REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: The Biggest Story CD & DVD [GIVEAWAY CLOSED]

 

My 13yo son had a dentist appointment in a town about 30 minutes from home. So, on the way there, I popped in the CD of THE BIGGEST STORY. It's a short 26-minute audio book, written and narrated by Kevin DeYoung, that was originally a children’s picture book. We were able to listen to the entire book on the way to the dentist and, as it came to an end, my son asked, "Is that it?" He had been listening, he was interested in it, and he wanted to hear more. I also enjoyed listening to it. So, even though the book is geared for ages 5-12, it can definitely keep the interest of ALL ages.

FYI:  The book highlights key parts of the Bible, starting with Creation and ending with Christ. It is educational and informative, and would be a great book to share with anyone who is not familiar with the "stories" in the Bible, or in how they all come together to teach us about God's redemptive plan for mankind.

I have not seen the picture book, but I did watch the animated version of this book on DVD. The illustrations on the DVD come from the picture book, drawn by Don Clark. They are colorful and artistic, and are helpful for those who prefer using visuals to help them learn. Personally, I think I preferred the CD over the DVD, but it is nice to have the option of a DVD.

Consider picking up a copy of either the book, the CD, or the DVD. Or, you can enter below for your chance to win a copy of both a CD and a DVD. The giveaway ends Saturday, September 17, 2016, at 8:00 p.m. CST. One entry per mailing address.

Entry-Form

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Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

15 Years Ago On 9-11-01

15 years ago today... 

I was home with my husband who was off work that day. Our 3-year-old daughter was at school. David turned on the news and watched as the 2nd plane flew into the World Trade Center. He called me in see what was happening, and it was an unbelievable sight.

REVIEW: "Voiceless" Theatrical Movie

I was recently given the chance to screen the new theatrical movie, Voiceless, a film that tackles the controversial pro-life vs. pro-choice debate. In the film, a young war veteran returns home and becomes a community outreach leader. He puts his job, and life, on the line to stand against an abortion clinic that has opened up across the street from his Philadelphia church.

PROs:

1. The premise of the movie is about getting the church involved in making a difference in the pro-life/pro-choice debate. One man cannot do it all, and shouldn’t have to.

2. The topic was presented in a way that both sides of the issue were addressed.

CONs:

1. The plot was dragging in several places.

2. There were several scenes that were not necessary. Some of them showed the main character seeing a psychologist after his discharge from the military, helping him debrief from active duty. Others showed him confronting his anger issues. These scenes did not fit the plot line or the main idea of the movie. They weren't necessary because they didn’t add anything to the point of the movie.

3. Instead of using the above scenes, I think it would have been better to add more scenes about the importance of prayer, where the church members (and the main character) are praying about the clinic across the street and how God wants them to make a difference.

Overall, the movie didn't really keep my full interest, but it was not a bad movie; and I believe it could be a good tool to use in churches as a discussion starter on the topic. 

 

The movie will hit theaters on October 7, 2016. Here is a link to the trailer:

VOICELESS - OFFICIAL MOVIE TRAILER

 

 

The Enjoyment of Life

The word of the week is ENJOY

:  to take pleasure in (something) : to have or experience (something good or helpful)

I came across an e-mail I sent out to family and friends back in March of 2006. It gave me a chuckle as I reminisced about how our son, JJ, enjoyed life as an energetic 3 year old. I hope it reminds you to also enjoy life, and to especially take time to enjoy your kids and/or grandkids. These past ten years have flown by quickly as JJ went from 3 to 13 in the blink of an eye.

SUBJECT: The Energy of a 3-year-old

Good Morning! This e-mail is intended to let you know what our little JJ has been up to lately, and to hopefully bring a smile to your face as well.

Let's see.... Where do I start? Well, besides the usual jumping off the couch, chasing our poor cat around the house, tormenting his sister, and literally running in circles, I'll just list a few of the things I remember him getting into this past WEEK alone...

1. He hasn't been wanting to go to bed at his usual 8:00 bedtime lately. So, one night, after we put him to bed, he snuck out. David found him lying on the bathroom counter playing with the soap and water in the sink. The water was running in a pencil thin line so that we could not hear it!! (Smart kid, huh?) He loves to play in the water, but didn’t want us to find out where he was.

2. Another night, we found him in his sister’s bed. They were talking and playing and laughing with each other. It was really cute, but it was past 9:00 p.m., when they both should have been asleep. We have learned that we still need to keep the gate across JJ's bedroom door to "lock" him in at night. Hopefully, we will be able to remove the gate before he is 18 years old! 

3. Yesterday, we caught him and EL playing in the bottle of bulk enzymes we give to EL at meal time. These enzymes are a very fine powder and even the slightest breeze can make them fly all over the kitchen. We had quite a time getting all the enzymes off the counter and floor.

4. Also yesterday, I caught JJ just before he started to mark up one of my books with a pen. This is not the first time he has done this. One book that he marked up awhile back was one that belongs to the church library! We try to keep pens out of his reach now, but sometimes he still manages to get hold of one. When he isn’t marking up a book with one, then he and EL will take turns making "zebra stripes" all over their arms and legs instead.

5. I went to the grocery store one day last week when JJ was taking a nap. David was home with the kids (I think it was on Saturday). When JJ got up, he went looking for me, as he always does. Then, David had to go looking for HIM because he couldn't find him. Finally, he found JJ out in the garage, barefooted and with no pants on. It was COLD out there, too!

6. While I was in the shower one morning, the kids found a bottle of hand lotion on my night stand and decided it was time to give their stuffed animals a “bath” as well. They have done this same thing with liquid soap, also. At least they like their toys to be clean, right?

7. One afternoon, the kids were playing in EL's room and I found the sheets off of the bed, and the mattress half-way on the floor. They also had the dresser half emptied with clothes spread all over the floor as they were trying them all on. What a mess! At least they were being creative and were having some innocent fun. 

8. I took JJ to the Hospital to get some blood drawn at the lab (to test him for allergies). While we were getting registered, JJ sat on my lap, looked at the lady across from us and said, "Mommy, her nose is big!" I wanted to hide! Thankfully, the lady understood that kids do not have any sense of discernment and will bluntly talk about what they see. She was very nice about it and agreed with JJ about her nose being big.

Well, I guess that's about it for now. I could probably write an entire book about all the things JJ does to "keep us on our toes."

We are planning on going to the Circus tonight, as there is a small one here in town. Thoughts have briefly crossed my mind about leaving JJ with the clowns, as he would fit in very well with them. But, then, I realize life would be pretty dull around here without JJ to make us laugh, cry, and pull our hair out. He is definitely a very special boy and we are so glad God gave him to us.

Enjoy your day!
Vicky

Our family in 2006

What Are You Thinking About?

I have been reading in Philippians lately was reminded to take notice of the things I am thinking about. What kinds of thoughts am I dwelling on? Some of these thoughts bring peace. Other thoughts bring discontent. I want to try and dwell on the thoughts that only bring peace.

What are you thinking about? 

Here are some questions to ask about it:

Is it TRUE?

unconcealed, true, true in fact, worthy of credit, truthful

Is it HONORABLE?

venerable, honorable, grave, serious, dignified

Is it JUST?

right; righteous; especially, right in the eyes of God

Is it PURE?

chaste; in a condition prepared for worship

Is it LOVELY?

pleasing, acceptable, grateful

Is it COMMENDABLE?

well reported of, spoken in a kindly spirit, laudable, reputable

Is it EXCELLENT?

good, a gracious act, virtuous, upright

 Is it WORTHY OF PRAISE?

commendable, approved of by God

If YES - then keep on thinking about it. Dwell on these good thoughts and be at peace.
If NO - then do not dwell on these thoughts. They will only bring discontent.

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NOTE: The definitions for the words above came from the Text Analysis of Philippians 4:8, found on BIBLE HUB.

REVIEW: God Gave Us Thankful Hearts

One of my favorite seasons will be here soon. The leaves will be changing colors, we will be taking field trips to apple orchards, attending Fall Festivals, having campfires, making warm soups, wearing cozy sweatshirts, and doing lots of baking. Yes, the season is Fall (a.k.a. Autumn). The only problem with the Fall season is that the Winter season follows it. Winter is my least favorite season, and I have to try hard to find things to be thankful for during that time of the year.

Little Pup, a sweetly illustrated wolf cub, has the same dilemma in the book, GOD GAVE US THANKFUL HEARTS by Lisa Tawn Bergren. But, Mama Wolf has a conversation with Little Pup about how there's a reason for us to be thankful in every season. She and Papa wolf give him examples of things they are thankful for, and show Little Pup how God wants us to have a thankful heart.

There are no Scripture references included in this book, but there are definite Biblical concepts:

1.  At one point, Mama Wolf says, "The trick to having a thankful heart is thinking about the things that make us happy, rather than the things that don't." That is a concept based on Philippians 4:8 - Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

2.  Papa Wolf says, "God gave us thankful hearts so we could praise him, even when we don't catch fish."  (Hebrews 13:15 says, Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.)

3.  Mama Wolf says, "We can be thankful for how God shows us the way, even when it seems a little scary." (Isaiah 41:10 says, "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.)

These are all good reminders for children, as well as adults. So, if you have younger children or grandchildren, this would be a great book to snuggle in and read along with them this Fall season (or any season) of the year.

NOTE:  I received this book from Blogging for Books for the purpose of this review. I have expressed my own opinion.

The Ultimate Goal for a Christian

The word of the week is GOAL

: something that you are trying to do or achieve

Francis Chan said in one of his sermons, “Everything I do is going to either bring reward or regret.” Then, he gave one of the best illustrations about our existence here on Earth, and how we all spend too much time thinking about our own comfort and enjoyment rather than looking ahead towards the ultimate goal.

What is this goal he is talking about? The goal for a Christian is to live life in a way that will be pleasing to God, to share the Gospel message with others, and to finally reach the prize of eternal life in Heaven. 

Chan also said “We have one chance at our life here on Earth, and then comes eternity.” So, what are you doing with your time? I ask you to ponder that question this week, and consider how you can spend your time wisely. Try to spend it in a way that will bring REWARD, and not REGRET. That is my goal. That is what I want to try and achieve. How about you?

Check out a short portion of Chan’s sermon here. It is less than 6 minutes long, so please take the time to watch it. I truly believe you will be spending your time wisely by watching it: 

THE ROPE ILLUSTRATION

Obtaining Legal Guardianship for Our Adult Special Needs Child

County Courthouse

Our daughter, EL, has turned 18, and it is a time full of mixed emotions for us. Happy as we celebrate her life and all the accomplishments she has made thus far. But, also a bit disheartening as we watch other girls her age becoming independent young women. We know that type of independence will not happen for our EL. She will always need some sort of supervision, as she is not capable of making important life and medical decisions on her own. With that in mind, David and I had to start the process of obtaining legal guardianship of her and her estate. It is somewhat strange that we, as her parents, need to become her legal guardians. But, in the government’s eyes, she is now considered an adult at the age of 18 and, therefore, presumed to be capable of making important decisions, as well as accepting adult responsibilities in full. So, if she doesn’t have a legal guardian to make the important decisions on her behalf, then there could be a disastrous outcome.

I want to share our experience with you of how we are obtaining legal guardianship, to maybe help prepare other parents of special needs children who will be walking this same road in the future. This has been all new territory for us, and there has been a lot of paperwork involved. But, it isn't as daunting as you might think. Just be sure you have a good attorney working with you and for you. FYI: There is a way to do all of the paperwork and petitioning on your own but, if you are not familiar with doing this, I would not recommend it. Our attorney was able to get certain things waived that would not have happened if David and I had done the petitioning on our own. Plus, having an attorney makes it more reassuring to know that things are being done correctly.

So, here’s a brief summary of our experience so far: 

1.  At the start of the year, we knew this was the year of transition, so we called around to several different lawyers in our area to see which ones were willing to accept a guardianship case. We finally found one, and went to his office to consult with him and get the ball rolling. But, there wasn’t much else we could do at that time. We had to wait until 2 months before her 18th birthday before taking the next step. 

2.  Step two was a very important step. I made an appointment with EL's Pediatrician,  took her in to get a physical, and asked the doctor to fill out the papers drawn up by our attorney. The paperwork included essential information from the doctor explaining the necessity for us to obtain plenary guardianship of EL. (NOTE: Plenary guardianship is when the court gives the guardians the power to exercise ALL legal rights and duties on behalf of a ward [i.e. a disabled person], after the court makes a finding of incapacity.)  

3.  Several weeks later, we had another meeting with our attorney, who drew up papers for David and I to sign. These were signed in order to petition the court for temporary plenary guardianship. This type of guardianship is good for up to 60 days, during which time a final hearing is held to determine the need for ongoing (permanent) guardianship.

4.  We went to court two days after EL’s 18th birthday. My husband gave testimony on the witness stand, our attorney represented us well, and temporary plenary guardianship was granted to us with no problem.  

5.  The next step is coming soon, and that is to have EL served a summons by the Sheriff's department requiring her to appear in court. It needs to be given directly to her, even though she really has no idea what it's all about.

6.  After the summons, we will await our final court date (scheduled in about a month), and that will be for granting us permanent plenary guardianship. 

If you have any questions for us about any part of this process, please contact me (or leave your questions in the comments section) and I will do my best to answer them. It's important to note that we are in Illinois, as each state has different procedures for granting guardianship. It will be important for you to find out what the requirements are for your state.

For Illinois residents, you can find a GUIDE TO ADULT GUARDIANSHIP IN IL at the IL Guardianship & Advocacy Commission website.

18 Birthdays for Our Firstborn Child

Eighteen years ago, David and I held our firstborn child in our arms for the first time. Our newborn baby required us to make a huge adjustment in our lives. But, we adored her, and thanked God for this precious blessing.

NOTES FROM MY JOURNAL THRU THE YEARS OF BIRTHDAYS:

AGE 1:  She’s not walking by herself yet, but she’s cruising really good on the furniture. She can say a few words now. We’ve heard her say: Mama, Daddy, Hi, and Aggie. And, she likes to play a game called "So-Big," where she raises her arms above her head when someone asks her how big she is.  It’s so cute.

EL - Age 1

AGE 2:  Today, we saw a Lawyer about making a Will. On our way home, we stopped off at the mall and gave EL a couple of rides on the carousel. She was tired, so she was a little cranky, but I think she had fun after we got going. For supper, I made spaghetti, since that is one of EL's favorite meals. Then, we had birthday cake. She didn’t try to blow out her candle. I don’t think she was feeling very good. But, she did dip her finger into the frosting and lick it. She liked that.

EL - Age 2

AGE 3:  This year, we took our little 3-year-old to the Illinois State Fair! We had a fun day looking at all the people, sites and sounds, and especially the animals. EL got to pet some goats, a bunny rabbit, a baby duck and a baby chicken. She really liked that... I think the best part of the fair for EL was towards the end of our visit when we let her pick a plastic duck out of the water in order to get a prize. Her prize was a little, gray stuffed bear. She immediately fell in love with it and held it all the way home.

EL - Age 3

AGE 4: We didn’t have a cake for EL this year. Instead, I made gluten-free cocoa rice crispy treats in the shape of a bear. I put marshmallows on top to make a face and buttons. And, we put balloons and candles on it as well. EL seemed to like the bear and she tried hard to blow out her candles this year. Grandpa Stankus helped her. 

EL - Age 4

AGE 5: Our big girl is 5 years old! This year, on EL's birthday, we took her to Burger King, then went to the Mall and gave her a ride on the Carousel. As soon as she saw the horses, she was talking about them and about all their different colors. She was really excited about going for a ride on one. When we got up to the carousel, I asked her which one she wanted to ride and she patted the horse she wanted and said, “This one.” It had a blue and purple tassle. She had a lot of fun. Then, after we got home, we let her open a couple of presents. We didn’t have a cake or anything on her actual birthday because, yesterday, we went to Shelbyville and had a family party for her there.

EL - Age 5

AGE 6: After lunch, we all went to the Mendota Sweet Corn Festival. EL and JJ both rode on the carousel and took a little train ride. They had fun. EL also got a butterfly painted on her cheek and played the duck game. The prize she got from the duck game was a little stuffed wolf pup. Then, Grandpa S. also bought her a nice bracelet to wear. We also watched a magic show while we were there. It was a fun day.

EL - Age 6

AGE 7: We celebrated EL's birthday early this year because our family was here for a family reunion. My brother and his family were here in IL for their vacation, so everyone came to our house for the weekend. We had a potluck meal, and birthday cake for dessert.

EL - Age 7

AGE 8: In the afternoon, we did some shopping in Springfield, then gave the kids a ride on the carousel in the Mall. That has always been a favorite of EL's. Then, we took them to Burger King for supper. EL had a birthday coupon to get a free kids’ meal. When we got home, we ate cake and opened presents. It was a nice day.

EL - Age 8

AGE 9: We went to Peotone this year and had hamburgers and french fries for EL's birthday, and I made her a strawberry cake with pink strawberry frosting. Her Aunt Jackie helped me decorate it with little purple flowers and balloons around her name.... EL showed a lot of spontaneous emotion and speech as she opened her presents this year. When she opened a present from her Aunt Jackie, it was a nice pink outfit and EL said, "Oooh, look at the beautiful new clothes." She was excited about them. And, when we held them up to her to take her picture with them, she smiled and said, "I'm a princess." It was really sweet. She was also VERY excited to get the silver i-dog she had been wanting and said, "Wow! Its beautiful! Its my favorite silver dog! Oh, I like it a lot!" This was all spontaneous speech and responses. It was incredible to hear her and I was so thrilled. She is really improving more and more with her speech and communication.

EL - Age 9

AGE 10:  We had hamburgers and hot dogs for supper. Then, birthday cake, of course. I made her a butterfly cake this year with strawberry cake and pink strawberry frosting. I used Oreo cookies for the body, stacked up between the wings, and I used Yogos Bits to decorate the wings.

EL - Age 10

AGE 11: On her birthday this year, we were at Grandma & Grandpa Mac's. While there, we drove to Grant’s Farm in St. Louis and had a really nice day. The kids were able to feed the baby goats, take a ride on a carousel (which EL loves), and eat snow cones. We also took two tram rides, walked around and saw all the animals, and saw two animal shows: one about elephants, and one about birds. EL likes fried chicken, so we bought KFC for supper, and I made her a bundt cake and decorated it like a carousel, which she really liked.

EL - Age 11

AGE 12:  We were on vacation during EL's birthday this year. While we were visiting Grandma & Grandpa Stankus, we had our friends, the Lees, over for lunch to help us celebrate EL's birthday. Their daughter is close to EL's age, and also has special needs.

EL - Age 12

AGE 13: This was a big year for EL, as she became a TEENAGER! We had a fun “doggie” birthday party for her this year. The girls put doggie make-up on, made dog tag necklaces, and decorated doggie cupcakes.

EL - Age 13

AGE 14: This year was EL's GOLDEN birthday, and she wanted hot dogs for supper. So, we had friends over and grilled hot dogs and chicken sausages, and ate outside on our newly painted picnic tables.

EL - Age 14

AGE 15: EL had some girl friends over again who did some girly types of crafts, played a fun game of Chameleon Crunch, and ate birthday cake.

EL - Age 15

AGE 16: EL is unable to drive a car due to her special needs, but David did something special for her 16th birthday. He pulled out the lawn tractor and walked along side it while she drove it slowly around the yard. She had such a great time doing this.

EL - Age 16

AGE 17: Friends and Grandparents came to help EL celebrate her 17th birthday. It was a “pink” party - everything was pink - tablecloth, cups, plates, balloons, a new hat, a pink toy laptop, pink lemonade, and a pink cake. Plus, some of us were wearing pink clothes.

EL - Age 17

AGE 18:  Our sweet girl is now a young woman at the age of 18, and we are celebrating today with a few family and friends. Happy birthday to our darling EL. Thank you for blessing our lives with your smiles and laughs.

James 1:17 - Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Be Careful Little Eyes What You See

When I was a young child, I was afraid of the dark, just like many children. So, my parents allowed me to turn the hallway light on when I went to bed. One night, my brother did not want the light on, so he got up and turned it off. Then, I got up and turned it back on. This led to us standing at opposite ends of the hallway, taking turns switching the light on and off. At one point, when it was my brother’s turn to switch the light off, he didn’t flip the switch but just loudly said the word, “Click!” and, since I was expecting him to switch the light off, and was into a routine, I am the one who switched the light off instead of him. I quickly switched the light back on and, with an irritated tone, I hollered, “Danny!” My parents, who were watching the whole time, thought it was hilarious and laughed along with my brother. But, then, they told Dan to leave the light on, and for us both to go back to bed.

This is a funny story that I can laugh at now. But, it is also a good example of how children will often imitate the things they see. My brother had seen this light-switch routine on a Looney Tunes cartoon called, “The Windblown Hare.” He saw it, thought it was funny, and then decided to try it out on me. It obviously worked.

This reminds me of how we need to be careful about the things we set before our eyes, and our children’s eyes, because of the kind of impact they can have on us. When we eat healthy foods, our bodies will function better than when we eat junk foods, right? It’s the same with our eyes. When we look at something, our brain makes an image of it, and that image stays with us. We might become comfortable with these images, and may even begin to imitate what we have seen. If the images are worthy of praise, they are pleasing to the Lord. If they are worthless, they may end up having a negative impact on our Spiritual lives. 

WORTHLESS:  having no use, importance, or effect : having no good qualities

That's why it says, in Philippians 4:8 to think on the things that are worthy of praise:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

So, I encourage you to take notice of the things you purposefully set before your eyes (or your children’s eyes) this week - the movies and TV shows you watch, the video games you play, and even the things you read - and see if these things would be worthy of praise (i.e. pleasing to God). Are they being helpful to your Spiritual life, or are they being harmful? 

O Be Careful, Little Eyes
Children's Hymn - Author Unknown

O be careful little eyes what you see
O be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above
Is looking down in love
So, be careful little eyes what you see