Healing is a Choice by Stephen Arterburn

Healing is a Choice by Stephen Arterburn is a book that will help you look into your life to make better choices that will allow you to heal. If there is something in your life that you feel you need to work on, this could be the book to help you do it.

Book Description

“Do you want to get well?

The power to heal—physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually—is in God's hands. But the choice to be healed is ours. Everyone, at some level, needs healing. In this book, Stephen Arterburn outlines ten choices crucial to receiving healing and ten lies that can prevent us from making them. Readers will find the wholeness God desires for them in a practical and prayerful way through this book.

Now including the full workbook, this combined release emphasizes the fact that we must choose to let the hurt go and let the healing begin.

The book asks the participant, "Do you want to be healed?" If the answer is yes, then ten choices are provided to make the path toward healing a restorative experience.”

 – Healing is a Choice

My Thoughts

Healing is a Choice is a rather large book. However, once you get started reading it and working on the suggestions included, it doesn’t seem quite so bad. The workbooks help the reader to actually put what they read to use, which not all self-help books do. I particularly liked this part of the book because it gives many useful things to actually do and think about when making changes.

Even though the book is easy to read, it isn’t always easy to put what is read into use. Some beliefs that we have about healing (and life in general) are hard to change. It can be done, but it definitely takes time and work to do it. Don’t think of this book as a quick fix, because it isn’t. However, once you make the choice to change, healing can happen!

* Thank you to the publisher of Healing is a Choice, Thomas Nelson, for providing me with a copy of this book for review as part of the BookSneeze.com program. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Lost Empire of Atlantis by Gavin Menzies

The Lost Empire of Atlantis by Gavin Menzies is a remarkable tale about the author’s journey to discover the possible link between the Minoans and the lost ancient civilization of Atlantis. If you are like me and have always been extremely interested in Atlantis, this is a must read!

Book Description

“The astonishing true story of Atlantis

In 1500 B.C. a supervolcano beneath the Greek island of Santorini exploded in a near-apocalyptic eruption. Buried beneath the rubble and waves was the world’s most remarkable lost civilization. . . .

New York Times bestselling historian Gavin Menzies presents newly uncovered evidence revealing, conclusively, that “the lost city of Atlantis” was not only real but also at the heart of a highly advanced global empire that reached the shores of America before being violently wiped from the earth.

For three millennia, the legend of Atlantis has gripped the imaginations of explorers, philosophers, occultists, treasure hunters, historians, and archaeologists. Until now, it has remained shrouded in myth. Yet, like ancient Troy, is it possible that this fabled city actually existed? If so, what happened to it and what are its secrets? The fascinating reality of Atlantis’s epic glory and destruction are uncovered, finally, in these pages in thrilling detail by the iconoclastic historian Gavin Menzies—father of some of “the most revolutionary ideas in the history of history” (New York Times).

Meticulously analyzing exciting new geologic research, recently unearthed archaeological artifacts, and cutting-edge DNA evidence, Menzies has made a jaw-dropping discovery: Atlantis truly did exist, and was part of the incredibly advanced Minoan civilization that extended from its Mediterranean base to England, India, and even America. In The Lost Empire of Atlantis, he constructs a vivid portrait of this legendary civilization and shares his remarkable findings.

As riveting as an Indiana Jones adventure, The Lost Empire of Atlantis is a revolutionary work of popular history that will forever change our understanding of the past.” – The Lost Empire of Atlantis

My Thoughts

The Lost Empire of Atlantis is a truly entertaining, insightful, and adventurous journey about some of the possible evidence of Atlantis. Menzies does a great job researching for his books, and this one is no exception. He writes about the adventure he took when seeking the lost civilization, so it isn’t just about the facts and evidence. It is instead a tale about the author’s own discovery of how Minoans could have been a part of the Atlantis Empire.

One of the coolest things in this book to me is that Menzies and his team uncovered a remarkable trading empire that spanned from the Mediterranean, India, and even all the way to the Great Lakes in North America. This was 3,000 years before Christopher Columbus “discovered” North America! The copper that was mined and then exported from the Mississippi River was then used in much of the Minoan copper.

Personally, I think that Menzies brings up very valid points and writes a very intriguing book that is a mixture of history, adventure, and possibility. If you watch the show Ancient Aliens on the History channel, this book would be of extreme interest for you. However, if you only follow what the mainstream scientific community gets behind, this would not be the best book for you.

Overall, I found this to be a very intriguing book that gives a whole new look at the possible history of Atlantis. I recommend it to everyone that enjoys history and those interested in Atlantis.

* Thank you to the publisher of The Lost Empire of Atlantis, William Morrow, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Polyvore Addict

I first got addicted to Polyvore rather recently. It was with the Victoria's Secret contest to win a Pink light up bra and a $400 Victoria's Secret gift card. I didn't win, but I did make quite a few sets for the contest. I haven't had much luck with the contests, but I do find them to be fun to enter.

Today I entered quite a few sets into the Armani Exchange contest going on right now. If you are also a Polyvore user, please like mine and follow me. I will do the same for you. :)

The Cats that Adopted Me

I’ve never really been much of a “cat person.” I was a proud “dog person” and had an amazing dog for 15 years. It was extremely hard for me and my family when she died last year. We didn’t really want any other dog or pet in general after her, at least not for awhile.

Sometimes pets find and adopt you though, which is what happened. It is rather ironic when you put it all together. These four little cats were once offered to us by our neighbors when they were kittens. My dog was still alive then, and there was no way she’d put up with having cats in her house though. Then, when the neighbors moved away, their daughter lived there and well, long story short, they weren’t really looked after and were quite abandoned. I could never let an animal go hungry, so I started feeding them and eventually they even let me pet them and hold them.

They have always been outdoor cats and are still sometimes skittish with people, even me. The porch outside is now filled with cat areas and they have taken it over. They don’t stray too far away, and usually come when we call to them. They each have their own very unique personalities and have really grown to be our cats now. The original neighbors do know that we are taking care of them, and are glad that they are with us and are being looked after.

So, ready to meet my new pets? I named them before they were really mine, but I think each one matches their personality.

This is Misty. She was the first one to really warm up to me. She likes to stay close to her new home and is often found ontop of a cardboard box by the door or sleeping in her new bed which is right next to the door too. This is the smallest cat of the bunch and she usually doesn’t eat too much. I’m guessing that she was the runt. She is very fast and likes to chase after lizards, bugs, and squirrels. She brought us a baby squirrel as a “present” one day. At least I think it was her.

This is Azure. I named her that because she has one green eye and one blue eye. She was the one that I used to try to get to come over to me before I started taking care of them. She is really a scaredy cat though and even now she doesn’t really like for anyone to pet her or hold her. She usually stays closeby though and can often be found play fighting with her sister Misty or snuggling up with her when it is cold outside. If I go out on the porch and she is there, she always runs over to the food and eats and looks at me to make sure she knows that I see her eating. It is quite funny.

This is Diamond, the momma cat of the other cats (at least that is what we were told). She is also a big climber. She is often found ontop of the shed and on the roof of the house. I usually have to make at least one daily rescue to get her down from the roof. She doesn’t like to jump down when it is dark outside, so I have to rescue her through the window. If it is really cold outside, she is actually the best cat to let inside too. She doesn’t meow-cry or act scared of being inside. She actually likes it quite a lot and will sit right next to me until I take her back outside.

This is Boots. He was a very good cat and was actually the first one I named. Not long after the neighbors all left Boots died. I think that maybe something was spilled at their house and he licked it. He didn’t act like he felt well before he died, and then I found him dead on a chair on their porch. It was very sad and he is missed. I wish I would have had more time with this cat.

So, those are my new cats. I only had a cat once for a few months when I was very young, so all of this cat stuff is new to me. I don’t really know what they want and/or how to help outside cats in the winter. If anyone has any suggestions or tips, I would love to hear them! Any good ideas for toys? Do outside cats really need them? Do you have any funny cat stories to share? Please post in the comments and share with me!

Spontaneous Happiness by Andrew Weil, MD

Spontaneous Happiness by Andrew Weil, MD is a new look at the emotion of being “happy.” It also helps to give suggestions and a program to becoming happy and achieving an overall better emotional state for your health.

Book Description

“SPONTANEOUS HAPPINESS is Dr. Weil's paradigm-shifting guide to peak emotional wellness. In the book, he redefines the notion of happiness and demonstrates the limitations of the biochemical model of mental health. He presents a vast, scientifically proven array of integrative treatment strategies for low mood and depression, drawing on techniques from Ayurveda, Buddhism, acupuncture, psychotherapy, mindfulness training, and much more. Dr. Weil offers advice on lifestyle, behavior, and dietary changes, and helps readers assess their own emotional wellness and build personalized step-by-step plans to manage their moods. Whether suffering from mild to moderate depression, or simply seeking greater contentment, Dr. Weil's science-based integrative approach will help readers achieve their goals. With fascinating case studies and a comprehensive program, this guide breaks new ground in the field of happiness.” – Spontaneous Happiness

My Thoughts

Spontaneous Happiness isn’t going to make you spontaneously happy all of the time just from reading it. The title is a bit misleading in that way, but who really thinks that achieving happiness can be done by just pushing an easy button anyways?

The first part of the book is the theory of emotional health and well-being. It is a bit of a boring read if you aren’t used to reading medical books. However, it does a very good job in explaining it in a way that everyone can understand. Don’t just skip over this part because it is important.

The second part of the book is putting the theories into practice. This section is where you’ll learn how to optimize your emotional well-being by caring for your body and mind. It also looks into the spirituality aspects of our lives that also contribute to our emotional well-being. Each of these sections is extremely important for our health and should not be just skimmed over. To really put the theories into practice, these need to be fully read and utilized whenever possible.

The last section puts it all together by outlining an 8 week program for optimizing your emotional well-being. I found this program to be very helpful and when used, it is quite effective.

This book won’t give you a quick band-aide fix to make you become happy overnight. However, it will help you to expand your current thoughts and feelings towards your emotional well-being. If you use this book as a tool to help you change your life, you might be surprised by what it can do for you. I highly recommend it.

* Thank you to the publisher of Spontaneous Happiness, Little, Brown and Company, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Exploring Sacred Space: A Vast Quest by Kristen Ann

Exploring Sacred Space: A Vast Quest by Kristen Ann is a highly interesting book about the next transition that is taking place on our planet. If you feel that something is going to happen soon, maybe sometime in 2012, this is a good resource to help you prepare for what could happen and perhaps find a clue as of why.

Book Description

“We are living at the most significant time in the entire history of planet Earth. A tremendous change is destined to happen and we have come to be a part of it.

Explore and find out what you need to know for the coming Transitional Shift:

• Why this Transition is different from all others that have happened in the past.
• See a graph showing why this is happening.
• The Masters who usher in each New Age.
• How other Beings are involved in the preparations for this tremendous Transition.
• How we can prepare.
• What the Egyptians knew about interplanetary beings and other secret knowledge they possessed.

We are living in a multi-dimensional universe. This book was written to give an understanding of what is coming, why this is happening now, and how to prepare.

Understanding eliminates fear and allows us to move forward with determination and confidence.” – Exploring Sacred Space: A Vast Quest

My Thoughts

Exploring Sacred Space: A Vast Quest is a very relatable and easy to read book about topics that are important right now. It reads almost like a memoir of the author’s life. She tells the stories of her life that have lead her on her own quest of exploring this multi-dimensional universe we live in.

At the start of the book, the author takes us along her journey with a remarkable teacher that she had while attending the Waldorf Teacher Training Institute. It really makes me wish I had gone to such a school. The classes and teachers all seemed so magical, and like the students there really learned things that we should all have learned, but perhaps never had the chance to. Some of the most important lessons are detailed in the book though, so it is the next best thing.

The author’s experiences with other “Beings” that are involved in our next transition are also extremely fascinating. She met with and became good friends with Dan Fry, who communicated telepathically with aliens before meeting them. If you haven’t heard of this story before, be sure to read it because it is more interesting than I can give it justice in this review alone. It will also leave you wondering if a few people you may have come into contact with before were perhaps aliens, too.

The actual preparation to help us transition smoothly (or as smooth as possible) when the shift comes is quite helpful. However, there wasn’t as much included as I thought would be in the book.

This is a “New Age” book that not everybody will read and fully understand. However, those that do read it and recognize what is taking place will find that it is an exceptionally good book to help understand things. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the entire book, and definitely recommend it to everyone to read that appreciates such texts.

* Thank you to the publisher of Exploring Sacred Space: A Vast Quest, VastQuest Ventures, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Big Bang Theory – Soft Kitty Review

CBS’s hit TV show Big Bang Theory created a viral sensation with the “Soft Kitty” song that was sang on the show. Sheldon’s mom sang the cute song to him when he was a kid and was sick. He then sang it to Penny and taught her the lyrics. Fans of the show loved it so much, and hearing it – you can understand why. If you want to see it for yourself, watch it right here at the end of this review.

Stylin Online is the largest online pop culture apparel retailer. They released a combo of a shirt with the lyrics of the song and a singing plushie of a cat. It is a top seller on the online store, and would make a fabulous one of a kind gift for the Big Bang Theory fan in your life.

The shirt is available in sizes for men and women. It is also 100% cotton and is stretchy to give a perfect fit. The women’s style is form fitting and feels more like junior sizes, so if you’re in doubt, you may want to order one size up.

The Soft Kitty plush toy sings the song with the push of a paw. “Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur. Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr, purr, purr.” It is 10 inches long and is really very cute and easy to snuggle with.

The “Soft Kitty” song is funny and a hit, just like the show. It takes on the pop culture cat songs of comedy series past – such as the “Smelly Cat” song on Friends. I loved the combo of the shirt and the plush toy. It is uplifting and really is a great thing to have when sick. I highly recommend it.

Watch the Big Bang Theory’s “Soft Kitty” clip here:

Disclosure: I received the product for free for the review. I was not paid for the review or told to write favorably about it. All opinions and experiences expressed about the Big Bang Theory soft kitty for this review are my own.

Saved by an Angel by Doreen Virtue

Saved by an Angel by Doreen Virtue is a compilation of some of the best angel stories that the author has collected over the years – including her own! If you haven’t experienced any angels in your life, she also explains how to be more open to seeing and connecting with them, so you can have your own angel experience, too.

Book Description

“Do you wonder whether there are angels around you, who they are, and what they look like? In this inspiring work-which is a compilation of the best of Doreen Virtue's books Angel Visions and Angel Visions II, plus all-new material-you'll read uplifting, true stories by ordinary people who have had extraordinary experiences. 

Doreen has combed through thousands of reports of angel visions to bring you the most touching and revealing accounts possible. 

You'll read about children and adults who received lifesaving messages from their guardian angels, deceased loved ones, and ascended masters; and find out about helpful strangers who appeared from out of the blue during a crisis and then suddenly disappeared. Doreen also gives you step-by-step instructions that will help you see and visually connect with your angels!” – Saved by an Angel

My Thoughts

Saved by an Angel is another fabulous book by Doreen Virtue. She is one of my favorite authors, and if you haven’t read any of her books, I highly suggest you do so. This would be a great book to start you out with to introduce you to angels.

The angel experiences included in the book are all highly inspirational and very heart-warming. Reading through these experiences, you really do feel that amazing things happen to people every day that can’t be explained by “ordinary” means. Angels are all around us, and these stories show just some of the ways that you can experience them.

If you are ready to start seeing and interacting with angels, Doreen also explains in step by step instructions how to do just that. It might happen right away for you, or it might take a while. When you are ready for the experiences, or need them to happen, it will. Regardless of if you happen to see or hear an angel, this book gives you the spiritual strength to know that they are there, and are helping you – even when you don’t know that they are.

This is a book that everyone could read and be uplifted with. It would make a great book to give as a present to someone for the holidays or on their birthday. I highly recommend it for everyone to read and share with others.

* Thank you to the publisher of Saved by an Angel, Hay House, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Cheerios Cheer Giveaway – Winner!

Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway for the MyBlogSpark Cheerios Cheer giveaway. I used a random generator to come up with the winner for the contest and the winner is….  Deb K

I will contact the winner right now to let them know that they have won and find out where to send the prize pack! I hope you enjoy it and have a great holiday season.

Disclosure: Cheerios cereal, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark. Giveaway is only for residents of the U.S.A.

The Ninth Day by Jamie Freveletti

The Ninth Day by Jamie Freveletti is a thriller that is highly captivating and fast paced enough to keep your attention well into the night. If you enjoy high paced thrillers about things that could possibly happen, even if it is scary to think about, this is a novel that you must read!

Book Description

“In less than nine days, terror crosses the border…

Hiking in Arizona, biochemist Emma Caldridge inadvertently interrupts the operations of dangerous traffickers in human cargo – and is chased south into the arms of millionaire drug merchants. Suddenly a prisoner of Mexico’s most feared cartel, Emma makes a shocking discovery in the marijuana fields outside Ciudad Juarez: plants rotting with a flesh-eating toxin that causes a truly horrible death within nine days of exposure. And there is no antidote.

The cartel believes that U.S. agents contaminated the plants, and, determined to make their enemy pay, they prepare to spread their lethal product across America. Emma Caldridge searches desperately for a cure, but time is running out more quickly than she anticipated. For Emma herself has been infected – and, barring a miracle, she will die before the terrible dawning of… the ninth day.” – The Ninth Day

My Thoughts

The Ninth Day has a very well-constructed main character, Emma Caldridge. She may not be your average woman, but that is what I like about her. She is a biochemist and quite badass.

In this adventure of hers, she crosses into an area she shouldn’t and is captured by a Mexican drug cartel. She finds that the drugs have been infected with a seriously threatening bacterium that eats human flesh! What is worse is that she becomes infected with it too, and only has nine days to figure out what it is – or it will claim her life too!

This is a fast paced thriller that will have you devouring this book quicker than you thought. It is the kind of book that not only captivates you when reading it, but it will also leave you thinking if something like this could actually happen. Get rid of any plans you have when reading this book because once you start it, you’ll want to keep reading it until the end!

* Thank you to the publisher of The Ninth Day, Harper Collins, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.