The news everyone has been waiting for... Zion Oasis (Zion's Only General Store) will be opening November 15, 2014! We are putting in a lot of work to get everything ready, because we want everything to be just right - and it will be! 
Here is a sneak preview of some of what will be in our shop when we open... 
NEW: Bibles, crafts, jewelry, natural foods, gifts, books, art supplies, and more. 
THRIFT: clothes, jeans, tools, small electrical appliances, dishes, dolls, gift items, wooden items, porcelain figurines, AVON, and more. 
SERVICES: Sure Fix (Your One-Stop Fix-It Shop!), Zion Ebay Zone (Ebay Services), Family Flicks DVD Rental, and Targeted Access (Printing & Design)

   I've lost track of how many times I've been asked, "What's that ?!" whenever the word Purim is mentioned. Purim is the equivalent to us what Christmas is to most people. But it's way more fun in my opinion! So let me try to explain some of what goes on during those three fun-filled days...
   If you were to see Purim listed on one of the few calendars that do include this relatively unknown holiday, it would most likely inform you that Purim 2014 is celebrated on March 16th. But the Purim holiday officiallly starts the evening before, as it is a Jewish holiday and Jewish holidays begin at sundown on the previous day. Now, we do not celebrate Purim as the Jewish people do; in fact we had never heard of it prior to reading about it in the Bible. Instead, we celebrate it in our own unique and fun way.
   First though, let me tell you what the Bible has to say about this day, as this is the whole reason behind why we celebrate when we do (that, and the fact that Christmas has become something entirely different from what it was meant to be). You can find the entire story behind the beginnings of the Purim holiday in the book of Esther. But the verse I want to highlight is Esther 9:22: "And Mordecai wrote these things and sent letters to all the Jews, near and far, who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, to establish among them that they should celebrate yearly the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar... that they should make them days of feasting and joy, of sending presents to one another and gifts to the poor. So they called these days Purim, after the name Pur (meaning lots)."
   Did you know that this is the only holiday in the Bible to mention the giving of gifts to one another? This is why we decided to begin giving gifts not on Christmas but on Purim.
   Now I shall try to give you a glimpse of what Purim is like in our household... 
   Purim, as I have said, began sundown on Saturday, March 15th this year. All up until this time everyone was hurrying to finish last minute details and get all of their presents together. This year we also had a keyboard recital (see Kath's blog: Family Updates for pics). But the fun truly began Saturday evening at 6:58pm which was the official time that the sun went down that day. Everyone gathered in the family room dressed in their finest, and we started off the holiday with a great big cheer (which if you can imagine, was about 14 voices strong)! We danced, holding hands, to the tune of Taseh Mitzvah by Michoel Pruzansky - a song made especially for Purim... and danced, and danced, and... you get the picture. This is the part, I think, that is hardest for people to imagine unless if they were to see it for themselves - all the fun that we have. Because we have sixteen people in our family, we can have four times the fun of a normal sized family!

   After we had danced for quite a while it was time to start handing out gifts. We do the giving of gifts in two parts: The youngest six give their gifts on the first day of Purim, and the older ones give their gifts on the following day. That way the younger ones are not overshadowed - and we don't have to hand out all 240 gifts in one day!
   Sunday morning, we gathered for the second round of gift giving. After all the gifts had been handed out, everyone had time to look everything over, and admire the gifts that the others had gotten as well. The rest of the day was mostly spent in organizing and in enjoying all the new gifts. Sunday evening we set up a backdrop for photos, and take pictures of everyone dressed up in their fancy Purim outfits.
   But Purim does not end here. Purim lasts for two days; therefore the fun continued until Monday evening at sundown. Monday morning, we held an indoor "garage sale" of sorts, where all the younger ones could get rid of their old toys to make room for the new ones. They each set up their little stands, and everyone joined in the trading and buying. At the very end, Dad will come and make an offer for everything left unsold, and his offer is usually accepted eagerly. After "garage sales" comes the "auction". Dad is the auctioneer. He doles out a certain number of "auction bucks" to each person present, and the auction gets underway. Toys, snack items, and craft supplies are a few of the items on the auction block. Everyone has fun bidding on items - even the youngest, Joshua. After the last item is auctioned off, more fun is underway... and more playing... and more dancing. 
   At last, Purim draws to a close. I go outside and watch the sun set, and enjoy the beautiful evening. Now we just have to wait one year until next Purim... :)

   So here we are halfway through February already! One more month of freezing temperatures and snow until we - hopefully - see the start of spring. 
   I am so looking forward to the arrival of spring this year! After going through the flu and a cold this January, and staying indoors a lot more than I'd like, I am looking forward to getting outside again and enjoying the sun. But, even with the cold and snow, I find the days slipping by so fast... and myself caught up in the busyness of life. So now it's time to stop and think for a moment. This year WILL NOT be like last year. this year I WILL do things differently. Because even if there are a thousand things I could do, there will also be a thousand things to do tomorrow, and the next day, and the next. But something that will NOT be here forever is the time I will be able to spend with family and friends. I must take advantage of that now - or whenever I get the chance; I will make the most of every opportunity that comes my way for spending time with those I love. And all the unimportant little things I have to do will just have to wait till tomorrow.

    I've been neglecting my blog... here it is almost the new year already! Wow! These past months have gone by so quickly!!
    So, a little on what I've been up to recently...
    Of course, working on The Town Sound has been keeping me pretty busy. That usually takes one week of going business to business to finalize deals and see what ads to run for the coming month, and then another solid week of putting it all together - creating the ads, designing the publication, and sending it off to the printing company. After that comes the delivering and more business visits for the next month... and so it goes.
    I've been wanting to put The Town Sound online for a while now, not just in booklet form (which it has been already now for some time), but by article, author, etc. That way someone can search for a particular column that they especially like such as "Dumb Crook of the Month" - our most popular by far - and go right to that specific column.
    Well, I've finally done it! The Town Sound is now officially online in reader-friendly format. Go to www.thetownsound.com and under the tab that says "The Town Sound - Online Version", you will see another tab titled "Fun, Facts, and Featured Articles". Here you will find every column featured in our magazine listed in alphabetical order. Click on one of these links, and you'll see that particular column - not only for the current month, but for every previous issue as well. 
    The next thing I will be working on is featuring the local businesses that advertise with us on our website, and hopefully incorporating links to those businesses as well. We'll see how that works out... Enjoy!

    Hard to believe these months fly by so fast! Here we are heading in to September in just a matter of weeks, and fall will be just around the corner. Anyway, here's the update for this month... I have officially begun work on yet another website (this will be number five!). For many years people have told me that I should start selling my handcrafted cards, and I am finally creating a website that will be for that purpose.
     For me, though, it is always easier and more enjoyable creating cards for one specific person instead of ones that could be for anybody and that are more general in design. So I will probably not do too much "mass production", but will focus more on specially-ordered cards where someone can order a card made just for that special person in their life, or one designed around a specific theme.
     Next up? Website # 6! But for now, I have to get back to work and get our next issue of The Town Sound ready to send out to print!

   Just got through a big job; had to use all the help we could get... Dad, Elizabeth, Rachel, Rebekah, Kath, Judah, Johannah, Ezekiel, and of course, myself.  Had to empty and clean a house, basement and garage, and there was a LOT of stuff to sort, pack, and clear out. But with everyone pitching in, we managed to get the job done in about three days. Not bad!
   Now we're back to trying to get the store in order, so we can open! And I am so looking forward to that. It's been a while since we've last been open. But we are finally making progress in getting ready to reopen, and it's exciting to see (even though we still have a lot to do!).
   This week, though, we'll have to take a little break... It's that time again! The Town Sound is ready for delivery!

Just getting over this pertussis or "whooping cough" sickness. A little over three weeks ago I first caught it as it was making the rounds in our family. Never can I remember having any sickness as long-lasting or as hard-hitting as this one. For at least two weeks I was so drained of energy that I couldn't even go up a flight of stairs without pausing half-way up and panting as if I had just come back from a jog. At first I was able to push through and continue working, but it got to the point where I did not even have the energy to lift my arm to wipe something down. One day in the middle of this sickness I attempted to do a small job for a friend, but not even an hour into it I felt like I was going to pass out from the tiny bit of exertion that I was doing. I ended up being able to finish the job only by doing most of the work sitting on the floor and taking frequent breathing spells in between.
  Now, finally starting to get my strength back (and my head! This sickness taxes you not only physically, but mentally as well!), I start to feel the joy of once more being able to work, eat, sleep... things that we just take for granted so much of the time. How many people are never able to enjoy the things that we enjoy every day due to a disability or lifelong illness that impairs their strength either physically or mentally, or both. I think the saying is true that you never appreciate something as much as when it is taken away from you.

  Thank you, God, for the ability to work, eat, sleep, and enjoy life.

   A friend was expressing her financial worries to me and mentioned that when I had a family of my own, I would know more of what responsibility felt like. I just had to laugh. Responsibility is something I've known since I was very young. Helping meet the needs of a family of 16 is definitely a full-time job in its own!
   I think the reason that she was skeptical about my having any financial constraints of my own is the fact that I seldom voice worries or concerns over such matters. So people sometimes come to the conclusion that there is no such worries for me. That is not exactly true. There have been plenty of times that money has been in short supply and bills, fast approaching. The difference for our family is that we don't dwell on what we have not, but we have. Can you imagine if we worried every time the finances were running low? We'd be one worn out family from all the worrying we'd  have to do! 
   A lot of it comes down to trust... trusting that God will provide, and that when we absolutely need the money, it will be there. And He always does, and it always has been.
   So why worry about money and finances? Take one day at a time. Today there is enough. Tomorrow God will take care of when it comes. Stressing over it will not make anything better, only worse. 

"...Don't worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is'n't life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the sky: they don't sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren't you worth more than they?..."
   "Therefore don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." 
                                                                                                                           -Matt. 6:25-26,34

Well! The second copy of The Town Sound has gone off to print... look for it soon ladies and gentlemen!
Now it's time to catch up on the hundred little things I never get around to... not. I think I'll just take a half-day break and then... off to work again. It's a good thing I love my job. ☺

   Hard to believe a month could fly by so fast! And what a lot has been accomplished in just these past few weeks. Rebekah and I officially launched our cleaning / organizing business; our family designed, published and hand-delivered 4,500+ issues of our new publication "The Town Sound"; and we built and launched our family website... mybigfam.com. But we're far from being done! 
   Next big project is the store... And a BIG project it is indeed! Not only do we have remodeling work to do, but we are in the process of sorting through our inventory too. There will be a lot of changes to the store when we do open - for those of you who have shopped there in the past. Good changes! We will have a bigger store for one, because the back will be opened up. And there will probably be even more of a variety of items than before. 
   Well, time to get back to work! Check back often for updates on store progress!