FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT!

Since Jason was out of town on Monday for Family Home Evening, we had it last night.

"He paws fiercely, rejoicing in his strength, and charges into the fray. He laughs at fear, afraid of nothing; he does not shy away from the sword. The quiver rattles against his side, along with the flashing spear and lance. In frenzied excitement he eats up the ground; he cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds."
 
We watched the movie Secretariat and munched on caramel corn pops. I've wanted to see this movie since it first came out, but schedules have been crazy and we never seem to have 2 hours of time to sit down together. It was well worth the wait!
Recipe for Caramel Corn Pops:
Bag of corn pops
1/2 c butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 c corn syrup
1/2 c dark brown sugar
1/2 c light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Melt the butter then add the sugars and mix well. Add the remaining ingredients and over med/high heat bring to a boil stirring constantly. Cook on a rolling boil for 2 minutes then remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Let it sit for a minute or so, then pour over a bowl of corn pops. Any leftover caramel stores well in the fridge and is delicious as an apple dip or on ice cream or stir a tablespoon into hot chocolate!

Now on with the show! This is a must watch for every family. There were so many incredible teaching moments in this movie, and so much symbolism I can't possibly explain in all. It was such an inspiring story! I already knew the basic history of Secretariat because my sister Kresta was quite an avid horseman. What I didn't know was the woman behind Secretariat, a woman in primarily the man's world/game of horse racing. What a remarkable woman, ahead of her time. She was a true trailblazer, with faith, and courage who refused to let anyone tell her she couldn't follow her dreams. The world found an unlikely heroine in the heart of a housewife; a true, blue American woman!
***Spoiler Alert*** If you haven't seen the movie you may want to come back and read my thoughts about it after you've seen it.
LEARNING MOMENTS FROM THE MOVIE
Our lives can change in an instant! One phone call and everything we have, and know, and live, can change. The question is are we willing to have the faith to put one foot in front of the other and go where we are needed to go?

Never be too quick to judge. Potential comes from the belief that we can change who we are and be the best we can be. Nobody thought that Secretariat would be a good racehorse because he was born of a 17 year old mare and although his sire was fast and strong he lacked stamina. Penny refused to believe it. She felt that with hard work and the proper training he could be the best of the best. She believe in him when no one else did and she never gave up on him.
"Let him run Ronnie! Let him run!" Penny yells this from the stands as Secretariat was burning up the track at the Belmont Stakes race, blowing away all his opponents, the worlds' preconceived belief that he couldn't do it, and making his mark in world history. How many times do we hold ourselves or others back from true promise and possibility because we listen to what others say?
GREAT QUOTES:
"Great colts come from great sires."Symbolism of life. Parents are the examples to their children.

"It's not whether they think we won. It's whether we think we won." Chris Chenery tells this to his young daughter. What a powerful thought. It's all about how you see your win/loss. Did you learn something, did you give it everything you had? Then the outcome doesn't matter.

"This is not about going back. This is about life being ahead of you and you run at it! Because you never know how far you can run unless you run." This what the movie is all about. Perseverance! It's about trying, and trying and trying again. It's about moving forward, and getting up again after you fall.

"I got what I wanted.", Penny referring to the fact that although she lost the coin toss, she still won because she got the colt she really wanted. Her brother then replied, "No Penny, you got what no one else wanted." Penny knew the potential that Secretariat had, even if no one else could see it, or believe it.

"Let him run his race." Penny's father to her when she questions her decision to let Secretariat compete. Sometimes we have to let go and let the ones we love live their life and hope they remember who they are and what they have been taught.

"I will not live the rest of my life in regret." Penny Chenery.

"My father's legacy is not his money. My father's legacy is the will to win." Penny to her brother and her husband when they wanted her to give up and sell the farm.

"I've run my race. You run yours." Penny to Secretariat the night before the Belmont Stakes race.