Thursday, May 14, 2015

Called to be Amish Book Review by Marlene C. Miller

Disclosure: I received this book complimentary in exchange for an honest review.


This was a fascinating book that lets outsiders peek a bit into a world that is mostly closed to us. I was not surprised to hear that fewer than 100 people have joined the Old Order Amish and stayed since 1950. Wow, that is a really low number. The Old Order Amish do not live an easy life. Marlene C. Miller decided to be one of those 100 converts and she shares her story in this book. It is a rare look deep into Amish life. 

Marlene recounts her unhappy and abusive childhood.  She does her best to immerse herself in cheer leading and joins the marching band in high school. She was fairly close to her grandmother who brought her to church. Her mother believed church was only for the elderly and children.  Her family life was not pleasant and was often punctuated by fighting, shouting matches, affairs and alcohol.    She shares the story of how she falls in love with Johnny, a gentle young Amish man who helps her lace her ice skates one winter day.

Marlene started to date the sweet Amish boy, Johnny.  They dated for three years and became engaged at her high school graduation in June, 1962.  Marlene became pregnant that winter with no wedding date in site.  Johnny was having second thoughts about marrying an outsider and didn’t want to leave his Amish faith. Johnny finally agreed to marry Marlene on April 20, 1963.
Marlene soon realized she wanted to become Amish.  She shared her long, arduous process of proving herself that was required before she could become an accepted, baptized member of the Amish faith. The stories she shared about her life as an Amish woman and mother were unbelievable. Marlene wrote about her children and their life of difficult and  hardship. They were quite poor and she was near exhausted all the time with 10 children in just about 13 years. I can't imagine. Just the cooking and laundry would break me. She had to keep up her garden, do canning and all the farm chores too.  Marlene shared the pain and suffering they endured over the years between accidents and poisonings and the hospital visits galore.I just couldn't stop reading. That is one hard life the Amish people live. 
Marlene C. Miller and her husband of forty-eight years still live on a farm in Ohio with their nine children, more than forty grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. 

Xtreme Comforts Shredded Memory Foam Pillow helps me sleepsoundly #ShreddedMemoryFoamPillowWithKoolFlowMicroVentedBam



Sometimes I used to feel like I woke up more tired in the morning. How could I be more tired than before I went to bed? I finally realized it was my pillow. A massage therapist suggested a memory foam pillow. These kind of pillows can help people who have trouble sleeping, if you have migraines, insomnia, snore, neck issues, allergies or asthma, TMJ or even other issues. I was amazed at the improvement with this Shredded Memory Foam Pillow.


This Shredded Memory Foam Pillow is totally different. Think about how it works with a standard pillow. You shape your pillow before bed to give you the proper support but as soon as you put your head down the pillow collapses. It is even worse if that traditional pillow heats up. In seconds your support disappears which puts stress on your nerves and causes you to wake up tossing, turning and flipping that traditional pillow to the cool side. Those are all distant memories with the
Shredded Memory Foam  Pillow. The company says it is the world's most comfortable pillow. I think it is pretty darn comfy. 



Xtreme Comforts Shredded Memory Foam Pillow and Kool-Flow Bamboo Cover can help eliminate the problems that you experience with traditional pillows. This conforms perfectly to my head and neck and stays cool and comfortable. Many people don't like their pillows and lose sleep because of them. This novel memory foam pillow comfortably shapes to your head and neck in any position. It maintains proper support all night long ensuring a better nights sleep. It may just be the most comfortable pillow that you will ever own. This pillow lets me feel properly aligned through my head and neck which helps me get a good nights sleep. There is nothing better than a deep healing REM sleep to let me wake up healthy and alert.


You can pick up this Shredded Memory Foam Pillow on Amazon for easy shopping anytime. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe would be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Magnifeko Electric Callus Remover keeps my feet smooth #Magnifeko



If you haven't tried an electric callous remover for your feet yet I think you really need to consider it. I can't justify twice a month visits to the salon for pedicures but on the other hand, I despise dry, itchy feet. I work out 4-5 times a week and am on the go for work all day in heels. My feet get dry and calloused and up until now nothing really worked completely. I have tried everything under the sun from manual planes to cream, lotions and potions. None of them really resolved the callouses and dry skin completely. A few days later I would need to get out those old tools again. Those days are gone since I now have a Magnifeko electric callous remover. 

This Salon quality tool rotates gently around and gets all the dry skin off fast and easy. I have to be honest, it sounds icky but you can see the skin flaking right off as it works. It fits comfortably in my hand and really resolves those callouses and dry skin completely.  I like that I can remove callous growth and dead skin safely. Those foot files, razor blades and pumice stones can overdo it. This tool lets me gently exfoliate to diminish calluses and smooth my feet without injuring or abrading the skin. It may be gentle, but it's far more effective than those manual tools.

The Magnifeko Callus Remover has a rechargeable battery that can be recharged 1,000 times or more. Less battery waste ends up in landfills, and you don't have to pay to replace batteries over and over. Plus, this foot callous remover has an IPX5 waterproof rating, so you can rinse it clean in seconds. Just don't submerge it in water. No need to scrub with a dry brush for cleaning like some other brands.The professional style callus remover feels well constructed. The Magnifeko motor is also heavy-duty and the company has shared it was built to stand the test of time.
I know I have seen similar tools in  upscale department stores and online and thought they looked compelling until I saw the luxury price tag. Magnifeko provides you with a professional pedicure accessory at a reasonable price. I have to say that this is a really amazing tool that gently but thoroughly removes dry, calloused skin, smooths and reveals soft feet and toes. The rechargeable battery powered rollers do the work, not me or you. This works quickly and easily on my dry skin. 

Magnifeko is a professional style electric foot callous remover that does the work for me and smooths my feet quickly and effectively. The lightweight callous remover is fast, affordable and easy to use even right out of the box. I love my soft feet and look forward to wearing sandals and flip flops proudly all summer. You can pick up this electric callous remover on Amazon for easy shopping anytime. 


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe would be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Shine Whitening Professional Teeth Whitening Kit #shinewhitening



I need to have a bright, white smile every single day. I spend my days educating clients about my products and company and a fresh smile is important. I am careful about caring for my teeth and gums. I brush with a whitening toothpaste and floss daily but that wasn't enough to get my teeth to look their whitest. I used to spend a bundle getting my teeth whitened at the dentist but then I found a more economical option. It is so convenient and much less costly to be able to whiten my teeth at home.

I recently had the opportunity to try the Shine Whitening Professional Teeth Whitening Kit. This teeth whitening kit comes neatly packaged.  This is a powerful whitening formula so you only need a tiny bead of gel for each tray. You can use it for about 5-15 minutes a day. This uses the same dental-grade formula used by thousands of dentists across the US and Europe. It is far more effective than other whitening options as this customized solution comes with trays that perfectly mold to your mouth. The whitening solution goes exactly where you want it.

It has the advanced ingredients to deliver dentist grade results. I like that it uses the same technique my dentist uses, but from the comfort and convenience of my home. This is the process used by hundreds of dentists and whitening kiosks around the country that has been customized for easy-to-use at home application.


I use Shine Whitening once a day for 5-15 minutes to get the whitening results I like but the company suggests you begin with shorter treatments to gauge teeth sensitivity. You can even cut the trays to match your gum line perfectly. If you wanted, you could apply the solution directly to your teeth with a Q-tip to maximize coverage over your teeth in your visible smile area.


This professional tooth whitening kit includes a special mouth tray made of dental-grade impression material that molds exactly to your teeth using heat. It was easy to do. You simply place the mold in hot water for a few seconds then mold the trays around your teeth. You get a custom-fit tray at the fraction of the cost versus a dental office.


This Shine Whitening Professional grade whitening gel effectively whitens teeth quickly. They even supply recommended usage detailed in the instructions for those with sensitive teeth. You treat for less time while still effectively whitening your teeth with beautiful results. This comfortable kit was designed to fit around any schedule. You can use this treatment as needed to whiten teeth. Even better, you don't have to use it on consecutive days to see results either.  I like that I saw results quickly too...after the second whitening session I saw a big improvement.


Shine Whitening Professional contains a solution that is an easy way to get white teeth fast.  It was easy to use. I was in need of a treatment desperately too..it had been way too long. This kit arrived just in time. I feel so much more confident this week when I smile. The two syringes is more than enough for a full treatment. You might even have extra. I like to store it in the refrigerator so it will last longer and still be effective for a touch up. You can pick up this Shine Whitening professional teeth whitening kit on Amazon for easy shopping anytime. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe would be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.