Best day Of My Life

Best day Of My Life

Today, when I awoke, I suddenly realized that this is the best day of my life, ever! There were times when I wondered if I would make it to today; but I did! And because I did I'm going to celebrate!

Today, I'm going to celebrate what an unbelievable life I have had so far: the accomplishments, the many blessings, and, yes, even the hardships because they have served to make me stronger. I will go through this day with my head held high, and a happy heart.

I will marvel at God's seemingly simple gifts: the morning dew, the sun, the clouds, the trees, the flowers, the birds. Today, none of these miraculous creations will escape my notice.

Today, I will share my excitement for life with other people. I'll make someone smile. I'll go out of my way to perform an unexpected act of kindness for someone I don't even know.

Today, I'll give a sincere compliment to someone who seems down. I'll tell a child how special he is, and I'll tell someone I love just how deeply I care for her and how much she means to me.

Today is the day I quit worrying about what I don't have and start being grateful for all the wonderful things God has already given me. I'll remember that to worry is just a waste of time because my faith in God and his Divine Plan ensures everything will be just fine.

And tonight, before I go to bed, I'll go outside and raise my eyes to the heavens. I will stand in awe at the beauty of the stars and the moon, and I will praise God for these magnificent treasures.

As the day ends and I lay my head down on my pillow, I will thank the Almighty for the best day of my life. And I will sleep the sleep of a contented child, excited with expectation because I know tomorrow is going to be the best day of my life, ever!

Christian Quote of the Day

Christian Quote of the Day
Topic for Today: Heart

See that your chief study be about hour heart; that there God's image may be planted; that there His interests be advanced; that there the world and flesh are subdued; that there the love of every sin is cast out; that there the love of holiness grows.

Edwards, Jonathan

The Best Day of My Life

The Best Day of My Life

Today, when I awoke, I suddenly realized that this is the best day of my life, ever! There were times when I wondered if I would make it to today; but I did! And because I did I'm going to celebrate!

Today, I'm going to celebrate what an unbelievable life I have had so far: the accomplishments, the many blessings, and, yes, even the hardships because they have served to make me stronger. I will go through this day with my head held high, and a happy heart.

I will marvel at God's seemingly simple gifts: the morning dew, the sun, the clouds, the trees, the flowers, the birds. Today, none of these miraculous creations will escape my notice.

Today, I will share my excitement for life with other people. I'll make someone smile. I'll go out of my way to perform an unexpected act of kindness for someone I don't even know.

Today, I'll give a sincere compliment to someone who seems down. I'll tell a child how special he is, and I'll tell someone I love just how deeply I care for her and how much she means to me.

Today is the day I quit worrying about what I don't have and start being grateful for all the wonderful things God has already given me. I'll remember that to worry is just a waste of time because my faith in God and his Divine Plan ensures everything will be just fine.

And tonight, before I go to bed, I'll go outside and raise my eyes to the heavens. I will stand in awe at the beauty of the stars and the moon, and I will praise God for these magnificent treasures.

As the day ends and I lay my head down on my pillow, I will thank the Almighty for the best day of my life. And I will sleep the sleep of a contented child, excited with expectation because I know tomorrow is going to be the best day of my life, ever!

Christian Quote of the Day

Christian Quote of the Day
Topic for Today: Jesus Christ: Deity and Humanity

Christ's humanity is the great hem of the garment, through which we can touch his Godhead.

Glover, Richard

Christian Quote of the Day

Christian Quote of the Day
Topic for Today: Jesus Christ: Deity and Humanity

Christ uncrowned himself to crown us, and put off his robes to put on our rags, and came down from heaven to keep us out of hell. He fasted forty days that he might feast us to all eternity; he came from heave to earth that he might send us from earth to heaven.

Dyer, W.

Christian Quote of the Day

Christian Quote of the Day

Topic for Today: Family Life: Influence on Children

Godly parents do not inflict upon their children the cruelty of telling them that they should do "just as they please".

Hendricksen, William

Christian Quote of the Day

Christian Quote of the Day

Topic for Today: Jesus Christ: Deity and Humanity

A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said wouldn't be a great moral teacher. He'd be either a lunatic - on a level with a man who says he's a poached egg - or else he'd be the devil of hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was and is the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse... But don't let us come up with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He hadn't left that open to us. He didn't intend to.

Christian Quote of the Day

Christian Quote of the Day
Topic for Today: Godliness

If society is to be awakened one day from its deep slumber, it will only be done by Christians who have first woken up themselves to the full splendor of their privilege and who have taken seriously the call to live wholly and entirely for God.

Roberts, Maurice

Home for the Summer: Ten Happy, Healthy Ideas for Kids

That last school bell has rung and the kids are back home, enjoying all the pleasures that summer vacation offers. But there’s got to be more to life than sleeping until noon and sipping lemonade by the pool. Here are some more ideas to make sure your kids stay happy and healthy this summer.

1. Block the sun. Sunlight is great; but too much exposure can be dangerous. Cover the kids with generous amounts of waterproof sunscreen -- SPF of 30 or greater -- 30 minutes prior to any sun exposure. Be sure to reapply it every 30 minutes for maximum protection.

2. Take a hometown vacation. With gas prices soaring, summer vacations may need to be spent a little closer to home. Check out your hometown’s restaurants, museums or parks together as a family and pretend you’re tourists for a few days.

3. Keep active. Keep the kids up and moving with some fun games such as badminton, swimming or soccer. And, of course, never underestimate the power of a good old-fashioned game of hide and seek or catching fireflies at dusk.

4. Pick some produce. Fresh fruits and vegetables are aplenty during the summer months. Gather the kids to visit a local farm or check out the local farmers market. With so many delicious choices this summer, your kids may actually eat their vegetables!

5. Stay hydrated. Enjoying the summer heat can sometimes lead to dehydration. Be sure to keep plenty of filtered water on tap and instead of letting the kids grab for sodas, enjoy some healthier treats such as juice spritzers or frozen fruit juice popsicles.

6. Start a reading club. Don’t let those brain cells get lazy during the summer. Reading is a great way to keep your kids’ minds active. Gather some of your children’s friends for meetings to discuss fun summer reads. If food is involved, turnout will be much higher -- guaranteed.

7. Record some memories. Make this a summer to remember. Arm the kids with a video camera to make family movies. Or, take still pictures and create an online scrapbook that you can share with friends and family.

8. Breathe easy. Hot, summer weather forces us to keep our doors and windows shut tight, trapping allergens and airborne molecules in our homes and in our lungs. Keep your home’s indoor air healthy by installing a whole-home air filtration system, such as AccuClean from American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning.

9. Go around the world. Take a trip around the world without leaving your own home. Pick a different country or culture each week. Read books and create maps of the area. Wrap up your week of study by creating and enjoying a traditional meal from the region.

10. Have fun. Don’t over schedule your summer. Instead, use summer vacation to lighten your family’s load, kick back, and enjoy these long, golden days. Memories are created, not scheduled, so start creating some today.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Heart

There comes a point in your life when you realize

who matters,

who never did,

who won't anymore...

and who always will.

So, don't worry about people from your past,

there's a reason why they didn't make it to your future.

'Be kinder than necessary
because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Quote For The Day

The key to realizing a dream is to focus not on success but significance - and then even the small steps and little victories along your path will take on greater meaning.
Oprah Winfrey

Make the Most of Your Child’s Sports Experience

Make the Most of Your Child’s Sports Experience


As children venture back to school, they get many opportunities to participate in sports. No matter what the activity, you can help your child understand how to make the most of the experience.



Dr. Kevin Sverduk, chair of the graduate program Sport-Exercise Psychology at Argosy University, Orange County, shares his insights for parents. “We place emphasis on applied sports psychology in our programs. In other words, the psychology of human potential and performance,” he says. “We look for ways of helping individuals do what they do to the best of their ability. Not just in the performance, but in the whole experience. It’s important for athletes of all ages to raise enjoyment of the activity to the fullest level.”



For many children, participation in sports has become more about winning and losing rather than playing “They harbor expectations about the outcome of the game -- from themselves, or from their parents or peers. People tend to worry about things they can’t control. They worry about whether they’ll win or make the shot instead of focusing on effort, attitude, and motivation,” Sverduk says. “This is the paradox of control and paradox of success. The way to give yourself the best chance of achieving success is to stop thinking about it. If you focus instead on things you have control over, you can increase the likelihood of success.”



Sverduk recommends talking with your child to shift the focus of the sport away from the results of the game. “Parents can help kids re-focus to things like, energy, effort, and concentration,” states Sverduk. “If someone is upset over a loss, you can ask, ‘Are you upset because you did all you could and you lost, or because you didn’t do all that you could and you lost? Why be upset about losing if you didn’t work your hardest?’” This can help a child understand that the responsibility as a team member is to control only the things he or she can control to the best of their ability.



Parental involvement in sports helps to shape the child’s value system. “A parent’s primary question after a game teaches the child what is important,” says Sverduk. “It’s far better to ask, ‘Did you have fun?’ or ‘What did you learn?’ than ‘Did you win?’ When parents value improvement and fun over the score of the game, the child begins to place more emphasis on learning and enjoyment. The shift emphasizes the process of the sport rather than the results of the game. It comes back to placing value on things that the child can control,” he continues.



Sverduk suggests that parents talk with kids about competition. “The original definition of the word ‘competition’ was ‘to move forward with others.’ Our culture has reshaped the meaning, and we now think of competition as moving against others, which breeds anxiety and fear,” he says. “But if you think in terms of playing the game with the goal of elevating the skill level of all participants, it breeds involvement, empowerment, and enjoyment. Competition is all about the challenge and doing your best. Winning is important, but it’s not enough.”



Courtesy of ARAcontent

Quote For The Day

In the beginning there was nothing. God said, 'Let there be light!' And there was light. There was still nothing, but you could see it a whole lot better.

Ellen DeGeneres,

Christian Quote of the Day

Christian Quote of the Day
Topic for Today: Holiness

God saved us to make us holy, not happy. Some experiences may not contribute to our happiness, but all can be made to contribute to our holiness.

Havner, Vance

Happiness Quotes

When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us.
Helen Keller

Dance While You Can

Dance While You Can

My heart aches when I read that someone” forgot to live” yet I fear they express is all too common for many people today. Caught up in the business of living, we rarely have time to take close look and consider our personal lives. The urgent needs of the moment, weather at our workplace or within our families or with our friends, surround us and scream for our constant attention. We are so caught up in the race to keep up what we tend to lose track of where we really are with our lives…. and who we are becoming. For some people, the lost is devastating.

I recently spoke with a woman who described her husband, very successful in business as a “soulless man.” Everything about his life – his time, energies, and loyalties – was focused on his work, and when he came home, he had nothing left to give her or their children or anyone else. In her own haunting words, she said that “somewhere in his chase to get to the top, he lost his soul.”

None of us want to look back on our lives and wonder where the years have gone, especially with regrets that we never discovered what it means to live. But if we never stop and question where we are in our lives, this might be our experience.

Thank goodness, we don’t have to go this way. We can learn to really live our lives to the fullest. We’ve all known people who do so, people who have discovered their own life songs and make a fulfilling dance of their lives, even if they never dance with their feet. There are steps they have learned to make their dance possible. The beauty is that they can dance anywhere and all the time.

Dance While You Can is meant to help you slow down and consider your life’s dance. You may discover that you need to redirect your focus. It may be something as simple and yet profound as telling someone you love them or as complex as reconsidering your career and how you are using the gifts and talents God has given you.

It is said that Socrates learned to dance when he was seventy because he felt that was essential part of himself had been neglected. No matter what stage you are in life, it’s never too late to examine your inner life and make certain that, as Socrates said, it’s worth dancing.

Follow Your Dreams

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.
Henry David Thoreau

Christian Quote of the Day

Christian Quote of the Day
Topic for Today: Free Will

The phrase - free will - is only used by the Bible in the context of stewardship. It is never used in the context of coming to Christ in faith.

Ferguson, Sinclair

Christian Quote of the Day.

Christian Quote of the Day
Topic for Today: Adoption

We can only begin an upright course of life when God, of his good pleasure, adopts us into his family.

Calvin, John

Christian Quote of the Day

Christian Quote of the Day
Topic for Today: Happiness

Seek for happiness and you will never find it. Seek righteousness and you will discover you are happy. It will be there without your knowing it, without your seeking it.

Lloyd-Jones, D. Martyn

Dance While You Can

I will quite my soul.......
slience the noise in my head and heart
and ask myself
what I really want out of life.

Organizing Children’s Rooms

Organizing Children’s Rooms



A child’s room can be one of the most challenging rooms in the house when it comes to getting organized and staying organized. With some training though, the children will actually be able to learn a system for keeping up with it themselves. That will make your job much easier.

Start by taking inventory of the room and, if they are old enough, have the children help. Get some boxes and label them for clothes (too small, out of season, keepers) and toys (favorites, too old for, missing pieces/broken) and make a game out of it. Give everyone a box and see who can fill their box up the quickest. Keep going until everything is sorted.

Next you can move on to actually sorting the toys. Go through the missing and broken box first. See if any of the toys are worth saving until you find the missing pieces. If not pitch them. Also decide if the broken toys can be fixed, or not.

Then go through the toys that the child is too old for, and decide together what should be done with them. If there is a younger sibling or cousin, maybe they would like to pass them on to them. If not, see if the child wants to donate the toys in good shape to charity. You’ll be surprised at how generous kids can really be if given the opportunity.

Last, go through the favorite toy box. These are the ones that need to find a home either in the bedroom or a playroom (if you have one).

When sorting the favorite toys, determine if you have enough storage in the room for all of them. Plastic storage bins are great for kids’ rooms, especially the stackable ones with drawers. Some come with wheels, and can be easily stored in a closet and brought out when the child wants to play. Try to establish a new habit of only getting out one toy at a time, to help keep the room from getting cluttered again.

Finally, it’s time to tackle the clothes. With children growing so quickly, it’s a good idea to go through their closets and dressers at the beginning of each season. As with the toys, decide together what to do with any clothes that are too small, but still in good shape. Many charities are very glad to receive children’s clothing.

Under the bed storage boxes are great for out of season clothing. Then as the weather changes, swap what’s in the dresser for what’s under the bed. When you swap out the clothes, again check for things they’ve outgrown. It’s also good to have a designated place for the kids to put the clothes that are too small, so when they try something on, they don’t just put it back in the drawer.

Once the room has been organized, teach the child to keep up with it on their own, with a routine every day of putting things where they belong.

You Took My Space at Church

You Took My Space at Church
(This should wake us up)

One day, a man went to visit a church, He got there early, parked his car and got out. Another car pulled up near the driver got out and said, " I always park there! You took my place!"

The visitor went inside for Sunday School, found an empty seat and sat down. A young lady from the church approached him and stated, "That's my seat! You took my place!" The visitor was somewhat distressed by this rude welcome, but said nothing.

After Sunday School, the visitor went into the sanctuary and sat down.Another member walked up to him and said, " That's where I always sit! You took my place!" The visitor was even more troubled by this treatment, but still He said nothing.

Later as the congregation was praying for Christ to dwell among them, the visitor stood up, and his appearance began to change. Horrible scars became visible on his hands and on his sandaled feet. Someone from the congregation noticed him and called out, "What happened to you?"The visitor replied, as his hat became a crown of thorns, and a tear fell from his eye,

"I took your place."

Christian Quote of the Day

Topic for Today: Assurance

Whom God legally saves, He experimentally saves; whom He justifies, them He also sanctifies. Where the righteousness of Christ is imputed to an individual, a principle of holiness is imparted to him; the former can only be ascertained by the latter. It is impossible to obtain a Scriptural knowledge that the merits of Christ's finished work are reckoned to my account, except by proving that the efficacy of the Holy Spirit's work is evident in my soul.
Pink, A. W.

Christian Quote of the Day.

Topic for Today: Knowledge

Modern mankind can go anywhere, do everything and be completely curious about the universe. But only a rare person now and then is curious enough to want to know God.
Tozer, A. W.

Christian Quote of the Day

Topic for Today: Discipline
God has no pleasure in afflicting us, but He will not keep back even the most painful chastisement if He can but thereby guide His beloved child to come home and abide in the beloved Son.
Murray, Andrew

Christian Quote of the Day

Topic for Today: Holiness
True holiness does not consist merely of believing and feeling, but of doing and bearing, and a practical exhibition of active and passive grace. Our tongues, our tempers, our natural passions and inclinations - our conduct as parents and children, masters and servants, husbands and wives, rulers , and subjects - our dress, our employment of time, our behavior in business, our demeanor in sickness and health, in riches and poverty - all, all these are matters which are fully treated by inspired writers.
Ryle, J. C.

Christian Quote Of The Day,

Topic Of The Day,
Pride
The more godly a man is, and the more graces and blessings of God are upon him, the more need he hath to pray, because Satan is busiest against him, and because he is readiest to be puffed up with a conceited holiness.
Greenham, Richard

Christian Quote of the Day.

Topic for Today: Lord's Day, The

What fitter day to ascend to heaven, than that on which He arose from earth, and fully triumphed over death and hell. Use your Sabbaths as steps to glory, till you have passed them all, and are there arrived.
Baxter, Richard

Sanity For The Work At Home Mom

Sanity For The Work At Home Mom

If you are the work at home parent of a toddler, you're sure to know the headaches and hassles that come with the territory. It is possible, however, to work from home with a small child without losing your sanity or your income. If you're in need of a few tips and tricks to get you through your work from home day with your one and a half to three year old, try these on for size!

1. Just Like Mommy or DaddyPurchase a toddler sized desk, and stock it with plenty of scrap paper, stickers, and crayons. You may even want to purchase a used keyboard and cut off the cord, or provide your toddler with a toy computer. Allow them to sit at their desk while you sit at yours, and play "work". This tip may just provide you with the fifteen minutes you need to answer email or make that client call in peace.

2. Download a Lock Out ProgramIf you frequently use your computer, you may find that your toddler is fascinated with it as well. All those blinking lights, buttons, and fun sounds make it incredibly attractive. It's cute, until you realize that your wee one has just pushed the power button and obliterated several hours worth of work. A lock out program can help. ToddlerKeys is free, and locks your child out of the buttons as well as the keyboard - great for when you have to step away from the computer.

3. Learn to Work in SpurtsSometimes fifteen minutes of peace is all you can muster. When planning your day, put a star beside those activities on your to do list that can be accomplished quickly or while being interrupted. Answering email, for example, can be done in small chunks, while a major conference call cannot. Use this list and your toddler's mood to plan when you'll accomplish which activities. Taking the time to prioritize in this manner will allow you to spend time with your toddler, while getting your work done, even on those melt-down-pull-your-hair-out days.

Working from home is challenging, and working from home with a toddler can sometimes seem impossible. On days when you're struggling, take a deep breath. Try implementing one or all of these tips, and if all else fails, call it a day and go to the park. After all, your children are only small once, and you're working at home to enjoy this time.


Written by Diane Gardner
Diane is a mother of 2, grandmother of 4, and the author of http://www.parentawarenesscenter.com/ and a work at home moms site http://www.wahmhotline.com that provides articles, help, free tools, and more for the mompreneur. Diane has been a successful entrepreneur for 20 years developing both off line and online businesses. She is dedicated to helping women and is a personal success coach. She has a passion for helping parents with health issues, natural alternatives, toxic awareness and much more. She is also dedicated to helping women in business and moms who would like to work from home successfully.
***THIS ARTICLE is available for reprint as long as it remains unchanged, the Author's Resource Box is included, all links are live and clickable, and our Article Source Credit Url is included. Author reserves copyright

Article Source: Chrisitan Parents and Chrisitan Work From Home Moms

Christian Quote of the Day

Topic for Today: God: His Glory

As the sun, which would shine in its own brightness and glory though all the world were blind, or did willfully shut their eyes against it, so God will be ever more glorious, let men be ever so obstinate or rebellious. Yea, God will have glory by reprobates, though it be nothing to their ease; and though He be not glorified of them, yet He will glorify Himself in them.

Rogers, Nehemiah

Christian Quote of the Day.

Topic for Today: Perfection: A prayer of the saints

O good God, guide me by Thy holy hand, that I may keep myself within the lists of Christianity, being modest in apparel, moderate [in] diet, chaste and temperate in speech, sober in fashion and my ordinary deportment, respective to my superiors, amiable to my equals, without pride and insolency towards these that are below me, courteous and affable and yet without vanity and popularity towards all.
Heron, Samuel

Christian Quote of the Day.

Topic for Today: Parents: Revenge of the Cradle

Well doth David call children "arrows"; for if they be well bred, they shoot at their parents' enemies; and if they be evil bred, they shoot at their parents.
Smith, Henry

Mother's Day Flowers Craft

Mother's Day Flowers Craft

Make use of colored cupcake liners to make beautiful and attractive paper flowers for Mom on this mother's day. Method:
Take a container of colored paper cupcake liners and a few green construction papers.

Cut out from the construction paper some stems and leaves.
Choose one liner per flower to be the blossom of the flower.
Remember to keep the liner standing upright and do not compress it.
Paste a cotton ball in the center of the cupcake holder to symbolize the inside of the flower.
Attach the entire flower bloom to the top of the stem with glue.
Now, allow the flower to dry.
Write lovely messages on the stem or leaves wishing Mom a happy Mother's Day and also what she means to you.

Guidelines:
Make several such colored flowers to create a bouquet.
Paste a flower on the front of a card as a cheerful decoration.
Pasting a photo of mother and child in the center of the flower would make it more beautiful.

Working Mothers

Working Mothers

A working mother is a superwoman with the extraordinary flair for balancing her family responsibilities and her responsibilities as an employee. As the saying goes, she has to have her cake and also eat it. With a motto to balance work and life---a working woman is striving to excel in both. The exponentially rising number of working women force in organizations is a proof of that.

The toughest part of the story is to strike the right balance so that the family members do not feel neglected on account of her career and at the same time she should not be left far behind when it comes to fulfilling her job responsibilities. Instead of looking for sympathy and consideration from her employee and colleagues, she should try and succeed in not giving anybody a chance to differentiate her from her full-time devoted women co-workers without family responsibilities.

A working woman and a mother, that too a single working mother, the role is tough and challenging. Being the sole guardian angel to her child and also the sole breadwinner of the family with an immense responsibility to raise her children all by herself, her role undoubtedly calls for a woman with plenty of emotional strength and a steely determination.

The successful, role model, single mothers have proved that the idea of working mother and impact on child is not that scary anymore. The fact that, even single mothers can set excellent standards and above par examples when it comes to raising children, is now a proven fact. The society is now more considerate, supportive and receptive to this new genre of working mothers abounding in almost every field

Christian Quote of the Day.

Topic for Today: Promises of God

They are a foundation of our faith, and we have them as such; and also of our hope. On these we are to build all our expectations from God; and in all temptations and trials we have them to rest our souls upon.
Henry, Matthew

Mess Free Easter Egg Decorating

Mess Free Easter Egg Decorating

Dipping plain white eggs into a bowl and watching them turn a different color is almost magical for children, but may be a bit intimidating for parents seeking to avoid a mess. Here are a few tips for mess free egg decorating:

1. Stick with Stickers
If you (or your children) are not attached to the traditional dying of eggs, this may be a way to minimize the muss and fuss of egg decorating. Stickers make easy decorations. There's nothing to clean up afterwards. To try this easy technique, simply purchase ordinary Easter stickers and stick them onto the eggs. You may be pleasantly surprised by the colorful results.

2. Dye Your Eggs at the Stove
Avoid the mess that comes with giving your children their own dye cups. Mix the dye ingredients in a five quart stock pot or Dutch oven. Let the child take the dried boiled eggs and place them in the pot of dye solution on the stove. When the eggs are ready, use a slotted spoon to lift the dyed eggs out of the pan. This type of spoon leaves less liquid on the spoon which means less liquid to make a mess. Carefully spoon the eggs back into the carton.

3. Work on the Kitchen Floor
The closer you are to the ground, the shorter the distance an egg has to fall. Spread an old plastic tablecloth or tarp on the floor. Give each child an apron and a pair of latex exam gloves. These gloves allow the children to easily dip the eggs with their hands instead of struggling with a spoon.

4. Buy a Ready to Use Easter Egg Kit.
PAAS® has been making egg decorating materials for years, and constantly come up with new ways to make the egg decorating process easier and faster. Their egg wrapping kits use only boiling water and make no mess at all. They also offer egg cups complete with dye and dipper so you don’t need spoons at all. You can purchase PAAS® products wherever decorating items are sold.
Egg decorating is great for everyone, but no one likes to clean up at the end. Make it easier on yourself this year, and use our tips for some good clean fun.

Atricle Source: Faithful Grannies and Wahm Choices

Marcia Chumbley is a work at home mom and grandmother in Minnesota. She is the owner of a Christian Work From Home Moms and Grandparents web site at http://www.faithfulgrannies.com/ and WAHM Choices-Work at Home Moms Choices http://www.wahmchoices.com Bringing generations of Christian Work From Home Moms, Grandmothers, Parents, Boomers and Families together while providing resources, inspiration and affordable advertising while balancing the work at home experience.

The Egg Hunt

The Egg Hunt


The egg hunt is a longstanding Easter tradition for many families. Whether you attend an old fashioned community egg hunt, or have a simple affair in your own back yard, take time to make the egg hunt an enjoyable part of Easter.

For young children, hiding real or plastic eggs is a rite of passage at Easter. If you choose to use real eggs, limit the number that you hide. Always keep your boiled Easter eggs refrigerated until shortly before the start of the hunt. Otherwise, long periods at room temperature combined with being hidden outside where its warm could spoil the eggs. Save the cartons as you color eggs, and after the hunt, give each child a big enough section of the egg carton to hold their eggs. Award prizes to the top three egg finders, to make the contest even more enjoyable.

Older children probably won’t be as interested in an old-fashioned Easter egg hunt, and may need you to spice it up and make things a little more challenging. Hide plastic eggs instead of real ones. Plastic eggs can be filled with coins, candy, small toys, and dollar bills. Older children will find this particular type of egg hunt fun, and will enjoy looking for the unique prizes.

If you have middle school age children who still want to participate, turn the egg hunt into a scavenger hunt. To work well, this entire game must be thoroughly planned out from beginning to end. Inside each plastic egg, place handwritten clues. The kids can divide into teams. Each team is given the same clue to start. When one clue is figured out, it will lead them to another egg with another clue inside. The team that finds the prize first, splits it among team members.

Eggs are still hidden and hunted for on Easter, carrying on this unique tradition. A little creativity can make the experience enjoyable for kids of all ages. Happy hunting!

Marcia Chumbley is a work at home mom and grandmother in Minnesota. She is the owner of a Christian Work From Home Moms and Grandparents web site at http://www.faithfulgrannies.com and Work At Home Divas Online http://www.workathomedivasonline.com Bringing generations of Christian Work From Home Moms, Grandmothers, Parents, Boomers and Families together while providing resources, inspiration and affordable advertising while balancing the work at home experience.

The History and Observances of Easter

The History and Observances of Easter

Every year, Christians worldwide celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ during the Easter season. Contrary to popular belief, however, the celebration of the Easter holiday is not of Christian origin.

The name 'Easter' is derived from the name of the Saxon goddess of Spring, Eastre. According to Pagan beliefs, Eastre's sphere of influence is fertility and renewal. Each year at the Vernal Equinox, a great festival was held to celebrate the coming growing season and the continued fertility of the Earth.

Jews have also celebrated their own springtime festival, Passover, around this time as well. Passover commemorates the end of the Israelite's captivity in Egypt. It is called Passover because when the Angel of Death came for Egypt's first born sons, the Israelites who had lamb's blood on the door were passed over and spared.

Because of the state supported persecution of early Christians, many Christian feasts were celebrated about the same time as Pagan holidays. Easter is no different. While the religious meanings of the different festivals are different, symbols like the egg, rabbit, and the cross are shared.

The egg has always been a symbol of new life and springtime renewal. Children across pre-Christian Europe were given decorated eggs as a symbol of the renewal of springtime. In modern times, children decorate and hide eggs.

The rabbit was the symbol of the goddess Eastre in Pagan Saxony. During the early American period, German settlers brought with them the connection between the Easter holiday and a rabbit. Today, Children believe in the Easter Bunny, who brings candy and gifts on Easter Sunday.

One of the central Christian symbols is the cross. It symbolizes the crucifixion of Christ, but in Pagan Rome, it was a symbol of Roman punishment. Crucifixion was always a favorite method of execution in Roman times, but after the death of Jesus, it became a rallying symbol for early Christians.

The Easter holiday is very old indeed, and it's meaning and symbols have evolved over time. Whether Pagan or Christian, symbols add to the meaning of the holiday, but do not change it.

Marcia Chumbley is a work at home mom and grandmother in Minnesota. She is the owner of a Christian Work From Home Moms website at Faithful Grannies http://www.faithfulgrannies.com bringing generations of Christian Work From Home Moms, Grandmothers, Parents, Boomers and Families together while providing resources, inspiration and affordable advertising while balancing the work at home experience. She holds a degree in Business and is a CMOM.

Article Source: Christian Work At Home Grandparents - CWAHGrandparents.com

Planning a Children's Easter Party

Planning a Children's Easter Party

If you'd like to do more this year for Easter than a traditional egg hunt, consider planning a party as well. Kids love to have fun, play games, and earn prizes while searching for eggs. Here are some ideas for activities you can do to make your party a hit.

Pin the Chick on the Egg
Draw a large egg on a piece of white poster board. Cut it out, decorate it, and pin or tape it to the wall. Mark the center clearly. Let the children draw chicks on construction paper and cut them out. When they are done, fold a piece of tape and stick it to the back of each chick. Blindfold each child in turn and let them see who can tape their chick closest to the center of the egg.

Word Games
Many Easter word games are available on the internet for free. Search for “Easter word games”, and print out a few to photocopy for your guests. These printable pages have activities like word searches and word scrambles that are grouped by age. Give a prize to the winner of each game.

Duck, Duck, Goose!
Have all the children sit in a circle. One child will walk around the circle behind the others tapping each “duck” on the head until they decide which one of their friends will be the “goose”. The “goose” has to get up and chase the first child. If the first child makes it back to the empty spot without being touched, then the second child becomes the new “duck”.

Easter necklaces.
Cut strips from pastel colored construction paper. Show the children how to make chain links. Fold the paper in a circle, dropping a spot of glue or using a glue stick on one end. Then press the two ends together to form a circle. For each new link, fold the paper in a circle around the previous link so they form a chain. When the chain is long enough to fit over the child's head as a necklace,add one more link to join the two ends of the chain.

Treats
Everyone loves fun food. Serve party snacks like little sandwiches, juice, and a small dessert. For a change, use cookie cutters in the shapes of Easter characters to cut the sandwiches. There many fun recipes on sites like http://www.foodnetwork.com/

You don’t need too many activities to keep children happy at a party. Remember, there's also the excitement of the egg hunt to keep them entertained. Have fun making this an Easter to remember!

Article Source: http://www.faithfulgrannies.com

Marcia Chumbley is a work at home mom and grandmother in Minnesota. She is the owner of a Christian Work From Home Moms and Grandparents web site at http://www.faithfulgrannies.com Bringing generations of Christian Work From Home Moms, Grandmothers, Parents, Boomers and Families together while providing resources, inspiration and affordable advertising while balancing the work at home experience.

Creating your own Income Opportunities

Creating your own Income Opportunities

One of the best aspects regarding working from home, is that you have limitless income earning potential. When a person chooses to work for a company, there are often limits set upon how much they earn. Hourly wages, earning caps, and company policy determine how much a person is worth as well as what their ultimate earning potential will be. For many in the work place, this is a negative factor that causes undue stress, workplace disappointment, and leaves one wondering if they should change careers. Fortunately, for those who work from home, creating your own income opportunities are abounding.

When working from home, there is no cap on your earning potential. If you have your own business, you will earn as much money as you invest in your company. If you need more money, hard work, diligence, and creative thinking are often all the tools you need to reach your goals. This has caused many people to leave the traditional work place and find their career dreams realized through their own businesses.

Another advantage found in work at home businesses is that you can always create your own income opportunities by adding creative and witty ideas to your business plan. For example, if you run a home business selling crafts, you can always sell your products online, open up an Ebay store, or list your items for sale on Amazon, in addition to your door –to- door sales or other methods of business. By using the abundance of resources available on the Internet, you can create your own income opportunities and discover that your earning potential is virtually limitless.

It takes a creative perspective and original point of view to identify all of the various ways to make money online. From selling books, products, hosting online conventions, running a pod cast, setting up online shops, tapping into the commerce found at Ebay or Amazon, or networking with other work at home moms, you’ll find that there is virtually nothing holding you back from realizing your financial dreams.

If you have just started your work at home career and are trying to think of additional ways to earn income, you may find that spending time at business forums is a great way to learn more. Networking with other work at home moms is one of the best ways to become informed and you’ll be amazed how by simply talking with like-minded women, new ideas will spring up and you’ll be creating new business plans and devising new strategies for earning opportunities. The Internet has no limits or bounds and you may find that sharing your ideas are a great way to find other women who would like to enter into a business agreement with you. Joint ventures are another way that work at home moms can network together an increase their income earning potential. By talking with other women and gaining wisdom and knowledge you’ll find that success is yours for the taking and that with hard work, dedication, and a great network you’ll be reaching your financial goals.

Creative Childcare Solutions for WAHMs

Creative Childcare Solutions for WAHMs

Sure, you stayed at home so you can be with your children and earn a living. However, it doesn’t take long before work at home moms begin to realize that it can be virtually impossible running a home business while toddlers, infants, and even teenagers are in the home. If you’ve ever tried to take a business call with children crying, screaming, or whining in the background, then you’ve undoubtedly realized that being a work at home mom definitely has its drawbacks. There is no denying the fact that spending more time with your children is one of the greatest luxuries that working from home has to offer, but the blessing may also be one of your biggest setbacks as you try to find a way to work and take care of your children at the same time.

It isn’t surprising to discover that many work at home moms eventually choose to place their children in day care. They have wonderful jobs, have freedom to work for themselves, can set their own hours, and earn a great living, but they realize that there are times when it is simply impossible to be a professional business woman and mother at the same time. You should never feel guilty about putting your children in daycare. Every work at home mom is different and so is her situation. If that is what you need to do to be successful, then do it.

However, there are many work at home moms who, under no circumstance, will put their children in daycare. They have decided to stay at home with their children and that is what they intend to do. Yet, they may feel the burden of that decision as finding time to dedicate the energy needed to be a success at their job becomes overwhelming. Many of these women will stay up throughout the night and forego a good night’s sleep, so that they can work while their child/children are sleeping. It doesn’t take very long before women realize there must be a better way. This is where choosing creative childcare solutions can be an asset to your business.

First, you will need to determine how much child care you will need as well as how much you can afford to spend on childcare. One of the advantages of staying and working from home is the money saved on childcare; so most WAHMs don’t feel that they want to spend that money on childcare. If you need childcare, but don’t want to spend money on it, you may want to try a childcare coop. If you have friends or associates who are also work at home moms, why not alternate days where you will switch watching the children. An arrangement like this can be very beneficial and gives the work at home moms full control over the days and schedules involved in childcare. In addition to exchanging childcare services, you’ll also find that many people are open to the barter system. Instead of offering to exchange childcare services, you may be able to work out another arrangement with local moms. Maybe you can trade some of your business services for daycare. And don’t forget about dad. He may be willing to barter some of his services in exchange for daycare as well. You’ll find that many women are very receptive to exchanging services. Before you know it, you’ll have the creative childcare solutions that you need to ensure you are a successful work at home mom.