In the beginning I wrote exclusively about my business - the products in my retail store, their beginnings, uses and concepts.

In an attempt to network and meet new friends, business associates and / or potential customers, I wanted to reach out to Christian women everywhere.

As Christians we are to go to the Lord with everything we do, always remembering to put him first, and he will direct us and crown our efforts with success.

In Proverbs 3:4-6 we are taught: ⁴ So shall thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and men. ⁵ Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. ⁶ In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (KJV)

Scripture instructs us that if we want favor with both God and men as well as a reputation for good judgment and common sense then we must trust in the Lord. We must not only believe in the Lord but trust him exclusively never relying on ourselves.

As time has evolved, I began to blog about Christian issues. Women to be specific. Reading my scriptures on a regular basis brought to mind the "Women of the Bible".

Proverbs 31:10-31 speaks of the "Virtuous Woman".  Here we learn what it means to be a good wife in the eyes of the Lord.

Scripture tells us that this woman is more precious than gems. She is trustworthy, eager to satisfy the needs of her husband. She is never a hindrance always helpful. This woman works diligently with her hands. Preparing meals and planning the day’s activities are par for the course for her.

She looks for income opportunities and works them tirelessly. Ever energetic she generously helps those in need. Never afraid of the elements her household is well protected.

Strong and dignified she has no fear of old age. From her mouth flows words of wisdom and kindness. Her children and husband call her blessed.

For she is a woman who fears the Lord and with this she will be greatly praised. Her good deeds will bring her honor and recognition from those of importance.

Reading about this remarkable woman has shown me that even though times and circumstances have changed the way we handle our situations remains the same.

Always believe and trust in the Lord. He answers prayers.

God Bless you and yours,

Does Your Purpose = God's Plan?  Click here to comment

What do you do while you are waiting on the Lord for your blessings? Are you just sitting, hoping and praying that your ship will come in? Are you trusting but not seeing any results? Are you truly preparing for your season?

These words of wisdom may help you jumpstart your season of suddenly’s.

Understand the power of repentance

(Matt 4:17 KJV - From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.) Have you gone to the Lord and told him of your sin? Have you asked him for his forgiveness? No sin no matter how big or small should go un-repented. Even though the Lord knows all he wants to hear from your lips that you are aware of the wrong you have done and he wants you to ask him for forgiveness. Just ask him and he will wipe the slate clean.

Have A Heart of Forgiveness

(Matt. 6:14 KJV - For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.) Have you been hurt by something someone said or did you to? Are you holding onto unnecessary pain? Let it go. Go to them and make amends. They may or may not accept your gesture of love. But the Lord knows your heart and in doing so the Lord will rain down upon you many blessings as he loves you and does not want you to suffer.

The Spirit of Praise

(Psalms 149:6 KJV - Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand;) Do you realize that the more you praise our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ the more joy you bring into your life? The constant affirmation of the goodness and the glory of the Lord will naturally bring peace and comfort to your soul. How good you will feel knowing that the Lord Jesus Christ is always there to for you. With God on your side nothing and no one can harm you. The evil of the world may come a knocking at your door but praising the Lord will not let it enter in.

Power of the Cross and The Blood of Jesus

(Col. 2: 14-15 KJV - Blotting out the handwriting or ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.) When Christ died on the cross, all your sins were forgiven. They were cast down and nailed to the cross never to be held against you if only you would follow him and obey the commandments of the Father. With the shedding of Christ’s blood Satan’s power over your life was no more. Use the power to show the world you are free and that you can have everlasting life.

These are just a few revelations to help you prepare in your period of waiting.

Be triumphant in the Name of the Lord while you wait for your season of suddenly’s and he will bless you with unexpected riches far beyond your earthly needs.

 Your journal does not have to be fancy and expensive. A notebook preferably spiral will do because this allows you to fold it back and write comfortably. If you are crafty this would be the perfect opportunity to indulge in your creativity. Making the cover your own would encourage you to use it more often.

Journaling is a pastime some of us have always enjoyed. It gives us a place to record our observations and our memories before life gets too fast for us to remember the small moments which brought us joy once upon a time. Some women use journals to records important events such as vacations, weddings, and the joys of motherhood.

From journaling your hopes and dreams as a teenager to journaling your doubts and fears as an adult, journaling has been a part of some of our lives through the years.

I can remember my first experience with journaling. It was as a new bride & mother. I was so unsure of what life had to offer and journaling was a way to get those fears out of my head and onto paper. Seeing things in black & white helped to sort them out and gave me the ability to tackle them one at a time.

Years later I remember reading through that first journal and seeing how I had grown as a person. It also brought back dreams that I once had and renewed a spirit to continue on without looking back.

As I renewed my walk with Christ I began to journal my daily readings and the thoughts and questions which arose from the scriptures. Having spoken to other Christian women it appears that this is a way to stay focused on the purpose and plan for their lives.

Would you like to learn more about how to recollect fond memories and create new ones. Would you be interested in learning how to release and express your creativity? If so, then I'd like invite you to download the 30 Day Personal Journaling Guide and begin your journey today!

 Beauty By Design Ministries has created an easy to use 30 Day Personal Journaling Guide to aid you in developing this valuable hobby.

Click on the link on the home page or on the left to discover how to obtain this wonderful guide.

Happy Journaling.

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When the Mayflower landed on the shores of America, the European settlers were greeted with the first gift baskets.

Dried fish and meats, corn, beans and other vegetables were presented to the settlers, by the American Indians, to welcome their arrival.

In the 1700 and 1800’s, individuals created baskets full of fruits, foods and candies for Christmas, Easter and other holidays.

Today’s gift baskets are designed with the individual recipients tastes in mind for holidays, special occasions such as showers, birthdays and anniversaries or “just because”.

Books, music, figurines, and photographs are being used to create memorable keepsakes. Fruits, foods and candies now share space in gift baskets with “useable” items for the baby, the bride, or for play.

Perfumed soaps, lotions, and specialty loofahs are often found in baskets for the bath. It is not uncommon to find recipes, potholders, kitchen utensils and even coupons in baskets designed with the cook in mind.

Today's baskets or boxes themselves are designed to be used creatively by the recipient once they’ve enjoyed the contents of the gift basket.

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There are lots of giveaways and some contests from the other bloggers as well as short audios from guest speakers.  Really good information is being given away there. 

Don't forget to sign my guestbook to be entered into a drawing for a free Inspirational Gift Basket.  No purchase necessary to win, just sign the guestbook with your comments and you will be automatically entered to win.  Deadline to enter - Sun. May 18, 2008. 

Have a Blessed Day

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Alyssa Avant is our guest this month and she is currently hosting the Organizer on Tour. Alyssa is a Christian author and speaker, blogger, podcaster and ghostwriter. Her passion is helping others, specifically teen and tween girls and their moms.

Organized Life by Design, is her newest venture to help Christian women through one of her other great loves, organizing!

Her philosophy for organization is ""Applying practical knowledge and Godly principles to life.”

To kick off her new ministry and site the right way, Alyssa, the Organizer on Tour, wants to be of service to you! That’s what it is all about so she is going on tour, a blog tour that is.

Members of her social network were asked to submit two or three questions and each day a member's questions with answers would be posted on their site as well as the Organized Life by design site,

If you work from home these tips may help to organize your space and make life a bit easier. Take note of the questions I submitted about organizing your shared home office space.

Scenario/Question #1

We are renting a home and when we originally moved in we were suppose to have two rooms as work places. Currently my husband and I are trying to make one room serve for the both of us. It is a 11' x 11' room with one bifold closet approximately 11' long. The closet is being used to house my business supplies. We have studio equipment along one wall and the computer and bookcases along the other wall spaces minus windows and door space. We can't work in this space at the same time and projects and/or work has to be put away when we leave the space. Needless to say this is not working.

Any storage solutions for a temporary office/studio? [Alyssa Avant] Without seeing the space Daphne I would suggest wall shelving to store any equipment that you need to get your hands on quickly but need to get up and out of your way.

Scenario/Question #2

The grandkids are spending considerable time at our house. They are growing rapidly and so are their toys, books, etc.   Any suggestions for a piece of furniture to store their STUFF that will fit in a Family Room environment? [Alyssa Avant] Yes, My best suggestion would be an ottoman or table that has the option of storage either in drawers or by taking the top off. This stylish   ">Storage Ottoman is an example.

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What is MommyFest you say?

MommyFest is an Interactive Online event for Moms of all kinds. Stay at home, work at home, business owner, babysitter, grandmothers, everyone is invited. Doesn't matter what kind of mom you are its a Blog Party.

Just like a regular convention, there will be exhibitors and workshops during the entire event. Exhibitors will have booths with links to their site with details about their services and any other information that they wish to share.

A list of the workshops being offered and all details can be found by clicking on the following link http://mommyfest.com/2008 or by cutting and pasting it into your browser. Or simply use the link on my home page to be taken directly to the party.

Participating bloggers will be given on opportunity to receive a “MommyFest Convention ePacket”. Some bloggers are also doing some kind of giveaway at their own blogspots during the week of Mommyfest.

There will be games, special give-aways and tons of fun. All this for free. This event is as being designated as a tribute to all moms.

Come and help us celebrate all the joys of Motherhood - Join us at MommyFest.

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Anna Jarvis, succeeded in introducing Mother's Day in the sense as we celebrate it today. Anna had spent many years looking after her ailing mother. When her mother died in Philadelphia on May 9, 1905, Anna missed her greatly. So did her sister Elsinore whom she looked after as well. Anna felt children often neglected to appreciate their mother enough while the mother was still alive. Now, she intended to start a Mother's Day, as an honoring of the mothers.

In 1907, two years after her mother's death, Anna Jarvis disclosed her intention to her friends who supported her cause wholeheartedly. So supported by her friends, Anna decided to dedicate her life to her mother's cause and to establish Mother's Day to "honor mothers, living and dead." She started the campaign to establish a national Mother's Day.

Ms. Jarvis and her supporters began to write to ministers, businessman, and politicians in their quest to establish a national Mother's Day. She wrote letters to newspaper editors, and church leaders and organized a committee called Mother's Day International Association to promote the new holiday.

She hoped Mother's Day would increase respect for parents and strengthen family bonds.

As a result of her efforts the first mother's day was observed on May 10, 1908, on the second anniversary of her mother's death by a church service honoring the late Mrs. Reese Jarvis, in the Andrews Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia, where she spent 20 years taking Sunday school classes. Grafton is the home to the International Mother's Day Shrine.

There is a custom of wearing a carnation on Mother's Day. The carnation is the floral symbol of Mother's Day and the holiday is associated with the colors red and white. Some people wear white carnations on this day to honor mothers who have died and red or pink for those who are living. The "founder" of Mother's Day, Anna Jarvis, urged people to wear carnations because carnations had been her own Mother's favorite flower.

Jarvis wanted Mother's Day to be close to Memorial Day so people would recognize mothers for the sacrifices they made for their families in the same way that service people had for their country.

The first official Mother's Day observance was in May 1907. It was very successful as by 1911 Mother's Day was celebrated in almost every state. At the general assembly in 1912, a delegate from Andrews Church introduced a resolution recognizing Jarvis as the founder of Mother's Day, and suggested that Mother's Day be observed on the second Sunday in May.

On May 9, 1914 President Woodrow Wilson, made the official announcement proclaiming Mother's Day as a national holiday that was to be held each year on the 2nd Sunday of May.

Nine years after the first official Mother's Day, commercialization of the U.S. holiday became so rampant that Anna Jarvis herself became a major opponent of what the holiday had become. While honored for her part in the growth of the holiday, Anna Jarvis' last years of her life were miserable.

As the observance of Mother's Day enjoyed increasing popularity, new dimensions came to be added to it. This made Anna Jarvis disillusioned with her own creation. Though the original spirit of honoring the mothers remained the same, what began as a religious service expanded quickly into a more secular observance leading to giving of flowers cards, and gifts. And Anna Jarvis was unable to cope with this changing mode of expression.

Mother's Day continues to this day to be one of the most commercially successful U.S. occasions. According to the National Restaurant Association, Mother's Day is now the most popular day of the year to dine out at a restaurant in the United States. The occasion is now celebrated with gifts, cards, hugs, thank you’s and other tokens of affection.

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Welcome to Laurel Tree Creations. This inspiration was give to me with the divine guidance from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  The purpose of Laurel Tree is to help you or someone you love with their walk with Christ.  These items are designed to bring you peace as you get closer to our Lord who lives within each of us. 

One snowy day in 2006 as I was literally climbing over a mountain of snow and talking to the Lord as I usually do I was asking the Lord about a better way.  He said to me you love giving gifts of inspiration and you are a great salesman.  An thus Laurel Tree Creations was born. 

Here at Laurel Tree you will find gifts that inspire the soul.  Give hope for when you are feeling down and out.  You will find reassurance for your soul or the soul of someone you love.  We all love giving gifts.  So why not give a gift that can be used over and over again.  

You will be able to find Inspirational Gift Baskets of all types.  Baskets themed Just Because, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Baby and Bridal shower, Graduation and much more. 

Here you will also be able to find, Christian music, books, angel figurines, bible covers as well as home decor.  In our home decor section you will be able to find mugs, plaques, windchimes, candles, and handcrafted items.    

We will also be including handcrafted handbags with a Christian theme in the near future.

Thank you for visiting and God Bless.