12 Pearls of Christmas: Home

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas! Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom"! Please follow along through Christmas day as each post shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year. AND BEST OF ALL ... there's also a giveaway!!!! Fill out the quick form at the link located at the bottom of this post to be entered to win a PEARL NECKLACE, BRACELET AND EARRINGS!  Pearls - a tangible reminder of God's grace to us all.

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There’s No Place Like….
by Melody Carlson

I grew up spending Christmases at my grandparents’ quaint Victorian home, surrounded by lots of relatives, laughter and love and really good food. For a little girl growing up in a single parent home, harried working mother, no church family, and TV dinners, these extended family holidays spent at my grandparents were like a real gift from God. But as a young adult, my grandfather passed on, the old house was sold, I grew up and eventually had a small family of my own.

Still I longed for those familiar kinds of “big” Christmases—I wanted that house full of relatives and fun times to go home to—I think the “child” in me thought I deserved it somehow. But my grandmother had gotten older and lived in a tiny apartment, and my mother and my husband’s parents were not comfortable hosting Christmas in their homes. For a while we went to my cousin’s, but I soon had to come to grips with reality. The days of going to Grandma’s for the perfect Christmas were a thing of the past.

In other words, it was time for me to grow up—time for me to start hosting our own Christmas celebrations. So biting the holiday bullet, I decided to just do it. With two very small children underfoot, I cooked my first turkey, made my first stuffing, invited some family, neighbors, and friends over, and we all crammed ourselves into our little house, balanced our plates on our knees, and had a very good time. Oh, I’m sure the turkey was dry and the gravy lumpy, but what I remember most is that everyone seemed truly happy to be there. And I realized that I wasn’t the only one longing for that sense of warmth and community—that longing to “go home again”—and I finally grasped that I could (with God’s grace) help to provide that for my family and others.

So for the next three decades we continued to host Christmas in our home. I got better at decorating, cooking, gifting…the works. Some years the place would be packed and crazy. A few years were thinner and quieter. But family, friends and neighbors could always count on the fact that the Carlson’s would be “doing something for Christmas.” It was a no-brainer.

Until this year. This year, for the first time in more than thirty years, my husband and I decided we’re going to take a pass on hosting Christmas—we are going to the beach. At first I felt terribly guilty, and even right now I’m a bit unsure—and wonder if I’ll end up changing my mind at the last minute. And yet, I believe it’s the right thing for us to do—for a lot of reasons. One being that my husband’s birthday is Christmas and he never gets to do what he wants on his birthday—this year will be different. But more than that, I hope that our stepping aside will encourage the younger members of our family to find and embrace some of their own traditions—to grow up and look for opportunities to stretch themselves a bit. Because, similar to how and oyster creates a pearl—or how a young mom learns to be a hostess—with some discomfort and distress a burnt turkeys, the end results are truly valuable.

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About Melody: Melody Carlson lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Labrador Retriever. She’s the author of around 200 books including this year’s Christmas novella, Christmas at Harrington’s.Visit her website for more information, http://www.melodycarlson.com/.

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is {FILL OUT THIS QUICK ENTRY FORM}. One entry per person, per day. The winner will be announced on the Pearl Girls Blog (http://margaretmcsweeney.blogspot.com/) on New Years Day!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit http://www.pearlgirls.info/

It's Friday Again! Yippee!!

As of tomorrow I'm officially on holidays for two weeks.  I am looking forward to it so I can spend time with my family, have some well-needed relaxation time, and finally, get some reading done.  It's been pretty crazy here these past few weeks with all of the snow as we have been hit pretty hard and have had five snow days out of the past nine.  For those of you who do not experience this, it means that buses are cancelled but I still have to go into work.  I get some marking done and planning completed, but it also sets me behind in the curriculum. 

The Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme, hosted by Jennifer at Crazy for Books, where book lovers can find each so we can discuss what else, Books!  It's a great way to socially connect with other book lovers, meet authors and reviewers, discover new authors you may not yet have read, and just plain have fun. 

Question:  "What do you consider the most important in a story: the plot or the characters?"


Answer:  This is not an easy question to answer, but I would have to say both are important.  If I don't connect with the characters, it doesn't matter how good the plot, I will always feel like something is missing.  I need to feel that connection to the characters, something I reiterate over and over again in my reviews.  However, I can love the main character and not really like the plot of a novel as well.  When the two complement each other and are well done, that is when I think a novel is superbly well-written.  I really can't have one without the other. 

Have a great weekend everyone, and happy reading!  That is exactly what I will be doing! 

And my darling baby daughter turns eight on Saturday too.  Happy birthday sweetheart!

Gothic Reading Challenge

Gothic Reading Challenge 2011

I think I have an addiction to challenges as I've just entered another one.  I couldn't resist as I love reading about this kind of stuff.  Give me old crumbling castles, dark, rainy nights, eerie ambiances, and I'm hooked.  So, here I am, entering another challenge, hosted by Well-Mannered Frivolity.

I've decided to sign up for The Darkness Within category whereby I need to read five (5) books for this challenge.  I think that is perfectly attainable amongst all my other challenges.

Rules
* Anyone can join and you don't need a blog to participate.
* Audio, Re-reads, eBooks, YA, Young Reader – basically, anything goes as long as it has element(s) of the Gothic.
* Crossovers to other challenges are permitted.
* List your books in advance on your blog, or choose your books as you go along.
* Runs from 01 January 2011 to 31 December 2011.

Favourite Toy Ever? According to Poll

A local rock station I love to listen to, Rock95, had a great debate tonight about the greatest toy ever.  It was fascinating and interesting to listen to the arguments and debates as to what people considered their favourite toy when they were children.  I laughed hysterically over some some of the arguments and debates, but it certainly brought back some fond memories of my childhood and even brought back some reminders of toys I'd forgotten about completely.  Apparently the debate was over an online poll of 3000 who listed these items as their top 20 favourite toys of all time.  Take a look:

TOP 20 TOYS OF ALL TIME

1. Lego

2. Scalextric

3. Monopoly

4. Nintendo Wii

5. Bicycle

6. Play Doh

7. Barbie

8. Action Man

9. Etch-A-Sketch

10. Crayola Crayons

11. Rubik's Cube

12. Space Hoppers

13. Twister

14. Scrabble

15. Jigsaw puzzle

16. Snakes and Ladders

17. Connect Four

18. Plasticine

19. Yo-Yo

20. Clue

So, what do you think about this list?  I have to agree with Lego and Barbie, and they're still pretty tops in my house.   Nintendo WII though?  I think I would have put Atari there instead as the founder of all video games.  Anyone remember Donkey Kong?  And what about Meccano?  And to be honest, I had to look up number 2 as I had no clue what it was.   

The jigsaw puzzle I still do on occasion if I can find one over 3000 pieces or one that looks really challenging, and my mom said I always gravitated towards puzzles even as a young child.  When I can find the time, I find them challenging and peaceful.  And now my daughter likes to help me do them.  And the Rubik's Cube?  Well, I took off all the stickers and put them back on the right way in order to succeed at that puzzle as I could never figure it out.  I always had two colours that were in the wrong spot and it would frustrate me to no end.  So, I cheated!!!  Yes, I will admit it to anyone who is reading this: I cheated!!   I don't believe I ever told anyone that I was successful at that puzzle though; after all, I do have some integrity (lol). 

And the space hopper?  Didn't know that it was actually the real name for the toy until I looked it up.  I don't really know what we called it, actually. 

Are those things even safe?  I can see some front teeth coming off with that toy.  But wasn't it fun to hop around on those things?

And Barbie and Lego?  What is there to say about those toys except I hope they are never taken off the shelf.  Go Lego!!  It gave me thousands of hours of playing pleasure as a child, and it amuses my children endlessly today.  Keep up the great work!

While I agree with some of these toys, I do think some toys are missing from that list.  Where is Meccano?  GI Joe?  Hot Wheels?  I loved Meccano and played with the set at my memere's for hours on end.  We used our imaginations and created some pretty amazing things.  And wasn't it fun to smash up some Hot Wheels?  I don't think that ever got boring.  Oh, where's Slinky on that list?  I still remember crying when my Slinky got tangled up and I had to throw it in the garbage.  What a tragedy that day was!  And Tonka trucks?  And LiteBrite?  I don't know where to stop.

What toy do you think is missing from the list?  One that you think should be there.  Let's share and see what favourite toy you think should make it on the top 20 list and why it should be there.  Let's take a trip down memory lane.

12 Pearls of Christmas: The Joy of Unexpected Circumstances

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas! Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom"! Please follow along through Christmas day as each post shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year. AND BEST OF ALL ... there's also a giveaway!!!! Fill out the quick form at the link located at the bottom of this post to be entered to win a PEARL NECKLACE, BRACELET AND EARRINGS!  Pearls - a tangible reminder of God's grace to us all.

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The Joy of Unexpected Circumstances
by Lori Kasbeer

The Christmas season is upon us again. Starbucks is selling their Christmas blend; stores are posting their holiday hours; and moms everywhere are making a list and checking it twice, planning for a special Christmas day. It has been our family’s tradition to spend Christmas with relatives.  Last year money was tight and we were unable to travel, this is not how we had planned to spend Christmas day but circumstances were beyond our control. Realizing my three boys--who are now teenagers--will not be under our roof for much longer, I wanted to have a special Christmas with just the five of us.  

Leading up to Christmas morning we all made mouth-watering, cinnamon cut-out cookies, spent time together sticking tape everywhere while trying to wrap presents, and enjoyed spending time together.  We did not have much money, but were having fun making memories.  When Christmas morning arrived and we sat around to open gifts my eyes welled up with overwhelming joy.  This mother was trying to absorb all the activity that was going on all around her: the smiles from each of my teenage boys, the sounds of laughter, and the smell of cinnamon rolls cooking in the oven.  If I could freeze a moment in time, this would be it.  I don’t know what the future holds for each of my boys, but that Christmas morning I wanted to soak it all in so I could recall this special day for years to come.  Despite struggling financially, unexpected circumstances turned into immense joy and a lifetime of memories.

Mothers treasuring special moments is not something new.  Mary, mother of Jesus Christ, was one who tried to soak in everything that first Christmas morning.  Even after Christ’s birth she was still trying to absorb what the angel had said to her when he delivered the news that she was going to be the mother of the coming Savior.  She reflected on the time she had with her cousin Elizabeth while they were both pregnant.  Along with comprehending the unusual way her son came into this world. 

While very pregnant with child, Mary and Joseph traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem to register Mary for the census.  Never did she image she would deliver her baby in a barn with a manger being the only thing to lay him down in.  These were not the circumstances she had envisioned.  Before she had time to catch her breath, suddenly all around her there was excitement when shepherds showed up reporting what they had seen and heard.  There were angels—a multitude of angels—who were singing and declaring the Savior was born and a bright star led them to her and Joseph.    So much has happened in a short amount of time and Mary did not want to forget any of it.  Instead she stepped back and “treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19)

Mary did not exactly know what the plans were for her son, but she knew it was going to change the lives of everyone on earth.  She was preparing her heart to obey God concerning her son Jesus, without the full knowledge of what was going to come while at the same time quietly reflecting and capturing this one special moment in time.

May this Christmas be filled with joy and a lifetime of memories, even if you find yourself in unexpected circumstances.  Merry Christmas!

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About Lori: Lori Kasbeer lives with her husband Tadd and three teenage sons in Florida. She's a contributor for Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace and a Christian book reviewer. Please visit Lori’s Book Reviews for more info. You can also find Lori on Facebook and Twitter.

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is {FILL OUT THIS QUICK ENTRY FORM}. The winner will be announced on the Pearl Girls Blog (http://margaretmcsweeney.blogspot.com/) on New Years Day!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit http://www.pearlgirls.info/

My Obsession With Castles

Alcazar de Segovia

The Alcazar de Segovia is located in the old city of Segovia, Spain.  Although originally built as a stone fortress and fortification, it has served as a state prison, a royal palace, a Royal Artillery college and a military academy. Today, it serves as one of the most popular tourist destinations and historial hotspots in Spain .   Due to its location and presence, it remains one of the most notable and distinctive castles in Spain to this day.

The Alcazar de Segovia, like many of its predecessors and other historical fortifications, began as an Arab fort, but little of the original structure actually remains.   When it was first built remains uncertain, but early mention of this Alcazar appears around 1120 when Segovia returned to Christian hands.  Archaeological evidence does suggest the Alcazar de Segovia may have been around even during early Roman times as a fortication, further substantianted by the presence of a famous Roman aqueduct in the Segovia area.  

The Alcazar de Segovia became one of the favourite residences of the royal family of Castile and played an important part in their defense systems. King Alfonso X build the Hall of Kings to house Parliament (see picture of Throne Room). King John II built the famous New Tower. Queen Isabella even took refuge in this castle after King Henry IV's death until she was able to be crowned Queen of Castle and Leon.  Interestingly, it was also the site where she married Ferdinand II.  

Throne Room

When the royal court decided to move to Madrid, the Alcazar became a state prison for almost two hundred years and housed some very famous prisoners.  When King Charles III was crowned he turned Alcazar into a Royal Artillery School, a function that served for over one hundred years.  Unfortunately, Alcazar was badly destroyed by fire in 1862 and has to be abandoned.  King Alfonse XIII, almost twenty years later, decided to invest in Alcazar again, and set upon a restoration project, beliving Alcazar could be used as a military college. 

Today, Alcazar de Segovia continues to serve as a famous historical attraction.  I can't wait to visit Segovia when I go to Spain in March.

Sources:

citypictures.org

eng.corderodesegovia.com

en.wikipedia.org

!2 Pearls of Christmas: The First Christmas

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas! Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom"! Please follow along through Christmas day as Melody Carlson, Lauraine Snelling, Rachel Hauck, Tricia Goyer, Maureen Lang, and more share their heartfelt stories of how God has touched their life during this most wonderful time of the year.



AND BEST OF ALL ... there's also a giveaway!!!! Fill out the quick form at the link located at the bottom of this post to be entered to win a PEARL NECKLACE, BRACELET AND EARRINGS! You may enter once a day. The winner will be announced on New Year's Day at the Pearl Girls Blog! Pearls - a tangible reminder of God's grace to us all.

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The First Christmas
by Pat Ennis

It was October of my eighteenth year of life when my Dad stepped into eternity. As a college freshman I not only had to deal with my own grief, I also was faced with the responsibility of helping my mother adjust to a new lifestyle. You see, when Dad died, she not only lost her husband of thirty years, she also lost her circle of friends. Suddenly the married couples (my Dad was the first of their group to die) didn’t know what to do about Mother—so they did nothing. Her grieving process was actually extended because of the withdrawal of her friends, many with whom she and Dad had enjoyed fellowship for years. 

Our plight was magnified by the reality that we did not have extended family and I was an only child. Quite frankly, the outlook for the holiday season appeared pretty dismal!

As the holidays approached our neighbors, who embraced a different faith than we, graciously invited us to share their Christmas celebration with them. The sincere invitation, their effort to fold us into their family, inclusion in the gift exchange, and intentional conversation that focused on recounting the blessings of the year as well as looking forward to the next turned what could have been a miserable day into one of joy. Of course we missed our husband and Dad but the focus on the Lord’s provision for us through the hospitality of our neighbors (Philippians 4:8-9, 19) soothed our grieving spirits.

I have a happy ending to my Mother’s loss of her circle of friends that I described at the beginning of this story! Ever the gracious southern hostess, she did not cease to extend hospitality because of the change in her marital status—in the five years that she lived beyond Dad’s death, we entertained frequently, and eventually our guest list included widows from the group that had earlier excluded my Mother. Though her arthritic condition precluded her engaging in as much of the food preparation as she was accustomed to doing, she continued to help me hone the skills that were second nature to her. 

The loving hospitality extended to us on that first lonely Christmas served as a catalyst for Mom and me to open our home throughout the year—especially during the holiday season! Will you consider displaying biblical compassion by including some of the “others”—singles, widows, and the grieving in your holiday celebrations? Who, knows, you might be entertaining an angel incognito (Hebrews 13:2)!

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About Pat: Dr. Patricia Ennis, author of Precious in His Sight, the Fine Art of Becoming a Godly Woman, co-author of Practicing Hospitality, the Joy of Serving Others,  and contributor to Pearl Girls, Experiencing Grit, Experiencing Grace as well as professor and establishing chairperson of the Department of Home Economics at The Master’s College. Visit Pat's blog, Unfading Beauty for more information.

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is {FILL OUT THIS QUICK ENTRY FORM}. The winner will be announced on the Pearl Girls Blog (http://margaretmcsweeney.blogspot.com/) on New Years Day!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit http://www.pearlgirls.info/

New Year's Resolutions to Aim For

New Year’s Resolutions

As New Year's Eve approaches, we often are conflicted as to what we want to do and where we want to go on one of the biggest party nights of the year.  I know one of the biggest concerns for my husband and I has always been, Who can we find to babysit on this night? or Who is having a party and inviting the kiddies too?  For many others however, the big struggle has always been to come up with a great New Year's Resolution and then sticking to it longer than one week after the festivities are over.  I myself have often broken my resolution within several days after making it, and then feeling guilty over it.  Who hasn't set a new goal such as get fit, lose few pounds, maybe do something new, or whatever it may be, and suddenly we're on the tail end of another year and you haven't accomplished any of your resolutions.  Sound familiary to anyone out there?

The E- Advisor Blog has come up with a list of "10 New Year's Resolutions You Can Actually Keep".  Instead of going for that unachievable New Year's Resolution, it asks you to consider resolutions that are more reasonable and attainable.  Sounds reasonable, doesn't it? 

1) Be Nicer to People - What a nicer place this world would be if everyone followed this resolution.  It would make commuting to work in the morning a lot easier.  And Christmas shopping would not be such a chore.
2) Get More Sleep - I like this one as I make this resolution on a weekly basis and have yet been unable to attain this goal.  It does ask you to change what you are currently doing and to take a look at your current schedule to see what can be altered, but it is more difficult that you think.  I might aim for this one this year.
3) Give Blood - With blood banks in a desperate situation, it seems reasonable to include this in your New Year's Resolution.  It seems odd to include this on a list of personal resolutions, but helping others is certainly a worthwhile goal.
4) Indulge in Moderation - There is nothing wrong with losing weight or quitting smoking, but maybe we need to do it in small steps instead of quitting everything.  Part of my problem is that I always intended to quit junk food or quit whatever completely, and that is not possible for me.  I've learned that moderation is a good thing.
5) Floss Regularly - This resolution would make my dentist very, very happy.  I do this one already.
6) Stop Overspending - With the dire warnings of household debt looming on the horizon, this seems pretty reasonable.  I've been watching "Til Debt Do Us Part" quite a bit lately and it has scared me into leaving my credit cards at home.  My husband and I have decided to use cash lately and it has curbed our spending by almost 80%.  It's pretty amazing!! 
7) Do Your Best At Work - We always complain about our jobs, but my hubby and I are grateful we have such great jobs.  Yes, I complain, but the reality is that I enjoy my job and do enjoy going to work.  I just don't like getting up at "O' dark and ugly" every single morning.   The job can be draining and I get tired and it can be challenging, so it's natural to complain once in a while.  It doesn't mean that I don't want to be there.  I will admit that I love the snowdays when they come, but they're just bonus days.
8) Do Exercises That Make You Happy - I love to run, but since my ACL surgery, running has been an issue and I haven't found anything that substitutes.  I power walk now, but it's not the same and I have a hard time getting motivated.  My resolution is to keep plugging and find that exercise that will get me addicted again and get me motivated.  Maybe yoga?
9) Recycle - I have to admit there are some places when I travel that do not recycle and it's frustrating.  I don't want to name places, but where I live we have a pretty healthy recycling program and I have a hard time throwing cans and plastics in the garbage when I travel.  I would love to see more recycling programs in some places.
10) Give More Affection - A definite resolution for me as I tend to be somewhat reserved.  I am working on this one all of the time.

Check out Jennifer's blog and see what changes and resolutions you can make in 2011.  I'd love to hear about them.