Hosanna Emily's Blog, page 27

"No Ordinary Hero" movie review

I have not been very diligent on posting movie review.  **sorry readers**  But here is another one, that is not anything like the movies I usually watch.  If you are an American Sign Language fan or if you love learning about the Deaf community (like me!) then you will probably enjoy this movie!  If you don't care for ASL, then you might want to skim over this post. =)


"Tony Kane is a deaf actor who plays a superhero on TV.  Eight-year-old Jacob; also deaf; is torn between different ideas of what 'normal' is. When Tony and Jacob's paths cross; they inspire belief in each other and in themselves."



Negative Elements: I can't remember any bad language, though we watched it several days ago, so I might have forgotten something. (I feel like there might have been one or two bad words...but I can't remember!)  There was kissing between un-married characters multiple times.  They also showed a girlfriend/boyfriend breaking up and one of them getting into another relationship.  Those were two negative things that I didn't appreciate.
This movie is not Christian and there isn't a Christian message, which is a downfall.


My Review:


No Ordinary Hero is a very cool video for those interested in the Deaf community or learning American Sign Language (ASL).  It centers on two deaf people.  One is a TV star who wants to make a difference.  The second is a boy who wants to just "fit in" with the other hearing children in his school.  There is a lot of ASL in the video and information on how a deaf person would feel in a hearing community (like schools). There are captions for the ASL, if you don't understand it all. =) The movie also has several Deaf celebrities, which was very fun for me to see, including:  Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur, Ashley Fiolek, and Deanne Bray (she was only behind the scenes, not acting).  This is not the typical type of movie that I watch, but I enjoyed it.  Some parts with very silly.  (not in a good way or bad really...it depends on what you like I guess)  If you are not interested ASL, then you probably wouldn't like this movie.
The theme of the movie was accepting and being proud of who you are.  There was no Christian elements in the movie (sadly), but I enjoyed it.


Other Notes:

We were able to watch this movie free through Amazon Prime!  A big plus! =)

Have you watched No Ordinary Hero or another piece about the Deaf community?  Are you learning ASL or do you want to in the future?  Comment below!

Farewell May

Before I start this post, I want all of you to hop over to Ivy's blog!  She is going to host her first blog tour as she releases her first novel, The Old River Road!!!  I hope all of you can be in the blog tour as well!  Click here for more information!


Yes, dear reader, I gave in.  Most of the blogs I follow have wonderful, monthly highlights at the end of each month.  I've held out, not doing the monthly highlight posts for so long...but I finally gave in. =)  Thus, here is my summary of the beautiful, flowery month of May.




Adventures in Life:
May was actually a very relaxing, calm month. =)  My favorite!  I was able to do a lot of writing on my current WIP and work on finishing up school for the year.  Other than that...I got to go with some of my family members and my good friend Caroline to watch some real-life court cases!  It was a "home-school trip!" =)  We had a fun time, getting a small tour of what it is like behind the court room, including the holding cells, the judges' offices, the jury rooms, etc.  After that, we sat in the jury box *grin* and watched several cases and one actual trial!  It was SO fun.


Books I Read: 8


        
 The Winter Rescue (Sugar Creek Gang #3) by Paul HutchensThe Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark TwainRobin Hood by J. Walker McSpadden
Star of Light by Patricia St. JohnAmazing Grace for a Woman's Heart (a devotional) by Jane L. FryarLetters from a Scatter-Brained Sister by Amanda TeroThe Secret at Pheasant Cottage by Patricia St. JohnLoving God with All Your Mind by Elizabeth George
My Favorite:
Loving God with All Your Mind!!!  I enjoyed all of these books, but Elizabeth George is a wonderful author.  Her book made me see God in a new way and think deeper on what my mind is dwelling on.  You can see my full review here.  PLEASE read this book if you want to strengthen your relationship with Jesus!! 

My Least Favorite: 
Probably The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.  It wasn't bad, but I enjoyed all of the other books more. =)


My New Creations:
This month I wrote 22,799 words in my current WIP, The Emblem of Hope!!!  So I'm...1/3 of the way done maybe?  I am not at all sure at this point.  This is the revision of my rough draft, and though it's still messy, it is a lot better than the first draft. =) Annnd...I also worked on designing a cover...so we'll see how that goes. =)


Blog Friends:

Here are two featured blog posts that were posted this month that blessed me. I hope you enjoy them as well!

Made In His Image Part One - Created

From the blog Apples of Gold by Jessica

The Summer Before You

From the blog Completely For Him by Hannah



Blog Posts:
In case you missed one of my blog posts this month, here are the archives!



 

   
 


  Do you enjoy reading monthly summaries?  What did YOU do in the beautiful month of May?  Comment Below!

The Infinity Dream Tag

  I know!  I just did a tag!  But here goes another one! =)I was tagged by the beautiful Hannah for the Infinity Dream Tag!!  Thank you! =)  This looks like a fun post! Rules 1. Thank the blogger who tagged you.2. Tell us 11 facts about yourself.3. Answer the 11 questions given to you.4. Tag 11 bloggers and give them 11 new questions to answer. My 11 Random Facts:
1. I published my first novella  (Lol...you probably already knew that)
2. I am learning ASL and LOVE it!  (ASL stands for American Sign Language)
3. I am gluten intolerant...thus I have to eat food without wheat and barley.  (it's not as bad as you might think...especially when my mom is the best cook in the whole world!)
4. I enjoy English, History, and Piano
5. I love thunderstorms
6. I love sending letters to people!  (Snail mail is the best!)  When our newspaper has "card showers" to older folks who are having birthdays, I love sending them a special birthday card. =)
7. I am not very good at coming up with random facts...**hastily tries to think of 4 others...**
8. I love being a Beta reader for new authors!!!
9. I am VERY picky about which blogs I follow...I don't like to bog down my email account, so I only pick my favorite blogs to follow. =)  If I follow your blog, then know that I really, really like it!
10. I love spring where I live.  The flowers are gorgeous, butterflies abundant, temperature perfect, and rain constant!
11. I live on a farm...thus we have almost every sort of farm animal.  Sheep, pigs, chickens, ducks, guinea fowl, dogs, cats, a cow, a horse, and others!

I did it!  Here are Hannah's questions for me!!!

1. What is your favorite blog?     My ONE favorite blog?!  Eek...I like so many!  One of my favorites is The Left-Handed Typist. =)
2. What is the biggest thing you've learned from blogging?     Probably not to compare yourself to others...it can be pretty hard in the blogging world not to look at other blogs and wish you had their followers or their header.  LOL.  Being content with what you have can be hard sometimes. =)
3. How many siblings do you have?     I have 8 siblings!!!   ♥
4. Favorite author?     My favorite author(s) include:  Janette Oke, Jaye L. Knight, C.S. Lewis and others. =)
5. What is a movie that has greatly impacted you?     This is actually a hard question because lots of movies are fun to watch but aren't really impacting.  But one that has impacted me is "War Room!"  It made me want to pray more and see the importance of prayer!
6. What is a book that has greatly impacted you? (other than the Bible!:)     One book that impacted me was A Young Woman After God's Own Heart.  It had so many helpful tips and advice on how to grow in my Christian walk!  EVERY SINGLE young woman needs to read it!
7. What is one of your most prized possessions?
     One of my most prized possessions is an envelope that contains every single letter that I've received from my Compassion child in Ecuador.  I love her sooooo much!!!  She's one of my best friends and like a sister to me.  ♥
8. What is one of your best memories?     When I saw my baby sister born!  It was the first time I saw a baby come into the world. (haha...I've seen cows, goats, sheep and other farm animals) =P And she's the sweetest thing ever! ♥
9. Your best writing advice?     Don't be lazy...and start writing!  LOL  (that comes from me, the person who was going to write a chapter of my novel until I saw this tag and had to get it done.)  Ha.
10. What is the title of a book your currently working on?(tell a little about it)     I am working on The Emblem of Hope.  It's a historical fiction book based on Jamestown.  (back then it was known as James Fort)  I am writing from the perspective of two main characters.  One is an English girl named Maddie who leaves her beloved home to journey across the dangerous Atlantic Ocean.  The second is a beautiful Native American girl named Pocahontas who loses her loving father figure and feels very alone.  
11. What is your favorite Bible character other than Jesus? :)     Esther!!!  She was such a beautiful example of a woman who risks everything to honor God!  I desire to have her courage and love for God in my own life!!!!..................................
I'll let you tag yourself, dear readers, because I just tagged some of you for my villain post. =)  If you want to do it, comment below and let me know please!!   Here are my questions:
1.  What's YOUR favorite blog?2. What is your favorite posts that you've written?3. Can you tell one way in which God has shown Himself strong in your life?4. What is your most prized possession?5. Do you prefer reading or writing or both?6. Dark or milk chocolate?  (Dark for me!)7. Can you name one blogger/writer who has led you closer to God through their life/writings?8. What's your dream job?9. Are you learning a language?10. What is your favorite movie?11.  Do you have a current work-in-progress?  (please tell about it!)
Do we have anything in common?  Who is a blogger who has inspired you? 
Also, do you enjoy reading tagged posts?  Should I write more of them or less? Comment below!

Top 10 Villains Tag

Welcome readers!  Before I begin my post, I wanted to share the link for a very short book that is FREE this week!!  Check it out and then hop on back to read my post! =)  It's only 15 pages, but still would be a fun quick read!  (I have not read it yet, so I don't know if it's a good piece or not) =)  Debt of Mercy by Amanda Tero
I was tagged by Jane for the top 10 villains tag! Thank you Jane! =)  I was excited about this post...but it was very, very hard to come up with ten villains!  I had to go all over our book shelves and movies to find them.  I want to warn you that there might be some spoilers, so you may want to skip over characters that you have not yet met. =) 
Presenting...





Rules:1. Post the picture2. Thank the blogger who tagged you3. List your top ten favorite villains and why you chose them (they can be from movies or books)4. Tag ten other bloggers.






The Mistress

The Mistress is from a novel by Katie Grace:  The Song of the Desert.  (not yet published) She asked for Beta readers in March, and I was SO excited to read it!  Her book is fantastic...I can't wait until it comes out so all of you can read it too!  Anyway, Katie created a wonderful villain in the Mistress.  She is cruel but feels like a real person.  I (as a reader) didn't want her punished as much as I wanted her eyes to be opened to the pain she caused...but that's just me. =)







Darth Vadar

Okay...so I just watched Star Wars for the first time in December.  But Darth Vadar was one of the villains that stood out to me.  He has a sad past, and in the end he shows that he's not completely evil.  He still has some good in him.






Jadis (aka The White Witch)

The reason that Jadis is one of my favorite villains is because she's in my favorites series.  Lol!  But I love how C.S. Lewis portrayed her in The Chronicles of Narnia.  She represents sin and everything vile in this world...and can only be destroyed by Aslan, the great Lion who represents Jesus Christ.  How much better could that get?!






Nellie Olson

Haha...she's a hilarious character in Little House on the Prairie.  Nellie is stuck up, arrogant, and high maintenance.  Unfortunately, she lives in the middle of a small town with mainly poorer farmers.  She becomes Laura's dire enemy and tries to embarrass and harass her at all times.  This makes the movie series quite enjoyable to watch.  And by the end of the series, Nellie grows up and grows to be a very likable woman and mother. =)






King Darrow

I couldn't find a picture of King Darrow from The Wilderking Trilogy...but he is a great villain nevertheless.  His character represents King Saul.  He is crazy, just wants to be promoted, and doesn't care about anyone else.  But the way that the main character, Aiden, respects and honors the king even when Darrow wants him killed is very noble.  I love this series!!






My Villain

Can I pick my own villain for this tag??  I hope so...
Anyway, my villain is from The Mystery of the Midnight Trespasser.  I can't give you a name, because it would give away part of the story. =)  But I enjoyed creating him, trying to make him feel real to the readers...anyway...I hope you liked reading about him if you have been able to read my novella. =)






Emperor Daican

Emperor Daican is a merciless ruler who wants everyone to serve and pay homage to only him.  When some stand up for their beliefs in Elôm, he is outraged.  Resistance shows someone standing up for her faith in God and how we should have courage to do the same.





 
Mikkel
Mikkel is only selfish, teenage boy.  Yet, when he leads his viking ships to raid villages, he ruins lives forever.  Through the series, he becomes more likable as he sees what he's really doing to the captured people's lives.  Raiders from the Sea is a fantastic book by a Christian author!


 
The Sultan  The Sultan is a pompous man whose heart was broken by his wife.  He never forgave her, and thus announces that he will marry a new woman every day and kill her the next morning.  One woman risks her life to save the women of the country by telling him tales that he can't resist.  The Sultan is shown as a prideful man, but in the end you see that he is really just trying to fill in the hole in his life.  I enjoyed reading Shadow Spinner and it shows how people lived in that time period.



 
The Lady of the Green Kirtle
 This villain is from The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis.  She is a sly witch with the ability to turn herself into a snake.  Her goal: to completely destroy Narnia.  Through the help of Aslan, two children are sent off to rescue the Prince of Narnia who was captured by her.

I tag:
Chloë WombleHannah RodriguezNada FaithJessica DawnEmilyAbiSarahIvy RoseJordy LeighKatie

As usual, if you do not want to do this tag, then that's okay.  Or if you want to be tagged and I didn't tag you, then feel free to do it anyway!
Have you read/watched any of these pieces?  Which villains do you like? Comment below!

Conservation: A Big Deal?

The topic of the environment seems like a big deal.  If we don't preserve the earth, then all the rest of the human population will have to live on a planet blighted with litter, global warming, with a loss of extinct animals, and all those bad things.  After Earth Day has come and passed, I felt a bit disgusted with it all.  Conservationists passed out coloring book to little kids (my siblings!) telling them to "save the world" and stickers that said "I love the earth."  Thus, this post is revealing it's face on my blog.  I know this isn't a normal post for me, but please stick though!
Is conservation a "big deal" or not?  (I'm glad you asked!)  Genesis 1 talks a bit about how we are responsible to the earth.  After God created everything--the light and darkness, the oceans, the birds, the mammals, and so much more--on the sixth day He created man.  God said, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”  (Genesis 1:28)
God wants us to take care of the earth.  We are stewards of what He has given us.  But a lot of people take this too far.  People dedicate their lives to "saving the earth."  They care too much about "going green."
Honestly, it's not that big of a deal.
Yes, recycling, planting trees, saving whales and pandas, and reducing the ozone layer are good things to do.  But a lot of people are spending their lives doing good things when they could do great things for God!
While people are crying and screaming about the trees that are being brutally destroyed by loggers, they are completely ignoring the fact that 3,700 human children are aborted every day.  That's twice as big as the population of the town I live in!!  (Okay, so I live in a small town, but still...)
That's around 154 children literally torn apart every hour.  It's a sad world we live in.  And many of the people who support abortion are also "going green" and "saving our environment."  Is this lovely place God has created for us more important than the ones who were created in His image?  Why don't we hear this part of the story?
Maybe God has chosen to put you in the environmental field.  If that's what He has chosen for you, then honor Him with it.  But please make sure that you aren't spending your life doing good things when you could be doing GREAT things for Him!!
Sorry for my random post.  I don't usually write about topics like this.  =)

What do you think about Earth Day?  What are some ways where you can exchange "good" things for "great" things in your life?  Comment below!

"A Cry From the Streets" review

 


In the dark world of Brazil, street children, toddlers and teenagers search trash cans for food, steal knives to protect themselves at night, and live in fear of being beaten or even killed by the police. For these desperately needy children, nothing was free--until they encountered the love of Jesus through the compassion of Jeannette and Johan Lukasse.

When this young Dutch couple asked God if He could use them to do something about the immense suffering they saw in the world, He led them on a winding path from their home in the Netherlands to the coast of Greece and eventually to the streets of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Their calling was clear: millions of orphaned and abandoned children were living and dying on the streets, caught in the deadly grip of drugs, violence, prostitution, and abuse.

What followed the Lukasses' step of faith is a stunning example of how God miraculously uses the surrendered lives of believers to transform the lives of others with His hope and healing. My Review:   A Cry From the Streets is the amazing story of how a Dutch couple gave their lives 100% to Jesus with no reservations.  Their lives were completely changed forever.  Their families called them crazy.  They ran out of money.  Their children grew up with dirty, un-schooled, street children.  Yet they were happy for they "gave what they couldn't keep to gain that which they could not lose."  Their story was impacting because of the vast difference that they made in the world.  They were able to give hope to children who were living on the streets in dire circumstances.  The way Jeanette shares their story shows the terrible way in which hundred of thousands of children are forced to live.  It's heart-breaking how they are forced to search for garbage to survive.  So many young children are killed before even reaching their teen years.  This story will make you want to make a difference.   The only thing I didn't like about A Cry From the Streets was that it has adult content.  This is because so much of what happens in Brazil to street children is pretty violent.  I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone under the age of 15.

About the Author: Jeannette Lukasse has been a missionary with her husband Johan since 1980 with Youth with a Mission. They are both from Holland but live and work since 1984 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil among children in need, where they founded JOCUM (YWAM) Belo Horizonte. They started out working with street children, but later extended that to children in all kind of difficult life situations: children with HIV or AIDS, physically challenged children, children in the slums, trafficked children, etc.


Have you read A Cry From the Streets or any other stories about life in Brazil?  Comment below!

The Future...A Scary Place

*note, while this has some political references in it, I do not want to turn this into a political argument. =)  If you disagree with something I said, send me your blog link or email address and we can work things out. =)  "A servant of the Lord must not quarrel..." (2 Timothy 2:24a)


I was in the middle of a girls' Bible study when Ted Cruz decided to step out of the Republican nomination for President of the United States.  We were shocked...because now the race consists of two unbelievers running against one another, both wanting to hold the reigns of our nation.  It's sad how far the USA has come away from being a "Nation Under God."
Maybe you are not a political person at all...and maybe you haven't watched all the presidential debates like I have.  **grins sheepishly**  But either way I think you will be able to agree with me: the future is a very scary place.
With ISIS in the Middle East, and all the calamities going around the world, it can be terrifying.
But it doesn't have to be.
You see, no matter how bad things get, I have a God on my side who is bigger than all the hurt, pain, and sin. When David faced Goliath, he stood up for God courageously testifying, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand...that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel."(1 Samuel 17:45-46)
That doesn't mean that we shouldn't be ready to face the future.  The world hates Christians.  We need to prepare ourselves by putting on the armor of God.  When the evil of the world comes against us, we need to stand against it declaring, "I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts!"  
I couldn't resist putting this image in!  =)

How can we be prepared?  (Thanks for asking!)  Look at Ephesians 6:10-18.  It gives us several rules that will keep us strong in the days of trial.  They include: TruthThe breastplate of righteousnessThe preparation of the gospel of peaceThe shield of faithThe helmet of salvationThe sword of the SpiritPraying alwaysBeing watchful to this end  These are extremely important qualities and instructions for us to follow.  They are not suggestions.  They are rules.  If we want to be strong defenders of the Faith, we need to be prepared.
I want to point out two specific ones on the list.  First, we need to have the preparation of the gospel of peace.  We need to always be ready to share our faith with anyone (and everyone!) that we come across.  We must be hiding God's Word in our hearts.  The second one I want to point out is to be praying always.  Always means all. the. time.  I think we tend to underestimate prayer, but it is so, SO important.
Aren't you glad, dear reader, that God has not left us defenseless?!  The question is, are you preparing yourself?  Are you preparing your heart?  Are you being watchful against evil, memorizing God's Word, and having complete faith in it?  Or are you a lukewarm Christian that really doesn't care?
The choice is yours.  But do not put off the decision making.  Get ready today.

Do you ever fear the future?  How are you clothing yourself in the armor of God?  How could you do better in some of the ways listed above?  Comment below!

God is _____? Part 4

A follow up to my post God is _____? Part 3



"Love...does not boast, Love...is not proud..." 1 Corinthians 13:4

In Luke 14, Jesus tells a parable to those around Him.  Jesus was in the middle of a feast at a prominent person's house.  He noticed how others around Him were trying to pick the best seats for themselves—to prove their importance.  Jesus spoke up, reprimanding them.  He said that if you are invited somewhere, do not take the seats of honor.  If you do...well, another guest might show up who is more distinguished than you.  Then you'll end up being told to move.  No, He said to take the lowest seat.  Then when your host sees you he will say, "Friend, move up to a better place."  Then you will be honored in front of everyone.
The point of the story isn't to be honored in front of everyone.  Maybe the parable doesn't sound relevant to your life today.  Where would you try to take the seat of honor?  But there is a deeper meaning that Jesus wanted to show everyone within hearing range.
To be a Christian, we must be like Jesus.  Jesus was a servant.  He washed His disciples' feet.  He touched the untouchables.  He ate with the sinners.  He spoke with the lowly.  He associated with unlovely people.  He cherished them.  Cared for them.  Healed them.
Why is it so hard for us to act this way?  In modern America (and across the world), people want to popular.  They want others to like them.  And to do this, they boast in themselves to others to make others think they are "bigger and better" than they actually are.  They are full of pride in themselves and in their accomplishments.
I'm not talking about "they".  I'm talking about us.  It is so hard to live without being consumed with ourselves.  Our looks.  Our desires.  Our possessions. Our lusts.  But it is also so important!!!
"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."  (Colossians 3:2)
We need to focus on God and not ourselves!  If we do this, then we don't need to brag about ourselves.  We don't need to "look good" to those around us!  Our lives can be for Him and Him alone!  Our goal can be to bring Him glory, not ourselves.  
So this week, here is my challenge.  Instead of focusing on yourself, focus on Him.  Brag on Jesus and tell others what He's done for you!  And instead of boasting to others, why don't you complement them?  Tell them what you like about them, instead of trying to look good to them.  If you get rid of pride, then you can have perfect Love through Christ!

What are your thoughts on pride and boasting?  How can we focus on God more and on ourselves less?  Comment below!

3 Day Quote Challenge--Day 3

I was nominated by Katie from Concealed Foundation for the 3 Day Quote Challenge. ¡Muchísimas gracias, Katie!


Rules:
-Thank the person who nominated you
-Nominate 3 new bloggers everyday
-Post a new quote everyday for 3 consecutive days

And today's quote...


 
If you haven't read The Voyage of the Dawn Treader then this quote might not make much sense. =)  But the speaker, Reepicheep, is willing to give everything for Aslan--the One King.  His life...his future...this friends.  It is all worthless compared to seeing Aslan with his own eyes.  If you haven't read C.S. Lewis entire series The Chronicles of Narnia, please do!  It has really blessed me and helped me to understand Jesus' sacrifice more clearly!

I nominate:
Sarah from Trusting in the Lord
Morgan from The Day the Lord has Made 
Bonnie from Bonnie's Blessings
(If you do not want to do this tag, then please do not feel obligated to do it!  And if someone else already tagged you, I'm sorry!!  Because the three day challenge is up, you can tag yourself if I didn't tag you and you wanted to do it!)  =)

I hope these quotes were inspirational to you! =)

3 Day Quote Challenge--Day 2

I was nominated by Katie from Concealed Foundation for the 3 Day Quote Challenge. Thanks again Katie!

Rules:
-Thank the person who nominated you
-Nominate 3 new bloggers everyday
-Post a new quote everyday for 3 consecutive days

My second quote!





Are YOU giving everything--living radically--for Christ?

I nominate:
Lauren from Victory
Hannah from Ink Blots and Coffee Stains 
Abi from The Left-Handed Typist
(If you do not want to do this tag, then please do not feel obligated to do it!  And if someone else already tagged you, I'm sorry!!) =) 

And I also wanted to tell you about a giveaway for a Kindle paper-white and Christian fantasy books that Rachel Starr Thomson is hosting!  If you want to enter, click here!
See you tomorrow for my final quote!