 Over the centuries, women in most cultures have not been respected for who they are. I do not consider myself a feminist, but I do believe that every human being should be respected as a human being of equal value, regardless of race, religion, physical or mental challenges, gender, and many other features and beliefs. The "Jesus Film" has been used by Campus Crusade to present Jesus Christ to tribes and cultures worldwide for 30 years now. Millions have come to know Jesus Christ for who He is thanks to the Jesus Film Project. This year, Campus Crusade has released a new film that revolves around the Jesus Film Project but is specially designed to reach out to women: Magdalena: Through Her Eyes I think I saw the Jesus Film many years ago, and I've been amazed to see how this one film has revolutionized the lives of many people during the last three decades. I'm even more excited to see how the Lord will use Magdalena: Through Her Eyes to impact women and change their lives and their perspectives on life! We enjoyed watching this movie from a woman's perspective on life and ministry in working with Jesus Christ when He lived on earth. It was an excellent reminder just before Resurrection Day to bring us back to the culture and times of Jesus' life here on earth, and His ministry, suffering, death, resurrection, and impact on all times in history.  Deep in hopelessness, one woman found freedom as she was delivered from her past. Magdalena reveals what can happen when women refuse to live in defeat and choose to discover their real value. It is the true story of Jesus seen through the eyes of Mary Magdalene: a story of tenderness, freedom and purpose. Journey with women of our past to discover hope for your future. Magdalena: Through Her Eyes includes:
 Thanks to the folks at Campus Crusade for Christ and Propeller, they are providing a giveaway copy of the Magdalena: Through Her Eyes DVD to one commenter here on Joy In Our Journey! Here's how to enter: 1. Required: Leave me a comment here letting me know which Christian movie or DVD has been the most influential in your life, to date. Additional entries you can earn (optional, though): 1. Sign up for a free email subscription to any postings I place here on this blog page - so you won't miss a thing! Please remember to leave me a comment saying that you have just done this or that you are already signed up to receive email subscriptions through my website. 2. Be a follower here on Joy In Our Journey by clicking on Google Friend Connect on the right hand side of this page. Please remember to leave me a comment saying that you have just done this or that you are already a follower here using GFC. 3. Follow me using Networked Blogs. Again, click on the "Networked Blogs" widget on the right hand side of this page. Please remember to leave me a comment saying that you have just done this or that you are already a follower here using Networked Blogs. This giveaway will end on Friday, April 15th, 2011. We want to get this shipped out to you in time for Resurrection Sunday, although we can't guarantee that it will arrive in time.   “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.”
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 Recently, a family friend was considering applying for a new job. He wasn't sure about whether or not he should apply, as he didn't have the exact requirements for the position, but he wanted to give it a try. His wife thought it would be a good idea for me to give him some advice about writing a cover letter, since it had been years since he'd needed something like that in writing. They both know I like to write (!), so of course, I said, "Yes!" After working together for about 90 minutes, we accomplished as much as we could in the time that we had, working on the application and some of the essay questions. He later wondered if he should not apply for the position, but with the encouragement of one of the people doing the hiring, he followed through and applied. After two interviews, someone else was chosen. He feels fine about this, as he knew ahead of time that he didn't have all of the necessary qualifications or work experience in this field. Since I have always enjoyed helping out others, I was happy to do this, and I didn't mind the time that it took. I was very surprised to receive a "thank you" card in the mail this week from him, with one of these included: a Starbucks card!  Sometimes, it's the little things like this that can really make a person's day special. I wasn't expecting anything back in return for helping out a little bit. My friendship with this particular couple has brought me a lot of JOY over the last few years - and I'm blessed to know them! The gift card was a sweet way to say thank you, and I appreciate it. Seeing the handwritten thank you note, something that is such a rarity in this day and age, also was a nice touch. Thank you, my friends, for bringing me joy in so many ways...and for the kind "thank you" gift. It wasn't expected or even necessary, but it brought me joy...especially since they know that we rarely buy coffee drinks from Starbucks or other coffee businesses. This week, I would like to encourage you to take the time to thank someone special in your life for something they have done recently to help you out or encourage you. Even if you have no extra money in your pocket, a handwritten note to thank them for being who they are and for what they do would be a delight for anyone to receive. Who are you thinking of right now, someone who deserves a thank you note for their sacrificial gifts they provide you? How wonderful to bring them some joy by a little gesture of your appreciation this week!    "Truth Be Told" is the latest Family Movie Night movie starring Candace Cameron Bure, Ronny Cox, and David James Elliott. Airing Saturday, April 16th on FOX 8/7 Central. The girls and I just finished watching a pre-release of the newest "Family Movie Night" film which will air on FOX at 8 p.m. (7 p.m. Central) on Saturday, April 16, 2011. We LOVED it! Even Brittany, age 11, who doesn't go for the "mushy" stuff, liked the movie. Maybe because it involved horses? Hmm. Probably. We've been able to watch all of the "Family Movie Night" films that have been released so far, and we all thought that the acting in this particular film was the best yet. Much more realistic and believable. Here's a quick summary: When leading marriage counselor Annie Morgan (Candace Cameron Bure) is offered an opportunity to host a relationship talk show, she jumps at the chance. But fearful that being single might ruin her big break, she conspires with an old college friend and recent widower, Mark Crane (David James Elliott), to pose as a married couple with kids. Their story starts to unravel when Annie and Mark join her eccentric soon-to-be boss (Ronny Cox) for a weekend at his ranch in New Mexico. Comical misunderstandings mark the event as Annie struggles to keep up the ruse, finding herself emotionally invested and conflicted by her own conscience. Will she confess the truth about her marital status and her feelings for Mark... and will the truth set them free? If you believe in families staying together despite tough circumstances, and you believe in always telling the truth and teaching your children the benefits of being truthful, you'll appreciate "Truth be Told." Look for it to air on FOX on Saturday, April 16, 2011 at 8 p.m. (7 p.m. Central). And let me know what you thought of it! I hope you enjoy "Truth be Told" as much as we did! Here are the four previous movies from the "Family Movie Night" series so far: Secrets of the Mountain (archeology themed)  Somewhere between the demands of her career, her ex's wedding and her kids' busy schedules, Dana James (Paige Turco, The Agency) is noticing her tight-knit family starting to unravel. An unexpected offer to purchase her family's mountain property sets up a weekend road trip, which she hopes will bring her family back together. But when they arrive, they quickly learn that the mountain is much more than it seems. An ancient secret and a treacherous quest will test the family like never before. It's an edge-of-the seat thriller that reminds us that when times are tough, families don't run away from problems - they run back to each other. A Walk in My Shoes (drama)  Ever judge someone just by looking at them? Of course, we’ve all made snap judgments about people. But what if we really got to know them? How would our opinions change? And what if we were forced to become them… how would the shoes fit then? Stressed-out high school teacher Trish Fahey can’t understand her students’ lack of effort and why their parents don’t seem to care. This is especially true of Justin Kremer, a popular, skateboard-loving, basketball star who is underperforming in her class. Trish has him suspended from the team and quickly chalks up the situation as a case of bad parenting. This perspective dramatically changes when Trish meets Molly, a mysterious stranger intent on helping her see things differently. When Trish wrecks her car, Molly is there as Trish wakes to find herself living the life of Cindy Kremer, the woman she has personally judged and criticized. Trish discovers that there is often more to the story and learns a powerful lesson that affects everyone she interacts with. Her husband, her daughter, the ex-Marine next door… No one is left unchanged. The Jensen Project (science fiction)  After a sixteen-year absence, CLAIRE and MATT THOMPSON reunite with The Jensen Project � a secret community of world-class geniuses doing cutting edge research they share anonymously to help the world. With the aid of their teenage son BRODY (15), they find themselves thrust into a suspenseful race to stop a plan that would allow a potentially dangerous technology to fall into the wrong hands. The Jensen Project is a roller-coaster adventure as Matt, Claire and Brody race against the clock following clues, thwarting evil schemes and rediscovering each other in the process. Ultimately, they not only fight to stop the rogue geniuses, but also discover the truth that healthy families are honest with each other. Change of Plans (theme on adoption)  Up to this point, Sally Danville's life has played out just as she hoped it would. A beautiful and free-spirited musician, she and her fighter-pilot husband, Jason, live life on the go, free of domestic responsibilities. But with a single phone call from Child & Family Services case worker, Dorothy (Phylicia Rashad, The Cosby Show), she learns that things don't always go according to plan. Sally (Brooke White, American Idol) is met with the news that her best friend from college has died in a tragic accident on a Peace Corps mission and has named Sally the legal guardian of her four kids - 3 of them adopted from third-world countries. Now Sally and Jason (Joe Flanigan, Stargate Atlantis) must quickly learn to parent this instant family and help the kids deal with the culture clash of life in America. The story is both humorous and heartwarming, revealing how fulfilling life can be when you look beyond your own plans and invest in the lives of others. EnJOY!    I love science. Not to the point that I grew up and became a scientist, or that my #1 passion in life is in the field of science. But I'm curious - about everything. I love to learn more about life, people, and also science topics. I'm not so worried about the latest craze in designer purses or in which mutual fund I should invest. When I was teaching in the public schools, the science texts were typically systematic, ordered, and so shallow at the elementary school levels that almost none of the children enjoyed science. There just wasn't enough depth to really dive into topics with gusto! Since we also weren't provided with funds to pay for supplies for experiments, it was challenging to provide those opportunities for my students, too.  Recently, I was provided with one issue of Science Weekly, in all of its six levels, for the girls and I to view and see what we thought of it. At first, I thought that I would be receiving a series of issues on a weekly basis, for a few weeks or so. Actually, what I received was one issue containing one topic in a newsletter format, and I received all six grade levels for that one topic: FRACTIONS. Each level of the Science Weekly paper newsletter is made from an 11x17" piece of paper which has been printed on both sides and then folded in half. This provides you with four colorful pages of material for your children. While I realize that mathematics are closely intertwined with the field of science, I was hoping to be able to look at an issue whose topic was specifically geared to something in the field of science. Maybe at some point in the future, I'll be able to view some of their other topical newsletters that cover one topic from more of a scientific perspective. After the girls and I read through the various levels of Science Weekly, we learned that while this product contains the word "weekly" in its title, there are 15 issues per school year that are sent to subscribers. Most of the activities and experiments contained within one of these newsletters can easily be done within one week's time, and often, much sooner. Bright! Colorful! Those were my girls' first impressions. I asked them to glance through all six levels and choose the newsletter that seemed a bit challenging and yet not too overwhelming. The six levels of Science Weekly follow this format:
Level E, on Fractions, began with a history of fractions starting with the Egyptians. I like the conversational style of writing in these newsletters, and the clear, high quality graphics to support the text. Level E contained some riddles, some mathematical vocabulary and definitions in easy-to-understand text and pictures, a step-by-step writing project for the student to be able to describe how to explain fractions to a new student, and a fun (yet difficult) math Sudoku puzzle. Level E also contained a lab project that could easily coordinate with an ecological problem about water quality in streams. Several links were provided for children who would want to know more about the ways that fractions are used in everyday life. Fractions' use in music was also described. And a little "Meet the Scientist" feature described an individual whose life revolves around math and what kinds of things he did during his K-12 years to further his math education. It was easy to see while looking at all six levels in this particular issue that the activities greatly vary from level to level, which is appropriate since this covers grades Pre-K through 6th. While my girls liked the newsletter format and the bright colors and graphics, I don't think they would rank Science Weekly as one of the highlights of their science studies this year. They seemed okay to work through one of the newsletters, but I could tell that this probably wouldn't be something that they'd beg for if additional issues came in the mail. I can't think of any specific reason why Science Weekly didn't resonate with them as much as I thought it would. Maybe it's because they are used to diving quite deeply into science subjects in our homeschooling. For example, last year, we spent the entire school year on studying creatures that fly: birds, bats, flying insects. This year, Brittany is doing an in-depth study of the human body, while Kelsi at 7th grade is working on a challenging text in General Science which is far better than anything I ever had to use when I was a student. Our particular science curricula we use in our home is very ordered, with great depth, and maybe my girls felt like there was not enough depth in Science Weekly to read through four pages of science information. I think that many students, especially those with interests in science areas, would really enjoy the Science Weekly newsletters. They are engaging, include hands-on activities to do at home or in a classroom, provide opportunity for more research and closer examination of the topic being studied, and are clear and easy to read. If you'd like to take a look at some issues of Science Weekly, you'll find some samples here for the K-4th grade levels. Each order will receive the levels which are ordered as well as Teaching Notes for the parent or teacher for that particular issue; one brochure of teaching notes includes all of the information for all six levels. What about the cost for Science Weekly? The Individual Rate (less than 20 subscriptions to one mailing address) is what most homeschoolers would be receiving if they ordered this product. The Individual Rate contains 15 issues for $19.95 per year...per level that you order. The Classroom Rate is $4.95 per student per year for 15 issues, as long as the teacher is ordering at least 20 copies. You can find the Science Weekly order form here on their website. While I wasn't reviewing Science Weekly's new Interactive Downloads, you can take a look at them and let me know what you think about them! Here are some of the Science Weekly topics which have been covered during this school year so far: September - December 2010
January - April 2011
One additional note: Science Weekly's website also contains some printable science coloring books that would work well for the lower elementary ages. These are available for download at no charge. They are seven pages in length and contain six coloring pages as well as one page that contains additional information and an order form.    Want to know what my fellow TOS Crew mates thought about Science Weekly? Click here to find out!   Discloser: I was provided with one topical Science Weekly newsletter that contained all six levels of its product, for the purpose of reviewing it here for you. No other compensation was provided.
 I'm a musician - piano, clarinet, vocal - although I'm not overly talented in either of those three "instruments" because I haven't found much time to practice either of them since we began to educate our children at home eight years ago. One of the pitfalls of being a musician is that the ear can be overly critical of what is heard during worship services and when listening to music being performed. I really had a struggle with worshiping to music in the past that wasn't high quality. I know that the musicians had a deep love for God, and they were serving with their whole being by seeing and playing instruments for God's glory. I'm so thankful that they were willing! But when notes were frequently played wrong, voices and instruments were out of tune, or the rhythms just weren't "together", I am ashamed to admit that I struggled with keeping my focus on worshiping. Instead, I found it much easier to focus on the "errors" of the musicians. No matter how hard I prayed and also tried to focus on worshiping God, I struggled with this. Thankfully, for the last 22 years, I've been blessed to attend a church where musical errors aren't all that common, or at least don't stand out as much. And I think I've developed more self-control in this area, with the Lord's help. Now, instead of having a critical spirit about the type of music being played, or the manner in which it is played, I can truly have a smile on my face and simply worship and praise God. This is all God's doing, as I know I couldn't have made the changes on my own! This weekend, I received a brand new CD by Rebecca St. James in the mail. I've enjoyed Rebecca St. James' music in the past, but our family isn't the type to regularly purchase audio CDs. Besides a few Christmas music CDs over the last few years, I can't think of any other audio CDs we've purchased except for some audio stories for the girls.  I didn't show I Will Praise You to Elmer or the girls. Instead, I popped it into the CD player to surprise them with some new music. Immediately, the girls came into the living room to see what was playing. They realized right away that it wasn't one of the Christian radio stations playing on the radio. They were excited that we had received a new CD to review here for you. Elmer didn't say much, but later on that day, I noticed that he turned the CD back on to listen to it a second time. I was surprised! He usually prefers male vocalists over female vocal artists. We've listened to the CD several times now, and Rebecca St. James has a clear message of worship and praise in each of the songs. The arrangements of the songs are done well, and we're pleased! This is Rebecca St. James' first album containing new songs she's released since 2005, so this is a delight. I've missed hearing her voice, although I know that she's been busy acting in some movies as well since then. This new collection of worship songs is something that Rebecca calls "her most personal recording to date." I Will Praise You represents the latest steps in Rebecca's lifelong journey toward the presence of God.  Guess what? I'm excited to offer you, my readers, an opportunity to win a free copy of Rebecca St. James' new worship CD, "I Will Praise You"! You will have until Tuesday, April 12, 2011 at midnight to enter this giveaway. I'd love to be able to give away a copy of this CD to each and every one of you, because you are all such wonderful readers here, but...sigh...I can only give away one CD of "I Will Praise You" by Rebecca St. James. If you'd like to be entered into the giveaway, here's all you need to do: 1. In the comments section below, share with me the name of your favorite praise and worship song. You'll receive one entry for doing this. Before you can add comments for additional entries to win, please do #1 first. Thanks! 2. Optional: Earn two additional entries (after doing #1 first) by signing up to receive my emailed updates from my blog. Just scroll to the top of this page on the right hand column where it says, "Subscribe to My Blog". Please make sure to leave me two separate comments mentioning that you are a new email subscriber. If you are already an email subscriber via RSS or Feedburner email subscriptions, just let me know in the two comments. 3. Optional: Earn an additional entry by following me via Google Friend Connect (right hand column, below "Follow Me" button.) Please make sure to leave me a comment that you are a new GFC subscriber. If you are already a follower via GFC, just let me know in a comment. 4. Optional: Earn an additional entry by following me via Networked Blogs (right hand column, below "Follow Me" button.) Please make sure to leave me a comment that you are a new Networked Blogs subscriber. If you are already a follower via Networked Blogs, just let me know in a comment.  If you enjoy listening to Rebecca St. James' music as much as I always have, you might want to listen to a preview of her new album HERE. Below is also a video with lyrics for the album title song. For even more fun, you can visit Rebecca St. James' Facebook page or go to her LISTENING PARTY! If you happen to live in Oregon, Rebecca St. James will actually be here for two concerts this weekend in our state - WOW! Here are the locations, below. You can also check her SCHEDULE for when she may be coming through your area, if you don't live here in Oregon. Saturday, April 8, 2011 SHE Mother/Daughter Event @ People's Church 4500 Lancaster Drive NE, Salem, OR 97305 - Map (503) 304-4000 7:00 PM; for all ages Tickets: $15/$19 Saturday, April 9, 2011 SHE Mother/Daughter Event @ Trail Christian Fellowship 18881 Highway 62, Eagle Point, OR 97524 - Map (541) 878-3501 7:00 PM; for all ages Tickets: $15/$19   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."  If you're a Christian mom or dad, and you think about discipling your children and bringing them up in the Lord, what does that mean to you? Does it mean taking the kids to church on Sundays, and dropping them off on Wednesday evenings for youth group? What if discipling children, for your own family, went far beyond just the typical American version of "playing Christianity"? What if you included your faith and biblical instruction in most things that you did together as a family? What if you watched movies at home with your family, and you took the time and made the effort to use the movies (secular or religious) to instruct your children in godly virtues, biblical values, and knowledge of the world around them from a biblical perspective? Zeezok Publishing is a company which states their philosophy upfront, at the top of their website: "It is better to build children than to repair men." To that end we strive to provide quality literature and educational books for use in training the next generation. We trust our products will assist you in developing your family's love for God and country. Now, a lot of families don't consider using movies as a method to instruct and guide their children in a biblical worldview or to help their children increase their faith in Jesus Christ. So when I received a Z-Guide from Zeezok Publishing to give it a try, I wasn't sure what we would encounter. Not knowing what we'd find, I selected a movie title that I knew had biblical themes and messages throughout it: One Night with the King  Our family owns very few movie DVDs. There are only a few movies that I'd enjoy watching more than once, and One Night with the King is one of them. I thoroughly enjoy viewing elements of Persian history along with an account of Queen Esther in the Bible. I figured that by selecting a biblical account, I'd be "safe." Prior to watching the movie, the Z-Guide lists several things that families do first: reading a synopsis of the movie; discussing an overview of the main topic or topics in the movie; and browsing through the movie review questions. The girls and I went over the preview material before watching the movie. Because this particular Z-Guide is geared for the high school ages, Kelsi watched the entire movie and then got involved with the Z-Guide and its activities. Brittany, still in elementary school, has seen parts of the movie before, but it doesn't interest her as much. I had Kelsi page through the Z-Guide for "One Night with the King", and she loved what she saw! This is a special kind of unit study that revolves around a movie instead of a book. It requires the student to watch the movie in its entirety at least once, and then review parts of the movie at later dates depending on what activity has been chosen. Kelsi really enjoyed the selection of activities that were offered in this particular Z-Guide. She got really excited about some of the military strategy and political maneuvering that can be enhanced using the Z-Guide activities. I liked seeing that some of the activities were providing opportunities for long-range thinking, and also to enhance students' literary skills. For example, one of the activities has the student think about the qualities they would like to see as "needs" and "wants" in a future spouse. In addition, it asks the students to think deeply about the character traits they themselves have which will make them be excellent spouses to someone else in the future. There was a great selection of activities, writing projects, and other fun ideas which make up the typical unit study. I liked the fact that the Z-Guide was coming from a biblical perspective, written to encourage and develop faith and character. I can see us using these occasionally in the future, depending on what we're studying in our history curriculum. We'll look forward to working through more Z-Guides in the years to come! This is just another wonderful way of working with our children, talking through our lives and our faith with each other. The Z-Guide for "One Night with the King" sells for $12.99 at Zeezok Publishers. For more opinions and views on the Z-Guides to the Movies, check out what my TOS Crew buddies have to say!   Disclosure: I received one Z-Guide to the Movies from Zeezok Publishers for the exchange of my use and review of this product. No other compensation was provided.
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Hi! I'm Julieanne!
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