You are Cordially Invited...

I finally figured out why my church parking lot is jam packed every Thursday morning.  Yep, Thursday morning, in addition to Sunday.

It's called Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) and it has revolutionized my life.

Think I'm being overly dramatic?  Nope.

It really has been inspiring for me to dedicate my Thursday mornings to a time of thought provoking discussion, inspirational teaching and disciplined study of the Bible.

My preschool aged kids have benefited too.  They get their own version of the same lesson, complete with play time, music time, Bible lesson, quiet time and rhythm time.  Anyone can attend at no cost and the amazing study notes and reading resources are provided, free for the taking.

Is there a catch?  Um....... yes.....  I'm not going to lie.  If you are looking for a coffee klatch and zero homework, this gig is not for you.  If you're looking for a "feel good, whatever works for you" approach to reading the Bible, that leaves you stumbling around and wondering if anything really makes any sense, you won't get that here either.

But if you are willing to entertain the idea that there is a group of people out there that have developed a systematic way to study the Bible that inspires, invigorates you and changes how you live your life, the homework is a small price to pay.

I'll be honest, it's been my first year (they run on a school calendar schedule) and I have not been a stellar student.  I've had to sit and be quiet because I didn't answer the study questions ahead of time.  My kids have often missed playtime as I struggled to make it before my group started on the third question.  There's been a fair share of kicking (by my kids) and screaming (by me) to load up the van and hustle up to get there.  While I'm working to improve in those areas, I've been encouraged, knowing that it's not my perfection that I seek, but God's perfection.  I'm learning about His wisdom through His Word.

When I leave BSF, I am encouraged, challenged and renewed to face the daily struggles of life with grace.

And guess what?  You don't have to go to my church, or any church, for that matter, to get in on the action.  So I'm inviting you to an Introduction Class.  Test drive it for yourself and see what you think.  Because it is an Introduction, they will not have childcare available for you for that first class.  The kids have to be preregistered, but you can sign them up when you attend the first class.  If Thursday mornings don't work, they have other classes for women, men, young adults and kids around the world.  You can check out their class offerings here.

I hope you'll join me.

Review & Giveaway: Zarbee's All-Natural Children's Cough Syrup

Mothers of little ones know all too well the struggle of soothing kids with coughs and colds.  Fortunately, there is an option available for preschoolers called Zarbee's All-Natural Children's Cough Syrup. 

We had the chance to personally try out this product and it has three significant advantages:

• You can safely give this syrup to babies that are 12 months old.  Most manufacturers recommend using their product if the child is older than two years of age.
• The ingredients are all-natural, based on a proprietary mix of honey, vitamins and immunity boosters.  You can feel confident that this is a safe remedy to try out which will not react with other medicines.
• It is available at larger pharmacies and retailers, such as Walgreen's, Wegmann's and Weis.

The syrup is fairly thick so it may be better to use a dosing syringe for little ones.  We tried the grape flavor and while it is a little tart, there is no chemical taste and it was easy going down.

The big question is, does it work?  I can definitely give a resounding thumbs up.  My six year old woke up complaining of a sore throat one morning, so I gave him the syrup.  It was a bit sour for him (he might prefer the cherry flavor, over the grape), but Zarbee's soothed his throat immediately.  He went to school and didn't complain once about a sore throat again.

My little 17month old eyed the medicine and since he had a little cough, I decided to try it with him as well.  The grape was a bit tart for his taste, but using a syringe, I was able to slow down the amount that he swallowed and it did provide relief.

The Frugal Writer loves to save money, so I'm pleased to tell you that you can get a $1 off coupon right from the Zarbee's website.

My results are unscientific at best, but you can have a shot at trying this remedy out for yourself with my Free Giveaway of a 4oz bottle.

Here's how to enter:

1. Like Zarbee's on Facebook
2. Like The Frugal Writer on Facebook
3. Follow The Frugal Writer on Twitter
4. Add your link using the Mister Linky widget below and leave a comment here confirming actions 1-3 and and why you'd like a sample of Zarbee's.  
5. Send an email with your email or contact information to mar4jc at verizon dot net

The winner, chosen at random, will be picked and announced on (giveaway extended!) Monday, February 28th, here, on Twitter and on Facebook.
Best wishes!

Disclaimer:  I was not paid for this product and only received a sample to provide this review.