Parental Involvement in Teen Internet Usage

by Penny Yonts in a letter to Parent Internet Protection Program for Generation Z (PIPPZ) ~ Used by permission

A friend made me aware of a new slang term being used by teens. Netflix n' Chill is a code for "Let's get together, watch Netflix, and ..." You get the idea. Do an internet search if you want more information.

Please allow me to strongly suggest that at least one parent or adult keep a close watch on your child's devices. There's an increasing selection of Apps that are geared toward teens, for the sole purpose of allowing them to hide forbidden apps, content, and conversations.

Please know all of your child's ID's and Passwords for any and all social network apps and accounts. I've made it clear to my kids that I can and do check their accounts. At any moment I will check their phones, their pictures, and texts. If my kids and I were perfect, lived in a perfect society, with perfect friends, then there would be no need for me to check our accounts. We each need accountability. 

Here's some suggestions:

Facebook - Check the privacy settings so that only "safe" people and pages are accessible. I have to periodically go into my account and Joshua's account to let FB know what ads are appropriate. You can choose what kind of ads pop up. Also, remember to check FB Messenger. Personally, FB has been a blessing and source of encouragement to me. But, there's always trouble lurking.

Instagram - I'm not crazy about this app. There's very little control of what all our children can see. I've compromised too much on this particular app, unfortunately. Remember, check your child's privacy settings. Lastly, Instagram has the capability of sending and receiving private messages...check those too.

SnapChat - Hate Hate Hate!!!

Pinterest - Gracie has Pinterest; and I have to keep an eye on who Follows her. Even if she doesn't Follow them, she can see what they Pin. I block them; and hope her little eyes don't see images that could hurt her.

Please feel free to share anything that could help us keep our loved ones protected.

Thanks!

How to Easily Peel Eggs, Garlic, Kiwi & Potatoes

https://www.facebook.com/beirutpress.net/videos/958065217609732/?fref=nf

These methods of peeling really DO work!

Full moons in 2016 & Recycling Old Calendars

As I was getting my new calendars ready for 2016, I was disappointed to notice that none of them flagged when full moon would be.  I think it's fun to see if I can get good pictures of the full moon as often as possible, so I like to know in advance when to be on the alert.  

An internet search provided this information at

http://www.space.com/16830-full-moon-calendar.htmlThese dates are now marked on each calendar with a round sticker.

By the way, if you happen to have any old calendars from 1988, that year is identical to the year, 2016, so they can be recycled! How neat is that!

Full moon names date back to Native Americans. Some tribes kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring full moon. Their names were applied to the entire month in which each occurred. This is when full moons will occur in 2016, according to NASA:

Date	Name	U.S. East	UTC
Jan. 23	Wolf Moon	8:46 p.m.	01:46 (1/24)
Feb. 22	Snow Moon	1:20 p.m.	18:20
Mar. 23	Worm Moon	8:01 a.m.	12:01
Apr. 22	Pink Moon	1:24 a.m.	05:24
May 21	Flower Moon	5:15 p.m.	21:15
June 20	Strawberry Moon	7:02 a.m.	11:02
July 19	Buck Moon	6:57 p.m.	22:57
Aug. 18	Sturgeon Moon	5:27 a.m.	09:27
Sept. 16	Harvest Moon	3:05 p.m.	19:05
Oct. 16	Hunter's Moon	12:23 a.m.	04:23
Nov. 14	Beaver Moon	8:52 a.m.	13:52
Dec. 13	Cold Moon	7:05 p.m.	00:05 (12/14)

The 2 Best Gifts for Your Friends Who Blog

http://doanewthing.com/the-2-best-gifts-for-your-friends-who-blog/

December 21, 2015 by Christa

Gift guides are everywhere this time of year. There are gift guides for the guy in your life, the most unique gifts, favorite toys and I especially loved this guide to gifts that give back.  

Of course, there are gift guides for bloggers filled with amazingly helpful items like planners, e-courses, high-powered cameras and blog coaching.

But do you know what your blogging friend really would love from you?  Especially if she is relatively new to blogging and trying to build her following?  Well, I am going to tell you. And GOOD NEWS!  Both of these things are FREE for you!

Those of us who write are passionate about what we do. We do this for lots of different reasons …

for a worn-out young mom to have a space of her own,
for a smart Bible-girl to share her dedication to God’s grace and glory with others,

for the crafter of words to offer hope in the broken places and, yes, for the empty nester filling the newly open spaces in her heart and calendar.

No matter their personal reason for writing, the ultimate goal for most bloggers is for people to read and be inspired, learn something, be encouraged or entertained. So here are the two greatest gifts you can give the blogger in your life.

SHARE THEIR CONTENT  

Read more
http://doanewthing.com/the-2-best-gifts-for-your-friends-who-blog/

How to Make 3-D Paper Snowflakes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tmhFQpruyE

How to Hold a Baby to Quickly Make Him Stop Crying

This may be the saving grace all new parents are looking for.

An American paediatrician claims to have found a miracle way of holding an infant to make it stop crying.

Dr Robert C Hamilton, of Santa Monica, California, says his technique, dubbed 'The Hold,' works every time without fail.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3342362/Doctor-magic-touch-Paediatrician-reveals-secret-hold-baby-stop-crying-time.html#ixzz3tBi1JDbZ

Note from Lois: Be sure to watch this helpful demonstration. Basically you pick up the baby and fold his right arm over his chest; then do the same with his left arm.  While you hold his arms together over his chest with your one hand, hold his bottom with your other hand and gently bounce or wiggle his little bum. Bouncing him up and down gently also will soothe the baby.  It's almost miraculous!

More Christmas Information Than Anyone Will Ever Need

Check out the Christmas tab at the top of this blog:
 http://heartfilledhome.blogspot.com/p/christmas.html 

I hope you will enjoy these Christmas posts, as well as checking the Categories List in the right sidebar for "Gifts" and "Crafts."

(Lots of Christmas Photos at the end)
http://heartfilledhome.blogspot.com/p/christmas.html

 

A Christ Centered Christmas, Starting New Family Traditions

Lots of Christmas Recipes and Candy Cane Outreach

Fun Gifts to Make- Easy on the Budget - Fun to Receive!

Christmas Stories and Poems, Part I

Make Ahead Recipes for Holidays, Gifts for Teachers

Christmas Timetable, Photo Ideas, Tips, Saving Time   

Christmas Version of I Corinthians 13

Fresh Evergreen Wreath

Christmas Party Games

Sharing the Love of Jesus with Needy Children

 

 

Recipes for the Holidays are on the Recipe Blog:
http://heartfilledhomerecipes.blogspot.com/p/dessertsholidays.html

 

How to Turn a Dollar Tree Ornament into Frosty's Vintage Top Hat

 Used by permission from Shannon

foxhollowcottage.com/2014/11/how-to-turn-a-dollar-tree-christmas-ornament-into-frostys-vintage-top-hat.html





When I saw these ornaments at the Dollar Tree I thought they were cute, but I knew I wanted to put a Fox Hollow spin on them, with some fat ribbons and maybe a little vintage flair.

 

They totally remind me of Frosty’s top hat. Even though Frosty’s didn’t look like this. I guess it’s a top hat + Christmas that just gives me that nostalgic connection. Anyhoo… ready for another round of “cheap&easy?

Good!
To make:
1. Buy Dollar Tree ornaments. You can make top hats ornies from scratch, but for a dollar, I’m happy to use this base! They come in Red, Black and Silver (to my knowledge)
2. Remove the apple green sparkly bits. The hat is made of styrofoam, so apply firm, even pressure, and pull. A wee chunk will come out. No worries, your hat band will cover it!

3. Use ribbon, scrap fabric, craft paper, scrap book paper, etc.. to make a band. Wrap around and secure. I used a glue gun. A straight pin would probably work too in a pinch!
4. Add your embellishments. Ribbon, sprig of greenery, tinsel garland (from Dollar Tree, it’s sparse and perfect) flashy buttons, rhinestones, tiny ornaments, an old earring, a tiny snowflake, etc… a mini monogram would be adorable! Basically anything to scale, you want the visual weight to be balanced.

 

5. Lastly, the gold ornament hanger attachment was very “cheap plastic-y gold” so I chose to paint mine with a dab of craft paint. Black on the one with the polka dot ribbon and pale gold on the one with the little vintage ornament. It really completed the mini transformation. Don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be prefect, just bad with a little craft brush and call it good! You’re mainly just toning down the cheap-y gold look.

And then… you are all done, and you have a supah-cute Frosty top hat ornament that can be the highlight of your tree, or even a gift topper!
These would be extra cute on a Frosty The Snowman tree.
Have you seen them? They are adorable themed trees. My sister did a flocked one, with a big top hat as the tree topper and it was so, so cute. It really put out a strong Christmas vibe at her house! You couldn’t help but love it. I sure wish I was blogging then, so I could share a photo of it. I didn’t even have a cell phone back then. Well, I may have, but it didn’t take pictures that’s for sure. Can you even imagine?
How did I survive?

Precious Gems

Compiled by Lois Breneman

Thanks to all who contribute to Precious Gems!  Anyone is welcome to send kids' quotes to me at jhbreneman@juno.com to be considered for this segment.
 

Mom: Today is Veterans Day. Do you know what that means?

Ryan Elizabeth (8): "It's a day to thank those that risked their lives and became vegetarians." 

Mom: Thank you to all you vets! (vegetarian or otherwise)! ~ Joy in Georgia
(Ryan is my granddaughter! ~ Lois)

 

Malakai (7): "Mommy, we're learning a song for the army people."
Me: "Oh yeah? Is it just for the Army or a different branch?"
Malakai: "It's for all the branches. The Army, Military, Jolly Ranchers, Navy...all of them!" ~ Danielle in Alabama

 

Camden (5): How old are you, Mommy?
Aiden (8): She is 29 - almost 30.
Camden: Wow that's almost 100!
Aiden: No, it's not! If she was almost 100 her face would be all wrinkly and her cheeks would be sagging down her face.

Thanks, boys! ~ Bethany in Virginia 

 

So Camden (5) was really into writing his sight words and his name tonight and when he showed me his paper I told him how good of a writer he was. He then looked at me very seriously and said, "Mommy, I am not just a writer I am an illustrator and author." This boy never fails to amuse me. ~ Bethany in Virginia 

 

Deep thoughts by Annalise (4):

"Mommy, in a minute you will be old, and then you will die, right?"

On the lighter side, she also wants to know what color God is, but she can't see him because he is invisible.

An honorable mention from dinner last night, when she said she liked the chicken and her brother told her it was fish, she said, "You can call it chicken OR fish, because fish is MADE out of chicken..." ~ Elaine in Virginia

 

Malakai (7) ordered "Rooster Nuggets" at lunch today. Thank you Chick-Fil-A for humoring him with a "Well yes sir, we do have rooster nuggets!" He said they were softer than the others! ~ Danielle in Alabama

 

Malakai (7): "People in Mississippi kinda sound like they're from England."
Wes: "Oh yeah? Why is that?"
Malakai: "Well, the way GiGi talks sounds British. Like when she says, 'Hey Y'all!'" ~ Danielle in Alabama

Our Plans For A Simple Christmas + 25 Non-Toy Gift Ideas

You are here: Home / DIY Holiday / Our Plans For A Simple Christmas + 25 Non-Toy Gift Ideas

Our Plans For A Simple Christmas + 25

Non-Toy Gift Ideas

With the lights  twinkling on the tree behind us, my husband and I sat and contemplated Christmas and what we want it to look like in our family. We each have beautiful childhood memories of Christmases past and now it’s our turn to share the magic. We thought a lot about possibly having a non-toy Christmas.
(In sharing this I want to be sure to tell you that this is what works for our family and I’m not under the assumption that it must work for everyone.)
One thing we both feel very strongly about is making sure that the Christmas we teach to Scarlette is not a completely consumerist one.
This is hard for me. Scarlette is (and will be) an only child, long awaited and much celebrated. I (and my love of a good deal) want to give her the world.
Plus, I am a gift giver. It’s my love language. I just like to give people stuff. And I love my Black Friday sales with the best of them, y’all.
I counted the gifts we purchased for Scarlette last year on one hand. “It looks so small” I lamented. First World Problems at their finest, right?
What do we want her to know? That Christmas is about giving. Namely, the gift of a Christ child to a world who was in desperate need of a Savior. And that we give in that spirit, of presents and of time and of love, to honor the greatest gift ever bestowed.
So we drastically changed how we do gifts around here. For her birthday, she got one toy and a special cupcake outing from Mommy and Daddy. (And if you’ve seen this video, you know that she was the happiest kid ever.)
Instead we’ve decided to focus on advent activities and gifting to our community. We still exchange gifts but on a much smaller scale with more intention.
Now that we’re on our third year of Christmas/birthdays in this vein and figuring this out a little more, here are 25+ suggestions for non-toy gift ideas! (some referral links included b/c coupons!)

Experience Gifts

Right now our three year old daughter, Scarlette, is in ballet class because she asked to be. (She did not get that from her rhythm-less mama.!) She knows that the classes are a gift from her grandparents and I find that really special. I’m thankful to them for being a part of giving her new experiences and creating special memories with her when they take her on outings. I typically visit GROUPON’s local things-to-do page to find some fantastic experience gifts for over half off. This year I bought some great packages for family members through them!
1.) Memberships to a children’s museum or the zoo. My dad took Scarlette to the zoo this year and she talks about it all the time. Seriously. ALL THE TIME.
2.) Paint Your Own Pottery trip. We love doing this. It is so fun and you don’t have to make something you bring home, you can have your child make something like a pretty vase to donate to the local nursing home.
3.) Tickets to the movies, theater production, or concert. I’m wishing that Super Why Live would come anywhere near us because my three year old would have the time of her life at a show like that. Fandango lets you personalized their gift cards with a photo, which is a cute way to give a movie ticket gift!
4.) Gift certificates to a favorite ice cream/cupcake shoppe. Because we all scream for ice cream. Except Scarlette. She screams for cupcakes. Or also just randomly, for no good reason.
5.) Gift certificates for a family outing, such as ice skating or mini golf. Or, if they are teenagers and are embarrassed to be seen with you because you feel the need to dance in public (MOM) then maybe for a friends outing. (I was scarred for life, y’all.)
6.) Crafting or baking dates. My mother made Scarlette this canopy for her bed as her Christmas gift last year. Scarlette was SO excited about it. And my favorite gift from my Aunt every year from the time I was a little girl has ALWAYS been her homemade butter mints. Of all the gifts I received at our family gathering, I always looked most forward to when I opened my tin of homemade butter mints from her.

Subscription Gifts

Don’t think kids can’t enjoy things like magazine subscriptions! Scarlette gets Ladybug magazine every month and she loves it. She enjoys getting the mail with me and having a “pwize” in it. We also love our subscription boxes. Most offer a one-time option in addition to a 3,6,9, and 12 month plan so there is something for every budget.
7.) Magazine subscription (we love Ladybug, Highlights and National Geographic Kids)
8.) A Book-Of-The-Month Club! Lollipop Book Club mails a lollipop and a book with a specially inscribed note each month. I love that idea! You could even probably do the same thing yourself for less, just remember to mail the book each month! I also love the look of GiftLit because you can choose from all ages, including read-aloud family books!
9.) Monthly Craft Kit. Kiwi Crate is a monthly craft club for kids. Each month you receive a box with supplies and instructions to make themed crafts that encourage creativity and learning. This is our favorite one, we got a subscription for Scarlette last year and she really looks forward to her box every month and my niece is getting a subscription this year. You can save 50% on your 1st month subscription to any Kiwi Crate Family Brands PLUS free shipping with code HOLIDAY50 – For kids under 4 their Koala Crate is fantastic and they also have Tinker Crate for older kids that is more STEM focused.   Similar crafting kits are: Green Kids Crafts and Babbabox.
10.) Monthly Learning Kit. Little Passports is a monthly travel adventure kit. It’s for an older age range than Scarlette, maybe 7+ but it is so cute! You can do the world edition or the USA edition and “visit” different countries/states each month!
11.) Baby Essentials Subscription. If you have a baby, then a subscription or bundle from The Honest Company is a great choice for you. You can do the diaper subscription and get eco-friendly diapers + natural wipes delivered monthly (WHO DOESN’T LOVE THAT?!) or you can get natural bath & body products, kid’s toothpaste and more. And let’s be honest: your baby has no idea what is happening on Christmas. The diaper bundle is where it is at. This makes such a great gift for a new mom!

Digital Gifts

Some people dislike giving digital gifts because they like having something to unwrap. But you can still make a cute present out of something like a Netflix subscription by printing out the gift code and wrapping it up in a fun popcorn tin!
12.) Online Learning. We use www.abcmouse.com for early learning and we love it. Scarlette gets to do a lesson or two on it a few days a week and it is such a great learning tool. It is designed for toddlers up to Kindergarten age and is full of educational lessons that are presented as games, puzzles, books, songs, and more. She earns “tickets” for each lesson she completes and trades them in for prizes. She’s currently obsessed with buying things for her fish tank with her tickets. (This link will give you the first month free to try it out)
13.) Netflix. Netflix is our go-to in this cable-free house. It’s such a great gift because it has an entire kids-only section with tons of family favorites and educational shows. We watch a lot of the nature shows. And after the kids use it, mom and dad can totally have a movie date night in.
14.) Educational App. I love the Kindle Free Time Unlimited App that I have for my Kindle Fire. It’s only $2.99 a month and it is full of educational games and books that I can let Scarlette read without worrying about her accidentally deleting my stuff or buying billions of dollars of e-books.
15.) Gift cards. Gift cards to Amazon or iTunes for digital books, apps or music are good bet for the teen crowd. Or thirty year olds with a penchant for YA dystopian fiction series. Just sayin.’ Fandango gift cards are also a great idea because there are a ton of good YA movies coming out this year!

Learning Aids

And if you just really like wrapping stuff, I love getting hands on learning items for Scarlette. Musical instruments, craft supplies, etc. are all helpful to this homeschool-ish mom and things that my kid enjoys.
16.) Extracurricular activity items. If your child is signed up for ballet, a tutu makes a great gift. Just ask Scarlette. I can’t get her to take off the one she got for her birthday. It’s kind of a problem, actually.
17.) Musical Instruments. We love these rhythm sticks by Hohner Kids. And by “we” I mean “Scarlette.” No parents like these. Also, this harmonica is like, five dollars. And it’s a harmonica. Everyone likes the guy who can play a harmonica! We also have this wooden xylophone and this little drum that Scarlette loves. This year Scarlette got this kid’s cd player for her birthday – she LOVES listening to books on cd (this set is her favorite) and singing along to Frozen karaoke in the microphones. I liked it because it also has an mp3 and usb hookup so I can download music for her online.
18.) Arts & Craft Supplies. It’s so nice in the winter months to have a go-to craft bin in the house. Chenille sticks, googley eyes, glue, feathers, construction paper, scissors, popsicle sticks, watercolors, markers, etc. are all great things to bundle together in a little craft set. I normally pick these up at craft stores or you can grab an oversized arts and crafts bucket like this one. We store ours in these stackable ArtBins.
19.) Books. I love giving and receiving classic books. I think you can’t go wrong with classics like Shel Silverstein’s Where The Sidewalk Ends, Anne of Green Gables, The Secret Garden, Where The Wild Things Are, etc. and I am all about fostering a love of reading in kids. Oh, and I love LOVE the Jesus Storybook Bible.
20.) Learning Activities. I’m against ant farms on account of how I read the Scary Stories books when I was a child and still have nightmares but I do love nature stuff. Scarlette has a magnifying glass we use to look at bugs that was her favorite gift ever. On her list of things that she is thankful for, number two is BUGS. I also love things like these wooden pattern blocks that my dad gave Scarlette for her birthday. We can do so many learning activities with them that even though they might be technically a toy, I give them a pass. I also love Lisa’s printable activity sets.
21.) Clothes. Okay, that might have nothing to do with learning but I had no category for it. Technically, we’re learning how to dress ourselves over here. Well, the three year old is. But kids need clothes, y’all. They grow real fast. I also think that some of the handmade locket necklaces would  make a great, sentimental gift for a teenage girl. And I’m all about building a dress-up box out of clearance sales and thrift store finds because imaginative play is brain power. Or maybe not, I just made that up but I bet it’s good for kids or something.

The Gift Of Giving

I think it’s important to teach our kids about charitable giving from a young age. Here are a few ideas organizations that I personally like and support, but having your child research, learn about, and choose a charity that is personal to them is awesome. It’s a sweet opportunity to teach our kids about giving beyond ourselves.
22.) Giving to a local need. We do something for families in the local NICU each year at Christmas time and ask that our friends and family consider donating in Scarlette’s name, to share a little bit of the hope that we have now and that we so wanted back when it was us there during the holiday season. You can make blankets or crochet preemie hats or any number of things!
23.) Sole Hope. Sole Hope is an organization that does medical work in Uganda and helps local men makes shoes for the kids there. I got to meet them last month and was so impressed with them that on my next Girl’s Night, I made my girlfriends watch the video and cut out shoes out of old jeans with me. It’s not at all annoying to be friends with me y’all. I think it’s a good organization for older kids/teens to be a part of because they can host fun shoe-cutting parties and be actively participating in the mission.
24.) Freeset. Freeset is a fair trade business that employees women who are trying to escape the sex trade. (I know that seems heavy for a Christmas gift but well, the greatest Christmas Gift the world received was born into a pretty heavy burden and I think it’s especially important to remember these girls in this season.) The women make beautiful bags (and laptop sleeves!) so this is another gift that you can wrap up while giving back. Another organization that I was able to meet face to face last month who truly impressed me.
25.) Light Em’ Up Giving. Check out Courtney DeFeo’s Light Em’ Up guide, with tons ideas for random acts of kindness that you can do with your children during the holiday season. I love the way this is set up, with printables and helpful ideas. We’ll be doing some of these with Scarlette this year and I am really looking forward to it.
26.) Choose A Gift Catalog. Several reputable charitable organizations like World Vision have gift catalogs that you can browse with your child. Scarlette loves farm animals right now so we’re going to discuss giving a family the gift of livestock and then I’ll let her choose from there.
We’re not totally anti-toy. After all, I hit up the Target Secret Toy Sale to stock up on books and gifts. But we do try to keep the balance weighted towards more handmade gifts, experience gifts and secondhand gifts than lots of brand new piles under the tree and this has been what has helped us
Whenever this topic comes up among my girlfriends they always ask how we broach this with family members. We definitely don’t want to take away the joy of giving from others or infringe our own feelings on anyone else but we did share our hearts with them and ask them to consider experience or non-toy gifts. We’re thankful that her grandparents were incredibly understanding of our space (our house is small and I have a problem with clutter. Like, I make a lot of it.) and our hearts and purposed to honor our requests. Plus, I send them videos of Scarlette taking the ballet class they gave her and that is just the gift that keeps on giving, y’all.
(And if you are looking for gift ideas for the grown-up kids in your life, I’m partial to an Amazon Prime gift subscription. Two day shipping + free kindle books + free movies/tv shows is basically the gift that keeps on giving.)
 I’d love to hear any suggestions you might have for non-toy gifts!

For more gift ideas and to enter to win some awesome holiday prizes from Pottery Barn Kids, The Land of Nod, Boden and more, visit my 2014 Family Holiday Gift Guide!


Other Christmas Tutorials & Freebies: 12 Fun Free Christmas Fonts | Love You Latte Gift In A Bag | No-Sew Tutu | Free Photo Christmas Card Template | DIY Photo Color-A-Magnet | Printable Calendar Sticker Magnets | Free Christmas Card Template

Five Lessons from Elisabeth Elliott

Used by permission

November 5, 2015 by Susie Hawkins 8 Comments

Few women have had an impact on the kingdom of God as has Elisabeth Elliot. Her remarkable insights and words of wisdom continue to shape us, even after her death and years of illness. Here are just five truths I have gleaned from her devotional book “A Lamp for My Feet.” Published in 1985, it remains on my list of books I regularly re-read.

“Thy List Be Done” – His List, Not Mine

Women always have multiple lists going – shopping needs, errands to be run, answering emails or correspondence, calls to be made, prayer lists, etc. Inevitably, we will have interruptions and won’t accomplish what we hoped. The lists get longer instead of shorter! Elisabeth experienced that frustration on more than one occasion and wrote, “Because God is my sovereign Lord, I was not worried. He manages perfectly day and night, year in and year out, the movements of the starts, the wheeling of the planets, the staggering coordination of events that goes on on the molecular level in order to hold things together. There’s no doubt that He can manage the timing of days and weeks. So I can pray in confidence, ‘Thy list, not mine, be done.'”

“Wastelands”- Don’t Look for Shortcuts

At some time we all experience “dry, fruitless, lonely places.”  Using Exodus 13:17, Elisabeth points out that these times are not wasted for the Christian. “God did not guide them by the road towards the Philistines, although that was the shortest….God intentionally took them by way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. “If they had gone their own way, they would have missed the deliverance from Egypt’s chariots when the sea was rolled back. Lets not ask for shortcuts. Let’s keep alert for the wonders our Guide will show us in the wilderness.”

“Volunteer Slaves” – Serving with Joy

Our service to Christ is in the sense of a volunteer slave, or a servant who loves her master with all her heart. It is not “forced labor,” but the “purest joy when it is most unobserved, most unself-conscious, most simple, most freely offered.” Don’t minimize the service in small acts – cooking a meal, consoling a discouraged friend, forgiving a failure. “Let me not imagine that my love for You is very great if I am unwilling to do for human being something very small.” Ouch.

“Apportioned Limitation” – Accepting Your Field of Service

God sets limitations on “the scope of our work”, in that He has appointed us to a certain “sphere”. “We will keep to the limits God has apportioned us” (2 Cor. 10:13). Jesus did that – becoming a baby, a growing child, an adolescent, a man, each stage “bounded by its peculiar strictures, yet each offering adequate scope in which to glorify His Father.” God is glorified when we work in the place He has set us. “Let me not covet another’s place or work or glory”

“First Be Quiet” – Learning Silence

“Our hectic lives involve many changes, and changes require decisions, and decisions must often be made in the midst of a multitude of confusions.” Instead of constantly asking others’ advice, Elisabeth suggests practicing quietness. She points out how Jesus deliberately sought solitude during the non-stop days of His ministry. “The more hectic our lives become, the more necessary is this quietness.” When it is not possible to get away to a place of solitude to pray for a day, then “do not speak about the decision to anyone but God for forty eight hours at least. Just hold it before Him alone. Keep your mouth shut for two days. Pray. Listen. Seek his counsel.” Or this, “Sit before Him for fifteen consecutive minutes in silence, focusing … on Psalm 86:11, ‘Guide Me, O Lord…”

What have you learned from Elisabeth?

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Filed Under: Spiritual Growth

Susie Hawkins

Susie lives in Dallas, TX with her husband OS Hawkins. She is the author of "From One Ministry Wife to Another: Honest Conversations on Connections in Ministry". She has 2 daughters and 6 grandchildren, keeping her life full of craziness and joy.