Change of Plans - Movie Review

Sally and Jason Danville are living their dreams out; her a rock star, and he an aeronautics engineer. They barely have enough time for each other as they pursue their respective careers. However, when Sally is informed of her best friend, Tezzie's, death, she is also shocked to find out out that she was also left with Tezzie's 4 kids!

To further complicate matters, these are not ordinary kids. Living in Uganda while their mom worked for the Peace Corp, the kids are as different, socially and cuturally, as night and day. Jordan is the oldest, the biological daughter of Tezzie, and the leader of the crew, Javier was born and raised in Guatemala, Caleb comes from Uganda, and the youngest, Sun Li, from China.

Sally and Jason take on the responsibility of raising the kids temporarily while the case worker, Dorothy, attempts to find homes for the kids. Cultures clash and everyday situations become tense as the Danville's attempt to juggle their careers and the kids gets off to a rocky start. But, pretty soon, Sally's initial fear is made real: they become attached to the kids. Now they have to make a decision to sacrifice their careers... or their new family.

Like the previous two family movies, this one was excellent, and probably my favorite of the three. The cast is what really surprised me, most notably Brooke White, of American Idol fame, who really shines in her role as scatter-brained Sally. It was also pretty interesting to see Phylicia Rashad, who played Claire Huxtable on the Cosby Show, play a no-nonsense, "by the books" social worker. And, the little girl who plays Sun Li was absolutely adorable!

It is a rare thing nowadays to have a movie that the whole family can sit down and enjoy together, and this movies has something for everyone. Packed with family values that allows for later discussion, I highly recommend this movie to everyone!

To find out more about this movie, visit this link: http://www.buzzplant.com/moms4familytv/changeofplans/. Here you can view the trailer and register to win several prizes including an HDTV, A portable DVD player, and more!

*This opportunity was provided to me through the Buzzblogger program. I was in no way influenced to write a positive of negative review*

The LifeDiscipler; Reviewed

The LifeDiscipler was a very cool and interesting product that I had fun reviewing. It's unique, and intuitive, and pretty cool-looking, as well. So what exactly is it?

The LifeDiscipler is a pocket guide to the Bible. Basically, you pick a topic that's relevant to you (such as money, the future, etc.) or completely randomize it, then set a time limit for every 15, 30, or 60 minutes. Once that's done, you simply go through your normal life and you will be alerted to a different verse that's relevant to you in your current life struggles, or it simply lifts your spirits.

The Good:

-The design itself resembles an mp3 player, so I had a few people asking me what the brand was, and I was able to share a bit of the gospel with some of them.

-The interface is pretty intuitive and easy to navigate; within 10 minutes I had fully explored all the functions and was able to navigate without any problems.

-It did what it advertised and helped me through some days in which focusing on God was near impossible.

The Bad:

- The main problem I had was the alarm. Being a college student as well as working nearly full time, I constantly had to shut off the alarm, which basically rendered it useless other than typical browsing of the Bible. A vibrate function would be much better suited for a constant on the go lifestyle. However, I understand that it was created to be affordable to anyone, so I can't really complain about that.

All in all, I found it to be a decent product that did what it advertised. It helped break up the monotony of my day-to-day life and at times provided just the right verse at just the right time.

If you are interested in purchasing or finding out more about the LifeDiscipler, you can visit http://www.lifediscipler.com or Family Christian Stores nationwide. If you purchase it online, you can use the promo code "Grow20" to save 20% off throughout this Christmas season.

*This product was provided to me free through the Buzzblogger program for review. I was, in no way, obligated to write a positive (or negative) review.*

Homeless for the Holidays - A Review

Jack is an up and coming corporate executive that is living the American Dream. He has a loving wife, two perfect kids, and the promise of a VP position at his fingertips; however after a cryptic message from a Santa Claus, he loses his job after a simple typo made by his boss is pushed onto him. Now, with bills piling up, a low income, and the holidays fast approaching, Jack's sparkling dream begins to crumble.

The Good:

- The plot moved along nicely, with only a few lagging moments

- Any movie that opens with BarlowGirl automatically gets an extra 15 awesome points. The music in general was appropriate and it was refreshing to hear a positive message in every aspect of the film.

- As mentioned above, the movie is squeaky clean. It's very refreshing to see movies being made that are devoid of language, drugs, sex, and violence that Hollywood can inject into their films.

- There were a few twists that I didn't see coming.

The Bad:

- You can tell it is a low-budget movie, much like "Facing the Giants." Some of the camera angle are a little awkward and the acting, in places, seems a little forced.

- Overall, the main storyline was fairly transparent.

While the movie was not the most original or mind-blowing, I was able to appreciate the simple beauty of seeing a man reach the bottom to find out what he really has. We, much like Jack in the movie, become spoiled by all the glitz and glamor of the latest Hollywood movies, with their flashy animation and mind blowing twists. However, the morals behind the stories often lie far from what we want to model ourselves after. With this movie, I was able to appreciate the strong morals presented and was reminded to "count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations. Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." James 1:2-4.

For more information on this film, you can visit http://www,homelessfortheholidaysmovie.com

*This product was provided to me free through the Buzzblogger program for review. I was, in no way, obligated to write a positive (or negative) review.*

7 Days in 7 Minutes

Having joined the new BuzzBlogger program, I was eagerly awaiting my first assignment. Finally, the email came, announcing I'd be reviewing "The Seven Minute Difference" by Allyson Lewis. Once, the package arrived, I eagerly jumped into it.

"The 7 Minute Difference" is, in it's base form, a self help for time-management. Myself being a college student, I oftentimes feel like I don't have time to juggle my classes, homework, my job, and my family, so I feel like there couldn't have been a better first assignment. Mrs. Lewis opens the book with the story of how she came up with the 7 minute difference and rather than have "one big secret" for changing your life, she gives out practical, realistic tools to manage your time better, starting by setting aside 7 minutes a day to calculate your goals for the moment and for the future. I decided to try out her method for one week to see what I could accomplish, and was actually surprised that I had time left over after getting past some big projects for my college classes! The practical tools that Mrs. Lewis offers are very realistic and may seem inconsequential, but by taking small steps to big changes, they are more likely to cement into your daily routine.

My only complaint is that there seems to be a slight disconnect between the book and the planner. It seems like it would be easier if they were more integrated. However, this is a minor detail in comparison with the whole product.

If you are interested in trying this method out, You can learn more about this system by visiting the product website here. You can also visit this link for 7 movies that explain more about this system.

All in all, I feel that I have benefited from trying out this program. It is a very helpful tool which can help me manage college, work, my family life more efficiently, for the present and the future!

*This product was provided to me free by Buzzplant for the purpose of reviewing. I was in no way influenced to post a positive or negative review*

Green - Ted Dekker

So, as all of you pretty much know, Ted Dekker is my favorite author. His books range from mystery, to horror, to fantasy/allegory, and so many other sub genres that are impossible to list. However, coming up in September, his biggest and most exciting work releases...GREEN!

It all started in 2004 when the Circle series released: Black, Red, and White. These powerful allegories have changed the lives of untold millions, taking them on the fantastic journey of Thomas Hunter, a man caught (literally) between two worlds. Our world: crippled by the looming threat of a deadly virus; and a far off future world, divided by differing ideals and rippled with war. As Thomas tries desperately to keep both worlds from falling apart, he discovers the heart of Elyon (creator of both worlds) and searches for the answers to both worlds dire problems.

Black, Red, and White alone has built a fanbase of millions...but the story doesn't end there...



Now, we are taken back to the forests and the deserts in Green, the sequel to White, as well as the prequel to Black! A literal "Circle" series! Green will give us the continued story of the Forest Guard and the Horde, as well as show us how Thomas Hunter fell into the Black Forest in the first place!

I've tried to keep this as spoiler-free as I can for those of you that haven't read them. And if you fall under that category, I highly suggest you read this fantastic series. If you fall under the category of people who can't wait for Green, go to http://www.teddekker.com/readgreen to receive special offers on Green as well as other Ted Dekker books (Or, just click the handy little box at the bottom of this post!) Just fill in the boxes, and in the bottom box that asks for a Forest Guard number, put in 6711. Also, you can view the trailer, read the first few chapters, and download wallpapers and banners at http://www.teddekker.com/green,

Torchwood: Children of Earth Review

WE...WE ARE...WE ARE COMING.

As a huge fan of Doctor Who, I've been somewhat predisposed to watching Torchwood for the crossovers. With all the hype surrounding Children of Earth, I couldn't wait to experience it for myself. So, I eagerly awaited Monday, July 6th for the premiere. Now, I still I find myself thinking about the finale long after it aired.

It began in Scotland, 1965 when the government handed over 12 children to a mysterious alien threatening the world, known only by the wavelength they've used to contact us: The 456. Around 45 years later, on a day like any normal day, every child in the world stops. In unison, they begin to scream and chant "We Are Coming," using the 456 wavelength. As always, our ever shrinking Torchwood team (Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones, and Gwen Cooper) quickly jumps on the case, but this time they face new obstacles. The government, eager to hide their misdealings with the 456, put a bounty on their heads. Now hunted by the government, they have to find a way to stop the 456 and stay alive.

John Barrowman, Eve Myles, and Gareth David-Lloyd, as always, shine in their roles as Jack, Gwen, and Ianto. We are also re-introduced to some familiar faces: Gwen's husband Rhys, and PC Andy Davidson. Joining them are several newcomers, including Cush Jumbo as Lois Habiba, Lucy Cohu as Alice Carter, and Liz May Brice as the enigmatic agent Johnson, as well as an array of other new characters.

With this miniseries, Torchwood defines it's role as the adult, dark spin-off from Doctor Who. After Day Three, you begin to get the dark feeling of hopelessness, which doesn't let up for the rest of the series. Many fans will be shocked by yet another death of a major character, joining the ever growing list of deceased: Suzie Costello, Owen Harper, and Toshiko Sato. The government shows their humanity, making selfish and unwise decisions regarding their predicament. And by the end of the series, you will find yourself emotionally spent, and if you're like me, needing time to decide whether you liked it or not.

Even long after the final credits roll, I still find myself thinking about some of the questions that it raises. Given a world-wide crisis, how would the government respond? How would you react? What lengths would you go to to save the world? What costs would you consider too great?

The verdict: After much deliberation, I think that I liked it more than I didn't like it. Would I recommend it to another Torchwood fan? Maybe. Would I recommend it to anyone else? Probably not.

BoneMan's Daughters - Ted Dekker

BoneMan’s Daughters is a story of beauty and desire, of hatred and malicious intents, and of the love that is able to penetrate even the hardest hearts. It’s the story of Bethany, a young girl caught between two fathers. First, we have her adopted father, Ryan Evans, who has chosen to remain out of her life, instead burying himself in his job as an Intelligence Officer. It’s not until a botched mission in Fallujah that his desire to be the father he never was manifests, but is it too late to earn her love? Secondly, we have BoneMan, a serial killer who has abducted and killed 6 girls by meticulously breaking each of their bones. He is the perfect father looking for a daughter, and expects no less than perfection from her. Both are vying for the position of father and in the end, only one will stand. When BoneMan abducts Bethany to make her his 7^th daughter, Ryan immediately responds. But, the FBI has uncovered new evidence that Ryan is BoneMan. Now pursued by the FBI, he must overcome impossible odds to rescue his daughter. Ted Dekker has yet again woven an intricate and relevant tale that extends beyond its literal interpretation. Often considered a master of his craft, he proves this again with his latest book. BoneMan’s Daughters doesn’t affect on a superficial level, but burrows deep into your mind and continues to pose questions long after you close the cover. It is guaranteed to bring in newcomers to his stories, as well as far exceed to expectations of his fans. 

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