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HEART TO HEART NEWSLETTER
ENCOURAGEMENT TO WOMEN

Compiled especially for you with love by Lois Breneman

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6/4/10 Blessing Husbands & Fathers, Moms, Blanket Time, Prodigals, Creation Museum, Sewing, Gems

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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 jhbreneman@juno.com.  New subscribers will receive a "Start-Up Kit." 

 

Please let me know if you ever stop receiving the newsletter, but did not unsubscribe. 
Send ADDRESS CHANGES to Remain on the E-mailing List - Reply to newsletter with full name, plus old & new address.  
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If "Heart to Heart" fills a need in your life, bringing blessing and encouragement, please INVITE your women friends and family to subscribe and be blessed and encouraged as well.  Instructions appear at the very end of each newsletter. 

 

IN THIS ISSUE:   

FATHER'S DAY IS JUNE 20, 2010

BLESSING HUSBANDS AND FATHERS IN THE HOME
RECIPES FOR A DELICIOUS MEAL
   SHISK-KA-BOBS
   HASH BROWN CASSEROLE

LET'S PRETEND WE'RE MOMS
BLANKET TIME

TRUE CONFESSIONS OF MY DISHWASHER
A FLEA REMEDY
A LIGHT IN THE WINDOW (PRODIGALS)
THE CREATION MUSEUM   
LEARNING HOW TO SEW
PRECIOUS GEMS 
     

  

FATHER'S DAY IS JUNE 20, 2010
Just a reminder so you can make it a very special day!

 

 

BLESSING HUSBANDS AND FATHERS IN THE HOME

by Pamela Spurling who seeks to follow the LORD after the manner of Titus 2 - www.achristianhome.org  
[email protected] - The Welcome Home - June 11, 2005 - Used by permission

 

Do you know husbands and fathers who are so blessed by their wives and families that they *look* blessed?  And then, do you know men who appear as though they aren't really blessed or recognized in love by their wives and families?

Blessing Husbands and Fathers in the home... This is what I want to share with you today.

We all know that our husbands/fathers are human and as such, they make mistakes, forget things, react to situations differently than perhaps they ought... but no matter what they do or don't do, we are exhorted in Scripture to honor them, to submit to them and to respect them.  I suppose some husbands/fathers are a bit easier to accommodate or bless than others and some wives are a bit more in tune than others to seek out ways to bless and honor the husband/father in the home.  I pray that wherever you find yourself in this picture, that you will use this Father's Day to bless and honor your husband... the father in your home and to make it a turning point if you have neglected this important area.

One of the saddest and most hurtful things I can think of is the degradation and the condescension some wives display toward or about their husbands.  You know why this is so damaging?  Not only is it a violation of Scripture, but also the children pick up on it and then display some of the same rude or dishonoring tendencies or behavior toward their fathers.  It is then a contradiction between what the Scriptures teach and what is modeled for the children.  It is a contradiction for the role of the wife and mother as well.  Whereas she ought to be a living example of the Word, she is displaying contempt for the Word by the way she is living.  You may have seen this and it may be or have been a part of your life and behavior.  O, sister in the LORD, I pray that if this is a trap into which you  have fallen that you will seek the Face of the LORD and will turn from those ways and that you will seek to live in a manner holy and acceptable unto the LORD and to your husband.  Your children will follow the pattern you set in the home concerning thoughts about and responses toward their father.

What's prompted me to write about this today?  Well, many times, and more recently, I have been in situations talking with women and little side comments are made that at first appear to be spoken in jest but then are seen for what they are: stinging barbs about or against their husbands.  The snickering behind his back, the little comments may seem harmless at the time, but they're really loaded with innuendo or derogatory intent. These are the comments that make the others in the group nervously chuckle and if the husband is present, he may smile or even laugh... but on the inside he has been wounded once again.  These are the kinds of wounds that stay with a man... that wear him down and make him withdraw.  ((These are the very things that fuel snide remarks some husbands make about their wives---those comments that cut like a knife))  Additionally, these are often the comments that drain the enthusiasm and life right out of him, rendering him unresponsive---even ineffective.  Sadly, then, the children seem to take these comments as the cue that they can speak in the same manner, further adding to the undermining of the father and degradation of his leadership or authority in the home

Proverbs 31.27 "She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness."

Our society today seems to feed on this sort of behavior and even capitalize on it in the media.  As I understand it, the "television fathers" are often characterized as spineless, even ignorant or silly fools.  The media portrays our society as having no need of the traditional home headed by a strong father.  Women freely discuss the shortcomings and their discontent with their husbands and unashamedly share their husband's perceived inadequacies.  What a travesty...... but does it have to be this way, or should it be this way in the Christian home?  By no means.  In the Christian home, there should be a marked difference in the way the father is thought of, spoken about and treated.  There should be no putting down of the father, no rolling of the eyes, no sarcasm or sighing or disgust at his comments. These behaviours, which the unsaved world employs, should never occur in the home where the husband and father should be revered and highly esteemed and as marriage is a picture of Christ and the church, no wife should engage in this way of living.

Sadly, these behaviors *do* happen every day in Christian homes. Sisters, do you know what I am talking about?  It's very grievous, isn't it!?  And it should be... I think it's likely that we've all been guilty of this at one time or another.  I know I have and perhaps that's why the LORD has prompted me to write this today.  Perhaps in the ladies Bible study you have shared---in the name of prayer---that you are married to a lousy provider... a cheating husband... an inept father.  Perhaps in a group you have either intentionally or unintentionally put him down... mocking his inability to get something done, making a back handed comment about his inadequacies.  Maybe you have commented loudly that he never gets all his projects done... and probably never will... you know...

Maybe he is all of these things... maybe he isn't all you hoped he would be... maybe he doesn't do what he says he will do... maybe he never will get all those projects done ---- but, you know ... so what.  So what.  Are any of those things more important than him-the person the LORD has designed you to complete---your husband?  What *is* important is that you love him. What's important is that you esteem and respect him.  What's important is that you demonstrate it to him. What's important is that you show it around your children.  What's important is that you demonstrate that reverential love around others. What's important is that you learn to mean it with your whole heart.  Even if he never gets that shed cleaned out.  Even if he never gets the yard in order or mows that lawn diagonally so it looks better than neighbor Joe's.  Even if he never says things the way you think he should, or chews with his mouth closed,  or keeps his shirt tucked in right, or gets you the right birthday presents or finishes household projects.  Even if he never makes you all the wooden goodies Mr. John Doe makes for his wife, or never buys you surprise gifts. Even if he never learns anything more about automobiles than where to put the key to start them and where to put the gas to keep them running.  So what. What's important is that you do what the LORD has designed you to do... and let the LORD work on your husband's weak spots.  I think we have much to work on without overly concerning ourselves with what they are or are not.  There is an amazing thing that wives can do and that is to love and support and build up husbands, and what a joyful thing it is to see the husband growing into the man God has designed him to be.

So, if you have been caught in the trap or habit of putting down your husband, mocking his leadership, disobeying known desires, disrespecting his words and views... rolling your eyes at his latest idea... sighing at his most recent business plan... you can turn.  You can turn today.  You can turn today and travel a different path. You can turn today and travel the path that God has designed for you.

 

I have come to believe that the most important role we have as parents is the role of helping and training our children to love the LORD, to hear His voice, see His ways, know His commands and obey Him wholeheartedly.  I am seeking more and more to learn how to help them have a swift obedient response to His slightest promptings.  As a wife and mother, one way I am seeing this accomplished is in the teaching of swift obedience to their Daddy.  When he asks them to do something, I want them to immediately obey him, having their hearts trained and focused on pleasing him each day.  Now, this is my desire and my goal... but what if I were to continually roll my eyes when he was talking to me, or groaning at his asking me to do this or that thing. What if I were to say 'okay' to the request he was making on the way out the door and then do the exact opposite when he drove away down the lane?  I'd be teaching hypocrisy, and I'd be teaching deception to the children, wouldn't I?  My children would grow to be deceptive and if left unchecked, this behaviour would permeate into other areas and any respect the children may have had for their father would likely erode away.  What a shame this would be.  We learn much about this in Proverbs... specifically, Proverbs 14.1 "Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands."

Sunday is Father's Day.  The one day of the year designated to honor Dad.  Maybe it will be the day this year that you designate to begin the change in your behavior and responses.  O, I pray that you will join me in renewing your desire to live in a manner pleasing to the LORD.  That the husband/father the LORD has given you will be a man who is highly esteemed and honored in his home... and for each one, may every day be Father's Day.

God bless you as you endeavor to love and serve the LORD, our High King of Heaven.

 

RECIPES FOR A DELICIOUS MEAL
Why not have your children help put this meal together?  Even little ones can help dump and stir to make the potato casserole, and it can be made a day ahead.  The vegetables for the meat can be cut up ahead of time, and the marinade can be mixed and stored in a Ziplock bag.  Your children will love helping to fix a special Father's Day meal for their dad!  Get them used to helping in the kitchen while they are young, and they will be able to make entire meals before they leave home! 

 

SHISH-KA-BOBS
1/2 cup soy sauce                                Mix first 6 ingredients together.  Add meat and
1/4 cup (or less) olive oil                        marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
2 Tbsp. molasses or honey                    Place meat cubes on shish-ka-bob skewer,

2 tsp. ground ginger                              alternating meat with fresh or jarred onions, whole
2 tsp. dry mustard                                mushrooms, and raw green, red and yellow peppers.
6 cloves garlic, minced                          Grill for 15 minutes or so until done.
1 pound beef, cut into 1" chunks        


HASH BROWN CASSEROLE                                                  

2 pounds frozen hash browns         Mix the first 5 ingredients and place in 9x13" baking pan.

1 can cream of chicken soup          Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes. Remove from oven
8 oz. sour cream                           and top with mixture of melted butter and cornflake

10 oz. grated cheddar cheese        crumbs.  Bake another 15 minutes.
1 onion, chopped

                                                   

1/2 stick melted butter 

2 cups crushed cornflakes

 

LET'S PRETEND WE'RE MOMS
by Jennifer Gurley - www.littlemeems.com - Used by permission
Little Meems is a dash of whimsy, a smidge of inspiration, a touch of attitude, a sprinkle of fun. Make that two touches of attitude. Inspired by a spunky, funky little girl in my life who's everything listed above.

My daughter has an active imagination. She's lost in the world of pretend as often as she's present in reality. So much so that frequently she will clarify "for real" when she's talking about something that happened/is going to happen, so that I know that she's not making it up.

We've watched her, with fascination, as she crosses back and forth over the line between the two as easily as most of us blink. While at dinner, watching TV, in the car...one minute you're talking about school, and the next she's waving her hand around saying, "I know, I know, my kids do the same thing," in a tone I can only guess she thinks commiserating moms use. Or she'll swing her hair down into her face, saying "i just can't find the time to get it cut" to her imaginary commiserating friend-who's-also-a-mom.

The theme here is moms. That's her passion. She loves all "mom" things. How many times have I walked outside to find her pushing her little brother around in a stroller and asked her, "whatcha doing?" to have her answer "Well, my son's sick, and so I think I might have to take him to the hospital. Can you give me directions? Oh, and I LOVE your shoes!"

I remember playing with my dolls and playing moms. I guess if I really think about it, it had an allure to me. The "mom" world -- a world of grown-up ladies who drank coffee and had meetings and wore Dr. Scholl's sandals (it was the 70s).

So it should come as no surprise that my own little girl enjoys it. But I really think she enjoys it much more than I ever did. I notice her watching me sometimes, and later I can usually find her in front of a mirror doing the same thing. She talks to her imaginary mom friends with her hands, the way I do. She throws her head back and slaps her thigh the way I do when I laugh. She puts a lot of cream in her coffee, like me. She reads home decorating magazines in the chair, her legs crossed, giving her index finger a little lick each time she turns the pages. She scolds her children for their sassy mouths and for not listening, just like I do. Using the same words, the exact tone and with just the right amount of exasperation in her voice.

I've always thought it a little funny. What a funny little girl she is. But as I write this I'm touched.

Because good or bad, she's emulating me. She's pretending she's me. She's fascinated by ME.

And it hits me what a cycle we little girls live. Generation to generation, our moms are our greatest influences. Our first ambitions. Our nurturers. Our style icons.

About the author, Jennifer Gurley:
A mom of three little ones, including the aforementioned daughter, I've often been told she's excellent inspiration for a book. What kind of book, I'm not certain. So in the meantime, I'm satisfying my writing bug by sharing my mommy musings with you. Enjoy!

 

 

BLANKET TIME

by Meaghn DeLong
(After reading on Meaghn's blog about this creative way of teaching her children, she agreed to write a brief article on this topic for all the Heart to Heart moms!  I know this will be very helpful to all who follow her example!  Why not give it a try in your home!)

 

Before our second child was born, I decided to teach Karis (18 months) how to enjoy "Blanket Time," so that she would learn to sit and play quietly while I nursed the baby.  It was a lot of work at first, but it was definitely worth it later on!  I gave Karis some toys that I knew she loved, usually sensory things like beans, linking cubes, a box of Christmas bows, etc. and instructed her to play on the blanket and not get off.  The first week my goal was ten minutes, and I planned to raise it five minutes every week until she could do thirty minutes (hopefully enough time to change and nurse the baby).

 

The first day I spent the whole time disciplining her for getting off the blanket, but the second day she played for fifteen minutes without even looking up at me!  I love this idea for so many reasons: it teaches her patience, obedience, and how to sit still better.  It is also really good for her to learn to play by herself and I just love hearing her talk to the toys and interact without my help.  It also makes beans and other small sensory things so much easier to clean up since they have to stay on the blanket.  With my second child, I started shortly after she turned a year old.  It is amazing how many things I can straighten or organize during that short window of time!
 

TRUE CONFESSIONS OF MY DISHWASHER
©Copyright 2010 Mary Hunt - 05/18/2010 - www.debtproofliving.com - Used by permission

I got the idea while sitting in the hot sun at a local car wash. In the garage where workers detail fancy cars, I noticed they were putting the floor mats into something that looked like an ancient dishwasher. Hey, why couldn't that work in my kitchen? I couldn't wait to try.

I've washed both rubber and carpet mats in my dishwasher and the results are spectacular. I use the “Pots and Pans” option to get the longest wash cycle with the hottest water. I even add the normal amount of detergent. I fold them over to make them fit, so a mat looks like an upside down “U” in the machine. Then, I take them out before the drying cycle so they don’t shrink or change shape. A few minutes in the sun is all it takes to make them perfectly flat again.

I love to wash grungy baseball caps in the top rack of the dishwasher. I run them through a normal cycle complete with detergent. They come out clean, bright and still looking like caps. I rescue them before the dry cycle, set them on a “form” like a big coffee can and reshape the brims before they dry. It’s amazing. I’ve washed cotton, twill and mesh caps with great results, but never caps made of wool. I’m brave, but not that brave.

I routinely wash the aluminum filter from my range hood in the dishwasher, along with the drip pans from the stovetop. Plastic baby bibs, toys, flip-flops and even my hand tools from the garden get loaded into the magic machine on a regular basis.

I even cook fish in my dishwasher. I’ll confess that I have, on occasion, cooked salmon along with a load of dirty dishes and detergent, too.

Dishwasher Salmon
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Heavy-duty aluminum foil

Cut two 12-inch square sheets of aluminum foil. Grease the shiny side of the foil with the olive oil. Place two fillets side by side on each square, and fold up the outer edges. Drizzle one tablespoon lime juice over each fillet. Season with salt and pepper. Fold and pinch the aluminum foil tightly to create a watertight seal around each pair of fillets. Make sure the packets are airtight by pressing down gently with your hand. If air escapes easily, rewrap.

Place fish packets on the top rack of your dishwasher. Set dishwasher to the "normal" cycle. (“Energy saver” and “air dry” settings won’t work since they conserve heat; the “Pots and Pans" setting overcooks the fish.)

Run the salmon packets through the entire wash-and-dry cycle, approximately 50 minutes for most models. When complete, take salmon out, discard foil, place one fillet on each plate and spoon a generous serving of your favorite dill sauce or lemon butter on top.

Don't have a dishwasher? Bake foil-wrapped packets in a preheated 400 F oven for 12 minutes.

What do you put in your dishwasher besides dishes? Or do you think I’m crazy? Pop over to my blog, Money Rules, Debt Stinks! to share your ideas.

A FLEA REMEDY
This is an excerpt from Mary Hunt's article, Five Clever Ways to Cut Pet Costs - found in her Everyday Cheapskates Newsletter - www.DebtProofLiving.com - Used by permission

"For over thirty years, I've treated my dogs for fleas and never had a single flea enter our lives. I use Brewers Yeast with Garlic. You can purchase the pills at any reputable pet store, or stores like Wal-Mart and Petco. I buy the large economy size because it must be consumed daily, and I have three dogs. There are no harsh chemicals and the dogs do not smell of garlic. There are added health benefits to both garlic and yeast, so it is my choice over chemical flea treatments. Barbara, Colorado." 

A friend of mine to whom I sent this said: "The Brewer's Yeast with Garlic is interesting. If it works it could save a BUNDLE because Frontline is expensive.  I may try it.  My doctor just told me the best remedy for preventing bug bites on humans is fresh garlic. So there may be something to this.  Hopefully this tip will help many of you save money to use toward other needed purchases!
 

A LIGHT IN THE WINDOW
by Pamela Spurling - A Christian Home - © 1999 - 2010 - The Welcome Home - www.achristianhome.org - Used by permission

Fathers and mothers of prodigals have very much in common; and,  incidentally, most all prodigals or waywards are very similar in the sense that they, at some point in time, made a decision to go their own way.   Either mentally, physically or both.   Now, the ways or methods of prodigals may be very different, but most prodigals take their first step on the long, long prodigal road with a simple "you can't make me" attitude or action.  In defying parents, the prodigals defy God.  

The Wayward Road

The pretty lures of the world entice prodigals in different ways.  As children grow older, the lure of radio, television, Internet, friends, etc., etc., becomes stronger and brighter.    Forbidden fruit is usually in the hand of a friend who is not likely fully welcome or accepted in the family home.  The first steps are so innocuous that they're often missed or dismissed by trusting parents.  These little steps over the line, in time, become giant leaps and it's often the giant leap that catches the surprised attention of parents.  The impetus to these little side steps is so varied, but down the road, parents of prodigals look back and can generally pin point the beginning of the slide —  the beginning of the wayward road.

Some wayward or prodigals begin drifting into music, computer games, online communities, friends and so on.  Then, once stepping outside the bounds of home and authority, they're lured by freedom and independence and generally a shroud of secrecy.  Some are led astray by lies, by drugs — some by alcohol, and some by crime.  They seem to emotionally disconnect or close out all Truth.  And usually when this occurs, they've erected walls that seemingly cannot be scaled - either by them (to return) or by parents seeking to bring them back home.  The pain is seemingly unbearable for the parents and even for the prodigal; though the pain for the prodigal is different: it's a gnawing, wasting pain. 

As opposed to true prodigals or runaways, there's another quasi  prodigal or quasi wayward, these are: physically present prodigals or physically present waywards.  They may still be at the table most meal times, still have a bed or a bedroom in the home,  may even contribute something to the family and home, still have a seat in the family van, still occupy a seat in the church, but these have closed their hearts and minds to Truth, they are closed to Jesus, they generally have a very secret "other-life"  or "other-self."

I seek to offer encouragement to stay still in the Hand of the Potter.  Be still and know that He is God ... He will be exalted among the heathen, He will be exalted in the earth.  Cling to the hem of His garment.  Cling to the Hand of the LORD who is only Faithful.  Trust in His Word.  Hold onto His promises.  Be instant in prayer, filled with thanksgiving ... Trust in His promises: 

 Train up a child in the way he should go:
and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Proverbs  22.6 

	How to Release Your Prodigal Child  (new 3/10)
	The Prayer Every Mother Must Pray (new 3/10)
	Twelve Ways to Love Your Prodigal Child - Abraham Piper
	Loving Your Wayward Child  (new 3/10)
	Intercessory Prayer for Waywards  (new 3/10)
	Of Roses and Wayward Children
	What About These Wayward Children
	Heritage Builders "To Train Up a Child" part one
	Heritage Builders "To Train Up a Child" - part two
	When the Mother of a Prodigal Prays - Titus 2 Christian Homekeepers
	Fathering the Prodigal Child (listen)
	Perfect Love  The Qualities of True Love--Part 4  by  John MacArthur
	Lessons in the Valleys - The Valley of Trouble
	Wayward Teenagers
	Loving the Prodigal Child - Dennis Rainey     this link was changed... you'll need to go to the broadcast directory     to find one of the programs that dealt with prodigals -- there are a few.

THE CREATION MUSEUM
www.creationmuseum.org
If you have never visited the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky, near Cincinnati yet, I highly recommend it.  We spent parts of two days there last week and were not disappointed in the least.  Ken Ham http://www.answersingenesis.org/ and his board have done an amazing job of putting all this information together for us to fully understand how the world began.  Answers are given for adults in various forms.  An excellent series of four books entitled, "Answers for Kids" answers about one hundred questions.  I've already read them.  You will see creation depicted as never before seen!  A botanical garden, filled with many waterfalls, bridges, and gazebos, as well as beautiful flowers of all kinds is beautiful to walk through!  There's a petting zoo as well.  Inside the huge museum, there is a planetarium, endless displays, huge models of dinosaurs, fossils, animated displays, live birds and frogs, a dining area, and an amazing bookstore. 

Understanding and being grounded in the truth given in Genesis is a huge factor in living the Christian life. It is vital that our children have the answers they need before they go out into the world!  Why not google "Creation Museum - KY" and see what you find! 


LEARNING HOW TO SEW

What an inspiration it is for me to see young women learning how to sew and doing such a fantastic job!  I would encourage you to at least give it a good try.  A sweet young mother, Aimee Joy, the daughter of a good friend of mine, began sewing when she had a baby girl a few years ago, and has mastered the art of making gorgeous and fun dresses and outfits for Lily Joy.  She has even learned how to do beautiful smocking.  Seeing the pictures of Lily in those darling outfits, photographed by her Grammee, Jan, is so encouraging to me, since I love not only sewing but photography!

When my children were little I also enjoyed sewing for my daughter and two sons - little dresses for my daughter and little rompers and shirts for our sons, as well as jammies and bathing suits for them all.  A few times I made matching dresses for my little daughter and myself, and leisure suit jackets for my husband and four year old son when they were in style back in the seventies. Making quite a few dresses and formals for my daughter throughout high school made it possible for her to wear styles and colors that she liked, and not only was it a savings, but fun as well.  I was honored when she asked me to make her wedding gown later, but with all the other detailed wedding plans and work to do, I opted out for a more stress-free time, especially when thinking of all the beading around the bodice seams, and remembering what a job it was to make my own wedding gown and all the bridesmaids' dresses one summer years before.  The gown she chose was breathtakingly beautiful anyway.  These days there are many patterns for weddings and formals available though - more than ever before, it seems.

If you are interested in opportunities to take sewing classes, call a fabric store for details or possibly a friend or relative could teach you.  This is also a website that may be helpful, http://www.threadsmagazine.com/teach-yourself-to-sew, although it is always good to have someone show you how in person.  I learned how to sew from my mother and made my first clothing item, a skirt, in 4-H Club at the age of ten.  If a ten year old can learn how, I know you can!  Just begin with something very simple and go from there.  You can get a good used or brand new sewing machine on sale for under $150 that will do at least a straight and zig-zag stitch, and with those options, the possibilities are endless!  Just think of all the home decorating and gift items you can make!  It's a fun and rewarding skill to have, and sewing is something that many can do as an enjoyable hobby far into retirement.  My ninety-three year old mother-in-law sewed all her life, not only for her family, but in her later years she had sewn over a thousand little dresses for children in poverty who needed clothes, using her skill to benefit others.

Beyond the sewing of clothing for children and adults, home decorating and gift making, there is a whole other fabulous world of quilting, machine embroidery, serging, and crafts.  So the possibilities are truly endless!  And besides all of that, it is such fun!

Here is an easy way to begin!  Learn how to turn two and one half yards of flannel into a receiving blanket for your own baby or to give as a gift: http://www.achristianhome.org/SEWING_and_Craft_Basket/Sewing%20and%20CraftsINDEX.htm

PRECIOUS GEMS
Ladies, thanks for your permission to include your children's cute quotes and experiences as mommies in Heart to Heart!

"You know you have an infant when ... you can't remember the last time you brushed your teeth ... getting a shower is a MAJOR accomplishment ... you're fixing yourself breakfast and realize you've inadvertently started patting the tub of margarine ..." ~ Lori Pavelkova in the Czech Republic

My oldest son likes to sneak up behind me but I always seem to hear his foot steps or catch him in my perifiral vision. So... ME: Jojo, don't you know I have eyes on the back of my head? JOJO: What??? Oh man!!! ~ Darlene Weber in Thailand

From 4 year old Raylie's Mother's Day tea at school:  The children sang, "Happy Mother's Day to You," to the tune of "Happy Birthday."  Later we were singing it at home.  Raylie would point to me as she sang the words, "to Mommy" and "to you."  But as I pointed to myself, she stopped and said, "No, Mommy!  When you sing you need to point up!"  She knew my mom is already in heaven. ~ Julie Karsten in Washington

"What happened to my birthday?  It disappeared!  My birthday disappeared!!!" ~ from Karis (2), who has been impatiently waiting for her third birthday (next weekend) ever since her cousin's party a couple weeks ago 🙂 ~ Meaghn DeLong in North Carolina 

Last night I made the girls Mac 'n cheese ( we had fish and they won't eat it).  Karlie (7) says, Mom this will be the last time you make Mac 'n cheese."  I asked why and she said, "Well, tomorrow is Thursday - your surgery."  (I was like,  "WHAT?!!!")  She said, "Well you won't feel like like making it for awhile."  OK.  The girls and Mike made me a card, and Mike wrote, "Don't worry!  You will live to make Mac 'n cheese again!"  Just cute, I had to share. ~ Julie Karsten in Washington

Today's nugget of wisdom from Andrew:  While doing his math he says, "No wonder I have such an odd life!  I'm 7, and 7 is an odd number!"  Can't argue with that! ~ Stefanie Flack in Delaware

 

Quote of the day from Karis (3), said with much happiness and excitement: "I'm going to have a girl baby in my belly when I grow up and marry Daddy!" ~ Meaghn DeLong in North Carolina

I overheard Gracie (7) saying to her stuffed animal after bathing him: "I'm sticking you in the dryer. Don't backtalk me - I worked hard to buy you.  I'm your authority and you must obey me."  I had to giggle out loud. 🙂 ~ Penny Yonts in Virginia

 

My granddaughter, Ryan Elizabeth (2) got a splinter in her foot and said right away, "Mommy, I NEED to watch Dora!  Dora will make me feel better!" ~ Lois

 

My 6-year old drew a "beautiful" picture of a girl with an arrow pointing to the sky and the word, "heaven."  When I asked her about the picture, she said, "That's me! I'm going to heaven when I die because I asked Jesus to be my Savior.  I asked Him to save me because I have many sins." She had raised her hand during Bible school and prayed to accept Christ. I wish I could have been there (like I was for my 3 sons), but I'm glad she responded to God's prompting. ~ Rachel Keller in Philippines/Virginia

Tonight Madelyn (3) got a cut on her foot and it was bleeding. She started crying and said, "Mama, I'm spilling out!" ~ Liz Smith in Washington

 

Jacob (8): "Mommy, you are infinity Oreo filling. And that is better than double!" ~ Elaine Daniels in Virginia 

Note from Lois: It is so much fun now that our youngest grandchild, Daniel, who recently turned two, is starting to say cute things.  Here are a few that his mommy told me in the last month:

Daniel, (2) is starting to fight sleep.  When I rock him, I sing to him or tell him stories (after we've read books).  After I turn off the light and he starts to get really tired, he gets stubborn and starts saying, "No rocking, Mommy."  "No singing, Mommy."  "No touching, Mommy."  I think he knows these things are helping him get sleepy so he wants me to stop, but usually he falls asleep a few minutes after giving me these orders.  I have a hard time not laughing, but sometimes I'm pretty tired myself.  ~ Rachael Breneman in Ohio

When Daniel (just turned 2) saw the picture of his Paw Paw and his look-alike brother, Art, together, he said, "Two ones!"  Then he said, "Two Paw Paws!"

When Daniel (just turned 2) saw the picture of his daddy's cousin, Carol, walking down the aisle at her wedding, he said, "Pretty dress." ~ Rachael Breneman in Ohio  (Of course, his mommie has been in the bridal shoppe business for years, though only a very few hours per week now, so Daniel knows a pretty dress when he sees one!  : )

We just spent almost a week with Daniel and his parents.  Yesterday although we said good-bye to him before we left at 7 a.m., when he awoke from his nap, he looked for us all around the house saying, "Grammie?  Paw Paw?"  When his mommie reminded him that we had gone home that morning, he mentioned the town 20-30 minutes away, asking if that's where we went.  She said, "No, they went home to Virginia."  Then he said sadly, "Ohhhhhh, my friends goed!"  When he's disappointed in something, he says, "Oh^h^h^h^h^h," starting in a low tone and rising to a graduated higher tone.  It's so hard not to laugh!  But that's so much sweeter than a temper tantrum which we haven't seen yet! 

                                                              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 jhbreneman@juno.com.  New subscribers will receive a "Start-Up Kit." 

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