Laines Letters...Revisited!

Dear Sisters, So often I read of ways to get out of the kitchen faster, or clean quicker, or wash more speedily. Always with an emphasis of doing something in the home faster and smarter. While I like doing things more efficiently just as much as the next woman, something inside me bristles at the thought of doing it with such speed that I might be out of my home and on to something else that is obviously more worth while. I truly don't believe that anything is more worthwhile than doing just what I am doing. And what is that? Well, building up my home. Or more commonly called: homemaking. The blessed calling of making a home a special place on earth for one's family. A place that no one else can duplicate. It will draw children and grandchildren back to it time and time again. What is the heart of this special home? I truly believe it is the kitchen. Now I know a lot of you did not grow up in a home where you learned to cook. Neither did I. I have been teaching myself to coo...

Dear Sisters, Hi! I didn't expect to be back so soon with you, but as some of you have pointed out to me, I forgot to send the amount of eggs for the crustless quiche. Can you believe it? You got the recipe which I gave the gals I teach. Unfortunately, Abbie didn't proofread this letter for me! ~Smile~ It calls for two eggs. So here is the revised Crustless Quiche recipe: Crustless Quiche 2 slices of thick, lean bacon chopped and fried or a bit of cooked sausage 1 onion chopped and fried in bacon grease until limp 1 c. chopped vegetables of your choice (I used frozen bell peppers and broccoli) 1/3 c. shredded cheddar Put all in a greased pie dish. 1/2 c. flour 3/4 t. baking powder 1/4 t. salt 1 1/2 c. milk 2 eggs 1/4 t. each of basil, oregano, garlic powder 1 t. salt 1/2 t. pepper Blend in a blender or food processor and pour over filling. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. We will be making two of these quiches for my husband to take up to his parent's ho...

Dear Sisters, I heard something so upsetting last night. I couldn't sleep and kept praying and praying to God about it. This morning I found my heart was still heavy and the tears just flowed and flowed to my Savior and King. What is the problem? Well, my oldest son, Quincy, got into a discussion with a few Christian teenagers at church yesterday. The conversation was about rated "R" movies. The other teens felt that it was okay to watch them if they were "learning" something which would help them in the future to realize that this action or this history lesson being portrayed was wrong and should not be repeated. My son kept trying to show them that they should not be watching such a movie in the first place - that it would only put things into their minds which would cause more destruction than help to them. Violence, nudity, and the hearing of God's name in vain among other destructive words and scenes... Education or complacency? "Cease listenin...

Dear Sisters, So glad to be with you all this beautiful Easter week. Oh, the joy that our Savior died for us and has risen! We are the most blessed children on earth. His Children! Today I was in the book of Ephesians glorying in our position in Christ. And as I write about taking care of yourself, I thought I would remind us of who we are in Christ. For we are so very, very blessed which only makes us realize how very valued we are by our loving Heavenly Father. "Blessed be the God and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ, Who has blessed (Jen and all her Sisters) with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose (Juana and all her Sisters) in Him before the foundation of the world, that (Amy and all her Sisters) should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined (Debbie and all her Sisters) to adoption as His (daughters) by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace...

Dear Sisters, "In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation." Psalm 5:3 "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed." Mark 1:35 Early mornings. For some, those words make them shudder. For others, those words speak such peace. Five years ago the words " early morning" made me shudder. I was not an early riser whatsoever...I was a practiced sleeper! I found it very, very difficult to get up in the morning and would often go right back to bed after seeing my husband off for work. When I would get up later, the phone would inevitably ring and my friend and I would have a terribly long chat while my kids slowly stumbled out of their beds to a diet of Sesame Street and cold cereal. I would then rush as fast as I could in great guilt to "catch up" as I knew that another precious morning had been lo...

DYING TO SELF (Author Not Given) When you are forgotten, or neglected, or purposely set at naught, and you don't sting and hurt with the insult or the oversight, but your heart is happy, being counted worthy to suffer for Christ. THAT IS DYING TO SELF When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinions ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart, or even defend yourself, but take in all in patient, loving silence. THAT IS DYING TO SELF When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, any unpunctuality, or any annoyance; when you stand face-to- face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility-and endure it as Jesus endured. THAT IS DYING TO SELF When you are content with any food, any offering, any climate, any society, any raiment, any interruption by the will of God. THAT IS DYING TO SELF When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation, or to record your own good wo...