Thursday, November 6, 2014

Dogs of War ~Review~




 About the Show:

DOGS OF WAR spotlights combat veteran Jim Stanek, who returns home struggling with PTSD. He looks into getting a service dog to help him heal, only to discover how expensive they are, and how long the wait to be paired with one is. So he starts his own nonprofit to rescue dogs from kill shelters, train them as service dogs and partner them with struggling veterans at little or no cost.

The show premieres Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 10PM ET/PT and then moves to Sundays at 10PM ET/PT beginning Nov. 16 on A&E

In an era when most reality TV is hypersexualized, about cutthroat competition or designed solely to make us laugh at the culture of its “stars,” it is so refreshing to be associated with a series like this, which spotlights a man who uses the greatest pain in his life to offer the greatest comfort to the lives of others. 


My Thoughts: 

First let me say that I was given an opportunity to view the first episode and I laughed, I smiled and I cried.  I know what PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder) can do to someone, nad when we think of PTSD we usually think of our War Heroes.  The definition of Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a type of anxiety disorder. It can occur after you have gone through an extreme emotional trauma that involved the threat of injury or death. This can be caused by anything from Domestic Violence, or a abusive childhood, and to the obvious of War!
This film talks with War Veterans that suffer from PTSD and places them with a dof from the Shelter and trains them to be a service dog.  The man in the first episode Mike suffers from so many physcal aliments and mental disorders.  The dogs are used not just for the mental (PTSD) but also to assist in the physical aliments.  
When I first started watching, and realized they were training shelter dogs to be service dogs, I caught myself asking, How does the dog help with the physical part?  Well, you may be asking yourself the same question and here is MY answer: When we feel good mentally, we tend to feel better physically.  I have Rockweiler  and Pitt bull mix, his name is Diesel and about 7 years old.  When I get home and I feel bad he has a way of making me feel loved.  He has such an excitement that even our spouse can't always show us because they  have had a bad day or maybe they are just tired, but our dogs never seem to be too tired to e there for us or to show us the love and attention we need.




 This is a picture of my Diesel and my two girls, he is great with our family and as you can see form the pictures he allows them to do about what they want to do to him and never even barks.  We got him when he was a puppy and of course nobody wanted him, so we rescued him and he became a part of my family then. We trained him, not to be a service dog, but to be part of the family.  As big as he is, he comes in my house and he knows to lay down.  He is just way too big to run and get hyper inside, but as soon as he gets outside he goes hogwild.  Every home needs a good friend and that is not only what we have but also what these Veterans are looking for!

That is the purpose of these service dogs, they become a part of the Soldiers and their family.
If I can tell one thing, you will NOT be disappointed if you watch the first episode on November 11, at 10 PM on A&E.  Here is the trailer to the film, watch and let me know what are your thoughts on it!  Will you plan on watching when it airs?
 


Wednesday, November 5, 2014

A LifeLong LOVE Book ~Review & Giveaway~

"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.”


About the book:

Hardcover / 316 Pages 
Discover how to live out a sacred marriage. You believe your marriage has eternal purposes. you long for it to reach beyond your home and encourage others. But what does it look like to have a spiritually intentional relationship in the midst of dirty dishes, work deadlines, and car pools? In Sacred Marriage, Gary Thomas showed us that God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy. Now, in A Lifelong Love, Thomas gives us the practical tools to craft our marriages into inspiring relationships that breathe spiritual life to others. Whatever season of marriage you are in, A Lifelong Love gives your the practical help you need to infuse your marriage with a spiritual passion that will not only change you but will change the world around you.

About the author:


Gary Thomas is writer-in-residence at Second Baptist Church in Houston, a frequent guest on Focus on the Family and FamilyLife Today radio, and a popular speaker. His award-winning books, including The Sacred Search, have been translated into over a dozen languages and together have sold more than a million copies worldwide. Thomas and his wife have been married thirty years and have three children.

My Thoughts:

What is Marriage to you?  Is it just a union by the State, extra benefits at tax time, a spouse that helps you manage a house, or is your marriage your best friend that you get to spend the rest of your life together?  I was engaged 3 times and on my second Marriage, not because I didn't love the others but because they were not meant to be.  This time I married my high school sweetheart, my best friend, and my soul mate! Marriage is so much more than just two people saying I Do.
As Gary Thomas states in his book in the beginning you spend the first part of your relationship talking about the past, then you get engaged, and before you know it you are saying I do. After you say I do it doesn't stop there, in fact that is where it all starts.

There are many aspects to a great Marriage and to me it starts with you.  You have to love yourself before you can love someone else, and if you are putting God first in your life then you will see that your love life will fall into place.  You will find a man that loves you for your brain, your soul, your relationship with God, and he will understand that he is second in this relationship.  So many times we jump into relationships based on looks, and they do fade,but it the marriage is built around God then your spouse will always see that beautiful husband or wife they married.

I see so many marriages now that aren't working and too many people getting married with the idea that if it don't work out then we can get a divorce.  I don't condone this attitude and think that a marriage is a lifetime commitment.  My first husband was very abusive and the second guy I was engaged to was abusive to my son from my first marriage.  I researched and study the Bible, I talked with my pastor and other elders in the church seeking answers and at no point could anyone so me where it says that when I said Til Death Doth Us Part, did it mean that my spouse would be the death of me.  I had others to think about and I left to save not only me but my son.  Then I reconnected with what is now my FINAL Husband.  Yes, he is my second husband , third engagement but this time I feel more and more everyday like it is the right one.  Do we fight? If I said no I would be telling you a lie, our marriage isn't perfect and yes we have issues.  But we try to work things out by talking and and understanding.  I can't leave out the most important component to a good marriage and that is God and also Prayer.  Trust me when I say that as a Mother of 3 children, a husband, a pit/rockweiler mix dog that I pray a lot. I also babysit a three year old and have an infant on the way in January so Prayer and God is my plan of action.

Would you like to win a copy of !A Lifelong Love~?  Maybe you know someone going through a hard time with their marriage and you would like to give this as a gift?  Well, here is your chance to win a copy of the book and you can keep it for yourself or you can give as a gift. It is easy peasy, just follow the reafflecopter below and you are entered!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Mouse in the House app

Disclosure: I received a blanket just like the one you will receive if you are the winner of this contest, However that does not and did not affect my opinions about the products listed below!

Fall has arrived, and cooler weather has come with it. Whether or not you know it, your warm house is an open invitation to unwanted guests looking for a cozy winter vacation: rodents. Each fall, rodents migrate from their outdoor “summer home” to the warmth, food and shelter of their “winter timeshare” – your house!
Being human has its perks, like having a cozy house to enjoy during the winter, but imagine having to survive as a mouse? Try your luck by playing “Mouse in a House” – a choose-your-own-adventure game that puts you in the shoes of a rodent looking to survive the upcoming harsh winter season – try your best to stay alive and see how long you last!
Orkin uses the latest technology and unparalleled training to develop an effective treatment that's right for your home. To learn more about pest control grounded in science or to schedule an inspection, visit orkin.com or call 1-800-800-ORKIN®.
Orkin Pest Control Facebook Page: facebook.com/OrkinPestControl
Ask The Orkin Man® Twitter Page: twitter.com/AskTheOrkinMan
Orkin YouTube Channel: youtube.com/user/OrkinVideo




Have you played the app yet?  Apparently I make a great mouse, But I am human.  Try the app out and let me know what you got, share with your friends on Twitter or Facebook.  It is fun little app just to show you what a mouse goes through when looking for a place to stay,  where and how to find food, and what happens when you get thirsty.

I have a blanket to give one lucky reader, and if the weather is cooling down as fast where you are as it is here in North Carolina then this would be a great gift.
Want to know how to win?  I'm making this the easiest win EVER, all you have to do is play the app and leave what you got in the comments.  How easy is that?  And don't worry if you don't make it, we aren't here to judge,  we just enjoy seeing how different people think! Once you do the app, and share your results via comments, share the post on Facebook and twitter so others have a chance to win also!Contest Ends 12 Midnight on 12/09/2014





Each household is only eligible to win One Orkin #MouseInAHouse Cozy Fleece Winter Blankets via blog reviews and giveaways. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.