I hope that everyone has a wonderful, fun and safe Halloween!
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Attitude of Gratitude Challenge | Missouri Made Momma
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| Image Credit Aussiegall |
Now that October is over and we move forward toward Thanksgiving I wanted to start a new series on my blog.
Attitude of Gratitude Challenge
To many times we get so busy with all the holiday hustle and bustle that we forget to take a moment to stop and be grateful.
So for the next 30 days I am going to be following along Revive Our Hearts Growing in Gratitude Challenge and I encourage you to join me. It will only take a few minutes of your day and it will make a busy time of the season so much more peaceful. Because we all know that being grateful leads to being peaceful. When you want NOTHING (and celebrate the little things) there is nothing to worry about.
Join me...starting tomorrow (yes, I know...short notice) to live this next month in gratitude.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Roads-Chris Mann's Debut album | Missouri Made Momma
Music is a big part of my life. I grew up singing in choir at school and I just love music. I especially love the sounds of a new artist that has amazing talent such as Chris Mann. His name and face might be familiar to most of you and it should. He was one of the finalist on NBC’s “The Voice.”
He has previously release a Christmas album but, his first full-length debut album “Roads” gets released today. I had the wonderful privilege of being able to hear the album in it’s entirety and loved it all. Which is unusual for me since I have no problem finding one or two songs on any album that I like but, to love the whole album…rare.
His voice is just AMAZING. He has a blend of pop and modern-day crooner, which mix perfectly into a gorgeous sound that you never want to stop listening to. Plus, he sings one of my all time favorite songs…Ave Maria!
While listening to his album his emotions and passion for music comes through with every word that he sings.
I can’t recommend this album enough. Yes, entire album. I highly suggest that everyone get it and take the time to sit and listen to the lyrics in Roads, at least... the whole album is a must listen to. Roads lyrics will touch your soul and the video will pull at your heart strings. It just might change your outlook on the world today.
Go buy Roads by Chris Mann
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Review: Quest: A Guide for Creating Your Own Vision Quest | Missouri Made Momma
As humans we are constantly on the search for wisdom. That search can come in many forms but, one that has been used for many, many years is the vision quests. Vision quests have been used by many people whether they were Native Americans, historical prophets, or a person seeking the meaning for their life. They cross all religious boundaries, ages and races. In their new book Quest: A Guide for Creating Your Own Vision Quest Denise Linn and Meadow Linn teach the reader how to design their own vision quest so that they may find the wisdom they are seeking. They offer a step by step manual from start to finish on how to design a vision quest that is suited to your own personal preferences. A quest that is perfect for you.
This is a wonderful book because it has everything you need to plan. Each chapter is reserved to a certain part of planning process starting with what you need to do to prepare for your quest. They have a list of everything you will need during your quest and a 28 day preparation guide. You are taught how to build your sacred circle and how to find just the right spot and stones to make the circle.
I love the exercises and "Life Evaluation" questions that are included in the what to do during your quest chapter. It's a life transforming curriculum. You can work through issues such as: defining yourself, relationships with other people around you, relationships with your parents, and many more.
I know that my favorite part of this book, which is hard to pick since I LOVED the whole book, would be the last chapter which focuses on how to integrate the wisdom found during your quest into your everyday life. Since that's what we are truly wanting right? What good would a vision quest be if we are not able to make the information received work for us in our daily lives?
This book is a must read for everyone that is wanting to find themselves and make a better life. Your teenagers can even read this since there is a chapter in the book that is focused on them to help them find who they are. This would make a great high school graduation gift to help a teenager transform into an adult.
I will be re-reading the book over and over and planning my vision quest for the future. After reading this book I can't wait to do a vision quest to find myself.
I was not financially compensated for this post. I received the book from Hay House for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Colossians Study: Week Two | Missouri Made Momma
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| Copyright Bethany Grove |
Well, now for week two.
Colossians 1:15-23
(15)The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. (16)For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. (17)He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (18)And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. (19)For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, (20)and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (21)Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of# your evil behavior.
(22)But
now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to
present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—(23)if
you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from
the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and
that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I,
Paul, have become a servant.
Now for observations for the week:
- Jesus is the image of God, the one who God created everything for and is lord over all.
- Jesus is the glue for everything and without him all would fall apart.
- Jesus is the HEAD of the church.
- Only Jesus can reconcile things between us and God.
- Jesus died for us to be closer to God, save us from our sins and make us holy in God's eyes.
- Be strong in your faith and don't lose sight of your hope.
- JESUS IS SUPREME!
This week was all about the supremacy of Jesus. Isn't it wonderful.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Review: The Money Smart Family System | Missouri Made Momma
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| Image Credit: Book Sneeze |
Steve and Annette Economides of America’s Cheapest Family have written a new book to help parents
teach their children about the value of money and "financial independence."
In The Money Smart family system
they teach you the money system that they have been using in their family.
Teaching children about money, in today’s society, can be extremely
hard. All children see are ads for the
next new, big, thing. When they are in
school all they are seeing are other children with the newest tech object or
greatest toy. Children are not being taught that it takes
money to get something and to get that money it takes work. Most parents are just handing their children
whatever they want because they can.
Well, the Economides feel like children should earn what
they get by being giving wages (just like adults) and have to work for their
wages. So, they set up a points system
instead of a time card. Their children
are expected to work towards earning 4 point each day under the categories of:
Morning Point, School Point, Chore Point, and Round-up point. At the end of the week their children’s
points were added up and they were paid a certain amount for each one. Obviously, the older the child, the more the
point was worth.
After being paid their children were then expected to divide
their wages into different folders which taught them to save money, donate
money and have some to spend. All basic
concepts that we as adults know but, if we don’t teach our children then they
will have no idea.
As the children get older they are taught more monetary responsibility
by getting part time jobs. At that time
they are responsible for their own clothes, car insurance, any extra “luxury”
items they want, and more. There are some
things that they felt that parents should be responsible for buy at this age
but, only necessities. Items such as
haircuts, medical expenses, and school portraits should be paid for by the
parents. Items such as cosmetics, class rings, and cosmetic surgery are the
child’s responsibility.
Overall this was a good book and got me thinking about a few
things that I might want to implement when it comes to teaching my children
about money but, most of it is common sense.
There are tons of diagrams and forms throughout the book which helps to
illustrate their points. They have a
great system and I feel that it will benefit parents to take a look at their
system. The only problems I had with the
book is since they wrote it as a team the narration is a little confusing
sometimes. I would be reading and think
that it was Steve talking but, instead it was actually Annette. I would have loved to have a little more
clarification as to who was talking.
The other problem or con I had was that they kept referring the
reader back to their website and directing you there so that you could buy
something from them. I felt like they
were trying to sell you something the whole time I was reading. It felt kind of like an infomercial.
I recommend this book as a basic starter book for teaching
children about money. Like I said
before, it’s full of common sense information.
The book can help you work towards teaching your children to be
financially independent.
I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
Monday, October 1, 2012
Review: 90 Devotions for Kids | Missouri Made Momma
I have always loved Focus on the Family. It’s truly an inspirational organization with
great resources for families. Plus, I am
always on the lookout for new way to help my children grow spiritually so when
I saw that I could review 90 Devotions for Kids, from Focus on the Family, I
jumped on the chance.
90 Devotions for Kids is from the Adventures in Odyssey
division. Adventures in Odyssey are
audio stories that help kids to grow in character through spiritual and moral
aspects of their character. If you would
like more information about Adventures in Odyssey please visit their website
here.
I love this book for so many reasons and it was a wonderful resource
for my school age child. To start, there
are 13 different themes that you will study throughout the book. Each theme has a bible memory verse for the
week and by the end of the week your child should have memorized the verse,
which is easy because the verse is reinforce throughout the week.
Each theme is broken into 7 days, one for each day of the
week. You don’t have to do one everyday
and can plan your child study however you want but, it’s so easy to do one each
day and have one theme per week. At the end of each theme there are puzzles
that your child does to review all concepts from the week/theme. They are an invaluable resources in
themselves since your child gets a review and has fun while doing so.
The daily devotions are wonderful because they have
different parts to each one. Each day
has a daily verse, reading, and challenge.
All of which reinforce the bible memory verse and theme for the
week. The give your child a new way to
look at the themes each day in a way that your child can understand. The devotions are modern day, true to life,
ways for children to think about biblical principles but, easily understand
them.
As you take this journey you have 3 travelers that go with
you. If you know about Adventures in Odyssey
then you have already been introduced to these friends but, if you are like me,
they will be new to you. Their names are
Connie, Eugene, and Wooton. The each
play a part in your child’s learning and I think they are wonderful mates on
this journey. Connie will talk to your
child about spiritual concepts, Eugene
is your go-to fact guy and Wooton is the comedian of the group. They make learning the bible fun and
entertaining. We couldn't have made the
journey without them.
If you are like me and your children’s spiritual and moral
growth is important to you then this book is an invaluable resource. I think that ever family should have this
wonderful book in their library. I will
say that it works best with school age children and preferable with 8 and up.
Now, I am on the lookout for a preschool devotion and hopefully
I can find one and I will let you all know when I do.
I received this book free from Tyndale. I
was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are
my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s
16 CFR, Part 255
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