Anyway. I have an odd little give-away on this fine Saturday. The folks at UPrinting.com have offered to give one lucky reader the following prize package:

500 pcs. Letterheads
–5.5” x 8.5″
–70lb Offset
–Front Only Printing
–4 Business Days Print Turnaround Time
–Free Shipping
–Restriction: Limited to US residents 18 years old and above only.

You might be thinking, “What on earth would I do with 500 letterheads?” Or, “What in the blazes is a letterhead?” Or maybe you’re thinking, “Suh-WEET!! A hundred and sixty-nine dollars’ worth of personalized paper for FREE?!?! Gimme, gimme!!”

I, paper lover that I am, would be in the latter category. Gabe and I buy our business cards from UPrinting.com, and I LOVE them. Part of that is due to their great quality and cute little square shape, and part of it is due to my brilliant designer husband.

You can check out ideas for letterhead design here and envelope printing here.

To be entered to win, leave a comment telling me what on earth you would do with 500 letterheads. (I’ll announce the winner Monday, August 15.)

Disclaimer (thanks, FTC):This giveaway is sponsored by UPrinting, no monetary compensation was given and I will receive letterhead printing service by hosting.

And while we’re talking FREE, I had a wonderful time at my 31 Gifts party with my friend Shalla (and nine other delightful gals). And thanks to them and some sweet, darling Facebook friends, I earned $150 (ONE HUNDRED FIFTY) dollars in free stuff!!

Wanna know what I got??

Personalized cinch sacks for Livi, Ava, and Nina. A thermal zebra-striped tote (next best thing since they don’t have giraffe) with Taviano in turquoise. Some personalized “Marla” notecards, a sweet little gift for a special little girl (I hope to share her story at some point). And a cupcake thermal tote to give away.

Seriously?? Awesome. If you love free stuff and live anywhere near Columbus, OH, host a party for Shalla, and all this bounty could be yours!! Let me know if you’re interested, and I’ll hook you up. If you know me, you know this is TOTALLY not my thing, but Shalla is an absolute doll and the whole affair was painless (except for Nina’s staples in her head) and FUN even!

No Disclaimer Necessary!

And last, but not least, but FREE, I’ll have some book give-aways in the next few weeks, so stay tuned! Have a great weekend!

My dear friend, Joanne, suffered a major stroke Tuesday morning, and after much brain swelling and surgery where they removed part of her skull, she’s in a fight for her very life. Today was a hard day with lots of tears. We love you so much, girl, and we’re praying without ceasing for you!!

The latest update from her hubby Toben via our friend Holly Smith (9:00pm Wed.): Praying for Joanne’s brain to rest and heal over next 48-72 hours. Praying for low stimulation, waking on her own. She’s under sedation and pain meds, unlikely she’ll wake up tomorrow. That is good–allows for healing to occur. Pray for no damage to the brain stem, for her to wake up, for her to be able to communicate and read, to physically regain mobility.

Joanne (a published author) and I first met because of a mutual love for books and writing. My hope and prayer is that the story of her stroke–and full, God-glorifying recovery–will be a best-selling book (or at least a heck of a lot of blog posts) someday. Please keep Joanne and her sweet family in your prayers!

Speaking of BOOKS, to win a copy of Is That All He Thinks About? AND The Husband Project by the fabulous Kathi Lipp (upon whose head I wished a pox), just leave a comment below answering ONE of the following questions:

1. What do you love most about your spouse?

OR

2. What’s your favorite color?

I’ll choose one winner at random Friday at noon (EST). U.S. addresses only please! Have a great day, and please pray for Joanne!

In 2009, on the Living Proof Ministries (Beth Moore) Blog, there was a Scripture Memory Challenge. Memorize 2 verses a month for a year. I started off strong, faded in the middle and scrambled to catch up at the end.

Having verses tucked in your head that you can pull out whenever you need them? Awesome. Getting to go to Houston to meet a bunch of amazing women I’d only ever known online? Icing on the cake.

Here’s my account of the Weekend. Part 1. Part 2. God did some pretty cool stuff and I don’t imagine I’ll ever forget it.

They’re doing the Scripture Memory Team again in 2011, and I’m determined to go hard all the way this time. And unless God changes the plan, I’m going to choose 24 verses that talk about his love for the poor and oppressed.

So, I was reading the LPM blog this evening, and Beth is doing something really cool. She’s offering a little spiral notebook to write your verses in for just $3 + shipping.

I bought 2. One for me and one for you. For a chance to win, just tell me a verse that is special to you. I’ll announce the winner tomorrow and get your spiral to you as soon as I get it. (U.S. addresses only please)

And how cool would it be to meet you in Houston in January 2012??

YOUR SECRET NAME winners: Kandi W, Erin R, Nina R, Sharon M, and Britt D. (Thanks for getting me your addresses so quickly, girls!)

The rest of you can buy the book + audio book for $10 with FREE shipping! And don’t forget to sign up for the Read-Along. Your enthusiasm invigorates me!

RADICAL CELEBRATION winners: (e-mail me your addresses!)

Radical = Ashley Renee, Shannon G, Jenn F, and Joel M.

Soul Healing Combo = Sandee

Hubby Combo = Cory

Mama Combo = Kelly S.

Stuff Christians Like = Jen Hanson

Forgotten God = alittlebitograce

Million Miles = Jordan W.

Diapers 4-pack = Nancy

Blushing 4-pack = Kathleen

And then the ALL THATS:

~~ The long-awaited “Love Our Neighbors” Project is this Sunday. I feel so ill-prepared and a wee bit nervous, and I want to trust God completely to work everything out according to his perfect plan. Would you pray with me?

~~Speaking of prayer, please pray for a sweet gal named Marissa who was recently diagnosed with breast angiosarcoma (a rare form of cancer in the blood vessels). Many of you received a sponsored copy of Radical for our last Read-Along, and Marissa was the one who donated a bulk of the books and shipped them all out to you. She was diagnosed just weeks later. She and her family would love your prayers!

~~Thank you for your sweet 10th Birthday Wishes for Livi. I’m not going to print them out quite yet, so if you’d like to give her a holler, by all means.

~~Next week I’ll have a couple of my sister Bethany’s famous Birthday Banners (and an apron) to sell to raise money for missions. First come, first served. If you’re interested, I’ll try to give you a little advance notice.

~~Also coming next week: pictures of Panha’s dad’s new tuk-tuk! The girls and I skyped with Panha today (oh my word, he’s a riot!) and in addition to giving us the lowdown on the fabulousness of the new tuk-tuk, he attempted to teach us a few phrases in Khmer. Fun times.

~~Any news or fun stuff to share?

Have yourselves a Merry Little Weekend!

56

Timestamp: 2010-03-31 03:04:28 UTC

And the winner is… Gail!

The Dark before Dawn, please, says Miss Gail.

Your wish is my command, sweet friend. I already have your address, so I’ll pass it on to Jen ASAP in hopes that your cross will make it from Arizona to Kentucky by Saturday. If not, it will be just as special whenever it does arrive.

Thanks SO much for playing, friends! I know Jen is thrilled by all the comment love. Now, go order some crosses! She only has about 1 of each in stock but will be furiously making more, so first come first served! (expect 2-3 weeks for delivery if you request one she’s out of).

Thank you so much, Jen! Thank you, friends, for all for your sweet encouragement. Thank you, Jesus, for giving the cross all its meaning!

All of a sudden I feel terrible that I’m blogging about my cousin Jen when I’ve had my sister Bethany’s gorgeous handmade apron and my sister Stephanie’s gorgeous handmade necklaces sitting around for ages, meaning to auction them off for the kids in Cambodia.

Soon, sweet sisters, soon!

So, meet Jen. (I stole this great pic off Jen’s facebook page. It’s a photo her new husband Devin took for his PROJECT THRE3 6IX 5IVE. If you like Gabe’s 1PhotoPerDay blog, check out Devin’s site.

Jen’s mom has 6 brothers. One of them is my dad. So we’re first cousins. Jen and my youngest sister Stephanie have always been super-close (Jen is 8 years younger than me). They played together as young tots, flirted together as teenagers and each stood proudly on the platform waiting for the other one to walk down the aisle on her daddy’s arm.

Jen and I, on the other hand, haven’t always had the smoothest of relationships. Then I matured. And now I think she’s fab.

And super-talented. The list of things this girl has accomplished and plans to accomplish is just flabbergasting. And would you look at these gorgeous crosses??!

This is the one she’s making for me. Oh, can you even handle all the CORNFLOWER BLUE??

There are three other gorgeous crosses as well. And you’re not going to believe this, but YOU CAN WIN YOUR VERY OWN BEADED CROSS!! All you have to do is click over to Jen’s blog, pick the cross you like best and leave a comment telling me the name of it.

I’m going to draw the winner’s name tonight (Tuesday) at 11pm EST, so hopefully you’ll get your cross by Easter. Wouldn’t that be awesome?

And if you don’t win, you can buy the crosses for $15. Sweet, huh??

May the best woman (man) win! (You have until 11pm EST, U.S. addresses only please.)

So, this isn’t one of those reviews. I got this book in the mail back in September. I didn’t receive it randomly. The author (Gary Thomas) and I had chatted over e-mail about some stuff, and he mentioned his latest book. I told him I’d love to read it. He sent it.

I loved it.

Really, I’ve loved all of his books I’ve read. For one, they appeal to my inner nerd. He’s brilliant. And he loves history and books and heroes of the faith and philosophy. This is not a mindless read.

But he’s also completely down-to-earth, witty, and 100% practical. He shares personal stories about his family–weaves all kinds of stories seamlessly throughout his books actually.

Anyway. I always end up feeling doggone convicted when I’m done reading. (Sacred Marriage especially.) This one was no exception. The book is all about pleasure and how God created it for us and we should enjoy it. I’m one of those who feels guilty about taking small pleasures for myself and would rather play the martyr than have someone spoil me.

“Why do Christians feel so bad about feeling good?” he asks. Hmm… good question. “As a Christian, were you taught to deny pleasure and avoid impulses that roused excitement? Do you sometimes feel guilty about enjoying God’s blessings?”

Pure Pleasure will help you (and I quote–would’ve used my own words but these were better):

“Enjoy God with a new sense of freedom and insight. Exude a peace and satisfaction that attracts others to Christ. Experience a deeper awareness of God’s goodness in your life. And fortify yourself against temptation by replacing counterfeit diversions with true pleasure.”

Now we’re talking.

The book made an impact on me, and I made a note to myself, “When you get a free moment, blog about Pure Pleasure.” Then I forgot. Then Gary and I connected on facebook, and he said he was giving away a free e-book of Pure Pleasure on his website to anyone who wanted it.

Did you hear me? You can download Pure Pleasure for FREE just by clicking here. No strings attached. Not a single one.

You’re welcome. And hey, speaking of you’re welcome, THANK YOU. Two hundred (200!) Expecting books have been donated. Praise the Lord and hallelujah! So excited to see what God will do!

So tell me: what’s one of your favorite little pleasures (guilty or otherwise)?

There’s really no Game Plan. I just want to find out a little more about each of you–and give away some free stuff.

Since I have NaNoWriMo on the brain (which I keep inadvertently calling NaNiYoRiMo, because I know a Japanese song with that phrase in it) I thought I’d talk about LoLa today. Some of you might know LoLa by her full name–Love Languages.

You’ve probably heard of Gary Chapman’s book, The Five Love Languages. He has one for kiddos too–The Five Love Languages of Children.

A year or so ago, I shared a story about my middle daughter, Ava, who was in first grade at the time. I had been writing notes and putting them in her lunchbox for months when I found out she wasn’t even reading half of them. It crushed me, but then I realized that words of affirmation (at least written ones) might not be her love language. Love language = something others do/say that makes you feel especially loved.

Gabe and I began talking about the 5 LoLas and could only come up with 4.

1.) words of affirmation
2.) acts of service
3.) physical touch
4.) receiving gifts

I had to look up the 5th one.

5.) quality time (apparently, this isn’t mine, or I would have remembered it)

Gabe decided that his is acts of service. “Or maybe physical touch. One of those two.” I reminded him that physical touch does not mean you know. He knew that. He still likes it. But not in public. Gabe’s not a PDA guy.

Mine is acts of service too. Do something helpful for me, and I feel super-loved. Words are okay. Gifts are okay (if they’re something I really needed anyway and now I don’t have to buy it). Quality time = okay, I guess. But selfishly, I like quality time with myself. And touch? Yeah, not so much. I do like hugs, and I give them out frequently. And I do like it when Gabe or my girlies play with my hair–or when my sister Bethany scratches my back. Okay, maybe I like it more than I thought.

I told Ava the next morning that we were going to have a little talk about love languages, so Mommy could figure out how to love on her best.

Me: Which do you like best–when people do things for you…?
Ava: Mmm..hmmm!
Me: OR when people say nice things to you…?
Ava: Mmm…hmmm!
Me: OR when people get you gifts…?
Ava: Yep!
Me: OR when people touch and cuddle you…?
Ava: Mmm…hmmm!
Me: Or when people spend time with you…?
Ava: Yep!
Gabe: (in Brian Regan mode) All favorites! Many much favorites!

So, tell me: what’s your Love Language? And give me an example.

I’m going to choose one random commenter to win a copy of Blushing Bride. And if you’ve been around for awhile and are all Blushinged out, I’ll send it to the person of your choice as a gift from YOU!

Have a great week, friends!

To be honest, I’m a little bit sick of marriage books. I read so many when I was doing research for my books that I kind of subconsciously swore off of them for the next couple years. Sometimes, I feel like they’re all just saying the same ol’ thing.

However.

Can I just say that I REALLY enjoyed Kathi Lipp‘s The Husband Project? Not the same ol’ thing.

I love her writing style. Natural, flowing, FUNNY, not cheesy, REAL, not overly poetic.

And The Husband Project? What a great idea! Loving on your husband in such practical (and easy) ways. I sometimes shy away from “idea” books because I know I’ll never actually implement them. And while I’ve totally cheated on the HP (21 Days of Loving Your Man–on Purpose and with a Plan), I’ve really done some of them too. She’s inspiring!

Kathi tells you right off the bat to hide the book from your husband. (I wonder if she’s going to get flak for it, because a woman wrote me once and said that my book encouraged keeping secrets from/lying to my husband. Uh…)

I can totally see why you shouldn’t let your hubby see the book. I wanted to blog about it quite awhile ago, but Mr. T. reads my blog. And then he found the book. And then he was all, “So, you’re going to be nice to me for three weeks?” and a bunch of other stuff. Grrrr…

It’s not dishonesty. It’s just not full disclosure. And believe me, the projects work better if your husband isn’t reading ahead in the book.

What are some of the projects? Give him 30 minutes of nag-free Free Time when he gets home. Say something nice about him to someone else (and make sure he finds out). Give him a food treat he doesn’t have to share with you or the kiddos. Help him with a project. Wear something he really likes. Get rid of one of the stressors in his life. Watch a guy movie with him.

See? Not so hard! And actually, they’re all really sweet things you can do to show your husband you love and appreciate him.

The longer we’re married, the more nice things Gabe does for me. And I’ve fallen into the trap of taking much of it for granted. NO MORE! I’m going to start making mental lists of every tiny thing he does to bless me, and I’m going to bless him back double. God picked me a good one, and I’m hanging on to him.

And, oh, I should mention the 3 BONUS projects. They each involve the same 3-letter word. Nice.

Generous Kathi sent me 2 copies of the book–one to keep and one to give away to a lucky reader. (It’s signed and everything.)

Here’s how you can win this very-funny, very-well-written, very-helpful book:

Leave a comment answering one of the following questions:

1. What is your husband’s favorite food/restaurant?

2. What is your husband’s favorite movie?

And you know what? If you’re not married and would like to win the book for a friend who is, tell me YOUR favorite food or movie.

U.S. addresses only. I’ll draw the winner first thing on Monday, September 28. Thanks for sharing your book with us, Kathi!

Have a great weekend, friends!!

Nothing is going my way the past few days. Which might just be an indicator that I’m too focused on my way at the moment.

It’s high time I started looking up, fixing my eyes on Jesus, resting in His promises.

Since I’m too wiped out to review a book or be profound or make up new uses for a leaf blower, how about we play a game?

What do you is think the average age of people who read this blog on any given day?

Here’s how to play:

1. tell me YOUR age (no fudging–and whole numbers only)

2. then tell me your guess for the average age in parentheses (   )

For example: 33 (35 ) I’m 33, and I think the average age is 35.

Obviously, the people who comment first will be at a disadvantage, because they won’t get to see the other people’s ages. So, how about we do this–make your guess without peeking at anybody else’s answer. (Who am I kidding? I totally can’t trust you.)

There will be a prize for the person who guesses closest to the average age. Tiebreaker–whoever’s age is closest to the average. In other words, say Marilla and Cordelia both guess 40, and 40 is indeed the average age. But Marilla is 60 and Cordelia is 32. Cordelia wins!

Totally confused now? Sweet.

Tell me how old you are. Then, in parentheses, guess what the average age of your fellow blog-readers is.

The game will end on Friday at noon.

Have a SUPER day!