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Showing posts from May, 2015

I'm Gonna Sing

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This week, I'm sharing a video from last year that I shared before, but this time with the words to the song. I'm usually better at planning and recording enough videos for one a week when I teach the first Sunday and Wednesday of the month. However, by the end of class the last time I taught, things got a little crazy. There's actually two ways to do this song. With and without a repeat.   I’m Gonna Sing Boys                             Girls (repeat) I’m gonna sing            I’m gonna sing I’m gonna shout          I’m gonna shout I’m gonna sing, I’m gonna shout, praise the Lord! When those gates are open wide, I’m gonna sit at Jesus’s side I’m gonna sing, I’m gonna shout, praise the Lord! I’m gonna smile          I’m gonna smile All the while                All the while I’m gonna smile, all the while, praise the Lord! When those gates are open wide, I’m gonna sit at Jesus’s side I’m gonna smile, all the while, praise the Lord!

The latest creations

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I had an event this weekend (at a local church's ladies event) that was a bust as far as sales go. However, I'm still working on some things for bigger events coming up -- one in the summer and some potential huge ones in the fall. My uncle has decided to get in on the crafting fun. He makes horseshoe crosses. Aren't they cool?  

Take the Plunge Adventures in Odyssey Clubhouse magazine’s Summer Challenge.

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Take the plunge into faith and fun this summer Focus on the Family and the Odyssey Adventure Club offer exciting summer plans for active families Summer . . . a time that kids pine for during the school year and parents may anticipate with something akin to dread. Fearing refrains of “I’m bored” or hours spent on the couch playing video games can make moms and dads nervous about the long, hot months stretching before their family. Focus on the Family’s Odyssey Adventure Club offers an answer, encouraging parents and kids to embrace faith and fun with the Take the Plunge Adventures in Odyssey Clubhouse magazine’s Summer Challenge. The Take the Plunge challenge features: Master Mind Monday — commit God’s Word to memory     Ways to Play Wednesday — spend active time with your family   Faith Sharing Friday — share God’s love with others The Take the Plunge challenge helps families memorize at least five verses, engage in five activities together and share t

Who are the Hutterites?

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Few outsiders know anything about the Hutterites, a Plain Christian group related to the Amish and Mennonites.  Maendel’s story,  Hutterite Diaries , invites readers into deeper understanding of this community of faith, calling us to take seriously the example of Jesus and the early church in our daily living. Hear straight from plain Christians as they write about their daily lives and deeply rooted faith in the Plainspoken series. {MORE ABOUT  HUTTERITE DIARIES } (MennoMedia, May 2015) What would it be like to share all your possessions and live in Christian community? In  Hutterite Diaries , Linda Maendel offers a rare glimpse into the daily routines and communal faith of her people, the Hutterian Brethren. From stories of working together to bring in the fall potato harvest to laugh-out-loud tales of sisterly love laced with revenge, Maendel invites readers into her Bruderhof, or colony, nestled on the prairie of western Canada. Here children and adults work, play,

Kristy Cambron shares the inspiration behind A Sparrow in Terezin

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An interview with Kristy Cambron, Author of A Sparrow in Terezin Just like a single candle can brighten a dark room, a glimmer of hope can sustain the soul in dark times. In her highly-anticipated second novel, Kristy Cambron shines a light on the resiliency of the human spirit in A Sparrow in Terezin (Thomas Nelson/April 7, 2015/ISBN: 978-1401690618/$15.99) . Q: Your new book has a unique title — A Sparrow in Terezin . Where is Terezin, and what happened there? Terezin (or Theresienstadt in German) was a small fortress and garrison city converted to a ghetto and concentration camp during WWII. Positioned just an hour automobile ride north of Prague in what is now the Czech Republic, the 18 th -century fortress was an ideal place for the Nazis to set up a Gestapo prison for political prisoners early in the war. By 1941, the camp was converted also to a ghetto and transport camp for mainly Czech, but also Soviet, Polish, German and Yugoslavian Jews. Of the approximate

‘The Proposal at Siesta Key’ 5-Book Giveaway

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Don’t miss  Shelley Shepard Gray’s  newest series, Amish Brides of Pinecraft, and the second book in the series,  The Proposal at Siesta Key !  “Shelley Shepard Gray brings readers into the Amish world with style and grace,” says Romantic Times Bookclub. Penny’s time with Michael has brought her happiness, but will she be able to follow her heart? Or will she be faced with the one thing she’s sure she’ll never have the courage to do? Enter to win a copy of  The Proposal at Siesta Key —five winners will be chosen! The winners will be announced June 15 on  Shelley’s blog ! {MORE ABOUT  THE PROPOSAL AT SIESTA KEY } (Avon Inspire, May 2015) A young Amish woman, yearning for freedom, crosses paths with a handsome Mennonite celebrity in a deeply moving tale of friendship and self-discovery—the second installment in the unforgettable New York Times bestselling author’s new Amish Brides of Pinecraft series. Penny Troyer rarely disobeys her parents. In the years since he

The Bachelorette has a bunch of jerks and weirdos to choose from

I am fairly certain that I will lose cable and/or electricity while The Bachelorette is on tonight. It's just a hunch. Today, I spent Memorial Day shopping with my mom for clothes to wear on a business trip in four weeks. Of course, it also involved going to Hobby Lobby. And Cracker Barrel. #noshame Here I am, all ready to start blogging at 7:00 after rushing around the house doing this and that, and the show doesn't start until 8:00 tonight. Seriously? Grumble. I have things to do, so I'll go do them for an hour and come back. Tonight, Kaitlyn picks the first group of men she wants to take out on a date. From the previews, it appears there will be a lot of kissing, and the drama is already starting. To start off the show, Chris Harrison checks in with Kaitlyn the morning after the rose ceremony. They talk about early kisses and guys who were interested in Britt. Meanwhile at the mansion, all the guys are still comparing notes about who voted for Britt and w

Hear O Israel

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Hear O Israel (Deut 6:4-6 ); © Howard Publishing (Howard Assets, LLC) Used by Permission. CCLI # 1132191 Hear O Israel, the Lord thy God is one God. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God       with all of thy heart, (Girls echo) And thou shalt love the Lord thy God       with all of thy soul, (Girls echo ) And thou shalt love the Lord thy God       with all of thy mind, (Girls echo) And thou shalt love the Lord thy God       with all of thy strength. (Girls echo) Hear O Israel, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, And thou shalt love the Lord thy God       with all of thy heart, (Girls echo) And thou shalt love the Lord thy God       with all of thy soul, (Girls echo) And thou shalt love the Lord thy God       with all of thy mind, (Girls echo) And thou shalt love the Lord thy God       with all of thy strength. (Girls echo) Hear O Israel

I was up until 3 AM finishing Water from My Heart

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Even though I work in the book industry, it is truly sad how little I've been able to sit down and read for pleasure over the past I don't know how many months. I won't even start on how I can't figure out where the past five months have gone. I must be getting old. I've been wrapped up in crafting or wasting too much time fiddling with my phone while watching TV. It's amazing how much time I blow on my phone (why did I get back into Words with Friends?) or just goofing around on the internet. Like how I've been sitting here with my laptop for probably an hour to type up this review while yawning so hard I have tears streaming down my cheeks as my eyes water from being so tired. That right there is back on point. I was up until 3 AM this morning reading Charles Martin's Water from My Heart (CenterStreet). Part of the reason why was because I promised a review on the blog tour today, and part of it was I really, really wanted to finish this book. It

Heidi Bond’s Who’s the New Kid? Fitbit Giveaway and Facebook Party

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In a world of fast-food convenience and non-stop busyness, how do we keep our kids healthy?   Heidi Bond's debut book,  Who's the New Kid? , is here to help.  Filled with helpful diagnostic tools, easy-to-make recipes, eye-opening nutritional information, fun exercise ideas, and practical tips and advice, Who’s the New Kid? will not only show parents how to help their kids lose weight naturally but also introduce them to simple, yet effective lifestyle changes that will benefit the entire family. Celebrate the release of  Who's the New Kid?  by entering to win a Fitbit and RSVPing to Heidi's June 9th author chat party ! One grand prize winner will receive: A Fitbit A copy of  Who's the New Kid? Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 9th.  Winner will be announced June 9th at  Heidi's Facebook party .  RSVP here!   Plus, participate in the #WhosTheNewKid conversation by pinning a family-friendly, healthy reci