Happy Thanksgiving!

My table this year. Have a great day, everyone! So thankful for all the Lord's blessings! Happy Thanksgiving!

Beautiful Godmother

This is Carol, my lovely, beautiful godmother, who has been such a blessing in my life. She and my parents have been friends for many years. Bright and bubbly with a vivacious personality, she is a Doris Day lookalike but without the singing voice (never heard her sing actually). Don't you just want to be her friend?  Her home is gorgeous, full of antiques and private sitting areas loaded with collectibles and personal memorabelia - all of which tell a story about her life and that of her extended family. You just want to move in with a good book and a hot cup of coffee. She's a tough cookie who won't be pushed around by anyone - you go girl! And get this--she's the only person I know who parks her car over old oriental rugs placed in the garage - a real southern belle! Just love her!

Current Movie Review-Dead Poets Society

Read my latest review of one of my favorite classic Robin Williams flicks. A young Ethan Hawke is outstanding as well!

http://www.christianfictiononlinemagazine.com/berzerk_movies.html

This month I decided to do a classic movie review, honoring one of my favorites, Dead Poets Society, starring Robin Williams and a very young Ethan Hawke. My teenage children love this film too, probably because of its timeless story of parental oppression during the high school years when adult independence is just beginning to take root. It’s a theme that all of us are very familiar with, despite the love and support of caring parents. At some point, all of us must make the choice to follow our God-given passions and desires, even if they are very different from what our mothers or fathers had planned. And then of course, there is Robin Williams.

I would rank this film, along with Mrs. Doubtfire, and Good Will Hunting, as one of my favorite Robin Williams movies, because it provides the perfect combination of funny and serious. No one can match Williams’ quick wit and zany impressions that are enhanced by his kooky grin and unusual looks. He’s still adorable in my opinion.

Part of the timelessness of this movie is the setting. It takes place in the 50s, at an all-male New England prep school where over eighty percent of the graduates end up in Ivy League schools. It’s about as close as the US can get to English aristocracy, and the expectation of the parents who send their sons to these schools is nothing less than good, old-fashioned American royalty: attend the finest universities in the land, major in business, law, or medicine, marry the “right” girl, and settle down to a successful and lucrative life that repeats itself generation after generation. All is well and good until Robin Williams’ character, Professor Keating, a very unconventional English literature teacher, joins the faculty. Once a bit of a hell-raiser in his school-boy days, he is an accomplished teacher whose methods are a little different from the norm of a posh prep school.

Besides Ethan Hawke (who plays Todd Anderson), there are three other main characters who provide the structure for the story. All are wonderful actors, but sadly none of them have risen to great heights in the film industry. I especially liked Gale Hansen (who plays Charlie Dalton) and Josh Charles (who plays Knox Overstreet – now seen in The Good Wife on TV). Robert Sean Leonard (who plays Neil Perry) was a bit of heartthrob in his day (now seen in House MD). Only Williams and Hawke have remained on the Hollywood A-list. Regardless of their lack of movie star success, the cast is a great one, and provides a wonderful combination of bad boy, intellectual, brooding deep thinker, and emotional romantic, all of which play well against Williams’ unique humor. This nice choice of actors is another reason the film is so appealing.

The story is beautifully told, starting with Keating introducing his students on the first day of class to the art of poetry. He takes everyone out to the trophy cases where portraits of former students line the shelves, their time for glory having long past. The message Keating gives them is Carpe Diem, which is Latin for “seize the day.” He encourages them to make the most of the life given to them, to make it extraordinary. As the boys lean in to examine the faces of those who have passed through the same halls years before, Keating whispers Carpe Diem in a haunting whisper that sets the tone for the entire movie. In that one scene, the viewer knows something exciting, yet tragic is about to unfold, and these boys’ lives will be forever changed by it.

Williams’ humor is exquisite; it a wonderful blend of mimicry and witty encouragement that gives the boys the strength to step outside the school’s stiff norms and rules and think for themselves, to examine life from a place of passion and romance and not just the practicality of career and money. I loved how he had them rip out the introduction in their poetry text book and tear it with great vigor, chastising the pompous words espoused by a dry, unimaginative academic. It’s these kinds of wonderful teachers that make such an impact in our lives.

The movie picks up steam when the boys learn that Keating had once been part of the Dead Poets Society, a clandestine group that embraced this line of passionate free thinking, much to the disapproval of the school’s administration. Encouraged by the message of Carpe Diem, the boys decide to resurrect the Dead Poets Society, using Keating’s old book of poetry as inspiration. But when the boys’ newfound courage oversteps the bounds and wanders into rebellion, trouble awaits. Good intentions turn to tragedy and the pressure to conform becomes stronger than ever.

For those of you who haven’t seen the movie, be prepared for a major tear-jerker plot point that sends the boys on a downward spiral and causes Keating to lose his job. I remember being very moved by the injustice of parental oppression that dictates career choices without any consideration to individual skills, talents, or most importantly, desires. Some kids aren’t strong enough to stand up to the pressures placed on them and so they succumb to depression and suicide. We read about these sad cases every day, wondering what could have been said or done to render a different outcome. This movie suggests letting a child follow their God-given passions and let life unfold as it is supposed to. That is a very good message for every parent.

Dead Poets Society is a classic film with an uplifting ending that will endure for years to come as an excellent, quality movie with a touching message. It is a timeless tale that appeals to the hearts of all generations. It makes us laugh and cry, but most importantly, it makes us think and consider. Are we living the life God has intended for us? If not, then Carpe Diem, seize the day! Let’s be like Todd Anderson and his friends and embrace the boldness of the Professor Keatings of the world, insisting on living an extraordinary life! It’s never too late…

When Tragedy Strikes

So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:54-57.

Today marks the second time this week that two of my children have truly felt the sting of death in their hearts. One was a much-loved teacher and the other a beloved father of a much-loved teammate. My children are now at the age where the injustice of precious life being so swiftly and unexpectedly snuffed out is felt in the core of one's being. How can this happen? their young minds ask. Why did this happen? How can a person be so alive one day, living life to the full, and the next day be gone to the next world without giving us the opportunity to say good-bye? These are tough questions that have plagued all of us. All of us probably remember the first time the death of a friend or family member struck us to the core. The shock rocks our world and makes all of us realize we are standing on very shaky ground by living on this earth. Evil, sickness, disease, tragedy, and death swirl around us, and we never know if or when we will become the next victim. Fear descends on us and puts us in bondage. We look to blame someone, anyone, but many times there is no person to blame. Some will blame the enemy and his demonic forces, others will blame God, questioning His goodness and mercy. Some will even go so far as to say that God brought death as a form of divine plan. All of this leaves many of us terribly confused.

The first thing I told my children is what I would tell anyone who is trying to make sense of a tragedy: God did not do this. We are in the age of the church where John 3:16 is the Lord's mandate -- For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. God is out to save people not to kill them. In Ephesians 6:10-12, the Apostle Paul tells us to not be ignorant of the demonic forces at work in this world.  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in highplaces. Many of the evil and tragic events that have occurred throughout history can be directly attributed to Satan and his demonic principalities. Right now, I'm thinking of the Holocaust and 9-11. We know demonic powers are real because the Bible talks about them in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.

"Okay, if that's true, then why didn't God intervene and stop the devil?" many people ask. "God is God - He's more powerful than Satan! He must not be very loving if He could stop a terrible thing from happening but doesn't!" These questions are the toughest to answer because the answer isn't obvious. I don't even attempt to answer this line of questioning, because I don't have the answer and am sure I never will -- not unless the Lord reveals it to me. And yet, I do have a response...

We do not know why God intervenes in some cases and not others. Certainly all of us have heard testimonies of healings, deliverances, escapes, rescues, inward unctions not to go into work on 9-11, and all sorts of supernatural stories where God is attributed as having intervened to save body and soul. And then there are the horrible, freakish tragedies that make no sense at all, leaving us wondering if there really is a God. BUT as believers in Jesus Christ, we are not called to understand, we are called to have faith and believe. This position goes against our flesh and mind, but it is in line with our reborn spirits. We have to renew our minds and believe what God's Word says, not what we experience in this world. We believe that, in spite of circumstances, God is still good, He loves us, and He is for us and not against us. We believe He is blessing us and will continue to bless us. We believe He has a wonderful plan for our lives -- all because of what His son, Jesus, did on the cross 2000 years ago. We believe His Word and the power of the Holy Spirit working in our lives and in the lives of others throughout the body of Christ. We believe in our savior, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. 

Where there is the darkness of death, there is the light of life in Christ Jesus. A day is coming soon and very soon, where death will be swallowed up in victory and the sting of its terrible separation will no longer be felt. We will have new, glorified bodies, and there will be a new heaven and new earth -- we who are in Him will experience an earthly peace, as well as the shalom peace in our hearts that He brings at the new birth. That will be a glorious day indeed!

But until then, keep believing! Don't try to figure everything out! Adhere to God's Word, follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, and believe in God's love for you. God is still good, He is still love, and Jesus still rules and reigns as King of kings and Lord of lords! Claim the promises of God in the Scriptures and stand firm in your authority In Him. Keep fighting the good fight of faith and don't shrink back in doubt and unbelief. None of us knows the future, other than what the Bible tells us in the Book of Revelation -- Satan is defeated and will one day be cast into the lake of fire. Jesus is victorious, and we who are alive In Him, will live with Him forever. That is a very good future, my friend!

Happy Veteran's Day!

Happy Veteran's Day! I have the deepest respect (and a bit of envy) for those who have served in the US military. I think it says something about one's character to devote one's entire future to this great country, sacrificing many of the worldly freedoms civilians take for granted, knowing that this decision may require giving one's life on the battlefield. For my grandfather (who was a General in the Army), the opportunity to serve was so enticing, that he actually fudged on his age in order to be admitted. For my dad (who was a Captain), service was compulsory for two years after graduating college.

Flash forward a generation later when I was growing up in the 70s, and nobody wanted to go into the military--not unless there were no other viable options for career and livelihood. That may be a terrible thing to admit, but coming from a civilian family living in a military town in eastern North Carolina, I can say that it was true. At that time (the Vietnam era), the military did not have the greatest of reputations amongst the townsfolk, even though it was the main source of business. This was always a bit confusing (and disconcerting) to me, but it is how I remember it.

Many of my schoolmates had fathers in the military, and there always seemed to be an unspoken barrier between our military and civilian parents. Perhaps it was because of the turmoil surrounding the Vietnam War and the underlying fear that these military dads/husbands may never return home. Fortunately, I can only remember one friend who lost a father in the war. Many came home very different, but a few seemed unchanged. Regardless, my heart always swelled with a mixture of fear, respect, and admiration when these dads were around. Somehow, in my little girl mind, I knew these men had done something truly great that most of us would never fully understand. Like my grandfather, they would never be able to speak of what they encountered (both good and bad), because it was (and is) too difficult. I know, because I probed my grandfather's mind for years, trying to dig out stories from WWII. I finally had to accept that some things are better left closed to the rest of the world.

As I got older, I quickly learned there was an unwritten rule regarding these young, extremely good-looking military men who dominated the single male population of my hometown: good, southern girls were to stay very far away! I was warned (either explicitly or implicitly - I can't remember) that they would either break my heart, whisk me away to some poor, industrial Yankee city, or die in Vietnam. Tattoos, cigarettes, and girlie clubs were the by-products of their life, which only bolstered parental warnings to shun them at all costs. But that notion never sat right with me. These guys had given up freedoms offered by civilian life to ensure my safety. Many of them would be shipped off to Vietnam or who-knows-where else and would never come home--and if they did, they would be forever changed.

I must confess, that while I adhered to the warning to stay away, I always felt a sense of pride that I lived in a town where these young men trained so vigorously for battle. For that reason, I didn't mind the hoots and catcalls they gave me and my high school friends as we cruised the streets on the weekends or the rowdy behavior at a an action movie that made us feel like we were watching a film in the barracks. Nevertheless, several of my school friends succumbed to temptation and broke the rule, agreeing to date servicemen--and one even had the audacity to marry one! I can proudly say they are still happily married to this day!

My, how times do change! Thankfully, I can report there is great pride in servicing the local troops in my hometown. Jet flyovers and mock artillery maneuvers are no longer considered a noisome nuisance but rather the "sound of freedom." I especially love seeing the welcome home banners strewn down the highway near the main gate of the base. I get all choked up at knowing these unrecognized, modern-day heroes are getting just a bit of recognition for the sacrifices they make on a daily basis for me and my family and for all Americans. They deserve so much more.

Veterans, you are greatly appreciated and deeply loved! A heart-felt thank you for all you have done for this great country we call home!

Senior Night!

Good times at Raider Stadium tonight! Senior night is always a special evening. Weather was good but cold, unlike two years ago when it rained cats and dogs! Proud of our senior drum major. Had grandparents here too from NC. Anna home from UGA - all good!

Chef Extraordinaire, Charlie Trotter, Remembered

Charlie Trotter: picture courtesy of http://dsc.discovery.com

I was so saddened to hear of the death of Charlie Trotter yesterday - and at such a young age of 54! Having lived in Chicago for six years in the early 90s, I remember his meteoric rise to culinary kingship, long before Food Network launched its slate of famous chefs. My husband and I rented our first apartment off Lincoln Park Avenue, at the corner of Armitage - which was just a short walk to Trotter's eponymous restaurant. Talk about a dining experience! I wasn't a Christian at that time, but I can say that my one night sitting at a coveted table in that small restaurant was as close to a religious experience as I had ever had. I remember it like it was yesterday!

At the time, I was working as a high-powered corporate attorney, doing my best to become a cultured, urban woman of the world. I had never heard of Charlie Trotter, but somehow my mother had learned of him and his unique cooking style, probably through his stint on PBS - plus she is a huge gourmet food lover, having been a worshipper of Julia Child back in the 70s. I did a bit of research and quickly learned that eating at Charlie Trotter's was not an every night occurrence. Reservations had to be made months (and I mean months) in advance and under NO CIRCUMSTANCES would you dare cancel (unless you were literally going into labor - more on that later). Mom's greatest wish was for us all to go out for an evening of fine dining (sans Dad who likes to eat, but could be satisfied with a jar of peanut butter and a handful of crackers), and so I obediently made the all-important reservation. The five of us (Mom, my husband and I, and my two sisters) took the short drive to 816 W Armitage Drive and had the experience of a lifetime!

Dégustation. That word was plastered all over the menu, and I had no idea what it meant. Basically, it is a french term that means the following (thanks to Wikipedia): a careful, appreciative tasting of various foods and focusing on the gustatory system, the senses, high culinary art and good company. Dégustation is more likely to involve sampling small portions of all of a chef's signature dishes in one sitting. Usually consisting of eight or more courses, it may be accompanied by a matching wine degustation which complements each dish.

Now, you must know that I come from the South where a gourmet meal is served family style, meaning the serving dishes are set out on the table or a buffet, and everything is heaped on one plate with the goal of eating as fast as possible through several swallows of sweet tea.Once the plate is licked clean (or sopped up with the remnants of a biscuit), the glutton crawls to the easy chair (or stretches out on the floor) where the top button of the trousers is opened for the digestion to begin - all while watching a family TV show. About an hour later dessert is served - always with ice cream or cool whip. Bedtime is preceded by much belching and a request for antacid or seltzer water. Not so at Charlie Trotter's!

First of all, there were things on the menu I had never seen and never imagined I would put in my mouth, but I took a chance and indulged. Despite the steep menu price (gulp - but Mom was paying!), we all ordered the dégustation and embarked on the most amazing culinary ride imaginable. Eight to nine courses of the most beautifully presented, exquisitely prepared, and delicious dishes that defied anything I could've dreamt of eating! Each dish was like a work of art - just a small portion - but the perfect amount to satisfy, yet leaving you wanting more. Four hours later, with much wine and dessert, all of us found that we were pleasantly full but not stuffed, relaxed but not tipsy, and elated from the climactic experience. I felt as though we had been entertained with our own private symphony conducted by Mozart himself.

When the check came, it was so large that the credit card company called my dad to make sure his card hadn't been stolen - how funny! Dad thought Mom was nuts to spend that kind of money on food when peanut butter and crackers would suffice. But he didn't understand, and still doesn't. It wasn't just the food - it was the experience, the presentation, the extended time it took to savor every gorgeous dish, the ambiance, the notion that we were eating like the kings and queens of old - better even! It is one of the most wonderful gifts my mother has ever given me!

Several years later, Mom wanted to go back - and this time, reserve the coveted table IN THE KITCHEN, where we could watch and breathe the same air as the magical Charlie Trotter! Without hesitation, I made the reservation and the date was set - but alas, our son decided to enter the world a bit early. Boo hoo! Mom always teased him that one day she would take him to Charlie Trotter's and have that celebratory meal in that famous kitchen. But it wasn't meant to be. The restaurant closed some years ago, and now Charlie Trotter is no more.

What a great gift Mr. Trotter gave us that night many years ago. I could tell he put great love and attention in the preparation of every dish and it was certainly appreciated. I will always have fond memories of him and hope that his great passion for the dégustation will be passed on to the next generation of culinary wizards, if it hasn't already.

Charlie Trotter, rest in peace! You will be greatly missed!

Goodreads Review - Life is Short, I Wish I Was Taller

Caroline Friday's Reviews > Life Is Short, I Wish I Was Taller

Life Is Short, I Wish I Was Taller 
by Ann Ipock 

Caroline Friday's review

Nov 05, 13  ·  edit

5 of 5 stars

Read in October, 2013

This is the cutest, funniest book that had me hee hawing under the covers in the wee hours of the night while my husband tried to sleep! Really, it is a collection of columns written by a modern-day Southern belle who gives the reader a slice of eastern North Carolina life. It wasn't that the details of the stories were necessarily hilarious, it was the voice they were written in that won me over. The author writes in a giggly, zany fashion that works on the emotions from down deep. I found that as I read, the laughter bubbled up from somewhere inside and just came spewing out. Since I am a fellow Southerner, I could appreciate many of the scenarios and life-observations and felt like I had been whisked back to my girlhood home. While I don't know the author personally, we are from the same home town, so I could relate to many of the settings. Basically, a good book for the soul!

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