Inspirational Home and Family Blog
Saturday, June 29, 2013
New Scripted Photos Have Been Added to the Blog
New photos have been added to the blog. Scroll about one-third of the way down until you see large scripted photos.
Help with Sibling Rivalry
by Lois Breneman ~ Heart to Heart ~ 2013
I like the advice I once heard Dr. James Dobson give concerning sibling rivalry. He said something to this effect: When your children are quarreling, have them sit down and look them straight in the eye as you tell them how in their life they will surely encounter some people in the world who will disagree with them and may not even like them. Then let them know that the people inside the walls of your home are on the same team and we have each other's best interest at heart and will support each other, no matter what. Assure them that when no one else will stick up for them, their parents, sisters and brothers will, and I might add that their grandparents will!
Another piece of advice I heard somewhere was this: When your children are fighting, put a stop to it and have each one say one nice thing about the other person, such as a good character quality, a talent, or positive remark concerning the other person.
When your children misbehave, tell them you love them too much to allow them to misbehave like that.
It's too bad I never heard these remedies when my children were young. I do remember having them wash a window after fighting one another, with one on the inside of the kitchen door window and the other on the outside. It wasn't always a surefire way of disciplining. Sometimes they would stick out their tongues and make faces, but every now and then it did make them laugh!
Whatever quarreling and fighting our children went through with each other as kids, it's worth it now to see them all getting along with each other wonderfully, and loving each other's children as well. We just enjoyed a week together at the beach earlier this month, and it was such a joy to be together and enjoy our family of thirteen in 2013, with being blessed with our newest grandchild only three months earlier! We try as much as possible to get all of the family together at least once or twice every year, even if we are all spread out. Now that John is retired, we are hoping to spend more time with each family for a week at a time. They tell us about various projects they have for us to lend them a hand. We really enjoy helping them and spending time with each one, and are thankful that they ask us to come.
I like the advice I once heard Dr. James Dobson give concerning sibling rivalry. He said something to this effect: When your children are quarreling, have them sit down and look them straight in the eye as you tell them how in their life they will surely encounter some people in the world who will disagree with them and may not even like them. Then let them know that the people inside the walls of your home are on the same team and we have each other's best interest at heart and will support each other, no matter what. Assure them that when no one else will stick up for them, their parents, sisters and brothers will, and I might add that their grandparents will!
Another piece of advice I heard somewhere was this: When your children are fighting, put a stop to it and have each one say one nice thing about the other person, such as a good character quality, a talent, or positive remark concerning the other person.
When your children misbehave, tell them you love them too much to allow them to misbehave like that.
It's too bad I never heard these remedies when my children were young. I do remember having them wash a window after fighting one another, with one on the inside of the kitchen door window and the other on the outside. It wasn't always a surefire way of disciplining. Sometimes they would stick out their tongues and make faces, but every now and then it did make them laugh!
Whatever quarreling and fighting our children went through with each other as kids, it's worth it now to see them all getting along with each other wonderfully, and loving each other's children as well. We just enjoyed a week together at the beach earlier this month, and it was such a joy to be together and enjoy our family of thirteen in 2013, with being blessed with our newest grandchild only three months earlier! We try as much as possible to get all of the family together at least once or twice every year, even if we are all spread out. Now that John is retired, we are hoping to spend more time with each family for a week at a time. They tell us about various projects they have for us to lend them a hand. We really enjoy helping them and spending time with each one, and are thankful that they ask us to come.
Marriage Tips
by Lois Breneman, who will be celebrating 45 years of marriage to John in August - Heart to Heart - 2013
Show love and consideration to your spouse in the everyday things of life.
Look for little ways to serve and show him your kindness and appreciation.
Show love and consideration to your spouse in the everyday things of life.
Look for little ways to serve and show him your kindness and appreciation.
Speak softly with kindness in your tone of voice. It makes a difference.
Praise him for working to support the family, for being a great father, etc.
Pray for your husband.
Pray with your husband.
Praise him for working to support the family, for being a great father, etc.
Pray for your husband.
Pray with your husband.
This link has many constructive ways to pray for your husband and children:
Drop a Pebble in the Water
by James W. Foley (1847-1939) ~ Thanks to Jalisa Wenger in Pennsylvania for sending this poem!
Drop a pebble in the water, just a splash, and it is gone;
But there are half a hundred ripples circling on and on and on,
Spreading, spreading from the center, flowing on out to sea.
And there is no way of telling where the end is going to be.
Drop a pebble in the water; in a minute you will forget,
But there are little waves a-flowing and there are ripples circling yet,
And those little waves a-flowing to a great big wave have grown;
You've disturbed a mighty river just by dropping in a stone.
Drop an unkind word, or careless: in a minute it is gone;
But there's half a hundred ripples circling on and on and on,
They keep spreading, spreading, spreading from the center as they go.
And there is no way to stop them, once you've started the flow.
Drop a word of cheer and kindness: just a flash and it is gone;
But there are half a hundred ripples circling on and on and on,
Bearing hope and joy and comfort on each splashing, dashing wave,
Till you wouldn't believe the volume of the one kind word you gave.
Drop a word of cheer and kindness: in a minute you forget;
But there's gladness still a-swelling, and there's joy circling yet.
And you've rolled a wave of comfort whose sweet music can be heard,
Over miles and miles of water just by dropping one kind word.
But there are half a hundred ripples circling on and on and on,
Spreading, spreading from the center, flowing on out to sea.
And there is no way of telling where the end is going to be.
Drop a pebble in the water; in a minute you will forget,
But there are little waves a-flowing and there are ripples circling yet,
And those little waves a-flowing to a great big wave have grown;
You've disturbed a mighty river just by dropping in a stone.
Drop an unkind word, or careless: in a minute it is gone;
But there's half a hundred ripples circling on and on and on,
They keep spreading, spreading, spreading from the center as they go.
And there is no way to stop them, once you've started the flow.
Drop a word of cheer and kindness: just a flash and it is gone;
But there are half a hundred ripples circling on and on and on,
Bearing hope and joy and comfort on each splashing, dashing wave,
Till you wouldn't believe the volume of the one kind word you gave.
Drop a word of cheer and kindness: in a minute you forget;
But there's gladness still a-swelling, and there's joy circling yet.
And you've rolled a wave of comfort whose sweet music can be heard,
Over miles and miles of water just by dropping one kind word.
An Amazing Shuffle of Letters
Source unknown
WORD REARRANGE LETTERS
WORD REARRANGE LETTERS
DORMITORY DIRTY ROOM
ASTRONOMER MOON STARER
ASTRONOMER MOON STARER
DESPERATION A ROPE ENDS IT
THE EYES THEY SEE
THE MORSE CODE HERE COME DOTS
THE EYES THEY SEE
THE MORSE CODE HERE COME DOTS
SLOT MACHINES CASH LOST IN ME
ANIMOSITY IS NO AMITY
ELECTION RESULTS LIES LET'S RECOUNT
SNOOZE ALARMS ALAS NO MORE Z'S
A DECIMAL POINT I'M A DOT IN PLACE
THE EARTHQUAKES THAT QUEER SHAKE
ELEVEN PLUS TWO TWELVE PLUS ONE
ANIMOSITY IS NO AMITY
ELECTION RESULTS LIES LET'S RECOUNT
SNOOZE ALARMS ALAS NO MORE Z'S
A DECIMAL POINT I'M A DOT IN PLACE
THE EARTHQUAKES THAT QUEER SHAKE
ELEVEN PLUS TWO TWELVE PLUS ONE
40 Ways to be Present in Your Child's Day
by Tricia Goyer - Tricia Goyer Ink - www.triciagoyer.com - Used by permission
The true gifts of life lie in the moment. That is why we call it the present. ~ Author Unknown
The true gifts of life lie in the moment. That is why we call it the present. ~ Author Unknown
In
the midst of a busy day it’s easy for mamas to think of our children as
“tasks” rather than as “hearts” we need to connect with. I sometimes
struggle with putting my kids before my to-do list. After all, I can mark things off my to-do list as “done.” With kids, they are never done.
It
hurts my heart to realize what my kids see and experience on some days:
a busy, distracted mom who orders their lives instead of really seeing
them.
“If
young children live in the present and adults spend most of their time
in the past or in the future, we have abandoned our children to some
degree,” says Becky Bailey, PH.D., author of I Love Your Rituals.
How often are your children present but abandoned in your day?
Do
you expect them to be able to entertain themselves so you can get your
work done? Do you use the television or video games to keep your kids
occupied more than you should so you can focus on your work? I’ve been
guilty of both.
Yet,
I also know children can only entertain themselves for so long.
Children will do what it takes to get our attention. Won’t they?
“We
get caught up in our obligations and tasks and lose sight of our
children until they ‘get in trouble’ (displease us) or ‘do something
special’ (please us),” says Bailey. “On these occasions, children
received our undivided attention—negative or positive. Neither type of
attention is helpful or healthy. . . . To break this cycle, adults must
take charge and establish strong relationships with children. They must
make time to ‘be’ with their children. This time must be commanded and
orchestrated by adults, not demanded by children.”
We
must give our children attention—real, focused, positive attention.
I’ve found when I spend even ten or fifteen minutes with my children at
regular intervals during the day, they are happy to entertain themselves
or play positively with their siblings at other times. When our child’s
love tank/attention tank is full, then he or she has fuel to feed other
positive relationships.
Each
moment in our day we have the choice to be present. Our children will
not only benefit from it, but we will reap the rewards.
40 Ways to Be Present in Your Child’s Day
- Sing “This Little Piggie Went to Market” as you put on your child’s socks.
- Make eye contact when your child asks you a question.
- Use different voices when reading a bedtime story.
- Play horsey ride.
- Take a deep breath and say a prayer thanking God for “right now.”
- Get on the floor and invite your child to join you.
- Create a gratitude journal with your kids and add to it through the day.
- Put down your smart phone. Set it aside and pick it up and check it once and hour.
- Write things you appreciate about your kids on post-it notes and repeat these things often.
- Add a sprinkling of love to your child’s lunch. Ask, “What is one thing I can do to show my child I love him/her during this meal?”
- Ignore the dishes, the laundry, the vacuuming for the first hour of the day and start the day off with your child.
- Teach your child a finger play you knew as a child.
- Find ways to say “Yes” rather than “No.”
- Start again if a moment’s not going right. Call out, “Do over!”
- Reflect on what your child is doing at that moment. “You are standing on one leg. You are jumping up and down.” Don’t feel you have to praise for no reason … kids just enjoy the focused attention.
- Teach your child a simple chore.
- Slow down. Take twice as long as you plan on doing something, and do it with your child.
- Tell your child about an experience you had when you were his/her age.
- Soak in your child’s stories. Ask for more details.
- Ask your child what he/she would like to do for ten minutes. Set a timer and have fun.
- Go into the yard and see what type of creatures you can find.
- Play Simon Says.
- Tell your child than you are so thankful he/she is part of your family.
- In your mind trade places. How does your child see you in that moment? How do you want your child to see you?
- Call a friend or family member with your child, just to say, “Hi.”
- Exercise together!
- Bring out your photo album and share a special memory.
- Offer a hug.
- Host a family meeting and highlight things your family can look forward to and things your family is doing right.
- Catch your child doing something right.
- Ask your child to help you with whatever your working on.
- Go on a lunch date.
- See how high you can count as a team.
- Visit the library.
- Tell your child about the first week after they were born.
- Tell your child the meaning of her name.
- Memorize a Bible verse together.
- Turn off the Television
- Forgive yourself. Don’t let your mind wander to the past and all the ways you’ve messed up as a parent. Give that to God.
- If you find yourself thinking/worrying about the future file that away for later when your kids are in bed. Better yet, give that to God, too!
Now . . . what can you add to this list? I’d love to know!
Blessings,
Tricia, TriciaGoyer.com
Tricia
Goyer is a busy mom of six, grandmother of one, and wife to John.
Somewhere around the hustle and bustle of family life, she manages to
find the time to write fictional tales delighting and entertaining
readers and non-fiction titles offering encouragement and hope. A
bestselling author, Tricia has published thirty-three books to date and
has written more than 500 articles. She is a two time Carol Award
winner, as well as a Christy and ECPA Award Nominee. Tricia is also on
the blogging team at MomLifeToday.com, TheBetterMom.com
and other homeschooling and Christian sites. In addition to her roles
as mom, wife and author, Tricia volunteers around her community and
mentors teen moms. She is the founder of Hope Pregnancy Ministries in
Northwestern Montana, and she currently leads a Teen MOPS Group in
Little Rock, AR. Tricia, along with a group of friends, recently
launched www.NotQuiteAmishLiving.com, sharing ideas about simplifying life. She also hosts the weekly radio podcast, Living Inspired. Learn more about Tricia at www.triciagoyer.com.
Boredom Busters
by Lois Breneman - Heart to Heart - 2013
If your children or grandchildren are already bored this summer, the following newsletter from the Heart to Heart archives will provide plenty of ideas of good things for your kids to do - a resource to help you be intentional in having a fun and productive summer.
You will find activities on the list not only for children, teens, and families, but also for singles, couples before children, empty-nesters, and retirees. There's something for everybody! Learn some new skills, have fun, and share with others this summer!
If your children or grandchildren are already bored this summer, the following newsletter from the Heart to Heart archives will provide plenty of ideas of good things for your kids to do - a resource to help you be intentional in having a fun and productive summer.
You will find activities on the list not only for children, teens, and families, but also for singles, couples before children, empty-nesters, and retirees. There's something for everybody! Learn some new skills, have fun, and share with others this summer!
Magic Tricks for Husking Corn & Peeling Potatoes
MAGIC CORN TRICK
When
it comes to cooking, I will take shortcuts to get the job done as
quickly and efficiently as I can as long as it does not impact the
flavor of the dish I am making. When I discovered this magic corn
cooking trick I was elated because there is minimal cleanup. I don't
have to spend a lot of time trying to get the silk off of the corn, and
the overall prep and cook time is shorter. An additional bonus of the
magic corn trick is that I don't boil all of the nutrients out of the
corn.
Are you ready for this? Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat or an ear of corn out of the husk.
1. Remove a few of the outer husks that might be dirty.
2. Cut the bottoms off of the corn. Be sure to cut above the part of the cob where the husk is attached. It would be above the part of the cob where it starts to round down.
3. Place a moist paper towel on the bottom of the microwave or on top of the carousel and place the corn on the paper towel.
4. Use this guide for your cook time. Remember the cook time can vary for each microwave.
1 ear - 2 minutes
2 ears - 3-4 minutes
3 ears - 5-6 minutes
4 ears - 7-8 minutes
6 ears - 8-9 minutes
5. After cooking, let the corn sit about 2 minutes. It will continue to cook and will be cooler and easier to handle. If you let it sit too long, the silk will stick to the ear and will be harder to clean.
6. Pick the cooked corn up by the top (you might want to use an oven mitt if it is too hot to handle) and squeeze and lightly shake out the ear of the corn. It should just slide out leaving the silk and all of the husks intact.
7. Just like magic, your corn is cleaned and cooked!
HOW TO PEEL POTATOES FAST!
How to peel potatoes fast - YouTubeThis works great and is perfect for preparing potato salad and mashed potatoes!
Are you ready for this? Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat or an ear of corn out of the husk.
1. Remove a few of the outer husks that might be dirty.
2. Cut the bottoms off of the corn. Be sure to cut above the part of the cob where the husk is attached. It would be above the part of the cob where it starts to round down.
3. Place a moist paper towel on the bottom of the microwave or on top of the carousel and place the corn on the paper towel.
4. Use this guide for your cook time. Remember the cook time can vary for each microwave.
1 ear - 2 minutes
2 ears - 3-4 minutes
3 ears - 5-6 minutes
4 ears - 7-8 minutes
6 ears - 8-9 minutes
5. After cooking, let the corn sit about 2 minutes. It will continue to cook and will be cooler and easier to handle. If you let it sit too long, the silk will stick to the ear and will be harder to clean.
6. Pick the cooked corn up by the top (you might want to use an oven mitt if it is too hot to handle) and squeeze and lightly shake out the ear of the corn. It should just slide out leaving the silk and all of the husks intact.
7. Just like magic, your corn is cleaned and cooked!
HOW TO PEEL POTATOES FAST!
How to peel potatoes fast - YouTubeThis works great and is perfect for preparing potato salad and mashed potatoes!
Precious Gems
As always, ladies, thanks so much for these cute kids' quotes! I love them!
Me: "You are going to Gram-B's house today. I have to go to the doctor and get a shot and I am not taking you with me."
Brooklyn: "You get a shot?"
Me: "Yep."
Brooklyn: "You not cry. Otay? You be weally brave. You have to. Dats what you have to do. Yike me." ~ Lauren in Virginia
Me: "You are going to Gram-B's house today. I have to go to the doctor and get a shot and I am not taking you with me."
Brooklyn: "You get a shot?"
Me: "Yep."
Brooklyn: "You not cry. Otay? You be weally brave. You have to. Dats what you have to do. Yike me." ~ Lauren in Virginia
Dinner conversation went like this:
Gracie: Mom, Sophie (one of our neighbor's kids who is 5 or 6) told me she had a boyfriend, and his name is Andrew.
Me: Oh really.
Grace: Yes, but don't worry I told her she was too little for that and that she should wait until she was married to have a boyfriend.
WOW...where do I begin with that one! hahah! ~ Maria in Virginia
Me: Oh really.
Grace: Yes, but don't worry I told her she was too little for that and that she should wait until she was married to have a boyfriend.
WOW...where do I begin with that one! hahah! ~ Maria in Virginia
Tonight when we were getting ready to have prayer time Eva (6) wanted "to read about the two brothers, Cable? Cable? No, what were their names?" she said. ~ Elizabeth in Virginia
Savannah (5): "Mom, there are no stickers on my folder this week. You know why? We are practicing for next year. Because in first grade you have to be good even without getting a sticker. Can you believe that?" ~ Lauren in Virginia
After explaining to Austin (5) why there aren't baby chick's in eggs from the store, he says, "Well, we can sit on them to keep them warm. Maybe that would help." Love conversations with the little man. ~ Emily in Virginia|
Malakai (5): "I'm NOT a little kid. I'm smaaaalll to the ground!" ~ Danielle in Alabama
The kids bought Rob cologne for Father's Day. Tonight Eva (6) was asking what it is exaqctly. I told her it was man perfume. She said, "So it doesn't smell like flowers and yoummy, like your perfume. But it probably smells like sawdust or grease." Haha, I love my kid!! ~ Elizabeth in Virginia
Me: "Amiya, why are you looking at me instead of obeying?"
Amiya (5): "Because you are so beautiful, Momma, and you are a great mom. God job, Mommy."
Smooth talker! Nice try, kid! ~ Danielle in Alabama
GOOD STATISTIC FOR PARENTS
Thanks to Leslie Lobdell in Arkansas for sharing this quote!
"Parents have between 3000-4000 hours a year to disciple their child. Church staff members have less than 100 hours." Our children are our #1 mission field!
His Grace
by Annie Johnson Flint
His grace is great enough to meet the great things -
The crashing waves that overwhelm the soul,
The roaring winds that leave us stunned and breathless,
The sudden storms beyond our life's control.
His grace is great enough to meet the small things -
The little pin-prick troubles that annoy,
The insect worries, buzzing and persistent,
The squeaking wheels that grate upon our joy.
May God's grace be sufficient to meet your every need!
His grace is great enough to meet the great things -
The crashing waves that overwhelm the soul,
The roaring winds that leave us stunned and breathless,
The sudden storms beyond our life's control.
His grace is great enough to meet the small things -
The little pin-prick troubles that annoy,
The insect worries, buzzing and persistent,
The squeaking wheels that grate upon our joy.
May God's grace be sufficient to meet your every need!
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