Trusting in the Shepherd Songs and Stories from Really Woolly Kids
January 5, 2011 by admin
Filed under Songs & Stories
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If you’re looking for kid-friendly stories with strong Biblical messages, the Really Woolly Kids DVD series is right up your alley.
This particular DVD, Trusting in the Shepherd, showcases two episodes, both focusing on little kids (well, little sheep, to be exact) who are dealing with things that scare them. The first episode seems to be more geared toward girls, as it centers around a Girl Scouts-esque camping trip. The second is about bullying fears, which is something most kids will be able to relate to.
As you might expect, Trusting in the Shepherd is about giving your fears to God and believing that He’ll carry you through. But there are more good messages contained in these stories. The children talk to their parents/grandmother when they have problems. Their friendships appear to be healthy and supportive. The Bible is used as a trusted guide. These episodes show that the children (er…sheep) aren’t perfect, but they are trying their best to follow and trust “the Shepherd,” which makes them good role models for youngsters.
Trusting in the Shepherd also includes a variety of bonus features, including funny outtakes, trivia, and a beautifully-animated sing-along. This catchy sing-along also appears right after the first episode, but I think it would’ve been better if it had been shown at the very end of the DVD, since it contains references to the second episode and it would’ve tied up everything rather nicely. It also would’ve been better if they’d gotten a singer without such a nasally voice, but this is a minor gripe for an otherwise satisfactory DVD. Recommended for families with young children.
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the 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.”
The Way Home Movie
The Way Home movie (starring Dean Cain as the husband Randy Simpkins) is based on the true events surrounding a family’s missing child.
The movie has so many scenes depict either the search party combing the area or the search party spreading the word that a boy has gone missing. This gets old fast, and the narrative seems to drag on and on.
In the beginning, the father (Randy) is shown to be a workaholic who spends more time on the job than with his family. His wife is very vocal with her disapproval of this, to the point that she comes off as unsupportive and ungrateful for his hard work. You would think a situation like losing their young son would perhaps bring them together and strengthen their bonds, but for the duration of his disappearance, the couple is rarely seen interacting. When the end comes and they’re one big happy family again.
The film is not without its redeeming moments, however. One that sticks out in my mind is when a reporter comes to the Simpkins’ home and, looking around, sees so many people from the community helping out. Whether it’s organizing search parties, gathering in prayer circles, or comforting the parents, a lot of supportive people have united during this time of crisis.
In this movie, Randy has a powerful spiritual journey back to love, faith and a godly understanding of what must always take first priority in a man’s life—his family. The Way Home is a family-friendly movie.
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the 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.”
Upside Movie Review
When a head injury turns Solomon White’s vision upside down, he’s forced to see things from a different perspective.
A talented high school lacrosse player, Soli has an enviable life: a nice car he nonchalantly deems a “toy,” a beautiful ex-girlfriend who wants to rekindle the flames of romance, and almost-guaranteed scholarships to top universities. Then, at a lacrosse match, Soli lets his temper get the best of him and he purposely crashes into an opposing player. His rival gets him back, though, causing damage to Soli’s brain that flips his vision. Suddenly, his entire life is turned upside down.
With themes of optimism, healing, and romance, Upside is the inspiring journey of a young man as he navigates a confusing world with the help of God and Wren, a new friend who has been blind since birth. As Soli starts to fall for Wren, he wants to know more about her and her trust in God. Wren’s openness with her faith and Soli’s receptiveness serve as good models to both Christians who want to witness and to unbelievers who are curious about Christ.
Soli, a high-school senior who was being seriously considered for scholarships at leading colleges, finds that his injury badly disrupts his plans as the school of his choice turns him down. His controlling mother pressures him to go to the school of her choice. Meanwhile, Soli is having enough trouble in English class, where he’s been caught cheating and must write a 5,000-word paper about seeing the world through new eyes. Soli’s handling of all these day-to-day predicaments makes Upside an excellent movie for teenagers, especially seniors who are going through the same things.
Though Upside is an inspiring watch with an original premise, many of the characters fall flat. Together, Soli and Wren are likeable; their teasing banter is amusing and their unusual romance is refreshing. However, on their own they proved to be quite forgettable. Soli seems to have all of two facial expressions: pained and confused. In the beginning of the movie, his coach lectures him about his notoriously bad temper, but this character flaw is never explored; throughout the rest of the film Soli shows himself to be good-tempered even to the point of boredom. Meanwhile, Wren comes off as snooty and overreacts at the slightest provocation. The English teacher was the most likeable character, with her passion for her job and her bravery for telling Soli about Jesus at school.
Some plot points in Upside were resolved too hastily and others were just plain confusing (what is with that dream sequence?), but on the whole it’s a very unique film about adjusting to life’s little (and big) surprises.
Bringing Up Bobby Movie Review
Teenage punk Bobby Wyler is trying to figure out who he is and how to get the new girl to notice him. His friend Eric is dealing with an alcoholic mother. Bobby’s older sister Andrea has a craving for cash, and their brother just wants the anarchists to leave him alone. Meanwhile, the eldest Wyler brother, who was given the responsibility of caring for his siblings when their parents died, wishes for a nice date and maybe some family peace. But with the Wylers, peace may be too much to ask for…
The family-friendly Bringing Up Bobby explores greed, friendship, honesty, faith, and – most of all – family issues. James, the eldest Wyler, is a responsible Christian who has served as role model and parental figure to his brothers and sister since the deaths of their parents. Though he encourages Bobby to “own his faith,” James struggles at times as well, acknowledging that since he needs forgiveness as well, he is the perfect person to share Jesus’ love and mercy. Andrea and Dennis are grown and have moved out, but as the reading of their parents’ will draws near, they return home hoping for a big share of the money. The Wylers are a spot-on depiction of a dysfunctional family, and viewers can easily see that the cause of their conflicts is that each older sibling is selfishly looking out only for themselves.
The titular Bobby is about to turn sixteen, and at the stage in life where he’s trying to figure himself out. Decked out in goth attire, Bobby is not your typical Christian young man, but he really wants to know who God is and what plans God has for his life. He also wants Liz, the new girl at school, to return his feelings and go out with him. Awkward but good-natured, emotional but open-minded, Bobby is someone many teens can relate to and sympathize with.
Though some of the humor in Bringing Up Bobby is so over-the-top it becomes distinctly unfunny, overall it was an entertaining watch. The hodge-podge of offbeat characters truly brought the movie to life – each one had comical little quirks that made them feel so real. For a film that deals with a variety of challenging issues, Bringing Up Bobby is surprisingly light-hearted and manages to get the lessons across without sounding too preachy. Recommended for any family – dysfunctional or not.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the 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.”
The Mysterious Islands DVD Review
A few months ago I received The Mysterious Islands (DVD) to review.
One night my family watched the whole movie. This movie is showing a story of a dad and his 16-year-old son (Joshua Phillips) and with a team of researchers went to Galapagos Island to prove God’s creation.
When I saw the animals (such as marine iguanas and turtles) came so near to Joshua and his dad—I thought the Galapagos is like a Creator’s sanctuary: The animals are not afraid of humans!
The movie is also showing Darwin’s life story. His theory that the living creatures evolve because of the animals’ behavior down in Galapagos is different from the same kind of animals in other regions.
The iguanas in other regions can’t swim. The iguanas in Galapagos can swim because they need food under the water to survive. Joshua’s dad explains that God put a built-in system in the animals’ body so that they can adapt the environment.
It would be good if everyone could see the other side of the scientific story as revealed in the Mysterious Islands movie. True science looks at all possibilities and weighs the evidence of each.
The Mysterious Islands movie gives the other viewpoint of a Creator’s creation with common sense, while showing the fallabilities of evolution’s supposed science. This is an excellent resource for homeschooling kids.
The Mysterious Islands movie is beautifully documented with superb photography. Well worth watching and considering.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the 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.”
