Heart to Heart: July, 2011 Address Change, History Lesson, Articles, Inner Duck, Educational Fun

Friday, July 1, 2011

July, 2011 Address Change, History Lesson, Articles, Inner Duck, Educational Fun

HEART TO HEART NEWSLETTER
ENCOURAGEMENT TO WOMEN

http://heartfilledhome.blogspot.com
A categorized storehouse of information for you from past newsletters, plus another blog for recipes

Compiled especially for you with love by Lois Breneman

~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~

July, 2011 Address Change, History Lesson, Articles, Inner Duck, Educational Fun

~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~

FOR E-MAIL ADDRESS CHANGES: Please send a subscribe e-mail from your new address, and an unsubscribe e-mail from your old address.

Unsubscribe: heart2heart-subscribe@associate.com

IN THIS ISSUE:

PLEASE NOTE: NEW BUT EASY METHOD FOR E-MAIL ADDRESS CHANGES
THE MOST AMAZING U.S. HISTORY LESSON EVER!
ARTICLES BY LOIS
TIPS AND TIDBITS

FINDING YOUR INNER DUCK
SALMON BURGERS

VARIATIONS FOR MAC 'N' CHEESE

THE OLD DENTED BUCKET

EDUCATIONAL FUN FOR KIDS

LESSONS ON THE LIFE OF MOSES

PRECIOUS GEMS

PLEASE NOTE: NEW BUT EASY METHOD FOR E-MAIL ADDRESS CHANGES
Ladies, if you would please follow the simple instructions above, made available earlier this year, that would be so helpful. Only two e-mails are required. Thanks so much!

THE MOST AMAZING U.S. HISTORY LESSON EVER!

Tune in to this two part history lesson by David Barton! U.S. History 101, I'd like to call it. If we followed our country's foundational truth upon which it was started, we wouldn't be in the heap of trouble we find in ourselves today. Any broadcast can be downloaded onto your smart phone to hear later, I'm told. David Barton packs so much into this hour that you will have to hear it several times to take it all in! Be sure to have your children hear it several times as well, because this truth is not being taught in public schools today.

http://www.focusonthefamily.com/radio.aspx?ID={B42B2063-7BA8-4A8E-B25B-9AC8C0275213}

ARTICLES BY LOIS
(1999 - 2011) http://heartfilledhome.blogspot.com/search/label/Articles%20by%20Lois

TIPS AND TIDBITS

Liquid Hand Soap ~ It can be much less expensive to refill the hand soap dispensers in your home with bubble bath or body wash rather than hand soap, and they work just fine. Check the cost per ounce. And your kids would no doubt love to wash their hands with bubble bath! Often coupons for $1 off are available and dollar stores often offer good buys on brand names as well.

Those Pesky Fruit flies can be eliminated by setting out a bowl of vinegar with a drop of dishwashing liquid in it. That and a clean fly swatter did the trick after we returned from a week at the beach to find that three onions had gone bad and those pesky insects were bugging us. Thanks to Stefanie Flack in Delaware and Melody Royalty in Tennessee for that reminder!

Dishwasher Planning ~ Sometimes families wake up to a dishwasher full of dirty dishes, simply because they forgot to run it. Try getting the dishwasher ready to run right after dinner, by adding the detergent. Then if you have a delay function, set it to start around bedtime, when it won't interfere with the family's baths or showers. This way you will be sure to wake up to clean dishes every morning.

Silverware Rack ~ Unload the silverware rack by lifting it up onto the counter, and placing it next to where everything belongs. Not only will it save time, but it will help your back, as well as keep sharp utensils out of the reach of toddlers.

Stacking Glasses ~ Getting more to fit into a given storage space can sometimes be a trick. Some shorter glasses can be stacked, by placing them rim-side-down on the shelf, and placing another one on top, right-side up, with the glass bottoms together.

Discovering Bonus Storage Right in Your Own Home ~ http://heartfilledhome.blogspot.com/search/label/Storage

Cleaning Wooden Cabinets ~ Use a steamer to get rid of dirt, grease and grime. Then put a damp sponge into the microwave for about twenty minutes, and wipe down the cabinets using an orange cleaner. This process will make your cabinets look like new.

Overflow Kitchen Storage can be in a spare bedroom or even under a round table in another room, with a tablecloth, which not only serves as a decoration, but a hiding place for canned goods or appliances that are not often used.

Drawer Dividers help to keep a drawer neat, making it easy to find everything. Even Velveeta boxes can be covered with contact paper and made into very nice drawer dividers for silverware or other utensils.

Clogged Drains can sometimes be opened up before resorting to caustic drain cleaners. Start by using a plunger. Do yourself a favor by keeping a good quality, clean plunger available for sinks only, and label it. Some sinks and tubs have overflow openings. You will get better suction and force if you plug this opening when you use the plunger. Plungers have better suction if their rubber caps are covered with water. Sometimes a straightened wire coat hanger, bent at one end to form a small hook, will easily remove hair and gunk from a shower drain or sink. A drain that is slightly clogged will sometimes be opened by flushing a solution of one pound of washing soda and three gallons of boiling water into the drain.

Halfway to Christmas ~ Yes, it's hard to believe, but on June 25 we were already half way to Christmas! Even though we're still in the middle of summer, it's a good idea to think and plan ahead to make the months before those busy holidays easier. If you need ideas, keep your ears open for what people say they would like. I found the perfect gift for a grandson while on vacation last month, plus one other gift, so I have just a tiny start.

Skype ~ We just started using Skype with part of our far-away family. After church on Sunday my three year old granddaughter modeled the Sunday dress we gave her as part of her early birthday gift while at the beach. It's great to see those smiles and hear their voices! I hope to read story books to the grandkids from afar by using the technology of the internet. We have hopes of getting all three of our children's families on with us in a four-way video before long! Seeing and hearing family and friends in this way helps to erase the miles between us! I'm still trying to figure out how to transfer (((hugs))) though!

FINDING YOUR INNER DUCK
by Janis Weber Williamson - Copyright June 16, 2011 - Used by permission from a good friend

There's a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant down the street from us that Dave and I like to frequent. It's quiet in the afternoons, with a patio that overlooks a small pond which is often quite entertaining. Any combination of cranes, wild geese, diving kingfishers, turtles, jumping fish and ducks can usually be spotted.

For some reason the ducks disappeared in the winter, all but one lone female. So in the spring the restaurant owner purchased six of the cutest ducklings ever to restock the pond. He sheltered them in a corner off to the side of the patio where they could get used to being around his clients, and everyone fell in love with these little waddling fluff-bombs. As they grew they were well fed, watered and spoiled.

One day we went for lunch and couldn't find them. We were concerned, the owner was concerned. . .but before long we saw six sluggish ducklings dragging their fat bellies over the grassy slopes toward us. They had just gorged themselves on the cicadas swarming in surrounding trees and came back like stupefied drunks with a hangover. We all had a good laugh.

The weeks turned into several and I mentioned to the cook that I'd never seen the ducklings go into the pond. He said they wouldn't go in. . .they were afraid of it. I asked him if we could gather them up and throw them all in, and he laughed. "No, the owner will fire me if I do anything to upset the ducks!" I told him that was absurd and I would do it for him the next time I came if they weren't in the water by then.

So today (on Dave's birthday) we went over to our favorite little hole-in-the-wall restaurant for lunch. And to our great joy all six young ducks were standing at the edge of the water, but in stone-frozen stance were just staring at it. It was hysterical. They had that expression of, "Dude, something inside tells me I was made for this. . .but what am I supposed to do with it?"

At that moment the old lone female duck found her inner mother and she dived into that pond with all-out abandon. With determination to coax those fearful siblings into the water she nearly stood up on the ripples she was making, wildly flapping her wings and quacking. She did everything a duck should do. . .she dived, she soared, she paddled all over the pond making a ruckus. And they just stood there looking as stupid as can be, gawking, doing nothing.

Finally she swam like lightning right up to them, carrying on like I remember doing a few times when my kids weren't getting the point. But finally she gave up, hopped on shore next to them, and rested. She mumbled a few quacks under her breath and I'm just glad I couldn't understand her. I doubt it was complimentary.

That's when one duck jumped in, he couldn't take it, and baby he DIVED! Shocked me completely. My heart was thrilled. . .but the thrill lasted one, maybe two seconds. Because the whole experience scared him so bad I thought he might have a heart attack frantically trying to climb back up the bank to his comfort zone and his five other over-protected brothers and sisters.

And I sat there saying to God, "Of course You did this! Of course you put this scenario right in front of my eyes! You KNOW I hear you speak through your creation. Ok, ok, I get it!" Then I smiled and commented to my husband, "I'm finding my inner duck." He understood. And by that I mean he understood that he didn't understand but he knew God was doing something good in me so. . .all was good. This is the place you come to when you are 60'ish. It is a nice mellowing that occurs. . .sometimes.

Why am I sharing this? Because I want everyone who reads it to find your inner duck too. If there is something you KNOW God made you for but you are standing at the edge refusing to jump, don't waste another minute of your life.

What is the leap of faith all about if it doesn't require a rather frightening JUMP into the glorious unknown call that has your name written all over it?

Hebrews 11:6. “You can never please God without faith. . .HE is the Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." Get your eyes on The Prize and you can do anything He asks of you!

I'm jumping! Can you hear me quacking with a touch of trembling in my squawk?

Here I go. . .SPLASH!!

Jan

SALMON BURGERS
2 small cloves garlic
sea salt
1 1/2 cups Duke's mayonnaise - has great flavor and it contains no sugar as most other brands do
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh chives or garlic chives
2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh dill
1 1/2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
Freshly ground black pepper
5 whole wheat hamburger buns (reserving half of one bun for in salmon burger mixture)
1 lb.(approx. 2 cups) skinless salmon fillets, boneless, preferably wild rather than farm raised
4 Tbsp. (1/4 cup/ half of a stick)) unsalted butter

Chop and mash the garlic to a paste. In a small bowl combine garlic paste with salt, mayonnaise, chives, dill, mustard, lemon juice.

Using a food processor, pulsate half of one bun into breadcrumbs. Set aside the other half for a snack later. Pulse the salmon until coarsely chopped ( about 5 pulses), then put the salmon into a medium bowl and stir in 3/4 cup of paste, the reserved breadcrumbs, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Shape into four patties, about one inch thick.

Heat 2 Tbsp. of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted and hot, add the patties and fry until firm, crisp and golden brown - about 3 to 5 minutes on each side.

Brush the remaining 2 Tbsp. butter (melted) on the inside of the four split buns. Insert an oven rack about 6 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler on high. Put the buns on a baking sheet, butter side up, and toast under the broiler until light golden brown - 1 to 2 minutes - watching carefully. Serve the burgers on the buns, spread with the remaining paste.

VARIATIONS FOR MAC 'N' CHEESE

Submitted by Tammy Lackey in Virginia - Used by permission

My friend Hannah posted something about macaroni and cheese as her Facebook status. An interesting discussion ensued there during which a fellow named Jeremy (NC) said he “mixes it with two cans of Bush's baked beans and add one pound of hamburger meat...to his special recipe...it's the poor man's delight," which prompted me to post this status:

“How do my Facebook friends like to doctor up a box of mac ‘n’ cheese?” I got the ball rolling with the first two ideas:

Make mac ‘n’ cheese according to directions, then . . .

Stir in one can of condensed cream of celery soup and 2 cans of tuna drained. We call it “Stove Top Tuna Casserole.”

Stir in one can of Italian diced tomatoes and one pound of lean ground beef already browned. We call it “Cheesy Beefy Slop."

Here were the responses:

Add spaghetti sauce until your heart’s content. We call it “Glop." – Shanna, VA

Add cut up hard boiled eggs, peas, a little bit of onion, a tablespoon of relish (or chopped up dill pickle), mayo, and a dash of paprika, salt and pepper, and have a yummy macaroni salad. The cheesy part makes it extra good and creamy. Shelby, VA

Add taco meat and salsa. Top with a few tortilla chips. Talitha, AZ

Mix in sliced pepperoni and shredded cheese, dump in a well-greased baking dish and bake. Jessica, VA

When the kids were little and money was tight I made a box of mac and cheese, added a can or box (frozen) of mixed vegetables, 1 lb. browned ground beef, garlic powder and they loved it. Went a long way in those days.. Kathy, VA

A couple others added mac ‘n’ cheese ideas that didn’t start with a box!

I made mine from scratch. I put in milk, light butter, 3 cheeses, fresh basil, garlic, ham, black pepper and ancho chili. YUM!!! Hannah, VA

Cook up high fiber whole wheat pasta and dump a can of Campbells condensed Nacho Cheese soup mixed with half a can of milk over it. Add a can of peas, cut up turkey kielbasa, a cup of fat free shredded cheddar and bake. Judy, VA

When our children were young I made Mac and Cheese with a jar of Ragu Pizza sauce, ground beef, mixed this together, put in a casserole dish and put shredded mozzarella cheese on top. Put in 350 degree oven and bake until cheese melts. Yummy! - Sharon, VA

THE OLD DENTED BUCKET Author unknown - Thanks to Karen Coughlin in Florida for sending this wonderful story! A good story to read aloud to your family!

        Our house was directly across the street from the clinic entrance of Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore . We lived downstairs and rented the upstairs rooms to out-patients at the clinic.
       One summer evening as I was fixing supper, there was a knock at the door. I opened it to see a truly awful looking man. "Why, he's hardly taller than my 8-year-old," I thought as I stared at the stooped, shriveled body. But the appalling thing was his face, lopsided from swelling, red and raw.
       Yet his voice was pleasant as he said, "Good evening. I've come to see if you've a room for just one night. I came for a treatment this morning from the eastern shore, and there's no bus 'til morning."
    He told me he'd been hunting for a room since noon but with no success, no one seemed to have a room. "I guess it's my face .... I know it looks terrible, but my doctor says with a few more treatments .."
       For a moment I hesitated, but his next words convinced me: "I could sleep in this rocking chair on the porch. My bus leaves early in the morning."
   I told him we would find him a bed, but to rest on the porch.. I went inside and finished getting supper. When we were ready, I asked the old man if he would join us. "No, thank you. I have plenty." And he held up a brown paper bag.
   When I had finished the dishes, I went out on the porch to talk with him a few minutes. It didn't take a long time to see that this old man had an oversized heart crowded into that tiny body. He told me he fished for a living to support his daughter, her 5 children, and her husband, who was hopelessly crippled from a back injury.
       He didn't tell it by way of complaint; in fact, every other sentence was preface with a thanks to God for a blessing. He was grateful that no pain accompanied his disease, which was apparently a form of skin cancer. He thanked God for giving him the strength to keep going...
   At bedtime, we put a camp cot in the children's room for him. When I got up in the morning, the bed linens were neatly folded and the little man was out on the porch.
   He refused breakfast, but just before he left for his bus, haltingly, as if asking a great favor, he said, "Could I please come back and stay the next time I have a treatment? I won't put you out a bit. I can sleep fine in a chair." He paused a moment and then added, "Your children made me feel at home. Grownups are bothered by my face, but children don't seem to mind."

       I told him he was welcome to come again.  And, on his next trip, he arrived a little after 7 in the morning. As a gift, he brought a big fish and a quart of the largest oysters I had ever seen! He said he had shucked them that morning before he left so that they'd be nice and fresh. I knew his bus left at 4:00 a.m. And I wondered what time he had to get up in order to do this for us.
   In the years he came to stay overnight with us, there was never a time that he did not bring us fish or oysters or vegetables from his garden.
       Other times we received packages in the mail, always by special delivery; fish and oysters packed in a box of fresh young spinach or kale, every leaf carefully washed. Knowing that he must walk 3 miles to mail these, and knowing how little money he had made the gifts doubly precious.
       When I received these little remembrances, I often thought of a comment our next-door neighbor made after he left that first morning.
       "Did you keep that awful looking man last night? I turned him away! You can lose roomers by putting up such people!"
   Maybe we did lose roomers once or twice. But, oh!, if only they could have known him, perhaps their illnesses would have been easier to bear.
   I know our family always will be grateful to have known him; from him we learned what it was to accept the bad without complaint and the good with gratitude to God.
    Recently I was visiting a friend, who has a greenhouse, as she showed me her flowers, we came to the most beautiful one of all, a golden chrysanthemum, bursting with blooms. But to my great surprise, it was growing in an old dented, rusty bucket. I thought to myself, "If this were my plant, I'd put it in the loveliest container I had!"
   My friend changed my mind. "I ran short of pots," she explained, "and knowing how beautiful this one would be, I thought it wouldn't mind starting out in this old pail. It's just for a little while, till I can put it out in the garden."
       She must have wondered why I laughed so delightedly, but I was imagining just such a scene in heaven.
   "Here's an especially beautiful one," God might have said when he came to the soul of the sweet old fisherman. "He won't mind starting in this small body."
   All this happened long ago - and now, in God's garden, how tall this lovely soul must stand.
    The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7b)

EDUCATIONAL FUN FOR KIDS
This great information comes from an excellent newsletter I receive! Used by permission -http://www.atozkidstuff.com

Curriculum Helpers

Preschool
Spring, Insects, Caterpillars/Butterfly, Bees, Ladybugs, Gardens, Ocean

School Age
Elephants, Pirates, Dolphins

Sea World Teacher's Guides for Preschool-12

Treasures Of The Sea - Explore the ocean through literature with interactive activities, art activities, and more.

Interesting Links

Children's Summer Reading Programs

Bookmark Coloring Pages from Crayola

Roald Dahl - Educator guides, activity sheets, online games and more.(school age)

LESSONS ON THE LIFE OF MOSES
www.MaryRiceHopkins.com

"Dancing in the Desert" - 18 lessons on the life of Moses for age 3 - grade 2

Flexible format perfect for: Sunday school, children's church, midweek or VBS (or family devotions)

Exciting Bible stories which are interactive because when the body moves, the brain remembers!

Each lesson has an object lesson, Bible story, question/answer time, art activity, craft activity, song lyrics, large or small group activities, snack and prayer. Extended activities and snacks clearly relate to the lesson purpose

Easy to download. Easy to prepare.

PRECIOUS GEMS
Ladies, thanks so much for your permission to include these precious gems!

After trying to kiss his friend, Olivia, and meeting some resistance, Austin (5) says to her, "Olivia, if you're going to grow up to be a mommy, you're going to have to learn to kiss boys." ~ Jennie in Ohio (Please say a prayer for Austin's little 3 year old sister, Ruby, that the Lord would touch her body. Thanks!)

I pointed out two butterflies that were flying together in circles and Levi (7) said, "Oh, look! They're out on a date!" ~ Lisa in Virginia

Levi: "Why do people take newspapers into the bathroom?"
Mom: "I guess they want to catch up on their reading."
Very seriously, Levi says, "What does ketchup have to do with it?" ~ Lisa in Virginia

Alex (4): "I'm not scared of monsters. I'm not afraid of anything! Sissy, will you come with me?" ~ Amanda in Virginia

Yesterday afternoon the kids were all running around the house so I made them get books to sit and "read." Isaiah (3) came in with his book, sat on the floor, opened it up and exclaimed, "Oh man! I can't read!" He just makes me laugh!!! ~ Mary in North Carolina

At the end of our vacation at the beach, our daughter, Joy, asked Ryan Elizabeth (3) what she enjoyed most about our time at the beach - the ocean, pool, doing crafts and things with Grammie and PawPaw, or shopping? Ryan thought a while and simply said, "Our family all together!" ~ Lois

Daniel (3) showed me his boots as he said, "Did you know my boots have knee pads, Grammie?" He was referring to the thick, padded "tongues" in his boots! ~ Lois

"Grandma, this is a forever hug that will last until I see you again, Rebekah (4) said at the airport at 5:00 this morning. My heart is breaking, as this will be a four-year stint in India until the next furlough, unless the Lord directs otherwise, but my God is saying, "Be strong, and of good courage .... I will never leave you. I am here." Life is a continual relinquishment, isn't it? Through the pain, the Lord calls me to press deeper into Him. And that's what it's all about. ~ Eileen in Virginia - www.eileenrife.com

(Note from Lois: Ladies, please pray for missionary families, as separation from their children, grandchildren, parents, and grandparents is often part of the sacrifice in being a missionary.)