Quote from Forum Archives on April 27, 2013, 5:25 pm

Posted by: jhbreneman <jhbreneman@...>

                        HEART TO HEART NEWSLETTER 

  ENCOURAGEMENT TO WOMEN

 

 Compiled especially for you with love by Lois Breneman    

http://heartfilledhome.blogspot.com  

A categorized storehouse of information for you from past newsletters,

plus a second blog just for recipes! 

 http://heartfilledhomerecipes.blogspot.com/  

       ~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~
May 2013 Parenting Handbook, Gardening, Blended Family, Teens, Cool-Aid, Eggs, Entitlement

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IN THIS ISSUE:

THE MOTHER MENDER
THE GIFT OF AN ORDINARY DAY

THE CHRISTIAN PARENTING HANDBOOK
LOW MAINTENANCE PLANTS FOR SUNLIGHT
BOOK FOR PRETEEN AND TEEN GIRLS
SIX WAYS TO BUILD YOUR TEEN'S IDENTITY
LIFE INSIDE THE SOUP POT

DELICIOUS HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE

SALAD DRESSING

HOUSEHOLD TIPS AND TIDBITS

HOMEMADE COOL-AID

WHAT'S SO HEALTHY ABOUT EGGS?

RAISING GRATEFUL KIDS IN AN ENTITLED WORLD
THE IMPORTANCE OF SCRIPTURE MEMORY FOR YOUR CHILDREN

PRECIOUS GEMS

 

 

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

 

THE MOTHER MENDER

Author unknown - sent by Jalisa Wenger in Pennsylvania

 

I came apart at the seams yesterday,

   Children crying-
         Supper frying-
            Husband sighing-

But last night I knelt to pray
And Jesus took the tensions all away.

 

Today the same old seams were frayed.
      Weather dreary-

         Children teary-

            Husband weary-

But God's peace was under-laid

And I was strong because I prayed.

 

 

THE GIFT OF AN ORDINARY DAY
www.katrinakenison.com

 

Please click on this link to see an unforgettable and very special video:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=490131254386682&set=vb.154798851253259&type=2&theater

 

The Christian Parenting Handbook

50 Heart-Based Strategies for All the Stages of Your Child's Life

Biblical, Practical, Heart-based Guidance at Your Fingertips!
Please don't miss this very special offer - a terrific parenting book, plus more than $400's worth of free parenting resources!

www.biblicalparenting.org

 

I've reviewed this excellent new book after being asked by Dr. Scott Turansky to be on the Launch Team, and have found it to be one-of-a-kind! 

Parenting "ideas" are a dime-a-dozen, but in this unique handbook you are given fifty practical and powerful parenting concepts, along with specifics on how to carry out each one. This book is for parents of not only tiny ones, but toddlers to teens! 

You will all benefit greatly from The Christian Parenting Handbook! Our three children will be getting one as a gift from us! 

If you purchase your copy during April 29-May 5, you will receive a bonus of more than $400's worth of parenting resources - FREE!  Don't let this offer slip through your fingers!

LOW MAINTENANCE PLANTS FOR SUNLIGHT
by Carol Miller, my good friend who is a landscape designer in Pennsylvania

 

Lambs ear is good. My favorite variety is Stachy's Big Ears. They have nice large leaves. Do not water overhead, because the leaves will rot if they get too wet.  If you get lots of rain, you can pull dead leaves off and they grow back quickly. 

 

Lavender thrives in full sun  & well drained soil. Also very drought resistant once established, but will flower better if not allowed to dry out. No need to fertilize. Use for perfume, sachets,  flavoring ice cream, jams & pastries.

 

Sedums (succulents) love full sun and drought, the less water the better. I love (Autumn Joy) sedum, which have green flower heads first, turning to pink in August and September.  There are loads of beautiful blooming succulent - ground covers too. 

 

Coreopsis (Zagreb), with a bright yellow flower, is very pretty.  They clump up more every year so just dig out a chunk and plant it elsewhere in your garden. No need to purchase extra plants. 

 

Veronicas come in blue, pink, and white. They are spiky looking. 

 

Catmint is great for borders. Small blue flowers and not aggressive like regular edible mint and it's ornamental.  

Catnip is a different member of the same family as catmint. Catnip cataria attracts cats. Catmint  mussinii is not as attractive to cats and as a hybrid, such as Faassen's nepeta,  is sterile and non invasive. Six Hill's Giant & Walker's Low are beautiful catmints and very easy to grow. Great for edging a perennial border or a walkway. They are also loved by butterflies and hummingbirds.

 

Artimesia ( Powis Castle) is a silver blue mound of foliage and is the prettiest. 

 

Tall Garden Phlox (paniculata) are long blooming tall perennials. I like the mildew resistant, Eva Cullum which is pink and Laura which is purple.They attract butterflies. Make sure you only buy mildew resistant phlox or the foliage will turn white with mildew which isn't pretty. 

 

Check White Flower Farms http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/ and look through their catalog online. I hope this helps.

 

 

BOOK FOR PRETEEN AND TEEN GIRLS
What Happens When Young Women Say Yes to God by Lysa TerKeurst

harvesthousepublishers.com/book/what-happens-when-young-women-say-yes-to-god-2013

 

 

SIX WAYS TO BUILD YOUR TEEN'S IDENTITY
Strategies to counteract culture by helping your teen develop a strong, positive identity.

http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/teens/your_teen_needs_you/build_your_teens_ident ity.aspx
From the Focus on the Family website. Copyright © 2008, Tiffany Stuart. Used by permission.

 

In many ways, American teens have never had it tougher. Perhaps a surprising statement, given the United States' obvious affluence compared to the rest of the world. If you're a parent today, you know what I mean. Social pressures are more pervasive and destructive than ever before in American history. Parents often feel helpless to equip their teens with the tools to navigate – and steer clear – of harmful relationships, attitudes and behaviors.

 

Ideally, the process of equipping our kids to live and thrive in an often Christian-hostile world begins as soon as they are born. In fact, parents are the single most important developmental influence in a child's life, apart from the Holy Spirit himself. But even if time has slipped away, and your teenager seems out of reach, you can begin to lay building blocks to help your teen grow to maturity in Christ and make a positive impact on his or her world. Love, commitment, self-discipline, perseverance and a lot of prayer are required, but you can do it.

 

Assisting your teen in forging a strong, positive identity is one way to help her form convictions based on truth, and then stand firm in them regardless of what everyone else does.

 

As parents, we can build our teen's identity by using a brick mason's approach. Masonry is an art that requires intense study of the project's design before setting the first brick in place. The job is messy, requires hands-on application and commitment.

Parental brick-layers labor alongside our teens as they experience the joy of discovering their significance in Christ and their identity. Teens today are overscheduled and often lack the skills to communicate or set boundaries. They need our help to decide which bricks fit and which ones don't.

 

The challenge? To encourage them to be who God made them to be, rather than who we want them to be.

Brick-by-brick, we can make a difference for our teens and in their world.

Brick #1: Encourage Self Discovery

My husband Derek shared a devotion about integrity with our fourteen-year-old son Justin and his friend Tim* (name changed). Derek asked them, "How committed are you to integrity?"

 

"I'm not that committed. But I want to be," Tim answered.

 

Derek said, "Telling the truth is integrity. Thanks for being honest."

 

"I get in trouble with certain friends," Tim said. "The pressure to be liked affects me."

 

"Until you decide who you are," Derek told Tim, "you will be like a chameleon, blending in to whatever situation or whoever you are with."

 

Derek mentioned a former game show and said, "Will the real Tim please stand up? Until you figure out who the God-designed Tim is, you will struggle with your friends."

Brick #2: Acknowledge Natural Abilities

Teens yearn for our support and relationship. It's important to affirm their natural abilities. Be their cheerleader. Attend activities even if they say, "It's no biggie."

 

Encourage athletes to stay involved in sports throughout high school. Challenge the artsy to try a new instrument, audition for a play, take a watercolor class or voice lessons. If they love to argue, consider the debate team. Talk about career choices that use their talents. For example, math skills are priceless for computer software engineers.

Brick #3: Create a Family Motto

When my friend Beth's three teens were growing up, their family motto was "We aren't quitters." Anytime her son or daughters wanted to stop short of a commitment, they heard this phrase. Eventually Beth's children believed, "I belong to a non-quitting family."

 

By creating a tagline, our family identity is established. Then when difficulties arise, our motto serves as a stake in the ground declaring who we are as individuals — and as family.

Brick #4: Value Uniqueness

Physically and emotionally, teens' lives constantly change. They can feel overscheduled, unknown, abandoned, or even betrayed. Adolescents still want a unique place in our home. They need to know they belong and that they matter.

 

Encourage busy teens to enjoy down time, which strengthens their creativity and problem-solving skills. Inform your son his sense of humor is missed when he's gone. Tell your daughter you notice her thankful heart.

Brick #5: Highlight Spiritual Gifts

Ever since our son Justin was little, he has shown kindness to kids that are different. As a high school freshman, he continues to tap the heart of the lonely.

 

Justin's gym teacher asked the students to share who their best friend was and why. Both a popular and unpopular guy picked Justin. Their reasons: "He shows interest in me. He makes me laugh. He sits by me. He sticks up for me."

 

We affirmed Justin for using his gift of mercy with his friends.

 

Study verses about spiritual gifts with your teens: Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; 1 Corinthians 14:1-40; Ephesians 4:7-16; and 1 Peter 4:7-11.

Brick #6: Reinforce Spiritual Identity

No brick is more foundational than this one. When teens understand their worth in Christ, they can reject negative thinking that peers, insecurities and problems hurl on them. Just because teens fail — which they will — doesn't mean they are a failure.

 

Teens develop confidence when they believe they are loved by God — no matter what. This inner strength will carry them through trials and peer pressure. As they search for significance, our teens can influence their peers to do the same.

 

Google "Who I am in Christ." Print and review with your son or daughter. If someone tries to embarrass them about a mistake, say, "There is no condemnation for those in Christ" (Romans 8:1). Don't criticize them when they are knocked down. Instead extend your hand and your heart.

Construct A Strong Identity Wall

Building our teens' identity is a long process. The Great Wall of China took years of extensive labor before it fended off enemies. Our teens live in a hostile culture too. They need a wall of protection. As parental masons, we can help them stand up under fire.

 

The challenge is to be like Beth's family — and not quit.

 

 

LIFE INSIDE THE SOUP POT
Being a Blended Family
by Diane Fenlason - April 18, 2013 - Used by permission

Being a blended family......what does that mean, anyway?   Almost five years into this journey, I have come to realize that a blended family doesn't really "blend".  Not in the way that my smoothies mix together in this wonderful delicious emulsification of yumminess.  Instead, we are more like a big pot of soup.  A stew, whose ingredients are very distinct, but still get put together and give off an aroma throughout the house.    There are definitely sweeter notes, more bitter herbs, bold seasonings, and the vegetables that add body and nourishment to the broth.

My prayer is that our aroma, as we simmer in the soup pot, would be pleasing to God and that it would be pleasant to those who enter our home, or spend time with our family.  

However, what I've come to realize is that a good stew takes time.  We don't want any spoiled ingredients to go into the soup.  No instant mixes used here!  No nasty artificial seasonings go into this cooking vessel.  But I am hungry for what I hope and pray for.  I am anticipating what I know our family can become.   I look at our four children and see so much potential and promise.  Yet, I catch myself doubting if we will get there.

Some things I have learned along the way, so far.

1. God will not fail us.   He hasn't ever failed us, and He is walking through this journey with us.

2. My husband is one of the most wonderful and godly men I have ever known.  He has embraced the leadership of our home in a way that makes me so proud of him and so blessed that *I* get to call him my husband.  I see Christ in Him.  And I feel loved when I am with him.  Every single day I get to wake up with him beside me is a really great day....and not one I take for granted. 

3. Our children have gifts.  They frustrate me sometimes with the idea that they "know everything" and yet....know nothing!  They are the hardest and most rewarding teaching tools that God has put into my life.  They are each very different from the others, and yet, we love them all the same.

4. In our house, there is no "step" this or that, and there is no "half" this or that......we are just Mom, Dad, brothers, sisters.

5. Get ready for this one....it's a doozy.....I. HAVE. SO. MUCH. TO. LEARN.  There, you have it.  The more I learn about how to be a wife and mother in the soup-pot, the more I realize how little I actually know!  (Now, if that idea could just translate down to the kids.....we'd be good).  🙂   It has made me more motivated in studying the Word of God, and trying to be the example I need to be to other younger women and to our children.  Striving to be the woman God wants me to be for my husband, and the mother that our children need.   It is a high calling... Skyscraper high!   Pressing forward!

God bless you today, and may you bless others around you! ~Diane

Diane welcomes ladies who are in a blended family to contact her at  busymami@msn.com. 

 

 

DELICIOUS HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE

1 whole egg
1 egg yolk

1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 cup light olive oil

Put the first four ingredients into your blender and mix well.  S l o w l y pour mild olive oil into the blender in a very thin steady stream.  Make the oil last 1-2 full minutes as the mixture thickens.  Add salt to taste.  I use "light" olive oil for mayonnaise because I think the flavor is much too strong in regular cold pressed virgin olive oil.

SALAD DRESSING
Make your own mayonnaise and transform a portion as a base in making salad dressing, thinning it down a bit with water.  After I make mayonnaise,  I make a dressing by adding the following ingredients: celery salt, garlic salt, onion powder, dill weed, Nu-Stevia, and salt.  Measurements are not given since I don't have specific amounts.  You can add almost any combination of spices for various dressings. 

 

 

HOUSEHOLD TIPS AND TIDBITS

 

Oil Cloth on Dining Room Table for Protection ~ For years I've had a rather heavy white oil cloth tablecloth on my dining room table.  For special occasions I put a nice tablecloth over it.  The oil cloth protects the antique wooden table from any spills that have happened - and they will happen!  The oil cloth covering has also served as a great working area for craft projects, as well as a cutting table, while protecting the table.  Oil cloth is sold (on a roll) in fabric stores by the yard.  Plain white is a good choice so the oil cloth won't show through the fabric tablecloth.

Spot-Cleaning Hard Surface Floors without Stooping ~ Sometimes I see spots on my kitchen or bathroom floors, when the entire floor doesn't really need washing.  My solution is to wet a terry cleaning cloth the size of a washcloth, and move it around with my foot on top of it until the floor is clean.  A mild cleaner could be sprayed on the cloth or on the floor before your little exercise routine.  Your children might want to do it for you next time!  In fact, teach them how!

Your Purse Will Not Slide around in the Car If it is secured.  It seems cars no longer have a good place to set our purses when we drive, and I've had mine slide and spill over onto the floor several times.  Now I strap it in with me when I put on my seat belt, and that solves the problem.

 

Hidden Storage ~ I enjoy using teapots, pitchers, vases, and ginger jars in home decorating, and use some of them for storing small items like votive candles, seeds harvested from last year's plants, and other small things.  Now if I can just remember where everything is kept! It would be helpful to list everything and put that slip of paper in one of your favorite teapots.

Juicing for Breakfast ~ a Healthy Way to Start the Day! ~ I enjoy juicing raw vegetables and fruits for breakfast, but it takes a little preparation.  I juice a piece of ginger root, 1/2 lemon (peeled), about 1/4 of a medium red beet, one apple, and enough carrots to make about 2 cups of raw juice.  I buy 5-pound bags of organic carrots, and soak them in water, brush the carrots with a vegetable brush, trim off the ends, put them in a large plastic bag, and clip them shut with a Pampered Chef Twixit.  The ginger root, cut up beets, and lemon are washed and kept with the carrots. Then I just reach for an apple to finish up the juice.  Having most of the preparation done ahead of time helps juicing go smoothly and saves time.  I usually have eggs later.

R. W. Knudson Organic Tart Cherry Juice Helps Arthritis Pain.  Drink 1/2 cup per day.  It can be diluted with 1 1/2 cups pure water (a ratio of 1 part concentrated juice to three parts water), with a little Nu-Stevia added for sweetness.  Delicious!  Give it a try!  You should know in about two weeks if it will help.  Find it in the health food section of your grocery store or at a health food store.  It's much better than taking a pain prescription with side effects.

 

 

HOMEMADE COOL-AID
by Veronica Stanley-Hooper - http://www.handsonlearning4all.com/wp/?p=1003
Excerpts from Veronica's article - Please go to her website for ALL of her article and photos! - Used by permission

Note from Lois:  Eliminate sugary drinks containing chemicals from your family's diet for much better health and wellness.  Veronica gives some wonderful alternatives.  Natural concentrated juices can be diluted a good bit and still have lots of nutritious flavor, thus making them stretch a long way.  So Refreshing!

Sweet Southern Cherry:
Tart Cherry and Apricot or Peach Juices

Sour Cherry Splash:
Tart Cherry and Lemon Slices with a splash of Apple Juice

 

Refreshing Lemon Mint:
Lemon Slices, Mint Leaves and a green tea bag (you can leave out the green tea if you like)

Blueberry Blast:
Blueberry Juice and Apple Juice

Tropical Sensation:
Coconut Milk, Pineapple Juice, and a splash of Apple Juice
 

Veronica Stanley-Hooper
http://www.handsonlearning4all.com
http://www.facebook.com/handsonlearning4all

vsh@handsonlearning4all.com

 

 

WHAT'S SO HEALTHY ABOUT EGGS?

 

April 21, 2013 By HealthyLiving

healthylivinghowto.com/1/post/2013/04/whats-so-healthy-about-eggs.html?utm_source=Healthy+Living+How+To+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=db77bcc17d-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN

 

Look up the nutrition facts for egg yolks, and you will find, it reads more like a multi-vitamin than a food that has been demonized due to its saturated fat content. Just 3 egg yolks, not including the whites, provides over 50% of your daily need for Vitamin D and Selenium, over 40% of Vitamin B12, over 25% of Vitamin B5 and Phosphorous, and over 15% of Iron, Folate, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin B2. These same three egg yolks also provides 8 grams of protein and 7% of your daily omega 3 fats. Egg yolks also contain the carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, which are antioxidants believed to help prevent against degeneration and chronic disease.

 

If it’s the cholesterol in eggs that keep you from eating them, watch this eye-opening documentary, The Great Cholesterol Cover Up. This is a must see movie for all, whether you take a statin drug, have been told you have high cholesterol, or believe saturated fat clogs the arteries and causes heart disease. As a nation we’ve been brain-washed to believe cholesterol is something we must measure, track and lower, as a means of preventing heart disease. But does low cholesterol really equate to better heart healthy? Watch and find out.

 

If it is not the cholesterol or saturated fat that is the demise of our health and waistline, then what is it? Perhaps this article, What’s If It’s All Been A Big Fat Lie, by Gary Taubes, founder of NuSi and author of Why We Get Fat, can help set the record straight.

 

Looking for healthy eggs? Check out the Cornucopia’s Institute Organic Egg Scorecard to see how your eggs measure up. Remember, chickens are omnivores not vegetarians, they love to peck the ground and eat bugs. The healthiest eggs are going to come from chickens living in conditions that allow them to spread their wings and roam about foraging the ground for food.

 

Click here for a step-by-step tutorial on how to Make the Perfect Hard Boiled Egg.

 

RAISING GRATEFUL KIDS IN AN ENTITLED WORLD
by Kristen Welch - Used by permission
wearethatfamily.com/2013/03/raising-grateful-kids-in-an-entitled-world/

When my family moved a few miles away to a smaller town last year, we swapped a huge school district for a smaller, more rural one, a push mower for a broken down riding one that my hubby fixed and city sewage for our very own septic system (just don’t play in the sprinklers). And while we are still close to The City (and by city, I mean Target and Chick Fil A), it was time we two-stepped over to the other side–and became a boot-wearing family.

On the way to the Rodeo a few weeks ago, one of my kids had a nasty, ungrateful outburst and I was half tempted to leave them in tennis shoes (the horror), but grace won out. Outfitting our children in cowboy boots was quite a splurge (hubby and I already had some).

 After a fun day, we drove home, and this same kid’s ugly attitude showed up again with a bit of entitlement thrown in and it went downhill from there. There was dysfunctional family activity (so glad my life isn’t a reality show) and my husband asked for the boots back. This sort of broke my country heart, but I knew it was the right thing to do.

We didn’t buy the boots, so we could return them. As a matter of fact, my hubby couldn’t find the receipt at first and I bit my nails because THIS PARENTING THING IS SO HARD. We wanted our child to share the joy down to their feet, but it was the heart that needed the immediate attention.

The said child cried and begged and promised and fretted. And then pulled the grace card: “Why can’t you show me grace?”

I piped up and said, “Buying you the boots in the first place was grace” and then I recounted the earlier behavior.

 

My husband put the boots back in the box and stuck them on a high shelf in the laundry room and said,”If you want the boots, you’ll have to work for them.” He pointed to the huge mulched areas in the front yard and then the back. “You have 3 days to pull every weed. I won’t remind you, it’s up to you. It’s your job if you want it. It pays in boots.”

 

And that was that.

I wanted to high five my man and sob with my child, all at the same time. Because, lo, the weeds were many.

Our big yard is muddy and wet and full of weeds and I grimaced at the job, wondering what my child would choose. I was a silent cheerleader on their behalf. And my heart soared when I heard the front door click and I saw my offspring in old clothes sit down for the long hours ahead.

For the next two days, I watched my child work hard and get hands dirty and heart tender.

 

When my husband handed back the boots and I heard a true apology on my kid’s lips, I knew we had all won. “You earned these. I won’t take them away again.” A certain little cowhand is walking high around here and those boots means twice as much this time around. Hard work pays off and changes us in the process.

We live in an entitled world and whether we like it or not, children in our culture are consumers. It has become a global issue because they are a captive audience and the average kid views up to 40,000 commercials a year and business pour up to 17 billion into that advertising. Source. If you still doubt, just walk down the Easter aisles in your local store. Because only a consumer-driven society could take a Savior on a cross and turn it into a four aisles at the grocery store.

“Marketers want to accomplish two things with our children:

1. Awaken and amplify their desire to consume
2. Blur the line between wants and needs.” Source

And this combination is creating a generation of children who aren’t grateful, who expect everything to be handed to them and don’t really know how to work and this breeds the greatest enemy of all: discontentment.

Just look at what our culture has done with holidays. They’ve turned it all into hoopla and not only is it confusing to our kids to live in a world of made-up celebrations, it muddies the waters of the Holy ones and their true intent is lost.

 

If “true godliness with contentment is great wealth” (1 Timothy 6:6), then discontentment leaves of spiritually bankrupt and completely empty.

Honestly, I don’t blame the kids. As parents, we often foster this mentality with our own actions. We compare ourselves (and our homes, cars, etc) to what others have, we let media (and ultimately, advertising) influence our home by not limiting screen time and we have a hard time deciphering between needs and wants.

 

Fighting the entitlement battle in our home is hard, but here are some things we are doing to try and live counter-culturally in this area:

1. We are Asking for Hard Work- I think many kids in our culture (my own included) don’t know much about hard work. I grew up in a house that worked. We cleaned and did yard work every weekend and everyone helped clean up the kitchen every night. A few weeks ago, we spent most of the day in the yard. And the more my kids complained, the more I realized how much we had neglected giving them hard, dirty work. My kids get their own laundry basket and take over washing, folding and putting away their clothes when they turn 8, they take turns helping clean up in the kitchen and their rooms, but it was clear to me that a little hard work was needed. I’m excited to say a truckload of dirt and rock are sitting in our driveway right now, waiting a few hard workers. Oh parenting, you do come in handy. (Phil 2:14-15)
2. We aren’t Making Unrealistic Promises-We regularly tell our kids not to expect us to pay for college. While we hope to help in some way, we don’t have plans to pay it for their college education in its entirety. We expect them to work hard now, focus on their gifted areas, get scholarships, part time jobs, etc, to contribute. We try not to make them promises that only enhance the entitlement attitude in our culture or promises we don’t know if we can keep.
3. We are Sticking to Consequences-If we suggest a consequence, we commit to seeing it thru as often as we can. I’ve come up with some stupid consequences in my day and have regretted my rash tongue. But something clicks in our kid when they understand we are serious about some things.
4. We are Limiting Media-Hushing the voices of our culture that is telling our kids all the stuff they need comes in part by tuning it out. Media specifically targets our children to want a lot of stuff they don’t need. We have a TV and computers and devices, but besides filtering them, we turn them off. My kids still complain about it, which reinforces exactly why it’s important.
5. We are Exposing Them to the World-I’m a firm believer that an entitlement attitude is in direct correlation to perspective. When you’re only looking and thinking about yourself, you can only see what you want. But when you remove the blinders and see needs around you and in the world, it alters your perspective. Exposing our kids to other cultures and how most of the world really lives, stirs up gratitude like nothing else.
6. We are Extending Grace-Living by a bunch of strict rules and do’s and don’ts isn’t the answer. Being flexible with your own rules is not only necessary, it’s healthy for your family. And let’s face it, who doesn’t need extra grace? We are on the same team.
7. We are Examples in our Mistakes-Ouch. This is the hardest. When I compare and complain, I’m leading by example. When I am thankful and gracious, they are watching. As I make mistakes, I’m offering them the greatest lesson. It’s important to admit when we are wrong and ask for forgiveness when we hurt our kids.
8. We are Raising them to Be Different- I Peter 2:11 Our society has low expectations of kids. We expect toddlers to get what they want and teens to be rebellious. Instead of helping our kids fit in every area of their lives (an impossibility, really), we are encouraging them to go against the flow, reminding them we’re supposed to be different than the world.  They are normal kids and have longings to fit in-we all do. We just aren’t going to compromise our beliefs or lives to do so in every circumstance.
9. We are Relying on God- By far, parenting is the hardest job. And honestly, there are so many days, we don’t know what to do. Our kids belong to God. He loves them more than we do. He wants to guide us down the hard roads.

Our family certainly didn’t need new boots, even though we plan to wear them for years to come. But walking a mile in them taught us a great lesson in gratitude. Some days we feel like we’ve lost the battle against entitlement in our home; we are still in the trenches, trying to figure this all out. But as we reflect on Jesus’ sacrifice and turn our attention to The Cross, it’s thankfulness for His sacrifice and our chance at New Life that I want them to grasp the most.

 

THE IMPORTANCE OF SCRIPTURE MEMORY FOR YOUR CHILDREN
EVEN VERY LITTLE ONES ~ With Some Ideas on How to Make it Happen
by Lois Breneman - 2013 - Heart to Heart

Young moms have so much at the top of their daily "To Do" lists, not to mention all the things not on their list, like nose-wiping, diaper changing, never-ending piles of laundry, necessary shopping, meal preparation and cleanup!  I fully realize that, having been there once myself.  Often the most important things get pushed aside and forgotten because of all the scurrying around!  

 

There is one thing we need to be "intentional" about though - making sure it has priority.  Teaching our children and grandchildren scripture verses at an early age is one of those lasting activities.  It can even have an eternal effect on them, as they accept and obey the Lord in simple child-like faith, as the Lord draws them to Himself.  What is more important than that?  Those scripture verses that I learned as a young child and teen are still with me, and continue to minister to me even at times when my Bible is on the shelf.  The Word of God is powerful!  A long list of memorized scripture verses isn't our goal as parents, however, but a genuine work in the "hearts" of our children, done by God Himself.

 

Children can learn scripture even before the age of two.  Repetition is the key.  As you repeat the verses, leave out a word for your toddler to fill in.  You will be so amazed at what he will absorb at so tender an age! 

 

The following are just a few scripture verses to begin this exciting journey with your very young children or grandchildren, but there are so many more that would be appropriate for them to memorize. I suggest you go through your Bible and add to this list.

Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another. - Ephesians 4:32

Children, obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. - Ephesians 6:1

Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure and whether it be right. - Prov. 20:11

When I am afraid, I will trust in Him. - Psalm 56:3

We love Him because He first loved us. - I John 4:19

Casting all you care upon Him, for He cares for you. - I Peter:5:7

Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. - I Peter 3:10

   

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life - John 3:16

For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God - Romans 3:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord - Romans 6:23

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. - James 4:8

 

My daughter-in-law, Rachael, highly recommends this book: My ABC Bible Verses - Hiding God's Word in Little Hearts by Susan Hunt.  She says this is a good book to teach scripture verses to small children with short attention spans, and it includes life application stories that resonate with a small child.

Jeff and Rachael have been memorizing scripture together, saying the verses aloud in the presence of their two young boys while they play quietly next to them in their family room.  At that time one of their sons was not yet two years old, he would fill in words to their verses of which he had no idea of the meaning.  That's okay.  He will learn the meanings later of the many words and concepts in his memory bank.  Their practicing scripture memory in front of their children will make a lasting impression on them concerning the importance of God's Word in their parents' lives, as well as instill Bible truths in their own hearts.  The parents print out the verses on small index cards, punch two holes in the top (while held horizontally), and insert metal rings in the holes, so the verses can be flipped to the back as they go through them.

When the whole family is most often together, the dinner table would be a great time to go over scripture verses.  You might want to chose a different verse each week and use some time to review past verses as well.  After dinner would possibly be a preferred time, unless you have a specific time for family devotions around God's Word.  It doesn't need to be long or formal.  A little goes a long way!  Be intentional and ask the Lord what you should do as a family to instill God's Word in your children's hearts.  The job should not be left to your church, Awana, or Christian school.  It's your responsibility, as God says in Deuteronomy 6:

⁶ “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. ⁷ You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. ⁸ You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. ⁹ You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

 

PRECIOUS GEMS
I do hope all of you moms are recording your children's Precious Gems!  Just scribble them down and save them in an envelope!  You will be so glad some day! ~ Lois

I just received a new project for Carilion, and as I read over it I let out a small moan as the data analysis type is one I don't often get given that I work flex-time. When Addison (9) asked what the project was about, I told him it was a regression analysis. He asked what that meant, so I gave him a simple example and explained that regression uses past data to predict the future. A few minutes later, Addison looked over at me and said, "Mom, you know that regression analysis you're doing for Carilion? That's fortune telling. I don't think you should do it." I am still laughing, and I will never look at regression the same again! 🙂 ~ Ellen Rachel in Virginia

My 2-year-old keeps calling her cow-covered PJ's her "Chick-Fil-A jammies." Someone in their marketing department deserves a raise. ~ Jennifer in Virginia

 

Ben (3) was playing with a toy and I could tell that he was having trouble putting something together. I asked him if he needed help and he very confidently said, "No, I don't need help from a lady!" ~ Liz Smith in Washington

In science, we have been doing an in-depth study of insects and their designer characteristics. In doing so, we highlighted the whirligig beetle, which has a set of eyes on top of its head and another set on the bottom. As I relayed this fact, I mentioned that this bug is always looking up and always looking down. Without missing a beat, Aidan (6) looked at me and said, "You know how when you're scared of heights, they tell you not to look down? Well, that bug can't do that." 🙂 ~ Ellen Rachel in Virginia 

 

Mia (4) wore a life jacket all afternoon. She told me she wasn't taking it off until I took her swimming. After I told her in no uncertain terms that we were NOT going swimming today she said, "Well, maybe it will help me fly off into the sky!" ~ Elizabeth in Virginia

 

So Karis (5) got her first proposal on the playground today: "Hey, you know you are going to marry me when we grow up!" She laughingly and loudly declined but he wasn't to be swayed and kept telling it to her over and over. I told his mom he was welcome to try again in 30 years 🙂 ~ Meagan in Virginia 

Savannah (5): "Mom, I think maybe our baby sister is going to be fat."
Me: "What?  Why?"
Savannah:  "Because.  She is making you fat." ~ Lauren in Virginia

 

Sam (9): "But Mommy I try really hard to be quiet, but stuff just keeps on fallin' outta my face!" ~ Mary in Virginia

Mia (5) is SO torn between wanting to be a dad when she grows up, because they get all the candy, or being the mom who gets to take care of all the babies.  Eva (6) finally told her that she could be the mom AND eat all the candy because she was pretty sure that is what I did when no one was looking! ~ Elizabeth in Virginia 

     Testing day today!  That means two things.....our school year is almost done (yeah) and someone will probably cry.  But no tears yet, just a bit of humor!  My artsy kid, aka Jeremiah (7), was a bit distressed over the instructions, "Do not make any other marks on the page."  He said, "But Mommy, can't I AT LEAST color the pictures with colored pencils?"  Ahh, no kid, sorry!
     My scholarly kids, aka Natalie (6), wanted to take the ENTIRE test all in one sitting and kept saying, "This is so fun, Mommy, but why do they have so many stop signs.  I don't want to stop!" ~ Sarah in Virginia

Malakai (5) telling his daddy about us running errands this morning:  "I was trying to count to 100 and then Mommy stopped next to a tractor and bulldozer and I couldn't talk anymore."  (Once we drove past the construction, he was able to finish!) ~ Danielle in Alabama

Sam (9): "OK...The bees are kind of scaring me, because they are big and fat and jolly..." ~ Mary in Virginia

Savannah (5): "Mom, I don't like the baby's name."  (Name chosen for her second little sister)
Me: "Too bad.  When you grow up, you can name your baby whatever you want."

Savannah: "Only if Ashton agrees."

 

Kids (5 year old twins): Mommy what are we having for dinner?
Me: Mexican chicken.
Kids: Yummy! We're eating Chinese food!
...need to work on that geography! ~ Danielle in Alabama

 

Ladies, I would love to hear from you anytime!
Simply reply to any newsletter and share your thoughts with me.

Let me know what you like best and least about the newsletter.
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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