Price Wars: Good or Bad?

By Heather, CPA (Balance with Purpose)

What do all of the price wars on books and slashed prices on toys at our favorite retail superstores mean? Are these drops in prices good for the economy? Or are they simply good for consumers?

Well, I could rant about how I think Amazon is shooting themselves in the foot by trying to compete with Wal Mart on book sales or about how bad this price war between Amazon, Wal Mart and Target is for the book publishing industry, but that’s not the point I want to make here. If you want to read a detailed analysis of that subject, head over to Michael Hyatt’s blog for his complete opinion. It’s dark and discouraging, by no fault of his. He only tells the truth.

Then there’s the news that Target recently slashed the prices of many popular best-selling toys by 50%. This came after Wal-Mart decided to offer 100 of its toys for $10.

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Works For Me Wednesday: Making Applesauce

By MAD21

We started a new tradition in our family last year. We decided that we were going to give everyone homemade applesauce as gifts for Christmas. So in October (the middle of apple season!) we headed out to one of our local farmer stands and purchased several bushels of apples. Seven different kinds. It was a hit. Both the family time it took to make the applesauce, and the they joyful reception the gifts got during the holidays. We really enjoyed the time we had with Grandma teaching us the canning process, and our girls LOVED using the peeler to peel all the apples (which was Grandma's station...though thinking back, I think the time with Grandma was probably what was enjoyed most).

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Where Do You Belong? (Re-Post)

By Erika

  “...thought I belonged
but I know I don't
thought I had love
but it is not enough
an aching inside speaking to me
how could I feel like this
so aimless
I've always known this wasn't home...”

- Aimless -
[Bethany Dillon]

I was hit with a thought tonight while I was doing my quiet time. The funny thing is, it did didn’t really have too much to do with my designated reading - it came by way of my ipod. I wasn’t paying much attention to the music playing in my headphones until I heard the line I've always known this wasn't home ring in my ears.

Something clicked.

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Identity Theft? (Re-Post)

By MR, Age 14

The word identity is used in many different ways, but when you apply it to a person, its most essential definition is: "the distinguishing character or personality of an individual." A distinctive personality is what every teenager strives to find. "Coming into their own" or "discovering who they really are" have become common ways to define the search for an identity that a young person undergoes. Everyone is unique with indivdual ambitions, weaknesses, hopes and plans. Each of these things plays into how our ultimate identity is shaped.

In our world, there are so many places for a teenage girl to find her identity. The friends she has, the boys who like her, the clothes she wears, the music she listens to, the movies and television she watches, the places she goes, the size she wears, the way she looks, the list goes on and on. For the typical teenager, it isn't surprising if these things consume them and become their identity.

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Book Review: Scenarios For Girls

By Peter (Rediscovering the Church)

As our children get older, the decisions they need to make become harder and harder - and the consequences more lasting.

The most turbulent times of change seem to happen as kids enter Junior High and then again as they become High Schoolers.

Helping our teens navigate their way through the hormonal changes they're experiencing as well as increasing societal pressures from their peers can be difficult at best and, often, seems downright impossible.

Finding resources that can help us teach and mold our children is essential and today I'd like to tell you about a great resource that I have found for teen girls:

The Scenario's book series, written by Nicole O'Dell is a wonderful series for junior-high and high school girls which are great to read and yet will help the readers learn to make wise choices.

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