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What are your greatest Blessings?

    Turkeys are in the ovens all across this great Country of ours today. Pies are sitting at the ready. Potatoes and side-dishes of every imaginable taste will soon be warm. The Macy's ThanksGiving Parade is winding through New York. People in every state are giving Thanks today.

Houses filled with laughter and memories of Holidays gone by. Children running around and playing. Leaves cover the beautiful landscapes and yards reminding us that Autumn is in full swing.

And who can ignore the relentless reminders of this year's spectacular sales events in preparation for another Christmas.

Wishing you the Happiest of ThankGivings....

Safety First

REMIND YOUR CHILDREN: SAFE GROWNUPS DON’T ASK KIDS FOR HELP.

NEVER LEAVE YOUNG CHILDREN UNSUPERVISED… NOT EVEN FOR A MINUTE.

3. REPLACE THE WORD “STRANGER” WITH “TRICKY PERSON”:
IT’S NOT WHAT SOMEONE LOOKS LIKE, IT’S WHAT THEY SAY OR WANT TO DO WITH A CHILD THAT MAKES THEM UNSAFE OR “TRICKY”.

4. A TRICKY PERSON CAN BE SOMEONE YOU KNOW WELL, DON’T KNOW AT ALL, OR KNOW JUST A LITTLE BIT… LIKE YOUR MAIL CARRIER OR THE ICE CREAM MAN. ANYONE WHO TRIES TO GET A CHILD TO BREAK THEIR SAFETY RULES OR HURT THEIR BODY IS NOT OKAY.

5. LISTEN TO YOUR CHILD. IF THEY DON’T WANT TO BE AROUND A PARTICULAR PERSON, SUCH AS A BABYSITTER, RELATIVE, OR FAMILY FRIEND, DON’T FORCE THEM. THEY MAY BE GETTING A “RED FLAG” SIGNAL THAT YOU ARE UNAWARE OF.

6. PRACTICE PERSONAL SAFETY STRATEGIES WITH YOUR KIDS: WHAT WOULD THEY DO IF THEY WERE LOST IN A STORE? WHAT WOULD THEY SAY IF SOMEONE ASKED THEM FOR DIRECTIONS OR ASSISTANCE?

7. Never write YOUR CHILD’S NAME ON THE OUTSIDE OF ANY PERSONAL BELONGINGS SUCH AS A BACKPACK OR JACKET.

8. Encourage your CHILDREN to always use THE BUDDY SYSTEM WHENEVER AND WHEREVER POSSIBLE.

9. “THE UH-OH FEELING”: TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS AND LET YOUR CHILD KNOW IT’S OKAY FOR THEM TO TRUST THEIRS.

10. ESTABLISH A FAMILY RULE:
NO SECRETS ALLOWED, ESPECIALLY IF IT INVOLVES ANOTHER ADULT.

11. LET CHILDREN DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES HOW THEY WANT TO EXPRESS AFFECTION. DO NOT FORCE THEM TO HUG OR KISS ANOTHER PERSON.

12. SPEND TIME WITH YOUR KIDS. CHILDREN WHO ARE STARVED FOR ATTENTION CAN BE ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE TO A PREDATOR’S TRICKS.

13. VOLUNTEER AT YOUR CHILD’S SCHOOL OR OTHER ACTIVITIES. KNOW WHO THE PEOPLE ARE WHO ARE INTERACTING WITH YOUR CHILDREN.

14. DEVELOP STRONG COMMUNICATION SKILLS WITH YOUR CHILD SO THAT THEY WILL FEEL SAFE COMING TO YOU IF SOMETHING IS BOTHERING THEM.

15. TEACH SAFETY CONCEPTS IN A LOVING, EASY-GOING MANNER. SCARE TACTICS CAN MAKE A CHILD FEARFUL AND ARE NOT NECESSARY.

Check out these 10 Super Safety Tips.

Halloween Treats

Here's an old treat to enjoy on your Halloween....

Happy Halloween

A note to Mothers

Dear Moms,

Thank You!

from Proverbs 31:

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.

She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

Friends

NEVER FORGET YOUR FRIENDS!

A newlywed young man was sitting on the porch on a hot, humid day, sipping iced tea with his father.

As he talked about adult life, marriage, responsibilities, and obligations, the father thoughtfully stirred the ice cubes in his glass and cast a clear, sober look on his son.

"Never forget your friends," he advised, "they will become more important as you get older."

"Regardless of how much you love your family and the children you happen to have, you will always need friends. Remember to go out with them occasionally, do activities with them, call them."

"What strange advice!" Thought the young man. "I just entered the married world, I am an adult and surely my wife and the family that we will start will be everything I need to make sense of my life."

Yet he obeyed his father. He kept in touch with his friends and annually increased their number. Over the years, he became aware that his father knew what he was talking about.

Inasmuch as time and nature carry out their designs and mysteries on a man, friends were the bulwarks of his life.

After 60 years of life, here is what he learned:

·       Time passes.

·       Life goes on.

·       Distance separates.

·       Children grow up and become independent; it breaks the parents' hearts, but the children become separated from their parents.

·       Jobs come and go.

·       Illusions, desires, attraction, sex ... weaken.

·       People do not do what they should do.

·       The heart breaks.

·       The parents die.

·       Colleagues forget the favors.

·       The races are over.

But true friends are always there, no matter how many miles away they are or for how long.

A friend is never more distant than the reach of a need, intervening in your favor, waiting for you with open arms or blessing your life.

When we started this adventure called LIFE, we did not know of the incredible joys or sorrows that were ahead. We did not know how much we would need from each other. Love your parents, take care of your children, and keep a group of good friends too