Laurie's Online Letter Archives

Summer 2008

Dear Friends,

Summer is here along with longer days and vacations. Most take a break from formal schooling and children look forward to more free time. Give yourself a break this summer from all the many scheduled activities that fill the school year. If ever there was a season to relax, it is summer! If not now, when?

Too often, we promise ourselves time to slow down as soon as some project is finished, or the holidays are over, or… But the promise of that much-needed down time remains elusive as new obligations or opportunities seem to spring up and fill our calendar. What a shame. Those long lazy days of summer we had eagerly anticipated never quite materialized.

When Fall arrives, how many of us will look back fondly on some unhurried, carefree summer days? Even Sundays and vacation days often end up jam-packed. And then we wonder why we are so tired! Somewhere along the way, we have forgotten how to slow down, relax and have unstructured, stress-free down time.

I confess that I find it difficult to slow down sometimes, too. But as I get older, I see the need for more time set aside with the Lord, and more time to relax. I’m getting better at planning for that time just as seriously as I plan appointments or commitments. I’ve also learned that the Kingdom will not collapse if I say “no!” The Lord runs the universe; not me. I trust Him to give me the wisdom to make wise choices in spending His time, for each day is a gift from our Lord.

I wrote the following “psalm” having hurried through too many seasons of life.

    The calendar is my shepherd, I shall not slow down.
    It makes me to hurry through each day.
    It leads me to distraction.
    It drains my soul.

    Yea, though I run through the hours of my life,
    I cannot keep up.
    The clock and the day-timer, they beckon me.

    I prepare my day in the presence of my To Do List.
    My schedule runneth over.

    Surely fatigue and stress shall follow me all the days of my life,
    And I will long for a place of rest forever!

I’m sure many of us can identify with this! I’ve found that some activities help me to slow down and feel restored, while others only make me run harder with more responsibilities added to an already over-full plate. Make an effort to balance your family’s activities to include plenty of time for rest and renewal.

One relaxing activity I’ve enjoyed this year is gardening. I purchased one packet of wildflower seeds from Wildseed Farms, www.wildseedfarms.com, for about $10. I had more than enough to fill a large flower bed. Preparation was simple: sprinkle the seeds over loose soil, and water each day for the first few weeks. Each day we’ve been delighted to discover new flowers blooming. Neighbors stop by to enjoy the show and it’s been fun to invite some of the little ones in our neighborhood to pick a flower for Mommy! Beautiful butterflies add to the show.

Wildseed Farms sells hundreds of wildflower seeds; be sure to purchase those that are designated for your area of the country. I found it easier to order the special Southeastern Wildflower Mix, a good mix of flowers for our hot southeast.

Gardening is a relaxing activity the whole family can enjoy. Children love to plant seeds, water the garden and wait with eager anticipation to see what will come up!

Here are some photos from my garden so far this year.

Cosmos

Cosmos with morning dew still on the petals.

Miniature sunflowers will later provide seeds for the birds.

Be sure to read the new devotional, “Life’s Speed Limits.” You may also enjoy reading a previous Online Letter, “Summer During the 1950’s.” Be sure to check the Online Letter Archives for recipes and homemaking tips.

I pray you and your family will enjoy this summer!

Yours in Him,

Copyright, 2008, Laurie Latour. www.FutureChristianHomemakers.com

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To read previous online letters, such as Express Cooking, Easy 3-Ingredient Piecrust and many others, please visit our Archives.

Spring 2008

Dear Friends,

Spring has certainly arrived here in North Florida! It’s a beautiful time of year with azaleas and dogwood trees blooming. Along with all the new blooms comes the pollen. I love to open the windows this time of the year, but when the pollen count is high, we have to close them and take measures to reduce the pollen inside.

For tips on Spring cleaning to reduce allergens,click here .

You’ll find many helpful articles in myOnline Letter Archives:

I often get requests for apron patterns after people see my Grandma’s lovely gingham aprons. I have seen some vintage apron patterns in pattern books at the fabric store, but availability seems to change often. I just found a wonderful website with 56 free apron patterns. You’ll find everything from children’s aprons to clothespin aprons, vintage aprons and craft aprons… and so many more. Take a look at
http://tipnut.com/56-free-apron-patterns-you-can-make/

You’ll find a gingham apron pattern, and illustrated embroidery stitches, at http://www.craftandfabriclinks.com/apron_embroidered/embroidered_apron_pattern.html

Click on "Embroidery Stitch Glossary" for illustrated directions of various stitches, and check out their Sewing Center, Craft Center, and other areas of the website.

One of our website visitors shared another helpful site with me. Nichole, at http://heart4myhome.blogspot.com shares recipes her family enjoys. Many of them have step-by-step photos that Nichole has taken. Very helpful; thank you, Nichole! On her site, go to “Topics of Interest” in the sidebar, and click on “Homemaking & Recipes”. You’ll find many other helpful topics too: Devotionals and Bible Study, Crafts, Coupons, Free or Nearly Free Stuff, Grocery and Money Management, and Home Canning, to name a few.

Ladies, you know there are so many helpful websites, books and even the Food channel on TV where we can learn from some excellent chefs. All of these are resources that can help us cook and care for our family. There is no lack of how-to information out there! Often we need more than “how-to” – we need “want-to.” We can have all the skills in the world, but unless we have a servant’s heart, we won’t use those skills in service for our Lord and our family.

I’ve noticed a number of articles lately with a similar theme: Men are lazy and husbands need to do more around the house; women should not be “slaves” to their family; everyone is equal and should do an equal amount of work around the house.

Ladies, we need to stop being influenced by the worldly culture around us and spend more time seeking to be like our Lord and Savior. To think Biblically, we must spend more time reading and studying God’s word, and less time complaining and comparing ourselves to others – and less time adding up how much we do around the house to see if it’s equal to what we think our husbands should do at home!

The Bible is God’s word to us; His personal, loving instruction on how we are to live. We need to not only read it, but then *apply* it to our daily lives. Here are some verses to prayerfully consider and then apply to our lives, especially in regard to our work at home:

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant,… He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:5 – 8

“Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” Mark 8:34

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself… does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; … (love) bears all things, …endures all things. Love never fails.” I Corinthians 13: 4 – 8

“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Colossians 3:17

I pray that each of you will know the joy that comes from obeying our Lord, following Him, and joyfully serving Him by serving your family. Besides reading your Bible, here are two books you will find helpful. Use the search box in the lower left of this page; type in the title and press “Go” to find these books at Christian Book Distributors.

The Excellent Wife: A Biblical Perspective, by Martha Peace

Passionate Housewives Desperate for God, by Jennie Chancey & Stacy McDonald

Yours in Him,