A Call back to Simplicity, Primal Faith

I did receive a free copy of this book for the sole purpose to write a review. This did not affect my thoughts on the book or influence a more positive review.

Primal: A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity

Mark Batterson initiates the reader into an examination of each own's faith. He encourages throughout his book a stripping of superfluousness of religiousity, and coming back to the basics.

This book was quite convicting. There is a fiery passion behind Batterson's words. I find myself caught up in Batterson's call for a passion for the life Christ gave us. There is a call for Believers to wake up, take off the garments that are spotted or the chains that bind them from living a life devoted to God. From living a life Changed!

Each chapter was challenging to me as a believer. I saw my salvation in a new light. From the Chapter: Tribe of the Transplanted, I remember that I was indeed given a NEW heart, infused with new Desires. I was moved by the reality of those given new physical transplanted hearts how changed they were. Many had remarked that not only were they given a new heart through surgery, but had new passion and desires that the donor might have had.

Now with a heart from the God Himself...does our heart break with what breaks God's very own heart? Am I compassionate, understanding, sympathetic? Do i carry on the same heart that God has in whatever situation or to whomever? Or are my reactions simply anger, hatred, self preservation, defensiveness? Do I even love God with all my heart...soul and mind?

I know that there was a lot in this book, and that chapter was simply that, one chapter. I feel that this book offers readers a chance to examine themselves; offering them a chance to strip down to basic, primal faith which occurred at their rebirth. 

If you want to read this book or read more reviews, check it out on Amazon.com

I did receive a free copy of this book for the sole purpose to write a review. This did not affect my thoughts on the book or influence a more positive review.

Flattenme: Personalized Gift Book Review

http://www.flattenme.com/us/

 *I received complimentary products for review from the company. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.*


Our Experience:
What fun! My daughter was mesmerized by seeing herself as different animals, bugs, and creatures. She absolutely had a blast. I have to admit, it was cute and fun. The book itself is very visually stimulating, and has a lot of colorful artwork inside it.  She was a bit shocked at the fact she was in the book.  But after the initial shock this is her smile!

 The book was really great quality, Hard backed with very vibrant colors.  You can see the picture of my daughter in the book here.  The picture quality and the edits were great.  After reading the book with her a few times, I looked closer to see that I can see a little bit of editing with some "additional hair" on her left side to match the hair on the right.  I could not tell the editing until looking closer.  They did an absolute good job.
The reading incorporated a lot of alliteration which was fun to read through with her.  It is not your ordinary ABC and 123 books I can assure you!  It will be a unique book to add to your children's book shelf.

Some Suggestions: I hope Flattenme Books hope to include in the future.  I think it would really neat to be able to incorporate more pictures of the individual?  Like maybe more poses or faces that exhibit different emotions or positions.  Or perhaps a fun idea is to utilize more pictures of the family?  When there are multiple pictures of animals, it would be nice to have different faces of family members instead of one face for all animals.

Conclusion:
Overall I loved it!  My husband and I were smiling as we previewed the book before handing it to our daughter.  Flattenme did a great job at adding her face to the animals, and I thought it was top notch.  When considering getting a personalized gift book from them, be sure to have good quality photo to submit to them.  I was glad that I was able to get a quality photo to them, for it sure came out great.

Be sure to check out their website for  more personalized gifts!  FlattenMe also has personalized t-shirts, wall art, cards, and water bottles.  With Christmas coming around the corner be sure to  Click here to go to their site and check them out on their social networks.

Connect with Flattenme:

https://www.facebook.com/flattenme

http://pinterest.com/flattenme/

https://twitter.com/flattenme

http://blog.flattenme.com/

Health From the Inside Out

Total Nutrition:Immortal Herbs Review

Today I received in the mail a sample packet of Immortal Herbs Total Nutrition.  Directions say to simply mix the packet into an 8oz glass of soy, rice, oat milk, juice or water.  Mix until smooth. 

Upon opening the packet a puff of green powder came out, the aroma was that of a pleasant green tea.  I love the smell of green tea.  I promptly did as the directions suggested, and mixed the contents into my cup of orange juice.  Odd mixture in hindsight, but it was good.  I could still taste my orange juice, which had a taste of greens in it.  Not used to drinking these types of drinks, I admit.  I did drink it down and it was something that I think I’d like to do one day to get superfoods into my system.  Perhaps it was the thought of drinking something healthy that gave me an extra boost I needed to clean up laundry and pick up toys; but then maybe the product did give me an energy boost!

What I loved about the product:

I love the idea of having something that according to the package are the following:

• 100% All-Natural
• Organic,
• GMO-Free
• Vegan
• Raw
• Gluten Free
• No Added Sugars

 Granted, I loved that this packet contained a mixture of ingredients that I know are good for one’s health.  For example here are just a few of the following herbs and superfood that are contained in Immortal Herbs:

• Barley Grass
• Spinach
• Alfafa Leaf
• Gingko Leaf
• Dandelion
• Wild Cranberry
• Bee Pollen
• Pomegranate
• Goji Berries

Final Thoughts and Conclusion:

I find that the mixture of ingredients intriguing and expansive.  For someone who is maybe looking for a Superfood product, Total Nutrition just may be what one is looking for.  It has a little bit of everything!  The product boasts things that are important to me…such as Gluten Free, Raw, Vegan, GMO-Free, and Organic.  I feel like on all levels this product has its advantages.  I also believe that healthfulness starts from the inside out, and I think this would help aid in getting my body there!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Aidance Skincare Review and Giveaway

http://www.aidanceproducts.com
 *I received complimentary products for review from the company. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.*

My Background:

For a couple of years now, I have been struggling with some kind of dermatological problem similiar to eczema and psoriasis--lichen planus.  This past year has been the first time, I had my skin condition diagnosed.  They gave me something that worked for a few weeks.  Needless to say, they prescribed me something that burned and hurt initially, and was potent and addictive.  But yes, the pain did go away as well as the itchiness.

 The only down part was after a week or so in using the ointment/medication given to me, I noticed that the instruction said not to apply in certain areas.  Now about 85% of the areas I have problem with are those areas which the label says not to apply.  In calling them back, the doctor simply said, yes, do not apply the medication to the areas...just treat the other 15% with the medication.  I was floored.  I spent a lot of money on a medication that I could not even use to treat on my problematic areas.

This led me to do some research on my own for some natural products I could use to aid my skin in repair and restoration to healthy skin.  And I found myself reaching out to Aidance Skincare for help on my journey for healthy skin!


The Product: Terrasil Itch Rash and Pain Relief

1.  Safe for Children and Adults.  The ingredients contained within Aidance Skincare are natural* ingredients.  As I talked with Kate, one of the employees of Aidance Skincare, I posed this question of whether this product was safe for kids.  This was one of my concerns as I had a lot of medicated anti-itching lotions and ointments that were just not safe for use on children.  As far as this product is concerned, Terrasil Itch, Rash, and Pain Relief was recommended for diaper rashes and scrapes!  Safe for kids to use too!   http://www.aidanceproducts.com/itch-rash-pain-relief/diaper-rash/

2.  What appealed to me was that each ingredient is listed clearly and its job and fuction described.  SOOTHING NATURAL MOISTURIZERS PENETRATE DEEPLY, PROVIDING MULTIPLE BENEFITS TO IRRITATED SKIN
Jojoba Oil is one of the world's most nutrient-rich and long-lasting moisturizers. The unique consistency of jojoba oil allows Terrasil to penetrate deeply into skin in order to quickly deliver much-needed relief to every layer of skin. It also has documented ability to repair cracked skin.
Eucalyptus Oil has beneficial properties that help protect irritated skin, and help relieve surface discomfort and swelling.
Peppermint Oil has been used for centuries to naturally soothe skin soreness and itch.
Beeswax contains Vitamin A, which is known to condition skin and support cell reconstruction.

3.  Did the product work for me?
When I started using this product:  September 2013  About a month now, I have been using this product.  I started using Terrasil Itch, Rash, and Pain Relief shortly after a big flare up.  The pain was so bad, I had trouble sleeping at night.  I would wake up in pain because of night scratching.  It was a nightmare for about a week.  My stress level was the highest it had ever been.  I tried, coconut oil, shea butter, and another anti-itch lotion.  The pain was still there, but did not seem to get better.  I did not dare try using the medication and ointment my dermatologist gave me--for it stung and smarted so sharp on a good day!  Showers were my short reprieve from the  pain.  The day I received my Aidance Skincare package, my mind thought "please, let this work on the PAIN!"  Itching was secondary on my list.

Can I say my first impression of Terrasil was simply the word, SOOTHE.

There was no pain while applied to my the problematic areas.  Just a thin layer did the trick.  I did not follow instruction to put a band aid, as the band aid did not stick.  My clothing kept picking off the band aids, so I did find that I had to apply the Terrasil product a few times a day.  I do note, that if one were able to put a band aid, I can imagine that he would get better results than me without a band aid.

The itching was more than bearable, I had relief.  Relief that gave my skin a chance to recover and stop bleeding! I did not have the constant urge to scratch.  I found that the product helped me to gain control again of my skin.

Visually I can see the difference.  My skin is losing its darkened color as a result of itching and the scaling.  Though not 100% healthy, I have hope and feel confident that by using this product to fight the itch, I can get back to feeling great in my skin again.  And maybe be happy and not self conscious about wearing tank tops again!

I still have a ways to go, but I am excited at the results of using the product for a short time.

Conclusion.  
When I found this site, I was reading the reviews and testimonials on their website.  I found them to be honest sounding testimonials and as far as customer service answering my questions, superb and down to earth.  The experience as far as being a potential customer was really good, and I felt confident as a buyer.  The cost of the product made me realize that I needed to know that the company I was going to buy from needed to be open and honest and available for questions if I had any.  I know that many may walk away maybe because of the cost of the product.  Hear me out.  Since I have found out about Aidance Skincare, I have seen many really good promotional sales offering different products as far as 50% off or Buy one Get one.  One can score a really great deal for a product that I find has worked for me.  Lastly, Aidance Skincare offers a 90-Day Money Back Guarantee Policy.  One can score a really great deal with the assurance of money back guarantee if he is not satisfied with the product.

Thanks to Aidance Skincare, I am able to offer up a giveaway of their product:  Terrasil Skin Repair and Terrasil Itch Rash, and Pain Relief to one of my readers.  Giveaway will end November 10th, 2013.  I will pick a winner and send them these two products!  Open to the US only.





a Rafflecopter giveaway



Natural*-----Aidance products meet the guidelines of the Natural Products Association Standard for Personal Care Products, which requires that for a product to be deemed “natural” it must be made with at least 95% natural ingredients. Our unique blend (99.5%) of organic, vitamin-rich moisturizers, minerals and plant extracts provide soothing relief while regenerating damaged skin. Lidocaine (.5%) serves as a topical anesthetic.

We encourage you to visit our page of scientific studies to learn about the efficacy of our ingredients and their ability to support the natural healing process.

Aidance Skincare Sale TODAY ONLY!

Half Off Terrasil Skin Repair - Starting at $12

Valid until 11:59 p.m. EST on 10/23/13

Kills bacteria - fights infection - heals irritated skin

Treats cuts, scrapes, blisters, boils, folliculitis, razor burn, cold & flu skin irritation & more!

**Valid until 11:59 p.m. EST on 10/23/13**

Journey of Josephine Cain {Book Review}

*I receive complimentary books for review from the publisher. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.*

This book took me by surprise, for one thing, I was not thinking I would enjoy a historical Christian romance book.  The historical details in the book were quite fun to know.  A lot of the emotions and excitement of people venturing out west, got me envisioning what it was like.  Nancy Moser did a great job in evoking some of the emotions within me, a reader. 

What really touched me about this book were the relationships.  Moser did a bravo job at creating meaningful and memorable characters that have stuck to me in a sense that will stay with me for a while!  Apart from Hudson, I say that there are a few characters that my heart went out to.  Like a little girl whom Josephine meets.  Also the realization of the impression I have towards where this little girl comes from.  I feel like I was in Josephine shoes as I realized that wrongful judgmental thinking I have.  I am only encouraged to know that Josephine saw a need and took action to meet a need. (A need for helping women, and making their lives better.)  

A little glimpse into the book:

Josephine the main character had so much spunk and fearlessness—and when mixtured with her close relationship and devotion to her father rather made her a fierce and rather daring young woman.  We find that her personality clashes with her mother, who rather her settle into the elite society and be conformed to their ways and customs.  Josephine is eager to move on and become known in the society, and to have her debut denied her during the war.  But her mother and aunt desire to mourn for their sons. 

When a  young man, Simmons, enters into the picture Josephine sees her way of escape from the dreariness of home.  She is willing to marry to change her circumstances.  He meets every expectation and her needs.  Her father and mother approve of their courtship too!

Things change as she also meets a rather hard working fellow from the railroad, tried beyond his years through war.  Josephine faces her love triangle. 

She finds the man whom  God has for her when a little girl steps into Josephine’s path.

Conclusion:

This book has so much going for it.  I love the plot and Moser does a great job at keeping my attention.  I do however wish I knew more about the relationship between the Josephine and her mother.  I found a satisfying ending in how Mother finally came around, but at the same time  I feel a bit disgruntled at the thought of the damaged relationship or shallow relationship of her mother and father.  I do feel like the father rather loves his daughter more than his wife?  Ah, but I guess it’s okay as it may be a picture or an allusion to how in faith sometimes….those who do not wish to change or step out choose to be left behind.  But I would love to see the mother blossom in her faith and come out west with the rest of her family!

*I receive complimentary books for review from the publisher. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.*

*******************

Enter to win 1 of 5 copies of the book!

  Five winners will receive:

• The Journey of Josephine Cain by Nancy Moser

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 26th. All winners will be announced October 28th at the Litfuse blog.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit the Litfuse blog on the 28th to see if you won one of the books!

The Journey of Josephine Cain by Nancy Moser Giveaway (Review coming up soon!)

The Journey of Josephine Cain by Nancy Moser follows the adventures of a D.C. socialite as she gets involved with the building of the Transcontinental Railroad right after the Civil War. Be sure to check out Nancy's fun Pinterest board for the book!

Enter to win 1 of 5 copies of the book!

  Five winners will receive:

• The Journey of Josephine Cain by Nancy Moser

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 26th. All winners will be announced October 28th at the Litfuse blog.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit the Litfuse blog on the 28th to see if you won one of the books!

Wondershare Video Editor Review

Review Post
I was provided a license, courtesy of Wondershare, to utilize the program in order to facilitate this review and give my honest opinions and thoughts of the program.    

Review:  

I am not too familiar with editing videos, so from my perspective I am a newbie and really green horn when it comes to video editing.  I have done maybe two in my lifetime.  I did not like video editing, and therefore just have not developed any true skills.  

So from that standpoint, I am using Wondershare Video Editor.  From the beginning of installing the software onto my computer, five out of five for being easy to install.  Not too hard.  No complications.

Downloading videos taken from my camera to the Wondershare Video Editor was also quite easy.  It also did not seem to take too long before I could start creating and editing.  I have to say I loved the fact that I could import some music clips and mp3 files that I had already in my computer to become background music.  Thumbs up for that!  

As I went to edit and create, I found that Wondershare utilized a "drag and drop" kind of feature.  I loved it.  It seemed that the tools in Wondershare worked in a way I sort of thought they ought to work.  Quite user friendly and something someone with little experience can pick up and learn by tinkering around with it.  

Here is a Screen Shot of what one can expect:

Here is a short video clip I made for one of my family members using the Wondershare Video Editor for her birthday:

Uploading and Compatibility:  After creating this little video, I absolutely was thankful for the options given to me for uploading and saving my video.  I was given the options of uploading to facebook, youtube, iphone, and mp4 among other options.  For a file as big as the video I created above, it took my computer a long time to upload to facebook only to fail.  Thankfully I was able to quickly upload the video on Youtube as well as email the video to my mom.  She received the video, and promptly posted the video on facebook. 

I felt that it safely blankets all options so that the created project will be compatible no matter what!  Very nice feature Wondershare offers.  

Short and not full list of my Favorite Editing Features:

Transition has got to be one of the nicest features.  Basically from one picture or video to the next scene, transition helps create a smooth and easy "transition" from one scene to the other.  It gives a bit of a professional feel by smoothing out any roughness I think!  

• Text: I love how easy it is to incorporate text into the videos!  The Text has the ability to be animated and appear in a very fun way.  This is a very fun and practical feature to have.  

• Media:  The fact that media can cover mp3 files is something I am really liking in this program.  It is nice that the media files I import are all in one place.  Easy to locate and easy to add into the video by clicking, drag and drop.  

• The Preview Screen:  Adjacent to the Media Screen on the right is the Preview Screen.  I have utilized this thing more often, and love that all I need to do is drag a bar to replay, rewind, and see parts of my video easily.  

Conclusion:

I know that I have only tapped the surface for this product.  There is so much to be learned with this product.  From cutting clips and utilizing the program as I would powerpoint, Wondershare has much to offer its consumer.  For those green horns and novice when it comes to video editing, I would highly recommend this product.  I think this product will be utilized when creating videos for family and friends in our home.   I also feel as a blogger this program can be quite nice and handy to have.  Quite nice indeed!

Be sure to visit: http://www.wondershare.com/video-editor/ for a Free Trial as well as a video on all its features!  Supported OS: Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Mac
I thoroughly loved this product and have Wondershare to thank for this program.  Many thanks, and yes I do highly recommend this program for your video editing needs!

According to FTC here is my Disclosure: Wondershare provided me with the program in order to write up a review. I utilized the program and gave my own thoughts and opinions of the program. The opinions I shared about using these materials are my own, and the company did not tell me what to say or how to say it.

Gorton’s Wicked Good Seafood Review and Giveaway

Review:  Are You Looking for a quick fixing meal that requires little preparation?  Sometimes the answer is yes in our family! 

Gorton’s Seafood has helped me in numerous ways for its ease of preparation.  On days when I am just craving a quick lunch or dinner, I am happy to simply pop in Gorton’s Fish Filets or Fish Sticks for a fun and delicious meal!  It is simple and frees up time to do other things.

 The picture to the right are the Tenders, Orginal Batter cooling off.  I love how plump and crispy they look.

 Golden and delicious...and the smell is extremely appetizing!

  

What I love is about Gorton’s Seafood is the versatility in which I can use them in meals!  Here are a couple of meals I love to make.  Fish Tacos!  And I absolutely enjoy breaking up the Fish Fillets to put on top of my salad!  Makes for a very tasty salad that I often make whenever I have some Gorton's Seafood handy in my freezer.  

Texture and Quality:  Another thing that comes to my mind about Gorton's Seafood is the satisfying crunch.  Whenever my craving for Fish and Chips comes, I find myself thinking about Gorton's products rather than going into a restaurant. Whether I purchase the Fish Sticks or the Beer Battered Fish--each has had that one one factor, great crunch!

I find the Beer Battered Fish, Tenders Orginal Batter, and the Fish sticks are our go to picks.  The first two have excellent amount of meat, and the Fish sticks are perfect for my toddler.

 The taste is really good, and I feel like it is about the same taste and crunch I get at a restaurant.  (Without having to get out of the house!)  We are not left with a fishy taste in our mouths that leaves us reaching for spearmint or anything.  Gorton's is one of the frozen seafood we tend to buy in our household on a regular basis.

I do feel however that the Crispy Battered Fillets are our least favorite.  Too much crunch and not enough meat. 

Well, I am thankful for the Gorton's Crew reaching out for us to blog for them and review their Seafood, as we are fans!  And in Celebration of their good food, Gorton's is having an online sweepstakes! Enter today in their "Wicked Good Seafood" Sweepstakes!

Want to learn more and read up on Gorton's Seafood? 

Here are some websites to connect with them:

http://gortons.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gortonsseafood
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/gortonsseafood

Want in on a Giveaway on my Blog?
 One U.S. Winner will receive three $2 OFF coupons, 1 Gorton's branded ship wheel keychain, an assortment of Gorton's Recipe cards and beautiful seaside/ Gorton's postcards!

To enter please just make a comment below on your favorite Seafood Meal to make at your home!  Leave an email that I can contact you with!  Or if you'd like send me your name and email address as an alternate form of entry!  I will draw a random winner October 15, 2013 at the end of the day at about 6pm PST.

Thank you Gorton's Seafood for sponsoring this review and giveaway.  I was given free product in the exchange for an honest review. It  has in no way affected my opinion of the product.