Quote from Forum Archives on January 15, 2009, 2:07 pm

Posted by: jhbreneman <jhbreneman@...>

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

~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~
1/15/09 Life, Homemaking Becoming Lost Art, Scripture, Goals, Soup, Tips, Tidbits, Bible/Kids ~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~

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IN THIS ISSUE:
JANUARY IS SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE MONTH
COMPILING SCRIPTURE VERSES FOR REVIEW
HOMEMAKING IS BECOMING A LOST ART
SETTING GOALS IN HONOR OF BIRTHDAYS
SOUPS, SOUPS AND MORE SOUPS
HEALTHY RECIPES: 
        ONION SOUP MIX
        VERSATILE CREAM SOUP MIX
        ALL NATURAL YOGURT 
        "SUGAR" AND CINNAMON 
        FAJITA SEASONING MIXES
25 TIPS AND TIDBITS
APPLE-VANILLA SIMMERING POT
CRAFT: A WIND DANCER 
AN AFRICAN CHILD'S PRAYER 
SMILES IN THE FAMILY ~  FROM LITTLE ONES, A TEEN AND A DOG!
THE BIBLE SUMMARIZED BY KIDS  
A NEW BABY BOY

JANUARY IS SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE MONTH

Since the Supreme Court decision of Roe v. Wade in 1973 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roe_v._Wade), more than 45 million unborn babies have had their lives snuffed out through abortion.   During the last five years, however, potentially as many as 63,000 babies have been saved, thanks to Focus on the Family's Option Ultrasound Program (OUP).   Read the article: 

Focus on the Family's Option Ultrasound Program Celebrates 5 Years  by Jennifer Mesko, editor
http://www.citizenlink.org/content/A000009054.cfm

I agree with Dr. James Dobson who says:
"To all the women who have been impacted, may God bless you for choosing life for your babies."

Ladies, please let us all make it a matter of regular prayer that the lives of babies will be saved.

 

COMPILING SCRIPTURE VERSES FOR REVIEW

By Lois Breneman, © 2009, Heart to Heart Newsletter, [email protected]

As I was preparing to write a list of scripture verses to review this year, another project came to mind, in combination with the original one.  I'm working on compiling favorite and meaningful scripture verses from different books of the Bible, first by listing only the references in a tablet.  They are divided into sections for various books of the Bible.  Then using the website, www.biblegateway.com, I am copying and pasting each scripture verse.  By having the verses in sections for each book of the Bible, it will help me with reviewing references, which are the most difficult for many of us.

 

After printing out scriptures for various books of the Bible, they will go into a notebook to read and review.  Using a pen, a red star will be placed in front of verses already learned, but needing more review.  After I have learned a verse completely and am able to give the reference, two red stars will be placed in front of the verse.

 

Reading through the notebook many times will help plant these meaningful scriptures into my mind and heart even more.  Many times I find myself needing to quietly wait somewhere, so I mentally go through the alphabet, quoting scriptures beginning with each letter.  They aren't always the same scriptures each time.  It becomes a special time to worship my Lord, during a few minutes when I might otherwise waste time.  Sometimes I've also done this exercise using titles of songs.  This review will help expand the number of verses from which to draw on my memory when doing the alphabet exercise.

 

Henry Blackaby once said, "Wisdom is not what you know about the world, but how well you know God .....  You, as a Christian, have access to God's wisdom.  God's Spirit is within you to guide you.  The Holy Spirit will open your eyes to the truth of the Scriptures so that you can see things from God's perspective.  Only God sees the future, so only He can accurately lead you to make correct decisions today." 

 

Today as a grandmother who learned many scripture verses as a child and adolescent, I would like to encourage mothers and grandmothers to help their children and grandchildren learn as many scripture verses as possible.  I remember at least one year working hard to learn fifty verses for a free week at our church camp.  The scriptures I leaned as a young person are the ones I know the best today, references and all!  You may decide to encourage your children by rewarding them in some way for learning scripture verses while they are young.  Young minds are like sponges, so encourage your children to fill their minds with the Word of God! 

 

 

HOMEMAKING IS BECOMING A LOST ART

By Lois Breneman, © 2007, Revised 2009, Heart to Heart Newsletter, [email protected] 

 

Ladies, as you look around at today's women in our modern world, you may have also come to the conclusion, as I have, that homemaking is becoming a lost art.  Although we cannot be responsible for all women, we can certainly work to improve our own homemaking skills this year, and teach them to our children and other women, as well.  

 

May I suggest that each one of us write down three to five homemaking skills we would like to learn how to do, do better, or teach to others over the course of the next twelve months?   Let's write our goal in an organizational notebook or post the list on our refrigerator, to refer to often, as we press toward our goal. 

 

Certainly add "improving our marriage" to the list.  The best thing we mothers can do for our children is to love their father - and show it in many ways!  No matter how long we've been married, there is always room for improvement.  Start with being kind and considerate if you aren't already doing so.  My husband and I had the privilege to be around newlyweds, our son and daughter-in-law, for almost a week during the past three Christmases, and it has been so refreshing!   Thank you, Jeff and Rachael!  Seeing their love shown to each other in every word and action as they displayed a servant's heart and put the interests of others before their own, made me realize how every married couple, including those who have been married forty years or more can learn by their example to express our love, consideration and servant's heart more as well.  It was like a marriage refresher course in action! 

 

There are so many other suggestions of skills and activities that I think could fall under the category of "homemaking" and this certainly does not exhaust the list.  Here are a few:

 

Home gardening, herbal gardening, decluttering your home, following a "To Do" list each day, home organization, stretching your dollar, home decorating, house cleaning, laundry, sewing, serging, quilt making, yeast bread baking, learning about nutrition, cooking healthier meals, planning meals, freezing meals ahead, homemade baby food, homeschooling, children's birthday parties, children's art projects, learning how to be a better wife and mother, painting your walls or painting landscapes or flowers, stenciling, refinishing furniture, flower arranging, wood crafting, scrapbooking, rubber stamping, card making, 

embroidery (by hand or machine), silk ribbon embroidery, cross-stitching, knitting, crocheting, yogurt making, hospitality,

problem solving, managing finances, learning how to shop, starting an organizational notebook, making an Advent calendar for next Christmas, planning and making your own gifts, planning gift ideas for all occasions, starting a class - cooking, sewing or craft class for adults or after-school children, or learning any other skill that would make your home a peaceful haven of rest for you and your family. 

 

Check books out of the library on these topics and learn all you can.  Check television listings for some of these homemaking skills and tape the programs.  Why not swap teaching a particular skill to friends, as you get together to learn from one another.  Enjoy learning new things that benefit the family!

 

Don't neglect the most important part of making your home a peaceful haven of rest.  That would be including spiritual edification and instruction for God's Word in your own personal time with the Lord as well as a meaningful time together with your family, even if it is a short time.  As you work on your homemaking skills, ask the Lord to help you.  He will. 

 

SETTING GOALS IN HONOR OF BIRTHDAYS

By Debbie Klinect in Florida - Used by permission

 

I have gotten a great start on my goals for 2009.  See, I turn 50 the end of next month.  I have many friends who have had their birthday and that is all it was.  I read a book last year that inspired me to make my 50th birthday year different and with more meaning to me.  The book I read talked about woman who each made up a list of things they wished for - either to do or get.  So, last summer I started making my list and then through the rest of the year I brought it down to earth so to speak and now have a plan that I think is very do-able.  Here is what I am going to do this year:

In "honor" of me turning 50 years old, I am going to:

Memorize 50 scriptures (one a week)

Read 50 stories

Watch 50 DVDs

Go to 50 new places (towns, states, places to eat,...)

Spend 50 hours with my best friend in NC

Make 50 things

Find 50 Geo-caches

Meet 50 new people

Make 50 new recipes

 

Thanks to the long holiday weekend and all of the football games, and the fact of having sick kids and being up and down for the last week, I have so far read a month's of stories, made a month's of things, watched a month's of movies.  Kurt and I were able to go out on Sunday afternoon for some us time and we went geocaching.  I helped him find four of them that the kids and I have already found and then we found two new ones (www.geocaching.com). 

 

The things I have made have really excited me.  A year ago I purchased a yard of quilted fabric from Wal-mart.  From that yard I have made one casserole carrier, two teapot cozies, two mug cozies, and an eye glass case.  Here are the patterns for the carrier and cozies:

http://with-heart-and-hands.blogspot.com:80/2008/03/its-mug-wrap.html  pattern for mug cozy (I added 3inches to mine so it would go around a coffee mug I got from Dollar Tree)

http://www.craftandfabriclinks.com/tea_cozy/tea_cozy_pattern.html Here is a tea pot cozy

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/quilt/msg111850108719.html  I am not insultating mine, I'm just using the quilted fabric, sewing binding around all the edges, and adding handles and velcro.

 

Some of my friends say I have set myself up for failure, but I'm looking at it this way, even if I only get 30 or 40 of the things accomplished, that is 30 or 40 that I would not have done if I hadn't had this goal.  The Bible talks about that people perish for not having a vision (my wording).  If we don't plan anything, nothing will get accomplished.  I'm really having fun, this hasn't been work (well the scripture memorization is work) and I'm looking forward to December 31st when I can look back over the year and see what all I've been able to do and how it has blessed me and others.  I plan on giving away everything I make as birthday

 and Christmas gifts.  In the process, I'll be learning a lot and having new experiences, how could I go wrong!

If anyone wants the titles from my book list, the titles of the movies, the recipes I'll be making, and wants to keep up with the things I'm making and get the patterns from me, they can email me at <a [email protected] href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected].

 

Debbie Klinect lives in Florida with her husband and five of her six children.  She has been homeschooling since 1988, and has written many unit study curriculum guides that are available on her school site www.newlifehomeschoolbooks.com.  She is also the editor of the email newsletter, Along the Journey (www.alongthejourney.net )

 

 

SOUPS, SOUPS AND MORE SOUPS

By Twara Kellam - www.livinfonadime.com - Used by permission

This is such a perfect time of year for soup. Most of us are snowed in or freezing or both and there is nothing as warm and comforting on a cold day then a nice hot bowl of soup.

Soup is a great way to help you keep all of those New Year's resolutions. Most of them are very healthy (for those of you who
want to lose weight), they can be very inexpensive (for you who are going to get out of debt) and they are so easy to make (for those of you who will be spending your time getting organized instead of cooking).

A lot of us are so sick of sweets that a savory soup will just hit the spot and we are so tired of cooking that the fact that they are
great 1 dish meals makes them even more appealing!

Making soup is really very easy. It is pretty much dumping a lot of things into a pan and simmering them (and when I say dumping anything into a pan, that is just what I mean). At church we used to make what we called "hobo soup", where everyone would bring a can of something, put it all together and call it soup or stew. Surprisingly, it always turned out really good.

If you are afraid to just start dumping here are a few soup basics to help you along.

There are 3 main bases or broths that you can use:  Chicken, Beef, Vegetable

You can make chicken and beef stock by slowly simmering chicken or beef bones and spices in a large pan of water, generally for 4-8 hours or longer-- the longer the better. I usually use a Dutch oven (that is the largest pan in your set) and just set it on the back of the stove to simmer all day long.

You can use as little or as much meat as you want in your soup. I have made chicken soup with only 4 wings or 2 legs in a large pot. If the flavor isn't quite strong enough, I add a couple of bouillon cubes to help it along.

Vegetable soup is made by simmering vegetables and spices. It's a great way to use every bit of the vegetables. Save the tips or tops of your veggies, toss them in the freezer and then, when you're ready to make a soup base, add spices and boil. This is a great way to use the tops of celery or the top part and the tips of carrots that you would normally throw away. When the base is finished, you will remove them and toss them anyway so they don't have to be in great shape.

You can also use those veggies that are going limp and are dying in your soup base. Normally, when you cook, you want the freshest food but with soups, the older the veggies get, the more the flavor intensifies. This makes them great for soups.

For all of your broths, chill them after cooking and remove the fat and the bones (from chicken and beef) and the veggies from the vegetable broth before you start to add the other ingredients.

Here are some general soup tips:

    * Start your meats and veggies in cold water. It helps to draw out the flavors.

    * Always simmer on the lowest temperature you can and cover.

    * For an extra clear broth, strain through a cheesecloth. I don't usually do this, but if you were making broth for a
      special occasion, you can use this method to get it crystal clear.

    * Use dried herbs. They seem to work better for soups than fresh herbs.

    * Salt at the end. I usually add my other spices at the beginning and then, at the end, add the salt and a little
      more of anything else I think it may need. Soup takes a lot of salt. If your soup just doesn't seem to have any flavor,
      chances are you need more salt.

    * If you get too much salt, add a potato to it to cut the salty taste. (The potato will absorb some of the salt.)

    * For added zip, add some red peppers or garlic to your soup.

    * Always add the longest cooking vegetables first, like carrots and potatoes. Then add things that need to cook less, like
      peas or corn, at the end.

    * For a creamy soup, add some mashed potatoes or instant potatoes.

    * To bulk up any soup add rice, pasta, potatoes, barley or beans. This really helps to stretch it if you have unexpected
      company coming.

    * Save little dabs of leftover veggies or meat and store in the freezer. Add them to some broth and have a quick free meal.

    * You can at times add canned broth to your homemade broth for a stronger or just a different flavor.

A Review - Soup in a nut shell:

   1. Simmer bones or veggies and spices in large pot of water for 4-8 hours.
   2. Cool, remove fat, bones and veggies.
   3. Reheat; add meat from bones and any other ingredients you want to add.
   4. Add veggies and cook until tender.

Serve with cornbread, muffins, crusty bread, assorted crackers and rolls. These can be homemade or store bought.

 

 

HEALTHY RECIPES

 

ONION SOUP MIX
Rather than buying onion soup mix with MSG, etc., why not make your own?

1 1/2 cup dried onion, minced

2/3 cup beef bouillon powder or granules

2/3 cup onion powder (not onion salt)

1/2 tsp. NuStevia Stevia or Sweet Leaf Stevia, powdered (natural sweetener)

1/4 cup sweet basil, dried

Mix ingredients together and store in a sealed container.  Yields almost 3 cups.
Substitute 4-5 Tbsp. of this mix for 1 envelope of Lipton Onion Soup Mix.

 

VERSATILE CREAM SOUP MIX

Rather than buying canned cream soups with MSG, etc., why not make your own mix?

4 cups instant dry milk powder                          1 tsp. dried thyme                     

1 1/2 cups cornstarch                                         1 tsp. dried sweet basil                                       

1/2 cup instant chicken bouillon                        1/2 tsp. black pepper                       

2 tsp. onion powder

 

Combine and store this dried mixture in an airtight container.  To use in a recipe that calls for a can of condensed soup, combine 1/3 c. of the mix and 1 1/2 c. water.  Stir constantly while heating to a thicken state.   For more flavor add a vegetable such as diced sauteed onions, diced cooked celery, diced cooked broccoli or canned sliced mushrooms or fresh sauteed mushrooms.  Make cheese soup by adding grated cheese.  Make potato soup by adding potatoes, onions, celery and carrots.  Or add cooked fish (or clams) d potatoes to make a seafood chowder.

 

ALL NATURAL YOGURT

32 oz. container of Dannon All Natural Nonfat Yogurt, Plain

1/2 tsp. NuStevia or Sweet Leaf Stevia, powdered 

1 tsp. pure vanilla

fresh sliced strawberries or pineapple tidbits in their own juice (optional)

 

"SUGAR" AND CINNAMON

In a shaker jar, mix together cinnamon with powdered stevia.  This is good in applesauce and on buttered toast.  My grandson loves it!

 

FAJITA SEASONING MIXES

You will want to make multiple recipes of this all at once to save time.  Combine all the ingredients and store in an airtight container.  Spices are much less costly in bulk at a co-op or health food store.  Compare prices.  They also freeze well.
 
Fajita Seasoning - A More Simple Version                              
4 Tbsp. chili powder                             2 tsp. ground oregano
2 Tbsp. ground cumin                          2 tsp. garlic salt 

 

Fajita Seasoning - One with Lots of Spices
1 tsp. cornstarch                                  3/4 tsp. chicken boullion powder    
2 tsp. chili powder                               1/2 tsp. onion powder  
1 tsp. sea salt                                      1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. paprika                                      1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. sucanat                                      1/4 tsp. cumin

 

25 TIPS AND TIDBITS

The five tips marked with an * are rephrased ideas from the Handyman Magazine.

 

Removing Scuff Marks on Linoleum ~ I look for the easiest and most efficient solution, here are four products that may work: 1) Rubbing alcohol on a Terry cloth or soft rag 
2) A Melaleuca product called Sol-U-Mel would get it off.  I love that product for many things.  It's rather expensive, but you put a tiny bit on a cloth and it goes a long way.  I keep it in a tiny container in almost every room of my home. 
3) A Mr. Clean Magic Eraser should work.  Just don't rub too hard or it may remove the shiny finish.
4) Lestoil, a strong cleaning solution I found at our hardwood store gets scuffs off of hard surfaces, though it smells very strong.

Furniture Dings and Scratches * ~ Try one or more of the following to cover dings and scratches: iodine thinned to the right shade with denatured alcohol, eyebrow pencil, shoe polish, eye shadow, water colors or markers.  Try it first on a least visible scratch, or create a scratch under the piece of furniture to test the color match.

 

Bleach Marks on Carpet ~ Try blending and brushing eye shadow on spots with a cosmetic brush or a Q-tip.  It would need to be reapplied after vacuuming several times.

 

Remodeling Dust * ~ During home repairs cover vents with Glad Press 'n Seal to prevent dust from spreading there.  Do the same around cabinets to keep the dust out.

 

Homemade Soft Gel Pack * ~ Make your own ice cold gel pack by pouring one part rubbing alcohol and three parts of water into a Ziplock freezer bag and freezing.  Just to be sure, you may want to place it in another freezer bag to prevent leaking.  Works great!

 

Quiet Cabinet Doors * ~ If you have noisy cabinet doors that slam shut, slice and glue cork to the inside corners of cabinets.

Hammering Nails * ~ To prevent hammering your thumb, hold a nail between the teeth of a comb to get it started.

 

Recycling Christmas Cards ~ If you haven't already thrown your Christmas cards in the trash, you can recycle them by donating them to the St. Jude's Ranch for Children.  Just rip off the fronts and send the fronts to:
St. Jude's Ranch for Children, 100 St. Jude's St., PO Box 60100, Boulder City, NV  89006

You can check out their site at  www.stjudesranch.org/give/Recycled_Cards.php  

Thanks to Tanya Bennett in Virginia who sent this information from Women's Day Magazine.

 

Free 411 Information Services ~ There's no need to pay for information phone calls. Dial 1-800-FREE-41.  Although this is free, you do have to listen to their ads.  Residential listings and toll free numbers are available.
        Google has another free telephone information service.  Simply dial 1-800-GOOG-411 (1-800-4664-411) from your phone and you're connected!  Program this number into your phone's memory.  This is a great tip for cell phones too.  Then when you are in a hurry you can memory-dial that number.  You will be asked what city and state, as well as the name of the person or business, and the phone number will be automatically dialed for you!   This is especially handy when a phone book isn't nearby.  A time saver as well!   http://www.google.com/goog411/index.html

 

Cuddle and Coo Little Mommy Doll praises Islam ~ This is a cute doll, however, her "coos" are a blatant statement.  Not sure what Fisher-Price is trying to get away with here.  Videos: http://www.floridabruce.com/islam_is_the_light.htm   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRXKkc3fqd0&feature=related ~ Thanks to Miranda in Hawaii for sending this!

 

Child's Wardrobe Planned Out ~  Instead of putting pants in one drawer and shirts in another, try rolling up your child's clothing into outfits.  Put pants on the outside and roll shirts, underwear, and socks all together.  If a dress, jumper or blouse is part of the wardrobe, you could decide to clip the additional clothing items to the hanger with a spring clothespin.  This method will show you exactly how many outfits each child has.  It will also make mornings go more smoothly!  You could have children, age 2 or 3 and up, help in choosing the clothing combinations.

 

Ear Infections ~ Many times ear infections that are resistant to antibiotics can be cleared up by slightly warming a vinegar and water mixture and flushing the ear two or three times with the mixture twice a day with an ear flush bulb.

 

Caution about New Fabric Smell in Clothing ~ Many people notice a new fabric smell on just-purchased clothes. That "new" smell is a potent mixture of chemicals such as formaldehyde and urea resins. The chemicals are used to 'finish' fabric for a range of purposes, including stain resistance, wrinkle-proofing, and even disinfecting. Most contain volatile organic compounds that are often sensitizers and suspected carcinogens.  To get rid of those chemicals, place clothes in the washer with enough water to cover. Sprinkle one cup of baking soda into the washer and soak clothes overnight. When convenient during the soaking, agitate the machine for a few minutes. Launder as usual.  Some imported clothing companies are now dousing their clothes with long-lasting disinfectants. If the clothing you are about to purchase smells more pungent than usual, put it back on the rack.  Source:  Care2.com    Real Money, July/Aug 2005

 

Static Cling ~ Pin a safety pin to the seam of your slip if wearing a skirt or to the seam of your slacks to prevent static cling.  Or tuck a fabric softener sheet in your purse for times like this.  A few wipes over the inside of the clothing will eliminate static cling. If wearing dark colors, wiping it over the outside may leave marks.

 

A More Comfortable Bed ~ Adding a foam egg crate mattress pad (or a similar type) just under the fabric mattress pad will give you a better night's sleep and help muscles and joints not to ache as much.  It's a good investment for your family.

 

Foggy Windshields ~ Keep a chalkboard eraser in your glove compartment for when the windows fog up.  Just wipe the inside of your windshield until the defroster kicks in.  This works better than a cloth.

 

Stuck in Snow? ~ Keep kitty litter in your car to give your tires traction if stuck in the snow.

 

Slippery Sidewalks ~ Throw kitty litter on the sidewalk, driveway and patio to prevent slipping.

 

Painting Drips ~ Carefully fasten a heavy rubber band over the top and around the bottom of an opened paint can before painting.  As you paint, wipe the paintbrush full of paint over the rubberband, to prevent drips. 

 

Vanilla in Paint ~ Just a teaspoon of vanilla will eliminate the smell of paint and will not alter the color of the paint.

 

Free or Cheap Dates ~ Cook a nice meal together, take a long walk, go star gazing, go to the library together, play games.

 

Candle Warmers ~ If you use candle warmers or wax melts, the fragrance eventually disappears.  However, there's no need to toss out the hot wax.  Add some oil fragrance to lengthen the use, or carefully pour the hot wax into small glass jars with a wick from a craft store, and you have a new candle!  Candles burn longer if put in the freezer for a few hours prior to lighting them.

 

Tips for Modesty ~ Not too low!  Not too high!  Not too tight!   
Someone suggested this book by Shanti Feldman as being helpful in dressing modestly:

For Women Only: What You Need to Know about the Inner lives of Men 

 

Help for Cracked Fingers ~ Zim's Crack Creme can heal cracks and prevent new ones.  You may need to ask the pharmacist for it, but it is not too expensive (under $7) to solve a difficult problem, especially during the cold winter months.

 

Kaleidoscope Fun ~ http://www.protozone.net/ASHOCK/AJwall.html.  Preschoolers who can operate a mouse, as well as adults will really enjoy this.
 

SIMMERING APPLE-VANILLA POT
Fill your home with this wonderful apple-vanilla aroma by mixing all these ingredients together and simmering in a cute little simmering pot or right on top of your stove!  I have some simmering on the stove right now!  Ground cloves and cinnamon may be substituted for the whole cloves and cinnamon sticks.  You could also substitute orange oil or orange zest in place of apple.

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg         4 cinnamon sticks, broken                                 1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 tsp. whole cloves                8 drops apple-scented fragrance oil                     (No need to use pure vanilla here)

CRAFT: A WIND DANCER
http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=10430 
Create a flowery porch decoration that dances and tosses its petals into the air.

1. Use a hole punch to make five holes along one shorter end of a 4 1/2- by 12-inch piece of craft foam.  Roll the foam into a tube, overlapping the edges, and punch matching holes in the other end. Lace the two ends together with ribbon.

2. Next, punch a series of holes along the lower edge of the sock and tie a long ribbon from each one. Make two holes in the top and tie on a ribbon hanger.

3. Lastly, lace on cut-out foam flowers through holes punched in the sock.

 

AN AFRICAN CHILD'S PRAYER

Author unknown - Thanks to Suzy Zabel in Maryland and Nancy Batdorf in Ohio for sending this heart warming story written by a doctor who worked in Central Africa.  A true testament to the faith of a child!  May we all have childlike faith to believe Isaiah 65:24 in our daily lives.  

One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but in spite of all we could do, she died, leaving us with a tiny, premature baby and a crying two-year-old daughter. We would have difficulty keeping the baby alive; as we had no incubator (we had no electricity to run an incubator). We also had no special feeding facilities.
 
Although we lived on the equator, nights were often chilly with treacherous drafts. One student midwife went for the box we had for such babies and the cotton wool that the baby would be wrapped in. Another went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle. She came back shortly in distress to tell me that in filling the bottle, it had burst (rubber perishes easily in tropical climates).
 
'And it is our last hot water bottle!' she exclaimed. As in the West, it is no good crying over spilled milk , so in Central Africa it might be considered no good crying over burst water bottles.  They do not grow on trees, and there are no drugstores down forest pathways.
 
'All right,' I said, 'put the baby as near the fire as you safely can, and sleep between the baby and the door to keep it free from drafts. Your job is to keep the baby warm.'
 
The following noon, as I did most days, I went to have prayers with any of the orphanage children who chose to gather with me. I gave the youngsters various suggestions of things to pray about and told them about the tiny baby. I explained our problem about keeping the baby warm enough, mentioning the hot water bottle, and that the baby could so easily die if it got chills. I also told them of the two-year-old sister, crying because her mother had died.
 
During prayer time, one ten-year-old girl, Ruth, prayed with the usual blunt conciseness of our African children. 'Please, God' she prayed, 'Send us a hot water bottle today. It'll be no good tomorrow, God, as the baby will be dead, so please send it this afternoon.'
 
While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, she added, 'And while You are about it, would You please send a dolly for the little girl so she'll know You really love her?'
 
As often with children's prayers, I was put on the spot. Could I honestly say 'Amen'? I just did not believe that God could do this.  Oh, yes, I know that He can do everything; the Bible says so. But there are limits, aren't there? The only way God could answer this particular prayer would be by sending me a parcel from the homeland. I had been in Africa for almost four years at that time, and I had never, ever, received a parcel from home. Anyway, if anyone did send me a parcel, who would put in a hot water bottle? I lived on the equator!
 
Halfway through the afternoon, while I was teaching in the nurses' training school, a message was sent that there was a car at my front door. By the time I reached home, the car had gone, but there on the porch was a large 22-pound parcel. I felt tears pricking my eyes. I could not open the parcel alone, so I sent for the orphanage children. Together we pulled off the string, carefully undoing each knot. We folded the paper, taking care not to tear it unduly... Excitement was mounting. Some thirty or forty pairs of eyes were focused on the large cardboard box.
 
From the top, I lifted out brightly-colored, knitted jerseys. Eyes sparkled as I gave them out. Then there were the knitted bandages for the leprosy patients, and the children looked a little bored. Then came a box of mixed raisins and sultanas - that would make a batch of buns for the weekend.
 
Then, as I put my hand in again, I felt the.....could it really be?
 
I grasped it and pulled it out. Yes, a brand new, rubber hot water bottle. I cried. I had not asked God to send it; I had not truly believed that He could.
 
Ruth was in the front row of the children. She rushed forward, crying out, 'If God has sent the bottle, He must have sent the dolly, too!
 
'Rummaging down to the bottom of the box, she pulled out the small, beautifully-dressed dolly. Her eyes shone! She had never doubted! Looking up at me, she asked, 'Can I go over with you and give this dolly to that little girl, so she'll know that Jesus really loves her?'
 
'Of course,' I replied! 
 
That parcel had been on the way for five whole months, packed up by my former Sunday school class , whose leader had heard and obeyed God's prompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator. And one of the girls had put in a dolly for an African child - five months before, in answer to the believing prayer of a ten-year-old to bring it 'that afternoon'.
 
'Before they call, I will answer.'  -  Isaiah 65:24  
 Stop telling God how big your storm is.  Instead, tell the storm how big your GOD IS. 

 

 

SMILES IN THE FAMILY ~ FROM LITTLE ONES, A TEEN AND A DOG!

 

Jack (age 3) was watching his mom breastfeeding his new baby sister.  After a while he asked, "Mom why have you got two? Is one for hot and one for cold milk?" ~ Sent by Jean Breneman in Pennsylvania

 

I had Brady, 4, with me while running errands.  I always tell him where we are going and I explained we needed to stop and pick up the tuxedos for his uncle's wedding.  When it came time to stop for them, Brady asked, "Is this where we are getting the torpedoes? ~ Angie Walker in Pennsylvania 

 

The man passed out in a dead faint as he came out of his front door onto the porch.  Someone dialed 911.  When the paramedics arrived, they helped the man regain consciousness and asked if he knew what caused him to faint.  "It was enough to make anybody faint," he said. "My son asked me for the keys to the garage, and instead of driving the car out, he came out with the lawn mower."  ~ From Biblical Parenting Update - http://www.biblicalparenting.org/

 

Recently we enjoyed a delicious dinner and playing games with our son, James and his wife, Emily, as we traveled home from Pennsylvania from the small family wedding mentioned above.  James and Emily showed us several tricks they taught their new puppy.  James told Cider to sit, then he put a snack in front of her nose, but said, "Pray."  The dog bowed her head and waited.  Then James said, "Amen," and she immediately ate her snack!  He had her do another trick by putting a snack on her nose, saying, "Wait."  Then "Okay," as Cider brushed the snack off her nose with her paw and quickly ate her treat. ~ Lois

 

 

THE BIBLE SUMMARIZED BY KIDS
Author unknown - Thanks to Linda Isom in North Carolina for sending this.

 

In the beginning, which occurred near the start, there was nothing but God, darkness, and some gas.  The Bible says, 'The Lord thy God is one,' but I think He must be a lot older than that. Anyway, God said, 'Give me a light!' and someone did. Then God made the world. He split the Adam and made Eve. Adam and Eve were naked, but they weren't embarrassed because mirrors hadn't been invented yet. Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating one bad apple, so they were driven from the Garden of Eden. Not sure what they were driven in though, because they didn't have cars

Adam and Eve had a son, Cain, who hated his brother as long as he was Abel. Pretty soon all of the early people died off, except for Methuselah, who lived to be like a million or something. One of the next important people was Noah, who was a good guy, but one of his kids was kind of a ham. Noah built a large boat and put his family and some animals on it. He asked some other people to join him, but they said they would have to take a rain check.  After Noah came Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Jacob was  more famous than his brother, Esau, because Esau sold Jacob his birthmark in exchange for some pot roast. Jacob had a son named Joseph who wore a really loud sports coat.

The of Moses' best helpers  was Joshua, who was the first Bible guy to use spies. Joshua fought the battle  of Geritol and the fence fell over on the town. After Joshua came David. He got  to be king by killing a giant with a slingshot. He had a son named Solomon who  had about 300 wives and 500 porcupines. My teacher says he was wise, but that  doesn't sound very wise to me. After Solomon there were a bunch of major league  prophets one of these was Jonah, who was swallowed by a big whale and then  barfed up on the shore. There were also some minor league prophets, but I guess  we don't have to worry about them.

After the Old Testament came the New  Testament. Jesus is the star of the New Testament. He was born in Bethlehem in a barn. (I  wish I had been born in a barn, too, because my mom is always saying to me,  Close the door! Were you born in a barn?' It would be nice to say, 'As a matter  of fact, I was.')

During His life, Jesus had many arguments with sinners  like the Pharisees and the Republicans. Jesus also had twelve opossums. The  worst one was Judas Asparagus. Judas was so evil that they named a terrible vegetable after him.

Jesus was a great man He healed many leopards and  even preached to some Germans on the Mount. But the Republicans and all those  guys put Jesus on trial before Pontius the Pilot. Pilot didn't stick up for  Jesus. He just washed his hands instead. Anyway, Jesus died for our sins, then came back to  life again. He went up to Heaven, but will be back at the end of the Aluminum.  His return is foretold in the book of Revolution.

There!  Now you understand!
 

 

A NEW BABY BOY

Parker Reed Breneman, the second son of Jason and Steph Breneman, was born in Pennsylvania on December 26, 2008.  They also have a son, Noah.  Clifford and Jean Breneman are the proud great-grandparents, with Parker being their 9th great-grandchild.  They also have 14 grandchildren.   

 

 

                                              I thank my God upon every remembrance of you (dear ladies). - Phil. 1:3
                                                                                Have a blessed New Year in 2009!
                           Please remember to pray for each dear Heart to Heart lady and her family as you receive your newsletter.  
                                                So many ladies are going through very tough times and need our prayers!
                                            Some have lost loved ones and others have lost jobs, homes or their good health.
                                       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,                                                                

"Heart to Heart"                                                                                                           Lois                       

 

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@... href="mailto:[email protected]" target=_blank>[email protected].  New subscribers will receive a Welcome, and a "Start-Up Kit." 

 

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