Winner of a Signed Copy of Anita Higmans Book !!!!

Raven Threads  will you please get back to me with your mailing address, You are the winner of the signed copy of Anita Higmans book " A Marriage in Middlebury " !!!!!!!!!!

I will be emailing you, but if you could email me at faithfulacresbooks @gmail.com

with your Full Name and Mailing Address, so that I can send it along to Anita and she will mail your copy out ASAP !!!! Congratulations !!!!!

~Linda~

 

The Quilted Heart Omnibus

The Quilted Heart Omnibus



Coming The Week of January 20th ! This is a Story you won't want to miss !!!!

Tea & Coffee Review Giveaway Hop Sign Up ! Hosted by Jubilee Reviews

Come one , Come All !  Here is a fun way for you to promote your Blog, and your Coffee and Tea loving addiction !  Join the Fun !!!

Sign up at  A Year of Jubilee Reviews Today !

Details
Dates: January 22 thru Feb 5th 2014
Prize Requirements: Minimum prize amount of $20.00. You can have multiple prize packages as long as each is over $20. Prize must be coffee/tea related. This can be actual coffee/tea, makers, mugs, calendars with these on it, decor, notecards... you get the drift. Doesn't have to be edible to be included!
Hashtag: #Coffee&Tea

There are no promotion requirements for joining, but I would REALLY appreciate your help in getting the word out. The more on the giveaway, the more readers we get blog exposure with!
Post on FB, Twitter and if you are really excited, copy and paste this blog post and put it on your blog with links to sign up!

Please put the image above on your blog post to help promote. You will have to save it to your site and link back here for sign ups! Not mandatory!

There is no Facebook Group you need to join, I am just going to be sending out an Email with suggested introduction, the linky and any other information I come up with between now and then.

To Sign Up:
Add your blog to the Linky
Grab the image above and put it on your blog (if you would like to, not mandatory)
Help promote #Coffee&Tea
Secure a sponsor for your Giveaway

Annual Tea & Coffee Review Blogger Sign UP!

Buy One Get One Free !!!! December Only !!! SchoolhouseTeachers.com

Time is flying fast !!!!  Don't miss out on this Awesome Deal !!!!

Two Memberships for the price of One !

Only $ 139.00

That is right ... No matter what your family size , your whole family can use the website and right now you can get  a  Membership for another family you know free ! When you purchase your own Membership !  It will be a blessing to any homeschooling family or even a family not homeschooling currently who may want music lessons, art lessons or another feature offered on the site... Where can you find Guitar Lessons with a well known Teacher, Artist like Jerry Jennings or voilin, recorder or voice lessons even for $139.00 ?

Nowhere that I know of right !!!!

So what is stopping you ?

You and Another Family will be Awesomely Blessed !

No better way to start the New Year !!!

just click on the button and it will take you to the site to learn what is there for you and others to enjoy !

Blessings

Linda

The God Puzzle by Valerie Ackermann

THE GOD PUZZLE BY VALERIE ACKERMANN

Author: Valerie Ackermann

Too many kids are leaving the faith. Walking away from church. Sunday school isn’t enough to give them what they need. Kids need depth. Answers. Time to think things through. They need the pieces put together to point them to Christ Who is our greatest Treasure. There just isn’t time in Sunday school alone.

Parents are called to teach their children, but what if you are not a teacher? What if you don’t know enough? No more guilt, no more frustration over feeling inadequate. With Valerie’s Ackermann‘s resource, The God Puzzle, you will find real help and tools … to teach about a real God.

{MORE ABOUT THE GOD PUZZLE}

The God Puzzle is a colorful, easy to use tool to help you communicate to your child the rich truths about God, His ways, His will and His love. The God Puzzle will help you address doctrinal themes of the Christian faith in a kid friendly way, present Bible lessons in an interactive way that will hold the child’s attention and deliver quality teaching with no preparation needed. 75% of children leave the church when they leave home. Something isn’t working. Sunday School isn’t doing it all. Kids need answers, good ones. And they need them from you, the parent. This book enables you to give them simple, clear answers.

What makes The God Puzzle unique?

- ready made discussion questions for parent to ask their child in each lesson

- can be done at any pace that works with your family…every night, once a week, 10 minutes here, 30 minutes there…it fits into realistic family life

- puts the pieces together for a child to understand God, the Bible, and the Christian faith

- in each lesson the responds to the truth so they understand their relationship to God is personal and life transforming

- any parent, whether they know nothing, or a lot about God can start teaching their child today with no prep

- deep theology put into language a child can understand

- deeply Biblical, each lesson points to Christ

- put in an order that starts with creation, and teaches the Bible as one story that all points to Christ

- child stays engaged by filling in blanks, crosswords, drawing, matching and using their Bibles as they learn

Purchase a copy here.

Learn more at Valerie’s website.

{MORE ABOUT VALERIE ACKERMANN}

Valerie Ackermann has a BA in Theology and has been a full time Children’s Ministry Director at Parkwood Community Church in California for over 10 years. She is also a weekly Sunday school teacher, wife, and busy mom of two boys ages 9 and 11. She has hands-on experience as a children’s ministry professional, teaching and leading children of all ages. Growing up in a Christian family in the small town of Saskatchewan Canada, she has wonderful memories of knowing God from an early age. She has a passion for kids to know the deep truths of God. Find out more at LeadMeToGod.com.

Find out more about Valerie at  http://leadmetogod.com.

My Review:

~   After years of using different things to teach my children about God, finally there is something to grab their attention! Not for just an hour a week, but for 36 weeks of study about God. We are using this in our homeschool and so love it! The children love the way Theo and Christy are there throughout the study and the colors in the book keep their attention.  This study requires the children to use their bible and think through things about God, Themselves, Sin, God's Plan and it covers all the topics you really want your children to know to grow in God and Faith. It shows them how to have a faith that is not dead, one that shows forth God's love and how to let their light shine! I cannot think of a better way to spend 20.00 on your child.  It is a workbook to use and not just a book to read.  We are using it as a weekly study into God’s Word and His Character, as well as who we really are and how sin affects our lives.  I think the best thing we can do for our children is teach them who God is and what is plan is for our lives. This is a book that will bring blessings on Your Home, Your Child, and will let them know that God really cares!

~ I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review and have recieved no further compensation for doing so.

~ Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow !!!! ~

We woke up this morning to a chilly 3 degrees F Brrrr ! House as a bit chilly but its warmed up nicely in here now that I loaded the wood furnace. I have spent my morning cleaning, dusting and organizing in the kitchen this morning ! I made a list of all the herbs I have and intend to start studying more so about using herbs and essential oils, so I will be sharing with you as I do the books I am using for information on the herbs and such. I am thinking I am going to add these posts to a new website I am working on and eventually make it visible for you all to use in the future.

I know your saying what on earth is all that on the shelf right  ?  Well let see, so far on bottom shelf is herbal and nutritional books and binders filled with homesteading ideaas and old newsletters I got , no longer in print that I am aware of.  ie. Women of Simplicity, New Harvest Homestead, pages from Sarah's Promise and An Encouraging Word.  Amish Quilting patterns and other such wonderful stuff.  Next shelf up is Cook Books, Amish, Mennonite, bulk and Healthy ones.  The next shelf up is all my back issues of Coming Home Journal, Keepers at Home and other Mags I really like.  Top Shelf left is small cookbooks, apple box filled with other mag. articles, Plain interest newspapers and  Pioneer Magazine and to the right is recipe clippings that will be going into a scrapbook I am working on.  The taller shelves are filled with Herbs and soon all my other herbal, essential oil, nutritional healing books.  I highly recommend  books by Dr and Mrs Balch,  Shonda Parker Prof. Cert. Herbalist , Dr David Frahm  ND , and various other books and periodicals.

One thing I need to get is a mortar and pestal for doing the herbs and more essential oils and carrier oils and bottles to mix in  along with other nutritional things.

I  also mixed up our pancake mix in bulk this morning !

Have lots to  do, so until later !

Blessings

~ Linda ~

SchoolhouseTeachers.com Review

I am excited today to be sharing with you the " Yearly Membership Option" for the website www.SchoolhouseTeachers.com part of The Old Schoolhouse.  Are you a Homeschooling mom feeling the pressures of teaching multiple grades at one time ? Is the health and care of someone in your family making it hard to keep up with teaching your children and your housework? Do you run a home based business as a family that you need to devote more time to ? Are you finding it hard to make ends meet ? Are you a single parent family ?  Are you a new Homeschooling family who is not quite sure where to start ?

As a homeschooling Mom of 7 myself,  ages 30 down to 5.  I can relate to much of the above situations and more.  We have dealt with me as a single mom, health issues of my children and those of myself and my dear husband.  We are well aware that life gets in the  way!  I remember saying to my husband " There has to be a better and easier way".  I have always kept searching for the answers to making my home and homeschool run more efficiently and give me the time I needed to accomplish other things that needed to be done. I also was looking for a way to save us money in many areas of our Family Life.

What if I told you there is a place where all you had to do was spend a small amount of time choosing classes you wanted to teach, downloading a few papers for your children to do ?  or Set up a video for them to watch ?   How would you feel if you could go online, point, click and your children would be learning their studies ?  www.SchoolhouseTeachers.com is just the place !

With  Dailies, daily lessons and unit studies it is so easy! It combines online learning with expert teachers from an international teachers base to offer you the following things and much more !  One blessing is The Applecore system to keep all your records and attendance right online.  Access to Homeschool Expos with well-known speakers to encourage and uplift you as a homeschooling parent.  Archived Teacher lessons making it easy to go back and find just what you need for each individual child.  Course Checklists and a Reading List make it very efficient to use these online lessons.  Your older children can even maneuver through the site to access  self-directed studies.  Also each month of your membership you will receive access to free ebooks ! We love ebooks for my kindle that the children use for school.

The site contains learning for grades K-12 !

 Well, I  have just the answer for you !

All for a yearly membership of $139.00 , no matter what your family size is !

We found so much content that we are using.  Not just for the children, but also for myself as a mom.  I personally  am learning more about family nutrition , planning a menu and healthy foods.  My children are helping me with the planning and preparing of meals.  The whole family can learn things together ! Isn't that exciting ?  We are learning music with some of the best teachers,  learning Guitar with Jerry Jennings. The children really love music and are using their Dad's guitar to practice the guitar lessons.    Being an Art Major myself, the Art lessons in Various mediums like, Pencil, Colored Pencil, Water colors, Chalk and Oil Pastels really appealed to me and my daughters show much talent in drawing.  We are going to be getting some new art supplies tomorrow to continue doing the art lessons and this is something very enjoyable for the girls who love to create and design things.  I love that we can learn these together and I get to choose what we do, which truly makes this parent-led education.   I am enjoying using Elementary Math, Reading, Science with the children. There is even Sewing Historical Costumes , that the girls and I are thinking may be fun to make some clothing to go with our history and reading during certain time periods ! Since part of our history is American Girls, the girls have asked if they could design their own dresses and things and will be doing the historical clothing lessons.  What makes our classroom come more alive is being able to do things like this and my reading to the children from historical fiction  and non fiction books that we have.  I am excited to watch history come alive for the children as we make the period clothing and cook period dishes from our cookbooks and books.  We have not had a lot of time to  use the website as of yet, as I took sick a week ago when the assignment was received.   So we have been reading and discussing what we would like to do in the coming weeks.   While I am sick I have been able to listen to EXPOS  and using a few papers from the site to introduce the children to what is available.  I have been doing a lot of research  this past week.      I am really excited and blessed to be able to be using SchoolhouseTeachers.com this  New Year!  It is worth every penny spent and I cannot say that about all the curriculum I have gone through over the last 23 years of homeschooling my children and that means allot to us.

Right now for December there is a wonderful SPECIAL !

Buy a membership for your family and get a free membership to give to another homeschool family or friend !

Isn't that Great !!!

Click Here for This Special 

Growing Home Blog: I am a Feminist.

The call to Godly Womanhood and Femininity, What is a true Feminist according to God's Standards ?  Who made us ? Who can truely define us ?  You will want to read this article  !

Growing Home Blog: I am a Feminist..

Giveaway !!!!! Signed Copy of Anita Higmans book !!!!

This is my own personal giveaway of One  copy of Anita Higmans book " A Marriage in Middlebury " !!!! For a chance to win this copy, just leave a comment below  and one winner will be chosen at random and prize mailed to you by yours truely,  to start your New Year !!!   Enteries for this giveaway end on Dec. 24th, winner to be announced shortly thereafter !  Good Luck to All !    (  Hold the presses !!!!!  After attending Anita's  Tea Party the other night I told her I was going to giveaway a copy of her book ! She has graciously offered to send a copy of her book signed by her directly to the winner !!!!  )   So you will be recieving a signed copy straight from Anita herself !!!!

To be entered:  In Comments share with me your favorite Kind of Tea !

Let the giveaway begin !!!!!

~ Blessings~

Linda

A Marriage in Middlebury by Anita Higman and Giveaway !

About the book: One decision changed both their lives . . . but will love win in the end? Charlotte Rose Hill enjoys a comfortable life serving up country delicacies, uniquely blended teas, and matchmaking advice for her quirky, devoted customers. The only thing lacking is someone to share it with. At eighteen she denied Sam Wilder's marriage proposal after his family convinced her to walk away from their relationship. They both moved on . . . or so she thought. When Sam walks back into her life more than a decade later, Charlotte is surprised that her heart still quickens. But is it because of his presence? Or because of the presence of Sam's new fiancée? A second chance at love doesn't happen often, but their past may keep them apart. Is it too late for Sam and Charlotte?

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/qPbkU

Meet the author: Best-selling and award-winning author, Anita Higman, has over thirty books published (several coauthored) for adults and children. She's been a Barnes & Noble "Author of the Month" for Houston and has a BA degree, combining speech communication, psychology, and art. Anita loves good movies, exotic teas, and brunch with her friends.

Connect with Anita at: http://anitahigman.com

Anita Higman is celebrating the release of her latest book, A Marriage in Middlebury, with a double Kindle Fire giveaway (one for you & one to give away!) and a "Tea for Two" Facebook Author Chat Party on December 12th.

My Review
 I really love this story, its filled with a bit of suspense, romance and will make you laugh just a little too. I love the way Anita makes all the characters stories fit together.  Everyone of them matters and Charlotte's caring heart and cups of tea soothes each of their lives. Will Charlotte get a chance at happiness in her life and have someone to share life with ? This is a sweet story for the Tea lover or anyone who also has a caring heart.  I will recommend it highly to all my friends. You can learn more about the Author and Book  here  http://litfusegroup.com/author/ahigman

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book  for my honest review.

One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire for you AND a friend


• A Marriage in Middlebury by Anita Higman (one to keep and one to give away!)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on December 12th. Winner will be announced at the "Tea for Two" Facebook Author Chat Party on December 12th. Invite your friends and connect with Anita for an evening of book chat, prizes, and an exclusive look at Anita's next book!

So grab your copy of A Marriage in Middlebury and join Anita on the evening of December 12th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by clicking JOIN at the event page. Spread the word — tell your friends about the giveaway and party via FACEBOOK or TWITTER. Hope to see you on 12/12!

Stones for Bread by Christa Parrish and Giveaway !

About the book: A solitary artisan. A legacy of bread-baking. And one secret that could collapse her entire identity.Liesl McNamara's life can be described in one word: bread. From her earliest memory, her mother and grandmother passed down the mystery of baking and the importance of this deceptively simple food. And now, as the owner of Wild Rise bake house, Liesl spends every day up to her elbows in dough, nourishing and perfecting her craft.But the simple life she has cultivated is becoming quite complicated. Her head baker brings his troubled grandson into the bakeshop as an apprentice. Her waitress submits her recipes to a popular cable cooking show. And the man who delivers her flour --- a single father with strange culinary

habits --- seems determined to win Liesl's affection.When Wild Rise is featured on television, her quiet existence appears a thing of the past. And then a phone call from a woman claiming to be her half-sister forces Liesl to confront long-hidden secrets in her family's past. With her precious heritage crumbling around her, the baker must make a choice: allow herself to be buried in detachment and remorse, or take a leap of faith into a new life.

Purchase your copy: http://ow.ly/qPvoG

Meet the author: Christa Parrish is the award-winning author of three novels, including the 2009 ECPA Fiction Book of the Year Watch Over Me. When she's not writing, she's a homeschool mother of three wonderful children. Married to author and pastor Chris Coppernoll, Christa serves with him as co-leader of their church's youth ministry as well as serving as a facilitator for a divorce recovery ministry. She is now also slightly obsessed with the art of baking bread.

Learn more about Christa at: http://christaparrish.com

My Review:

~Being a homemaker and also a baker of wonderful things,  I so loved this book for its ability to make me feel , smell and imagine the divine taste of the breads made.  I also loved the way it starts out as a child's eye view of everything that's going on. I love the recipes shared for the artisan breads and will be trying to bake them myself. I highly recommend this book to anyone who bakes and loves to be in the kitchen ! Christa has done a wonderful job at writing what is actually enjoyed in the baking process and I will recommend it to all my baking friends ! Its is a wonderful story and a sweet cookbook.  To learn more about The author, the book and the blog tour please visit  http://litfusegroup.com/author/cparrish

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review.

Christa Parrish is celebrating her fourth novel, Stones for Bread, with a KitchenAid Mixer giveaway.

Easy steps to enter:

1. Follow Christa Parrish and TNZ Fiction on Pinterest.

2. Then Pin the Stones for Bread book cover (below), the contest graphic (above), or both, and link to this post (using this URL: #StonesforBread KitchenAid Mixer Contest #ChristaParrish http://litfusegroup.com/campaigns/stones-for-bread-by-christa-parrish).

3. Then fill out THIS SHORT FORM to let us know. (There are also some additional ways to earn extra entries, as well as an option for non-Pinterest users. It's true—people like that do exist!)

Questions? Email info @ litfusegroup dot com.

Winner will be announced on 12/9 on Christa's Facebook Page.

Stones for Bread KitchenAid Mixer Giveaway from Christa Parrish! Pin It & Win It!

Christa Parrish is celebrating her fourth novel, Stones for Bread, with a KitchenAid Mixer giveaway.

Easy steps to enter:

1. Follow Christa Parrish and TNZ Fiction on Pinterest.

2. Then Pin the Stones for Bread book cover (below), the contest graphic (above), or both, and link to this post (using this URL: #StonesforBread KitchenAid Mixer Contest #ChristaParrish http://litfusegroup.com/campaigns/stones-for-bread-by-christa-parrish).

3. Then fill out THIS SHORT FORM to let us know. (There are also some additional ways to earn extra entries, as well as an option for non-Pinterest users. It's true—people like that do exist!)

Questions? Email info @ litfusegroup dot com.

Winner will be announced on 12/9 on Christa's Facebook Page.

 

My Invitation to You !

I wanted each of you to have the opportunity to improve your health with natural, no GMO's, Cold Processed Vitamins and Products from Shaklee !  I use these products and have for years. There is the offer of free shipping on orders of 200.00 currently going on.  As we approach a new year, let us think on bettering our health and our relationships !  May your Holiday Season be a wonderful one and May your New Year be Happy and Full of Good Health and Joyful and Prosperous Days !  Let me know if I can be of any help to you in bettering your health or any other area you may need answers to.

Please Visit my website and see if there is something there that you could use and better your health with that will  be of higher quality and save you money on your health needs.

http://faithfulacres.myshaklee.com/us/en/shop.s.html.

~ Blessings ~

Linda

Women Living Well Find Your Joy in God, Your Man, Your Kids, and Your Home By Courtney Joseph

Women desire to live well. However, living well in this modern world is a challenge. The pace of life, along with the new front porch of social media, has changed the landscape of our lives. Women have been told for far too long that being on the go and accumulating more things will make their lives full. As a result, we grasp for the wrong things in life and come up empty.

God created us to walk with him; to know him and to be loved by him. He is our living well and when we drink from the water he continually provides, it will change us. Our marriages, our parenting, and our homemaking will be transformed.

Mommy-blogger Courtney Joseph is a cheerful realist. She tackles the challenge of holding onto vintage values in a modern world, starting with the keys to protecting our walk with God. No subject is off-limits as she moves on to marriage, parenting, and household management.

Rooted in the Bible, her practical approach includes tons of tips that are perfect for busy moms, including:

• Simple Solutions for Studying God’s Word


• How to Handle Marriage, Parenting, and Homemaking in a Digital Age


• 10 Steps to Completing Your Husband


• Dealing With Disappointed Expectations in Motherhood


• Creating Routines that Bring Rest


• Pursuing the Discipline and Diligence of the Proverbs 31 Woman

There is nothing more important than fostering your faith, building your marriage, training your children, and creating a haven for your family. Women Living Well is a clear and personal guide to making the most of these precious responsibilities.

~ My Review

I really enjoyed this book and will recommend it to all my women friends.  I so needed to read this book as it touches on all the areas of my life and answers questions Wives and Moms have about everything we do.  It is written with real heart and in a godly way that any woman seeking the Lord's leading will enjoy.  It is everything  I imagined it would be and more.  Please read this book if your feeling burned out , it will change your life !

This book was really put together well and prayerfully thought over while written.  She makes it very clear how we can attain a Joyful life in God, our Husband and our Children.  She knows how to make a happy home.  I would have liked to had the paperback of this book, but reviewed using kindle format.   I only enjoyed the kindle format as it is easier for me to hold onto with my tendinitis in my arm being bad, so the plus is that you can listen to the book using text to speech.  The author really makes a wonderful spiritual stand using bible references and biblical standards.  All in all I am very pleased with this book and will be sharing it with my friends.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com® <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Mona Hodgson's Blog Featuring Me ! Linda Finn

In honor of Mona's book " The Quilted Heart" Omnibus coming out, she is doing a monday feature for the next two months on the historic art of quilting !  Today starts the series and I am her first quilter to join the fun !  I hope you will check it out and leave us a comment and share with us those in your family or your own quilting adventures.  Mona is looking for quilters to feature in this wonderful series.   I also hope you will get this wonderful series of hers in her book, it is a wonderful read ! For you ladies who yearn for and love the lost arts, It is a must read !  http://monahodgson.com/2013/12/guest-quilter-1/



Links are on Mona's blog for getting this book, A must for all quilters and quilting guilds !

Blessings

Linda

 

 

Coming Soon ! " Until That Distant Day " by Jill Stengl

Jill is  having a wonderful giveaway on her site !

~Go Enter ~

GIVEAWAY!!

I am also delighted to offer a bundle prize of ten print novels and novellas, including my award-winning Faithful Traitor, several novella collections, and my three-book Longtree series. These will all be autographed! (US and Canada only, please.)

Paris, France

1792

Colette DeMer and her brother Pascoe are two sides of the same coin, dependent upon one another in the tumultuous world of the new Republic. Together they labor with other leaders of the sans-culottes to ensure freedom for all the downtrodden men and women of France.

But then the popular uprisings turn bloody and the rhetoric proves false. Suddenly, Colette finds herself at odds with Pascoe and struggling to unite her fractured family against the lure of violence. Charged with protecting an innocent young woman and desperately afraid of losing one of her beloved brothers, Colette doesn’t know where to turn or whom to trust as the bloodshed creeps ever closer to home.

Until that distant day when peace returns to France, can she find the strength to defend her loved ones . . . even from one another?    You can read the opening of the  first chapter  and see just how exciting it will be !

Coming April 25, 2014

About Jill

Jill Stengl is the author of numerous romance novels including Inspirational Reader's Choice Award- and Carol Award-winning Faithful Traitor, and the bestselling novella, Fresh Highland Heir. She lives with her husband in the beautiful North woods of Wisconsin, where she enjoys her three cats, teaching a high school English Lit. class, playing keyboard for her church family, and sipping coffee on the deck as she brainstorms  for  her next novel.

Jill's Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jill-Stengl

Jill's Other Books

• Faithful Traitor


• Time for a Miracle


• Myles from Anywhere


• Lonely in Longtree


• A Prairie Christmas Collection


• Highland Legacy


• Wisconsin Brides


• A Child of Promise

~ This and That ~ My kids and grand-kids last year at Thanksgiving Time !

Thanksgiving

http://www.scholastic.com/scholastic_thanksgiving/

http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/immigration/index.htm

http://www.motherhoodonadime.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/gratitude_journal.pdf

Stones for Bread KitchenAid Mixer Giveaway from Christa Parrish! Pin It & Win It!

Christa Parrish is celebrating her fourth novel, Stones for Bread, with a KitchenAid Mixer giveaway.

Easy steps to enter:

1. Follow Christa Parrish and TNZ Fiction on Pinterest.

2. Then Pin the Stones for Bread book cover (below), the contest graphic (above), or both, and link to this post (using this URL: #StonesforBread KitchenAid Mixer Contest #ChristaParrish http://litfusegroup.com/campaigns/stones-for-bread-by-christa-parrish).

3. Then fill out THIS SHORT FORM to let us know. (There are also some additional ways to earn extra entries, as well as an option for non-Pinterest users. It's true—people like that do exist!)

Questions? Email info @ litfusegroup dot com.

Winner will be announced on 12/9 on Christa's Facebook Page.

A MARRIAGE IN MIDDLEBURY | ENTER Anita Higman’s Double Kindle Fire Giveaway & RSVP for “Tea for Two” 12/12 Facebook Party!

Anita Higman is celebrating the release of her latest book, A Marriage in Middlebury, with a double Kindle Fire giveaway (one for you & one to give away!) and a "Tea for Two" Facebook Author Chat Party on December 12th.

One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire for you AND a friend


• A Marriage in Middlebury by Anita Higman (one to keep and one to give away!)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on December 12th. Winner will be announced at the "Tea for Two" Facebook Author Chat Party on December 12th. Invite your friends and connect with Anita for an evening of book chat, prizes, and an exclusive look at Anita's next book!

So grab your copy of A Marriage in Middlebury and join Anita on the evening of December 12th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by clicking JOIN at the event page. Spread the word — tell your friends about the giveaway and party via FACEBOOK or TWITTER. Hope to see you on 12/12!

" The Old Schoolhouse Magazine "

I hope you enjoy my review of  ” The Old Schoolhouse Magazine ”, I wanted to come and share this with you as there was so much that I enjoyed in the November/December issue.  When I first received this issue, I thought well I don’t do Christmas like everyone else, so I wasn't sure what I would fine in there for us to use.   Well I was pleasantly surprised!  I found many things that not only are of use to us, but also a lot that made me think about our homeschooling adventure.  I have felt like we were in a rut at times lately, but the magazine let me know that I wasn't alone and that there were many ways to change what we were doing and get us out of our rut.  Let me share some of the things I found in this issue, that really were a blessing to me.

A little history for you first, this is my 24th year of homeschooling. I have 4 older children who are already on their own ages 20, 24, 27 and 30.  They were home-schooled till high school and some went on to attend christian school, public school and my oldest son went on to just take the GED test and graduated.  We are a very blended family.  I was married for 14 years, had children, went through a divorce and then two years later remarried.  My husband and I have three little ones ages 11, 10 and 5.  So I feel like I started over and I really did.  When I married again, my youngest of the older ones was 9 and then I started having more children.  Sometimes at 49 years old, I feel like I am burning out, I didn't want to but I was.   God knew what I needed and I think it was this issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine!

Before I even opened the magazine, I was intrigued by the cover shot of the old red schoolhouse,  being the artist and country loving woman I am,   I really loved the photo used of the Old schoolhouse  and enjoyed the story written inside about that schoolhouse.  Also to see one of the articles inside was ” 8 Reading Strategies that Work ” grabbed my attention,  you see we had a slow start in learning to read with my girls.  Faith 11 never started reading very well until 2 years ago.  We never knew she needed glasses, so when we learned she did and she got some I felt like we flew through a lot of learning to read lessons.  Hope 10 was already reading pretty well.  Daniel 5 is learning a bit slower, but that is OK.  So it truly blessed me that there was something new in there for us.  Throughout the magazine there were articles on Loving Reading, 10 Tips for teaching reading and programs for learning to read to try, what a blessing!

With all the world events we had been talking about the Constitution lately and we saw there was a lesson on the Fifth Amendment, We believe it is important to learn the founding laws of the land, before we forget and loose them.  It seems today we are facing loosing our rights guaranteed in the Constitution.   We found this a nice addition to our home and now we will be reading the back issues and teaching them to our children.  Thank you TOS!

One of the things we are striving to do is teach our children to serve others, to desire to want to help others in life.  So finding an article also on Teaching Children to serve was a nice plus. We want our children to have godly character and a servant’s heart and be like Christ.

I read the articles also on this holiday season , the article on gifts for your children was full of items that could be used year round and not just something for that day or week, this impressed me as we are always seeking to find things that are usable all year.  I loved the article about Creating Holiday Fun with Little Ones, we got to learn a recipe for Friendship Trail Mix, and we made our own cards after reading Creating Homemade cards and made Homemade Sugar Scrub.  Awesome gifts to give to others and can be done year round for Arts and Crafts.

TOS not only met my needs where I am with my little ones but it also went on to address high schooling, dual enrollment, it even touched on parents going back to college.  So no matter where you are in your walk in homeschooling or in life, TOS is your magazine!

Did you know that TOS has an app!  The benefits of TOS to your homeschooling and your life are just so many and to me that is such a benefit to our family and our homeschooling adventure.  I don’t feel alone, I don’t feel like were behind or stuck in a rut anymore.  There is help out there and a lot of it is free!  Who doesn't need that?  Everyone needs The Old Schoolhouse Magazine! It touches on every subject in homeschooling and in life!  I highly recommend this magazine to all Homeschooling Families and Moms! You can learn more about The Old Schoolhouse Magazine pick up their App for your Apple, Android or Kindle and make this Magazine part of your life today!  


If you would like to read more reviews like mine written by others on the Schoolhouse Review Crew you can do so by going to www.SchoolhouseReviewCrew.com and subscribe to the newsletter and receive them in your inbox and don’t forget to be social and follow them on Facebook, twitter or RSS feed.

Until next time

~ Linda ~

Helpful Links

Main Website :  www.TheOldSchoolhouse.com

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine: www.TOSMagazine.com

The Schoolhouse Review Crew: www.SchoolhouseReviewCrew.com

The Old Schoolhouse Apps: www.TOSApps.com



 

Anita Higman talks about " A Merry Little Christmas" on Novel Crossings

I hope you enjoy this talk Anita Higman gives about " A Merry Little Christmas" on Novel Crossings.

 

http://youtu.be/_82CEf990vk

Carol Turansky's " Snowflake Sweethearts" on Novel Crossing

I wanted to share this link to Carol Turansky's video on " Snowflake Sweethearts" on Novel Crossing.

~Where Faith meets Fiction~

I hope you enjoy this one !!!

http://youtu.be/jIX1Q6Q_Y-U

~ This and That ~

~ Time and space has a way of making us all look back on life and things, to evaluate what were doing and what direction we are heading in.  I am finding myself doing this more and more as I seek to do what the Lord would have me to do.  To me being here at home is where I am to be.  I am help-meet to my DH Mark, Mamma to my children, Grandmamma to my  grandchildren, so much more to those I know and those who know me.  But you know if you don't do things you truly enjoy , your joy is short lived and you will eventually burn out.  I was burning out little over a year ago.  For many reasons, some that you know and some that you might have no idea.  I would like my life to be one that is open and where I take time to share with you, so that is what this new weekly topic of  " This and That " will be about, sharing my life with you my readers.

~  We live in rural upstate New York, I grew up in a small town that is about 11 miles from me, Cato, N.Y. ~  Folks here call it cow-town !!!!  We all laugh a bit when we say it but that just depicts how country it is here.  Small towns where most everyone knows each other, where we can come home, so to say and its like we never left.  I think we tend to make friendships and no matter how long we have been gone, its still like family when you see those you know.  I like that, I like my life to be personal, I like my relationships/ friendships to be personal and meaningful.



~ Today we live in Red Creek, N.Y. , its about 11 miles from Cato. Its a very small town , it has a small town feel to it and it needs a little growth in the near future.  They actually doubled the size of our library in the last couple years.  We also had a small town grocery open here.   I personally wish it was a bigger one but hey, you add as you can right ?   I don't want  Walmart here and I am sure no one here wants a huge store here either.  We  travel about 20 miles anyway we go to shop in bigger stores.  That to me leaves us with a homey feel to our town.  We have a few churches in the town and in surrounding areas.  We have one gas station in town and we have a gas station /truck stop with a small nice diner about 3/10  of a mile from my home.  At night I can see the lights from there in the distance from my bedroom window during the winter when the leaves are gone.  Folks here are not overly well to do, least that is the way it seems to me, it is a farming community for the most part.  Our Homestead here is surrounded by 120 acres of fields that grow corn and the most awesome hay that I get to see harvested each summer to fall.  We are blessed that they are no longer sprayed with pesticides and herbicides .  Sadly, to me the neighbors  old apple orchards getting taken out and used to plant corn really changed the area. He has a lovely farm just down the road and for years they harvested apples, but as his parents aged and now are gone, gone went the old barn and the orchard.   See , life changes and we all evaluate what were doing and what is working for us and change things to bring about better futures for ourselves and our families.



 

~ Some things never change here... We have always been blessed with beautiful sunsets !  I so love and enjoy them.    The things I like and enjoy have not changed much over the years and I sometimes don't take well to change.  I love the change of seasons, fall is my favorite time of year.  I do love winter, I love snow but as I age I don't like cold.   I love all things " country " and never have and never will consider myself a city person.  I am 100 percent  a country girl at heart.   I grew up in Cato, back then there were like 3000 people there, but it didn't seem like it.  I married and moved out of state to N.H. for 14 years, tried city living in an apartment and townhouse ,  and then moved to the country there.  N.H. is a lovely place, but too rich for my blood.  I moved back to N.Y. and  as a single mom back in 2000, I tried trailer park living, not for me !   I like living in my home where you don't hear your neighbors talking and where the air is clean.    I know...some people thrive on the hustle and bustle of the city or in town life... I thrive on peace, quiet and open spaces !   I like that when someone pulls in my front yard and comes to the house, I know they are here to see me and we can sit , enjoy a wonderful cup of coffee or tea  and have a good visit !

~  Where do you live ? What do you like about it ?  What things do you enjoy ? Where do you find peace ?  What gives you joy in life ?

~ Until next time .....

~Linda~

Overcoming With God: Teresa S Mathews Reviews A Bride for Keeps by Melissa Jagears

Please take time to go and read the review of Melissa Jagears debut novel A Bride for Keeps and leave a comment to try to win a copy !  Looks and Sounds wonderfully good !

Overcoming With God: Teresa S Mathews Reviews A Bride for Keeps by Melissa Jagears.

No Innocent Affair by Edward F. Mrkvicka with Kelly Helen Mrkvicka

No Innocent Affair

Edward F. Mrkvicka Jr.  with Kelly Helen Mrkvicka

'Thou shalt not commit adultery' (Exodus 20:14).

Have you found yourself contemplating committing adultery? Are you currently in an adulterous relationship? Have you been affected by an act of adultery? If you answered yes to any of these questions, No Innocent Affair: Making Right the Wrong of Adultery is the tool you need.

An avid student of the Word, Ed Mrkvicka addresses the fact that adultery is one of the main contributors to the destruction of the American family and seeks to reverse this terrifying statistic. Mrkvicka posits that few who engage in adulterous relationships realize the enormity of the cost of infidelity, both to themselves and innocent people in their lives.

Beginning by comparing God's view of adultery to society's view, No Innocent Affair explains in frank yet loving terms that unrepentant adultery is more than just an innocent affair. It is choosing Satan over Jesus and death over life. Mrkvicka desires to lead adulterers to repentance and eternal life with Jesus Christ.

Most importantly, No Innocent Affair takes you on a step-by-step biblical progression that leads to the sin of adultery being forgiven and salvation reclaimed.

Infidelity is no easy subject to discuss, but it is one that must be addressed. Follow along on this exploration of the consequences and ways out of adultery.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zglItxV-M0#t=12



Edward Mrkvickais an award winning Christian writer, lay minister and counselor and lifelong bible student

His ministry has earned him a United States Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition and an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree for "having served hmanity as an author, lay minister, and counselor, with outstanding dedication to the sanctity of marriage and to God's Holy Church.

Mark's Review

    ~From the onset to the finish this is a standard bearer of God’s Truth. Never before had I even heard the information, in the way it was outlined; contained in its pages. Speaking of the affects of extra-marital affairs in a way which leaves little room for question, I was bound to the lesson from the beginning to the end.

I applaud Mr. Mrkvicka’s honesty in his approach to a very sensitive yet all important subject. Touching on the effects of adultery on children and then how it extends to everyone associated with the individual involved in adultery, the lessons learned in this book may be of insurmountable importance. As the author notes, God’s Word is meant for all; therefore anyone, Christian or not will benefit from the reading.

Once you have the book you can also download an Audio book which you might find advantageous to have. It’s broken up into four segments which can be put on disc. The quality of this audio book was excellent.

This was the first book I have read from this author but I will be getting his other works. In all I was deeply moved by the book and look forward to reading more of what Edward F. Mrkvicka has to write.

We were given this book by the author for our honest review and have received no further compensation for doing so.

Mark Finn

Red Creek, NY

A Light in the Window by Julie Lessman * Contest * watch the video and come back and comment that you watched it !

One Woman. Two Men.
One stirs her pulse and the other her faith.
But who will win her heart?

— A Light in the Window


OH. MY. GOODNESS!!!

It's here ... the video for A Light in the Window is finally HERE!! And not just "here," my friends, but "here" with a contest to kick off both my $ .99 CHRISTMAS SALE for theA Light in the Window E-book AND the release of the paperback version too!!

I am reallllly excited to see what you guys think about the video, especially your preference as to the two male models who play Patrick O'Connor and Sam O'Rourke. Since I haven't run a Journal Jots contest in a long time, I thought this would be the perfect occasion for it, don't you?, To enter the contest, all you have to do is watch the video, then tell me which of these bad-boy rogues turns your head for the title of hottest rogue in the Southie neighborhood!

THREE CHANCES TO WIN!!

PRIZES:

1st Prize (person with the most points) -- gets a character named after them or a loved one in my next book, a signed copy of that book, and a $50 gift card.

2nd Prize (random drawing where every point  earned is an extra chance to win, but even one point can win) -- gets a character named after them or a loved one in my next book and a signed copy.

3rd Prize (random drawing based on 1 point per name entered) -- gets a signed copy of any of my books.

CONTEST RULES:

To enter, scroll down to the Rafflecopter box at the bottom of today's post and click the box that confirms you have watched the video, then click on the next option to vote for your favorite rogue. That's ALL you have to do to enter for the two random drawings. But if you want to win the top prize by accruing extra points, then check out the other options listed in the Rafflecopter box and GO CRAZY!! The contest runs from November 11 through December 31st, with the winner announced in my January 3rd Journal Jot.

WANT TO ORDER THE E-BOOK OR PAPERBACK AS A CHRISTMAS PRESENT TO ARRIVE BY CHRISTMAS (or the last mail day before Christmas for the paperback)?? Well now you can!! 

When you gift a Kindle or paperback book, you have the option to have the gift delivered immediately or to specify a future delivery date. To give a gift, please visit the AMAZON page of the book you wish to buy and click on the "Give as a Gift" button located under the "Buy" button on the product detail page for the book you wish to gift.

By default delivery date is set to "now" and your gift notification will be delivered immediately to the recipient’s e-mail address. HOWEVER ... if you wish the gift sent at a future delivery date (i.e. Christmas morning for the e-book), the e-mail confirmation of your gift will be sent to your recipient between 12 a.m. and 3 a.m. Pacific Time on the date you selected. You may also choose to instead send the gift notification to your own e-mail address upon ordering, which you can then forward, or print out and deliver, whenever you choose.

FOR PAPERBACK CHRISTMAS GIFTS -- WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE A SIGNED BOOKPLATE WITH A SPECIAL MESSAGE TO THE RECIPIENT OF YOUR GIFT??


Simply purchase a paperback of ALITW or any of my other books as a Christmas gifts, and I will send you a signed bookplate with a special note to the person to whom you are giving the book as a gift. All you have to do is contact me directly through my website by at least ten days before Christmas to allow for mail delivery.

So, you ready to have some fun?? Click on the video link below, turn up your volume and click on full screen, then watch the video and indicate you have done so in the first Rafflecopter box at the bottom of this post.  And don't forget to vote for your favorite rogue!!

Ready? Get set? GO!!

 

"A LIGHT IN THE WINDOW" VIDEO

LINK TO PURCHASE ALITW E-BOOK FOR 99 CENTS!

LINK TO PURCHASE ALITW PAPERBACK FOR PRICE REDUCED BY ALMOST $2.50 PER BOOK!

Hugs and HAPPY WEEKEND!!

Julie

***** If you do any of the three above from reading my post here, please come back and comment that you did and your name, I am watching to see how many readers actually read, use the links and come back to my site **** please also if you have a blog, website, leave me a link so I can post a link to your site on my sidebar. Thank you , Linda