We had not been to a movie theatre for over 7-8 years. The tickets are expensive and we would rather save money and then buy DVDs of good movies so that we can watch them again and again. However, it was a wonderful treat for us, especially the kids, to be able to go see A Christmas Carol in the theatre this past Saturday. Thanks to General Mills for providing me with a "Movie Moment" prize pack (which includes 4 e-movie cash certificates and 1 free coupon for a General Mills cereal) through MyBlogSpark. Please read on to find out how to win an identical "Movie Moment" prize pack. General Mills is having a promotion where you can enter the codes found inside boxes of participating cereals to print out a free movie certificate.
When you’ve purchased two boxes of cereals, visit generalmills.com/moviecash to enter the code found inside each box and print your free movie certificate . Participating brands include: Honey Nut Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Lucky Charms, Trix and Reese's Puffs.
General Mills is offering a "Movie Moment" prize pack for me to give away to one of my blog readers. This prize pack includes: four e-movie cash certificates (up to $12 each) and one free coupon for a General Mills cereal.
To enter:
- Leave a comment here sharing what your all-time favorite movie is or what movie you are looking forward to seeing or what your favorite movie moment/memory is.
- For extra entries, you may do one or all the following. Make sure you leave a separate comment for each one.
Read one of my other posts and leave a comment here
Blog about this giveaway and link back to this post
You will find over 30 giveaways at 5MinutesforMom during their Christmas Giveaway event from November 5th to November 26th. If you know a family who will not be able to provide presents for their children this Christmas, click on the right button and read more about Under the Tree and how you cannominate a family in need.
Your physical body needs oxygen in order to survive. Inhale, exhale ... one leads naturally to the other. Inhale too long and you feel as if your lungs will burst. Exhale too long and you get light-headed.
The same rhythm is essential in the life of faith. You inhale life-giving strength from God through things like prayer, study, solitude, and silence. You exhale generosity, hospitality, and service to the poor. If you try to do one without the other, you wont' last very long.
This fresh perspective on the classic disciplines of the faith will empower you to process the oxygen of the Spirit. Discover how you can develop a balanced spirituality that reflects the life of Jesus and keeps your faith growing stronger.
About the author: Richard Dahlstrom is Senior Pastor of Bethany Community Church in Seattle , WA , in the heart of the city, among university students, young professionals, families, the homeless, and the elderly. He is also a popular teacher in North America and Europe for the Capernwray Missionary Fellowship of Torchbearers. He holds a M.Div. from Talbot Theological Seminary. Find out more about Richard at: http://raincitypastor.blogspot.com/ .
My review: I found the beginning of this book not very interesting; however, the more I read on, the better it was. In this book, you will see an analogy between faith and breathing. Usually, we do not consciously think about our inhaling and exhaling. The author encourages us to be more aware of and to practice regularly our spiritual inhaling (prayer, studying God's Word, solitude, resting in Christ, paying attention to creation, silence) and exhaling (service, hospitality, generosity, being artisans of hope). We need both in living a life of faith. The author reminds us to breathe more purposefully. I appreciate Mr. Dahlstrom's insight, transparency, and humility. If you love God but somehow still feel exhausted or bored or confused, this book will help refresh you like a breath of fresh air :).
Contest: Win a signed copy of 02 for yourself! There are two ways to enter! The winners will be announced 10/26.
1. Jump over to Pastor Richard’s blog “Pastoral Musings from Rain City" and leave a comment between October 5th and October 24th. Just say hi or tell Pastor Richard what you liked about his book, or share with him how you’ve experienced ‘new life’ in your faith!
2. Tweet this: @raincitypastor Pub. Weekly voted Breathing New Life into Faith as top 10 book in 2008 check it out! http://tr.im/Au8q#02
Update: This giveaway is now closed. The two winners (randomly chosen) are Debbie (Graciousmommy) and Noreen (last commenter). I already notified them. Congratulations to the winners and thanks to all the participants!
Are you searching for a snack for the kids that tastes good and is good for them? Yoplait Kids yogurt is the perfect solution with 25% less sugar than the leading kidsì yogurt. With its thick and creamy texture that will hug your little oneìs spoon, you wonìt have to worry about a sticky mess to clean up afterwards. It also contains no artificial sweeteners or flavors, so you can feel good about serving it to your kids. In addition, Yoplait Kids is a good source of vitamin D and, according to two new studies that provide the first national assessment of the crucial nutrient in young Americans, millions of U.S. children have disturbingly low vitamin D levels, possibly increasing their risk for a variety of health concerns, including bone problems. About 7.6 million children, adolescents, and young adults have vitamin D levels so low they could be considered deficient. It can be challenging for growing kids to get enough vitamin D because this nutrient is only found naturally in very few foods; however Yoplait Kids makes it a little easier to incorporate a delicious source of vitamin D and calcium in your child's diet. ~Information provided by MyBlogSpark
Thanks to Yoplait and MyBlogSpark, I received a Yoplait Less Sugar, More Fun prize pack which included coupon* for a free six pack of Yoplait Kids yogurt, a travel cooler, two fun spoons that change colors in warm water, a reusable place mat with games for kids, and a fuzzy tangle puzzle. I redeemed the coupon for a six pack of Yoplait Trix kids yogurt. My pack contained three cups of Strawberry Banana Bash and three cups of Raspberry Rainbow. My kids and I love both flavors. The texture is very smooth and creamy. It is a wonderful, heathy snack for kids (and adults, too :)). Each cup has fruity flavors and great nutrients such as Carbohydrate, Calcium, Vitamin D, Vitamin A, Potassium, Protein, and Phosphorus.
*This coupon offer for a free six pack of Yoplait Kids yogurt is not valid in some states, including Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota and Tennessee.
As part of this review post, I have an opportunity to give away 2 Yoplait Less Sugar, More Fun prize packs to my blog readers. To enter, please leave a comment here sharing some of your or your kids’ favorite healthy snacks. Please remember to leave your email address or your blog’s address. If you post about this giveaway on your blog and/or on Facebook, you will receive an extra entry for each. Please leave a separate comment with the link to your post. The deadline is Sat., Oct. 31st at midnight (Pacific time).
Thanks to One2One Network, I received a copy of the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: Diamond Edition Combo Pack to watch and review. This Diamond Edition Combo Pack includes 2 Blu-ray discs and a DVD. I am impressed with the exceptional picture quality and sound quality. If you did not know that Snow White was originally made in 1937 or did not already watch it when you were young, one probably would assume that it had just been made recently. I am still amazed at what Disney accomplished with Snow White in term of technical and artistic excellence back in the 1930's. I’m personally not fond of the plot, the magic spell, the unrealistic portrayal of "love" and "marriage", and the voice of Snow White. However, my sons (10 and 8 years old) seemed to enjoy the DVD. We still laughed and had a good time. We do not have a Blu-ray player. They claim that Blu-ray discs are scratch resistant which sounds nice to me. If you are a fan of Snow White, you would love this combo pack. For the first time ever, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is made in High Definition 7.1 Sound. From this combo pack, you will enjoy bonus features such as an all new music video, Dopey’s Wild Mine Ride Game, "Heigh-Ho"Karaoke Sing-Along, will be able to play games (What Do You See?, Mirror, Mirror On the Wall, Jewel Jumble), and will get to see behind the scenes stuff of "The One that Started It All."
Did you know that Snow White...
- was the first full-length animated film ever made?
- was one of the first films ever to be designated for preservation by the Library of Congress?
- was the first film ever to have a motion picture soundtrack?
- was the first film to use music to advance the story?
- has been released theatrically a total of nine times?
Now you do :).
If you would like to relive your childhood with this classic tale (written by the Grimm brothers), this Diamond Edition Combo Pack is the way to go.
I received the following websites for fun kids' activities in an email; however, I have not personally checked them out yet.
UPDATE: This giveaway is now closed. The winner (randomly chosen) is Angela (justanarmywife). I already contacted her. Thanks to everybody who entered the giveaway and shared their family Christmas traditions and/or favorite Christmas memories. I enjoyed reading them all. If you would like to read about our family Christmas traditions, please click here and here.
I usually do not like to read fiction; however, this book’s title interested me :). The story is about one loving mother who tried so hard to keep her family (including grown-up, moved-out children) happy and make the holiday memorable. Well, things did not turn out as she planned or hoped for. As I followed this mother who faced dilemma and challenges, I occasionally laughed and smiled. My oldest daughter is 16 and my youngest son is almost 8. I am reminded by this book that time flies by so fast; I need to consciously cherish every moment I get to spend with my children. We need not to be too busy to make memories together that will last a lifetime. The Great Christmas Bowl is an easy-to-read, light-hearted, and family-focused book that points out the real meaning of hospitality. I especially like the last chapter (don’t peek; you need to be patient and read the whole book :)). I was a little disappointed that the author wrote about a team mascot that was thought of as a lucky charm and the main character (who is obviously a Christian) said things like, "Wish me luck!" and her husband (who is also a Christian) replied, "Oh, you're the luck, babe!" Shouldn't she say, "Please pray for me!" instead? Nevertheless, if you love football, love Christmas, love being a mom, and/or love your neighbors as yourselves, you would enjoy this book.
Summary:
Marianne Wallace is focused on two things this holiday season: planning the greatest family Christmas ever and cheering on her youngest son’s team in their bid for the state championship. Disaster strikes when the team loses their mascot-the Trout. Is it going too far to ask her to don the costume? So what if her husband has also volunteered her to organize the church Christmas tea. When football playoffs start ramping up, the Christmas tea starts falling apart. Then, one by one her children tell her they can’t come home for Christmas. As life starts to unravel, will Marianne remember the true meaning of the holidays?
Author’s bio:
Susan May Warren is the RITA award-winning author of twenty-four novels with Tyndale, Barbour and Steeple Hill. A four-time Christy award finalist, a two-time RITA Finalist, she’s also a multi-winner of the Inspirational Readers Choice award, and the ACFW Book of the Year. Her larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder of www.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice. Susan makes her home in northern Minnesota, where she is busy cheering on her two sons in
football, and her daughter in local theater productions (and desperately missing her college-age son!) A full listing of her titles, reviews and awards can be found at: www.susanmaywarren.com
The Great Christmas Bowl website: http://thegreatchristmasbowl.blogspot.com/
The website features a note from the author, fun updates from Big Lake Gazette, info on how to host your own Great Christmas Bowl Tea to benefit a local ministry or charity and a fun Recipe Exchange contest!
CONTEST: Be a part of the Great Christmas Bowl recipe exchange! Susan loves getting recipes from friends, and sharing the delicious cookies, soups, breads and other fun fixings that go with celebrating the Christmas season. More than that, she loves the crazy stories about favorite Christmases – serious, touching, funny…whatever. Find the recipe contest here: http://thegreatchristmasbowl.blogspot.com/2009/07/recipe-exchange.html
Will you share your story and recipe with Susan and the readers of the Great Christmas Bowl? She will post your story and recipe on the FRONT PAGE of the Great Christmas Bowl website, and send you a link when it goes up so you can tell all your friends. Then, at the Great Christmas Bowl party (December 5th, 10am, online! Details TBA) she’ll make the entire cookbook available for download!
For every recipe/story you submit (up to 3), you will be entered in a drawing to receive one of SMW’s collections (Noble Legacy, Team Hope, Heirs of Anton, Deep Haven Series, Josey series, or THE ADVANCED COPY of Sons of Thunder – Susie’s brand new epic World War 2 novel, due out in January 2010!)
GIVEAWAY: The winner (randomly chosen) will receive a copy of The Great Christmas Bowl.
To enter: Please leave a comment here sharing one (or more) of your family Christmas traditions or one of your favorite Christmas memories. Please make sure you leave your email address or your blog's address. This giveaway is open for U.S. residents only.
Deadline: Saturday, Oct. 3rd, at midnight (Pacific time)
UPDATE: This giveaway is now closed. The winner (randomly chosen) is Barb. Congratulations! I already notified her. Thanks a bunch to all who entered and shared about the qualities that they most appreciate in a friend! These qualities include: honesty/truthfulness, selflessness, forgiveness, shared experience/connection, caring, trustworthiness/no gossip, encouraging, love of Jesus, faithfulness, gentleness, ability to laugh together, reciprocity, and acceptance/not being judgmental. I agree and I hope I possess all these qualities :)...because if you want to have a great friend, be one yourself!
During a particularly painful time in her life, Sarah Zacharias Davis learned how delightful–and wounding–women can be in friendship. She saw how some friendships end badly, others die slow deaths, and how a chance acquaintance can become that enduring friend you need.
The Friends We Keep is Sarah’s thoughtful account of her own story and the stories of other women about navigating friendship. Her revealing discoveries tackle the questions every woman asks:
• Why do we long so for women friends?
• Do we need friends like we need air or food or water?
• What causes cattiness, competition, and co-dependency in too many friendships?
• Why do some friendships last forever and others only a season?
• How do I foster friendship?
• When is it time to let a friend go, and how do I do so?
With heartfelt, intelligent writing, Sarah explores these questions and more with personal stories, cultural references and history, faith, and grace. In the process, she delivers wisdom for navigating the challenges, mysteries, and delights of friendship: why we need friendships with other women, what it means to be safe in relationship, and how to embrace what a friend has to offer, whether meager or generous.
Author Bio:
Sarah Zacharias Davis is a senior advancement officer at Pepperdine University , having joined the university after working as vice president of marketing and development for Ravi Zacharias International Ministries and in strategic marketing for CNN. The daughter of best-selling writer Ravi Zacharias, Davis is the author of the critically-acclaimed Confessions from an Honest Wife and Transparent: Getting Honest About Who We are and Who We Want to Be. She graduated from Covenant College with a degree in education and lives in Los Angeles , California .
My Review
I had never pondered much over friendship until I read this book :). The author dissects and analyzes friendship and provides deep thoughts about the subject. At times, it seems she asks a lot of questions (to make readers think or reflect). Other times, I cannot relate to what she shares because I have never seen most of the movies and TV shows that she uses as examples (which are quite a bit). I appreciate her honest, candid look at all the angles of friendship; however, I do not like some of her choices of examples. The book includes discussion guide (26 useful, thought-provoking questions) in the back.
My Thoughts
For me personally, Jesus is my Best Friend, my husband is my best (human) friend, and my kids are my closest friends. I have never had other close/bosom friends (kindred-spirit kind of friend). In Thailand, I had many friends and we did so many things together but still they were not my close friends. My faith in Christ and commitment to follow Him plus my moving to America made our friendship naturally drift apart. In America, I have friends, mostly Christian friends and homeschool friends. Still...they are not close friends although they are good friends. Then I have had several online friends who are also mostly Christian friends and homeschool friends. Somehow it seems I'm considered by others as the odd one in any group or circle of friends :) (either spiritually, culturally, ethnically, geographically, etc.) and perhaps that's the reason why they don't truly feel connected with me. Nevertheless, I am thankful for all my friendships because even though I don't have any bosom friends, I have never had to experience disappointment, hurt, conflicts, betrayal, or other problems caused by some friendships yet. I think there's an unspoken bond between Christ's followers (we are adopted into God's family as His children and we are one Body (the Body of Christ)). I do enjoy friendship with my brothers and sisters in Christ (regardless of nationality and cultural differences). I really like the song, "Friends Are Friends Forever" by Michael W. Smith. "And friends are friends forever if the Lord's the Lord of them. And a friend will not say never 'cause the welcome will not end. Though it's hard to let you go in the Father's hands we know that a lifetime's not too long to live as friends."
"For the life force of friendship is twofold: it is love, and it is also forgiveness, unconditional and infinite." (from page 66, The Friends We Keep) I agree that true, lasting friendship consists of unconditional and infinite love and forgiveness. Who always demonstrates (and never fails to demonstrate) those qualities but Jesus, our Forever Faithful Friend! He never forsakes, disappoints, hurts, or betrays us ever. He is full with love, compassion, and grace. In addition, He knows us inside out through and through (and still loves us!) and He only wants the best for us. What a Friend we have in Jesus! He is the best Friend anyone could ever ask for.
Giveaway: I have a copy of The Friends We Keep to giveaway. To enter, please leave a comment here answering this question: Which qualities do you most appreciate in a friend and why?Please make sure to leave your email address or your blog's address, too. You will receive an extra entry if you post about this giveaway on your blog or Facebook (remember to include the link to your post in a separate comment).The deadline is August 14th at midnight (Pacific time). I will announce the winner (randomly chosen) some time on August 15th. This giveaway is open only to U.S. residents.
The 40 MinuteBible Studyseries from beloved Bible teacher Kay Arthur and the teaching staff of Precept Ministries tackles important issues in brief, easy-to-grasp lessons you can use personally or for small-group discussion. Each book in the series includes six 40-minute studies designed to draw you into God’s Word through basic inductive Bible study. There are 16 titles in the series, with topics ranging from fasting and forgiveness to prayer and worship. With no homework required, everyone in the group can work through the lesson together at the same time. Let these respected Bible teachers lead you in a study that will transform your thinking—and your life.
Titles Include:
•The Essentials of Effective Prayer
•Being a Disciple: Counting the Cost
•Building a Marriage That Really Works
•Discovering What the Future Holds
•Forgiveness: Breaking the Power of the Past
•Having a Real Relationship with God
•How Do You Walk the Walk and Talk the Talk?
•Living a Life of Real Worship
•How to Make Choices You Won’t Regret
•Living Victoriously in Difficult Times
•Money & Possessions: The Quest for Contentment
•Rising to the Call of Leadership
•How Do You Know God’s Your Father?
•Key Principles of Biblical Fasting
•A Man’s Strategy for Conquering Temptation
•What Does the Bible Say About Sex?
Author Bio:
Kay Arthur,executive vice president and cofounder of Precept Ministries International has worked with her teaching staff to create the powerful 40-Minute Bible Studies series. Kay is known around the world as a Bible teacher, author, conference speaker, and host of national radio and television programs.
Last Thursday, my daughter, Alyssa, turned 16. The night before, I hijacked her blog, Life of Faith :). I made some changes to her blog's template (Doesn't her blog look sweet?), wrote a birthday post on her blog listing 16 reasons why I think she is such a sweet and special daughter, and asked relatives and friends to leave comments for her. She was very pleasantly surprised!
On Friday, Alyssa's close friends came to have a sleepover at our home. My sister in law (Alyssa's aunt) also stayed overnight with us. We watched Pride and Prejudice (the short version). We laughed so much...you would think it's a comedy, not a drama :).
On Saturday, more relatives came to attend her Sweet Sixteen Party. Games we played included: Sweet Target (shooting a target using a potato gun (shoots out potato pellets)...aiming for #16 or a combination of numbers added up to 16 within 3 attempts), Sweet Soak (relay game...the first person of each team walked to fill up a cup with water and walked back with a cup on his/her head...then dumped the water on the next person in line and gave the cup to that person...then this person repeated the same thing), Sweet Verses (Each team had to put together puzzles which are 16 pieces of paper into 3 correct Bible verses containing the word "sweet" or "honey" (ex: Psalm 119:103, Ecclesiastes 5:12, Proverbs 13:19, 16:24, 24:14, 25:27), and Sweet Present (we usually called it, "Hot Present" but I changed it to "Sweet Present" for this party :)...I played the song, Sweeter Than Honey (Psalm 19:8-10) while the kids passed around the present that was wrapped in multi-layers. Each time I paused the music, the person who had the present read aloud a quote (containing the word "sweet") that I attached to the wrapper and ripped open that wrapper. When it got to the last wrapper, the person got to keep the present (which was sweet...chocolate)). After the games, we sang Happy Birthday to Alyssa and after my hubby gave thanks to the Lord for the blessed 16 years we've had with her, we all enjoyed the yummy Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake, the blueberry pie, the marionberry coffeecake, ice cream bars, ice cream sandwiches, ice cream sundae cones, snickerdoodle cookies, grapes, honey roasted peanuts, BBQ chips, Cheetos Puff, crackers and cheese. Then it was time to open presents. Alyssa received many thoughtful gifts such as cash (she's saving up to buy a laptop), colorful matching blanket and pillow, towel, lap desk, mug and notepad set. Her 10 year old brother gave her a rock with his writing, "Alyssa, You Rock". Her 7 year old brother gave her a button that on one side, he colored the picture of a frog (F.R.O.G. = Fully Rely On God) and has a mirror on the other side. My husband and I gave her a purity ring (I wrote her a poem to go with it), a book, A Young Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George, Sweet 16 plaque (I arranged her favorite chocolate into the number 16), and some cash (to go toward the laptop). After the "official" party time, all the boys and my husband played basketball. Then we played Heart Attack (card game) and Whoonu. We gave out the goodie bags which were filled with 16 goodies. We had such a sweet time celebrating our Sweetie's Sweet Sixteen!
Update: This giveaway is closed. The winner (randomly chosen) is Dana Carroll at TheHomeschoolMommy. I would like to thank every commenter. I've been touched and encouraged by your heartfelt stories. Thanks for taking the time to share your struggles, challenges, learned lessons and more! I pray that the Lord will continue to work in your lives and give you triumph and that He will be glorified through your testimonies.
"But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Summary:
In the everyday stretch and squeeze of motherhood, Tricia Goyer often feels smooshed by the demands of life. In Blue Like Play Dough, she shares her unlikely journey from rebellious, pregnant teen to busy wife and mom with big dreams of her own. As her story unfolds, Tricia realizes that God has more in store for her than she has ever imagined possible.
Sure, life is messy and beset by doubts. But God keeps showing up in the most unlikely places–in a bowl of carrot soup, the umpteenth reading of Goodnight Moon, a woe-is me teen drama, or play dough in the hands of a child.
In Tricia’s transparent account, you’ll find understanding, laughter, and strength for your own story. And in the daily push and pull, you’ll learn to recognize the loving hands of God at work in your life…and know He has something beautiful in mind.
Author Bio:
Tricia Goyer is the author of numerous works of fiction and nonfiction, including Generation NeXt Parenting and the Gold Medallion finalist Life Interrupted. Goyer writes for publications such as Today’s Christian Woman and Focus on the Family, speaks to women’s groups nationwide and has been a presenter at the Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) national convention. She and her husband, John, live with their family in Montana.
My Review:
Blue Like Play Dough is the second book that I've read from Tricia Goyer. I read her other book, My Life, Unscripted, a couple years ago. I like her writing style...very casual, friendly, and easy to read. Tricia shares her life experiences, including her mistakes, with sincerity and humility. In Blue Like Play Dough, I can relate to some of the things she shares, such as desiring to be a perfect wife and perfect mom :), raising 3 kids (one girl and two boys), learning in homeschooling, memorizing God's Word, listening to God-given radar, actively supporting crisis pregnancy centers, etc. This book serves as a gentle reminder to surrender all to God. When we do that, we will see something beautiful because God will mold and shape us to be the moms He wants us to be. I enjoyed reading the book; it made me pause and pray (for my kids, my husband, and myself). I also cried when I was reading Chapter 20: "When Death Stopped at Our House." You have been warned :).
Giveaway: I have one copy of Blue Like Play Dough to give away. The deadline is July 31st at midnight (Pacific Time). I will randomly choose the winner and announce on Aug. 1st. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.
To enter: Please leave a comment here sharing a struggle or challenge you have had while homeschooling or parenting and how it was resolved or how you adapted to the struggle or what God has taught you through it/what you have learned from it. Please make sure to leave your email address or your blog's address, too. You will receive an extra entry if you post about this giveaway on your blog or Facebook (remember to include the link to your post in a separate comment).
Last Sunday (July 12th), we left for a week long vacation. We drove 360 miles (about 7 hours including a couple short stops along the way to take breaks) to the Eagle Cap Wilderness in Eastern Oregon. It was a very beautiful drive through the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Highway; however, we did pass some places with depressing names such as Starvation Creek, Poverty Flat Rd., and Dead Man Pass :). We rented a cabin in Wallowa Lake Resort in Joseph (Oregon's Little Switzerland). Our cabin was right next to the Wallowa River. It was so neat to hear the water rushing by constantly. That first evening, we went fishing at Wallowa Lake. Wallowa Lake was formed by a glacier. It is 5 miles long and 1 mile wide and approximately 300 ft. deep. The panaromic view there is absolutely gorgeous...captivating to say the least.
7-13-09: We drove through the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest to the Hells Canyon Overlook. Wow...what a spectacular view! Hells Canyon is the deepest gorge in North America and is the border between Oregon and Idaho. Along the way, we stopped to fish in the Imnaha River. In the evening, we went hiking on the West Fork Wallowa River Trail (starting at the Wallowa Lake Trailhead) to BC Creek Waterfall. Fantastic fall...quite rewarding!
7-14-09: In the morning, our boys practiced fishing (casting) in the Wallowa River behind our cabin. We then rented two row boats for 5 hours relaxing and fishing in the Wallowa Lake. My 7 year old son caught a Kokanee salmon. When we got back to our cabin, a buck was lying in front of our cabin's door. The deer around there were extremely friendly. They mingled with people and would not hesitate to eat from our hands. After dinner, we went back to the Wallowa Lake to do more fishing and enjoy the beautiful sunset. Each of our sons caught a rainbow trout. We enjoyed eating (cooked) fresh fish tremendously :).
7-15-09: We visited the Wallowa Mountain Visitor Center in Enterprise (Wallowa County's largest city). We then drove into the Eagle Cap Wilderness to Two Pan Trailhead in Lostine. We hiked on the East Fork Lostine River Trail until where the bridge was out. On the drive out, we witnessed the forest fire up in the mountain and talked to some firemen who said that the fire was caused by lightning. In the evening, we did some more fishing at Wallowa Lake. Each boy got a rainbow trout again.
7-16-09: We walked around downtown Joseph. We ran into some friends who happened to be camping at the Wallowa Lake State Park. Then we hiked along the West Fork Wallowa River Trail to explore a different area (than BC Fall). In the evening, we walked to the various gift shops in our resort area...enjoying ice cream cones and buying some souvenirs and candies.
7-17-09: We hiked up the Falls Trail to about 5,700 ft. elevation. Breathtaking view of the Wallowa mountains but dangerous & strenuous trail (especially for young kids). We took an important break at the waterfall :). My husband baptized our daughter and our youngest son. I thanked the Lord for such a precious moment! They expressed the desire to follow Christ and be obedient to God for the rest of their lives. We then rented two paddle boats at the Wallowa Lake. We had a blast racing (my daughter and I were in one boat, my husband and my sons were in the other) and laughing.
When we were at our cabin, we played frisbee and bouncy balls (having so much fun trying to prevent them from falling into the river :)). We also relaxed and played Kuuduk card game.
7-18-09: We had to say good-bye to the Eagle Cap Wilderness. By the way, the Eagle Cap Wilderness is the largest wilderness area in Oregon with a total of 349,987 acres, 53 alpine lakes, and 534 miles of trails in the Wallowa Mountains. The native people of the Wallowa country are the Nez Perce. Wallowa County is famous for bronze foundries. On our way home, we stopped by Multnomah Falls. It is the second-tallest year-round waterfall in the nation. The water of the Falls drops 620 feet from its origin on Larch Mountain.
A week of wilderness wowed us with God's wonders beyond words! What a wonderful & memorable vacation we had! We are so blessed and grateful for this opportunity. I'll post pictures later when I get a chance.
Our garden is looking pretty good. The corn, zucchini, and green beans are thriving. Only two tomato plants have survived (from seeds); we added one more tomato plant (not from seeds) so now we have 3. We were disappointed when we discovered that deer had eaten our green grape tomatoes. My husband then put up a wire fence around our garden to protect it. We also see 4 cucumber plants and a few pepper plants. We've recently added a Thai Dragon Pepper plant which is doing quite well (we can't wait to try it :)). We are looking forward to the "harvest stage" :). On a sad note, we have not seen any watermelon that we planted (seeds). This past weekend, we dumped out all the leftover seeds (watermelons, green beans, zucchini) here and there (outside our garden area)...they will most likely not grow...but you never know, right? :)
"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen." 2 Peter 3:18
"Learn and grow all you can; serve and befriend all you can; enrich and inspire all you can." William Arthur Ward
Why do I think my husband is the world's best dad (my children think so, too)?
"He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge." Proverbs 14:26 My husband always puts God first and family second. My husband is our hero of faith and integrity! His love for God is real. His desire to please and honor God is real. His passion to reach the lost for God's kingdom is real. His personal relationship with Jesus is real. His reverence for our Holy God is real. His obedience to God is real. His pursuit of memorizing, studying, and understanding God's Word is real. His zeal for Godliness is real. His compassion for others is real. He breathes and lives what he preaches (he's not a preacher by profession, but he loves to talk about God and the Bible). "But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all Your deeds." Psalm 73:28--That's my hubby.
In addition to being a superb daddy, my husband is a prayer warrior, a cheerful giver, a humble servant of Christ, a loving & faithful husband, a Godly leader, a hard-working provider, a strong & capable protector, a kind & trustworthy gentleman, and an extremely honest man. He has instilled in our children the love for God & His Word and the passion for the Great Commission. He is the definition of a "family man." He enjoys spending time with our children and me. He is such a joy to be around. He has a great sense of humor. He is also the most giving/generous man I've ever known. He has a servant's heart, always ready to lend a hand. He helps teach math and piano in our homeschool. He is also a handy man who seems to be able to fix almost anything. He is our Bible teacher and worship leader during our family devotions time. Our children love to play with Daddy and learn from Daddy. Besides Jesus, my husband is the best role model our children could ever have.
"The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him." Proverbs 20:7
Happy Father's Day to my beloved husband, the best...the coolest... the greatest daddy in the world (to us)!!!!!!! He is truly a man after God's own heart and his (our) children are exceedingly blessed. I wish I had a dad like him :).
Lord, please move our hearts to have Your compassion and love and move us into action to save the lost, to reach the unreached, to feed the hungry, and to help the needy.
If you "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind," you will want to obey Him/His Word, including the Great Commission.
If you "love your neighbor as yourself," you will want to share the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ with the lost and not want to see any of them spend eternity in hell.
Let's put aside our denominations and our differences on the secondary issues. Instead, please unite together in prayer and in our resources to move toward fulfilling the Great Commission...to reach those who have never heard of the Gospel...to give the lost hope in Christ. One Body of Christ under one God working toward one common goal!
Please check out http://www.gfa.org/, a wonderful ministry that focuses on sharing the Gospel with the unreached. You can also request a free copy of Revolution in World Missions (a book that will challenge you to live in the light of eternity) on the website.
Have you ever tried to help others become aware of some false teachers or some authors who are teaching/promoting concepts that are unBiblical and in stead of thanks, people accuse you of being judgmental? They usually proceed with Scripture references such as Matthew 7:1-2, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the same measure you use, it will be measured to you." They would frown upon you for judging others or they would say you should not be throwing tomatoes at those people and assume that you're a bad, unkind, unloving Christian. Or they say...how dare you judge them, only God can judge...you're so unChristlike.
"Judging" is misunderstood by many Christians. I used to be afraid to judge anybody and thought that it's wrong to do so. But if you keep reading Matthew 7 further (verses 3-5). You will realize that God was talking about hypocritical judgment. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." The point here is that we need to continually examine ourselves and see if there are any sins in our attitudes/heart/life we must get rid of, and that we must not mind being judged by the same measure (God's Word). I believe God wants us to have discernment...judging between good and evil, right and wrong, moral and immoral, sound doctrine and false teaching, etc. We are encouraged to be more like the Bereans (Acts 17:11). We need to compare everything to the Scripture, not just taking any man's words for it...no matter who/how famous he or she is. I posted about filtering incoming information here. "Judging" is not bad by itself. We do judge people/their character when we choose friends "Do not be misled: 'Bad company corrupts good character.'" I Corinthians 15:33 "He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." Proverbs 13:20 Good judgment will help keep us safe and keep us from stumbling. "My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble; when you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet." Proverbs 3:21-24
"Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment." Proverbs 10:13
"The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out." Proverbs 18:15
It all comes down to our attitudes of the heart. When we expose someone's wrongdoings, what's our motive? To warn others so that they won't be deceived...so that they won't fall into believing/following the wrong things...because we love them and care about them? We need to do this out of love and humility. If our motive is to bring that person down, to prove that we're better, or to make fun of that person, then it is very wrong. We should never slander or ridicule anyone. We should remain respectful at all time. We may judge their actions but not their heart because only God knows their heart. For example: Johnny stole a candy bar. What Johnny did was wrong. You may call him a thief. But we should not say that he is covetous or that he is such a horrible, mean person...because we don't know his heart. He may have been starving for days or he may have wanted to be able to feed his younger sibling or he has never been taught that stealing is wrong. Similarly, we do not know if false teachers are deliberately deceiving people or if they themselves have been deceived and really think they are teaching the right things. We should continue to love them and pray for them. However, it does not mean that we cannot or should not let others know about their false teachings. If you knew a restaurant or a chef that serves poisonous food, wouldn't you want to warn others before they consume it?
Recently, on a Christian forum, someone expressed a concern regarding Rick Warren (link: http://www.onenewsnow.com/Culture/Default.aspx?id=481280) and Joel Osteen. She was also quoting this verse, "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." 2 Timothy 4:3-4 Most commenters (sisters in Christ) agreed that these two preachers have done some false teachings. However, a few were not pleased to see that these other sisters in Christ "judged" the two preachers.
What Mr. Rick Warren did (according to the article) was obviously wrong (he lied and he did not uphold the Biblical truth regarding marriage between one man and one woman). A real Godly man fears God, not men and lives by the Book (God's Word), not by peer/media pressure or by society's standard!
"But Peter and John replied, 'Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God." Acts 4:19 "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter." Isaiah 5:20
If you want to know why Joel Osteen is considered a false teacher, please read Christianity in Crisis: 21st Century by Hank Hanegraaff. You can find my daughter's review of the book at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lifeoffaith/684181/. What do you think of this video (showing Mr. Osteen's unBiblical view on pain, sickness, sufferings, etc.)? I do not agree with everything Mark Driscoll said and do not like the way he made fun of Joel Osteen; nevertheless, he shared some great points to ponder). Word of Faith (name it-claim it-believe it-get it) Movement and Prosperity Gospel have led many astray.
God wants us to be free from sin, not from sufferings and trials. He wants us to be holy, not wealthy and healthy. I believe God provides and God heals but in many cases, God sustains people by providing strength, peace, joy, courage and heal their hearts while they still have to endure physical/mental problems, sickness, and hardships in life on earth. "I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33
If you think of "prosperous" as advancing in the pursuit of God & of furthering His kingdom and being rich in faith, then by all means, be prosperous. I'm all for abiding in Jesus and bearing good fruit. However, Joel Osteen and other prosperity preachers believe in something else that is not Biblical. I was born and raised up in a third world country where there are slums and children search through garbage for food/survival. Do you think poor people, barely surviving people, starving people don't have enough faith in God? Do you think people who struggle with physical or mental problems don't have enough faith in God? That's what Word of Faith Movement preachers and Prosperity Gospel preachers believe. Look at Joni Eareckson Tada and Nick Vujicic; God has not healed them physically yet but He has been using them mightily to reach people with the Good News and His love. Look at Charles H. Spurgeon who suffered physically and mentally (battling with depression) all his life; God used him to bless and minister to countless people. You don't think Paul had hardships? "They (Paul and Barnabas) preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. 'We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,' they said." Acts 14:21-22 Paul is implying that following Christ (a life of faith) is not a life free of hardships.
Someone quoted 3 John 1:2, "Dear Friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well."...saying that God wants us to be healthy (what Joel Osteen believes).
My response: That verse is John's prayer for Gaius. Of course, anyone would pray for good health. John continues in verse 4, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." Walking in truth is more important than having good health. I believe God wants us to be more concerned about our heart, soul, and spirit than our physical condition. God wants us to be faithful, thankful, and joyful whether in health or in sickness. We should pray for God's will to be done in our life. If you are diagnosed with cancer, what will you say? Will you blame God if He never heals you...will you blame yourself that you should have had more faith? If you truly believe God wants people to be healthy, you believe it's His will...and if it's His will, when you pray for healing, He should heal you, right?
I do not want any of you to just believe my words, Hank's words, or Driscoll's words. I hope you all do your own investigation on these questionable preachers, search the Scriptures, and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth to you. Judge for yourself :)!
Christianity Today Study Series: Faith and Pop Culture
by Christianity Today International
Price: $9.99
ISBN: 9781418534097
127 pages
Have you ever wondered how faith and pop culture influence each other? Are you struggling to stand firm in your faith while wanting to have entertainment in your life? This eight-week study is great for small groups. It\'s designed to engage Christ\'s followers in interesting, thought-provoking discussion. It covers different (sometimes controversial) issues concerning movies, books, sports, television, violence in video games and movies, Hollywood, and culture of entertainment. Each study starts with a relevant article from Christianity Today Magazines as a springboard. Various activities are suggested for getting people in the group to open up and share. Then, there are open-ended questions that help people reflect on the issues presented in the article and encourage them to express their thoughts. Each session lists Bible verses for us to explore what God\'s Word says about the topics being discussed. I don\'t agree with some things in some articles. But that\'s the beauty of this book. Its purpose is to help us think critically and use discernment regarding entertainment, to give people in the small groups the opportunity to share their views, dig deeper in God\'s Word, encourage each other to grow spiritually, and pray for the Holy Spirit to guide us. I plan to use this book during our family time in the evenings soon. We desire to use our time, talents, and treasures wisely and for God\'s glory. We look forward to discussing how we spend our time and money on entertainment and how we can use our talents to produce good, wholesome entertainment.
Last week, I posted about filtering incoming information through God's Word and discernment. Due to technology again, we have so many opportunities to share information, opinions, ideas, feelings, etc. Emails, blogs, forums, Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube are just some examples. I'm not going to talk about safety issues here. I will focus on taking our thoughts and our words captive and on integrity. As a follower of Christ, I do not want to tarnish His name in any way, including how I communicate. "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:14 This applies to my written/typed words, too.
How should we filter our outgoing information? Perhaps a good start would be this:
"When I want to speak...let me think first:- Is it true?
- Is it kind?
- Is it necessary?
If not, let it be left unsaid." ~Babcock
Before you hit "send" or "comment" button, please make sure your message is truthful, kind, and necessary (I know this last one is kind of subjective :)). In addition, I ask myself whether my message is helpful, friendly, and edifying.
There are lots of wonderful verses in the Bible about tongue and speech that would apply to our writing and communicating in general as well. In my post titled, "Taming the Tongue," I shared that,
"Our speech should be: Gentle and gracious
Respectful
Encouraging
Appropriate
Truthful"
I believe our outgoing information should also be G.R.E.A.T. :). "Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near." Philippians 4:5
When people leave you comments that upset you and/or you engage in a heated discussion on a forum, please take time to pray and think things through before you respond. I have been in those situations before and my first reaction was neither pretty nor pleasant :). I needed to calm down and pray for God's wisdom on how to respond in love, kindness, gentleness, and with humility. My attitudes need to be right in God's eyes. Ask yourself if you would rather be righteous or be right (win the argument, have the last word, etc.) "Both" is my answer :)...just kidding. Do we extend grace and mercy (that we have received so much from God) to others?
"A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered." Proverbs 17:27
"In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us." Titus 2:7-8
Other things to keep in mind...
- Do not misuse God's name in your writing. I posted about this issue here.
- Do not slander anyone.
- Do not gossip.
- Do not cause others to stumble.
- Do not plagiarize.
- Be considerate.
- Be a peacemaker, not troublemaker.
Nowadays because of the technology, we are bombarded with information at every turn. It can be overwhelming and exhausting at times. More importantly, it can sometimes be dangerous and deceiving. Who or which sources can you trust? Especially when it is pertaining to important issues, the information received may affect/alter our (physical, emotional, mental, spiritual) well-being, our moral standards, our beliefs, and our opinions either directly or indirectly.
I am glad and thankful that there is one source I can always trust and rely on: the Bible. I would like to encourage you to be more like the Bereans. "Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." Acts 17:11 We need to compare everything to the Scriptures. Don't be quick to believe what preachers, teachers, leaders, bloggers, or commenters (no matter how famous/well-known/well-respected these people are) say without checking out what God's Word says. People can be wrong. They can make mistakes. The Bereans did not just take Paul's word for it; they examined the Scriptures to see if what Paul said was true. Yes, we are to listen to advice and accept instruction but not blindly; we need to be able to filter and choose only good, wise, Godly advice and instruction. We must teach our children to do the same. How can we/anybody have wise discernment? We gain discernment by reading/studying the Bible everyday, familiarizing ourselves with the truth so that we can immediately detect any lies we encounter. We also gain discernment by praying and asking God for wisdom. "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." James 1:5 I personally continue to ask Him to help me interpret and understand His Word correctly. You might be surprised if you knew how many false teachers and false beliefs among "Christians" there are out there. I highly recommend you read Christianity in Crisis 21st Century by Hank Hanegraaff. My daughter's review of the book can be found here. Next Monday, I will write about filtering outgoing information.
Bonus:- I found an interesting, well-researched, & well-written article called, "Should We Keep the Sabbath?" If you ever wonder about the Sabbath, please read it.
- My 15 year old daughter has made her first short film titled, "How Would You Feel?" She would love to hear what you think about it.
This is a place for me to relax a bit, recount my blessings, reflect on God's Word, record my thoughts, reassure others of God's love, receive others' insights, recall precious memories, relate what the Lord has done in my life & my family, rejoice at God's goodness & faithfulness, relish writing, recycle my poems, and refresh myself.
Thanks to One2One Network, I received a copy of the 
Last week, I posted about 
