How Will We be Remembered?

~Princess Grace of Monaco

I was recently watching Turner Classic Movie channel, many of you who may know me know I love 40s movies....At that time in the 40s there was a love for country and a healthy fear of God as our country went through WWII.

Between two old delightful movies there was a short bio on Grace Kelly by her son. It was so heartwarming to me to hear him tell of his mother sitting next to him as a little boy as they would watch her movies that she had made as a beautiful American actress. She shared as a mother to her little boy, what she was thinking....how she felt during each part in each movie...

Her son quoting the poignant words by Jimmy Stewart touched my heart:

Everyday I saw her it was a holiday of my own....

~Jimmy Stewart, from the eulogy he delivered at the funeral of Princess Grace.


I hope we as mothers or fathers will be remembered much in the same affectionate way in our homes.

Hoping sons and daughters are appreciating loving parents, and remembering not all children or young people have the luxury of living in a loving, Godly home. Hoping parents are appreciating their children and young people realizing not every adult has the luxury of having children.

May we as parents be alert to the character of our children...and never become sleepy to that character nor our own character in our responses to them or others. Let's take time to share our thoughts, our feelings, what we remember....how we felt, how we feel now...how the Lord was used and is used in these times, happy or sad...

Are we reflecting Christ and a true love for others? Real Christianity? Or synthetic churchianity? Is our passion for Jesus or for proving points that don't matter in Light of Eternity? Do our children see us care for souls? Care for people?

One of the most beautiful things I've seen lately is when I see compassion and genuine care shown for others...Images of a younger brother in Christ's hand reaching out to his sister in Christ's heart that is broken or perhaps a little discouraged in a bewildering journey in her life...A most pleasant picture in this mother's mind... That is what it's all about and then couple that with the power of Jesus behind it....There are no words adequate to describe it. That's where it's at. Jesus is there.

Christian tracts are wonderful to give to clerks with a smile and a care... One night this week, I gave one to a clerk, a sweet but very tired woman in a coffee bar and she held it against her chest, she told me I was an angel. We hugged each other and I had that knowing in my heart that the Lord was so happy in this situation...This is not to boast on anything I've done but just to encourage that people are so very thirsty for the Lord! She told me the tract was a confirmation to her. All day Tuesday at the mall, I would give a tract to the various clerks as I paid for my items from store to store...Every single clerk was so glad to get that tract, it was very evident, the need and hunger for Christ in people.

Once I was at an event, and a checker from Walmart came up to me as she sweetly, humbly pulled a card from her pocket, showing me the Jesus card I had given her at the checkout months before, the front of the little card had a painting of Jesus holding a grieving and broken man, the back had a sweet message of salvation....She carried it with her wherever she went...Don't underestimate God's power and our hand to carry it through with love. A loving smile, a sincere heart, I simply say..."I would like to give this to you today." We can leave the rest to the Father...



The tract I've used this week is entitled, "Have a Good Day" by Rod and Staff Publishers. 606-522-4348

More than just a good day, God wants us to have a good eternity, a wonderful eternity with Him.

I've also have started a new blog entitled: thats-italian A fun-perky carefree blog with poignant reminiscing, recipes, encouragements and life. LIFE...and more LIFE.


I am so enjoying a new cd by David Lanz, entitled Christmas Eve, a most beautiful and peaceful instrumental for your holiday season even now....I've been very pleased with the music, so very peaceful.

Let's make our homes a peaceful haven, a peaceful protest to this world. ~Amelia

What Character do we Play?

"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view . . . until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."



“Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy . . . but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird." To Kill a Mockingbird

Scout and Atticus played by Mary Badham and Gregory Peck



A movie I hold very dear to my heart....To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)...This is a good time of year to watch it, the movie begins in summer...but concludes in the autumn...from the Pullitzer prize-winning classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee..


This movie does contain real-to-life subject matter, there is a false accusation of rape so please be aware of that as to what is appropriate for your children. Our daughters have grown up with this movie, and we've always explained to them in age appropriate terms the cruel and false accusation against Mr. Tom Robinson, the precious black man in the movie.




Not only does the movie address racial prejudice but prejudice of many kinds as well as rumors, gossip, false assumptions, etc. It also shines light upon a most just and courageous attorney, Atticus Finch, the widowed father of two children, Jem and Scout, a small town attorney willing to take a public stand for what is right and good in spite of public opinion. Impeccable integrity.

Atticus with his children and their young friend, Dill; facing a literal lynch mob, as he physically protects Tom Robinson as he awaits trial.





Scenes in this movie are some of the most poignant scenes ever. Atticus, the father played by Gregory Peck is a beautiful example of humility and wisdom.

There is a household down the street, the Radley home...It's the home of mysterious Boo Radley played by Robert Duvall. Watch and see how Boo's true character is exposed in time...Reminding us of how very Just God is in our lives. If we give things time, God is faithful to expose and reveal true character.

Scout, Boo and Jem



In one particular tense scene Atticus is spat upon in the face. Humility is shown in a way that most would have miserably failed.



I always enjoy the familiarity in the way in which the narrator opens the movie up as only a fellow Southern gal could do...The movie score by Elmer Bernstein is on my playlist here, it's contemplative and almost hauntingly beautiful, very deep, and evokes many emotions as to when I was a little girl and my growing up years.


The opening of the movie is a reminder, much of the way I would play and draw pictures in solitude as a little girl in a small town. Youtube at one time had all the parts of this poignant and touching movie but I'm not seeing many genuine parts lately, but I did find this trailer.

Edit. 11.05.09. I have found this clip as well with Gregory Peck himself, who plays Atticus, giving a narration of the movie...I love the way he pronounces the word, "Pulitzer"... He is such a picture of a gentleman. In the clip there are also some very interesting reviews, one being from Good Housekeeping magazine. Most interesting! See it: here.




Gregory Peck, oh he is a gem in this movie as Atticus, the just attorney and loving widowed father. Beautiful. Oh that we might have his godly character and wisdom.


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Narrator as movie opens: Maycomb was a tired old town, even in 1932 when I first knew it. Somehow it was hotter then. Men's stiff collars wilted by nine in the morning. Ladies bathed before noon, after their three o'clock naps, and by nightfall were like soft teacakes with frosting from sweating and sweet talcum. The day was twenty-four hours long, but it seemed longer. There's no hurry, for there's nowhere to go and nothing to buy... and no money to buy it with. Although Maycomb County had recently been told that it had nothing to fear but fear itself... that summer, I was six years old.

"Atticus, he was real nice. . . . His hands were under my chin, pulling up the cover, tucking it around me."

"Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them."

Narrator as movie closes: He turned out the light and went into Jem's room. he would be there all night, and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning.

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Many, if not all libraries will have a copy of this movie.

To Kill a Mockingbird (Collector's Edition) (1962) Gregory Peck, John Megna, Frank Overton, Rosemary Murphy, Ruth White

Joy in the Journey

Michelle, our 19 year old daughter....Photo by our daughter, Rebecca (15)


Today is a small celebration in our home, the fragrance of Italian meatballs is wafting from my oven awaiting the tastebuds of my husband...a birthday celebration dinner. It's these simple things that truly bring happiness...As I form each meatball with my hands, I think of my Italian grandma and the love she put in her cooking...and that is me too. I look upon my plain hands as I make our dinner of meatballs to simmer so artfully in our pasta gravy and I see my grandma's hands. And yes, I said pasta gravy. You see, all real Italians know that what Americanas call sauce is truly our gravy. Yes, gravy. Pasta gravy to be exact!


Our four daughters above, me and my dear husband below.

Just arriving from out of town our girls were having a discussion in the car on introvert and extrovert people....deciding how some people were both, intro and extroverts....and their mama (me) was one of them. Some of our daughters argued that I was more of an introvert, only to hear another say...."No way, mom is an extrovert for sure!" "She can't even go into a store without sharing with the checker and asking how their day has been talking about the jar of nutella she is buying!" My husband jumps in..."Mama is like me, she likes to talk and laugh when she likes to talk and laugh but when she is tired and feeling quiet she really doesn't like to mess with people, we like to be quiet at those times and keep to ourselves."

Yes, my husband was right, I'm a bit of both, and he is a bit of both. Not to mention my Italian and German heritage. Yes, being one half Italian and one half German makes for a rather colorful personality, subdued but bright, merciful but discerning, salted with a teensy hint of prophet and I pray always saturated with the love of God.



It's in these quiet times and seasons that many who don't understand quiet solace with God might look upon me and think and even say... What does she do? I work in my home, and I am on most days content in the Lord. Is that to say the walls do not scream at me at times when the girls are all away and my husband is at work? No, we mothers will all face that at some time in our life and my season is already showing glimpses of that...But the secret is contentment and knowing who we are in Christ, with a clear conscience. Knowing we are whole in Christ.


One of the best gifts we can give our families is contentment and quiet of heart and that we should never depend on people to make us happy. Let's make sure and teach our children it is okay to be alone, that our walk with the Lord is what the world may call a lonely walk at times.... It's okay. Some of the alone times will always be our best times with the Lord.



When that fellowship of others does come at times, it's the Lord and we will know that, it will lift us up, it will make us feel loved, never pull us down or demean...although many times it will quietly, sweetly and privately challenge and convict our hearts. It should spur us on in a loving way unto the Lord and a deeper walk with Him, our Father.




To those who run across this blog, please be blessed. God's ways are simple. Rest in Him. : )



I must say ciao, and check in on the meatballs baking, our oldest daughter, Lea (26) just came in exclaiming..."It smells so good in here! It smells like Grandma Oddo's house!" Yes. (big smile) That is my aim this day. Mission accomplished. : )

~Amelia




Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, ~1 Thessalonians 4:11

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The Saint Must Walk Alone, an Excerpt from Man - The Dwelling Place of God by A.W. Tozer



This chapter, in entirity: The Saint Must Walk Alone



The complete book: Man - The Dwelling Place of God


Excerpt:

The truly spiritual man is indeed something of an oddity. He lives not for himself but to promote the interests of Another. He seeks to persuade people to give all to his Lord and asks no portion or share for himself. He delights not to be honored but to see his Saviour glorified in the eyes of men. His joy is to see his Lord promoted and himself neglected. He finds few who care to talk about that which is the supreme object of his interest, so he is often silent and preoccupied in the midst of noisy religious shoptalk. For this he earns the reputation of being dull and overserious, so he is avoided and the gulf between him and society widens. He searches for friends upon whose garments he can detect the smell of myrrh and aloes and cassia out of the ivory palaces, and finding few or none he, like Mary of old, keeps these things in his heart...

Two things remain to be said. One, that the lonely man of whom we speak is not a haughty man, nor is he the holier-than-thou, austere saint so bitterly satirized in popular literature. He is likely to feel that he is the least of all men and is sure to blame himself for his very loneliness. He wants to share his feelings with others and to open his heart to some like-minded soul who will understand him, but the spiritual climate around him does not encourage it, so he remains silent and tells his griefs to God alone.

The second thing is that the lonely saint is not the withdrawn man who hardens himself against human suffering and spends his days contemplating the heavens. Just the opposite is true. His loneliness makes him sympathetic to the approach of the broken-hearted and the fallen and the sin-bruised...

The weakness of so many modern Christians is that they feel too much at home in the world. In their effort to achieve restful "adjustment" to unregenerate society they have lost their pilgrim character and become an essential part of the very moral order against which they are sent to protest. The world recognizes them and accepts them for what they are. And this is the saddest thing that can be said about them. They are not lonely, but neither are they saints.

By A.W. Tozer

Catalogue of Books

Others May You Cannot

I was recently reminded of a most cherished writing entitled Others May You Cannot on The Bravehearted Blog.

We've used tracts printed with this very writing by G.D. Watson for years. Others May You Cannot...A truly life changing writing. These particular tracts we use, are printed by Christian Light Publications. It's one of our favorite tracts for Christians.

Many times in our home we will remind one another...

Others May You Cannot

Things are perking along here, God answers prayers and He is so good! Life has it's challenges but the Lord and His guidance are the answer. Thank God for His truly miraculous and faithful answered prayers.

Without further ado....

Others May You Cannot

By G.D. Watson

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live;

yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I

live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20

If God has called you to be really like Christ in all your spirit, He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility and put on you such demands of obedience, that He will not allow you to follow other Christians, and in many ways He will seem to let other good people do things which He will not let you do.

Others can brag on themselves, and their work, on their success, on their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing, and if you begin it, He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all you good works.

The Lord will let others be honored and put forward, and keep you hid away in obscurity because He wants to produce some choice fragrant fruit for His glory, which can be produced only in the shade.

Others will be allowed to succeed in making money, but it is likely God will keep you poor because he wants you to have something far better than gold and that is a helpless dependence on Him; that He may have the privilege of supplying your needs day by day - out of an unseen treasury.

God will let others be great, but He will keep you small. He will let others do a great work for Him and get credit for it, but He will make you work and toil on without knowing how much you are doing; and then to make your work still more precious, He will let others get the credit for the work you have done, and this will make your reward ten times greater when He comes.

The Holy Spirit will put strict watch over you, with a jealous love, and will rebuke you for little words and feelings, or for wasting your time, which other Christians never seem distressed over.

So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign, and has a right to do what He pleases with His own, and He will not explain to you a thousand things which may puzzle your reason in His dealing with you. He will wrap you up in a jealous love, and let other people say and do many things that you cannot do or say.

Settle it forever, that you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit, and that He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue, or chaining your hand, or closing your eyes, in ways that others are not dealt with.

Now, when you are so possessed with the Living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this particular personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, you will have found the vestibule of heaven.

I hope all is well and things are perking along in your homes. Take care now... Until the next time...Rest, trust and hope in the Lord, keep a quiet heart in the stillness with joy... ~Amelia