Recommendations:

I thought I would post some of my "good find"--things that I have found helpful or useful. I hope some of you will post in the comments section some of your good finds. :)

My first one is http://www.paperbackswap.com/. This is a great website. On it, you post old books you no longer want by listing the ISBN number--very easy. When someone requests a book you send it to them and you get a credit. You can then use the credit to pick out a book from someone. You pay postage when you send a book, and the other person pays postage to send you a book. You don't even have to go to the post office. The books usually cost the same amount (hardcovers are more) and I just slap some stamps on and put it in my mailbox. We have gotten over 100 new books this way--most in brand new condition. I get all my children's books this way. They also have 2 sister sites: http://swapacd.com/ and http://www.swapadvd.com/. These 3 are interchangeable, meaning that I have posted cds and when someone requests one, I use the credit to get a book, and vice versa. Oh! And it is free to sign up AND you get free credits to start when you post so many books, cds, or dvds.

One magazine that has really ministered to me is Above Rubies. It is a donation only magazine, so it is free unless you want to support them financially. Through this magazine, we found out about our Liberian adoption. I have also been greatly encouraged by other families who write articles in it. I don't *agree* with everything in it, but it is so helpful to "see" other families who love children and are living for God. You can find it by going to http://www.aboverubies.org/. I also went to a conference last summer with my friend Misty and met my friend Ginny (http://ginnyslifeandtimes.blogspot.com/). She is also adopting from Liberia. Cameron likes to read TableTalk--put out by R.C. Sproul.

Two books that have REALLY encouraged me are "The Fruit of Her Hands" and "Praise Her in the Gates" by Nancy Wilson. These are short and quick reads, but books that I want to read over and over again. I also really liked "Keeping Your Children's Hearts" by Steve and Teri Maxwell. This book just helped Cameron and I get a vision for our family--what goals we have in mind for our children and how to make every decision in light of these goals.

These 2 are very popular: http://www.craigslist.com/ and http://www.freecycle.com/. I mainly use these not to GET things, but to GIVE them. I am a chronic de-clutterer: I am constantly getting rid of things. If it is broken or we don't use it, I get rid of it. My mom jokes that when she dies she will leave nothing to me because she knows I will get rid of it! It is somuch easier to post things on there and have someone come pick it up than to haul it to GoodWill. As they say--Your junk is someone else's treasure.

Modest clothing: http://www.downeastbasics.com/, http://www.christa-taylor.com/, http://www.shadeclothing.com/. These finds are from the girltalk website. They have really cute clothes! (http://girltalk.blogs.com/).

Good music that I enjoy: I like anything by Selah. I also really like Jars of Clay's cd "Redemption Songs". Another good find is John Waller's cd and in my cd player in my car is Rush of Fools. I can't get enough of that one! I also love Patty Griffen--she is folk music and just so good! (makes me miss my friend Angie!) For my kids, I like Steve Green's "Hide 'em in Your Heart. I also like something called "Adventures in Missions" by the Navigators. SO GOOD! It is a cd of real life missionary stories. My children also LOVE the Jonathan Parke series--a dramatized series about creation vs. evolution. It is so scientific. We also like "Your Story Hour". We listen to both of these while we fold laundry every week.

Good books for kids: Patricia St. john has some great stories (She is a Christian). My children's favorite is: "Treasures of the Snow". We got it free on paperback swap and it is a hardcover and in BRAND NEW condition!

Good recipes (this is my friend Lori's "find"): http://www.recipezaar.com/. I really like this site. It is like allrecipes, where people leave their feedback on recipes they try, but I just like it more.

Alright, that is all I can think of for now. Please leave me your "good finds"--unless you want to keep them a secret ;)

In Christ, Laura