I saw this over on Debbie's blog and it was too good of news not to pass along! We own and love all the previous movies from Sherwood Pictures (Flywheel, Facing the Giants, and Fireproof) - so we'll be anxious to add this new movie to our collection as well. Sounds like it'll be another great one!
I have found a truly gifted site... full of beautiful graphics...
Trina has been beautifully blessed with such lovely creativity,
as have the other artists you will find when visiting Trina's website.
Please take a moment to view the 1000's of graphics in various categories
(below are just a few samples). Click on each image to visit that theme page.
She has created different themes to meet all the needs of each individuals taste :)
I can't help but to visit her site each day, as there's so much to see and be in awe over.
Please won't you stop in and say "Hi" while at the same time...
letting her know you appreciate her sharing her blessed gift with us all.
Have a beautifully blessed day everyone,
**Lots of Hugs**
Deborah
**Note** Digi Scrap Kits (Trina) has granted permission to use the images. Please do not use, copy, or distribute these images without permission from DSK. Thank you :)
This past week has been extremely hard for me. I lost my Great Grandpa, who I was very very close to. I can honestly say that he was THE best grandpa I've ever had. I am so thankful for the last 5 years of being able to grow closer to him, of course, it wasn't as long as I wanted, but I am very glad I had them. It was wonderful! It was wonderful to grow as close to him as I did.
Over the past 5 years, he really opened up to me about his WWII experiences which he hadn't shared them at all before. When I presented him the Armed Service album I made for him at his 65th anniversary, he was moved to tears. I knew that all the efforts and the sleepless night I spent on it was so worth it! Getting to know him was truly a blessing to me. I pray it was to him also. Since I did that for him and grew closer to him through it, I have a very important place in my heart for the armed service men. When we took him to the cemetery, they gave him a beautiful military salute with Taps and a 21 Gun Salute. I bawled through the whole thing. Knowing that his service was important to him, and that was so very important to me because of him. It was very hard to sit through for me.
Sitting in his funeral service remembering all the times we had together, the tears just flowed. We would color when I was younger and as I grew up, we would sit on his front porch and play cards. He taught me to play rummy, war, slap jack, and more. One of the last times he played cards he was 87 and got down on the floor with the Littles to play go fish with them. It wasn't easy for him to crawl on the floor but he showed his love to his family by doing it. He truly was a family man. That was all he was worried about: his family. He made it known that his family was all that was important to him.
I truly miss him. I miss his hugs. I miss his smile. I miss his playing cards. I now found myself crying when I pray because he is no longer on my list and it reminds me he is gone. I just miss him! But he lived a full and meaningful life. A life devoted to his family. I praise God that Grandpa knew our Savior and that I have the hope to once again see him on Resurrection Day. It hurts and its hard to have to wait for that day, but I know that the day is drawing close. OH, what a glorious day that will be!
Isaiah 25:8 He will swallow up death forever. Adonai ELOHIM will wipe away the tears from every face, and he will remove from all the earth the disgrace his people suffer. For ADONAI has spoken.
Revelation 21 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will no longer be any death; and there will no longer be any mourning, crying or pain; because the old order has passed away."
• Nov. 19, 2009 - Help the Homeless - and get 2 FREE e-books!
Posted By Homeschool Nations - Arizona
What: Collection of new shoes and socks to benefit the homeless When: Nov. 16-25 Where: Collection boxes at PVCC Main Campus and Holland Community Center next to PVCC Black Mountain Campus
This holiday season, five students from Paradise Valley Community College (two of whom are homeschool graduates) are teaming up to help the Phoenix Valley homeless. Due to the economic downturn, the Arizona homeless population has exploded while at the same time overall giving to aid organizations has plummeted. As a service project the students have decided to make a difference in the lives of some of the Valley’s homeless. Their goal is to collect 200 pairs of new shoes and 1000 pairs of new socks by Thanksgiving to benefit members of our community in homeless and domestic violence shelters.
The students will take the donated items to Shoebox Ministry, an organization dedicated to meeting the personal hygiene needs of Arizona’s homeless. Please help out! Collection boxes for new shoes and socks will be located at PVCC in the MainCampusBuilding (KSCBuilding) at 18401 N. 32nd Street, Phoenix, and the HollandCommunity Center next to the PVCC Black Mountain Campus at 34250 N. 60th Street, Bldg. B. Scottsdale.
The boxes will be out Nov. 16 through Nov. 25. For more information or to donate online visit soles.xboltz.net.
P.S. Knowledge House is giving away two FREE e-books to anyone who makes an online donation of $10 or more! Just in time for the holidays, the 22-page "Gifts for All Occasions" and 40-page "Easy Money Gifts" ($10 total value) are jam-packed with gift ideas for everyone on your list. Donate online now.
But life got in the way and I woke up this morning realizing my surgery is tomorrow morning.
I've had a lot of peace.
Until today.
But time with HIM this morning gave me back my peace and put my focus on HIM and not my circumstances.
Keeping my focus on HIM is harder today than it has been. My tummy is a little up and downsy!
Ok, now I'm making up words.
Pray for me.
Surgery is at 8am to remove left ovary. A biopsy will be done. If all is well I get a few stitches and come home to recover. If not, it's a more involved surgery and a two-three day hospital stay.
We don't "do" Santa Claus at our house. We hang stockings, and we watch Santa movies ... but we don't tell kids he's real or give gifts from him. All gifts are from Mom and Dad, Grandpa and Grandma, Aunts, etc.
But despite that, every one of our children at 3 years old has wanted to believe in Santa Claus. We have books that talk about how Christmas is about Jesus, and tell the true story of Saint Nicholas vs. the make-believe Santa ... but they still believe.
The older kids know he is fake, but occasionally present me with "Letters to Santa" anyway. I received four letters yesterday (to be posted later in this article), right before my children tried to convince 3 yo L that Santa wasn't real.
But they didn't stop at saying he was pretend. They tried to convince her he was dead ... complete with photos they found on the internet of the hunter who shot Santa, and Santa's grave. (these photos are not gory or inappropriate in any way)
I then had a distraught 3 yo. She was already upset that we kept saying there isn't a Santa Claus and that Christmas is about Jesus. She would say, "But Santa is in Christmas, too, right?" with a pleading look. But after these photos, she was almost in tears. Leave it to teens to torment a preschooler like that.
I told the children to drop the subject and stop arguing with her. Next year she'll be older and more able to understand the difference between what is pretend, and what is real. For now, it's not worth upsetting her.
And now ... the letters to Santa from my kids who all know Santa isn't real ... well, except for 3 yo L.
Dear Santa C,
For Christmas, I want Barbie clothes, Barbie stuff, Barbies,Kens, Kelly dolls, Girl coloring books, High School Musical. I was very very extremely good this year.
From 10 yo C
(she even included a map to her bedroom and our house from the North Pole)
Dear SC,
I need a Nerf Toy, and I want it to be a Nerf Build Your Own Blaster! Or a The Largest Full Auto Nerf Blaster.
PS I was very good.
Love, 8 yo J
(maybe we need to discuss needs vs. wants again)
Dear Saint Nick,
I was very good this year. For Christmas I want Build Your Own Blaster.
5 yo M
(he drew a picture of a wii, although he didn't list one)
Dear Santa,
For Christmas I want a bouncy ball, a doll, a teddy bear, toy dishes, a crown, a coloring book, crayons.
From 3 yo L
(no more crayons, please -- we have too many already)
Now, if you're a family member reading this, and you've already received a Christmas idea list ... just ignore these. These are not necessarily Mom and Dad-sanctioned gift ideas.
Just sharing the Santa-related activities at our house this week, from a family who doesn't even "do" Santa.
I am a homeschooling mom of five (ages 6 - 20) and co-owner of Trigger Memory Systems, producer and marketer of non-traditional learning materials. This blog is an outlet for my various passions; several of which are creative homeschooling, frugality and decorating (frugally, of course. You just never know what you're going to find! So come browse and enjoy and don't hesitate to share your thoughts and ideas!
Yes, this is a shameless plug on behalf of my familia...I'm sure y'all have heard that the Home School Blog Awards are going on... if not... they are. :) Well I would like to present to you where my votes are going...
