Quote from Forum Archives on February 17, 2007, 3:43 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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2/17/07  INFLUENTIAL BOOKS, FAMILY NIGHT, WEDDING, BATH TOWELS, TIDBITS

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IN THIS ISSUE: 

INFLUENTIAL BOOKS THAT HAVE BROUGHT MANY TO THE LORD

OTHER INFLUENTIAL LIFE-CHANGING BOOKS

MEANINGFUL FAMILY NIGHTS

PARENTING TIP:  WHEN GIVING INSTRUCTIONS, CONSIDER THE TIMING

A  WEDDING CELEBRATION

        HOW TO MAKE A PILLOW, SPECIAL MEAL, FLORAL CENTERPIECES & ENJOY FRIENDSHIP HOSPITALITY

CHUCKLES AND SPIRITUAL LESSONS FROM "MY" KINDERGARTEN KIDS

MORE CHUCKLES FROM GRANDCHILDREN

NEED MORE BATHROOM TOWEL SPACE? 

MISCELLANEOUS TIDBITS

ADAM AND EVE

THANKS TO BARBARA LEA CAMPBELL!

 

 

INFLUENTIAL BOOKS THAT HAVE BOUGHT MANY TO THE LORD

A great big THANKS to all who responded to my request for titles and authors of books that led you or others to the Lord, as well as other influential books that impacted your lives.  The following is the result of all your help!  The purpose for this list is to give a display of suggested books from which to choose that we might want to give unbelieving relatives and friends to read.  We may want to read some as well.

 

A Man Called Peter by Catherine Marshall

I was saved as an 18 year old young woman through reading A Man Called Peter by Catherine Marshall.  I wrote her a letter ( she has since gone on to be with the Lord in heaven) and told her of my experience and she wrote me back!  I treasure her letter!! ~ Debbie Flack in Virginia

 

Letter from Catherine Marshall to Debbie Flack, dated Oct. 16, 1974 :

 "What a glorious meeting you had with our Risen Lord there in that little church in North Carolina! His light and His truth shine through the words of your letter and I cannot begin to tell you how deeply I appreciate your being led to share your experience with me and letting me know that A MAN CALLED PETER and BEYOND OURSELVES were a small part of your entering in. It never ceases to amaze me how the Spirit of God can reach directly down through the printed page to one of His beloved children and bestow the particular insight or blessing that is needed at that time. For this I constantly praise and thank Him! "  
        (Catherine goes on to say that I can still hear Peter Marshall preach through some recordings that were made ( and she enclosed a sheet about that) and she said that her "new" book SOMETHING MORE, was just beginning to appear in the bookstores.)  

                 "Again, thank you for that wonderful letter, I shall treasure it. 
                                   Warmly and sincerely,
                                    Catherine Marshall "                       

 

Beyond Ourselves by Catherine Marshall - My grandpa (Papa) died when I was 20 and everyone said that he went to heaven.  That made me want to go to heaven, too, so I could see my Papa again.  I started searching, reading, and asking a lot of questions.  About three months later while reading "Beyond Ourselves" by Catherine Marshall, the Lord showed me very clearly how I could be born again.  I knelt right then and prayed the prayer of salvation just as it was written in the book. I am looking forward to meeting Catherine in heaven someday and personally thanking her for her devotion in spreading the truth of God's love, grace and forgiveness. - Rachael Breneman in Ohio

 

Left Behind by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins (the first book in the series) - Joanna (Joey) Claycomb in Virginia said this book got her to thinking, which led to her salvation.

 

Left Behind by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins - I think the "Left Behind" series are the best books for salvation messages -- the way to salvation is written over and over again in these novels and a reader cannot miss the message of salvation. ~ Sharon  in New Jersey

 

The Late Great Planet Earth by Hal Lindsey

Bob Saville in Virginia accepted Christ as his Savior through reading this book.

 

Desiring God by John Piper - I've been a Christian since I was a little girl, but this book 

brought me to a full repentance and assurance of salvation. ~ Hannah Babiak in Wisconsin, Mom to 8 precious blessings.

 

Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis - Chuck Colson said in his biography that he came to the Lord after Watergate when reading this book.  I just read it and it was a fantastic explanation of the Christian faith using beautiful imagery. - Mary Lou Graham in Florida

 

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis - A friend of mine who is a psychiatrist became a Christian as a direct result of reading this book.  He recommended it as a book to give a non-believer who is "intellectual."  This man became a Christian close to 20 years ago.  I saw him about a month ago and asked him if he was still following Christ, and he said, "Yes." ~ Debi Ethredge in Mississippi 

 

Evidence That Demands A Verdict by John McDowell - I've heard many reports of people coming to Christ through reading this book. ~ Lois

 

More Than A Carpenter by Josh McDowell - In college, I had a couple of friends tell me they

became a Christian by reading this book.  ~ Angie Rangel in Tennessee

 

Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning definitely qualifies as the above. I have given copies of it to unsaved family members, and although none have taken the final step toward Christ yet, I believe the book is instrumental in showing the glorious grace of God. ~ Mary Ann Kelley in Virginia

 

Salvation Crystal Clear by Curtis Hutson has been greatly used of God to bring literally tens of thousands to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. ~ Sherry Camperson in Georgia

 

The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel, an intellectual atheist who set out trying to prove there is no God.  Instead he came to grips with the truth in God's Word, and accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior.  Many people have come to Christ through reading this book. ~ Lois

 

 

OTHER INFLUENTIAL LIFE-CHANGING BOOKS                  

 

Me? Obey Him? by Elizabeth Rice Hanford - One of the books that really changed my walk with God is entitled, Me? Obey Him? by Elizabeth Rice Hanford.  I reluctantly took this book as a Bible study under a lady who became my mentor in NC.  I had prayed out to God to "help me" and I believe the teaching in this book is an answer to that prayer.  This book so hit me that I had to talk with the author to see if this was all real.  Mrs. Hanford invited me to her house in SC and a friendship blossomed out of that.  "Me? Obey Him?" changed my life and my marriage. ~ Penny Yonts in Virginia

 

The Day the King's Son Died by Clinton White - When I read this booklet it brought tears of gratitude to my eyes for our Lord's wonderful sacrifice for us.  Once you have read it,  you will never forget it. - Bea Poultney in New Jersey

No Compromise by Keith Green - A powerful story of Keith Green, the Christian singer/songwriter whose ministry during the Jesus Movement and beyond, brought thousands to the Lord.  He died with at least two of his children in a plane crash in 1981.  His story and life inspired me to live more simply and to give as unto the Lord. - A North Carolina subscriber

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis is a classic by someone who sees through our clever faces of religiosity and gets to the point of what Jesus is all about.  Should be read once a year. - A North Carolina subscriber

People of the Lie by M. Scott Peck helped me to see that I was in a legalistic cult. - A subscriber

Narnia series - C.S. Lewis helped me to fall in love with the Lord again. - A subscriber

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers - Terrific book. I know that it has lifted the spirit of bitterness, envy, and unforgiveness in many lives. - Laurie White in England

The Calvary Road by Roy Hession - had a great impact on my Christian life, drawing me closer to the Lord. - Lois Breneman in Virginia

Stepping Heavenward by Mrs. Elizabeth Prentiss and The Shaping of a Christian Family by Elisabeth Elliot both really changed my attitude about being a wife and mother.  Both books taught me that being a wife and a mother is my calling ... God's plan for my life.  There is, to me, no greater task than being a wife and mother. - Barb Campbell in Mississippi
 
A Mary's Heart in a Martha World by Joanna Weaver taught me a lot about sitting at Jesus' feet and soaking up His Word and His presence ... not  getting caught up in the distractions of this world and ignoring my time with Him each day. - Barb Campbell in Mississippi

Meeting God at Every Turn by Catherine Marshall - This book tracks Catherine's spiritual autobiography from childhood to grandmotherhood.  It helped me in dealing with my mother's long illness with cancer and was a comfort as I grieved for her and missed her so, even though I knew she was in her heavenly home and free from pain and suffering.  It reassured me that God is with me in every circumstance - at every turn in my life. - Lois Breneman in Virginia

Go for the Gold by Sherry H. Camperson  

Order in the Court by Sherry H. Camperson

In His Steps by Charles Monroe Sheldon - Several years ago, I read "In His Steps" by Charles Monroe Sheldon and this really put a different perspective on how I live my life. ~ Nancy Batdorf in Ohio

Safely Home by Randy Alcorn - A fiction book, based on truth, that truly moved me and encouraged me in my faith.   It looks at the persecuted church in China in comparison to the church of the west.  This book convicted me about the comfortable life I live here in the US.  My trials are truly trivial compared to many believers in other countries.  I take for granted my church, the fact that I have a choice of churches, open free worship, have a Bible, being able to speak freely about my faith.  It is very, very good.  I think all Christians should read this one. - Barb Campbell in Mississippi

Snare of the Fowler by Tom Taylor - One lady said her hands became so shaky reading the last chapters of this book that she had to prop the book open with paperweights to finish it.

 

None Among the Gods by Tom Taylor - Several readers reported staying up all night to finish reading this book.  Others gave testimony of learning things about missions that they never knew.

 

The Sin Bearer by Tom Taylor - A friend said his mother (a 93 year-old widow of a retired United Methodist minister) saw the book while staying at his house, and read it there.  She said she learned things she hadn't known before, and insisted on taking it home so she could take notes and look up scriptures.  Other members of his family are now passing it around; and he still hasn't had a chance to read it. 

 

The novel is one of the most powerful and persuasive art forms we have, and Christians should certainly make use of it to exalt the name of Jesus and draw people to him.  The three novels above by Tom Taylor are somewhat unique in that men and women both seem to enjoy and benefit from reading them.  You can read sample passages of Tom Taylor's books at www.iluvgoodnovels.com.  Several of his articles and essays can also be seen there - about evolution, the separation of church and state, the ten commandments, the Da Vinci Code, and others, which will be updated periodically. 

 

 

MEANINGFUL FAMILY NIGHTS
Note from Lois: I highly recommend using these wonderful Family Time Activities books to use with your children to impress upon their hearts many spiritual truths.  These guides for parents will help in leading children of all ages. There are great object lessons to strengthen each message - lessons your children will never forget.  They will look forward to Family Nights with you as you use this "never dull," but exciting resource!  I am very impressed with these creative books. Specific instructions and all you need for meaningful and fun family nights are found in these creative resources.

Kirk Weaver is the founder and director of Family Time Training and has labored long and hard to develop a system that makes parents appear creative and cool in the eyes of their own kids. Kirk has written and published hundreds of Family Time lessons, all of which are designed so that parents can follow the directions and cook up fun activities.

Wiggles, Giggles, & Popcorn; Bubbles, Balloons, & Chocolate - for preschoolers

Seeing is Believing; Playing for Keeps; Running the Race - for all ages

Tried and True - for teens

 

Using the Language of Children ~ Children learn through activities. The new Family Time Activities books use that language to teach children spiritual truths. For example, teach about Daniel's three brave friends in the furnace by cutting out the cardboard men, soaking them in the alcohol/water solution and then lighting them on fire. The alcohol burns but the water protects the cardboard men from burning. Or the oatmeal plague reminds kids of the Israelites who complained. Put some cold wet oatmeal on a child's arm and let him wipe it off with the grace wipes. Just think, all week when you hear whining you can say, "Should we get out the oatmeal?" Kids learn tremendous spiritual truths from these ideas for Family Time in your home. Learn more here.  http://www.biblicalparenting.org/FamilyTime.asp

PARENTING TIP:  WHEN GIVING INSTRUCTIONS, CONSIDER THE TIMING

Copyright 2007- Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller - All rights reserved - Used with permission. 
http://effectiveparenting.org/ - For free e-mail parenting tips sign up: www.biblicalparenting.org

An important step in a good instruction routine is to consider timing. Parents who realize that a child needs an instruction must stop and think of the best way to present it. Ask yourself, "How can I communicate this problem to my child in the most effective way?" Pausing for just a moment, or in some cases, waiting a few hours, may prove to be the most productive way to deal with a situation.

For instance, it's tempting to greet Jenny when she arrives home from school, "Jenny, you didn't take out the trash this morning and your bedroom's a mess."  This kind of ambush focuses more on the issue than on the relationship. Instead, a dad might say to his daughter, "Hi Jenny, I'm glad you're home" and then engage Jenny in dialogue about her day for a few minutes. After relationship has been reestablished, he could then say, "After you put your books away and get a snack, would you please come and see me? I have a couple of things to talk to you about." In this way Dad is trying to be sensitive to the timing of his instructions.

Considering the timing is a small way of saying, "I love you" to a child even in the midst of the work of family life. You'll want to make different adjustments in this area depending on the age of your child. Young children need to learn obedience, so we may give less warning and expect a prompt response. Older children, and certainly teenagers, need more time to prepare themselves. Teens will need to adjust their own expectations or agendas. This takes some work for the teen and patience for the parent.

For more on how to build a good Instruction Routine with your children, consider the book, "Good and Angry: Exchanging Frustration for Character in You and Your Kids."

 

 

A WEDDING CELEBRATION

Our last family wedding - Until the grandchildren marry!

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

 

This is a story about a family wedding last weekend, but it is more than that.  It is also about the Lord "going before us."  Hopefully you will also benefit from some homemaking tips and ideas in this reading, whether or not you have an upcoming wedding.  You will be able to learn how to make a pillow, an easy but special meal, floral centerpieces as well as a unique way to enjoy friendship hospitality, as you hear about the wedding activities at the same time.  I hope you will feel like you were at our family celebration too.

 

This has been a busy year for our family.  On February 10, 2007 my husband and I gained a second daughter-in-law, Emily Dye, as she and our son, James, were married less than six months after Rachael Walton joined our family when she married our older son, Jeff.  We are so blessed with these very special young ladies who love the Lord and love our sons - and it's a joy to see our sons so in love with these lovely young ladies!  The Lord's hand was definitely in these friendship relationships which led to marriage and Rachael and Emily are both wonderful additions to our family! 

 

Actually I am thrilled to announce that three new family members will be added within one year's time if all goes well!  Our grandson, Justin, is expected to be a big brother in late July!   He wants, "A baby sister, not a brother," he reported.  Recently he told his mother, "It's either a girl or a puppy!"  Hmmm!  I told him I will be very disappointed if it is a puppy!

 

Back to the wedding - James and Emily designed their invitations, wedding programs, thank you notes and pages to go into a memory book with comments from the guests.  Then James printed them all at the printing company where he works with the help of a few employees.  That gave them a special touch!

 

As I worked on a sewing project for the wedding - a project I had procrastinated doing, I prayed that the Lord would "go before me."  At one point, after I serged some seam edges I thought, "Should I press this right now or later?"  Well, I was playing music in my tape player as I sewed, listening to the song, "We Are Still the Church."  At that exact moment they sang the words, "Keep pressing on!"  God surely has a great sense of humor!  So what did I do?  I pressed the seam, of course!!  Who was I to ignore God's voice?  I loved it!  He is a wonderful guide and He even has a great singing voice!  The Lord was just letting me know He indeed was there right beside me - "going before me," as I had asked.

       

I was thrilled to be allowed to be a part of the wedding preparations, even though I was just the groom's mom!  The same flower girls' basket was used in the weddings for each of our children.  As I did for each of our children's weddings, I made the ring bearer's pillow for the bride to keep afterwards.  After making the first pillow too large for the wee little three year old ring bearer to carry easily in our daughter's wedding, I learned my lesson.  The last two pillows were only 9 inches square, using 1-inch grosgrain ribbon - 9 rows vertically and horizontally.  The ribbon was woven in basket weave fashion, just as kindergartners make placemats with construction paper.  The woven ribbon was stabilized by pinning it to matching fabric (9 pins on each side = 36 pins), but it is very easy to do!  Next the ribbon was sewn to the base fabric all around the edge.  When sewing the front and back together, it works best to round the edges significantly, making it look better when stuffed.  After stuffing the pillow and hand sewing it shut, I hand sewed a delicate fabric flower in the center, and added two strings of pearls forming two rings (to resemble rings), and ribbons to tie on the rings.  A larger basket woven pillow would also look very nice in colors that match the decor of your home, and it makes a nice handmade wedding gift as well.

       

For part of the rehearsal dinner decorations, I began with two heavy crystal dishes that were my mother's to use as vases for silk flower arrangements.  Foam was cut to fit tightly in each bowl.  Then using only one floral bush and a few small burgundy roses, I went to work with wire cutters, sticking the short stems of flowers and greenery into the foam in a symmetrical fashion.  Every bit was used.  Then using 8-9 inch circles of burgundy tulle, left over from tying up M&M's for the favors, I stuck circles of burgundy tulle into the empty spots. It also helped to bring out the burgundy color more, the main color in the wedding.  In fact, the tulle made a big difference.  I was pleasantly surprised at how nicely these centerpieces turned out, so the Lord definitely "went before me" once again!  

 

This centerpiece project was so much fun that I've invited a few friends, separately, to meet me at A.C. Moore to buy flowers and a dish, come to my house to eat, and then have a fun time of putting together a centerpiece for their own homes!  With so much wedding busyness lately, I have really been lacking in the friendship / hospitality area, so I'm really looking forward to doing this.

       

The bride and groom requested that the rehearsal dinner be held in the fellowship hall of the church, so the tables could be set up and decorated for the reception before and after the dinner, with lots of help available.  We thought about catering, but decided to cook the dinner ourselves. We bought everything except the ice cream and ice at home and the day of the rehearsal dinner, we transported two large coolers on the roof of our vehicle two hours away to the wedding location.  This was the rehearsal dinner menu:

 

Baked Chicken Breasts with Onion Soup

Ham with Pineapple Tidbits

Baked Potatoes with Butter, Sour Cream and Herbs

Miniature Orange, Red and Yellow Peppers 

Buttered Corn with Pimentos

Green Salad with Spinach, Cauliflower, Carrots, Purple Cabbage, Grape Tomatoes/Dressings

Whole Wheat and White Rolls / Soft Butter

Cookies and Cream Ice Cream / Hershey's Syrup and Peanuts

Fruit Punch -  Water - Coffee - Herbal Tea

       

I tried to think of the easiest possible menu, yet still have it be a great meal for the fifty or more guests who came.  A gallon of creamy onion soup to cover the chicken breasts was made at home from a white sauce base including lots of sauteed onions and herbs, to avoid the MSG contained in most soups.  My good husband cut the fat from nine bags of frozen chicken breasts and sliced them into thirds, because they were so large.  He also cut the eyes and spots out of twenty pounds of golden Yukon potatoes that were already washed at home.

       

Ham, one of the bride's favorite foods, was sliced at home and drained pineapple tidbits were added at the church.  Heating was all that dish required.  At my request our son picked up a couple packages of wonderful crisp miniature red, yellow and orange peppers at a local store for a great price to be served in a large crystal bowl.  They were about 2 to 3 inches long and an inch in diameter.  About 6-7 potatoes at a time were placed in a row on aluminum foil, sprayed with canolo oil, sprinkled with salt, wrapped up and baked.  We baked 20 pounds of various sizes.

       

Soft butter was made at home way ahead of time, blending a ratio of 8 sticks of real butter to 1 cup of olive oil.  I kept this in the refrigerator until the morning of food preparation.  When it was close to room temperature at the church, I spooned it into smaller crystal dishes for each table to be used on the potatoes and rolls.

       

For the green tossed salad, I cut the purple cabbage and cauliflower, and grated carrots at home the night before and bagged them separately to transport.  In the church kitchen lots of purple leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce and spinach were washed, spun dry, towel dried, and cut with scissors.  A huge 24-inch salad bowl was supplied by the church.  The colorful bagged vegetables were tossed into the green salad mixture.  Baby carrots were arranged around the edge of the tossed vegetables. For extra garnishes, rings of miniature red, yellow and orange peppers were cut with scissors, and lots of grape tomatoes added more color.

       

This dinner could not have gone so well without the help of my sister, Nancy, who arrived from out of state just in time to get instructions before we walked over to the church for the rehearsal.  She had the food almost ready when the rehearsal was over, and she did a wonderful job and was a lifesaver!  She has a special talent for feeding large groups, as she has done many times for her church, large family gatherings, missions trips and for conventions for Pioneers, a missions organization in which she serves.  Afterwards, Nancy, her husband, Ed, and daughter, Diane, were a tremendous help in cleaning up too. 

       

You may wonder, "Would we have cooked the dinner ourselves, had we known the end from the beginning, knowing all the detailed planning, work and some flustered moments involved?"  Probably so.  It was a one time occasion, but it would have been a lot easier had it been nearer home.  I think it was a nicer and healthier meal than we would have had at a restaurant and everyone told us how they enjoyed the meal.  Again, the Lord had "gone before us" and we are so thankful for His help!

       

Now for the wedding itself!  The most memorable part of the wedding for me was watching our 6'3" son, James' as he watched his bride, Emily, walk down the aisle to be his wife.  He was blinking back the tears and had a big smile on his face.  By the time Emily was by his side, her eyes had welled up with tears too.  This moment was a dream come true for them both!  It was so touching as they read the special vows they wrote to each other.

 

The lovely wedding attire for all the grownups in the wedding party was supplied by Rachael's bridal shop, and she was busy steaming everything as soon as she and Jeff arrived.  There were three sleeveless burgundy dresses with tucks in the wide waistline for the bridesmaids, four black suits for the groom and groomsmen - and a beautiful ivory satin sleeveless wedding gown with tucks in the wide waistband, and a long train - the ivory looked good with Emily's long natural blonde hair and blue eyes.  Emily's sweet ten year old sister, Anna, was so excited to be a junior bridesmaid, wearing a long velvet burgundy dress, and her face sparkled all weekend!  Her two brothers were ushers and one read I Corinthians during the wedding.  Stargazer lilies were the center of the colorful flower arrangements in front of the church, made of silk, so the bride and groom can use them in their home.  The bouquets were colorful, with burgundy, purple, white, pink and green.

 

The darling brunette flower girl did a fantastic job and had a never-ending smile that would melt your heart!   Five year old Naomi Suhr was just adorable in her long velvet burgundy dress, dropping rose petals along the way to the front of the church.  Our three year old grandson, Justin, with blond hair and blue eyes wore a black suit, tie and shoes, with a white shirt.  He did real well going down the aisle, smiling sweetly and holding the pillow just right.  Earlier he thought it was terrible that the flower girl would throw rose petals on the floor, and said, "What a mess!"  But he ignored the mess and walked slowly right over the rose petals with a smile as he was told to do.

 

Both Naomi and Justin were instructed to sit on the lower step when they arrived up front.  This is when Justin's tiredness began to be obvious, because of missing his much needed afternoon nap (a 2:00 wedding).  First he removed his stiff new shoes and kicked them around a bit with a frown on his face.  His mother, sitting on the front row, next to me, quickly retrieved them. Then he plucked the red rose from his boutonniere and played with it with a scowl on his face.  Next he sat with both hands on his knees, then both elbows on his knees and his chin propped in both of his hands, as if to say, "When will this all be over so I can take my nap?" When it was time for them to leave, it was so cute the way Naomi came over to Justin and sweetly took hold of his arm, as if to say, "Come on Justin, it's almost over!"  His red rose was lying on the floor in the front as he walked out with his defrocked boutonniere in his stocking feet, arm in arm with Naomi, who was a model flower girl!   The very tired little ring bearer did not smile as he walked back the aisle, but looked like he was in deep thought, his other grandma, Nana, told me.  He was probably thinking, "I'll never do this again!"  At least he wasn't scowling.  The next night he was a very sick little boy, with a high fever, and I'm so glad he didn't pass it on to the flower girl.

 

Emily's dad, who has musical talent, sang a beautiful solo as the bride and groom lit the unity candle. Then before the processional, about a dozen of his family members sang, "The Lord Bless Thee and Keep Thee" from the balcony in acappella harmony.  It was absolutely beautiful!

       

The Dye family did a wonderful job on the reception.  The bride and groom each had a brief power point presentation from birth until the present.  Heidi, the sister of the bride, also had a fantastic presentation about the two of them as sisters. James' brother, Jeff, was the best man, and said he hoped James and Emily would be as happy as he and Rachael had been the past six months since their wedding day.  There was an open mike for guests to say whatever they wanted to or about the bride and groom, and that was a special time.  Warren King, the pastor who married them, did a humorous skit with James toward the end of the reception - "Wedding Vows Inspired by Dr. Seuss," which was a lot of fun!http://weddings.about.com/od/yourweddingceremony/a/SeussFunnyVows.htm  According to James and Emily, Warren also did a excellent job with about seven weeks of premarital counseling, which I think is very important..

 

We had prayed for protection and good weather.  The Lord also "went before us" in getting everyone safely to and from the wedding.  And although there was very bad wintery weather (snow, sleet and ice) on much of the East Coast just a few days before and after the wedding, the Lord kept the weather free from rain, snow and wintery mix during the wedding time slot and He kept everyone well during the rehearsal and wedding!  We are so thankful!  To God be the glory!  Great things He has done!

       

    

CHUCKLES AND SPIRITUAL LESSONS FROM "MY" KINDERGARTEN KIDS

Thanks to Linda Bahn in Pennsylvania for these great kindergarten quotes!

 

Emily's mother told her, "You look pretty today." Emily replied, "why wouldn't I?"

 

I've learned some interesting tidbits from "my" children during prayer time. Emily prayed, "God, help my baby sister to stop dunking her food in my milk."

 

Zachery's problem was a little different. He prayed, "God, help my sister stop pinching me, even when I'm nice to her."

 

This past week I had a marriage proposal.  Brandon, one of my kindergarten boys, asked, "Miss Linda, can I marry you?"  When I told him that I was already married, he said, "I was afraid of that." I guess he's still trying, because yesterday he said, "Miss Linda, I love you."  He's such an adorable little fellow!  During prayer time he prayed, "God, I just want to tell you I love you. Thank you Jesus for dying on the cross for me. I love you so much."  God must have been blessed by such an innocent prayer. No requests. No complaints. Just a sweet expression of love. I was the student that day, and Brandon was the teacher. I learned the importance of offering "love notes" of prayer to my Savior.

 

 

MORE CHUCKLES FROM GRANDCHILDREN

Last Sunday coming home from Sunday School, my daughter-in-law Laurie asked my two granddaughters what they'd learned in Sunday School that morning.  Anna, age 6 said, "We learned about the 12 disciples."  Laurie said, "Can you name any of them?"  Anna responded, "I think one was Peter."  Abby, who'll be 3 in March, said, "You mean Peter Pan was a "bisciple??"  You gotta love grandkids! ~ Jo Ann Taylor in Arkansas

 

SALMONELLA OUTBREAK IN PEANUT BUTTER

You've probably heard about this by now, but just in case, here it is again:

The Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to eat certain jars of Peter Pan  or Great Value peanut butter due to the risk of contamination with Salmonella.  ConAgra Foods, Inc. told consumers to discard jars of Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter with the code "2111," after the spread was linked to a salmonella outbreak that has sickened almost 300 people nationwide.

NEED MORE BATHROOM TOWEL SPACE? 

Years ago as our family grew, we lacked towel rack space for our children's towels in the main bathroom.  One day I realized we could add two more matching towel racks above the 26 1/2-inch wide towel rack we already had!  The original rack was 43" above the floor.  My husband mounted two identical racks 8 inches above, to the left and to the right, allowing them to overlap the original rack by 8 inches.  Washcloths were hung on the overlapping section of the two new racks and it worked perfectly!  Now that the children are all married, we still use those towel racks for decorative towels and those extra racks are a lifesaver when our children or other company comes!  For years I have designated each visiting person's towel with their names written on clothespins, but recently painted some with acrylic paints and adding the names with a permanent pen.  I plan to keep reserved clothespins prepainted for new guests, so new names can be added as they are needed.  That new grandbaby will need towel space later this year! - Lois

 

 

MISCELLANEOUS TIDBITS

 

Earlier Daylight Savings Time - MARCH 11 - Mark your calendars now.  Don't let Daylight Savings Time slip up on you this year!  It is earlier than normal - March 11!  Turn your clocks back one hour!   "Spring forth, fall back!"

 

Creative Fun in the Snow - Using empty dishwashing liquid squirt bottles or spray bottles from glass cleaner, fill them with colored water and let your children have fun painting pictures the snow!  Use red, yellow and blue and mix colors to create orange, purple and green.  Build a fort, lion, bear, or a car out of snow.  My brother and I had fun building a snow fort and a snow lion when we were kids.  After my husband and I had children, one snow day the children and I got out in the snow and built snow bears.  We also helped neighbors build a family of four bears in their front yard.  How about sculpturing a snow Snoopy resting on his snow dog house roof out of a pile of snow? 

 

Make Snow Ice Cream - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1Ar-Zbn9TI

I recommend substituting honey or Stevia for sugar.

 

Your Immune System - Going easy on sugar and eating lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains will help build up your immune system.  Eating lots of sugar and junk food will destroy it, so that colds and flu viruses will be able to attack your system more easily - and win!

 

Vinegar Cure - If you feel a scratchy sore throat coming on, or just a thickness in your throat, try gargling with diluted apple cider vinegar water to chase away the germs.

 

Sore Throats and Coughs can be soothed by taking a long hot shower, using a vaporizer, or holding a bath towel over your head while carefully breathing in steam from a pot of hot water.  A mixture of lemon juice and honey also helps soothe a cough.  For sinus relief, apply tea tree oil inside the nose with a Q-tip, especially at night.  Many people say rubbing Vicks on the bottom of their feet, then wearing socks before going to bed helps a cough.  Vicks on the neck and chest helps.  Do any of you remember mustard plasters?  See www.angelfire.com for a recipe and instructions.  I pray all of you who are sick will soon be completely well!

 

Head Colds - To prevent a head cold from going to your chest, just tie a knot in your neck.  Just kidding!  Please do not try this!  I just thought you might need a good laugh!

 

To Those with Aging Parents - A Very Moving Power Point!

http://parentswish.com/site01/big.html - Thanks to Barb Campbell in Mississippi for this link!

The love we have in our youth is superficial compared to the love that an old man has for his old wife. -- Will Durant

 

 

ADAM AND EVE

Thanks to Barb Campbell in Mississippi for sending this!

 

        One day God was walking through the Garden of Eden. After a short while, he came across Adam. Adam was in low spirits this particular day, and God asked him what was wrong. Adam told the Lord that he was lonely.
        God responded that He would create Adam a companion. She would walk by his side for all eternity. She would listen to his problems. She would wash his clothes. She would keep his
house clean. She would cook his meals. She would do anything to keep him happy. Most importantly, she would never complain or nag him.
        To this Adam was ecstatic. His spirits lifted immediately. The Lord hated to tell him that this creature would come at a price. God told Adam that the creature would cost him an
arm and a leg.

        Adam responded, "What can I get for a rib?" ... And the rest is history.

 

 

THANKS TO BARBARA LEA CAMPBELL!

This wonderful gal in Mississippi, though we've never yet met face to face, is a tremendous help to me in putting together this newsletter, and sending me lots of good home and family material!  She's helped connect me with the Christian server I use that makes it possible to send "Heart to Heart" to so many of you wonderful ladies around the world, and she's answered many questions for me regarding it.  When the format of some articles needs altered so they can be used in the newsletter, she is always there to help!  This is a case of the younger woman helping the older.  It works both ways!  So I just want to publicly thank my friend, Barbara Lea Campbell, for her great service to us all!  Thank you, Barb, from the bottom of my heart!

 

 

                           Many Heart to Heart ladies and their families need our prayers, so

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

(¨`·.·´¨)                     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

                

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 sending your name, city, state, e-mail address, and name of your referral person to Lois at [email protected].  New subscribers will receive a "Start-Up Kit." 

 

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