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!

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.