Blessings

By Pat

You've blessed us in so many ways
It's hard to count them all;
The sun and moon, the stars that shine,
And creatures great and small.

The flowers in the summertime,
The glistening winter snow.
The magic of the hummingbird
That dashes to and fro.

The power of Your majesty,
Your love that never ends.
The precious bonds of family,
The love of treasured friends.

My Lord, I give you thanks today.
My heart is filled with praise!
I want to walk like Jesus walked
And follow in His ways.

I pray to feel Your spirit, Lord,
In all I say and do,
And help me to remember, God,
All glory goes to You!

YOB: #5. Go To The Beach In Winter

By Beth

I'm not a huge fan of the beach. Mostly because I'm not a size 2, but I also don't like sand getting stuck in places that never see the light of day, or sunburn, or sand fleas, or sweating buckets. I do like the feel of sun on my skin and the sounds and (most) smells associated with the beach though. So I would say it's a love-hate relationship. Ironically, most of the family vacations I've taken in the past several years have been to beach-y type places. These trips have obviously taken place in the summer when the beaches are most crowded, very hot and no matter how great the water pressure is in your shower, the chance of you emerging from the tub completely sand free are about the same chance I have of ever being a size 2. So when we put going to the beach on the list, we decided it needed to be in the winter, and that we had to build a sandcastle. We would successfully avoid sunburn in the winter as well as people who are a size 2 and sand fleas, most likely. There would still be the issue of sand everywhere, but not nearly as bad as it would be in the summer. Neither one of us was planning on actually wearing anything other than jeans and a shirt, sweatshirt and jacket if it was cold so our non-daylight seeing parts would be safe from sand intrusion.

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Kids And Candy

By MAD 21

ABC News recently posted an article about a woman who is trying to get teachers an parents to stop giving out candy and sweets in school. Personally, I think what she is asking for is just a little over the top, but it gets you thinking.

I've been on a serious mission for the last six years to keep myself and my family healthy. I am a fan of playing  dress-up over watching TV and jumping on the trampoline or swimming over video games (well, the wii sports thing is kind of fun, but it still is a poor replacement for the real thing).

My husband and I have been very dedicated to teaching our kids healthy eating habits. In general, we don't keep unhealthy snacks in the house. That's not to say we never eat any 'junk food,' just that it's not something we keep around to have all the time. As a result, our kids love to eat vegetables and fruit, and will actually choose them over junk food most of the time even when it's available. Our kids never drink soda or sugary drinks, and they don't eat candy.

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Always Love Your Family

TB, Age 13

No matter where you’re family lives, or what mistakes they’ve made in their past, you can’t help but to love them for everything they truly are.

That is what I learned at my family reunion for my mom’s side of the family this past weekend. More than half the people there, I have never met in my life, but I was willing to accept anyone I would call family. One man had two teeth, and made so many mistakes in his past. To watch him be a better person, or at least trying to improve his life, with the help of his family and God, turned him into a better person. I admit, this wasn’t the top of my I want to do list, but It was nice to get to know people I may never see again. Though my cousins were complaining the whole time, I got to tell them that there is nothing that can ever replace your family. From 18 months old to 94 years old, love & respect everyone, because nothing can top the love, your family can give or receive.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

By Sandra

This spring our family decided to plant a container garden. We thought it would provide a few practical lessons in agriculture, so we decided on small tomato plants, green and red pepper plants, and baby lettuces. I am not a gardener, don’t particularly care for indoor plants, and certainly don’t have a trademark green thumb with regard to my yard shrubs. Despite my lack of experience, we decided to try this modern “Victory” garden, a knock-off from the popular U.S. garden from World War II.

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