Movie Night at Home: When Calls the Heart Lost & Found

Thank you Edify Media for this review DVD.

  Back in November, you may recall that I reviewed the movie, When Calls the Heart.  My family and I really enjoyed it, but I must admit it left us hanging. We just knew that there was more to the story. Well, there was.  Last week, I reviewed the book, Where Courage Calls, the story of Elizabeth Thatcher after she arrived in Coal Valley to teach school.  I was in a hurry to read it, because I knew I had this movie to watch and review.  Well, I didn't need to hurry.

  Have you heard the old line, "The names have been changed to protect the innocent"?  Well, in this case, the names were almost the only thing that weren't changed!  Elizabeth was still the new teacher in Coal Valley, and  Jack Thornton was the constable for Coal Valley.  There was a single scene involving chalk dust that was in the book, but that's where the similarity ends.  I thought that this movie was a sequel to the first movie.  I thought the book was a sequel to the first movie.  Maybe they both are but with completely different story lines.  So, if you're a read-the-book then watch the movie person, be forewarned.  You can read about this movie in the official synopsis below.  It is my understanding that this movie is part of the When Calls the Heart television series.

MY THOUGHTS:
Things I liked:
~ The acting was good.
~ Good chemistry between Elizabeth and Jack.
~ Good variety of support characters.
~ Clean family film.
~ No bad language, love scenes, or violence.

Things I didn't like:
~ They didn't follow the book at all.
~ Although the actress playing Elizabeth was good, I didn't like changing the main character. The new Elizabeth was too different in my mind.
~ I found that the women working in the coal mine was a completely unrealistic transfer of 21st century women's behavior to early 20th century women.

The bottom line:
Would I recommend it?  Yes.  It was a film my entire family enjoyed.  I enjoyed it, too, after I realized it was a different story.
Four stars

Synopsis-  “When Calls the Heart” tells the captivating story of Elizabeth Thatcher (Erin Krakow), a young teacher accustomed to her high society life, who receives her first classroom assignment in Coal Valley, a small coalmining town where life is simple, but often fraught with challenges. Lori Loughlin plays Abigail Stanton, a wife and mother whose husband, the foreman of the mine, along with a dozen other miners, has just been killed in an explosion.  The newly widowed women find their faith is tested when they must go to work in the mines to keep a roof over their heads. Elizabeth charms most everyone in Coal Valley, except Constable Jack Thornton (Daniel Lissing) who believes Thatcher’s wealthy father has doomed the lawman’s career by insisting he be assigned in town to protect the shipping magnate’s daughter. Living in a 1910 coal town, Elizabeth will have to learn the ways of the frontier if she wishes to thrive in the rural west on her own.

"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."

Saturday

 

On this lovely day....  A cool day with a light rain.


A little Bible...  I'm reading and listening through the book of Acts.  I keep track of where I'm at with the chronological reading plan checklist on You Version.  I'm ahead of schedule.

A little reading...  I'm reading The Four Blood Moons by John Hagee.  

A little family time... Just finished supper.  After it's all cleaned up, we're going to watch a new movie, When Calls the Heart: Lost & Found.  I'll let you know what we think.

A little computer time...  E-mail and a little writing.

A few minutes of relaxation, then a little sleeping.

Laura
Living this life a little at a time.

REVIEW: The Thief by Stephanie Landsem #Giveaway

Thank you Litfuse for this review copy.

  A Roman centurion longing for peace and a Jewish woman hiding a deadly secret witness a miracle that transforms their lives and leads them to the foot of the cross.

Longinus is a Roman centurion haunted by death and failure. Desperate to escape the accursed Judean province, he accepts a wager. If he can catch the thieves harassing the marketplace before Passover, he'll earn a transfer away from the troublemaking Jews.

Nissa is a Jewish woman with a sharp tongue and no hope of marriage. Only with the help of Mouse, the best thief in Jerusalem, can she keep her blind brother, Cedron, fed and a roof over their heads.

When a controversial teacher miraculously heals Cedron, Longinus longs to learn more about the mysterious healer. Instead, his journey leads him to Nissa, whose secret will determine the course of both their futures.

Unexpectedly caught up in the arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus, they wonder who this teacher is who heals others but does nothing to save himself. Is the mercy he offers in his teachings real, or just another false promise? Can Nissa and 

Longinus overcome their pasts to find a future free of their shackles?

The Thief is an evocative story of two people trapped in their circumstances and the life-changing power of forgiveness and love.
My thoughts early in the book:
I like historical fiction because, when well-written, it can bring a depth of understanding to a time period that I may not be very familiar with.  The Jewish people not only had a million and one laws set forth in Deuteronomy, Leviticus, and Numbers, but innumberable laws and customs that the Jewish priests and people created themselves.  The Romans had their own customs that are so different from any I could imagine even after studying Rome with my children.

I love the way that Mrs. Landsem brings the time of Jesus to life.  I never really thought too much about the way the beggars lived or why they might live that way.  It's so easy to judge when we don't see the heart issues.  

My thoughts after I finished:

It's been a couple of hours now.  

The tears have finally stopped, the sniffles, too.  

They started in the garden.  

They continued at the whipping post.  

They increased during the long walk to Golgotha.  

They broke loose at the cross.  

This book moved me.

The deep love and peace Jesus gave and continues to give

is unspeakable.  It cannot be put into words, 

and yet He Himself is the Word.

Thank you Jesus.

Thank you Mrs. Landsem for reminding me.

Read what other bloggers thought.

Purchase a copy. 

About the Author: 

Stephanie Landsem loves adventure in far-off times and places. In real life, she's explored ancient ruins, medieval castles, and majestic cathedrals around the world. Stephanie is equally happy at home in Minnesota with her husband, four children, and three fat cats. When she's not writing, she's feeding the ravenous horde, avoiding housework, and dreaming about her next adventure---whether it be in person or on the page.  Learn more about Stephanie.

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.   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."

REVIEW: Pirates of Rocky Crag Bay and Other Stories by Rebekah A. Morris

Thank you Miss Morris for giving me this free copy for review.

Pirates of Rocky Crag Bay is filled with wholesome adventure stories for youngsters that would be good for read alouds.  They are short enough to keep a child's attention and long enough to enjoy a good cuddle.  I think that these tales would be nice to read at bedtime.  I found the stories to be interesting, and many of the stories have a good moral.  My youngest is twelve years old.  She read a few stories and thought they were a bit young for her.  We think that it would be good for children from about four to ten years old.  Older children may enjoy reading them alone.   I know it's not always easy to find books for young boys.    Rebekah Morris is a writer to watch.  I invite you to take a look at the book here and see what you think.

Preview

From Rebekah Morris' website, Rebekah's Reading Room:

REBEKAH

Rebekah A. Morris is an outgoing, enthusiastic free lance writer who has a passion for writing short stories as well as novels. Currently she has 5 books published with more to come!  Living at home in Missouri with her parents and sister, Rebekah also does beautiful hand quilting, and greatly enjoys history, reading, teaching writing to a variety of ages, playing the violin and piano, and coming up with dramatic and original things to do.

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.   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."

Tuesday at the Cottage... Just a Little

On this lovely day.... Sunshine, a dusting of snow, and cold.

A little Bible...  I'm reading and listening through the book of Acts.  I keep track of where I'm at with the chronological reading plan checklist on You Version.  I'm ahead of schedule.

A little errand running...  I've run two this morning already and have a couple more today.  Sometimes they just cannot be combined.

A little cooking...  Kai Si Ming, a ground beef and cabbage soup, is on the menu for tonight's supper.  It's a family favorite from the Trim Healthy Mama cookbook.  I have three meetings this evening starting at 4:00 p.m.   Emily made it for me.  She's such a good cook.

A little reading...  I'm reading Balanced by Tricia Goyer.  Just a couple of chapters to go.

A little teaching time...  Helping my son with his writing.

A little computer time...  E-mail, linking a few posts to blog parties, reading a few blogs, and a little writing.

A lot of meetings... two with my husband then my monthly homeschool moms' support  meeting.

A few minutes of relaxation, no doubt with a book, then a little sleeping.

Laura
Living and loving this life a little at a time.

 

REVIEW: Balanced by Tricia Goyer

Balanced Thank you LitFuse for my free review copy.

by Tricia Goyer Non-Fiction Tricia Goyer has been asked multiple times how she does it all. The result? She decided to write an ebook to help all WAHMs learn to balance their many responsibilities.  How can a work-at-home mom raise kids, juggle a career and take care of family responsibilities with only 24-hour days? Working at home while raising kids and juggling a career and family responsibilities is no easy feat. Author and homeschooling mom Tricia Goyer shares her tips for finding balance among all your many hats as a mom. Balancing is a process and a journey, one that Tricia herself has yet to perfect. But between writing more than forty books, raising and homeschooling six kids, being a wife, and being active in her community, she has amassed valuable tips she shares in Balanced.  The book includes tips on: -how to create focus themes for your family -how to prioritize your schedule -how to utilize your job so it also benefits your kids -how to keep yourself out of the comparison game -how to make working at home work for you -and much more! Books are available via ebook everywhere.

My thoughts:  I have been following Mrs. Goyer on Facebook for a few months.  I have been impressed with how "real" she is.  She's crazy busy with husband, children, community commitments, and writing, an don't forget housework, we all have plenty of that.  When I saw that she'd written a book about balancing it all, I knew I had to read it.   This book is absolutely packed with wisdom for stay-at-home moms and work-at-home moms.  The focus is on working from home, but it's super for those of us who write, sell on ebay or etsy, sell crafts or whatever.

Hands-down, Balanced is my most highlighted book in months.   Here are just a few of the quotes I highlighted:

"Too often we compare our weaknesses with other people's strengths, only to find ourselves coming up short.  What truly matters is simply lifting our faces to heaven and asking, 'Lord, what do you think?  How do my work, my family, and my priorities look to you?'" Chapter 1

"To God, your faithfulness is what matters most.  Your faithfulness to the work is more important than the outcome.  Honestly!  When we do the work He's called us to do, we can trust the outcome to Him." Chapter 4

"'Just do what you can' is being creative in the moment with the time I've been given, and it's amazing how much really gets done in the end!" Chapter 6

If you're a work-at-home mom, this is definitely a book you will find helpful.  I recommend it highly.  I'll be looking at my priorities and making some evaluations and changes to my days.

What I liked best about the book is that Mrs. Goyer repeatedly speaks of reading her Bible and finding her direction and inspiration from the Lord.  It's good.  Real good.  I chose the photo of Mrs. Goyer below because it reminded me that we need to look to God for our balance.
5 stars

Take the Balanced Challenge!
Read what other bloggers thought!

Meet the Author

USA Today best-selling author Tricia Goyer is the author of more than 40 books, including the three-book Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series and Lead Your Family Like Jesus, (co-written with Ken Blanchard). She has written over 500 articles for national publications and blogs for high traffic sites like TheBetterMom.com and MomLifeToday.com. She is the host of Living Inspired, a weekly radio show. Tricia and family live in Little Rock, Arkansas. They have six children.  Learn more about Tricia.  There is a lot of excellent information on her website.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher.  
I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Shared:  Wholehearted Wednesdays - A Wise Woman Builds Her Home - Raising Homemakers-Welcome Home Wednesdays - Hope in Every Season - Joyous Notions Homemaking Blog Hop - Think Tank Thursdays  -  Serving Joyfully