Incoherent Thoughts, Attempting to be Coherent

I'm feeling restless tonight.  I don't know what comes over me sometimes, but I'm in one of those moods where I can't seem to sit still.  There's a stirring inside me, a longing for something...

On nights like these I have an irrepressible urge to run through a field of flowers.  To feel the wind whipping through my hair.  To sing at the top of my voice until I'm exhausted and can sing no more. 

 

 

I want to write.  There are so many feelings and emotions inside me; all I can think of is getting them down on paper.  But I can't.  I don't know how to convey the thoughts churning in my brain.  I want to write words that stir people's hearts and make a difference in this hurting world.  But words fail me.  All the time.  I can't hold on to them long enough to put them into any sort of coherent order.   

 

It's a helpless feeling.    

 

When I hear certain strains of music, when I read powerful words which other people have written, when I see the beauty all around me in God's creation, my heart responds.  Something leaps inside me and I wish that in turn I could pass those feelings on to someone else by the words that I write. 

 

 

But maybe that isn't the point.

 

Maybe I will never be a real writer.  Maybe expressing myself in words never will come easy to me.  Maybe writing is not the area in which God will truly use me. 

 

It doesn't matter.  If I never get beyond wishing to be a writer, it's okay.  All I truly want is to fulfill God's plan for my life.  Wherever He sends me, whatever He tells me to do.  I want to be doing that with all my heart and soul. 

 

Okay.  So now you're probably wondering, "What's she babbling on about?"  Your guess is as good as mine.  I really don't know.  I told you, I don't express myself very well in writing.  Even I don't understand what I'm trying to say.  :)

 

Let's just end this incoherent post with a song that's a whole lot more powerful than any words I could ever write.  (And no, this post was not written merely as an excuse to include this video.  But really, if I can't share my feelings in my own words I may as well use somebody else's.)

 

 

 

 

Ten Movie Characters That I Like Very Much

I've been tagged by Olivia!  I never expected to be tagged this soon after starting a blog, so naturally this is very exciting!  I was actually in the process of writing a post about ten of my favorite heroes when Olivia tagged me, so at first I thought I would simply combine the two posts.  However, I've decided not to do that.  It was taking me too long to get my heroes organized, so instead I'm going to put off talking about them and do a more random assemblage of people. 

As there is an endless amount of good characters in movies I find it impossible to choose ten absolute favorites.  Therefore, these are just ten movie characters that I like very much.  This is a very random list, and I am leaving off most of my favorite heroes and heroines because I'd like to do a more specific post devoted to them later on. 

Okay.  Here we go.  Ten of my favorite characters...in no particular order:

1.  John Chivery
From Little Dorrit

John Chivery is just sweet.  I don't know how anyone could not like him.  He's got an innocent boyishness to him which is totally endearing.  He is also a very tragic character, which makes for some extremely sad and emotional scenes; but I have to admit I enjoy those parts because they're so well done.  (I do love to cry over movies.)

2.  Jeff Stone

From The Donna Reed Show

My siblings and I just recently discovered The Donna Reed Show.  We've only watched a handful of episodes (mostly in the fourth season) so I can't speak for the entire series, but so far I'm very much enjoying Jeff's character.  He's a little cocky--and a bit of a smart-Alec--but you can't help overlooking that in view of how genuinely fun he is.  He's a cheerful, energetic fifteen year-old who dances while sweeping the living room; teases his sister; complains about all the work he has to do; eats bananas before breakfast because he "needs" more energy; and flunks his English assignment because he thinks it's too pointless to bother about.  In my opinion, he's just plain hilarious!  And I love his facial expressions!

3. Minnie

From Larkrise to Candleford

The first word that comes to mind when attempting to describe Minnie is "cute."  She is just the cutest little person ever.  I love her character.  She has a propensity for making silly-headed mistakes, but she never loses heart.  She's unfailingly cheerful, and totally sweet.

4. Paula

From Random Harvest

I love the way Paula takes "Smithy" under her protective wing when he's lost and bewildered, and how she believes in him and encourages him and laughs away his fears.  She has the most beautiful, twinkly smile.  I feel so bad for her when "Smithy" doesn't remember who she is, and I totally admire her strength in continuing to love him and cling to the hope that he will one day come back to her.

5. John Lawless

From The Happiest Millionaire

John is a one-of-a-kind Irish butler, who loves a good fight (so long as he's not painfully involved), enjoys a good drink (so long as he's not the one drinking), and knows just how to handle his eccentric and often overbearing employer.  "You yelled, sir?"   I like John.  He makes me smile.

6. Diego de le Vega 

From Disney's Zorro

He's Zorro!  What's not to like?  He's also charming, witty, and a perfect gentleman.  I love how he passes himself off as a book-loving scholar who can't abide the thought of fighting--when all the while he's the best swordsman in the country!

7. Sally Rogers

From The Dick Van Dyke Show

Sally is such a cool character.  She's always complaining about how she doesn't have a husband, but for all that she's not unhappy.  She has a lot of great one-liners, and is just about the only person who can advertise for a husband on live TV.  :)

8. Caleb Witting

From Sarah Plain and Tall

Caleb is adorable.  He has a very open-hearted, trusting nature.  He doesn't bat an eye when Sarah comes to be his new mother.  He simply welcomes her with open arms, fully confident that everything is going to be great.  "Will she like us?  Of course she will like us.  We are nice."

 9. Bert

From Mary Poppins

He's a fun-loving, easy-going, jack-of-all-trades sort of fellow; who "does what he likes and likes what he does."  He's happy and content with his life and has time to look about and notice the people around him.  I love how he cares for the children when they're lost and how he makes everything so much fun.

10. Sparkler

From Little Dorrit

Poor Sparkler.  No one gives him the time of day.  He's so devoted, and so tender-hearted, and so sweet, and so jolly, and all they can ever say to him is "Sparkler, be quiet."  But the cool thing is, he takes it all on the chin and still remains devoted, tender-hearted, sweet, and jolly.  He may not be up to the mark on all subjects, but he certainly knows how to take a pleasant view of life.  (Sorry.  This picture does not do justice to his happy-go-lucky nature, but it was the best I could find.  He must have been feeling something very keenly in that particular scene...or at least attempting to feel something.) 

 Whew!  I'm done!  Finally.  This post took me much too long to complete!  Thank you for tagging me, Olivia.  Despite my expert pickiness, which made this a very long and tedious process, I really did enjoy doing it.  :)  

And now I'm curious to know, are these familiar characters to anyone else out there?  Are there any in this list that you've never heard of? What do you like or dislike about these particular characters?  (Was that too many questions?  Probably.) 

Blessed to be the Daughter of a Most Excellent Mother

This is a late Mother's Day post.  I got the idea for it a day or so before the actual holiday and did not have time to properly think it over and compose it, so it's a few days late.  But that's okay, really, because every day is mother's day.  There should never be one single day throughout the entire year when we do not think about and appreciate our mothers...and fathers, too!  For they are truly one of the greatest gifts we have ever been given.

 

Okay...so I was thinking (I do that sometimes) about some of the excellent examples of motherhood depicted on film, and I thought I would liken them to my own mother. 

Caroline Ingalls:

 

Mrs. Ingalls particularly reminds me of my mother in the episode where she stays up all night making party dresses for her girls, Laura and Mary.  My mother would be just the sort of person who would do that; and despite the lateness of the hour and the difficulty of the task, I know she would so enjoy  it.  Because she loves giving pleasure to the members of her family.

Marmee:

 

 

Like Marmee, my mother is always available for confidences, but never forces them.  She will stay up into the wee hours of the night listening to our little woes and cares, and she always has something to say that puts the world back into its proper perspective.  She encourages us to do what's right not only by the words she speaks, but by the life she lives.  She is faithful and steady and constant and true.

 

Sarah Witting:

 

My mom is not as headstrong as Sarah, but she does have her own opinions and she doesn't mind stating them.  She is strong, like Sarah, and doesn't mind getting her hands dirty when there's a job that needs to be done.  She is very loyal and devoted and will stick by you through thick and thin.  She also loves to have fun and be adventurous, though she doesn't always think so.

 

 

I love you, Mommy.  You are one of the most generous and forgiving people I know.  Thank you for your patience with me and your constant example of how to live a Christ-centered, eternity focused life.  You are the sunshine in our home!  And not one of us could do without you!  :)