Chronicle/Woman in Black

"It's a short movie.  It's less than an hour and 30 minutes"
"Well, some movies are better shorter than long and drawn out.  Take Breaking Dawn for example, it should have been only 30 minutes."
And as my brother and I discovered, an hour and 23 minutes was the perfect amount of time for Chronicle.  Later I discovered that an hour and 35 minutes was also the perfect amount of time for Woman in Black.  It was refreshing sitting through a short and sweet movie---even though both Chronicle and Woman in Black were far from being "sweet" films.  Of course, not every movie should be short.  I fully expect my butt to be numb after I watch The Hobbit---each minute of that movie is bound to be glorious and well deserved.

Cameron loved Chronicle.  When we left the theater he raved and raved about it--long enough for me to realize that he was not being sarcastic.  Not that I thought it was horrible---I just didn't think it was fantastic.  I had low expectations for it to begin with and while it exceeded my expectations it's still not a movie that was remarkable or something I would watch again.

The movie centers abound three--high school? college?--kids who find a stone type thing that gives them telepathic abilities.  As almost anyone will tell you--not everyone should be granted with powers.  Because one emo kid will ruin the fun for everybody.  You easily sympathize with Andrew, the abused, poor, misfit, emo kid.   But  you also enjoy the other two confident, easily popular kids as well.  It's extremely well done.  The effects are well done.  It's just a little to predictable for me.  But it as fun movie to watch.


I had to drag myself to go see Woman in Black. In fact is Ashley hadn't been persistent I probably would never have gone to see it.  Not that it looked bad--I just don't handle scary movies well.  This episode from Boy Meets World still freaks me out:

Well, to be honest, I can't give the best review of the movie considering I spent a considerable amount of time with my eyes closed, fingers in my ears.  Or doubled over in my seat so I couldn't see the screen.  Or with my hands over my face, leaving a small enough gap in between my fingers to see Daniel Radcliffe's face.  But from what I did see, I thought it was well done.  It's not revolutionary but it's a scary movie with secretive British people and a freaky marsh. 

Daniel Radcliffe's character has to travel to this town to got through the paperwork in an old house---in the middle of a marsh.  Conveniently, you're stranded at the house often because when the tide comes in on the marsh and the road is in accessible.  Perfect setting for scary crap to happen.  So many warning signs for his character to get the heck out of dodge.  The people in the village want him gone, the house is in the middle of a marsh causing you to be stuck at the marsh except when the tide is low, and the house looks like this:

Um. Yeah.  I would never have even stepped foot in that house.  But he does....because he's Harry Freaking Potter (you're a legend man to us all---oh AVPS).

It was great seeing Daniel Radcliffe in a different on screen role and he did great.  All in all it was a jumpy, scary movie that will keep your heart racing.

Guest Post: Fear

As you may recall, I challenged my friend AJ to write a devotion last week.  I also challenged myself to complete my character profiles--I did not do this.  But in my defense, I'm in crisis mode with my family and my mind is not fully devoted to anything besides prayer and family.  However, AJ completed the challenge.  And here is her wonderful devotional:

Today I want to talk about the F word.  Oh yeah, I’m going there.  It’s the ugliest four letter word you can think of.  Okay, ready?  Here it goes…

FEAR.

At some point, we’ve all been scared of something.  As children we are scared of monsters under the bed, the boogeyman in the closet, or in the case of one of my nieces…the tooth fairy.  J  But as we grow, fear begins to take on a more real form in our lives.

Have you ever let the fear of failing keep you from going after something you wanted?  Maybe it’s a new job, or trying to reach your goal weight (boy have I failed at this one a time or two…or ten), or maybe you’ve been holding off on dating someone new because you are fearful of what a new relationship could bring. 

We often let it {fear} paralyze us from pursing our goals because we have a fear of failing.  I look back on my life so far and already I see many times where I have let the fear of failing stop me.  I didn’t try out for the dance team for the first 3 years of high school because I was scared.  Scared of what? I was hesitant to even tell people that I was thinking of starting a side business because I was scared of it failing.  If we let fear stop us from everything, nothing in our lives will ever get accomplished!

 But not after today.  No more.  Yeah, I know…easier said than done, right? 

But friends, today I have great news.  There’s someone who wants to take all our fears and worry away!  He wants us to completely and utterly TRUST in Him.  To not even worry about that new job, that diet, or that new relationship.  Know why?  Because He already knows how it turns out.  J  He has a plan for you, for me, and He doesn’t want our FEAR of failure to stop us from pursuing His will for us.  Oh yeah, by now you know who I’m talking about…God. 

No more will fear stop us.  After today I want you to take the F word, FEAR, out of your vocabulary.  Two verses I leave with you today:

Jeremiah 29:11-  For I know the plans I have you, says the Lord.  Plans for good and not for evil,           to give you a future and a hope. (NLT)

Mark 11:24- I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. (NLT)

I don’t know what fear you’re battling with today friend, but I know that if you truly give it up to God and trust in Him and His will, you will be blessed.  I encourage you to replace the word fear with another F word.  You’ve probably heard it a time or two…

FAITH.  J

Blessings,

Amanda

the words "I Love You"

Last night as I stood with some of my family in the ICU waiting room and listened to our voices reaching out to God for healing I was filled with happiness and love.  Despite everything around me--not one dark thought was able to enter my mind.

Afterward while we talked about how my uncle has a family filled with fierce love for one another, my uncle Glenn said something that has stuck with me:
(for reference purposes, my uncle Glenn is married into the family.  As is my uncle Mike.)

"This family loves one another.  It's shocking.  When I first met this family I was shocked by the amount of people who said 'I love you' to another and how many hugs were exchanged.  It took time for me to get used to it.  My family didn't do that.  This family says it every chance they get.  And that's special."

I tell people I love them as often as possible, including my close friends.  It's natural.  It's normal.  I need them to know.  I want them to know.  But as I've gotten older I have noticed that it throws people for a shock.  I dated someone once whose family hardly ever exchanging hugs, compliments, or much less "I love you."  They just didn't do it.

I don't know how many families and friends exchange these words on a daily basis.  Of course, just saying them isn't enough--you have to mean it.  I know that my family loves me without pause.  I have floods of memories with my family that are entrenched with love.  And when I speak to my family and see them, I am 100% happier than I was the moment before.

In that room last night, I felt God's spirit as well as the weight of a family's love in the room.  And it's because of that feeling, because of the knowledge that my family's love is true that I know these present circumstances will not stop us.  We will continue fighting.  My uncle Mike will continue fighting.  For his family.  For Kelley. For Katie. For Lauren. And for his wife, my aunt Sandra.  We don't know why things are what they are--but I pray that we can show the hospital and others that our love for one another is unwavering.  And that our love derives from our relationship with Christ.  And that it is because of Him that we will survive this.

Accountability

Hey! Guess what is a great motivator?  Accountability.  So in my effort to get in shape mentally and physically I've decided to post my efforts---good and bad---here on my blog.

Goals:

Weight Loss:  Loose 20 pounds by May 1 (Just in time for Hong Kong!)

Book:  Have early character profiles done by the end of this week

Ok.  Now let's get this thing on the road.


And to my dear and beloved AJ:  I have goal for you....post something by this Sunday.  I believe in you and know that you can do it.

And because no blog post is complete without a picture:

Bam.

The Mixer

For Christmas my papa gave me my late Mama Lou's stand mixer.  It's fantastic.  So I thought I'd share.

My grandpa and my mom were able to find most of the attachments my grandma had and I spent the better part of a night playing with all of them.

The classic.

So Sweeney Todd

mini baseball bat. just kidding.

Dough hook

or a hook hand.  You decide.