Old-Fashioned Charm

Thursday, May 23, 2013

One More Day to Ask Me Anything!

If you haven't comment with questions on my Ask Me Anything post head right on over and do that. Today is the last day to enter questions and hopefully I'll have some answers up soon. Today is my day off so I'm trying to get some filming in before it's time to prepare for dinner guests this evening.

I'll be taking questions up until midnight Easter Standard Time so send off your questions now! :)

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Ask Me Anything!

I was thinking the other day that with posting all these Period Drama Games and the tags for the Period Drama Challenge that I end up asking y'all a lot of questions. Now it's your turn to ask me questions!
Want to know about my faith, my family or my favorite things? Want to try and stump me with a quiz question? Literally this is your chance to ask me anything you want!

Leave your questions in a comment. Please limit the number of questions to no more than eight so that other people have a chance to ask. And it might be a good idea to read other people's comments so that you're not asking a duplicate question. I do reserve the right to not answer any questions that might be too personal (but my readers are usually so sweet).

I'm considering answering the questions that y'all leave in a video but it will depend on how much time I have and whether such a video turned out well, so we'll see.

This post will be open for one week (Thursday, May 16th to Thursday, May 23rd) to collect questions so I'll hopefully start posting answers next weekend.

So go ahead, ask me anything!

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Answers to Have You Seen This? {Edition Three}

These are the answers to the Screencaps Game: Have You Seen This? {Edition Three} post from last week. Y'all did a great job even though this batch of photos seemed harder to guess. As always I'm including a mini review about each film and links to trailers and places to watch online. Enjoy! ;)

Period Drama Screencaps:

Screencap #1

From: BBC Sense and Sensibility (1981)

Stars: Irene Richards, Tracey Childs, Peter Woodward, Diana Fairfax, Robert Swann

This TV miniseries is one of those forgotten gems of the Jane Austen adaptations. It cuts out the character of Margaret but it includes so much of the original book material, including a wonderful rendering of Willoughby's confession. Irene Richards who plays Elinor in this film played Charlotte Lucas in P&P 1980 but is much more suited to this role. This film includes my favorite Colonel Brandon and Willoughby; also there's a wonderful scene of Willoughby singing with Marianne!

Watch on YouTube | Austen Efforts page

Screencap #2

From: Pollyanna (2003)

Stars: Georgina Terry, Amanda Burton, Pam Ferris, David Bamber, Aden Gillett, Kenneth Cranham, Tom Ellis

This adaptation stays very true to the book but with one major change, the actors and the countryside are British instead of being American like the original story. Some of the actors will be familiar to period drama fans and the whole film is just good clean family fun!

Watch on YouTube

Screencap #3

From: Prince Of Persia: Sands Of Time (2010)

Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley, Alfred Molina, Richard Coyle, Ronald Pickup

This Disney film is more action adventure and similar in that way to Pirates of the Caribbean in the feel. The costumes and sets are quite grand though and the period drama actors and action make this film a lot of fun.

Read My Review | Watch Trailer

Screencap #4

From: Bright Star (2009)

Stars: Ben Wishaw, Abbie Cornish, Claudie Blakley, Thomas Brodie-Sangster

I've only watched this film about the life of poet John Keats once but it's a very beautiful film and nice to see something else in the Regency time period. The story is bittersweet though so keep a large box of tissues handy!

Read My Review | Watch Trailer

Screencap #5

From: Brigadoon (1954)

Stars: Gene Kelly, Cyd Charisse, Van Johnson, Elaine Stewart, Barry Jones

This musical set in the highlands of Scotland was one of my grandmother's favorites and I mostly love it for that reason. A sweet and interesting story with lovely dances and catchy songs. My favorite song is 'Come Home With Bonny Jean' and that's actually the song my aunt Bonnie Jean is named after!

Watch the Trailer

Screencap #6

From: BBC Pride and Prejudice (1980)

Stars: Elizabeth Garvie, David Rintoul, Sabina Franklyn, Moray Watson, Judy Parfitt

Not my favorite adaptation but a very lovely neglected gem and one that every P&P fan should watch a few times. My favorite Mr. Collins is included in this adaptation and I enjoy a lot of the other characters a lot too.

Read My Review | Austen Efforts page | Watch on YouTube

Screencap #7

From: The Happiest Millionaire (1967)

Stars: Fred MacMurray, Greer Garson, Tommy Steele, Lesley Ann Warren, John Davidson, Geraldine Page, Gladys Cooper

This Disney musical is one of my mom's all-time favorite films and one I've watched countless times growing up. The crazy happenings at the Drexle-Biddle house are combined with fabulous singing and dancing. This is a must see family film! :)

Read My Review | Watch Opening Song

Screencap #8

From: Jane Eyre (1996)

Stars: Charlotte Gainsbourgh, William Hurt, Joan Plowright, Anna Paquin, Amanda Root, Samuel West

This version of the Charlotte Bronte classic was a family favorite for a long time and I've probably seen it more than any of the others. It's visually stunning and while it strays from the story a bit in the beginning it stays fairly true throughout and I like the cast a lot. It is a bit darker in some ways as there is a scene with blood and the fire scene is a bit scary but overall it's a great film.

Watch Trailer | Watch on YouTube

Screencap #9

From: The Three Musketeers (1993)

Stars: Chris O'Donnell, Tim Curry, Kiefer Sutherland, Paul McGann, Gabrielle Anwar, Oliver Platt

I really have no idea if this Disney version of the classic sticks to the original story but it has always been a family favorite and is just a lot of fun. There are a couple scenes my family always skips (if you're interested I can figure out specifics) but otherwise it is a great family film.

Watch Fan Made Trailer

Screencap #10

From: An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving (2007)

Stars: Jacqueline Bisset, Helene Joy, Tatiana Maslany, Kristopher Turner, Ted Atherton

Based on Louisa May Alcott's short story this sweet film is a wonderful Hallmark movie with lovely costumes and an interesting, if slightly crazy plot. I love watching it at Thanksgiving time and highly recommend it!

Read My Full Review | Watch On YouTube

Which of these films have you seen?

P.S. There will be no game this week as I haven't had time to make one this busy week. I'll be traveling to see family this weekend so your comments may take a day or so to be monitored. Talk to y'all soon!

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Immutability

One of the neat things about working for a Christian ministry is starting our work days out with a devotional and prayer time. My co-workers have taken turns giving devotionals on the Attributes of God and a couple weeks ago it was my turn. The Lord brought to my mind the interesting subject of His immutability and I'd like to share a bit of what I talked about with my co-workers.

Attribute of God: Immutability

Definition of Attribute: Not capable of or susceptible to change. Unchanging, constant.

Bible Verses:

Psalm 90:2 "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God."
God is the same as He was before He created the world.

Malachi 3:6 "For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed."
These words from God's mouth, He is Lord and does not change. Because He does not change we are not consumed but sustained.

II Timothy 2:13 "If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself."
God does not change even if we don't believe in Him. He is the source of absolute truth and is not dependent on people believing in Him.

James 1:17 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."
There is no fickleness in God or even the shadow or inkling that He will ever change.

Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."
God the Lord Jesus is never changing, I can trust Him as much today as I did yesterday and trust Him as much tomorrow as I am today.

Why I chose this attribute and why it's important to me:

Life is so crazy, mixed up and ever changing for the bad. People change their minds all the time, what they say one moment they will just as easily change their minds on the next moment. God is different. God is the one unchanging, stable thing in this world. He stands firm in the test of time and does in fact uphold all things.
Because God does not change this means that His attributes will never change. He is always going to be loving, good, merciful, everywhere present, all knowing, all powerful, all sufficient. His promises will never change either because He will not change His mind.
Because God does not change I can completely put my trust in Him every day. I can cling to Him and know that He will always stand firm although my world is spinning out of control.
Although God does not change He is changing me to become more like His Son, Jesus Christ. He takes me as I am but He doesn't leave me as I am. 1 John 3:2 "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."
God does not change but as we learn more about Him through reading the Bible our view of Him will change and become more rounded.

"Consider what thou owest to His immutability. Though thou hast changed a thousand times, He has not changed once; though thou hast shifted thy intentions, and thy will, yet He has not once swerved from His eternal purpose, but has still held thee fast." - Charles Haddon Spurgeon, 1856

"Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,

When the clouds unfold their wings of strife?

When the strong tides lift and the cables strain,

Will your anchor drift, or firm remain?

We have an anchor that keeps the soul

Steadfast and sure while the billows roll,

Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,

Grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love."

- We Have An Anchor, Priscilla J. Owens, 1882

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Screencaps Game: Have You Seen This? {Edition Three}

The First Edition and Second Edition of the twist on everyone's favorite Screencaps Game went really well so I'm doing another one. The screencaps come from period set films that aren't often talked about as much as some of our favorites, but these films are no less delightful! Don't forget to answer the question Have You Seen These? - I really want to hear which of these films you have seen and whether you enjoyed them as much as I do!

To Play: Look at the screencaps below and leave a comment guessing what period dramas they come from. Don't forget to have some fun letting me know which of these period dramas you've seen.

Helpful Hints: Each of these period film titles can be found on my Period Films page. Also, if you aren't sure about a period film but recognize an actor in the screencap feel free to search for possible answers on IMDb.com!

Scoring: 10 points will be awarded for each correctly guessed period drama. A high score of 100 points can be earned.