My Heavenly Home

by Lois Breneman, 1999
Written in memory of my mother, Dorothy Walker, who went to her Heavenly Home in 1985 after a long battle with cancer.

As I entered the gate, I beheld Jesus' face!

He said, "Welcome Home, My child, you have finished the race.

You've had much pain and suffering in your earthly life,

But you've been a faithful friend, mother and wife."

"You were dedicated to Me to the very end,

Loving, serving, praying---on Me you did depend.

You searched and read My Word to see how I would lead.

You daily sought My face in prayer, and in your trials would plead."

"You taught your children, in My steps to go.

You were not perfect, but with My help I saw you grow.

Your goal was to glorify your Savior above,

And to show forth in you, My undying love."

"You have trusted in Me for your payment of sin.

Because you've accepted My gift, I have let you come in

To My Heaven--so glorious--free of death and all sorrow,

Where time is no more--no today or tomorrow."

I looked all around and saw countless happy faces.

Friends gone before were coming from all places

To welcome me Home. We walked all around

The River of Life, so crystal clear, with a rippling sound.

The Lord is our King--so majestic His throne.

The wall is of jasper, adorned with precious stone.

The street is pure gold, like transparent glass,

Surrounded by God's beauty -- perfect flowers and grass.

There's no need of the sun or the moon to shine,

Illuminated by God's glory so divine.

The Lamb is the Light. There's celestial air.

Nothing to compare in this world anywhere!

There's no heartache or pain in this city foursquare.

Not a single disease, tear, worry or care.

The twelve gates of pearl, the city---pure gold,

In this magnificent Land where we'll never grow old.

I'll be waiting here for you at the gate.

Be sure you are ready. Don't wait too late.

Trust in Christ as your Savior and live for Him there,

For I'm longing to see you, so please meet me there.

I know you may miss me, but don't cry for me.

Stand firm in the faith, until Jesus you see.

Then soon, hand in hand, on the street of pure gold,

We'll walk and we'll talk, in communion untold.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"And He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain: the first things have passed away." Revelation 21:4

"And then one day I'll cross the river, I'll fight life's final war with pain; and then as death gives way to victory, I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know He lives."  Bill and Gloria Gaither

"For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord! Wherefore, comfort one another with these words!" I Thes. 4:16 - 18

God Is Still on the Throne / Scriptures of Strength, Hope and Comfort

by Mrs. W. F. Suffield

Have you started for glory and heaven,

Have you left this old world far behind;

In your heart is the Comforter dwelling,

Can you say, “Praise the Lord, He is mine;”

Have the ones that once walked on the highway

Gone back and you seem all alone?

Keep your eyes on the prize, for the home in the skies,

God is still on the throne.

Burdened soul, is your heart growing weary

With the toil and the heat of the day;

Does it seem that your path is more thorny,

As you journey along life’s way?

Go away and in secret before Him

Tell your grief to the Savior alone;

He will lighten your care, for He still answers prayer,

God is still on the throne.

God is still on the throne,

And He remembers His own;

Though trials may press us and burdens distress us,

He never will leave us alone;

God is still on His throne,

He never forsaketh His own;

His promise is true, He will not forsake you,

God is still on the throne.

A Christian is not worth much until he has been through some hot water!

SCRIPTURES OF STRENGTH, HOPE AND COMFORT

If you haven’t committed these scriptures to memory, now is a good time for the whole family to memorize them together.

“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go.  I will guide thee with mine eye.” – Psalm 32:8

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.  Trust ye in the Lord forever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.” – Isaiah 26:3,4

“Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: in the shadow of thy wings I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.” – Psalm 57:1

“Thou art my hiding place, thou shalt preserve me from trouble, thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance.” – Psalm 32:7

“In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.” – Proverbs 14:26

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” – Psalm 46:1

“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”  - II Timothy 2:3

“He giveth power to the faint: and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.” – Isaiah 40:29

“Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you.” – I Peter 5:7

“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” – Phil. 4:7

“Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” – Psalm 124:8

Practical Household Tips to Make Your Life Easier

by Lois Breneman - 2006 - Heart to Heart

  

Lemon Juice without Seeds ~ First microwave a whole lemon for a few seconds for a juicier lemon.  Cut a lemon in half, set the cut part of the lemon on a small piece of cheesecloth, secure with a twisty.  Then squeeze lemon juice onto seafood or other foods without having to fish out the seeds!  The seeds will be kept inside the cheesecloth!   You will find cheesecloth in the canning section of your grocery store.

Quick and Easy Potato Dish in the Microwave ~ Cube about two or three potatoes into a greased casserole dish.  Chop or slice one onion, and add one tablespoon of butter.  Cover and cook in the microwave on high until tender, stirring at least once.  Add salt, pepper, Old Bay Seasoning or dried herbs.  Other options for more variety: add sliced celery and carrots, frozen peas, other vegetables or cheese.

If You Have Greasy Fingers When Using Your Microwave, simply use your knuckles to program the microwave, to prevent smudges and save clean-up time.

Whole Wheat Flour ~ should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.  Unlike refined flour, it contains oil from the wheat germ that can become rancid at room temperature.

Rusty Cans ~ When cleaning out under the sink recently, I found metal cans that had rusted on a Rubbermaid turntable.  To prevent further rusting I covered the bottoms of the cans with plastic wrap.

Contact Paper on Turntables ~ When my Rubbermaid turntables got rust marks from the cans (above tip), covering them with colorful contact paper to match the kitchen made them like new!  Earlier I had mentioned in a newsletter how the bathroom scales, a wedding gift from more than thirty years before, still worked perfectly, though they needed a makeover.  I repainted the white metal part, covered the top with marbled contact paper to match the bathroom and they looked like new!  Before throwing out and replacing an item you already have, see if you can fix it or give it a makeover.

Metal Can for Grease ~ Three things garbage disposals object to are grease, eggshells and onion skins.  Never pour grease down any drain, as it will harden and clog the drain.  For convenience, pour grease from cooking ground beef, etc. into a metal can under your sink and store under the sink with a tight lid.  

Oxi Clean ~ is one of the best stain removers I have ever tried and I’ve heard others say the same thing.  I bought my first container at Walmart, but recently found the same 24 ounce container at Dollar General for just $3.50, a much better buy.  This store has other brand name items for less, including Glad sandwich bags.  You might want to check it out.

Easier Way of Picking Up Toys ~ Mom, if you are the one to pick up toys, because your baby is too young to do the job, purchase a “Grabber” at Walgreens or another store.  You can use it to pick up toys at great speed and drop them into a nearby basket!   Save your energy for better things!  The “grabber” is a tool for elderly people to pick up things without stooping, as well as for reaching items on a high shelf – even taking the angel and other decorations off a Christmas tree!  My thought is that we could all use this kind of assistance.  It helps to make certain jobs easier.  Do you remember how difficult it was to stoop when you were pregnant?  Now if we can just get it to tie shoes!

Gold, Common Sense and Fur

by Linda C. Stafford ~ contributed by a friend

 

        My husband and I had been happily (most of the time) married for five years but hadn't been blessed with a baby. I decided to do some serious praying and promised God that if he would give us a child, I would be a perfect mother, love it with all my heart and raise it with his Word as my guide.

        God answered my prayers and blessed us with a son.  The next year God blessed us with another son. The following year, he blessed us with yet another son. The year after that we were blessed with a daughter.  My husband thought we'd been blessed right into poverty. We now had four children, and the oldest was only four years old.
         I learned never to ask God for anything unless I meant it. As a minister once told me, "If you pray for rain, make sure you carry an umbrella." 

        I began reading a few verses of the Bible to the children each day as they lay in their cribs. I was off to a good start. God had entrusted me with four children and I didn't want to disappoint him. 

        I tried to be patient the day the children smashed two dozen eggs on the kitchen floor searching for baby chicks.  I tried to be understanding when they started a hotel for homeless frogs in the spare bedroom, although it took me nearly two hours to catch all twenty-three frogs. 

        When my daughter poured ketchup all over herself and rolled up in a blanket to see how it felt to be a hot dog, I tried to see the humor rather than the mess.

        In spite of changing over twenty-five thousand diapers, never eating a hot meal and never sleeping for more than thirty minutes at a time, I still thank God daily for my children.

        While I couldn't keep my promise to be a perfect mother - I didn't even come close - I did keep my promise to raise them in the Word of God. 

        I knew I was missing the mark just a little when I told my daughter we were going to church to worship God, and she wanted to bring a bar of soap along to "wash up" Jesus, too.  Something was lost in the translation when I explained  that God gave us everlasting life, and my son thought it was generous of God to give us his "last wife." 

        My proudest moment came during the children's Christmas pageant. My daughter was playing Mary, two of my sons were shepherds and my youngest son was a wise man. This was their moment to shine. 

        My five-year-old shepherd had practiced his line, "We found the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes." But he was nervous and said, "The baby was wrapped in wrinkled clothes."  My four-year-old, "Mary" said, "That's not 'wrinkled clothes,' silly. That's dirty, rotten clothes."  A wrestling match broke out between Mary and the shepherd and was stopped by an angel, who bent her halo and lost her left wing.

        I slouched a little lower in my seat when Mary dropped the doll representing Baby Jesus, and it bounced down the aisle crying, "Mama-mama."  Mary grabbed the doll, wrapped it back up and held it tightly as the wise men arrived.

         My other son stepped forward wearing a bathrobe and a paper crown, knelt at the manger and announced, "We are the three wise men, and we are bringing gifts of gold, common sense and fur."   
        The congregation dissolved into laughter, and the pageant got a standing ovation.  "I've never enjoyed a Christmas program as much as this one," Father Brian laughed, wiping tears from his eyes. "For the rest of my life, I'll never hear the Christmas story without thinking of gold, common sense and fur."
         "My children are my pride and my joy and my greatest blessing," I said as I dug through my purse for an aspirin. 

         My friend who sent this shared the following: I especially liked the "hot dog" part!  Somehow I can picture one of my grandchildren doing that!  This little girl had taken a dozen eggs from the refrigerator and had broken each egg perfectly on separate tile squares of the kitchen floor and was so proud that none of the yolks were broken and all of them were right in the center of the tile squares!  She told her mom to come and look!  My daughter (the mother of this four year old) had just washed and waxed the kitchen floor, and while it dried Mother went to the bathroom.  
      Well, Proverbs does say, "A merry heart doeth good like medicine"!   When she returned to the kitchen, Wa-la! ... "Egg City!"  My daughter called me at that point and said, "M-O-T-H-E-R!  This kid is driving me ca-razy"!  I chuckled to myself.  Hmmm!  I know another little girl who did things like that too!  But I didn't say a word -- just totally relished the moment!

Gift Baskets for Teens

Although this was written pertaining to Christmas gifts, it could also apply to special birthday gifts for teens.  Many of these would be appreciated by adults as well. ~ Lois

by Patti Chadwick ~ www.parentsandteens.com

Imaginative gifts that they will love!

It can be a difficult task finding imaginative gifts that your teenager will be thrilled to receive. Most teens want money! If you don't want to give your kids money and are looking for the perfect gift, check out these ideas for Christmas Gift Baskets.

Gift Basket for Teen Girls ~ face cleanser, perfume, make-up, special shampoo, hand cream, earrings or small jewelry, CDs, phone card, nail polish, key chain

 

Gift  Basket for Teen Boys ~ deodorant, shaving cream, cologne or aftershave, face cleanser, hair gel, sport cards, key chain

College/High School Student Gift Basket ~ Post-It notes, pens, pencils, markers, stamps, index cards, phone cards, calendar or date book,  breakfast bars, certificates for fast good restaurants

Snack Basket ~ homemade cookies, chips, gum, hard candy, popcorn, chocolate

 

Home Movie Night Basket ~  video or gift certificate to a video store, microwave popcorn (movie theater style, of course!), 2 liter bottle or 6 pack of their favorite soda, candy,

 

Golfer's Basket ~ golf tees, golf hat, golf balls, golf shirt, golf towel, ball markers, water bottles, granola or energy bars, pass for green fees

Relaxation Basket ~ line basket with washcloth, soaps, bubbles, bath oil, lotion, fragrant candle

New Years Eve Basket ~ sparkling fruit juice, glasses, party hats & noisemakers, sparklers,  confetti,  balloons, certificate inviting your teens to have a New Years Eve bash at your house.

Beach Lover's Basket ~ beach towel, salt water taffy, stationery with a beach theme, deflated beach ball, suntan lotion, disposable camera

These gift ideas were taken from the new book, HAPPY HOLIDAYS WITH TEENS written by Patti Chadwick, available in both ebook and print formats at www.parentsandteens.com. Stop by Parents & Teens and pick up a copy today

Tips to Make Your Life Easier

by Lois Breneman - Fall of 2004 - Heart to Heart

       Quick Grease Job ~ To grease baking pans and casserole dishes, mix together 1 cup each of shortening, oil and flour.  Store in the fridge and use a pastry or paint brush to apply to pans.

        Store Baking Ingredients Together ~ You will save yourself much time and effort if flour, baking soda and powder, salt, sugar, shortening, oil, vanilla, spices and other baking items are near each other.  If these items are in a pantry or cabinet away from your working station, simply keeping them all on a tray to transport to the mixing area would save you time and steps.

        Large Batches of Cookies ~ Mix large batches of cookie dough and freeze some rolls of raw dough to be baked later or to be used as welcome gifts.   Make memories for your children by having fresh baked cookies for them when they come home from school on occasion!  I remember those times of coming home and Mother would be baking cookies or making doughnuts and we kids could help, and of course, sample them!  Bake and freeze cookies ahead of time to save on being too busy later.

        Let Your Children Help! ~ Take those opportunities to involve your children in baking and cooking meals.  That's how they learn, and it won't be long before they will be capable of making some dishes as well as an entire meal for your family.  Teach your daughters and sons to cook.  Grandchildren too!  You will be glad that you did and they will reap the benefits of having that skill for life!

        Double or Triple Batches ~ When assembling casseroles, making meat loaves, baking cookies or cakes, double or triple the recipes.  This saves time and energy for easy meals later when you are too busy to cook or bake.  Also if a friend needs a meal in a special time of need, you have one in your freezer, ready to go!

        Quick Work of Sticky Refrigerator Gunk ~ Before going grocery shopping or starting in with major cooking such as preparing for holidays, clean out your refrigerator and microwave oven.  Microwave a soaking wet, soapy washcloth for a minute.  Being careful not to burn yourself, lay the hot, wet cloth on the sticky spot for a few minutes while you do other things, including wiping out your microwave with a dry cloth, which now has any stuck-on food loosened.

        Keep Christmas Simple ~ Often a big part of the stress during the holiday season is finding the perfect gifts for people.  I read about a lady who couldn't always find presents that she was sure people would want, need, or even like.  So she decided to tell her friends, coworkers, friends from her child's playgroup, etc. that she would be toning down the gifts that year.  She explained very nicely that we wanted to simplify the holiday season and would be bringing a big basket of cookies/banana bread/donuts for everyone instead of individual gifts.  This worked wonderfully, she said, and stopped cruising the aisles frantically and worrying about the expense.  Some people were visibly relieved to be "off the hook."  Christmas shouldn't feel like we're on the hook anyway!  For the people who were very close to her and to whom she really wanted to give a nice gift, I told them also that her family was keeping it "low-key," which was a broad hint that she wouldn't be spending lots of money on them, and they shouldn't on them either.  No one was offended, she enjoyed Christmas more, and January rolled around without debt.

        If your extended family always gives gifts to everyone, suggest that you each draw one person's name.  That would help every family's budget.  If you are met with opposition, suggest that the spending for each gift be decreased and set an approximate amount.

Kids' Quote from a Tennessee Grandmother

2004:

Last week a dangerous tornado went through Tennessee.  My good friend from high school and college, Reta, who lives there now, told me on the phone how she, her husband and their two grandchildren crowded into their hall closet after the warning.  While being squeezed into that small space, Reta said she explained to her six and three year old grandchildren how serious this was, but that God was with them.  After sitting there for some time, her three year old granddaughter looked up at her in anticipation and asked, "When is the tomato coming?"  At one time she asked when the pear was coming.  I wondered later, if she watches Veggie Tales, with Bob the Tomato!  Reta and I laughed and laughed over that one!  Can't you just see a huge tomato rolling down the road?

Adam and Eve

Author unknown - Thanks to Barb Campbell in Mississippi for sending this!

 

        One day God was walking through the Garden of Eden. After a short while, he came across Adam. Adam was in low spirits this particular day, and God asked him what was wrong. Adam told the Lord that he was lonely.
        God responded that He would create Adam a companion. She would walk by his side for all eternity. She would listen to his problems. She would wash his clothes. She would keep his house clean. She would cook his meals. She would do anything to keep him happy. Most importantly, she would never complain or nag him.
        To this Adam was ecstatic. His spirits lifted immediately. The Lord hated to tell him that this creature would come at a price. God told Adam that the creature would cost him an
arm and a leg.

        Adam responded, "What can I get for a rib?" ... And the rest is history.

When Giving Instructions, Consider the Timing

Copyright 2007- Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller - All rights reserved - Used with permission.
http://effectiveparenting.org/ - For free e-mail parenting tips sign up: www.biblicalparenting.org

An important step in a good instruction routine is to consider timing. Parents who realize that a child needs an instruction must stop and think of the best way to present it. Ask yourself, "How can I communicate this problem to my child in the most effective way?" Pausing for just a moment, or in some cases, waiting a few hours, may prove to be the most productive way to deal with a situation.

For instance, it's tempting to greet Jenny when she arrives home from school, "Jenny, you didn't take out the trash this morning and your bedroom's a mess."  This kind of ambush focuses more on the issue than on the relationship. Instead, a dad might say to his daughter, "Hi Jenny, I'm glad you're home" and then engage Jenny in dialogue about her day for a few minutes. After relationship has been reestablished, he could then say, "After you put your books away and get a snack, would you please come and see me? I have a couple of things to talk to you about." In this way Dad is trying to be sensitive to the timing of his instructions.

Considering the timing is a small way of saying, "I love you" to a child even in the midst of the work of family life. You'll want to make different adjustments in this area depending on the age of your child. Young children need to learn obedience, so we may give less warning and expect a prompt response. Older children, and certainly teenagers, need more time to prepare themselves. Teens will need to adjust their own expectations or agendas. This takes some work for the teen and patience for the parent.

For more on how to build a good Instruction Routine with your children, consider the book, "Good and Angry: Exchanging Frustration for Character in You and Your Kids."

Meaningful Family NIghts

Note from Lois: I highly recommend using these wonderful Family Time Activities books to use with your children to impress upon their hearts many spiritual truths.  These guides for parents will help in leading children of all ages. There are great object lessons to strengthen each message - lessons your children will never forget.  They will look forward to Family Nights with you as you use this "never dull," but exciting resource!  I am very impressed with these creative books. Specific instructions and all you need for meaningful and fun family nights are found in these creative resources.

Kirk Weaver is the founder and director of Family Time Training and has labored long and hard to develop a system that makes parents appear creative and cool in the eyes of their own kids. Kirk has written and published hundreds of Family Time lessons, all of which are designed so that parents can follow the directions and cook up fun activities.

Wiggles, Giggles, & Popcorn; Bubbles, Balloons, & Chocolate - for preschoolers

 

Seeing is Believing; Playing for Keeps; Running the Race - for all ages

Tried and True - for teens

 

Using the Language of Children ~ Children learn through activities. The new Family Time Activities books use that language to teach children spiritual truths. For example, teach about Daniel's three brave friends in the furnace by cutting out the cardboard men, soaking them in the alcohol/water solution and then lighting them on fire. The alcohol burns but the water protects the cardboard men from burning. Or the oatmeal plague reminds kids of the Israelites who complained. Put some cold wet oatmeal on a child's arm and let him wipe it off with the grace wipes. Just think, all week when you hear whining you can say, "Should we get out the oatmeal?" Kids learn tremendous spiritual truths from these ideas for Family Time in your home. Learn more here.  http://www.biblicalparenting.org/FamilyTime.asp