HOLIDAY INN The 1942 movie Holiday Inn is most famous as the first outing of the Irving Berlin song White Christmas. Bing Crosby is Jim Hardy. Tired of the show-biz life Jim buys a farm and intends to spend his days there relaxing under trees. Of course, farm life isnt quite as relaxing as he imagined it. Still in pursuit of an easy life he turns the farm into an Inn - one that only opens for the holidays! Jim insists he isnt lazy; he simply has his own idea of living. His rendition of White Christmas is undoubtedly the most famous scene in the film, but immediately before it is a scene that hardly anyone remembers. Linda Mason (played by Marjorie Reynolds) is reminiscing with Jim in front of a log fire. She recalls her father as, Just a man with a family. Never amounted to much. But as long as he was alive we always had plenty to eat and clothes to keep us warm. Jim asks if they were happy and Linda says yes. He draws on his pipe and says, Then your father was a very successful man. Its an often overlooked fact that God doesnt ask much of us. Think about all he gives us; life, provision, love, eternity, and trees to sit under. What does He ask in return? That we do what Lindas dad did; that we love each other - and love Him as well. In this world we often measure success by material gain, disdaining the little things. But things like raising a family in love and faith have an effect that echoes down the generations. Theres nothing little about that kind of success. Most folk spend the rest of the year trying to achieve the earthly kind of success. Christmas is a holiday from that, when we can connect with God’s idea of living – loving each other! Those Little Extras • Two of the songs in Holiday Inn, White Christmas and Easter Parade, would inspire movies of their own. • As well as writing the songs Irving Berlin was nominated for an Oscar for writing the story of the movie. • Fred Astaire co-starred as Bing Crosby’s best friend / love rival. • A scene where Crosby “blacks up” to sing about Abraham Lincoln is often cut from screenings. To The Gift-Giver Lord, Linda’s dad never makes an appearance in the movie – but we know he was a good man. Likewise, you people were supported in their mission by many good souls. People like that are love in action. Help us to care less for fame and reputation and care more for the actual work as you commanded; loving God and each other! From The Gift-Giver This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. John 15:12. KJV How Wonderful Other People Thought It Was “Not life, but good life, is to be chiefly valued.” Socrates. Greek philosopher. c469 BC-399 BC “Thank you, God, for this good life and forgive us if we do not love it enough.” Garrison Keillor. Author and radio presenter. “There are two great days in a person’s life – the day we are born, and the day we discover why.” William Barclay. Scottish author and theologian. 1907-1978 “I wish I could show you, when you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing light in your own being.” Hafiz. Persian poet. c1317-c1390 “People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within.” Elisabeth Kübler-Ross. Swiss-American psychiatrist. 1926-2004 https://youtube/watch?v=ifkmvBNQhd8
Posted on: Sun, 21 Dec 2014 20:01:10 +0000
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