My Interview With Daniel Darling and Book Giveaway!!

Hi ya'll, today for my interview I have author Daniel Darling. He is the author of several books but most recently Crash Course, a devotional for teens. I have 2 copies of this. One for review and one for giveaway. Needless to say, I am still reading the review book so I will be posting my review after I am done with it. But so far, this has been a very interesting book.

Thank you for being with us today, Daniel! How long have you known you wanted to be an author?

I've had a love for writing since early high-school. I had a teacher pull me aside one day and say, "Dan, you've got a gift." I had others come alongside and mentor me and coach me. I've always had a love for words. As a child, we didn't own a TV, so I read voraciously, anything I could get my hands on. And I remember walking through a bookstore thinking, "Someday maybe I'll have a book in here." Writing has always been one of my passions and it allows me to communicate God's love to people around the world.

Can you tell me a little bit about your newest book? Crash Course is a unique, 100-day devo for teens that focuses on the five most important areas of a young person's life: doctrine, decisions, devotion, direction, and delight. Essentially its a primer on life. My heart is to guide young people, whether high-school or early college and help set them on their God-given course. This is a book you'd give to a young person going off to college or to a high-school senior or junior. When a reader gets done with your book, what do you want them to come away with? I want them to know that life isn't mean to be lived in medocrity, that God has a purpose for them beyond just drifting, hoping, and waiting for some mystical sense of God's will. I want them to know they are chosen, special, and gifted for a purpose beyond their wildest dreams, to fulfill their mission on this earth.

Is there a place you have always wanted to visit? A vacation spot, historical monument, overseas, etc? I've been fortunate to travel to a lot of places in my life, including Israel, Egypt, parts of Europe, India, Mexico. But I have always wanted to take a three week tour of Europe and soak in the history. I'd love to travel in the places of the early church. Also, I've never been to Alaska and I would love to go there sometime.

If you could have dinner with 2 people, who would they be?
Wow, good question. Probably Abraham Lincoln, for his courage, faith, and compassion. And contemporary person, probably Dr. David Jeremiah. I love his preaching.

What one event would you love to be at? Historical or future?
I would have loved to be present at the American Revolution, not necessarily in the theatre of battle, but just with the various men as they made very tough, personal decisions about the direction of the country. I wouldn't mind having been sitting with FDR in his cabinet during WW2.

Do you have a favorite hobby?
Well, I love to read, but besides that, I love sports. I'm a huge baseball, basketball, and football fan. I also enjoy playing basketball and golf.


Is there something about you most people wouldn't know?
Good question. Perhaps they might not know that I have a slight fear of dogs. I'm not like crazy afraid of them, but I'm never the guy to reach down and hug and pet them.

If you could have one chance to talk to a young person, what would you impress on them?
Well, I would say to them that God knows them by name, loves them unconditionally, and that the Gospel has not only restored them to a right relationship with God and guaranteed them Heaven, but has also restored them to their original purpose, to glorify God. They are not just another number, statistic. They were created in God's image to fulfill his purpose.

Any last thoughts for your readers?
I'd love to enourage them to check out danieldarling.com. Every Friday I interview a famous Christian author, pastor, or speaker. I also have podcasts on a variety of subject and articles, free downloadable tip sheets, and a bunch of content they might be interested in.

And how can they connect with you?
Visit danieldarling.com and through there you can connect to me on Facebook, Twitter and/or email.

READERS-This book, from what I have read, is a very well written devotional for teens. Daniel covers a lot of issues most teens probably wouldn't even think about normally. And, like I said at the beginning, I have a copy of this book to giveaway.

MANDATORY ENTRY-Tell me who you would give this book to if you won. Whether a relative, friend, or as a gift.

EXTRA ENTRIES-These can only be done after the mandatory entry is done. Please leave a separate comment for each entry.
1.Follow Daniel in some way. Through Twitter, Facebook or on his site through the RSS Feed. Then leave a comment telling me what you did.
2.Follow me in some way. Whether through Google friend connect, Twitter, or RSS Feed. Leave a comment for each way you follow me.
3.Tweet about this giveaway. Can be done 3 times a day.

Thanks everyone for entering! You will love this book!
US ONLY!!

This giveaway will end 9/7. Winner will be chosen through Random.org. They have 48 hours to respond before another winner will be chosen. I did receive a copy of this book for review. I did not receive any monetary compensation.

Upcoming CSN Product Review!!

Hey everyone, I am sure you remember my previous CSN reviews and giveaways. I absolutely love their company! Where else on the internet can you find so many products? Whether you are looking for Corelle, Rachael Ray, Pfaltzgraff, etc. you can find anything and everything on this wonderful website!!

Anyways, I say all that to tell you I have been given another opportunity to work with them. Now, my last time working with them, I did a $50 giveaway. So this time I think I am going to do a review for me. I know, I know, you all wanted another chance at them, but this means the next time around, it will be another giveaway:)

FIRST WildCard Bernstain Bears and the Gift of Courage

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Jan & Mike Berenstain

and the book:

The Berenstain Bears and the Gift of Courage

Zonderkidz (April 9, 2010)

***Special thanks to Krista Ocier of Zondervan for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Stan and Jan Berenstain introduced the first Berenstain Bear books in 1962. Mike Berenstain grew up watching his parents work together to write about and draw these lovable bears. Eventually he started drawing and writing about them too. Mike is married to Andrea, and they have three children. They live in Pennsylvania, in an area that looks a lot like Bear Country.


Visit the authors' website.


Product Details:

List Price: $3.99
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Zonderkidz (April 9, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0310712564
ISBN-13: 978-0310712565

PRESS THE BROWSE BUTTON TO VIEW THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Z

Browse Inside

Browse

Info

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MY REVIEW-I have to tell you, I was really impressed with this book. Our family had checked out the Berenstain Bear books before and had gotten rid of them because it seemed like they were always making fun of the father and just some other little things we didn't care for as a family. But I heard that they had started writing Christian books now and so I decided to review one and try it out.
It was great! There were Scripture references in it, this one tells the story of David and Goliath, and it is encouraging children in reading the Bible and Godly lessons. Thank you for making books that I can read with the family!

Back to School Box Tops and $25 Safeway Gift Card Giveaway!

Recently I was sent a package from Blogspark. In it was a $25 Safeway gift card and 50 box tops. Do you participate in the Box Tops for schools? I have never participated in the program before but I figured it was worth starting:)

General Mills is the brand to buy if you want to get Box Tops. I was able to get several boxes of cereal that we would normally not be able to buy which had a couple box tops on them. But I was also able to get a cake mix, frosting and pizza rolls!! These are products we would normally buy and I was able to win out by not only buying them with my gift card but also getting box tops on them:) What more could you ask for!

The Safeway family of stores (which includes Dominick´s, Tom Thumb, Randalls, Vons, and Genuardi´s) is making it simple to give back with "2 Ways 2 Earn" cash for your schools with Box Tops for Education and the "10% Goes Back to Schools" program.

Box Tops for Education has already given away over $320 million to help the more than 69 thousand schools participating. And if that wasn´t enough, earning Box Tops is even easier this year with four new brands participating in the program: Progresso Soup, Totino´s Pizza, Betty Crocker Cake Mixes and Gold Medal Flour.

To help your local schools even further just look for the "10% Goes Back to Schools" yellow school bus tags on over 2,000 of your favorite items throughout Safeway from August 11th - September 14th. When you purchase participating products with your Club Card, Safeway will give 10% of the purchase price to the local school of your choice.

Here´s how it works:

• Check your receipt from August 11 - September 14. The total will be updated each time you shop.


• Beginning on September 18, a redemption code will be printed at the bottom of your receipt.


• Visit backtoschools.escrip.com before October 13 to choose your favorite participating local school, then simply enter your redemption code to make your donation.

To learn more about this program, please go to 2 Ways 2 Earn.

READERS- MyBlogspark has offered one of these same packages to one of my readers! You will be getting a $25 Safeway gift card and 50 bonus box tops. To enter, please follow the instructions. Also, be aware that Safeway is only in certain states. So you might want to check and make sure there is one near you.

MANDATORY ENTRY-Tell me what products from General Mills you would purchase that have the yellow box tops on them.

EXTRA ENTRY-There is only one extra entry and it can only be done after the mandatory entry is done.
Tweet this giveaway using the following hashtags. Can be done 3 times a day with at least an hour between tweets.

#myblogspark #giveaway are the hashtags I would like used. Thanks!

This giveaway will end 9/10 Winner will be chosen through Random.org. They have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

I received the same package that is being given away. Thank you to Safeway and General Mills for providing this giveaway package through MyBlogspark.

Alo Sports Clothing Review And Giveaway!!

Today I have a review and giveaway with ALO Sport clothing. This is a website with workout, athletic and exercise type apparel. And the ALO stand for Air, Land Ocean. I have to tell you, this company is all about comfort while working out and being eco friendly at the same time.
For my review, they sent me two products. These came in a nice box that could very easily be sent as a gift box. Now, I exercise in the comfort of my home using exercise DVD's. So I am not very self conscious about how I look and whether my clothes are nice looking as much as if they are comfortable. I hate shirts that ride up while I am doing my reaches and stretches. And even tank tops are hard to find that stay in place.

So, I was really excited about trying out the two products I received. The first item I opened was the Racerback Bamboo Tank. This is a very easy to wear tank. I got it in the black color but they have several other colors as well. I like the racerback with the cross-over as it stays on my shoulders quite nicely. It is a very comfy t-shirt feel. Doesn't itch at all, even when I wear it under another shirt.
The other item I received was the Solid Stitch Pants, also in black. Now, I normally don't wear pants for anything. I am a skirt wearer. But I have to tell you, these are great to wear for exercise! One of the DVD's I do is a core workout. Needless to say, you have to lay on your back and do core exercises. Well, you get the idea. It is pretty hard to do in a skirt. But, I slip these pants on and it is so easy! Nice and comfortable and again, I am in the privacy of my home so I have nothing to worry about. The only thing I noticed about these is the waistband doesn't sit where I want it to. It is kind of low on the hips. Not really a big problem, but it feels a little funny. They are long in the legs and feel great! Again, same as with the tank, I can wear them without any itching. These are comfortable enough I could sleep in them.

Now, ALO has agreed to give away 2 pieces of their clothing to one of my blog readers. I am not sure exactly what you will get. But all their clothing items look really nice. The winner will let me know their sizes and they will send two items in those sizes.

MANDATORY ENTRY-Go over to ALO and let me know another item you liked. It cannot be one of the products I received.

EXTRA ENTRIES-These must be done after the mandatory entry or they will not count at all. Also, please leave a separate comment for each entry.
1.Tell me your favorite exercise.
2.Follow ALO on Facebook and let them know Giveaway Lady sent you.
3.Follow ALO on Twitter.
4.Tweet about this giveaway. Can be done 3 times a day. Please use the #giveaway hashtag.
5.Follow me through GFC, subscribe to my RSS Feed or follow me on Twitter. Get an extra entry for each of these you do.
6.Blog or post about this on Facebook. 3 entries so leave 3 comments.

This giveaway will end 9/10. Winner will be chosen through Random.org. I received free product to review. I did not receive any monetary compensation. All thoughts are 100% mine.

Nakano Rice Vinegar Review and Giveaway! $25 Gift Card!!

Well, I have one more review and giveaway for you all today. This is something that was very new to me so please bear with me:)

I was offered to do a review with Nakano Rice Vinegar. I am always game on trying new products and tasting new foods. We use vinegar in our house, mixed with oil, for salad dressing, but that is about it. So you will understand that this was a new experience. For my review, I was sent the Nakano Rice Vinegar Basil and Oregano flavored. These are rice vinegars that are flavored with different things. Mine was the Basil and Oregano but they also have flavors like Roasted Garlic, Red Pepper, and Balsamic Blend, along with others.

Well, since this was a new experience, I tried one of the recipes that was in the booklet they included in the package. I tested the Penne Pasta with Tomatoes and Feta Cheese. Except I did not have any Feta Cheese so it was just Penne Pasta with tomatoes") There were a couple other recipes in the booklet that sounded good too that I am sure we will be trying as well.

So, I cooked the pasta as the recipe said, and while it was cooking I was mixing up my other ingredients. The tomatoes, garlic, olives, basil(which I did not put in as much as the recipe called for since I was using a vinegar that had Basil floating in it), and the cheese would have been done too, but I didn't have any. Once the pasta was done cooking, I drained it and put it back in the pan. Then I mixed all the ingredients together. I gotta tell you, doesn't this look interesting?
I had also made tuna fish to go with my meal. The vinegar smell was kind of strong but I am not sure if it is because of the added flavor or because it is rice vinegar. I just know my regular vinegar doesn't smell this strong. I think the taste was pretty good. I would probably enjoy the recipe more with one of the other vinegar flavors. This was not the one called for but it was the one they sent me in my package for review. And none of the recipes called for this vinegar. So I improvised with the one I had. I did also get a coupon in my booklet so I will be using it to purchase one of the other flavors. Anyways, the taste was good and I am looking forward to trying more of the flavors. The bottle is very easy to use and has a top that can be easily used to splash the vinegar on foods. I also checked when I was at the store recently and the vinegar bottles were only a 1.50! Which means they would only be .50 with my coupon! That is not expensive at all.

One of the uses they suggest for this is splashing it on your salads. I am a big salad eater so I think this is something I will try. And if you are someone who uses vinegar a lot, you will probably enjoy this very much.

READERS- I was also offered one of these packages to give away to one of my blog readers. You will be getting a $25 Visa gift card, a bottle of Nakano Rice Vinegar and a recipe booklet with coupon. You must do the mandatory entry!

MANDATORY ENTRY-Go over and sign up for the Nakano Splash Recipe Club. You will receive a monthly e-newsletter so this is not something where you get numerous emails.

EXTRA ENTRIES-You must do the mandatory entry or you will not be entered. Please leave a separate comment for each entry you do so that you get all your entries counted up.
1.Go to the Nakano page and tell me your favorite Splash tip.
2.Post a link to your favorite Nakano recipe.
3.Be a follower of my blog, subscribe through the RSS Feed or follow me on Twitter. You get one entry for each of these things that you do.
4.Tweet about this giveaway using the #giveaway hashtag. Can be done 3 times a day.
5.Blog or post about this on Facebook. 3 entries for this so leave 3 comments.

This giveaway will end 8/10. Winner will be chosen through Random.org.
Nakano provided me with a $50 gift card and a free bottle of seasoned vinegar for this campaign.

Blue Sky Scrubs for Men and Women

I have just recently come to realize how nice scrubs are. No, I am not talking about scrubs you use in the shower:) I am actually talking about those hospital nursing scrubs. The tops that are so nice and comfy to wear. I know most of the time you would think, oh, medical scrubs have to be for people in the medical profession. But I often find people wearing these for comfort and ease.

And I was just recently introduced to a scrubs store that has mens scrubs and womens scrubs. You really should check them out if you are looking for a nice comfy outfit. I mean, whether working around the house or just staying cool in the summer, these are the way to go!

Zoobies Blanket, Pillow Etc Review AND Giveaway!

Hey everyone,
I was recently sent a really neat product to review. I just have to share with you what I found out about this little stuffed animal called a Zoobie:)
When I first contacted Little Yo Yo Styles, I was overjoyed when they told me I could review this Zoobie. I mean, who wouldn't love this little guy? I am an adult and I think these are adorable!! Needless to say, all the children wanted one too:)
Now you ask, what is a Zoobie? This is a very cute critter!! He is a Zoo baby, hence the name, called Jafaru the Giraffe. Basically these are stuffed animals that pull open into pillows. Buttt, it doesn't stop there! It also unzips at the back and there is a blanket stuffed inside him!!! How neat is that!

I was very impressed with the quality of my Zoobie. It feels very well made. I have roughed him up a little, knowing how much little kids like to pull at the ears, tail, etc. I haven't had any parts even start to feel like they are coming off. He is very soft and cuddly so it will make your child want to cuddle him and hold him close. This is a wonderful toy, if you can even call it that, and whoever thought this up was a genius.
Overall I give this product a 5 star!! The only drawback I found was, after taking the blanket out, it is kind of difficult to put it back the right way. I have pulled it out 3 times and the first 2 times it took me a while to get it back inside him. The zipper has to be just right, otherwise the blanket can come out. This is the only thing I did not care for. It really isn't that big of a deal but still thought I would mention it.

READERS-Little Yo Yo Style has offered to give one of my blog readers a baby Zoobie. There are multiple babies and they are all really cute:) You must follow the rules and do the mandatory entry.

THIS IS OPEN INTERNATIONAL!!

MANDATORY ENTRY-Head over to Little Yo Yo Styles and look around. Tell me which baby Zoobie you like. This does not have to be the one you pick if you win. But you have to go to the store.

EXTRA ENTRIES-You can only do the extra entries after the mandatory entry is done. Please leave a separate comment for each entry you do otherwise you will not get all your entries added up.
1.Look around Little Yo Yo Styles and tell me another product you like.
2.Sign up for the Little Yo Yo Styles Newsletter. 2 entries on this so leave 2 comments.
3.Follow Little Yo Yo Styles on Twitter.
4.Fan Little Yo Yo Styles on Facebook and tell them Giveaway Lady sent you.
5.Be a follower of my blog, subscribe or follow me on Twitter. You get one entry for each of these.
6.Tweet about this giveaway. Can be done 3 times a day.
7.Blog about this or post on Facebook. 3 entries for doing this.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS OPEN INTERNATIONAL!!

Giveaway ends 8/10. Winner will be chosen through Random.org. I did receive product for review. I did not receive any monetary compensation.

Amish Proverbs Blog Tour + Giveaway!!

I couldn't believe when I received my copy of this book! It is very beautiful and well done. This would make a perfect gift. The pictures just really make me feel like I am right there on the farm, helping with the chores and seeing these animals, flowers, etc.

I am going to put on here a couple of the proverbs I especially liked or that came close to my heart.

"If you are true to your faith, there are things you give up for your faith."
"Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see."
"Contentment is not getting what we want but being satisfied with what we have."
"We can stop forgiving others when Christ stops forgiving us."

And my favorite one is, "Kissing wears out, cooking don't."

I have to tell you, this book has soo many good proverbs. I wish I could list them all. I laughed over some of them but then others made me sit there and think a little.

I am a bit older now but one of the little bits of wisdom I used to hear all the time was, "It takes two people to quarrel." That kind of stuck with me and how so often the bickering and arguing that goes on in life could many times be stopped by someone holding their tongue. There is a similar proverb in this book that I laughed when I saw it:)

Readers, I was also sent a copy of this book to giveaway. Suzanne Woods Fisher has done an excellent job with this and I wish I could give a copy to all of you but that just isn't going to happen. So, I want all of you to leave a comment with a proverb you heard when you were growing up, or you tell your children now. Just one comment is all. But really think about it and I am sure we will have some good ones in our comments. We just might be able to make a book out of the ones we get:)
Also, Suzanne has a wonderful giveaway on her site right now. It will all culminate in a party on Facebook where she is going to announce the winner of the Kindle reader she is giving away. So head over to this page and get your entries in. The more blog tours you comment on, the more chances you have of winning! I can't wait to see all your wonderful words of wisdom:)

This giveaway will end 8/2. Winner will be chosen through Random.org. Thanks to Donna who sent me a review copy and a copy to giveaway. I did not receive any monetary compensation.

Flavorful Low Sodium Meals

One of the things I have for you today is a post about low sodium meals that are still flavorful.

One of our all time favorite meals is Chicken Fajita's. And we always love using seasoning in it. But the big thing we don't like is all the extra sodium that normally comes along with seasoning. So, we use a low-sodium or salt free seasoning. And one of our favorites is Mrs. Dash.
We always use chicken breast or steak strips. The chicken really soaks up the seasoning so that is what we prefer. I grill it in a skillet along with green pepper and onion. The seasoning normally doesn't take a lot. But that all depends on who is doing the cooking:) I love lots of flavor while others in our family do not care for so much.
After grilling the chicken until it is done, I put the meat in a tortilla and add sour cream, lettuce, tomato's and salsa. This is one of our favorite meals.

Another thing I like to do is add Mrs. Dash seasoning to salads. I make a mean salad with lots of goodies, onion, green pepper, cucumber, radish, celery, carrots, and then add a "dash" of seasoning. It really adds a lot to the salad. And it doesn't add any salt! That is what I love about these seasonings!! I do not have many problems with salt but some people in our family have problems with blood pressure. So I can go in and use Mrs. Dash seasoning and not have to worry about adding trouble into the meal.

If you have members of your family with high blood pressure or they are having trouble keeping their salt intake low, please check out Mrs. Dash seasonings. They are reasonably cheap and they really do add a lot of flavor to the meal.

Mrs. Dash® doesn't just offer the tastiest salt-free seasoning you can find, they also have hundreds of delicious recipes. Most of these recipes are low sodium, and you'll find everything from appetizers, salads, vegetables and main dishes. Prepare tasty, healthy cuisine when you're cooking with Mrs. Dash® Salt-Free Seasoning Blends.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the Mrs. Dash and TwitterMoms blogging program for a chance to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, http://mrsdash.twittermoms.com/about

Mrs. Dash Seasoning Blends are available in 15 different salt-free varieties that add flavor to foods - everything from seafood to salad and meat to mixed vegetables.

Poster Print Giveaway!!

Hey fellow bloggers and friends,
I was recently given the opportunity to bring you all a poster giveaway. This will be nicely done and I am sure you can always use this as a gift, anniversary, etc. I know my family would love this! We have really gotten into doing photo gifts and they are a great hit. You have something you will always remember and it is wonderful! I mean, online printing has a certain appeal. And UPrinting has it all!!

Now this place I found has very cheap poster printing. You can get almost anything you want from this company as far as printing. And one of my wonderful blog readers won't even have to pay for it!!! One of you will be winning a Poster Print of your own!

MANDATORY ENTRY-Be a follower of my blog. That is all you have to do but leave a comment stating you already are or you just became a new follower. Only one entry on this:) Nice and easy.

18x24 Poster Print
Semi Gloss / High Gloss
Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above

This giveaway will end on 9/7. Winner will be chosen through Random.org. I did not receive any monetary compensation for my giveaway post. All thoughts are 100% mine.

Quilting Circle, Guest post written by Nancy Johnston

Every Wednesday afternoon a group of ladies and I get together for a quilting circle. We started doing this about a year ago and it’s so much good fun that we’ve kept it going and hopefully will keep it going for a long time.

We rotate whose house we meet at every week and there are about eight of us that normally take part. However, there are only five of us that have enough room to accommodate all of us so the ones that don’t have the room make sure to always bring refreshments. (I always bring devil's food cake.) We also have a system of switching those off too. We each bring our own quilting project and get each other’s input and opinions. We also get to show off all of our work too!

Last week one of the ladies that always comes kept asking the rest of us to repeat ourselves and it was getting a little annoying. After that I sent her an e-mail and gently suggested she look at miracle ear hearing aids prices. Well, she took the advice and came to the meeting this week with hearing aids. She said that she seemed really satisfied and we were all relieved and happy for her.

Next week the circle’s at my place.

Fracture Photo Gifts!!

Hey everyone,
I just wanted to tell you real quick about a new product I am going to get the chance to try and how excited I am to get one!
Fracture is a one piece picture and frame made from printed glass!! How neat is that!! If I do get in on this opportunity, I have to be one of the first 100 people, I will be posting pictures after I receive the product so you can see how this looks and tell you all about it. There are no glass corners or edges to cut:) This is a really neat idea and would make a great gift for someone!

I wrote this blog post in response to a TwitterMoms RAMBO alert, making me eligible to get a Fracture picture frame for review. You can learn more about Fracture at http://www.fractureme.com.

Our 5 Favorite Things to do for Fun as a Family

Our 5 favorite things to do are,
1.Read books together. We have a night that we sit down and read a book.
2.Play games for family night like Scrabble, Monopoly and Sorry.
3.Play basketball in our backyard.
4.Play with the pets.
5.Cook together.
We normally have one night that is family night where we spend several hours playing games, etc. But I try to spend time every day together.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and LEGO
blogging program, making me eligible to get a prize pack. For more
information on how you can participate, click here.

Lost Island Smuggler's Review and Giveaway.

Yesterday you will remember the interview I had with Max Anderson. His new book, Lost Island Smugglers, was sent to me for review and then to giveaway on my blog. This is for young to teen-age boys. I would recommend early teens as the latest.

I am a young person but definitely not a teen:) And I am a lady, not exactly the genre this book was designed for. But, I was pleasantly surprised at it. I also allowed my younger brother to read it as well. As a family, we have a hard time finding books that are decent enough for the boys to read. Seems like there are more good ones for the girls than for the boys. And by decent, I don't just mean no swearing and nudity. We need books that will help our young people. To learn manners, to grow up as good citizens who make a difference. That is very hard to find now a days in even our Christian books.

Anyways, this book was a refreshing novel. It is about a young boy, Sam Cooper, who gets moved around quite a bit with his father's job. So he often finds it hard to make friends for any long time. When his family moves to a new area, he meets 2 boys at the local Church, Tony and Tyler. They become friends quickly, even though he sees problems with one of them. Needless to say, this same young person has difficulties following rules and staying out of trouble. And the other young boy follows his lead, often into trouble.

Throughout this book, many difficulties are brought up that we are seeing in Churches today. The younger friend has parents who are divorced and the father is living somewhere else. Families eating together for dinner also is dealt with. I am not saying that I agree with everything in the book. There were times I had to go back and re-read a part to make sure I was getting everything right. Overall though I found nothing wrong in the book. It was an exciting read and lots of fun.

READERS-I will be giving away my review copy of this book. It has been slightly read by my brother and I. It is still in very good condition. I would urge anyone with young boys or even girls who like adventure to enter for this book.

MANDATORY ENTRY-Head over to Max Anderson's site and tell me one of the other book titles that he wrote.

EXTRA ENTRIES-These must be done after the mandatory entry above. Please leave a different comment for each entry you do.
1.Go to the authors blog and leave a comment. You get 2 entries for this so leave 2 comments.
2.Be a follower of my blog.
3.Subscribe to my RSS Feed.
4.Follow me on Twitter.
5.Tweet about this giveaway. Can be done 3 times a day.
6.Blog or post about this giveaway. 3 entries on this one. 3 comments one time.

Thank you Max Anderson for sending me a copy to review. I did not receive an monetary compensation. This giveaway will end 8/31. Winner will be chosen through Random.org.

Proactiv Teen Acne Kit Giveaway!

Today I have just a giveaway. I have done a review with Proactiv before so this time it is just a giveaway. And I can tell you, this is something you want to get in on:)

With school starting back up, our teens want to look as good as they can. Whether that means nice clothes, neat school gear, beautiful hair, or clear faces. This giveaway will definitely help with that last one.

"Back-to-school is just another season to showcase how Mom always comes to the rescue. Throughout the year moms juggle, drop off, pick up, pot luck, whatever is thrown their way- they’ve got it, they’re on it, it’s DONE and DONE. But a new survey reveals that there’s a pretty big issue that has some moms completely stumped- their children’s ACNE.

As bodies change and style is of utmost importance, appearance is a huge deal to teenagers. During this time, any capable mother can feel a little lost about how to handle all the changes their child is going through. A new study, conducted by Proactiv, reveals these shocking stats:

Did you know?

• 66% of moms would feel worse if their teen had acne for an entire semester than if their teen didn’t have a date to the prom
• 66% of moms think they know more about how their teen feels about school than their looks
• 65% of moms believe their teens know more about algebra than how to prevent or treat their acne
• 52% of moms who have acne-prone teens feel sad or helpless (49%) when their teens breakout
• 49% of moms believe they are better suited to help with their teen’s homework than assist them in dealing with their acne
• 46% of moms who experienced acne as a teen feel worse about their teens inheriting appearance problems than health issues
• 41% of moms would give up an hour of sleep every night for a year to ensure that their teen has eternally clear skin

Dr. Alyson Levine, a dermatologist from Chappaqua, NY, who specializes in treating teenage acne, believes that teens and their moms need some additional schooling when it comes to treating acne. As you’re planning your back-to-school features, Dr. Levine is available to discuss her acne tips for moms:

o Know what to look for

o Start treatment early

o Don’t minimize acne insecurities

o Treatment options

These stats were shocking to me. Sure, I know how it is to not feel confident as I have some problems with acne myself, but this was something I had never heard before! What mother wouldn't want their daughter to feel better about themselves?

Now, for the help of your teen, Proactiv has recently come out with a new product kit just for teens. I believe this will help your young person a lot. I have personally tried Proactiv in the past and am a firm believer in it. It works! I use it all the time now. And, one of my blog readers will be the winner of a Teen Acne Kit from Proactiv!! One of your teens will get the chance to try it out themselves!! This is a really great opportunity and I hope you all enter for this kit.

MANDATORY ENTRY-To enter this giveaway, go to Proactiv and tell me what 3 steps are in the system. This must be done or the extra entries will not count.

EXTRA ENTRIES-Please leave a separate comment for each entry.
1.Take the Acne Quiz on Proactiv and tell me how you did.
2.Follow Proactiv on Twitter.
3.Fan Proactiv on Facebook and comment that I sent you.
4.Be a follower of my blog through Google Friend Connect.
5.Subscribe to my blog via RSS Feed.
6.Follow me on Twitter.
7.Tweet about this giveaway, post about it on Facebook or blog about it. You can tweet once a day.

This giveaway will end 8/30. Winner will be chosen through Random.org. They have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

Interview With Max Anderson

Hey everyone, I have an author interview for you today as well! This author, Max Anderson, has just started a new series of books for boys. I received a copy to review which I will also be giving away. My review will go up tomorrow with the giveaway, so make sure to come back:)

Thank you for being with us today, Max!!
I appreciate any opportunity to talk about the importance of getting boys interested in reading.

How long have you known you wanted to be an author?
That’s an interesting question because I did just about everything I could to avoid becoming an author. My father was the writer in our family of 7 children. Yet, I grew up hating to read and never read any of his books growing up. Besides, English was one of my worst subjects. Along with his writing, my dad also ran a film production company. That’s where, beginning at a very young age, I became more interested in visual communication. I’ve been involved in the production of dramatic films, television programs, videos, and commercials for most of my life. Much of that changed after 9/11 when my clients reduced or eliminated their video production marketing budgets. It was then that I was forced to make a change. Still, when prompted to begin writing, I resisted until it was no use.

Can you tell me a little bit about your newest book?
This is book # 1 in the new Sam Cooper Adventure Series. Sam had just moved to Harper’s Inlet in Florida. Sam, Tony, and Tyler took scuba lessons together. Tony’s father owned a marina, so Tony got them in for free. After the boys completed the course, they decided to try their new skills in the ocean. The only problem was, none of them had permission to go, or to take one of the sailboats out for their diving adventure. Everything went well until the biggest storm the boys had ever seen, blew up from out of nowhere, and they found themselves stranded on Lost Island. But, if they thought the worst had happened, they were wrong.

When a reader gets done with your book, what do you want them to come away with?
Each of the stories I write center around specific moral, ethical, and spiritual themes. But even secular reviewers say that they aren’t preachy. In addition, I like the books to be somewhat educational. In the case of Lost Island Smugglers, there are descriptions in the back of the book for building shelters in various locations where someone might be stranded or lost. The book deals with the consequences of not telling the truth or doing what we know is right. Your readers can find a couple of nice reviews if they look up the title on Amazon.com.

Is there a place you have always wanted to visit? A vacation spot, historical monument, overseas, etc?
My film and video production work has allowed me to travel the world as well as all over America, Canada, and South America. I’ve pretty much had the opportunity to see most of the things that interested me. Much of this travel experience finds its way onto the pages of my books. But I’ve always wanted to go back to New Guinea where I shot a film several years ago. We were so far up river, that we were only 50 miles from where headhunters still lived. The jungle people we met had never seen white people before, besides the two missionary women who were there doing Bible translation. It was an amazing place with many equally amazing experiences.

If you could have dinner with 2 people, who would they be?
I’ve met or worked with a lot of famous people in my life, so it’s hard to think of names that I’d choose. I had a private, one-hour video interview with President Ronald Reagan, when he visited his boyhood home for the last time, and shot the first feature film where Liam Neeson had a starring role. But I wouldn’t mind spending time with Billy Graham, because of his impact on the past, or with Glenn Beck for what he’s trying to accomplish today.

What one event would you love to be at? Historical or future?
I’d like to ride with Noah on the Ark.

Do you have a favorite hobby?
I dabble in collecting coins and stamps.

Is there something about you most people wouldn't know?
I’m a big NASCAR fan. Jeff Gordon is the driver I’ve followed ever since he entered the sport as a rookie. Every February my son, who’s an attorney in Chicago, and I go down to the Daytona 500.

Do you have any suggestions for the aspiring writer?
Expect success to take a long time. I’ve read accounts of many authors who report that it took them ten years or more before they were noticed. Expect lots of rejections. Even popular authors today had to travel that bumpy road. And practice, practice, practice your writing. Just like an athlete has to practice, or a musician, or an actor, we can’t expect to excel in our writing unless we put in just as much practice as they do; or more.
If you aren’t already know through some other activity, you need to develop and maintain a web site, blog, and establish other forms of Internet presence. Write articles and other short forms to begin getting your name and writing abilities circulating.

Any last thoughts for your readers?

Writing is one of the most enjoyable things I have ever done. It’s hard to describe what it feels like to disappear into a world of your own making, to move about in that world, to speak and interact with your characters, to face danger, fear, joy, laughter, and tears. And then to hear the reactions from readers of those stories is unlike anything I can adequately describe in words.

And how can they connect with you?

Author Web Site
http://www.maxbooks.9k.com

Books For Boys Blog
http://booksandboys.blogspot.com

Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/max.e.anderson

Twitter
http://twitter.com/marketpl
Thank you so much!

My Review of Healer by Linda Windsor

With an estimated million books in print, Linda Windsor is an award-winning author of sixteen secular historical and contemporary romances and thirteen romantic comedies and historical fiction for the inspirational market. Her switch to inspirational fiction in 1999 was more like Jonah going to Ninevah than a flash of enlightenment. Linda claims God pushed her, kicking and screaming all the way. In retrospect, the author can see how God prepared her for His writing in her early publishing years and then claimed not just her music but also her writing when she was ready. At that point, He brushed away all her reservations regarding inspirational fiction, and she took the leap of faith. Windsor has never looked back.

Linda’s research for the early Celtic Gleannmara series resulted in a personal mission dear to her heart: to provide Christians with an effective witness to reach their New Age and unbelieving family and friends. Her goal continues with Healer of the Scottish Brides of Alba series, which reveals early church history, much of which has been lost or neglected due to intentional and/or inadvertent error by its chroniclers. This knowledge of early church history enabled Linda to reach her daughter, who became involved in Wicca after being stalked and assaulted in college and blaming the God of her childhood faith—a witness that continues to others at medieval fair signings or wherever these books take Windsor.

Windsor is convinced that, had her daughter known the struggle and witness of the early Christians beyond the apostles’ time and before Christianity earned a black name in the Crusades and Inquisition, she could not have been swayed from her early faith. Nor would Linda herself have been lured away from her faith in Christ in college by a liberal agenda.

Linda’s testimony that Christ is her Druid (Master/Teacher) opens wary hearts wounded by harsh Christian condemnation. Through her witness, admitted Wiccans and pagans have become intrigued by the tidbits of history and tradition pointing to the how and why druids accepted Him. She not only sells these nonbelievers copies of her books, but she also outsells the occult titles surrounding her inspirational ones.

About Linda Windsor’s latest book Healer:

A prophecy launches this family saga of strife

and superstition in Arthurian Scotland and

of the healer whose love and faith are its only hope.

Her mother’s dying prophecy to the chieftain Tarlach O’Byrne sentenced Brenna of Gowrys to twenty years of hiding. Twenty years of being hunted—by the O’Byrnes, who fear the prophecy, and by her kinsmen, who expect her to lead them against their oppressors. But Brenna is a trained and gifted healer, not a warrior queen. So she lives alone in the wilderness with only her pet wolf for company. When she rescues a man badly wounded from an ambush, she believes he may be the answer to her deep loneliness. Healing him comes as easy as loving him. But can their love overcome years of bitterness and greed…and bring peace and renewed faith to the shattered kingdom?

MY REVIEW-This was the first book I had read by Linda Windsor. I have to say, I was surprised. The spiritual warfare was very neat and I loved the characters. I have to admit, Brenna was quite a handful! And Faol really added dimension to the story.

Thanks to Audra who sent me a copy for review.

Kiwi Back To School Shoe Care Review

Hello everyone! I was recently sent a really nice kit from Kiwi Shoe Care. This came with several products and some coupons. Needless to say, when I opened the package, many of the products were snatched up by family members:) That's right, by the time I got into the coupons I only had 2 products sitting there on the table. The boys had grabbed the Sport Sneaker Cleaner and the Dress Shoe Express Shine. And my sister snatched the Suede and Nubuck Protector. So I was left with the coupons and the shoe laces:) That's what you get I guess when you open the package in the living room.

I am only adding a couple pictures if the products as I lost my files and the pictures were deleted when my computer crashed. So I only have pictures of the products now. But they still work:)

Anyways, my brothers tried out the Sport Fast-Acting Cleaner. Their sneakers are always getting dirty as they play basketball and work outside. I was very impressed with how this worked. It is very fast acting and has a brush on the lid top to help scrub the dirt away. I noticed some of a difference on his white sneakers. At first I couldn't really tell but then holding the two sneakers together, one that had been cleaned and one that had not, I could really tell.

I was able to use the sport laces in my own sneakers that have needed laces for a while. Mine are white but the black laces actually look kind if neat.

The Suede and Nubuck Protector hasn't really come in handy as I don't have anything with Suede. But the Express Shine works great!! The boys have been using it on their dress shoes. And when boys come and say they love the shine:) Then it is a good product. I have also not used the coupons but I think I may be using them in the future or giving them to a friend.
Overall, I really liked the Kiwi products. I wish the coupons did not have the pictures on them that they do but I can live with it. Will be buying Kiwi products in the future for sure.

I received products from Kiwi for review purposes. I did not receive any monetary compensation. All thoughts are 100% mine.

Animal Planet Craft Kit Review and Giveaway!

I know with summer moving steadily along many people are taking trips, vacation time comes along and our children have free time to waste. I was recently sent a really neat Animal Planet craft kit to review that I think would make your children's summer more enjoyable. And yes, they can even spend some time outdoors with it:) I was sent the 3-D Gliders. These are Create Your Own Bird Gliders. You decorate with die cut foam sheets! These are really neat! My two sisters, who are a lot younger than me, loved these. It helps that one of them loves birds. This kit includes everything you need to make the 4 gliders. Sure they are foam so they won't last real long, but long enough for them to enjoy. I personally love that it gives them something to do with their hands creating something and that they then spend time outside. Because they don't fly real well in the house:)

Here are some pictures of them putting the gliders together. The kit came with 4 but they only put 2 of them together. Saving the other 2 for a different day:)

This is the Parrot Glider being slowly crafted.

And here is the Woodpecker. This one was chosen right away!!

And here are the completed projects. Other than the nose tips which we forgot to put on at first:)

And here they are playing with them outside!!

READERS-I have been offered one of these kits to giveaway. Those of you with children will love these:) Please follow the instructions below to be entered in the giveaway.

MANDATORY ENTRY-Tell me your favorite outside game to play. Whether it is a sport or swimming, etc. Whatever you like to do outside spending time together. And those of you who don't have children but would like to win this for a friend, what is your favorite sport?

EXTRA ENTRIES-These must be done after the mandatory entry is completed. Please leave a separate comment for each entry you do.
1.Be a follower of my blog through Google Friend Connect.
2.Subscribe to my blog via RSS Feed.
3.Follow me on Twitter.
4.Tweet about this giveaway. Can be done 3 times a day. Please leave the link of your tweet in the comment.
5.Blog about this giveaway. Get 3 entries for this one so leave 3 comments.
6.Post about it on Facebook. Leave 3 comments on this one too.

This giveaway will end 8/27. Winner will be chosen through Random.org. I did receive a product for review. I did not receive any monetary compensation.

FIRSTWILDCARD 23 Questions About Hell by Bill Wiese

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Bill Wiese

and the book:

23 Questions About Hell (with DVD)

Charisma House; Har/DVD edition (July 6, 2010)

***Special thanks to Anna Coelho Silva | Publicity Coordinator, Book Group | Strang Communications for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Bill Wiese is the New York Times best-selling author of 23 Minutes in Hell. A dedicated Christian since 1970, he has served in various capacities, including teaching and leading worship. He is an accomplished speaker and has appeared on numerous television and radio shows. He lives with his wife, Annette, in Southern California.


Visit the author's website.





Product Details:

List Price: $15.99
Hardcover: 160 pages
Publisher: Charisma House; Har/DVD edition (July 6, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1616380276
ISBN-13: 978-1616380274

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. —Romans 5:8



Would you say that the leaders of our country are mean for constructing prisons? No, it’s your choice; you don’t have to go there. (See Deuteronomy 30:19; Psalms 9:17; 86:5; 145:8–9; Proverbs 11:19, 21; John 3:16; Romans 5:8; 2 Peter 2:9; Revelation 20:13–15.)


Besides, hell was not prepared for man but for the devil and his angels (Matt. 25:41). God never intended for man to go there. Even now, He is preparing a place for us in heaven (John 14:2). It is only by man’s stubborn will that he rejects the provision God has made

for our access into heaven. It is arrogant of man to desire to go to heaven yet demand his own terms of access. If you want to live in God’s house, you come by His way and not your own (Luke 13:3; John 3:36; 14:6; Acts 4:12; Rom. 10:9–10; 1 Tim. 2:4–6).


Why is hell so horrific? Because God’s attributes are not present there. Many do not realize that the good we all enjoy is from God. Good doesn’t exist apart from Him. James 1:17 states, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights.”


The same word, hetoimazo, is used in Matthew 25:41, where God prepared hell for the devil, as is used in John 14:2, where Jesus says, “I go to prepare a place for you” (emphasis added). God prepared heaven as His eternal home, filled with all the attributes of His holiness and glory. But in God’s preparation of hell, He removed all of His attributes, or goodness, from that place of torment. Spiritual death means to be separated from God, and to be separated from Him is to be separated from all good. As a consequence, this is the result:


• Hell is dark because God is light (1 John 1:5).

• Hell is only death because God is life (John 1:4).

• Hell is hatred because God is love (1 John 4:16).

• Hell has no mercy because the mercy of the Lord is in the heavens (Ps. 36:5).

• Hell is only weakness because the Lord is the giver of strength (Ps. 18:32).

• Hell is loud because “My people will dwell in . . . quiet resting places” (Isa. 32:18).

• Hell has no water because water is the rain of heaven (Deut. 11:11).

• Hell has no peace because Christ is the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6).


The good we experience is because God allows us to enjoy it while we are here on the earth. Psalm 33:5 states, “The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.”


However, if you want nothing to do with God, then there is a place prepared that has nothing to do with His goodness. His presence is there (Job 26:6; Ps. 139:8; Prov. 15:11; Rev. 14:10–11), in that it is before His face. However, His goodness and influence are removed.






He looks down upon it from heaven (1 Kings 8:30; Job 22:12; Ps. 11:4; 33:13; 102:19; 123:1; Prov. 15:3; Eccles. 5:2). Of course, God is in all places and sees all. I am simply saying that He has withdrawn His goodness from hell.


Proverbs 15:29 says, “The Lord is far from the wicked.” In 2 Thessalonians 1:8–9 we read, “In flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.”


Cast out from the presence of the Lord is the idea at the root of eternal death, the law of evil left to its unrestricted working, without one counteracting influence of the presence of God, who is the source of all light and holiness.1 —Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible



Essentially, hell is the place where all aspects of the presence of God will be completely withdrawn forever.2 —Henry M. Morris and Martin E. Clark


Dr. Robert Peterson said in his book Hell on Trial, “God is not present in hell in grace and blessing . . . He is present in hell, not in blessing, but in wrath.”3


However, there is one additional thing in hell. God’s wrath is present in the form of fire. The fires of hell are representative of His wrath (Deut. 32:22; Ps. 11:6; 21:8–9; Isa. 30:33; 33:14; 34:9; 66:24; Jer. 4:4; Mal. 4:1; Matt. 13:49–50; 18:8; Mark 9:43; John 15:6; Jude 7; Rev. 14:10–11; 20:10–15). The reason for this wrath is because sin must be punished (Rom. 6:23). God took out His anger on sin at the cross, as He poured out His wrath on Jesus (Ps. 22; Isa. 53; Matt. 17:12; Mark 9:12; Luke 9:22; 17:25; 24:26, 46; Heb. 9:26; 1 Pet. 2:24). However, if we don’t acknowledge Him and receive Him as our Lord, then we will take the punishment (2 Thess. 1:9–10; 2 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 14:10–11; 20:13–15). It is our choice.


Most of the other terrible things in hell are not experienced because of His wrath but because of His absence—the absence of His attributes and goodness (Prov. 15:29; 2 Thess. 1:9). We need to understand that good things are not just here by a series of coincidental random events but because they emanate from the presence of God (Ps. 90:2; Matt. 5:45; Luke 6:35; Col. 1:16; 1 Tim. 6:17). When some say that hell is only “separation from God,” as if that is no big deal, we can now grasp what that really means.


Many will look at the trees, the sky, the ocean, and so forth and comment, “Isn’t Mother Nature wonderful?” Well, it is not “Mother Nature,” but rather, “Father God” who provided all of the beauty we enjoy.


Just as prisons have been constructed to protect the innocent from those who are breakers of the law here on Earth, hell has been prepared for the offenders of God’s law. The simple solution is, don’t break God’s law. “Unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3; see also John 3:36; Rom. 10:9–10). Proverbs 27:12 says:


A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; the simple pass on and are punished.


Remember this point: Just as prisons were not the first thing in mind when men came to this country, so too hell wasn’t God’s first intent when He made the earth and man. Nevertheless, hell exists— and it will be your own fault if you go there.


Salvation is a free gift, but we must receive it in order to be saved. God loves you and is a good Father. He is trying to keep you out of hell and to divert you from your misguided course.


The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound.


—Isaiah 61:1

MY REVIEW-
I was really overjoyed to get this book. Bill Wiese does an excellent job with bringing out scripture after scripture to back his statements. I like the way the chapters are done. It is very easy to flip to the question you wanted to check. I will be getting his other books as well since I loved this one so much. The DVD was excellent too. The whole thing was great! Thank you Bill for having some answers and bringing hell to the front of my mind like never before. This will definitely be an eye opener if you read it!