May Your Week Be A Blessed One~!!

Remember to count your blessings and be thankful for everything that has come your way...

Mad Moose Mama and the folks at The Marsh wish you success in all that you do...and may life always be groovy~!!

Peaces ya'll~!!

Christian Rehab ~ A Faith Based Choice to Freedom~!!

Today many people are looking to rid themselves of their personal "demons" and often, Christian Rehab centers offer a solution that not only heals the body, but also works on healing the mind and the spirit also.

Many people who are seeking, find themselves frustrated with life and turn to other venues in order to compensate for their lack of faith.  A point in one's life is reached where the addictions are more of a burden than the burdens themselves and many turn to rehabilitation centers in order to find the correct path in which to travel.

Regardless of one's faith, it is important to note that recovery works best when individuals work on their body, mind and spirit collectively.  Choosing a Christian Rehab program that works for each person is the next step in the correct direction.

There are basically three types of faith based recovery programs:

1.  100% Christian based programs that have little medical therapies such as clinical counselling or credentialed staff, they are essentially, centers run by recovering Christians.

2.  A "work~based" drug and/or alcohol programs are generally free to the individual provided you are willing to work 8 ~ 12 hours per day to offset any costs you may incur as well, daily prayer and scripture are normally used.

3.  Combines all different types of treatments, including both Christian and standard approaches.  Generally its regarded as the more successful approaches but is hindered by cost as usually on insurance coverage applies when seeking this type of assistance.

People are are completely in tune with their spiritual growth begin to recognize the value of that growth as they connect with others, leaving their addictions behind.  Returning to one's life can be just as addicting and with Christian Rehab centers, these tenets and morals are highlighted through scripture and inspirational attitudes.

When your spirituality is awakened, it is believes your body's craving of substance abuse subsides, replacing negative with the positive, and bringing a joy for life through God's grace and forgiveness.  Many people have walked the darker path, my own sister included, and has come out shining on the other side.  Though it can be a long, hard road to travel, being focused on the positive will in turn, bring positive to each individual the more the effort is issued.  Never give up and never surrender to those addictions that make you less of a worth than you truly are~!!

If you require help for your addictions, the first step is always to admitting to having a problem, there are many programs in each community, intended to set you on the correct path to truth.  Continue walking the path brothers and sisters and you will find where you are needing to go.

  **  This is a sponsored post for Pacific Hill, however, all points and views are my own.  **

Top Inspirational Quotes From Influential People

“A well-cultivated mind is, so to speak, made up of all the minds of preceding ages.” - Bernard de Bovier de Fontenelle

In times of sorrow, grief, or stress, it’s not uncommon – or unhealthy – to be found in dire need of quotes reminding us of what life has to offer. Words of inspiration from esteemed men of the past like Martin Luther King Jr. and strong women like Helen Keller offer opportunities to pick ourselves off the ground and back on our feet, giving us a much-needed jumpstart to persevere and march forward when the going gets rough.

Resources like Hark.com exist all across the Web to provide a variety of inspirational quotes, making those profound words that much simpler to seek out and take in. All the same, we’ve put together a short-list below of the most inspirational quotes that have come straight from the mouths of some of the most influential people ever to grace the world.

• “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.” – Mark Twain.

Our lives are very much defined by the choices we make, but what is better to be realized, is that choices perceived to be “bad” can never topple the disappointing decision to do nothing at all. Twain, a man of deep contemplation and reflection, hammers this point succinctly.

• “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.” - Wayne Gretzky

Nothing is more detrimental to the human spirit than a tendency to dwell on the past. Moving forward means not looking back, and exploring new territories, new options, and new additions to your lifestyle. Gretzky, who is considered one of the greatest hockey players of all time, began his journey forward at the ripe age of six years old, honing his early-age hockey skills in his backyard to later become an esteemed athlete, Olympian, entrepreneur and humanitarian worldwide.

• “Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.” – Helen Keller

The power of the quote is especially striking coming from the perspective of Keller, who faced the seemingly insurmountable odds of blindness and deafness by becoming a cherished writer and lecturer on politics and the value of life. This perhaps best embodies the unique ability of an individual to make changes and navigate life’s rocky terrains, even in the face of adversity.

• “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

Dr. King spent a lifetime taking the higher ground on the issue of civil rights, serving as the antithesis of the Black Panther movement by protesting peacefully and inspiring millions through words rather than threats of violence. King hits home a crucial point that fire really shouldn’t be fought with fire, but water.

Author bio: this guest post is from Hark.com - an online platform for sound clips and quotes by famous people such as Martin Luther King Jr., Steve Jobs, Barack Obama and more.

Campbell's ~ HELP Hunger Disappear~!!

Hunger is a complex issue, but we can all do our part to help. With close to a million Canadians turning to food banks for support, a little help can go a long way.

Visit Campbell Canada's Facebook page and HELP hunger disappear~!!

Campbell's Canada will donate 1 bag of food equivalent to 5 lbs. of food on your behalf JUST for liking their page~!!

Easy peasy...right?!  Soooo...what ARE you waiting for??  ;)

BOOK REVIEW: Shut Up by Anne Tibbets

Shut Up

Author:  Anne Tibbets
Paperback:  118 pages
Publisher:  Premier Digital Printing (April 15, 2012)
Language:  English

Mary's older sister, Gwen, has royally screwed up her life.  Not only is Gwen pregnant at seventeen, but she's also decided to marry The Creep who knocked her up.

Now Mary is powerless to stop her family from imploding.  Her parents are freaking out, and to top it off, The Creep has a gross fascination with Mary while Gwen enjoys teasing her to tears for sport.

Despite her brother's advice to shut up, Mary can't keep her trap closed and manages to piss off Mom so much it comes to blows.  Mary doesn't know what to do, and all her attempts to get help are rejected.

When she finally plans her escape, she fails to consider how it could destroy them all.

I found Shut Up to be an interesting read in that I felt compelled to finish the story about Mary and her dysfunctional family.  I found the writing style of Anne Tibbets to be genuine in its intent and her flow was remarkable.

I found the character of Mary to be very personable and I felt the need to finish her story as you read the escalation in bullying that she encompasses from her older sister, Gwen.  Gwen is a despicable girl, who is never happy and is always complaining and calling Mary names.  The family becomes raveled into Gwen's torment as each family member begins to use Mary as their scapegoat and emotional punching bag.

Twelve year old girls are already dealing with a lot emotionally and when Mary begins to feel betrayed by those who love her, she decides to take her own life.  However, before this occurs, Gwen moves out and life returns to normal.  Everyone in the house can feel the stress that has been removed and everyone becomes their normal selves.

Then the dreaded occurs and Gwen returns home and within a short period of time, life resumes to the negative mess it was before.  This time though, Mary cannot keep up with the pressure and she resorts to her "shell".  Her inner demons are urging her to either run away from home or take her own life and without anyone to turn to, Mary must decide her fate on her own.

I would give Shut Up a three and a half stars out of five.  While I enjoyed the read, I wasn't sure of the importance of telling us Mary's point of life from Paul's angle.  There were a few chapters given in his viewpoint and it lead me to believe that Paul was going to have a bigger role in the story, which I failed to see.  I would've liked to have seen the book from either everyone's point of view or just Mary's.  However, it was a decent read, well~written and believable from beginning to end.

**  Reviewed by me...as I see it~!!  **

Mother Of Pearl Mother's Day Series ~ What I Didn't Know ~ Rhonda Shrock

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series - a week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Sheila Walsh, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Bonnie St. John, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/6-5/13 and the winner will on 5/14. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there, Happy Mother's Day!


What I Didn't Know by Rhonda Shrock

I always knew I wanted to be a mother.  As a girl, I played house with my dollies, shushing them when they cried and kissing their plastic heads.

Looking back at that girl, I realize now that there was a lot she didn't know.  This morning over my fresh-ground coffee, this mother of 22-1/2 years scratched out a list of 10 things she didn't know then that she knows now.

1.  I didn't know - how could I? - just how completely a tiny, helpless scrap of humanity can capture the heart and hold it forever.  From that first whooshing heartbeat and the first butterfly brushes, a mother's heart is never again her own.  For all eternity, it enlarges, walking and pulsing and moving outside of her body; in my case, in the shape of a blue-eyed boy with rooster tails.  Times four.

2.  I didn't know that the size of a mother's heart is always changing, stretching to embrace each new baby that comes, then growing again to love their friends and then their own families.

3.  I never knew, as I changed my dolly's dress, how many reasons there are to worry when you're a mama.   Didn't know about the nighttime vigils.  Didn't know the anxiety of separation, the terror that floods when you turn around in the grocery store and they're gone.  Didn't know about the fear of the pond next door or the concern that pays for swimming lessons.  Didn't know the thousand-and-one reasons that keep a mother awake, whispering prayers on her pillow in the dark.

4.  No one told me that loving so much means that you will hurt hard and keen;  that what pains your child hurts you even worse.  I didn't know then that a playground taunt travels through that smaller heart and lands square in yours, stinging and burning like fire.  I didn't know that motherhood makes lionesses of us all and that there'd be days I'd have to bite my tongue and pray to not sin.

5.  I didn't know how exhausting it is, being a mother.  I didn't know that it takes everything you've got and then some.  Didn't know the bone-deep exhaustion; how it strips you bare and shows how selfish you can be, but, too, that you have more strength than you know.

6.  I didn't know, playing house, how much joy mothers feel; joy so big that it makes up for the pain.  Just looking at those eyes and the curve of the cheek can make you so happy it hurts.  Watching them grow and find their talent and win at something...all the money in the world can never buy that kind of happiness.

7.  I didn't know how making babies and raising them, how it binds you to their father.  I didn't know the intimacy you feel when your eyes meet above those tousled heads, and your smiles say, "Just look at what we've done."

8.  That girl in the homemade dress, she didn't know that letting go is one of the hardest things a grown-up mama will ever do.  Rocking those babies in that small rocking chair, she didn't really know that babies grow up and walk away and there goes your heart, out into the big, wide world.  No one told her that part.

9.  I had no idea how rewarding it is, being a mother.  How the happiness that comes from boy kisses and awkward hugs can't be bought or sold.  How proud you feel when you see what they're growing up to be and that all the planting and pruning and watering and feeding is finally making fruit!

10.  I didn't know how much my babies would enrich my spiritual life or how they would change the way I pray.  I didn't realize they would lead me to a deeper dependence on the Heavenly Father or how I much I would need His wisdom to raise them aright.

These are things I didn't know before I was a mother.  But I know them now.  Oh, how I know them now!  And I’d do it all again.

###

Rhonda Schrock lives in Northern Indiana with her husband and 4 sons, ages 22, 18, 13, and 5. By day, she is a telecommuting medical transcriptionist. In the early morning hours, she flees to a local coffee shop where she pens “Grounds for Insanity,” a weekly column that appears in The Goshen News. She is an occasional guest columnist in The Hutch News.  She’s also blogged professionally for her son’s school of choice, Bethel College, in addition to humor and parenting blogs, and maintains her personal blog, “The Natives are Getting Restless.” She is a writer and editor for the magazine, "Cooking & Such:  Adventures in Plain Living."  She survives and thrives on prayer, mochas, and books.  

Exciting News – the latest Pearl Girls book, Mother of Pearl: Luminous Legacies and Iridescent Faith will be released this month! Please visit the Pearl Girls Facebook Page (and LIKE us!) for more information! Thanks so much for your support!

Mother Of Pearl Mother's Day Series ~ He Will Walk With You ~ Carey Bailey

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series - a week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Sheila Walsh, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Bonnie St. John, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/6-5/13 and the winner will on 5/14. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there, Happy Mother's Day!


He Will Walk With You by Carey Bailey

As a little girl, I loved baby dolls. Loved them! I played school, adoption agency, daycare operator and babysitter all day. I felt like I was born to be a mama. Therefore, I was a bit anxious when the ages, 22, 25, 28 and 32 came and went and there were no babies. Have you ever desired something so much and feared never getting it? That was me.

My day finally came at the age of 34. I soon realized that God knew what He was doing when He had me wait. To my shock, it wasn’t as easy as playing with dolls. I was surprised that it wasn’t the dream world I imagined it would be! I felt like life became a gigantic prayer.

“God, HELP me!”

“Please, God. Please, please, please make it all better. I can’t do this!”

“God, this feels impossible. Where are you?”

While I adore motherhood, it is harder and there are more adjustments than I expected. (I am hoping there are some nodding of heads and Amen’s being said out there in cyberworld.) Not only did I have a new life to care for, but my identity suddenly felt all scrambled up. It took me until my son was one to finally feel confident in my new role as a mother, confident that I could drop my child off at preschool without crying, confident that I could go out with the girls’ and the world wouldn’t fall apart, and confident that I could go on a date night and have conversations that didn’t revolve just around our son.

I was feeling settled in my new world and then WHAM! I discovered I was pregnant again. Can I be vulnerable with you? I actually cried when I found out. And they were not tears of joy. I feel awful saying that out loud, and I hope you will give me a moment to explain. It was not that I didn’t want another baby or feel like I couldn’t love a new life, it was just that I got scared. Discovering a little person was on the way sent a panic through me. Would my son still receive the love and attention that he deserved? How was my husband going to feel about my body changing again? Would I ever be able to pursue the vision I felt God had for me in writing and publishing? I was truly wondering if I was going to be able to handle another intense wave of identity crisis like the one I had just been through. I wasn’t sure.

God and I needed a serious talk. And in that conversation He carefully reminded me of this:

“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

He reminded me in our time together that I, too, am His child and He has every intention of loving me, caring for me, and giving me the future that He has planned for me.

As mothers, we can get so caught up in parenting that we forget that we, too, have a spiritual parent who loves us as His child. He loves you as much as He loves the children He has given you. He will never forsake you.  And on those days when motherhood seems too overwhelming and too impossible I step back and take a deep breath. Then I remember that this journey I am on, right now, is the one He has designed and create uniquely for me. I simply need to live in it, learn from it, and allow His love to sweep over and through me.

He will walk with me! He will walk with you! Grab His hand.

###

Carey Bailey is a recovering perfectionist, wife, proud mama, and the Family Life Director for her church in Arizona. She hosts an online community for moms called Cravings: desiring God in the midst of motherhood where she strives to make God time easier. Not less meaningful, just easier. She is the author of Cravings {The Devotional} which is a set of forty devotional flashcards for the mama on the go. Visit Carey online blog: www.cravingstheblog.blogspot. com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Crav ingsOnline and Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/careycbailey/

Exciting News – the latest Pearl Girls book, Mother of Pearl: Luminous Legacies and Iridescent Faith will be released this month! Please visit the Pearl Girls Facebook Page (and LIKE us!) for more information! Thanks so much for your support!

Mother Of Pearl Mother's Day Series ~ Stepping Out On Faith ~ Bonnie St. John

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series - a week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Sheila Walsh, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Bonnie St. John, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/6-5/13 and the winner will on 5/14. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there, Happy Mother's Day!


Stepping Out on Faith by Bonnie St. John

"Darcy . . .”

“Yeah, Mom?”

I momentarily held the undivided attention of my teenage daughter. Her thumbs, free of their ubiquitous texting keypad, quietly dangled by her side. Her computer and its omnipresent Facebook page were completely out of sight. I had almost forgotten what she looked like without all these adolescent accoutrements. As we sat down together on the burgundy leather sofa in our living room, I realized this fleeting state of electronic dislocation was my chance to hatch a plan I had been formu- lating for the past several weeks. Carpe diem.

“How would you like to write a book together?”

“About what?” I asked my mom. Write a book? This was a real surprise. I felt a bit suspicious, but still curious.  I love to write, and Mom kept telling me I was really good at it. I like writing poetry, fantasy, and sci-fi, though.  The books Mom wrote were all nonfiction.  I wondered what we could possibly do together.

“Well . . .” I hesitated. If I wanted her to commit to any extra work out- side her busy schedule at school—not to mention work alongside her mother—I had to make this really great. “It would be about women as leaders,” I continued, “a motherdaughter investigation into leadership styles and structures.”

“Leadership?” I blurted. It came out as if I had a bad taste in my mouth—which I did.  I couldn’t imagine a more boring topic to write about. What is there to say about leadership anyway? When you’re in charge, you just get things done, right? Who wants to talk about that?

Her furrowed brow told me I was losing her fast. “Um . . . we could find women leaders all around the world!” I said impulsively, frantically casting the ultimate bait.

“Really? Would we get to travel a lot?”  I hadn’t thought about that. Heck, I’d write about the mating habits of tsetse flies  if I got to go to Africa to do it!

But this project wasn’t just about the influence it would have on Darcy. I wanted to do something that could have a potent impact on an alarming trend I had witnessed in workplaces across the country: far too many women appeared to be making a choice not to apply for top leadership positions when presented with the opportunities to do so.

This project, then, was a bit of a Trojan horse. On the one hand, the saga of a motherdaughter journey could seduce female readers, who might never bother to read the Harvard Business School dissertations on the subject, into a meaningful conversation about leadership. At the same time, if Darcy met a series of brilliant, accomplished women— people even a cynical teen would be in awe of—perhaps they could tell her all the things I’d like her to know—and more.

And she just might listen.

But where to start? How would we make it work? I suggested we do most of our research by phone, as I did for How Strong Women Pray. My telephone interviews with a governor, some CEOs, actors, sports figures, a college president, and others yielded great stories and information. I promised my intrepid co-author, though, that we could punctuate these conversations with a few visits in person to exciting and exotic places—all with reasonably priced airfares.

“Why don’t we follow each subject as she goes about her daily life? That way our readers get to come along with us and get a behind- the-scenes look at what happens to them. Instead of just a boring interview, we—and our readers—get to hang around with these women, see them in their natural habitat, and even see how other people treat them.”

Although I agreed it was a wonderful approach, this idea of “job- shadowing” each featured subject wasn’t going to be easy. Would these high-powered, important women deign to allow us that kind of access? Would they be able to impart the kind of wisdom that would resonate with our readers and truly make a difference in their lives?  We looked at each other, both of us hooked on a crazy idea that we weren’t sure we could pull off.

“It sounds impossible, Darcy,” I said. “We might as well get started.”

And so, we stepped out . . . on faith.

###

Bonnie is a 1984 Paralympics silver medal winner in ski racing. Her education includes a degree with honors from Harvard, a Rhodes scholarship, and an M.Litt in Economics from Oxford.  Her career includes positions as an award-winning sales rep for IBM and a Clinton White House member of staff. She now is a much-in-demand speaker, who makes nearly 100 speeches each year to corporations and civic groups. You can visit her on the Web at www.bonniestjohn.com.

Re-printed with permission from How Great Women Lead by Bonnie St. John and Darcy Deane

Exciting News – the latest Pearl Girls book, Mother of Pearl: Luminous Legacies and Iridescent Faith will be released this month! Please visit the Pearl Girls Facebook Page (and LIKE us!) for more information! Thanks so much for your support!

Mother Of Pearl Mother's Day Series ~ What I Am Not ~ Tricia Goyer

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series - a week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Sheila Walsh, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Bonnie St. John, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/6-5/13 and the winner will on 5/14. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there, Happy Mother's Day!

What I Am Not by Tricia Goyer

Becoming a mother is a complicated thing. Not only am I trying to negotiate a relationship with my child, I am trying to negotiate a relationship with myself as I attempt to determine how I mother, how I feel about mothering, how I want to mother and how I wish I was mothered.

—Andrea J. Buchanan, in Mother Shock3

Sometimes the easiest way to discover who we are is to know who we are not.

• We are not our children. We all know mothers who go overboard trying to make themselves look good by making their children look great. I saw one woman on the Oprah television show who had bought her preschool daughter more than twelve pairs of black shoes just so the girl could have different styles to go with her numerous outfits! Just as we -don’t get report cards for mothering, we also -don’t get graded on our child’s looks or accomplishments. While you want your children to do their best and succeed in life, your self-esteem -shouldn’t be wrapped up in your child.

Life as I See It:

My individuality will never end. There will be no one exactly like me, not even my child. She will be like me in some ways, but not at all in others. I -wouldn’t have it any other way.

—Desiree, Texas

• We are not our mothers. I remember the first time I heard my mother’s voice coming out of my mouth. The words “because I told you so .  .  .” escaped before I had a chance to squelch them.

It’s not until we have kids that we truly understand our mothers — all their frets, their nagging, and their worries.

It’s also then that we truly understand their love.

Since you are now a mother, it’s good to think back on how you were raised. If there were traditions or habits that now seem wise and useful, incorporate them into your parenting. You also have permission to sift out things you now know -weren’t good. Just because you’re a product of your mother, that -doesn’t mean you have to turn out just like her. Repeat after me, “I am not my mother.”

• We are not like any other mother out there. Sometimes you may feel like the world’s worst mother. After all, your friend never yells at her son — and sometimes you do. Then again, your friend may feel bad because you have a wonderful bedtime routine that includes stories and songs. In many cases, the moms you feel inferior to only look like they have it together. All moms feel they -don’t “measure up.” Instead of feeling unworthy, we should realize that everyone has strengths and weaknesses. The key is where we place our focus.

The Bible says, “Let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without .  .  . comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we -aren’t” (Romans 12:5 – 6, MESSAGE).

The problem with comparison is, we always measure our weaknesses against the strengths of others.

Instead, we need to thank God for our strengths. We can also ask God to help us overcome our weaknesses — not because we want to compare ourselves, or look good in someone else’s eyes, but because we want to be the best mom out there.

###

Tricia Goyer is a CBA best-selling author and the winner of two American Christian Fiction Writers’ Book of the Year Awards (Night Song and Dawn of a Thousand Nights). She co-wrote 3:16 Teen Edition with Max Lucado and contributed to the Women of Faith Study Bible. Also a noted marriage and parenting writer, she lives with her husband and children in Arkansas. You can find her online at www.triciagoyer.com or at her weekly radio show, Living Inspired.

Exciting News – the latest Pearl Girls book, Mother of Pearl: Luminous Legacies and Iridescent Faith will be released this month! Please visit the Pearl Girls Facebook Page (and LIKE us!) for more information! Thanks so much for your support!

Mother Of Pearl Mother's Day Series ~ She's My Everything ~ Suzanne Woods Fisher

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series - a week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Sheila Walsh, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Bonnie St. John, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/6-5/13 and the winner will on 5/14. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there, Happy Mother's Day!

She’s…My Everything by Suzanne Woods Fisher

“A mother is one who can take the place of all others, but whose place no one else can take.”

--Cardinal Mermillod 

Just a few more months. My mother was hoping Dad would hang on long enough so they could celebrate their sixtieth wedding anniversary in April. But on January 1st, as the sun rose on the new year, my dad’s worn out heart beat its last. Dad had battled Alzheimer’s Disease for ten years. As many of you know, AD is a long, hard journey. Hard on the one afflicted with the disease, hard on the caregivers.

But not without its blessings.

Four years ago, as I began researching stories for Amish Peace: Simple Wisdom for a Complicated World, my path crossed with a handful of Plain families who were coping with Alzheimer’s. It was just about the point when Dad’s illness was shifting from early to mid stages AD and the timing was a divine accident. I learned so much as I observed the calm acceptance of these families. Rather than waste time shaking a fist at God for allowing this disease to take their loved one, they put their energy into trusting God’s sovereignty. They didn’t deny the difficulties and complications and sadness of Alzheimer’s, but they didn’t dwell on them. “God has a plan,” one woman told me. “He always has a plan.”  

Something else I noticed was how privileged my Amish friends felt about caring for their loved one. Caring for the elderly, they believe, is the time to give back to them.

Those encounters shaped my perspective of Dad’s illness. I started to pay attention to how God provided answers to new wrinkles created by Alzheimer’s, just in time. God may be slow, but He is never late.
I started to cherish special moments or good days with Dad—just as he was at each point in his illness. Not mourning the past, not dreading the future.

I really miss my dad. I miss his scratchy whiskers and the way his eyebrows would wiggle at us, even as words failed him. Yet I have such peace in my heart that he was well loved and well cared for, right to the very end. And as hard as Dad’s end of life has been, it isn’t the end. We will meet again. As the saying goes, “Some may see a hopeless end, but as believers we rejoice in an endless hope.”

There’s a beautiful story that illustrates my parents’ 59-year marriage. This event happened about a year or two ago. My sister had accompanied our mother to the doctor appointment for Dad at the Stanford Memory Clinic.

Dad had declined quite a bit that month. He was weak and lethargic, even to the point of whispering, as if it took too much energy to project his voice. During the doctor's appointment, the doctor told my mother and sister that Dad was now in late stages of Alzheimer's. Dad didn’t have much vocabulary left, but when the doctor asked him who mom was, he whispered something back. The doctor looked at Mom and asked, "Did you hear what he just said?"

Mom shook her head.

"When I asked him who you were, he whispered, 'She's...my everything.'"

###

Suzanne Woods Fisher is a writer of bestselling fiction and non-fiction books about the Old Order Amish. Her interest in the Plain People began with her grandfather, W. D. Benedict, who was raised Plain. Suzanne is the host of Amish Wisdom, a weekly radio program on toginet.com, and writes a bi-monthly column for Christian Post. Suzanne can be found on-line at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com .

Re-printed with permission by Cooking & Such, www.sherrygorebooks.com.

Exciting News – the latest Pearl Girls book, Mother of Pearl: Luminous Legacies and Iridescent Faith will be released this month! Please visit the Pearl Girls Facebook Page (and LIKE us!) for more information! Thanks so much for your support!

Indoor Water Features and the Art of Feng Shui

When it comes to arranging their homes, people all over the world turn to Feng Shui. Feng Shui is a Chinese art dating back thousands of years, and is based on balancing the energy, or “Chi”, within a space so that it promotes good fortune for its inhabitants. One great way to use Feng Shui in your home is to incorporate indoor water features.

About Feng Shui 
In English, Feng Shui translates to “Wind” and “water”. These elements, in traditional Chinese culture, relate to good health. Thus, when the principles of Feng Shui are applied properly, good luck will follow.

An important part of Feng Shui is the “Five Elements” – water, wood, earth, metal, and fire. These elements interact with each other in cycles that represent certain aspects of life and the natural world. Proper placement of these elements in your home encourages positive chi (energy).

Water is one of the most important elements. According to Feng Shui, when water is placed and moving in the right direction, it brings wealth, prosperity, harmony and health. Flowing water is especially beneficial - it mimics the movement water in nature, which produces harmonious chi.

Feng Shui and Indoor Water Features
An excellent way to incorporate the water element of Feng Shui in your home’s interior design is by using features such as indoor fountains. There are a variety to choose from, depending on your preferences. Tabletop fountains can be easily used in, or relocated to, any room of the house. Indoor wall fountains or freestanding floor fountains provide an interesting design element, and mimic flowing bodies of water such as waterfalls that are found in nature. You can even combine one of these fountains with a small pool; the more your features resemble naturally occurring water, the more harmonious your home’s chi will be.

Placement of Indoor Water Features
Where you place your indoor water features, both within the house and within the room, produces a variety of effects through Feng Shui. Of course, you’ll want to have an arrangement that creates a positive flow of energy. You can also use different placements to encourage different positive results:

• Good marriage: Southwest
• Wealth and luck: Southeast
• Career success: North
• Educational success: Northeast
• Good friendships: West
• Good health and family relationships: East

There are several placements to avoid, since they create a negative flow of energy and bring inauspicious consequences. Feng Shui advisors say never to place indoor water features in the bedroom, as this promotes worry. You should also never place your features directly south, as this is where fire should be, and fire and water conflict with each other.

Feng Shui Factors to Consider
Adding other design elements to your indoor water features brings additional benefits. Incorporating lights or adding floating candles to the pool of your fountain brings you life, happiness, and positive thoughts from others. Placing a mirror behind your features expands your home’s chi. Incorporating heavy items such as stones or pebbles retains positive chi. Features that incorporate wood also produce positive energy, since water is necessary for wood to grow in nature.

The shape of your indoor fountain should be considered, as well. Feng Shui advisors recommend that fountains be round in shape, or have rounded corners. The larger the size of the fountain, the more effective it will be at producing positive energy. Square fountains should be placed in the corners of rooms, while round ones should go in the center. Rectangular fountains should be avoided.

When using Feng Shui for your interior design, incorporate indoor water features. With all the options to choose from, you can find the elements that are right for you and your home.

Polly Godwin is the owner of IndoorFountains.com, a company specializing in indoor water fountains and home décor.

Mother Of Pearl Mother's Day Series ~ Joy Comes From Perseverance ~ Sheila Walsh

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series - a week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Sheila Walsh, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Bonnie St. John, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/6-5/13 and the winner will on 5/14. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there, Happy Mother's Day!

Joy Comes from Perseverance by Sheila Walsh


One of the most important lessons I have learned in my own life is the joy that comes from perseverance. Eugene Peterson, borrowing a phrase from Friedrich Nietzsche, wrote his book  “A Long Obedience in the Same Direction …Discipleship in an Instant Society.” He points to the Psalms as the way believers have always learned to pray what they live and live what they pray but it is not a short journey. It is an intentional commitment to keep walking even when you are worn out.

*If we want to see lasting results in any area of life it’s important to keep walking in that direction.

*If we want to have a better understanding of the Gospel of John then it takes time and commitment to dig deeper day after day.

*If we want to be thinner this summer than last summer then the work begins now not then.
So too in our relationship with Christ…..

*If we want to know Him at a more profoundly intimate level, that also takes an intentional seeking after Him every day.

As a grown woman I have come to love the beauty of this gift. Passing this “mined treasure” onto my son on the other hand has been an interesting challenge.  We live in such a fast paced, attention-challenged culture where the latest thing can be delivered to your doorstep by tomorrow for a few dollars more. But, as you know, by the time it is delivered it has already been replaced or updated!

How do we speak then into the lives of our children to help them understand and value perseverance?

For me…part of the puzzle meant a large piece of poster board, scissors, some photos and a bottle of Elmer’s glue. My son, Christian and I spread everything out on a sheet in the game room as I explained our project. “We’re going to make a family faith-tree,” I said. “These are photos of family on your dad’s side and on mine. Many of them have gone on to be with Jesus but the seeds they planted into our family continue to grow.” Then we wrote down their names and when they came to faith in Christ (as many as I knew).  It was quite something to see when we were finished.

“Your life matters Christian. Running your race well matters.”

That night we read these words from the writer to the Hebrews,

“We are surrounded by a great cloud of people whose lives tell us what faith means. So let us run the race that is before us and never give up.”

Hebrews 12:1 (NCV)

###

Sheila Walsh is a Bible teacher, speaker, singer, and best-selling author with more than 4 million books sold. Sheila Walsh is the creator of the award-winning Gigi, God’s Little Princess® and her new series, Gabby, God's Little Angel. Meet Gabby in Gabby's Stick-to-It-Day. As a featured speaker with Women of Faith®, Sheila has reached more than 3.5 million women by artistically combining honesty, vulnerability and humor with God’s Word. She resides in Dallas with her husband Barry and son Christian. Visit www.sheilawalsh.com for more information about Sheila, her other books or Women of Faith.

Exciting News – the latest Pearl Girls book, Mother of Pearl: Luminous Legacies and Iridescent Faith will be released this month! Please visit the Pearl Girls Facebook Page (and LIKE us!) for more information! Thanks so much for your support!

Mother Of Pearl Mother's Day Series ~ Priceless Treasures ~ Cindy K. Stiverson

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series - a week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Sheila Walsh, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Bonnie St. John, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/6-5/13 and the winner will on 5/14. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there, Happy Mother's Day!


Priceless Treasure by Cindy K. Stiverson

We've heard it said and often find it true:
You don't know the value of a treasure until you're without it. 

We take for granted the things in life that seem so readily available.
   A paperclip or rubber band, to hold things together.
   A tissue or napkin, to wipe our nose to clean our face, to absorb our tears.
   A Bible to speak words of wisdom and instruction and life and love.

And a Mother, who is all these things and more.
   She is readily available.
   She holds things together.
   She wipes our nose, cleans our face (and our fingers, and, well…everything else!)
   She absorbs our tears and calms our fears.
  "She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue." (Proverbs 31:26)
   She loves.

Within hours after my mother passed into the gates of our heavenly home, I was missing her. Her quick wit…humor…charm. Her warm smile and melodious laughter, which served her well to the very end, as did our Lord Jesus Christ, who so graciously allowed her to slip quietly and peacefully into His arms.

She simply stopped breathing.

As I stood at her bedside in those priceless moments after her passing, I wanted to touch her skin as much as possible while there was still warmth in her body; to nuzzle my nose against her head and breathe in the scent of her hair while she was still there. Priceless treasures I was guilty of taking for granted, clouded by unmet needs. I was so consumed with what she was not, that I never fully appreciated who she was. It’s like I was blind, but now I see!

I see her strength, her commitment. Her perseverance…sacrifice…her unspoken love. I see how much she meant to me, how much she did for me, how much she taught me, and how much of the good in me was modeled by her.

She was a virtuous woman, as described in Proverbs 31 of the Bible.
“Her children stand and bless her… a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise (vs. 31).”


This last verse of the poem serves as an epitaph for the woman of virtue. It speaks of the legacy she leaves in her passing. It spurred me to write a personal epitaph for my mother, which I read at her funeral.

We publicly declare your praise today, 

and in the days to come,

for you deserve to be praised and blessed,

"We honor you, Mom, for all you have done!"

In my earliest of memories, 

You worked so hard, striving for the rest.

You persevered through great trials

and did your very best.

I know you are being rewarded

in ways far beyond our reach.

We honor you now by practicing what you've taught,

and even what you preached!

You've stood for us for all these years,

Today, we stand for you!

I pray that our applause on earth

will reach your heavenly ears.

With the reading of this poem, I asked everyone to stand. We clapped our hands in celebration and praise of the life of my mother, Margaret Alice Stiltner.

Imagine our surprise to discover that she had left a poetic epitaph for us! She had clipped it from an old magazine and framed it. I found it when I was cleaning her home, on a nightstand by her bed. My mother was never versed at expressing emotion. This was her sweet way of kissing us good-bye: a priceless treasure to remember her by.

###

Cynthia (Cindy) Stiverson is a speaker, writer, and artist.  In 1998, she founded Woven: Women of Virtue Network, a spiritual formation and friendship ministry. She pastors the women at Newark Church of the Nazarene in Ohio. She is currently working on her fourth Woven Workbook, and also a book for mothers and daughters on the subject of sexual abuse. Cindy considers raising her daughter, speaker/author Nicole Braddock Bromley, to be her greatest achievement. She loves the men in her life, hubby Mark, grandbabes Jude and Isaac, and son-inlaw Matthew. You can find more of Cindy at www.WovenWomen.blogspot.co m and www.CynthiaStiverson.com

Exciting News – the latest Pearl Girls book, Mother of Pearl: Luminous Legacies and Iridescent Faith will be released this month! Please visit the Pearl Girls Facebook Page (and LIKE us!) for more information! Thanks so much for your support!

The 5 most beautiful mountain ranges to hike on

There's something about walking about in nature that lifts the heart. It's no wonder, therefore, that hiking is one of the best-loved pastimes in the entire world. There are a great variety of environments that people choose for their hiking outings. And, regardless of the specific details, there is one unifying factor in most situations: mountains. Following in no particular order are five of the most popular ones.

1). The Rockies
this mountain range makes up the western spine of much of North America. Stretching from the southern parts of the United States up to the northernmost parts of Canada. The length of the range gives the Rockies a wide and diverse spectrum of terrain and climate types. The southern parts of the range have a dry, arid terrain, while the northern parts are usually heavily forested and lusher than the southern parts. In addition to being one of the longest ranges in the world, the Rockies also contain some of the most well-known parks in North America, like Yellowstone National Park in the state of Wyoming and Banf National Park in Alberta, Canada.

2). The Alps

There probably isn't a more poetic mountainous destination than the Alps. Home to a thousand ghost stories and some of the finest sights in the world, the Alps stretch out over several European countries, including Germany, Italy and Switzerland. In addition to the culture that can be found in the shadow of these mountains, there are also some extremely good hiking spots. One of the best examples of these is the Tyrol area of Austria, famous for its alpine pastures and magnificent vistas.

3). The Himalayas

These mountains are home to the world's tallest mountain peaks, like K2 and the famed Mount Everest. Given these alpine challenges, it's not surprising that droves of mountaineers flock to the mountain range every year. If you're not as adventurous as these brave souls, there are still plenty of hiking opportunities to be had. There is a good deal of trails in these mountains, but it's probably best to get a guide, as these are some of the most dangerous mountains in the entire world. Fortunately, there are a good number of local guides that are available for economical prices.

4). The Andes

These mountains make up the world's longest mountain range. Stretching from the top to the bottom of South America, the Andes are home to some of the most spectacular sights in the entire world. In addition, there is a good deal of tourist sights in these mountains, the most famous of which is the abandoned Incan city of Macchu Picchu. You can hire guides and pack animals that can take supplies and equipment on extended hikes, if desired.

5). The Pyrenees

Located on the border between France and Spain, these mountains are lesser-known than some of their other European cousins. They are, however, an excellent choice for anyone looking for a good, scenic hike. The Pyrenees have an over-abundance of waterfalls, which make for the possibility of a positively idyllic walk in the wilderness. As a barrier between France and Spain, you are only hours away from the cultural landmarks of both those countries. A package deal, really.

Regardless of your particular preferences, it's entirely possible that you can find a place nearby that will suit your hiking preferences. And you don't necessarily have to go halfway around the world to find a place that will suit your needs. Many countries have their own mountain ranges, and many times they are extremely good for trekking or hiking - in addition to being cheaper to vacation at.

Diane Magruder is a hotel and resort reviewer for lakecomo.org.uk where you can find loads of information about beautiful Lake Como, Italy - the banks of which are the home of the city Bellagio.

DQ ~ Lindsay's Cakes for Miracles~!!

Lindsey Lourenco wanted to give something back for the care she has received during her ongoing battle with cancer. 
That's why we created Lindsey's Cakes for Miracles™, where $1 from every DQ^® Cake sold at participating locations is donated to a local Children's Miracle Network^® member hospital.  
DQ^® has supported Children's Miracle Network^® for over 28 years, and like Lindsey, we believe in the care it provides to children in need. 

So feel good about picking up a DQ^® Cake for Mom knowing that you're not only putting a smile on her face this Mother's Day, but also making miracles happen for kids like Lindsey.