Two Hearts Movie Tickets Giveaway

 

For two couples the future unfolds in different decades and different places, but a hidden connection will bring them together in a way no one could have predicted. Based on an inspirational true story, 2 HEARTS is a romantic journey that celebrates life, love and generosity of spirit, and will strengthen our belief that miracles still happen.

Starring Jacob Elordi, Tiera Skovbye, Radha Mitchell, and Adan Canto, Two Hearts tells an incredible, life-affirming story of the generosity of one young man whose gift of life continues to impact more lives daily. Check out the 2 Hearts - Facebook page for updates, cast interviews, and more as you wait for the film to open in theaters Oct. 16th. See the trailer below.

This is a great movie for date night or to share with family or friends. And, it's definitely a film that will open the door to a meaningful conversation. I love a movie that makes me think and Two Hearts does that. I will share more of my thoughts when the film officially opens.

I know I have told y'all about the Fandango e-ticket give-away, and today is your final chance to enter. But...*NOTE: With COVID, there has been difficulty obtaining Fandango movie codes, so we will be compensating via PayPal or Venmo so your winner can receive the cash equivalent ($10 per pass) of the movie passes and have the most flexible opportunity to view 2 HEARTS.
Comment on the blog or in comments on a social media post with #everymomentisagift and #2HeartsL3

Enjoy this video...

Caitlyn the Giver

Caitlyn was mischievous, beautiful, exasperating, opinionated, stubborn, optimistic, and more... but most of all she was a generous giver of time and resources.

The first time I noticed her desire to give was when she was about 3 or 4. She heard about the "March for Jesus" our church was participating in, which included a food drive. That afternoon she told me she needed bags. I walked into the kitchen to find my cabinets and refrigerator completely emptied. When I asked why, her reply was, "Jesus needs food!" 


A couple of years later, when she learned of the Building Fund for our new church building, she rushed down to the Sunday School class I taught and breathlessly exclaimed, "Quick! I need a quarter!" In response to my, "Why?" Caitlyn excitedly told me, "We're building a new church! Somebody has to pay for it!"


In 5th grade, I was not at all surprised to hear her class gathered the

most food for the canned food drive. My cabinets were emptied more than once. At least she did not grab the perishables or open containers this time.

Once she became a teen, my refrigerator was sometimes emptied because she noticed friends in my neighborhood had no food. She would also tell me of clothing needs because I volunteered at a local clothing ministry.

For several months, she would stop by my house before her Youth Group to ask for $5 to buy a drink. When I once asked why she needed that much, she explained that one girl who came never had money so she always bought hers too. 

As she became an adult --- a wife and a mother, her compassion grew even stronger. She would give to anybody who had a need if she had it to give... or knew of someone else who had it. A few months ago she became aware of Cullman's Little Pantry and encouraged others to donate food.

She genuinely cared about her friends, and even strangers she encountered. Caitlyn was the one person I could depend upon if I needed to go to the store, or my computer or phone worked on or just to see if I wanted to get out of the house for a bit. She was more than my grandchild, she became my friend. She was far from perfect, and we had some strong differences of opinions more than once, but I never doubted her generosity and love of me and others. I doubt the hole in my heart and life will ever be completely filled but the memories will encourage me to try to be more like her generous spirit... and to let her babies know the kind of mama they had.

Caitlyn Paige Burton Ross
Oct 3, 1995 ~ Sept 27, 2018

I Like Giving by Brad Formsma

I Like Giving by Brad Formsma is a book that focuses simply on the joy of giving. There is a lot on financial giving, but also plenty of stories about other forms of giving as well. He admits that his family do have the financial resources available to meet the needs of others, and I love how they look for opportunities. His family does have rules on how much to give without having a family discussion. Generosity is wonderful, but boundaries do need to be set. The stories of financial giving in the book vary from one person giving, a few friends giving, on up to someone creating a Facebook Event to help a fellow student who was struggling. Sometimes the act of allowing others to be a part of the giving effort is its own act of giving.

The stories are not strictly about money, but suggest other ways to make a difference. Through a series of small anecdotes entitled "I Like.......", we learn of opportunities people shared of giving time, a smile, a second chance, etc. Some required more sacrifice than others, but all agreed that it was worth any sacrifice made to make a difference in the life of someone else.

One of the ones that made me smile, and enforced the idea of training our children in the way they should live involved potty training. Not only was this 3 year old little boy in the habit of wasting food, but he was also in no hurry to be potty trained. When his mom explained to him about other people going hungry due to lack of food, he asked how they could help. His mom got creative and resourceful by suggesting that the money they spent on Pull-Ups could be used to help people who are hungry. He went on to have the pride of knowing he was in "big boy underwear", but that he was also helping others. A very large lesson for a small boy, but one that needs to be learned early.

Some of the stories may seem redundant, but I can't name one I would omit. Not only is this a book that makes you feel good as you rejoice with both the recipient and with the giver, but it is one that make spark ideas on ways you can make a difference. A quote by Henry Nouwen on the 'I Like Giving' website is, "Every time I take a step in the direction of generosity, I know I am moving from fear to love". I love the encouragement to give whatever it is you have to offer, and that this is not just about giving to the poor. People from all walks of life can use encouragement and your gift, no matter how great or small, can make a powerful impact on both the recipient's life and your own.

Thanks to Shelton Interactive for giving me the book at no cost for review purposes. I was not required to give a positive review.

"Every time I take a step in the direction of generosity, I know that I am moving from fear to love."  - See more at: http://ymjen.com/blog/posts/recent-reads-the-return-of-the-prodigal-son-by-henri-nouwen#sthash.3GdHo64C.dpuf

"Every time I take a step in the direction of generosity, I know that I am moving from fear to love."  - See more at: http://ymjen.com/blog/posts/recent-reads-the-return-of-the-prodigal-son-by-henri-nouwen#sthash.3GdHo64C.dpuf

Watch the 'I Like Giving' Promo here.

I Like Giving on Facebook

'I Like Giving' website