Taking a Break

   Hey! We just wanted to let you guys know that we are going to be taking a short break from the blog. Don't worry, it won't be very long. But our dad has the next few weeks off of work and we want to spend some time with him and the rest of our family.

   We will start posting again after school starts back for us: the third week of July. We have some pretty awesome posts that will go up after we start back, we think you'll really enjoy them. In the meantime, if you have any post requests or ideas (for example, if you'd like to see more of Marianne's Paintings or Elinor's Encouragements and Reflections) please let us know! We will certainly read them and try to post what you request as soon as possible! Thanks for understanding!

Quick Encouragement #35

Come Praise and Glorify

Hey everyone! Oh man, I am really sorry that we haven't posted in a while. Elinor and I have been finishing up our schoolwork so that we can be off and we haven't had much extra time on our hands. On top of that our A/C broke over the weekend and we just got it all fixed up today. I'm really thankful with how blessed we are to be able to have A/C and get it fixed when needed. It's sometimes far too easy to take that kind of thing for granted. Anyway, we've been singing this song a lot in church lately, and I am growing to love it more and more, so I thought I'd share it with ya'll! I hope you enjoy it!

Quick Encouragement #34

TobyMac - Steal My Show

Hey ya'll! Sorry there haven't been any posts for three days. We've had some family visiting and have been quite busy! I've had this song on my playlist for a couple of years and absolutely LOVE it! It's a great reminder of how God should always be the center of our lives. Talk to you guys later! And have a great Father's Day Weekend! 

Wordless Wednesday #1

Book Review: The Horse and His Boy

Review By Marianne

Title: The Chronicles of Narnia Book 3: The Horse and His Boy

Author: C.S. Lewis

Rating: 5/5

Age Recommendation: 12+

Plot: A young boy named Shasta lives alone with his fisherman father. The fisherman is unkind to Shasta, and only keeps him there to work. So one day when a rich Tarkaan (or lord) comes by asking to buy Shasta as a slave, the fisherman is eager to get a good price. Shasta then discovers that the Tarkaan's horse, Bree can talk! And that Bree wants to run far away to the beautiful lands of Narnia. The two run away from the Tarkaan together and embark on a strange and beautiful journey filled with adventure, lions, and new friends.

I loved this book! I could easily say that of the three Narnia books that I've read, this one was the best! I felt I could connect with the characters better in this one than either of the others. It's an amazing book that I would most definitely recommend!

Characters: My favorite character would have to be Shasta. He is very sweet and humble but still has struggles to overcome. He matures and changes so much during the journey, that he hardly seems like the same person. Bree was quite the humorous character as he was very prideful and not afraid to tell you what a wonderful horse he was. He, too changes quite a bit during their journey.

Emotion: This book contained many different emotions. There were several times that I laughed out loud making Elinor wonder what had humored me so. There were also times that were sad, and times that were victorious.

My Thoughts: Overall this is an amazing book. It surpasses the others in the series and makes me wonder why they didn't make a movie for it. It portrays each and every character in an unforgettable way and offers much entertainment! The only reason I recommended ages 12+ were because of the reading level. There are some parts that may be hard for younger children to understand. However, this does not by any means mean that you or your child may not be able to read it!

Quick Encouragement #33

Rend Collective - Simplicity

By Marianne

"Lord, strip it all away, till only You remain."

That almost sounds like a prayer I've said before. It's so amazing what God can do if we only trust Him. We can afford to strip it all away because God will provide for us. Elinor is currently reading a book called God's Smuggler it's an autobiography written by a man called Brother Andrew. And she was telling me about it, and this man, he had pretty much no money. He was going to a college for missionaries and was running very low on cash. So low, that he was brushing his teeth with salt because he couldn't afford toothpaste, let alone to renew his visa and pay for the next school semester. In worldly things, you could easily say he had nothing. But do you know what? God provided for him. He not only made sure that Andrew had food to eat and a place to sleep, but He also made sure that he had the money to continue going to school in a foreign country. 

You could say that Brother Andrew had many worldly things stripped away. But God still remained. And He provided for Andrew. If you're going through a tough time spiritually, financially, physically... whatever it may be, PLEASE REMEMBER that GOD REMAINS. He will protect you and watch out for you. All YOU have to do is let Him.

Movie Review: God's Not Dead

Title: God's Not Dead

Rating: PG

Our Rating: 5/5

Plot:   Josh Wheaton enrolls in a secular college, not knowing that his philosophy professor strongly disagrees with the Christian faith, and openly mocks students who don't. Despite the resistance of his girlfriend, Josh accepts the professor's challenge to defend his beliefs rather than state that God is dead.

   We really enjoyed this movie, and found it very encouraging. It very clearly portrayed the moral, which was to stand up for what you believe in, no matter what. It was over-all an enjoyable, family-friendly movie that had an important message.

Josh: Josh Wheaton is a college freshman that is not willing to back down when it comes to what he believes in, even if it means risking his future. His hope is to convince his classmates that there is a very real and loving God.

Professor Radisson: Professor Radisson teaches Josh's philosophy class. He is a strong atheist and thinks that people who believe in God are weak. When Josh refuses to state that God is dead, the professor makes him defend God.

Pastor Dave: When Josh is searching for answers, Pastor Dave encourages him to fight for his faith. He tells Josh that the best place to find answers is in God's word.

Amy: Amy is a news reporter, who is also a strong atheist. She interviews Christians with the intention of ridiculing their faith. During the movie, she discovers that she has cancer, and reevaluates her priorities.

Mina: Mina is Professor Radisson's girlfriend, but she is a Christian herself. Her mother has dementia, and can't remember who she or her brother is. Mina tries to persuade her brother to accept their mother's situation, and Christ; but he refuses both. 

Ayisha: Ayisha was raised in a Muslim family, but converted to Christianity secretly. When her family finds out, she is turned out of their home. She seeks help and encouragement from Pastor Dave.

Martin: Martin is one of Josh's classmates. He is uncertain who to believe: the professor or Josh. His father strongly encourages him towards the professor, but Martin is still unsure.

Elinor's Thoughts: I thought this movie was great! It was really encouraging in not accepting something, even if everyone else is telling you to. I also really liked that the acting was of good quality, unlike some Christian-themed movies. There was a scene or two that felt a little cliche, however I really enjoyed the over-all plot of the movie, being that it is something that we see in our culture every day. I am really excited that this movie did so well, and would recommend it as an encouragement to anybody.

Marianne's Thoughts: I loved this movie! There was a part or two that was slightly predictable, but other than that, this movie was PERFECT! I love seeing Christian movies sell so big! The acting was very good, and the characters were very understandable. Another thing I liked was that there were several characters that you were following, but it didn't feel overwhelming, or like you didn't get to learn much about each person individually. I will point out though, that there are a few scenes that might be difficult for younger children. I don't want to give anything away, but these scenes include a man harming his daughter, a person being hit by a car, and a woman realizing she has cancer. All of these scenes were completely necessary, and were there to show how fallen our world really is, and how hopeless and meaningless life is without Jesus. Depending on maturity level, your kids may be totally fine with it, you can make that decision, I just thought I'd mention it.  Overall, this was a very sweet and encouraging movie that I would highly recommend!