Continuing in our new tradition of saving our change and having a new awareness of how we can help those in need, we have chosen to contribute to Sav-A-Life Bessemer for the month of February. We have been asked to sponsor a fellow homeschooler who is participating in their Walk-for-Life. She noted in her request that she was the direct result of her biological mother choosing life and thus given the opportunity to be adopted into a warm, Christian home.
Additionally, please read the comment by Beth on January's post about our giving bank. She, too, has a neat story about a Sav-a-Life's ministry.
As always, if you have encouraging words to share, please comment and let us know. Additionally, if you have an organization near and dear to your heart, please send us some info about it.
Thanks and many blessings,
Debra
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Paid to exercise ???
Good morning friends and family,
I stumbled upon an idea that pays you to exercise ! I had to follow the link....I need the motivation to exercise. This lady has a great concept and I thought I would share her link with you........ www.E2challenge.com....check out her post on January 28 and see if you are up to the challenge. I am busy trying to come up with a vacation destination so I can figure out how much I can get paid for my exercise. Hmmmm.......enjoy !
Debra
I stumbled upon an idea that pays you to exercise ! I had to follow the link....I need the motivation to exercise. This lady has a great concept and I thought I would share her link with you........ www.E2challenge.com....check out her post on January 28 and see if you are up to the challenge. I am busy trying to come up with a vacation destination so I can figure out how much I can get paid for my exercise. Hmmmm.......enjoy !
Debra
Friday, January 23, 2009
Parenting -Is it worth it ??
Parenting...probably the most difficult task set before us but also one of the most rewarding !
While my first born has stayed true to her firstborn nature, I have to let the world know how much I enjoy her ! She is creative (she did the blog creating for our family blog), she started her own blog (see the link on the right side of this page), she knows what she believes and more importantly, she knows how to ask questions to determine if what she believes lines up with Scripture, and she is growing into a beautiful Godly young lady ! Ahhh.....what a joy !
I write this post so you can link to her blog and check out the pictures she included of her brother and extended family and friends. Her blog is www.mylifeunscripted1.blogspot.com.
Now, allow me a few more sentences to tell you about my second born and only son.....while he is a boy complete with boy traits, he is sensitive and tender-hearted. He would gladly give you the shirt off his back if he thought you needed it. He recently wrote a paragraph about our neighbor's little boy that brought smiles and delight to the child and his family. He, too, is creative and uses his creativity mostly in music and now in his writings. He is growing into a Godly young man as he searches for what it means to live a Christ-like life. Oftentimes, he asks us question after question to be sure he understands what God expects of him. What joy to know that your children understand about having a personal relationship with Christ in spite of all the mistakes we make as parents and despite all our sins that they see ! God is faithful.
Parenting...yes, it is hard, but the rewards are worth every difficult moment, hour, and day. So, endure....stand firm.....continue to disciple them....and thank God for every moment He gives you with them.
Blessings to all,
Debra
While my first born has stayed true to her firstborn nature, I have to let the world know how much I enjoy her ! She is creative (she did the blog creating for our family blog), she started her own blog (see the link on the right side of this page), she knows what she believes and more importantly, she knows how to ask questions to determine if what she believes lines up with Scripture, and she is growing into a beautiful Godly young lady ! Ahhh.....what a joy !
I write this post so you can link to her blog and check out the pictures she included of her brother and extended family and friends. Her blog is www.mylifeunscripted1.blogspot.com.
Now, allow me a few more sentences to tell you about my second born and only son.....while he is a boy complete with boy traits, he is sensitive and tender-hearted. He would gladly give you the shirt off his back if he thought you needed it. He recently wrote a paragraph about our neighbor's little boy that brought smiles and delight to the child and his family. He, too, is creative and uses his creativity mostly in music and now in his writings. He is growing into a Godly young man as he searches for what it means to live a Christ-like life. Oftentimes, he asks us question after question to be sure he understands what God expects of him. What joy to know that your children understand about having a personal relationship with Christ in spite of all the mistakes we make as parents and despite all our sins that they see ! God is faithful.
Parenting...yes, it is hard, but the rewards are worth every difficult moment, hour, and day. So, endure....stand firm.....continue to disciple them....and thank God for every moment He gives you with them.
Blessings to all,
Debra
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
First Gift of the New Year
Hello Everyone,
So sorry for the delay in posting. I would think about it and then get distracted. But here we are now.
I wanted to follow up on our "giving bank" we started this year. In a matter of a few weeks, we collected almost $30 in change (that is very sad to think we had that much change around the house and in the cars, etc.) During our family Bible study one Monday night, Craig asked us to start to pray about what organization we would give to for January. The very next day we received a request in the mail to participate in a "Swim for Life" that would benefit Camp Smile-a-Mile (www.campsam.org). This young lady was going to raise money by swimming 200 laps during the event ! All to benefit cancer patients and their families. Fully believing that God had answered our prayer quickly, we decided to contribute some of those funds. We already have a goal for our next request (and for February) which is from another young lady who is walking in the Sav-a-Life event to raise money for the local Sav-a-Life organization. Her reason for participating in this event is that she personally was given life by her birth mother and released for adoption...giving her the loving parents she has today. So, we are eagerly watching for change to put in the bank !
We hope this encourages you, too, to find ways to help those around you. And, if you have a special organization or event that is near and dear to your heart, please share it with us.
Many blessings to you,
Debra
So sorry for the delay in posting. I would think about it and then get distracted. But here we are now.
I wanted to follow up on our "giving bank" we started this year. In a matter of a few weeks, we collected almost $30 in change (that is very sad to think we had that much change around the house and in the cars, etc.) During our family Bible study one Monday night, Craig asked us to start to pray about what organization we would give to for January. The very next day we received a request in the mail to participate in a "Swim for Life" that would benefit Camp Smile-a-Mile (www.campsam.org). This young lady was going to raise money by swimming 200 laps during the event ! All to benefit cancer patients and their families. Fully believing that God had answered our prayer quickly, we decided to contribute some of those funds. We already have a goal for our next request (and for February) which is from another young lady who is walking in the Sav-a-Life event to raise money for the local Sav-a-Life organization. Her reason for participating in this event is that she personally was given life by her birth mother and released for adoption...giving her the loving parents she has today. So, we are eagerly watching for change to put in the bank !
We hope this encourages you, too, to find ways to help those around you. And, if you have a special organization or event that is near and dear to your heart, please share it with us.
Many blessings to you,
Debra
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
The Summit
Well, it is that time of the year for our annual SUMMIT !
Years ago, Craig and I started taking the time between Christmas and New Year's to plan our goals for the next year and we dubbed it "The Summit". It takes us days to complete it because we work through a little bit at a time. Our "summit" includes our budget but it also includes evaluating the use of our time in relation to the goals that we set at the previous summit. Topics that we discuss are: discipleship of our family, mission trip opportunities, local service projects and/or giving ideas, fellowship time with other believers, local service in our church, etc. You get the idea.
It has been a very beneficial time because it makes us really look at what we believe is important and what we are doing about what we believe.
Growing up, I had a mother who did not let life "happen" to her....she was proactive in making her life "happen". In otherwords, if she wanted to learn something, she found a class to take or a book to read. If she wanted to experience some activity, she found a place to do it. (Maybe that is why at 75 she still line dances; volunteers at the hospital, the zoo, and for Hospice; coordinates a few things for her church; travels extensively to wherever she wants to go, etc.)
That is what "The Summit" does for us....it makes us make life happen ! Sure, we have interruptions and have to readjust oftentimes, but at least we know where we are headed.
Hope this encourages you to think through what you will be doing with your time, money, and resources in 2009 !
Debra
Years ago, Craig and I started taking the time between Christmas and New Year's to plan our goals for the next year and we dubbed it "The Summit". It takes us days to complete it because we work through a little bit at a time. Our "summit" includes our budget but it also includes evaluating the use of our time in relation to the goals that we set at the previous summit. Topics that we discuss are: discipleship of our family, mission trip opportunities, local service projects and/or giving ideas, fellowship time with other believers, local service in our church, etc. You get the idea.
It has been a very beneficial time because it makes us really look at what we believe is important and what we are doing about what we believe.
Growing up, I had a mother who did not let life "happen" to her....she was proactive in making her life "happen". In otherwords, if she wanted to learn something, she found a class to take or a book to read. If she wanted to experience some activity, she found a place to do it. (Maybe that is why at 75 she still line dances; volunteers at the hospital, the zoo, and for Hospice; coordinates a few things for her church; travels extensively to wherever she wants to go, etc.)
That is what "The Summit" does for us....it makes us make life happen ! Sure, we have interruptions and have to readjust oftentimes, but at least we know where we are headed.
Hope this encourages you to think through what you will be doing with your time, money, and resources in 2009 !
Debra
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