Diabetes, a deadly disease that affects more than 25.8 million Americans. This number so emotional when you stop and think how many people suffer with this disease.  This year my daugter is joining me for the Dash for Diabetes … I think that is so COOL! To learn more about this great organization please visit www.diabetes.org. I was the Grand Prize Winner of Champion Sports Nutrition http://www.championnutrition.com/home.aspx. As winner I will be receiving a year supply of their protein drink and Champion has also became a corporate sponser of this year’s Dash for Diabetes … You can see their emblem on the back of the T-Shrits in the photos that follow.

We both woke up to a bitterly cold morning and made our way to the registration event that opened at 7:00 AM. When we arrived the temperture was 34 degrees and warmed all the way up to 35 degrees at race time. The Dash started at 8:00 AM and by then we were really ready to kick things in high gear as we were freeeeeezing! I feel so blessed to have my daughter with me this year and also knowing that Champion Products helped sponsor this event. Below is a pictoral overview of the Dash!

Today (April 6, 2013) I am thankful that I could walk with other families that have been effected by children with cancer. It’s important to understand that leading cause of death in children is cancer. While both of my children have not experienced cancer it does not mean that we shouldn’t be their for families that have struggled with this disease. I had a cousin while growing up that had cancer and while the cancer was eradicated from her frail body the ongoing treatments caused her a premature death. For the friends and families that donated to this worthwhile cause — I thank you! Here are some pictures from today’s event along with the letting go of balloons that represented a child that was taken from a family due to cancer.

If you would like to go the CureSearch Web page click here.

Reviewed by: Steve Capell

If you are like me and desire to know as much as possible about Jesus then the book The Jesus We Missed by Patrick Henry Reardon is a must read. I was concerned prior to reading this book that this would be book full of opinions that lacked physical evidence of fact; however, Patrick backs up all his claims with scripture and the language that was used in the scripture. He paints a brilliant picture of Jesus. While Jesus is 100% deity and 100% human Patrick’s focus is mainly on the humanity of Jesus.  As one who has often considered this dichotomy of historical fact — Patrick compassionately and brilliantly allows the reader to see Jesus as deity and human throughout the text of this book.

The chapters included in this book are listed below:

Growing Up

Two Conversations

Baptism

The Human Condition

The Public Ministry

Learning and Teaching

Jesus at Prayer

Jesus and the Women

The Growing Crisis

The Garden

The Bridegroom Is Taken Away

Risen in the Flesh

Epilogue: The Same Jesus

Appendix: The New Adam

I’ve easily have given this book a rating of five. I can recommend this book to laypeople and clergy as this book will easily become a book that will be cherished.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

(5/5)

Reviewed by: Steve Capell

Michael Charney’s book starts out with his  experiment posting the following on the Twitter Blog:  

BeckIs ALib: 1st Tweet#BleenBeck. For any who follow , this an experiment. This is today’s tweet, More tweets on Beck begin tomorrow.

This started a 3 month experiment discussing politics with anyone and everyone that wanted to join the conversation thread. Charney then took some of replies and wrote this book along with his own opinions and ideas.

My thoughts:

I didn’t know what to expect when I started reading this book and upon completion I felt absolutely exhausted from reading the many over the top tweets that Charney placed in this book. I felt that surely the worse of worse was included and if this was Charney’s intention then he has succeeded. The book gives a glimpse into America’s political conversation and what I read is far-flung from any kind of civil discourse. I found his writing to be easily read; however, I found it interesting that under acknowledgments he states in paragraph form a number of books that he used as references for the writing of this book, but there is little documentation as to how these books were used. I would have expected some of these sources listed by foot notes in his work along with a proper bibliography and page numbers.

I did find parts of the book amusing, but for the most part I was turned off by the ongoing dialog that was used for the text of this book … not Charney’s dialog but the dialog of twitter tweets that were at times crude and embarrassing. The first part of book covers a little about twitter and once you get past this the book reads fairly quickly. On page 12 Charney states the following:

“And, finally, the opinions in the book are my own. I have no special standing, no special expertise. I just have something to say, and feel like saying it.”

I feel this sums up his book.

I have given this book a 2 rating out of 5.

(2/5)

Reviewed by: Steve Capell

I need to say up front that this book covers an area that I have no special training; however, my review is my objective opinion about this subject. 

Dr Gloria Brame brings out into the open the subject of sex. She brings to reader “What is normal” and “What is not normal.” The book covers some early 1800 era beliefs about sex that have been handed down generation after generation and are still effecting beliefs today. Dr. Brame un-demonizes some of these long held on beliefs and supports her position with facts from her own studies and also from her own client practice that she started in 2000. She completes the book with some exercises at the back of the last section for both men and women.

My thoughts:

I found the book to be surprising easy to read and understand. Dr. Brame brings subject matter to life with her own experiences with clients and explains why sex is an important human experience that many people do not talk about. I especially liked to read about some of the problems that people experienced in their  own life and what she did to help them. I will admit that that is a subject I thought I knew a lot about, but after reading her book I found many areas that challenged my thinking. I now have a different view about what is normal and what is not normal when it comes to sex. I also found it interesting of all the different things that can affect the sexual life between a husband and wife. I really could tell that Dr Brame wants to help people. She stated, “One of the sweetest rewards of being a sex therapist is the incredible gratitude one receives from clients …”

Who should read this book?

Any adult will find this book to be very informative and if your an adult that feels their sexual life isn’t what it should be then you will want to make this book a must read. This book while I can’t recommend it for adolescent children to read … I do believe adults could truly benefit reading this book so that they can have that important rich talk with children when the time is right. I know when I was growing up my parents really did not have a talk with me about sex so I found out through reading and other friends and this method can cause a lot of misconceptions. Many adults never want to talk about sex and they truly do not want the schools to teach the subject, so this book will give them the tools to effectively discuss this in the proper way.

In accordance with new FTC guidelines regarding endorsements and testimonials for bloggers I am disclosing the following: I am posting this media review that I received from Three Girls Media and Marketing Inc and I am not required to write a positive review.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255< http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> :“Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonial in Advertising.”

(4.5/5)