Beyond the Silver and the Gold - A Filipino Family's Homeschool Journey

More Reasons to Shop Online

2012-02-20T23:03:00.001+08:00

Shopping online is fun and easy! As long as you know how to secure your self and your credit cards or bank accounts.

First, before you even pay for anything online, check that the seller is not bogus.
There will be more reasons to shop online.

This is a test blog.

Beyond Molasses Creek by Nicole Seitz - Book Review & Facebook Party

2012-02-16T23:20:00.010+08:00

Beyond Molasses Creek

by Nicole Seitz

Three lives are bound by a single book . . .

and the cleansing waters of Molasses Creek.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Having traveled to the ends of the earth as a flight attendant, Ally Green has finally returned to the Lowcountry to bury her father as well as the past. But Vesey Washington is still living across the creek, and theirs is a complicated relationship—he was once her best friend . . . and also part of the reason she’s stayed away so long. When Ally discovers a message her father left behind asking her to quit running, it seems her past isn’t through with her yet.

As Ally’s wandering spirit wrestles with a deep longing to flee again, a young woman on the other side of the world escapes her life of slavery in the rock quarries of Nepal. A mysterious sketchbook leads Sunila Kunari to believe there’s more to her story than she’s ever been told, and she’s determined to follow the truth wherever it leads her.

A deep current intertwines the lives of these three souls, and a destiny of freedom, faith, and friendship awaits them all on the banks of Molasses Creek.

ABOUT NICOLE SEITZ:

Nicole Seitz is the author of several critically acclaimed novels - The Inheritance of Beauty, Saving Cicadas, A Hundred Years of Happiness, Trouble the Water, andThe Spirit of Sweetgrass. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's School of Journalism, and also has a degree in Illustration from Savannah College of Art & Design.

Her paintings are featured on the covers of her books. Visit her at @NicoleSeitz, Facebook andwww.nicoleseitz.com for more information.

FABULOUS FACEBOOK FRIENDSHIP PARTY

Nicole and her publisher, Thomas Nelson, are celebrating the release of Beyond Molasses Creek with a Fabulous "Friendship" Campaign! Nicole will be traveling state-to-state on a virtual book tour {2/1-2/16} and then wrapping up the festivities with a fun Facebook Party on March 16th. AND ... she's giving away a Kindle Touch and some of her own beautiful artwork - see below for details.

Nicole has woven a large story about faith, friendship and unexpected journeys. One reviewer has said that Beyond Molasses Creek is "a little like Eat, Pray, Love meets The Help".

Intrigued? Read the book and join us at the "Friendship" Facebook Party!

Join Nicole and friends on the evening of February 16th for a Facebook Author Chat Party. She'll be talking about Beyond Molasses Creek, throwing out some trivia and giving away great prizes - including a Kindle Touch, some of her beautiful artwork and a Book Club Prize Pack (10 copies for your book club/small group and a SKYPE chat with Nicole)!

RSVP today!

Mark your calendar for 2/16/12 {5PM PST / 8PM EST} and come by for an evening of bookchat, making new friends and story sharing.

MY REVIEW:

I hesitate to write a review of Beyond Molasses Creek today. I feel that my words are not enough to describe the beauty of this book but I will do my best.

This is the first book I've read by the author Nicole Seitz. I was a little surprised at first with one of the character's values - Ally believed in stone gods to bless her. I kept turning to the back of the book to make sure that this is Christian fiction I'm reading. However, therein really lies the story.

Ally Green, a 60 year old, well-traveled woman due to her profession as a stewardess, has brought home all sorts of things from the different places that she's visited. Many of those are different statues or sculptures of different gods. This is just one part of this character's many faceted personality.

Kunila Sunari, a woman of the lowest caste in Nepal, has been carving statues all her life. She knows nothing except hardship in her life, knowing that she and her family will forever be in debt to the person who "owns" them.

Ally has been running away from home for much of her life. Now, she comes back to Molasses Creek to face the death of her beloved father and to see the one man that has affected her most of her life - Vessey Washington.

Kunila finally breaks free from the bonds of her family and the man who hold them slaves. She goes on an important trip to finally find out who she really is.

What I've written about is only the tip of this story. Nicole Seitz has written a masterful work of art (if it can be called as such) in Beyond Molasses Creek. I've gotten to know each of the characters very well. I lived with their pain and their joy. I cried as they finally discovered their truths. This is a beautiful story of love, self-discovery, friendship and family. Though the references to God are subtle, it is still woven throughout the story so that you really see how God finally works things out for good.

Find out what other people thought of this book, go here for more reviews.

Buy this book here:

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Four Letter Words by Dr. Bill Giovannetti - Book Review and Giveaway

2012-02-13T19:01:00.000+08:00

Four Letter Words: Conversations on Faith's Beauty and Logic

by Dr. Bill Giovannetti

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Thou shalt tolerate every opinion... except the Christian's. Today's postmodern "prime directive" leaves many followers of Jesus tongue-tied. In the global village, isn't it unreasonable, and even dangerous, to suggest that the Bible has a monopoly on truth?

The church needs a new breed of Christ-follower. We need Christ-followers who are alert to today's touchy ideas, the truths that fire up more heat than light. We need Christ-followers who can make a clear case for the Bible's worldview; who are ready to help our friends think through their beliefs; who can recognize inconsistencies and challenge them; and who can do all of this with humility, confidence, humor, and love. For more information visit http://fourletterwords.org.

THE AUTHOR:

Dr. Bill Giovannetti is a professor at A.W. Tozer Theological Seminary and the senior pastor of Neighborhood Church of Redding. An experienced speaker and author, Bill informs the mind in ways that touch the heart. He enjoys life with his wife and two kids in northern California. For more information about Bill and his other books, visit http://maxgrace.wordpress.com and http://fourletterwords.org.

Enter the Giveaway!

Bill is celebrating the new Kindle edition of Four Letter Words (for only $4.99)! He’ll be traveling coast to coast over the next few weeks on a virtual book tour and he's celebrating by hosting a great giveaway!

He'll be giving away two gift certificates to Amazon (in the amount of $50 and $25) and free downloads of his yet-to-be-released title, Recession-Proof: Living a God-Blessed Life in a Messed Up World.

Here’s the Scoop:
To enter to win these fabulous, earth-shattering prizes:

1. One $50 gift certificate to Amazon.com
2. One $25 gift certificate to Amazon.com.
3. Copies of Bill's yet-to-be-released title, RECESSION-PROOF: Living a God-Blessed Life in a Messed Up World.

Do 1 or more of the following:

1. Like Bill on Facebook Here.

2. Fill out this form to sign up for Bill’s updates (just a few a year!)

3. Everyone who purchases a Kindle copy of Four Letter Words (here:http://amzn.to/yfGLHP) AND joins my Facebook Author Page will receive an advance copy of my ebook: Recession-Proof: Living a God-Blessed Life in a Messed Up World and be entered to win one of the gift cards!

Winners will be announced on 2/15/12. You’ll receive the link for a digital copy of Recession-Proof on that date.

**If you have any questions, please contact info@litfusegroup.com.

TO QUALIFY FOR THE CONTEST, PLEASE ENTER YOUR INFO HERE

MY REVIEW:

We are bombarded with so many different ideas every second of the day. Through television, internet, movies, and radios. Ideas conceived in the minds of people that seem right and true. If we are not careful, we may just accept these ideas as truth and not question it.

Four Letter Words: Conversations on Faith's Beauty and Logic shows us the history of most of those different spiritual beliefs in this day and age and counteracts this with the truth of the Bible. Dr. Bill Giovannetti does not mince words but discusses these beliefs fearlessly.

Reading this book is a learning experience for me. Even though this book is geared for the teenage or young adult reader, it made even me begin to question my own thoughts and beliefs. The title itself: Four Letter Words, is already thought provoking and makes one think of that four letter word that's usually bleeped out on TV. However, these actually refer to the four letter word titles of each chapter such as TRUE, EVIL, OUCH, PAIN, DAMN. What I appreciate about the writer is that even as he dishes out the truth about the beliefs that challenge the Bible, he also offers up the Bible truths in a compassionate, easy to understand way so that you really get to know God better.

This book is a guide for everyone as it talks about the Christian faith and other religious beliefs that surround us. I think it would be great for use in a Bible study group. As for my teenagers, I wouldn't just give them this book to read, I'd rather that we read it and discuss it together. This is the kind of book that you'll want to read through thoroughly, it's not just for one sitting.

If you would like to know what other reviewers thought of this book, go here.

Buy this book here:

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

A Mile in His Shoes Starring Dean Cain and Luke Schroder - A Family DVD Review and GIVEAWAY!

2012-02-13T15:40:00.002+08:00

A Mile in His Shoes

SOMETIMES MIRACLES HAPPEN WHEN YOU

LEAST EXPECT THEM AND LATE IN THE GAME.

Only a miracle can help baseball coach Arthur "Murph" Murphy (Dean Cain) and his losing minor league baseball team. As Murph sets out to recruit new talent for the team, he stumbles upon Mickey (Luke Schroder), a young farmer with an incredible pitcher's arm. However, Mickey's parents are reluctant to allow him to join the team because he has Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism. Murph convinces Mickey's parents that life in the minor league will benefit their unique son, but he doesn't realize just how much his new recruit will help the team's game and, more importantly, their spirit. Based on a true story, A Mile in His Shoes is an inspirational film that celebrates faith, determination and the power of friendship. (Taken from the DVD)

MY REVIEW:
I thoroughly enjoyed watching this inspirational movie about a baseball coach (Dean Cain), and his new recruit Mickey (Luke Schroder). At the start of the movie, I wasn't really expecting much but I'm surprised that before the movie ended, I was watching it with mouth agape, excited about what the ending may be.

Coach Murphy or Murph, as he is fondly called, faces the challenge of turning his losing baseball team into winners. He is pressured by the team's owner to make good and threatened job loss if the team doesn't improve. As he went on a trip one day to find a player that was recommended to him, his car ran into a ditch. Which was fortunate because there he met Mickey. He soon realized that Mickey has a special talent in pitching and speaks to his parents about recruiting him for the team. The parents tell Murph that Mickey has aspergers and is needed on the farm to work. But he successfully convinces them to let Mickey try out for the team. The team's acceptance of Mickey, their willingness to help him out, and Mickey himself overcoming many challenges, makes for a very nice, feel good and truly inspirational movie.

In a family-oriented film like this, it's always nice to see values that are usually no longer made important in today's movie world. The value of friendship and accepting someone different was seen in the team's willingness to help Mickey out. Coach Murph showed that it is not only winning that is important to him, developing his team into better men and better players was more important. The relationship between Mickey and his parents is beautiful to watch, from the support and belief of his mother to the change in his father as he came to see his son's true capability. The best thing to watch is how Mickey was able to overcome the challenges that came his way.

I highly recommend A Mile in His Shoes to all my readers. This is an inspiring movie meant to be watched by the young and old alike.

Buy it here:

GIVEAWAY!!!

My sponsor, FlyPropeller, is letting me give away one copy of A Mile in His Shoes DVD. This giveaway is open to all my blog readers. Here are the mechanics:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And the WINNER of Cooper and Me and the Winter Adventure is...

2012-02-11T18:36:00.000+08:00

RHEEA!

A big THANK YOU to all those who joined my giveaway for

Cooper and Me and The Winter Adventure

Rheea, kindly email me your mailing address. Expect to receive this in 6-8 weeks time as

will be mailed from the US.

Join my giveaway for Mornings with Jesus, a lovely devotional for women

published by Guideposts - happening right now!

Mornings with Jesus 2012 - Daily Encouragement for your Soul by Judy Baer, Tricia Goyer and more - Blog Tour, Review and GIVEAWAY!

2012-02-10T15:13:00.118+08:00

About the book:

"Be still and know that I am God.” is one of the most beautiful verses from the Bible, but it’s not easy to practice in this busy world. Mornings with Jesus will help you do just that—“be still” in Jesus’ beautiful and powerful presence. For those who are seeking a deeper experience in their relationship with Christ, Mornings with Jesus 2012 Daily Encouragement for your Soul offers a fresh perspective of who Jesus is (the Healer, the Son of God, the Comforter, the Good Shepherd) and what that means for day-to-day life.

With a warm and friendly voice, 366 short devotional writings on the character and teachings of Jesus encourage readers to greet each day by drawing near to Him and inviting His presence into their day. Spend time with Jesus at the beginning of each day and experience His nearness and peace in a new way throughout the year. Each day’s selection includes: • a Bible verse • an entry based on Jesus: His words, miracles, and parables; His wisdom, compassion, and comfort; His mystery, power, divinity, and humanity • a “faith step” that will inspire and challenge readers to apply the day’s message to their lives.

MY REVIEW:
When I signed up for this review, I was excited to receive Mornings with Jesus 2012 Daily Encouragement for your Soul. The combination of authors Judy Baer, Tricia Goyer, Gwen Ford Faulkenberry, Sharon Hinck, Keri Wyatt Kent, Erin Keelye Marshall, and Camy Tang had me looking forward to this devotional. I've read books by Judy Baer and Tricia Goyer before and I know that they are beautiful Christian fiction writers with deep insights into the Bible.

I've been using Mornings with Jesus 2012 Daily Encouragement for your Soul since I got it this year. This devotional was written by women for women and this is one of the things I appreciated - that this devotional had women as its target audience. It is specifically for use for this year as the date and day is prominently displayed at the top of each page. It is followed by a Bible verse to meditate on then a devotion by one of the authors. What is particularly nice is that the authors write about their own personal experiences which any woman can relate to. It is ended by a Faith Step which encourages the reader to take a step or an action today in relation to the day's devotion.

I was touched by one of the day's devotion this February when I was going through some deep times of doubt and despair thinking through the many mistakes I've made in my life. The verse for that day was in Isaiah 42:3 "A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out." Here, the writer - Sharon Hinch - shares about her wedding ring that was bent out of shape. Even if the shape of the ring hurt her finger, she never brought it to the jeweler for repair thinking that it might cost them a lot of money - money that was not available at that time. One day, she and her husband were walking at a mall when they chanced upon a jewelry store. They inquired as to how much would be needed to fix the ring. The jeweler took the ring, slipped it onto a tapered post, and started tapping it gently. Soon enough, the ring was in the right shape and it didn't cost them a cent!

Sharon Hinch continues to share how she realized that even with her attitudes and habits, she was unable to bring it all to the Lord for fear of the pain that she will have to go through. But the Lord promises His children forgiveness and all sins are paid for.

This was very powerful for me because I, too, was the same as the author. I knew I had made many mistakes and I knew that I had to rectify those mistakes. I held back from the Lord for so many years because I was afraid that it will cause me pain. But the Lord's words are powerful in Isaiah 42:3, that He is gentle and will not break us. That "I can place my mistakes and failures into His hands and trust His gentleness."

Mornings with Jesus 2012 Daily Encouragement for your Soul will help you to know the Lord better as you meet with Him every morning! You can read more reviews of this devotional by clicking on this link:
http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13452857.

Read an excerpt from Tricia Goyer here.

GIVEAWAY!!!

Guideposts, the publisher for Mornings with Jesus 2012 Daily Encouragement for your Soul has generously sent me another copy to giveaway on this blog. I already have this extra book with me and one of you will be blessed to win this copy here. This giveaway is for PHILIPPINE RESIDENTS only. Here are the mechanics for this giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Alienation by Jon Lewis - Book Review and Giveaway

2012-01-31T13:33:00.000+08:00

Alienation (A C.H.A.O.S. Novel)

About the book:

After his parents were killed in a car accident, Colt McAllister was drawn into a world he thought only existed in comic books-one where mind control, jet packs, and flying motorcycles don't even scratch the surface.

Along with his best friends Oz and Danielle, Colt is now training at the secret Central Headquarters Against the Occult and Supernatural academy. But strange accidents seem to follow him. . . even with the security of the school grounds. What first seems random soon turns deadly. But who is targeting Colt?

As the alien invasions increase in frequency and force, C.H.A.O.S resources are taxed to the limit and they're forced to utilize the new recruits. In the midst of battle, Colt will discover some startling revelations . . . about himself, his friendship with Oz, and why he has been chosen to defeat this alien attack against earth.

About Jon:

Jon S. Lewis is the coauthor of the Grey Griffins trilogy (over 500,000 books in print) and the upcoming Grey Griffins Clockwork Chronicles. He also writes for the DC COMICS family of publishers. He resides with his family in Arizona.

For more about Jon and the series, visit www.chaosnovels.com.

Win an iPad from @JonSLewis and @NelsonFiction in the Alienation iPad2 Giveaway!

The invasion was only the beginning! Jon Lewis is celebrating the next adventure in his fast-paced C.H.A.O.S. series with an explosive giveaway!

One thrill-seeker will receive:

iPad2 with Wi-Fi
Copies of the C.H.A.O.S. novels, Invasion and Alienation

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on February 7th. Winner will be announced at the Alienation Facebook Party on 2/7. Jon will be hosting an Author Chat, giving away copies of the books and gift certificates to iTunes and Amazon.com! Don't miss a second of the intrigue!

Grab your copy of Alienation and join Jon on the evening of February 7th for an author chat, spy training (How much do you know about alien invaders?) and lots of giveaways.

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 31st!

REVIEW by Guitar Babe, 16

Two weeks ago, one of my mom's books arrived for her review. I was glad to see that it was something for me this time. It didn't take me long to finish the Alienation (A C.H.A.O.S. Novel) because I found it very interesting. It reminded me a lot of another series that I love to read - the Percy Jackson and the Olympian series. They had some similarities in that both Colt McAllister and Percy Jackson were young boys close in age. Colt was injected by alien blood while Percy is the son of a Greek god and a human mother. Both boys used to live the normal lives of teenage boys until they found out the truth about their parents.

Jon Lewis wrote a great story in Alienation. I was kept on my toes all throughout the book as if I was right there with Colt. I appreciated the light Biblical references which is just right for teenagers. I can only point to one thing that I didn't like - that is when the characters are talking, it's written in such a way that it's not very clear who is saying what. However, I did find this book very interesting and am looking forward to the next books in the series. I would recommend Alienation (A C.H.A.O.S. Novel) to my friends and share with them that this is a highly enjoyable read.

Read more reviews here: http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13451655

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my blog readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guidelines concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Serenity for Your Soul – Eternal Encouragement’s Newsletter – A Gabby Mom’s Review

2012-01-30T14:52:00.001+08:00

I’ve been writing about Lorrie Flem and The Eternal Encouragement Magazine since last year, 2011. This year, I’m blessed to continue reviewing for Eternal Encouragement once more so you can expect to read about more great products designed for mothers. Whether, you are a homeschooling mom, a SAHM, a WHAM, or even a working mom, the teachings of Lorrie Flem will benefit each one of us in many ways.

Serenity for Your Soul is Eternal Encouragement’s newsletter that comes to your email inbox once or twice weekly. These are little bites of wisdom and encouragement for the mother.

I like Serenity for your Soul because it is short and sweet, it can be read in as little as five minutes - great for all busy moms out there who doesn’t have the luxury of time to read and read. Lorrie Flem will make you laugh as she looks at some funny items in her life. For instance, her new diet is to switch her body wash to her dishwashing liquid because it “dissolves fat that is otherwise difficult to remove.”

The newsletter, of course, includes a short devotion that includes a Bible verse for us to meditate on. I really like the devotions because it usually points to something relevant in my life as a busy mom. And when moms get together, don’t we usually share recipes that we love? Serenity for Your Soul includes an easy recipe that we can try out in our own kitchens.

If you feel like you need a shot of encouragement in the middle of the week as you live your life as a mom, sign up for this FREE newsletter to receive this in your email inbox. To sign up, all you need to do is:

1. Go to the Eternal Encouragement website http://www.eemagazine.com/

2. Scroll down to the middle of the site till you see “Sign Up for Our Newsletter”

3. Fill in your name and email and click subscribe.

That’s it!

Disclosure: This newsletter is free for everybody. I am writing this review as part of The Gabby Moms program for Eternal Encouragement Magazine.

THE EARTH Its Structure and Its Changes by Tom DeRosa & Carolyn Reeves – A Homeschool Elementary Science Book Review

2012-01-27T00:40:00.001+08:00

Today’s homeschool review is a Science book that Artsy Princess is currently studying - The Earth: Its Structure and Its Changes (Investigate the Possibilities: Elementary Earth Science) by Tom DeRosa and Carolyn Reeves published by Master Books, a division of New Leaf Publishing Group. I was given a free PDF copy of the textbook, the Teacher’s Guide and Student Journal. This review is for the textbook only. I will write another review for The Teacher’s Guide and Student Journal.

First off, I want to say that this Science book is unlike any textbook I have seen so far. Though I don’t claim to have seen them all, I know that this one is different because of the way it is arranged. Every chapter is called an Investigation thereby conditioning the child to think that this is not just mere studying of a textbook, it is learning by experience and discovery. Each investigation is only about 5 pages long. This book has 20 investigations that can be finished in 20 weeks. Every page is filled with colorful pictures that serve to pique the learner’s interest even more. Furthermore, the experiments always come with pictures of the procedure or the outcome, which is a big help to me and my student.

Every Investigation has seven parts:

Think about this (Engage) – Usually a very short excerpt of young children discussing the current topic. This arouses the child’s curiosity and reminds them of what they already know of the topic.

The Investigative Problem(s) – This part asks a question or two about the topic so that students know what they should be watching out for.

Gather These Things – Lists down everything needed for the experiment. I do wish that there is a central list for all the things needed to conduct all the experiments. The good thing about this is that most, if not all, of the things needed are easily obtainable from general stores.

Procedures and Observations (Investigate) – Here’s where the fun part begins – the experiment or science activity. The instructions given are very easy to follow. Here is where they will begin to observe what is happening.

Here’s one of Artsy Princess’ activity

The Science Stuff (Explain) – This section explains what just happened during the Procedures and

Observations part. The book is arranged so that the students always conduct the experiment or investigation first before reading The Science Stuff.

Making Connections (Apply) – This part explains further how this can be applied to real life situations. Learning cannot really be made permanent without learning its application in real life.

Dig Deeper (Expand) – This is an optional section that a student can choose to do if the topic is interesting for him. Another way to use this is to have the older student do more research on the project.

What Did You Learn? (Assess) – By its name, you know that this is the part that quizzes the student on what she has learned.

We have not yet finished The Earth: Its Structure and Its Changes (Investigate the Possibilities: Elementary Earth Science) but have learned so much already. We like that its format makes it easy to follow along. It is designed for students in Grades 3-8 so this is great material for those who have multi-level children. The authors have a creationist point of view which makes it ideal for Christian families.

You can see an excerpt of this book here.

You can buy this book here:

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my blog readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guidelines concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

The Antidote to Anxiety Pt. 2

2012-01-24T20:59:00.001+08:00

Last Monday, I wrote about the best antidote to worrying that is found in Philippians 4:6-7. In meditating more about this, I came to realize that worrying is a sign of my distrust in the Lord’s sovereignty. We have to remember that even if we go through trials and distress in our lives, it is still all a part of God’s will for us.

Sounds unbelievable, right? But remember the story of Joseph? His brothers attempted to kill him. Failing to do this, his brothers sold him as a slave to be brought to Egypt. In Egypt, he worked for a successful man whose wife desired him. Because of his faith in God, he ran away from the wife when she tried to seduce him. In revenge, the wife accused him of trying to rape him. He was thrown in prison for so many years. After years in prison, he was asked by the Pharaoh to interpret his dreams. After he was able to accurately interpret the Pharaoh’s dreams, he was made Governor of Egypt by the governor, in charge of collecting goods for the coming famine. At the end of the story, when his brothers finally faced him and admitted their sin, Joseph told them that they are forgiven, that what they intended for evil, the Lord used it for good. You can read the whole story of Joseph in Genesis 37, 39-45.

I ended last Monday with Philippians 4:7 which says

And the peace of God,

which transcends all understanding,

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NIV)

As Dr. John MacArthur explains it in the MacArthur Study Bible, peace of God means “Inner calm or tranquility is promised to the believer who has a thankful attitude based on unwavering confidence that God is able and willing to do what is best for His children.”

I believe that Joseph had that peace of God in him as he went through years of hardship. That peace enabled him to do good work everywhere he went. When Potiphar bought him as a slave, he worked diligently until he became Potiphar’s trusted right hand. When he was thrown into prison, he again showed good attitude and leadership so that the chief of the prison guards put him in charge of the prisoners. Finally, when he was proclaimed governor by the Pharaoh, he did a very good job of collecting food and supplies so that all of Egypt did not suffer during the famine.

When we finally learn to accept everything, even our difficulties and trials, as part of God’s will, to rejoice and thank the Lord for all things, to be persistent in prayer, there will be such calm that will descend upon us. I’ve experienced this myself many, many times. Such peace overcomes me I can’t explain it. I only know that it is from the Lord. And this peace continues to guard my heart and my mind through many trials that come. Not only that, just like Joseph, this calm will also lead us to overcome our trials and even be victorious by the grace of our good Lord.

The Ambition by Lee Strobel – Book Review

2012-01-24T00:01:00.000+08:00

SYNOPSIS (taken from the book):
The Ambition: A Novel by Lee Strobel
A routine mob hit lights the fuse on a an explosive collision of ambition and deception inside the Windy City’s corridors of power. Drawing on his years as a reporter for the Chicago Tribune, bestselling author Lee Strobel reveals an insider’s tale of power politics, and payoffs as current as today’s headlines.

When a down-on-his-luck lawyer is coerced into bribing a judge to fix an upcoming mob trial, he secretly tapes the exchange to protect himself. After the dirty judge becomes a finalist for an open U.S. Senate seat, the incriminating tape isn’t the only thing standing in his way. Pastor-turned-politician Eric Snow is determined to use his suburban megachurch as a launching pad for securing the Senate appointment. And newspaper Garry Strider threatens to uncover both candidates’ secrets in an investigation that may cost him his life.

Strobel weaves these edgy characters into an intricate thriller set within a gleaming suburban megachurch, a big-city newspaper struggling for survival, and the shadowy corridors of political intrigue. The riveting climax is as unforgettable as the contract killing that punctuates the opening scene.

MY REVIEW:

The Ambition: A Novel by Lee Strobel is one of the reasons why I love Christian fiction. Not only that, it is way better than other secular fiction books in this genre. Lee Strobel writes a novel woven with political intrigue, violence, deceit driven by ambition and greed.

What makes it the better fiction compared to fiction novels of the same genre are the Christian characters of this story. When I was younger, I used to wonder what a good book will be like if written from a Christian’s point of view. Let’s say some of the characters are Christians struggling in this world.

Here’s one novel that answers that question. The character of Eric Snow, a megachurch preacher who set his sights on a Senate seat, show the struggles of a man who used to be so zealous in serving the Lord, whose heart is now focused on achieving his ambition. He is surrounded by people who try to give him the ‘best’ advice.

Then there’s Garry strider, a cynical journalist who is living with a woman who decides to pursue her faith in Jesus Christ. In her desire to obey the Lord’s will, she makes major changes in their relationship that drives Garry Strider to Eric Snow’s church to investigate this newfound faith. His goal is to uncover some scandal happening in the church to prove that Eric Snow is a fraud.

Providing the suspense and violence of the story is dirty Judge Reese McKelvie. With the mob as his back-up, he runs after the same Senate seat that Eric Snow is after.

This is quite the fantastic story written by bestselling author Lee Strobel.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my blog readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guidelines concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Cooper and Me and the Winter Adventure by Monique & Alexa Peters – Children’s Book Review

2012-01-20T00:01:00.001+08:00

COOPER AND ME AND THE WINTER ADVENTURE BY Monique & Alexa Peters is the story of two dogs - Cooper and Bella. During winter, when they saw the mounds of snow outside their house, both decide to go sledding.

They enjoyed playing in the snow so much they didn’t realize that they’ve gone so far away from their homes. Upon seeing that they were lost, both thought of the best way to find their way home. First they waited, maybe for someone to come by, until it was about to get dark. Bella knew they had to get home before dark, so they decide to let out loud and long howls.

After some time of straining to hear, they hear the sound of a dog barking loudly. They followed the barks until they found their way into their neighborhood. As it turns out, it was another friend dog, Trooper, who decides to help them find their way by barking continuously. They are happy to find their way home.

MY REVIEW:

My children and I definitely enjoyed reading this book. Especially because it is written in rhyme and can be read in a sing-song manner. The book is about getting lost and how to find your way home. Though it is not explicitly said, the book shows what to do when children get lost.

First, they must not panic. They should learn to wait awhile for an adult to possibly come back for them. If no adult shows up, they can then try to find their way by asking for help.

As with the first Cooper and Me book that I reviewed before, the back of the book presents lessons to teach children further about the subject. There is the ‘Information About Me!’ page where a child can write down her complete information, such as her complete name, her parents’ or guardian’s names, their address and phone numbers.

Then there is the ‘Life Lesson’ section that further talks about how a child can possibly get lost while playing with friends. The ‘Connections’ asks a few questions of the child to allow the child to think through the story and lesson and make decisions when she is lost.

There are two pages of ‘Learning Together’. This section talks about the story with questions that the parent can ask the child. COOPER AND ME AND THE WINTER ADVENTURE is definitely a must-read for parents who want to teach their children about personal safety and what to do when they get lost.

This book is available for sale at the Cooper and Me website for only $12.99.

GIVEAWAY!!!

Beyond The Silver and The Gold is hosting a giveaway for COOPER AND ME AND THE WINTER ADVENTURE. One hardbound copy will be given to one of my blog readers.

This time I am going to make this very, very simple because I don’t have much access to the internet. All you have to do if you want to win is to POST A COMMENT. Leave us a tip on what you teach your child/ren do when they get lost. That’s it!

This GIVEAWAY begins today and will run till January 27, 2012.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or
services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it
on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally
and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance
with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the
Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Yelling: The Cause, The Casualty & The Cure by Lorrie Flem – A Gabby Moms Review

2012-01-19T22:16:00.001+08:00

Yelling: The Cause, The Casualty and The Cure by Lorrie Flem is published by Eternal Encouragement Magazine. This is a short ebook that looks at the most common reasons why mothers resort to yelling at their children or husbands. It gives a view of how yelling affects our loved ones, and offers practical suggestions on how we can stop yelling. Interspersed throughout the book are Bible verses that we can meditate on to further help us overcome this nasty habit. Testimonies by real-life moms, also spread throughout the book, help us more to relate to this teaching.

MY REVIEW:

Growing up, I was surrounded by a family that yelled at every small infarction. It was like walking on eggs everyday, afraid to make even a small mistake, for fear of being yelled at. I was the youngest in our family. I had a dad and three older sisters who yelled all the time. It’s no wonder, then, that when I became a mother I also yelled at my children.

It was my children’s look of bewilderment, fear and forgiveness afterwards that made me want to change. It definitely isn’t easy. After 16 years of motherhood, I still have to work through my own triggers to yelling. There’s been much improvement, by the grace of God, but the bickering and whining still gets to me.

Although there are already a lot of changes in me, I still succumb once in a while to yelling. After I yell at my children and know that I’ve hurt them, it just brings me to my knees in prayer to ask the Lord for forgiveness for hurting His child and to ask Him for grace to continue changing.

I have learned much after reading Yelling: The Cause, The Casualty and The Cure by Lorrie Flem. One of the most important things I learned is that there are things that trigger the yelling. When you recognize your triggers then you can plan ahead so that you can either avoid those triggers, or control your response to triggers.

What is most important to remember, according to Lorrie Flem, is to start the day worshipping and praying to God. Allowing Him to work through your life to prepare you for the day.

This ebook is especially great for homeschool and stay-at-home moms who are with their children 24/7. It’s also good for working moms who come home tired after a full day’s work. Well, it’s good for all moms to read, in general!

Yelling: The Cause, The Casualty and The Cure by Lorrie Flem is available as a downloadable ebook from the Eternal Encouragement website for $12.97.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this product as a part of The Gabby Moms in exchange for this review.

CATWALK by Melody Carlson: On The Runway Series Book 2 - Book Review

2012-01-18T00:01:00.000+08:00

SYNOPSIS:

The success of the Forrester sisters’ On the Runway TV show lands them a hot ticket to Fashion Week in New York City. Paige is determined to garner the attention of New York’s top designers, but her newfound fame threatens to go to her head. Erin wants to help promote the work of some eco-minded designers, but struggles to be taken seriously. Can Paige keep her prima donna behavior in check? Will Erin’s involvement hurt the people she’s really trying to help? Success in the big city comes with even bigger challenges, and as the pressure grows, so does the drama. (taken from the book)

MY REVIEW:

CATWALK by Melody Carlson is the second installment of the On The Runway series. Here we meet again the Forrester sisters just as their reality TV show, ON THE RUNWAY, gains its popularity. They leave for fascinating New York City to cover Fashion Week. While Paige is so excited about it, Erin still continues to struggle with her role in the show. She still feels as if the show is really Paige’s show and she is just doing this for her sister.

Their time in New York presents challenges, from being branded as terrorists in the airport, to losing their luggage, to Paige falling asleep while being interviewed on TV, to interviewing top designers and models in Fashion Week. The book is filled with a lot of ‘action’ and plenty of fashion that is quite enjoyable.

I do appreciate Erin who always turns to prayer whenever she struggles with her family, friends and work. The dynamics between the two sisters are realistic as they both work out their independence and faith in the Lord.

In true Melody Carlson style, this book also deals with the problems of drunk driving and its consequences plus teenage pregnancy.

Once again, a truly wonderful book by Melody Carlson that will not only provide enjoyment to the readers but will also help them to reflect on their priorities and characters. This is appropriate for young teens to mature singles. Well, even I enjoy the whole series!

The Antidote to Worrying

2012-01-16T00:01:00.000+08:00

I am a worrier, sad to say. There were many times in my life that I found myself so racked with anxiety because of the things I worry about. My mind and heart are so focused on worrying about things we don’t have, the things we lack, that I forget about what we actually have in our life. When I worry, I lose my focus on God, and shift my focus on our circumstances. This has brought on a lot of anxiety for me, so much that there are days that I don’t enjoy my life.

I know the Lord is speaking directly to me in Phil 4:6

“Do not be anxious about anything,

but in everything, by prayer and petition,

with thanksgiving, present your requests

to God.” (NIV)

The verse tells us that we should not worry about anything, but with thanksgiving, we are to present our requests to God. I believe, even before we start presenting requests to God, we should begin with thanksgiving. Once we start thanking God for all that He has given us, we will find out that we are not lacking in anything. Also, by thanking God, we let our minds focus on Him and His blessings. Whenever I do this, the worries on my mind just fade away.

I have found my antidote to worrying: be thankful and pray. In the book The Ultimate Gift by Jim Stovall, chapter 12 talks about The Gift of Gratitude. The main character shares that he has a daily habit of making his Golden List every morning. This list consist of ten things he is grateful for that day. He creates this list in his mind everyday. Doing this has helped to have an attitude of gratefulness in his life.

As stay-at-home and homeschooling moms, we have plenty of time to think. Are our minds filled with thanksgiving? Or do we focus on worries about our families, our budget, our children’s education? Let’s take time daily to create our own Golden List. Here’s what Philippians 4:7 says when we do this:

“And the peace of God, which transcends

all understanding, will guard your hearts and

your minds in Christ Jesus” (NIV)

Next week, I’ll share the second part of this devotion based on what we are to fill our minds with.

One Week of Rest

2012-01-14T00:01:00.000+08:00

Housework – 4 kids – homeschool – exhausted – lower back pain – contractions – hospital. Contractions are bad at this time because I’m only 15 weeks pregnant.

That was me three days ago. My doctor recommended complete bed rest at home, with medications to help stabilize the baby. So I’ve been in bed the last two days, had our TV brought in the bedroom, sent the kids to the grandparents and getting the rest I need.

We did have a treat when we went to the OB yesterday, Guitar Babe and I got to see the baby in the ultrasound. That was nice and reassuring – seeing the baby growing and hearing his/her heartbeat.

I’ve been finishing up the Bible readings and devotions from our VCF Prayer and Fasting Week. I’m so blessed learning more about God in a different way. Just today, I meditated on Galatians 5:13 which says

“You, my brothers, were called to be free.

But do not use your freedom to indulge the

sinful nature, rather, serve one another in love.” (NIV)

During my meditation and prayer, the Holy Spirit showed me how I also use the freedom I have to indulge myself. For example, in my eating, I do indulge myself a lot (as you can tell by my size). My thinking is that I’m free to do anything I want so I go ahead and eat what I want, as much as I want to. The truth is, as I am indulging myself, I am further imprisoning myself in sin. Because for me, it is sin to not care for this one and only body that the Lord gave me. My Heavenly Father has already freed me from enslavement, but here I am choosing to imprison myself in my overeating.

This spiritual breakthrough led me to further ask the Holy Spirit where else I indulge my sinful nature. The Holy Spirit showed me that indulgence permeated my life. For instance, since I am a stay-at-home mom, I believe that I am free to do anything I want. Such as watch TV anytime, use the internet for endless hours, and sleep late. Now I’m not saying I’m irresponsible at home because I’m not, but I realized that if I wanted changes in my life, I’d better act more responsibly with the time that’s being given to me.

So I thank the Lord for this time of rest. I have more time to meditate on God’s word, to really take a good rest and to evaluate my life and family according to God’s word.

Grateful for 2011, Hopeful for 2012

2012-01-06T01:45:00.001+08:00

Every year, before the year ends, I make it a point to take time to remember the goodness of the Lord during the year. This helps me to focus my eyes on Him, to thank Him for all He has done for our family, and to be hopeful for the next year.

Today, I thought I’d share with you some of our blessings and difficulties we encountered last year. It’s my hope that you will also be encouraged to look back and be grateful for your blessings, and hope for a better 2012!

Last January, my sister and I travelled to Cagayan de Oro, Cebu and Bacolod to visit our relatives. It was such a blessing to see cousins that I haven’t seen or been in contact with for 15 – 20 years. The blessing was that, despite all the years we’ve not been together, there was such joy in us to be together again. Along with that is being able to travel again with my sister. The last time we did this was maybe about 10 years ago. Another blessing from that trip is having my husband along during the latter part of the trip. He also got to meet my relatives and we got to travel together to those places for the first time. Especially unforgettable was the road trip we took from Bacolod to Dumaguete.

We’re blessed this year because our children did not experience as many hospital confinements as compared to the previous years. Their immune systems are better now and most sicknesses go away in a week or so. The best change we did was to get rid of the stray cats living in our house. For a time, there were about 10 stray cats living outside our house because we fed them daily. Then our pedia said we should get rid of them. After that, the illnesses were almost gone.

Of course, the best is finding out that I’m pregnant again. Admittedly, this is an unplanned pregnancy. But I feel so blessed by the Lord for entrusting to hubby and me another life. The children are also all very excited. By God’s grace, I haven’t experienced the nausea that I had during the first four pregnancies. So far, this pregnancy is coming along very well.

The down side to our year was when I was diagnosed with adult-onset asthma last January. This asthma has landed me in the hospital about three times this year. However, the Lord guided me to a naturopathic doctor who prescribed herbal drugs. By the grace of God, I am much better now. My biggest challenge is still climbing up the stairs, but I’ve not experienced the horrible asthma attacks I used to have early this year.

Another major downer was losing a significant source of income for our family through no fault of our own. This brought me so much anxiety because I was always worried about money. The worry did me no good, really, and I believe that this also brought on my asthma attacks.

What made me hopeful despite the trials? I accepted everything as the will of God. It wasn’t easy doing that. At first, I felt so much anger, especially losing the income. I blamed the Lord, also, and asked Him why He allowed it. After some months of this, the Holy Spirit convicted me that this is God’s will and He had His own better plans for us.

When I first learned that I was pregnant, the first thing I felt was anxiety. I thought, “On no, how are we going to survive the additional expense of another child?” But right after that thought, I was reminded of so many verses in the Bible that told me that God will take care of us.

Right then and there, I made a decision that the anxious thoughts will stop. I will no longer subject myself to anxiety which may bring me another asthma/anxiety attack. From then on, I will always remind myself to “Be still and know that He is God.”

The decision to fully trust God for our future is the best thing I’ve done. It helped me to overcome the trials we went through. Our circumstances have not changed, but my heart and mindset has been changed by the Lord. The best thing is, I haven’t had an asthma attack since I became pregnant!

The Lord is truly good. Once more, I am looking forward to more of the Lord in 2012!

Welcome 2012!

2012-01-01T01:12:00.000+08:00

Glitter Text Maker - eCards

The Gabby Moms and Me

2011-12-31T00:01:00.053+08:00

This year, I was given the privilege of taking part in the pilot year of The Gabby Moms. The Gabby Moms is a group of mom bloggers tasked to review products produced by Eternal Encouragement, formerly TEACH Magazine. Eternal Encouragement is run by our Head Mom, Lorrie Flem, a mother of eight children. She talks about homeschooling, child discipline, care for husbands, and other issues that all mothers go through.

Since this is the pilot year, there were some kinks along the way as we got to know each other and saw how the program actually worked. Despite those kinks, most of us persevered until we finally finished the year out. I find the review system easy to keep up with. We were only required to review one product per month and were given a deadline. If we're not able to keep up with the deadline due to some pressing family matters, we only need to inform our Top Mamas.

The products I was able to review from Eternal Encouragement has actually brought encouragement and inspiration in my life. Lorrie Flem is a great teacher, with her gentle ways of homing in on the truth of God's word. She does not condemn, but brings gentle conviction to her readers brought on by her own personal experiences while studying truths in God's word.

What inspired me the most with her teachings is that I learned that wherever the mother is located in this world, we all share something universal - our love for God, our love for our families, the joys and struggles of motherhood.

I have not met any of the Gabby Moms, since they are all located halfway around the world. We only "meet" online, where aside from the reviews we write about, we also share our prayer requests and praises. Through the life experiences of the other Gabby Moms, I also realized that, even if I live in the Philippines and they lived in the USA, we are all not much different from each other.

Well, I am moving on to the second year of The Gabby Moms. I am excited to meet new friends and will be sad to say goodbye to those who are not continuing on. For my efforts this year, Lorrie gave me The Most Valuable Blogger badge, thanks to Lorrie and The Gabby Moms!

PREMIERE (On The Runway Book 1) by Melody Carlson – Book Review

2011-12-30T02:46:00.000+08:00

Note: This review is entirely written by my Artsy Princess. She loves this series of books so much because it appeals to her fashionista and Christian side. I’ve written my own opinion of this book right underneath her review.

Premiere (On the Runway) by Melody Carlson, the first book for the On The Runway series, is about two sisters, Paige and Erin Forrester. Both very different from each other but both love the camera. Though they have different ways of love for the camera. Paige loves being in front of the camera and being the star of the show. While Erin loves being behind the camera and working behind the scenes.

Paige has it all - blond hair, blue eyes, a great smile, peaches and cream skin, the height of a model and a personality that can light up a whole room. She sometimes can be a little selfish but has a very loving side. She may not make all the right choices, but with her sister by her side, they’ll face it together,

Erin, on the other hand, is the total opposite. She has brown hair and brown eyes. She likes vintage style rather than the designer clothes that Paige wears. She is wise and helpful. Erin always saves her sister from disasters. In my opinion she is one of the most dependable 17 year olds out there. The On the Runway series of books are written in Erin’s point of view.

In Premiere (On the Runway), the Forrester sisters were given a chance to have their own fashion TV show after a near disaster on a news program that their mother produces. They first guest starred on a hot teen reality show called “Malibu Beach” (kind of like “The Hills”). Unexpectedly, a little catfight ensues between the star of “Malibu Beach” and Paige. Will their show be in trouble like a clueless outfit or will it come out on top as high as Tyra Banks’ heels? Buy the book and find out.

MY REVIEW (Artsy Princess):

Premiere (On the Runway)isn’t all about fashion. It’s also about Paige and Erin trying to make the right choices with the help of God. Although Erin is the only Christian in the family she tries her best to share the word of God to her family. Not only is it about God but it’s also about relationships and friendship.

I was so attracted to the book when it first came to the house. My mom opened the box and there it was lying down waiting to be read. The cover itself is already enough to get my attention because of the outfit in the front and the shoes at the back. But when I started to read it I never wanted to let go of it.

The book not only has a great story but the way that author Melody describes all the Items of clothing made me want to go to a mall and try to find the same items. I just turned 13 in last November 2011 but I started reading the series when I was still 12. So I definitely recommend this to girls my age. Although the series might be too old for girls under the age of 12. But all in all this is one great book.

MY REVIEW (Mom of Artsy Princess):

If you’ve been following my blog, you’ll know that my children and I are big fans of Melody Carlson. We already own several of her books and I have reviewed most of them here.

The On The Runway series of books are very entertaining. In Premiere (On the Runway), they get their first taste of reality TV and all the goings-on are very interesting to read. I appreciate Erin’s character as the Christian sister because she is always striving to live as a Christian and be a good model to her sister and viewers.

Paige keeps everything interesting. While she says she believes in God but hasn't prayed for a long time, she also is a model for style, good manners and charm.

Once again, bestselling author Melody Carlson has come up with a series that will definitely attract the teen readers. It’s really just like watching a reality show on TV but only gentler.

Click this link to read the 1st chapter.

Buy this book here:

Read my other reviews of On The Runway series:

Spotlight (On The Runway) Book 4

Glamour (On The Runway) Book 5

Mom {24/7} – A 2012 Planner for Urban Moms by Mommy Mundo – A Review

2011-12-28T15:42:00.001+08:00

I like planners. I like to write things down on a nice notebook and keep our schedule organized. Although I’m not very consistent,after finding myself in such a disorganized mess, I will always go back to my planner and start trying to organize our lives again. In the last years, though, I haven’t found a planner that is just right for a busy, busy mom like me.

I needed one where I can coordinate my schedule with my kids’ varying schedules. It has to be sturdy to last through the whole year, small enough to fit in my bag and it has to be beautiful enough to write on. Yeah, the kind of paper and design matters to me, too.

This year, I think I’ve found one that’s just right. It’s not yet the perfect one for me, but enough to fit my needs. It’s the Mom {24/7} Planner published by Mommy Mundo. I appreciate the beautiful cover with it’s pink, lilac, purple and beige color combinations. It is neither small nor big, but it’s 6”X 8” size is enough to fit in mommy’s bag.

It is definitely sturdy because of it’s hard bound cover. The spiral binding is the kind that will not cause snags in anything that’s inside your bag. But the same spiral binding also makes it a bit hard for me to write on the left hand side of the page. Maybe next year, they’ll choose another kind of spiral binding.

The scheduling pages have boxes for Mom’s daily schedule and 3 more boxes to write your children’s daily schedule. I have four kids with one coming along next year, so the boxes are not enough. But I figured, one kid does not necessarily need to use a box all the time.

There are month tabs to make turning the pages easier. I find the monthly to do list very useful for things I need to get done for the month. Plus more extra pages to help organize a mom’s life.

I love this bookmark!

Remember, I said that the pages will have to be pretty enough for me to write on? Well every page echoes the front cover petal shapes in pretty purple/lilac color. The paper is thick enough so that your pen’s ink does not bleed through to the other side. Towards the end of the planner are several discount coupons from Mommy Mundo’s partners.

This is definitely the kind of planner that is designed by a mother for other moms. The only thing that bothered me are the ads that are behind each month’s tab. But with all the nice things going for this planner, I can just not look at the ads. There is also the possibility that these ads are the reason for this planner’s price.

What I find the best feature of this planner is it’s very affordable price. Other planners in the market cost from P500.00 upwards. The Mom {24/7} planner is only P350.00. Yes, you got that right! That’s why it is selling like hotcakes.

The MOM 24/7 Planner is available at the cover price of P350 through the following outlets:

1) Mommy Mundo office, 2/F Fun Ranch, Frontera Verde, Pasig (office hours only M-F)
2) Retail outlets:
FULLY BOOKED (Starting dec 15)
MOMTREPRENEUR SHOP (4f Shangrila Mall)
NUMA (40 E. Rodriguez Sr. Ave. QC)
MEDELA HOUSE (29 1st st New Manila)
MOMMY MATTERS’ booth @Mercato Centrale, 34th BGC and Soderno, Molito Mall Alabang

3) Thru online shops:
Shop Mommy Matters - Order here for FREE shipping for orders of 2 or more

Indigo Manila Online – FREE shipping

4) You may also have it delivered to you via courier. Following are the steps:
a) Just deposit the payment of P350 plus courier fee (P100 pesos within Metro Manila) so deposit a total of P450.
If you are ordering via courier, your order will be processed only upon payment of the fees and when you email us a copy of your deposit slip (if applicable).
Deposit the payment through BDO C/A 308032191, Account name: Creative Juice Communications Inc.
b) Email your deposit slip along with order details (complete name, complete address and mobile no) at info@mommymundo.com.

Note: All photos courtesy of Mommy Mundo.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this item in exchange for this review.

Books to Give This Christmas

2011-12-23T09:17:00.001+08:00

Before I became a book reviewer, when people ask what they can give me, I always say, “Give me a book. I’ll be happy with that.” Now I get tons of books to read every month because of this blog, and I say, “Give me something else.” :) I’m still a booklover and a book is never far from me wherever I go. I’m sharing here some books that you may want to get for your loved ones this Christmas.

For Mom:

Mom 24/7 planner by Mommy Mundo – the 2012 planner for Urban Moms. A nice, hard bound planner with enough space to record mom’s daily schedule and also space to record up to 3 children’s schedule. This is a wonderful tool for Mom to keep their lives organized. Available online for only P350.00 at Mommy Matters. To know more about this planner and order, click this link.

Light to My Path Each Day – Scripture Union’s Quiet Time Guide 2012 – a daily devotional for the Christian who is overwhelmed by life’s daily burdens. Be encouraged everyday by the Giver of strength. This is available online here or at OMF Lit Bookshops and its partner bookstores for only P225.00.

From the Kitchen to the Heart – Cooking with Kids and Teaching Them about Food and Faith by Vicky Veloso-Barrera – a highly entertaining and helpful cookbook with recipes that are easy enough for kids to do while mom also teaches not only about cooking but also about faith in God – perfect for the homeschool family! Available for purchase online here and at all OMF Lit Bookshops for P225.00.

For Dad:

Lift Up Your Eyes – Daily Encounters with God for Leaders by Christopher Shaw – A refreshing devotional for leaders, including the leaders of our homes. Wonderful insights to be learned everyday from the Bible. Available at Christian Literature Crusade and other major bookstores.

The Last Man Dancing by Gicky Soriano – the life story of Nestor de Villa – Fred Astaire of the Philippines, an accomplished actor who first became famous for his dancing. His struggles in his marriage, his family and how he found the Lord will inspire any man who is also looking for a deeper purpose in life. Available online here and at OMF Lit Bookshops and major bookstores nationwide for P295.00

For Teens:

True Colors Series by Melody Carlson – help your teens to understand what they are going through by giving them these series of books by Melody Carlson. Every book touches on a topic that is relevant for teens of today. Topics include envy, friendships, addiction, alcoholism, suicide and more. Though the topics may seem heavy, the characters in these fiction books are very real with whom teens will easily relate. These books are available online here from NavPress bookstores at the sale price of P100.00 each. Read my review of this series here.

For Kids:

The Lion Storyteller Bible by Bob Hartman and Krisztina Kallai Nagy – a truly enjoyable storybook with over 70 retellings of the most famous stories in the Bible. The perfect book to be read aloud to children. It is beautifully illustrated and totally engaging. My children and I have fun reading the stories together! Available at OMF LIt Bookshops and its partner bookstores!

The Oh Mateo! series by Grace Chong – these series of short books are about a little boy, Mateo, who lives with only his father because his mother died while he was very young. The stories very creatively teach children about personal character and Biblical values the Filipino way. These books are also perfect to give to a balikbayan family because every book contains an English and Tagalog translation of the story.

I cannot say enough good things about this series. All my children from the teenager down to my youngest enjoy Oh Mateo! We have laughed and cried with every book we’ve read and we read them over and over again. Available online here and at OMF Lit Bookshops and other major bookstores for the very affordable price of P65.00 each.

There it is, I hope that I you will find something suitable for your loved ones this Christmas and the coming New Year.

FOR YOUR INFO:

Find OMF Literature books through their partners!
NATIONAL BOOK STORES | PHILIPPINE CHRISTIAN BOOK STORES | POWERBOOKS | FULLY BOOKED
and other bookshops all over the Philippines. Visit them online at http://omflit.com/home/index.php

Navigator Ministries or NavPress books are also available at Phil. Christian Bookstores, Christian Literature Crusade, Back to the Bible Bookstores and OMF Literature.

Navpress address: NAV Building #13 Denver St. Cubao, Quezon City. Their website is http://philnavs.org/site/literature/bookstore/mailer/.

Christian Literature Crusade’s address is 20 Karuhatan Road, Valenzuela City.

Christmas Lodge – DVD Movie Review and Giveaway

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Synopsis:

Thomas Kinkade presents Christmas Lodge: a place where a heart-warming past and loving future meet for one remarkable group of people. During a weekend trip to the mountains, Mary (Erin Karpluk) finds herself at the now- dilapidated lodge where she spent the holidays with her family growing up. She becomes determined to restore the building to its former glory. Inspired by her grandfather and guided by her grandmother in heaven, Mary throws herself into the project, and during the process finds herself drawn to Jack (Michael Shanks), a handsome man who loves the lodge as much as she does. Historically unlucky in love, this chance encounter allows Mary to renew her faith in life and discover her one true love. For an uplifting story about the importance of faith, family and the true holiday spirit, go to the Christmas Lodge.

MY REVIEW:
It is refreshing to watch a movie that show characters who value family, relationships, trust in the Lord, and perseverance. That is what Christmas Lodge is all about. I admire the main character, Mary, who is an independent career woman. She respects her parents and loves her grandfather so much that she is willing to do everything to make, what could possibly be, his one last wish come true.

I like that when she went to the mountains with her boyfriend, it clearly showed that they stayed in separate rooms. Then when she meets Jack once more, and promises to help renovate the Christmas Lodge, she tries her best to keep her word. Despite her developing love for Jack, she still does her best to control her emotions knowing that it is not only between her and Jack, their relationship will involve Jack’s daughter, too.
All in all, this wholesome movie is good for the whole family.

GIVEAWAY!!!

I am giving away one copy of Christmas Lodge DVD to one of my blog readers. Here are the mechanics:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The WINNER for We Choose Virtues Parenting Cards Is…

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Zendie Magistrado

Congratulations!

Zendie, please email me your complete mailing address so that this can be sent to you immediately.

To all those who have joined this giveaway, thank you very much! Don’t worry because I still have a lot of other giveaways on schedule, including another one for We Choose Virtues!

You can also choose to buy this set from the website and use the coupon code to get a 15% discount from the price.

Code: VIRTUE15

Check back soon for more giveaways!

Categorizing Homeschoolers in The Philippines

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About two years after we began homeschooling, I went to the Department of Education office here in Quezon City and inquired about the PEPTest. It was a very discouraging experience because aside from being sent from one person to another, I was questioned several times if I had the qualifications to teach or if I was running my own school. The worst was having someone tell me that my children are classified as out-of-school youths because they are not going to school.

I felt that this was too extreme a classification and too demeaning. According to the National Statistical Coordination Board, out-of-school youths(OSY) are defined as boys and girls who belong to any of these categories; a) 7-14 years old who are not enrolled; b) 15-24 years old who are not enrolled, not employed and not a tertiary level graduate.

I believe that in the two categories “not enrolled” means not studying at all. I cannot accept that my children will be termed OSY’s because they are enrolled in a school, although they don’t go to school, but they are studying everyday.

Sometimes, people also believe that homeschooling is similar to the home study program of the Department of Education. While I don’t have the exact details of what this is, I know that this is not the way we homeschool.

Another category I’ve heard which is really bad is that homeschoolers are rejects. Meaning rejected from regular schools either because of bad grades or uncontrollable attitudes. For homeschoolers, it’s actually the other way around, we rejected those regular schools in exchange for the privilege of educating our children at home.

One of the most offensive, at least for me, is to say that parents who homeschool cannot afford to send their children to school. If money were the issue, then wouldn’t it be easier for parents to just send their children to public schools?

At this point in time, homeschooling as we know and do it, is just at the beginning of being accepted by our Department of Education. We are either classified as Alternative Learners or Independent Learners, or maybe even Distance Education students.

Be encouraged, because now there are several homeschool providers in our country. Many homeschoolers have come together and are supporting each other in this endeavor. I would encourage all homeschoolers to be a member of HAPI – Homeschool Association of the Philippine Islands. Aside from providing a venue for homeschoolers to get together, HAPI is also working towards the recognition of homeschoolers in our Department of Education.

We must not give up on this nor should we let these categories discourage us from pursuing what we know is best for our children. We parents have the primary responsibility of training and educating our children during their formative years. And that statement is quoted from The Family Code of the Philippines (Article 20) and Articles XIV and XV of the 1997 Philippine Constitution. Check that out here.