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The Heart to Heart Newsletter, created by Lois Breneman in 1999, has been sent around the world for sixteen years to ladies is in fifty states and sixty-two countries. Our purpose at Heart to Heart is to encourage women and create biblical values in their day to day living.
Should you prefer simple text email or to unsubscribe please send me an email with your request. Categorized topics from archived newsletters can be found on Lois Breneman's blog.
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If you would like to submit an article for publication, please email the current editor, Michelle Gill, at standandsee@outlook.com a Word document with 400 to 700 words. The subject and content should match the purpose and values of this newsletter.
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Wait Expectantly for God
Used with permission by Natalie Nichols
Have you been praying for something crucial, but you haven’t received an answer? Are you in an overwhelming or hopeless situation and your endurance is wearing thin?
Psalm 27:14-15 says, [What, what would have become of me] had I not believed that I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living!
Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord. (Psalm 27:14-15, AMP)
After a few disappointments, it can be challenging to expect God to answer your prayers and work on your behalf. It can seem that God has turned His back on you … or that He doesn’t care … or that He answers everyone else’s prayers, just not yours.
We lose hope that God is even interested in our concerns, let alone intervening. The enemy slides in on our despondence, whispering lies that discourage us from drawing close to God—the very thing we need in such seemingly hopeless times.
In Times of Twisted Perception
Don’t lose heart! As Psalm 27:13 says, you will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
What, what would have become of me had I not believed that I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living! (v. 13, AMP)
The New King James Version says it this way, I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. (v. 13, NKJV)
This verse was water on dry ground for me when I had prayed for my suffering to end (and God had even given me personal promises assuring me it would) but every week, every month, every year things only got worse, with no end in sight.
It’s one thing to grapple with hopelessness when you’ve been praying over a matter for a few days or weeks . . . or months. But to believe God for years on end? With things only worsening every passing year? And there’s no sign He’s honoring His promise, no sign He’s working on your behalf?
In such times, it feels like He’s doing exactly the opposite of Luke 11:11-12, which says, “What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?”
It feels like God is giving you a snake when you asked for a fish and a scorpion when you asked for an egg! It seems He’s acting contrary to what you know to be true of His character … or at least what you thought you knew.
The whole realm of prayer, belief, expectation, and God’s response—well, it feels upside down. Totally twisted.
It’s hard to hold on to hope.
God Will Come Through . . . In the Land of the Living
When God spoke to me through Psalm 27, I was suffering indescribably from sickness. God had given me promises that He would restore my health. As things worsened, I began to wonder, “Did He mean He would do so in Heaven, not here before I die?”
It was a no-brainer that dying would have brought healing. But through Psalm 27, God urged me to believe and expect Him to fulfill His promises here, while I was on earth, in the land of the living.
Most of the needs weighing heavily on our hearts today (finances, health, job crises, broken relationships, etc.) will automatically be alleviated when we go to Heaven. But even still, we have to endure them while we remain on earth. So we’d like to see God’s goodness here, in the land of the living!
This scripture speaks to God’s timing in another way: He will come through before it’s too late. When it matters, not afterward, you will see His hand working and experience His goodness in your situation.
However, in order to wait with expectation, you may have to adjust your deadline.
We must be willing to define “too late” as God defines it, according to His timeline. Just as we have to view our needs from heaven’s end-of-time perspective, we also have to view the timeframe as well.
God is always right on time. Which, in terms of our ideal, always seems perpetually slow … dreadfully late.
But that’s a good thing. Because it’s in the delay that the heat of the fire finally begins to burn off bondage and weights that easily entangle us—weights like:
- Pride (which believes we’re capable of and should be god of our own lives, choosing what’s best for us and the time frame in which it happens)
- Idolatry (things we’ve been clinging to more tightly than God)
- Spiritual coldness
- Indifference to the word of God
- Prayerlessness
- Spiritual blindness (seeing only according to the temporal realm, not the eternal, spiritual realm)
- An image that doesn’t reflect Christ
- Trusting in “horses and chariots”—solutions of man—instead of God
Good things happen in the delay.
- It’s in the holding pattern of suffering that we finally relinquish control of our lives and fully surrender everything to God.
- It’s in the delay that we realize Christ alone is enough and learn to live in His sufficiency.
- It’s in the delay that we learn to live by and love the Word of God.
- It’s in the delay that we finally begin to see from God’s end-of-time perspective.
- It’s in the delay and death to self that the life of Christ is revealed in us. (2 Cor. 4:10-11)
- It’s in the delay that we’re forced into total reliance on God for our answer.
After a Little While
In the delay, it may seem God has been absent. But He’s been right there working all along.
He has a higher, wiser plan that He’s accomplishing. (See Isa. 55:9) He’s achieving eternal glory in us through our lingering trial—glory that far outweighs our present suffering. (See Rom. 8:18; 2 Cor. 4:17)
And after a while—after He has accomplished His purposes in our suffering—He will deliver us. He WILL!!
“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” (1 Peter 5:10)
In this instant food, microwave oven age, we detest the word “wait.” “Set it for sixty seconds already and let’s get on with the show!” we demand.
The last thing we want to hear is “after a little while.” We don’t even hear the word “little” because we get hung up on the word “after.” Give us no “after”—only “now!” To be forced to wait is bad enough. To suffer while waiting? That’s even worse!
But beloved, it’s good news! There is an “after … a little while.” And it sure beats “never”!!
Be of Good Courage — He Will Come
So be of good courage. Let your heart be stout and enduring. Wait for, hope for, and expect the Lord.
He will come through for you. He will deliver you.
“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For, ‘In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.’” (Hebrews 10:36-37, NIV)
If God’s deliverance seems slow, do not despair. Just be patient. God’s answer will be right on time!
“But these things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!” (Habakkuk 2:3, LB)
Don’t quit! Don’t lose hope! Don’t give in to despair!
Wait Expectantly
There’s waiting … and then there’s waiting expectantly.
In our waiting, we can collapse on the floor, slump shouldered, head hung low, eyes to the ground, bottom lip protruding, eyes welling up with tears—like a child who believes her dad left her at preschool never to return!
Or we can hop up, so assured of God’s response that we’re able to enjoy the wait—like a child at school excitedly creating artwork to present to her dad when he returns to get her at the end of the day.
Our Father is going to come either way. We’re the ones who suffer misery in the mean time.
“Be brave. Be strong. Don’t give up. Expect God to get here soon.” (Psalm 31:24, MSG)
Wait expectantly. Let God strengthen your heart. (Psa. 31:24, NKJV) He is working on your behalf this very minute. He is busying Himself with your every step. (Psa. 37:23, AMP)
Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord. (Psalm 27:14-15, AMP)
Yes, wait for, hope for, and expect the Lord!
Natalie Nichols is the Founder and President of Shades of Grace Ministries, an international speaker, and writer. In the midst of devastating illness, Natalie came to rely on the Word of God to sustain her – and now through Shades of Grace Ministries, she shares a heartfelt message of God’s comfort for life’s trials. For more information, visit shadesofgrace.org.
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SEEDS OF FAITH
used with permission by Tricia Goyer www.NotQuiteAmishLiving.com
As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night. GENESIS 8:22
The Amish believe that the outward work—whether it be straight garden rows or neatly hung laundry—is a reflection of the inner person.
Imagine the excitement in the air as rays of spring sunlight stretch over frozen fields and begin to thaw them. Children spend more time outside, even if the wind is cold. Mothers plan their gardens. Farmers, eager for the season ahead, stride through the fields and check the soil. Seeds are still in paper packages, but soon they will be in the ground, taking root and sprouting. Even the animals, eager to nibble on the first fresh green shoots, grow impatient in their stalls after eating hay and feed all winter.
Expectations are good. Farmers would not plant their fields, or their wives a garden, without having expectations of the harvest to come. The sun will shine whether or not the seeds are planted, but sowing the seeds is an exercise in faith. Those who plant, trust that the seeds will take root and grow.
Have you ever considered how this applies to the spiritual seeds we plant? Have you looked at the barren soil in the hearts of the people around you and pictured the spiritual harvest that is possible?
God doesn’t ask us to force growth. What he requires is for us to plant the seed of His Word: “It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it” (Isaiah 55:11).
I mentor teenage mothers. Sometimes months and months go by, and I don’t feel as if I see any fruit—any positive changes—in their lives. But producing those changes isn’t my job. It’s God’s job. My job is simply to plant the seed. God will take care of the results, just as He does for the farmer. We can trust Him in that.
Dear heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word within me. I’m so glad that I simply need to spread the seeds of Your Word and the rest is up to You. Show me those who need words of hope today. And help me to be faithful in planting seeds in their lives.
Tricia Goyer is the author of more than 30 books and has published more than 500 articles for national publications such as Focus on the Family, Today’s Christian Woman, and HomeLife Magazine.
She won the Historical Novel of the Year award in both 2005 and 2006 from American Christian Fiction Writers, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer’s Conference in 2003. Tricia’s book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion Book Award in 2005. Tricia’s co-written novel, The Swiss Courier, was a nominee for the Christy Awards.
Visit Tricia’s blog, It’s Real Life, and connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
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Used with permission by Amanda Formaro
http://www.familycorner.com/homegarden/garden/6-tips-for-growing-vegetables-and-herbs-in-containers.html
Growing fresh vegetables and fragrant herbs is a great way to save money at the grocery store and control what pesticides go into your body. Not everyone has a yard with room for a garden, and thousands live in apartments and in urban areas. That doesn’t mean you’re out of luck! You can still grow your own herbs and vegetables in containers on your deck, patio, or balcony and reap a healthy harvest of fresh food for your table.
Here are 6 simple steps to get your container garden started.
1. Transplant instead of seeds – Instead of starting from seed, head to the garden center to pick up transplants. Transplants are seedlings that have already been started and are sold in small pots. They will buy you a considerable amount of time because they are six weeks or older when you put them in the pot, and you’ll begin harvesting much sooner too. When looking for transplants, watch for the Bonnie Plants label with biodegradable pots made from recycled paper and peat moss.
2. Don’t skimp on the potting mix – Look for a premium quality potting mix that holds moisture but drains well. This will give plant roots the perfect balance of air, moisture, and stability to grow a great harvest. Check the bag labels and look for ingredients such as: aged (composted) bark, perlite, lime or dolomite, and sometimes moisture-holding crystals. Quality potting mix stays fluffy all season long. It does not contain actual dirt that would compact with frequent watering.
3. Choose the correct pot – Be sure to choose a pot large enough to accommodate your plants as they mature. There are plenty of things that can be used as a container including pails, buckets, wire baskets, washtubs, window planters, and even large food cans. Think outside the box by using old wagons, bathtubs, and even kitchen colanders! Here are 15 creative container gardens to get your juices flowing. Larger vegetables, such as tomatoes and eggplant, will need sizeable containers, at least 5 gallons for each plant. If you aren’t sure, remember, bigger is always better. Plants will be healthier and will last longer because the roots will have more room to grow.
Make sure your pot has a drainage hole in the bottom. Believe it or not, color can be a factor as well! Dark colored containers will absorb heat that could possible damage the plant roots. If you must use dark colored pots, try painting them a lighter color. If you’re unsure as to what type of container to go with (wood, metal, ceramic, plastic, etc) here’s a great guide to choosing your containers.
4. Plants like to eat too – Even if your potting mix came with fertilizer already mixed in, you may need to feed your plants. Some potting mixes include just enough fertilizer to give plants a charge when they’re starting. Mixes designed to feed for several months run out sooner in hot weather with frequent watering. Add timed-release granules or try a soluble fertilizer for quick results.
5. Provide plenty of sunshine – At least 6-8 hours is best. The sun drives energy for production and for making sugars, acids, and other compounds responsible for the fullest flavor. Make sure pots on a deck or porch get enough sunlight and move them to a sunny spot if shade encroaches. Without sun, the fruits will not ripen and the plants will be stressed.
6. Water on a regular basis – Did you know that vegetables are at least 90% water? To produce well, they may need daily watering, especially in hot weather since you can’t always rely on rain. Water plants at soil level and make sure to water before the sun goes down, leaves will need to dry before nightfall.
What to grow in containers – Are you wondering what type of vegetables and herbs you can grow in containers? Here’s a quick run down:
- All herbs. Any herb does well in a pot.
- All greens. Collards, lettuce, mustard, Swiss chard and others are perfect for pots. You can mix them with flowers for an ornamental touch. Lettuces yield a surprising amount. Pick only the outer leaves to keep the harvest going.
- Eggplant and peppers of all types make pretty summer pots.
- Tomato varieties like Husky Cherry Red, Patio, Bush Early Girl, Bush Goliath, and Better Bush are especially easy to manage in containers.
- Squash and zucchini work in large pots such as half barrels.
- Other vegetables that do well in containers include cucumbers, beans, beets, carrots, onions, potatoes, and radishes.
Plant breeders know that home gardeners want the most bang for their buck. They want a high yield in a small space, so breeders have developed varieties that can grow in a small area, and even flourish in containers. Remember, when looking for the right plants watch for keywords like: bush, compact, patio, baby, dwarf and space saver in their name, they’ll be a good bet. Just because a plant is bred to be small doesn’t mean the fruits will be small or the yield will be less.
For more information on such varieties and on growing veggies and herbs in containers please visit BonniePlants.com
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Money-saving Television Service Options:
by Michelle Gill
Recently I have been investigating how to save money and create better viewing choices for my family. Our internet and cable bill for basic television and internet service went up to $140. Then I kept the internet and went to satellite television for $20 a month and kept Netflix for $16 a month. But I found that most of what is on regular television is speckled with profanities and things I do not want my daughter to see or hear. I like the ability to choose what we are watching versus what may pop up next on a station or commercial. Most of what we ever watch on television is cartoons, sports, and my favorites on PBS.
These are the Money-saving Television Options that I came up with:
We do have a good internet service: Comcast XFINITY (which provides most television through the internet and can be viewed on a streaming device.)
We get our local channels through an antenna.
Sling TV has sixteen channels for $20 per month with no contract and we were able to purchase a Roku 3 (streaming device) through Sling at half price ($49). (The Roku comes loaded with 2000 channels of which some are free and some require subscriptions.) These are some of the 16 channels that basic Sling provides:
ESPN, ESPN2, HGTV, AMC, DISNEY, etc.
I dropped the DVD option on Netflix and added HuluPlus for the same price. ($8/month) I personally love British television, Jane Austin genre, and Hulu has loads of BBC series and movies.
The local library also provides television and movie selections on DVD for free.
Please feel free to share with me any money-saving tips that you have discovered!
www.michellegill.us
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 Ginger and Its Many Health Benefits
by Lois Breneman - Heart to Heart - 2015 http://heartfilledhome.blogspot.com/2015/03/ginger-and-its-many-health-benefits.html
The following benefits can be yours by drinking ginger tea, juicing with ginger, consuming it in your foods, as well as by using ginger essential oil (a more concentrated form).
I use doTERRA essential oils because of their purity and safety in being able to use most of them internally, something that most companies cannot claim. In a health food store I asked about a brand that stated on the front label, "100% pure" whether or not it could be ingested. The answer was, "Oh, no! Never!" However, that same oil in doTERRA was one that could be safely ingested.
The Modern Essentials book says that for beverages it is suggested that one drop of doTERRA be used for each 4 ounces of beverage. In making a syrup, they suggest one drop to one teaspoon of honey.
The book says children under age six should not be given ginger essential oil internally.
It can be applied neat (straight from the bottle) for adults, but because of repeated use, that can result in contact sensitization for this oil.
So for adults I would dilute 1:1 with fractionated coconut oil.
For children dilute even more. In a 10 ml. bottle use only 3-10 drops, then fill the bottle with fractionated coconut oil.
A drop or two of ginger essential oil, added to a daily cup of tea, would go a long way in boosting your health!
And now for the many benefits of ginger!
1. Cold and Flu Prevention
For thousands of years ginger has been used as a natural treatment for colds and flu in Asia. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that to treat symptoms of a cold or flu, steep two tablespoons of freshly shredded or chopped ginger root in hot water two to three times daily.
2. Maintains Normal Blood Circulation
Ginger contains chromium, magnesium and zinc, all of which can help to improve blood flow, prevent fever, chills, and excessive sweat.
3. Improves Absorption
Ginger stimulates gastric and pancreatic enzyme secretion, thus improving absorption of nutrients that are essential to the body.
4. Helps Motion Sickness
Ginger is a well known effective remedy for the nausea from motion sickness.
5. Remedy for Morning Sickness
Ginger has a success rate of helping 75% of pregnant women suffering from morning sickness. In fact, for some simply smelling ginger essential oil can chase away the nausea. In that case, a diffuser with ginger essential oil would be perfect. Carrying a bottle of ginger with you when you leave home would be most useful for sniffing or rubbing a drop or two on the back of the neck.
6. Aids in Digestion
Ginger aids in possible stomach ache, as it assists in digestion.
7. Reduces Pain and Inflammation
Ginger contains some of the most potent anti-inflammatory fighting substances known. It is a natural and powerful pain killer. Ginger is sometimes promoted for arthritis or joint and muscle pain, since it reduces inflammation in a way similar to aspirin and ibuprofen.
8. Prevention of Colon Cancer
Ginger may slow the growth of colorectal cancer cells, according to a study at the University of Minnesota.
9. Fights Common Respiratory Problems
Ginger helps in expanding the lungs and loosening up phlegm because it is a natural expectorant that breaks down and removes mucus. Gingers helps one recover quickly from coughing and difficulty in breathing.
10. Ovarian Cancer Treatment
The power of ginger induces cell death in ovarian cancer cells. If you do an internet search, you can find data to back up this finding.
11. Strengthens Immune System Overall
Ginger helps to improve the immune system overall. Consuming a little bit of ginger daily can help prevent the potential risk of a stroke by inhibiting fatty deposits from the arteries. It also lessens the chance of bacterial infections in the stomach, and helps battle a bad cough or throat infection.
Certainly incorporating ginger into your daily regimen would help cover a lot of bases. The easiest way to do that is to use a roller bottle of ginger, and possibly other essential oils, diluted with fractionated coconut oil, and rub it on the bottom of your feet every morning or night. Since ginger is a beneficial food, if a little more ginger is ingested by way of juice, food, or tea, during the day, that's a good thing.
If you are interested in purchasing doTERRA's Ginger essential oil, please visit Michelle's sites at www.mydoterra.com/MichelleRGill and www.trailessentials.us .
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Petra's Guacamole: Submitted by Cathy Benson, journalist for the Botetourt View
Petra Ewen was a naturalized citizen coming from Mexico in the 1950s. She cooked many wonderful dishes and quickly adapted to making her recipes more American and loved to share her secrets. Avocados are a wonderful healthy addition to the diet. Below is her easy and tasty Guacamole.
2 ripe avocados scooped out of shell and seeds removed
1 Tbsp. lime juice
2 Tbsp. Pace salsa
1 tsp. crushed garlic
1 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
1 tsp. chopped cilantro; fresh works best, but dried will do.
Mash the avocados with lime juice. Add the next ingredients in order. Stir together well. Chill for an hour and serve with favorite tortilla chips or on grilled hamburgers.
Google lists the nutrition values Avocados 234 calories for a cup. They are high in fiber, significant source of Vitamin C, B-6 and potassium as well as "good" fats. Ripe avocados are soft to the touch. They are best ripened, if hard, overnight in a paper bag on the counter. Enjoy!!
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Used by permission from Shannon at Fox Hollow Cottage
Please welcome Kimberly today as she shows us how to make this adorable Spring craft!
I have been waiting patiently for Spring to arrive for the last week and since I had a few peat pots left over after starting my seeds, I decided to decorate a few of them to use in a spring tablescape. Of course I realize that spring is still weeks away here in Illinois but they’re forecasting temperatures in the 40’s this week and my thoughts have turned to sunshine, fresh air, and Peter Rabbit!
To create this craft I used peat pots that are four inches across. I purchased mine at a local garden center for about thirty cents each. First, paint the bottoms of the pots with a heavy layer of white craft paint starting just below the rim.
Next, find an image that you want to use on the Internet (I searched “Peter Rabbit” in Google image). I opened it in a word document, sized the image to about 2.5 inches and duplicated it several times on the page. Then, I printed it onto white tissue paper by cutting a piece of tissue that was slightly larger than an 8.5 by 11 inch inch sheet of paper and taping the top edge to a piece of card stock and feeding it into my printer.
Cut the images apart leaving about 3/8 of an inch all the way around. Apply Mod Podge to the side of the pot covering an area slightly larger than the tissue would cover. Carefully apply the tissue to the Mod Podge and tap it gently to straighten it and to make sure that it is adhered. After it dries, apply a second coat of Mod Podge to seal the image and blend the tissue into the side of the pot.
Wrap a piece of ribbon around the rim of the pot and hot glue it into place. Then, using a skewer or the tip of your scissors, poke a hole through the ribbon and the side of the pot to attach the handle which is formed from a seven inch piece of jute covered wire that I found at the craft store. Simply push one end of the handle through each side of the pot and form a loop to keep the handle in place.
I made the little ruffle that peeks out of the top edge using about a yard of crepe paper that I had on hand. Simply run a line of hot glue inside the rim of the pot then push the crepe paper into the glue and scrunch it to form the “ruffle”. Then, I added a couple of gingham bows on the sides to cover the holes where the handle attaches.
Add a little excelsior (or Easter grass…or moss) and fill it with whatever you please.
So far, I’ve tried a few chocolate eggs…
a couple of faux eggs and a spring flower or two…. even some little signs.
I’m going to use these Peter Rabbit decorated baskets as a part of my Easter tablescape but I’ve decided that they’d also make adorable baby shower favors or cute May baskets! I’m not certain what I’ll end up filling them with on Easter morning, but I’m excited at how inexpensive and easy it was to DIY them using scraps of ribbon and peat pots that I already had on hand. I hope that you’ll make a few for yourself!
Happy Spring!
For pictures with the instructions, please see Shannon's website! http://foxhollowcottage.com/2014/03/a-diy-spring-craft-peter-rabbit-easter-egg-basket.html
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Request from a reader in the Roanoke, Virginia area:
"I have recently taken up quilting and would like to accumulate fabric pieces any size over 5x5 inches. I could pick up at the church or go to person's home. They can email me at this address rwright614@gmail.com. - Robin Wright"
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Compiled by Lois Breneman - Heart to Heart - 2015
Thanks to all the moms who allow me to include their kids' quotes for all of us to enjoy!
Looked out my window and saw Eva (8) sitting on the top of the grapevines reading a book in the warm afternoon sunshine!! I love that she can't get her nose out of a book! ~ Elizabeth in Virginia
Things your kids say in SAMs: "Mommy can we buy a canoe today?" ~ Sarah in Virginia
Conversation while getting ready for bed:
Me: Jeremiah are you cold?
Jeremiah (2) (shivering): No, I'm Jeremiah!
Me: Well then, we have a little Chuck Norris.
Jeremiah: I'm not Chicken Norris. I'm Jeremiah. Michael. Fields. ~ Heather in Virginia
Papa and grandma are here to visit. Erin (6) kept wiping her eyes saying, "I can't stop the water from coming out of my eyes!" Happy tears to be with Papa and Grandma... Such a sweet girl! We are blessed with wonderful grandparents. ~ Aisling in Indiana
So we're in Walmart,
Zach (9)... Mom, I need a calendar.
Me... Why do you need one buddy?
Zach.... A man's got to know what he's doing each day. He can't wake up and be puzzled. ~ Jessica in Virginia
"Mommy are you 74?" Innocently asked my youngest daughter (6). "No" I replied. "Well are you past 74?" ~ Elizabeth in Virginia
Chloe (5): "Mommy!!! What's going to happen to you when Garrett and Caylie and me grow up and get married and get our own dogs? What will happen to you then???" ~ Amy in Virginia
My children are playing "dentist." Eva (8) kept saying, "We have to pull the T-nines out, we have to pull the T-nines out." Mia (6) looked at her and said, "They are called canines, Eva, not T-nines." ~ Elizabeth in Virginia
So tonight Maddie (6) and I were the last two eating dinner when the boys had gotten up and played basketball. We were eating healthy food, and they were kind of eating junky hamburgers LOL! So it spurred on this little lady's thoughts....."You know mom, we should make a healthy snack and a junky snack and somehow connect electricity to the junky snack so that as soon as Zach (9) grabs the wrong one, boom!! He will get zapped!!!!" And then she looks at me and says, "Now how exactly can we do that?!!" ~ Jessica in Virginia
Oh boy! In the last five minutes I have explained why we don't kiss on the lips, been asked why boys smell worse than girls, and what does it mean to commit adultery? ~ Elizabeth in Virginia
Ben (5) is trying his hardest to convince me that he needs a new Lego set. I told him that we don't need to use our money to buy that right now. "Well mom, I'm pretty sure one of them is priceless." After further conversation I found out that his definition of "priceless" doesn't match up with mine. ~ Liz in Washington
Camden (5): "Mommy I just need a few sips of your coffee because it's going to be a hard day at preschool"~ Bethany in Virginia
There are days when parenthood is really, really hard. And then there are days where there are blessings that blow you away.
Last Friday night, I was tucking Samara (5) into bed, and we were having a heart-to-heart talk, just like many other bedtime snuggles and conversations. It started with talking about her Papaw (my Dad).
She was there when Papaw held our hands as he took his last breath here (on earth) and breathed his first in Jesus' presence. Even then, she seemed to understand that God called him home, and that he would be happy and waiting for us there in Heaven.
But she wanted to know more. To be sure. On Friday night, she wanted me to tell her again what we need to do to make sure we would be with Jesus one day, when we die. I tried to keep it simple. You know, she is only 5, after all. I went through the message of the Gospel with her. She surmised that, if Jesus had never died on the cross, there would be no way we could go to heaven because even if all we did our whole life was to lie once, we would not be able to be in Heaven. I agreed.
We talked for quite a while. She wasn't ready to talk to Jesus about that yet though, she said, because she wanted to think.
She told me and Brian (her daddy) that, after I tucked her in and prayed with her that night, she talked with Jesus, and told Him that she was sorry for her sins, and that she believed that He died on the cross to make her sins go away, and that he was living in Heaven. She said that she told Him she wants Him to be her Savior.
Clear, decisive. She made the decision to follow Christ!
My heart is dancing! Thank you, Lord! ~ Diane in Montana
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