Valentine's Day II

Remember relationships don't have to rise and fall on Valentine's Day expectations. Authentic romance happens in the day in and day out stuff. Solid romance can even emerge in the middle of a crisis. True love and romance is when the lover takes loving action toward the loved even when they don't feel like it. Valentine's Day flowers, candy, and love notes are fun but they are not meant to be the defining moments in a relationship, just the fun moments. Enjoy your Valentine's Day!

Slumdog worth a million in the heart

I highly recommend the Slumdog Millionaire for a few hours of reality check, an eye full of culture, and an ear full of good music. The themes are about social class and destiny. However, this blog comes with a warning label: Beware of painful wrestling with the existence of horrible suffering.

Evil exists, and I watched this movie twice while wrestling with the presence of evil in my own oc city, backyard, and even my spiritual community. I can't make it go away, but as a follower of Christ I can posture myself to stay tender to the reality, expose it by being light, and anxiously work so that Christ can return and deal with it once and for all. It doesn't compartmentalize nicely in my heart, and Hopefully I will never have a handle on it when I come into contact with it.

Movie Selections

One might ask how does a movie get on a list marked "favorite movies"? Without taking this too seriously, I do have three qualifications for a movie to make my favorites list.

I look for redemptive themes, dying to self, and sacrifice. As a counselor, my goal is to listen to the messes of life and assist a person in walking through the mess, acknowledge the pain, and find freedom on the other side of it. The Great Counselor requires redemption, forgiveness, dying to self, and sacrifice in order to be healed or to find redemptive solutions to life's messes. Redemption is when we have been bought back, been cleared of a charge, or released from captivity. There are many emotional and inspiring stories on the screen, but not all of them have redemptive qualities. Many stories entail dying to self and sacrifice, but the redemptive element is missing.

For example, in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button I didn't see any redemption. It was sentimental and even inspiring, but not redemptive. No one was bought back, cleared of a charge, or released from captivity. In fact, everyone was held in captivity until the end. Benjamin did show acts of sacrifice and even died to himself, but redemption did not seem to occur. (I am open to other opinions on this) I believe it is a great film and so worthy of being viewed and even deserving of some Oscars. It just simply didn't make the redemptive list.

However, I highly value the movie and I came away asking the question - "What does it look like to live your life with passion?" I was very inspired to ask myself some questions about my life and its authenticity and passion. Do I live authentically in my convictions or simply do what is expected? Am I honest about who and what I love or do I simply go through the motions?

I love going to the movies. They provide escape, inspiration, and important questions for life evaluations. I loved Benjamin and Daisy. I'm just sorry they won't be on the sidebar of my blog. Movie buffs need standards by which to evaluate and categorize, otherwise we would just be Hollywood consumers with cluttered minds and hearts. I would love to hear your thoughts on The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

no Christmas picture on reflections?

Would you want to see the bearded man in boxers or the 51 year old woman in a wife beater or the preacher in his crocs? I didn't think so.

Christmas Reflections

Christmas with my family was full of surprise, rest, and good food. It started with Christmas eve at the church. We had a sweet candlelight service and then the four of us went to the beloved Harbor House for breakfast at night. For those of you who are not familiar with this area, the Harbor House is in Sunset Beach on PCH and boasts of very old wooden tables, vintage movie posters and a menu busting with a million ways to have an omelette complete with country potatoes, hash browns, or onion rings. We played the Movie Title game, this time beginning with the letter B. As much of a movie buff as I am you think I would last longer than 5 rounds. But no, it was Gaby and her father lasting into the wee hours of the morning listing off movie titles starting with the letter B. Following our breakfast feast we traveled to the only place open for cheap T0 Go coffee- AM/PM and traveled through a nearby neighborhood where Christmas lights are famous for miles around.

Christmas morning always greets me with my boy up first. "Merry Christmas! Time to get up and open presents!" Only thing is, that tradition began with footie pajamas and blonde curls some 15 years ago and now while saying the same words (with the same toddler voice) I have a 17 1/2 year old big bearded man in boxers beckoning me on Christmas morning.

We began drawing names between the four of us a few years ago when the kids suggested it. At midnight on Christmas eve Gaby said something that made me think someone had mistaken who they had with someone else and someone was going to be without a gift. But, alas, no. It was my husband AGAIN that had tricked me into thinking he had someone he didn't have. So, again, everyone was duped or surprised on Christmas morning to find out who their Santa was. It is a great way to keep the mystery, simplicity, and fun in Christmas when the children are...well, no longer children. They now have jobs and can own their own Christmas experience of giving and receiving.

Perhaps the most fun surprise of the morning was when Guy went to the fridge to pull out the sausage for his famous holiday sausage gravy cooking. He discovered I had mistakenly brought home the FIREHOUSE sausage instead of the regular. He cooked it up anyway, added more flour and milk, and it was the best ever. Emily, who is like a daughter to us, came for breakfast and the Firehouse special. It was quite the feast complete with Christmas plates, warm biscuits, homemade jam (to offset the spice) and red goblets filled with orange juice. Tea followed breakfast...a favorite ritual at the Grimes house.

It has been an interesting 2008. We have each grown in our own one step forward, two steps back fashion, but on the whole, we are striving toward the goal. The goal of acquiring the prize of Christ. For some, we take the more difficult routes, but I believe the difficult routes will take us there as well...Prayer for one another has taught me much. So, for all 5 of you who might read this blog, I bid you to keep striving as well, and pray...trust in Christ...in Christ alone.

Merry Christmas and may your 09 be blessed with a deeper and sweeter knowledge of Him.

7 Pounds

If you are limited on funds and can only do 1 or 2 extra things during Christmas, please make sure to see Will Smith's new movie, 7 Pounds. That is all I am going to say about that. If you are going to take a companion, make sure it's no one younger than a well thinking and mature 14 year old. Otherwise it might feel like pearls tossed to the wind.

Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Call me sappy. It's okay. For the last 24 years I have been reading a very special chapter book written for children, but mostly enjoyed by adults. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Johnson. If you saw the little video that was made from the book, it's just not enough. You have to read the book! My favorite excerpt from the book is when ....well, you just have to read it. My heart isn't ready for Christmas until it's read. Two things almost always happen. My voice cracks at the part where..... every time. The second thing is, I always raise my right arm in the air as I read the last sentence in the book. Can't help it...But I never read it alone. Many people are having white elephant gift exchanges, Christmas teas, or riding a drafty boat through a ritzy harbor to see Christmas lights. I really like all those things, too, but for me, the best is when I annualy gather a group of people over to listen to me read the book out loud. An old fashioned Christmas reading with soup, cider, and apple crisp. I even sit in an old rickety rocking chair while I read it. Haven't met a group that didn't love it yet. How bout you? Wanna come?