♥ The Bible (Mini-Series) Giveaway ♥

Did you see the first of The Bible mini-series that aired this past Sunday evening on the History Channel?  If not, you really missed a blessing.  However, it’s not too late to get in on the rest of the episodes!  Every Sunday throughout the month of March at 7 p.m. Central time (that’s our time zone here) until 9 p.m., you can see the continuing saga of The Bible unfold and come to life!  All of the Bible moments are presented in a way that will appeal to today’s world!  The two hours flew by for me!  It was very exciting for me to watch the Bible come to life!

I have to say that I was a little skeptical as to how historically accurate this series would be, especially when I heard it was going to be on the History Channel.  I was excited and hopeful that it would be good, but after watching that first episode, I was very pleased.  A lot of research that involved working with Biblical scholars to make sure it WAS historically correct was put into its creation.  There were parts (as I watched this first episode) that I had forgotten actually happened, such as the part when Lot and Moses parted ways.  I had forgotten about the part where Moses actually rescued Lot from captivity before Lot (and his family and servants) ever made it to Sodom. It made me feel how Abraham must have felt losing Lot, since Abraham had no children at that time.

And I figure if a viewer feels like something just doesn’t seem historically accurate to him or her, it will make them just get their Bible out and dig in there and see for themselves.  And that’s the way it should be.  Never take anyone else’s word for it anyway…….read it for yourself!

I was contacted about hosting a giveaway on my blog and because I was skeptical at first, I had to watch the first episode for myself before I recommended it.  As a matter of fact, I had to walk next door to watch it at my mom and dad's house because we don't have cable or TV reception in our home.  Netflix  and DVDs are about it for us.  But now, I’ve watched it....... and I definitely recommend it!  Don’t miss it!   

For those of you that don’t know, The Bible mini-series was created and produced by Roma Downey and Mark Burnett (Roma’s husband) over a 4 year period.  Remember Roma Downey from Touched by an Angel?  I always loved her on that show!  The desire and dream to create such a mini-series came from Roma and was brought to life by both her and her husband.  This was a BIG project but one that God has already blessed in many ways.  They chose their actors carefully, especially the one of Jesus.  I also read an article about how God showed up in supernatural ways during the filming of The Bible.  It will give you goose bumps!

I believe God will use this mini-series.  I hope and pray that all Christians will tune in and also encourage others (Christians and non-Christians) to watch too.  I hope it reaches unbelievers and makes a lasting impression and that it draws them to Christ! 

There are so many shows on TV that just aren’t worthy of our time, that when one like this comes along, it is such a breath of fresh air and SO encouraging!  It gives me hope!  I applaud Roma and Mark for putting so much work into this!  And I applaud the History Channel for airing it. 

So here’s the purpose of this blog post.  First of all, I hope you’ll tune in next Sunday at 7 p.m. (Central time) and every Sunday evening thereafter throughout the month of March (culminating on Easter Sunday evening) to watch The Bible (the 5 part mini-series)!

Second of all, I’m hosting a giveaway!  The winner will receive one of the following official The Bible companion books chosen randomly and sent to the winner by PartnersHub (my sponsor):
 

A Story of God and All of Us (Hardcover)

A Story of God and All of Us (Reflections)

A Story of God and All of Us (Young Readers)

Entering is easy!  Just leave me a comment and tell me you’d like to be entered and let me know the most anticipated Bible moments YOU are most excited to see come to life.  That’s it!

 

I will draw a winner on the evening of Thursday, March 14^th and announce it on my Faithful Friday post on Friday, March 15^th. 

 

Oh, and make sure I have a way to contact you for your address if you are the lucky winner.  If you don’t have a blog, PLEASE leave an email address.  If I don’t have a way to contact you, I will have to draw another name.

Thanks so much for stopping by and for entering!

 

Blessings!

♥ Tammy ♥

Faithful Friday - "Last Ounce of Courage"

I couldn’t wait until today to share a wonderful must-see movie with you that’s perfect for Faithful Friday.

  It’s called Last Ounce of Courage. It’s a great family movie and it’s an eye opener! We used our 40% off coupon and purchased ours this past Monday from Family Christian.

Here’s the synopsis:

A patriotic veteran rallies the citizens of his small town to fight back against tyranny as their rights are slowly stripped away in this politically-charged family drama. Bob Revere (Marshall Teague) knows what it's like to fight for freedom. A small-town war hero, he's heartbroken when his own son Tom loses his life defending America abroad. But Tom left behind a son of his own named Christian, and 14 years later, the young boy and his mother move back to Mount Colombus to be with their family for the holidays. Meanwhile, Christian's grandfather Bob, now the mayor of Mount Columbus, begins to notice that his country is heading in a dangerous direction, and that freedom itself is on the line. As Bob rallies the locals to awaken from their comfortable stupor and fight back against the powers that be, Christian learns that sometimes the battle for liberty begins at home.


If you too see and are concerned about the moral and cultural downhill spiral that America is on, and the way our freedoms are being taken away one by one, you’ll want to see this movie. You’ll be aware of what happens when we do nothing, and what a difference one can make.  And hey, it gets the Chuck Norris seal of approval!  He says its message is consistent with his life principles and core values. (Mine too)!   It also comes recommended by soldiers and it gets the Dove symbol as well, which is always a good thing!  :)

The movie opens with these words spoken by Ronald Reagan:

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.  We didn't pass it on to our children in the bloodstream.  The only way they inherit the freedom we have known is if we fight for it, protect it, defend it, and then hand it to them with the well fought lessons of how they in their lifetime must do the same.  And if you and I don't do this, then you and I may well spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it once was like in America when men were free."


And the movie closes with the following words spoken again by Ronald Reagan:

"You and I have a rendezvous with destiny.  We can preserve for our children, this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we can sentence this generation of young people to take the first step into a thousand years of darkness.  If we are destined to fail, if this way of ours is to be lost, then at least, let our children and our children's children say of us that it didn't fall because we failed to try.  Let them say that at least, we did all that could be done in the one moment allotted us here on earth."

Wow, huh?

If you’d like to read more Faithful Friday posts, or participate, you can click on the Faithful Friday button above.

Thank you for stopping by for Faithful Friday! Have a wonderful weekend! :)

♥ Tammy ♥

Faithful Friday - "Walking Across Egypt"

Good morning! I find myself looking forward to Fridays more and more. Of course, it’s partly because the weekend is coming but it’s also because I love sharing a post for Faithful Friday.


I’ve mentioned before that we don’t really watch TV around here (since we don’t have cable or anything), other than Netflix and DVDs of our choice to watch. So, it’s always great to come across a good family film. I always appreciate when others share their family movie finds with me, so I thought I’d share with you today. After all, what we watch or what goes into our minds, is eventually going to come out in some way. I want that to be good things.  :)

We’ve actually had this movie a long time because it’s on VHS.   That means I bought it before DVDs were becoming popular.  We’ve bought movies through Feature Films for Families for years now and this was one of them. We pulled it out the other night and watched it and I remembered just how much I liked it back then and I felt the same way watching it the other night. It’s called Walking Across Egypt.

Ellen Burstyn stars in this warm family drama. Mattie (Burstyn) is an aging southern belle who realizes that she's getting too old to go on living in a house. After an odd encounter with the local dogcatcher Lamar (Mark Hamill), Mattie befriends Lamar's bad-egg nephew, Wesley (Jonathan Taylor Thomas). Soon he betrays her trust and escapes from juvenile detention.


I love Ellen Burstyn’s character in this movie and the juvenile delinquent is played by Jonathan Taylor Thomas, who also does a great job. Ellen’s son is played by Judge Reinhold, another familiar face. This movie is rated PG-13 and I really was not sure why. I think it must be because it’s dealing with a juvenile delinquent.

Mattie (Ellen Burstyn) takes the preacher’s sermon to heart that she hears in church on Sunday when he reads and preaches on the Bible Scripture about “taking care of the least of these”.

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’"

~ Matthew 25:31-45 ~

 

Mattie (Ellen Burstyn) has a soft heart, but yet she’s spunky and she teaches the boy a few lessons. If you’re looking for a heart-warming family movie with a Christian undertone, I think you’ll like this movie.  :)

*********************************************************************************************************

Thank you for dropping by today for Faithful Friday. Joy and I invite you to join us with a Faithful Friday post. You can link up on her blog here. I know Joy would love if you stop by for a visit today.  Her Faithful Friday post is about receiving her purity ring.

Have a wonderful weekend!  :)

Blessings!

♥ Tammy ♥

Giveaway Time!

It’s time for my giveaway! 

In the past, I’ve usually had something homemade to give away….and usually something decorative for the home. This giveaway is a little different. As I’ve said before, finding good wholesome, inspirational, and uplifting family movies is not always an easy task. But I feel very good about the movie bundle I am offering in my giveaway.

The winner of my giveaway will get the following bundle of four movies by Sherwood Pictures:

Flywheel
Facing the Giants
Fireproof
Courageous

Flywheel was the first effort of film making by Sherwood Pictures and was made on a limited budget.  It may have been made on a limited budget, but it's packed full of inspiration!  Here's a little synopsis for Flywheel:

Jay Austin wants to sell used cars in the worst way ... and that's exactly how he does business at his dealership. Promising much more than he can ever deliver, he'll do whatever it takes to sell a car. His manipulative ways permeate all of his relationships—even his wife and son know they can't trust him. But as Jay works on restoring a classic convertible, he begins to see that God is working on restoring him as well. Coming face-to-face with the reality of how he truly conducts himself, Jay Austin begins the ride of his life as he commits to honoring God with his business, his relationships, and his life!

The second of the Sherwood Pictures movies is Facing the Giants (one of my favorites). We went to the theatre to see this movie and I cried through a great deal of it. I could identify with Brooke, the wife of Coach Grant Taylor, with yearning for a child, though there’s much more than that to this movie. It’s really a story about fear and faith. Everyone should see this movie! Here’s the synopsis for Facing the Giants:

This is an action-packed drama about a Christian high school football coach who uses his undying faith to battle the giants of fear and failure. In six years of coaching, Grant Taylor has never led his Shiloh Eagles to a winning season. After learning that he and his wife Brooke face infertility, Grant discovers that a group of fathers are secretly organizing to have him dismissed as head coach. Devastated by his circumstances, he cries out to God in desperation. When Grant receives a message from an unexpected visitor, he searches for a stronger purpose for his football team. He dares to challenge his players to believe God for the impossible on and off the field. When faced with unbelievable odds, the Eagles must step up to their greatest test of strength and courage. What transpires is a dynamic story of the fight between faith and fear.

The third movie made by Sherwood Pictures is Fireproof. Kirk Cameron (from Growing Pains) stars in this one. Fireproof is a must see movie for anyone married, or anyone even thinking of getting married. The synopsis for Fireproof:

A heroic fireman locked in a failing marriage accepts his father's challenge to take part in a 40-day experiment designed to teach both husband and wife the true meaning of commitment in this faith-based marriage drama. When he's battling blazes, Capt. Caleb Holt adheres to the old firefighter's adage about never leaving your partner behind; back at home, it's an altogether different story. Caleb and his wife, Catherine, have been married for seven years, but lately arguments over career, housework, finances, and outside interests have driven the once-happy couple hopelessly apart. Just as Caleb and Catherine prepare to officially dissolve their marriage, Caleb's father John presents his son with a most unusual challenge: commit to a 40-day experiment called "The Love Dare," and take one last shot at saving his marriage. While at first Caleb agrees to take a chance on "The Love Dare," the discovery that it's closely tied in with his parent's newfound faith causes him to momentarily reconsider. Still, Caleb carries on with the experiment despite being constantly rejected by his skeptical, embittered wife. When Caleb asks his father how he can be expected to love someone who refuses to give him a fair chance, John tells his son that this is precisely the same love that God shows for humankind. Now, with a little help from above, the man who makes headlines for saving lives will fight to be a hero to the one person who matters most -- his wife.

And the most recent of the movies by Sherwood Pictures (released September 2011) is Courageous (my favorite one). I have seen this numerous times and never tire of it. It is the highest quality movie making of all the films thus far. One minute I was crying, and the next minute, I was laughing. Definitely a must see movie! Here’s the synopsis for Courageous:

Four police officers attempt to put their faith in God after a sudden and unexpected tragedy transforms their lives forever. This movie follows dedicated cops Adam Mitchell and Nathan Hayes as they work with their partners to keep the streets safe. But when these devoted peacekeepers face the challenge of fatherhood, both their faith and devotion to family are put to the ultimate test. In the aftermath of a devastating calamity, they are faced with a difficult choice that will ultimately come to define their lives. Fortunately, a wise mentor appears to help them understand that man's ambition and God's will aren't always in perfect harmony.

In times like these, I feel it is important to guard our families against what is considered “entertainment”. With these movies, you won’t go wrong and you will be inspired to build your faith as well.

Here are the guidelines for my giveaway:

This giveaway is open to residents of the United States and Canada. You will get one entry for leaving a comment on this post letting me know you would like to be entered. You will get a second entry when you leave a second comment on this post letting me know you are a follower (new followers are welcome!). Faithful readers that leave comments but don’t necessarily have a blog are considered followers too. Just be sure and leave me your email address so I can contact you if you win! You will be entered a third time if you post my giveaway on your blog, either in a post or on your sidebar, and let me know in a comment on this post that you did so. You have permission to use the first picture on this post.

**PLEASE NOTE** - You must leave a separate comment for each entry for it to be counted separately! The winner will be drawn by random.org on Sunday evening, March 18th. The winner will be announced on Monday morning, March 19th.

I wish I could give away many more of these because I do so highly recommend them! But maybe I can do another one on down the road sometime soon. But at least for now, one person will be a lucky blessed winner!  And if you already have one or all of these, wouldn't they make a great gift to pass along to someone else?  :)

Thanks for stopping by!  :)

Additional Information on Movie Review "To Save a Life"

Since I received an anonymous comment concerning the movie that I mentioned in yesterday’s Faithful Friday post, To Save a Life, I wanted to share some additional information.

I did a little more research, on the internet, as well as reading through the leaflet in our DVD case. We do NOT have the church version. The DVD that we watched is the theatrical version, rated PG-13. The church version has been rated PG.

Since the comment left anonymously expressed concern about not showing a movie in the Lord’s House that had bad language, I wanted to clarify.

A PG-13 rating can mean many things. It can mean thematic elements, violence, and it can mean bad language. For instance, Courageous is rated PG-13 and my goodness, it was wonderful! I highly recommend it! Also The Passion of Christ was rated PG-13 (for obvious reasons of violence and intensity).

Here’s how I know we have the theatrical version. Church versions can only be purchased as a kit and require a license to show in a church setting. It states that, in the church version, only a little bit of bad language was left and other scenes shortened bringing it down to a PG rating. In my opinion, I believe there will still be what I consider a curse word used in one scene where a troubled teenager stands up at a youth group meeting at church and calls down (or speaks out) against the hypocrites in the youth group. Since this scene is an integral part of the story line concerning the youth group leader, I suspect that’s the bad language that is left. I can’t see why the other language wouldn’t be removed, especially for showing in a church setting. And as stated, they shortened the bedroom scene and the cutting scene. However, those were already fairly short, in my opinion, on the version we watched. Considering what is shown on regular TV these days, this is very mild, believe me.

So, what am I saying? Anonymous, I really do agree with you. I don’t like bad language in any movie and I wish they wouldn’t put it anywhere! I also think the best setting to watch this movie is with parent/teenager at home. However, knowing that not all teenagers have parents that would do this, I also realize that they may never see this movie if it isn’t shown to them in church. However, if I had to choose whether I would recommend teenagers see it or not see it (especially those not being brought up in Christian homes with Christian parents guiding them), I would have to say I think they should see it.

And it’s okay. I’m used to being in the minority too. I respect your opinion. I do agree with you about the bad language. And I would have personally been offended to hear this language in the Lord’s house too. I don’t like it at home either. Hollywood seems to include most language for the filth and tearing down of morals. However, I don’t think that was the intent in this movie. I think the church version probably strips it down to the cleanest level and still maintain the severity of issues that a lot of teens face.

There were a couple of movies mentioned through comments that sound wonderful: Seven Days in Utopia and The Way Home. I had heard of them both, but we haven’t seen them yet. We will make a point of seeing these! Thanks for those suggestions! If you know of anymore, we would love to hear them! Since we don’t have cable or regular TV and only use Netflix or DVDs, we are always seeking out wholesome movies for our family.

And to Anonymous, I also appreciate your comment that you enjoy my blog! Thank you for stopping by! Have a great weekend!

Faithful Friday - "To Save a Life"

Thanks for stopping by for Faithful Friday! It’s a day set aside to share our faith – something from our Christian walk, whether that be a thought, devotion, experience, prayer request or a praise report. Although everyday is a day for sharing our faith in Christ, this is just one day set aside for this purpose. We would love to see this grow. Until we get our linky up and going, please just leave Joy a comment on her blog (Doodlebug), letting her know you’re participating, so we can stop by and visit!

To Save a Life. I wasn’t sure I really wanted to use that in my title, but after a little more thought, I decided to go ahead with it. It’s a strong phrase. It’s the name of a movie. Have you seen it? We first saw the preview for it on another inspirational DVD and decided we wanted to try to find it and watch it. It is a thought provoking movie. It is most appropriate for teenagers and adults, although at the rate kids are faced with certain issues today, I would also suggest it for some tweens, depending on that tween, and certainly with parental discretion. I would watch it with your child and most definitely follow it with discussion with your tween or teenager.

Here’s a little more information taken from the website:

Addressing the real-life challenges of teens and choices they face, To Save a Life dares to ask, “What’s your life going to be about?” Its powerful message speaks to those who desire to develop a life lived deliberately for Christ.




To Save a Life has been rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America "due to mature thematic elements involving teen suicide, teen drinking, some drug content, disturbing images, and sexuality." Unfortunately, teens today are hurting and facing challenges like never before—we see it in our own youth groups and local schools. (So does the film's writer, Jim Britts, who is an experienced youth worker.) Because of that, To Save a Life doesn't shy away from tough topics. It deals with social divisions, school violence, cutting, suicide, teen pregnancy and divorce–not in a graphic way, but in a way authentic to too many teens' real lives. And it points to a way out of these problems through following God's path and reaching out to others. Ultimately, it asks the question "What's my life going to be about?" and dares teens to answer with boldness, honesty, and open-handedness.


To Save a Life is teens' story, told in their voice with their music. Unfortunately, teens today are hurting and facing challenges like never before. This movie takes a realistic view of teen life and addresses themes of acceptance, choices, consequences, hurt, and love. It also deals with critical issues such as social divisions, school violence, cutting, suicide, underage drinking, teen pregnancy and divorce. The movie shows in practical, authentic ways how every action has ripple-effect on others. That's why we're working to make To Save a Life more than just a movie. The movie demonstrates the power of reaching out to students who are hurting. We want to see every teen have the opportunity to address these issues in a safe environment like a group study and recognize that his or her choices and actions can bring hope and love into a world of pain.



From my understanding, there are two versions, the “theatrical” and the “church”. Here’s what it has to say about that:


A few pastors felt that some families may be concerned with seeing certain content in To Save a Life at a church. With a desire to keep the reality of the film without sacrificing the story, we've developed a version of the movie with a decreased amount of bad language, a shortened bedroom scene and removal of more than half of the cutting scene.


The party scenes have been left as is and some bad language remains, but only where it was absolutely necessary for the story line or where editing it out would have created a noticeable gap in the flow of the movie.


Synopsis: When his childhood friend’s life ends in tragedy, Jake Taylor decides to use his influence as big man on the campus to make sure that it never happens again. Crossing social barriers, he befriends a loner, Johnny Garcia. When Johnny’s life quickly spirals out of control, will Jake have what it takes to stop him from the same tragic fate?


I’m not really sure which version we had because I can’t find it anywhere on the DVD. Ours was purchased at Barnes & Noble, although it is for sale at the Christian book stores. (I had a Barnes & Noble gift card). It is shown on the Family Christian website, as Dove approved and for ages 12 and up. I will tell you that I remember four curse words and they weren’t severe and those that are there unfortunately serve the purpose for the “teenage scene" because that's reality in most high schools.  But I did want to warn you. The “bedroom” scene doesn’t reveal much except for what is about to take place. It does briefly show “the cutting scene”. It makes me wonder if we have the edited church version, because of how little was shown, but I’m not sure.

This may all sound like “too much” or “heavy”, but it really does a great job of impressing the difference one person makes in the lives of others and how it won’t be the popular thing to do, but it’s the right thing to do. It also shows the flip side of those pretending to be one thing (in the church) and living another. That is (unfortunately) true too. There were two parts that especially brought tears to my eyes because I could just feel the hurt! That’s what this does. It makes you feel things and think. And hopefully dare to be different, kind, and compassionate, and to think for yourself, and live the Christian life out-loud.

This also brings to mind another movie – It’s a Wonderful Life, which by now, you all know that I love. Besides it being “Christmasy”, I like it because George, thinking of taking his own life, receives a gift. He gets the chance to see just how many people his life has touched and the difference he made by the part he played in their life. Now I know that doesn’t necessarily pertain to the Christian walk, but in a way it does. I wonder what imprint we leave on each person whose path we cross?

And that brings me to a real life story from my own teenage years that I’d like to share with you. As I shared before in my testimony, I asked Jesus in my heart at the age of 10, so I entered my teenage years as a Christian. Now I never wanted to not-be-nice to anyone, but there was this one particular boy that lived near me named “James”. I think I was maybe in 10th grade. He liked coming to our house. I suspect he found it different from his home life. He liked visiting us. He liked my parents, and I suppose me a little. He wasn’t exactly quiet or neat in appearance. I’m ashamed to say that although I never said anything ugly to him, I didn’t want him around and I avoided him….alot. When he would knock on our door and I knew it was him, I would run to the bathroom and hide out there unti he was gone and it was safe to come out. He would visit with mama and daddy and he’d ask about me and they would tell him I went to the bathroom. I guess he thought I spent a lot of time in the bathroom.  :)   But when he would see me at school the next day, he would say, “Hey Tammy, when I was at your house last night……” And he would go on, but he always made a point about mentioning he was at my house. It sounded somewhat more intimate than I wanted. After all, I didn’t want anyone to get the wrong idea. And although I spoke to him at school, it was as little as I could get by with, and I hurried past (and cringed) because he had just announced (very loudly) that he had been at my house. And that was pretty much the regular routine. Every once in awhile, I’d stay out of the bathroom, just so as not to be “so rude” and make him suspicious. One particular weekend, I think it was the summer between 10th and 11th grade, my mom and dad went on a little weekend trip with our pastor and his wife. My best friend, Melissa, came to stay with me. We were pretty proud to be staying there by ourselves. Well, James came knocking at my front door. Melissa and I avoided him at all costs, even hiding inside, so he couldn’t see us and I know he knew we were there because he had seen us out earlier. I didn’t feel very good about myself.

Well I was discussing all of this, including all the times at school, with my mother some time later after her return. She asked me one question. “Do you think you acted like a Christian girl”? I knew the answer to that question. So, I went to James’ house the next afternoon and knocked on his door. He answered the door to my relief (I was so apprehensive that I might have backed out otherwise). I apologized to him. I told him I was a Christian girl and that I wasn’t behaving as a Christian should or treating him the way a Christian should. He said it was okay. It wasn’t okay, but at least I knew I had his forgiveness. Then I started worrying that he had taken my apology as “more than that”, but nevertheless, I felt better. :)  And after that, I didn't avoid him, although I didn't go out of my way to find him either.  He actually seem to take on a role of "protecting me".  :) 

I tell you this to make a point. It wasn’t about me doing something wonderful. I was just that I was convicted and listened to the Lord’s nudging as to do what He wanted of me. I can’t always say I did that. But that day, I did. I hope that made some kind of impression on James’ heart. I don’t know if I will ever know that in this lifetime because he moved away not long afterwards. This movie that I mentioned today brought this all back to me because James could have been that guy in the movie being excluded and bullied. I am so glad that I listened to the Lord at that time and chose to represent Him at that time. It was only by Him that I was able to do it though. I would have never done that of myself.

If we only could see how many lives we touch and leave an imprint. What kind of imprint are we leaving? It really does make a difference. It makes a difference for that one.

I’d love to hear your thoughts or similar experiences. Leave me a comment and share (please)!  Oh and be sure to stop by Joy's blog even if you aren't participating--she has a great post on today!

Thanks for stopping by today! Have a great weekend and be blessed!

~ Tammy ~

Faithful Friday - "Courageous"

When films like this one come along, I think it would be wonderful for Christians to support it, especially on opening weekend! Let’s show Hollywood that this is the kind of movie we want for our families. And this one opens today (September 30th) in theatres.

Have you heard of it? It’s called “Courageous”. Maybe you’ve heard the song by Casting Crowns. If not, you really should hear it, so I’m including it here first. Just listen to those words. Wow! And it’s the theme song for the movie.




Here’s the synopsis for the movie.

Four men, one calling: To serve and protect. As law enforcement officers, they are confident and focused, standing up to the worst the streets can offer. Yet at the end of the day, they face a challenge they're ill prepared to tackle: fatherhood. When tragedy strikes home, these men are left wrestling with their hopes, their fears, their faith, and their fathering. Sherwood Pictures, creators of Fireproof, returns with this heartfelt, action-packed story. Protecting the streets is second nature to these law enforcement officers. Raising their children in a God-honoring way? That takes courage.

Since I haven’t seen it (yet), I really can’t say anymore about it, except that any movie that encourages husbands and dads to step up and be a wonderful role model and spiritual leader of the family is definitely the kind of movie I want for my family. It’s from the creators of Fireproof, and if you saw that, you know how good (and uplifting) it was! They also produced Flywheel and Facing the Giants. All of these were very good family films that deal with issues that families face these days.

We plan to see it this weekend. I encourage you to support this film and do yourself and your family a wonderful thing by going to see this movie!

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If you would like to participate in Faithful Fridays, which was created so that Christians can share their faith, please grab the button at the top of this page, and click here to Joy’s blog (Doodlebug) and leave her a comment letting her know you are participating. We’d love to visit!

Be Blessed!
~ Tammy ~

Faithful Friday - "Home Beyond the Sun" (A Movie Review)

I’m not quite sure how it can possibly be Friday already, but here it is! This week has flown by for us. That means it’s also time for Faithful Friday – a day we’ve set aside especially to share something from our Christian walk. Of course, everyday is a day to live and share Jesus.

If you would like to participate, leave Joy (Doodlebug) a comment on her blog letting her know and grab her button below, so we can visit your Faithful Friday post as well.

Not too long ago, I shared my heart on “Taking Control of the TV”. It really is something we’ve just grown accustomed to not letting have much of a priority at all in our home. We don't have cable or satellite anymore. At any given time, you most certainly will see Luke’s learning videos/DVDs playing for him. But really other than that, our TV is rarely used, except for the occasional good family DVD, instant Netflix documentary or movie, or Answers in Genesis DVD. (Now when Christmas gets here, it is on a deal more because I LOVE Christmas movies). However, there’s one movie that Joy and I especially love and have watched now several times, so I just had to share it today because if you’re looking for an inspirational wholesome, uplifting movie, you really should watch this. And I love it when I find a movie that I can feel good about sharing with my family or someone shares a movie they discovered as well. Be warned that this movie, more than likely, doesn't meet Hollywood's standards of production quality of filming, but honestly, I don't care too much for Hollywood's standard of anything, so it's quite easy for me to overlook. I judge it by the content, more than the quality of filming.

This one is a Christian drama set in China.

I can’t sum it up any better than the review I found below.


"Home Beyond the Sun" is the story of despair and hope, deceit and compassion, depression and renewal. It follows the adventures of a young Christian woman seeking to repay her mentor for his affection and his guidance. She demonstrates the depth of her commitment to the ministry by displaying the same gifts of generosity of spirit and passionate belief when she shares them with a young orphaned girl caught in the web of need and depression. This history of mankinds’ most vulnerable becomes memorable through the gift of faith. It is both an everlasting lesson and an enduring testament to Faith in God.

It was recently made available through Netflix as an instant view option, but it’s one that Joy wants to own, so I think it’s even on her Christmas wish list. We like it THAT much. I always cry when I watch it. (Just a warning…… you might want to have Kleenex nearby if you’re anything like me). Based on a true story, it shows how God’s plan brings together an 8 year old orphan from China and a 22 year old student from the United States.

So from one Christian mom to another, I highly recommend this heart stirring movie! Get out the popcorn and make it a family night!

I am always excited to find movies that I feel good about showing in our home. And I KNOW I’m not the only mom out there that feels this way. So, if you have any to share, let’s encourage and lift one another up by sharing our finds! I’d love to hear from you!

Have a great weekend. Be Blessed!  :)

Babies - A Movie Review

Last week on our "Just Us Girls" day, Joy and I watched this movie.  I'm so glad Joy remembered about it, because we really liked it. 

First of all, I should warn you that it does have cultural and maternal nudity in it.  Please take that into consideration as to who views it with you, if you decide to watch it.

Here's the synopsis on the movie:

Everybody loves... BABIES. This visually stunning new movie simultaneously follows four babies around the world - from first breath to first steps. From Mongolia to Namibia to San Francisco to Tokyo, BABIES joyfully captures on film the earliest stages of the journey of humanity that are at once unique and universal to us all. The children are, respectively, in order of on-screen introduction: Ponijao, who lives with her family near Opuwo, Namibia; Bayarjargal, who resides with his family in Mongolia, near Bayanchandmani; Mari, who lives with her family in Tokyo, Japan; and Hattie, who resides with her family in the United States, in San Francisco.

We especially enjoyed it because Mongolia borders Inner Mongolia, where Luke is from, and it gave us insight on the culture.  Since we visited the Inner Mongolia Museum, we were somewhat familiar with alot of this.  It is very likely that Luke has Mongolian blood running through him, and many of them are shepherds living in yurts.   Not to mention, that little boy from Mongolia (on the movie) is just adorable!

The movie parallels the four babies and what's happening in their lives during that first year of life.  It is so interesting!  Be warned, there's not much talking, as a matter of fact, very few words.  But no words are necessary.  Watch the trailer above for a little peek at what you'll see in the movie!  Then, if you're interested in watching it, right now you can get it at Redbox or it's an instant view on Netflix (if you have an account with them).   

If you love babies and would be interested in viewing other cultures and how they relate to their babies, you'll love this movie!  AND....the babies are just adorable!  :)       

Family Movies (Worth Watching)

If you've followed my blog for very long, you may remember that we disconnected our cable (Direct TV) because we were just fed up with.....well, the junk. And although some of it may not be junk, it was still consuming time better spent on other things, and definitely wasn't worth the money we were paying out. We were paying out money for something that we felt just wasn't good for our family in the long run. And yes, I did miss my HGTV for awhile. But I'm over it.

We do have TVs. (Just in case you're thinking we're really odd by now and feeling really sorry for us and our children)! :) The difference now is that we control what we watch. We have a Netflix account and we frequent Redbox too, as well as Blockbuster.

When I find movies that I feel are family friendly, I am very excited. I wanted to share some of these with you today!

First of all, I saw where AFA (American Family Association) was recommending this movie: The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry.



Here's what the synopsis of the movie says:

Best buddies Dustin, Albert, and Mark, are twelve year old boys looking forward to a summer of fun in 1970.

Dustin has a crush on Tyanya and wants to ask her out on a date, something he has never done before. His main obstacle though is the town bully, Nick, who also likes Tanya. When Dustin mows the lawn of seventy-five year old Jonathan Sperry (Gavin MacLeod), a man he has seen at church, a unique friendship develops.

What happens the rest of the summer is something Dustin and his friends...will never forget.

I felt good after this movie, really good. WE felt good after watching this movie. We need more of this. Joy has watched it a couple of times since then. This is the kind of movie I like for her to watch. It's definitely Christian based and focuses on things that are most important. It makes you want to exercise your Christian values and moral character! If you have a Netflix account, this one can be watched as a Watch Instantly.

The second movie alot of you have probably already seen since it has a more popular cast.....The Blind Side. It's family friendly too, although there were a couple of words it could have have done without. But overall, this movie made us feel good after watching it too, especially being adoptive parents!



Here's what the summary says:

"The Blind Side" depicts the story of Michael Oher, a homeless African-American youngster from a broken home, taken in by the Touhys, a well-to-do white family who help him fulfill his potential. At the same time, Oher's presence in the Touhys' lives leads them to some insightful self-discoveries of their own. Living in his new environment, the teen faces a completely different set of challenges to overcome. As a football player and student, Oher works hard and, with the help of his coaches and adopted family, becomes an All-American offensive left tackle.

Again, I liked it alot. I also like Sandra Bullock's acting, so that was a plus too. Joy has also watched it a couple of times since then. She's decided she's adopting all her children....all 6 of them! :) This movie is out on DVD for rental and purchase now.

Another movie for TV created with families in mind by Walmart and Proctor and Gamble, as a result of a survey from the type of movies families desire, is Secrets of the Mountain. My family bought me this for Mother's Day and we sat down and watched it last weekend.



Here's a description of the movie:

Somewhere between the demands of her career, her ex's wedding and her kids' busy schedules, Dana James (Paige Turco, The Agency) is noticing her tight-knit family starting to unravel. An unexpected offer to purchase her family's mountain property sets up a weekend road trip, which she hopes will bring her family back together. But when they arrive, they quickly learn that the mountain is much more than it seems. An ancient secret and a treacherous quest will test the family like never before. It's an edge-of-the seat thriller that reminds us that when times are tough, families don't run away from problems — they run back to each other.

We liked this one too. Joy liked it and has also watched it a time or two since we watched it together. For me, the only thing that would have made it better was if the parents weren't divorced in the first place, but I know they were trying to "keep it real" with many families today. This one can be purchased at Walmart for only $12.

It feels good to take charge of what our family watches and when our family finds movies worth watching, I want to make sure I share it with you all too! So why not make it a movie night....pick up one of these family friendly movies, pop some popcorn, and sit down and enjoy a movie that you'll feel good about watching!

Have a great Wednesday! Thanks for stopping by! :)

(Late) Faithful Fridays - Prayers, Answered Prayers & Faith Building Movies

I know I'm a day late, but I decided to go ahead and do my Faithful Fridays post anyway! I really appreciate those that come over to visit and especially those that do so on Faithful Friday. I know it's not the most popular subject, but it's important to me. Thank you for all the kind comments!



Today I first of all would like to give God the praise for an answered prayer for myself, which I didn't mention on my blog. After my yearly mammogram, I was called back in for a recheck. I think you can imagine the apprehensiveness that would come along with receiving such a letter. That was last Saturday. I went back in Wednesday and received a good report with a letter following that read, "Normal". Normal never felt so good. I am so thankful for this answered prayer and I give the credit and glory to God!

Second of all, I have mentioned and asked for prayer for our dear friend, Richard. He has waited for what seems like forever for test results to come back. His report came back with a positive diagnosis for prostate cancer. We are lifting him up in prayer as he has further tests to make sure that it is contained there. Please join with me in prayer that this is the case and although he will have a journey ahead of him of surgery, and/or whatever else awaits, that it has not spread and for a full recovery. I believe God can and will answer this prayer. I know I would appreciate those prayers so very much and Richard does too. Please pray for him as he waits on all these tests. I KNOW how hard that is! Please pray for Betty (his wife) and the rest of his family too. Thank you so much!

And last of all today, I'd like to share a couple of movies that are very uplifting and inspiring for Christians in today's world. As I've mentioned before, we have a Netflix account and receive movies from them on a regular basis. We love having control over what we bring into our home and watch. I am so tired of all the language and more that is in so many movies. Do keep in mind though that these movies were made in the late 80's and early 90's, and they aren't the best made movies, but I don't mind sacrificing that for something that will help me in my Christian walk and in building my faith. So if you're looking for something similiar to that, you'll enjoy these movies and feel good after watching them and you'll take something away from them that you can use in your daily life as you strive to live the Christian life.

The first one is called Second Glance.



In this movie, Dan has spent his high school years spreading the word of God to classmates who aren't very interested. Tired of missing out on all the good parties, Dan finally decides he's had enough and makes a wish that changes everything. He wishes that he'd never become a Christian and soon sees the full impact his influence has had on other people. Like George Bailey (It's a Wonderful Life), he learns what kind of life he could have had.

The above movie will make you stop and think that what you say and do with others really can and does make a difference, one way or the other. I know I sometimes think, "Am I really making any difference at all?" Well, you never know just how much sometimes.

The second movie we watched the other night was a little slow moving at first, but with a great message. It's called Gold Through The Fire.



It's a story about how far one man will go to pursue his faith. Persecuted for his beliefs while living in Russia, a Christian teenager plans a dangerous escape to the United States, where he supposes he'll have the freedom to attend whatever church he wants and seek the life he feels he ought to lead. But the new country isn't as welcoming as he had assumed....

Now when I read the above on that movie, I wondered what they could possibly be talking about, but talk about hitting home, it really does. We think we're living as Christians, but what you see here are alot of people going through the motions of being Christians in the United States, while this boy just came from a situation where it had to be done in secret. He is in for quite an awakening when he gets to America. This movie was made in the late 80's, but wow, I could see so much of what I see today. You would have thought it was made yesterday. You'll probably walk away from this feeling a burdened to do better...to be genuine...the real deal! I know I did.

And that, my friends, is my (late) Faithful Fridays post. If you would like to participate in Faithful Fridays with Joy, stop over anad leave her a comment letting her know you participated, so we can all stop by!

I hope you and your family are blessed richly and that you have a great weekend! Thank you so much for stopping by!

~ Tammy ~

Faithful Fridays - Though None Go With Me

It's Friday again! For today's Faithful Fridays post, I had a couple of things to share, but for time's sake today, I'm going to share one, and save the other for next week. We're leaving to go out of town for a family reunion in just a few minutes!



If your family is like ours, it's hard to find films that you feel good about watching......films that build, encourage, and inspire families, rather than bring them down. Because of our Netflix membership, we get to choose what we watch. We don't have cable or satellite. We just chose to do away with it because there just wasn't enough good stuff to outweigh the bad, in addition to the rising cost for the service. Anyway, I found this film in the inspirational section starring Cheryl Ladd. Somewhere I wrote down exactly what it said, and I can't find that piece of paper. But basically, it chronicles a young woman, Elizabeth, beginning from her teenage years through her senior years. It's about her journey through life and walking the Christian walk. It's about dealing with problems, tragedies, losses, and through it all, keeping her faith in God and knowing that no matter what her circumstance or where she was in life, God had a plan for her life, though she sometime doubted.

You are important to Him. You can be used by Him.

In this Hallmark movie, even through her circumstances, she allows herself to be used by God, and becomes a blessing and encouragement to others. Her Christian walk and example effects many people. I won't tell you more, because it does have some unexpected turns to it. The title comes from the song, I Have Decided to Follow Jesus.

Here's some of the words of this great hymn:

I have decided to follow Jesus; I have decided to follow Jesus; I have decided to follow Jesus; No turning back; No turning back.

Though none go with me, still I will follow; Though none go with me, still I will follow; Though none go with me, still I will follow; No turning back; No turning back.

My cross I'll carry till I see Jesus; My cross I'll carry till I see Jesus; My cross I'll carry till I see Jesus; No turning back; No turning back.

Okay, I just came across this information that tells a little more about the movie. Here's the description given on Christian Cinema:



The heartwarming and inspirational story of Elizabeth Leroy Bishop (Cheryl Ladd, Las Vegas, Charlies Angels), a remarkable woman whose faith is tested with each tragedy endured on an extraordinary life journey.

It's 1951 and America is caught in the Korean War, but a world away in a small town called Three Rivers, Elizabeth Leroy (Amy Grabow, General Hospital) is caught in her own personal struggle. She longs to escape her small town life and set out in pursuit of a career but a twist of fate and the promise of true love forces her to stay. She meets the town's new handsome and devout minister with whom she quickly falls in love and plans to marry but when he decides to leave for Korea to do God's work, she is heartbroken. The events that follow alter Elizabeth's life forever and truly test not only her faith and inner strength but her resilience as well.

In addition, I'd like to share this scripture with you as well. I love this scripture!

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Today I hope you're encouraged, if you're a Christian, in that fact that God has a purpose and a plan for your life. And you never know when even the smallest things you do are making a difference in the lives of others!

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And Joy mentioned it on her post today too, but I'd like to ask prayer for a close friend of ours. Actually you've heard me mention our friends, Betty and Richard, that we go visit near the Ozarks. I'd like to ask prayer for Richard. He received a report that shows a possibility of cancer. However, I know sometimes these types of reports can show high in areas when this isn't the case. Please remember him in your prayers. He has to wait until later this month to go to another doctor. I know he would appreciate the prayers! Thank you!

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Okay, we're actually driving down the road right now as I type this....headed to Alabama for the family reunion. Oh, and if you have something you'd like to share for Joy's Faithful Fridays, let her know in a comment so we can all come over and check it out! Sharing your faith is a great way to start off the weekend! I hope you all have a great weekend too! :)

A Winner & Faithful Fridays!!!!!

Wow! Joy and I wrote out over 200 entries for the giveaway! You all left the kindest comments! Thank you! I really appreciate the readers and followers over this past year! Thank you to everyone that entered....I wish I could afford to give you all the giveaway package! :) But....we did have to pick one....so last night at 10:00 p.m., after Jason mixed all the entries really well, Joy reached in and drew out a name. (She just about went to sleep on the couch, but she held on so she could be the one to draw out the name)!



And the winner is..............Susan of Penless Writer!!!! Congratulations, Susan! I hope you enjoy everything! I know you are a regular visitor over here at my blog and I appreciate you! Email me your address so I can get these goodies boxed up, addressed, and ready to go!



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Today is also Friday, which means it's time for Joy's Faithful Fridays! I have a few things I want to mention today! Faithful Fridays was set up by my daughter, Joy, to share her faith in God....to share things God has done in our lives, prayer requests, any story of faith, really. If you would like to participate, please feel free to use the button and go to Joy's blog, Doodlebug, and let her know in a comment that you participated!



First of all, I am very thankful that my mom received a good report after her routine mammogram and Dr.'s visit, after having breast cancer a few years ago.

Next, is really a small thing, but worth mentioning because it was something Joy and I prayed for and received an almost immediate answer! I misplaced some important papers that I was looking for.....I told Joy we should pray that we find them somehow..somewhere. Shortly after, I felt like I should look in my car....and there they were! Coincidence you say, well you can say that if you want, but I choose to believe it was a direct answer to a sincere prayer and I give God the glory there!

In addition, there are a couple of blogging friends that really come to mind this morning! I would like to ask you to pray for Molly of Molly's Country Memories. She is really having some health problems right now. She is just a sweetheart and I want to pray that she's better soon! And many of you know Donna of Never So Simple. Her family is really going through some trials right now as they look for jobs and even more health issues with her husband. Please remember Donna, Ray, Jessica and Eleni in your prayers too!

Last, but not least, I wanted to tell you about a movie that is worthy of this post today. Reading the Bible, you know that God says that mountains can be moved with the faith of a mustard seed. Have you ever seen a mustard seed? My aunt gave me a necklace a few years ago because I always admired it. It is a locket with a tiny mustard seed embedded inside. I never realized just how teeny tiny a mustard seed really is. And God says THAT MUCH faith can move a mountain. Wow, that shows how little I really have. That's why this movie really blessed me. It's called Faith Like Potatoes.



It's not an action packed movie, and they do have accents in the movies, but it is really an inspiring film! It's a movie for the entire family and shows basic moral principles that I think our nation has abandoned. Jason, Joy and I watched this movie and I was touched by this man's faith. It is based on a true story. This is the basic overview of the movie:

Faith Like Potatoes is an inspiring true story of a rugged South African farmer, Angus Buchan, and is set in the turbulent hills of the KZN Midlands. Angus' manic quest for material success is slowly transformed into a wild love for God and people, as he wrestles with faith, hope, natural disasters and tragic personal loss.

I won't tell you anymore about the story line, so you can see for yourself! I pray I can have this kind of faith.....faith like potatoes! :)

Ann (with an "E")

That's very important......Ann with an "e" (Anne) of Green Gables.......I can't tell you how much we are enjoying this movie. It has been MANY years since I've seen this on Hallmark and Joy has never seen it. (I'm afraid I've broken my rule of read the book first though). My friend, Tammy, and her family, have enjoyed this recently and jogged my memory on it! I'm happy to say that it was on my Netflix list and arrived in the mail yesterday. Joy and I sat up way too late captivated by it! We had to turn it off with plans to continue it. Of course, I have the sequels in our Netflix queue to watch after these.



There's so much I love about Anne! What a breath of fresh air she is and what a spunky girl. She reminds me of my Joy so much (a little of myself when I was younger)! You've got to love that imagination and romantic notions of hers!

All I can say is if you've missed this movie, you've missed a good one! These are the types of movies I want to share with my family....movies that make you want to build character! (And did I mention that I LOVE that house and the inside decor?) :)

Our Family's Favorite Christmas Movies

As I've mentioned many times before, I LOVE Christmas movies! I have to admit that one reason I like to decorate early is so I have time to enjoy sitting in my living room at night with my family watching Christmas movies, sipping hot chocolate from early November all the way through New Year's Eve!

Today, I thought I'd share some favorite Christmas movies around here from all members of our family. (I only showed pictures of the ones that we had original movies...the rest are either taped off T.V. (or we rent them) which don't make very interesting pictures!)



We'll start with the youngest member of our family, Joy (9 years old). Her favorites are:

Annabelle's Wish (This is a must see for children...it's just so sweet!)

Prancer (It has the cutest little girl with so much Christmas spirit.)

It's a Wonderful Life

A Holiday for Love (also known as Christmas in my Hometown..with Melissa Gilbert)

A Smokey Mountain Christmas (she loves all the kids in this)

A Christmas Story (Actually she just saw it for the first time this year.)


Next up would be Colt. He's 19. Here's what came to his mind as favorites when I asked him:

I'll be Home for Christmas (the one with Jonathan Taylor Thomas).

Jingle All the Way

The Home Alone movies

The Christmas Shoes

Annabelle's Wish


My hubby, Jason, picked the following as his favorite Christmas movies that he could think of at the time I asked:

It's a Wonderful Life

A Holiday for Love

The Christmas Card

A Smokey Mountain Christmas (he loves the humor in it and it has Lee Majors)


As far as me picking favorites....it was very hard....I love so many. I discovered that I really love movies that have a cozy, homey, feeling of family and love...or if I love the homes in them, lots of snow....and a little romance always helps too. So my list is a bit longer:

It's a Wonderful Life

A Holiday for Love (This one is right up there with It's a Wonderful Life for me).

Holiday Affair

Prancer (This is our "stringing popcorn" movie).

The Christmas Card

A Holiday to Remember

Annabelle's Wish

A Smokey Mountain Christmas (I love the kids and the log cabin!)

While You Were Sleeping (Joe Jr. from this movie is a household joke around here. Jason loves this movie too...I think he might have forgot this one!)


You'll notice that some of us have the same favorites, but I think we have different reasons for choosing them as favorites!

So being the Christmas movie lover that I am, I would love to know if I'm missing out on any great Christmas movies! I'd love to hear from you if you know of a great one!

Now grab you a cup of hot chocolate, turn out all the lights (except for those twinkling Christmas lights) and have a "Merry Christmas movie watching time"!

And by the way, the ice missed us! I'm still holding out for a white Christmas....snow....not ice! :)

A Movie Worth Seeing, a Favorite Spot & More!

First of all, I want to thank everyone for all the comments left about Richie and our troops! I appreciate each and every one and I know he does too. And as always, comments from both bloggers and non-bloggers are welcomed! I appreciate the kind words! Thanks so much!

On another note....I'm very close to my 100th post. It doesn't seem possible that there could have been that many since May, but I guess time flies when you're having fun, right? Anyway, just to celebrate, I have a little giveaway up my sleeve, so stay tuned and check back real soon! :)

Now about the movie worth seeing.....We went this past Wednesday to see Fireproof. The movie is based on a firefighter (Kirk Cameron) who although he is a hero and accomplished in his occupation and the community, lacks those very qualities at home in his marriage. I don't find a movie very often these days that would be worthy for me to post on my blog, but I feel like this one is! It's a great movie for not only husbands and wives, but in my opinion, for anyone that has any thoughts of one day being married. Joy saw this movie with us and we even talked about it with her (at her own level) afterwards. It's a movie we've also encouraged Colt, our 19 year old son, to see as well.



My friend, Tammy over at Lattes and Lollypops, wrote an excellent review on it this past Monday and I couldn't have said anything any better than what she said. Click on over and read a little more about the core of the movie.

You really owe it to yourself, your spouse and even your family to see this movie. Make a date with your husband to see this or even take your family with you. I won't promise that you won't shed a few tears (although you'll laugh too), but I believe you WILL walk away from it uplifted, taking a good look at your marriage, and feeling empowered to do the right thing. But don't take my word for it...Check it out yourself! Go see Fireproof! :)

And I also wanted to show you today a favorite spot of ours that's on the way to my brother and sister-in-law's house. Jason pulled over so I could get a picture this time. We always pass it before we realize and promise ourselves that we'll stop next time. Well, this time we stopped, pulled over, backed up, and with my super duper lens, I did get some shots. Like some of you have said, I did feel a little wierd taking pictures of someone's home, especially standing on the side of a highway with people passing by, but the house sits back way off the road, so I don't think I was invading anyone's privacy. (So I guess I really didn't feel wierd enough about it to NOT do it, did I?) lol!



Anyway, here's some of my favorite shots. I love the way it's situated near the water and the view surrounding the cabin. (The only thing that would make it even more perfect to me would be mountains in the horizon.)



I can just imagine living there in that cozy spot. It also makes me wonder what kind of family does live there and what the cabin looks like inside. I can imagine sitting out there on the porch taking it easy watching kids play or just reading or observing nature...or even out there in a little canoe on the water.



There's a couple of more places on the way to Alabama that I like as well and I missed them this time...maybe I'll be lucky enough next time to get shots of those too. As a matter of fact, one day I'll just have to do a whole post of some of my favorite houses or spots to share with you all!



But don't you agree that this is a gorgeous spot?