Hillside Country Farm

Merry Christmas May you remember what Christmas really is about

Remember this as you Celebrate

Christmas Is for Love
by: Author Unknown, Source Unknown

Christmas is for love. It is for joy, for giving and sharing, for laughter, for reuniting with family and friends, for tinsel and brightly decorated packages. But mostly, Christmas is for love. I had not believed this until a small elf-like student with wide-eyed innocent eyes and soft rosy cheeks gave me a wondrous gift one Christmas.

Mark was an 11 year old orphan who lived with his aunt, a bitter middle aged woman greatly annoyed with the burden of caring for her dead sister's son. She never failed to remind young Mark, if it hadn't been for her generosity, he would be a vagrant, homeless waif. Still, with all the scolding and chilliness at home, he was a sweet and gentle child.

I had not noticed Mark particularly until he began staying after class each day (at the risk of arousing his aunt's anger, I later found) to help me straighten up the room. We did this quietly and comfortably, not speaking much, but enjoying the solitude of that hour of the day. When we did talk, Mark spoke mostly of his mother. Though he was quite small when she died, he remembered a kind, gentle, loving woman, who always spent much time with him.

As Christmas drew near however, Mark failed to stay after school each day. I looked forward to his coming, and when the days passed and he continued to scamper hurriedly from the room after class, I stopped him one afternoon and asked why he no longer helped me in the room. I told him how I had missed him, and his large gray eyes lit up eagerly as he replied, "Did you really miss me?"

I explained how he had been my best helper. "I was making you a surprise," he whispered confidentially. "It's for Christmas." With that, he became embarrassed and dashed from the room. He didn't stay after school any more after that.

Finally came the last school day before Christmas. Mark crept slowly into the room late that afternoon with his hands concealing something behind his back. "I have your present," he said timidly when I looked up. "I hope you like it." He held out his hands, and there lying in his small palms was a tiny wooden box.

"Its beautiful, Mark. Is there something in it?" I asked opening the top to look inside. "

"Oh you can't see what's in it," He replied, "and you can't touch it, or taste it or feel it, but mother always said it makes you feel good all the time, warm on cold nights, and safe when you're all alone."

I gazed into the empty box. "What is it Mark," I asked gently, "that will make me feel so good?" "It's love," he whispered softly, "and mother always said it's best when you give it away." And he turned and quietly left the room.

So now I keep a small box crudely made of scraps of wood on the piano in my living room and only smile as inquiring friends raise quizzical eyebrows when I explain to them that there is love in it.

Yes, Christmas is for gaiety, mirth and song, for good and wondrous gifts. But mostly, Christmas is for love. The love Jesus has for each and everyone of us.

Contest from 5 min, Mom

Do you want $200.00 to spend at TrueJeans.com?Written by Janice

What if we could simply click our way to the perfect pair of jeans?

That thought enticed me. Finding the perfect pair of jeans is not easy. As a busy mom, not only do I not have time to go from store to store searching for a pair that fits, but it sure would be fun to be able to check out all of the hot designer jeans I read about it the magazines. (I am lucky if I get five minutes to myself in Old Navy, let alone go on a designer shopping spree.)

But at www.truejeans.com, the jeans - and the jean fitting experts - come to us! We simply enter our measurements, and the computer lines up all the best jeans for us. True Jeans carries all the hottest denim designers and each pair is listed with a rating for how well they will fit us. All we have to do is pick. This is scientific shopping ladies!

And one of you is going to have a fabulous Christmas treat! We are giving away a $200.00 gift certificate to spend at True Jeans. Yes - this is a jeans shopping spree. The winner can indulge in the most fabulous pair(s) of jeans she wants!

If that shopping spree sounds just about perfect to you, why not put it down on your Christmas wish list? True Jeans has gift cards available, so a hint to your hubby might be all you need to get you clicking your way into some fabulous jeans! And True Jeans is offering our readers a 10% discount code good through till December 31, (the code is 5minmom) to sweeten up your Christmas shopping.

True Jeans also has a lifestyle blog, called True Life, “for men and women who want to learn about and discuss how fit, fashion, and designer jeans can fit into their True Life.”

If you want to win this $200.00 gift certificate to True Jeans, you just need to:

Publish a post on your own blog linking back to this giveaway post and also linking to True Jeans.
Leave a comment on this post.

If you don’t have a blog, we understand you can’t link back, but then please spread the word amongst your friends.

This contest is open to both US and Canadian shipping addresses!

We’ll announce the winner on the evening of Wednesday, December 19th. Please remember to check back then to see if you won and check your email (including your junk mail folder).

http://www.5minutesformom.com/2725/true-jeans-contest/#comment-488865

October is Cancer awareness month Plus a contest!!!

Yes, October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Casio is putting on the pink.
http://www.5minutesformom.com/2440/casio/#comment-424481
Please remember to also visit http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/
http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/