Here we go...again...

Throughout the past decade, God has really been working on me.  (Or more correctly, I've been open to Him working on me. ;)  There are so many things I used to do that now hold no sway for me.  I have no or very little interest in them anymore.  I don't watch movies with an R rating because of language or nudity or both and I really don't need all the violent mess either.  The same goes if it has witchcraft or magic as being good in it or that somehow the source of it is human developed or evolved or some other non-sense.  Depending on what the message is, mostly I won't watch something with witchcraft or magic at all because I really don't need that in my mind in any shape or form.   If its PG-13, I find out why.  If there's any sort of nudity or compromising relational scenes in it, its an abolute no-go.  I have no tolerance for gratuitous violence, language or scenes involving exposure of body parts and no commitment beyond getting to the goal of self satisfaction.  Even if there is a commitment, why must I see what someone else does with it?!  No thanks!  Why must I rant on about this?  Well, do let me share!

I gave up a lot of shows several years ago.  Anyone who's known me for a long time, knows I have seen way too many movies and tv shows in my time so far.  Sam and I agreed to rid ourselves of cable and satellite due to the graphic nature of most shows, not to mention the commercials!  I went to just going to certain channel websites to watch specific shows, for which I had an appreciation.  We also have Netflix for the occasional veg out session.  Here are the ones that I kept up with:  Psych, Eureka, Warehouse 13, Sanctuary, Haven and there are occasional shows on Masterpiece Theater that I like to watch.  Basically, all of these have been nixed for me recently due to the content falling into one of the above categories.  I was watching the latest episodes of Eureka and Warehouse 13 and I really just felt God saying to me to really look at what I was watching.  I had felt Him trying to get my attention about it, but to be honest,  I really liked the shows and didn't want to give them up.  God is so patient with me and He just gently persisted and finally, I listened. :)

This last season on Eureka, the sex content has skyrocketed. Not one episode goes by that doesn't have something to do with that.  The sad part to me is, it really isn't necessary.  The premise of the show is funny and quirky and enjoyable.  Why, oh, why did they have to start adding gunk in there?  If it is for ratings sake, I'm going to go with a huge, "Oh, Please!!!" on that because the show has a following and people were already hooked on it for the funny quirkiness.  Now, Warehouse 13's premise was along the same funny, quirky lines, but really deals with the paranormal without admitting it in the show itself.  Interesting.  This may sound odd, unreal or outlandish to some, but its very real for me.  I don't want what I watch to open any door for the enemy (meaning demons a.k.a. satan and his cronies) to have any sort of influence in this house or my family!  Yuck!

Okay, so I just knew as I watched it that I shouldn't be.  Psych - same funny, quirkiness.  There's a whole bunch of silliness in that show that I really enjoy and appreciate, but throughout the seasons the sex content has escalated.  Also, the language has continually gotten stronger and more frequent.  Again, not needed.  Alas, it too, must go.  Sanctuary - along the same lines and issues of Warehouse -13.  Haven has an eeriness to it that just didn't sit right.  I always liked X-Files and it has that kind of feel to it.  Masterpiece Theater has plenty of the no-gos from above without any sort of warnings.  Its nearly like it thinks it can get away with airing that stuff just because its on PBS and because its usually a British-made show of some sort.  Now, I will say that they aren't all like that and there have been many enjoyable shows without all the extraneous, yucky mess included.  Anyway, basically, its about protecting my mind, heart and home and those shows have all kinds of stuff in it that does the exact opposite.  So, I don't need them.  There is a freedom there knowing that I don't have to be held captive by things like that, but I will admit that its disappointing because I do like to veg out on occasion with a good flick and my options are getting less.  That's fine, though, because the benefit outweighs the hardship/sacrifice. :)  Oh, and the best thing is, I know I am blessing my Father God's heart by submitting to Him in all of this and you just can't beat that!

Cedar Pollen is Evil and Seriously?!

About a month ago, the weather started its tumultuous downward spiral in an attempt to aim at winter via fall.  Thanks to my rather persnickety allergies, I began a similar downward spiral into an endless vat of snottiness.  Then came the hacking cough which usually signals a possible end to the sinus flooding and draining...along the same lines as multiple innings at a baseball game or overtime at a football game.  You really don't know when or sometimes if it is ever going to end. :)  About a week ago, I really did think the end was in sight, but then a snot onslaught barraged my being and the cycle started all over again with more coughing involved and a new player, congestion.  I was still thinking weather was the culprit until someone happened to bring up the cedar pollen storm that hits about this time of the year.  Yeah....somehow after living here full time the last two years and off and on the three years prior to that, I, again, forgot about the dreaded pollen of the evil cedar forest.  Someone mentioned on fb that she thought that in its original form after God created it, it was perfect and had its purpose, but after sin entered, it became a menace and that possibly the devil just planted the mess out of it around here. (I was liberal in my retelling of the original statement...;)  I'm inclined to agree!  I think of cedar pollen on the same plane as mosquitos. God created them and somehow, some way they were for a purpose, but I think they turned to the dark side after The Fall!  The cedar trees apparently took the same route.  Death to the cedar pollen!!!:)

Okay, a couple of days ago I saw an ad for the remake of Footloose.  Really?!  Do we not have enough teeny-bopper dance movies bombarding us these days?  There's Highschool Musical 1 through a bazillion.  Then you have Step Up and sequels, which should have halted in the process of even considering making the first one....just sayin'.  You've got You Got Served along with all the other stompy types of dance movies and let's not forget an honorable mention for all the dance spoof movies floating around out there.  After all that, I have to come to the conclusion that they ran out of material and are now having to revisit dance movies of old.  They already sequelled Dirty Dancing with Dirty Dancing: Taladega Nights...oh, sorry, I meant Havana Nights.  Anyway, I know there are those die hard Footloose fans out there, but I cannot be counted among those ranks.  The substance of the movie was bad enough the first time and from the looks of this latest attempt, via the trailer, it looks like few improvements have been made.  I think they took Coyote Ugly and tried to smoosh it together with Footloose.  Scary!

You know, now that I think about it, why don't they completely trash Singin' in the Rain with a remake or hey!  Why not hip-hop up some Phantom of the Opera?  That might actually be interesting.....

Anyway, I think I can safely say that I will not be participating in the spectator portion of this upcoming, traumatic visual "entertainment" of frolicking appendages that are not properly concealed and bound while gyrating body parts in a fashion that makes chiropractors and head trauma units the world over cringe!

Done and done.

A movie review x2

I recently watched the latest Jane Eyre and Rango.

Jane Eyre was...interesting.  I really like the story and have read the book.  It seems like every time someone tries to remake this movie, they concentrate on certain parts.  I know it is a long and indepth story and would need to be done in the same fashion as the 1999? version of Pride and Prejudice to get most of the nuances and a real feel for the storyline and characters.  The most funny thing to me is that several of the newer versions of this have rather good looking people playing Jane and Mr. Rochester, when the book is very clear about her being plain and he not being handsome at all.  I did have to reconsider that, though, because in that time period, pretty and handsome were not necessarily the same as our definitions of those words.  I'm thinking now that Mr. Rochester was probably very good-looking, just ruggedly so, which would have been rather repulsive in that time of dandy-type men, who I think of as pretty boys.  I think Jane was probably rather pretty in a very natural, unmade up sort of way, which would have been looked-down upon in that era.  Then again, they could have both been ugly, indeed.  Who knows?!
Anyway, I did enjoy this version of it, all except for the ending.  It was extremely abrupt. The movie moves along at a rather climactic speed from the beginning and then the ending feels like you run straight into a wall, SCHMACK!, and that's it.  That is just a tad bit disconcerting.

Onto Rango.  I know that it is rated PG and that if you look at the ratings, it tells you why its rated that way, but I think it needs to be rated somewhere between PG and PG-13.  PG- perhaps?  Its a "cartoon" and the advertising of it definitely aims at kids and families like it is friendly for them to all watch and its just NOT.  I previewed this one after everyone had gone to bed. I'm really glad I did it that way and not just started watching it with the kids and then have to turn it off and explain to them why because of the pieces of vulgarity they would have been exposed to.  It reminded me of a softer version of The Book of Eli (I so wish that had not had all the language in it, amongst other things!).  So not what I want my kiddos exposed to!  Why, pray tell, do you need cussing in a cartoon?  Also, why do you need drinking and smoking in a cartoon?  I'm well aware that saloons are not nice places and I'm still wondering why that was necessary.  It was even complete with some sort of rodent or lizard (still not sure which), sporting bouncing, half-hangin' out boosies.  Yeah.  Why?  Droppin' this one OFF the movie radar.

So, there are my official two reviews for the...well, at least for now.

Losing one's voice is not conducive to parenting... ;p

So, my allergies have been rearing their cumulative ugly head for the past 3 days and this morning I woke up and my vocal cords were covered in muck.  Any time the weather changes, I deal with major allergy mess.  I think all the smoke from the fires everywhere is involved, too.  Several years back, there were fires and the wind was carrying the smoke far and wide and my sinuses did a total revolt then, as well.  I'm not gonna complain, though, because I'd much rather deal with this than getting a virus or bacterial something or other.  So, yay! allergies! ;)

My voice is in hiding right now and I'm forced to drink hot tea with honey.  ichhhhk!  Not a fan of hot tea, normally.  This stuff isn't too bad, though.  Its Black Raspberry Green Tea a.k.a. Superfruit Tea and it has a good flavor.  Need to get some more of it for such times as these.  I'm thinking it would be waaay better as Sweet Iced Tea. :)  Voooiiiccce!  Come out, come out, wherever you are!  Right now, I sound like a hoarse frog and I'm having to whisper because my tonsils, vocal cords and larynx are sore.  Today is going to be a very interesting homeschool day....

My husband is WONDERFUL!!!

Yesterday, Ailey was in stealth mode again and while we thought she was still napping, she was ransacking her room.  She got out of her clothes, got the majority of her clothes out of her drawers (for the second time that day) and got into the closet where I keep the kids' project bin.  She basically dumped the whole box out and then decided to pour out the glitter and open the paints.  She painted herself up really good and then painted her giant teddy bear, which is white and then dabbled a bit on her bean bag.

Sam is the one who went in to get her and when he called me to come look, I told him I really didn't want to.  She's been messing about with things for the last few days again, so my patience and attitude were already wearing thin. ;)  I mustered the courage to go look and just stared in awe.  I went in and started cleaning it up.  Now, during this process, Sam was trying to get ready to go because he had part of a class at church to teach and he was already running late.  He had already offered to take the boys with him, so I could have a bit of a break.  He was trying to get everyone fed, dressed and in the van, when this particular disaster struck.  He came back in to Ailey's room where I was cleaning up and I was in tears.  End of pregnancy + many days of over-the-top messes = me not coping well.  Anyway, he offered to take Miss Messy, too.  He decided a shower was the best way to clean her up, I put the cleaning on hold for a few minutes to get the kids and Sam to-go plates for their dinner so they could eat en route and before I knew it the house was quiet!  I went back to cleaning up the mess.  I'm just grateful that the glitter hadn't migrated around the room.  The mess was mostly in one area, Praise God!, and didn't require too much movement from me. :)  Anyway, I just started thanking my Daddy in Heaven for such a wonderful husband.  Sam is truly an amazing man and he continues to grow in that.  I am truly blessed!!!!

While he and the kiddos were gone, I got to go to Hobby Lobby all by myself.  I had two things on my list:  pom-poms and buttons.  I got there and remembered the pom-poms, but couldn't remember the buttons for anything!  They were having a sale on their candle paraphernalia and I got a couple of things to help encourage the asian-theme I'm trying to accomplish in the living room.  I'm keeping tags and all on them until I've decided if they will work or not.  It'll take a bit to determine....  I've decided to go back for the buttons.  They are necessary for a what I'm working on and it drives me nuts that my brain couldn't remember two little things!  Aahhhhh!  I will be taking my list with me this time.

Anyway, after that I got to take the longest shower I've had in, well.... its been awhile.  I wallowed in it!  Thank you, Sam!  I love you and you gave me the best possible gift!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Highly Unmotivated Ramblings

So, I'm looking around the house.  Lots of things need to get done.  Of course there is the daily piling up of dishes.  I need to make friendship bread (today is the 10th day), but I ran out of sugar and that would require a family trip to the grocery store.  Yeah.  Maybe I can get Sam to pick up some on the way home...? ;p  There's laundry in the basket, in the dryer and in the washer, plus more loads that need to get done in the bins.  There's toys, pieces of paper and various pieces of paraphernalia around the edges of nearly every room in the house, courtesy of the messy munchkins which inhabit this domain.  The backyard looks like it threw up toys and there are plenty of projects I could get started on, like painting the kitchen cabinets, patching holes and cracks in the ceiling, spray painting the vents and outlet covers to blend with the walls....there is quite the extensive list from which to choose. :)  Oh, yeah, not to mention the half a dozen or so little craft projects I started and haven't finished.  Yet.... I have no inclination whatsoever to get any of it done.  I should at least do the laundry or the dishes....well, the dishes may end up getting done because there aren't that many of them today, but the laundry...oh, laundry...nah.

I want to go somewhere outside of this house and do something just for fun, but my body won't let me.  I can't walk around very long without my back aching or my feet swelling or something pregnancy related preventing me from going the distance....

I'm ready.  I'm ready to meet this new little person that's been sharing my body for the last nine months.  I'm ready to have my body back to myself.  I'm ready to get a different kind of sleep than the uncomfortable and oftentimes painful end of pregnancy sleep relationship I'm currently wallowing in.  Oh, I know there is sleep deprivation in the night nursing routine, too, but I'm telling you, its different and I am ready to move on to that stage. :)  I'm ready to get the recovery part over and move on to where I start getting my "normal" energy levels back.  I'm ready to be able to go on bike rides with my kiddos again.  I'm ready to be able to sit on the floor to play without my hips trying to decide if they want to cooperate with each other or not.  I'm ready.  Can you tell I'm ready?

But, strangely enough in all this readiness...I'm still content to let God be in control.  His timing is perfect.  He sees ahead.  He knows what I need and who needs to be here and He's got it all ready and worked out for my good.  All this discomfort has a purpose and He will do a good work in me if I will be patient and let Him.  So... all glory, honor and praise to You, my Precious Lord!  I am content to wait upon You!