Quote from Forum Archives on January 11, 2008, 3:15 pm

Posted by: jhbreneman <jhbreneman@...>

HEART TO HEART NEWSLETTER
ENCOURAGEMENT TO WOMEN
Compiled especially for you with love by Lois Breneman

 

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1/11/08  VALENTINE'S DAY IDEAS & GAMES, COLD WEATHER, ASTHMA, BABES

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IN THIS ISSUE:

DEAR LADIES

EVERYDAY LOVE REMINDER - A GIFT IDEA FOR YOUR HUSBAND

FIVE ROMANTIC IDEAS FOR VALENTINE'S DAY 

        HIDDEN VALENTINES WITH LOVE NOTES  

        OUR WEDDING PRAYER  

        SPECIALLY DESIGNED VALENTINES  
        VALENTINE POEM FOR A SOON-TO-BE-FATHER 

        SWEET KISSES FOR YOUR HUSBAND 
SMILES ABOUT HUSBANDS AND HOUSEWORK 
CONVERSATION  

HOW TO PRESERVE A HUSBAND 
A VERY SPECIAL DAY 

REDUCING THE CHANCE OF DIVORCE 
CENTERPIECE AND RECIPES IDEAS FOR A VALENTINE'S DAY DINNER 
        FRESH FLOATING CANDLE CENTERPIECE
        FLOATING PANSIES OR AFRICAN VIOLETS
        UNIQUE TWO-TONED DRINK FOR AN APPETIZER OR FANCY SNACK

        BAKED CHICKEN KIEV
        GARLIC HEARTS
        APPLE AND CARROT CAKE

FUN GAMES FOR VALENTINE'S DAY PARTIES  
WHAT DOES LOVE MEAN?  
COLD WEATHER TIPS    

NATURAL ALTERNATIVES FOR ASTHMA

INTERESTING AND INFORMATIVE TIPS AND TIDBITS 

OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES  

 

 

DEAR LADIES ~ The 2nd newsletter for January is being sent a little early to give you plenty of time to plan and implement any ideas for Valentine's Day mentioned in this newsletter.  Of course, many of these ideas can be used to show your love and appreciation to your husband throughout the year.  The next newsletter will arrive in early February - 9th Anniversary Edition!

 

 

EVERYDAY LOVE REMINDER - A GIFT IDEA FOR YOUR HUSBAND    to 
        For an occasion such as Valentine's Day or Mother's Day, if any of the husbands are reading this, fresh flowers are nice, but you can spend so much money on overpriced flowers that die within a few days.  A single rose from the florist along with a rose bush or a coupon to pick out one in the spring would be a nice gift that would live on for years to come.  You might want to look for a disease resistant type and one with fragrance too.  Little acts of kindness and fixing things around the house are also appreciated so much!  Why not ask how you can serve your wife (or mother)?

 

Note: If you are a "husband" reading your wife's e-mail right now, the rest is strictly for her!  Otherwise, how could she ever surprise you for Valentine's Day?  J

 

 

FIVE ROMANTIC IDEAS FOR VALENTINE'S DAY  to 

By Lois Breneman, © 2008, Heart to Heart Newsletter, jhbreneman@juno.com  

 

HIDDEN VALENTINES WITH LOVE NOTES   to 

For Valentine's Day seven years ago when my husband and I were married for thirty-two years, I traced and cut out 32 red hearts, and wrote on each one a reason why I loved my husband, things I appreciated about him or wrote "remember when" memories of our dating years and 32 years as husband and wife.  After punching a hole in each heart and inserting ribbons, I tied the notes everywhere so he would find them throughout the evening and into the next day -- on his socks, toothbrush, toothpaste tube, to the stem of an apple in his lunch, to the doorknob, to his silverware, under his plate, around his glass at dinner, inside his napkin, to his coffee mug, to his pillow, in his jacket pocket, etc.   Later that evening I tied some to the steering wheel, his car keys, and tucked one in his lunch to find the next day. He was still finding red hearts the next day!  I thought I'd do this again this Valentine's Day, with 39 hearts.  I plan to have one sent to his office this year as well.

 

Examples for notes:
I first knew that I loved you when...
I remember our first date...
I remember when you asked me to marry you...

 

If you don't want to go to the bother of hiding the hearts (though it's lots of fun!), you could tie each one to a stem in a silk bouquet of flowers.  Then you could use the flowers in your home as a sweet reminder of the enjoyment of this Valentine's Day surprise.

Two other variations of this idea: 

(1) Color copy an entire page of pictures of you and your husband from during your dating years and afterwards.  Crop the pictures and make a small scrapbook for your sweetie or simply glue them to card stock with cute captions. 

(2) Use color copied pictures to make a little romantic booklet with fun captions for him. 

 

Whatever you do, I'm sure he will love it!  

 

OUR WEDDING PRAYER   to 

By Lois Walker  © 1968 -- soon Breneman, Written to the tune of the song, "Oh Jesus, I Have Promised," to be sung at our wedding.  Heart to Heart Newsletter, jhbreneman@juno.com 

(This might be used in a Valentine for your husband.)

 

Oh Father, how we thank You for sending us Your best;

You've led us both together - we'll trust You for the rest.

This love that You have rendered, so tender and so pure,

We leave in Your control, Lord, to blossom and endure.

 

You've planned our lives so fully, a blueprint so divine!

Our human minds could never be nearly so sublime.

Our goals and our ambitions we give to You to hold,

And with Your glorious blessings, we'll see each one unfold.

 

Again, Oh Lord, we thank You!  In Your dear Name, Amen.

SPECIALLY DESIGNED VALENTINES  to 
Rather than purchasing boxed valentines for your children or grandchildren to give to others, spend a few fun and creative hours with them, making special valentines by using construction paper or red card stock, rubber stamps, ribbons, doilies, lace, glitter, seed pearl beads, and glue. Even pictures from calendars and magazines can be used for very creative valentines.  Your children will have fun creating crazy captions or funny dialogs between people, animals and even inanimate objects.  If time is limited, glue a doily to red construction paper or card stock and rubber stamp a valentine in the center.  Then type a scripture verse in duplicate form on the computer, cut out and glue on the cards.  Use the concordance of your Bible to look up verses on love.  Jeremiah 31:3 is a good scripture: "I have loved you with an everlasting love." 

Note: Always be saving pictures in a box or file during the year for future projects.

VALENTINE POEM FOR A SOON-TO-BE-FATHER  to

When John and I were still in our twenties and soon to become parents, I wrote this poem for him for his birthday card.  For the front of the card, I found a picture of a couple looking intently into each other's eyes.  It would be suitable as a valentine for your husband if you are expecting your first child!

 

The love between us was blessed

        the day we were joined as one.

The joy in our eyes could not express

        our thanks to the Lord above.

 

But since that day our love has grown.

        It gets sweeter each passing day!

Oh, what a day that will be

        when we see the new life

Formed by God

        through our hearts knit in love!

 

SWEET KISSES FOR YOUR HUSBAND  to 
For a sweet, romantic and inexpensive gift, make personal "kisses" for your husband.  Use colored paper (not heavy card stock) and write out lots of sweet notes across the paper (8 1/2"), using one thin line for each message.  Messages could be compliments, coupons, or anything that will bring a smile to your husband's face.  Cut each message strip until you have lots of 8 1/2" long narrow strips written out.  Wind each strip around a pencil to curl it.  Glue one end of the strip to the top of a Hershey's chocolate kiss.  Find a small box (stationery box works well) with a separate lid.  Cover the lid with fabric, by using a hot glue gun or tacky glue.  This makes a nice gift for any special day!  If you don't have children in your home, you could hide the kisses for him to find.  But if you do have kids, we all know what would happen to those sweet surprises, don't we?  Actually your children would love a small box of kisses themselves, I'm sure!  Use a different color of paper for each person.

 

 

SMILES ABOUT HUSBANDS AND HOUSEWORK  to 
By Liz Curtis Higgs - "Only Angels Can Wing It: the Rest of Us Have to Practice"
 
"Bill does 99% of the dishes in our house ... virtually every dish!   How did I manage this?  I am allergic to Joy.  Not the experience, the dish washing liquid.  (I'm probably fine with Ivory, but I buy Joy.)
 
Cleaning the house was not as easy to arrange.  Vacuuming seemed the most "macho" activity, so I took an old lawn mower handle, tied it onto the vacuum cleaner, pointed to the carpet and said, "MOW!"  Things were going great until he brought in the Weed Eater."

CONVERSATION  to 
A husband, proving to his wife that women talk more than men, showed her a study which indicated that men use on the average only 15,000 words a day, whereas women use 30,000 words a day.  She thought about this for awhile and then told her husband that women use twice as many words as men because they have to repeat everything they say.  To which he replied, "What?"
 

 

HOW TO PRESERVE A HUSBAND  to 
author unknown
Be careful in the selection.  Do not choose too unripe or too old. Best results are obtained if he has been reared in a healthy atmosphere.  Some insist keeping him in a pickle and others prefer to keep him in hot water. Such treatment, however can make the husband sour, hard or sometimes bitter.
 
Many housewives have found that even the poor varieties can be rendered tender by a garnish of patience, the sweetening of a smile, and the flavoring of a kiss, to taste.  Wrap him in a mantle of charity, place him over a warm steady fire of domestic devotion and serve with peaches and cream.

 
A VERY SPECIAL DAY  to 
Over breakfast one morning, a woman said to her husband, "I'll bet you don't know what day this is."   "Of course I do!" he quickly answered as if he was offended, and left for the office.  At 10:00 A.M., the doorbell rang and when the woman opened the door, she was handed a box of a dozen long-stemmed red roses. At 1:00 P.M., a foil-wrapped, two-pound box of chocolates was delivered.  Later, a boutique delivered a designer dress. The woman couldn't wait for her husband to come home. "First the flowers, then the chocolates and then the dress!" she exclaimed. "I've never had a more wonderful Ground Hog Day in my life!"

 

REDUCING THE CHANCE OF DIVORCE   to 
Based on an informal survey of six hundred people who had maintained successful marriages, Dr. James Dobson arrived at "three tried and tested, back to basics recommendations" for reducing the chances of divorce and for maintaining marital stability:
 
* A Christ-centered home where the husband and wife are deeply committed to Jesus Christ;
 
* A committed love in which nothing short of death is permitted to come between the couple (in contrast to the idea that 'I'll stay with you as long as I feel love for you'); and
 
* A never-ending willingness to work at maintaining good communication.  People are not looking for perfect marriages, but [for] marriages that keep working. But even these less-than-perfect marriages have evaded many in the baby-boom generation. Marital instability has been taken for granted in this low-commitment era, and divorce has come to be seen as a reasonable way to get out of an unhappy marriage. As a result, the United States has the highest divorce rate in the world.
 
James C. Dobson, "Love For a Lifetime: Building a Marriage That Will Go the Distance,"  Portland: Multnomah, 1987, pp.49-66.

 
CENTERPIECE AND RECIPE IDEAS FOR A VALENTINE'S DAY DINNER  to 
By Lois Breneman, ©  Revised 2008,  Heart to Heart Newsletter, jhbreneman@juno.com 

FRESH FLOATING CANDLE CENTERPIECE
Try this quick, easy and lovely centerpiece!  You will need either flower heads or fresh fruit, such as sliced lemons and limes or a handful of bing cherries with stems.  Fill a clear glass or vase approximately halfway with the desired fruit or flower heads.  Carefully fill the container with water, leaving about two inches at the top.  Place a floating candle on top of the water.  This makes a beautiful centerpiece. You could do three different vases of cherries, citrus and flowers, for an even bigger splash.  For extra sparkle, sprinkle the water with glitter before adding the candle.  Maybe your children could be in charge of a centerpiece!

 

FLOATING PANSIES OR AFRICAN VIOLETS
If you have winter pansies, indoor African violets or other flowers blooming, pinch off some flowers just below the flower head and float in a pretty crystal glass dish of water.  You may want to add a floating candle with the flowers or just have the flowers.

 

UNIQUE TWO-TONED DRINK FOR AN APPETIZER OR FANCY SNACK

Pour pineapple juice into juice glasses, filling only 3/4 of the way full.  Then tipping each glass to the side, slowly and carefully pour V-8 or tomato juice from a fluted measuring cup into the side of the glass, so as not to stir up the pineapple juice.  The tomato juice is lighter and will float on top of the pineapple juice - for about 30 minutes before it will gradually blend with the pineapple juice.  To prepare this for guests, pour the pineapple juice ahead of time, refrigerate and add the tomato at the last minute.  This combination of juices may not sound very good, but it really is!  I had canned some crab apple juice earlier and found that also floats on top of orange juice!

BAKED CHICKEN KIEV
(4 servings)                                                                4 chicken breast halves, boned and skinned  
1/4 cup margarine, chilled                                        Round toothpicks

2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced                                  3 Tbsp. skim milk

1 small lemon, cut into wedges                                3 1/2  Tbsp. fine bread crumbs   
1  clove garlic, minced Black pepper, fresh ground
 
In a small mixing bowl, combine margarine, parsley, garlic and black pepper to taste (mixture will be a paste).  Shape margarine mixture into four short sticks (about 2 inches) and freeze them on a wax paper-lined plate, until firm.  Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of waxed paper and flatten to 1/4 inch thickness with a meat mallet or rolling pin. Remove margarine sticks from freezer, and place 1 margarine stick in the center of each chicken breast, folding ends over margarine and rolling up, beginning with long side. Secure each end with wooden toothpicks. Dip chicken rolls into the milk and then roll in bread crumbs to coat completely.  Bake at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes, or until browned. Baste each piece with juices from pan, and serve with lemon wedges. 

 
227 Calories, 12.9 Fat, 20.8 Protein, 8.2 Carb., 48 Chol., 246 Sodium, Exchanges: 1 - Lean Meat, 1 Fat

GARLIC HEARTS
Melt butter. Stir in garlic salt to taste and brush onto slices of whole wheat bread.  Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter.  Press down on a cutting board and cut out hearts in the center of each slice. Now you will have hearts, plus pieces of bread with hearts in them.  No waste!  Place everything on a cookie sheet and broil until crispy on top, yet still soft in the middle. Watch carefully, so they don't burn.

APPLE AND CARROT CAKE
(16  servings ~~ Healthy dessert, even for diabetics ~~ Fruits serve as sweetener)

2 cups flour, self-rising                      2 cups apples, peeled, cored, grated
1/2 cup margarine                             1 cup carrot, grated
1 teaspoon cinnamon                       1 orange peel, grated for zest*
1 cup walnuts, chopped                    2 large eggs
2/3 cup raisins                                   4 Tbsp. orange juice, fresh or frozen
 
Grease a loaf pan with 4 cup capacity. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Place the flour into a large bowl and mix well, then cut in the margarine with knives or a pastry blender, and stir in the cinnamon. Stir in the walnuts, raisins, apples and carrot. Add the orange zest, eggs and juice, then beat well until thoroughly combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan, smooth the top and bake for 60 - 75 minutes, or until the cake is well risen and firm to touch. Turn out on a wire rack to cool. 
 
Per serving: 189 Calories (kcal); 11g Total Fat; (49% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 20g Carbohydrate; 23mg Cholesterol; 78mg Sodium; 3g Fiber. Food Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 1/2 Fruit; 2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

 

FUN GAMES FOR VALENTINE'S DAY PARTIES  to 
By Lois Breneman, © 2008, Heart to Heart Newsletter, jhbreneman@juno.com 

 

These games are suitable for Valentine's Day parties.  The King of Siam and the Airplane Ride are also great games for birthday parties for teens or adults.  They are all lots of fun!

 

Nobody Knows Noses Like I Do (Suggested for Married Couples)

Choose about 5-6 couples for this game.  Husbands sit behind a very large piece of cardboard (or several taped together) with numbered holes for only their noses to fit through.  Their blindfolded wives come in the room, one at a time, and must feel the noses to determine which one is her husband's nose.  The husbands must keep very quiet!  The winners are the wives who chose their husband's nose!  There may be more than one winner.

 

Patches (Suggested for Engaged or Married Couples)

Have fabric patches about 4-5 inches square, all the same size, as well as needles and spools of thread -- one set per couple.  Wild looking patches make the game even more fun!  The husbands should bend over a table (a ping pong table works great), while each wife sews the patch on the backside of her husband's pants.  Whoever finishes first is the winner.  Caution: You may hear a few ouches!

 

Airplane Ride (Suggested for almost all ages - except the elderly)

For Valentine's Day, call this "Flying to See My Sweetie!"  It's best to do this in a carpeted room or outside on the grass -- for a softer landing.  For this makeshift airplane you need a strong board about 4-5 feet long and about a foot wide, with two strong men on each end to lift the board with a person standing on it.  A board for used for stair casing is strong enough for adults.  Another strong person is needed as an assistant to help the passenger board the plane and endure the flight!  The passenger comes into the room blindfolded.  He/she is told to step up onto the airplane, which is close to the floor, held up by bricks or some books on each end.  The assistant tells the passenger to prepare for take off!  The two men at the ends of the board lift the board only an inch or two upward as they shake it back and forth (not too much).  The assistant tells the passenger there is turbulence and to hang on.  After 30-60 seconds, someone in the room makes a booming noise and the assistant tells the passenger that the turbulence is getting much worse because of an explosion on board (two men on ends of board shake it a little more).  Tell her she must jump - now!  She will probably feel like she's way up in the air and will be afraid to jump, but tell her she must - now!  When she takes off her blindfold, she will be amazed that she was only a few inches off the ground!  No prizes - just lots of fun for everyone!

 

Wink'em  (Suggested for Youth or Singles)

The girls sit on chairs in a circle, with a young man behind each one, except the guy starting the game has no girl sitting in his chair.  All eyes need to be on that young man without a girl.  He is to wink at any girl in the circle, and she is to quickly escape and run to his chair, but if the guy behind her puts his hands on her shoulders before she starts to get up, she had to stay.  The young man continues to get a girl to his chair.  If the girl does escape, that chair is removed from the circle and the guy goes too.  The winners are the one guy and girl left, though that last one can be a hard one.  If the winking guy is unable to get the last girl over to his seat, the guy keeping the girl from leaving and that girl are the winners.

 

The King of Siam (for all ages)

A young man sits on a chair, posing as the king of Siam, with a big ring on his finger.  A blindfolded person enters the room and is told to bow down to the King of Siam and kiss his ring, saying this quote very distinctly, emphasizing the underlined parts -- "O Wa Ta Goo Siam!"  Let the blindfolded person know the quote must be said just right!  The point of the game is to have that person keep saying it over and over - until he or she realizes just what they have actually been saying -- "Oh, what a goose I am!"  When that person is able to remove the blindfold, the one posing as the king should have his shoes and socks off and a ring on one of his toes, with his foot propped up on a stool, making that person think she had kissed his toe, when in reality she kissed a ring on his finger. (It would be best to have two large rings).  There is no winner, just lots of laughs!

 

 

WHAT DOES LOVE MEAN?  to 
Source unknown -- Thanks to Jani Bruce in Colorado for sending this!
 
A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, "What does love mean?"  The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined.
 
"Love is that first feeling you feel before all the bad stuff gets in the way."   - Charlie, 5
 
"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hand has arthritis too.  That's love." - Rebecca, 8

"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You know that your name is safe in their mouth."  - Billy, 4

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other." - Karl, 5

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs." - Chrissy, 6

"Love is when someone hurts you.  And you get so mad but you don't yell at them because you know it would hurt their feelings." - Samantha, 6

"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired." - Terri, 4
 
"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK." - Danny, 7

"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more.  My mommy and daddy are like that. - Emily, 8
 
"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen." - Bobby, 5
 
"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate."  - Nikka, 6

"When you tell someone something bad about yourself and you're scared they won't love you anymore.  But then you get surprised because not only do they still love you, they love you even more."  Matthew, 7
 
"There are two kinds of love. Our love. God's love.  But God makes both kinds of them." - Jenny, 4

"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday." - Noelle, 7

"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well." - Tommy, 6 

 

"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and scared.  I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.  He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore." - Cindy, 8
 
"My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night." - Clare, 5
 
"Love is when mommy gives daddy the best piece of chicken." - Elaine, 5
 
"Love is when mommy sees daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford." - Chris, 8
 
"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day."  - Mary Ann, 4
 
"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones."  - Lauren, 4
 
"I let my big sister pick on me because my Mom says she only picks on me because she loves me. So I pick on my baby sister because I love her." - Bethany, 4

"Love cards like Valentine's cards say stuff on them that we'd like to say ourselves, but we wouldn't be caught dead saying." - Mike, 8
 
"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you."  - Karen, 7
 
"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it.  But if you mean it, you should say it a lot.  People forget." - Jessica, 8

 

 

COLD WEATHER TIPS    

By Lois Breneman, © 2008, Heart to Heart Newsletter, jhbreneman@juno.com    

 

Softer Hands ~  A remedy for dry hands that really does help a lot is to mix 1 Tbsp. each of salt, sugar and olive oil in a small container and rub into your hands for up to five minutes before washing with warm to cool water and drying hands. The salt and sugar exfoliate the dead skin and the olive oil moisturizes.  This works on elbows, knees and feet, as well.  This amount is actually enough for several treatments, and keeps well in a jar.   

 

Ceiling Fans Help in Winter Too ~ Reverse ceiling fans in winter to blow the air upward toward the ceiling.  Since warm air rises, the fan will keep warm air moving from the ceiling downward to the floor to help warm the entire room. 

 

To Raise the Humidity in Your House ~ Simmer water in a pan on the stove, use a simmering pot, keep a fountain running or better yet, install a humidifier as part of your heating system.  Even a small container of water setting in a room will evaporate some moisture into the air, but please never leave buckets of water setting around, if there are small children, because of the danger of a small child falling in and drowning.

 

Upgrade the Insulation in Your House ~ On a cold and windy day, feel around windows and doors for cold air coming into your house.  Consider adding storm doors, upgrading windows in your house by converting to double glazed windows or adding storm windows and by adding extra insulation in the attic to save on heating costs.  It won't take very long to get your money back, especially if your heating bills are high.  Upgrades will pay off during those hot summer days as well, and save on your electric bill when the air conditioner is running full force.

 

Organization for Gloves and Scarves ~ A clear vinyl shoe bag is great to hang on the inside of the coat closet for orderly storage and quick location of items.

 

Wood Stoves and Fires in the Fireplace ~ often cause sinus problems and discomfort to those who suffer from allergies.  Gas logs are a good alternative to also provide some heat.

 

Heat Set-Back at Night ~ You may want to decrease the temperature of your house at night, either manually or automatically with a timeclock-controlled thermostat.  Of course, it's nice if you do it automatically, to have the heat back up to the normal temperature before crawling out of bed in the morning.

 

Warm Sheets  ~ Other than using flannel sheets, just before going to bed, turn on a heating pad and place it on the cold sheets just before getting ready for bed.  Turn it off and remove the pad before going to sleep. 

 

Comfy Baby ~ When putting your baby to bed or if you need to get up in the middle of the night to feed your baby, heat the crib sheets with a heating pad while you nurse the baby, but remove the pad before putting the baby back to bed.

 

  

NATURAL ALTERNATIVES FOR ASTHMA

Thanks to Debbie in Minnesota for this excellent and proven information!

 

        Mullein Oil is a natural alternative that worked for me during the worst of my asthma season and did wonderful things for me.  Drinking 20-30 drops 2 times a day in water cut down on any daily shortness of breath especially when facing extreme cold winds, exertion or cleaning dust, and mold spores, etc.  Mullein oil has no strong flavor but you can smell it in water, so for children it could be disguised in juice.  I have gone weeks now hauling 50 pound bags, moving hay bales or just being out in the Minnesota freeze and have had no episodes of any shortness of breath.

        I tried essential peppermint oil all during the summer which is usually my worst time of the year, but the drought might have lessened the severity this year.  Rainy seasons make it worse.  The essential peppermint alone helped me cut out the use of my regular asthma meds by 90%.  That means in 50 of my "usually most effected by the season" days, I used my asthma meds only 10 times, verses the usual 2 times a day, which would have been a total of 100 times that I would have needed the meds. 2 times a day, rather than a total of 100 times that I would have needed the meds.  I simply used the essential peppermint oil by placing a small amount on my finger and touching it to the end of my nose.

       These two oils, I believe, will help answer my prayers in being free after so many years of needing asthma meds.  I know these natural oils, found in any health store, are SOOO much better and cost MUCH less than my meds and the doctor's appointments I had to go to every 6 months just to get my prescription renewed.

        I have a printout from my local health food store by a naturopathic doctor that lists many other possible vitamin and herb supplements that may also help.  Anyone can go to their health stores and get the same printouts.  Asthma can be triggered by different things for different people and so I would think different things will work better for different people.

 

 

INTERESTING AND INFORMATIVE TIPS AND TIDBITS

 

Thirty-five Years after Historic Roe v. Wade Ruling, 'Jane Roe' Is Living for the Lord.
Read all about the impact of Norma McCorvey now! http://www.citizenlink.org/CLNews/A000006212.cfm

 

Focus on the Family TV Ads Spread Pro-Life Message

http://www.citizenlink.org/CLtopstories/A000006227.cfm

 

Remedy for Coughing ~ I have a tip that was e-mailed to me by a friend that may be helpful to mothers (or grandmothers) of young children.  When a child just keeps coughing during the night, rub Vick's Vapor Rub on the bottom of the feet and put their socks on.  It works better than any cough medicine.  When I heard this I bought some to have on hand the next time my granddaughter was coughing.  As soon as I put the Vick's on her feet, she coughed one more time and slept the rest of the night without coughing again.  I was amazed!  I have also heard it works great for adults. ~ Thanks to Rachel Ross in Virginia for sending this proven tip!

 

"Wait" ~ Listen to Ted Fletcher sing this very encouraging song he wrote about waiting and going through trials.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRkIalp9Smk  He is the nephew of the late Ted Fletcher who founded PIONEERS, a missionary organization, reaching the unreached peoples of the world.

 

A Toy Tip to Save Baby's Frustation and Mommy's Back ~ To keep from losing toys or precious stuffed animals when kids throw or drop them from the stroller or high chair, put together a chain of plastic shower curtain clips and attach the toy to one end and the other end can attach to the stroller bar.  Kids usually end up playing with the clips more than the toy!

 

Video on Autism ~  A friend who has a grandson with autism found this video very accurate and "touching," because she said this is how her little grandson lives.  She says he continues to make progress for which they are very thankful.  He has so much to offer and is such a neat little boy, but he just can't share it with them.  Watch this video to understand more about autism.

http://www.whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com/videos/view/id/408214

 

Waiting for Phone Voice Response Units ~ Rather than wasting time listening to the list of options on VRU's (voice response units), this might save time.  Someone who used to do support work for a major bank's VRU's mentioned this trick.  He said that on almost all VRU's if you push "0" twice you will get connected to an actual person and that it works for most banks and local phone and electric companies.  For more on how to bypass automated phone systems go to http://www.paulenglish.com/ivr/ 

 
411 Information Calls ~ Cell phone companies are charging us $1.00 or more for 4-1-1 information calls when they don't have to.  When you need to use the 411 / information option, simply dial 1-800-FREE-411 or 1-800-373-3411 without incurring a charge at all except for the minutes required to make the call.  This works on home phones also. - Thanks to Linda Crosby in Virginia for this! 

Get a Free Annual Credit Report: www.annualcreditreport.com or call 877-322-8228

Find a Zip Code - Just type in any address at  http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.jsp

Telemarketers' Calling Lists - To remove your name: www.donotcall.gov or 888-383-1222

Cut Down on Unwanted Mail: Eliminate 90% or More of Pre-Approved Credit Card Offers: 888-567-8688 or www.optoutprescreen.com     To exercise your right to Opt-Out of firm offers of credit and insurance, you'll be asked to provide your personal information (name, address, social security number and date of birth, but the last two are no required.

Save Time by Cutting Down on Your Other Unwanted Mail ~ When you receive mail that you'd rather not have to bother sorting through and tossing out on a regular basis, cut out the return addresses, and save them in a special envelope, until you have quite a few.  Then sit down and send postcards to these addresses, requesting to be removed from their mailing list.  I have even sent postcards to some good organizations who regularly send pleas for financial help, telling them that since I don't have time to read their literature, they would save money by removing us from their mailing list.  Simply glue or tape these addresses to 3x5" index cards which make good postcards.  Be sure to include your name, address and stamp for postcards.  A simple message such as the following could be copied and pasted on the computer in multiples, cut out and then glued to the message section of the card and signed: 
To whom it may concern:

Please remove my name from

your mailing list.  Thank you.
Sincerely, (Signature)
 

OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES 
Thanks to Debbie in Minnesota, wife and mother of 6 (ages 4-15) who says:
I have many funny things raising my 6 blessings - but the 2 funniest are these:

 

When our son, Navarre, was 4 years old (he is 11 now), he attended a teaching that was given at our homeschool co-op from the Heart Institute along with his older siblings. They talked a lot about smoking, how it gave you stinky breath, hair, fingers, how it hurt your lungs, etc.  It made quite an impression on this little guy. Imagine our surprise when one day he (along with  his 4 year old cousin Larissa at his side) approached a smoking stranger at our favorite lake beach. I heard him say in a very firm parental type voice with his hands on his hips scolding her saying, "Don't you know that smoking hurts your lungs and gives you stinky breath and hair ... etc!"  Well, I ran over and apologized to the lady and told my son that he could not approach people and be angry with them for smoking - he had to me more kind and loving when he talked to people.  About a half hour later I heard him say to another smoker stranger, "I forgive you for smoking."

 

Not exactly a spoken funny but a written one ~ I was doing dictation for spelling and had dictated Psalm 127:3 -- Behold, children are an heritage of the LORD, and the fruit of the womb is his reward.  My 13 year old daughter wrote "Fruit of the Loom."  She loves to knit and has her own loom and didn't think anything of it. I thought this was funny.

Thanks to Linda Stroup in Quakertown, PA, for this one!
I was reading and enjoying the sweet stories in the newsletter this month and it reminded me of something one of my twins said.  I too write down their funny stories and save them. I included this year's quotes in my Christmas cards to friends and family.  This morning my twins, Riley and Mackenzie (3 years old) were playing at my friend's house while I helped in my older son, Aiden's, classroom party.  They were fighting over a tiny blue Bible and my friend, Sue, was explaining that it was the Bible and they shouldn't be fighting over it because they could tear it.  Riley asked what the words were on the cover and Sue explained it said, "The Holy Bible."  "Oh," Riley questioned with the innocence of a three-year-old, "It haves tears in it?"  

My grandson, Justin, 4, has been wanting a kitten, so his mom to the easier route and got him a stuffed one.  As Justin was trying to think of a good name for his kitten, his mom asked him what kittens like to eat.  His immediate reply was, "Fish!"  Then he said excitedly, "I'd like to name my kitten 'Fishsticks!' "   A real cute name for a kitten, I thought!  ~ Lois
                          

              Please remember to pray for each dear Heart to Heart lady as you receive your newsletter.

             Pray each day for the protection of our troops, as well as for their families left at home!

(¨`·.·´¨)                           God bless you and your family and keep you in His loving care!

 `·.¸(¨`·.·´¨)                              And remember, I love to hear from you dear ladies!

      `·.¸.·´                                                   Your Heart to Heart friend,

                                                                                                        Lois

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The purpose of the Heart to Heart Newsletter is to encourage women and build biblical values into daily living through practical creative ideas for the Christian family regarding marriage, children, homemaking, and much more.  Receive this free bimonthly newsletter by listing your name, city, state, e-mail address, and name of your referral person and sending it to Lois at <a title=mailto:jhbreneman@juno.com href="mailto:jhbreneman@juno.com">jhbreneman@juno.com.  New subscribers will receive a Welcome, a "Start-Up Kit," and several recent newsletters.

 

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