Free Ebooks

I'm giving away 5 Ebooks via my Facebook page, Walking on Water.  Jump over there to tag your Pastor and favorite Bible Study Teacher.

Be sure to like Walking on Water to stay up to date with future giveaways.

Through Waters Deep

I realized I had been continually trying to live in my own strength.  Sort of like trying to move forward, while at the same time not letting go of the past…  I was grieving for my old life.

I liked my long, albeit sometimes frizzy, hair.  I liked being fit and knowing what worked for my body…and not having to worry about surgery and who would be bringing meals or taking care of my son.

It hurts.

I miss it.

I long to go back to the days before cancer ever entered into my medical portfolio.

-Erin Shafer, Through Waters Deep

I met Erin several years ago… before her battle with cancer.  I remember the day I heard of her diagnosis…and the feeling of shock and worry about one so young receiving that news.

Yes, I know that cancer happens at any age – but breast cancer isn’t supposed to affect my friends, right?  After all, my peers and I were still in the carefree zone.  The self-check-if-you-think-about-it zone.  The seven-years-before-I-have-to-schedule-a-mammogram zone.

Breast cancer couldn’t be found on my list of things to worry about – at least, in my case, it wasn’t anywhere near the top.  But cancer is no respecter of persons – and this, my friend Erin, found to be true.

Her book, Through Waters Deep, is a candid version of her experiences before, during and after the cancer verdict.  

I attended a women’s conference where Erin was the speaker.  I sat there listening to her, amazed by her ability to find joy in spite of how much her life has changed.  It was nothing short of inspiring.  I realized in a greater capacity how much I take my health for granted… and I was humbled.  

More than that, I was encouraged by Erin's view of life now.  While she may grieve the loss of who she once was, she has found a way to embrace the life she has today.  A life that is different, yes, but a life worth living nonetheless.  A life with so much to offer this world.

If you have lived with cancer, you’ll understand Erin’s journey all the more, but either way, I can assure you that you’ll find encouragement inside the pages of this book.

If you're looking for an inspiring story, may I suggest hers?  You can order your own copy of Erin’s book here.

Erin is a pastor's wife, mother of two (she has a beautiful story of adoption to share), blogger and American Cancer Society advocate.  You can follow more of Erin through her blog 'Beyond the Backyardigans' and on Facebook. 

GIVEAWAY NOTICE!  

Would you'd like to win my personal copy of Erin's book, Through Waters Deep?  

Only two steps to enter:

1. Copy and share this link: http://www.lynettecarpenter.com/2016/01/through-waters-deep.html via any social media site or on your own blog

2. Email me here with SHARED in the subject line

Giveaway winner will be announced Saturday, January 16th!

Lynette Carpenter is available for interviews and appearances. For booking presentations, media appearances, interviews, and/or book-signings contact lynettecarpenter@yahoo.com.

An Embraezie Giveaway

An Embraezie Giveaway!

For us mamas the only thing better than getting something FREE is bragging about our little sweethearts. This month, you get to do both when you take part in a giveaway that is being sponsored by Embraezie Boutique.  Embraezie Boutique is owned and operated by a local stay-at-home mom.  Be sure to visit her website to see all the adorable custom clothes she creates!


Here are the details - Go to Embraezie's Facebook page (click "like" if you haven't already) and enter a photo of your child modeling their Embraezie items (it can be as simple as the little $1 flowers!). Then on the 16th, voting begins. You'll want to encourage your friends and family to like Embraezie's page as well as vote for your child's photo.


If you don't have any Embraezie products yet, here is a way to get in on the fun. Submit a picture with your little one & something to show Embraezie some love! Maybe just a little sign with I ♥ Embraezie! Then click our share button to the left, so your friends & family can get in on the voting.


The child with the most votes will win a $25 gift certificate for Embraezie Boutique... but, if they hit 800 fans, Embraezie will be giving TWO $25 gift certificates away!!  So be sure to tell your friends!

November Winner!

The Longaberger pie plate and Horizon of Hope travel cup from the November giveaway are both beautiful pieces!  I wish I could give one to each of you.  You can find these products and more at Joanna's website.  Be sure to stop by!  


I snagged Tim this morning as he walked by and asked him to pull a name from a hat... and the winner is....

APRIL GEIGLEY!

Congratulations, April!  I know both pieces will look beautiful in your new home!  :)

November Giveaway!

 I love this time of year!  Thanksgiving is just around the corner...  Harvest is over... There are good sales on soup, chocolate chips and pumpkin...

Though I am not a fan of cold weather, I have to admit to loving the Holidays in the North!  I love the sound of the wind, the warmth of a wood stove and the smell of cinnamon coming from the kitchen.

This week, I am hosting a giveaway that will help you enjoy this holiday season even more!  One of my sponsors here on Walking On Water has donated the giveaway for November.  Joanna Geigley has been one of my best friends for over half our lives (yes, Joanna, we're that old!)  She and I have walked through all kinds of ups and downs together, and I am honored to call her my friend!

Joanna has donated both a Longaberger Pie Plate and the 2011 Horizon of Hope Travel Cup for this month's Giveaway.  

They both come in the original packaging and the Travel Cup has a rubber lid that is not shown in the picture.

There will be only ONE WINNER for this giveaway!  You hear that?  You could win BOTH of these beautiful items!!

Be sure to stop by Joanna's website and see what other deals she has going on as you prepare your gift list for Christmas.  Joanna is also a wonderful source of advice and information when it comes to decorating your home!  I am always inspired when I stop by her house!

Here's how to enter:

• Simply leave a comment at the bottom of this post.  
• Be entered a second, third or even fourth time, by spreading the word via Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest - BUT you MUST let me know so I can reenter your name!!  
• Your name will automatically be entered if you become a Walking On Water follower or subscriber as well!
• Become a Walking On Water sponsor.

Giveaway ends next Wednesday, November 16th!

And... We Have A WINNER!

We have a winner!  Correction.... we have TWO winners!

Thank you to everyone who entered the Uppercase Living Giveaway!  I tossed all your names in a bowl and here are the names I pulled out!

I will get those gift certificates to you right away, ladies!

(Side note:  remember when I mentioned telling you what we talked about while canning applesauce?  Well, it has to do with this one particular name you see above.  Karista happens to be my sister-in-law and she is going to produce my long-awaited niece!

Ok, ok, ok... so, NO, I DO NOT know yet if it is a girl.  Sweet Pea is only about the size of a pea right now, but one can wish, right?  Anyway, Applesauce Canning Day had us picking out names for little Miss Sweet Pea.  There, mystery solved - that is what the Stutzman family did for about four hours over apples, sugar and canning jars!)

Be sure to check out more ways to tell your kids the messages on your heart right here on Elisha Day's website!

What's Your Message? A Giveaway!

In my home, I have tried to create an atmosphere that not only welcomes friends and family, but also speaks to my children on a daily basis.  One of my goals as a mother, is to raise children that know they are wanted and that they belong!  I've heard Dr. Phil make a statement that children should feel like they've won the mom and dad lottery, and I like that.  Even further, I'd rather they feel that they've won the family lottery!

There are many ways to show a child that they are wanted.  One option is through the walls of your home, so today I'm giving you a peek into some of the things I've been "telling" my kids.  PLUS, I figured it's about time for another GIVEAWAY, so stay tuned!

YOU BELONG!

I took a silly picture of our family, edited it to say "When I count my blessings, I count you twice", framed it and set it in our entryway.  I doubt my kids stop and think about it at this age, but I hope it is sending a message to them for the future - You belong!  You are wanted!

The "Welcome to the zoo!" is one of my favorites and sums up how life at our house feels most days.  It brings a little comic relief when I wade through the backpacks, coats, hats, gloves, bats, footballs, helmets, shoes, boots, bags of garbage that still need to go out, lunchboxes, wet socks and... well, you get the picture! 

In our dining room, I added a saying I bought through Uppercase Living (by the way, did I mention a GIVEAWAY?).  "Together is a wonderful place to be" is now posted below pictures of our four kids.  I'd like to add a picture of Tim and I yet.  The plate on the table is one that Amy and I enjoy adding messages to with a dry erase pen.  We change it with the different seasons of weather... or life.

Another way I've been telling my kids they belong is so simple, fun, and rather popular right now.  Each child has their names on their bedroom walls.

I found the letters at Hobby Lobby and spray painted them.  Tyler's letters are my favorite size, but since I'm a tightwad and the letters cost $9 a piece , I decided to go with his nickname instead.

Amy has her name in her room as well.

GOD LOVES YOU!

Above all else, I never want my children to forget that they are special in God's eyes and that He loves them!  I never want them to lose sight of the fact that we are here to bring glory to Him!  

I've talked before about using page protectors to post chore charts, etc around the house for the kids.  I also use the protectors to post verses for the children in different areas of our home (including the shower).  That's how they learned the books of the Bible and continue to learn different memory verses.

I also hung this favorite in our entryway:

and just recently added this to the mirror in the kids' bathroom:

It's a little difficult to see.  I wish I would have ordered it in white.  But, I love it!  It says "You are fearfully and wonderfully made" and I bought it through Uppercase Living as well (let's see, have I mentioned a GIVEAWAY?  I thought I did... hmmm..).

As my kids get closer and closer to teen years, I want to reinforce in their brains that they were made in the image of God.  I always want them to believe and know that they are special in God's eyes and no matter what the world tells us about how we should look or what we should be, we are fearfully and wonderfully made.  In God's eyes, we are just right!

Now, if you only glanced at that picture, please go back and gaze at it a little while longer.  I know, I know... now you'll notice the streaks and fuzzies left by the paper towel, but look anyway.  Why?  Because for that little peek into our bathroom, I had to clean the mirror, wipe down the counter, put toothbrushes away, scrape dried toothpaste globs out of the sink, gather the trash, change the light bulb, hunt for another light bulb, steal a light bulb from another lamp, add "light bulbs" to my grocery list, climb on the counter to replace the light bulb, kneel down in the hallway at just the right angle to get just the right picture... and then cropped most of the picture off.

Whew!

So please, give the picture the time and attention it deserves!  :)

LIVE JOYFULLY!

There is enough in life to keep us down, so another message I am trying to send my children is to live life joyfully.  Here are a couple (sometimes humorous) ways I've done that:

So, what's your message?  How are you telling your family they are wanted and that they belong?  I love hearing from you, and look forward to getting more ideas!

Now, I'd like you to meet Elisha Day.  Elisha sells Uppercase Living products, and is the one who helped me design some of the expressions for my home.  I loved her willingness to help and her ideas.  If you are interested in finding wall expressions for her home, visit her here!  Her online catalog has so many ideas for your home and I can't wait to add more to the walls of our house soon!

Better yet, Elisha has given me not one, but TWO $15 gift certificates to GIVEAWAY here on Walking on Water!  

So, how about it?

You in?

Here are the rules to enter:


* The giveaway ends on Monday, October 3rd at 10AM.
* Leave a comment for your first entry.
* For additional entries: (Leave me a comment for each)
             -Subscribe to my blog
             -Like my blog on Facebook

Have a great day!



You might also like:
Imitation By Design
Rise Above Your Limits 

And we have a winner!

Congratulations to HEATHER MARTINEZ - our winner for the Notebook Giveaway!!  I used myself a good ole online randomizer, and your number was chosen!

I'll get your goodies to ASAP!  Thanks everyone else for entering!  I have another idea in the works for my next giveaway, so stay tuned!

ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!

I tried to stop myself!

I said it was too soon - we had just had a giveaway after all, and "my bloggy friends won't WANT to win more stuff!"  But my impatience won out, I gave in, and here we are!

It's giveaway time! (cheers and whistles)

So why the impatience?  It's all about the PRIZE(S) this time!

When we started talking about Home Organization and how to use a Notebook to simplify your life, my (awesome) friend, Joanna (not the 'Joanna' from Eve's Stories), asked if I was going to give a Notebook away.  Isn't she smart?  You can thank her for this idea!

So, that's the awesome prize? (drumroll, please!)

A lovely, pink Notebook!

But wait, there's more...  (I'm working on becoming a pitchman!)  I'm also throwing in the goodies you need to get started... notebook paper, paper pads, lovely pens, and file tabs (grass and peonies not included).

"So, how can I win this fabulous prize, Lynette?" you ask.

It's simple, just bring me some cheesecake and wash all the windows in my house just suggest the link to "Walking On Water" on Facebook or Twitter.  You can either email me or comment below to get your name in then.

Oh, but wait, there's more! (How'm I doin'?)

I'll toss your name in an extra three times if you take advantage of my summer book sale!  "My Brother, The Senator" is on sale for $10 this summer (if you order through my blog). Order 1 book and your name will be added 3 extra times... or get 3 books and you're entered 9 times.... OR buy 875 books and you're entered 2,625 times (wink, wink).

********

Tomorrow is Organization Wednesday and it's all about how to use the different sections in your Notebook.  Get ready to get those birthday plans, budgets and house projects organized on paper! 

More organization ideas that are brewing:
What's Your Message - talking about how to promote positive messages throughout your home to your family
16 (Minutes) to Spotless - house cleaning overwhelming you?  Learn the 16 minute trick!
Child Labor Laws - ideas for kids chores. Matching chores up with different ages, etc.

Ok, time to get entered to win, win, WIN!

Notebook giveaway contest will end on Tuesday, June 14th.

And the winners are....

Congratulations to Mary Kelso and Danielle Miller!  My lovely daughter, Amy, drew your names for our giveaway!  I'll get your CaringKids Chore Cards this week! 

Thanks to everyone for entering!  More giveaways coming soon!

A Giveaway!

Everybody loves a giveaway, right?  I've been wanting to do one for a while, and finally decided it was time! 

With summer vacation coming up, I know you moms out there may be wondering how to keep those kiddos busy!   Sooo...  I'm giving away not ONE, but TWO packets of the CaringKids Chore Cards to TWO happy winners!  If you're not a mom, these will make a great gift to the kids in your life! 

To enter, simply comment below or you can inbox me or comment on the Facebook link that may have led you here.

I'll enter your name TWICE if you also suggest this blog on Facebook or Twitter (just let me know if you do).

I'm so excited about my Monday guest blogger, "Eve", and the story she has to tell.  Today we were editing Monday's story and let me tell ya, Monday can't come fast enough!  Through the next several weeks, you'll hear a story of heartbreak, sorrow and, ultimately, peace and redemption!

Please join me in spreading the word about Eve's Story - I would love for as many women as possible to hear about her journey.

The giveaway goes from now until Monday, May 30th, at 9:00 AM!