Laines Letters...Revisited!

Dear Sisters, "Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the Word of God." Titus 2:3-5 This verse runs through my mind so much when I am writing to you all. I want to share with you, to the best of my ability, how the LORD has been transforming me and my home. We serve such an awesome, awesome God. There is nothing like getting to know Him and love Him more. So many women are searching for something other than falling in love with Jesus Christ their LORD. They might be trying to simplify their life by cutting out some modern conveniences. They might be trying to find the perfect household management system. They might be homeschooling. Some of these might be very good, but th

Dear Sisters, "Let no debt remain outstanding except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law." Romans 13:8 "Give everyone what you owe him: if you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor." Romans 13:7 We live in a society that promotes debt. We receive its promotion in our mailboxes, in our magazines, in our newspapers, and in our television ads. But God's Word, The Truth, speaks of the opposite. "Let no debt remain outstanding." And if you owe someone, pay him back. In other words, get out of debt. Sometimes it takes a lot longer to get out of it than it did to get into it. All the time it is better not to get into debt. Let me give a definition of debt: something that someone else owns which is costing you interest to finally own. So that covers a house, a car, and anything else that you pay interest on to finally own--usually at a much hi

Dear Sisters, I love to learn. But I'm afraid it was not always that way. My mind use to be closed to learning a lot of new things. Especially from the Word of God. Here were my excuses: "I don't have the time." 'I'm just not creative." "Those brain cells have already died." "I'm not like her. Everything is harder for me." And on and on it went. For many years actually. I still find myself saying those words sometimes. I remember when I was first learning how to run this computer. I felt so inept, and I was sure I couldn't figure this thing out. But I did. And I'm still learning all the time. Today I transferred some of my files to a floppy disc. That was new for me. It was so neat to figure it out and make it work. One of the verses that helped me a lot in learning "how to learn" was this verse: "And it came about that after three days they found Jesus in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teach

Dear Ronda, "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the LORD." Colossians 3:18 Oh, I hope I am not going too fast for you. Do you have any questions? Is there anything I am not covering that you would like me to? Is there anything that you disagree with that perhaps we could discuss? I just learned so much from the post that someone sent in to the Titus 2 Journal with Elizabeth Elliott's article on dressing more feminine. I am constantly learning, Ronda. Oh, how I am constantly learning. What I have learned concerning my husband, in relation to my children, is that I can make him their hero by my words. Sometimes they will not understand him when he seems so strong on some thing that they find so insignificant. But I know my husband better than they know him. So I am able to explain their dad to them. I am able to teach my children how to better deal with their dad, and how to answer him with respect. My husband, likewise, with me. Tonight my husband too

Dear Sisters, What creative women you are! And I know you are creative because you have The Creator for your Father. I have always been, shall we say, lacking for funds in the gift area. But I love to give gifts. So here are some of my past gifts: Wedding Shower: I brought a "Honeymoon Survival Kit". I wrapped a box very attractively with the words "Honeymoon Survival Kit" written on top and put in it items that I had bought (I had everything on hand) with coupons for free or near free: nail polish, toothpaste, deodorant, soap, perfume samples, comb, dental floss, 2 toothbrushes, trial size hair spray, emery board, and many other items of that nature. The bride-to-be loved it! Wedding: I bought a light green basket and put in it many items a bride would need setting up a home. (I had everything on hand and didn't need to buy anything but the basket.) I bought many of these items for low prices or free with my coupons: laundry detergent, windex, stain remover

Dear Sisters, "But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them." Acts 16:25 "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18 I am experiencing some people problems. Oh, how those can way us down and make us unfit for any good service. To combat this I have learned to start thanking the LORD for every good thing I can think of rather than dwell on the person or the situation giving me pain. Here are some of the things I am thankful for today: I am thankful that I can see clearly to read His Beautiful Word. I am thankful that I can talk to Him, my most Beautiful LORD. I am thankful for the verse that says, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." I am thankful for all the rain that is watering my seeds and newly planted flowers. I am thankful for the ability to bend down and clean, for there was a time when all I could do was li

Dear Sisters, Sometimes I get a letter that is so very special. This week it was from Cindy. She is getting excited about God's Word, and I can relate with her! The Bible says to "seek first His Kingdom." There is nothing like doing that each and every day. I have such a heavy heart to move you, my Sisters, into God's Word. For without a doubt, that is the reason I am writing to you today. His Word has changed my entire life. It has changed my marriage. It has changed my mothering. It has changed my homemaking. And, as I wrote last week, it has even changed my cooking. ~Smile~ For there is nothing like walking through your day with The One Who created you and Who loves to create alongside of you. I know this world says, "Hurry, hurry, hurry." But I do not find that kind of pace when I am walking beside Him. Rather, I find a much more steady pace that is easy for me to keep up with. He doesn't go too fast, and I am able to walk beside Him and learn His b

Dear Sisters, Hi! I have been so wanting to write to you all, and I have a letter started, but with the busyness of Thanksgiving, I couldn't sit down and finish it. I hope you are all doing well. We are fine here at our home. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with seventeen people around our two tables. I recently made a nourishing turkey soup with the leftover bones and meat, as well as a creamy, cheese potato soup with the leftover mashed potatoes. (Both recipes are on our website.) My mom wanted a ham with our Thanksgiving dinner, so I made a ham and bean soup, too, with the leftover ham bone. I tell you, I get as excited about cooking with the leftovers as I do the main meal that they come from! And with a good homemade bread, soup is just so satisfying, so healthy, and so frugal in the winter months. ~Smile~ There is much treasure to be found in a kitchen full of homecooked love, isn't there? It's my gift to my family. And it's my gift to you all, too, as I share my

Dear Sisters, "Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality." Romans 12:13 Last week I wrote about practicing hospitality with children. Such a delight as they are so very forgiving and so very flexible. Today I would like to write about practicing hospitality with adults. I remember when I was first married how difficult it was for me to "practice hospitality." I was not a very good cook and felt terribly inept at putting on a meal and making someone comfortable in my home. Did that stop the LORD from bringing guests ( and many overnight guests) to my home? No. For the Bible says to "practice hospitality." So the LORD provided plenty of opportunities for practice! And many times when you begin to practice something, you are not very good at it. That was the exact description of me as a new wife seventeen years ago. I remember it well. We were living in Germany as my husband was a private in the army as an MP. I was a teller in an i

Dear Sisters, "And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ." Matthew 23:10 I have been asked to write about homeschooling by many women since the school year is just beginning. Some requests came by those who do not homeschool, but are interested in learning just how it is done. I think that is wise, for there are many times when a mother might find herself homeschooling, even though she hadn't planned on it. For example, in the summer months when the kids are off school, a mother might want to keep her child caught up in his studies if he tends to struggle in a certain area. Or if a child has an extended illness, a mother might also find herself homeschooling that child for a temporary time. Or perhaps an extended vacation might be taken due to the illness of another family member in another part of the country, a mother, again, might find herself homeschooling her child. Even grandmothers might find it necessary to temporarily homeschool their g

Dear Sisters, I have enjoyed learning from you all about hospitality. What a great group of women! Even if you're struggling with hospitality, the beautiful thing is that you are all so willing to learn. And that is the essence of "practice hospitality." For there are going to be times when you least feel like practicing it, but those are the times when it is probably needed the most. Practicing something is like that, isn't it? Smile. This happened to me this past weekend. My husband wanted to invite our 17 year old neighbor over for a game of Risk Saturday with him and the kids. I have been praying for her since she moved next door seven months ago. She is very angry with her stepfather and has been hurt by many teenage boys. We have invited her to church many times, but she was not interested. My problem that afternoon was that I had my daughter's birthday to prepare for that evening and the finishing of my Easter baking. So I asked Art if we might do it ano

Dear Chosen Homemakers, "Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the Word of God." Titus 2:3-5 I'd like to continue our devotions next week on the seasons of life with children. There has been something on my mind that I'd like to share with you all for it disturbs me. I find in this country the tendency to do everything faster and more efficient while not even enjoying the process at all. My uncle gave me a bunch of Prevention magazines. It was disturbing to read in the September 1997 issue these words: "Life in the '90's. Work all day. Commute. Pick up the dry cleaning, the lawnmower, and maybe your kids. At last you're home, and you'd lov

Dear Sisters, Jen has asked me to post devotions, as I am able, on being the "Keeper of the Home". I was so pleased that she asked me to do this as I love the Word of God and I love encouraging women in the most important job in the world! Okay...I am a little biased. Smile. I thought I would start with the verse that this loop is based on: the beautiful verse that has inspired women down through the ages to do their best for Him in their homes. "Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the Word of God." Titus 2:3-5 There is so much beauty in this verse. I have the privilege as an older woman to "train" the younger women. That word "train" actu

30~ We've never paid for a babysitter. I know that's hard to believe, but we never have. We've either swapped babysitting, had my folks babysit for special occasions, or we didn't go. We just couldn't afford babysitters and a night out on our tight budget. Our nights out were very modestly priced when we did go, which was rare, as I've mentioned before. 31~ We buy our clothes at thrift shops or garage sales, or on sale at the stores. We've never spent a lot on clothes. 32~ I've been the family photographer for years. I took photography in college. So our living room is adorned with shots of our kids as they grew up. In 24 years of marriage, we've only had our family picture taken professionally three times. Two of those times was by our church for the church directory, so we received a free 8 X 10 each time. I learned early on that I could save money by taking my own shots of my kids and having them enlarged. I then framed the shots from frames bou

13~ We don't have any cable, so we don't get much reception. But I figure we have saved approximately $6000 in the past 17 years living without cable. This helped pay off our house. Plus, I really don't think we missed anything. My uncle tapes us lots of old shows and movies, which have been so enjoyable. 14~ We also do not have internet access. Whenever we need to use the internet, I use it at the library for free. I keep a running list in my purse of any websites I want to check out. I figure we have saved approximately $2000 in the course of eight years of no internet service, which also was a big help in paying off our house. 15~ I try to keep us as healthy as possible by good food with quality ingredients. "She is like the merchant ships, she brings her food from afar." This verse has so much wisdom socked into it. So I study health, nutrition, and herbs as much as I do stretching our finances. It has saved our teeth, since we don't have dental insura