Looking for Book Recommendations

I love to read (have I mentioned that I am a Janeite already? ), and I love to share my faves.  I’d like to expand my list of faves, so please share your favorite reads - the books that help you balance the humor in this crazy life - the books that leave you inspired, feeling better about life and your place in it.

My top recomendation?  The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom.  It is my all time favorite book and I have given out so many copies to friends over the years.  If you haven’t read - YOU MUST!!!  It is about a Dutch “elderly” spinster, living with her older sister and father, above their clock shop during World War II.  They participate in the resistance movement by hiding Jews in their home… well, I won’t share more or else I’d ruin the story for you.  It is an easy read and chock full of inspiration, charity, values, and heart.  I find something extraordinary in this book every time I read it.  The last time I read it it was with the perspective of a parent of a child with disabilities - and it helped my perspective develop in a better direction.

Please, share your faves with me in the comments - I’d love to find some new favorites!  Thank you, and peace to you all!

Artism Is Beautiful

I found a site that I wanted to share with you all - Artism by Nick  (see http://www.artismbynick.blogspot.com/ )  This site gives people an opportunity to purchase note cards with original art by Nick - a teenager with Autism.  He will create custom cards for any occasion (samples pictured on the site) that can be used as invitations, thank you cards, birthday greetings, etc.

This site really got me thinking…  about art and about how my son (with Autism) could potentially support himself as an adult.

I loved this and couldn’t wait to share it with you.  I have no ties to Nick or his family, but love the designs and am thinking of placing an order myself.  Please let me know if you’ve had any experiences with Artism by Nick so I can share with our kind readers.  Please visit his site and let me know what you think!

Superbowl Sunday Ad Shows We’re Not As “Abled” As We Think

There’s a new kind of ad planned for Superbowl Sunday.

PepsiCo has a commercial that is scheduled to be aired on Superbowl Sunday and you can get a peek at it on YouTube (link below).  This ad turns the tables on us “typically-abled” folk and plays on a joke common in the deaf community.  If you have a sense of humor, you’ll really like this one.  Thanks, PepsiCo!!! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffrq6cUoE5A&feature=related

A Tale of Dreams, of Woe… and of Veggies?

Broccoli… Celery… Gotta be… VEGGIETALES!

I don’t know about you, but in my household, the words to the VeggieTales themesong are heard and sung several times each week.  My kids are hooked on this series and they’ve been a fun way to teach them about good decisions, loving and trusting God, and stories from the bible.  If you’ve never heard of this series, think of what would happen if you had Monty Python write a children’s sermon.  As they say in the videos, it is Saturday morning fun with Sunday morning values (or something like that).

Anyway, I digress.

I’ve long wondered what happened to Bob and Larry (a tomato and a cucumber, in case you didn’t know), Big Idea (the company that made the VeggieTales series), and Phil Vischer (the man who created Big Idea, Bob, Larry, and basically drove the company and the series).  With the Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything movie recently released in theaters, my curiosity just couldn’t hold out any longer.  So, the other day, I googled for the information… and found Phil’s blog.  And on his blog was the story - Phil’s sincere account of his dream, the successes, the decisions, the mistakes, and ultimately how Big Idea failed - and the pain and heartache that went with it (link to the story below). 

Since I also have struggled to build a company (although it never achieved the kind of success of Big Idea) and mourned when it died a most horrible death, I could relate to alot of what Phil says.  Wow - someone else asked the same questions I did!  “Why did God give me this dream?” and “What does God want me to do?” and “I thought God led me to this.. so why is it all going so horribly wrong?”  Oh!  the drama and agony and joy and pain!  It is a great read - I highly recommend it.

http://www.philvischer.com/index.php/?p=38

Phil, if you ever read this post, please know that there are many many people who benefited (and continue to do so) from your dream and efforts to give God and vegetables a more prominent place in our kids entertainment portfolio.  Thank you!