Faith Draper

The Estee Lauder 'Color Spectacular' Makeup Set comes in a beautiful red satin cosmetic travel case. That in itself would make any lady feel elegant but it does not stop there.

My personal favorite Christmas movies for 2009 are A Christmas Miracle, Christmas in Canaan, The Christmas Shoes, The Note, and Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

Christmas in Ireland includes the hanging of holly, candles in the windows, and whitewashing the house are a few Christmas traditions involved in celebrating Christmas in Ireland that go back to early years in Ireland.

My most memorable Christmas continues to be the year I found myself a single mother of two young boys, two and four years old. We were living in West Texas at the time, over 14,000 miles from my parents and siblings.

On military bases across this war-torn area of the world, you will find Christmas traditions brought to the country by military service men and women.

Christmas or Navidad (Spanish) in Bolivia is celebrated in the traditional ways. The main focus of Christmas in Bolivia is the Nativity or presebre.

Years later that nightgown remains one of my favorite Christmas gifts I ever got. The greatest gift I ever received is my salvation.

There are a couple ironic facts about Christmas in Greenland. First, it is not green in Greenland right down to the fact that to celebrate Christmas in Greenland Christmas trees must be shipped in from southern parts of the world.

Yes, it is that time of year Christmas. It also means 1000s of people will go in debt purchasing gifts for friends and family. This does not have to be the case.

Unless you consider eating your Christmas dinner on the beach in shorts, Santa arriving on a surfboard, or holiday decorations including Koala's dressed in Santa hats and suits.

The final farewell was graduation night as I walked up to receive my diploma 126 people; my classmates together murmured 'Snowflake, Snowflake, Snowflake' loud enough I could hear them. I knew it was the end of an era.

Sleigh bells were ringing in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve. Was I losing my mind?

While the Wendy's Jr Bacon Cheeseburger may not be the most nutritional meal in town the burger was juicy and the selection of vegetables made me feel like I was at least eating somewhat healthy.

More amature photographer pictures I just couldn't figure out what to do with except share with the world.

Don't write something if you don't want others to read it. You never know when it's going to come back to haunt you!

My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2 (KJV) I wasn't sure why I filmed this video but as I was watching it today this Bible verse kept going through my mind. While the water moves around this rock the rock remains unmoving, steady and strong. Now I know why - a gentle reminder to myself! This rock in a small stream was filmed at Minard's Mill in Southern Michigan one windy day!

Across the nation we see and hear "Support Our Troops." While searching the Internet you will find thousands of results for groups, organizations, and individuals offering support for our troops or ways we can Support Our Troops.

As an amature photographer there are many times I take pictures just for the sake of taking pictures. I have a collection of picture that not only could I not explain why I took the picture but had no idea what to do with them.

You can personalize your Twitter page a number of different ways. Twitter provides a selection of backgrounds and colors, hundreds of websites online offer thousands of different backgrounds, or you can make your own Twitter background.

Being both an avid candle lover and particial to lavendar scented anything ©Candle-lite's Lavender & Cedarwood Essential Elements Candle has become my favorite choice for candles.

These fall foliage photographs are not out of focus. The morning fog covered the park giving an errie out of focus appearance to everything. It was not thick enough to block out the red, orange, and yellow autumn colors though.

Thanksgiving Day dinner was one of the best ever. The most important thing to remember was by not giving up, a little resourcefulness and a bit of determination thrown in we had a delicious Thanksgiving Day Dinner.

Relax and enjoy the sounds of nature as you set next to the stream at McCourties Park in southern Michigan. The soothing sounds of flowing water are relaxing and relieve stress.

While the autumn colors are a sign of winter months with snow and freezing temperatures in Michigan it is fun to enjoy the splashes of color before the white coat of snow covers all. All over the county leaves are announcing Autumn is Here!

Thanksgiving and turkey seem to go hand in hand. My thanksgiving story involves not one but two turkeys or were they turkeys at all?

Pink roses also depict grace and elegance, as well as sweetness and poetic romance. Different shades of pink also carry their own significance; dark pink roses - gratitude and appreciation, light pink roses - gentleness, admiration, and sympathy.

Canoe rides can range from peaceful and relaxing to exciting and treacherous. Most people would not expect a canoe ride on a small lake in southern Michigan to fall into the 'treacherous' category.

Snapdragons are an old-fashioned garden favorite with a fanciful name. The Latin name is Antirrhinum, which means like a snout. Snapdragons are also known as: calves' snouts, lion's lips, toad's mouth and rabbit's mouth.

Marigold Flowers are easy to grow and will grow in every state of the United States. Because of this, there was at one time, a drive to have the Marigold be the National flower.

She had started her day with a mission in mind - to get the money needed to keep the electricity at her home from being turned off. For several days, she had attempted all avenues for assistance, only to be met with rejections.

We have all heard those hard to believe fish stories but this fish story is much different. It is my youngest son's fish story and although many years later is still a common joke with the family. This fish story is NOT about 'the one that got away'.

Even those who are not golfers can enjoy the peaceful beauty of a golf course. Courses such as Cascades Golf Course in Jackson Michigan consist of well-kept lawns, greens and flowers. These golf course pictures are a Sunday morning on the course.

Raccoons and park rangers are two things you would naturally expect to find in a state park while camping. What you would not expect is that the raccoons would get you, the camper, in trouble with the park rangers.

Most anyone who has gone camping remembers his or her first camping trip. You might remember this as a good experience or a nightmare but you will have some memory of it for years.

You may want a single variety of flowers or to see how many different flowers you can grow in your lawn or garden flowers serve numerous functions. Flowers naturally are beautiful to look at, are fragrant, and some develop into fruits or vegetables.

On National Grandparents Day (the first Sunday after Labor Day) give your grandparents a call, send them a card or bet yet write them a note, or best of all why not spend the day or as much time as possible with your grandparents.

There are three things that are in abundance in Jackson County, Michigan: golf courses, parks and lakes. Except for Sarasota, Florida, Jackson County has more golf courses per capita than any other city in the country

On the sign at the front of McCourtie Park in Somerset Center, Michigan are the words "At the height of the Great Depression, McCourtie offered his estate as a place 'Where Friends Meet Friends and Part More Friendly.'"

McCourtie Park is also known as 'The Bridge Park' in Somerset, Michigan. There are 17 bridges in the park: each a different bridge designs. On the last slide you will find the hidden secret behind the little known bridge park in Somerset, Michigan.

As you enter Ella W. Sharp Park through the main entrance you are first greeted with two impressive stone pillars made of Michigan stone. Just beyond the pillars stands the monument to the park's benefactor Ella W. Sharp.

For two days out of the year the beautiful rolling lawns, rolling hills and meandering streams of Sparks County Park in Jackson, Michigan are disturbed by the sounds and smells of cannons, muskets, horses, and battles.

One activity that is not 'organized' or planned but can be great fun is balloon chasing. What this entails is the balloons launching and then following on the ground to see where the hot air balloon lands.

Customer Contact Management, Business Process Outsourcing, Crisis Response Management, On Demand Contact Center Technology - no matter what the formal name, all are informally referred to as call centers and most all of us need to deal with them.

The over 530 acres of park offer a variety of activities for the whole family in Jackson, Michigan. Golf, fishing, softball, and hiking are but a few of the outdoor activites. Add to that museums and art galleries.

Ella Sharp Park offers numerous well manicured flower beds that are maintained by the Jackson Area Career Center. The park is a wonderful place to spend the day in the gardens or other activities.

Ella Sharp Park offers a wide range of activities for visitors of all ages including golf, several types of ball fields, gardens, biking and hiking trails, museums, and much more. Why not come spend a day at the park with us in Jackson.

While the title 'Friday Night at K-Mart' will normally conjure up thoughts of shopping there are occasions when a Friday night at K-mart could mean anything but shopping. One such night was the night of the Jackson Hot Air Balloon Jubilee.

There is much more to hot air ballooning than just floating around in the sky. Landing and packing up or loading is an interesting process to watch and be part of. This balloon is owned by High Flight Ministries out of Grass Lake, Michigan

These daffodils were blooming in Cascades Park, Jackson, Michigan this past spring. There's no telling just how many daffodils were spread through the park they come up each year among the grass. It's a beautiful site as are these beautiful flowers.

She was determined not to give up. The storm may have won this time, but some day before she died she hoped to come out the victor.

If you want fun in the sun on Clarklake in Jackson County, Michigan is the place to go. Pontoon and sail boats mix and mingle with row boats and jet skies. If you enjoy fishing, skiing, tubing, swimming or just cruising the lake you can do it here.

So, you've worked hard tilling the soil, planting seeds, pampering them until the plants pop their heads out of the earth. You then spent hours upon hours weeding, watering, and dreaming of the produce to come, the fruits of your efforts...

One of the most famous yet depressing things Jackson, Michigan is known for is at one time was home to the worlds largest walled prison; much prefer to be known for our lakes, greenery, and sunrises.

This quick and easy dinner is made with hamburger, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, tortillas and cheese. If you like true Mexican food you'll love this recipe.

Peonies are beautiful to look at and give off a heady scent. A perennial plant that multiplies on its own this plant is a terrific addition to any garden. Available in a variety of colors you may want to start your own collection.

No one was injured that night at Cascades Park but after that experience the kids in the family never again complained about watching the annual fireworks display from a distance.

Big Wolf Lake is on a chain of seven lakes in Southern Michigan. Other than breath taking sun sets the lake also offers fishing, boating, skiing, and much more.

Hot air balloons can be both peaceful and exciting. The greatest thing is they come in all shapes, sizes, and colors these days.

For over 20 years one of the biggest events in Jackson, Michigan has been the three day long Hot Air Balloon Jubilee.

As the family looked toward the house they were amazed to see a tall dark figure on the peak of the house. The figure seemed to almost 'explode' in time to the music. The silhouette against the dark background of the sky was none other than...

With internet searches being the most popular internet activity online being found on the search engines can be a major task. The following tips will get you listed and found on the major search engines.

Or is it? While Spottt promotes itself as a 'link exchange' it is in reality nothing more than a banner exchange, and not even that - they actually support only 125 x 125 buttons to exchange

Too often people, particularly those who are new to attending church, walk in the door with the thought that the only help needed in a church are for a pastor to preach to the flock and a choir to sing in front of everyone.

If you are not familiar with the term 'small group,' this is just what it says, a small group of people with a desire to share time, prayer, bible study, and fellowship with others. Read on to find out more.

These days, with modern technology like the phone book and the internet, it is fairly simple to find a church to attend. What I'm talking about is a church where you will feel like you belong like you are part of the family of Christ.

Most everyone is familiar with the television show "The Waltons" at one point in the series there were four generations of the Walton family living under one roof. Many years ago this was a common occurrence in America. From the wealthiest to the poorest

Working at a call center certainly has its trials and tribulations unless of course you have a very think skin and are comfortable delivering bad news to strangers. If not, this job can be particularly difficult during the holiday season.

For many years my grandparents lived in a house that was closer to a shack than a house by most standards. It had been built during the depression with whatever materials could be found available on the family farm.

Over the years I've talked to many people who as children didn't know what their grandparents did for a living except for being grandparents. That wasn't so with me.

In a previous story I told about my extra grandparents. They were the parents of a special step-mother in my life. Well, I can't think back now without thinking of the day that made the words, "Harry get closer to her" stick in my mind forever.

For as long as I can remember I've had a fear of spiders. I was the one who screamed bloody murder at the first sight of even the smallest creepy little thing. It wasn't until just a few years ago that I found any reason at all for my fear.

Grandpa and I were to build a swing but while in town getting the needed supplies we stopped at the ice cream parlor and I ate too much ice cream.

One set of my grandparents were the most wonderful people in the world. Oh, I know they had some faults but in my eyes they were the greatest ever and I saw nothing at all wrong with them. I loved spending time with my grandparents

Christmas in Jackson Michigan, our town, I'm sure is very much like Christmas in thousands of other towns around the world. City streets lined with decorations; trees, candy canes Santa Clauses, and angels.

We've most all heard the story of Cinderella. Her father passed away and Cinderella was left to be raised, used by her 'wicked' step mother and cater to her 2 step-sisters wishes and needs. This childhood story has left a bad impression

If you have never grown pumpkin before it is an experience like none other. It's not recommended that you attempt growing pumpkins if the only garden space you have is a small patio or deck area. Yes, pumpkin can grow in pots

Turning a gourd into a birdhouse can be a long drawn out process depending on to what extent you want to take the process. If you plan to or are growing gourds to use as birdhouses don't get too excited - you may have many months ahead of you.

E-mail marketing can be an economical and efficient way for any business large or small to promote their business and build their customer base. There are however a few very important things that you should know though before starting an e-mail marketing

If you are a small business owner or considering starting a small business e-mail marketing is an effective and affordable means for building your business. In this day and age most everyone in business has an e-mail account and you can use this

Let me start right off by saying as the mother of 4 and grandmother of 5 this is my own personal opinion based on my own experience with MySpace. From my observations the first thing that struck me as unacceptable for children is the open discussion

I really don't know what the big deal was. For many years before menopause struck I had heard the horror stories. Night sweats, hot flashes, mood swings, and facial hair growth seemed to be the worst. I heard stories of women going through 'the change'

Article about the different types of e-mail marketing

E-zines or electronic newsletters are an excellent way to promote any business no matter how large or small. By publishing an e-zine you are accomplishing several things that will work in your favor to build your business.

Italian Seasoning is a combination of several different herbs. While most people would use it for dishes such as spaghetti or lasagna it is a versatile combination that is great on most any meat dish, eggs, stews, and sprinkled on garlic bread for added flavor.

Having parents that divorced at a young age I have managed over the years to acquire several extra sets of grandparents. That is something most kids would even. Grandparents are great and who wouldn't love to have more

Social bookmarking is a free and easy way to help to help promote your online or off line business. The basic idea of social bookmarks is you join a social bookmarking service and share your bookmarks with other members.

Right from the start of the Internet there has been Internet marketing. But you don't have to be a huge corporate business in order to market your business or product online.

It's interesting at times to learn the different memories that different members of the same family have. One of those memories was one I had completely forgotten about but one of my sisters remembers fondly. The Halloween Party

We all know that means you are crazy or at least acting the part but gourds are actually getting a bad rap from that old saying, "Are you out of your gourd?"

Do parents realize at all what they are putting their child through when they decide to abduct a child from a custodial parent? I think not because if they did, if they are any kind of a parent I don't believe they would subject a young one to the trauma that is caused.

I was a frill sickly child when I went to live with my father and step-mother at the age of 7. I don't know that I'd ever owned a tooth brush until then and suffered from malnutrition.

I had gone to spend the night with Grandma which I did from time to time and my handsome Grandfather was there for one of his short visits also. I don't remember much about that visit such as how long Grandpa was there or why but when it was bedtime I remember it

I wonder sometimes if Grandparents realize what an impact they have on their grandchildren. I was blessed to have 4 grandparents in my life that I have always known loved me with all their hearts.

If you have ever canned produce you have more than likely asked yourself this question, "Is this worth it?" Before answering this question there are several things you should first take into consideration. Basically you will be weighing the pros and cons of canning food.

There isn't much in the world that compares to biting into a fresh tomato just plucked from the vine. Following close behind that would be having your own fresh tomatoes in the middle of winter to make a big hot pot of chili

Just imagine life with ten or so children in the house and a small Michigan farm as their playground. My aunt and uncle had their own family plus the children of another aunt who had passed away, and myself and my sister to care for.

It was a mid-January night in Michigan. The wind was howling outside shaking the house and whistling through a few gaps in window moldings; it wasn't snowing but very easily could.

It was a beautiful summer day and my youngest son had been hours out by the swamp near our house building a fort with a friend. I sat at my computer in the living room responding to emails and doing a little work on the web site.

In the beginning God created heaven and earth but in my beginning my parents created me. It wasn't any great momentous moment but it was the start of many years to follow filled with events, people, and happenings that I will never forget.