Linda's Lunacy

Faith, Home, & Family

By the Light of the Silvery Moon – Book Review

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Just in time for the 100th Anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, Tricia Goyer has a new book out, By The Light of the Silvery Moon.


 

About By The Light of The Silvery Moon:

Amelia Gladstone’s hopes are tied up in the Titanic–hopes for a reunion with her sister and an introduction to an admirer. But when she offers a spare ticket to a down-and-out young man, her fate is about to change.

Quentin Walpole is stunned when a sweet lady secures his passage to America–and even more surprised to find his wealthy father and older brother on board the ship. Suddenly Amelia finds herself caught between the attentions of two men, but who should she entrust her heart to? As the fateful night arrives, will Amelia lose everything to the icy waters?

 

About Tricia Goyer:

Tricia Goyer is an acclaimed and prolific writer, publishing hundreds of articles in national magazines including Today’s Christian Woman and Focus on the Family while authoring more than thirty fiction and nonfiction books combined. Among those are 3:16 Teen Editionwith Max Lucado and the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Book of the Year Award winners Night Songand Dawn of a Thousand Nights. She has also written books on marriage and parenting and contributed notes to the Women of Faith Study Bible. Tricia hosts a weekly radio program Living Inspired and lives with her husband and four children in Arkansas. You can find out more about Tricia atwww.triciagoyer.com

 

My Review:
I loved By the Light of the Silvery Moon! Amelia, the main character in this book, cares more about others than she does herself. She is always looking for ways to help others. That is how she ends up giving a ticket for the Titanic to Quentin. Quentin had reached a low point in his life, and Amelia helped him. She did more than help him, she gave him hope and reunited him with his family.
By the Light of the Silvery Moon isn’t just a love story, although it is a great love story. It’s a story of restoration and second chances. Of giving our lives to God and letting Him determine the outcome. Of putting others before ourselves.
I found By the Light of the Silvery Moon to be true to the history of the Titanic. I liked this book much, much better than the blockbuster movie about the Titanic. The authors excellent descriptions had me walking around the ship in my minds eye. I think you’ll love By the Light of the Silvery Moon as much as I did.

Celebrate the release of By the Light of the Silvery Moon with Tricia by entering her giveaway and RSVPing to her Titanic party.

Win an Flip HD Camcorder during @TriciaGoyer’s Unsinkable Titanic Giveaway and RSVP for 4/10 Titanic Party!

One “unsinkable” winner will receive:

  • Flip HD video Camera (Make your own dramatic saga!)
  • Titanic movies from the ages {Titanic (1953) Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964), Titanic (1997)}
  • Secrets of the Titanic (Get the facts from National Geographic.)
  • And the Band Played On (Music Played on the Titanic.)
  • By the Light of the Silvery Moon by Tricia Goyer (Be swept away in this tale of love and courage.)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 9th. Winner will be announced at “Silvery Moon” Titanic Facebook Party on 4/10. Tricia will be hosting an author chat (on Facebook and Live from her website) and giving away books, gift certificates and a book club prize pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club). During the live chat Tricia will have a *special guest* join her. More details coming soon!

So grab your copy of By the Light of the Silvery Moon and join Tricia on the evening of the April 10th for a fun chat, trivia contest (How much do you know about the Titanic?) 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 10th!

 

 
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a free copy of this book  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.”

Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil Review & Giveaway

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I have been reading about Coconut Oil for a long time. I have liked everything I read about it. How great it is to cook with. How great it is for your health. Just this week, another news story reported how Coconut Oil is being used to help relieve symptons  of a major disease. All the personal stories that I have read all said how much they loved using it. I have wanted to try Coconut Oil for quite sometime.

There are hundreds of ways to use Coconut Oil. Not just in cooking!

If your interested in watching more videos to learn about Coconut Oil, you can visit Tropical Traditions YouTube Channel.

When Tropical Traditions offered to send me a jar of Coconut Oil to try, I was very happy for the chance try it. I hadn’t purchased Coconut Oil anywhere as I was slightly confused about which one I should buy. Refined? Unrefined? Virgin? Which one would be the best to try first? Just what is Virgin Coconut Oil? Thankfully, I was able to find out more information on Tropical Traditions website.

 

 

Virgin Coconut Oil, Gold Label – 1 quart

If you order by clicking on this referral link and have never ordered from Tropical Traditions in the past, you will receive a free book on Virgin Coconut Oil, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you. This is the only referral link in this post.

 

 

 

Tropical Traditions has a Coconut Oil Recipe Page with hundreds of recipes. They all sound great. However, I decided the best way to try the coconut oil would be to use it in recipes we already know we like.

So I used the Coconut Oil to make Chicken Stir Fry, Fried Potatoes, and Black Bean Brownies.

 

The chicken cooked for the stir fry was delicious! I sauted the chicken in the coconut oil with no coating on it. Just chicken and coconut oil. Everyone loved the chicken!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We look forward to cooking chicken like this to put on salad. I also sauted the rest of the stir fry in the coconut oil. I go light with the soy sauce, so I could still taste the coconut oil. If you use more soy sauce, you probably won’t be able to taste the coconut. It made a very delicious stir fry. Success #1

We were having breakfast for supper one night, so I took some of our home canned potatoes and fried them in coconut oil. I made a larger pan cooked our normal way. In case no one liked the coconut oil potatoes. They ate them all!

You could taste the coconut oil on the potatoes, but the taste was not overwhelming. I gave the family a choice, and they all wanted to taste them, and liked them. I will definitely make the potatoes with coconut oil again.  Success #2

Next, I used the coconut oil in my Black Bean Brownies. You can definitely taste the coconut oil in this recipe. The coconut flavor was stronger when the brownies were still warm.

After being in the fridge, the coconut flavor isn’t as strong. You can still taste it, though. Since chocolate and coconut go together so well, the coconut oil makes the Black Bean Brownies extra yummy. And even healthier!  Success #3

Coconut Oil is excellent for your skin, also. I rubbed some straight coconut oil onto the back of my hand. A little goes a long way! It didn’t take very long at all to rub it into my skin. No longer than a lotion, really. It made the back of my hand feel so soft. The light coconut scent was nice.

I’ve made my own deodorant in the past, cornstarch, baking soda, and essential oils. Coconut Oil is supposed to be a great addition to homemade deodorant. So I tried my hand at making some.

I didn’t follow a recipe, just made it up as I went along. lol I used 2 Tablespoons each of Cornstarch and Baking Soda and 1 Tablespoon of Coconut Oil (I didn’t melt it, I used it at room temp). It was a little stiff, so I added another teaspoon of Coconut Oil. I then added 10 drops of Lavender Essential Oil. Then it was to loose. lol I had to add a little more cornstarch and baking soda. So I recommend adding any essential oils your using before deciding if the texture is what you want. I have not used this for its intended purpose, but I did test it on the back of my hand. It rubs on easily, and a little goes a long way. I gave this jar to my daughter to use. She doesn’t like using store bought anything. She was very happy to get it. 🙂

I didn’t have a pretty little container to put it in, so I put it in a canning jar. It works. lol  Success #4

 

My first attempts at using Coconut Oil were all successful! My family (including the kids!) loved everything I made with it. I will definitely make Coconut Oil a regular ingredient in cooking and homemade beauty items from now on. I loved this Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil.

Tropical Traditions is giving a jar of Coconut Oil to one of you! Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter!

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*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a free Quart Jar of Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil  in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. I was not obligated to write a postive review, or host a giveaway. 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.”

Wednesdays Were Pretty Normal: A Boy, Cancer and God

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

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

Today’s Wild Card author is:

 

 

and the book:

 

B&H Books (March 1, 2012)

***Special thanks to Haverly Pennington of Lifeway for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michael Kelley is a Bible study writer and editor whose previous works include Holy Vocabulary and The Tough Sayings of Jesus. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama. Michael and his wife have three children and live in Nashville, Tennessee.

Visit the author’s website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:


“Wednesdays were pretty normal,” writes Michael Kelley, looking for a bright spot amidst the chemotherapy routine brought on by his two-year-old son Joshua’s cancer diagnosis. His book of the same name offers much to anyone who’s tired of prescriptive spirituality and would rather acknowledge and work through the difficulties of faith with some transparency.

Joshua battled and beat the disease, but not before his family had to reconcile what it means to believe in God despite a broken world. His dad’s personal account of that fight to survive sparks a larger discussion of how Christians must learn to walk in the light of Christ’s promises despite the dark shadows of earthly pain. Indeed, it’s pain that sometimes opens the door to a deeper experience with Jesus, an authentic relationship that holds steady even when life loses the comfort of normalcy.
Endorsements:

“Get ready to go on a remarkable journey . . .  Faith is more than a gift we’re given; it’s a tool we must exercise and use in order to experience its supernatural power. Michael Kelley poignantly illustrates the process of turning faith from a noun to a verb and how it can transform and shape our ability to persevere. Everyone needs to read this book.”

Pete Wilson, author of Plan B

“I sat down to skim this and instead read every word start to finish. Reader, please listen to me: If you have ever suffered, struggled, doubted, wrestled with a God who allows hunger and disease and two-year-old boys to get cancer, if you have attempted to believe God in the midst of devastation or fear, please devour this book like the gift it is. Thank you, Michael, for not only honestly sharing your story with us but drawing us deeper into the true, rich, genuine love of Jesus who cries with us, stays by us, and redeems us.”

Jen Hatmaker, author of 7

“Anyone who has ever had a sick child will find much needed words of comfort, encouragement, and a powerful reminder that you’re not alone. Whether for yourself or your friends, you’ll discover divine solace in these pages.”

Margaret Feinberg, author of Scouting the Divine and Hungry for God

“A huge man and a tiny child walk hand in hand through these pages, then right out of the book and into your heart.  Read it for your own edification, if you wish!  But be alert, there are other parents you may not have noticed, who grieve quietly and are much afraid . . . They need this book.”

Calvin Miller, author of The Singer trilogy

“In the midst of a battle no wants to face, Michael wrestled issues about God and faith and the difficulty of life that most of us will in some way. Honest, heart breaking but beating loudly with hope, Wednesdays were pretty normal is a beautiful book.”

Jon Acuff, author of Quitter and Stuff Christians Like

“Michael points back to a God that is deeper than the pain and doubts, and guides us beyond Christian platitudes to genuine rest in the arms of our heavenly Father. I look forward to recommending this book to people in our church.”

J.D. Greear, author of Gospel

“Michael Kelley is a gifted communicator and offers the church in this generation much promise. I am pleased not only to recommend this book, but also to commend this faithful servant of the Lord.”

Thom S. Rainer, president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources

“This is not a sentimental memoir or another theoretical look at suffering. Instead, Michael leads us to the intersection of faith and life, of God’s love and our pain, of God’s plan and our questions.”

Trevin Wax, author of Counterfeit Gospels and Holy Subversion

“I feel very strongly that this story is one that must be shared again and again. You’ll find yourself seeing faith, hope, and ultimately, God, in a much more intimate way than you have before.”

Mark Batterson, author of In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day

“. .  . It is also a story about hope and the God whose love reaches us in the deepest depths, the God whose middle name is Surprise! You must read this book!”

Timothy George, founding dean, Beeson Divinity School of Samford University

Product Details:

List Price: $14.99

Paperback: 264 pages

Publisher: B&H Books (March 1, 2012)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1433671697

ISBN-13: 978-1433671692

AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER (Please click the cover below to LOOK INSIDE!):

Used by permission   Excerpt taken from Wednesdays Were Pretty Normal; A boy, cancer and God /Michael Kelley/c. 2012/B&H Publishing Group

The Scent of Cherry Blossoms – Review

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Annie Martin loves the Plain ways of her Old Order Mennonite people, like those revered by her beloved grandfather. Retreating from a contentious relationship with her mother, Annie goes to live with her Daadi Moses in Apple Ridge.

But as spring moves into Pennsylvania and Annie spends time amongst the cherry trees with the handsome Aden Zook, she wishes she could forget how deeply the lines between the Old Order Amish and Old Order Mennonite are drawn.

Can Annie and Aden find a place for their love to bloom in the midst of the brewing storm?

 

The Scent of Cherry Blossoms

Read an excerpt from Chapter One of The Scent of Cherry Blossoms.

 

In The Scent of Cherry Blossoms, Annie doesn’t get along very well with her mother. Her father is absent, so her mother sends her to live with her Grandfather. After moving in with her Grandfather, Annie rekindles a childhood friendship with Aden. Unfortunately, Aden is an Old Order Amish, while Annie is an Old Order Mennonite. When her Grandfather finds out how close the two are becoming, he forbids them to see each other again.

The cherry tress that Annie’s Grandfather planted play an important part in Annie and Aden’s courtship.

“Love and loyalty are worth sacrificing for and our people know that. In time your people and mine will forgive us for ruffling their feathers.”  – Annie, page 190

Aden’s brother Roman, who is in a wheelchair, is also a main character in the book.  He has a lot to deal with trying to figure out where he belongs in the family business and what he really wants to do with his life. And who he wants to spend the rest of his life with. The book ends with Roman trying to make a very important decision in his life.

The Scent of Cherry Blossoms is a short book, a novella of 191 pages, so it’s a quick but lovely read. I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent reading The Scent of Cherry Blossoms.

For more information on Cindy Woodsmall and her other books, visit her Cindy Woodsmall.com. You can also visit WaterBrook Multnomah for more information.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of  The Scent of Cherry Blossoms from Blogging For Books  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.”

God, Girls, and Getting Connected

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

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

Today’s Wild Card author is:

and the book:

Harvest House Publishers (February 1, 2012)

***Special thanks to 
Karri James of Harvest House Publishers  for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Robin Marsh is an Emmy nominated and national award-winning journalist. She anchors the weekday morning newscast at KWTV-News9, the CBS affiliate in Oklahoma City. Robin uses her influence from television as a way to share with women and girls about the love of Jesus at retreats for women, students, and churches. She was honored as a “Woman of Distinction” by Girl Scouts of the USA.

Visit the author’s website.

Lauren Nelson was crowned Miss America 2007. She received the prestigious TOYA award (Ten Outstanding Young Americans) by the United States Junior Chamber Organization in 2008. Lauren serves many charities including Children’s Miracle Network. She is a co-anchor at KWTV-News9, the CBS affiliate in Oklahoma City. Lauren loves teaching Bible studies and leading worship with her husband.

Visit the author’s website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Miss America 2007, Lauren Nelson, and award-winning TV news anchor Robin Marsh share a passion to encourage teen girls. In this relevant, engaging devotional they show the cell phone generation of girls why accepting God’s call is the best decision they’ll ever make.

Each devotion includes a question in teen lingo, God’s “text response” from Scripture, insightful reflections, and a daily spiritual app to help girls relate biblical wisdom to everyday needs as they explore:

  • how to deal with the drama of other girls
  • decisions about boys and sexual purity
  • do’s and don’ts of social media
  • the fun of living out a bold faith
  • their identity and uniqueness in Christ

A cleverly presented, timely look at God’s help for the needs young women face today. Perfect for individual faith growth and as group discussion and study material.



Product Details:
List Price: $11.99

Paperback: 176 pages
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (February 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0736945210
ISBN-13: 978-0736945219

AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Finding Friends

Becca: “Why is Paige hanging out with that group of girls? All they do is trash talk other girls—even the ones who are their friends.”

God’s Text: “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them” (Ephesians 5:6-7).

Getting Connected

  Face it, girl. In today’s culture there’s a lot of pressure to find the perfect guy, have the perfect friends, and look like a celebrity at a photo shoot. It’s easy to get a skewed vision about what is good and what is not so good. So how do you respond when someone warns you about the friends you’ve surrounded yourself with? Do you cover your ears?
  It’s natural to want to believe the best about people, but God’s Word reminds you to consistently be on guard in the area of relationships. If someone raises a red flag, even if it’s your mom, pray and ask the Lord to help you determine if the relationship will help you grow in your spiritual journey or pull you down. Loving someone and being nice to others is always a good thing, but the people you choose as close friends and as a boyfriend will affect your future.

Today’s App: Do you have a gut feeling that suggests you need to be cautious in a particular friendship? Do your friends make you a better person? Don’t risk being involved in bad relationships. Be satisfied and secure in the relationship you have with your heavenly Father, and ask Him to give you the strength needed to make the right choices.

Lovable Labels Friendship Pack Review & Giveaway

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Lovable Labels are labels invented by a mom when she couldn’t find any labels that worked the way she wanted. She needed labels for all her sons “stuff” when he went to day care. Leave it to a mom to come up with a great product that does what we need it to do!

Even though we homeschool, we have plenty of times that we need to label things for the kids. Day camps, sleep away camps, we also need to keep track of our stuff at church activities. Lovable Labels are great for anything kids need to label or decorate. Because everyone knows kids think stickers are awesome decorations. lol

These labels, along with the other Loveable Labels are dishwasher and microwave safe. Making them perfect for water bottles, thermos’ and lunch boxes.

Visit the Lovable Labels website to see the Friendship Packs that are available. Your kids, and their friends, will love them!

 


 

Lovable Labels has generously supplied us with a pack of “Friendship Pack” for one lucky winner!  Thanks, Lovable Labels!

Enter to win a Friendship Pack for your child to share with a special friend. Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

Giveaway open in US and Canada.

 

 

 


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*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.”

The Mighty Macs – Movie Review & Giveaway

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The Mighty Macs is now available on DVD! I’m so excited because this is a great family movie. The Mighty Macs is rated G. Even animated movies these days are rated PG. Really, The Might Macs is a must for your next family movie night.  Your whole family will love it!

 

Mighty Macs

About the Movie:

It’s 1971. Cathy Rush is a woman ahead of her time … and she’s about to embark on an adventure for the ages. A new era is dawning in the country and in collegiate athletics, where a national champion will be crowned for the first time in women’s basketball.
In the lead up to this historical season, major universities are preparing their game plans to win that first title. Meanwhile a tiny all-women’s Catholic college in Philadelphia has a more modest goal: find a coach before the season begins. Providentially, Cathy Rush is about to find Immaculata College.

Recently married, Cathy is dealing with the aftermath of a truncated playing career. While cultural norms would have her staying at home, she’s willing to do the hard work necessary to help her new team reach their goals—or perhaps she’s just trying to achieve her unfulfilled dreams through them.

From the beginning, her challenges are as imposing as the big-school teams Immaculata will face on the court. Cathy learns there is no gymnasium on campus, she receives little support from the school’s Mother Superior, and the school is in dire financial straits. To top it off, she may not even have enough players to field a team!

While it appears the Macs don’t have a prayer, all hope is not lost. With the help of Sister Sunday—a spunky assistant coach—and the support of a booster club of elderly nuns, Coach Rush creates a new game plan that just might bring the team—and the school—together.

Will this pioneer buck cultural norms and spur her rag-tag team to unexpected heights? Or will her hard-driving ways create a wedge between the coach and everyone around her? One thing’s for certain: there’s never been anyone like Cathy Rush at Immaculata!

 

 

The Mighty Macs is an awesome movie! I’m not a sports fan really, I like to watch the Olympics but that’s the extent of my sports watching. That’s ok, you don’t have to be a big sports fan to enjoy The Mighty Macs.

While basketball does have a center position in The Mighty Macs, it’s not the only theme. To me, the main theme is to have a dream. Then do what it takes to make your dream come true.

This scene has my favorite line from the movie, “Have the courage to follow your dream, that’s your gift to the world.”

 

 

 

You can follow The Might Macs on Facebook and The Mighty Macs on Twitter to keep up with the latest news.

 

Thanks to Propeller, I get to giveaway one The Mighty Macs DVD! Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below.



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