Even though the DVD is geared to children, I learned sooo much!  Why do we cut down trees?  Where did the name ‘Christmas’ actually come from?  What about Santa?  Those are some of the questions it addresses.  The best part about it is that it leads children back to salvation-the reason Jesus came.  How wonderful is that!

For those of you who want to teach this as a unit in homeschool and/or in a small group format, they offer great resources!  Take a look!

Sisters of the Faith is so excited to sponsor a “Why Do We Call it Christmas” sweepstakes!  One person will receive one free copy ($12.95 value) of “Why Do We Call it Christmas.”  The sweepstakes will run from December 11, 2011 to December 31, 2011.  All you have to do is enter here!  (Please see sweepstakes official rules).

Want to get more information about the whole series?  Visit:

http://www.buckdenver.com/

http://www.facebook.com/WhatsintheBible?sk=wall

Through June 24, 2011, you can download a free 100-lesson beginning math computer program from Funnix. This program usually costs $25.

Included with the download is 100 animated computer-based lessons, workbook material, a teaching guide, and a placement test for assessing the child.”

At 7:15 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 22, Lee Strobel, the best-selling author of more than 20 books, including The Case for Faith and The Case for Christ, will speak on the topic of “The Unexpected Adventure.” The session will be available live at The Cove’s Web site, www.thecove.org.

“The Cove is a place where Christians can get away from the craziness of life and spend intensive time learning from gifted Bible teachers in an intimate setting,” said Scott Holmquist, executive director of The Cove. “Of course, we also realize that many people aren’t able to travel to North Carolina to attend a seminar. This webcast is a great opportunity for people all over the world to see what The Cove offers, and more importantly, to learn and apply relevant, timeless teachings from the Bible.”

The webcast will be one session of Strobel’s three-day seminar at The Cove titled “Unexpected Adventures with Christ.”

The session will be the first of three events that will be webcast in 2010. On July 16, Dr. Tony Evans, senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas, and founder/president of The Urban Alternative, will be streamed live as he speaks on the topic of “Returning to the Cross.” On November 2, Pastor Bob Coy, senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale, and Pastor Pedro Garcia, senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Kendall (Miami, Fla.), will be webcast as they teach out of 1 John in a seminar titled, “Let’s Get Real.”

About The Cove: Nestled in the scenic mountains of Asheville, North Carolina, the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove offers guests a unique and serene experience for purposeful Bible training, through in- depth seminars, personal spiritual retreats, concerts, special programs for seniors, and many other inspirational events throughout the year. More than 23,000 attended a seminar or event at The Cove in 2009, and 34,500 toured The Cove’s visitor center. For more information on The Cove, visit www.thecove.org.

About Lee Strobel: Described by the Washington Post as “one of the evangelical community’s most popular apologists,” atheist-turned-Christian Lee Strobel is a New York Times best-selling author. He has shared the prestigious Charles “Kip” Jordon Christian Book of the Year award in 2005 for a curriculum he co-authored about the movie The Passion of the Christ. He also has won awards for his books The Case for Christ, The Case for Faith, The Case for a Creator, and Inside the Mind of Unchurched Harry and Mary. Strobel was educated at the University of Missouri (Bachelor of Journalism degree, 1974) and Yale Law School (Master of Studies in Law degree, 1979).

The thought of using coupons never occurred to me when I was in college.  Of course, I would use the occasional a Express or The Limited discount or promo but, that was different. Fast forward a few years and my first daughter was born.  I tried to pay attention to who had the best deals on Pampers, etc. but just going to Sam’s Club or BJ’s and buying in bulk felt like the best option.  I was a career woman and I did not see myself investing the time or energy into couponing.  I also secretly believed that they were for people who couldn’t afford to pay regular price.  I think it was working in retail management that helped me form that idea.  I became frustrated with people trying to haggle, reproduce coupons and so much more.  Honestly, my mood would change when someone presented a coupon.  I was a coupon snob.

Fast forward to 2007. Our second daughter was born.  My husband and I made the well meaning, albeit unplanned decision to become a one income family. Almost simultaneously gas prices were rising and the recession was crowning.  How were we going to maintain our lifestyle and all the luxuries we enjoyed with one income?  We had savings so it did not seem to be an immediate concern.  Then, our 2nd daughter suddenly took ill when she was 8 months old.  She was hospitalized for nearly a month (we were over two hours from home).  My husband did not work the entire time she was in the hospital so we were living off of our savings.  Then came the hospital bills!  Thank God for good health insurance.

At the beginning of every year we all make resolutions and 2008 wasn’t any different.  However, my resolution was.  I was committed to half-price living.  I decided I would enjoy all of the things that I used to for half-price.  We needed to rebuild our savings and figure out how this new lifestyle was really going to work out.  It started with diapers.  I enjoyed finding those $5.00 off Huggies coupons.  Then the baby wipes and other ancillary product coupons began to attract my attention.  Before I knew it I had progressed on to coupons for baby food and so much more.  I began to track how much I saved and I began to challenge myself to save more on the next shopping trip.  Eventually, I was saving over $40 a visit with in-store promotions and coupons combined.

However, I wasn’t completely cured of my stereotypical opinions of coupon users.  I just felt like I was an exception to the rule.  I refused to fumble through an envelope of coupons in the checkout line as my daughters wiggled in frustration with the whole ordeal.  My solution, I created myself a little nifty little binder to organize my coupons.  I began searching the internet and I found women that saved so much they took European vacations–on one income!  Boy, was I motivated and I was certainly cured!  I now consider myself a pro.

The rewards have been great.  We have saved a lot although we are far from frugal,. We have continued to tithe.  As a matter of fact, we actually increased our giving.  I get kind of excited about the Sunday paper in anticipation of the savings folded inside its pages.  The beginning of the month ushers in the new online printable coupons and I just can’t wait.  The moral of the story: never judge a book by its cover.  I wasted a great deal of money and time doing so.  But hey, when you know better do better.

Share your thoughts!

http://www.qhemetbiologics.com/  8oz./ $16.50

Product Description

Our nourishingly rich blend of old world oils, organic herbs and natural humectants leaves coarse, dry and brittle hair extra soft, healthy and supple!

Key Ingredients: Our ultra thick cream contains Amla, Brahmi and African Aloe, premium Afro-Indian botanicals used for thousands of years to nourish the scalp and strengthen and condition hair. MSM sulfur nurtures follicles and encourages healthy hair growth, Mediterranean Olive Oil delivers emollience and lubricity while Vegetable Glycerin and pure African Castor Oil lends sheen, softness and intense moisture.

 A perfect all-in-one for moisturizing and softening afro’s, coils, curls, pony puffs, two strand twists, braids, cornrows, fades, chemical and color processes, softening new growth and restoring softness and elasticity to dry brittle ends. Also helps weigh down kinks and coils.

Use as a: 

My Experience:  I absolutely LOVE this product!  I have thick, 4b hair (see Andre Walker’s hair classification system) and this product has been a staple for me.  I use this product on my hair, (along with a styling product) while it is wet and do two strand twists.  Also, I may divide it in sections and just use it as a leave-in.  There are so many uses for this product!  My hair dries very, very soft and well hydrated.  The moisture lasts for days!  It doesn’t give the hair a lot of shine, but I remedy that by applying coconut oil to seal the moisture or mixing it with Olive & Honey Hydrating Balm.

With it being handmade product, the ship time is a little longer.  Especially for those of you who are used to getting things in 3-5 days.  When I have called to get information about my order, they have been very timely in responding.  That made waiting a little easier.  They offer promotions a couple of times a year so I try to get mulitples of what I use and maybe try something new. 

All in all, it is an excellent item to try.  If you don’t want to purchase a full-size jar, they also sell sample sizes.

Haiti is not our long-term responsibility. Detroit is.

First, I’d like to send a good thought to all those suffering today in Haiti, and all their family members here in the United States.

No one can look at the horror of Haiti and not feel both a deep sense of sadness and a desire to help. It seems almost mean and selfish to suggest that we need to do something other than provide our full support to this devastated nation, but that’s exactly what I’m about to do.  Continue reading…

by Bob on December 8, 2009

I love giving and receiving gifts each Christmas, but I have always been intrigued by the idea of financially supporting a cause or a person in lieu of traditional Christmas gift giving. I have heard of families who take their money that they would normally spend on gifts for each other and use it to adopt another family. You can bet a sacrifice like that would really make it a Christmas to remember.

I recently found a site (that has actually been around a while) called GlobalGiving.org which is basically an online marketplace for charities. The site conveniently allows you to donate to any one of countless causes and charities in your neighborhood or around the world.

So if you want your Christmas giving to go to orphans in India, or if you want to donate to help Mothers with AIDS in Africa, or if you want to just give to the poor in your own area, you can do it all from the website. 

A Little Bit on How it Works:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lbp2LKM_Mk

The Process

Here’s how the Process Works

• You browse the website, research causes by topic or location, and pick the one that matches your interests and passions.
• You make a tax-deductible donation and we combine your giving with other generous folks doing the same thing.
• We ensure that at least 85% of your donation is on-the-ground within 60 days and has an immediate impact.
• You get regular updates telling you what a difference your gift is making and the results that have been achieved.
• If you’re not satisfied with your donation for any reason, the GlobalGiving Guarantee provides you with your money back in the form of a voucher for the amount of your original donation.

How efficient are they?

GlobalGiving is rated 4 stars (the top rating) by CharityNavigator.org. According to their website…

“All donations go through the GlobalGiving Foundation, a registered 501(c)3 organization, which receives a nominal 15% fee. This helps cover the cost of operating the marketplace – finding and researching projects, supporting project leaders in the field, attracting donors, and building our website. It also includes the fees assessed by vendors for credit card processing. Donors can choose whether to make an incremental contribution to cover the fee, or to have it deducted from their donation.”

Source:  http://www.christianpf.com/alternatives-to-christmas-gift-giving/

Step By Step Guide for Making Your Christmas Budget

1. Make a long list of everyone to whom you want to give a Christmas gift.

Be sure to include the following groups of people:

• Family – aunts, uncles, children, spouse, cousins, siblings, grandparents, and even the stray dog your brother-in-law adopted.  Include everyone you WANT to give a gift to.
• Co-workers – partners, bosses, co-workers, support staff
• Church friends – Bible school teachers, church staff, grandparent figures
• Community friends – neighbors, fellow volunteers, clerk at the grocery store
• Those who provide services – paperboy, mail man, pizza delivery boy, yard worker, pool cleaner, teachers
• Anyone else – feeling jovial?  Put them on the list.

2. Determine how much you can afford to spend on Christmas.

This calculation can be relatively simple.  How much money can you save between now and December 25th? How many of those dollars are you willing to dedicate towards Christmas gifts?

Christmas Spending Rule:

How much you can afford to spend must be an amount you save in CASH.  This is not an ‘if-I-were-rich-I-would-budget-this’ list. This is how much you actually have to give for Christmas.  If the number is low, that is fine.  Christmas is not about financially crippling yourself so someone can have a pair of socks that will go in the trash before January. Christmas is about expressing love and appreciation.  Both of which can be done without money.  Christmas can be enjoyed without money.  Be sure that your budget is reasonable in relationship to your income.  This can be done by making sure your total amount fits within recommended budget percentages.

3. Prioritize your list from step #1.  Make it a short list.

If married, before prioritizing the list, pray that God will give you the patience to work together – not against each other.

You might want to cut out your Great Aunt Sally, but your wife has given her a gift every year for two decades.  She might want to remove a business partner who doesn’t deserve anything, but you want to grease that relationship.  This process could be painful, so prayerfully get on the same page before you start.

At this stage you are just going to separate each name into three groups – paid gift, made gift, no gift. Since you know how much you can afford to give you will have a better sense of how many people can be on your paid gift list.  Knowing your time, available you can limit your made gift list. The others – no gift, but perhaps a Christmas card.

4. Assign and complete necessary preparations.

Paid Gift List:

Beside each name on the paid gift list, assign a budgeted amount.  For example, dad might get $50 and cousin Steve $25.  Be sure that total does not exceed the amount in Step #2.  The only rule here is you cannot overspend that amount on that person.  Here are 8 tips to save money on your Christmas shopping.

Made Gift List:

What will you make?  Cookies and other Christmas treats are a great idea for close friends, neighbors, and colleagues.  For family, a customized card with a picture of the kids will suffice.  Need some guidance?  Here is a list of 50 Personalized Christmas Gift Ideas.

No Gift:

If they made it on your first list you might just send them a personalized card.

Merry Christmas Uncle Joe.  We just wanted to let you know that you are a special part of our family.  Thanks for all the time and attention you give to our kids.  We’re blessed to have an uncle like you.

5. Make the budget work.

Don’t spend more than you budgeted.

If your budget is tight, you will need to capitalize on a free valuable resource – CREATIVITY.  Creativity must be combined with another necessary ingredient – TIME.

Time + Creativity = Awesome Valuable Christmas Presents for a Lower Price

How do you set your Christmas budget?  How soon do you start saving money for Christmas?

Source:  http://www.christianpf.com/how-to-make-a-christmas-budget/

The morning of March 8, 2004 I received an email from a close friend who told me he had a “word from God” for me. Knowing the kind of life my friend lives, I gladly received it as from God. He said, “God is going to use you in ways that are very different than you have envisioned. Be aware, attentive, and ready.”

Immediately, my mind started racing, trying to figure it all out. It seems as though answers to life’s questions never come as quickly as we would like. However, since 2004 God has given me several opportunities to do things in my job, career, and various ministries that I never pictured myself doing. It was necessary that I walk through these open doors in order to stay in God’s will.

For me, one of these opportunities is helping others financially through writings such as this one. The word my friend gave me has motivated and guided me over the last 5 years, and I’m going to show you how this same word will guide you and keep you in God’s will. If you have goals and dreams as I do, it’s very important that you know how to first recognize them as God’s will for your life and then how to make them become reality.

“Be Aware, Attentive, and Ready”

Be:

The word “be” in this context implies that you are doing something. What comes after the “be” is my part, not God’s part. To get a higher paying job or to launch a new business will require action. It won’t just happen by itself. Proverbs 21:5 – “The plans of the diligent lead to profit…” So, what do you need to “be” doing?

Aware:

Be aware of purpose and opportunity in every situation, particularly opportunities to meet the needs of others. While waiting for your answer, be an answer for someone else. Working that low paying job may seem pointless, but God has a plan and purpose for having you there at this time. You may be the only person that can reach that co-worker for Jesus. Dealing with that “jerk” supervisor or employee is growing your character and is valuable experience for when you become your own boss and have employees of your own. The opportunity you’ve been praying for may be right under your nose, but you have to get your mind off of yourself in order to recognize it. Be open to the impossible. Don’t limit yourself or Him. You have abilities to do things, meet needs, and earn money you never thought possible. Dreams don’t have to stay dreams. Be aware.

Attentive:

Be attentive to God’s voice. It’s one thing to recognize an open door, but it’s an entirely different thing to actually walk through it. God may be speaking to you right now about a dream or opportunity. You might think it’s impossible because the door just isn’t open. Many times, it’s not that the door isn’t open; it’s that the devil has hung a curtain of “fear” over the opening. However, the same God who gave you the dream and the awareness of the door to begin with will also give you wisdom, knowledge, and courage to walk through it. But, you must be attentive to his voice. You have to do things in His timing and in His way. Ecclesiastes 3:1 – “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” Very rarely does God birth something in you and it be manifested immediately. (Just ask ladies who have gone through pregnancy.) It takes time. If you get ahead of God, you’ll find that you went through the wrong door. If you don’t have 100% peace that taking that new job is God’s will, don’t do it, no matter how bad you want to get out of where you are at or how big the paycheck will be.

Opportunities are for an appointed time. You’ll know when the time is right if you wait to hear from God. This can only be accomplished by spending significant and quality time in the Bible and in prayer. After doing so, an open door will invariably be in front of you. The level of peace in your spirit will tell you whether or not the door was opened by God. Maybe your time and season is now. Be attentive.

Ready:

Be ready – make necessary preparations for receiving your answer. If you’re not willing to set goals and work toward them, then your dream will remain just a dream. That better paying job, unity in your relationships, or sense of purpose in your life will not come. Even if you have recognized an open door and have clearly heard from God that it’s His will for you life, you still have to do your part.

We blame way too many things on bad luck. The philosopher, Seneca, once said, “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.” Many opportunities are lost because we aren’t prepared for them when they arise. In other words, we can make our own luck, good or bad. The Bible says to make the most of every opportunity. (See Ephesians 5:16, Colossians 4:5) Can you name 5 things you have done in the last 3 months to make the most of your finances, your marriage, or your relationship with God? Work like no one is going to give you anything. Don’t expect problems to solve themselves. God is going to bless you and help you, but he will usually do so by giving you the tools with which to construct your own blessing.

Financially speaking, examples of things you can do to prepare to step through an open door of increase are:

1. Tithe – bringing the 1st 10% of all your increase to your local church. If you don’t do this, the doors will remain shut indefinitely. (See Malachi 3:10)
2. Prepare a financial budget, in faith, based on how much money you want to make (in addition to your current budget). This shows God that you are prepared to manage more money before he actually gives it to you.
3. Read books on how to prepare resumes and prepare for interviews. There is a reason that you’re having difficulty getting hired or even getting an interview. Read up, and find out what you can do to improve your chances. Everyone has something they can learn.
4. Read books in your area of interest. Many people make money doing what they love and enjoy. Why shouldn’t you? Remember, don’t limit yourself or God. You serve a God who specializes in the impossible. An opportunity may be right in front of you. Mark 9:23 – “…all things are possible to him who believes.”
5. No negative words or thoughts! Be positive at all times. Constantly remind yourself and others that your life is in God’s hands and He will open the door in His timing. No quitting. (See Philippians 1:6, 4:8)

My goals and dreams are still in the process of being met. But, this word from God has helped me to stay focused, see the impossible, and not give up. I must stay aware of opportunities, remain attentive to God’s voice, and be willing to prepare for those opportunities. It takes all three: Be aware, attentive, and ready, and you will find yourself in God’s will and your dreams coming true.

Source:  http://www.christianpf.com/finding-the-will-of-god-for-your-life/