Sunday, November 22, 2009 - ~25 Days of Gratitude~
Today I am grateful for....
~^~ His unfailing LOVE...always Faithful in His Grace and He never forgets me!
~^~Sweet memories of family Thanksgivings throughout my childhood and adulthood.
~^~A husband that is our home's spiritual leader.
~^~My sister's in Christ that faithfully attend church every Sunday without their husband's.
~^~God's healing touch, please continue Lord to do your great work.
~^~Accomplishments that I could never do in my own strength, only His!
~^~Worship, with our precious church family and at home.
I am blessed beyond measure!
Saturday, November 21, 2009 - ~25 Days of Gratitude~
Today I am grateful for....
~Free Gifts~
*God's grace, mercy and love
*the freedom of living within the United States of America
*good morning hugs and kisses from my precious daughters
*a friend that listens without trying to fix the problem, thank you Lord for my husband!
*spiritual gifts and talents that the Lord has given me to use in the places He has selected
*the promise of a future home, with no more pain, tears or worries.
Blessed beyond measure!
Nov. 20, 2009 - MamaBuzz Tour: The Ultimate Cloth **free offer included**
Are you or have you been trying to find a 'green' way to clean around your home? Or maybe not 'green' but you want to do away with chemicals because a loved one in your house has bad reactions to chemicals and their smells? Well then look no further than the Ultimate Cloth! The Ultimate Cloth is soft so you don't have to worry about scratching surfaces like granite, glass, or even your car or electronics. No chemicals need to be used, just wet the cloth and clean! Yes it really is that simple, just plain water and you can remove dirt, grime and other crud around the house as well as germs! The cloth can be cut without fraying or tearing - which is great if you just need a few smaller cloths for cleaning the tub or sink or wiping up crumbs after lunch or the science experiment gone wrong!
If you're like me and want a way to save money this is an easy way to accomplish that as well. Even the cheapy grocery store brand can cost precious money each year - buying these reusable and washable cloths can end that drain. So simple to use by just wetting it, wringing it, wiping then rinsing (or wash it) and your done. So not only is it chemical free (although you can bleach it if you REALLY wanted to), saves you money but it also cuts cleaning time! What more could a busy and frugal mom want, except maybe a cheaper iced capp, but seriously this would make a great household item to have on hand. The children can even be put to work using this since there isn't a fear of them ingesting or breathing in harsh chemical smells. If you'd like to experience this then keep reading for a FREE offer directly from the people at The Ultimate Cloth!
Price: $6
Media Blurb:
The Ultimate Cloth is eco-friendly solution for homes as well as a money and time saver. The Ultimate Cloth is a brand new technology – in fact, it is the only cloth to receive a new patent in the last 25 years. The Ultimate Cloth is a simple, green and effective one-step cleaning process. The Ultimate Cloth cleans any hard surface – glass, wood, granite, stainless steel and many more – with just water! No longer do you have to use harsh chemicals in your home, nor do you need spend hundreds of dollars per year buying them. The Ultimate Cloth has been lab tested to remove 96% of bacteria, without the use of chemicals. And, can cut 50% off your cleaning time. The Ultimate Cloth is truly the ultimate in green cleaning.
Additional Details to Include in your review:
All of my readers can receive a FREE Ultimate Cloth!
All you need to do is follow Ultimate Cloth America on Twitter or become a fan on facebook:
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Ultimate_
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/
We will reveal how to get the free Ultimate Cloths via Twitter and facebook.
*This is a Mama Buzz review. The product was provided by: Ryan Richardson for The Ultimate Cloth for this review.
**Picture from The Ultimate Cloth website.
Nov. 20, 2009 - Featured Blogger ~ AmandaBennett
Why blogging is so great reason #5,287: You get to meet some of your favorite homeschool celebrities without having to attend a conference! Amanda Bennett has been blogging here at HSB ever since it started back in 2005. Blogging builds good business, but it also builds good relationships, and Amanda is very friendly and relational.
You may think that the author of numerous unit studies has her life perfectly organized and that all of her science experiments turn out with nary a problem. Not so! Even Amanda learns from her homeschool lessons.
This Christmas will be a meager one for many families. Yet we can still make it special. The first step is remembering what it is that makes the season so important to us, aside from Christ, it's family. Amanda shares a story about a tough Christmas she had as a little girl. Be sure to also read Christmas: A Study of Love.
As this week, and next, we are talking about Thanksgiving I thought this post, Thanksgiving Learning--Gratitude? would be of interest to you.
Next week there won't be a new Featured Blogger, so you get two whole weeks to explore Amanda's blog and wish her tidings of comfort and joy! (Such greetings aren't just for Christmas!)
Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB
Nov. 20, 2009 - Special Words for Special Needs ~ Thanksgiving is Changing Around Here
Welcome and soon to be Happy Thanksgiving! Are you like me and still in need of that last minute run to the grocery store? I have a list that is huge but I hesitate to get it. Why? After all the big day is just days away!
This year has been rough on me physically. I am spending most of my day in a wheelchair now due to possible MS. I am use to being up and cooking for hours on Thanksgiving day. I wake up early and cook through the day making all sorts of special side dishes, baked goods and of course the big turkey. This year I physically can't do it.
How many of you also deal with these restraints? Maybe not a mobility issues but a fatigue issue. How do we accomplish this grand plan without leaving us useless or not able to finish? For me Thanksgiving has highlighted a problem that I have been ignoring for a couple weeks now.
I need to realize my weaknesses and plan accordingly. I tend to plan with high hopes and higher expectations of myself. If I don't reach those I can get discouraged and guilty feeling. This is not how the Lord wishes me to be. Paul exhorts believers to be strong and run the good race.
I now realize that my race may be slower than others. I chose to keep running. I chose to not stop. I need to learn to pace myself. This Thanksgiving may not be like we have had in the past. I believe it will be better!
If you are dealing with physical problems stop blaming yourself for the differences between your family and the "normal" family. You are normal, for you!
So join me in being thankful to the Lord for where we are right now! Blessings to you and your family! Happy Thanksgiving
Heather lives in West Virginia. She and her husband have been homeschooling their 5 children for 8 years. Due to a genetic disorder their children have multiple special needs. Living life to the fullest for the glory of God is their goal! Visit Heather's page at www.homeschoolblogger.com/gfcfmomofmany/ or at Special Needs Homeschooling.
Nov. 20, 2009 - Home Spun strip #417
Nov. 19, 2009 - Home Spun strip #416
Thursday, November 19, 2009 - What to do with small children when you want to see a museum exhibit that is inappropriate for them
Ok, many of us have children of varying ages and maturity levels. When we are at the museums and see something we really want our teens to see or we really, really want to see ourselves, we generally have two choices: missing out or praying our younger children do not really get it. I have a solution that might work for you.
Here in SC, the state museum has an exhibit put on by the US Holocaust Memorial Museum called Deadly Medicine: Creating the Master Race. In their own words, “the exhibit traces the journey of eugenics from its start as a scientific concept in the late 19th century to its deadly use by Nazi
Well there are many mothers out there who in the same boat. Here is the solution we came up with: tag team. Get a group or just one other mother and go to the museum (ps most museums have free or deeply discounted prices with current homeschool IDs) While some of the mothers are taking the kids through the other parts, the moms & teens can go in groups of two or more and go through the exhibit. This way, no one misses out but you do not expose kids to something you do not think they are ready for.
Nov. 19, 2009 - Communication Corner~The Power of Thank You!
The Power of Thank You!
By JoJo TabaresDid you ever notice how little kids show appreciation? My son comes to me several times a day and says things like "I love you! You are the best mommy in the whole world!" The conviction of his words and the look on his face as he utters them are what touch my heart! That's what true appreciation is.
Most of us teach our children to say thank you, but few of us really understand its power. Showing appreciation is not only etiquette, but it is a responsibility especially during the holidays.
I was privileged to have been in the audience when Florence Littauer was speaking on "Silver Boxes". It's what she calls her philosophy on appreciation and edification. She quotes Ephesians 4:29. "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." She says that words are like a gift we give others that come in little silver boxes with bows on top. This is how we should show proper appreciation.
Many of us remember to say thank you when we get a gift, but often forget to show others appreciation for the things they do for us on a daily basis. And just how much appreciation does our "Thank You" show?
"Gee thanks" isn't much of a Thank You. "Gee thanks" is what is interpreted when you say..."Thanks for the gift Aunt Millie!" or even "I love it!" Even if your voice is excited and your face lights up when you say it, it can be empty. Why? Because in order for Aunt Millie to feel appreciated, she has to know what exactly you appreciate: The thought behind it? Money she spent? Time it took? Trouble she went to? And what exactly did you like about the gift: The features? The time it will save you?
A proper thank you is one in which you show as much time and trouble to give thanks as the person did in choosing your gift. Consider this: "Oh Aunt Millie! This is so generous of you! I can hardly believe it! This is a beautiful sweater and just the perfect color to go with the dress I was going to wear for my interview! Oh it feels so soft and I just love how it fits!" How much more appreciated does Aunt Millie feel now? Notice you haven't even said the words "thank you". It isn't the words you speak; it's the message it conveys that is important.
And how often should you thank Aunt Millie for this sweater? MORE THAN ONCE! I make it a point to wear my gift when I go visit the giver, call them on the phone when I am using it again, mention how I used it the other day and what a pleasure it was that I had it! NOW how appreciated does Aunt Millie feel?
What about all the thank yous that go unsaid to the people in our lives who do little things for us day after day? How many of us thank our mothers for raising us or our fathers for working so hard all those years we were growing up-not just on Mother's and Father's Day and not just a card or gift. How many of us have told our parents exactly what they did that we appreciate? Details! A Mother's Day card once a year is an obligation. A letter or conversation regaling them with the details of what you
appreciated about them over the years is true appreciation!
Is appreciation limited to our family? Many of us never thank our friends or associates for what they mean to us or do for us each day. How many of us belong to online communities? How many times have you emailed the owner of the list or site to thank them for all the behind the scenes work they do every day that allows you to participate, fellowship, and learn?
Take your appreciation public. How much more appreciated do you think Annie would feel if you posted a public message of appreciation for all her hard work behind the scenes at your favorite Yahoo group?:
"I want to thank Annie for all the wonderful articles she posts each week! I have really learned a lot and I have used many of these articles as homeschool lessons for my children. Annie must work so hard to create all these fun activities and I want to thank her for donating her time and all the prizes and certificates she has given away over the years! This group has been such a blessing to me and I have had so much fun as a member. Thanks Annie!"
A little thank you goes a long way! If Annie was feeling a little frustrated by the time the group takes to maintain, I bet she has renewed vitality after your post! On the job, employers can get more out of their employees by showing them a little appreciation now and again. You can create a closer relationship with your family and friends by showing them how much you appreciate what they do for you.
So this Christmas season, why don't you give the gift of true appreciation. The most appreciated gift is appreciation. It's free to give and priceless to get! Thank you for reading along with my thoughts today!
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JoJo Tabares holds a degree in Speech Communication. Her Christian and humorous approach to communication skills has made her a sought after speaker. JoJo's articles have appeared in various homeschool magazines and websites such as Dr. Laura.com. Her Say What You Mean curricula is endorsed by The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and her eBook, Say What You Mean When You're in Business, has been used by direct sales leaders and small business owners alike. For more information, please visit http://www.ArtofEloquence.com or
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CommunicationFUNdamentals/
Nov. 19, 2009 - MamaBuzz Blog Tour: "When Moms Pray Together" by Fern Nichols (Moms In Touch International)
This is a Mama Buzz review. The product was provided by: Maggie Rowe at Tyndale Publishing for this review.
"When Moms Pray Together" by Fern Nichols is a book that encourages praying between moms whose children are in school. Even though most of these mom's children are in a traditional brick and mortar school there was much for this homeschooling mom to glean from this book - namely I don't pray enough for my children or at all. I've admitted and I'm ashamed to admit it and I'm glad I had the chance to read this book because it's made me aware that praying for our children wether they are homeschooled or enrolled in a school should be one of our uppermost priorities as moms.
When I started reading this book and how some of these women's children were going astray by getting involved in drugs, promiscuity I thought that this book wouldn't pertain to me because, well, my children won't do that kind of thing. Then as I kept reading I realized that no matter if we homeschool or not that in and of itself won't keep my children pure - only God has that power and I need to lift my children up to Him, the One who gave them to me in the first place. This book made me realize, or maybe just drilled it in a bit more, these aren't my children and God is ultimately in control because they are His - like I am His! He gave these children to me to guide and rear up for Him and that includes me praying for them - no matter is too small. Wether it's my oldest who struggles with being a perfectionish, my youngest who likes to buck authority or my middle daughter who is very strong willed- I need to pray that Satan cannot win this Spiritual battle.
Wonderful use of Scripture throughout the book makes it so much more relevant to the Christian mom who yearns to know more about praying for her children. Just because we homeschool doesn't make us immune and this book makes me realize that I did indeed think it would - but I learned by reading this book that regardless God wants me to use Scripture to pray for my children as well as other mom's children. I and most of my friend's don't have the time to meet weekly at a set date for prayer but we can still be in prayer for each other and our children through emails, phone calls and even Facebook. I was so glad that even if I didn't think I would learn anything from this book I am so blessed that I did!
Product/Book Name: When Moms Pray Together by Fern Nichols
Ages: Moms
Price: $13.99
Put out by: Tyndale
To buy your own copy go to Tyndale's media center. If you'd like more information on the author please visit her author bio page at Tyndale.
If you'd like more information on Moms In Touch International visit the MITI website.
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