Lessons From Ivy: Link Up

Showing posts with label Link Up. Show all posts

Monday, July 23, 2012

Encourage My Heart Link Up

My Week In Review
Yesterday I got absolutely fed up with the comments and hate mail I've been getting lately and posted about it. I've also been talking about why it doesn't matter if you spoil your children or not. You can also find some blogging tips here and another fabulous post (not written by me) about young girls and their mothers, here.

Featured Bloggers From the Link Up

This wasn't what Cheryl linked up last week but Holy Cow! Have you seen her before and after pictures over at Treasures from a Shoe Box? AMAZING!

Jamie also has some great tips for culturing love in a marriage after having a baby.

Oh and you'll simply love Gail's walk through a Budapest flea market.

What encouraging things would you like to link up today? I'd appreciate a link back too, but I won't make you feel guilty if you don't : )

Will you learn along with me? Let's encourage one another.

I'd love for you to sign up for e-mail updates or follow me on Facebook.
And to see the lovely places where I link click here.

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Raising Godly Children in an Ungodly World and Link Up

One of my favorite parenting books that I've read is Raising Godly Children in an Ungodly World by Ken Ham. I watched a sermon over the course of the few days at Answers in Genesis that is absolutely phenomenal. I've been trying to embed the video, but it's a broken link. Go over to the website and watch it though, it is an excellent message.

Thank you to everyone who linked up last week. The most popular post was by Passionate Homemaking, her Proud to Be the Woman That I am post seemed to catch a lot of people's eyes including mine. So often with homemaking blogs it's easy to get bogged down reading about other people's standards, the rhythms of their homes and how other people rear their children. But even homemaking bloggers aren't perfect.

Link up your encouraging posts, I'll be featuring some on facebook this week.

Will you learn along with me? Let's encourage one another.

I'd love for you to sign up for e-mail updates or follow me on Facebook.
And to see the lovely places where I link click here.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Making a Good Investment and Encourage my Heart Link Up

I have a confession to make............ I really like "Antiques Roadshow." I mean a lot. My husband and I have an unspoken competition every time we watch to see who can appraise the antiques the best. My hubby is freakishly good at this. He "wins" almost every time we watch it.

Tonight however the show is a flashback episode, so not only do they show what the antiques were appraised for in 1997, but they show the values today.

It's fun to watch what collectibles have gone up in value, and what has dropped. There was one particular miniature statue that nearly tripled in value, and another antique table that nearly doubled. It's worth was between 200K -300K in 1997 and now perhaps up to 600K!!

But for every great investment, there were many antiques and collectibles that went down in value, some significantly. One Item for example decreased in worth from several thousand dollars to only several hundred. (I'm trying not to ruin things by saying what the items are in case any of you are geeks like me and enjoy watching.)

When it comes to antiques and collectibles, it's anybody's guess what a good investment will be. Collectors passions change, things become hot and then cold in an instant, and of course the economy in general changes. What is worth $10,000 today might be worth $400 tomorrow.

There is one investment however that never loses value, and that is the wisdom of Christ and His Word. It hasn't changed, and it never will.

Proverbs 8:11 says, "For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it."

So if you're looking to make a good investment, make it in the wisdom of the Word of God.

Now it's time to link up your encouraging posts. I'll be sharing some on my facebook page again this week. You're not a facebook fan of mine yet? Well what are you waiting for?

Will you learn along with me? Let's encourage one another.

I'd love for you to sign up for e-mail updates or follow me on Facebook.
And to see the lovely places where I link click here.

Monday, June 4, 2012

His Given Breath and Encourage My Heart Link Up

Be sure to enter my giveaway for "How To Grow Your Blog" if you haven't already.

My husband's eBook is free on Kindle today (Tuesday and Wednesday).

Don't own a Kindle? You can download the reading app on your computer for free.

His Given Breath is an expression of faith in contemporary verse. Beyond what you'll find in a greeting card this small collection of poems opens up aspects of the Christian faith in an exciting fresh exposition.

We'd love for you to leave a review.

There were some fabulous link ups last week. These were the top three that people visited:

I Was the Other Woman

(This is a fabulous series!)

Our Frugal Monthly Budget

(Great money saving ideas)

God's Blue Print For Marriage

(I loved this post!)

Now it's your turn link up any and all of your encouraging posts. As a simple thank you be sure to link back.

Will you learn along with me? Let's encourage one another.

I'd love for you to sign up for e-mail updates or follow me on Facebook.
And to see the lovely places where I link click here.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Blogger You Need a Vacation! (With Encourage My Heart Link Party)

I read a fabulous post last week by Courtney from Women Living Well over at the Allume Blog. Her post entitled "My Journey to 5000 Followers" really inspired me. In it she writes some absolutely FABULOUS tips on growing your blog based on what she did.

Her best tip though in my opinion is posting something 5 TIMES a week, no matter WHAT. I completely agree with her, and have noticed in my own blog, the months when I am very consistent in my blogging my numbers are consistently higher.

I love blogging, I love writing, but occasionally everyone needs a bit of a vacation, that's where my blogger vacation package comes in.

If you'd like to take a break from blogging for one or two days let me do a Guest post for you. You select the topic, and I write. Not only will you have the benefit of new traffic from my website, but you can soak your toes, do dishes, play with your kids, or whatever.

Let me give you a vacation. And if you want to return the favor I'll let you guest post on my blog as well.

So if you'd like to have a little bit of a vacation Contact me.

Now for the link up party : ) There have been some spammy things going around some link up parties I frequent so once again I'm moderating. I will check frequently though I promise.

Will you learn along with me? Let's encourage one another.

I'd love for you to sign up for e-mail updates or follow me on Facebook.
And to see the lovely places where I link click here.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Is N*dity In Classic Art Okay (And Link Up)

Posts In This Series

Modesty is Important

Is N*dity In Classic Art Okay (And Link Up)

Should Christians Wear Bathing Suits at All?

Immodest Women are Mean
Dressing Modestly Is....... (If you only read one post read this one)

"And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were n*ked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons." Genesis 3:7

Yesterday I introduced the topic of modesty. Before we start discussing bathing suits , skirt lengths, necklines and all that good stuff let's undress the issue fully ; )

Is n*dity ever okay? (On a side note This post will be seasoned with asterix's otherwise my parental controls won't let me access my own blog. I promise there is nothing salacious.)

Is n*dity okay on the ceilings of renaissance cathedrals? Is it okay in the great sculptures of Michelangelo? Is it okay on ancient Greek pottery? Is it okay in an artist's sketch book?

It's interesting to note that traditionally heathen cultures had a lot of n*dity and depictions of "relations" in their artwork. But time after time, whenever Christianity would reach a new group of people that type of artwork would begin to disappear from the culture.

Christianity would introduce the sacredness of n*dity and the marriage act to the groups of people they evangelized. It no longer was something found on common dinner ware for the world to see.

So why is it that sometimes we have blinders on when it comes to modesty? Does it really matter who painted the canvas if it's showing something that should be private?

Does it truly matter, the wonderful use of color and perspective? Just because something is labeled as art doesn't mean it's appropriate.

There is a reason why Adam and Eve were ashamed of their bodies when sin entered the world. There is a reason why God gave Adam and Eve clothing.

Yes I realize God created a beautiful thing in the human physique, and I realize it has been celebrated throughout history in art, but a sin filled world has temptation and shame. What was very good is now not only tainted but is also able to make others stumble.

I don't mean this post to be legalistic, but I do want to challenge the belief that n*dity is okay when it's classic art. I realize not everyone will agree with me, and I would love to hear what you think. (Keep the discussion nice)

Be sure to leave a comment and link up some of your own posts below. And be sure to come back to read the rest of this series. (Subscribe)

I've disabled commenting on these posts.....sigh some people, I've cried too much yesterday and today from personal attacks on my marriage and appearance. I'm not playing the game any more. It truly breaks my heart. If this post has been a blessing to you since you can't comment would you mind sharing it via one of the buttons below?

I had some links get stuck in moderation limbo last week, this week I won't be moderating but I'm still too paranoid for thumbnails. Here are the posts you might have missed:

Care Free	Who is sitting on the throne of my heart?
. Deep Sea Creatures Revealing the Glory of God	. My Sins are not Hid From Thee	. Happy Mothers Day!

And one post that's on topic : ) Making Clothing More Modest

It's time for some encouragement.

So glad you're back. Link up anything encouraging and be sure to share the post so others can join in the fun.

Will you learn along with me? Let's encourage one another.

I'd love for you to sign up for e-mail updates or follow me on Facebook.
And to see the lovely places where I link click here.

Monday, May 7, 2012

Encourage My Heart Link Up

I was having a little bit of writer's block, so I've asked my husband to give me the first word of this post, he chose the word "donkey." Donkey? He couldn't have given me a harder word to go on. So here is my attempt to start a post with the word "donkey."

"Donkey," said the red head to her pet mule, "Remind me to buy a book of writing prompts, because my husband is lousy at them."

Just like after I finished my last eBook, finishing this one has left me once again a little burnt out on writing. I'll probably do some vlogs this week so my brain can take a break.

In the mean time, for the month of May my eBook "Honoring a Child Born to Heaven" will be free for Facebook fans and e-mail subscribers. Please consider sharing this information on your social networks because there are so many women who struggle with the grief of miscarriage. This is a book of hope for them.

And here are some of my favorite posts from last week: