WEEK ONE: Day 3..... The Blessing of Greater Peace

 The dove represents the Holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost in Christianity. The Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus like a dove when he was baptized in the Jordan River:
Luke 3:22
... and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." (NIV)
The dove is also a symbol of peace. In Genesis 8 after the flood, a dove returned to Noah with an olive branch in its beak, revealing the end of God's judgment and the beginning of a new covenant with man.

Welcome everyone!  Let's start in prayer today asking God to teach us about the Blessing of Greater Peace
through His Word today and through the questions given that they will reach deep into our hearts and minds and help us to think critically and respond naturally.   Please pray for me to only lead as the Lord leads and only depend on His Word and Elizabeth George's books, Woman After God's Own Heart and the workbook to express her questions in my own words being guided by The Lord to do all this through His Name!  Amen!

 The main scripture passages for this study today are:

JOHN 14:26-27   New International Version (NIV)   ²⁶ But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. ²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

GALATIANS 5:22-26 

New International Version (NIV)

 ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

PHILIPPIANS  4:6-9

New International Version (NIV)

⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
 ⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹ Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

• HEARING FROM GOD

1.  Praying faithfully brings greater peace to women.  Please read Philippians 4:6-9 (a passage that was given above this) and then please write what you have learned about prayer and peace.   

[You may want to write out the passage and even try to memorize it.   Memorizing scripture keeps His Word in our heart and whenever we feel troubled, we can just recall this passage to memory.  Start by writing it on an index card.  Then each day when you are feeling at your best, pull out the card and start memorizing it taking a verse at a time, and then when you have memorized the first verse and can call it to memory, then go on to the next verse and do the same.   One thing I like to do is use a highlighter to concentrate on words that stand out to me and I find when I say the verse out loud.  Another good way to memorize scripture I read the card and say the words that are highlighted with greater emphasis than the words that are not highlighted.  One more way to memorize is to read the verse on the card and then shut your eyes and concentrate and try to remember what was on the card... especially the words you had highlighted!   Then ask a friend or loved one or even your children to hold the card and let you repeat the verse (one at a time) to them.  They can give you a highlighted word to help you get back on track if you lose your spot in recalling the verse! ]

2.  John 14:26-27 is about Jesus's words about the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is part of the Trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit goes to God on our behalf and presents our prayers to Him.   In this passage Jesus is also talking about the peace He came to bring to you.  Please read these verses and then try to think about the times that Jesus has brought peace into your life.
Then please write down an answer to this question, "How is the peace of Jesus Christ different from any other?"


3.  Galatians 5:22-26 is another great passage to write down on an index card.
[I have an index box (like a recipe box) or just anything that you can find... a zipping baggie large enough to hold your cards so that you can even carry them in your handbag and use to memorize when you are somewhere where you have some idle time to pull one out and work on memorizing it.    I use the 4x6 cards for all my passages to keep them the same size.  Maybe you want to write them in a little notebook that can fit into your handbag.  Whatever works for you is great.   One word about the index cards.  If you can fit the whole passage on the front of the card, then something you may want to do is write on the back of the card what the passage means to you!  You can use the answers that you are writing down to put on the back of the card!  These are ideas and you will find something that meets your needs.]

This passage lists the "fruit of the Holy Spirit."  The fruit of the Holy Spirit comes to those who live by or keep in step with the Holy Spirit.  The primary way of staying in step with the Holy Spirit is through prayer.  Would you please list the fruits of the Holy Spirit that come to women who keep in step with the Holy Spirit through prayer and submission to God.    Then using that highlighter, please highlight the fruit.

A wonderful Christian Dutch woman, Corrie ten Boom (see her biography here on Wikipedia) has these words to share with us, "As a camel kneels before his master to have him remove his burden at the end of the day, so kneel each night and let the Master take your burden."  Corrie ten Boom knew much about suffering.  When you read the Wikipedia article about her you will learn about her suffering.  And another truth she wrote about is forgiveness. Wikipedia lists the books she has written.  From the Wikipedia article about her has been written:

Her teaching focused on the Christian Gospel, with emphasis on forgiveness. In her book Tramp for the Lord(1974), she tells the story of an encounter while she was teaching in Germany in 1947. She was approached by a former Ravensbrück camp guard, who had been known as one of the most cruel. She was reluctant to forgive him, but prayed that she would be able to. She wrote,

"For a long moment we grasped each other's hands, the former guard and the former prisoner. I had never known God's love so intensely as I did then."

She also wrote (in the same passage) that in her post-war experience with other victims of Nazi brutality, it was those who were able to forgive who were best able to rebuild their lives. She rejected the doctrine that some asserted, of Pre-Tribulation Rapture, and wrote that it was without Biblical foundation.
She believes that such a doctrine left the Christian Church ill-prepared in times of great persecution, such as in China under Mao Zedong. She appeared on many Christian television programs discussing her ordeal during the Holocaust, and the concepts of forgiveness and God's love.

The Wikipedia article about Corrie ten Boom lists the many books she wrote in her lifetime.  Here is that list:

• A Prisoner And Yet (1945)
• Amazing Love (1953)
• Not Good If Detached (1957)
• Common Sense Not Needed (1957)
• Plenty For Everyone (1967)
• Marching Orders For The End Battle (1969)
• Defeated Enemies (1970)
• The Hiding Place, with John & Elizabeth Sherrill (1971)
• Tramp For The Lord, with Jamie Buckingham (1974
• Prison Letters (1975)
• In My Father's House, with C.C. Carlson (1976), reprint 2011
• Corrie's Christmas Memories (1976)
• Each New Day 1977
• Prayers And Promises For Every Day 1977
• He Cares He Comforts 1977
• He Sets The Captives Free 1977
• Father Ten Boom: God's Man 1978
• A Tramp Finds A Home 1978
• Don't Wrestle Just Nestle 1978
• This Day Is The Lords 1979
• Clippings From My Notebook 1982
• Not I But Christ 1983
• Reflections Of God's Glory 1999
• Messages Of God's Abundance 2002
• I Stand At The Door And Knock 2008

 You can find these books at the library, at your favorite bookstore such as an online bookstore, Christianbook.com or Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble.com.  Or do a search for her books to see where you may purchase them at the best price for you.  New or used.   

If any of you decide to read one or more of her books, I would love to have a book review from any of you to post on this blog!  Please think about this as there are many of you who may have already read one of her books and are able to do this, or someone who might want to read one of the books and write a review.  Maybe you are a blogger who would like to write a review on your own blog and you can submit to me a link of your review and I will post it on this entry for all to read!  Thank you!

[Something we talked about in yesterday's blog was STRETCHING!  Maybe now is a good time to go and get something to eat or drink and walk around a bit or take some good stretches and return to this when you feel energized and ready to do more!]

WEEK ONE: Day 2..... The Blessing of Greater Faith

We're reading today from three passages...  I read them before starting the devotional today and suggest that you may want to as well.    They are: 

Matthew 7:7-8

New International Version (NIV)

Ask, Seek, Knock

    ⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

John 15:7-8

New International Version (NIV)

⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

1 John 5:14-15

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁴ This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

(It might be a good time right now to pray to God and ask Him to give you complete understanding of the scripture passages and ask God to show you something today through His Word for your life.  Please pray for me that I teach His Word and not my own.  Thank you! )

Hearing from God

1. An essential aspect of prayer is faith.   We must have faith when we pray that God does hear us and will answer our prayers.  These next two passages are about the images of David described by God.  Would you please write down what you see as the description?  Thank you!

•  Psalm 61:2
•  Psalm 62:6

   2.  An American car company advertises its trucks with the phrase "like a rock."  How has God been a   rock in your life?

  3.  We read now about Hannah who was a desperate woman who cried out to God.  Please read about her now in 1 Samuel 1.  Then would you please respond to the questions below?  Thank you!

    A.  What indications do you see that Hannah sought God with all her heart?

    B.  How did God respond to Hannah's prayer?

    C.  How did Hannah respond to God's gracious YES?

(At this point you might need to take a break now... stretch and breath in deep and let it out....  and come back when you are ready to do more!  Thanks!)

Here's some info. about how to stretch correctly... I really like this and want to share it with you.  You can skip by this if it doesn't interest you.   Thanks!

• Warm up your muscles slightly before you stretch them. Walk or do some other light aerobic exercise for a few minutes, and then start stretching.
• Ease yourself into the stretch, relax, and don't push or bounce. You should feel a stretch, but not pain, in the muscle.
• Exhale as you do the stretch. While you hold the stretch, inhale deeply.
• Try closing your eyes while you stretch. It helps you relax.
• Take a moment to enjoy the good, warm feeling that comes after a good stretch. 

Welcome back!  I hope that felt good to you ...  I love it!    As a matter of fact... we should stretch more often in the day...  whenever you are stressed, take this kind of stretch...  maybe teach it to your friends or family members.  

I want to share some facts about some important people (well, they are important to me!)

"John Wesley spent at least 2 hours each day in prayer!"  (Wow, that's amazing...  I would really need to take a lot of stretches during 2 hours...  I'm not able to do this at this time.  How about you?)

"Samuel Rutherford rose at 3am daily to wait upon God."  (Well this I actually do, it's more like 2 am but then I go to bed super early too to get my 7-8 hours of sleep.  I really don't expect that you would do this, but maybe set your alarm clock to get you up 15 mins. earlier to spend time with God.  And when that is good, try another 15 mins. earlier...  and see how you can adjust to that.   Thanks!)

"Alexander MacLaren owed his success 'to the habit, never broken of spending one hour a day' alone with God."   (Now this would be a great goal for you!)

WEEK ONE: Day One..... A HEART FOR BLESSING IN PRAYER

" God desires for us to have a heart for prayer."

Our Scripture passages for today are:   PSALM 5: 3 ,  MATTHEW 6:5-15 , and HEBREWS 11:6    You may click on each passage and go directly to the passages via an online Bible and I'm using the NIV but you can use any translation you prefer.    There's a tool there on the page of each passage to select the version of the Bible that you wish to read OR you can click on the icon for speaker below the passage and have it read to you! 

KEY TRUTHS:

• Jesus devoted the early morning to prayer.
• God regards those who earnestly and wholeheartedly seek Him.
• Our relationship with God and with others influences the effectiveness of our prayers.

DAY ONE:  The Journey Begins!

Hearing from God

1.  Think about your typical day.. your usual routine of waking up, preparing for the day, and fulfilling your responsibilities.  What things make it difficult for you to spend time in prayer?

2.  God's Word challenges and inspires us to make prayer a part of everyday life.   Read the following scriptures, and write down what you learn about prayer.

• Psalm 5:3, Psalm 88:13
• Matthew 6:5-15
• Mark 1:35-38
• James 5:16

(At this point, you may want to take a break and come back for more!)

3.  God provides great encouragement and instruction for us whenever we desire to seek Him.  His Word sets a clear path for us to follow.  Ready the following scriptures, and identify the hope and instruction that God provides us when we seek to know Him.

•  Deuteronomy 4:29
•  I Chronicles 28:9
•  2 Chronicles 16:9
•  Psalm 119:2
•  Hebrews 11:6

  

Responding to God:  "Yes, but how?"

4.  Getting started is often the hardest part of any challenge.  God's Word provides inspiration to help us move beyond the starting line.  Read the following scriptures, and jot down phrases that can help you start on your quest to develop a heart for prayer.

• Jeremiah 33:3
• Matthew 7:7-8
• James 4:3
• I Peter 5:8-9

5. Here are three simple steps you can take to begin your journey toward a daily devotional time with God.  Commit to do these three simple things this week.  When you have completed a task, put a check next to the task below.

• Obtain a notebook or booklet that will become your daily prayer journal.   Use this journal to list your prayer concerns and the many ways the Lord answers your prayers.   (or if you want to do this online then here are some suggestions for where to keep your online journal) 1.  Penzu (online journal, may have costs)   2.Yahoo Calendar (free!)
•  Dedicate a specific time of day for your time with the Lord.  Consider it an appointment that you must keep.
•  Dedicate a specific place for your devotional time.  Choose a place that minimizes interruptions and distractions.

"May I be careful to maintain a constant, habitual sense of Thee in my mind; to live and act as in Thy presence; to think often of Thee.  May I ever remember that I am in the presence of the great and Holy God."  ~ Susanna Wesley

 

"Linda has been a Christian for twenty years.  She actively serves the Lord in her church and works hard to be a good parent to her three children, ages three, five and nine.  Her husband,  Dave, seldom goes to church and resents the time she is away with the kids at church.  Linda has tried several times to establish a daily devotional habit but with limited success.  Her part-time job and her roles as mother, wife, and Sunday School teacher demand more time than she has to give.  She often wakes up more tired than when she went to bed.  Linda lives with a nagging sense of guilt about not spending time in prayer."  (Written by Elizabeth George, that author of this book!)    

If Linda came to you and expressed her frustration about finding a daily time for prayer, how would you respond?  Jot down your thoughts in your journal (online or written).

SUMMARY

For many believers, early morning is ideal for spending time with God in prayer and Bible study.  God's Word tells us that anyone who earnestly seeks God will find Him and hear from Him.  May the Lord bless you as you begin this journey.

Today, Lord, the prayer of my heart is:

The entire blog entry here was written by Elizabeth George, the author of our book...  WOMAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART (I'm using the old workbook that came with my book and you can click on those words, workbook and book to have what I'm using).  There's also a KINDLE edition of the book that came with my workbook.  Click on the word KINDLE for that option. 

Click on the following links if you would like to get a copy of her devotional book or read about her ministry, play her daily inspirations, or just browse the pages for other topics and her ministries.

 

If you have any prayer requests or comments...  please feel free to comment.   Thank you for your time here today and I hope to see you again tomorrow!

If you'd like to listen to a worship song about prayer, here is one for today:

"Hear our Prayer" with lyrics by Hillsong

Introduction: A Heart for God's Word

Elizabeth George starts out the Bible Study Workbook (which they seem to have combined now in the Devotional book) with this Introduction (I've abbreviated it to make it shorter and just bring the key ideas!)

"Dear beloved sister, what an honor and privilege to walk hand in hand with you down the path of our dreams-- that of becoming women after God's own heart!  This is truly a noble and righteous goal, isn't it?  And God wants to come alongside us to strengthen and empower us as we take this walk--a walk toward becoming His kind of woman."

"I know how tight your schedule is.  I know you are a busy woman.  The daily lessons are written so you can get the most benefit from a short, concentrated period of study.  If you will devote about 30 minutes every day, five days a week, you can gain the biblical insight and truth you need for your busy week.  Set aside this brief period of time and protect it as your personal appointment with the Lord.  I promise that you will receive a great blessing from your time in God's Word."

Luke 10:38-42 

New International Version (NIV)

At the Home of Martha and Mary

 ³⁸ As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. ³⁹ She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”    ⁴¹ “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴² but few things are needed—or indeed only one.^[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God^[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.


KEY TRUTHS:

• Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
• Those who abide in Christ will bear much fruit.
• We can do everything through Christ, who gives us strength

 
From Carolyn:   Thanks ladies for reading this today and my prayer for US is that we will be able together to find those 30 mins. or so a day for five days a week (and the 6th day I will be writing out OUR  prayer requests for us to spend that time praying for one another!) to study His Word together.  I thank the Lord for His servant, Elizabeth George, who wrote this Bible Study so that we women could grow in His Word and in the fellowship with our husbands, children, family members and friends!  But especially with the Lord!   Have a wonderful day and see you tomorrow!   You can always add your comments to this note and your prayer requests.  This way we can be praying each day for one another!

Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George devotional book!

Hi friends! Recently the Lord has laid it on my heart to start a Women's Group Book study via my blog, Conversations with Carolyn. I have nearly finished Bible Study for Elizabeth George's book "Woman After God's Own Heart" and it's terrific! If any of you would like to join with me then please consider buying the Daily Devotional which will be available on my blog this weekend. I want to start the 9-week study on Monday , October 24th. If you can't afford the daily devotional, that's fine too because I will be supplying the full study right there on the blog and you can just follow along.

A Woman After God’s Own Heart—A Daily Devotional

Elizabeth draws on wisdom from her bestselling books (more than 4.3 million sold) and popular “Woman After God’s Own Heart” radio spots and podcasts to provide 365 dynamic devotions in a beautiful, pocket–size, padded cover format. With insight and “I’ve been there too” openness, Elizabeth shares practical ideas to help busy women get the most out of life. They’re encouraged to...

• jumpstart their day through God’s Word and prayer
• trust the Lord in every circumstance
• enjoy a daily harvest of the fruit of the Spirit
• experience the joy of serving God and others
• make every day count by setting and meeting goals
• love their families and model Christlikeness
• use their influence to motivate others

As readers focus on God’s truth and power, they’ll be uplifted and energized. Every woman needs to know God loves them, provides for them, and is always available to them!
ISBN #: 0-7369-2081-1
Page Count: 386
Published By: Harvest House Publishers in 2007

List Price: $14.00
Your Price: $14.00

Purchase Here Please 

Hall-O-WIN a Kindle and More Giveaway! Now thru Halloween at midnight!

I have teamed up with Jennifers Savings and Angela Newsom, author of the Coupon Quick Start Guide, to provide you with this wonderful giveaway of many prizes! The Grand Prize will be a Kindle, a free eBook of the Coupon Quick Start Guide, and a $20 Amazon.com Gift Card!!! The blogs participating in this have provided $25 Restaurant.com Gift Card, L'Oreal Youth Code Serum Intense, $25 Paypal Cash, $25 Restaurant.com Gift Card, Fully-Stocked Coupon Binder, Conair Purple 1" Curling Iron (new in box), Starbucks reusable tumbler and gift card, $25 Amazon.com gift card, Avon watch-Mother of Pearl face and "diamond" accents, $15 Target Gift Card, Cozy Comfort from Tastefully Simple, and 4 more of Angela Newsom's eBook: Coupon Quick Start Guide!!!!


As you can see, we have got some great prizes! This giveaway will run from October 19th through 12:01am on October 31st. Good Luck to everyone! Make sure to do the mandatory entries first, then do all of the optional entries too for your chance to win one of these great prizes!

Tuesday Twitter Party!

Hope that my fans will participate and have fun doing it!   Just another way to get involved and win fun prizes!

Join us every Tuesday for the chance to win some GREAT prizes!

This weeks prizes will be:

The More The Merrier: Falling into Fall Fashion with Avon (Sponsor Spotlight)

The More The Merrier: Falling into Fall Fashion with Avon (Sponsor Spotlight)

We got the Treats Pete! AVON EXCLUSIVE!

 

I've been showing Pete on my Avon Products by Carolyn site now for weeks!  So what's keeping you from ordering one?   I have him and he's great.   Plays his own style of "We've got the Beat!"   You're kids and the adults will love it.     I've even trained my dog to take two carrots treats from Pete's trick o' treat bag every morning before her 2 mile walk along our beach!   She knows when the music plays that there are carrots in his little bag.  How cute is that!  Here are some pictures to see it.   

Sandie hears the music and sees the carrots!

Sandie reaches into the bag and takes her two carrots from Pete!  We love it!

Pete is now $24.99 and is available from Campaign 21 here on this link:  CLICK HERE and he'll be available from now for another two weeks!   Don't miss your opportunity to buy him at this great price!

Watch this video to hear Pete and see him sway and sing!  He's 10" tall and uses 3 AA Batteries (not included) for ages 3 and up!  You can let the kids put some Halloween candy in his little bag and snack on them  :o)    Here's the video:  CLICK HERE and then CLICK on "Watch The Video" right under his picture!

Special Fan Giveaway! USA ONLY...

Hey fans!
Here's a special fan giveaway! Thanks for being so patient with me while I've been gone with my horrible fibromyalgia flare-up for two weeks! I've missed you and wanted to give you a special giveaway from me to you! You have to live in the USA to enter this giveaway. Or have a USA mailing address :o) Here are the two prizes and descriptions of them.

In Bloom by Reese Witherspoon Body Lotion   Value $15.00
Sensual and elegant, it entices the senses with gardenia blossoms and lush florals, enveloped in amber wood and peach tea leaves. Body Lotion. 6.7 fl. oz.

Award-winning actress, Hollywood producer and working mother, Reese embodies the perfect balance of inner and outer beauty. Her celebrity style and sensual elegance are captured in the heart of In Bloom.

”In developing In Bloom, I found myself drawn to the scents of my childhood in Tennesse. We had a great big magnolia tree in the backyard and it’s that beautiful white blossom that inspired the perfume. In Bloom is indicative of where I am in my life today. I’m feeling very strong and independent, and so happy, so full of life. The fragrance truly captures that feeling – it’s very sensual, very romantic and alluring.” – Reese Witherspoon for Avon

AVON SILICONE GLOVE PROTECTIVE HAND CREAM  Value $5.00
A family favorite!  This product has been with Avon for years and years now!  Continual and lasting gel protection against skin irritants. 3.4 fl. oz.

Now here's your RAFFLECOPTER and the required steps to do in order to win these products!  Thanks!

NEW GIVEAWAY!

Carolyn's Zucchini Oatmeal Carrot Walnut Bread

  I like making my own recipes and sharing them with others!  This is my latest creation during zucchini season!  It's good for people who are looking to cut calories and eat healthy.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup whole wheat flour           1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt                              1/2 cup agave nectar
1/4 tsp. baking soda                 1/4 cup applesauce
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon          1/2 cup grated zucchini
1 egg from egg beaters              1/4 cup grated carrot
1/4 cup chopped walnuts           1/2 cup oatmeal (I use the flavored ones... maple brown sugar!)

DIRECTIONS

1,  Olive Oil Spray and whole wheat flour one 8 x 4 loaf pan.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2.  Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda and cinnamon together in a bowl.
3.  Beat egg, oil, vanilla and brown sugar and nectar together in a large bowl.  Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well.  Stir in applesauce, zucchini, oatmeal, carrot and nuts until well combined.  Pour batter into prepared pan.
4.  Bake for 40 to 60 minutes or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on rack
for 20 minutes.  Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.   Enjoy eating!

Stop School Bullying!

I've watched Friday, Sept. 17th 48 Hours Mystery about School Bullying.  I'm sure that many of us remember being bullied or our friends being bullied in school or maybe our children being bullied.  It's a horrible thing and this show first showed a boy (with long hair) who preferred to sit with the girls and do "girl things" and had to transfer to his third school until something could be done about it.  The boy's mother got proactive about the situation and found out that once she brought it to the school's attention they would actually do something about it.   She met with other mother's whose child(ren) were being bullied.  She spoke at the school and asked the children who had been bullied or knew of someone being bullied and she found out that what started at 30% of the school rose to 70% of the school.   The teachers were placing placards like this one in their classroom and talking with the kids about talking to the teacher if anyone of them are being bullied.

 The first boy I'm speaking about actually said that he felt like killing himself.  He already causing self injury to himself by cutting himself and hurting himself.  Thankfully his mom stepped forward and did something about it! 

If you have any doubt that bullying kills then get a ticket to this play, The Bullycide Project and it tells the story of 150 children who took their lives since 1973 because they didn't think anyone could do anything about it.  Often the parents of these children are in the audience.  So many parents didn't know this was going on so they couldn't do anything.  But now they know and can do something. 

One gal, Jessie was tormented horribly.  And no one did anything about it, her friends failed her.  Then she did one thing that couldn't be undone.  She took a picture of herself naked and put it in a text.  And then she was attacked unmercifully.  A policeman told her that it would be a good idea to go public.  So she went on TV.  After this the attacking got worse.   People were spitting on her and hitting her.  One night she attended the funeral of a fellow student who had taken his life because of bullying.  That night she went and hung herself.  An awful tragedy.

Determined that something positive happen, Cynthia Logan went before the Ohio State Senate calling for a passing of the Jessica Logan Act...  an act to protect the children.   A mother there shared about her daughter being bullied in school and online.  The bullying started when she was 6.  It was in her daughter's 4th grade of school when she realized what was happening at the Catholic School she was attending and they did little to help her.  Tara was transferred in 5th grade and the friends from Dara's old school told her new friends how she was hated and then the new friends became haters too.  On FaceBook a group of kids started a Dara Hating group.  Horrible things were written about her.  The mother spoke to Dara about not hurting herself or killing herself and Dara shared that she would never do that.

Jacob, another boy interviewed shared where all the bullying "hotspots" were in his school.  He shared how in dodge ball people gang on some and just hit them like crazy.  He also shared that when kids share about it they get it worse.

Middle school tends to be the worse.  This is when hormones are raging, cliques are formed, friendships seem more important than anything else.   Is this ringing some familiarity to you?  

Dara's mom turned to Dara's principal and she turned in pages of documents and said it was bad but he said that he needed proof at school to do something.  He talked to the girls at school who were doing the bullying.  But nothing was done to punish them.  The mom became obsessed with finding out anything she could to help her daughter... online and offline.   She found out that one of the horrible things she found out is that children under the age of 13 are joining facebook.  Facebook says that they are aware of the problem but that they currently can't do anything about it.  Dara's mom took her off of FaceBook.

What's the law in your state about bullying?  Go to http://cbs.com/bullying

I was happy to find a number of good resources online to help with school and online bullying and here are some of them:

• SECRET on FACEBOOK has an anti bullying campaign... MEAN STINKS.  Please join there and help to support their program. 
• EYEGUARDIAN Keeping an eye on your children on FACEBOOK.
• Bullying and Violence:  What You Need to Know
• and many more resources can be found here:  I searched on SWAGBUCKS for it and found this information.

3000 FAN AVON PRODUCTS BY CAROLYN GIVEAWAY!

Congrats to all 3000+ fans at Avon Products by Carolyn!   Three other sponsors have joined in this giveaway and I thank them very much for doing this.  The prizes and sponsors are as follows:

AVON CANVAS COSMETIC BAG!

AVON MOISTURE THERAPY HAND CREAM

$5.00 WALMART GIFT CARD

TUPPERWARE OPEN HOUSE BUTTER DISH

Topaz and diamond created ring 10 carat white goldplated...truly stunning size 7

We hope that you all are excited about the chance to win any of these giveaway gifts and I've given you MORE CHANCES to win with this giveaway!  GOOD LUCK!

Beauty Brite's Giveaway Round Up!

   Come and join the giveaway!  She's offering great items!
Click Here

Back to School Recipes!

It's that time again and I know the moms and dads want to make excting back to school recipes for their kids!
So here is some help for you!

Ingredients:

2 large strawberries, halved 1/8 cantaloupe, cut into balls or cubes 3/4 bananas, peeled and cut into chunks

3/8 apple, cut into chunks 8 skewers

Directions:

You have scaled this recipe's ingredients to yield a new amount (2). The directions below still refer to the original recipe yield (5).

1.	Thread the strawberries, cantaloupe, banana and apple pieces alternately onto skewers, placing at least 2 pieces of fruit on each skewer. Arrange the fruit skewers decoratively on a serving platter.

Ingredients:

1 all-beef hot dog 1 hot dog bun 1 packet ketchup

1 packet prepared yellow mustard 2 tablespoons shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:

1.	Prepare your child's lunch box by packing the hot dog bun, ketchup, mustard and Cheddar cheese.
2.	Preheat your child's insulated beverage container by filling with boiling water. Let stand for 15 to 20 minutes. I put the kettle on when I get up and let it heat while the kids get ready for school. Right before they leave, dump out that water and replace with more boiling water. The preheating keeps it hot for a longer time. Place a hot dog into the water and close the lid.
3.	When your child is ready for lunch, they can take the hot hot dog out of the container and place it on the bun. Top with ketchup, mustard and cheese to make a hot lunch from home.

Ingredients: 1 pita bread round 1 teaspoon olive oil 3 tablespoons pizza sauce 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1/4 cup sliced crimini mushrooms 1/8 teaspoon garlic salt Directions: 1. Preheat grill for medium-high heat. 2. Spread one side of the pita with olive oil and pizza sauce. Top with cheese and mushrooms, and season with garlic salt. 3. Lightly oil grill grate. Place pita pizza on grill, cover, and cook until cheese completely melts, about 5 minutes. Ingredients: 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup peanut butter 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup quick cooking oats 3 tablespoons butter, softened 1 cup confectioners' sugar 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter 2 1/2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream Directions: 1. In a large bowl, cream together 1/2 cup butter or margarine, 1/2 cup peanut butter, white sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Add egg and beat well. 2. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add these dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Stir. Add oatmeal and stir. 3. Drop by teaspoons onto greased baking sheet, and press each mound down with a fork to form 1/4 inch thick cookies. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10 minutes, or until cookies are a light brown. 4. To Make Filling: Cream 3 tablespoons butter or margarine with the confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter, and the cream. Spread filling onto half of the cooled cookies, then top with the other half to form sandwiches.

$100.00 VISA CARD GIVEAWAY!

Welcome to the $100 VISA Gift Card Giveaway! This giveaway is sponsored by 20 different blogs. To enter, simply follow each of us on Twitter using the Rafflecopter form below! Giveaway starts 9/7 at 12:00 am EST and ends 9/20 at 11:59 pm EST.

You only need to enter the giveaway on one of our blogs, but you can come back once a day to claim your daily entries too!

Libman Freedom Spray Mop Giveaway and Product Review

I recently had the opportunity to do a PRODUCT REVIEW on the Libman Freedom Spray Mop!   It's incredible!  I had been a loyal Swiffer Wet Jet user.   I did a test with coffee spilled on the floor in two places and cleaned the one spot with the Swiffer and the other with the Libman Freedom Spray Mop and the Libman won by far!

Some of the features of the Libman Freedom Spray Mop that won me over was the ability to be able to use a cloth mop that could quickly clean up the floor and rinse it out and place it back on the mop to continue to clean the rest of the floor.  No more earth-unfriendly features from the Swiffer.   The Swiffer uses harsh chemicals to clean the floor and the plastic cloth that goes into the landfills.  With the Libman Freedom mop all I have to do is throw the cloth into washer and dryer and it  comes out totally clean.   With the Libman Freedom mop I received an extra cloth and an extra refill bottle.   I'm able to make up my own floor cleaning solution!

With the Libman Freedom Spray Mop you get the following features:


-Freedom to choose any cleaning solution you want to put in: Your favorite cleaner, plain water, environmentally friendly solution etc. Removable bottle for easy filling.
-Freedom from costly and wasteful disposable pads- reusable microfiber pad can be machine washed up to 50 times. Safe on all flooring surfaces.
-Freedom from batteries- trigger sprayer allows you to control how much liquid is coming out.  Just grab and go, no heavy messy buckets to lug around
-Quality manufactured in the USA (Arcola, IL) by a 4th generation family owned company.
-Sold fully assembled in the mop and broom section of your favorite store.

I will never go back to the Swiffer Mop again.  The Libman Freedom Spray Mop is the mop for me!  Libman also gave me the opportunity to give away a free mop coming directly from them to you.   All you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter form and the random selection winner will receive the all the same things that I received!  Good luck!

AVON Stainless Steel and Silicone Tong Set REVIEW

046-027

Reg. $14.99

Expert grilling accessories.

Heat resistant up to 450º. Hanging loop. Large, 12" L . Small, 9" L. 2-piece set. Stainless steel, silicone. Imported

I bought these and absolutely love them!  They are great for the grill and great for indoor use too!  I've used a pair for use with teflon already and what a welcome surprise.  No scratches.   And I've used the other pair outside on the grill and they are excellent for that.   The pin at the end of the tongs pulls out and they close and lock when you need to put them away in a drawer.   I would suggest buying these soon as these items are going quickly.  Here is the link for you to be able to buy them.  CLICK HERE

Packing Healthy School Lunches

Packing a sack lunch is one way to ensure that your child will have a nutritious mid-day meal, and maybe even a healthy snack or two. The right lunch bag and accessories will allow you to pack a variety of healthy foods.

Lunch Bag Tech

Brown paper bags may be convenient and inexpensive, but they rip easily and don't help keep cold foods cold or hot foods hot. They're fine for a peanut butter sandwich and an apple, but not for much else. Metal or plastic lunch boxes with insulated beverage containers are one step up from the brown bag because they are sturdier. Your child can take a hot or cold beverage with his lunch, but it is still difficult to control the temperature of the foods -- so food choices are still limited.
Insulated lunch bags are the best choice for school lunches. Some insulated lunch bags are equipped with freezer packs; you can also buy freezer packs separately. There are bags with two or more compartments, so foods and beverages can be kept separate. Insulated lunch bags can be very fashionable as well. Some look more like a trendy purse or tote bag, and there are plenty of novelty bags to please any boy or girl.
The insulated bag and freezer packs will keep your child's lunch cold and, therefore, safe and fresh. Of course, your child may get tired of cold foods every day, so you also need insulated food jars for hot foods. Pick up a few plastic containers in smaller sizes and sandwich bags, too, and you'll be prepared to offer your child a variety of hot and cold healthy foods.

Healthy Lunch Bag Ideas

Sandwiches are a popular choice for a school lunch. Remember that meats, dairy products, and eggs are perishable, so be sure to use a freezer pack to keep them cold. Choose whole grain bread, wraps, or pitas. If your child resists whole grain breads, use bread that is made with some whole grain but still has the flavor and texture of white bread. Each sandwich should have a healthy protein source and healthy toppings. Some suggestions:

• Tuna sandwich wrap with light mayonnaise, lettuce and tomatoes
• Egg salad sandwich on whole grain bread
• Peanut butter, cashew, or almond butter with a 100 percent fruit spread on whole grain bread (a healthier PB&J)
• Sliced turkey, lean roast beef, or chicken from the deli--or left over from last night's dinner--with light mayonnaise, mustard, and a slice of cheese

What should you send along with the sandwich? A piece of fresh fruit is healthy but can get a bit boring after a while. Skip the greasy chips and choose from these healthier ideas, just remember to keep perishables cold:

• Send a salad in a small plastic container. Keep the dressing on the side in a separate smaller container.
• Cheese sticks go well with sandwiches and are a good source of calcium.
• Whole grain snack crackers add a nice crunch and lots of healthy fiber.
• Make a fruit salad with grapes, melons chunks, and blueberries.
• Dried fruit, like raisins, dried cranberries or banana chips
• Nuts like almonds, cashews, or walnuts
• Pack a cold pasta salad, cole slaw, or potato salad.
• Baby carrots with a small container of vegetable dip
• Crunchy raw green beans with a small container of ranch or french onion dip
• Prepackaged, flavored low-fat yogurt

Think Beyond the Sandwich

With insulated food jars, you can send hot foods to school, too, like leftovers from that delicious meal you made last night. Make sure the foods are heated up to at least 140 degrees before you load them into the insulated jars. Here are some hot food ideas:

• Beef and vegetable stew with a hard roll
• Chicken noodle soup and whole grain crackers
• Lasagna with a salad and bread
• Chicken casserole with carrots and vegetable dip.
• Chili with whole grain crackers or bread
• Left over stir-fry or sautéed vegetables

With the right lunch gear, your child can enjoy a delicious and healthy lunch every day. Add a small cookie or tiny piece of candy for dessert along with juice, milk, or water for a complete healthy and fun meal.

Kashi Whole Wheat Biscuits Cinnamon Harvest PRODUCT REVIEW

Just received this free trial of Kashi Whole Wheat Biscuits Cinnamon Harvest cereal in the mail along with a $1.50 off coupon for their products!  Excellent!   Snacked on the cereal without milk and it's delicious!  Here's the information about this cereal that you will most likely be interested in knowing:


Woven into the center of our organic wheat biscuits is a fusion of warm, spicy organic cinnamon and organic evaporated cane juice crystals. Baked together, these crunchy bite-sized biscuits will kindle your senses and satisfy your healthy side. With the goodness of over 20% of your daily fiber and over 2/3 of your daily recommended whole grain intake*, what’s not to love?

• 47g whole grains
• High fiber
• Low fat
• Sodium free
• USDA Organic—Certified Organic by Quality Assurance International