Homemade Christmas Video

Last year I created a video for my family members. I was re-watching it and realized that it was prophetic and would mean more for us this year. But I want to share it with you too. It turned out well because I feel Jesus was inspiring me to do it. (I'm not really that good at creating videos). And I will take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry CHRISTmas. "Bless You All".
Love Laura-Lee

Bless Us All Video

The Walking Dead: Season 2

Now let me start by saying that since I am a Christian I do not often watch movies or TV shows that involve aliens, vampires, werewolves and especially not ZOMBIES! It’s not that I’m particularly holy, just that I find that type of genre rather boring. It seems to me that Zombie stories are pretty much like slasher flicks; mostly for boys under 12 years old who get a kick out of looking at gross stuff. But I was very surprised last year when a zombie show called, “The Walking Dead” on AMC (American Movie Channel) caught my attention. It's when the actors and makers of the show kept talking about it being a metaphor for life today. As one actor from the show said, “It’s less about zombies and more about how a small group of very different people keep their beliefs and morals alive in a world where the majority are dead people without any humanity at all and the main goal of everyone is survival.” That definitely piqued my interest and I tuned in. I watched every episode of the first season and then watched it again. Then I went on the internet and raved about this show and told everyone (including all my Christian/Church friends) that this was no ordinary horror show. These stories had depth, posed interesting questions and kept you well entertained (even if I did have to close my eyes for some of the grosser moments).
So it is with some hesitation and much disappointment that I must retract some of my opinions after watching Season 2 of “The Walking Dead”. It seems to me that the scripts have gotten bogged down a lot into how everyone “feels” and the entire show has taken on a soap opera atmosphere. Last year there was non-stop action and we discovered everyone’s feelings and beliefs through their actions, not through a bunch of yakity-yak. In Season 1, just when people started arguing and getting petty, the “Walkers” would descend upon them and there would be no time for talking just for moving. Everyone was revealed through their actions and alliances were formed among very unlikely people out of instinct and not prejudice. This season, an attack from the Walkers appears just when the writers believe their audience is about to fall asleep, change the channel or go to the bathroom (which may actually be more exciting than watching this show).
Plus, also like a soap opera where nothing happens for the entire first part of the show,  you need only tune in for the last 10 minutes to get all the plot information and action they mean to give us.
Before all you fans come down on me for being more harsh than Deputy Shane and dumber than Merle Dixon, I must state that I started this season with great expectations and I am still tuning in each week in the hope they will prove me ‘dead’ wrong. But if you take a moment to imagine yourself in the same situation as our motley bunch of survivors, would you be acting the same? Aren’t there many questions you’d like them to attempt to answer, many relationships you’d like explored? Just sitting here on my bed I am wondering why Sophia’s mom isn’t constantly wandering the woods looking for her daughter. If your 12 year old daughter was alone in a forest filled with Zombies , would you just sit around looking worried, or would they have to tie you down to keep you from looking?
What happened to the “French” whom Jenner said “might be onto a cure”? Why  aren’t they trying to contact overseas? Why aren’t they trying to find other non-dead survivors? Do they plan to continue “bumming” off the Vet and his family at this little farm or are they going to try and find supplies or maybe plant a garden or maybe do some chores? They keep acting like they are VIP guests there instead of pitching in and helping the others. If your son’s life had just been saved would “cooking dinner” be the best “thank you” you could come up with? And with all the family problems and dysfunctional families in the world , do you really want to see Rick and Lori continuing the same marital arguments through several episodes? Boy, there is nothing like a boring, mundane husband/wife argument to entertain us all.  And with all the Dead people walking around didn’t it occur to anyone to put up better defenses than Andrea on top of a Winnebago?

Now with all the negative things I just said, let me end on a more positive note. There are three actors I think we should really give credit for doing their characters well, making them three dimensional and keeping our interest (even with some pathetic story lines) while working in 100 degrees (+) Fahrenheit weather. Whatever is going on , you can’t take your eyes off them! (click on the names of each actor and find out more about them and their character and don't forget the links below to the official WALKING DEAD sites)

Walking Dead: JEFFREY DEMUNN (Dale)



Walking Dead: NORMAN REEDUS (Daryl Dixon)


Walking Dead: STEVEN YEUN (Glenn)


Walking Dead Official Site/ AMC
Walking Dead: CAST & CHARACTERS

Safe

“Help! Help! Can somebody hear me?!
I’m over here. Hanging from the cliff. HELLLP!!!”
“I’m here. I’m here.”
“Help me. I’m falling. Please help me. I’m tired. What do I do?”
“Grab onto my hand.”
“I can’t I’ll fall.”
“Just hang on with one hand and reach to me with the other.”
“ I can’t reach up that far.”
“You won’t have to. I’ll grab you’re hand as soon as you let go and it’s free. On three. Okay? 1 – 2- 3. GOTCHA !”
“ I’m still slipping. My hands are sweaty. No, no. Help, help , help me, I don’t … Ahhhhh. I’m gonna fall! I’m gonna fall !”
“STOP. LOOK AT ME. No don’t look down. Look at me.”
“I can’t hold on anymore. I’m slipping. I’m tired. Nothing more to do. I’m ahhhhh … --- HUH! What the …? “
“Here you go. Safe and sound on high ground.”
“How did you do that? I was slipping . I was falling. I was too tired to hang on any more. I was sure I was a goner.”
“Maybe you had to let go of me, but I was never going to let go of you. You never would have fallen. You just didn’t know it. You didn’t realize how strong I am and that I wouldn’t have left. You were safe the whole time.”
“ The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
(Deuteronomy 31:9)

Where's the Newsletter, Laura-Lee?!

As you can tell, the VCSS Newsletter I mentioned before is not finished. Nor is it going to be anytime soon. "LIFE" has invaded once again and what I used to consider tough situations deteriorated into "major crazy".
I had to leave my apartment on March 30, 2011. I had only a few days to get out and save a few things because of the waterfalls (literally) coming from my kitchen and bathroom ceilings (and I was in a basement suite). My landlady wouldn't fix it and I didn't have the money to move my belongings. I saved a few boxes of things (about 1/2 dozen) and my coffee table. Then on my way out of the building, I fell down a flight of stairs and awoke to discover myself surrounded by 5 , big, handsome firemen. That normally would have been a GOOD thing but they were trying to keep me from panicking because of my injuries and the fact that my purse strap had wrapped around my neck twice and was cutting off my circulation.
So here I sit, many months later, in a dingy hotel room, with winter nipping at my heels and Jack Frost at my nose. It was - 6 Celsius today and I am still no closer to finding a home. What makes it harder is that my mother is sleeping in the bed next to me. Almost 2 months ago , her kitchen sink became a water fountain (not to be confused with a water fall) and neither of us can walk , nor have a car and are a goodly amount in debt, while we watch our options dwindle. Yet it is a huge coincidence to find ourselves in the same boat. And, quite frankly I don't believe in coincidences. It probably looked pretty bleak to those Hebrews who had their backs to the Red Sea and Pharaoh's men ready to slice them to bits from the other direction. But what did Moses say to them? "Let the Lord fight for you. you need only to stand still"
 So I think you may understand why the VCSS Newsletter has gone to the bottom of my list of priorities. (Maybe somebody else will take up the idea.) Yet, I received some mailed that was being "held" for me and discovered that Vancouver Christian School sent me something to "hit me up" for money. (Good luck with that guys) But once again, I wandered back, in my mind, to a gentler place and time. Where our greatest troubles was a test score or a new pimple.
Now we are all grown up and we must learn the lesson that "God has no grand-children". You either belong to Him or not. You follow or not. You must make a conscious decision to pick up your cross daily, deny yourself and follow wherever he leads.Christianity is no longer something you stumble into or "give it a try". It is a choice. The ultimate choice!
Two things come back to my memory again and again: When Alan Dunlop was forever practicing the hymn, "Freely we have received; now freely give" and what Mr. Van Oosten wrote in my last yearbook, "Blossom where planted". A hundred times a day those 2 thoughts run across my mind. It's my job to grab hold of them and invite them to stay a while. Just like I wish I could do with each of you. It is my desire and prayer that you each reach the "breakthrough" point when you surrender that last piece of yourself. You no longer keep that one last cookie in the cookie jar. I'm not saying I prefer not knowing where I will be from day to day or what will happen to me, BUT , Jesus reveals himself to me EVERY day. Sometimes to say deep, important things and reveal startling revelations or  just to share a silly joke , because He knows I love them best. But when I realize that the Maker of the stars, knows me by name, I can understand the reaction of men like the prophet Isaiah (who told God he was of "unclean lips") or Peter (who said, "Get away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!"). Somebody told me once that , when they were with me they never felt so guilty but so accepted at the same time. That is our Jesus. Correcting us constantly, yet loving us totally. He has filled my hands with blessings because they were not full of other things. And I find great strength in my weakness because it's at that point I must lean hardest on Him. He will gather me under his wings and I will rejoice. A deal where we certainly come out with the bigger end of the straw.
 So now I head off to bed this early Sunday morning, knowing that NOTHING can separate us from the love of God found in Christ Jesus (Romans 8)


Oh No. Not Winter Again!

And my Love to you all, my extended & Christian family.
Forever and always, your Laura-Lee Rahn (VCSS grad 1985)




Beautiful Alberta Sky

P.S. DON'T FORGET TO CHANGE YOUR CLOCKS AN HOUR.