Vicki’s Blog

I’m Sorry

This is another email that I recieved. I can see parts of myself in this story…*LOL* Although I never put on makeup…I have nothing against makeup. Years ago I used to wear it on special occasions, though I never took the time to put it on every day…A few years ago, the girls got into my makeup and had quite a time, and ruined it all in the process…I have been trying to get a bit of makeup again, for those special occasions, but that’s pretty far down on my wish list.

I see myself in the erruptions…I am trying to learn to go to God with my stresses and cares, instead of worrying and stewing about them to the point of blowing up!!

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I’m Sorry

“Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance.” (2 Corinthians 7:9a)

I stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom with my makeup case in my hands. There seemed to be a sense of irony in the fact that I was putting on a “pretty face” for the rest of the world to see, but inside I was an angry and ugly homeschooling mother. The morning had gone from bad to worse with my husband’s car that wouldn’t start, a broken washing machine, and my mother’s “helpful” advice. I should have talked to the Lord when I felt the tremors coming, but instead, my pent up emotions erupted onto my ten-year-old son like a violent volcano when he failed to completed his math assignment. I had quickly said, “I’m sorry,” for my outburst, but my son’s expression told me that I had hurt his loving heart. 

As I looked into the mirror, God showed me the truth of what was happening. Between feeling like a failure because we lacked the finances to maintain our appliances and the rejection by my family for homeschooling, I was angry at Him. I had looked for the encouragement and approval I needed in the wrong place and was disappointed when I didn’t find it. Taking my frustration out on my son’s failure had simply transferred the same feeling to him. 

As I opened my make-up case, I prayed the rest of the day would go better. To my surprise, I saw little pieces of paper folded on top of the different colors of eye shadow. Opening each piece of paper, I found the words, “I LOVE YOU, MOM!” written by my son. Humbled, I knew I should have been the one seeking to restore our relationship. I started to cry and realized I would never get my makeup on that morning. I walked into my son’s room and started over. This time I truly said, “I’m sorry.”

Tech Bargains

Are you looking for a cheap digital camera, but one of good quality?? Or maybe you are looking for some other tech stuff…Have I got the place for you to check out!!!

TechBargains.com has some great features and deals!! Here are just a few…

-exclusive deals
-Product database, reviews, and comparisons…I like being able to compare products!!
-Email newsletters which consolidate the best deals of the week….This too is helpful to me, as I don’t have much time to sit down and shopping, so emails highlighting the best deals are excellent for those of us without enough hours in the day!!
-You can get Deal Alerts customized to fit a your interests…Yay, no more deal alerts for things that I have NO interest in!!
-Coupons and rebates….Yay, coupons!!!!
-They even have Mobile Web pages and mobile RSS feeds, allowing users to access the best tech deals from their wireless devices
-Let’s not forget their Easy-to-use website with seamless navigation and search tab on every page
-Plus they have Updated content 24/7, even on weekends and holidays

Check them out, they seem to have a really nice website, filled with lots of tech goodies!! Maybe this is where I will get my much wanted digital camera, or printer, or well, lets just say there are several tech goodies that I would like to have!!

Big Sky Big God

This is another email that I recieved awhile back….I thought it was wonderful, and everytime I think about it, or look outside at the night sky, it makes me remember how wonderful God really is…His love is never ending!! What an AWESOME realization!! If you are having troubles today, whether it’s been a rough day at work, or maybe a frustrating day with the kids, or maybe you are feeling lonely…remember God is ALWAYS and FOREVER with you!! The sky is a blanket of HIS love layed over you!!

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 Big Sky, Big God

“Thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.” (Psalm 65:8b)

Living in western Nebraska where the sky is bigger than the ground, our homeschooling family developed a particular love of studying the clouds and the sky. On countless occasions, one of my children would come running into the house and say, “Mom, you’ve got to come and see this!” Walking outside together, we would stand and watch as God painted a breathtaking scene just for us on the canvas of His sky. Each inspiring sunrise or sunset seemed to make all the homeschooling problems of the day fade away into insignificance.

Are you interested in a printed version of this devotional? Then check out the new Daily Focus devotional book, perfect for your own Bible study or as a gift!

For the next several years, I learned the “art” of enjoying God’s beauty. Each time I felt the four walls closing in on my homeschooling day, I would walk outside to view God’s multicolored and intricately patterned sky. The kaleidoscope of colors which surrounded me in the vastness of His sky reminded me of my smallness and God’s greatness. I realized that I was totally dependent on my infinite Creator for all things, including the courage and creativity that I needed to face another homeschooling day.

Are the pressures of homeschooling squeezing the life out of you today? If so, step outside, look up to the sky, and drink in His beauty. God is waiting to revive you today with the glory of His presence and the wonder of His magnificent creation in the heavens

Vacaciones Hoteles

I am sure that all of you have noticed the increase in Spanish services now available in the United States. Well there has been another one come into play recently, dealing with finding the right accommodations for those who prefer to book in Spanish.

Now, hotels.com – the expert in booking hotels online and on the phone – is making the process easier for Spanish-speaking travelers with its new comprehensive site, hotels.com en espanol and dedicated customer service center (800-316-4145). The site has been designed specifically to meet the needs and interests of Spanish-speaking individuals in the United States. So click on the link if you are interested in booking in Spanish! Vacaciones Hoteles

Are You Listening?

Like many homeschooling mothers, I sat working at the kitchen table as my children worked on their schoolwork. Although I was supposed to be teaching, I was also doing several other jobs at the same time-washing clothes, cooking supper, and grading papers. As I snipped fresh green beans from our garden for our evening meal, my son asked me a question about his math. He was having difficulty with factoring numbers and needed my help. 

“Mom,” he said, “are you listening to me?” 
“Yes, I’m listening,” I replied not looking up from my work.

“But Mom, would you please listen to me with your eyes?” he quickly responded.

Looking up, I understood what he was really saying-he wanted my undivided attention.

Many times we, too, fail to give God our undivided attention. How many times do you coordinate the noon meal and the following day’s activities in your mind while listening to the Sunday morning sermon? What about when you are praying together with people in a Bible study group-does your mind wander to work and worries, or do you actually pray with the person who is speaking? Not focusing our thoughts on the sermon or the prayer requests causes us to wander from being a part of God’s will.

Are the day’s responsibilities distracting you from hearing God’s voice today? Do your prayers seem to get stuck on the ceiling? Do you find yourself rereading what you just read in the Bible and not getting anything from the passage? Stop and look up-focus your eyes on the One who loves you most. He is waiting for your undivided attention so He can teach you great and marvelous things.

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I thought this was pretty well written, and a good reminder for us all in two cases…The first is that God does want us to spend time with Him, quality time is what I call it, where He is my thoughts, instead of everything else going on around us.

The second reminder I think this serves us, is to remember that children do need our undivided attention at times…As a single mother, with many things on my plate to do, I find it hard to concentrate on JUST them….I mean why can’t talking to them work just as well with me doing the laundry or making dinner, as it does when we sit together on the bed?? But I know that at times, that sit on the bed is exactly what they need me to do!!

Take 10 minutes out of your day today…5 minutes of uninterupted peace and communion with God, and another 5 minutes of giving your undivided attention to your children.

Ecommerce Software

Do you run an online business where you have need of “shopping carts”?? ecommerce software has everything you need to build, customize and analyze multiple online stores from one easy to use management console!

Now, I don’t have need of this service, so I can’t tell you any more about the program than what their website tells me, so please keep that in mind.

You can get a 14 day FREE trial of the program, as well as a demo you can watch, or of course you can sign up right away…They are also listed with the BBB Online Reliability Program, so that makes me feel more secure about using their product. They also have a Scan Alert Hacker Safe button on their site, and they are verified by GeoTrust.

Clustr Maps

As you may have noticed I have added a little map thingy to my sidebar, way down the right side. At this rate, I might have to add a left sidebar, so the right isn’t so crowded, but that is another subject for another time.

My sister found this map on my friend Jacque’s site, and went and got one, and than I followed suit, after she told me what it was and how it worked…Anyway, it’s really cool!! I have some really unexpected dots showing up…I figured to have plenty in the states, but I didn’t expect so many from other countries!!

Car Service

Have you ever found yourself wishing for a car service?? *LOL* I do every time I have to go to the big city, or have to go somewhere I don’t know where it is…I don’t like the traffic of big cities, and I absolutely detest trying to get someplace that I don’t know where it is!!

I’m not really interested in a limo service Brooklyn, although I think it would be cool to ride in a limo once or twice…There are other options for car service though!! This same company that does limo service in the New York area, they also have a fleet of over 450 late model sedans and Town Cars providing safe and reliable car service to NYC, NJ, Brooklyn and Manhattan.

Stuffy Noses

Well Des generally has a problem with stuffy noses, because of allergies…I have yet to find a good allergy medicine for her, that works well, and this includes some prescriptions that we’ve had…

Last night at work, I get a phone call saying that Meg has a stuffy nose…*shakes head* Great, I’m stuck at work, no one to cover for me, and my little one is saying she is sick!! Was not thrilled!! I always feel so bad when I’m at work, when one of the kids is sick!!!!

In anycase, told her to tuck herself into bed, use an extra pillow, and try to go to sleep…If she got to feeling too badly, call me!!! I am very leary about anyone but myself administering medicine to my children!! Apparently she didn’t feel too badly, because I didn’t hear from her again until I got home.

Air Miles Credit Cards

For those that travel a lot, for business or pleasure, Air Miles Credit Cards can come in handy! Travel for business and get the bonus of saving up air miles for a pleasure trip to go see those relatives that you haven’t seen recently, or maybe you would like a trip to somewhere exotic like Hawaii.

Have I got you sold on getting a card yet?? Well, what I’d really like to do is tell you about CreditCardSearchEngine.com. They are one of the Internet’s longest running sites for online credit card comparison. Personally I love comparison shopping. This site allows consumers, business and students alike to search, compare, and apply for all types of credit card offers. Everything from low interest and reward cards, to cards for people with bad to average credit, like me.
They feature offers from leading U.S Credit Card issuers such as J.P. Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Citibank and other leading companies.