MLK Day

My 16 year old daughter's interpretation of MLK Day. Love it!

Eagle Scout Court of Honor

Finally, we have gotten around to planning Braxton's Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony. It's been many months since his project was completed, and we were waiting for the right time to officially celebrate, scout style! Pictures will be posted later, but we will have grandparents coming into town, an aunt and uncle there, and of course, siblings, parents, and lots of friends!

Congratulations, Braxton!! We are so very proud of you!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

 Happy Valentine's Day! This picture belonged to my mother-in-law and is one of my favorite scriptures in the Bible. I have it framed and sitting on a table in our bedroom. 

This is a great day to remember and rejoice in the love we have for and from our sweet spouses and children, but let's not forget about the great love we have been given by Jesus! Because of His great love for us, we through faith in Him are born again as a new creation and now have intimacy with the Heavenly Father. He has put His very spirit inside of us and has given us a precious prayer language and all the gifts of the Holy Spirit. These gifts help us and empower us to be effective and powerful witnesses for The Lord! 

Don't let religion rob you of the revelation of how much you are deeply loved AND how much we haven been given in Christ Jesus!

More Snow in Atlanta

Winter wonderland from my front door.

A Tribute to Shirley Temple

Have you ever seen a cuter, more adorable little girl in your life (other than your own daughter perhaps)? Shirley Temple was that little girl--the epitome of precious "sugar and spice and everything nice," complete with doll-baby frills, dimples, and those famous blonde curls.

Years ago, my grandmother introduced me to her movies, having bought an entire set of VHSs from QVC. I played them for my own children and they fell in love with her infectious personality, learning the words to The Goodship Lollipop, and Animal Crackers In My Soup. Even though the films are in black and white, they still hold up to the quality standard of today. That's the litmus test for a true star--an actress whose work lasts through the generations. Shirley Temple's movies have lived on, years past her exit from Hollywood and eventual career in politics that resulted in a position as a US ambassador. Hopefully, her untimely passing will generate a renewed interest in the sweet, moral goodness that was once the hallmark of Hollywood films.

As a child, I never understood how she could walk away from stardom and settle down with a husband, living the life of a regular American housewife. She was at the height of popularity, segueing nicely from a fabulous child star to a mature, talented actress. But sadly, type-casting stalled her career and eventually the industry lost interest. Initially, she was marketed by the studios as a squeaky clean Sandra Dee-type, but I'm sure she could've molded herself into a screen sex kitten if that had been her desire. But obviously it wasn't. She disappeared into obscurity, only to reemerge later on the political scene as Shirley Temple Black, ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia.

I think of my favorite modern-day child stars and look at where life has taken them: Macaulay Culkin, Lindsay Lohan, Miley Cyrus, all of whom could learn a thing or two from Shirley Temple. Yes, the cruelty of losing the "cute kid factor" to the awkwardness of the teen years has abruptly ended many of their Hollywood careers, or set them severely off course. For some child stars, the temptation to break cleanly from the sweet persona and embrace lewdness and rebellion is too enticing to pass up. Sure, this tactic may garner attention initially, but will that interest last through the generations? Only time will tell.

Thankfully, for Shirley Temple Black the road of Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, and Miley Cyrus was not chosen. Now, after her passing, we are left with the legacy of this darling little girl who can sing and dance up a storm and charm the sourness out of the grumpiest of men. We are also left with the legacy of a bold, courageous woman who was not hemmed in by her past, but used it to pioneer her way through the thick political arena dominated by men. She has probably done more for womankind than any of us realize.

As for me, I'll always remember her in the frilly dresses and blonde curls, flashing those cute dimples and giggling with a devious twinkle in her eye--looking like a doll baby, acting like an innocent, adorable little girl, yet harboring the promise of a beautiful, strong woman ready to blossom at the appropriate time. What a wonderful combination of sugar and spice! Can't wait to pull out those old videos and sing a few rounds of "Animal Crackers In My Soup"!

Thank you, Shirley Temple, for your contribution to the Friday family's entertainment over the years. We will ensure that your memory lives on!

Newest Movie Review: Saving Mr. Banks

The Oscar nominations were just announced today, and I am shocked that Saving Mr. Banks did not receive a single nod. I particularly expected to see Emma Thompson nominated for best actress and perhaps Bradley Whitford as best supporting actor, but sadly this wonderful film has been overlooked by the Academy. Very unfortunate, but the public’s opinion is not considered when doling out motion picture accolades. Nevertheless, it is a must-see for the whole family, especially fans of the Disney classic, Mary Poppins.

Other than The Sound of Music, The Wizard of Oz, and perhaps Gone With the Wind, Mary Poppins is one of my all-time-favorite movies. I remember my grandmother introducing us to the soundtrack with Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke gracing the album cover. My sisters and I sang all the songs and danced around her house, secretly wishing we could have a nanny float in with the wind and put our slightly dysfunctional family back to order. I even read the first book in the series by PL Travers while in elementary school and was enthralled. All three of my children fell in love with the movie when they were little and have all the songs memorized. We even held on to our old VCR so we can play our worn VHS when the mood strikes.

Saving Mr. Banks tells how these wonderful characters leapt off the pages of Mrs. Travers’ best-selling book and onto the silver screen exactly fifty years ago. Actually, the term “leapt” isn’t appropriate in this case, since there were many obstacles to Walt Disney (played by Tom Hanks) seeing his dream come to fruition—mainly because of Travers’ stubbornness (played by Emma Thompson). Her dogged opposition to her precious story being trivialized by Hollywood put decades between Disney’s offer and the premiere of the final product. Had it not been for his patience and unfailing persistence, the movie would have never been made. As a writer, it is easy to understand Travers’ fear that her beloved characters would be portrayed in a bad light, but her negative, pompous British attitude takes things a bit far. If not for her troubled childhood, she would be a very unlikeable character.

What makes this film so endearing is this backstory of Travers’ loving relationship with her troubled, yet well-intentioned father (played by Colin Farrell). Seen through moving flashbacks, we are introduced to a precocious little girl who absolutely adores her father despite his wild imagination and belief in unattainable dreams. Alcoholism, uncontrolled rage, and financial woes create confusion regarding his motives, which eventually threatens to rip the family apart. Travers’ mother (Ruth Wilson) buckles under the pressure and toys with suicide, but Travers will not be swayed. She remains loyal to her father, holding on to the hope that he will become the man she has always envisioned. 

When things get worse, Travers’ aunt Ellie (Rachel Griffiths) unexpectantly appears, promising to restore balance to their chaotic world. With her black-brimmed hat and parrot-handled umbrella, she looks very much like a dusty, plain version of Julie Andrews’ rendition of Mary Poppins. It is an “aha” moment when she steps across the threshold of the front door with her Victorian boots in perfect, ballet first-position, ready to set the house in order. Plopping her tapestry bag on the table, she carefully unpacks, pulling out exotic items that leave Travers and her sister “gobsmacked” (a British term for shocked), much like the Banks children in the Disney film. Then with the snap of her fingers and a “spit spot,” she rolls up her sleeves and puts the children to work.

** SPOILER ALERT **

 

But even a real, live-in-the-flesh Mary Poppins cannot save Travers’ father, which is a cruel truth for a young girl to accept. When he dies from consumption, his dreams go with him, as does Travers’ hope for joy and happiness. Her only consolation is his imaginative spirit that has taken root in her soul, giving her the ability to rewrite her own version of reality. From her pain, the Banks family was birthed, including the stuffy Mr. Banks, naïve yet rebellious Mrs. Banks, endearing Jane and Michael, and the magical, yet somewhat supernatural, Mary Poppins.

There are so many more wonderful elements to Saving Mr. Banks, that it is impossible to list them all. First, Emma Thompson is hilarious as PL Travers and plays beautifully off Tom Hanks’ embodiment of the fun-loving Walt Disney. Their tender moments, often preceded by Travers’ pompous tirades, are touching—and when Disney and his development team finally crack through her thick veneer with the song, “Let’s Go Fly a Kite,” I had to work hard to hold back the tears. I loved the fact that both Travers and Disney were equally passionate about the same story that spoke so differently to their hearts. Both of them suffered dark childhoods at the hands of loving, yet disappointing fathers, and the fantasy of Mary Poppins was their opportunity to restore that legacy. If I had to sum up the movie in one sentence, I would say that Saving Mr. Banks is about the power of story to reconcile the past, thereby healing the deepest of wounds.

Don’t let the Academy’s Oscar snub stop you from getting to the theater (or your local Redbox) to see this fabulous film. Hopefully, its box-office success will revive a much-loved character and introduce her to a whole new generation of adults and children alike. It wouldn’t hurt this country a bit to have a few more Mary Poppinses in our homes and classrooms. Just sayin’! Sounds like a supercalifragilisticexpialidociously awesome idea if you ask me!

Eagle Scout Invite

Looking forward to upcoming Court of Honor in March!

Trip to Florida State University

Beautiful!

This past weekend, we have been on the road traveling to Tuscaloosa and Tallahassee for college trips to Bama and FSU - particularly for music school auditions. We loved both schools but particularly fell for FSU with it's beachy, Spanish, southern feel. Here are some pics for your enjoyment:

Our puny economy car

Braxton being Braxton

Love the Spanish moss!

Me and hubby!

Front of stadium

Live Oaks everywhere

Football stadium

Can't get enough of these trees!