Pumpkin carving with a Jesus twist :)

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I can talk to my kids ALL DAY LONG, and I think sometimes all they hear is " Wahhh Wahhh Wahhh (charlie brown sound ). They really learn when I can give them something visual. I found this great pumpkin carving activity, and I'm looking forward to trying it with my kids. Enjoy!

heritagebuilders.com.  You can find the full exercise in the “Family Night Tool Chest – Holiday’s” at http://www.heritagebuilders.com/holidays.html

1. Tell your kids about becoming a new creation when you start to carve the pumpkin.
2. Show them the stuff we pull out of the pumpkin is like the yucky sin that’s inside us.
3. Tell them how Jesus cleans us out when we confess our sin.
4. Carve a happy face on the pumpkin and read 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”
5. Finish by putting a candle in the pumpkin and read Matthew 5:14-16  “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

Where were you on 9/11/01?

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I love hearing and talking to my kids about 9/11. Mostly because I just don't want the history of where we were and how it felt, to be lost in time. So, we have been talking alot about our experience for the past few days. 


I worked at a radio station in Savannah, 94.1 Cat Country.. which is now 94.1 The Beat. I helped to produce the morning show. We had strict rules about entering the studios. You must go to the window and be waved in, because you never knew what you might interrupt otherwise. I remember a group of people coming into the studio and running right past me, amid my protests. They were playing with the TV, and I thought "what in the world is wrong with these people". As I carried on about why everyone had BARGED into my studio, I saw the picture of the first tower burning. 


We sat watching the TV discussing that it must have been an accident, but how do you not see a building of that size, maybe mechanical error. After a few minutes, everyone started dispursing and I was again alone in the studio, glued to the TV. It wasn't long after, that the second plane hit. I was very confused. I thought it was a rerun. Then I realized that the first tower had smoke coming out of it, and this was a second hit. I ran out into the hallway yelling "second plane, there was a second plan. They hit the other tower.". Within the next  hour, my boss would come in with some semblence of a script and tell me to go on air and announce what had happened. That was one of my hardest times on air. I remember reading what was written, and sobbing the whole time. The rest of the day was a totally blur, trying to balance wanting to grab my family and run home to hide, with the job that I had to do. So that's my story. We all spent the next several weeks watching TV, seeing the fatality numbers rise, and wondering what was next. We got anxious everytime a plane or helicopter flew over, held our kids tighter, and put flags all over our houses and cars. 


How about you, what is your story? Where were you, and how did you feel?

Save money on eating out while you're vacationing.

Share |Great tips to save money on your vacation.
Use the following tips to eat economically and save:


*Plan your Meals: Check out cheap restaurants, eateries and 

food stands on your trip route before you set out. Planning 
where to eat saves time and money.  


*Cook Small Meals: If your hostel has a kitchen, or if you are 
camping outside, cook your own meals to save money.  


*Carryover Dinners for Breakfast: While eating dinner, order bread or a dish that you can eat for breakfast. This works out cheaper than eating breakfast at a restaurant.  


*Carry Basic Food Items: (This is one that we do ALOT!)Always buy bread, jam, cheese and 
noodle soup packets at supermarkets. You can quickly put together your meals anywhere and save money. (Packing your family's favorite drinks will save you TONS of money!) 


*Eat at Cafes and Bakeries: Buy fresh foods from bakeries and 
cafes; this works out much cheaper than expensive dinners and 
lunches. Also snack on fresh fruit and bread at night to avoid 
heavy dinners. ( I love this tip, because the food is fresh, good, and it's kinda like getting off the beaten path.)
List taken from ShePrep.com

Grilled Peaches

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WE LOVE PEACHES! Now you know the real reason I moved to the peach state, lol. I found a recipe for Grilled Peaches, and thought I would share. Hope you like it!


Taken from About.com:

Peaches are a natural for the grill, where quick cooking brings out juiciness and intensifies sweetness.

1. Start with peaches that are firm with just a little give when you give them a gentle squeeze with your whole hand.

2. Cut the peaches in half and pit them. You can grill entire peach halves or cut them into wedges. Peeling the peaches isn't necessary for the grill, but you certainly can peel them, if you like.

3. Brush cut side(s) of the peaches with a neutral-tasting oil, like grapeseed or canola.

4. Cook peaches over a medium fire on both sides until grill marks show and peaches are tender but not falling apart.

Serve grilled peaches plain or in salads. Or turn them into delicious desserts by pairing grilled peaches with cool yogurt, whipped cream, or with scoops of ice cream.

This is what I live for...

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Devon and I were riding in the car today. We were in DEEP discussion about the game that he wanted to play when he got home. In the middle of our discussion, he stops and says "look, GOD!". He pointed to the left of the car, and up. I saw a huge beautiful cloud with rays of sunshine spread out behind it. I said " do you see God?". Devon replied "yes, He's right there, shining His light all over the place." That right there, that is the moment I live for. 

Perseverance

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I ran across some notes today, that I took at a Fresh Grounded Faith conference. I remember these notes being very "God breathed" in my life, at that time. As I read them this morning, they resonate again. God's word is fresh and new everyday. I thought I would share, just in case I am not the only one who needed to hear it. I am going to add a few EXTRA notes :)

*Perseverance - There are times when my fatigue is greater than my faith. (Exodus 16:35) It is better to be in the wilderness with manna, than to be alone in bondage. Part of perseverance is realizing that it will probably get worse, before it gets better. To persevere, we need to:

1. Affirm our true identity... "I am ________." ("I am not of those who shrink back." "I am not of those who give in to what is not true.")


2. Feed truth, starve lies. Starve lies by replacing it with true. Lie #1, "I can't do this."- You have a strength and power that is within you, that can. The power of the creator of all perfect things is within you. That power can overcome ANYTHING that is in your life. It can even overtake YOU. If it means asking for that strength with every breath you take, then that is what you need to do. 


3. Plan. Choose habits to end. Anything that misplaces your focus. If it has the appearance of being good, but throws you into a tizzy, it's not of God. If you go to Target to get the things your family needs, but you can't seem to walk out without buying things that you don't, shop somewhere else. If you get on Facebook to keep in touch with your family, but while you're there you look for gossip worthy info, get off Facebook.If eating a "lite" dinner, will have you up at midnight searching for a bowl of cocoa puffs...  We know the things in our life that "feed the beast".... no food= starve the beast. Emotions can be the source of alot of irrational decisions (can I get an amen?) Ask yourself the H.A.L.T. questions. Am I ... H-hungry? A-angry?
L-lonely? T-tired? You would be surprised what I can come up with when I'm hungry :)


4. Practice. Find someone who is on the other side of what you are trying to get past and imitate her. Ecc 4:10-11.

Remember: What you think may drown you, will cleanse you.

Thanks so much to strong women like Jennifer Rothschild, for guiding us by being open and honest about their struggles. 

Bringing up Boys

Share |  "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he." Prov 23:7 NKJV

Since Truth was born, I have said "She will become what we tell her she is." Now I have scripture proof :). 

Resurrection Rolls are mmmazing!

Share | This is such a great way to share the resurrection with your children. 

Resurrection Rolls

Contributed by Kristi.  Thank-you!

Ingredients:

• 1 can refrigerated crescent roll dough
• 8 large marshmallows
• Melted butter
• Cinnamon
• Sugar

Directions:

• Give each child one triangle shaped section of crescent roll. This represents the tomb.
• Each child takes one marshmallow which represents the body of Christ. 
• Dip the marshmallow in the butter and roll in cinnamon and sugar mixture. This represents the oils and spices the body was anointed with upon burial. 
• Lay the marshmallow on the dough and carefully wrap it around the marshmallow. 
• Make sure all seams are pinched together well. (Otherwise the marshmallow will "ooze" out of the seams) 
• Bake according to package directions. 
• Cool.
    
• Break open the tomb and the body of Christ is no longer there!!
• Celebrate God's love!

  http://www.dltk-kids.com/recipes/resurrection_rolls.htm

How to Make an Eco-Chic Shopping Bag

How to Make an Eco-Chic Shopping Bag

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To get started, carefully cut the sleeves and neck off your t-shirt, leaving a tank-top shaped piece. Turn the t-shirt inside out, then sew the bottom hems shut. Use a boxed corner technique to strengthen the stitch. To do this, put your hand on one bottom corner of the bag and pinch the side and bottom seam together, making sure to line your side and bottom seam up to form a triangle shape.

Then, stick a pin about 2-inches in from the corner. Repeat on the opposite corner. Sew a straight line right where you placed the pin, forming a cross with your seams. Repeat on the other side.

Then, carefully cut 1/2-inch slits into the t-shirt at 1-inch intervals in rows, cutting through both sides of the bag. Continue cutting until the majority of the bag is cut with slits. Flip the bag back to the right side, and you’re ready to carry your groceries in style!

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Thought today about before I had Devon. I did not want to have more kids. I had truth, and was happy to have her be my only child. Frank always said he wanted more kids, but I just wanted to spoil Truth and not divide my time. I spent 6 years saying "no", when I people asked "when are you going to have more children".

It was great the way that God turned my heart around. I had a dream one night. I was on a train on a sunny  beautiful day. Someone handed me a baby. I remember feeling teary eyed in the dream, at how beautiful the baby was. I couldn't take my eyes off of the baby, but I did ask "who's baby is this?". I was so joyful when the answer was, "He is your baby.". I woke up right after that, feeling like I had had my baby ripped out of my arms. I just wanted to go back to sleep and hold that baby again.

That was it. I told Frank that day, that I wanted another baby. I wanted a boy. A little over a year later, I was pregnant. Now, I know that everyone has the standard answer when someone asks "Do you want a boy or a girl?", and you're supposed to say "It doesn't matter, I will be happy either way.". I can tell you that if Devon had been a girl, I would not be writting this right now, and would be head over heels for my baby girl. However, I truely wanted to say "A Boy!!! I want a BOY! I want THAT boy!". You know how the rest of the story goes, had a boy, named him devon, and he is even better than the dream.

The awesome part of all of it, is how God just put that in my heart. I was set. I did not want another child, and did not feel like I was missing anything by not having another child. God knew me better than I even know myself. I thought I was full and missing nothing. God showed me the place where Devon was, and then gave him to me.

I have totally ignored God, at times in my life, and as I reflect on having Devon in my life, I am so glad that this was a moment where I listened. When I didn't ignore a longing God placed in my heart. I was terrified about financial stuff, time, my job (just starting radio, and thought I would have to give it up.). Terrified or not, I knew that this was what God had for me. I look back now and think, really? Those were my fears? Our God is so much bigger than that. Our small minds can't wrap around how God does things, so when he puts it in our heart, you just have to say "Let's roll". The blessings far out weigh those petty fears. 

Out of school and I still have homework.

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I struggled today with Devon to get his homework done. Man, I know EVERYONE says their kid is a genius, but I gotta say, he blew my mind with his evasion techniques. :) The first excuse was a cough. He said he was coughing, and that he thought he should watch TV instead of doing his homework. He went on to explain that if he coughed on the paper, then a classmate touched the paper, they might get a cough too. So basically, he couldn't do his homework, because he is such a health conscious and selfless person. Good to know, GREAT try, ... didn't work.

The second attempt came in the form of a headache. He said his head was hurting so bad. When I asked why his head hurt, he said that he thought it was from too much coloring. All of the coloring he had to do on his homework, gave him a headache. This was not effective either.

He almost had me with the final attempt...After sternly telling him "DO NOT come back into this studio, until your homework is finished", he showed up light tapping my window. He came in and said " it's a GOOD thing that I came in here for. I broke my pencil and I don't have another one. So I should probably just watch TV now." Then he smiled that smile that just melts my heart.... not this time though. I was DETERMINED! I would find a pencil and my son would not win this fight.

I have to say that Bart and I scoured that station, and even the storage unit, in an effort to find a pencil. We searched and searched, amid my pleas, "Bart, we HAVE to find a pencil. I can not let him win this." I could not go down with a blow from a 5 year old. He suggested run down to Spaulding's and see if they have a pencil. Bwahahahaha. They had 2 :). I happily skipped back upstairs, and put the pencil down in front of my son. He looked up at me, and with a tone of disbelief that his mother had just trumped him, he said "WHAT?".

We finished the homework. My hair is standing on end, and my stomach hurts from running to the bedroom, to laugh where Devon can't hear me. All worth it though, because we got the homework DONE!!!!!!

Amazing story! This is a good news story.

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Our Crazy Holiday!

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I feel like we need a vacation for our vacation. I really had high hopes for the time off that I would have over the holidays. Not so much! We got out of school on Tuesday, Woo HOO! Wednesday a lady pulled out in front of Frank. We don't have the final word, but we feel certain that the car has been totalled. His head hit the windshield, even with a seat belt and and air bag. He had a pretty good bump on his head. We had him checked out, and spent the rest of the week, keeping a close eye on him and fighting the terrible headache that he kept. Monday, was a great day. It looked like we had come through the worst of it. Tuesday his foot started bothering him. Wednesday it started tingling, then swelling, then hurting. By the time he got off of work and we were headed to the ER,  he had no feeling in it at all, and could not walk. We took him to the ER, they gave him an antibiotic, and sent him home telling us to follow up with a surgeon in the morning. Surgeon saw us at 1:45 that afternoon.

Everything from here on, took place within and 1 1/2 hours. Keep in mind, I am a wreck, because everytime he slightly moves his foot he screams. The surgeon comes into the room, reaches over to feel his calf. When he puts his hand on my husbands leg, he jumped a foot off of the table, screamed, and then just burst into tears. I have NEVER seen my husband in so much pain before. The surgeon says, "I don't know what this is, but I'm admitting you to the hospital, and calling in an orthopedist (shock #1- I thought they were just gonna give us different meds or something.). 5 minutes later we are wheeling Frank through admitting. We had enough time to give our insurance card over and drivers lisc., and sit down. We talk for a few minutes, when a gentleman approaches us and asks if anyone here has seen Dr. Kent today. I point to Frank, and the gentleman starts checking out Frank's leg. He stands up and says "I'm Dr. Deese the orthopedist. I'm going to rush his admission, and we will take him to surgery tonight." (Shock #2 - SURGERY? TONIGHT?) He leaves and when he comes back, he says "change of plans. We're taking him to the OR right now." (Shock #3- this is why I am currently going bald ). An hour later he is in recovery. ALL OF THAT IN AN HOUR AND A HALF. CRAZY!!

Dr. Deese says he had compartment syndrome. They needed to do the surgery quickly, because he felt that the longer they waited, he would have to amputate. AMPUTATE!!!!! Crazy!

So here I sit, soaking it all up. Sitting next to my amazing husband, watching him sleep and rejoice when he wiggles his toes! :)