The God Bless Girl Goes To Print!

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The God Bless Girl

Many people have requested that I publish The God Bless Girl e-book version in print. So everybody with me now - Jump for Joy!  The paperback version of The God Bless Girl is now available!

A few people have asked me how I got the idea for this book.  Actually, I wrote, edited, and formatted the text, but I am not sure I can say it was all my idea.   I think God gave me book as a message to Christians in America before it is too late.

“…ignorance births intolerance, intolerance leads to bigotry, and bigotry breeds hate.”  - quote from 5th chapter of book

Each chapter in the book came to me in different nightly dreams when I was recovering from back surgery in 2015.  When I re-dreamed the first chapter and then another one, I decided it must be God trying to tell me something.  As I lay awake in bed, I prayed about it and then felt I was supposed to write the stories down.  I could not sit up to write or type, so I had my laptop placed on my stomach in order to make notes of key things I could remember from the different dreams.  Just doing that wore me out! 

After I recovered enough from surgery to sit in a chair at my desk for a long period of time, I was able to work on my laptop some each day.  I reviewed the typed notes, prayed some more, and begin writing a chapter a day.  I was amazed how quickly and vividly God brought the images and words back to me.  Once I had the draft of the book written, I asked a few people to read it over to make sure it flowed well, was easy-to-read and understand, and that religious references from various backgrounds were accurate.  That led to several days to do the final steps of:  minor edits, grammar rechecks, formatting, and multiple uploads/reviews of the e-book to get it right.  Of course, all of those final four steps had to be repeated for a print version (which took 2 days this time). 

“…anyone that uses profanity as an adjective is showing their lack of vocabulary…” - quote from 3^rd chapter of book

Note to potential readers and buyers please understand that the paperback book costs more on Amazon than the e-book because it costs more to print and mail paperback books than it does for digital delivery. I get   very little from the book sales.  Since I feel this was a message from God to Americans, I plan to give any profits from book sales to Christian ministries.  The book is out there so that the words I was given in my dreams can be shared with anyone.  Please buy a copy for yourself and also share the book with others (buying 5 copies or bundling with other books can get you free shipping).

Visit The Good Bless Girl book webpage to download, print, and share: flyer, slide, and (coming soon) images for social media.  To quickly view and buy, go to Amazon.  You may also want to follow @TheGodBlessGirl on Twitter.

Big Red Tractor as Church Analogy

Below is a video short for the children’s book The Big Red Tractor and the Little Village by Frances Chan.  Recently I viewed a one of his lessons from Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit.  In this lesson, the author (who is also a minister) compared his children’s story to the modern day Christian Church.  In his analogy, the church (townspeople) is always “pushing” things (tractor) just to try to survive by taking care of their own and fitting in with the world rather than reading and following the owner’s manual (Bible) and doing as directed there.  The Church should be unstoppable by recognizing the spirit and helping  more people.

Eighteen Plus Treats Kids Can Make From Favorite Cereals

Do you need something for children to do while out of school for the summer?  How about putting them to work in the kitchen making their own treats?  I noticed that cereals have become toppings on cupcakes, cookies (more cookies), or ice cream and remembered when I used to make bars of Rice Krispies with my son.  He loved the homemade version much better than the stale store-bought.  He also liked shaking up the bag for Chex Muddy Buddies.   With this thought in mind, I decide to look for recipes using assorted cereals that children could make on their own or help with making.  I think he would have also loved the idea of a faux crumble on his morning muffins simply done by sprinkling cereal on top of the muffins before that are put in the oven to bake.

I searched the web for recipes and have included the links below along with personal tips, ingredient hints, or warnings.  The recipes are divided into different groups.  Younger children recipes contain no-cook recipes or ones where microwave is used to melt ingredients by parent or caregiver. Older children recipes may require cooking on the stove or in the oven, also may contain no-cook recipes that are more difficult and time-consuming than younger children have the patience or attention span to do.  However, there are no recipes below where cereal is simply used as a topping; I think most kids can figure that one out on their own.  You should decide which age and skill category your children fall into by checking out the recipe beforehand.

Younger Children Recipes:

1.       Traditional Rice Krispies Treat  (while it is ok to substitute Fruity Pebbles for Rice Krispies for a more colorful treat, it would be yucky rather than yummy if you substitute fruit-flavored marshmallows for plain)

2.       Avalanche Cookies – no-bake made with Rice Krispies, marshmallows, peanut butter, and chocolate

3.       Traditional Chex Muddy Buddies (aka Puppy Chow – I used only corn flavor as it was the most sweet flavor so they seemed more like candy to my many nieces and nephews.)

4.       Chex Reindeer Bait (supper easy and M&Ms’ make it very colorful)

5.       Trix Krispies  (colorful easy variation on traditional Krispies Treat)

6.       Gooey Peanut Butter Cheerio Bars (includes chocolate chips so after the first time, try it with other chip flavors as well)

7.       Golden Grahams S’mores (requires lots of stirring power)

8.       Corn on the Cob Kix Treats (this is so cute - it is like making popcorn balls so may want to consider it will be hot mix made with hands)

9.       Alton Brown’s White Trash - made with Cheerios and Chex

Older Children Recipes:

1.       Reece’s Puffs & Pieces Bars (similar to Rice Krispies Treats but with a peanut butter flavor cereal)

2.       Butterscotch Fluffernutter Krispy Bars – made with Rice Krispies, cookie dough, and butterscotch chips

3.       Rainbow Muddy Buddies – made with Chex and Lucky Charms cereals

4.       Alton Brown’s White Trash – made with Cheerios and Chex

5.       Samoa Peanut Butter Bars – made with Rice Krispies and Golden Grahams

6.       Honey-Nut Cheerios Bars (ends up looking like a trail mix bar if you put in all the optional ingredients)

7.       Peanut Butter Cereal Bars – this version is made with Rice Krispies and Corn Flakes, includes Chocolate Chips

8.       Peanut Butter Cereal Bars – this version is made with Rice Krispies and Cheerios using chunky peanut butter

9.       Cocoa Puffs Fudge ( that is correct  Cocoa Puffs in chocolate)

See also Fancy Rice Krispies Desserts multitude of baking or special decorating ideas from fans of the cereal for more ideas.

Eighteen Summertime Activity Kits for Kids

Highlights for Different Age Groups

When I and my brothers were in grade school, we needed something to do during summer break.  Besides playing outside with each other and our friends, we needed a few inside activities.  So Mom always ordered Highlights Magazine and a few books from the school’s Scholastic Reading Club flyer before summer break so we got the things in the mail.  We shared the magazine and different ones of us did different mazes, puzzles, and other activities within it.  Mom also made sure we had puzzles, coloring books, board games, comic books, and cards on hand to share.  These items were usually given to one of us as Christmas or birthday presents.  We were expected to entertain ourselves.  My brothers and I would have loved some of the craft kids and learning activities children now have available to fill their time.

When I visited Half Price Nooks, I saw they had lots of children’s activity kits available of the summer. Most were priced around $10, which seems like a great bargain to keep the kids occupied for a few hours.  They also had lot of regular cardboard puzzles containing various numbers of pieces for different age groups, as well as a few large floor puzzles for toddler thru kindergarten ages. For those without an HPB, the 18 activities below are also available on Amazon, some are less than $10 and others are more.  Anyone wanting more educational items should consider using the free Scholastic printable activity sheets to keep children learning during the summer. 

·         Soda Can Robug ·         Build Your Own Minions ·         Finger Print Doodles ·         Yo-Yo Tricks: Tips and Techniques ·         Catapult Making Kit ·         Paint Your Own Dinosaurs ·         Flying Machines ·         Fun with Clay: Create and Play ·         Stuck on Fun: Pets Playset

·         Craft-tastic Link Scarf Kit ·         Paris in 3D ·         Fashion Sensational Style Activity Kit ·         Window Art ·         Discover Nature Dinosaurs ·         Shark Tooth Dig Kit ·         On the Go Secret Decoder Activity Set ·         My First Handprint Creations ·         Gaga for Googles

Getting Allowance or a Job - What is the Difference?

Do your children get an allowance?  If yes, what do they have to do to get it?  Do they do chores; get the money for having a nice attitude and being good kids, or get paid regardless of either and so it is just because they are too young to work?  What values are you teaching by giving an allowance?  What do you think your teen can learn from an outside-the-home job?

As children, my brothers and I got a weekly allowance.  However, we had chores to do based on our age and ability in order to “earn” that allowance.  The smaller kids just had to pick-up toys without complaining.   (A bad attitude, complaining, pouting, or being told twice did not count as a properly done chore.)  At a certain age, doing dishes in pairs became a daily chore. One child washed and placed dish in rinse, the other removed dish from rinse and dried it.  Once the boys reached a certain age, mowing the lawn became a rotated chore and their allowance went up a little.  Dusting the home was added to my list of chores once mom decided I wouldn’t break anything. 

Also, when we were a little older and a lot more responsible, we were allowed to work outside the home around the neighborhood for extra money, in addition to our allowance.  The boys would mow neighbor’s yards for a few dollars. I would babysit at an hourly rate.  Once we reached a certain age, we were encouraged to get a “real” job.  Once we had the job, our allowance stopped however the expectation of us being accountable to do the chores we were responsible did not.

Having our kids work, is that crazy talk?  Am I suggesting child labor?  Well, the USA Labor Age Requirements say some teenagers can work part-time jobs if they want to (and parents permitting of course).   Depending on minimum wage for where they live, teenagers might make better money working outside the home than if they get an allowance.  However, depending on the amount of allowance given by parents and the requirements for earning it, teenagers may feel they have to do less work to get the same money.

EXTRAS:

If you have a child who is considering being a babysitter for extra money, read the pros and links in 10 Reasons You Should Be a Teen Babysitter and check for any potential community or state regulations before advertising services. 

Monthly Zodiac Gemstones and Astrological Jewelry

I have noticed that many of the shopping channels are showing not only standard  zodiac signs as jewelry.  Some are also doing the astrological star formations in jewelry.  It made me wonder if there is a resurgence of this style jewelry in fashion.  Then I wondered if there were gemstones that went with the zodiac just as there are monthly birthstones. 

So I did a little research and compiled a Zodiac gemstone chart (similar to the birthstone chart I did before) at the bottom of this post.  The chart took some time to compile as some sites I visited took the easy way and just assigned the closest monthly birthstone rather than check history.  So when I found a correspondence to each signs power colors and gemstones, I used that and the most referenced stones as my basis for gemstone in chart below. Also, there was discrepancy as to what the date range was for each zodiac sign.  So I went with the dates used on most sites that I found.

I think the new interest in zodiac this may be due to people (especially millennials)  looking for ways to find who they are and get direction for where they should go based on the cosmos.  The “who they are” may also be a reason for the popularity of  mail-in DNA testing, occasional accessing of on-line zodiac, or starting the less popular more-work of researching their genealogy.  (Hmm, could this be a future  post idea?  Let me know what you think.)

I know there are a few people who rely on their zodiac and will not start their day without reading their daily horoscope.  However, most people I know just read a short weekly text version in their newspaper “for grins.”  I also feel sure there are a select few people who go for longer text weekly or monthly horoscopes from ELLE fashion magazine.  Although it can be interesting, it should not be taken as true life advice.  Anyone who wants to know more about a zodiac sign and astral stones in chart form, visit Emily Gems.

Zodiac Gemstone Chart

Zodiac Sign	Colors	Metals	Gemstones	Alternative Stones
Aquarius Jan 21 - Feb 18	Aqua Purple	Uranium Hematite/ Magnetite Silver	Garnet****** Amethyst*****	Amber Beryl/Aquamarine
Pisces Feb 19 - Mar 20	Lt.Green Purple Pink	Platinum Silver	Aquamarine****** Bloodstone ****** Amethyst****** Moonstone**** Lapis Lazuli*** Turquoise***	Jade Blue Lace Agate Fluorite Jasper Cats Eye
Aries Mar 21- Apr 20	Red White	Iron Hematite/ Magnetite	Diamond******* Bloodstone******* Amethyst ***** Emerald**** Carnelian***	Aventurine Rose Quartz
Taurus Apr 21 – May 21	Green Brown Turquoise	Copper	Emerald***** Sapphire**** Lapis Lazuli***	Rose Quartz Agate Carnelian Crystal Quartz Tigers Eye
Gemini May 22 – Jun 21	Yellow Light Blue	Quicksilver/ Mercury	Agate******** Tigers Eye****	Blue Sapphire Citrine Emerald
Cancer Jun 22 – Jul 22	White Lt.Yellow	Silver	Moonstone******* Emerald***** Ruby*****	Aventurine White Pearl
Leo Jul 23 – Aug 23	Royal Blue Purple Red	Gold	Onyx****** Ruby****** Peridot***	Amber Citrine Garnet Crystal Quartz Danburite Zircon Carnelian Golden Topaz Tigers Eye
Virgo Aug 24 – Sept 22	Blue Yellow Gray Tan Navy Lilac	Quicksilver/ Mercury Hematite/ Magnetite Lodestone	Carnelian****** Blue Sapphire**** Agate**** Peridot****	Amazonite Garnet Zircon
Libra Sept 23 – Oct 23	Ivory Blue Pink Turquoise	Quicksilver/ Mercury	Chrysolite/Peridot****** Jade*** PinkTourmaline*** Bloodstone*** Sapphire***	Chiastolite Aventurine Opal
Scorpio Oct 24 – Nov 22	Red Black Indigo Green	Steel	Beryl/Aquamarine**** Agate*** Golden Topaz*** Malachite***	Garnet Rhodochrosite Peridot Ruby Turquoise Jasper Black Pearl
Sagittarius Nov 23 – Dec 21	Scarlet Red Lt. Brown Dark Blue Orange	Tin	Blue Topaz******* Turquoise ***** Lapis Lazuli**** Amethyst****	Black Obsidian Labradorite Sodalite Vesuvianite Quartz
Capricorn Dec 22 – Jan 20	Brown Blue Dk.Green Gray Red	Lead Hematite/ Magnetite	Garnet****** Ruby**** Agate**** Sapphire*** Vesuvianite***	Peridot Snowflake Obsedian Smokey Quartz Fluorite Jet Crystal Quartz Amethyst

*Indicates how many websites showed this as the top gemstone for sign.