Our family is a movie watching family.  We regularly watch movies together as a family night activity, all gathered on the couch.  We always talk about them when they are over, and sharing the movie watching experience with my kids is one of my favorite family-time activities.  I’m that sappy Dad that cries in the opening scene of UP!, and got some dust in my eye watching the final scene of Toy Story 3.  I love movies!

One of the fun things Starr and I have done is share the favorite movies of our childhood with our kids.  We’ve watched Swiss Family Robinson, a censored-version of the original Karate Kid, and tried unsuccessfully to introduce Star Wars (they like the fight scenes, but can’t get into it.)

So recently CinemaBlend.com listed the 20 Must See Movies to Share with Your Kids. Their list is exhaustive, and includes some great hits from my generation and past, as well as some not-yet-released to DVD movies.

So after looking at their list, what would you add?

Way back in May, I’m reading an article that Wayne Stocks wrote at www.ministry-to-children.com where he speaks about the Sunday upcoming for our volunteers is anything but a normal Sunday.  It really spoke to me, and I thought about it for a few days.  I then took his idea (with his permission) and worked it into my volunteer Kidsplace Unscripted video series that goes out to all our volunteers.  It was a hit.

Thanks to Wayne for the idea, and for his writing genius!

I saw this commercial from the Embrace Life campaign, and thought that I would share it with all my readers!  Everything from the acting, the music, and the slow-motion video is fantastic.  I bet it will even pull some emotions out of you!

HT: BON

My favorite Philadelphia Eagles fan, Larry Shallenberger has asked me to write a honest book review of his book, “Lead the Way God Made You” for it’s official 5 year anniversary and subsequent rerelease.  Being that I usually despise all fans of any Pennsylvania NFL Franchises, I did have to give this request to prayer.  After feeling a spiritual release, I came up with the following review:

This book is actually pretty great!  If you’ve been following along for any of the blog tour on this book, you might have read what Kenny Conley had to say.  My experience with this book mirrors his in many ways, with the exception that I never steered people away from it like Kenny did.  (True story!)  I got this book about 5 years ago, and have looked at it a couple of times.  I remember the first time I saw it I thought it was something related to women’s ministry, as it has a very un-masculine book cover.  Remember Larry, you asked me to be honest.  I then remember looking inside, and thinking it was a book with white pages and tons of black words.  In other words, much like many other books I’ve read in the past.  Besides telling you this to demonstrate my own lack of tact, I say that to say that the book has some fabulous nuggets inside and I was being a moron!

Larry is a really wonderful writer, which is demonstrated often at www.larryshallenberger.com; and this book is an easy read.  He’s funny, witty, and intelligent sounding (again, all shocking that he roots for the Eagles.)  I took the test at the beginning of the book, and it hit me spot on.  The following chapters are great insights into each of the categories of leadership he outlines, complete with biblical examples for each insight.  Good, good, good stuff in this book.

I hope to use this book in the coming months with my own Ministry Staff team, and feel that anyone working within any realm of ministry of the church would benefit from exposure to the writings in this book.  Kudos to Mr. Shallenberger for helping to expose my judgementalness in regards to books with heart-shaped hands on the cover!

Larry has given me a copy to give away to one of my readers, and I’d like to give it to someone willing to have some fun.  Say something witty about this image that I’ve discovered of a young Mr. Shallenberger that shows us his real feeling for America’s Team.  Click here to enjoy! If I think you’re funny, then I’ll choose you!

I returned last week from an awesome week at Dry Gulch U.S.A. with about 50 kids from our church.  The camp is stellar, albeit super-expensive; which is the main reason that we will be researching some new desitnations in 2011.  The week really was fantastic, from the camp activities like horseback riding, swimming, and tubing on the lake  The services were fantastic, and the kids (and adults) that attended had a blast.

Here is a list of the not so important things I learned at summer camp:

1. The restrooms adjacent to the pool areas is always the least used bathroom at camp.
2. Girls will always give you a hug upon your arrival, while boys prefer a fist bump.
3. I have a theory that 90% of hired bus drivers are devoid of all personality.  My bus driver was from that 90% pool.
4. When telling a boy to take a shower, be sure to emphasize the need for them to use soap.
5. When 20+ girls are together in any one space, there will always be a ton of hair braiding happening.
6. When 20+ boys are together in any one space, there will always be a ton of farting happening.
7. The kid that cries when leaving his mother for a week, is almost always the same kid that cries when leaving camp after that same week.
8. Girls are more photogenic than boys.  Every year the parents of my boys complain that we didn’t get enough pictures of the boys, but the boys hide from the camera and only pick their noses on camera.  However, the girls see a camera and immediately form into picture taking groups.  It’s amazing!
9. I really love having fun with kids.
10. I really love seeing kids “get it” in chapel services.

You can see all of our camp travels and view pictures at http://www.trinitytoday.com/index.cfm/PageID/1441/tag/camp2010