What Character Do We Play? A Re-Post From Oct. 2009

Hello All, and a Happy Autumn to You All!

I thought I would re-post this entry from October of 2009.  Our family watched this day before yesterday eve for our sweet little fall party.  Marianna made the best baked pumpkin donuts with stevia instead of sugar.  I loved them!  You just can't beat it.  Warm hearts of family, healthy pumpkin donuts and ...To Kill a Mockingbird.

Without further ado I present...What Character do we Play? 

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

My Guest Post on The Little Acre: 'Peace Adds, Busyness Takes Away'

 EDIT: 10.01.12  The below guest posts will be reposted here soon. The blog that the guest posts were on is unavailable at this time. Thanks everyone!


 Hello Everyone! Long time no see? It's been such a busy summer of sorts. I just wanted to drop a line to sweet friends and those who I am privileged to have read and visit here to know I have a guest post series on my sweet friend, Amanda's blog, The Little Acre:

Peace Adds, Busyness Takes Away. Click here for Part I

Part II

Part III

I hope you are blessed and encouraged by the series, the Lord put it on my heart as I sat at my keyboard last week. I asked God what He would have me share? There are soooo many things on my heart these days in these perilous times we are in and the thoughts flowed.

Please be encouraged, in His Great Love, ~Amelia

Dreamy Sweetness. Shirley Temple, Come and Get Your Happiness

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm - 1938



Why wouldn't anyone not like this sweetness?

These Shirley Temple movies are so darling. Darling for the entire family too. Timeless! You may enjoy collecting them. This is one of our favorites!

We attended an old, old church last weekend where my parents were married. The choir actually sounded exactly like the chorus in the video that comes in at around 1:22.

As we sat in the old church service, joy came to my heart but sadness too, knowing the culture is so very different. We say no to the culture and yes to sweetness!



If each of our families keep our homes sweet, then think of the inner revolution in the country!

Jesus is the sweetest name I know...

We should never be ashamed of holiness or sweetness. Never apologize for that!

Are our homes a refuge? Ones of sweetness and the Peace of Christ?

Say yes to Peace and the real deal, say no to the culture. As Christians we should be different. ...In that sweet way of course. : )

Love to All, ~Amelia

What is Our Attitude Towards Sorrows & Difficulty?

The link I'm including here at the end of this entry is excellent and timely as todayI feel as though my head is a balloon or toy punching ball (remember those?) filled to the max....as if someone were to take the securing knot or rubber band from the stem I would fly into the cosmos! The pressures of life, oh the pressures of life.

In our home we are readying for two of our daughters to leave for China. My husband is taking his test renewing his brokerage. Our old home selling maybe? Our adorable older daughter praying for a mate, knowing her biological timeclock is ticking. Me, wondering what is wrong with these guys not seeing her with open eyes? But...Also knowing it could be God's protection? A test being taken today for college plus before our daughter leaves for China, speeches to be made for China. Sickness being looked into. Parents who have been divorced for over 30 years, still visit and I believe care for each other but at the same time can be like matches and gasoline....and me. I'm thinking it's the same thing I grew up with and when will it stop, yes there are wonderful memories from these two most outstanding people but there are other memories I've always dealt with as an only child and on and on and on it goes in the theatre of my earthly mind. But...

All these things? They are a learning for me. Some of these things are a lesson in trust. Some of these things are a lesson in mercy. Some of these are practical lessons in natural health that I've been learning for some time now. Some of these things teach me in a very odd but unforgettable way, of how I want to be so very, very very,very careful, I reiterate careful of how we must keep our homes in an atmosphere of praise, Peace and sweetness of the Lord, not letting the world in. Some of these things are the COMPANIONSHIP OF BROKENESS.

So dear friends, readers who may catch this entry...If you too feel like minced meat...you are not alone.

Let's pray for one another and lift each other up, and please allow me to share the following by Oswald Chambers:

Receiving Yourself in the Fire of Sorrows

You can always recognize who has been through the fires of sorrow and received himself, and you know that you can go to him in your moment of trouble and find that he has plenty of time for you. But if a person has not been through the fires of sorrow, he is apt to be contemptuous, having no respect or time for you, only turning you away. If you will receive yourself in the fires of sorrow, God will make you nourishment for other people.

Have a great day in Jesus, I hope this ministered to you as I ministered to myself writing this as I sat at my keyboard and poured my heart.



I'm going to be quiet and just bask in the Lord today...Clothes washing etc. If I sit still before the Lord it will be like the photo above...

Love in Christ Jesus, ~Amelia

So They Call Us Extreme? Different? They Will be Right. : )

~Robert Stock

"The church's mightiest influence is felt when she is different from the world in which she lives. Her power lies in her being different, rises with the degree in which she differs and sinks as the difference diminishes.

This is so fully and clearly taught in the Scriptures and so well illustrated in Church history that it is hard to see how we can miss it. But miss it we do, for we hear constantly that the Church must try to be as much like the world as possible, excepting, of course, where the world is too, too sinful....

Let us plant ourselves on the hill of Zion and invite the world to come over to us, but never under any circumstances will we go over to them. The cross is the symbol of Christianity, and the cross speaks of death and separation, never of compromise. No one ever compromised with a cross. The cross separated between the dead and the living. The timid and the fearful will cry "Extreme!" and they will be right. The cross is the essence of all that is extreme and final. The message of Christ is a call across a gulf from death to life, from sin to righteousness and from Satan to God."

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. ~Corinthians 6:17

A.W. Tozer ~The Set of the Sail

I read this, this morning and thought it was so good. It's true, the church has let darkness in instead of Light out.

How sad to see what has happened and what is accepted now. But do we shun others who are not exactly like us? Of course not. That would not be the character of Christ at all and sure enough the enemy loves to use this sectarian tool in churches and it does hurt families. Many times this is not the case though. It has been our experience that many churches today will shun the holy and sweet, they are so very concerned about their idea of success, numbers and programs. It's always interesting to me when I visit other blogs, those who are supposed to be so very tolerant when in reality they are very intolerant of those who claim the name of Jesus.

What are we to do when many times churches are either extreme? Pray saints pray. Show love to others, love God and hate sin. Stop the church politics and people pleasing in either camp, it's not about who wins the b-b stacking contest at camp, it's about inviting the new family to eat at your table for pity's sake. Live your life sweetly in a very real way, (it's the only way!).. use actions to love others, live it out with wisdom and discernment. Use words to love and appreciate when necessary. ; ) If we homeschool let's make sure we are teaching our children and youth godly character not just the academics. I'm afraid many a young person is going a very wrong direction spiritually with academic accolades. It's no good to go to hell with a straight A grade average.

If children or youth see you being selfish and cliquish? Respecters of persons? Thankless? Guess what, chances are they will be that way too for the most part. If they see you addicted to busyness? Guess what, chances are they will live lives of busyness too. Being under Satans yoke.

Please see the below sermon on yesterday's entry. It's such an encouraging, appropriate and challenging message for today! : )

Love in Christ, ~Amelia

Aggressive Girls, Clueless Boys! HOW TIMELY!

This has been another modern problematic even in the church and homeschool realm...Perhaps it also has to do with a lack of discernment, but this is a real problem. As you may know we have four daughters ages 18 to 29 who have kept themselves and it is so very disheartening when we see aggressive girls/women and clueless boys/men "abound".

I have not read this book, a friend of ours posted it on her facebook. Just the title made us say AMEN. : )

We have raised our daughters to be ladies and my husband and I are shocked and I mean shocked when we see the aggressive young women out there (notice I did not say the word ladies) and the passive, clueless young men (boys) and their parents may I add. We must remember though, people will always be attracted to like-minds and spirits.

Please pray for discernment. It never ceases to amaze us what is accepted and the sleepy lull parents seem to be in. How sad and discouraging for those who are seeking God with all of their hearts.

Complete Radio talks and transcripts from Family Life Today:

Warning Bad Girls Ahead


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Please pray for encouragement for godly families who have instilled godliness and purity in their daughters and sons only to be made to feel isolated and who are persecuted many times.

Have a great week, today was spent at the nursing home. What a privilege for our family to be able to minister and whisper the name of Jesus being His hands and feet. Some of these precious saints are some of the best friends ever.

May God be glorified. If you read this blog and feel you need encouragement too, if you are a daughter or son who are keeping your heart pure you are not alone. If you are a parent who has had to stand alone take heart. And that doubles back to me. I know the sun and the moon is shining on those who are seeking the Lord with all of their heart. : ) I know God is God and He is Just. He is also the Revealer. I also know that God is a Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him...

In Christ's Love, ~Amelia

THE 'HANGING OUT' PHENOMENON and Other Modern Problematics...

‘The most extraordinary thing in the world is an ordinary man

and an ordinary woman and their ordinary children.”

– G.K. Chesteron

...there’s a “hanging out” phenomenon among so many young adults. No one wants to call it a date or make any kind of commitment. The dynamic is that one of the two, usually the woman, is hoping for something more to develop. “If I just hang out with this guy indefinitely he will see how great I am. He will realize that he can’t live without me.” Meanwhile the guy is feeling, “No, we’re just friends.”

I call this a “friendlationship.” The couple’s not intentional about the relationship and it’s a recipe for disaster.

I had a friend who spent seven years in one of these waiting for the guy to come around. He never had any intention of dating her. He just loved that she was always available when he wanted to get pizza or talk on the phone. He was just using her for attention, to be a buddy when he needed someone to hang out with.

We’ve allowed this period of time between the teen years and adulthood to be a wasteland. There’s no timeframe for it. We allow kids to “find themselves,” have fun, do what they want while they’re single and we say, “Don’t worry, marriage will come along down the road.” Well, sometimes it doesn’t.

Complete Article

~Photo by Robert Stock

My husband and I have four daughters and these are our thoughts:

We have seen these exact things with young men and not so young men even in the homeschooled realm.

~photo by Robert Stock

We see two ditches:

One is making marriage a timed goal and mad rush to marry:

...Many times not checking into character or even waiting even four seasons to observe a young person's character. It's frightening what we are seeing. Parents are equally if not more at fault in these situations many times not listening, refusing to listen to the safety of wise counsel as the Bible says. Enough said on that at this time.

One is perpetual childhood and man's myth of education first:

We are seeing game-playing, perpetual boys and on the other hand, young women who are being trained that their career goal is "all". I sat at a banquet once with another homeschool couple who also had daughters. When the subject of marriage naturally came up, the dad's quick response was: "Their college education must come first!" As he held his pointer finger up smiling. Me thinking of their suppressed daughters, heaven forbid they would want to marry as God encourages before a degree! ; )

What happened to God's gift of homelife? What happened to a young couple marrying and growing together financially toughing it a bit? What happened to the value of a young woman's beautiful aspiration and call to be a stay at home mom? Homemaking skills anyone? : ) What are we really teaching our young people in what we major on in action, word and attitude as in what is important? From what we see it just does not make sense if many of these families are truly aspiring to leave a Godly heritage.

One situation we saw was with our oldest daughter when she was a much younger lady. She and a young man in his twenties in our church were on the verge of an engagement when she mentioned children and being a stay at home mom he and his parents behaved as if this was over the top in the way of convictions. The mom had always pulled herself up by the bootstraps enabling an unstable husband .

What happened? The young man was wooed away by a not-so-nice family's jealous ploys. Later within a year or so he married yet another girl from another church. Now? The father of the then-young man complains to my husband. Why? Because their son married a girl that loves to work outside the home and places their four children in daycare. I humbly rest my case.

You may say, well it's a good thing your daughter did not end up in that family. Yes! You are probably right! : )

What we do, what we emphasize will be caught by our children.

"So goes the goes the home goes the church, so goes the church goes the country."

~Photo by Robert Stock

In Christ's love, ~Amelia

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