CD Review:Abide with Me

I love my church. The Word is preached, the fellowship is sweet, and we are active in trying to reach our world for Christ. Of course, no church on earth is perfect, and one of the things I wish I could change about mine is the lack of hymns. I love the old hymns, they are so sweet, and are full of inspired words and lovely melodies.

That is probably part of the reason that I thoroughly enjoyed Phillip Keveren's "Abide with Me: Piano and Praise" CD. Keveren puts his on small touches on the songs, but the beauty of the original music still shines through. I really don't love when songs are so re-arranged that you cannot even recognize the original tune; that is not the case with these.

My favorite tracks were "Here I Am to Worship" and "Be Thou My Vision". I sang "Be Thou My Vision" in a youth drama in high school, and it has always been one of my favorites. I was very pleased with this version. I liked that it was just the piano, that way I could sing along if I wanted, but it also made very pleasant back drop music as well.

I was not familiar with all the songs, but even the new ones were still beautiful and made me want to look up the words, so I could appreciate them fully. Most of them I did know, and I loved how all the pieces were reminders of God's promises to be with us, His holiness, and how worthy He is of our worship and praise.

It reminded me of the majestic offertory pieces played by the pianist at the churches I attended when I was younger. You just wanted the song to last a little longer, and you loved the peaceful feeling it left you with. You wanted to just be quiet, and for me, it often was truly a time of worship. Now, I don't have to wait for the infrequent appearance of hymns at my church. I can listen whenever I want!

You can find your own copy of "Abide with Me: Piano and Praise" at Discovery House Publishers website: http://www.dhp.org/, as well as other inspirational CDs and books . They kindly provided me with a complimentary copy to review.

Book Review: Dug Down Deep

My first experience with Joshua Harris was not memorable. I was 12 or 13 and at a homeschool conference. My parents bought me one of his "NA: New Attitude" t-shirts. He did not make much of an impression on me.

That has certainly changed! Dug Down Deep: Building Your Life on Truths That Last is not a book I will soon forget. My natural inclination is towards fiction. I like stories that make me feel good. I tend to avoid "self-help" and "theology" books because often they make me feel guilty, or are so "spiritual" that they don't apply to every day life.

In Dug Down Deep Harris covers a variety of foundational, spiritual topics. He makes it easy to understand and apply-a hard combination to find! He opens each chapter with a relateable real-life anecdote uses that as a bridge to delve into a more comprehensive discussion. He covers subjects that range the importance of the church, to the Trinity and much more.

This book was easy to read. I have been a Christian for many years, so much of his material was familiar, but presented in new and interesting ways. This would be a brilliant tool for a new believer-especially someone that does not have a background in church. It also includes a study guide that would be a great catalyst for group discussions, or to use as a one-on-one discipling tool.

My favorite aspect was how Harris uses his own life to provide perspective on the topics. He was raised in a Bible believing home, and while he never had any true "prodigal" moments, his story in so many ways mirrored my own that I felt instantly connected. I have struggled with my faith because I want to believe in God, not just because that is how I have been raised. I want to truly understand why certain things (salvation, the Trinity, the infallibility of the Word) are so important, not just accept unfounded opinions.

Harris provides strong, Biblical proof for each of his points. The book is filled with quotes from godly theologians to help round out his presentations. Harris obtained the title from the parable about the wise and foolish builders, and mentions that he wants to be like the wise man-investing the time and energy to build his 'house" on a firm spiritual foundation, one that is deep and lasting.

I walked away from this book with a greater appreciation for my faith. There are so many great concepts that I can apply to my own life, and use to share my faith with others. Joshua Harris may have not been incredibly memorable so many years ago, but what he has to say now will certainly stick with me. Obviously, we have both matured. May it be as much to the glory of God in my life as it has been in Harris'.

Please rank my review! Your email address is used for verification purposes ONLY, you will not receive any communications.

I was provided a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest, unbiased review, by the publisher, Waterbrook Multnomah.

Mail Call

I love getting mail. Ever since I was a small child, I have been fascinated by the whole postal process. It amazes me that someone in a far away state (or even country!) can put something in a box at near their home and days, or sometimes weeks, later it arrives at mine.

I faithfully check my mailbox every day. I have figured out when the mailman comes (actually, I think we have a mail-woman, but whatever), so I can be prompt. If I happen to be unable to check it, I will usually go as soon as I can the next day, even if it happens to be on Sunday. My neighbors probably think I'm crazy. They are probably right...

My mail lately has been fabulous! Just this last week, I have received: a photo book,coupons for free: yogurt, sweet potato fries, and allergy medicine, a CD to review, a book to review, and a bottle of shampoo! Checking the mail has become an event.

Our larger packages are delivered to our front door. Joel joked the other day that he can't go outside without bumping into some sort of box. For me, it is like Christmas every day. I get free samples, coupons, magazines, books, all kinds of things!

But it makes Josie sad. Every day she says, "Mom, did I get any mail?". Well, she is 5, so the answer is usually no. Every now and then I will get some kind of kids' catalog that I will say is for her. But usually, she does not get any mail. My mom ordered her a magazine, but we have been having some trouble getting it delivered so usually, while I am rejoicing, poor Josie is lamenting.

Why doesn't she get any mail? Part of it is that she is young. I get plenty of credit card and insurance offers because of my age. Part of it is that she doesn't do anything to get mail. Even if I never did a single thing I would still get mail.

But it wouldn't be the kind of mail I love. How do I get all those things? Well, when I began my couponing I started following a couple of money saving bloggers (Money Saving Mom and Mojo Savings, namely). They would show photos of what came in their mail, all the freebies and coupons. And I was a little jealous.

Until I realized something. I can do what they do. I can fill out forms and surveys. I can write companies. I can join review groups. I can become a member of survey companies. I can put together photo books. And I can get fun mail!

It is silly, I know. But to me, the rewards are worth the effort. For example: it usually takes me 2-3 hours to put together a photo book. I won't pay full price for them, so I am always waiting for a sale. This last book, I only had a few days to put it together before the deal expired, so I had to hurry. It was a little stressful, but oh, the joy of opening that box! All my hard work, come to fruition.

And the surveys I do can take hours. It is not a task for the faint of heart. But, I love getting the test products, and I like knowing my opinion counts. Free stuff to tell people how I feel? Sign me up! I love doing book reviews for that reason, too.

What it boils down to is this: if I sit around and wait for fun mail it probably won't happen with any great regularity. We will occasionally get cards from friends and family, every now and then I might get a cents-off coupon, and there will always be bills and credit card offers. But if I want to get mail that I really enjoy more than every once in a while, I have to get out there and make it happen. I have to be proactive.

How often am I that way about my faith? I accepted Jesus, now I just sit back and wait for the blessings to roll in, right? You can try that, but it won't be very beneficial. You have to get out there."Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling." (Philippians 2:12) After coming to faith, we still have a job to do.

Faith is a two-way street. Thankfully, what you receive will always far outweigh what you put in, but you can't just sit around doing nothing and have every prayer answered. You have to invest. It is personal, it takes time, and you may have to wait more than weeks to see the results. Sometimes, you never see the results.

Several months ago, I registered to get coupons for free shampoo and conditioner. I am still waiting for those. I have a feeling I may never get them. But I won't let that stop me. I can't be that way with my faith, either. "But, Lord, I am sharing my faith. I am working with children's/men's/women's/homeless/name-your-group ministries. But I am not seeing any fruit. What gives?"

"So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow." (1 Corinthians 3:7)

Ugh. We don't like that verse. Basically it means sometimes I can put my best foot forward and nothing will come of it, to our eyes. But God knows. And He will bless our efforts, when they
are solely focused on pleasing Him.

And some things have guaranteed results. I can promise that if you spend time in the Word, it won't return void. Actually, God promises that!

"So is My word that goes out from My mouth:
It will not return to Me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."
Isaiah 55:11

But, if you put forth little effort, you will get back fewer rewards. We look to the giants of the faith: Paul, John, Billy Graham, Beth Moore, and say, "I could never be like that." Maybe you won't write award-winning Bible studies (and I can certify that you will never write a book of the Bible!) but you can develop a thirst for the Word like they have.

I am learning, slowly but surely, that I can. I can be in love with God, I can drink up his Words like a man lost in the desert, I can talk to other people about Him, I can share His salvation that has become mine. I can use this little blog, my tiniest corner of the internet world, to be a birthday candle in the vast universe. I can do what I can do with what God has given me. I don't have to be anybody but me, and He will bless that. But not if I hide under a bushel lamenting. Only if I get out there and put forth some effort.

I can make sure that I have fun mail. And I do. When someone leaves a few words in a comment that says, "I believe in you. Your faith inspires me in some small way." When my kids say Bible verses. When a friend leaves a post on my Facebook page. When Josie accepted Christ. When I see the overwhelming awesome beauty of the mountains and I know that God made them with me in His mind. When I am reading His Word and I can be certain that He gave me that particular verse that makes me quiver and cry, knowing it would be exactly what I needed to hear.

It isn't without effort. There are certainly days that go by when I feel like I must be losing ground, or I am at least about to lose my temper. I pity myself saying, "I give and I give..." But then I get the message I really need, "No, I give. And I will continue to-strength, patience, perseverance-you name it, I've got it. Just ask." And I know that He is the One who is responsible for every good thing-in my life and in my mailbox.

Let The Wild Rumpus Start!

I have been throwing parties for a while now, but I haven't done a really good one for my kids. I have decided that pre-organized, buy-all-the-matching-pieces-at-the-party-store parties aren't really my style anymore. Well, Carson turned 3 in April, and I knew it would finally be my chance. He has never had a "real" party, the invite his friends kind, so it was a great time.



I won't lie, I picked to base the party on the book, "Where The Wild Things Are",for myself. I love it-it isn't Carson's favorite or anything. As a matter of fact, he had never even heard it until a few weeks ago! However, it fits his little personality so well, and I know he loves it now!

Of course, I had to have the banner. This one was fun- (my aunt told me a handy tip-click on a photo to enlarge it!) and pretty easy. I simple cut out images from the book and did simple triangle foam flags. I turned to my trusty felt letters for the words. I felt like "Carson's Wild Rumpus" was an appropriate title for a gathering that included kids from 21 months to 6 years. I prefer parties that included the whole family when kids are young, so I needed something good for varied ages and both boys and girls.

Hanging the balloons from the ceiling eliminated the need for expensive helium, but still provided that same effect. I will definitely use that trick again!


Just in case you were wondering, behind that white sheet is our television, DVR, Blu-Ray player and other various ugly cords and equipment. Since this area is the focal point, I didn't want all that stuff to be in the way. I popped a spring tension curtain rod up, threw a white flat sheet over it, and presto-chango, it went away!
This was another great aspect of using this book: one of the party activities was making crowns for all the Kings (and Queens!) of the Wild Things. I bought foam crowns at the Dollar Spot, and fixed each child a baggie of foam stickers, plastic "jewels" and stars. To keep it simple, I made sure everything came with adhesive. Then the kids could do it themselves.

The beloved Dollar Spot strikes again! These little bags were so perfect! I put in a Wild Things sticker play scene, some bubbles (which I labeled "A Magic Trick to Tame the Wild Things) and a pencil. Since the kids would get to take home the contents of the pinata, their crowns, and their masks, I didn't feel compelled to fill the bags with too much other stuff.


These were definitely the hit. I made "vines" out of tissue paper and it couldn't have been easier. They looked terrific. They gave it the space a great 3-D effect. I used this very vague tutorial from Martha. Essentially, you accordion fold the tissue, and cut around it. I made up a little pattern out of cardstock.

This is a better photo of the vines. I forgot to take a picture of them in context before the party. Doesn't an empty table after all the fun is over look so sad?

A cute little touch. I found these Little Debbie kite shaped brownies and couldn't resist them-they were an exact match to the party colors!



The table as a whole. Party basics: pepperoni/salami/cheese/cracker/veggie tray with dip and apples and bananas with fruit dip. The kite brownies are in the basket at the back. The cookie tray-more on that later. I love balloon sticks! One of the best investments for parties-I use them all the time.

The cookies. I was looking for an alternative to the regular old cake or cupcakes. My friend, Denise, suggested "Double Doozies". I made place and bake sugar cookies, used green Betty Crocker "Cookie" frosting and colored vanilla frosting yellow for the filling. They were really fun, not messy (far fewer crumbs and frosting smears than with cupcakes) easy and colorful-in short, ideal!

I made the cake plate by hot gluing cups and plates from Walmart together. It worked really well. I wanted something less stuffy than glass and I wanted it to match. This was a good solution-and the plates were cheap-$1 for 4!


A better shot of the yummy munchies. I mostly stuck with the green and yellow color scheme, even for the food. It makes it more cohesive.The drinks. Bucket was from Walmart. Kiwi-Strawberry Shasta-because Joel wanted it, watermelon Airheads drinks, and re-labeled waters. The labels were a pain, I don't recommend trying to do those unless you are far more computer-savvy than I am. But they did look cute!

Okay, so Josie said these looked creepy, but I thought they were cool. I printed these faces and cut them out to make masks (find the pdfs here) for the kids. I thought they looked neat all together on the wall. Later, while I was reading the book the kids used them.

The birthday boy. Doesn't he look so serious? He was happy with the cookies,which was the important part to me.

The kids after they made their crowns. This activity was well received. It was very easy, but they loved putting the stickers and jewels on. I liked it because it wasn't messy.


You can sort of see the vines in this photo. Laken pretty much always looks that serious!


I read "Where the Wild Things Are". The kids wore their crowns and used the masks to pretend to be Wild Things. It was really fun. Several of the kids hadn't heard the story before and they really liked it. Acting it out got everyone involved.

The pinata. I went with a pirate ship because it was the closest thing I could I could find to Max's private boat. I don't mind being crafty, but there was no way I was making a pinata. Carson specifically asked for a "pinyoda" so I obliged. I guess it isn't a party if you don't get a chance to beat something with a bat.

The party ended across the street at the playground. The weather was beautiful. The party turned out really well, it was definitely worth all the time and effort. And I know Carson liked it, because when he woke up from his nap, he said, "Mom, that was the funnest party ever!" Thanks, Dude.

I got a ton of inspiration from these sites:
-My Rumpus
-Armelle-the Blog

Covered Clipboard

So, are you ready for me to try another "tutorial" on you? This is a super simple project, but I have kind of developed the habit of taking pictures of anything I make, so I decided to just throw it into a post. I made three of these for our VBS registration table at church. It is just a fun way to give a cheap-o clipboard a little personality.

You need these simple ingredients:

-clipboard (I bought $2 chipboard ones from Target)

-piece of scrapbook paper

-craft paint

-coordinating ribbon

-Mod Podge (of course!)

First, take the time to paint the top part of your clipboard. I suppose you could try to get the paper cut around the actual clip part, but I thought that would be a pain. I decided that it would look more finished if it matched, instead of leaving it plain. There is no real science to this part. Paint the top part beside the clip and a little underneath it. I painted more than I needed to, just to make sure it was all covered.

After the paint has dried, cut your paper to fit your board. I used a ruler to make sure that I had the length right, then I just traced around the board and cut it out.

Cover your board in Mod Podge. Honestly, I am still learning how much is the right amount. My initial inclination was to think that more is better, but I kind of am leaning the opposite way now. I think you should use less than I did probably. The key is to put on a thin coat and very quickly place your paper. If you have a brayer (kind of a handled rolling pin for smoothing paper) it would be great. I don't and it worked fine without it.

After the undercoat dries then coat the top with more Mod Podge to seal it. The longer you can wait for the undercoat to dry, the better. If you get antsy and cover the top too soon it will make your paper bubble.

Then, as a finishing touch, I hot glued two types of ribbon across the top. It covers that seam at the top, and gives it that special touch. That's it! So the next time your clipboard needs a little extra pizzaz, just grab your Mod Podge!