Cassidy's Top 10 Christmas Movies

Now that Thanksgiving is safely behind us, I shall look ahead to Christmas! There is no better way to kick off the holiday season than to snuggle down in front of Christmas movies. One after another, if you can get away with it!

So, to assist you in this endeavor I've compiled a list of my top 10 absolute favorite must-see Christmas movies. At first glance, you may think "Wait a minute...this isn't a Christmas movie..." but watch and see! You'll be glad you did. Merry Christmas!

1. It's A Wonderful Life (1946)

2. White Christmas (1954)

3. Miracle on 34th Street (1947 & 1994)

4. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

5. The Bishop's Wife (1947)

6. Little Women (1994 -- also 1933 & 1949)

7. Holiday Inn (1942)

8. The Grinch (2000)

9. Elf (2003)

10. While You Were Sleeping (1995)

Bonus: An Affair to Remember (1957)
This movie would show up on any of my "favorites" lists!

Happy Birthday to Jarrod Thomas Brock!

Today is Jarrod's 23rd birthday. 1982 was a very special year! I was all of 4 1/2 years old, Weston was 3, and we were so thrilled to have a new brother in the house. Especially one as cute as him!

Jarrod has a heart for ministry and family. He's an amazing partner in ministry, whether it's Children's Institutes, Mexico, or ... ? He's been my strength more times that I can count over the last year with all the changes in our lives.

Jarre is an excellent big brother to Seth & Darren. They love him and everything he does. He encourages them, builds them up, has fun with them, and teaches by example. Jarrod's a humble and compassionate friend and counsellor. His friends know that.

We now share the hallway and bathroom in our new house, and have neighboring bedrooms for the first time in forever. We even share a hair straightener every now and then! Shhhhh. I'm so grateful to have Jarrod here to say g'night to.

Did I mention, yet, that Jarre is the best ball player I know? And he's currently rocking the whole world of construction, too!

I love you, Jarrod! Happy, happy birthday! (Now you're at Michael Jordan's number!!)

"How Can They Live Without Jesus?"

This song has been fresh on my mind this last week especially regarding my new co-workers/partners/fellow baristas. How can they live?

How can they live without Jesus?
How can they live without God's love?
How can they feel so at home down here
When there's so much more up above?

Throwin' away things that matter
They hold on to things that don't.
The world has gone crazy
But soon maybe
A lot more are gonna know.

For maybe they don't understand it
Or maybe they just haven't heard
Or maybe we're not doin' all we can
Living up to His Holy Word

'Cause phonies have come
And wrongs been done
Even killing in Jesus' name
And if you've been burned
Here's what I've learned
The Lord's not the one to blame

For He's not just a religion
With steeples and bells
Or a salesman who will sell you
The things you just want to hear

For His love was such
That He suffered so much
To cause some of us
Just to follow, follow

So many laughing at Jesus
While the funniest thing that He's done
Is love this whole stubborn rebellious world
While their hate for Him just goes on

And love just like that
Will bring Him back
For the few He can call His friends
The ones He's found true
Who've made it through
Enduring until the end!

My Rock

"God is faithful."
(I Corinthians 10:13)

Not always do things turn out the way we planned. Not always does God work in the way we expect Him to. Not always am I faithful. But God is. Faithful. Forever.

Putting the BAR in Barista...

Finally! Yours truly is picking up (not mastering, yet) the fine nuances of the Starbucks coffee bar, drinks, and recipes. Last Saturday, they had me on the bar for the afternoon. It was nice cause it was slow. But I did it! Then on Monday, it was just me and 1 other girl. She took her 10 minute break and left the whole store to me. It had been slow, but suddenly we had a line-up. I very calmly ran the register, marked cups, then made the drinks in record time and efficiency. : ) Okay, so a pro would have done it faster. But the point was that I held it together and made the customers happy.

And I never once sprayed scalding hot milk.

Friday morning (no, I don't have any news to share other than Starbucks updates)... As I was saying, Friday morning was very busy. I had the opening shift. Which for me means the alarm goes of at 3am (is that even a time on the clock??), I leave the house by 3:30 to get to the store by 4:15. Between 6:30 and 7:00, I nearly broke the store record for most transactions in a half hour period. The record being held by my learning coach, who happened to be there that morning with me and was shocked beyond belief that a new barista could handle that pressure.

C'mon! I wasn't making drinks. I was running a cash register (which is fun to me, anyway) and talking with people and moving them through efficiently. And it's always nice to impress your learning coach.

Therefore, they have scheduled me for the opening shift on the busiest shopping day of the year: the day after Thanksgiving. And I can bet they won't have me on the bar...

A Long 6 Hours...

I only worked a 6-hour shift at Starbucks, today... but it seemed to never end! This was my day to pile on every mistake possible, all in the same day. I gave wrong change. I didn't wait long enough for the coffee to brew before pouring and serving it. And they returned it cause it was too strong. Of course it was. I messed it up. Then I'm on the bar for the first time alone and the steamer flat attacked me and shot hot milk all over creation, burning my hands in the process. Okay, okay, so that was my fault, too. I just felt very asleep, stupid, and slow today. But it won't beat me. I'll take it on again tomorrow.