Build Your Faith and Trust in God: Study the Names of God!

by Lois Breneman - 2012 - Heart to Heart

As believers, we are in a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.  It's pretty amazing that Someone like God would want us to draw near to Him, isn't it?  But He does!  When I find myself worrying about circumstances that I can't control, studying the Names of God and His attributes encourages and builds up my faith helping me trust my all powerful and caring Lord so much more.
 

The NAME OF THE LORD is a strong tower;  the righteous run into it and is safe. ~ Jeremiah 17:14

El Shaddai: All-Sufficient One
El Roi:  The God Who Sees
El Elyon: The Most High God
Elohim: Creator; The Lord is One
Adonai: Your Lord; Your Master

Jehovah: The Self-Existent One

Jehovah-Jireh: The Lord will provide

Jehovah-Nissi: The Lord our Banner (He will fight for us)

Jehovah-Shalom: The Lord is Peace

Jehovah-Rapha: The Lord that heals

Jehovah-Tsidkenu: The Lord our Righteousness
Jehovah-Mekoddishkem:  The Lord Sanctifies

Jehovah-Shammah: The Lord is Ever Present

Jehovah-Raah: The Lord my Shepherd
Jehovah-Sabaoth: The Lord of Hosts

Kay Arthur has written a wonderful devotional study on the Names of God entitled, Lord, I Want to Know You.  A good exercise would be to take just one Name of God a day and write in a notebook how the truth of that attribute would manifest itself in our everyday life if and when we allow that truth to take effect.

A Great Idea
Thanks to Lisa Weddle in Virginia for this!  I'm going to do this!  I know there are so many Names of God throughout the Bible!

Thanks for your article on the names of God. About a year ago I started writing down the names of God as I read them in the Bible. I finally  bought a small notebook and put one letter of the alphabet on each page. Now as I find names of God while I read, I put them in my little notebook. So far I have found over 300. It has been an excellent study on God's character and attributes. It is also great way to remember His attributes as I give God praise while I pray.


Here's a Start to Our Notebooks, ladies!

 The Vine ~ I am the vine, you are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without me you can do nothing. ~ John 15:5

This is a photo taken on a mountain ten minutes from our home in September, 2012.  You will find more vineyard photos at the bottom of this blog that I took that same week.

Precious Gems

Thanks so much for your permission to include your children and grandchildren's quotes in Heart to Heart!

Trevor (5):  What are we having for dinner?
Me:  Pork chops.

Trevor:  Aww, I hate those!
Me:  No, you don't.  You love them.

Trevor: Wait, are those green? ~ Jennifer in Virginia

Our little granddaughter was in the car with her mummy.  Asyrah (2) was asking her mummy whose fly it was buzzing around the car being a pain and would not accept that it wasn't someone's pet.  So she was told, "It's God's fly," to which she replied, "Did you take it off Him?" ~ Wendy in New Zealand

Natalie's "Funny" from soccer tonight: "I knew her from a long time ago mommy." How does a 5 year-old know someone from a long time ago? Even funnier, the long time ago was the beginning of this summer :) ~ Sarah in Virginia

While looking at her scraped leg, Melody (3) said, "I got lots of spots.  What's that mean?  I'm getting old?" ~ Rosie in Central Asia

Troy (Daddy) to Lexi (3): Tell mommy, ''Happy anniversary!"
Lexi to me: Mommy, Daddy says, Have a nursery! ~ Vera in Virginia

The love of chocolate is strong in this house! John (Daddy) told Melody (3) that if she ate an entire raw garlic clove that he would give her a piece of chocolate...and she did!  As he was giving her the chocolate, she asked, "Daddy, why are you giving me a piece of chocolate? (pause) Because I'm special?" "Yes, you are a pretty special kid to eat a clove of raw garlic!" ~ Rosie in Central Asia

Often when our granddaughter, Ryan (5) is being disciplined by one parent, she will ask for the other parent.  My daughter told me that the other day when she corrected Ryan, she said ,"I want Paw Paw!"  When I told him, of course, he grinned from ear to ear! ~ Lois

Ryan (5) loves being in kindergarten.  Depending on each student's behavior for the day, he/she is given a certain color.  Red means "bad behavior," yellow means they did something wrong, green stands for "good," and purple stands for "super good."  Ryan has been getting green every day so far.  But one day recently she told her mom how she had a yellow before the day was over, and quickly added, "But then I made better choices, and got a green!" ~ Lois

In kindergarten all the students need to learn their address, phone number, country, county, etc.  When asked what county she lives in, rather than Cobb County, Ryan (5) always says, "Corn on the Cobb County," knowing she will get a laugh. ~ Lois

As our grandson, Daniel (4) was leaving the house with his mommy and little brother after a rain shower one morning, he pointed and said, "Look!   There's a puddle shaped like a heart!  I think God made that to show us that we are loved!" ~ Lois

Resource for Parenting Teens

A free newsletter is also available.

http://specials.about.com/service/newsletters/parentingteens/1347613350.htm

My Story: 15 Ways to Use Prescription Bottles

by Diva - "My Story" is a regular feature of The Dollar Stretcher. If you have a story that could help save time or money, please send it to MyStory@stretcher.com.  Used by permission from the editor, Gary Foreman

My husband takes several prescription medications, and all those empty prescription bottles can be re-purposed in some pretty useful ways. After removing the labels and washing and drying them thoroughly, try some of these ideas:

1. They can be used to hold various sizes of coins. This is a great way to take quarters to the laundromat.
2. Put a small object inside like a paper clip or marble for an entertaining, rattling pet toy.
3. Keep small game pieces like dice, etc. all together when not in use and store in the game box.
4. Use as disposable watercolor brush water cups.
5. Transport small amounts of condiments like salt, pepper, sugar, creamer, etc. on picnics. Label with a permanent marker.
6. Keep a few of your favorite teabags in a bottle to stash in your purse or desk at work.
7. Make a small portable sewing or first aid kit by adding a few basic small necessities.
8. When traveling, take a few cotton balls, put a drop or two of your favorite perfume on each one, and stuff into a bottle. Take one out each day and dab on pulse points. You can also tuck the cotton ball inside your bra.
9. Use as a travel container for earrings and other jewelry.
10. Organize small office supplies like paper clips, push pins and staples.
11. Use as popsicle molds.
12. Store a girl's small Barbie accessories like shoes (a non-childproof cap would work best for this) in them.
13. Use as a Valentine or just-because romantic gift for your sweetie. Fill an empty bottle with conversation hearts and make a cute label instructing them to take one as needed for "love sickness" or a similarly mushy message.
14. Keep a few coins and some rolled-up bills for emergencies in a bottle in the glove compartment.
15. Let the kids make a tiny "time capsule" of a family vacation or other fun adventure. Collect sand and shells from a beach trip or small rocks, dried leaves and twigs from a camping trip or nature hike.
    
    Notes from Lois: Covering the containers with pretty contact paper and adding labels would be a good idea.  I saved old film canisters from years ago and store them in a shoebox.  They can be repurposed in these ways as well.
    
    How you get rid of unused prescriptions: Please never flush unused drugs down the toilet or dump them anywhere.  Scientist are telling us that our water supply is being effected because of the improper disposal of drugs.  Call your pharmacist and ask how to handle leftover prescriptions.

Top Foods for Your Immune System: 11 Foods to Boost Your Immunity

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/02/06/immune-system-foods_n_1257903.html

Grandma was right -- nothing beats chicken soup for fending off sniffles. Not only does it provide the fluids needed to help fight off viruses, it's a powerful mucus stimulant so it helps clear nasal congestion as well as thin mucus. It's also thought to have a mild anti-inflammatory effect than can help ease cold symptoms. Keep some organic chicken stock on hand, because studies have found that even commercial soup is as effective as homemade.

                    

Chicken Noodle Soup:
Grandma was right -- nothing beats chicken soup for fending off sniffles. Not only does it provide the fluids needed to help fight off viruses, it's a powerful mucus stimulant so it helps clear nasal congestion as well as thin mucus. It's also thought to have a mild anti-inflammatory effect than can help ease cold symptoms. Keep some organic chicken stock on hand, because studies have found that even commercial soup is as effective as homemade.

Onion And Garlic:
If you want to punch up the healing power of your chicken soup -- or any other dish -- add plenty of garlic and onions. When combined, these flavorful healers contain numerous antiseptic and immunity boosting compounds. As an added plus, garlic helps to open clogged sinuses.

Mushrooms:
No herbal medicine cabinet should be without mushrooms. They increase the production of cytokines, which are cells that help fight off infection. They also contain polysaccharides, which are compounds that support the immune system. The most potent cold- and flu-fighting shrooms are shitake, maitake and reishi.

Citrus Fruits:
Citrus fruits contain hefty doses of powerhouse vitamin C. Studies have found that this antioxidant can reduce cold symptoms by 23 per cent, and all that's needed is just one to eight grams (1,000 to 8,000 milligrams) to do the trick. Besides citrus fruits, other foods that have high amounts of vitamin C include papaya, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, tomatoes, broccoli, brussel sprouts and red bell peppers.

Yogurt:
Studies have shown that eating a cup of low-fat yogurt each day can reduce your susceptibility to colds by 25 percent. The beneficial bacteria is Lactobacillus reuteri which has been found to block the replication of viruses that invade the body when we get sick. Not all brands have that particular bacteria, so check labels and be sure to go organic.

Immune-Boosting Supplements:
While yogurt is a great source of probiotics, some have more than others and we can really benefit by taking an additional supplement. Other immune-booster "musts" are vitamin D and Omega 3 fatty acid.

Hot Tea:
Hot tea is soothing and a great home remedy, helping to thin mucus and ensure proper hydration. For added health benefit, sip green or black tea -- both are filled with flavonoids, which are potent antioxidants.

Ginger:
Ginger comes to the aid when we're sick in some powerful ways. Besides soothing a scratchy throat, it has chemicals called sesquiterpenes that target rhinoviruses -- which are the most common family of cold viruses -- as well as substances that help suppress coughing. Ginger is also a natural pain and fever reducer and a mild sedative so you -- ll feel more comfortable and be able to rest easier. Add a couple of tablespoons of shredded gingerroot to your tea, or make ginger tea (it comes in tea bags, but you can also simmer fresh sliced ginger to make a potent brew).

Honey:
Honey has numerous medicinal properties and because it coats your throat it is a natural way to soothe sore throats. It also has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties to help fight infections from viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Skip the common clover honey that you'll find in the supermarket as it has the lowest antioxidant level. Look for buckwheat honey, which has the highest. (A note of caution: never give honey to children under one years of age because their immune systems are not developed enough to ward off infantile botulism, which is carried in honey spores.)

Black Pepper
It's ironic that black pepper -- the spice best known for making you sneeze -- can ward off the sniffles. Black peppercorns are high in piperine, a compound known for its anti-fever and pain-relieving qualities.

Spices
Make recipes more flavorful with garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage and oregano -- while spicing things up, you'll also get an added kick of immune-busters, too.

Weekly Bathtub Detox for Better Health

Soak once a week for 20 minutes in a hot tub of water in which 1 cup of Epsom Salts, 1/2 cup baking soda and 10 drops of lavendar essential oil have been added.  Not only will this help to detox your body, it will relax you as well!  Ahhhh!

3 Healing Soups

by Mao Shing Ni, L.Ac., D.O.M., PhD - http://www.doctoroz.com/blog/mao-shing-ni-lac-dom-phd/3-healing-soups

The healing power of soup: something that both scientists and grandmothers can agree on. From helping you lose weight to warming you up from the inside out to boosting your immunity, soup is a winter staple that you shouldn’t be without.

 

An ancient Chinese proverb states that a good doctor uses food first, then resorts to medicine. A healing soup can be your first step in maintaining your health and preventing illness. When you slowly simmer foods over low heat, you gently leach out the energetic and therapeutic properties of the foods, preserving the nutritional value of the food and making it easier for your body to assimilate the nutrients.Here are soup suggestions that will keep you in tip-top shape all winter long.

 

1. Immune-Boosting Soup

Your immune system needs a lot of minerals to function properly and the typical Western diet does not always hit the mark. Keep in mind that boiling can destroy half of the vitamins found in vegetables, so cook soup over a low heat.

 

Simmer these ingredients for 30 minutes to 1 hour: cabbage, carrots, fresh ginger, onion, oregano, shiitake mushrooms (if dried, they must be soaked first), the seaweed of your choice, and any type of squash in chicken or vegetable stock. Cabbage can increase your body’s ability to fight infection, ginger supports healthy digestion, and seaweed cleanses the body. Shiitake mushrooms contain coumarin, polysaccharides and sterols, as well as vitamins and minerals that increase your immune function; the remaining ingredients promote general health and wellbeing. Eat this soup every other day to build a strong and healthy immune system.

 

2. Winter-Warmer Hearty Soup

You always want to eat for the season, and warm soup provides what the body craves in cold weather. When you simmer foods into a soup, you are adding a lot of what Chinese nutrition would call “warming energy” into the food. Warming foods to feature in your soups include: leeks, onions, turnips, spinach, kale, broccoli, quinoa, yams, squash, garlic, scallions, and parsley. As a spice, turmeric aids with circulation, a great boost against the cold weather.

 

3. Detoxifying Broth

As a liquid, soup is already helping you flush waste from your body. When you choose detoxifying ingredients, such as the ones featured in the recipe below, you are really treating your body to an internal cleanse. This broth supports the liver in detoxification, increases circulation, reduces inflammation, and replenishes your body with essential minerals.

 

Simmer the following detoxifying foods for 1 to 2 hours over a low flame: anise, brussels sprouts, cabbage, Swiss chard, cilantro, collards, dandelion, fennel, garlic, fresh ginger, kale, leeks, shiitake mushrooms, mustard greens, daikon radish, seaweed, turmeric, and watercress. Strain to drink as a broth, or if you prefer, leave the cut vegetables in tact and enjoy a bowl.

 

You can be very creative when making soup, and the above recipes are just guidelines. The sky is the limit, so feel free to play with the ingredients and methods. Note: It is always best to serve soups fresh – for each day it spends in the fridge, the therapeutic value decreases.

Super Immune-Building and Healing Spice Mix

Source unknown

Mix the following and store in an air-tight container:
3 tsp. ground Indian turmeric
3 tsp. ground cumin
3 tsp. ground Indian coriander
1 tsp. ground fennel
1 tsp. powdered ginger
1 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom

Billie Bakhaski, a Heart to Heart subscriber adds this informative note:

This super immune building and healing spice mix is great starter for making "dal" (Indian lentils). 

It works in 2 steps: you boil your lentils in one pot till soft. You would put a little olive oil in the bottom of a second pot, to make the "tarka" (spice/flavor).  Add the spices and cook them till there's a little bit of sizzle.  Add a finely chopped onion and tomato (also chopped fine) and continue to cook until they cook down into paste. Add a clove or 2 of smashed garlic and a tablespoon of fresh grated ginger.  Cook just a little while longer; then add this entire mixture to the simmering lentils (once they're soft) and add salt to taste. Sprinkle with some fresh chopped cilantro

Typically this is eaten with rice or flat bread (a warmed pita is perfect).

Take care when handling turmeric...it is really difficult to get out of clothes.

Kitchen Tips

How to Keep Potatoes from Sprouting for Weeks ~ Remove the potatoes from the original package and store them in doubled paper grocery bags.  Fold down the top tightly and secure with a couple clothespins.  

 

How to Use Coconut Oil in Recipes for Better Health ~ http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/how-to-use-coconut-oil.htm  Coconut oil also works very well as body moisturizer.  Just rub it in!

Ripening Green Tomatoes Faster ~ Throw them in a brown paper bag with an apple and they will ripen more quickly.  Pears also ripen more quickly when put into a brown paper bag.

Soften Brown Sugar by placing about a quarter of an apple in the bag or canister.

Soup or Stew Too Salty?  Add either potato or apple wedges to absorb the extra salt; then toss out.

Moist Poultry ~ When roasting a whole turkey, turkey breast, or whole chicken, pierce a lemon and stick into the cavity for more moistness.  An apple will also work. 

Keep Celery Fresh Longer ~ Remove celery from bag or wrapper and wrap in aluminum foil.  It will keep about three weeks this way.

Character Education Curriculum

by Meagan DeLong in North Carolina

 

I’ve been wanting to do a character study with my girls for some time now, but just never found the time to get one together. I recently stumbled upon We Choose Virtues (http://www.wechoosevirtues.com/) and decided it was worth the money to save me the time and energy of creating my own study. The materials are bright and colorful and the phrases are catchy and I knew my girls would love them. And I was right! 

 

We bought the parenting faith-based cards and my girls can’t wait to learn a new one each week. They portray a funny child with a silly name and a story describing the character trait, a “catch-phrase” for the children to memorize, a virtue “antonym” to help the child know how NOT to act, a helpful scripture, ideas for teaching the children, and how to apologize when you do not display the virtue. 

 

My girls really enjoy saying the catch phrase and it makes it easy for me to remind them when they forget to act rightly. I simply say the first word or two in the phrase and they sheepishly grin and finish the phrase for me and realize that they need to apologize. We also bought the 100 days of virtue chart and stickers because my girls love sticker charts and it has also been very helpful. 

 

The materials are a little more pricey than I would prefer, but it was worth it to us to find something that my girls absolutely love to study to teach them godly virtues.

We Choose Virtues | Character Education Curriculum - Simply Inspiring Character That Lasts

 

 

The Wealthy Stay-At-Home Mom

by Tyanne Perry - www.LampOnAStand.com - Used by permission

I cannot afford to WASTE my time making money! -- Jean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz

 “It’s nice to meet you, what do you do?” She asks.

“I am a stay-at-home-mom” I reply, wondering if I should throw in information about my college degree and prior work experience, just to portray myself with a little more value in the eyes of my acquaintance.  I don’t have the chance to go on, however, as she responds quickly.

 

“Oh, wow, you are so lucky to get to stay at home,” she replies, “We could just never afford it.”

 

“Money only stretches so far,” I politely relate, though slightly cringing at her assumptions, “We are certainly blessed with the ability to make this work for us.”

 

Does she assume we’re wealthy, I wonder.  Surely she understands we’re not, right?  Surely she understands it is a trade-off?  Does she really think it’s “luck” that made this decision for us?

 

She’s right, though, in a way.  I can afford to be a stay-at-home-mom and I am wealthy enough to afford a great deal of valuable things.  Things that are so precious, in fact, that the things we can’t afford pale in comparison.

 

For example:

I can’t afford a second car, but I can afford long walks with little ones on beautiful weekday afternoons. 

 

I can’t afford to own my dream home, but I can afford to fill our rental with the sounds of laughter, comforted tears, and the pitter patter of little feet all day long. 

 

I can’t afford cable television, but I can afford to read to my children for more than the recommended 20 minutes a day. 

 

I can’t afford new clothes each season, but I can afford to teach my children to value what they have and take care of all they have been given as I care for and mend the clothing we are blessed to already own. 

 

I can’t afford to take my family to a nice restaurant, but I can afford to prepare meals that fill our home with the scents that will one day make my adult children long for home.

 

I can’t afford regular lunch or coffee dates with friends, but I can afford to invite friends into my home and demonstrate Christian hospitality to my children as well as my guests.  

 

I can’t afford a professional hair style or color; but I can afford to embrace natural beauty as my children watch me twist my hair into a fast bun and hurry out of the bathroom to join their fun.

 

I can’t afford a manicure or pedicure, but I can afford to play “This Little Piggy” on repeat to the content of fascinated little minds, looking into their eyes as we play and smiling with them as they learn. 

 

I can’t afford a gym membership, but I can afford to live a healthy and active life in front of my children and teach them to do the same.

 

I can’t afford to enroll my child in private lessons of various kinds, but I can afford to invest time in knowing their dreams and abilities better than anyone else and coaching them to use those abilities to honor and glorify God.

 

I can’t afford to get a babysitter and go on long dates with my husband, but I can afford to serve him diligently at home as his helper and love him in ways that help him honor God at his best.

 

I can’t afford to travel the world on family vacations, but I can afford to be the person who is always there and ready to answer their questions when they are curious or confused about the world around them. 

 

I can’t afford a mountain of gifts on Christmas morning, but I can afford a mountain of love and truth all year long. 

 

I can’t afford to host giant birthday parties at popular venues, but I can afford to spend every single day reminding my children that they are valuable and worth celebrating.        

 

I can’t afford the latest and greatest toys and electronics, but 

 

I can afford to diligently train creative minds to explore, imagine, experiment, and create. 

 

I can’t afford to pad a savings account with the recommended 6 months of necessary income, but I can afford to pad a future of unknowns with faith and trust in God’s provision and teach my children not to worry in times of trial.  

 

I can’t afford to provide my children with the things they want, but I can afford to teach them that they have everything they need. 

 

I can’t afford to spend my time making money, but I can afford to make my time worth more money than I could ever spend. 

 

I can’t afford a lot of things, but none of them will ever exceed the value of those things that I can afford. 

I am not lucky, but I am blessed.

I am not rich with money, but I am wealthy.

About the Author, Tyanne Perry: I am a young Pastor's wife and mother in Cleveland, Ohio.  Prior to becoming a mother, I worked as a substance abuse counselor and crisis interventionist (and I enjoyed it very much!).  Now, I find great joy in being a mother and homemaking, and I consider my most important "job" to be serving my husband as his helper.  My husband and I have a passion for the Word of God and helping others learn and grow in their knowledge of the Lord through Scripture.  We also love to make music together, enjoy the outdoors, and being active.

Pray for America!

 II Chronicles 7:14

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Please be sure you are registered to vote and then go and vote!

It will make a huge difference in the future of our children and our grandchildren!