Movie Recommendations

Lately, I've been surprised at the movies I've enjoyed the most. I guess you'd expect to find them on the Hallmark Channel, as they're relatively slow, simple, and sentimental.

The Last Sin Eater - Author Francine Rivers paints pictures so vivid they bring tears to my eyes. This movie adaptation, showing the need and power of forgiveness and Jesus' sacrifice, was no exception. Special effects were pretty corny, but I was able to look past that because the story grabbed me.

I Am David - The plot of this movie was fairly predictable, but it was still a joy to watch this boy discover so much that we take for granted on his journey from a prison camp, across Europe to Denmark . I was unexpectedly moved by the ending.

Sweet Land - Quirky story of a German mail-order bride who finds herself in a community of Norwegians, full of strong and memorable characters. This story moves slowly enough to let you savor the subtleties.

The Straight Story - This movie progressed at the pace of a riding lawnmower. All the better for appreciating its simplicity, beauty, and charm. Great portrayal of relationships, with plenty of wisdom between the lines.

Wordless winter wonderland

Glitter snow

This morning I looked out to see what appears to be a beautiful layer of frost coating the trees and bushes. That's when I noticed it's actually snowing. The flakes are so small and sparse, and the sun so bright, that the snow can only be seen as it reflects the sunlight, making it look like glitter is falling from the sky.

There's too much to do, and not enough time.

And if I'm not careful, then soon I'll write to a friend and receive a note from her mother saying 'She got married and moved out, but you can reach her at _____________,_____________.'
Well, at least I have a few more years 'til that happens (Thank goodness!).

We have been fairly busy lately. Toby has been setting traps hither and thither, I have been delivering banana bread and pumpkin roll to all the neighbors, and Mom has been trying to make the house look nice for those times when people come unexpectedly.

We finally got presents and cards out, a large and debatably fun task, and we are successfully doing a Jesse Tree with our little tree (something we have never done).
Well, I'm going to go take a shower and find out how ornery my discman wants to be. Thank you for reading!
Lynae

Lesson learned in hindsight

I recently received a precious Christmas card, poem, and letter from a woman named Becky. For nine years, I have admired her. She embodies the "Titus 2 woman":

The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;

That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. (Titus 2:3-5)

I watched her nine children grow up, and the oldest get married. I remember when she became a grandmother. I received many gifts from her over the years -- plates of Christmas goodies, a cookbook, Above Rubies magazines (back issues I didn't already have), a catalog I'd never heard of full of great homeschooling tools, grapes, cherries, and green beans.

Becky was my neighbor. We had a bond going on through the little patch of woods between our homes, lots of prayers and thoughts and bits of news passed between the children at the fence. And yet, in the weeks before I moved from Kentucky, Becky and I realized how much we were losing. We wished we had taken more time to get to know each other over the years. We were respectful of each other's time and privacy, but at a cost. There was a great friendship potential there, and we'd barely scratched the surface. In fact, we'd only visited with each other a handful of times, and those were brief. We spoke on the phone sometimes, but neither of us had the time or inclination to be chatty. And now that season of our lives has passed.

Lynae and Regina had a similar experience, but did spend those last weeks visiting and leaving notes and gifts for each other at a special spot in the woods. And they still write to each other.

When we arrived in Bruno, then, Lynae and I were keenly aware of the importance of getting to know our neighbors. Unfortunately, I'm as socially awkward as I ever was, and it takes a lot of effort for me to talk to people I will be likely to know for a while. (One-time interactions with strangers, however, are not a problem. I'm just that weird.) Fortunately, Lynae takes after her father. She loves making friends, and is very good at it! I will admit, Toby and Lynae met most of our current acquaintances in town before I did. I'll also admit I'm ok with being in the shadow of their great reputation. But I don't want to repeat the mistake I made in Kentucky. That would be too much to lose.

I'm waiting

(I just found this drafted post of Toby's from 11/20 -- Mom)

For something to get caught in my trap and not slip out of the jaws. This is really irritating, because the foothold traps I set for cottontails are attracting the rabbits, and they eat the bait, and get caught in the trap, but the spruce needles I cover the trap with are slippery enough and abundant enough that the little stinkers keep pulling out and running away.

So I pulled those traps today and added them to the other 5 watersets I have that make up my trapline. Haven't caught anything there either, but at least the mink and raccoons aren't pulling their paws out. They are just stealing the bait from the pocket. And I think I fixed that today.

Later this year, when the ice freezes, I will probably find some muskrat push ups and stick a trap in each of those. Muskrat skins are supposed to be worth up to $3.50 this year. I also hope to catch a bobcat (worth about $100), so I can pay for all that stuff I need.

Mr. M said he would let me snare rabbits on his farm, 'cus they are abundant there. But I can't ride my bike that far every day, so if that were to work out, he might have to check the traps for me.

Out of the mouths of babes

This morning Grace told me, as she made my bed, "When Jesus was a little boy, I don't think he knew he would die on the cross."

I agree. He knew before he was a little boy, and I'm sure he knew again as he got older and studied Scripture. As a little boy, I bet God made him blissfully ignorant of the details of his sacrifice. But I don't doubt he was full of love and compassion and sensitive to evil and pain and destruction.

It does my heart good to know my daughter ponders such things. I have learned not to take that for granted.

It's the holiday season

With the whoop-de-do and hickory dock

Tonight we attended the Christmas concert at my old school. The man who encouraged me to learn trumpet as a shy little 7th grader is still in charge of the music department. Toby and Lynae noticed a big difference between public school music programs, in which some people "participate" solely because they need the credit, and the fine arts program they were part of in Kentucky.

The whole family enjoyed the concert. It proved to be a bit much for Jon in the end, though. I had to help him through the predictable meltdown afterward. I feel bad for him each time he goes through that, but it is a good reminder that we've done the right thing for our family in keeping holidays low-key.

I'd like us to make some goodies to give out to the neighbors later this week. Maybe we'll have a chance to do that tomorrow.