English Subtitles-----Soap Box

Excuse me for a minute while I rant. I have a bone to pick with Hollywood, especially whoever makes the dvd's for rental. It's hard enough to find a decent movie to rent anymore, but then there are added insults thrown into the mix.

I mean, when we put in a dvd to watch, the first thing we do is go to 'set up' and choose the option for 'English for the hearing impaired.' Pilot Dad wears hearing aids and it is much nicer, for both of us, if he isn't having to ask, "What was that? What did they say?"

Now, silly me, but I assumed that since we live in America, and we are renting American movies, filmed, developed, and made, in the good ol' United States of America, and it isn't a "foreign" film where one might expect the subtitles to be in other languages, that English, American English....English for the hearing impaired, would be offered on any dvd that offered subtitles. Am I silly in thinking that?

Because, it has now happened on more than one occasion, we go to 'set up' and look for English for the hearing impaired. But do they offer that option? Oh no! The ONLY option offered for subtitles is in SPANISH!!! That is correct, dear reader. SPANISH! On an American dvd, made in the USA, where English is spoken, where we have a huge population of people who are now hearing impaired (don't you read about the baby boomers are so numerous we are not going to have any money in Social Security to take care of us?---but don't get me started on THAT soap box right now!!) and do not remember their Spanish from high school days, if in fact, they even took Spanish. Maybe they chose French or German. But these same "older" people have no choice but to watch a subtitled movie in a language other than their own NATIVE language...English. You know, the English everyone should be learning when they come to this country. The very same English that foreign countries are requiring their students to learn so they can compete in the world market place. That English is the one I'm talking about.

Instead, we have Spanish printed on CEREAL boxes, people. My goodness, what person doesn't recognize a box of cereal without reading the words??! We were in Mexico in October and went to a Wal-M*rt grocery store. Now, here in the USA, Wal-Mart has all their signs printed in English and Spanish. But, does Wal-M*rt do that in Mexico? NO! Did it stop us from finding a box of Ritz crackers by finding the aisle the crackers were in, and then choosing from the packaging, the ones that looked like Ritz? My goodness!

Is it too much to ask that on our dvd's that we always have the option of subtitles in ENGLISH??!!!! And, if they don't want to offer other options then that is just fine, however, there should ALWAYS be English subtitles offered. Or, NO subtitles at all. That's only fair.

Now, I have dear friends who speak Spanish, who are from Mexico. They desired to learn English when they arrived in our great country. I have nothing against the people...but I do have a lot against the government who has ENABLED the good people of Mexico to choose not to learn English.

Okay. I've gone on long enough. There is MUCH more I could say. But I won't. I will however, take up my pen and write to each major studio producer and let them know of my discontent. And, that I am blogging about my discontent which is read by a vast number of dear, caring people who very possibly could/would choose to boycott their products because they are not offering English subtitles. If you feel so inclined please join me. If not, that is okay too. Hopefully, you will keep your ability to hear and distinguish sounds for many, many years to come. :)

Life Changes...

Life changes in a split second. That is why one needs to have his/her future secured. People just don't think that anything awful can happen to them. It is always happening to someone else, but not to them. And people, it has nothing, absolutely nothing to do with "religion." But it does have everything to do with Relationship. Regardless of what other people tell you, you do not get a second chance once you die. God is very clear about that in His Word.

We have been rejoicing over reconnecting with our old friend, Jim A. And, I've reconnected with the mom of the little boy I babysat when James was 2. Her name is Donna and his name was David. Little David. My, let me assure you, we can no longer call him "Little David." He is all grown up!! David came to me when he was 6months old, and covered in chicken pox. Donna kept saying over and over again, "He really is a beautiful baby underneath all those pox!"

So, while I've been rejoicing over reconnecting with dear friends, I had a phone call this afternoon which I never, ever expected to receive until I was perhaps in my 70's or 80's. When we moved to Colorado Springs from Germany, my parents had a house built, and right next door a single mom and her two children had their house built. Mrs. L, her son, Paul, and her daughter Chris, along with our family, were the first two houses in that whole vast field, which would later turn into a very nice subdivision of homes.

Chris and I became inseparable. Going into 7th grade was made much easier by having a best friend. Especially one that lived right next door! My sister commented today that there aren't many pictures in our family album where a pic was taken of me that Chris wasn't in it.

We have maintained contact through the years. She was my "go to source" for all the high school reunion info, who had married whom, etc. We did the college thing, me in Mississippi and she in western Colorado. We married and each of us lived away but eventually she came back to Colorado Springs to live. Every time I went home to visit we would get together for lunch or dinner, and have long conversations filled with much laughter. After all, your best friend is the one whom you "grow up" with, the one who knows secrets about you that no one else knows, or ever will know! ;)

The last time I saw Chris was at my mom's funeral in February 2007. I received a Christmas card from her that Christmas of 2007, telling me that her mom had died in June 2007. I didn't send out Christmas cards that year because of how sick Jim was. I was trying to maintain my sanity. Then, this past Christmas, I didn't send any out because of what was going on with my diabetes at the time. And, I didn't receive one from Chris. All this time, in the back of my mind, I kept thinking I need to pick up the phone and call her so we can get caught up. I had not spoken to her since her mother's death.

So today, I picked up the phone and called. I got the voicemail and left my message. A couple of hours later, while I was talking with Sarah on the phone, my house phone rang. I told Sarah I was just going to let Jim answer it, but I checked the caller i.d. and it had Chris' last name listed. I asked Sarah to hold for a moment and answered the phone. It was Mac, Chris' husband.

My first thought was Chris must be out of town. Maybe she was visiting that grand baby of hers. :) But, Mac was clearly upset and didn't really know how to say whatever he was going to say. Then my mind flew to the thought that they were divorced! God forbid! I didn't see how that could be, ever, but stranger things have been known to happen. Then Mac dropped the bomb shell. "Chris died in a car accident just a year ago (June 6, 2008). A year after her mom. Chris was gone. Just like that.

You see, they had finished up with her mother's home which they had sold, and was taking the last load of stuff back to their home. They were on a long stretch of road, sparsely populated, late at night. Something shifted in the truck, or flew out of the truck. Anyway, they pulled over to the side of the road to refix the load. Chris was parked right behind the truck in her Oldsmobile, while Mac did what needed to be done. A car, driven by a drunk driver came barreling down the road doing at least 60 mph, never slowed, never hit the brakes, just hit Chris' car head on from behind. She was killed on impact as her car was smashed in between the drunk's car and Mac's pickup truck.

In a spit second, Chris was with her Lord. You see, Chris did know Christ as her Savior. She was secure in where she would be spending eternity. Thankfully she had put her trust in Him years before. Chris didn't have a chance to make that decision when it came time for her to die. How I praise God, she had already taken care of that detail in her life. I remember the afternoon, on one of my visits, where we were out walking in the neighborhood, and she was excited to share with me about her relationship with Christ. I was thrilled to hear her share with me. That was just the beginning of many, many spiritual conversations that we had on how God was working in our lives, individually, as well as in the lives of our boys, and our husbands.

So I grieve now, for awhile, but it is not a grief without hope. Because you see, I too have made that decision on where I want to spend my eternity. I secured my place in heaven November 6, 1972. After I see my Lord, face to face, I will see Chris again. What comfort that brings to my grieving soul right now.

If you have no idea what I am talking about but would like to have a clearer understanding of what Christ has done for you, would you please email me at devore24@gmail.com and I would be happy to share with you how you can have peace about your future, and assurance that you can KNOW that you will be with Christ when you die.

For those few readers (mainly family and dear friends which hang on regardless...) who are still popping in I apologize for my sporadic posting. I have been BUSY! And, it has felt really good to be busy with life and not with "problems." :) Oh happy day!

We have a good friend from church who joined an all male choir. The choir only performs once a year and this year they performed in the Tabernacle on Temple Square this past Saturday. Another couple and us were given tickets and we went to hear Dave and another 249 men sing their hearts out. Very nice.

Background is needed on this next little part. When I first met Jim he had a roommate who was in the army along with Jim. My Jim had gotten out of the army and went back to school, where I then met him. His roommate was also named Jim, Jim A. Since my Jim was an only child he grew up without siblings. I would have to say that out of all the friends I met of my Jim's, Jim A was the closest thing to a brother. We kept in contact, for a number of years, after Jim A was moved by the army to VA. The last contact we had between Jim A and his wife was sometime in the mid 1980's.

Well, during the cancer ordeal we reminisced a lot about old friends etc., and how friendships are really so valuable compared to the "things" of life. We had some great laughs about old times with Jim A. Some of the stories are so funny they make you laugh till you cry. :) Anyway, sometime around the first of the year I thought it would be a great present to give to my Jim for his birthday in April if I could reconnect Jim A and my hubby. I really felt compelled. I had tried to find him, off and on, over the years but usually I was just dabbling in trying to find him. This time I felt an urgency, I'm sure because of Jim's cancer.

So over the months I got on the Internet and began doing my "detective" work trying to track Jim A down. All I had to go on was an address almost 30 years old. I had a couple of other things going for me. I assumed he was in the same state as the old address, and I knew his middle name, I knew his wife's name, and I knew his birthday, or at least his age. As the weeks turned into months, I realized it wasn't going to be the easiest idea I have ever come up with, but I was determined to persevere! In my quest, I met (over the phone) many nice Jim A's, but none of them the correct Jim A. Finally, I had to tell my Jim that the birthday surprise I was working on wasn't going to be available for his birthday. But, I would keep looking for my perfect "present." *wink*

After all my searching, there was one address that kept coming up, but I knew it wasn't their address. As I thought about it, it occurred to me that maybe they owned this particular house and rented it out. So, if I wrote a letter and sent it snail mail the people who lived there could forward it on to Jim A. That's exactly what I did. I sat down, explained who I was, hoping that he would remember me, and that I was trying to surprise Jim even though his birthday was already past. I gave my cell number, my home number and email address, and prayed that the good Lord would protect my letter from falling into the hands of someone evil! :) LOL!

This past Saturday, Jim was golfing with the union's annual golf day. While he was gone, and I guess while I was in the shower, because I was home and didn't hear the phone ring, Jim A called and left a message!!! The correct Jim A!!! I was so excited I could hardly stand it. Here I had to wait till my Jim got home, and then we were rushing out to dinner with our friends before we went to hear our friend sing in the choir.

I called Jim A back, and got to talk with him, and got caught up on the "important" things. You know, there IS a difference between what men think is important to talk about, and what their wives think is important to talk about! *grin* LOL! Anyway, I discovered he had some health issues of his own which he and his wife had been dealing with. I asked him what his issues were. About four months ago he had a kidney and a liver transplant! I got goose bumps as I realized these two Jims had both survived major, life threatening illnesses. There is a reason that God compelled me to find Jim A. We are looking forward to setting up a time where we can meet halfway to visit face to face. There is a lot to catch up on, and a lot to share with what is going on each other's lives at the moment. You all know I do not believe in co-incidences, but I DO believe in God-incidences! :D

The other exciting news? A young couple, who goes to our church and has a heart for sharing, has a family who has moved in next door to them. This family has 11 children, plus 2 grandchildren, living with mom and dad. The family is originally from Mexico and the parents do not speak English. The dad has a very small vocabulary and small understanding. The mom does not understand English at all. Well, Scott and Anne Marie invited the family over for a bar-b-que on Monday night. Since they know no Spanish they asked us to come to dinner, too, and bring our friend, Luis (his wife was out of town), who is from Mexico too. It was so exciting to meet and interact with this family. The children are from 18 down to 1(the youngest of the two grandchildren is 1). By the time dinner ended, Luis turned the conversation to spiritual things and the discussion was very encouraging. Everyone was dialoguing and the discussion lead to the mom and dad saying that they would be very interested in doing a Bible study if Luis would be willing to teach them. :) It was absolutely breathtaking to hear Luis share with mom, dad, and the older kids, in their native language, about our personal God. And from that seed, I got really excited, because I thought how neat it would be to meet with Marta one on one and teach her English as a second language! She stays home all day and desires to meet with others and to learn the language. So I'm praying for that avenue to develop. We will see how God directs.

And then, if all that wasn't enough we had an awesome Bible study tonight! A lot to wrap my mind around, but very practical application from His Word. :)

I began this post much earlier, then broke for dinner and Bible study. We are now back home and I am finishing up. Maybe this is how I need to approach my posting now, since I cannot always sit down and have the amount of time that I used to have. Beginning the post and writing on it when I can until I can actually post it is the way I need to go. We'll see....