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Fraternal Programs - Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Locate Your Financial Representative | Site Help | Corporate News Become a Member | Contact Us | Free Offers | Chapter Web Sites SPONSORED WEB SITES: Thrivent Builds | The Store | Lutherans Online | Lutheran Heritage | Church Loan Program | Thrivent Magazine About Chapter System Chapter Locator Chapter Care Programs Church & Community Programs Fraternal Highlights Grant Programs-Foundation Funded Grant Programs-Fraternal Funded Hurricane Katrina Response - Information for Members Impacted - Message from Senior Vice President Brad Hewitt - Investments Impact from Hurricane Katrina - Hurricane Katrina Resource Exchange - Photo Gallery It's as Easy as ABC 1-2-3 JOIN HANDS DAY Member Benefits Scholarships Supporting Our Troops Thrivent Magazine Volunteer Excellence Award FAQs Fraternal Programs Hurricane Katrina Response Hurricane Katrina Response Our hearts go out to the people along the Gulf Coast who have been affected by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Thrivent Financial and its members are responding in two ways: First, Thrivent Financial has added $5 million for rebuilding areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina to our $100 million Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity alliance, announced on Sept. 8, 2005 . Thrivent Builds is an unprecedented financial, volunteer and advocacy alliance designed to substantially increase Habitats capacity to build affordable housing. Second, we are supplementing our members donations and fund-raising efforts for this recovery. Through the generosity of our members, we expect more than an additional $6 million will be raised to support the survivors of this disaster in their recovery efforts. Individual Member Response Through the Individual Member Response, gifts members make to one of the four eligible organizations will be supplemented $1 for every $2 given, up to $300 per member (e.g., if a member gives $600 to a relief organization, Thrivent Financial will provide that organization with an additional $300.) A Thrivent Financial Hurricane Katrina Individual Member Response Form (PDF, 53K) must accompany the members gift (see form and instructions) (Word, 21K) . All funds raised and contributed through the Individual Member Response will be directed to four eligible recipients: Lutheran Disaster Response , ELCA Domestic Disaster Response , LCMS World Relief/Human Care and WELS Committee on Relief . These organizations will distribute the funds to those in need using their established processes. Thrivent Financial Hurricane Katrina Individual Member Response Form (PDF, 53K) Instructions for Member Response Form (Word, 21K) FAQ Individual Member Response Bulletin Insert (PDF, 38K) News Release (Word, 25K) Regional Chapter Response Members can form a service team to hold a fund-raiser or an appeal/collection and have the funds supplemented $1 for every $2 raised through the Hurricane Katrina Regional Chapter Response. A Regional Chapter Response Report form (Word, 43K) must accompany funds that are sent to Thrivent Financial for processing (see form and instructions) (Word, 22K) . Hurricane Katrina Regional Chapter Response Form (Service Team Fund-Raiser Activity Results) (Word, 43K) Instructions for Regional Chapter Response Form (Word, 22K) FAQ Regional Chapter Response News Release (Word, 25K) To view and print PDF files, you need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. 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Member Chapter Locator Chapter Info Church Loans Contact Info Fraternal Highlights Free Offers Gift Matching Grants Greeting Cards Hurricane Response Job Search LutheranCommunity Foundation Lutherans Online Member Benefits Member Magazine Membership Message Boards Mission/Vision News News Headlines Privacy Statement Recipes Seminars Simply Giving® Singles Seeking The Store Thrivent Builds Web Publishing Weather =============== Information for Thrivent Financial Members Impacted by Hurricane Katrina Message from Senior Vice President Brad Hewitt Investments Impact from Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina Resource Exchange Photo Gallery HOME | Site Map | Site Tour | Privacy Policy | Business Continuity Information | What's New On The Web Site | Contact Us | Top of Page Appleton Office: 4321 N. Ballard Road Appleton, WI 54919-0001 USA 800-THRIVENT (800-847-4836) E-mail: mail@thrivent.com Minneapolis Office: 625 Fourth Avenue S. Minneapolis, MN 55415-1624 USA 800-THRIVENT (800-847-4836) Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Appleton, WI 54919-0001, is authorized to conduct business in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. NAIC # 2938-56014. Products issued by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans are available to applicants who meet membership, insurability, U.S. citizenship and residency requirements. Not all products described are available in all states. Thrivent Financial representatives are licensed insurance agents. Insurance and retirement products, where available, are individual contracts, (not group coverage), and issued by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Investment products are offered through Thrivent Investment Management Inc., 625 Fourth Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55415-1665, a wholly owned subsidiary of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Member NASD. Member SIPC. Thrivent Financial representatives are registered representatives of Thrivent Investment Management Inc. 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► » Romeo and Juliet starring YOU in happy-ending edition with your picture on cover! Wedding Anniversary Gifts and Unique Romantic Present Ideas - a customized romance novel! HOME : BOOKS : -- CORPORATE GIFTS : Kids : GIFT BASKETS : TESTIMONIALS : FAQ : CONTACT -- -- Call us toll free 1-866-660-1109 -- Romeo and Juliet - the happy ending edition! Starring YOU and a special someone as Romeo and Juliet! -- The ultimate romantic, wedding or anniversary gift — now available in a personalized "happy ending" edition, with optionally your pictures on the cover! It's the way Romeo and Juliet should have been - true love with a personal twist! Standard cover Photo cover Price: $29.95 “There could not have been a more perfect 20th wedding anniversary present. Thanks so much.” A.H., Studio City, CA Click here to read what our customers have been saying... About Customizations tell a friend Photos Gift Ideas Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare's classic drama of passionate love—now releasedas a unique personalized romance with YOU playing the part of the famous lovers. A novel wedding,romantic or anniversary gift . Picture the thrill of classic lines personalized with you in them: "Oh Romeo, Romeo Brad, Brad. Wherefore art thou Romeo Brad?" "But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet Helenis the sun." What's more, if you choose the Happy Ending Version a new scene is added withan unexpected plot twist — the lovers live happily ever after! A short scene is added after ActV Scene III. It turns out the apothecary's poison didn't work and Romeo survives, and Juliet's stabbingof herself merely made her pass out. (With sincere apologies to William Shakespeare, Mercutio and Tybalt!) Romeo : Juliet's true love Montague : Romeo's family, involved in a bitter feud with the Capulet clan (Juliet'sfamily) Juliet : Romeo's true love Capulet : Juliet's family, involved in a bitter feud with the Montague clan (Romeo'sfamily) Verona : The city where most of the story takes place Happy Ending Version The new scene is available in the following versions, whereRomeo and Juliet survive: Classic version ACT V, SCENE IV. IN THE SEPULCHRE. [Romeo and Juliet awaken, rubbing their eyes] Romeo What uncommon commotion stirs these folk? Ah, blessed apothecary, whose potion miss'dits mark! Juliet And perhaps 'twas the keenness of mine love that hath dulled the dagger's blade. Romeo What sayest thou we hasten to Verona? Juliet Come, prince, love, husband, shining angel! Let's leave this cold sepulchre for Verona'swarm embrace. [Exeunt Romeo and Juliet hand in hand] Irreverent version ACT V, SCENE IV. IN THE SEPULCHRE. [Romeo and Juliet awaken, rubbing their eyes] Romeo What the heck was that big scene all about? Juliet Who knows? I just passed out for a second and everybody's losing it. Luckily thedagger wasn't sharp. Romeo And the apothecary screwed up big-time! What do you say we head home? Juliet Sounds like a plan, my medieval man! [Exeunt Romeo and Juliet hand in hand] Your privacy is assured: once the email is sent we do not retain any names or email addresses Email To Subject Message text Your name Your email Additional photos coming soon! Anniversary Gifts Wedding Gifts Birthday Presents Romantic Gifts Christmas Gifts Graduation Gifts Valentine Gifts Listed below are both the modern and traditional anniversary gift names Anniversary number Traditional Gift name Modern Gift name First Paper Clocks Second Cotton China Third Leather Crystal & Glass Fourth Fruit & Flowers Appliances Fifth Wood Silverware Sixth Candy & Iron Wood Seventh Wool & Copper Desk Sets Eighth Bronze & Pottery Linens & Lace Ninth Pottery / Willow Leather Tenth Tin & Aluminum Diamond Jewelry Eleventh Steel Fashion Jewelry Twelfth Silk & Linen Pearls Thirteenth Lace Textiles / Furs Fourteenth Ivory Gold Jewelry Fifteenth Crystal Watches Twentieth China Platinum Twenty-Fifth Silver Silver Thirtieth Pearl Diamond Thirty-Fifth Coral Jade Fortieth Ruby Ruby Forty-Fifth Sapphire Sapphire Fiftieth Gold Gold Fifty-Fifth Emerald Emerald Sixtieth Diamond Diamond -- Price: $29.95 Did you know? Select the custom photo option for the ultimate in personalization- a picture of YOU on the cover! (Details...) Every book comes with a customized cover with your name on it A dedication message (upto a page) is included at no extra cost -- Shipping Basic shipping to USA/Canada: $4 Express: $9 (More details...) -- -- Titles Romance - Romeo and Juliet Adventure - Zorro -- - Robin Hood - NEW! - The JungleBook - Moby Dick Fantasy - The Wizard of Oz - Alice in Wonderland Mystery - The Adventuresof Sherlock Holmes - The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes - The Hound of the Baskervilles - Early Sherlock Holmes Drama - A Christmas Carol - Anne ofGreen Gables - Anne of Avonlea - Anne of the Island Horror - Dracula - Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde -- HOME : POLICIES : DEALERS & AFFILIATES : JOBS : CONTACT : RESOURCES Click to verify Shop with confidence! Customized Classics is a certified InternetSecure Merchant ---

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MSN Money - Get the wedding gifts you really want MSN Home My MSN Hotmail Shopping Money People & Chat Sign In W eb Search: Money S earch MSN Money: Help Home News Banking Investing Planning Taxes My Money Portfolio Loans Insurance Planning Home Retirement Savings Insurance Family/College Resources Decision Centers Commentary Index More Tools Related Links My Accounts Message Boards Print-friendly version Send this to a friend Get market news by e-mail See if refinancing works Personal finance bookshelf Find It! Article Index Finance Q&A Tools Index Site map Related Sites Association of Bridal Consultants The Honeymoon Casa de Oro Travel wedding registry Honeymoonforyou.com HoneyLuna.com The Basics Get the wedding gifts you really want advertisement Traditional registries can prevent you from getting 5 identical bun warmers. But some couples really want camping gear, home down payments or honeymoon contributions. What would Miss Manners say? By MP Dunleavey It's relatively rare these days for people to get married right after graduating from college. The average age for first marriage among women has risen steadily to more than 25, from less than 21 in 1970; for men, the average is now more than 27. My fianc and I were about a decade or so past our mid-20s when we got married recently, and like a lot of people, we had accumulated a lot of stuff during our unmarried years. The last thing we wanted was more stuff. At least that's how we felt when we considered doing the standard newlywed thing: i.e. registering for china, linens, monogrammed silver, matching PDAs and a small, well-behaved child. Nah. What we wanted, more than anything, given the stress of modern wedding planning, was to go lie on a beach somewhere and pretend we were still happily dating. Don't let retirement sneak up on you. Create a perfect plan. But like most couples we found the cost of the wedding taxing enough -- even though our parents did pay for most of it. There was no way we could afford a honeymoon, too. So we got this crazy idea. If our loved ones would be willing to shell out for glassware and new pots, would it be terrible -- crass, rude, self-serving -- to ask for contributions toward what we really wanted? Financial wedding etiquette To be honest, I've never liked the idea of a traditional registry. No matter how fancy the store (or your china pattern), you're basically telling guests what to buy you. Miss Manners, aka Judith Martin, pointed out in a recent column that commercial gift registries used to be kept ONLY in the event that customers inquired about a bride's china or silver pattern. Now, she says, all sentiment is being stripped from the gift-giving tradition. People turn to registries, she says, "to put generosity under the control of its beneficiaries." And, she concludes sternly: "These practices are no less vulgar for having become commonplace." Her point is well-taken. Some couples seem to equate "getting married" with "shopping spree" and use the registry system to shamelessly upgrade every item in their home. On the other hand, there is a financial reality that cannot be avoided. Custom dictates that a gift must be bought, so for most people the financial sanity (and sheer convenience) of bridal registries outweighs the inherent crudeness of this system. Guests don't waste their money buying gifts couples don't want or can't use. Couples get what they need, so they don't have to buy it themselves. Stuff -- who needs it? Increasingly, says Peggy Post, author of "Emily Post's Wedding Etiquette by Peggy Post", many couples would rather skip the stuff anyway. "So many couples come to the marriage with so many things," she says, noting that 40% of marriages are "encore," i.e. repeat, unions, for one or both partners. "These days you see people registering for all kinds of non-traditional items." Among them: camping gear, a down payment for a house, stock certificates and, yes! . . . the honeymoon. According to the Association of Bridal Consultants (see link at left), a wedding guest will spend an average of $85 on a gift. The average cost of a honeymoon is about $4,000. If a couple has no need for flatware and linens, why not encourage guests to contribute to a honeymoon registry like thehoneymoon.com, casadeorotravel.com, honeymoonforyou.com or honeyluna.com? Guests can contribute to airfare, romantic dinners, massages, picnics, guided tours, etc. To drool over a sample registry for a honeymoon in Hawaii, click on the link at left under Honeymoonforyou.com. For one in Greece, click at left under HoneyLuna.com. And to send in contributions for my honeymoon, click . . . oh, never mind. The etiquette of alternative registries Peggy Post, the great-granddaughter-in-law of Emily Post, thinks using these offbeat registries can be fine "with a big IF attached." Here's some guidance: 1) Wait until you're asked. It's impolite (and annoying) to include a card announcing where you're registered. Wait for guests to inquire, and let the word spread discreetly through friends and family. "Let your parents, siblings, wedding party and close friends know -- IF they've asked," suggests Bobbie Izeman, a bridal consultant and advice columnist for blushing-brides.com. "But don't announce it in a formal way." 2) Do not dictate. As Miss Manners points out, a gift, above all, is a gift. It is not up to you to decide what your guests should give, no matter how badly you want contributions to your down payment, help with your airfare or even traditional items like cookware. "You should leave your guests the option to give you what they want," agrees Post. 3) Say thank you. It may seem obvious, but sending a prompt, enthusiastic thank you note -- for every gift, no matter what the gift -- is essential. "The key thing is to remember to be appreciative," says Post. The honeymoon fund Since we didn't know about these honeymoon registries a few months ago, my fianc and I set up our own impromptu "honeymoon fund." We made a small gaffe by alluding to it in the instruction sheet for our weekend wedding (oops!), but it was in the context of asking guests please not to give presents. Apparently, that is also a faux pas (eek!), but we hadn't consulted all these etiquette experts then. To our surprise, a small number of friends (and a couple of relatives) protested. They wanted to get us A Real Gift. I can say with some relief that at least we handled that properly -- encouraging people to give whatever sort of gift they wanted. And they did. We got a lovely mix of gifts and honeymoon fund contributions. Just enough so that we can restore our sanity on some sandy shore -- without going into a penny of debt. What greater wedding gift could there be? Editor's Choice 3 legal papers you can't live without Your own business, your tax shelter Brush: The 5 most overpaid CEOs Are seniors gambling away retirement? Cut your taxes by going solar Readers' Choice Ratings Top 5 Articles 9.34 Zombie debt collectors dig up your old mistakes 9.33 10 ways to stop identity theft cold 9.31 10 ways to avoid outrageous hospital overcharges 9.22 The tricks and traps of debt consolidation 9.17 Safeguard your Social Security number View all top rated articles More Resources · E-mail us your comments on this article · Post on the Your Money message board · Get a daily dose of market news S earch MSN Money tips advertisement MSN Money's editorial goal is to provide a forum for personal finance and investment ideas. 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housewarming gifts. There can

10 useful housewarming gifts ideas under $10 10 useful housewarming gifts ideas under $10 Here are 10 great ideas for affordable housewarming gifts. There can be no doubt that moving out of one home into another can be an extremely stressful time for anyone. Besides the obvious wear and tear associated with the physical move, there are also emotional ties to the old home to overcome and new social relationships to build in the new one. One of the best ways for new home owners or apartment dwellers to begin the process of building a new home for themselves is by giving a 'housewarming party'. Old friends and new acquaintances alike may stop by the new place for an informal get-together or a more formal tour and reception. Guests are usually expected to bring at least one gift that would be appropriate for a new house, such as decorations for the walls or a fruit basket. Some also purchase cards for the occasion, or contribute money to a special 'tree'. Whatever the level of formality, a small token of friendship is the proper thing to do. But what gift items should you consider if your budget is strained? All is not lost. Here are some practical gift ideas that should not cost over $10, and will be appreciated by new home owners everywhere. 1. Cleaning supplies and refills. At first, this may sound like a rather unimaginative gift idea, but presentation is the key. Fill a small metal bucket with sampler-sized cleaning aids and refills, then wrap the whole thing in cellophane with an appropriate ribbon and card. You might include a sponge, paper products, cutting board, Scotchguard, dish soap, hand cleanser or whatever else you can find in the cleaning aisle. You may find your best bargains at one of those 'it's all a dollar' type stores. Occasionally, you may find a small laundry basket that would be perfect for holding the other goodies. New home owners may not have had the time to unpack their own supplies, so such a cleaning care package may be the thing they need right away. 2. Kitchen gadgets. Many companies offer kitchen gadgets and aids that are reasonably priced. Salt and pepper shakers, vegetable peelers, nutcracking sets, knife sharpeners- all of these items can usually be found for under $10 in retail stores. You might also find discounted cookbooks or other kitchen-related books. Dishtowels, storage containers, casserole dishes, picnic baskets- these would all be appreciated by the house chef. You might consider baking a dozen cookies or a similar snack item and leaving the container as a gift. Decorative storage tins for dry goods can usually be found at a discount, and are very useful as well as ornamental. 3. Hooks, hangers, wires and nails. One challenge for the new home owner is to find places to rehang pictures and other objects from the old home. Some apartment dwellers may find that their new leases restrict the ways in which a picture can be hung on the wall. Instead of drilling a metal screw into the stud of a wall or pounding a nail into the drywall, they may be limited to such non-damaging methods as double-stick tape and putty. Home owners without such limitations may discover that they do not have the proper hangers for reinstallation. This could be a perfect gift opportunity if you are aware of their constraints. If you know the situation well enough to determine the proper way to go, you might consider purchasing nails, wire, hooks or hangers. Some non-intrusive hanging methods may include double-sided tape, specialized putty for picture hanging and wire stands. A good hardware store can supply you with specific ideas and supplies. 4. Gardening tools and supplies. If your friend's interests include gardening, you may want to consider getting some inexpensive gardening tools that could prove useful, such as trowels or weed removers. You could also provide assistance in a gardening-related service, like having lawn mower blades or a pair of hedge clippers sharpened. Seeds are also very inexpensive to obtain, and you could select colorful flower assortments or fruit and vegetable varieties. You could also find a book on gardening ideas or a coffee table book featuring gardens. 5. Magazines/Subscriptions. Although many magazine subscriptions will cost more than your $10 budget goal, they should pay for themselves in the long run. If you cannot afford a gift subscription to a magazine, see if there are more affordable newsletters on interesting topics. New homeowners may appreciate 'how-to' information or 'around the town' magazines geared towards newcomers. In addition, you may want to scour the local public information areas for free pamphlets that promote popular entertainment and cultural events. 6. Coupons for services. There is always a need for some sort of professional service when moving, so think ahead and collect coupons or gift certificates for places that provide such services. Dry-cleaning, locksmithing, shoe repairs, car servicing, auto detailing- all of these establishments should have at least one affordable service your friends could use. Also look into gift certificates from the best local restaurants, or a free drink at the local watering hole. 7. Personal services. If you have more time than money, you might consider offering a personal service as a 'gift'. Make out an official-looking voucher that will entitle the new homeowner to whatever service you can provide. If you can paint walls, offer your time and labor. New homeowners may also appreciate a free night of babysitting or an offer to housesit during a vacation. If you have the time and equipment, you could offer to mow their lawn or wash their car. You could also have an open-ended invitation for a home-cooked meal. 8. Host a 'movie night'. Movie rentals are relatively inexpensive, so select a movie or two and arrange a night of family fun. You might consider renting comedies that poke fun at the 'joys' of moving or buying a new home. Films such as Richard Pryor's 'Moving' or Tom Hank's 'The Money Pit' all deal with the unexpected and unpredictable aspects of buying a new home. Bring some popcorn and have some fun reliving memories of your own moving experiences. 9. Disposable cameras and film. One activity that almost every new homeowner enjoys is taking plenty of pictures. They may want to have snapshots of the old home to remember, or take pictures of the new place for relatives and friends to see. If you own a camera yourself, you could volunteer to document the party itself, or snap some pictures of the house or apartment. Disposable cameras are usually not expensive, so you could use one as a stop-gap present until your finances improve and you can afford a more expensive gift. 10. Frames and photo albums. You can never have enough picture frames or photo albums, so invest in a few as gifts. Many discount stores offer a variety of frames that will be suitable for any picture sizes. Photo albums can also be obtained fairly inexpensively, if you do some comparative shopping. Homeowners can start their own photo collections, such as 'Our First Apartment' or 'Our New Retirement Home'. You may also consider putting together a scrapbook of cherished items from the previous apartment or house, or even put together a 'gag gift' of candid shots and exaggerated comical moments associated with the moving process or any other 'disaster' that may have occurred. Create awards for 'Most Thumbs Hit by Hammers' or 'Most Likely to Need More Health Insurance'. Be creative and light-hearted when it comes to gag gifts. Written by Michael Pollick - © 2002 Pagewise You are here: Essortment Home >> People & Culture >> Holidays:Gifts >> 10 useful housewarming gifts ideas under $10 << Christmas stocking stuffers Christmas shopping lists with a budget >>