GIVEAWAY--GIVEAWAY-GIVEAWAY

Okay get the popcorn and drinks ready because we are having a movie giveaway.  Did you read my last review about "The Least Among You" ?  Well, I received another copy for me to use as a giveaway prize-----SO that's what we are going to do!!  This is going to be run just like most of these are,  you get a chance if you:

1.  Are a Follower or become a new Follower and leave a comment now---1 chance
2.  Blog about this on your blog and come back and give me a link to it--1 chance
3.  Place my button on your blog and come back and give me a link to it--1chance

So there are 3 ways that you can get 3 chances, how's that for a Giveaway??? This will start right now, September 20, 2010 and will end at midnight on October 10, 2010, so make sure I have a way to reach you or the prize will go to the next chosen person.  You will have 48 hours after your name is chosen to  check back in with me.  So let's begin,  OKAY !!  Start your engines people and let them  ROAR!!

The Least Among You

I was sent this DVD by Thomas Nelson to review for them and to post an honest account of what I thought, I am in no way compensated for this review.

The Least Among You is a movie based on a true story about how a young black man's life is altered by a wrongful deed.  During the 1965 Watts riots, Richard Kelly was convicted of assaulting a policeman, which he claims did not happen.  Rather than go to jail, he agrees to become a pawn by an administrator of an all-white seminary.  The school presidents purpose is to introduce a black into the school and break the racial boundaries of the school.  But things do not go as he planned.  Kelly becomes a leader and pusher for reform.  Facing an over-whelming amount of prejudice he steps forward to take a leadership role against the advice of his professor and of course the school administrator.  Guided by a wise male gardener, Kelly struggles to make his stand even though his probation condition might be revoked.  Conform or prison is the choice, but his choice must be chosen by his own convictions.

This movie is not the  'run of the mill'  movie about blacks overcoming their trials and tribulations.  It is a deep character study.  This story is one worth telling and definitely worth watching.  Cedric Sanders (Kelly) does a good job of portraying the distraught student.  William Devane (school president) is very convincing and Louis Gossett, Jr. (the gardener)  brings the all-wise mentor alive.

The DVD has as part of the  'Special Features' a commentary by the actual Rev. Charles Murks of whom the story is based upon.

The Boy Who Changed The World

The Boy Who Changed the World by Andy Andrews is a great book for kids. It is the true story of four individuals who impacted each others lives and resulted in a great event that changed the world. It is a story that points out the fact that everything we do no matter how small can have a positive impact on someone else. I would highly recommend this book to anyone with kids, or anyone looking to buy a present for a child.

 It is great to come across a book like this that has a purpose. It is a great story, but more than that the story should encourage kids to do the same thing. Another important aspect of this story is that it includes God. It is not a religious book, but it remembers our lives only have purpose because God created them. The great thing about this book is that it will not only inspire children, but adults as well. Which is good, because once you buy it for your child you will probably find yourself reading it over and over again.


I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Butterfly Effect

I was given The Butterfly Effect by Andy Andrews to read and write a review for Thomas Nelson publishers.

I want to say up front, some people are going to be disappointed by this book, because they are going to measure it by volume, not by content. THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT by Andy Andrews can be read cover to cover in fifteen minutes, but I have read many pages that did not contain a fraction of the message and meaning of this tiny book.



This is the message Andy presents regarding the butterfly effect, specifically where he talks about the actions of Col. Chamberlin and Norman Borlaug. These are both incredible stories that everyone should hear. I have used both of these stories in meetings and they are always met with tremendous emotion.


For just a moment I would like to place my own little spin on the butterfly effect. Things happen for a reason. God has a Divine plan that is beyond our comprehension. Have you ever known exactly where you were going but for some reason took a wrong turn? You've made this same journey 1,000 times but for some reason today, you weren't paying attention and turned left instead of right. What were you thinking?


Some people might slough this off as nothing, but I don't believe that. What if you had turned right as you always do? Perhaps by turning left, you avoided an accident and in that accident a young girl might have been injured or killed. Whose to say that young girl might have one day given birth to the person who someday cures cancer? By making a wrong turn, that tragedy was avoided.


Now Andy's message here is much more deliberate and is more centered on the importance of every action we take, or don't, but the concept is the same. Actions matter. Actions make a difference and sometimes a much greater difference than we will ever be aware of. The 2 minute conversation you have the annoying neighbor kid may be of greater importance than the speech you give in front of a room full of people.

The Falling Away

I was given a complimentary copy of this book by Thomas Nelson Booksneeze to read and write a review for them.

T. L. Hines is known for his novels of supernatural suspense. If you are looking for demonic influence,  possession and the rescuing from those conditions, this book is for you. You have the spiritual disease, demonic influence, which humans can spread to others. The demonic possession can be transferred to another human through a blood transfusion. Then there are the rescuers, the Falling Away, who they try to channel demonic influence (spiritual disease) out of those infected. The Falling Away are people trying to handle the evil they channel. Quinn, the Falling Away heroine who helps the diseased Dylan, has "vacant eyes," she tells lies, steals cars, and so on. She is hardly a model for a Christian person. 



If you are looking for theological accuracy with respect to the Christian faith you will be very disappointed. It is difficult to write a spiritual allegory and get most of it right. Hines doesn't get much right. Demons are tied to the heart and transferred by a blood transfusion (where donor and recipient are not typed for compatibility!)  Demon possession does not happen at once as it takes from hours to weeks. Even though Dylan becomes demon possessed himself, he can "put" the demon in a "kill box" in his mind and overcome its influence. This "kill box" is described as God inside of me. 


 Two positive aspects of the book might make it appropriate to give to another with the view of discussing it. Quinn is willing to give her life to save Dylan and there is a discussion of the problem of evil in the world.


This would have been a great book if he had been more consistent with representing the Christian viewpoint of demons and how we can be confront them.

General Robert E. Lee

I was given a complimentary copy of Lee (The Generals) by John Perry to review for Thomas Nelson Publishers.
There is surely no surprise that Robert E. Lee spent 4 years at West Point and during this time he did not receive a single demeret and his time was marked with exemplary conduct.  General Lee went on to become one of the most successful Generals of the Confederacy.  He used his own unselfish character and his devotion to duty to inspire his troops. 

He was admired for his battle successes and was admired and praised from both sides of the Mason-Dixon line.  Even after he surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomatox his example of conduct made him a legend for thousands of ex-Confederates.

When the war was over he became the President of Washington College and spent the rest of his life setting an example of good conduct, and because of these things he remains one of the most distinguished military heroes of all time.

Still House Pond

I was sent a complimentary copy of Still House Pond by Jan Watson from Tynsdale Publishers to review for them.

Lilly Gray Corbett loves living on Troublesome Creek, but she would much rather play with her best friend than watch her little brother and the twins. Her mama, Copper, is often gone helping to birth babies, and Lilly has to stay home. When Aunt Alice sends a note inviting her to visit in the city, Lilly is excited to go, and Copper reluctantly agrees to let her. Later, when they hear the news that the train crashed, Copper and her husband, John, rush to find out if their daughter is injured . . . or even alive.



I ended up really liking this book. It took me a while to get into it, but by page 100 I didn't want to put it down. I thought in the first half of the book, the character development was also a little slow. I didn't feel like I was getting to know anyone. In the second half it totally turned around and once I got to know the characters I loved them! There are really 3 main characters -



Copper - She is the town Midwife (or baby catcher). She is a strong and smart woman. She takes sick, pregnant women into their home against her husbands better judgment. She nurses them back to health and teaches them how to care for their babies.


Lilly - An 11 yr. old girl who is carefree and a little mischievous. She intends on being a mature young lady but something is always tempting her away, puppies, people, listening and watching things she shouldn't, all these things are far more interesting than watching her siblings and doing chores. She is scheduled to visit her Aunt for a spell, which she is very excited about and feels very grown-up taking the train alone.


Manda - She is the 18 yr. old hired help. She has big dreams of falling in love. With stars always in her eyes, her mind is always wandering to a certain stranger, while at the same time her heart is wondering if her friend, Gurney could be "the one". I loved Manda, she was my favorite!

Not Exactly For Reading

This isn't a book review but I thought it was a very good idea that would go along with a book.  It is a book bag but is being used as the wrapping of the gift and then you can use it to carry the book and your other stuff around with you.  So go take a look and see what you think about it.  Have fun!!

http://ajpadilla.com/patterns/quick-gifts-small-quilted-projects/bags-accessories/book-gift-bag

Same Kind Of Different

I received a free copy of Same Kind Of Different As Me from Thomas Nelson publishers to read and write a review for them.  This is a facvtual book but while reading it you get the feeling that it could easily be fiction.  It is about two friends and each person takes turns telling their part, Ron tells his part and then Denver takes over and tells his part.

Now Ron Hall is an Art Dealer that travels all over the world to buy and to sell his expensive pieces of art.  In living in this manner he has become very wealthy and very self-centered.  He is growing away from his family and his wife thought it might help him to do some volunteer work at a homeless shelter so he could see how others have to live.

Now while  working there he meets a man, Denver Moore, that grew up in Louisiana as a sharecropper, which as it turns out is not much different than the way his older relatives had lived.  But he decided to leave Fort Worth, Texas as perhaps life would be easier for him.  The two men meet as one is serving food and the other is there to receive it.

It is hard for Ron to get Denver's personality to break but they finally do make friends even though they are two men from two different worlds.  They go through a tragedy together and as it ends up each man ends up teaching the other man about his own life. 

This books ends up making you feel like it is a novel because it ends up being just too good to be true.  Everything the men write let you know that their worlds are almost completely opposite and this shows what can happen if we all open our minds and our hearts and just give each other a chance.

Lead Like Ike

I was given a copy of Lead Like Ike by Geoff Loftus by Thomas Nelson to review for them.  Mr. Loftus gives us a look at how Dwight D. Eisenhower would lead the military forces of several nations that woud defeat Hitler and Germany in this book.  His intent was for the leaders of today to learn by observing from the CEO of D-Day, he takes us from the organization  of his men to the actual D-Day.


When you read through this book you will find yourself in the command post of the Allied Forces. You will see how fascinating it is to see the interaction between the different personalities of WWII.  I enjoy reading History and therefore I enjoyed reading this book, but if you happen to be a leader you will learn many things from this book.


Mr. Loftus not only shows us Eisenhowers fine strength but he also shows us leadership strategies while he interjects applications of these strategies throughout the narrative.  Plus at the end of each chapter he also provides notes which focus on the lessons inthis fine story.


Dwight D. Eisenhower successfully fulfilled his missions and the reader gets to see how many times he failed.  You are also able to learn from these failures as well as from the successes.


I think any person that reads this book will come away with more understanding of Ike than they had before.  Plus I think you will understand the strategies that go into military manuvers or practices, and will have a more positive feeling for them than you did before.


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