Short Movie Summary

Jingle All the Way

Howard Langston, a salesman for a mattress company, is constantly busy at his job.

The first sequence of the movie showed how he also constantly disappointed his son, especially after he missed his son's karate exposition. The desperate dad then begins  to try hard to come up with a way to make it up to him, this is when his son tells Howard that what he wanted for Christmas is an action figure of his son's television hero, Turbo Man.

It turns out that Liz (Howard’s wife) and he himself have agreed to buy the Turbo Man doll weeks before the Christmas season started. Howard then begins to learn a fact. A fact that getting the doll at Christmas Eve would be the hardest thing he may ever do.

He moved from store to store, traveled from one state to another just so that he could go and find that Turbo Man doll. And with every store he went to, he would always find himself staring at the “Sold Out” sign. In the process of looking for the doll, Howard competed against a deranged postal worker, as well as con-artist Santas, the police, and almost every parent in town.

And as all of that was happening, his son and wife are at home waiting for him—not knowing where the father went—watching time pass them by. More conflicts involve their neighbor flirting with Howard’s wife while Howard was away.

Will Howard get to redeem how much of a father he really is to his son? And will he get there in time before his flirtatious neighbor finally seizes up his wife?

December Big FISH Reflection

My Purpose. My Drive.

 “I am the Lord’s servant! Let it happen as you have said.”
Luke 1:38

When Mary said this in reply to the message angel Gabriel gave her, it truly showed how willing she is to follow and serve the Lord no matter what the cost was. She humbled herself and believed without hesitation the Lord’s promise.

What Are You Called By God To Do?

During my elementary years I stumbled upon what I regarded as one of the most traumatic videos I’ve ever seen in my life. It was one of the videos that truly changed the way I saw this world. In a way, it showed me the truth, as well as robbed me of my innocence.

I don’t really remember what the title of the video was, but I still remember some of its visuals. I remember the view of burning forests, brutally killed animals, hunted down elephants, polluted seas, destroyed mountains and a lot more depressing sights such as that. What scarred me the most during those times, I could see that the cause of all of that were humans.

I saw the smiles on their faces as they successfully killed large, innocent, elephants for their tusks. I also remember seeing their indifferent expressions as they beat animals—who don’t fight back—to death just to get their fur. I remembered how they murdered, destroyed, and left with no trace of guilt in their expressions. I remembered everything.

It hurt me that some people, without a second thought, would destroy something they knew they cannot bring back. The video was popular and I knew some of my classmates also watched it. What I didn’t understand was why I was the only one who was that affected by it. After that short film, I ran towards our school’s bathroom and cried my eyes out. I hid it of course and washed my face twice to hide my sore eyelids, but it felt as if I never stopped crying. I still feel those tears until now.

No one is doing anything to stop this, I thought.

And that’s when I realized why I was here. I realized what had to be done. My purpose. I have to stop this monstrosity. I felt compelled to do something. I have to do something.

So, right then I knew what I was called to do. I knew who I was, and what I should stand for.

Although I haven’t done much yet, (I am still just fifteen years old,) I am almost done finishing my book which was solely for that purpose. To remind people what has to be done.

As I grew more accustomed to this world, I begin to find its dark flaws. Its secrets.

Goodbye innocence. Goodbye trust.

I’ve learned how cruel people can truly be. How selfish they can act and how sick they can become.

And no, I don’t mean feverish sick. No. I mean something else. Something my elementary self didn’t even know was possible for this world. People could be heartless. People could be ignorant as heck and the world will fall because of it.

But, I do have hope.

I believe in this world. I believe that there are still good people out there like me, fighting this world’s indecencies. Us, we’re the warriors who go against the current.

I believe God has given each of us a mission and a purpose. I believe there is good in everyone. He told me more than once that He made us good. It’s in our decisions really, whether or not we follow the path set out for us.

But I guess, that’s what Mary felt. She knew what the Lord has planned for her. She felt compelled to follow and trust His will. Just as I am compelled to trust my purpose; my drive.

I know what I stand for, and I know what I’m against. But, I’m God’s servant. May it be done to me as His will commands.

And no matter how merciless this world may be; I believe that there are still people who are kind.

But I do promise you, that you will find me at my Father’s side, no matter what the world may do.

My only ask is, what do you stand for? What is your purpose? Do you know?

Listen and find out.

Allow God to let His will be done to you, and through you.
God bless, warrior.

Healthy Weekday: Breakfast and Dinner Menu Plan

Monday:

 

Breakfast:

Chicken Breast With Shaved Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients: boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, kosher salt, broccoli stems, olive oil, lemon juice, pepper, Brussells sprouts, celery stalks, hazelnuts, parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Health Factors:

Broccoli and Brussels sprouts are loaded with cancer-preventing phytonutrients. It also packs potassium, which helps keep your blood pressure down.

Dinner:

Lemon Butter and Salmon Broccoli Penne 

Ingredients: salmon, dry whole-grain penne pasta, frozen broccoli florets, butter (melted), low-sodium vegetable broth, lemon, and garlic clove.

Health Factors:

Salmon contains small bioactive protein molecules (called bioactive peptides) that may provide special support for joint cartilage, insulin effectiveness, and control of inflammation in the digestive tract. Salmon also contains a large amount of protein and amino acids.

Broccoli contains glucoraphanin, which the body processes into the anti-cancer compound sulforaphane.

Tuesday:

 

Breakfast:

Burger with Mushrooms and Radicchio

Ingredients: olive oil, mushrooms, salt, pepper, ground sirloin, whole-wheat hamburger buns and small head radicchio.

Health Factors:

The lean beef provides more than half your protein and nearly 30 percent of your iron for the day. The mushrooms are rich in antioxidants and help reduce cholesterol.

Dinner:

Grape Fruit with Avocado Salad and Seared Salmon

Ingredients: grapefruit, arugula, avocado, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, cooking spray, salmon fillets and walnuts.

Health Factors:

Fatty acids from the walnuts and salmon, as well as monounsaturated fats from the avocado keep the heart healthy.  Grapefruit helps kick up fat-burning and stabilizes blood sugar. This salad nets a good amount of the B vitamin niacin, which helps keep skin, hair, and eyes vigorous.

Wednesday:

 

 Breakfast:

Sweet Potato and Spinach Quesadillas

Ingredients: sweet potatoes, red-wine vinegar, sugar, black peppercorns, red onion, salt, black pepper, flour tortillas, baby spinach, mozzarella and olive oil. 

Health Factors:

The beta-carotene in the sweet potatoes boosts the immune system. The meal itself contains more calcium than a glass of milk.

Dinner:

Spinach and Goat Cheese Flatbread Pizza

Ingredients: whole-grain flatbreads, pizza sauce, dried oregano, baby spinach, goat cheese, and pine nuts.

Health Factors:

Calcium and magnesium in Spinach is essential to maintain healthy bones. The carotenoids found in spinach protect against eye diseases such as cataracts and macular degeneration.

Goat milk cheese is a good source of calcium, protein, vitamin A, vitamin K, phosphorus, niacin and thiamin.

Thursday:

 

Breakfast:

Greek Salad with Pita Croutons

Ingredients: whole-grain pita, lemon, olive oil, garlic clove, salt and pepper, romaine lettuce mixed with cucumbers, tomatoes and red bell pepper, reduced-fat feta cheese, canned chickpeas, and kalamata olives.

Health Factors:

Lettuce has omega-3 fatty acids, and complete protein. It helps with insomnia and alkaline formation. Lettuce is almost always eaten raw, providing us with many micronutrients not found in cooked or processed food. Eating raw food also adds vital energies not recognized by nutritional science.

Cucumbers contain an anti-inflammatory flavonol called fisetin that appears to play an important role in brain health.

Tomatoes have synergy that may help reduce the risk of prostate cancer. 

Dinner:

Herbed Quinoa with Shrimp and Zucchini

Ingredients: dry quinoa, garlic clove, olive oil, chopped zucchini, frozen cooked shrimp, chopped fresh basil and chives, and lemon. 

Health Factors:

Quinoa contains a large amount of fiber. It ranges in between 10 and 16 grams of fiber, per every 100 grams of uncooked quinoa.

Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acid.

The beta-carotene found in basil may help to lessen the progression of asthma, steoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis while protecting cells from further damage.  

 

Friday:

 

Breakfast:

Potato with Veggie Chili, Broccoli and Cheddar

Ingredients: Potato, frozen broccoli florets, canned vegetarian chili or turkey chili with bean, and shredded low-fat cheddar cheese.

Health Factors:

One medium potato contains 164 calories, 0.2 grams of fat, 0 grams of cholesterol, 37 grams of carbohydrate, 4.7 grams of dietary fiber and 4.3 grams of protein. The same serving also meets 2% of daily calcium needs, 51% vitamin C, 9% iron, 30% vitamin B-6, 12% magnesium and 25% of potassium needs. Potatoes also provide phosphorus, niacin, folate, choline and zinc.

Dinner:

Spaghetti With Wilted Greens and Walnut-Parsley Pesto

Ingredients: whole-wheat spaghetti, Swiss Chard, parsley, baby spinach, walnuts, garlic, olive oil, lemon zest, salt, black pepper and eggs.

Health Factors:

This meal makes for excellent post-workout fuel (a great mix of whole grains and protein). It helps keep you energized, since it provides one-third of your daily iron needs.  You get antioxidants from the veggies, herbs, and walnuts