Mary Did You Know?

"Mary, did you know, That your baby boy will one day walk on water?

Mary, did you know, That your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?

Did you know That your baby boy has come to make you new?

This child that you've delivered Will soon deliver you

Mary, did you know, That your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?

Mary, did you know, That your baby boy will calm a storm with His hand?

Did you know That your baby boy has walked where angels trod?

And when you kiss your little baby You've kissed the face of God

The blind will see, The deaf will hear, And the dead will live again!

The lame will leap, The dumb will speak, The praises of the Lamb!

Mary, did you know, That your baby boy is Lord of all creation?

Mary, did you know, That your baby boy will one day rule the nations?

Did you know That your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?

This sleeping child you're holding...

Is the Great I Am!

Oh Mary did you know?"

**Keep Christ In Christmas**

Why Staying Home for Thanksgiving Matters

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays, simply because it always brought my entire family together to enjoy each other's company. Growing up, and even more so now, we treated Thanksgiving like a potluck. The host usually made the turkey, but then everyone else brought their own additions, so the food was always special. But that was never the most important part. The company was. We always made a point to give each person a moment to say what they were thankful for that year, and we always said a prayer for the family before the night was over. After the meal, we would break out party activities. Some years those would be board games, other years parlor games (like charades). When all my cousins and I were teenagers, we had a tradition of watching a different Lord of the Rings movie each year. In recent years, we've been using the time to share photos of specials trips we've taken. But no matter what we did, it was always all together. It was always at someone's house, with candles lit, and a fire crackling away. It was always about community.

Black Friday has been a major shopping day for as long as I can remember. But it's only been in recent years that shopping on Thanksgiving has become a wide-spread thing. People now have Thanksgiving brunch so they can finish up and make the sale lines at 5pm. Last year sales on the holiday were very close to those that were made on Friday. Family time has become less important than getting the best holiday gift deal. Relaxing has become stressing out in checkout lines. Vandalism reports on the news have risen, and small, neighborhood corner-shops have been feeling squished. None of this is what Thanksgiving, a holiday to celebrate blessings and freedom, is all about.

Luckily more and more retailers and businesses are recognizing the problem, and are closing their doors on Thanksgiving Day. Some of the major ones include The Mall of America, Costco, Nordstrom, IKEA, Sam's Club, and AT&T. For a preliminary list this year, visit this article on KGW.com: Not Just The Mall Of America.

But we cannot just rely on big corporations to shift the holiday back to what it's supposed to be, especially when the world's largest retailer, Walmart, is refusing to close their doors. We must make an effort ourselves. An effort to stay home or go out of town with family and friends. An effort to stay away from shopping sales, in stores and online. An effort to connect with those we don't see every day. An effort to be thankful.

This year, let's make that effort.

Your Brain On Musical Instruments

Music is one of the few activities that utilizes the entire human brain. But have you ever wondered what that looks like? Videographer Anita Collins has created a simple, creative video to explain just that! :D

The Best Cat Toys

Most cats will be happy with whatever toys you bring home for them from the pet store. But if your cat is like mine, a part Bengal feline who doesn't like catnip, those toys get old fast. Over the years I've brought home zillions of play things for my cat Scheherazade. I've learned that she wants to play indoors just as she would outdoors: solving puzzles, chasing bugs and rodents, etc. Here are the cat toys that meet with her energetic approval!

1) The Dragonfly Cat Toy - This is Zade's newest, and current favorite toy. I got it to replace a Petco toy that was worn, and really not that safe to play with... This toy was 3x the price of what it replaced, but it's so worth it!! It's safe & well made, easy to hold & control, and Zade loves its unpredictable movements! As the maker's webpage says, this is the number one toy used by professionals at cat shows. No wonder my picky kitty loves it! You can also find this toy on Etsy, and Ebay if you don't want to buy it direct.

2) Neko Flies - Until I discovered the toy above, Neko Flies were my go-to toy for when my cat asks me to play with her. Made to resemble the shape, color, and movements of all sorts of bugs and rodents, they grabbed her attention far more than the Da Bird toys ever did. Zade enjoys the dragonfly, the birbug, and their mouse toy.

3) The Cat Amazing Puzzle Box - This box is the best treat puzzle thing for cats on the market! Made out of cardboard (what cat doesn't love a cardboard box?), it has three puzzle levels for every cat's skills. Now my cat solved the hardest level the first time I gave her the box... But because it's cardboard, I easily used packing tape and duct tape to make the puzzle harder. Zade will 'solve the puzzle' for treats, and ping-pong balls alike. And if you're worried the cardboard won't last, think again. Mine's still going strong after 3+ years.

4) The Cat Charmer Wand (by Cat Dancer) - Of all of the toys on this list, this one is the cheapest & easiest to find. But it's still one of my cat's favorites. It's like string that doesn't wear and tear! Plus it's pretty durable, I've only had to replace it once or twice in five years. I use this toy most often when I'm sitting on the couch and Zade wants to play when I'm not really in the mood to give her my full attention...

So there you have it, the world's best cat toys (according to my cat)! Which one is your cat's favorite?

Autumn Thoughts

"Daisy, give yourself away, Lookup at the rain, The beautiful display, Of power and surrender, Giving us today, And she gives herself away.

Rain, another rainy day, Comes up from the ocean, Give herself away, She comes down easy, On rich and debt the same, And she gives herself away.

Let it go, Daisy, Let it go, Open up your fist, This fallen world, Doesn't hold your interest, It doesn't hold your soul, Daisy, let it go.

Pain, give yourself a name, Call yourself contrition, Avarice of blame, Giving isn't easy, Neither is the rain, When she gives herself away.

Daisy, why another day?, Why another sunrise, Who will take the blame, For all redemptive motion, And every rainy day, When he gives himself away.

Let it go, Daisy, let it go, Open up your fist, This fallen world, It doesn't hold your interest, It doesn't hold your soul, Daisy, let it go.

Let it go."

~From the song 'Daisy' by Switchfoot

Current Film/TV Favorites

So I recently had a poll going for what my second blog post should be about, and the film category was the winner! Thanks to everyone who voted! However, I haven't seen a new movie in months, and writing about what is on my DVD shelf seems a bit mundane... So I'm going to take a little detour.

What I'm super excited about right now is a TV show on NBC called Blindspot. Starring Jaimie Alexander (you know her as the female warrior in Marvel's Thor film franchise), it's about a super-spy who looses her memory, & her only clues to who she is and why are the tattoos all over her body. One of these tattoos is the name of an FBI agent, and so he's put in charge of solving her case. He calls her Jane Doe. Being both the victim & accessory of the story-line, Jane's journey to find peace and redemption is just riveting. The writing is fantastic, keeping viewers constantly on their toes, but the show would not be the success it is without Jaimie as Jane, she is just phenomenal!! The other actors are pretty good as well. Now in its second season, if you haven't seen this show yet, I highly recommend that you do!

As far as movies go, I do have The Legend of Tarzan on hold at the library, and I hope to be able to watch that soon. I loved Tarzan as a kid, so I'm very interested to see how good or bad Disney's live version is. The adds for it looked terrific, so fingers crossed!

What shows or movies have you been into lately?

My Current Favorite Tunes

1) Rise by Katy Perry

2) The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss) by Cher

3) Twilight & Shadow from LOTR: Return of the King Soundtrack, Featuring Renee Fleming

4) The River by Jordan Feliz

5) Rise Up by Audra Day

What are you currently jamming to?