Christian Movies

 Louie and I started watching Breakthrough a few weeks ago, but the first thirty minutes are kind of painful. I just wasn't in the mood for it. But since I'd had it from the library for several renewals and knew it was based on a true story, I finished watching it myself. 

Simply amazing. I love the story. I'm curious now to read the book which Joyce Smith wrote after her son went through the ice and wasn't expected to survive. Our God is awesome!

Back of DVD blurb: "When Joyce Smith's (Chrissy Metz) adopted son John (Marcel Ruiz) falls through an icy Missouri lake, all hope seems lost as John lies lifeless. In the face of every bleak medical case history and dire scientific prediction, Joyce's unwavering belief inspires her community to pray for John's recovery. Based on the incredible true story, Breakthrough is an enthralling reminder that faith and love can create a mountain of hope, and sometimes even a miracle."

Those first thirty minutes though . . . ouch. She's being horrible to the new pastor. The angry adoptee lashes out. It made me think of watching Fireproof with friends after it had been highly recommended. The first chunk of the movie was husband and wife fighting. Loudly. Not an awesome cinematic experience.

Watching this made me curious to know more about the real people. I'm especially curious about the one rescue diver who heard a voice telling him to go back. Did he become a believer? I may need to get the book to read more! Or spend more time here.

Goofy Alarm Clocks

I don't know why I find things like this so amusing! These alarm clocks are ones I was tempted to buy the boys many, many years ago. I didn't, but hung on to these ads for some strange reason. I kind of wish I had just purchased them as a silly novelty; I think they would have enjoyed using them as tweens or teens. Perhaps in a decade, I can get something like this for Joshua . . . or myself!

Buildings and Ideas

Louie and I enjoy watching two Saturday morning shows on PBS: Woodsmith Shop and American Woodshop. We drink coffee, watch, and talk about projects. (One of the things I'm anticipating in Louie's retirement is him being able to make some of the things he's talked about making!)

One episode of American Woodshop had them making a barn workshop. I *love* that episode! The directions are theoretically online on their Facebook page, but I haven't taken the time to locate them.

I've been having fun working on plans for a garage at the lake. It's easily two years out (financially), so I'm just enjoying myself by thinking of possibilities. I'm not very good at construction "stuff," so I've been asking for input from others (Mike LaMoore, Nick, . . . )

Nick recommended a Netflix show called Grand Designs. For some reason, Netflix only has seasons 10 and 15 . . . We watched episode one together and I watched episode 2. Interesting stuff! We definitely aren't working with the kind of budgets those people are!

Last time we were at the lake, Louie was cutting some boards. The smell made me think of my dad's woodworking days and it made me happy / sad. Nostalgic, for sure.

I love seeing what Louie (and other woodworkers) create!

My Salvation Story!

I don't know why I've been putting this off . . . because it is extremely important for me. I guess I've been worried that my words / experience won't be compelling enough. God is good! His grace and mercy cover my weakness. He is more than enough!

Before I experienced a personal relationship with Jesus, I  was lost in selfishness, self-pity, and self-indulgence. I was trying to BE someone worthwhile on my own strength and not succeeding. I never felt good about myself or content with my life.

In high school, a lot of my friends talked about life as a question of biology and chemistry - you live, you die, you rot. I remember thinking, "That can't be all there is. There has to be more. Why do we dream, imagine, seek? There has to be more."

Coming to know Jesus as my savior has satisfied that desire for more. I experienced good preaching, praise and worship, Christ-centered fellowship, and the presence of God.

I finally let go of my own control and unforgiveness and accepted the gift of salvation.

It was not a single sudden moment as much as a process of questioning, seeking, and learning. I did go to a retreat where I realized that even though I don't and can't deserve God's love and forgiveness, God Loves Me! The God who created the universe loves me. Amazing!

With Jesus, I'm now saved and filled. I still struggle with life's challenges, but I am confident that God is with me always.

When I think about life after death, I am so glad to anticipate living for eternity instead of just for this short time on earth.

The more time I spend with the Lord in prayer and reading the Bible, the more my calm and peace grow. Even though I don't always show the fruits of the Spirit in my life (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control), I know that God is still working on me and I am glad that He is!

I welcome comments, questions, or observations. I am striving to obey God's direction for my life. I want to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. You can have life and have it abundantly!

Vacation 1997 - South Dakota

More decluttering. I can't believe I saved these! We had such an amazing trip, but I have photographs and my journal. This was the first time Louie and I took a TWO week vacation. We had all three boys plus Jude Hines. Nick brought his "white kitty" Beanie Baby. We joked that by the end of the trip, it was a grey kitty. Good times, good memories. These are just a few of the places we went to - not sure why I don't have brochures for Mount Rushmore, the weird "magnetic" house on a slant, the hydropower plant, etc.

We especially enjoyed the cave tours - very cool! And seeing Devil's Tower. We watched Close Encounters of the Third Kind at night in a nearby campground. What a good time!

(Added 7.17.2020)
I put the brochures in the bathroom to read before recycling. It's been fun! The science geek in me loves reading about the caves, the trees, etc. On the map of Wind Cave National Park I had written "north of Custer-Needles Hwy (87) - Sylvan Lake!" So of course I had to look up Sylvan Lake online. I really should check my journal - I probably wrote about why I enjoyed it so much. Here's the link to the lake which upon reading, perhaps I was excited that it is part of the National Treasure 2 movie . . . I really liked those movies.  

Awards I Used to Care About

I don't mean the blog post title in a depressive manner. Not at all! When a box of random stuff came out of our garage rafters and I saw that it was full of my awards from high school, I laughed. I thought I had already gotten rid of these! Back in my teen years, these were very, very important to me. Now they're irrelevant in my life. I took photographs and am blogging them because that's part of what I do to declutter my life - keep a digital "copy" and get rid of the originals.

One favorite memory of these awards is from thinking of my mom. When Louie and I decided to buy a house in Jordan, my mom was so mad at me that she boxed up all my awards (the only thing I had left at her house besides my wedding dress). It's not terribly logical, but that's what she did. (Both my sisters had a LOT more of their old possessions still at the Aldrich house . . . )

 Top left - I added this to the pile. I got it in District 112 within the last decade, but don't want to keep it.

McDonalds - hard to believe I got these for being a good crew member! The 1980s were different.

Kennedy H.S. - not sure what these were about, but I pried off the metal and plan to sand and re-use the wood forms for other projects.

Voice of Democracy - I competed each year that I knew about the contest and got some bling from the VFW. One year, I won first prize and some money!

Various Speech and Theatre trophies - these were the ones I really cared about as a teenager. The time I spent rehearsing, performing, and competing . . . rivaled time I spent on school work!

Now I'm just ready for them to go away. I hope someone can re-purpose them. I hate sending junk to the landfill if I can avoid it.

Vacation 1999 Memories

While doing some more decluttering of my house, I was able to recycle lots of pamphlets and miscellaneous papers from a trip we took to the West Coast in 1999 with all five of us and Louie's mom and dad. I didn't realize I had saved *all* the handouts . . . and still have photos, memories, journal entries, etc. to revisit that trip. However, in with all the "junk mail" of the trip were some pieces of paper.

There's a LOT of driving involved in going from Minnesota to California and back. We read books, played car games, and found other ways to entertain ourselves. But we played one game that I wanted to record here (from those random pieces of paper). Someone would suggest a theme and then we cast each person in the car into a role. Some of these I don't remember / understand, but most of them I do! Just putting this here for posterity and giggles. I've typed the info as it was hand-written on the sheets of paper (which are now in the recycle bin).

Seven Dwarves
Doc - Grandma Betty
Sleepy - Grandpa Lou
Sneezy - Morgan
Bashful - Louie
Dopey - Nick
Grumpy - Jeanne
Happy - Alex

Toy Story
Little Bo Peep - Jeanne
R.C. - Alex
Buzz Lightyear - Grandma
Rex - Morgan
Woody - Louie
Slink - Nick
Mr. Potato Head - Grandpa

??? (A video game? I should ask the boys)
Flik - Morgan
Old Queen - Grandma
Praying Mantis - Alex
Gypsy Moth - Jeanne
Potato Bug - Nick
Dim - Grandpa
Ladybug - Louie

Star Wars (I don't remember which one this is from. . . .)
Anakin - Nick
Obi Wan - Alex
Qui Gon Jinn - Louie
Jar Jar Binks - Morgan
Queen Amidala - Grandma
Padme - Jeanne
Mace Windu - Grandpa

Star Wars: A New Hope
Luke - Morgan
Han - Louie
Leia - Jeanne
Chewie - Alex
R2D2 - Nick
Obi Wan - Grandpa
C3PO - Grandma

Alice In Wonderland
White Rabbit - Nick
Alice - Grandma
Queen of Hearts - Jeanne
Cheshire Cat - Alex
Tortoise - Grandpa
Mad Hatter - Morgan
King of Hearts - Louie

Candy Bars
Snickers - Nick
Crunch - Morgan
100 Grand - Jeanne
Twix - Alex
Reese's PB Cups - Louie
3 Musketeers (soft middle) - Grandpa
Dove bar - Grandma

Beanie Babies
Radar - Nick
Princess Dye - Grandma
Hiss - Alex
Nanook - Morgan
Flip - Jeanne
Canyon - Louie
Legs - Grandpa

I remember the laughing and discussing, but not the details of how these titles came to be . . . though now I want to Google the Beanies to see what they are. Fun times!

Yogurt Dots for Teething Babies

Once upon a time, I had a photo of this, but I don't know where it is.

A brilliant young friend of mine had teething babies (twins) and she took some strawberry yogurt and dropped small dollops (dime-sized) onto a cookie sheet covered with wax paper. She put those in the freezer and ended up with yummy, safe teething objects.

Brilliant! Yummy, healthy, easy. I just gave my kids a handful of frozen peas . . . 

 

Found the pic! (2021.01.09)

 

My Siblings Are So Talented!

I should be posting about all three of my siblings with a title like that. But today I'm focusing on one: Ann. She can create art in so many different mediums! She weaves, dyes, sews, and so much more. She is also a member of Minnesota's Textile Center. As such, she has a piece hanging in the member show. Joshua and I got there to see it in person before the show closed (and before Covid-19 had us all staying home).

Here we are, admiring Ann's piece in the gallery:

I had asked a volunteer to take our photo. I probably should have cropped it . . .

Below are the scans of the postcard advertisement sent out for the annual show. I love that Ann has done this for many years! I wish I were organized enough to share photos of some of her other years' entries.

She is so talented!

Options

Saturday, March 7, 2020

Commitments have dissolved. The day is gorgeous. We have so many home projects to do! Louie is diligently moving from one stated goal to the next, completing one before moving to the next. I am in a tizzy, overwhelmed by options and a lack of direction. I've done a little of this, a little of that . . . and need to make something a priority! I think I'll start with prayer. . .

Fart Humor

I was trying to decide whether to put this on my reading blog, my mom and dad blog, or here! It fits on any of those places, but it's mostly a random musing.

My mom was very open about her gas "issues" and we joked about farting a lot. Here's one book I think she owned:

The Gas We Pass: The Story of Farts by Shinta Cho is actually pretty interesting in explaining how gas happens. It's also a bit crude / entertaining for kids who like scatological humor.



She farted a lot. It was often quite smelly. As a family, we had a lot of jokes about it. She was also a third grade teacher, and third graders absolutely lose it when someone farts. I'm not sure if she bought the book to use in her classroom or just got it for her own library and entertainment . . . 







She also owned a copy of Everyone Poops by Taro Gomi. I grabbed a photo from the publisher. I've found that most kids are really fascinated by these books. 













 A book that I thought I owned but couldn't find on my bookshelf is Walter the Farting Dog by William Kotzwinkle. I borrowed it from the public library to share with some kiddos after we had a conversation about farting. Great conversation, huh?



Oh! I referenced "scatological humor" to someone and when they asked what that meant, I don't think I explained it very well. So I googled it and here's what Wikipedia said: "Toilet humour or scatological humour is a type of off-colour humour dealing with defecation, urination and flatulence, and to a lesser extent vomiting and other body functions."

More Movies

This slip of paper has been sitting at my desk for a while. My recovery from knee surgery has been fantastic, so I'm busier again. These are movies I've watched since the last time I blogged about movies.

On A Clear Day
I had seen a trailer for this quite a while ago, but had a hard time remembering the title. When I googled for it, it took a while to find it! (Barbara Streisand comes up right away.) Here's a Wikipedia blurb about it: "On a Clear Day is a 2005 Scottish drama film written by Alex Rose and directed by Gaby Dellal. It stars Peter Mullan as Frank Redmond, an engineer in the shipyards on the River Clyde, who becomes stagnant and quickly sinks into depression following his redundancy. A naturally strong swimmer, Frank gets an idea while on a 'booze cruise' with his friends to swim the English Channel. Featuring an ensemble cast, it co-stars Brenda Blethyn, Sean McGinley and Billy Boyd, among others."Louie wasn't interested in watching it with me, but I really liked it a lot. I liked how his relationship with his son and his own self-discovery came along.

Upside
Again, I had seen a trailer that intrigued me. I really enjoyed this one, too. (I watched it alone.) Kevin Hart plays an ex-con who's trying to get his life together. Brian Cranston(?) is a quadriplegic who needs a caregiver / assistant. It was funny, touching, and sad. It made me a little curious to find and watch the French film originally made about the real-life people the story is based upon.

Letters To Juliet
Loved this! Super cute and fun! (Except her original fiance and how he basically ignored her . . . ) Louie watched it with me. Another one that makes me want to visit Italy. Delightful!

Aquaman
We watched our home DVD version. It's the second time we've seen it.

Bend It Like Beckham
I borrowed this from our d-i-l Angela. It's one that I've heard of for a long time, but never before watched. It was an interesting mix of coming-of-age and cultural lessons on Indians in Britain. I liked it a lot. I love that David and Victoria Beckham had a little cameo at the end!

Green Lantern
Again, a home DVD. I am so weird. As this is often panned as Ryan Reynolds' worst movie ever, I like it! I think it is an entertaining hero movie. And I love love love the way he and Blake Lively make googly eyes at one another . . . though I think that each was actually romantically involved with someone else at the time. They've been married for a while, though!

The Croods
Netflix. Pretty dumb. Kind of cute. Wouldn't watch it again or recommend it.

Instant Family
Amazing! This story of adoption and families and love had me. I thought about re-watching it before bringing it back to the library. Such a lovely story! And sad. And touching. And inspiring.

Difference Between Sisters and Brothers!

Every once in a while, I'll give one of my siblings the "gift of time" for a birthday gift. I've primarily done it for Ann and Louise (only one person at a time, though!). My sisters are always more than happy to have me help them with projects - cleaning, sorting, organizing, etc. This is a gift I enjoy giving and they enjoy receiving. I'm not always timely in my once-a-month intentions, but I usually get it all done in one calendar year.

For Tom's July 2018 birthday, I gave him this gift. It was the first time I've ever done this for my brother. Wow, was it hard. It has taken me 19 months to finally give / do something for the one year I intended! When I kept bringing this up, he kept saying I didn't need to do anything else. "That's not the point! What do you want?" He mostly wanted just to spend time with his little sister . . . he is such an incredibly sweet guy.

I'm not sure how I should try to do something like this for him in the future . . . but I know that my sisters have a much easier time bossing me around! (Just kidding. They're lovely, but are happy to have me help with projects.)

Here's my copy of the "coupon" for Tom:

Movies and Recovery

Since I knew I would have some "down time" while recovering from total knee replacement surgery, I requested a bunch of videos from the library that I'd been meaning to watch. I just wanted to make some quick notes. It's weird for me to watch so much media in less than a month's time!

Ready Player One - I loved this! I'm not really a video game person, but I loved all the 80s cultural references and music. I loved the underdog beating the Goliath. Perhaps I had low expectations and that's why it surprised me so much. Louie and I watched it together and he enjoyed it, too. True confession: after I had returned it to the library, I was looking at clips on YouTube and ended up getting it from the library a second time and re-watching it! I just really enjoyed it.

Iron Lady - I'm glad I watched this without Louie. Although I love Meryl Streep and I'm up for learning about historical figures and eras, it was a bit slow-paced. It opens as Margaret Thatcher is in her dotage and uses flashbacks to tell her story. I liked that she was a shopkeeper's daughter and "rose above" her "station" in life. I'm glad that she made her way in a man's world.

Crazy Rich Asians - I watched this one alone, too. Louie said he wasn't interested, but I think he might have enjoyed it. I was delighted by Rachel's story. I think the cast was fantastic (though I didn't know who Awkwafina was before this). My favorite scenes were when her mom came to see her (I cried) and the Mah-jong game. I would watch this again! Loved it!

Manchester By the Sea - I got this thinking it was something else. My friend Kathy loved this and I need to ask her why. I thought it was super depressing. Casey Affleck plays a man who is deeply troubled. He seems to be dead inside. He gets into bar fights. When his brother dies and he has to return to deal with the details, he learns his brother has left him in charge of his teenage nephew. Long, sad, winding story with an unsatisfying (to me) resolution.

A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish - Netflix. Louie watched it with me and said, "I think the target audience was 13 year old girls." "We didn't have to watch the whole thing!" We usually decide within 10-15 minutes if it's worth the hour and a half. Oh well. It was cute. I like Cinderella stories.

Knight Christmas - Netflix. I had watched this home alone and should have waited to watch it with Louie. Not much less silly than the other one, but geared for an older audience at least.

White Christmas - Netflix. Also watched alone. For the third(?) time in my life.

Woman in Gold - watched alone. So cool! I'm amazed at how it turned out. In fact, I had to look up the info online afterward. The painting is in the U.S. now! Absolutely amazing. The interviews afterward made me chuckle. The young lawyer dude never comments on how cool it is that RYAN REYNOLDS is portraying him!

Ender's Game - DVD. Rewatch for us. Just makes me want to reread Card's books which are so much better than this movie. Interesting to see Harrison Ford as Graff . . .

A Brilliant Young Mind - I liked it more than Louie did. Asa Butterfield is incredible. I'm so very glad that our children were not autistic! I loved the young girl.

Won't You Be My Neighbor? - This documentary about Fred Rogers was extremely well-done. I thought about my mom and how much she loved Mr. Rogers and what he stood for. This was worthwhile and interesting. I like Mr. Rogers more and more the older I get and the more course the world gets.