May 2012 Mothers, Kindness, Naps, Angel Food Cakes, Cheerful
Posted by: jhbreneman <jhbreneman@...>
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EASY INSTRUCTIONS FOR FREEZING EGGS
PICK A CHILD, ANY CHILD
PRECIOUS GEMS
During this month as we celebrate Mother's Day, I want to commend each one of you who faithfully do the most important job anyone could ever do - wipe little noses (and bottoms), read to and teach your children about Jesus, feed and bathe them, listen to and answer all those amazing questions, wash never-ending piles of laundry, and all those other "investments" you put into your precious children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren! Your investments will be rewarded!
To those who have lost a precious mother, as I have, I pray your hearts will be wrapped in love by the Lord Jesus, as He brings you comfort.
And to those ladies who are praying for the Lord to bring them a husband, as well as those who have not been blessed with children, I pray He will fill those unmet desires of your hearts!
This is so beautiful---whether your MOM is with you or not!!!
She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street,
she's the smell of certain foods you remember,
flowers you pick and perfume that she wore,
she's the cool hand on your brow when you're not feeling well,
she's your breath in the air on a cold winter's day.
She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep,
the colors of a rainbow, she is Christmas morning.
Your Mother lives inside your laughter.
And she's crystallized in every tear drop.
A mother shows every emotion....Happiness, sadness, fear, jealousy, love,
hate, anger, helplessness, excitement, joy, sorrow....and all the while,
hoping and praying you will only know the good feelings in life.
She's the place you came from, your first home,
and she's the map you follow with every step you take.
She's your first love, your first friend, even your first enemy,
but nothing on earth can separate you.
Not time, not space....not even death!
Note from Lois: I'm looking forward to I Thessalonians 4:16-17 (KJV)
by Mary Rice Hopkins - http://www.maryricehopkins.com
Here are some great songs for Mother's Day! Click on each title to hear a soundbyte of each song.
Note from Lois: The first song, Juggling Mom, is the reason I came to know and love Mary quite a few years ago, and it's been my great privilege to meet and learn from Mary since that time. She's a very talented musician, who writes the lyrics and music to her wonderful songs. You and your children are in for a special treat when you watch Mary's TV show each Saturday at 11:30 a.m. Eastern time on TBN (and corresponding times across the country). "Mary Rice Hopkins and Puppets with a Heart" is the name of her show. Fascinating and adorable puppets, a great lesson and wonderful music - all put together in a theme! I set our DVR to tape her show automatically each week!
Her flowerbeds were beautiful,
by Michael Hyatt - http://michaelhyatt.com/why-you-should-take-a-nap-every-day.html
Thanks to Rachael Breneman for sharing this great article!
I am a habitual nap-taker. I take one almost every day and have for years. I used to feel a little guilty about it—like I was slacking off or something. Then Sam Moore, my predecessor at Thomas Nelson, admitted to me he too was a napper.
Napping Celebrities
- Leonardo da Vinci took multiple naps a day and slept less at night.
- The French Emperor Napoleon was not shy about taking naps. He indulged daily.
- Though Thomas Edison was embarrassed about his napping habit, he also practiced his ritual daily.
- Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, used to boost her energy by napping before speaking engagements.
- Gene Autry, “the Singing Cowboy,” routinely took naps in his dressing room between performances.
- President John F. Kennedy ate his lunch in bed and then settled in for a nap—every day!
- Oil industrialist and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller napped every afternoon in his office.
- Winston Churchill’s afternoon nap was a non-negotiable. He believed it helped him get twice as much done each day.
- President Lyndon B. Johnson took a nap every afternoon at 3:30 p.m. in order to break his day up into “two shifts.”
- Though criticized for it, President Ronald Reagan famously took naps as well.
Napping Benefits
- A nap restores alertness. The National Sleep Foundation recommends a short nap of 20–30 minutes “for improved alertness and performance without leaving you feeling groggy or interfering with nighttime sleep.”
- A nap prevents burnout. In our always-on culture, we go, go, go. However, we were not meant to race without rest. Doing so leads to stress, frustration, and burnout. Taking a nap is like a system reboot. It relieves stress and gives you a fresh start.
- A nap heightens sensory perception. According to Dr. Sandra C. Mednick, author of Take a Nap, Change Your Life, napping can restore the sensitivity of sight, hearing, and taste. Napping also improves your creativity by relaxing your mind and allowing new associations to form in it.
- Reduces the risk of heart disease. Did you know those who take a midday siesta at least three times a week are 37 percent less likely to die of heart disease? Working men are 64 percent less likely! It’s true, according to a 2007 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Dimitrios Trichopoulos, of the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, who led the study said, “Taking a nap could turn out to be an important weapon in the fight against coronary mortality.”
- Makes you more productive. Numerous medical studies have shown workers becoming increasingly unproductive as the day wears on. But a 2002 Harvard University study demonstrated a 30-minute nap boosted the performance of workers, returning their productivity to beginning-of-the-day levels.
I typically take a 20-minute right after lunch. If I can’t do it then, I try to squeeze it in before 4:00 p.m.
- Be consistent. Try to nap at the same time every day. This helps stabilize your circadian rhythms and maximize the benefits.
- Keep it short. Avoid “sleep inertia,” that feeling of grogginess and disorientation that can come from awakening from a deep sleep. Long naps can also negatively impact nighttime sleep. I recommend 20–30 minutes. Set an alarm on your phone to avoid oversleeping.
- Turn off the lights. Light acts as a cue for our bodies. Darkness communicates it is time to shut down—or go into standby mode. If you can’t turn off the lights, use a simple eye mask. I bought mine at Walgreens. Turn the lights back up to full brightness when you wake up.
- Use a blanket. When you sleep, your metabolism falls, your breathing rate slows, and your body temperature drops slightly. Though not imperative, you will usually be more comfortable if you use a light blanket when you nap.
- Be discreet. Getting caught napping at your desk is not a good way to earn respect. In some old-school environments, it might even get you fired! But most people get an hour for lunch. Eat in half that time and then go snooze in your car, an unused conference room, or even a closet.
by Thomas Kinkaid - Thanks to Judy Barr in Virginia for sharing this story!
Note from Lois: Some of you may have heard this story before, but in the light of his recent passing, this object lesson is being included.
One rainy afternoon I was driving along one of the main streets of town, taking those extra precautions necessary when the roads are wet and slick. Suddenly, my daughter, Aspen, spoke up from her relaxed position in her seat. "Dad, I'm thinking of something."
This announcement usually meant she had been pondering some fact for a while, and was now ready to expound all that her six-year-old mind had discovered. I was eager to hear.
"What are you thinking?" I asked. "The rain," she began, "is like sin, and the windshield wipers are like God wiping our sins away."
After the chill bumps raced up my arms I was able to respond. "That's really good, Aspen." Then my curiosity broke in. How far would this little girl take this revelation? So I asked.. "Do you notice how the rain keeps on coming? What does that tell you?" Aspen didn't hesitate one moment with her answer: "We keep on sinning, and God just keeps on forgiving us."
I will always remember this whenever I turn my wipers on.
For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord...plans to prosper you, not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
by Lois Breneman - 2012 - Heart to Heart
You have all heard the story that if life deals you lemons, you can turn a bad situation into something good by making lemonade. Well, I was surprised to learn half a year ago that I have a food sensitivity to many foods, after going to a holistic doctor to get relief from widespread nonstop inflammation in the form of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. One of those foods to avoid is egg whites. I have always loved eggs, but have found ways to improvise by adding egg yolks to oatmeal and cooking it a minute longer, as well as adding yolks to casseroles for added flavor. Omelets don't really work too well without egg whites, since it is the whites that act as binding agents in cooking and baking.
During the first few months I had thrown the egg whites down the drain, which was hard to do! Although I had always looked for ways to save money in the home, having studied economics for the home, it was just too much to handle at the time with being on such a restrictive diet (food sensitivities, plus a yeast free and gluten free diet, as well as other food restrictions) that the holistic doctor advised me to follow. As I concentrated on this new way of eating with so many limitations and tried to find new recipes, as I followed a diet for relief, saving those egg whites just wasn't a top priority at the time.
After I recently began to feel a tad more energy, I thought again about those wasted egg whites, and began saving them to make angel food cakes - not for us to eat, but to give away to bless others! It has been a real joy to bring smiles to busy moms by giving them an angel food cake from time to time. Sometimes I am able to make two cakes at a time, and with "Heart to Heart" being the name of this ministry, it is appropriate that one of my angel food cake pans is heart-shaped! <3
It is my husband's and my prayer that the Lord will bring me physical relief through the holistic doctor I am going to (two hours from home). I've been told that the process will take years. If you feel led to add me to your prayer list, I would be most appreciative. Thanks so much!
"I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in need." Philippians 4:11-13"A happy heart makes the face cheerful." Proverbs 15:13"A cheerful heart has a continual feast." Proverbs 15:15"A cheerful heart is good medicine; but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." Proverbs 17:22One of the divinest secrets of a happy life—is the art of extracting comfort and sweetness from every circumstance. We must develop the habit of looking on the bright side. It is a magic-wand whose power exceeds that of any fabled magician's to change all things into blessings. Those who take cheerful views, find happiness everywhere; and yet how rare is the habit! The multitude prefer to walk on the dark side of the paths of life.There are those who take to gloom—as a bat to darkness, or as a vulture to carrion! They would rather nurse a misery—than cherish a joy. They always find the dark side of everything, if there is a dark side to be found. They appear to be conscientious grumblers, as if it were their duty to extract some essence of misery from every circumstance. The weather is either too cold or too hot; too wet or too dry. They never find anything to their taste. Nothing escapes their criticism. They find fault with the food on the table, with the bed in which they lie, with the railroad-train or steamboat on which they travel, with the government and its officials, with merchant and workman—in a word, with the world at large and in detail.They are chronic grumblers. Instead of being content in the state in which they are—they have learned to be discontented, no matter how happy their lot! If they had been placed in the Garden of Eden—they would have discovered something with which to find fault! Their wretched habit empties life of all possible joy—and turns every cup to gall.On the other hand, there are rare people who always take cheerful views of life. They look at the bright side. They find some joy and beauty everywhere. If the sky is covered with clouds—they will point out to you the splendor of some great cloud-bank piled up like mountains of glory. When the storm rages, instead of fears and complaints—they find an exquisite pleasure in contemplating its grandeur and majesty. In the most faulty picture—they see some bit of beauty which charms them. In the most disagreeable person—they discover some kindly trait or some bud of promise. In the most disheartening circumstances, they find something for which to be thankful, some gleam of cheer breaking in through the thick gloom.When a ray of sunlight streamed through a crack in the shutter, and made a bright patch on the floor in the darkened room—the little dog rose from his dark corner, and went and lay down in the one sunny spot; and these cheerful people live in the same philosophical way. If there is one beam of cheer or hope anywhere in their lot—they will find it! They have a genius for happiness. They always make the best out of circumstances. They are happy as travelers. They are contented as boarders. Their good nature never fails. They take a cheerful view of every perplexity. Even in sorrow, their faces are illumined, and songs come from the chambers where they weep. Such people have a wondrous ministry in this world. They are like apple trees when covered with blossoms, pouring a sweet fragrance all around them.It may be worth while to linger a little—on the philosophy of living which produces such results. Some people are born with sunny dispositions, with large hopefulness and joyfulness, and with eyes for the bright side of life. Others are naturally disposed to gloom. Physical causes have, no doubt, much to do with the discontent of many lives. Dyspepsia or a disordered liver, is responsible for much bad temper, low spirits and melancholy; and yet, while there is this predisposition in temperament on the one hand toward hopefulness, and on the other toward depression and gloom, it is still largely a matter of culture and habit, for which we are individually responsible. Like the apostle Paul, we can train ourselves to take cheerful views of life, and to extract contentment and enjoyment from any circumstances."Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again—Rejoice!" Philippians 4:4. This is clearly a most important part of Christian culture. Joyfulness is everywhere commended as a Christian duty. Discontent is a most detestable fault. Morbidness is a sin. Fretfulness grieves God. It tells of unbelief. It destroys the soul's peace. It disfigures the beauty of Christian character. It not only makes us soured and unhappy in our own hearts—but its influence on others is bad. We have no right to project the gloom of our discontent—over any other life. Our attitude is to be ever toward joy. There is nothing so depressing in its effect upon others, as morbidness!Also, for the sake of those among whom we live, and upon whose lives we are forever unconsciously either casting shadows, or pouring sunshine—we should seek to learn this Christian art of contentment.What are some of the elements of this divine philosophy of living?One is patient submission to all the ills and hardships of life, which are unavoidable. No person's lot is perfect. No mortal ever yet found a set of circumstances without some unpleasant feature. Sometimes it is in our power—to modify the discomforts. Our trouble is often of our own making! Much of it needs only a little energetic activity on our part, to remove it. We are fools, if we live on amid ills and hardships, which a reasonable industry would change to comforts, or even pleasures!But if there are unavoidable ills or burdens, which we cannot by any energy of our own remove or lighten—they must be submitted to without murmuring. We have a saying that, "What cannot be cured—must be endured." But the very phrasing tells of an unyielding heart! There is submission to the inevitable—but no reconciliation to it!True contentment does not chafe under disappointments and losses—but accepts them, becomes reconciled to them, and at once looks about to find something good in them. This is the secret of happy living! And when we come to think of it—how senseless it is to struggle against the inevitable! Discontent helps nothing. It never removes a hardship, or makes a burden any lighter, or brings back a vanished pleasure. One never feels better, for complaining. It only makes him wretched!A starling in a cage struggles against its fate, flies against the wire walls, and beats upon them in efforts to be free—until its wings are all bruised and bleeding! A canary is shut in another cage, accepts the restraint, perches itself upon its bar and sings. Surely, the canary is wiser than the starling!We would also get far along toward contentment, if we ceased to waste time dreaming over unattainable earthly good. Only a few people can be great or rich; the mass must always remain in ordinary circumstances. Suppose that each of the forty million people in the world, were millionaires; who could be found to do the work that must be done? Or suppose that all were great poets. Imagine the forty million people in the world, all writing poetry! Who would write the prose? A little serious reflection will show that the world needs only a very few great and conspicuous lives—while it needs millions for its varied industries, its plain duties, its hard toil.Also, a large amount of our discontent arises from our envy of those who have what we have not. There are many who lose all the comfort of their own lives—in coveting the better things that some other one possesses! How foolish!There are several considerations which ought to modify this miserable feeling of envy, which brings so much bitterness. If we could know the secret history of the life that we envy for its splendor and prosperity, perhaps we would not exchange for it our lowlier life, with its plain circumstances. Certain it is, that contentment is not so apt to dwell in palaces or on thrones—as in the homes of the humble. The tall peaks rise nearer the skies—but the winds smite them more fiercely!Then why should I hide my one talent in the earth—because it is not ten? Why should I make my life a failure in the place allotted to me, while I sit down and dream over unattainable things? Why should I miss my one golden opportunity, however small—while I envy some other one—what seems his greater opportunity? Countless people make themselves wretched—by vainly trying to grasp far-away joys, while they leave untouched and despised—the numberless little joys and bright bits of happiness, which lie close to their hand.As one has written, "Stretching out his hand to catch the stars—man forgets the flowers at his feet—so beautiful, so fragrant, so multitudinous and so various." The secret of happiness lies in extracting pleasure from the things we have—while we enter no mad, vain chase after impossible dreams!Another way to train ourselves to cheerful views of life—is resolutely to refuse to be frightened at shadows, or even to see trouble where there is none. Half or more of the things that most worry us—have no existence, but in a disordered imagination. Many things that in the dim distance look like shapes of peril, when we draw near to them—melt into harmless shadows, or even change into forms of friendliness! Much of the gloomy tinge that many people see on everything, is caused by the color of the glasses through which they look. We look out through our blue-glasses, and then wonder what makes everything blue! The greater part of our discontent, is caused by some imaginary trouble which never really comes. We can do much toward curing ourselves of fretting and worrying—by refusing to be fooled by a foreboding imagination.We also need to learn—ever to make the best of things. There will always be cloudy days. No one can live without meeting discomforts, disappointments and hardships. No wisdom, no industry of ours can eliminate from our experience, all that is disagreeable or painful. But shall we allow the one discordant note in the grand symphony—to mar for us all the noble music? Shall we permit the one discomfort in our home—to cast a cloud over all its pleasures and embitter all its joys? Shall we not seek for the bright side? There is really sunshine enough in the darkest day—to make any ordinary mortal happy—if he only has eyes to see it!It is marvelous what a trifling thing will give joy to a truly grateful heart. Mr. Park in the bleak desert, found the greatest delight in a single tuft of moss growing in the sand. It saved him from despair and from death, and filled his soul with joy and hope. There is no lot in life so dreary—that it has not at least its one little patch of beauty; or its one wee flower looking up out of the dreariness, like a smile of God.Even if the natural eye can see no brightness in the cloud, the faith of the Christian knows that there is good in everything, for the child of God. There are reasons, no doubt, why no perfect happiness can be found in this world. If there were no thorns in our pillow here on earth—would we care to pillow our heads on the bosom of divine love? Our Father makes our nest rough—to drive us to seek the warmer, softer nest, prepared for us in his own love.To each one who is truly in Christ, and who really loves God—there is a promise of good out of all things. "We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God; to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28. There is a wondrous chemistry in the divine providence, which out of the commingling of life's strange elements—always produces blessing! Thus faith's vision sees good in all things, however dark they may appear—and ill in nothing! We need but living faith in God's love and care to us—to enable us to take a cheerful view of any experience.There is another purely Christian element in the culture of contentment which must not be overlooked. The more the heart becomes engaged with God, and its affections enchained about him—the less is it disturbed by the little roughnesses and hardships of earth. Things that fret childhood, have no power to break the peace of manhood. As we grow into higher spiritual manhood, and become more and more filled with Christ—we shall rise above the power of earth's discontents! We shall be happy even amid trials and losses, amid discomforts and disappointments, because our life is hid with Christ in God—and we have food to eat of which the world knows not!Thus we may train ourselves away from all gloomy and despondent habits and experiences, toward cheerfulness and hope. The lesson, well learned, will repay our greatest efforts! It will bring some new pleasure into every moment. It will paint beauty for us—on the dreariest desert. It will plant flowers for us—along every step of the rugged road. It will bring music for us—out of every sighing wind and wailing storm. It will fill the darkest night with star-beams! It will make us sunny-hearted Christians—pleasing God, and blessing the world!
1 cup smoked almond nuts (ground in a food processor or chopper
5-6 Chicken breasts sliced to half thickness
Salt and pepper
Mix almonds and Parmesan cheese together. Sprinkle each side of the breast slices with salt and pepper, as well as the nut and cheese mixture. Bake at 350º for 23-25 minutes. Do NOT overbake or the meat will be dry.
HOMEMADE LAUNDRY DETERGENT
by Gina Martin - http://homejoys.blogspot.com - Used by permission
(Note from Lois: Another version of homemade laundry soap had been in Heart to Heart several years ago, but this is another option.)
There are so many recipes on the web for laundry detergent. I have tried the cooked recipe and the shredded soap bar recipe in the past. They worked but the recipe I've been using for nearly a year now is the simplest I've found. I keep the ingredients handy, and when I run out, it takes only minutes to dump it together, give it a stir, and we are back laundering clothes.
1 box (55 oz) Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda
1/2 cup Mule Team Borax
2 cup oxygen cleaner (such as Oxyclean)
1/2 cup Calgon water softening powder
Mix together. Use 1/8 cup per load.
Pick a Child, Any Child by Mary Rice Hopkins - http://www.maryricehopkins.com - Used by permission
Most of my teachers didn’t know what to do with me. According to one report card, I lacked attention and self-control. Teachers tried to ignore me, but I made it difficult because I could never sit still. My second-grade teacher noted that I would rather make up stories and sing songs than do my other school subjects.
Thankfully, I had another teacher. Her name was Mom. If I hadn’t listened to my mother during my school days, I don’t know where I would be today. With tenacity, love and lots of prayer, Mom encouraged me to use my songs, gifts and talents. She made me aware of the wonderful truth that there is nobody else in the world like me. She encouraged me to be myself and to use whatever God put in my hands for His glory.
Thirty Years Later:
My mom developed a brain tumor and, at first, they thought it was inoperable. As she started sorting through the family heirlooms, my mom handed me a treasure chest of memorabilia from my childhood. In it were all my report cards that I had never seen, all the struggles of my childhood that were so difficult. When I asked her about it, she said, “Mary, I knew you were gifted and God would use your gifts to His glory.”
So it wasn’t until I was married and had my own children that I realized the extent of the challenges I had faced growing up. Funny how the report cards showed my problems, but my mother showed me my possibilities. And God showed me how to use both to become a committed musician and family-oriented minister.
After several strokes and a removal of the tumor, I praise God that Mom is with us today. My Mom was even featured with her homemade quilt on one of our weekly TV episodes. Because of her love, now I have our own weekly program that teaches good character through music and puppetry. I'm so glad she never gave up on this little child.
Will you be that one person who picks a young girl and helps her to believe she is very special and that God has a great plan for her life? Will you be willing to find that broken, wounded little boy who simply needs one person to show him God’s love and give him hope? Will you be there for the inner child of the mother who needs someone to remind her that she has the most important job in the world raising children to be all God wants them to be?
Pick a child, any child.
TIPS AND TIDBITS
Children's Bible Ideas Unlimited ~ Do you need ideas for your Sunday school class, VBS class or mid-week programming? Are you a homeschool parent or grandparent? "Children's Bible Ideas Unlimited" is now on Facebook for your convenience! New ideas added regularly.
Easier Way to Fill Water Balloons ~ Last week I was filling water balloons for my four year old grandson, Daniel, so we could have some fun with them. He saw how difficult it was for me to fit the tiny end of the balloons onto the water faucet, and instantly had a solution. He pointed to their drinking water faucet (reverse osmosis), and said, "Use that one!" It worked like a charm! Now why didn't I think of that?
Pinterest is a great visual way to find creative new ideas that other people are willing to share. We "pin" ideas that we want to save, as pinning on a bulletin board. Just about every topic of interest can be found there - recipes, healthy eating, kids' crafts and artwork, adult crafts, sewing, home decorating, organization, gardening, quotes, marriage, parties, centerpieces, fun food for kids, beach themes, and so much more! The tip on how to occupy a child came from Pinterest. http://www.pinterest.com
While I was in the hospital (ready to have our second son), Caydon (3) said, "Boy! They are going to need a BIG screwdriver to get Caleb out of Mommy's belly!" ~ Kelly in Pennsylvania
Friend: How is your Grandmother?
Autumn Rose: Fine
Friend: Is her knee sore? (after knee surgery)
Autumn Rose: Yep!
Friend: Is your grandmother sick?
Autumn Rose: Nope! She is just old! ~ Mary in Virginia
Yesterday, Elijah (4) and I found a black woolly mammoth caterpillar. When we looked for it this morning he was gone. Then Elijah said in the car on the way to school, "Mommy that spikey caterpillar that we saw reminds me of the crown of thorns that Jesus wore." I am thankful for a little boy that sees reminders of God's love for us in the little every day things. It helps this mommy look at the world in different way. ~ Ashley in Virginia
My grandson, Daniel (who just turned 4) and his mommy were discussing whether birds can hear. Daniel said, "I'm not an animalologist but I suspect they can hear!" ~ Lois
Simply reply to any newsletter and share your thoughts with me.
I'm always looking for cute quotes from kids (old or new would be great)!
I pray each of you found something in this edition to bless, encourage and teach you!
Please remember to pray for each dear Heart to Heart lady and her family,
because so many ladies are going through very tough times and need our prayers!
Some have lost loved ones, others have lost jobs, homes, or their good health.
Pray each day for the protection of our troops, and for their families left at home,
as well as adjustment and employment after they return home.
God bless you and your family and keep you in His loving care!
Your Heart to Heart friend
Lois
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