Give a lift, send a smile, surprise someone you love!

Heart Expressions stone with space for your personal note on the reverse;
24 styles to choose from;
for the occasions and celebrations of life.

Valentine Gifts you’ll fall in love with – shipping from our Valentine Gift Store

Hearts and cards,  candy and flowers. It all comes down to finding a sweet
way to say what you feel every day ….but are probably too busy to put into
words.

At Christianbook.com, our Valentine store is brimming with treats for children,
best-ever marriage helps, fun gadgets and goodies, and pretty jewelry that will
go straight to her heart.

Decorative paisley swirls have a cosmopolitan history, starting in Persia centuries ago on silk shawls and taking their name in 1834 from the town of Paisely in Scotland. In 1960 they soared high in popularity and since then we’ve seen paisley prints on neckties, wallpaper, home decor, and fabrics.

The paisley shape has been called the Kashmir cone, the paisley pine, and drooping bud; it is a teardrop, with embellished edges and center and may be scattered in an allover design or boldly defined in jacquard on pillows or upholstery.

In 2012 the paisley print is proving it has not lost its appeal, adding distinctive beauty to quilted Bible covers, totes, stationery, and ceramic gifts.

You are invited to shop our Paisley Collection .

How pleased I was to find a figurine keepsake that celebrates the new family. It’s elegant and understated, a gentle design of mother, dad, and baby, by artist Kim Lawrence.

And for the new grandma, this mug is most appropo.

Choose new baby gifts sentimental or soft and cuddly in our Baby Store, where there’s a whole collection just for new grandmas!

At one point I randomly used anything, – the oil delivery calendar, the bakery giveaway, and flimsy little notebooks. But once I recognized I was referring to these tools daily, for twelve whole months, I opted for art, beauty, convenience, and better organization skills.

My desk calendar is always in book form, ready to go for meetings, but always open beside my computer with deadlines, doodle notes to myself, and lists I must not forget. The folk art  Lang Calendar at home is made of such elegant thick paper and the blocks are just right for family dates, appointments, and birthdays.  And in my purse I’m carrying a slim, eye-popping pocket planner for girlfriend dates, prayer requests, and car repair appointments.

Keep track of your life in 2012. Artistic, inspirational, and beautiful choices are found in the Calendar Store at Christianbook.com

Thoughts on blessings:

• Not only is it a smart spiritual discipline to make a list of blessings, but it’s therapeutic as well. Months later when you flip back and re-read your list, you’ll know that your cup is overflowing.

• In a prayer group one night we all were asked to write down and share three things we were thankful for. We piled them all into a box then drew out one slip of paper at a time and read them aloud. Soap and hot water. Shoes. Eyeglasses. This sounded more like my take-it-for-granted list. Other women had listed health, forgiveness of sins, heaven ahead of us, the Holy Spirit. From the everyday basics to the glorious future, we specifically gave thanks for it all. We went home feeling rich and contented and even spoiled.

A New Year’s Eve tradition of counting blessings is an exciting way to close out the past 12 months. And then keep on going in January….You’ll be so glad you did!