Wellllll we’re off for a little R&R sort of… a family business meeting.. but it includes the kids … so waterpark and amusement park are included… it’s a long weekend here! so See you guys on Tuesday!! (unless I get access!)

I’ll leave you a few little pictures while I’m gone,

starting off with:

no, I’m not talking about those little yummy candies.. though it does have that feeling.. I’m talking about a book!

This book is hilarious! I was laughing and lovin it so much, hubby had to read it along side of me! I was actually surprised he wanted to. So that alone was encouraging!

Each chapter contains questions at the end to answer, a scripture verse, a “good night kiss” (something you should be saying to your spouse), and a funny quote. Cindy has laced the book with humor, personal experience, quotes from respected Christian authors such as Dr. Leman, but mostly the desire to show Christ in your marriage. Not to mention it is extremely funny that her husband has the same name as mine, so it really felt like I was reading some of my own experiences from the past years as she describes them.

We worked through some of the questions, and found Cindy’s questions really relevant to our marriage life. Cindy is insightful and her experience, information she provides is extremely relevant in today’s marriages. This is a book that i wish I would have read 10 years ago… and if I read it 10 years ago, I wish I would have been smart enough to take the advice and practice the ideas given in the book. She dispells some of the myths that WE ALL HAVE about marriage.. and oh will you laugh!! BECAUSE YOU KNOW YOU’VE BEEN THERE! I love the fact through the humor there is truth. We’re not alone in our struggles and many many of experience similar paths one way or another.

My favorite parts are the “good night kiss”. It made me smile and my husband smile every time I said them.

This is a book that I think any Christian couple could benefit from -whether you’ve been married 1 year, or 50 years. It is encouraging and will bless your marriage.

I think you can read this book a few ways. She suggests to read a chapter a week. We sort of just started reading, spent time on the stuff we needed to work on.. used some of the charts, questionnaires, but mostly read together and talked.

Type: Marriage manual/guide/help

rating: I’d rate this book a 5! I read it, enjoyed it, and will probably give out at future weddings I attend!

As a fun ending, I’ll leave you with a wonderful list from Cindy’s book.

“Instead of “50 ways to leave your lover,” lets look at 50 ways to love your husband (I’m giving you the first 15 20 cuz they are pretty fun! You’ll have to check out the book for the rest!!)

1. Buy his favorite ice creame.
2. Shave your legs.
3. Buy satin sheets and initiate a surprise passionate encounter.
4. Brag on him when others can hear you.
5. Pray for him
6. Keep his confidences.
7. Do the unexpected.
8. Be hospitable to his friends.
9. Pick a day and let him sleep in.
10. Send him a cookie bouquet at work.
11. Wake him in the middle of the night to make love –set the alarm if you have to.
12. Admire his muscles without laughing.
13. View him as if from another woman’s eyes.
14. Keep a list of the things he says he wants, or would like to do–whenever possible do something from the list for him.
15. Begin to fulfill that list a little at a time.
16. Laugh together, especially at your own private jokes.
17. Rent old movies. Watch it together in bed with popcorn and cocoa.
18. Take a walk in the rain holding hands.
19. Sleep without your pajamas on.
20. Hold hands as you fall asleep.

ooooooooo i could go on.. because the list gets better and better! lol but I’ll stop there!

I challenge you to pick one from the list and do it today/tonight! and don’t forget to say “I’m so glad I married you.” It really does an amazing thing…

Thanks for reading this far!

This is part of my SRT! Check out others by clicking the link above!

Welcome to Word-Filled Wednesday!

• Please make sure you enter in your correct link! I love to visit and hope others visit other WFW sites.

The Lord your God is with you, he is might to save,

He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love

he will rejoice over you with singing

Zephaniah 3:17

(click on it for larger view)

The purpose of Word filled Wednesday is to share God’s word through photo’s & a Bible verse!

download it,
read it,
print it,
share with others!

If You’d like to join us for Word Filled Wednesday,
simply add your name to Mr. Linky, post your photo and Bible verse
(or feel free to add mine to your site)
and send a link back here so others can visit and have a word filled day!

(And don’t forget to leave me a comment too! And visit other blogs too! It’s nice to hear from everyone!!)

If you’d like to be added to the blogroll, please let me know, and I will add you. Please be patient, as there is only one woman behind this screen!

I was thrilled with the response of all the verse, I may have to do a few more up! But my favorite that worked-inspired me was todays verse.. so there are two winners! (Because they choose the same verse)

Sherry from the Journey Back

and

Christy from Critty Joy

Thanks to everyone who gave me a verse! I hope you had fun. Maybe another chance next month!?

Both ladies will receive a print of the verse/photograph and a treat to go with it!! please email me your addy’s so I can send them to you ladies! (the160acrewoods (at) yahoo (dot) ca)

my mother asked me to make 80 name plates for her red hat heritage day. So I made up 2 different samples for her to choose what colors, and ideas from:

and this one:

which you can slide a chocolate inside..

anyhow, going to work on these as soon as she decides which one she likes better…

which one do you like better?

And yes, these are the very rough drafts.. they’re not real pretty yet, but you get the idea!

*and did anyone catch Bones and House last night?? I cried for the ending of both!!

*** and now the place card’s switched to:

similar to the 2nd one, so a chocolate will go inside…Yes, just edited so they have a visual.. not the actual end product.. but going to make 80 of them!!

and instead of the hat’s off, the person’s name will go there.

okay, i did it.  I finally did it!  I got on my treadmill this morning and .. well.. walked… i’d love to say ran, but i’ll admit it, I walked!  I have desperately been needing to do that, and finally did!  I’m actually feeling good.  I’m going to try going on a soup cleanse (a hearty vegetable soup) for a few days to get my body off the bad stuff we’ve been eating.  Pray for me to last it! lol

This weekend, I helped my mom clean out the last of her farm house, and her garden shed.  The kids each got a dresser and Master P got a new single “big boy” bed, which is fantastic, since I don’t have to buy one now, and only have one for Master J to get.  The kids are thrilled with all the resin garden ornaments that grandma had tucked away.  While I don’t think I’d buy half of them, they are kinda cute and will add a bit of fun to our yard… hey, we live on 160 acres, so we can get away with it!

I’m getting ready for the trip we’re going on this weekend end coming up… (my tackle it tuesday tomorrow).  We’re going to West Edmonton Mall for a few days, for a business meeting.  All of us, you ask?  Yes, all of us.  It’s my in-laws business, so they are having a family meeting.. I’m not sure how much business will actually happen with  25 people and half being under 10!  But I”m looking forward to the mall and attractions.  A long needed break for us!

This afternoon my friend Kelly is coming over (or maybe it’s this morning lol, I don’t know) and we’re going for a walk with the kids around the farm.  Should be good.   And than…. I’m going to finish my copy of Sephora…. that I got the other day.  I’ve procrastinated on taking care of me since I’ve had the kids, so I’m trying really hard on improving myself… not just spiritually, but the outside.. my health and my look.. not to be vain, but for my husband and for myself so that I’m not going to keel over b/c I’m so unhealthy and have no feelings of self worth b/c of the throw up or baby drool i’m usually covered in.

I’ve been excitedly working on my WFW for this week! it’s a doozey!  My favorite I think so far, so be ready!!! :)  Of course I could change my mind last minute (which happens a lot).

How was your Mother’s day? Did you do anything fun or what you wanted to do?  We went to church, than unloaded furniture off the truck.  After that we had a dip in the hot tub, had supper and I got a nap in there… all in all a pretty relaxing day.

okay, this quiz was too funny not to try… and i might add, my choice actually fits me fairly well (now)

What Your Pizza Reveals

People may tell you that you have a small appetite… but you aren’t under eating. You just aren’t a pig. You aren’t particularly picky about pizza. It’s so good… how could you be? You fit in best in the Western part of the US. You favor foods that are simple and high quality. You believe that showy ingredients only serve to cover up mediocre cooking techniques. You are generous, outgoing, and considerate with your choices. You are cultured and intellectual. You should consider traveling to Vienna. The stereotype that best fits you is upper class preppy. You don’t anything too ordinary or vulgar.

Five Sacred Crossings - A Novel Approach to a reasonable faith

By Craig J. Hazen

Had I not a copy of this book and knew it was Christian, I probably wouldn’t have picked it up. I would have thought it was a new age book… I would not have guessed the mystery and wealth of information that lay between it’s pages… I wouldn’t have guessed that it was well worth the investment of a few dollars to read it!

So, what is the Five Sacred Crossings? It’s a new style of Christian fiction.. or at least new to me -> Christian apologetic Fiction. I was shocked when I started reading it that I was devouring it so fast! I wished my University professors were as interesting in their script of religion as Micheal, the professor was in here. I wish someone would have given me this book when I was trying to figure out how to defend my faith. While it is a fictitious story it contains compelling arguments to bigger questions that I think most of us have faced at one point in our Christian walk against someone who wants to “fight”. The method it uses to bring these questions to light are easier to understand, and the use of fiction helps the story stick in my head. I’m excited to see what else Harvest House has in store with their new Conversant Life series.

As Mr.Hazen writes in this opening “I hope the story will be compelling enough to entice readers to consider some thoughtful answers to real religious questions–readers who may never read an apologetics textbook…” You definitely don’t have to be a Christian to read this, in fact I would give this book to any of my non-Christian friends because it is non-threatening, as it is “just fiction”.

It is a book that will make you think.

A bit about the actual book:

Professor Michael Jernigan is a teacher called in last minute to sub for his colleague in a religious studies class. He introduces “The Five Crossings”. A sacred book he picked up in his past adventures. The tribe he received it from had views of religion and how to test it. It brings some basic questions that I think everyone should consider before they belong to any religious group, and that if you are actually reasonablely objective you’ll have the conclusion you knew all along (I think anyhow).

It discusses on whether it is testable, what religions cost, if it matches reality, and other topics. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much information Mr. Hazen provides on these topics.

While the challenges in the classroom, and the discussion flows, there is a back story that is just as interesting in which terrorism and life are happening around them. In short, without ruining the ending of the book, Michael ultimately gets to give the greatest example of “The Five Crossings”. Okay, to put it this way, I was touched and actually cried… and I rarely ever cry when I read a book. The ending was such a shocker for me! (hehe, does that make you want to read it?)

I think my favorite quote from this book would be “Have you emptied your cups?” It will have me saying this as I take look into my Bible and other readings; am I going in with my perceived notion of people and God’s word, or have I come to learn? I loved on page 110 where the discussion covers people such as Oprah, or the author of “the Secret” who reject the realities of life and try and pretend they are the center of the universe….

No matter which way you read this book — as straight fiction, or fiction laced with truth, you’ll be touched!

** Can I add, a week later, I’m still in awe of this book… I’m thinking one of my all time favorites!

—————–

This was part of my spring reading thing, click on the graphic to read other reviews:

Welcome to Word-Filled Wednesday!

I’ve made a few little changes this week, so please bear with me!

• I apologize for the delay a few people were having with WFW! I’m going back to using Mr. Linky. I don’t think wordpress liked all the comments, and was throwing some into my spam folder last time, so I think it will be easier to try Mr. Linky. If it doesn’t work, i’ll switch back. Anyhow, sorry about that!
• Please make sure you enter in your correct link! I love to visit and hope others visit other WFW sites.
• I made a new title and side link graphic, so feel free to use the new or the old! I hope you like them. The code is on the WFW page, as well as the little one is on my sidebar ——————>

Now onto the fun!!

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born in the time adversity. Proverbs 17:17.

This picture is from a photo shoot I did a few years back. She was sooooo cute!

The purpose of Word filled Wednesday is to share God’s word through photo’s & a verse!

download it,
read it,
print it,
share with others!

If You’d like to join us for Word Filled Wednesday,
simply add your name to Mr. Linky, post a BIBLE verse
(or feel free to add mine to your site)
and send a link back here so others can visit and have a word filled day!

(And don’t forget to leave me a comment too! And visit other blogs too! It’s nice to hear from everyone!!)

If you’d like to be added to the blogroll, please let me know, and I will add you. Please be patient, as there is only one woman behind this screen!

I’m full of surprises this week!

I’d like to hold a little draw for all my favorite friends! (Yes, that’s you ladies!) You mean so much to me and encourage me so much with your comments and participation! So everyone who enters a comment this week (whether you particpate or not in WFW) will be entered to win, all you have to do is write a comment and answer: what is your favorite Bible verse?

What’s the prize??? The Bible verse done up for WFW with a surprise gift!

Contest is open from May 7th to May 13th! Just leave your comment here!

I’ve been working on this tackle for a while now.  I finished all the kids baby books .. which is really just my photo albums … from 2003,2004, 2005, 2006 (no kid, but did a book), 2007, and i’m on top of the game with starting the book for 2008.

It’s all my digital scrapbooking & photography done.  Here are the covers of the book.  I published them and got them hardbound through blurb.com.

kinda neat eh?  Now, if I never scrapbook again, it doesn’t matter!  the kids are done!

Each book is approx 100 pages or more… yes, lots of work!!