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!

The Waner Foundation & The Hannah Storm Foundation
Are Helping Raise Awareness In Washington D.C.

Hotel accommodations are at the Four Seasons Hotel, 2800 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20007  phone 202-342-0444

Participants need to reference the Hannah Storm Foundation and/or the Waner Children’s Vascular Anomaly Foundation

 Join us on October 23, 2009 as we begin at at the Brookings Institue, 1775 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036 from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m, where we will discuss issues relating to health care and awarness.

 Then we’ll be at the Hogan Law Firm, 555 13^th Street NW Auditorium, Washington, DC 20004 from 12 to 5 p.m., with guest speakers like Dr. Milton Waner, Nicholas Sparks – famous author, and others.

 And last – a cocktail hour at the ESPN Zone, 555 12^th Stret NW, #7, Washington, DC 20004 were we’ll finish off the day.

The goal is to help inform, raise awareness, and educate people on how to advocate for those with vascular anomalies.

Also visit www.wanervascularbithmarkkids.wordpress.com for more information.  Registration is free.

Pass It On!

How many times has taken you by the hand, touch you on the shoulder, or the arm and gave you that little squeeze of reassurance?

It’s hard to believe that something so simple as a squeeze can make someone feel so much better. 

As the girls stood in their circle, arms crossed, hand in hand, they repeated the girl scout signet and each gave the other a squeeze until it had gone full circle.

Today, pass on a small squeeze, a hand, a shoulder, (nothing volgur or out of place) and soon you’ll see it come back full circle and know that you are loved.

The Leaky Balloon

But I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil.
Romans 16:19 NASB

Early one evening, I drove Rebecca–then 14–to meet some girlfriends for a bunking party. But her friends were running late, and as we sat there waiting in a parking lot, God orchestrated a great teaching moment.

We were talking about how she was going to relate to the opposite sex as she got older–about how far she would go sexually with a young man. A water balloon was lying in the console between us; it was stashed ammo from a balloon fight at our home a few days before. Picking it up, I got an idea.

“Let’s say this water balloon is filled with your sexual purity and innocence. This is all you have. How much of it would you want to give away before you’re married?”

“None of it,” she answered. “I want to give it all to my husband!”

Then I put it in teenage terms. “Let’s say a young man comes to you and just wants a little kiss–your first kiss–just a little bit of your innocence.” I held up the balloon and pretended to pierce it with an imaginary needle. Then another boy comes along, and he just wants a little more. Then later on, you fall in love and decide it’s okay to give away even more.”

I paused and looked deeply into her wide eyes. “How much innocence and purity will you have left to give the man you marry?”

“It would be all gone,” she said, “little by little.”

Now I have a question for parents: As you look at how this culture is seducing our teenagers, how do you need to teach and instruct your teens? If you don’t hold the standard high for your children, then who will?

Discuss
As parents, what is your game plan to help your children “be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil”? Talk about one or two convictions that you want to pass on to your children.

PASS IT ON

A great Pastor I know says quite often to his congregation, “We are better together than apart.”  which goes with the old saying of, “Many hands make light work.”

More often than not we run into people trying to handle the difficulties of life on their own, some of which don’t have much of a choice in a situation, and those that do.  Mothers with screaming babies in carts, with toddlers hanging onto the side of the cart, and a grocery list in hand just trying to get enough food for supper that night.  Staring faces, disgruntled seniors telling the woman to take those kids and go, they don’t know why screaming kids have to come to stores or restraraunts.

We have men and women out of work struggling with day to day basics like food, clothing, and shelter.  The cold winds of winter are coming and just a shirt on their back is precious. 

Today, while many of you begin to digg through your winter clothes and prepare for the onset of cold weather, set aside a sweater or two from someone who needs it.  As you walk through a store or sit down at lunch at the local diner, offer a hand to someone who could use one.  Is there that particular person where you work, where you go to school, that always seems to be alone?  Offer your friendship.

All these things go hand and hand.  Life doesn’t have to be as difficult as we make it, we just need to learn to accept the difficulties and the hands that reach out to pull us through them.

PASS IT ON

Every evening, as supper bakes in the oven, I sit down with my seven year old (used to be my six year old) and encourage her to do her homework.  This process can sometimes be discribed as “easier than pulling teeth” for my seven year dislikes school and anything that goes with it, especially homework. 

Most times she’ll cross her arms, stick her nose up in the air, and plainly refuse to do her homework.  Her reasoning, “It’s hard and I don’t want to do it.”  so I say to my seven year old, “Making supper is hard, and how would you feel if I didn’t do it?  You’d be hungry.”  She shruggs.

If we all had the attitude of “it’s hard and I don’t want to do it”, then there would be a lot of disappointed people in the world and a lot of choas.  When my seven year old applies herself, determines what she want’s to accomplish, she can lasso the moon and grab the stars in her hand.  She does this often with her art and creative ideas she applies herself too.  It makes me wonder what her school work would be like if she developed the same attituted toward her school work as her artwork.

Today, is there a task that your dreading?  Homework, Housework, or just work that “it’s hard and I don’t want to do it”?  Change your mind set, do a good job, take your time, and tell yourself that it’s not hard just time consuming and when you’ve completed the task - give yourself a pat on the back.

Encourage a friend to do the same.

Pass It On

There are times when we come upon situations and think, “what kind I do? If anything at all.” so we do nothing and forget we even had the thought of helping.

As a mother of three children my hands are always full.  I’ve learned to adapt and adjust to get by on my own, and sometimes I forget that there are people who are willing to help, if I just ask.  And there are people who offer to help, but I’ve gotton so used to doing things on my own, most of the time I decline their offers and struggle to get by as I always do.

Last week, my day was rough.  No husband to help me, three kids running in different directions, and I’d forgotton my stroller.  (My youngest has been testing her boundrys and running off at the slightest chance.)  Then a friend had happened to bring an extra stroller along with her and offered to share.  She too, was without her husband for the day, and had three children, younger than my own.

Her small offer became a big blessing to me as I put my youngest in the stroller and was able to participate in a picnic lunch that I would have forgone without a stroller to keep my youngest from running away through crowds of poeple. 

What little thing can you do today to help another?  Even with her hands full, my friend was able to do one small thing that helped me alot.   When I was finished with the stroller I returned it, grateful for her help.

That same day, I taught a group of 2 and 3 year old children a similar lesson about a poor woman who gave every last penny she had even the small amount that it may seem to others, ment more than the abundanace given by a rich man.  So do not think what little you can do is worthless and better off ignored.  Think what little you do is significant and bring blessings with small tidings.

Pass It On.

A few days ago a friend passed on this link for not only being helpful to plan meals, but also for helping to save money.  Meal plans are done up weekly, can be based on different diets, and where you shop. 

Due to the difficulties of the economy, I say give it a try, if it really does save me money and time then it’s worth the $5 a month expense for the convience.  I’m sure there are a lot of busy mom’s out there who might agree.

How do you plan your meals?

Pass It On

“God sees our hearts not the dust on our tables.” Brenda told a group of ladies last evening in Jersey Shore, PA.  She encourages us to take a look at our homes from the eyes of a stranger. 

When you walk through the front door, you can tell about the people who live there.  What does your home say about you? 

According to Brenda, “Show them love.”

Today, I challenge you to walk through your home with a set new eyes, what do you see?  Is there love present in your home?  What can you do to make others feel welcome?

“We only have one change to make a first impression- make it joyful (smile) a cheerful look brings joy to the heart.”  Brenda Shumaker from designsforliving.org.

Pass It On.