Showing posts with label Articles by Lois. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Articles by Lois. Show all posts

Thursday, August 4, 2022

A Tool to Suck Out Mosquito Venom

This inexpensive little tool has prevented all of our mosquito bites from itching, swelling, or leaving scars since it was ordered online in early spring. Even our four-year-old grandson was able to use it successfully to draw out the venom from his mosquito bites.

I would imagine it would lessen the effect of spider and tick bites - even snake bites. It's worth a try if such a tragic thing would happen. Carry this tool on hikes and keep it in the same spot in your home in case you need it in a hurry. At less than ten dollars buying two is a great idea too.

Do a search for: BUG BITE THING Suction Tool, Poison Remover - Bug Bites and Bee/Wasp Stings, Natural Insect Bite Relief

Saturday, July 17, 2021

A Recipe Analogy

by Lois Breneman

My dear mother taught me how to cook starting at a young age, but even more importantly, she taught me how to love and serve the Lord by her example.  This is a poem she wrote many years ago giving her own analogy of cooking and a personal relationship with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  I hope you will be blessed by reading it.




Friday, May 28, 2021

Lift Up Your Heads and Bloom!

by Lois Breneman


A Poppy from Our Garden

A neighbor friend has grown beautiful poppies next to her house for years and I love going to visit and taking pictures of her gorgeous paper-thin beauties. 

She kindly gave me some seeds last year and we planted them early in the spring.  They didn't look like much in the beginning - only scrawny little sprigs sticking up from the ground, looking more like weeds.  But in God's timing they shot up quickly when the warm temperatures came.

As you can see in this photo the buds hang down before opening, looking sad and dejected.  But as the Creator gives them strength, they lift their little heads and open into breathtakingly beautiful delicate flowers!

So it is with us as we gain strength from walking closely to Him by reading His Word for encouragement and instructions.  Without His power guiding us we often hang our heads in despair with the cares of this world when we go our own way without Jesus. 


God has a special plan for our lives.  If we accept His payment for our sins, He gives us so much including His guidance, direction, and His presence on earth and eternal life in heaven.  The gospel changes everything!






Thursday, May 6, 2021

God Is in Charge

by Lois Breneman

How amazing that God can use even destructive insects to create a work of art as in this lacy holly leaf.  Their intent was not to be creative but their Creator still brought exquisite beauty out of their munching away at the leaf as they destroyed it.  

Although it is difficult for us to see, God Almighty can also use destructive national and world leaders to carry out His divine and perfect plan.  

We cannot always understand but we can fully trust that the Lord God is always still in charge of the universe, in all its complexity, including our own little world.



Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Cooling and Healing After-Sun Spray



by Lois Breneman

For a soothing and cooling effect after sun exposure, mix the following ingredients in a spray bottle in this proportion:

1 cup Aloe Vera Juice
20 drops Lavender Essential Oil
15 drops Rosemary Essential Oil

Store in the refrigerator.  If you plan to take this to the pool or beach, it is best to pack it in a cooler or a Ziplock bag with an ice pack. 


Simply shake the bottle before spraying on the skin after sun exposure.  Ahhhhh!  It will nourish the parched skin and bring healing.  After showering, spray again and rub into the skin.

Remember to refrigerate the bottle, just as the bottle of aloe vera instructs to do after opening. 

I ordered aloe vera from Vitacost and always use doTERRA essential oils.

Monday, March 16, 2020

The Most Powerful Natural Antibiotics

by Lois Breneman

In doing a little research I found some of the most powerful foods that act as natural antibiotics. 

Many of these super-powerful foods can be incorporated in homemade soups or even added to bought soups to boost your immune system.  Use them on a regular basis for the most benefit.


Apple Cider Vinegar
Garlic
Ginger
Horseradish Root
Habanero Peppers
Oregano Oil
Echinacea
Tumeric
Raw Honey
Onion

For a powerful homemade
Super Tonic to help at the first little sign of a cold or flu, click here.



Friday, September 6, 2019

Our Creator's Splash of Colorful Fireworks










by Lois Breneman ~ Heart to Heart ~  September, 2019

Our Creator God blends all the colors in our world so beautifully, even when the spring and summer plants He created are fading, dying, and emerging into the new autumn season!

There are touches of golds, oranges, reds, mauves, blues, silvers, and other hues mixed in to replace the green.  He beautifully paints and transforms each leaf before it fades away and drops to the earth to decay and nourish the ground before spring according to His plan.

We have an amazing God who gives us all things to enjoy, including fabulous colors of autumn that He puts on display in a splash of colorful fireworks during this season.  For everything, there is a time and a season.

If your life is in a difficult change of seasons right now just remember that the same God who created you loves you and will indeed make all things beautiful in His time.

Sunday, January 13, 2019

Natural Body Butter

by Lois Breneman


This afternoon I enjoyed making Natural Body Butter. After seeing several other recipes I revised my own concoction.

BODY BUTTER RECIPE

Melt in double boiler on stove top:
2 cups shea butter
2 cups cocoa butter
2 cups coconut oil
1 cup (total) of other liquid oils.
I used pomegranate seed oil, jojoba oil, and vitamin E oil.

For a double boiler, I used the large stainless steel bowl to my Kitchen Aid mixer and placed it into a stainless steel Dutch oven with water on the stove. By doing that I saved one extra greasy dish. Melt all the oils.

Set the bowl of melted oils in the fridge to cool for a couple of hours. I put mine outside (30 degrees), covered with a plate. When the sides begin to harden, scrape down the sides and whip the mixture with a stand mixer for about 20 minutes or until the oils are whipped and thickened. It ends up with a beautiful sheen and looks just like frosting!

At this point, I added about 50 drops of doTERRA Balance essential oil, a little more than that amount of lavender oil, and one tube of doTERRA unscented hand and body lotion (6.7 fl. oz./200 ml). The lotion helps cut down on the oiliness. When rubbed into the skin, it will absorb and not leave an oily feeling. I love it and it smells wonderful!


This shows how the body butter holds its peaks, much like beaten egg whites.  This recipe fills up the mixer bowl and makes a good bit.  Of course, you could divide the recipe in half if you'd like.




This picture shows how many glass jars were filled, plus the one orange Tupperware container.  These will keep for about a year if kept in a cool place (Preferably around 70 degrees, but at least below 75 degrees).  They make nice little gifts too.  In fact, I ready gave one to our next door neighbors.

Friday, October 19, 2018

Peanut Butter Suet to Attract a Variety of Birds

by Lois Breneman - Heart to Heart - 2018

This recipe attracts a wide variety of birds to our sundeck and provides entertainment and opportunities to capture birds in action via photographs as well.

Birds that love this suet recipe are:
Cardinals
Bluebirds
Carolina Wrens
House Wrens
Nuthatches
Red-bellied Woodpeckers
Downy Woodpeckers
Tufted titmice
Black-capped Chickadees
Mockingbirds
Bluejays
Catbirds
Goldfinches
House Finches
Sparrows

We've also had starlings and crows from time to time, but not often.  When they come, I just bring the suet inside for a day or so and the problem is gone. 

I never found the need to measure when I made this suet until several people asked for the recipe.  Basically, it should be the consistency of playdough.  I use the least inexpensive ingredients and figured the cost of this recipe to be about $10, which is certainly well worth the enjoyment it brings!

Peanut Butter Suet

1 large can of shortening (2 lb, 10 oz.)
1 large container of peanut butter (4 lb.)
1 bag of all-purpose flour (5 lb.) plus at least 6 more cups
   (Cornmeal or other flour may be used - even buggy flour but no salt or other ingredients)


Directions:

1.  In a large basin, cream the shortening and peanut butter with a hand mixer. 
2.  Gradually add in the flour, mixing well before adding more.  If you can mix in a little more flour than a 5 lb. bag and 6 cups, go ahead.  You may need to use a large metal spoon toward the end of mixing.
3.  The birds like it either way but it's less sticky if you can incorporate a little more flour.


I used to form the suet into cakes, but find it's easier to store it in empty shortening cans and scoop it out onto small dishes as needed.  I serve it on small Pfaltzgraff snack trays that I got for 29 cents each at an outlet, but saucers would work as well.  Press the suet onto the dish.

Because of squirrels and raccoons, I bring in the suet each evening and set it out every morning.  So far we have seen no bears on our deck, and we'd like to keep it that way.  When I set it out in the morning the birds hear the kitchen door and sometimes they are at the feeders before I get inside the house.  I hope I'm not turning them into "welfare birds" as my husband sometimes jokingly calls them, but he enjoys watching them and learning the different varieties and their antics.

As far as beautiful songbirds though, if you make this suet, they will come!  They much prefer this over suet on which I've wasted my money.

Below are just a few photos I've taken from inside my kitchen as the suet attracts a good variety of birds to our sundeck, trees, and backyard! 

Another fun hobby has developed from making this suet and photography.  I enjoy making handmade cards from some of the photos, although I make too many cards to send so I package one or more in cellophane envelopes to use as little unexpected gifts.

Happy Birdwatching!








Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Time-Saving Kitchen Tip - Garlic

by Lois Breneman

This tip will save so much time and you will have freshly minced garlic readily available to measure out for your meals when you are tired and busy.

I stumbled upon this bag of fresh peeled garlic at Walmart and grabbed it, knowing how I hate to peel garlic.  Even using the garlic press for each recipe is time consuming and can be messy. 

So today I got the idea to put all the peeled garlic into the food processor with a sharp blade and let her rip!  Instantly the garlic was minced! 

I store freshly minced garlic in a glass jar with olive oil in the refrigerator.  It has never gone bad for me.  Then when a recipe calls for minced garlic, there is no need to go through all the motions of peeling the garlic, using a garlic press, and cleaning it.  Just spoon out what you need!

Saturday, May 20, 2017

Repairs: Appliances, Lawn Mowers, and Heating & Cooling Parts

by Lois Breneman

A good website to write down and save: repairclinic.com

Our two sons certainly take after their dad and both grandfathers!  After Jeff and Rachael's 15-year-old refrigerator that came with their house quit a few days ago, Jeff used www.repairclinic.com to find the solution.

You enter the model number and it shows all the parts and symptoms if they should fail. Based on that he ordered the defrost thermostat ($25).  The part came in pretty quickly and he soldered it in place. "So far so good," he said. I'm so proud of all of our kids!

One million parts for appliances, lawn mowers, furnaces, and 40 other household products ship the same day.
REPAIRCLINIC.COM

Monday, February 6, 2017

Good Resources for You to Follow

by Lois Breneman
How to Receive Notifications from My Two Blogs
(even if you do not use the internet):
    
Since the Heart to Heart Newsletter is ending after eighteen years of ministry, I don't want to leave any of you lacking for encouragement.  I hope you will follow my two blogs. 

There is a box to type in your e-mail address to receive a notification when I post a new entry.

My main blog: https://heartfilledhome.blogspot.com

Recipes:  https://heartfilledhomerecipes.blogspot.com If you do not use internet, simply send me your e-mail address and I will insert it for you.  Sometimes there you will miss information given in a link, but you will still benefit by following. Other Recommended Websites and Blogs:


https://www.drjamesdobson.org/blogs/AllBlogs
Christian Radio with No Advertising Streaming Live in 8 Languages:  www.bbnradio.org
Free Bible Courses in 8 Languages:http://www.bbnradio.org/wcm4/bbnbienglish/Home/tabid/257/Default.aspx 

Ann Voskamp    http://annvoskamp.com/





















Recommended Blog List from a Good Friend:   

Hello, my name is Schotzy.  I  write under Wings of Eagles  and have been blogging  for several years.  Over those years I have become acquainted with some marvelous bloggers   worthy to be listed below.. some  whom Lois has shared  previously and a few newer ones I have added to the list. 





































































Newer  blogs of note:















Fearn Abbey Needleworks