Mama-Kii of Hawaii helps celebrate Kevin Sorbo’s birthday. You can, too!

Hi, everyone!

Our fantastic friends at Mamaki of Hawaii are once again helping to raise funds for the Official European Kevin Sorbo Fan Club (OEKSFC) annual Birthday Project honoring Actor/Producer/Author Kevin Sorbo’s birthday on September 24. They are offering exciting ways to save on your purchase of their Mama-Kii™ tea and donate to Kevin’s Los Angeles-based nonprofit foundation, A World Fit For Kids! (WFIT).

How cool is that?!

Here’s how you can join Mama-Kii’s efforts to support the OEKSFC Birthday Project 2014 and get some awesome discounts:

1.  When you go to Mama-Kii’s website or Facebook store to purchase your tea, you can use the drop-down menu to select this option: “Yes – I’d like Mama-Kii to donate 20% to A World Fit for Kids.” Mama-Kii will then donate 20% of the total sales with this designation to WFIT.

2.  When you order your tea, you will see a social sharing button on the page’s far left to share Mama-Kii on your Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or email accounts. If you click to share, you will receive a personal secret code that entitles you to a 20% discount on your order.

3.  Mama-Kii will give free shipping to international orders over $150.00.

It’s that simple.

Speaking of sharing, here’s my Mama-Kii™ tea experience:

I am an avid tea lover, so when I received my Mama-Kii™ tea in the mail last year I couldn’t wait to try it! I tore into the box and discovered a beautiful metal tin containing a drawstring cloth bag. Nestled inside encased in cellophane were 14 lovely pyramid sachets filled with glorious, rich, loose green mamaki leaves that are 100% natural and caffeine-, gluten- and cholesterol free.

I immediately boiled some water and placed a bag in my favorite green ceramic teapot. I then poured the hot water over the bag and allowed it to steep for an hour. (I like strong tea!) While I waited, I retrieved my best “Hercules” mug (what else?).

Sixty agonizing minutes later I sipped one of the best teas I’ve ever tasted! It was simultaneously soothing and energizing. Its smooth, gently sweet aroma performed a tantalizing symphony in my mouth: subtle yet commanding, simple yet eloquent, comforting yet rejuvenating. Divine!

I still have a lot left, preferring to save it for special occasions. But, with Mama-Kii’s great discounts combined with donating to WFIT, I can buy much more and make every day special!

What about you?

Please help make every day special in the lives of WFIT’s kids by purchasing Mama-Kii™ tea and supporting the OEKSFC Birthday Project 2014 today!

Many thanks from me; Lindsey, Anne and Heidi of the OEKSFC; Kevin Sorbo; Mama-Kii; and most of all, WFIT.

Please see the following:

Mama-Kii website:  http://www.mama-kii.com/

Mama-Kii Shop Tea page:  http://www.mama-kii.com/collections/all

Mama-Kii on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/mamakiitea

Mama-Kii on Pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/mamakiitea/

OEKSFC Birthday Project 2014 on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/OEKSFC?fref=photo

OEKSFC Birthday Project 2014 webpage:  http://kevin-sorbo.blogspot.de/p/oeksfc-birthdayproject-2014.html

OEKSFC Birthday Book for well-wishing birthday messages to Kevin:  http://www.flf-book.de/Benutzer/OEKSFC.htm

Kevin Sorbo Official Website:  http://www.kevinsorbo.net/Kevin_Sorbo_Official_Website_-_Home.html

Kevin Sorbo on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/KevinSorbo

Kevin Sorbo on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/ksorbs

WFIT website:  http://www.worldfitforkids.org/

WFIT on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/aworldfitforkids

WFIT on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/WorldFitForKids

 (Birthday Project banner courtesy of OEKSFC; Mama-Kii website images courtesy of Mamaki of Hawaii; Kevin Sorbo image courtesy of Kevin Sorbo)

Kevin Sorbo doesn’t deserve the backlash

I am extremely tired of reading and hearing the hateful, vulgar, misinformed rants by individuals and media regarding Kevin Sorbo’s recent comment about the Ferguson riots on his Kevin Sorbo Official Facebook Page. People who don’t even know who he is use their bandwagon mentality to denigrate him for the sole purpose of receiving their five minutes of fame.

Well, haters, your time is over and your idiocy speaks more volumes about you than about him.

Let me tell you about the Kevin Sorbo I know so that you can put this in perspective. If you need to read more about him personally and professionally, I refer you to his IMDb page, his Official Website, the Official European Kevin Sorbo Fan Club website, Sorbos-Tribute, Sorbo Dreams and the plethora of websites and blogs dedicated to him. Additionally, his book, True Strength: My Journey from Hercules to Mere Mortal–and How Nearly Dying Saved My Life, provides information about his past and present, as well as inspires readers to overcome all obstacles.

This is the Kevin Sorbo I know – a man who inspires me.

Kevin unselfishly helps others in various ways. He supports numerous charities like the Starkey Hearing Foundation, The Rose Brucia Educational Foundation, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Stand Up to Cancer, Celebrity Fight Night Foundation and many more. He is the spokesperson for the Afterschool Alliance and spokesperson and former Board Chairperson for A World Fit For Kids!

Kevin remains very active in movies and television and oversees his own production company. He constantly travels the world, seeking new adventures while working on multitudinous projects.

Kevin enjoys appearing at Sci-Fi, Comic Con and other conventions because he loves interacting with his throngs of fans. And no matter what he is doing or where he is, he always takes time to say, “Hello,” or converse, shake hands, sign autographs, and have fans snap photos with him. He is never too busy for his fans!

Kevin has a wife and three young children. He’s a dedicated husband and father, and he and his wife, Sam, home school. He is rarely away from home for more than two weeks at a time despite his hectic schedule. His family is more important to him than anything.

This is the Kevin Sorbo I know – a man who lives life to the fullest.

I started this blog for fans to write about how Kevin has impacted their lives, share their artwork, meet each other no matter the different languages and cultures, and express their love for him. Stories ranged from something as simple as how a now-married couple met at a convention where Kevin was appearing to an uplifting tale of a woman who used an autographed picture he sent to her to overcome an illness and walk again.

I have my own stories, too, ones that concern Kevin professionally and personally.

He was my first “big celebrity” face-to-face interview in 1997 during his press junket for “Kull, the Conqueror,” when I was a young, inexperienced newspaper reporter. He was imposing and handsome, yet, kind and genuine.

We spoke years later when I covered his first Kevin Sorbo Celebrity Golf Tournament for a different publication. I wove that interview into many other articles elsewhere, and whenever I needed an updated quote, he obliged if time permitted.

When I experienced some personal hardships, he expressed hope, encouragement and faith that life would get better, and it did. I shared with him some not-so-great news and he prayed with me, which really helped me to overcome my fear.

This is the Kevin Sorbo I know – a man whose compassion has no boundaries.

Kevin Sorbo does NOT deserve the nasty, cruel, ridiculously inane backlash for a comment borne out of frustration. He loves his country and is a truly patriotic American. And as same, I understand his frustration at witnessing what can be minimally described as lawlessness… and I don’t mean the citizens of Ferguson reacting to the death of a young man… I mean the looters, thieves, antagonists, and even murderers who took advantage of a volatile situation for their own selfish gains.

So, Kevin spoke about it. So what? Didn’t we all? And if you believe that Kevin’s comment was racist and that he is a bigot then either you only saw what you wanted to believe or you jumped on the bandwagon with the other five-minutes-of-famers and used your pathetically minimal knowledge of the English language to insult him. Your parents must be very proud.

Kevin later deleted his post and issued a sincere apology, but, many of you still want your five minutes; I feel sorry for you. The internet is a vast, amazing knowledge source, yet many people choose to expand their mastery of disgusting words instead of their minds, and they have unfairly unleashed their dismal hobby on Kevin.

Kevin is decent, kind, compassionate, generous, intelligent, funny and interesting. He has flaws like the rest of us, but, that doesn’t make him a target – it makes him human.

That is the Kevin Sorbo I know.

Haters will hate; judgmental people will judge; deadbeats will sit in their glass houses and cast stones. The rest of us will continue with our lives and love the Kevin we know.

(Image courtesy of Kevin Sorbo)

June Kevin Sorbo calendars: We appreciate all you do for us and for Kevin!

Hi, guys, so sorry that I didn’t have time to make a calendar this month. But, please enjoy the following excellent artwork by Loli, Sanne and two from Mara!! Many thanks for sharing, ladies… we appreciate all you do for us and for Kevin! 

 

Kevin Sorbo in God’s Not Dead made me question his niceness

This awesome review of Kevin Sorbo‘s movie, “God’s Not Dead,” now in its 9th week in theaters according to the Kevin Sorbo Official Facebook Page, was written by a fan whose enthusiasm led her to dedicate Facebook and Twitter pages to it entitled, God’s Not Dead Movement and @GNDMovement. Many thanks, my dear friend, for your heartfelt words and efforts to spread the message about this inspirational production!

On opening day my family and I went to see “God’s Not Dead.” We went there not being sure of what to expect, and were we blown away!

First of all, the theater filled up faster than any other movie we had ever been to see before. The usher actually had to announce that we were not to put our belongings on the seats as it was expected to be a sold-out show (which it was, to my knowledge) and all seats were needed.

As we sat there waiting for the movie to start, we watched, as for the first time, other movie goers talking with one another, sharing stories of other movie experiences they’ve had, sharing smiles and laughs, and just enjoying themselves. We even had a delightful conversation with the lady and her daughter beside us.

Once the movie started all was silent, and it was then that I realized for the first time in my life (that) I was in a non-church setting with a room full of like-minded and -hearted people who loved God, too. My heart felt overwhelmed. I even glanced toward the ceiling and smiled and silently whispered, “This is all for Your glory, Lord.”

As the movie began to unfold you could hear all of us in the audience verbally responding to the movie. During scenes of shock, you’d hear gasping, and during scenes of excitement, you could hear loud cheering and clapping. There were even moments when the audience was reciting known Christian verses out loud with the characters – that nearly brought tears to my eyes. It was probably the first time at a movie that my eyes didn’t leave the screen for a moment; I was actually part of the movie.

When the movie came to an end, as most movie-goers will nearly stampede to leave, people actually stayed in their seats and continued with the conversations they began before the movie, and it was late by then. Some started conversations about the movie and how they felt. Others said how nice the conversation and movie was and wished the person next to them God’s blessings (you could hear many saying, “Have a wonderful night and God bless!”).

All the way home my family and I talked about the movie and how much it had changed us, even though we were already lifelong Christians. I personally felt moved beyond what I thought possible by the movie. The actors did a fantastic job and were very believable in their roles. Kevin Sorbo most of all did an outstanding job to the point that I actually had to Google him to find out if he really was an atheist or not. I had seen him in “Hercules” and in “Abel’s Field” and always thought he must be a super-nice guy in real life because you can see it in his acting, but, his role in “God’s Not Dead” made me question whether or not his niceness in the other roles really was “just good acting” or not.

Also, I absolutely loved Paul Kwo and Hadeel Sittu’s roles in the film. To have characters who have such strict fathers like that and still stand up for their new-found beliefs – the moment at the end of the movie when Paul Kwo said what he said to Shane Harper, I couldn’t help but clap and cheer out loud! It was the best movie experience I personally have ever had.

All the actors and actresses gave epic performances, and to know that for all of them (I assume) it really wasn’t acting at all, that they all really love God, makes the movie that much better. In fact, just a couple days after seeing the movie I felt God’s presence STRONGLY directing me to create a Facebook page in honor of Him and His movie. So, as God guided my fingers across the keys, I was His instrument in creating the Facebook page, God’s Not Dead Movement and on Twitter, too (https://twitter.com/GNDMovement).

When God asks you to do something one must not say “no.” Also, after having talked about it, my family and I are firmly planning to see “God’s Not Dead” again in the coming weekends. We were moved and inspired and STILL feel the power of the movie. We also decided to buy one of the “God’s Not Dead” baseball caps, as the t-shirts were sold out, in order to further promote the movie as well as the soundtrack.

We truly hope that this will be a movie that will live through the ages, and (that) generations from now will know this movie and share it with their families.

I thank all those who have taken the time to read this review, and I wish each and every one of you God’s very best blessings for all time!

(Images courtesy of “God’s Not Dead” Movie)

Enjoy May’s Kevin Sorbo calendars… Happy Sorbo Spring!

Happy May, everyone! Here in the eastern US we celebrate cold winter’s end and spring’s new beginnings. Celebrate May with these awesome calendars by Loli, Sanne, Mara, and me (although mine still looks like an office desk blotter or something…). Thank you, my wonderful friends!

 

If you only see one film this year, God’s Not Dead is it!

I have to date seen Kevin Sorbo’s faith-based runaway cinematic blockbuster, “God’s Not Dead,” three times, including its premier on Friday, March 21. This captivating film absorbed my attention like few others, not simply due to Sorbo’s presence, although, to be honest, I probably wouldn’t have watched it otherwise, but also because of its tight script, excellent performances, great message for believers and non-believers and intelligent discourse.

Sorbo’s portrayal of the antagonist Professor Jeffrey Radisson, an atheist philosophy college instructor at Hadleigh University, was absolutely stellar and Oscar-worthy, particularly juxtaposed against Shane Harper’s protagonist Josh Wheaton, the naïve Christian college freshman who dares to question Radisson in front of his class in a proverbial David and Goliath showdown. Wheaton versus Radisson was the perfect “lamb led to slaughter” metaphor, yet, it was so much more.

Allow me to elaborate: The confident Radisson enters his class’s first day, stating that he wishes to “bypass senseless debate altogether and jump to the conclusion that every sophomore‘s already aware of: There is no God.” He requires that his students complete the papers he allotted with “three little words, ‘God is dead.’” Wheaton refuses, maintaining that he is a Christian. Radisson challenges him to three, 20-minute classroom debates during which he must prove God’s existence based on the class’s consensus or fail 30% of his grade.  Wheaton accepts the task to the dismay of his girlfriend Kara (Cassidy Gifford) and his parents, and stealthily progresses citing science, theology and philosophy thanks to great advice from the college’s Pastor Dave (David A.R. White) who says, “Don’t try to be clever – be content to tell the truth.”

While Wheaton wrestles with his dilemma, several subplots unfold like a finely-woven tapestry. We see Martin Yip (Paul Kwo), a young Chinese classmate of Wheaton’s who telephones his father in China to discuss what he witnesses and thinks about God; Amy (Trisha LaFache), a liberal blogger who tries to catch popular “Duck Dynasty” television stars Willie and Korie Robertson unawares during an impromptu interview about their program and faith and later learns that she has cancer; Ayisha (Hadeel Sittu), a Muslim student whose father disowns her after discovering her conversion to Christianity; Radisson’s Christian girlfriend Mina (Cory Oliver) who struggles with their differences as well as her mother’s Alzheimer’s Disease and materialistic, successful brother Mark (Dean Cain), who disavows them and his girlfriend Amy; and discouraged Pastor Dave and upbeat Pastor Jude (Benjamin Ochieng) trying desperately despite car malfunctions to visit Florida’s Disney World. These culminate in an excellent concert appearance by the famed Christian rock group, The Newsboys.

Confused? You won’t be after seeing this amazing film shot in Baton Rouge, LA, that has audiences buzzing and box offices booming.

“God’s Not Dead,” written by Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon and directed by Harold Cronk, opened in only 780 theaters nationwide and garnered a per screen average of nearly $12,000.00, ranking fourth of all movies released the weekend ending Sunday, March 23, according to its production company, Pure Flix Entertainment. This made the controversial 113-minute flick that poses the question: “How far would you go…to defend your belief in God?” an all-time high for wide-release Christian films per screen average. The incredible reception prompted Pure Flix and Freestyle Releasing, the company that oversees the “God’s Not Dead” distribution, to increase the number of theatrical showings to over 1,800 as of this writing, and begin international distribution.

Is it really that good?

Yes!

Sorbo surpasses his Grace Award-winning performance as Ben Walker in Jenkins Entertainments’ faith-based movie, “What If…,” by achieving the complete antithesis of his personal Christian core. He smirks, chides, condescends, attacks and arrogantly defends his atheism. Radisson is a smug college professor poised to Chair the Philosophy Department, and Sorbo not only perfectly nails the role, but goes beyond what some perceive as “the evil atheist stereotype” by making him human.

Following Radisson’s initial classroom confrontation with Wheaton, he realizes that the devout freshman is a threat and stops him after class. He menacingly declares that, “In that classroom there is a God and I’m Him.” Then he promises to ruin Wheaton’s future if he continues with the challenge. Sorbo is so convincing that I thought to myself, “Man, I’d hate to be on the wrong end of his anger!”

Wheaton seemingly wins the first discussion via colorful multi-media presentations and rhetoric, but Radisson crushes him handily. Wheaton is dumfounded.

The challenge progresses as Wheaton’s confidence increases when he successfully counters his professor’s previous points. He matures from boy to man, and Radisson begins to flounder. Subsequent to this second debate, Wheaton privately implores, “What happened to you?” whereupon Radisson outlines his past. Sorbo doesn’t miss a beat verbally, emotionally or physically with his response, and his sensitive portrayal of a man who abandoned his faith is evident when he quotes scripture, immediately instilling pathos for his well-researched character.

The third encounter is not unexpectedly the best. Radisson, having just faced another negative life-changing moment, manifests his anger toward Wheaton, and, in a wonderful scene that I consider to be Sorbo’s acting pinnacle so far, looms behind Wheaton in the elevator on the way to class and ominously hisses like Eden’s snake that he has changed the setting, presumably in his favor. Wheaton, pale and shaken, doesn’t acquiesce. Instead, he fights back harder and finally demands of Radisson, “How can you hate someone if they don’t exist?”

I expected Sorbo’s passionate reply to be the film’s denouement, but, surprisingly, it was not… Suffice to say that I was saddened by certain outcomes, but, gladdened that there was so much more, including the subplots’ conclusions and the final, glorious message of “God’s Not Dead.”

A few points: I wish Sorbo’s character had been further developed with the focus directed more on Radisson and his past than the many subplots; I understand the blogger character with cancer because the subject is one with which people identify, especially coming to God at that time, but her relevance to the story seemed forced; Radisson’s girlfriend Mina seemed out of place and stiff, almost like she was an afterthought; some of the most heart-wrenching scenes, perhaps because I experienced this personally, were with the Alzheimer’s mother that brought me to tears within the film’s first 15 minutes.

“God’s Not Dead” is an excellent Christian movie for the whole family and all of your friends. If you only see one film this year, “God’s Not Dead” is it!

(Images courtesy of “God’s Not Dead” movie)

God’s Not Dead: A Box Office Winner!

This fabulous review is from our dear friend Rhonda in GA. Much appreciated, Rhonda!!!

I recently had the pleasure of watching Kevin Sorbo‘s new movie, ”God’s Not Dead,” and can only say that it is a movie that everyone should and needs to see! This was the first time I had been in a movie theater in many years and I was not disappointed.

Although there are four stories interwoven in the film, the main one involves a college freshman (played by Shane Harper) who is challenged by his atheist professor (played brilliantly by Kevin Sorbo) to prove to his philosophy class that God exists or get a failing grade. Josh (Harper) accepts the challenge, knowing full well that a failing grade will all but end his chances of getting into law school.

Aside from his professor, (Josh) also faces opposition from his girlfriend and his parents, but, he is undeterred in his mission because he believes it is something God wants him to do. In a series of three debates, he presents his case.

Sorbo’s Christianity has long been common knowledge, so it was awesome to see him play such a challenging role: that of someone whose beliefs are totally opposite his own. He did an excellent job in the role, and the voice inflections throughout the debates reflected the professor’s dogmatic insistence that he was right and everyone else was wrong.

The other stories involved a Muslim girl hiding her Christian faith from her strict father, a blogger and her corporate exec boyfriend, who break up over the news that she has cancer. The exec and his sister, who just happens to be dating the atheist professor, must also deal with their Alzheimer’s-stricken mother. All of these stories come together against the backdrop of a concert headed up by Christian group, The Newsboys.

I’ve discussed this movie with family and several friends on Facebook and we all agree: the ending was totally unexpected!

I strongly urge you to see this movie with your friends and family – it will make you think about your beliefs. It is a must see and a sure-fire box office winner!

(Images courtesy of “God’s Not Dead” movie)