Kookie Cut-Outs by Rachel Britz

Delivering cookies and good news.

A Second Hand Christmas

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No doubt the economic recession has hit hard and hit home for most of us. At one point in my life I suppose I would have played the woe is me fiddle, but not this time! This time my heart is filled with joy and gratitude and oddly I feel commissioned. Although I could sit at home counting my pennies I have instead taken this opportunity, once again, to dutifully and diligently get creative about how, when, and where to spend our money.

A few months ago, while thinking ahead to Christmas, I had an idea pop into my head. Some might say that I’m a garage sale diva or a thrift store junkie but the truth is I just love finding that treasure, for half the price no less. While my husband hunts for our daily food, I gather the necessities for survival!

This year I’ve made the decision that our family will celebrate Christmas second hand style. Although the reigning reason might be money. Spending less of it this year. There are two other reasons which play a deeper role in factoring into this decision. First, I love finding a treasure. Digging for and discovering that diamond in the ruff creates a story unparalleled to what those retailers have to offer. There will be no gift receipts this year for my bearer of gifts. The second reason for this out of the box idea comes from the desire of my heart. To give to the poor. Almost all second hand stores operate as a non-profit. The poor, the down and out, and those charities in need are the recipients of these well stocked, meticulously organized, operations run by tireless volunteers. So you see its a win-win on both sides of the counter.

So before you turn up your nose to second hand store you might want to give it a second thought. Consider stepping out of the box, adjusting your thinking caps, and putting into motion your own economic friendly, awe inspiring Christmas. Then take time to enjoy the real reason for the season!

October Book Read

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This month’s read is The Noticer by Andy Andrews. Andrews is the best selling author of The Travels Gift. A blend of inspirational story and self instruction. I’m anxious to get reading.

Meet you back here on the 31st to weigh in on your thoughts!

Book Review: Kabul 24

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I’m a sucker for ordinary people doing extraordinary things. When you add politics and religion to the mix its hardly a category I can pass up exploring.

A few weeks ago I introduced this idea to start a little online book club. I’ll throw out a read once a month and hopefully we can come together and chat cyber-taniously about our thoughts, opinions, and feedback. Sound good? So here’s to our first book, Kabul 24.

Book Overview
Kabul 24 is the true story of twenty-four individuals who were abducted by the Taliban while living in Afghanistan. These individuals consisting of 16 local Afghans and 8 foreigners all worked for the same non-profit organization, Shelter Now International. The calling of SNI was to help Afghan refugees rebuild their lives following decades of war but in 2001, extremists set out to rid the country of anyone they deemed to pose a threat to Islam and the Taliban regime.

Staged by the Taliban, a local Afghan family asked two of the SNI women to share one of their films about Jesus. The set-up worked and within days 8 foreign SNI workers and 16 local SNI workers were abducted and thrown into prison. Separated from the 16 locals, the book focuses on the 8 foreigners and their life and death encounters. Interrogated, falsely accused, having to live in despicable prison quarters, and even being set on trial before the almighty judge. Finally after 105 days of captivity they were miraculously and systematically set free!

My Two-Cents
In my opinion, this is a story of faith above all else. Few of us will ever truly walk the dusty roads of Kabul on a mission to rebuild their city. For myself I try to imagine a mindset and a heart with that sort of passion and for that reason I’m awe inspired by the eight men and women who put themselves in the midst of such adversity. Kabul 24 offered me the opportunity to step into another culture (without the discomfort of actually doing it). This book gave me the opportunity to hear pieces of a language that is not so common to my ear. I found myself googling more Islamic words than ever before. As an American I see the prejudices we place on those from other cultures, specifically those of Middle Eastern decent. I’ve wondered how we, a melting pot of immigrant decedents, have forgotten the efforts of our forefathers who came to America because they only wanted a better way of life. With that said, I think that Kabul 24 shows us several key Afghan men who moved with their heart to help protect the lives and even aid in the US mission to recover these eight. While the 8 were moved to one prison after another they were forced to fall into deeper and darker conditions. All the while continually seeking God and rolling over their situation into His hands. Blindly they could not see where they were going but in the end God used their Faith to sustain them and in the end God used this Faith to move mountains and restore their freedoms without harm or death.

Produced by Michael W. Smith this book is now available in motion picture. For more information or to order a copy of this DVD visit http://kabul24movie.com/

Stay tuned for the launch of Octobers cyber book choice….I hope to hear from all of you who partook in the reading fun!

Join me in a little book club fun!

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I did not begin reading novels on a regular basis until I was 30 years old. When a friend of mine launched her monthly book club three years ago I politely declined her requests to join in the fun month after month. Except, a funny thing happened. Each and every month I found myself curious enough to go out and pick up that months book. Always making the excuse that I was way too busy for such a trivial thing as book club. Well, curiosity got the best of me (and so did the challenge to finish something month after month) and before long I was attending the club with my value added two cents. The kicker is that I have fallen in love with books!

Recently I was given the opportunity to become a Book Review Blogger for Thomas Nelson Publishing. My responsibility is to read one of their selected books and blog about it. How fun! How Easy! It’s got me thinking that this could be a really great experience for all of you as well. So my plan is this, every month I will announce our book for the month, place a deadline for completion, and then when I post my review for the book it will allow you an opportunity to comment with your own review of the book.

This month I have chosen Kabul 24 by Henry Arnold and Ben Pearson. It is a true story about 8 humanitarian aid workers, serving in Afghanistan, who were imprisoned by the Taliban for both political and religious reasons. This story is about the hope that would free them from captivity long before their dramatic rescue by American Special Forces 105 days after their abduction.

Date of completion: lets aim for Friday, October 2nd. Its an easy read so I know we all can do it! Be inspired and well chat soon.

Choosing the Big Rocks

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Wherever we go, we leave traces of our presence by piling up stones. It seems to be a universal human need, like staking blocks, or leaving our mark for someone coming along after us to notice.

Ancient Cairns appear throughout the world. These man made piles of stones typically stacked in conical form, have been used to mark important graves, map out a path, or even celebrate the summit of a mountain. Some Cairns are tall, intricately stacked ten to twenty feet high. Others are tiny with just a few stones precariously balancing upon one another. The beauty and mystery in Cairns is that they are unique and individual to their creator.

A few months ago my husband proposed an assignment to me. He asked me to consider, pray, and contemplate about the big rocks in my life. Then write the top three down. This may seem like a simple task. For many of us we offer the canned response; God, Family, Church. It’s the plain old right thing to say so, that might as well be the end of it. The disclaimer to this assignment however, was that my response could not portray the qualities of a 30 second commercial.

After several grueling weeks of deliberation, analyzing, squeezing, contorting, and maneuvering I finally concluded. I know, I know you must be thinking what on earth is the matter with this girl. She just had to pick three rocks. Well did you know that A connects with B, B to C, and before you know it you’ve sung the whole alphabet and A through Z make up one rock because the alphabet is cohesive. Get where I’m coming from?

So here they are…drum roll please… Family, Legacy Wealth Management (our family-owned business), and Writing.

In case your wondering why “God” isn’t a rock it’s because He is my rock! Colossians 3: 3-4 says “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” The basic point is this, Christ IS my life, were inter-woven together so everything I do, the big rocks in my life, revolve around Him for His glory.
So what are your big rocks? Do they come by you naturally or does choosing your rocks require some slicing and dicing to reconfigure their priority into your life. If you’ve never taken the time to ponder, reflect, and write out your three big rocks I highly recommend this assignment. May you find joy in the process of stacking your stones with purpose.