Booples 2: Yikity Blar!

Songs by: Pete Buchwald
Genre: Children’s Christian
Price: $13.99

Booples website

Booples 2: Yikity Blar! features stories from the Bible presented in a fun and creative way for kids 0-6 years old.

In “Forgive Each Other”, one Boople finds it hard to forgive her brother, so they all go to their friend, Bah, for help. He shares a verse from the Bible explaining why it’s important to forgive. Then they learn forgiveness in action as each does something to another that requires forgiveness.

In “Jonah & the Tarshish Fish,” the Booples discover that not everyone who hears God’s commands obeys immediately, and that sometimes drastic measures are necessary. The song in this story is particularly cute, and it stayed with me for days after viewing.

“David Rocked Goliath” shows the Booples that God can use even the tiniest among us to do His will. And “God Is Faithful” explains God’s promise after the flood through the rainbow.

The songs in this DVD are catchy and cute, and kids will learn the words quickly to sing along. The Booples are not “perfect” Christians. They are very human, and they learn that they don’t have to be perfect – they just need to love God and each other as directed by the Bible.

Yikity Blar! is not preachy, but instead models Godly behavior through the actions of the characters and their intentions to live a Godly life. Kids will really enjoy the cute stories, and parents can feel good about their kids learning positive messages through watching Yikity Blar!

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Sacred Wisdom

Author: Helga Schroder
Publisher: Suka Press
Genre: Spiritual
ISBN: 978-0-9787593-0-8
Pages: 380
Price: $24.95

Author’s website
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Lou van Helden is living his life according to the American dream. He has a good-paying job, a nice home, and he’s searching for a beautiful wife to make it all complete. To his way of thinking, money can buy everything, and he wants as many of the good things as he can afford.

Then one day, while he’s out taking a jog, he comes to a mysterious house in the woods and meets the Novemvirat, a group who tell him that he’s a Knight of the First Order and he has an important mission in life. Lou is intrigued by their message, and is determined to find out what he needs to do to fulfill that mission.

His journey takes him to Brazil, where he visits with his Uncle Ray, a Catholic priest, who shares his experiences in living a simple and spiritual life. Then when Lou returns to the United States, he studies meditation with a Buddhist Lama. He also meets a wonderful woman who shares his vision of living a more spiritual life.

Lou’s journey is not unlike the one many of us take at some point in our lives. We grow tired of material things, and instinctively know there has to be something more – something that really matters. As Lou makes his discoveries about what’s important to him, he inspires us to also search for and find that for ourselves. If we look within and learn to connect with our own spirituality, we can also find a path that brings us true joy.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Cosmic History Chronicles, Vol. 3

Book of the Mystery, Time And Art: Art As the Expression of the Absolute
Author: Jose Arguelles & Stephanie South
Publisher: Law of Time Press
ISBN: 0-9785924-1-7
Pages: 240
Price: $34.00

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The Cosmic History Chronicles attempt to answer the question, “What will further the self-illumination of the world?”In this third volume of the series, the authors look at art and how it has evolved cosmically.

The book is broken down into four parts:Art as a Cosmic Harmony, Art as a Dimensional Bridge, Art as the Practice of Life, and Transcendental Art:Evolving Cosmoplanetary Art Forms.

Two of the major art forms that are explored in this volume are rock and roll music and the internet.The authors explain the role music has played in the last several decades, and the use of the internet in establishing identities online as living art.Other art forms are also explored in lesser detail.

References are made to the previous volumes, so if the reader hasn’t already read those, parts of this volume may be a little confusing.The artwork is beautiful – unique and intriguing.

Some of this material is esoteric in explaining the evolution of these art forms, and ultimately where they will take us culturally and globally.This volume is an interesting exploration, and I found that I agreed with many of the authors’ observations.Time will tell if their conclusions about the future are correct.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Super Healing

Author: Julie K. Silver, MD
Genre: Health
Publisher: Rodale, Inc.
ISBN: 1-59486-631-7
Pages: 258
Price: $25.95

Author’s website
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If you’ve just had major surgery or gone through cancer treatments, you probably now find yourself in the Healing Zone. Your primary goal is to heal your body as quickly and easily as possible. Super Healing can help.

Dr. Silver, a physiatrist (doctor specializing in rehabilitation medicine), will help you put together your own Super Healing plan, incorporating eight healing strategies designed to maximize healing.

Physical goals include getting proper exercise and not tiring your body unnecessarily with chores that drain you but don’t contribute to healing. They also include getting proper nutrition, especially those foods that specifically heal whatever problem you’re currently facing.

Proper rest is also important, and working with your doctor to alleviate pain will help to ensure you can get at least eight hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.

In addition to caring for your body, proper mental and emotional care is important. While Dr. Silver understands it’s not always easy to keep a positive mental attitude when you’re not feeling well, there are certain steps you can take to try not to let yourself get too down.

Getting appropriate emotional needs met by the people around you can help, also. So can connecting to your spiritual needs, whatever your faith.

When all of these elements are brought together into a plan, comprised of short and long term goals, healing is accelerated. Dr. Silver has used this plan with many of her patients and also for herself, as a cancer survivor. If you follow it, she assures you that you’ll have an easier trip through the Healing Zone.

Reviewer: Alice Berger