There are two groups – K-4 All Subjects and 4- High School All Subjects

I will accept Pay pal. If you are interested in any of the following items, let me know how you would like that mailed and I will calculate the shipping costs based on the weight of the items and how much the post office will charge. Thank you.

You can email me at katieshomeschoolcottage@yahoo.com

I am asking for a lot less than half price on these items.

Grades K – 4

Social Studies

Macmillan, McGraw-Hill Regions Near and Far, 4th gr. social studies textbook (hardcover)$4

Mega-Fun Map Skills, Grades 2-3, includes 4 colorful interactive posters, 100 reusable stickers, 37 reproducibles, activities and games by Scholastic, very good condition, asking $3.50

Boys and Girls of Colonial Days, Christian Liberty Press, like new, asking $5

Totline Books, Multicultural Snacks, Great recipes kids will love from lots of different cultures and countries, $2

Fun and Easy Multicultural Snacks, primary grades, good condition, asking $2.50

Sarah Morton’s Day, A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl, paperback, very good cond, $1.50

Adventures in Colonial America series, The Farm Life in Colonial Pennsylvania, very good cond, asking $1

The Josefina Story Quilt, level 3 gr. 2-4 An I Can Read Boo, very cond, $1.50

Read-Aloud Plays The Middle Ages, 8 Short Plays for the Classroom with Background Information, Writing Prompts, and Creative Activities grades 4-8, asking $4

Science

Volcanoes and Other Earth Wonders, Stickers, Games, and Fun Facts wkbk (age 6-9), new $2.50

Earth Explorers, Rainforest Explorer, nice large paperback book with beautiful pictures and photos, like new, $3

Teacher Created Materials workbook, Body Basics, gr. 1-5 (great worksheets and organ print outs) good cond, Plus Bones and Hearts and Other Parts, by the Wild Goose Co. lots of activities with corresponding sheets, ages 8+, selling both for $5

4-H Skills for Life, Animal Science Series, (in order from elem to high school), Dog 1 Wiggles and Wags Dog Youth Activity Guide, Dog 2 Canine Connection Dog Youth Activity Guide, Dog 3 Leading the Pack Dog Youth Activity Guide, Dog Helper’s Guide, Dog Group Activities, new, sold separately $2.50, all four books for $8

Scholastic Space, Quick and Easy Internet Activities, 20 Fun web-based activities with reproducible graphic organizers that enable kids to learn the very latest information on their own,gr. 3-6, like new, asking $3

Language Arts

I Can Practice Writing Cursive, workbook, Grades 2-4, new, $2.50

Scholastic Teaching Writing , A Workshop Approach, gr. 2-6, like new, $4.50

Scholastic The Best Research Reports Ever, easy mini-lessons, strategies, and creative formats to make research manageable and fun, gr. 4-8, great cond, $4

Scholastic Teaching Strategies, Easy Steps to Writing Fantastic Research Reports, gr. 3-6, like new, $5   Scholastic 24 Nonfiction Passages for Test Practice, grades 4-5, like new, asking $4 http://www.amazon.com/Nonfiction-Passages-Practice-Ready-Reproducibles/dp/0439256097#_

Houghton Mifflin Reader Surprises, hardback basal reader for early first grade, new condition, Asking $5   Learning Resources Gameboard Books Phonics, 6 games for Grades 1+, Like New http://www.educationallearninggames.com/game-board-books-phonics.asp Asking $5.00

Reading Activities, gr. K-4, Like New, Hard Cover book filled with assorted hands-on activities in assisting learning to read. Asking $8.50.   Bob Jones Book Links Literature series Gr. 4 (ages 9-12), Like new. Each book set has the chapter book, a literature Teacher guide, and an activity folder ¡V Here are the titles: Mountain Born and Medallion http://www.bjupress.com/category/Book+Links Asking $8.00 for each set. Originally $20.50 each.

A beka Reader, Pilgrim’s Progress, gr. 3.8. Like New, asking $6.50.

Gr. 1-3, Evan-Moor, How to Write a Story, new condition, Asking $7 http://www.teachersparadise.com/c/how-to-write-a-story-grades-13-p-44002.html

Scholastic Journal Activities That Sharpen Students’ Writing,gr. 3-5,  new, asking $2 http://www.amazon.com/Journal-Activities-Sharpen-Students-Writing/dp/0439488109/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1290387454&sr=1-1

Usborne Word Detective Words and Sentences for Beginners, fun way to introduce and practice parts of speech with lots of pictures and examples, very good, $2.50

Evan-Moor How to Write a Story, gr. 4-6, excell cond, $5

Evan-Moor Writing Fabulous Sentences and Paragraphs, gr. 4-6, great cond, $5

Scholastic Paragraph Writing Made Easy, gr. 4-8, great cond, $5

Reach for the Stars Let Your Imagination Soar, Young Author’s Fiction Workbook by Susan K. Marlow Media Angels Publi., like new, $6

Art and Crafts

Awesome Art Activities Around the Year, Scholastic, gr. 2-5, New, asking $5.50.

Foreign Language

First Words Sticker Book – Italian, asking $2.50.

Latin – Minimus Secundus, Moving on in Latin, very good,. $10

Math

Learning Wrap-Ups, like new, asking $6.00 each I have Multiplication and Fractions

A Balanced Approach to Math Grade 4, McGaw-Hill, workbook, like new, asking $2.50 http://www.amazon.com/GRADE-4-Brian-Enright-Dr/dp/0768204933/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1290387212&sr=8-1

Frank Schaffer Publications, Math Minders, gr. 4 Word Problems activities to stretch young minds, new, $2.50

OTHER

Scholastic Follow the Directions…and Learn, Dozens of ready to go pages that help kids learn to follow directions independently, gr. 4-6, excell. condition, $3

Grades 4 – High School All Subjects

History/Social Studies

If You Lived at the Time of the Civil War, Scholastic paperback, Brand New (I accidentally bought 2 copies), Asking $4

Bertie¡¦s War by Barbara Tifft Blakey, Kregel Publications, chapter fiction book for ages 10-14 about a young teen girl during the Cold War, 1962, New condition, Asking $3

Crispin, The Cross of Lead by Avi, Middle Ages living chapter book, hardcover like new, asking $5

Boys and Girls of Colonial Days, Christian Liberty Press, like new, asking $5

Teaching the Fives Themes of Geography for Middle and Upper Grades by Frank Schaffer Publications, very good condition, asking $4.50

Read-Aloud Plays The Middle Ages, 8 Short Plays for the Classroom with Background Information, Writing Prompts, and Creative Activities grades 4-8, asking $4

The Millennium and Beyond How the Past Points to the Future, grades 6-8, activity book, like new, asking $2.50

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to American History, Fifth edition, paperback, cover wrinkled but pages in very good shape, $3.

Learning Through History Magazine Colonial America edition, new costs $7, very good cond, $3.50

BJU History of the World in Christian Perspective, third edition, paperback, inside great cond, cover a bit rough, $4.50

Everyday Life:Revolutionary War with Cross-Curricular Activities in each chapter, gr. 4-8, Chronicles struggle for independence thru stories of everyday people, reproducible activity pages for math, vocabulary, reading comprehension, critical thinking, geography, writing, drama, arts and crafts, GREAT for a UNit STudy about the Rev. War, great cond, $5

Math

Learning Wrap-Ups, like new, asking $6.00 each I have Multiplication and Fractions

Abeka Arithmetic Tests and Speed Drills Grade 5, new and never used, asking $4.50.

Frank Schaffer Publications, A Balanced Approach to Math – Developmental Steps to Success, Gr. 4, asking $3.50

Fraction Dice Games activity book, grades 3-6, like new, asking $3

Score Kaplan, Learning Adventures in Sports, Engaging activities to provide thorough review of critical math, science, and language skills, very good cond, $4

Frank Schaffer Publications, Math Minders, gr. 4 Word Problems activities to stretch young minds, new, $2.50

Teaching Textbooks Math 7 Student book and Answer book, (no disks), $25

Language Arts

James P. Stobaugh Literature, American Literature Teacher’s Edition with DVD (never opened) and Student Edition, very good shape, $25

My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell, paperback book to accompany Lightning Literature Gr. 8 program, pages inside great cond, front cover and front page wrinkled, $4.50

Scholastic 24 Nonfiction Passages for Test Practice, grades 4-5, like new, asking $4 http://www.amazon.com/Nonfiction-Passages-Practice-Ready-Reproducibles/dp/0439256097#_

Abeka Reader Adventure Lands, 6th grader (good condition with paperback cover curled on corners) Asking $3

Scholastic Teaching Strategies, Easy Steps to Writing Fantastic Research Reports, gr. 3-6, like new, $5

Scholastic The Best Research Reports Ever, easy mini-lessons, strategies, and creative formats to make research manageable and fun, gr. 4-8, great cond, $4

Scholastic Teaching Writing , A Workshop Approach, gr. 2-6, like new, $4.50

Scholastic, Journal Activities That Sharpen Students’ Writing, Gr. 3-5 Asking $4

The Winston Grammar Program, good condition with writing on a couple of student workbook pages in pencil, cards, student workbook and teacher’s guide in a vinyl case, asking $10.

Bob Jones Book Links Literature series Gr. 4 (ages 9-12), Like new. Each book set has the chapter book, a literature Teacher guide, and an activity folder ¡V Here are the titles: Mountain Born and Medallion http://www.bjupress.com/category/Book+Links Asking $8.00 for each set. Originally $20.50 each.

Scholastic Independent Reading Management Kit: Genre, Reproducible, skill-building packs that engage kids in meaningful and structured reading and writing in a variety of genres, very good condition, asking $3.50

Scholastic Teaching the Novels of Gary Paulsen, Reading comprehension and discussion questions, graphic organizers, vocabulary activities, writing prompts, literary respons projects for “Hatchet”, “Dogsong”, “Brian’s Winter”, “The River”, “Woodsong”, very good condition, asking $4

Scholastic 35 Learning Tools for Practicing Essential Reading and Writing Strategies, grades 4-8, like new, asking $3.50

My First Dictionary – 4000 Words and Meanings for Young Readers from Harper Collins Publishers, Nice younger kids hardback beginner dictionary, asking $4 (because of the weight, it will cost a little extra for shipping)

I Can Practice Writing Cursive, workbook, Grades 2-4, new, $2.50

Houghton Mifflin Reader Surprises, hardback basal reader for early first grade, new condition, Asking $5   Learning Resources Gameboard Books Phonics, 6 games for Grades 1+, Like New http://www.educationallearninggames.com/game-board-books-phonics.asp Asking $5.00

Reading Activities, gr. K-4, Like New, Hard Cover book filled with assorted hands-on activities in assisting learning to read. Asking $5.

A beka Reader, Pilgrim’s Progress, gr. 3.8. Like New, asking $5

Mosdos Press Literature, Jade level, 2 Volume Spiral paperback Teacher’s Edition ($10), 1 hardcover STudent text($10), 1 paperback Student activity workbook ($5), $25 for whole lit set.

Evan-Moor How to Write a Story, gr. 4-6, excell cond, $5

Evan-Moor Writing Fabulous Sentences and Paragraphs, gr. 4-6, great cond, $5

Scholastic Paragraph Writing Made Easy, gr. 4-8, great cond, $5

Reach for the Stars Let Your Imagination Soar, Young Author’s Fiction Workbook by Susan K. Marlow Media Angels Publi., like new, $6

Science

Christian Liberty Nature Readers Book 5, softcover by Christian LIberty Press, very good condition, asking $4

Scholastic Space, Quick and Easy Internet Activities, 20 Fun web-based activities with reproducible graphic organizers that enable kids to learn the very latest information on their own,gr. 3-6, like new, asking $3

BJU Biology Third Edition, Teacher’s Edition Lab Exercises, spiral paperback in excell. cond, $6.50

BJU Biology Third Edition, Teacher’s Edition Textbook, Volumes A and B, very good to excell. cond, both $17.50

Men, Microscopes, and Living Things by Katherine B. Shippen, discarded hardcover library book, good cond, binding a bit loose in front, but pages great, GREAT Living Book for study of Biology,$3.50

Others (For kids’ use)

McGraw-Hill Children’s Publishing, Character Education Teaching Values for Life, gr. 7-8, excell. shape, various worksheets, activities, suggestions for child interaction about trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, citizenship

Learn to Play Keyboards by Emma Danes and Katie Elliott by Scholastic (not the cartoon series kind), very good cond. $2.50

Awesome Art Activities Around the Year, Scholastic, gr. 2-5, New, asking $4.

Internet Made Easy 80 Internet Mini-Scavenger Hunts, grades 4-8, Scholastic, very good, asking $3

First Words Sticker Book – Italian, asking $2.50.

4-H Skills for Life, Animal Science Series, (in order from elem to high school), Dog 1 Wiggles and Wags Dog Youth Activity Guide, Dog 2 Canine Connection Dog Youth Activity Guide, Dog 3 Leading the Pack Dog Youth Activity Guide, Dog Helper’s Guide, Dog Group Activities, new, sold separately $2.50, all four books for $8

Critical Thinking Company, A Case of Red Herrings, A2, Solving mysteries through critical questioning, good cond, $3.50

Scholastic Follow the Directions…and Learn, Dozens of ready to go pages that help kids learn to follow directions independently, gr. 4-6, excell. condition, $3

Others (For Mom or Dad’s use)

Teacher Created Resources Portfolio Planner, A Step by Step Guide to Portfolio Assessment, Like New http://www.oblockbooks.com/shoppingcart/html/pages/TeacherCreatedResources_tcr546.htm Asking $4.00

How to Keep Your Kids from Driving You Crazy, excellent condition, asking $5 – orginally $14.95

Women Who Do Too Much, very good condition, asking $4

Boys! Shaping Ordinary Boys to Extraordinary Men!, back cover worn, but insides great, asking $3

(MOPS) Busy Moms, Boredom Busters (for Kids),great condition, asking $3 Thanks for looking!

Thanks for looking! Let me know if you have any questions!

Katie

This report is shorter than past reports as it only examines the recent growth in the national homeschool population.

Other reports are more complete and thorough in their attempts to document the demographics and student assessment results of “reporting homeschoolers” to give a clear indication of the end-result of homeschooling. I say “reporting homeschoolers”, because some states do not have that requirement, while others have other means of assessment than standardized test scores or no mandatory score reporting.

So, yes, homeschooling continues to grow – in some states more than others. And, yes, the test results of those students tested and reported surpass those results of the public school system.

Enjoy some leisurely reading or if you need a boost at this time of year to affirm or reaffirm that you are doing something worthwhile, read the population report here.

Read the more comprehensive reports here.

Any comments are welcome!

What a bargain is that? Purchased individually, these notebooking packages would cost about $600! But with her membership offer and then the 25% discount she is offering, all of those same packages come to $56.21!

And she has 19 free ebook gifts to offer you with your purchase! They are great too! There are also monthly prize drawing opportunities that you will be entered into.

Take a look at Debra’s site to see some samples and download some free pages to try them out! I love her pages and use them frequently with my kids! You will too!

Remember to use the special code to receive this offer!  NOBUSYWORK

A study of this topic can be as simple as reading some fun and educational books about the election process and accompanying parents to the polls during the primaries and general election or completing a full unit study. The unit study can include a lapbook, a set of notebooking pages, or a series of hands-on activities and field trips to government offices after completing a research paper.

Here are some suggested resources and possible field trips to get you started in your study of the 2012 elections and the election process:

Activities To Do

Make Your ABC Book About … The 2012 Presidential Election
 A fun and educational way to assist your child in writing his own ABC book about the election process or the 2012 presidential election covering the current candidates for the Republican primary and current issues being discussed in the daily news and by all of the candidates.

 Free lapbook about the Election Process

Free lapbook about the Presidential Election Process (some reference to 2008)

Presidential Activities for Kids

Special Free Electoral College Map Poster and Activities from C-Span

Informative Websites

Election Process for Federal Executive and Congressional Offices

Election Process and Explanations of Electoral College

The Electoral College

Background information on all issues and all Candidates including President Obama

2012 Presidential Candidates from all Parties, Background Information, and Issues (very interesting site with lots of not well-known information

Hope you enjoy your study and get out and vote in the primary and general election!

Make Your Own ABC Book About …The 2012 Presidential Election

We have some entertaining and educational book recommendations and a list of interesting and informative websites to assist you in your research about these topics to save you time!

Your kids can write their own political dictionary or a current history of the 2012 presidential election, describing the important issues being discussed in the daily news. No matter what slant or emphasis you take with this writing assignment, it is a great learning experience of our election process, government, and discussion of current events!

Each letter of the alphabet has 5 different notebooking pages from which to choose with different size lines, letter fonts, and borders – all with a biological “feel”. Also included are some ideas in how to use the pages and in making your own books.

Your whole family will enjoy learning, discussing, and writing about this important time in all our lives! And when your kids are finished, they will love their own published book! What a keepsake for prosperity to look back on when they are older, a true piece of history in the making!

Thank you for your purchases in the last year! And we hope you will find something in our new products this year that will continue to assist you in your homeschooling!

Buy Now    Only $1.00!

Organizing the homeschool usually means organizing books and curriculum, as well as a family schedule that includes school and everyone’s activities. This article addresses organizing space and materials with some suggested resources to help you get there. For ideas in organizing your homeschool day and family schedule, read the article Organizing Your Homeschool Schedule in the New Year.

Homeschoolers have lots of books. To organize all of these different kinds of books, separating them and placing each kind in its own “home” is the way to defeat confusion and clutter.

Books for mom the teacher and books for everyone’s reference can go on their own shelves. (If you are tight for space, but have extra room in a closet, an inexpensive plastic shelf from Home Depot or Lowe’s works great.) These books are not used as often and are not pulled out every day, or only mom needs to pull out certain ones.

Workbooks, notebooks, and books used by the kids every day should have their own special home. A crate for each child put into a corner of the room, closet floor, or bottom book shelf works well for kids to place their daily activities. Color coding for each child is a terrific idea, and each child will enjoy picking out his favorite color.

If you do not want to use a crate, a specially designated shelf would work as well. Skinny workbooks sit better on a shelf in a plastic magazine holder, the bottom half of a narrow box, or in a cereal box with the top third cut off.

For odds and ends used in science experiments, math manipulatives, and other smaller items, wash bins from a dollar store placed on a shelf in a closet keeps track of these items and provides easy clean up and storage.

Paperbacks that always seem to get lost on the shelf are easy to find when you use a rectangular plastic box or shoe box. Place the books in single file with fronts facing out in the box on a shelf and flipping through the books (like you would with files) makes your book easy to find and children do not have to any off the shelf causing the whole row to slide down. It saves space on your bookshelves too, providing more room for even more of those books!

Besides Home Depot and Lowe’s for shelving and closet organization systems, Bed, Bath, and Beyond, Office Depot, Staples, and Office Max have many different storage and organizing materials. The various dollar stores offer creative solutions on a budget. For ideas and innovative solutions try The Container Store. At some stores, they are offering Free Organized Closet Demos on Saturdays and Sundays at 2 and 4, with $15 Store More Card give-aways at each demo.

If any other homeschoolers out there have any organizing space ideas, please share them with us!

Organizing the homeschool usually means organizing books and curriculum, as well as a family schedule that includes school and everyone’s activities. This article addresses organizing school and family time and outside activities, with some suggested resources to help you get there. For organizing your homeschool space and materials, read the article Organizing Your Homeschool Space.

Organizing family time, commitments, and school time is more of a challenge. The first step is to examine where your time has been going the first half of your school year and reassess time spent.

If you feel the need the need for more of a structured schedule and unschooling or relaxed schooling is not for you, determine what hours you will hold “school” and stick to it, most days. Then determine how much time on what days you will study which subjects. Then work the rest of your schedule around and after that.

Look at what extracurricular, volunteer, and church activities each family member participates in and have each person determine their top one or two activities that are most important to them. Only actively participating in those full time activities will allow more relaxation time for everyone.

Another option is to have one full time activity for the year, and choose various seasonal activities or activities that only occur once or twice per month to fill in here and there to add a second activity. This allows for a more balanced schedule and not a continuous hectic “always running around” kind of routine.

Hanging a full size “mommy planning calendar” with lines and large spaces for each family member’s name and activities keeps everyone organized. These calendars usually have a pocket on the back flap to store important papers such as permission or registration slips, or activity schedules and information, always at your fingertips. Heavy duty metal clips with a magnet on the back makes these calendars easy to hang on the side of the refrigerator out of direct site.

An alternative to this is a desk calendar with larger boxes to write in with perforated pages you can tear off at the end of the month. Saving these pages and the pages from the calendar makes a great record keeping system to record your kids’ activities and various health appointments for those transcripts, homeschool records, and annual appointment keeping.

Once school and activities are scheduled on paper, how do you homeschool and keep up with the house? One idea to manage your grocery list and avoid repetitive trips to the store, keep a magnetized pad of paper on the refrigerator with a handy pen to write down items you notice are needed or running low. When it comes time to go shopping, writing your list will mostly be completed.

Designate times in the day for the kids to do an independent activity where you can complete a quick chore. One quick chore each school day makes a big dent in keeping up with the chores. Creative multitasking is the key. Fold laundry while your child reads aloud to you or while you orally quiz them on spelling words. If your child needs to read a chapter of a book or do a math sheet on his own, you can quickly clean up the kitchen or do one bathroom. Assign yourself a certain task for each day of the week to correspond with an activity your child will do for school work that day.

At the end of each activity, have your child immediately return that material to its “assigned home” in your homeschool space to eliminate clutter build up during the day. Otherwise at the end of your school day, have a clean up 5 minute window to put away everything used during the day before any other “free time” is allowed.

For some scheduling ideas and forms to assist you in your organization, take a look at the following websites.

• Donna Young’s Homeschool Planner forms
• The Homeschool Mom
• Mom’s Tool Belt

 If you have any time organizing tips in balancing schedule and home life, please share them with us!

Find this and other articles at Examiner . com , where I now contribute articles!

Also, I wanted to let you know, today and tomorrow are the last days you can enter into my free giveaway for helping me spread the word about my ebooks! I will be drawing for the prizes at the end of the day on Dec. 20th. Don’t miss the chance to win a free e-book of your choice in our drawing. Here are the details to the video and my drawing:

1. Post a sentence or two on your blog, twitter, or facebook account about one of our series or items with a link to that product to our website.

2. Then in the comments box underneath this post tell me the following:
      Your Email address and first name
      The product you would like to have a chance in winning
      AND the link to your twitter, post on your blog, or your facebook!

The more  posts you make to these accounts, the more chances you receive in winning your item! If you make separate posts about additional items with separate links and share those with me, the more products you have the chance of winning!

It’s that easy! So get started today! The drawing will be December 20th and I will email the winners notifying them of their winnings immediately after the drawing!

Thanks for your help in spreading the word about our e-books! I truly appreciate it!

Here’s the link to the video! Enjoy! http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/home

Peace. Peace of mind. Peace on Earth. Peace among men. Peace during the Christmas season.  The word peace has been echoing through my mind these past few months. For me, it hasn’t so much been peace on earth or with my interactions among others, but more finding that perfect peace one obtains when you walk so closely with Christ, that you are at peace with yourself, with Him, with others, with the world and everything going on around you, even when it may be falling apart. But, still you are at peace.

The word “peace” appears 429 times in the King James Version of the Bible. Prophets spoke of it, Jesus spoke of it, and his apostles. It appears in the Old and New Testaments. We are advised about what it is, how to obtain it, and it is bestowed on us.

There is a wonderful word from the Old Testament - ”shalom” – it means “peace”,  but it encompasses so many things in that one word. It includes “completeness”, “wholeness”, “harmony”, “rest”, “tranquility”, “health”, “prosperity”, “perfection”, “fullness.” Isn’t that a wonderful description of what you can only find in our Lord?

Isn’t it interesting that when we are first introduced to the birth of Jesus, our Savior, the greatest gift bestowed on us, that we hear the words from the Christmas story in the Bible from Luke, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

We heard earlier from the prophet Isaiah, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.”

During what has become one of the most hectic times of the year, we are celebrating the Prince of Peace. How ironic. What’s also ironic is that during the most challenging times in my life, where I had absolutely no control over a number of things going on, were the times I felt most at peace and calm. Why? I had to turn the reins completely over to the Lord and totally put all of my trust in Him for the outcome. Now, I need to learn to do that with everyday things and not stress over the little things. Because if He can turn my largest challenges into good, He can certainly take my smallest worries and turn them into good as well!

How do we do that? I love the Silent Night Christmas carol version by Simon and Garfunkel called the “7 O’Clock News/Silent Night”. Throughout the carol, in the background you hear headlines from the evening news and clips of news stories while listening to this lovely hymn singing about “all is calm, all is bright”. The news is dreary and anything but peaceful, but the lyrics of the song bring another message of hope and peace.

And isn’t that what we’re told throughout the Bible? John tells us, ” Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” He also says, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” The peace, God promises us is not of this world; it is one of His world. It is not going to be found in items or people of the secular world. It is only found in trust, faith, and a close relationship with Him.

How do we do this? Prayer, trust, faith, and conversation with our Lord. When anything would go wrong as I was growing up, my grandmother would tell me, “Offer it up!” It didn’t matter if it was a stubbed toe or a perceived wrong doing by a sibling, it was always to be offered up!

In Philippians we have been told, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

We have to lay everything at the feet of the Lord; let him take and carry our burdens; trust in Him and in the outcome He will provide. He knows and wants what is best for us, we have to let go of the need for control and let Him take over and we have to be still and wait on Him. That can be the hardest – the waiting. We wait for Christmas, but there is a lot of activity we involve ourselves in and we know the outcome of Christmas – the birth of our Lord. But if this was the waiting time, right now, and we didn’t know the outcome – we didn’t know what we were waiting for – this greatest gift from God, but we knew something was coming. Would we be waiting patiently and confidently for what God was about to provide for us?

In Exodus, the Israelites and we are told, “The Lord will fight for you; you  have only to keep still.” So during the busiest time of the year, we need to keep “still” to hear our Lord speaking to us, to speak to Him, to feel His perfect peace.

In closing, I just want to wish you, “Peace, now and through the year. Shalom.”

Numbers 6:24 – 27  The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

Here’s what you need to do -

1. Post a sentence or two on your blog, twitter, or facebook account about one of our series or items with a link to that product to our website.

2. Then in the comments box underneath this post tell me the following:
      Your Email address and first name
      The product you would like to have a chance in winning
      AND the link to your twitter, post on your blog, or your facebook!

The more  posts you make to these accounts, the more chances you receive in winning your item! If you make separate posts about additional items with separate links and share those with me, the more products you have the chance of winning!

It’s that easy! So get started today! The drawing will be December 20th and I will email the winners notifying them of their winnings immediately after the drawing!

Thanks for your help in spreading the word about our e-books! I truly appreciate it!

Katie