Ring The Bell DVD ~ Review & GIVEAWAY

I always raise my hand high to volunteer to review a Christian or Family Themed DVD.  Good entertainment is hard to find!  I was so excited to receive Ring The Bell, the latest Christian DVD to hit the movie world.

My son and I curled up in the living room to watch this movie together and time just flew by from there.  I'm going to cut to the chase!  The story line was interesting, the characters were believable, and the message was beautiful.  I LOVED that the full gospel of Jesus Christ was shared in one scene (the Casting Crowns concert!).  There was no fluff about it.  It was bold, true, and heart felt.

There were scenes that made us laugh, and scenes that made me cry.  I won't spoil it for you, but there was one scene that touched my heart so deeply.  I was reminded of how God's love can transform a life, even the life of the deeply broken hearted.

Here is a little ditty on the story:

Ring The Bell shares the story of a slick, big city sports agent Rob Decker who seems to have it all. But on his latest mission to sign a high school baseball superstar, Rob becomes stranded in a small town where the simplicity of life—and the faith of the people—stand in stark contrast to his own fast-paced, win-at-all-costs mindset. Torn between these two worlds, will Rob have the courage to let faith transform his life? This heartwarming story of redemption is sure to entertain and inspire the whole family.
Ring The Bell features a host of well-known Christian music artists, such as Mark Hall along with his band Casting Crowns, Steven Curtis Chapman, and Matthew West, all who play a role in this inspirational drama. Several former and current Major League Baseball all-stars are also featured in the film: ESPN analysts John Kruk and Rick Sutcliffe (a former Cy Young Award winner), along with Ben Zobrist.This family-friendly movie was produced by Mark Miller, Beach Street Records' founder and Casting Crowns’ producer. Miller, who is also the lead singer and founder of country music group Sawyer Brown, co-wrote the script with Thomas Weber and Weber directed the production. 

Here is a trailer to tempt your tummy:

To get your own copy, just click HERE.  That link will give you access to 6 different places where you can buy the DVD.  Prices vary greatly from $9.96 to $17.99 depending on where you get it. To read more about this movie, visit the website or Facebook page. 
Website:  http://ringthebellthemovie.com 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RingTheBellTheMovie

Now, hold onto your popcorn!  You know what it's time for.....

One lucky winner will receive their very own copy of  Ring The Bell.  All entries must be received by midnight EST on Tuesday, May 14, 2013.  Entrants must be 18 or older to enter. Due to international sweepstakes laws, this giveaway is for US entries only.  This giveaway is not connected to any social media site.  The winner will be contacted via e-mail and have 48 hours to respond.  If I don't hear back from you then I'll pick another winner, so mark your calendar and keep an eye out!  Get started now on Rafflecopter... 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 "Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Hey God, I've Got Some Guy Named Jonah in My Stomach and I Think I'm Gonna Throw Up! ~ Book Review

 Just the name of this book makes me giggle and want to pick it up to read it.

Hey God, I've Got Some Guy Named Jonah in My Stomach and I Think I'm Gonna Throw Up! by Troy Schmidt 

How cute is that?  It's time for the whale to tell his side of the story.  This book is for ages 4-8, but I have to tell you that my 13 year old son and I curled up on the couch with this book.  He asked me to read it to him.  

 *heavenly*

It was like I was transported back 6 years to the time when bedtime stories and cuddles under the blanket were a nightly routine.  We laughed at the turn of each page, loved the colorful illustration by Cory Jones, and had a great talk at the end with the "Parent Connection" feature that guides you through great conversation with your child about the biblical principle taught in the story line.

"If you love me, you will keep my commands."  John 14:15

"I called to the Lord in my distress, and He answered me."  Jonah 2:2 

When we finished, my son got ready for bed and I went into his room to say good night.  There he was getting one more read through before bed.  Now, that's a good book.

You can order your own copy of Hey God, I've Got Some Guy Named Jonah in My Stomach and I Think I'm Gonna Throw Up! by clicking HERE.  This hard covered, beautifully illustrated book is only $9.99.  You can also following along and get in on the scoop by checking out these facebook pages:

https://www.facebook.com/bhpublishing?fref=ts 

https://www.facebook.com/troyeschmidt

As if this book wasn't cute enough, this is just the first in a series!  Other titles include:  Hey God, Can You Stop the Rain so I Can Get off Noah's Smelly Ark? and Hey God, I'm Having an Awful Vacation in Egypt Thanks to Moses!

OK!  You know the drill and you know what it's time for.....

One lucky winner will receive their very own copy of  Hey God, I've Got Some Guy Named Jonah in My Stomach and I Think I'm Gonna Throw Up!.  All entries must be received by midnight EST on Friday, May 10, 2013.  Entrants must be 18 or older to enter. Due to international sweepstakes laws, this giveaway is for US entries only.  This giveaway is not connected to any social media site.  The winner will be contacted via e-mail and have 48 hours to respond.  If I don't hear back from you then I'll pick another winner, so mark your calendar and keep an eye out!  Get started now on Rafflecopter... 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
  "Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Saving Memories Forever - App Review

Saving Memories Forever is an app for iPhone and Android Smartphones.  It is a system that allows you to record your family history, past and "in the making", for you to enjoy for years to come.

The smartphone app allows you to record stories, Gramma sharing her best recipe, your baby's first words, or your daughter's graduation speech.  Capture life and make them into memories and preserve the stories of your Grandfather's youth in his own voice.  The possibilities are endless. The website allows users to manage their files, add tag words, upload photos and create a living record to be shared forever.

Having this app on your phone means you can take it anywhere, so when the moment arrives you won't miss a thing.  You'll always be ready to capture a memory.  Imagine recording your Mom reading a bedtime story to your toddler while she coos and giggles.  Now, imagine listening to that over and over and being able to share that with her for years to come.  Priceless.

The Saving Memories App is easy to download.  There are several tutorial videos found on the website to help you get started and take advantage of all the features this app has to offer.  You can choose the free app or the premium paid app.  You can compare the differences in these options by clicking HERE.  The Premium Service is only $3.99 per month or $40 for the year.

You can learn more about Saving Memories Forever by checking out their website, visiting them on Facebook, or reading their blog.

• Website:  https://www.savingmemoriesforever.com/
• Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/SavingMemoriesForever
• Blog:  http://blog.savingmemoriesforever.com

Edited Note:  I wasn't going to include this in my review, but after several days since the post went live it has just been bugging me that I didn't mention it.  I have an Android phone and this app would not work properly for me.  Each time I opened the app it would do a force close and it took several attempts to get it running.  It froze up my phone a couple of times.  I have been told by several other reviewers with Androids that they had the same problem.  But, anyone with an iPhone has not had this problem.  I would recommend trying the free app first to make sure it works properly on your phone before making your purchase.