Darling children's book for your Christmas kid

Leave a comment to be entered in the drawing for the basket give-away seen below.

Book Summary

Benny's Angel Who stole the flowers in God’s Secret Garden? When Ella Eagle discovers that the flowers in God’s Secret Garden have wilted, she alerts Mayor Benny Bunny. The main suspect in the case is evil Count Slime, who is jealous of the joy the animals have in the garden. Mayor Benny calls in Oliver Owl, the captain of the Owl Force Wisdom Watchers, but the owls have not seen Count Slime during their patrols of the garden. Mayor Benny suggests the animals pray for an answer. God hears their prayer and sends Marietta the angel to help them solve the mystery. This delightful tale uses animals, nature, and a visit from an angel to teach children the importance of prayer and the value of trusting God.     Author Bio

Laura Allen Nonemaker’s desire to write took root as a child in Bermuda. Since then, Laura has written in a variety of genres and her work has appeared in Essence Treasury: Celebrating the Season, Alive! and Kentucky Monthly Magazine. Laura has been involved in short-term missions, including trips to Russia, Poland, and the University of the Nations in Kailua Kona, Hawaii. Three years ago, her interest in the arts motivated her to join the planning team for Artful Missions, which conducts juried art shows and donates to outreaches in the U.S. and India to rescue women and children from human trafficking. Feel free to contact Laura at lauranonemaker@gmail.com Connect with Laura at These Social Networking Sites: facebook: Laura Allen Nonemaker twitter: @DigInGodsGarden Linkedin: Laura Nonemaker Blog: www.diggingingodsgarden.com Q & A with Laura: Why did you write Benny’s Angel? Benny’s Angel was the result of an occurrence in my “secret garden.” While seated on my garden bench praying, I noticed a rabbit hopping through the garden. The Benny’s Angel scenario came to me. I sensed it was significant and in about ten minutes, I developed the basic storyline. Why do you think reading is important for parents to emphasize with children, both by reading to them and fostering a healthy reading appetite as they develop their own reading skills? I believe the time to instill a love for reading in children is when they are toddlers and beginning to experience the power of communication in their relationships. Children are ready to absorb whatever they see and hear going on around them, whether it is good or bad. It is important to read them stories that ignite their imagination and plant the seeds of sound moral principles. What issues do you address in Benny’s Angel, and why do children need these sorts of stories to help them through life? In the story of Benny’s Angel, the animals in God’s Secret Garden encounter a problem. They are unable to solve it themselves and pray to God for an answer. God answers their prayer by means of an angel. Benny’s Angel teaches the importance of prayer and of trusting God to answer our prayers. These principles filter naturally through the storyline and without the need for sermonizing. Children will face all kinds of problems and challenges as they grow up and stories based on sound biblical principles lay a strong foundation for their future. Tell us about the next book you have coming out after Benny’s Angel. The next book in the God’s Secret Garden Adventure Series is about a little frog. Through some misadventures, he learns the importance of obedience.   Grand Prize Giveaway

1 Vivitar Camcorder with Camera and 2X Zoom 1 Benny's Angel Picture Book 1 Benny's Angel 3-D Book 1 Benny's Angel Coloring Book 1 Benny's Angel Audio Book 1 Benny's Angel T Shirt 1 Benny Christmas Ornament 1 Marietta Christmas Ornament 1 96-Count Crayola Crayons

Tomorrow Had Come by Jessica Kirkland In every season of life, the Enemy would whisper the lie that I would “never make it” to the next. I believed it. Time and time again, I thought his words held power. As a young child, I never thought I would live to see my school years. Once I entered school, I never thought I would live to see the next day, next grade, or milestone in life. I listened to a very real enemy, even though I didn’t want to. Even though I came from a strong, Christian family, I felt powerless to stop the lies. Fear gripped me, stole from me, and taunted every careful step I took. I gave my heart to Christ at six years old, yet fear still held me tight. Though I had renewed hope, the whispers and lies continued to flow and drown out truth through every season. When, I heard the words that burned a hole straight through, I was nose-to-nose with what appeared to be the sum of all my fears. “Mrs. Kirkland, you have congestive heart failure. If your babies are born now, they will probably not live or be severely impaired.” I was twenty-six weeks pregnant with triplets. In the beginning, I had been pregnant with quads, but had lost one child at 14 weeks. I never imagined we might all go meet Jesus on the same day. I mourned the thought of my husband walking through life alone. I grieved for the children that would either die, be disabled on this earth, or grow up motherless. And I burned with anger, not just because of the oxygen mask strapped to my face as I struggled for breath and life, but for twenty-five years of allowing Satan to tell me that I would never make it to tomorrow. Tomorrow had come. As nurses whirled around me, I prayed Acts 17:25 out loud, “…You give life and breath to everything, and satisfy every need.” I pleaded with the God I personally knew through a relationship with His Son, Jesus. I knew He had a plan for my life that was good according to Jeremiah 29:11. In my humanity, I struggled with the thought that death might be His plan for us on that day. Today, we are parents to three healthy five-year-olds. You would never know they were born nine weeks premature. The joy that Satan has stolen from me in 30 years, through a spirit of fear, is great. I imagine if you strung each lying sentence end-to-end, they might wrap the globe. Yet, I have promised to tell others of God’s miracles in my life and do my part in setting captives free. Tomorrow had come, but so had Jesus, and it is He who has defeated the grave. “For God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7 Author Bio

Jessica Kirkland Jessica Kirkland lives in Southeast Texas with her husband, Robb, and five-year-old triplets. She is an author and speaker whose greatest passion in life is to see young families grow deeper in their walk with God. Jessica's newest adventure includes launching Christian Apps 4 Kids, which seeks to draw kids closer to Christ one app at a time. A recent release is a book app that addresses fear and scary nighttime sounds called The Sounds of Night, designed for kids ages 2-8. It is currently available on iPad, iPhone and all Android devices. When Jessica isn't writing, you can find her cheering her boys on at the soccer field, or watching her little girl at the dance studio.

To find out more about her current writing projects, connect with her at: http://www.christianapps4kids.com or on her personal blog: http://www.jessicakirkland.com To purchase The Sounds of Night at iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-sounds-of-night/id456046823?mt=8 To purchase The Sounds of Night in the Android Market: https://market.android.com/details?id=pro.roar.thesoundsofnight&feature=search_result

Reflecting Him - book review and grand prize package

DO YOU SEE JESUS IN YOUR DAILY ACTIVITIES

OR SAVE HIM FOR EMERGENCIES?

God longs for you to spend your day with Him. Reflecting Him helps you pulls back the veil so you can see how a true relationship with the Lord changes your life. As Jesus becomes a part of everything you do, you will soon be reflecting Him to those around you.

In ten weeks, through Reflecting Him, you will:

• Realize life is not about me, but all about Him.
• See daily applications for lessons learned from scripture.
• Understand how God is directing your life—often without you knowing it.
• Learn the importance of prayer in your everyday activities.
• Discover the joyful intimacy of a life filled with Jesus.
• Realize how your personal relationship with Jesus changes when you make Him part of everything you do.

The study comes in small enough bites to digest, but deep enough content to stimulate change and growth. Carla McDougal’s refreshing authenticity and humorous style lifts you up and encourages you to dig deeper into the Word.

CARLA MCDOUGAL is founder of Reflective Life Ministries headquartered in the Houston, Texas area. Her true passion for her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, shines brightly, whether she is speaking or writing. She shares experiences from her own life to encourage women to live every day for Him. God is sending Carla around the world to speak to women from all walks of life—those living in the best of circumstances to those who have hit rock bottom.

Carla’s book, Reflecting Him: Living for Jesus and Loving It, is a 10-week study that encourages you to open your eyes to God’s daily life lessons. The more you ask God to be in your life, the more you will recognize His hand on everything you do. For more information on a growing number of products from Reflective Life Ministries, and to see about booking Carla for an event or interview, go to www.reflectivelifeministries.org.

Author Interview

• What practical steps can believers take to be less self-focused and more God-focused?
• Life is not about me, but all about Him. This phrase changed my life. Prayer is the key to keeping your eyes on Jesus. The more we pray, the more God moves us to do His will and not our will!
• You say it’s important for believers to discover how to pray everyday prayers. What does this mean? I heard a speaker say she would never bother God to help her find her lost keys or a good parking spot—how do you feel about that statement?
• I pray about everything! Jesus tells us in Luke 16:10, “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much.” We categorize prayers, God recognizes prayers. God wants us to bring everything to Him. Nothing is too small or too big for God! Prayer builds our faith and trust in Jesus!
• What are some of the blessings of having an intimate life with Jesus, and how does one develop that intimacy?
• Humbleness abounds as I realize there is nothing I can do to earn an intimate relationship with Jesus. I can only obtain it through His grace and mercy, which He gives so freely. Jesus is my all in all.

For those who leave a comment, you'll be entered into a grand prize drawing package of the following items, worth $125!:

Reflective Life Ministries

Instant Leader Kit:

Video Teaching Series

Bible Study Book
Leader Guide
Music CD

My Review of Reflecting Him:

Reflecting Him: Living for Jesus and Loving It

By Carla McDougal

WinePress

c. 2010
ISBN: 9781606150337
$18.99
Genre: Bible studies, general

Reflecting Him is a great individual or group Bible study guide for those who want to delve into a lifestyle of faith.

Set up as a ten-week course, McDougal’s attractive workbook allows plenty of space for participants to record reactions to the lessons, and offers a Leader’s Guide and Teaching Materials available to download from the Reflective Life Ministries web site. A story, a scripture “excavation” and reflection is planned out for five days of each week.

Reflecting Him is written with women in mind and full of encouraging and challenging observations such as The Firing Process: “Do you see Jesus walking with you in the heat of your situation?”

While I’m not always pleased with Bible Studies that jump all over the place scripturally, McDougal carefully combines Old and New Testament scriptures with the weekly focus. For example, in Week 5, Prayer is the focus of the week, with a tour of the inside of our spiritual home the examples.  Day One deals with our hidden selves in The Closet and the scripture focus is the story of David and Bathsheba; Day Two talks about our need for peaceful rest, and so on, taking a different Bible passage to work through the week.

McDougal’s writing is personable and personal, encouraging with well-planned lessons and real-life application challenges. She’ll lead you on a path to a deeper walk with Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Diagrams, pictures, charts, and a bibliography make this large-size workbook attractive and useable. It won’t get lost in the sofa cushions!

The Birthday Party Planner for Kids

SIMPLE GIFTS By Sharen Pearson As a mother of five and now grandmother of seven, I’ve planned my share of birthday events. I am a creative person, so my problem is “going over the top.” My expectations supersede those of the birthday child. So, I have to step back and say, “Whose birthday is it anyway?” And, therein lies the key to a successful birthday party. I recently assisted with my grandson, Waylon’s party. He was reaching that big-boy age of 5 years. He knew what theme he wanted: Herbie the Love Bug. He wanted a backyard campfire and a cake with Herbie on it. Simple—Herbie, campfire, cake. Got it! My daughter complied. She invited a few families from church that Waylon knew well and was comfortable around. Since entire families were represented, parents were there to help with crowd control. Bowls of chips and dip provided a place to gather around as people arrived. Children scattered to play in the back yard, parents grouped to watch and chat. Easy, huh? Daddy lit a small fire in the campfire ring in the yard. More talk, more easy playing. The cake was a simple giant chocolate chip cookie with a frosting “Herbie.” Waylon thought it was wonderful. Mommy announced that it was gift-opening time and everyone pulled up lawn chairs and sat in family groups. Waylon sat in the middle of the circle on the grass and guests watched as he opened each gift and thanked the giver. He received many nice gifts, but to everyone’s delight, a small, inexpensive VW bug toy car was his favorite. He opened it, raised it above his head as if it were a trophy and yelled in delight. Waylon slept with his “Herbie;” woke up and greeted it; placed it on the edge of the tub so he could see it. He had the birthday he wanted. Simple party, simple gift, simple fun! Some suggestions to consider when planning your party: If your child is old enough to have input, allow it. For ages 1-5 years, simple is best. Simple decorations, simple food, simple games. Invite only one party guest per age of the child. Young children are very intimidated by many children of the same age. Remember, “Whose birthday is it?” If guests include family/friends with older children, add activities especially for them. Home is the best place for children ages 5 and under. Big party venues are confusing, scary and do not position the “birthday child” as the center of attention as he should be. Some traps that parents fall into: Making the party so complicated that you, as the parent, no longer enjoy it. (Been there, done that.) Allowing young party guests to get close to and grab for gifts as as the birthday child is opening them. (Admit it, you’ve seen this haven’t you?) Spending too much money. (Guilty as charged.) Preparing food for adults and not age-appropriate to the guests. (The only thing to show off today is your wonderful child) Engaging in sleepover parties before the age of 9 years. (Children younger than 9 or 10 years often find sleeping at someone else’s home frightening and uncomfortable.) Author Bio

Sharen Pearson’s Goof & Giggle classes and materials continue to provide a quality Mom/Tot interaction. Widely popular, Goof & Giggle’s child-focused play plans are offered in various Arizona communities. She’s also created a variety of Goof Juice DVDs and filmed episodes of Baby D.I.Y. and written workbooks for BabyFirstTV. Arizona Midday (NBC) tapes monthly segments with Sharen to provide their audience with a variety of original and creative “easy to do” activities for babies and preschoolers. Sharen’s creativity reaches a combined audience over 200 million viewers worldwide. Goof & Giggle classes and products encourage green living, repurposing materials from around the house into affordable objects for play and learning. Learn more at: http://sharenpearson.com/   **This article is used by permission from Kathy Carlton Willis Communications

Microbusiness for Teen Tips with Carol Topp

 

Celebrate Independence: Start a Micro Business!

By Carol Topp, CPA

The Fourth of July is a time to celebrate our country's independence and appreciate our freedoms as Americans to follow our dreams. This is a great time to encourage our children, especially teenagers, to cherish their freedoms. Not every country in the world allows a teenager to have as many freedoms and opportunities as the United States. One important area of freedom that our children probably take for granted is the freedom to become whatever they want to be, which includes starting a business.

My 16 year old daughter, Sarah, was introduced to a man who grew up in East Germany. He described his youth where he had no choice in what he would study in high school or what career he would have. He was assigned to a technical high school where he learned science and math. There was no consideration of his abilities or talents. Sarah began to appreciate her country in a new way. She has an artistic bent and would have hated being forced into a math and science-oriented high school. Instead, she has been allowed to purse her love of art and photography.

Sarah celebrated her independence by starting a micro business. She used her interest in photography to take senior pictures of a few friends. More friends saw her work and hired her for their senior pictures. She was kept quite busy for several weeks and grew in her skills and business knowledge. It is quite easy for a teenager to start a very small business—a micro business—and learn a lot while making some money.

A teenage micro business owner will learn business skills such as marketing, customer service and salesmanship, but they will learn also life skills such as time management, planning and careful use of money. As a parent you will see them develop confidence, responsibility and the ability to overcome fear as they face new challenges in running a business.

We should encourage any spark of entrepreneurial spirit we see in our children because it helps them grow in many ways, but it is also good for our country. Small business ownership is the backbone of our economy, paying 44% of the total US private payroll.[1] But not only are small businesses responsible for America's wealth, they encourage free enterprise, responsibility and leadership.

The GrasshopperGroup has produced a short video, “Entrepreneurs Can Change The World,” that inspires us to remember the entrepreneurial spirit on which our country was built. You can view the video at YouTube and it says, in part:

“In case you haven't noticed, we live in a place where one individual can make a difference. Want proof? Just look at the people who built our country: our parents, grandparents, our aunts, our uncles. They were immigrants, newcomers ready to make their mark. Maybe they came with very little; or perhaps they didn't own anything except a single brilliant idea. These people were thinkers, doers and innovators until they came up with the name entrepreneurs.”[2]

Remember the freedoms we have in America this Fourth of July, and especially the precious freedom to work for ourselves, start a business and follow a dream. Encourage your teenager to exercise their freedom by starting a micro business

This article content is provided free of charge by the author through Kathy Carlton Willis Communications. You are welcome to place this article on your site or in your publication as long as 1) it’s used in its entirety, 2) the full bio is also used, and 3) you previously request permission through KCWC at russ@kathycarltonwillis.com. All other standard copyrights apply.

---

[1]    Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education http://Entre-Ed.org

[2]   http://www.youtube.com/user/GetGrasshopper

Reflecting Him

Do you remember the last time you opened the door to your junk closet? You know, the place where you put things you don’t want left out in the open. Maybe an item is old and worn out, so you throw it in this closet. Or, possibly it’s broken, and you don’t know what to do with it.

In my Bible Study, Reflecting Him, I invite readers to take a guided tour through various rooms in our homes, and compare these areas to our spiritual lives. The first day of the tour focuses on the closet—that hidden, dark place no one enters but you. “Out of sight, out of mind” might describe those items tucked away in that small space; but couldn’t the phrase also depict the things we hide in the backs of our minds and hearts? Broken, worn out, or sinful thoughts weigh heavily on our souls, and we need to let go, so they can be replaced by God’s light of love, grace and mercy. June 23^rd is National “Let It Go” Day. I encourage you to find something in your spiritual “junk closet” and let it go.

Do you harbor bitterness for past hurts against you? Does sin linger in the crevices of your heart and mind? Are you in need of God’s forgiveness? We are all sinners, but we can be free from the closet of sin if we confess and ask for His forgiveness. Let go, and let God shine His light on you.

Just like cleaning out the junk closet, once you let go of those spiritual messes in your life, you’ll be left with room for the new. God’s all about making things new. A new heart. A new life. A new you. It all starts with letting go of those things that fall short of His plan.

When you organize a junk closet, you might choose to use special organizers or aids to make it all work together better. Or perhaps you even hire a professional organizer. In your spiritual closet, don’t forget that you can find all the assistance you’ll ever need through the help of the Holy Spirit and God’s Word.

Are you ready to let God take the tour through the various rooms of your spiritual “house”? When you open the closet, what mess falls out? Give it to Him and see what happens!

___

CARLA MCDOUGAL is founder of Reflective Life Ministries headquartered in the Houston, Texas area. Her true passion for her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, shines brightly, whether she is speaking or writing. She shares experiences from her own life to encourage women to live every day for Him. God is sending Carla around the world to speak to women from all walks of life—those living in the best of circumstances to those who have hit rock bottom. Carla’s book, Reflecting Him: Living for Jesus and Loving It, pulls back the veil so you can see yourself and your Lord more clearly and reflect Him with transparency when interacting with others. This 10-week study exposes the dark corners of your life, opening your eyes and heart to what Jesus wants you to see. Carla’s refreshing authenticity and humorous style will lift you up from a heaviness you didn’t even know weighed you down. For more information on a growing number of products from Reflective Life Ministries, and to see about booking Carla for an event or interview, go to: http://www.reflectivelifeministries.org

Teenagers! Are You Wasting Your Summer?

 Is Your Teenager Wasting His Summer?

By Carol Topp, CPA

Summer is a great time for a teenager to earn some money working a temporary job, but most jobs are a waste of time. Summer jobs are usually low-skill jobs with tedious tasks like running a cash register or cleaning up bits of paper at an amusement park. These jobs pay poorly and do not usually offer any paths to advance or grow. They do nothing to help a teenager develop his gifts or prepare him for a future career. The best that can be said about a summer job is that it keeps a teenager busy and pays him a bit of money.

What if there was a way for your teenager to make some money, learn a lot and test a future career this summer? It would be a much better use of his time. What if your teenager learned time management, practiced math and writing skills, and grew in confidence and responsibility? That would be a very rewarding summer.

Instead of telling your teenager to get a job, encourage him to start a micro business. A micro business is a one-person business that can be started easily, usually without any up-front cash, using what a teenager already owns. Micro businesses are usually home-based and very flexible so a busy student can keep up with other interests, sports and a social life.

Teenagers can use their skills to develop businesses such as teaching guitar lessons, doing web design or caring for children. Some teenagers have started micro businesses by offering services such as house cleaning, pet care, and lawn mowing. One easy-to-start micro business is tutoring. Students can tutor math, Spanish, computer programs or any subject that they are good at.

The quickest way to get your teenager started is to look for a need he can fill such as teaching a subject he knows well. Edgar is bi-lingual, since his family speaks Spanish in their home. He is tutoring another student in Spanish as a micro business.

Other teenagers can turn their interests into a micro business. Kristin combined her love of reading and childcare. She assembled a small group of children one morning a week and in a two hour block of time read them a story, planned a craft, and fed them a snack. She charged $5 per child per week and conducted a six-week mini-camp one summer. It was so popular, she offered an afternoon reading camp as well.

One benefit of running a micro business during the summer over working a job is that a teenager can try out an idea and see if they want to pursue it as a career. Joel has a talent for computer web design. He is teaching himself software like InDesign and makes money by creating buttons and banners for websites. His web design micro business will help Joel determine if her wants to be a full time graphic designer. Meanwhile he is learning time management and customer service skills while getting paid.

So don't saddle your teenager with another summer of working a boring, tedious job that offers no challenges or opportunities for growth. Instead, encourage him to have his best summer yet by starting a micro business.

This article content is provided free of charge by the author through Kathy Carlton Willis Communications. You are welcome to place this article on your site or in your publication as long as 1) it’s used in its entirety, 2) the full bio is also used, and 3) you previously request permission through KCWC at russ@kathycarltonwillis.com. All other standard copyrights apply.

Do Dads Ever Sleep?

Do Dads Ever Sleep?

By Dr. Charles Page

Considering the pace of our modern world—dads probably shouldn’t sleep. Who’s got time?

·         Unpaid bills.

·         Undone tasks.

·         Unrealistic deadlines.

·         Untimely interruptions.

Even when fathers prepare for rest there are too many thoughts racing through a dad’s mind:

·         Unkept promises.

·         Unfamiliar circumstances.

·         Unpredictable people.

·         Unforgotten failures.

Sometimes in sleepless desperation dads can feel like throwing in the towel—wondering if they will ever be good enough to meet the challenge of living in our nanosecond culture.

Instead of looking around at the challenges facing them or within at their own inadequacies, dads must learn to look up. When we look up toward our Heavenly Father, the whole equation changes:

·         Unchanging God.

·         Unsearchable wisdom.

·         Undeserving grace.

·         Unfathomable love.

Christian dads can sleep because God’s got their back. Dads who understand that God’s eyes never close can rest in calm assurance as they lie down to sleep (Psalm 121:1-6). God’s got your back, Dad and He never slumbers or sleeps. And if God’s staying up anyway there’s no reason why you should miss out on rest. As we look up to God our helper we are reminded of several truths that give our hearts calm assurance as we lay our heads on our pillows.

1. Trust in God’s providence as we lie down to sleep.

Whatever circumstances we face—they pass through the hands of a loving, all knowing God.

2. Trust in God’s provision as we lie down to sleep. For most dads the greatest challenge is the “to do” lists that burden our minds as we lie down for rest. As dads we must learn to trust God to finish the things left undone in His way and in His time.
3. Trust in God’s protection as we lie down to sleep. Dad, you can rely on God to surround you and your family with a hedge of protection as you rest. Psalm 121 reminds us that God is watching or guarding our lives—day and night. The one who never slumbers or sleeps has your back while you close your eyes for rest.

Your Heavenly Father always knows best, allowing you to rest in the truth of the verse “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). As you close your eyes for sleep, you can trust in God’s providence, provision and protection. Allow God to do for you what you cannot do for yourself while awake. The One whose eyes never close in slumber created you to surrender. Fall to sleep in His arms.

Author Bio:
Dr. Charles Page is a sleep-deprived surgeon who completed medical school and residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. He and his wife Joanna live in Texas with their five children. He is the author of Surrendered Sleep: A Biblical Perspective, which releases later this summer. When the project goes live, you can find more information at: www.surrenderedsleep.com/.

STOP BUGGING ME
Buggy Fun for  Summer

By Sharen Pearson
Much to the dismay of their mothers, toddlers hold a relentless fascination for bugs. They follow, squish, catch and even eat them! Perhaps the novelty lies in the never--‐ending variety of creepy crawlers or that bugs are smaller than these little ones. Here are some simple buggy activities that will enchant your children this summer.

Bug Catcher
Save the net from your fresh produce.
Lace a chenille wire around the top to support the sides. The net makes a tiny bug catcher for your child. Always help identify any bugs that might be dangerous.
Catch, observe and release.

Butterfly or Dragonfly
Attach colored tissue paper wings to a toilet tissue or paper towel tube for wings. Slip a hair band over the tube and place on toddler’s wrist to Flap and Fly.
For more advanced work, drop food color onto a wet coffee filter.
Allow to dry and use for wings.

Two filters for dragonfly and one for butterfly.

Big Bug
Fashion antennae with chenille wire and attach to your child’s head with clips.
Gather a sheet of tissue paper at the center. Duct tape to the back of the shirt for butterfly
wings.
Fly away little butterfly!

Tot Cocoon
Give your toddler the end piece of a roll of toilet tissue.
Have him gently spin to wrap the paper around and around forming a cocoon.
If the paper breaks, just tuck the loose end in and begin again. Continue as your child is comfortable (most won’t let you cover the face). Count 1, 2, 3 and have your butterfly “hatch out” and fly away.

Lady Bug
Make a tiny ladybug from the cup of an egg carton.
Cut the section. Paint red and add black dots. Tape twisted bits of paper on for antennae. For a counting activity: make five bugs and draw 1 spot, 2 spots etc. on the five bugs. Count the spots and the bugs.

Caterpillar
Cut a six--‐section length from an egg carton. Your toddler can glue cotton balls on each section for “fuzz.” Draw a face on one end of the section and add chenille or paper antennae.
Punch a hole in the front and tie a string on to “Talk your bug.”
For more advanced work, paint each section of the caterpillar yellow or even a rainbow.

Bug Collage
Draw (or print from a website) several bugs on paper.
Make a simple paste of flour and water. Your tot can glue on dry rice, macaroni, bits of colored  paper and/or cake sprinkles to decorate the bugs.

Bugs in a tub
Pour 6 cups of dry rice into a large flat container. Add toy plastic bugs (or your ladybugs), measuring cups, recycled plastic containers, paper tubes and play as in a sand box. To protect the floor and give your activity a boundary, place the tub in the center of a sheet or shower curtain. Your child will play for hours.

Sharen Pearson’s Goof & Giggle classes and materials continue to provide a quality Mom/Tot
interaction. Widely popular, Goof & Giggle’s child-focused play plans are offered in various
Arizona communities. She’s also created a variety of Goof Juice DVDs and filmed episodes of
Baby D.I.Y. and written workbooks for BabyFirstTV. Arizona Midday (NBC) tapes monthly
segments with Sharen to provide their audience with a variety of original and creative “easy to
do” activities for babies and preschoolers. Sharen’s creativity reaches a combined audience
over 200 million viewers worldwide. Goof & Giggle classes and products encourage green
living, repurposing materials from around the house into affordable objects for play and
learning. Learn more at:
http://sharenpearson.com/
This article content is provided free of charge by the author through Kathy Carlton Willis Communications.
You are welcome to place this article on your site or in your publication as long as 1) it’s used in its entirety,
2) the full bio is used, 3) you previously request permission through KCWC at
russ@kathycarltonwillis.com.
All other standard copyrights apply.

Dare to Dream by PeggySue Wells

Are You Stuck?

By PeggySue Wells

What’s holding you back from pursuing your dreams?         

Interviewing people for my books, talking with them at events, or interacting through one-on-one life coaching, I’ve found that many yearn to take their lives to the next level. To move the ‘someday’ list into the today category.

How can you make that happen? Can you make it happen?

My husband of over 20 years decided to leave. My seven children and I were devastated. Where was God? What do I do now? There were days I couldn’t get out of bed because of the weight of despair. Trying to cope and parent, the turning point came when I applied five simple steps that took me forward. These steps and the checkpoints that kept, and still keep me on track are given in my speaking events and my new book, Rediscovering Your Happily Ever After.

Slight modifications can produce boundless results. These simple acts I could incorporate by noon. Each one was a shift in my outlook and a simple attitude adjustment that is reaping a lifetime of benefits for me and my loved ones. Surprisingly, these steps helped me look more beautiful—inside and out. Even my posture improved.

If you could do anything, no matter how zany, unrealistic, or expensive, what would that be? What desire burns in your heart? What do you yearn to do and be?

Are you at a crossroad? Slight changes can make it easy for you and me to tweak our course and aim for a more satisfying today.

What are you resisting? A crisis can destroy us or it can make us stronger. Deeper. The turning point comes in how we face the crisis.

What are your excuses? Our excuses usually illuminate what we are supposed to do but are too scared to pursue and achieve. The only person who believes an excuse is the one serving it up. No one else is buying the bologna we are selling any more than we believe the excuses others dish out to us. An excuse is nothing more than a well-crafted lie that no one believes except the person making it.

How we keep our word, our commitments, reveals if we are people of integrity. Keeping my word to myself is as important as keeping my word to others.

Our lives are to be spent. Not to be saved. How we invest our life is one of the most important decisions we make. Are you living full out? Each of us decides how we will invest our time. Today is an opportune moment to invest your life in pursuits that will outlive you.

Go ahead. Dare to dream. Dream big. Then take the next step to make your dream reality. Invest the first five minutes and celebrate the progress. No excuses.

We all need an extra large scoop of hope, no matter where we are on our life’s journey. Whether you are stymied at a life-changing crossroad or eager to create an energetic tomorrow, you can affect the outcome of your life. Today.

PeggySue Wells is a dynamic and interactive speaker specializing in enabling others to reach for and achieve their dreams. She is the author of a dozen books including the What to Do series and Rediscovering Your Happily Ever After. Contact her at www.PeggySueWells.com.

This article is provided free of charge by the author through Kathy Carlton Willis Communications. You are welcome to place this article on your site or in your publication as long as 1) it’s used in its entirety, 2) the full bio is also used, and 3) you previously request permission through KCWC at russ@kathycarltonwillis.com. All other standard copyrights apply.