♥ Superheroes ♥

We are kind of Superhero fans around here.

It's not out of the ordinary to hear us spouting off one-liners from Superhero movies. We all have our favorites (and those we don't like so much as well).

My favorite is Captain America. 

Source:  Google Images

But I also love Spiderman and The Hulk.

Source:  Google Images

Source:  Google Images

I don't care so much for Batman.  I never have.....not sure exactly why......maybe he just seems a little too dark for me? 

We loved the Avengers movie.  Joy and I are fans of Hawkeye too.  :)

Luke seems to be fond of Iron Man.  I think Colt likes him too (and also Hawkeye).  Jason has always been a Superman fan. 

I just found this quiz to see which superhero I was most like.  I thought it would be interesting to see if it turned out to be the one I like best.  Captain America wasn't on the list. :(  It shows Superman for me, but it was a tie between that and Spiderman......... and Spiderman is a favorite of mine.  It's interesting that my least favorite was last on the list.  :)

Your results:
You are Superman

Superman 60% Spider-Man 60% Green Lantern 60% Robin 55% Wonder Woman 50% Supergirl 35% Hulk 30% The Flash 30% Catwoman 30% Iron Man 25% Batman 10%

You are mild-mannered, good, strong and you love to help others.

Click here to take the "Which Superhero are you?" quiz...


Anyway, I just wondered if there are any other adult superhero fans out there?  :)

Who's your favorite?  Or how did the quiz rate you?

♥ Tammy ♥

♥ 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 ♥

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!  :)

Our Family's Top Picks in Christmas Movies

I’d really love to share Christmas décor pictures with you, but since my house doesn’t seem to be able to stay clean long enough for photos these days (between all the running, crafting, wrapping gifts, cooking, and all the Christmas season busyness), it’s just not happening today.

So…..since it’s also the season of Christmas movie watching, I thought I’d share our family favorites. We don’t have cable or satellite, so all of our viewing is on VHS, DVDs or instant streaming from Netflix. We even get limited local stations. So I am basing our favorites on what we have access to watching.

I’m going to list each of our "top three" favorites. Without revealing our favorites to each other, this is what we came up with.  And these in our top favorites are watched multiple times during the Christmas season!  And let me just say right here that I told Jason he cheated.  :)  He made his second choice a tie.  Believe me, it was hard trying to put it in just 3 top picks.

Tammy’s:

#1 - It’s a Wonderful Life
#2 – A Holiday for Love (known on TV formerly as Christmas in my Hometown)
#3 – The Christmas Card

Jason’s:

#1 – It’s a Wonderful Life
#2 – Tie: A Holiday for Love & Christmas Comes to Willow Creek
#3 – The Christmas Card

Colt's:

His are in no particular order. These are just his favorites when asked to name three favorite Christmas movies.   No surprise, his are all comedies.  :)

Jingle All the Way
I'll Be Home For Christmas
The Santa Clause

Joy’s:

#1 – It’s a Wonderful Life
#2 – The Christmas Card
#3 – Christmas With a Capital C

Luke’s:

#1 – Christmas Comes to Willow Creek (Because it has an 18-wheeler in it which he LOVES!).
#2 – Bob the Builder - Christmas to Remember
#3 – Kipper's Christmas Eve

And seriously, It's a Wonderful Life is in a category all its own because none really compare to it in my book.

Now, we narrowed it down to the top three, but there are several more that we make a point of watching every year. These additional ones always include: A Christmas Romance, A Holiday Romance, A Holiday to Remember, Smoky Mountain Christmas, Comfort and Joy, Holiday Affair, Prancer, Mary Christmas, Christmas At Plum Creek, and Borrowed Hearts. Oh and I also love Annabelle's Wish, but we have always rented it and haven't found it this year and I really want Luke to see it!  It's a sweet one!

For anyone taking note of these, I do want to warn you that Christmas Comes to Willow Creek does have a couple of words in it that I could do without, but since we know where they are, we can skip through it.  Also after just watching Comfort and Joy again, please note that there are a couple of situations and lifestyles in there that we don't approve of in her "old life". 

Actually the most wholesome movies listed above include:  It's a Wonderful Life, A Holiday for Love, The Christmas Card, A Christmas Romance, Christmas With a Capital C, A Holiday to Remember, Christmas At Plum Creek, A Holiday Romance, Borrowed Hearts, Annabelle's Wish, Mary Christmas, and Prancer.
The movies we seem to enjoy have “that Christmas feeling” about them. It’s hard to describe. It just feels like Christmas. It is cozy and family centered, with a good moral story, and those with lots of snow definitely helps too. Speaking for myself, I also love to look at the houses and décor in the background. For example, A Holiday for Love, A Christmas Romance, Christmas at Plum Creek, Smoky Mountain Christmas, and a Holiday to Remember have “my kind” of décor, country/primitive/farmhouse/rustic charm, in the homes.

What about you? What are your favorite Christmas movies and why? Are we missing some really great ones that our family would love based on what I revealed about our favorites? Tell me.......... :)

Oh, and I definitely hope to be back in a couple of days with Christmas photos of our home and The Cedar Loft.

Thank you so much for stopping by! Have a great day!  And be sure and grab a big bowl of popcorn, snuggle up, and enjoy some Christmas movie watching!  :)

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 ~

A Family Evening at the Drive-In Movie

I’m not really sure why we haven’t done this with the kids before now, because I have a very fond memory of my Uncle Jesse taking my cousins and me to the drive-in movie to see The Apple Dumpling Gang! My uncle backed his van in and opened the back doors where all of us kids could hang out with our snacks. We had a blast! (However, on the adjacent screen in the distance, they were showing Mommy Dearest….not exactly a child friendly movie).

Colt and Amber love going to the drive-in movie. It was because of their remarks about it that we ended up going. It’s less expensive; the concessions are more affordable; and it’s just a different, comfortable, and fun atmosphere. So Jason suggested we go one Sunday evening a few weeks ago.

You get a double feature for $7 per adult. Kids under 10 are free.

We saw Cars 2 and Kung Fu Panda 2. They were both okay. I think so many of the movies these days that are supposedly made for kids are over their heads. They still throw in inappropriate comments sometimes that I could do without as well. However, we had a really good time, just being there!

It was fun sitting out in our lawn chairs with a big bucket of buttered popcorn and soft drinks under the stars. We didn’t stay for the rest of Kung Fu Panda, because Luke and Joy were having a hard time holding their eyes open, and Jason and I weren’t far behind them! So we packed it up and headed on home before that movie ended with everybody climbing in bed rather late.

We’ve decided that going to the drive-in movie will be especially fun this fall when the air starts to get that crisp feeling, snuggled under a quilt in our lawn chairs with hot chocolate.……..and a big bucket of popcorn of course. I wonder why it is that popcorn tastes much better when you’re watching a movie?  :)

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! :)

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! :)

"Zu Zu's Petals", Home School Open House, Award & Giveaway

For my next post, I have been searching earnestly for a picture I wanted to share, and then I remembered it was the Tuesday for Tammy's Home School Open House (okay,really Tammy reminded me).....so I thought I would combine the two today, along with an award and giveaway too. (I hope you don't mind, Tammy...but being the old movie lover that you are, I figured I'd be okay putting this on here today)! And if you came just for the Home School Open House....just scroll on down until you see the button and that's where that part begins!

First of all, about Zu Zu. Do you recognize the name?



If you guessed, It's a Wonderful Life....you're right! Zu Zu was George Bailey's daughter...the little girl that caught a cold and was upstairs in bed sick. Remember him sitting on the side of the bed as she showed him her broken rose petals? Her daddy "fixed" it for her (by putting the broken one in his pocket and handing her back a perfect rose)! I always loved that because isn't that what all little girls (and big ones too) think about their daddies...they can fix anything and make it better?

It's a Wonderful Life is a favorite Christmas movie at our house. It's not a question of IF we watch it during the Christmas season, it's how many times. If you're a fan, you probably know the lines...."Hee Haw", "Hot Dog", "Teacher says, every time a bells rings an angel gets its wings"......And I could go on!

Well around Christmas of 1997, we found out that Karolyn Grimes, who played Zu Zu was going to be visiting our local library and signing autographs. Colt and I stood in line (before a ball game) to meet her. Colt was 8 years old at the time (and Joy hadn't come along yet). He took her a vase of pink roses "to replace the broken petals". She loved it! She was super nice! Here she is with Colt.



Notice the "Z" pin on her suit? Would you believe I've never noticed that EVER before today, and Joy pointed it out to me right when she looked at it. She said, "Look she has a Z on her for Zu Zu." How could I have missed that?

She signed our copy of It's a Wonderful Life.



We bought this ornament (that I absolutely love and treasure) and she signed the back of it too. It always gets a place of honor on our tree and I make sure it's wound tight around the branch.....because my heart would break if it fell off and broke!



This particular picture on the ornament is a shot of her when her daddy (George Bailey) is holding her at the end as all his friends, relatives and neighbors pour in to help George out!

Here's the back:



I love what she wrote! Life is wonderful!

If you've never seen the movies, you're really missing out....it's a favorite here! And speaking of favorites, on another day, I will share my very favorite Christmas movies and I'm also going to ask all my family for THEIR favorites and I'll share that too!



Now on to the Home School Open House sponsored by Tammy of Lattes and Lollypops. Again this time, I don't have a big project to show you...but as usual we have been reading....lots of reading. This particular book has been our read-aloud (from Sonlight) for the past couple of weeks and we sure have loved it....it's probably been our favorite actually so far this year (Joy's and mine).




The name of it is The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare. I remember reading this with Colt when he was younger. It's a wonderful story set in the Colonial Days in the colony of Connecticut during the times when the Puritans would "accuse" people of being witches. It's much more than that though....it has history & courtship weaved throughout too. It also brought the opportunity for Joy and I to discuss what gossip and judging people can do. We also discussed desirable character, how to be a true friend and what to look for in a mate. It's hard to believe one little book could pack that much punch to discuss, but it did......and we loved it! Don't let the title fool you either.....it's a GREAT book to share with your family (or read alone).

And speaking of character, here's a book that Joy and I just started reading together and discussing. This an old book republished...it's been around a long time.



The back says, "What can be more beautiful than the budding and blossoming of girlhood? Those years of transition from childhood to womanhood are filled with wonderful interest and promise. But the young feet that travel this way may be unsteady and unsure. Each could use guidance, a helping hand along the way. To encourage our girls to a nobler life and truer ideals is the task of this book."

And since all that I've shared is reading...here's a picture of Joy doing an experiment she did at home and showed at recitation last Tuesday. Since we are studying astronomy (God's Design Series), we discussed the laws of thermodynamics as an introduction to earth science. This experiment showed the 2nd law of thermodynamics.....that all objects tend to go to a state of rest. (or slow down because it loses energy).



We tied a string around a tennis ball and taped it to the top of a doorway. She stood back the length of the string...holding it to her nose and let it go. By just releasing and not giving it any motion, it just swings out and back without touching her, because it's losing energy as it swings through the air.

On to the last couple of things for today...Here's an award given to me from my bloggin' buddy over at Cat Nap Inn! Thank you so much! I've met so many wonderful bloggers and enjoy so many blogs that I don't want to have to choose, so I pass this award along to ALL my blog readers!


And last of all, if you love Christmas and love to read, you'll love Trudy's giveaway. Click over and pick out your favorite Christmas book she has and if she draws your name out, you'll win your favorite book!



Thanks so much for stopping by today and for the kind comments! I enjoy them all so much and I enjoy visiting your blogs too! I don't get to do so everyday, but I try as often as I can, and I usually catch up a few days a week.

I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving week too! Check back for more Christmas decor pictures!

Blessings,
Tammy