Ruby for Women, October, 2012

Ruby for Women October, 2012

“ . . . .her worth is far above rubies.”

Proverbs 31:10

Contents October, 2012 www.rubyforwomen.ning.com

Our cover image this month is “Autumn Birdhouse” by Amanda Johnson. It is a beautiful reminder of the blessings God gives every season of the year. Autumn is such an exciting time! As we look forward to the coming holiday season, let us be thankful for the gifts of today.

Here at Ruby for Women we invite you to visit us in our community of Christian women for fun, friendship, conversation, encouragement, inspiration, and prayer support. Won’t you join us soon? www.rubyforwomen.ning.com

In This Issue . . .

Page

Title

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Tell Me about this Jesus Thing Nina Newton, Sr. Editor

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Page 8 Autumn Pumpkin Bars from the kitchen of Ruby for Women

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The Case of the Missing Pumpkins Angela Blake Morris

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Competition or Collaboration?

Theresa Ceniccola

13

Coming Home Keith Wallis

Page 11

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November Keith Wallis

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Halloween: Can you still participate as a Christian?

Deborah McCarragher

17

Down the Lane Word Puzzle Beth Brubaker

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Autumn Crafts from around the Blogosphere Vintage Mama

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How Being a Christian Entrepreneur Affects my Business Chari Twitty-Hawkins

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Ask Beth Beth Brubaker

Senior Editor: Nina Newton Assistant Editor: Amanda Johnson Advertising Administrator: Angela Morris Creative Assistant: Katherine Corrigan Family Fun Editor: Beth Brubaker Gardening: Dorothy Kurchak Devotions: Lynn Mosher, Deborah McCarragher Poetry: Keith Wallis, Lee E. Shilo Quilting: Laura Brandt Feature Writers: Connie Arnold, Christina Fox, Sheila Watson, Theresa Ceniccola, Shannon Medisky, Lynne Waite Chapman, Angela Morris, Sharon L. Patterson, Elizabeth Baker, Maxine Young, Gloria Doty, Yvonne Carson, Kendra Peterson, Christena Hammes, Rosann Cunningham, Amy Harper, Amanda Stephan, Tricia Goyer, Michelle Lazurek, Scarlett Von Gunten, Donna McBroom-Theriot, Sally Ann Bruce, Debra Ann Elliott, Corallie Buchanan, Kathleen Kohler, Heather King

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Page 19 Ruby for Women is an online Christian women’s magazine that offers words of hope, inspiration, and encouragement to women everywhere. Knowing that every woman has a story to tell, we seek to give a “voice to every Christian woman,” from all walks of life, of every age, from all around the world.

For advertising inquiries, please contact Nina Newton at editor@rubyforwomen.com If you would like to share your story with Ruby for Women, please email our Assistant Editor, Amanda Johnson, at ajohnson@rubyforwomen.com Also, please visit our community website at www.rubyforwomen.ning.com where you can connect with other Christian women.

Ruby for Women 2731 W 700 N Columbia City, IN 46725 editor@rubyforwomen.com 1

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Title Spicy Cinnamon Apple Walnut Cobbler Vintage Mama

Page

Page 23

Title

Image by Angela Morris

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DIY Lip Balm Recipe Amanda Stephan

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German Chocolate Cupcakes Christena Hammes

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Family Favorite Autumn Recipes Lynn Mosher

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Everybody Needs a Cheerleader Kathleen Kohler

53

“But, Lord, I want to be Susan Hayward” Sharon L. Patterson

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The Terrible Land of the “What Ifs” Sharon L. Patterson

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Watch Out! Godly Women on the Loose Corallie Thornton

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And God Sent the Dragonflies Elsie Spurlock

61

The Happy Housewife: Chapter Five “The Service of the King” Elizabeth Baker

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Dancing Scarecrows Lynn Mosher

67

Challah Braid and Minestrone Soup Mary Ellen Wright

31

Love in a Mist: Quilt Block #13 Laura Brandt

69

When Superman Cannot Fly Beth Brubaker

37

Gratefulness in the Home and Heart Corallie Buchanan

70

BBQ Chicken Livers Debra Elliott

71

Remain in Me Always Angela Blake Morris

DIY Lotion Bar Recipe Amanda Stephan

72

Handcrafted Lace and Button Journal mamas*little*treasures

Down the Lane Word Puzzle Answer Key Beth Brubaker

72

How Many Numbers? Answer Key Beth Brubaker

38 39

42

In the Autumn Garden Dorothy Kurchak

Page 25

Page 31

Page 39

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Footprints in the Mud: Are you smarter than a 3-year-old?

Beth Brubaker

45

Blessing a Teacher Heather King

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How Many Numbers? Puzzle Beth Brubaker

Page 43

Page 45

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Speaking of “Waste not, want not” . . .

Nina Newton

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Crazy Patch Upcycled T-Top Tutorial mamas*little*treasures

87

Meet the Ruby for Women Writers

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Credits and Copyrights

Page 51

Page 53

Page 69

Page 75

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Ruby for Women We want to hear your story, because God has given a voice to every Christian woman.

Let us welcome you into our community of Christian women! * Daily inspirational posts * Featured bloggers * FREE monthly online magazine * Community groups and forums * Crafts, recipes, poetry, and stories

Join us today at www.rubyforwomen.ning.com

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* Breast Cancer Awareness Month * Cookie Month * Clergy Appreciation Month

* National Diabetes Month

* Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Find more beautiful FREE printable calendars at www.freeprintablecalendars4u.com

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Tell Me about this Jesus Thing

by Nina Newton, Sr. Editor

“The greatest distinction between Christianity and other religions is that the death of its founder did not mark the termination of His life and ministry. . . . .

The Resurrection is the hinge on which the truth of our faith turns, and without it nothing else would really matter. . . . The dynamic joy of our faith would turn into speculation, and Christianity would be simply one of many human philosophies and religious theories.”

Nothing but the Truth: Upholding the Gospel in a Doubting Age

by John MacArthur In a day and age when everything some of us believe in is being challenged, questioned, threatened, and denigrated, we must come to terms with what we truly believe and WHY we believe it to be, in fact, the truth.

Now, I have had a running love / hate relationship with the idea that any human being actually possesses Truth (with a capital T), but I have never doubted that it exists.

God’s Word is True; God Himself is True, and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ is in fact the God of the universe, come to earth to reside among men as a human man so that He might show us how to walk this earthly life in obedience to Him. No doubts whatsoever. I’m simply not convinced yet that this teacher or that preacher or this Bible study leader or that world-renowned Christian speaker, author, or musician possesses the totality of Truth (with a capital T).

So, when I read this quote by John MacArthur, it seemed that here was the heart of all Truth . . . . . that we must begin with this foundational presupposition, or we have nothing upon which to build our life, our faith, our trust.

And, in light of all that is being challenged around us, here is a way for us to express that which we believe to be God’s Truth (however inadequate we may feel in our expressions of this Truth).

Over the years there have been times when engaged in a conversation with those who are not yet convinced of the reality of God’s existence or the truth of the Lordship of Jesus Christ, I have heard people (rather quickly actually!) make the dramatic leap and ask me, “So . . . . then you believe that everyone who does not believe that Jesus is the Son of God is going to Hell?”

Well, there you have it . . . . the human response to a loving God. That is a tricky obstacle when attempting to live out a life of radical Christian love for our fellow human beings!

But here is what we know is true and this is what we need to explain to those around us who are questioning: the fundamental, existential reality of Who God is . . . it is not whether or not a person is “going to Hell” or not, but . . . . . what are you going to do with Jesus? Because that answers all the questions.

Let me explain from my own experience: Several years ago I worked with a beautiful woman, about my own age, who (for some reason unknown to me) was quite antagonistic to Christianity. I did not begin my day nor end my day (or anywhere in between) cornering her and telling her that she needed to know Jesus as her Savior or she was going to Hell.

I just befriended her, got to know her, and we became good friends. She would tease me occasionally, and sometimes even try to get me to participate in a few of her off-color jokes . . . . . but I certainly had plenty to do to keep me busy and would just make my way to the next task at hand.

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After almost two years of just loving her and being kind to her, one day we were sitting at lunch on a rainy, gray and cold Saturday afternoon, and she suddenly said, “So, Nina . . . tell me about this Jesus thing.” So I did.

And of course, I got “the question.” But in truth (I believe and some may disagree with me) that is still NOT the fundamental question that we, as believers, must answer to those who are seeking and asking about Jesus.

What they need to know first of all is that Jesus IS God, that He declared that He is, in fact, “the Way, the Truth, and The Life,” and that no one (no one) can come to God except through a right relationship of grace and forgiveness that is extended to each and every one of us through the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

Do not listen to or be drawn in to that “patronizing nonsense” that attempts to corner you into mocking our God through distraction and questions that are designed only to deflect the conversation away from the Truth of Who He Is. He is God. He is my Savior.

And He will conclude the life of every human being based on His indescribable goodness, grace, compassion, justice, and righteousness.

We need to be telling the world and all those who care to hear, that He offers a life of forgiveness, mercy, and love, and all we need to do is accept that free gift.

This conversation has never been about whether or not you or I or anyone else is “going to Hell.” That is for God to determine, it is not my place . . . . but it is my place to tell the Truth to the best of my ability, even though I do not believe I alone know the totality of God’s Truth.

That truth makes Christianity completely different from every other religion or philosophy that has ever been presented to mankind throughout the history of life on planet Earth.

But I do know that He is alive, He is a forgiving gracious God, and Jesus came to earth in bodily form to live among men at that moment in history when God deemed the time was right.

Because we must realize that Jesus cannot be a “good teacher” or a “wise prophet,” or a “holy man,” precisely because He, Himself, declared that He was, in fact, the Son of God . . . . as C.S. Lewis expresses it so eloquently:

And He continues to intervene in human history every moment of every day – I just need to do the job He gave me to do, which is to love those whom God brings across my path, and to show them by my actions as well as my words, that He is the True and Living God. He’ll take care of the rest.

“Either this man (Jesus) was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse.

You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to. – Mere Christianity, pages 40-41.

Let that be the conclusion, and all else will fall into place. It is not MY task to tell the world the outcome of their delusion and rejection of the true and living God of the universe. It is my job to love them and tell them “about this Jesus thing” that has so changed my life and the lives of millions of others through the course of history.

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Please join us in praying for Amanda!

Amanda Johnson, the Assistant Editor here at Ruby for Women, is in the midst of a major transition in her life. She has taken a job doing something she loves! Amanda is moving from her home in Florida to a horse farm in Massachusetts where she will be caring for horses, including her own. We are so excited for Amanda and this new opportunity! She will continue as the Assistant Editor for Ruby, so be sure to send your submissions for upcoming issues to her at ajohnson@rubyforwomen.com Be sure to let her know you are praying for her, as she is right in the middle of this big move! All of us here at Ruby for Women are praying for God’s blessings on her as she takes this next big step in her life.

You are invited to join us every week for

Inspire Me Monday at Create with Joy This is a great opportunity for you to connect with other women who share your passion for creativity and inspiration!

Please join us for Inspire Me Monday Ruby Pearl for October Attributes of a Mentor: A mentor comes alongside to encourage, be a support, and give sage advice. She does not jump in the middle of our circumstance and rescue us — that’s the Lord’s job. He’s the one who helps us when we’re in trouble. A great mentor: * Shows genuine concern * Encourages * Displays compassion * Tells the truth, even if it hurts

* Helps you devise a plan * Points you to Christ & His Word * Keeps your communication confidential © Kathleen Kohler 2009 www.kathleenkohler.com 7

Ruby’s Favorite Autumn Pumpkin Bars from the kitchen of Vintage Mama As I look out my kitchen window, I see the leaves beginning to turn from their summer shades of green to my favorite colors of autumn: golden yellow, flaming scarlet, pumpkin orange, and russet brown. This time of year always makes me think about baking up a batch of yummy bread or cookies, and this recipe for Autumn Pumpkin Bars has all the makings of the perfect dessert for a windy autumn day. Try it and let us know how you like it!

What you need: * 1 ½ cups quick cooking oats * 1 ¼ cups flour * ¾ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed * ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts * ½ tsp salt * ½ tsp soda * ¾ cup butter, room temperature Filling: * 2 cups pumpkin puree (16 oz. can) * 2/3 cup milk * 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed * 1 egg * 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice (1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon, ¾ tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg and ¼ tsp ground allspice) Let’s make it! Combine oats, flour, ¾ cup brown sugar, ½ cup chopped pecans, ½ tsp salt, baking soda, and butter. Beat until mixture is crumbly. Reserve about 1 ½ cups of the crumb mixture and press remaining mixture into a lightly buttered 13” X 9” X 2” baking pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.

Prepare filling: Beat filling ingredients until well blended and smooth.

Spread filling over the crust; sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture.

Return to oven and bake for 25 minutes longer. Cool and cut into bars.

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The Case of the Missing Pumpkins A fictional story by Angela Morris

Everyone who came by asked about the pumpkins and every time she explained the situation her heart sunk a little bit more.

Ms. Marge's house was a must-see during trick or treat. She carved the most ornate pumpkins in town. Each displayed a Christian theme reminding the children what was important. S

As the sun set, the streets quieted. Ms. Marge took a final look at her pumpkins. How sad that tomorrow was Halloween and the best she could do for decoration was set uncarved pumpkins on her porch step.

he took pride in her handy work, but this year was different. Ms. Marge's arthritis took its toll. She no longer had the dexterity of her fingers. Carving intricate details into a pumpkin was impossible.

"Lord, I know your plans for me and I am OK with it. I just wish…" she stopped short of saying anything more. She understood that God knew the wish that was on her heart.

Cindy, Helen, Charles and Mark were sitting at her kitchen table chattering about what they were going to be for Halloween. Ms. Marge loved the chatter. It filled her heart with joy when the children stopped by.

The next morning Ms. Marge made her way to the kitchen, one gentle step at a time, trying to stretch out her aching joints. The sun was not up, yet the aches in her body did not seem to care.

"Ms. Marge, will you still have trick or treats at your house?" Cindy asked.

They urged her out of bed earlier each day.

Finally making her way to the kitchen she pressed the “on” button to the coffee machine as she peered out her window.

"Of course dear, I would not miss my kids in their get-ups. Charles do you think you could try not to scare me half to death this year?" she said with a wink as she nudged him on the shoulder.

It was then that she noticed. Her pumpkins were missing. She rubbed her eyes, thinking this must be a dream.

"Ms. Marge, I see you still put pumpkins on your porch. Can I ask why?" Helen inquired.

"What's Halloween without pumpkins?" asked Ms. Marge. "Just because I can't carve them, does not mean I should not have them."

Later that evening Ms. Marge went out on her porch. She loved to sit in her rocking chair, taking in the crisp fall air and listening to the children run about the neighborhood.

Still not believing her eyes she made her way to the front door, stepped out on to her porch and starred at the vacant step. "This cannot be. Who would do such a thing? Everyone knows why I buy the pumpkins."

She sat back in her rocking chair, in complete disbelief. As tears streamed down her cheeks, she spoke aloud "There is no way I can get more today. The best of the season are gone. God, why? Why did you let someone take this last bit of joy from me?"

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“She sat there in anticipation, yet she heard nothing. The sun had set and it was dark. All that was left on were the inviting porch lights. "Where are all the children and their parents?"

Later that afternoon Cindy, Helen, Mark and Charles came by for their daily tea and cookies.

Ms. Marge greeted them with the usual smile and invited them in.

"Ms. Marge, where are your pumpkins?" asked Helen.

"Oh honey, I don't know. When I woke up they were gone. At first I was angry, but God has a plan in everything and sometimes we just don't get to see the why of the matter?" Ms. Marge answered back, patting her gently on the head.

"I'm so sorry Ms. Marge. I know you took special care in picking them out." Mark offered his apologies.

"Children, do not worry yourselves with such things. Pumpkins are just pumpkins and Halloween is simply about having fun. Now hurry, off with you all. You have plenty to do."

Marge hurried them along. She did not want them to see the sadness that was beginning to creep up from her heart into her throat.

As the sun began to set, Ms. Marge took her place on the porch, candy bowl in hand and fake smile in place. She waited for the children to gather at the end of the street.

She could always hear the laughter and gleeful squeals as they began to make their way down the street, stopping from house to house.

She sat there in anticipation, yet she heard nothing. The sun had set and it was dark. All that was left on were the inviting porch lights. "Where are all the children and their parents?"

She stood up, leaned forward holding on to the hand rail of her porch and looked down the street, hoping to catch a glimpse of something; then she saw them.

The parade of costumed children quietly came towards her house. Each of them carrying a carved lit up pumpkin.

As each child made it to her porch, they placed their hand-carved works of art on the steps. She never knew this kind of joy and love. Just when she thought she could burst, her four daily visitors came forward.

Each of them had carved a Christian themed pumpkin and placed it on her step. They were the four pumpkins that had gone missing.

"Ms. Marge, we knew how much you loved carving the pumpkins, which is why we took them from your step. But when word got out that they were missing everyone wanted to replace them. It is like you said, except this time you get to see the end of the matter. You get to see what God planned."

Ms. Marge cried, but they were tears of joy.

"God, you have given me more than I ever deserved in all these children. You are so wonderful. You answered my heart’s prayer in such a glorious way!"

Ms. Marge took her place in her rocker on the porch, candy bowl in hand, smiling in anticipation.

She could not carve the pumpkins herself this year, but she still had the best pumpkins in town.

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Competition or Collaboration?

Three Surprising Truths about Mompreneur Success

by Theresa Ceniccola

How old were you when you first started comparing yourself to friends and competing with them for attention? It’s a habit that women develop at an early age – and for many of us, it takes root in our character and begins to tear us apart.

It starts with the Fashion Police in middle school and continues beyond wardrobe into relationships, careers and other achievements. The evil stepsisters of Envy and Jealousy become our lifelong companions, permeating our self-esteem in every area of life. I don’t know when it started for me, but I have to battle the urge to compare myself to others sometimes.

As entrepreneurs, we make the same dangerous comparisons in our businesses. We think we’re in competition with everyone who has ever been in business. We look at what someone else has accomplished and wonder why we can’t achieve those same goals. We make excuses for her success – “She doesn’t have children!” or “Her family is wealthy.”

I had one client who was so concerned about her main competitor that she checked her website every day and flew off the handle at each new announcement of success. Another one of my clients went into a deep depression each time a similar business opened in her area because she was certain her business would suffer.

It’s true that being a successful business owner requires a competitive spirit. You have to find that motivation – the drive to achieve your goals. And you have to protect your intellectual property and be smart about your business practices. But you don’t have to beat yourself up emotionally by comparing your journey to someone else’s success. Business ownership is not a competitive sport – it’s a team sport.

Three Surprising Truths about Competition in Business 1. Independence is not all it’s cracked up to be. I used to think the best thing about being an entrepreneur was the independence that came with doing MY own thing – when and where and how I chose. Now, I realize, the greatest gift of being an entrepreneur is the limitless possibilities of interdependence….of collaborating with other brilliant women who will bless me, my business and my clients with their gifts.

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That’s why I created the International Christian Mompreneur Network. Together, we are stronger, wiser and more successful than any one of us could be alone. If you are flying solo in all areas of your business, you should consider finding a few women who can help you create a circle of interdependence. A mastermind group would be a good start!

2. Competition is killing your business. How many times a day do you think about your competitors? Do you wonder how that other photographer got the assignment that you deserve?

Have you found yourself thinking the new caterer on the wedding scene must have some sort of magic fairy dust on her menu? Are you secretly wishing the personal trainer that opened a gym down the street from yours will go bankrupt quickly because she’s stealing your clients?

Every time you allow these thoughts to cross your mind, you’re stealing valuable time and energy from your own business growth. Do yourself a favor and catch yourself the next time you have a jealous or envious thought about a competitor. And then ask yourself instead, “How can I partner with someone in a way that will grow both of our businesses and better serve our clients and customers?”

3. Women really do want to support one another.

Despite what you may be experiencing in your personal circles right now, women in business really do like to see each other succeed. There is more than enough success to go around for all of us. And if we stick together, we’ll all reach our goals more quickly.

If your friends and business associates don’t feel this way, maybe it’s time to surround yourself with women who do.

After all, we are called to love and serve one another, comfort and encourage one another, forgive and accept one another…not compete with and destroy one another.

No matter where you are on your entrepreneurial journey, now is the perfect time to ditch the competition and invite some collaboration. What are you doing in your business to collaborate with others? Share your successes here!

www.theresaceniccola.com 12

Coming Home

The darkling evening creeps into Autumn’s shortening days, cold beckons to overcoats hidden from the Summer wardrobe.

Birds vacate their chimney perches disappearing with the fading light, their solemn night-calls crying into the clouds.

Colour drains from landscapes and the tainted hue of street-lights stutters into half-life.

This is not our country this place filled with evening, mask and masquerade.

So we shelter from the disguising at the hearth, a lap of God. It’s warmer here in revealing light where the heart is, in the heartbreak of lovers, where what is seen is all there is to see.

~ by Keith Wallis 13

November The trees are shuddering, cold blasts shiver their timbers; damp mist hangs in their arms like ghosts of washing day or the sails of pirate prey.

The soggy clutch of discarded leaves clothes every footfall.

Autumn loses its charm in grey-filled November.

Crackling fireside beckons. ~ Keith Wallis

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Halloween: Can You Still Participate as a Christian?

by Deborah McCarragher Do you participate in Halloween activities in your neighborhood? Is there an opportunity for you to start a dialog with your neighbors and their kids about what Halloween really represents? Can you focus on death and use it as a witnessing tool?

No doubt you can answer those questions in several ways. In case you don’t know the history of this “holiday” – here’s a brief overview of the origins of Halloween.

“Halloween distorts the reality of true spiritual warfare, and glorifies the dark side of the spiritual world.

However, we can tell them about the One who triumphed over evil, and who came to give us a purpose, and a Godgiven destiny.”

Halloween is a culturally popular holiday observed on October 31st. It was a Celtic pagan festival, and then became the Christian holiday – All Saints’ Day, but today is a secular celebration. Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, wearing costumes, carving Jack-o’lanterns, apple bobbing, visiting haunted attractions, committing pranks, telling ghost stories or other frightening tales, and watching horror films.

Wikipedia, the on-line encyclopedia, has this to say about Halloween: “The word Halloween is first attested in the 16th century and represents a Scottish variant of the fuller All-Hallows-Even (evening), that is, the night before All Hallows Day. Although the phrase All Hallows is found in Old English (ealra hál ena mæssedæ , the feast of all saints), All-Hallows-Even was not attested until 1556.

In traditional Celtic Halloween festivals, large turnips were hollowed out, carved with faces and placed in windows to ward off evil spirits.

The carving of pumpkins is associated with Halloween in North America where pumpkins are both readily available and much larger – making them easier to carve than turnips. Many families that celebrate Halloween carve a pumpkin into a frightening or comical face and place it on their doorstep after dark.

The practice of dressing up in costumes and begging door to door for treats on holidays dates back to the Middle Ages. Trick-or-treating resembles the late medieval practice of “souling,” originating in Ireland and Britain. Poor folk would go door to door on Hallowmas (November 1st), receiving food in return for prayers for the dead on All Souls Day (November 2nd).

The early Christian church moved a festive celebration called All Saints’ Day from May to November 1st and renamed it All Hallows’ Eve, from which we get the word “Halloween.” This was an overt attempt on the part of believers to infiltrate pagan tradition with the truth of the Gospel. It was a bold evangelistic move designed to demonstrate that only the power of the resurrected Christ could protect men and women from the destructive ploys of Satan and his demons.”

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An article posted on ChristianityToday.com in 2009 cited a Barna Research study which had this to say: “The majority of American Christian do not believe that Satan is a real being or that the Holy Spirit is a living entity, the latest Barna Research survey found. Nearly six out of ten Christians either strongly agreed or somewhat agreed with the statement that Satan “is not a living being but is a symbol of evil,” the survey found. Forty percent strongly agreed with the statement while 19 percent of American Christians somewhat agreed.

In contrast, about 35 percent of American Christians believe Satan is real. Twenty percent strongly disagreed with the statement that Satan is merely symbolic, and about one-tenth (9%) somewhat disagreed. The remaining 8% if American Christians responded they were unsure what to believe about the existence of Satan.”

What can we as believers do to counter-balance a society that deems Halloween “harmless”? For starters, we can have an open door for evangelism and education. The deception of a holiday such as Halloween, with its witches, vampires, demons, skeletons, and overall theme of evil, can become an opportunity to demonstrate the dynamic power of Christ to redeem us from death.

Halloween distorts the reality of true spiritual warfare, and glorifies the dark side of the spiritual world. However, we can tell them about the One who triumphed over evil, and who came to give us a purpose, and a God-given destiny.

If you allow your children to trick-or-treat, focus on costumes that are based on Bible characters, animals, cartoon characters, historical people, and other “non-horror” themes. We need to be careful not to add to the “feeding frenzy, of horror movie characters, demons, witches, ghosts, goblins, the devil and other evil beings.

We often decorate our house with scary “nature things” like spiders and webs, lizards, snakes, mice, birds, bats – and not the “death and demon” related items most often found in Halloween-themed stores.

We care real pumpkins or put out the plug-in type. We had out candy or tiny Christian toys and witnessing tracts that are family-friendly. For the past couple of years (as an empty-nester), I take my two dogs out and walk the neighborhood, visiting with those we meet.

“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus . . . For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.”

(I Thessalonians 4:14, 16)

You can make October 31st a night to talk about death, eternity, and how Jesus laid His life down for them. Dying and decay are eminent; however, evil and the grave have been defeated by Jesus through His death on the cross.

We are more than conquerors over the powers of darkness demonstrated by Jesus’ resurrection (Colossians 2:15), and the Holy Spirit’s power in us as believers (Ephesians 6:11-17).

Use Halloween as a teaching tool and an opportunity to witness. Share the Good News of Christ! R.I.P. (Rest in His Presence) 16

Down the Lane Word Puzzle

by Beth Brubaker

Answer key on page 72.

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Make your home sparkle this autumn with these beautiful craft projects from around the blogosphere!

Super simple, this gorgeous autumn candle holder is made using a recycled canning jar, pressed leaves, and Mod Podge.

For complete instructions for making your own autumn candle holder, please visit GingerbreadSnowflakes at www.gingerbreadsnowflakes.com .

This has got to be one of my favorites! These adorable pumpkin pillows (can also be made small enough to be used for pincushions) are made from scraps of fabrics, vintage buttons, lace and trims. How perfect would it be to line your mantle with a batch of these sweet pumpkin pillows, or toss them in a basket for instant autumn ambiance! For complete instructions and for many more craft tutorials, please visit Décor 4 All at www.decor4all.com

This charming autumn wreath is made from vintage book pages cut into the shape of autumn leaves. This one is from Martha Stewart at www.marthastewart.com where you can also find a wide variety of craft ideas for autumn, including table settings, wall décor, centerpieces, birdhouses, and gourd and pumpkin crafts. Décor 4 All has other craft ideas that can be made from vintage book pages cut into the shape of leaves: www.decor4all.com

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How Being a Christian Entrepreneur Affects My Business

by Chari Twitty-Hawkins reprinted from National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs I am very blessed to be living my passion and purpose for life as a mother and business owner. Being a first time mom and inspirational jewelry owner has taught me the importance of living God’s purpose in my life. God has put me on this earth to spread His message and share His goodness with others and I am doing so creatively!

As a Christian businesswoman I must provide the most excellent customer service and assist my customers as God assists me everyday. He is patient, kind, understanding, and forgiving. I must be the same with my customers. He watches over His flock and I as well should remember my customers’ stories, purchases, and names. This connects us and makes them feel special as they all are!

Whom I associate with must align with the values of God and my faith. For instance when looking for advertising, article submissions, joint ventures, and blog features; I must research the company and its core values. This is advice I was given by a dear friend and I always take it into consideration when working with someone.

Being a woman of God has taught me that prayer is essential in my business! I should consult with God in all aspects of my business because He is not just the head of my personal life, but my business life as well!

I have learned the significance of attending seminars that are run by faith based companies or organizations. I will attend others that are not as well, but there is a different and deeper connection when I connect with other Christians in business. It is so wonderful, authentic, and a great way to find a Christian mentor!

As a Christian, I have learned the importance of inspiring others through other means besides just my jewelry. For instance on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, I share inspirational quotes, articles, videos and much more!

Each day I feel God pushing me to go beyond jewelry. My passion is for others to know that God wants us to live our full purpose in our lives! Not to do what we have to do just to get by. We often see so many others doing this but we are called to take the road less traveled!

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.” Matthew 7:13 God expects the BEST from us. That’s why he has blessed us so! I believe God is calling me to be an inspirational speaker and performer to further spread His word. With faith and prayer I will soon be stepping out into bigger and better opportunities! Keep me in your prayers and live your life purposely through Christ!

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Claim your FREE copy of 10 Marketing Secrets to help you Generate Leads, Increase Revenue, and Build a thriving community! www.nacwe.org 20

Ask Beth

by Beth Brubaker

Dear Beth, My kids are always in front of a screen, whether it be the TV, computer, or their phones or other gadgets. I've decided to put a ban on electronics in the house for a week (except for phone emergencies), and want to offer some old-time games to entertain themselves and their friends. I have a few, but I'm running out of ideas! Can you suggest a few more that don't need a lot of stuff to buy?

No -Tech Momma Dear No -Tech, Congratulations on giving up all the gadgets! I think we all should do that once in a while and introduce a few 'old school' ideas back into the family dynamic! And yes, I have some great ideas for you!

Hand Ball: All you need is a small ball (tennis?) and a wall to bounce it off of. One person starts by bouncing the ball off the pavement and ricocheting it off the wall. He quickly moves out of the way so the second player can hit the ball off the pavement and into the wall. You can have a lot of players doing this. The challenge is to only let the ball bounce once on the pavement and then off the wall- more than one means you're out!

Donkey is similar to the above, but with fewer players. When a person is 'out' they get a letter 'D' and keep playing. The first person to spell 'Donkey' is out of the game.

TV Tag: This is like regular tag, but a TV theme is called out (aka cartoons, comedies, movies, etc.) before the game starts. When someone is almost caught, they touch the ground (as 'base') and yell out something that's within that theme. It doesn't even have to be a TV theme!

However, you can only yell that particular title once. Anything that is repeated or is not within the theme means that person is now 'It'.

Marco Polo: This is a game that's fun for all ages even adults! Blindfold the person that is 'it'. He has to catch someone to make them 'it'. The person who is 'it' has to yell 'Marco!' and then all the other players have to yell 'Polo!'

The other players must respond to 'Marco!' if they are to remain in the game. The players are allowed to move around and make noise, but are not allowed to touch the person that's 'it'.

There are two ways to be the winner of the game (establish this beforehand): One, the winner is the last person that was never tagged 'it', or two, the person who was 'it' has tagged everyone.

Jacks: These can be purchased easily and it comes with a super ball and at least ten jacks. Game play starts between at least two people (usually two, but there can be one or two more).

The jacks are tossed lightly onto a flat surface, and the ball is tossed into the air. Before the ball bounces, one jack must be taken from the surface, and the ball caught within the same hand. Put the jack down beside you and repeat until all jacks are taken.

This is called 'Onesies' If you miss, the jacks and ball are handed to the second player so they can start 'Onesies'. If you get all of the jacks, then you start 'Twosies' where you toss the jacks again and this time get two jacks before the ball bounces.

Then there's 'Threesies' and 'Foursies' all the way up to 'Tensies'.

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Since you're playing with ten jacks and that's not divisible by some numbers, you simply pick up any leftover jacks to complete the set. (aka 'Threesies' would be three sets of three, one set of one.

Foursies would be two sets of four, one set of two, etc.) The winner is the one who gets all the way up to 'Tensies' first!

Hopscotch: You need chalk and a few small objects that don't bounce for this game. Draw out a hopscotch court that consists of ten offset squares about eighteen inches wide, each with its own number, one through nine.

The first square is by itself with squares two and three next to each other directly on top of square one. (Where the two squares meet should be at the top middle of the one square.) Repeat this pattern until you reach square nine. Ten will be a large half circle at the top of the last two squares (squares eight and nine).

The game begins with a player tossing her object into the 'one' square then hopping over it placing her feet on squares two and three at the same time. She then hops to square four on one foot and hops to place one foot in five and one foot in six at the same time, one on seven, one foot each on eight and nine at the same time, and one foot on ten.

She must turn around on one foot and repeat the pattern back to squares two and three, pick up the object on square 'one', hop onto one, then off the court. The next player does the same. Any trips or falling away from the court means the player has to start over.

Then they need to do the same with square 'two'.

Any square that has an object tossed onto it is not to be hopped on, so any of the squares that are next to each other (2 and 3, 5 and 6, 8 and 9), must only be hopped on by one foot if the other square has an object tossed on it.

If the tossed object misses its target, they get one 'do over' and if they miss again, they lose their turn. The one gets all the way to ten and back first wins!

Double Dutch: You need one really, really long rope and at least three players. One person holds two ends of the rope, the other steps back and holds the other end, making sure she has about two to three feet of rope between her hands.

Now there should be two even 'ropes' made of the one rope.

The ropes between the two players must be even and must reach the ground.

The ropes are swung in opposite directions, the left hand clock-wise and the right counter-clockwise, swinging intermittently (not at the same time) so the ropes don't tangle.

The third player is the jumper, and has to try to jump within the two ropes and jump as long as possible. The players take turns turning the ropes and jumping.

Simon Says: Not only is this fun, but it teaches kids to really listen to what is being said! One person is Simon and tells the others what do to.

Usually its simple things like 'jump up and down', 'spin in a circle' or 'hop on one foot', but the listeners should only obey when Simon actually says 'Simon says' before each instruction. If Simon doesn't say ‘Simone Says” and one of the listeners does what was instructed, then that player is out.

Simon varies the instructions and tries to confuse the players as much as possible!

For the smaller children, you can play Hot and Cold. The leader takes something and hides it as the others hide their eyes or go into another room so they can't see (within reach of the children playing- nothing up high that they need to climb to) and the children move around the room looking for the item. The leader tells them Hot if they are close and Cold if they are far away. The winner is the child that finds the hidden item.

Duck, Duck, Goose: Kids sit in a circle with one child as the leader walking around them on the outside. As the child walks by, he gently touches each of the kid’s heads, saying 'Duck' each time a head is touched. But when the child says 'Goose!' the 'Goose' has to get up and try to catch the child by running around the circle before the other child can take the 'Goose's' spot. The game starts over as the child left standing is the new leader.

These are a good start to keep the kids busy with their friends!

Have fun!

Beth 22

Spicy Cinnamon Apple Walnut Cobbler When the autumn wind and rains are swirling outside my window, I love to pop something spicy and yummy in the oven in the afternoon for my girls at the end of the day. This is one of our favorites! Apples with cinnamon and sugar, with a few chopped walnuts thrown in the mix, and you’ve got the perfect treat for any autumn day.

What you need: * 5 cups peeled and thinly sliced apples * ¾ cup walnuts, divided * ¾ cup sugar * ½ teaspoon cinnamon * 1 cup all purpose flour * 1 teaspoon baking powder * 1 beaten egg * ½ cup evaporated milk * 1/3 cup margarine or butter melted Let’s make it! Heat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease a 2 qt square baking dish. Spread apples in prepared dish. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup walnuts.

In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon, sprinkle over apples. In medium bowl, stir together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and baking powder. In small bowl combine egg, evaporated milk, and melted butter. Stir into flour mixture until smooth.

Pour evenly over apples, sprinkle with remaining walnuts. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cut into squares, serve warm topped with ice cream or whipped topping.

Dutch Apple Bread Cream together 1/2 cup of butter and 1 cup of sugar.

Add 2 large eggs and 1 tsp. vanilla. Beat well.

Add 2 cups flour, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1/2 tsp. salt alternately with 1/4 cup buttermilk Fold in 1 cup chopped apples and 1/4 cup chopped walnuts. Pour into greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan.

Topping 1/3 cup flour 2 Tbs. sugar 2 Tbs. brown sugar 1/2 t cinnamon 1/4 cup butter Combine and crumble over batter.

Bake 55 minutes at 350 degrees.

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German Chocolate Cupcakes from the kitchen of Christena Hammes It’s October, and at our house it is time for . . . . strange . . . . things . . . . LIKE . . . .Sauerkraut in a dessert recipe!!! Yep, you heard right. Have you ever read a recipe and thought, “Ewwww! Those ingredients sound awful,” and then you fix it and you can’t quit eating it??!! Well, this is one of those recipes. Give it a try and let us know what you think!

What you need: * 1 can (16-oz.) sauerkraut, drained * 2 can (14.5) pear halves, in light syrup * 1 box (18.25-oz.) devil's food cake mix * 3 large eggs * 1 cup (fat-free sweetened) condensed milk * 3/4 cup (unsweetened) applesauce * 1/4 cup cornstarch * 1 Tbsp. (unsalted) butter * 2 tsp. vanilla extract * ¼ tsp. almond extract * ½ cup (flaked) coconut * ½ cup chopped pecans Let’s make it!

Preheat oven to 350ºF and mist two 12-cup muffin tins with cooking spray (or line with paper liners). In a strainer, rinse sauerkraut under cold running water, then wring dry and chop coarsely; set aside.

Purée pears with their liquid in a blender or food processor until smooth; set aside.

Combine cake mix, half the puréed pears and the eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and beat for 2 minutes more, or until the batter is thick and smooth; fold in the sauerkraut.

Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Cool cupcakes in pans for 10 minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, prepare frosting: Whisk condensed milk, remaining puréed pears, applesauce and cornstarch in a medium saucepan until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens.

Remove from heat and stir in butter, vanilla and almond extracts, coconut and pecans; set aside to cool. Spoon cooled frosting onto cupcakes.

Serves 24

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Everybody Needs a Cheerleader

by Kathleen Kohler

“No, but I continue to pray for him and we have a good relationship,” she told me.

From my own brokenness, I asked, “How do you even get up in the morning and breathe?”

I sat in Bible study with a group of women who appeared to have control over their lives. What would they say if they knew the turmoil mine was in? Consumed by pain and hopelessness, in my heart I prayed, “Lord, please give me something to hang on to.”

Filled with compassion she said, “How can you not? You have to keep going.” On the way home, I thought about Diana’s answer. Once again I prayed, “Lord, help. Show me how to get through this.” I didn’t realize then, Diana was God’s lifeline to pull me through this stormy season.

Our son’s involvement in drugs had stripped me of any self-worth or confidence. I felt like a complete failure as a mother. I needed help, but wasn’t sure exactly what kind, or how to get it.

As circumstances in my life worsened, I grew desperate. After plenty of prayer, I bolstered my courage and invited Diana to lunch. Filled with fear, I shared with her what was happening to our family.

Through uncontrolled sobs, I said, “I’m drowning in this situation. I feel like a fish jerked from the water, lying in the hot sun, gasping for air.”

Diana’s gifted teaching compelled me to attend her weekly study. She had a passion for living and was a wellspring of spiritual insight. Time spent with her brought peace to my otherwise chaotic life.

Faced with a rebellious teenager at home who was making dangerous choices, I felt lost and alone. My identity was wrapped-up in and defined by his behavior. When he was up, so was I, but when he was down, which was most of the time, I sank even lower. Heavy with grief, I dragged myself through the responsibilities of work and family.

One morning in Bible study, Diana told us her son had rejected the faith she and her husband had raised him with. In disbelief, I listened. How could this be? I thought. Diana was the most spiritually inspiring woman I knew.

She and her husband had a great marriage, cared about people, and were active in ministry. And most important, she had a deep commitment to live what she believed and taught.

When the study ended, I asked, “Diana, has your son returned to the faith and values you taught him?”

Diana met my honesty with tender compassion. I asked if she would meet with me regularly to pray and whatever else she thought I needed. She agreed, and suggested we meet every other week.

The first thing Diana told me was, “You need to stop identifying yourself through your son’s poor choices and start seeing yourself as the Lord sees you, through His eyes.”

Then she had me read Colossians and underline all the passages that show what God has given to me through Christ. When we met again we discussed what I’d learned. Diana wanted me to see through Scripture who Christ is and who I am in relationship to Him. In the beginning I shed many tears. Diana listened, and provided encouragement and counsel. We prayed together, looked for answers in Scripture, and read the classic, The Attributes of God by A.W. Tozer. Through our studies I learned to have a more balanced view of God, and grew in my knowledge of God’s Word.

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“Whatever the circumstance, each of us needs someone who can influence us toward a positive future. When life comes crashing in, and trials bear down and threaten to crush you, wouldn’t it be nice to have your own personal cheerleader?”

Diana also shared about the difficulties she faced as a mother, and how she maintained her own identity. Her example helped me stop defining myself by my children. Instead, I saw myself through the eyes of a loving Savior. As a result I gained confidence.

When life comes crashing in, and trials bear down and threaten to crush you, wouldn’t it be nice to have your own personal cheerleader?

We continued to meet over the next eighteen months. And because Diana invested time in cheering me on, I gained courage in my ability to face life as it came.

Some may be desperate before they discover that person, and some, like me, may have to reach out and ask for help. If this describes you, look for a mature person who’s had success in the area where you’re struggling.

I realized God, as a devoted Father, used these struggles to strengthen me and accomplish His purpose in my life. It was an adventure of discovery that left me changed and with a new perspective and a more positive view for my future.

In a number of books written in recent years people tell the stories of those who have influenced them and helped shape who they are today. A reader poll taken by Today’s Christian Woman magazine several years ago asked women about the importance of having a mentor.

Sixty percent of the respondents said they wished they had a mentor, but didn’t know how to establish that relationship. Life can be grueling.

And like athletes who face extreme tests of endurance, with excited crowds watching to see them win, we all need people who cheer us forward toward a winning life.

You may not be dealing with a rebellious teen.

Maybe your struggle is a tired marriage, a difficult work situation, finances, or perhaps the daily pressures of being a parent.

Whatever the circumstance, each of us needs someone who can influence us toward a positive future.

If your finances have you in knots, you need someone who lives on what he or she makes, keeps a balanced checkbook, and makes financial decisions based on biblical principles.

If your marriage lacks heart, find a couple who have been married a number of years, enjoys good communication with their partner, and not only love and respect their spouse, but also has fun with that person.

When considering someone to be your mentor, you will want to verify they are a trustworthy person to confide in. You can do this by observing their behavior with other people.

There’s little worse than to tell someone your pain, and later find, everyone knows your story. A mentor should encourage and help you gain the confidence to grow beyond your circumstances.

Most of all, pray, and then reach out.

If I hadn’t gone through such a terrible situation, I wouldn’t have sought help from someone more experienced. What a privilege it was to have personal guidance at such a desperate time.

Those turbulent years brought heartache and pain, but also the richest of blessings: that of a life-long friendship. © Kathleen Kohler 2009 www.kathleenkohler.com 26

The Terrible Land of the “What-ifs”?

by Sharon L. Patterson Too often, I have traveled to a terrifying place Whose guests suffer such loathsome disgrace.

Why I go there, I’ll never understand, Because it is absolutely the most disagreeable land.

It seems I am most tempted to travel there When I get fearful, or tearful somewhere Deep inside the emotional me When I am doubtful, or poutful or in adversity.

Sometimes I vacation there before some event that I dread, Or after something misunderstood that someone has said.

I can fly to the Land of What Ifs in any season, It is such a short trip in my mind and requires no rhyme or reason.

Haven’t you been there, too?

I think I saw you the last time you were blue!

Perhaps you’ll recall We were just there together after yesterday’s trip to the mall.

Remember, we passed LA Fitness center on the way And paused to wonder , what if ? But did not stay.

On to Macy’s figuring, “what if I could buy all that?

What if I were a size smaller…and my hair not so flat?”

Passing by Zales, you questioned…what if he had bought me THAT ring?

Instead of this teeny tiny pitiful old thing!

Then, I ran into my neighbor’s straight A “perfect child” And wondered “what if my budding genius weren’t so wild?”

Lastly, searching my wallet after all the money I spent I pondered, “what if I hadn’t been so generous and lent Uncle Charles, Aunt Pearl and Cousin Jenny My extra “hidden” hundred and twenty?”

Hey, perhaps there is a better place for us to go Remember last Sunday’s sermon by Pastor Joe? There’s always a table set with a place If you stay in the land of God’s amazing grace!

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Now Available:

And God Sent the Dragonflies

by Elsie (Mimi) Spurlock, Bruce Hinton & Mary Hinton “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,’ declares the LORD” Isaiah 55:8 In the cold, sterile room at the hospital, where we were quickly ushered the night of July 11, 2008, the piercing words of the Physician’s Assistant sliced through the very core of my being: “We did everything we could…so very sorry….take you in to see him…toxicology report…was drinking…traveling at high rate of speed on the motorcycle…lost control.”

Oh, Father God, please let this be a dream. Please wake me up so I can walk down the hall, into Dane’s room, and find him sleeping peacefully. I don’t like this dream, Lord.

I wasn’t dreaming. My first-born grandson was lying on a bed in that hospital. No doctor would be able to bring him back to us.

In the days and months following Dane’s death, I would come to realize the generosity of a God who sends comfort to one of His hurting children. I would learn He had hand-picked a man and his wife to be by Dane’s side as he lay wounded and dying. I would marvel as He sent dragonflies as a sign that Dane was with Him and all was well.

Bruce and Mary, co-authors of this book, were the strangers who stopped and knelt at Dane’s side.

Each has heart-wrenching and heart-warming stories as to what God has done in their lives, before and after July 11, 2008.

More than anything, this book is about a loving God who asks us to believe Him when He whispers to us that all is well when our grieving heart belies that truth.

For more information about And God Sent the Dragonflies, or to order your copy, please visit the following websites: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/and-god-sent-thedragonflies?keyword=and+god+sent+the+dragonflies&store=allproducts&iehack=%E2%98%A0 http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&fieldkeywords=And+God+Sent+the+Dragonflies http://www.xulonpress.com/bookstore/bookdetail.php?PB_ISBN=9781622308217

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Dancing Scarecrows

by Lynn Mosher Autumn. I love this time of year. The cool breezes requiring a sweater or jacket. The warmth of the sun that energizes. The aroma of the crisp air and changing season. The beauty of God’s palette: crimson and cerise, yellow and honey, apricot and orange.

Autumn also evokes the thought of harvests. Which made me think the other day about scarecrows!

Definition of a scarecrow: an object, usually made to resemble a human figure, set up to scare away creatures from disturbing and feeding on recently cast seed in fields, from growing crops, or from those crops about to be harvested.

Something resembling a human figure and scares creatures away from a harvest! Hmmm! Sounds like our old nemesis to me. Occasionally, that ol’ enemy loves to work through others to trip us in our walk.

He also loves to work through circumstances to scare us out of our faith or to invade our thoughts to tempt us.

That enemy scarecrow uses whatever he can to frighten us away from the seeds of God’s Word that have been sown in our hearts and the harvests God has waiting for us.

But how about this: we need to reverse that and be our own scarecrow to shoo the enemy away from what we have sown and to keep him from destroying our harvest. We have the power to command him to back off. Jesus told the disciples, “Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy” (Luke 10:19 NLT), and it is just as true for us.

We have the authority to forbid the devourer from stealing our seeds and destroying our harvests and to keep him from sowing weed-seeds in our harvest field.

How do we do that? In one parable, Jesus said, “The sower sows the word.” (Mark 4:14 NKJV) In another parable, He said, “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.” (Matt. 13:37 NKJV) All those living in Christ are also sowers, for we sow the seed, which “is the word of God.” (Luke 8:11 NKJV) In The Living Bible’s version of Mark 4:14, it says, “The farmer I talked about is anyone who brings God’s message to others, trying to plant good seed within their lives.”

When we have planted God’s Word in our hearts or in the lives of others, in ours or others’ circumstances, when we have watered, cared for, prayed over, worked at something, and then the enemy comes along and tries to scare us away from it all

When we have planted God’s Word in our hearts or in the lives of others, in ours or others’ circumstances, when we have watered, cared for, prayed over, worked at something, and then the enemy comes along and tries to scare us away from it all with his taunts, alarms, and distresses, do we run in the opposite direction with our tail between our legs? Or do we become the scarecrow and frighten him away?

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with his taunts, alarms, and distresses, do we run in the opposite direction with our tail between our legs? Or do we become the scarecrow and frighten him away?

When others behave in a mean, hateful, or other negative way, we forget that, as Paul warns, “We are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.” (Eph. 6:12 NLT) The enemy sometimes works through others and merrily dances among us. PBS occasionally airs one of my favorite murder mystery series called Poirot, the great Belgian detective, by Agatha Christie.

Once, as Poirot’s “little gray cells,” as he calls them, pondered a puzzle of murder clues at a masquerade party, he said, “The devil himself dances among us; we just don’t see him.”

We may not see him physically (which may be debatable), but we can see his handiwork. The devil waltzes around, dangling temptations before our eyes and whispering criticisms in our ears to steal our joy, kill our faith, and destroy our fellowship with God. That ol’ scarecrow does all he can to divert our focus away from God and to delay or defeat His answers to our requests.

In other words, he tries to snatch your seeds and pick your harvests clean! Always dancing in delight as he does it. Therefore, put on your scarecrow armor and “Be dressed ready for service” (Luke 12:35 NIV), “so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” (Eph. 6:11 NIV) Don’t let the scarecrow’s dance frighten you off from the harvest God says is yours!

From His feet, Lynn

A River of Small Stones

by Keith Wallis A beautiful and inspirational book of poetry, perfect for gift-giving this Christmas season Poems written as “small stones,” polished moments of paying proper attention to life Available at www.ariverofstones.blogspot.com

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Love in a Mist Block #13 Bible Block Wedding Sampler Sew-Along

by Laura Brandt This block is a little more complex than we’re used to, but if you take your time with it, it’ll be gorgeous. Originally, I was going to paper piece it, but I find templates so much easier.

It’s just a question of breaking down the block and looking for the straight seams. I’ll show you what I mean.

You’ll notice it’s made up of four identical quarters. When we break it down, we’ll start by making one quarter of the block, and then repeat the process for the other three. We can break down each quarter into two triangles, which makes it easy to sew along straight edges.

Please note: all seams are ¼”; final block is 12.5” unfinished.

Step 1 – cut your fabric. You’ll want six different fabrics. Mine are as follows: Fabric 1 – white. Cut 8 Template A triangles and 8 Template B triangles.

Fabric 2 – dark blue. Cut 8 Template B triangles.

Fabric 3 – light purple. Cut 4 Template C diamonds.

Fabric 4 – light blue. Cut 4 Template C diamonds.

Fabric 5 – medium blue. Cut 4 Template D diamonds.

Fabric 6 – dark purple. Cut 4 Template D diamonds.

(You’ll notice that Templates A and B are the same and Templates C and D are the same.)

Carefully starch your pieces after you’ve cut them out to keep them from getting bent out of shape as they’re pieced, sewn and pressed.

Step 2 – Lay out your two triangles for block quarter #1.

Follow the template diagram and the key block given below.

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Step 3 – Sew Fabric 1 Template A, Fabric 3 Template C and Fabric 4 Template C together to make a row.

Step 4 – Sew Fabric 1 Template B and Fabric 2 Template B together to make a triangle.

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Step 5 – Sew your triangle to your row and you’ve completed a larger triangle. The first half of the first quarter (or the first eighth, depending on how you look at it) of your block is done.

Step 6 – Sew Fabric 1 Template A, Fabric 5 Template D and Fabric 6 Template D together to make a row.

Step 7 - Sew Fabric 1 Template B and Fabric 2 Template B together to make a triangle.

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Step 8 – Sew your triangle to your row and you’ve completed a second larger triangle.

Step 9 – Sew your two larger triangles together to make a square. Be careful with your seam alignment.

Step 10 – Repeat Steps 2 through 9 for the remaining three quarters of your block. You should have four identical 6.5” squares.

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Step 11 – Lay out your four squares according to the block diagram and sew them together. You are done!

Wentworth County Quiltworks Bible quilt updates and a growing Bible Blockof-the-Month collection Visit Laura and follow along as she creates her Bible Block-of-theMonth Collection! www.wentworthcountyquiltworks.com 35

Love in a Mist Bible Block Wedding Sampler Sew-Along

by Laura Brandt

Templates

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Gratefulness in the Home and Heart: Lessons Your Children Will Learn From Your Example

by Corallie Buchanan How do you act in times of crisis? I know not all of us are perfect at the super-mum routine of having our lives all together. In fact, most of us don’t. We look at those who seem to have life all together, and wish we were like them.

I know as a mother of a fourteen month old girl, I often fall into the same trap. When life turns sour, sometimes I allow myself the freedom to just let my mouth fly and say whatever I like. Then I regret it afterwards, because I realize that I should be more careful. My daughter’s ears are very keen, and whether I realize it or not, she is picking up on every wrong word and attitude that comes out of my mouth.

Mathew 15:18 says that what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. I have learned a very recent poignant lesson from watching other people. If you are not grateful and praising God for your blessings – no matter how miniscule they may seem – those things which you refuse to be grateful for will eventually be taken away from you. What lies in your heart will eventually work its way through your mouth. This is dangerous ground, because then it begins to poison your life to the point where there isn’t a shred of goodness left.

There are times in our lives when we wish everything was going our way. It is how we act in those times that determine who we really are, rather than what we claim to be. Whether we like it or not, our children will pick up on our behavior – both good and bad - during times of trial. What kind of example do we want to be for our children?

The question posed is a serious one, for the lessons a child learns in their formative years will provide the foundation for their morals and their behavior as adults. We need to be verbally and openly thankful for our blessings, in order that our children learn healthy normal attitudes of thankfulness to God. This will become the important foundation of their future lives. **************** Full time mother and author, Corallie Buchanan, is a woman who writes from her heart. Over the years, she has shared her heart with magazines such as the Queensland Baptist, Christian Woman, Footprints, Mum to Mum, Captivated, Being Women, the Online Bible College student magazine, Deeper Devotions Student Ministries, amidst other magazines and ministries.

Corallie is the author of Watch Out! Godly Women on the Loose; a book which won her the award of Young Australian Christian Writer of the Year in 2007.She lives with husband David and daughter Esther in Brisbane, Australia.

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Remain in Me Always

by Angela Morris Do you ever feel like you’re drowning in the day-to-day worries? We all have something that is a breaking point.

We are all seeking shelter from a storm brewing in our lives at one time or another. I am currently in a storm and have been growing angrier each day that passes and the issue continues.

My prayers have taken a tone of begging, pleading, bargaining, demanding, and yes, even yelling. I want to throw up my hands and “say when” . . . enough is enough, I am breaking.

I found myself sitting outside on my porch swing, where I often go to have a “frank” conversation with God. For some reason, I assume that my roof is an obstacle and will interfere with my prayer signal. I work through a range of emotions: first I am humbled and try to remember to Whom I am speaking, then I get angry and throw a tantrum. I deserve answers, I want answers, and can’t He see that I am scared? Why is He not listening to me, and why do I feel so alone?

After I have finished my “terrible twos” moment, regret washes over me. I love my Heavenly Father. I need Him and I can’t stay mad. Prayer starts once again, this time one of repentance. I have shown disrespect (in my eyes – I say this because God already knows my heart), and I need to be right with Him. I explain that I am coming from a place of fear and anxiety. That I am “saying when.”

Here it comes . . . the “Ah-ha” moment. You know the one. It is when the silence is broken and you get a reality check, God-style. It suddenly dawned on me – who am I to “say when”? Is it our place to tell our Creator that “enough is enough”? If I am acting in fear and not in faith, then my heart is deaf. I am not alone, I have simply stuffed ear plugs in my heart. I am too scared or panicked to hear my Father Who is patiently waiting for me to “be still.”

Our pastor grabbed my heart today with his words. He said (I am paraphrasing) “that if you are angry with God and you do not work this out with Him, you cannot have a relationship with Him.” I knew then that I was angry and that was why I felt alone. I was one who had turned my back, not Him. That ripped those ear plugs right out!

I have always been a believer that we are to have an open and honest conversation with God. He already knows how you’re feeling, so why not spill it out to Him? Lay it all on the line. Get rid of the ear plugs by dumping the uncertain emotions.

However, like any discussion, after you are done, you must “be still, and allow the other person to speak. We must also be prepared for the fact that silence may be the only answer we get. Silence is not a bad thing; in fact the old saying states that “silence is golden.” That silence may represent a “not now” answer or it may represent another barrier we must work through in order to hear God speak to us.

Are you talking to God . . . . and are you listening for His answer? Perhaps it will help if you take out those ear plugs!

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Hand-crafted Lace and Button Journal by mamas*little*treasures Create this beautiful hand-embellished journal for someone special (or for yourself!) Perfect to use as a journal, diary, scrapbook, or just a notebook for jotting down thoughts and ideas!

Quick, easy, and inexpensive, this notebook will surely become your favorite place to stash your creative ideas for art projects, recipes, quotes, Bible verses, addresses, and anything that inspires you throughout your day.

Gather up your supplies and let’s get started!

What you need: * Small / medium size blank book, journal, sketchbook, or diary * Fabric scraps to cover the book (you can also cover your book in a large piece of pretty paper) * Various other embellishments such as buttons, beads, lace, ribbons * Craft glue

Step #1: Open the journal / book and lay it on the fabric scrap, with the front and back centered. Cut the fabric approximately 1” – 2” larger on all sides of the open book.

Step #2: Using your craft glue, carefully wrap the book with the fabric, wrapping the edges to the inside of both the front and back covers.

You will want to make square corners and secure the ends of fabric down with glue on the inside of both the front and back covers.

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* At the top and bottom of the spine of the book, snip the fabric so that you can tuck a corner under to accommodate the fold of the book.

Step #3: Using coordinating scrapbook paper (cardstock will work best) cut a piece of paper to cover the inside of both the front and back covers. You will want to completely cover the raw edges of the fabric that you used to cover your book.

Step #4: Add any additional embellishments such as beads and buttons, more lace and ribbons, or whatever you would like on your beautiful hand-embellished book! * I tried various different embellishments because I couldn’t decide which design I liked best. Because I chose the soft ivory baby wale corduroy for my cover, I also added some vintage ivory lace and a rope of gold tone and rhinestone braid. * One embellishment that I added was the two-heart charm as shown in the picture at the top of this tutorial. * Another embellishment came from my jars of vintage buttons. The inside of the journal is blue, so I added a row of vintage blue buttons all along the side. * Then I found some gold tone vintage buttons and scattered them around on the left side of the cover, and then used a single gold tone button on the center right side kind of like a little “door knob.�

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* In the bottom of my button jar I discovered a vintage gold tone angel pin and thought that might be a fun embellishment! * Finally, I thought I’d try just a simple, single gold tone vintage button on the front. I might attach a ribbon to the back of the journal and bring it around to the front to loop over the button to close this pretty journal.

So many different ways you could embellish your journal! Give it a try, and please be sure to send me pictures of your finished project.

For more FREE craft and sewing tutorials, please visit mamas*little*treasures at www.mamaslittletreasures.com

www.mamaslittletreasures.com

Tatters to Treasures Where new beauty arises from the ashes of yesterday in reconstruction garments, shoes, and accessories www.tatterstotreasures.etsy.com www.tatterstotreasures.etsy.com 41

In the Autumn Garden

by Dorothy Kurchak Mutt, my female barn cat, and I had to run for cover because of a sudden shower this afternoon. She follows me around when I’m outside. We do need rain as it was a very dry summer. It’s bulb planting time and the soil was powder dry. This year I planted a mix of orchid tulips, three groups of six each. The colors range from light orchid to dark orchid. Such lovely colors!

The advice for planting all bulbs is to plant them at three times their diameter. So, a one-half inch bulb will be planted one and one half inches deep, etc. I love all the spring bulbs except for the abundance of leaves! I try to hide them with annuals, but tulip leaves are quite large and heavy.

But, a garden just has to have some tulips.

The garden is pretty well cleaned up now. Many plants had to be separated as I hadn’t done that for some time. With the long garden in the “outback” I have more space to plant the overflow. I tend to let plants reseed themselves where they want to, but they took advantage of me.

There were phlox coming up in the daylilies and I don’t like that.

I’m hoping there will be a plant sale by the local Catholic church next summer so I can get rid of some of the daylilies. When they get large they are very difficult to separate. There are also many sedum seedlings. I’ve used some space in my vegetable garden for a nursery for all the baby plants I’ve found throughout the gardens.

The hen and chicks were very abundant this summer also. I made a couple dish gardens and filled a strawberry jar with them. I’ll bring in the dish gardens but take the plants out of the strawberry jar and plant them in the garden ‘till next summer. The coleus was really beautiful this summer so I saved some cuttings and brought them into the house. The ferns are also in as well as the caladiums.

The caladiums will look OK for awhile and then I’ll cut back on watering them and let them die back. In early spring I’ll repot them and start watering again and they’ll be ready to plant outside by summer.

There are also red leafed coleus and both varieties look good in the shade garden.

It’s a good time to clean up the garden tools also. I have some Thompson’s Water Seal that I put on the wooden handles of an old hoe and flat spade. Both tools belonged to my father-in-law. I would be lost without the flat spade. It’s the best tool for edging the edge of flower beds. The local John Deere dealer winterized my tractor and put the snow blower on. And the plumber winterized the back yard well and drained all the connections. I’m now ready for winter. I still enjoy the first snow. I’m looking forward to seeing my son for Christmas, too.

After a rain the air smells so clean. Mutt and I decided to put the cushion on the bench and admire the fresh air and the sunset. Bye for now and I’ll see you in November.

In Christ, Aunt

Dots 42

Footprints in the Mud Are You Smarter than a Three Year Old? Take the Test!

by Beth Brubaker I used to be smart - until I had children. I knew everything there was to know about parenthood, with none of the experience. I also had no clue that real moms were hiding their laughter behind their diaper bags when I laid upon them my Great Wisdom.

Now I know better. My children are older now (a teen and a tween), but I remember the good-old-days when I thought I knew what I was doing, but my kids accomplished things I still can't do as an adult. So let's take the test together, shall we?

Test #1 Word Skills: Spelling: Spell Xyloplex using all the refrigerator magnet letters you own, without using any X's. (and no, I don't know if that is even a word, but it sounds really super cool, doesn't it?)

Language: Say a word you often hear your parents say until you get a shocked reaction. Then don't say it again until they have company. Then don't stop saying it.

Usage: Learn to say “I Wuv You' in the cutest way possible. Sit in front of a mirror and practice 'Big Ol' Calf Eyes' until they are as large as dinner plates and as soulful as an angel. Go break something and use these techniques to get out of being punished. You pass when you get away with it.

Test #2 Motor Skills: Mobility: Remove all clothing within 1.2 seconds and run about the house until a parent notices. Squeeze into spaces where they can't follow you without moving furniture.

Motor Skills: Learn to unlock every lock in the house without parental knowledge.

Mobility Stage two: Combine Mobility and Motor skills to get out of the house as quickly as possible - preferably when a parent is on the phone.

Endurance: Run like the wind once your naked butt hits the pavement, screaming happily so all the neighbors will come to see what's going on.

You pass if everyone sees you before your parent catches you.

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Test #3 Mechanical Intelligence: Tool Use: Take apart with your bare hands one appliance of your choice within two minutes. Try finding something that requires a great amount of adult strength or power tools to put back together, like the bar that attaches to the push mower. Extra credit if the appliance has sharp blades or other pointy-sharp things, or is plugged in at the time of disassembly.

Technological Skills: Reconfigure the family computer so it works better. Show parents what you did so they can write it down. Then hit one button and wipe the drives clean.

Mechanical Manipulation: Unfasten child safety seat while parent temporarily leaves the vehicle. Wiggle your way into the front seat, and hit every button on the dashboard, resetting everything - including the emergency brakes. Wave proudly as you see your parent chasing you. Turn the wheel so the vehicle bumps into the neighbor’s prize rosebushes. You pass if there is no damage to you or the vehicle e- at least until your parent gets a hold of you.

So, did you pass? Me neither. I'm still trying to put my lawn mower back together! I'm just glad my kids are older now and almost as dumb as I am. Of course they still know more than I do (so they say), but that's another column!

Be sure to visit Beth at her blog, Footprints in the Mud, for more inspirational and humorous articles www.footprintsinthemudblog.blogspot.com

The Authentic Life

by Jennifer Jo Fay Visit Jennifer Jo Fay’s blog, The Authentic Life, where you will find art, writing, crafts, relationships, life in general, the current news, kids, parenting, gardening, and basically in a nutshell a blog about anything. Lots of posts on blogging, earning money online, different writing sites, and on and on... fashion, beauty, society, writing poetry, novels and much, much more! Don’t miss it! www.jennyjofaypaperdolls.blogspot.com 44

Blessing a Teacher

by Heather King Every day, I put my two oldest girls on a school bus and trust them to the care of their teachers. I’ve been searching for ways to thank these hard-working, caring and creative educators for all the ways they bless my kids day after day and have found these tips on blessing a teacher: Pray for them: While we can’t solicit prayer requests or set up prayer groups in the public schools, moms can still get on their knees for students and teachers.

You don’t even have to pray alone. Last year, I started a local group through Moms in Prayer International with two other moms. We met once a week to pray for our own kids and the schools they attend. Each week, we asked God to give wisdom strength, energy, and joy to the teachers, administrators and other school staff. To find a group for your school or to learn how to start one, please visit Moms In Prayer International.

Volunteer: This isn’t just for stay-at-home moms! There’s a great deal of flexibility for school volunteers. You could help with the school newsletter, serve on the PTA, man the prize table at a school carnival, shelve books in the school library, listen to children read, walk kids back and forth to testing or pictures on special schedule days, make copies, and more.

Send Supplies: We all get the lengthy school supply list at the beginning of the year, but keep in mind that supplies need to be replenished over time. Many teachers and teaching assistants buy glue sticks, pencils and other supplies with their own money. Here are some supplies you could send in (depending on grade level):

* Pencils * Paper * Notebook reinforcers * Dry erase markers * Glue * Tissues * Clorox wipes You can also periodically check with your child’s teacher to see if there’s anything he or she needs.

Show respect: Let’s face it, when we think there’s a problem, we Mama Bears can be pretty tough. Remember that the teacher you are talking to is a person with feelings, too. Be sure to handle concerns appropriately. You’re much more likely to have success that way.

It’s more than a little scary to entrust our kids to teachers and school administrators who we don’t really know. That’s such a powerful reason to be in prayer for them and to try to make this relationship a successful one. Ultimately, we can be a blessing to teachers by keeping in mind what Paul said: “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works” (Hebrews 10:24 NLT).

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First of all, don’t always believe everything your child says. Give the teacher a chance to tell his or her side of the story, as well.

Let your child try to handle things on her own if possible.

Ask questions rather than making assertions and demands. Teachers are professionals who likely have valuable input. Try asking: * How can we have more success this year? * What do you think we can do differently at home? * What can we change in the classroom? * What behaviors are you noticing in the classroom that we can address? * How can we work together to solve this problem?

Never show up at the classroom unexpectedly to talk to a teacher and don’t try to hold an impromptu conference on Back to School Night or during Open House. It’s unlikely they’ll be able to give you their full attention or even remember later what you talk about during those busy times. Always ask for a separate conference time---maybe even over the phone--at their convenience to talk about your child.

Don’t teach your kids to disrespect teachers by saying bad things about them at home.

Be an encouragement: If you need some ideas for teacher gifts, consider handmade presents, snacks, chocolate, gift cards to area restaurants or Starbucks, or lotion.

The best gift, though, is a thoughtful, personal thank you note telling just what you appreciate about them as a teacher. That’s something that fits every budget and that they can cherish forever.

Teachers probably hear plenty of times through the year what’s wrong. Let’s be sure we take the time to tell them what’s right and to thank them for it.

It’s more than a little scary to entrust our kids to teachers and school administrators who we don’t really know. That’s such a powerful reason to be in prayer for them and to try to make this relationship a successful one.

Ultimately, we can be a blessing to teachers by keeping in mind what Paul said: “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works” (Hebrews 10:24 NLT).

To read more devotional thoughts from Heather King, check out her blog here: http://heathercking.wordpress.com/

Heather King is a wife to a wonderful husband and a mom to three beautiful girls. A former English teacher, she now lives a life of doing dishes, folding laundry, finding lost toys and mending scraped knees. She treks to the grocery store more times a week than she’d like and struggles to keep up with chores, appointments and the to-do list that refreshes itself day after day. In addition to all that, she’s the worship leader at her church in Virginia, a Bible study teacher and women’s ministry leader. Somewhere in the middle of the noise, mess, and busyness of life, she takes time to meet with God at her kitchen table with a Bible, a journal and a cup of strong hot tea with lots of sugar. You can find her blogging about these times with God at her devotional site: Room To Breathe at http://heathercking.wordpress.com/ "He's solid rock under my feet, breathing room for my soul" Psalm 62:1-2 (MSG).

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www.katherinescorner.com

Visit Tricia on her blog, It’s Real Life, for more information about her books.

www.etsy.com/shop/CICinspireme

Ruby Pearls for October

by Beth Brubaker October 27th is National Music Day! Listen to or play your favorites today!

“Some men see things as they are and say, 'Why?' I dream of things that never were and say 'Why Not?'” - George Bernard Shaw 47

How Many Numbers?

Number Puzzle

by Beth Brubaker

Answer key on page 72.

This Space is For Sale!

If you would like to advertise in an upcoming issue of

Ruby for Women, please email amorris@rubyforwomen.com for all the details 48

DIY Lip Balm Recipe from the creative kitchen of Amanda Stephan One night while I was sitting in my writing chair, I needed some lip balm because my hands aren’t the only part of me that gets chapped. Trust me. A day on the boat in the hot, blistering sun will dry anyone out like a prune. Bit I digress.

Knowing what was in the lotion bar that was sitting on my nice little table right . . . next . . . to . . . me, I swiped some across my prunish lips.

And they smiled. Then, they pronounced to my children that this was the best lip balm in the entire world. (Yes, my lips did this of their own accord. I didn’t force them to say it.)

And another great idea was born!

That night, I waited until everyone in our household was asleep and I snitched every half empty container of lip balm that no one wanted to use anymore for some reason or another. Some were said to be “slimy.” Some were accused of being “chalky” or “gritty” (Ick, I know). There were at least two that had melted almost entirely out of their tubes. Poor things. (No, you may not ask why these weren’t just thrown away. See previous post regarding not wasting).

So, I gave them a new lease on life with my own homemade, non-greasy, gritty slimy, or additiveinfested lip balm that my lips had already fallen in love with. Yep, I did. I made another batch of those little lotion bars, but instead of putting them all in the silicone molds, I squirted that warm balm into those now cleaned and rejuvenated cases and let them cool down.

Apparently I need to make more because I can find those tubes anywhere. I suspect my daughter, son, and husband have stolen them. Shameless hooligans!

Amanda’s Upcycled Lip Balm What you need: * 2 oz beeswax * 2 ox coconut oil * 1 Tbsp olive oil * Essential oil of your choice – eucalyptus, peppermint, vanilla, lemon * Recycled lip balm tubes – cleaned and dried * 1 turkey / chicken marinade injector – cleaned or unused

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Let’s make it! * Combine the beeswax and coconut oil in a microwave safe container. * Microwave on high, stirring at 45 second intervals. * While waiting for the mixture to melt completely, combine olive oil and several drops of essential oil. (Cinnamon leaf or vanilla are great ones to try . . . WAIT! We could try them together – ARGH! I have no beeswax left! If you try this, let me know how it turns out, please?) * Stir until blended together * Once the beeswax and coconut oil are completely melted, stir in olive oil mixture until well mixed. * Using the new, unused turkey marinade injector (the funny part?

Hubby doesn’t have a clue where all his injectors go!), suck up some of the warm liquid. Make sure it’s quite warm, or it will be difficult to suction up. * Insert injector into cleaned and supported lip balm tubes. Inject liquid until it reaches the very top. * Set on countertop until completely cooled. * Once completely cooled and firm, twist bottom up until lip balm is slightly above the rim of the tube. Trim off the uneven top and save the cut off part for another use (I recommend lotion bars). * Hide several in secret places from your husband and children or you won’t have any! Enjoy!

www.booksbyamanda.com 50

Family Favorite Autumn Recipes from the kitchen of Lynn Mosher When the cooler weather rolls around and days are sunny and chilly or gray and rainy, we all begin thinking about our family’s favorite autumn recipes. Here are a few from the kitchen of Ruby devotional writer, Lynn Mosher.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Apple *Notes: 1) The amounts for this can be altered to suit your taste. 2) I have never used the vinegar.

What you need: * 3 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces * 4 pints Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and halved * Coarse salt and ground pepper * 1 apple, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices, each slice halved crosswise * 2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar Let’s make it!

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Arrange bacon in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake until browned, 10 minutes. Add Brussels sprouts in a single layer; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until they begin to brown, about 15 minutes.

Remove from oven, and toss in apple. Return to oven; roast until Brussels sprouts are browned and tender and apple has softened, 10 to 15 minutes.

Toss vegetables with vinegar, and serve immediately.

Gingerbread with Butterscotch Sauce *I know. This is not the healthiest recipe but it is s-o-o-o good!

1 c. sugar 1 egg, beaten ½ c. mixed butter and shortening (as Crisco) 2 c. sifted flour (can use all shortening) 1 t. cinnamon ½ c. molasses 1 t. ground ginger 1 ½ t. baking soda ½ t. salt ½ t. baking powder ½ t. ground cloves 1 c. hot water, strong coffee or apple cider (I use coffee) Cream shortening and butter with sugar. Add egg and molasses and beat well. Sift together all dry ingredients and stir in. Add hot coffee last. Mix well. This makes a very fluid batter. Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until done. When cool, cut in squares and serve with sweetened whipped cream or butterscotch sauce.

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Butterscotch Sauce 1 c. brown sugar firmly packed ½ c. sugar 1/3 c. milk 2 T. shortening 2 T. butter 1 T. light corn syrup ¼ t. salt 1 t. vanilla Place all ingredients except vanilla in pan. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil only one minute. Remove from heat. Cool slightly. Add vanilla. Makes 1 ½ cups. (When I fix this for second son when he comes home, I double the sauce. This is his favorite!)

White Pizza 1 large Boboli crust or your favorite pizza crust 1 container Alouette or similar garlic and herb spreadable cheese 12 slices cooked and crumbed bacon Chopped grilled chicken or smoked deli turkey 1- 8 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms 1- 8 oz. round of Gouda cheese, shredded or Monterey Jack Parmesan, as much as you like Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes or your desired doneness.

Poppy Seed Tea Loaf 3 c. flour 1 t. salt 1 ½ t. baking powder 2 ¼ c. sugar 3 eggs 1 ½ c. milk

1 1/8 c. vegetable oil 1 ½ T. poppy seeds 1 ½ t. almond extract 1 ½ t. almond extract 1 ½ t. butter flavoring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour 2 large or 3 small loaf pans. In large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Stir in eggs, mile, and oil. Add poppy seeds, vanilla, almond extract, and butter flavoring. Mix for 2 minutes with the electric mixer. Do not over beat. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 5-60 minutes or until pick comes out clean. Pour glaze over warm loaves.

Leave in pans to cool.

Glaze ¼ c. orange juice ½ c. sugar ½ t. vanilla

½ t. almond extract ½ t. butter flavoring

Mix together thoroughly and drizzle over warm loaf of Poppy Seed Tea Loaf.

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“But, Lord, I want to be Susan Hayward”

by Sharon L. Patterson Psalm 37:4: “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.”

Have you noticed that there is quite a journey between the first word of this scripture “delight” and the word “desires”? I’d like to share mine with you although we must journey to an age you that may be a bit unknown to you if you are under the age of forty.

“My search for significance began in the first grade.

Now even I recognized my skill sets were somewhat limited and there was little development of an area of expertise. The best possibility I could come up with was that since I was short, I could compete with Jeanine Cox for the class’s shortest girl. However, we tied for that notoriety so I still had no distinguishing point of identity.”

In the 1950’s, the little girls of my generation searched diligently among gorgeous movie stars for our future womanly identity. My poor little scrawny bones bore little resemblance to my choice, the curvaceous, beautiful and very dramatic Susan Hayward. And brother, did she ever have a walk! But we will come back to that a little later.

We all start out with desires, don’t we? My search for significance began in the first grade. Now even I recognized my skill sets were somewhat limited and there was little development of an area of expertise.

The best possibility I could come up with was that since I was short, I could compete with Jeanine Cox for the class’s shortest girl.

However, we tied for that notoriety so I still had no distinguishing point of identity.

However, I did do something I did not realize during those early years that would very much add significance to my life.

When I came home from school or on an early Saturday morning, I would go outside, lie down on the sidewalk and look up in the great expanse of clouds and talk to God. I loved how big His sky was. I couldn’t begin to imagine how big God must be. I was delighting in His greatness.

By the fourth grade I had a lot of desires and further attempts at establishing uniqueness. Charlotte Smith had the most beautiful handwriting I had ever seen. I wanted to be able to make my letters just like hers. I tried and tried, but she always seemed to do it best.

Later that year, there was an art contest. My sheep sculpture in Ivory soap didn’t make it. But my portrait of Donald Isaac who sat across from me actually placed with an “Honorable Mention” ribbon. It was from that point on I had a great interest in art. I began delighting myself in the Lord by drawing the things of God’s creation and my favorite of all was people.

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In high school I made a whopping $3.00 a portrait of friends who would sit for me to draw. So I have to consider that a success…at least I was an artist who made money and didn’t have to die first.

My fame was somehow shortlived and continued to be elusive.

There was one more desire I had that fourth grade year. I wanted to sing. My first experience as a soloist was my rendition of Debbie Reynolds’s “Tammy” to my fourth grade music class.

It was followed later that year by my Christmas solo of “What Child Is This?” at the Masonic Home for The Aged in Arlington, Texas. What a truly stellar performance that was!

That performance was not my first, for I had learned to sing in youth choir. How I loved singing the hymns and praising God. Of course, I didn’t understand what praise was all about; I just knew I loved to sing to God. As I delighted in him, He fulfilled my desire. In my late 20’s I was the featured soloist on a Christian television program.

In l995 I was privileged to sing all over Israel as the invited guest soloist for a tour group. From “Jesus Loves Me”, God greatly expanded my delight in worshipping Him in song. At 65, I still sing in choir today …the voice is a bit rusty, but the worship is richer than ever!

Moving forward in time to the tenth grade, I acquired another desire: I wanted to write something worthy of being read “out loud” by my teacher. Somehow, my illustrious “Dirge to Beowulf” totally escaped the attention of Mrs. Lovett, my English teacher.

But I continued to write…daily, in my diary. There I confided all my hopes, dreams, emotions…and my prayers.

With penchant for couplet rhyme acquired from my Chaucerian attempts at humorous, poignant poetry, a love for God’s word and wisdom gleaned from pastors and teachers, I began composing poems on everyday subjects.

Since that time, God has answered the desires of my heart and a simple published poem led, thirty years later to three published books of my own. I have also been a contributing author in several other books and publications.

In all my striving to find Sharon’s specialty in life, one person’s opinion mattered most to me. As long as I could remember, I had wanted to hear my father verbalize, “I am proud of you.” Any achievement I made in school had to be worked at very hard.

Thus I was very much an overachiever.

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My first study skills developed while reading and memorizing scripture as a little girl in Sunday school. At that time, I did not grasp that I was delighting myself in the Lord and that one day, many years later, as a senior in high school I would finally hear the words I longed to hear: My Dad said them to me the night I graduated salutatorian of my class of almost 500.

The little girl who struggled to succeed in school by learning how to study hard went on to become an educator. For 25 years, I was privileged to help many prepare not only for my French and history classes, but college as well. God had more than given me the desire of my heart.

“In all my striving to find Sharon’s specialty in life, one person’s opinion mattered most to me. As long as I could remember, I had wanted to hear my father verbalize, “I am proud of you.” Any achievement I made in school had to be worked at very hard. Thus I was very much an overachiever.”

As with all little girls of my era, I wanted not only my father’s love and pride, but to marry a knight in shining armor. I did…however, his armor and his love rusted away…leaving his princess to feel more like a frog than a princess. (I know, that is usually in the story where the prince is the frog, but for now, I will take a bit of poetic license).

Gratefully, God gave grace and another knight…32 years later, his armor may squeak a little but he is no less my gallant knight in shining armor. I desired someone who would love me always and think I was pretty. Once more, the desire of my heart was realized.

Now, that last paragraph contains one of the last fourth grade desires I want to share. It spawned at the time school pictures were taken. I considered myself not only insignificant, but lacking the beauty I sought in all the movie stars I tried to emulate.

That eventful year in the fourth grade, there was this beautiful, blueeyed, dimple cheeked, golden haired beauty that I wanted to be like. When the school pictures came out, you spotted her blond curls and huge almond-shaped eyes almost immediately.

You can also spot me…first row, in the middle. I am the skinny little knot-kneed waif with the too-high-on-the- forehead bangs (mother always cut them right before picture time) and the eyes opened so wide that you see nothing but white. I look as if I had just seen a ghost.

You see, I thought that if I opened my eyes extra wide they would look as pretty as my gorgeous class mate. I had already ruined my Susan Hayward imitation.

Remember back to that walk I told you about at first? I had already tried it out on my fellow fourth graders. My glamorous stride resembled a lame duck walk and my friends let me know that as they imitated me. I didn’t get fame…I got notoriety!

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As I delighted myself in the Lord, even as a broken woman, He began to take that ugly little duckling and transform her.

When I was hurting the most, I went to Him…the same one I looked up in the sky to talk to at 6…the same one I sang to and drew pictures about his creation at 10…the same one I wrote poems and prayers to at l4…the same one who rewarded my diligent study at l7…the same one who gave me beauty for ashes and my knight in shining armor at 33.

My search for significance led me, delightfully, to the One who is significance itself. My desires are complete in Him for I am truly complete in Him. So, in completion of this journey you and I have been on for the last several paragraphs, there are merely a couple of lines (in the finest Chaucerian tradition) I want to leave you with: “Lord, I don’t want to be Susan Hayward after all, if you please, For then … I would have had to miss becoming me.”

Sharon Patterson, retired educator, career military wife, and leader in women's ministry, has written inspirational encouragement in various forms from greeting cards to short stories, poetry, and Bible studies for over thirty years.

“My search for significance led me, delightfully, to the One who is significance itself. My desires are complete in Him for I am truly complete in Him.”

She has authored three books: A Soldier's Strength from the Psalms (2007); Healing for the Holes in Our Souls (2008); and Where Is Happy? (2011).

She is a contributing author for Chicken Soup for the Soul: A Book of Miracles and Chicken Soup for the Soul: Answered Prayer; also Gettin' Old Ain't for Wimps (Karen O'Connor,2004) and Special Strength for Special Parents (Nina Fuller, 2006).

She and her husband Garry live in Round Rock, Texas. They have three sons and five grandchildren.

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In addition, Ruby for Women has published ebooks for poets and writers of short stories and devotionals, as well as ebook tutorials and patterns for sewing and crafts for mamas*little*treasures which are currently sold on numerous websites, including You Can Make This at www.youcanmakethis.com Beginning in 2012, all of our publications will be produced, published, and promoted by Gossamer Wings Publications, and we are now offering our publishing services to you. We will publish your writing, poetry, sewing and craft books, devotional and inspirational articles, short stories, and any other family-friendly projects that you've been working on.

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Email today for your FREE consultation and to set-up your very first publication with Gossamer Wings Publications! gossamerwingspublishing@hotmail.com 57

Avoid a Collision with a Positive Vision

by Glenda Staten Glenda Staten is the owner of Positivity 4 Ever. Positivity 4 Ever promotes positivity by providing helpful resources to enrich everyone's life. She created "Avoid a Collision with a Positive Vision", a basic guide used to help young adults make positive decisions and live a responsible life while accomplishing their goals. High school students, college students, young adults, parents, and numerous organizations will benefit from the helpful information in the guide.

The guide focuses on "knowing yourself", "being open to change", "setting goals", friendship and bullying. Preview the guide at avoidacollision.com. Glenda also created the Positivity 4 Ever mini magazine to promote positivity, and to share positive conversations from entertainers, authors, and entrepreneurs. The magazines are available at shop.positivity4ever.com.

Glenda joined the military after graduating from Albany Junior College in Albany Georgia. While in the military, she worked for numerous organizations in the United States and abroad before retiring in 2004.

She worked at The National Defense University in Washington, DC where she performed duties as the senior enlisted leader of the organization.

Glenda worked on the National Defense University's Security Team during a visit from the President of the United States, and she was commended for her service.

Glenda was selected to be the Senior Non-commissioned Officer in Charge for the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army at the Pentagon. She completed her military career while assigned to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Personnel Administration and Services Division.

Glenda received her Master's Degree in Management from City University of Seattle in Bellevue, Washington before she retired.

Glenda's military experience enriched her life, and provided the necessary insight needed to help her focus on positivity.

For more information or to purchase your copy of Avoid a Collision with a Positive Vision, please visit her website, Avoid a Collision, at www.avoidacollision.com You can also find Glenda’s magazine, Positivity 4 Ever, at www.shop.positivity4ever.com

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Watch Out! Godly Women on the Loose

by Corallie Thornton Read what others are saying about Watch Out! Godly Women on the Loose

by Corallie Thornton “As a child Corallie Thornton barely survived the pain of living with her dysfunctional family. Life became even more unbearable when she reached her middle teens. But though many troubles, trials and the grace of a loving Father God she survived and eventually became a dynamic and confident young Christian woman. She is now committed to using her experiences to help others to victory.

Godly Women is a touching book designed to help women (and men, too) of all ages identify the basic lie they believe about God, themselves and others. Healing from the past is a process that cannot begin until we come out of denial and allow God access to deal with our past hurts and lies believed. Corallie speaks God’s truth and uses helpful word pictures to enable understanding of the plight of hurting people who feel so bound to the past. Godly Women is scripturally sound and I thoroughly recommend it as a significant healing tool for those who have been neglected or abused, those who minister to them and also those who would just be a friend.”

Dell Sadler, Omega Writers ******************************************************** “So weighed down by past experiences that freedom seems virtually impossible? Then this is the book for you.

Corallie writes in a very chatty conversational style that is very easy to relate to. She talks of her own experiences of depression – and sometimes suicidal thoughts – and how she has found her way out of this situation. But her journey was with God. Everything we do starts with a decision we make, but we have to make the decision. God will not do it for us. And if we don’t do our part then God cannot do his part.

She talks about 3 kinds of birds: the emu, the chicken and the eagle. The emu is very good at running, but it cannot fly. Many Christians are running away from things, but they are not flying. Jonah was like that. He ran away but then got stuck in a whale. Chickens are afraid of anything strange and run away.

Moses was like that. He ran away and hid for 40 years. But God finally got through to him. Eagles fly!

But how many ‘chicken Christians’ are admiring ‘Eagle Christians’ wishing they could fly too? Do you really think an eagle would be happy in a cage? Are you stuck in a cage?

But often it is a cage of your own making. The door is open, you know. The book is not a quick fix. There is no such thing.

But it can point you in the right direction. Take your time to read it. And then take time to become the woman you were meant to be and the woman you would like to be.”

Elly Byrne, Sydney Anglicans 59

“If you find that some days you can hardly summon the strength to rise out of bed because your past is weighing you down, Watch Out! Godly Women on the Loose is the book for you. This book is designed for women who desperately want to move on from their haunting past and the lies that the devil feeds them. It is for women who want to unlock God’s power and discover his exciting plans for their future.

Corallie Thornton writes Godly Women knowing what it feels like to struggle with issues and experiences from the past such as depression, loneliness and suicide. But she also knows what it is like to live with God every day, in freedom and in accordance with his will. Thornton believes that her experiences enabled her to write Godly Women, and thereby encourage other women in similar situations.

She writes in simple, easy to understand language, and not only uses first person but addresses the reader as “honey” and “gorgeous sister”. This helps to make the book accessible to many, and combined with the personal stories Thornton shares, it creates the impression that she is engaging in a personal conversation with the reader. Godly Women covers a variety of issues such as negativity, forgiveness, making excuses and moving on from the past. The final section of the book helps the reader to understand their loving Heavenly Father, which is especially helpful for women who have had a negative experience with their earthly father.

Thornton supports every point she makes with Scripture, and often includes her personal reflections and experiences. She believes that a connection with God and a deep understanding of who He is, is essential for women to overcome their struggles and move in a positive direction. This is an encouraging and challenging book whether you have experienced abuse in the past or need motivation to do God’s work. And when you have finished reading it, be sure to keep it at the front of the bookshelf as sections of the book may repeatedly help you as you continue to battle your past.”

Julia Hosking, Salvation Army: ***************************************************** “The author came from a dysfunctional and abusive family background.

But her personal experiences comprise only a small part of this book.

After her own life was turned around, she decided to assist others who have experienced a similar upbringing. Her approach is far from mild mannered. She strongly urges abused women to wake up to reality and to avoid band-aid solutions while encouraging them to strive to reach their full God-given potential. Her call to action is Bible centered.

The first section on decision making focuses on the drama of Moses crossing the Red Sea to free the Israelites from bondage. Daniel is cited as an example of a Christ-centered life. The second section uses avian imagery to describe the different stages of developing a relationship with God. In the third part there are studies on coping with past hurts, adapting a positive attitude and working to forgive perpetrators of abuse. The final part deals with the many aspects of God as a father figure.

Recommended as a worthwhile addition to a church library.”

Natalie Schwartz, Omega Writers http://www.word.com.au/Watch-Out-Godly-Women-on-the-Loose/Corallie-Thornton/9780980541489 60

The Happy Housewife

by Elizabeth Baker Foreword (2012) Receiving a candid glimpse into one’s personal past is a rare privilege, but I got one. When I began converting The Happy Housewife from physical pages to electronic files, the past came rushing at me headlong. Here were my thoughts, feelings, and conclusions from forty years ago come to life in my own words.

I scarcely knew the young mother who was publishing her first book before her thirtieth birthday. It was like looking in a mirror and wondering how the wrinkles and grey hair happened so suddenly.

Yet, as I continued down memory lane, I was surprised to find most of my conclusions as valid in 2012 as they had been in 1976. Life was certainly different but truth was not.

Back then there were no computers, cell phones or Internet. In fact, even school backpacks were not yet in vogue. I know. I created the first few chapters with a pencil borrowed from my daughter’s pile of arm-held supplies and finished out on a manual typewriter bought at a garage sale.

“One of the basic facts of this book has been that its author is no one special. I am a housewife with little education and no formal Bible training. I am very common, but I serve a most uncommon God. And the great thing about that statement is that, if you want Him, He will be your God and Savior, too.”

It was a pleasure to find the advice I gave long ago and the emotions I felt then are as valid today as they were when I pulled carbon-paper copies from black rubber rollers.

Of course, some things can’t help but change and one of those is the English language. In the ‘70s, gender correctness was in its infancy. My generation had no problem with the fact that our mailman was a woman.

When our church congregation sang, “Brethren we have met to worship,” no one was insulted and everyone understood brethren meant everyone—male and female equally.

I still remember how shocked I was when many years later my doctoral committee made me change my dissertation to read humankind instead of mankind.

Another change forced by time is the capitalization of pronouns referring to deity. Once it was acceptable to put Him in the middle of a sentence. No more.

Now, it gives the grammar check indigestion. Even God with a capitol “G” is slowly changing. For some that spelling no longer refers exclusively to Jehovah, the God of Christians and Jews, but to an unidentified, all-powerful force of nature or a general idea of Supreme Being unbound by religious connotations.

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Today, when I write for publication I keep these changes in mind. I compose for editors with an updated style book and modern readers. But for this book, I have chosen to keep mixed gender identified with masculine pronouns rather than he/she and to capitalize all pronouns referring to Deity despite grammatical rules to the contrary. Just chalk it up to an old lady who is still part of mankind and delights in worshiping Him. Other things never change. Motherhood involves joys and baby puke, insecurities and dreams, hard work and confusion—just like always. And, the practicality of applying Bible solutions to daily problems works the same yesterday, today and forever.

I found fresh proof of that as I read the closing paragraphs of the 1976 edition. Their timelessness touched me so deeply I decided to include them as a close to this 2012 Foreword:

“Back then there were no computers, cell phones or Internet. In fact, even school backpacks were not yet in vogue.

I know. I created the first few chapters with a pencil borrowed from my daughter’s pile of armheld supplies and finished out on a manual typewriter bought at a garage sale.”

“One of the basic facts of this book has been that its author is no one special. I am a housewife with little education and no formal Bible training. I am very common, but I serve a most uncommon God. And the great thing about that statement is that, if you want Him, He will be your God and Savior, too.

If Jesus can use my small faith, He can surely use yours. If He can teach my thick head, He can teach you, too. If He can use my talent, He can use yours. There is no limit to His forgiveness, no bounds to His great love, nothing He can’t conquer, no person He can’t save.

If this book has impressed you with the ability of the Lord to touch the everyday things, it has achieved its purpose. If it has caused you to see more clearly the goals God has for you, it has been well worth the tedious hours I’ve devoted to it. If it has stirred in your heart a desire to know more of Him, then I am more than repaid for the times I’ve prayed for you over these typewriter keys.”

Editor’s Note: This charming and inspirational book by Elizabeth Baker has been re-published and is now available again through Amazon. Ruby for Women is honored to be able to share with our readers a new chapter each month, along with the updated Forward that reflects the author’s heart from the original publication. We hope you enjoy the timeless wisdom from Elizabeth Baker, The Happy Housewife.

This month we bring you Chapter Five from The Happy Housewife: “The Service of the King.”

“If Jesus can use my small faith, He can surely use yours. If He can teach my thick head, He can teach you, too. If He can use my talent, He can use yours. There is no limit to His forgiveness, no bounds to His great love, nothing He can’t conquer, no person He can’t save.”

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The Happy Housewife

by Elizabeth Baker

Chapter Five The Service of the King God created man before He did woman. He chose a man, Abraham, to be the founder of the Jewish race. Every good monarch the Bible records was of the male gender (as were most of the evil ones!).

All the apostles were men. God is never referred to anywhere in Scripture as being feminine.

When God got ready to take on human form, He chose the shape of a man (John 1:14).

Though there are exceptions, the Bible most often shows women as wives and mothers. We find them cooking, sewing, cleaning, and serving meals from Genesis through the epistles.

Some women resent the role that God has given them. They ask, “Why did God give us brains, then assign us a task for which brains are useless? How dare He put us down to the level of servants? Aren’t we just as good as men? What glory is there in learning how to boil potatoes properly?

What honor is there in rinsing out the diaper pail?

What pride is to be found in cleaning the refrigerator? Are not these tasks that could just as easily be performed by any numbskull working for base pay?

As best I can understand, housework is just the type of thing the women’s movement would like to “liberate” us from.

Showdown at the Kitchen Sink Personally, I love a clean house—polished floors, clean windows, a kitchen with spotless white appliances and every last dish and spoon and glass all gleaming and in its proper place.

I love a clean house, but I don’t like to clean one, and the job I dislike most is washing the dishes.

There is something so uninviting about the sight of all that yuck.

When I was a young wife, I despised doing dishes. I always put them off until forced to wash them in order to have something on which to eat the next meal. The breakfast dishes sat because “there are only a few of them.”

The main meal was served at noon, and those dishes sat because Bill worked various shifts and I would figure, “there is plenty of time to get them later.” At suppertime I would rinse out a pot to heat a can of soup and tell myself what a good mother I was because while other families had to settle for a cold sandwich, mine was served a “hot meal.”

Around 10 at night I would reluctantly stand over a sink of greasy water and daydream about the spotless beautiful home I would care for someday. I would wash until I got tired (which didn’t take long), then leave the pans and whatever else I didn’t want to clean in the sink because “they need to soak.”

There was no need to dry and put away the few dishes I had washed for they would be used again tomorrow . . . or maybe the next day.

A plate full of garbage, a sink full of pots in greasy water, and a drainer full of almost-clean dishes became as much a part of my kitchen as the salt and potatoes. And though I’m ashamed to admit it, the rest of the house didn’t look much better.

It wasn’t so much that I was lazy but that housework seemed so useless and such a heavy burden. I thought of it as drudgery, and a drudgery it was. It was a sentence to which I had been condemned for life by some unknown court. If I did clean all the dishes one morning, more were dirty before night.

What use was it to make beds? People would crawl back into them in a few hours. One of the most frustrating things about housework is the fact that it won’t stay done.

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It seems a woman spends her youth washing diapers and the prime of her life cooking for a family and waiting on her man. Then when she is 80 years old, she finds herself alone, preparing a meal for one and dusting off a bookcase full of memories that no one wants to listen to anymore.

What has been accomplished? What value has her life been? If she never held political office, never served on the school board, never wrote a book, never pastored a church, never played concert piano, never traveled the globe, never was acclaimed a sex symbol, and died without having seen the ocean?

A Measuring Stick for Housewives Two of the best ways I know to judge the value of anything is (1) how necessary is it? (2) what effect has it on the lives of others? These two questions can be used to judge everything from the value of a convict’s life to the value of a president’s term and on through the finished work of Jesus on Calvary.

What about housework? Is it necessary? Yes! If the kitchen is not cleaned, rotting food breeds disease. If clothes are not cared for, they quickly become soiled, ragged, and a disgrace to the family. If the beds are not made and floors cleaned, members of the household become ashamed of their home, embarrassed to invite friends there. Housework is necessary.

What effect does it have on others? When given with a willing attitude, it makes home a pleasant place to be and says very clearly that mother cares about the people who live there.

The fellow who said, “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world” wasn’t whistling “Dixie.” A Christian home is the greatest earthly resource society has. If it were not for Christian homes and godly mothers, this world would have caved in long ago.

As a Christian mother goes about the daily task of laundering, cooking, bed making, and kissing the children’s bruises, she is like a mason working with bricks. Each tiny piece may be unimportant of itself, but when each piece is carefully set in place and mortared together with love, we form something solid and immovable, a Christian home.

A Package Deal The seed catalogs have been arriving these last few weeks. One item they often feature is a package deal; for one price the buyer gets all the odds and ends of plants, trees, and bulbs that will fit in a certain size box. When I buy that box, everything in it belongs to me. All the good, all the not-so-good, and all the rotten.

My life is like that too. I’m a package deal and Jesus bought me. Everything I am belongs to Him because He bought the package on Calvary. He bought my sin and He bought my car. He bought my selfrighteousness and he bought my money problems.

He bought my hang-ups and He bought my dirty dishes.

When I recognized this as true, Jesus changed my life. As part of that, He changed my house-keeping too. Oh, I still don’t like to do dishes. I’d much rather garden or sew. But housework has changed from an unhappy burden to an opportunity to serve Him by serving others. Doing dishes is not so bad.

It is a good time to memorize Scripture verses, sing praises to the Lord, or look out the window above the sink for a few minutes and thank Him for morning sunshine. And when the last spoon is dried and put away there is a feeling of accomplishment in a job well done.

There is nothing shameful about serving in the home. There is no reason for a woman to feel that she must apologize for saying, “housewife,” when asked her occupation. Solomon said, “I have seen . . princes walking as servants upon the earth” (Ecclesiastes 10:7).

Jesus stated, “But whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:26-28). Jesus came to serve others.

He stooped to wash the disciples’ feet and felt no shame in doing so, for He gave them an example of the value of humble service. Jesus lost no dignity by serving others, so how possibly could we? Respect is something someone gives you but dignity is a quality of spirit that comes from within. When we perform our task with dignity, we are more likely to be given respect by those we serve.

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What Would Jesus Do? Jesus is our example in all things (John 13:15; I Peter 2:21), but to follow an example you must first see it clearly. The better you observe the example, the more closely you can follow.

The Hearty Homemaker Scripture places the care of the house directly in the hands of the younger women. Jesus expects us to use what He gives us, and as Christian wives and mothers we will someday be called before Him to give account of what He placed in our hands while here on earth (Matthew 25:14-30).

We know much about Jesus by reading the Bible.

In it we see on every hand His humility, patience, perseverance, and willingness to serve. And through a daily relationship with Christ in thought and prayer and by responding to the gentle leading of the Spirit, we begin to know Jesus in a very unique and personal way. By knowing Him we can follow His example even in our daily chores.

Everything we do should be done heartily, giving service to our Lord with a willing and vibrant spirit.

Everything, including housework. “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men; knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ.” (Colossians 3:23-24).

Many times I have been prodded into doing a task I was reluctant to tackle or into rearranging the schedule I had planned for the day by considering what Jesus would do if He were standing in my shoes at the moment.

The way a home is cared for determines its loveliness much more than its original cost does. A once beautiful two-story brick home in our town is so neglected, dirty, and cluttered it looks bad even from the road.

Last night we had friends over; with the six of us and the three of them, there were nine people in our kitchen. While the adults were hanging over the table playing “Wa-hoo,” the children were dragging out every toy in the closet.

However, many homes in the poor sections of town have a well-cared-for appearance. One very old home has no paint at all on its weathered, grey, sides, but it is neat in every sense of the word.

By the time our company left, about 10:30, the place was a wreck! We quickly put the children to bed. Bill went to make the night rounds of all the sick, lame, and lazy cows shut up in the barn, and I was left alone standing by the heater warming my backside, yawning, and surveying the ruins.

The kitchen looked like Christmas morning. Blocks, dolls, and trains stretched away in every direction. I had fried a batch of glazed doughnuts, and between coffee, cokes, and iced tea, we had managed to dirty every glass in the cabinet. Now the clean up chores beckoned me.

The house was warm and quiet. How nice it would be to curl up under the blankets and daydream my way through a catalog. The work could wait until another day. But I considered what Jesus would do.

Would he spend time thumbing through a magazine, or would He more likely attend to the work at hand? I had to admit that from what I knew about my Lord, He would probably roll up His sleeves and get busy cleaning up the mess.

It has no screens, but the windows are sparkling and the curtains behind them are mended and starched, and bright. In the summer the lawn is always trimmed and there is never paper or clutter lying around.

Personally, I would far rather live in this house than in the two-story brick. A clean home that has a cherished appearance brings honor to the people who live there, especially to the woman.

When we work to produce a neat home, that is the fruit of our hands, and Proverbs 31:31 reads, “Give her of the fruit of her hands, / And let her own works praise her in the gates.”

Most Scripture passages relating to a woman’s work urge her to be industrious and avoid laziness.

However, there is a danger at the opposite extreme too. This is spotlighted in an incident in the life of Jesus.

He had gone to visit in the house of Mary and Martha, and their brother, Lazarus (Luke 10:38-42).

It seems Jesus liked to rest in this friendly home, and the family is mentioned several times in the Gospels.

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On one occasion when Jesus was there, Mary sat at His feet and listened to His words. Her sister Martha “was distracted by much serving.” Martha got aggravated at her sister.

Martha became so involved in the details of serving Jesus that she missed the opportunity of being with Him. She could have listened to the Master of the Universe speak.

She also thought Jesus needed to be reminded that there was work to do and that Mary should help with it. Her statement runs over with self-pity as she chides Jesus: “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”

The Son of God Himself was close enough to touch, near enough to gaze into His eyes, and Martha was off somewhere polishing dewdrops and filling up with self-pity.

Jesus’ answer was gentle but pointed. “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Martha had been the one who invited Jesus to the home. She must have felt honored to have such a famous guest. What pride to be able to tell her neighbors, “Jesus had dinner here last night.”

Surely she trotted out her best plates and worried over which recipe would be best for the lamb. She probably dusted and polished everything twice, and fussed over the wrinkle in the tablecloth.

No doubt Jesus appreciated her efforts but would have been content with a hamburger if she had only taken time to be with Him and to listen to what He wanted to say to her.

We can be so busy serving the Master that we have no time to love the Master. We can be so busy serving the family that we have no time to be gentle and take part in their lives.

There are times when mopping the floors is not nearly as important as drying a little boy’s tears.

There are times when washing the supper dishes is not nearly so important as having a cup of coffee with the man of the house and taking time to share his day with him.

Spiritual Trail Mix

by Elizabeth Baker Spiritual Trail Mix by Elizabeth Baker is the perfect companion for modern life on the go. Whether you’re looking for a moment of down time before going to sleep or an interlude of laughter while waiting in line, these stories will give a fresh reason to face the day with a positive attitude. From romance to humor to drama, the variety will be refreshing and the spiritual nourishment a boost to keep you going with a smile.

Like a quick call from a friend or an unexpected breeze on a summer day, these 30 stories provide a moment of refreshment without weighing you down. And, best of all, every story can be read in ten minutes or less.

You have enjoyed Elizabeth’s stories in Ruby for Women, now download her e-book free as a member of Amazon Prime, or purchase for $3.99 from Amazon. E-book can be purchased formatted for other readers at www.ElizabethBakerBooks.com

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Challah Braid from the kitchen of Mary Ellen Wright A pot of soup bubbling on the stove and a loaf of sweet smelling bread right out of the oven . . . . what could be more perfect on an autumn afternoon? Mary Ellen shares her recipes for Challah Braid bread and Minestrone soup with all of the Ruby for Women readers.

Makes 1 large loaf or 2 medium loaves

What you need: * 4 ½ cups white flour * 2 tsp salt * ¾ oz fresh yeast—3 dry envelopes * Scant 1 cup hot tap water * 6 Tablespoons sugar * 2 eggs * 6 Tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

For Glaze: * 1 egg yoke *1 Tablespoon water

1. Sift the flour, 4 T sugar, and salt together into a large bowl and make a well in the center.

In a small bowl, mix the yeast with the water and 2 T sugar and let sit for a few minutes—till it starts working.

2. Add yeast mixture to the center of the flour with the eggs and melted butter or margarine. Gradually mix in the surrounding flour to form a soft dough.

3. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface (I put another ½ cup flour in my sifter and use this to dust the surface as I knead—depending on the humidity in the room, I sometimes do not use the entire ½ cup.) and knead for 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let rise, in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

4. Punch down, re-cover and let rise again in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.

5. Punch down, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently.

For 1 large loaf-- Divide into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 18” long.

For 2 medium loaves -- Divide dough into 2 equal pieces. Then cut each of the two pieces into 4 pieces (You now have 8 pieces) Roll each piece into a rope about 18” long. You will use 4 pieces to braid for each loaf.

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Line the four pieces up next to each other and pinch the ends together on one end.

6. Starting from the right, lift the first rope over the second and third rope over the fourth. Take the fourth rope and place in between the first and second ropes.

Repeat starting from the right and continue until braided.

7. Tuck the ends under and place the loaf on a prepared baking sheet. Cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 30-45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Meanwhile preheat the over to 350 degrees. Beat egg yolk and water for the glaze together.

7. Brush the egg glaze gently over the loaf. Sprinkle evenly with the poppy seeds and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the Challah is a deep golden brown. Transfer onto a wire rack and let cool before slicing.

Mary Ellen’s Minestrone Soup In a LARGE soup kettle, brown and drain1 lb ground chuck or turkey. Then add: * 1 large onion diced * 1 Cup sliced carrots * 4 cloves garlic minced * 2 cans red beans or kidney beans or pinto beans * 1 can – 16 oz – diced tomatoes with liquid * 1 Cup water * 5 teaspoons beef bouillon granules or 5 cubes * 1 teaspoon salt * ½ teaspoon leaf oregano crumbled * ½ teaspoon leaf basil crumbled * ¼ teaspoon pepper Bring all of this to a boil then lower heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Then add: * 4 Cups water * 2 cups shredded cabbage * 1 Cup frozen green beans or one can green beans, drained * ½ C macaroni, spaghetti OR noodles

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Bring to boil again, lower heat, cover, simmer 10 minutes Serve hot with Parmesan cheese on top if you want. (Once when I didn't have cabbage, I grated butternut squash--it was yummy!)

Enjoy--Shabbat Shalom--Peaceful Sabbath!

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When Superman Cannot Fly

by Beth Brubaker It's hard to think of our heroes getting hurt. They are our protectors, our support, and help us through the bad times. But yesterday my hero fell from the sky.

My husband works with a chemical called caustic soda. The mixture reacted and splattered over his body. He now lies in a hospital bed with second and third degree acid burns on 35% of his body.

And they are still flushing out his eyes with saline. It's been almost twenty-four hours since the accident. I won't go into too many details, but he will need skin grafting and a lot of time to heal.

So what happens when your hero falls? You become his heroine. You pick him up. You nurture him. You feed him, give him something to drink, and say things to make him smile. You never let him see you cry - at least in the beginning.

Yesterday I was the damsel in distress and he would come and save me from the kids, the repairman, and computer viruses. Today he's the one who needs me, and I will be there for him. Yesterday he was my hero, today I am his. And when we're through this, we will both be wearing capes.

Update: He’s Not Broken, Just Dented If my husband were a car, he would be dented, not broken. The body is a bit shot, with a lot of dings in it, but the engine is still going strong. He can take in fuel, the exhaust system works, and so does the horn. All the rest is just surface damage.

People expected me to be devastated. I expected me to be devastated! I over-react to everything, so why would something major like this accident be any different? After all, this a lot worse than the small stuff...right? The only answer could be God. He was keeping me sane and serene through it all.

Yes, I did cry. Yes, I did worry if my husband was all right. But it wasn't the same anymore - it was like God came along and put His hand on my shoulder and said 'I got this.' The rest was easy.

Recovery is faster than expected, but slow when it comes to the release date from the hospital. We have a lot to do- he needs to be busy healing, while I am taking care of the house and kids, managing visits and packing the house to move- we are moving at the end of October. I think his job is harder.

And if you've been reading this blog, you know I would have cracked by now. I'd probably be in a corner nursing on a chocolate and cream ring-ding and be humming show-tunes. But God had other plans. He hid my ring-dings and gave me the strength to move forward. I can't help but smile when I see my husband. He is alive and well (if dented), and in very good spirits. And when the docs are done fussing over him, he's coming back to me. That's all that matters.

God might have to give me a little more strength when he gets home because I'll probably have to hold my husband down just to keep him from trying to go back to work!

Yes, he's a nut, but he's my nut- cracked as he is. We're not out of the woods yet, but I can see daylight. And it gets brighter every day. God is indeed good!

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Another recipe from the kitchen of the Southern Granny, Debra Elliott BBQ Chicken Livers Ingredients: * 1 container chicken livers * 1 tablespoon * season salt * 1 teaspoon pepper * 1 teaspoon sea salt * 1 pkg.maple bacon * apricot BBQ sauce Apricot BBQ Sauce: * 1 cup of apricot jam * 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar * the juice of 1/2 lemon * 1/4 cup brown sugar Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, Rinse chicken livers. Combine season salt, pepper, and salt in mixing bowl, add livers, coat well, place in oven about 10 minutes. While livers cook, add BBQ sauce ingredients to saucepan and cook over medium heat about 10 minutes. Cook bacon slices over medium heat, 2 minutes on each side, (y'all don't want your bacon crispy) remove from heat, drain on paper towel. Once BBQ sauce is done, remove chicken livers from oven, toss in BBQ sauce until well coated, return to oven and cook about 15 minutes until done. Remove from oven; wrap each BBQ liver in bacon and secure with food pick.

You can find more yummy Southern recipes on Debra’s blog, Granny’s Down Home Southern Cooking at http://grannyssoutherncooking.blogspot.com/

Becoming the Disciple Whom Jesus Loved

by Michelle Lazurek Becoming the Disciple Whom Jesus Loved: Discover Your Character In God’s Love Story (Winepress Publishing, October, 2011) invites readers to engage with the story God is writing for their lives and discover their role as a character in that story. The book also asks the reader “What’s Your Story?” and provides thought provoking questions at the end of each chapter to allow readers to interact with the material.

The book is available on her website www.michellelazurek.com, www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com.

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Make your own Lotion Bars with this DIY Recipe from Amanda Stephan We’ve all gotten pretty good at recycling, upcycling, and reusing lots of things, and here is another great idea to live up to our motto, “Waste not, want not.”

With cracked, hurting hands, I reached for the lotion dispenser…and I came up empty. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. I was completely out of lotion. Again. To make matters worse, I didn't want to go to the store. I mean, come on. Gas is $3.65 and we live half an hour away from, well, everywhere.

I had seen lotion bars once a long time ago, and I thought it was kind of weird. Until I touched the sample they had lying out for people like me that just have to touch everything. (Yes. I used to drive my mother crazy. “Quit touching” was her favorite phrase).

Having been in this Mad Scientist mood for a long time…insert years…I decided to make my own lotion bars…because I was desperate and I wasn't going to the store. With a little tweaking, testing, and experimenting, this is the recipe I came up with.

What you need: * 2 oz beeswax * 2 oz coconut oil * 1 Tbsp Olive oil * Essential oil of your choice - Eucalyptus, peppermint, vanilla, lemon * Mold for lotion bars - silicone molds work fantastic for this * Recycled lip balm tubes (optional) Combine the beeswax and coconut oil in a microwave safe container. Microwave on high, stirring at 45 second intervals. While waiting for the mixture to completely melt, combine olive oil and several drops of essential oil. I used eucalyptus oil, but the choice is yours. I used approximately 25 drops. Stir until blended together.

Once beeswax and coconut oil are completely melted, stir in olive oil mixture until combined. Be careful, this can get hot! Pour into molds of your choice. I used a star silicone mold and a silicone ice cube tray. Place in refrigerator until set. When they're firm, pop out and store in a container. Empty Altoid tins work great for this. Waste not, want not…

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Down the Lane Word Puzzle

by Beth Brubaker

How Many Numbers?

Number Puzzle

by Beth Brubaker

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Speaking of “Waste Not, Want Not” . . .

Editors note

by Nina Newton, Sr. Editor When I was a little girl, my mama used to say all the time: “Use it up, wear it out, make do, or do without!” Now I’m sure that she learned that from experience. She grew up during the Great Depression and that affected her outlook on the world all of her life. She passed that on to me, and I remember her going to the thrift store and getting a whole grocery bag filled with clothing for 25 cents. It was our favorite thing to do . . . . pick up a grab bag for a quarter and open up that Mystery Bag to see all of the treasures we had been blessed with.

When it was time for me to go to school, she took a large size winter coat that she got from the thrift store and cut it up to make a coat just my size.

Dresses were also made out of fabric cut from discarded garments, and when one of those dresses got a bit too short, out came the fabric scraps or the grab bag to create a little ruffle all around the bottom to make it fit for a few more months.

As a young mother, I had great fun doing similar creative renovations for my daughters’ wardrobes, and even now there is nothing that is more fun (to me anyway!) than to take a sweater or skirt, dress or blouse, that someone else had tossed in the thrift store bin and turn it into something else. A little creativity goes a long way in providing unique and beautiful garments . . . . of course, that’s not something that everyone would appreciate, but it seems that anymore we are all feeling the “pinch” of limited resources, so refashioning or upcycling is definitely worth considering.

Lately I’ve been creating refashioned sweater jackets for my little Etsy shop, Tatters to Treasures, and have also been making some children’s hats and sweaters for mamas*little*treasures, as well. It is so inspiring to take something old and make it new again – which always reminds me of my own life and how God so graciously took the broken pieces and gave me joy, blessings, and beauty. If you are wondering if God can take the ashes of your life and give you beauty in exchange, do not doubt!

He is the God of creativity, and we are created in His image, so we are therefore creative, as well. All of us will have a different way of expressing our creativity, whether it be through writing, or music, or painting, drawing or sewing, quilting or journaling, cooking, homemaking, dancing, pottery, or any number of other creative endeavors. What are you doing with the creativity that God has put into your life? If you think you are not creative, think again! What is that in your hand? Whatever it is, He will use it for His glory!

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Sometimes I have wondered why I grew up the way I did (do you ever wonder that, too?), when life just seemed to be one endless struggle to “make ends meet,” and “make do or do without.” But then, I find that my creativity was nurtured, blossomed, and grew in that little cottage by the lake, and now I continue to pursue creative projects every day of my life.

Of course, my style of creativity might not be appealing to everyone ;o) but it gives me the opportunity to express what is in my heart and mind, and I would encourage you to see what is inside your heart, as well.

And, of course, we would love to see pictures of your creations to share with our readers here at Ruby for Women. Please share your ideas with us by emailing me at editor@rubyforwomen.com I look forward to hearing from you and being inspired by YOUR creativity!

Tatters to Treasures Where new beauty arises from the ashes of yesterday in reconstruction garments, shoes, and accessories www.tatterstotreasures.etsy.com www.tatterstotreasures.etsy.com

www.booksbyamanda.com

www.mamaslittletreasures.etsy.com 74

Upcycle a t-top with this Crazy Patch Design from mamas*little*treasures This easy-to-make crazy patch appliqué design is part of the Scrappy Pants collection from mamas*little*treasures, and can be made using a simple white t-top and scraps of fabric, lace, ribbon, and other trims from your sewing room. To find the instructions for the Scrappy Pants upcycled jeans, please visit www.mamaslittletreasures.etsy.com For this “shabby chic” look (which would be perfect for mom, too!), I chose fabrics and embellishments that were subtle shades of rose, sage, ivory, and gold. And, of course, one of my fabrics had great big roses on a soft pink wallpaper stripe. I included some polka dots, a sage green calico with tiny rosebuds, an old-fashioned small floral stripe, and a rosey-peach colored paisley with green accents.

Supplies: * 1 T-Top (short or long sleeve, or tank top) * 5 – 6 different coordinating fabrics, ¼ yd. each * Coordinating ribbons, lace, rick-rack, beads, buttons, charms, etc. * Matching or coordinating threads for appliqué Step 1: Begin by turning the top inside out and applying fusible interfacing to completely cover the area that you will be working on.

This is especially important when working on t-shirt knit fabric so that it doesn’t stretch while you are stitching on the crazy patch design.

Step 2: Turn the top right side out. Measure and cut a rectangle of plain white fabric the size that you want for the front design. I made a size 6/7, and my rectangle was approximately 8” high by 7” wide.

This covered enough of the front of the t-top but left plenty of room all around. You could make yours bigger or smaller, depending on the look that you want and the size that you are making.

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Step 3: Place a fabric rectangle on the front of the t-shirt to be sure that you are pleased with the size. Begin your crazy patch design with a patch that has five sides.

Place it approximately in the middle of your white rectangle.

Step 4: Begin piecing by matching up a second patch to one side of the first patch. Flip, right sides together, and stitch. Flip back and press thoroughly, and add any ribbon or trim to this first seam.

Step 5: Continue on with the third patch and ribbon or trim, making sure to completely enclose the intersection between the first two patches in the seam of the third patch.

As you get closer to the outside edges of your rectangle, be sure to trim off any excess fabric from your patches to keep your edges straight.

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Continue this process until you have completely covered the white fabric rectangle, trimming away all excess fabric from the patches to keep your edges of the rectangle straight.

Step 6: If you want to do any decorative stitching, now is the time to do it. This can be done on your sewing machine or by hand.

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Step 7: When you have completed the patches on the rectangle, measure it side to side and top to bottom to be sure it is even. Trim if necessary to make the sides even. Then place it on the front of the t-top and measure to be sure it is centered.

Press the rectangle on the front of the t-top using fusible web to hold it securely in place while you stitch it on.

Step 8: Using a wide, close satin stitch (appliquĂŠ stitch), attach the rectangle to the front of the t-top. Begin your stitching in the middle of one of the sides of the rectangle so that you can match the ending stitches easier.

Back stitch a few stitches to tie off and connect the beginning and ending stitches using a few straight stitches.

Step 9: If you want to add an appliquĂŠ to the t-top, repeat the process of pressing your design onto fusible interfacing for stability, cut out, and press onto the t-top with fusible web.

Stitch all around the design with the same satin stitch that you used to attach the crazy patch rectangle to the front of the t-top.

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Step 10: After you have stitched on any appliquĂŠs that you want, turn the t-top inside out and trim off all excess interfacing.

Press carefully, and your crazy patch t-top is finished!

The complete eBook pattern tutorial for the Scrappy Pants Collection is available from mamas*little*treasures at www.mamaslittletreasures.etsy.com 79

Copyright 2007 by Nina Newton aka mamas*little*treasures. All text and images contained herein are owned by and are copyright 2007 mamas*little*treasures. None of the contents of this pattern eBook may be reproduced or republished. This pattern is for the express and sole use of the customer for personal or home use, and may be used to create garments for the customer to sell on his or her own.

The International Christian Mompreneur Network is a community of moms who are passionate about faith, family and business (in that order!). We believe that God calls us to share our gifts and talents and serve others through our businesses. We offer solutions and support to help you build a profitable business with wisdom and grace. If you’re self-employed, starting a business, running a home based business or just thinking about creating a business while raising a family, you’re in the right place! www.theresaceniccola.com 80

Do you enjoy reading the wonderful posts at the Ruby for Women blog or the articles in this eZine? Do you have a post or article that was featured?

Why not "click & share" Ruby with ALL your social network friends. It's the best compliment you can give our featured bloggers & writers.

Thank you for supporting and sharing Ruby for Women!

For more information about supporting and sharing Ruby for Women, please email Angela Morris at amorris@rubyforwomen.com

Be sure to visit Ruby’s Reading Corner when you are shopping for books!

Every purchase you make from Ruby’s Reading Corner helps support the ongoing ministry here at Ruby for Women. The next time you are planning to purchase a book for yourself, for a friend, or for a family member, please consider shopping at Ruby’s Reading Corner.

www.katherinescorner.com 81

Vintage Paper Dolls from the collection of Vintage Mama 82

www.nacwe.org

Abundant Comfort and Grace Inspirational Poetry

by Connie Arnold The Happy Housewife Elizabeth's classic best seller from 1979 is brought back to life for a new generation.

Humorous, honest, Bible based and compelling, this ageless primer on the joys and traumas of dealing with kids, husbands, and dirty dishes will have you laughing and bring you to tears. Her practical advice provides realistic solutions to problems that never change.

Join her in an exploration that is a fresh and ageless as mother-love. Elizabeth tackles issues that are modern in every respect while her home-spun style makes the readers feel as though they are having coffee with a wise friend.

www.conniearnold.blogspot.com

The Happy Housewife is now available from Amazon Kindle.

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Mission Possible

by Deborah McCarragher Deborah began her journey of creative writing soon after coming to know Jesus Christ as her personal Savior in 1989. She uses her spiritual gifts of encouragement and teaching in her home church. She is also a small business owner of over twenty years. Her primary goal is to share her personal testimony with others while bringing hope and practical help through her book. She and her husband have one married son serving in the US Military. They reside in north Florida.

Mission Possible is a unique book in the Christian marketplace. It addresses a subject that is often overlooked and misunderstood. It is a candid look at my struggles and quest to reach my husband for Christ. It applies Scripture and biblical principles to everyday struggles encountered within a spiritually mismatched marriage. Mission Possible won the 2010 Readers Favorite Gold Seal Award for best Christian Non-Fiction book, and was nominated for the Christian Small Publisher’s Assoc. Book of the Year Award in 2009. http://www.Twitter.com/unequalmarriage http://www.Facebook.com/Godmissionpossible http://www.Godmissionpossible.blogspot.com

You are invited to join Katherine’s Corner Book Club At Katherine’s Corner you connect with other book lovers and share a new story every month! Every month Katie will post a new book list and you get to vote for your favorite. Then, together we will read the selected book and discuss it via the Book Club page at Katherine’s Corner blog.

Once a month a new book will be chosen and you can leave comments on the Book Club page throughout the month. A new book vote will be posted on the 15th of every month.

The Book Club at Katherine’s Corner is a “no obligation” book club! Just read the book with the other members of the club and share your thoughts with one another. Settle in, read along, and leave comments on the book whenever the mood strikes you.

Once a month is all the commitment needed. The fun part is that you can make comments throughout the month so you don’t have to keep your thoughts on the book silent until a specific meeting date.

If you would like to join the Book Club at Katherine’s Corner, simply visit Katie at www.katherinescorner.com and sign up! Then, if you wan to help promote the book club, you can grab the button code to paste into your blog sidebar. You can find the code and all of the details at Katherine’s Corner.

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Please join us at the

Ruby for Women CafĂŠ for conversation, fun, friendship, and encouragement.

Just pop in anytime, anytime, we would love to see you there!

You can find us in the Ruby for Women community at www.rubyforwomen.ning.com

Are you a shutterbug? Do you love to capture every moment with your camera? Have an artistic eye or just a natural knack for getting those special moments?

Join our Captured Moments photography group to share photos, tips, tricks and a weekly photo prompt.

http://rubyforwomen.ning.com/group/captured-moments 85

The Ruby for Women community is a great place to meet new friends, share prayer requests, chat about your favorite books, recipes and crafts!

Autumn is the perfect time to try out a few yummy new recipes! Here in the Kitchen of Ruby for Women we will be posting new recipes weekly and we would love to have you share some of your favorite recipes with us, too!

Autumn is also a great time to support one another in pursuing our dreams and goals of building our online businesses. Please post your website or online business banner or logo in the Ruby Shopkeepers group so we can share your information with all of the members of the Ruby for Women community.

Do you have a blog? We would love to have you share links to your latest blog posts so that we can tell all of the members of the Ruby for Women community all about it! Please visit us in our Girls Who Blog group.

In our prayer request group, we pray for one another and uphold each other before our Heavenly Father. Please join us at We Are Praying for You and let us know how we can pray for you.

And please be sure to stop by the Ruby for Women blog at

www.rubyforwomen.com 86

Meet the Ruby for Women Writers Aunt Dots, Master Gardener Aunt Dots has been writing for Ruby for Women since the very beginning.

Her love for gardening started early in her life: “I believe I got my love for growing flowers from my mother. She had a large flower garden with annuals and dahlias. I had my first flower garden after I married and we lived in a garden apartment.” She now has perennial gardens, rose gardens, grape vines, asparagus, currants, gooseberries, walnut trees, apple trees, and hazelnut trees. In the winter months, Aunt Dots sews, making quilts that she has donated to a Mennonite Relief auction.

Beth Brubaker, Footprints in the Mud and Ask Beth Beth is the “Family Fun” editor here in the Ruby for Women community. She is a mother of two very active kids whose antics are sprinkled liberally in her columns. She has been married for 13 years to her Knight in Shining Armor, and she is delighted to share with us that they still hold hands in public! Her day job is working as a fabric artist, a homemaker, and a writer.

Beth will be writing humorous articles about life in general, puzzles, and an advice column that is based on readers’ questions, as well as sharing hints and tips for everyday life that she comes across in her travels between her laundry room, living room, and kitchen. Don’t miss Beth’s columns in every issue of Ruby for Women! You can read more of Beth’s posts on her blog, “Footprints in the Mud” at www.footprintsinthemudblog.blogspot.com or email her at bethatruby@aol.com

Laura Brandt is the owner of Wentworth County Quiltworks and a child of the King whose one desire is to please the Lord. She quilts and maintains her website and her blog, as well as serving as a Moderator at Authorized Version Bible Believers Fellowship forum. She’s also edited books for up-andcoming Christian authors. Visit Laura at her new quilting website, www.wentworthcountyquiltworks.com, her blog, http://laurasthoughtsonscripture.blogspot.com, or the forum at http://avbbf.com.

I'm Christena Hammes, married to my best-friend. We met at the Outside Inn so God could change us from the Inside Out!! We have two beautiful daughters (Lena and Amanda), two sons-in-law (Cameron and Justin) and one amazing granddaughter (Savannah Jo). I never knew what the Father's love was all about until I had children of my own. They really do hold your heart and forgiveness comes easy. http://www.reverbnation.com/robhammes

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Lynn Mosher, Devotions

Since the year 2000, Lynn Mosher has lived with fibromyalgia and other physical conditions. During this time, the Lord placed the desire in her heart to write for Him. Now, armed with God’s purpose for her life and a new passion, she reaches out to others to encourage and comfort them through her writing, giving God all the glory. She lives with her husband in their empty nest in Kentucky. On occasion, their three offspring, who have flown the coop, come to visit, accompanied by a son-in-law and three granddaughters. Visit Lynn at her blog, Heading Home www.lynnmosher.blogspot.com

Katherine Corrigan, Recipes and Crafts Hello, my name is Katherine. I am an open minded and spiritual person who strives to always maintain a positive attitude and greet each new day with grace, dignity and gratitude. I’m honored to meet you and to call you friend! I am originally from England and now living in the US. I have had the privilege of living in, and visiting, several different countries throughout my lifetime. I hold a rare dual citizenship with the UK and the USA, and I am a proud citizen of both. I work very hard to create designs for my shops and to provide an entertaining and informative website and blog. I hope you’ll stop by. Hugs, Katherine www.madeitforyou.com www.katherinescorner.com www.keepsakesbykatherine.etsy.com

Theresa Ceniccola is The Christian Mompreneur, a Mentor to Moms Who are Running a Business that Supports Faith and Family. She empowers entrepreneurial moms to build profitable businesses with wisdom and grace through the Christian Mompreneur Mastermind program and her professional Marketing services, which include copywriting, marketing and strategy consulting and private coaching. www.theresaceniccola.com.

Amy Harper, Craft Contributor

is a pastor's wife from West Virginia and mother of two AWESOME kids. (She says she isn't biased.) She currently writes book reviews for a small local paper, and teaches piano lessons in her community. Her blog, www.Threadsinthenest.blogspot.com combines her passion for Jesus Christ with her other loves -- books, vintage items, and sewing. Visit Amy at her blog, “Threads in the Nest” for daily inspirational posts and craft tutorials.

Kathleen Kohler

writes for magazines and anthologies from her real life experiences that offer hope. She and her husband of thirty-four years live in the Pacific Northwest, and have three children and seven grandchildren. Visit www.kathleenkohler.com to read more of her published work.

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Heather King is a wife to a wonderful husband and a mom to three beautiful girls. A former English teacher, she now lives a life of doing dishes, folding laundry, finding lost toys and mending scraped knees. She treks to the grocery store more times a week than she’d like and struggles to keep up with chores, appointments and the to-do list that refreshes itself day after day. In addition to all that, she’s the worship leader at her church in Virginia, a Bible study teacher and women’s ministry leader. Somewhere in the middle of the noise, mess, and busyness of life, she takes time to meet with God at her kitchen table with a Bible, a journal and a cup of strong hot tea with lots of sugar. You can find her blogging about these times with God at her devotional site: Room To Breathe: http://heathercking.wordpress.com/ "He's solid rock under my feet, breathing room for my soul" Psalm 62:1-2 (MSG).

Connie Arnold, Poetry lives in North Carolina, is married and has two children and three grandchildren. In coping with lupus, fibromyalgia and other difficulties, she has turned to the Lord for inspiration and offers her inspirational poetry to offer encouragement, comfort and hope to others who are suffering.

She is the author of Beautiful Moments of Joy and Peace, Abiding Hope and Love, and Abundant Comfort and Grace plus a new 2012 inspirational calendar, Glimpses of Grace. She also writes for children and is the author of Animal Sound Mix-up and has two other children’s books under contract. You can visit Connie at www.conniearnold.webs.com or her blog, www.conniearnold.blogspot.com Full time mother and author, Corallie Buchanan, is a woman who writes from her heart. Over the years, she has shared her heart with magazines such as the Queensland Baptist, Christian Woman, Footprints, Mum to Mum, Captivated, Being Women, the Online Bible College student magazine, Deeper Devotions Student Ministries, amidst other magazines and ministries. Corallie is the author of Watch Out! Godly Women on the Loose, a book which won her the award of Young Australian Christian Writer of the Year in 2007. She lives with husband David and daughter Esther in Brisbane, Australia.

Sheila Watson, Guest Writer, DoveQuill Publishers Sheila is the author of several books, including “Nana’s Great BIG Storybook,” and “A Mission for Leedle Burro,” as well as a cookbook filled with her “sassy recipe” articles. Sheila is also the owner of DoveQuill Publishing Company. www.dove-quill-publishing.com

Deborah McCarragher, Devotional Contributor Deborah is the author of a Christian inspirational book for women titled “Mission Possible”. The book addresses living in a spiritually-uneven household. You can visit her website at www.AlabasterBoxPublishing.com for more information about her book. http://www.Twitter.com/unequalmarriage

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Ugochi Jolomi is a wife and mother of three, a graduate of banking and finance turned minister of God. She blogs on Teshuva (www.ugochi-jolomi.com ), where she shares on a variety of practical subjects from everyday life, inspiring and encouraging us to live life in the happiness and truth that come from God.

Gloria Doty: I am a mother of 5 and grandmother of 13. I have owned a catering business, and a Grade A goat dairy. I have managed a restaurant, worked in retail and was Dir. of Children’s’ Ministries for a large church for 10 years. I have been writing since I was in third grade. I currently write 2 blogs about my youngest daughter, Kalisha, and our journey together through the world of mild mental retardation, autism and Aspergers.

One blog is written for www.MOMS.FortWayne.com and is titled “Not Different Enough”. The other blog is www.gettingitrightoccasionally.blogspot.com I write freelance articles for magazines and am a contributor to two devotional publications: Living the Gospel Life and Hope-Full Living. I do not believe it is possible to make it through a day without faith and a sense of humor, even in the darkest times and I try to always reflect that in my writing.

Shannon Medisky, an educator turned parent turned writer, Shannon Medisky enjoys sharing ways that kids can help themselves. Through entertaining and accessible presentations, stories and activities, Shannon engages and empowers kids to take the leading role in writing their own school—and ultimately life—success stories. Through a relatable tone and immediately applicable ideas, she enables parents to help their children become the very best they can be.

Shannon has experience working with children ranging in age from preschool through the 8th grade, and is a parent herself to two young boys, including one with a multitude of special needs. Shannon earned a double BA in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education from Central Washington University, but credits her children—biologically, via adoption and in the classroom—as her greatest educators. Her articles have been featured in many prominent magazines such as Exceptional Parents, Adoptive Families, Hybrid Mom, Mothering and Focus on the Family’s Thriving Family. She lives in Renton, Washington with her husband, Jason, and their two high-spirited boys, Nate and Mark. www.shannonmedisky.com

Elizabeth Baker is an author and retired counselor drawing on thirty-five years of experience helping individuals apply biblical principles to real-life situations. She currently lives in Pittsburg, Texas where she concentrates on her writing. A widow since her mid 30's, Elizabeth has four grown children, fifteen grandchildren, and six great-grands. You can find Elizabeth’s books at her website at www.elizabethbakerbooks.com

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Amanda Stephan is a multi-published Christian romance author who loves sharing God’s love with others. A homeschooling mother and stay at wife, she finds pleasure in many things from sewing, to baseball and karate, to writing. She is currently working on a three book Christian romantic suspense series and resides in Columbia, TN, with her real-life hero husband of 8 years and two children. You can find Amanda at her website http://www.BooksByAmanda.com Her collaborative blog - http://www.thepriceoftrust.com Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/amandastephan and Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/creativehomemomma

Sharon Patterson, retired educator, career military wife, and leader in women's ministry, has written inspirational encouragement in various forms from greeting cards to short stories, poetry, and Bible studies for over thirty years. She has authored three books: A Soldier's Strength from the Psalms (2007); Healing for the Holes in Our Souls(2008); and Where Is Happy?(2011). She is a contributing author for Chicken Soup for the Soul: A Book of Miracles and Chicken Soup for the Soul: Answered Prayer; also Gettin' Old Ain't for Wimps (Karen O'Connor,2004) and Special Strength for Special Parents (Nina Fuller, 2006). She and her husband Garry live in Round Rock, Texas. They have three sons and five grandchildren.

Debra Ann Eliot is a Southern granny who loves to cook. She is the author of several works, including two poetry books. Debra devotes herself to maintaining several blogs, but the one that is most dear to her heart is Granny’s Down Home Southern Cooking. http://www.grannyssoutherncooking.blogspot.com/

Tricia Goyer is an acclaimed and prolific writer, publishing hundreds of articles in national magazines including Today’s Christian Woman and Focus on the Family while authoring more than twentyfive fiction and nonfiction books combined. Among those are 3:16 Teen Edition with Max Lucado and the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Book of the Year Award winners Night Song and Dawn of a Thousand Nights. She has also written books on marriage and parenting and contributed notes to the Women of Faith Study Bible. Tricia lives with her husband and four children in Arkansas. Connect with Tricia at www.triciagoyer.com

Michelle S. Lazurek has been a pastor's wife for over twelve years.

Whether it is through writing counseling material, organizing ladies retreats or mentoring women in her church, Michelle considers each day an opportunity to find her place in God's story. In 2007, Michelle and her husband Joe planted Praxis Church. Michelle holds a Master's degree in Counseling and Human Relations from Liberty University. She has two beautiful children: Caleb and Leah. Michelle provides tips for busy writers on her blog The Writers’ Tapestry: Where Writing and Life Intertwine (www.mslazurek.wordpress.com).

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Maxine Young I was born into a Christian family, attended church every week and Church schools even, but it is now as an adult that I am truly learning how to have a personal relationship with the Lord. You can read more of Maxine’s articles and posts on her blog, Hope and Writing http://hopeandwriting.blogspot.com/

Rosann Cunningham is a Christian Author, wife to the man of her dreams, and stay-at-home mom to two delightful little girls. When she’s not out for a jog or having giggle fests with her daughters, she can be found writing for her blog ChristianSuperMom, and ministering to women whose husbands are in a season of unemployment, at her other website UnEMPLOYED Faith. Her writing inspiration for both projects comes from a strong desire to glorify God while sharing the heart of her journey through a life of faith.

Keith Wallis, Poetry Keith Wallis is an English poet. He is a senior part of the leadership team of Houghton Regis Baptist church. An engineering designer by trade, he brings an eye for detail as well as faith into his poetry. As well as being ‘poet in residence’ at Ruby ezine, he is a moderator at ChristianWriters.com.

His blog of ekphrasic poetry is: http://wordsculptures-keith.blogspot.com/ where you’ll also find links to his books and his other blogs. Married to Val in 1970, he has two sons and three grandsons. The eldest grandson is disabled and cannot communicate verbally. Though not an ‘academic’ (school was a disaster!) he was always fond of writing. He began submitting work for publication in the 1980’s after being encouraged by a community writer in residence.

Angela Blake Morris, Advertising Administrator and Contributing Writer Angela is passionate about faith, family, writing, photography, and blogging. She left a seven year career as an administrative support staffer at a large credit union at God’s urging that it was time. Taking this large leap of faith, she continues to follow the path that God lays out before her. Part of that journey is sharing her story of caring for her special needs child with the Ruby for Women members at “Butterfly Wings and Prayers” on the Ruby for Women community groups board. Be sure to visit her at her persona blog at www.csahm.webs.com

Chari Twitty-Hawkins is a woman of God and a hard working stay at home mom of twins! She is also founder/artistic creator of ChariT’s Inspirational Creations, handmade inspirational jewelry made to uplift and inspire you! She loves inspiring others to live their purpose in life! We all deserve it! Visit her inspirational jewelry website at CICinspireme and be inspired! Connect with Chari at ChariT’s Inspirational Creations for inspirational quotes, articles, and inspirational jewelry specials!

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Amanda Johnson, Assistant Editor Amanda has been writing for Ruby for Women for the past two and a half years, and she has been a free-lance writer for several years, beginning her writing career as a young teen-ager. She also worked for Love Unveiled, a ministry to women in undeveloped countries around the world. Amanda brings experience as well as a passion for ministry to the work of Ruby for Women, and she has a heart for reaching out and touching the hearts and lives of women everywhere. Amanda will be working with all of our writers on their submissions, as well as assisting in keeping the Ruby for Women blog and website up-to-date with new information daily.

Nina Newton, Sr. Editor When all of my four older children were in school, I returned to college as a “non-traditional student.” Eventually, I earned degrees in Classics and Philosophy, and a graduate degree in Medieval Studies: History of Theology.

After teaching at a small community college in Michigan for seven years, my husband and I were blessed with the adoption of our two beautiful daughters, Gracie and Annie. Gracie is 11 years old and Annie is 9. They were both born in China, and we were able to travel to China two times to bring our daughters home. We live in northern Indiana in a small farming community where I work from my home office. For the past seven years I have been designing and creating children’s clothing and various crafts. I began writing ebook patterns for my designs in 2007, and have several patterns available for sale on You Can Make This at www.youcanmakethis.com . I have also been a free-lance writer for many years, writing for two local newspapers when we lived in Michigan. My personal blog is at www.mamaslittletreasures.com where I frequently post tutorials and patterns for crafts and other sewing projects, as well as weekly reflections on life as a woman, wife, mother, and daughter of the King.

Introducing the Ruby for Women Administrative Team Team Over the past two years and a half years, the ministry of Ruby for Women has grown into a fulltime ministry for several women here in the Ruby community. We have been blessed to be able to partner with women from all over the United States in the work of Ruby for Women, and we are currently in the process of adding four new administrators to our team. If you would be interested in joining the Ruby for Women administrative team, please email our assistant editor, Amanda Johnson, at ajohnson@rubyforwomen.com Here are the current members of the Ruby for Women Administrative team: Sr. Editor, Nina Newton Assistant Editor, Amanda Johnson Administrative Assistant, Beth Brubaker Advertising Assistant, Angela Morris Creative Consultant and Graphic Designer, Katherine Corrigan Publications Assistants: Ugochi Jolomi, Donna McBroom-Theriot, Anne B., Jackie McMullen, Christena Hammes 93

Credits and Copyrights All stories and articles are copyright by the authors.

All pictures and images are copyright by the authors and / or have been purchased, used by permission or are in the public domain. If any pictures or images have been used inadvertently, and they do not belong in this publication, please email us and we will immediately remove them.

Nothing in this issue of Ruby for Women may be reproduced, copied, or shared without the permission of the author.

Advertising information is available at www.rubyforwomen.com/advertise Questions? Email Nina @ editor@rubyforwomen.com or Amanda @ ajohnson@rubyforwomen.com Ruby for Women is published by rubyforwomen.com All submission inquiries should be directed to Nina Newton, Sr. Editor Ruby for Women editor@rubyforwomen.com or Amanda Johnson, Assistant Editor ajohnson@rubyforwomen.com Advertising inquiries should be directed to Angela Morris at amorris@rubyforwomen.com Web Design and Creative Consultant, Katherine Corrigan of Made It For You www.madeitforyou.com Please visit our community website at www.rubyforwomen.ning.com to see how you can help support the ministry of Ruby for Women.

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