Is this a svithe?
Posted: November 25, 2008 Filed under: Pilgrim's Progress 2 CommentsL. Tom Perry, “Let Him Do it With Simplicity”
Henry B. Eyring, “Remembrance and Gratitude”
In Relief Society this Sunday we covered two talks from the most recent General Conference, only one of which I’ll mention here. It was Elder Perry’s talk about simplifying our lives. He discussed Thoreau’s time spent at Walden Pond and subsequent conclusion that we have only four basic needs: food, clothing, shelter, and fuel. Elder Perry pointed out that by focusing on these four needs we can relieve stress in our lives, since they are so basic and many of us are abundantly blessed with them.
I wanted to tie that in with part of Elder Eyring’s talk from 1989, where he stated that learning “how to control our wants” will in turn “increase our gratitude and generosity.” He gave the example of the small town of Orderville, Utah, which was established mainly by refugees from a nearby town that was destroyed. The refugees had nothing when they came to Orderville, so any prosperity they experienced ought to be enormous in comparison with their humble beginnings – yet the town members seldom seemed satisfied with what they had, even during times of great wealth. Elder Eyring said, “We so easily forget that we came into life with nothing.”
Very true – we came with nothing, and we require so little, but most of us have material and spiritual blessings far beyond what we really need (or maybe deserve). Instead of complaining about what we lack, this week in particular we should realize that we’ve been given infinitely more than the basic necessities. It really does seem like a time to give thanks.
(A svithe, through Sposita through Thmazing who has a site called The Weekly Svithe, is nicely defined at The Weekly Svithe. Check it out on the right-hand menu.)
Movies I love that Critics Hate
Posted: November 24, 2008 Filed under: Jurassic Park 2 CommentsEvery now and then there is a movie that I really enjoy. I think that it accomplishes whatever it was that it set out to do, and made me enjoy the journey. These movies are not always movies that critics enjoy, but you can’t always trust what critics say!
1. Stranger than Fiction
I love this movie. I may have a slightly rosy view of this flick because of when I saw it. The night I proposed to Roni, we were on our way to see this very movie. This is a movie about a guy who hears voices. Not just any voices though. This is a person narrating his life, as it happens. It turns out that a local author is writing a novel about a person who she believes is fictional, but who is very much real. I like this movie because it is not your typical Will Ferrell movie. It is (I think) a very original idea for a movie, and does a very good job at making the movie not only fun, but somehow believable.
What they gave it: D (67%)
What I give it: A
2. Secondhand Lions
Family movies are a tough sell. You have to make it interesting enough for kids, funny enough for the older kids, and entertaining enough for the adults. This is a movie that I feel does all of those things very well. It is sweet without being sappy, and I think it has a great story. This movie is about a young boy whose mother drops him off to live with his eccentric uncles for the summer. It has humor, adventure and just about everything in between. If you want a family movie, this is one I strongly recommend.
What they gave it: F (52%)
What I give it: A+
3. Alien Vs. Predator
Action movies. Are they supposed to have plot? Barely. Are they supposed to be believable? Not Really. Should they have aliens, or better yet, TWO types of aliens trying to kill each other?? Most definitely. This isn’t a great movie, but it is a great action movie. I don’t think you can blame an action movie for be an action movie. In all honesty, I enjoyed this movie more than I enjoyed Dark Knight.
What they gave it: F- (29%)
What I give it: A- (as an action movie)
Do you guys have any movies that should go on this list? Movies that you love, but critics hate? If you do, then leave a comment!
Misquoted
Posted: November 24, 2008 Filed under: War and Peace 6 CommentsYesterday in church the first speaker gave what I’m sure would have been a great talk had he not ruined his credibility in the first two sentences. The talk started something like this:
“Maybe I’m dating myself here, but there used to be a bunch of commercials with this dog named Scruff McGruff, who warned kids to stay away from crime.”
Everyone likes Scruff McGruff! And in fact, he’s still around, with his own website and even a blog.
Remember this guy?
The speaker continued, “Scruff McGruff said something at the end of every commercial that I think is really worth mentioning: ‘Knowing is half the battle.'”
…
…
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You see the problem, right? Seriously, I thought everyone knew that it was the G.I. Joe cartoon that always ended with “Now we know, and knowing is half the battle!”
The real source of the quote.
It doesn’t even make sense for Scruff McGruff to say that “Knowing is half the battle.” If you know what things are criminal, you can avoid doing them? I dunno. Seems shady to me.
Thanks, older brothers, for watching the G.I. Joe cartoon so that I could feel smug and superior during church yesterday!
Jarom
Mika
hilleries 