Saturday's Selections

Ideal for those in need of assurance that God is watching over them...I love the inspirational truth in this song. God is with us through everything! Never once will He leave us.

~Merry Christmas!~

The white Christmas hasn't come yet, but it stands to reason that there's no place like home for the holidays!
This celebration of Jesus is a mere one for such as Him. Everyone is busy celebrating His wonderful birth! The tree, the presents, the laughter, the families gathering, sharing, and love.

You know, that's what Jesus was portraying when He came: His amazing love.

Thinking beyond the packages coming week after week this season, the temptation to take a small peek under the wrapping paper, the endless question "Is it Christmas yet?": Did we remember Who gave us Christmas? Who gave us this love, joy, and peacefulness?

Or have we waited for the morning when we get to grab out the stockings, rip open the paper, and spend all day in our pajamas?
This isn't all that Christmas should be. It should be more! Giving is better than receiving after all!

Give with your heart. You'll be glad you did.
Jesus Loves You, everyone.

Saturday's Selections

"The best evidence of our having the truth is our walking in the truth."-Matthew Henry

Share Some Love

Christmas is arriving. But families in poverty may not receive any gifts.
While we sit around the tree, opening up our packages or smiling for the camera, holding up our stockings in our Christmas pajamas, there will be children who will be sitting on dirt floors, never getting the chance to know what a gift is.

But you can help give a family in destitution two special gifts: love and safety.
This Christmas, why don't we give instead of receive? Compassion International aims to raise $20,000 through their Gift Catalog. Your donation will help these families not only thrive, but show them that someone in the world is caring. And showing that you care is a gift in itself. 

Jesus gave Himself to us, and He was (and is) the greatest, most precious gift we will ever receive. Why not give for Him?

By giving love, time, and sometimes money, you will abound in happiness. Give generously and without resent ...you are doing a good deed.

"But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you —see that you also excel in this grace of giving." (2 Corinthians 8:7 NIV)

"Freely you have received; freely give." (Matthew 10:8b NIV)

"Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you."(3 John 1:5 NIV)
THANK-YOU,
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!!

Carrying a Stranger

I had a dream a few nights ago. I dreamed I was carrying a child in my arms through unfamiliar streets. Past stoplights and cars, and children playing, I carried this small one. Where I was going, I did not know.
 But all the while, I heard a voice saying, "Jesus. This is Jesus..." over and over again. 

I could not see the child's face; it was blurred in my dream. But I could see what he or she was wearing: Filthy, musty rags, and bare feet. While I continued walking, I remembered a quote by Mother Teresa: "I see Jesus in every human being. I say to myself, this is hungry Jesus, I must feed him. This is sick Jesus...I must wash him and tend him. I serve because I love Jesus."

I proceeded on my slow, steady walk to somewhere. I noticed how light and easy it was to carry the small child. Whoever I was holding was very thin, dark, and very dirty. And I carried this one child all the way to a large home.

Nothing looked familiar about this place, a very unusual thing to happen with me: Practically everything in my dreams look familiar.
I walked up the steps to the door with the child still in my arms, and the door was opened by a woman. Still nothing familiar, but she welcomed me in. However, she looked quite uncertain about the child I was holding.

I told her that this child would be staying with us for a while. We needed a nice bath for the little one, new clothes, and good hygiene lessons.
She smiled, took the child from my arms, and headed up the staircase, while I proceeded into the dining room. A large family was sitting at the table, and they all smiled. They invited me to sit down and eat with them. They were very friendly. Though I did not know them, they seemed to be a kind of family to me.

A short while later, the child and woman came downstairs to the dining room. The child was no longer in rags, but had a cute, flowered dress on, and clean white socks. I still could not see the face, but assumed, by the clothes, that I was looking at a little girl.

She ran up to me and gave me a big hug. A sweet, adorable, big hug. No one said a word. But words were not needed; she expressed her love all in that one hug.

Right after that, I woke up. It took me a second to figure out I was no longer dreaming. Then I decided what to do with this amazing dream: Put it on my blog.

Exactly what this dream means, I do not know. But I do know how that dream might have come.
I requested K.P. Yohannan's book No Longer a Slumdog and received it in the mail with great enthusiasm. This book is a real eye-opener, and the gripping facts may have moved from my mind, into my subconsciousness. And other reasons, such as my love for helping those in need.

I don't know how this dream occurred or why, but I will keep it in mind. Do you have a thought about this dream? Leave me a comment below. I'd love to see your input!

What does Giving mean?

When I really think about giving, I think of many different things. Happiness, love, charity, peace, joy, emotions.
There are so many ways to give.
Soup kitchens, volunteering your time, money, love and friendship to do something for someone, schooling, giving the Good News to someone in need. But, as James 1:15-16 says, we should not just say what we should do, we should do what we say.
And, every good and perfect gift comes from above (James 1:17), from God.

I collected a "survey" of what my friends and family think the phrase "It's About Giving" means:
My Dad- Willingness to give: When you want or own something, but you give it to another person who needs or wants it.
Little Brother-"When you give somebody something."
Little Sister-"You give somebody something."
Big Brother-There are lots of ways to give, not just gifts.
My Mom- Give with a cheerful heart.
A Family Friend- Christ crucified is the epitome of giving for all ages. An honest account of giving is...“Ouch!” It is painful, BUT God has directed His creation of us such that the joy in giving exceeds the suffering, and ultimately refined through Him, the joy dissolves any remnants of suffering.
The gift from our eternal Father of his only begotten Son is again the model for an answer: The pouring out of oneself is the Grace of the gift, of love. There is disappointment in a gift refused, but no diminishing in the love itself. Love is giving of self.
A Friend- It looks like someone cares, it sounds like something nice, it tastes like something sweet, and it feels good. Babies love their mom but they can not give her anything but love. It is the feeling of knowing you helped someone, give the word of Jesus to others and share about Him.

And this gift can be given to people whom you do not even know! Give a gift of love, care and assistance to someone in need with Compassion's Christmas Gift Catalog! Give a family livestock, safe drinking water, food for malnourished children, and more. 
 
And, some quotes for Giving (Before Saturday's Selections!):

Here are a list of Bible Passages for thought:
Deuteronomy 15:11  Open your hands wide to the poor and give.
Proverbs 21:13 Listen to the poor.
2 Corinthians 9:6-12   God loves a cheerful giver.
Romans 11:29 The gifts of God are unchangeable.
Matthew 2:11 The wise men gave gifts.
Romans 12:6 We all have different gifts, use them.
1 Corinthians 12:4 Many differing gifts, same in Spirit.

Saturday's Selections

"There is no harm in repeating a good thing."-Plato
I think this is a great quote because it's true. And it isn't just for words...You can repeat a good thing someone else did, too.

Saturday's Selections

Here is another quote. I have decided also to take an approach with Saturday's Selections, posting not only quotes, but also music, Bible verses, and videos.

 

"A man may study because his brain is hungry for knowledge, even Bible knowledge. But he prays because his soul is hungry for God."- Leonard Ravenhill

My Sari!!!!

A sari is a long strip of cloth. But not just any strip. The details are amazingly done. Sometimes, they are even handpainted.  And I own one myself.
Ever since I saw a family friend (who happens to live in India) in a sari I've wanted one for myself. My new thing to look up was the Indian Sari. All different colors. 

Once, in Walmart, I saw a Indian woman wearing one! It was gray and black (not really my colors but it was pretty) and it was amazing to me. Of all places to see one, Walmart! And, I had never seen one outside of a picture.

I  told my Mom and Dad that I really wanted one for special occasions. I chose a violet-red one.

My parents bought it for me (even though I could have bought it myself) and it took a while to come. I was just waiting for even a small look at my first sari. I thought about drawing it and doing all sorts of things with it. 

I'd have to be very careful with it. I'd have to learn the "technique" of wrapping it around me (and believe me, you need patience, self-control, and an optimistic view of things to get that done!). 

And, oh, the little kids wouldn't stop touching it! This was my sari, I just got it, it had just been unfolding, and already kids were commenting on it, touching it, and my baby brother was 'all over it'! He was telling me in his baby talk all about it. 

The photo above was my first attempt so far of wrapping it. If I was allowed to show my face online, you could see just how excited I was! I was all smiles!

Click on the link below to check out the sari I bought: 

Oh, and I plan to keep myself better concealed in clothes more than the lady above! The price is pretty high but it was worth it! I love almost everything about it, (although the blouse comes unsewn)! In fact, I plan to buy another one as soon as I have extra cash put aside. My Sponsorship takes up most of my money! But I enjoy it.

This is the one I plan to get: 
This is my personal thought of Indian Selections' saris sold on Amazon.com. I hope this was helpful.

Saturday's Selections

I agree with all of these ideas! :) How was everyone's Thanksgiving?
“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.” Colossians 2:6-7 (NKJV)

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Mayflower, the pilgrims, turkeys, family get-togethers, thankfulness....Thanksgiving.
Practically every year, our family travels to our Aunt and Uncle's house to meet up with my mom's side of the family. My Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins bring food, fun, and love...Oh, and their pets!

Have a wonderful, thanks-filled Thanksgiving!

You've got a Friend in Me

Toy Story's theme song is a favorite of our family. We enjoy hearing it on our CD player.
But, I have this (good) habit of thinking about what the people are singing about and mixing it with what Jesus says. When I hear "You've got a Friend in Me", for instance, I think: "Hmm, OK, we have a friend in Jesus ...Nobody has ever loved us like He does."  It's kind of fun doing that! (;

It's quite true, though. Jesus does love us and He is our Friend. "If we are faithless, He remains faithful— for He cannot deny himself."(2 Timothy 2:13 ESV). Even if we stumble and deny Him (even though I strictly discourage doing that ever!), He's still our Friend! He stays faithful!

"But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."(Romans 5:8 NIV) 
And we, as Christians, need to love Him back, of course. "If anyone does not love the Lord, let that person be cursed!"(1 Corinthians 16:22 NIV)

  "Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him."" (John 14:23)

And we need to love our fellow believers. "He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. 
Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God" (1 Peter 1:20-23)

"And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever." (1 John 2:17)
 God loves us and wants to be our Friend...Believe in Him (It's worth it!).

“These are the true words of God.” (Revelation 19:9b)

Saturday's Selections

This proverb is one of my dad's favorites!
Everything going well doesn't ever make us strong. It never has and never will!

Inspirational Blog Post!

The well-known blog run by Alex and Brett Harris, The Rebelution, came out with another blog post a little while back. It was amazing. Click here to read it!
It talks about how a judge publishes a letter in a newspaper and it sort of goes viral. It is a definite must-read post! It was so motivating, actually, that I found myself raking our front yard a few minutes later! Just telling you readers, I wouldn't have really done that if I hadn't read it! (;

My pile of leaves...It looks bigger in real life, trust me!

Judge Gilliam must have been one awesome person to write such an inspirational letter!

P.S. Keep praying for Asia Bibi! Tell anyone you know about her! Thank you,

Saturday's Selections

I decided to start something new: Saturday's Selections. I will put up a random quote that happens to inspire me (or make me laugh) and you can tell me if you like it, too!

Here is my first quote:

U.S.A...The President's Re-election

On November 6th, millions of Americans voted for the Candidate whom they thought best. Many people voted Romney/Ryan or Obama/Biden. But whether or not Governor Mitt Romney was a good choice, President Barack Obama was re-elected into the White House for the next four years.

According to  Foxnews.com, President Barack Obama's Approval Rating is like this: Approve 51% Disapprove 46% Undecided 3% (click here to see the details.)

As our family watched the elections, I was writing in my journal, trying to get in all the details. Here are some little excerpts from my writings:"(Romney) is in a tight race with (the president)...I'm nervous/waiting...I'd rather have someone else in charge of our nation! In fact, I'd rather have (God)!...Romney "missed the boat"...But God has a plan...I don't like how He's going about it. But it's not about me, or anyone else, not liking it....(The re-elected president says) "We've got work to do""

When President Obama was making his election speech, he left out something very important...and he also said some things that he should have left out. When he said what makes America strong, he did not mention "godliness" or anything of the sort.
What do you think these next four years will be like?
And, by the way, I'll be posting a surprise on Saturday! Hope you all will like it!

October 31st

How was your reformation day? Our family stayed up late drinking apple cider! We don't celebrate Halloween and all that, so we stayed indoors and watched movies.
Today is November 1st, All Saints Day. Last night, in 1517,  Martin Luther nailed The Ninety-Five Theses to the All Saints' Church in Wittenberg. That was the start of the reformation.

The pumpkins, leaves and the smell of fall and fire have come and blankets will be piled on top of beds.
I love the cold weather and don't take much notice of coats. My mom has told  me not to wear flip-flops or culottes anymore. Oh well, next summer I'll be wearing them again!

Voting day is just around the corner and I'm really nervous about who will win the elections! Governor Mitt Romney or President Obama. I don't fancy either of them for president, unfortunately. I'm a Christian and I want a firm, godly nation and a devout Christian president! My siblings and I are trying to convince our dad to run in the next four years! (;

Happy November 1st, everybody!

Village Ministries International

Via

Village Ministries International is an amazing ministry that was started when a Nigerian bought a tape on the black market, and was saved in Christ when he listened to it.
I found out about these amazing aluminum coins that they make from my mom. They are available in 96 languages from A to Z. And they are free to order. No charge for the Gospel, but you can donate money to help this cause.
As the picture above shows, on the front is John 3:16, and the back is John 3:36.

I'll be ordering some soon and will be handing them out wherever I can! These coins are a treasure to be able to see! I am so excited to fill out the form!
My mom showed me some hand-outs of the coins (in their English version) and I took some home with me. I hope to give them to my friends when I get the chance.

If you are interested in this ministry and would like to own these coins as well, just click here and click on Order Coins below the picture. Have a nice day!

One Night With The King-a movie review

   

via

 One Night With The King is a movie that tells the story of Queen Esther (Hadassah). Although it is not particularly accurate in most cases, it was quite gripping.

      Hadassah lives with her Uncle Mordecai when Queen Vashti is banished from the kingdom and the King searches for a replacement to be his wife. Hadassah is taken away by the men of the King of Persia, and is given one night with which to present herself to the King. She keeps her Jewish identity a secret under the name Esther as she is slowly accepted by King Xerxes.
After an attempt to take his life, the King is saved by Mordecai, only to forget and continue preparing for a war. But one day, Haman plots to kill Esther and her people, leaving Esther with two choices: Remain silent or face death by coming to the king without being summoned. Esther tries stalling for more precious time, but she soon realizes that she must decide.
Brave Esther fights her tempting thoughts and walks into the room where the king-and a full room of people-occupy. The king, much to the amazement of Haman and the crowd, yields to her and she escapes death. But Haman is enraged when she invites him and the king to a banquet. As they sit, dining, the King asks for her petition. She explains her holding back of the truth and shows a necklace that, when held to the light, shows the Sign of David.
The King and Haman stare in disbelief and King Xerxes leaves the room. Haman begins to beg for his life and the King returns, seeing Haman literally choking the queen, and sentences him to be killed.
Mordecai is made Prince in Haman's stead, and is shown with his scribes writing a decree that the Jews may defend themselves and take the property from their attackers. He ends the decree with "Mordecai...A Jew"
The movie concludes with the shadows of the king and queen standing together behind a curtain.

Besides the few kisses and short violence of the movie, this film was very clean. As I said, it wasn't as accurate as I would have wanted it to be, but over all, I enjoyed it immensely!

This is my free review. If you thought this was interesting, please tell me if you would like another one! (: 

From the heart

To quote part of the email I received from Compassion, "It's time to wrap up Blog Month but not without one last effort. For this assignment, we want you to blog as if you are a sponsored child. God told us to become like little children. Remember? This assignment is about aligning with the heart of children in poverty. Write a poem about the sights, sounds and smells of poverty or write a letter to your sponsor, of 13 years or 13 minutes. Write about your feelings, fears, hopes and dreams, or imagine you've switched places with your sponsored child and write about the shock, stress and adjustments you have to make. You are a child living in extreme poverty. What do you have to say?"

Oh, dear! This is going to be tricky! I have never been very close to personal Poverty. AT ALL.

OK, I'm thinking.......

My Poem:

This is what I have to say

Living in poverty is a troubling way

To live, to be, to hear, to see

To have to know what it really means

Ten thousand babies without a life
A man with his children but not his wife
Many people who are poor
Don't know what they're living for

The hunger, the stress

My absolute best

To try to live in 

A world like this

And it's filled and filled and filled with

Poverty 

  

Just a little note: This poem was hard to make (I have never, in all my life, created a poem as big as this!). 

This was the last assignment from the September Blog Month  and guess what! On the 23rd of this month, 2,297 children were sponsored! That deserves something special!

Praise God for Compassion International! I'm glad I heard about this wonderful fight against poverty!

 

A letter to God

For week two at Compassion Blog Month (I'm a bit late, sorry about that) I am assigned to write a letter to God about letter-writing (fun, right?!).
So, here goes!


Dear God,
I have never written a letter to you before I'm supposed to be writing about letter-writing. This is going to be interesting! (:
Since I heard about Compassion Int. in Alex and Brett Harris' Start Here book, I've had a lot of fun sponsoring Priscyla! She's been writing awesome letters to me, giving all her love to me. She's impacted me a lot! (:
She is amazing and a great Christian girl. Priscyla writes to me about her schooling, friends, and prayers 
(She asks me to pray for her). I write about things like that, too. I tell her about events in my house, I ask for her to pray for me (It gives me more peace of mind telling her!) and I always send her stickers!
 I try to write so she can picture in her mind what I saw in her mind. 
I'd write tons of letters to her if I had more stamps! Writing letters and getting her sweet handwriting in my family's mailbox is wonderful!
Well, I've got to admit-Writing to You is fun. I have to do it again!
With Love,
Nutmeg

So, that is my first letter to God. Wow, that was incredible! (:

 

Compassion Blog Month!

Dear Readers,
September is Blog Month over at Compassion International! Please click the link here to sponsor a child or to pray for the children and their spiritual lives with God.

This is changing the lives of thousands of children around the world, turning their eyes to Christ and getting to know Him personally. Help spread Compassion to the far corners of the earth!

"She loves me and I love her. What more can I ask for?"
Compassion's goal is to get 3,108 children sponsored between Sept. 1 and Sept. 30. Help to end poverty right from where you live. Let God use you to give even more love to these children. Give them the care they need: schooling, food, medicine, and more.

Girls and boys all over the world need sponsoring. Give them that love and sponsor them. I sponsor a girl from Peru and in every letter she sends me, she says she loves me. What a great feeling I get from reading those letters! She loves me and I love her. What more can I ask for?

Sponsor a child today and help spread the Word.

Remember 9/11

Nineteen terrorists hijacked four jets on September 11, 2001. Two of these planes crashed, intentionally, into the North and South World Trade Centers located in New York. The third plane crashed into the Pentagon in Virginia. But the fourth plane crashed in Pennsylvania when its passengers overtook the hijackers and attempted to control the plane.

Two thousand, nine hundred and ninety-six people died that day, 2,977 victims and the 19 hijackers.

Many lost family members and friends because of 9/11.

The rebuilding of the north tower is expected to be finished in 2013 but as for the people who died in the attacks, no-one can bring them back. But they can be remembered.

Please pray for the families who lost loved ones.

May we always remember, and never forget, the fateful day of September 11th, 2001.

Note: Information was gathered through Wikipedia.org

Ali's giveaway

Ali is having a giveaway over on her blog today. Click here to take a look.

I got my ears pierced last month and these earrings are so cute! I wonder how they are made.
Roses are very pretty and if I think my friend would like the earrings, too.

P.S. Please continue to pray for Asia and keep telling others to sign the petition! If you have a blog, please post about her!

August Photo a day Challenge Week 5

This surely was an exciting photo challenge! Thank-you very much, Ali and Kianna!
It's really helped me to sort through my photos Although, one whole month is too time-consuming. I'm not doing it that long again!
So, here's week 5. (I was busy yesterday so I'm one day late.)

 

Day 25. Portrait of someone- Ela é minha melhor amiga ("She is my best friend" in Portuguese).

Day 26. Action Shot- Take action before the baby falls off his bike.

Day 27. Close up- I love bee pictures. It's all about patience!

Day 28. Angle Shot- Willow Trees- This is my brother's statue.

Day 29. Shadow- My friend and I.

Day 30. Food- I like grapefruit, limes, apples, bananas and lemons!

 Day 31. Sorry for it being a bit blurry. It was a great idea though, no?

And for September 1st I have a little special photo: