Does Your Child's School Have A Patriotic Program?

Maybe it's a Midwest thing, but I have been so impressed that the kids schools have Patriotic Programs. They pay tribute to the men and women who have and ARE fighting for our country, our rights, our freedoms. I know some public schools around Christmas time have programs that celebrate Santa Claus, don't you think it would benefit the children more to celebrate their country?
This has been a question in my mind for a while now. Just wanted to throw it out there.

Sanctuary For A Lady

It was close to this time last year, that I met my writing friend, Naomi Rawlings, as we "competed" in the same writing contests under the category of Historical Romance. She has been such a great encourager for me, and has given me some wise advice for my own writing journey.
Well, I am ecstatic to say that I am halfway through her debut novel, Sanctuary for a Lady, and I LOVE the story!! It takes place during the most fascinating time period, the French Revolution. The characters keep calling me to read more and more....must scoot these children to bed so I can curl up and read, read, read!

Check out Sanctuary for a Lady by Naomi Rawlings if you are looking for your next good read (I know it has been spotted at Walmart)! Naomi will visit The Writer's Alley soon, so you can learn more about this up and coming author!

Passover is THIS week

If there is one thing I have learned through my Bible studies over the years, is that God uses timing to show amazing things. Prophesy is revealed, powerful words are spoken in conjunction with the specific moment that would relate to the people at that time. Specific days at specific times in the year are set aside by God's people and God uses those times to find glory...I am sorry to be so vague, but I can't even begin to explain the evidence. Beth Moore has amazing teachings on this in her study, The Psalms of Ascent.
Something that bothered me this past week, was that we were celebrating "Easter" the week before Passover...I knew why too, and that's what bothered me more...centuries ago, Christians tried to convert Pagans by adjusting the calendar to match up with their Spring Festival.
I can't help but wonder how the God of the Universe feels about this?
And then to see us take pagan traditions and try and blend them with Christian meaning...really? Yet we get angry when people take the Jesus fish and give it legs and write Darwin in the middle...it's the same thing.
Each year I raise my children, there is a shedding of the old to reveal the pure truth of God. I am just sad that I didn't see this article earlier...

http://rcg.org/books/ttooe.html

...we would have chosen to keep the Passover above the egg hunts.

An Easter Treasure

It was a beautiful day today. My children woke us up and we began our tradition of following the Resurrection eggs and re-telling the story of Christ's greatest sacrifice around the house to culminate at their Easter gifts.
After church, we went to brunch at a neighbors house and celebrated Easter with nineteen kids and their parents. It was a delicious, egg hunting, fellowshipping kind of time--one with laughter, relaxation, and contentment.
I love making these memories.
 My biggest treasure from the day was snapping a family photo, one I will keep close for years to come. Just from looking at this picture, I imagine there aren't many more where I am the second tallest in the family.

I stared hard at this at first, wondering why I looked shorter...it wasn't me shrinking though, but my boys growing! Hope you had a very Happy Easter and many fresh memories at heart!

I pray...

 ...that you have a blessed Easter and remember the JOY of this special day! 

Rejoice,

Christ is Risen!