Quote from Forum Archives on July 28, 2009, 7:13 pm

Posted by: jhbreneman <jhbreneman@...>

 

  HEART TO HEART NEWSLETTER
ENCOURAGEMENT TO WOMEN

Compiled especially for you with love by Lois Breneman

~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~
7/28/09 Hope for Marriage, Character, Freebies, Snacks, Hydrangeas, Lots of Family Smiles, Babies
~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~

Please let me know if you stop receiving the newsletter, but did not unsubscribe. 
Send ADDRESS CHANGES to Remain on the E-mailing List - Reply to newsletter with your name, plus your  old and new address.  
I suggest you PRINT this newsletter to read at your convenience, but save the original e-mail for checking websites.
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:  
A TWO-PART WEDDING NEWSLETTER IS PLANNED FOR EARLY AUGUST
IS THERE HOPE FOR AMERICAN MARRIAGE?
TEACHING CHARACTER TO THREE-YEAR-OLDS
PRINTABLE FREEBIES TO MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER
FA M I L Y
THEY SAID IT COULDN'T BE DONE
THE CHURCH GOER
PEANUT BUTTER AND HONEY GRANOLA BARS
SUNFLOWER JEWEL COOKIES
HOW TO NATURALLY DRY HYDRANGEAS
LOTS OF FAMILY SMILES!
MISINTERPRETATIONS
BABY CONGRATULATIONS
 

A TWO-PART WEDDING NEWSLETTER IS PLANNED FOR EARLY AUGUST
        For those planning weddings, hopefully this double issue will provide lots of money saving tips and ideas.  Three ladies who are current or former wedding planners plus Heart to Heart subscribers have shared information for this issue.  Young mothers with toddlers, those weddings come before you realize the time could have possibly passed by so quickly, so this will be for you as well. 
        With all the good wedding information I have to work with, the Wedding Newsletter is taking more time than I had expected, so we'll end the month of July with this newsletter, and plan to get the double edition sent next week.

IS THERE HOPE FOR AMERICAN MARRIAGE?
by Dave Boehi - © Copyright 2009 by FamilyLife. All rights reserved - Used by permission from Family Life

I wasn't surprised to see the cover story on marriage in America in a recent issue of Time magazine. In previous weeks we had learned of two prominent politicians who admitted they had cheated on their wives, and the marital woes of Jon and Kate Gosselin had become a national conversation.

Writer Caitlin Flanagan discussed these events in her Time article, "Is There Hope for American Marriage?" But I was pleased to see that she used them as a springboard to make a spirited defense of marriage, which she wrote can either be "a vehicle for the nurture and protection of each other, the one reliable shelter in an uncaring world" or "a matchless tool for the infliction of suffering on the people you supposedly love above all others, most of all on your children."

The article was full of truths that you normally don't find in a national magazine like Time:

" ... the intact, two-parent family remains our cultural ideal, but it exists under constant assault. It is buffeted by affairs and ennui, subject to the eternal American hope for greater happiness, for changing the hand you dealt yourself. Getting married for life, having children and raising them with your partner--this is still the way most Americans are conducting adult life, but the numbers who are moving in a different direction continue to rise."

"There is no other single force causing as much measurable hardship and human misery in this country as the collapse of marriage. It hurts children, it reduces mothers' financial security, and it has landed with particular devastation on those who can bear it least: the nation's underclass."

"America's obsession with high-profile marriage flameouts ... reflects a collective ambivalence toward the institution: our wish that we could land ourselves in a lasting union, mixed with our feeling of vindication, or even relief, when a standard bearer for the "traditional family" fails to pull it off. This is ultimately self-defeating."

What's the purpose?

Flanagan notes that, in the end, we need to ask ourselves what marriage is all about. Is it, in her words, "simply an institution that has the capacity to increase the pleasure of the adults who enter into it"? If so, it won't last. A marriage built only on pleasure will die when the pleasure goes away.

Or, she writes, is marriage about raising the next generation--"to protect and teach it, to instill in it the habits of conduct and character that will ensure the generation's own safe passage into adulthood"?

And that's the only place I found myself disagreeing with Flanagan. The vision she casts about the purpose of marriage feels incomplete and a bit utilitarian. Yes, marriage is about raising up the next generation. But it's also much more.

In FamilyLife's Weekend to Remember marriage conferences, two of the most eye-opening sessions for many couples are on God's purpose and plan for marriage. Few people know much about what the Bible says about marriage. They are surprised to learn that, as described in the first two chapters of Genesis, marriage is the first institution created by God.

1. God desires that a husband and wife complete each other (Genesis 2:19-22). When God calls you to marry, He gives you a spouse who, by divine design, will complete you. Together you will be stronger and more effective than when you are apart.

2. God desires that a husband and wife multiply a godly legacy (Genesis 1:28). Children are a key part of God's plan. Although some couples are not able to have biological children of their own, part of God's intent is for every married couple to be ministering down into the next generation--passing on their faith in God so others can pass it on to still others. Psalm 78:1-4 makes it clear that the family is one of the best environments in which this can happen.

3. God desires that a husband and wife experience oneness. Genesis 2:24 says that a husband and wife shall become "one flesh" and God wants us to experience all the excitement and pleasure and romance that is part of a committed relationship. But oneness involves even more. As Dennis and Barbara Rainey write in Staying Close:

A Oneness Marriage is a husband and wife who are crafting intimacy, trust, and understanding with one another. It's a couple who is chiseling out a common direction, common purpose, and common plan for their lives. A Oneness Marriage demands a lifetime process of relying on God and forging an enduring relationship according to His design. It's more than a mere mingling of two humans--it's a tender merger of body, soul and spirit.

4. God desires that a husband and wife mirror His image (Genesis 1:26-27). God chooses to reveal to us a part of His character and being through our relationships. For example, God is love, therefore we can love. When we forgive others, we reflect Him who forgave us in Christ (see Ephesians 4:32).

Why is this important? Because God created us to know Him and to live within the context of His plan for our lives. When a man and woman come together in a marriage with God at the center of their relationship, they will reflect His image. The world will see in that relationship a representation of who God is and how He loves.

Marriage was created by God for our good, for the good of our society, and for His plan to be fulfilled. It's about companionship, pleasure, responsibility, commitment, romance, raising the next generation--the whole package. It's the most difficult and yet the most fulfilling relationship we experience during our time on earth. And that's why it's worth fighting for.

To learn more about God's purposes and plan for marriage, read Staying Close, by Dennis and Barbara Rainey. Also, attend one of our Weekend to Remember conferences. Click here for a list of our fall conference locations.
                                                                          Marriage Memo archives

TEACHING CHARACTER TO THREE-YEAR-OLDS
This idea was taken from the CD series, "Parenting Toddlers, Establishing Healthy Patterns from the Start," by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN.   Used by permission

Different character qualities can be emphasized at different developmental stages. A newborn, for example, learns about love, trust, and a positive view of the world because of the loving care given by parents. As children grow and develop, new character qualities are added to the picture. Preschoolers are at a strategic age to learn so much about life. Creativity, compassion, patience, confidence, and cooperation are just a few of the many new qualities that begin to develop during these years.

Two character qualities, in particular, become a focus in the parent/child relationship: Self-discipline and responsiveness to authority. But please don't think that teaching these qualities requires harshness, demandingness, or an authoritarian approach. Rather, these qualities can be taught with a loving firmness that prepares children for greater success in life.

Preschoolers learn self-discipline skills by coming when called instead of running away. These children also learn about a bedtime and how to hold a parent's hand in a store or out in public. Children resist these attempts to help them learn to give up their agenda, but that's what self-discipline is all about. Even adults resist a diet, staying on a budget, or an exercise program. If we can teach children self-discipline when they're preschoolers, they'll begin to develop significant tools for when they get older.

Talk about self-discipline with preschoolers. They may not understand the term yet, but they'll grow into it. We can teach self-discipline through a number of family rules. When we go into a store, we have the "No Touch Rule." When in a library or bank, we may use the "Don't be Wild Rule." When you first teach rules like these, start by making them fun. Teach the rules like a game, then put them into practice in life and enforce the new rules with repetition and practice.

"But my kids won't do these things," you may say. And maybe they won't unless you practice. But the preschool years are an excellent time to build some character qualities that will last a long time in a child's life.

 

PRINTABLE FREEBIES TO MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER

http://www.marysfreebies.com/printable.htm ~ These are just a few

Free USA Presidents Word Search Game,  Free Printable Absolutely Incredible Kid Day Coupons

Free Printable Home Cleaning Chore Charts, PBS Kids - Things To Print, Free Printable Sears Portrait Coupon
Free Printable Scrapbooking Layouts, Plants Word Unscramble, Free Children's Church Curriculum Download,

Free e-Bible Download, Free Printable Thank You Cards With Envelopes, Free Printable Lunchbox Love Notes,

Free Printable Spice Shelf Seasoning Chart (PDF Format)

And look at this one! Free Printable Daily Planner Sheets - NICE!!!  This link has all of these lists below:

Groceries - Grocery List Address List (Contacts) Week's Menu To Do List Shopping List Daily Appointment Sheet Calls to Make

Kids Activities Goal of the Week Chores Babysitter Checklist Bills for the Month Internet Email & ICQ List

Birthdays Memberships Online Accounts Software List Important Numbers Supplier List House Repairs

FA M I L Y
Author unknown ~ Strive to be kind, considerate and respectful to those in your home, as you are to those in church!

I ran into a stranger as he passed by,
"Oh excuse me please" was my reply.
He said, "Please excuse me too;
I wasn't watching for you."
We were very polite, this stranger and I.
We went on our way and we said goodbye.

But at home a different story is told,
How we treat our loved ones, young and old.
Later that day, cooking the evening meal,
My son stood beside me very still.
When I turned, I nearly knocked him down.
"Move out of the way," I said with a frown.
He walked away, his little heart broken.

I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.

 

While I lay awake in bed,
God's still small voice came to me and said,
"While dealing with a stranger,
common courtesy you use,
but the family you love, you seem to abuse.

Go and look on the kitchen floor,
You'll find some flowers there by the door.
Those are the flowers he brought for you.
He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue.
He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise,
you never saw the tears that filled his little eyes."

By this time, I felt very small,
And now my tears began to fall.
I quietly went and knelt by his bed;
"Wake up, little one, wake up," I said.
"Are these the flowers you picked for me?"
He smiled, "I found 'em, out by the tree.
I picked 'em because they're pretty like you.

I knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue."

I said, "Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today;
I shouldn't have yelled at you that way."
He said, "Oh, Mom, that's okay.
I love you anyway."
I said, "Son, I love you too,
and I do like the flowers, especially the blue."

Do you know what the word FAMILY means?
FAMILY = (F)ATHER (A)ND (M)OTHER (I) (L)OVE (Y)OU

 

 

THEY SAID IT COULDN'T BE DONE
Author unknown.  Do your children say, "No, I can't!"  This is a great poem for children to memorize before school begins.  Philippians 4:13 is a great scripture verse to go along with this poem:  "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

 

Somebody said that it couldn't be done,
But he with a chuckle replied,
That maybe it couldn't, but he would be one
Who wouldn't say "No" till he tried.
So he buckled right in, with a trace of a grin
On his face.  If he worried, he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done and he DID it!

 

THE CHURCH GOER 

A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday.  "I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them.  So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all."

 

This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:

 

I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals.  But I do know this: They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!"
                                          
When Satan is knocking at your door, simply say, "Jesus could you get that for me?"

 

PEANUT BUTTER AND HONEY GRANOLA BARS

http://healthy.betterrecipes.com
Note from Lois: Make this recipe even healthier by using unsweetened coconut from a health food store, old fashioned rolled oats and natural PB.  Get a jump on school lunches by making these ahead and freezing these delicious treats.

3 1/4 cups rolled oats
1 cup chopped nuts
3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup peanut butter
1 beaten egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup coconut
2/3 cup melted butter

Mix oats, coconut, and nuts with melted butter, spread on baking sheet and toast at 350 F for 20 minutes. In large bowl, mix remaining ingredients, add toasted ingredients, press into 13X9" lightly greased baking pan, bake 22 minutes at 350, cool slightly on wire rack, cut into desired size bars, cool completely in pan.

SUNFLOWER JEWEL COOKIES
Source unknown

1/2 cup pure maple syrup                                            1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup tahini (sesame butter)                                    1/3 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups rolled oats

 

In a mixing bowl, place maple syrup and tahini. Stir until creamy. Add remaining ingredients and stir well. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto greased tray. Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes, just until lightly browned. Cool on tray. These are very tasty treats.
Note: Honey could replace maple syrup, but be sure not to give honey to babies under a year of age.  Honey can cause botulism in babies under a year, but it's safe for babies older than a year.

HOW TO NATURALLY DRY HYDRANGEAS
by Lesley Dietschy -  http://www.crafty-moms.com/dry-hydrangeas.shtml  See more fun crafts at www.crafty-moms.com.  
Description: How to dry hydrangeas to make a beautiful flower arrangement.

Beautiful, colorful hydrangeas are amongst the most popular flowers to be used in dried floral arrangements. The most important step in preserving and drying hydrangeas is choosing the right time to cut them. Follow the helpful steps below and you'll be on your way to creating a beautiful dried floral arrangement.

1. Hydrangeas have two types of flowers on each head. The larger flowers have a small flower on top. At the end of the blooming season (late summer) the small flowers will have almost opened up. Also at this time, the flowers will begin to age and take on a vintage look. This is the prime time to cut the hydrangeas.

2. Cut the stems 12-18 inches down from the base of the flowers and remove the leaves.

3. Position the flowers in a vase filled with fresh water. At least half of the stem should be submerged in water.

4. Place the vase away from direct sunlight in a cool, dry location.

5. The water will evaporate naturally from the vase. Do not refill the vase with water. After the water has completely evaporated, the hydrangeas should be dry. They are now ready to use in dried floral arrangements.

To make a dried hydrangea wreath you will need:

• Styrofoam wreath in desired size
• Wire U pins
• Dried hydrangeas

Before attaching the hydrangeas to the Styrofoam wreath, immerse the flower heads in warm water for approximately 15 minutes. This causes the flowers to become more pliable, prevent breakage, and allow the flowers to be torn apart to the right size. Attach the hydrangeas to the Styrofoam wreath using the wire U pins. After the wreath is completed, it must be dried again for approximately 24-48 hours.

To make a hydrangea basket you will need:

• Basket
• Dried hydrangeas

To make a basket of hydrangeas, simply arrange the dried flowers in one of your favorite baskets. This basket is now ready to be placed on a coffee table, nightstand or hallway table for the perfect home decorating accent.

There are numerous arrangements and crafts you can make with beautiful dried hydrangeas. Try your hand at drying and arranging a beautiful hydrangea creation today!

Lesley Dietschy is a freelance writer and the creator/editor of The Home Decor Exchange. The Home Decor Exchange is a popular home and garden website featuring resources, a shopping marketplace, articles, decorating pictures, decorating advice, free projects, and more. http://www.HomeDecorExchange.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lesley_Dietschy

Related articles:                                                           Back from the beach?  Make a Sea Shell Candle!
Creative Nature Crafts for Kids                                   http://www.crafty-moms.com/sea-shell-candles.shtml
Make A Stunning Dried Hydrangea Wreath
How to Air-Dry Flowers 

 

LOTS OF FAMILY SMILES!
(Ladies, are you scribbling down the cute things your kids do and say, along with their name and date, and saving them in an envelope?  I hope you are!  Someday you will be so glad you preserved them.  When you have an empty nest, you can type them up and give each expectant daughter and daughter-in-law a notebook, compiling all those adorable sayings from your family!  It will be a priceless treasure to her!  Only two of these below are from our family.)

       

   Little Zachary was doing very badly in math.  His parents had tried everything. Tutors, Mentors, flash cards, Special learning centers. In short, everything they could think of to help his math.

        Finally, in a last ditch effort, they took Zachary down and enrolled him in the local Catholic school. After the first day, little Zachary came home with a very serious look on his face. He didn't even kiss his mother Hello.

        Instead, he went straight to his room and started studying. Books and papers were spread out all over the room and little Zachary was hard at work. His mother was amazed. She called him down to dinner.

        To her shock, the minute he was done, he marched back to his room without a word, and in no time, he was back hitting the books as hard as before. This went on for some time, day after day, while the mother tried to understand what made all the difference.

        Finally, little Zachary brought home his report card. He quietly laid it on the table, went up to his room and hit the books.
With great trepidation, his Mom looked at it and to her great surprise, little Zachary got an "A" in math.

        She could no longer hold her curiosity.  She went to his room and said, "Son, what was it?  Was it the nuns?"  Little Zachary looked at her and shook his head, no.  "Well, then," she replied, "Was it the books, the discipline, the structure, the uniforms? WHAT WAS IT ALREADY?"  Little Zachary looked at her and said, "Well, on the first day of school when I saw that guy nailed to the plus sign, I knew they weren't fooling around."

 

        The minister of a well-attended, strong, and enthusiastic church often showed himself ready and able to deal with any situation that might come up. One Sunday, just as he was reaching the climax of his sermon, his own young son entered the church, ran to the center aisle, started making loud beeps and vrrrmms like a car without a muffler, then zoomed right toward him. The minister stopped his sermon, pointed severely at his son, and commanded, "Jimmy, park the car immediately beside your mother on that bench (pointing), turn off the ignition, and hand her the keys." The sermon continued undisturbed ... after a good laugh by the congregation. 

 

The Sunday School teacher was describing how Lot's wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt - when little Jason interrupted, "My Mummy looked back once, while she was driving," he announced triumphantly, "And she turned into a telephone pole!"

 

Pointing at each figure, the teacher said, "That must be Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus. But who's the fourth person?"
"Oh, that's Pontius - the pilot!"

 

A two-and-a-half-year-old walked into the bathroom while her mother was putting on make-up.
"I'm going to look just like you, Mommy!" she announced.
"Maybe, when you grow up," her mother told her.
"No Mommy, tomorrow. I just put on that 'Oil of Old Lady' you always use."

 

A ten year old boy fell off his bike and hurt his knee pretty badly, next door to his home and hobbled home, crying.  He whimpered to his mom that his big sister had some "big bandages" in her bedroom that would cover the big sore on his knee.  The mother didn't know which bandages he meant, so he went and got them and came back carrying a "Maxi-thin!"

 

A normally sweet, happy and well-behaved little two year old boy was out of sorts one day.  He tore one of his books, threw a ripening tomato off the sundeck, smashing it to smithereens, and stuck out his tongue at another child at the pool!  My child! 

 

The following "Family Smiles" are from the Parenting Tip e-mail from the National Center for Biblical Parenting, written by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN.  www.biblicalparenting.org   Used by permission

 

        At one point during a little league game, the coach gathered his players around him and said, "Do you boys understand why we play baseball?" 
        One boy answered, "To have fun, coach."  
        "That's right! And do you understand that what's more important than winning or losing? 
        Another boy answered, "The attitude we have during the game."
        All the boys are in agreement and nodding their heads.
        "So," the coach continued, "When a strike is called, or you're out at first, you don't argue or curse or attack the umpire.  Do you understand all that?"  There was no question, all the boys agreed.   
        "Good," said the coach.  "Now go over there to the bleachers and explain that to your parents."

 

Even though we were on a shoestring grad-student budget, my wife insisted we pay off the hospital bill when our son was born. Now we had to figure out how to meet our other financial obligations. We were discussing this one night when the baby began crying for a diaper change. As my wife picked him up, she sighed, "He's the only thing in this house that's paid for - and he leaks."

 

        A man observed a woman in the grocery store with a three-year-old girl in her shopping cart. As they passed the cookie section, the child asked for cookies and her mother told her "no." The little girl immediately began to whine and fuss, and the mother said quietly, "Now Ellen, we just have half of the aisles left to go through; don't be upset. It won't be long." 
        He passed the mom again in the candy aisle. Of course, the little girl began to shout for candy. When she was told she couldn't have any, she began to cry. The mother said, "There, there, Ellen, don't cry. Only two more aisles to go, and then we'll be checking out." 
        The man again happened to be behind the pair at the check-out, where the little girl immediately began to clamor for gum and burst into a terrible tantrum upon discovering there would be no gum purchased today. The mother patiently said, "Ellen, we'll be through this check out stand in five minutes, and then you can go home and have a nice nap." 
        The man followed them out to the parking lot and stopped the woman to compliment her. "I couldn't help noticing how patient you were with little Ellen." 
        The mother broke in, "My little girl's name is Tammy.  I'm Ellen."     

 

        One evening after dinner, five-year-old Brian noticed that his mother had gone out. I told him, "Mommy is at a Tupperware party." This explanation satisfied him for only a moment. Puzzled, he asked, "What's a Tupperware party, Dad?" I've always given my son honest answers, so I figured a simple explanation would be the best approach. "Well, Brian," I said, "at a Tupperware party, a bunch of ladies sit around and sell plastic bowls to each other." Brian nodded, indicating that he understood this curious pastime. Then he burst into laughter. "Come on, Dad," he said. "What is it really?"

        When Mr Johnson stopped the school bus to pick up little April for preschool, he noticed an older woman hugging her as she left the house. "Is that your grandmother?" Mr Johnson asked.
        "Yes, he's come to visit us for a week."
        "How nice," Mr Johnson replied. "Where does she live?"
        "At the airport," the little girl replied. "Whenever we want her, we just go out there and get her." 

 

        A little boy was taken to the dentist. It was discovered that he had a cavity that would have to be filled. "Now, young man," asked the dentist, "what kind of filling would you like for that tooth?" "Chocolate, please," replied the youngster. 

 

A little girl asked Jesus into her heart one Sunday to the delight of her parents.  The next day, she got mad at her little brother and hit him.  Her father saw this and said, "I thought Jesus was living in your heart."  She replied, "He is, but I think He's sleeping right now."

        "Mom, I know how to spell 'sex' " my five-year-old son, Billy, reported as he entered the kitchen. 
        Not wanting to overreact I took a deep breath and responded in as calm a voice as I could, "Oh, really, where did you hear that word?"
        "I don't know, but I know how to spell it," he persisted. 
        "Okay," I said, "how do you spell it?"
        "S-E-C-S" Billy responded confidently. 
        "Okay, I smiled, "Do you know what that means?" I said, preparing myself for where this conversation was going.
        "Sure, it's short for seconds."    

One dad said, "I have four kids and I'm better off than the man who has four million dollars. I know that because the man who has four million dollars wants five."

One mom said, "I have a daughter who, from the time she could talk, has tried her hand at negotiating with me. Even though my husband and I don't give in to her antics she still continues. She apparently believes that if she can just make me understand her position than I'll gladly change my mind. One day when she was just 2 1/2 years old, after a discipline time, she came to me and said, "Mommy, I've got an idea.  How about you don't say 'No' anymore and we'll all be happy."

        A school teacher was helping one of her kindergarten students put on his snow boots. Even with her pulling and him pushing, the little boots didn't want to go on. After getting the second boot on, the little boy said, "They're on the wrong feet."
        She looked, and sure enough, they were. It wasn't any easier pulling the boots off than it was putting them on but she managed to keep her cool as together they worked to get the boots on the right feet.
        He then announced, "These aren't my boots." She bit her tongue rather than scream, "Why didn't you say so?" Once again, she struggled to help him pull the ill-fitting boots off his little feet. 
        No sooner had they gotten the boots off when he said, "They're my brother's boots.  My mom made me wear 'em."  Now she didn't know if she should laugh or cry.  She mustered up what grace and courage she had left to wrestle the boots on his feet again.
        Helping him into his coat, she asked, "Now, where are your mittens?"  He said, "I stuffed 'em in the toes of my boots."

        Our neighbors were going on vacation and asked my ten-year-old daughter, Sara, to take care of their dog. She would have to feed and walk the dog every day and especially give him lots of love. Then my neighbor asked Sara what the job would be worth to her.  Sara thought for a moment and said, "I'd really like that job.  I could give you five dollars."  Needless to say, she got the job. 

        While waiting for an elevator in a shopping mall, one mom bent down to remind her young boys that it's polite to wait at the side of the doors so people can get off before you get on.  As she straightened up, she saw ten adults quickly lining up to the side behind her children. 

 

A mother with two young children put them to bed and went to prepare herself for bed. She put on some old clothes and went to the bathroom. She washed her hair and wrapped a towel around her head to dry her hair. She applied cold cream on her face to remove her makeup. Just as she was about to wipe off the cream, she heard the noise of her children playing in their room. She stormed into the room, forced her two small children back into bed, reminded them that it was time to sleep, turned out the light and slammed the door. As she left the room, one of the children asked the other, "Who was that?"

 

        Upon discovering her first gray hair one mom immediately wrote to her parents, "Dear Dad and Mom, You saw my first steps. You might want to experience this with me too." She taped the offending hair to the paper and mailed it. 

        A few days later she received the following response, "Thank you, but I just want you to know that this is not the first gray hair you've given us!"

 

        A woman frantically called out to her husband who was working in the yard. "Our son swallowed a nickel so I turned him upside down and hit him on the back and he coughed up two dimes. What should I do?" 
        Her husband replied, "Keep feeding him nickels!"  

 

 

MISINTERPRETATIONS    
Thanks to JoAnn Taylor in Arkansas for sending this!

 

When my twin daughters were young, I taught them to say this prayer before going to bed. As I listened outside their door, I could hear them say, "Give us this steak and daily bread, and forgive us our mattresses." My husband and I always had a good laugh over this. That was over 50 years ago, and the memory still remains in my heart. 

 

Groton, MA -  My mother spent her early childhood saying, "Hail Mary, full of grapes." 

 

Missoula, MT. - My son, who is in nursery school, said, "Our Father, who art in Heaven, how didja know my name?"

 

Uniontown, OH - I remember thinking this prayer was "Give us this day our jelly bread." 

 

Covina, CA - I recall reading something years ago about the Pledge of Allegiance. Some child thought it began, "I led the pigeons to the  flag." 

 

Cleveland, OH - When I was little, I often wondered who Richard Stands was. You know: "I pledge allegiance to the flag . . . And to the republic for Richard Stands." 

 

Tampa, FL. - When my husband was 6 years old, he thought a certain Prayer was "He suffered under a bunch of violets." The real words were "under Pontius Pilate," but at that age, he didn't know better. To this day, we still snicker in church whenever that prayer is read. 

 

Oak Harbor, WA - When my older brother was very young, he always walked up to the church altar with my mother when she took communion. On one occasion, he tugged at her arm and asked, "What does the priest say when he gives you the  bread?" Mom whispered something in his ear. Imagine his shock many years later  when he learned that the priest doesn't say, "Be quiet until you get to your  seat." 

 

Grand Junction, CO - When I was younger, I believed the line was "Lead a snot into temptation." I thought I was praying for my little sister to get into trouble.

A 6-year-old was overheard reciting the Lord's Prayer at a church service, "And forgive us our trash passes, as we forgive those who passed trash against us."  

 

 

BABY CONGRATULATIONS 

(Please send along your baby announcements, if you'd like them announced in the newsletter.  Grandmothers, receiving "Heart to Heart" are mentioned in the baby announcements.)

 

Dawson Jarrett Clay, weighing in at 10# was welcomed as the 4th child by his parents, Kevin and Michelle (Crosby) Clay.  He is the 9th grandchild of Jim and Linda Crosby, all living in Virginia.

 

Samuel Lee Spears, born on June 12, 2009, is the second child of Shawn and Andrea (Dooley) Spears, joining his big sister, Julia Rose.  Grandparents, Lee and Betty Dooley, are enjoying their grandchildren.  The families live in Virginia.  

 

  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.

 

-- To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: [email protected]