Monday, November 29, 2010

Family Movie Night-a thing of the past?

Who else absolutely LOATHES RedBox kiosks? I do. Now. I didn't once upon a time...BUT as newly released films have gotten gorier, especially over September to the early part of November in relation to Halloween celebrations I've been VERY dissatisfied with the little mini-posters they have up on top and to one side of their kiosks. There are posters on their I am scared to see let alone have viewed by my 10, 7, and 6 year old children.

And how about Netflix? I don't know about any of you other moms BUT as soon as I was clued in that they even have a category of films targeted to those viewers who are in an "alternative" relationship well, I canceled my membership effectively immediately. I called up and told them exactly why I was canceling. Sorry if some readers think I am a bigot, or narrow-minded BUT those activities or "lifestyles" as some people term them are NOT pleasing to my God nor are they acceptable if one is a true Christian. We are not to socialize with people who choose to ignore God's will...for me that extends to doing business with blatantly non-Christian businesses. Some people think that is impossible but I tell you brothers and sisters, IT IS NOT. I thought so once too but I am learning differently.

As a regular alternative to Netflix I have found Christan Cinema. I am VERY happy so far and I haven't gotten not one disk in the mail yet. By Wednesday, though, I am betting I'll have two. Just the titles available spark my soul and make me smile.

The second alternative I have found. Family Values Cinema, was actually the first I became interested in. Unlike the 'rental by mail' options FVC offers a subscription service which is COMPLETELY unique and unlike any other.
When you sign up with Family Values Cinema (and you can do so very easily from the button in my sidebar) you choose either the 1 Movie Night or 2 Movie Night per month package. 1MN entitles you to one family friendly (we're approved by the National Board of Mothers) movie THAT YOU GET TO KEEP. Yes, Keep, FOREVER. No sending it back. 2MN entitles you to DOUBLE the fun, TWO films a month. With each package you get either one or two recipes, a discussion guide, all kinds of great fun stuff not to mention the memories that you will be creating with your kids in the kitchen and later in front of the film. I REALLY like this because it gives you the opportunity to REALLY build on the spiritual foundations and Biblical principles that will be found in each feature film as well as draw the fun out by having a yummy treat to create together and devour during the video AND time to talk about it afterward...because face it, we ALL know that as soon as turn the movie off seldom are the kids ready to fall into bed and snooze the night away...this gives you time to wind down, share thoughts and Godly instruction, and just have a good time longer while easing into bed time.

Check either option, or both options out because I know as a mom, I don't want to explain Freddy Krueger to a 6 year old because his picture is on the Redbox Wall dead-bang in the center with kids' posters flanking it because those films were released the same day...



Happy Movie Nights everyone!!

Fall Into Reading 2010 Question #9

Back with another intriguing Q & A from Katrina the wonderful hostess for the Fall Into Reading challenge. Can I start crying yet? Because another awesome reading challenge is nearing an end and the Spring Reading Thing won't happen for months!!! 
And now, the question of the week: Once you begin a book, do you feel compelled to finish it? Or have you been known to give up in the middle of a book, to walk away from a book that is just too annoying, boring, etc.?

No, I don't feel like I must finish a book. I have been known to walk away from a book that I just can't get into. And it is really easy for me to get into books. For example, I read ALL of War and Peace in less than three days. Yup, the first three days of summer vacation after third grade. I saw it earlier that year in a Charlie Brown movie and said "hey, I should read that." I didn't think it was boring but I have always had a crazy love of history, too.

Some books though, when I have been reading along good in them, non-fiction books I am talking here such as some of Joyce Meyer's books or some other Christian life application books and I feel this little "niggle in my middle" I know that there is something in there that I NEED to hear but the enemy wants me to miss out on so I push through the "niggle" and read it anyway. I have NEVER regretted doing this, not once.  SO I encourage you if you are reading a book of that type then keep it up, or a school text or similar book, if you know you need to absorb what is coming next keep at it because anything that is trying to distract is not of our Lord or beneficial. You DON'T need to top up that nearly full cup of coffee or tea or cocoa; you don't need the cookie RIGHT that second. NO, it isn't a good idea to suddenly start dinner an hour and a half earlier than you need too, lmbo!! Keep at your reading and something just might click (then you can reward yourself with a new warm beverage or a double helping of cookies! Maybe even order take out, {wink wink}!
 

 

Beautiful Monday Morning! A reflection on reading...

It's a beautiful Monday morning outside my window. I just saw a book on Susanne's blog and the cover is what caught my eye at first...then the title. The two together made for an irresistible combo; have a look -

It is called It's No Secret: Revealing Divine Truths Every Woman Should Know.  The author, Rachel Olsen, also co-wrote God's Purpose for Every Woman with Lysa TerKeurst and she speaks for one of my favorite women's ministries going, Proverbs 31 Ministries. I have been absolutely astounded and helped through some very tough times in my life by wonderful devotionals and Bible studies from P31M. The first book from this ministry I ever laid hands -or eyes- on was Satisfied Lives for Desperate Housewives. I had become completely caught up in that show and the title drew me in. I realized, after reading only the introduction while standing in a Walmart that God had led me to this book. After all, it was in the 'deep discount' bin and I purchased it for an easy peasy $2.99, far less than I had ever paid for a devotional book. The real kicker? Some terribly desperate (or perhaps twisted) individual had stolen  my Bible out of my car (I prefer to hope it was the former) and I had gone to the Walmart to get a new one. Which I had  just put in my cart when I stood up and accidentally backed into the bargain books bin. I don't usually look through it because it is mostly books that I wouldn't look at twice, titles like "Modern Microwave Gourmet Cuisine" (I don't own a microwave) and a bundled set of "Fun With," "More Fun With," and "The Funnest Yet" fondue cookbooks. Don't get me wrong, I adore fondue, but once you know how to melt the cheese into a sauce you can come up with your own fun pretty fast without a book in the way, right?
Chef
Right, so as I was saying I usually skipped the bin. But that day there were a bunch of VeggieTales books (this was right after Easter) and Christian fiction and devotionals AND kids' Bibles in there. All between $1 and $3. So, since I was walking around with some extra spending money from the income tax return I decided our church library could really use some books for kids, and a few for myself that I could donate after I read them and it would be terrific if we could give away Bibles to kids who needed them, so I loaded up my cart. Well, after I got a couple copies of most titles they had for kids, one each of the fictionals and devotionals and all 12 Bibles I saw it. The book that showed me that I, too, was in fact a Desperate Housewife. Desperate for the things of God which I had had before as an older teen in California but walked away from because I thought I knew better than my God did what was right for me. ALL girls in love I think feel that, at least if they fall in love with the wrong guy.

So, right then and there I said, "Well, Moira, this book looks really interesting. You should get it." And I did. I paid for my purchases, put them in my car, but sat there reading it for a little while. Then I said, "hey,  you know what, I'm a little hungry, I'm going to go by Ken's and have a bite and some coffee and read this a little more." Which I did that, too. The amazing thing was that I ran into FOUR women from church at the restaurant who all said the same thing, they didn't usually lunch on their own but something said to do it today. I had a little girl at home, almost 3 years old at that time, and a 3 week old son. I had literally no business, in my opinion, being out 'lunching' with the ladies. BUT when I called home from the pay phone my husband said, "Don't worry about it, things are covered here, no problem. Have a good time!" And I did. We sat and sipped and snacked and talked-truly talked, the heart to heart kind- that I hadn't had since I left California nearly four years before. It refreshed me, it filled me, and renewed me. THAT was when I found out there was a Tuesday Time women's prayer meeting each week. I started attending and found that the things of God were waiting for me all the time, right where I was.


Well, I am going to continue this post in a little bit...

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Outlive Your Life----A BookSneeze Review

It is time for another BookSneeze Book Review, fellow readers!

After much soul-searching and stops and starts I am satisfied with what I have learned from reading this book and feel that I can give it a terrific review. It might not be a long review but I don't think this fabulous book needs a lot of wordiness to prompt others to read it.
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This book has taught me to be content in my ordinariness. Sometimes I have felt that God is not using me...but then I look around me and see things changing that I never thought would change; or find that I am giving advice that I never thought I would give simply because the opportunity arose and I took it. After reading Outlive Your Life I found myself LOOKING for chances to do things that would help spread the word about my God and for ways that I could positively impact others around me. For a few years I was very sad that I wasn't called to be part of my church's worship team. BUT shortly after reading this excellent volume I recalled that His first call on my life was NOT worshiping, anyway, but working with youth. Once I talked to our youth ministries leader I found a tremendous need which I helped fulfill and in return was fulfilled myself. Max Lucado takes us through the beginning of the book of Acts and shows how the outcasts of Jesus' time were used in astounding ways and how, even though I may feel like an outcast in my hometown that I am not, because we are all precious and useful in his sight.