Word Filled Wednesday ~ creation

We serve such a Creative Father! It's such a gift to see His handywork in everything around us!
If you have a moment listen or sing along to a Worship Song by Brian Doerksen, a favourite Worship Leader of mine.

For more participants in the meme "Word Filled Wednesday" for today, visit The 160 Acre Woods:

Have a blessed Wednesday!
~ Jen

Works for Me Wednesday - Craft Closet

Here's my (alexa's) first attempt at a WFMW. I don't think I can compare to Jen because she is the most frugal person I know. She could do a post a week for that category! But lucky for me, this week is just what Works for Me!

We LOVE crafts in this house. And I don't like to have to supervise them.... I have what's called the "craft closet". I think it used to be a broom closet, but from the day we moved in, I filled it with wire shelves and crafts supplies.

This past week I felt the need to reorganize - a need I feel often in certain rooms (the craft closet, the store room and the playroom). We now have the bottom shelf with the supplies that I don't mind them getting into, the crayons, pencils etc. The shelf above has the paper supply and a few used coloring books. Above that, we have magazines for cutting out and the beading...

And higher up where they can't reach so easily, I have the supervision (to get started) only boxes. I bought these photo boxes at Michael's when they were on for a dollar. I filled them, opened the lid and snapped a picture, so the kids (and I) don't have to look far to find what we want.

The kids also have these photo boxes on book shelves in their closets packed with toys and labelled with photos.

Organizing (and reorganizing) Works For Me!

Works For Me Wednesdays hosted by We are That Family click on this button to go and visit more ideas!

Fingerprint Friday

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them?
Mama Goose and her Goslings... Happy Mother's Day!

(I tried to upload a video of my son singing a Mother's Day tribute but it was taking forever so I cancelled it. I can see God's Fingerprints on these Geese though - isn't Spring time such a time of celebrating creation?!)

For more Fingerprint Friday entries, visit Fingerprint Friday at PamperingBeki - The Blog

Word Filled Wednesday

I had the privelege of teaching "my" 3 year-old class sunday school this past weekend. The theme this month is "Jesus wants us to believe in Him". One of the suggestions for an activity was to make the above poster. It was great beacuse we needed some new "art" on our wall.

We were talking about when Jesus appeared to His disciples, but Thomas wasn't there, and he wouldn't believe until he saw Jesus for himself. And as the verse says... "see My hands..."

My helper pointed out that as the kids were making their hand prints on the poster, there was paint "missing" in the middle of their hands. Almost every print had a hole in the center. We were amazed at this discovery and were very excited to teach the children about the hole left in Jesus hand and how when he appeared to Thomas, he showed him His hands.

What an awesome reminder it was of the sacrifice Jesus made for us!

Head on over to 160 Acre Woods to see more Word Filled Wednesday Posts.

Works For Me Wednesday ~ Goody Bags

I participated in the Works For Me Wednesdays hosted by We are That Family - this week was a theme of "Frugal"... click on this button to go and visit more posts with frugal ideas!

I am one that shops all year long - I grab bargains and fill up 3+ Rubbermaid totes with gifts for all occasions including fillers of goody (loot) bags for parties! Just like We Are THAT Family posted for her WFMW here: Gift Stockpiling.

I was talking with some friends a few weeks ago about this and I told them that my goody bags are not all the same most of the time - and that's okay because I give out the goody bags as children are on their way out our door, therefore no comparing can be done! So if you have 10 children but only 8 of something, don't worry and use it! You can find 2 other things for the 2 bags missing that one item.

I like goody bags to have a bit more of a substantial fill to them, rather than just a bunch of candy and toys that break before the child gets home!
Since I like goody bags to be more substantial, I could never fit the goody bag contents into the loot bags you buy from a Dollar Store... I use paper lunch bags (probably cheaper anyhow than even the pack of $1 bags) and then incorporate our theme somehow onto the front with the name... like this:Under the child's name I like to include a 'Thank You For Coming' note too and get that all taken care of right off the bat.

I do start to think of a theme for my children's birthdays far in advance (with my Child's input too) which helps! Or actually what can create a theme some of the time is finding something to work with first (a deal)... for example: I decided my son would have a Shrek Birthday Party in February (his birthday is in October) when I found packs of these (below) Shrek figurines marked down for $1.25 at Target - I bought all 4 or 5 packs that were left... some figurines were used for decorating part of the cake, and the rest were divided into the goody bags - each child got 3 different characters.In that goody bag was also a ziploc bag of slime (cornstarch and water), Prince Charming's truffles (which I had got a box of make-your-own-truffles mix from a Liquidator that was there after Christmas), a Shrek pencil (that came in a box of Shrek Valentines cards that I bought for 99c) and some candy.
As part of the Children's goody bag too, was to bring home the Gingerbread Man Cookie (Gingy) that they decorated at the party (another item, gingerbread cookie dough mix at the liquidator for less than $1)...

Another idea I have done in previous years is making several batches of playdough, putting it in ziplocs and having them as part of the goody bags. It's always been a hit!

Be Creative, Plan Ahead and keep your eyes peeled for RED TAGS, CLEARANCE SECTIONS, DISCOUNT BINS, and LIQUIDATION STORES! (no wonder every shop I do even at our regular grocer takes me one hour - I scour the places for deals!!!)

Last week at Michael's I found (by "accident") their Easter stuff that was still left (2 weeks later), now marked down to 90% off. I bought at lot of what was there including:
Playing cards that were 15cents a pack! These will be great for girl goody bags as well as for the shoeboxes I pack at Christmas Time for Operation Christmas Child. I bought a dozen packs I'm sure!
And carrot-shaped bubble pendants and bubble solution-rings... very fun things for extremely cheap!

I picked up these (below) once the "Back to School" stuff was on clearance... they are supposed to be lunch boxes and pencil cases - but to me they are great birthday gifts! This can be the wrapping paper... or it can be wrapped as the gift... perfect! I bought a few of each design.
This coming weekend the Princess one will wrap up a Webkinz for a birthday party my son will attend - the gift will have cost me $10 (Webkinz bought on "Webkinz Day" last week... buy one get one for $1. Sweet deal.) with the value of $25!


Do you have a cheap, creative idea for goody bags?
Who's birthday is next in your Family? Maybe your next dinner-conversation will be "what kind of birthday party would you like, son?"

Thanks for visiting! :)

Not Me! Monday

Here's my first attempt at Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

As for me here's what I did NOT do this week:

I did not empty my whole craft closet and cupboard in an attempt to reorganize it into one closet. And I certainly did not let my 20 month old run around taking what she wanted from the supplies all over the floor. I did not let her run around with window felts only to discover that her body was more fun to color than the window. And I would never let her have a coloring book and felt to color all over on the couch. Not Me!

I did not let my children stay up until almost 9 for the last 3 nights. And this morning I definitely did not go into my daughter's room every 5 minutes for over 30 minutes in an attempt to get her out of bed. And i certainly didn't take away the privilege of playing with her best friend today and going out with another friend tomorrow.

And who gave our kids KD for lunch AGAIN... Not Me!

I don't STILL have laundry sitting on the couch while I spend yet another afternoon on the computer. And I defintely do not have dirty bathrooms, while all the supplies to clean them are still sitting on the counter.

I certainly did not snore all night long saturday night Not Me! cause I do NOT snore. I did not get kicked out of my bed to spend the rest of the night on the couch and in bed with little boo.

Not Me Monday

MckMama's Not me! Monday will be back tomorrow. Click on the button below tomorrow to read her post.

Word Filled Wednesday

Last week we were on the Sunshine Coast for the purpose of celebrating the life of my Grandfather ~ he lived a long life of nearly 94 years ~ what a celebration! We spent our last day on the Coast at the Beach - right across (literally) from the home in which my Dad, my Uncles and Grandparents first lived when they lived on the Coast. This stream (or rather a river) caught my attention as it was feeding into the large Pacific Ocean. This is the passage of scripture that came to mind.

For more Word - Filled - Wednesday posts please click here and be encouraged!

Easter Story Cookies

Unfortunately I found this post ~ WFMW - Easter Story Cookies a few days too late. But I hope to remember it and try it next year.

Here's the recipe:

Easter Story Cookies

To be made the evening before Easter (right before bed)

1cup whole pecans
1tsp vinegar
3 egg whites
pinch salt
1 cup sugar
zipper baggie
wooden spoon
tape
Bible
Preheat oven to 300 degrees (this is important, don't wait till you're half done with the recipe!)

Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was Beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1tsp vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.

So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.

GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9

For other great WFMW posts visit We Are That Family.

Not my Will, but Thine be done

We just finished up our care group study on prayer. I am also reading "Fresh Brewed Life" by Nicole Johnson. I picked it up at the Women of Faith Conference the girls and I went to in 2005.

This quote really struck me:

... God wastes nothing. Not our joys, not our sorrows - nothing. ... He knows the fragrance that comes from surrender.

I think we only get this kind of surrender through prayer. Just as Jesus did. We bring our lives to Him and wrestle them to the ground and let them go. Notice I didn't write. "bring your problems to Him and get over them." this is hard stuff. Don't be afraid to wrestle with God. It makes the surrender more real and honest. Sometimes I pray with people who are afraid to be real. They are questioning God, or even angry, but their prayers sound very sweet: "God, I just know that You know what's best for me, so I just thank You for all that You've given me, and I just praise You for who You are." It's not my place to judge anyone's prayers, but I think God would be honoured with a bit more honesty. He made our hearts, and He knows what's in them.

Bold and italicized - my own.

That was the part that really caught my attention. We have been talking alot about God knowing our hearts anyway, so why lie to him.