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1/7/04 TRUST, BIBLE, PRAYER, COLDS, FLU, DEHYDRATION

#1 · January 6, 2004, 5:53 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on January 6, 2004, 5:53 pm
Posted by: jhbreneman <jhbreneman@...>

HEART TO HEART NEWSLETTER
                    ENCOURAGEMENT TO WOMEN
Compiled especially for YOU with LOVE by Lois Breneman

1/7/04 TRUST, BIBLE, PRAYER, COLDS, FLU, DEHYDRATION

~^~^~^~~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~

CONTENTS:

TRUST IN MARRIAGE

THE PERPETUAL CALENDAR

BIBLE READING AND PRAYER
MAINTAINING FRIENDSHIPS

QUOTES ABOUT FRIENDSHIP
ATTITUDE

CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE BODY

AFTER AN ILLNESS

TIPS TO RELIEVE COLDS, SINUS INFECTIONS OR FLU

HOW TO PREVENT DEHYDRATION

SAFELY REMOVING EAR WAX

TRUST IN MARRIAGE

Excerpt from Lists to Live By for Every Married Couple by Gray, Stephens and Diest

Trust Builders

1.      Showing others how proud you are of your spouse.

2.      Keeping your word.

3.      Making your spouse a priority.

4.      Knowing when your spouse is stressed and doing what you can do to reduce it.

5.      Being dependable.

6.      Never forgetting your anniversary.

7.      Giving each other space when needed and closeness the rest of the time.

8.      Always wearing your wedding ring.

Trust Busters

1.      Keeping secrets from each other.

2.      Not being honest.

3.      Flirting with someone else.

4.      Embarrassing your spouse.

5.      Breaking promises.

6.      Being critical.

7.      Lack of follow-through.

8.      Not showing complete, unselfish, committed love.

THE PERPETUAL CALENDAR

Studying a perpetual calendar is interesting! If you dont know the day of the week on which you entered the world, this is how you can find out. If you have saved some special calendars, because of the beautiful scenic pictures, cute babies or animals, you can squeeze some more use out of them! With 2004 being a leap year, you have to go back as far as 1976 for an identical calendar. But if you still have a nice calendar from 2001, save it for 2007! Or if you have one from 1995, you can use that again in two years. I know this isnt a great money-saving tip, but it is a way of still using nice calendars that you may have filed away.

For This Year   . . . . . You can use an identical calendar from these past years.

2004                             1976             1948

2005                            1994             1983

2006                            1995             1989

2007                            2001             1990

2008                            1980             1952

2009                            1998             1987

2010                             1999             1993

2011                            2005             1994

2012                            1984             1956

2013                            2002             1991

2014                            2003             1986

2015                            2009             1998

Did you know that we all get an extra 24 hours to use in 2004, since this is Leap Year? Lets plan on using that extra hour and all the others, so they will count for eternity.

BIBLE READING AND PRAYER

By Lois Breneman ~ Heart to Heart Newsletter ~ [email protected]

Many people make resolutions or goals at this time of the year, but whether or not we do, renewing our commitment to spend time with the Lord in Bible reading and prayer, is a worthy goal. The more time we spend with someone, the more we get to know that person. The more we know the Lord and His character, as revealed in the Word, the more we will trust Him. The more we trust Him, the less we will worry. Keeping our eyes on Jesus gives us an eternal perspective.  Jesus loves you, dear friend, and He wants to lead and guide you in your daily life. Read Psalm 119 to see the value and benefits of His Word.

Decide on a plan of scripture reading to help you with consistency. You may choose to read the Bible through in a year, from Genesis to Revelation. There is the One Year Bible, which has sections from the Old and New Testaments, as well as Psalms and a verse from Proverbs for each day.   There are Chronological plans, as well. If you start out with a specific plan, but are not consistent, rather than feeling like a failure, go back and finish it in a time frame that works for you in this stage of your life. If you follow a less demanding schedule, you may also want to read one chapter in Proverbs each day for practical advice in daily living. Since there are 31 chapters, read the chapter that corresponds with the days date. Start today, even if it isnt the first of the month.

My friend, Barb Campbell, recommends these Bible reading plans on the Internet. See below. She encourages you to find a plan and, if possible, find a friend to read along with you. That accountability and encouragement will help you stick with it! I promise you will be blessed!

www.bibleinayear.org
www.anchorlife.org/courses/classes/read_thru.htm
www.bibleplan.org/
www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.html

Praying with your husband each day has many rewards. My husband and I have been doing this each evening for several years. We began with one large index card, but when the list got too long, we made three alternating lists. On the back of each card, we write the first initial of the one who prayed along with the date (J-1/5, L-1/6). First we pray each evening for our three children, son-in-law and grandson, praying for specific needs. Since those requests are especially near to our hearts, we have them memorized (no need to write these on the card) and pray for them during the day as well. We pray by name for unsaved, wisdom and witness on the job, those with physical needs, single moms, broken marriages, wayward children, jobs needed, our pastors and teachers and those around the world, missionaries, various Christian ministries, our President and Vice President, their families, the Cabinet, Congress, Supreme Court Justices, military leaders and troops, sources of terrorism to be rooted out, revival here and around the world, etc.

Every so often I rewrite the three lists, because of answered prayers (especially exciting!) and new requests. I encourage you to pray with your husband each day, even if it is only to pray for your family in the beginning. Prayer truly does change things and the Lord longs for us to bring our adoration of Him and as well as our needs to Him!

When Heart to Heart ladies share a prayer request with me, I write it down on a list by the computer and pray for those requests as often as possible. Our computer is rather slow, so I try to take advantage of lost time by praying for those requests at that time as well as when the Lord brings them to my mind.

In addition to structured prayer, being in communion with the Lord all day long as we walk and talk with Him, is sweet fellowship. I enjoy having Christian radio on most of the day. As I hear a radio broadcast or a song, the Lord often brings a friend or family member to mind and I take that opportunity to breathe a short prayer on their behalf. Seeing or hearing an ambulance is another reminder to pray for all those persons involved and for their salvation. You get the picture. Sentence prayers all day long certainly fit the scripture, "Pray without ceasing."



MAINTAINING FRIENDSHIPS

By Julie Druck Used by permission

From Julies monthly newsletter, A Heart for Home. To subscribe: [email protected]

        I've been recently thinking about the blessing that God has given me in friends. My friends bless my life in many ways - they encourage me, challenge me, help me and just plain give me joy.

        Friendship is a wonderful thing, but just like marriage, there is some work involved to maintain friendships.

         A few years ago, I did a short devotional on friendship and listed a number of things that can be done to show your friends that you care. If it's been awhile (or even if it hasn't!), since you've told a friend how much they mean to you, pick out one or two of these ideas and bless THEIR life today!

* Remember their birthday with a phone call or card.

* Give them a bouquet of flowers for no reason.

* Bake an extra batch of cookies and deliver some to your friend.

* When you see an article, postcard, or newspaper clipping of interest to a friend, send it in the mail with a short note that you were thinking of them.

* Call just to see how they're doing.

* Pray for them and hold them accountable.

* Go out for dessert and pick up the bill!

* Tell them that you love them.

* Send them a card for no reason at all.

* Be considerate with their things - quickly return all things that you borrow.

* Have them and their family over for supper.

* Surprise them with a little, unexpected gift.

* Keep their children so they can date or have an afternoon "off."

* Here's an interesting one that I read in a book somewhere: "Think twice before burdening a friend with a secret." Now that's one to think about!

QUOTES ABOUT FRIENDSHIP
"If you go looking for a friend, you're going to find they're very scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you'll find them everywhere." Zig Ziglar

The only way to have a friend is to be one. Emerson

"A true friend is one who overlooks your failures and tolerates your successes." Doug Larson

ATTITUDE

Author unknown ~ Contributed by Elinor Wright, Virginia

         A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.
        After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready. As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window.
        "I love it," she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.
        "Mrs. Jones, you haven't seen the room.   Just wait."
        "That doesn't have anything to do with it," she replied. "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged ... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up."
        I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away ... just for this time in my life.   Old age is like a bank account ... you withdraw from what you've put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories. Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. I am still depositing.



CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE BODY

By Kayla Fay - www.goaskmom.com - [email protected]

Editor of An Ounce of Ketchup - Used by permission

I hope youve missed it, but its virus season, and I dont just mean the flu. At this moment two of mine are sprawled out miserably on the couch, covered with huge comforters. For times like these, I recommend chicken soup. I have to tell that my chicken soup is absolutely delicious. Its guaranteed to make your child feel better, body and soul.

ASHS FAVORITE CHICKEN SOUP

Note: Dont let the lemon juice and cinnamon deter you from trying this recipe! You cant really taste them, but they enhance the flavor.

3 chicken breasts                    ¼-1/2 cup lemon juice (same here!)

10 cups water                         salt and pepper

1 small onion                           1 cup uncooked rice

3 cloves garlic                         1 can chickpeas, optional

2 tsp. cinnamon (Trust me you wont taste it, but it makes all the difference)

Peel the onion and garlic. Place chicken, onion, garlic and water in a pot and bring to a boil. You may need to skim the top. Add the cinnamon, salt and pepper and ¼ cup of the lemon juice. Cover and simmer until the chicken is tender. While the chicken is cooking, make the rice. Strain out the broth and discard the onion and garlic. Cut the chicken into soup sized pieces and add back to the broth. Add the cooked rice and the chickpeas. Simmer until the broth is the flavor/consistency you prefer. Adjust the lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.

AFTER AN ILLNESS (For Children in School)

By Kayla Fay - www.goaskmom.com - [email protected]

Editor of An Ounce of Ketchup - Used by permission

If your school is like ours, it has been hit with a major epidemic of the winter crud. We are suffering from 10% absenteeism, and the children are out of the classroom an average of four days. Returning to school after a weeks worth of the flu is horrible. The child is probably still tired from the sickness, and has lost momentum, thanks to hours in front of the television. To add to the misery, the first day back in the classroom the poor kid is handed a stack of makeup work. Its enough to make anyone wish for a relapse. Heres a prescription for recovery after the recovery.

Rx 1 Get your childs makeup work early. Contact the school each day he is out, and ask for an assignment list. Let her do the easier subjects for about 20 minutes a few times a day.

Rx 2 - Go over the work before your child sees it. Make sure you are familiar with the subject matter so you can explain anything your son doesn't understand.

Rx 3 - Help with the work. Copy the math problems onto lined paper. Read chapters aloud. Let your child answer questions orally, and write the answers down. Then have him recopy them without having to worry about spelling and punctuation. Give any assistance that doesn't take away from the basic learning process of the subject at hand.

Rx 4 - Appeal to the teacher. Ask if there are some assignments that can be eliminated or abbreviated.

Rx 5 - Let your child stay out an extra day just to do the makeup work. She is probably still weak, and doesn't need the exposure to other children and their germs. The extra day of rest will help her rebuild resistance. Plus, the entire day can be devoted to working, and not in the many non-academic pursuits of school, like waiting in line for the bathroom or listening to a lecture on the hazards of body piercing.

Rx 6 - Continue to administer chicken soup and lots of hugs and kisses.
I hope your child feels better soon.

TIPS TO RELIEVE COLDS, SINUS INFECTIONS OR FLU

By Lois Breneman - Heart to Heart Newsletter [email protected]

Other than chicken soup, which provides steam to temporarily clear up the sinuses, hot herbal tea is another help. Turkey soup would be even better, because turkey causes a chemical reaction in the body and makes one sleepy and sleep helps heal the body when sick.

Honey and lemon juice, mixed together, help a cough. Be sure not to give honey to a child under one year, because of the risk of botulism. After a year, that is not a danger.

Foot reflexology helps tame a cough. I used to use this on my children and myself and it works, because of the nerve endings in our feet, which lead to all parts of our body. For the bronchial tube, massage both middle toes on the side nearest the little toes, especially on the lower part of the toe, where it connects to the foot. It will hurt when massaged deeply, if needed. Ease up a bit and continue massaging deeply in a circular motion for 5-10 minutes, switching back and forth from one foot to the other. This method works on the hands, as well on the middle fingers for the bronchial tube. It is amazing how God has put our bodies together so we can increase the blood flow to specific areas and promote healing!

Tea tree oil that is Melaleuca oil from a tree in Australia helps open the sinuses. This can be found in a health food store or ordered by e-mailing [email protected]. Apply a small amount to a clean Q-tip and apply the oil to the nostrils.

Running a humidifier in the childs room at naptime and at night helps lessen the coughing and moistens the mucous membranes inside the nose.

Simply simmering water on the stove helps raise the humidity during the dry winter months. A few drops of Melaleuca or eucalyptus oil can be added to the water to help open up the sinuses so you can breathe. Vicks works too.

A simmering potpourri pot also raises humidity. Be sure not to let it run dry and keep out of the reach of young children.

A hot bath or shower helps relieve the aches and pains as well as provides humidity.

Dr. Kevin Kelleher recommends soaking in a hot tub to relieve the aches and pains of a cold or flu.

Encourage your child to drink plenty of fluids, in the form of water, diluted juice, tea or Gatorade. Milk products cause congestion, so these should be avoided. If you cant get your child to consume lots of liquids, because he is so ill, follow the instructions below.

HOW TO PREVENT DEHYDRATION

By Lois Breneman - Heart to Heart Newsletter [email protected]

Many years ago a family very close to me lost their first child at thirteen months. Their baby was ill with a sore throat one day. He was under the doctor's care for his illness, but three days later he was very sick with a bad case of vomiting and diarrhea. His parents called the doctor again and wanted to take him to the hospital, because they thought he was dehydrating. The doctor said he would come out to their home instead and give him a shot, which he did (a long time ago, when house calls were not unheard of). The baby was much worse the next morning, and his parents rushed him to the hospital, but tragically, he died on the way. Needless to say, we were all heartbroken at the loss of that precious little boy!

When our daughter was a baby, I told our pediatrician the story about this baby, and asked him if there was anything that I might be able to do to prevent my baby from dehydrating, if she were to have vomiting and diarrhea and be unable to keep down fluids. Dr. Roger Grady told me that I could use a bulb syringe, fill it with lukewarm water, put a little Vaseline on the tip, insert it into the child's rectum and squeeze the ball of the syringe to release the water slowly. He said to do that every half hour if there was a chance of dehydration. He said it wouldn't harm the baby either way. Dr. Grady said the baby would absorb that fluid and would have wet diapers, which would prove that the fluids were absorbed into the babys body. The good news is that the child would not dehydrate because of that precautionary measure. It gave me peace of mind to know there was something practical that I could do for my baby if that should happen.

Dr. Grady also said that if a child had a fever, COLD water should be used every half hour to bring down the fever. I was so thankful for that piece of good common sense advice as well and I pass it on to others every chance I get. Of course, this simple common sense method works for any age. For an older and larger person, two or three syringes-full could be used every half hour to prevent dehydration or bring down a fever.

SAFELY REMOVING EAR WAX

Another piece of common sense advice, which I received from our family physician when our children were little, was a method of removing ear wax. He said to use Milkinol, which is a citrus-smelling liquid stool softener. Yes, thats right! And it worked real well! I called around to several drug stores recently and they no longer seem to have that particular brand, but another liquid stool softener should work just as well. The doctor said to fill each ear canal with Milkinol, using a dropper, and then plug the ears with cotton. A half hour later, use a clean bulb syringe to irrigate each ear with a warm solution of half water and half hydrogen peroxide mixed together. If hot water is used, the final mixture should be lukewarm. I would drape a towel around the child's neck and hold his ear over the sink, saving the water, so we could see what came out of the ear. A quick, firm squeeze to the syringe is safe to the ear, our doctor assured me, as long as it isnt inserted too deep inside the ear. You may need to do this several times to flush out the excess wax. In fact, the doctor did this procedure in his office the first time, as I held my child and listened to the screams. After that, we did it at home when needed. You can save your child a lot of fear and save yourself a lot of money if you do this yourself at home. It does not hurt - just kind of tickles, because it did it on my own ears. This works just as well for adults. I remember teasing my child with phrases from books I read to him or her, such as, looking into the childs ear and saying, Oh dear! Theres a bird in your ear, I fear! Then to see the chunk of wax that came out was exciting to the child as well.

THE NEXT NEWSLETTER

Organization will be covered in the next newsletter. It seems that every January we ladies get into the organization mode. Thats what I am concentrating on in my own home this month - maybe next month as well because Ive got a lot to cover! In the meantime, you may want to check out www.flylady.com, a web site that several Heart to Heart ladies have told me has changed their lives for the better, regarding the organization and cleanliness in their home. I understand she gives step by step suggestions by e-mail each day. We all can use tips to make our home a Haven of Rest, rather than confusion and disorder! Our husbands enjoy coming home to a restful and organized home.

I am praying for all of you Heart to Heart families to stay well, and am praying especially for protection for your precious little ones during this aggressive flu season.

God bless you all!

In His love,

Your Heart to Heart friend,

Lois

The purpose of the Heart to Heart Newsletter is to bring godly and practical encouragement to women through creative ideas for the Christian family regarding homemaking, marriage, children and much more. You may receive this bimonthly newsletter by sending your name, city, state, country and the name of the person who referred you to Lois Breneman at [email protected].

Posted by: jhbreneman <jhbreneman@...>

HEART TO HEART NEWSLETTER
ENCOURAGEMENT TO WOMEN
Compiled especially for YOU with LOVE by Lois Breneman

1/7/04 TRUST, BIBLE, PRAYER, COLDS, FLU, DEHYDRATION

~^~^~^~~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~

TRUST IN MARRIAGE

Excerpt from Lists to Live By for Every Married Couple by Gray, Stephens and Diest

Trust Builders

1. Showing others how proud you are of your spouse.

2. Keeping your word.

3. Making your spouse a priority.

4. Knowing when your spouse is stressed and doing what you can do to reduce it.

5. Being dependable.

6. Never forgetting your anniversary.

7. Giving each other space when needed and closeness the rest of the time.

8. Always wearing your wedding ring.

Trust Busters

1. Keeping secrets from each other.

2. Not being honest.

3. Flirting with someone else.

4. Embarrassing your spouse.

5. Breaking promises.

6. Being critical.

7. Lack of follow-through.

8. Not showing complete, unselfish, committed love.

THE PERPETUAL CALENDAR

Studying a perpetual calendar is interesting! If you dont know the day of the week on which you entered the world, this is how you can find out. If you have saved some special calendars, because of the beautiful scenic pictures, cute babies or animals, you can squeeze some more use out of them! With 2004 being a leap year, you have to go back as far as 1976 for an identical calendar. But if you still have a nice calendar from 2001, save it for 2007! Or if you have one from 1995, you can use that again in two years. I know this isnt a great money-saving tip, but it is a way of still using nice calendars that you may have filed away.

For This Year . . . . . You can use an identical calendar from these past years.

2004 1976 1948

2005 1994 1983

2006 1995 1989

2007 2001 1990

2008 1980 1952

2009 1998 1987

2010 1999 1993

2011 2005 1994

2012 1984 1956

2013 2002 1991

2014 2003 1986

2015 2009 1998

Did you know that we all get an extra 24 hours to use in 2004, since this is Leap Year? Lets plan on using that extra hour and all the others, so they will count for eternity.

BIBLE READING AND PRAYER

By Lois Breneman ~ Heart to Heart Newsletter ~ [email protected]

Many people make resolutions or goals at this time of the year, but whether or not we do, renewing our commitment to spend time with the Lord in Bible reading and prayer, is a worthy goal. The more time we spend with someone, the more we get to know that person. The more we know the Lord and His character, as revealed in the Word, the more we will trust Him. The more we trust Him, the less we will worry. Keeping our eyes on Jesus gives us an eternal perspective. Jesus loves you, dear friend, and He wants to lead and guide you in your daily life. Read Psalm 119 to see the value and benefits of His Word.

Decide on a plan of scripture reading to help you with consistency. You may choose to read the Bible through in a year, from Genesis to Revelation. There is the One Year Bible, which has sections from the Old and New Testaments, as well as Psalms and a verse from Proverbs for each day. There are Chronological plans, as well. If you start out with a specific plan, but are not consistent, rather than feeling like a failure, go back and finish it in a time frame that works for you in this stage of your life. If you follow a less demanding schedule, you may also want to read one chapter in Proverbs each day for practical advice in daily living. Since there are 31 chapters, read the chapter that corresponds with the days date. Start today, even if it isnt the first of the month.

My friend, Barb Campbell, recommends these Bible reading plans on the Internet. See below. She encourages you to find a plan and, if possible, find a friend to read along with you. That accountability and encouragement will help you stick with it! I promise you will be blessed!

http://www.bibleinayear.org
http://www.anchorlife.org/courses/classes/read_thru.htm
http://www.bibleplan.org/
http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.html

Praying with your husband each day has many rewards. My husband and I have been doing this each evening for several years. We began with one large index card, but when the list got too long, we made three alternating lists. On the back of each card, we write the first initial of the one who prayed along with the date (J-1/5, L-1/6). First we pray each evening for our three children, son-in-law and grandson, praying for specific needs. Since those requests are especially near to our hearts, we have them memorized (no need to write these on the card) and pray for them during the day as well. We pray by name for unsaved, wisdom and witness on the job, those with physical needs, single moms, broken marriages, wayward children, jobs needed, our pastors and teachers and those around the world, missionaries, various Christian ministries, our President and Vice President, their families, the Cabinet, Congress, Supreme Court Justices, military leaders and troops, sources of terrorism to be rooted out, revival here and around the world, etc.

Every so often I rewrite the three lists, because of answered prayers (especially exciting!) and new requests. I encourage you to pray with your husband each day, even if it is only to pray for your family in the beginning. Prayer truly does change things and the Lord longs for us to bring our adoration of Him and as well as our needs to Him!

When Heart to Heart ladies share a prayer request with me, I write it down on a list by the computer and pray for those requests as often as possible. Our computer is rather slow, so I try to take advantage of lost time by praying for those requests at that time as well as when the Lord brings them to my mind.

In addition to structured prayer, being in communion with the Lord all day long as we walk and talk with Him, is sweet fellowship. I enjoy having Christian radio on most of the day. As I hear a radio broadcast or a song, the Lord often brings a friend or family member to mind and I take that opportunity to breathe a short prayer on their behalf. Seeing or hearing an ambulance is another reminder to pray for all those persons involved and for their salvation. You get the picture. Sentence prayers all day long certainly fit the scripture, "Pray without ceasing."

MAINTAINING FRIENDSHIPS

By Julie Druck Used by permission

From Julies monthly newsletter, A Heart for Home. To subscribe: [email protected]

I've been recently thinking about the blessing that God has given me in friends. My friends bless my life in many ways - they encourage me, challenge me, help me and just plain give me joy.

Friendship is a wonderful thing, but just like marriage, there is some work involved to maintain friendships.

A few years ago, I did a short devotional on friendship and listed a number of things that can be done to show your friends that you care. If it's been awhile (or even if it hasn't!), since you've told a friend how much they mean to you, pick out one or two of these ideas and bless THEIR life today!

* Remember their birthday with a phone call or card.

* Give them a bouquet of flowers for no reason.

* Bake an extra batch of cookies and deliver some to your friend.

* When you see an article, postcard, or newspaper clipping of interest to a friend, send it in the mail with a short note that you were thinking of them.

* Call just to see how they're doing.

* Pray for them and hold them accountable.

* Go out for dessert and pick up the bill!

* Tell them that you love them.

* Send them a card for no reason at all.

* Be considerate with their things - quickly return all things that you borrow.

* Have them and their family over for supper.

* Surprise them with a little, unexpected gift.

* Keep their children so they can date or have an afternoon "off."

* Here's an interesting one that I read in a book somewhere: "Think twice before burdening a friend with a secret." Now that's one to think about!

QUOTES ABOUT FRIENDSHIP
"If you go looking for a friend, you're going to find they're very scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you'll find them everywhere." Zig Ziglar

The only way to have a friend is to be one. Emerson

"A true friend is one who overlooks your failures and tolerates your successes." Doug Larson

ATTITUDE

Author unknown ~ Contributed by Elinor Wright, Virginia

         A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.
        After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready. As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window.
        "I love it," she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.
        "Mrs. Jones, you haven't seen the room.   Just wait."
        "That doesn't have anything to do with it," she replied. "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged ... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up."
        I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away ... just for this time in my life.   Old age is like a bank account ... you withdraw from what you've put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories. Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. I am still depositing.

CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE BODY

By Kayla Fay - http://www.goaskmom.com - [email protected]

Editor of An Ounce of Ketchup - Used by permission

I hope youve missed it, but its virus season, and I dont just mean the flu. At this moment two of mine are sprawled out miserably on the couch, covered with huge comforters. For times like these, I recommend chicken soup. I have to tell that my chicken soup is absolutely delicious. Its guaranteed to make your child feel better, body and soul.

ASHS FAVORITE CHICKEN SOUP

Note: Dont let the lemon juice and cinnamon deter you from trying this recipe! You cant really taste them, but they enhance the flavor.

3 chicken breasts ¼-1/2 cup lemon juice (same here!)

10 cups water salt and pepper

1 small onion 1 cup uncooked rice

3 cloves garlic 1 can chickpeas, optional

2 tsp. cinnamon (Trust me you wont taste it, but it makes all the difference)

Peel the onion and garlic. Place chicken, onion, garlic and water in a pot and bring to a boil. You may need to skim the top. Add the cinnamon, salt and pepper and ¼ cup of the lemon juice. Cover and simmer until the chicken is tender. While the chicken is cooking, make the rice. Strain out the broth and discard the onion and garlic. Cut the chicken into soup sized pieces and add back to the broth. Add the cooked rice and the chickpeas. Simmer until the broth is the flavor/consistency you prefer. Adjust the lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.

AFTER AN ILLNESS (For Children in School)

By Kayla Fay - http://www.goaskmom.com - [email protected]

Editor of An Ounce of Ketchup - Used by permission

If your school is like ours, it has been hit with a major epidemic of the winter crud. We are suffering from 10% absenteeism, and the children are out of the classroom an average of four days. Returning to school after a weeks worth of the flu is horrible. The child is probably still tired from the sickness, and has lost momentum, thanks to hours in front of the television. To add to the misery, the first day back in the classroom the poor kid is handed a stack of makeup work. Its enough to make anyone wish for a relapse. Heres a prescription for recovery after the recovery.

Rx 1 Get your childs makeup work early. Contact the school each day he is out, and ask for an assignment list. Let her do the easier subjects for about 20 minutes a few times a day.

Rx 2 - Go over the work before your child sees it. Make sure you are familiar with the subject matter so you can explain anything your son doesn't understand.

Rx 3 - Help with the work. Copy the math problems onto lined paper. Read chapters aloud. Let your child answer questions orally, and write the answers down. Then have him recopy them without having to worry about spelling and punctuation. Give any assistance that doesn't take away from the basic learning process of the subject at hand.

Rx 4 - Appeal to the teacher. Ask if there are some assignments that can be eliminated or abbreviated.

Rx 5 - Let your child stay out an extra day just to do the makeup work. She is probably still weak, and doesn't need the exposure to other children and their germs. The extra day of rest will help her rebuild resistance. Plus, the entire day can be devoted to working, and not in the many non-academic pursuits of school, like waiting in line for the bathroom or listening to a lecture on the hazards of body piercing.

Rx 6 - Continue to administer chicken soup and lots of hugs and kisses.
I hope your child feels better soon.

TIPS TO RELIEVE COLDS, SINUS INFECTIONS OR FLU

By Lois Breneman - Heart to Heart Newsletter [email protected]

Other than chicken soup, which provides steam to temporarily clear up the sinuses, hot herbal tea is another help. Turkey soup would be even better, because turkey causes a chemical reaction in the body and makes one sleepy and sleep helps heal the body when sick.

Honey and lemon juice, mixed together, help a cough. Be sure not to give honey to a child under one year, because of the risk of botulism. After a year, that is not a danger.

Foot reflexology helps tame a cough. I used to use this on my children and myself and it works, because of the nerve endings in our feet, which lead to all parts of our body. For the bronchial tube, massage both middle toes on the side nearest the little toes, especially on the lower part of the toe, where it connects to the foot. It will hurt when massaged deeply, if needed. Ease up a bit and continue massaging deeply in a circular motion for 5-10 minutes, switching back and forth from one foot to the other. This method works on the hands, as well on the middle fingers for the bronchial tube. It is amazing how God has put our bodies together so we can increase the blood flow to specific areas and promote healing!

Tea tree oil that is Melaleuca oil from a tree in Australia helps open the sinuses. This can be found in a health food store or ordered by e-mailing [email protected]. Apply a small amount to a clean Q-tip and apply the oil to the nostrils.

Running a humidifier in the childs room at naptime and at night helps lessen the coughing and moistens the mucous membranes inside the nose.

Simply simmering water on the stove helps raise the humidity during the dry winter months. A few drops of Melaleuca or eucalyptus oil can be added to the water to help open up the sinuses so you can breathe. Vicks works too.

A simmering potpourri pot also raises humidity. Be sure not to let it run dry and keep out of the reach of young children.

A hot bath or shower helps relieve the aches and pains as well as provides humidity.

Dr. Kevin Kelleher recommends soaking in a hot tub to relieve the aches and pains of a cold or flu.

Encourage your child to drink plenty of fluids, in the form of water, diluted juice, tea or Gatorade. Milk products cause congestion, so these should be avoided. If you cant get your child to consume lots of liquids, because he is so ill, follow the instructions below.

HOW TO PREVENT DEHYDRATION

By Lois Breneman - Heart to Heart Newsletter [email protected]

Many years ago a family very close to me lost their first child at thirteen months. Their baby was ill with a sore throat one day. He was under the doctor's care for his illness, but three days later he was very sick with a bad case of vomiting and diarrhea. His parents called the doctor again and wanted to take him to the hospital, because they thought he was dehydrating. The doctor said he would come out to their home instead and give him a shot, which he did (a long time ago, when house calls were not unheard of). The baby was much worse the next morning, and his parents rushed him to the hospital, but tragically, he died on the way. Needless to say, we were all heartbroken at the loss of that precious little boy!

When our daughter was a baby, I told our pediatrician the story about this baby, and asked him if there was anything that I might be able to do to prevent my baby from dehydrating, if she were to have vomiting and diarrhea and be unable to keep down fluids. Dr. Roger Grady told me that I could use a bulb syringe, fill it with lukewarm water, put a little Vaseline on the tip, insert it into the child's rectum and squeeze the ball of the syringe to release the water slowly. He said to do that every half hour if there was a chance of dehydration. He said it wouldn't harm the baby either way. Dr. Grady said the baby would absorb that fluid and would have wet diapers, which would prove that the fluids were absorbed into the babys body. The good news is that the child would not dehydrate because of that precautionary measure. It gave me peace of mind to know there was something practical that I could do for my baby if that should happen.

Dr. Grady also said that if a child had a fever, COLD water should be used every half hour to bring down the fever. I was so thankful for that piece of good common sense advice as well and I pass it on to others every chance I get. Of course, this simple common sense method works for any age. For an older and larger person, two or three syringes-full could be used every half hour to prevent dehydration or bring down a fever.

SAFELY REMOVING EAR WAX

Another piece of common sense advice, which I received from our family physician when our children were little, was a method of removing ear wax. He said to use Milkinol, which is a citrus-smelling liquid stool softener. Yes, thats right! And it worked real well! I called around to several drug stores recently and they no longer seem to have that particular brand, but another liquid stool softener should work just as well. The doctor said to fill each ear canal with Milkinol, using a dropper, and then plug the ears with cotton. A half hour later, use a clean bulb syringe to irrigate each ear with a warm solution of half water and half hydrogen peroxide mixed together. If hot water is used, the final mixture should be lukewarm. I would drape a towel around the child's neck and hold his ear over the sink, saving the water, so we could see what came out of the ear. A quick, firm squeeze to the syringe is safe to the ear, our doctor assured me, as long as it isnt inserted too deep inside the ear. You may need to do this several times to flush out the excess wax. In fact, the doctor did this procedure in his office the first time, as I held my child and listened to the screams. After that, we did it at home when needed. You can save your child a lot of fear and save yourself a lot of money if you do this yourself at home. It does not hurt - just kind of tickles, because it did it on my own ears. This works just as well for adults. I remember teasing my child with phrases from books I read to him or her, such as, looking into the childs ear and saying, Oh dear! Theres a bird in your ear, I fear! Then to see the chunk of wax that came out was exciting to the child as well.

THE NEXT NEWSLETTER

Organization will be covered in the next newsletter. It seems that every January we ladies get into the organization mode. Thats what I am concentrating on in my own home this month - maybe next month as well because Ive got a lot to cover! In the meantime, you may want to check out http://www.flylady.com, a web site that several Heart to Heart ladies have told me has changed their lives for the better, regarding the organization and cleanliness in their home. I understand she gives step by step suggestions by e-mail each day. We all can use tips to make our home a Haven of Rest, rather than confusion and disorder! Our husbands enjoy coming home to a restful and organized home.

I am praying for all of you Heart to Heart families to stay well, and am praying especially for protection for your precious little ones during this aggressive flu season.

God bless you all!

In His love,

Your Heart to Heart friend,

Lois

The purpose of the Heart to Heart Newsletter is to bring godly and practical encouragement to women through creative ideas for the Christian family regarding homemaking, marriage, children and much more. You may receive this bimonthly newsletter by sending your name, city, state, country and the name of the person who referred you to Lois Breneman at [email protected].