A Special Day --- Homemaking Link-Up Weekend & Pink Saturday

Welcome to my Pink Saturday friends!  I'm excited to be Beverly's Featured Blogger today! 

Check out Pink Saturday---what a blessing that community has been to me!

It's been a happy week around the Coller house!  Miss Avalon Grace turned 3 years old on Thursday!

We did a Raggedy Ann theme.

It's always a special day when Grandma Christy comes to visit!

I made Avalon this cute Raggedy Ann tote bag for her books!

In other news, sweet Kynthia Joy is just about crawling!

And...I got some cool mail!  Check out this envelope dressed up like a tea bag...adorable!

I got this sweet bunch of goodies from harleygirl at Just a Country Girl.  I first met her through SwapBot.com and she's since become a good blogging friend too!  Thanks so much for bringing a little spring to my front door!  Take a minute, if you can, and stop by her blog to say Hi!

Did you know my March Giveaway Jubilee is going on RIGHT NOW?  Did you know I'm giving away 4 great prizes (one of them being a Etsy-wide gift certificate)!!  There are others who are offering giveaways too and more will join up throughout the month. Click the button below to check it out and YOU could be a winner! :) 

So...now it's time for the Homemaking Link-Up Weekend!  Several people have asked me if their post "counts" as homemaking.  When I set up this party, I tried to pick a very broad topic.  To me, anything you do that has even the remotest connection to your home/family/food/gifts/yard/crafts ETC is acceptable.  In fact, anything is acceptable...as long as it's not X-rated!  So, join up! I'd love to have you! Also linking with:

My Spring Giveaway Jubilee!!

I have been planning and waiting and waiting and planning for this day!  It's finally here---the first ever Giveaway Jubilee at Hope In Every Season!

Are you excited?? Me too!!!

Did you know that if you click that adorable button at the top of this post that you will be directed to more giveaways?  Yep, all month long!  If you're interested in entering more giveaways, or offering your own, please click the button and read all about it!

Here's my giveaway!  Just follow the steps below to enter to win!  I have 4 beautiful prizes for you!  Winner takes ALL!  (If you are visiting from Facebook and don't have a way to leave comments, just leave comments on this thread on FB)

Prize #1:  I made this gorgeous Spring Bird pillow just for my lucky giveaway winner:

 Prize #2:  I'm also throwing in a batch of my delicious and very popular homemade carmels:

Prize #3:  I've also commissioned a beautiful handmade doily from 12 year old, Lynzie:

Prize #4:  To top it off, I will add a $25 Gift Certificate to the Etsy store of your choice*:

Here's how to win...please let me know what you did in the comments below.  You can leave one big comment with everything or you can comment for each thing.  Doesn't matter...I'm doing it the old fashioned way and drawing names out of a hat!  PLEASE LEAVE LINKS so I can verify you've done these things!

1.  One comment on this post earns you ONE entry.
2.  Sharing this post via Facebook earns you THREE entries.
3.  Sharing this post via Twitter earns you THREE entries.
4.  Sharing the giveaway button on your blog earns you THREE entries.
5.  Blogging about this giveaway earns you FIVE entries.
6.  Becoming a follower earns you FIVE entries (what method are you using to follow?)

PLEASE make sure I have a way to contact you!  If you're not a blogger or you don't have your email displayed on your profile, use my contact button in my profile to email me your email address! Ha! :)

Have fun and please contact me with any questions!  Don't forget to visit any other giveaways that are linked (click button at top of post) and link up your own giveaways too!

*Some limitations apply regarding Etsy certificate.  You may not choose anything that contains profanity, vulgar sexual images, graphic yuckiness (like bloody, gory death stuff) or is Satanic in nature.  Other than that, the sky's the limit! :)

The Separation Mentality --- Compassion, Part Four

This is part four of a study on showing compassion to the unsaved.  Part One can be found here, Part Two is here, and Part Three is here. 

In this fourth posting on showing compassion to the unsaved, I want to share with you a third reason why Christians aren't quick to give that grace to those who don't know Jesus.  It's something called the "Separate Yourself" mentality and many of us use it as an excuse to "get out" of "having" to witness to those around us. 


2 Corinthians 6:14, 17 says: "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" and "Therefore,  'Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.'"

But then, Matthew 28:19-20 says, "'Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' Amen."

So, isn't that a contradiction?  Actually, no.  While it's true that we are to be set apart from those who do not live their lives according to God's Word, there is a difference between the "unequal yoke" of 2 Corinthians and the command to go out into the world and make disciples that Matthew is speaking of.  We can't be very good witnesses if we are so far set apart that we have no unsaved people in our acquaintance or circle of influence.  The "yoke" is a joining together: a covenant and strong commitment; such as a marriage or a close friendship.  You can only get so close with an unbelieving friend before the issue of religion gets in the way.

We can be separate but still be witnesses of Jesus' love and character.  In John 17: 14-18, Jesus prays concerning the disciples: "I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world."

In fact, by befriending non-believers, (keeping boundaries and self-control in place) we can actually be a positive influence and show Christ's love without initially saying a whole lot.  The Good Samaritan story is a great example of love and compassion in action (Luke 10:25-37).  While none of his words are recorded, the Good Samaritan is remembered by his actions.  Read John 13:34-35: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."  They will know we are Christians by our love!  This relationship built on good character and honest love for our neighbor will open doors for dialogue in the future.

This post was featured in The Christian Home magazine, Issue #52.