Wordless Wednesday Our Christmas

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Bummas and YCMT Duet Apron Set Pattern Giveaway Winners

The winner of the Bummas cloth wipes - 10 pack is #30 GabbyLowe! GabbyLowe she said that she likes "the Girls" set.

The winner of the YCMT Duet Apron Set Pattern PDF is Kayeela! She said she would love to make the Recycled T-Shirt Hoodie for her son. She got a red digital camera for Christmas so she will be taking a lot of photos this holiday. She spent Christmas with another family this year.

Happy Holidays and congrats again to all the winners! I will contact each winner by email. If you did not have your email posted please post it here so I can email you! Thanks to all those who participated and don't forget to enter in my contests/giveaways that are going on now! I will also be adding more posts and giveaways soon so stay tuned!

*All winners are chosen by my True Random Number Generator.

Kiddieland Disney My Rocking Princess Pony Review

My daughter who is 1 1/2 years old just got this pony from us as a Christmas gift. She absolutely loves it! She loves to rock on it and she figured out how to activate the music and horsey sounds by pressing its ears all by herself. This was easily assembled out of the box. It just needed a few pieces put together and the instructions were very straight forward. My daughter loves the Disney princesses and this pony has an emblem on its forehead of 3 princesses. Ours has Snow White, Cinderella and Belle from Beauty and the Beast. It is all soft plush except for its rocker, emblem and two handles which are plastic. If you press the right ear it whinnies twice then plays regal music, then trotting sounds and a familiar song. Each time you press the ear you can get a different song at the end. The music it plays is London Bridge Is Falling Down, Row Row Row Your Boat, Camptown Races, On Top of Old Smokey a.k.a On Top of Spaghetti, This Old Man and Skip to My Lou. If you press the left ear it gives you a sound like harp, whinnying twice, trotting, different regal music, and a different harp sound. Ours requires 2 AA batteries, but I have heard others require 3. It is for girls, 12 - 24 Months/2 Years and maximum weight capacity is 50 lbs. Made by Kiddieland. I only paid $18 at Walmart for my daughter's rocking pony!

Here is a video of my daughter on the pony:


DISCLAIMER: I bought this item myself. All information about the item, I got from the box the item came in and the item itself. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any compensation for doing this review.

Sentimental Silver Review and Giveaway

Sentimental Silver makes and sells handcrafted jewelry that can be personalized with hand stamped names, dates, or sayings. They even have ones that can be personalized with birthstones or a photo. Truly one of a kind and custom made! Each hand stamped pure silver (.999%) personalized pendant is made completely by hand using recycled silver.

I received the You Have My Heart - Double from their heart line jewelry to test and review for free. Sentimental Silver personalized it with my and my husband's name. I also received a ball chain and a little drawstring fabric bag to place it in when I am not wearing it. I love the pendant and necklace! I will cherish it and wear it often...not only because it is beautiful, but because it goes well with all my wardrobe! These also make wonderful gifts for moms to be, mothers, grandmothers, sisters, daughters, brides, or really anyone.

WIN IT:
Christi at Sentimental Silver has given me the opportunity to choose one lucky reader to win a personalized Tiny Tag ($35 value).

Mandatory:
1. Go to the Sentimental Silver website and tell me what you would personalize the Tiny Tag with or what other item you like.

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by email and let me know. (2 extra entries)

2. Become my fan on facebook. (1 extra entry)

3. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and Sentimental Silver in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

4. Grab My Button (see sidebar to the left) AND/OR Put My Blog URL in Your Blogroll - Leave Your Link. (1 extra entry)

5. Technorati my blog and let me know your link. (1 extra entry)

6. List this giveaway on any giveaway listing website or blog and tell me where you listed it. (2 extra)

7. Add me on twitter and retweet this: @finamoon: @SentimentalSilv WIN: Sentimental Silver Tiny Tag http://bit.ly/67G9dF
(Daily Extras are Available)

8. Add the Sentimental Silver blog to your blogroll or link to your website and let me know your url and where it is located. (1 extra entry)

9. Fan Sentimental Silver on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

10. Follow Sentimental Silver on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. This contest ends on Friday January 08, 2010 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open to US and Canada only!!

DISCLAIMER: Thanks to ChicExecs, a company which was created to promote small business campaigns, I was able to let you know about these products. I received a sample from Sentimental Silver free of charge. All information about the products I received from the products, ChicExecs, and information from the Sentimental Silver website. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Tatutina Review and Giveaway

Tatutina is a wonderful online store with unique products that are very colorful and happy. Most of their products are hand painted and all of them that are, use paint that is certified non-toxic and lead free. They now can also personalize by hand painting a name in their own Tatutina style. They have such a fun and funky way of painting their designs! I fell in love with the colors and bright patterns.

We received a children's medal with Cutie Pie on it and a mermaid sweater that was designed from one of their paintings and hand knit in Peru to test and review for free. My daughter, Teela, modeled them for me.

The medal was very cute and hand painted with a slice of pie on it. The medals are great for awarding achievements that kids can do or be on any given day. Positive recognition is wonderful for helping kids' self esteem. Each medal is made of painted wood with a ribbon that has velcro closure at the top for easy on and off. These medals come in various designs...such as: cutie pie, dinosaur expert, bug catcher, birthday girl, birthday boy, new big brother, new big sister, funniest kid, good citizen, little dancer, top chef, singing star, biggest ham and more! The back of the medal can be personalized with the child's name. They are just $5 each!

The mermaid sweater is adorable! I love the bright colors and Tatutina has other mermaid items that coordinate with it. When they designed this sweater and put it into production, they worked with an American company that helps support local Peruvian women in their efforts to sustain a living and provide for their families. This 100% cotton sweater comes in 3 different sizes for babies and toddlers. They also have other designs too and now on sale for $40!

WIN IT:
Roberta at Tatutina has given me the opportunity to choose one lucky reader to win 4 children's medals.

Mandatory:
1. Go to the Tatutina website and tell me what 4 medals you would love to win.

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by email and let me know. (2 extra entries)

2. Become my fan on facebook. (1 extra entry)

3. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and Tatutina in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

4. Grab My Button (see sidebar to the left) AND/OR Put My Blog URL in Your Blogroll - Leave Your Link. (1 extra entry)

5. Technorati my blog and let me know your link. (1 extra entry)

6. List this giveaway on any giveaway listing website or blog and tell me where you listed it. (2 extra)

7. Add me on twitter and retweet this: @finamoon: @tatutina WIN: 4 Tatutina Children's medals http://bit.ly/6k8rnr
(Daily Extras are Available)

8. Add the Tatutina blog to your blogroll or link to your website and let me know your url and where it is located. (1 extra entry)

9. Fan Tatutina on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

10. Follow Tatutina on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. This contest ends on Friday January 08, 2010 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open toUS only!!

DISCLAIMER: Thanks to ChicExecs, a company which was created to promote small business campaigns, I was able to let you know about these products. I received samples from Tatutina free of charge. All information about the products I received from the products, ChicExecs, and information from the Tatutina website. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Wordless Wednesday Happy Holidays From My House to Yours

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LATCH Cross Country Blog Tour

With the holiday season moving into full swing, families across the country are in the car and on the go. Whether you're driving across the country to visit family or across town to holiday shop, it is important that your child passengers are riding safely and that child safety seats are used correctly.

AAA estimated that 30 million people traveled this Thanksgiving holiday alone, and for many this is just the beginning of the holiday hustle and bustle. Now is the time to utilize the Child Car Safety tools provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Ad Council to learn more about proper car seat use and installation. You will find informative resources that include instructional videos.

Have child passenger safety questions that you need answered before you travel over the river and through the woods to Grandma's? NHTSA is always available to answer your questions online through Facebook and Twitter.

DISCLAIMER: Momfluence now called Global Influence graciously gave me the information for this campaign. Amy Lupold Bair, founder of Momfluence/Global Influence, is acting on behalf of NHTSA's child passenger safety efforts and so am I by posting this information.

Our New Dog, Prince

We saw Prince on Petfinder and even though it was a 10 hour drive for Brian to get him, it was well worth it. He is a Poodle Coonhound Mix and is 2 years old. He is a great dog so far and we haven't had any problems with him. He does like to chase small animals, especially cats...so we are walking him regularly on the leash until we can get something better than the fence we currently have around our yard. He has been a perfect gentleman and is very gentle with everyone. I love his big soft floppy ears and he loves my kids. He doesn't shed much since he is part poodle and is the large dog that we were looking for. I think we are the very family he was looking for too :) Look how happy he is!

Little Music Lovers, Cooking With All Things Trader Joe's, Boon, & Faithworks Boutique Giveaway Winners

The winner of the Little Music Lovers CD is #3 justicecw. justicecw said she'd most like Lullabies: Smart Music for Bedtime.

The winner of the Cooking with All Things Trader Joe's Autographed Cookbook is #7 Amanda! She said that the worst meal Wona ever cooked was tuna lasagna. It sounds a little yucky.

The winner of the Boon Flō is #30 Amanda! Amanda said she their BPA-free odd ducks are cute! I would choose the blue Flō.

The winner of the Faithworks Boutique $15 gift certificate is #26 Amanda! Amanda said her daughter would like the Dora hair bow.

Merry Christmas and congrats again to all the winners! I did not rig these giveaways! Amanda is just really lucky!! I will contact each winner by email. If you did not have your email posted please post it here so I can email you! Thanks to all those who participated and don't forget to enter in my contests/giveaways that are going on now! I will also be adding more posts and giveaways soon so stay tuned!

*All winners are chosen by my True Random Number Generator.

Elephantito Review

Elephantito is a luxury line of clothes and shoes for or babies and children up to 8 years old. The complete collection is online at Elephantito.com. Elephantito is also available at more than 150 exclusive boutiques and on-line stores in US, Europe, Asia and Central America.


I received their Ballerina Leather shoes in Plum for free to test and review for my daughter, Teela. It just so happened that I had a perfect little dress to go with them for her to also model...one that my daughter, Tatiana, had worn to my sisters wedding when she was younger. I love these little shoes! They are darling and the craftsmanship is excellent! As you can see Teela loves them as well. When she was standing she was trying out her curtsy and when she was sitting she was playing peek-a-boo shoes under her dress :) She also likes how shiny they are.

They have a number of other designs of shoes to choose from...from Mary Janes to Moccasins. They also carry clothing that is adorable and modest as well. I really love their line.

DISCLAIMER: Thanks to ChicExecs, a company which was created to promote small business campaigns, I was able to let you know about this product. I received a sample from Elephantito free of charge. All information about the products I received from the products, ChicExecs, and information from the Elephantito website. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Aveeno Baby Review

Aveeno products have been a favorite of mine for a while now. I love their lotions and their Aveeno Active Naturals Daily Moisturizing Lotion is my favorite because of the natural colloidal oatmeal blended in it with rich emollients to moisturize my skin. I was very happy to be introduced to the Aveeno Baby product line by BzzAgent.

Each Aveeno product contains Aveeno Active Naturals: natural oat infused with the power of science to keep your baby's skin and hair moisturized and healthy looking. Oats have a long history of being valued for skin care dating back to the ancient Greeks and Romans who used oat baths to heal skin ailments. Aveeno uses finely milled (colloidal) oatmeal, that retain the naturally active benefits of oats which were clinically shown to moisturize and relieve dry skin.

I received a free pack to review of an 8 fl oz bottle of Aveeno Baby Lightly Scented Essential Moisture Shampoo and some smaller samples of Fragrance Free Soothing Relief Diaper Rash Cream. These two products are new in their product line.

The Aveeno Baby Lightly Scented Essential Moisture Shampoo was gentle on my daughter's skin and left her hair untangled, shiny and smooth. It is also a tear free formula so if it does accidentally get in your little one's eyes it won't sting. Essential Moisture Shampoo provides the benefits of natural wheat and oat essence combined with vitamin E to gently cleanse while conditioning baby's hair.

After bath time and before diapering Aveeno has its easy to apply Soothing Relief Diaper Rash Cream for combating diaper rash. The oat essence in the formula helps soothe - heal - and prevent diaper rash, willow herb gently calms and zinc oxide creates a long lasting protective barrier. It acts on contact and is fragrance free. We sure liked it a lot!

DISCLAIMER: Because I am a member of BzzAgent I received word of a BzzCampaign for the Aveeno Baby. I received free samples, coupons, and information from BzzAgent.com. All information about the products I received from the media kit, the products and the Aveeno Baby website. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Wordless Wednesday Family Photo Christmas Cards

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The Christ of Christmas from Tyndale House Publishers

Tyndale House Publishers would like to invite you to be a part of a special holiday offer. Christian recording artist and author of 101 Ways to Give This Christmas Away, Matthew West, is offering a free download of the Christmas story from Luke read by the singer/songwriter himself. I wanted to let you know so you too can help Tyndale House Publishers reach their goal of 1 million total downloads. You can also download a free copy of the Gospel of John in the New Living Translation.

Just visit The Christ of Christmas, scroll to the bottom and click on “Download the Christmas Story”.

Some Ways This Download is Being Used:
*Family time listening experience (hot cocoa, fire place, Christmas cheer)
*Christmas E-cards (include a link to the download in your Christmas card this year)
*Posting the link in the comments sections of other blogs you read to spread the word
*Embed the audio file into your Facebook page or website so it plays automatically
*Spread the Gospel though Twitter
*Send the link through a text message or through your smart phone so you can download the file and play it all around town

Want to Win?:
Think you have a fun, interesting, or unique way that you’ve used the download? Want to share it with the world and in the process enter to win a Tyndale House January new release? Post your story in the comments section of the Tyndale Blog, and they’ll draw 5 winners on Christmas Eve.

Here’s What You Could Win:
The Daniel Fast by Susan Gregory
Raising a Modern-Day Princess by Pam Farrel & Doreen Hanna
The Busy Couple’s Guide to Sharing the Work & the Joy by Kathy Peel
The Courteous Cad by Catherine Palmer
Blackout by Jason Elam & Steve Yohn

OR

Tyndale’s New : NLT Holy Bible Mosaic HC

DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Tyndale House Publishers I was able to let you know about this download. Since I am a Tyndale Blog Network Blogger I received an email with information about this promotion, wanted to share it with you and downloaded the Christmas Story free of charge. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this promotion.

YouCanMakeThis Holiday Gift Giving Review and Giveaway‏

With the holidays just around the corner, I thought it would be fun to showcase some quick and easy gift ideas you can give to friends, neighbors, co-workers, and oh yes…even your family! You can enter to win eBooks from www.YouCanMakeThis.com and learn some fun new techniques, tips, and ideas not only for the people on your list, but also creative ways to decorate your home!

You Can Make This has created a free download for some fun gift tags. Each of them coordinate with ideas found as part of the DIY Gift Giving Series videos that can be found at www.youcanmakethis.com/blog , as well as designs and patterns found at www.SWAKembroidery.com and www.YouCanMakeThis.com.

You can also enter to win hundreds of dollars in gift certificates just for watching the videos that are part of the DIY Gift Giving Series and answering a question on the You Can Make This blog!

Making your own Christmas decorations and crafts can be very fun! I received a PDF download to review of the Ruffled Capris and Pants from You Can Make This. They have all kinds of neat DIY projects including a lot of fun holiday projects to make on their website. Their step-by-step instructions are all easy to follow and detailed. I have gotten a lot of their other FREE patterns by download to try too. The Ruffled Capris and Pants pattern I received had step-by-step instructions on how to make each Ruffled Capri and Pants. I am going to love making these for my daughters!


WIN IT:
Courtney at YouCanMakeThis has given me the opportunity to choose TWO lucky readers to win instructions for making The Duet Apron Set as a PDF download. You can download the Chef Hat now! The bundle includes the following books:
The Duet Apron Set
FREE Chef Hat

Mandatory:
1. Go to the YouCanMakeThis website and tell me another DIY project you would like to make AND comment about this post or about what you will be doing this Christmas (Do both or be disqualified!).

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by email and let me know. (2 extra entries)

2. Become my fan on facebook. (1 extra entry)

3. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and YouCanMakeThis in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

4. Grab My Button (see sidebar to the left) AND/OR Put My Blog URL in Your Blogroll - Leave Your Link. (1 extra entry)

5. Technorati my blog and let me know your link. (1 extra entry)

6. List this giveaway on any giveaway listing website or blog and tell me where you listed it. (2 extra)

7. Add me on twitter and retweet this: @finamoon: @YouCanMakeThis WIN: YCMT DIY Duet Apron Set Pattern http://bit.ly/7iMGGA
(Daily Extras are Available)

8. Add the YouCanMakeThis blog to your blogroll or link to your website and let me know your url and where it is located. (1 extra entry)

8. Fan YouCanMakeThis on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

9. Follow YouCanMakeThis on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

10. Buy something at YouCanMakeThis and let me know what it was. (3 extra)

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. This contest ends on Monday December 28, 2009 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open Worldwide!!

DISCLAIMER: Thanks to YouCanMakeThis I was able to let you know about this product. I received a download from YouCanMakeThis free of charge. All information about the products I received from the download, and information from the YouCanMakeThis website. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Bummas Review and Giveaway

Bummas are re-usable, eco-friendly, highly absorbent cloths designed to keep sensitive baby bottoms dry, fresh and chemical-free. You can virtually eliminate irritating diaper rash without the use of powders, talcs, and ointments. They can also be used as a wipe with just a bit of water and if you have a little boy, blocking those surprise squirts. The best part is you can wash them over and over without having them pill, shrink, or fade because they are pretty durable. They are made of 100% cotton - woven velour terry cloth and are very soft. They come in a handy 5” x 7” size that you can fold or roll up to take with you for diaper changes on the go. They also come in a range of colors to compliment your nursery at home and retail for $16.99 for a set of 10. After the wipe and before the dipe, A soft kiss of cloth to dry bums off. Keep diaper rash at bay, the Bummas way!

Other uses for Bummas include, but are not limited to:
*Over-the-shoulder for a little burp cloth
*Wiping little noses
*Bathtime washcloth

I received 'The Wild Ones' color combination of Bummas to try out and review for free from Bummas. It came in a pack of 10 Bummas cloths of different colors. Both my daughters have had trouble with diaper rash, especially Tatiana lately, and I have tried just about every ointment and powder under the sun with her. Nothing seemed to be working and I wasn't just going to let her bum air out for a while. She's has too many accidents when I let her do that. I am so very glad that I was introduced to Bummas! These cloths are awesome and softer than a regular washcloth! I have used mine over and over again without any troubles. These are for anyone changing a little one...not just for cloth diaper users. My daughters' bottoms are rash free now and they are happier!

WIN IT:
Casey at Bummas is giving one lucky reader a chance to win a 10 pack of Bummas cloth wipes.

Mandatory:
1. Go to the Bummas website and tell me what color combination you would like to get if you win.

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by email and let me know. (2 extra entries)

2. Become my fan on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

3. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and Bummas in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

4. Grab My Button (see sidebar to the left) AND/OR Put My Blog URL in Your Blogroll - Leave Your Link. (1 extra entry)

5. Technorati my blog and let me know your link. (1 extra entry)

6. List this giveaway on any giveaway listing website or blog and tell me where you listed it. (2 extra)

7. Follow me on twitter and retweet this: @finamoon: @bummas WIN: Bummas Cloth Wipes - Set of 10 http://bit.ly/75ACgj (Daily Extras are Available)

8. Fave me on Momfaves. (2 extra entries)

9. Comment on one of my other posts and tell me which one. (2 extra entries per post)

10. Follow Bummas on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. If you subscribed by email, blogged about this, listed it, commented on another post, or faved me on Momfaves leave 2 entries saying you did. This contest ends on Friday December 25, 2009 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open Worldwide!!

DISCLAIMER: Thanks to ChicExecs, a company which was created to promote small business campaigns, I was able to let you know about this product. I received a sample from Bummas free of charge. All information about the products I received from the products, ChicExecs, and information from the Bummas website. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Wordless Wednesday I Want a Pony

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I Run to the Hills by C. Maggie Woychik FIRST Wild Card Tour Book Review

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

C. Maggie Woychik

and the book:

I Run to the Hills: Reflections on the Christian Journey

Port Yonder Press (September 23, 2009)

***Special thanks to C. Maggie Woychik for sending me a review copy.***

MY THOUGHTS:

I haven't gotten around to reading this book yet. When I do I will review it. Thanks for your understanding.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

C. Maggie's articles have appeared in numerous magazines since 1995. She is a prolific writer and blogger, and has a special appreciation for the home education movement. The author loves nature in all its wonder, and enjoys the mountains almost as much as the sea. She lives with her husband in the midwest. This is her debut title.

Visit the author's website.

Product Details:

List Price: $8.99
Paperback: 136 pages
Publisher: Port Yonder Press (September 23, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0984169407
ISBN-13: 978-0984169405

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

INTRODUCTION


In His hand are the deep places of the earth; the strength of the hills is His also.

Psalm 95:4


Faith for some is like being rescued from drowning. For others, it’s simply yielding to the Master Helmsman when offered a cruise on His one-way vessel to paradise. It’s a far less harrowing experience to surrender willingly – and early on – especially since we face such a determinedly loving Captain.

I knew, as so many of us do, that if I yelled loudly enough when the flood waters were imminent, He would hear and most likely come to my aid. (I dismissed the idea that He might not choose to rescue me from my folly.) I also knew that calling out to Him meant I would owe Him my all thereafter. The only other option was to drown, which wasn’t an appealing notion.

In other words, in my mind I was rescued not by Someone who loved me, as much as by the only One strong enough to do the job. I turned to Him out of desperation, not truth or love or any other high and lofty ideal.

He dragged me to the safety of the shallow water then picked me up and carried me farther up the sandy beach. Laying me down on the warm, white sand, He began the resuscitation process, breath upon breath, heart massage upon gentle heart massage – and I revived. The rescue was instantaneous, my appreciation for my Rescuer great. Still I did not love Him as I would learn to love Him later. He was only my Savior. My life was His, yet my love was bound in a selfish and worldly heart and it would take years to manage it loose.

But He never gave up, never faltered. Year after year, He held and pressed and moved and worked. He knew how I felt: I would always serve Him. He wanted me to love Him.

The transition from rescue, to learning His truths, to knowing and loving Him as Friend, is illustrated in the story that follows. I have chosen the mountain and (to a lesser extent) the sea as vehicles of expression.

I hope you, too, will come to see that a life lived with Jesus Christ is an adventure of love, no matter how it is told, or by whom. And even more so, that His greatest desire is for each of His children to not merely serve Him, but to love Him with all their being. It always takes time; He’s willing to wait.




CHAPTER ONE


ON THE PLAINS OF HUMANITY: FROM VALLEY TO HIGHLANDS





Sojourners all begin their trek somewhere at the base;

In time a few will dare to roam out of their slotted place.

Noble souls, they boldly choose to go against the grain

Of earthly desert wanderings that very soon prove vain.

Instead, they scale the alpine path, a narrow way and long,

And chance the hazards on their way to sing the alpine song.




The journey

Every journey starts from where you are. For the complacent or fearful, it ends there, too. But for those who seek treasures beyond Here and Now, no cost is too great, no sacrifice too unreasonable, to commence the search. The course is set, the way determined: they must find that which they lost – or never had. Whatever “it” is, for they may not know what to call it, it must be found. And if it is indeed immortal treasure they long for, they will find it.

Journey begun, the noble seeker will proceed down one of two paths. Either he will be ecstatic with his life-discoveries, even to the point of tossing bits of newfound gold to those around him, or he will turn away in disgust and chide himself back down the mountain for wasting his precious time on something as intangible and unsatisfying as “it” was.

That’s the game and every sojourner must play, or stay home and miss out completely.

Here is where my trek begins. Travel with me as I muse on the alpine path, for “In His hand are the deep places of the earth; the strength of the hills is His also.”

You see, travel and reflection must come in that order: we roam a great while on our earthly journey thinking of nothing – absolutely nothing. Then for some usually undefined reason we actually begin to think, to reflect, on what we see, hear, and feel, and as most would admit, traveling takes precedence over reflection far too frequently along the way.

But one cannot journey far without an occasional glance around, then it’s there! – that which He said would first point us to Himself: His unmistakable fingerprint in what has been made, revealing the reason for our being and Object of our praise.

I am able, then, to resume my travels, more sure of my direction, more confident of the path ahead, knowing Who guides, urges, and pleads me to think, to reason, and then to seek Him whom I can no longer deny.



Finding answers

A journey never starts at the end, but the beginning. In the case of our alpine travels, though, it must of necessity begin at the end: the end of self: self-knowledge, self-satisfaction, self-worship. And the end comes only through the discovery of something, Someone, outside of self. Discovery of a world outside our cocoon of inwardness is the first step of meaningful discovery, the first bit of truth that may eventually lead to ultimate Truth – God Himself.

In finding answers, how assuring it is to know that truth-discovery does not demand intellect, only desire. A babe in intellect may know truth. But for a reasoned, seasoned faith, intellect must be engaged. Genuine intellect may not always have the right answer, but it will never ignore solid evidence. For where human reasoning and discernment are present, so is the capacity for human error and misjudgment.

Intellect draped with integrity, though, will always listen, learn, and attempt to find a viable solution to the inquiry at hand. Existing evidence for or against a specific question may not bring all the answers, it may even require a degree of faith to embrace, but solid evidence cannot be ignored or minimized as one might ignore a hungry cat at the back door, calling for sustenance and attention.

I must not fear to have more questions than answers, but to have more answers than questions. For when the questions stop, previous answers may not have been satisfactory. Or, maybe they have. There, too, comes a time to rest from questioning; a time to relax and let the answers, the lessons, permeate the soul. A time for peace.

In a journey of discovery, experience is but a tangible substitute for intangible truth. But truth combined with the experiencing of it is the reason we exist. Experiencing truth is the undeniable answer that speaks beyond “seeing” to “knowing”. It speaks to the “why” questions we all ask at some point in our pilgrimage. Finding not just answers, but truth, and fulfillment in that truth – the experiencing of that truth -- is God’s intent for His creation.

Any answer, conclusion, or theory a person comes by through self-discovery or the teaching of another, though, is not to be unthinkingly accepted without question, but questioned for the sake of discovery. Even the seemingly easy and traditional answers – on God, faith, love – may be handily received in the mind, but Spirit of Discernment must have free reign as He matches concept spoken with concept written in the Rule Book for all God-seekers.



Of musing

The thought, the muse, invades the mental process, imposing and confident. One, dull of heart and slow of mind, acknowledges the flash but credits it to nature’s course, a sort of cerebral lightning, an electrical storm in the passage of life. He is amused, albeit, bored. Or, maybe, distracted by the touchability of “real” life surrounding him.

Across the way, or pew, or book, another realizes he has just privileged a glimpse through the curtain of status quo into the arena of Truth. Scrawled across the dividing shroud are the words:

ONLY THE BRAVE ONLY THE BOLD ENTER HERE

And he does.

And he is never the same.



In Greek Mythology, the Muse referred to any of nine goddesses who presided over literature, the arts and sciences: Calliope, Clio, Euterpe, Melpomene, Terpsichore, Erato, Polyhymnia, Urania, Thalia.

“Musing” involves engaging our innate sense of inspiration or genius. But today, musing – thinking deeply and at length for the purpose of discovery – is an almost forgotten concept. Time is too scarce in our hustle and bustle society to allow for questionable extravagances such as … musing.

Who has time to think deeply and at length? But it’s only as I take time to ponder written revealed Truth – the Christian Scriptures – in a more than cursory fashion, that its meaning becomes clear and its message becomes real. Romans 12:2 refers to this as the “renewing of the mind” concept, and fallen mind needs renewing! The Psalms call this God-ordained “meditation”.

I can expect difficulty with this truth-musing or internalization process, for embracing ideas – especially God-ideas, which react so violently against my darkened understanding (the reason He gave us the Spirit of Truth who bears witness to His Word) – is more than mere mental assent of truth or a brain-filling storage of facts; it encompasses the entire process of chewing, swallowing, digesting and incorporating that truth into our spiritual cell structure.

Truths are for digesting, not just consuming. Undigested truth is like a lunch that’s been packed and taken along on a journey but never eaten. It begins to rot. And stink.

So, when bits and pieces of truth are uncovered, a discovery made, we are called to be Berean-ish as in Acts 17:11. Firmly clasp the piece of Light – catch it; then slowly release your fingers, using care not to allow it to slip away or be snatched by the cunning Truth-Robber. Once command has been established, begin to turn it this way and that, viewing and re-viewing, neglecting no angles. Let nothing rush you; you are in the process of unraveling an eternal, unchangeable maxim from the mind of the Infinite Creator. No trifling with details here, only grappling with Divine Utterance.

Remember, there are no fast food spiritual truths. Quick fixes are few. Genies in bottles, like Greek mythology, make for good fairy tales, but poor theology. Sovereignty condescended to provide our senseless lives with meaning – and abundance. The act of salvation is instantaneous, but real heart-deep growth takes time. Musing – thinking deeply and at length – of the Word God has revealed, against the backdrop of the world He has made, is one of God’s provisions for growth, fullness of life, and a faith that is so integrated into our spiritual cell structure that we can live it out in our daily lives for all to see, for God’s ultimate glory.

With King David, let us proclaim, “I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Thy works; I muse on the work of Thy hands. I stretch forth my hands unto Thee: my soul thirsteth after Thee, as a thirsty land.”



A pathway through

So again, we question not for the sake of questioning, but to discover. The trek of discovery, however simple, is not easy and not to be underestimated. Fraught with adversity at every turn, old paths must be unearthed, the conventional and well-worn surrendered. For though there are many passages leading into the valley of the Forest of Deep Shadows, where opportunities for true discovery abound, only one leads out to a better, higher place. It is the path from Here and Now to Then and There.

To the left of the entry to the grove, you will notice a large, hand-crafted sign which reads “Everyman’s Land.” As we proceed down the great thoroughfare there appears another, smaller sign, partially obscured by moss and fallen leaves, obviously neglected and seldom accounted for. It reads: “CAUTION - Travelers be advised: Take up your scythe, with cutting edge sharp and keen, before embarking on your unearthly journey!” Through the bleakness and tangle of treetops, a stream of sunlight shines directly onto the little sign and clearly illuminates it. Its words show forth as a beacon at night.

Traveling on, we eventually reach a Cross-Road – the first of many encounters for some, and at least the once for all. The question is posed, “Here, now, what?”

Slip into the shadows for a moment with me and observe the procession to follow. Many, as you will see, have no heart for discovery. Truth-musing is foreign to them and they offer no apology.

UnPrepared is startled by the suddenness of his Cross-Road meeting. He shrinks away from the much-too-illuminated lane and plods along his dreary, weary way. Unmoved and unmovable, he is settled, secure and too happy to need either adventure or advantage. The comfort of conventionality suits him; he suffices with a measure of peaceful existence. He is Here and Now with no thought or care of Then and There.

Next, Self-Confident boldly approaches the insistent thoroughfare. Undaunted, he assesses present and future cost. He determines greatest value in waiting, in returning to this passage at the eclipse of his life-tour. Sights and sounds of existing surroundings press him and he cannot refuse. There is, he insists, much time to reevaluate and ford, if necessary, intervening bogs on his later trip to Then and There. He assures himself the signs will be in place, the back-trekking unhindered. He has little concern or time to ponder deep forest mysteries. He progresses on his carefree, confident way.

Book in hand, Reasoned Philosopher broaches the junction as if in a duel, rationale flying and doubts whipping the air. “Where can one find significant scientific and experiential evidence to even consider Then and There? Can man embrace a belief of this magnitude and maintain allegiance to critical thinking?” Reasoner reflects, only too little, and rejects.

The line of wayfarers continues for many days. For eventually all sojourners must visit this sun-dappled, opaque land, and travel the well-trod path that lies before them. Now it intersects with and forms a Cross-Road. At a later, indeterminate time, it will be the sole trail out of the forest, when dawn will break. For some.

But first, all must confront the Forest Keeper. Trembling at the radiance of his face, all will bow, and listen, while their quests are addressed. With fury as fire and love as light, Keeper will reveal the unseen and reward the unashamed.

Indifferent, Lazy, and UnPrepared disgrace knowing they unwisely used the Forest Map entrusted to them. They had directions within their grasp (made available to them at their first Cross-Road encounter) but deemed map-savvying unworthy of their effort, unnecessary to attain their destination. They were right. One doesn’t need a map to stay lost.

Self-Made falls on bended knee as the shadow of that very Cross-Road reveals not a monument to self, but a memorial to selflessness. The vertical path that flows from the mountain steeps where Then and There dwells, back to the valley of the darksome forest, intersects with the horizontal path of Here and Now. All becomes transparent; self-confidence melts, only too late.

Doubtful, Shrewd, and Reasoner stand gazing upward as faithless rationale and dubious intellect are whirled heavenward, consumed as if by a devouring beast, then ejected as ignoble fodder not worthy of royal domain.

Each now has their answer – answers tossed away at an earlier juncture. Each is reminded of the placard that began their journey: “Take up your scythe....” In front of them the Forest Keeper holds a rolled papyrus which, the instant it is gazed upon, turns into a great, metallic, keen-edged weapon of war. For some, it is a victor’s saber; for others, the blade of a guillotine.

And ringing within the ears of many as they are marched back into the Forest of Deep Shadows, now become the Forest of Destruction, is the chilling reminder that centuries ago it was said, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.”

And the Forest Keeper wept for sadness – then joy, as his pathfinders worshipped Him. And among that number I stood with great awe and gladness. After what seemed like hours, I turned and began to walk the road that led from there.

Others had preceded me; the path was noticeably trampled and worn. Trailblazers! – etching edges, clarifying boundaries, determining direction. Even so, I realized each traveler must tread the way himself, and I did.



The voice of love

“I wonder what Your voice will sound like, Lord, when I hear it for the first time. These many days You have loved me, whispered to my heart, at times reproved me, but never audibly; always in quietness.

“Never in a train sweeping by but in the peace which follows the last car rumbling into the distance. Never in a din of voices clamoring to be heard but in the solitude and stillness after the crowd has dispersed. And never in frantic attempts to accomplish or succeed in my own strength but in fully resting in You.

“Then You speak softly, gently, with assurance and great affection.

“But what does the voice of love sound like? I listen to people speak, and think, ‘Does Jesus sound like that? Will His voice have that steady, calm air that brings repose and comfort?’ I’m sure it will be all that and more, Lord. And for whatever it will be that I can’t imagine, I know it will be the Voice of Love.”

Just then, I was startled to find Him walking beside me, smiling. “Well, what do you think? Does My voice fulfill your expectations?”

“Ever so much,” I said, trembling. Kind and soothing, yet constant and courageous, it was all I had dreamt of and more. He continued, “Keep firmly in mind what you have learned thus far. You’ll need it later as you begin your trek up the mountain. You will, at times, lose sight of Me, but I am aware of all that happens. I am only a thought, a word, a desire away. I can promise you that.”

And then He walked toward the sunlight and bade me follow. He led me out of the valley of the Forest of Deep Shadows to the base of the Mount of the Lord and said He must journey another way.

“But, remember My Words, young one, and you’ll scale the heights in safety.”

Waving farewell, I began to walk. I opened the Parchment He had given me in the forest and began to read from a book called Isaiah.

No Limits, No Boundaries by Tiz Huch FIRST Wild Card Tour Book Review

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Tiz Huch

and the book:

No Limits, No Boundaries: Praying Dynamic Change into Your Life, Family, and Finances

Whitaker House (October 6, 2009)

***Special thanks to Cathy Hickling of Whitaker House for sending me a review copy.***

MY THOUGHTS:

I haven't gotten around to reading this book yet. When I do I will review it. Thanks for your understanding.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tiz Huch serves as co-pastor with her husband Larry Huch of DFW New Beginnings in Irving, Texas. As an author and frequent speaker, Tiz focuses on living the abundant life, teaching specifically on marriage, family life, personal relationships, business, and finances.

Visit the author's website.

Product Details:

List Price: $12.99
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Whitaker House (October 6, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1603741194
ISBN-13: 978-1603741194

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Life Is Fragile. Handle with Prayer.

Life is too fragile to simply leave in the hands of fate. I once saw a bumper sticker with the clever saying, “Life is fragile. Handle with prayer.” What good advice! Through the course of this book, your thoughts, your words, and your lifestyle are going to move to a higher level. You and I are going to take a journey that will change our lives forever.

As I have said, the basis of seeing God’s power moving in us, for us, and through us is knowing Him and His promises for us. When you know Him, are familiar with His nature, and understand what He desires for your life, it’s easy to trust Him, because it’s right here in the Book. When you read the promises of God, you see that God is a good, loving, generous, kind, big-hearted God. He’s not a hard taskmaster. He’s not a stingy God. He is a good God—all the time!

As you begin to understand and internalize this, you begin to see your future differently. You start seeing your future through the eyes of God, who has destined you to be successful in the plans He has for you. He’s not up there waiting for you to make a mistake and then kick you when you’re down. He is a good and loving Father who is in your corner, cheering and rooting for you. And He has the means and resources to ensure your success!

Prayer Gives Us Access to God’s Limitless Resources

When you know that God believes in you, it changes the way you feel about yourself and transforms the way you approach life. It turns impossibility thinking into possibility thinking, because we know that “with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26; Mark 10:27). It also changes the way that we view our own potentials. Rather than thinking, Oh, I could never do that, or That’s beyond my abilities, we begin to realize that God Almighty lives within us. Because the Spirit of all truth dwells within us, we can live beyond the limitations of our own natural talents, abilities, creativity levels, and IQs. We have the opportunity every day to draw from the well that is within us and tap directly into the heart and mind of God Himself! The very God who spoke and formed the world lives within you and me. The moment we asked Him into our hearts and were born again, His Spirit took up residence and started living within us!

One of my favorite Scriptures is Ephesians 3:16–20. Paul was talking about being strengthened with might by God’s Spirit in our “inner man,” that we might know “the breadth, and length, and depth, and height” of our God, who “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (verses 16, 18, 20). So, we see here that God’s power is already alive and working within us and through us!

Romans 8:11 says that “the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in [us]” and “will also give life to [our] mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in [us]” (niv). Do you grasp the significance of that? The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead and brought Him back to life is living within us. That same Spirit can raise us up in whatever way we need and enable us to do whatever He has put within our hearts to do!

That same resurrection power can break every chain, every bondage, every spirit of limitation or containment, every addiction, every emotional problem, every sickness, every disease, and every form of oppression or attack that tries to hold you captive.

We read in Daniel 11:32, “The people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” “The people that do know their God”—that’s you and I. Those of us who know our God will be strong and do world-shaking exploits! It’s time that God’s people live in the full and complete power of the resurrection!

Pull up the bucket from the well. That’s where God is living. He’s not way out there in la-la land or some distant universe; He is living inside of you. You have the ability to call upon His help, His strength, His wisdom, His riches, His creativity, His intelligence, His passion, His anointing—whatever you need, it’s right there within you! Isn’t that exciting? The fact that God Almighty lives and reigns within you and me is pretty amazing. What an incredible honor!

Prayer Activates the Promises of God

The blessings we’re promised are not automatic, however. We have to ask for and activate God’s promises through prayer. The Bible assures us over and over that the Lord sees and knows about all of our needs—Matthew 6:8, for example, says, “Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” But we still have to ask in faith to move His hand.

This process is similar to what happens when you receive a new credit card. You are given the card with full authorization and backing, but you still need to make a phone call in order to activate it before using it to make any purchases. In like fashion, God has sent His Word with full authorization and backing, but we still have to make the call to activate it! We have to ask!

The Gospel of John confirms this idea. In John 14:12–14, Jesus said,

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. (nasb)

The Lord never intended for His children to live within the confines and limitations of this natural world. His plan has always been to empower and equip us with His supernatural blessings—to add His super to our natural. When we do our best, He will do the rest. But we have to ask!

Jesus Is Passing By—Seize Your Opportunity!

The tenth chapter of Mark includes the story of Bartimaeus, a blind beggar from Jericho. He sat by the roadside, day after day, appealing to the sympathies of passersby.

One day was different, however—Jesus came to Jericho. As He and His disciples were leaving the city, they passed by blind Bartimaeus, who shouted out, “Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me” (Mark 10:47).

Other people around Bartimaeus urged him to be quiet, and he shouted even louder, “Thou son of David, have mercy on me” (verse 48).

Because of the beggar’s persistence, Jesus called Bartimaeus to Him and inquired, “What do you want Me to do for you?” (See verse 51.)

Bartimaeus answered, “Lord, that I might receive my sight” (verse 51).

The Bible says that he immediately received his sight, and Jesus Himself explained why. He told Bartimaeus, “Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole” (verse 52, emphasis added).

Bartimaeus was healed because he seized his opportunity and cried out, “Jesus! Don’t pass me by! This is my moment. Heal my blind eyes!” The Bible records that Jesus heard his cry, stopped, saw his faith, granted his request, and healed him. How many other blind men did not cry out to Jesus and grab ahold of His promises by faith—and therefore missed out on their healing?

This account is an excellent example of how the spiritual realm operates. God knows our needs and sees our issues, but He can respond only to our faith and prayers. Let’s never be guilty of letting Jesus pass us by and thereby missing an opportunity for a miracle. Jesus is passing by—let’s seize our opportunity!

Are you ready to do as blind Bartimaeus and lay hold of the miracles that the Lord has for you? I know you are!

Let’s Begin Proclaiming God’s Promises

Let’s get ready to make some declarations together. When we boldly declare God’s promises out loud, three powerful things happen:

1) We let God hear and know that we absolutely believe His promises for our lives.

2) We let ourselves hear and know that we absolutely believe God’s promises for our lives.

3) We let Satan hear and know that we absolutely believe God’s promises for our lives.

By declaring God’s promises, we are putting God in His rightful place, putting Satan in his rightful place, and putting ourselves in our rightful places.

Ready? Speak this prayer out loud with me:

Father, I come to You through the name and the blood of Jesus. I thank You that You have called me to be more than a conqueror in every area of my life. I thank You that the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is alive and working within me, and therefore, that I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me. With You, Lord, nothing is impossible.

I declare that every spirit of darkness is broken off of my life and my family. Every generational curse is broken and reversed. Every bondage, chain, sickness, disease, or addiction is severed forevermore. The curse of poverty, insufficiency, and lack is bound from my finances from this moment on. Every spirit of limitation or containment is broken from my life and my future.

Now, Father, I release liberty, wholeness, happiness, and joy. I claim divine health over myself and my family. Thank You that the spirit of prosperity, increase, and abundance is being released into every area of my finances from this moment on. As for me and my house, there will be no limits and no boundaries! Thank You, Lord, for complete and total victory in my mind, my spirit, my body, my life, and my future, and that Your plans and purposes are being released within me, for me, and through me, in Jesus’ mighty name!

Now, give Him a big shout of praise and seal that prayer forevermore!

Prayer and Promise Principles

Knowing God and His promises for us is the basis of seeing His power move in us, for us, and through us.
The Spirit of truth dwells within us, empowering us to live above the levels of our own abilities, talents, and IQs.
Prayer gives us access to the limitless help, strength, and resources of our God.
Prayer turns impossibilities into possibilities. (See Matthew 19:26.)
God has destined you to be successful in every area of your life. He has the means and resources to ensure your success, and He has enabled you to access them through prayer.
Our heavenly Father knows what we need before we ask.
Boldly declaring the promises of God releases them into the realities of our lives.

Faithworks Boutique Review and Giveaway

Faithworks Boutique is a great online store that has a beautiful selection of handmade boutique hair bows and hair accessories for baby all the way to big girl. Every hair accessory and bow is made custom at the time of order ensuring that you get exactly what you want with superb quality. There is a variety of sizes, styles, and colors to choose from.

I was initially introduced to Faithworks Boutique by my friend, Erin. I entered a contest for Faithworks Boutique on her blog, Connected2Christ blog and happened to win, but before I won I asked Faithworks Boutique if I could test and review something here on my blog. Brandy, the owner, said yes and I picked the Sweet Memories Flower Beanie to review. I then got the Double Ruffle Headband with a ribbon color of white and a headband color of shocking pink and the Double Swirly Petal Flower with a swirly ribbon of hot pink w/black swirl on top, apple green on bottom, and coordinating layered button center, and a fully-lined no slip double alligator clip for my winnings.


I really enjoyed selecting the colors and many, many options right down to what kind of clip I wanted. This made for a really unique gift for my daughter that I loved creating from all the choices. The clip was my favorite to create because it had the most options to choose from. When I received them in the mail I was very happy with the quality. They all turned out gorgeous and look how cute they made my daughter look! I also couldn't believe how good their prices are! They make beautiful upscale products at wonderful prices!


WIN IT:
Brandy at Faithworks Boutique is giving one lucky reader a chance to win a $15 gift certificate.

Mandatory:
1. Go to the Faithworks Boutique website and tell me what you would like to get with the $15 if you win.

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by email and let me know. (2 extra entries)

2. Become my fan on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

3. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and Faithwork Boutique in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

4. Grab My Button (see sidebar to the left) AND/OR Put My Blog URL in Your Blogroll - Leave Your Link. (1 extra entry)

5. Technorati my blog and let me know your link. (1 extra entry)

6. List this giveaway on any giveaway listing website or blog and tell me where you listed it. (2 extra)

7. Follow me on twitter and retweet this: @finamoon WIN: Faithworks Boutique $15 Gift Certificate http://bit.ly/8ndR99 (Daily Extras are Available)

8. Fave me on Momfaves. (2 extra entries)

9. Comment on one of my other posts and tell me which one. (2 extra entries per post)

10. Fan Faithworks Boutique on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. If you subscribed by email, blogged about this, listed it, commented on another post, or faved me on Momfaves leave 2 entries saying you did. This contest ends on Friday December 18, 2009 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open to U.S. and Canada Only!!

DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Faithworks Boutique for providing me with this opportunity and free products to test review. All information about the products I received from the actual products and Faithworks Boutique website. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.