I ran into a stranger as he passed by, “Oh excuse me please” was my reply.  
He said, “Please excuse me too; I wasn’t watching for you.”  
We were very polite, this stranger and I. We went on our way and we said goodbye.  

But at home a different story is told, How we treat our loved ones, young and old.  
Later that day, cooking the evening meal, My son stood beside me very still.  
When I turned, I nearly knocked him down. “Move out of the way,” I said with a frown.  
He walked away, his little heart broken.  I didn’t realize how harshly I’d spoken.  
While I lay awake in bed, God’s still small voice came to me and said,  

“While dealing with a stranger, common courtesy you use,
but the family you love, you seem to abuse.  
Go and look on the kitchen floor,   You’ll find some flowers there by the door..  

Those are the flowers he brought for you. He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue.  
He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise, you never saw the tears that filled his little eyes.”  

By this time, I felt very small, and now my tears began to fall.  
I quietly went and knelt by his bed;  ”Wake up, little one, wake up,” I said.  
“Are these the flowers you picked for me?”  He smiled, “I found ‘em, out by the tree.  

I picked ‘em because they’re pretty like you. I knew you’d like ‘em, especially the blue.”  
I said, “Son, I’m very sorry for the way I acted today;  I shouldn’t have yelled at you that way.”  
He said, “Oh, Mom, that’s okay. I love you anyway.”  

I said, “Son, I love you too,   and I do like the flowers, especially the blue.”  

Do you know what the word FAMILY means?  
FAMILY = (F)ATHER (A)ND (M)OTHER (I) (L)OVE (Y)OU

Sandra Bullock: A blessing to meet, portray a real Christian (OneNewsNow.com).

Here’s a brand-new offer: Sign up here for a new account with Snapfish and you’ll get a free $10 credit added to your account. After you sign up, just click on “My Account” and then you can redeem your $10 credit!

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Your $10 credit expires 5 days after registration so you’ll want to be sure and use it quickly.

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Thanks, Common Sense with Money and Money Saving Mom!

I was working on my Sunday school lesson and thought it would be a good thing to communicate to more than my ladies’ Sunday school class. We’ve been talking about contentment, the type of contentment that God gives to those who completely trust Him. Below is part of my lesson for tomorrow.

1. To be gracious is to decide in our heart that we are satisfied with God’s dealings in our life both in judgment and understanding.

If one desires to have a peaceful life, there is no room for bitterness, envy or selfishness. Those who fight for their rights are not content. Those who accuse others, live for paybacks or have a desire to control others cannot be content. If we must live in the past and drag others there because we have unresolved bitterness or resentment, we have closed the door on ever having a gracious spirit, the gracious spirit that God can use to bring us the satisfaction of living in Him. Walking in the Spirit maintaining a gracious spirit toward others is the only way to have the peace we all crave.  (James 3:16)

 2. We need to recognize God’s hand and make a conscious decision to trust and let God rule our own emotions and thoughts—give Him rule.

If I had a nickel for every time I was told, “That’s just the way I am, ” or “I can’t help it,” I’d be out of the financial stress I’m in right now.  Being 50 years old in body and more than 40 in spirit, I’ve been around enough to know that we are as we choose to be. If we live defeated Christian lives, it’s not because God is not able – it is because we enjoy the sins that trip us up enough to revisit them over and over. Granted, some of us have better foundations that enable us to reach toward heaven more successfully than others, but it is our choice as to whether our arms are extended in that direction. Neither God nor man will fault a Christian who grows slowly because they fall easily and often - if they are falling in the direction of the Savior so when they do get up, it’s to walk toward Him. It is he or she who turns toward their sins with a yearning that we ought to identify as unfruitful. Our eyes must be on the Savior to gain His favor, whether it’s while we’re walking toward Him, down on our knees or on our face. (James 1:23-26)

 3. We need to look for contentment—it’s not necessarily a state of mind but a conscious pursuance of God’s grace.

Don’t fool yourself. Those who live a contented, spirit filled life don’t come by it naturally, as if they were born with a silver spoon of spirituality or were anointed from birth as having a supernatural ability to trust God. To trust God is a conscious decision brought on by many a trial and heartache where God has been seen as the Savior and King of all situations. Following God and entrusting your very being in His hands is something to strive for, to prove over and over through the difficult moments of life. Those who strive for peace and contentment brought to them by His hand only are handsomely rewarded with peace in their hearts that cannot be stolen by the craftiest thief. Those who do not strive for His Spirit to control them will always feel alone and defeated.  (Galatians 5:16, 17)

4. The spiritual condition of our hearts will rule our actions—we need to guard our hearts.       

We all have had hardships in our lives. Where one may have lost a loved one, another has lived in poverty or battled a serious illness. We all have our share of pain and heartache, it just comes with different names. The rain falls on the just and the unjust. Those who think they deserve better are in for a big disappointment. It’s not about living a cush, easy life free of pain and suffering. It’s about living our lives with God alongside, bringing Him the glory as we travel the road of hardship. To say you love God and then turn around and demonstrate bitter envying in your behavior presents a conundrum that cannot be explained other than one of deceit. You may be able to fool some, but those who truly know what the love of God is can see through the facade. It’s not worth holding onto. In the end, those who fake the abiding life will be brought out into the light.  (James 1:2-8)

5. True contentment comes from within by God’s working—not a temporary fix by circumstances turning in our favor.

The condition of our hearts are revealed by our actions. Too many times I’ve been told that someone loves God or is trying to live a life for Him, and yet their actions speak a different language.  They claim innocence as they place a blade in the hearts of others. We all know people who are kind and gracious when things are going their way and then turn into bitter, spiteful monsters when the light isn’t shining on them just the right way. These are the ones who lie to themselves as they are lying to others.  A quiet reliance on God is the only way toward genuine contentment, in good or bad circumstances. The true believer who’s walking in the Spirit will have a gracious spirit even when their heart has been ripped in two by another. They have discovered that true peace and contentment comes in looking to Christ for their healing not by anything they do or say or how others treat them or perceive their value. We can judge our own level of God-given contentment by our first reaction, thoughts during, and actions throughout a situation that has caused us to be hurt or disappointed. (Proverbs 22:10)

From now through December 26, 2009, you can get free batteries at Staples! Just sign up for their Rewards card and then buy a 20-pack of Duracell batteries at $12.99 and you’ll get $12.99 back in Staples Rewards.

This deal can be done twice per week per customer. So by December 26, you should be good and stocked with batteries!

More details here.

Thanks, Balancing Beauty and Bedlam and Money Saving Mom!

November 23, 2009

Your actions make a difference! Gap says “pro-Christmas” ad to air this weekend

November 24, 2009

According to Bill Chandler, vice-president of Gap corporate communications, Gap’s Old Navy division will launch a new television commercial this weekend which “has a very strong Christmas theme.”

Chandler responded to AFA last Friday, after a poll showed 90% of AFA supporters wanted to continue the boycott as a result of Gap’s initial “holiday” ad that mingled Christmas with the pagan “Winter Solstice” holiday. Gap says the new ad will include the popular Supermodelquins proudly cheering “Merry Christmas”, and features Christmas trees, lights and ornaments as well.

In good faith, AFA is suspending the Gap boycott until it has an opportunity to view the new commercial this weekend. As a result of your dedicated actions, we believe Gap is beginning to realize that Christmas is not just another “holiday” and will begin to advertise in a way that is respectful to Christians and Christmas shoppers.

Here is the last call to stand with us and proclaim to our communities that Christmas is not just a winter holiday focused on materialism, but a “holy day” when we celebrate the birth of our Savior. We can do it in a gentle and effective way by wearing the “God’s Gift – Merry Christmas” button. Don’t wait!  Place your order by December 1 to receive it before Christmas.

Thank you for your vigilance. My prayer is that you and your family will have a meaningful Thanksgiving Day celebration.

Tim Wildmon, President

American Family Association

It was so fun to have Mackenzie at our house to celebrate her third birthday. We started out by making tuna salad together and had lunch with a birthday cake. Every time Mackenzie saw her cake she said, “Kenzie’s birthday!” Great Grandma Woodward gave Mackenzie a Bible. Pretending to read, she said, “God loves you!”