Disney’s 1991 animated version of Beauty and the Beast will always hold a special place in my heart. It came out the same year I graduated from high school, and I really identified with Belle. Not only was I a fellow bookworm, but I too had a thirst for adventure and seeing new places. When she sang, “I want adventure in the great wide somewhere; I want it more than I can tell,” it was like she was singing for me, too.

Not to mention, for anyone who loves to read, who can resist the Beast’s awesome library?

Ahem, anyway, last year, when Disney made their live action Cinderella, I wasn’t sure what to expect. There have been numerous live action incarnations of the story of Cinderella, but this was, by far, the best one I had seen. It was truly a gorgeous movie both in its cinematography and in the beautiful lesson in forgiveness it shows.

So, I was super excited when I saw Disney was doing the same with my favorite, Beauty and the Beast. I’ll admit, I might have squealed just a little when I saw they had cast Emma Watson as Belle. She was the perfect choice.

Then I read the blurb about Disney introducing homosexuality into the classic story line. Everyone online had an opinion about it, and it turned into kind of a hot topic in some circles. I even read one post lecturing on the moral depravity of the actual story of Beauty and the Beast as it promotes bestiality. Um, okay. I think someone totally missed the moral of that fairy tale.

By this time, I had already bought tickets for my son and I to see it. (Got a GREAT deal through Groupon and scored two tickets for less than $7!). My son is almost 16, so I thought we’d go and see for ourselves.

So, here is my review of the movie. (This contains a few spoilers so be aware of that before you read further!)

The Things I Really Liked

This is a classic retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Those who are fans of the animated Disney version from 1991 will not be disappointed. The story line sticks very closely to that movie with a few minor changes which didn’t take away from the movie at all and made the story richer.

This version, however, gave more of a nod to the original French fairy tale. If you have read that fairy tale, you will know that what actually caused the father, Maurice, to get on the wrong side of the Beast was picking a rose for his daughter Belle. That minor crime lands Maurice in the Beast’s dungeon. I really liked that the movie goes back to its French fairy tale roots.

The other thing I thought this movie did better than the animated one was to explain why nobody in a village only a few miles away has any idea that a PRINCE that has been turned into a BEAST is in a giant castle and all of his servants have been bewitched. I mean really? Nobody noticed that? In this new version, that backstory is explained in a very satisfactory manner. (I hate plot holes, so I felt very happy with this change!)

In the live action version, the Beast’s character is much more fully drawn. He has some great one liners, and we get to know him a bit better than in the animated version. The CGI on this was very good, as well. His transformation is all the more poignant in non-animated form.

Another great addition is an explanation of what happened to Belle’s mother. Since in most Disney movies, the mothers are missing and there is never an explanation, this addition of some background really helped to round out the story. Not only did we get to know Belle and her father better, but we start to see the Beast in a new light.

There were also a few new songs in this version. They were very enjoyable. My 15 year old has been walking around singing the Beast’s solo all week, so I guess he enjoyed the addition of the new songs too!

The Elephant In the Theater

Honestly, I really enjoyed this version, and there wasn’t anything that stood out as jarring. Going into it, I knew that Disney themselves were saying there was a “genuinely gay moment.” I had no idea what that meant exactly, and I have to admit to some trepidation.

Supposedly, LeFou is in love with Gaston. One of the producers of the movie said, “LeFou doesn’t know if he wants to be Gaston or kiss Gaston.” Another review I read before I went to the movie, said that some of LeFou’s actions make it somewhat obvious he likes Gaston as more than just a friend.

However, although it is clear that LeFou is a devoted sidekick and he does come across as a bit flamboyant at times, I didn’t feel that it was obvious that the character was supposedly gay and longing after Gaston. If I hadn’t read the original article stating that LeFou was supposed to be gay, I’m not sure if the movie would have given me that idea or not. It’s hard to say, since I knew going in so I couldn’t help viewing the movie through that lens.

There were only two moments in the movie that were at all questionable, in my opinion. The first happens when the villagers storm the castle, and all the various castle occupants fight back. When the wardrobe whips a bunch of dresses at three village men and they end up dressed as women, two of the men yell and run away. But the third guy, smiles and then minces down the stairs.

The other moment comes at the very end. Everyone is dancing and people are whirling around. LeFou and the character that enjoyed his makeover end up dancing together. They smile at each other. It is literally less than 10 seconds of film. A small child would probably laugh and think it was funny that a boy got stuck with another boy with which to dance.

My Overall View

Overall, the movie was excellent and was very well done. Young children probably won’t pick up on anything that is obviously homosexual, and I never felt that there was an agenda being pushed. If your child is a bit older, they might. Then again, my son’s friend watched the movie, and he had no idea when the movie was over. He’s 16.

One warning for parents of small children is that since this is a live action movie, the scenes are a bit more intense and dramatic, which might scare younger viewers.

One of the things I love about the story of Beauty and the Beast is it is one of transformation and redemption. The Beast, who once was a handsome yet very unkind prince, had his exterior transformed to reflect his heart – beastly. In a beautiful twist, the Beast finds love changing him, so his face no longer reflects his heart, and his beauty is hidden inside an ugly shell.

At the same time, the village hunk, Gaston, never changes. His handsome exterior hides an ugly heart, and the only one he ever seems to love is himself.

The fairy tale is not a spiritual one, but it can remind me of some spiritual lessons. The first being that I need to remember to look deeper than someone’s exterior, and that even someone who is seems snarly has more to offer. It’s a big reminder that while man can look at the outside, only God sees the heart.

Finally, this story reminds us that love is transformative in so many ways. Like the Beast, we are ugly inside and out until God’s love gets a hold of us. When it does, it can truly change our whole world and those around us.

Have any of you seen Beauty and Beast? What did you think? I’d love to hear about it!

I don’t personally know Kelly Minter, but I will be forever grateful to her.

In the months following my brother’s death, I did one of her Bible studies with my Sunday school class. I wasn’t in a place to really come up with my own lessons, and I had done several of Minter’s studies in the past. All of them had been excellent.

Minter is a quietly intense teacher, and her studies have space for both digging deep and quiet reflection. Stepping into I, II and III John was just what my tattered soul needed during that valley time.

It is always amazing to me that God brings what we need when we need it. In Psalms 119, it says over and over that His Word is our strength and our help. I know, for me personally, it was a deep balm that helped to heal the deep wound in my heart.

The Bible study came with videos that I showed in class, but you certainly do not need them to do the study (although they are very good!).

Minter spends the bulk of her time in I John which is the longest of the three epistles. I John can be a bit convoluted, so walking through the book with Kelly was a great way to dive deep and really get a lot out of it.

I have also really loved Minter’s other studies which include Ruth: Loss, Love and Legacy; No Other Gods: Confronting Our Modern Day Idols; and Nehemiah: A Heart That Can Break.

She has a new study that came out this fall that I am looking forward to doing called All Things New which is a study of 2 Corinthians.

So, what are some Bible studies you’ve loved? I’d love to hear about them!

I’ve always wondered if you visit what is now Israel and surrounding countryside, if you’ll find piles of stones scattered in odd spots. I don’t know about you, but whenever I read about the Israelites, it seems like every time God delivered them from something, He told them to build a memorial by piling up stones which I always found a bit odd.

I mean, how do you forget that God parted the Red Sea? How do you forget that He changed bitter waters into sweet or defeated an enemy? It’s always seemed strange to me that the Israelites seemed to have such short attention spans.

But I’m the same way. Chip Ingram’s latest book, The Real God: How He Longs for You to See Him, has been like those piles of memorial stones for me.

While the book is well-written and engaging, if you have been a believer for any length of time, nothing in it should be new.  After a few introductory chapters – mostly on how important it is to have a clear view of who God actually is and not how we imagine Him to be – the book hits seven main characteristics of God.

These characteristics include God’s goodness, sovereignty, holiness, wisdom, justice, love and faithfulness. These are not new concepts to me, and they aren’t even just head knowledge either.

I have personally experienced God’s goodness. I’ve witnessed His faithfulness firsthand when my brother died almost two years ago (you can read about it HERE). I’ve been blown away when I glimpse just how big and holy God is, and I remember being weepy for a week when I truly understood just how much God loved me – not the whole world but me.

Yet, my memory is short. Daily life intrudes and the amazing grows familiar. The loud voices of this world shout down the quiet truths. My heart knowledge drifts back to head knowledge.

I took my time reading Ingram’s book, devoting a week to each chapter on God’s character. I read through the verses in those chapters and wrote them out. I looked up original meanings and meditated on what God’s Word had to say about Him.

You see, this book was very timely for me. One of the things I want to really explore this year is what is truly means to be God’s daughter. So often, I think we, as believers, don’t step fully into the role God has for us. When we don’t do that, we miss out on so much

I know not everyone will want to spend that long on this book, but it was a huge blessing to me. The Real God brought me face to face again with just who God is. The book pressed His reality more deeply into my heart – my own little stone pile memorial in book form.

The thing is, before I can truly step into what it means to be God’s child, I have to know the Father. It makes all the difference! I think Ingram says it best.

“Nothing in all your life will impact your relationship with God , your relationship with people, your self-view, your decisions, and your purpose like the way you think of God.”  ~Chip Ingram

I’m going to let you in on my dirty, little secret – despite being somewhat of a free spirit, and naturally unorganized, I really love this time of year with all the planners and checklists and spreadsheets and goal-making series. It makes me giddy with the possibility that this year I’ll find the perfect planner or system and suddenly become a productive whirlwind!

For many years, I would sit down on or around New Year’s and write out detailed resolutions – usually with main categories and subcategories. Looking back now, it’s kind of laughable that I thought it was possible to accomplish two pages full of goals. Nevertheless, each year,  I’d carefully record them in a pretty notebook. Then I’d tuck the notebook away on my bedside bookshelf, and promptly forget about them. I don’t think I ever opened those notebooks up again all year. I had dreams, but no plan to reach them. Because I had no plan, the urgent often muscled out the important.

Over the past few years, I’ve been slowly learning narrow down my goals and then figuring out the steps that make those dreams a reality while still doing the daily stuff -like cleaning my house once in a while and making sure my family doesn’t have to wear dirty clothes or go naked.  As a dreamer, an idealist and an optimist, I have a very bad habit of underestimating how much time things take and am notorious for overbooking myself. Practical has never been my strong suit. It’s taken me a long time to understand that focus is my friend when it comes to accomplishing my goals – not trying to do ALL the things.

But before I ever sit down and work on my goals and the steps towards achieving them, I’ve found it’s important to look at five things. Whether you use a fancy planner (I bought PowerSheets for the first time this year and am in love!!!), or you just pull out a single subject notebook and jot things down, the whole reason to even have goals is to live the one life God has given you with intention – not just do more stuff.

Look Behind You

It’s really hard to know where you are heading, if you have no idea where you’ve been. Take a morning or afternoon to really assess this past year. What worked? What didn’t work? What’s weighing on you and what has brought you joy? Make a list of things you feel proud to have accomplished. Make a list of things you said yes to, but wished you hadn’t. Really evaluate what worked and what didn’t. This isn’t an exercise in beating yourself up. This is an exercise in simply seeing what worked and what didn’t, so you can better craft your days this year. Pray that God would open your eyes to things you need to let go of or move on from. You might be surprised at what He shows you!

Look at Your Commitments.

I am a somewhat visual person, so it helps me to visually see how my hours, days and weeks are spent. Since I tend to not have a realistic grasp on time (always the optimist!), it really helps me to time block a typical week and month which gives me a visual idea of how much free time I actually have. First, I take a blank weekly grid that has an hourly agenda for each day. I use markers to color off the time blocks that are taken up by my current commitments. For instance, I teach every morning, so I would block off and color each day from 8:30 to 11:30, with a longer time block on Fridays which I use as my planning/prep day. Then, I take a blank monthly calendar and fill in the monthly/weekly commitments. By having this visual map of my weekly and monthly commitments, it is much easier for me to tell people no, rather than continuing to add to an already busy schedule. I have a really hard time telling people no. That’s why I do the exercise above. I also have a quote from Arabah Joy up by my computer to remind me to not say yes so much, that I end up inadvertently telling God no.

Look at Your Relationships

Are you so busy that you rarely have any uninterrupted time with your spouse? Do you always have good intentions to visit your parents or siblings, but can’t seem to get around to it? When was the last time you and a friend had an adventure together? When was the last time you just enjoyed a free evening with your family? While it is great to be productive, that is not an end unto itself.  No matter how good your intentions (you know the saying about what the road to hell is paved with, right?), if you don’t clear out some space for the people in your life, your relationships will suffer. God created us for community. If you never have time for community (or even the people in your own immediate family), that is a red flag that something needs to change.

Look at How You Want to Spend Your Days

I actually got this idea from Amy Lynn Andrews. (If you are at all involved with anything online, you NEED to sign up for her Useletter – awesome stuff and the one email I read every single week).  Instead of looking at these big, giant goals or dreams, (which can be overwhelming) look at how you want to spend your days. How are you wired? I’m not saying God isn’t going to ask you to ever step out of your comfort zone, but how has He wired you? There are clues to God’s calling in your life in how you are made and what brings you joy. For example, if you think you want to start a photography business, but you dread having to meet new people and make small talk, you might want to rethink those goals. That doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t be a photographer, but maybe instead of booking senior sessions and weddings, you need to focus on fine art or landscape photography that you can sell. By really looking at how you enjoy spending your time, it makes it easier to give yourself permission to pursue the dreams that God has planted in your heart.

Look In Front of You

Where do you want to be a year from now? How do you want your life to look? Nothing is more frustrating than feeling stuck and like you are spinning your wheels. Just as we can’t know where we’re going until we look where we are, we also can’t reach our destinations unless we decide where it is we want to go. (Say that 10 times fast!) We would think someone was crazy if they left for vacation but didn’t have any directions on how to reach that destination. Many of us, though, head into the New Year without a clue of where we are headed. As someone once said, “If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time.” While God often doesn’t give us a detailed map, we usually can see the big idea of where He is point us. Look at what the steps are to go from where you are and where God is pointing you and starting heading in that direction.

It’s  NOT About Doing More

This post isn’t about adding more to an already full plate. This isn’t about squeezing one more thing into your already busy day. This is about living life on purpose.

So, how do you prepare for the New Year? I’d love to hear about it, so please share your favorite ways you are gearing up for 2017 in the comments!

Blessings, Rosanne

I distinctly remember the day when my oldest son, then about 3 years old, protectively put his arm around his younger 1-year-old brother, and looked up at me with fear in his eyes. I, you know the person who was supposed to be the adult, was completely out of control. I’m sure if I had had a mirror it would have shown a screaming, red-face, wild-eyed woman who was, well, scary – especially if you were 3 years old.

Seeing my oldest son trying to protect his brother from my anger, I knew things had to change. Honestly, nobody was more stunned than I was that I had an anger problem. If you would have asked people who knew me at the time, they would have described me as easy-going and laid back.

So, imagine my surprise when the very little people who I loved more than life could push every button I never knew I had.

After that realization, I did make the effort to change, but I still messed up and I had to back and apologize so many times. It’s humbling how forgiving a child can be. I had to learn the hard way about the things that triggered that volcanic anger that had the ability to bruise and hurt my children’s hearts.

That’s why I wish I had this book when my kids were little. Written by Amber Lia and Wendy Speake, Triggers: Exchanging Angry Reactions for Gentle Biblical Responses  is the parenting manual to understanding your own triggers and how to replace them with better, Biblical responses. And now, the study guide is available!

** Disclaimer – I did receive a copy of this book to review, but I would never recommend a book if I didn’t find it valuable to my readers.**

This book is a great resource for moms who who want to model Biblical behavior but struggle with controlling their own responses.

I mean, we’ve all been there right? For whatever reason, our child is getting on very last nerve. Triggers addresses both external and internal triggers by highlighting 31 different behaviors and circumstances. These triggers include everything from backtalk and whining (can I get an amen?) to exhaustion and depression.

Each trigger has its own chapter that discusses the triggers and what God has to say about them, and then offers suggestions to help exchange the old, angry response with something that is gentler and more Biblically based. Each chapter ends with a prayer for moms to overcome that first, often angry, response.

While Amber and Wendy offer lots of empathy for overwhelmed moms, they also don’t pull punches about the long-term consequences of out-of-control parenting.

You can purchase this book here as a pdf, Kindle book or paperback. Just so you know, I am an affiliate for this book which means I get a percentage of the purchase price (it doesn’t cost you anything though!).

If we are honest, even though we would probably give our very lives for our children, we’ve all had days when our reactions were anything but loving. But the good news is that we don’t have to live in bondage to just reacting and the fallout of shame and guilt that brings.  Triggers: Exchanging Parents’ Angry Reactions for Gentle Biblical Responses is a great first step to getting intentional in the way we parent.

Blessings, Rosanne

I have always loved to read. When I was a kid, I would get so involved in a book, I’d try to walk and read at the same time, which resulted in quite a few bumps, bruises and unfortunate falls.  I would hide my book under my napkin on my lap, thinking I could it wasn’t obvious my mind was a million miles away.

I still find myself staying up too late, engrossed in a book, telling myself, “Just one more chapter.” Last year, I read over 150 books.

So, when I say these three books made a huge impact on my life, I don’t say that flippantly. While the Bible is still the ultimate source for me, these books were transformative in many ways – even the fiction one. I hope you’ll add them to your reading pile, and they bless you as much as they have blessed me!

Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World: Finding Intimacy With God in the Busyness of Life
by Joanna Weave

As someone who often feels overwhelmed by my list of to-dos, this book was a breath of fresh air for me when I first read it probably 10 years ago. The book is based on a short passage that is only recorded in Luke 10:38-42.  Jesus came to the home of Lazarus who lived with his two sisters, Mary and Martha. Martha is the doer. She welcomes Jesus into their home while busy with preparations. She gets annoyed, however, to find her sister Mary sitting at Jesus’ feet. When she says something to Jesus about it, expecting Him to maybe rebuke Mary, Jesus surprises Martha by say, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” I love this book because in a culture (even church culture) that emphasizes doing over being, Joanna Weaver shows how important intimacy with God really is. Without it, we lose the why for our do which leaves us burnt out. When I first read this book, I was heavily involved in women’s ministry in my church, but I felt God asking me to step away because I had some heart issues with which I needed to deal. This book felt kind of like a heavenly blessing to step away, and the result was growth I couldn’t have experienced if I had stayed so busy.

Follow Me: A Call to Die. A Call to Live.
by David Platt

Unlike the previous book, I first read this book a year ago this month. I remember being so incredibly convicted after reading this that I spent the entire day sobbing, repenting and praying. While I have always known in my head the importance of evangelism, this book opened my eyes to some truths that I was missing – even as a Sunday school teacher and someone who volunteers in the community. It put into words the restlessness I had been feeling with “church life.” To say, I have not been the same since is an understatement. The bottom line is that being a “good” Christian involves way more than attending church and reading your Bible. Those things are supposed to equip you to follow Jesus – not be the sum total of your Christian life. As someone who has grown up in the church, I had kind of bought into the whole church bubble life. This book opened my eyes to the reality that Christianity is so much more in every sense. If you are feeling like  your Christian life is a bit stale or  you feel like there should be more to it,  read this book! I promise that you will not be the same when you finish the last page!

The Yada Yada Prayer Group: Value Edition (Yada Yada Series)
by Netta Jackson

This is actually the first in a series of books about a group of women who call themselves the Yada Yada Prayer Group. The story starts out from the viewpoint of Jody, an elementary school teacher, who attends a women’s conference. She is randomly put into a group of women to pray. During their prayer time, one of the women’s sons is shot. From there, the group goes to the hospital and a bond is formed. The group starts to meet after the conference and the book follows Jody as this prayer group of vary diverse women changes her life. This book, even though it is fiction, really transformed  my prayer life.  It made me want to learn to pray Scripture and about the importance of praying together. I also really connected with Jody grew up as a “good Christian girl,” and saw everyone else’s needs but her own. I have read the entire series which each deal with different topics.  The books are now available in Kindle format, as well as, the original paperbacks.

Do you have a book that has transformed your life in some way? I’d love to hear about it!

Blessings, Rosanne

p.s. (Just so you know, there are affiliate links in this post. This means that, at no cost to you, I will receive a small percentage of the purchase price if you would happen to hop over to Amazon and buy one of these books.)