Hits of the Season ...

Christmas on Division Street was initial tissue fare - a good movie with Fred Savage looking at sides of life that matter; aired today

Today, saw the black and white of It's a Wonderful Life showing how a life matters, again. The wife, Donna Reed, in this version reminds me (look at their eyes) of Kirstin Davis who I just saw in the entertaining film, Deck the Halls about getting caught in sides of life that don't matter with Danny De Vito, Matthew Broderick, and the lady with a lovely voice - Kristen Chenoweth - she's filming a Christmas movie coming out next year called 'Four Christmases'

Jane Seymour, who I love most from Somewhere in Time did a review I enjoyed of Christmas films over the years - A Hollywood Christmas

The husband and youngest were at the keyboard singing christmas carols - priceless! We put our lights out today, a lovely nativity scene, and dressed our tree yesterday evening, the first time in my adult years not having natural tree. The youngest assisted the husband with the lights and me with the tree. He went to bed early in anticipation of tomorrow's events

The giant is a navy seaman. He graduates Friday in Chicago and on the same day is bound for San Antonio. Am hoping to see him there, the Lord willing. Two kids - eldest and giant - in Texas ...

Yesterday the children sang for christmas in our worship service, and the night before we gathered for a fellowship of caroling. The Ace sang a moving 'Mary Did You Know', and I was able to accompany her singing 'O Holy Night'. Worshiping the Lord in song in celebration of His birth - precious!

I was able to get the husband a gift he never suspected and would love! Time after time he has been there for me - lifted me up, been my strength, my safety blanket, my as it is described in one of Madea's movies representation of God's love. He loves the wind up clocks that chime the hour. Not long ago, his was over-wound. Come to find out they are expensive to fix or buy. But I found a deal. I hope chime after chime, it reminds him how much I love him.

Merry Christmas every one!

Praise the Lord! Jesus Christ was born! Go tell it!

So why haven't I talked about Why Did I Get Married?

Well as much as I've wanted to and am eager to support this, I haven't seen it yet. Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?, I fully expect to be as rewarding as all of Perry's work I've seen. If you check out his site, you'll see he has more work coming down the road - looks like next year Madea is going to jail!

The New York Times review says “Why Did I Get Married?” follows four couples who meet each year for a therapeutic vacation. Friends since college, they converge to discuss their relationships and address marital difficulties. This being a Tyler Perry film, there is much to discuss; we also know there will be secrets revealed, sermons delivered and forgiveness sought. Sounds like it would be a worthy couple's study's endeavor. I'll see it soon - and to be sure, you'll hear from me.

Meanwhile look what I came across - This Christmas! Moviefone says of the film, the Whitfied siblings have come home for the first time in years and they've brought plenty of baggage with them....secrets are revealed and family bonds are tested. As their lives converge, they join together and help each other discover the true meaning of family - in an all-star cast including some of my favorites -Loretta Devine, Idris Elba (remember him from Daddy's Little Girls), Regina King, Delroy Lindo, Mekhi Phifer.

The week wrap up

Highlights (or the high life :-) - as opposed to low life); hmmm.... I'm reminded of Madea's Family Reunion when the character Carlos (Blair Underwood) references "the highs and lows of me".

• The husband and I decided last night to go to Tony Roma's. It's a favorite of ours - we've become Roma Rib Experts - their birthday club. For starters, we had a half of their signature Onion Loaf 'giant hand-cut Spanish onions, breaded, deep fried and served with house BBQ dipping sauce. For the main course he had their Beef Ribsters while I had the St. Louis Ribs - mine were accompanied by Loaded Mashed Potatoes while his were surrounded by Ranch Style Beans and French Fries. It wasn't very veggie; but yumm! We accummulated two more doggy containers - a total of 7 now (remember Red Robin's and Denny's?). It's really nice to get off on our own sometime - but I guess we'll need to eat these delicious leftovers some time. But there's another Black Angus trip next week!
  
  
• Okay now that might be working against our newest endeavor - to exercise at home. We want to get a Weider Max Resistance System Gym - this puppy even has rowing; its on order and arriving in a few weeks. If there's another word for stoked, that'd be me. This is a project we'll both enjoy. I've never been much to stick to clubs, or diet programs, or aerobic stuff - but I've always enjoyed strength training and with its rower, its gotta be a great workout.
  
  
• The other thing that we have been doing is on the edge-of-our-seats watching the television series 24, a not so highly aerobic activity unless you count heart racing. We've become addicts, owning a dvd set for every season. We watched last season just in time to be ready for the season opener - two nights/two hours - but we were able to record it on our DVR and watch it at our convenience. And now we wait with baited breath... what of Jack Bauer now? - the man's even has a full blown history.

Diary music

Revisiting Diary, the final songs sung by Tamela Mann, Father Can You Hear Me and Take It to Jesus and the whole surrounding scene just brings me to tears - everytime I watch it (yes I have frequent viewer - FV - miles) - sometimes I start it right where this scene begins.

A similar movie that also always gets me that way is the singing Maybe God Is Tryin' To Tell You Somethin' (don't you feel that way sometimes - somethin' that really needs to be heard) by Suge Avery as she enters the church a sinner reconciling with her self-estranged minister dad in Spielberg's The Color Purple (Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Margaret Avery, Oprah Winfrey, to name a few) based on the book written by one of my favorite authors, Alice Walker - but I won't get started on all of that. I will say this movie was chock full of stellar performances; and it was robbed of the 'Oscar' that year. Still The Color Purple doesn't get as many FV Miles because it hurts the heart so to watch - there is so much pain in this movie.

I think it pisses God off when you walk by the color purple in a field and don't notice it.

Can you imagine? We walk by God's creations of beauty obliviously all the time - even when you count the times you notice.

2005 - Yikes, the year of Ike?

I oddly realized I had heard two Ike Turner references in movies I had recently watched. One was Diary of a Mad Black Woman - it is near the end - you almost miss it, even though it is one of the first ones. "C'mon Ike Turner, go on out there and get her". The other was the Wedding Crashers' "Wow, we're getting a great preview of what marriage is gonna be like with Ike Turner over here". Strangely enough both were released in 2005. So I wondered how common an occurrence Ike quotes were, and came across these others from imdb.com:

Oh, yeah. Hair like wool, skin like bronze. It's in your Bible. Jesus probably looked more like Ike Turner, but without that "I'm gonna beat ya, woman" look in his eyes.

Duck, Duck, Goose! (2005)

Where would Tina Turner be right now if she'd rolled over and said, "Hit me again, Ike, and put some stank on it!"? Rollin' on the river, that's where she'd be. But she's beyond Thunderdome, because she decided to send a message? [yells] Wake up, sisters! There is nooooooo such thing as a weaker sex! Liar Liar (1997)

Dionne and her boyfriend Murray are in this dramatic relationship. I think they've seen that Ike and Tina Turner movie too many times. Clueless (1995)

Question number three: Given Ted's obsession with colorizing things, is it possible he's the unwanted love child of Ike and Tina Turner? "Mystery Science Theater 3000" (1988).

I also found Ike Turner, Official web site for The Father of Rock and Roll. The movie What's Love Got to Do with It about Ike and Tina Turner was actually released in 1993. Okay I am going to try to return from the abstract. I'm rollin, rollin on the river...on out of here for now.

lost diaries

In this movie of touching romance with the african-american and christian circumstance, Diary of a Mad Black woman (Kimberly Elise, the Practice's Steve Harris, Shemar Moore, Tyler Perry) speaks deeply to restoration from brokenness for anyone - one of those things our God is about - this state of being lost manifests in many forms - hurt, our fault, God's rebuilding, fear, pride. The lost sometimes don't even know they are lost! I prefer the movie over the play - the story is more fully encompassing. It's a remarkable and wise glimpse into the process of recovery .

A conversation between the Kimberly's character and her mama (Cicely):

"You know I know this man put a hurtin' on you baby, but you've got to forgive him. No matter what he done, you've got to forgive him - not for him, but for you."
"Forgive him for me?"
"When some body hurts you they take power over you, if you don't forgive them then they keeps the power. Forgive him baby and after you forgive him, forgive youreself. "

Now ain't that the truth!

My hats off to Tyler Perry and his work. they can be a little earthy, but while keeping it funny (most often hilarious), he keeps it deeply and spiritually real with characters we all know in our own lives - c'mon, you know you know someone! And Cicely Tyson is always a joy to see perform. Adding to Reunion - don't get me started on that one - I cant wait to complete the Madea collection; I've got some work to do!