Tis the Giving Season!

As the title of this post says Tis the Giving Season!!!! Really, I think that the giving season should be all year round, but this time of year people are just more predisposed to feelings of generosity and it's lovely to see in action. Also I love to give gifts! I know a lot of energy and negativity is centered around the massive Black Friday (now spilling over into Thanksgiving) sales, and it's not without cause. But there are cases where I think that people not just wanting a good deal for themselves, also know that the gift that they are giving is truly going to be blessed to the recipient. And for that reason I suppose it's worth the crowds to deal with, but I draw the line when brawling or thievery is taking place. Here are some recent pics of a gift that myself and a friend gave to another dear friend of ours. Dear people that love the Lord and deserve an extra special something...just because.

Keep in mind that she's preggers right now...and she also just got her long awaited ceiling fan installed. So it was an emotional overload all over the place. It was so cool!!! I know what it's like to go without and then to get something special. So I know the feeling on both ends of the spectrum of being provided for and providing. I love the feeling of giving a little more I think :). I enjoy making presents and finding them as well it's always fun to hunt. It's the little things that seem to bring pleasure to people. Whether it's a laptop or a little tin mug that brings back childhood memories, the value of the present is relative to the recipient not on the actual cost of what is spent. Remember that going into this giving season...

Howeveras much as I like giving...it's always fun to get something that you weren't expecting either!

Here are just a few more of the things I love about this time of year...

Our Jr. Girls Christmas Tea

The girls are so creative

This year I found a book of Christ centered Christmas poems at the local thrift store. That was some of the best 89 cents that I've ever spent. One of my faves, so far, is as the end of this post.

My Christmas Tree

Somehow this year it ended up being red, white & blue. Totally not intentional, but pretty just the same.

The Lights of Christmas

Bruce the Talking Spruce
(Nicki asked him for Firewood LOL)

Fun with Friends

(Jeff, James, Me & Nicki)

 

Every year a local organization puts these lights together and it's amazing! This year was marked by our frequent stops at the fire pits LOL. The warmth that they offered was much needed. Cold brings it's own variety of fun, but I'd rather be warm. Obviously I'm horribly conflicted, since I'll soon be travelling up to the snow in a couple weeks. Anyway, I'm hoping that next year I can get it together to do the dinner theater there.

As promised here is one of the poems I read at the tea. It's hard to choose a favorite so maybe I'll post another as the Christmas season continues.

Christmas Presence

by Margaret Allen

"What do you want for Christmas Mom?"

My son John asked today.

I thought of all I have, and found

There wasn't much to say.

The Lord had blessed me greatly.

And all my family.

The Source of music fills my heart

With glorious harmony.

What do I want for Christmas?

I would ask the Lord above

To please restore to perfect health

Those precious ones I love.

Oh yes, and I need patience Lord,

And wisdom for each day.

Forgiveness too, for all the times

I want to have my way.

And I would share God's special gift,

The joy his promise brings:

The Holy Child of Bethlehem

Is still the KING of KINGS!

Black Friday Giveaway

Black Friday Contest to enter...


Could help many who home school.

The real vote of 2012

In the absence of a conservative win this past election season, it's easy to become jaded and think that the votes were not fair. However, never fear because the voting can still continue. How??? You may be asking yourself. Well no the vote is not for the POTUS, the Lord and voters have already spoken on that account. The real vote for 2012 is in regards to a contest that the Navy Exchange is holding. I have a couple friends that have entered it, but I'm choosing to post this one in voting for it because one, it can easily be make to be GF with Betty Crocker's GF Yellow Cake mix and two, Jenn (my friend that has entered) is planning on doing some gift giving with her prize, which for me makes a potential win all that much sweeter. What's at stake you ask? A mixer from the Navy Exchange! There's stiff competition to be had.

The Bible talks a lot about giving. The verse that pops into my head while I compose this is Luke 6:38.

~ Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. ~
Luke 6:38

In case you don't know, that was the Lord speaking those words. And in getting to know Jenn, she's one of the biggest (not literally because she's pregnant) givers that I know. She has such a generous spirit about her. So click on the link below to vote for her Cinnamon Butter Cake, and help spread the giving spirit this holiday season. O and you also get the recipe when you click on the link, seriously giving! You give a vote and she gives you a new recipe. The giving circle continues.

The best part it that it's a simple popular vote too, no electoral college to contend with Praise the Lord! So you know that you're vote will be counted, no matter where you live.

Cinnamon Butter Cake

http://m.facebook.com/11466589572/timeline/story?ut=44&hash=-240107091867774293&wstart=1351753200&wend=1354348799&pagefilter=2&ustart&__user=100001028800815
(You must have Facebook to vote)

Good Luck Jenn!!!

PT has begun.

PT, as in physical therapy, has started for me...finally! Really, unless you've been through something like that yourself, there really is no describing it. I literally am learning to walk again. And since I've been walking since I was 7 months old this is a very odd process. Yesterday was my second therapy session and it took every once of energy I had to concentrate on balancing my walking in a straight line, without falling of course. That exercise was to focus on the fine muscle movement of my heel. And then my therapist had me work on weight bearing exercises so that the right side of my body would stop over compensating for my lack of mobility on my left side. It was so weird to have to concentrate on not letting my left heel move and making sure that I got my weight evenly distributed. There are so many things about our bodies that we take for granted everyday, I know I did before this summer. In case anyone has been counting I'm at month 3.5 in this odyssey. I'm hoping that by Christmas, or New Years, that I'll be able to get back on the elliptical machine for some real exercise.

Through this all my friends have been very accommodating and encouraging to me. I'm still using my friends car, which may change soon. At least until I use it again to drive to CA for Christmas. Yeah, that's going to be so great! And then my Secret Prayer Sister this past month totally surprised & spoiled me this month as well. Things are looking up and every day I am thankful for what I have, even if it takes me a little while to think about what it is that I am blessed with. I know that the Lord does all things well...Psalm 139.

Why I don't celebrate Halloween

I've been given a lot of grief over the years by people I know about why I choose not to celebrate the holiday known as Halloween. When I was a child I did, I didn't know anything different. But after receiving a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ it's not on my heart to celebrate what is basically a pagan holiday. Rather than go into the history of Halloween and it's pagan roots, I'll simply allow the below Bible verses to enlighten you as to why I don't celebrate it and why I don't think that anyone proclaiming the name of Christ as a Christian should have any part in this holiday.

2 Corinthians 6:14-17
14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

If you are interested in the origins of Halloween here are some links to go to:
http://www.history.com/topics/halloween
http://www.allaboutgod.com/history-of-halloween-christian-perspective-faq.htm
http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/halloween.html
http://www.montney.com/inspire/halloween.htm