Isaiah 55:8-11 (NIV)

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways My ways,”
declares the LORD.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are My ways higher than your ways
and My thoughts than your thoughts.

As the rain and the SNOW
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

so is My word that goes out from My mouth:
It will not return to Me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Find unique ways to encourage others in my book and audio set “Paper Towel Encouragements”. You can find it at http://www.lois-graham.com/PTencouraging.html. Get on a roll, encourage others, and help soak up hurts!

]]> http://lois-graham.com/godteachesuswithsnow/feed/ 2 http://lois-graham.com/a-year-that-counts/ http://lois-graham.com/a-year-that-counts/#comments Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:17:47 +0000 Lois http://lois-graham.com/?p=793

Make this year count!

“If we are not intentionally turning hearts toward God, then we are just nice people pointing in the wrong direction.” – Paul A. Lewis

Do you want to have a bountiful year?

You can have a year that is overflowing with God’s love and blessings.

Seek God

Make time for prayer and Bible reading. Jesus knew this is important! He took time away from the crowds of people to be refreshed and renewed. We need to make time to be renewed in our fellowship with God. Life is busy. This shouldn’t be an excuse for not seeking God in our lives.

Serve God

You can serve God. Each person who is a child of God has physical and spiritual gifts. God wants you to use them for His honor and glory. Look around you. Are you just being a nice person or are you being an example of Christ by serving God? The disciples were not just nice people. They served God. Many times at the risk of their own lives. We do not not face many of the dangers they faced. This should be an inspiration for us to bring others to the Lord.

Are you ready for a big dose of inspiration, encouragement, and practical help? Do you want to be refreshed, revived, renewed, and rejuvenated?

Join me at the Ultimate Women’s Expo! I will be speaking on the topic of “Have a Bountiful Year”. This will be a time of refreshment and enjoyment! There is no deadline for joining in on this fun time of learning refreshment and bonus freebies.

Join me here:

http://www.lois-graham.com/ayearthatcounts.html

Cindy Rushton is donating a FREE ticket to the expo!!!!!!

Visit my Facebook Fan Page and look under the notes for details on how to win this ticket . The deadline for the drawing is Thursday, February 11′th at 11 PM EST.

From head to toe God equipped you to encourage others.

God gave you eyes.

Use your eyes to look for those who are discouraged, lonely, or hurting.

God gave you a mouth.

Lift others up with your words. Use reassuring and positive words to help others. Share scripture verses that can encourage and uplift them.

The sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel. Proverbs 27:9 (NKJV)

God gave you shoulders.

Offer a shoulder to cry on. Sometimes no words are needed to bring others comfort.

A man who has friends must himself be friendly. Proverbs 18:24 (NKJV)

God gave you arms.

Your arms can give a reassuring and comforting hug. Let others know you care by being there for them.

God gave you hands.

Use your hands to reach out and do things for others. New mothers, single moms, and missionaries are just a few people who would be encouraged by a little help.

This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. John 15:12 (NKJV)

God gave you feet.

Your feet can be used to take you to visit others. Shut-ins, sick, lonely, and many others would be lifted up by a visit and a smiling face.

Encourage others today!

We live our lives in an imaginary circle.

Inside the circle is our comfort zone. It is a place of security and what we are familiar with. Outside the circle are new and unfamiliar experiences.

Why should we go outside our circle? Is it really necessary?

Yes! There are new things to learn and places to go. People that God wants you to meet and opportunities to share how God has helped you.

Inside of our circle there are many things that we can do for God. If we stay inside our circle, we get comfortable and complacent.  We need to continually be stretching and reaching out of our circle.

Jesus gave the disciples and us a great command in Matthew 28:19-20 (KJV).

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

God wants us to be an example with our life, share His Good news, and encourage others.

We must venture out of our circle and bless others. The disciples probably did many things that were not inside their circle. Think about the differences you would have going from being a fishermen to ministering to a crowd of thousands.

God has us leave our little circle in subtle ways and more dramatic ways. We are not alone.

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. – Matthew 28:20 (KJV)

God does not leave us alone. When we leave the comfort of our circle, God is there to comfort us. He will help us to do what is hard. We are not alone as we go through new learning experiences. God will help and bless us as we leave our circle to help and bless others.

Get Out Of Your Circle Today!

What is a friend?

The Bible says  “There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” in Proverbs 18:24 (KJV)

God is your friend. You can go to Him at anytime for anything. He will never leave or forsake you.

Earthly friends may get busy with what is going on in their lives or desert you. God will never do that. If you have accepted His free, no strings attached gift of salvation you are His child. You will be His child forever. There is not anything that can separate His love and care. God cares about YOU! He would have died for you, even if you were the only person to give salvation too. There is no better friend than God.

Are lonely or overwhelmed?

God is their to wrap you in His loving arms. He will listen as you pour your heart out to Him. His ears never grow weary. We have His utmost and undivided attention. It is hard for our humans minds to comprehend how He can be there for so many people and still be one on one with us. That is what makes God magnificent. He is above all our comprehension, yet He is able to minister directly to us. No strings attached. His friendship is not based on what He gets in return. Although, we should honor and serve Him out of a heart of love for our Him.

God’s love is without limits.

He did not send His son Jesus to minister to only to the important, rich, and those of high status. God sent His son to the lowly, weak, and sinful.

A five year old’s response to what a friend is that they play with you and are kind. An adults response is that they encourage and listen to you. All of these are attributes of a friend. The season of life may be different, but the common need for a friend is the same. No matter what season of life you are in, God is your friend.

]]> http://lois-graham.com/is-god-your-friend/feed/ 4 http://lois-graham.com/face-discouragement/ http://lois-graham.com/face-discouragement/#comments Tue, 05 Jan 2010 14:12:02 +0000 Lois http://lois-graham.com/?p=803

Face Discouragement

We all face discouraging times, but we are not alone. God is there with us and will help us.

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Make Christmas meaningful!

Instead of making a paper chain to count down the days until Christmas, make your chain meaningful. Make a simple Christmas prayer chain craft. Christmas is about Christ.

Philippians 1:18-19 – Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. (NIV)

Supplies:

Strips of paper

Tape or glue

Directions:

Give each person a strip of paper. Have them write or draw something that they can pray about. Continue adding request to each strip of paper until they are all used. Then glue or tape the strips together.

If you want to make the prayer chain more thought provoking use each letter of Christmas. Example: C – Courage to stand and speak up for Jesus, H – Healing for those that have been abused, R – Rest in the Lord for those who are overwhelmed, I – Important decisions that need to be made, S – Salvation of others, T – Thank God for His Provisions, M- Missions, A – Any needs that your church has, S – Servant’s heart

To Use:

On Christmas or whenever you choose, use your prayer chain. Have each person take a link off and pray for that request.

Make prayer a part of your Christmas!

C – Christ Jesus

H – Heaven

R – Rejoice

I – Inn

S – Son of God

T – Tidings

M – Miracle

A – Angels

S- Salvation

What is Christmas?

C – Christ Jesus

Christ Jesus the son of God came from heaven to be born as a child.

Matthew 1:18 – This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. (NIV)

H – Heaven

Heaven is a beautiful, wonderful place. Jesus left the majesty of His heavenly home.

1 Chronicles 16:27 – Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy in his dwelling place. (NIV)

R -Rejoice

We can rejoice that Jesus was willing to come to this sinful earth, endure hardships, and face trails for us.

Phillippians 3:3 – Rejoice in Christ Jesus. (KJV)

I – Inn

It was in God’s plan that Mary and Joseph would find no room at the inn. They would have to stay with the animals.

Luke 2:7 – There was no room for them in the inn. (KJV)

S – Son of God

Jesus, the Son of God was made man. He humbled himself to be born and laid in a manger. Jesus, the King of Kings, was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a feeding trough.

Luke 2:12 – And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. (KJV)

T – Tidings

The night that Jesus was born, was filled with good tidings of great joy. Can you imagine the excitement that Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds must have felt?

Luke 2:10 – And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings  of great joy, which shall be to all people. (KJV)

M – Miracle

A miracle happened that night. It is the reason that we celebrate Christmas. Baby Jesus was born!

Luke 2:11 – For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (KJV)

A – Angels

The angels had an important job! Pretend that you are a shepherd. You are sitting in a field. The sheep are munching quietly on grass near you. Then suddenly the quiet of the night is broken. In the sky an angel appears proclaiming the birth of Jesus. How would you feel? Would you be in awe? This baby Jesus that was born is a special baby. He is the giver of salvation.

Luke 2:9,13 – And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God. (KJV)

S – Salvation

Salvation is free gift. Without Jesus salvation would not be possible. Jesus came to earth as a baby, lived a sinless life, died on the cross, and rose again!

Matthew 1:21 – And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. (KJV)

Acts 4:12 – Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (KJV)

Christmas is: Christ Jesus

]]> http://lois-graham.com/what-is-christmas/feed/ 0 http://lois-graham.com/dont-get-distracted/ http://lois-graham.com/dont-get-distracted/#comments Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:16:43 +0000 Lois http://lois-graham.com/?p=801

Stay focused!

Don’t get distracted by the hustle and bustle of the world. Keep your eyes on God who will help you through each and every day.

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Can you imagine being Mary the mother of Jesus? What an indescribable gift and responsibility she was given.

Imagine with me. Mary is going about her day when an angel appears. The angel Gabriel, said to Mary that she was highly favoured and blessed (Luke 1:30). This is an amazing and jaw dropping moment! What would you think or do? It’s not everyday that you receive a compliment from an angel. The angel calmed Mary’s fears. He said “fear not Mary” and repeated that she had found favour with God.

To be told that you are favoured by God would be exciting! What a privilege it would be to have God say he has found favour in you. We should strive to have an attitude and be a person that God can be proud of. We are to have a God pleasing attitude, even when your boss has unreasonable expectations, your children are making a mess, or you have a final/deadline that is stressing you out. We are to build God’s name up and not tear it down with our words and actions.

The angel, Gabriel, goes on to tell Mary an important message from God in Luke 1:3o. “And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.” Think about the questions that must have been going through Mary’s mind.

When circumstances come into our life that we don’t understand, it is easy to question God. We do not need to understand all of the “whys” in life. God has a purpose. The angel Gabriel told Mary in Luke 1:37 “For with God nothing is impossible”. God is in control and has a plan for our lives. Trust God! He knows and will do what is best for us.

Mary rejoiced! In Luke 1:46-47, Mary says ” My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.” Mary could have chose to see this news as a tragedy. She choose to trust trust in God to care for her. The hard times came for Mary, but she stayed strong.

Can you imagine being ready to deliver a baby and have to take the trip that Mary did? When Ceasar Augustus decreed that the world should be taxed, Mary went with Joseph to Bethlehem. The trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem was not as simple as it would be today. Imagine expecting a child and walking or riding an animal this great distance. It must have been uncomfortable and tiring.

Our lives have become accustomed to a life of ease. If we go on a trip, we have the pleasure of riding in a comfortable vehicle and stopping at a restaurant to eat. This was not an option for Mary. She endured and kept going. We can find many things to complain about. Is life really that bad? Who or what does our complaining benefit?  Remember Mary when you are standing in line or sitting in traffic and feel like complaining.

That is not the end of the story. Mary and Joseph arrive in Bethlehem. When they arrived the inn was full. How discouraging! They made the long trip and were probably weary and tired. The only place to stay was with the animals.

Where would you pick to sleep? A barn or an inn? The inn would be more comfortable and pleasant. Often, God takes us out of our comfort zone. God wants us to to grow and rely on him. Luke 2 :7 tells us that Mary “brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn”.

Mary could look back and see how God had used her. We read in Luke 2:19 “Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart”. Mary had special memories to look back at. Let what you do today be a good memory for tomorrow.

Have an attitude and be a person that God can look at with favour. Trust God and rejoice in all circumstances. Don’t complain or get discouraged. Go out of your comfort zone following God’s will. God has a plan for your life. Learn and grow through the circumstances that come your way!

Making a blessing tree gives you the opportunity to share blessings. Make an impression on children and influence them to be a blessing to others.

Count Your Blessings Craft and Activity

Supplies:

Construction paper, a marker, and finger paints.

Directions:

1. Draw a simple tree outline on construction paper.
2. Let children paint leaves on the tree with finger paints.
3. As the paint is drying, have the children tell you things that have and things they enjoy and like doing.
4. Explain that all we have is from God. God blesses us. The things that we have and do are blessings. Psalm 100:4 – “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.”
5. Write or have them write on their picture the blessings that they have. Remind them about all the things that they said they have and enjoyed doing.
6. Have children think of ways that they can be a blessing to others.

Thanksgiving is not the only day of the year that we should count our blessings. Everyday of the year we should count our blessing and praise God.

Count your blessings Today!

We have many things that we can praise God for. All that we have is from God. He is the giver of everything. Even during troubles, trails, and discouragements there is always something that we can praise God for.

In life there are many obstacles that can easily discourage us. We can look to God for help and give him praise for what we have. Giving praise to God will help us to focus on what is good rather than what is trying to discourage us.

God wants us to praise him continually. Have a spirit of thanksgiving. Let this verse be a guide to you.

Psalms 34:1 says “I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” (KJV)

How can you praise God?

Through Song

Praise can be made by singing,  playing, or listening to music that uplifts the name of the Lord and turns your focus to the attributes and greatness of God.

James 5:13 “Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.” (KJV)

Psalm 7:17 “I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.” (KJV)

Reading Psalms

The book of Psalms in the Bible is an excellent way to read writings of praise. As you read let your heart rejoice. Pick a verse of praise and blessing to share with someone today.

Psalm 34:3 “O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.” (KJV)

By Praying

Pray for others. Thank God for the ways he has helped and provided for you. Ask God for opportunities and ways to help and uplift others. The apostle Paul was an encourager and knew the value of prayer and praise. He wrote Ephesians 1:16 to the saints at Ephesus.

Ephesians 1:16 “Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers.” (KJV)

Encourage Others

Share verses of blessing or words of how God has blessed with others. Encourage them to look at the blessings God has so richly given.

2 Samuel 22:50 “Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name.” (KJV)

Isaiah 63:7 “I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses.” (KJV)

Listen to:

Ways To Praise God

http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/audioPop.jsp?episodeId=296082&cmd=apop

Praise God!

There are many ways to praise God. He blesses and helps. We should continually be praising His name.

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Life goes by quickly! There always seems to be something that needs to be done or somewhere to go. We must rush from one thing to another. During the holidays life gets even busier. Prepare now for the the Thanksgiving and Christmas season ahead.

How and what do you need to prepare?

Prepare your heart

In busy times stress comes. Family gatherings can bring disagreements. By preparing your heart, you can ease this tension.

Have a daily, alone time with the Lord in prayer and Bible reading. Keep this time precious. It is what will help carry you through the stressful moments. Be determined, that no matter how much you have to do during the day that you will make time to be with the Lord. In Isaiah 41:13 (KJV) it says “For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.” When you begin to feel stress, go to the Lord for strength.

Stay focused

Remember why you are celebrating the holiday season. Keep your focus on God’s blessings and the gift of his son Jesus. Use Matthew 6:19-21 (KJV) to help you stay focused. “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

Prepare a schedule and plan

Make time to sit and plan out your activities and what you will need. You will have last minute things come up, but this will help you to visualize and prepare. Planning keeps you productive rather than busy.

Make a list of what events you know will be happening. Choose what will  benefit your family and pass on activities that will make the season stressful. Put important events on the calendar.

Plan out what you need and what you have to do. Examples: Make list for gifts to buy or make, food to buy and prepare, cards to purchase and send, or what you need to take to events.

God gave people in the Bible plans, so that they could accomplish the task he had for them. You are not building an ark or a tabernacle, but planning is essential to staying focused.

Prepare

Start buying and preparing food. Getting a head start will avoid pressure and help avoid last minute runs to the store. Making mixes, freezing dinners and baked goods, and buying food as you go help you to be a good steward of the time and money God has given you.

Save money. Put aside money each week to offset the extra expenses that will come up. Avoid going into debt.

Make gifts. Homemade gifts can be filled with loved and personalized to each person. Try these Home Made Holiday Gift Ideas.

Buy gifts on sale. Do not impulse buy. Make prayerful descisions. Colossians 4:2 (KJV) says “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving”

Plan and prepare to make this holiday season memorable and special.

Have you heard “I’m bored” or want something fun for your children to do? Fall can be a time of learning while you “bust the boredoms”.

Start by sending your children outside or go to a park and gather leaves. Look for leaves of all shapes, colors, and sizes. See who can find the biggest, smallest, or most unusual leaf.

Make a movie- Plan your character, setting,  problem, plot, and solution. Use a video camera to tape the adventures you encounter as you search for the perfect leaf.

After the leaves are gathered, you can dry them or use them as they are.

Tracing and imprinting- Tape a leaf to a piece of paper and let younger children trace around it. Put the leaf under the paper. Use the side of a crayon to roll over the leaf, making an impression.

Story or comic strip- Decide who your characters will be. Choose leaves for the characters in your story. Take a big sheet of paper.  Glue or tape leaves to the paper. Draw arms, legs, and a head onto the paper, connecting it to the leaf. Add your story and share with others.

Notebooking- Make a notebook with the different leaves that you found. Label the parts of each leaf and what type of leaf it is.

Bible pumpkin painting- Paint your favorite Bible character or Bible story on a pumpkin. This is a picture of King David. The picture at the beginning is of Jesus wearing a crown. We used acrylic paint on the pumpkin. Use your pumpkin to tell others your favorite Bible story.

Have fun as a family and bust the “boredom’s”.

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]]> http://lois-graham.com/gods-blessings/feed/ 0 http://lois-graham.com/the-joy-of-the-lord/ http://lois-graham.com/the-joy-of-the-lord/#comments Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:32:50 +0000 Lois http://lois-graham.com/?p=593

I woke up this morning with the song “The Joy Of The Lord Is My Strength” in my head.

The joy of the Lord is my strength,

The joy of the Lord is my strength,

The joy of the Lord is my strength,

O, the joy of the Lord is my strength.

Having this song in my head was a wonderful way to stay positive during the day. It gives you a reason to smile. We are not alone on our journey through life. The Lord is an all powerful help in time of need.

This song comes from Nehemiah 8:10 “For the Joy of the Lord is your strength”.

Be excited and find joy in what the Lord has done and will do for you. He is the giver of all things. We can go to him and be strengthened. Cast your cares and disappointments on him.

Smile! God loves you! Find strength in the joy of the Lord today.

Use fall nature objects to paint a masterpiece. This multi- sensory activity helps people of all ages to use their imagination and creativity. Younger children have fun and learn through the painting experience. Older children and adults can put thoughtfulness and detail into their designs.

Fall nature items can include:

Gourds, Potatoes, leaves, pine cones, gumballs, nuts, sticks, grasses, and weeds. There are many more. Go on a scavenger hunt and you will discover many interesting objects that God has made.

A fun advantage to using nature is that your painting will look different each time you paint something. You do not need to paint in straight lines. Try different directions and techniques.

1. Choose what nature objects you want to use.
2. Put down a plastic tablecloth or a sheet of plastic for EASY cleanup. Keep this for simple cleanup of craft projects.
3. Gather a variety of paint colors, dishes with paint to roll your objects in, paper plates to set your painted nature objects on, and a cloth for quick wipe-ups.
4. Roll or thoroughly coat the item you are using  in the desired color of paint.
5. Have fun! Drag, roll, dab, spin, twist, flop, and swish. Try ideas that pop into your imagination. Use a new color and mix the designs together.
6. Watch this video for more ideas and techniques.

Make your paintings into fall or thanksgiving cards. Give them to older people, shut ins, out of town relatives, or anyone who could use a smile.

Have fun painting and teaching your children how God has made each detail of nature!

Candy Corn

In the fall of the year this is a popular treat. What does candy corn have to do with the blessings of God? Each letter of candy corn has an important meaning.

Count

All your blessing!

Never

Doubt

Year-round that

Christ Jesus

Offers

Rest in His

Never ending love.

C– Count

Count your blessings! The Hymn “Count Your Blessings” says “Count your many blessings-name them one by one; Count your many blessings– see what God hath done.” We should count our blessings. Luke 11:28 KJV says “Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.”

A– All your blessings

Count all your blessings. We have an abundance of blessings in our lives. Each day we receive  new blessings. Some blessings are small and often overlooked. Some of life’s blessings we have not asked for. Others are request that we have continually prayed about.  Sometimes it takes years of praying to see the blessings God has for us. Thank God for the blessing that he so richly gives us. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly place in Christ.” – Ephesians 1:3 KJV

N– Never

The definition of never in the Webster’s Dictionary is: Not; not ever; at no time; in no degree; absolutely not.

D– Doubt

Never doubt that God loves and helps you. Remembering blessings encourage us to not doubt God’s love for us. Keeping past blessings in our mind will help keep us strong during the hard times. How do we remember the bountiful blessings god has given? The Bible tells in Jeremiah 31:21 NIV “Set up signpost, Make landmarks.” There are many options. Here are a few:

• Pray

Pray and thank God for the big and small ways he has blessed you. 1 Timothy 2:8 says “ I will that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.”

• Journal

Keep a journal of your blessings and answers to prayer. Journaling your blessings will keep them fresh in your mind. It is an excellent way to review what blessings happen during each day. You can then look over them and thank God for his blessings. Write your blessings down each day. Some days it may be hard to see the rainbow of blessings through the clouds. We are blessed in some way, each day.

• Time line

Another option is to make a time line. It does not have to be complex and time-consuming. Fill it with blessings from each month.  You will be able to look back at it later and see how God works your circumstances into his plan. When you see the blessings God has given you it encourages you in times of trouble.

• Verses of blessing

Write down verses of blessing. Keep them where you see them often. Repeat them out loud throughout the day.

Seeing the blessings God has blessed us with and thanking him for them, will help keep us from doubting that God helps us.

Y– Year-around

365 days a year, 24 hours a day,  God’s love and help is never-ending.

C– Christ Jesus

Christ Jesus is our almighty Savior and friend. In Isaiah 9:6 KJV it tells us the other names of Christ Jesus. “His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” These are all powerful names for an all powerful God.

O– Offers

God offers us his love and blessings. Accept this gift and thank God for it. “Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted his people.” – Isaiah 52:9 KJV

R– Rest

Find rest, comfort, and peace in God’s love and blessings. We find in Psalm 29:11 KJV “The Lord will give you strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.”

N- Never ending love

God’s love is never ending. It has always been and will always be. He will continue to love us and bless us if we live for him.

When you see candy corn, count your blessings, praise God for them, remember how he has blessed you, and find rest in in his everlasting love.

Listen to more details of this article as an audio.

http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/66618

The fall of the year is here. This is the time of year that the leaves change beautiful colors and cooler, crisp weather begins to creep in. Fall is a wonderful time of year to enjoy the outdoors. You can look around at the magnificent creation God has made. Watching the change in seasons opens our eyes to the wonders that God has given to us. He has designed and planned each tiny, intricate, and magnificent detail.

Fall is the time of year that I enjoy grabbing a warm drink and having fun as a family. Make time this fall to enjoy the beautiful, God-made outdoors with your family.

1. Go for a walk, hike, or bike ride. Don’t rush! Take your time. Take a tree identification book with you. See how many different trees you can find. Younger children can count the colors of leaves they see.

2. Make a scarecrow. Have fun using your imaginations together. Make old, young, silly, or even a family of scarecrows.

What you will need:

Old clothes. Any size clothing will work.

Hay, crumbled newspaper, rags, pine straw, or other stuffing material.

Pillowcase and marker

Rope and large safety pins

Optional decorations – Hat, bandannas, gloves, shoes, or other decorations to dress up your scarecrow.

Assembly:

Tie the openings in the clothing closed with rope. Leave an opening on the top of each piece of clothing for stuffing.

Stuff the clothing until it is full.

Safety pin the top and bottom of the scarecrow together.

Fill the pillowcase to the desired head size. Use a marker to draw a face. Then pin the pillowcase onto the top of the scarecrow.

Attach any extras that you want your scarecrow to wear.

Use this opportunity to work together as a family. Discuss ideas and be respectful. Build each other up with your words.

4. Visit a pumpkin field or apple orchard.

Learn how they grow and about the different varieties. Younger children can learn to put the pumpkins or apples in order from smallest to largest. They can also learn what things are heavy and light.

5. Jump in a pile of leaves.

Jump and roll in a pile of leaves. Be silly! Let your children see you having fun.

6. Rake leaves for a shut in or elderly person.

This is an excellent way to help others and learn respect. Teach your children that doing things for others is hard work, but that it can be fun and rewarding.

7. Take a drive.

Go for a scenic drive (without electronic activities). Look for things that God has made. Find things that you do not see in the others seasons. Talk about how awesome and powerful God is to make nature.

Have fun this fall! Leave a comment and share what you did to enjoy God’s beautiful creation with your family.

Spending time with the Lord in sweet fellowship is priceless.

Does life seems overwhelming, have you lost your direction and joy, or do you just want to be wrapped in the blessings of the Lord? Make time to sit, talk to the Lord, and listen to his words of wisdom. Hosea 10:12 says “For it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you”. KJV

I love being renewed and strengthened through time with the Lord. For me, finding a cozy place with a warm drink helps me block out the distractions of the world. “I long for Your precepts; Revive me in Your righteousness”. – Psalm 119:40 NKJV

This time of renewal should not be a replacement to your daily devotions. It is a special time to call out to the Lord and seek his guidance for your life. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to receive a special blessing from the Lord.

To experience this sweet fellowship with the Lord:

Plan

Set aside a time that you will be free from distractions. Many times while Jesus was on earth he would find a quiet place. A place he could get away from the many distractions and talk to his Heavenly Father.

Open your heart

Be attentive, willing to listen and have an obedient heart. “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks him.” – Lamentations 3:25 NKJV

Pray

Thank God for the blessings he has given you.

Ask God for wisdom and guidance. Seek out the plans that he has for your life. In Jeremiah 29:12 it reminds us that God listens to us,  “Then you will call upon Me and go pray to Me, and I will listen to you”. NKJV

Tell the Lord all that is on your heart.

Read

Dig into God’s word. “For it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.” – Hosea 10:12 Listen to his voice of wisdom that is found in the Bible. Let the Bible encourage, comfort, and inspire you to do God’s will.

Block out the hustle and bustle of the world. Enjoy one on one time with the Lord. It will refresh your soul and nourish your mind. Make time to enjoy sweet fellowship with the Lord.

You can defeat discouragement! Everyone faces discouragement at some point in their life. The Bible tells us Nehemiah faced opposition and could have easily become discouraged. Not doing anything or giving up was an option for Nehemiah. He choose to go to the Lord God for guidance as he faced opposition.

Are you discouraged?

Nehemiah 1:4 tells us that when Nehemiah heard the news that the wall of Jerusalem was broken and the gates burned, that he prayed. He was distraught. In sorrow he prayed to the Lord, asking him to be attentive to his prayer.

Nehemiah was the king’s cupbearer. The king could see that Nehemiah had a sorrowful heart, when he brought his drink. Our burdens and sorrows may not be visible to others, but they are real. The burden you carry is always visible to the Lord. The Lord knew the burden that Nehemiah carried was great. Nehemiah was not alone. The Lord had a plan and was using Nehemiah for a greater purpose. Often, we cannot see beyond the here and now. The future looks dreary. The Lord can see the whole picture, not the small piece that we are looking at. He has a plan and will help us carry our burden.

The king gave Nehemiah supplies and the okay to rebuild the city. Nehemiah went outside the city and viewed the broken down walls. At one place even the animal he rode on could not go through. He could have said “this is hopeless” and given in to discouragement. Instead, he gathered people together and encouraged them. As humans in times of sorrow we want to feel sorry for ourselves. We are not the only person who carries a burden. Gather together with others and encourage one another in the Lord.

Nehemiah continued to face opposition and ridicule. He did not give in to discouragement, but took the problems to the Lord in prayer. The Lord heard and helped Nehemiah. Jerusalem’s broken walls were repaired and the people strengthened and encouraged by trusting in the Lord.

When you are feeling discouraged:

• Go to the Lord in prayer and tell him what is in your heart.

• Strengthen yourself in the promises of the Lord.

• Gather together with others and encourage each other in the Lord.

Together with the Lord you can defeat discouragement !

Listen to:

Help For Discouragement

Every day we should show grandparents our love and appreciation. This Sunday, September 13′th 2009 is a day set aside as Grandparents Day. Are you running behind and need a last minute idea for your children to do for their grandparents?

Try one or more of these quick and inexpensive ways to show love and appreciation.

• Make a homemade card or bookmark and decorate it with love. Older children can write 1 Thessalonians 3:9 on their card. Print or write it out for younger children.

“For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God” 1 Thessalonians 3:9 NKJV

As they are making their card explain that the verse means we can thank God and be happy that we have grandparents.

• Sing “Happy Grandparents Day! (Tune: “Happy Birthday”)

Happy Grandparents Day to you,

Happy Grandparents Day to you,

Happy Grandparents Day, I love you!

Happy Grandparents Day to you!

• Make a video that includes each family member telling a special memory they have of being with them.

• Call or tell them in person a genuine “I Love You!”.

• Paint a small box, put a pretty sticker on it, and fill it with notes of appreciation.

• Make a homemade, special treat that they enjoy and deliver it with a big hug.

• Write the reasons why you love them on a fancy paper. Younger children can draw pictures of a special memory or what they like about their grandparents. Roll it up and tie a pretty ribbon around it.

• Go to their house and do something helpful for them. When you are finished sit down and talk. Have them tell you stories about the old days.

• Make a heart from your fingerprints.

Press each finger on a stamp pad and then put your fingerprints onto a paper in the shape of a heart. Write a special note in the center.

Most of all pray for your parents and grandparents and tell them you love them!

The Bible tells us to love one another. It is easy to say we love others but are we truly showing God’s love for others in all our words and deeds. In John 13:34-35 God gives us a command “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Are your actions showing that you are a disciple of God? Older people are often neglected in the time we spend with them, talk to them, and in how we treat them. This was an email I received that should make an impact on your actions and how you think.

The Wooden Bowl

Author Unknown

I guarantee you will remember the tale of the  Wooden Bowl
tomorrow, a week from now, a month from now, a year from now.

I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.

What can you do to today to show others that you care ? A phone call or visit will lift the spirits of an older family member or shut in. When was the last time that you mailed a card of encouragement? Make today a day to remember! Let the love of God shine through you.

God Made Me

Preschoolers love to play and learn about themselves. Let them use their wiggles to learn that God made them special.

There are many activities you can use to engage children in learning. Incorporate all of the senses into play to keep the child’s interest and help them to learn. Confucius said “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand”. Try some of these ideas and add your own to teach Genesis 1:27 “God created man”.

Throughout the activities use repetition and be excited. Use these phrases and fill in the blank with the body part you are talking about. ” God gave you___.”  “Where are your___.” ” What do you use your___ for?”

• God made my hands

Have a small pan of water and a cloth. Let them use their hands to wash a toy. When they are finished put a few ice cubes in the water. Talk about how God gave them hands to feel the warm and cold water.

• God made my feet

Allow children to take off their socks and shoes. Let them walk on different textures. Examples – a plastic bag, play dough, hard flooring, carpet, packing bubbles, leaves. Use your imagination. Join in on the fun. Children love it when you have fun with them. Talk about how God gave them feet to walk and run.

• God made my eyes

Let the children throw colored scarves or beanbags in the air. Call out a color and have them bring it to you. Cheer and clap as you tell them that God gave them eyes to see the colors.

• God made my mouth

Sing fun songs with actions. Between songs tell the children that God gives us a mouth so that we can sing and talk. When you are finished drink juice. Tell them we can thank God that we have mouths to drink and taste the yummy juice.

If You’re Happy And You Know It – author unknown

If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands
If you’re happy and you know it, and you really want to show it
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands

Repeat with:

Stomp your feet
Shout “Hooray”!
Do all three!

Head and Shoulders – author unknown

Head and shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes
Head and shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes
Eyes and ears and mouth and nose,

Head and shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes  God made them all!

• God made my ears

Go for a walk and listen for sounds or use a wooden spoon to bang on objects that are safe to hit. Talk about how some sounds are loud and others are quiet. Tell them God gave you ears to hear sounds.

• God made my nose

Have different foods, flowers, and perfumes for the children to smell. Add in a few things that don’t have a smell. Let them tell you what they can smell and what doesn’t smell. Ask them if they like to smell cookies baking. Explain that God gives us a nose to smell many things.

• God made me special

Puzzles and books are another good way to see and hear the ways God makes us special. He makes everyone different but exactly how he wants them.

For this activity I recommend using Create a Face from Lois Graham at Story Time Felts. It comes with multicultural facial parts and the children are able to use the felt pieces to see how God makes everyone different and special. The pieces are washable so you can also use it for the God made my hands water activity.

Give each child a felt nose and have them set it on something that they can smell. Continue using a variety of pieces.  Here are some examples of places they could pick: mouth – food or cd player, Eyes – toy, ears – vacuum. When they are finished let them choose a piece and put it on their felt face. They can make serious or funny faces. Explain that God loves them and made them just the way he wanted them.

• God made you!

Have fun! As you learn with the children remember that God made you special. There is no one exactly like you. God has plans for you. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” NIV. Teach others that God made them special!

Summer is almost over. Take advantage of the last few days by enjoying a family cookout. Bring your family together to relax and have fun together.

Planning a cookout does not have to be complicated. Start with your menu. Hot dogs and hamburgers can be made easily on the grill.

If you would like to add a little more zest to your traditional hamburger try this easy recipe.

Mexican Burgers

Makes 6 servings

1 1/2 lb. ground round steak

1/3 c. mild or hot salsa

1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies, well drained

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

6 oz. Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeno peppers, sliced

6 hamburger buns

Sour cream

Sliced avocados

Salsa

Combine meat, 1/3 c. salsa, chilies, salt and pepper; mix well. Divide into six portions. Shape each to form a 3/4-inch patty around one ounce of cheese, sealing edge well. Grill four inches above medium to hot coals on an open grill. Cook six to eight minutes per side for medium hamburgers. Serve on hamburger buns. Top burgers with sour cream, sliced avocados and salsa. Serve immediately. This recipe is from the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council.

If you prefer something less spicy try this cheeseburger.

Inside – Out Burger Babies

Divide ground beef into 16 equal portions. Shape each into a 3-inch diameter patty. Top one patty with one – half of a a 1 ounce slice of Mozzarella or American cheese folded in half; top with second patty sealing edges gently with fingers. Repeat with remaining meat and cheese. Grill 6 to 7 minutes for medium or until done, turning once. This recipe is from the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council.

• Sides

Accompany your meal with corn on the cob roasted on the grill. Have a crock pot with melted butter to spoon over the corn when you are ready to serve. Other delicious sides could be a baked potato,  fresh fruit (watermelon cantaloupe, or pineapple), or a pasta salad.

• Dessert

Desserts can be made and served with minimal preparation. Enjoy dessert time as a family activity.

Make smore’s together. Have family members exchange chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers. As they exchange the food they must also give each other a compliment. As you stack the ingredients together use it as an opportunity to talk about how each ingredient is important in making a smore. Continue explaining that each family member is an important part of making a happy home. Name something that each person does to contribute to your home. Deuteronomy 4:9 tells us “Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them”. Use the moments you have as teaching opportunities.

Popcorn, ice cream sandwiches, or  pudding cups frozen with a popsicle stick in it are all easy ways to finish off a cookout. Enjoy your dessert while playing a game, talking about what happened this summer, or having fun with water balloons.

Have fun with your family as you savor the last days of summer!

How would you live if you knew what was going to happen in your life?

The quarrel about the laundry you had with your family or what you are going to have for dinner shrinks in comparison to how quickly life changes.

Live life as if it is your last moment on earth.

If I had my life to live over again, I’d try to make more mistakes next time. I would relax. I’d be sillier than I have been on this trip. I would climb more mountains, swim more rivers and watch more sunsets. I would have more actual troubles and less imaginary ones. Oh, I’ve had my moments, and if I had to do it over again, I’d have more of them. In fact, I’d try to have nothing else, just moments, one after another… I would pick more daisies.
- Nadine Stair

Love others unconditionally

Forgive without holding a grudge

And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years. – Abraham Lincoln

Give more hugs and kisses

Slow down and worry less

Don’t hurry. Don’t worry. Your only here on a short visit, so don’t forget to stop and smell the roses. – Walter Hagen

Pray more and grumble less

Frown less and laugh more

The most wasted of all days is that during which one has not laughed. – Nicholas Chamfort

Mend broken relationships

Share the gift of salvation so that others will be ready for death or the Lord’s return.

In a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. – 1 Corinthians 15:52 NIV

Start today by living your life without regrets.

F – Foundation

Build a solid foundation for your family. There are many ups and downs in life. Strength from a secure foundation will help your family stand strong.

How do you build a strong foundation?

• Have the Lord Jesus Christ as the foundation of your home.

“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work.” – I Corinthians 3:11-13 NIV

Try your best to keep your family focused on the Lord. When trials come you will be able to stand. It is never too late to build a foundation. You may have to work harder at it but the blessings will come.

A – Activities

Build upon your foundation by spending time together as a family doing activities. Time spent doing daily family devotions and having dinners together will help you to build strong walls. It is easy to let outside activities draw your family apart. Strive to do at least one fun activity together each week.

M – Memories

Make memories! Don’t let another day slip by without spending time together. The busyness of life is like a weed. It starts out small and then grows bigger and bigger. The fun memories that you can make as a family get choked out. Prioritize what is important to your family. Stay focused on that goal.

I – Important

Show your family that they are important. Take time to listen. Make eye contact and listen to what they are saying. Letting your mind wander will distract you from what they have to tell you.

Picture this in your mind. Johnny tells you he found a frog in the backyard. Your first thought is “I hope he didn’t bring it into the house.” If you listen to what he has to say you will find out that he watched the frog eat a bug. It was an amazing and important part of his day! You are important to him and he wanted to share this special memory with you.

Don’t miss out on small moments that are important to your family.

L – Love

Love is from God. 1 John 4:7 tells us “love one another: for love is of God”. Families often have disagreements. This should not keep us from loving each other.

The Bible tells of the prodigal son. “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.”- Luke 15:20 KJV

Despite his son’s mistakes he loved him. Everyone makes mistakes. We can use them as a learning experience. Having someone love and help you through your mistakes will help you to learn and grow.

Y – Yourself

You are important to your family. They need you to be an example and teacher to them. Your priorities, values, and actions are being watched. Are you being a godly example?

Use the letters in FAMILY to build a strong family!

Ready? This is EASY as ABC…

• Find a good nook! It does not have to be huge. Certainly does not need to be expensive.  All that is needed is a place that invites your children (and YOU!) to think, work through the studies (writing, reading, studying, proofreading, projects, experiments…). Ask yourself, “Where do they gravitate toward to read…to research…to write…to print?” Keep in mind that each and every student in your family will be very different during the learning process, but most will appreciate having all of the supplies and equipment in a safe, quiet, comfortable place to study. When deciding on a spot, make sure that the spot has good lighting and a good, solid, clean, work surface.  Make sure it is a good spot to think AND work on lessons.” Set up the area with a nice table or desk with plenty of work area…comfortable chairs…limited distractions…shelves for books and notebooks…space for a computer and printer…convenient power supply…space for you to sit down and work with them during their lessons…and a specific spot for organizational bins that will hold supplies.

• Get supplies together! You probably have supplies ALREADY in your home. Use our list to remind you of which supplies you will need to gather for homeschooling. Gather them and organize them so they will be ready to use when your children can snatch time to dig into their studies.

• Give easy access to materials and supplies! Don’t just gather supplies, give your children easy access to those supplies! Nothing else can encourage your children to dig deeper into studies like having the materials needed to learn AND free reign to use them. Gather the supplies you will need and store them in clearly marked plastic bins and containers. There are SO many options available. Find what will work for you and your family. Get paper and printable pages together. I have always stored ours in our school materials so the children had their materials on hand as they needed it. A quick glance can remind me that we need more. I buy all of our paper, ink pens, pencils, 3-ring binders, etc in bulk at Sam’s Warehouse. During the school breaks, many stores have supplies and paper in bulk for better prices than all year round. That is when we also stock up. We store it on our school shelves and have what we need as we work.

• Invest in the best tools! It may seem to be an added expense, however tools make all of the difference in the world! For example, you can buy a cheap stapler for under $5.00 OR you can buy a long-arm stapler for $29.95 at an office supply store. The difference? Well, we have bought SO MANY cheap staplers. They simply do not last. Plus, they are limited in what they can do. Now, contrast that with the long-arm stapler? They are built to last. You can use those for making any size booklet and for regular stapling. Just watch your most reluctant writer when they figure out ALL that they can do with one stapler! $29.95 will be the best investment ever!  Buy the best as you can. The investment is more than just for equipment, it is investing in your child’s education!

*******************************

This is written by my friend Cindy Rushton. I use, love, and highly recommend her resources. Find more help and ideas in her Back to School Blast Set.

Are you taking the name of Jesus with you? The words from the Hymn “Take the Name of Jesus with You” are important for our lives.

Take the name of Jesus with you, Child of sorrow and of woe; It will joy and comfort give you- Take it, then, wher-e’er you go.

The first verse of this song makes you think. Do we truly take Jesus with us all the time? Often we try to solve problems on our own instead of going to Jesus to find strength. He will give us the joy and comfort we need. The writerof this song, Lydia Baxter, was an invalid much of her life. She loved the name of Jesus and studied the Bible. Being an invalid did not stop her. That should be a challenge to all those who can get around to always be sharing what Jesus means to us.

Verse 2: Take the name of Jesus ever, As a shield from ev-’ry snare; If temptations round you gath-er, Breathe that ho-ly name in prayer.

How sweet it is to have Jesus with us. When adversities and trials come into our life we can go to him in prayer. Jesus has the power to shield and protect us. What are you facing today? There is no problem too big or small that Jesus cannot control. Take it to him in prayer.

Verse 3: O the precious name of Je-sus! How it thrills our souls with joy, When his loving arms receive us and His songs our tongues employ!

Let the joy of knowing Jesus and the blessings he has given you overflow. Don’t let trials bring you down. Smile and share the love of Jesus with others. There are many who need the arms of Jesus to wrap around them. Reach out to them. We have been given tongues. Share and sing his praises!

Verse 4: At the Name of Je-sus bowing, Falling prostrate at His feet, King of kings in heav’n we’ll crown Him When our journey is complete.

How special it will be when we can leave this earth for our heavenly home. Acts 4:12 tells us “Neither is their salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved”. Those who have asked Jesus to be their Savior and King of kings will be able to see Jesus and bow at his feet. What a precious time this will be. It will be worth all of earth’s trails to see Jesus the name you have carried with you.

Precious name, O how sweet! Hope of earth and joy of heav’n; Precious name, O how sweet! Hope of earth and joy of heav’n.

The chorus of this hymn sums up the song and what we should have continually on our tongues. Jesus is our hope and joy! His name is precious and sweet! Take Jesus’ name with you. Share with others the hope and joy that Jesus can bring!

The lyrics were taken from the Hymnal “Great Hymns of Faith”. “Take the Name of Jesus with You” is  written by Lydia Baxter, 1809-1874 and William H. Doane, 1832-1915

Life is unpredictable and full of lemons. Do you have those days or weeks when it seems like everything goes wrong or if you touch something you are sure it will break? I do. We all experience “lemons”.

There is an upside!

So what do you do with lemons? Squeeze them! Life does not have to be sour. A squeeze of lemon in your glass of water makes it taste better. When a lemon comes your way it may be to make you better as a person. Look for areas in your life that may need pruning or are out of your comfort zone. The Lord may use this to lead you to do something that you would have not pursued without the help of a  “lemon”.

Other times you may be bombarded with lemons. It’s easy to get sour and let it pull you down. We can have hope in the Lord. Psalm 91:14 tells us “Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he hath known my name”. Stay strong! Read Psalms and Proverbs and go to the Lord in prayer. Ask for his guidance and deliverance.

Don’t settle for sour lemons. Make lemonade! When you have deliverance from the lemons set up a lemonade stand. Share the sweet “lemonade” instead of staying sour with the “lemons”. Tell others of how God has helped you. Look for those in need and bring them the sugar of prayer and encouragement to make lemonade from their lemons.

Use lemons to make lemonade. Look for opportunities today to share lemonade with others.

Staying focused on life’s task and goals and is a daily process. You must work at it. Focusing on tasks until they are done does not happen naturally for me. Many others struggle everyday. Satan delights in getting us sidetracked. God is a God of order. He will help and guide us.

Here are a few tips to help you stay focused in this busy world.

Stay focused by planning your day, week, month, and year.

• Make manageable goals. Write down the steps you need to take to meet your goals. Review it often to see how you are making progress and what areas need to be worked on.

• Post your goals in areas that will remind you often of what needs to be done. Write verses with your goals to help keep you motivated and learning scripture.

• Most importantly spend time in prayer and Bible study. Ephesians 6:13 says ” Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand” (KJV). To clearly know what God wants for you to do and the goals he has for you, YOU need to focus on HIM.

• When you have accomplished a goal reward yourself. For example when you have finished doing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen give yourself 15 min. of computer time. Set a timer so that you do not spend more than your alloted time.

Stay focused by keeping family, school, and work balanced.

• Use a schedule and calendar that has everyone’s activities listed. Each person will be able to see what is happening when and know what is expected of them. List each persons chores for easy reference.

• Use a timer. A simple timer can be an effective time saver. It can be used for cleaning, getting out the door on time, homework, and many other uses. If you need to work or get something done set the timer and let your family know that this is time for you to get a task accomplished. Tell them when the timer goes you will spend time with them.

• Don’t overschedule your family. Leave times to spend as a family and have meals together. Many things are disguised as profitable but will erode and tear away at your family. Prayerfully consider what God has for your family before making decisions. 2 Corinthians 11:3 tells us “But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ” (NIV).

• Shedule blocks of time for task that need to be accomplined and routine jobs. Don’t procrastinate! Use the block of time for what it was intended. It will help you to plan and help others know what will be done when.

It is easy to get sidetracked onto things that will not matter in eternity. Stay focused on the Lord and the plans that he has for you.

In 1984 President Ronald Reagan declared July to be National Ice Cream Month. The inventor of ice cream is not known but the origins date back as far as B.C.. Through the years ice cream has been a favorite of many.

Presidents and royalty have enjoyed this delicious treat. A couple of historic figures who enjoyed ice cream were Charles I and President George Washington. “Cream Ice,” as it was called, appeared regularly at the table of Charles I during the 17^th century. President George Washington spent approximately $200 for ice cream during the summer of 1790. Young and old have enjoyed this delicious cold treat.  Learn more about history of ice cream at the International Dairy Foods Association website.

Eating ice cream is a fun way to spend time with your family.  Better yet make a delicious cold treat together with these kid friendly recipes. Take a few minutes to try these quick, easy, and yummy shakes.

Double Chocolate Peanutty Shake

1 cup chocolate ice cream, softened

1 cup cold chocolate milk

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

Place all ingredients in a blender container; cover. Blend on medium speed until smooth and frothy. Serve immediatley over ice cubes in tall glasses. Makes 2 1/4 cups

Orange Dream Shake

1 can frozen orange juice concentrate, partially thawed

3 large scoops of vanilla ice cream

3 cups cold milk

Spoon or pour orange juice concentrate into blender container. Put scoops of ice cream in blender. Pour milk over ice cream. Blend until smooth and frothy. Pour into glasses. Serve immediately. Makes 5 1/2 servings

The recipes are from the American Dairy Association & Dairy Council, Inc.

Celebrate National Ice Cream Month with your family today!

2 Chronicles 14:11 NKJV

This is what Asa King of Judah cried out to the Lord as he faced an army of a million men. He was outnumbered and at a disadvantage. He knew that he needed to get strength and power from the Lord. The Lord heard his cry for help and gave him victory. Not only did Judah have victory but the Lord blessed them with “exceedingly much spoil”.

What are you facing today? The Lord is there for you. Call out to the Lord and ask for help. Then rest in his power. You may not be facing a million men but your problem or need is important to the Lord.  Proverbs 20:22 says “Wait for the Lord, and He will save you.”

Take your problems, request, and needs to the Lord today. Pour out your heart and rest in his strength.

Do something unique and special for your family today. Make them feel special and let them know that they are important to you.

Plan a surprise a trip to someplace special. It does not need to be expensive. A trip to the park or stopping for ice cream can be a great way to spend time together and show your love.

Let each person in your family pick something that they would like for a meal.

Leave a note saying why you think that person is special and thank them for something that they have done. Take it another step and each day for a week give a small gift that reminds you of them. Here are some ideas that you could do:

Sunday – Stick a smiley face on a note saying that you LOVE their smile.

Monday- Give a  pencil and a note. On the note put “You are WRITE because…” and list the ways they do things right.

Tuesday – Leave a sweet treat and tell them how they are SWEET.

Wednesday – Put a note in a cup saying how they FILL your life with happiness.

Thursday – On a candle or flashlight stick a note with the ways they LIGHT up your day.

Friday – Set an eraser on a note telling how they ERASE sadness by___.

Saturday – Give them a ball saying how you feel because they BOUNCED into your life.

Spend time playing with your children. Whether they are a preschooler, highschooler, or any age. Dress up, play a sport, or whatever they enjoy. Take pictures and be silly!

Have a family fun night. Pick a theme put out, add a few decorations, dress up, eat food, and play games all centered around that theme. It does not have to be elaborate. Keep it simple and fun. If you have a beach theme you could bring out some beach balls, dress in your swimsuits to eat kabobs, and play some beach ball volleyball.

Most importantly pray for your family!!!

Let your family know today that they are special to you and that God made them special. Deuteronomy 29:18 says “Lest there should among you man, or woman, or FAMILY, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the Lord our God.” Stay focused on how we are each made special and are important to God. He is our creator and loves us. He wants us to show love to our families so that they will see his love in us.

Keep younger and older children busy and learning with winter activities. Pretend it is winter and have fun!

1. Freeze water in a tray and let your kids play with plastic animals on the ice. Younger children can choose what animals live in snow and what animals live where it is hot. Older children can name where the animals live and place them on a map in the correct location.

2. Fill baggies with shaving cream or spray it on a table. Children can draw winter shapes in the “snow”. Teach shapes by drawing snowmen in different shapes. Ask questions. Example:  Is the square snowman taller than the rectangle snowman?

3. Use crumbled newspaper to make snowballs and have a snowball fight. Count, add, subtract, multiply, and even divide the snowballs.

4. Take two ice cubes and put each in a bowl. Put one outside in the sun and the other indoors. Time how long it takes each one to melt. For younger children freeze plastic animals in the ice cubes. Older children can experiment by setting the ice in different locations and make a graph with their findings.

5. Make an igloo out of a white sheet or plastic draped over chairs or a play tent. Sit inside and read winter stories or books about winter animals.

6. Use packing bubbles for ice. Have fun coloring the “ice” with sidewalk chalk. Use the opportunity to teach younger children colors. Let older children make a picture by popping the bubbles into a design.

7. Use marshmallows, containers, and toothpicks to make snowmen, igloos, forts, animals, or something else imaginative. Be creative!

8. Have a snowflake making contest. Use a variety of art supplies to design one of a kind snowflakes.

9. Look through your house finding things that begin with the letters in SNOW. See how many you can find. The first one to a certain number gets the first popsicle. Younger children can look for colors that match winter items. Examples: white – snow, black – penguin

10. Younger children can use cookie cutters to cut bread into winter shapes. Then frost with marshmallow fluff. Older children will enjoy making this recipe RBP’s Polar Extremes Bible school.

• Tasty Snowflakes

What you need:

Large flour tortillas, waxed paper, kitchen shears, cinnamon, cooking spray, and sugar

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Fold tortilla in half. Fold tortilla in half a second time to make a triangle.

3. Cut out snowflake designs from the tortilla triangle.

4. Unfold the tortilla triangle and place on waxed paper.

5. Lightly spray tortilla with cooking spray.

6. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on tortilla.

7. Bake tortilla for 6 to 8 minutes or until crisp.

Yes, It is possible to start your day without coffee. Use ALL these tips and see the difference it will make on your day. If you leave out a step you will lose out on the blessings that God has for you.

1. Pray!!!

Especially on busy mornings this is a crucial step.

“My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the
morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look
up.” Psalms 5:3 KJV

2.  Spend Time In God’s Word

Choose a passage from God’s Word or a devotional with scripture to read. Be open to what the Lord has to show you.

“And in the morning came the word of the Lord unto me,” Ezekiel 12:8 KJV

3. Smile

Yes, I said smile. Smiling will make a difference in your day! You may not feel like smiling but try it. It will not only improve your day but will brighten the day of those around you.

“This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice
and be glad in it.” Psalms 118:24 KJV

4. Plan

Plan out your day. Write your goals and the task that you want to accomplish down. It only takes a few minutes to plan and write out what needs to be done. By planning your mind is able to think more clearly. You will be able to focus on the day ahead.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

5. Listen To Inspiration

Listen to good gospel music or a christian pastor or speaker. You will find yourself motivated and uplifted in the Lord.

You can listen to sermons online at http://eastsidebaptistmooresville.com/

“But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.” Job 32:8 KJV

Start using these five steps each morning and make an impact on your day!

Quotes:

• A Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever. – Letter to Abigail Adams (July 17, 1775)

• Our faith teaches that there is no safer reliance than upon the God of our fathers, who has so singularly favored the American people in every national trial, and who will not forsake us so long as we obey His commandments and walk humbly in His footsteps. -William McKinley’s inaugural address

• I deem the present occasion sufficiently important and solemn to justify me in expressing to my fellow citizens a profound reverence for the Christian religion, and a thorough conviction that sound morals, religious liberty, and a just sense of religious responsibility are essentially connected with all true and lasting happiness. – William Harrison’s inaugural address

• God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever. Commerce between master and slave is despotism. Nothing is more certainly written in the book of fate than that these people are to be free. Establish a law for educating the common people. This it is the business of the state and on a general plan. – Shown on the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C.

• The religion which has introduced civil liberty is the religion of Christ and His apostles, which enjoins humility, piety, and benevolence; which acknowledges in every person a brother, or a sister, and a citizen with equal rights. This is genuine Christianity, and to this we owe our free Constitutions of Government. – Noah Webster, 1832, History of the United States

• The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God. – John Adams wrote this on June 28, 1813, in a letter to Thomas Jefferson.

• God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the Gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever; That a revolution of the wheel of fortune, a change of situation, is among possible events; that it may become probable by Supernatural influence! The Almighty has no attribute which can take side with us in that event. – Thomas Jefferson Notes on the State of Virginia, Query XVIII, p. 237.

• It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here. – Patrick Henry The Trumpet Voice of Freedom: Patrick Henry of Virginia, p. iii.

Here are some freebies to help you teach your children. I encourage you to continue studying history and look for ways to impact our future.

Freebies:

* Pocket Constitution
http://www.askheritage.org/Premium.aspx

* Founding Fathers Quotes and Pictures
http://www.eadshome.com/mm/foundingfathersquotes.PDF

* Lesson Plans
http://www.americanheritage.org/k-12_lessons.html

* U.S. Presidents Coloring Pages
http://www.crayola.com/free-coloring-pages/us-presidents-coloring-pages/

Independence Day is commonly know as July 4′th. A day of celebration and fun. Many people celebrate with friends and family. Picnics, parades, and fireworks are a common part of this day.

What are we teaching our children? Do they understand the meaning and history of this special day? As the years go by it is easy to let pieces of our heritage slip away. This year I encourage you to spend time with your children teaching them about our heritage. History does not have to be dull and boring. Do hands on activities to keep it fun and interesting. Read the history of July 4′th and then try some of the activities I have listed. It will not only keep history alive but you will be making new memories with your family.

History:

Independence Day is celebrated on July 4′th to commemorate the approval of  Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

Here is some interesting Independence Day background information from Wikipedia:

During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the American colonies from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia.^[4] After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4, 1776. A day earlier, John Adams had written to his wife Abigail:

Adams’ prediction was off by two days. From the outset, Americans celebrated independence on July 4, the date shown on the much-publicized Declaration of Independence, rather than on July 2, the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed session of Congress.^[6]

One of the most enduring myths about Independence Day is that Congress signed the Declaration of Independence on  July 4, 1776.^[7][8] The myth had become so firmly established that, decades after the event and nearing the end of their lives, even the elderly Thomas Jefferson and John Adams had come to believe that they and the other delegates had signed the Declaration on the fourth.^[9] Most delegates actually signed the Declaration on August 2, 1776.^[10] In a remarkable series of coincidences, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, two founding fathers of the United States and the only two men who signed the Declaration of Independence to become president, died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the United States’ 50th anniversary. President James Monroe died exactly five years later, on July 4, 1831, but he was not a signatory to the Declaration of Independence.

Activities:

The Declaration of Independence signifies freedom. We have many freedoms to be thankful for.

Make a “Declaration of Thankfulness”. Talk about our country and why they wanted freedom and what we have to be thankful for.

• Younger children can draw pictures of things that they are thankful for. Draw pictures of what preschoolers are thankful for and let them color it.
• Older children can read or listen to parts of the Declaration of Independence. Talk about rights that we have, Then write a “Declaration of Thankfulness”. Let them write it on fancy paper and then have an adult burn the edges to make it look old.

Look around your house for everyday things that you can use for music instruments. Water bottles filled with beans, pots, spoons, paperclips in an empty container, and bells are just a few items that you can use for a thankfulness parade. March around playing your instruments and saying things that you are thankful for.

Sidewalk art is a fun way to talk about how we can celebrate what others have done to give us freedom.

• Younger children can draw stars and fireworks with sidewalk chalk. Talk  about how we can do fun things because people wanted us to be free.
• Older children can draw a USA map or pictures of those that signed the Declaration of Independence. Talk about how many people have fought to give us freedom.

Songs to sing:

America the Beautiful

My Country ‘Tis of Thee

Star spangled Banner

Have fun and enjoy this July 4′th in remembrance of why we have Independence Day.

Farm animals are a fun way for children to learn. The first animal sounds many children learn are from the farm. There are many farm animal activities that teach important concepts. Books, poems, songs, and activities can add fun to your day. Here are some easy and fun ways to learn with farm animals.

• Books:

Sit down in a cozy spot and read about the farm. There are many books about farm animals. Old McDonald Had a Farm by Kathi Ember, The Little Red Hen, and the Three Little Pigs are a few classics.

• Book activity- Give children a book that has a variety of farm animals in it. Ask animal questions and have them find the animal that matches the question. Try using sounds, colors, sizes, textures, and more as questions. Example: Find an animal that has soft feathers.

• Songs with activities:

Enjoy singing Old McDonald Had a Farm. As you sing act like the animal you are singing about. When you are finished have children pretend to be animals or use plastic play animals and line them up from smallest to largest.

After singing the Farmer in the Dell use plastic play animals, pictures, or drawings  for sequencing the animals in the song.

Practice numbers skills by singing about animals to the tune of Ten Little Indians. Insert an animal for the Indian and for the ending change it to ten little (animal) say (animal sound).

Ten Little…

One little, two little, three little ducks,                                                                                                                                                                    four little, five little, six little ducks,                                                                                                                                                                    seven little, eight little, nine little ducks,                                                                                                                                                             ten little ducks say quack.

• Poems:

This Little Pig- Traditional Nursery Rhyme

This little pig went to the market.
This little pig stayed home.
This little pig had roast beef.
This little pig had none.
This little pig cried “Wee, wee, wee, wee!”
All the way home.

Baa, Baa, Black Sheep- Traditional Nursery Ryhme

Have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir,
Three bags full;
One for the master,
And one for the dame,
And one for the little boy
Who lives down the lane.

Mary Had a Little Lamb- Traditional Nursery Rhyme

• Fun in the car or at a farm:

When riding in the car through the country or when visiting a  farm see who can find the largest and smallest farm animal. What animal is the most colorful?   Who can find the most  brown or pink animals?

• Feltboard fun:

There are many farm activities that you can do with a feltboard. You can make your own felt or purchase a ready to use to use set. Either option is a terrific way for children to learn and use their creativity. They are excellent for stories, ryhming, counting, sequencing, and much more.

• This is just a sample of what you can do with farm animals. Use your imagination. Most importantly have fun with your children!

How can you do a checkup on your spiritual life?

1. Take time to find a quiet spot that you can talk to God and listen to what he has for you to hear.

2.  Pray for wisdom to see any areas that might be causing problems James 1:5.

3.  Spend time in God’s Word listening for scriptures that contain God’s still, small voice 1 Kings 19:12.

I remember watching a commercial that had germs running around being pest and causing problems. The ad was for a cold medicine. It claimed to rid the body of these problem causing, cold pest. All you needed to do was take their medicine. Seeing the bugs will not fix the problem. Doing a checkup is not a fix it all. If there are areas in your life that need adjustment they must be fixed. You would not look at a glass that is filthy dirty with grime and continue to drink from it. When we see a problem in our life why then do we hope that it will go away on it’s own. A glass cannot wash itself. Problems need to be fixed. It is not always easy. Some problems are out of our control. In those situations how are we responding. Are we living our lives as a mirror image of God. David was a man after God’s own heart Acts 13:22. He was not perfect. His life was filled with difficulties. The God that David could go to with his problems is the same God that we have today. God is unchanging. Hebrews 13:8 says that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to day, and forever. He hears our prayers and pleas for help. When we are hurting and troubled God wants us to come to him. Pour your heart out. Acknowledge that you are coming to him for help. If there is sin in your life repent and be made whole. Our problems are not always solved instantly.  We must continue to monitor our actions and be sure that they align with God’s word. God will help us.

Doing daily checkups and fixing problem areas in our life will keep molehills from turning into mountains.

Go bananas with this rhyme:

• First we pick, bananas
• Pick, pick, bananas
• Pick, bananas

Pick, pick, bananas [picking invisible bananas off trees]

• Then we peel, bananas
• Peel, peel, bananas
• Peel, bananas

Peel, peel, bananas [hold up one finger and "peel" it with the other hand]

• Then we eat! Bananas!
• Eat, eat! Bananas!
• Eat! Bananas!

Eat, eat! Bananas! [tossing invisible bananas into mouth]

• Then we GO! BANANAS!
• GO, GO! BANANAS!
• GO! BANANAS!

GO, GO! BANANAS! [self-explanatory…]                                                                                                                                           From http://parentsblog.scholastic.com/librarian_mom/2008/10/rhyme-time-goin.html

Monkey snack:

• Bananas
• Lace round cereal (fruit loops) onto a string to make a monkey tail.

Craft and Activities:

Children can make a monkey mask from a paper plate or cardstock. Let them use their imagination! Let them cut, paste, draw, color, or paint. The possibilities abound. Designing their own project will help them gain confidence in their accomplishments. Encourage them to be creative!

When they have their mask completed they can act like a monkey and sing 5 little monkeys jumping on the bed.

Five little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the Doctor and the Doctor said,
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”

Four little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped her head.
Papa called the Doctor and the Doctor said,
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”

Three little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the Doctor and the Doctor said,
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”

Two little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped her head.
Papa called the Doctor and the Doctor said,
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”

One little monkey jumping on the bed,
He fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the Doctor and the Doctor said,
“Put those monkeys straight to bed!”

Watch 5 monkeys teasing Mr. Crocodile fingerplay video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-p2PtKG-6XY If you enjoyed the fingerplay the felt it is available at my website http://www.funfelt.com/lois.html

Read monkey stories. You can choose from real or made up. My son loves Curious George. He enjoys the adventures that George finds. Let them tell you what they think will happen or have them make up their own ending. Pull out paper and crayons and let your children have fun creating their very own picture book.

Have fun, act like a monkey, and swing through a rainy day!

Want to make the new school year better than ever? Want studies
that are interesting for the whole family? I think I can help you!

How about some quick tips for making your history studies fun? I
think you will find these to make lessons fun and easy. Let’s dig
in…

* Get Out to See History as Much as Possible…  Hunt up any
Living History Days scheduled in your area.  Get out to all
historical sites and museums…even hands-on children’s museums.
Don’t miss any historical reenactments and plays within driving
distance! These all give wonderful opportunities to get your
children in touch with those that love History and know it best.

*  Begin a History Notebook… This is the cure to dull, lifeless
texts.  Let your children create their own notebooks of study!
Include anything from great quotes to poetry to pictures to
sketches to newspaper clippings to photographs to mementos from
history sites, reenactments and postcards from friends to
narrations from books read.  These personalized curricula will
bring life into all areas of study.

* Tap Into Grandparents, Elderly, Family, and Friends… Our
family and friends have been a key source of finding out neat
stories that are not recorded in the history books. Sitting at
their feet, we have learned many details from history that would be
long lost without the gift of story telling. The key to making this
come alive is to listen and record their stories for your History
Notebooks. Keep this part of history alive for you and for
generations to come!

* Find Treasures at Antique Stores… One of our favorite
past-times is “junking” at antique stores, junk shops and flea
markets.  Take your time to find wonderful treasures from the past,
which will breathe life into your History studies.  You can find
journals, uniforms, books, dress up clothes, and even play gadgets
to make history come alive for your little ones!

* Let the Little Ones Make Up Their Own Costumes… I have always
enjoyed researching and creating authentic costumes from other time
periods.  I used to have more time and energy to create costumes
for every time period we studied.  Now, my children are using their
extra time and endless supply of energy to create their own
costumes.  I love to see them as they pull together little things
from around the house to create their own costumes!

* Let Them Make Doll Clothes… This tangent began for us when my
daughter got her first American Girl doll.  We combined my love of
creating authentic doll clothes with my deep passion for making
doll clothes.  Each year for the past five years, I have spent time
each December creating matching outfits for Elisabeth and her
dolls.  This is easy to do with today’s patterns.  Just take basic
designs and create your own “historical” costumes for the dolls.
If you have a beginning seamstress interested in some quick
projects, this would be a wonderful way to learn the basics of
sewing while learning History!

* Make a Timeline…Timelines are priceless!  We have had two
different kinds of timelines for our studies in History.  We had a
huge one that took up an entire wall in our old home. It was
fascinating to watch the little ones as they would “review” and
“test” each other on history as they went by! When we built our
home, my husband would not allow that one back on the wall, so we
made our own Book of Centuries on our computer, which includes all
of our history facts. We simply developed a notebook with the dates
marked.  We record key events, people we study and the key events
of their life, our family’s key events, illustrations which remind
the children of those historical figures and events, pictures that
the children have collected from books and trips that we have
taken, information from our Computer Encyclopedias and Internet
Sites, and even charts we have collected or made ourselves. These
are another “text” that we create about our studies. How priceless!

*******************************************
Need MORE Help?

Check out our Ultimate Homeschool Expo! Cindy Rushton is the hostess of the Ultimate Homeschool Expo, the very first online homeschool convention. This is  NEVER ENDING because it is an ONLINE Convention!. Check out all of the details here:

Ultimate Homeschool Expo

There are many times in life when we have something weighing on our hearts and cannot have a night out with friends.  There is a friend that is always with us. During the fun times and the hard times. Three times in Psalm 46 it is written “God is our refuge.”  Verse one says “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” It does not end there. It continues in verse seven and eleven “The Lord of host is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. ”

Are you weary, overdone, and need refreshing. Jesus was tempted, tired and hungry. He understands our struggles and will not leave us alone. Jesus faced many times of sorrow and pain. In Luke 22:44 we see Jesus “being in an agony he prayed more earnestly.” Seeking God’s counsel was a help for him to carry on.

To refresh your weary life go to the Lord in prayer and let him help you. When you have the opportunity spend time with godly friends who will encourage you through God’s word and pray for you.

For many years I have come up with excuses and passed by opportunities that God had for me. It is easier to say that we don’t have time than to step out of our comfort zone. This year the Lord is helping me take a leap of faith.

I felt the Lord leading me in a new direction but I needed guidance in where to start. That is when I learned about Faith Leaps. Starting with the first lesson I was encouraged and inspired to follow the Lord’s leading. Alyssa, the creator of Faith Leaps, gives clear and helpful advice based on scripture to build your confidence and achieve your dreams. The lessons in this course will not only grow your spiritual life but train you to minister to others. I am thankful that I could be a part of this training!

This program has been a tremendous help and guide for me. If the Lord is leading you to take a leap of faith, do it today! I want to encourage you to read below about my friend Alyssa, her leap of faith, and Faith Leaps program.

Taking the Leap of Faith                                                                                                                by Aylssa Avant

Everything in me said “don’t do it” but for some reason I knew I was suppose to. Nothing really made sense about it, yet I knew it was from God. What you’re wondering, the leap of faith I was about to take. Though it was hard to rationalize, understand or see clearly I knew I had to take it. I was going to “step out of my comfort zone and into God’s hands”. I was going to let go of my life and put it in to God’s hands.

Stepping out on faith is never easy to do, but it is definitely worth the step, the leap, the anxiety. You may hear that still small voice, you may feel that invisible push, but somehow you just know, God is calling, God is prodding, He is waiting for you to take the leap.

Many people today are hearing that call, but few are answering. It is like Scripture says, “the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” Are you going to answer God’s call and go bring in the sheaves or are you going to sit there and wait, or sit there and do nothing?

Since taking my “giant leap of faith” as I call it almost 2 years ago I have seen God’s hands working in my life more than ever before. It is like when I let go, he took over right where I let go. No beat was missed, no stone was left unturned, everything was put into place as he saw fit.

Was it easy every minute of the last two years, well of course not, but it sure was worth it. The experiences have been life-changing, fulfilling and meaningful. Would I go back to the way my life was before? No way.

If you are feeling called to take a “leap of faith”, especially into an area of ministry, especially if God is calling you to use your voice, whether audibly through speaking or through the written word then I want to talk to you! I want to help you, equip you and encourage you.

I want to share my story and what I’ve learned with you through a membership program I have put together called Faith Leaps. Faith Leaps is designed to help you take the leap of faith into speaking, writing and ministry. Whether you believe you should leap into one or all three of those areas.

Come on over and look around, see if you’re ready to take the leap.

Alyssa Dees Avant is a Christian writer, speaker and blogger. She is passionate about ministry. Founding Beauty by Design Ministries to reach out to girls who are pressured and confused by the messages of style, fashion, and beauty. She is launching Faith Leaps to help others begin their journeys and fulfill their calls and dreams. She is married with three precious children all under the age of 5.

In life there are many things that are more important than a pair of shorts. Everyday people are looking and searching for answers . In Acts 9 Saul was looking to hurt Christians. Saul had gone to the high priest looking for a letter to bring men and women bound to Jerusalem. What Saul was looking for and God’s plans were different. God changed what Saul was looking for in Acts 9:3-19. Saul was looking in the wrong direction but the Lord showed him the right way.

What are you looking for? Are you looking for answers in the right direction? Do your plans align with God’s plans?  God has made a way to help us find what we are looking for.

• God’s plans will never contradict the Bible. Psalm 119:160 says “Thy word is true from the beginning.” (KJV)
• Have you prayed about it?  We can find guidance in James 1:5 “If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not: and it shall be given him. (KJV)
• Pray continually and wait patiently. Advice from Psalm 37:5-8 is to commit your way to the Lord, wait patiently, and fret not. God’s timing is not our timing. He does not always give an answer to what we are looking for quickly. At times it is frustrating to wait on an answer. Humanly we want to rush ahead and try our own solution.  In Genesis, Abram and Sarai tried their own solution and brought trails into life. God’s timing is always perfect. He knows what is best and will never wait too long to help us.
• Seek godly counsel. Proverbs 12:15 gives wise advice “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.” (KJV) Look to a Pastor or mentor for Godly advice and wisdom.

Who do you know today that is looking and searching for answers?

• Pray for them. Find out if there are specific answers that they would like you to pray about. Use 2 Thessalonians 3:5 to pray that “The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into patient waiting for Christ.” (KJV)
• Help and encourage them. Listen and be ready to share a hug. Use scripture to give them direction.
• Check on them. Stay in contact. Let them know that you care and are praying for them.

Some answers are like my shorts. They are not found. Other answers will be like Saul’s and require you to take action. Are you ready and willing to be used when you find what you are looking for? Step out on faith and find what you are looking for.

As you unwrap the pretty foil surrounding a chocolate rabbit and take a bite into the mouth watering chocolate you will find that the rabbit is either filled with chocolate or is hollow. Look at your life. Are you spiritually filled or hollow? Chocolate rabbits that are hollow are easily broken and melted. If we are spiritually hollow our lives will be easily broken and hurt. Here are just a few of the ways we can be filled up spiritually.

Are you letting God use you and fill you with his blessings or are you hollow from lack of time in prayer?  Every Easter stores are filled with chocolate rabbits. Could you imagine Walmart or Target without this traditional treat?  People would be upset if they went to get a chocolate rabbit and found that they were not being sold.  Missing our time of talking to God in prayer should upset us. In 1 Thessalonians 5:17  it says to “Pray without ceasing.” (KJV) Praying continually throughout the day will help keep us spiritually full. There are many ways to pray. Share with God your cares, concerns, and praises as if he is sitting by you. Pray through a favorite song, verse, or Psalm. James 5:16 says “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (KJV) Make prayer a vital part of your day.

When many children receive a chocolate rabbit they are eager to dig in and start munching on it. The Word of God is filled with information to help, bless, and fill us with something important for our day. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for  doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (KJV) Everyday we should dig eagerly into the scriptures to see what God has ready and waiting to fill us up with spiritually.

We cannot be blessed and filled up spiritually unless we have first admitted that we are a sinner and ask Jesus to come and take away our sins with his free gift of Salvation. The Bible states “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 (KJV)

A hollow rabbit will melt faster than a filled rabbit. When the heat of lifes pressures threaten to send you into a meltdown “Look to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2 (KJV) We have hope from Romans 15:4 “That we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” (KJV)

Many rabbits are made in the same mold. They will have the same look and taste. As Christians we are to be different and set apart from the world. Be willing to lay your wants down at Jesus feet so he can break the mold and use the plan he has perfectly designed for you .

When I walked through the Easter candy aisle of the store the hollow rabbits outnumbered filled rabbits. We need to share the true Easter story with others and encourage them so that they will be spiritually filled. All the colorful wrappings and varieties of candies in the store can easily distract you from finding a filled rabbit. This Easter stay focused on the true reason for Easter “Our Risen Savior!”

This Easter enjoy a chocolate filled bunny and be filled with the blessings of “Our risen Savior!”

An entire platoon is violently taken hostage in Irag, and only Nicholas makes it out alive, but not without a price. Jessica has spent her life running from a past she can’t seem to forget. They come together as nurse and patient, resulting in a whirlwind romance that will forever alter their lives.

A tightly woven group of friends each struggle to overcome their own secrets of a well hidden past that, like a thief, steals their dreams. Vague memories of Nicholas Watson’s past seem to lead only to trouble. Through a series of traumatic events, this group of friends works to hang onto their faith in Christ, each believing in the promise he offers for a hope and a future.

I highly recommend this book and the author Katrina L Wampler. She is a Christian with a giving heart and love for others.

Go here http://www.katlogictalk.com/bookstore.html to read a sample and buy your autographed copy today.

You can also find out more about Katrina at:

http://katrinawampler.wordpress.com/ and http://www.katlogictalk.com/

Restoring Balance To Completely Overloaded Lives!
By Cindy Rushton
http://tinyurl.com/9nz8jb

Ever had an .unbalanced tire?.  Recently, I had a tire that was driving me crazy! It made the ride horribly rough.  I was wore-out just from trying to drive to town because it kept pulling me off the road.obviously in the wrong direction! Just a simple trip to town was completely stressful. My hands were blistered from trying to hold on to the steering wheel the whole way to town and back! I was certain that my car was about to blow up.that something was permanently wrong!  Imagine my relief to find that my problem was from one tire that was out of balance! Easy to fix.  The smooth ride only took a few moments to restore.

Ever had an .unbalanced life?.  Well, the similarities are unbelievable! Talk about a rough ride! Talk about a pull in the wrong direction! Talk about stress! Sure it is easy to fix.but, oh so hard to do!

We are overloaded! Every area of our lives suffers from overload: commitments. possessions. work. information.relationships!

We are a culture that can be characterized as overloaded!  We are busy. Hurried. Overworked. Stressed. Rushed. We exceed our limits. We take on WAY TOO MUCH! As my pastor says, .We write checks that our body and mind cannot cash!.  Our productivity suffers. Our bodies suffer! Our vital relationships suffer. We no longer can hear God as He whispers direction, encouragement, and wisdom along our path. We miss the best! We wonder why we end our days empty and without meaning or accomplishment.

We forget what is most important.or at minimum, put it off for another day.  The important seldom screams for attention, but the urgent, often insignificant, constantly screams for MORE and more! We get so busy and distracted doing the urgent and demanding in life that we lose the opportunity to impact the important, that in which we are given to leave a legacy!

So, how on earth do we get out of this rat race? How are we to restore balance? If we could restore balance, how could we maintain balance?  How could we make life really count for something?  Here are some things that the Lord has been teaching me this year as He has pulled me back from so many GOOD things to restore balance and keep me on the path to leaving a legacy!

SLOW DOWN!

Does that one hurt or what?  We are so fast paced! We live on the .fast track!.  Think of the rat race we live in:  one-hour print.ten-minute oil changes.instant cameras.instant potatoes.instant MICROWAVE meals! Our homes have dishwashers, slow-cookers (don.t be fooled by the name.turn them on as you run out the door for work and have a healthy meal ready to serve at the end of the day!), microwaves, and computers!  Oh, and the computer thing! Yep, I am on my computer now (at our local coffee shop.yep, priorities are nice at times!) enjoying the benefits of my blessed computer complete with its battery, cd-writer, and all of the other MUSTS that I am so spoiled with!  BUT! For heavens. sake.think of how spoiled we REALLY are! The computer age has taken over sweet little country stores! We have the Internet (which has faced the demand to have MORE instant connections.remember all of those ads this summer?), E-mail (to instantly communicate!), E-books (to instantly receive our products so we don.t have to wait for the dreaded postal service to deliver!!), E-zines, Auto-responders (didn.t REALLY think those were REAL people there all hours of the day and night??!!), Auto-processing of orders/credit cards, and don.t forget Instant Messenger.for those who find Email to be too slow! We have .Drive-Thru.s. for EVERYTHING.food, cleaners, pharmacies, oil changes, and even (PLEASE GASP WITH ME!) funeral homes!  Well.that is where I drew the line! Drive-thru funeral homes!  Where are we as a culture? On the fast track!

What do we do?  Why not Slllllooooowwwww DDDDoooooowwwnnnnn???  I am not advocating that we STOP using technology. Rather, we should use those tools to make life easier and to make the most of our time. HOWEVER, where it really matters.relationships, home, family, homeschooling, our witness, life.where it REALLY matters, we must slow down!  Restoring balance and eliminating overload is simply not possible without slowing down!

Ephesians 5: 15-16 says, .Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as the wise (sensible, intelligent people), Making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil..  What does this look like? Well, let.s go back to Genesis 33 for a look at the life of Jacob after he completely surrendered his entire life to the Lord.  .My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die.  Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I WILL LEAD ON SOFTLY, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children BE ABLE TO ENDURE, until I come unto my lord at Seir.. Want to slow down, but how? Where do we begin? What can really make a significant difference? Try these:

–> Decide what is MOST important!  Think over life for a little while!  What is it that only YOU can do in this life? Why did God create YOU? What is your life purpose? What is it that God created YOU to do?  What can go?  Just as our house cannot be cleaned without getting rid of the clutter.otherwise all we are doing is shuffling the clutter around.likewise, we must take an occasional inventory to de-clutter our life!  I find this to be a battle JUST as many of you probably do and trust me, this is a life principle that I really stick to! Long ago, God impressed upon my heart that if I were going to be able to truly fulfill my calling that He had for my life, I would HAVE to only do the things that *ONLY I* could do.if it were something that anyone else on earth could do, it would have to go!  Still, I will go through periods of my life and begin to get overloaded again only to find when I evaluate the value of all that I do, there are things that sneak into my schedule that vie for my focus and energy! Usually that requires that I take out those really tough pruning shears again to cut back.either by delegating the tasks to someone else so I can be more productive at what ONLY I can do.or even more difficult, get rid of what is overloading me! I know that this is hard, but it is SO key! Take a deep look now at what you are doing.  Is it really eternal? Is it the .main thing?. Is it essential?  Can anyone else do it?  Is it hindering you from the very best?  Decide what is most important. You won.t be sorry!

–> Examine Your Lifestyle! Take a little while to jot down a journal of what makes up your day? Your week? Your month? Your year?  REALLY BE HONEST!  Do those things count?  What are the days filled with: things that are really important.or lots of fires to put out?  Take a bit longer to write out what you would REALLY like to be accomplishing.  What do you think that a .perfect day,. if it were possible, would look like? How can you change your day to really slow it down so your life really counts?

–> Examine Your Motives! Motives will fool us in a heartbeat! Scripture is so very true as it warns us to beware of our heart. We simply cannot trust our hearts. They will lead us astray every time!  What really motivates us? What drives us? If we can determine this, we can evaluate activities and obligations much more effectively!  So, what drives you?  Ambition? Your life call? The desire to be in control? Don.t trust others to do things? Passion? Guilt? Ego? Insecurity (Can.t say .no?. Afraid that you have no value unless you are .seen. busy?) Constantly trying to please others?  Revenge? Money? Oh, I could go on and on.motives are so very deceptive and there are so many. What is your motive? What drives you to do all you do?

Busyness does not mean that we are accomplishing. Nor does busyness guarantee fulfillment.  Often, busyness is the very thing that keeps us from the very things that will bring us satisfaction, fulfillment, and contentment.  Busyness, given the chance, will keep us from fulfilling our life purpose!

It is all up to us! We can choose which way to go! Enjoy the journey or wait to enjoy the brief delight of the destination? A wasted, bitter, defeated life or a life full of purpose and meaning? Burn out or real accomplishment? Deep, passionate relationships or very real regrets?

Why not slow down?  Relax? Enjoy the whole journey.the process getting there AND the destination! Build deep relationships! Stick to those priorities! Simplify life so you reach for the very best!  Seize each moment!

REDEEM THE TIME!

Time! Friend or foe? Have enough time in your day? Or are you a truly kindred spirit, asking God for just a few good 80-hour days and the energy to use them to the fullest? Ha!  I have a good feeling that if your prayer is for that one, that you will also find that God will whisper sweetly in your ear to say that the problem is not that we do not have enough time.or that we are using time to the fullest.or even that we waste time. Rather, He would say that we need to make it our ambition to redeem the time.each and every moment we are given!

A few months back, my pastor taught a series of messages entitled From Burnout to Balance.  In his series, he challenged us to look at time as a great big .bank account..  He said that this account is one that we are guaranteed to have daily deposits made on our behalf by God each and every day.  We each get our fair share.  No one gets more. No one gets less.

Think of this awesome gift! Each and every day we are given a gift that can impact all of eternity.or be squandered away into oblivion.  Each day we are given this gift without any regard to our stewardship from the day before! TWENTY-FOUR HOURS! ONE-THOUSAND, FOUR HUNDRED, FORTY MINUTES! EIGHTY-SIX THOUSAND, FOUR HUNDRED SECONDS!  Deposited in our .account. each and every day!

And.with this gift, we are free to use it in any way we choose.  We can waste it or use it wisely.  We can make a difference—or misuse it!  But! One thing is guaranteed each day with all that is deposited on our behalf.it must be used up before the end of the day.it cannot be carried into tomorrow!

We all have 24 hours put into our spending account each and every day.  What we do with that time is in our hands! Will we be faithful? Will we use it wisely? Will we make it count for eternity? Will we use our gift to the fullest? Will we use our gift for what really counts?

If we want to live a life of balance, we must guard this precious gift!  We must measure our time as one of our greatest resources we have to invest in this life!  This requires that we go back to our precious Giver and seek HIM for how we can most faithfully invest each moment! We must let Him be the Lord of our schedule, our to-do.s, our calendar.  We must commit our way—ALL OF OUR WAY.to Him from our work to our studies that we pursue to our commitments to our books that we read to the activities that we participate.

We must be careful to set a guard on our time to be sure that we do not flippantly do without thinking or take on too much that we forfeit the best!  We need to purpose to really do those things that are .NEEDFUL. (remember Luke 10: 38-42?) and not just the .stuff. that we think MUST be done! We need to constantly evaluate our choices and weigh them to see if they are truly those things that help us to reach our life call.

Time.what do you think? Redeem this precious gift so our lives can be balanced? You bet!

SELL OUT COMPLETELY TO GOD’S WILL!

Does this scare you to death? Are you seeing visions of little grass huts.no electricity.bugs.complete with the stench of underarm odor?

Oh, beloved! My first image of total surrender to God admittedly envisioned life on a continent that was far, far away from all of the comforts of home. Still have no idea if there is a continent that could be as disgusting as my visions were.  Sure, I trusted God for eternity, but never thought of heaven in the same way that I thought of my life on earth totally surrendered to Him!

Now, as we move into our 21th year as a ministry, I HAVE to tell you that God has a very, very good plan for us!  He does not call us, equip us, and then send us to an assignment that forfeits our trust and confidence in Him!  In fact, one thing that I am thrilled to say is that although there IS work in our calling, there is delight and fulfillment that cannot be found in anything else under the sun! Seeing His provision is unbelievable. Watching His anointing fall is indescribable!  Plus! No grass huts so far!

Give your ALL to God!  Sell out! Don.t hold anything in reserve!  Abandon ALL for the call!

Scared? Just give Him a try! Take a look at Jeremiah 29 in The Message Bible.  God says to us, .I know what I.m doing, I have it all planned out.plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I.ll listen.  When you come looking for me, you.ll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I.ll make sure you won.t be disappointed..  Oh, beloved, not only will you never, ever be disappointed, but you will find that His GOOD plan will be truly good–satisfactory for you, satisfying, fullfilling, completely sufficient!

Wonder JUST WHAT could YOU do?  Too young? Too old? Too poor? Not qualified.or so you think? Well, beloved! Know that God has called each and everyone of us to function in His Body.  We are the mouthpieces here on earth for Him. We are the feet for Him. We are the hands here in our community for Him! He has called and equipped each and every one of us to be a part of His Body here on earth! We each have talents, spiritual gifts, natural bents and interests, and experiences that can minister to those that are growing in the Body AND those that need to join the Body of Christ!  God needs ALL of us working and functioning properly if His Kingdom.His way of doing things.will come to earth!  He needs for us to be that light that shines in the darkness to bring others to Him.  Just go into a dark, dark room. Light one candle. See what a difference YOU can make right where you are!

Have no idea what His plan is for you?  Take a look at Romans 12: 1-2.  He promises in verse two that YOU can know His good, perfect, and acceptable will for you!  Yes, YOU can know that plan!  How? Going back through this passage, we see how:

–> Become a living sacrifice.EVERYDAY!  Completely yielded. Completely dedicated. Completely committed to Him and His Way!  Giving Him our ALL! All that we are: our plans.gifts.bents.talents. ambitions. ideas. methods. techniques. fears. delights.concerns. all presented to God as a living sacrifice EVERY SINGLE DAY! If we truly desire to know the good, acceptable, perfect will of God for ourselves or our children, we must first obediently present ourselves as a complete, living sacrifice.  There may be things in our lives (things that are very precious and difficult to get rid of) that must be burnt up as a sacrifice for us to be prepared to receive God.s very best OR we may find that what we bring to sacrifice before the Lord is acceptable in His sight and can return home with us (like Abraham as he willingly prepared to sacrifice his beloved Isaac).  However, the key is not in what God does with our sacrifice, it is in our heart coming before Him daily, presenting ourselves and all that we have before His throne!

–> Don.t not conform to the world; but conform to Christ!! Yep! We either conform to the world or to Christ! We cannot live for one without forsaking the other!  Want to know God.s plan?  Let go of the world.s standards, the world.s ways, the world.s requirements, the world.s traditions, and the world.s bondage. Let go of the lies of the world! We must stop serving the world at the expense of becoming ALL that God wants for us to become! If we want to live an abundant life.a balanced life.the world.s way will never work!  Only God.s way brings balance, freedom, and true, abundant LIFE that we are really searching for! As we grow in relationship with Christ, daily become LIKE HIM, we find security and LIFE! We find peace! We find hope! We find the direction that we have been looking for all along the way!  We find freedom to become ALL that God designed for us to become! Talk about LIFE! We move beyond balance to abundant life!

–> Be transformed by the daily renewal of your mind! The last key to getting to know God.s plan!  However, this one is SO VITAL!  If we truly want to live a balanced, abundant life, we must sell out to God.s will. BUT, however much we want to sell out, unless we truly let Him change our life, we will just spin our wheels in the same ruts, never becoming all that God wants for us to become! How is our mind transformed? Life changed? This life transformation begins as we sit at the feet of Jesus.  As we daily immerse ourselves in His Word, we will begin to be transformed.  Then, we will soon have different priorities. different beliefs. different ambitions. and soon, we will be able to prove what is good, acceptable, and perfectly in the will of God.  If we never experience this transformation, we will always find ourselves burdened under a yoke of bondage.  We will always find ourselves looking in all the wrong places for direction, approval, meaning, purpose, and rest!  We will constantly battle overload. We will find life bumpy and pulling us into life.s .ditches!.

God has a precious plan EVEN for you! Surrender ALL to Him! Let Him have it all! Let Him do His work in you! Don.t rush! Don.t drag around! Don.t run from it!  Live EACH day letting Him have your ALL in complete abandonment! Balance will come.but, beloved there is so much more that will rush into your life! Purpose, meaning, abundant life! Go for it!

BUILD MARGIN.BREATHING ROOM.INTO YOUR LIFE!

Ever been at rock bottom?  We see many of our favorite Bible characters that we get to know during good times, but I think my favorites are those that we get to see when they are rock bottom, with NO breathing room, at the point that my mother would have said, .I.ve HAD IT!.  Ever just .HAD-IT?.

Imagine for yourself the grief and utter pain that Job was experiencing as he cried out in Job 3:26, .I have NO peace, NO rest, NO quiet!.

Drop into the conversation with Paul as he declared that he got to his .breaking point. in 2 Corinthians 1: 8-9, .For we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about the affliction and oppressing distress which befell us in the province of Asia, how we were so utterly and unbearably weighed down and crushed that we despaired even of life itself.  Indeed, we felt within ourselves that we had received the very sentence of death, but that was to keep us from trusting in and depending on ourselves instead of on God Who raises the dead..

Finally, journey back to 1 Samuel as we are first introduced to Hannah at the point of utter desperation.you probably know a bit about her story. Barren. Broken. Taunted (by her husband.s other WIFE!! Who had NO problem bearing children!). Empty. Crushed in soul. Oh, let.s join her at the point that she had .HAD IT!.. .Crushed in soul, Hannah prayed to God and cried and cried.inconsolably. Then, she made a vow: Oh, God-of-the-Angel-Armies, If you.ll take a good, hard look at my pain, if you.ll quit neglecting me and go into action for me by giving me a son, I.ll give him completely, unreservedly to you. I.ll set him apart for a life of holy discipline.. As she was praying, she sunk even lower as she was completely misunderstood by the priest, who thought she was DRUNK!  We hear more of her heart in her reply to him. .Oh no, sir.please! I.m a woman hard used. I haven.t been drinking. Not a drop of wine or beer. The only thing I.ve been pouring out is my heart, pouring it out to God.  Don.t for a minute thing I.m a bad woman. It.s because I.m so desperately unhappy and in such pain that I.ve stayed here so long!.

Relate?  I know that these precious vessels were crying out in the midst of trials and life events that were too much. However, I don.t think that we find ourselves at the point of desperation without first pushing limits for quite some time!  We haven.t got margin to deal with the daily-ness of life.much less those life struggles, crisis situations, losses, and persecutions that inevitably knock most of us off our .rocker. into despair!

Think about it.if you are the average person in our society today, you live on fast-food, crazy hours, no sleep. You are chronically rushed (or late), overworked, exhausted, overloaded! What is the solution?  Build MARGIN! Build some BREATHING ROOM!  Simplify life so there is room for change.space for disruptions.  How?  Here are some suggestions that I am trying to implement in my own life:

–> Accept HUMAN Limitations!  Can you sense how HARD that is for ME to type? Oh, here it where it gets harder, it is not MY idea, it is the Word of God too: .I have seen that EVERYTHING HUMAN has its limits and end no matter how extensive, noble, and excellent..  (Psalm 119: 96a)  OUCH! If there is a battle for balance (and YOU KNOW there is!), this is one of the biggies! We ALL have limits! But, where we need more margin is that we don.t say .NO. when we face limitations!  As I shared above, we .write checks our body and mind cannot cash!.  The world says, .You can have it ALL!.  .You can do it all!.  Even the church gives the illusion that .I can do ALL THINGS through Jesus Christ..  However,  the Bible is very clear that we can ONLY DO those things that are HIS THINGS.HIS WILL! WE have limits! We have space limits. We have body limits. We have emotional limits.  Jesus does not give us a blank check to do ALL THINGS. Much less, Jesus WILL NOT empower us to do ALL THINGS.  He only empowers us to do those things that HE CALLS us to do.  He never gives us anything that is beyond our abilities  and resources to do.  One clear way to judge what we are called to do from those things that  we are not called to do is to look at our limitations: our red lights, shut downs, overloads, crashes.  We need to look at those warning signs: pain, fatigue, stress, irritability, frustrations.  Our human limitations are God.s boundaries in our lives that help us to know that we are overextended and writing checks our bodies and minds cannot cash. Respecting human limitations will restore balance to even the most overloaded life!

–> Expect Interruptions!  Proverbs 22:3 says, .A prudent man sees trouble coming and ducks.a simpleton walks in blindly and is clobbered!.  If there is one thing in life that is FOR SURE, we can be sure that life seldom goes as planned.  Life cannot be predicted.  Just think about it.what truly messes up your schedule?  Traffic? Car trouble? Delays? Crisis situations? Special needs along the way? We must plan for interruptions or our lives will constantly be out of balance, our schedules will never work, and much of life will be squandered!  Expect interrruptions and plan room for them into every day!

–> Put SPACE Into Your Schedule!  Ever had your PDA/Planner/Calendar/ Briefcase complain about an overstuffed schedule?   Actually my planner looks so much more .professional. when it is PACKED OUT! Only I don.t handle it so well! For the last few years, I have really evaluated what I was doing that was causing me to get off my schedule and not get around to all of my to-do.s.  Now, granted, some days it is ME or my darling little ones!  But, overall, 95% of my schedule woes are also the culprit behind life getting just way too busy.OVER-SCHEDULING!  Schedules, like daily life, only work when there is SPACE in each day! Just like we see with the life of Christ (see Matthew 5-10), our life is filled with distractions, interruptions, crisis situations. We can battle against these OR we can add margin (space) into our lives that gives us room to use these as THE MAIN THING.opportunities for ministry, opportunities for the very best lessons, teachable moments, hands-on discipleship!  Not only are we able to step up to the call as it beckons us, but we are less likely to spin out of balance constantly!

–> Prune Life To Yield MORE Fruit!  Several years ago, one of my dearest friends bought her DREAM land.  Every time that I go to visit her, our family laughs because just driving up her driveway I begin to see a view that rivals that of the gorgeous view on The Sound of Music, thus tempting me to begin to sing..The HILLS ARE ALIVE.with the sound of music..  The land is gorgeous.  But it is more than that. It is also productive!   However, at first it wasn.t.  Rhea bought the land, complete with an orchard.  Sound ready to go?  Well, not exactly! Needing a bit of help with her fruit trees, she called in a professional.  To her shock, she looked outside to find her precious orchard looking like a bunch of sticks in the dirt. Pruning began to have a whole new meaning! What looked like devastation actually was the key to those best fruit ever! Bigger fruit! Sweeter fruit! MORE fruit!  I remember the year that Rhea was getting her first fruits after the pruning. It was a year that I needed that practical example of pruning just so I would have the nerve to let God loose with His pruning shears! I can.t say it was easy! It was probably one of the most challenging times in my entire life. I had lived my life pretty much just without much thought. However, God was wanting for me to yield up EVERYTHING  so He could prune back all that was diseased.all that was broken.all that was zapping my strength.all that was causing double-vision.all that was keeping me from bearing the fruit He had planned from the foundation of the earth.  1 Corinthians 6: 12a says, .Everything is permissable (allowable and lawful) for me; but not all things are helpful (good for me to do, expedient and profitable when considered with other things)..  There are many GOOD things that God would not have a problem if I were to do them.  However, those good things can keep me from producing all of the fruit that I can bear. It becomes a choice thing for me.  I can choose whether I will allow Him total control of my entire life.even the schedule. commitments. my going. my doing.  I am the ONE who can sit down, yield to the shears, and stay ready to bear more and more fruit. Likewise, I can also resist.  But.I don.t really like that alternative!

At the end? At your limit constantly? .HAD IT?.  Take a good look look at life! Check for margin! Not enough? Build margin! Create space! Watch what happens!

DE-STRESS!

Yep! Gulp! De-stress!  This one got you out of whack before too?  You are not alone, beloved!

Want to know the #1 complaint in our culture?  What about among homeschool moms? The booger behind despair? The reason that most quit?  The reason that many never begin?  You have got it! The stress! The chaos! The mess! The lack of organization or ability to .keep it together..  Want to battle for balance? This little devil will give you quite a challenge!

Yep! If there is a need among the body of Christ, this JUST might be it!  But, how?  Here are some quick tips for restoring balance when it all gets bumpy from the stresses of life.

–> Find Your Stressors! What throws YOU for a loop?  What takes you into a .nose-dive?.  What .stalls. your flight? What are your biggest stressors?  What causes YOUR stress?  Identify the REAL culprit.HINT: it is NOT your husband (!!) or your children (!!) or God (!!).  Look at your life honestly!  What REALLY stresses you out? Holding onto your stress? Carrying a burden you do not have to carry? Anxiousness? Discontent? Strife? Expectations? Willfulness instead of willingness and total surrender and total abandonment? Find YOUR stressors! Know what REALLY .punches. your buttons!

–> PLAN! Plan ahead! Well in advance! One saying that always pops into my head when I think of the word plan is, .If we fail to plan, we really plan to fail!. Nothing brings MORE stress than living life without direction, without a plan, always under .crisis. management, making decisions on a moment-by-moment basis.  If this is stressing you out, try to plan ahead! Plan out your goals. Plan out your schedule. EVEN the mundane things.plan out those daily routines, even going so far as to write them out! How does this help? Well, decisions are made, saving those precious brain-cells for other uses! Trust me this works WONDERS! So, plan! Plan well! Don.t wait until the last minute! Plan.then, you can settle in to go a slow pace!

–> Write it DOWN! Give your brain a rest! Talk about stressing out.our brains will stress out if we are keeping all of our to-do.s.plans.goals.heartbeats.EVERYTHING on our brain! Write it down! Not only will it help to keep things from slipping between the cracks, but it will also help us to evaluate where we have come from and where we have to go.  Plus, the best yet! We will have a sense of accomplishment when we look back!

–> Watch that attitude! There are going to be some life-stresses that quite honestly cannot be changed! However, we need not walk in a life of defeat and stress! Instead, when we recognize life-stresses that cannot change, that is the time to sit right down at the feet of Jesus! Ask Him to show the purpose. At minimum, KNOW that victory is guaranteed! There is no temptation or trial that is original with any of us! Nor is there anything that we are allowed to walk in that is not first filtered through the loving hands of God. He always guarantees VICTORY!  So, watch that attitude! When things cannot change, change what can.that perspective.that attitude!!

–> Delegate! What is it that makes it so hard for moms to get help? Our children LOVE to be Mommy.s helpers! We

Life is full of bumps in the road. Sometimes the bumps are small like spilled milk. Other times there are bigger bumps like loosing a job.  There is hope! God is in control. Life is not always fair but God allows circumstances to strengthen us. 1 Peter5:7 says “Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you”. When times are rough the Lord sees us and is always with us. The Lord wants to shelter and care for us. “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” Hebrews 13:5 He will lift us up and help us. Sometimes we create our own bumps other times they are sent our way to strengthen us. Often I try to fix problems on my own when God is there waiting for me to come to him. God says “Be still and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10. God is good all the time, all the time God is good! This song God is good all the time by Don Moen is a great reminder to trust the Lord. Job faced a bumpy road. Through it all Job said “I know that thou can do everything” Job 42:2

Don’t get detoured by the bumps in life. Let God guide you through.

Christmas is a special time of year. It is easy to get caught up in the commercialism and miss out on the true meaning. Christmas is a time of good news and celebration!

This year our children decided that they would like to make a manger scene instead of having a tree. They have spent hours designing, cutting, taping,and enjoying the joys of making their own manger scene.

At first I wondered what it would be like without a tree. As the days went by I have found myself thinking more about what the first Christmas would have been like. Were Mary and Joseph exhausted from their trip? Can you imagine what it would have been like to hear the good news the angels brought to the shepherds. Did the animals in the stable come over and see the Lord Jesus? I don’t have the answers but it has made me slow down, think, and cherish the moments that I have been given.

Try these ideas to keep Christmas Christ centered and relaxing.

1. Give your heart

What can I give him poor as I am? If I were a shepherd I would give him a lamb, If I were a wise man, I would do my part. Yes what can I give him – I can give him my heart.

2. Pray

Pray for those who may be alone this Christmas or for others you met while shopping.

3. Read Luke 1:26-2:40 Read slowly and imagine yourself there. In Luke 1:19 Mary kept and pondered all these thing in her heart. Think on these verses and remember what God has done for you.

4. Celebrate! Christmas is a day of rejoicing. Jesus left heaven above and came to earth to be born. A king was laid in a lowly feeding trough to bring us a gift. Our gift is Acts 4:12 – Neither is there Salvation in any other: for their is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Have a Merry CHRISTmas!!!