NCC '09

What is NCC '09, you might ask?

It's something my family and I are doing this year. We're calling it, "No Cash Christmas".

My sister, Bro-in-law, Bob and I are taking Dave Ramsey's, Financial Peace University, at our church. We're so pumped up to start saving and spending wisely! We want to be good stewards of God's money for His glory and so that we can teach our children how to spend and save according to the principles found in God's Word.

So, this class got us thinking; maybe we should make our Christmas gifts this year, instead of spending lots of money that we really shouldn't be spending. It kinda sounds like something we kiddos would've done back in the day when we had no way of making money and ended up giving gifts like a previously-burned candle we found in my parents room or an old basketball jersey that we grew out of--haha (those were real gifts exchanged on Christmases past!)

But, my parents totally agreed that they would rather receive handmade gifts, knowing that we are saving money and getting out of debt. Aren't parents wonderful!?

All that said, I'm not exactly a crafty person. I don't know how to sew, except for maybe a button here and there. I don't scrapbook (although my mom requested one of Ethan--so I'll have to get in the mood), and I don't quilt, or draw, or paint.

Have you ever given handmade gifts for Christmas? If so, what did you do?! This un-crafty gal needs to know!

The Beauty of Fall

By now, you've probably caught on that I LOVE FALL!! It's definitely my favorite time of year. I've started decorating my house for the season.
I'll share a few of the pics later.

But check out these pictures of Fall! God is the Master Artist!!

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it,
and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth
seeking the successive autumns.
-- George Eliot

The earth is the LORD'S, and the fullness thereof;
the world, and they that dwell therein.
Psalm 24:1

Winter is an etching,
Spring a watercolor,
Summer an oil painting and
Autumn a mosaic of them all.
-- Stanley Horowitz

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power:
for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure
they are and were created.
Revelation 4:11

~~~~~~~~~~Here are some Fall decorations I've put up so far~~~~~~~~~~

A friendly scarecrow meets each guest at the door

And a good ol' countrified saying reminds us of
Fall's imminent arrival! (3 more days!)

The sign hanging under the mantle says,
"There is always, always, always something to be thankful for."
So true!

"God's People Give Thanks"


I wish I had more Fall decor, but I know that will take time. I just need to do my best to make our house feel homey, comfy, cozy!

Oh, how I love decorating for the seasons!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Every house where love abides
And friendship is a guest,
Is surely home, and home sweet home
For there the heart can rest.
~Henry Van Dyke

Fall is in the Air!!

The yummy smells of Fall have been tickling my nose lately here at home.

Growing up, when Fall came around, my mom would always set a pot on the stove and start simmering some of the most comforting and homey smells around!

Here's what she did, and what I do now, to make our home feel cozy and Fall-like!

Get a pot (small-medium) that you don't mind getting messed up a little bit. I usualy fill the pot with water about 1/3 or 1/2 full. Then I cover the surface of water with cinnamon. I then sprinkle in some allspice, toss in a palm full or so of whole cloves, and throw in some orange peel if I have any on hand.
Let it come to a boil (and don't forget about it like I have before! Messy, messy, messy!) and then turn the heat down to a simmer. Let it simmer as long as you'd like! Just make sure you keep adding water periodically or it will scorch.

You won't believe how delightfully yummy your entire home will smell!! If you love Fall, you've GOT to try this!

Enjoy!

What We've Done...

Check out this prayer that was said by Minister Joe Wright at the opening of a session in the Kansas Senate. It's powerful.

"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance.

We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,'
but that is exactly what we have done.

We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.

We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.

We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.

We have killed our unborn and called it choice.

We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.

We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem.

We have abused power and called it politics.

We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.

We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.

We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.
Amen!"

What My Deal Is

...I honestly dont know.
I have been so "blah" in the blogger world lately. We've had a lot going on the last couple of weeks so it's been hard to find time to sit down and figure out something to blog about!

Bob and I just hosted a housewarming party for some friends of ours, helped my best friend and her family move, read 3 novels, did a little Christmas shopping with my sister and mom, visited my Nanny in Texas, as well as my aunt, uncle and cousins and I've been cooking and baking up a storm! *I also have a house that's begging for me to clean it!*

So, I hope I can get my groove back and start posting again! Because y'all know I've got a cutie pie that I love to brag about ;)

Hope to see ya soon!

Ethan's First Photoshoot (07/26/09)

If you want, you can just click on THIS link to view them, too.

She Needs Her Freedom

Have you heard anything about Fathima Rifqa Bary? I hadn't until I ran across a video of her on Tangle.com. She's a 17 year old girl, raised in a Muslim family, who became a Christian. And she's scared for her life.

Because Islam doesn't foster religious freedom.

But according to two lectures I agonized sat through in college, it is a peaceful, tolerant religion. Hmm...things aren't adding up.

I'm posting the video of the girl--what a soldier for our Lord Jesus Christ!! Plus, here is a site that has been keeping up with her story in the news. Since we don't have cable anymore, I guess I could've missed her story in the national news....but, I'm guessing it wasn't broadcast because it's not really "important" ...plus I fully believe our Presi--ok--I'll stop there..before I say something I shouldn't.




Why do other religions seem to get special treatment?? Why isn't this story being plastered all over the place?? It upsets me. Can you tell?