Heck Of A Bunch

Thursday, April 25, 2019

Power of Prayer Thursdays - Week 168

I believe in a God that hears prayers and answers them. I've witnessed the miraculous gift of answered prayer. And, I want to pray for you. I've started weekly Power of Prayer post every Thursday. We are now on week 168. If you are needing prayer in an area of your life, please leave a comment and I'll commit to pray for your need or request. You can be as general or as specific as you like. Whether it be for healing, salvation, finances, emotions, or another area of life, I'd like to lift it up in prayer.

"Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
–Mark 14:38

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

Wordful Wednesday: Crossing Women's Camp 2019

selfie

Last year was the first annual Crossing Women's Camp through our church. I had such a good time that I immediately signed up when it was time to this year. A couple weeks ago I spent Friday night and part of Saturday there with about 50 other women, and I'm already wanting to go back.

Friday night's supper of Parmesan crusted chicken, spaghetti with sauce, and breadsticks

I felt like I'd been transported back to my 12 year old self, being sent away to church camp. Exploring a new world and meeting new friends. I was waiting for someone to break out the autograph books. But, rather than getting to stay a week, we got less than 24 hours. That's what we get for being adults with responsibilities.

Me, Allyson, and Amanda (Jason's ex-wife)

Goes to show that exes can get along and become "family" (and wear matching shirts!)

One side of the housing building was for bunkers who wanted to get an early start at bed. Very few gals opted for the 10 pm "Lights Out" option. Which meant the other side (where I stayed) housed the rest of the women. Bunks were lined up in prison formation. Us late-nighters were up till 1 a.m., when the "room mother" shut off the lights.

My bunk bed

I slept on the bottom

Tisha sportin' a fur coat that was passed around quite a bit.

Karaoke was an absolute blast. I didn't sing but made one heck of a backup dancer.

Rhonda belting out a song

The scenery of the entire place was so serene and peaceful. Although our time was spent worshiping God and doing devotionals, there was also a lot of time for fellowship. Campers had options to make a t-shirt tote bag, play board games, sing karaoke, roller skate, and go on prayer hikes.

beautiful scenery

dining hall

This year had about half of the attendance of last year. I actually liked the smaller group better. It seems that gave us the opportunity to intermingle with other campuses and make more connections. My only complaint about the entire experience was that it didn't last long enough. I'm voting for another one in the fall.

Did you ever attend church camp as a kid? Or as an adult?

roller skating in the gym

Balsam Hill's Sunshine Sale

Balsam Hill is mainly known for their Christmas trees, wreaths and home decor. But, the company also carries faux florals that would brighten up any home during Spring and Summer.

Balsam Hill is bringing you great deals and huge savings with their Sunshine Sale. During this sale, receive up to 30% off your favorite florals and plants with free shipping on all items until April 30.

This post contains affiliate links. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ.

The Craft of Faith: Subscription Craft Box - Review and Giveaway

Subscription boxes are all the rage right now. People seem to love the idea of receiving themed boxes in the mail every month. One such company is The Craft of Faith, a religious subscription craft box for children ages 5 to 10. It officially launched in March.

Each monthly box includes four unique crafts - one for the Old Testament, one for the New Testament, one for Proverbs, and one for Psalms. Each craft is individually packaged and arrives in a box that's designed with illustrations and Bible verses. With each craft is an instruction card that shows a picture of the completed craft and the scripture on which it is based.

individually packaged crafts and a package of crayons

The Craft of Faith is a monthly subscription box services but it can be paused or cancelled at any time. If you have more than one child, you can choose to purchase Sibling Boxes so each kid gets the same craft to do each month. In other words, both brother and sister can get a box that includes all four of the same crafts for each kid so they can work on the same projects without having to share.

"But Seek" binoculars craft with instructions sheet

The four different craft projects I received were:

"But Seek" binoculars craft

"A Happy Heart" puzzle craft

"In the Beginning" photo frame craft

"The Lord is My Shepherd" shadow box craft

I liken the crafts to something a child may do in Sunday School or at Vacation Bible School. They're fun to put together and the instructions are easy to follow. Tape, glue and scissors are additional materials that will need to be on hand. I think this is a fun and educational way to incorporate scripture and faith into a child's life.

Win It!

One person will win one The Craft of Faith Subscription Box.

*This is a Rafflecopter giveaway open to residents of the USA.*

I received products for review. The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ.
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Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Random Tuesday Thoughts - Easter and Biopsies

Got to visit Chippy on Saturday. He's still an ugly dog with an attitude. But, for some reason, he intrigues me.

You know I'm a big fan of Random Tuesday Thoughts, hosted by Stacy Uncorked. If you're a fan of randomness, link up and play along.

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Hangin' with Millard the Bunny

Millard had her picture taken a lot at church. She deserves tons of carrots for that.

Easter was kinda non-traditional for me. The kids are grown and were either working or doing their thing, so I attended two church services and went to hang with friends. Jason had to work all weekend, so he got to hear the church sermon five times. I'm thinkin' he should have it memorized!

Me and Alaina

My bestie, Alaina, was in town for the weekend so I visited with her on Saturday. Then she had me over for Easter lunch with her family. I tend to overeat on the holidays. There's just so many delicious food choices.

Easter lunch

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Deluxe Club Sandwich from Village Inn

As if I wasn't already full from lunch, I got together with another friend for supper at Village Inn.

I was super happy to know that a work friend invited Adam to church and for Easter lunch afterwards. Being 11 hours away from family can be hard during the holidays and I was kinda worried how he'd hold up on his first holiday alone. I know he's a grown boy, but he's still my boy.

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our potential home

Pending that all things work out, me and Jason will be buying and living in our first "officially ours" home at the end of May. We've rented since we've been together and just recently started house hunting. We didn't get anything extra big or fancy (don't want the huge payment or the extra cleaning) but it's a nice place with 2 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, 2-car garage, and a furnished basement.

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I went into the dermatologist yesterday thinking it was going to be routine follow-up. Instead it turned out to be a scrape biopsy on my elbow and a punch hole biopsy on my face with two stitches. I get to sport a band-aid on my mug for ten days. He wants to rule out cancer and lupus since all the creams and pills I've been taken haven't cleared up my skin.

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What's your randomness for the week?

What did you do for Easter?

We Are the Gardeners - Children's Book Review and Giveaway

Book Overview:

*Ages 4-8

*You and your children can learn all about the Gaines family's story of becoming gardeners in Joanna's first children’s book—starting with the first little fern Chip bought for Jo. Over the years, the family's love for gardening blossomed into what is now a beautiful, bustling garden.

*Julianna Swaney’s illustrations bring the Gaines family garden to life with colorful, whimsical watercolors and invite you to enjoy the beauty of a thriving garden.

My Review:

You may be familiar with Chip and Joanna Gaines of "Fixer Upper" television fame. They are also well known for their products and designs on Magnolia. I'm not an ultimate fangirl of the couple but am somewhat familiar with their celebrity status and personal life.

Joanna Gaines, along with her children, have debuted a new children's book that came out in March 2019. This hardcover book has several enlightening messages. One is that you shouldn't give up on something even if it seems like a failure. You should believe in yourself and your efforts. The second takeaway is a general idea of how gardening works. Kids will learn that ladybugs protect plants from harm and that weeks can ruin plants if not taken care of quickly. Another story notation is that the family is working together to cultivate gardens and love. The similarities between the messages are woven together quite nicely.

Win It!

One person will win We Are the Gardeners children's book.

*This is a Rafflecopter giveaway open to residents of the USA.*

I received book for review from Tommy Nelson. The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ.
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Dylan's Candy Bar: Mother's Day Promotion

Mom's the word! It's time to announce the Dylan's Candy Bar MOTHER'S DAY 2019 COLLECTION and you can get your first look now.

Mother's Day savings are going on right now. Receive 25% OFF at Dylan's Candy Bar. Use code MOMQ2 to save on sweets for Mom from now until May 5, 2019.