Saturday, June 9, 2012

Hidden Secrets - Movie Review






Click link to Christian Cinema to buy the Movie - Hidden Secrets

I am reviewing another older movie, Hidden Secrets, came out in 2006, and is another movie from David AR White and PureFlix Entertainment.

I absolutely love this movie.  It is kind of a Christian Big Chill.  A group of friends come together for the funeral of one of their own.  The story is about how this group of people interact with each other, and how tensions escalate when their darkest secrets are coming to light.

There is Jeremy (David AR White) who has come with his new girlfriend, but has never gotten over his love for his first girlfriend, Sherry.  It is Sherry's brother who just passed away so she is dealing with the grief of losing her brother, along with her old feelings for Jeremy.  The cast also includes Gary (John Schneider) who is Jewish and at odds with one of the other friends, Rhonda.  She is a self righteous Christian, who feels it is her duty to win Gary over for Jesus.

This film has a great cast, that interacts well together, and give a wonderful, believable performance.  They make you feel like you know them, and that you are one of them.  They make you laugh and cry.

I hope that you will watch this movie,  it is really worth your time.  The message is wonderful.

I hope to hear what you think, and what your favorite movie is.  I hope to hear from you soon.

Enjoy!!!
Debi

Friday, June 8, 2012

Favorite Friday Blog Links of the Week # 4

Well, it is Friday morning, and I am sure that we are all ready for the weekend.  I love reading all of the links that come in from other blogs.  I am hoping that you enjoy reading the posts that I link to on Friday mornings.  There are so many great blogs out there, I wish I could post them all, but I think that four are the maximum amount that I can give justice to.

So here are the blogs for this week.  I hope that you enjoy reading them as much as I have.

Shay Lynn Oxford @ Oxford Impressions
The first blogger I am featuring today is Shay Lynn Oxford from the blog Oxford Impressions - Snickerdoodle Bread.  I have actually posted a direct to her recipe for Snickerdoodle Bread.  I have not made this recipe yet, but it looks amazing.  Looking at the pictures I can taste it.  This is one recipe that I am going to make.  My son Danny will be home from the marines soon, and this is something that he would love to eat, and not just in the morning, but all day.  He has a sweet tooth, so this is a must have.  You might want to take a look at her Chicken and Rice Salad, it looks really good too.  Also, her quilts are beautiful works of art.  I have tried quilting in the past and it is truly an art form.  I am sure that you will find Oxford Impressions as delightful as I have.

pink crown
Christian Women Online

Next, I would love for all of you to take a look at Christian Women Online Blogs.  I actually found this blog through Oxford Impressions.  This is a beautiful blog that is written by 12 women.  They also offer scripture tags for your blogs, which are absolutely beautiful.  I also really appreciated reading this link Christian Women Online - From Nothing.  It a wonderful piece that was written about all that God has given us and learning to appreciate our blessings.  Please look at these blogs, I think that there is something for everyone.

Jamie and Miranda - The Pinterest Project

Blog number three is The Pinterest Project Project - T-Shirt Grocery Bags from Jamie and Miranda.  They have some great projects on their blog including the T-Shirt Grocery Bags that are really cute, and incredibly easy to make.  I am linking a picture because they are so cute, and they give step by step directions on how to make them.  I also thought this link for their Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette looked delicious.  I think I will be making this today.  This is a great blog, I am sure that you are going to find it interesting and fun.



Andrea at Frugally Sustainable

The last blog for this week is from Andrea at Frugally Sustainable. I love reading everything that she posts.  Andrea comes up with some very creative solutions for our everyday lives.  She hosts a blog party which starts every Tuesday night called Frugal Days / Sustainable Ways, where other bloggers can post links to their blogs.  The great thing is that these recipes and ideas need to be frugal and sustainable.  I look forward to reading this blog every Wednesday morning.  I can not wait for all of the creative ideas that people post.  This is a link to Andrea's Homemade Liquid Dish Soap, which works really well.  It was easy to make, and works great at cleaning my dirty dishes.  Check out what she has to say, I know that you enjoy her blog.

It would be great if you would put this link in your post I am a featured blogger at Adorned From Above's Favorite Friday Blog Links Week 4

Please leave comments on what blogs you enjoy reading.  I would love to find more wonderful writers.

Enjoy!!!
Debi

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Mexican Rub Recipe

Mexican Rub
We eat at Red Robin's every once in a while, and one of my favorite dishes is their Ensenada Chicken Platter with their Baja Ranch Dressing.  I set out on a mission to try to find out what ingredients were in their seasonings on this chicken.  I, of course could not find out what was in their recipe, and I certainly tried.  I did learn that they marinate the chicken in their Baja Ranch dressing.  I have been able to find a Chipotle Ranch Dressing at both Whole Foods and at Walmart that is very close.

You can marinate the chicken in that, but it is not the same, so I set out to try and come up with seasoning to make a rub, that would give the chicken a similar flavor.  I think that I have come pretty close.  It is a simple recipe, the ingredients may seem daunting, but it is really easy.  I make a large batch and store it in a mason jar.  I use it all of the time, so it does not last long in our house.  Also, my kids are always trying to steal some to take home to use when they cook chicken, because they like it so much.

This is a picture of what my Mexican Rub Chicken Platter looks like.

Debi's Mexican Rub Chicken Platter

Mexican Rub Recipe
Print Screen

Ingredients:
1/3 cup chili powder
1/4 cup cumin
1/4 cup paprika
2 TB oregano powdered
2 TB onion powder
2 TB garlic powder
2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp chipolte chili powder   (more or less according to your taste and heat preferences)
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper            (more or less according to your taste and heat preferences)

Mix all ingredients together and store in a mason jar.

To use: I cover the chicken with this rub, and I usually cook it in a nonstick ceramic skillet.  I use boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, and I cook them for approximately 9 minutes per side.  I also put a lid on the pan to help them cook in that amount of time.

I serve this with chipotle ranch dressing on the side along with a green salad.  It tastes Marvelous Darling!!!  I hope that you will give this recipe a try.

My plate of beautifully cooked Mexican Chicken

Please leave me any comments on what you think of this recipe.  I would love to hear from you.

Debi

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Jasmine Scented Oil / Wednesday Adorned From Above Blog Hop 2

First I am sorry that this was so late getting up.  I was having problems with my Linky Tool.  Here it is.

I have changed this to a Wednesday Blog Hop, called Wednesday Adorned from Above Blog Hop 2. I will feature some of your great ideas in in the beginning the Blog Hop Party on the Wednesday of the following week.

Your posts can include:
  • anything DIY
  • Recipes
  • Arts and Crafts
  • Sewing
  • Knitting and Crochet Ideas and Patterns
  • DIY Cleaning Solutions
  • Natural Beauty Product Recipes
  • Decorating Ideas
  • Thrifting
  • Book Reviews, Movie Reviews, Christian Music
  • Inspirational Articles, Poetry, Life Stories, or Short Stories
  • Bible Studies 

  1. Bloggers, use the linky tool on the bottom of this post to share your best post. Non-bloggers, feel free to add a comment here with any ideas or thoughts you have. 
  2. I would love for you to add the blog hop link posted below to the post that you are linking also.  It will give us additional opportunities for more people to see our blogs. This is not a requirement just a request.
  3. Please take a look at what other people have posted and vote on the ones that you like.
  4. I would also love for you to post a comment in my comments section telling me a little about yourself and your post.  This also is not a requirement just a request.  I would love getting to know you and your blog.
  5. Please link your posts back to my blog hop. Linking back here helps build our little community by sending your readers to all of the other posts shared.  Just create a text link somewhere in your post back to this blog. Copy and Paste this link onto your post, it will link to this page.  Wednesday Adorned From Above Blog Hop (Especially since I do not have any buttons yet.)
  6. I would love to have you follow me on Google +, RSS Feed, even by email.

Since this was our first week I was pleased that we had four links.  I am thrilled to feature all four posts for this week.  So without further ado, I would like to present their beautiful and informative posts.  To those of you that I featured I would love for you to feature this link to the blog showing that you are featured blogger at the Wednesday Adorned from Above Blog Hop.

I am a featured blogger at Wednesday Adorned From Above Blog Hop
Dress for Birdy's Baby

This is the cutest little doll dress from Like Mama - Like Daughter : Crafting Along With a Needle and Thread.  Blogger Hannah White is the creator of this adorable birdy doll dress.  Take a look at her blog, I think that you will enjoy it.

  Our next blogger posted a wonderful recipe for Watermelon Mint Lemonade from The Healthy Beehive.  Jane is the blogger and let me tell you I loved reading this recipe.  I am certainly going to make this, I even bought the lemons and watermelon.  Hopefully, I will get to it this afternoon.  Take a look at Jane's blog and see what else she has to offer.

Oil Cleansing Method from Natural Living Momma
This next blog offers wonderful tips on natural cleansing with her post on Oil Cleansing Method - Natural Living Momma.  Amanda is the blogger for Natural Living Momma, and I love this cleansing method.  I normally just use oil to remove waterproof makeup, but she certainly makes a point for using it all of the time.  Take a look at her blog and see what other tips she has to offer.

Bear Rabbit Crafts - Are Your Eggs Bad?
I absolutely loved this last post called Are Your Eggs Bad? by Bear Rabbit Bear Crafts.  This is the most informative post about checking on whether your eggs are fresh or not.  It made me laugh, and I have since told everyone how you check to make sure that your eggs are fresh.  This is a great one, check out Melanie's blog, and take a look for yourself.


Now onto my post for the day.  It is a Jasmine Scented Oil that I use in place of perfume.  I hope that you like it as much as I do.
Jasmine Scented Oil (replacement for perfume)

I was really excited to start making scented oils.  I am severely allergic to perfume, and when I started making my own beauty products this was something I was really excited to try.


I love the smell of Jasmine, actually I love the smell of Star Jasmine.  In all of my research I found that Star Jasmine is not actually Jasmine, but I did find a Now Jasmine Fragrance which is close in smell to my Star Jasmine that are blooming in the pots in front of my house.  The great thing is that I am not allergic to this form of essential oil.  So I tried using it to make a Jasmine Scented Oil and it smells fabulous.  I love it.  I have tried Jasmine Absolute, the grandflora, but I do not love this smell as much.  I have not yet found a Jasmine Sambac, so if you have that essential oil you could give it a try. 

I use jojoba oil because it is absorbed by your skin better then some other oils, so it will not leave you feeling oily.

Now I know this is really hard, but I think all of you will be able to manage, since there are only two ingredients in this recipe.

Jasmine Scented Oil

2 oz jojoba oil
40 drops Now Jasmine Fragrance oil

Put the oil in a small bottle with a dropper lid.  Add the essential oil, put the lid on and shake.

That's it you are done.  Put it at your wrists and behind your ears, and you are set to go.

Please send me comments about how you like this scented oil.  I would love to hear what you think.

Enjoy!!!
Debi


Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Natural Honey and Oil Deep Conditioner


Since I dye my hair, I am 54 with lots of grey, I need to deep condition my hair.  In my quest for natural products, I decided that I would make a deep conditioner for my hair.  I have squirt bottles that I bought at the grocery store for $1.00 per bottle.  So it was easy to mix this up quick and put in my hair.

I decided on several ingredients, the first being natural raw honey.  Honey is a natural humectant and it is great for your skin and hair so this definitely made the list of must have ingredients.  I also wanted to use olive oil since it is a great conditioner for both hair and skin.  The last ingredient that I decided to use was macadamia nut oil for its penetrating capabilities.  It also helps with damage from the chemicals of dye and pollutants in the environment.

I must tell you that this is the first time I used this.  It is very sticky and you have to carefully work it into your hair, but it is worth the trouble.  My hair feels amazingly soft and looks great and this is 7 days later.  I really recommend this to anyone who wants to deep condition their hair.


Natural Honey and Oil Deep Conditioner

2 oz natural raw honey (heated so it is melted about 30 seconds)
2 oz olive oil
1 oz macadamia nut oil
plastic shower cap or trash bag
headband

Whisk ingredients together and pour into a squirt bottle.  Squirt into hair a little at a time making sure you get your hair well covered with the honey oil mixture.  Work it through hair as well as possible.  Then cover your head with the shower cap or trash bag and put headband around your head to keep the heat in created from your head.  The heat from your head will help this conditioner work better.  Let it sit in your hair for 30 minutes and then wash your hair with your regular shampoo.  You may need to wash it a second time to make sure you have all of the deep conditioner out, then use your regular conditioner.

I was amazed at how great my hair felt after doing this deep conditioning treatment.  My hair normally feels good, but this took the softness to a whole new level.  I kept saying to my husband, feel how soft my hair is.  He just does what I ask and shakes his head.  Anyway, it still feels great and I did this treatment six days ago, so give it a try.

Let me know what you think of this Natural Honey and Oil Deep Conditioner.  I would love to hear from you, and what you use for a deep conditioner.

Enjoy!!!
Debi

Monday, June 4, 2012

Bible Study Week 5 - Sharper Then a Two-Edged Sword

 


Good morning everyone.  This weeks Bible Study on on Chapter 4 of the book Sharper then a Two-Edged Sword, You've Already Got It.  I am so happy to have you with me this week.  If you have not yet purchased the book,  I have posted a link to Amazon.com for you to be able to buy the book.  I hope that you are going to join us in our Bible study this week, or anytime that you happen to read this blog.  I am happy to have people join anytime.  I am always ready to answer question, or learn something new from you.  Let's start the Bible study.

You've Already Got It

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen
Hebrews 11:1
I love this verse, because to me it says it all, but we will talk about this more in Question 2.

Question 1If God has already given me everything I need, then where is it?
  • In the last lesson we talked about what happens when we receive the Holy Spirit.  We learned that when we receive the spirit we become a new creature like Jesus.  We learned that we can not feel what is happening in our spirit, only in our body and soul.
  • Jesus could do all things.  He could heal, save. deliver, prosper, or give us joy and peace, so those were gifts given to us when we became born again and received the Holy Spirit
But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:17
  • So when God gave us everything, we received it in our spirit, and we know from the last lesson that we can not feel what is in our spirit, the only way to know what gifts we have received is through the Word of God.
  • We must know his word in order to know what we have received.
  • When we have faith that we have received these gifts from God, then the gifts can become a reality.
  • So in conclusion, we received all gifts from God when we were born again.  All of these gifts came to us in our Spirit.
Question 2: What does the "substance" of what I'm hoping for mean, and what does the "evidence" of things I can't see mean?  Can you give me a practical example?
  • The Hebrews 11:1 scripture that I gave is the beginning is from my NKJV bible, but other bibles have different translations.  I am going to give a few of those, and maybe they will help with understanding.
Now faith is the realization of what is hoped for, the proof of things not seen.
Lexham English Bible Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the essence of things being hoped, the evidence of things not having been seen.
Literal Translation of the Holy Bible
Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the persuasion of the things that are in hope, as if they were in act; and [it is] the manifestness of the things not seen.
James Murdock New Testament Hebrews 11:1
  • As you can see, there are several different versions and I feel some of these translations give us a different understanding of what "substance" and "evidence" mean.
  • Substance can mean the realization of what is hoped for, the essence of things hoped for, or the persuasion of things hoped for.
  • Evidence can mean the proof of things not seen, the evidence of things not having been seen, or it is] the manifestness of the things not seen.
  • I also like this version:
Faith is the confidence that we hope for will actually happen; it gives us
assurance about things we can not see.
The New Living Translation Hebrews 11:1
  • So the "substance" can mean that we have the confidence that what we need will actually happen.
  • The "evidence" gives us the assurance about things that we can not see, will happen.
  • God has given us all of the things we need in our spirit. IE: healing, prosperity, joy, peace, and deliverance, but in order to use these powers, we have to believe that God has given them to us, even we can not see or feel it.  Even if there is no evidence.
Question 3I know God has already paid for my sins, but what  about the ones I haven't committed yet?
 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, 
but also for the sins of the whole world
1 John 2:2
  • When God became a man and died on the cross and gave us the Holy Spirit, all sin in the world was forgiven, for us, for others, past, present, and future.  He gave us the gift of salvation.
Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once 
into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
Hebrews 9:12
  • When Jesus died on the cross he reconciled all sin for us forever, even the ones we have not yet committed.
  • It says this over and over in the Bible.  You can find more in Hebrews 10:10 and 10:12, for more reading on this subject.
Question 4:  How can I already have healing if my body is sick?

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, 
should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
1 Peter 2:24


Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows:
 yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.  
 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: 
the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Isaiah 53:4-5
  • These verses above state that God has given us the power to heal not only ourselves, but also others.
  • God has placed within every born again believer the same power that raised Christ from the Dead.  That power is already inside all of us.
Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
Mark 9:23
  • The Bible, God's Word, clearly states that all things are possible for those who believe.  If we thank God for healing us, and know that he has already done it for us then the healing can manifest from our Spirits to our bodies.
  • When God says that it is already done, we need to have faith that it has been done.  I am again referring to 
Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1
 
 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law?
 of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.  Romans 3:27
  • It isn't dependent on God, it is dependent on you believing that God has already done the healing for you, by your faith.
  • These things do not always happen immediately.  Remember in the book of Exodus, the story about Moses.  God told Moses to go to the Pharaoh and say "Let my people go" and Pharaoh told  "no".  Moses went back to God and asked what he should do, and God told Moses to go back and again say "Let my people go".  Pharaoh's response was the same as before.  This happened 10 times.  After the 11th time Pharaoh let the Jews go, but then chased after them, and God closed the Red Sea over the Egyptians.  Darkness will come against the Light of God, so we must be persistent in our belief that it is done, even if it we do not see immediate results.  We just need to keep thanking God for doing whatever it is we need.
  • I would love to hear from all of you as to what you think.
Question 5: What is the advantage to already having healing, prosperity, etc., in my spirit versus just asking God to give them to me when I am in need? 
  • The advantage to having healing, prosperity, joy, and peace in our spirits is that we do not have to ask for those things and then wait for them to happen.
  • Since we already have them in our Spirit, we just need to thank God for doing what we needed done, and have faith that he has done it.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us 
with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Ephesians 1:3

And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, 
according to the working of his mighty power,  Which he wrought in Christ, 
when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand 
in the heavenly places,
Ephesians 1:19-20
  • Faith works not by asking God for something that you already have, but by thank him and acknowledging him for what you already have.
  • He has already given us anything we will ever need in our spirit, we just need to know his word, acknowledge what he has done for us, and then thank him.
Question 6: Why can't I feel how much God loves me all of the time?
  • We have discussed that we can not feel what is in our Spirit, we can only feel what is in our bodies and souls.
Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law
Romans 13:10

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, 
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8
  • To know what is in our Spirit we must know the word of God.  It is the only way to know that he loves us without question.
  • We can not make God love us, he has already done that. There are no work or deeds to earn God's love.  He gives it to us unconditionally and freely.
  • Jesus tells us:
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: 
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 
If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also:
and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
John 14:6
  • Whether we can sense God's love, we must have faith and believe that he love us.
  • Our bodies and souls can not know his love for us, it is our spirit that knows his love.  Our bodies and souls are our flesh, and our flesh does not know God.  Our Spirit knows God's love for us and so even if we can not sense his love, we have to believe what God says about his love for us, above how we are feeling.
Question 7: Why don't things that God has already manifest automatically?  Why do I have to do something to receive from God?
  • All of the gifts from God are readily available through our Spirit.
  • The act of believing that these gifts can come from the Spirit and manifest themselves in our lives is the act that we play in receiving these gifts from God.
  • Our part of receiving God's gifts is the act of believing, and we can only know what gifts we have received through his Word.
  • So the one thing that you must do to receive blessings from God is to believe.

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Terri Blackstock - Restoration Series


First book in the Restoration Series Last Light

There are four books in Christian author Terri Blackstock's Restoration Series.  This is a series of books that I really enjoyed.

What would happen if everything stopped working?  If planes fell from the sky, cars stopped where they were, all electricity stopped, all phone, all refrigerators, everything that we take for granted stopped working.  What would you do?  You can't call anyone to find out what has happened.  You can't turn on the TV, and all radios stopped working also.  Life as we know it would be over.  That is what happens in this series of books from Terri Blackstock.

We are introduced to Deni Branning who is coming home to plan her wedding with her family.  Plans are quickly changed as life as everyone knows it comes to a standstill.  Deni is on her way home from the airport with her father who has just picked her up from the airport, when everything just stops.  They have no idea what has happened, and no way to find out.

Follow Deni, her family, and her friends through these four books while they try to understand what has happened to their world, and what they need to do to survive.  In book two they learn what caused the power outage,  but they have bigger problem when people are so desperate they will steal food just to survive.   How a global catastrophe affects the whole world.  What these people will need to do to survive in those perilous times.

Terri Blackstock has woven a wonderful story about this family's courage and faith to go on when everything in this world seems lost.  The one thing that they still have is their faith in God, and that he will help them survive.

I am posting links to the books and to the review of these books, and also to Terri Blackstock's website to learn more about this series of books.


Terri Blackstock Website - Restoration Series


I hope that you will take a look at these books and let me know what you think.  I really enjoyed them and I hope you do too.  Please leave comments and let me know if you have already read them and what you thought of the books.

Enjoy!!!
Debi