Available now on Amazon (130 pages, paperback)! (Click photo to see more information and to order your copy!)
Who I Am
I was reading a short devotional this morning as part of my God-and-I Time, and the final phrase stuck out to me: “May who I am glorify You!” It wouldn’t leave my mind, and it has, in these few short hours, become the prayer of my heart.
“May who I am glorify You.” Not who I was or who I wish I were or who I plan to be—but who I am. Each day, each thought, each action—who I am.
Not when I’m retired, when I’m financially settled, or when I’m married—who I am.
When I’m famous, when I have time, when I achieve a desired status? No—who I am.
When I’m thinner, when I’m able to control my desires, when I’m able to live a disciplined life? Again: no—who I am.
Lord, hear and help me to live out the sincerity behind this prayer: “May who I am glorify You.”
So He Made It Over
“But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him” (Jeremiah 18:4, NIV)
The Amplified Bible says, “So He made it over.”
“So He made it over.” I am not disposable to God! He has placed a value on me (through the blood of Christ) that will never diminish! So when I am “marred,” He chooses to remake me: perhaps for a different use or purpose or with an updated design or function, but He doesn’t dispose of me!
Oh the blessed intermingling of grace and hope!
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Christmas is Coming!
What better Christmas idea to go with today’s challenge than a pottery wheel for kids. Order early and help/let your children make their own handcrafted pottery for relatives, teachers, and friends! No baking necessary!
Click here to view Discovery Kids Motorized Pottery Wheel
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Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Survey Prize Winners – And a Surprise!
This was too much fun! I couldn’t wait! So I’m announcing the winners today! But first, I am sending many, many, many of you a huge shout out for taking time to participate in the survey this past week. The number of responses far exceeded my expectations and hopes!
It was good for me to see that while some readers dislike certain elements, the majority said that they like those same elements. In other cases, the majority didn’t favor some elements, while others wanted more of them! But that’s what made it worthwhile! Your comments and ideas were helpful and insightful, and I will take them to heart as I continue to focus on sharing my heart, my failures, my blessings, my life, and my God through Petals from the Basket. So thank you!
The winners were completely selected through a random drawing process through a third party. (In other words, I had no input on selecting the winners!) Oh how I wish I were able to give every survey taker a prize, but alas, I am not. And yes, I have once again used the word alas in a blog post! So let me announce the winners forthwith (that one was for you, my Friday night friends)!
Grand Prize – EMMY P.
1 But God necklace (purchased from The Vintage Pearl) and
5 copies of the But God Bible study
Value: $84.95
First Prize – ANITA C.
1 But God necklace (purchased from The Vintage Pearl) – value: $45.00
Second Prize – DAR S.
5 copies of the But God Bible study – value: $39.95
Third Prize – ELIZABETH K.
1 copy of The Best Yes, by Lysa Teurkeurst – value: $15.95
Fourth Prize – JEAN H.
1 copy of the But God Bible study – value: $7.99
*Total value of all prizes (not including shipping and handling, which we will pay): $193.84
CONGRATULATIONS!
E-mails have been sent to the prize winners. Please contact us via reply e-mail us before November 30, 2014 with your shipping address!
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And now for a big SURPRISE!
I have contacted several of the companies whose items I will be sharing as Christmas ideas this month, and there will be
more giveaways (no surveys this time) during the months of November and December! I’m tickled pink! This is way too much fun! Stay tuned!
Why I Schedule Time with God
“The first day, God knows. The second day, you know. By the third day, everybody knows.” I would cringe nearly every time my mom shared this with me—which was often—because I knew she was right. And few of us like to readily admit that “mama knows best!” Yet, the older we get, the more we realize that she actually did know best!
Neglecting to spend time in Bible study, prayer, heavenward meditation, or a combination of any or all of these doesn’t go unnoticed. Now be careful, because it’s not about placing a check mark on your “I’m a good Christian because I do these things” list. [“It” being “devotions,” “personal Bible study,” “God-and-I time,” etc.] It’s a choice to talk to and learn from the Creator of the universe who willingly sent His only Son to die in my stead (because of my sin, present since birth, that causes me to fall short of God’s glory) because of an unconditional love that never fails. (Can I get a hallelujah on that sentence alone? Wow!)
It’s more like having the privilege to place a check mark on your “Because of all He’s done, I want to do this (‘this’ being equivalent to the “it” above) so that I can be a better Christian—be more like Christ!”
So I daily choose to place an allotted time on my calendar for “God-and-I time” (GAIT). I call it that because I view it as an appointment I need to keep, a meeting I need to attend, and a commitment I need to honor. You are probably much better than I am about “just doing it,” but I find that if I don’t literally schedule it into my day, I neglect that time because I allow other things to so easily crowd their way into my schedule, usually because the evil ick tells me those things matter more (as if!).
How much time? That varies. I would encourage you not to set a specific time range [i.e., 30 minutes or 60 minutes]. Just listen as you read, reply in prayer, and let each day’s lesson guide you through and strengthen you for that day’s journey. It’s an appointment worth keeping!
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“Prime”-ing the Pump for Christmas
[Note: several of the Christmas suggestions will contain “affiliate links,” meaning that, at no extra cost to you, I will receive a small commission from the company whose information I am sharing with you. ALL affiliate income (100%) earned in the months of November and December will be donated to Soles for Jesus, a Milwaukee-based nonprofit that distributes shoes to those in regions where shoes are not readily available and yet are a vital part of the region’s health and well-being.]
I’m kicking off my Christmas shopping ideas with what I think might be the most important one of all: Amazon Prime. Here are five reasons why I think it’s worth every penny—including how you can enroll in the program (for a brief time) absolutely free!
1. It’s a one-time payment for all your shipping charges from Amazon for one full year! When you purchase on Amazon, your shipping choice will default to your Free Amazon Prime method, which is two-day shipping! (No it’s not free after the first 30 days, you pay a yearly fee, but if you order much from Amazon at all, it doesn’t take long to start getting it free!)
2. Amazon Prime also earns you free books to download for Kindle, Kindle for PC, or Kindle for Mac.
3. Amazon Prime also gives you the opportunity to watch TV shows and movies at little to no cost!
4. Amazon Prime allows you to use “one-click” shopping, saving you hours of time over the course of a year.
5. Amazon Prime is perfect for Christmas shopping because you can click “this is a gift,” and Amazon will include a gift note for the recipient—and send it for free!
But here’s the best part of all, you get a 30-day FREE TRIAL! So now is the PERFECT time to enroll. If you love it and realize how much you save, enroll in the program and pay the annual fee; if not, just cancel (and they, unlike many companies, make it easy to cancel).
You’ll thank me. 🙂
Click here to get your free trial of Amazon Prime and/or enroll in the program!
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Be sure to stop by the Health Updates page for the latest news on Dad’s end-stage Parkinsons and Mom’s eye conditions.