When doing your Christmas cards this year, take one card and send it to this address. If we pass this on and everyone sends one card, think of how many cards these wonderful special people who have sacrificed so much would get.

When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, please include the following:

Holiday Mail for Heroes
PO Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

For mailing of packages to the troops please refer to the below opportunity:

Care packages are being mailed by Mission Harvest America, Inc. MHA has networked with our FLWG and SER Military Support Project for the past ten years. Combined with what they do and the effort from our CAP personnel over 59,800 care packages have been sent to deployed troops.

If you would like to assist you can do the following:

a. Send cards made out to "A serviceman or A servicewoman" and mail to MHA at the address below. The cards will be included in packages sent to the troops.

b. Provide SAM's, BJ or Walmart gift cards so that items can be purchased from those sources for items to be included in the package. The primary items will be snacks and goodies for the holidays.

c. Provide names of your family, friends or those who know who are deployed so MHA can mail a Holiday Package to them.

d.. Donate funds to help defray the cost of preparing and mailing a package to a deployed service person. The postage per package is $9.95 Flat Rate Priority Mail. The contents average cost is $15.00. Each package is designed for ten troops to share.

Mission Harvest America, Inc.
69 Copeland Street
Jacksonville, FL 32204

Donations to MHA will receive a tax deductible receipt. Credit card donations can be made by calling 904-356-9006 and stating you wish to make a credit card donation to support the troops. Mastercard, Visa and Discover accepted.

For more information or to assist in this project please email missionharvest@att.net.

Remember, it is okay to say "Merry Christmas!"

Please pass this message along. Thanks.

When you think about a problem over and over in your mind, that's called worry.

When you think about God's Word over and over in your mind, that's meditation.

If you know how to worry, you already know how to meditate!

Easter Cookies . . . 
             To be made the evening before Easter with Your Kids
You need: 
1 cup whole pecans
1 tsp. Vinegar
3 egg whites
Pinch salt
1 cup sugar
Zipper baggie
Wooden spoon
Tape
Bible 
Preheat oven to 300 degrees right NOW (don't wait until you're half done with the recipe!)

Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. 
Read John 19:1-3. 

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. Vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30. 

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. 
Read John 10:10-11. 

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. 
Read Luke 23:27. 

So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. 
Read Psalms 34:8 and John 3:16. 

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.   
Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3. 

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matt. 27:57-60. 

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF.   Then say a prayer for the person who sent you this recipe, and to all of those that you share it with – God bless you all!

Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. 
Read Matt. 27:65-66. 

GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22. 

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matt. 28:1-9 

I appreciate the comments made by each person who took the time to express themselves concerning the statement made about Senator Obama. (Why support Barack Obama)

I suppose like responses from those supporting Senator McCain would be given if I had written "Why support McCain he is too old." Or how about this one, "Why support Monica Lewinsky’s boyfriends wife."

All are general statements made to invoke reaction(s) and many of you reacted in a rather predicable fashion. I, for one, was glad to see people rally to support their candidate. It showed compassion for that which you as individuals believe in. It showed that you as Americans are entitled to your opinions and was willing to go out on a limb and publically state how you felt about the generalized statement.

Stand up, be heard, and vote. That is the real issue. I am proud to be an American and to be able vote for the candidate of my choice.

Aren’t you?

Milwaukee has had many prominent citizens over the last 150 or so years. People like Best, Pabst, Uihlein, Blatz, Downer, Newhall, Whal, Isley, Plankinton, Pfister, Vogel, Layton, Fontane, Brumder, Saveland, Sholes, Harnischfeger, Allis, Mitchell and a few more.

Forest Home  is the final resting place for these prominent people of our past. The cemetery offers self guided tours as well as guided tours.

For more information call: Forest Home Cemetery at 414-645-2632 or click on this link for more information.