GHOST TOWN - MOVIE REVIEW

I heard this was fun and it is. And there is no sex-none-zilch. Ricky Gervias is perfectly cast as a socially challenged dentist. The part was made for him and Greg Kinear is quick and fast with the one liners. Kinear plays a ghost who has come back to keep his wife from marrying someone he thinks is a gold digger. Ricky's character can see and hear Greg along with a host of other ghosts who start bugging Ricky to help them with some unfinished earth business.

I had a hard time seeing Tea Leoni's character linked with the dentist. It never felt very real and I don't think he even kissed her. It reminded me of the theme in the movie As Good As it Gets. Jack Nicholson might have made some changes to his character by the end but he was still not someone I would wish on anyone. A classy woman like Helen Hunt would have to be crazy to hook up with him. But, stranger things happen in real life so we can enjoy the fantasy. Even though Ricky warmed up some in the end of Ghost Town he was still going to be a handful for any woman. Is it really possible to change that much in a short time? The movie winds up with a good moral about helping others.

I just found out something I didn't know about Red Box movie dispensing machines. You can go online and reserve a movie you want at the exact Red Box you would like to pick it up at and they will save it for--I am not sure the time--maybe 24 hours. This was nice to know as I had given up on Red Box because they were always out of the movie I wanted. You just go and swipe your card and wa-la there is the reserved movie.

THE LIAHONA PRINCIPLE

Without the Book of Mormon we are just another protestant church. There is an online bookclub http://www.goodreads.com/book/explore that has the Book of Mormon as having the most votes for the best book ever written. One of the votes is mine. The discussion board has lots of screaming about this. I suspect by people who know nothing about it. This month is my 3rd anniversary of reading my scriptures "every day no matter what!" I always start the year by reading the Book of Mormon again. Reading every day I am able to read more than I would have believed--often 3 of the standard works. The following quote is powerful to me because I have a testimony that it is true.

"One fascinating peculiarity of the Liahona was that not only did its pointers guide them in the wilderness but 'a new writing, which was plain to be read appeared on the pointers to give them 'understanding concerning the ways of the Lord and it was written and changed from time to time, according to their faith, diligence' and heed. Very little is said about the phenomenon. In fact, I can find no further reference to this changeable writing. As I read the Book of Mormon, however, something strange seems to happen to me. Passages of scriptures that I have read many times in one light seem to change--and suddenly there is a new meaning to that old and familiar scripture. I like to think that the Book of Mormon is truly like the Liahona of old. Not only does it point us in the way of the Lord and to the Lord according to the faith, diligence, and heed we give it, but if we are interested enough to read it again and again, from cover to cover, there are times when a 'new writing' --plain to
read--seems to appear." ( Robert E. Wells 1991 Sperry Symposium, p. 13)

MEXICAN CHICKEN CHEESE SOUP

I created this soup recently by combining a couple of recipes.

1T. oil
1 large clove of garlic grated
Cook together in large pot until the garlic begins to brown.

Add 1 Can Rotel type tomatoes with peppers or use one can of chopped tomatoes with 2 seeded jalapeno peppers chopped. (Smith's has a Kroger brand that is half the price of Rotel) Add 3 tomato cans of water and the following:

3 fresh corn tortillas cut up into ½ inch cubes
1 tsp. dry Oregano leaves a must no powder.
1 tsp. Fresh ground Cumin or regular ground cumin
1 Can of beans of your choice as black, pinto, or White.
I like to use great northern white beans. If you use black beans rinse them otherwise add the water and all from other beans.

Cut up one half pound of Velveta cheese and add. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove ½ Cup of the liquid from the soup and mix with ½ C. of cold water and ½ C. of flour. Stir until smooth and pour into the boiling soup. Stir until thick and bubbly.

Eat it as is or add one large can of chunk chicken, juice and all or 1 large chicken breast cooked and chopped up. This is good with a little leftover rotisserie chicken.

Serve with Mexican condiments as chopped cilantro, sour cream, chips, chopped avocados or whatever. We like to put a small scoop of cooked rice in the bottom of the bowl and pour in the soup. Frankly, I like it best with just the rice and maybe a little chopped cilantro. This serves 4 to 6 generous servings. I like to double the recipe as it keeps well for several days of enjoyment.

Orson Scott Card wrote a profound article in the Mormon Times section of the Deseret News this week about singles and dating. If you know a young single...man or woman they need to read this.


HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

http://www.mormontimes.com/mormon_voices/orson_scott_card/?id=6249

I LAUGHED, I CRIED

We were a snug little group of mother and children sitting on the floor watching the Carol Burnett Show. My oldest was eleven and the three-year-old sat on my lap. It was unusual for me to be watching television. There never seemed to be time for such luxuries because I always had so many "important" things to do. I’m not sure what enticed me to sit there with my little ones that evening but I would soon see myself in their eyes and learn that I should laugh more.

Carol Burnett was doing her spoof of "Gone With the Wind". The scene took place on the grand staircase of Tara. Carol Burnett was at her best doing an over the top imitation of Scarlet O’Hara. She was carrying on and on about the need for a beautiful dress so she could entice Rhett Butler to give her money in order to save her southern mansion. She suddenly spied the green velvet curtains hanging above the stairway and snatched them down (creating a cloud of dust) and ran up the stairs to fashion a magnificent gown.

As we watched, Scarlet came prancing down the stairs in her new dress. The curtain, with the rod still attached, was draped over her shoulders and sashed at the waist with the gold tieback cord. It was very funny. I have seen it since and it still gives me a big chuckle. I laughed so hysterically my little guy fell off my lap. It was a classic rolling on the floor laugh. I couldn’t stop—my entire body was convulsing with glee.

The kids were staring in wide-eyed amazement at me not Carol Burnett. I determined later that they knew nothing about Gone With the Wind. And for sure they had never seen anything like what was happening to their mother. Maybe they thought I was losing it. I definitely didn’t laugh much. I was serious and busy and sober and sometimes mad but a belly laugh—that wasn’t me. It made me sad and I tried to laugh more after that but never did really get good at it.

Motherhood for me was very serious business. Too serious

Another time my little family would see me cry and it would also surprise them.

When Mike and I married he told me to never ask him what he wanted for dinner and he would try to eat whatever I cooked (except onions). Fixing a meal that would please everyone at my dinner table was an enormous challenge. I don’t remember it being such a problem when I was growing up. One of my brothers lived on peanut butter and jelly but most of us would eat whatever my mother put before us.

I know some of my dinners were better than others but I consistently cooked something and tried to make our suppers tasty and nutritious. On this occasion we all sat down together and had a blessing. The forks were lifted, the complaining began and they all refused to eat (I don’t recall the menu)—even my husband told me it might be best not to fix "it" again (trying to be tactful). I am usually good at being tough and stoic but it must have been a bad day. I left in tears.

I went to my bedroom and locked the door. I stayed there all evening. The kids knocked on the door repeatedly to say they were sorry. They couldn’t understand why I would cry about such a thing. I don’t know why mothers want to be so strong. Are we embarrassed? Are we fearful of appearing weak? Are we afraid no one really cares? For sure, I didn’t cry enough.

The next morning the dishes were done, the kitchen cleaned and the offending food was thrown in the garbage. I guess they all ate something. Never again did I have to endure a dinner bashing session, quite like that one. How does anyone learn empathy if we don’t cry on occasion?

The pressure cooker of home life can make parents tough but I have come to believe that a little laughter and a few tears can go a long way.

THE CHANGING POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST

THE CHANGING POWER
OF THE HOLY GHOST
by Parley P. Pratt

The gift of the Holy Ghost quickens all the intellectual
faculties,
increases, enlarges, expands,
and purifies all the natural
passions and affections,
and adapts them,
by the gift of wisdom,
to their lawful use.
it inspires, develops,
cultivates, and matures all the
fine-toned sympathies, joys,
tastes, kindred feelings, and
affections of our nature.
It inspires virtue, kindness,
goodness, tenderness,
gentleness and charity.
It develops beauty of person,
form and features.
It tends to health, vigor, and
animation, and social feeling.
it invigorates all the
faculties of the physical
and intellectual man.
It strengthens and gives
tone to the nerves.
In short, it is, as it were,
marrow to the bone,
joy to the heart,
light to the eyes,
music to the ears,
and life to the whole being.

HOW TO ACHIEVE CALMNESS

This gave me a good chuckle...hard to find these days.

CALMNESS IN OUR LIVES - I am passing this on to you because it definitely works, and we could all use a little more calmness in our lives. By following simple advice heard on the Dr. Phil show, you too can find inner peace. Dr Phil proclaimed, "The way to achieve inner peace is to finish all the things you have started and have never finished. "So, I looked around my house to see all the things I started and hadn't finished and before leaving the house this morning, I finished a package of Oreos, the remainder of my old Prozac prescription, the rest of the cheesecake, some Doritos, and a box of chocolates. You have no idea how freaking good I feel right now. Maybe you need this too.

MY BANANA BREAD

Maybe everyone has their own banana bread. This is mine. It is moist with lots of banana flavor and quick. Whole wheat flour works well in this recipe. I think the oil makes a moister loaf but the butter adds a nice flavor. Either is nice.

Banana Bread
½ C. Oil or I cube of butter

2 eggs
1 tsp. Soda

1 C. sugar
3 Mashed ripe banana’s
2 C. Flour

½ C Yogurt - pineapple is good
3/4 Tsp. Salt
This makes 2 medium loaves. Beat and bake 350 for 30-40 min. Until solid on top.

Add nuts or chocolate chips if desired