BOUNTIFUL BLESSINGS

I have not been able to turn off CNN this week.  With the elections and speeches, history is in the making.  I always listen close whenever one of our soldiers on the front is interviewed.  We are given such a real and different perspective when we listen to those who are there or have been there. 

I drive to work during the time when the WNPR does interviews with journalists from the war or interviews with people whom have escaped the bombings of their homes.  I drive home during the BBC World News broadcast.  Listening to the views of people not from America, makes you wonder just what image does the world hold of us?

A recent broadcast, made me wonder if the people of the world, believe that the Republicans and the Democrats are totally different sectors of our population.  The world view seems to be seeing this country as a country divided.  And in many ways, it is.  I listen as citizens bash the elected officials or hoot over ones not elected and I wonder what happened to the world I grew up in.

When I was a child, we saluted the American flag.  We respected our elected officials even if they were not our personal vote.  No one would say the disrespectful things I hear today about our President.  Our soldiers deserve our respect, also.  And our prayers.

I am not suggesting that because someone is an elected official, you must agree with their policy.  We have proper ways to voice our opinions, wishes and wants.  Voting is one of the many ways to choose a coarse of action.  Writing your elected representative is another.  Making rude, unfair, or insultive comments is just so not the America I was raised in.

My prayers this week are for this country.  That we may heal it's divide.  The words 'United We Stand.  Divide We Fall." resounds in my mind as I type is.  I pray that America returns to it's integrity, thoughtfulness, and caring.   I pray that America comes together and demonstrates that even though we are many different people, we can unite as One Nation, Under God, Indivisible, With Liberty And Justice For All.

(http://www.homeofheroes.com/hallofheroes/1st_floor/flag/1bfc_pledge.html) for the story of the Pledge of Allegence.

Blogger Friend School Assignment #5
GETTING INTO THE SPIRIT

Is anyone else sitting here and shaking their heads in amazement that today is the first day of November? 

Oh yes!  October is over.  The parties are ended.  I am so looking forward to this Holiday season, as I have so few left before my first born baby is an adult and in college!  This may also be the final one Gandma is here.  It may also be the final one that my youngest still beleives in Santa.  So this year is special.  A time to rejoice in all that the Lord has given us and gotten us through.  A time to make sure we share with each other the love the Lord blessed on us.

 I know that I am.  The countdown until Christmas has already begun and the world around us will be dancing the holiday shuffle with crowded lines in department stores, long lines to checkout a basket full of "things", wrapping presents, battling the post office to ship those packages, and don't forget to have pictures taken of the children.  The rush through the season is felt everywhere and as the tension builds so does the stress in our homes, families and spirtual lives.

Yes, this year is tight and I seem to always over spend.  This year my spouse and I are trying something new.  It's call a 'B-u-d-g-e-t'!!   I've never tried this before!

Pictures, pictures and more pictures. Maybe even a few with clean faces?  I would love a family portrait but know the rest of the family will get goofy.  I think I'll get one anyway goofs and all.

I don't want to rush through the season!  I want to be prepared to renew my spirit with the most precious gift the Lord has given us -- HIS SON! 

Thank you for posting that.  With all the preparations, and responsibilities, it is so easy to forget the obvious.  Christmas is not about the gift wrap nor holly.  It's about the greatest gift of all.  The Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour.

Our assignment this week, is to blog about "Getting into the Spirit".  I would like everyone to cover 3 areas in their posts:

   ~ family traditions for Christmas and/or Advent

For me personally, the Christmas Tree is central.  When I was a little girl living in Pennsylvania, in the house my father built, we always brought in the Christmas Tree on Christmas Eve.  The fire would be roaring in the fireplace, Christmas carols would be playing on the record player, and as a family, we would decorate the tree.  I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas is still my favorite song.  My mother's favorite is The Little Drummer Boy.  Oh how I just love a white Christmas!

One year after we had moved to Florida, my sister who had just turned twenty, was murdered at the start of the holiday season.  That year there was no holiday. But Santa showed in the form of my older brother.  He went on Christmas Eve, to the local firefighters' tree lot.  It was very late.  He begged them to let him have a tree.  He told them how he wanted to get it for his sister (me!)  He brought it home and decorated it.  Christmas morning, it was there looking glorious, the best present ever! 

The Christmas Tree is an evergreen as it represents the Lords everlasting love.

The shape points to heaven above. I wish I could remember the exact story I was told.  It's in my heart forever.

~ 10 ways that you can prepare for the season

This year, I will start with one preparation.  To get my footing back in my own personal beliefs.  It's been a long tough road and I have lost my way.   First, I need to get back on the path before I continue further.

1. Post a scripture that will help you "Get into the Spirit

I will need to get home for this one. 

EXTRA CREDIT:  Add your verse to bottom of every post that make this week to help you remember to focus on Him as your start to prepare yourself for the upcoming season.

I will post one of the most powerful verses I have ever read. This one holds special meaning to me as many Christians at the time were trying to get me to quit  Martial Arts training. They felt an oriental art was against the Lord.  So before one of my belt tests, I prayed.  I was in a hurry as I was young and running late.  I asked the Lord to let my Bible fall open to what He wanted me to do.

I sat my Bible on it's spine and let go.  This is the first verse I laid my eyes on and it has never left me since. 

The Psalms 144

A Prayer for Rescue and Prosperity
A Psalm of David.
	1. Blessed be the LORD my strength,    which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:

Somehow, I seem to have deleted this assignment.  So, as I'm not feeling clever at the moment, I won't try and duplicate it.  When I started homeschooling, I started a collection of useful sites.  I don't want to hoard them anymore, so here is the list. Many of the kid sites are educational fun so enjoy!

What to do with a pumpkin?

If your a chef, you make a gourmet dish like

Autumn Pumpkin Tureen Fondue

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
	1 pumpkin, 4 lb., washed and dried
	2 Tbs. vegetable oil
	2 cloves minced garlic
	6 oz. baby Swiss Cheese shredded
	4 slices white bread, toasted and crumbled
	2 oz. mozzarella, shredded
	1 pt. half and half
	1 tsp. salt
	1/2 tsp. pepper
	1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
	French bread fingers for dipping

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With serrated knife, cut a two inch slice from the top of the pumpkin and reserve. Remove seeds and fibers.

2. Blend oil and garlic and rub into the interior of the pumpkin, then place in a large roasting pan. Alternate layers of toast crumbs and cheeses inside the pumpkin.

3. Combine half and half, salt, pepper and nutmeg and pour over layers.

4. Replace top and bake pumpkin 2 hours, gently stirring contents after 1 and 1/2 hours. Accompany with French bread, buttered and toasted, if desired, for dipping.

from www.familyfun.go.com

If your into interior design you might like

Autumnal Luminaries

http://www.marthastewart.com/

At our house, we carve them into Jack-o-lanterns or make them into yummy pumpkin pie!

A few of my friends have joined Blogger Friend School.  How cool!  One of thier assignments is to write a word for each letter of the alphabet..

So I thought I'd assign this to Ktas and see what he writes. 

Here's my guess at his alphabet.

Army men

Buttercup and Bacon

Caylee and Calvin

Dragons and Dad

Eragon

Flood

George

Halo and Hobbs

Indian

Jack-o-lantern

Kitten

Lil Bill

Mom and Melissa

Nalinda

Orange World

Penguin

Quest

Rex

Snake

Torin

Uniform

Vicky

War

Xabior

Yo yo

Zoo

Well, five I'lll have to think about.  They will probably be characters of whatever he was reading tonight or from his game he's been creating.  It will be interesting to see!

For fun, let's see about me:

Artistic

Bookworm

Caylee

Drawing

Education

Farm

George

Home

Inspired

Jamie

Keep

Lucky

Misky

Novel

October

Painter

Quite

Reading

Sewing

Thought-provoking

Unique

Vivacious

Weather

X-treme!

Yarn

Zealous