Carolina Scraps

A Favorite Quote

2010-09-09T10:28:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to pop in and share one of my favorite quotes. If we start every day praising God, we're likely to keep him in the correct place in our lives throughout the rest of it (#1, that is). I often ~~struggled~~ er...struggle with this, letting life's worries and struggles overcome my focus on the Lord. So I post little notes around the house to help me keep my focus where it should be, and this is one of my favorites so I'd like to share it.

There are two types of people in this world: those who wake up and say "Good morning, Lord!" and those who wake up saying "Good Lord, it's morning..." Which one are you?

Memorizing the Ten Commandments

2010-07-31T17:51:00.001-04:00

You know, God's Law is a pretty darn important thing. It's probably something we ought to know by heart so we can be a little more conscious of whether we're breaking it at any given moment. Oh, and it really really helps with witnessing as well. If you're trying to convince someone about something, you should probably know what you're talking about. It's only recently that I took on the task of memorizing the ten commandments, but I thought I'd share some articles I've found to be helpful in the task for those of us lacking eidetic memories.

Learn the Ten Commandments in 5 Minutes (for Video lovers)
http://stonethepreacher.com/2007/03/01/learn-the-10-commandments-in-5-minutes.html

Smarty Face Game (supposed to be for kids, but good for more visual learners too!)
http://smartyface.com/game.shtml

Oh yeah, and there's a test. I thought this one was pretty fun!

Memorizing the Ten Commandments (Article)
http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/biblestudyandtheology/discipleship/cvb_ten_big_ones.aspx

And, if music is your thing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EgzWk6ilfU&feature=related

Just... Everything

2010-07-31T17:21:00.000-04:00

Well, with about a million projects being juggled in both my personal and professional lives, I have severely neglected this blog. I think it's a bit more of a personal journal than anything else, however, so no harm done. I had to post today though, because this is something I want to remember.

Last week, I was finally able to return to my family in Nebraska and Jolea was able to meet her "meemaw" (grandma) for the first time. Thank you, Lord! I must say, however, that it was not at all what I expected it to be.

I became a Christian well after I left home and moved back to North Carolina. Except for a few short visits, I have not been back and I didn't realize how my new perspective would change how I perceived my family. Jesus has changed my heart more than I knew.

I was first amazed at how much the third commandment was violated on a daily basis. I was constantly confronted with a barrage of "GD"s, something I hadn't noticed before, but must have surely been present when I was a child. The third commandment seemed to be the most popular to transgress, but the fifth and second came in a close second (I was only there one week, so I cannot account for commandment #4). Please note that most of my family profess to be Catholics.

Interestingly (ironically?) enough, those in my family who consider themselves atheists were not the biggest violators. At least from what I observed.

I felt like I was in a constant state of prayer, the entire time I was there, for both myself and those around me. But what was the toughest to endure, was the relationship between my uncle and my grandmother.

Grandma, who is 87, is more like a second mother to me than a grandmother. She actually spent more time raising me than my mom, since mom was working 80-100 hours a week to try to support us. But grandma loved it; she loves raising kids. It's what she does best: love. In fact, she's now raising my 13 year old cousin who has down syndrome and has been doing so since Maddy was an infant since my aunt is also a workaholic.

My uncle, let's call him "Mr. B", has never left home. He's lived with my grandparents (grandpa passed several years ago, btw) his entire life, rent-free. They've always paid the mortgage, all the utilities, televsion, groceries without any contribution on Mr. B's part. Oh yes, and grandma's always done all his laundry too. He now mows the lawn and keeps up with the landscaping, but it's probably due more to the fact that it's his hobby than any more benevolent reason.

Now my grandmother's house has become quite a mess since I left. She was doing her spring cleaning less and less and then grandpa was hit with a stroke and became unable to care for himself. Grandma was taking care of both him and Maddy and the house slowly got more cluttered. This was also partly due to my grandma's love of garage-sale shopping with my mother.

Grandma has both shoulder and knee problems and is finally to the point where it's too painful to do Mr. B's laundry or take care of general household chores. My mother, who is terminally ill, comes over each day to care for her.

Keep in mind that Mr. B is now retired. He still won't contribute to any of the household duties. During my stay there, he complained not less than two times per day about how horrid the state of the house was and how everything should just be given away or taken to the dump. Mom and grandma want to have a garage sale, but are very slow in getting everything together since neither are in peak health. I was absolutely appalled by Mr. B, sitting in his recliner half the day watching television, complaining about the condition of the place he has been allowed to stay for free his entire life, which is terribly upsetting to my grandmother. Especially when, with all that free time on his hands, he was most definitely in a position to help out and do something about it.

Grandma was very upset about me staying in her bedroom, because it was such a mess. I offered to help her clean up and organize it and we did so over the course of a few days. Her duties consisted almost entirely of sitting on the couch telling me what she wanted to keep and what she wanted to put in the garage sale, but still the entire process took perhaps 5 hours and her closet was again accessible. Now, why couldn't Mr. B take one day a month and do that? If he took one day a week, the entire house would be spotless within a few months. And meanwhile respect would be maintained for my grandmother. My mother suspects, however, that he has no respect and is just waiting for her to die so he can inherit the house and have everything hauled off. I hope that's not the case, but I'm not so sure.

One day, towards the end of my visit, I was going through some of grandma's old photographs while having a conversation with my uncle. I don't know how it came up, but my uncle stated that basically, it didn't matter what religion you believed in, even Buddha, they were all the same God and as long as you were good, you went to heaven. The shock I felt at this statement was heightened by the fact that Mr. B is a supposedly devout Catholic who never misses a Sunday service and has, in fact, expressed distaste in the fact that I don't have a church that I frequent. I won't go into the entire conversation, but I definitely tried to show him the truth, which he refuted almost violently, saying "bullsh**, bullsh**!"

Mr. B would not accept any evidence I presented from the Bible, stating he doesn't need a Bible to know what's true - it was written by men and therefore cannot be true. He denied the beliefs of his own faith. He denied that Jesus was anything more than a man, not the perfect son of God. He insisted that he could get to heaven through good works. He would barely listen.

Just after he walked off, steaming (and believe me, he had no reason to be steaming, I never raised my voice and barely got to finish a sentence. I said everything in love.), I came upon a newspaper clipping among the photographs. It was of my grandmother's brother, I believe, but more importantly on the back was a section from a local Baptist church with a short paragraph containing excerpts from the Bible that was everything I was just trying to share with my uncle. It could have been his salvation, and he walked back into the room just after I found it.

I asked him to please listen. It surely must have been a sign from God to find it at that exact moment. He refused, but stayed close and I read it anyway. My grandmother listened intently in the chair nearby, having witnessed all this and having asked Mr. B several times to listen, as I read from the clipping (read transcript below).

Thankfully my mother has been talking to grandma about Jesus for five years, and though you can never know anyone's heart, I'm as sure now of her salvation as I am of anyone's. My uncle? I will pray, but I'm not sure how else I can help him open a heart so closed.

Transcript of the newspaper clipping:

"The Bible declares God to be righteous and just."

"He is the Rock, His work is perfect: for all His ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He." Deuteronomy 32:4

Righteousness and justice are practically inseparable in Scripture because they come from the same root work. The Hebrew word means, in a physical sense, "straight", and in a moral sense, "right". The Greek word has a physical sense of "equal", and in a moral sense, "conformed to what is right". In defining the righteousness and justice of God, Biblically, it is His treatment of His creatures in conformity with His holy nature. God's righteousness demands conformity to His moral perfection on the part of all moral beings. His justice visits non-conformity to that perfection with penal loss or suffering. How then can a just God ever pardon and forgive sinful men and declare them righteous and receive them to glory? Romans 3:24-26 is the answer. God set forth His own Son to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, declaring His own righteousness for the remission of the sins of the Old Testament, that He might be just and the justifier of those who believe in Christ today. Anyone who tries to by-pass Jesus Christ and His substitutionary death and shed blood, and try to gain heaven by their works will be visited with penal loss and suffering in hell for all eternity. God is just and right. He can forgive only those who receive His Son as their Savior.

Rev. Verlin Pulver, Faith Baptist Church

Gracious End to a Tough Week

2010-06-13T12:37:00.000-04:00

I haven't been devoting any time to this blog lately because I've been working on other things, things that will provide income like my online store for the equine-themed things I make. It's been a tough week, though, and I felt like writing just to get some things out there. Sometimes it helps in turning my troubles over to the Lord to actually write it out and think it out. The keyword here is out: out of me where, if I let it sit, it will fester and grow and cause unnecessary sin and suffering...

Things have been really tight this week, and I thought my store would help since I finally got it back up and running. Then, it got hacked by malicious scripts and still is hacked because I haven't had time to fix it. My husband's best friend got married yesterday and my husband was one of the groomsmen. So, even though we couldn't afford to drive 2 hours there and back, we had to go anyway, and I didn't have any decent clothes to wear for the hour that we attended so I had to go to the second hand store on Thursday.

I thought I would have to spend 5-7 dollars on an outfit, but it ended up costing over 20. That's right, it was a second hand store. I did get Jolea 2 pairs of shoes and underwear, but that was only about 4 dollars of it and the shoes she currently has are hurting her because she's outgrown them, so I got them anyway.

This morning, there was $43 dollars in the checking account and I still had about $7 on hand. I thought we would be okay until tomorrow when my husband can cash a check he got yesterday, but it turns out that was not the case. He currently has a vehicle in the shop that has to be out today and needed almost $60 in parts to finish the project.

So I just want to say, most people have this assumption that because you are self employed and have your own business you must be doing well financially. Sorry to burst your bubble if you think so, but that's just not the case. We might bring in $1500 from a job, but usually at least half of that goes towards paying off the parts we purchased not to mention all the fixed costs like utilities and rent.

So I scrounged up most the change we had and went to town to get the parts and was actually able to get everything we needed, except for my husband's tea. We have not so great well water and my husband can't drink it. Shoot, I have trouble drinking it sometimes and I'm not at all picky. So we usually go to McDonald's and buy it by the gallon because he'll drink that (my homemade stuff is rendered awful by our well water). I had a jar full of pennies so I went to get him some. I really hated to do it, and felt a bit embarrassed by it, but I felt it was necessary. So I went in with Jolea and counted out my change on the counter while the ladies got the tea ready. I had it all about counted out when a little girl brought us a $1 to help. So I thanked her and added that into the mix and put all the overage into the Ronald McDonald charity box.

I had purchased a glass of tea, also, since Jolea was thirsty and I didn't bring any juice with us. After I filled it up I held Jo and let her drink till she was full and a lady, who looked like she was driving back home from the beach based on her "Outer Banks" t-shirt, came over and offered $20. I was about to say no when Jolea took it out of her hand so I just thanked her and got us out of there.

I don't know if I was wrong to accept the money since we do have a roof over our heads and enough in the cupboards to last us until tomorrow afternoon. I don't know if maybe it was God's doing as a reminder to me to put all this in perspective. I do know it's nice to have that $20 to fall back on should something come up that we need money for between tonight and tomorrow. I've been doing pretty good about not stressing over being broke. But there is one thing that has been pulling at my heart...

I was born here in North Carolina, but my entire family lives in Nebraska and that's where I lived most of the time when I was growing up. My entire family lives there, including my mother, who I have not seen in over 5 years and who has never seen her only grand child, Jolea, who will be 2 in August. I was very blessed in that my Aunt brought my grandmother to see me and meet Jolea in January. Other than my husband and my daughter, my mother and my grandmother are the most important people to me in the world. Grandma is like a second mother to me, because while my mother was working 80 hour weeks to make ends meet, Grandma took care of me. I'll always be her little girl.

She's 87 now, and I want so much to spend time with her and I want my mama to see Jolea so bad it hurts, but we can't afford to make a trip. It would cost at least $1500 when you figure the time off of work, gas, food, etc. And we're not even caught up with our bills, not in the least. This is probably the most difficult thing for me to wait on the Lord for, because I know there's not much time left.

So I just have to think of how lucky I am to have a roof over my head, to have a phone to use to call mama or grandma whenever I want, to have such a wonderful family who loves and supports me. How many people can say that? How many people even have a grandmother and mother still in this world that love and care for them? How many people can say, without doubt, they will see their loved ones again in heaven, in a much better place? What's really important here?

In Luke chapter 9, Jesus was talking with a man who wanted to follow him but then announced, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family." Can you guess what Jesus said? Did he say, "Okay, go ahead, we'll wait for you. It's soooo important to go say goodbye to those you love!"? No, what Jesus said was "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." So, in essence, he told the man to leave his family behind and make God his only priority.

Now, I ask you, how many of us could do that? Have that much devotion to Christ? It's what he asks of us, and one of the biggest things I struggle with, as I'm sure do many others. But when I read the Word, and I listen to what Jesus is telling me, it makes it so much easier to put everything in God's hands and trust in him.

Art Appreciation Day for Me

2010-05-14T11:24:00.000-04:00

There are many types of artists; dramatic, visual, musical and literary being at the forefront of our minds whenever the word "artist" is mentioned. I have been very blessed to have been born with an aptitude for many of these, but have chosen to make the visual creative arts my calling as an equine artist and designer...

As much as I enjoy creating my own work, I enjoy looking at - no - experiencing what others have created just as much. From stark realism to the abstracts, I appreciate every piece of art, but have a special place in my heart for realism and impressionism with a dab of personality. After spending some time one day browsing through some collections, I stumbled upon "Isgard" (see left) by an artist I had not yet heard of, Maggie Stiefvater (say steve-otter), and I immediately fell in love. After finding out a little more about the artist, I discovered that Maggie is not by any means a single-talent kind of girl - she also writes books.

One of my guilty pleasures is reading, so I gave those books a try and found I enjoyed each one very much. Maggie's upcoming sequel to her third novel, which she says is "about werewolves and kissing", Linger will be available soon and she's currently hosting a contest on her blog for those who are interested. I'm posting this video "trailer" to Linger as my contest entry, but the real reason for this post is to share the absolute beauty of Maggie's creativity. In this trailer she brings her God given musical and visual talents together to create an absolutely beautiful experience for the viewer. I hope you enjoy the experience as much as I did.

FREE Shipping at VistaPrint - Today Only!

2010-04-30T11:45:00.004-04:00

I can't believe this. We've been needing some car door magnets for our business and I've been looking into them, but they're a little pricey even at VistaPrint where they're often 50% off but you have to pay huge shipping fees. Well, I got an e-mail today and logged on and they're offering FREE shipping today only when you purchase $35 worth of stuff. Plus, there are a ton of free items you can get.

Well, I thought there would be additional handling or other types of fees if you added a bunch of free stuff to your cart after the $35. Turns out that ain't true! Here's what I'm getting for only $35.70:

2 Car Door Magnets
100 Post Cards
250 Business Cards
A 3' Vinyl Banner
A T Shirt
25 Business Card Magnets
25 Brochures
10 Large Magnets
10 Letterhead
140 Return Address Labels
1 Pen
1 Notebook
1 Rubber Stamp
25 Checks

Can you believe it? This is really a blessing for both my husband's business and mine. Head on over to VistaPrint to check it out!

And here's a screenshot of the order total if you don't believe me:

And... finally, a copy of the e-mail if the above link doesn't work:

View in web browser | Add to address book | Email this offer to a friend

Account #:

Business | Home & Family

My Account

Every product below is either FREE or highly discounted:

FREE T-Shirts	Order Now!	1 FREE
Small Magnets	25 Start at ~~$12.99~~	Now FREE
Brochures	25 Start at. ~~$39.99~~	Now FREE
FREE Tote Bags	Order Now!	1 FREE
Letterhead	10 Start at ~~$19.99~~	Now FREE
Return Address Labels	140 Start at ~~$7.99~~	Now FREE
Car Door Magnets	1 Start at ~~$9.99~~	Now FREE
Pens	1 Starts at ~~$4.99~~	Now FREE
FREE Notebooks	Order Now!	1 FREE
Bonus: Photo/Logo Uploads		Now FREE

Hurry! Act now! Offers end Sunday, May 02, 2010!

Find us on:

Are You a Good Person?

2010-04-29T11:40:00.000-04:00

Lately, a few Jehovah's Witnesses have been stopping by the house. I have been at a loss as to how to deal with this, because I can tell from the way they share their faith that the emphasis is not put on the fact that true salvation can only be found through Jesus Christ.

I have had several visits and conversations with one woman, who, after she found out that I was a Christian, was constantly trying to convince me that I have to go out on a "mission" from door to door, trying to save others or I will be guilty by God's standards and sent to hell. Now really, that's how you think you'll be saved, by going door to door?
She pointed out a Bible verse (I forget which now) that expressed this commandment to share your faith and I know that it's true: other than your own salvation, nothing is more important than bringing others to Christ, saving them from condemnation. That's part of the reason I started this blog. I don't have a lot of interaction with the world outside of our home, so it's my way of sharing my faith.

I really wanted to be prepared for the next visit, so I read the wiki on Jehovah's Witnesses to find out more about their faith. According to the wiki, JWs believe that "only Jehovah's Witnesses 'have any Scriptural hope of surviving the impending end of this doomed system', but that God decides who will survive. Those whom God chooses to save—survivors and resurrected individuals—will have the opportunity to live forever in an earthly paradise, ruled by Christ and 144,000 humans raised to heaven." Hmm... Does this seem like an arbitrary system to you? Does it make sense? Why did Christ die for us if God ultimately chooses those 144,000 select who get to live forever? And, the ultimate question, why are Jehovah's Witnesses so bent on recruiting more Jehovah's Witnesses when it decreases the likelihood of their own chance of living eternally in heaven with Jesus?

I admit I don't have the intellect to completely understand God - no one does. All we can do is interpret the Bible the best we can, but this seems a very poor interpretation to me. 1 John 5:11-12 says "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. The one who has the Son has this eternal life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have this eternal life." Doesn't this verse alone completely break down the validity of the JWs beliefs?

But there's a better way to handle this the next time these wonderfully nice and sincere ladies come to my door - I'm going to try sharing the gift of salvation the way Jesus would. Have you heard of Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron and their ministry, Way of the Master? If you haven't, I'll give you a simple break down of the way they share their faith and seek to save the lost.

When conversing with someone who is lost, instead of going on and on about how Jesus has brought love and happiness to their lives, Ray and Kirk, ask that person if they think they're a good person. Most people really think they are. Do you think you're a good person? You've never killed anyone, right? There are lots of people who are worse than you. But try holding yourself to the ten commandments. If you've ever told a lie, even a teeny weensy white lie, God considers you a liar. If you've ever had impure thoughts about someone, you've committed adultery already in you're heart. So by God's standards, the ten commandments laid out in the Bible, you are guilty.

Now, the God I know, the perfect and just God of the Bible, is not going to let sin go unpunished (are you listening, Jehovah's Witnesses?). So those that are guilty are condemned to hell. We are all sinners. We are all condemned. Here's where Jesus comes in. By living a perfect life, like an unblemished lamb, and then suffering and dying on the cross, he was sacrificed and therefore paid the fine for all the world's sins, for your sins. You were sentenced to hell by a just God, but if you repent of your sins and have faith in Jesus, he will step in as though paying your fine so that you'll be cleared of all charges.

Ray and Kirk's way of teaching, "seeking and saving the lost the way Jesus did", so they say is the most in line with Biblical principles that I've found. It makes sense. You have to know you're a sinner before you even want to seek salvation. It's what Jesus taught. For a great video that goes more into detail on what Ray and Kirk do, please click this link: "Hell's Best Kept Secret". If you don't have time to watch the whole thing (almost 40 minutes) at least watch part of it. You won't be disappointed.

So back to the Jehovah's Witnesses. I really believe they're breaking the second commandment by believing the things they do. They're making up their very own nonsensical God, holding so much importance on their own interpretation of the Bible, which doesn't seem to hold up to me. I think, also, that a lot can be said about a particular belief by how they treat each other. Jehovah's Witnesses shun non-believers and sinners. Okay, this is a little cliche, but "What would Jesus do?" He did exactly the opposite - he preferred to spend his time with the most shameful of sinners. They are also in the practice of "disfellowshipping" members who do not follow certain protocol. Another very un-Jesus-like thing to do.

Now, I am not trying to judge here. I'm just attempting to examine this faith logically, and hopefully come up with something that will help these nice ladies to choose to be saved. The God Jehovah's Witnesses worship is only going to choose 144,000 of use to live eternal with Jesus in the end. He's going to pick his "favorites" during the end out of all the Jehovah's Witnesses only. Deuteronomy 32:4 says "He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he." A perfect God would not act arbitrarily. He would also never send his only begotten son as a sacrifice where none was needed and he was just going to do what he wants in the end. I just cannot see how the Bible could be interpreted this way.

It seems the Jehovah's Witnesses are trying to get to heaven by good works, like most religions, and I'm sorry to say they'll be lost in the end. The truth is that we do not get to heaven by deeds, because even though God is just and would condemn us, rightfully, to hell, he loves us so very much that he sent his only son as a sacrifice to pay for our sins so that we could be saved. That's what Way of the Master teaches, and that's in line with the Bible - God's Word. Now, with God's help, I'll be able to get that message across the next time these nice (but not good) ladies coming knocking at my door. Pray for them and please share your thoughts if you think I'm out of line.

Love & Blessings,

Praise the Lord!

2010-04-29T09:33:00.000-04:00

After my doctor's visit on Monday, they told me it would take 24 hours for the blood test results to come back and it ended up taking more than 48. But during that time, I kept my head on my shoulders and my priorities straight and it turns out they could find nothing to indicate any serious illness. So I just wanted to say thank you, Lord, for the lesson and thank you for my health!

Waiting for Monday

2010-04-23T13:00:00.002-04:00

To post or not to post? That has been the question that's been running through my mind for the past few weeks, but I finally had to get it out. I don't care if anyone reads this; it's cathartic to get it out of my system.

A few weeks ago my daughter had a fever of 104.1. I freaked out and took her to the doctor. It ended up being just a 24 hour virus (thank you, Lord!). Well, that's not the topic of this post. The problem is that during our visit, my daughter's pediatrician noticed the huge bruise on my forearm that had developed the previous afternoon (the picture is of the bruise after about a week). I explained to her that it wasn't there in the morning and just suddenly appeared that afternoon. It was huge, mostly black and purple, and wrapped around my arm both top and bottom. I couldn't explain it's appearance, so the good doctor suggested I have a blood test just to make sure it wasn't a symptom of something more sinister.

I would usually ignore this advice, but I remembered a few months ago my husband noticed a huge bruise across my lower back and I was feeling a bit more tired than usual so I decided to make an appointment to get a CBC done. We can't afford a real doctor's office, so I called the health department, but their physician was on vacation and I couldn't be seen for a few weeks. After hearing that I decided not to make the appointment, being the stubborn doctor-averse person that I am.

I changed my mind, however, a few days later when these strange red dots under the skin of my fingers and palms suddenly appeared (please excuse the cell phone pictures - I still haven't replaced my camera). It was almost like my fingers had gotten the measles, but I've never had measles so I couldn't say if that's exactly what it looked like. What I do know is that it was very strange, and I needed to find out exactly what they were. After doing some research online, I found that they were mostly likely blood spots or petechiae, which are basically tiny little bruises that appear usually when your platelet count is low. There was a test to be sure that petechiae is what they were. Following the instructions, I held my finger behind a glass and pressed. The red spot stubbornly stayed red and didn't blanch out. That happens to be the positive test result for these little boogers.

I usually don't pay much attention to my minor ailments, but the petechiae had me thinking back to other abnormal things that have happened over the past few months. First, my gums have started bleeding recently. Weird, but they did that in high school for a while too, so I ignored it. Second, after my daughter got over her fever I got it too. I think the most it got up to was 102, but what was really strange was that this particular fever caused excruciating pain in almost all of my joints, especially my knees. That's never happened before. Finally, I've lost about 15 pounds in the last month or so. Almost all of what I gained over the winter. I usually do lose weight when it starts getting warm outside, but usually not this quick and I haven't changed any of my eating habits. After adding all that up, I decided to make my appointment.

It's not til this coming Monday the 26th. Let the mental waiting game begin.

I hope it's just a severe case of anemia, but despite upping my dose of iron pills which usually take effect in a few days whenever I'm feeling anemic, I'm still extremely fatigued. Even with coffee. I want to know what's causing this. Scouring the web has only provided a few possible causes. Leukemia. Anemia... Leukemia? Cancer has killed the vast majority of people in my family. My mother was diagnosed with lymphoma (another blood cancer) at only 42. So you can see how my mind might start to think the worst.

Well, after days of giving in to my inherent human weaknesses, I have finally found a cure for my anxiety and a reason to post. I only finally realized it as I was typing this - isn't it wonderful how the Lord works? First, I started thinking of it logically. Chances are this is nothing but an iron or vitamin deficiency. The chances that it's a sign of cancer is pretty darn slim, so why am I wasting all this time and energy worrying about it when I could be living my life?

I've turned everything over to the Lord. That's what he's there for, so I praise him for relieving me of this burden and I'm remembering that I always have the choice to do just that. Everyone does. And now I look at it like this. If this turns out to be nothing, I've had a good lesson on making the most of each day, no matter the circumstances, and remembering to put my cares where they should be. And if it does turn out to be something else, I'll look at in a positive way. A godly way. Another lesson to be learned on this long journey. A reminder to me, and to anyone who might be reading this, that whether you have 10 years or 80, each day is a precious gift to be treasured. And I'm going to do just that.

Love & Blessings,

The Most Important Friday of the Year

2010-04-02T11:44:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge today and how important it is to everyone. Not just me, not just you, but every person in this world. Today marks the day that, approximately 2,000 years ago, Christ suffered and died for each of us, so that we could be forgiven of our sins. I ask that you take a moment, as I will now, and give glory, thanks and praise to our loving God who offered this greatest sacrifice for our eternal lives.

Back to Giveaways Friday

2010-04-02T11:31:00.000-04:00

Between doing some logo designs, trying to get my online store functioning again and some other things that have been going on I have not been entering many giveaways lately. I have the day off today, however, so I thought I'd see if there was anything good being given away today...
And surprise, surprise, Cocktails with Mom is giving away a Seagate Freeagent Theater with the portable hard drive that goes along with it! While my family certainly doesn't need anything fancy like this, it sure would be a fun toy.

And, you know, it's okay to want stuff as long as you're not obsessed with it and use your resources wisely (i.e. if you have money, not going out to purchase every new and trendy device that exists and instead giving a great deal of that money to charity).

My husband and I have been wanting one of those flat screen televisions to replace ours, which is in it's last days. If I won this, I'd probably try to resell it, get the telly we want and donate the rest to our ministry of choice. What would you do if you won? Enter here for your chance.

Snag a Free Butterfinger!

2010-04-01T09:05:00.000-04:00

Butterfinger is giving away a free bar to the first 100,000 who "file a claim" at this link: http://www.butterfinger.com/BarInsurance/FileAClaim.aspx

You will get your coupon for the free bar by mail in about 6-8 weeks.

Candy is my guilty pleasure, so you know I jumped on this like a fly to honey!

Thanks to CouponDad for the tip.

Check Your Mail! Corey's Coupon for 50% Off an Single Item $50 or Less

2010-03-31T15:01:00.000-04:00

If you or your spouse is a do-it-yourselfer and you have a Corey's hardware store nearby, check your mail today for some worthwhile coupons. On the front page of the mailer is a coupon for 50% off any single item $50 or less, though this does not apply to on-sale items. The mailer also includes quite a few coupons for household and gardening items just in time for Spring!

Why I Should Have the Sunday Paper Delivered

2010-03-28T13:11:00.002-04:00

I was really excited about this Sunday's paper because with just one coupon I saw from the preview, the cost of the paper would be covered. So when we went to town this morning to get fuel in my husband's truck I asked him for some quarters to pick up my paper.

I inserted the quarters, pulled on the handle and...
nothing. I yanked on the handle. No give. I tried pushing the return coin button, then yanking some more. The machine refused to dish out a paper in return for the hard-earned currency I had deposited.

My husband was inside the store so I dug some spare change out of the truck while I waited (I had used up his quarter supply already). After he came back to watch Jolea, I told him what had happened and explained I was going inside to exchange the change I had for quarters. "Where did you get that change?" he asked with an air of mock curiosity. I answered in turn with a mock huff and walked into the gas station, expecting to get my quarters, then paper, then get out of there.

The attendant took my change and counted it, then informed me I was 10 cents short. "Can you count it again? I was sure I had two dollars." The guy behind me, seeming genuinely interested in helping out and not just getting me the heck out of the way so he could check out told the attendant he would make up the difference. I thanked him, and the attendant opened the drawer exposing only two quarters available in the register. He couldn't even try the other register because it was closed up. "Oh well, guess I'm not meant to have a paper today," I thought out loud, thanked the attendant and the helpful man behind me, then left.

I got back in the truck and told my husband what had transpired. He then made the suggestion that we go to the car wash just up the highway to get change with a few dollar bills he had. We did, and though the change machine was a little reluctant to give them up, I soon got the quarters I needed and headed back to the gas station. I tried the News & Observer this time, instead of the Reflector that I usually buy, the one that ate my change now around 20 minutes earlier. Would you believe I had the same exact problem even though I saw that thing cough up a paper to a man earlier while I was waiting for dear hubby to come out of the store? At least this time it gave back my change!

If you know me at all, you know that a few of my foremost traits are determination, persistence and plain old bull-headedness. So as soon as I got back in the truck I told my husband we were going to the other gas station across town to another, perhaps more agreeable, machine. This one looked new and more kind-hearted and though appearances can be deceiving, this time they were not. It happily allowed me into it's newspaper coffer and, after checking to make sure the same person owned it as well as assuring the woman behind me it was okay to take two since this man's other machine across town owed me for it, I happily ended my war with the paper machines, walking away with two fat paper stacks in hand.

After all the fuel we burned trying to procure these two papers, I'm not sure if the savings will be worth it. But as with everything in our lives, this should be taken not as a loss, but as a gift from God and a lesson we can learn and grow from. My lesson? Either purchase my paper directly from the grocery store or have the Sunday paper delivered. I'll have to check into it and make sure they deliver all the way out here in the boonies, but I'll waste much less time and help provide income to those individuals who brave the cold and wet to bring papers to our doorstep for very little return or thanks. I should know, I used to be one.

Love & Blessings

12 MegaPixel Canon Camera Giveaway

2010-03-25T11:18:00.004-04:00

I think I'm becoming a Listia junkie! This giveaway is for a Canon 12.1 MP Digital Camera and it's what I've been drooling over ever since it was listed. It doesn't end until April 15th so you have plenty of time to rack up credits and be the one to nab this camera!

To enter,
just go to Listia and sign up - or you can click on the camera picture to your left to go straight to the camera's page first. You get 100 credits to start, plus 50 more just for listing an auction. You can get more by referring friends and being gabby and commenting on auctions. Rack up enough credits by April 15th and this camera could be yours. Good luck!

Udi's Gluten-Free Foods Review and Giveaway

2010-03-24T07:04:00.000-04:00

My brother-in-law suffers from Crohn's. I feel for him because he's had to change his lifestyle quite a bit to keep from getting sick. Most importantly, he can only eat gluten-free foods. That means no bread. Or at least not bread made with regular flour. On the positive side, there are companies like Udi's Gluen-Free Foods that provide mostly tasty options as alternatives and Lisa's Gluten-Free Advice and Healthy Living is hosting an Udi's giveaway right now for sampler packs which will go to three winners! Click here to enter. This is for you, J!

FREE Cell Phone Booster Antenna Giveaways on Listia

2010-03-22T11:46:00.001-04:00

I joined Listia just a short while ago, and I'm heavily promoting it - not only because I get referral credits which I'm putting toward the purchase of a replacement camera so I can take photos of my rapidly growing 18 month old daughter - but also because I think the concept of Listia was a good one, and allows folks who are struggling to be able to obtain things they otherwise couldn't because of finances...

Whew. That was long winded! Anyway,the first item
I purchased on Listia was one of those "As Seen on TV" cell phone antennas. I got 100 credits just for signing up, and the shipping was free, so the antenna was totally free (you can do the same thing!). I wanted to try it out because we live a little ways out from town and I have internet access through my cell phone, which is the only way we can get it without paying for expensive and unreliable satellite "high speed". The cell phone service costs half as much, is bundled into our cell bill, and is actually faster than satellite. Oh yeah, and you can even use it in the rain. Do you get the feeling I don't like satellite internet?

But, my husband likes to watch videos on YouTube; mostly of trucks doing crazy things that could cause them to break, but that's besides the point. And the speed of our cell based internet service isn't quite fast enough to handle that so we'd been looking for something to speed it up and I thought I would give the free antenna a try.

If you've never tested your internet speed, try Toast.net, so you can see what you're actually getting from your ISP. When I got my antenna, I did exactly that. It was all scientific and stuff because I ran several tests before I installed the antenna, and then several tests after. I was skeptical about the antennas actually improving reception, but guess what? My speed actually doubled! I was so ecstatic I went and bought 50 of the Generation 5 antennas to resell (mine was only Generation 1). A good investment since most of our family and people we know live in the "boonies" too and will probably be quick to sweep them up. After testing those, my speed tripled from what it originally was!

Anyway, if you want one free, just sign up at Listia and you can "bid" with your starting credits. Do a search for "antenna" or go directly to an antenna auction by clicking the link above. These usually go for 100 credits or less and I'm giving away at least one per week, so you've got a pretty good chance of getting them free without racking up more credits (even though that's pretty easy... you can do it just by commenting on auctions!) .

You Don't Go to Church!?

2010-03-21T15:49:00.003-04:00

No. We don't.

Seriously.

But, you say you're a Christian!

Well, I am. My husband is. I pray every day that we'll do a good enough job of raising our daughter so that she makes the same choice (the most important choice she, or anyone else, will make in their life). But we're Christians that don't go to church, and I'll tell you why...

My husband tried going to church many times in the past, but each time ended up with a bad taste in his mouth. Once, the preacher at his church, whose sermons he really learned a lot from, was ostracized after making the mistake of having an affair. My husband and I have talked about this many times. While we think his duties as pastor should not have gone on, the entire church body should not have turned their backs on him when he was clearly in a time of great need.

After becoming a Christian, I went to church regularly up until nearly a year ago now. I wavered back and forth between going and not going, and one particular action by the pastor tipped the scales for me.

My father-in-law who went to the same church had been going through some rough times, and for reasons I won't mention here, he chose to stop going to church some time before I did. Prior to that he was very involved and even made a deacon several years ago. Even so, he received very little contact after that. The pastor has, to my knowledge, never even called to see how he's doing, let alone ask him why he left and if he'd come back.

To both my husband and I, church like "Christianity School" as well as a place where you can grow in your fellowship with like minded individuals and ultimately, serve God through both your physical service and finances. But we cannot grow in our faith in a place where the church leader does not share the same set of principles as we do, and we often question whether his actions on a whole are in line with the principles of the Bible. If we're going to be a part of a church, the standards there (usually set out by the preacher) have to be at least as good as my husband's!

So instead, we watch InTouch with Dr. Charles Stanley on Sunday mornings (you can find a link to InTouch on my right sidebar). I've never known him to steer us wrong. Plus, we try to make time for regular Bible reading at night, though we do fall short there many times. If we do find a church in the future that's more in line with the principles we know to be right and true, we'll gladly take up fellowship. For now, we're stickin' with Dr. C.

Thoughts? Opinions? I'd love your comments on this. It is by seeking and questioning that we find the true will God has for each of us.

Love & Blessings

Win a 10" Netbook at Listia!

2010-03-20T16:33:00.002-04:00

Can you believe someone is giving this away? Just join Listia and start listing free stuff...
or referring friends to get credits, you can then bid on this and other "auctions" and get totally free stuff - both used and new - that others are giving away for FREE!

Have Faith, the Lord will Provide!

2010-03-19T13:58:00.002-04:00

If you know me personally, you know that my family has been struggling for a long time. We were in the over the road trucking business and were actually two the point where we had three trucks and two drivers a few years ago. If we could have made it work, we would have been debt free by the end of this year. But that was not to be..
. The fuel spikes over the past few years along with some major breakdowns (one we had to drive all the way to Georgia and back for, hauling one 18 wheeler on another) caused the business to go under and it's been tough since.

But some blessings come in disguise. Our circumstances really put my husband and myself "on our knees", so to speak, and we have grown so much closer to each other and to the Lord over the past few years. We've also learned to be much more frugal and manage our time and finances more responsibly.

It's still difficult, however, to have to do without a lot of things we used to be able to just go out and purchase. Namely, a laptop. My husband is now a mechanic, working out of the shop we are so blessed to have on the back of our property next to a major highway. He had a lot of tools already because he used to be a mechanic, but is sorely lacking in scanning equipment that reads the car or truck's computer and diagnoses problems. Now, we could go out and buy them as a standalone machine for 3 to 5 thousand each, or they have special software and tools that you can use with a laptop computer for a fraction of the price.

So we need a laptop for the shop. I've been doing my best to promote Listia and rack up referral points so I can bid on a used laptop there, but it will be quite a while before that will happen unless my campaign is outrageously successful. I had resigned to the fact that we'd have to wait for the laptop and just put it in the Lord's hands.

And guess what He did? My husband just called me a few minutes ago asking if you can buy replacement keys for the keyboard on a laptop. He then explained that we just might be able to get one through some family connections! This still isn't a sure thing, but it's definitely a reminder that the Lord provides those things that are really needed to those who seek, ask and wait patiently on Him.

Love & Blessings,

Listia Giveaway: Harry Potter - New Clues Book

2010-03-19T07:35:00.005-04:00

Up for grabs is a slightly loved copy of the unofficial guide to Harry Potter book 5 (before it was released). I know we now know all the secrets, but this is a very good condition copy to add to a collection. How do you get this for free?
I'm giving it away on Listia! Read my post here for more information about Listia or click here to go straight to the listing!

Listia Giveaway: Harry Pottter - Fantastic Beasts Book

2010-03-19T07:32:00.000-04:00

Up for grabs is a slightly loved copy of the Harry Potter companion book "Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them". How do you get this for free? I'm giving it away on Listia! Read my post here for more information about Listia or click here to go straight to the listing!

Listia Giveaway: Baby Cabinet/Drawer Latches

2010-03-18T20:37:00.002-04:00

I bought more of these drawer latches than I needed and just used a few. There are 8 left (with hardware) and I've included 8 outlet covers as well. With free shipping, this is a giveaway - highest "bidder" wins!

Click here to bid or find other free stuff on Listia.

$1.25 for Wheaties Fuel Cereal

2010-03-18T11:52:00.000-04:00

I must preempt this by stating the fact that I'm never the first to find the really good deals. While I wouldn't rate this one as really good, $1.25 is still pretty good for a box of cereal these days. So let's cut to the bacon. Right now Coupons.com has this coupon good for 75 cents off one box of Wheaties Fuel cereal. Our local Wal-Mart has these on sale at $2 a box, so you can get these right now for only a buck and a quarter. Sales may vary by area, so check your local Wal-Mart first.

Free Better Oats Oatmeal!

2010-03-18T10:56:00.000-04:00

A coupon for Better Oats Oatmeal... delivered by e-mail (no no waiting)! Requirement: you must tell them by e-mail or video if you liked theirs or your current brand better. Still a good deal! Click here for the coupon.

Have Fun with Photoworks! $50 Gift Card Giveaway

2010-03-18T10:08:00.002-04:00

The Shopping Mama is currently hosting a giveaway for a $50 gift card to Photoworks. If you haven't tried Photoworks, here's an incentive! Plus, you can get free shipping now on any order using the code MYFIRSTORDER at checkout. Be sure to sign up for there e-mail promotions, I once got a code worth $25 and chose a sterling silver photo charm that ended up costing under $7 OOP! Photoworks also offers cards, scrapbooks, blankets and throws - all personalized with your treasured photos.

What are you waiting for? Head on over to The Shopping Mama to enter!

Free Auctions on Listia!

2010-03-18T08:31:00.000-04:00

Have you heard about Listia? Two entrepreneurial Sunnyvale Californians came up with the idea and it launched in August of 2009, an online auction site for totally free stuff. Some of the items offered are nice (think iPods, Laptops and expensive jewelry) and some of them are just plain silly (think bobble head dolls, buttons and feathers), but all of it is free for the taking.

So how does it work? Just sign up for an account. You'll get at present 50 credits just for signing up. You can also get credits by referring friends who complete and auction, posting comments on an auction or cleaning out the garage and selling your own free stuff on Listia. You can then use those credits to bid on things you want. Some offer free shipping, some sellers charge a nominal shipping fee. Even with the small shipping fee, who wouldn't want a brand new iPod for only $5 shipped to your door?

If you're bidding on something you've really got to have and you've run out of credits, don't fret. Listia also sells credits so you can purchase a few to get that free video game you've been yearning for when you've run out of credits. You'll still get the item you wanted at 90% or more off of the price you'd pay on eBay or other online marketplaces.

What's my best Listia strategy? Well, I'm currently planning on listing quite a few auctions and referring as many of my friends as possible to save up for a free laptop. I'm killing two birds with one stone: getting rid of a lot of things I don't need and getting a laptop, which I definitely do need. You can also purchase a lot of the smaller items with fewer credits, and without having to save up the credits. Listia has a lot of coupon auctions that will get you free food and other necessities. Basically, they have something for everyone.

Is Listia better than Craigslist for getting rid of free stuff? Well, I don't know about the larger things that would cost a lot to ship, but it is definitely the superior venue for more "shippable" goods. First of all, you don't have to field a ton of e-mails, or SPAM offers when listing your item. Secondly, you know the person who wants your wares the most will end up being the highest bidder and therefore be most likely to follow through with payment (if there is any, for shipping). They will also be the most likely to enjoy what you have to offer. So thumbs up, to Listia!

Do I have to be careful of scams on Listia? I haven't seen any yet, but keep your eyes open. Hot new internet businesses almost always fall victim to scamming at one time or another. But Listia has a great way to ensure that you can trust buying and selling through their venue - a feedback system. Much like eBay, buyers and sellers can rate each other after an auction so you'll get the heads up on any unsavory activity. Always check a sellers feedback before bidding. And just remember that you'd take the same precautions anywhere on the internet.

Listia is also an altruistic company and offers charity auctions. Though the charities are limited currently, they have plans to add many more in the future. If you have a benevolent nature, instead of giving your old junk to your local church or charity where they have to resell it to get the cash they need, put it on Listia instead and designate a portion of the funds for charity. It's a great option if you want to give back.

So, go ahead. Clear out your closet and redeem all that old stuff for something you've had your eyes on for a long time, whether it be a free LCD TV, free laptop, free iPod, free cell phones or free DVDs. Listia.com is the modern go-to source for trading online.

Win an Alex & Ani Lucky Charm Bracelet!

2010-03-17T09:45:00.001-04:00

Happy Saint Patrick's Day! Today Real Moms Real Views is giving away a cute "Lucky Charm" bracelet from Alex and Ani. These are the same bracelets many celebrities wear, and are really cute accessories. Click here to enter!

My Sister's Wedding Album

2010-02-25T11:36:00.006-05:00

Some sample pages from my lil' sissy's wedding album, created with the Wedding & Love Word Art and Timeless Wedding kits. Isn't she beautiful?

Click for larger view.

For inquiries, contact me at jessekeel (at) gmail (dot) com

Wedding & Love Word Art Kit

2010-02-25T11:31:00.003-05:00

Click for larger view.

For inquiries, contact me at jessekeel (at) gmail (dot) com

Timeless Wedding Scrapbook Kit

2010-02-25T11:29:00.002-05:00

Click for larger view.

For inquiries, contact me at jessekeel (at) gmail (dot) com

Christian Word Art Scrapbook Kit

2010-02-25T10:43:00.003-05:00

Click for larger view.

For inquiries, contact me at jessekeel (at) gmail (dot) com

Flip Ultra HD Camcorder - Win a Flip!

2010-02-24T09:29:00.001-05:00

Just head on over to NateHines new blog and fill out the entry form. Plus, you can get chances for extra entries!

Teach Your Baby Sign Language @ Vanilla Joy

2009-12-01T18:16:00.000-05:00

Want to learn more about teaching baby sign language? Head on over to Vanilla Joy for more information!

Scrapbooking Furniture @ Vanilla Joy

2009-12-01T18:15:00.002-05:00

Want to learn more about scrapbooking furniture? Head on over to Vanilla Joy for more information!

Obaji Skin Care @ Vanilla Joy

2009-12-01T18:14:00.002-05:00

Want to learn more about obaji skin care? Head on over to Vanilla Joy for more information!

Creative Date Ideas @ Vanilla Joy

2009-12-01T18:13:00.002-05:00

Want to learn more about creative date ideas? Head on over to Vanilla Joy for more information!

Organize Your Craft Room

2009-12-01T18:12:00.002-05:00

Want to learn more about craft room organization? Head on over to Vanilla Joy for more information!

Sunsweet Prunes Giveaway

2009-12-01T10:26:00.001-05:00

The Angel Forever is hosting a Sunsweet Prunes Giveaway. Hurry, ends today!

Sunsweet Ones prize pack giveaway - Click Here~!

¨¨¨¨ Freebie Friday ~ Black Berry Bears Sampler

2009-08-28T12:24:00.008-04:00

Hey ya'll! Welcome to my first Freebie Friday!

This weeks offering is a preview of my upcoming ArtsCow Kit, "Black Berry Bears", available Saturday, 8/29.

The sampler includes three playful black bears in various positions. This pack is free for both personal and commercial use (restriction: reselling or altering any image from this sampler for use in the promotion, distribution or sale of any scrapbooks kits or as an embellishment or any other part of a scrapbook kit... so basically, just don't package this and resell it in the scrapbooking market).

Click here to download.

Enjoy!

¨¨¨¨ My First AN Scrapbook Kit ~ Free for One Week!

2009-08-18T10:12:00.003-04:00

Hey ya'll!

Thanks for stopping by to check out my new blog. This is my first one, and practice for when I begin my Reining Tips blog in the next few months.

I have been designing digital scrapbooks for personal use for a while now. If you're a friend or family, you know because you've probably gotten one of my card designs at some time or another!

This is my first commercial contribution, please vote for it this week at ArtsNow.com! I could win up to $100 if I have the most votes. If you don't have an account, sign up (it's quick and easy), then just go to my kit and click "Add to My Kits". It's FREE this week only (and once you download it, it's free for life), so use it to design your own book of memories!

"American Country" Scrapbook Kit