If you know me well, you know it takes me a while to finish a book. But this Spring Break I read a book in a few days! Amazing! I think it had to do with the fact that the book was written well.

Holley Gerth’s new book releasing this month,You’re Already Amazing, Embracing Who You Are, Becoming All God Created You to Be, has a message that actually confirms where God has taken me in life, as I’ve wrestled with my identity.

A message from the book that stood out is what Holly addresses as Lie #1 of several lies we believe:

- Lie #1: “I have to Be Perfect”…There’s only One who is perfect. To be perfect, I’d have to be him. But wait–”I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. (Galatians 2:20). When I gave my life to Jesus, he gave his to me too. In God’s eyes, I’m as perfect as Christ. All that sin? It’s settled once and for all. Whew. Jesus shows Ms. Perfect to the door and says, “I’ll take it from here.”

I’ve struggled with the perfectionism thing and I’ve been my worst critic. Holly’s message is Biblical and comforting, as she uses her counseling background to debunk the lies we believe.

You can also find Holley on Bloom (in)courage as the latest book study selection! Click on the Bloom icon in the side-bar for more details. A video introducing Holley will be on Bloom this Monday!

DaySpring has great new coordinating items featuring messages that will brighten your day and speak directly to your heart. All regular priced items in the Heart to Heart with Holley Collection are 25% off with coupon code HOLLEYG25. This code is valid through 3/31/12.

 

 

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.

Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. –1 John 4:7

 

Gift giving and receiving is one of my love languages. On Christmas Day my family kept reminding me to open a present because I was enjoying just as much, if not more, watching my family open their presents.

Thus, I take advantage of every gift giving opportunity. If this is you, I encourage you to Visit the DaySpring Home Page for gifts ranging from baby, to children, to Valentines, to home decor, to jewelry, and to drum roll please….Special Deals!

For example, some of the current Special Deals are:

Gift Collections–Buy 2 Get 1 Free 
Purchase two of the following gift collections and receive one for free! All individual items included within each collection are also buy 2 get 1 free! Collections include:

Everday Joy- Polka Dot Design 
Blessed & Loved Assortment Set 
Sweet Gifts- Cupcake Design 
Walk by Faith- Shoe Design 

Jewelry Sale
New Jewelry sets and Sterling Silver items will be 25% to 75% off through Valentine’s Day!

Storybooks- $10 off 
Storybooks will make great Valentine’s Gifts for the kids! All Storybooks will be $10 off, while God’s Christmas Promise Storybook will be 50% off.

With or without gift giving, love one another deeply and unconditionally.

Disclosure: I am an affiliate of DaySpring.com.

 

Since I’ve started working full-time, I’ve been taking advantage of e-Readers. I got a Kindle Touch for Christmas!

I also have an app for wisdom on my phone.  It’s important for me to have time for prayer and reading the Bible daily. Although I haven’t mastered my schedule for working, spiritual focus, exercise, and home/family time, I’ve found the YouVersion Bible reading app to especially be beneficial to my spiritual walk with Jesus.

The YouVersion app is beneficial for every season of life, as it has numerous reading plans. From reading through the Bible in a year to topical reading plans (i.e., parenting, forgiveness, Christmas, Easter, relationships…), you can stay spiritually focused, well, forever.  With this YouVersion app, there’s no excuses. It also has Youth and devotional plans to use with the family. You can use the YouVersion app on your computer as well!

I have the “reminder feature” ON, to prompt me each morning to stay on track with my reading.  If I don’t get my reading done first thing in the morning, which is my goal, it also has a “speaker” feature where you can listen to an engaging person read the passage. I often use this feature, as I’m driving to work. On those days that I lose focus because someone cuts me off (or I inadvertently cut someone else off), I can adjust the streaming (at a stop light) to replay to the passage where I lost focus.

For the last two Christmases, I’ve used Christmas reading plans to help stay focused on the true Reason for the season. And for the 2011 Lent season I used the “40 Days of Lent” plan. Currently, I’m reading the Project 345 plan which is a simple, effective way to read the New Testament in a year which involves reading one chapter a day five days a week.

I dislike the failing feeling of getting behind on reading, so I also use the “catch me up” feature, so the app will adjust my ending date. My goal is not to necessarily race to read the New Testament in a year, but just to ready daily. That way I don’t see a reminder that says I’m five, 10, 15 days behind. I also often read more than the five days a week, so it helps me stay on track.

I’m also going to take advantage of the topical feature this year. Last year was a year of “Faith” for me, as my son and I went on a missions trip to Zambia, Africa, and I jumped back into the working world. This year the good Lord is speaking to me about the topic of “Grace” or “Forgiveness.”  I’m going to take advantage of topical reading plans on “Grace.” Stay tuned for what He teaches me through this topic!

With the YouVersion app, there’s no reason to feel like a failure when attempting to read the Bible. Like God’s grace, there’s much grace with this app as well.  Check it out!

Remember, you rock mom (or dad). You Rock!

Ellen

After thanks is given, turkey eaten, football watched, and dishes cleaned, we don’t head out to shop Black Friday sales. We head out to begin our Christmas season memories. Ever since our children were wee little, we’ve cut down our Christmas trees at a local tree farm with my brother’s family.

We were devastated when the tree farm we frequented for years closed down, but were thrilled when we found a new one. And I have to say, I like this new one even better. Spring Creek Growers is now our Christmas tree farm of choice for trees, fun, and memory making.

Even though our boys are teens and my brothers kids range from their 20s and married, to college, and high school, we all still cherish and make time for this tradition.

 

 

 

 

Check out Spring Creek Growers for a special time with your family.

Have a Merry Christmas!

Don’t forget the “reason” for the season.

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”

Luke 2:11

Last night my brother and I hosted a 50th Anniversary party for our parents.  We could not have done it without some good resources locally here in NW Houston and on-line.

The first one being our dear friend, Chef Betty Jean Cotton.

She catered delicious soulful cooking. She typically makes meals for families, on a weekly basis, who lead busy lives. She doesn’t have a web site but her email is [email protected]. For a family style menu she can cook all meats and fish, baked, blackened or roasted.  She also has pasta dishes and a plethora of sides. Her desserts include cobblers, tea cakes and “Church Tea.”  I highly recommend her for catering or just a home cooked meal on those busy nights.

Do you need fresh flowers? An on-line resource my sister-in-law, Kim, used to make fresh flower arrangements is Flowers and Freshness.  You can order flowers in bulk and make your own arrangements.

Here’s one of her lovely arrangements among my lovely bouquet of friends.

She purchased the containers for half price at Hobby Lobby. The cost was much cheaper than using a florist.

And my last resource, which is becoming a favorite for cakes is Frosted Bakery.  I’ve now used them for two cakes. My parents anniversary cake.

And my nieces lingerie shower cake. Ahem.

Both cakes flavors were Italian Cream Cake with butter icing. And both cakes were delicious. Frosted Bakery often has a coupon on their site or in local flyers as well.

Hope you enjoyed the partaaay resources!