. And Mary says "You can find out all that from a pregnancy test?"
-when the 'bad' girl and wheelchair boy see her coming out of Planned parenthood, the girl says "There's only one reason a good Christian girl would be down here" and the boy says "To plant a pipe bomb?" and the girl replies "Well, two reasons"
What I thought was good about the movie was that it showed it is important to figure things out for yourself. It is important to ask questions. It is important not to take things at face value just because someone says it is so. That noone is 100% perfect. That everyone makes mistakes.
What I didn't like was that it seemed to indicate that making decisions is about what makes you happy. If you are miserable, it can't be God's will and if you are happy, it must be God's will. There are lots of things in life that people enjoy that do not line up with the Bible. I think our feelings are a very poor barometer for what God's will is or isn't.
Legally Blonde 2
Well, I thought this would be a fluff film and in some ways it was as Elle herself is a bit over the top on the fashion/mood swing thing, but in another way it is a movie that seems to be a critism of how the American political system works. So there you go- American political commentary wrapped in fluff.
There are some things I needed to hear in the movie though (not that I got them directly from the movie- they were more
inspired by the movie.
1. When people oppose you, don't take it personal. With Elle she got all these mood swings when things didn't go her way. But things won't always go your way in life and not everyone will agree with you. That's just the way it goes, don't take it personal.
2. Never take second best. In the movie Elle was offered a buyout if she didn't push her bill and it sounded real nice, but it wasn't what she was called to do. Don't give up the dream. Don't take less than you deserve.
3. When you know what's right, attack head on, your way. Be yourself and stand for what you believe in. Sometimes doing it your way may seem odd to others. Elle realized she couldn't make ground doing it the 'washington' way, but she made ground by reaching peoples hearts (and some other odd ways).
Why do things I need to hear these days come wrapped in fluff films?
Born to live
I watched the "Big Fat Greek Wedding" movie today (I know I'm about 4 years behind the movie scene). I enjoyed it. It was funny but it also made me think. I liked seeing Toula's transformation, but think that she was just as attractive before she 'looked pretty' and I was glad that they made it seem like Ian liked her when she was in her "frumpy phase" as well.
The line that intereseted me though was when the mother is explaining to Toula why they came to America she says something like 'I gave birth to you so that you would have life. Live!' and I got to thinking how God did the same thing. He made a way for us to have life, but instead of living we get caught up in the mundane and the depressing parts. I want to live the life God has for me in it's fullness. I just want to savour every moment.
Unbeing dead isn't being alive.-e. e. cummings
From the book of common prayer "Give us such an awareness of your mercies, that our hearts may be sincerely thankful, and that we may show forth your praise not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days"
Christmas
Today was my first Christmas that I spent at my house. Normally, we are at my parents'. One year we went to Moncton. This year, the boys are now in Moncton. James has been so excited about the trip and he was so excited in the morning. So, so excited that he slept all the way through the Toronto-Moncton flight.
Zully said today that I probably won't be sleeping well, as I had hoped, but I think he will be wrong!
I had lunch with Kim and Zully, then came home and worked on cleaning the house. I scrubbed James' room and sorted his toys.
It is funny to be here and it to be so quiet.
It is funny to be here and not have a schedule. I can eat my meals when I want and watch movies when I want.
Zully is coming by about 5 tomorrow to pick up the birds and then I will be free to paint. Still have lots of cleaning to do before I get to that point!
Birth
Both Jordin and Karla had baby boys this week. So glad they all seem to be safe. For me, birth seems terribly scary. When I had James, I was ignorant of what was to come. I am so glad that I have him, because every day I love him more. He is a light in my life. But go through all that again? It's hard to imagine. I would need to be stronger and less selfish. Just thinking of birth constricts me, it is even hard to pray. (Edited to add: Before I scare Marlene to bits- it was the C-section and associated problems that freak me out. The labour before that was painful, but I could have got over that, it was the nastiness that came after. I talked to my doctor about it and she said that most women, the pain from the memory of the birth-day fades, but, she said, evidently not with you!)
Perfection (con't)
Thanks to Layla and Rab for weighing in. I was talking about it with Annette the other day. That we have the resources to require more of ourselves. That I need to require more of myself, not through guilt and beating myself down but that I have the resources to set the bar higher for myself. That there are things in my life that I keep failing at, that I can see as possible to not fail again next time.
On another note, I was at
eija's blog and she had this question and answer thing and I realized that I am not very normal when it comes to Christmas holiday decorating. I have no tree or decorations and really have no desire TO have any. James will have 2 trees, one in St. Catharines and one in Moncton, so I'm not feeling to bad for him. But I really don't like decorating.
(edited to add: after writing this I read
an article in the Toronto Star (not sure if the link will work)about how the Earth is the loser in this season with the trash and waste of the season and at least I can say I have almost a zero Footprint Christmas. However, my boys don't because they are flying and that causes carbon pollution!)
Perfection
Last night Sandy and I went out to the Goat. We talked about some John Wesley work she was reading and how he talks about how a Christian should not have sin in their lives. Any at all. That's setting the bar high. But attainable if we spend a lot of time reading the Bible and in prayer, I would think. It's just hard to find that time!
For Erin and Savannah
Missing you
Little hands, little feet
An empty playpen
An empty heart
A young girl transformed
By the love you gave
A young mother transformed
By the love taken away
From hard to soft
From light to dark
Is there anywhere to land?
Birth control
Not that anyone other than my doctor ever asks me, and I don't know why she bothers. We've been married 9 years and only got pregnant with james when we were trying, I think we have this under control so far. But if they do ask, I will say World of Warcraft Birth control and refer them to
this video
Fork
"Father, make me a crisis man (woman). Bring those I contact to decision. Let me not be a milepost on a single road; make me a fork, that men (women) must turn one way or another on facing Christ in me."Jim Elliot
