Life Perspective: Reviews & More

Following my recent recognition in the Influential Women series, I am thrilled to share that I was invited to write a guest article which is now live on their platform! The piece, titled "30 Years Before the Spotlight: Why Real Influence Is Built in the Quiet Years," delves into what it truly takes to build a lasting legacy in media and publishing. Looking back over the three-decade journey of founding and publishing Christian Activities starting in 1988, I reflect on the quiet years of steady, faithful work that happen long before any awards or headlines arrive. In the article, I also  share three core principles that have guided my career—focusing on purpose, consistency, and honoring family legacy (including a special connection back to my father’s 1976 Who’s Who listing). Whether you are an author, creator, or entrepreneur working quietly behind the scenes on your own big projects, I hope these reflections encourage you to keep showing up and building for the long...

Happy Mother's Day 2013! I hope all of you with mothers take time to honor your mothers and forgive them for any times they were not their best. I sure miss my own mother, in spite of some hard times we experienced when I was young, and I wish I had forgiven her much sooner than I did. Here is a selection of articles, poems and Bible verses to help you honor your mom on Mother's Day: Top Ten Old Testament Bible Verses for Mother's Day & Mom's Birthday The Old Testament has been a source of wisdom for thousands of years and is still a vital resource for families. The books of scripture in the Old Testament are full of Bible verses about mothers and children that are well worth reading. Article at: Top Ten Old Testament Bible Verses for Mother's Day & Mom's Birthday Mother's Day Ideas : Queen for a Day on a Tight Budget Depending upon your budget in today's economy, you may not be able to...

The Easter bunny is hippity hopping down the bunny trail because Easter 2013 is definitely on its way! Here are some articles, poems, movie review and other reading to help you celebrate Easter on March 31, 2013. Easter Articles Why is Easter on a Different Date Each Year? a Look at Easter & Passover According to Wikipedia, Easter is considered "the most important annual religious feast in the Christian liturgical year." Read more:  Why is Easter on a Different Date Each Year? a Look at Easter & Passover GMC TV announces Easter week program schedule (Video) GMC TV has announced its annual 2013 Easter holiday programming. This year's Easter schedule will feature the new original GMC World Premiere Movie, "The Carpenter’s Miracle," as well as “The Greatest Stories of...  Article at: GMC TV announces Easter week program schedule (Video) Have a Happy Easter! According to Wikipedia, East...

The luck of the Irish is headed your way as St. Patrick's Day 2013 approaches! In this post you will find several resources to help you celebrate the greenest holiday of the year -- Saint Patrick's Day -- with St. Patrick's Day articles, music, poems, history, quotes and more! St. Patrick's Day Articles  Happy Saint Patrick's Day!   St. Patrick's Day is a holiday rich with history and meaning as well as a fun time to wear green and shamrocks! There really was a man who became known as Saint... Collection of articles and more at: Happy Saint Patrick's Day! Top Ten Most Amazing True Facts About Ireland & the Irish The Emerald Isle has always been a land of mystery, myth and legend from Irish leprechauns to Celtic Druids. In the land known for fairies and the Blarney Stone, is it any wonder that sometimes truth is stranger than fiction? Article at: Top Ten Most...

 Valentine's Day is today, so it is time to pull out your red and pink ensembles and prepare for the most romantic holiday of the year. Whether you are single, dating or married, Valentine's Day can be enjoyed by all. It just takes a little creativity and the right attitude. The following articles should help you have a Happy Valentine's Day! Happy Valentine's Day! The most romantic of the holidays occurs on February 14 each years on Valentine's Day, which has become associated with hearts, cupids, cards, flowers, lace... Who was St Valentine? - the Legend of St. Valentine Not much is known about the true origins of Valentines Day or who the real St. Valentine was. The Catholic Encyclopedia indicates that the saint whose feast was celebrated on the day now known as St. Valentine's Day was possibly one of these three martyred men named Valentinus who lived ...

New Year's Articles   Have a Happy New Year! It is hard not to feel a surge of excitement when someone wishes us a Happy New Year! The New Year has traditionally been a time of new beginnings and resolutions as we start the coming year with a fresh slate. A collection of articles, photos & more at: Have a Happy New Year! --Squidoo   Waiting for the Ball to Drop: 2012 Year End Thoughts New Year's Eve is here, and I am waiting with Jack the puppy for the big Waterford crystal ball to drop at Times Square. Jack and I are more than ready for a New Year. Article at:  Waiting for the Ball to Drop: 2012 Year End Thoughts Happy New Year, Barbie! A look at New Year-themed Barbies from the past decade (slideshow) To ring in the New Year with Barbie , I decided to take a trip down memory lane with the plastic princess and look at the Barbie dolls that most capture a New Year 's theme Post at: Happy New Year, Barbie! A look at New ...

Top 6 Harry Potter vs. Christianity Articles  The Harry Potter books and movies have been wildly popular among audiences of all ages. However, many in the Christian community have felt the books might not be suitable for young readers and viewers or ANY readers and viewers because of the supernatural content which deals heavily with magic, witches, warlocks, dark lords and other supernatural beings. Article at: Best Review - Top 6 Harry Potter vs. Christianity Articles December 2012

Tolkien journal 'Silver Leaves' Issue 4 features art, essays, poems & dragons “It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien The respected Tolkien-based journal, “Silver Leaves” Issue 4 , is back from the printer and ready to ship. Published in Canada by the White Tree Fund as a literary and artistic journal for Tolkien and fantasy fans, the theme of this issue is Dragons. I am so pleased to have three of my own poems included in this edition of "Silver Leaves" -- "Dragon," "A Friend Like Sam," and "Snow Sprite." Article at: Tolkien journal 'Silver Leaves' Issue 4 features art, essays, poems & dragons - Nashville Gospel Music & Entertainment Examiner Related Blog Posts: ' Silver Leaves' Looks at Dragons in Their Many Forms in Issue 4 'Here Be Dragons' - Yahoo! Voices 'Silver Leaves' issue 4 Releases Featuring Christian Art, Poems ...

'Silver Leaves' Looks at Dragons in Their Many Forms in Issue 4 'Here Be Dragons' Issue 4 of the esteemed literary journal " Silver Leaves " was published on September 22, 2012--also known as "Hobbit Day." The journal begins shipping in October 2012 with the title "Here Be Dragons." The academic Tolkien journal features three of my own poems among the works of many esteemed artists and respected writers. Read the article at: 'Silver Leaves' Looks at Dragons in Their Many Forms in Issue 4 'Here Be Dragons' - Yahoo! Voices Also see: 'Silver Leaves' issue 4 Releases Featuring Christian Art, Poems & Essays | Christian Activities  

Pet peeve: Plagiarism & copyright Infringement of doll articles As recently reported in Pet peeve: 'Rare' & 'HTF' dolls on ebay , one of my pet peeves is sellers using descriptions that amount to fraud on ebay. Another way that doll collectors and sellers defraud others is by plagiarism and copyright infringement of doll articles, photos and other intellectual property. Sometimes I find my doll articles and photos on blogs, websites, and Facebook, often copied WORD-FOR-WORD, with only my name and links removed. Read more at: Pet peeve: Plagiarism & copyright Infringement of doll articles - Nashville Doll Collecting Examiner

Bukisa's Creative Commons -- Gateway to Black Hat Copyright Infringement n the past two weeks, Google Alerts has been sending me a constant stream of my titles and quotes from my Bukisa articles appearing on other websites. Bukisa encourages use of the Syndication feature or the Creative Commons - Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported Read more: http://www.bukisa.com/articles/518463_bukisas-creative-commons-gateway-to-black-hat-copyright-infringement Also see: Plagiarism and Copyright Infringement: Thou Shalt Not Steal

 I am pleased to announce the release of the 3rd edition of Silver Leaves. My poetry, articles and reviews have been featured every year in this fine international journal! Tolkien journal Silver Leaves releases with articles, artwork and poetry inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien Wednesday, July 14th, 2010  Silver Leaves -- Tolkien Journal Issue 3 of the Tolkien-based journal "Silver Leaves," an annual publication of the White Tree Fund, was just released in Canada on Monday, July 12, 2010. The overall theme of the scholarly and artistic journal is J.R.R. Tolkien , but other high fantasy literature and artwork are included, and essays and artwork inspired by Christian author C.S. Lewis were a prominent theme of issue 2 of "Silver Leaves."

Mother's Day is not far off. If you are looking for some gift ideas or for some Mother's Day poetry -- look no further! Mother's Day Ideas : Queen for a Day on a Tight Budget Depending upon your budget in today's economy, you may not be able to give your mother prizes and trips, but here are some ideas for things you can do to make her feel like a queen for a day on Mother's Day. How to Celebrate an Inexpensive Mother's Day Everyone is thinking about the economy these days, especially those who are laid off or unemployed. If a tight budget is threatening to put a damper on your Mother's Day celebration, consider these ten ideas for celebrating an inexpensive Mothers Day. Mother's Day: When Forgiveness is the Best Gift Mothers are not perfect, and many children are scarred for life by mental, emotional or even physical abuse at the hands of their mothers. However, I have learned forgiveness is both a choice and a gift. Picking the Perfect Mother's Day...

I've been busy! New Year's Content: 2009 New Year's Resolutions of Gospel Artists Featuring: DecembeRadio, Bob Halligan, Stephen Hinkle, Joanne Cash, Lyrycyst, Carried Away, Beloved, Kevin Levar, Mission Six, After Edmund, and Eliot Sloan (Blessid Union of Souls) By Kathryn E. Darden | Published 12/28/2008 | Top Ten Songs for New Year's Songs from Robert Burns, U2, Barry Manilo, Relient K, Dan Fogelburg, Stacy Orrico, Ella Fitzgerald, Sir Cliff Richards and more By Kathryn E. Darden | Published 12/6/2008 | Lord of the Rings Content: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - Complete Recordings Almost four hours of music on four CDs, containing the full score of the 2003 film, the final edition of the three complete recording releases of the film trilogy whose score earned with three Academy Awards, four Grammy Awards, etc By Kathryn E. Darden | Published 12/30/2008 | Nashville Symphony Scores with Lord of the Rings Led by guest cond...