Never A Dull Minute!

Book Review of "Love Food & Live Well," by Chantel Hobbs

2012-02-06T15:30:00.000-06:00

My second book review is for the book Love Food & Live Well, by Chantel Hobbs. I really enjoyed this book! Since I am all about exercising and eating right, this book was right up my alley!
I love the way Chantel Hobbs writes. She doesn't write as an expert who's learned everything there is to know about diet and exercise and talks down to the reader. She writes as one who's "been there and done that." She is humble and candid about her own personal difficulties about food and weight loss. To my delight, she writes as one who is in the trenches with the reader, teaching from what she has learned and is in the trenches with the reader to teach and encourage. In other words, imagine sitting at an intimate table, having coffee or tea with a friend and having a wonderful conversation. That is what her writing style is all about and I really like that!
One of my favorite quotes from the book is "...Living well, while loving food..." She makes the important point all throughout the book that it is not food that is wrong, but our perception of food that is the problem. In addition, the point is made that we should set realistic goals for ourselves and see ourselves as uniquely made by God. We shouldn't try to fit into a mold that God never meant for us to fit into. Another quote I loved is when she said "(I had to) choose to live a life of moderation in a world where excess is encouraged." This is so true! Anyone living in the United States of America can relate to this in some form or fashion, no matter what situation they're in.
I really like the fact that she makes complicated concepts regarding calories, fat, protein and carbohydrates, simple and easy to understand. Some authors go into great detail about these things, thereby making them sound very complicated. For me, that translates into "too much work," and not very important. Chantel keeps these concepts simple and easy to manage on a day-to-day basis.
The chapter I didn't agree with entirely is the chapter on fats. She has many important points about fats, but in my opinion, she leaves out one of the primary points about fats. She doesn't mention at all, the difference between long chain fatty acids and medium chain fatty acids. Medium chain fatty acids are the ones we need to steer toward and long chains are the ones we need to steer away from, because of their cancer-causing effects, etc. I do wish she had made this point in her book; however, all the other information is very good, informative and important.
The truth is, so often, books about healthy eating leave out exercise entirely. I believe it is because many people think of exercise as a four letter word! But, not so in this book! Chantel talks much about the importance of regular exercise and how it should be incorporated into a healthy lifestyle. This is so important! She also includes many exercises she has created. I really love the chapters on exercise and I encourage you to read them too.
Lastly, just like we need to keep God in the center of everything we do, she reminds us to keep God in the center of our healthy lifestyle change, no matter what! In order to succeed at anything, as Christians, nothing else is more important than keeping God the center of everything we do. I encourage anyone interested in developing a healthier lifestyle to read this book. It is full of encouragement from someone who overcame a weight issue and has maintained a healthy lifestyle ever since. After reading, you will feel encouraged and blessed!
(I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review)

This is a great book!

2011-12-14T23:02:00.002-06:00

"Night of the Living Dead Christian: One Man's Ferociously Funny Quest to Discover What It Means to Be Truly Transformed."

I loved this book! It was entertaining, yet theologically profound from beginning to end! This is not the kind of book I would normally pick up to read. However, I was positively impressed. Matt's writing style is a mix of watching 50's monster movie, with the imagery of C.S. Lewis, and loads of humor throughout. I found myself being pulled into the story line. I also enjoyed sharing humorous excerpts with my husband.

This is a book for both Christians and non-Christians alike. For non-Christians, this is a very entertaining way to learn the simpleness of the Gospel message, and that Jesus is the only one who can help us break the sin-cycle. The various types of monsters represent different facets of our sin nature. Even as Christians, we have different "monsters" that we allow to appear in us from time to time. The redeeming message for everyone is that Jesus is the only one who can help us overcome the "monster" within us...we just have to accept His forgiveness.

All in all, this book is a great example of entertaining storytelling, while folding in the gospel, at it's very best. There is an amazing example of Jesus and the ultimate sacrifice He made for each and every one of us. I would recommend this book to any teenager or adult, whether Christian or non-Christian.

Check out the author's video: http://www.tyndale.com/video/296
Check out these websites: http://mattmikalatos.com and www.tyndale.com

Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.

DISNEY ON ICE Presents: Mickey and Minney's Magical Journey!!!

2011-11-04T11:45:00.000-05:00

DISNEY ON ICE PRESENTS MICKEY & MINNIE’S MAGICAL JOURNEY

IS COMING TO ALLEN EVENT CENTER, NOVEMBER 2011

Great Thanksgiving Fun for the Entire Family!
Click here for more information!!!

What People are Saying About My Husband and His Video Production Skills

2011-11-03T14:48:00.003-05:00

My husband is a skilled media producer. Of course, I'm proud of him and would like share what others think too:

I have worked with Don on numerous shoot's, and I would work with him anytime!!! He is always a joy to have on set! He is very knowledgeable about film in every aspect, including preproduction, production, camera, sound, lighting, post production, etc. He is also very creative! He has a great eye for out of the box creative shot's, which I love, and with his ability to tell a story!!! As he gets involved in a project he is always willing to help and share with his amazing ideas, and he's a great leader as well as team player!

As well as being a great filmmaker, Don is a person of great integrity! He is trustworthy, a great listener and a very hard worker!! In fact as you work with Don, you will gain a dear friend, because you cannot work around him very long without seeing how much he cares for and loves people! You absolutely cannot go wrong when you hire Don!!! I would recommend him anytime!!

Theresa Davidson

3:17 Film Productions

817-201-2954

theresa@317film.com

www.317film.com

Don has honed his creative and technical abilities during two decades of service to Christian ministries. He has directed and produced award-winning television programs, and has led international film expeditions. His compassionate storytelling skills strike the perfect tone for legacy videos.

Richard Carpenter

Don Gordoni is a gifted artist, writer, and producer. A family treasure is created with each legacy video. He finds the hidden treasures of memories and people through his inquisitive nature, and combines these together beautifully in a keepsake that lasts. His videos always capture the personalities of the family members, and bring joy to those who watch them. He is a professional who is committed to providing high-quality videos. I am honored to highly recommend Don Gordoni to create a Legacy Video for your family.

Terri Turner

"I would enthusiastically recommend Don for any video project. He is highly skilled, experienced, personable, responsive, very qualified and professional. The video production of Jean was so touching, incredibly moving, a masterpiece, a true legacy."

Libby :)

Tribute to Jean Parker

2011-11-03T00:13:00.002-05:00

Help the Homeless Walk & 5K

2011-10-22T08:03:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, November 12, 3PM, the Help the Homeless Walk & 5K will be held at the Fair Park Band Shell. Funds raised benefit The Bridge homeless assistance center. It’s a great event for the entire family. In addition to getting our daily exercise, there will be lots of fun, food and music.

·         The North Texas Patriot Guard will lead off both the walk and run.
·         The presentation of colors will be led by the 4^th Air Wing Honor Guard, Texas State Guard
·         Slappy and Monday (from Slappy’s Puppet Playhouse fame) will be on hand…a great opportunity for the kids to say ‘hi’ to the affable clowns.
·         Dallas’ favorite band, Emerald City, will be bringing us the toe tapping tunes.
·         Great, free food samples from Tiff’s Treats (yummy cookies), Little Caesar’s, Community Coffee, Pepsi, Powerade, Clif Bars, and Frito Lay.
·         Fun, interactive games, face painting and more!

For the $5 discount, those interested may use the code VETS. Enter the code at Question #5 during registration.

For more info and to register go to: http://helpthehomelessdallas.org/

We have a Winner

2011-10-19T21:18:00.003-05:00

Congrats to Adam G. who won a Family Four Pack to Disney Live!

http://neveradullmama.blogspot.com/2011/10/and-winner-is.html

Listening for a Legacy

2011-10-18T08:44:00.001-05:00

The holidays provide a wonderful opportunities to get together with older relatives and hear stories from their lives. Biographies are a treasure house of lessons learned, fields full of wisdom that can be gleaned from the good and bad decisions of someone else.

My parents always encouraged me to ask questions that will help me understand the perspectives of others and I guess that has factored into my pursuing a degree in psychology and my love of acting. I spent three and a half years as a probation counselor to juveniles. As a part of the job, I would interview families and create a social history. This was my favorite and also saddest part of the job because as you might imagine, most of the family sagas were filled with dysfunction. For instance, the most violent offender on my case load took great pride in the fact that a great grandfather had killed another man with a frozen fish! I'm sure we all have a few black sheep in our family trees and I thank the Lord that his grace can deliver us from negative family baggage. Thankfully, most of us have at least a few family members who set a great example.

Okay, I have a few suggestions for you to consider as you get together with family during the holidays. Consider setting down and recording some stories with some of those who may be approaching the final seasons of their lives. Jot notes, use the voice recorder built into your cellphone, or the video recorder, or a camcorder. Use your cellphone or a scanner to copy some of their important photos. Ask lots of questions and listen, listen, listen.You will probably laugh, cry, and learn many things that you never knew and be reminded of things that you have forgotten.

If you have the means, consider hiring a media professional, like me (unashamed self-promotion) to shoot an interview or edit your clips and photos into a presentation for your family. These make unique and meaningful gifts and can often be used in a powerful way at memorial services when our loved ones pass on.

If you are like me, too often we spend too much time at family get togethers, eating and fussing over the food and clean up, or talking about the weather and watching the game. Resolve now to prayerfully seize the opportunity to listen for your legacy so that you can pass it on.

Enter our contest for a family 4-pack of tickets to "Disney Live!"

2011-10-09T18:28:00.003-05:00

Do you want to win a family 4-pack of tickets to "Disney Live!?" This is the only performance in the Dallas Metroplex (see details in the following post)!!! Just click on the link to enter and follow the instructions: http://neveradullmama.blogspot.com/p/contestsevents.html

Lori's New Blog!

2011-04-05T09:43:00.000-05:00

Lori often gets questions regarding health, cooking, parenting and much more! After conversations with some friends and prayer, she decided to start a new blog at www.neveradullmama.blogspot.com. We'd love it if you'd go check it out and if you like it, she would be honored if you would become a "follower" on that one too! Also, if you know of any women who could benefit from her blog, please feel free to pass it on!

This blog will be our family/spiritual blog. "Never A Dull Mama!" will be more of a practical advice/tips blog...check it out!

Return to the Hiding Place

2011-03-27T14:41:00.000-05:00

Lori and I had a real treat yesterday when we heard Peter Spencer speak at the Dallas Christian Media Association meeting. Mr. Spencer shared how his friendship with one of the members of Corrie Ten Boom's "young army" of Dutch resistance during WWII lead to the creation of the film Return to the Hiding Place.

Mr. Spencer, the Director/Executive Producer, spoke of a fourteen year process of seeing his vision for the film grow from concept to script to reality. The production is a true family affair with one daughter serving as producer, one daughter acting in the film, the assistance of a son, and Mrs. Spencer spending countless hours assisting with the extensive period wardrobe.

We enjoyed several clips from the film and I'm convinced that Peter Spencer's passion for story telling has resulted in a masterful presentation of people at their best and worst.

It is evident that Mr. Spencer and his team have done a wonderful job completing the painstaking research involved in creating a film that is historically accurate and true to the philosophies and motives of the real people who lived this drama. The dialogue is thought provoking and profound especially the scenes that involve John Rhys-Davies.

Several years ago, my wife Lori and I had the pleasure of spending a few hours escorting Jeanette Clift George from Wichita Falls to the DFW airport. Ms. George is the actress who played Corrie Ten Boom in the original film The Hiding Place. She is a delightful person as is Mr. Spencer.

It is sad and almost beyond belief that something as horrific as the holocaust could be forgotten. Especially for me, growing up with a Jewish heritage (my grandparents were Goldstein and Abramson) and seeing the photos of my father's two brothers in their army air corp uniforms, photos that were taken a few months before their bombers were shot down over Germany and the English channel. Films like Return to the Hiding Place play a vital role.

Follow Return to the Hiding Place at http://hidemovie.blogspot.com/ and http://www.hide-movie.com/

Here are the pics I promised!

2011-03-14T22:22:00.000-05:00

This is my new "Waring Harp." I just love it! My four year old son, Jonathan requests that I play "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." (I play it as if I were playing "Beethoven's Fifth" in a huge concert hall)!

This is my Dad, "Supervising" while my daughter Janna, works on assembling the harp. It was a family project. My dear husband helped as well.

A "Harp" Deferred... Part 3

2011-03-09T18:18:00.000-06:00

I received my package from "Waring Harps," that included the kit with all the pieces for the harp. I was excited! We ended up taking the kit to Oklahoma with us for Christmas. My Dad graciously offered his help and his very clean and organized garage for our harp construction. I was very grateful. He had all the tools I needed. So my Dad, me, my husband and my daughter Janna, all worked on various aspects of the harp building process. It was a lot of fun! Plus, it was a blessing to have a nice instrument that was made with the love from many family members. :o) I was also able to purchase a nice tuner. Although this harp stays tuned pretty well, as with most instruments, they have to be tuned frequently and for me, a digital tuner is a must! I have some pictures of the construction that I would like to add here, but I am unable to transfer them from my cell phone to my computer...ugh! I will post the pictures as soon as I'm able.

A "Harp" Deferred...! Part 2

2011-02-08T01:16:00.000-06:00

After looking around, I couldn't find any decent harps in the "dirt cheap" category...(surprise, surprise)! The least inexpensive harps I could find (other than a lap harp...and that was out of the question), were the Heather Harps, produced by "Mid East Manufacturers." However, I read many articles and blogs advising against these harps because they are poorly made, etc. I was not to be discouraged though, so I pressed on...

To my surprise, I ran across an article where someone recommended "Waring Harps." He said they are harp kits that you put together yourself. He went on to say, that for a homemade harp, these have a clear sound! That piqued my interest! In looking for a harp, you want one with a clear sound.

Although I don't consider myself an expert "Harp builder," after looking on the website, etc., I decided that this was the harp for me! I was excited! :o) I called Mr. Waring and talked to him in person. He was very nice. When inquiring about a case for the harp, I found out that he has custom-made cases for an additional amount. I did read where someone said, if you buy a harp such as this, you definitely want a case to protect it. Well, with 11 children, when I spend that much money, I would HAVE to have protection for it! Besides, having a case for any harp is a good idea even in ideal circumstances.

I ended up having enough money to purchase the harp, a custom-made case and a "Sylvia Woods-Learning to Play the Folk Harp" book! Mr. Waring also has a "learning to play the folk harp book" and it is a very good book, that I highly recommend.

Stay tuned, (pun intended) for my next blog installment where I will share the details about building and tuning my new harp!

A "Harp" Deferred... Part 1

2011-01-21T16:36:00.000-06:00

Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

A couple months ago, Don and I were at my brother and sister in law's. Don was telling them that years ago, as an adult, I took harp lessons. He went on to tell them how much I enjoyed playing the harp, how God worked it out for me to take the lessons in Kentucky, then again in Texas. He also told them that I've never had a harp of my own.

They asked why I never had my own harp and I told them because I could never afford at least a few thousand dollars to buy a basic harp! I told them that the harps I practiced on were Troubadour lever harps and huge concert harps! At that time, you could buy a new Troubadour lever harp for $2500, but now they're about $3500. And, of course concert harps are closer to $10,000 and more!

Then they asked how much a small harp would cost. I told them that I thought small folk harps can cost as little as $150. When we left their house that day, they handed me $200 and told me to buy a small harp and enjoy it! I couldn't believe it! Tears came to my eyes...it was such a blessing! At that moment, the Lord spoke to my heart and said, "I want you to have a small harp to play and enjoy now. When you play it, be reminded that you will be able to have a larger harp someday." Wow...I felt extremely grateful, humble, undeserving and blessed...

A Day In the Life...Some Funny things

2011-01-21T13:37:00.000-06:00

These events just happened...Hopefully, they will at least give you a little chuckle for your day! :o)

Last night when I was working on the taxes, John yelled out "Mary's bum is hurting!" Then, Mary walked over to me, while pulling her pants down and exposing her "bum" said, "Will you kiss my bottom?" (She will ask me to kiss her "boo boo's" and then she will ask me, "Does it feel better, Mommy?" And, I'll say, "Yes, it feels all better now, Mary.")
While riding in the car, Hannah, Faith and I were having a conversation about babies in the womb. We were talking about how the babies are formed in the uterus, when Hannah said, "I remember when Mary was born and the midwife talked about the plate feeding her." I said..."What???" She said "I remember about Mrs. Joyce telling me that they feed the baby with the plate!" I said, "She said they feed the feed the baby with a plate? What are you talking about? Oh! You mean the placenta! Not the plate! Yes, the baby is given oxygen and food through the placenta!" LOL! She had the right idea, just the wrong word. I do that ALL the time...like mother, like daughter!
We are keeping our friend's dog "Freckles." Earlier today, Freckles sat down on our "Wiggles" play guitar and it sounded like the song was coming out of the dog's rear end! But, even funnier, the song that started playing was "Wags The Dog!" That was funny! He just sat there, while "Wags the Dog" was playing under his rear! LOL!

Movies that I will never Recommend

2011-01-20T02:23:00.000-06:00

After sixteen years of producing TV content some people are astounded when they find out that I haven't seen most of the films that have captivated them and the rest of the world. Some of these folks are other media professionals, most are Christians and I usually just respond by saying, "no, I never saw..." Now, I would like to share why I have not felt compelled to see films that are touted as "masterpieces of film making." Simply stated, holiness trumps knowledge of the world.

Unfortunately the list of films that I have seen and regret seeing is much longer then it should be. Some of the films that I include in this list may surprise you. Films like the Passion of the Christ and the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, and Schindler's List as well as stinkers like Buckaroo Bonzai and pointless films like the adventures of Mary Kate and Ashley. Some will argue that since many people came to know Christ after watching Passion of the Christ and many others draw spiritual truth from the Lord of the Rings that they are good movies. God does use flawed people and movies to influence people but that does not justify the use of wrong methods.

My criteria is pretty simple: If the film has no redeeming value, I'm not interested. If the film resorts to the use of excessive violence, sex, or emotional manipulation, I'm not interested. If the filmmaker operates under the illusion that they must be super realistic in order to tell a good story, I'm not interested.

About 25 years ago I read the conclusions of Malcolm Muggeridge, a long time producer for the BBC. He basically said that movies and TV did more harm then good. He was right. There are a few people who have managed to use the medium to tell meaningful stories in a wholesome way. Recent productions that have given me hope are The Ultimate Gift and Butterfly Circus. Sadly, while visiting a friend's home recently they were selecting a movie to watch. I recommended that they consider these two options but my suggestion fell on deaf ears while they proceeded to watch a horror film. There happened to be one person who expressed interest in watching The Ultimate Gift. That person does not profess to have a relationship with Christ.

Some argue that since the Bible gives the gory details and juicy tidbits it is okay for us to portray such acts vividly. Desensitization to real human travail, sorrow, ecstasy, etc. is dangerous. I have watched a young child die, attended accident victims, and experienced numerous other extreme situations - they are not neat and tidy, they are rightfully difficult to deal with. I would not have willfully chosen to experience them but God directed me into them and His grace was with me.

When we willfully choose to expose ourselves to things that God hates, i.e. violence, lust provoking imagery, proud looks, and rude speaking, it is simply wrong. What can we say to defend our tolerance of such things "hey God, cut me some slack, I need to be entertained."

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about [and view] such things. - Philippians 4:8

3 seconds of fame

2011-01-09T17:26:00.000-06:00

Check out our family Video debut in a short by Mark Ellis (Invincible, We are Marshal, The Rookie, etc.) and his talented production team: Click on this link to watch the video http://vimeo.com/12664260 Just don't blink or you will miss us (watch closely from 50-53 seconds). Don had an opportunity to shoot an interview with Mark Ellis last week and his one of his producers, Jessi Moore recognized Don and asked if he had seen the final extended cut of a commercial that they shot at TCU last year. He hadn't and she showed it to him. We wanted to share it with you.

Walk of Faith

2010-12-22T10:33:00.000-06:00

Many of you know that our large family has been walking a walk of faith this past year...unlike anything we've ever walked through before. Even though the circumstances are not what we would've chosen for ourselves, God has taken care of us...in many miraculous ways. God does not ask us to go through something, then leave or forsake us. He asks us to go through a particular circumstance, then he takes care of us in the process. This doesn't mean it will be easy. Our circumstances have stretched us spiritually and emotionally in ways that we needed to be stretched, and God knew that. And, it hasn't always been easy; however, we have always felt God's presence and affirmation (His peace) in the midst of it. Below, is a devotional from "Streams in the Desert" that I read today and it explains perfectly what it means to go through trials in a Godly way.

Rest on the Word of God

"I trust in thy word" (Ps. 119:42).

Just in proportion in which we believe that God will do just what He has said, is our faith strong or weak. Faith has nothing to do with feelings, or with impressions, with improbabilities, or with outward appearances. If we desire to couple them with faith, then we are no longer resting on the Word of God because faith needs nothing of the kind. Faith rests on the naked Word of God. When we take Him at His Word, the heart is at peace.

God delights to exercise faith, first for blessing in our own souls, then for blessing in the Church at large, and also for those without. But this exercise we shrink from instead of welcoming. When trials come, we should say: "My Heavenly Father puts this cup of trial into my hands, that I may have something sweet afterwards."

Trials are the food of faith. Oh, let us leave ourselves in the hands of our Heavenly Father! It is the joy of His heart to do good to all His children.

But trials and difficulties are not the only means by which faith is exercised and thereby increased. There is the reading of the Scriptures, that we may by them acquaint ourselves with God as He has revealed Himself in His Word.

Are you able to say, from the acquaintance you have made with God, that He is a lovely Being? If not, let me affectionately entreat you to ask God to bring you to this, that you may admire His gentleness and kindness, that you may be able to say how good He is, and what a delight it is to the heart of God to do good to His children.

Now the nearer we come to this in our inmost souls, the more ready we are to leave ourselves in His hands, satisfied with all His dealings with us. And when trial comes, we shall say:

"I will wait and see what good God will do to me by it, assured He will do it." Thus we shall bear an honorable testimony before the world, and thus we shall strengthen the hands of others. --George Mueller.

And the Winner Is...

2010-12-03T14:36:00.000-06:00

And the winner is...Liz Newsome!!! Congratulations Liz! Actually I forgot to post the winner of the contest a couple of weeks ago...my mistake. Liz told me she and her family went to Disney on Ice with the free tickets and had a great time!

Ticket Giveaway Contest for "Disney On Ice"

2010-11-13T12:16:00.000-06:00

Photo courtesy of FELD Entertainment
We are giving away a 4-pack of tickets for

Disney On Ice...Princess Wishes!!!
(Prize package giveaway is valued at $120)

The free tickets will be for the performance at the Allen Event Center in Allen, TX on Wednesday, November 24th. ***Please note that this is the day before Thanksgiving. We have 4 tickets to give away for the 7:30 p.m. performance!

All you need to do to be eligible to win is: 1) Become a "follower" of our blog, by clicking on the "follow" button and putting your email info., and 2) Email your quiz question answers to dlgordoni@gmail.com no later than Thursday, November 18th, 2010. Watch the blog and your email for an announcement! For those of you, who already "follow" our blog...thank you! We want you to enter too! Have fun!

Here are the three quiz questions:

1) What's the name of the world's first self-propelled ice resurfacing machine used today?

2) Who invented it?

3) In what year was it invented?

Coupon Code for Disney on Ice...Princess Wishes!

2010-11-13T12:12:00.000-06:00

Photo compliments of FELD Entertainment

CALENDAR LISTING

DISNEY ON ICE PRESENTS PRINCESS WISHES IS A DREAM COME TRUE FOR ALLEN!

***For Family Discount Promo Code, Please see below...

WHAT: Believing is just the beginning in Disney On Ice presents Princess Wishes! Ariel, Cinderella, Belle, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Jasmine and Mulan all make their wishes come true in this collection of celebrated tales wonderfully told through artistic skating and acrobatics.

Audiences will be transported to a world where dreams really can come true. With the help of the magical pixie Tinker Bell, the Disney Princesses embark on an adventure to find their heart’s fondest wish. Ariel dreams of a life above the sea, Mulan finds her inner strength, Jasmine discovers a whole new world and Snow White finds her true love. Cinderella, Belle and Sleeping Beauty also find happiness in this beautifully imagined ice show.

Starting one hour before each performance, families will be treated to the Disney Princess Pre-Show, an exclusive fairy tale collection of gowns and treasures from the Disney Princess stories. This bonus experience is free with ticket purchase and includes a special appearance by a live Disney Princess.

To learn more about Disney On Ice, visit www.disneyonice.com, or visit us on Facebook and YouTube.

WHERE: Allen Event Center

200 East Stacy Road, Ste. 1350

Allen, TX 75002

WHEN: Wednesday, November 24 7:30 pm

Friday, November 26 2:30 pm, 6:30 pm

Saturday, November 27 11:30 am, 3:30 pm, 7:30 pm

Sunday, November 28 1:30 pm, 5:30 pm

TICKETS: Beginning Saturday, September 18, tickets are available at www.alleneventcenter.com, the Allen Event Center box office or charge by phone at 1-866-443-8849. Ticket prices are $75 (Rinkside), $45 (VIP) and $30.

***Great news! There is a family discount! Just use the promo code MOM, for a discount of $4 off Level 3 tickets for any performance! Here is the direct link to order tickets with the promo code: http://www.gettix.net/concert/?event_id=3287

If you like Disney on Ice, go to their Facebook page to "like" it! www.facebook.com/DisneyOnIce

Smile...It's Powerful!

2010-11-10T07:24:00.000-06:00

Do you think of smiling as being powerful? Let me explain the power of smiling and how it had a powerful effect in our family...

One of our sons had a very bad anger problem around 5 years old...he would get angry at the drop of a hat about anything and everything! We prayed for him everyday and many people were praying for him, as well. One day as I was sitting across from him at the kitchen table, I prayed and asked God to give me wisdom as to how to handle my son's anger. Wouldn't you know it, that He gave me some of the simplest advice to follow? He simply said, "Smile." I knew immediately that He was telling me to simply smile at him more. So, I smiled and he smiled back!

Now, this may not be rocket science, and it isn't. What happens when we smile at others? They almost always smile back! Now, I'd say that's powerful, wouldn't you? Every once in awhile someone won't smile when I smile at them, but more often than not, they do! :o)

The short end to the story about our son is that now he is very pleasant and rarely shows signs of ever having an anger problem! The two things I get from this are: 1) Ask God when you encounter a situation and you need His supernatural wisdom. That's what He wants you to do! He is faithful. 2) Smile! Smiling will help you and those around you to feel good and do good too!

Two Awesome Bible Verses About the Power of Smiling

2010-11-10T07:21:00.000-06:00

Did you know that just one single chapter in Proverbs contains two of the greatest verses on the power of smiling? I think that's so cool! :o) They are:

Proverbs 15:13 A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.

Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones. (NIV)

God showed me something this morning that I thought was really neat! In the first verse, He says that happiness comes from the heart. In other words, if you choose to be happy on the inside, it will show on the outside!

In the other verse, it says the converse idea...that when you choose to have a cheerful look, then your heart will be joyful. In other words, put a smile on your face and you will also feel good on the inside!

So, put a smile on your face...not only will it encourage others to do the same, but you will feel good and probably have a better attitude for doing it. ;-)

There may be times that you think "I don't have anything to smile about." When you feel this way ask God what you have to smile about. He will be faithful to show you!

A Day In the Life...

2010-10-22T10:45:00.000-05:00

I thought I would start "A Day In the Life" posts where we write about funny or interesting things that happen in a day of the Gordoni family. Here are two funny events of the day:

Jonathan, our 3 year old, said "Janna give me some paper!" (She was distracted as she was on the computer for her computer time for the week) And again, "Janna! Give me some paper!" Then, me saying, "Jonathan, use your kind words." Then, he said in a very sweet voice, "Janna, will you please give me some paper?"

Earlier, while I was checking my email, Josiah came up to me with a little flashlight he was holding in his wide-open mouth, saying "Ma...look at dis! What's dat yittle ting hanging down in da back my mouf?" "It's called a Uvula, Josiah." "Yeah...look at dat!" While at the same time that was going on, Hannah was asking "Mom, how does Oh, Little Town of Bethlehem go?" While at the same time, my oldest two girls were rolling around in the floor, pretend crying about having to do their math homework!

And that was just a few brief minutes of our day...like I always say, "Never a Dull Minute!" :o)

A Day In The Life...

2010-10-21T18:34:00.000-05:00

We had an eventful day today! :o)

This morning Kaylee stepped on a nail outside and we were able to safely get it out and take care of her properly.

This afternoon Jonathan, our three year old poured out the whole bottle of baby soap into the bathtub!

Then...a whole bottle of ERA laundry detergent fell off the dryer and onto the kitchen floor and all the way under the washer and dryer!

Never a Dull Minute!!!

Lori's Top 10 Reasons to Look Up!

2010-10-17T16:53:00.000-05:00

LOOK UP...For your health and for your relationships!

Colossians 3:2 - Keep your minds on things that are above (heavenly things),

not on things that are on the earth (worldly things).

One day, awhile back... Don and I went on a date to California Pizza Kitchen to eat. Upon waiting for our table, a family with two teenage boys walked in. Each boy was looking down at his cell phone playing a game individually, the mom was also looking down at her phone texting, and the Dad???...you guessed it! He was looking down at his cell phone too! I thought, "How said is that! None of them is interacting with one another because they are distracted with looking down and interacting with...their phones!" Granted, a couple of them may be texting with friends or family, but no interaction within their immediate family was taking place at all...

Anytime I am feeling "down," my husband says to "look up!" Why is it that we don't want to look up when we're feeling down? As I was pondering this question, I came up with my top 10 list for reasons to physically look up with our eyes...are you ready? Drum roll please...the top 10 reason to look up are:

10) Look up to the beautiful sky and sun! The sun gives us energy and therefore, energizes us!

9) Looking up is the opposite of looking down (Hell is down...Satan is down...think about it...)

8) Cell phones (texting, games, etc.) cause us to look down...at electronics instead of people...yuck!

7) Depressed people look down...you don't want to be depressed, do you???

6) Looking up will help you feel better!

5) Looking up is good exercise for your eyes, so it must be healthy for your whole body!

4) Looking up causes you to be more aware of what is going on around you (less likely to be a victim).

3) Looking up, I believe, increases endorphins and that's always good.

2) Looking up will help you feel "up" instead of "down..." think about it!;)

And the #1 reason to look up???

1) Heaven is up! Let's look up to Heaven...and to our Heavenly Father...I know that pleases Him!;-)

Mickey's Live Rockin Road Show

2010-10-17T15:24:00.000-05:00

3 of the girls and I had the pleasure of attending "Mickey's Live Rockin Road Show," at the Allen Event Center in Allen, Texas today and we had a great time! Disney sure does know how to put on a great show!

If you haven't been to the Allen Even Center yet and you live in the Allen area, I'd like to encourage you to attend an event there sometime.:o) There are 3 main benefits to attending an event there, versus attending an event in Dallas. My favorite thing about it, is it's close. I like not having to drive all the way to Dallas and I especially like not having to fight the Dallas traffic! Also, the Allen Event Center is new, it is also clean. In addition, I like the fact that it is small and there are no large crowds to contend with.

And The Winner Is...

2010-10-17T15:16:00.000-05:00

The winner to our contest for 4 tickets to Mickey's Live Rockin Road Show is...CINDY BOOKER! Congratulations Cindy! Thanks to everyone who entered our contest...be watching because we will have another contest to win tickets to another Disney show in the coming weeks!

Contest Give Away: Disney Live Mickey's Rockin Road Show

2010-10-08T06:55:00.000-05:00

Disney Live Mickey's Rockin Road Show will be playing at the Allen Event Center in Allen, TX on Sunday, October 17. We have 4 tickets to give away for the 12:30 p.m. performance!

All you need to do to be eligible to win is become a follower of our blog and email your quiz question answer to dlgordoni@gmail.com prior to October 14th. Watch the blog and your email for an announcement! (If you are already a follower on our blog, please feel free to enter too)!

Here's the quiz question: Name one of the Mickey Mouse cartoons produced in 1928.

Movie Review: Life as We Know It

2010-10-05T18:27:00.000-05:00

My wife, Lori and I, attended a complimentary screening of the movie Life as We Know It to facilitate my review and received a gift card from Mom Central as a thank you for our time.

Life as we Know it was Directed by Greg Berlanti. Katherine Heigl, Josh Duhamel, Josh Lucas starred in this story of two single adults who become caregivers to an orphaned girl when their mutual best friends die in an accident.

The formula for romantic comedies always seems pretty simple and most people don’t mind seeing elements of the Taming of the Shrew, or The Quiet Man or It Happened One Night repeated over and over, so I won’t fault the makers of Life as We Know It for returning to the predictable theme of two people who hate each, other falling in love. I also won’t fault them for having a fairy tale ending because that’s really what most viewers want from a romantic comedy but there are plenty of other elements in this movie to be concerned about.

Good acting, high production values, and funny gags simply aren’t enough to make this movie worth seeing because of the absence of a single admirable character. The movie condones and deems normal a long list of vices including, homosexual unions and portraying a homosexual couple as the parenting experts, sexual promiscuity and drug use, and almost every couple having one person with a wondering eye. It may not come as a surprise that the child who is supposedly so loved comes across as more of a prop than an actual character.

As the father of a family with eleven children I failed to appreciate a gag about a father of nine being unable to identify one of his children or remember exactly how many children that he had.

Suffice it to say that I would recommend that you save your pennies for an alternative like “It Happened One Night” with Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable.

Brief Article by George Barna

2010-08-26T06:01:00.000-05:00

Check out this brief discussion of house churches http://www.georgebarna.com/2010/01/house-churches-isolationist-and-cult-like/

2010-08-15T00:15:00.000-05:00

We started at home but after 2 1/2 days of contractions and about 2 hours of sleep it seemed clear that Abby was being held back by something so we went to Presb. Hosp. in Allen. Our wonderful midwifes, Joyce Nelson and Rachel Hale, and our great friend and Lori's "breathing coach" Nici Parker, stuck with us and after getting an epidural and some rest Abby, who had her cord wrapped around her made a smooth entrance after two pushes.

Abigail Ann was born at 4:07 PM on 8/13/10 and weighed 7 lbs., 9 oz. She was 20.5 inches long.

Yours in Jesus,
Don

Winner of our Circus Ticket Giveaway!!!

2010-07-16T13:28:00.000-05:00

And the winner is...Lisa Turner!!! :o)

Congratulations Lisa, on winning the family 4-pack of tickets to "The Greatest Show On Earth!" From the two contestants who entered, our daughter Faith, drew the winner's name out of a hat. Thank you to the Rains family who also entered our contest. :o)

Enter our CONTEST!!!

2010-07-06T11:37:00.000-05:00

Would you like to win 4 tickets to the Ringling Bros.and Barnum & Bailey Circus??? We are giving away four (4) tickets to the Wednesday, July 28, 2010 @ 7:30pm performance at American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX. The value of the family package is $120. For everyone who enters correctly, we will draw a family name at random to win the tickets. To enter, please follow these steps:

1) Become a "follower" on our blog:

2) Answer these 4 questions correctly on the comment section below (by July 15th):

What was the original name of the circus in 1875?
What was the name of the first baby elephant born in the United States?
What was P. T. Barnum's full name?
How many Ringling Brothers were there originally?

Ringling Bros. Circus Coming to Dallas!

2010-07-05T21:44:00.000-05:00

Mommy Rhapsody

2010-06-28T19:20:00.000-05:00

If you're a Mom, you've got to see this new video on God Tube! It's very creative and funny! It's called "Mommy Rhapsody." http://www.godtube.com/featured/video/tribute-mommies-mommy-rhapsody&utm_source=newsletter062810&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weeklytopvideos

2010-06-28T17:19:00.001-05:00

I was reading in 2 Kings and 6:15-17 stuck out to me. This is the passage: ¹⁵Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?"   ¹⁶So he answered, "^(A)Do not fear, for ^(B)those who are with us are more than those who are with them."
   ¹⁷Then Elisha prayed and said, "^(C)O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see " And the LORD opened the servant's eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of ^(D)horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

  Here are my notes: Sight looks at appearances (of people, circumstances, etc.) and produces fear; whereas faith looks to God and finds peace in ANY circumstance. :o)

Here is another good quote I had written down: "Peace means the absence of fear (I would also add "worry") and turmoil - NOT the absence of pain and grief." I really like this quote and the truth found in it. This is one truth I cling to like right now, when we have our 11th baby due in 6 weeks. We are not guaranteed any safe, easy-going birth/deliveries and every birth/delivery is different...so, when fear and worry creep in, this quote really comforts me! I also have a handful of bible verses I cling to right now. :o)

Like us, you may be in a circumstance right now, that when viewed at their "appearance," would cause us to be fearful (and cause our relatives and friends to become fearful for us)...but, when we keep our eyes on the Lord, He gives us peace amidst our circumstances and we can rest in Him no matter what! And, we can encourage our critics to do likewise. :o)

6th Yoursphere Post

2010-06-20T16:28:00.000-05:00

Janna recently got an account with "Yourspere.com." She's having fun learning how to make "sphere's," play the games, etc. Here is what Janna had to say: ""I like how Yoursphere has different sections, called "Spheres" and there are many different types of "Spheres" like Fashion and Our World. And I really like the contests! I also like how you can visit with other friends on Yoursphere.""
"I wrote this review while participating in the Yoursphere Test Drive program by Mom Central on behalf of Yoursphere. I received a free lifetime Gold membership on Yoursphere.com, Yoursphere t-shirts, and a $50 American Express gift card to facilitate my review."
If you want your child to try it, here is the access code: YSMC-0003

5th Yoursphere Post

2010-06-13T16:27:00.000-05:00

Kaylee's first post about "yoursphere.com" - Yoursphere is cool! I especially like entering the contests! "Our World" is a game where you have your own avatar and you play different games and do different challenges and it's really fun! I've also created two "spheres." One is about Texas and the other one is about Beagles. The spheres are so other's can read about them, you can post pictures on them, etc. I've also earned "credits" that can be used for doing other things on Yoursphere and you can save them up for cool things like gift cards, clothing, electronics, etc.
"I wrote this review while participating in the Yoursphere Test Drive program by Mom Central on behalf of Yoursphere. I received a free lifetime Gold membership on Yoursphere.com, Yoursphere t-shirts, and a $50 American Express gift card to facilitate my review."
If you want your child to try it, here is the access code: YSMC-0003

4th Yoursphere Post

2010-06-06T16:26:00.000-05:00

I just received this from "yoursphere.com," so if you're interested in signing up, now would be the perfect time! : Starting this week, we have an exciting new incentive for your readers tied to your referral code! Anyone who uses your code to register on Yoursphere.com will be entered into a weekly drawing to win a $50 gift card. The Mom with the most referrals above 200 will win a $1000 American Express gift card!?? Your referral code: YSMC-0003
"I wrote this review while participating in the Yoursphere Test Drive program by Mom Central on behalf of Yoursphere. I received a free lifetime Gold membership on Yoursphere.com, Yoursphere t-shirts, and a $50 American Express gift card to facilitate my review."

What a Blessed Surprise!

2010-06-04T16:50:00.000-05:00

When you have a large family, it's impossible to go anywhere unnoticed. That's hard for someone like me, who would rather just fade into the crowd at all times but, God knows how to stretch us and get us out of our comfort zones, doesn't He?

Last night, our family enjoyed a nice dinner at Chik Fil A in McKinney, thanks to some coupons we were able to use. Plus, they were having a preview taste test for their new Spicy Chik Fil A sandwich, which will be on the regular menu soon. It's good (as everything else there), but too spicy for me!

Anyway, as I looked around at the other customers, we got the usual stares and smiles. Through their stares and smiles, they are usually saying things like, "Are all those children their's?, Did that lady have all those children...from her own body (LOL, I love that one!)?, How do they handle things with all those children?, Children are a gift from the Lord, or I'm glad we stopped at 2!" I quit trying to figure out what people are thinking, because I'm usually wrong. I often will intrepret people's stares (non-smiles) as negative thinking about our family. Then, those people always end up being the ones who come up to us when they leave and say things like, "I really enjoyed seeing your family," or "Your children are so polite and well-behaved," and things like that.

Toward the end of our meal, our son Noah, went to buy an "Ice Dream" cone. The gentleman behind the counter said "A man bought milk shakes for your family." Well, the next thing we know, two employees came up to us serving 7 milkshakes and two large smiles! We asked who paid for them so we could tell them "thank you," but they had already left. They did give us a description of him though. We felt so blessed and grateful! :o) Don and I said a prayer for them right then and there, and thanked the Lord for him and asked the Lord to return the blessing. We also talked to the children about what a blessing it was (and an affirmation) to receive that gift.

I believe it was a man (and his family) who was giving us one of those stares, but he never said a word.

3rd Yoursphere post

2010-05-30T16:25:00.000-05:00

Kaylee and I played a racing game together today on Yoursphere and it was a lot of fun! :o) Yoursphere is a safe site for children, where they can go and meet new friends, be creative making "Spheres," etc., play games, win prizes and lots of other cool things.
"I wrote this review while participating in the Yoursphere Test Drive program by Mom Central on behalf of Yoursphere. I received a free lifetime Gold membership on Yoursphere.com, Yoursphere t-shirts, and a $50 American Express gift card to facilitate my review."??
If you want your child to try it, here is the access code: YSMC-0003

2nd Yoursphere post

2010-05-23T16:23:00.000-05:00

Here is my first review: I don't like the video on the main webpage...it starts when you sign on! However, I just found out they are doing away with the video on the main webpage, so that's good!
"I wrote this review while participating in the Yoursphere Test Drive program by Mom Central on behalf of Yoursphere. I received a free lifetime Gold membership on Yoursphere.com, Yoursphere t-shirts, and a $50 American Express gift card to facilitate my review."
If you want your child to try it, here is the access code: YSMC-0003

1st Yoursphere Post: New website: "Yoursphere.com!"

2010-05-16T16:22:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone! Kaylee is trying out a new site called "Yoursphere.com." It's a small social networking site for children. If you want your child to try it, here is the access code: YSMC-0003

Bite, Bite?, Bite Please

2010-05-13T10:14:00.000-05:00

We are blessed with lots of fresh eggs due to some generous neighbors who bring them to us often. We are also fortunate to have several egg chefs too, the most popular recepe requires gentle frying in coconut oil until the yokes are that perfect consistancy just between liquid and solid state, and salt, pepper, and parmisian cheese... Whenever someone is enjoying a few eggs Mary, our almost two year old, is usually near by saying "bite, bite?, bite please." As you can imagine she gets plenty of bites...how could we possibly resist.
Mary has set a great example for us to follow in our relationship with our heavenly father. We need to have a nose for something good, draw near, and persitently and politely ask until He satisfys us. The only trouble for me is believing that I could ever look as attractive to God as Mary does to me. But then again, with the covering of Christ, I am His beloved child!

Are you drawing near to the One who loves you more than you can imagine and asking for fulfilment?

I could write more but for some reason I'm hungry now.

God's Timing is Perfect!

2010-05-04T13:33:00.000-05:00

This journey our family is on is such a journey of faith...and it's an incredible, fun-filled journey! I've already talked about Don resigning his previous job and dealing with the financial challenges of starting up a new business with After Eden Pictures. We know we are right in the middle of God's will and every time we are tempted to doubt, God is right there to encourage us...at the most unexpected times...from the most unexpected people!

Sometimes His encouragement comes in the form of others blessing us with their words. Sometimes His encouragement comes from tangible gifts like food, clothing or money. God is so creative and He knows what we need...and when we need it! We haven't wanted or needed for anything and we've been able to pay all our bills on time. The only exception to that, Don said, was when he wrote the check for a bill and God told him that morning to pay it. But, Don knew we didn't have the money in our account, so he held on to it to let it be late. And do you know, that money was provided and in our account by the end of the banking day! Don said he learned a big lesson about being obedient to the Lord that day.

Let me tell you about a way God provided for us two weeks ago: Don and I were in bad need of a date! However, we had no money. Don suggested we sell the rest of our books to Half Price Books, knowing that they pay very little for books. We picked through the rest of our books and found some to sell. Don was even willing to part with some old books that we've had for years and that was HUGE for him to be willing to part with them! I remembered the set of Elsie Dinsmore books we had for the s to read and I was finally ready to part with those.

So, we loaded up our books and headed out for our date! On the way, we prayed for God's favor in the selling of our books...

Half Price Books was so busy that day, that we had to wait in the store for an hour until they got to them, but we enjoyed the time in the store together, playing Scrabble on my cell phone. We watched as the store employee started going through our books, when a man walked in the store...as the store employee picked up the Elsie Dinsmore books to place them on the counter with the others, the man walked up to him and said, "I'd like to buy that set of books in your hand." The store employee told him that if we accept their offer to buy them, he can buy that set.

Don and I were wondering if that man inquiring about that set of books, at just the right time, would impact our offer or not...well, it did! They offered us $40! Now, that may not seem like much, especially when we could sell them on Ebay (we didn't have time for that), but for Half Price Books, that's a lot! Don asked him if the man inquiring about the Elsie Dinsmore books had any effect on the offer and the man said, "Because he offered to buy that set of books, I gave you the highest amount I possibly could!"

We were so excited and grateful...I was only hoping for $15-$20! We had enough money to go out to eat and go get dessert and have $17 left over for gas for the truck! That might not seem like much to some of you...but, to see God work in our lives like that is amazing! God worked out the timing of the store employee looking at our books and the timing of the gentleman waking in the store and walk by, just in time to see that particular set of books in the man's hands...God's timing IS perfect! And we can trust Him for everything...even a badly needed date with our spouse! :o)

God's Blessings of 2010...We are God's Most Treasured Possessions!

2010-04-09T21:11:00.000-05:00

Normally, I would not post an article like this until the end of the year; however, God has been so good to us that I have to share it!

Many of you know, that God is taking our family on a "different" kind of journey right now. My husband quit his full-time ministry job of 10 years and we have been without that income since the beginning of the year. Don is helping to start a new motion picture company (After Eden Pictures) and we are not receiving an income from it yet. God wants us to be patient and trust Him to provide in His time and in His way.

I have to say, that we know, without a shadow of a doubt, that we are exactly in the middle of God's will. Is being in the middle of God's will always easy? NO! But, I can tell you that being in the middle of God's will is marked with God's peace and blessing. Now, His blessing is not always the kind of blessing we think is best for us, but His blessings are always best for us!

I have been writing our blessings for the year. Normally, I would have a couple of pages with about 100 blessings for the whole year. But, this year, I am already on page 15 and about 150 blessings and only 1/4th of the year has gone by already! Suffice it to say, that even though we are going through a trying time financially, God has provided for us miraculously and abundantly! We are so grateful for His provision. And, that's what He's reminding us of right now, among other things, that we are not dependent upon "man" for our provision...ALL provision comes from God! :o)

God has been so faithful to provide odd-jobs for Don to do, family and friends who have given gifts (both tangible and intangible) to us from their hearts. Our family has been very blessed through this journey God is taking us on right now. We have all had to make sacrifices in many different ways, but we've all learned that all of this is SO worth it! It's helped us grow closer as a family. We have also grown closer to the Lord. There is no dearer possession to Don and I than our children. Likewise, we are God's most treasured possessions...

The Big Book of Memories

2010-03-25T22:08:00.000-05:00

I've never considered myself a writer. However, when my oldest son Michael, was 6 and my second son Nathan was 2, I realized that I was forgetting the things they did when they were younger. So, I started writing down funny things they did and things I wanted to remember about them. Well, after 10 children, you can imagine how big that book is now! It's all in a 5 inch binder (and growing everyday)!

Ever so often, the children will go get the book and ask me to read them a story about them or their brothers and sisters! We laugh and reminisce...it's such a blessing!

Yes, you CAN exercise! :o) The 4 E's (Exercise can be Easy, Economical and Enjoyable)

2010-03-25T13:22:00.000-05:00

I was visiting with a couple of dear friends last week and they told me that they don't like to exercise and that it is hard for them to find the time to exercise. I hear this all the time! Believe me, as a mother of 10 children (9 at home) and one on the way, due Aug. 9, 2010...I know how hard it is to find the time to exercise. I also know that we make the time to do the things that are important to us. How important do you make exercising regularly? Is it something you do almost everyday, or just the days you have the energy, or just once in awhile when it's convenvient? Think about it...

My conversation with my friends inspired this blog, because I want to share how easy, economical and enjoyable exercising can be (the 4 E's)! :o) The main thing to remember, is that exercising doesn't have to last a long time. When I'm not pregnant, just 10 minutes a day on the mini-trampoline (rebounder) works wonders and makes for a great workout!

Let me share what I do each day, now that I'm pregnant. I have 3 fitness DVD's that I often rotate between. The one I use everyday (except Sunday...my "free" day) is one of Leslie Sansone's 5- mile walking DVD's, http://www.walkathome.com/store/product174.html. She has such a variety of amazing workouts, I know you will find at least one, that you would enjoy! Plus, she has a great personality and that helps a lot when you're watching the same DVD each day. She has some workouts that are set to praise music, as well.
Since I am pregnant, I also enjoy Leisa Hart's pregnancy workout http://www.leisahart.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=PRN+015. I have been doing this one for the last 4 pregnancies and I love it! When I combine it with the 5-mile workout from Leslie Sansone, I don't do the whole workout, just the "Yoga Fat Burn" section. It's great for giving you energy and stretching you all over and preparing your body for labor and delivery.
The third one I like to do during pregnancy (and when I'm not pregnant) is Teresa Tapp's "Step It To the Max" DVD https://store.t-tapp.com/products/Step-it-to-the-Max-DVD.html. Don't let the "Max" part scare you, but if it does, there's an easier one called Step Away the Inches. You can buy them more cheaply in a set.

Now, that I've mentioned my favorite workouts, I have to tell you that you can make all of these as easy or as hard as you like! With Leslie Sansone's DVD, you can choose to do 1,2,3,4 or all 5 miles a day. On days when I have more energy, I will add ankle and/or hand weights to help workout my muscles even more!
The other thing I do, is listen to my Curves Freedom Fitness CD's while I do the workouts. I don't mind watching the DVD's everyday, with the sound off, but I do not like listening to the narration and same music on the videos everyday. So, I put the Curves praise music on my cell phone and the beat is perfect for doing all my workouts. Plus, these 3 are all set to Christian Lyrics (Praise music) and I love that! https://store.afa.net/p-10000017-curves-freedom-fitness-cd-vol-6.aspx Sometimes I will play them out loud when I exercise and if the children are awake, I will hear some of them singing the praise songs. Most days, I listen to the music with my ear buds. These CD's also help put me in a "worshipful" mood while I'm exercising and I especially like that!

With a small amount of investment (less than $50) or more, you can have a great workout each day, that you can customize yourself...be creative! And, depending on how you are feeling that particular day, do more or less. For most of us, we have days when we have more energy than others, but especially when we're pregnant, we have to make sure and monitor our energy levels and workouts accordingly.

You will never regret making exercise a part of your daily routine! And, remember the 4 E's! Exercise can (and should be) be Easy, Economical and Enjoyable!

Update on our family and request for support

2010-03-21T15:35:00.000-05:00

Dear Family and Friends:

At the suggestion of four friends we are writing to ask you to consider supporting our family.

Most of you are aware that I resigned my position at Lamb & Lion Ministries around August first of last year, not knowing exactly what I would be doing. Although to many people, this has been deemed a "reckless and irresponsible" decision, Lori and I believed and still believe that it was God's timing for us to move on, trusting that God would provide opportunities for me to utilize my gifts and passions more fully. Within days of my resignation, I wrote my talent agents, Jaco & Philipa Booyen's of Advantage Model and Talent a letter and told them that I needed to replace my income. Their response was to tell me about the vision for After Eden Pictures, a calling that Jaco had received in mid-July. Simply stated, the vision was to be "light to the cesspool of the entertainment industry," and produce uplifting programming of all kinds. The calling is distinctive in that it demands very high production values that can compete with Hollywood and must be able to reach the unchurched. We are particularly interested in reaching young people who spend an average of five hours a day attending to various forms of media and are more than 400 times more influenced by the media than they are their parents, teachers, and church contacts.

Most of you know that we downsized about three years ago in order to focus on paying off debt and living more simply. We also felt called to spend more time together as a family and started a house church called His Olive Branch. God allowed us to reduce our debt from $204,000 to $82,000 including our mortgage. We home school the children and Nathan has been participating in an honors Christian worldview program for English, history, and social studies.

When I resigned from Lamb & Lion Ministries, after ten years of service, I was given a gracious severance of full pay until the end of last year. We have been able to pay all of our bills, maintain our vehicles, and missionary giving on time and we haven't missed any meals. The Lord has provided part-time flexible jobs for Lori, Nathan, Noah, and me and we have received numerous unsolicited gifts during this time. I have not sought permanent full-time employment because I feel compelled by the Lord to stay available for my work with After Eden Pictures, because that is where I believe God intends for me to serve. I also want to stay available for acting opportunities. My first feature film role is in a Christian film called Framed that God-willing, will be funded (3 million) the end of this year. I have not felt that it would be fair to potential employers to take a full-time position knowing that my heart's desire is to be engaged in the work of After Eden full-time within a few months.

What is the status of After Eden Pictures? We have two feature films and two TV shows in the works. The most promising developments are with one of the films, a true story of a godly small town hero; this film has investors who have verbally expressed a willingness to supply around $2 million for production, we have a commitment from another wealthy individual to supply $2-3 million for publicity and advertising. The second film also comes with some funding but is not as well developed at this point. We have shot promo and pilot footage for two TV shows: INsight and Hey Nice! Several networks are willing to carry the shows and have been very pleased with the concept, talent, and HD quality. Now, we are faced with the question of how to pay for the initial production expenses. God has not presented that solution yet. Since our first feature film has the most financial backing at this point, it may be that God will allow it to generate what is needed to fund our other projects but that would be a significant delay. We have also developed a social media network called INsightscene.com. You can visit www.INsightscene.com and view clips of INsight. You will notice that the site and the INsight TV show are not overtly Christian. We have designed it this way because the purpose of the show and the site are to reach unchurched young people and build relationships with them. All of the hosts and field reporters for INsight are solid, on fire, bold evangelicals. The majority of the guests will also be strong, well-known believers who have excelled in sports & entertainment.

Just so you know, the type of films that I desire to act in, produce, and direct...I would encourage you to watch The Butterfly Circus http://www.thedoorpost.com/hope/film/?film=4dd298f102c77b625cf37a9e7744ac68 and The Ultimate Gift http://www.theultimategift.com/home.php?cid=4294967295&cat=home, and To Save a Life http://tosavealifemovie.com/spreadtheword/trailer.php. I hope and pray, to come alongside the creators of these films, learn from them, and work with them.

Please pray about helping us during this transition period, in whatever way the Lord leads. We would be especially grateful if someone could sponsor Nathan in continuing his participation in the Christian World View course in the Fall and if someone could assist with paying our share with Samaritan Ministries (a Christian alternative to typical health insurance). Please feel free to share this email with others.

Perhaps I have created more questions than answers, so please ask for clarification if needed. And feel free to call me anytime at 214-578-2644.

I'm going to sign off at this point and turn it over to Lori who has a few things to share with you.

Thank you for making it to this point in our email! :o) We felt it was important to put as many details as possible, so you can understand where God is taking us and how God is working in our lives. It's crucial that you know, that when Don said, "I believe it's time for me to leave Lamb and Lion," God spoke to me in my spirit and confirmed that fact. If Don had said that a few weeks earlier, my response would not have been so positive, because that would not have been God's timing.

We know, without a shadow of a doubt, that we are smack-dab, in the middle of God's will. He has confirmed that on a daily basis this whole time, but especially since our income with Lamb and Lion was over, the end of the year. Each year, I write down blessings that the Lord has graciously given to us (or done for us) and we read them together, as a family on New Year's Day. Normally, I would have about 70-100 things written for the entire year, with 2-3 pages total. I started writing on January 18th, and in two months, I am already at #76 of blessings and am on page 10! How cool is that?!?!? God is a good Father and provider. He has been so gracious to remind us each day, with gentle encouragement, how we are staying in his will...and I might add, there's no better place to be! Living a life of faith is not always comfortable, but when you read the Bible, it's not filled with pages of people who lived lives of ease and comfort...instead they are faithful followers of faith, who often lived lives filled with hard work, sacrifice and suffering for the Lord. However, like us, no matter what the circumstances, they had the peace of Christ in their hearts.
As Don said, numerous people have told us that they would be excited about making this kind of investment in the lives of all people, young and old alike...and, that they know of others who would feel good about making this kind of investment. That's why we feel affirmed in sending this to you...most of all, we appreciate your prayers.

Yours in Christ,

Don and Lori and family

My favorite salad

2010-02-20T09:17:00.000-06:00

I was going to post this on Valentines Day for a present for everyone (if a salad recipe is considered a present, LOL!) but I didn't get it done. So, here is my favorite way to prepare a salad...have fun with it...experiment and use things you like in your salad too! :o)

Throw a large handful of baby spinach on a plate...(then go wild!) :o)...then, I put some chopped Bell Pepper (and sometimes banana peppers), chopped Roma Tomatoes. You can add any kind of sprouts...my favorite are Sunflower Sprouts, but around here they're hard to come by and aren't in our budget right now. Most times, I will omit the sprouts and add chopped Walnuts (or the more budget friendly, Sunflower Seeds) and some Craisins (dried Cranberries). Then, I add some Feta or shredded Parmesan Cheese...yum! :o)
For the dressing, I mix about 1/2 cup of Rasberry Balsamic Vinegar, 2 T. Olive Oil (or Grapeseed Oil), and for sweetness I'll add 1-2 T. of Agave Nectar. This dressing will last for 2-4 personal salads or 1-2 family salads. Enjoy! :o)

The Fog on the Bridge

2010-02-15T07:19:00.000-06:00

Lori and I are celebrating our 18th Wedding Anniversary today! We went to breakfast for Valentine's Day yesterday and were met with a very thick fog. As we struck out across the mile long bridge near our home we could only see about 20 yards ahead of us and it looked as though we were driving into the clouds. Life feels like that to us right now, we can only see far enough ahead to proceed slowly and trust that the bridge of God's love extends beyond what we can see. God is always God, and always good. I am so blessed by my amazing wife Lori!

How My Day Gets Started!

2010-02-08T16:55:00.000-06:00

I thought I would write more specifically, about how I start my day with supplements (besides spending time with the Lord, my #1 priority in the morning)...Upon waking, the first thing I do is drink a lot of water. If I exercise first, I'll drink 24-48 oz. of water while I exercise. If I don't exercise first, I'll drink 24-48 oz. of water before I do anything else. Nancy Desjardins, of http://www.healthlady.com/ talks about the importance of hydrating your body properly when you first get up in the morning. This hasn't been easy for me...growing up, I didn't drink water first thing in the morning...I just didn't like it! Now, that I've been drinking water first thing, my body craves it, and that's a good thing!
The other thing I do most mornings is to take a supplement of "Vitamineral Green" from http://www.healthforce.com/ I can find it in our local health food store. I used to take spirulina by itself, but I've found that "Vitamineral Green," has more vitamins and minerals. Basically, I take this supplement to get the "good stuff" in my body and it also helps to get the "bad stuff" out. "Vitamineral Green" is recommended to take with water, but I don't like it with just water, so I mix about 1 T. in a juice glass of superfood green juice, like "Bolthouse Farms," "Naked Juice" or "Odwalla." My favorite is "Naked Juice," but I usually get "Bolthouse Farms" because it is cheaper. Nancy also recommends that we get enough fiber in our diets, so I also mix in 1-2 T. of ground flax seed (I buy flax seeds in the bulk section of Sprouts Farmers Market and grind it myself in my coffee grinder...it's not used to grind coffee anymore, lol!). Flax seed does not just contain both soluble and insoluble fiber, it also contains Omega-3 essential fatty acids (the "good" fats), as well as Lignans, which have both antioxidants and plant estrogen. Remember, if you take a supplement of Flax seed, you must drink a lot of water, to make up for all the fiber...
Since I am pregnant, I also take "Supermom" vitamins, which also contain spirulina. I like to purchase them here: http://supermomshealthandwellness.com/catalog.php?item=57&ret=catalog.php . Spirulina also gives you energy and is very good for you! :o)
These supplements took awhile to get used to, because my body wasn't used to such "good food." Now, I am used to it and I don't like to go a day without w/out these supplements to my daily eating routine. It's also comforting, because if I have a day when I don't eat as I should, at least I got some of the "good stuff" in first thing in the morning, LOL! :o)
Tell me what you think about these supplements, if you've tried them or if you try them in the future or if there are supplements you take in which you derive great benefit!
Blessings,
Lori

Holistic Nutrition Healthy Lifestyle Natural Health and Wellness

2010-02-01T04:05:00.000-06:00

Please listen to Lori's audio interview on this prominent woman's heath site: Holistic Nutrition Healthy Lifestyle Natural Health and Wellness

You look too young to have 10 children!

2010-01-30T12:03:00.000-06:00

It's funny to see/hear the reactions people have when they find out how many children we have! Usually, the first comment is "You look too young to have 10 children!" Then, the second one is "You mean, they all came from YOUR body?!?!?" I'm very grateful that my husband and I still look young at my 40 and his 46! :o)
People often ask me about my diet, exercise, etc. So, I thought I would answer some of those questions now. Actually, I will tell you by listing my top 4 priorities for anyone, but because I am pregnant, I'll also talk about what's important for pregnancy.
Tip #1: Spend time with the Lord everyday in prayer and his word...nothing is more important than this. When I neglect my time with the Lord, my day usually is lousy...on days I've spent time with the Lord, my day goes so much more smoothly, because I'm more likely to see people and things from God's eyes, than from my own...need I say more?
Tip #2: Drink lots of water! I have not always drunk lots of water. In fact, for a good portion of my life, Coca-Cola was my preferred drink! I finally weaned myself off of Coke, when I read one of Dr. Mercola's articles about what happends to your body when you drink soft drinks...in fact, soft drinks are #2 on his list for worst foods to eat/drink! Yikes! You can read the article here: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2001/03/10/soda-pop-dangers.aspx
Then, after I got over that addiction, I moved to coffee...now, I'm not one of those people who can drink coffee black...I always said "I have my milk and sugar with a little coffee, lol!" Well, this wasn't so funny, when I realized I really did have an addiction to coffee and sugar! Not to mention, all of the negative side effects of coffee and sugar!
I realized I needed to clean out my system and rid myself of these cravings (addictions). So, I found a natural cleanse last year by Nancy Desjardins (I needed to do a healthy cleanse since I was nursing), http://7daysugarfreediet.com/, and by the end of the 7 days, I was free of my addictions for coffee and sugar, plus I lost 8 lbs.!
I still eat some sugar and coffee occasionally, but not very often. I've replaced most of my sugar with Agave Necter, which is so much better on your sugar, etc.
Water is the perfect drink and if you can drink filtered water, that's even better! Water will keep you from getting dehydrated and is so healthy for all parts of your body...plus, it's cheap! :o) Water has so many other benefits...one of them being curbing your hunger, if you drink a glass before a meal...So, drink LOTS of water!
Tip #3: EXERCISE! It doesn't matter how much, just do a little (or a lot, depending on your energy level) each day! This isn't easy...many days, I have to make myself, but I know that once I've exercised I'm going to feel so much better! It's best for me to exercise first thing in the morning, because it gives me energy for my whole day...plus, I get it over with and don't have the "I've still got to exercise" voice inside my head all day. My favorite form of exercise are T-Tapp fitness, www.t-tapp.com, because it is healthy exercise and anyone can do it and you don't need much space at all! It's great...plus, it's "rehabilitative fitness" and is designed to work your muscles from the inside out...very effective...you can get in shape without having weights and I like that! :o) ***Note: In my pregnancy with baby #9, T-Tapp saved me! I learned the simple tasks of "tucking my tail bone under," having good posture and keeping my feet turned straight (or even pigeon toed, a little) when I walk. Just the simple exercise of keeping my tail bone turned under during pregnancy (while walking, sitting, standing...you name it!), it kept me from having back pain in the last trimester of my pregnancy! I couldn't believe something so simple, could be so powerful! :o) It also helps to firm your tummy and when your pregnant, it's harder to feel your abs, but when you tuck your tailbone under, you can rest assured that your abdominals are also at work, LOL!
Walking is the best exercise for anyone, that almost anyone can do! I can't always walk outside, and I've been doing a Leslie Samsone dvd the last two weeks and I love it! I do the 5-mile dvd and I can do 1 mile a day or 5 miles a day and it's so much fun! When I get tired of listening to the same thing day after day...I do the dvd, while listening to my "Curves Freedom Fitness Music" while I do the dvd and it works out great! :o) http://store.afa.net/p-10000018-curves-freedom-fitness-cd-vol-7.aspx. I love this music, because it's Christian music/lyrics with a perfect beat for exercising to keep you going!
Tip #4: Eat healthily! I know these things seem basic, but they really do work! If I exercise without eating healthy and vice versa...I will have trouble losing weight. But, when I combine them, the pounds come off! I am eating more protein than carboyhydrates, eating the healthy carboyhydrates found in greens and other foods and eating whole grains instead of "white" flours, rice and potatoes. I no longer buy salad dressing because the store-bought kind is filled with perservatives, fillers, etc. Plus, homemade salad dressing is so easy and cheap to make!
Please here me saying this: make your health changes slowly and don't try to do everything at once; otherwise, you'll get discouraged and fail. When you make your changes slowly, you WILL see progress and that's exciting! :o) When you combine all of these things: Having a Quiet Time with the Lord, Drinking water instead of other junk, Exercising and Eating healthy, you will be healthy spiritually, emotionally and physically...I've discovered that I'm the best servant of God, wife and mother when all these things are accomplished. On days when they're not, I forgive myself and start over the next day! :o)

Matcha Green Tea...a life saver (enhancer)!

2010-01-23T16:25:00.000-06:00

Matcha Green Tea has really helped improve my health and well-being! Let me tell you how...for the last 14 years, I have had "sinking spells," (for lack of a better term). I believe the spells were brought on when I took birth control pills before my husband and I were married. I would just "zone out" for a minute or two. I could hear and see what was going on around me, but I was unable to respond. It was as if a dark feeling came over me...I don't know how else to explain it. I tried homeopathic medicine to treat my thyroid and adrenals, exercise, etc. Nothing worked until I started drinking Matcha almost a year ago. I realized after drinking Matcha, that my "sinking spells" went away completely! I was so relieved. This was confirmed when I stopped drinking Matcha for a month or so and I had another "sinking spell." Since drinking Matcha again, I have not had any more problems.

I like to drink Matcha mixed with milk and agave nectar, for sweetener. Sometimes I put 1/8-1/4 t. in a warm cup of water and drink it like that (the healthiest way to drink it). Matcha has so many wonderful health benefits! It is a mood enhancer and it has a ton of antioxidants! Cheap Matcha is bitter and not very good. For the most benefits, it's best to get Matcha from Nishio, Japan. It's not cheap, but it's SO worth the cost, because the health benefits are greater and the taste is sweeter. For an extensive look at the benefits of Matcha, please see this link: http://products.mercola.com/green-tea/

An update on the Gordoni family

2010-01-16T18:24:00.000-06:00

Here is a quick update of some things going on with our family (More details later):

BABY #11 is on the way!!!!!
Don has been cast a movie called "Framed!" He will play the role of a pastor. The shooting schedule has not been set yet.
We are excited about developments with After Eden Pictures. However, we won't be receiving an income for some time, so Don is actively seeking opportunities to keep the family fed. :o) (He is a "jack of all trades" and can do almost anything). So, give him a call if you think of anything that he can do for you! 214-578-2644
Nathan just got his driver's license!
Noah successfully revived an old go-cart that a neighbor gave him. It wasn't running when he received it and now it's fully functional!

Making Sisters Best Friends

2009-11-28T18:59:00.000-06:00

I've learned that sisters (and brothers, for that matter) can be best friends or worst enemies. Isn't that true of husbands and wives sometimes too? I am very grateful that Don and I are best friends most of the time! :o)

Through much trial and error, I've learned what works best for me in encouraging them to be best friends. It's not ing, coaxing or talking to them until I am blue in the face either, LOL! When two of my daughters are fighting, I simply send them to their room and tell them not to come out until they've "made things right with each other" (apologized for their own wrong-doing in the situation) and become best friends again! In doing this, I am not "the bad guy" and they work things out on their own. So many times in the past, I've been the judge in countless arguments, etc. That's so tiring, especially with 10 children!

Usually, they come out of their room within minutes and they both have good attitudes...it's amazing! Sometimes they will stay in their room for awhile. If for some reason, I don't think they were honest and genuine and came out of their room prematurely, I just send them back!
Our children really should be best friends with one another. We tell our children, "God first, family second, friends and others third."

Unfortunately, we live in a society that does not promote those priorities in that way. Often in TV shows, movies, etc., the parents are depicted as being dumb, aloof, not in touch with today's youth, etc. The children and teens are the ones who are often portrayed as being superior to s. Often in TV and movies, children and teens are disrespectful to parents and other siblings. This is so sad. It's easy to see how Satan has gotten a foothold in so many ways in the media today. Also, it is typical to see brothers/sisters on TV and movies fighting with one another. Many families have fallen apart and are continuing to fall apart...

We need to instill godly characteristics in our children. Most of all, we parents need to godly characteristics for them. It is possible for children to be best friends, but we need to encourage them to be that way!

What Homeschooling is all about!

2009-10-14T14:59:00.000-05:00

A couple of months ago, one of our dear neighbors gave Noah an old go-cart. He blessed Noah by saying if you "like to tinker on things," here is an old go-cart you can have, with the warning that "it doesn't work." Noah was up to the challenge and after working on the go-cart, studying small engine mechanics and numerous trips to get parts and a couple of online purchases for parts, Noah got the go-cart to run! The first time, it ran a little then quit. However, today he and Nathan were able to drive it for about 15 minutes before the engine stopped. As you can see, they had a fun time riding the go-cart in the mud and got quite dirty!

For our family, this is what homeschooling is all about! Noah had to do a lot of research and spend his own money, but he's learned a lot about small engines and is proud of this accomplishment. He's decided he would like to take a small engine class and start a small business. We are supporting him all the way! This kind of hands-on learning is the best. We are grateful God led us to homeschool our children and we will continue to do so until He instructs us otherwise.

The Real Good Humor Man, by Don Gordoni

2009-10-12T21:32:00.000-05:00

The first of our family's goals is to have fun together. That may not sound too spiritual but before you get all high brow and skip on to the next article, please hear me out. One of my best friends, Richard, is a wryly witted, storm chasing meteorologist who is married to a free spirited, adventurer named Paula. Paula's parting words are usually "have fun" to which Richard sometimes replies "oh, yeah, it's all about having fun." Yes, Dr. Richard there is more to life than fun but there is a wonderful proverb that says "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones" (Proverbs 17:22). In fact my wife proposed that we adopt that Bible verse as our household motto, she even painted it over the mantle of the home we were in at the time. By the way, under the cool austere and scientific shell that Richard wears, lurks the mischievous grin of a very fun loving and funny fellow.

With all that is dark in the world today and the certainty of things growing darker in the end times, wholesome fun is of great value and is one of the distinguishing marks of those who know that with Christ all things will one day be made right. My wife and I are both youngest children and one of the common laments that we hear from the first born crowd is how strict and distracted their parents were and how they loosened the reigns for their younger siblings. In essence they say things like "you youngest kids got away with !"

My parents loved to laughed and were always looking for the up side and it wasn't because we were living on easy street. My mom had crossed eyes until she could afford to pay for surgery at age 19, my father went blind, lost his career, his first wife, and his life savings and suffered from recurring brain tumors, surgeries and hospital stays. However, through all their trials they both kept smiling and laughing. Prayer and trust that God would see them through showed real faith in difficult times. There is a creative movie called "Life is Beautiful." The movie features a loving Jewish father who keeps his young son hidden in a German concentration camp. This film is not for young children and falls short of speaking of God and Christ but it displays the power God has given us, to be able to have a positive attitude amidst extremely difficult circumstances. Another example is Corrie Ten Boom in The Hiding Place. She and her sister had amazing God-given courage in a concentration camp. Corrie's sister Betsy's positive attitude encouraged Corrie to persevere even after Betsy died.

It is important to distinguish between what is good-natured humor and what is fun at other's expense. Anything that creates shame or demoralizes or promotes hurtful stereotypes is not funny to God. Certain types of silly, foolish behavior are not becoming in men, women or teenagers. Discerning when humor is appropriate is a key part of maturity. The best forms of merriment are usually associated with celebrating achievements. The Bible contains feasts to be observed as a recognition that all true success comes "down from the Father" (James 1:17) and is meant to be a refreshing time of merriment. The sentiment is "wow, isn't God good?" It is as though God says, "you've done well, now sit down and enjoy some of the fruit of your labor." With ten children, we don't always have the means to accept every party invitation but we try to make it a priority to be there for the most significant events whenever possible. What makes an event significant varies depending on the person involved. Granted, some events like a wedding for instance are always significant but we need to listen very carefully to our loved ones to discern what it is that they really want to celebrate. I have one son who at this point, is much more interested in me observing his finely honed golf swing then almost anything else.

Okay, for those of you who are convinced that piety and laughter can never inhabit the same person, I have a few questions for you. Think about some of the Christians who have been the most influential in your life, directly or indirectly. For instance, D.L Moody and C.S. Lewis have influenced me indirectly through their writing (like I'm trying to influence you now). People I have known face to face have also influenced me directly. One such person was a little old lady named Evelyn Bell. Evelyn had polio when she was young and it left her with a great hump on her back. She never learned to drive and lived in a tiny house where she took in sewing jobs to earn her keep. In the winter her clothes had the odor that came from the fumes of a gas stove and she was the only that I knew who was shorter than me when I was twelve years old. Evelyn loved Jesus and people and more than her diminutive crippled body or the odd odor of her clothing or her poverty. I remember her broad smile and her warm hugs. Now that you have these people who have influenced you in your mind, how do you picture them? Is it their serious mood and furrowed brow that you reflect on? Granted you may think of them in some passionate state performing some great feat but when you think of the their faces do you see their smile? When you hear them speak in your mind, is there a lilt and hopefulness in their tone? For me, when I think of D.L. Moody I picture him playing with children, spinning around in circles with his forehead on the end of a baseball bat so that he can gather a group of children and tell them about Jesus. When I think of C.S. Lewis, I think of funny illustrations woven into deep spiritual truths such as his famous proposition that there are only three ways to look at Jesus: Lord, liar, or lunatic. He quips that if Jesus is not God but only thinks He is, then he is like a man saying that he is a poached egg. If that doesn't strike you as funny then your funny bone is broken.

Harry Burt had a heart for people, a knack for candy making, an innovative way to keep your hands clean while eating ice cream, and a resourceful way of getting his product to the people. This entrepreneur who we have to thank for ice cream on a stick, also had strict standards for those who worked for him. Here's what one history book had to say about his army of Good Humor men:
Burt hired and intensively trained men who lived up to the image the Good Humor Ice Cream Company wanted to portray. Clean, white uniforms and a cheery manner became trademarks of the Good Humor Man. The qualifications for becoming a Good Humor Man included the ability to be friendly with children and look after their safety. Burt was so successful in molding the image of the Good Humor Man that by the 1950s such virtues as enthusiasm, dedication, friendliness, dependability, and honesty had come to be associated with his ice cream company. Newspaper reports of the local Good Humor Man rushing a baby to a hospital for treatment and breaking up a counterfeit money operation in Long Island, New York, only added to the image.
- Source: International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 14. St. James Press, 1996.

I was thinking about the real Good Humor man, He is the God Humored Man and when I get to see Him face to face, I will be dressed in white (Revelation 3:5). Like Harry Burt He has very high standards for those who follow Him and He commissioned His people to take to the streets dispensing truly satisfying refreshment. Just as the Good Humor men held children in high regard and watched over them, we too are expected to hold them in high regard (Matthew 19:14) and be on the alert against those who would harm them (Mark 9:42).

Nehemiah 8:10 says "Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." The people had been weeping because Nehemiah had been reading God's law and it was evident that they had been neglecting it but afterward they rejoiced because they "understood" what had been read to them (Nehemiah 8:12). Yes, we live in sober times too with evidence all around us that God's law has been neglected even among His people, but when we realize the power of Christ and the hope that we have in Him there is great cause to rejoice! A realization that allows us to: "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:2-4).

It seems only right to conclude an article like this one with a joke: why did the chicken cross the playground? (drum roll please) To get to the other slide.

If you have a favorite joke or story, please email me at don.gordoni.creative@gmail.com or make a comment on my family blog at http://neveradullminute.blogspot.com/

Yyyyaaaaaayyyyyy Don!

2009-10-03T22:11:00.000-05:00

I just had to make a quick post to tell Don "CONGRATULATIONS!" on being a runner-up in T-Tapp's 60-Day Challenge contest! He did great! If you want to see his results, here's the link: http://www.t-tapp.com/challenge2009/60-DayChallenge/dong/index.html

Treasuring Family

2009-09-21T11:41:00.000-05:00

by Don Gordoni

In a day when radical attempts are being made to redefine what it means to be a family, the need for Christians to understand the importance of family is greater then ever. Many Christians have adopted a cultural design for their families that looks a lot like the world around them. This was descriptive of me and my family until about three years ago when the extreme rebellion of our oldest child caused my wife and I to do the type of deep, heart-wrenching soul searching that is usually only brought on by trials.

What did we do wrong? Why didn't we recognize the signs sooner? What if? What now? These are just a few of the questions that we poured over again and again. Prayers, tears, bible study, counsel, and reflecting on the conclusions of three books, George Barna's Transforming Children Into Spiritual Champions, Ted Tripp's Shepherding a Child's Heart, and Keeping Our Children's Hearts by Steven and Teri Maxwell, have brought us to a short set of resolves that have radically reformed our view of family life. It's important to let you know that throughout our marriage we have been very active in church and thought that we were doing things the "right" way most of the time.

There are few things in life that you can be absolutely certain of but one of them is that family relationships are meant to be vitally important at all times. So much of what we experience in this life is a picture of a greater truth and eternal reality. I believe that God instituted family because it gives us the best picture of the intensely intimate relationship that the Lord wants to have with us. You have heard that for children, love is spelled T-I-M-E. In reality the same is true for anyone who desires to be loved. The popular children's book Where the Wild Things Are contains a sentiment attractive to all of us. In this book, Max, a tired vanquished boy longs for the place "where someone loved him best of all." In most aspects of life we are encouraged to be selfless but when it comes to marriage and family we are granted the permission to have special and exclusive relationships. Just as God is our one and only, so our spouse should be too. The practical application of this realization is that it is okay to treat your home as a refuge for your family, it is essential to take time to go on dates with your spouse, and it is absolutely necessary for each of your children to receive special preferential attention. We are told that when Christ calls His church we will feast with Him (Rev. 19:7) and rule and reign with Him (Rev. 5:9-10). We will also worship together as a great family as children of God having been made brothers and sisters of Christ (Romans 8:11). We are also told that we will have our own one-on-one audience where we will be given a new name (Rev. 2:17).

If you have known Christ for long, then you are familiar with these facts but many in the body of Christ have failed to grasp that God intends for families to bond together and this requires an investment of time. In reality, most of us have exchanged the blessings of family for work (outside the home), church programming, sports, and entertainment. And many who read this article will feel a tinge of guilt but allow it to pass because they don't have the courage, energy, or know how to move away from the fractured life that they have been living. It is all that they have known and there are few examples of those who have chosen to do things differently.

God's blueprint for families varies as much as it does for individuals so we can never find the perfect family model. I would never advocate that anyone attempt to copy our family but there are some Biblical principles that we have discovered and put in force that have produced almost immediate positive results:

Take radical steps to eliminate financial strain. The Bible says that the borrower is the lender's slave and slavery just doesn't make for good family life. Our family down-sized from a 2600 square foot, five bedroom home to a 1524 square foot, 3 bedroom home. We also resolved to stop borrowing money and stop using credit cards and started working extra part-time jobs. We were able to reduce our total debt from $204,000 to under $90,000 in two years time and are praying that God provides the means for us to eliminate it completely. The unity that this has brought in our marriage is wonderful! Two excellent organizations for Godly financial advice are Crown Financial and Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University.

Be very careful about committing to any activity in which the whole family cannot participate together. This test will mean saying "no" to lots of things that split the family to the four winds. It may mean that your children have to take turns playing their sport or participating in extracurricular activities or foregoing them altogether. If God wants for someone in the family to have an exclusive opportunity (i.e., job for a teenager outside the home) He will usually give you a peace about breaking this rule but generally it should stay in force. No member of the family should feel exempt from this principle. For dad's, this may involve seeking a position that allows you to involve your children in your work. By the way, going to church activities where everyone splits off to an age-grade segregated classroom doesn't count as "participating together." When family members do something without the others, encourage them to tell the others about the event (who was there, what they learned, enjoyed or disliked) so that the family can benefit vicariously. Conversely if one family member misses a family activity make a special effort to let them know that they were missed and brief them on what happened.

Get Unplugged! Limit computer use drastically. We have a schedule so the children know when they can use the computer each week. They have the freedom to use it for learning games. Cell phone use in children can increase their likelihood of developing brain cancer by 400 percent. Turn off the TV! Early exposure to TV is directly correlated with smaller vocabularies, video games alter brain chemistry and have proven negative effects on social skills. One of the benefits to us raising nine children in a small three bedroom home has been their willingness to play, discover, and work outdoors. In the last two years we have read more books (mostly missionary biographies and historical fiction) together, played more board games and yard games then we did in the previous sixteen years.

Minister as a family. Allowing the children to give some of their tithe directly and seeing the impact that it had on them is one of the best things that we have ever done. One morning we secretly left a cash gift for a family at risk of losing their home and the children were more excited then they have been on a typical Christmas morning. We have visited the local assisted-living center, picked up trash in run down neighborhoods, delivered Christmas gifts to neighbors, and encouraged others to value life by holding up signs near the local Planned Parenthood office. Sharing reports from and praying for the missionaries that we support has also helped the kids know that they have a part in a larger work. We hope to participate in other mission activities in the future.

Worship and pray together daily. Our daily devotionals vary in length depending on our schedule but usually contain three elements: singing worship songs, reading scripture, and praying together. I have known for many years that one excellent way to get to know someone is to listen to them pray but I really wasn't taking the time to listen to the prayers of my wife and children. I've discovered that I was really missing out. If you feel that your family is too busy to do this together, you may want to re-evaluate your priorities and remove less important things from your life.

Provide your children the opportunity to get to know other Christian families as a family. This may sound rather old fashioned but don't knock it till you've tried it! We feel much more at ease with our kids getting to know other kids while we are near by and this gives us the opportunity to get to know the parents of our children's friends. We have experienced this most through church, homeschooling co-ops, and a local beekeeping association. One consistent comment that we receive from adults is that our children really converse with them! (What a concept, huh?) Unfortunately, children and teens today are accustomed to living days on end without having any deep conversations with any adults.

George Barna's research shows that our organizational efforts to raise children who develop into mature followers of Christ have failed. When I discovered Barna's book, I purchased a copy for all the leaders of the church where I was a part-time children's pastor because I was under the illusion that the answer was to tweak our church programming. However, I should have purchased a copy for every parent and grandparent because the heart of the issue is that Christian parents have become overly dependent upon external organizations, namely schools (public and christian) and churches, to raise their children. The very best discipleship programs are those that allow for instruction as you go through your daily life together. Deuteronomy 11:19 says "And you shall teach them (God's laws) to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." It is impossible to monitor and shape young lives for Christ if they are constantly being farmed out to other institutions. An excellent school and the very best church programming cannot take the place of a fully aware parent who embraces their role as the primary agent for seeing that their children's hearts are yielded to Christ.

My family has a list of goals that we call "Our Target." We review them from time to time and try to go back to them when we are making decisions or evaluating how we are doing as a family. Our list is still a work in progress. I'm sharing it with you but wouldn't recommend that you adopt it for your own family without prayerful discussion. Part of the fun and value of having family goals is working them out together. The work and the discussion help everyone understand the meaning and importance of them. Here's "Our Target:"

Have fun together often.

Stimulate a hopeful disposition with a constant appetite for Heaven and the eternal state.

Encourage and train family members to be wise and faithful stewards of the resources placed under their control so that they will be responsible caretakers, generous givers, and cheerful tithers.

Prayerfully arrange for family members to be mentored and befriended by people who will encourage them to discover and pursue God’s plan.

Raise children who have an accurate understanding of their talents and gifts. Arrange opportunities for them to develop and employ their passions in the advancement of God’s kingdom through their daily life and vocation.

Worship together in the home and with other members of the body of Christ.

Discover the truth of God’s word together through regular Bible reading and study.

Raise children who honor and respect their parents

Raise children who desire to love the Lord with all their hearts and come to know Him as savior at an early age.

Live other-centered lives.

Honor one another through kind speech and loving actions.

Testify about salvation through Jesus Christ – in word and deed.

Glorify God – Serve the Lord with gladness and obedience.

My wife and I recognize that our efforts as parents, no matter how valiant, cannot assure that our children will make good choices but we are resolved to be aware of those choices and the conditions of our children's hearts. Our families are gifts from God to be cherished, nurtured, and enjoyed. If we are not careful and purposeful we will miss the blessing of knowing them as God intends.

Don Gordoni can be reached by email at Don.Gordoni.Creative@gmail.com.

God Bless You!

2009-09-06T13:28:00.001-05:00

God Bless You...just a few short words, yet such a blessing that I learned quite a few years ago. When Don was in Seminary, we lived with an elderly woman and took care of her. We called her "Nana." She was wonderful! She couldn't move around much by herself and she never even left her room. She was content to stay in her little world of her bedroom and walk a few times each day. I could tell that Nana had worked hard her whole life. She was the only person I've ever met who has never taken any kind of medicine in any form, her whole life and she lived to be 92! I have some favorite memories of her. She loved to sit in her chair, watch TV and eat dinner on a TV tray. She also was very disciplined about washing her hands often. But, her favorite thing to do was to clap her hands and sing while Nathan (our 15 year old, who was then 2 at the time) danced! :o) My favorite thing about Nana, was that anytime we left her room, she always said "God Bless You!" At first, I thought that was kind of odd, as I had never had anyone say that to me before as often as she did. I also took it for granted at first. But, as the days went on, I realized that was her way of blessing me for helping her and her way of saying "thank you for all you're doing." She was a very special woman and because of Nana, I now say "God Bless You" to others and it's always such a blessing to hear "God Bless You" in return. As I've grown in my faith, I realize that our focus should be on us blessing God, not on Him blessing us. However, as sentiments go, it's a good one! Thank you Nana...

Jesus Came, What's Next?

2009-09-01T06:59:00.001-05:00

This video was the last one that I (Don) directed at Lamb & Lion. The video is designed to be left behind for those who are left behind following the rapture. Nathan has a principal role and most of the family are in the final scene.

http://lamblion.com/articles/articles_second10.php

Walking by Faith, not by Sight

2009-08-24T13:39:00.000-05:00

Don resigned from his ministry position at Lamb and Lion Ministries a few weeks ago. It was hard to leave Dr. Reagan and the other employees and Board members because they are more than co-laborers...they are extended family and we love them all so much; however, the decision to leave was an easy one for we knew it was God's timing for Don to resign when he did. Change is never very easy as it usually involves leaving a network of people God has placed in ours lives in one way or another. As for provision, they gave Don a severance package that was a huge blessing and one for which we are very undeserving, but very grateful.

So, many people have asked us, "What are you doing now?" From a worldly perspective, Don should be pounding the pavement looking for another job and honestly, that would be the easy thing for him to do. We know that God wants us listening and obeying Him more than anything else we could be doing. So, what is God telling us to do? He is simply telling us to pray...wait...read His Word and grow closer to Him...wait...walk by faith and not by sight...pray some more...wait some more...not give in to things that distract us from His will for our lives...pray...minister to others...pray. We know that God is preparing us for the next thing, but during that time we know we are to wait, pray and trust Him until He says "do something!"

You know, as I was reading about all the great people in Hebrews 11, the "Hall of faith" chapter...two things really struck me. One, that God used incapable, humble, obedient followers to fulfill His will. Why did God pick his children who had those characteristics? Because if they were the opposite (capable in their own strength, arrogant or proud and disobedient), God's will wouldn't have been accomplished and He would've have gotten the glory! Instead God shows us that he uses our willingness to serve Him, our giving every part of ourselves to be used for His glory, and our obedience for His plans and purposes. He can't use us at all if we don't give everything we have to Him 100% (our plans, our desires, our bodies, our gifts and talents).

The second thing he called to my attention, were not all the main people listed (the ones I usually focus on when I read that chapter), but verses 32-40 are the ones that stuck out like a sore thumb: And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed {acts of} righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received {back} their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated ({men} of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.
Wow! From a worldly perspective, these men and women would not be considered successful in any way shape or form! But, God's way's are contrary to the world's ways (Satan's ways). We know that there are hundreds of thousands if not millions of people who could be added to this list of the faithful.
We don't want to do anything in our own strength or to run ahead of the Lord in anyway. We want to wait on Him and only do what He tells us to do, when He tells us to do it. We want to be on this list with the faithful ones. Are we worried? No, because we are living out Phil. 4:6-7, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
We just found out that our van needs $3000 in transmission repairs, so God is allowing us to walk out the above promise in a big way!
The bottom line is, we know that He will never leave us or forsake us and that we can trust Him as we walk by faith and not by sight. Following Christ is certainly an adventure, never boring...in other words..."never a dull moment!" :o)
One more thing...we have more than one close friend who is close to dying and our prayers go out to them and their families right now. We are so grateful that these friends know the Lord and are eager to be with Him in heaven. God is using these circumstances to remind us how short life is and how living for Him and Him alone is doing the hard thing, but at the same time it is also the best, most fulfilling, rewarding, awesome life to live! :o)

Our Blessed Trip to Florida

2009-07-29T11:02:00.000-05:00

Uncle Greg and Josiah

Here we are at Disney

The Lord blessed our trip to Orlando SO MUCH and we are so grateful! The Lord provided the money needed to go and then some! :o) When we arrived, we were blessed with our visit with Don's sister Michaelle and her sweet family. Don especially enjoyed spending a relaxing afternoon shopping and visiting with Michaelle. Don's Mom was there and we were able to spend time with her too, which was a huge blessing.
We stayed the first two nights with John and Michaelle, then we were able to stay at the beautiful Gaylord Palms Hotel for 7 days...we had fun at the AMTC competitions, swimming in their huge family pool with slide, etc. We also have some new friends who live near Disney World and they have 8 children. They came to visit with us and swim one day with 5 of their children and that was a lot of fun! We met so many wonderful people through AMTC and Don was honored by being picked to be one of 20 select men for their special Gospel choir. Don was also honored and flattered to have "Advantage Model and Talent of Nashville," invite him to sign a contract for representation.

We also were able to go to Holy Land Experience. Our favorite treat there, was seeing a live reinactment of "The Passion;" however, we missed the best part (The Scriptorium) because we were hot, tired and ready to go home! God blessed us unexpectedly with 8 FREE tickets to Disney World! We couldn't have worked that out if we'd tried! We only had to pay for a park-hopper pass for Josiah. John and Michaelle had two different friends who work at DW and they wanted to bless us with the tickets. Suffice it to say, we were very humbled, grateful and we had SO MUCH FUN! :o) We got to go to Animal Kingdom and Disney Hollywood Studio Parks! We were on our way to watch fire works at Epcot in the evening and were too tired, so we went to a wonderful Chinese restaurant, relaxed and filled our tummies with the delicious food.
I think our favorite time in Orlando was our few brief fun-filled hours at the beach. My friend Rachel gave us some wonderful tips on which beaches to go to, but for the sake of time, we opted to go to the closest one...Cocoa Beach, one evening. We had an exhililerating time of memory-making playing in the waves, digging our toes in the sand (we did that for you Melissa!), and watching dolphins swim by way out in the ocean. Thanks to Rachel's advice, we took baby powder with us that helped in getting all that sand off our bodies!
At the last minute, we found out we were going to get to meet my brother Greg and his wife Janice on our way home! They live in Kentucky and met us in Memphis for 3 days and two nights. Noah, Mary and I got to tour Graceland with them. My favorite part was Elvis' car museum. I couldn't believe how giving he was in giving so many vehicles away...he also had many vehicles he liked to play on, like a tractor! That night, we were able to go to a fun park and ride go-carts, bumper boats, and play games together. Uncle Greg and Josiah left the other drivers in the dust in the go-karts! Seeing Greg and Janice was the "icing on the cake" of our trip and it was truly a blessing to spend time with them.
God's timing in this trip was perfect! Nathan was able to save a small child from drowning in the pool at the Gaylord Palms. Also, we started planning this trip in March. Shortly thereafter, Don's sister Michaelle was diagnosed with breast cancer. We were all able to visit with Michaelle and her family at a time when it was really important for us to be there. In addition, John and Michaelle planned 6 mos. previously to go on a cruise to celebrate John's parents 50th wedding anniversary. God worked it out for them to be able to go on the cruise at the only possible time (right after Michaelle healed from surgery and the week before her chemo/radiation was to start...Praise the Lord!)
We are so grateful to all of you who helped us be able to go on this once-in-a-lifetime trip as a family! Many of you paid us for work we did for you, sponsoring the children in their reading, prayers and donations. We couldn't have done it without the Lord's blessing and without all of you.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts...We love you,
Don, Lori, Nathan, Noah, Kaylee, Janna, Hannah, Faith, Josiah, Jonathan and Mary Ann - P.S .Thanks to all of you who sent cards to Don's sister, Michaelle. She's mentioned more than once what a blessing it was to hear words of encouragement from people she doesn't even know.

Thank you Friends and Family! :o)

2009-06-26T17:07:00.000-05:00

June 26, 2009

Friends and Family,

Thank you, Thank You, Thank you!

We are Florida bound! We are so grateful to you, our friends and family for helping us raise money for our trip! We raised enough to go, with a little extra! :o)

As you know, 4 months ago, Don found out that he would be going to Orlando for some acting and singing competitions. He wanted to go, “but not unless my whole family can go with me,” he said. Also, as many of you know, we are working hard to get out of debt. So, taking 11 people to Orlando in 4 months without going further into debt seemed like an impossibility! We prayed and felt we had the Lord’s blessing to proceed with working toward the possibility for all of us to go to Orlando the end of June.

So, we decided to ask our friends and family for help, hiring us to do work you needed done, etc. Many of you gave us donations for our trip for which we are very grateful. Several of you sponsored our children to read books, for which they were delighted! Many of you gave us jobs to do as a family and we had fun working together! Some of the things we did were car detailing/washing, weeding, housework, pet-sitting, moving, donations of items for our garage sale, yard work, etc.

We’ve had a lot of fun working on this project together, but we couldn’t have done it without the Lord’s blessing and without the prayers, love and support of our friends and family.

PS Will you please keep us in your prayers as we travel the next two weeks? Also, will you please pray for Don’s sister Michaelle, as she continues to recover from breast cancer?

Thank you…God bless you,
Don and Lori Gordoni and Family

2009-05-26T21:01:00.000-05:00

This is the cross-stitch I just finished. It took over a year to do, but was well worth it! We gave it to some dear friends. :o)

Noah's New Toy! :o)

2009-05-26T20:14:00.001-05:00

Noah saved up his money to buy this new toy!

It goes up to 38 mph. on our acreage.

Nathan is saving up for something bigger...a car!

He'll be 16 in December! :o)

Oasis in the Country

2009-05-26T14:20:00.000-05:00

Psalm 107:1

Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever.

1 Thess. 5:18

...give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

As I was sitting on the front porch this morning and enjoying the coolness in the air and hearing the rumble of thunder in the near distance...a sense of gratitude and contentment washed over me...so did the idea of our house being and "oasis in the country."

Many of you know that our large family of 12 has followed Dave Ramsey's advice of "live like no one else, so you can live like no one else!" Meaning, you may look crazy by the way you are living by the world's standards while you are working on paying off debt, but in the end, you'll be the one sitting pretty when your debt is paid off! How are we following his advice? By working diligently to pay off our non-mortgage debt. We haven't borrowed money (no loans, no credit cards) in 3 years! We are living like no one else, because we are a family of 12 (with the exception of our oldest son who is no longer at home) living in a 3-bedroom, manufactured home.

My husband and I finally started listening to God as He was condemning us for our non-mortgage debt. All our married lives we had debt! To make a long story short, we were finally feeling convicted about it. We looked at all the interest we were (and still are) paying each month . We were saddened to think about what that money could be used for (the Lord's work, blessing others, giving our children more opportunities to do things). So, we sold our big 5-bedroom house and moved to our "Oasis in the Country" 2 years ago. That's not what I would've called it 3 years ago (you don't want to know how I would have referred to it)! Just to tell you how far I've come in a couple of short years, if my husband had suggested we move into this little house then, I would've said he was crazy and he would've had to bring me here kicking and screaming!

All that to say, I could be discontented and wish we had more bedrooms, a bigger kitchen, nice trees, and the list could go on forever! However, I know that we are in the middle of God's will and that by making sacrifices and working hard, we will see our debt paid off before we know it! I also know that our children are learning from our mistakes and at least they'll be able to say "my parents made the mistake of getting into debt, but they worked hard to get out of it," instead of "my parents got in debt and stayed there." It is fun to see the debt going down and we celebrate small milestones as we go along.

It's not easy and I am very tempted to be discouraged and ungrateful sometimes, but when I remember "...give thanks in all circumstances," that helps me keep my eyes on the Lord and to be grateful for all He has provided. It also helps me be so grateful for my dear husband Don and for his obedience to the Lord in this...and, I am so grateful for all of our children who are such blessings...nothing else really matters.

Letter to Family and Friends - Florida or Bust!

2009-04-27T09:06:00.000-05:00

Hi Family and Friends:
Just to remind you we are working as a family to save/earn money so we can all go with Don to a big acting/singing competition in Orlando, Florida this summer at the end of June. Don hask been taking classes through AMTC, www.amtcworld.com (Actors, Models Talent for Christ). This has been a wonderful organization to be a part of and support. We've met so many new friends and everyone encourges the whole family to attend the classes with Don and it's a very fun, welcoming atmosphere for all of us. Don will be in 9 competitions this summer and is working on performing a funny monologue and is singing a beautiful song from Phantom of the Opera...ask him to sing it for you! :o)

If you live near us and have any items that you would like to donate, we are partipating in a big yard sale this weekend and can come and pick up the items. Part of the proceeds will go towards the women's ministries at Cornerstone Baptist Church in Lucas and the rest will help us with our trip this summer. If you have items to donate, please call or email us and let us know when we can come to get them!

We wanted to update you on our progress thus far. We still need to earn approximately $2,500 before the end of June so if you have some work for us, please call (Lori's cell: 972-832-8444) or email us, dlgordoni@gmail.com and let us know. It's been exciting to receive several gifts and lots of odd jobs. Here's a list of the odd jobs we've done:
power washed siding
washed/detailed car
pulled weeds
dug gardens
moved shrubs
prepped mowers
installed flooring
fed and walked dogs
cleaned house
trimming hedges
book reading (A dear friend who lives in Virginia suggested this way for people to help who don't live near us. We sent her a list of books the children promised to read and her family sponsored them! Some friends from Georgia participated in this, as well. This is a great way for the little ones to help earn money for our trip too because we read the books to them! The children are finished with their first list of books and are ready to start on another one! If you would like to help us in this way, just email us and we'll gladly send you their book-reading list.)

We have really appreciated all the encouragement that we have received and would really appreciate your prayers that our trip would be a blessing to our family and that the Lord would use our family to bless others too!
Thank you and God Bless You...
Love,
The Gordoni family

What's that Green Stuff in your Starbuck's cup?

2009-04-23T13:46:00.000-05:00

Now, I'm all about green things...green grass, green frogs, beautiful green eyes, "green" things for the environment...you get the idea! But, when I saw green instead of brown in a friend's Starbuck's cup...I was intrigued, to say the least! Just a few months ago, if I saw a sight like that, I would've thought "Yuck!"
However, a couple of months ago, I started on the "7-Day Sugar Free Diet," to help me kick my craving for sugar and coffee (when I drank coffee every morning, it was mostly cream and sugar with a little coffee). For a week, I did without processed sugar and actually survived! And, my craving for coffee ended! The diet is all about eating healthy sugars and carbs through eating lots of healthy greens, using Spirulina, Chlorella, etc. So, I was very interested to find something green at Starbucks instead of brown!
So, when I inquired about my friends' drink, she (with a very peppy voice, she said "It's an Iced Green Tea Latte, with non-fat milk, no sugar and extra Matcha!) Wow, that was a mouthful, so I had to ask her to slow down, so I could write it down. Hey! I'm a rules girl, so I wanted to make sure I got it all "right!" :o) And...Matcha!?!? I'd never heard of that! Okay, you Californians...you've probably been drinking Matcha for years, even had it in your baby bottles, LOL! Well, after reasearching, I found out, that Matcha has been used in Asian countries for a long time and has many health benefits, including lots of antioxidents...more than coffee...
So, I decided to try it..."let's see if I get this right," I said to the girl behind the counter at Starbucks..."I want a Green Tea Latte, with non-fat milk, no sugar and extra matcha!" I felt like I was talking in a foreign language and she actually understood me!
Well, I loved the drink and I still do. I have had it with syrup...yuck! I've also tried it with whole milk...that's okay, but I still prefer it with non-fat milk. Now, I've learned a new phrase to go with that mouthful..."double-stirred," (so you don't end up with all the matcha at the bottom).
Now I ask for an "Iced Green Tea Latte, non-fat milk, no syrup, extra Matcha, and double-stirred" ...and they actually understand me! :o) I do have to add a note, that the Tazo matcha blend they use, does have cane sugar in it, but to me that's the lesser of two evils (between processed sugar and natural sugar).
For now, the "Iced Green Tea Latte, w/non-fat milk, no syrup and extra Matcha, double-stirred" is my favorite drink! It's a good thing they don't advertise that on the menu or it would take up the whole sign! Maybe they should just call it "Green Stuff (but that wouldn't be anywhere near as fun to say!) :o)

Jesus Loves Me...This I Know

2009-03-07T18:17:00.000-06:00

Have you ever had one of those days where you feel kind of "down," but you can't really put your finger on the reason why? Well, I'm having one of those days today. It's the kind of day that you don't even know if chocolate will help! It's the kind of day when my husband is wise if he doesn't try to fix things, but prays for me, hugs me and tells me everything's gonna be okay.

As I was feeding our infant Mary Ann, I just felt like crying. She looked up at me with her sweet toothless grin and rice cereal all over her face. I told her aloud that Jesus loves her and it was as if she was saying, Mommy...Jesus loves you too! Then, I heard God's voice say, "I love you too!" All I could think about was the peace I felt in my heart after that.

I was talking to a treasured friend today and we were talking about how blessed our lives have been since knowing Christ. Not perfect, but filled with peace of Christ. Christ makes all the difference...Jesus, I love you, this I know! :o)

2009-03-04T21:29:00.000-06:00

Nate, Jon, Noah, Hannah, Kaylee, Mary, Janna, Faith, and Birthday Joe gather around the Lightning McQueen cake that Lori and the girls decorated to perfection, including a lovely blue tinted window.

I said “any piece you give me is fine” but She Gave Me the One With the Window In It

Lori always has a way of giving me the window. Windows are wonderful things, they hold the elements at bay and yet they let us peer into a larger space that gives us perspective and allows the fresh air of God’s greatness and our comparable smallness to put every fear in it’s proper place.

Today was an unusual day: Josiah David’s forth birthday breakfast, an overly talkative friend, late to work, computer problems, mediating a conflict I’d rather avoid, unexpected traffic, a long wait for a clerk to find the right cables “in the back,” running just late enough to have to reschedule a meeting, distracted and trying to make up for lost time, I lose track of time and get a call from Lori who I was supposed to have met 10 minutes previously at the gravel and sand company where we have arranged for Josiah to see the heavy equipment up close for his birthday, supper at McDonalds, and home just in time to realize that we were supposed to be home so a single mom could drop off her son at our place and get to work had to drop off her son at our neighbor’s house instead, finally at home and eager to relax, Oh joy, the bath water is seeping out around the toilet, the same toilet that we had to take apart and extract two building blocks from just two evenings ago, and now it is time for cake…Lori sooths the savage beast that is ready to launch into a full blown lecture on the importance of keeping our two year old away from the toilet, Lori reminds me that celebrating Joe’s birthday is more important than our flooded bathroom, when she asked which piece of cake that I wanted I said “ I’ll take anything that you give me” and she gave me that one with the window in it. – March 4, 2009

2009-02-25T12:32:00.000-06:00

We're going to an amazing AMTC talent contest this summer and are scrimping, saving, and doing odd jobs to be able to pay for our trip without increasing our debt or slowing our progress towards financial freedom so if you have any odd jobs, please shoot us an email at dlgordoni@gmail.com.

Don will be competing in singing and acting competitions and everyone in the family will be able to attend classes and talent shows. To learn more about AMTC visit http://www.amtcworld.com/.

Our Target

2009-02-25T12:09:00.001-06:00

Glorify God – Serve the Lord with gladness & obedience.
Testify about salvation thru Jesus Christ – in word and deed.
Honor one another through kind speech & loving actions. see Treasuring Family http://neveradullminute.blogspot.com/2009/09/treasuring-family.html
Live other centered lives.
Raise children who desire to love the Lord with all their hearts & come to know Him as savior at an early age.
Raise children who honor and respect their parents.
Discover the truth of God’s word together through regular Bible reading & study.
Worship together in the home and with other members of the body of Christ.
Raise children who have an accurate understanding of their talents and gifts. Arrange opportunities for them to develop & employ their passions in the advancement of God’s kingdom through their daily life and vocation.
Prayerfully arrange for family members to be mentored and befriended by people who will encourage them to discover & pursue God’s plan.
Encourage & train family members to be wise & faithful stewards of the resources placed under their control so that they will be responsible caretakers, generous givers & cheerful tithers.
Stimulate a hopeful disposition with a constant appetite for Heaven & the eternal state.
Have fun together often.

Give God the glory!

2009-01-26T16:37:00.000-06:00

Have you ever had one of those days when you didn't feel like you accomplished very much, but you knew you did? Well, I had one of those today. I had a day like I knew I had accomplished some things because I can see the fruit of them. Four loaves of homemade wheat bread on the counter, chicken soup on the stove, laundry in the washer/dryer. However, I was feeling like I hadn't accomplished very much. I decided to take a warm bath, pray and read for awhile.

So, I asked the Lord, even though I have "accomplished" some things, why do I not feel very productive today? God told me that it was because He was not my priority...my primary focus. My focus was on things I was doing instead of doing things for His glory. He reminded me that I neglected to start my day with Him. He reminded me that I didn't reprimand my five year old very kindly this morning and that I need to make things right with her. He reminded me, most importantly that I left Him out of some of the "good" things I was doing. I realized that when we leave God out of the "little," day-to-day things in life, those things are meaningless. God is good to remind us of those things, isn't He?

As I was reading Ginger Plowman's book Heaven At Home, I was also reminded that not only do we tend to leave God out of our lives, but we also leave Him out of His Word. How do we do that, you ask? Well, many times we get into the habit of only personalizing God's Word to ourselves and leaving our worshipful act of glorifying God out of it. For instance, she says "We read, ""Ask and it will be given to you"" (Matt. 7:7a), and we conclude that prayer is the lamp we rub in order for the Great Genie to grant our wishes and make us happy. God does desire to bless us. The Scriptures tell us that Jesus does delight in answering our prayers: ""And I will do whatever you ask in my name...""(John 14:13a). But let us stop right there for a moment and, once again, ponder what the last part does not say. Jesus does not go on to say, ""So that you will get what you want and be more fulfilled."" Instead, Jesus emphasizes the heart of the gospel, ""...so that the Son may bring glory to the Father"" (John 14:13b)." Isn't that great? We shouldn't ask, so as to bring attention to ourselves. He was saying that when we ask God for things, we do it in order to bring glory to Jesus!

Therefore, God was gently reminding me to do everything for His glory. He also was good to remind me that I couldn't do any of what I did today without Him. Thank you Lord!

Now that my priorities are in order...this has been a very successful day! :o)

Nathan and Noah at the "Bee" booth, teaching a school group, at the Texas State Fair

2008-10-26T16:14:00.000-05:00

Janna and Hannah with Mary Ann...Look! she's smiling!

2008-10-26T15:44:00.000-05:00

2008-10-26T15:22:00.000-05:00

Nathan and Jonathan, Good Buddies!

Baby Mary is here!

2008-08-26T11:08:00.001-05:00

Make a Smilebox greeting

Laguna Beach

2007-11-09T13:38:00.000-06:00

Don and Lori, taking a romantic walk on Laguna Beach.

2007-11-09T13:33:00.000-06:00

Don, "Daddy extraordinaire," Lori "Mommy, who's having the time of her life," and baby Jonathan (his first trip to Disneyland) with "Max," Goofy's son. Our good friend Jerry, blessed Don, Jonathan and I with a wonderful trip to California. He showed us all the sites! Don and I enjoyed our "second honeymoon" with Jonathan in tow.

2007-11-09T13:20:00.000-06:00

2007-11-09T13:15:00.000-06:00

You'll have to figure this one out!

2007-11-09T13:12:00.000-06:00

Family Fun at Wendy's! I couldn't adding these pictures to our blog...need I say more?!?!?

2007-11-09T13:09:00.000-06:00

This is Don, "Husband/Daddy extraordinaire" with Hannah and Josiah at the zoo. Is that a yawn I see, Don? I know the yawn is not coming from Hannah or Josiah because our children say they are "never tired!"

Pumpkin Patch

2007-11-09T13:03:00.000-06:00

Our dear friend, Mrs. B., treated us to a fun day at the Pumpkin Patch! We had so much fun with the animals at the petting zoo, the hayride (this was Josiah's favorite), picking out pumpkins for each of us, and playing on all the wonderful things there were to climb and play on. Thank you Mrs. B!