Linda @ Linda’s Lunacy

The Confession Musical Review & Giveaway

February 9, 2023 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

The Confession Musical is based on the New York Times best-selling book series “The Heritage of Lancaster County,” written by Beverly Lewis. Her books have been made into movies in the past, now there is a musical! Check out my The Confession Musical Review & Giveaway below!

The Confession Musical Review & Giveaway

Two worlds collide when a young Amish girl discovers she was adopted by a wealthy Christian family. As she seeks her birth mother, she has to overcome the obstacles of a lost fiancée, a shunning and a crafty gold-digger who seeks the fortune of her birth mother.

The Confession Musical is based on the New York Times best-selling book series “The Heritage of Lancaster County,” written by Beverly Lewis and written for the stage by Emmy-Nominated screenwriter Martha Bolton. Katie Lapp, a young Amish girl, discovers her parents have been keeping a secret from her… she is adopted. Katie decides to seek her birth mother, defying the rules of her Amish village and risking a shunning.

Meanwhile, her wealthy birth mother, Laura Mayfield, battling an illness that might take her life, begins searching for her long-lost daughter to bequeath her inheritance before it is too late. Secretly plotting against her is the gold-digging husband Dylan (played by John Schneider), who is scheming to make sure he inherits her fortune. With the help and prayers of her Christian maidservant (played by Chonda Pierce), they try to foil Dylan’s plan and reunite Katie and Laura.

Watch The Confession Musical Trailer!

The Confession Musical, filmed in front of a live audience, combines drama, mystery, faith, and spectacular songs and sets. A clean film the entire family can enjoy or perfect for a spectacular “girls’ night out!” The Confession weaves together mystery, intrigue, and romance together with Broadway-caliber music. It’s directed by Stephen Yake with Yake Films, produced by Dan Posthuma, and Glue Gate Musicals. Wally Nason’s songs are dramatic, and Emmy-nominated scribe Martha Bolton sprinkles in comedy as the screen is filled with over 20 actors and dancers, supported by spectacular visuals.

The Confession Musical Review & Giveaway

I really enjoyed watching The Confession Musical! The story line is great, of course. John Schneider is great, as usual in his other films that I have seen. Chonda Pierce is excellent in her roll as Laura’s housekeeper. Funny, as per her norm, and an awesome job singing.

The Confession Musical Favorite Scenes

The barn raising featured singing, dancing, and music made with brooms, washboards, and hammers. Very catchy and entertaining!

During the shunning of Katie, the lights, music, and group with their backs to Katie, were very dramatic. You can really feel the heartbreak between Katie and her parents.

After the shunning, we see Katie’s birth mother talking about how much she wants to find her daughter, and Katie making a call to find her birth mother. After, there is a scene with Katie, her adopted mother, and her birth mother, all singing a song, even though they are in different places. The adopted mother starts the song, singing about how much she misses her daughter. Katie’s birth mother joins next, singing about how much she wants to see her daughter. The way they shot them singing, and then super imposing their faces together on the screen, it looks like they are singing together. Then Katie comes to the stage and sings about both her mothers. And all 3 sing together. This scene is very well done, very emotional.

Another of my favorite scenes is when the birth mother, Laura, is talking with the “fake” daughter Katie, hired by her greedy husband to trick her and keep all her money when she dies.. She tells her about her best friend that loves unconditionally. Laure falls asleep, then the fake Katie starts singing about this friend, then picks up Laura’s Bible and starts reading. Afterward she has a change of heart, calls Laura’s husband who hired her, and tells him she quits!

It’s very emotional, of course, when Laura finally finds out who the real Katie is, and Katie finally gets to hug her mother.

Likewise, there are high emotions when Laura dies, and Katie discovers Daniel isn’t dead after all.

The Confession Musical Story Continued

Katie’s adopted parents are over joyed when their Bishop sets aside the shunning after finding out the circumstances of Katie’s adoption and subsequently searching for her birth mother. Her parents are able to be there when Katie marries Daniel.

Since this musical is based on a book, and a movie was previously made, I have not worried about giving away the story line. However this post is long, so I have only touched on what I considered to be some of the highlights.

The entire cast is excellent, the music and songs catchy, as well as heart warming. I highly recommend you go see The Confession Musical yourself!

Buy tickets today to see The Confession Musical movie exclusively in theaters February 20th!

Buy The Confession Musical movie tickets here.

For more information, visit The Confession Musical website.

The Giveaway

Enter to below to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card! To enter simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below! Giveaway open to those 18+ in the US.

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Disclosure: Many thanks to Blue Gate Musicals for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

Heaven Sent – Pure Flix Movie Review & Giveaway

February 1, 2023 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

Heaven Sent, the latest Pure Flix movie, is a romantic comedy about re-finding love later in life and rediscovering joy after loss. Check out my Heaven Sent Movie Review & the Pure Flix Giveaway – enter to win a Pure Flix 3 month Subscription!

Heaven Sent Movie Review & Pure Flix Giveaway

Heaven Sent tells the story of Elise, a grandmother hurt by her past, and Patrick, a widowed pastor, who have both closed the door on love.

Elise and her grandson, Derek, were inseparable when he was a child but they are growing apart as he’s gotten older. She is having a hard time letting Derek live his own life as an adult.

Pastor Patrick lost his wife 5 years ago. His parish tries to play matchmaker, but he resists. Pastor Patrick finds his way into Elise’s shop, Moxie, where their first interaction is less than ideal.

Elise overhears a conversation with Derek, thinking he’s talking about her and his feelings that he is forever under her thumb. This prompts Elise to go to a singles speed date night. Pastor Patrick and Elise meet again at the singles night. They decide to keep it from their friends.

Afterward, Derek posts a video about a “where are they now” of his grandmother without her knowledge. He continues to record and post his grandmother’s love life. Unquestionably, Grandma Elise is livid when she finds out about the videos

Also, the movie follows the story of their friends who are having difficulties in their marriage. There are scenes of them with the pastor getting counseling. The last scene of the movie is them renewing their wedding vows.

But back to Elise and Patrick! With faith, and a little help from technology, will their live-streamed romance find a way? You’ll have to watch Heaven Sent to find out!!

Heaven Sent Cast List

Elizabeth Byland, TheresaGary Dourdan, Jeff, (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation)

Karen Abercrombie, Elise, (WAR ROOM, DISCARDED THINGS, AN ANGELIC CHRISTMAS, GOD’S COMPASS)

Jemarcus Kilgore, Derek, (DISCARDED THINGS, Black Lightning)

J. Leon Pridgen II, Patrick Briggs/Ellerman, (DISCARDED THINGS, P-Valley, TRINITY GOODHEART)

Charlene Tilton, Pam, (Dallas)

Michael J Patterson, Kenny

Maurie Moore, Corrine

Abercrombie co-wrote and executive-produced the movie, which was directed by Joanne Hock.

Check out the Heaven Sent trailer!

Heaven Sent is a dynamic and heartfelt story about love at different stages of life. A rom-com that you can watch with the whole family in the room! That’s always important to me!

I loved how the relationships were portrayed in this movie.

The grandma-grandson relationship – Derek did what he did because he loved his grandmother. Grandma Elise, even though she was very angry, forgave Derek.

The caring relationship between the pastor and the church family – they love him and only want what is best for him.

As well as the budding relationships between Elise and Patrick.

Basically, I loved Heaven Sent! If you are looking for a clean, entertaining rom-com…….

Watch Heaven Sent on Pure Flix starting February 3rd!

For more information, visit the Pure Flix Website.

Pure Flix Giveaway

Enter to win a 3-month subscription to Pure Flix! Open to US. If you have won a Pure Flix subscription, anywhere online, in the last 6 months, you are ineligible for this giveaway.

To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form below!

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Check out all my movie and tv reviews for more great things to watch!

*Disclosure: Many thanks to Pure Flix for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

January is National Hobby Month! Mine are….

January 20, 2023 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

*This January is National Hobby Month post contains affiliate links

I recently found out that January is National Hobby Month. So I thought I’d share my many, and varied hobbies!

I love to crochet! I have been crocheting ever since I remember! I don’t remember learning, or who taught me, maybe my mother?? I remember carrying a bag of yarn to school when I was in like 3-5th grades. I would spend recess “finger crocheting”. Ever tried that? It’s a fun way to keep kids busy. lol And they love all the chains they make!

That’s a teddy bear in the making. I am using this free teddy bear pattern.

These are the crochet hooks I use. They are so comfortable to hold. I haven’t experienced any rough spots on the hooks to snag the yarn like I have with other hooks in the past.

I love this yarn. It’s one of my favorites to use. It’s so soft! I use it to make this shawl, that I’ve made several of to give away.

If you are a beginner crocheter, or you want to start, this is a great book to learn how to crochet with.

January is National Hobby Month!

I was so blessed by my children a year ago. They all chipped in and bought me a Cricut! I literally cried when I opened it. So I’ve been having fun slowly learning how to use it. I’ve made cards, mugs, and of course shirts! This is the one I have.

My latest project was these matching gingerbread man shirts for my husband and I. We were judges in a gingerbread house contest at church. We won the year before, so we judged this year. It was so much fun!

Basically, I love any kind of crafting!

Reading is another way I love to spend time. Here’s what I’m currently reading, in addition to my Bible.

And these e-books. And, yes, I do have a book problem. lol

I love to cook and bake, too! I started when I took Home Ec in Junior High. I remember the first time I picked a recipe from a cook book and followed it by myself. It was probably around the same time. I was baby sitting my little brother, and there were no snacks in the house. GASP! lol So I found a sugar cookie recipe that didn’t require cookie cutters and made those. They came out great! That’s how I remember it anyway. lol We all ate them, so I guess they were alright! lol

You can see what I’ve been up to in the kitchen with my In the Kitchen With Linda posts. As well as my In the Kitchen with Linda page that has all my recipes and tips linked.

Share with me some of your favorite hobbies. I’m always on the look out for something new to try!

*Disclosure: The post conatains affilliate links. If you click the link and make a pruchase, I will receive a small commision at no cost to you.

Magnesium – What It Is & Why You Need It

January 18, 2023 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

*This Magnesium – What It Is & Why You Need It post contains an affiliate link

Magnesium is a mineral that is essential for healthy bones, muscle, nerves, and maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.

It is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies, followed by vitamin D, Approximately 80% of women are deficient in it!

The only way to know for sure if you are deficient in magnesium is a blood test.

Magnesium – What It Is & Why You Need It

Below are the symptoms of low magnesium. If you are experiencing any of these, see your health professional to get tested.

•Muscle pain and spasms from feet cramps to chest pain (due to spasms in your heart muscle), and even restless leg syndrome
•Headaches and migraines
•Feeling constantly fatigued or weak
•Depression, anxiety and edginess
•Craving chocolate (cacao is high in magnesium)
•Quick exhaustion during exercise
•Insomnia and mid-night waking

Magnesium also plays a huge role in hormonal balance.
Namely:

1. Improves the thyroid function
2. Supports estrogen detoxification of harmful metabolites
3. Lowers blood sugar levels
4. Lowers adrenalin and cortisol
5. Supports testosterone production (women have testosterone, too!)
6. Increases serotonin
7. Increases DHEA

It’s also used to treat constipation and heartburn.

With this in mind, eating magnesium-rich foods such as dairy products, whole grains, leafy green vegetables, seeds, nuts, and legumes should be a dietary priority.

Spinach, Dark Chocolate, Pumpkin seeds, Almonds, Black beans, Avocado, Figs, Yogurt or kefir, and Bananas all are sources of magnesium

If you need to supplement, this is the Magnesium supplement I use daily. It’s infused with Vitamin C and Bioflavonoids making it crazy effective and gentle on the body.

Check out my other health and wellness posts.

*Disclosure: I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on the internet. I am sharing what I have learned and what works for me. Consult your health professional to find out what works for you. This post contains an affiliate link. If you click the link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you

Canning Venison with My New Digital Pressure Canner

January 13, 2023 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

*This Canning Venison with My New Digital Pressure Canner post contains affiliate links

I have wanted to try canning venison ever since my husband started deer hunting a few years ago.

I have canned plenty of other things, both water bath and pressure canning. Just hadn’t done any meat yet.

A Facebook friend shared that they bought this digital pressure canner, and really liked it. So I started saving my Amazon gift cards to buy one. I finally saved enough!

So of course the first thing I wanted to can in it was venison. Yes, I canned something I had never canned before with a canner I had never used before. Because that’s how I roll. lol Thankfully, it worked. lol

Canning Venison with My New Digital Pressure Canner

I learned it’s totally safe to can venison that has been frozen. Just thaw in the fridge.

You can cold pack or hot pack venison. I chose to cold pack the raw meat instead of cooking it first. You loosely pack the raw meat in the jar, no need to add water or broth. You can add seasonings if you want, or onions, or peppers.

I love that this digital canner has a jar warming setting. Put water and the jars in, and it heats them in 20 minutes, and holds them hot until you are ready to fill them. Take one jar out at a time, empty the water, put on lid and ring, and back into the water. After you have filled them all, close the canner and the cycle proceeds. After the correct canning time for what you are canning, it has a built in cooling cycle. This canner can also be used as a water bath canner.

It’s so easy to use! I love it! No need to babysit the canner on the stove! I just moved more venison from the freezer to the fridge so I can do another batch. It’s the wrong time of year to find produce to can here in Kentucky, but I’m on the look out for other things to can now. Hopefully, I am able to find some really good meat sales at the grocery store!

Oh, and the venison came out great! One of the jars didn’t seal, no fault of the canner, it was the lid. So we got to test one right away. I just poured the jar, juice and all in a bowl and warmed it in the microwave. Everyone said it tasted great!

You really need to check out this digital pressure canner! I am loving it! I’m canning another batch of venison tomorrow!

*Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click the link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.

Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe

January 6, 2023 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

*This Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe post contains affiliate links

I love a good Alfredo sauce. So good! And it’s not really hard to make. It’s just a little time consuming since you have to stand at the stove and whisk the sauce the whole time.

Turn on a video or podcast and whisk away! lol

It’s so hard to take a picture of a white sauce! lol It’s so good, though! And totally worth the effort to make it!

Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

3 cups milk

2 cups parmesan cheese

dash of nutmeg

pepper to taste

Melt butter in sauce pan. Whisk in flour until mixed in. Add milk while whisking.

Continue whisking until mixture boils. Cook, whisking practically non-stop or it will stick, until thickened. Stir in cheese, nutmeg, and pepper.

Pour over cooked pasta.

This recipe makes enough sauce for 1 pound of pasta. I like extra sauce, so I always make it with 4 tablespoons of butter, 4 tablespoons of flour, and 4 cups of milk.

I don’t add salt, as the parmesan cheese is salty enough. Taste your sauce first, then add salt if you feel it needs it.

So yummy served over vegetables! Alfredo sauce is awesome as the sauce on pizza, too!

While you’re here, check out my other recipes on my In the Kitchen with Linda page!

*This post contains affiliate links. If you click the links, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Celebrate Christmas with Pure Flix & Moonrise Movie Review

December 12, 2022 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

Christmas is a time for family and fellowship and there is no better way to celebrate than by streaming faith-filled and family-centric movies and shows on Pure Flix. Celebrate Christmas with Pure Flix! With new quality faith and family entertainment every week, celebrate Christmas with Pure
Flix and be inspired and encouraged all season long.

Celebrate Christmas with Pure Flix

With more new originals and exclusives than ever before, this is the year to celebrate Christmas with Pure Flix! There are 190 movies to inspire and encourage the whole family this season, you’ll experience the difference that positive entertainment can have.

Pure Flix has made celebrating Christmas even easier this year! Join Pure Flix each week as we explore new movies and themes that will enhance and illuminate your Christmas season! Discover miracles, romance, family fun and much more when you celebrate Christmas with Pure Flix. New movies and shows are available every week!

Celebrate Christmas with Pure Flix & Moonrise Movie Review

This week, the new movie is Moonrise. Country singer Will Brown (Granger Smith) pushed away his family, fame and faith after his wife’s death. It’s his daughter and a talented horse trainer who show him strength, forgiveness and grace to live life again.

Moonrise Cast List:

Vickie Bronaugh, Director
Sean McNamara, Producer (REAGAN, SOUL SURFER)
David Brookwell, Producer (SOUL SURFER, Evan Stevens)
Granger Smith, Will Brown (country music singer)
Piper Clurman, Ellie Brown
Kace Winfield, Noah Brown
Jaxon Noble Pickens, Nile Brown
Sonya Balmores, Sam (SOUL SURFER)
Houston Rhines, David Greer (A CHRISTMAS SWITCH, MOST WANTED SANTA)
Rose Bianco, Sadie (Cobra Kai, THE TOMORROW WAR, WandaVision)
Wally Welch, Eric (Yellowstone, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, Comanche Moon)

Moonrise Movie Review

Moonrise is a poignant film about family, faith and healing.

Watch the Moonrise trailer!

Will, the father can’t handle anything since mothers death. Including dealing with his children. The kids are starving for his attention. He doesn’t even notice when daughter hacks off her hair herself. But then typical dads don’t notice haircuts most of the time either. lol

It takes his daughter getting hurt to bring him around. to realize that even though wife has passed, his kids are still there. And so is his music.

There is a very touching moment when dad and daughter are talking after dad gets thrown from horse, which is how his wife died. He asked daughter why her mother went for ride that night, if he had been home she would still be there. Daughter said but she’s not. and you left us too. when we needed you the most.

Will had found a present under the tree after the mother died, he was too upset to open it. He had his daughter open if for him. The gift from his wife was a shell fossil that she had found on their property, with a lovely note. She told to him to always move forward.

He finally realized that even though his wife had died, that he needed to keep moving forward with his life for the sake of his children, and himself. He finally returns to singing in public again

Moonrise is a great movie that the whole family can watch together. I enjoyed it, and I think you will, too!

Moonrise helps reminds viewers that our stories are never done. Even when we think our story is set in stone, with faith and perseverance we can keep growing forward.

Visit the website to join Pure Flix now and celebrate Christmas with Pure Flix!

Pure Flix Giveaway

Enter the giveaway to win a 3 month subscription to Pure Flix! This is limited to US winners only, and only to those who have NOT won a subscription in the last 6 months.

To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: Many thanks to Pure Flix for providing a sample of the product for this review. (I watched an online screener) Opinions are 100% my own.

« Previous Page

The Confession Musical Review & Giveaway

The Confession Musical Review & Giveaway

The Confession Musical Favorite Scenes

The Confession Musical Story Continued

The Giveaway

Heaven Sent Movie Review & Pure Flix Giveaway

Heaven Sent Cast List

Check out the Heaven Sent trailer!

Recommended reading:

Pure Flix Giveaway

January is National Hobby Month!

Magnesium – What It Is & Why You Need It

Canning Venison with My New Digital Pressure Canner

Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe

Celebrate Christmas with Pure Flix

Celebrate Christmas with Pure Flix & Moonrise Movie Review

Moonrise Movie Review

Pure Flix Giveaway