Easter this year is: Sunday March 23, 2008

<>As you may know, Easter is always the 1st Sunday after the 1st full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March 20).

This dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that Hebrew people used to identify Passover, which is why it moves around on our Roman calendar.

Found out a couple of things you might be interested in! Based on the above, Easter can actually be one day earlier (March 22) but that is pretty rare. This year is the earliest Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives! And only the most elderly of our population have ever seen it this early (95 years old or above!). And none of us have ever, or will ever, see it a day earlier! Here are the facts:

<> * The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228 (220 years from now). The last time it was this early was 1913 (so if you're 95 or older, you are the only ones that were around for that!).

* The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now). The last time it was on March 22 was 1818. So, no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than this year!

Hope you all have a Blessed Easter!

MORE INFO HERE!

Quote by Patrick Kallestad, ReignDown USA

"All too often the church has been so quick to judge others before they look closely at themselves and the division that creates. We believe, as Christians, we need to be the first to say "I'm Sorry" for passing judgment and remember to love our brothers and sisters first and foremost."

A Dime to Call Home

by Marianne Coyne

For those of us who grew up in the fifties and sixties, we may remember the traditional dime to call home. When I was a young girl, my mother always made sure that no matter where I was , I had a dime to call home. As I reached the teenage years, venturing out into the world of school plays, church dances, and the exciting, yet daunting world of dating, my parents impressed upon me the importance of that little dime.

It was the silver cord which could connect me to them at anytime; the life line between me and the safety and care of my home and family. "Here's a dime, my mother would say. "If you need to come home, just call us and we will come for you.” I would tuck the little dime safely into my coin purse, and off I'd go into the world beyond. I suppose I never really thought of having to use it, but I think it was a comfort to know it was there. If I ever needed or wanted to contact my parents, I could. The sole purpose of that little dime was to connect me with my parents who loved me more than anyone, and wanted me safe and secure. If, while out, I spent the dime on something other than its particular purpose, my parents would say, "Why did you spend that dime? It's there for an emergency. What if you needed to call us and you couldn't!"

One day I was reminded of the dime, and I thought of its analogous representation for Christ, whose sole purpose is to connect us to our heavenly Father. Our Divine Parent gave us Christ to be tucked away securely within our hearts; ready to connect us whenever needed to His Father and ours. But unlike the dime our earthly parents gave to us, Christ is not meant to connect us in time of need only. We have a Parent who wants us to "call home" at all times; for guidance, understanding, safety, and above all, love. He is a Parent waiting and willing to come to where we are and take us home no matter what the circumstance or conditions. He is a Parent who patiently gives us His love, His gifts, His very Self. And the "dime" He has given us is perpetual; not one, which when used once, needs to be replaced.

Throughout the Gospels we hear of all those who used that precious Dime to call home to God, and their Father came and took them back from wherever situations led them; from disease and failure, and even from death. Whenever they looked to Christ, they were given the safety, security, and peace of their Father. A fringe of His robe, a touch of His hand, a word from His mouth was the "dime".

We had faith in the little dime given to us by our parents. The cell phone generation may not understand the significance of the dime, but I pray they understand the significance of Christ. So the next time we go forth into the world of a new day, and our Parent asks us if we have our Dime to call home, I hope we can say, "Yes, Father, He's right here, safely tucked in my heart."

copyright©2008 Marianne Coyne

The History of Valentine's Day

Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day -- and its patron saint -- is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.

READ MORE HERE!!!

QUOTE by Billy Ray Cyrus

"I am at peace with my life—past, present and future," he says. "I know all things that are good come from Almighty God above. I count my blessings every single day. Every day I pray God will show me the doors He wants me to walk through, the people He wants me to talk to, the songs He wants me to sing. I want to be the light He wants me to be in this world."

Happy Valentine's Day

1 Corinthians 13: 4-8

• 13:4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

• 13:5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

• 13:6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

• 13:7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

• 13:8 Love never fails.

•

The Long Way Home

by: Marianne Coyne

Two weeks ago I decided to start walking. I'm not a fan of exercise for the most part, but walking is something I can actually do without feeling like I'm torturing myself. I like the distraction of the chirping birds, the sound of the breeze in the trees, and the cool air caressing and encouraging me along. Since I had been sedentary for most of the past summer and autumn, I thought walking would be a good way to build up my depleting stamina and muscle tone. So off I ventured with vim and confidence into the fond world of mazes called the "subdivision". I even decided to explore parts of the new neighborhood I hadn't in previous walking ventures. On my return home I was thrilled and proud of myself to discover I had walked for forty-five minutes the first day (It doesn't take much to thrill me). I was on my way to better health!

On the third day, however, while returning home, my confidence level and rare sense of adventure tempted me to try a different road. It seemed logical to me that it would take me to my destination, until I realized that I was headed in the opposite direction. I decided not to worry (another rare moment). I'll just turn here and I'll be back on the right track. I couldn't have been more wrong. I ended up in a maze of winding streets, most of which were labeled "no outlet". I walked and walked, trying my best to keep my composure, but to no avail; each street I turned down seemed to mock my efforts. My body was "telling" me it was long past my forty-five minute jaunt. I was tired, thirst began to rear it's nagging head, and I had not a hint of being closer to home. At this point I started to - how should I say this; oh yes – panic! "I don't know where I am", I let out in a voice of despair. Then I caught hold of myself and said, "You don't know where you are, but God does, and so does that vulture flying overhead". And for some bizarre reason it comforted me to know that Someone and something could see the bigger picture that was hidden from me. Pulling on that strength, and walking a bit longer, I finally came full circle to the street which led home. As I approached my destination I was tempted to look back - and I thought, "No, don't be like the Israelites in the desert. Don't look back. Just keep looking forward".

As I walked in faith that day, I was reminded how similar my situation was to Life. Walking along our merry way through life we may become over confident with ourselves and take a wrong "turn"; or perhaps we decide to take a risk we normally would never take, only to find ourselves on an unknown path which seems to take us farther and farther from our original purpose and perfect goal. Our own recovery efforts seem to fail, leaving us with the "I don't know where I am" sick feeling in the pit of our being. But God always knows where we are. He never loses sight of us or our purpose in life. He's patient enough to wait for us to reach out to Him, and loving enough not to gloat over us in our eventual humbled state. Once we remember that and make the decision to call upon Him, He is more than able to put us back on the right path. We may be worn out from the ill-guided journey, but even in that, our beloved Father is able to renew us back to strength and confidence; a confidence in ourselves through Him. Though once we're returned onto the right path in life, we mustn't keep looking back. Let's just be aware we've come a long way without the temptation to turn our heads. Keep looking ahead.

Now when I walk, I think of it as I would life's journey. I don't look back to see how far I've come, (at least not more than once), and I don't look too far up the road that I become overwhelmed. I just look far enough ahead where I'm still in the present. It keeps up my stamina and it's so much healthier in every way. Oh, and if I decide to be a little adventurous, I read the signs more carefully before turning down an unknown road, and I make sure I take along my Supreme Compass.

Copyright©2008Marianne Coyne

Minnie Pauz; If you don't get it, you ain't there yet!

GET THE HUMOR HERE!

Dr. Erika

Listen to your body, take responsibility & live healthy.
DrErika knows that women can be strong, smart, and healthy. Thirty years of clinical experience has taught her how to be a true healer through education, solid science, kindness to her patients and giving them the power.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE!

Deep Thoughts

Mud Pie

Look for Some Laughter

"Look for some laughter in your days, and that, along with God's strength, will give you a reason to smile even during the gray days...."

Carla Foote
Executive Editor, MomSense Magazine

Beware of Farm Animals!

Sometimes we just have to laugh at what our children say in public settings. Elaina Ramona recounts an amusing incident at the bank, when the word her toddler kept repeating loudly sounded like "bomb".

CLICK HERE TO READ HER STORY!

5 Stepmom Tips for Staying Sane

by: Rose Alexander

With the divorce rate hovering around fifty percent, more families than ever before will have to adjust to new stepmoms as divorced singles enter second marriages with children from their first unions. This role can be challenging, as many women will admit. Raising another woman’s children is often considered a thankless task and stepmom tips from those who understand may be needed. Trying circumstances and confused loyalties may lead the fragile new family to the brink of divorce. The five guidelines outlined in this article offer practical suggestions to help new stepmoms come to terms with their expanding family dynamics. While it may seem as though anyone can become a stepparent with ease, the truth is that a majority of new stepmoms require and appreciate guidance in acclimating to their new parenting role. These five stepmom tips will help.

READ TIPS HERE!

God is Your Loving Father and Helper; Blending A Family Ministry

Regardless of how difficult, or how many issues your family may be facing, God is with you and is on your side! Consider these scriptures: John 1: 12-13 states, �Yet to all who received Him (Jesus), to those who believed in His name, he gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent,[3] nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. (Though we all fall short of God�s glory, Jesus redeemed us back to our loving Father!) John 10: 10 reads, �The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I (Jesus) have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.� (Jesus came to show us how to overcome and have abundant life!) Deuteronomy 20: 4 says, �For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory." (You are an OVER COMER when you follow God�s leading!) Jeremiah 29: 11 states, ��For I know the plans I have for you,� declares the LORD , �plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.�� (He has a plan for you and your new family � it is a plan of success!) Hosea 4: 6 says, �My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.� (Our families fail for the same reason!) Luke 3: 23 reads, �Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph� (Jesus grew up in a stepfamily environment�Joseph is a role model for us today!) Colossians 3: 21 (Amplified Bible )states, "Fathers, do not provoke or irritate or fret your children [do not be hard on them or harass them], lest they become discouraged and sullen and morose and feel inferior and frustrated. [Do not break their spirit.]" (Parents can overwhelm and overburden their children - expecting too much too soon, and cause them to pull away from them, and the family.)

Are There Dry Bones in Your Family?

by Moe Becnel

One of the most intriguing passages to me in the Old Testament is found in Ezekiel Chapter 37. It is when the prophet Ezekiel has a spirtual encounter with God, and God takes him to a valley of dead, dry bones.

READ MORE HERE!

Step Families

Beverly Bliss, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist, Madison, WI

---

Statistics

The Statistics Are Staggering:

One out of two marriages ends in divorce. Sixty percent of second marriages fail, according to the U.S. Census Bureau 66% of marriages and living together situations end in break up, when children are actively involved, according to Stepfamily Foundation statistics. It is predicted that 50% of children in the US will go through a divorce before they are 18. Approximately half of all Americans are currently involved in some form of step relationship. By the year 2000, according to the Census Bureau, more Americans will be living in step families than in nuclear families.

In his 1994 study, "The Changing Character of Stepfamilies," Professor of Sociology Larry L. Bumpass of the University of Wisconsin challenges the common perception that the stepfamily is defined by marriage. His research states that:

• About half of the 60 million children under the age of thirteen in this country are currently living with one biological parent and that parent's current partner.
• Nearly half of all women, not just mothers, are likely to live in a stepfamily relationship, when we include living-together families in our definition of the stepfamily.

Therefore, we have already become a nation of step-relating individuals.

However, most graduate schools of psychiatry, psychology, and social work provide no specific training in dealing with these particular dynamics of stepfamilies. Often, the methods and information appropriate to the nuclear family can be destructive . . . if applied to the highly specific dynamics of the stepfamily system.

According to Elizabeth Carter, ACSW, Family Institute of Westchester, "Our culture provides no guidelines . .. It is our experience that this is one of the most difficult transitions for families to negotiate." Carter continues, "Our cultural forms, rituals and assumptions still relate chiefly to the intact, first marriage family, and the most ordinary event, such as filling out a form or celebrating a holiday, can become a source of acute embarrassment or discomfort for members of remarried families."

GOOD INFO HERE!.....CLICK.....

Stepparenting Without Guilt Tips

by: Maurine Doerken, MS, MA, MFT

1) Be prepared from the beginning that stepfamilies do not function the same as intact, nuclear families. There can be a lot of adjustments to work through, both practical and emotional.

2) Good stepfamily relationships can exist without love. They do, however, require consistency and trust. Fairness goes a long way toward earning respect.

3) Question the natural parent when he or she promises “to take care of everything.” No matter how sincere and well intentioned your future spouse may be, it may not work out that way in day-to-day stepfamily reality.

4) Stepparenting (and biological parenting) are not about winning a popularity contest. They are about doing the job that is called for, and sometimes that job is tough.

5) Know the virtue and necessity of accepting what you cannot change and work from there. Do not try to “fix” everything all at once. Sometimes with stepparenting less can be more.

6) Playing “Who’s to Blame?” is a no-win situation in stepfamilies. It only serves to fuel further antagonism between stepfamily members rather than fostering mutuality and compromise.

7) Your stepfamily may experience a lot of emotional reactivity because members can hurt in a lot of places. Often it is both useful and important to take a deep breath and count to ten before responding.

8) There is a point where your biological children come first, and this has nothing to do with being a “mean” or “wicked” stepparent. You do not have to save your stepchildren at the expense of your own off-spring.

9) If you honestly and sincerely cannot deal with your stepchild, do not lie to yourself that you can. Accept your limitations and work from there.

10) The greatest gift you can give your stepchild (or child) is permission to be happy in both homes. We do not all have to act or think the same way, and learning how to honor differences is vital to this way of life.

STEP-FAMILY INFO!

CHECK OUT THIS SITE FOR MORE INFORMATION!

Some Questions and Answers Concerning Step-Families

1) Even though you may not be able to be fully available to your children,
as a couple, you should establish regular private time together away from
the children.

This is TRUE because the surest way to make your stepfamily strong is to make your
relationship strong. You need to nurture your relationship so it can weather the storms of
stepfamily life.

2) It is advisable not to talk too much with children about the pre-divorce
family since this arouses sad feelings.

This is FALSE because kids need to be allowed to grieve for the biological family. Grieving entails feelings of both sadness and anger. The more kids are encouraged to feel these feelings, the sooner they will move past grief and open to accepting the new family.

3) It is advisable for stepparents, right from the start, to begin to participate
in the discipline of their stepchildren.

This is FALSE except where very young children are involved. A child is more likely to accept a stepparent if he or she starts out acting like a kindly aunt or uncle- supportive and helpful.

4) Children often misbehave when they return from being with their other biological parent and this is normal.

This is all too TRUE. Allowing the kids “space” to adjust to the changes works best.

5) It is important for family members to do most things together so as to
develop a strong family bond.

This is FALSE. While it is good to do some things together, strong stepfamily bonds are forged when stepparents and stepchildren spend alone time together and the couple enjoys alone time, too.

6) It is difficult for a stepchild to bond with a stepparent if their biological parent disapproves.

This is unfortunately TRUE. Children are most concerned that they don't lose the love of a biological parent.

7) After an initial adjustment period, family members will begin to love one another.

This is FALSE because family members may or may not eventually love each other.
Love sometimes comes at the beginning but it just as likely may take a long time, if at all.

8) The average time it takes for a blended family to develop a sense of family is about one year.

This is FALSE because the average time it takes runs anywhere from 3 to 7 years.

9) A good rule of thumb is to keep standards for behavior high but expectations, low.

This is TRUE. Keeping standards for behavior high means that you let the kids know that while you can't force them to love the stepfamily members, you can insist that they treat them with respect. Expectations refers to expecting the kids to open their hearts.

10) If you have different house rules from your ex, this will hurt the children.

This is FALSE because the children need good solid discipline. If they aren't receiving it at the other parent's house, at least they can receive it at yours.

Raising Great Kids: Kids can Thrive in Blended Families

My family is a blended family; His, Mine, and Ours!! I found it important to love my stepchildren as if they belonged to me. And each has their own personality and way of looking at things; so keeping all of this in mind plays a big role in how to be with each one. But LOVE can be THE big factor in blending it all together. Well, it was for my family. I suppose every blended family is different.

I'll never forget the day when my youngest son was about 3 years old and had just discovered that his older brother had a different mother. He said to me with this concerned look on his face, "Are you not mommy anymore?", like I wasn't going to be his mother anylonger either. That was when I sat him down and explained everything to him. His next reply; "I WANT A STEPMOM, TOO!"

Here's an article that might be of assistance.
CLICK HERE!