Thursday, October 1, 2015

Growing Old by Wanda B. Goines

Wanda B. Goines is a precious 92-year-old woman who shares great wisdom through a poem she wrote and recited to her caretaker, Kathryn Clausnitzer Wilson. Kathryn loved the poem so much that she recorded Wanda reciting the poem and shared it on Facebook. With over 4.5 million views and 187,000 shares, Wanda's sweet poem went viral!

To see Wanda B. Goines quote the poem she wrote, click on this link:

Wanda shared these great words in the video:
"I looked in the mirror and what did I see, but a little old lady peering back at me. With bags and sags and wrinkles and wispy white hair, and I asked my reflection, how did you get there? You once were straight and vigorous and now you're stooped and weak. When I tried so hard to keep you from becoming an antique. My reflection's eyes twinkled as she solemnly replied, you're looking at the gift wrap and not the jewel inside. A living gem and precious of unimagined worth. Unique and true, the real you, the only you on earth. The years that spoil your gift wrap with other things more cruel, should purify and strengthen and polish up that jewel. So focus your attention on the inside, not the out, on being kinder, wiser, more content, and more devout. Then when your gift wrap is stripped away, your jewel will be set free to radiate God's glory throughout eternity."
Many people commented on Wanda's poem, thanking her for such beautiful words, while Wanda's great granddaughter, Libby Goines, and Kathryn were amazed by the huge response.

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Lunar Eclipse - September 27, 2015



Although we couldn't see the moon where we live because of rain for days, my good friend, Nina Graff in northern Michigan, formed this fantastic composite from various stages she captured the night of September 27, 2015.  She gave permission to post this for you!

Nina also reminded us all of the song,
It took a miracle to hang the world in space,
It took a miracle to put the stars in place.
But when He saved my soul,
Cleansed and made me whole,

It took a miracle of love and grace!

Isn't it amazing that the very same Almighty God who created the moon itself and all the various stages loves you and me enough to die for our sins!  He loves us so much that He made plans for us to spend eternity with Him if we accept Him as our Lord and Savior!

Sunday, September 6, 2015

The Invisible Mom: From Mundane to Miracle
Used with Permission by April Dawn White
 

  As I spread peanut butter onto wheat bread, God whispered, "It might appear mundane, but I can turn the mundane into a miracle!"

I loathe the monotonous mundane process of packing lunches.  Today when Andrew requested, "Mom, pack me extra snacks so I can share" my mind wandered to the story of five loaves and two fish, a miracle that occurred because a little boy shared his lunch.

"Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?" (John 6:9, NIV)

Do you know who's not mentioned in the story? Who is unnamed and whose hand is invisible? The crucial unmentioned character in this story is the mother that packed that lunch!

As I packed lunches, I began to weep.  I cried for all the times we as parents, particularly mothers, perform all the insane in the mundane tasks that go unnoticed.  Standing in the kitchen, spreading peanut butter onto wheat bread, God whispered to me, "It might appear mundane, but I can turn the mundane into a miracle!"

The story of Jesus feeding the five thousand (a number probably closer to fifteen thousand people when women and children are included) is recorded in all four Gospels (Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:30-44, Luke 9:10-17, and John 6:1-15).  However only John explains that the food offered was from a little boy's lunch.  Jesus multiplied what the boy shared.

Little is known about this boy and his mama. Was she among the women in the crowd or did she stay at home tending to younger children? This invisible mom played a part in Jesus' miracle even though she was unseen. God blessed not only the meal, but also her mundane task.

God sees all our work and effort. He sees the mundane lunches being packed and the endless pile of laundry. 

What if we knew God was going to turn our mundane task into a miracle? How would God's involvement change our outlook on these responsibilities?

God might be using your mundane task to lay

the foundation for a future miracle! 
With that in mind I ask, would you like grape or strawberry jelly on your peanut butter and jelly sandwich?

~April Dawn White

"May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work or our hand for us... yes, establish the work of our hands."  (Psalm 90:17, NIV)

About the Author:

April Dawn White is quick to say she doesn't have it all together but relies on the One who does. In 2012, April began writing a blog titled Red Chair Moments. From her red chair, she chronicles how to find the balance of life when feeling stretched thin. God has used her writing to spread encouragement to over 20,000 viewers in ten countries and two prisons. In 2015, she was asked to join the team of writers for Inspire a Fire. You may connect with April at: Email redchairmoments@gmail.com
Inspire a Fire http://inspireafire.com

Lunch Packing Idea - Ready to Go! Snack Bags

by Michelle Gill
Used by permission

Ziplock bags
1/4 cup walnuts
1/8 cup raw cashews
6 - 60% dark chocolate chips
1/8 cup seeds (pumpkin, flax, your choice)
Toss in some organic black or red grapes.

Raising Chickens


by Michelle Gill
 
 

One of the easiest things that I have done for my family is to raise chickens.  I have one special girl and her name is Marcy.  She loves to follow me around and talk to me.  When I pick her up, she lays her sweet little head on my shoulder.  I have chickens for the purpose of eggs and as pets to be daily cared for by my daughter.

This is my third set of girls.  We get them as chics in the spring.  I have two Rhode Island Reds, two Golden Comets, and three Silver-laced Wyandottes at the moment.  Golden Comets are my favorite for laying large eggs and their friendliness.  But my Wyandottes are beautiful, as you can see in the picture above. 


What you will need to care for your chickens: 

  • a chicken coop with a roost and laying box
  • a chicken yard (We have hawks so we have fencing on top as well.)    
  • chicken food 
  • water 
  • straw
It is really as easy as that.  I clean their coop out about every other month and put in fresh straw.   Be sure and wear a mask.  Casi checks their food and water daily and collects the eggs.  (If you live in a colder climate in the winter, you may need a heat lamp.)

They love vegetable and bread scraps.  I let them out to wander around every evening and as the sun sets, they go to their roost.  Then I shut the door so no critters will get in.

Here is one of my favorite recipes that is super easy:

Gluten-free Easy Breakfast Casserole
http://www.michellegill.us/healthy-living/gluten-free-easy-breakfast-casserole

Fall Porch and DIY Reclaimed Wood Welcome Sign

Creative Ideas




As you know I love Fox Hollow Cottage.  You absolutely must visit her site.  Here is another wonderful project from Shannon.  The full tutorial is provided through the link.  http://foxhollowcottage.com/2013/10/fall-porch-and-diy-reclaimed-wood-welcome-sign.html

Fall Porch and DIY Reclaimed Wood Welcome Sign

Used with Permission by Shannon at Fox Hollow Cottage



Hi again, Fox Hollow Cottage Readers! I'm so happy to be back this month with another project!

And this one just happens to be huge! Literally. 

With the change of season, I've been busy sprucing up our front porch. And this year, I decided to make visitors feel extra welcome with this huge sign!
 

Here's how I made it! It was SO easy!

I started with these pre-cut letters from Hobby Lobby!

And then I painted them with some left over exterior paint - Wrought Iron by Benjamin Moore

Once the letters were dry, I placed them on my weathered board (which I snagged from my parents farm, just like this one).

Once I was sure everything would fit with the proper spacing, I used my super hot hot glue gun and glued them right onto the board. Those letters are stuck!

Then I just propped it up on our front porch. COMPLETELY easy!



And it looks a-mazing!

And so welcoming!

Heck, even I feel welcomed walking up!

I'm in love with the combination of the aged wood, rusty nails, sleek letters and cornstalks... which I chopped down from our field!

Our front entry is officially dressed for fall. 

I'm in disbelief of how amazing this project looks for how easy it was to make! Those are the best kind!



Happy Fall!

Precious Gems

Compiled by Lois Breneman
Thanks to all the moms who allowed me to include their children's quotes in Heart to Heart!
 
Malakai (7): "Mommy, will you button my very top button? I don't want the girls to see my chest." ~ Danielle in Alabama
 
Maddie (6): Mom, I am so glad you teach us to chew with our mouth closed, because when others don't it's just GROSS!
Me: See there are reasons your daddy and I teach you what we do so you grow up to be a well-mannered adult.
Maddie: Yes, and I'm just sooooo glad you teach us to brush our teeth because we don't want all yellow funky teeth!
My thoughts: Well some of it's sinking in, but I just don't have words for all that she says to us!!! ~ Jessica in Virginia
 
Malakai (7) upon walking outside this afternoon: "Sheesh!  It feels like steaming hamburgers out here!" ~ Danielle in Alabama
 
We're driving over the Mississippi River, and Dillon (3) says, "Going by to see Mr.Sippy?!?" ~ Tiffany in Virginia
 
Aiden (9): Mommy, when I grow up I'm going to open a restaurant and you will get to come see me and eat dinner with me every night. Camden will be my security guard.
Camden (5): Oh sweet!  Aiden, will you give me a gun?
Aiden (9): Well, duh!  Your job is to protect all the money we will make.
Mason (3): Yay!  Food!
Aiden (9):  Camden you're probably going to have to guard the food also from Mason, but don't shoot him.  He's cute. ~ Bethany in Virginia
 
Amiya (7) praying at dinner with friends: "Dear Lord, thank you for our customers that came to eat dinner with us..." ~ Danielle in Alabama
 
At Walmart while talking with the young lady ringing up our groceries: She's telling us she's saving for college and wants to be a teacher or open her own bakery so she can be her own boss.
Malakai (7) says: "Well, you'll still have a boss because God will always be your boss."
She thanked him for that reminder and told him he was a very philosophical little boy. ~ Danielle in Alabama

Benefits of Lemon and Baking Soda

Used with permission by Susan San, a reader from India

Can Cure Cancer:

Recent studies have shown that consuming citrus fruits, specifically lemons, have prevented and in some cases cured cancer.  By adding baking soda you will normalize the pH of the body which does not allow the cancer to continue to spread.  Chemotherapy has horrible side effects, the worst being that it destroys healthy cells.  Lemon juice and baking soda, on the other hand, only kill the cancer cells.
Patients should drink two teaspoons of lemon juice with half a teaspoon of baking soda.  Consume the drink before breakfast on an empty stomach for better effect.  Please make sure to use organic lemons.  Organic lemons are 100 times more effective than a lemon grown with chemical fertilizers and sprayed with chemicals.  Lemon has already been proven to have strong anti-carcinogenic properties.  In addition to this there are many other useful properties.  It also has a strong effect on cysts and tumors.
  
Strong Antimicrobial Effect:
Lemon has a very strong antimicrobial effect with a very broad spectrum of activity against bacterial and fungal infections.  Lemon is effective against internal parasites and worms, it regulates blood pressure, and is a powerful antidepressant, reduces stress and nerve crises.

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Dust If You Must

Dust If You Must
by Rose Milligan

Dust if you must, but wouldn't it be better
To paint a picture, or write a letter,
Bake a cake, or plant a seed;
Ponder the difference between want and need?

Dust if you must, but there's not much time,
With rivers to swim, and mountains to climb;
Music to hear, and books to read;
Friends to cherish, and life to lead.

Dust if you must, but the world's out there
With the sun in your eyes, and the wind in your hair;
A flutter of snow, a shower of rain,
This day will not come around again.

Dust if you must, but bear in mind,
Old age will come and it's not kind.
And when you go (and go you must)
You, yourself, will make more dust.


Used by permission from John M. Sweeney on whose website this was found (www.johnmsweeney.com)


Note from Lois:
Along the line of dusting, we can make quick work of dusting and still have plenty of time for other adventures and productive activities.  Here's how!


Purchase several lamb's wool dusters, which will grab the dust for you much more quickly than a dust cloth will.  Don't use the static-filled dusters though (usually bright colors). The static they cause while dusting is not good to use near electrical appliances, and the dust clings much better to lamb's wool.  The job of dusting can be done in about ten minutes with lamb's wool dusters, and still give you plenty of time for other things.

Simply dust over furniture and decorative items quickly with a lamb's wool duster until it is filled with dust.  Then use the next one and take several dusters outside at one time to hit against your hand to make the dust fly. 

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Why You Should NOT Welcome My Special Needs Child to Your Church

by Nichole Huggins
www.LoveinaDifferentLanguage.com
Used by permission

I realize this may be one of the most controversial posts I have ever written. It has taken me months of writing, stopping, coming back, re-writing and I’m still not positive it’s perfect. But it is my heart. Every fiber of my being burns with passion over this topic. I want to share with you why you should NOT welcome my special needs child to your church.

I write this from what I believe is a unique perspective.  You see, I have worked in ministry for over ten years now. I have been on staff as a youth pastor and a children’s pastor. I have helped to develop a special needs program within a church setting. I have also been a teacher for five years collectively. I have taught classrooms full of children from all kinds of backgrounds, strengths, and weaknesses. Most importantly, I am a mother to two beautiful children, one of whom has Autism. That’s right, I am the parent of a special needs child. 

So why on earth would someone with my background write a blog like this? Allow me to share my heart with you.  These are the reasons I believe you should NOT welcome my special needs child to your church.

-YOU SHOULD NOT WELCOME MY SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD IF YOU BELIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ONLY ABLE TO WORK IN THE HEARTS OF SOME PEOPLE, BUT NOT OTHERS.      Any good church goer would most likely read this and immediately say “Oh no! Not me! I believe the Holy Spirit can work in the hearts of all people! I would never limit what God could do!”  And I would challenge back with this: Many times we (the Church) say such things with our words, but our actions do not hold up.  Does your church offer anything for special needs children? Do you know? Instead of preparing a Bible story for special needs children, does your church place them in a nursery setting and give them a toy and some movies? As the parent of a special needs child, I beg you, please do not pre-determine who is able to be reached by the Holy Spirit.  Church leaders, I want to encourage you that your job as an ambassador for Christ is to prepare to the best of your ability, to teach God’s word, trusting that the Holy Spirit will do exactly what He has promised to do: “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” – John 14:26    You do not have to be a special education teacher to share about Jesus’ love with these children. You do not have to have sensory activity based learning, Bible centers, or offer ABA therapy. 

Your job is to present a sacrifice of your time and preparation, your love for others, and your love for Jesus…and share it.  Share it with children as best as you can. 

Tell them a Bible story, tell them about Jesus’ love and sacrifice for them, tell them how God created them with a plan and perfect purpose for their lives! And then trust that the Holy Spirit is going to do what He says He will do.  Yes, some parents of special needs children are just thankful for the respite of having a safe place for their child to stay while the rest of the family goes to worship. But why would the church want to miss out on the great opportunity of sharing Jesus with these special children? These are children who are often times excluded, laughed at, looked at, and pushed aside. For those of you who DO prepare a lesson for these precious children, thank you.  I want to tell you something very important: they are listening. They may not be making eye contact with you, they may be singing, spitting, or spinning, but they are listening. I firmly believe that God’s Word does not return void (Isaiah 55:11). It is not man’s job to determine who is able to be reached by God’s Holy Word. His Word is for everyone and His love is all encompassing.

-YOU SHOULD NOT WELCOME MY SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD TO YOUR CHURCH IF YOU BELIEVE THAT CHURCH IS NOT A PLACE FOR THE “MESSY.” 
It should always be for the great love of our Lord that we would want to present the Bride of Christ, the church, in the best way we can by taking care of church facilities. I understand this completely. But my heart breaks for the church that has lost sight of the God given mission of the Church. The Church was never meant to be a pristine, social gathering of perfect people sitting in Church bookstores or coffee shops. These outreach tools in and of themselves are fine, but  let us never replace the gift of human compassion, connection, and our mission to serve with only tools. This I know: Jesus knew how to get messy. Jesus placed His hands into the wounds of the hurt, He surrounded Himself with the “unclean,” He loved the “least of these,” He cared for the broken, and He washed the dirty feet of the disciples. Jesus knew that ministry is messy. I can promise you this, special needs ministry is messy too. There is nothing very cute about changing a five year old’s poopy diaper. It is not very glamorous to wipe drool or to help change soiled clothes. My special needs son is not going to sit quietly during your Christmas Cantata and he very likely will hurl his sippie cup up on the stage in the middle of your sermon (it’s true, it happened). Welcoming those with special needs into your church will cause you to have to think about wheelchair ramps and points of accessibility.  Welcoming those with special needs into your church might be a little more noisy, might require more volunteers, might cost your church money, and it WILL be messy.  But Oh, dear Church, do not forget that Jesus loves and came to serve the messy. What if the Church began to serve “the least of these?” What if Church was a place where those who cannot care for themselves would be cared for? What if Church was a place where dirty diapers where changed, drool was wiped, and the outcasts were accepted? If Jesus, the Messiah, Lord of all Creation, came to serve the “least of these,” shouldn’t we? What if we have it all wrong? What if Church could be a haven for the “messy?”

-YOU SHOULD NOT WELCOME MY SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD TO YOUR CHURCH IF YOU DO NOT RECOGNIZE THAT “SPECIAL NEEDS” IS A MISSION FIELD. In the book of Matthew, Jesus gives his disciples the “Great Commission” telling them to “Go and make disciples of all nations…” (Matt 28:19). As the church, as Christians, it is our mission to share with others the unconditional love and grace of Jesus Christ.  We send out missionaries all over the world to share the good news of salvation. Praise the Lord! But did you know that there is a mission field, right here in America, that is not being reached? Did you realize that 90% of special needs families do not attend church? I can give you a pretty good reason why this statistic is what it is just based on personal experience. It’s so hard.  Did you know that most parents of special needs children who actually make it to church on any given Sunday have probably had much less sleep than you, many have faced several huge obstacles, and are literally hanging on a prayer that “this whole church thing works today”.  It’s hard to take your special needs child into a huge crowd because (usually) it overwhelms them. It’s the look of panic or sheer terror on the church worker’s face when they see your child bounding through the door. It’s worrying if the ministry workers will truly care for your child while you are at worship. It’s wondering if I can truly say “let’s go to church and learn about Jesus!” or if my child will actually just be sitting in a room while the volunteer nervously watches the clock. It’s wondering if anyone would actually be able to relate to you and your family. It’s worrying about the safety of my non-verbal child who cannot tell me how he was treated by those who care for him.  It’s wondering if you’re truly going to be accepted or just tolerated. My husband and I both grew up in church and are quite determined to have our family there each Sunday, but even for us, it can be discouraging at times. Dear Church, there is a mission field of tired, overwhelmed, and often times questioning people who are just waiting to be loved, included, noticed, and accepted. 
But let me warn you, this is not a mission trip that you can just donate to or visit for one week and walk away. If your church should accept the mission to minister to special needs families like mine, it will be a continuous labor of love. I beg you, Church, to not claim to have a “special needs ministry” unless it is truly the heartbeat and conviction of your church. I have seen what it is to have a church with a “special needs ministry” but it is not the passion of the congregation or the passion of the pastor. I have been the guest of churches who have a “special needs ministry” where there is no heart behind the ministry. Parents of special needs children pick up on this very quickly and for many, it is their first and very last time to “try church.”  I have visited churches that have an undeniable passion for special needs families. I have seen what can be when a congregation embraces this mission as their own. It can be a very beautiful thing! Special needs families just like mine are not welcome very many places. As a whole, public places are not our friend. Special needs families long for community and connection because it is rarely offered to us anywhere else. Would your church please pray about this widely un-reached mission field? If your church will not reach out to a family like mine, who will? We are falling into the cracks, unnoticed.

- YOU SHOULD NOT WELCOME MY SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD TO YOUR CHURCH IF YOU BELIEVE THAT GOD DOES NOT SPECIALLY CALL EVERY MEMBER OF THE BODY OF CHRIST TO SERVE. 1 Corinthians 12:27 says “Now you are the body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it.” If you are a Christian, then you are a part of the Body of Christ. If you are a part of the Body of Christ, then according to 1 Corinthians 12, you have a “part” or a job to do. You see, God has given all of us gifts and talents to be used for His glory. The Church is supposed to function as one body of believers with all of its different members serving through their gifts and talents for the sole purpose of glorifying God and furthering His kingdom. I am not a super gifted person, but even I have been given “strengths” in some areas.  These strengths or “gifts” as the Bible calls them, were not suddenly zapped out of my system when I birthed a special needs child. On the contrary, I, like many other parents of special needs children, have gifts that God says are important to the Church. What’s more is that I still greatly want to serve. I believe there is a supernatural, wonderful thing that happens when a believer is serving in the very way that God created and called them to serve. It fuels my heart and uplifts my spirit. It’s true, many special needs parents want to serve.  What is also true is that many times we are not able. We are desperately searching for a church that will allow us the opportunity to serve, a church that values us, a church that believes we have something special to offer. We are also desperately searching for a church that will look upon our special needs child as part of the Body of Christ…which means that he too has something very special to bring to the body. In many ways, special needs families are being “cut off” from the Body of Christ. Oh Church, please do not let this be! If the Church does not find a way to include special needs families, it will hinder any possibility of these parents or children being able to contribute to the Body of Christ within the Church. It will make it very hard for these parents and children to do the very thing that God has charged us to do.

The truth is, I wish you would welcome my special needs child to your church, but for many, there is a work to be done first. Please check your heart and the heart of your church. There are families slipping through the cracks…90% of special needs families to be exact. The Church has a great opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Who will take up this cause?  It will take work and preparation, it will be hard, it will be messy, and it is not glamorous. But, dear friends, it will be so worth it.

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” –Matthew 25:40

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