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

 

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7/15/04 STAY IN LOVE, PRAYER, BALANCE, PRECIOUS GEMS & MEMORIES, TIPS

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CONTENTS:

FEDERAL MARRIAGE AMENDMENT

THE ART OF STAYING IN LOVE

STRENGTH & POWER THROUGH HUSBANDS AND WIVES PRAYING TOGETHER

DADS BALANCING HOME AND CAREER

LOGICAL CONSEQUENCES

OUT OF THE MOUTH OF MAX

BOOK OF PRECIOUS GEMS AS A BABY GIFT FOR YOUR ADULT CHILD

         BEGIN NOW FOR PRICELESS MEMORIES THAT MONEY CAN'T BUY

MOTHERS, YOU CAN SAVE PRECIOUS MEMORIES TO LAST A LIFETIME!
        TAPE RECORD YOUR CHILDREN TALKING AND SINGING
        BEDTIME TOGETHERNESS
        DATES WITH YOUR CHILDREN
PLAY DOUGH SURPRISE BALLS

THOUGHTS ON POTTY TRAINING FROM A "HEART TO HEART" MOM

MISCELLANEOUS HOUSEHOLD TIPS

CREAMY COMPANY CHICKEN
BABY CONGRATULATIONS

 

 

FEDERAL MARRIAGE AMENDMENT

        Last week all the US Senators' offices were bombarded by phone calls in favor of the Federal Marriage Amendment, to uphold marriage meaning "one man and one woman."  The calls in favor of the Amendment were 400 and 500 calls to one (opposed).  That is what Christians can do - if they will just do it!  Although an actual vote was blocked in the Senate, quite a few Senators did change their minds, including both of the Virginia Senators - finally!   This is not over, so don't despair.  But we can not sit back now and forget about this.  Call your House Representative next and continue calling the Senators who still aren't in favor of the Amendment, as well as the ones who are, so they won't forget that there are millions of us out there who stand for the sanctity of marriage. 

        Keep abreast of the issues by going to these web sites below.  Sign up now to receive free updates from CitizenLink at www.citizenlink.org.   The two-hour radio broadcast, Point of View, will also help keep you informed each weekday.  Go to www.pointofview.net for your local listings.   Please be sure you and all of your family are registered to vote, because many family values as the Lord planned them to be are hanging in the balance and could go either way in the November election.   Learn what the canditates stand for and examine their past voting records.  Don't just believe what they say - see how they have voted! 

        Call your Registrar to get an application for an Absentee Ballot if there is any chance you or any family member will not be in your hometown on November 2, because of being a college student or the possibility of being on a business trip.  Encourage the elderly and others to vote by Absentee Ballot as well, if their health makes it difficult for them to get to the poles.

 

"Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just." -- Thomas Jefferson

 

 

THE ART OF STAYING IN LOVE

From Daily Encounter by Dick Innes ~ From the article, "The Art of Staying in Love." ~ For more on this subject, go to http://www.actsweb.org and do a search for "Art of Staying in Love."

 

        "My marriage would be a whole lot better if only he or she would change!"  I guess we've all heard this line before. However, blaming the other person for a less-than-ideal marriage doesn't change anything. The only person I can ever change is myself. And as I change, those around me are almost forced to change--sometimes for the better, but not always, as some people don't want us to change. They feel quite safe when we stay as we are.

        Love includes our emotions, but it is much more than these. Love is a commitment of one imperfect person to another imperfect person. When we have this attitude, a new sense of realism enters the marriage and makes growth possible.

        Someone once said, "Doing things for other helps you to fall in love. But doing things with and for others helps you to stay in love."

 

 

STRENGTH & POWER THROUGH HUSBANDS AND WIVES PRAYING TOGETHER

By Lois Breneman

 

        Are there any issues in your family that need prayer?  Do you have family or friends who need prayer to invite the Lord into their lives?  Do your pastors, missionaries, president, vice president and your country need prayer?  Do you know anyone who has a spiritual or physical need?  I'm certain that we can all answer, "Yes," to each of those questions. 

        If you are not already praying daily with your husband, why not ask him if the two of you could please pray together for each of your children and your relationship sometime each day.  Just begin there, if this is new to you, but take the first step.  Find a time that works for both of you, even if it is just before you go to bed. 

        Writing the requests on a large unlined index card works well for this.  Your list will probably grow, as you become more aware of prayer needs around you.  When that happens, you may want to divide it into several lists.  We alternate several different lists now, but always pray for certain things each evening, such as our children, church and country, as well as other important requests.  On the back of the card we write the initial of the person who prayed, along with the date (J - 7/7 ~ L - 7/8), as we alternate praying each evening.  You will be amazed at how the Lord answers many prayers and brings you closer together as a couple.

        Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.  Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. ~ Matthew 18: 18-20 (KJV)

       

 

DADS BALANCING HOME AND CAREER

Excerpt from an article by Eileen Rife in Virginia ~ Permission given to use this excerpt

Lifetime Growth News ~ www.iwanttomakemymarriagework.com

Note from Lois: Although this newsletter is for women, you may want to share these tips with your husband.

Balancing home and career might be easier than you think if you try a few of these simple suggestions.
 
1)   Schedule date times with your wife and each child.
 
Rarely does an event happen these days unless it is penciled in on the calendar. Sit down with your family and decide on the best days of the week to spend alone time with each member. Overwhelmed by this thought? Think in small chunks of time. A twenty minute park trip with three-year-old Johnny is better than no park trip at all with dad. A fifteen minute board game on the floor in twelve-year-old Elisa's room is better than no game at all. Measurable goals are more easily attained. Don't wait for the BIG blocks of time. Make use of the SMALL CHUNKS and get it on the calendar so that you don't forget.
 
2)   If your job requires you to travel frequently, make tapes/videos for your wife and children to view while you are away.
 
Read a portion of Scripture and pray. Tell a story or some of your favorite jokes. If you sing or play an instrument, share a song on the tape or video. In this way you can invest in your family's life even when you are away! Many younger children especially enjoy listening to tapes at bedtime. Hearing daddy's voice can be a tremendous comfort and reassurance.
 
3)   Call home during breaks at work just to say "I love you; I miss you. How's your day going?"
 
4)   Leave notes for your wife and kids if your schedules are so varied that you don't see each other during the day.
 
Post sticky notes on the bathroom mirror, in dresser drawers, on the kitchen counter, or in the car. Even short phrases, like "Praying for your exam today" or "I'll be thinking about you during team tryouts" can be touching reminders to those you love that you are thinking about them throughout the day and that you keep abreast of what is happening in THEIR world.
 
5)   Make frequent use of hugs when you ARE home!
 
Even an arm around the shoulder or a pat on the back accompanied by a warm smile can reassure a family member that you are there, even if the encounter is brief.
 
In short, CARPE DIEM! SEIZE THE DAY! Or at least small chunks of it to invest time in your family's life. Yes, you are a busy man, but balancing home and career might just be easier than you think if you use the time you DO have to invest in your family's lives.

 

LOGICAL CONSEQUENCES

By Neil Anderson ~ Contributed by Alice Meyer of Virginia
 
Do not hold back discipline from the child. (Proverbs 23:13).

Some children are effectively disciplined when they must experience the natural consequences of their disobedience. For example, if your child fools around and misses his bus at school, you may choose to let him walk home instead of picking him up yourself. If he procrastinates on a school project you have urged him to complete, let him receive a bad grade instead of bailing him out by doing the project yourself. For many children the pain of the natural consequence is enough to prompt a change in behavior the next time. Strong-willed children may respond best to this means of discipline. They often have to learn the hard way.
 
Use wisdom when employing this method. Some natural consequences may be too severe when other methods of discipline could be used. For example, making a child walk home from school alone may not be advisable in dangerous neighborhoods or bad weather.
 
Sometimes you may want to plan a negative consequence that is logically related to your child's misbehavior. Logical consequences are effective because they teach children to be responsible. For example, if your child carelessly spills his milk, a logical consequence is for him to clean up the mess.
 
Logical consequences help avoid power struggles between the child and parent. They can also greatly reduce nagging, correction and spanking. When your child completes the consequence, the incident is over, and hopefully he has learned to avoid the problem in the future.
 
Using natural consequences for discipline may require some extra work on your part. For example, you may need to teach your child how to use a sponge mop, operate the washing machine, etc. Don't look for the easiest method of discipline; look for the best. What may be convenient may not be correct. What works best for one child may not work well for another. Logical consequences teach cause and effect and can be used as a positive reinforcer.
 
Heavenly Father, grant me the wisdom to discipline my children for their future good as You discipline me for my good.  
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This daily devotional is published and distributed by Crosswalk.com.  It is written by Neil Anderson at  http://link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.14.23568.1.91897.

 

Note from Lois: Dr. Kevin Leman has written some helpful books on common sense discipline, which are also entertaining to read.  Two of his books on this subject are Making Children Mind without Losing Yours,  as well as Bringing Up Kids without Tearing Them Down.  Another book of Dr. Leman's with an interesting concept is The Birth Order Book.  This book will help you to understand the differences in your children, as well as your siblings.  Dr. James Dobson's Dare to Discipline is also very helpful, along with others he wrote.  Both authors use the Bible as their source for the principles given. 

 

 

OUT OF THE MOUTH OF MAX

Contributed by Elinor Wright in Virginia ~ a quote by her five year old grandson, Max, who is memorized by tools, lawn mowers, tractors, construction - anything a man might use.  Max is the son of Randy and Heather Wright.

 

        Dialog with Daddy following a "time out" experience for discipline.

"Hey Daddy, tell me about when you were a little boy and you were punished!"

"Well, for one thing, Meems and Pop Pop did NOT do 'time out' - they gave me a spanking!"

"Well, what did Meems and Pop Pop spank you with?"

"It was a wooden spoon."

"Was it the pwessure tweeted kind?"

        Dad cracks up!!! The family has one more story to add to our book of "Max Tales!"

 

 

BOOK OF PRECIOUS GEMS AS A BABY GIFT FOR YOUR ADULT CHILD

-- BEGIN NOW FOR PRICELESS MEMORIES THAT MONEY CAN'T BUY--

By Lois Breneman, April, 2003, Heart to Heart Newsletter, jhbreneman@juno.com

 

            I encourage each of you very busy moms to stop everything and take a minute to record your kids' quotes on paper, the moment they are said.  No parent will be able to save all those treasures in their minds, so get out a pencil.  The dullest pencil is still sharper than the sharpest mind.  Forget the pretty journal, because it may never happen that way.  I felt I would have had to write or print neatly if I were to use a journal, but scrap paper is not very intimidating!  Scribbling is fine on that!  Just keep small pieces of scrap paper handy with a pencil at several locations in your house.  Then when you catch a precious gem coming from the mouth of your babe, simply write the date and the first name of the child about whom you are writing, along with the quote or cute act.  Be brief.  Slip the priceless scrap paper into an envelope for safe keeping.  Don't worry about neatness now.  Just gather the cute quotes and information. 

        Then after twenty years or more, you can compile them all as you finalize your project.  Put all the dates in order for each child's quotes and turn them into a priceless notebook to give to your sons and daughters as they are expecting their first child.  It will be the best gift they could receive - a testimony of your love and commitment to them through the years as your precious children! 

            Recently before the birth of our daughter and son-in-law's first child, I gave them a book of the quotes out of the mouths of our babes - quotes by our daughter and her two brothers, with their permission,  which I had typed out in Microsoft WORD, after all those years.  I also typed all the information from their baby books, including when each tooth came in, when they turned over, sat up, crawled, walked, and listed their favorite things, and so forth.  All the words each child could say at a certain age were listed, along with many other fun facts and short stories about each child. The educational record for each child, along with names of their teachers and friends were listed, from preschool through college graduation. All this was done in bits and pieces through the years though, and it was really a wonderful trip down Memory Lane as I typed this book! 

            After all the typing was completed, I made a title page on heavy paper for each child's quotes and baby book information, punched holes in all the pages and inserted them all in a half-inch notebook binder.  Colorful scrap paper (an 8 1/2 x 11" paper torn into fourths) was inserted into the inside back pocket for the expectant mother, our daughter, to record her own child's quotes, with a possible future example:  11-23-04 - Justin Daniel - "I wuv ew, Mommy!"  Some day our two sons and daughters-in-law will receive a copy.

            During the first month our daughter spent a lot of time reading that book while nursing her baby late at night.  While her dad and I spent a week with them, she and I also had fun reading and laughing about some of the things she and her brothers said, as she nursed her baby.  She told me last week how much she really likes that book because she can see some things she did at Justin's age, and know more what to expect of him.

 

Examples of Kids' Quotes:

One evening as 3 year old Joy was ready for bed:

Joy  ~ "Mommy, why are the lights all off in the family room and your bedroom?"
Mommy ~ "Because we don't need to be in those rooms right now."
Joy ~~ "Well, Jesus doesn't like that!  It's all dark!"
Mommy ~ "Why doesn't Jesus like that?"
Joy ~ Because Jesus is God and God is everywhere and He wants to see!"
(We had been teaching some simple Bible doctrine in our family devotions.)

 

Jeff at 4 years ~ Jeff was playing with Legos and made a nice, rather unique car.  Mom asked, "Did you design that car by yourself or did you copy one of the pictures?"
Jeff said, "I just thinked it up and made it!"
(Today he works as a mechanical engineer, designing, so Moms, encourage creativity.)

 

Jamie at 4 years ~ We had a small stream in our back yard (still do) with frogs every spring.  One day Jamie excitedly came and said to me, "Do you know how frogs make their eggs?  They shigger their feet and eggs come out, and they are black!"

 

 

MOTHERS, YOU CAN TEACH & SAVE PRECIOUS MEMORIES TO LAST A LIFETIME!
Things to do with your children that will provide precious memories to fill a lifetime!
By Lois Breneman, 1999, Revised 2004, Heart to Heart Newsletter - jjhbreneman@juno.com

TAPE RECORD YOUR CHILDREN TALKING AND SINGING
Tape record your children's voices at various ages.  We have tapes of our children singing songs that they were making up as they sang.  Priceless!  Our oldest child read books on tape for the youngest child.  She would ring a bell each time the page was to be turned.  We still have those tapes. Maybe her own children can use them some day.  We even have a tape of one of our children nursing and trying to catch a breath.  So funny!   Tapes of the children reciting memory verses in their toddler voices (and older) will always be priceless.  You could plan an interview for each of your children at various ages, asking them about their interests at this stage in their lives.  Tape the conversation around the dinner table, unknown to the children and play it back.  The children love to listen to tapes from when they were first learning how to talk, and it's a precious way to keep up with our memories as parents.

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

DATES WITH YOUR CHILDREN
Take your children out on dates.  Mothers, take your sons -- one at a time. Fathers can take your daughters.  Teach them manners and how to treat a member of the opposite sex when you eat out.  You have their undivided attention.  Use it to have heart to heart talks and for listening to them.  Have fun together!

 

PLAY DOUGH SURPRISE BALLS

Contributed by Barb Campbell of Mississippi ~ Precious_Stones@JEMMinistries.org

This is a fun treat you can fix up for any child. We use these in Bible School! 

You will need a batch of homemade playdough for this. Here is the recipe I use:
1 c. flour (plain all-purpose), 2 tsp. cream of tartar, 1 Tbsp. cooking oil, 1/2 c. salt, 1 c. water

Mix all the ingredients in a large pot and cook over low heat until a ball forms -- you will need to stir while cooking. Remove the mixture from the pan and knead it. Once it is smooth and the right consistency for play dough, you can create the Surprise Balls.

There are 2 ways to do this -- One way is to pinch off pieces of dough and roll into little balls (about the size of those bouncy balls that come with jacks). Poke a small hole in the ball, don't go through all the way, and drip one drop of food coloring into the hole. Seal it off. When the children begin to play with the plain balls, they will "magically" change colors!  OK -- I have to tell you that the food coloring is fun, but messy!

So here is the other way -- Make the balls as above, but instead of poking a hole in them, flatten them out a bit into circles. Then add a pinch of glitter into the center of each circle and carefully pull the dough up to recreate a ball. The glitter will appear in the dough once the children start working it with their hands. You can use just one color of glitter or try a multicolor blend. Be creative and have lots of fun!

 

Note from Lois: To prevent food coloring stains on little hands, while handling the balls with food coloring inside, children might wear those inexpensive fold-over plastic sandwich bags as gloves, using a rubber band to hold them on, since most plastic gloves are much too large for them.

 

 

THOUGHTS ON POTTY TRAINING FROM A "HEART TO HEART" MOM

By Angela Edwards from Virginia

 

I guess I would tell other Moms not to panic if the child doesn't act like cousin so and so says they should.  RELAX.  I got pretty stressed out a couple times because I was being told certain things, but every child is different and it takes some longer than others and different styles for different kids.  Yes, it would definitely help if there was a sure-fire method for getting it over with, but the pay-off for the wrestling period is worth it all.  We were sick of buying pull-ups and finally gave up on them and just did panties and cleaned up.  After a few dirties the little lady decided she had had enough of that and started going on the potty.  Whew!  I think the pull-ups are just as bad as leaving diapers on the child.  At least it is for mine.  One more to go and a BOY this time.  What an adventure that will be!

 

 

MISCELLANEOUS HOUSEHOLD TIPS

From: The Dollar Stretcher ~ gary@stretcher.com ~ Used by permission

 

Burritos ~ Better Than Store Bought ~ My daughter loves those frozen meat/bean/cheese burritos you buy at the supermarket. I noticed that they seemed to be mostly tortilla with little filling and were expensive.  At the health food store, I buy whole wheat tortillas (which have a rich flavor and are more nutritious) and generously fill them with mashed black beans, brown rice, different shredded cheeses, browned ground turkey or beef, salsa, etc. I then fold the ends and put them in an inexpensive sandwich bag and freeze them.  They are more filling than the store-bought kind, and I control the quality. The preparation and assembly takes about an hour to make enough to last several weeks. They can be heated in the microwave in one minute and 45 seconds, or brown bagged in the morning and ready to eat by lunchtime. ~ Dorinda
 

A Little of This, A Little of That ~ When I have some raw veggies and fruit that I don't think I
will be able to use up, or even scraps of raw veggies and fruit, I shred them and make a slaw out of them. Last night, I used up a 1/4 head of lettuce, about 1/4 head of cabbage, a half of a red onion that didn't have much life left, and an apple by shredding them and putting them all together in a bowl with some mayonnaise, a capful of white vinegar, salt, and pepper. Then I chilled the mixture.  It was delicious. We had it as a cold side dish with our grilled burgers last night. We ended up with almost two pounds of coleslaw for pennies and it tasted much better than the deli version. You can add many more types of veggies to this like chopped cucumbers, any kind of onion, chopped celery, etc. ~ CM

 

One Cool Cat ~ This is a tip for pet owners. I put half a bowl of ice cubes in my cats' water dish each morning and then I fill the remainder with water. The melting ice cubes fascinate them and they stay cool. ~ Sean

 

Cooler Kitchen ~ I have a 6.5-quart crockpot that I use many days out of the week in the summertime. The main reason is so I don't have to use my oven. ~ Debbie K

 

Summer Drinks ~ Go to a dollar store and buy about 10 inexpensive rugged plastic drink cups. Eight ounces is a good size.  Using a Sharpie marker, draw a different design on each one.  Make one for each of your children and the neighborhood kids as well.  Keep some extra for new friends.  Cups are washed once a day and used over and over.  Nothing thrown away.  Mark a couple "special guest".   Fill an insulated jug (with a spigot) with cool water for the kids to use as often as they like. ~ BB

Kids' Camp Supplies ~ Getting three kids ready for summer camp can be expensive so I have devised a plan to make it a bit cheaper. For toiletries, I hit myfree.com and got free samples of toothpaste (just right for a week at camp). I also got shampoo, dental floss, bath wash, and sun block this way. All it cost was a little time.  After the holidays, I purchased holiday towels (they never come home anyway!) for $1.50 each and wash cloths for 35 cents each. Instead of plastic soap dishes, toothbrush boxes, and toiletry bags, I put everything in its own zipper sandwich baggie and then used a gallon-sized bag for the toiletries (throwing in a few extras, just in case). I purchased a package of cheap toothbrushes from the dollar store (they were 6 for $1) and packed two for each child (if they don't come home, oh well!). I got sample packets of Skin-So-Soft wipes from the Avon lady for bug protection and packed a handful for each child. Now all we have left is their clothing and we have a month to go! Thus far, I have spent under $10! ~ Brenda H  (Note from Lois: Avon now has Bug Guard that protects even better than Skin-So-Soft.)

 

Just a Swipe ~ I keep a couple of damp washcloths in a zipper bag in the fridge. When I am too hot and sweaty, I take one out and rub my face and wrists with it. This is a real quick, easy way to cool off. Be sure to put a clean damp cloth back in the bag.  As a side note, this works for the occasional hot flash too, ladies. ~ Carolyn  (Note from Lois: Teething babies love to chew on frozen baby washcloths too!  Just wet them, wring them out and freeze in a baggie.  You may want to keep several frozen.)

 

Small Tear Equals Big Savings ~ When my husband shops for fertilizer, soil, all the things sold in plastic  bags, etc., he goes in to the larger stores with garden departments and asks if  they want to sell the ones with ripped or torn bags. They always do and  they practically give them away to him just to get rid of them. It's really  a big savings. ~ Emily in Houston, TX  

(Dollar Stretcher Editor's note: remember that it's not fair to tear the bags yourself!)

Free Artwork Decorations ~ During a recent visit to our local craft store, I was able to bring home a variety of flowers, leaves, and berries for free. Theses are the ones that fall off from people picking over them, knocking them off, etc.  I asked the clerk what they did  with all those that were on the floor and stands and she informed me that they just swept them up at the end of the day and threw them out. After asking if I could have them, we left the store with a variety that have since been turned into some beautiful artwork decorations. They were free for the asking. ~ Denise D.

No Pesticide Ant Solution ~ We have been having an ant problem in our house ever since we moved in about 17 years ago. I have always hesitated using chemicals to kill them because of small grandchildren and pets. However, recently I found out that ants don't like chalk. I got some colored sidewalk chalk, chose the color closest to my linoleum, and rubbed a chalk line where the ants had to cross, and within a couple of days, no more ants! ~ BC

 

Custom Borders ~ I am doing my kitchen in an Italian theme and could not find any border at any of the home stores or paint stores that I liked at any price. So I took the post cards I got in Italy along with the street maps and tickets to places I had seen and put them along the top of the kitchen wall. With the postcards, I had to soak them first in plain water to get the pictures off because they were too heavy to stay on the wall with the wallpaper paste.  I bought  wallpaper paste for $4, and then I positioned my pictures ahead of time, cutting them to make an attractive border. Now I can look at my walls and remember my trip, but best of all, this only cost $4 and some time. Now my postcards are not in some box in the attic. ~ S.
 
Sun Spots ~ For stubborn stains, I put lemon juice on the stain and put it out in the sun. 99% of the time the stain will disappear. Sometimes, but not often, a second application is  needed. ~ Sandy in Calgary, Canada
 
Perfect Patio Furniture ~ I tried power washing my white outdoor furniture that had black mold marks on it from the winter. That did a decent job, but it wasn't entirely clean. I then decided to try Tilex. It was extremely quick and effortless and I just hosed it off. You can bet I'll do this every year. My patio furniture looks brand new. ~ Mary Ann
 

Teen Girl's Party ~ My 13 year old daughter wanted a birthday party with all of her friends. What I did to save money was bring the girls to our local cosmetology school where they were all treated to manicures for which I only paid $1 each. Afterward, we had pizza at home (which I got at the grocery store on sale using coupons).  I made a cake and small gift bags which I made up from items purchased in bulk at a local novelty shop.  The girls loved it! ~ Sherrie 

 

Gift Bag Filler ~ While trying to come up with filler to add to a gift bag, I found an easy answer! I took pieces of wrapping paper I had saved that were too small to use and put them through the paper shredder. What an easy way to come up with colorful filler for the gift bag! ~ S. M. of Kearney, MO

 

 

CREAMY COMPANY CHICKEN

(Delicious and easy, but try microwaving the bacon for a minute or two to release some unwanted fat!)

 

8 chicken breasts, boneless, skinned                      1/2 pint. sour cream
8 slices bacon                                                             1  4-oz. pkg. chipped beef
1 can cream of mushroom soup
 
Arrange chicken breasts in a large baking dish.  Lay a strip of bacon on each piece with chipped beef arranged on top.  Mix soup and sour cream and pour over all.  That's it!  To prepare ahead of time, assemble and cover with foil, then refrigerate overnight.  When ready to serve the next day, bake for 3 hours at 275 degrees.  Wrap scrubbed potaotes in foil to bake along side of chicken.

 

BABY CONGRATULATIONS ~ 1 GIRL AND 2 BOYS!

Ansley Grace Ohanian was joyfully welcomed on April 14, 2004 by her parents, John and Robin Ohanian.  She is their first child as well as the first grandchild of Larry and Cindy Arrington, all of Virginia.

 

Noah Kent Gay, was born to Nathanael and Katie Gay on March 13, 2004.  Noah was the first grandchild of Sid and Jennie Smith of Virginia.  Then their second grandchild, Ethan James Smith, was also welcomed in Washington state by his parents, Matt and Liz Smith on June 3, 2004, giving Sid and Jennie Smith of Virginia a double blessing - their first two grandchildren in less than three months!  (An interesting tidbit from Lois ~ One of Sid and Jennie's grandsons was born 3 days before my husband's birthday and the other 3 days after mine ~ not that anyone cares, but I thought it was interesting!)

 

Love from your "Heart to Heart" friend,

Lois

 

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:  And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everylasting. ~ Psalm 139: 23-24

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

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