The Message of the Hour for the Family

 {From the Archives of Connie's Letters. December 2012.}

I never learned one spiritual thing from folks feelin' sorry for me, or on a bed of ease.  I think I learned most of what I know from the hard times.

When I would go up for a prison visit, I would ask Jim how he was doing? He would say "Just doin' time. . . Hard time.." And it was hard...but in those times we learned how to follow Jesus. . . I did go through the fire. . and it was hot with many trials . . But I feel that the Lord rewarded me and gave me more peace then what a lot of folks have.

I am very peaceful here at home. . . I just feel the angels around me. I feel God's love surrounding me. . . If I do get down or depressed, I just read my Bible until I feel better.

But it is the truth that will set us free and nothing else. . . And if a true believer tells us something to help us, we should listen. . . I have been praying so hard lately.  I can see that I have gotten so generic lately.

Ya know I like Benny Hinn, the TV evangelist? I don't get him on my TV lately as I don't have cable. . . But I used to have cable and I would watch him here and there . . . And as I was watching him one day I said out loud, "Ya know if the preacher would ask the audience, 'How many here need healing of the body?' I bet it would be about a fourth, maybe, of the people need healing of the body. . . But then if Pastor Hinn asked, 'How many folks need a healing for their broken families?' I would imagine about the whole audience would need a healing for the family. . . Because the TRUTH is not told."

Christians are running around marrying and divorcing like crazy. And then after a divorce, Mother has to go work and the children's lives are turned upside down. . . And ya know Benny and his wife separated . . . then in 2010 they divorced. .  . But just lately they went back together.  I think the Lord allowed this to happen to the Hinn family because it won't be long and he and his family will be preaching about the restoration of the family.  Now we will get somewhere in the body of believers.

This is why I feel so thankful that Mrs. Nancy Campbell put my testimony on her Facebook again and I was able to update it.  Because, to me, the message on the healing of the marriage has got to be the message of the hour. . .

Love Connie

* Order Connie's book, "Dear Kitchen Saints," - It is autobiographical and tells the beautiful story of her marriage testimony!* 

Warm and Happy Kitchens

 {From the Archives of Connie's Letters. Fall 2006.}

Mothers who have busy warm kitchens and happy hearts can make good bread.  Your yeast is alive and loves to be warm and active. I think old houses seem to make good bread. I think it is because of all of the other yeasts in the house.  Yeast is in the air and a housewife can learn to harness and use whatever yeast she needs. Like a sour dough starter is harvesting yeast for bread and rolls.

I know this house is loaded with yeast of all kinds. The Old time mothers knew all of this and used what she had to make her food.  But I usually tell a young mom that if she can’t make a good family bread then it was because she didn’t love it enough.

A happy kitchen with steaming soup simmering on the stove and the coffee pot perking is a joyful place to make bread. Your bread won’t rise in a cold kitchen and if is too hot it will die.

The old time mothers used to sing in their kitchens. An old friend of mine used to say that her Mom always sang a certain song when she made bread. When she got done with all of the verses then she knew the bread had been kneaded enough.

My friend thought as a child that the song was a part of the recipe. So when she grew up and was a young bride in her own kitchen she thought she had to sing the same song. So she did!

In the old days when the family needed to be cheered up, mother seemed to be the inspiration to get them up and going.  Mother would announce, “Well, you all are hungry so I will fix supper.” 

Maybe the afternoon was quiet and not much going on. But as mother would get up to put her apron on things would begin to move about again.  She would scurry the children about to pick up their games and get ready for supper.  She would tell the boys to bring in the wood for her cook stove and some for the fireplace.  Mama would tell the girls to help peel potatoes. Pretty soon the family would smell Mamas biscuits and fried meat on the stove.

Last of all before the family sat down to supper Mother would stir the gravy. As she stirred she would tell the girls to set the table and slice the bread, Light the lamp on the table and call Papa in for supper.

Meal time was an event, a time to fellowship with the family. After supper mother would set out a starter for bread making the next day.  After the supper dishes were done and the girls dried them and put them away, the table was cleared and Mother got out her mending. Papa read the evening paper and the children played games and did  homework.

The winter kitchen was the warmest place in the house and the family stayed in there and kept warm.

Is your kitchen warm?

 Love, Connie

* Order Connie's book, "Dear Kitchen Saints," - It is autobiographical and tells the beautiful story of her marriage testimony!*