May Blessings Unlimited Giveaway

This week I am enjoying a week at the Mexican Rivera, compliments of my Blessings Unlimited business.  I am excited to spend time with other Blessings Unlimited Consultants and the Home Office Staff – it is always a joy to spend time with these women.

While I am gone, I asked my good friend and amazing blogger, Alison from Stuff and Nonsense to host the Blessings Unlimited  May Giveaway.  Alison loves to decorate with the color white, so this give away is perfect for her blog.  Every month Blessings Unlimited does a monthly special for guests and hostesses.  This month’s guest’s special is the Grace and Gratitude Queen Anne’s Lace Pitcher.

The Grace and Gratitude Collection is simply stunning as seen in this photos….

This pitcher is perfect as a vase for flowers, a holder for drinks or to give as a gift. It goes with almost every type of dishes – but most importantly it shares the message of Grace around your table.

Alison will be posting the give away rules and hosting the give away starting on Thursday, May 24th (in the afternoon).  Please  visit her delightful blog at http://www.stuff-and-nonsense.net/ (I would strongly encourage you to sign up as a follower, because her blog is a sweet read – it always makes me smile).

I will be home by the time the giveaway ends and I will ship the winner this beautiful Grace and Gratitude Queen Anne’s Lace Pitcher just as soon as I know who wins.

Sharing the Blessings,

A Sweet Weekend..

Another milestone in our family happened this weekend – Audrianna was showered with love, friends and gifts for her future life as the wife of Nic.  It is always so humbling and honoring when your family and friends come together to honor and bless your daughters.

The theme of her shower was a Tea Tasting and her bridesmaids worked together to  carry this theme perfectly.

There were 3 courses each with 2 different kinds of teas to taste and food paired to match.

My lovely daughters… I am so very blessed to be their Mom.

Soon to be Mr.& Mrs!

Nic had flowers for me too – that was a sweet surprise.

 I love these young women so much.

Continuing to learn this role called Mother

Happy Belated Mother’s Day to my many friends who are Mothers and to everyone who ever had a Mom.   I had a sweet Mother’s Day with 2 of my daughters enjoying a dinner created by my oldest daughter and enjoyed in her home.  I missed seeing my own mother and our middle daughter and grandson on Mother’s Day, but I am thankful for cards that were sent and received, voices that were heard over phones and hearts that were shared.  If I had my way, the ones I love – my family, would   live close by allowing us to enjoy times together often with ease.

Even though my daughters are grown and are out of our home – I am still learning my role as a Mother.   I am continuing to learn this role of mothering grown daughters and taking a lesser position in their lives.  My daughters have grown up into very capable, mature young women who have outgrown their need of a daily dose of Mom.  Lately I have been “complaining” to my husband that they actually believed us when we taught them that the Lord could take them anywhere and use them in His Kingdom work – my complaint is that they actually believed us and are living in just that manner.  There are passing moments when I wish they still needed me like they use to.

Our goal as parents was never to raise our daughters to be dependent upon us.  I am very proud of their many accomplishments in academics, marriages, careers, and most importantly in their response to God’s call in their lives.   But I must admit that I have been taken back a bit, that I still have to learn my role as a Mother to my grown daughters.  It has served to remind me that God always has me in a place of learning to trust Him with what is next – faith walking with Him throughout each day.

I have often said on this blog that Mothering is a bittersweet role – we raise our children to leave us.  And my children have left and as much as I am sad that my active mothering days are over, I have so very much to be  thankful for.

Recently I gave the closing MOPS devotions for this year and I reminded the Moms (and myself)  of these truths…

LIVE IN THE MOMENT…

• Give yourself and your kids time to just be … every moment of every day does not have to accomplish a goal
• Enjoy each stage

 YOU ARE SO LOVED BY YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER …

• Just as your kids cannot do anything to make you love them more, you cannot do anything to make God love you more
• Understanding this has helped me love others, especially my husband more.

 GIVE YOURSELF AND THOSE YOU LOVE GRACE…

• Your husband, your kids are just like you – human, full of themselves, struggling with life’s issues.  Be kind and gracious –

and finally – the words that I am known for in MOPS…

YOUR ARE THE PERFECT MOTHER FOR YOUR CHILDREN!

• As you teach them, they will be teaching you

So my dear daughters – thank you for continuing to teach me how  to mother you as grown young women (thank you for reminding me when I have blown it) and most importantly, thank you for making me a Mom.  It has been (and continues to be) one of the best experiences of my life.

The Women in my life…

Living in the Moment – Not for the Blog

My blog has been quiet because my life has been so full lately.  A while ago, I read a statement on a blog that I really agreed with and I have rewritten for myself…. “my blog lives for me; I don’t live for my blog”.  So I am going to live my life in the moments that God has given and feel very little stress (okay, maybe a little stress) when I don’t update my blog.

Lately my life has included….

Wedding Planning with my youngest daughter, Audrianna.  She and her finance are getting married on June 23 (that is only 7 weeks away)!!  I so enjoyed her spring break in March and am looking forward to the upcoming weeks as we get ready for the special day.

Our son-in-law, Josiah came home from a year’s deployment in March and we enjoyed a visit from this reunited family in April.  It was such a sweet time to see our grandson Joey calling out for his Daddy and to see our daughter, Laryssa so happy to be a wife with her husband.

Once again, Bill and I are empty-nesters, although that will change for a short time – only to become permanent after the wedding.  We so enjoy our time together and we so enjoy the times we have when our family is here – although I must admit there is much less cooking that goes on when it is just the two of us.

Because I have a flexible schedule, God has allowed me to spend time with other women – talking, praying, walking, eating and sharing life.  I so love when I spend time with women, talking through life and faith – learning to trust God’s pans for our lives. 
Our MOPS Ministry is down to the last couple of meetings.  As always, this ministry is so dear to my heart and God has blessed our MOPS group in tremendous ways – I will be sharing more about this calling in my life.

My Blessings Unlimited business has kept me busy traveling (Columbus, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and soon the Mexican Rivera), sharing the message of our inspirational products and walking alongside other women who are interested in having their own Blessings Unlimited Business.  I am thankful for this calling in my life and am amazed at how God is using this business ministry in the lives of many.

 

 

 

So my friends – I thank you for inquiring about my quietness, but trust me when I say that I am happier and busier than ever – God has filled my life with joy!  Yes, there are still lots of thoughts and messages to share – but they will wait as I live each day enjoying my callings as a Wife, Mom, Friend, Mentor, Business Owner but most importantly – Daughter of the King.

April’s Blog Winner is

The winner of the April Blessings Unlimited blog give away is comment #6 from Holistic Homemaking’s writer, April.  Her comment was picked by www.random.org.   Please contact me to arrange delievery of your puzzle and then be sure to take a photo of your kids playing with the puzzle.

Next month’s giveaway will be from Blessings Unlimited Grace and Gratitude Collection.

Thank you to all who entered and if you didn’t win this month, there is always next month.

Many Blessings,

See you on Saturday at the Image of God Conference in Cleveland, Ohio

On Saturday, April 21, I will be a vendor at the Image of God Conference  in Cleveland, Ohio. Please be sure to stop by the Blessings Unlimited Booth to say hi, sign up for our give away and to place an order for your favorite Blessings Unlimited Products (it will be a great time to order for Mother’s Day).

I am very excited to know that my Blessings Unlimited booth will be neighbors with the ministry The Neighborhood Cafe  and their founder, Amy Lively (Amy is leading workshops on reaching out to your neighbors at The Image of God event).  The Neighborhood Cafe and Blessings Unlimited are offering a special together – book and hold a Blessings Unlimited Gathering and then invite your guests to a Neighborhood Cafe home Bible Study and you will receive a Blessings Unlimited Celebrate Plate.  So be sure to stop by and visit our neighboring booths at The Image of God Conference.

April Blessings Unlimited Giveaway…

Even though we are half way through April, there is still time for my monthly Blessings Unlimited Giveaway.  Every month Blessings Unlimited does a monthly special for guests and hostesses.  This month’s guest’s special is Psalm 23/Jesus Loves the Little Children Double Sided Family Puzzel.

Psalm 23/Jesus Loves the Little Children Double Sided Family puzzle

This puzzle would have been perfect for our family when our daughters were small as there were 7 1/2 years between our 3 daughters and  it was hard to find activities that we could do together. There are 3 rings to this puzzle, each ring has a different size of puzzle sizes to accommodate little ones to  adults.  Plus as you are working on the puzzle, you are reminded of God’s care and love for everyone.  Research also shows that doing puzzles (at any age, but especially at young ages) is one of the best brain builder exercises for developing math, reading and logic skills.   This would be great for a home-school family, a Grandparent’s home, a new baby gift for a family that has older children or save it for an upcoming birthday or hide it away for Christmas (just don’t forget about it).  You can also donate it to your church children’s ministry, preschool or after school daycare.

I am giving away one Psalm 23/Jesus Loves the Little Children as a blog giveaway.  To enter you can receive a point each time you do one of the following:

1. Leave a Comment on my blog telling me who you will bless with this puzzle
2. Become a follower of my blog by subscribing to my blog (upper right hand corner) or add me to your reader.  Leave me a comment that you did so.  (If you are already following me, leave a comment that you are doing so.)
3. Tell a friend about this giveaway. (Just let me know that you told someone.)
4. Post on Facebook. (Again let me know that you did this.)
5. Post it on your blog (Again, leave me a comment with a link to your blog so I can check it out.)
6. Let me know that you want to receive Blessings Unlimited Inspirational Living online Newsletter. (If you already receive it, leave me a comment that you receive it.)
7. Of course, you can order this puzzle at http://www.myblessingsunlimited.net/sjoseph/Products/Detail.aspx?product=83722 - if you do order it during this give away, please leave a comment to be entered to win another one.

Contest is only open to US citizens and will run from Tuesday, April 17  to midnight EST on  Friday,April 20.  Winner will be picked by random.org 

I hope I am overwhelmed with the responses to this giveaway –  If there are 40+ entries, I will give away 2 so surprise me!

Sharing the Blessings,