Tuesday, October 30, 2012

The Barber Who Wanted to Pray by R.C. Sproul



Book - The Barber Who Wanted to Pray

Author - R. C. Sproul

Publisher - Crossway

Hardcover, 30 pages.

Ages - 8 and up






The book contains gorgeous, inspiring paintings by T. Lively Fluharty.  These bring the story alive and make it delightful!

The very first page is of a father sitting at the kitchen table, with his six children, praying together and reading the Bible.  It is precious!

One of the sweet children asks her father to help her learn to pray.

He explains by telling the children a story that was passed down by his grandfather.   It is about a Barber, whose customer is a wanted man - an outlaw. This man is Martin Luther, the Reformer.   We learn some amazing things about the Christian faith and about deep and abiding prayers.

On the last page of the book, you will find, "The Ten Commandments,"  "The Lord's Prayer,"  and "The Apostles' Creed."

This is an inspiring book and would be a great blessing as a bedtime story for children.




*Disclosure - I received this book for review purposes.*

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Friday, October 5, 2012

Maxed Out - How Debt is Destroying Us



Movie (DVD) - Maxed Out  ("Nothing is Priceless")

Unrated, 87 minutes, 2006



One of the greatest tools I have used to help my children understand the danger of debt and the credit card industry is the movie/ documentary, "Maxed Out." 

For years I have told my grown children to avoid borrowing money for the purpose of consumer debt.  I have explained the lies, the scams, and the emotional games the marketers play to make us think we "deserve" the credit, or that we are being "helped" with a loan. 

I've been in line at department stores with my children and they've watched me turn down offers to apply for a store credit card just so I can "get 20% off today's purchases."  I tell them, it is a technique they use to bait me, and then to destroy me.   It is not worth the supposed "perks."  It is a trap.

When "Maxed Out," came out on DVD, I eagerly watched this with my husband.  We both cried as we watched story after story unfold before our eyes.  We watched the despair and desperation of families and individuals who were destroyed and enslaved by debt.  We also saw politicians speaking, we learned about some well-known important people and who they really worked for.  Statistics, quotes, and eye-opening, chilling information is shared to wake up viewers. 

Most of my older children have watched this movie.  It has alarmed them and shocked them, for their own good.  It has helped ground them, and made their anti-credit stance much stronger.

I recommend this documentary for ages teen to adult.  I would also suggest families watch it once a year, as a reminder and a tool to protect them from the ravages of consumer marketing, which we are all exposed to on a daily basis.


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