I usually don't take the time to sit and watch the Oscars.
This year I watched most of the Academy Awards with my family. My daughter Victoria likes the award shows. She gets some humor out of watching people/celebrities and hearing what comes out of their mouths.
Plus, Ellen Degeneres was pretty darn funny, so we had that going for us.
I actually got so caught up in the antics, that I forgot my daughter in Korea was going to be emailing me for a bit. Once I remembered, I left the tv room and went and "chatted" with her for the rest of the show.
Apparently I missed the 'good' stuff.
I missed John Travolta's mangling of names. I still am not quite sure what happened there. I popped onto Facebook the next morning and there is a name generator posted at his expense..it tells you what your name would be if John Travolta were to attempt saying it.
Kind of funny.
If you aren't John Travolta.
But to give the guy credit, it wasn't like he was trying to say an easy name. I mean, Idina Menzel? People who have known me for years still pronounce my last name incorrectly. And I call my daughter Olivia "Ka-Kel-Olivia" on a regular basis. People who don't even know I have a sister named Diane, will call me Diane. Which is weird, but I still answer to it because growing up my mom called me "Di-Sue-Whoever You Are". So you see where I got it. (Thanks for that mom :) )
So you deal with it and move on.
Or create a quiz and post it on Facebook for the masses to mock the error openly.
I also missed Matthew McConaughey's acceptance speech for Best Actor.
Another buzz on the ol' Facebook social media frenzy.
It seemed to start out with shock that Mr. McConaughey would be so crass as to thank God for His hand in the opportunities he had been given throughout his career. Shock enough that the celebrities were "lukewarm" with that statement. It seems to me that it basically shows how far the more liberal celebrities (who are very much in the majority in that area of employment) have strayed from God. It appeared to make them a bit uncomfortable that he would mention God. Because if God really has a hand in people's lives, then how can they keep their neurotic selfish Me-Me-Me type attitudes? --and I realize I am generalizing and that there are many lovely celebrities out there who would be great to know and who are down to earth and who use their power for good, but because of the reaction from the audience during his speech, I am going with my generalization. Lukewarm is not how Matthew McConaughey's speech should have been received. He just won the flipping Oscar, for goodness sake. Applaud the man. Don't panic because he is showing that even for all his naked drumming and his really hard work at getting ready for roles like the one that won him this Oscar, he is still a believer in that Deity. A believer that God knows him and helps him with his choices, and is pleased with him.
I can picture the other celebrities now....
"Well this is uncomfortable. Let's just clap softly. Maybe a golfer's clap...
Did he just say that we might actually have to acknowledge that our gift and talent isn't just us, but might be a God-given blessing?
Well, doesn't that beat all?
No, that can't possibly be right. But just to be safe, let's ignore that part of the speech now."
Heaven forbid they have a 'come to Jesus' moment and have to realize that there is a God. He is aware of them. He loves them even with all their self-absorbed lifestyles and their ease at breaking any given commandment at will. Usually that adultery one. Which, to be fair, seems to be a sticking point for even the common folk. (But the percentage of lasting marriages for people in the entertainment industry are dismal...so it makes me wonder at the morals and beliefs and integrity of those who choose to gain celebrity). But that is a topic for another time & I am rambling myself off track...
No. They don't want to keep talking about his comments on God's part in his career and life. Nope. Now they want the focus on McConaughey to be the part where he thinks of himself as his own hero.
For rude.
Seriously? People are upset about this one? That is a shaky cover for trying not to discuss the God issue. Deflect the focus off God and onto his Hero complex. That will work.
Geez.
Pushing back his goal of looking up to himself every ten years isn't a bad thing. What, you want him to look up to one of you other celebrities who just gave him a golf clap when he had the nerve to mention God in his acceptance speech? Seriously.
From my perspective I think it is great that he is his own hero. He is setting goals. He is trying to achieve them. And ten years later instead of thinking he is all that, he re-sets his goals another ten years to push himself even more and to become the kind of man that he can look up to.
It would be great if there were someone else out there that he could look up to, but setting yourself to a higher standard and then aiming yourself that way so that ten years from now you can see your growth..but then instead of patting yourself on the back for being so awesome, you set the goals even higher so that you are always reaching for self-improvement?
And you are keeping God into the equation so that you are still grounded?
How is that wrong?
The answer is, it isn't. What IS wrong is when people--whether that be celebrities, politicians, other public officials, church leaders (any church) or anyone with a job in which others look up to you--so yes, that includes Stay-at-home Moms, teachers, etc-- aren't setting themselves to higher standards. You have people watching you. You have people learning from you, depending on you. Whether that person is your child, your employee, your co-worker, or your biggest fan. Everyone is being watched.
The key is to get everyone to set higher goals. Be your own hero. Be someone worthy of being someone else's hero so that Matthew McConaughey can find someone in his business that he can strive to be like.
Be that boss that your employees know is fair and understanding.
Be that parent that your child wants to grow up and emulate.
But even more than that, don't forget God.
Because even if the rest of the world lets you down and there isn't one single person worthy of your consideration as someone to look up to, God is there. Hoping that you will succeed. Hoping you will be happy even through the difficult times that everyone faces. And mostly, hoping that you will remember Him. Remember all He has done and will do for you. Because when it comes down to it, He loves you. No matter what your job, age, size, color, or if you were never even nominated at the Academy Awards.
And you know what? When you work hard and do your best in whatever it is you do, even if the rest of the world gives you a lukewarm golf clap, God is there on His feet giving you a standing ovation.
