Merry Christmas Eve

Today is the day before the day that we have set aside

to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Not only do we celebrate in thankfulness the birth of Christ,

but also His life, and ultimately His death on the cross for our sins.

"For the grace of God has appeared..." in the person of Jesus Christ, 100% God and 100% man...

"...bringing salvation for all people,..." He came to live and die for the penalty that sin had accrued.

"...training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,..." The grace of God that appeared and provided salvation, also trains us as we are still in this world. To live how? Like Him!

"...waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,..." We are waiting for the ultimate revealing of our sanctification when we stand with Him in heaven.

"...who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works." This is the Baby born in a manger. He gave Himself for me!

(Titus 2:11-14)

"Christ is All"

Oh, Lover to the uttermost,

May I read the meltings of Your heart to me

in the manger of Your birth,

in the garden of Your agony,

in the cross of Your suffering,

in the tomb of Your resurrection,

in the heaven of Your intercession.

Bold in this thought I defy my adversary...

Deepen in me a sense of my holy relationship to You....

I think of Your glory and my vileness,

Your majesty and my meanness,

Your beauty and my deformity,

Your purity and my filth,

Your righteousness and my iniquity.

You have loved me everlastingly, unchangeably, may I love You as I am loved;

You have given Yourself for me, may I give myself to You;

You have died for me, may I live to You,

in every moment of my time,

in every movement of my mind,

in every pulse of my heart.

May I never dally with the world and its allurements, but walk by Your side, listen to Your voice, be clothed with Your grace, and adorned with Your righteousness." ~ Valley of Vision

Joseph is in prison.

We all know the stories from the Bible about the "great Bible heroes". Men and women like Noah, Abraham, Moses, Deborah, Isaac, Jacob, Samuel, Ruth, Esther, Isaiah, David, Jonathan, and so many more are a part of the "hall of fame".

Why do we love the stories so much?

What is it that makes them so.....cool?

Recently, in my devotions, I have been reading through some of these familiar stories about the great men and women in the Old Testament. I wasn't surprised by some of the things that I have learned, but they are encouraging nonetheless!

Joseph.

the second youngest son of Rachel (who was Jacob's favorite wife)

favorite son of Jacob

hated by his brothers

dreamed odd things

loved God.

When he was just a young man, his father told him to go and check up on his brothers who were shepherding sheep in a distant pasture. Joseph, being the obedient, favorite son, did as his father told him. But when his brothers saw him coming from afar off, they began to plot about what they could do to him. Death was the decision. Yet, by God's providence, one of Joseph's brothers stood up for him and persuaded his brothers to just throw their little brother into the pit. When Joseph arrived, they overpowered him and cast him into a pit to die. Then, eyeing the Midianite traders that were passing by, they immediately saw the potential for profit that could be made off their little brother. So they brought him up from the pit and sold him to the traders who were on their way to Egypt.

Thinking that they had been clever in getting rid of the nuisance, they also thought of a way to fool their father. Dipping Joseph's robe in animal blood, they told their father that his beloved son was dead.

Cruel. Heartless. Unthinkable. How could anyone do that to their own brother?

Well, we know the story. Joseph is sold to a prominent Egyptian ruler and soon made the head servant in his house. Because of the rulers lying wife, Joseph is accused and sent to prison. In prison, however, he is made the head servant of the prison guard. Finally, after many years, he is released and made the 2nd in command of the whole land of Egypt!

How does this all happen?

What was God doing in all of this?

Why did God allow this to happen to a man who loved Him?

What was the purpose?

1. God is sovereign.

2. God uses hard times to teach us to trust Him.

3. God loves us and wants our best.

First of all, God is sovereign! This means that ABSOLUTELY NOTHING happens outside of the all-powerful, all-knowing hands of God. What an amazing truth to bring to mind over and over again!

I have been reminded a lot lately about the sovereignty of God. I can trust Him because He is in control of everything that happens!

Secondly, God uses hard times in our lives to teach us to trust Him. For Joseph, God wanted him to be abandoned by his family so that he would trust God. He allowed him to be sold into slavery so that he would trust God. He allowed him to be the head servant in Potiphar's house so that he would trust God. He allowed him to be thrown into prison for something he didn't do so that he would trust God. He allowed the butler to forget him in prison so that he would trust God. He allowed him to be released from prison and made second in command to Pharaoh so that he would trust God.

In my own life, I know that God is teaching me to trust Him more by not allowing me to have what I think I want or need. Because I am not at the place that I want/need, then I am forced to a place of trusting God. (which is a good place to be!)

Finally, God's love for us is un-bounding and He truly desires our best. During those times when things are not going so well, we would be wise to remember God's great love for His children. He is not like some evil puppeteer, moving us around so that we are hurt, but a gracious Father who cherishes His children.

So why do we love these "stories" so much? What makes them so cool?

I love them because they are real-life accounts of real people who have hard times too. These Bible "heroes" are just like you and me. Sometimes, the same things that God taught them, He is teaching me. And through it all, God's character is revealed more fully!

In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, the apostle Paul is pleading with the Lord concerning a trial that had come into his life. After requesting three times, the Lord simply told him that His grace was enough! It says,

"So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

It's the end of the Semester!

I can't believe that these words are coming out of my mouth! Time is flying!

It seems like yesterday that I was diligently stuffing my car to the max! I did get everything in...:) Then I pulled out of my family's driveway and started heading toward Missouri!

After arriving at my "new" home for the next 5 months, I began the transition of being a senior (in body) and a freshman (in mind)! At times, it was a challenge, but the Lord has taught me a lot of things, and gave me the grace to live outside of my "comfort" zone! I am so thankful for the new experiences, friends, challenges, and classes that I have been able to be apart of here at Calvary Bible College. I am looking forward to what the Lord is going to teach me next semester! :)

But now as time continues to move on...

It's time to go home for Christmas!!!

King David is in a cave.

King David. Mighty Man. Warrior. Man after God's own heart. Strong. Courageous. Noble. Honorable. God-fearing.

This is not the kind of person that you would imagine would be running for his life, and hiding in caves. Yet, this is exactly what David had to do. The simple fact is that his own master was trying to kill him! Even though David had been anointed the king of Israel, he was waiting for the throne to be given to him. During that time, he was called to go and serve before king Saul. For David's obedience, the Lord prospered him in all that he did. He was the Lord's chosen king over the house of Israel.

So why was he in a cave? Saul was trying to kill him.

Now, imagine that cave. What would that be like? How would a person feel about hiding in a place like that? It was probably not very comfortable. It was Dark. Wet. Musty. Cramped. Cold. Hard. Not ideal!

For all of this, we have a record of two psalms that he possible wrote during this time. (Ps. 57 & 142)

What was David saying about being in a cave?

Be merciful to me, O God!

In You my soul takes refuge!

I will take refuge in the shadow of Your wings till the storm of destruction passed by!

I cry out to God Most High.

God will fulfill His purpose for me.

He will save me, and put to shame those who trample me.

God will send out His faithfulness and His steadfast love.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let Your glory be over all the earth!

My heart is steadfast, O Lord.

I will sing and make melody.

I will give thanks to You!

I cry out to You, and plead for mercy.

I pour out my complaint and trouble before You.

My spirit is fainting, but You know my way!

Though no one cares for me, You are my refuge and portion in the land of the living.

Deliver me from my enemies, so that I may give You thanks.

You will deal bountifully with me!

I think that there are times in all of our lives when we feel like David did. He was lonely, tired, stressed, discouraged, and weak. Yet, for all of that he did not lose his focus on the Lord. God had promised him the throne of Israel, and David knew that God would not fail on any part of His promise to him.

I am not in a cave, but sometimes I fell like I am. Sometimes the circumstances of life rush over me, and I am discouraged, lonely, stressed, and tired. Yet, the God of David is also my God! What does God say?

I will not leave you, nor forsake you.

I love you.

You are My child.

I am in control.

Trust Me.

Rest in Me.

Thanksgiving list

Thanksgiving.

I love this time of year. No, not the "commercialized" right-after-halloween-Christmas-time. But the holiday most stores forget! Thanksgiving. For one thing, it is really nice to have some days off of school before the last weeks of school for the semester. But also, it is the time to see family and friends, but it is a time that is specifically set aside to thank the Lord for His manifold blessings. I have so many things to be thankful for. So I decided this year to write down all of the "little" things that I am thankful for!

This year I am thankful for:

• my family


• long talks on the phone with my Mom


• texting my brothers


• getting letters from my sisters


• laughing with Aunt Teresa


• spending time with friends


• drinking coffee


• chocolate


• warm, soft blankets and fuzzy socks


• background music


• watching Christmas movies


• staying up late


• sleeping in


• good books to read


• warm and cozy house


• reliable car


• beautiful weather and sunshine


• doing housework (something a college student doesn't often get to do)


• Bible college


• music

In all this, I can be truly thankful!

Foggy Day List

When we were little, our mother's had long lists of things to keep their children occupied when the outdoors were unavailable.
There would be things like coloring pictures, reading books, playing cops and robbers, building forts/ships/castles in the living room, helping mom bake something, or playing a game. Then, there was always the lovely phrase, "saving for a rainy day!"

But no one ever says anything about a foggy day!

Well, today has turned out to be a very foggy, dreary, drizzly, and chilly day. I have woken up the past few mornings, half expecting to see snow on the lawn, only to be surprised by the pleasant temperature of the day. *remember, it's November!* Today was not an exception!

Anyway, there are just certain activities that are acceptable on foggy days. The first thing that comes to mind is reading a good book. Foggy days are wonderful for snuggling down in an overstuffed arm-chair with a large hot mug of coffee (or hot chocolate!), and cracking open that long-anticipated best seller. As you sit inside, you can watch the wispy fog roll by and feel warm and cozy on the inside.

Or if I was feeling particularly motivated, I would probably go into the kitchen and fire up the stove and do some baking. Everyone knows that there is just nothing quite like the smell of homemade bread or cookies. Combined with the weather outside, any person baking will probably have lots of help eating up the freshly baked food.

But, if reading or baking just doesn't "float your boat", then I say you should just start going upstream and do something unexpected. Something maybe like going for a walk! If it's not too cold--or even if it is--you can bundle up with coats, hats, scarves, gloves, and boots, and enjoy what the fog does to the world around us! It is amazing how the moisture refreshes the countryside and makes everything look so beautiful! I particularly love walking on foggy/dreary/drizzly days!!!

So if it's foggy at your house, or if it's a beautiful day, don't be afraid to make a "foggy day list" of all the things that you can do to make the most of the day that God has made!

Celebrate Everyday pt. 31 (the end)

Can you believe that the month of October is already over?! It seems like yesterday that I decided to start my ritualistic blogging everyday, and now I am almost done. After 31 days of blogging (+ or - a few days when I combined the days), I must say that I really like this habit. It has become a fun way to express the little things to look for everyday. It also is a great way to laugh about the everyday randomness! :)

Here is a recap...
1. yummy cookies
2. 3 cheers for janitors and teachers
3. oooohhhh, the leaves are sooo pretty
4. Happy Frugal Fun!
5. tell a story
6. garlic breath
7. flowers
8. the good ol' teddy bear
9. tennis shoes
10. early Thanksgiving Day
11. the Incredible, Edible Egg
12. aaaaaaahhhhhhh...Moment of frustration scream day!
13. is this 13? (sceptics)
14. lovely little lower case letters
15. poetry
16. increase your vocabulary
17. "go ahead, adjust that chair!"
18. no-shave November
19. evaluating your life
20. fruit
21. the babbling brook
22. PUMPKINS
23. *yawn* staying up late!
24. crazy day
25. pasta...(or talk in an Italian accent day)
26. sleep in day
27. peace, friendship, and goodwill
28. (do you hear the ethereal music playing) Chocolate Day
29. all for hermits
30. mischief awaits...
31. the end!

And so it is the end of my tail, but not the end of Bekah! I will continue my writing (but I'll not promise everyday!)
As I am writing this last installment, some people are indulging their sense of adventure (or whatever you call it) by celebrating the "holiday" of Halloween. I am not particularly fond of that holiday, or the connotations that are associated with it. But why not come up with another way to celebrate the end of October!
So for this last day...do something Brilliant, Ingenious, Creative!

Celebrate Everyday pt. 29 & 30

For a Lovely, Lazy Saturday...
Hermit Day!
For a second to last day of October...
Mischief Night!

One thing I always like about the weekend is when I can have a lazy Saturday. There is something that "puts the cherry on top of the ice cream sundae" when you can sleep in on a beautiful Saturday morning and just enjoy the rest of the day. This past Saturday was just lovely! I love hermit days. It is a great way to keep your sanity sometime. (but just *sometime...especially for people-oriented persons) There are many times in our lives when you just need to get away from people for a little while. Thus, the excuse for hermitting! :)

Now, we get to Sunday night. According to popular thought the night before halloween is called "mischief night". You ask, what kind of mischief? I say, I don't know! We will leave that up to your good discretion.

I hope that everyone enjoyed their weekend!

It is almost November!!!

Celebrate Everyday pt. 28

IT'S FINALLY HERE!!! IT'S THE DAY THAT WE HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR! OVER THE PAST MONTH, WE HAVE CELEBRATED SO MANY THINGS, BUT NOTHING COMPARES TO WHAT WE ARE CELEBRATING TODAY! IT'S THE WONDERFUL...THE IRRESISTIBLE...THE DELECTABLE...

NATIONAL CHOCOLATE DAY!

Imagine with me for a moment. You have just come home from a long day. It is kind of chilly outside and there is a soft fall breeze. You enter the house, dragging your tired feet behind you. All you want is to sit down for a quiet moment and let your mind rest! You drop your bag on the floor by the door and head for the table. You plop down in the chair and lower your head into your arms. As you are resting there, a curious smell hits your nostrils. Something about it is familiar and good. Curiosity gets the better of you and you decided to look up to see where the fragrance is originating from. Then you see it! Right in front of you on the table. You wonder why you didn't notice it before. With an unusual feeling of energy you reach out and grab on of the delightful morsels. Slowly, you unwrap the shiny foil wrapping, that wonderful fragrance coming on stronger and stronger. Without hesitation, you put it into your mouth and let the rich dark chocolate slowly melt in your mouth. All of a sudden instead of feeling tired and discouraged, you are filled with senses of pleasure, joy, and exhilaration. Oh, what wonderful chocolate!

Now, if you are anything like me--a true chocolate lover--this description probably made your mouth water or you are looking in every nook and cranny for a piece of chocolate! :)

Recently, I gave an informative speech on some of the physical and emotional benefits of chocolate. Did you know that dark chocolate is good for you heart. Some research has shown that is regular dose of dark chocolate has the same blood thinning and anti-clotting activity as aspirin! Dark chocolate is also full of heart healthy antioxidants and also many different vitamins and minerals. Emotionally, chocolate is good for releasing pleasurable endorphins into our bodies, leaving us feeling delighted and satisfied. Chocolate can also work as an anti-depressant or a stimulant!

So as you can see, today is really worth celebrating! With all the physical and emotional benefits, why wouldn't you want to indulge a little today?

Celebrate Everyday pt. 26 & 27

Yes, yes...I know! But I have a really good excuse for not updating my blog yesterday!

You see, yesterday we were celebrating "Sleep In Day". It was such a great holiday, that I decided to be lazy and not write anything all day (except of course writing for homework, etc.). Other than that, I wasn't able to celebrate the day because it was a Wednesday.

*They really should think about which day is Sleep-In Day the next time we celebrate that holiday!*

Anyway...this week we are celebrating

Peace, Friendship and Goodwill!

Now, you may ask what does Sleep-In Day and Peace, Friendship and Goodwill have to do with one another. I am hear to tell you that with out the sleep, the peace is not as likely to happen! :)

I have been blessed with so many wonderful friends throughout my life. They are all very different people that God has allowed me to get to know for the purpose of growing in my walk with Him. Most of my fondest memories come from times that I was spending with close friends! Probably the best (and even worst) times of my life involved my friends.

Friends are so precious! Fellow believers in Christ are even more precious, because of the bond that we have in the Body of Christ!

Just last night, I spent over 3 hours on the phone with my mom and another really good friend of mine! It was such a joy to hear about the different things going on in their lives, and to share what God has been teaching me.

So in the spirit of Peace, Friendship, and Goodwill, why not do something kind/considerate to a random person today (or a good friend). Honestly, as Christians, we don't need to be motivated by a holiday to be kind, but it never hurts to be reminded!

Or, maybe...you should just let someone sleep in...:)

Celebrate Everyday pt. 25

spaghetti... macaroni... linguine... fettuccine... manicotti... ravioli... tortellini... lasagne... penne... rigatoni...

It's World Pasta Day!

It's a day for celebrating the "inner Italian",

bursting out in a love song, and talking with an accent!

Pasta is a world renown Italian food. It has been used as a staple in their cuisine for centuries. The pasta is made out of flour, water, and sometimes eggs. Traditionally, pasta is used as a base for any number of kinds of sauces and toppings. Pasta includes a variety of shapes and sizes, from the large cyclical manicotti to the delicately thin angel hair past.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasta
Here are some fun facts about pasta:

• Thomas Jefferson is credited with introducing macaroni to the United States. It seems that he fell in love with a certain dish he sampled in Naples, while serving as the U.S. Ambassador to France. In fact, he promptly ordered crates of "macaroni," along with a pasta-making machine, sent back to the States.



• The first American pasta factory was opened in Brooklyn, New York, in 1848, by a Frenchman named Antoine Zerega. Mr. Zerega managed the entire operation with just one horse in his basement to power the machinery. To dry his spaghetti, he placed strands of the pasta on the roof to dry in the sunshine.



• During the 1980s, macaroni, which was traditionally considered a "blue-collar" down-home meal, was transformed into the more upscale "pasta." As more and more people began to have fun with it and romanticize it throughout the '60s and '70s, its image began to change along with its name.



• There are more than 600 pasta shapes produced worldwide.



• Pasta is found in the will of Ponzio Baestone, a Genoan soldier who requested "bariscella peina de macarone" - a small basket of macaroni

http://www.kitchenhelpfulhints.com/pasta/pasta-facts.htm

Enjoy your pasta today!

Celebrate Everyday pt. 24

Happy Crazy Day!

It's crazy day? Really?

Yes! It is crazy day!

Today, you can be crazy if you want to.

But if you are normally "crazy", then you should be normal today and do something that isn't habitual.

Because if you didn't then it would just be like any other day.

That is not what crazy day is all about.

Crazy day is about doing something...crazy!?!

(but remember...always be safe!)

Celebrate Everyday pt. 23

I will admit that it is a little later than usual for a blog post. No, I didn't forget to write. I was just busy all day--like every other normal Sunday!
But, I was thinking about going to bed, and doing double duty on my blog tomorrow. Then I looked at the holiday today...and I couldn't to go bed...:)

Stay Up Late Day!!!

Every once in a while it is nice to stay up really late and do something fun and profitable. There is something about watching the wee hours of the morning tick by on your clock that brings a sense of accomplishment. To be honest, most of the time, I don't usually participate in the festivities, but rather tell myself that it would be better for me to get at least SOME sleep. (Because, no one likes a grump who hasn't gotten enough sleep!) But then on the other hand, I really don't like to miss out on all the fun things that happen after 11 o'clock! And there have also been a LOT of times when I have stayed up late talking/listening to my friends.

Such is the life of a 20-something college student!

Long gone are the carefree days of childhood sleepovers and silly dares to see who would be able to stay awake the whole night!

And so it is on that note that I am going to wish you all a good night! Please feel free to celebrate this wonderful night, but I am going to go to bed! :)

Celebrate Everyday pt. 22

October is that lovely month when air starts getting cold, the breeze is crisp, jackets are welcome, and pumpkin's are everywhere!

Today we are going to celebrate...

National Pumpkin Month.

Not only are the pumpkins wonderful for cooking into all kinds of pies, cakes, and breads, but they also are used for pretty decorations.

Here are some interesting facts that I found about pumpkins:

In the United States, pumpkins go hand in hand with the fall holidays of Halloween and Thanksgiving. An orange fruit harvested in October, this nutritious and versatile plant features flowers, seeds and flesh that are edible and rich in vitamins. Pumpkin is used to make soups, desserts and breads, and many Americans include pumpkin pie in their Thanksgiving meals. Carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns is a popular Halloween tradition that originated hundreds of years ago in Ireland. Back then, however, jack-o’-lanterns were made out of turnips or potatoes; it wasn’t until Irish immigrants arrived in America and discovered the pumpkin that a new Halloween ritual was born.

• 
  
  The largest pumpkin pie ever baked was in 2005 and weighed 2,020 pounds.


• 
  
  Pumpkins are low in calories, fat, and sodium and high in fiber. They are good sources of Vitamin A, Vitamin B, potassium, protein, and iron.


• 
  
  The heaviest pumpkin weighed 1,810 lb 8 oz and was presented by Chris Stevens at the Stillwater Harvest Fest in Stillwater, Minnesota, in October 2010.


• 
  
  Pumpkin seeds should be planted between the last week of May and the middle of June. They take between 90 and 120 days to grow and are picked in October when they are bright orange in color. Their seeds can be saved to grow new pumpkins the next year. http://www.history.com/topics/pumpkin-facts

And of course, you can't blog about pumpkins without including at least one pumpkin recipe!!!

Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups white sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans.
In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans. Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/downeast-maine-pumpkin-bread/detail.aspx

Celebrate Everyday pt. 21

We all know those sorts of people that just REALLY enjoy talking. When they were younger, their parents always made some sort of funny comment about how they have been talking since birth (and even before that sometimes!). For some reason, they find a distinct pleasure in spouting off great facts about something historical, or useless tidbits of trivia. But whatever the topic of conversation, it always ends up lasting for a long time!
I have many such friends and acquaintances with whom I enjoy spending time with. So I am in no way making fun of their loving talking. Today, we are celebrating them...

Babbling Day

Now, I know what your thinking. You don't want to take a whole day and listen to a "babbler". Well, you don't have too. Why not just join them in their talking and surprise everyone!?

In thinking of celebrating today, I was talking with a friend who suggested a section from a Winnie the Pooh story.

This is a section from the story entitled "In which Eeyore loses a tail and Pooh finds One". The story begins with Eeyore looking for his tail. Winnie the Pooh comes up and offers to help his friend. Pooh begins by going and visiting the very wise Owl. Owl suggests that Pooh put out a reward for the missing tail.

"A Reward!" said Owl very loudly. "We write a notice to say that we will give a large something to anybody who finds Eeyore's tail."
"I see, I see," said Pooh, nodding his head. "Talking about large somethings," he went on dreamily, "I generally have a small something about now--about this time in the morning," and he looked wistfully at the cupboard in the corner of Owl's parlour; "just a mouthful of condensed milk or whatnot, with perhaps a lick of honey--"

"Well, then," said Owl, "we write out this notice, and we put it up all over the Forest."
"A lick of honey," murmured Bear to himself, "or--or not, as the case may be." And he gave a deep sigh, and tried very hard to listen to what Owl was saying.
But Owl went on and on, using longer and longer words, until at last he came back to where he started, and he explained that the person to write out this notice was Christopher Robin.
"It was he who wrote the ones on my front door for me. Did you see them, Pooh?"
For some time now Pooh had been saying "Yes" and "No" in turn, with his eyes shut, to all that Owl was saying, and having said, "Yes, yes," last time, he said "No, not at all," now, without really knowing what Owl was talking about?"

So you see even Pooh had problems with very verbose friends. But through it all, he still loved his friend Owl. And the next time that you are stuck in a situation similar to Pooh's, just smile to yourself!

Happy Babbling!!!

p.s. some other person might take the liberty of interpreting this day as a way to sit by a "babbling" brook...but for some reason it just doesn't seem to fit! :)

Celebrate Everyday pt. 20

It is a well known fact that October is a month that celebrates apples and caramel. Both of these ingredients can be combined in a wonderful concoction of sticky yumminess!!! :) But what am I talking about? Of course, it is the Caramel Apple! Unfortunately, today is not Caramel Apple Day, but it is...

National Fruit Day

Because October is not a particularly fruitful month (at least in my area of the country due to the cold weather), there aren't a lot of fruits to celebrate. Yet, there are several well-known "fallish" fruits. Among this list is the apple!

Something about an apple that has been skewered with a stick, bathed in caramel and generously sprinkled with nuts and/or other things, causes the mouth to water profusely! It is the common Fall Festival food. Everyone who loves fall also loves to walk around with their caramel apple!

In the spirit of the day, I found some cooking tips for making your own homemade Caramel Apples on allrecipes.com.

Use a combination of different colored apples: red, green and yellow.

Choose uniform-sized apples--small apples work best.

Substitute chocolate caramels for traditional.

Before dipping apples in caramel, set them on an even surface and cut half-inch slices in the top of each apple to ensure that the sticks poke straight up.

Dip apples in one quick motion; let excess caramel drip off. Holding apple upright, press toppings into caramel to hold them in place.

Use latex gloves (available at drugstores) when pressing on toppings.

Use a pastry bag with a small tip and melted chocolate to make polka dots.

Set dipped apples on wax squares or parchment paper.

And remember: caramel apples are always best eaten the same day they are made!

Be creative with your fall-goodness-on-a-stick! Try something new and original! But most of all, please enjoy National Fruit Day!

Celebrate Everyday pt. 19

Today is going to take a more serious look at the holiday of day than the past few days. First of all, this is a touchy subject. It is one that must be evaluated seriously. It is...

Evaluate Your Life Day!

For starters, let's think about our unbelieving friends, when they talk about evaluating their lives there isn't much hope. They have personally made all the decisions to get to the point where they presently are. Some are pleased with where have ended up, but a majority of others are not satisfied. They had bigger dreams and higher hopes for themselves, but whatever situation it may have been, something hindered them from achieving their desired end. Some people call this the "mid-life crisis" point.

Yet, as believers in Christ, we have a hope about our lives. We know that as we are submitting to God's will for our lives, He will not lead us in a wrong way. While we may have certain hopes and dreams for our lives, obedience will lead us to a place that is content in Christ. We don't have to worry about anything, because we know that God is in control! In light of that, we can "evaluate" our lives according to God's word. We need to test our thoughts, actions, and motives against the truth that is found there.

So, this morning in my devotions, I was reading/studying Romans 15:1-7. In thinking about "evaluating your life", I think that some of the things from this passage are appropriate for today.

[in context] Paul has spent the previous three chapters writing to the church in Rome about their practical lives before God, the church, and others. He begins with the command to (1) present your bodies as a living sacrifice to God, which is the logical thing to do. Then he talks about the motivation of action toward others, which is (2) loving genuinely and wholeheartedly. Chapter 14 opens a discussion about stumbling blocks. Paul exhorts the believers (3) be fully convinced in your own mind about your actions, (4) to live for the Lord and not for yourself, (5) to not pass judgement on one another, and to (6) do everything in faith with no doubting.

In the first seven verses of chapter 15, Paul, by the Holy Spirit, writes about our example. Christ is our example in all things of One who glorified God, was submitted to God's will, and loved others more than Himself.

What is the command?

bear with the failings of the weak

do not please yourself

please your neighbor for his edification

look to Christ for your example

What is the benediction? (vs. 5-7)

"May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God."

Let's evaluate our lives through the Word of God, that we may glorify God in all things!

Celebrate Everyday pt. 18

As we come to the 18th day of my October "celebrate everyday" plan, I am seriously lacking creativity. Over the past couple of weeks we have celebrated wonderful homemade cookies, fall weather, garlic lovers, teddy bears, moments of frustration, skeptics, poetry, words, and adjustable chairs (to name a few!). To say that least, it has been a lot of fun!

Then I come to Tuesday October 18th and realize that today is not a day that I want to celebrate! I know, that seems hypocritical, but honestly I don't!

Have I peaked some curiosity? Are you wondering why I don't want to celebrate today?

Every morning I check my computer to see what the daily holiday is. This morning was no exception to the habit. To my surprise (and horror) I found what I am supposed to celebrate today...

No Beard Day!

Yes, I am serious, it is "No Beard Day". :)

At least I can console myself with not really having to worry about celebrating this holiday right! OR at least I hope to NEVER be able to celebrate it!!!

So in thinking of "no beard day", I started thinking about all of the shaving months that my brothers thought were so cool...like No Shave November or Furry February!

(to whomever this may apply)

In the spirit of the day, why not just shave off that furry facial hair and enjoy the brisk fall air on your cheeks!

But just so everyone knows...I will NOT be celebrating today! :)

Celebrate Everyday pt. 17

Everyday, there are little things that people like to do that make them smile. Usually it is something small and unpretentious like something done when they were younger. Sometimes it is the recalling or repeating of a memory. Most of the time, it is just something goofy! Often times during my day, I have to chuckle at myself because of the little thing I found to amuse myself with.

"Indulge your sense of amusement!"

This involves finding something to laugh about. One day, I was walking across a very muddy and puddle-filled parking lot. The air was warm and the sun was shining. Suddenly I had the urge to start leaping through the puddles on the small dry spots in between the water. It was kind of like jumping on stepping stones, but I didn't have to worry about falling into waist-deep water (just really muddy water!). So I decided to indulge my sense of amusement, and began jumping. I can't quite describe the feeling of pleasure and accomplishment that came over me as I was bounding around the puddles. But it certainly was fun!

In the same way that jumping over puddles is amusing, adjusting your office chair is another common way to amuse yourself.

Adjust Your Chair Day

Something about pulling that little lever to lower you to the ground is one of the most amusing things to do. I find that even spinning back and forth and adjusting your chair is a lot of fun.

You don't have to have money or even have lots of resources to amuse yourself everyday!

Just find something simple and be creative! Adjust your chair!

Celebrate Everyday pt. 16

Words.

Phrases are made of words. Sentences are made of phrases. Paragraphs are made of sentences. But it starts with words.

Words.

A word is important. A word can make a big difference.

Words have meaning. Words have connotations. Words are powerful. Words can describe. Words can confuse. Words are simple. Words are profound.

Words. Words. Words.

Have you ever thought about your words? Not just the contemplating of correct usage or grammatical error, but really think about the meaning of the words that you use? Honestly, I don't think about them enough.

What if we all spent more time thinking about our words. What would happen? I don't know...maybe we could all learn something?

Learn A Word Day

Well, today is "learn a word day" and I think that it would be appropriate to...learn a word! If you have ever spent much time in the dictionary, then you know all of the valuable information that can be learned about words. Just think of the etymology and history that has gone into the compiling of our dictionary? Amazing! Words are important!

According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, some of the most recent "word(s) of the day" are...

languid - drooping or flagging from or as if from exhaustion, weak; sluggish in character or disposition, listless

sop - a conciliatory or propitiatory bribe, gift, or gesture

hendiadys - the expression of an idea by the use of usually two independent words connected by and (as nice and warm)

regurgitate - to throw or be thrown back, up, or out

bumbershoot - umbrella

Aren't these interesting words? Can you think of ways in which to use them today (or in the next week)?

Go out on a limb and...

...Learn a *new* word today!

Celebrate Everyday pt. 15

Everyone knows that poetry is a powerful thing. It is an art form. It is individual. It is colorful. Poets have a way to combine words, rhyme, and meter into something beautiful. Some use poetry to express unspeakable emotion. Others write poetry to tell a story. It is a love song. It is an obituary. It is art.

National Poetry Day

I think that one of the things that I enjoy about poetry is its simple profound-ness! The way that authors combine words makes an ordinary thing seem unusual and mysterious. I enjoy the way that poetry appeals to our emotions.

I have never been very good at writing poetry (as I said it is an art form that I have not delved much into!), but I do enjoy reading it sometimes. I found a couple of very appropriate quotes about poems...

"A poem begins as a lump in the throat, a sense of wrong, a homesickness, a lovesickness." Robert Frost

"A poem can have an impact, but you can't expect an audience to understand all the nuances." Douglas Dunn

"A poem conveys not a message so much as the provenance of a message, an advent of sense." Thomas Harrison

"A poem is never finished, only abandoned." Paul Valery

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_poetry.html

Here is a fun verse from Emily Dickenson, called "A Day".

"I'll tell you how the sun rose,

A ribbon at a time.

The steeples swam in amethyst,

The news like squirrels ran.

The hills untied their bonnets,

The bobolinks begun.

Then I said softly to myself,

"That must have been the sun!"

So today, we celebrate the written verse. Maybe take a few moments today to write a poem, or at least read some poetry.

Celebrate Everyday pt. 14

are you an observant person? do you ever notice the "little things" in life? most of the time, those "little things" are that spectacular, but they are often unnoticed because of their size. well, little things are being celebrated today, because it is...

national lower case day!

in our society, when something is in in all-capital letters, it causes a person to take note. but when someone is writing with all lower case letters, most people don't think much of it (other than to think that person lacks grammar skills or they have been texting too long!).

*in case you are wondering, it is really hard not to capitalize words right now, but in the spirit of the day!*

now, you may ask why anyone would want to make a holiday about lower case letters. to be honest, i don't really know myself. but we could speculate what might be going through the mind of the creator of national lower case day. he probably was an english teacher who had quite a few students who struggled with capitalization. out of sympathy for his students, he decided to create one day out of the year when they wouldn't need to worry about capitalization. he realized that when his students were given the freedom not to capitalize words, that they quickly learned how much they did know about capitalizing words and found the holiday harder to celebrate. (while this account is fictitious, it might resonate some truth for those who do really struggle with capitalization!)

a word of caution to those who take advantage of today's liberty and apply the rules of national lower case day to everyday...don't do it! it is true that many people evaluate what kind of a person based on your writing skills/or lack thereof! :) you don't want to be labeled that way!

to celebrate today: enjoy the little things...like writing without capitals! look around you! find something small and unpretentious and enjoys its simplicity! work on your observation skills to be able to find those "little things"

have fun!

Celebrate Everyday pt. 13

Scepticism has taken many forms...

doubting Thomas...

pessimist...

the questioner...

the intrigued....

the scientist...

the explorer...

...or basically, a person who habitually doubts the authenticity of accepted beliefs, a person who mistrusts people, ideas, etc, in general.

However these tendencies form in you, today we celebrate,

International Sceptics Day!

According to Holiday Insights, there is quite a bit of scepticisim surrounding this questionable holiday. First of all, they (who know's who) don't really know when to celebrate this day. Some have said that the day is actually January 13th, others say that it is October 13th. There is still another group of sceptics that say the holiday should land on the first Friday the 13th of the year. (http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/October/internationalskepticsday.htm)

But basically, no one really knows! Or do we know?

Of course, the internet says! But what power does the internet have? Is it always accurate?

No, but we have to discern between the true and false. How can you discern? What if you discern wrongly?

Just trust the author. Who is the author? Is it another sceptic?

Today, we celebrate the "sceptic" in you!

Celebrate Everyday pt. 12

You know those days when everything starts out right, you're feeling good, and ready to accomplish anything!? I think that everyone has those days. But then, something always seems to happen to pop your happy bubble! What is it? Why does it change your attitude? What is the first thing that you want to do? Scream!

Happy Moment of Frustration Scream Day! :)

After you have relieved the need to scream for that particularly frustrating moment (please DO NOT SCREAM AT ANYONE!), you are able to think more clearly.

Why do we respond to frustration by screaming? Is this the right thing to do? What should our attitude be like?

In Romans 14, Paul is writing to the believers in Rome about how to handle differences in personal opinion and preference. He tells them the motivation that they should have toward life. He stated, "For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living." While in this context, Paul tells the Romans to consider their life in Christ as they are acting toward their brother in the Lord. We do not live to ourselves! Our life is in Christ, so we should live to Him!

Our frustration is a lack of trust in God's grace and protection in our lives. We get frustrated when we are focused on ourselves and do not get our own way.

The next time you are tempted to scream out in frustration, first consider why you are frustrated. Ask yourself why you have been hurt. Ask yourself if your frustration is valid or if it is a result of a self-focus. Perhaps our choice to rejoice in our frustration, instead of screaming, will be a testimony to the world around us!

May every moment of our lives bring glory and praise to God!

Celebrate Everyday pt. 11

It's the Incredible! It's the one and only!
It's the protein packed morsel!

It's the EGG!

This is the one day every year that the egg gets it's due respect. Chickens have been producing this food for our consumption for many centuries--actually since creation, though they weren't eaten the whole time!

World Egg Day

Eggs are so wonderful and versitile. I love eggs in the morning, fried, scrambled, in an omelet, or in a breakfast burrito. But they are not only breakfast food. Eggs can be eaten at any time of the day. I love boiled eggs on my salad, or a fried egg sandwich, or egg salad sandwiches. Basically the options are endless when it comes to eggs!

Here are some interesting facts that I found about eggs:

1. Eggs have a larger number of proteins when compared with chicken meat or with milk.

2. Egg shell was made of calcium carbonate which is the main basic material for several types’ anti-acids. Eggshell weighs 9-12 percent and also has pores that create oxygen and carbon dioxide to enter and moist air to exit.

3. In the egg white is made from protein called albumen which often turned out to contain niacin (Vitamin B3), riboflavin (Vitamin B2), chlorine, magnesium, potassium, sodium and sulfur. 57 percent contained egg protein from egg white.

4. On egg yolk color was determined by the hen food. When the hens eat a lot of grain that has yellow and orange pigments, the more thick yellow egg.

5. Eggs have a variety of colors to suit the age and other factors. If the egg white looks a bit murky it indicates that the egg is very fresh but if a white egg looks clear it indicates that the eggs are from chickens that are old. It is recommended to not consume eggs pinkish white color or other discoloration.

6. On the inside of the egg there is sometimes a little blood. Blood comes from blood vessels in the yolk broken. However the eggs are still safe for consumption.

7. At the time of egg hatching, egg temperature range 40.5 degrees Celsius. If the colder the liquid that is in the eggs will settle and form the air cell between two layers of eggs.

8. A hen to lay eggs between 250 up to 270 eggs each year.

9. In some communities in America is more like a chicken egg white compared with brown chicken egg.

10. When compared with chicken eggs, duck eggs turned out to have a fishier odor and skin pores are also larger so that more duck eggs suitable for salted egg.

http://besthealthnewsonline.com/an-interesting-facts-about-eggs.html

Well, there you have it! Today, it's all about the egg!

So have an "egg-cellent" day!!! :)

Celebrate Everyday pt. 10

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

No, it's not the 4th Thursday in November, but it is October 10th, and today is Thanksgiving Day in Canada! Even though we are over a month ahead of time in the US, I thought that it would be appropriate the celebrate early. We should take advantage of every excuse to corporately thank God for all His blessings!
There isn't going to be any turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, corn, cranberries, apple pie, or pumpkin pie! But really, these don't make the holiday what it should be!

Let's be thankful!

Often times, we start out a new week with only as much enthusiasm as if we were getting our teeth pulled! We are still dragging from the long "restful" weekend, hoping to get all of the homework done that we didn' t get accomplished on Saturday!

Today is Monday!

Today is Thanksgiving Day!

Let's be thankful!

Early on in King David's life, there wasn't much that we would think of as a reason to thank God. He was shepherd as a young man. Then God chose him to be king of Israel, but he was not able to claim the throne until the previous king died. Instead of reigning in the royal court, he was a servant to King Saul. Because of Saul's jealousy, David became an enemy of the king, and had to spend much of his time running and hiding from Saul and his armies.

Yet in the Psalms, there are countless times when David wrote of his thankfulness to God. Psalm 63 is an example. This psalm was penned by David when he was in the wilderness of Judah. He wrote:

"A Psalm of David When He Was in the Wilderness of Judah. 'O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory. Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips. When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help, Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me. But those who seek my life, to destroy it, Shall go into the lower parts of the earth. They shall fall by the sword; They shall be a portion for jackals. But the king shall rejoice in God; Everyone who swears by Him shall glory; But the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.'"

Let's be thankful!

Why? Because of the wonderful things that God has done for us. We may not feel like there is anything to be thankful for, but that is not the truth! God is at work in each of the hearts of His children. He is conforming them into the image of His own Son. (if that isn't enough to be thankful for...)

Take a moment today to reflect on the goodness of God over the past weeks. When we set our hearts and minds to focus on Him, the "cares" of our everyday life will vanish away in the light of His goodness and grace!

Let's be thankful!

Celebrate Everyday pt 8 & 9

because I was unmotivated to write this weekend,

I decided to combine the weekend holidays.

basically, this is just an excuse for all the homework that I had to do.

now, I am just trying to justify my unmotivated-ness...:)

BUT, to move on to deeper depths, higher heights, and wittier wits...

Saturday was Bring your Teddy Bear to Work Day,

Today is National Sneakers Day!

The Teddy Bear:

What can be said about this lovable creature? It has been bringing joy and comfort to many a child for decades. The Teddy Bear is probably one of the most sought after toys. Soft. Squishy. Cuddly. Cute. Comforting. Homey. Warm. Secure. Many a child has had one of these lovable stuffed animals dragging behind them. I always have to laugh at the sight, but it is so cute.

The Sneaker:

The popular sporting Tennis Shoe has been providing comfort and stability for people of all kind for many years. Can you imagine a runner who didn't have the most popular model of athletic shoe? Sneakers are so practical for everyday life. They provide the support that most feet need, as well as looking sporty and fashionable.

To celebrate: Bring your Teddy Bear to work day is pretty obvious. But no would have been able to celebrate on Saturday, so why don't you take it to work on Monday. Then you could even where Sneakers in the process!

Whatever you do just laugh about it! It will make the whole day seem better!

Celebrate Everyday pt. 7

During the fall, what kind of plants do you think of? Yes, it's an odd question, but today's holiday is really odd too. (not that it is intrinsically odd, but the timing is odd) :)

When I think of this question, flowers are not the first thing that comes to mind. Yet, today is...

National Flower Day!

Here is Missouri, most of the flowers are dead already. The trees are bright and colorful, and dropping their leaves. Plants are getting ready for the winter. Instead of things getting ready to bloom, they are casting off their summer luster. But we know that it is only for a season, because when the weather starts getting warmer, the plants and flowers will all start to show their colors again!

While this is an elementary thought, it has a neat implication.

God is faithful! Now, you ask how do I know that from flowers? Well, in some ways, we are like flowers ourselves. We go through seasons of life. Some are the warm happy times, and others are dreary and cold. But just as we see God's hand over creation in marking the beginning and end of seasons, we can know that He is caring for us.

Luke 12:22-28 says, "Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?"

God cares about our lives. He promises to take care of us because He loves us!

Isn't that a good reminder!

Celebrate Everyday pt. 6

Now, before you judge about the subject of today's holiday,

I suggest that everyone go and get your toothbrush, or minty gum,

or mouthwash, or some other form of "bad-breath" fixer!

Today is Garlic Lover's Day!

Aside from it's pungent flavor and lingering scent, garlic is actually very good for our bodies.

It is beneficial for preventing heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and even cancer! Some researchers say that it is good for "preventing and fighting the common cold". Here is another funny tip, "In 1858, Louis Pasture observed garlic's antibacterial activity, and it was used as an antiseptic to prevent gangrene during World War I and World War II. More recently, it has been found from a clinical trial that a mouthwash containing 2.5% fresh garlic shows good antimicrobial activity, although the majority of the participants reported an unpleasant taste and halitosis." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garlic

Garlic is good for you, and it tastes good too (in moderation and mixed well with other flavors!) Garlic has been used in many cuisines for centuries. While most people enjoy garlic as a spice, some would rather eat it raw. (Don't judge these health-conscious people, but be prepared to plug your nose!)

So to celebrate Garlic Lover's Day, I would suggest NOT going to the store, buying the largest clove of garlic, and eating it all! Maybe just use a little bit in your cooking today, like this recipe...

Cheesy Garlic Bread

Ingredients list:
1 large loaf of Italian bread.

4 garlic cloves, chopped.

4 tablespoons of butter, softened.

¼ cup of grated mozzarella cheese.

¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese.

1 teaspoon of dried basil.

1 teaspoon of dried parsley.

½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes.

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).Cut the loaf of bread in half, lengthwise. Mix the chopped garlic with the softened butter; spread the mixture over each half. Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over both halves. In a small bowl, mix the Parmesan with remaining dry ingredients; sprinkle the mixture evenly over the bread. Place the bread halves on an un-greased baking sheet. Bake until the cheese is melted and bread gas turned golden brown (takes about 10-15 minutes). Slice and serve warm.

Celebrate Everyday pt. 5

Happy National Story Telling Day!

Everyone loves a good story!

Especially the ones that are funny or exciting or sad or mysteryous.

Too often we think that stories are for little kids.

But they aren't! Most adults love a good story too!

Why not think of a story to tell someone today?

Think of a personal story thatcould encourage someone today!

We all have testimonies of God's grace in our lives, that can be told to others!

(Here is my story. It is not a personal testimony, but an illustration of a truth that I have been thinking about for a while. (no, not the frogs!) :)

Once upon a time, there was a village of frogs that lived by a pond. This was a naturally heated pond. All of the frogs loved to soak for hours in the warm water. There was one frog in particaluar that especially loved it. His name was Henry.

Henry would stay in the pond long after everyone else had gone home. He would lay on his back and look at the trees and daydream about the future. But because of the warmth of the water, the frog village officials made a rule so that the frogs would only stay in the pond for a few hours and not all day. They knew that the water would continue to get warmer and warmer. As the water got increasing warmer, it could have really bad longterm effects on the frogs.

Of course, Henry ignored the guidlines. He stayed in the pond all day anyway. As time went on, the naturally heated pond's temperature went up a little more everyday, just like the frog officials had said. It got so bad that the other frogs could only stay for a few minutes in the pond rather than hours. And once again, Henry didn't listen to the other frogs. He liked the hot water. It felt so good on his body.

Well one day, the water was particularly hot. So hot that no one else but Henry wanted in the water. All of the other frogs watched as Henry got in the water. He sighed long and stretched out. It felt so good. As he layed there, he began to notice that he couldn't feel his legs anymore. It didn't bother him too much, so he just kicked them harder to keep the circulation. He began to get very tired from kicking so long and he began to notice that he couldn't feel his arms either! Most frogs would have been a little nervous at this point, but once again Henry just pushed it aside.

After quite some time, the water was so hot on Henry that he couldn't move at all. Now, he was scared. The thing that had been such a joy and comfort to him was killing him slowly. He had become so tolerant to the hot water, that he didn't realize what it was doing to his body. Instead of giving him comfort, it was destroying him. He didn't know what to do. Then out of nowhere, his friend came hopping beside the pond. Henry tried to call out, but he didn't have much more volume than a whisper. His hoarse voice cried and cried. Then his friend stopped and looked around, as if he had heard something. Then Charlie looked at Henry. His eyes were immediately filled with compassion. He grabbed a rope and threw it to Henry.

Once on the shore, Henry lay still on the ground. It would take a long time for him to be able to move again. The hot water had began to cook him! He didn't even know!

Charlie sat panting beside him. "Why did you stay in the water? Didn't you know what it was doing to you?"

"No," Henry replied, "The water felt so good. It was always just warm, but then as it got warmer it felt even better. But I wasn't being careful, I only wanted to make myself feel good! My body got used to the temperature, and I didn't even think about what it might be doing to my insides!"

"I see," Charlie smiled, "You became so tolerant to the thing that could have killed you that you didn't even realized when it was! It is so easy to get comfortable and not realize what it might do to you in the long run!"

Celebrate Everyday pt. 4

National Frugal Fun Day!

Now, before you judge the "fun-ness" of being frugal, remember that at some time in your life--or presently--you have been a college-student or someone living on small means! Growing up with my parents in the ministry and having a large family, we never had tons and tons of money, but the Lord always provided EVERYTHING that we needed! With that mindset, I have come to appreciate the things that you can do just using whatever resources you have and your imagination! By the way, it is so much more fun to create something unique and imaginative.

So today is a day to celebrate being frugal, and having fun with it!

Just so that everyone knows the term: (because terms are so important!)

Frugal: (1) economical in use or expenditure; prudently saving or sparing; not wasteful: What your office needs is a frugal manager who can save you money without resorting to painful cutbacks. Synonyms: thrifty, chary, provident, careful, prudent, penny-wise, scrimping; miserly, Scotch, penny-pinching; (2) entailing little expense; requiring few resources; meager; scanty: a frugal meal. Synonyms: scant, slim, sparing, skimpy.

College students are known for doing things without many resources. Just the other day, a friend and I were eating some yogurt, but we didn't have any spoons (or were just too lazy to go find some). So we did a very "college-studentish" thing, and drank the yogurt out of the carton!!! (which of course was followed by licking the rest out!) This is called "frugal fun!"

(Don't let anyone tell you that frugal fun is, for lack of a better word, lame! It isn't. Those who say that obviously haven't had much frugal fun! It is being imaginiative and creative. Which qualities are good to develop!)

To celebrate today: Do something today that stretches your mind and creativity skills without touching your wallet.
For ideas visit: http://frugalliving.about.com/

Celebrate Everyday pt. 3

Fall is such a remarkable thing! Have you ever wondered why leaves change colors in the Fall? Well, today is a great day to figure out, because it is...

Look at the Leaves Day!

As the seasons change, the flowers start to die, the grass gets dry and brown, and the leaves put on a show of colors. Thinking scientifically for a moment, the leaves are green in the spring and summer because of substances inside of them. As the seasons change and the sunlight is less and less, the trees begin to prepare for the winter. Leaves use the sunlight to turn carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and glucose. Oxygen is a gas that is needed in the air that humans breathe, and glucose is used as a source of energy and growth for the plant. This chemical process is called photosynthesis. Another chemical called chlorophyll, which gives plants their green color, helps with the process of photosynthesis. But as the days get shorter and there is less sunlight, there no longer is enough sunlight or water for the photosynthesis to occur. Therefore, the trees begin to rest and use the food that they have stored up for the winter months. As they shut down the food making factories (leaves), the green chlorophyll disappears from the leaves, leaving them to turn colors such as yellow, brown, orange, red, or purple. This combined with other things is the reason for the leaves changing colors in fall. (http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/leaves.html#autumn_leaf)

Isn't our God amazing! As I was thinking about "Looking at the leaves Day", I was also reminded of the song that Chris Tomlin sings called, "Indescribable". The first verse and chorus says,

"From the highest of heights, to the depths of the sea, creation's revealing Your majesty.

From the colors of fall, to the fragrance of spring,

every creature unique in the song that it sings.

All exclaiming, 'Indescribable, uncontainable;

You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.

You are amazing God!

All powerful, untamable;

awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim,

You are amazing God!'"

Use this "everyday holiday" to enjoy God's creation. Go for a walk! Thank God for His provision in your life as you are cruching through the leaves. Thank Him for the changing of seasons of the trees, and the changing of seasons in your own life!

Celebrate Everyday pt. 2

In my resolve to make everyday a day to celebrate, today we are thinking about janitors and teachers. It certainly isn't apples and mops for these hardworking individuals. They spend most of their time working for others--whether keeping a facility clean or teaching children.

National Custodial Workers Day
World Teacher's Day

Somewhere within our personal relationships, everyone knows at least one person in these professions. I am fortunate to know one of each in my own immediate family!

My mom is my teacher. She graduated from college with a degree in elementary education, and has been doing just that for at least 20 years, primarily with her own children! A teacher is such a special person. They have the awesome opportunity of molding a young mind with all sorts of educational information. In my mom's case, not only was she responsible for teaching me how to divide numbers and diagram sentences, but she also taught me the other important things of life.

My dad is a janitor. Now, his primary "job" is being a Pastor--and if that is full-time enough, he wears a lot of other hats, including Janitor! To some this is considered a low and dirty job, but over the years, my dad has taught me a lot through our "cleaning times"! When I was at home, I had the "privilege" (and yes, I am saying privilege, though at the time I would've said that cleaning was anything but a privilege!) of getting up early in the morning to go and clean with my dad and brothers. While not realizing it at the time, he was teaching us about responsibility, discipline, and work ethic. Those, along with many others, are just some of the "life lessons" my dad taught us through janitorial duties!

I am so thankful to have such godly parents, and have a way to celebrate them today!

To celebrate: take this time to think of someone that you know that is a teacher or janitor, and let them know how much you appreciate them! These occupations can be overlooked.

Celebrate Everyday pt. 1

Happy October, everyone!

Isn't it amazing how fast time flies!

It seems like just yesterday that it was August, and school was just starting.

In light of the aforementioned truth about the passing of time, I am endeavoring to write a series of posts about the "everyday holidays". Each day that are alive is a gift from God! We have a choice about how we look at life. Why not choose to make each day special, and live to the fullest for the glory of God EVERY MOMENT!?!

Isn't fall the most lovely time of year? This is when the temperature gets a little chilly, and sweaters and hoodies are most welcome. The leaves on the trees are just starting to change colors. The air is crisp. You go outside and leaves are cruching under your feet, leaving a earthy musty scent in the air. You go inside and are immediately hit with the warmth of the house. Then one of the most wonderful smells hits your nose! Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies!!!!

To celebrate today, it is Homemade Cookie Day!

Use this as an excuse to do some baking. Find your favorite (or a new) cookie receipe...and CELEBRATE!

Here is a receipe for

Outrageous Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the peanut butter, vanilla and egg until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the batter just until moistened. Mix in the oats and chocolate chips until evenly distributed. Drop by tablespoonfuls on to lightly greased cookie sheets.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges start to brown. Cool on cookie sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. (allrecipes.com)