Marley and Me

I can’t tell you the last time I read a book that made me laugh and cry like this book did. I loved this book! But if you have never had a dog (pet) that you have loved then this book may not have the same affect on you. John Grogan writes about “life and love with the world’s worst dog” and how in the 13 years that Marley was a part of his life that he learned so much about unconditional love and devotion, meanwhile telling some outright hilarious stories about this lovable dog named Marley.

From a Christian perspective, I just want to say that God is also the giver of unconditional love and also has a great sense of humor if you pay attention to your surroundings. Dogs do give unconditional love beyond human measure. You can yell at, hit with the paper, ignore, not go for a walk, you name it and your dog will forgive you and love you the same everyday. He will always greet you at the door even if you left without saying good-bye. This is something that the author experienced and was amazed by, therefore he had an appreciation for this pet beyond that of what he had for most people. God has that! He loves beyond measure, forgives beyond measure and has more grace for the human race than is fathomable.

My husband says that God’s memory and dog’s memories are like etch-a-sketches, one shake and they are erased.

2 books by Mitch Albom

Mitch Albom has written some books that have been much loved for the reason that people don’t like to say “good bye” and there desire for peace of mind in knowing that when we leave this place, we go to a much better place. While I have not read “Tuesday’s with Morrie”, I just finished “For One More Day” and “The Five People You Meet in Heaven”. I’m not sure how biblically based his stories are, but his books are easy to read and probably give many people hope of a better place someday. I wish they were more evangelical and would express that Heaven is for everyone who believes in Jesus Christ as the son of God and that His death on the cross washed all of our sins away…….but he doesn’t. He seems to portray the watered down view of Heaven as being a place for anyone who was a good person regardless of their beliefs. While this is nice, it could be detrimental to your eternal soul.

For One More Day

For One More Day deals with a man who has lead an amazing life despite a tough childhood, but his life climaxes early with a game in the World Series, from there his life slides down hill at a consistent speed. His attempt at suicide, allows him to spend “one more day” with his deceased mother and she explains many things but most of all she reveals just how much she loved him. One of my favorite excerpts from the book is when the main characters mother is telling him that she was wishing for a child after 3 years of not getting pregnant and how one night, when she couldn’t sleep, she carved “Please” into a tree.

I leaned in. The word PLEASE had been carved into the side. Small crooked letters. You had to look carefully, but there it was. PLEASE.

“You and Roberta weren’t the only ones who carved,” she said, smiling.

“What is it?”

“A prayer.”

“For a child?”

She nodded.

“For me?”

Another nod.

“On a tree?”

“Tree’s spend all day looking up at God.”

Beautifully said! I think that we have all lost someone that we dearly loved and just want one more day to spend with them. One more day to tell them everything you may have not gotten a chance to say or perhaps something you just want to repeat with more love and conviction. And perhaps to hear them say that your relationship was great just the way it was and how much you meant to them. I know that many of the people I’ve lost have gone on to Heaven and that where they are now is so much better than being back here and that it is only my selfishness that would bring them back to this world (something I really don’t want for any of them) but if I could have one more day with someone I miss, it would be Erica and we would spend the day shopping and talking and laughing about old times……….

The Five People You Meet in Heaven

The Five People You Meet in Heaven introduces you to Eddie as he lives out his last hour of life on this earth and then journeys to his first moments in Heaven and the 5 people who had a great impact in his life on earth.

Out of the five people, some are obvious and others are not. Some are people that did indeed affect his life but he never even knew or wasn’t aware of how their lives had intersected. Some needed to seek Eddie’s forgiveness. But all were there to teach Eddie about something of his life on earth and how were all interconnected in someway. Each character has their own version of Heaven; from the Carnival where Eddie spent most of his life to a diner to numerous weddings and other places.

One of my favorite lines in the book comes from his first person who says,

“No life is a waste,” the Blue Man said. “The only time we waste is the time we spend thinking we are alone.”

It was interesting to think as I read this about how many people have I influenced enough to impact their lives and who have influenced mine. In what ways have we changed others lives and what do we need to forgive or seek forgiveness for. As a Christian I believe that God oversees our lives and does bring certain people into our lives for various reasons. And even when we make bad choices I believe that God can turn it around, either here on earth or someday in Heaven.

2 movies for the price of 1

Movie reviews

Since it’s been awhile since I have written anything, I have decided to give you two for the price of one. A double feature!

1^st movie – M. Night Shyamalan’s Lady in the Water

Rated PG-13 for some frightening sequences.

When I was my son’s age, I wanted to watch scary movies. So when we were at Blockbuster the other night and he said he wanted to watch something scary, I decided to check out Lady in the Water. A lot has changed in 25 years. A scary movie when I was 13 was Halloween, Friday the 13^th and Nightmare on Elm Street. These movies were the precursors to today’s slasher movies but with actual story lines and suspense. Today’s horror movies seem to be all about the gore and that just isn’t acceptable in our house. I have seen 3 out of the 4 M. Night Shyamalan’s movies (6^th Sense, Unbreakable, & Signs – The Village just looks to creepy for me) and they had great story lines while being suspenseful and interesting. So I looked at the back of the box and decided it looked like it would be OK.

The rumor is that M. Night Shyamalan was contracted to write 5 movies but wanted out of the deal and wouldn’t be released so in order to satisfy the movie company he wrote Lady in the Water. Basically its The Little Mermaid meets Close Encounters mixed with Ghost Busters with a side of Cujo. Yeah, it’s pretty silly.

So basically the story is this, long, long ago the Sea People in the Blue World used to communicate with the Land People but the Land People got greedy and went further into the land to satisfy their growing needs for more stuff and lost touch with the Sea People. So basically the world is becoming more corrupt and in an effort to save the world the Sea People have now decided that it is time to communicate with the Land People again. Of course when the Sea People leave the ocean there are predators that want to hurt them (the scary things in this movie). One of the main characters is a girl from the Blue World who comes seeking “a writer” because this person is going to write a book that will change the world for the better and she needs to connect with him and that will start the process of this prophecy. Not such a bad idea, if you’re Christian you may even think that it sounds like another story we all know so well…..evil world, someone comes to save it……sound familiar? Anyway, Ariel, I mean Story (that’s one of the main character’s name) is living in the pool at an apartment complex and is discovered by the apartment manager played by Paul Giamatti. He has a painful past that she eventually helps him deal with, as he help her find “the writer”, inspire him to publish his world changing book then get back to her world by having the big eagle come whisk her away before she is eaten by the evil grass wolves. In the process of doing all this, a tenant just happens to know the story of the “Narfs” and tells Paul Giamatti’s character all about the story and all the things and people he needs to gather together to help her accomplish her destiny.

From a Christian perspective, I liked the movie, there was very little swearing, no sexual innuendo’s, and the characters were always dressed. There were a few references to drug use and the one possible gory scene was left to the imagination. The PG-13 rating is for some frightening sequences but truth be told, I jumped once big time and a few times when sprinklers turned on. I wouldn’t necessarily call it a scary movie but if someone in your house tends to have bad dreams I wouldn’t recommend it.

Overall I thought it was somewhat corny but fun, suspenseful and entertaining.

Movie 2 – Happy Feet

PG – Some material may not be suitable for children. Some mild peril and rude humor.

OH it bugs me when I go to see a “kids” movie and it says – “may not be suitable for children” It’s not an adult movie, it’s a kids movie, it’s a high tech cartoon!. OK, I’m done ranting.

So anyway I thought it was cute. The story is the same one over and over, The Ugly Duckling, Chicken Little, etc. Something’s wrong with the main character, Mumble, therefore he is eventually ostracized but he doesn’t let it get him down, no he decides to save the day (and his colony of Penguins). He of course succeeds and all is happy again!

I loved the music; they brought back some great oldies. I also liked the graphics; they are so realistic at times I forgot that there really isn’t such a thing as talking penguins and elephant seals (God really does have a sense of humor). The main thing that I really didn’t care for is some of the sexual dance moves that the penguins do. It’s a little like dirty dancing at times and that makes me uncomfortable, this is a movie that should be geared towards kids and I think in that instance the writers and producers should have a moral obligation to keep the dancing “G” rated. Our kids and our grandkids are growing up in a world where sex is everywhere, school dances are basically large orgies with cloths on. I mean do they really have to bump’n grind in a kid’s movie?

Overall, cute movie, good music, moral is good wins in the end and I like that.