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3/10/06 HOMEMAKER, SCONES, TUB SCIENCE, SPRING, SMILES, SCARS

#1 · March 10, 2006, 11:38 am

Quote from Forum Archives on March 10, 2006, 11:38 am
Posted by: jhbreneman <jhbreneman@...>
HEART TO HEART NEWSLETTER
ENCOURAGEMENT TO WOMEN
Compiled especially for you with love by Lois Breneman

~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~

3/10/06 HOMEMAKER, SCONES, TUB SCIENCE, SPRING, SMILES, SCARS

~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~

IN THIS ISSUE:

NEVER CONSIDER YOURSELF "JUST A HOMEMAKER!"

BEATITUDES FOR HOMEMAKERS

UNIQUE AND COLORFUL ENVELOPES FOR ALL AGES ~ FUN AND FREE!

ACTIVITIES WITH CHILDREN - PROMOTING FUN, LEARNING, BONDING, MEMORIES

TIM'S ORANGE LEMON BERRY SCONES

BATH TUB SCIENCE FOR KIDS
FLOUR FINGERPAINT ~ Fun for You and Your Kids

THREE STORIES AND ILLUSTRATIONS TO SOAK IN AND READ TO YOUR FAMILY

        TWO WOLVES, FIVE SPONGES, VOICE MAIL
IN CELEBRATION OF SPRING BEING ON ITS WAY!

        FROGS

        PERENNIALS FOR FREE

        CONCERNING THE E-MAIL ABOUT MULCH WITH TERMITES

        DANDELION COURAGE

SMILES

THE SCARS OF LIFE

NEVER CONSIDER YOURSELF "JUST A HOMEMAKER!"
By Lois Breneman, ©1999, Revised 2006, Heart to Heart Newsletter, [email protected]

Your job as a "Full-time Domestic Engineer" is quite complicated! Never a dull moment! You are involved in at least seventeen departments. However, you and your husband can handle the various jobs in each department in one of three ways. You can DO ~ DELEGATE ~ DELETE. Think about these departments for which you and your husband are responsible.

Home and Property Department

Education Department
Spiritual Department
Food Department
Finance Department

Sanitation Department (Cleaning)

Laundry Department

Transportation Department
Special Projects Department
Time and Scheduling Department

Interpersonal Relationship Department
Personal Management Department

Grounds and Beautification Department (Landscaping and Planting Flowers)

Agricultural Department (Vegetable Garden)

Counseling Department
Purchasing Department
Social Department (Family Members / Friends)

When someone asks you what your job is, say with a smile, "I'm a homemaker!" or "I'm a full-time domestic engineer!" Remember our job is going to affect the world! Be faithful in the most important and rewarding job in the universe!

BEATITUDES FOR HOMEMAKERS

Anonymous - Thanks to Barb Campbell in Mississippi for sending this!

Blessed is she whose daily tasks are of love, for her willing hands and happy heart transform duty into joyous service to all her family and God.

Blessed is she who opens the door to welcome both stranger and friends, for gracious hospitality is a test of brotherly love.

Blessed is she who mends stockings and toys and broken hearts, for her understanding is a balm to her husband and children.

Blessed is she whom children love, for the love of a child is of greater value than fortune or fame.

Blessed is she who dusts away doubt and fear and sweeps away the cobwebs of confusion, for her faith will triumph over all adversity.

Blessed is she who serves laughter and smiles with every meal, for her cheerfulness is an aid to mental and physical digestion.

Blessed is she who introduces Jesus Christ to her children, for godly sons and daughters shall be her reward.

Blessed is she who preserves the sacredness of the Christian home, for hers is a divine trust that crowns her with dignity.

UNIQUE AND COLORFUL ENVELOPES FOR ALL AGES ~ FUN AND FREE!

Idea from Laura Davies, Maryland ~ Written by Lois Breneman ~ Revised 2006

     Go through some old magazines and find interesting and colorful pictures to use as unique, colorful and personalized envelopes for your cards, notes or letters. Pictures of children, dogs, cats, a fruit sherbet, flowers, gardens or anything colorful and interesting. Even some advertisements make a great envelope. Using a small business envelope, take it apart to make a pattern for your handmade envelope, then trace around, cut it out and glue it into a one-of-a-kind envelope!

     An easier method, is to simply lay your card or letter (straight or diagonally) on the back of the picture you want to display as the front of your envelope. Fold the paper around your card or letter and use glue stick or tape it. A color copied picture of the person to whom you are writing could also be used as a very interesting envelope. I love this idea of Laura's and have been finding all kinds of magazine pages to use as handmade envelopes!

     Add a blank label to the envelope, write in the name and address, add a return address label and stamp (39 cents, as of January, 2006). Plain labels can be ordered by mail, without your name and address printed on them -- just specify that you want them with no printing. By the way, postcards now require a 24 cent stamp, so if you have stamps left over from last year, you may want to pick up some one and two cent stamps to add on.

ACTIVITIES WITH CHILDREN - PROMOTING FUN, LEARNING, BONDING, MEMORIES

By Lois Breneman, © 1999, Revised 2006, Heart to Heart Newsletter, [email protected]

My "What's That?" Box
Fill a small shoe box with all kinds of different objects to teach a very young child the names of many objects. This is not a box to give a child to play with, but for you to be there with him as you teach him. Begin with just a few things in the box and add to it as the child knows all the items. Even a child who cannot speak yet can point to an object, when you ask him, "Where is the cup?" Teach your child the danger of some of the objects, such as matches, sharp knives and others. Never leave your child unattended with this box. It is for teaching only, not playing.

Some examples might be: rubber band, pencil, crayon, small ball, nail, spoon, fork, table knife, sharp knife, cotton ball, chain, key, paper clip, stone, wooden block, pen, ring, cardboard, glass, magnet, mirror, small book, handkerchief, shoestring, ribbon, spool of thread, button, zipper, bar of soap, perfume, tape, eraser, scissors, screw driver, small hammer, toothbrush, small cup, scoop, silk flower, candle, candle holder, matches, chapstick, bell, pinecone, comb, ruler, balloon (not blown up), toy car, nail file, audio tape, plastic, small box, cookie cutter, beads, lace doily, lace, cinnamon stick, wheel, index card, envelope, stamp, tape measure, coaster, razor, tiny calendar, battery, band aid, old watch, elastic, straight pin and needle in fabric, small bottle with lid, paintbrush, hole puncher, lipstick, necklace, earrings, sponge, sand paper, etc. This is good for car trips, as well as at home. Our young children loved this!

Taping Your Children Talking and Singing
Tape your children's voices at various ages. We have tapes of our children singing songs that they were making up as they sang. Priceless! Our oldest child read books on tape for the youngest child. She would ring a bell each time the page was to be turned. We still have those tapes. Maybe her own children can use them some day. We even have a tape of one of our children nursing and trying to catch a breath. So funny!  Tapes of the children reciting memory verses in their toddler voices (and older) will always be priceless.

You could plan an interview for each of your children around their birthdays, asking them about their interests at this stage of their lives. Tape the conversation around the dinner table, unknown to the children and play it back.   A lesson in kindness and manners could follow, if needed.

Children love to listen to tapes of when they were first learning how to talk, and it's a precious way to keep up with memories as parents.


Bedtime Togetherness
After the children have gone to bed, go lie down beside each one and ask them if they want to tell you anything about their day. They will open up to you if it is just the two of you and there are no interruptions, and besides that, it's more fun than going to sleep! Listen without interrupting. Then give advice, if needed. Those special times alone will go a long way!

Dates with Your Children
Take your children out on dates. Mothers, take your sons - one at a time. Fathers can take your daughters. Teach them manners and how to treat a member of the opposite sex when you eat out. You have their undivided attention. Use it to have heart to heart talks and for listening to them. Have fun together!  They will never forget those dates with you.

Cardboard House or Train
Get two or three large cardboard boxes. Put together by punching holes in cardboard and tying two boxes together with shoestrings. Cut doors and windows. Make a garage if your child has a small wagon or push bike. Give him an unused key (tied to a larger toy, so he can't swallow or choke on it), for the house and car. Lots of fun for children! It will occupy them for hours!

Make a train by painting or coloring the boxes. A picture of a train might help with this. Set some boxes up so a child can get inside the box to ride the train! Hook the cars together with short ropes - or just line them up with imaginary connections! Engineer caps and whistles would help make the fun even more real! If you happen to have a keyboard or accordion around, Mom, Dad or an older child could help give even more sound effects!

Worms
Using a paper-wrapped straw, push paper down until "scrunched," slip off straw, lay on table. Drop a little water on it and watch!

Cooking and Baking

Have great fun by teaching your children, both boys and girls, to cook and bake while they are young, beginning with toddlers helping in the kitchen. It can be a bonding experience and everyone has to eat anyway. Many people are surprised at how many young adults don't know how to cook, even when they get married, so give your children a good start, even your sons. This is a great activity for those dating and a wonderful hobby for adults to enjoy together throughout a lifetime.

TIM'S ORANGE LEMON BERRY SCONES

Thanks to Debbie Flack and her husband in Virginia for this recipe! She and Tim are also planning to try dried apricots in place of the berries, in which case they would be called Orange Lemon Apricot Scones!

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 Tbsp. grated fresh orange peel ( chopped fine)

1/3 cup organic evaporated cane sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup organic heavy cream

1/4 cup orange juice

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 Tbsp. melted butter

1/2 cup mixed dried berries ~ such as cranberry, blueberry, etc.( chopped fine)

Mix dry ingredients in large bowl. Add dried orange peel and fruit. Mix well. Mix liquid ingredients in small bowl and add to dry ingredients. Mix only until all ingredients are incorporated ( by hand and with spoon, if necessary). Lightly flour wax paper and place dough on it. Lightly flour top of dough and flatten out by hand to approximately 1/2 inch in thickness ( round). Cut into 8 pie-shaped pieces with spatula and place on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-16 min.

BATH TUB SCIENCE FOR KIDS
by Jennifer Ellis, a former elementary teacher and is now a stay-at-home mom. Visit her website at www.freckledfish.com   Have fun and learn without your child even noticing it!
Additional water fun activities can be found at http://www.donnasday.com/donna/creativefun/activities/babybathtime.shtml

Water play is one of the most exciting forms of play for young children. A lot of learning can happen while in the bath tub without any formal lessons being taught. The bathtub is a great place to explore math and science concepts. Why not make your child's bath time an ongoing science experiment? When they experiment, they can learn about different properties and volumes of objects. They also understand more about water and how it moves.

Measurements ~ Let your child experiment with water by pouring and measuring. Provide different sized measuring cups, measuring spoons, funnels, plastic bottles, pitchers, an eye dropper, and a turkey baster. Let your child try to predict if pouring water from one container to the next will fill it exactly, overflow it, or not be enough. Count how many tablespoonfuls it takes to fill a measuring cup. Predict how many tablespoonfuls it will take to fill other similar sized objects. Look for any patterns. Try to always refer to the measuring cups and spoons by their correct measurement name, i.e. ¼ cup or tablespoon.

Sink or Float? ~ Gather some everyday objects that can be put into the tub, such as a sponge, a large plastic toy, a small plastic toy, a swimming shoe, a bottle of lotion, a block, a quarter, a paper clip, a cotton ball, a Styrofoam plate, a spoon, and a rock. Try to find different sized and weighted objects. Ask your child if she thinks each individual object will sink or float. Have your child explain why she thinks this will be the case. Let her drop the object into the tub. Did her prediction come true? Let your child tell you possible reasons why. Typically, children believe that large objects sink and small objects float. Try another object. Discuss her findings and conclusions.

Color ~ Fill each egg hole of a white Styrofoam egg carton 3/4 full of water. Add red food coloring to one section, blue to another section, and yellow to another section. Give your child an eye dropper. Show her how to use the eye dropper to move the colored water to the clear water sections. Notice how the color changes. Let her experiment. Have her mix colors. Can she make green or orange?

Make colored ice cubes by adding a drop of food coloring to the water before freezing. Toss them into the bath tub and watch them melt. Why do they melt? What happens to the color? Mix colors.

You can also play with color by squirting shaving cream into a muffin tin and then adding a drop or two of food coloring to each squirt. Mix the colors with your finger to blend. Let your child "body paint" with the shaving cream. Be careful to keep it away from your child's eyes.

Air Pressure "Magic" ~ Young children love this "magic" trick! Have your child crumple a piece of paper and push it to the bottom of the plastic cup. Next, have her turn the glass upside-down. Make sure that the paper remains stuck up in the cup. Have her keep the cup perfectly straight up and down (vertical position) and push it through the water until it touches the bottom of the tub. If she's kept it perfectly straight, the air trapped inside the glass will prevent the tissue from getting wet. Wow!

Bubbles ~ The day before your bath experiment time, mix together water, dish soap and glycerin. I've heard that sugar will work as well as glycerin but have never tried it. Leave it alone until bath time. The longer bubble juice sits the better the bubbles will last. Pour the bubble juice into a loaf pan and give your child different objects to try to blow bubbles through, i.e. slotted spoon, water bottle sport cap, a straw, a small funnel, cookie cutter. Experiment with different objects and see which work better and discuss why this may be so. What happens to the bubbles when they land on something dry? What about on something wet? Can you catch the bubbles? Can you stack the bubbles?


FLOUR FINGERPAINT ~ Fun for You and Your Kids

Idea from  www.mommysavers.com/preschoolers_busy_book.htm - Used by permission

You'll need:                                1 1/4 cup hot water
1 C. flour                                   saucepan
2 Tbsp. salt                               whisk or rotary beater
1 1/2 cup cold water                 food coloring
Put flour and salt in a saucepan. Add cold water and beat with a whisk or rotary beater until smooth. Add hot water and boil until mixture is thick. Beat again until smooth. Keep in the refrigerator and color as needed with food coloring.

THREE STORIES AND ILLUSTRATIONS TO SOAK IN AND READ TO YOUR FAMILY

TWO WOLVES

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a debate that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between two 'wolves' inside us all.

"One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt,
resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

"The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

FIVE SPONGES
author unknown

       There are five sponges laying on your kitchen counter. Each member of your family has been cleaning up different areas of your home, but all the sponges look the same. You are curious as to what was cleaned, but you can't tell by looking. They all look the same. So, what do you do? As you squeeze the first sponge you see that cola comes out, and you decide that someone cleaned the kitchen with that one. Upon squeezing the second sponge, you find tub and tile cleaner. That one was used in the bathroom. In the third sponge you find motor oil. Someone cleaned the garage. In the fourth sponge, baby power puffs out. The baby's nursery was cleaned with that one. In the last sponge is floor wax. That was the one you used on the hall floor. As you lay the last one down, you look again at their similarity. They all look the same until they are squeezed. Christians are the same!
       As life squeezes us, different things come out: anger, revenge, tears, remorse, greed, untruth, lust and finally, from one saint, pours forth the love of Christ. Just like the sponge, we can only squeeze out what is put in. Stay in the Word daily and be in continuous prayer so that when life puts the squeeze on you, Jesus, and Jesus alone will shine forth. As you think upon this, ask yourself, if I was squeezed, would Jesus and Jesus alone shine forth?

VOICE MAIL
I have learned to live with voice mail as a necessary part of modern life. But, I have often wondered, what if God decided to install voice mail? Imagine praying and hearing this:

"Thank you for calling your Father's House.
Please select one of the following four options:
Press 1 for requests;
Press 2 for thanksgiving;
Press 3 for complaints;
Press 4 for all others."

What if God used the familiar excuse, "All angels are helping other customers right now. Please stay on the line. Your call will be answered in the order it was received."   Can you imagine getting these kinds of responses as you call on God? "If you'd like to speak with Gabriel, Press 1. For Michael, Press 2. For any other angel, Press 3. If you'd like King David to sing a Psalm for you. Press 4.   To find out if a loved one has been assigned to heaven, enter his or her Social Security number. For reservations at your Father's House, press the letters J-O-H-N, followed by the numbers 3-1-6. For answers to nagging questions about dinosaurs, the age of the earth and where Noah's ark is, wait until you get here. Our computers show that you have called once today already. Please hang up immediately. This office is closed for the weekend. Please call again on Monday after 8:00 a.m."

Thank God, you can't call Him too often! You only need to ring once, and he hears you. You never get a busy signal.   He takes each call and knows each caller personally.


Aren't you glad He's your Savior and you have the opportunity of introducing Him to your children, as well as others?

IN CELEBRATION OF SPRING BEING ON ITS WAY!

FROGS - All About Frogs For Kids And Teachers
A lot of information on frogs and a lot of items to print. http://kiddyhouse.com/Themes/frogs/

PERENNIALS FOR FREE

Thanks to Karen Harvey in Pennsylvania for this tip!

Last spring when everyone's flower beds came alive, I watched the neighborhood for people who had a large amount of perennials. I bravely walked up to the door and introduced myself and told them how beautiful their flowers were and asked for a piece to put in my flower bed. No one turned me down and I ended up meeting nice people along the way. I now have about 25 perennials for free. I can't wait for spring to see how things are doing. My husband did think I was a little crazy, but he also knows I'm very social.

CONCERNING THE E-MAIL ABOUT MULCH WITH TERMITES ...

There is an e-mail going around that warns against buying mulch from home improvement stores because it may spread the Formosan subterranean termite. I was ready to extend the warning to you, before I checked www.snopes.com and wrote "mulch" in the search and learned it is false. Snopes is a good source to check out the validity of various e-mails sent to you.

DANDELION COURAGE

©2006 Linda J. Stevenson

These persistent little flowers,

How abundantly they grow

Through sidewalk cracks and nurtured lawns,

And they put on quite a show.

Theyre mowed and trampled underfoot,

And yet still they reappear

So persistently determined,

For they never shrink in fear.

No one can deny their beauty

When a child before you stands

As he lifts his treasures upward

Clasped so tightly in his hand.

These true symbols of persistence

E'er remind us to hold fast,

Undefeated through lifes trials,

Anchored sure in stormy blasts.

The little Dandelion roars

In triumph though it is small,

There depicting Godly courage,

Testifying to us all.

SMILES

"A smile is a powerful weapon; you can even break ice with it." -- Anon.

Pancakes

A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin (5) and Ryan (3). The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake. Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson. "If Jesus were sitting here, He would say, 'Let my brother have the first pancake. I can
wait.'" Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, "Ryan, you be Jesus!"

The Portrait

An elderly woman decided to have her portrait painted. She told the artist, "Paint me with diamond earrings, a diamond necklace, emerald bracelets, a ruby broach, and gold Rolex."
Artist: "But you are not wearing any of those things."
Woman: "I know," she said. "It's in case I should die before my husband. I'm sure he will remarry right away, and I want his new wife to go crazy looking for the jewelry."

The Burglar
    A lady surprised a burglar in her kitchen. He was all loaded down with the things he was going to steal. She had no weapon and was all alone. The only thing that she could think to do was quote scripture. So, she holds up a hand and says: "ACTS 2:38!!!"
     The burglar quakes in fear and then freezes to the point that she is able to get to the phone and call 911 for the cops. When the cops arrive, the burglar is still frozen in place. They are very much surprised that a woman alone with no weapon could do this. One of them asked the lady: "How did you do this?"
     The woman replied:"I quoted scripture."
     The cop turned the burglar: "What was it about the scripture that had such an effect on you?"
     The burglar replied: "Scripture! What scripture? I thought she said she had an ax and two 38's!"

THE SCARS OF LIFE

Author unknown ~ Contributed by Rosanne Ayers of Virginia

Some years ago, on a hot summer day in south Florida, a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went.

He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore.

His father working in the yard saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, he ran toward the water, yelling to his son as loudly as he could.

Hearing his voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his father. It was too late. Just as he reached his father, the alligator reached him. From the dock, the father grabbed his little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the father, but the father was much too passionate to let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard his screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator.

Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. And, on his arms, were deep scratches where his father's fingernails dug into his flesh in his effort to hang on to the son he loved.

The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, "But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my Dad wouldn't let go!"

You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not from an alligator, but the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret. But, some wounds, my friend, are because God has refused to let go. In the midst of your struggle, He's been there holding on to you.

The Scripture teaches that God loves you. You are a child of God. He wants to protect you and provide for you in every way But sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situations, not knowing what lies ahead. The swimming hole of life is filled with peril - and we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack. That's when the tug-of-war begins - and if you have the scars of His love on your arms, be very, very grateful. He did not and will not ever let you go.

God has blessed you, so that you can be a blessing to others. You just never know where a person is in his/her life and what they are going through. Never judge another person's scars, because you don't know how they got them. Right now, someone needs to know that God loves them, and you love them, too - enough to not let them go.

                              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 care!

`·.¸(¨`·.·´¨)

      `·.¸.·´                                              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].
  --  To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: [email protected]  

Posted by: jhbreneman <jhbreneman@...>

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

~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~

3/10/06 HOMEMAKER, SCONES, TUB SCIENCE, SPRING, SMILES, SCARS

~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~

IN THIS ISSUE:

NEVER CONSIDER YOURSELF "JUST A HOMEMAKER!"

BEATITUDES FOR HOMEMAKERS

UNIQUE AND COLORFUL ENVELOPES FOR ALL AGES ~ FUN AND FREE!

ACTIVITIES WITH CHILDREN - PROMOTING FUN, LEARNING, BONDING, MEMORIES

TIM'S ORANGE LEMON BERRY SCONES

BATH TUB SCIENCE FOR KIDS
FLOUR FINGERPAINT ~ Fun for You and Your Kids

THREE STORIES AND ILLUSTRATIONS TO SOAK IN AND READ TO YOUR FAMILY

TWO WOLVES, FIVE SPONGES, VOICE MAIL
IN CELEBRATION OF SPRING BEING ON ITS WAY!

FROGS

PERENNIALS FOR FREE

CONCERNING THE E-MAIL ABOUT MULCH WITH TERMITES

DANDELION COURAGE

SMILES

THE SCARS OF LIFE

NEVER CONSIDER YOURSELF "JUST A HOMEMAKER!"
By Lois Breneman, ©1999, Revised 2006, Heart to Heart Newsletter, [email protected]

Your job as a "Full-time Domestic Engineer" is quite complicated! Never a dull moment! You are involved in at least seventeen departments. However, you and your husband can handle the various jobs in each department in one of three ways. You can DO ~ DELEGATE ~ DELETE. Think about these departments for which you and your husband are responsible.

Home and Property Department

Education Department
Spiritual Department
Food Department
Finance Department

Sanitation Department (Cleaning)

Laundry Department

Transportation Department
Special Projects Department
Time and Scheduling Department

Interpersonal Relationship Department
Personal Management Department

Grounds and Beautification Department (Landscaping and Planting Flowers)

Agricultural Department (Vegetable Garden)

Counseling Department
Purchasing Department
Social Department (Family Members / Friends)

When someone asks you what your job is, say with a smile, "I'm a homemaker!" or "I'm a full-time domestic engineer!" Remember our job is going to affect the world! Be faithful in the most important and rewarding job in the universe!

BEATITUDES FOR HOMEMAKERS

Anonymous - Thanks to Barb Campbell in Mississippi for sending this!

Blessed is she whose daily tasks are of love, for her willing hands and happy heart transform duty into joyous service to all her family and God.

Blessed is she who opens the door to welcome both stranger and friends, for gracious hospitality is a test of brotherly love.

Blessed is she who mends stockings and toys and broken hearts, for her understanding is a balm to her husband and children.

Blessed is she whom children love, for the love of a child is of greater value than fortune or fame.

Blessed is she who dusts away doubt and fear and sweeps away the cobwebs of confusion, for her faith will triumph over all adversity.

Blessed is she who serves laughter and smiles with every meal, for her cheerfulness is an aid to mental and physical digestion.

Blessed is she who introduces Jesus Christ to her children, for godly sons and daughters shall be her reward.

Blessed is she who preserves the sacredness of the Christian home, for hers is a divine trust that crowns her with dignity.

UNIQUE AND COLORFUL ENVELOPES FOR ALL AGES ~ FUN AND FREE!

Idea from Laura Davies, Maryland ~ Written by Lois Breneman ~ Revised 2006

Go through some old magazines and find interesting and colorful pictures to use as unique, colorful and personalized envelopes for your cards, notes or letters. Pictures of children, dogs, cats, a fruit sherbet, flowers, gardens or anything colorful and interesting. Even some advertisements make a great envelope. Using a small business envelope, take it apart to make a pattern for your handmade envelope, then trace around, cut it out and glue it into a one-of-a-kind envelope!

An easier method, is to simply lay your card or letter (straight or diagonally) on the back of the picture you want to display as the front of your envelope. Fold the paper around your card or letter and use glue stick or tape it. A color copied picture of the person to whom you are writing could also be used as a very interesting envelope. I love this idea of Laura's and have been finding all kinds of magazine pages to use as handmade envelopes!

Add a blank label to the envelope, write in the name and address, add a return address label and stamp (39 cents, as of January, 2006). Plain labels can be ordered by mail, without your name and address printed on them -- just specify that you want them with no printing. By the way, postcards now require a 24 cent stamp, so if you have stamps left over from last year, you may want to pick up some one and two cent stamps to add on.

ACTIVITIES WITH CHILDREN - PROMOTING FUN, LEARNING, BONDING, MEMORIES

My "What's That?" Box
Fill a small shoe box with all kinds of different objects to teach a very young child the names of many objects. This is not a box to give a child to play with, but for you to be there with him as you teach him. Begin with just a few things in the box and add to it as the child knows all the items. Even a child who cannot speak yet can point to an object, when you ask him, "Where is the cup?" Teach your child the danger of some of the objects, such as matches, sharp knives and others. Never leave your child unattended with this box. It is for teaching only, not playing.

Some examples might be: rubber band, pencil, crayon, small ball, nail, spoon, fork, table knife, sharp knife, cotton ball, chain, key, paper clip, stone, wooden block, pen, ring, cardboard, glass, magnet, mirror, small book, handkerchief, shoestring, ribbon, spool of thread, button, zipper, bar of soap, perfume, tape, eraser, scissors, screw driver, small hammer, toothbrush, small cup, scoop, silk flower, candle, candle holder, matches, chapstick, bell, pinecone, comb, ruler, balloon (not blown up), toy car, nail file, audio tape, plastic, small box, cookie cutter, beads, lace doily, lace, cinnamon stick, wheel, index card, envelope, stamp, tape measure, coaster, razor, tiny calendar, battery, band aid, old watch, elastic, straight pin and needle in fabric, small bottle with lid, paintbrush, hole puncher, lipstick, necklace, earrings, sponge, sand paper, etc. This is good for car trips, as well as at home. Our young children loved this!

Taping Your Children Talking and Singing
Tape your children's voices at various ages. We have tapes of our children singing songs that they were making up as they sang. Priceless! Our oldest child read books on tape for the youngest child. She would ring a bell each time the page was to be turned. We still have those tapes. Maybe her own children can use them some day. We even have a tape of one of our children nursing and trying to catch a breath. So funny! Tapes of the children reciting memory verses in their toddler voices (and older) will always be priceless.

You could plan an interview for each of your children around their birthdays, asking them about their interests at this stage of their lives. Tape the conversation around the dinner table, unknown to the children and play it back. A lesson in kindness and manners could follow, if needed.

Children love to listen to tapes of when they were first learning how to talk, and it's a precious way to keep up with memories as parents.

Bedtime Togetherness
After the children have gone to bed, go lie down beside each one and ask them if they want to tell you anything about their day. They will open up to you if it is just the two of you and there are no interruptions, and besides that, it's more fun than going to sleep! Listen without interrupting. Then give advice, if needed. Those special times alone will go a long way!

Dates with Your Children
Take your children out on dates. Mothers, take your sons - one at a time. Fathers can take your daughters. Teach them manners and how to treat a member of the opposite sex when you eat out. You have their undivided attention. Use it to have heart to heart talks and for listening to them. Have fun together!  They will never forget those dates with you.

Cardboard House or Train
Get two or three large cardboard boxes. Put together by punching holes in cardboard and tying two boxes together with shoestrings. Cut doors and windows. Make a garage if your child has a small wagon or push bike. Give him an unused key (tied to a larger toy, so he can't swallow or choke on it), for the house and car. Lots of fun for children! It will occupy them for hours!

Make a train by painting or coloring the boxes. A picture of a train might help with this. Set some boxes up so a child can get inside the box to ride the train! Hook the cars together with short ropes - or just line them up with imaginary connections! Engineer caps and whistles would help make the fun even more real! If you happen to have a keyboard or accordion around, Mom, Dad or an older child could help give even more sound effects!

Worms
Using a paper-wrapped straw, push paper down until "scrunched," slip off straw, lay on table. Drop a little water on it and watch!

Cooking and Baking

Have great fun by teaching your children, both boys and girls, to cook and bake while they are young, beginning with toddlers helping in the kitchen. It can be a bonding experience and everyone has to eat anyway. Many people are surprised at how many young adults don't know how to cook, even when they get married, so give your children a good start, even your sons. This is a great activity for those dating and a wonderful hobby for adults to enjoy together throughout a lifetime.

TIM'S ORANGE LEMON BERRY SCONES

Thanks to Debbie Flack and her husband in Virginia for this recipe! She and Tim are also planning to try dried apricots in place of the berries, in which case they would be called Orange Lemon Apricot Scones!

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 Tbsp. grated fresh orange peel ( chopped fine)

1/3 cup organic evaporated cane sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup organic heavy cream

1/4 cup orange juice

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 Tbsp. melted butter

1/2 cup mixed dried berries ~ such as cranberry, blueberry, etc.( chopped fine)

Mix dry ingredients in large bowl. Add dried orange peel and fruit. Mix well. Mix liquid ingredients in small bowl and add to dry ingredients. Mix only until all ingredients are incorporated ( by hand and with spoon, if necessary). Lightly flour wax paper and place dough on it. Lightly flour top of dough and flatten out by hand to approximately 1/2 inch in thickness ( round). Cut into 8 pie-shaped pieces with spatula and place on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-16 min.

BATH TUB SCIENCE FOR KIDS
by Jennifer Ellis, a former elementary teacher and is now a stay-at-home mom. Visit her website at http://www.freckledfish.com Have fun and learn without your child even noticing it!
Additional water fun activities can be found at http://www.donnasday.com/donna/creativefun/activities/babybathtime.shtml

Water play is one of the most exciting forms of play for young children. A lot of learning can happen while in the bath tub without any formal lessons being taught. The bathtub is a great place to explore math and science concepts. Why not make your child's bath time an ongoing science experiment? When they experiment, they can learn about different properties and volumes of objects. They also understand more about water and how it moves.

Measurements ~ Let your child experiment with water by pouring and measuring. Provide different sized measuring cups, measuring spoons, funnels, plastic bottles, pitchers, an eye dropper, and a turkey baster. Let your child try to predict if pouring water from one container to the next will fill it exactly, overflow it, or not be enough. Count how many tablespoonfuls it takes to fill a measuring cup. Predict how many tablespoonfuls it will take to fill other similar sized objects. Look for any patterns. Try to always refer to the measuring cups and spoons by their correct measurement name, i.e. ¼ cup or tablespoon.

Sink or Float? ~ Gather some everyday objects that can be put into the tub, such as a sponge, a large plastic toy, a small plastic toy, a swimming shoe, a bottle of lotion, a block, a quarter, a paper clip, a cotton ball, a Styrofoam plate, a spoon, and a rock. Try to find different sized and weighted objects. Ask your child if she thinks each individual object will sink or float. Have your child explain why she thinks this will be the case. Let her drop the object into the tub. Did her prediction come true? Let your child tell you possible reasons why. Typically, children believe that large objects sink and small objects float. Try another object. Discuss her findings and conclusions.

Color ~ Fill each egg hole of a white Styrofoam egg carton 3/4 full of water. Add red food coloring to one section, blue to another section, and yellow to another section. Give your child an eye dropper. Show her how to use the eye dropper to move the colored water to the clear water sections. Notice how the color changes. Let her experiment. Have her mix colors. Can she make green or orange?

Make colored ice cubes by adding a drop of food coloring to the water before freezing. Toss them into the bath tub and watch them melt. Why do they melt? What happens to the color? Mix colors.

You can also play with color by squirting shaving cream into a muffin tin and then adding a drop or two of food coloring to each squirt. Mix the colors with your finger to blend. Let your child "body paint" with the shaving cream. Be careful to keep it away from your child's eyes.

Air Pressure "Magic" ~ Young children love this "magic" trick! Have your child crumple a piece of paper and push it to the bottom of the plastic cup. Next, have her turn the glass upside-down. Make sure that the paper remains stuck up in the cup. Have her keep the cup perfectly straight up and down (vertical position) and push it through the water until it touches the bottom of the tub. If she's kept it perfectly straight, the air trapped inside the glass will prevent the tissue from getting wet. Wow!

Bubbles ~ The day before your bath experiment time, mix together water, dish soap and glycerin. I've heard that sugar will work as well as glycerin but have never tried it. Leave it alone until bath time. The longer bubble juice sits the better the bubbles will last. Pour the bubble juice into a loaf pan and give your child different objects to try to blow bubbles through, i.e. slotted spoon, water bottle sport cap, a straw, a small funnel, cookie cutter. Experiment with different objects and see which work better and discuss why this may be so. What happens to the bubbles when they land on something dry? What about on something wet? Can you catch the bubbles? Can you stack the bubbles?

FLOUR FINGERPAINT ~ Fun for You and Your Kids

Idea from http://www.mommysavers.com/preschoolers_busy_book.htm - Used by permission

You'll need:                                1 1/4 cup hot water
1 C. flour                                   saucepan
2 Tbsp. salt                               whisk or rotary beater
1 1/2 cup cold water                 food coloring
Put flour and salt in a saucepan. Add cold water and beat with a whisk or rotary beater until smooth. Add hot water and boil until mixture is thick. Beat again until smooth. Keep in the refrigerator and color as needed with food coloring.

THREE STORIES AND ILLUSTRATIONS TO SOAK IN AND READ TO YOUR FAMILY

TWO WOLVES

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a debate that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between two 'wolves' inside us all.

"One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt,
resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

"The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

FIVE SPONGES
author unknown

There are five sponges laying on your kitchen counter. Each member of your family has been cleaning up different areas of your home, but all the sponges look the same. You are curious as to what was cleaned, but you can't tell by looking. They all look the same. So, what do you do? As you squeeze the first sponge you see that cola comes out, and you decide that someone cleaned the kitchen with that one. Upon squeezing the second sponge, you find tub and tile cleaner. That one was used in the bathroom. In the third sponge you find motor oil. Someone cleaned the garage. In the fourth sponge, baby power puffs out. The baby's nursery was cleaned with that one. In the last sponge is floor wax. That was the one you used on the hall floor. As you lay the last one down, you look again at their similarity. They all look the same until they are squeezed. Christians are the same!
As life squeezes us, different things come out: anger, revenge, tears, remorse, greed, untruth, lust and finally, from one saint, pours forth the love of Christ. Just like the sponge, we can only squeeze out what is put in. Stay in the Word daily and be in continuous prayer so that when life puts the squeeze on you, Jesus, and Jesus alone will shine forth. As you think upon this, ask yourself, if I was squeezed, would Jesus and Jesus alone shine forth?

VOICE MAIL
I have learned to live with voice mail as a necessary part of modern life. But, I have often wondered, what if God decided to install voice mail? Imagine praying and hearing this:

"Thank you for calling your Father's House.
Please select one of the following four options:
Press 1 for requests;
Press 2 for thanksgiving;
Press 3 for complaints;
Press 4 for all others."

What if God used the familiar excuse, "All angels are helping other customers right now. Please stay on the line. Your call will be answered in the order it was received."   Can you imagine getting these kinds of responses as you call on God? "If you'd like to speak with Gabriel, Press 1. For Michael, Press 2. For any other angel, Press 3. If you'd like King David to sing a Psalm for you. Press 4.   To find out if a loved one has been assigned to heaven, enter his or her Social Security number. For reservations at your Father's House, press the letters J-O-H-N, followed by the numbers 3-1-6. For answers to nagging questions about dinosaurs, the age of the earth and where Noah's ark is, wait until you get here. Our computers show that you have called once today already. Please hang up immediately. This office is closed for the weekend. Please call again on Monday after 8:00 a.m."

Thank God, you can't call Him too often! You only need to ring once, and he hears you. You never get a busy signal.   He takes each call and knows each caller personally.

Aren't you glad He's your Savior and you have the opportunity of introducing Him to your children, as well as others?

IN CELEBRATION OF SPRING BEING ON ITS WAY!

FROGS - All About Frogs For Kids And Teachers
A lot of information on frogs and a lot of items to print. http://kiddyhouse.com/Themes/frogs/

PERENNIALS FOR FREE

Thanks to Karen Harvey in Pennsylvania for this tip!

Last spring when everyone's flower beds came alive, I watched the neighborhood for people who had a large amount of perennials. I bravely walked up to the door and introduced myself and told them how beautiful their flowers were and asked for a piece to put in my flower bed. No one turned me down and I ended up meeting nice people along the way. I now have about 25 perennials for free. I can't wait for spring to see how things are doing. My husband did think I was a little crazy, but he also knows I'm very social.

CONCERNING THE E-MAIL ABOUT MULCH WITH TERMITES ...

There is an e-mail going around that warns against buying mulch from home improvement stores because it may spread the Formosan subterranean termite. I was ready to extend the warning to you, before I checked http://www.snopes.com and wrote "mulch" in the search and learned it is false. Snopes is a good source to check out the validity of various e-mails sent to you.

DANDELION COURAGE

These persistent little flowers,

How abundantly they grow

Through sidewalk cracks and nurtured lawns,

And they put on quite a show.

Theyre mowed and trampled underfoot,

And yet still they reappear

So persistently determined,

For they never shrink in fear.

No one can deny their beauty

When a child before you stands

As he lifts his treasures upward

Clasped so tightly in his hand.

These true symbols of persistence

E'er remind us to hold fast,

Undefeated through lifes trials,

Anchored sure in stormy blasts.

The little Dandelion roars

In triumph though it is small,

There depicting Godly courage,

Testifying to us all.

SMILES

"A smile is a powerful weapon; you can even break ice with it." -- Anon.

Pancakes

A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin (5) and Ryan (3). The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake. Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson. "If Jesus were sitting here, He would say, 'Let my brother have the first pancake. I can
wait.'" Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, "Ryan, you be Jesus!"

The Portrait

An elderly woman decided to have her portrait painted. She told the artist, "Paint me with diamond earrings, a diamond necklace, emerald bracelets, a ruby broach, and gold Rolex."
Artist: "But you are not wearing any of those things."
Woman: "I know," she said. "It's in case I should die before my husband. I'm sure he will remarry right away, and I want his new wife to go crazy looking for the jewelry."

The Burglar
    A lady surprised a burglar in her kitchen. He was all loaded down with the things he was going to steal. She had no weapon and was all alone. The only thing that she could think to do was quote scripture. So, she holds up a hand and says: "ACTS 2:38!!!"
     The burglar quakes in fear and then freezes to the point that she is able to get to the phone and call 911 for the cops. When the cops arrive, the burglar is still frozen in place. They are very much surprised that a woman alone with no weapon could do this. One of them asked the lady: "How did you do this?"
     The woman replied:"I quoted scripture."
     The cop turned the burglar: "What was it about the scripture that had such an effect on you?"
     The burglar replied: "Scripture! What scripture? I thought she said she had an ax and two 38's!"

THE SCARS OF LIFE

Author unknown ~ Contributed by Rosanne Ayers of Virginia

Some years ago, on a hot summer day in south Florida, a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went.

He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore.

His father working in the yard saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, he ran toward the water, yelling to his son as loudly as he could.

Hearing his voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his father. It was too late. Just as he reached his father, the alligator reached him. From the dock, the father grabbed his little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the father, but the father was much too passionate to let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard his screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator.

Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. And, on his arms, were deep scratches where his father's fingernails dug into his flesh in his effort to hang on to the son he loved.

The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, "But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my Dad wouldn't let go!"

You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not from an alligator, but the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret. But, some wounds, my friend, are because God has refused to let go. In the midst of your struggle, He's been there holding on to you.

The Scripture teaches that God loves you. You are a child of God. He wants to protect you and provide for you in every way But sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situations, not knowing what lies ahead. The swimming hole of life is filled with peril - and we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack. That's when the tug-of-war begins - and if you have the scars of His love on your arms, be very, very grateful. He did not and will not ever let you go.

God has blessed you, so that you can be a blessing to others. You just never know where a person is in his/her life and what they are going through. Never judge another person's scars, because you don't know how they got them. Right now, someone needs to know that God loves them, and you love them, too - enough to not let them go.

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 care!

`·.¸(¨`·.·´¨)

`·.¸.·´ 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].

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