Dear Hartley: Thoughts on Character, Kindness, and Building a Brighter World by Jedediah Bila Book Review

Dear Hartley is a personal book that Jedediah Bila wrote to her son. Each one is written like a letter addressed to Hartley and her goal is to help the next generation. The book contained topics such as health, fitness, family, character, empathy, chivalry, and much more. In the book, she opened up about career changes. She attended Columbia University and had a full intent to finish their PhD program in Spanish literature. She completed their master program then she chose a different path. She shared how she worked for an insurance company and she went on another path when she missed the memo that she was supposed to be in the Twin Tower on September 11. She went on after that to search for meaning in her life. She then wanted to pursue acting. Then, she moved on to teaching at a college and then a Catholic school. She moved on to writing and wound up on TV. She opened up about her being on Fox & Friends Weekend and later on becoming a host of The View. She used these experiences to encourage her son about the lessons she learned along the way. In the book, she also shared about how she met her husband and she tries to leave her son a legacy of letters. 

 

 

I would recommend this wonderful book to anyone who is seeking a positive book about leaving a lasting legacy for the future generation. I liked how she did this book and how it was written in the style of letters to her son. It’s not your typical autobiography book. I loved how she discussed character traits, breathing, empathy, heartbreak, and mindset reset.  One of my favorite chapters discussed her health and how she dealt with acid reflex and how she learned about health and eating right. I really connected with this chapter and how she opened up about finding out she had Lyme disease. In reading her story about it and how she felt. I too at first had fatigue, headaches, numbness in one side of my face, and felt like I was going to die. Many doctors unable to help me but blame it on depression for my pain. I did eventually recover like she did. It was encouraging to read that I wasn’t alone in my health struggles. 

 

 

"I received this book free from the publisher, Hachette Book Group/Faithwords for my honest review.”

 

 

 

If you would like to purchase a copy, check it out on Amazon.com:

 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Dear-Hartley-Thoughts-Character-Kindness/dp/1546001034

Paper Angels: A Novel By Jimmy Wayne with Travis Thrasher

Paper Angels is a story based on the concept of the Salvation Army angel tree program. The Salvation Army angel tree program is a program that helps needy children get Christmas presents. Most of these children wouldn't be getting any presents without the help of people who care. People can pick up a paper angel from one of the Christmas paper angel trees. They buy the presents for the children out of the kindness of their hearts. They are changing lives and they don't even realize the positive impact it will have on these children. Jimmy Wayne has written this story to bring awareness to this wonderful life changing program. He was a child who was apart of the paper angel program growing up. He has witnessed the impact it had on his life and he had to share it with others. It is a fiction book but it is also based on the true meaning of the angel tree program.


Thomas Brandt is the one of the main characters in this Christmas story. Thomas has a father who is addicted to drinking alcohol. His mother got abused and hit by her husband. She eventually wised up and decided to take her two children and leave. Thomas and his sister, Sara realized that their whole lives are about to change. They move to a small trailer where they don't have very much. Thomas is also getting picked on at his new school by a bully. He wears the same clothes every day and they aren't new. He is made fun of during school and the attacks eventually escalates to online bullying.


The second main character is Kevin Morrell. His business is struggling to survive in the tough economy. His wife is having twins soon and he is about to be without a job and income. The wife sees the angel tree and talks her husband into picking an paper angel off the tree. 


Both of these familes lives are about to change forever. The story will show you the true meaning of Christmas and why it's important to be kind all year long. Everyone is hurting in some way and we can help change the world if we listen and help one another.


I immensely enjoyed reading this book. I felt changed after reading it. Kindness and love are important to have towards one another. This book is a true Christmas meaning story. But we must also keep the kindness all year long. I needed to be reminded to be thankful for what I do have. Someone always has it worst than I have. I have been blessed with so much and I need to start giving some back! This is a life humbling and awakening novel. It also has a wonderful idea on how to stop some bullying. How Thomas turns that around will touch everyone and cause them to think about their own lives. It's a true story about kindness and forgiveness. I think every teenager and adult should read Paper Angels and learn what kindness really is. This book is so good that it needs to be made into a Christmas movie in a few years! Let's really love each other and show kindness!




Salvation Army Paper Angels Interview

http://youtu.be/kmKcUngRvKU






Jimmy Wayne Interview about Paper Angels:

http://youtu.be/Sy9WQoqoiXQ


Jimmy Wayne-Paper Angels

http://youtu.be/-UVIZpRm8ks

Forgiveness and Letting Go

Day 3 – Sunday, May 30


Don’t you see Satan has stopped people from connecting to one another? He has spread strife everywhere. We who are Christians have to grow up and help each other. I have got to reach out to the loners, angry controlled, sad, hurting, fakers, and EVERYONE. How are we going to reach people if they hear and see us acting bad? I have a hard time faking a smile. I wear my life. But this past week in writing about my days and journey in my run. I felt the need to cover this. I felt like it was time to let it all go. I don’t need to be anger, selfish, bitter, sad, and a never happy Christian. I need to have joy, peace, kindness, love, and all the fruits of the spirit. I know I’m not going to be perfect, but I have to keep growing and learning. If we are judging and rejecting people who are different from us and our friends. We aren’t going to show them love. We have got to try and show them love and what it means to be a Christian.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 (King James Version)

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%205:22-24&version=KJV

I heard this song called, “American Honey” by Lady Antebellum. One of the verses says, “Get caught in the race Of this crazy life Tryin' to be everything can make you lose your mind I just wanna go back in time”. That line in the song is about the truth. It can make you lose your mind. I have had a lot of people trying to tell me how to be and who to be. I need to be more in shape, more manly, write neater, walk better, speak more, and talk better. This is who I am. I guess I don’t fit the mold and the stereotype. But you can’t please everyone. You can change yourself and lose who you are on the inside, but you won’t be you then. You were created to be you and only one! If you needed to be that other person God would have made you like them. Be yourself!

In Natalie Grant’s book called, “The Real Me”, she shared her story about trying to deal with looking her best. If you have struggled or are struggling with an eating disorder this book is for you. She struggled with an eating disorder in her life. She is trying to help others see that you need to be the real you.

Natalie Grant says, “Sometimes I feel like the world is made up of two kinds of people: people pleasers (those who so need to be loved and accepted that they go to great lengths to be loved and yet never feel they deserve it), and people who are never pleased with anything (those from whom the pleasers try so desperately to get love and attention but who can’t seem to see beyond their own wants and needs).” Page 46

We all want to feel loved and loveable. But we all want to be accepted and included. I know it hurts who people rejected you and hurt you. We all say hurtful things to one another. So it’s important to forgive one another. I know it’s hard but its way harder not too. Carrying that hurt is very agonizing. It only hurts you. I know because this was me. I wasn’t enjoying my life. It doesn’t hurt the other person. The other person is living life and enjoying it and you’re not. You’re carrying around the pain and hurt. You have to let it go. It frees you to forgive one another. I know pain hurts a whole lot. But sometimes the person doesn’t even realize they hurt you. You have to forgive them anyway. This weekend was a forgiving weekend for me. And I had to let the comments go and stop letting them define and control me.

I know what it is like to hurt someone too. We are all fallible people and need to ask for forgiveness every day. We all make mistakes. I know I too have said and done things I shouldn’t have done. I am sorry for every single thing I have done to hurt someone in any way. Thank God his love never changes for us. He never gives up on us, even when we give up on ourselves. God forgives us the first time, when we ask for forgiveness. So it is extremely important to forgive one another.

Most things we fight about and get upset about are so small in the scope of life.

I want to share this powerful life changing video with you. It gives me the chills.

Here are some of the lyrics to “So Small” By Carrie Underwood:

“What you got if you ain't got love The kind that you just want to give away It's ok to open up Go ahead and let the light shine through I know it's hard on a rainy day You wanna shut the world out and just be left alone But don't run out on your faith Cause sometimes that mountain you've been climbing Is just a grain of sand And what you've been out there searching for forever Is in your hands And when you figure out love is all that matters after all It sure makes everything else seem So Small”

Here is this impacting video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEQj6RrQbgA

This week, Joyce Meyer told us a secret on her show. “Want to know a secret? We will even tell the people watching by TV. Here’s the secret: The better you treat people, the happier you’re going to be.” The message is called, “Imitate God’s Giving”. Next Joyce said, “It’s like how many more times are we going to have to the bible study on forgiveness before we get around to realizing that when you forgive somebody, you’re going yourself a favor. Why should you waste your life being mad at someone that’s out having a good time and couldn’t care less if you’re upset? Come on, we got more smarts than that.”

“For if you forgive people their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” Matthew 6:14 (Amplified Bible)

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%206:14&version=AMP
“And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32 (Amplified Bible)

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=esphesians%204:32&version=AMP

I went 1.61 miles on my running for St. Jude’s. I burned a total of 99 calories. I took 3413 steps. Any amounts of donations helps find the cure for the children.
“All patients accepted for treatment at St. Jude are treated without regard to the family's ability to pay.” From St. Jude Website

This is why it is important that we help raise money for the children. We could help save their life and countless others. It can only happen when we all come together.

If you could make a small donation visit the link below: Every little bit helps.
http://www.mystjudeheroes.org/hopenow

I also went swimming today for the first time in a while.

Day 4 – Monday, May 31

I went a total of 0.91 miles today. I burned a mass sum of 48 calories. I took 1923 steps. I also went swimming today. Anything to help me get stronger.
Day 5 – Tuesday, June 1

I went a full amount of 2.19 miles today. I flamed a total of 131 calories to the highway to health. I took a grand total of 4639 steps today.
Day 6 – Wednesday, June 2

I went an entirety of 3.38 miles in my journey of a 5K. I burned a mass total of 203 calories. I took 7145 steps in my run/walk.
Day 7 – Thursday, June 3

I smothered a total of 236 calories today. I went for a grand total of 3.85 miles today. I took 8136 steps.

I went swimming a few times this week. I am committed to getting stronger and healthier.

"Its mission is to find cures for children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. St. Jude has treated children from all 50 states and from around the world." "The daily operating cost for St. Jude is $1.5 million, which is primarily covered by public contributions." I got this from St. Jude.

If you can help in any way please do. Thank you for anyone who has donated and read this whole post. I hope it helped you in some way. Get out there and make a difference! 

Feel free to share this site with your friends.

In closing the post. Here some of the lyrics to “The Words I Would Say” by Sidewalk Prophets:

“Be strong in the Lord and, Never give up hope, You're going to do great things, I already know, God's got His hand on you so, Don't live life in fear, Forgive and forget, But don't forget why you're here, Take your time and pray, These are the words I would say.”

Here a video of the song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thLdWPr32yY

Journey of My Run Week 5 : Day 5

Day 5 – Tuesday, May 18

What am I waiting for? What are you waiting for?
Now is the time to make someone’s life better. It is way bigger than us. But when we all come together, we can touch many lives. Who do you want to be? Do you want to get free and feel happy?

I want God to say, “Well done faithful child”. We have got to reach out and not be so selfish. Money is not going to make you happy. You can keep buying all those things and all you have is more things. See, we always want MORE MORE MORE! But are you truly happy? Is it filling you up? Making you complete?

Ask yourself those questions. He already knows the answers.

Do you want to wake up at 90 years old on your death bed wondering, what might have been? If you would have just changed and helped someone. If you would have loved harder. If you would have let go of the pain of your past and healed. If you would have remained peaceful in conflict. If you would just had the fruit of the spirit. If you would have prayed more. If you would open the door of someone. If you would have smiled more. If you would have reach out a helping hand. If you would have accepted everyone. If you would have forgave someone. If you would have spend more time with your family. If you would have read the word more. If you would have…..

I know they are hard questions to answer. They all begin with would have. But I need to wake up and see what I am doing with my life. You may need to look at your life like I need to too. I don’t know when I am going to die. We could all die tomorrow and we could not. But we don’t have tomorrow promised. We only have right now to live. Some people die at 10 years old, 16 years old, 27 years old, 52 years old, or 88 years old. See we have no way of knowing when we will die. But everyone does die. You can choose Heaven or Hell. It’s your choice.

You can choose to party right now, all you want, or you can change the world.

You can choose to love.

You can choose to live by your emotions and mind.

You can choose to be selfish.

You can choose to live in the past.

You can choose to move into the future.

You can choose to help one another.

You can choose to not help.

You can choose to be happy.

You can choose to be depressed.

You have free will.

Watch “What If” by Nichole Nordeman:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUGQFH03apc

So please join me in helping the children of St. Jude’s Research Hospital. The children are being funded by you. Thank you for helping! All of the donations made on the link below are used to help people who are dying from cancer. But we have the power to help stop it! But only if you help and make a donation to St. Jude’s can we fight cancer together.

http://www.mystjudeheroes.org/hopenow

I went a total of 3.10 miles today. On the laps, sometimes I ran and sometimes I walked them. But I am building up my strength and speed. Each day I AM growing and improving. I burned a total of 200 calories. I took a mass sum of 6552 steps. I went around 6 laps on my running and walking journey. Now, let’s help each other out. Love someone today!

Make sure you check out my Google Site:

http://sites.google.com/site/theofficialandrewsmith/