Pass It On!

The holidays can be stressful enough with all the things we are expected and needed to prepare.  Now, with Thanksgiving only a few short weeks away, many of us are already beginning to think about Christmas and making our list of holiday shopping.

If you haven’t started your list, have vowed that this year you’re not going to spend as much money, or let things get out of control, then I’ve got a solution for you.

a FREE printable HOLIDAY PLANNER by MRsCHADT.  (yep, that’s me).

 Every year I tell myself I’m not going to spend as much money or let the holidays whisk me away into the preparations as much so I can spend more time with my family, yet when each year comes, that is excately what happens.  Over the years I’ve learned to keep track of things by writing them down.

Santa isn’t the only one making list this holiday season and checking them twice, so am I, and so can you.  

Click on the following link to download and print this FREE HOLIDAY PLANNER. 

www.mrschadt.com/freebies.aspx

Let me know what you think, and how your holidays turn out this year. 

Pass it on to freinds, family, and co-works as they too might appreciate a little less stress and a bit of organization this holiday season.

Print it out now, it starts with planning your Thanksgiving and takes you through the New Year.

Happy Holidays,

Millions of People Suffer each year from mood disorders.  This organizer is designed to be an efficient way for mood suffers, such as depression, mania, and bipolar disorder, to summarize a great deal of information about themselves, their lifestyle, and their habits.  From daily notes, to keeping track of appointments, it is all here in this one book waiting for you.

* Complete planning with monthly and weekly grids

* Weekly Medication Charts and Activity List

* Daily I.A.M Score (TM)

* Monthly Tips and Notes of Encouragment

* Address Book

This daily mood organizer will be available on Amazon.com very soon, but in the mean time you can check it out at www.mrschadt.com.

With the holiday’s soon approaching this is the perfect gift for someone who suffers from bipolar disorder, depression, or other mental health challenges.  14 month calendar, meaning you can start using it December 1, 2009. 

Pass It On!

I was eager to read Fearless as I am a big fan of Max Lucado.  I enjoy his children’s books and DVDs (especially Hermie) and was eager to get and read this book.  Unfortunately, it was not what I had imagined.

Looking at the world today, there is a lot of fear.  With the recession, there are fears about losing jobs and fears about retirement.  There are fears regarding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  There are fears about government spending and our country in general.  So rather than write from the heart, it seems like Max wrote what he thought would sell well.  As such, the book was not as enjoyable as I had hoped.

In all fairness to Max, my spouse often gets upset with me because I am fearless.  As such, this book could have been a situation of preaching to the choir.

There were a total of 15 chapters in the book.  Chapter 2 felt like an advertisement for one of his children’s books (and in the last pages, there was an advertisement for the same book).  The first eight chapters were slow reading.  He still had his witty style and included personal anecdotes from himself and others (so as to relate to us and not talk at us), but the substance was missing.  Starting at Chapter 9, things were a bit more interesting.  Chapters 10, 11, 12, and 13 (Death, Seasons of Life, Doubt, and Global Calamity are the topics), in my opinion, are the only parts worth reading.  Actually, throw in Chapter 15 as well, which is more of a half of a chapter and mostly written by a seven-year-old boy named William.

A feature that the book has is study questions in the back so that the book could be used for a class or a small group.  I have not read the questions (mostly out of disgust with the rest of the book), so cannot comment on their effectiveness.  However, if you are looking for a book for your small group written by a well known author, this book may be what you are looking for.

It’s not what I was looking for.

Pass It On, this book hits book shelves today!

 Pictured above is a cute and adorable Sugar Glider, although this pet may not be for anyone, it can be a very great companion.  Unfortunately, there are still four states that do not allow the possession of these exotic animals - Pennsylvania, California, Alaska, and Hawaii.

I recently discovered this pet when looking at options for my oldest daughter, who’d love to have a pet, but due to allergies and asthma in the household is limited to anything without hair and fur. 

We had a pot bellied pig, adopted from a rescue, for eight years before it passed away last fall.  Pigs in the house are like running after your two year old, you always have to be on the look out, plus our neighbor’s didn’t appreciate his finer qualities.

Please join me and help legalize Sugar Gliders in Pennsylvania.  If you live in Pennsylvania, please write to your Pennsylvania State Representative.  You can find them at this link: http://www.pasen.gov/cfdocs/legis/home/find.cfm

Below is a letter I recently wrote on my family’s behalf of getting these cute critters legalized.  Feel free to copy this letter and edit it for the purpose of forwarding it on to your own Pennsylvania State Representative.

Thank you for this help.

Pass It On!!!

Dear Honorable Representative (insert name),

Since 1992, Sugar Gliders have been illegal to possess, breed, or buy and sell in the state of Pennsylvania.  A Sugar Glider, whose scientific name is Petaurus Breviceps, is a small marsupial originally native to eastern and northern mainland Australia, New Guinea, and the Bismarck Archipelago, and introduced to Tasmania.

Outside Australia, Sugar Gliders are a popular domestic pet because of its lively and inquisitive nature.  With plenty of attention (a minimum of 1-2 hours of daily human interaction), it bonds well to human companions.

According to Wikipedia, “as of March 2009, Sugar Gliders are legal to own as domestic house pets in the United States in 47 of the 48 contiguous states, with California being the only exception. In Pennsylvania, they are legal as solely house pets, but breeders require a special permit and there are restrictions on the sale. However, individual U.S. cities may prohibit the keeping of Sugar Gliders.”

Unfortunately this isn’t true.  According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission it is ILLEGAL to posses a Sugar Glider as a house pet, and has been since the chicken pox/monkey pox scare in 1992 when several exotic animals were banned.  Yet, a bird known as a Mock Parrot was allowed to stay and has done far more damage in the United States by destroying power lines and crops.

The number one killer of Sugar Gliders in the United States is toilet bowls.Sugar Gliders pose no threat to the natural species of our state or their habitation.  They are not known to carry disease and bond well with their human companions making them the perfect pet for the elderly and children.  Sugar Gliders are hypo-allergenic due to their stretchy membrane instead of fur and hair like other common household pets.

Due to allergies and asthma running rampid in our family – my husband and my son – we have only ever been able to adopt a pot bellied pig as a pet.  When Harley, our pig, passed away last year, our three children have missed having a pet ever since.  Pigs are not as easily acceptable in town settings as Sugar Gliders.  They do not bond and travel as well as Sugar Gliders, and still pose a small threat to an asthmatic, unlike Sugar Gliders.

When we were recently introduced to having a Sugar Glider as a pet from a family in New Jersey we were excited.  Sugar Gliders would be the perfect family pet for us, and we started to do our research and prepare to bring one in our home.  Except, no one will sell or give us a pair of baby Sugar Gliders because inside Pennsylvania it is illegal to have this cute critter as a house pet.  Yet, if we lived in any state except Pennsylvania or California we’d be allowed to invite a Sugar Glider into our home.

The most recent state to legalize Sugar Gliders was Georgia last year.  Senator John Bulloch, “pulled a Sugar Glider from his pocket on the Senate floor as he pitched a bill that would allow Georgians to keep these critters—like mini flying squirrels - as house pets.  It proceeded to walk around his arm as he addressed the assembled senators, who subsequently passed the measure 53-0.”  (As published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on 3/6/08.)

According to Jason Delkoski, Chief Technical Supervisor of the PA Wildlife Commission, whom I spoke with on Tuesday (August 11, 2009) in Harrisburg, it has been sitting on their desk for quite some time for Sugar Gliders to be legalized as house pets, but unfortunately no State Representative has picked up the bill and ran with it to legislation.

I’m asking you to please help present and pass a bill to legalize Sugar Gliders in Pennsylvania.  Not only for my own family, but for other families in Pennsylvania who could otherwise never enjoy the experience of having a pet in their home.

Thank you for your support,

(your name)

Meals on Wheels is a program ran in many countys across the United States that provides meals to shut-ins.  Most often, it is the elderly and disabled.

I found myself several times in the last few weeks providing meals on wheels to family in my local church, MOPS group, and friends who have had a need for a meal.

As a MOPS mom for the past seven years, I have provided many a meal for moms who have had babies.  I’ve been on the receiveing end of those meals as well.  I’ve seen exhausted, spent, healing people smile and be uplifted through their ordeal because someone thought enough to bring them supper.

Today, who do you know that could use a meal on wheels?  Are they getting out of the hospital?  Just had a baby? Or is their family haveing a tough time financially and a good meal on the table would be a blessing?

It doesn’t have to be fancy.  You could be like me and grab a premade lasagna and heat it up, add some garlic bread, a bagged salad (make sure you check the bag of salad so it’s not brown inside), and perhaps a box of cookies.

Pass It On

Yesterday morning, during devotionals at the Saint David’s Christian Conference, the last hymnal we sang was entitled, “Pass It On”.

Today, I thought I would share with you the words to this song to bring you encouragement.

 It only takes a spark to get a fire going,

and soon all those around can warm up in its glowing;

That’s how it is with God’s love,

Once you’ve experieced it,

Your spread the love to everyone

You want to pass it on

What a wondrous time is spring,

When all the trees are budding

The birds begin to sing, the flowers start their blooming;

That’s how it is with God’s love,

Once you’ve expereinced it.

You want to sing, it’s fresh like spring,

You want to pass it on

I wish for you my friend

this happiness that I’ve found;

you can depend on God

It matters not where you’re bound,

I’ll shout it from the mountain top - PRAISE GOD!

I want to know the world

The Lord of love has come to me

I want to pass it on.

I’ll shout it from the mountain top - PRAISE GOD!

I want the world to know

The Lord of love has come to me

I want to pass it on.

(author unknown)

Today, as you read this post, imagine the music to the words of this hymn.  Pass It On.

One of my favorite past times is to read.  Recently, I just finished Robert Whitlow’s book called Higher Hope.  Although, I had not read the first novel in his Tides of Truth series, I found Higher Hope to be engaging and easy to follow without the background and plot build up from the first novel.

Your ghetto type minister trying to save the world, corporate big wigs, and newbie lawyers fill the pages of Higher Hope.  Yet, what kept me turning the page was Whitlow’s intertwining words that kept spinning Christianity into every situation and using a young woman as an example of how inside and outside world filled with corruption - Christians still have their place and hold a high standing in society.

Tami Taylor comes from a small town background, but she enters an internship for a law firm in Savannah.  She’s torn between two male friendships, all the while some woman preacher is out to save a man who wants to tear down a little ghetto church.

Tami’s beliefs help hold her position at the law firm and even though she doesn’t notice it - she’s planting seeds of God’s love where ever she goes. 

The story isn’t over, and I’m waiting for the next book to see what future Tami Taylor has in store for her.

Higher Hope

Pass It On

One of my summer past times is to go yard sales on the weekends.  I love finding clothing, toys, games, and books for my family that someone else no longer needs and passes on to another for a great price.

Two weekends ago, while visiting my family, I took my kids, my mother, and my sister and brother-in-law to a community yard sale event.  Not only did I get to spend time with my family, I find a large round basket perfect for keeping my yarn supplies for crochet.  My old basket had gotten broken from the kids playing with it, and this one was perfect - for just a dollar!!

While there was nothing else at that particular yard sale I needed or wanted, I watched other people walk around and scout through stuff.  I walked up to the owner and dug into my wallet for a dollar and came up with a ten dollar bill.  I apologized to the owner for having to make change for my ten, and while he shuffled through his cash a stranger walked up behind me.

This stranger handed over one dollar and paid for my basket.  He said, “here I’ve got it.” When I turned towards the man to thank him, he waved his hand and walked away.

Today, pass on the gift of kindness to a stranger.  When you are out and about during the day, stop and open a door for a stranger, say hello and give a kind smile to a stranger, or lend a dollar if you have it and someone else is short.

Poison Ivy has inflicted my six year old now for almost a week.  What started out on the knee cap has spread to every part of her little body - including the right side of her face.

It itches something fierce.

For the past week I have been lathering that little body with anti-itch and Calamine lotion, not to mention a good dose of Benadryl to heal the poison ivy from the inside.  Unfortunately, all that didn’t work and we ended up going to visit the family doctor, who put my six year old on steroids to get rid of the poison ivy.

Where could my six year old have gotten poison ivy?  My best guess is playing soccer at the soccer field during a practice.  The soccer field is filled with tall pine trees that the kids love to hide in and get inside to climb.  Of course, as a mother, I repeatly tell me children to stay out of the trees.  Like most kids, my six year didn’t listen to me.

Some of the best lessons we learn in life are the hardest, and most often we learn them because we failed to take the advice from a loved one who had our best interest at heart.  When I instructed my six year old to stay out of the trees, I didn’t know then that there was poison ivy at the base.  I was merely passing on sound advice and guidance to my child.

Today, what patch of poison ivy have you gotten into?  What did you do to relieve the itching?

Where ever I go lately I have been hearing about the reality show about Jon & Kate Plus 8.  Personally I have never watched this show and have no interest in watching it.  Why?  Because for one, I rarely watch tv, and two, I found little family values incorporated in this show.  I am sure there are those of you who would happily argue with me.

This past week, I have heard from the mouths of friends, radio, grocery store magazine racks, and strangers on the street their feelings on the impending break up of this husband and wife.  Marriage is a lot of work to keep a relationship going, add the stress of children (lots of children), and then add the media watching your every move, is a herendous undertaking to keep a family functioning and a husband and wife communicating.

I got to thinking the other day, after hearing another blurb on the radio about Jon & Kate Plus 8.  A woman, a frequent and faithful viewer, talked to defend the husband Jon and cut Kate to shreds verbally.  She’s not the only one, there are tons of blogs, discussions, articles, and gossip flying about Jon and Kate.

 But, for a moment I sat in my vehicle after coming home from a soccer game last night and imagined myself having a conversation with Kate.   The conversation was more like a round of questions:

Where is God in your marriage?  What kind of values are you teaching your children? Is being on a reality tv show really the best thing for your family?  Is having fortune and fame worth the price of tearing apart a family?

Money, fame, popularity have a way of changing people.  Divorce is often the cause of finances as aposed to anything else.

Today, how is your marriage or relationship with your partner?  Are you like Jon and Kate, only without the camera crew?  No matter where you are in your marriage, look to those who can mentor you, guide you, and help you build a stable and loving foundation to keep your marriage together.  A mentoring couple, like those being married 10 to 15 years, can pass on to you the tools, skills, and understanding of going through the hard times, and appreciating the blessing of the good.

What kind of show would you like to see Jon and Kate become….. one that falls apart or one that builds a loving, stable, relationship between husband and wife and reflects on their children?