Becoming Jane

There is a movie with Anne Hathaway starring as Jane Austen called Becoming Jane. I saw it and liked it if only because I love Jane Austen and it is a sappy love story.

But, I have watched three of Jane’s books made into movies today and now am on a fictional rendition of her life. I am thinking in Victorian English and I won’t be surprised if this blog ends up sounding a bit “Jane-ish”

Anyway, my reason for explaining all of this is… I can see myself becoming somewhat like Jane Austen. She was single her whole life, took care of her sister (who was also unmarried) and her widowed mother until Jane died at 41. She wrote a series of vastly popular novels about love and marriage. Some of them were not published until after her death. She was a woman and in her day women did not get published and those who did were at times considered a bit shameful.

I know, I am only 23. I am not even close to being an old maid, and much further away from being a vastly popular author. (I don’t see this blog bringing me any closer to the latter and much nearer to the former) But, like Jane I prefer my imaginary heroes, the men in my books, much more than men in real life. “The only way to get a Mr. Darcy is to make him up yourself” I am dreaming of Mr. Darcy but only finding “Mr E’s” (read Pride and Prejudice and Emma to figure out the analogy)

As it seems from this movie, “Jane Austen Regrets” many men are in love with her wit and charm but she turns them all away or they get tired of chasing her and find someone else to love. One day she wakes up and find herself old, still loving men in reality but preferring those in her books. But, she is 40 and she doesn’t know that she is going to die soon.

I may end up like this. Never satisfied with the ones I find and therefore making up my own and being more pleased with them. Happiness in marriage only happening in my books and never for me personally.

Newest fear, Becoming Jane
Love to all!
Lizzi

The Biggest Loser

I do not watch television much. I do enjoy The Antiques Road Show, Globetrekker (which I sadly haven’t seen in about a year or more), What not to wear, and The Biggest Loser. I haven’t found much else to watch beyond these three.

My newest addiction is The Biggest Loser on NBC 10. It is about a bunch of obese people on a workout ranch trying to lose weight and win the grand prize of 25,000 dollars. Every Tuesday night between 8 and 10pm my parents and I are stuck to the couch watching fat people die on treadmills. Well, there is a little more to the show than that.

This show could be the reason for my newest frettings about my weight. I am not fat by any possible definition of the word but, I am afraid I will get there… slowly, each serving of ice cream and every chicken bacon ranch cheese steak I eat at work. (just typing it makes me want one)

I’ve never been fat, in fact at times my family has worried about me being way too thin. In Chile I put on some weight, enough to make me worry about buying a new wardrobe. How did fat people get to that weight? I’m sure they didn’t just wake up one day fat. It came on slowly in miniscule amounts with French fries, ice cream, and chicken bacon ranch cheese steaks.

So, with these ponderings I have determined to watch what I eat and… exercise! I know I always talk about running and exercising but, this time I will actually do it. In fact I have started tonight, I did sit ups. :) How many? I don’t know, I don’t count. I just do it until I get tired of doing them. So, probably no more than 15. It’s a good start.

Now begins my life long attempt to never, ever make it on The Biggest Loser.
Love to all!
Lizzi

“With eyes wide open to the differences of the God we want and the God who is, but will we trade our dreams for His or are we caught in the middle.” ~ Caught in the Middle, Casting Crowns.

Recently I have been completely “enthralled” with the latest Casting Crowns cd, “The Altar and the Door.” Partially because every time I listen to it, if I close my eyes I can imagine myself in the place where I first fell in love with that cd (a cabin dorm room in a camp in Chile)

The real and persisting reason is with every song I am struck with the validity and impact of the words. Whether they (the group) is praising God, lamenting past mistakes, or praying for a lost friend, the lyrics are heartfelt and deep. I have found that so many Christian artists have “fluff” lyrics. Every song is about a. themselves, b. how God loves them, or c. that God saved them and they are going to heaven. All of this is may be true but, the songs have no depth or personality or real spiritual meaning.

The other thing I find so often in current Christian music is the vagueness of the lyrics. Half the time I cannot figure out exactly what the song is talking about, let alone if it is Christian or not.

Now, I am not talking about groups like Lifehouse and ( ) who have moral, often uplifting songs. I am talking about singers and song writers who attempt to write a song about God but can’t even mention His name; like they are afraid if it says His name their song will not get on all the radio stations. So, their songs of praise to God often get confused with odes to a girlfriend or a boyfriend.

Casting Crowns sample:

“Who am I that the Lord of all the earth would care to know my name, would care to feel my hurt? Who am I am, that the Bright and morning star would choose to light the way for my ever wandering heart? Not because of who I am but because of what you’ve done, not because of what I’ve done but because of who you are.”
~ Who am I Casting Crowns, self titled cd

“Here I am Lord and I’m drowning in your sea of forgetfulness. Chains of yesterday surround me, I yearn for peace and rest. Don’t want to end up where you found me and it echoes in my mind, keeps me awake tonight. Lord you’ve cast my sin as far as the east is from the west and I stand before you now as though I’ve never sinned but today I feel like I’m just one mistake away from you leavin’ this way. Jesus can you show me just how far the east is from the west… from one scarred hand to the other.”
~ One Mistake Away, The Altar and the Door

Love to all!
Lizzi