Cherish This Christmas Seeing Christ Amidst the Chaos "This collection of daily devotions will take you back to the days of Jesus' birth and help bring more meaning to the chaotic days of December. Through scriptural insight and personal reflection Paula will help you to "Cherish This Christmas" and into the new year. $8.50 on Amazon.com (direct link when you click the cover above) To visit the author, Paula A. Davis' blog: http://pauladavispeace.com/

One Clear, Still Night " A miraculous event took place one clear, still night that changed the world...There is deep meaning and symbolism in the advent of Christ...One Clear, Still Night also includes inspirational readings, as well as recipes and ideas to help make your Christmas meaningful." $10.28 on Amazon.com (direct link when you click the cover above) To visit the author, Terri Groh's blog: http://www.heartsinservice.blogspot.com/

What is your favorite tradition to help you remember
"The Reason for the Season"? Will you share with us today?

I share her testimony, with permission. The private messages I receive are such and encouragement to me. Typically, I keep these private yet as I communicated with this reader the Holy Spirit nudged me. "Just ask..." She started an amazing journey this week. She shares with you in hopes that her story, may help someone else in a similar situation. It isn't me, or my book, that changed her heart, only God has that power. I'm thankful God spoke to her through my writing.

One Reader Wrote to say: "So as I am finishing up your book Where's Heidi? I realized you are my Jonathan! I am on a very low income and can not afford anything extra but something kept pulling me to your book and finally I broke down and bought it. I am so glad I did! I am going through a very rough time kicking my habit on pain meds...I just can't do it no more and I want my life back! I prayed to God last night after reading your book and getting chills and tears in my eyes. I knew what I was missing in my life and recovery and you opened my eyes and I realized, God, I need Him. So I prayed to him to help guide me through this struggle I am going through and help him guide me to worship Him. I know He can't do it all, I have to put some work into it but I am so ready to do so. So I just wanted to say thank you for touching my heart and soul with this book and making me realize who should be number one in my life...I made the decision to find a church that I can start going to on a regular basis. God is good!" Will you join me in praying for this reader?

~ Please leave a note of encouragement for this reader below ~
Be safe this first major shopping weekend of the season.

Share 1 person and 1 thing you are thankful for...

How has someone encouraged you? Did you pass it on?

"God never allows pain without a purpose in the lives of His children.
He never allows satan, nor circumstances, nor any ill-intending person
to afflict us unless He uses that affliction for our good.
God never wastes pain.
He always causes it to work together for our ultimate good,
the good of conforming us more to the likeness of His Son
(see Romans 8:28-29)."  ~ Jerry Bridges

When you feel like life is beating you down...who do you call?
Mom? A Friend?
Ghostbusters? (sorry, I couldn't resist) or God?
Will you share what helps you get through?
A favorite verse or quote?

This photo was taken a few weeks ago when I shared with the Lowville Public Library and their library family. It was a wonderful, God-inspired weekend. Today we travel to the Red Creek Public Library. I'll be sharing at 11 a.m. with a Q & A and book signing afterwards. I hope you can make it. Tomorrow - join me and my family at the Baldwinsville Baptist Church as I share the possibility of "Tragedy over Triumph" after the morning service as part of their Thanksgiving feast. I'll also share a bit during the morning service. Of course you can also get my books at "The Carriage House Shoppe" located on Route 104 in Mexico, NY on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays 12 -5, through the weekend before Christmas. :)

Next Saturday, November 30th - I will be doing a book signing at the Pulaski Kinney's from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. I hope you can make it to one of these events. Thank you in advance for sharing with your friends and family too...

Thank you for remembering Heidi and sharing HOPE with others...

The charm is pewter and one inch in diameter. The bracelet is black leather. All items will be shipped on January 1, 2014. Only $26.00 after S & H To pre-order your bracelet for the January deliver ~ click on the sketch above for a direct link or visit Karen's website.

The only thing I get from sharing this post is
a smile on my face, warmth in my heart,
and the hope of supporting a friend
as she uses her gifts to help others.

Leave Karen a note of encouragement below.

Leave a message below for the Heidi Search Center in San Antonio to encourage them as they move forward in HOPE!

Essential co-op tools, tips, and options for today’s homeschool families. Thinking about joining or starting a homeschool co-op? Not sure if a co-op is a good fit? Homeschool Co-ops 101 weighs the pros, cons, and creative options available for today’s homeschool family.

• Section 1 includes essential, digestible info on co-op ingredients such as planning and organization, schedules, teaching, finances, and addressing conflict and burnout.
• Section 2 shares a sampling of co-op games and activities, and
• Section 3 contains five hands-on unit studies. These ready to use studies include lessons on Leonardo da Vinci, Birds of Prey, Public Speaking, Tall Tales, and Creative Writing, and are suitable for co-op or home use. This section also includes unit study guidelines that are easily customized to suit any topic.
• Section 4 offers suggested books, curriculum, and other resources.

Karen Lange has gathered insight from years of co-oping and now shares her own and others’ experiences in this valuable and encouraging handbook.

Homeschool Co-ops 101 is available at:

~~~Amazon~~~

~~~Barnes and Noble~~~

~~~Kobo~~~

About the Author Karen Lange, her husband, and three children were active in co-ops during their sixteen-year homeschool journey. Her experience includes serving as a local homeschool support group coordinator and consultant for a state homeschool network in New Jersey. Karen’s children have since graduated, and she is now a freelance writer and online writing instructor for homeschooled teens. You can connect with Karen at herBlog, on Twitter, and Facebook.

Blog Tour Schedule

November 4 ~Ruth Schiffman, http://outonalimbshywritergoessocial.blogspot.com/ ~Robyn Campbell, http://robyn-campbell.blogspot.com/

November 5 ~Carol Alexander, http://lessonsfromthehomestead.com/blog/

~Diane Estrella, www.dianeestrella.com

November 6 ~Gena Mayo, ichoosejoy.org

~Marja Meijers, http://sacredsabbath.blogspot.com/

November 7 ~Sandie Crozek, http://chattycrone.blogspot.com/

~Melissa Brander, http://mkbrander.com/

~Cecelia Lester, http://quietspirit-followingmyking.blogspot.com/

November 8 ~Susan Reinhardt, http://www.susanjreinhardt.com/

~Cecelia Lester, http://quietspirit-followingmyking.blogspot.com/

November 10

~Laura V. Hilton, http://lighthouse-academy.blogspot.com/

~Melissa & Tiffany, http://www.homegrownfamilies.net

~Janette Dolores, http://janettedolores.blogspot.com

November 11 ~Susan Sundwall, www.sundwallsays.blogspot.com

~Michelle Isenhoff, http://www.michelleisenhoff.com/wp

November 12 ~Carol Alexander, http://lessonsfromthehomestead.com/blog/

~Jeanette Levellie, http://www.jeanettelevellie.com/

November 13 ~Susanne Dietze, http://susannedietze.blogspot.com/ ~Sherryl Wilson, simplysherryl.com

~Anne Payne, duhpaynes.blogspot.com

November 14 ~Rhonda Schrock, http://www.rhondaschrock.com/rhondas_blog/ ~Abi Buening, http://myheartbelongs2books.blogspot.com/

~Amber Schamel, http://www.amberschamel.com/history-blog.html

~Renee, motherdaughterbookreviews.com

November 15 ~Crystal King, http://asimpleheartforhome.blogspot.com/ ~Barb Winters, inthemidstof.wordpress.com/

~Tyrean Martinson, http://tyreanswritingspot.blogspot.com/

November 16

~Julie, soaringeagle8.blogspot.com

~Sarah, myjoyfilledlife.com

November 17 ~Amada Chavez, ascphotosanddesigns.blogspot.com

~Cindi Clubbs,http://ccclubbs.com/

~Rebecca Boerner, http://ohiohomeschool.blogspot.com/

November 18

~Carlene Havel, https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6440085.Carlene_Havel/blog.

~Lisa M. Buske, http://www.lisambuske.com/blog.html

November 19

~Karen Loethen, http://taytayhser.blogspot.com.au/

~Amy Smith, myseasonsofopportunities.blogspot.com/

November 20

~Darlene Arroyo-Lozada, http://lovebookslozada.blogspot.com/

November 22

~Sarah Bailey, http://growingforchrist.wordpress.com

~Thumb Updown, http://momsthumb.blogspot.com/

December 2

~Jennifer Shirk, http://jennifershirk.blogspot.com/

~Ticia M.,http://adventuresinmommydom.org/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Giveaway Open to US addresses only. One person will receive a $25 Amazon GC and a copy of Homeschool Co-ops 101. Please use the Rafflecopter below to be entered: a Rafflecopter giveaway

I hope you enjoyed hearing from Karen...Any questions for her?
Leave a comment below

What have you been up to? What are your plans for the next week?

What bad habit will you start to mold into a better habit today?

More than a day of the week...it represents hope and strength.

Is there a special way you remember a lost loved one?

We Shall Keep the Faith
Oh! you who sleep in Flanders Fields,
Sleep sweet - to rise anew!
We caught the torch you threw
And holding high, we keep the Faith
With All who died.

 We cherish, too, the poppy red
That grows on fields where valour led;
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies,
But lends a lustre to the red
Of the flower that blooms above the dead
In Flanders Fields.

 And now the Torch and Poppy Red
We wear in honour of our dead.
Fear not that ye have died for naught;
We'll teach the lesson that ye wrought
In Flanders Fields.

 by Moina Michael

Is there a veteran or two you could encourage and thank today?
How might you show your appreciation to him or her?

You have charged us
    to keep your commandments carefully.
Oh, that my actions would consistently
    reflect your decrees!
Then I will not be ashamed
    when I compare my life with your commands.
Psalm 119:4-6 NLT

Will you work or play tomorrow?

List a craft show near you in a comment below
and then call your mom, sisters, friends, daughter,
or whom ever and get out
to enjoy craft who hopping and Christmas shopping!

Have a great day!

“There's no tragedy in life like the death of a child. Things never get back to the way
they were.”-- Dwight D. Eisenhower, American president

The loss of a child changes you forever...there is still hope!

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son,
that whoever believes in him
should not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 ESV

“Blessed are those
    whose transgressions are forgiven,
    whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the one whose
sin the Lord will never count against them.”
Romans 4:7-8

The Death of Jesus
 At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 
And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
“Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?”
(which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).

When some of those standing near heard this, they said,
“Listen, he’s calling Elijah. Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar,
put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone.
Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.

With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.

The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
 And when the centurion,
who stood there in front of Jesus,
saw how he died, he said,
“Surely this man was the Son of God!”
Mark 15:33-39

We love because he first loved us.
1 John 4:19

And this is the testimony:
God has given us eternal life,  and this life is in his Son.
 Whoever has the Son has life;
whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God
so that you may know that you have eternal life. 
This is the confidence we have in approaching God:
that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we
know that we have what we asked of him.
1 John 5:11-15

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.
We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit
himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.
Romans 8:26

If you are this parent - is there a way we can pray for you?
Do you find comfort in this blog?
Any thoughts or reflections to add?

A Sneak Peak Inside...be sure to stop in and see for yourself!
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays 12 - 5 in November & December

Find them on Facebook - "Carriage House Shoppe"

Leave a message here for Gail, Terry, or Pam to encourage them!