I have all this gorgeous dark purple kale this week from the farm, I have no idea how to use it! I need some ideas…
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 I’m still on track and I appreciate your prayers and encouragement on facebook! As I was reading all of the many specific laws and rules I started thinking about our values. Where do our values come from? Why do we place a high value on feeding the hungry, or applaud when someone is kind enough to help a blind man cross the street? We value these things because we have the Words of Jesus, and He has taught us to Love One Another. Loving one another dictates that we behave a certain way. The Israelites had this command from Leviticus: “ Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.” But they also had many specific situational laws to guide their day to day life. The man who mislead a blind man was punishable by God’s law. Having differing weights and measures was called out as wrong. Feeding the poor, widow and orphan was a command. It was expected. Just as those of us who live the Christian life today expect a certain standard of behavior among other Christians and teach that standard to our children. I don’t know about you, but I spend significant amounts of time giving my children the laws of behavior. While I think that is important, I also need to focus more on my own example of selfless love. What does that look like?
Bottom Line Up Front: I received this book in early January and since reading it I have purchased four additional books by this author on my kindle. I highly recommend any books by Susan May Warren Shadow of Your Smile is a novel from the Deep Haven series which is set in the Northern Woods of Minnesota on a lake, in a town that attracts tourists in season and has plenty of colorful locals for Ms. Warren to explore. In this book, the main character is stuck in what seems to be a dead end marriage after tragedy drove the couple apart. An accident robs Noelle of her memory and her husband steps up to the plate to take care of her and help her heal. In the meantime, Christian pastor Dan (a key figure in other Deep Haven novels) and many others help them along. I loved the depth of pain and joy in this book and was captivated by the characters and plot immediately. I can’t imagine anyone who enjoys Christian fiction who would not enjoy a Susan May Warren novel. Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher as part of the Litfuse Blog Tour in exchange for an honest review on my blog. Here you have it.
Sometimes love requires a little forgetting … Come back to Deep Haven and find out what’s been happening in your favorite quaint hamlet. If you’re new to the Deep Haven series – this is the perfect book to start with – each book in the series is a stand alone story. Susan is celebrating the release of The Shadow of Your Smile by giving away a prize pack worth over $200 from 1/9-1/28.  One grand prize winner will receive:
Through our years in AWANA, God continues to bless us with wonderful leaders for our children and for the AWANA programs at our churches. Specifically, AWANA at Blue Ridge Bible Church was amazing, and the volunteers from church and from the nearby Patrick Henry College have made a lasting impact on the lives of my children. In fact, my two oldest children still reference their leaders and the director fairly often in our day to day conversations! Reading Mr. AWANA gives me a whole different perspective on this wonderful ministry and outreach. I believe every AWANA director should purchase copies of this book and loan them out to the leaders. Art Rorheim shares so many wonderful memories about God’s work in AWANA from the humble beginnings through today. I have very much enjoyed reading his work and appreciate his perspective on the importance of Scripture memory. I do have to admit that I am do not agree with Mr. Rorheim on every subject especially concerning Sunday School and church camps. I find his attitude about evangelism to be wonderful though and I think everyone can learn about following God by reading Mr. Rorheim’s book. Since the book reads like a collection of essays and speeches, I did notice quite a bit of repetition but this did not detract from my overall enjoyment of this book. My Bottom Line: If you are interested in leading a life used by God you will enjoy this book and be encouraged! If you are convinced that AWANA has a high value in the life of our children, you will enjoy this book! Disclosure of Material: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookCrash.com book review program, which requires an honest, though not necessarily positive, review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR Title 16, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Tonight we enjoyed a wonderful spin-off of a dish my husband ate at Macaroni Grill on Sunday. I tried a bit of his meal and was so enamored with it I decided to make my own version. Every member of my family enjoyed this yummy supper. How I wish I had taken pictures! Here is the recipe. 1 Butternut Squash Begin by peeling and cubing the butternut squash which should yield about four cups. Put two cups into a small saucepan and cover with chicken broth. Add a dash of fresh cracked pepper. The remaining chicken broth can be placed in the refrigerator for a later meal. Place the squash mixture on high heat and bring to a boil, then simmer for 20-25 minutes until the squash is tender. In the meantime, place your water for the pasta on to boil but do not add the pasta. Then take the remaining 2 cups of butternut squash and dice it small. Dice the shallots as well. At ten minutes remaining on the simmering squash, heat a skillet, and add the butter. When the butter is melted and hot, add the butternut squash and shallots with salt, pepper and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg and reduce the heat to a low medium. Saute until tender and caramalized. Set aside when finished. As your squash finishes simmering, add the pasta to your boiling water. Remove the simmering squash from the heat and pour off some of the chicken broth. Puree this liquid with your blender or stick blender or food processor. Add the alfredo sauce and heat the finished sauce through. Drain your pasta as soon as it has cooked the amount of time on the bag. Plate a ladel full of sauce with five-eight raviolis on top and finish with one to two tablespoons of the sauteed squash and onions. Serve with hot bread and perhaps a salad. Yummm….. My children have already assured me we will be eating this again and next time I will be sure to take pictures! Today I am reading in Leviticus again and I will be glad when that is over. One can only read about blood being dipped and spread and dripped so much before it starts sounding all the same. Except maybe an analogy for my sons is in these pages to. How wonderful to spend so much time pondering what God has to say! If you are thinking about Bible in 90 Days, I will tell you I am only just starting week 2. It takes me about an hour each evening and I read on my iPhone while the twins are settling down for sleep so it fits in pretty easily. I have to sit in that chair for an hour anyway, and reading my Bible is much better then playing endless games of Tetris and Contre Jour. At least, that is what I remind myself when my heart starts rebelling. Pray for me to finish! There are some great giveaways going on over at Mommy Kat and Kids. My favorite is the giveaway for Betty Lukens Felt sets. I would love to win that! Of course, I would also love to win the Dell Inspiron but that’s quite a long shot. I’ve entered several blog contests now for the FunBites food cutters, so I may have to purchase those soon. And I’m hoping to win one of the many Maestro Classics giveaways including this one at Kat’s I have entered so that I can check out these CD’s for myself! I’m just not looking forward to reading about how they blew it over and over again all the way through the Old Testament. I’m having to force myself read about the repeated failures made. Then I find myself wondering how other people would read the story of my life in 500 years. When I read tomorrow, I am going to start focusing on God’s repeating grace.
The sub-title of the book is The Story of Our Songs: Drawing Strength from the Great Hymns of Our Faith and I find this sub-title to be very accurate. Every time I read a selection from the book I am encouraged and strengthened in my faith, my resolve. When I read about Julie H Harrison for instance, I learned that she was passionate about missions, music, poetry, and children’s ministry. All of these things are at the top of my list. She was also passionate about grace. What a lesson for me, the theme of grace and living a life full of God’s grace. That is who I want to be!
My Bottom Line: I would highly recommend this book series to anyone who loves the old hymns and wants their children to know and love the old hymns. It is the perfect book for family worship time, circle time, or just sharing spiritual songs and hymns with your children as the days come. Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review on my blog. Here you have it.
Do you remember making these potholders when you were a kid? I sure do. I got my sister’s hand-me-down plastic loom and a smallish bag of loops and made a couple of potholders before it broke. A couple of years later I got my sister’s metal loom and it lasted through me and my younger sister as well. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised to discover it somewhere in my Mom’s house
When I was ready to buy a second loom for my daughters, I looked for the metal version. What I found was this wonderful loom made by Harrisville Designs – a company specializing in the fiber arts. I bought the loom and a bag full of their specially designed loops and brought them home. So far, all four of my older children –boys and girls alike — have made at least one potholder. Even the five year old has made a potholder.
I wasn’t expecting this level of interest! Now, I will admit that so far it is my job to take the weaving off of the loom. I use the handy dandy crochet hook included in my kit and a few tricks found in the instruction manual and believe me it is way easier then finishing them with fingers like we did when I was eight years old. With a little effort on my part I am pretty sure that the children could figure it out.
The loom itself has gently curved ends so that the loops stay on better. The base kit comes with a weaving hook and a crochet hook for finishing as well as enough loops for two potholders and an instruction booklet for making potholders, purses, rugs, and doll sleeping bags. My younger children have focused on simple basic color patterns while my older children have had fun experimenting with some of the advanced patterns found in the instruction booklet. The colored loops included are vibrant jewel tones and make beautiful potholders! The material is a heavy cotton weave custom made for Harrisville looms and each loop is guaranteed to fit on the loom. The only drawback I have found is that the loops do snag easily before they are woven into a potholder. A pair of scissors to nip off the snagged thread and you are all set to go. I have just found that not letting my toddlers play with the loops is best.
My Bottom Line: I highly recommend this potholder loom and the accompanying loops above all others I have seen and tried. Your children will gain practice in fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, pattern design and pattern recognition, perserverance, patience, and an appreciation for meaningful work. You will gain beautiful potholders that work and last! That is unless your children decide to give them away as gifts or keep them for hope chests or use them as bionicle sleeping bags, in which case you will have to buy more loops if you want these potholders in your kitchen. (and you will!) The Best Part: One lucky reader of my blog will win a Potholder Loom and accessories with enough loops to make six potholders! Please follow the instructions on my giveaway widget carefully and check your inbox to find out if you win! This is not a sponsored post or giveaway! I just fell in love with potholder looms and potholders all over again and decided that maybe you would like one too! |
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. When I bought my daughter’s first potholder loom I bought the easily accessible plastic one with the loops made out of pantyhose material. She made a few potholders before that loom broke — deja vu.
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