Greetings Ladies!

I won’t always post our newsletter on the blog, but since I am just sending out the first one - I wanted to post it here as well. This way new visitors will have a chance to see what all is going on at Heaven In Our Homes website as well!

Below is March’s newsletter - be sure to visit our Home Page to sign up to receive this yourself! As I said before, this won’t always be posted, PLUS - we might occassionally have something there you wouldn’t want to miss!

Enjoy!

Heaven In Our Homes E-Newsletter - March 2008

Greetings ladies!

I wanted to let you be the first to get the “heads up” on the updates just published today on the website!!

Almost all of our pages have been updated, if only the appearance. Scriptures and Children’s Corner did not receive updates yet, but hopefully will very soon.

Our home page has a new look, and will now feature a center column to keep you up to date on the newest finds on HIOH - complete with links!

Heavenly Homes now features a “Home and Health” column. This month’s informational topic is MSG’s - which most everyone has heard about now, but goes undetected in some foods… These articles (written by Melissa Burgess from Cheeky Maiden Soap Co. and Dr. Joseph Mercola) will fill you in on lots of good info!

Around The House has a new look, along with links to our Recipe Blog and to the HIOH blog - where I hope to very soon have it set up with Labels, where you can easily follow “Messy Monday”.

“Messy Monday” is a new weekly posting, on Monday’s of course, where we’ll work on our messiest areas in our homes. I’ll post before and after pictures of my messes (kinda scary!), and would love to have your Monday story and pics to share as well!

Money Matters has it’s new look, and March’s Finance 101 column on “Creating a Budget - Where Do I Start?”. Links are available to read past month(s) columns on the left side of the screen. I can tell you, Mr. Slone would LOVE to hear comments and feedback!!

Products Page has a new look, and possibly a couple new websites to check out depending on when you visited last. Cheeky Maiden Soap Company now has her link up and running again - be sure to visit her HIOH page, as well as her website!

If you’re able, be sure to let her know HIOH sent you and you are so glad she’s a part of the site now!

Last but not least, I’ve ‘feminized’ the Contact Us page - it’s info hasn’t changed, it just looks prettier!

Skipping over to the HIOH blog - as I mentioned before, we now have “Messy Monday”. We’ve also just begun “Tuesday’s Truths” and “Wednesday’s Wisdom”.

Tuesday’s Truths are based from one of my many devotional books/ calendars. I’ll share from the one which touches my heart the most for that particular day. My references are “Streams To The Desert”, “My Utmost For His Highest”, “Keep A Quiet Heart” calendar, and forgive me - but my husband is already asleep and I can’t recall the name of the last one in the bedroom!

Wednesday’s Wisdom postings are taken from the chapter in Proverbs from that particular day. Wed. the 12th, for example, we would refer to a verse from Proverbs 12.

As you know, the Recipe Blog is up and running, but I haven’t had a chance to add any of my favorites yet - nor have received any new recipes lately. I hope to have a little extra time to devote here very soon!!

Thank you for your interest in HIOH’s and I pray the Lord blesses your time seeking Him!

http://www.heaveninourhomes.com/

I’m choosing this verse in Proverbs, although I have addressed it before. As women, I believe it’s one we need to review often.

Proverbs 26:17 - “He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.”

“Ooohh…. did you hear about Lucy Loo?”, “Can you believe what she did?”, “Then she had the gall to say….” Sound familiar? It’s called GOSSIP, MEDDLING, BACKBITING.

Boy those are some nasty names for something that intrigues us so, catches our ear, and draws us into the conversation.

Something I was taught as a child was that if I wasn’t part of the SOLUTION, then keep my mouth shut and stay out. By adding in my thoughts, I was only adding fuel to a fire.

Next time your ear catches one of these ‘luring’ conversations, quickly fix your mind elsewhere - preferably this verse!

I know myself, I’ve been burned by meddling in other’s issues - as well as been quite upset with others meddling in my issues. As I’m sure most of you can attest - it’s a stab in the back, a wound not quickly healed, when others talk of you behind your back. Read verses 24 and 25 regarding those which talk about others.

Remember, if you’re not giving a solution - you’re not helping. If a situation doesn’t directly include you - you don’t need to know about it, be involved in it, or be discussing it. What great wisdom God gave Solomon here!

How can you help if you’re so burdened to? Ask no questions, listen to no conversation, but be on your knees - lifting up those involved in prayer to the Lord. You know what?? HE can solve their problems without our help! =P

Blessings!

This Tuesday, I have 3 truths to share - one on my heart today, one from my Elisabeth Elliot devotional calendar, and one from “Streams to the Desert” devotional. They all relate to one another - God for us!

“I will never leave thee nor forsake thee” - Hebrews 13:5

“My grace is sufficient for thee” - 2 Corinthians 12:9

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” - 1 Corinthians 10:13

I do wonder if this is pre-encouragement for me for tomorrow’s trials??

Isn’t it wonderful and such a blessing to know that the Lord IS always with us!! He will never leave us, His grace is JUST what we need, and God is faithful to bring us through trials and temptations!

We have plenty to worry about in today’s world, one of my greatest concerns currently being the Presidential Elections. It seems our country has forgotten 9/11, and the Muslims behind it all.

We hear a man talking the talk, all sounds nice and good - and not taking into account his Muslim upbringing. He says he’s not Muslim, but that’s how he was raised. Why on earth would he admit to that, knowing it would tarnish his image!

He does go to church, but look at the church - it’s not the type of church I believe God would approve of. They are VERY anti-white. I’m very concerned we are about to be overturned in America. We will no longer be a Christian nation - but an outnumbered nation - consisting of more foreigners and foreign religions.

Christians are choosing to limit their family size - which is alarming, since the false religions are multiplying greatly! Which religion has more workers… which will impact the world?

As I try not to think on all this, Sunday’s church service was such a blessing. We have a time of singing before the Lord’s Word is read - and the words to the chosen songs this week reminded me WHO GOD IS!

There’s plenty to worry about, and always will be - but the Cross has power, His grace is wonderful - He’s in control!

On a lighter note - what about when we feel all alone as mothers? Our days are long, the work never ending….. God will give us grace to serve Him each day. When we feel all alone, desperately ‘needing’ someone to help us but no one’s there - God’s there. He’ll hear our cries, He’ll give us peace to relax, He’ll miraculously give us energy to make it through the day and all it’s trials.

Whatever we face this week, keep these verses close to your heart. Memorize them, meditate on them - draw nigh to God and He will draw near to you. Blessings!

Good evening! Here’s my Messy Monday as promised! You saw the before picture earlier, so I’ll post my progress pics during the day - and how to make an overwhelming job easier.

I begin first thing this morning before I give the children breakfast. 15 minutes is as much time as I’m allowed before they get restless. In that time, I run a sink of hot water to soak dishes before loading in the dishwasher. I also unload the dishwasher and put away clean dishes in drainer. Before stopping, I take the far end of the counter and clean it up - putting away items and wiping down. Pic after 1st block :

My next block of time is only 10 minutes - and most of that I’m holding the baby in one arm to keep him from fussing! In this time, I rinse off the soaked dishes and load them in the dishwasher. Then I pile another set of dishes in the water to soak.

I’ve noticed stray pieces of trash on the counters as I’m moving dishes and throw those away during this time. You’re starting to see a little counter!

Next comes an hour of time to work (I was surprised I was allowed this much time. The baby napped while the older two used watercolors - only getting needy the last 10 minutes). During this time, I rinsed the soaking dishes and loaded them in the dishwasher.

Then I spray down the sink - while the cleaner is sitting (you need to let it sit for 10 minutes to truly disinfect), I start going through a pile of mail that has piled up on the bar. This is sorted in to a shred pile taken to the shredder, and file pile which goes to the filing cart.

After wiping the sink down, I now wash the remaining dishes that cannot go in the dishwasher. Finishing up by wiping down the counters. Baby wakes up and children desperately needing Mommy time. At this time, it’s hard not to be content and proud of how much I’ve accomplished. I know I must come back to finish up with the stray pieces later….

Finally, after dinner, another small load of dishes to wash - the kitchen is clean. Dishes still drying in the dishwasher, with only a bowl, cup, and spoon left in the sink to go in the dishwasher tomorrow. Yea!!

So, we’re done for this week! Here’s what I’d like to have us do…. Each Monday, pick the ‘messiest’ room in your home. Pick this room the day before so you’ll be ready to go first thing.

As you clean, don’t just move stuff somewhere to get it out of the way - put it up where it goes!! I did have some papers that have to be filed - but I at least got them to the filing cart… you can’t do EVERYTHING. =P

I’d love to have you join me each week, and to keep it interesting - never pick the same room two weeks in a row. You’ll get sick of doing the same room each Monday, at least I would - I like change.

If you have a blog yourself, feel free to send your link of your “Messy Monday” and I’ll add it in at the bottom of the post. Or, copy ours in it’s entirety (blog address included) and paste in your blog.

Enjoy your good work and clean room!

Alright ladies, I’m treading into dangerous territory here… messy, MESSY houses!

I can’t really write about keeping our homes clean without letting you know I struggle with this at times as well.

My house cleaning is a constant cycle - I can pick up and things look great! By the end of the day (or hour), things can be completely destroyed - if I can be that harsh.

So, I’d like to start a Messy Monday column - sharing with you the “messiest” part of my home and the steps I take to clean up.

Sometimes we just don’t know where to begin, and while I take it for granted that we all know how to clean - there are things I share with some that they’ve never heard before. So, in order to maybe shed some light on cleaning for you, I’m exposing my MESS!!

**Caution - You are about to see a very messy kitchen. This was cleaned up almost 100% just over 24 hours ago - but as you can see - we can make quite a mess in one day!**

Okay, I’m exposed now, my house is a mess sometimes… My husband wanted to know if I was actually putting this on the Internet - for everyone to see….

My objective here: We all have days like this, my worse being Sunday. Don’t be discouraged thinking you’re the only one out there (I already do that!) - when you stay home 24/7 and have children, you can’t do everything all the time.

Does this mean I like my house like this, or leave it this way all the time. No, this doesn’t appear to much like “Heaven on Earth” does it?

I’ve had to come to terms with the fact that I’d have to be working 24/7 to keep my house picked up all the time. And isn’t there a verse that talks about “where no oxen are, that place is clean”. =) (This being my excuse verse when I need to take a break - I have my ‘oxen’, which means though my house may not be perfect all the time - it’s filled with laughter and love!)

So, let’s start each week picking our “messiest” room, and all together tackle this room - you can even send me your pics if you’d like to be posted in on the fun!

Mine this week is my kitchen, and I’ll post back Monday evening with the after picture, and give a few pointers that help me get all cleaned up. Again, to make this a little more fun - send in your comments from your own cleaning job, sharing the room and how you tackled it in one day.

Since this is new, I expect a little shyness, but hope that you’ll soon warm up and check in each week!

Proverbs 20:24 - “Man’s goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way?”

The pitter pat of feet running to my room awakens me far earlier than I care to think about this morning, followed by the noise of hammers pounding away on our neighbor’s new fence. Morning already?, no…….!!!!

My Tuesday morning didn’t get the best start, though it was better than Monday when two out of three children wet the bed and needed baths - which ended up waking the baby….. who needed to eat……

There are days like these when I really just want to run away. I wonder what could possibly come out of my boring, mundane day to day life.

Then, I get caught up in other things - good things - such as the blog/ website, and find myself retreating away into them. I like this - my time, my thoughts, my space.

Then the Lord pulls out the rod (my husband - ha!) “Can’t you get off that computer and do something!” he says in the not so nicest way.

Long story short, I’m pretty tense towards him the rest of the evening - ever been there? My mind is going over every thing I’d really love to say to him - “I’m the one taking care of these 3 all day - feeding, playing, changing, bathing, doing laundry, cooking, cleaning (this doesn’t help my cause since cleaning isn’t at the top of my list), etc…. I’m the one up at night feeding the baby…. Can’t I have a little time to myself!”

Through my anger towards him, I’m trying to allow the Lord to teach me. Wasn’t that what Tuesday’s truth was about - the ways God prunes us? Cutting out the branches that grow away from His will? Training our branches to follow His path, to produce more fruit, and good fruit at that?

Yes! I’ll admit I’m still a little irked at the lack of understanding for needing a little break - but I can’t really argue with the Lord on this one.
God knows our paths - He knows where we’re headed and we can’t see that. We can only trust Him to guide us.

I’m sharing this because I know we all go through times like this, and I’ve been here before. But at previous times, I didn’t really understand how to deal with this.

First of all, I must look at what my husband said. He stated a truth. I was on the computer AWAY from him and our children. It was for a good thing, a thing for the Lord…. Yes, maybe - but what is God’s FIRST calling to me?

Is it to share with other women? No. My first calling is to be a servant, as Christ was, a servant and an helpmeet for my husband. Honestly, my reaction to this discussion with the Lord tonight was “uggghhh! Servant??!!?? But I want to do this instead!”

Ah-ha! And there it was - the Lord had revealed the truth in my heart. It was about what “I” wanted. God didn’t put me here to do what “I” wanted, that’s not a servant’s heart and purpose. The common thread in all of the above thoughts were “I”, “myself”, “Me”.

I was following “my goings” and not heeding this vs. in that a “man’s goings are of the Lord“. Have you heard the saying that “you’re servant to whom you obey”? In my circumstance tonight - “I” - I was obeying myself, I was serving myself.

The Bible calls that iniquity - yuck! Such an ugly term for myself. But it’s true. “I” was self serving, and self serving IS NOT God serving.

I don’t understand why sometimes, such as tonight when I really thought I needed my own time, but God does. He’s pruning away my selfishness, and showing me my priorities were pulling me away from His desires for my family.

In addition, being a mother, He will use my servant’s spirit to be an example to my children - in particular my daughter. My son’s watch me, and I pray that through God’s strength, they will see a servant’s spirit that will one day direct them to serve others as well. My daughter, although a toddler, is a young woman in training.

And as if the Lord hasn’t shown me enough tonight, He points out that one of the names I chose for my daughter means “God’s servant” - which I specifically choose for her for that reason! How will she learn to serve God if I don’t demonstrate that before her?

God might have us at different places, different times - places we don’t understand why, or how we can get through. We don’t have to understand though - we can’t! We can only trust in our Creator - He knows His plans for us, He will lead us straight.

It’s when we try to plot our own course (as I did tonight) that we’ll receive a quick pruning session. It hurts (ask my husband if I was happy this evening - ha), but in the end the Lord allows us to heal and draw closer to Him.

(Just to allow myself to laugh… I should have plenty of juicy fruits one day from all this pruning!)

Blessings!

This Tuesday we’re beginning a regular post - Tuesday Truths - where we’ll share a truth from Scripture. Today’s posting verse is from an entry in a devotional I have, “Streams in the Desert” by Mrs. Charles Cowman.

John 15:2 - “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.”

Jesus said in verse 1 - “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.”

As God’s creation, and created in His image, we are branches on His vine - whether saved or unsaved.

Today’s verse is very clear that although we are all branches, not all of the branches produce fruit and are left attached to the Vine.

In gardening, if you let a vine grow as it pleaseth, you will eventually have such a tangled mess that the vine as a whole is an overgrown, twisted, unacceptable DISASTER. You might still have a chance at saving it, but only by extreme pruning - cutting back the vine basically to it’s core.

All of the bad parts must go, and because of the overgrowth, the good parts have been affected.

The gardener MUST stay on top of the vine, carefully pruning where needed to maintain a healthy, beautiful vine. He must cut precisely, knowing where and how to cut for the vine’s best interest. If he cuts the wrong direction or with dirty tools, infection will set in.

In this verse, Jesus shares that He is the vine - He’s beautiful and life giving to the branches - US! If we desire to be beautiful in Him, we must allow Him to prune our lives - cutting us precisely. He knows which directions we take in our growth that will only weaken us, where sin will take hold and rot.

He knows how to cut, it might hurt a little, but He’s the Gentle Shepherd and only wants what is best for us. He doesn’t cut too far back, or the wrong direction - but puts us on the right track. He carefully stakes us, and ties us in the right direction - to keep us from growing astray.

How do we view His prunings? Do we let our pride and stubborness keep Him from being ‘our Gardener’? Are we a persistent ‘weed’, wanting to grow our own direction - continally popping ourselves out as we please?

I watched a powerful video years ago based on this Scripture passage. (Which by the way, if any of you out there have this or know where I might find it - PLEASE let me know!!! I can’t remember the name of it - maybe “The Vine”?)

It’s images were real vines, but you heard a voice along with the images. A voice that I related to…. “But Lord, it’s going to hurt”. Then you hear the Gardener’s loving voice speaking to you, asking you to trust Him.

You see the overgrown vine and the miserable ending to it’s life. But in the ‘pruned’ vine - you see it’s beauty, and the fruit it produces in the end. We can’t see our end result, the fruits of our lives - but God can!

Allow the Lord to prune you. Be honest and confess your fears of “it’s gonna hurt and I’m scared” - I do! When you remember His gentleness, His love, and the fact He knows what’s best to produce the best fruits - there’s such a peace in trusting His hand.

Is pruning a one time event? No, I’m sorry it’s not. But now the good news, our TRUTH of the day! Read the verse again - the branches that bring forth fruit, He purgeth (prunes) again to produce more fruit.

It’s your sign that you’re on the right track. He loves you, and he only works in your life because of that love.

Don’t allow the enemy to take credit for hard times in your life - don’t give him any power. All power belongs to the Lord, and these hard times are allowed by Him to draw you closer to Him - to trusting Him and glorifing Him!

Aren’t you excited about being pruned now - glorious fruit is the result, and these fruits are signs for all to see our Loving Caretaker. Blessings!

Greeting ladies!

I’m so excited about some new changes coming soon (March 1st) at Heaven In Our Homes that I’d like to share with you!!

First, we’ll be welcoming Melissa Burgess to our site. “Missi” is a young Christian mother I met this past year and is also “Cheeky Maiden” from the Cheeky Maiden Soap Company. Missi has a wealth of knowledge in regards to health issues which she will be sharing with us - I can hardly wait!!

Look for her section March 1st - where you’ll also find a link to the Cheeky Maiden page (New updated page!) on HIOH (Heaven In Our Homes), and be able to go directly to her website to browse through all the wonderful products she makes in her home - NATURALLY!! You’ll also find a place where you can direct questions, present topics, or comment and encourage Missi.

Also March 1st, we’ll read the next long anticipated Finances 101 column. Mr. Slone left us (or at least me) hanging on every word, and very excited to read his budgeting column this next month. I’ll also have a link by which you can email him and ask questions, comment and encourage, or present topics that you’d like to have addressed on the website.

On the Around the House page, I’ve changed the links to individual recipe headers to a link on the website. HIOH’s now has a recipe blog - where you can send in your favorite recipes to share with other SAHM and Christian women! These are grouped by subject, so you’ll easily be able to look for what type of recipe you’re needing. All I need now is for you to click here and send in tried and true recipes you and your family love!!

I also would like to begin a mailing list - where you can sign up to receive e-newsletters from HIOH when updates to the site are made, or (once our affliate list grows a little larger) we offer special promotions/ giveaways! Click here to join that. (The newsletter form hasn’t been set up yet, so just use the comments form on this linking page and let me know you’d like to receive these emails.)

Last but not least, in the works is a new approach to the blog. I believe I’ll still keep this blog as is, for those of you who - like me - need a little soul searching from time to time. But for those who enjoy quick tips, enjoy a light hearted reading, and maybe even a little fun - a different blog will be created also accessible from HIOH.

I’d love to hear feedback, questions, or suggestions of things you’d like to see! I’m hoping you’re finding HIOH to be a place you WANT to come back to - and refer your friends and family. I’ve been encouraged to hear from some of you reading - finding out who some of these IP addresses belong to!

Like to let me hear from you?? Click here to leave a message!

Want to share HIOH with a friend? Copy our address (http://www.heaveninourhomes.com/) into an email and send to those in your address books. Or click the envelope icon at the bottom of the posting to email this posting to a friend.

Don’t forget to sign up for the newsletter at the link above, and come back March 1st to see new changes!

Blessings!

We rarely turn on our television in the evenings, but for some reason (the Lord’s leading), I turned it on the other night. I ended up on TBN, which over the past few months we’ve started watching more often.

Now, I’ve never been one to enjoy reading Revelation - I’m too much of a scaredy cat and don’t want to hear about all the evil that surrounds the last days. Much of this broadcast though was the reading of major news headlines in present day papers around the world.

All of these headlines were amazingly right on track with the prophecies in Scripture concerning the ‘last days’ before the rapture. So much so, I was basically on the edge of my seat the entire broadcast, hardly breathing so as not to make a sound and miss hearing something they might say.

During this broadcast, they shared that the feel the last day will be in Dec. of 2012. This raised our eyebrows - doesn’t everyone know that “no man knoweth the day or hour”??

Still, it got me thinking. All of the events ARE lining up perfectly for the last days. It is VERY possible that everything could come together in the next 4 or 5 years.

Wow! Jesus really could be coming back in 5 short years! It’s something that’s always in the back of your mind…. yeah, He’s coming back - one day. But have you ever stopped to think about our lives here on Earth (as we know them) being over in just 5 short years?

Personally, I love this station and the reality it brings me back to! It asks questions, makes you think, brings to mind what our true purpose is in life.

I shared with my husband how much it makes me stop and see what’s really important in our children’s lives. It’s not the little things we get so caught up in, it’s all about God and God alone!

Trendy clothes, the newest toys or games, videos - all that is nothing. And that will prove true in the 7 years that follow the rapture, especially in the last 3 1/2 years when truly all of Hell breaks lose on the Earth.

Ask yourself, what if? What if you only have 5 more years to spend with your husband? What if you only have 5 more years to spend with your children? What if you only have 5 more years before you’re standing before God at His Throne of Judgement? We all WILL be standing there - answering for the lives we’ve lived, actions done (or not done), words said.

Close your eyes and minds and take yourself to that place for a moment. Is this troublesome to you?

It really did make me re-evaluate what I’m doing - first of all in my relationship with the Lord God. Am I truly serving and loving Him, or just going through the motions learned from childhood? Do I KNOW Him, and not just ‘of’ Him?

Am I loving/ honoring/ serving my husband as God would have me to?

In this, just this week I had to stop and make myself pray that God would help me - because in one area, I just didn’t want to! Ever have those times?

You know what? God answered that prayer and I was surprised that He not only answered my prayer to help me honor my husband, but gave me such a wonderful attitude about it!! It was such a blessing in the end - and I didn’t even want to consider it in the beginning! Trust me, God CAN help you - just talk to Him! Tell Him your fears/ feelings, ask Him to help you and leave it in His hands as you honor your spouse.

Am I loving and teaching my children as God would have me to? Again - playing what if… If God’s coming back in 5 years, will my children KNOW Him? Will they only know a story or two that they hear on occassion, or will they have a true understanding of the Mighty God who created and loves them?

I am SO blessed that my children are so excited about God and Jesus!! I never knew how much a soul for the kingdom could mean to me! I know at this time they are too young to understand sin and pray for their own salvation - which is a blessing to know without a doubt if He came back today, they’d be in Heaven for sure!

For Christmas this past year, my grandparents got them the “Beginner’s Bible” video series. If you REALLY watch today’s television shows - they teach such bad attitudes and bad language (though there are a few good ones for them!), and it’s such a blessing to know that hey, I can enjoy a long shower while they watch a movie!

I come out and they’re all excited about “Mighty Moses” or “Baby Jesus” or “Joshua and the Battle of Jericho”. They’re seeing and learning all about our Loving God - who’s watched over all these people in the Bible, and still watches over us today!

It’s this part of their lives I don’t want to let go of and watch them grow up. Childhood belief in God is so precious and sweet - trusting in a Saviour 100%. My oldest often talks of Jesus coming back in the clouds to get us one day. It’s this childlike faith that I desire to have in my own life - excited about God and total belief in Him!

So hear is what I end with today…. What if you only have 5 years left? Are you living for Jesus, or for yourself? What are you spending your precious time doing (and it is very precious, God has numbered our days) - working for the kingdom, or for the flesh?

I came out of this show the other night with such a burden for all those souls that will be left behind when Jesus does call His children to Him in the clouds. Personal works won’t cut it, only a personal relationship with Him. There are so many even in the churches that feel “the church” is enough - but it’s not.

So many that think they have a place with the Lord and don’t. My heart is so burdened to get the word out - we have to be ready, He’s coming and it could be soon!

As Christian women, take every opportunity you have to spend the time God has given you to serve Him and forget all the distractions this world lures before you. Sure we can have fun and enjoy life, but life’s not about ALL fun and games. We have a purpose, a calling that we mustn’t forsake!

He calls us first to serve our husbands, then our families (children). Families as a whole can serve Him in our neighborhoods, churches, communities.

I plan to soon have a page set up on the website just for “knowing the Lord”. I’m blessed when I see the search results that bring visitors to Heaven In Our Homes from across the country and world. We all have ways we can reach out to the lost - and still fulfil our roles as women in submission to the Lord and our husbands/ children. If you as a reader have anything you’d like to share on this page, reaching out to a lost soul - please write me on the website link and share that with me! Any encouragement, lesson learned, testimony….

What a blessing to share His love, His salvation! As I’ve written before, but maybe a new reader visits this post, do you know the Lord God - our Creator, and Jesus Christ our Saviour?

He’s real, He’s alive, and He’s coming back very soon - in the twinkling of an eye. No one knows when - we have to be ready! If you don’t know Him and would like to know more about His wonderful gift of salvation, PLEASE contact us on our linking website - I’d love to share with you!

And for our dear sisters reading, please share this message with anyone YOU know that isn’t saved. We have so much work to do and possibly little time left to do it in. As I shared with a Christian sister recently - this could be a ministry forever, and if I never make a penny from it - it doesn’t matter, that’s not what’s important.

I’m so blessed to have a husband that supports this burden I feel the Lord’s placed on me for other women and young girls! And that’s one more reason I know it’s of the Lord, I’m under my husband’s authority and have his blessing!

Let me close with an encouraging word for an everyday testimony from Matthew chapter 5 - “Let your light so shine before men, that they see your good works, and glorify your Father in Heaven”.

We have His light in our lives - the Holy Spirit! Allow Him to shine in your life as you serve in the areas God has for us - first in our homes, then in the world!

Alright ladies,

I’m a little late on this one - sorry! But there’s still time!! =)

In God’s Word, we’re shown that the hearts of our children should be turned towards their fathers. What an awesome opportunity we have tomorrow - Valentine’s Day - to do just that!

Our culture today has children believing that every single ‘holiday’ is about them - what they receive on those days.

We don’t celebrate every single one here at our home - in terms of the little ones learning they’ll get something.

Here’s what our Valentine’s looks like - Today, the oldest two helped me make Valentine cards for Daddy. While they were so busy coloring him all sorts of stuff - I had the time to tell them that the day was about showing people how much we love them - and “we sure love Daddy, don’t we!”

This gives them the chance to verbalize that they do love their Daddy - and relate that to doing something special for him because we love him.

Too many times we take for granted that our children know we love their father, and they never see the actions of that love.

So, take the little time remaining - get some construction paper or even blank paper (go to the Dollar Tree if needed) - cut out hearts for them to glue on. Allow them to color as they please (I did draw some words and hearts on the chalkboard for them to copy if they wanted) - then maybe sprinkle a little glitter on the hearts or paper for a little extra touch!

This includes them in the day - but in a way that has them SHOWING and GIVING love, rather than just TAKING.

“Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the earth.”

Don’t forget to maybe make a card yourself, fix his favorite meal, wear his favorite outfit, etc…. - make him feel as special as you can - the king of your world!