God: "I looked for someone to take a stand for me, and stand in the gap" (Ezekiel 22:30)
As the act of healing through the eyes of the Israelites and the brazen serpent went together; so, in the act of justifying, these two, faith and Christ, have a mutual relation, and must always concur- faith as the action which apprehendeth, Christ as the object which is apprehended; so that neither the passion of Christ saveth without faith, nor doth faith help unless it be in Christ, its object.
Please send your personal questions relating to pregnancy and childbirth that you would like to see addressed by replying to this newsletter. Names of those sending questions will not be included in this column, and the answer will be e-mailed to you before it appears in a newsletter .
Question:
I am 3.5 months pregnant and still breastfeeding my 12 month old. I have researched the safety of this practice and have found mixed reviews, with the slightly larger majority in favor of continuing to nurse throughout the pregnancy as long as I am not at risk for preterm labor (which I am not (3rd pregnancy, age 29, good health).
Obviously La Leche League is in favor ... as is the most current research. Although at my own OB/GYN practice, the Nurse Practitioner told me to immediately wean my baby - no questions asked. At the subsequent visit with my OB I asked him and he said it was completely safe to continue. What is your nurse midwife's opinion?
Answer:
Good question! For most women it is not a problem to continue nursing. Nipple stimulation releases oxytocin which can stimulate uterine contractions. Occasionally this can cause a woman to have preterm labor. As you get closer to term this is more likely to happen so pay attention to how many contractions you are having when you nurse. If you have 5 or more contractions an hour with nursing consistently, you may want to consider weaning unless you are 36 weeks gestation. Often the older baby will wean itself at some point along in the pregnancy and then sometimes pick back up nursing occasionally after the baby comes.
Mothers today who plan to breastfeed their babies are blessed with such abundant information and encouragement. In the early 1970's, nursing was not nearly so popular as now. In fact it was quite rare, but there was still very good help available. The book, Nursing Your Baby by Karen Pryor, my mother (though 300 miles away), and The La Leche League were my primary sources of encouragement, but that was enough.
The La Leche League was extremely helpful and I would encourage new mothers to learn all they can through this organization and be encouraged by this group before delivery if possible, and continue using them as a reference during nursing. Your attendance and sharing will certainly encourage other new mothers as well. Today in this computer age, you will find lots of help at http://lalecheleague.org.
Even with limited help, I loved the closeness of nursing my three babies and it was a wonderful bonding experience between mother and infant. Each baby was one month older than the last when he was weaned (15, 16 and 17 months), and I had to wean each one, since they all wanted to continue.
There was one unexpected glitch in the breastfeeding of our third child, as I had to be hospitalized for four weeks when my precious baby boy was less than a week old. Nevertheless the Lord was with our family throughout the entire time! Little Jamie continued to be breastfed through the kindness of a friend in our church who offered to nurse my baby, along with her own, and care for him while I couldn't. What a blessing that was to me, knowing he was getting good care! Other friends at church also graciously took care of our four and seven year old children during the day, and brought meals for my husband and children.
Because of having to be on a high dose of pain medication due to severe inflammation of the sciatic nerve, my baby could not drink my milk, but I continued to use a breast pump to keep the milk flowing, so I could nurse him later. The excruciating pain was much worse than any of my three deliveries by natural childbirth. I was unable to get out of bed at all for two weeks, and had to use overhead bars to turn in bed. I will never forget how I felt when I was told I'd have to get up and use a walker to get into a wheelchair so I could be taken to physical therapy. I sat on my bed saying aloud, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me!" And He did!
It was even difficult to turn the pages of my small Bible in my hospital bed, but during that time I began to compile a booklet and finished it later, entitled, God's Strength for My Struggle, containing scripture verses that I clung to during that time, as well as quotes and poems. Our church later printed the booklets and gave them to church members and friends. Just a few years ago I learned how it helped one young mom. After she and I had become good friends, she came across that booklet in her home years later and realized I was the one who had compiled it. She told me how it had encouraged her so during her three year old son's bout with leukemia. Today he is healthy, married and expecting to be a father soon!
All you mamas may empathize with this part of the story. Most afternoons while I was in the hospital kind friends from church would bring my baby to the hospital for me to hold and cuddle for a few hours, and I would feed him formula. The days I couldn't have him brought to me, I missed him so terribly that I had such heartache in my chest. My heart literally ached to hold my baby. After carrying that precious little fellow for nine months, not holding him for a day was so difficult. During that time I called a member of the La Leche League with a question regarding not seeing my baby. She was so kind, compassionate and such a blessing and encouragement to me, saying how important it was that I hold my baby every day to bond with him. She said it was vital for both of us. So those deep maternal longings to hold and cuddle my baby every day were longings God, our Creator, put into my heart.
While in the hospital the doctor ordered a cortisone shot which caused swelling, and heat packs were administered several times a day - yes, to an inflammation! Later, after leaving the hospital, using a walker, I went to a chiropractor. He recommended using ice to calm the
inflamed area, and with his chiropractic adjustments and treatment, I quickly progressed to using crutches, then one crutch, then walking on my own! It was a very happy day for our family, after a total of seven weeks being unable to walk. During the beginning of those weeks, our seven year old daughter asked her daddy one day, "Will Mommy ever be able to walk again?" He didn't know how to answer her, because we didn't know what the future held for us. When he told that, we both cried together. But we did know the One who held the future, and we were so thankful He chose to deliver us from that ordeal!
It was so important to me that I be able to continue nursing my baby even with this interruption, so as difficult as it was, I used a breast pump the entire month in the hospital, just to keep the milk flowing so I could resume nursing Jamie when we came home. By the end of June when I was finally discharged, still in pain, but off medication except for Tylenol, and using a walker, I was only able to pump a half ounce of milk each day. That sounded pretty bleak when I had a hungry baby who loved milk!
The first week my son and I were home was rather difficult because Jamie was not getting as much milk as he needed in the beginning. But rather than feed him any formula, I held and nursed him a lot, while eating nutritious food and drinking lots of liquids, mostly water. We made up for lost "cuddle time!" After all, I couldn't get up and cook the meals, do laundry or clean the house. The more we cuddled and the more Jamie nursed, the more milk was becoming available to him, and he was a very healthy baby, all along. Now James is 6 foot, 3 inches tall, married and we thank the Lord that he and his sweet wife love the Lord with all their hearts!
I tell you all this to encourage every nursing mother not to give up, because although I was unable to nurse my baby for an entire month, after less than a week of nursing again, my baby went from getting only one half ounce to all the milk he needed!
You may wonder what caused the sciatica. You can be sure I wondered that too! Two weeks before I got pregnant with Jamie, I started caring for twin babies in my home, and continued until the beginning of my ninth month of pregnancy. These baby boys grew quite heavy, and sometimes I even carried them both at one time - not a smart thing to do! The doctor told me at the time of my long hospitalization how during pregnancy the pelvic bones are naturally lubricated to help the expansion of the birth canal so a baby can pass through easily. He thought the heavy lifting may have aggravated the situation, and maybe the hard labor too, with the monitored contractions going off the chart, thus suddenly causing a pinched sciatic nerve two days after delivery. It just happened to be the largest nerve in the body, beginning in the hip and going to the heel. So that's a word of caution about heavy lifting during pregnancy.
Another word to nurses, doctors and people everywhere: When one is in the midst of pain and suffering, there is nothing so appreciated as gentleness and kindness! Hospital staff and others who treated me kindly were like water in a dry thirsty land. I still have such appreciation for all those who showed love and kindness to me during that difficult time.
EAT IT - IT'S GOOD FOR YOU! By Leanne Ely - [email protected] - Copyright 2007 - Used by permission
Children can be difficult. If you're a parent, you know THAT is the understatement of the century. They are small humans with big wills, all their own. The strong-willed child, that creature we've all heard about from the popular child experts and their cronies, lives at almost everyone's house and wreaks havoc at the dinner table. Or so I hear. Of course, being a nutritionist and former caterer, I have never had to dip my toe in that pool. My children eat perfectly.
And if you believe that, you're not the sharpest knife in the drawer. I have also noticed that some of the things I have said in the past have sort of bitten me back and caused me to eat what I said earlier at a later date, for example:
"When I have children, they'll eat what's in front of them." Munch, crunch, chew, chew....pass the salt, wouldja? I am no parenting expert (are there really such people?), however, I am an expert at being humbled and dining on (ahem) syllable salad, as it were.
Sometimes trying a new food can be more trying on a parent then the child, if you get my drift. There are times when food needs to be an adventure. Not everyday, but just especially when introducing something new, especially for the little guys. Here is a great trick for presenting a food to your child.
THE ON-A-STICK TRICK: "I've got the world on a string ... " so the old song goes. But if you're a kid, you could probably care less about the world being on a string or this old song. Now if you had the world-on-a-stick, well, that's completely different.
Kids will eat anything if they get to poke it with a stick. At least one bite, anyway. Cut everything up, put it on a plate (not touching!) and give them a big toothpick. Give them a rule or two, like don't put the toothpick in your sister's eye, refrain from putting the toothpick in your ear-things like that. Then let them go to town! They'll have a blast and may actually try something they wouldn't have tried before.
BEAN AND ROASTED BELL PEPPER DIP
Disclaimer: Not all kids are going to be hip to the roasted bell pepper.
However, I have found when things are all whipped together with NO chunks allowed, they can be pretty adventurous. Whatever you do, don't tell them it's in there!
Serves about 10, as a dip.
1 teaspoon olive oil 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 tablespoon dried basil 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans -- drained 3/4 cup thinly sliced roasted red bell pepper -- drained
Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add basil and beans; cook over low heat 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in bell pepper. Now put the whole mess in your blender and get rid of the chunks! Enjoy!
Serve with oven baked tortilla chips and some fresh veggies cut up and bring on the sticks! Don't forget, those veggies need to be "pokeable"!
[Serving size: 1/4 cup--makes about 2 1/2 cups. Per serving: 158 Calories (kcal); 1g Total Fat; (5% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 29g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 5mg Sodium]
From Angie Walker in Pennsylvania ~ I have been trying to potty train Brady without much luck. He will be three next week and has no interest in the potty! Anyway, I had him in the bathroom with a toilet littered with Cheerios for him to aim into. He very honestly looked at me and said, "It won't work Mommy, it need batteries." That is, of course, Brady's solution for everything that doesn't work!
The next four stories are from my daughter, Joy, about her 4 year old son ~ Justin is excited about going to preschool next year, Joy said. But then he looked sad and worried as he thought more about it, then asked her, "Will you still be my mom?"
One morning Justin climbed into bed with his mom, Joy, and said to her, "You're beautiful, Mom! God loves you just the way you are!" Joy said that was straight from Veggie Tales!
Joy asked Justin, "Want to play?" Justin, who turned four last month, said rather indignantly, "Mom, I'm bigger now! I don't play anymore! I got to do some jobs!" Then he proceeded to play at "working" - building things.
As I talked to my daughter on the phone, Justin was singing in the background. I asked Joy what he was singing. She paused and listened and said, "Ah, I think that's an original!"
The following "Treats from Tots" came from subscribers of Donna Kauffman's newsletter, Treasures from My Heart to Yours - Used by permission
Note from Lois: This is my favorite! So cute! Aleya (2) is just learning to talk. When she swings she says Wheeee, and when she falls, shes not one to cry, she just says, Whoaaa. Today she was swinging and fell. She got hurt enough to cry. She came into the house blurting through her sobs, Mama, I go wheee and I go whoaaa. - Rachel, mother of 4
My daughter, Lexi, is going to be 3 in December. This is a big deal to her because she's gonna be a 'big girl' then! The other day, I heard her grunting, so I looked and here she was stretching like crazy. I asked her what she's doing and she said, "Stretching my arms. I'm trying to grow bigger so I can get 3. - Kay, mom of 1
My husband is a busy first-year resident, and often loses sleep on his call nights. My daughter Charlotte (2 1/2) has a perception of all this that keeps us smiling in spite of some stress. "Dad is a Radiant, and he's on call. He wears his blue PJ's to da hospital, so he can sleep dere." she calls scrubs, PJ's)
Another treat from Charlotte is her singing, often substituting words that she knows for ones she's not sure of, like, "For dine is the Kinga, the Flower, the Glory..." One of her versions that made me stop and think was "..you can have your money, you can have your gold, but I want Jesus to have my gold..." - Sharon, Mom of 3
Here is a treat from Leighton that made me chuckle. 🙂 I was looking at some Birds N' Blooms magazines with my five-year-old son, Leighton, one day. I saw him stop at a page with a full-page picture of a beautiful butterfly. He studied each detail of the butterfly intently and as he noticed the butterfly's antennae, he asked in a perplexed voice, "Mom, why does that butterfly have whiskers?!" Rachel, mother of 2
Our granddaughter who was born in Haiti speaks both Kreyol and English. At three years old that makes for some interesting conversation. In Kreyol cars are called 'machines'. She had never seen horse and buggies before so imagine my amusement when traveling with her one day. She shouted to me "Grammi, Grammi! Look! Horse Machine!" - Anita King
The other morning, a while after she was dressed, my daughter Sierra, age 3, noticed that her buttons weren't closed in the front. She exclaimed, "Hold it! I didn't strap my body yet!" - Lorene Stoltzfus, mother of 2
We had just finished decorating valentine cookies with sprinkles when we sat down for lunch and my three year old daughter led in prayer saying, "God is great and God is good, and we thank Him for our cookies, by His hands we have sprinkles, give us Lord our daily bread, Amen!
A quote from our three-year-old granddaughter: Taylor spent the day with me and that evening told her Mommie she had gone to "Sewing Circus" with Grandma. - Jane
Donna Kauffman is a pastor's wife, mother, grandmother and author of two books Treasures From a Mother's Heart and The Treasure of Careful Planning. She is editor of Treasures From My Heart to Yours Newsletter which offers encouragement to mothers and grandmothers. Besides her mothering duties Donna enjoys writing, speaking and counseling. You may sign up for her free monthly newsletter at [email protected] or learn more about her family and books at www.treasuresbooks.blogspot.com/
ARE YOU UP FOR A 30 / 31 DAY CHALLENGE?
Accept this challenge of encouragement and prayer. Not only will others be blessed and encouraged, but spiritual growth will be produced in your own life. Try one of these for a month, then go on to another one.
(A challenge to speak positively to and about your husband each day.)
(A helpful guide to effectively praying for your pastor.)
(Practical ways to effectively pray for your pastor's wife.)
Gardening with Children ~ I still remember the fun I had as a young child, planting seeds in my very own garden (radishes, lettuce, spinach, marigolds, nasturtiums, zinnias, etc.), as well as working in our huge family garden, though that was not always such fun. Introduce and guide your children to the joys and rewards of gardening, no matter what their ages! KidsGardening Parents' Primer is a wonderful complete online resource where we can all learn new gardening information. http://www.kidsgardening.com/primer.asp
TIDBITS AND TIPS
The National Day of Prayer is May 3.
Mother's Day is May 13
Father's Day is June 17.
Who Delivers Babies? Doctors deliver 91 percent of all U.S. babies. Midwives deliver 8 percent. Who delivers the other 1 percent? Whoever's there to catch! www.babycenter.com
Average Fetal Length and Weight Chart ~ For expectant mothers and grandmothers!
02:03:04:05:06:07 ~ This will be the exact time and date at Three minutes and Four seconds after 2 AM on the 6th of May this year. - Thanks to Barb Campbell in Mississippi for this tidbit!
Homemade Fun for the Children ~ Mix 2 parts of cornstarch to 1 part of water until it begins to thicken. Swirl in some food coloring and give your child a spoon, funnel and a dish. This is a simple but strange mixture. It is keeping my 4 youngest ( and my oldest!) occupied this rainy evening when my brain needed a break. Try it and see! - Thanks to Wanda Fox in PA for this recipe!
Reducing Screen Time ~ With spring arriving, now is a great time to start proactively reducing the amount of screen time your child gets each day. Screen time is the amount of time your child is in front of the TV, on the computer or playing video games. Set the timer for 30 minutes and tell your child that once the timer goes off, it is time to find something to do IRL (in real life!) Encourage your kids to play outdoors by putting air back into the bike tires and getting out the balls and rollerblades. Dont forget to join your kids for some outside fun too! ~ Thanks to Tami Qualls in Oklahoma - Growing a Titus 2 Heart - http://titus2heart.blogspot.com
Reading Aloud to Children ~ As E. B. White noted a half century ago, television is "the test of the modern world." Used correctly, it can inform, entertain and inspire. Used incorrectly, television will control families and community, limiting our language, dreams and achievements. It is our 'test' to pass or fail. -- Jim Trelease, 'The Read-Aloud Handbook' http://snurl.com/18zn
Recommended books for children and families
Grade-by-grade Literature Recommendations from Preschool to Teens ~ This is a great reading list by Deborah Taylor-Hough to use in reading to your children. Also print and hand to your kids' grandparents for suggestions at gift-giving times! http://snipurl.com/1g3r5
Repair a Leaking Gel Ice Pack ~ We had a large ice pack that started leaking after about five years. Rather than spending $20 for a new one, my husband patched it with Mystic tape. He cut square patches from the roll, but trimmed each corner so they won't come off as quickly.
Keeping Automobile Records ~ For each of our automobiles, my husband keeps a tablet for gas and maintenance records in the glove compartment in which we record the date, mileage, cost per gallon, number of gallons and the total cost. Farther back in the tablet, he keeps records of supplies, maintenance and service, along with the date, mileage and total cost. At the end of the year he figures the mileage and expenses.
Pressing or Ironing Dark Garments with an iron will cause the fabric to become shiny, unless you use a pressing cloth. An easier solution is to buy an "Iron Safe" with a Teflon coating at a fabric store. It fastens onto the bottom of the iron and prevents any shine.
It's in the Bag! ~ An easy way for laundering socks is to give each family member a mesh bag in which to place his/her socks and underwear (all light colors or all dark). The bag shouldn't be too full, otherwise the clothes won't get clean. Each family member zips or ties the bag and tosses it into the laundry. The socks get washed, dried in the dryer and given back to each owner while the underwear stays inside each person's bag. He or she then sorts them out and puts them in the drawer - a tip to help children be more responsible and give Mom a break!
Sweet Smelling Towels ~ Either wash smelly towels in 1 cup white vinegar with laundry detergent or pour white vinegar into the fabric softener dispenser of your washing machine. Not only will vinegar remove smelly sour odor from towels, it will soften them as well.
Stains in and around Crockpots or Corningware can be lifted very easily by using a wet Magic Eraser, which can be purchased at grocery and drug stores under the Mr. Clean brand name. This inexpensive tool is truly "magic!" Go after stubborn spots everywhere - kick marks at the bottom of doors, dirt marks around door knobs, scuff marks on floors, crayon or magic marker on tables and walls, stubborn spots on appliances, countertops, stubborn spots and rings in tubs, soap scum in showers, leather and vinyl tennis shoes, purses and carseats, etc.
Give Your Home a Quick "Once Over" with a Swivel Sweeper and lamb's wool dusters whenever you need to do a quick cleanup! Works great for me!
Long Distance Calls ~ If you are paying more than 2.9 cents per minute for long distance, you might want to look into the service we've been happy with for years at www.onesuite.com. We have no stock in the company. It's just a good tip to save you money.
Yard Sale Candle Holders Turned into Something New ~ I've had two 6 inch tall lead crystal candle holders and two antique votive candle holders, also in lead crystal - all bought at yard sales. Recently I found some "Candle Fast" in my china closet drawer, and "glued" the votives on top of the tall holders. I love the new effect and now they look like a brand new pair of candle holders. I was concerned that the heat from the candle might melt the "Candle Fast," but it didn't. It remained very secure. I found this product, a soft waxy substance, at the grocery store years ago, and I'm sure it can still be found in the candle department of some stores. It may come in other brand names. Its purpose is to secure candles in holders when they don't fit well - a definite safety feature, but I found it to be an effective resource in creating new candle holders, which can be reverted back to their original intent anytime I want.
DELIGHTFUL SPRINGTIME WREATHS
These ideas come from Julie Druck in Pennsylvania, Editor of A Heart for Home Newsletter
Simply take a nice-sized grapevine wreath and glue tiny straw hats in a circle around the wreath.I used five 4 hats, but you can use whatever number youd like based on the size of the wreath and your preference.Then tie a bow of thin ribbon around each hat adding a bit of hot glue to keep in place.You can use several different colors to give variety to the hats.Thread a length of larger ribbon through the vine and tie in a knot to hang.
Hankie Wreath
Collect lots of spring-colored vintage hankies from yard sales, thrift shops and flea markets.I used about a dozen hankies.The directions said that you could also use 8 squares of patterned fabric instead of hankies.You will need another grapevine wreath as well.You will take each hankie and make it into a bunchy flower.Hold the four corners together to form a parachute.Poke the center of the hankie into your hand and secure the ends with a small, thin rubber band.Tuck each hankie flower right into the wreath for a lovely and unusual display.
JUST HOW DO YOU DO IT ALL?
A Lesson in Time Management
By Debbie Klinect - An article written by a "Heart to Heart" friend at my request, in answer to a question of mine (Lois).
Dear Debbie,
I was wondering if you could share just how you do everything that you do.I know that you have a large family, but it also seems that you have plenty of time to do so many other things.
Many years ago, back when I was a young girl, I used to be the worlds best day dreamer.I loved looking at the clouds and seeing the shapes in them.I also was the most unorganized person on the planet.As long as no one messed with my messy room, I knew exactly where everything was, well sort of.I managed to get through life this way very well, until I got married and had children.
I married a wonderful young man, a very hard worker who also happens to be organized and a neat freak.The ultimate odd couple was what we were.Add having two children right away and you can just imagine what our lives were like.I didnt know how to cook either!When I was in my teen years my mother went to work full time.Our dinners came out of either a box or a can.Kurts mom made a completeU-turn during his teen years and went totally organic on them and almost everything was made from scratch.Early in our marriage Kurts job had him working many long hours and eventually traveling, taking him away from home more than he was home.I was forced to become more organized and able to do more at one time.
Emilie Barnes came on to the scene just when I needed her (www.emiliebarnes.com).I have never had the privilege to attend one of her seminars, but I have almost all of her books.I highly recommend them.Emilie taught that you can do two things at one time.While talking on the phone, you can clean off a kitchen counter, or put laundry into the washer or dryer.She also has this question: What can I do in 15 minutes?In 15 minute blocks of time, you can get quite a bit accomplished!Consider these possibilities: In 15 minutes you can write a check that needs to be put in the mail, you can wipe off your counter tops, you can throw a load of laundry in the washer or the dryer or even fold a load of laundry and have the children help you put it away. In fifteen minutes you can write a quick email of encouragement to someone or make a phone call to schedule an appointment. Best of all, using one of Emilie's Devotional Books, you can spend 15 minutes with the One who loves you more than anyone will ever love you ~ God.
But back to how I managed to have so much time on my hands.We homeschool, and for our family, using unit studies works best for us.We also school by the Charlotte Mason method, where you dont spend more than 20 minutes on a subject.I try to employ multi-tasking in everything that I do, so while my children are eating their breakfast, I am taking my shower.While they are doing their math lesson, I am drying my hair and taking care of things in my room (always available to help them work through a stubborn problem).Before we start a reading assignment, I will put a load of laundry into the washer.By the time we are finished with that lesson the clothes are washed and can go into the dryer. In our unit studies we may do some baking. I'll have the kids help me prepare the dish and while it is baking in the oven, we can be doing our unit study, reading or some project that we are working on.
Our school day is over at lunch time.Because I have also been doing my chores for the day while the children have been working on their different assignments, I have my afternoon free.For the next three hours I am able to work on whatever hits me at the time.My children and I have become stamping addicts.We love making homemade cards.I also like to crochet and make blankets for friends and family as gifts.Writing is a love of mine, so I may spend some time writing during those free hours.Having a laptop and wireless connection helps tremendously. I can take my computer outside with me and watch my little ones ride their bikes or play on the jungle gym.
God has given each of us 24 hours in each of our days.How we use those hours is pretty much up to us.For me, its a matter of using my time the best way I can, to get as much done at one time, so that I have more time to do things with my children or for others.
If you are contemplating about your next school year and wondering how you can work it out to have more time, consider unit studies (all grade levels learning the same thing at the same time). Also think about what things you can do either in 15 minute blocks of time or doing two things at a time.I dont recommend talking on the phone or anything like that while you are cooking.You want to keep your mind on what you are doing so that your family is blessed by the meal that you have prepared for them!Seek the Lord and He will direct you.Ask God for His supernatural help in taking care of yourself and your family. He is able.
Debbie Klinect lives in Florida with her husband and five of her six children ( ages 27 years old down to 6 years old). She has been homeschooling since 1988, and has written many unit study curriculum guides that are available on her school site, www.newlifehomeschoolbooks.com. She is also the editor of the email newsletter, Along the Journey -www.alongthejourney.net
Last month as we came home from a week's visit with our daughter's family, we found a sweet little bird nest built by purple finches in a springtime wreath I had hanging beside our front door. Each morning I took a peek, as the number of eggs grew to four blue-green eggs speckled with black. The next morning one egg was missing, with no evidence of tampering - no broken egg. It simply disappeared! The following morning a fourth egg had replaced the missing one, but this one was white with lots of brown speckles!
Immediately I thought of the lazy black and brown cowbird who never raises her own young, but instead lays her eggs in the nests of other birds for them to raise, while she goes off to do her own thing. As the eggs hatch in a nest intruded upon by the cowbird and the baby birds grow, the cowbird grows very fast and pushes the other birds out of the nest and the mother bird continues to raise the baby cowbird alone. By reading some bird books I learned the cowbird lays only one egg in each nest or other birds, and purple finch nests were a favorite. So I thought I'd take action to save the purple finches, by removing the brown egg from the nest with a teaspoon and tossing it. The mother bird returned to her nest right away and continued to warm her eggs. So far only one of the three finch eggs has hatched and that baby bird is growing well. The other two eggs may be duds. We'll have to wait and see.
The cowbird reminds me of our enemy, Satan. He is very crafty and tries to trick us by slipping things into our lives, hoping we'll never notice. He knows our weak spots. Without spiritual discernment, that we obtain from the Lord's guidance through reading and meditating on His Word, we will not notice Satan's beguiling trickery. Sometimes we do notice when the enemy slips ungodly things into our lives, but rationalize, thinking those things won't really matter, because we aren't living close to the Lord. But then the issue grows bigger and bigger, until it may even push the good things out of our lives. Staying in close fellowship with the Lord by reading the Bible and talking to Him in prayer is so vital for a healthy Christian life. By doing so, we are stronger and the Lord helps us to give no place to the devil.
BABY CONGRATULATIONS
James Edward Francis was born on Easter morning, 2007 to Steve and Rebecca Francis in Pennsylvania. All together James makes eight! God's blessings to all!
PRAYER FOR EACH HEART TO HEART NEWSLETTER SENT
Ladies, I just want to let you know that my husband and I pray regularly for each "Heart to Heart" newsletter sent to you - that I will include only what the Lord wants me to include and that each one of you will be blessed and encouraged with each one received. This reply to the 4/12/07 issue from Denise Valles in Maryland was such a blessing!:
This had to be one of my favorites from you. I'm sitting here with a cup of tea at 5am and the Lord had me read your saved email. I am blessed by your obedience to Him. I am encouraged friend. Thank you for all the stories done with love. I needed all these reminders today. I am blessed... I am His forever, Denise
PLEASE PRAY FOR REVIVAL AT VIRGINIA TECH AND AROUND THE WORLD
Our hearts ache for the many families who lost loved ones in the tragic Virginia Tech Massacre on April 16! We have all been affected in some way. Our daughter graduated from Virginia Tech and was even married years ago in the chapel on campus, very close to the shootings.
We are grateful to learn that several who died were Christians, and the stories keep coming. At least their families know they will be able to join them in eternity. One young man's life was saved in the engineering classroom because a fellow classmate's blood covered his own body, as he lay very still and faked his death, so he was "saved by the blood" of his fellow classmate who died. He was only one of the two who came out of that room alive.
Please pray for the Christian counselors and leaders on campus and the healing touch of the Lord in their lives for eternity. Pray for revival in the hearts of university students and families all across the world. We never know when our life will end on earth, and we need to be ready to face eternity - Heaven or Hell - we must choose. Those who wait too long to decide or neglect to make a choice at all are voting to miss Heaven, so please pray. Prayer changes things!
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish,
but have everlasting life. - John 3:16
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."
Disclaimer: Various web sites are given as credits or to supply additional information for readers. However, all the views and advertisements represented by web sites given in this newsletter are not necessarily the views of the editor. Please use your own discretion regarding all information given in this newsletter.
Please send your personal questions relating to pregnancy and childbirth that you would like to see addressed by replying to this newsletter. Names of those sending questions will not be included in this column, and the answer will be e-mailed to you before it appears in a newsletter .
Question:
I am 3.5 months pregnant and still breastfeeding my 12 month old. I have researched the safety of this practice and have found mixed reviews, with the slightly larger majority in favor of continuing to nurse throughout the pregnancy as long as I am not at risk for preterm labor (which I am not (3rd pregnancy, age 29, good health).
Obviously La Leche League is in favor ... as is the most current research. Although at my own OB/GYN practice, the Nurse Practitioner told me to immediately wean my baby - no questions asked. At the subsequent visit with my OB I asked him and he said it was completely safe to continue. What is your nurse midwife's opinion?
Answer:
Good question! For most women it is not a problem to continue nursing. Nipple stimulation releases oxytocin which can stimulate uterine contractions. Occasionally this can cause a woman to have preterm labor. As you get closer to term this is more likely to happen so pay attention to how many contractions you are having when you nurse. If you have 5 or more contractions an hour with nursing consistently, you may want to consider weaning unless you are 36 weeks gestation. Often the older baby will wean itself at some point along in the pregnancy and then sometimes pick back up nursing occasionally after the baby comes.
Mothers today who plan to breastfeed their babies are blessed with such abundant information and encouragement. In the early 1970's, nursing was not nearly so popular as now. In fact it was quite rare, but there was still very good help available. The book, Nursing Your Baby by Karen Pryor, my mother (though 300 miles away), and The La Leche League were my primary sources of encouragement, but that was enough.
The La Leche League was extremely helpful and I would encourage new mothers to learn all they can through this organization and be encouraged by this group before delivery if possible, and continue using them as a reference during nursing. Your attendance and sharing will certainly encourage other new mothers as well. Today in this computer age, you will find lots of help at http://lalecheleague.org.
Even with limited help, I loved the closeness of nursing my three babies and it was a wonderful bonding experience between mother and infant. Each baby was one month older than the last when he was weaned (15, 16 and 17 months), and I had to wean each one, since they all wanted to continue.
There was one unexpected glitch in the breastfeeding of our third child, as I had to be hospitalized for four weeks when my precious baby boy was less than a week old. Nevertheless the Lord was with our family throughout the entire time! Little Jamie continued to be breastfed through the kindness of a friend in our church who offered to nurse my baby, along with her own, and care for him while I couldn't. What a blessing that was to me, knowing he was getting good care! Other friends at church also graciously took care of our four and seven year old children during the day, and brought meals for my husband and children.
Because of having to be on a high dose of pain medication due to severe inflammation of the sciatic nerve, my baby could not drink my milk, but I continued to use a breast pump to keep the milk flowing, so I could nurse him later. The excruciating pain was much worse than any of my three deliveries by natural childbirth. I was unable to get out of bed at all for two weeks, and had to use overhead bars to turn in bed. I will never forget how I felt when I was told I'd have to get up and use a walker to get into a wheelchair so I could be taken to physical therapy. I sat on my bed saying aloud, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me!" And He did!
It was even difficult to turn the pages of my small Bible in my hospital bed, but during that time I began to compile a booklet and finished it later, entitled, God's Strength for My Struggle, containing scripture verses that I clung to during that time, as well as quotes and poems. Our church later printed the booklets and gave them to church members and friends. Just a few years ago I learned how it helped one young mom. After she and I had become good friends, she came across that booklet in her home years later and realized I was the one who had compiled it. She told me how it had encouraged her so during her three year old son's bout with leukemia. Today he is healthy, married and expecting to be a father soon!
All you mamas may empathize with this part of the story. Most afternoons while I was in the hospital kind friends from church would bring my baby to the hospital for me to hold and cuddle for a few hours, and I would feed him formula. The days I couldn't have him brought to me, I missed him so terribly that I had such heartache in my chest. My heart literally ached to hold my baby. After carrying that precious little fellow for nine months, not holding him for a day was so difficult. During that time I called a member of the La Leche League with a question regarding not seeing my baby. She was so kind, compassionate and such a blessing and encouragement to me, saying how important it was that I hold my baby every day to bond with him. She said it was vital for both of us. So those deep maternal longings to hold and cuddle my baby every day were longings God, our Creator, put into my heart.
While in the hospital the doctor ordered a cortisone shot which caused swelling, and heat packs were administered several times a day - yes, to an inflammation! Later, after leaving the hospital, using a walker, I went to a chiropractor. He recommended using ice to calm the
inflamed area, and with his chiropractic adjustments and treatment, I quickly progressed to using crutches, then one crutch, then walking on my own! It was a very happy day for our family, after a total of seven weeks being unable to walk. During the beginning of those weeks, our seven year old daughter asked her daddy one day, "Will Mommy ever be able to walk again?" He didn't know how to answer her, because we didn't know what the future held for us. When he told that, we both cried together. But we did know the One who held the future, and we were so thankful He chose to deliver us from that ordeal!
It was so important to me that I be able to continue nursing my baby even with this interruption, so as difficult as it was, I used a breast pump the entire month in the hospital, just to keep the milk flowing so I could resume nursing Jamie when we came home. By the end of June when I was finally discharged, still in pain, but off medication except for Tylenol, and using a walker, I was only able to pump a half ounce of milk each day. That sounded pretty bleak when I had a hungry baby who loved milk!
The first week my son and I were home was rather difficult because Jamie was not getting as much milk as he needed in the beginning. But rather than feed him any formula, I held and nursed him a lot, while eating nutritious food and drinking lots of liquids, mostly water. We made up for lost "cuddle time!" After all, I couldn't get up and cook the meals, do laundry or clean the house. The more we cuddled and the more Jamie nursed, the more milk was becoming available to him, and he was a very healthy baby, all along. Now James is 6 foot, 3 inches tall, married and we thank the Lord that he and his sweet wife love the Lord with all their hearts!
I tell you all this to encourage every nursing mother not to give up, because although I was unable to nurse my baby for an entire month, after less than a week of nursing again, my baby went from getting only one half ounce to all the milk he needed!
You may wonder what caused the sciatica. You can be sure I wondered that too! Two weeks before I got pregnant with Jamie, I started caring for twin babies in my home, and continued until the beginning of my ninth month of pregnancy. These baby boys grew quite heavy, and sometimes I even carried them both at one time - not a smart thing to do! The doctor told me at the time of my long hospitalization how during pregnancy the pelvic bones are naturally lubricated to help the expansion of the birth canal so a baby can pass through easily. He thought the heavy lifting may have aggravated the situation, and maybe the hard labor too, with the monitored contractions going off the chart, thus suddenly causing a pinched sciatic nerve two days after delivery. It just happened to be the largest nerve in the body, beginning in the hip and going to the heel. So that's a word of caution about heavy lifting during pregnancy.
Another word to nurses, doctors and people everywhere: When one is in the midst of pain and suffering, there is nothing so appreciated as gentleness and kindness! Hospital staff and others who treated me kindly were like water in a dry thirsty land. I still have such appreciation for all those who showed love and kindness to me during that difficult time.
EAT IT - IT'S GOOD FOR YOU! By Leanne Ely - [email protected] - Copyright 2007 - Used by permission
Children can be difficult. If you're a parent, you know THAT is the understatement of the century. They are small humans with big wills, all their own. The strong-willed child, that creature we've all heard about from the popular child experts and their cronies, lives at almost everyone's house and wreaks havoc at the dinner table. Or so I hear. Of course, being a nutritionist and former caterer, I have never had to dip my toe in that pool. My children eat perfectly.
And if you believe that, you're not the sharpest knife in the drawer. I have also noticed that some of the things I have said in the past have sort of bitten me back and caused me to eat what I said earlier at a later date, for example:
"When I have children, they'll eat what's in front of them." Munch, crunch, chew, chew....pass the salt, wouldja? I am no parenting expert (are there really such people?), however, I am an expert at being humbled and dining on (ahem) syllable salad, as it were.
Sometimes trying a new food can be more trying on a parent then the child, if you get my drift. There are times when food needs to be an adventure. Not everyday, but just especially when introducing something new, especially for the little guys. Here is a great trick for presenting a food to your child.
THE ON-A-STICK TRICK: "I've got the world on a string ... " so the old song goes. But if you're a kid, you could probably care less about the world being on a string or this old song. Now if you had the world-on-a-stick, well, that's completely different.
Kids will eat anything if they get to poke it with a stick. At least one bite, anyway. Cut everything up, put it on a plate (not touching!) and give them a big toothpick. Give them a rule or two, like don't put the toothpick in your sister's eye, refrain from putting the toothpick in your ear-things like that. Then let them go to town! They'll have a blast and may actually try something they wouldn't have tried before.
BEAN AND ROASTED BELL PEPPER DIP
Disclaimer: Not all kids are going to be hip to the roasted bell pepper.
However, I have found when things are all whipped together with NO chunks allowed, they can be pretty adventurous. Whatever you do, don't tell them it's in there!
Serves about 10, as a dip.
1 teaspoon olive oil 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 tablespoon dried basil 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans -- drained 3/4 cup thinly sliced roasted red bell pepper -- drained
Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add basil and beans; cook over low heat 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in bell pepper. Now put the whole mess in your blender and get rid of the chunks! Enjoy!
Serve with oven baked tortilla chips and some fresh veggies cut up and bring on the sticks! Don't forget, those veggies need to be "pokeable"!
[Serving size: 1/4 cup--makes about 2 1/2 cups. Per serving: 158 Calories (kcal); 1g Total Fat; (5% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 29g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 5mg Sodium]
From Angie Walker in Pennsylvania ~ I have been trying to potty train Brady without much luck. He will be three next week and has no interest in the potty! Anyway, I had him in the bathroom with a toilet littered with Cheerios for him to aim into. He very honestly looked at me and said, "It won't work Mommy, it need batteries." That is, of course, Brady's solution for everything that doesn't work!
The next four stories are from my daughter, Joy, about her 4 year old son ~ Justin is excited about going to preschool next year, Joy said. But then he looked sad and worried as he thought more about it, then asked her, "Will you still be my mom?"
One morning Justin climbed into bed with his mom, Joy, and said to her, "You're beautiful, Mom! God loves you just the way you are!" Joy said that was straight from Veggie Tales!
Joy asked Justin, "Want to play?" Justin, who turned four last month, said rather indignantly, "Mom, I'm bigger now! I don't play anymore! I got to do some jobs!" Then he proceeded to play at "working" - building things.
As I talked to my daughter on the phone, Justin was singing in the background. I asked Joy what he was singing. She paused and listened and said, "Ah, I think that's an original!"
The following "Treats from Tots" came from subscribers of Donna Kauffman's newsletter, Treasures from My Heart to Yours - Used by permission
Note from Lois: This is my favorite! So cute! Aleya (2) is just learning to talk. When she swings she says Wheeee, and when she falls, shes not one to cry, she just says, Whoaaa. Today she was swinging and fell. She got hurt enough to cry. She came into the house blurting through her sobs, Mama, I go wheee and I go whoaaa. - Rachel, mother of 4
My daughter, Lexi, is going to be 3 in December. This is a big deal to her because she's gonna be a 'big girl' then! The other day, I heard her grunting, so I looked and here she was stretching like crazy. I asked her what she's doing and she said, "Stretching my arms. I'm trying to grow bigger so I can get 3. - Kay, mom of 1
My husband is a busy first-year resident, and often loses sleep on his call nights. My daughter Charlotte (2 1/2) has a perception of all this that keeps us smiling in spite of some stress. "Dad is a Radiant, and he's on call. He wears his blue PJ's to da hospital, so he can sleep dere." she calls scrubs, PJ's)
Another treat from Charlotte is her singing, often substituting words that she knows for ones she's not sure of, like, "For dine is the Kinga, the Flower, the Glory..." One of her versions that made me stop and think was "..you can have your money, you can have your gold, but I want Jesus to have my gold..." - Sharon, Mom of 3
Here is a treat from Leighton that made me chuckle. 🙂 I was looking at some Birds N' Blooms magazines with my five-year-old son, Leighton, one day. I saw him stop at a page with a full-page picture of a beautiful butterfly. He studied each detail of the butterfly intently and as he noticed the butterfly's antennae, he asked in a perplexed voice, "Mom, why does that butterfly have whiskers?!" Rachel, mother of 2
Our granddaughter who was born in Haiti speaks both Kreyol and English. At three years old that makes for some interesting conversation. In Kreyol cars are called 'machines'. She had never seen horse and buggies before so imagine my amusement when traveling with her one day. She shouted to me "Grammi, Grammi! Look! Horse Machine!" - Anita King
The other morning, a while after she was dressed, my daughter Sierra, age 3, noticed that her buttons weren't closed in the front. She exclaimed, "Hold it! I didn't strap my body yet!" - Lorene Stoltzfus, mother of 2
We had just finished decorating valentine cookies with sprinkles when we sat down for lunch and my three year old daughter led in prayer saying, "God is great and God is good, and we thank Him for our cookies, by His hands we have sprinkles, give us Lord our daily bread, Amen!
A quote from our three-year-old granddaughter: Taylor spent the day with me and that evening told her Mommie she had gone to "Sewing Circus" with Grandma. - Jane
Donna Kauffman is a pastor's wife, mother, grandmother and author of two books Treasures From a Mother's Heart and The Treasure of Careful Planning. She is editor of Treasures From My Heart to Yours Newsletter which offers encouragement to mothers and grandmothers. Besides her mothering duties Donna enjoys writing, speaking and counseling. You may sign up for her free monthly newsletter at [email protected] or learn more about her family and books at http://www.treasuresbooks.blogspot.com/
ARE YOU UP FOR A 30 / 31 DAY CHALLENGE?
Accept this challenge of encouragement and prayer. Not only will others be blessed and encouraged, but spiritual growth will be produced in your own life. Try one of these for a month, then go on to another one.
(A challenge to speak positively to and about your husband each day.)
(A helpful guide to effectively praying for your pastor.)
(Practical ways to effectively pray for your pastor's wife.)
Gardening with Children ~ I still remember the fun I had as a young child, planting seeds in my very own garden (radishes, lettuce, spinach, marigolds, nasturtiums, zinnias, etc.), as well as working in our huge family garden, though that was not always such fun. Introduce and guide your children to the joys and rewards of gardening, no matter what their ages! KidsGardening Parents' Primer is a wonderful complete online resource where we can all learn new gardening information. http://www.kidsgardening.com/primer.asp
TIDBITS AND TIPS
The National Day of Prayer is May 3.
Mother's Day is May 13
Father's Day is June 17.
Who Delivers Babies? Doctors deliver 91 percent of all U.S. babies. Midwives deliver 8 percent. Who delivers the other 1 percent? Whoever's there to catch! http://www.babycenter.com
Average Fetal Length and Weight Chart ~ For expectant mothers and grandmothers!
02:03:04:05:06:07 ~ This will be the exact time and date at Three minutes and Four seconds after 2 AM on the 6th of May this year. - Thanks to Barb Campbell in Mississippi for this tidbit!
Homemade Fun for the Children ~ Mix 2 parts of cornstarch to 1 part of water until it begins to thicken. Swirl in some food coloring and give your child a spoon, funnel and a dish. This is a simple but strange mixture. It is keeping my 4 youngest ( and my oldest!) occupied this rainy evening when my brain needed a break. Try it and see! - Thanks to Wanda Fox in PA for this recipe!
Reducing Screen Time ~ With spring arriving, now is a great time to start proactively reducing the amount of screen time your child gets each day. Screen time is the amount of time your child is in front of the TV, on the computer or playing video games. Set the timer for 30 minutes and tell your child that once the timer goes off, it is time to find something to do IRL (in real life!) Encourage your kids to play outdoors by putting air back into the bike tires and getting out the balls and rollerblades. Dont forget to join your kids for some outside fun too! ~ Thanks to Tami Qualls in Oklahoma - Growing a Titus 2 Heart - http://titus2heart.blogspot.com
Reading Aloud to Children ~ As E. B. White noted a half century ago, television is "the test of the modern world." Used correctly, it can inform, entertain and inspire. Used incorrectly, television will control families and community, limiting our language, dreams and achievements. It is our 'test' to pass or fail. -- Jim Trelease, 'The Read-Aloud Handbook' http://snurl.com/18zn
Recommended books for children and families
Grade-by-grade Literature Recommendations from Preschool to Teens ~ This is a great reading list by Deborah Taylor-Hough to use in reading to your children. Also print and hand to your kids' grandparents for suggestions at gift-giving times! http://snipurl.com/1g3r5
Repair a Leaking Gel Ice Pack ~ We had a large ice pack that started leaking after about five years. Rather than spending $20 for a new one, my husband patched it with Mystic tape. He cut square patches from the roll, but trimmed each corner so they won't come off as quickly.
Keeping Automobile Records ~ For each of our automobiles, my husband keeps a tablet for gas and maintenance records in the glove compartment in which we record the date, mileage, cost per gallon, number of gallons and the total cost. Farther back in the tablet, he keeps records of supplies, maintenance and service, along with the date, mileage and total cost. At the end of the year he figures the mileage and expenses.
Pressing or Ironing Dark Garments with an iron will cause the fabric to become shiny, unless you use a pressing cloth. An easier solution is to buy an "Iron Safe" with a Teflon coating at a fabric store. It fastens onto the bottom of the iron and prevents any shine.
It's in the Bag! ~ An easy way for laundering socks is to give each family member a mesh bag in which to place his/her socks and underwear (all light colors or all dark). The bag shouldn't be too full, otherwise the clothes won't get clean. Each family member zips or ties the bag and tosses it into the laundry. The socks get washed, dried in the dryer and given back to each owner while the underwear stays inside each person's bag. He or she then sorts them out and puts them in the drawer - a tip to help children be more responsible and give Mom a break!
Sweet Smelling Towels ~ Either wash smelly towels in 1 cup white vinegar with laundry detergent or pour white vinegar into the fabric softener dispenser of your washing machine. Not only will vinegar remove smelly sour odor from towels, it will soften them as well.
Stains in and around Crockpots or Corningware can be lifted very easily by using a wet Magic Eraser, which can be purchased at grocery and drug stores under the Mr. Clean brand name. This inexpensive tool is truly "magic!" Go after stubborn spots everywhere - kick marks at the bottom of doors, dirt marks around door knobs, scuff marks on floors, crayon or magic marker on tables and walls, stubborn spots on appliances, countertops, stubborn spots and rings in tubs, soap scum in showers, leather and vinyl tennis shoes, purses and carseats, etc.
Give Your Home a Quick "Once Over" with a Swivel Sweeper and lamb's wool dusters whenever you need to do a quick cleanup! Works great for me!
Long Distance Calls ~ If you are paying more than 2.9 cents per minute for long distance, you might want to look into the service we've been happy with for years at http://www.onesuite.com. We have no stock in the company. It's just a good tip to save you money.
Yard Sale Candle Holders Turned into Something New ~ I've had two 6 inch tall lead crystal candle holders and two antique votive candle holders, also in lead crystal - all bought at yard sales. Recently I found some "Candle Fast" in my china closet drawer, and "glued" the votives on top of the tall holders. I love the new effect and now they look like a brand new pair of candle holders. I was concerned that the heat from the candle might melt the "Candle Fast," but it didn't. It remained very secure. I found this product, a soft waxy substance, at the grocery store years ago, and I'm sure it can still be found in the candle department of some stores. It may come in other brand names. Its purpose is to secure candles in holders when they don't fit well - a definite safety feature, but I found it to be an effective resource in creating new candle holders, which can be reverted back to their original intent anytime I want.
DELIGHTFUL SPRINGTIME WREATHS
These ideas come from Julie Druck in Pennsylvania, Editor of A Heart for Home Newsletter
Simply take a nice-sized grapevine wreath and glue tiny straw hats in a circle around the wreath.I used five 4 hats, but you can use whatever number youd like based on the size of the wreath and your preference.Then tie a bow of thin ribbon around each hat adding a bit of hot glue to keep in place.You can use several different colors to give variety to the hats.Thread a length of larger ribbon through the vine and tie in a knot to hang.
Hankie Wreath
Collect lots of spring-colored vintage hankies from yard sales, thrift shops and flea markets.I used about a dozen hankies.The directions said that you could also use 8 squares of patterned fabric instead of hankies.You will need another grapevine wreath as well.You will take each hankie and make it into a bunchy flower.Hold the four corners together to form a parachute.Poke the center of the hankie into your hand and secure the ends with a small, thin rubber band.Tuck each hankie flower right into the wreath for a lovely and unusual display.
JUST HOW DO YOU DO IT ALL?
A Lesson in Time Management
By Debbie Klinect - An article written by a "Heart to Heart" friend at my request, in answer to a question of mine (Lois).
Dear Debbie,
I was wondering if you could share just how you do everything that you do.I know that you have a large family, but it also seems that you have plenty of time to do so many other things.
Many years ago, back when I was a young girl, I used to be the worlds best day dreamer.I loved looking at the clouds and seeing the shapes in them.I also was the most unorganized person on the planet.As long as no one messed with my messy room, I knew exactly where everything was, well sort of.I managed to get through life this way very well, until I got married and had children.
I married a wonderful young man, a very hard worker who also happens to be organized and a neat freak.The ultimate odd couple was what we were.Add having two children right away and you can just imagine what our lives were like.I didnt know how to cook either!When I was in my teen years my mother went to work full time.Our dinners came out of either a box or a can.Kurts mom made a completeU-turn during his teen years and went totally organic on them and almost everything was made from scratch.Early in our marriage Kurts job had him working many long hours and eventually traveling, taking him away from home more than he was home.I was forced to become more organized and able to do more at one time.
Emilie Barnes came on to the scene just when I needed her (http://www.emiliebarnes.com).I have never had the privilege to attend one of her seminars, but I have almost all of her books.I highly recommend them.Emilie taught that you can do two things at one time.While talking on the phone, you can clean off a kitchen counter, or put laundry into the washer or dryer.She also has this question: What can I do in 15 minutes?In 15 minute blocks of time, you can get quite a bit accomplished!Consider these possibilities: In 15 minutes you can write a check that needs to be put in the mail, you can wipe off your counter tops, you can throw a load of laundry in the washer or the dryer or even fold a load of laundry and have the children help you put it away. In fifteen minutes you can write a quick email of encouragement to someone or make a phone call to schedule an appointment. Best of all, using one of Emilie's Devotional Books, you can spend 15 minutes with the One who loves you more than anyone will ever love you ~ God.
But back to how I managed to have so much time on my hands.We homeschool, and for our family, using unit studies works best for us.We also school by the Charlotte Mason method, where you dont spend more than 20 minutes on a subject.I try to employ multi-tasking in everything that I do, so while my children are eating their breakfast, I am taking my shower.While they are doing their math lesson, I am drying my hair and taking care of things in my room (always available to help them work through a stubborn problem).Before we start a reading assignment, I will put a load of laundry into the washer.By the time we are finished with that lesson the clothes are washed and can go into the dryer. In our unit studies we may do some baking. I'll have the kids help me prepare the dish and while it is baking in the oven, we can be doing our unit study, reading or some project that we are working on.
Our school day is over at lunch time.Because I have also been doing my chores for the day while the children have been working on their different assignments, I have my afternoon free.For the next three hours I am able to work on whatever hits me at the time.My children and I have become stamping addicts.We love making homemade cards.I also like to crochet and make blankets for friends and family as gifts.Writing is a love of mine, so I may spend some time writing during those free hours.Having a laptop and wireless connection helps tremendously. I can take my computer outside with me and watch my little ones ride their bikes or play on the jungle gym.
God has given each of us 24 hours in each of our days.How we use those hours is pretty much up to us.For me, its a matter of using my time the best way I can, to get as much done at one time, so that I have more time to do things with my children or for others.
If you are contemplating about your next school year and wondering how you can work it out to have more time, consider unit studies (all grade levels learning the same thing at the same time). Also think about what things you can do either in 15 minute blocks of time or doing two things at a time.I dont recommend talking on the phone or anything like that while you are cooking.You want to keep your mind on what you are doing so that your family is blessed by the meal that you have prepared for them!Seek the Lord and He will direct you.Ask God for His supernatural help in taking care of yourself and your family. He is able.
Debbie Klinect lives in Florida with her husband and five of her six children ( ages 27 years old down to 6 years old). She has been homeschooling since 1988, and has written many unit study curriculum guides that are available on her school site, http://www.newlifehomeschoolbooks.com. She is also the editor of the email newsletter, Along the Journey -http://www.alongthejourney.net
Last month as we came home from a week's visit with our daughter's family, we found a sweet little bird nest built by purple finches in a springtime wreath I had hanging beside our front door. Each morning I took a peek, as the number of eggs grew to four blue-green eggs speckled with black. The next morning one egg was missing, with no evidence of tampering - no broken egg. It simply disappeared! The following morning a fourth egg had replaced the missing one, but this one was white with lots of brown speckles!
Immediately I thought of the lazy black and brown cowbird who never raises her own young, but instead lays her eggs in the nests of other birds for them to raise, while she goes off to do her own thing. As the eggs hatch in a nest intruded upon by the cowbird and the baby birds grow, the cowbird grows very fast and pushes the other birds out of the nest and the mother bird continues to raise the baby cowbird alone. By reading some bird books I learned the cowbird lays only one egg in each nest or other birds, and purple finch nests were a favorite. So I thought I'd take action to save the purple finches, by removing the brown egg from the nest with a teaspoon and tossing it. The mother bird returned to her nest right away and continued to warm her eggs. So far only one of the three finch eggs has hatched and that baby bird is growing well. The other two eggs may be duds. We'll have to wait and see.
The cowbird reminds me of our enemy, Satan. He is very crafty and tries to trick us by slipping things into our lives, hoping we'll never notice. He knows our weak spots. Without spiritual discernment, that we obtain from the Lord's guidance through reading and meditating on His Word, we will not notice Satan's beguiling trickery. Sometimes we do notice when the enemy slips ungodly things into our lives, but rationalize, thinking those things won't really matter, because we aren't living close to the Lord. But then the issue grows bigger and bigger, until it may even push the good things out of our lives. Staying in close fellowship with the Lord by reading the Bible and talking to Him in prayer is so vital for a healthy Christian life. By doing so, we are stronger and the Lord helps us to give no place to the devil.
BABY CONGRATULATIONS
James Edward Francis was born on Easter morning, 2007 to Steve and Rebecca Francis in Pennsylvania. All together James makes eight! God's blessings to all!
PRAYER FOR EACH HEART TO HEART NEWSLETTER SENT
Ladies, I just want to let you know that my husband and I pray regularly for each "Heart to Heart" newsletter sent to you - that I will include only what the Lord wants me to include and that each one of you will be blessed and encouraged with each one received. This reply to the 4/12/07 issue from Denise Valles in Maryland was such a blessing!:
This had to be one of my favorites from you. I'm sitting here with a cup of tea at 5am and the Lord had me read your saved email. I am blessed by your obedience to Him. I am encouraged friend. Thank you for all the stories done with love. I needed all these reminders today. I am blessed... I am His forever, Denise
PLEASE PRAY FOR REVIVAL AT VIRGINIA TECH AND AROUND THE WORLD
Our hearts ache for the many families who lost loved ones in the tragic Virginia Tech Massacre on April 16! We have all been affected in some way. Our daughter graduated from Virginia Tech and was even married years ago in the chapel on campus, very close to the shootings.
We are grateful to learn that several who died were Christians, and the stories keep coming. At least their families know they will be able to join them in eternity. One young man's life was saved in the engineering classroom because a fellow classmate's blood covered his own body, as he lay very still and faked his death, so he was "saved by the blood" of his fellow classmate who died. He was only one of the two who came out of that room alive.
Please pray for the Christian counselors and leaders on campus and the healing touch of the Lord in their lives for eternity. Pray for revival in the hearts of university students and families all across the world. We never know when our life will end on earth, and we need to be ready to face eternity - Heaven or Hell - we must choose. Those who wait too long to decide or neglect to make a choice at all are voting to miss Heaven, so please pray. Prayer changes things!
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish,
but have everlasting life. - John 3:16
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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