Pea of Sweetness

Bible Studies for Children on DVD {FishFlix.com Review}

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When considering Bible Studies for children to include in our homeschool, it’s definitely important that we use something the children enjoy and is presented in a way that is engaging and easy to follow. We had the opportunity to introduce Volume 1 of the Theo stories in our homeschool thanks to FishFlix.com.
FishFlix.com Review
FishFlix.com offers a variety of great Christian movies for all ages. There are movies for both entertainment as well as for teaching purposes. Because they are all faith-based, it’s a great resource knowing what they offer aligns with our values and beliefs.
Theo, God’s Love DVD is the first Volume in a series of Bible studies for children on DVD. The series was born out of a desire to help teach children of all ages Biblical principles. This Home Edition can be used at home with multiple children of all ages.
FishFlix.com Review
We have been using Theo, God’s Love DVD with all three of our children (ages 9, 8 and 5) as part of our Bible Study time in our homeschool. Theo, God’s Love DVD offers three family Bible studies for children presented through video lessons, Scripture references, Discussion Questions, Family Activities and Nightly Devotionals. Each lesson also includes a Final Thought and Closing Prayer.
While much of the lesson is completed through the watching of the videos, it includes a great Parent’s Guide for the additional, hands-on and interactive portions of the lesson. In the Parent’s Guide are the various activities and devotionals. It’s very easy to follow both as the parent presenting the lessons as well as the children.
Each video lesson is about 9-10 minutes and is presented by Theo, a theologian who knows the Bible well. In each lesson there is a situation or problem presented. Theo then presents a related Bible verse in the form of a story theater. He tells about the Bible verse through this fun presentation and then it’s explained how it’s related to life. There are additional characters, such as his mice friends, that relate the lesson through their own lives. It’s really a great way to present the lesson as kids learn a related Bible verse as well as see how it relates to our lives.
Lessons in Theo, God’s Love DVD include: Saving Faith, Loving Obedience and Forgiveness.
Bible Studies for Children - FishFlix.com Review
Following each lesson we went over the Discussion Questions together as a family. The questions offer a way to be sure the kids understood the lesson. There are 5 questions, and it only takes a few minutes to go over them. I take additional time, though, to just fully discuss what each child got from the lesson.
The Family Activity can take a various amount of time depending on how many people you have in your family. They are interactive activities to really reinforce the lesson. Although there is no set day mentioned to do the Family Activity, it seems the flow would make the most sense to do it after the Discussion Questions because the Final Thoughts and Closing Prayers follow.
For the Nightly Devotional, we would start Day 1 that evening before bed. We would then complete Days 2-6 on the following evenings (so Tuesday – Saturday). The devotionals on days 1-5 include reading a Bible verse with discussion and/or questions. We generally spent 10-15 minutes on the devotionals.

Bible Studies for Children

Overall, I think Theo, God’s Love DVD is a great way to teach Biblical principles in a way that kids enjoy and understand and offers a great guide to help parents further instill these principles. I love that this series is offered on FishFlix.com as well as many other great Christian movies.

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Members of the Schoolhouse Review Crew had the chance to review various movies from FishFlix.com. Check out their reviews by clicking on the banner below!
FishFlix.com Review
 
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Faith of Our Fathers {DVD Review}

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My husband’s first duty station was Fort Myer, Virginia – the post right next to Arlington National Cemetery. He was part of “The Old Guard,” and it was a very humbling experience for me. My grandpa had served in the Army as well as my dad, but it wasn’t until I spent quite an amount of time around Arlington National Cemetery and many of the memorials that I truly took in the depth of it all.
I was so touched just by the description of the movie Faith of Our Fathers I knew it was a movie I had to see!
Faith of Our Fathers Review
Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.
About Faith of Our Fathers:

John Paul and Wayne are two young men in search of their fathers. Problem is…their fathers have been dead for 25 years. Eddie and Steven are two young men in search of their sons…whom they’ve never met. In 1969, Eddie and Steven are with their squad deep in the jungle of Vietnam on a five-day mission to retrieve fallen comrades. They write letters to their wives, often mentioning their love for their sons, one, who is an infant and one yet to be born. In 1994, John Paul and Wayne go on a five day road trip to the Vietnam Wall in Washington DC to see their fathers’ names. Along the way, reading those letters, they begin to get an understanding of who their fathers were and how they died. Trials and mishaps, both funny and sad, complicate the road trip for the boys. The horrors of war and the testing of faith manifest themselves for the young men in Vietnam. Ultimately, in parallel stories – 25 years apart – the fathers and sons are bound together forever.

For my review I received the Faith of Our Fathers DVD. It features some amazing actors including Si Robertson who always makes for a fun moment! Faith of Our Fathers definitely does have some funny moments, but it also has some really deep, sad moments as well. If you’re like me and cry easily when watching movies, you will likely cry. What I love most about this movie is how it parallels the journey between the fathers and sons and how they each grow together in both friendship and faith. Both the fathers and sons seemed to be unlikely friends, but they turned out to be exactly who they needed. God really does work that way!

The boys (now men, of course) were on a journey to learn more about their fathers, and they really got the answers and more. I think the ultimate journey is that they each learned more about themselves as well. I imagine that is how growing up without their father felt – like they weren’t only missing him but missing a part of themselves as well. Although going to the Vietnam Wall wasn’t the exact answer they were seeking, I think it’s another piece of the puzzle they needed – closure – a chance to say goodbye. Neither of them got that.
Faith of Our Fathers is really a heart warming story. The plot is fun, interesting and emotional. I found it to be quite full of surprises! I think in a way it emphasizes what I learned when they talk about the sacrifices their fathers made. It’s a story about faith, sacrifice, honor, friendship and ultimately knowing God loves you as you are.
Faith of Our Fathers is rated PG-13 for brief war violence. My husband and I chose to watch it together after the children were in bed. I, personally, didn’t find the violence to be concerning, but the subject matter would be too deep for our children to understand (or be interested in). They’re all young, though, with our oldest being 9. Overall, though, I think it would be a great family movie particularly with older children.

For More Information:

Visit the Faith of Our Fathers Website
Connect with Faith of Our Fathers on Facebook and Twitter
Share About Someone or Something That’s in Your Prayers Today!
 

*Giveaway!!!* {ended 11/20/15}

Faith of Our Fathers Giveaway
Would you like to win the Faith of Our Fathers DVD? One winner will receive the Faith of Our Fathers DVD. This giveaway will run through 11/20/15 at 11pm Eastern Time and is open to US and Canada ages 18+. Winner is subject to eligibility verification and will have 48 hours to confirm before a new winner will be drawn. For any questions/concerns please email emilee.roberts (at) peaofsweetness (dot) com (consider adding this email to your “Safe List” as winning email notification will be sent from this email).
Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Please refer to the full terms and conditions in the Giveaway Tools.

 
Pea of Sweetness is not responsible for prize fulfillment.
 

Mom's Night Out Available on DVD at Family Christian

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Have you ever watched a movie that just makes you nod your head like “I can relate!” That is how I felt when I saw Mom’s Night Out. Needless to say, I was really excited for the chance to own it on DVD!
Disclosure: I received complimentary product to facilitate my review. Regardless, all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

Moms' Night Out DVD & Blu-Ray: Get it now at FamilyChristian.com
Family Christian offers a variety of family-friendly faith-based entertainment and products. I was excited to discover they would be offering the Mom’s Night Out DVD.
Mom’s Night Out is a hilarious movie about a mom blogger that feels stuck in the mommy rut. She decides they need a night out without kids to just enjoy each other’s company and have adult time. Little did they know it would turn into quite an unexpected adventure!
What I love most about Mom’s Night Out is not just the fact that I can relate (which seriously makes it more hilarious), but the fact that it has an important faith-based message. I think as moms we all feel a little burnt out and overwhelmed at times. We feel like we have to meet these overwhelming expectations – like we’re not “good enough.” Good enough for who?
That is an important question! How many times do we set expectations for ourselves and feel defeated because we can’t meet them? Does it mean we’re not good enough as a mom, a wife, a blogger, etc.? What does God say about who we are?

Mom’s Night Out is really a fabulous movie that the whole family can enjoy. It is Dove Family-Approved for all ages. I am the only one who has watched it in our family so far because I seriously did need a mommy time-out to just have some quiet time where I wasn’t working, but this is a movie I would definitely feel safe about the whole family watching (though I suspect because our kids are so young they might not be interested).
Do you need a good laugh and a refreshing perspective on expectations? Then you will definitely want to check out Mom’s Night Out! The Mom’s Night Out DVD is available for purchase at Family Christian.

For More Great Faith-Based Entertainment

Visit the Family Christian Website
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Susie's Hope {DVD Review}

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Although I’m sure I’ve mentioned it in some of my posts, something you may not know is I used to be a dog trainer. I grew up around dogs and absolutely adore them. Part of why I got more involved through training is it was heartbreaking to hear all the stories of neglected and abused animals and dogs that found themselves without a home because their owners felt overwhelmed. It was my hope to help families understand their pups and teach them basic obedience and help them truly become part of the family.
Susie's Hope
Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.
Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.
Because of this Susie’s Hope really appealed to me. We rescued our pup from a neglectful and abusive home, and it wasn’t nearly anything that poor Susie experienced, but it saddened me to know they had been mistreated. Even as just a puppy she was full of anxiety. She is a Cane Corso (Italian Mastiff), which is also sometimes a misunderstood breed and also a breed that is sometimes subjected to dog fighting and other cruelty and abuse. It breaks my heart to hear those stories! Otherwise, many of the breeds people think of as “vicious” are truly the most kind-hearted loving pups!
About the Movie:

Based on the true story that successfully passed Susie’s Law in North Carolina, which seeks stricter punishment for animal abusers, Susie’s Hope brings to life the inspirational relationship between pit bull attack survivor Donna Lawrence and Susie, a pit bull-mix puppy found beaten, burned and left for dead. Recognizing reflect and abuse were to blame for the tragic attack that nearly claimed her life 10 months earlier, Donna rescues the battered animal and accepts her as family. Together, they learn to heal, love and forgive as they lead a historic effort to seek justice and protection, not only for Susie, but all animals. Starring Emmanuelle Vaguer (40 Days and 40 Nights), Burgess Jenkins (Remember The Titans) and Andrea Powell (Ender’s Game, The Twighlight: Breaking Dawn Saga: Part 2), Susie’s Hope is an incredible story of love, loss and redemption.

Susie’s Hope is such a beautiful movie. I have never heard of Susie’s Law before, and I feel so inspired by the story – both by Susie and Donna for their strength and perseverance. I cried, got angry, and celebrated their victory. What a beautiful story!
For my review I received not only the DVD, but more great information about Susie’s Hope Nonprofit Organization as well.
Susie's Hope Information
I am so glad I not only got to see this beautiful movie but also got to learn more about Susie’s Hope Nonprofit Organization. I love what they did to change the law in North Carolina concerning animal cruelty and continue to spread the message about of “love, hope, and forgiveness through education.” They educate people on animal abuse, how to properly care for a pet (including letting children know the big responsibility pet ownership is), respecting animals, and how to stay safe when we’re around animals we don’t know. It’s a fantastic mission, and I am so glad they are forging the way! They are definitely an inspiration!

For More Information:

Visit the Susie’s Hope Website
Connect with Susie’s Hope on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

*Giveaway!!!* {Over}

Would you like to see Susie’s Hope? One winner will receive the Susie’s Hope DVD! This giveaway will run through 12/19 at 10:00pm (times are Central) and is open to US and Canada ages 18+. Winner is subject to eligibility verification and will have 48 hours to confirm before a new winner will be drawn. For any questions/concerns please email emilee.roberts@peaofsweetness.com (consider adding this email to your “Safe List” as winning email notification will be sent from this email.)

 
Pea of Sweetness is not responsible for prize fulfillment.