Sunday, November 29, 2009

Movie Quote Monday: Christmas Edition Part One

Tis the season for Christmas movies, so I thought that I would spend the month of December talking about some of my favorite Christmas movies.  Now I will warn you that some of the movies are not what some would necessarily consider traditional Christmas movies, but maybe they should be.

Here are some quotes from the first film; see if you can guess which movie they come from:

Lucy: I've had a really lousy Christmas, you've *just* managed to kill my New Year's, if you come back on Easter- you can burn down my apartment.
_______________________________________________________

Nurse Wanda: Next time you're talking to yourself, tell yourself you're single and end the conversation! 
_______________________________________________________

Lucy: You give up your seat every day in the train.
Peter: Well... But that's not heroic.
Lucy: It is to the person who sits in it.
________________________________________________________
Lucy: [to Jack] Okay, um. What do you mean by the leaning thing? You mean because he gave me flowers?
Jack: And then you *leaned*
Lucy: And then I leaned.
Jack: Yeah.
Lucy: Okay, how did I lean when I leaned?
Jack: It was a lot different from hugging. Hugging's very different. Hugging that involves arms and hands; and leaning is whole bodies moving in like this
[leans toward her suggestively]
Jack: . Leaning involves *wanting*... and *accepting*. *Leaning*...
Joe Jr.: Hey Luce! Is this guy bothering you?
Lucy: [Laughs] No, no.
Joe Jr.: Are you sure? Because it looks like he's *leaning.*
____________________________________________________
Priest: Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to...
Lucy: I object.
Saul: Oh, geez.
Priest: I didn't get to that part yet.
Jack: I would have to object too.
Priest: What about you?
Peter: I'm thinking!
_____________________________________________________

Were you able to guess the movie?  It's While You Were Sleeping.  I usually consider it a Christmas movie since it is set at Christmas time.  I enjoy many of Sandra Bullock's films, and this one is probably my favorite.  The chemistry between her and Bill Pullman works well, and by the end of the movie, I was hoping that they would end up together. 

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Movie Quote Monday

I am going to try something new where I talk about some of my favorite lines from a specific movie.  The first movie I am going to quote is Undercover Blues (1999) starring Dennis Quaid and Kathleen Turner.  While this movies isn't necessarily Oscar quality, it is a fun movie to watch on a Saturday afternoon while one is cleaning the house.  I have seen it enough times that I think I can quote most of the movie.

First of all, I love the title because it of the double meaning.  One might think that it is referring to some sort of depression causes by being undercover, but actually the title is referring to the fact that the couple, whose last name is Blue, are secret agents.  It also refers to the fact that even though they are on maternity leave, they are not able to get away from the job.

The chemistry between Quaid and Turner work well in the movie.  They make their characters believable and likable.

Another funny character in the movie is Muerte played by Stanley Tucci.  The sub-plot that involves his character really adds to the humor of the movie and Stanley Tucci does a great job playing the bumbling mugger.

Here are some of my favorite quotes:

Jane Blue: You took our child into a knife fight?
Jeff Blue: It was a fair fight. Two of them, two of us...


Lt. Theodore 'Ted' Sawyer: My source at the FBI said they didn't think you were, and I quote, "Bureau material."
Jeff Blue: That's true. I'm more of an end table.
Jane Blue: I always thought of you as a dining room chair.






Lt. Theodore 'Ted' Sawyer: Isn't the baby a little young for dolls?
Jeff Blue: It's for me. It's a post-feminist doll.
Jane Blue: Goes to work with little sneakers on but resents it.


Jane Blue: [while Meurte is floating on a life saver in the ocean] Can I get you anything? Coffee? Tea?
Muerte: [considers the offer] No, no, I'm fine, thank you.



Jeff Blue: [while Muerte is in a tree in an aligator pit wearing only his shirt and socks] Tell you what, you wait here. I'll go for help.
Muerte: No, no, Blue, don't leave me!
Jeff Blue: Can I get you anything, Morty? Coffee? Tea?
Muerte: Coffee? Tea? No, no, I'm fine. Just get me the hell out of here!
Jeff Blue: Ta-ta.
Muerte: Ta-ta! Good-bye! Thank you! 

If you haven't seen the movie yet, I recommend that you watch it sometime in the near future and let me know what you think.

Shout Aloud

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
let us should aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song.

Psalm 95:1-2

I think it is great the God created us to praise Him.  He did not create us to sit quietly and to obey under obligation.  He wants us to be vocal and sing out to Him.  He wants us to use the wonderful gift of music to worship Him.  I am very thankful for the people who are willing to share the musical gifts that God has given them and am grateful for radio stations that play music that is uplifting and reminds me to praise God throughout the day.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Strength from the Lord

Have you ever stopped to think about just how much strength God gives us each day?  As getting up at 5:00 each week day gets more and more difficult, I know that God is giving me the strength to get out of bed and start the day.  As I drive to work, He gives me the strength to pay attention and not drive off the road.  As I teach my classes, He gives me the strength to not strangle some of the students.  At home He gives me the strength to cook meals, do laundry, and take care of other little details that need attention.  God faithfully give me strength for the littlest and biggest of tasks.  How awesome to think that God is concerned about every element of our lives!  I would hate to think what life would be like without His strength.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Autumn Leaves

Today as I walking back to my office after teaching class, I observed a young woman walking along the sidewalk kicking at the leaves that were covering the path.  It made me think of my temptation to kick at the piles of leaves that are forming in various places in our yard and along the street.  What is it about a pile of leaves lying on the ground that just begs a person to have some fun and scatter them with their feet?  What a wonderful gift God has given us to remind us to stay children at heart. 

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Better Is One Day

One of my favorite worship songs is "Better Is One Day." It's such an awesome reminder that to be in the presence of the Lord will be far greater than the greatest day we ever had.

I have recently been reading through the Psalms and was excited to find the Psalm that this song came from. Psalm 84 is all about how great it will be to be in the presence of the Lord, even if it were for just one day. Verse 4 says, "Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you." The whole idea of praising God for eternity is an aspect of heaven that I don't think we really consider. At one time, the thought to me seemed a little boring. I didn't really care for singing in church when I was younger, so I wondered why we would have to do it in heaven. My attitude has changed since my walk with God has become closer, but when I was doing research for my Master's thesis, I couldn't help but see Mark Twain's point when he couldn't see why Christians were excited to go to heaven when they could hardly get themselves to go to church.

Why is it that we sometimes have to force ourselves to attend church and worship God? Do we really believe that one day in God's courts will be better than a thousand elsewhere?