Growing Up Wild About Missions

Encouraging Children to Impact the World for God's Glory

"Go and make disciples of every nation, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Go and teach them to observe all I have commanded, and I will be with you until the end of the age."

Matthew 28:19-20  The Great Commission

One of our top ten goals as homeschooling parents is to instill in our children a heart for missions. Each year at Christmas we work with Operation Christmas Child as a family, filling up boxes for little ones in far off places who may not receive anything else all year. Tex will spend a few days at his grandparents' house with friends (his grandparents run the program in their large church) so they can help pack the big boxes of little boxes and load the large trucks. Daddy will take the Three Amigos on Sunday to Nanny and Poppy's church to help collect the last of the donations. Other years we've also contributed to Angel Tree, adopted individual families, or worked with other services, like the military, to fill community needs.

During the rest of the year we show missions support by providing funds for individuals on a monthly and/or one time basis and sent out family members as needed during times of disaster, like after hurricanes. We make donations of items and do our best to find opportunities to include the kids in missions projects. Bubba was blessed to take a five week missions trip during his high school years, and I have hopes that Tex will make at least one similar trip during the next few years. We encourage our children to choose Spanish as their foreign language as it seems to provide the most opportunities to use it on the missions field.

Beyond that, however, there isn't much more I can say. I see families like the Duggars (on TV) making yearly trips to foreign places to work with orphans and can't imagine being able to do that. My husband's job is so demanding, it will be years before retirement allows him the opportunity to take the older kids out of country to serve others. I hear of other families whose children decide to be missionaries and wonder what influences made the idea even a possibility...I know when I was growing up, not much entered my thoughts beyond horses or being a vet...and it took years after college before I realized I might have been a great librarian or social worker, jobs I never considered because I just didn't experience them (beyond checking out books, that is), let alone the missions field.

Some families have the privilege of knowing some missionaries personally. We've moved around so much because of our military lifestyle that we haven't developed the community ties that make it possible for us to be familiar enough with local folks like that we could invite into our home to have dinner with us and to talk with the kids. Honestly, while I don't personally imagine any of my children in a dangerous third world country taking chances every day with their lives for the call of Christ (nor do I imagine any of them joining the armed services and getting shot at, if you know what I mean), I do know that is a possibility. I would not want to be the one to stand in the way of their answering God's calling on their lives, and I do not want to be an impediment to their finding out what it is. But honestly, if it is foreign missions, how am I going to give them any idea of what missions is if my only experiences with it are limited to those on the home front?

Well, now that I've discovered Growing Up Wild, I think I've found a way to at least expose them to the idea and the reality of what some missionaries go through, in a way that is fun, interesting, and likely to encourage them to want to explore the potential of the calling on their own. Growing Up Wild is a collection of DVDs that takes you into the jungles of Indonesia and shows you the day to day exploits of the four Wild brothers. Beyond that, it lays out the basics of foreign missions, in the context of this one family's experiences, in a way that is understandable and honestly, lights a fire in their hearts to know more.

The first DVD is an excellent introduction to the brothers and their daily lives. The heart of the family is the home (after God and Mom, of course), and the initial segment shows the details of the design and construction of their round house in the jungles of Papua, New Guinea with the Wano people. The approximately fifteen minute segment (their are three segments per video), also takes you on a tour of the home, which is fascinating, and shows you how their house is similar to that of the Wano people, but also different, in the same way that it will prove to be surprisingly similar to yours, but also different.

I was amazed that they not only have running water and electricity (real toilets and a glass enclosed shower, even), but they have computers, a school room, and the coolest Lego Loft (my kids LOVED that). I told Ladybug, "Wow. I love it. I could live in that house. It's so simple, yet complete." She replied, "No you couldn't, Mom. They have tarantulas living in the rafters." True. That's a deal breaker for me for sure. The Wild boys shoot them with rubber bands and spear them when the population gets too big or they get too close. Otherwise, they are accepted since they do a good job keeping the insect population down. Ugh. Shiver.

At the end of each segment, which on this tape were all narrated by the mother (Dad narrates a few in DVD #4), ideas for integrating the information you were given during the piece are offered. This particular story opened with how their dad picked the home site because of a beautiful HUGE tree nearby he knew his wife would love to see every day, and it suggests that you find a tree near your house that is inspiring and draw it. The story also includes mention of one of the tribal men who loves to spin a yarn, so they suggest that you find a relative or neighbor who likes to tell stories and listen to and/or write down a few of them.

A third suggestion for this segment is that you look up how houses are made in your area and other areas and read them, and I can think of at least five books in our library, plus another video or two that cover that topic...unit study! Another fine suggestion is to draw a Venn diagram of how the Wilds' house is similar to and different from yours and from the Wano houses (the Wano people are communal and many generations share their homes with each other and with their animals...they also have no furniture!). The last one of the five suggestions available at the end of every segment is the one my kids want to do on the available day (since we watched the video again to refresh our memories of it) is to construct a model of a Wano style house using twigs and other materials. Now I realize why after our initial watching of the video they found a corner of the horse pasture with a few small trees where they started to construct kid-sized stick huts...this video! They've played in those regularly for a month. What about that is there to not like? Each DVD even comes with an additional CD which contains an activity guide that gives more guidance for each of the suggested activities. Excellent! Here is a sample of the activity guide for the first disk.

God and His influence and presence through everything is mentioned throughout every story (in some more than others) but His importance and guidance is clear. Scripture is used throughout the two videos we viewed and I found the quality of the writing to be excellent. I was impressed to learn that Mom and Dad did all of the work! Impressive and inspiring. They are definitely a talented family. The filming is spectacular. The scenery can't be beat. The colors are vivid and the beauty will take your breath away. Even the introductory music has a catchy beat.

The other two segments in the first DVD covered the way the family obtains electricity (solar panels) and water (gathered from an uphill clear water source using gravity...simple and simply ingenious at the same time) and how they go "out of country" to obtain supplies and to connect with other missionaries in their area. The house segment will inspire your budding architects and your homemakers (I really think I could be quite happy there, if not for the spiders...even the pythons did not bother me that much), power segment will inspire your budding engineers, and the one about getting supplies will encourage your wanna-be pilots.

I know this may sound simple of me, but while I have tried to be open to each of my kids being called to any career from architect to army doctor, teacher to technician, homemaker to horseman, I never considered any of those jobs in light of using them on the mission field. It's obvious to me how a doctor can help on the missions field, and a translator, but I never would have considered my tech savvy guy working with radios to keep in touch with missionaries all over a foreign country, or my budding park ranger to perhaps range away far from his home. But if that is what God has in mind, it could happen...and these videos may be one key that will unlock the possibility in their minds.

The other DVD we viewed, the fourth one, is just as good. While during our initial viewing I didn't appreciate the first segment about the creatures the Wilds' encounter every day since I saw it first and on its own (I didn't feel it was "deep" enough since I was comparing its "mission" to stuff like Ken Ham and other creation science materials...but its intent is to glorify God and simply introduce the variety the children encounter daily within the scope of what you already know about them), seeing it after all I've learned about the family from that first DVD makes me really appreciative of the content...and the kids loved seeing the bugs, the snakes, and how similar their cats are to ours. Their cat likes to play with and eat bugs and mice. We have one that just the other day stalked a spider cricket (creepy bugs...I found one leg left the next day), and another that loves toads and moles. Living in the country, our most hated vermin is mice (which surprisingly was their most disliked vermin, not the spiders), and I've been stalking those that are trying to come in and make a home for the winter somewhere warm all week with Molly's help. It was interesting to see the similarities, alongside the differences.

My favorite thing about the videos, though, was how clearly they laid out their calling to the missions field, and showed that there are many ways to serve. I appreciated hearing their story, and their uncle's story (he works in a village within a few hours of theirs by plane), and how they began their journey of outreach to the people of Indonesia. It was fascinating to hear how they had to move in not knowing the language at all, and that it took them three years to master it. Now they run a school for all the people and also the church for the 69 (I think) converts in the village. Their aunt translates the Bible and other texts to help native peoples learn, and the Wilds' had to develop a written language. Daunting. Impressive. Made possible only by God.

I believe these videos would be valuable to a variety of folks. They would be useful for a Sunday School class (running a family or youth Sunday School class? This would be a fun conversation starter!), or for Wednesday church, or a home Bible study. I'd love to have friends over to view a segment and do a day long (or multiple day) unit study with these. Church libraries should have these videos for people to check out. I will be purchasing the other three to keep in my Lifetime of Learning Library. They are also just plain fun to watch. As we watched them together again yesterday, my kids told me over and over again, "Oh Mom, watch this. It is my favorite part." And my formerly squeamish Ladybug, who groaned and covered her eyes the first time we watched the videos and the pet green python was on the screen (which is actually yellow because it is young) said this last time as we watched them together, "The snakes used to bother me, but now it's no big deal." Way to go, girl!

One funny comment was, "Mom, two of the boys have hair like Cowboy and Boo's, but two of them have curly long hair like a girl." Cultural difference there. *smile* We don't see too many long-haired guys around here. Too many military folks. Another comment was, "It's hot there, Mom. That's why those boys don't ever wear their shirts. Don't let it bother you." (We have a rule around here to always wear shirts unless mowing the back 14 in hot weather...not wearing shirts is not allowed in the front yard for boys, and for girls, obviously, ever!). "They try not to show too much of the natives (notice the wording was 'too much of,' not 'too many of'...they show plenty of native people), Mom, but they don't wear many clothes." The Wano people are scantily clad, but the way it is filmed, and, I think partially because they are so dark-skinned, you just don't focus on or really notice that fact too much.

No bad language. Creepy snakes and bugs. God-affirming messages and scriptures...Mr. Wild shares the Gospel story and there is footage of one of the Wano people giving his testimony in one of the segments. Scantily clad people. Gorgeous scenery. Body piercings...demonstrated on camera...eeyeuw. Mrs. Wild let her two oldest boys get their noses piereced (a native custom) with a STICK. She talked about how she wrestled with it, then decided how God's word allows for different customs as long as there is nothing unsacred behind the reasons for the custom. The boys teared up, but were brave (no anesthesia...ack!). At the end of the segment, one of the suggested activities was to find a stick, sharpen it, and pierce your nose...NOT! No, actually, they jokingly suggested it, then said, "No, just kidding...do NOT try this at home!" The kids howled over that one.

Good morals. Happy family. Personally challenging. Informative. Interesting. Funny at times. Humbling at others. You will be challenged to pray and to figure out what God wants you and your family to personally do to share the Gospel with other people...does He want you to pray, to give, or to go? He calls us all to do something...are you doing enough? After seeing these videos, you may not think you are doing enough, so if you don't want to be challenged, you might want to skip them. Otherwise, I give them a hearty two thumbs up. I think that watching these will help your kids and mine grow up wild about foreign missions...and that's an eternally good thing. 

If you would like to learn more about the Growing Up Wild DVDs, you can check out their website.

See some sample videos of Growing Up Wild and learn about the people who made it.

See a sample of the activity guides that come with each DVD on a separate cd. What an excellent resource to tap into!

Meet their family on their blog and check out their Jungle Journal...recipes, games, etc.!

Volume One is available for $18.99 and covers building and touring their house, how they buy supplies and the necessary aerial support, and obtaining electricity and water. (I definitely recommend purchasing the first video first, though, even if the topics on other DVDs intrigue you more. It is definitely worth it to get the background of the family's set up first.)

Volume Two is available for $18.99 and covers adventures indoors on a rainy day (with memories of a tropical surfing excursion), exciting outdoor adventures on a hiking and camping trip, plus flora and fauna outside their home.

Volume Three is available for $18.99 and covers the blessings of the good earth and how a seed can feed a village, the history of the jungle and the terrain surrounding the Wilds' home, and how illness in the jungle and compassion for the sick can have eternal consequences.

Volume Four is available for $18.99 and covers God's amazing creation in Indonesia, tribal/cultural differences and customs, and the calling to the missions field. This is the one with the native testimony. Very touching and convicting.

Volume Five  is available for $18.99 and covers discovering the language, the feast, and misconception of missions. The page linked to shows the correct image, but has write ups of the wrong segments. Sounds good, though!

Here's a freebie that goes right along with these lovely videos. Teaching With God's Heart for the World is a free two volume curriculum that teaches world geography with an emphasis on missions. I have a printed copy of this excellent curriculum and it is wonderful, even if you only delve into it deeply enough to find Indonesia and do that chapter to go with the Growing Up Wild DVDs you purchase...

If you'd like to read what others on the Schoolhouse Review Crew have to say about this product, please visit the Schoolhouse Review Crew blog.

Blessings,

Disclaimer: I received two videos from the Growing Up Wild collections (#1 and #4) for the purposes of completing this review. All opinions stated here are my own or those of my family. No other compensation was received.

The Power of Pictures

Once in a while a gem of a resource comes from an unexpected place. You may be familiar with Marshall Publishing's trademark line of "As Seen on TV" videos featuring modes of transportation, such as "LOTS and LOTS of Trains" or "LOTS and LOTS of Jet Planes," but you may not be aware that they also sell an interesting and educational line of historical videos, too.

America in the 1880s: A Decade of Progress

The video we received from Marshall Publishing was the one about America in the 1800s. It included five "chapters" plus a bonus track about Alexander Graham Bell. Since we are studying United States history this year, we have been trying to build up our library of resources to support that curriculum and I am glad we were able to add this title to our collection.

From the beginning, the video was intriguing since it plays just like an old film reel. Using old photographs, drawings, and historical reenactments, these informative videos will expose your students (and you!) to many interesting facts and important events of the time period covered. I was introduced to several characters I missed in my public school education, and the situations behind and political impact of familiar events was made clearer to me so that I can more effectively teach about the period when the time comes.

Here is what the company has to say about their product:

"Just like a time machine, we transport you back to discover the people and events that shaped this exciting decade: the Brooklyn Bridge ...Washington Monument ...Statue of Liberty ...Gunfight at the O.K. Corral ...Oklahoma Land Rush ...Johnstown Flood ...Thomas Edison ...Mark Twain ...Baby Doe ...Sitting Bull ...Sarah Bernhardt ...John Philip Sousa ...Buffalo Bill ...Gilbert and Sullivan ...Wyatt Earp...Jesse James and Billy the Kid ....Alexander Graham Bell ....John D. Rockefeller ....Andrew Carnegie ....Samuel Gompers ....Susan B. Anthony ....Lillian Russell ....and many more!

You will learn about fashion, politics, sports heroes, famous inventors, Wall Street financiers, railroad expansion, buffalo extinction, Indian resettlement, Civil Rights, union organization, urbanization, the music of the times, and much, much more!

Through the use of live re-enactments, rare historical photographs and drawings, and award-winning photography you will be amazed, amused, entertained and educated about many little known facts and some life changing events that have become part of the foundation of our society today."

For the purposes of our way of studying (using living books to supplement much of our curriculum, or as the majority of our curriculum), this video is a fantastic way to introduce and interest your children in specific events. The video we previewed mentioned quite a few characters from history that my kids were quite interested in learning more about. We found books on our shelves about Buffalo Bill and Wyatt Earp, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Mark Twain, John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie, and John Phillip Sousa.

The video also introduced many and the firsts that took place during the time period, such as The American Red Cross, Eastman Kodak Cameras, moving pictures, football, baseball, and golf, the phonograph and electric lightbulb. It highlights the importance of the railroads and canals, shows photos and film of the period's architecture and clothing, as well as discussing the period's morals and modesty.

While I did feel that there was a certain bias to some of the information, such as when the narrator somewhat disparagingly spoke of the limitations of the one room schoolhouse and who got to attend them (the information of which may have all been true) instead of pointing out that while the literacy rate of the era may have been low by reason of necessity (children were needed at home to help support family enterprises and opportunities to pursue schooling were often limited), those who obtained schooling did so with an positive attitude that is often lacking today (at least in my opinion), I felt that the information was of very high quality and useful to any family, especially homeschooling ones. I will also say that they also did not edit out any religious reference in the film clips, so there were quite a few in the Alexander Graham Bell segment.

I find that the videos are an excellent way to both introduce these fascinating individuals and to wrap all of these fascinating characters up together in a visual and auditory way. I really enjoyed seeing the films representing the time period, and the narration of events helped tie everything together and made me much more interested in studying an often neglected, but important era (as we tend to focus on single events of particular interest and familiarity to ourselves or our children). Of course, now we have to wait until we reach that time period in our studies to do more than a cursory study of any of these characters, but the kids are getting excited about all the fun we are going to have learning about history this year.

BUT WAIT, there's more! If America in the 1800s isn't for you, there is a whole host of other videos also filmed by expert photographers on other American topics such as the Oregon Train, the Pony Express, Lewis and Clark, Forts, Gettysburg, the Mississippi River, and American Railroads.


Check out:

The History of the Oregon Trail and The Pony Express

The Historic Expedition of Lewis and Clark

There are even more educational titles to supplement your

curriculum at the Marshall Publishing site.

I am sure that we will be saving money in our budget to purchase a few more of these titles as we get closer to each of their topics in our studies. I find that they are a fascinating and useful way to get not only my students, but myself, interested in learning more about history. If you are looking for some way to get your kids excited about a historical period, whether they are auditory or visual learners, or even your kinesthetic learners (as my boys were highly interested in going out and building things, playing baseball, and doing experiments once they watched different segments). The are available now on the Marshall Publishing website for just $19.95 each. That's a great deal for a valuable resource.

In fact, I intend to use the segment on Alexander Graham Bell today as we begin our ASL studies in our new homeschool co-op. It was a fascinating movie clip. I am definitely inspired to learn more...though as we know Thomas Alva Edison said, "Success is ten percent inspiration and ninety percent perspiration." You may find that this series of films provides the ten percent of inspiration that your students need to apply themselves to perspire in their studies!

Blessings,

To read more reviews about the video we previewed, America in the 1800s and others by Marshall Publishing, check out more reviews by other members of The Schoolhouse Review Crew by clicking on the icon below.



Disclaimer: I received a copy of the video America in the 1800s for the purposes of completing this review. All opinions are my own. No other compensation was received.

That's Amaaaaazing!

If anyone ever tells you that teaching science is not necessary in the early years, don't believe it. While it may be true that the vital early skills include character development, reading/writing, and math, there is still that "WOW!" factor and the curiosity and understanding about the way our world works that we want and NEED to develop, so that our children will become lifelong learners, and in my book, science is a big part of that. Personally, I feel that developing that spirit of inquiry is much easier in the younger years because most youngsters are both naturally curious and enthusiastic...especially when it comes to the "flash" and "amazing" parts of subjects like science. In my opinion, I'd rather they learn to love science early on, than be a bit intimidated by it later...even if it takes a bit of extra time and effort on my part.

However, science does NOT have to be either intimidating or ultra-time-consuming, for either Mom or the kids. You don't have to have been a Chemistry major to understand all of the experiments on the set of Amazing Science DVDs available from ScienceandMath.com. All you need is a DVD player, a few easy to find materials, and a sense of adventure.

Why don't you check out their DVD trailer below? You will get a taste for what the two DVD set, which costs only $19.95 (now that's amazing!), has to offer. To see a detailed listing of the contents of the two DVDs, check out the Amazing Science Page at their website. To watch five of the twenty-three experiments contained on the two DVDs, you can click here.



My homeschooled children are ages 2, 4, 6, 8, and 14. They all sat riveted to the screen, watching, laughing, and talking about the fascinating experiments conducted by Jason Gibson on the Amazing Science DVDs. Cowboy, age 6, was especially intrigued by the process of making an hypothesis and conducting appropriate experimentation. After watching "Amazing Magnetic Force" he had to walk around the house, conducting his own experiment by using a powerful magnet we have and testing different things in our house to see if they were magnetic, too. It only took minutes to type up a chart he could fill out to demonstrate his findings, then we added that to his nature notebook (not exactly what we had in mind for our nature notebooks, but magnetic fields are a part of nature, too!) Once we obtain some copper pipe, we will have to re-create the experiment with him at home.

Ladybug and Firefly LOVED the "Color-Changing Milk" experiment so much they talked Tex into reproducing it in our own kitchen. We had all that was needed for the project (each experiment is preceded by a list of necessary items), and the kids had watched the procedure several times, so they knew just what to do and to expect (very simply, you get a shallow pan of milk, put four different colored drops of food coloring---not touching---in it, then you put a drop or two of dish soap in the middle of the drops and watch the colors "run way" from the soap and mix together, making new colors and interesting patterns). I asked the kids to draw pictures of what they saw afterwards and each one wrote (or I wrote for them) what they learned from the experiment.

Mr. Gibson explains the hows and whys of every experiment very clearly, which was a relief for me, because as much as I am truly interested in science, my forte is in the life sciences, not the physical ones. He makes the process and the expected outcome very understandable and I found the experiments easy enough (and clear enough) for me to do with the kids, or to let Tex (age 14) do with them. I also felt that they were so well-demonstrated, that if a teacher was not particularly scientifically inclined, she could forego doing most of the experiments herself and the kids would still understand the basic principles of what was being taught by just watching the videos.

You could also complete lab sheets based solely on the video demonstrations. Here are a few FREE! printables I found to use with the experiments demonstrated on this DVD set: basic page with space for a drawing and blank lines , higher level page listing materials and hypothesis, higher level page showing results and conclusion. Here's a link to Notebooking Nook where you can download a FREE! 16 page science notebooking pages set.

My kids regularly request this DVD to watch their favorite experiments performed again and again. I don't like to have the TV on a lot during the homeschool week, but if there is a stretch of time that it seems appropriate (like if Tex is babysitting, it has been raining relentlessly for a long time, or someone is ill), then I find it hard to find fault with using this DVD as "educational entertainment." I am hoping that since this DVD is called Amazing Science: Volume 1, there must be a second video in the works. We can't wait!


I have had a playlist on YouTube for several years of "science experiment videos" that the kids have enjoyed watching from time to time (because that is the FREE! option), but it is so nice to be able to conveniently pop in a DVD (at home, in the car, at the homeschool co-op) and see high quality demonstrations. For the small investment of $19.95, I don't see how you can lose with this product. It would certainly compliment almost any K-8 science curriculum.

If you have learners at higher levels, you can also purchase video lessons about Chemistry, Physics, Algebra, and Geometry, to name a few. There is even a video tutorial for K-7th Grade Math I'd like to have a look at sometime. Check out the Science and Math website for more video tutorial DVD titles.


The bottom line is that after watching a few of the segments on the Amazing Science DVD, my kids had a renewed interest in pursuing scientific studies and a determination to search for answers to questions they had in a scientific way on their own, and I had an improved sense of confidence that "YES, we can do science experiments (and live to tell about it)." Look at that any way you like, but in my book that's amaaaaazing!


To see what others on the Old Schoolhouse Review Crew had to say about Amazing Science!, check out the Crew Blog.


Blessings,

Disclaimer: I received the Amazing Science! dvd set in order to complete this honest review. The opinions you read here reflect the personal experiences and thoughts of me and my children about this product. 

Grow Your Media Library With The Woodcarver---Giveaway and Review

The Woodcarver is available for $10.92 from Christian Cinema

My hubby and I were discussing movies just the other day. Not plots of our favorites, or even reviewing the titles of recently released films, but one of those pretty weighty discussions about which movies we were choosing to allow our family to watch. We discussed the idea of there being acceptable, good, better, and best, in our choices (not to mention unacceptable and waaaaay not going to happen ever!!), and we determined that we should strive for not just acceptable and good, but choose to go for those that are better...eventually leaving only room for the best. It will be a process for us as we sort through years of collecting cute and fun videos and dvds (at bargain prices, of course!), and learn to discern which ones are the truly better ones, and ultimately, the best.

Well, I am here to make it easy for you...at least with one video. The Woodcarver is definitely one of the best. There was not one thing I did not like about it, and many I loved. John Ratzenberger plays a widower named Ernest who is a reclusive woodcarver. A young man named Matthew, who is torn up by his parents' dissolving marriage, takes out his ire on the beautiful carved woodwork in the church he feels betrayed him by promising something he does not see in his own home (love, grace, and forgiveness). In order to avoid criminal charges for vandalism, Matthew must help Ernest repair the church. In doing so, he learns an art (really, this woodcarving is definitely art), learns more about Jesus, and discovers how to forgive his family and move ahead towards healing. The theme of WWJD ("What Would Jesus Do") is emphasized throughout the film, and in the end, Matthew is not the only one who learns to live out that challenge...nearly everyone experiences the power of having faith, experiencing God's grace, and the healing of forgiveness.

Tex (age 14), Ladybug (age 8), Cowboy (age 6), and Firefly (age 4) watched this movie with me. We had a fun pizza picnic in the living room and enjoyed the show. Cowboy and Firefly faded before the movie ended, but Ladybug was entranced...she asked thoughtful questions throughout the movie, and since I was there to explain certain things (like when the bad guys were bad and about divorce), she was not disturbed by anything in the movie. Cowboy made the comment, "When we work together we will have a good life" after viewing much of the movie. That's some good wisdom coming from a six-year-old!

I do not recall any poor language. There was no improper dress. The movie is, in my opinion, appropriate for most ages, though parents may wish to preview it and see if it suits their youngest viewers (there is vandalism and someone deliberately starts a fire). The character of Ernest was very wise and someone you would probably love to have as a neighbor. Even the parents, who started out sort of in the "bad guy" arena at the beginning of the movie, were pretty neat by the end. The young man is completely transformed from a sullen miscreant to a dedicated and determined friend. 

Tex got a lot out of the movie, too, and we had an enlightening conversation about it afterwards. He said he'd sure love to learn to carve like Ernest and wishes there was someone like that that he could apprentice under...what those folks did with wood was amazing, and the way they worked together to make something incredible was inspiring.

I hope you will be intrigued by what I have shared about this movie and make the effort to watch it with your own family. If you'd like to win a copy of it, please enter my giveaway this week and maybe you will win one to be delivered to your very own front door! You can also enter with the idea of donating the DVD to your church library once you have viewed it. I highly encourage folks to buy two of the quality, family-friendly movies that they watch and to give one to their church so that more families will be made aware that there are films being made that promote family values and good morals instead of tearing them down.

In order to enter, please follow me and leave a comment saying you have done so (or leave me a comment saying that you are a follower already. In your comment, I'd love to hear what your favorite family-friendly movie is, but this is not a requirement to win. Leaving me a reliable way to reach you easily, however, is. 

I pray you have a blessed week. This giveaway ends on March 22, my dad's birthday. I will notify the winner the next day. If you'd like an extra entry (just for fun), "like" my facebook page and wish Poppy a happy birthday. Make sure you come back here and leave me a comment telling me you did so.

Blessings,

Movie Double Feature Giveaway!

A while back, I mentioned a fantastic movie I was blessed to pre-screen at the movie theater, The Mighty Macs. The story of the first women's college basketball championship season in 1971, it is a faith-based movie that is not only family-friendly, but family-fun. With something for everyone, from sports, to friendship, to underdogs to cheer for...all with a good dose of clean humor... The Mighty Macs, starring Carla Gugino (Spy Kids), David Boreanaz (Bones), and Ellen Burstyn, is an exciting movie all members of your family will appreciate.

The Mighty Macs chronicles the struggles of Cathy Rush, a first-time basketball coach (and wife to NBA ref Ed Rush), who attempts to take the almost non-existent and underfunded basketball program at a dying women's Catholic college (Immaculata) from practicing without benefit of a gym or proper equipment, to playing in the finals...with the help of a few unexpected enthusiastic supporters, the nuns. This movie is Dove approved and rated "G" and does not contain anything I considered particularly objectionable (no violence or inappropiate scenes), though it did show a nun having a beer in a bar, and a man making a fairly rude comment, but most kids will either not notice this, or if old enough, you can discuss the implications of the scene. You can download a free discussion guide for use with your family at The Mighty Macs website. This movie was in all ways an uplifting story of never giving up, dreaming big, and having faith. I highly recommend it.

If you never got a chance to see The Mighty Macs on the big screen (it was a limited release film), you can have a second chance to see it by watching it on its newly-released DVD format, available from online vendors such as Christian Book Distributors. Take a few minutes now to watch the trailer, then  enter my giveaway, and win a copy for your family. Just leave a comment saying that you'd like to win a copy of The Mighty Macs and follow Blessings Pour Out (or let me know you are already a follower). The giveaway runs from February 29th until March 15th. My mom's birthday is on March 9th, so if you "Like" Blessings Pour Out on Facebook and leave a comment on the page wishing Nanny a "Happy Birthday," I will give you a second entry for getting into the party spirit! Let me know via a second comment here that you have sent her birthday wishes. Thanks.


I am so grateful to have the opportunity to review some of the new generation of family-friendly films that have been released in the past few years. It seemed for a while there that the only sorts of movies being made were the kind I wouldn't go see...horror films, violent dramas, and edgy movies filled with cursing, rude characters, and/or inappropriate scenes. Thankfully, there are film groups out there now representing the more traditional families and making films that people of all ages can go see together...moms and dads can attend these movies with their kids by their sides, and have no need to cover the little ones' eyes and ears every five minutes, or to blush when they look over at grandma who is sitting a few seats over. How refreshing!

As conservative Christian families, we need to do our best to support these movies by attending them when they are in the theaters, spreading the word about how good they are (how many people have you told to go see Courageous? Every man/family needs to see that one!), and purchasing them when they are released on DVD for ourselves, as gifts, and for our churches.  I hope you will consider entering one of these two movie giveaways and passing on the movie to your church library once you have viewed it, so it will be available for your church family to see and share with others.

On to the second excellent movie that I had the opportunity to view online. Three Hearts is the true story Cissie Graham Lynch (wife of NFL player Corey Lynch of the Buccaneers, and granddaughter of Billy Graham, as she serves as an intern with the Children's Heart Project. This ministry provides vital medical services (operations) for medically at-risk children around the world. The movie follows the stories of three Mongolian children who desperately need heart surgery before it is too late. It chronicles Cissie's efforts to bring the children and their families to the US, their interactions with their host families, and takes you through their surgeries and the aftermath. For mission-minded families, this movie is an excellent example of how important every person is in a chain of events leading from one thing to another. Everyone plays a vital role in God's plans, no matter how small the part or how young the participant. One way the movie does this is to show how a young American heart patient who decides to "give back" is able to rally his community to raise money to bring over just one more needy child.

I liked Three Hearts a lot. My husband enjoyed it, too. Tex and Ladybug found it very interesting. The other little ones did not stay up late enough to see it, but I think they would like many parts of it. However, in the spirit of full disclosure, I will say that younger children might be disturbed by the openness of the situations, the talk of death, and the operating room scenes. I did not notice that they were particularly disturbing, but that sort of thing does not bother me...we just talked about the reality of the situation and had a good discussion about it. My SIL thought those things would bother her children (they bothered her a bit), and she did not have them watch it (they are considerably younger than most of my kids, though). This movie is Dove approved and recommended for ages 12 and up.

This movie showed many incredible things, from the simple and heartfelt prayers of the families, to the complexities of arranging such missions efforts, and also it makes clear that there is a lasting effect knowing these brave children had on the lives of those they who worked with them. I was particularly moved by this film, and am all ready to start saving for the surgery of a child. You will be, too.

If you'd like to win a copy of this film for your family or your church, instead of purchasing at Christian Book Distributors, watch the trailer first, then simply comment on this post saying you'd like the Three Hearts DVD and either follow me and tell me you did so, or tell me you are already a follower. The giveaway runs from February 29th until March 15th. If you "Like" Blessings Pour Out on Facebook and leave a comment on the page wishing Poppy (my dad) a "Happy Birthday," since his birthday is on the 22nd of March and I don't want him to feel left out, I will give you a second entry for getting into the party spirit! Let me know via a second comment here that you have sent him birthday wishes. Thanks.


Please make sure to only enter for the two movies separately. If the same person wins twice, I will give them their movie of preference and draw a second winner for the other movie. Please make sure you leave me with an easy way to contact you. Thank you!

Blessings,

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of The Mighty Macs DVD so I could review it on my blog. I was given access to the movie Three Hearts online for the purposes of completing this review. I am sharing our experiences and my opinions about these movies honestly. If you have questions regarding anything said here, please feel free to contact me or comment.

A Mile in His Shoes

Our family has a tradition of watching a movie every Friday and ordering out for pizza. It gives the kids something consistent to look forward to, gives me a break from cooking, and provides an opportunity for us to view quality movies as a family (and discuss them) without the kids having to feel deprived because we don't often spring for the "real" movie theater experience.

Over the last year or so, I have been blessed by the opportunity to work some new quality family movies into our repertoire that diverge from the usual kiddie, cartoon-y movies that seem to often be the only "clean" movies available (and if you keep track of some of the cartoons out these days, you will know that even being a cartoon does not guarantee appropriateness for children these days). Hubby and I have found this to be a great relief...oh, let's be honest here...I have found this to be a great relief (Hubby is happy with cartoons) because I am just not that into animation, or cartoon-y characters, or constant capers and hi-jinx. 

These new family movies are emerging to fill a market need that producers are starting to identify as "family values.' GASP! It's like Hollywood forgot that there are FAMILIES out there who watch movies, too, and not all parents want their kids to see promiscuous women parade across the screen, hear language not fit for the local pub, or see adults engaged in sleazy high-risk behaviors, and children determined to undermine their parents' authority. It amazes me that the average movie has gotten so bad that even if it has a "good" message, you still have to be cautious about taking your family (even your teens) to it, because it is likely that negative behaviors such as swearing, drinking, and violence will be showcased, all for the sake of  "making it realistic."

Last week for family night we watched a new movie from the Thomas Kincaide collection. Yes, that's Thomas Kincaide the artist. I remember walking through Thomas Kincaide galleries when I was younger, admiring the paintings of cottages and misty streets that seemed to glow from within. Well, he still has those, but these days he has diversified and now he even has Disney, NASCAR, and baseball paintings! Then there are the movies, too. Movies like The Christmas Cottage (available for instant viewing on Netflix...it's a good one), and The Christmas Lodge, and now, A Mile in His Shoes (he also has a painting series based on the movie which you can view HERE).

Based on a true story, A Mile in His Shoes is a film about the profound changes that occur in many lives when a determined minor league coach (played by Dean Cain) recruits a sweet young man named Mickey (played by Luke Schroeder, Ricky Schroeder's son) to be his team's pitcher. Mickey, whom Murph (the coach) discovers on a farm when he runs his car into a ditch in the country, is unusual in a number of ways. First, there is his innocence, because he has been sheltered by his parents (good on you, mom and dad!). Second, there is his amazing pitching arm, which he developed by pitching apples into a wash tub on the farm so they'd splat and make slop for his pet pig (my kids loved that part!). Lastly, there is the fact that he has Asperger's, a type of autism, which means that while he is incredibly talented in some areas, in others (such as social interactions), he has some difficulties coping. In spite of the challenges, though, Mickey and Murph make a great team, and work together to make the Rats' year their best year yet. 

We watched the film on Friday, curled up together on the couches in the parlor, while enjoying CiCi's three specialty pizzas for $9.99 deal (can't beat that one!). We explained to the kids beforehand about the young man being autistic, so they'd understand the context of the movie. They have a friend who is autistic and he is not quite as high functioning as Mickey, so they were a bit confused by that, but overall they got the idea that Mickey was just a really nice guy with a special God-given talent, and that he was blessed to have been influenced by such a passionate and thoughtful coach as Murph. They saw that the real blessing, though, was to the team, whose lives were all changed by their interactions with the young man. The players (and coach) learned to consider more than themselves, and to take stock of what was really important, and Mickey learned to spread his wings and take on a challenge. 

There was only one spot I was uncomfortable with the kids in the room (time for a bathroom break, anyone??), and that was when the "bad guy" has taken Mickey to a party (not a nice one...more like a tailgate in the woods one, but the alcohol use is not overt) where he convinces a female admirer of his to take Mickey for a walk in the woods. I was concerned because I didn't know how far they'd take that scenario, but other than some talk, and a peck on the cheek where she tells Mickey she likes him, it's fairly tame...sort of. The walk turns out to be a set up to get Mickey alone so some guys can beat him up and prevent him from pitching. They really didn't show that either (other than a fist coming for his face), but if it bothers you, you could send the kids out like we did.

The movie was a nice change for the adults (I mean, I love Tangled and Ratatouille, but you can't watch cartoons every week). It was safe for families...no cursing, no (real bad) violence, no guns or crazy chase scenes, no vampires or undead, no (really) sleazy women (the one girl was a bit ditsy, though, and clingy, but in the end, nice)...and it had a good message, or two, or three:

•  Don't judge people. 
• Hard work pays off. 
• Being the "nice guy" CAN get you somewhere. 
• Stand by your friends, teammates, family. 
• You have God-given gifts for a reason...use them. 
• Don't let grief cripple your ability to love (the coach still mourned his son, who died young). 
• There are many people out there who need to be loved for who they are...love them. 
• Second chances don't always happen. If you get one, don't waste it. 
• Take care of those who need protecting. 
• Stand up to your fears. 
• Share your gifts (of teaching, of love, of kindness) with others. 
• Be honest, be kind, be sincere, be determined, be brave, be a friend. 

Those are just some of what my kids and Hubby and I came up with. I am sure that if you watch this movie, you will find your own lessons of value in the story.


I just thought you'd appreciate knowing another movie is out there with family values, so go on out and get yourself a copy, then buy another to add to your church or local library...if everyone did this, there would be more quality choices out there to influence more young lives. Supporting the good films, and refusing to go to the bad ones CAN make a difference. 


This is a Dove Family Approved Movie.

If you'd like to see a trailer of the movie, you can check it out HERE.
If you'd like to buy a copy of the movie, it is available HERE.

If you'd like a copy of this movie without buying it, you can enter my giveaway, which ends on Monday, January 30th at midnight. Just follow me (or let me know that you are already a follower) and leave me a comment telling me who in your family will like this movie the most. I will give ONE bonus entry to the first person who enters...just because I think you are awesome!! I will draw a winner and notify him or her on the 31st (just make sure you leave me an easy way to contact you, or the movie will go to the next name I draw). Thanks!

Blessings,

Beyond Movie Night...Movie Night PLUS!

Last year, our family had the opportunity to review a Z-Guide to the Movies from Zeezok Publishing. We chose the guide for the movie Sergeant York starring Gary Cooper since it is a classic guy movie based on a true story and both of these things appealed to Tex, our then 13 year-old student. You can check out that review here, if you like. Our experience then was a very positive one, and when I was offered the opportunity to review another Z-Guide, I was eager to see if the experience would measure up to our previous one. Well, it did.

We chose to receive the 36 page Z-Guide for the movie Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Another classic film, this time starring the endearing and talented Jimmy Stewart, the movie is one of my dad's favorites and I knew he wouldn't mind watching it with Tex and going over the activities with him. Since 2012 is an election year, I figured it would be a good idea to give Tex something a bit different from the Ancient World History we've been studying, and this movie seemed like it might be a good way to get some lively discussions rolling...and some curiosity about politics roused. I was not disappointed.

What is a Z-Guide?

Basically, each Z-Guide is anywhere from about 25 pages to 35 pages long and contains several important components. Here they are:

• Table of Contents and How to How to Use This Guide:  A listing of the exercises contained in the guide and a suggested five-day course of study for the guide.
• Topic Overview: Gives the viewer necessary background knowledge about the historical setting and characters encountered in the movie.
• Movie Synopsis: This gives a detailed peek at the actual plot of the movie, but it may give away the ending, so you can choose to forego reading this page (or have mom read it and fill in the students without spoiling the ending...though, if your students are like me, they may want to know what to expect).
• Learning Activities: From movie review questions (included in every Z-guide) to crossword puzzles, from art projects to research and writing activities, from performances and interviews to introspection about Worldview,  from in-depth investigation of literary and filmaking devices to historical timelines, from planning battle strategies (Z-Guide for One Night With the King) to a hike in the woods (Z-Guide for My Side of the Mountain), these ten activities offer a variety of ways to explore the movie and to express the student's understanding of its content. There are also some questions for family discussion which make good group conversation starters, as they focus on critical thinking and worldview...kind of like having a Movie Night Plus!
• Answers and Additional Resources: There is an answer key for all questions (including expectations for activities and suggested point values), as well as a listing of further resources you may wish to use.

If you would like to see a sample Z-Guide, here is one based on the movie of The Count of Monte Cristo (that book is a favorite of mine...). You might want to try it out and see what you think (if you are homeschooling a High Schooler, that is...the topic is not really appropriate for younger students). I think you will find you really like the concept of the Z-Guide. Currently, there are 64 Z-Guides to choose from. There are so many that look good to me...I am certain that you will find at least a dozen that you'd like to try, too!!

Z-Guides are organized by historical time period. If you check out the Zeezok site, you will see that they have a timeline on the left sidebar, starting with Ancient Civilizations and going up through the Vietnam War. This makes it very easy for a parent/teacher who is going to be teaching a particular activity to find whether there is a movie with a guide available for the subject that is going to be taught. Simply click on the time period you are getting ready to teach, and you will see which movies fit into that designation.
Zeezok offers both the guides (for $12.99 download or $15.99 cd-rom) and the movies (prices vary, so check the site), though many of the movies can be found at your local library, or through lending services such as Netflix or Blockbuster. We were fortunate and discovered that Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is in the public domain and is available online for FREE! Yay!!!

Also, it is important to know that Z-Guides can be used with multiple grade levels, but they are divided by subject appropriateness and difficulty of topic and activities, so some are considered to be High School level (such as Mr. Smith Goes to Washington), while others are considered to be Elementary/Middle School such as Kit Kittredge (based on the American Girl books). This does not mean that the activities cannot be modified by the teacher to work for multiple levels or that they can't be divided amongst various children according to ability and interest, but it does mean that parents should check a trusted movie review site, such as Plugged In Online to support make sure that the movie they want to view is appropriate for their individual child's age and personality.

Who would benefit from and enjoy a Zeezok Guide?

• Anyone who is studying history and would like a fun and interesting way to "jump start" or "wrap up" a unit...why not try a Movie Night PLUS where you show one of the available Z-Guide movies, do some of the Family Discussion Questions, then start a week long study of the movie the next Monday? Sounds like fun to me!
• Anyone who is studying literature (many old films are based on classic works of literature, such as To Kill a Mockingbird) and would like a way to reinforce the literary work or to present it in an alternate way (ie. for visual learners or those with limited time).
• A teacher who needs a break for any number of reasons, such as illness, a recent birth, travel (something to do on long trips and still counts as school!), long-term visitors, an additional job, calving season (LOL...why not?), holidays, or just for an interesting change of pace.
• Anyone who would like to reinforce or practice literary analysis...many of the Z-Guides discuss things like foreshadowing and mood.
• Someone who is not the usual parent/teacher but will be acting as the caregiver for a short period of time...this would be an easy way to involve someone outside the usual family in the educational process, in a way that would be fun, yet still be learning.
• Any student who appreciates movies and needs to understand history (among many other things) will benefit from and get something out of these Z-Guides. Who doesn't fit into that category?

What did our family think about the Z-Guide we tried?

• Tex said that he LOVED the movie. He thought it was amazing.
• Tex says it really helped him clarify what a filibuster is and got him thinking about how politics affects his life.
• He said he appreciated the questions because they made him focus on important parts of the movie and try to understand them better than he might have if he had just been sitting and casually watching the movie (the questions are written in order of the movie's plot and meant to be answered as the movie progresses).
• Tex said the crossword puzzle was a fun reinforcement of the plot and said that the How a Bill Becomes a Law worksheet helped him put the process in order better than if he'd just tried to visualize it. He and his dad had an intense discussion about the Worldview questions, which they both got something out of...not just knoweldge, but a deeper relationship.
• The one negative thing he said was that a few things were difficult to find online, but since the answer key was available, he had a fallback plan if he got stuck.
• Poppy said this guide was an effective way to help students understand their government and its procedures using one of his favorite movies.
• Poppy feels it is a nice way to get people other than the parent/teachers involved in the kids' education.
• I really like the Z-Guides. I'd love to get the ones for The Ten Commandments and One Night With the King as we are currently doing Ancient History. The only thing that stops me from going crazy and buying a bunch of them (we do love movies!) is that $12.99 for a single download (and the project lasts about a week) seems like a bit much for our budget. I wish Zeezok would offer a multiple purchase discount or a disk with mulitple titles (like and Ancient Studies pack and a World Wars pack).
• I appreciate the preparation and organization of the Z-Guides. It is a great way for mom to get a break from the usual homeschool work week, yet to keep on learning. If I had a bad week/busy week, it would be nice to have a Z-Guide to pull out (I'd really like My Side of the Mountain), so I could feel like the kids are still learning even though I am getting a bit of a break. As a teacher, I definitely see the value of using film as a motivating, inspiring tool. I often encouraged or enticed my students (when I taught 8th grade English) using movies. We watched The Count of Monte Cristo, Cyrano de Bergerac, and even that old animated version of The Hobbit after reading the novels in class...the kids all loved it!
• BUT not every movie needs a Z-Guide. While the questions were very thoughtful, targeted discussions before, during, and following the movie would have sufficed for us as it relates to learning and the movie Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. I think that if we were studying US Government this year, using the Z-Guide during the portion of the curriculum that introduced Congress might have been helpful, but as a random choice (the idea was to have something a little different), maybe the activities were not so relevant to us. In the future I think I'd limit Z-Guide use to specific areas for which we have a particular interest in going deeper.
• I would like to see a bit more in the recommended resources section. Our Z-Guide only listed De Tocqueville's Democracy in America. I am pretty sure there is more out there to support learning about our government procedures than just that one thing...Oh, and one senate website was listed. Ayway, Tex would have explored more online if some direction had been given. I know sites change sometimes, but since it is an e-book, perhaps sites could be updated once a year, or at the very least, a disclaimer could be included so more sites could be listed. Just a suggestion...

If you'd like to see what others on the TOS Review Crew thought about their (many different) Z-Guides, check the Crew Blog HERE.
To read more about Z-Guides, click HERE.
To see a sample of a Z-Guide, click HERE.
To check out the available Z-Guides or to order a Z-Guide, click HERE.
To read my review of the Sergeant York Z-Guide, click HERE (lots of pictures of the guide).
You can LIKE Zeezok on Facebook to receive updates HERE.
Blessings,

Heather

Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of the Z-Guide for Mr. Smith Goes to Washington in order to provide an honest review of the guide here on our blog. All opinions and observations reflect our personal experiences with this product and are not meant to predict or guarantee your family's experiences. If you have questions about this review that I did not answer, please feel free to contact me or comment here.