Dainty Pearl Necklace

                 The Perfect Unique Mother's Day Gift

You know every year when May comes around that you want to get your Mom something really special. She sacrificed selflessly to raise you, she was there any time you needed her, she cooked you a thousand meals in your lifetime... the list could go on and on of all the things your Mother did for you. That is why Mother's Day is such a special time, because it is your big chance to tell her how much she means to you. So what can you get Mom this year that will show her your heartfelt appreciation? Something that is unique and has more meaning than a gift certificate to the spa or salon. There is no other Mom like your Mom so why get her the gift that every other mom will get this year? Why not get her something handmade just for her?

Justice Juels (www.justicejuels.com) has the perfect gift idea for your Mother. Each piece of jewelry is handmade and customizable to say the exact message you want your Mom to hear. Whether you want a charm bracelet with all the kids' names on it, or a simple necklace that says, "I love you", Justice Juels has just the right thing. Made with precious metals such as sterling silver and gold this year's gift will last for a lifetime and with prices starting at $12 you can find the right gift in your price range.
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New Birthstone Necklace!

Human Trafficking is a horrific industry that involves enslaving innocent people and forcing them to work in involuntary servitude. While that definition in itself sounds horrible, let me break it down a bit more for you. Human Trafficking includes:

• Kidnapping young children (as young as 6 months old) and selling them into the sex industry where they are forced to service up to 20 clients a day.
• Deceiving men, women and children by promising them a better life in a foreign country and when they arrive taking all their belongings and forcing them to work 18 hours a day in hard labor without pay or sanitary living conditions.
• Raping, beating, torturing and threatening the victims into submission.

You are probably thinking right now, "That is horrible; I cannot believe that really happens". Let me tell you a few more disturbing facts about Human Trafficking:
• Human Trafficking is the number one criminal activity in the world.
• There are over 27 million people enslaved today under the conditions listed above.
• There are over 1 million children exploited into the sex industry each year.
• Human Trafficking is not only in the United States, but it is growing in the US each year.

Human Trafficking is the crime of choice for many criminals is because of two reasons, one, it is extremely profitable. You can sell a drug once, but you can sell a person over and over giving you a huge rate of return on your initial investment. The second reason is because it is so easy to get away with. Between 2001-2007 in the United States there were only 185 convictions. That is 185 people going to jail in 6 years time. The criminals know that the chances of them ever getting caught is so low that in fact many drugs and arms dealers are moving over into the human trafficking industry because it is so lucrative and easy to get away with. FULL POST

Calvin Coolidge once wrote "No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave." As Christians, we are always looking for ways to honor those who make a point to live their lives according to the teachings of Christ. There are those of us who go above and beyond to try and help members of the community who have fallen on hard times; many of whom are typically ignored by society. One Dallas-based jewelry store is shining the light on these unsung heroes in our community with a very unique award. Joolwe.com online jewelry store wants to recognize the hard work that some women devote their entire lives to. The company is launching their first annual "Joolwe.com Selfless Woman Jewelry Award" just in time for the holiday season.

Joolwe.com is searching for members of the community who always put the needs of others before their own and never ask for anything in return. By asking the public to submit letters telling the story of the person they feel deserves to be recognized for their altruism, they are making the award program a community effort. Joolwe.com will pick the winners based on merit and give them the opportunity to choose any piece of fine jewelry from the special reward catalog section of their store. Each year, applicants must submit their nominations by December 6 for the chance to have their nominee in the running to receive a free piece of beautiful jewelry by Christmas Eve. "One thing that I've always loved about Christianity is the tenet that stresses helping out your neighbor. Christianity teaches that we should all try to live in Christ's image in order to make the world a better place. We hope our program helps people remember to not only honor those who give back but to also give back themselves" says Ryan Cheng, Joolwe.com founder. He continues, "Our award program creates an opportunity to show appreciation and let that special someone know that you recognize how kind they are."

Some may wonder why such a young company decided to launch an altruistic initiatives; company founder, Ryan Cheng says, "I think it's important to celebrate those in the community who work hard all year and I think the gift of jewelry is a wonderful way to make a person feel special." Joolwe.com is a company that prides itself by doing with business while trying to keep Christian values in mind. They have just launched their "Shop for a Cause" program; where a portion of the company's proceeds will be donated to participating local and national non-profit organizations. FULL POST

Many Christians in the United States are feeling the pinch of the recession and it's having an effect on how much money they are donating to charities, non-profit organizations and churches. Lately, Christians have to find other ways to give back to the community while they are going about their everyday lives. One Dallas-based company is offering a unique way for people to donate money while doing something many people enjoy doing for themselves or others: shopping. Joolwe.com online jewelry store has announced the launch of its "Shop For A Cause Program". The company is partnering with local and national non-profit organizations to partner with in an effort to raise money and awareness for various causes. Joolwe.com is asking organizations and churches who would like to participate to sign up for the program and provide a donation coupon code to their supporters. When a customer redeems that donation coupon code with their Joolwe.com purchase, the customer will save 10% off the order and Joolwe.com will donate 10% of the revenue from that transaction to the organization. Charities and non-profit organizations can learn more at http://www.joolwe.com/shop-for-a-cause-charity-donation-shopping/. Supporters of those charities can also help out by posting the coupon codes on their own website as well and create a cycle of fundraising.

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Jewelry has always been an integral part of the way cultures express themselves. It has the power to act as a social barometer and give insight in to a culture, a movement, a trend or religious affiliation. Although there is a large market for fashion jewelry today, for thousands of years ancient cultures viewed jewelry as symbolic and spiritual. This notion still holds true for many people today. Jewelry, because of its symbolic power, has been a galvanizing form for expressing one's religious beliefs. When someone sees a cross or a fish dangling from a necklace, a pair of earrings, a charm bracelet or a ring, they automatically think of Christianity. Where did this trend start? When did it become popular for Christians to wear a symbol of their religion as a fashion statement?

History has shown that jewelry has been worn to express wealth, rank, emotions, superstitions and religion. Today, expressing one's religion through jewelry is considered a tasteful and elegant way to share your feelings with the world. However, there was a time where fragrantly expressing one's religious beliefs was dangerous and still is for some. To understand the significance of religious jewelry in Christianity, one must grasp the concept of what those symbols themselves mean to Christians. The cross is one of the most popular symbols in Christianity that is worn is jewelry today. However, it is not a pure fashion statement; this symbol holds a deep meaning. The cross symbolizes the death by crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christians believe that His death stripped them of their sins and brought them salvation. When a Christian is baptized, they are marked with the sign of the cross as a reminder of His sacrifice. Some people use the term crucifix and cross interchangeably. However, a crucifix features the image of Christ's body on it and the cross is empty.

The cross as a Christian symbol is said to have come into widespread use as early as the second century and the act of marking the cross on the forehead and chest was done to ward off demons and evil spirits. When Christians look at the cross, they are constantly reminded of God's endless love and His victory of death and sin. Many Christians believe that through His death and resurrection, He managed to conquer death itself. Some Christians argue that the sign of the cross does not represent God alone but it represents the method of salvation by which He saved the world. FULL POST