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8/20/07 TEA PARTY, VASES, SCENTS, MARRIAGE, RECIPES, ROCKETS, BABES

#1 · August 20, 2007, 5:12 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on August 20, 2007, 5:12 pm
Posted by: jhbreneman <jhbreneman@...>
HEART TO HEART NEWSLETTER
ENCOURAGEMENT TO WOMEN
Compiled especially for you with love by Lois Breneman

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8/20/07 TEA PARTY, VASES, SCENTS, MARRIAGE, RECIPES, ROCKETS, BABES

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IN THIS ISSUE:

INVITE OTHER WOMEN TO RECEIVE THE HEART TO HEART NEWSLETTER

CHRISTIAN FAMILY CONCERT WITH MARY RICE HOPKINS!

ASK A NURSE MIDWIFE

YOU, ME & TEA

THE SCENTED HOME
MARRIAGE IS A THREE-LEGGED RACE

JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS

TWO THINGS YOU CAN ALWAYS DO

HOW TO BE A GOOD CONVERSATIONALIST

WORDS

A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING
LOOMPIA (FILIPINO SPRING ROLLS)

SLOWCOOKER BEEF TACOS
IT'S HOT OUTSIDE!

UP-TO-DATE WEATHER REPORTS

THE REAL VALUE OF LEARNING TO OBEY

FILM CANISTER ROCKETS - FUN!

WELCOMING TWO NEW BABIES!

OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES - MOSTLY STORIES ABOUT "DADDY"

INVITE OTHER WOMEN TO RECEIVE THE HEART TO HEART NEWSLETTER

CHRISTIAN FAMILY CONCERT WITH MARY RICE HOPKINS!
By Linda Stevenson, a "Heart to Heart" friend who works with Mary Rice Hopkins

Mary Rice Hopkins (www.maryricehopkins.com) is a "Heart to Heart" friend in California who has written and sung countless songs for children. The Lord and "Heart to Heart" put us together in an East Coast/West Coast work relationship! Mary is coming to the East for a concert, along with Darcie Maze of Puppets With a Heart Ministries! This is a concert for the entire family! In order for the children to get the most out of this concert, they will need their parents to talk with them after the event to reinforce the biblical truths taught.

The concert will be held at First Baptist Church, 515 Third Street in Roanoke, Virginia, on Friday, September 14, at 7:00 P.M. and it is open to everyone. We will only ask for a dollar donation at the door because we would love to pack the place. We are inviting small groups of children from area Christian schools/churches to learn one of Mary's songs and join her on stage to perform with her. We want to have a dozen different churches/schools to participate. If your church has a small group of children that would be interested, let me know. We will assign a song for them to learn along with the hand motions and they will perform it in the program. Just let me know if they would be interested ([email protected]).

On September 15, a day of Teacher Training will be open as well for a small fee. It will be held in the sanctuary of First Church of the Nazarene on 728 Highland Avenue, Roanoke, Virginia, on Saturday, September 15, 2007. It will be taught by Mary and Darcie Maze of Puppets with a Heart Ministries. They will be providing training for children's ministers, teachers, workers.   Your church may contact Betty Robertson ([email protected]) of Creative Christian Ministries about the details.

ASK A NURSE MIDWIFE
By Karen Winstead, ACC Certified Nurse-Midwife - http://www.newlifebirthcenter.net/
Please send your personal questions relating to pregnancy and childbirth that you would like to see addressed by replying to this newsletter. Names of those sending questions will not be included in this column, and the answer will be e-mailed to you before it appears in a newsletter.



Question for the midwife:

I got married at age 32 and had 4 healthy pregnancies about 2 years apart. After that I had 2 miscarriages that were 7 months apart. The first miscarriage was at 9 weeks.  I think I saw a head but no limbs. I had no ultrasound done so I do not know how old the baby was when it stopped growing. The second miscarriage was at 11 weeks. I had an ultrasound done when I started spotting. They say the fetus died at 4 weeks.

What advice do you have for me? As for myself I have not had any health problems that I am aware of. Is there any hope of having another healthy pregnancy? Should I try progesterone? If so, when should I start? It seems like our babies died very early in the pregnancy. Is that something that you take before you know that you are pregnant?

Answer:

I am sorry to hear of your losses. I know it must be very difficult and frustrating. I hope I can be of some help.  There are several things to take into account. I would want to do a full work-up before I could make suggestions. Here are some things I would look at:

Do you have any fibroids on your uterus? They sometimes increase as women get older.

Were your other births vaginal or c-sections?

Have you had any previous uterine surgery such as a D&C (dilatage and curettage) after your previous births to stop bleeding that may affect your uterine lining?

Are you being exposed to environmental chemicals or contaminated water supply? For instance, lead in the water supply can lead to miscarriages.

Anything you are doing differently from previous pregnancies?
Herbal or over the counter medications?

You would probably need a full work-up looking at endocrine function, such as your thyroid levels and blood sugar levels. Diabetes does sometimes develop without women knowing they have it. Taking progesterone after you become pregnant does work for some women but it may be that you have another imbalance that is affecting your bodys own progesterone production. The dose of most medications depends on your blood levels and body mass. I would have to do some research to find out amounts.

Is your blood type Rh negative? If so, did you receive Rhogam with all previous pregnancies?

Is the father of the baby the same as your other children? If not, it could be a genetic factor involved.

Did you or your children experience any illnesses around the time of your pregnancies?

I hope this is helpful. Praying that God will bless you and your husband with the children you desire.

YOU, ME & TEA

By Julie A. Druck, [email protected] - For a free subscription of A Heart for Home, send a blank e-mail to: [email protected] - Used by permission

(Note from Lois: A great idea! If you desire, plain yogurt mixed with Stevia and vanilla can be a substitute for vanilla pudding and even whipped cream. Stevia is an herbal sweetener - a good substitute for sugar.

You, Me & Tea is a little something that my friend and I started doing this summer on occasion. We meet at one of our houses (with kids in tow), prepare lunch, and do projects while our children are off having adventures. Mind you, we dont prepare just any old lunch. Each of us brings two recipes (or so) and the ingredients that go with each. We then spend time together preparing our special luncheon (with tea, of course!). Lots of garnishing of food is involved, as well as decorating of the tea table, choosing music to dine to, and going to the garden to pick fresh ingredients. After eating, we spend time doing some sort of simple project that one of us has planned. Its so much fun!

We thought it might be nice to share our menus and ideas in the hopes that others may be encouraged to form their own little tea club for encouragement, blessings, and the enjoyment of beauty.

Menu Ideas

* Grilled Chicken Salad We used fresh leaf lettuce from the garden mixed with a bag of spring mix and included cucumber, Vidalia onions, baby tomatoes, pieces of grilled chicken, corn bread croutons, and buttery Almond Accents. It was topped with Kens Lite Raspberry-Walnut Vinaigrette.

* Vanilla Fruit Salad Cut up small chunks of desired fruit until you have about 5 cups, reserving juice. We used mandarin oranges, jarred peaches, and fresh strawberries. Add enough water to the juice to make 1 1/2 cups of liquid. Place a small package of instant vanilla pudding in a bowl and stir in liquid mixture. Stir for about 4-6 minutes until mixture is thickened. Pour this over fruit and stir well; chill before serving. To serve, spoon fruit into parfait glasses, add a dollop of whipped cream, and a garnish of mint (see garnish idea below).

* Easy Banana Pudding Parfaits Crush 10 vanilla wafer cookies to form coarse crumbs. Place one-fourth of the crumbs in each of two parfait glasses or dessert dishes; top each with 1 tablespoon of whipped topping, 2 banana slices and 1/2 of the contents of 1 vanilla pudding snack cup. Repeat layers of crumbs, banana slices and pudding snack; cover. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes or up to 4 hours. Immediately before serving, top each parfait with a tablespoon of whipped topping, 1 whole wafer cookie and a banana slice.

* Party Fruit Iced Tea Steep 8 lemon-flavored herbal tea bags in 2 qts. of boiling water for 10 minutes. Remove bags and allow tea to come to room temperature. Add 3 C. of orange juice, 1/2 C. sugar, and plenty of ice; refrigerate until cold. Serve in a teacup with two ice cubes and a lemon garnish (see below).

* Sugar Garnish Dip fresh mint leaves and lemon slices in egg white and granulated sugar. Lay out on a plate and let dry. Use to garnish above items or others.

Decorating Ideas

The table was draped with large white linen towels along with two pretty handkerchiefs. In the center of the table were four paper doilies that we taped together on the undersides. In the midst of the doilies sat a vintage bowl in which we had earlier placed blue-colored ice cubes. We placed a large pink peony in the center of the cubes and as the cubes melted, the flower began to float in the colored water. A classical CD played softly in the background.

Color-Wrapped Vases

After photographing the lovely display of food and centerpiece, we ate lunch, cleaned up and began our project for the day floss-covered vases. (By the way, our children didnt dine with us. We gave them lunch before sitting down to ours a much simpler fare suited to their tastes!).

Wash a pretty-shaped glass bottle. Place a dot of glue at the bottom edge of bottle. Begin wrapping embroidery floss around bottle, keeping wraps close together and applying more dots of glue as needed. (Use as little glue as possible as it will show when dry.) To change colors, cut floss and glue end in place. Continue making stripes of color until bottle is covered with floss. Let glue dry. SOME TIPS: Have a general idea of the color pattern you want ahead of time so that you have enough floss of the right colors. Also, its easier and neater to lay the bottle on a table and roll it to wrap the floss versus holding the bottle in your hand and wrapping the floss around it.

THE SCENTED HOME
Copyright © J Black. For more ideas and resources log on to http://www.netwrite-publish.com

Used by permission

Nothing is more memorable than a smell. One scent can be unexpected, momentary and fleeting, yet conjure up a childhood summer beside a lake in the mountains. - Diane Ackerman

Scent plays a key role in expressing style and creating ambiance and is at the forefront of design trends for personalizing your space with beautiful scents that fill entire rooms with fragrance to add a new sensual dimension to your home.

Of all our five senses, smell is the most basic instinctual sense and thought to be the one most closely linked to emotions. Scenting stores and products is a recent development designed to make us stay longer and enhance our experience.

With home renovation and redecorating at an all-time high, people are discovering that sight is not the only important sense when it comes to home design. Just as people make their homes true havens by accentuating rooms with elements like colour, fabric and furnishings, they are increasingly using favourite fragrances as a way to create an ambiance.

Here are a few ways to incorporate scent into your home:

Flowers

A behavioural study conducted at Harvard University shows people feel more compassionate toward others, have less worry and anxiety and feel less depressed when flowers are present in their home. The visual appearance, and the subtle scent that flowers impart, adds a deeply personal touch to any room whether you prefer a simple bouquet of sweet peas on your nightstand, an elegant arrangement of lilies in the foyer or a floral centrepiece on the dining room table.

Flowers provide a key visual element in home decoration to accessories and transform a living space and to infuse it with colour and style. They are often used to tie the colours, elements, or textures of a room together to create a harmonious theme in the surrounding decor and the scent of flowers is one of the easiest ways to bring the scents of nature found in the garden into your home.

Candles

A growing interest in fragrances from candles is one of the latest focal points in home décor. Candles can be considered as aromatherapy for the home that warm the heart and lighten the spirit.

Scented candles impart a fragrant ambience and aroma throughout the home filling entire rooms with their scent to create an individual signature style.

Scented candles can be used to add charm to a table setting, gently illuminate a hallway and dramatize a space. Place multiple candles in an alluring array of holders and arrange them on shelves, ledges and on the porch for all-around ambiance and style.

Essential Oils

When guests first enter your home the first thing that greets them is the aroma or "scenterior" of your home. Essential oils can play a role through cleaning the air rather than masking smells present. To use essential oils add 6-8 drops of your favourite scent to water in a diffuser or place drops directly into a bowl of boiling water to release their scent into the room.

Hallways are the place where we greet our guests. Use lemon, lime, bergamot or grapefruit. Lavender or geranium can be mixed with any of these. Lavender is uplifting in the morning and geranium has a calming effect and good for afternoons when you may need to wind down at the end of the day.

Opt for naturally calming scents, like lavender and vanilla, in your bedroom. Add zest to your living areas with lemon or eucalyptus.

Citronella is clean and fresh and gives a feeling of peacefulness and security.

Peppermint is also fresh and invigorating and is ideal for active areas.

Lavender is soothing and calming and assists in relaxing the body and mind.

Sweet orange, lemon and your favourite spice oil are especially good when diffused during the winter months for a refreshing, warming aroma and atmosphere.

To rid a room of stale tobacco or cooking smells use cinnamon, eucalyptus, lavender, lemon, orange, tea tree, rosemary or lime for their ability to freshen and cleanse the air of stagnant smells throughout the house.

Saturate cotton wool balls and place in the corners of a room, in cupboards or out-of-the-way places to fragrance kitchens and living areas.

As an air-freshener put 6-8 drops in 600 ml of water in a fine spray bottle and spray into the air and towards carpets and curtains. Do not spray onto velvet of silk and avoid spraying directly onto wood.

Wash down kitchen surfaces using 1 drop of lemon, thyme, cypress, lavender or Palma Rosa placed directly on a cloth or alternatively 7 drops in water.

Clean your fridge with a one drop of orange, mandarin, mint, lavender or lemon oil added to the final rinse water to rid your fridge of odours.

Copyright Netwrite-Publish Home & Garden. For more ideas for home, garden and everyday living visit http://www.netwrite-publish.com

MARRIAGE IS A THREE-LEGGED RACE
By Dennis and Barbara Rainey

Do two men walk together unless they have made an appointment?

Amos 3:3

Among my favorite childhood memories are the picnics our family held every summer. I played all kinds of games with my cousins, including the three-legged race, which was everyone's favorite.

To make the game more interesting, partners were often tied together so one faced backward and the other forward. The starter gave the signal, and what happened next would best be described as chaos. Everyone would cheer as the forward-facing participants would half drag, half carry their backward-facing teammates toward the finish line. There were always plenty of grass-stained knees, piercing screams and roars of laughter.

The three-legged race is hard enough when everyone is facing the same direction. The teams can lock arms and step out in unison. They might stumble and fall along the way, but they always get there much faster and more efficiently.

A marriage is a lot like the three-legged race. A husband and wife can face in the same direction and try to run in step with each other, or they can run in totally different directions. I've counseled couples where the wives were headed south at 65 miles an hour and the husbands were going north at 90 miles per hour! When that happens, it means pain, difficulty and isolation.

One woman said, "My husband and I have been married for 20 years. There is nothing he wouldn't do for me and there is nothing I wouldn't do for him ... and that's exactly what we do for each other - nothing."

One reason many couples face different directions in the race is they have bought into the illusion fostered by the popular culture's claim that we can live independently of each other. A healthy marriage requires two people who agree to become mutually dependent on each other.

When was the last time you and your spouse sat down and talked about the race you're running and the direction you're facing? It could explain why there's been some pain recently.

Discuss: Do you sometimes feel you and your mate are not always moving in the same direction? In what ways? Be specific.

Pray: That God will show you, as a couple, the race He wants you to run, the direction He wants you to face and the pace for the race.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Excerpted from "Moments Together for Couples" by Dennis and Barbara Rainey.
Copyright 1995 by Dennis and Barbara Rainey. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

To purchase the book:www.familylife.com/1-800-358-6329/detail.asp?id=1170

JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS

-- Maude Coggin in KneEmail #760 - http://www.oakhillcoc.org

        Driving home one night, Bill picked up a hitchhiker. As they rode along, Bill began to feel suspicious of his passenger and checked to see if his wallet was safe in his pocket. It wasn't there! Bill slammed on the brakes and ordered the hitchhiker out, demanding that he hand over the wallet. The frightened hitchhiker gave him a billfold and Bill drove away. Arriving home, he began telling his wife about the experience. She said to him, "Bill, you left your wallet at home this morning."

        In Jesus' day, the scribes and Pharisees were quick to judge others while not realizing they had far worse faults in their own lives. Jesus rebuked them for seeing a speck in another's eye while they had a plank blocking their own vision.

        Thought: Many relationships have been hurt because someone was too quick to judge. Don't jump to conclusions. "And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?" (Luke 6:41).

TWO THINGS YOU CAN ALWAYS DO

from The Music of His Promises by Elisabeth Elliot

Is there any restlessness worse than the kind that comes when we feel that something must be done, but we cannot for the life of us figure out what. We are afraid, frustrated, guilty, angry, and helpless all at the same time. Be at peace! There are two definite things you can always do, no matter how bad the situation.

    "How deep I am sunk in misery, growing in my distress:

    1. Yet I will wait for God;

    2. I will praise Him continually" (Ps. 42:5, 11)

There they are. Try them. Set your mind on the One who is in charge, trust Him to work things out according to His perfect plan ("God has no problems, only plans!" said Corrie ten Boom). While you are waiting, sing.

HOW TO BE A GOOD CONVERSATIONALIST
By Chuck and Eileen Rife, Lifetime Growth News, www.iwanttomakemymarriagework.com, Used by permission

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another."
-Galatians 5:22-26 NASB

Ever walk into a social setting--maybe an office party, family reunion, or church potluck--look around and wonder: What in the world am I going to talk about with these people? I don't know half of them and I don't even like some of them!

If we're honest, we've all felt that way at times. Dutifully polite. Or horribly tongue-tied. Or worse yet, afflicted with "hoof" in mouth disease!

We have good news! God's Word, practical for any and every situation, once again comes to the rescue with timely instruction on how to be a good conversationalist.

Galatians 5:22-23 cuts right to the heart of the issue:
Focus on the other person, rather than yourself.

LOVE seeks the best for the other person.
JOY leaps when another reports a success.
PEACE calms another's soul.
PATIENCE listens to what the other person has to share.
KINDNESS offers to help when there is a need.
GOODNESS offers support.
FAITHFULNESS sticks close when the person is down or hard to deal with.
GENTLENESS soothes the broken heart.
SELF-CONTROL chooses words wisely and refuses to get the last word in on every topic.

TRY reading Galatians 5:22-23 every day this week. Then ask God to bring His fruit to your remembrance the next time you are in a gathering of people and you need a little direction.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control: against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another."

Look around you and you'll be distressed; look within yourself and you'll be depressed; look at Jesus, and you'll be at rest! - Corrie ten Boom

WORDS

Author unknown

Take time to think; It is the source of power.
Take time to read; It is the foundation of wisdom.
Take time to play; It is the secret of staying young.
Take time to be quiet; It is the opportunity to seek God.
Take time to be aware; It is the opportunity to help others.
Take time to love and be loved; It is God's greatest gift.
Take time to laugh; It is the music of the soul.
Take time to be friendly; It is the road of happiness.
Take time to dream; It is what the future is made of.
Take time to pray; It is the greatest power on earth.

A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING
by Monica Resinger, http://homemakersjournal.com/, Used by permission

So, you've made the excellent decision to get organized, you've sorted through your belongings and you now have only items that you love and are usable. This may be for one small area of your home, a few areas, a drawer or two, or the whole house. However much you have done, it is an accomplishment no matter how big or small, so congratulations!

A very important aspect of being and staying organized is to have a place for everything. If you don't have a place for everything, then it all starts piling up again and pretty soon you're keeping everything because it's hard to tell what's what and what's where. Here's the scenario: You don't have a home for anything and whenever the mail comes in or you go shopping, you just put the items wherever you find room. Pretty soon, you have a mess! Believe me, I know; I've been through it.

I urge you to put some thought into making a home for every single type of item that you keep; this is so important! If you bring something new and different home and you don't have a place for it, make a place for it immediately or as soon as possible. If you don't have room, you'd better get sorting again. Here are a few suggestions on how and where to store some common items found around the house.

In the office:
Paperwork: A filing cabinet is a huge lifesaver when it comes to organizing your paperwork. I made files for every type of paper I had lying around, from movie reviews to our house papers and this has made my life a lot easier. I put these files in alphabetical order in my filing cabinet and now everything is put away, but even more thrilling is the fact that I can actually find a piece of paper in about five seconds! This is a huge improvement for me when before, I wouldn't even know where to begin searching for a piece of paper let alone have success in finding it.

Magazines: Cereal boxes are very handy for keeping magazines neat. To make a magazine holder out of a cereal box, cut off the top inch or so of the box, then, starting at one side of the top and cutting at a downwards angle, cut down half to one third the height of the box. Do this on the other side also and you will then have a magazine holder. At this point, you can decorate the holder by pasting pretty magazine pictures on it or painting it, then adding lace or ribbon. You can also put magazines in big wide wicker baskets.

Coupons: I have found envelopes very handy for storing coupons. Just label them the way you'd like them labeled (alphabetically or by type of food) and put your clipped coupons in them. The envelopes can be stored in a recipe or card file box of appropriate size.

In the closet:
Blankets: Laundry baskets make excellent holders for blankets that sometimes fit awkwardly on shelves.

Shoes: An over-the-door shoe hanger is a great way to get shoes off the floor.

Travel bags, purses and totes: Plastic storage bins are very handy for storing these.

In the craft room:
Crafting items: See-through plastic storage bins are a very good container for this because you can see where your items are and thus find things quickly.

In the living room:
Remote controls: A great way to store these is in small wicker or wire baskets.

Odds and ends: We use a wooden chest as a coffee table and it's handy because it doubles as storage. We keep some of our collectibles in there along with craft pattern books and other odds and ends. Another idea for this is to put a wooden or glass circle on top of a new garbage can. You would then drape a decorative tablecloth over the top of the circle. The garbage container can then be used to store your odds and ends and you would also have a decorative table for fresh flower arrangements or knick-knacks.

In the bathroom:
Miscellaneous items: Wicker baskets are great for storing a lot of items in the bathroom. You can put all your hair styling aids in a large one, washrags in another and cosmetics in another.

Medicines: For the medicine cabinet, I bought short, plastic drawer organizers that fit the shelves just right. I have one for headache medicines, one for cold medicines, one for owies (band-aids, ointment, etc.), one for stomach medicines, etc. This not only makes it easier to find items, but it also makes it easier to wipe the shelves when they become dirty.

Toilet Paper: I crocheted a toilet paper holder to hang right above the toilet, so when someone runs out of toilet paper, there should be a roll in the holder for easy retrieval. You may be able to find one of these at a craft bazaar.

In the Bedrooms:
Miscellaneous items: Under the bed storage organizers are great for storing seasonal clothes, Christmas wrapping supplies, gifts to give, books, and other items.

Kids Toys: The see-through plastic bins are great for toys because the kids can see what goes where. You can also mark the bin with a picture or word.

Crayons: Save baby wipe containers or coffee cans to store crayons in. If using a coffee can be sure there are no sharp edges to cut the children.

I hope this gives you enough ideas to get you started in finding a place for everything. If you'd like more ideas, check out the e-book *Storage Solutions* and learn how you can get it free here: http://homemakersjournal.com/storagesolutions.htm

Once you have accomplished making a place for everything, you only need to train yourself and family members to put things away in the appropriate places.

About the Author: Monica Resinger is the creator of 'Homemaker's Journal E-Publications' where you will find many fun and informative home and garden related e-books, tip sheets and how to sign up for her FREE home and garden newsletter! Click here to visit: http://homemakersjournal.com/

LOOMPIA (FILIPINO SPRING ROLLS)

Thanks to Darlene Weber, a missionary in Thailand, for her special recipe!

(Spring roll wrappers, bean sprouts and Thai sweet chili sauce may be purchase in Asian food store.)

2 lbs ground beef                                       3 tsp. sugar

3 to 4 carrots, shredded                            soy sauce

1 medium onion, chopped                        2 to 3 egg yolks

1 lb.bean sprouts (optional)                      1 small cabbage, shredded

2 tsp. black pepper                                    Thai sweet chili sauce for dipping

2 packs (25 in each) large square spring roll wrappers

Brown beef in pan; drain off fat. Continue cooking beef while adding onions, sugar, black pepper, and soy sauce. Remove from heat. Add bean sprouts, carrots and cabbage. Add soy sauce to your desired salt taste. Mix all together in pan and let mixture cool. Beat egg yolks. Wrap filling following wrapping instructions on the package. Fry rolls in a skillet with oil for 1 minute on each side, or until golden brown.

SLOWCOOKER BEEF TACOS
Compliments of Monica Resinger - homemakersjournal.com - Used by permission

2 pounds beef roast                                1 minced garlic clove
1 cup chopped onions                            10 oz can diced green chiles
1 tablespoon chili powder                       28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon crushed oregano

Place meat in slow cooker, top with rest of ingredients in order given. Cook on high for 5 hours. Do not open or stir, using a wooden spoon break up meat, cover and cook on low for 2 more hours. At this point make sure all the meat is shredded; remove and shred by hand if need be. Return to slow cooker and cook for the remaining hour. Serve rolled in flour tortillas, topped with lettuce, tomato, cheese, sour cream, black olives, guacamole or salsa.

(Lois: Try this recipe with chicken or turkey. Double or triple a recipe and freeze most in Ziplock bags or containers for quick and easy meals. Look for more freezer meal ideas this fall, to help make life easier for you!)

IT'S HOT OUTSIDE!

Cited on Richard Wimer's www.witandwisdom.org

It was hot outside, but it was even hotter in the restaurant. I was serving tables when a customer
stopped me and asked if there was anything I could do about the heat. I told him I'd see. Just as I was going to the manager, the automatic sprinkler system came on; a fire had started in the kitchen. As everybody got up to leave, the same customer caught my eye and gave me a wink. "That's not quite what I had in mind," he said.

UP-TO-DATE WEATHER REPORTS ANYTIME

Find the Weather for any City, State or ZIP Code, or Airport Code or Country. Get a detailed weather report, including temperatures throughout the day, wind speed and a 5 day forecast. For example, here's the link for Kansas City:

http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=kansascity

Simply type in the city you want to check. It will give all the cities by that name - in various states. I sent an e-mail to myself with the links to the cities where our children live, and keep it in my Inbox all the time. That way all I do is click once for a quick weather report.

THE CHANGING WORLD

http://www.phmiracleliving.com/world-clock.htm

This site had me stunned as I watched the numbers changing regarding births, deaths, abortions, divorces, various diseases and injuries, US illegal immigration growth, oil pumped, production of cars, bicycles and computers, etc.!   This is an eye opener. It was heartbreaking for me as I thought of those tiny babies being aborted, as I watched the numbers change! Thanks to Alice Stoddard in Virginia for this information!

THE REAL VALUE OF LEARNING TO OBEY

Copyright 2006 Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller - All rights reserved - Used with permission.
http://effectiveparenting.org/ - For free e-mail parenting tips sign up: www.biblicalparenting.org

Children need to learn to obey, but not just to make their parents' lives easier. We don't teach kids to obey merely for our own convenience. We teach obedience because hidden within that character quality are a number of principles that will help children to be successful as they get older.

When children learn obedience, they learn to think about others. They learn to be a little less selfish. They learn to consider what other people want and how to please them. They learn to submit to authority.

Obedience involves learning to do what you're asked even when you think you have a better way. The person who has learned obedience knows how to listen to an instruction, how to follow through without being watched, and how to check back when the job is done.

The children who learn obedience when they're young will make better employees when they get older. Furthermore, they will be happier and enjoy life more.

We're not talking about blind obedience here. We want our children to learn to evaluate instructions; but evaluating instructions is an advanced skill. First children must learn cooperation; otherwise they end up believing that every time they don't like a request, they are justified to resist it. These children remain selfish and grow up to be whiners and complainers, not able to receive an instruction without an argument.

God knew what he was doing when he gave the instruction to children to "obey your parents." He knew that learning obedience when they're young would pay off greatly as they get older.

This parenting tip is taken from the book, "Home Improvement: Eight Tools for Effective Parenting," by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN. Learn more on our website at www.biblicalparenting.org.

FILM CANISTER ROCKETS - FUN!

By Lois Breneman, © 2007, Heart to Heart Newsletter, [email protected]

You will need:

        The center tube from a roll of toilet paper
        White paper plate
        Film canister - Fuji is best
        Some water in a small measuring cup for pouring into the canisters
        1 Alka Seltzer tablet for each launching

        First you need to make a rocket launcher. Decorate an empty toilet paper tube with construction paper, etc. Tape the toilet paper tube to the paper plate in an upright position. Take everything outside. Put only 1/4 inch of water into the film canister. A Fiji film canister works best. It has to do with the fit of the lid. A tight fitting lid will not pop off. You may want to paint the canister bright red, blue or white, after you know it will work.

        Put the launcher on the ground in a clear area. Drop one Alka Seltzer tablet into the canister. Quickly put the lid on the canister, drop the canister in the launcher upside down, and stand back!

        My grandson and I shot off a rocket six times recently, each one shooting way up into the air about 30 feet with a big bang! It was so exciting for him - and for me! Lots of fun! We laughed so hard, his brand new baby sister on the other side of the house turned to see what was going on! Last weekend I also set it off for several kids as well as friends and relatives with grandchildren.

        This would be a great activity for an outdoor birthday party. Another favorite at our kids' parties was always the water balloon toss. We sometimes take small round balloons along on our family beach vacations to fill with water and have lots of fun with them, even as adults. I'm sure we'll continue to do the rocket launches as well!

WELCOMING TWO NEW BABIES!

(If you want your new baby's birth announced in Heart to Heart, please let me know. ~ Lois)

Randall Isaiah Bear was born on July 26, 2007 to Brent and Carol Bear.  His delighted big sister is Erica Jo. Congratulations to the Bear family living in Ohio!

Tucker Isaiah Adams was born on August 1, 2007 to Sam and Melissa Adams, Word of Life missionaries in the Czech Republic. Tucker joins five older brothers and sisters.

OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES - MOSTLY STORIES ABOUT "DADDY"

Thanks to Barb Campbell in Mississippi for sending this quote!

        My friend, Julie, sent me the cutest story! And it is true! Anyway I thought this was priceless and asked her if I could send it to you. I also mentioned you might want to put it in Heart to Heart since you like stories about the cute things kids say. She said that would be fine. Jason is a youth minister. So here it is:.

        Jason told us a funny story last night about Katie, our oldest granddaughter, who is two and a half years old. I guess they've been having a time with her recently calling him "Jason" instead of "Daddy." Recently they had a bunch of teens and some of their adult sponsors over to their house just to hang out, play games, and fellowship. Katie was sitting at the table finishing up her supper when she heard one of the sponsors say something to Jason, calling him by name. I guess she whipped her little head around and said, "His name is NOT Jason, it's Daddy, and you better apologize!"   So for the rest of the evening that guy kept calling Jason, "Daddy."

Thanks to Lisa Weddle in Virginia for sending these two quotes!

        Our 3 1/2 year old son, Levi, had been talking to his daddy as he gets ready for work. Levi asked Daddy why he has to go to work. He wanted Daddy to stay home and play. Daddy told him he had to go earn money so we could have a place to live and food to eat so we wouldn't go hungry.

        One Saturday it occurred to Levi over lunch that Roger wasn't going to work. "Daddy, are you going to work today?" " No, Honey, I don't have to work today." Levi's eyes welled up in tears and he said, "But Daddy, you have to go to work or we'll go hungry!" We reassured Levi that it was okay for Roger to have a day off and that we would always make sure he was fed!

Thanks to Darlene Weber, missionary in Thailand, for these two quotes!

        About a couple weeks ago, I was at week 26 of my pregnancy. It was Sunday morning. After I got dressed, Jojo came to our bedroom and took a good look at me. He said, "Mommy, your tummy is bigger than ever!" And a little while later while I was driving to pick up kids from a village, he said with much concern, "Mommy, your tummy is getting bigger and already almost to the wheel."

        A couple days ago, asked me over dinner when we will be going out on a date again. I replied with a question, "What would you like to do on our date, Jojo?" He said, "Eat and drink. Sit down and talk to each other." I think he's going to be a good husband in the future!

                            Many Heart to Heart ladies and their families need our prayers, so

              please remember to pray for each Heart to Heart lady as you receive your newsletter.

(¨`·.·´¨)                     God bless you and your family and keep you in His loving care!

`·.¸(¨`·.·´¨)                         And remember, I love to hear from you dear ladies!

      `·.¸.·´                                              Your Heart to Heart friend,

                                                                                                 Lois



The purpose of the Heart to Heart Newsletter is to encourage women and build biblical values into daily living through practical creative ideas for the Christian family regarding marriage, children, homemaking, and much more. Receive this free bimonthly newsletter by sending your name, city, state, e-mail address, and name of your referral person to Lois at [email protected]. New subscribers will receive a "Start-Up Kit."

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

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8/20/07 TEA PARTY, VASES, SCENTS, MARRIAGE, RECIPES, ROCKETS, BABES

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IN THIS ISSUE:

INVITE OTHER WOMEN TO RECEIVE THE HEART TO HEART NEWSLETTER

CHRISTIAN FAMILY CONCERT WITH MARY RICE HOPKINS!

ASK A NURSE MIDWIFE

YOU, ME & TEA

THE SCENTED HOME
MARRIAGE IS A THREE-LEGGED RACE

JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS

TWO THINGS YOU CAN ALWAYS DO

HOW TO BE A GOOD CONVERSATIONALIST

WORDS

A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING
LOOMPIA (FILIPINO SPRING ROLLS)

SLOWCOOKER BEEF TACOS
IT'S HOT OUTSIDE!

UP-TO-DATE WEATHER REPORTS

THE REAL VALUE OF LEARNING TO OBEY

FILM CANISTER ROCKETS - FUN!

WELCOMING TWO NEW BABIES!

OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES - MOSTLY STORIES ABOUT "DADDY"

INVITE OTHER WOMEN TO RECEIVE THE HEART TO HEART NEWSLETTER

CHRISTIAN FAMILY CONCERT WITH MARY RICE HOPKINS!
By Linda Stevenson, a "Heart to Heart" friend who works with Mary Rice Hopkins

Mary Rice Hopkins (http://www.maryricehopkins.com) is a "Heart to Heart" friend in California who has written and sung countless songs for children. The Lord and "Heart to Heart" put us together in an East Coast/West Coast work relationship! Mary is coming to the East for a concert, along with Darcie Maze of Puppets With a Heart Ministries! This is a concert for the entire family! In order for the children to get the most out of this concert, they will need their parents to talk with them after the event to reinforce the biblical truths taught.

The concert will be held at First Baptist Church, 515 Third Street in Roanoke, Virginia, on Friday, September 14, at 7:00 P.M. and it is open to everyone. We will only ask for a dollar donation at the door because we would love to pack the place. We are inviting small groups of children from area Christian schools/churches to learn one of Mary's songs and join her on stage to perform with her. We want to have a dozen different churches/schools to participate. If your church has a small group of children that would be interested, let me know. We will assign a song for them to learn along with the hand motions and they will perform it in the program. Just let me know if they would be interested ([email protected]).

On September 15, a day of Teacher Training will be open as well for a small fee. It will be held in the sanctuary of First Church of the Nazarene on 728 Highland Avenue, Roanoke, Virginia, on Saturday, September 15, 2007. It will be taught by Mary and Darcie Maze of Puppets with a Heart Ministries. They will be providing training for children's ministers, teachers, workers. Your church may contact Betty Robertson ([email protected]) of Creative Christian Ministries about the details.

ASK A NURSE MIDWIFE
By Karen Winstead, ACC Certified Nurse-Midwife - http://www.newlifebirthcenter.net/
Please send your personal questions relating to pregnancy and childbirth that you would like to see addressed by replying to this newsletter. Names of those sending questions will not be included in this column, and the answer will be e-mailed to you before it appears in a newsletter.

Question for the midwife:

I got married at age 32 and had 4 healthy pregnancies about 2 years apart. After that I had 2 miscarriages that were 7 months apart. The first miscarriage was at 9 weeks. I think I saw a head but no limbs. I had no ultrasound done so I do not know how old the baby was when it stopped growing. The second miscarriage was at 11 weeks. I had an ultrasound done when I started spotting. They say the fetus died at 4 weeks.

What advice do you have for me? As for myself I have not had any health problems that I am aware of. Is there any hope of having another healthy pregnancy? Should I try progesterone? If so, when should I start? It seems like our babies died very early in the pregnancy. Is that something that you take before you know that you are pregnant?

Answer:

I am sorry to hear of your losses. I know it must be very difficult and frustrating. I hope I can be of some help. There are several things to take into account. I would want to do a full work-up before I could make suggestions. Here are some things I would look at:

Do you have any fibroids on your uterus? They sometimes increase as women get older.

Were your other births vaginal or c-sections?

Have you had any previous uterine surgery such as a D&C (dilatage and curettage) after your previous births to stop bleeding that may affect your uterine lining?

Are you being exposed to environmental chemicals or contaminated water supply? For instance, lead in the water supply can lead to miscarriages.

Anything you are doing differently from previous pregnancies?
Herbal or over the counter medications?

You would probably need a full work-up looking at endocrine function, such as your thyroid levels and blood sugar levels. Diabetes does sometimes develop without women knowing they have it. Taking progesterone after you become pregnant does work for some women but it may be that you have another imbalance that is affecting your bodys own progesterone production. The dose of most medications depends on your blood levels and body mass. I would have to do some research to find out amounts.

Is your blood type Rh negative? If so, did you receive Rhogam with all previous pregnancies?

Is the father of the baby the same as your other children? If not, it could be a genetic factor involved.

Did you or your children experience any illnesses around the time of your pregnancies?

I hope this is helpful. Praying that God will bless you and your husband with the children you desire.

YOU, ME & TEA

By Julie A. Druck, [email protected] - For a free subscription of A Heart for Home, send a blank e-mail to: [email protected] - Used by permission

(Note from Lois: A great idea! If you desire, plain yogurt mixed with Stevia and vanilla can be a substitute for vanilla pudding and even whipped cream. Stevia is an herbal sweetener - a good substitute for sugar.

You, Me & Tea is a little something that my friend and I started doing this summer on occasion. We meet at one of our houses (with kids in tow), prepare lunch, and do projects while our children are off having adventures. Mind you, we dont prepare just any old lunch. Each of us brings two recipes (or so) and the ingredients that go with each. We then spend time together preparing our special luncheon (with tea, of course!). Lots of garnishing of food is involved, as well as decorating of the tea table, choosing music to dine to, and going to the garden to pick fresh ingredients. After eating, we spend time doing some sort of simple project that one of us has planned. Its so much fun!

We thought it might be nice to share our menus and ideas in the hopes that others may be encouraged to form their own little tea club for encouragement, blessings, and the enjoyment of beauty.

Menu Ideas

* Grilled Chicken Salad We used fresh leaf lettuce from the garden mixed with a bag of spring mix and included cucumber, Vidalia onions, baby tomatoes, pieces of grilled chicken, corn bread croutons, and buttery Almond Accents. It was topped with Kens Lite Raspberry-Walnut Vinaigrette.

* Vanilla Fruit Salad Cut up small chunks of desired fruit until you have about 5 cups, reserving juice. We used mandarin oranges, jarred peaches, and fresh strawberries. Add enough water to the juice to make 1 1/2 cups of liquid. Place a small package of instant vanilla pudding in a bowl and stir in liquid mixture. Stir for about 4-6 minutes until mixture is thickened. Pour this over fruit and stir well; chill before serving. To serve, spoon fruit into parfait glasses, add a dollop of whipped cream, and a garnish of mint (see garnish idea below).

* Easy Banana Pudding Parfaits Crush 10 vanilla wafer cookies to form coarse crumbs. Place one-fourth of the crumbs in each of two parfait glasses or dessert dishes; top each with 1 tablespoon of whipped topping, 2 banana slices and 1/2 of the contents of 1 vanilla pudding snack cup. Repeat layers of crumbs, banana slices and pudding snack; cover. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes or up to 4 hours. Immediately before serving, top each parfait with a tablespoon of whipped topping, 1 whole wafer cookie and a banana slice.

* Party Fruit Iced Tea Steep 8 lemon-flavored herbal tea bags in 2 qts. of boiling water for 10 minutes. Remove bags and allow tea to come to room temperature. Add 3 C. of orange juice, 1/2 C. sugar, and plenty of ice; refrigerate until cold. Serve in a teacup with two ice cubes and a lemon garnish (see below).

* Sugar Garnish Dip fresh mint leaves and lemon slices in egg white and granulated sugar. Lay out on a plate and let dry. Use to garnish above items or others.

Decorating Ideas

The table was draped with large white linen towels along with two pretty handkerchiefs. In the center of the table were four paper doilies that we taped together on the undersides. In the midst of the doilies sat a vintage bowl in which we had earlier placed blue-colored ice cubes. We placed a large pink peony in the center of the cubes and as the cubes melted, the flower began to float in the colored water. A classical CD played softly in the background.

Color-Wrapped Vases

After photographing the lovely display of food and centerpiece, we ate lunch, cleaned up and began our project for the day floss-covered vases. (By the way, our children didnt dine with us. We gave them lunch before sitting down to ours a much simpler fare suited to their tastes!).

Wash a pretty-shaped glass bottle. Place a dot of glue at the bottom edge of bottle. Begin wrapping embroidery floss around bottle, keeping wraps close together and applying more dots of glue as needed. (Use as little glue as possible as it will show when dry.) To change colors, cut floss and glue end in place. Continue making stripes of color until bottle is covered with floss. Let glue dry. SOME TIPS: Have a general idea of the color pattern you want ahead of time so that you have enough floss of the right colors. Also, its easier and neater to lay the bottle on a table and roll it to wrap the floss versus holding the bottle in your hand and wrapping the floss around it.

THE SCENTED HOME
Copyright © J Black. For more ideas and resources log on to http://www.netwrite-publish.com

Used by permission

Nothing is more memorable than a smell. One scent can be unexpected, momentary and fleeting, yet conjure up a childhood summer beside a lake in the mountains. - Diane Ackerman

Scent plays a key role in expressing style and creating ambiance and is at the forefront of design trends for personalizing your space with beautiful scents that fill entire rooms with fragrance to add a new sensual dimension to your home.

Of all our five senses, smell is the most basic instinctual sense and thought to be the one most closely linked to emotions. Scenting stores and products is a recent development designed to make us stay longer and enhance our experience.

With home renovation and redecorating at an all-time high, people are discovering that sight is not the only important sense when it comes to home design. Just as people make their homes true havens by accentuating rooms with elements like colour, fabric and furnishings, they are increasingly using favourite fragrances as a way to create an ambiance.

Here are a few ways to incorporate scent into your home:

Flowers

A behavioural study conducted at Harvard University shows people feel more compassionate toward others, have less worry and anxiety and feel less depressed when flowers are present in their home. The visual appearance, and the subtle scent that flowers impart, adds a deeply personal touch to any room whether you prefer a simple bouquet of sweet peas on your nightstand, an elegant arrangement of lilies in the foyer or a floral centrepiece on the dining room table.

Flowers provide a key visual element in home decoration to accessories and transform a living space and to infuse it with colour and style. They are often used to tie the colours, elements, or textures of a room together to create a harmonious theme in the surrounding decor and the scent of flowers is one of the easiest ways to bring the scents of nature found in the garden into your home.

Candles

A growing interest in fragrances from candles is one of the latest focal points in home décor. Candles can be considered as aromatherapy for the home that warm the heart and lighten the spirit.

Scented candles impart a fragrant ambience and aroma throughout the home filling entire rooms with their scent to create an individual signature style.

Scented candles can be used to add charm to a table setting, gently illuminate a hallway and dramatize a space. Place multiple candles in an alluring array of holders and arrange them on shelves, ledges and on the porch for all-around ambiance and style.

Essential Oils

When guests first enter your home the first thing that greets them is the aroma or "scenterior" of your home. Essential oils can play a role through cleaning the air rather than masking smells present. To use essential oils add 6-8 drops of your favourite scent to water in a diffuser or place drops directly into a bowl of boiling water to release their scent into the room.

Hallways are the place where we greet our guests. Use lemon, lime, bergamot or grapefruit. Lavender or geranium can be mixed with any of these. Lavender is uplifting in the morning and geranium has a calming effect and good for afternoons when you may need to wind down at the end of the day.

Opt for naturally calming scents, like lavender and vanilla, in your bedroom. Add zest to your living areas with lemon or eucalyptus.

Citronella is clean and fresh and gives a feeling of peacefulness and security.

Peppermint is also fresh and invigorating and is ideal for active areas.

Lavender is soothing and calming and assists in relaxing the body and mind.

Sweet orange, lemon and your favourite spice oil are especially good when diffused during the winter months for a refreshing, warming aroma and atmosphere.

To rid a room of stale tobacco or cooking smells use cinnamon, eucalyptus, lavender, lemon, orange, tea tree, rosemary or lime for their ability to freshen and cleanse the air of stagnant smells throughout the house.

Saturate cotton wool balls and place in the corners of a room, in cupboards or out-of-the-way places to fragrance kitchens and living areas.

As an air-freshener put 6-8 drops in 600 ml of water in a fine spray bottle and spray into the air and towards carpets and curtains. Do not spray onto velvet of silk and avoid spraying directly onto wood.

Wash down kitchen surfaces using 1 drop of lemon, thyme, cypress, lavender or Palma Rosa placed directly on a cloth or alternatively 7 drops in water.

Clean your fridge with a one drop of orange, mandarin, mint, lavender or lemon oil added to the final rinse water to rid your fridge of odours.

Copyright Netwrite-Publish Home & Garden. For more ideas for home, garden and everyday living visit http://www.netwrite-publish.com

MARRIAGE IS A THREE-LEGGED RACE
By Dennis and Barbara Rainey

Do two men walk together unless they have made an appointment?

Amos 3:3

Among my favorite childhood memories are the picnics our family held every summer. I played all kinds of games with my cousins, including the three-legged race, which was everyone's favorite.

To make the game more interesting, partners were often tied together so one faced backward and the other forward. The starter gave the signal, and what happened next would best be described as chaos. Everyone would cheer as the forward-facing participants would half drag, half carry their backward-facing teammates toward the finish line. There were always plenty of grass-stained knees, piercing screams and roars of laughter.

The three-legged race is hard enough when everyone is facing the same direction. The teams can lock arms and step out in unison. They might stumble and fall along the way, but they always get there much faster and more efficiently.

A marriage is a lot like the three-legged race. A husband and wife can face in the same direction and try to run in step with each other, or they can run in totally different directions. I've counseled couples where the wives were headed south at 65 miles an hour and the husbands were going north at 90 miles per hour! When that happens, it means pain, difficulty and isolation.

One woman said, "My husband and I have been married for 20 years. There is nothing he wouldn't do for me and there is nothing I wouldn't do for him ... and that's exactly what we do for each other - nothing."

One reason many couples face different directions in the race is they have bought into the illusion fostered by the popular culture's claim that we can live independently of each other. A healthy marriage requires two people who agree to become mutually dependent on each other.

When was the last time you and your spouse sat down and talked about the race you're running and the direction you're facing? It could explain why there's been some pain recently.

Discuss: Do you sometimes feel you and your mate are not always moving in the same direction? In what ways? Be specific.

Pray: That God will show you, as a couple, the race He wants you to run, the direction He wants you to face and the pace for the race.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Excerpted from "Moments Together for Couples" by Dennis and Barbara Rainey.
Copyright 1995 by Dennis and Barbara Rainey. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

To purchase the book:http://www.familylife.com/1-800-358-6329/detail.asp?id=1170

JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS

-- Maude Coggin in KneEmail #760 - http://www.oakhillcoc.org

Driving home one night, Bill picked up a hitchhiker. As they rode along, Bill began to feel suspicious of his passenger and checked to see if his wallet was safe in his pocket. It wasn't there! Bill slammed on the brakes and ordered the hitchhiker out, demanding that he hand over the wallet. The frightened hitchhiker gave him a billfold and Bill drove away. Arriving home, he began telling his wife about the experience. She said to him, "Bill, you left your wallet at home this morning."

In Jesus' day, the scribes and Pharisees were quick to judge others while not realizing they had far worse faults in their own lives. Jesus rebuked them for seeing a speck in another's eye while they had a plank blocking their own vision.

Thought: Many relationships have been hurt because someone was too quick to judge. Don't jump to conclusions. "And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?" (Luke 6:41).

TWO THINGS YOU CAN ALWAYS DO

from The Music of His Promises by Elisabeth Elliot

Is there any restlessness worse than the kind that comes when we feel that something must be done, but we cannot for the life of us figure out what. We are afraid, frustrated, guilty, angry, and helpless all at the same time. Be at peace! There are two definite things you can always do, no matter how bad the situation.

"How deep I am sunk in misery, growing in my distress:

1. Yet I will wait for God;

2. I will praise Him continually" (Ps. 42:5, 11)

There they are. Try them. Set your mind on the One who is in charge, trust Him to work things out according to His perfect plan ("God has no problems, only plans!" said Corrie ten Boom). While you are waiting, sing.

HOW TO BE A GOOD CONVERSATIONALIST
By Chuck and Eileen Rife, Lifetime Growth News, http://www.iwanttomakemymarriagework.com, Used by permission

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another."
-Galatians 5:22-26 NASB

Ever walk into a social setting--maybe an office party, family reunion, or church potluck--look around and wonder: What in the world am I going to talk about with these people? I don't know half of them and I don't even like some of them!

If we're honest, we've all felt that way at times. Dutifully polite. Or horribly tongue-tied. Or worse yet, afflicted with "hoof" in mouth disease!

We have good news! God's Word, practical for any and every situation, once again comes to the rescue with timely instruction on how to be a good conversationalist.

Galatians 5:22-23 cuts right to the heart of the issue:
Focus on the other person, rather than yourself.

LOVE seeks the best for the other person.
JOY leaps when another reports a success.
PEACE calms another's soul.
PATIENCE listens to what the other person has to share.
KINDNESS offers to help when there is a need.
GOODNESS offers support.
FAITHFULNESS sticks close when the person is down or hard to deal with.
GENTLENESS soothes the broken heart.
SELF-CONTROL chooses words wisely and refuses to get the last word in on every topic.

TRY reading Galatians 5:22-23 every day this week. Then ask God to bring His fruit to your remembrance the next time you are in a gathering of people and you need a little direction.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control: against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another."

Look around you and you'll be distressed; look within yourself and you'll be depressed; look at Jesus, and you'll be at rest! - Corrie ten Boom

WORDS

Author unknown

Take time to think; It is the source of power.
Take time to read; It is the foundation of wisdom.
Take time to play; It is the secret of staying young.
Take time to be quiet; It is the opportunity to seek God.
Take time to be aware; It is the opportunity to help others.
Take time to love and be loved; It is God's greatest gift.
Take time to laugh; It is the music of the soul.
Take time to be friendly; It is the road of happiness.
Take time to dream; It is what the future is made of.
Take time to pray; It is the greatest power on earth.

A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING
by Monica Resinger, http://homemakersjournal.com/, Used by permission

So, you've made the excellent decision to get organized, you've sorted through your belongings and you now have only items that you love and are usable. This may be for one small area of your home, a few areas, a drawer or two, or the whole house. However much you have done, it is an accomplishment no matter how big or small, so congratulations!

A very important aspect of being and staying organized is to have a place for everything. If you don't have a place for everything, then it all starts piling up again and pretty soon you're keeping everything because it's hard to tell what's what and what's where. Here's the scenario: You don't have a home for anything and whenever the mail comes in or you go shopping, you just put the items wherever you find room. Pretty soon, you have a mess! Believe me, I know; I've been through it.

I urge you to put some thought into making a home for every single type of item that you keep; this is so important! If you bring something new and different home and you don't have a place for it, make a place for it immediately or as soon as possible. If you don't have room, you'd better get sorting again. Here are a few suggestions on how and where to store some common items found around the house.

In the office:
Paperwork: A filing cabinet is a huge lifesaver when it comes to organizing your paperwork. I made files for every type of paper I had lying around, from movie reviews to our house papers and this has made my life a lot easier. I put these files in alphabetical order in my filing cabinet and now everything is put away, but even more thrilling is the fact that I can actually find a piece of paper in about five seconds! This is a huge improvement for me when before, I wouldn't even know where to begin searching for a piece of paper let alone have success in finding it.

Magazines: Cereal boxes are very handy for keeping magazines neat. To make a magazine holder out of a cereal box, cut off the top inch or so of the box, then, starting at one side of the top and cutting at a downwards angle, cut down half to one third the height of the box. Do this on the other side also and you will then have a magazine holder. At this point, you can decorate the holder by pasting pretty magazine pictures on it or painting it, then adding lace or ribbon. You can also put magazines in big wide wicker baskets.

Coupons: I have found envelopes very handy for storing coupons. Just label them the way you'd like them labeled (alphabetically or by type of food) and put your clipped coupons in them. The envelopes can be stored in a recipe or card file box of appropriate size.

In the closet:
Blankets: Laundry baskets make excellent holders for blankets that sometimes fit awkwardly on shelves.

Shoes: An over-the-door shoe hanger is a great way to get shoes off the floor.

Travel bags, purses and totes: Plastic storage bins are very handy for storing these.

In the craft room:
Crafting items: See-through plastic storage bins are a very good container for this because you can see where your items are and thus find things quickly.

In the living room:
Remote controls: A great way to store these is in small wicker or wire baskets.

Odds and ends: We use a wooden chest as a coffee table and it's handy because it doubles as storage. We keep some of our collectibles in there along with craft pattern books and other odds and ends. Another idea for this is to put a wooden or glass circle on top of a new garbage can. You would then drape a decorative tablecloth over the top of the circle. The garbage container can then be used to store your odds and ends and you would also have a decorative table for fresh flower arrangements or knick-knacks.

In the bathroom:
Miscellaneous items: Wicker baskets are great for storing a lot of items in the bathroom. You can put all your hair styling aids in a large one, washrags in another and cosmetics in another.

Medicines: For the medicine cabinet, I bought short, plastic drawer organizers that fit the shelves just right. I have one for headache medicines, one for cold medicines, one for owies (band-aids, ointment, etc.), one for stomach medicines, etc. This not only makes it easier to find items, but it also makes it easier to wipe the shelves when they become dirty.

Toilet Paper: I crocheted a toilet paper holder to hang right above the toilet, so when someone runs out of toilet paper, there should be a roll in the holder for easy retrieval. You may be able to find one of these at a craft bazaar.

In the Bedrooms:
Miscellaneous items: Under the bed storage organizers are great for storing seasonal clothes, Christmas wrapping supplies, gifts to give, books, and other items.

Kids Toys: The see-through plastic bins are great for toys because the kids can see what goes where. You can also mark the bin with a picture or word.

Crayons: Save baby wipe containers or coffee cans to store crayons in. If using a coffee can be sure there are no sharp edges to cut the children.

I hope this gives you enough ideas to get you started in finding a place for everything. If you'd like more ideas, check out the e-book *Storage Solutions* and learn how you can get it free here: http://homemakersjournal.com/storagesolutions.htm

Once you have accomplished making a place for everything, you only need to train yourself and family members to put things away in the appropriate places.

About the Author: Monica Resinger is the creator of 'Homemaker's Journal E-Publications' where you will find many fun and informative home and garden related e-books, tip sheets and how to sign up for her FREE home and garden newsletter! Click here to visit: http://homemakersjournal.com/

LOOMPIA (FILIPINO SPRING ROLLS)

Thanks to Darlene Weber, a missionary in Thailand, for her special recipe!

(Spring roll wrappers, bean sprouts and Thai sweet chili sauce may be purchase in Asian food store.)

2 lbs ground beef 3 tsp. sugar

3 to 4 carrots, shredded soy sauce

1 medium onion, chopped 2 to 3 egg yolks

1 lb.bean sprouts (optional) 1 small cabbage, shredded

2 tsp. black pepper Thai sweet chili sauce for dipping

2 packs (25 in each) large square spring roll wrappers

Brown beef in pan; drain off fat. Continue cooking beef while adding onions, sugar, black pepper, and soy sauce. Remove from heat. Add bean sprouts, carrots and cabbage. Add soy sauce to your desired salt taste. Mix all together in pan and let mixture cool. Beat egg yolks. Wrap filling following wrapping instructions on the package. Fry rolls in a skillet with oil for 1 minute on each side, or until golden brown.

SLOWCOOKER BEEF TACOS
Compliments of Monica Resinger - homemakersjournal.com - Used by permission

2 pounds beef roast                                1 minced garlic clove
1 cup chopped onions                            10 oz can diced green chiles
1 tablespoon chili powder                       28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon crushed oregano

Place meat in slow cooker, top with rest of ingredients in order given. Cook on high for 5 hours. Do not open or stir, using a wooden spoon break up meat, cover and cook on low for 2 more hours. At this point make sure all the meat is shredded; remove and shred by hand if need be. Return to slow cooker and cook for the remaining hour. Serve rolled in flour tortillas, topped with lettuce, tomato, cheese, sour cream, black olives, guacamole or salsa.

(Lois: Try this recipe with chicken or turkey. Double or triple a recipe and freeze most in Ziplock bags or containers for quick and easy meals. Look for more freezer meal ideas this fall, to help make life easier for you!)

IT'S HOT OUTSIDE!

Cited on Richard Wimer's http://www.witandwisdom.org

It was hot outside, but it was even hotter in the restaurant. I was serving tables when a customer
stopped me and asked if there was anything I could do about the heat. I told him I'd see. Just as I was going to the manager, the automatic sprinkler system came on; a fire had started in the kitchen. As everybody got up to leave, the same customer caught my eye and gave me a wink. "That's not quite what I had in mind," he said.

UP-TO-DATE WEATHER REPORTS ANYTIME

Find the Weather for any City, State or ZIP Code, or Airport Code or Country. Get a detailed weather report, including temperatures throughout the day, wind speed and a 5 day forecast. For example, here's the link for Kansas City:

http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=kansascity

Simply type in the city you want to check. It will give all the cities by that name - in various states. I sent an e-mail to myself with the links to the cities where our children live, and keep it in my Inbox all the time. That way all I do is click once for a quick weather report.

THE CHANGING WORLD

http://www.phmiracleliving.com/world-clock.htm

This site had me stunned as I watched the numbers changing regarding births, deaths, abortions, divorces, various diseases and injuries, US illegal immigration growth, oil pumped, production of cars, bicycles and computers, etc.! This is an eye opener. It was heartbreaking for me as I thought of those tiny babies being aborted, as I watched the numbers change! Thanks to Alice Stoddard in Virginia for this information!

THE REAL VALUE OF LEARNING TO OBEY

Children need to learn to obey, but not just to make their parents' lives easier. We don't teach kids to obey merely for our own convenience. We teach obedience because hidden within that character quality are a number of principles that will help children to be successful as they get older.

When children learn obedience, they learn to think about others. They learn to be a little less selfish. They learn to consider what other people want and how to please them. They learn to submit to authority.

Obedience involves learning to do what you're asked even when you think you have a better way. The person who has learned obedience knows how to listen to an instruction, how to follow through without being watched, and how to check back when the job is done.

The children who learn obedience when they're young will make better employees when they get older. Furthermore, they will be happier and enjoy life more.

We're not talking about blind obedience here. We want our children to learn to evaluate instructions; but evaluating instructions is an advanced skill. First children must learn cooperation; otherwise they end up believing that every time they don't like a request, they are justified to resist it. These children remain selfish and grow up to be whiners and complainers, not able to receive an instruction without an argument.

God knew what he was doing when he gave the instruction to children to "obey your parents." He knew that learning obedience when they're young would pay off greatly as they get older.

This parenting tip is taken from the book, "Home Improvement: Eight Tools for Effective Parenting," by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN. Learn more on our website at http://www.biblicalparenting.org.

FILM CANISTER ROCKETS - FUN!

You will need:

        The center tube from a roll of toilet paper
        White paper plate
        Film canister - Fuji is best
        Some water in a small measuring cup for pouring into the canisters
        1 Alka Seltzer tablet for each launching

First you need to make a rocket launcher. Decorate an empty toilet paper tube with construction paper, etc. Tape the toilet paper tube to the paper plate in an upright position. Take everything outside. Put only 1/4 inch of water into the film canister. A Fiji film canister works best. It has to do with the fit of the lid. A tight fitting lid will not pop off. You may want to paint the canister bright red, blue or white, after you know it will work.

Put the launcher on the ground in a clear area. Drop one Alka Seltzer tablet into the canister. Quickly put the lid on the canister, drop the canister in the launcher upside down, and stand back!

My grandson and I shot off a rocket six times recently, each one shooting way up into the air about 30 feet with a big bang! It was so exciting for him - and for me! Lots of fun! We laughed so hard, his brand new baby sister on the other side of the house turned to see what was going on! Last weekend I also set it off for several kids as well as friends and relatives with grandchildren.

This would be a great activity for an outdoor birthday party. Another favorite at our kids' parties was always the water balloon toss. We sometimes take small round balloons along on our family beach vacations to fill with water and have lots of fun with them, even as adults. I'm sure we'll continue to do the rocket launches as well!

WELCOMING TWO NEW BABIES!

(If you want your new baby's birth announced in Heart to Heart, please let me know. ~ Lois)

Randall Isaiah Bear was born on July 26, 2007 to Brent and Carol Bear. His delighted big sister is Erica Jo. Congratulations to the Bear family living in Ohio!

Tucker Isaiah Adams was born on August 1, 2007 to Sam and Melissa Adams, Word of Life missionaries in the Czech Republic. Tucker joins five older brothers and sisters.

OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES - MOSTLY STORIES ABOUT "DADDY"

Thanks to Barb Campbell in Mississippi for sending this quote!

My friend, Julie, sent me the cutest story! And it is true! Anyway I thought this was priceless and asked her if I could send it to you. I also mentioned you might want to put it in Heart to Heart since you like stories about the cute things kids say. She said that would be fine. Jason is a youth minister. So here it is:.

Jason told us a funny story last night about Katie, our oldest granddaughter, who is two and a half years old. I guess they've been having a time with her recently calling him "Jason" instead of "Daddy." Recently they had a bunch of teens and some of their adult sponsors over to their house just to hang out, play games, and fellowship. Katie was sitting at the table finishing up her supper when she heard one of the sponsors say something to Jason, calling him by name. I guess she whipped her little head around and said, "His name is NOT Jason, it's Daddy, and you better apologize!" So for the rest of the evening that guy kept calling Jason, "Daddy."

Thanks to Lisa Weddle in Virginia for sending these two quotes!

Our 3 1/2 year old son, Levi, had been talking to his daddy as he gets ready for work. Levi asked Daddy why he has to go to work. He wanted Daddy to stay home and play. Daddy told him he had to go earn money so we could have a place to live and food to eat so we wouldn't go hungry.

One Saturday it occurred to Levi over lunch that Roger wasn't going to work. "Daddy, are you going to work today?" " No, Honey, I don't have to work today." Levi's eyes welled up in tears and he said, "But Daddy, you have to go to work or we'll go hungry!" We reassured Levi that it was okay for Roger to have a day off and that we would always make sure he was fed!

Thanks to Darlene Weber, missionary in Thailand, for these two quotes!

About a couple weeks ago, I was at week 26 of my pregnancy. It was Sunday morning. After I got dressed, Jojo came to our bedroom and took a good look at me. He said, "Mommy, your tummy is bigger than ever!" And a little while later while I was driving to pick up kids from a village, he said with much concern, "Mommy, your tummy is getting bigger and already almost to the wheel."

A couple days ago, asked me over dinner when we will be going out on a date again. I replied with a question, "What would you like to do on our date, Jojo?" He said, "Eat and drink. Sit down and talk to each other." I think he's going to be a good husband in the future!

Many Heart to Heart ladies and their families need our prayers, so

please remember to pray for each Heart to Heart lady as you receive your newsletter.

(¨`·.·´¨) God bless you and your family and keep you in His loving care!

`·.¸(¨`·.·´¨) And remember, I love to hear from you dear ladies!

`·.¸.·´ Your Heart to Heart friend,

Lois

The purpose of the Heart to Heart Newsletter is to encourage women and build biblical values into daily living through practical creative ideas for the Christian family regarding marriage, children, homemaking, and much more. Receive this free bimonthly newsletter by sending your name, city, state, e-mail address, and name of your referral person to Lois at [email protected]. New subscribers will receive a "Start-Up Kit."

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