New Movie Coming April 12th

I received an email from AFA (American Family Association) yesterday and in it, was this trailer for a new movie coming out on April 12th titled Paper Dream. I watched the trailer and it looks very good! It will be a great mother-daughter movie! Here is the trailer:

Paper Dream




You can also follow the filming of the movie on their blog.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I have and will be waiting patiently for the release of the movie.

Blessings,

Bible in 90 Days ~ Weeks 3-6

Since my last post on May 13th, week 2, I had finished Genesis and was beginning in the book of Exodus. After that post, I was still on track however, some family issues came up and my focus was taken away from my reading to handling a few family needs. Although I continued to read, my reading was intermittent and sporadic for the next two weeks. I finally was able to get back to focusing on reading and my challenge. Once I began getting on track again, it has been smooth sailing  (Woohoo!). 

Reading The Evidence Bible has truly been a joy to read. I know that after having to had put it down for a few weeks, it comforted (no pun intended) me to know that when I was able to get back to my challenge that it was going to start up where I left off.

And sure enough it was. I picked up where I left off and began to make up the days lost with ease. It seemed like no time at all that I finished the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and as of tonight, I am just over halfway through Deuteronomy. It’s not that I’m a speed reader (far from it) or some supersonic genius (far from that too), it is because of the way that Ray Comfort has put this Bible together! And I am not just reading God’s word, I am reading all of the inserted quotes, open air preaching segments and study notes!

 

Ray Comfort

I have been blessed in reading The Evidence Bible, and I am so thankful that my friend Robin suggested reading it. Thank you dear sister♥!

Well, until next week when I should be through Joshua and beginning the book of Judges.

May the LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine upon you,And be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace. ~ Num. 6:24-26

Tammy♥

**Disclaimer** I did not receive The Evidence Bible free in exchange for reviewing it. I bought this Bible from a recommendation of a friend. When I decided to read the Bible in 90 days, I thought I’d use it instead of my everyday Bible.

Bible in 90 Days ~ Week 2

Well, week two began by finishing Genesis and beginning Exodus. As I read Exodus, I saw how deeply God loves his people and how he used Moses to relocate his beloved people back to their land that God had given to them. I watched as God fed them spiritually through Moses, and how he literally provided their food (manna fell like rain) and water from a rock  during their journey through the wilderness.  And how God defeated the Egyptians when he had Moses part the Red (reed) Sea for safe passage of the Israelites on a dry sea floor and when they were on the other side with the Egyptians chasing them, how God brought the water together again by the way of Moses!

We all should have that kind of faith and trust in God as Moses had. I do think we (believers) have a certain amount of trust in God, some of us more trust than not, but I think we are reserved at times in our trust in God. Faith, there is no question but trust?, yes, I think we sometimes fail in the trust department. We need to just let go and trust  him.

The book of Exodus is also where the Law is introduced to God’s people through Moses.

In The Evidence Bible, there are in depth commentaries, questions & objections, quotes and extra resources to help us better understand God’s word. It is so easy to read and understand.

As of this post, I am on chapter 10 in Leviticus and I am only a week into my challenge! I should be reading 20 pages a day, however because of the ease in reading the text, I am reading far more than 20 pages a day. I have never accomplished that much reading of the scripture than I have with The Evidence Bible. I am finding that this version of the bible also helps to keep the readers interest on “high”.

Now, onto the giveaway!!!

Let me first say”Thank You” to all who have entered this giveaway and that I was planning to giveaway one bible every few weeks during the next 90 days but after beginning to read this version of the bible, I couldn’t help but think how much you all might want to journey along with me so, I have decided to give them all out now so that you might join me when I get to the Psalms, which I think will be in about a week and a half to two weeks! Just enough time for your books to get to you So….. I would like to congratulate our 5 winners, and they are….

Lea H.

Robin S.

Living For God

Penney Douglas

Rosemary

Please contact me with your mailing address. You can reach me at twillyard@comcast.net.

I will get them mailed out to you by the end of next week.

Blessings♥

 

Thank You to Everyone Who Followed Mother of Pearl Blog Series!

Thank you all so much for following along with the Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series. I pray you laughed, cried and were touched by the translucent stories of real life written by new moms, stepmoms, grandmoms, adoptive moms, and moms without moms. Iridescent reality. And how poignant that the translucent nacre which coats the sand stuck inside an oyster’s shell is called Mother of Pearl. Mothers surround children with their love and with God’s love so they can grow in grace. I hope you'll join us this December for the third annual 12 Pearls of Christmas series.



AND ... thanks too, to all of you who entered to win the beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. I'm thrilled to announce that the winner is ...





Jennifer (heavensent1)!





Jennifer, please email amy@pearlgirls.info with your mailing address.



If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. The purpose of Pearl Girls is to connect women so that together, we can make a difference in the world.  All proceeds of the Pearl Girls book go in full to two charities: Wings (women in need growing stronger) to help fund a safe house in the Chicago suburbs and to Hands of Hope to help build wells for schoolchildren in Uganda. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products to help support Pearl Girls.

Please stop by the Pearl Girls blog and connect with us there.

Each Life is Unique by Lucinda Secrest McDowell

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series. The series is week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Megan Alexander, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Beth Engelman, Holley Gerth, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/1-5/8 and the winner will on 5/11. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there! Happy Mother's Day!

Each Life is Unique by Lucinda Secrest McDowell

“God’s divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. II Peter 1.3 (NIV)

Moms, God wants you to know that He has given you everything you need for life --- your unique life. He does not plan to give you what you might need to live the life of your best friend, or your neighbor, or even your favorite mother-model. No, God has called you to the life that He planned. I suspect that for most of us, it didn’t turn out to be the life we thought it might be… so long ago when we were young and dreaming of ‘growing up.’

On Mother’s Day I often recall my own dreams to one day be a mother. I grew up playing with dolls and looking to my own Mama as a model for that particular role in life. However, by the time I reached my thirties I was still not a mother! God did, however, have a plan. It just wasn’t what I imagined.

My own unique life would find me becoming a mother through the adoption of my first three children who were ages 9, 7 and 4; and then much later giving birth to our fourth child. Of course I was shocked when God revealed this to me, but I was ecstatic as well. It’s as though I could hear Him saying, “Well, you’re not getting any younger so I’m just going to just give you a jump start with three at one time!”

A huge blessing! A huge adjustment! A joy and a struggle. Change is often like that, isn’t it? We finally get what we want then we have to deal with it. May I just offer a bit of advice if you just got a great answer to prayer, but perhaps not in the way or form you imagined? Just receive it. Embrace it. And be willing to move forward into a new paradigm for your life. So what if you’re not like all the other mothers you know? So what if you’re not like your own mother? So what if your family unit is different? I guarantee God has a plan.

Not only did he want me to embrace my own story, but He called me as a mother to do perhaps one of the most important tasks of all --- to nurture my children to live their own unique lives. Not for me to try and squeeze them into what I hoped and dreamed they would be. Not for me to try and live my life through them. But to recognize how God made them, gifted them, and called them to their own special place.

All of my 4 kids are different from one another. Let’s take sports, for instance: I have one child who wins gold medals in international tennis competition, one who is a born equestrian, another who competes nationally in obstacle course shooting matches, and yet another who manages to dance onstage in 3 inch heels, do cartwheels and splits while singing at the same time. Now, honestly, I do none of these things. And yet they do.

I don’t remember placing my order with God for these things.  But I do remember when that tennis player turned 9 years old and I enrolled him in Special Olympics for the first time and how it changed his life… and ours. I remember getting a counselor job at an exclusive summer camp so that my daughter could take English riding classes. I remember being a Cub Scout leader (even though I knew nothing about boys) so that son could one day become an Eagle scout and pursue his love of the great outdoors. And yes, I remember enrolling my preschooler in dance lessons. Later when all the little girls were scared to go on stage for the recital, she exclaimed that she had endured a whole year of lessons just so she could go on stage.

Don’t compare yourself to someone else. And don’t live vicariously through your favorite reality show star. Live your own story. And Moms, raise your kids to embrace the unique life God has for them.
Remember, He has given us everything we need for life!

Lucinda Secrest McDowell, a graduate of Gordon-Conwell Seminary, is the author of 10 books including “Role of a Lifetime,” “Amazed by Grace,” “Spa for the Soul” and the new Bible Study “Fit and Healthy Summer.” She is an international conference speaker and enjoys being a Pearl Girl from “Sunnyside” – her home in a New England village. Visit Cindy at www.EncouragingWords.net

Bible In 90 Days ~ Week 1

Welcome to my journey through the Bible in 90 days! I felt that I needed a new personal challenge so, reading the Bible in 90 days is it! During the coming weeks, I will be journaling my thoughts and feelings as I read through the Bible. I will also be giving away 5 “The Evidence Bible’s, New Testament books, signed by Ray Comfort. 

I began this weeks reading last Sunday on May 1st, as began my reading with Genesis 1. Every time I’ve read this history of creation, I can’t help but think of “why” God wanted to create this world. And each time I do, my conclusion is… I think that He was lonely and yearning for fellowship with someone “like” Him (in respect to “image”) that He could nurture and grow into a “good” loving relationship forever and ever! Yes, he has the heavenly hosts, but they are not “like” him.

I do not believe that God ever intended for us to die when He created us but, because of Adam and Eve’s disobedience and Eve believing the serpent and ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and Adam’s partaking of it, God had to discipline them with the fore warned consequence of death.

I couldn’t help but notice in the genealogy section that after Adam’s death, in which he lived a total of 930 years, the life span of man began to slowly decline in years. It is believed that because of the * low ultraviolet light and the nutrients in food that was very high, attributed to man’s long lifespan*.

When I read through the book of Genesis, I see how God is “fine tuning” His people in what is good. Speaking directly to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses to name a few must have been Awesome and at the same time a burden to them. I know that when God speaks to me, It is difficult to obey because there are just some situations that I am totally uncomfortable with. But I have obeyed in all but a few and the ones I have not obeyed in, I learned very quickly to obey!

We often wonder “where” God is when we cry out to him in times of trouble or trials. But God is with us an by our sides all of the time, we just need to learn how to listen and not  let our trials and troubles over take our listening ability away from us.  

The Evidence Bible has so many resources and explanations of the texts to give us a better understanding of God’s word.

* The Evidence Bible  Richard Gunther (Genesis 5:3)

GIVEAWAY!!

To enter; leave a comment. Bonus entries will be given to those who share this post and giveaway on Twitter and Facebook, subscribe to RSS, and to follow me. Post a comment for each entry. This giveaway begins today and will end Thursday 5/12/11. And the winner will be announced Friday 5/13/11 (I’m not superstitious .

**Disclaimer** I did not receive The Evidence Bible free in exchange for reviewing it. I bought this Bible from a recommendation of a friend. When I decided to read the Bible in 90 days, I thought I’d use it instead of my everyday Bible.

*** When leaving a comment on these posts, please be kind and gentle, if you feel different in your opinion that is perfectly fine; not everyone thinks the same as another person, I just ask that you be sensitive, courteous and thoughtful in your responses. Thank you♥

A Mother's Day Wish by Shellie Rushing Tomlinson

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series. The series is week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Megan Alexander, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Beth Engelman, Holley Gerth, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/1-5/8 and the winner will on 5/11. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there! Happy Mother's Day!

A Mother's Day Wish by Shellie Rushing Tomlinson

Heads up: Margaret McSweeney deserves a medal, or at least a commendation for giving everyone a much deserved Mother’s Day rest. Okay, y’all can be seated. I’m glad you agree, but you’re supposed to be taking a load off, remember? Oh, and full disclosure—Margaret didn’t know I was going to say that so I hope she leaves it in, and no, I didn’t do it just because I’m ridiculously nostalgic about the theme of her community, although I am. As the Belle of All Things Southern, one who is southern to the bone, I have a thing about pearls.

When I was a teenager, add-a-pearl necklaces were all the rage. They may not be as wildly popular anymore as they were back in the day but I still say they’ll always be a classic concept: a gift of a single pearl on a dainty chain given with the intentions of adding other pearls on important holidays and special occasions. Today, I see add-a-pearls as a beautiful reminder of the accumulated wisdom we learn from our mamas.  Oh, sure, we snicker as young girls because not all of their advice strikes us as useful and some of it seems positively fossilized, but hopefully, over time and with the Father’s blessing, we gain enough perspective to see that these mama-isms—the important values and the silly little lagniappe— are all increasing in value with the years.  By the way, that’s my Mother’s Day wish for each of you, that we’d each take the time and the responsibility to thread these precious heirlooms into treasures worthy of bequeathing to the next generation. Mother’s Day...

May I be honest? I’m looking ahead to the annual celebration with somewhat mixed emotions. I’m not feeling very Mother of the Year. Instead of cooking dinner for my most deserving mama and enjoying her company, instead of reveling in the love of my husband, kids, and grands, (known as the Baby Czars of All Things Southern), I’ll be on the road, touring with my latest book “Sue Ellen’s Girl Ain’t Fat, She Just Weighs Heavy.” I’ve got Mama’s gift bought, wrapped, and ready to be delivered by my beloved hubby, and my grown kids understand that I didn’t choose the release date, but the facts remain:  I won’t be there. (Shameless plugs time, anyone? My daughter blogs at Kitchen Belleicious and is raising funds to build an orphanage in Rwanda at Shelter a Child http://www.shelterachild.com/ and my daughter-in-law celebrates the daily details of getting to know the Holy One at Providence, http://providence-carey.blogspot.com). I won’t get to enjoy Mama tickling the ivory from the piano bench of Melbourne Baptist Church and I won’t be overdosing on baby sugah. Sigh.

But, then, I mentioned mixed emotions earlier, didn’t I? Well, before some sweet soul cues the violin music, perhaps I should lighten up and come clean on what Mr. Harvey would call “the rest of the story.”  It so happens that while the 8th of May will find me miles from home, it’ll also find me in Savannah, Georgia where I’ve secured myself a little reservation at that famous establishment belonging to Mrs. Paula Deen, the Queen of Southern Cooking. Indeed, y’all, I’ll be suffering for Jesus at The Lady and Sons. I know. It’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it.

Regardless of where you spend it, I wish you each a Happy Mother’s Day. I’d love to think that everyone reading my words had a mother like mine, a woman of faith who taught me from childhood of the Risen Savior who saves souls and anchors lives. But, dear reader, if that’s not your past, I hope you know it can be your future. I pray you’ll be the one that begins such a legacy, and that you’ll be moved to start building that heritage today.

I’d love to see y’all on the road somewhere. Watch for me, and I’ll watch for you. I’ll be the one with an empty glass of sweet tea looking, always looking, for a refill.

Hugs,
Shellie

Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, known as the Belle of All Things Southern is a radio host, columnist, author, speaker and founder of the All Things Southern online community, www.allthingssouthern.com. She loves meeting, greeting, laughing and learning with the whole wide world or as many who wander her way. Shellie once dreamed of writing great important things that changed the world, only once she started writing the world grinned and christened her a humorist. Shellie saw this as a problem at first, until she discovered that the laughter softens hearts, builds relationships, and invites her into people’s hurting hearts where she can share her own, which is exactly where she wanted to be all along. Look for Shellie’s latest book, Sue Ellen’s Girl Ain’t Fat, She Just Weighs Heavy wherever fine books are sold.

Adoption, a Mother's Greatest Gift by Tricia Goyer

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series. The series is week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Megan Alexander, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Beth Engelman, Holley Gerth, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/1-5/8 and the winner will on 5/11. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there! Happy Mother's Day!

Adoption, a Mother's Greatest Gift by Tricia Goyer

I held the small baby in my arms, wrapped up in a receiving blanket to keep her warm from the chill of the delivery room, and a voice spoke to me. "Congratulations, Mom."

The congratulations came from an unlikely source--the grandmother of this child, the mother of the sweet birth mother who chose adoption for her baby girl.

To say I was overwhelmed is an understatement. Thankfulness filled my heart--to God who'd answered my prayers and to the birth mom who'd chosen our family for her daughter. I also ached that my joy would be another's heartache. Working with teen moms for ten years, I was often an advocate for the young mother. I knew that while the weeks and months ahead would be a time of celebration for our family, they would be ones of heartache and grieving for this woman.

Adoption is a wonder and the beauty, and the sacrifice of it is never so clear as on Mother's Day. My new daughter is one-years-old now and she huge is a part of my heart. Her life is a gift to my days and her smile can make even the most dreary afternoon bright. I can honestly say there is no difference in the love I feel between her and my three other children. If anything the love feels even more special because she was an unexpected gift. John and I learned about her life just 2 ½ months prior to her being born. The years of prayers to expand our family were answered quickly and beautifully.

The sacrifice of adoption makes my heart ache, for I know on this Mother's Day another woman will be thinking about my daughter—her daughter. As I rejoice, I'll be crying tears for her. I'll also be sending up prayers that God will wrap His arms around her in a special way.

This Mother's Day I cannot help to think about Christ's sacrifice to make our adoption into God's family possible. Maybe it's because just a few weeks ago we were celebrating Easter, but I'm reminded anew that my gain required His loss, His pain. The greatest love, it seems, is not shown with flowers, chocolate or a diamond bracelet. The greatest love is shown when, because of your love for another, your desires and comfort are laid down for the greater good of someone else.

As Ephesians 1:3 says, “How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son” (The Message).

Perhaps you know an adoptive mother. Take time this Mother's Day to let her know that the beauty of her gift is not missed by you. Also, take time to thank God for adopting you into His forever family, thanking Jesus Christ for His sacrifice. I wouldn't be the mother I am without this Gift of Love.

Tricia Goyer is the author of twenty-six books including Beside Still Waters, The Swiss Courier, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer's Conference in 2003. Tricia's book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like MomSense and Thriving Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife. www.triciagoyer.com

A Merry Heart

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series. The series is week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Megan Alexander, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Beth Engelman, Holley Gerth, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/1-5/8 and the winner will on 5/11. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there! Happy Mother's Day!

A Merry Heart ... by Megan Alexander

Sometimes family is really all you need. This was reinforced to me when my Mother shared a story a few days ago about her mother, my Grandma. You see, when my Grandma was a very young girl, around age 10, she was diagnosed with polio. This meant long hospital stays, extremely limited interaction with children her own age and lonely days staring out the window from her hospital bed. In those days, with polio, they felt keeping the children very subdued and quiet was best, and this particular hospital was as drab as can be. It was also during the time of the Depression, which meant money was tight and life was tough. Day in and day out, she was given the best medicine and treatment, but she wasn’t thriving and recovering. Daily visits from adult doctors and specialists is not exactly stimulating for a young girl. Her health was so poor, at one point, a Catholic Priest had administered the "last rites" at her bedside.

One day, her older brother and sister decided to sneak some brand new baby kittens into her hospital room. Their cat Fitzy had just had babies, and the cute kittens were small enough to put in a basket. Upon entering her room, my mother says they quietly took off the lid and showed my Grandma the sweet little kittens and let her cuddle with them. Her mother, my Great Grandmother, observed my Grandma’s mood instantly lift. Her eyes sparkled and she squealed with delight at the cute kitties! Her whole demeanor changed and she came to life.

My Great Grandma took all this in and made a decision that day. She decided that my Grandma would heal much better at home. She promptly checked my Grandma out of the hospital and brought her home with her family. My Grandma did gradually recover, among the love and warmth of her family. You know what Proverbs 17 says “ A merry heart does good like a medicine.” Also, I can imagine that she healed emotionally and physically and spiritually as well and that combined strength wouldn't have been possible in the hospital alone.

When they left that day, the hospital instructed my Great Grandmother to massage my Grandma’s legs everyday, something she promised the hospital she would do, and she did. My Grandma was one of the few people we know who did not have a limp or shortened leg due to polio. And perhaps most importantly, the entire family was always praying for my Grandma.

I’m not saying that medicine is bad or not necessary. But there is no cure quite like the warmth of your family. Its like milk, it simply does a body good. As a pregnant Mom about to give birth to a baby boy, I am inspired to provide this same love to my child. May he feel the same warm love from his family that my Grandma felt from her’s.

And in this same way, we are called sons and daughters of God. Galatians 4:1-7
“Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”

God claims you and I as his children. This is a wonderful gift and identity that is good for our heart and soul, and something that is more powerful than all the medicine in the world.
 
Megan Alexander can be seen nightly as a television correspondent for the top rated news magazine show “Inside Edition”.  She also appears on the CNN program “Showbiz Tonight”. She especially enjoys reporting on stories with a heart. She graduated from Westmont College with a degree in Political Science. She loves speaking to youth and works with Girls Inc and National American Miss. She and her husband reside in the New York City area and attend Redeemer Church of Manhattan. For more on Megan, go to www.meganalexander.com. Megan’s mother, Mary, resides in Seattle and provided insight into this essay.

30 Day Giving Challenge

I have been invited by one of my friends on Facebook to participate in a 30 day giving challenge , I did not hesitate to accept this challenge! The only rules are, that you give each day no matter how small or how big your giving is. And we are doing it all for God's glory! 


I want to invite all of you to join me in our 30 Day Giving Challenge beginning today, November 1st through November 30th. We will be blessing our families, friends, neighbors, and complete strangers by making a conscious effort to give each day in November.

"In everything I showed you that by working hard

in this manner you must help the weak and remember

the words of our Lord Jesus, that He Himself said,

It is more blessed to give than to receive"

Acts 20:35

I will be writing about my experience each day, I do not get out much, so this will be interesting to see and experience God's glory and how He will direct me in my journey of giving this month.

The Home Keeper’s Journal

     Here is my journal entry for the week of 03/01/10. There is a lot going on this week in which my prayer list continues to grow.
Here’s What’s happening …..

In My Kitchen …. Marinated New York Steak, Rice and Corn
With The Children ….. Signed youngest son up for driver’s training, getting older son ready for weekend ski trip with the church high school group.
What I’m Reading … the Twilight Gospel for an upcoming review.
What I Have Been Learning … How to be a good group coordinator and group moderator.
What I’ve Been Noticing …. that with all of the earthquakes going on around the world along with all of the other disasters and suffering of humanity, that the Lord is working to come back to set up His Kingdom.
Something that pleases me … Waking up to a beautiful sunny morning!
On The Back Burner of My Mind …. Review deadlines.
In The Deepest Darkest Recesses …. Wishing and wondering how much longer it will be until some family members and friends are saved.
May God hear your cries, answer all of your needs and heal all your broken hearted and sick loved ones.
God Bless

The Home Keeper’s Journal

     I have begun participating in The Home Keeper's Journal over at Christian Home Keeper dot org. Here is my journal entry for 2/23/10:

Here’s what’s happening….


In My Kitchen… bread, oranges, rice, crackers and chicken.
With The Children…
Getting Senior son registered to take the CHESPE next month and trying to keep him focused on studying for the test. Junior son is not into doing school work right now and just wants to work on his Go-Kart. It is raining again this week after a beautiful sunny weekend.
What I’m Reading…
I will be writing a review on my Review blog in April so I am currently reading The Twilight Gospel by Dave Roberts. I can not talk about this on right now however, I just finished reading The Choice by Suzanne Woods Fisher. What a great read that was.
What I Have Been Learning…
That I am a very impatient person, I want answers now when I ask a question, I want the kids to do their chores now as soon as I tell them, I want family members and friends who are not saved saved now. I have been praying extra hard for the Lord to give me patience because it is so hard to wait for “God’s time”. Especially when you know in your heart that His return is very, very near.
What I’ve Been Noticing…
My mind keeps bringing picture memories back to view all of my children when they were very young. I view special events that happened to them, I see them playing with friends that they still are friends with and some who they have lost and grew apart from.
On The Back Burner Of My Mind…
Spring cleaning, I am not looking forward to taking down all of the state plates and pictures on my wall to clean them.
In The Deepest Darkest Recesses…
Keeping all of my deep fears and anxieties out of the reach of everyone.

Blessings; Tammy

REDEMPTION!! For A New Year

    As I look back over this past year of my life, things like using my time wisely, getting closer to God, focusing on my family, fellowshipping, ministry and my work at home business, I am not satisfied at all with myself in doing my very best. After all, isn't what we do and what we make of life supposed to be all for Him? Yes it is! I ask myself... Why was I so selfish? Why did I think I had all the right answers, made the right decisions and exactly how has my life prospered?

THE MEANING BEHIND THE "12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS" SONG

My Dear sweet friend over at The Homeschool Lounge posted "The Meaning Behind The 12 Days of Christmas Song" a few days ago and after receiving permission, I wanted to share it with all of you.

THE MEANING BEHIND "THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS" SONG

Against a backdrop of tall, shadowy firs, a rainbow trio of

Christmas trees lights up the night (location unknown).
There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled me.
What in the world do leaping lords, French hens,
swimming swans, and especially the partridge who won't come out
of the pear tree have to do with Christmas?


This week, I found out.

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics.

It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.

-The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.

-Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.

-Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.

-The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.

-The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.

-The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.

-Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.

-The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.

-Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.

-The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.

-The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.

-The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.

So there is your history for today. 

Have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!