"The Ministry of The Spirit of Loveliness"
Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly....Fa lalalalala....lalalala...Making our home beautiful and inviting is a Wife's privilege and duty to create an environment where all want to gather and it's a safe "Haven" they can "Rest" from outside pressures.Thankfully the place we moved to has ample Fur,pine Holly and berries to decorate with free fresh aromatic live greens.
The Ministry of "Culinary Arts Discipleship"in the mindset of every-culture need of " Our daily bread"
Then one morning we had a fresh ground grains dough ready for the students to braid for Poppy seed Buns for supper makes a memorable Home Economics class on a school morning.The smell is a side reward for all who enter.
The "Ministry of Hospitality" through Warm beverages served
MY husband and I started this tradition without ever discussing it...whomever gets up first starts a pot of coffee brewing and the last one always makes the bed. After which,on most mornings, either Deborah or I put on a pot of Fresh berry tea for herself and the rest who will be waking up after her...this is a morning tradition and comfort at our house. Thereafter we all start our day out in the Formal Living room (each one using the same chairs ones repetitiously,if they are available:) under His inspiration from The Holy Scriptures.
"The Ministry of Storytelling" to pass on to the next generations concepts of Vital Importance
One of my favorite school memories is the Lassie and Little House books my 2cnd and 4th grade teachers read to me.So as most children dread nighttime I like to for the most part either read them a story before bedtime or have Family altar time or just discussions in the living room...something to make us feel connected and not "empty" before they go to bed.
..and right now we have one going thru a "fears stage" and it's very real to her as well as the scary dreams she's had.When you feel a presence in front of your bedside waking you from your slumber at 4 a.m.,I hold out my arms to welcome her into the warm comforts of our master bed upon hearing her choke out the fearful state she's in.In trying to wake myself up to the point of speaking words of comfort to her I reached across to put my hand on her cheek,and felt the rapid pounding of her heart in my arm.I knew her dream had been so real to her. When you've prayed over,about,renounced,and had them quote scripture to combat fears,what next.I was running out of answers.I forget how it is to be so afraid and the torment that fear puts you through.
I've tried to encourage her that all the other children,some more than others went thru a stage when it is worse and it gets better.What are some suggestions from my readers? What has helped on top of the Spiritual; Quoting,praying and proclaiming is the practical ,for the mind will and emotions,our find.I take the child with me to the living room we turn on a lamp,snuggle together in a blanket and read a chapter of Carolyn Haywood's Betsy books,Farmer Boy, or A Grandma's attic story to them and it's amazing how when their mind goes to something;Pure lovely,holy and of Good report),that the fear seems to fade a bi and seem more unrealistic or huge and we go for a drink in the kitchen before I tuck them back in.In spite of the fact that it's difficult to get back up when the alarm goes off in an hour,I'm so glad I was there for my child thru their difficult times of childhood.
The Ministry of change thru Color and change of scenery to set the Tone for a new season of life
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The Ministry of" Nurturing and Bonding" thru interactive games and work that include the whole family and make memories.
Playing 3 blind mice one winter eve...Dave is the Blind mouse,(blindfolded) and looking or rather feeling for the other 6 he must find in the room.
Excuse the pajama attire...I chose to hang onto the rafters while on the piano,which he never found me there till last,:)..Grace was trying to use the chair as her disguise...
Kyle's hideout...
He's coming closer..and closer..it's hard not to giggle lest your found out
Yikes....We always jump and squeal at the blind grasping to see who the find is :0 Try it for a good lightener upper.The first one found is it and has to see the Three Blind Mice song going around in circles,blindfolded. while all the others hide and he's dizzy to start out.
We missed all but one of the 3 local town Christmas parades,it meant lot to Gracie as she came back with rosie cheeks, cotton candy,her Ziploc filled with goodies and excitedly telling stories.The band and esp. the trombone is always My favorite part.
Then the Youth Formal Christmas Banquet at Charon's place was an opportunity fro Deborah to design her dress from a shower curtain and line it with her parent's former flat gold satin sheet.And a good night for all 3 to reconnect with the Home youth friends.
The" Ministry of Comfort" thru homemade Healthy creams for ones skin and to share with our dear servant"s hearts vs er ladies at the G.E. Office.
The Ministry of "One Anothering in the Neighborhood"
This year we decided to try to have the people on our street over on the night before Christmas eve and made cheesecakes for the evening.
The Ministry of" Setting an Atmosphere" thru Color and change of scenery to set the Tone for a new season of life
Deborah is ready to change from the 12 year old Hot pink/black and Paris taste she had when we moved to warmer more mature feeling in her room....Dave says he will do the painting on Thanksgiving weekend,so the boys and us prepare
So the brothers ripped off the stripes...,everyone helped wash off the walls and they taped all the trim for Dave.
The color After....with a new down comforter waiting for a duvet cover..
After gathering a shade from Derek's room she added some feathers,etc. to make a suitable lamp for he room.
The Ministry of Teaching (and hopefully ) Learning from history...as we read the history of The song;" Away in a Manger" written by Martin Luther for his family from a neat old book I picked up.We also were intrigued to learn that Stille Nacht or Silent Night was written by Joseph Mohr an Austrian priest i n is church study on Christmas Eve and Franz Gruber the local schoolmaster and friend wrote the music to it.But only thru the Strausser sister's Quartet was how it made known at the Leipzig Cathedral and thru an organ builder did it spread over the Tyrolean Alps into the German mountains.So we got out the Globe and all tried to find the Austrian alps,of course thinking of the Van Trapp family.
And I must tell you how that it was actually Deborah's 17th birthday the night they put on my Big 40th surprise The condensed version of how that came to be is ;It was my birthday, in1994,in Wilcox .Arizona after Dave and I had gone out to eat,we went home ,and I did Jumping jacks and all to try to get my labor started to go have my baby,it was sooo close and I was soo ready...well,as it went, we went yet that night but she was born about 30 min. after midnight our first daughter was born! so we almost share birthdays.:) Anyway..it's exciting our "entrepreneur "is turning !7!Maybe I can dedicate a blog to and her life.another time.Thank you Deborah for ministering to me when it was your day.I'll never forget it,you,Dave and all of the Family put a lot of thought and effort into it,I know.
May January be time of staying home more and ministering to one another,in your home as well as ours....
