Singing With Angels - The Perfect Sunday Movie!

  If you haven't seen this already, here is a perfect Sunday movie to watch this weekend!  It's wonderful! And it has the actual Mormon Tabernacle Choir in it! Inspirational!

'LOVE, KENNEDY" - A MUST MOVIE

  

If you haven't seen this movie, it's a MUST.

Trust me.

MUST.

I feel I can't even say anything more about it, or somehow it would detract from the amazingness, the sacredness, the significance.

TRUST IN THE LORD

    

I love this. I've made good and bad decisions, and I can say with certainty that when I relied on my Savior, my decisions were always the rights one, and always led to the best consequences and outcome. In hindsight, I could see they were the very best choices I could have made. Jesus Christ lives! It is up to each of us whether or not we will take Him at His word, study His word daily, turn to Him in prayer, and become His disciple.

Review: Tambora: The Eruption That Changed the World

 

 

Tambora: The Eruption That Changed the World by Gillen D'Arcy Wood
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

It was hard to push myself to finish reading this book, but I did so only because I don't like leaving things undone. The information in this book relating to the grand explosion of Mt Tambora is interesting in itself, and how it actually affected the world in terms of weather and how that weather, in turn, affected people and the choices they made. For example, the crazy weather influenced Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein, into writing that book. There are plenty of other examples in the books and it all rather reminds me of the movie Forest Gump, wherein one man affected so many people and brought about so many goods all by being himself. The author tends to do that in regard to Mt Tambora - that because of Tambora's explosion, there as a domino effect throughout the world, which in turn helped bring about all these other things, like books, ships, political divisions, tyrants, artists, you name it.

However, though I'm not sure exactly how he comes to this conclusion (though he attempts to explain it in the book), the author goes on to intimate throughout the book that it is humankind who is at fault of "global warming"/"climate change". It makes no sense to me. First of all because I tend to agree with the honest climate experts that climate change is a millennia-long, needed pattern for Earth, and that man is not the one responsible for it (scientifically speaking).

Other than the author's strong "pushing" of this agenda of "climate change" where humans are the culprit, the book could have been more interesting. I'm glad I finished it. I would not recommend it, unless a person is directly interested in volcanoes and weather, and/or if a person is fully and blindly a believer in "climate change"/"global warming" and wants more excuses for how it's a "real" thing.

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WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

WHEN YE ARE IN THE SERVICE OF YOUR FELLOW MAN, YE ARE IN THE SERVICE OF YOUR GOD

UPDATE:
I have moved this post to the Fundraiser page to keep everything in one place, so please go look over there (although the majority of the information is still here)

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Our family has recently begun a fundraiser to help a family in need. We have created a fundraiser HERE, and we have begun a toy/clothing drive to help them have a small, nice Christmas. To facilitate sharing the toy/clothing drive items, I am posting them here for the time being. It'll make it easier to share. :) 

 So, without further ado - here is a list of suggestions that anyone wishing to donate may use as a guide. The only gifts that were specifically mentioned by the father are "clothes and drawing stuff" for the older two, and the list for the younger boy. He still believes in Santa, and so he wrote out a letter to Santa today and his father shared it with me. 

Please do not feel like we need to get all of these, and please understand we are in no way asking that you go out and spend lots of money. The big items, like Nintendo, we wouldn't even get for our own children! So just do what you are able and willing to do. I know this family will appreciate even just one gift! They are so very, very thankful and have expressed their gratitude over and over for the help they are receiving. The father told me today that he is so grateful his kids will get some gifts and that we are his Christmas gift this year for all our generosity!

Thank you for helping make this happen!  May God bless you many times over for your help!

BOY age 6:
Shirt size 8
Pants size 8/regular
Nerf gun
Pokemon Cards
Nintendo Switch (only if you have a used one you want to get rid of, I'm not asking anyone to spend that kind of money! I had to look it up, to see what it was! These young kids know all these things already!)
Fidget Spinner
Play Doh
Spiderman Toy
Football slippers

GIRL age 9:
Shirt 8-10/small
Pants 10
Art supplies of all sorts
Maybe some other age-appropriate thing for girls (ideas: necklace, purse, cute stuffed animal, hair clips/ties, cologne/lotion, Lego building set, book, etc.)

BOY age 12:
Shirt 10-12/medium
Pants 14 long
Art supplies of all sorts
Maybe something age-appropriate for boys other than art supplies (ideas: ball of some sort, Lego building set, book, puzzle, RC car, etc)

As for the fundraiser, we have almost reached the goal of $1900!  Only $400 more to go! If you don't mind and if you feel comfortable doing so, please share the link (https://www.youcaring.com/gerardofamily-1034189)  to the fundraiser with family and friends, so we can reach the goal! :) Thank you so much!

Drop off will be on DECEMBER 18-20 at my home anytime after 2pm.  I only ask that you text me when you are on your way over to make sure someone is here.

I feel like I'm leaving something out. I think my brain is fried right now. Ha!!

Let me know if you have any questions by posting in the comments or texting me. And THANK YOU again!!!

GENDER IDENTITY: WHY ALL THE CONFUSION?

 

We are eternal beings, without beginning and without end. Our gender is eternal - either Male or Female. There are no "mistakes". There is no such thing as "born that way". Somewhere between birth and death, some people experience gender dysphoria, or gender confusion, and it's a real thing. We can love them and help them if they desire the help. However, we cannot allow anyone to redefine the foundational unit of society - and yes, it matters. The family, with a mother and a father and child(ren), are the basic and foundational unit of society for the entire world. It is our common adversary that is helping to confuse this world and destroy that foundation. That has always been his goal, to destroy our agency and to destroy the family. This video is filled with nothing but truth. I hope many more thousands will watch it, ponder its message, and stand to defend the family while at the same time respecting all those experiencing gender dysphoria and continuing to think of them as our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Review: The Hiding Place: The Triumphant True Story of Corrie Ten Boom

 

 

The Hiding Place: The Triumphant True Story of Corrie Ten Boom by Corrie ten Boom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

One of the best books I've read. What do I consider "best"? Well, if a book inspires me to want to be a better person, it keeps my interest (meaning there is No vulgarity, no useless, "just to throw it in there" violence, and no inappropriate sexual content), it draws on a variety of emotions from the reader and it is about something that affects all of humanity in some way, then I consider it a "best" book.

This book, being a true story, is captivating. I don't like to add spoilers to my reviews, so I will simply say that I believe every human, especially those who believe in God, should read this. It is a book that helps to bring your own thinking back into perspective regarding your own life, while at the same time awakening a feeling a gratitude within your heart for the blessings you have. It also sheds light on yet another part of WWII and the horrific behavior of many who were Nazi sympathizers and the heroic, wonderful, and magnanimous behavior of so many more who did all they could, despite their own personal well-being and safety, to help their brothers and sisters among humanity.

I would recommend this book for anyone aged 12+ and would add that there are many lessons to be discussed and learned from this book. It is a great book for a Jr High, High School and adult book club group.

The stories and lessons from this book have stayed with me for many years. I read it first many years ago, and then read it a second time earlier this year (2017). Embarrassingly, I am just now getting to writing a review on it.

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Review: Storm of Lightning

 

 

Storm of Lightning by Richard Paul Evans
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love the Michael Vey books. It's hard to put them down. They are just good books to "veg" with. This one is no different than the rest, just one long story put into (now) 7 different books. For me, Richard Paul Evans is just a 'feel good' author. He doesn't take his story line too fast or too slow. He's not into gory violence nor inappropriate innuendos. He doesn't rush the story line, so the reader is left feeling satisfied that he got the whole story. The whole series is great for a family read. I would suggest it for kids ages 10+ just to make sure they can understand the terminology. Definitely good for Jr High and High School kids. I will be really sad when we finish the series, because my daughter and I have endeared ourselves to the characters. These are the type of books that you don't want to end, you want to find out "but what else did they go on to do?"

I have read that one big reason he wrote these books is to help support and inspire kids who are "different", since the author, himself, suffers from Tourette's Syndrome. It is obvious these "electric kids" are different, and it's neat to see them handle their "difference-ness" in good, productive ways. It does show how some of them don't do that, and how it doesn't turn out well for them. So in that sense, this series is one big message that "Attitude Matters!"

I would highly recommend these books to anyone - male and female. It has drama, excitement, "mushy stuff", blowing-things-up stuff, and A LOT about true friendship and learning to do the right thing for the right reason.

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BEST SPEECH EVER .... NOT JUST FOR MILLENNIALS

 

I think we all need to listen to this, ponder it and take it in, so that we allow it to help us make better choices in our lives. That is what being "Mature" is all about - telling ourselves "no" when needed and making we make better choices each day. Technology is a double edged sword. We need to wield it wisely.