Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

10 Things to do This Summer~ Nataleigh Robinson

10 Things to do in the Summer
 
1. Go to the Beach and soak up some rays
 
2. Build something in the sand
 
3. Start a collection of cool shells or sea glass
 
4. Get up enjoy the early morning sun while it’s still cool
 
5. Go stargazing on a cool night
 
6. Go for a bike ride around town
 
7. Curl up on the porch with a good book
 
8. Get some girl friends together for a backyard campout
 
9. Play in the Sprinkler or turn your backyard play gym into a water slide
 
10. Start a garden

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Summer Challenge~ Cassie Stout

 Hey guys! Summer's starting and I want to challenge you on something! :)

 This summer, whether you're at the beach, visiting family, or just spending
all your time at the pool, I want to challenge you to give thanks for even the
smallest things.

  The first part of the challenge is this:

 When you see things like trees, clouds, and water, think about how God
graciously made all these things with so much detail, and still He easily
fit them together to complete His perfect plan.  Take sand for instance.
First think of how many beaches God put in the world.  Next think of how
many grains of sand are on each beach.  Now think of how many molecules
are in each grain of sand.  Amazing isn't it?!  God cares so much!

  The other part is this:

 When you're thinking about those small things, pray and thank God for
blessing us with such wonderful creations.  God Himself says to do so in
Psalm 100:4 "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts
with praise:be thankful unto him, and bless his name."  After all, He
deserves it and much more!

  So when you're jumpin' in the water or sittin' in the sand this summer,
don't forget to stop and thank God for all the wonderful blessings He's
given us! :)

Monday, July 9, 2012

Summer Skin Care~ Renee Arnold

Hot and humid summer weather is very harsh on all types of skin. It is also very crucial to have a sunscreen convent in your moisturizer to protect your skin from the sun's ray's.
 
First, you want to make sure that your face lotion is not going to be heavy on your skin because that can be extremely uncomfortable. Look for moisturizers that are described as milks or lotions and try to avoid face moisturizers with petrolatum or dimethicone.
 
Next, you absolutely need to have a SPF in your face moisturizer regardless of where you are going. Even if you are not going to the beach or going to be in direct sunlight, you would be surprised how much the sun's rays can affect you skin. It is not necessary to have a SPF higher then 30 but have at least a 15.
 
I would recommend anything Neutrogena or Olay, if you have sensitive or oily skin, buy accordingly. Both of these brands are very affordable and can be found at any local drugstore or supermarket.
 
Protect you skin this summer and you will be much happier down the road when you have pretty, youthful skin that is free from sun spots and has fewer wrinkles then those who don't take care of their skin.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Sugar-Free Pineapple Cream Pie~ Hogan Stevens

I'm really not a big fan of pies, but this is absolutely one of the best that I have ever eaten. The recipe was given to my mother by an elderly lady at our church, and ever since that day it has become a favorite of my whole family.
Don't let the sugar free part fool ya, girls! It's to die for! ;)
1 8 oz. package light cream cheese (softened)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup splenda
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 oz. light Cool Whip
1 small can of crushed pineapple (drained)
1 graham cracker crust

First, you'll need to blend together the cream cheese, splenda and vanilla. Once it is creamy, add in the crushed pineapple.
Fold in the Cool Whip and nuts.
And then simply pour it all into the graham cracker crust and chill for 1-2 hours before serving.
Enjoy!
Did you know that Hogan once shattered her wrist while roller skating?!

What you will need:

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Modest Swim Suits Part 1~ Renee Arnold

Bathing suit shopping is a rite of passage every teenage girl must endure before she can enjoy the summer at the pool, beach and water parks.
Swimsuit shopping can be stressful enough without having to keep modesty and purity in mind but thankfully many stores feature fuller coverage suits that can be bought a very reasonable price.
First, I looked at Kohl's because they are very well known for their swim separates which feature a large variety of tankini tops and boy shorts. I found two that really stood out because they featured adorable prints. Both of these suits are separates which means the tops and bottoms can be bought without each other. The pieces vary in price from $28-$36 but if you've ever shopped at Kohl's you know that you rarely end up paying the advertised price for anything so you might be able to snag them for prices within the $16-$20 range.
Candie's Striped Swim SeparatesMudd Tie-Dye Swim Separates
Next, I know from my own past experience that most Christian summer camps require a modest one piece suit so I wanted to include a couple of those. I shopped around at Macy's to get a feel for the kind of suits they sold there and I was very pleased with their selection, although their suits were more expensive. One piece suits at Macy's were in a sold price range of about $170  (which is a little too pricey for my liking) and $50 (a little more reasonable.) The high waisted one pictured is $50 and the black floral suit is $98.
I know that it can be difficult finding a trendy suit that covers cleavage, midsection and leg but I hope this article helped you in your search for a modest swimsuit this summer!
Have a blessed and safe summer,
Renee

Monday, June 18, 2012

Water Games~ Heather Young

While you’re having fun in the sun this summer, don’t forget the water! Just a drop can add a refreshing feeling that will leave you wanting more! Although you can add water to any outdoor game, here are some more original ideas – maybe even a few you may not have thought of before:

·         Water Balloons
o   Volleyball
§  Using a volleyball or badminton net, toss water balloons over the nets and catch them with sheets.  The more water balloons you add, the more fun it will be!
o   Hot Potato
§  Sit in a circle with some friends, pass the balloon around the circle until someone pops it.  Then, that person sits out and you keep doing that until there is only one person left.  Instead of passing the balloon around the circle, you could toss it across the circle for more of a challenge.
§  Also, you can have someone playing music, and when they pause it, the person holding the balloon has to pop it on themself.
o   Balloon Toss
§  This game is probably the most common.  Have people get into teams of two and stand across from one another, face each other.  Every time a team makes a successful catch, one person takes a step back.  If the balloon breaks, that team is out.  The last team standing wins.
§  You can also use bowls or old plastic containers to catch the balloons.
o   Dodge Ball
§  In this case, of course, you will be using water balloons instead of balls.  Water balloons may even be safer.
o   Team Balloon Race
§  Have everyone get into teams of two, stand back-to-back with one another, and link their arms together.  Place a water balloon between their backs.  The first team to the finish line with their balloon intact is the winner!
·         Squirt Guns
o   Target Practice
§  Build a target with whatever material you have available, then shoot away! (Don’t forget to put a board behind the target in case you miss!)
§  To create a competition, put different-colored food coloring in the water in each person’s gun.
o   Squirt Fight
§  Divide players into teams, each with a different color of water.  Have everyone wear white shirts, and after everyone runs out of water, determine who wins by looking at which color appears most on the shirts.
§  To prevent running out of water too quickly, you can use trash cans or large buckets to hold large amounts of water for each team to refill their guns.
o   Shoot the bottle
§  Set up bottles on a table and see how many you can knock down in 3 tries!

Please don’t hesitate to add comments if you know of any other entertaining water games!

Photograph property of Lilies Among Thorns Magazine. Photography taken by Abby Whear.

Friday, June 15, 2012

Shades of Blue by Karen Kingsbury~ Review by Michelle Pell


Brad Cutler’s life is finally falling into place. He’s about to marry the girl of his dreams and he’s climbing the corporate ladder at his Manhattan ad agency. Anyone would say that Brad has the fairy tale life, but on the inside Brad is falling apart.
A decision he made ten years ago has come back to haunt him. As memories of his high-school girlfriend and innocence lost come flooding back, Brad can no longer be sure of his future. All he knows is that before he can start the next chapter of his life with his fiancée, Laura, he must attempt to repair his heart. He knows the only place to find healing is to return to Holden Beach in search of his first love and search for forgiveness both of them need, but neither has ever known.
Will the repercussions of what happened long ago tear Brad and Laura apart? Or will the healing and forgiveness Emma, Brad and Laura need, give them a freedom to live the rest of their lives in peace?

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Washing Feet: Local Volunteering Ideas~ Emily Ciszewski


 http://feedingamerica.org/foodbank-results.aspx
“But moooommm! What can I do? I try to help…but there aren’t very many opportunities!” Are you sure about that? Or is your idea of making a difference going to a third world country?

Here are some ideas for your summer! Get a group of friends together - your youth-group, school friends, or family and head out to help!
 “For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat : I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink : I was a stranger, and ye took me in…”
-Jesus (Matthew 25:35) 
Food Banks
 
You can volunteer at a food bank using this link - I’m making it easy for you, just click the link, go to the website, fill in your location and hit ‘enter’ - you’ll get the nearest place to your address.

Crisis Pregnancy CentersThere aren’t enough of these in the world but here’s a link for you!
Take this one and search any volunteer position you like! There are many open opportunities to help out there!

Animal Shelters
Here’s another one of those nifty links! Just click and enter your location, and they’ll tell you of the nearest animal shelter or other volunteer position available!

This one here will give you info on all aspects of animal shelters!

Here are some other ideas:
Clean your local Library - some friends and I did this and the library was so thankful!
Clean your Church - give the janitor a break!
Baby-Sit for free - you probably know somebody who could you it!
Have fun - make it a group thing and have a meal together afterwards - you’re washing feet, so be glad!

Love you!
Em
http://www.animalshelter.org/
http://www.volunteermatch.org/
http://www.christianvolunteering.org/

Monday, June 4, 2012

Can you Find God in Your Day?~ Freelance by Ariel Gaskill

The school year has finally ended and now we have nothing but time on our hands. Most of us plan to have a fun-filled summer making memories with friends and family, going to the beach, catching up on some much-needed sleep, reading for fun and enjoying countless other activities that will pack the glorious months that await us.  In the midst of the anticipation of finally relaxing after a long academic year, it is important to remember that we still need to make good use of our time.  Maybe it was difficult to read a few verses of scripture during a hectic school week or to take a few minutes on the weekends to talk to God with no distractions, waiting in silence to hear His voice and for Him to minister to our spirits. Well it is not too late!
Exodus 20:5 reads, “For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God.”  Now that we have more time on our hands, let us challenge ourselves to give some of it back to Him.  More than anything else, the Lord desires to have a relationship with us.  He created us for that purpose; but in order to have a strong relationship we have to communicate.  Our God is so awesome, because He is always speaking; the question is, are we listening?  

We learn a vital lesson through the life of Elijah the prophet in I Kings 19:11-12.  The scripture reads, “And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire, a still small voice.” We serve a God who holds the entire world in the palm of His hand, a God that never sleeps, a God who is the same yesterday, today and forever; yet, as big as He is, He can speak to us and give us His full and undivided attention.  His voice does not have to be booming for us to hear it; we just have to listen closely.  I can feel the Lord’s presence throughout my day.  On days when the warm rays of the sun beam on my skin, I think of it as God smiling down on me.  I imagine the soft breezes that brush against my cheeks and make the trees dance as whispers from Him that say, “I love you;” and, whenever I see a butterfly fluttering past me, it reminds me of how important I am to Him, because He took the time to remember that butterflies make me smile. 

God is everywhere at once, just waiting for us to seek after Him.  Like Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”  This summer, let us challenge ourselves to find God somewhere in our day, and apply this scripture to our lives, because I suspect that we will discover that God is and always will be our greatest delight.

Copyright ©2012 by Ariel E. Gaskill

Friday, June 1, 2012

Gold: Britt Nicole~ Music Review by Michelle Pell


“Gold” is the third studio release of Christian pop artist, Britt Nicole. I believe this album is such a great hit because of the diverse topics Britt Nicole sings about. Her songs tell boys and girls they’re worth more than gold, she sings about her desire to look like love to others, she challenges listeners to reach the world for Christ, and encourages believers to stand on Christ through the good times and bad. The album is full of intoxicating beats that make you want to stand up and dance. It contains fun and interesting auto-tuning while still letting Britt Nicole own voice to shine. I love that Britt Nicole was able to take the type of music popular with today’s secular culture, put her own unique spin on it, and replace the morally-bankrupt lyrics with God-honoring words that offer encouragement, challenge, and life to her listeners.
1. Gold
2. All This Time (Hit Single)
3. Look Like Love
4. Who You Say You Are
5. Ready or Not (feat. Lecrae)
6. Breakthrough
7. Stand
8. The Sun Is Rising
9. Amazing Life
10. Still That Girl
11. Seeing for the First Time

The Story Behind “Gold”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rusx31pEWzo