Vessels unto Honour - Volume 1 Number 5

I am glad to be back with you again! Much thought has gone into this issue of Vessels Unto Honour and I hope that you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed putting it together. Autumn, Thanksgiving, and Christmas mean a lot to me personally. It seems to be a time when I get to spend a great deal of time with family, plus I am a creative person and it's satisfying to me to cook, bake, sew, and craft for those I love. Given a choice, I would rather make you something than buy it!

Let me just say that I realize that some of you may not celebrate Christmas, but I hope that some of the poems, recipes, and other things can be of use to you. The thoughts and ideas in this issue certainly can be used during and are appropriate for most any time of the year.

Moving on, it has been a joy to hear from you and an encouragement to keep on for the Lord in this ministry because you have taken the time to write. Many have written to say what a blessing this newsletter has been to you. In my wildest dreams I never thought that God would ever use someone like me to reach women all over the States and even some abroad. At times I am such a procrastinator, letting other things hinder me from taking the time to study so that I can continue to offer you Bible studies and other edifying material. But praise the Lord He is faithful even when we are not, and He is longsuffering towards us. Please continue in your prayers for me.

Speaking of prayers, if you ever have a prayer request that you would like to share, please feel free to let me know what it is. Your request can be published in the newsletter (anonymously if you wish) so that other sisters in Christ can be lifting you up to the Lord. I would also like to publish your praise reports, so send them on in while you're at it! I really would like to add this feature back to the newsletter.

Before I close, let me ask you again to send in your recipes, craft ideas, poetry, articles, or testimonies! While it is a joy and pleasure for me to edit this newsletter, I would enjoy very much seeing my readers share with one another. Email to sunshine@nwsl.west.ga.net.

Missionary News & Updates...

A little over a year ago, my family was presented with the opportunity of a lifetime! And we accepted it with much anticipation.

Bro. Bob Tyson of Good Samaritan Baptist Missions came and preached a wonderful message to us about being a part of Jesus' team. When the services were over that evening, my husband and I chatted with Brother Tyson for a while. During our conversation he mentioned what a blessing the service had been to him, even though he did not get to really tell us about his ministry. I questioned him about it (being the inquisitive one that I am) and I am so glad that I did.

You see, this good brother and his wife are not simply missionaries in that they go tell others the good news of Jesus Christ. They also give the children of southern Honduras opportunities that they may otherwise have had through their Opportunity of a Lifetime plan.

The way the program works is like this: A person or family can "adopt" (sponsor) a child through their "mail adoption" program. For just $30.00 per month you can enable a child to have food, clothing, books for school, and some health care needs. When you sign up to support a child, you will receive an 8x10 photo and case history of "your" child. You will be able to regularly correspond with the child by writing him/her letters. The child you support will also write you back.

Other opportunities for you and your "adopted" child include sending special gifts for birthdays, Christmas, etc. direct to the child and visiting him on organized tours to the village where he lives. You will also receive quarterly newsletters from Good Samaritan missions packed with information on the happenings of the ministry.

It is amazing the difference you can make in the life of a child for just $30.00 per month! These children have nothing and will continue to have nothing for the rest of their lives if we do not help them. It's a blessing you will not soon forget. Think of the joy of learning that "your" child has accepted the free gift of salvation because you cared enough to support her.

Good Samaritan also runs many kitchens to feed the hungry. If you do not wish to support a child, I am sure that they would greatly appreciate support in this area. Not only do these poor, suffering people receive nourishment for their bodies, they are also told about Jesus. Recently they have started kitchens for the elderly and many of these elderly have never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ! Won't you consider having a part in the salvation of these sinners?

Maybe you cannot afford at this time to take on a child, but there is something you can do! The Tyson's come in contact daily with hundreds of children who have no sponsor. Most of these children have never known Christmas because they are so poor. You can help this year by providing a onetime gift to GSBM so that they may prepare Christmas sacks for the children. When the children are given their Christmas sacks, they also hear about the story of Jesus' love and the greatest gift a person could ever receive.

The Tyson's would also like to distribute gifts to the 70 elderly people in the Elderly kitchen. They were able to do this last year and it was such a blessing to them because most of them were receiving their first ever Christmas gift.

If this is something you would like to contribute to, please contact them at the address above. Make this Christmas special for a child or elderly person.

Christian Growth

Godly Womanhood

Thinking about Thanksgiving. Ah, Thanksgiving! What warm, special memories come to mind this time of year. I grew up with a very large extended family and even though we lived far away from them most of my life, we still managed to spend nearly every Thanksgiving with them. I am thankful indeed that the Lord placed me in this family and for the precious memories of gatherings from years past.

As I have considered what to write for this month's Godly Womanhood column, I have given much thought to what Thanksgiving really is. Obviously, for the Christian, giving thanks should be a daily event, not just saved for one day out of the year. That particular word appears 28 times in the Bible. In the New Testament, one of the most encouraging verses is found in the book of Philippians. It is one of those verses that contains an instruction and a promise for those who obey. Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. God says that we should not be careful, that means anxious (worried; extreme uneasiness) over anything. Instead, take it to Him in our prayers and petitions, accompanied with thanksgiving! I think we are all guilty of disobedience when it comes to obeying the Lord in light of that verse! I know that personally I have been very, very anxious about some things lately. But just now, in reading these verses, I see that I could have peace if I would but take it to the Lord in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. That's a promise of God! Verse 7 says that God's peace, will, even in the midst of trials, take hold in our hearts and minds through our Saviour.

How often do you and I forfeit the peace of God by allowing worry and fear to take root in our hearts and minds? If God promises it, why do we not trust what His word says? Instead we are putting our trust in self. Whether we realize it or not, trusting in self is putting faith in our own wisdom and our own understanding. Peace comes when we stop leaning to our own understanding and we acknowledge (to recognize the authority of) the Lord! Proverbs 3:5 says Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. But notice that we must trust in Him with all of our heart! You cannot just have a little tiny bit of trust tucked away in the heart while the remainder is still caught up trying to solve whatever is causing us to be anxious.

As you come to the Lord to allow Him to carry your burden, remember that we are to do it with thanksgiving. That is, a prayer expressing gratitude. When you and I come to the Lord with your prayers and supplications, He sure does like us to give thanks for the benefits and favors already received of Him. How many of us like it when we grant favors others ask of us that are never acknowledged? Do we feel as though we've been taken advantage of? I wonder if the Lord sometimes feels as though many of us seek His favors with a unappreciative heart? How many folks turn to the Lord with their petitions and never bother to express their gratefulness for the last request He granted? I know that often in my own life I will pray for something, receive it, and then fail to properly thank the Giver. Then a little guilt will creep up on me and I'll utter a prayer of thanks, wondering if it's too late. How I wish I had thanked Him as soon as the request was granted!

I wonder . . . why do we struggle with giving thanks? Sometimes I believe that we forget what He has done for us! From giving us life, saving us from sin, meeting our daily needs! The list could go on and on.

I Timothy 6, verse 6 says "But godliness with contentment is great gain." Does it take contentment to be able to give thanks? Or does giving thanks bring about contentment? I would tend to think that it takes a person with a grateful, appreciative heart, satisfied with what she already has been given, to be able to praise the Lord. But on the other hand, have you ever been praying, thanking God for all He has done for you, and when you got up, you had a deep sense of satisfaction? Like there was nothing else in the world that you need. As you prayed or meditated on the word of God, all of your wants suddenly seemed selfish and unnecessary? Maybe it takes a bit of both. Maybe you cannot have one without the other.

Look at verse 8 of that same chapter of I Timothy. "And having food and raiment let us be therewith content." Now that is a hard one to swallow! Look around us today. Are we really content with just our food and raiment? I think not. I have so much stuff sitting around my house and so much of it just collects dust. There is something to be said for simplicity!

The word content means "satisfied; to limit oneself in requirements, desires, actions". Obviously it is up to each of us as children of God to limit ourselves in the desires of our hearts. What I think of when I read that is how that God is so adamant in us keeping ourselves from excess! It all has to do with control. How many of us rush right out and spend, spend, spend without first seeking out the Lord's will?

God said that godliness coupled with contentment is great gain! Maybe you've got the godliness, but lack somewhat in the area of contentment. I believe that being content is another one of those heart issues. Matthew 6 says in verse 21 "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Maybe we cannot give thanks, maybe we are not content, because within our hearts we are concentrating on the wrong treasure.

More and more by heart is turning to the eternal! We cannot forget that this world is only temporary and it's not our home! The things that we accumulate down here will one day pass away, and as we enter our new home, what will we find waiting for us there? When you're works are tried, what will be left? How much of what we do just wood, stubble, and hay? Is there any gold, silver, or precious metals there? Oh, I hate thinking about that day when my works are tried by fire!

As I draw to a close, let me encourage you to daily stay in fellowship with God through His word and through prayer and supplication. Examine your heart and see if there be any contentment there. If not, then maybe Philippians 4, verse 8 can help you. "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Think on the things of God! Fill your heart and mind with pure, lovely things of the Lord! I pray that we all will examine our hearts in order to truly give thanks this year!

Sisters, I do not know if we will ever know the full extent of the gift we have been given until we reach our eternal home bright and fair! But until then, let us concentrate on giving thanks to the One who gave up all the riches of Heaven to come down to lowly sinners such as we are! May your heart be content.

Mother's Corner

The following is something that I felt moved to write one day after my son offered to go to the dollar store and spend his only dollar on me. At that point I began to examine all the ways that my children exhibit their love toward me. This Thanksgiving I am especially thankful for my children. Sometimes I feel like I am going to pull on my hair out, but the Lord has truly blessed us. Next fall Rebekah begins kindergarten and I can honestly say that my heart is grieved about it. Some people think it odd that a parent is not anxious to get their children out the door to school by age 3 or 4! But I take my God-given responsibility seriously! I hope that you enjoy this writing and that it moves your heart to appreciate the gift(s) you have been given.

You Know You Are Loved When . .

My Prayer

For my children - Elizabeth, Scott, William, Rebekah, and Stephanie.

I know without a doubt that I am loved.

Dedicated to honor our Lord, Jesus Christ, for so great a salvation, and for undeserved daily blessings.

Poetry

Homemaker's Place

Recipes

Combine all ingredients in a large pot on the stove. Can be kept in the refrigerator for a few weeks. This makes a lovely gift, too!

This is a delicious drink that my grandmother always fixed for the family Christmas get-together. It makes quite a bit, so get out your biggest pot! You might also want to save a few gallon milk jugs to store it in.

Foolproof Fudge

I have made this fudge for the past several years. The recipe came from the back of a can of EAGLE BRAND Sweetened Condensed Milk. This year I plan on doing something a little different. Instead of just cutting it into pieces, I am going to pour the mixture into mini baking cups! A pretty paper mache box, lined with tissue paper and filled with the chocolate cups, will make the perfect gift for the chocoholics on my list

3 cups of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (This year I may try some different flavored chips)

Line a 13x9x2-inch pan with foil or wax paper, extending over edges of pan. In a heavy saucepan over low heat, melt chips with sweetened condensed milk and salt. Remove from heat; stir in walnuts (if desired), and vanilla. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm. Use lining to lift fudge out of pan; place on cutting board. Peel off foil/wax paper; cut into squares. Store tightly covered in cool, dry place.

Chocolate Truffles

I made these especially for my husband last year and he loved them! The recipe comes from Hershey's chocolate recipe collection. For gift giving, fix up a shoebox and line with tissue paper. Use mini baking cups to hold the truffles, placing a piece of wax paper between layers.

In a heavy saucepan over low heat melt butter. Add cocoa; stir until smooth. Blend in sweetened condensed milk; stir constantly until mixture is thick, smooth, and glossy, about 4 minutes. Remove from heart; stir in vanilla. Chill 3 to 4 hours or until firm. Shape into 1-1/4 inch balls; roll in cocoa or powdered sugar. Chill until firm, 1 to 2 hours. Store, covered, in refrigerator.

Potato Casserole

While visiting a friend recently, I had the opportunity to help her prepare a huge meal for her husband's surprise birthday party. It's really easy and is something you can throw together for those holiday gatherings.

In a large bowl combine diced potatoes and melted butter. Stir in soup and onions. Pour into a rectangular baking dish and baked for about 45 minutes (or until browned on top) in a preheated 350 degree oven.

Busy Hands

My children love to create. No matter if it's with paper and crayons or with building blocks, they are very creative. Many years we have made ornaments for the tree from construction paper, a dough made with flour and salt, and this year with felt. Some of the things they can create on their own, but other projects need your assistance.

Project #1 Wreath made from felt. You'll need some tracing paper (or any other kind of paper suitable to make a pattern); 1 piece of red or green felt for each child; a piece of muslin large enough for your project (it will vary depending on how many little hands you cut out and the size of the hands); 1 dowel rod; a length of ribbon. How-to: First trace both the right and left hands of your children onto the tracing paper. Cut out the patterns and pin to the felt. Lay these aside and prepare the muslin by finishing both sides and the bottom of the material. For the top of the material, fold under ¼" and stitch. Now fold under about 5/8" and stitch. Arrange the felt hands in an orderly manner, adding ribbon or other embellishments, hot glue them to the material. You could even embroider names or dates if you like. Insert dowel rod through the top of the muslin, tying ribbon to ends, making a hanger.

Project #2 Felt tree ornaments. You'll need red, green, or white felt; cookie cutters in various shapes (we like hearts, stockings, bears); embroidery floss; large embroidery needle. How-to: Trace cookie cutter shapes onto tracing paper. Cut out patterns. Fold felt in half, pin shapes to both thickness', cut out. After cutting out your chosen shapes, thread needle with a minimum of 3 strands of floss, making sure to knot the end. Using whatever type stitch you wish, sew both shapes together. If you are making stockings, leave opening at the top and fill with candy. For other shapes, leave a little opening and stuff with polyfil, then complete your stitiching. Embellish as desired with ribbon rosettes, rickrack, and so forth. This is a great way to teach little girls to stitch. If you are concerned about a young child using a needle, I am certain that they make plastic embroidery needles. Check your local craft department.

Project #3 Construction paper ornaments. If your child is too young to do project #2, here is an alternative. Simply trace cookie cutter shapes onto construction paper, cut out, and decorate. These can also be used for gift tags!

Project #4 Baked cookie-cutout's! Combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup salt, and 1 cup water in a bowl. Sprinkle work area with flour, work dough with hands until smooth, then roll out about ½" thick. Dip cookie cutters in flour, cut shapes from dough with cutters. Using a straw, make a hole in the top of the shape. Bake in a 300 degree oven for 1 ½ hours or until dough is hard to touch. Cool shapes completely!! Now you can decorate your shapes with acrylic paints. To preserve, use an acrylic spray. If you use small enough cutters, you can make necklaces by stringing with 18" or 20" length of ribbon.

Fun things for Mom to do!

Well, if you have any energy left after helping the kids make some Christmas gifts, here are a few ideas for you.

All of these projects/ideas involve your computer and any desktop publishing program like Print Shop Deluxe/Ensemble.

Idea #1 Stationary ensemble I love stationary, and most people would appreciate the thoughtfulness that you put into making it with your computer. On most desktop publishing programs you can choose ready-made letterheads, envelopes, and business cards. But it's so much fun to be creative and create items that are appealing to the receiver. Some ideas follow.

Business cards (even if she's a stay-at-home mom, you can be creative and produce a card that describes her position as a domestic engineer) with a motif that reflects her hobbies, personality, etc. Tie the bundle of 25 or so cards with a pretty ribbon and present in a handmade pouche.

Matching letterhead and envelopes with a lovely border or backdrop are nice (10 sheets/10 envelopes presented in a colored, embellished file folder).

We have a program that will let you design notepad-style sheets. Two notepad pages fit on one piece of paper, thus if you print out 25 sheets, you end up with 50 notes when you cut the pages in half. Present your creation with a beautiful new pen or pencil.

Make a calendar! If you make on to give grandma, be sure and note birthdays, anniversaries, and other special days in the years. This one will take some time, but it's worth it. On one side of the paper you will print some sort of graphic. On the reverse will be your actual calendar grid for the previous month Have you got that? If you have problems, just take an old calendar and carefully examine how it was produced. A really neat idea is to print only a border on the graphics page, leaving the center blank, and putting an appropriate sized picture there. You will of course need 12 reprints.

Finally, make a framed picture. Using the recipients favorite Bible verse or poem, combine it with some pretty graphics (border, backdrop, and so forth), frame it, and you have a very personalized gift. One year we used a poem I had written about our family as a Christmas greeting, printing it on holiday computer paper. We have also used this month's poem and presented it to some of our friends who we wanted to remember, but we just couldn't spend the money on a gift. Although we did have to buy the frames, they were not that expensive and we ended up being able to give a gift that had great meaning.

Make gift coupons! Using a broken-line border, create a box that looks like a coupon. Then create a text box and position it within the coupon. You can give coupons for back-rubs, breakfast in bed, free baby-sitting, yard work, so on and so forth. This can get very personalized. You will be able to fit at least 3 or 4 coupons per page. To keep them uniform, choose "duplicate object" from your tool bar under "edit". When you've completed the coupons, carefully cut them out, and, using some pretty colored paper, make a front and back cover, stapling them to the coupons.

I hope that I've got the creative gears in your mind working! There is nothing like the satisfaction of giving a gift you have put your time, effort, and love into.

Bible Study

I have heard many preachers comment that the Bible is God's love letter to us. Whatever you call it, I know that from the lost sinner to those trusting in Christ, there is something in it for us all. The message has never changed, nor will it ever.

Recently, as I was browsing over Isaiah 55, I found a very lovely verse that could be a perfect call to the sinner. It says in verse 3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Isaiah 55:3. Even though the context of the verse isn't salvation, it provoked me to consider that this is what God calls the lost to do.

Incline - It literally means to "bow down", but can also mean to "yield". The lost come to Christ by faith, and faith "cometh by hearing" Romans 10:17. Sinners must yield their ear to hear the gospel before they can be saved.

Come There was a long list of possible meanings for this word, but for our purposes, pursue seems to fit best. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. And again in Luke 18:16 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein. Christ himself will even welcome little children who pursue after Him and we are not to hinder them in any way. If you notice closely, He says that they come and receive (accept as true; welcome; to take into possession)!

Hear - That is, give ear or consider. If you share the gospel with someone, certainly they don't always give ear to what you have to say, neither do they consider (think about with care or caution; to regard or treat with attention). We have the responsibility of witnessing, they have the responsibility of yielding their ear to what you have to say! Lost folks should carefully think about and give great attention to the gospel of Christ Jesus our Lord. The next time you are presented with the opportunity to witness, maybe it would be helpful to tell that lost sinner what it is God wants from him.

Memorization

We have so much to be thankful for if we are born again. Even Christmas can be a time of thanks! This month I would like for you to concentrate on memorizing several verses. You are dead to sin if you are a child of God. God instructs to keep our mind full of good, pure things. Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. What better, more pure things to think on than our life hid in Christ, being free from sin, never having to face condemnation for our sin! So many Christians worry, worry, worry over sin. I used to be the same way until I learned more about what happened to all my sins the moment I believed on and received Christ! This Thanksgiving, give thanks that all sins were forgiven at the cross of Christ (Col. 2:13, 14) and that you are dead to sin and sin will never have dominion over you again.

I suggest learning 2 3 verses at a time. Read over it the first few times, then try repeating it to yourself without looking at the text several times a day. Once you have those verses down pat, move on to the next ones, repeating the previous ones along with them. Hide it in your heart sister!

Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

(1 John 2:15 KJV) Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.