Kelly's Thrifty Tips - When It Snows...Make ICE CREAM!

With the snow outside, I thought it might be fun to post a recipe that you can do with the kids on a snowy day.

Fill a gallon freezer bag halfway with snow and add six teaspoons of salt in with the snow
Fill a quart freezer bag with:
1/2 cup of half and half
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of sugar

After you put all the ingredients in the quart sized freezer bag, squeeze out as much air as you can, and seal it. The best trick I have found for doing this is filling your sink up part way with water and dipping the bag in the water. This will push most of the air out. Just be careful not to get water in the bag. Put the quart bag into the gallon freezer bag (again squeeze as much air out of the freezer bag as you can). Seal the freezer bag. Put on some gloves and squeeze the bag until the ice cream is frozen.

A nice, easy treat to make using snow without worrying about the dirt. :)

Here is a link to a recipe from Paula Deen for snow ice cream. This is a little sweet for me, but uses real snow. If you can get good clean snow try it out. Well...you can use shaved ice too.

LINK: Paula Deen Snow Ice Cream

With 2011 coming up quickly, I have been really thinking about what to do this year or brush up on this year to help me financially. One thing that is a real must is a small notebook to write down expenses. The new year is coming, this is a perfect opportunity to get a handle on exactly where every dime is going. Does your doctor's office give out those little pocket booklet calendars? If so they are the perfect size for writing down what you spend each day. Here are a few other things you might like to check into to get a good handle on your finances.

One of the tools that has been indispensable with our budget is mint.com. It is safe and secure. You do not have to download anything. You can categories and track all your spending. You will see if you are working in your budget or beyond it and figure out how to make changes. Check out their website where you can watch a video and learn more.

LINK: Mint.com

Have a need to write things down? If so, I have found the website for you. I have connected you to the Organized Christmas site in order to get Christmas planning in line, but now it is time to hit the ground running for 2011 by checking out Organized Home. Follow the link below to a list of printables to make a fabulous household notebook. This thing will help you organize and fly through your Spring cleaning, menu planning, weekly planning, shopping, camping, yard sale planning and more! Seriously you are going to love these printables.

LINK: Printable Pages For Your Household Notebook from Organized Home.

And in the upcoming weeks, I will be taking some online coupon classes. After I review them, I will post again to let you know what ones I recommend.

FREEBIES


Allure Magazine will have some fun freebies starting January 1st. The first day is a contest where one winner will win $1,138 of Shiseido Skin Care and Makeup. Each day will have a different prize for the first 500 Allure readers to sign up at noon EST. If you are near a computer, you might want to give this a try. Just make sure to CHECK NO next to the request to sign you up for a year subscription or you will get signed up. Here is a link to their sign up page which shows you the dates and prizes for January 1 to January 7.

LINK: Allure giveaways

If you like Gucci perfumes, you just might like to try out a free sample of Gucci Guilty. Just follow the link below to their Facebook page and free sample link.

LINK: Gucci Guilty

While supplies last, sign up for a free sample of Purina One for dogs or cars at Walmart.

LINK: Purina One

Change, Now is the Time

Luke 21:34-36?

34"Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. 35For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man."

34 “Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware, 35 like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. 36 Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.”

What does this mean?

The context of this passage is Christ speaking to His disciples. He was preparing them for when He would go to Heaven and they would face persecution. It is also a good warning for us that we should not get sucked into the cares of this world. Jesus is saying not to get complacent in your spiritual walk. Don't get too caught up in things of this world or you could lose your faith. Don't get caught up in the party animal mode and hang out with the wrong friends. Don't get worried about your finances and not trust in God. Don't worry yourself to death, but rely in the Father's tender loving care. Compare this to 1 Peter 5:7, "Cast your care upon him, for he careth for you."

What a relief that we worship the God of second chances!

If there's one truth that's indisputable about human beings, it's that we have an infinite capacity to mess up. But even more infinite than our ability to sin is God's desire to forgive us. For those of us who have accepted Christ as our Savior, that means God will forgive us every time we ask.

A favorite of the God of second chances

One of the most effective people in the Bible received a second chance from God. In fact, he received many, many chances. We can draw hope from the story of Moses, found in the book of Exodus.

Moses killed an Egyptian taskmaster who was abusing Hebrew slaves. When Pharoah found out, he tried to kill Moses. Escaping to Midian, Moses became a shepherd, married, and started a family. He had given up and "settled" for the life he had. Does that sound familiar? But God gave Moses a second chance.

God wouldn't listen to any excuses. He ignored the fact that Moses had failed before. He didn't care about Moses' low self esteem or speech disability. God had a job for Moses to do, and he was going to give him as many chances as he needed to do it.

God will do the same thing for you today!

A second chance for God's enemy

If anybody in the Bible deserved a lightning bolt from heaven to incinerate him on the spot, it was Saul of Tarsus. He is introduced in Chapter 9 of the book of Acts. A zealous persecutor of the fledgling Christian Church, Saul deserved to die for his treachery against God. Instead, God gave him a second chance. Not only did Jesus convert Saul to believe in him, he used him--as the apostle Paul--to take the Gospel to the Gentiles. During the rest of his life, Paul was shipwrecked, beaten, stoned, robbed and imprisoned, yet God protected him from death, giving him chance after chance to complete his assignment. Paul did.

What the God of second chances has for you

Do you have to be a Moses or Paul to receive a second chance--or third chance or millionth chance--from God? No. Christ has a second chance for anyone who needs it, including you. Maybe you've failed at something in life, and you think that dream is lost. I can tell you, though, from my own experience, that we serve the God of second chances. Right now I'm on my 47th or 48th chance. Or is it 348th chance? I lost track about 30 years ago--and God doesn't keep score either. Whether it's marriage, a job, a relationship, or your finances, God hasn't given up on you. He wants to heal you, make you right, and guide you into the purpose he has for your life. Your new mission for him may be different, in fact completely different from what you had in mind, but if you're obedient, God will give you every tool and circumstance you need to accomplish it.

Don't sell God short

Our Focus verse today is a strong reminder to us to remain vigilant in life at all times. Our last day on earth is unpredictable; it can happen anytime.

So we must be aware of our death as well as the death of others. We might not be alive tomorrow and the same is applicable to everyone else. So there is no tomorrow for us, only today. We must live according to the will of God today and thus everyday. Please also remember the words of Jesus not to worry about tomorrow. We only have this moment, and make sure that each moment of our life is submitted to God by loving Him and by loving others. The Lord is ready to meet you where you are. We all tend to expect too little from God. We tend to imagine that he's angry with us, that he carries a grudge and refuses to give us a second chance. That's not the God of the Bible, and that's certainly not Jesus. Jesus continually reached out to people like you and me, people who need a second chance. Some had enough faith to receive it. Will you accept the second chance that God is offering you today? See God realistically. See him mending your disappointment. See him running out to meet you, to give you another chance, just like the father of the prodigal son. Your life isn't wrecked for good. The most loving, powerful being in the universe wants to heal it, and he does have the power and creativity to do just that. Will you say "yes" today to the God of second chances? 2011 could be your year of great chance and change!

Rev 2:10 says, "Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life."

Holy and righteous Father, the Eternal God and Creator of the universe, Give me another chance at New Life! Work in me your righteous will to make me ready for your Son's glorious return. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

I pray. Amen.

Why Is Christmas So Important?

Why Is Christmas So Important ?

The commercialism of the Christmas season continues to grow with each passing year playing to our wants and desires increasingly pushing Jesus out of the picture. So what are we as Christians supposed to do? Stop celebrating Christmas because Jesus no longer appears to be the reason for the season as some have? No!

The day is still called CHRIST - mas. Carols are still sung of His birth and can be heard through most mall sound systems. Christmas needs to be looked at differently, with an eternal perspective. To the Body of Christ, Easter is perhaps the most dear and sacred of days. Jesus rose from the dead three days after He died as a sin offering for the sins of the world. Important because if there was no resurrection there would be no Christianity and as Paul says , "your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins" (1 Corinthians 15:17, NASB). But what of His birth and the effect that had on the entire world. For me Easter means nothing without Christmas. Jesus was born to die for our sin and be raised from the dead for our justification (Romans 4:25). Christmas' meaning then becomes more significant, for without the birth of Jesus we would not be redeemed either. It was His unique birth which brought a unique life. Because of the virgin birth He did not have the sin nature as we all have, but one free from the effect of the fall. This allowed him to live a life wholly without sin (2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 4:15) in obedience to the Father. As a result of this Jesus could be the lamb without spot or blemish to be offered up for man's sin (Hebrews 9:13-15). Linking these two events will help us gain a greater understanding of who our Lord truly was and is. For instance the Gifts of the Magi represent who they understood the Baby Jesus was and would become…….

Luke Chapter 2

…..The star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Gold is meant to portray how Jesus is a "King" since He stems from the line of King David; Frankincense is something Jewish priests use during temple ceremonies, and hence stands for Jesus as the "mediator" between God the Father and His people. Also this could be said to foreshadow His sacrifice on the cross as an "offering" for the forgiveness of our sins; Lastly, Myrrh is used to embalm the dead during Jesus' time, and like what was mentioned above, it symbolizes Jesus dying on the cross for the salvation of mankind.

Maybe we should be hearing more sermons on the birth of Jesus at Easter, more sermons on the resurrection at Christmas

"Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means, God with us)."

Matthew 1:23, ESV

Joy to the world ... the Lord is come!"

We wish you a Merry Christmas ... time to celebrate our Savior's birth and reflect on His great grace in our lives ... and a blessed New Year!

My Peace I Give Unto You

My peace I give unto you

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you." John 14:27

These two verses speak of the one thing all people long for…Peace! Peace with God, Peace with People and Peace with ourselves. Many seek it so many different ways. Money, Status, even Love! The message of Christmas is about receiving inner peace that can only be found only in knowing this God-Man, Jesus. Listen to Luke 2:14 in the EAV…

¹⁴ "Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!" Luke 2:14 (English Standard Version)

When Our Lord speaks peace, He makes peace, His words are ever "spirit and life." Have you ever received what Jesus speaks? "My peace I give unto you" - it is a peace which comes from looking into His face and realizing that He is peace.

He is the Sovereign God who creates all things and controls all things. Jesus Christ is not the best human being the human race can boast of— He is a Being for whom the human race can take no credit at all. He is not man becoming God, but God Incarnate— God coming into human flesh from outside it. His life is the highest and the holiest entering through the most humble of doors. Our Lord’s birth was an advent— the appearance of God in human form.” So how should we respond??

His Birth in Me

Paul writes in (Galatians 4:19) “My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you . . .” Just as our Lord came into human history from outside it, He must also come into me from outside. Have I allowed my personal human life to become a “Bethlehem” for the Son of God? I cannot enter the realm of the kingdom of God unless I am born again from above by a birth totally unlike physical birth. “You must be born again” (John 3:7). This is not a command, but a fact based on the authority of God. The evidence of the new birth is that I yield myself so completely to God that “Christ is formed” in me and once

“Christ is formed” in me, His nature immediately begins to work through me. The Spirit of God testifies to and confirms the simple, but almighty, security of the life that “is hidden with Christ in God.

When you really see Jesus, I defy you to doubt Him. If you see Him when He says, “Let not your heart be troubled . . .” (John 14:27),

I defy you to worry. It is virtually impossible to doubt when He is there. Every time you are in personal contact with Jesus, His words are real to you. “My peace I give to you . . .” (John 14:27)— a peace which brings an unconstrained confidence and covers you completely, from the top of your head to the soles of your feet. “. . . your life is hidden with Christ in God,” and the peace of Jesus Christ that cannot be disturbed has been imparted to you.

All the failures in the Christian life can be traced to losing our focus or taking our eyes off Jesus. Are you painfully disturbed just now, distracted by the waves and billows of God's providential permission, and having, as it were, turned over the boulders of your belief, are you still finding no well of peace or joy or comfort; is all barren? Then look up and receive the stable calmness of the Lord Jesus. Reflected peace is the proof that you are right with God because you are at liberty to turn your mind to Him. If you are not right with God, you can never turn your mind anywhere but on yourself. If you allow anything to hide the face of Jesus Christ from you, you are either disturbed or you have a false security.

Are you looking unto Jesus now, in the immediate matter that is pressing and receiving from Him peace? If so, He will be a gracious benediction of peace in and through you. But if you try to worry it out, you obliterate Him. We get disturbed because we have not been considering Him. When one confers with Jesus Christ the perplexity goes, because He has no perplexity, and our only concern is to abide in Him. Lay it all out before Him, and in the face of difficulty, bereavement and sorrow, hear Him say, "Let not your heart be troubled."

John 14: 1-3, 27

¹Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. ²In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Romans 8:1-2, 37-39

¹ Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, ² because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you

free from the law of sin and death. ³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Kelly's Thrifty Tips

Christmas is just 16 days away! That gives you about 15 shopping or crafting days to go! There are gifts to buy and meals to make. Lots of fun and family time to be enjoyed too. There are also some great opportunities to give. So please look around and see where you might be able to do that as well.

Radio Shine is happy to once again sponsor the Christmas Cradle Project which will benefit local CPCs. We have a list of drop off locations all over Arizona. Please take a moment to take a look at that page and pick out a little something to help these pregnancy centers help these families. They consistently work to help the working poor, and this is a great opportunity to help. Follow the link below which will not only show you the needs but also the drop off locations in the area. If you have a Bible study or group and you would like to get involved, maybe instead of a gift exchange where you might get another coffee mug or candle, you might consider a baby shower and bring those gifts to a local drop off location.

LINK: Christmas Cradle Drop Off Locations

You might also want to consider the Salvation Army, Toys for Tots, and the Prison Fellowship Angel Tree. All of these fabulous groups are working to make Christmas better for many children. I understand that Toys for Tots is in a toy donation deficit of about 10%.

WEBSITE

With Christmas comes usually a whole new slew of clothes. Now just could be the time to get out the old to make room for the new. I found a great site for you! It is called ThredUP.com. Members at ThredUp exchange gently used clothes online. I have found that exchanges like this work really well with the younger kids clothes. Let's face it, babies and toddlers grow fast and don't usually wreck a lot of their outfits. They usually have well defined baby clothes. ThredUp is a great exchange option. Of course never underestimate the power of setting up an exchange with other mommies in your neighborhood, church or even work.

Anyway, members use Medium Priority Flat Rate boxes which at this time are $10.70. You pay $5 for your box and the shipping fee to get your box. Each member lists the items that are in their box, and some members even have pictures so you know what you are getting.

Of course I totally recommend trying to exchange through your own community first, but this is definitely another great avenue to explore.

LINK: ThredUP


WINTER WEATHER TIP

I have been going through tons of my magazines in order to minimize some clutter for my husband's sake (I am SOOOOO bad about clutter). While doing that I found some tips that I was totally jazzed about and just had to share.

With winter's bite really starting to sink in, I recalled the annoyance of a foggy window. Here is a great tip. Fill a spray bottle with three parts water to one part white vinegar. Before locking up your car for the night, spray the windshield with the water/vinegar mix to naturally keep those windows clear. This can be a great savings in two ways. You can save time in not scraping your windows like crazy or you can save energy by not having to run the defrost for a long period of time before you can actually get moving.

CHRISTMAS COOKIE RECIPES

Last week I posted some links to some awesome Christmas cookie recipes which are great for cookie exchanges, gifts or just your own celebration. Here are a few more.

Holiday Peppermint Thins These looks absolutely amazing. They have a low prep time and look absolutely delicious.

Windowpane cookies This is a cookie that I have always wanted to make. They absolutely scream Christmas. Apparently if you can make a sugar cookie, you can make windowpanes.

Pecan Tart Cup Cookies I had to look for this recipe. This was a mainstay of all the cookie exchanges I have ever been involved in.


FREEBIES

If winter air is drying you up, you may be in want of a little sample of Garnier Fructis Anti-Dandruff shampoo. We've tried it, and I can tell you it smells GREAT and leaves your hair nice and soft so it really can work for . Check it out yourself by following the link below. This sample is available while supplies last.

LINK: Garnier Fructis Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

This is pretty neat. I don't know how long it will last, but check the link to Kroger's special freebie page where you can sign up for a free sample of Frieda Sheer Blond, and Prilosec (if you qualify through their survey. There is also a free subscription for American Baby!

LINK: Kroger Freebie Page

If you are a Sam's Club Member you can sign up for a free sample of Slim-Fast Peanut Butter Crunch Snack bar. You definitely do not have to be on a diet to enjoy these treats!

LINK: Slim-Fast bar

FreeCCM has a free download available of Sara Groves "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear." If you haven't picked them up yet, you can still download songs from Todd Agnew, 33Miles, Skillet, Fee, and The Choir.

LINK: Sara Groves Free CCM

New Release Tuesday has a free download this week "Angels We Have Heard On High" by Seabird, "Adore Him" by Kari Jobe, "The First Noel" by Revive, and "Body Language" by Qheem The Redeemed. Remember you do have to sign up to be a member. Membership is free, and I can attest to not getting any garbage from New Release Tuesday. All I get is great Christian music and news.

LINK: New Release Tuesday

The Parachute Band is offering 9 free songs from three of their CDs "Love Without Measure" which releases in January, "Roadmaps & Revelations," and "Technicolor." Three songs from each CD. All you have to do is go to their Facebook page and sign up.

LINK: The Parachute Band Free Music

iTickets.com has a free download of "Yaweh" from Hillsong Chapel CD of the same title. Again, you do need to be a member.

LINK: iTickets

Hear It First has an awesome 25 Days of Christmas celebration going on with different goodies each day. These are treats you can enjoy any day of the 25 days. Click on the link below to get more details. I think you do need to be a member.

LINK: Hear It First

COUPONS

Cellfire has more coupons up that you can download to your loyalty card. I understand that they do not have Safeway coupons anymore, but you can still get deals downloaded to your Fry's card. Follow the link below.

LINK: Cellfire

Print out some awesome coupons at Coupons.com. There are even loads of great candy coupons which maybe you can use to add to some Christmas stockings.

LINK: Coupons.com

Redplum has some great coupons too. Get them while they last.

LINK: Redplum

Have a great week!

This Christmas Fix Your Eyes On Jesus

This Christmas ….Fix your eyes on Jesus

Christmas is often a season when we forget the true meaning of the holiday and become wrapped up in, and overwhelmed by, the seemingly insurmountable “to do” list of sending cards, baking cookies, decorating, and shopping. Rather than letting ourselves get swept away by the pressure of finding that “perfect” gift for each person in our lives, let us be obedient to Scriptures’ directive in Hebrews 12:2

² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

Oswald Chambers writes “

“That Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35). Jesus Christ was born into this world, not from it. He did not emerge out of history; He came into history from the outside. Jesus Christ is not the best human being the human race can boast of— He is a Being for whom the human race can take no credit at all. He is not man becoming God, but God Incarnate— God coming into human flesh from outside it. His life is the highest and the holiest entering through the most humble of doors. Our Lord’s birth was an advent— the appearance of God in human form.”

His Birth in Me

. “My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you . . .” (Galatians 4:19). Just as our Lord came into human history from outside it, He must also come into me from outside. Have I allowed my personal human life to become a “Bethlehem” for the Son of God? I cannot enter the realm of the kingdom of God unless I am born again from above by a birth totally unlike physical birth. “You must be born again” (John 3:7). This is not a command, but a fact based on the authority of God. The evidence of the new birth is that I yield myself so completely to God that “Christ is formed” in me. And once “Christ is formed” in me, His nature immediately begins to work through me.

God Evident in the Flesh.

This is what is made so profoundly possible for you and for me through the redemption of man by Jesus Christ.

The Spirit of God testifies to and confirms the simple, but almighty, security of the life that “is hidden” with Christ in God.

When you really see Jesus, I defy you to doubt Him. If you see Him when He says, “Let not your heart be troubled . . .” (John 14:27), I defy you to worry. It is virtually impossible to doubt when He is there. Every time you are in personal contact with Jesus, His words are real to you. “My peace I give to you . . .” (John 14:27)— a peace which brings an unconstrained confidence and covers you completely, from the top of your head to the soles of your feet. “. . . your life is hidden with Christ in God,” and the peace of Jesus Christ that cannot be disturbed has been imparted to you.

All the failures in the Christian life can be traced to losing our focus or taking our eyes off Jesus. On different occasions in the book of Hebrews the writer admonishes us to turn our eyes upon Jesus.

We read in Hebrews 3:1, "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus." The word "consider" means "to observe fully." The ideal is to fix and keep your eyes on Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our profession.

In our text, Hebrews 12:1-2, the writer speaks to us of the importance of keeping our eyes on Jesus. He admonishes us to keep, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." The word "looking" speaks of "looking away to Jesus" and carries the idea of a fixed gaze. We are to look away from everything else, and look away to Jesus.

The songwriter put it into word ...

1. O soul, are you weary and troubled?
   No light in the darkness you see?
   There’s light for a look at the Savior,
   And life more abundant and free!
• Refrain:
  Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
  Look full in His wonderful face,
  And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
  In the light of His glory and grace.
2. Through death into life everlasting
   He passed, and we follow Him there;
   O’er us sin no more hath dominion—
   For more than conquerors we are!
3. His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
   Believe Him, and all will be well:
   Then go to a world that is dying,
   His perfect salvation to tell!

Kelly's Thrifty Tips

In the spirit of all things Christmas, I thought it would be nice to again give some link ups to some awesome homemade items you can make for Christmas for decorating, gifting, or enjoying on your own.

CHRISTMAS COOKIES

I love Christmas cookie exchanges. I used to work at an orthodontic practice back in Rhode Island, and we used to have an cookie exchange with all the assistants. This was such a great way to kick off the holiday. Here are a couple of recipes for you to try and maybe share with your own exchange or maybe wrap up as gifts for neighbors or coworkers.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

I got this recipe from Kellogg's. These are great because they are tasty and a no bake cookie!

Magic Cookie Bars

I get this recipe of the Eagle's Brand Sweetened Condensed milk every year. My son is an absolute nut for these cookies. Our only change is that we do not use margarine, we use real butter and we use chopped pecans. My son hates nuts, but he will polish these cookies off.

Butterball Cookies

These were a cookie staple back East. In fact, I had never even eaten a cookie like this until I lived in Rhode Island, but now I am hooked.

CHRISTMAS DECORATING

According to Good Housekeeping you can save money and maximize your decorating dollars by decorating just at the focal points in your home. These would be the front door, mantel, tree (of course) and dining table.

If you can't afford to pick up a wreath ask the person selling the Christmas trees if you can gather some of the greenery to make a wreath or use in as a centerpiece on your table or on your mantle. Most will be happy to let you take some for free.

Good Housekeeping has some cool wreath pictures that could spark some great ideas. Follow the link below.

LINK: Good Housekeeping Wreaths

How Cast has a really cool CD wreath. I am including a link to their instructional video. It is beyond something I would do, but still pretty cool.

LINK: Howcast.com How to Make a Christmas Wreath out of old CDs

Last week I was all about checking out the Black Friday deals. For the most part, I didn't go crazy, but there were things I wanted at several stores so it meant being up and shopping at midnight. Of course I am not done yet. I will be doing some final shopping online. I have about $130 in Amazon gift credits thanks to searching through Swagbucks, and I signed up for Amazon Mom and have free shipping for one more month. And for those orders that are not related to Amazon, I will take advantage of Free Shipping Day. Free Shipping Day is Friday, December 17, and according to the website freeshippingday.com more than 1,000 participating merchants will offer free shipping with delivery by Christmas Eve (YES by Christmas Eve) in the continental United States. Make sure that the store of your choice is listed by hopping over to their website.

LINK: Free Shipping Day

Here is a great website for you to check out today. Today, tomorrow and the next even. Let's face it, it is Christmas season, and we are all doing a lot of shopping. You want to take advantage of all the deals you can find, and What's Cheap Today is going to help you do just that. What's Cheap Today has loads of deals found by members which will lead you to some serious money saving! Follow the link below. You will definitely like what you see.

LINK: What's Cheap Today



FREEBIES

Whiles supplies last, sign up for a free sample of Elizabeth Arden's perfume Pretty. I love trying out new fragrances over the holidays. It gives me a chance to figure out what I want for Christmas!

LINK: Pretty - Elizabeth Arden

Are you a recipe lover? If so you should sign up for this free Karo recipe booklet for cookies and bars.

LINK: Karo Recipe Book

If you are thinking that Thanksgiving and all the upcoming parties before Christmas are going to take their toll in the calorie department, you just might want to sign up for The Atkins Community. Sign up is totally free. With sign up you will get a quick start guide, three Atkins bar and lots more.

LINK: Atkins Community

Take care of the winter dry skin in a pinch with a quick free sample of Vaseline Intensive Rescue. Walmart has the link up while supplies last.

LINK: Vaseline Intensive Rescue

This Friday at noon EST you can get a chance at one of 5000 Tide Stain Release Pre-treat sprays via their Facebook page. They will be giving out lots of products over the next several weeks so if you miss out on this one you can try for the next.

LINK: Tide Facebook

Got a dog or a cat? Sign up for a sample of Purina ONE at the Walmart link below. There are three page numbers. Click on number 3.

LINK: Purina ONE


Oh how I love free music! I found several free song downloads you just have to check out from Amazon.com

Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Dream Child

Sixpence None The Richer - Silent Night

Veggie Tales -
Candy Cane Blues
For Unto Us A Child Is Born
Caroling Medly

FreeCCM of course is one of my favorite go-to spots for free Christian music, and this week they have another awesome song. This week you can download "God With Us" by Todd Agnew, "Joy To The World" by 33Miles, "Best Kept Secret" by Skillet, "Send Me Out" by Fee, and "Between Bare Trees" by The Choir. Follow the link below.

LINK: FreeCCM Christian Music




Okay this next group is not free but a great price for a CD download. How good? How about five dollars good? Right now you can download these CDs at Amazon.com for just $5.00.

Jars of Clay Presents The Shelter

Tenth Avenue North The Light Meets The Dark

Third Day Offerings A Worship Album

Chris Sligh The Anatomy Of Broken

Leeland Sound of Melodies

Michael W Smith Worship Again

Barlow Girl Home For Christmas

Sara Groves O Holy Night

Amy Grant My Best Christmas

Christ Is Come Big Daddy Weave

Build A Bear is a store that I only wish was around when I was a child. As it is, I made my own lamb several years, and she still sits prominently on one of my shelves. If you have a child who would like to build a bear or maybe needs some new outfits for their bear (or other cute little critter) then click on the link below for a printable coupon for $5.00 off a $25 purchase.

LINK: Build A Bear $5.00 Printable



GIVEAWAY




Okay. Everyone also knows that I love giveaways. One of my favorite review blogs is Simply Stacie and she is hosting a giveaway hop that seriously you need to check out. The giveaway runs from December 1st to December 5th. All the giveaways are gift certificates, gift cards, gift codes for websites or cash. This is so they can all be easily sent and in a timely manner. The entries are designed to be quick so you can enter them quickly. At just a quick glance I saw a $25 Visa gift card, a $20 gift code to Amazon.com, a $100 gift code to CSN stores, and lots more. Give it a shot. :)

LINK: Holiday Gift Giveaway Hop

God Revealing His Word-Jesus

Don’t Miss The Real Christmas

God Revealing His Word-JESUS

Jesus is unique, The Second Person of The Godhead. The Eternal Word is a person and that person is The Son of The Living God. He was never created. He had no beginning. The heaven-sent Son of God is The Only source of Eternal Life through Grace (undeserved Favour), He is The Word of God. Jesus has Eternal Life in Himself. He is Eternally Alive.

The Bible reveals that the Word of God is not a characteristic of God, but single within the Godhead, being The Son of God dwelling with God before Creation began. The Word, as The Son of God, existed in His own right. From Eternity He has not been distinct from within The Godhead.

TLB John 1:1-5 Before anything else existed, there was Christ, with God. 2 He has always been alive and is himself God. 3 He created everything there is--nothing exists that he didn't make. 4 Eternal life is in him, and this life gives light to all mankind. 5 His life is the light that shines through the darkness--and the darkness can never extinguish it.

NIV John 1:1-5
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was with God in the beginning.
3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
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God is concerned with the disclosure of Himself to mankind.

The Word of God is the Name of Jesus Christ. Eternal Truth is embodied in The Word. The Word spoke to the prophets of The Old Testament and Christ is the Spirit of prophecy. In Christ, God has expressed Himself to mankind. Christ's words have Sovereign power and as God's Word so is Christ, trustworthy, true, flawless, infallible, obeyed by angels, eternal, pre-existent, exalted above all things, it is living, active and enduring. The Word of God restrains evil, heals and rescues, saves and brought about The Kingdom of God.

The Bible reveals the Word of God and that Word was in the beginning, was with God and is God. Jesus being The Word of Life, is a straight forward declaration of Christ's deity, since The Word is used to describe Jesus. The Word is the very quality of God although still retaining personal distinction from God the Father. The fullness of The Godhead and Christ the Word, are recognized. The Word possessed nothing less than full deity. The Universe was made by The Word of God, who is Jesus Christ, the second person of The Godhead. God's Word has sovereign power.

Christianity is not a legal system or religious rituals, but a commitment to a Living Person. It was what Jesus has done for mankind personally. Religious ceremony cannot change a person because there is no life in it. The Word of God has the power to create, to sustain all of creation, has the power to heal, the power to give new birth, the power to judge the thoughts and attitudes of the hearts of mankind, the power to save people, to make believers holy, to give faith and hope to mankind and the power to fight against the enemy.

· Jesus is the Creative Word of God

· He is The Word of Life

· The Victorious Word, He has overcome Death

· Jesus is “The Word” embodied in flesh; invested with a body of a human form.

God's Word is exalted above all else, and is the two edged Sword of the Spirit. Christ is God's Word and is reliable, true, flawless, alive and active, eternal, enduring and will not return empty. To know Jesus, and listen to what He has declared and expounded about God, the Father, is to know as much as humans can know, what people are capable of knowing until He shall be seen as He is, when He appears at His Second Coming.

But you say “Jesus isn't there for me to see and focus on as He was for those who lived during His time on Earth??”

When you have your mind fully occupied by God's Word it's the same as having it fully focused on Jesus. How can this be? This is because Jesus is the incarnation of God's Word.

Let me give you a practical example of how this works. Let's say your capabilities are being stretched to the limit. You can live above the tension or pressure of this by focusing your mind on Jesus. How? By focusing your mind on a Word of God that He gives you in the Bible like this one,

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

The Word is the Voice of Jesus Our Savior and Lord. The Living Word! He speaks to His Children in His Word. Turn to that Word and hear Him Speak to You Now!