Looking to the Holidays...

But first-a little business. If you missed out on the Snapfish photo gifts- you can still get them for 20% off. Better than full-price!

Barak Hussein Obama is America's President-Elect. I will join millions of Christians in praying for him and our country. He is our elected president- and that deserves respect, whether he was my pick or not. I received a great email today about this, and my husband has a blog series going on things to pray for him. The Presidential Prayer Team has a 77-day campaign going- praying for him in this time of transition. Check it out (thanks Marge!)!

Check out the new poll on the right and tell me what you'd do with an hour and a half to yourself. If your choice isn't listed, comment and I'll add it! :)

Also, I had a rough day today. No details... but, would you say a prayer for me? Thank you in advance! On to the real post topic... As for the holidays...

What are you doing NOW to start getting ready for the holidays, if anything?

Comment and let me know (so I can do it, too!)
Blessings,
~Katherine
<><

Inspired by working ahead...

I've been working for a few days on a Christmas postcard and some grandparent gifts. Inspired by a 35% off coupon available at Snapfish through Oct 31st I decided to get a few calendars and small brag books done! (If you do this- don't forget to enter "FALL35" as the coupon code before you finish checking out!) I have just submitted my order and it feels good to know that if I get nothing else done- the grandparents will at least receive these small gifts for Christmas! :) Also, I'm using Vistaprint to print a Christmas postcard which I plan to mail the Monday before Thanksgiving so that as the holidays arrive- that card is already done!!! I used some pictures in the leaves to make the card and am using a "Thanksgiving" theme. (The postcard lets me use postcard stamps to save a little on postage- and the kids can make an assembly line to put address stickers and stamps on them. Elminates a lot of the work for ME!) Since I'm doing all this right before the trip- we'll be able to pack light because we won't have any clean or folded laundry to pack and bring with us! lol! So, get inspired, get something done ahead of time now- and make a little more time for cookie baking, snow angel making, and storytelling when December rolls around!
Blessings~
katherine
<><

Inspired by a FREE cappuccino (or other drink) at Barnes & Noble Cafe!

Click Here for free coupon!!!

Really... need I say more?!?!

Have a good one! Enjoy some alone time...

~katherine

(Thanks to Heidi for passing this on to me!)

Poverty...NOT inspiring! What can we do?

Yesterday was "Blog Action Day"- where bloggers are asked to "change the conversation" in lives around the world. The topic for 2008 is poverty. Now you, and I, my friends, are mostly homemakers, parents, carpool drivers, and the like, am I right? But, we influence people within our homes, churches and communities, as well as the future leaders of the world- in society, business, government, and church. As we speak about the poor (or do we acknowledge the existence of mass poverty in our world?)--- how do we speak? With compassion? With responsibility? With action?

I am encouraged today- to incorporate talk of the poor and our responsibility into our lives. There exist differing perspectives on what poverty is. Afterall, most everything is relative. If you live in the US, some would say that no matter how bad off you are, you do not experience poverty. I would argue that anyone who does not have security in knowing their basic needs will be regularly met, is in poverty. (Those not in poverty have no fear--- not even a thought- of whether their basic needs for food and shelter will be met.)

Perhaps you are already doing things that your children are unaware of. We make a SMALL monthly contribution to Feed the Children. However, I don't think our children are aware of this. So, today, I will make them aware. Each year we pack Shoeboxes for Samaritan's Purse- Operation Christmas Child- likely, you do, too! There is a children's book that talks about the shoe boxes- perhpas it, or your own story, would help drive-home the reason for this charitable act. Many ministries close to home and around the world are serving the needs of the poor- historically, most of them have been Christian ministries, however, as of late, the secular world is attuned to the abhorent existence of poverty and have been making their own efforts to raise awareness of and erradicate hunger and poverty. One such is End Poverty 2015. We all need to join together in this work of self-sacrifice and serving others in need. I believe for parents, this begins with teaching our children how blessed they are and to extend the compassion of Jesus to those who are in need. This might begin with small personal sacrifices to benefit someone else.

Even though we in America are experiencing serious financial hardships, we are rich compared to 90% of the world (or so I've read in that email forward...). Let's start changing the conversation in our small corner of the world- and bring compassion to those in need.

What are some small, practical ways you (and your family) can begin to address the issue of poverty in our world?

It's 11 o'clock...

It's 11 pm. By my written goals, I want to be in bed right now. But, by my, "I've been Mommying sick kids all day and finally have some time to just chill out," I want to just waste time until... I'm done! :-)

Part of "Living the Inspired Life" for me is knowing what I WANT life to be and making plans to help it actually become that way. The problem is when everyday life, aka "reality", intersects the ideals in my mind, ya know?

So, I want to go to bed at 11am so I can easily rise at 5:45 or 6 to get started with day in quietness... not 7:30 or 8 after the kids have filled the house with much... joy :) .

Tell me- in what ways are your ideal and your reality at odds? And, how do you cope with it, take it in stride, incorporate it, or make the most of it?