Why I am NOT giving up Facebook for Lent

I’m just going to preface this by saying.  Anyone that is participating this isn’t at all meant to bash your choices. We all celebrate the holy season of Lent in our own ways. Some chose to give up things, make sacrifices and try to better ourselves. Anything you do to try to better yourself is never a bad thing. Good luck and God bless.

I’ve seen a lot of my friends posting about giving up Facebook for Lent and it got me to thinking, why am I on Facebook? I love that it connects me to family and friends I have all over the world. I love that if I want to send my relatives that live on the opposite coast pictures of the kids it’s just one click away. If I want to say high to my best friend from kindergarten, my college friends, just about anyone. I love that I can promote my youth group events and spread the joy of the events we do in God’s house with others. I love that I can let people know what our company is up to. I could go on and on about all the great things it allows me to do. But now comes the question if Facebook does all these wonderful things why are people giving it up?

So now I’m thinking of the negatives:

#1. There are times, a lot of times, that I am staring at my phone and I should be listening to my kids, my loved ones and friends. But I’m wrapped up in what’s going on Facebook or Instagram or just about any other social media I have at my finger tips. The problem however is not Facebook, it’s my lack of self control. It’s my fault for not putting the phone down and paying attention. My solution is not to get rid of the resource, my solution is to learn self control. To focus on bettering myself. I want that temptation there. I need it there. Without it how can I learn?

#2. So your best friend just went to Hawaii. Your neighbors to Florida. Your child’s teacher to China. And you’re thinking “Geez that’s totally not fair!” Because Facebooks gives you a way to share every detail of your life you get to see all the great things people do every day. It’s not so bad if you are doing them too. But what if you’re stuck behind a desk and haven’t had a vacation in a year, and even if you did take time off you couldn’t afford to go anyway? The problem isn’t Facebook, the problem is ENVY. My solution is not to remove Facebook, it’s to work on my own heart. Be happy for people who get to do fun things and appreciate the little things in your life that bring you joy as well. Life isn’t a competition about who has the best vacations or the nicest car. It’s about enjoying every experience you have to the fullest.

#3. My kid just won the lead in the school play! I just got a raise! My parents just bought me a brand new car!  Pride. We all brag, we can’t help it, it’s part of human nature. And with a few strokes on a keyboard I can tell 1000+ people about how great I am. Is the problem Facebook? Or is the problem my pride? Am I spending too much time trying to make others proud of me or trying to prove I’m better than they are? I need to focus on being more humble.

#4. Your friend changes her relationship status. You see a picture of one friend hanging out with another friend without you. You see your coworker is at the beach but she called into work. Your impulse is to gossip. To tell people what you read and react to it. Is Facebook the problem? Or is the problem your gossiping and spreading information. Instead of reading these things and feeling the urge to pass them on I need to focus on myself and my own life. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone, as they say.

So in conclusion all you people will continue to see my ugly mug on Facebook and Instagram. But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to spend my lent trying to better myself. With or without Facebook I need to focus on making myself a better person.

Have a great Lent everyone!

DISNEY SURPRISE

Surprising the kids with our trip to Disney World!                                

I've worked 2 jobs since the year Luke was born, Scott works two jobs as well. We've been saving since I can't even remember how long to take the kids to Disney. 

The accountant in me tells me I should be paying off my student loans, but the Mom in me says "Do it now, while they are young"....the Mom won....it usually does...

We created a treasure hunt for the kids to find the clues that would lead them to their surprise. Here is their journey to the treasure!

Put these special clothes on we promise it won’t be lame,

Mom and dad have hidden a fun prize at the end of this game.

Find the clues to lead you to the treasure,

The riches you will find at the end will be more than you can measure.

#1 Rapunzel had to use this to keep her hair soft and shiny. When she brushed and sang her hair became yellow and bright like sunshiny! 

#2 The Evil Queen saw this on the wall. And said, "Mirror, mirror who is the fairest of them all?” 

#3 You use one of these to sleep on your bed. Surely Aurora had one under her head! 

#4 Snow White bit into this big, shiny red fruit.

What it did to her was not a hoot!  

#5 Lightening McQueen is a really fast car. Now why don't you go get in yours, it’s not far!

#6 Cinderella had a coach, and now you’re in our car. Find the building where it’s kept; you'll get a big, gold star!! 

You did it you've reached the end, that’s no surprise,

Now open the treasure box to reveal your surprise!! 

The Video Reaction Click here: Disney Surprise

My Superhero's Book

I made a book about my little superhero's

Click here to view this photo book larger

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Bible Scavenger Hunt

10 Bible Scavenger Hunt Riddles

 

Look around the Church and find the names of the 10 people from the Bible that match the description below. We have included a Bible verse under each answer to tell you where in the Church to find the answers if you need a clue. Write the answers on the line. When you have found all 10 names return it to the table for a prize.

 

1.       With a rock and with a sling he killed a giant and became king

 

Mathew 7:7 “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”

 

2.       Going to Nineveh was something he didn’t wish to do. The person who ended up in a fish’s bell was who?

 

Galatians 3:27 “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

 

3.       This man was created out of earth. Only person of whom a woman didn’t give birth.

 

Jeremiah 52:32 “He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat of honor higher than those of the other kings who were with him in Babylon.”

 

 

4.       He was a short man Jesus he wanted to see. And so he decided to climb a sycamore tree.

 

Psalm 1:3 “That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither-- whatever they do prospers.”

 

 

5.       He lived on a boat as the water started to rise. Looking at him there were thousands of eyes.

 

Mark 14:22 “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body."

 

 

 

 

6.       This guy built up courage to go to the Pharaoh. And said to the leader “Let my people go”

 

1 Kings 6:8 “The entrance to the lowest floor was on the south side of the temple; a stairway led up to the middle level and from there to the third.”

 

 

7.       This man was set up by over 100 men. And then he was thrown into a lions’ den.

 

Hosea 7:6 “Their hearts are like an oven; they approach him with intrigue. Their passion smolders all night; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.”

 

 

8.       Lived in the wilderness on locusts and honey he fed. Eventually he died after losing his head.

 

John 19:28 “After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.”

 

9.       Became a follower of Jesus as to Damascus he went. He wrote half the books in the New Testament.

 

2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness”

 

 

10.   I don’t know him, I don’t know him, I don’t know him he said. Yet the early church is who he led.

 

Psalm 149:1 “Praise the LORD. Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people.”

 

 

Name:_________________________________________________________________

Please return for your prize J

Answer Key

 

1 – David (church front door)

2 – Jonah (baptismal font)

3 – Adam (Father’s Chair)

4 – Zaccheus (Outside on a tree)

5 – Noah (Communion table)

6 – Moses (stairway door down to community room)

7 – Daniel (oven down stairs)

8 – John the Baptist (water fountain downstairs)

9 – Paul (Pulpit)

10 – Peter (Choir seats)

Christmas Giving - Give Back, Make a Difference

My boss told me the other day that I will probably die poor, but I’m the happiest person he knows. Yeah that pretty much sums up me! Sometimes I probably do give too much, but oh well you only live once right? And what good is money, you can’t take it with you when you die anyways. Christmas is the season for giving.

Tis the season for giving. So in an effort for the Dalton Family to give back I dedicated this weekend as our family give back weekend. It started Friday Luke and Anna helped me bring in food and new toys to their school office for the food/toy drive. Then we went through the closet in our house and got a giant pile of blankets, pillows, sheets and coats for the Hurricane Sandy Relief drive at Geez Louise & Kids Trading Post in Malone.

Saturday we went grocery shopping and bought 8 boxes of cereal and 4 containers of juice for the Catholic Charities Christmas Baskets. We will be dropping them off at the collection box at Ellis Auto on Monday. We also bought candies and frosting for our special project and came home to make 60 gingerbread sugar cookies for the 1^st grade class at CCS. (Ok so this one we get to give and get, YUMMY).

Later that night we did Anna’s special project. Her class is making Christmas Cards for soldiers that can’t be home for the holidays. We decorated it together and had a great time doing it!!

Sunday morning we wrapped Christmas gifts for the public for the Youth Group Fundraiser. Luke’s Sunday school class was making gift baskets for the home bound. His class was asked to bring cranberry sauce and stuffing so we got two things of each. He was very excited to bring them to his class! Anna asked to pick an angel off the tree at church. You have to attach $5 to the angel and they are use to buy poinsettia plants that go to our elderly and home bound parishioners.

Then we finished the weekend by stuffing envelopes to be sent out Monday. The youth group made lovely homemade Christmas cards, ornaments and bookmarks for the home bound, sick and disabled in our area to help make their Christmas a little brighter.

So that concludes our VERY hectic but wonderful give back weekend this holiday season. The kids enjoyed all our activities and it taught them it’s just as nice to give as it is to receive. We hope that they grow up to respect and give back to their communities. It doesn’t take much to give back. Some of our projects cost money, others our time, but each one will hopefully make a difference in someone’s life.

 

Do you have some free time this season? There are a lot of opportunities around town to volunteer and donate. Give back and make a difference.

Pennies from Heaven.....Do you believe??

Pennies from Heaven.....Do you believe??

I don’t know about you, but I always read the pennies from heaven stories in the Dear Abby columns, and think really? It must just be a coincidence that these pennies just appear and people are grasping for meaning. The other day was no exception. There was yet another pennies from heaven letter. After I closed the paper I thought…I just can’t believe angels would leave pennies for people to find.  Wouldn't they show a more meaningful sign? Then I went on with the rest of my day.

After the kids were tucked in bed that night I went to the kitchen for a glass of water before I put on my favorite TV show. On my way to the living room I saw a penny on the kitchen table. I thought it was funny seeing as how I had cleaned the table after dinner, but I figured the kids must have put it there at some point, so I picked it up went to the living room and placed it in our giant Pepsi jar bank that we are currently saving for our trip to Disney. (I had to think of something clever to get the kids to stop asking me WHEN we were going to Disney, so we told them when they filled up the jar they could go, evil I know).  

Later that night I got back up to head to the kitchen. On my way back I noticed a penny in the exact same spot the last one was in. I know there was only one penny there the first time I was sure of it. Never the less I picked it up, shrugged it off and went back to the living room.

The next morning I was getting ready for work and picked up my day planner to see what was going to be going on in the next few days. My day planner is my LIFELINE because my memory is GONE! I write every event, practice, school function down or else I would never make it anywhere. The day planner has NEVER been used to store money. As I opened it up a penny fell out on my lap. I finally decided something had to be going on. So I immediately looked straight up and said…

“Ok, I might believe in pennies from heaven now, but I defiantly don’t believe in $100 bills from heaven”

Unfortunately my mind tricks have not worked on these smart angels and I have no $100 bills yet… it was worth a try though lol

So I guess now I kind of believe in pennies from heaven, but I wish I knew who was sending them. Or maybe I have 3 someone’s, either way it gives me something to think about. I guess I now realize all signs from God don't have to be outlandish and crazy, the little things are just as important, maybe even more so.

Do you have a pennies from heaven story?

For those of you who don’t know the lore: They say when an angel misses you, they toss a penny down from heaven.

 

Homemade Gak Slime

I found this recipe online on how to make homemade gak slime! - Yes it's easier to buy it but a lot more fun to make it!

Materials:

Elmer’s Glue® (8 oz bottle of Elmer’s Glue-All)

Borax (a powdered soap found in the grocery store)

Large mixing bowl

Plastic cup (8 oz size)

Spoon

Measuring cup

Food coloring

Water

Zipper-lock bag (or plastic container) to store it in

Warm Water

This recipe is based on using a brand new 8 oz bottle of Elmer’s Glue. Empty the entire bottle of glue into a mixing bowl. Fill the empty bottle with warm water and shake. Pour the glue-water mixture into the mixing bowl and use the spoon to mix well.

Add a drop or two of food coloring.

Measure 1/2 cup of warm water into the plastic cup and add a teaspoon of Borax powder to the water. Stir the solution – don’t worry if all of the powder dissolves. This Borax solution is the secret linking agent that causes the Elmer’s Glue molecules to turn into slime.

While stirring the glue in the mixing bowl, slowly add a little of the Borax solution. Immediately you’ll feel the long strands of molecules starting to connect. Keep adding the Borax solution to the glue mixture (don’t stop mixing) until you get a perfect batch of gak. You probably wont use all the borax solution unless you want really stiff gak.

When you’re finished playing with your gak, seal it up in a zipper-lock bag or plastic container.