Thanksgiving is over & Christmas will be here and gone before we know it. As I make some delicious cookies for a  mom’s group cookie exchange tomorrow morning  I am enjoying some wonderful Christmas music. (I will confess I have been listening to it since before Thanksgiving.) I realize how much I enjoy this time of year. I am wishing we had snow instead of just coldness outside.

I have always been a fan of Christmas and this is our first Christmas in our new home. We have added another tree to our décor this year. We have a 12 foot tree that our stairs wrap around. I have really enjoyed walking up and down those stairs this season with the smell of cinnamon coming from the tree. 

Between the making of cookies, decorating, wrapping gifts, shopping and all the regular duties of a mom I try to take time to enjoy this Christmas season. Every year I want to get my shopping, baking and wrapping done early so I can enjoy this special time of the year, but never seem to just sit and enjoy. Why do we wait till Christmas to say we are going to sit and enjoy this time of year? Every season, month, week, day, and minute is special and we should always take time to just sit and listen to what God is telling us for that season in our lives.

God didn’t send his son to this earth so we could have one time a year to enjoy the life we have and the special times should not be limited to just the  Christmas season. God sent his one, only, and perfect son to this sin cursed world to save us from our sin that has taken over our lives. Jesus humbly obeyed his father’s will, he came as a baby born in a manger that one night many years ago. We have set aside December 25th to celebrate Jesus’ birth as a baby into this world. Don’t forget to take some time not only to enjoy the season,but remembering that Jesus is the reason for this season and without him we wouldn’t have a savior who can save you from your sins.

The Love & Respect Experience by Dr. Emmerson Eggerichs

 

I have been wanting to start doing devotions with my husband again and I thought this would be a great book to use. I know Dr. Eggerichs has also written Love & Respect and has marriage conferences. 

The book claims to be “a huband friendly devotional that wives truly love”. This book was not what I was looking for. As my husband and I began reading the devotional we really felt lost. We didn’t understand much of what was going on. Dr. Eggerichs talks about many things that are in his Love & Respect book and things that are covered in in conferences. As someone who has never read the book or been to the conference I  really didn’t know what he was talking about.

As for a husband friendly devotional, my husband hated this book. He couldn’t wait to stop reading this devotional and begin a different book. I don’t blame him this was not a book a devotional that this “wife truly loved”.

Dr. Eggerichs begins this book with and introduction to wives & husbands separately, then together.  There are 52 chapters and each chapter is a different devotional. Dr. Eggerichs touches on the crazy cycle, pink & blue, the 80:20 ratio, and much more. At the beginning of each devotion he has a bible verse that goes along with the days devotional. After reading the devotional there is a prayer section which gives you a guideline to us in praying the topic that was discussed. Then there is an action section to help apply what Dr. Eggerichs talked about in the devotional. In the back are 3-5 discussion questions for couples.

I would not recommend this devotional unless you have read the Love & Respect book or have been to a conference. This book was greatly disappointing and I did not take anything away from the devotions. I also disagreed with some of the material and the direction he took the devotional according to the verse that was given.

It Couldn't Just Happen by Lawrence O. Richards

It Couldn't Just Happen by Lawrence O Richards "Knowing the truth about God's awesome creation."

Rating: 3 stars

I didn't know much about the book when I began reading it. I wasn't quite sure I really wanted to read it. But once I got into the book it started to grow on me. "It Couldn't Just Happen" begins by digging right into explaining the universe and how our world, Earth, fits into the universe. Richards stated that "our universe is a cosmos, not a chaos." When reading that I know for sure the would didn't just happen, someone had to begin our universe and create everything with a fine hand. Since the earth is the only planet with life it is called the "Odd Planet" according to Richards.

Richards uses this book to explain the difference between Creation and Evolution. I know all about creation, but didn't know a whole lot about evolution. Richards also took me on a journey through the planets, as I read, I went to each planet and learned about the differences in our planet and the others. When looking at just evidence we can see the universe and the things in it didn't just happen, they had to be created.

In this book I realized that Evolution isn't just monkey turning into man, it is very scientific. Fossils are the only actual evidence the evolutionists can use to support their theory. Evolution states that anything living was developed from a single-celled organism that continued to be more and more complex.

This would be a great book for any Christian wanting to debate their teacher, professor, or friend about evolution. Richard lays out reasons why God actually created the universe and how it didn't just happen. When you look at each organism in depth or take time to just watch a sunset you can see God's handy work. I really don't understand how anyone can think it all just happened. At the end of each chapter Richards has put a section of "Just for Fun" there are about 5 different things you could do with your kids or just on your own to further your education in that chapter.

I recommend "It Couldn't Just Happen" for any homeschooling mom or anyone who is into learning more about the universe. I did find it a little hard to read at times. It is not a book for younger elementary children to understand. I am not into science or the why's of science, but anyone who is would enjoy this book.

Zane Testimony

We have been busy with so many things these past 2 months. Mostly getting our new home together and looking more like a home. We have added a new color to a room and turned it into my sewing/craft room. I am looking forward to getting time, or should I say taking time, to work in my new room. I enjoy sewing, just never did much of it because I didn't have anywhere to create messes and leave my machine out. I now can leave/have a mess if I need. I also enjoy scrap-booking, although I haven't done anything in over a year. I am very behind on our family & Titus' personal scrapbooks. I am hoping to take the time to work on those soon too.

This past week we enjoyed time with my brother, he was home for 6 days and got to spend extra time with Titus. I am so thankful he is doing so well and looking so good. God has truly done a miracle in him. While Zane was here he spoke at my parents church during their Sunday school hour and I have uploaded his testimony along with a question and answer segment. I heard one of his first talks after the accident and I will say they have perfected it and I even learned more this time around. Unfortunately Courtney was not able to come and give her side, but maybe someday I can get a video of them both speaking. Oh and this is at least an hour long.

Did not mean to publish this without the video. I will try to get it up soon. For some reason it isn't downloading.