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Content October 2012 Tender Memories 4 Come up Higher 6

Throw out the Rocks 8

Frugal and Loving It 10

In The Kitchen 12 Covenant 14

Credits

Writers Mary Corey Kimberly Borst Sarah Williamson Holly Rhody Beverly Huffman

Editing Alan Porter

Photography Cover – Shari’s Shots (All have creative commons limited license) Design Kimberly Borst

Copyright © To Love Again

Ministries 2012, Photos © very

To Love Again

Ministries Pick of the month

This month we are highlighting a website called

Keeper of the

Home

This is a fun site for home makers. It has lots of particle information for running a

household. There are many recipes and household tips.

http://www.keeperofthehome.org/

Tender Memories

By Sarah Williamson

always thought that this memory was pretty straight forward and not at all exciting until I heard other women tell me the earliest memory of their mother. Some told me the first thing they remember was their mother using drugs or drinking heavily. Others have confided that they don’t remember a lot -

just yelling and reprimands. I think

about my earliest memory, and realize how lucky I am to have such a tender moment to look back on. As I’ve gotten older and really seen the world through more mature eyes, I’ve realized that you can find someone with the title of “mom” just about anywhere; a more challenging feat is finding someone called “mom” that is proud of this label, and can embrace the triumphs of motherhood with the failures.

My mother is made out of all the things

you would want, or even need a mother to be made of. This woman doesn’t have a selfish bone in her body and I’m not just saying that because, you know, I get extra mom points. My mom redefines the word unselfish; all the members of a non-profit organization have nothing on my mother. All mom’s have to make sacrifices of some kind, but I’m left feeling that there wasn’t a sacrifice out there that my mom didn’t lay down for me and my siblings. Reading this you’d

The very earliest memory I have of my

mother is falling asleep in her arms when I was just a little girl. I remember being very tired as she picked me up off the ground and held me. She smelled like all the things that comfort is made of; fresh baked bread, a subtle perfume of fresh flowers, and laundry that just came out of the dryer. I remember playing with her necklace as my eyes became very heavy. I

think that I would have had the easiest time getting along with her; who could have a problem with an unselfish-self-sacrificing mother? Well it turns out I did.

In my teen years I always thought that

my mother never understood me, no matter how much I tried to articulate what I was about. Thoughts like that led me to believe that my mom loved me, just not in the way I needed to be loved. Now having worked with teenagers, I realize this is a common thought. I had one of my girls from youth group come to me and ask “What do you do when your mom just doesn’t get you?” I said “Well do you know that she loves you and supports you even if she doesn’t get you?” she looked up and said “Yeah, I guess so” to which I replied, “Okay then what’s the issue?” Halfway home I felt really guilty about the conversation. It made me think of my mom who has always supported me and loved me, so what was my problem? My problem was that I thought my mom had to understand me in order to love me in a way that I deemed acceptable. Well that’s an unjust standard to hold anyone to - let alone my mom! I understand now that if my mom could love me through the eye-rolling, crying fests, yelling matches, and days of downright disrespect, the rest shouldn’t really matter. In fact, I should just be grateful that I was even allowed to sleep under her roof despite a lot of misguided choices and behaviors I partook of. The main message I learned from all the years of relationship

between my mom and I was that at the end of the day the truest of unconditional love does not need to understand something or someone in order to cover them in love. I’m so grateful that my mom knew this, and loved me despite my flaws and flopped independent thinking. A world without mothers would not be a world worth living in. I will feel eternally indebted to my mom for the decisions she made for me, the way she raised me, but most of all for the person she allowed me to become. Thank you to my mom Kathy, and all the mothers out there that have given up salons for ponytails, fashion for spit-up stained blouses, and an unblemished body for the joy of motherhood.

Come up Higher

Debra Lilly

Being negative, judgmental, critical and

prejudice of others is all about ‘self’. Not agreeing with other people or them not agreeing with us is something we face every day. We can’t help but form an opinion of someone or something when it is presented to us - that’s natural. However, what we can help is not to judge or be critical of them. After all, we judge or are critical of others when they are not what we expect of them. Our expectation of other people is the problem… because they are not like me. (Thank God we are not all alike!)

When we do this we are being ‘self-

centered’ and not ‘God-centered’. What does God have to say about that other person? What is His heart towards them? What is He saying and teaching you through them?

God is always and constantly teaching

us something by using situations, circumstances and most of all - other people. Could it be that the resistance we feel is not for the other person, but for us? “For God resists the proud and gives Grace to the humble.” I Peter 5:5.

Humbling yourself before God is the Debra Lilly

only way we can truly see and learn. Look for God’s instruction and understanding in everything - and yes, His correction. Know that He loves us immeasurably and is always ready to teach us and show us Truth. “Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven”. Matt. 18:4

One of my ‘painfully favorite’ verses in

the Bible says, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” Matt. 7: 1, 2. I am not talking about the ‘final judgment’ of God - which has to do with punishment or ‘righteous’ judgment. I am talking about judging another person’s heart and motives. Those things only God can know! We have not walked in their shoes nor have we bore their burdens.

The following scriptures are in

reference to taking Communion - eating the bread and drinking the cup of the Lord. “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly amoung you, and many sleep (die young). For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.” I Cor. 11:28-32. (Parenthesis added). God

wants us to be free – spirit, soul and body – especially in our minds and our hearts. Love is the goal. If we are not free in some area of our lives, we are not able to love as He loves. When we are critical and judgmental toward someone, we cannot walk in love. We can’t walk in love and walk in judgment or criticalness of others at the same time. These are mutually exclusive – there’s no having it both ways!

Our enemy, the Devil, is always about

‘division’ - whereas, God is all about ‘multiplication’. Satan is seeking whom he may devour – dividing us from others through stealing the word out of our hearts and stealing the joy and peace from our lives. God wants to give us love, joy and peace, but He can’t if we are holding on to judgment and criticalness. Let go and allow God to multiply His Life in us – flowing out of us to others! Forgive others and be secure enough in Christ that no matter what – we will walk in love towards anyone or any situation. Then and only then, will we be free to receive the things God has for us! We cannot receive from Him the things He has for us when we are holding on to the things that are not from Him. Let go of those things you know to let go of! It’s hard enough to walk the Christian Walk without holding on to the heavy baggage we weigh ourselves down with (and what the enemy loads us up with!) Ask God to help you let go. Then we will have the capacity to receive what He has for us. We will be able to climb higher in God and say like David said, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life!” h.koppdelaney

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front. He handed each of them a rock that weighed 2-3 pounds. He asked them to hold the rocks with their elbows pushed into their sides for extra support. He continued preaching and then asked the guys how they were doing. “No problem!” they smiled and nodded at each other. So, he asked them to hold the rocks straight out in front of their bodies with their elbows fully extended. Chuckles shot back and forth among the guys. Pastor continued speaking. He later asked the guys again how they were doing. Their faces were beginning to show discomfort. The small rocks were becoming heavy. One guy said he thought his weighed 7-8 pounds. The sermon continued as the men were reminded to straighten their elbows out again. They started shifting from foot to foot, moving the rock up and then down. Discomfort was becoming clearer as time passed. The men began to whisper to each other and raise their eyebrows. They began moving their shoulders as the intensity pulled new muscles. Pastor had mercy and let them put the rocks on the corner of the platform. They were glad to get rid of their rocks!

I was walking along enjoying the sunshine and the warm breeze when I noticed a small something in my right shoe. After wiggling my foot from side to side I began walking again. The birds were harmonizing. It was a beautiful day. “What is that?” Off came my shoe. Then the sock. Out dropped a tiny pebble. Life is like that. God had been talking to me about simplifying my life. The days had gotten too busy yet not much was getting done. The to-do lists seemed to laugh at me. I felt like, “I can’t!” Last week’s Sunday school lesson told us it is time to get rid of the phrase “I can’t.” When God tells us to do something He doesn’t expect us to do it on our own. We can only do it through God’s strength and ability. He will empower us to do what He wants us to do. Moses complained to God that he stuttered. Gideon basically said, “God, You’ve got the wrong guy!” Jeremiah complained, “Hey, I’m too young! I’m just a kid!” God didn’t change His plans after any of those excuses! During the morning service, Pastor asked five strong men to come to the

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Pastor asked us what “rocks” we were carrying around that were getting between us and God. He asked us to put names on the rocks. Can you name your “rocks?” Rocks. Rocks of irritation. Rocks of distractions. Complacency can be one of the biggest “rocks.” It is built on a foundation of fear. Fear that “I can’t.” Fear that “I don’t know enough.” Fear that says, “Where is the money coming from?” Fear that there isn’t enough time. Fear that says “I’m too old or too young.” Fear that it will be another unfinished project. Fear. Fear. Fear. Why does that come up so often? Fear is one of the devil’s primary strategies. If he can instill a little doubt in our mind, he can stir it and pick at us and push us off of our focus. However, if we become like David and pick up the five smooth stones and throw just one of them at him he can be stopped. You can make the “rocks” of irritation work for you by using them as weapons. Tell the devil every one of them is just a name – even diagnoses are included – they are just a name – and every name must bow to the name of Jesus our Savior! That is a great way to worship God and get rid of your “rocks.” The result will be more peace and more time to spend walking with God in the sunshine!

Laura Shreck

Frugal and Loving It Kimberly Borst

Another great way to save on kids

clothes is to buy at the end of a season when everything is on sale for 50 to 75% off. You just figure out what size your child will be in when the clothing is next appropriate weather-wise and buy in advance. If you have a large family, I recommend bins or boxes to sort and save clothes in for the next child. I labeled all my boxes and saved a bundle. My kids think it is an adventure to get a whole box of new (to them) clothes. We give our children ownership of their toys and things. When they outgrow something they can choose to give it to a younger sibling, and it is seen as a gift/treasure by the recipient.

Jeans can be a nightmare especially for

active boys. You can throw out those patches - I have a better solution, Sears. Sears has a most wonderful plan called Kid Vantage. They will replace any piece of kids clothing that is worn through that was bought at their store. I use this for jeans. If you buy their Tough Skin or Canyon River Blues brand jeans, you don’t even need a receipt. I buy them when they go on sale for between $7.00 and $11.00. You can get Levi’s and other name brands, but you have to keep track of the receipt

God is always our provider. He gives

us wisdom, favor, and creativity as some of the ways that he provides. With having a large family, and often a limited budget, I have found myself seeking God for ways to save money. My mom is the master of finding that over-the-top appliance or antique that she wanted. She just walks into the right thrift store or drives by the right alley and there it is, just what she was looking for. She is quick to give God all the glory. He has given her abundant favor in this area. My point is ask! God says if we lack wisdom, all we have to do is, ask and He will give it in abundance.

Now that spring is upon us, garage

sales will begin popping up. Garage sales are a great resource for kid’s clothes, dishes (including china, I bought a friend a large set 2 years ago for like $35.00.), furniture, and bedding. Prices are negotiable and generally very low. At cretin ages kids grow out of their clothes so quickly they are hardly used. It’s more fun to go with a friend. I go once or twice a month in the summer. My girls and I have been known to roll down the windows and crank up Supper Chick and have a blast. My kids have all gotten a reputation for stretching a dollar.

to replace them.

Last fall, I was able to totally

redecorate my living room for under 60 dollars. The couches and table were a wash - I sold mine for what it cost to replace them on Craigslist. My chair and other table paid for new curtains from Wal-Mart and a throw rug for the entry way. Add in an art piece 90% off from Hobby Lobby, a few little accessories, and shelf from my son for Christmas and we have a whole new room.

I thank God every day for all He has

given us spiritually and physically. He is so good. Enjoying life is something I always want to do no matter what our income level.

Before

After

In the Kitchen Keeping a clean and organized kitchen

while cooking or baking can cut down on time, mess, and unnecessary work. I always have on hand several containers from very small to large. My small ones I found some years ago at a local Hobby Lobby store. They have 3 sizes from 2TBS to 4TBS. They look like miniature Terracotta flower pots with glazed interiors, so very cute, but custard cups will do. I measure out every ingredient needed in an appropriate sized container right down to separated eggs. If you are making more than one dish do this for all ingredients and then stage them in their own spot, so as not to mix up ingredients. This way everything is put away except what you need to create your awesome dish. Always have a sink full of hot soapy water for all items after use to be washed in if needed, like mixer blades etc. This method cuts prep time considerably and is fun too. When we depend on our dishwasher too much nothing is available when we need it. Think sink.

In the Kitchen Mary Corey

Equip the Kitchen For Baking

Small inexpensive tools;

· spatulas in different sizes, wooden spoons, 2 sets of measuring spoons · 2 different sized sieves for draining and one good colander · a hand citrus juicer, either electric or hand · measuring cups from 1/8 cup to 1 cup · 2 cookie sheets with sides, two without sides · 2 deep pie pans, one not too deep (for pudding, pies and cream pies) 2 bread pans.

Then the not cheap but a must for me;

· stand mixer · hand held blender · a good food processor · blender

I am not nuts about work in the kitchen

however having a well equipped kitchen makes me very successful. God has blessed me with organizational skills that make life so much easier, especially in the kitchen.

Covenant

Kimberly Borst

31 "Behold, the days are coming, says the

LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah - 32"not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. 33 "But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; a and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Jeremiah 31:31-33 (KJV)

The most powerful and binding

covenant is a blood covenant. Abraham sacrificed animals and God passed between them establishing the Old Testament covenant. First time intimacy in marriage causes a tearing of the hymen and blood covenant between a husband and wife. The crucifixion of Christ established eternal covenant for all whom except it and receive it. This covenant wipes out all sin and the consequences of it; it also reconciles us relationally with God. “I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”

He actually writes His law “Word” on

our hearts. Who He is faithful, true, righteous, holly and so on becomes part of us. Surrendering to those things that we know are right and true is such a big part of being a believer. But it’s even more it’s covenant, we are His and He is ours. As close as marriage can be it’s only a shadow of covenant with God. He has obligated Himself to us, willingly and intentionally, to care for us, protect us, love us and be with us. Jesus actually died to capture our hearts and love us. With this amazing love we can love others and our selves.

We could take a big bag of the finest cut

diamonds in the world to a tribe in the Amazon, that has never had had outside contact. They could open the bag and think pretty rocks and nothing would change in their live. They might even put them around their hut and make it sparkly but with no true change.

We have to understand the amazing gift

we freely have with the living God, of heaven and earth, living in us and let Him capture our hearts again today. We are the bride of Christ. We have the authority of a bride not of a king but of the all powerful God of heaven and earth. That’s covenant!

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