12 Pearls of Christmas (Day 2) and giveaway!

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas blog series!

Merry Christmas from Pearl Girls™! We hope you enjoy these Christmas “Pearls of Wisdom” from the authors who were so kind to donate their time and talents! If you miss a few posts, you’ll be able go back through and read them on this blog throughout the next few days.

We’re giving away a pearl necklace in celebration of the holidays, as well as some items from the contributors! Enter now below. The winner will be announced on January 2, 2014, at the Pearl Girls blog.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we’re all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Mother of Pearl, Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace, or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

Christmas Musings by: Anita Higman

I feel great joy in preparing my home for the holiday season. I love to drape boughs of greenery along the staircase, swirl spices into a pot of apple cider that’s simmering on the stove, make crafty floral arrangements, and sing along with all my favorite carols. Then when friends and family come over for brunches and dinners, I put out my finest decoration, my best china, and my sincerest smile. I go all out. These are my guests, and I want the event to be welcoming, satisfying, and festive. I want them to feel like royalty.

When Christ arrived in Bethlehem, I wish He could have had a more splendid welcoming, a more regal place to sleep than a wooden trough where animals were fed. Even though His birth was without majestic lodgings or kingly adornments, I’m so glad He overlooked our foolish blunders, our lack of hospitality, and chose to live amongst us anyway. Jesus certainly could have chosen a different route and easier way to offer redemption.

But He didn’t.

Jesus came in one of the humblest possibly ways. He had a divine approach that left humans surprised and puzzled. And it turned into a road of pain beyond anything we can imagine. When it comes to God’s extravagant sacrifice and love that Christmas represents, He deserves a standing ovation. After all, Christmas holds the true secrets we’ve all been searching for: meaning to our lives on earth, victory over death, and life eternal.Christmas gives us a reason to work, to laugh, to dream, to love. Christmas is a holiday of the heart and earth’s finest celebration.

***

Best-selling and award-winning author, Anita Higman, has over thirty books published (several coauthored) for adults and children. Her latest release, Marriage in Middlebury, is a tale of love, hope, and forgiveness. Anita's been a Barnes & Noble “Author of the Month” for Houston and has a BA degree, combining speech communication, psychology, and art. Anita loves good movies, exotic teas, and brunch with her friends. Visit Anita at her website.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Give Kids the World Blogger Bash

I was given a unique opportunity to join with about 60 other bloggers to tour the site of Give Kids the World, and learn all about the amazing program they have there.  Give Kids the World Village is a great charity that offers a chance for families with a child who has a life-threatening disease a week away. They work with Make -a-wish, and bring families in from all over the world. The families get a week at one of the homes, and complementary tickets to the local theme parks including Walt Disney World and Sea World

The GKTW Village has 70 acres of property which contain over 100 homes at this point where families stay.  They are still growing and building more homes for the ongoing need of places to share with these families. Along with the homes, which are set up like duplexes, there are a variety of buildings with specific goals. There is so much to do at the Village, that even families who choose not to go to the theme parks can have a full day of entertainment right on property.

The Gingerbread House is where the families come and they can eat meals each day. The food is thanks to Perkins restaurant. There are volunteers from all over Central Florida who come in and help serve meals and talk with families about their experiences and see what the kids are excited about doing.  My son volunteers with his youth group every 3 months and loves being a part of it.

One of my favorite buildings was the ice cream shop. They offer ice cream all day..and yes, the kids LOVE to have ice cream for breakfast. Just another way of living in the moment and not letting the stress of illness, hospitals and doctors be the focus for the week.  Just looking at the amazing design of each building shows how important the kids are to GKTW.

Another favorite place for me was the life size candy land playground. I mean, who doesn't love the game Candyland? What a great concept for a children's playground. Since it was raining, I wasn't able to get out and take pictures of the actual park, but the entrance shows the style and thrill the kids must feel upon entering!

One of the more heart wrenching parts of the night was learning about the stars which cover the ceilings in the Castle of Miracles. Each time a new child visits the Village, they are given a golden star to write their name on. Then they are put up on the ceiling as a way for the child to always remember their week, and a way for the family to always remember their child. The picture is just a very small sample of the numerous stars that fill the "sky" in the Castle. What an amazing thing for the families. They even have a web cam view and website on which the families can "visit" their stars when they go home. Although it was sad to realize how many kids have to deal with life-threatening diseases, it was such an encouragement to see how many people Give Kids the World affects.

They offer Holiday days at GKTW every week. We were there on a Thursday which means it was Christmas in the Village. I have to admit, it put me in the Christmas mood! All the kids get a gift each day of the week, and this day was a Santa hat. There were Christmas Decorations up all over and a parade and party in the evening. 

 I loved the Santa, but also the life sized popcorn(not up for Christmas, but a great every day addition). The characters in the picture on the right are part of the Christmas celebration party. Lots of dancing,games and fun!

I was part of a small group that had the opportunity to check out one of the villas (the homes where families stay). They are wonderfully set up, decorated and have everything the family needs.  When they arrive, the children are met with gifts welcoming them. The gifts are wonderful, from stuffed animals to books and other great things which will be great reminders of the week.

Disclosure: I was a part of a blogging bash created to share about Give Kids the World and bring knowledge to people for support. I did not receive any compensation for my review.