1. You only get out of a marriage what you put into it.

II Corinthians 9:6

2. Never get too old to hold hands.

Psalm 73:23-24

3. Let life’s experience draw you closer together.

Isaiah 64:8

4. Never let a day go by without telling each other, “I love you.”

Proverbs 25:11

5. Learn to bend and not break.

Jeremiah 17:7-8

6. Maintain your marriage with kindness.

Ephesians 4:32

7. Always be best friends with your partner.

Song of Solomon 5:16

8. Always be honest, faithful, and true to each other.

Revelation 19:11

9. Remember the golden rule also applies to your spouse.

Matthew 7:12

10. First make a commitment to the Lord, then to each other.

Psalm 119:106

Marriage is life’s way of proving how opposite the opposite sex can be.

Love may be blind, but marriage is a real eye opener.

Your mate doesn’t live by bread alone; he or she needs to “buttered up” from time to time.

Leftover Bread Cookies

I have found a great way to use up old, dried-up bread.  You can use it for really good cookies.

1¼     cups flour

1¼     cups sugar

½     tsp. salt

½     tsp. baking powder

1/3     cup cocoa

½     cup milk

1     egg

1½     tsp. vanilla

2/3     cup melted shortening

2     cups bread crumbs

Stir together all the dry ingredients. Stir together the wet ingredients and then add to the dry.  Add melted shortening and bread crumbs. You may add a tablespoon of peanut butter, M&M’s, or pieces of a candy bar to give the cookies more flavor.  They are also good without anything added.   Drop by teaspoonful on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 13 minutes.

I recently adopted the title of stay-at-home housewife, with four girls, ages one through thirteen.  This opportunity arose, at the ripe old age of forty-two, when I delivered a bouncing baby girl. My prayers to God, to be able to stay at home with the baby, have been answered.

Just to let you know, things get tight; my husband is an artist. We sometimes use the term starving artist in our family. Really, he does a great job at working hard and providing for us.  In a two-income society, it remains a challenge to live on one income.

Not wanting to return to work right now, I assumed the job of trying to save money and found several ways that God has enabled me to do so. We all need to remember that it is not our money; it belongs to God and we should not waste what He gives to us.

I included some tips that I acquired from reading various books and articles. I hope that some of them will help you save.

One week we had almost nothing for groceries. I literally spent thirty-five dollars that week for our family of six.  Not an easy task! I needed whole milk for my one year old, while my thirteen year old easily downs four hot dogs at lunch, wolfs down a big dinner, and asks me what I made for dessert! My eleven year old does not lag far behind.

One of the things that helped me was to scan the ads in our town paper on Wednesday afternoons.  After checking to see which store advertised the best sales, I made a list of things I needed and where to buy particular items. I sometimes traveled to three different stores in one shopping day. I loaded up on the really good sale items, enough to last at least six weeks.  It takes about that long for them to go on sale again.

Certain items I need to buy every week. I purchase fifteen pounds of flour, five pounds of sugar and rice, a bag of popcorn, two pounds of margarine, one pound of butter, two pounds of dried pinto beans, six dozen eggs, and a jar of yeast. I also buy fruit, carrots, celery, and a jar of peanut butter if it is on sale. It is also good to keep corn meal and oatmeal on hand. With these items we can at least eat for a while.

Have you ever considered getting rid of your cable or satellite television?  Since we cut out watched regular television for so long, my kids do not even know what television shows play. We do not miss trying to censor the bad programs or commercials either. We do have a television that we use for parent-approved videos.  Try this money saving tip.  Instead of renting movies, the library lends them for free in our hometown and only charges if you fail to return them after a week! You wait a little longer for the new releases, but I remember waiting years to see a movie before they Invented videocassette recorders (VCR). Our kids do not suffer boredom, as you might think, even without the television.  Instead, they are   very creative and play outside more than most kids in our neighborhood. They love for me to read to them at night, which I think builds their imagination.

Remember, don’t cheat God; give your tithe and mission offerings. Those things are eternal and everything else remains temporary anyway.

Proverbs 19:17 “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.”
You may need to plan a little and sacrifice some, but you can live on less. May God bless your finances and help you to live more frugally.

Proverbs 13:11 “Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.”

Written by Jeanie Hanson

Four Essentials to Secure the Foundation of our Marriages
Genesis 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

1. A Common Desire
In our marriage relationships, we must ensure that our desires remain the same. Common desires mean striving after the same goals.  In every marriage, there should exist a time and place to sit down and share your hearts desires with one another.  Make time to share your love for each other and your family.

In our relationship with Christ, the Bible tells us to share our hearts desires with Him; this same principle applies to the husband and wife relationship. The Bible commands the man to dwell with his wife according to knowledge.  The husband bares the responsibility of sitting down and discovering what his wife desires to become.

In the marriage, we need to share a partnership with each other while uniting under common desires. The more children in the family, the more important this time becomes. As husband and wife, you must partner with each other in child rearing, making sure you both know what goals exist behind the training of your children.

When the children, leave you will still be together; therefore, never let your children come between you and your spouse. Do not allow them to ruin your marriage.

The Bible tells us in Genesis 2:18, And the LORD God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. Husbands, be sure to remember that as much as she is there for you, you are to be there for her in the same way and more. Wives, you should help your husband to reach his potential for God, at home and at his place of work. Husbands, you should assume the position of spiritual leadership. You need to guide her so that she can become all that she can for God and the family.

2. A Common Appreciation
Genesis 2:21-23 says, And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, this is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

Appreciation reveals a sign of a healthy marriage.  Always letting your spouse know how much she means to you is paramount.  You must continually reflect on all the wonderful things she does for you and the family.

How do you show your appreciation for your wife? Start by simply telling her, but continue in prayer for her and reminding God how wonderful she is. Express to God your gratitude for his wonderful wisdom in finding your helpmate.  Wives, this goes both ways. When praying with your children at night, while your husband lies in bed or sits on the couch, let him hear you pray and thank God for all he does for you and your family.

These times of prayer help your children appreciate mom and dad, and speak volumes to your children that mommy and daddy are deeply and happily in love.  My mother, Mrs. Alice Smith, always emphasized this truth, The greatest thing that you can do for your children is love your spouse and show it.

3. A Common  Commitment
The Bible tells us in Genesis 2:24, Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. In every marriage, the husband and wife must leave their fathers and mothers for each other; both must cleave unto one another in all matters of relationship. Too many times husbands or wives will neglect the whole matter of leaving and cleaving and will try to live both lives.  God commanded us to leave and commit ourselves to one another. When one commits himself or herself to someone they simply say, I trust you. This in return speaks volumes to the other spouse.

In Ephesians 5:21-33 we find a description of how Christ loves the church, and how He willingly laid down his own life for the church. No one can separate Christ’s love from the church.

If we love like Christ loves His church, Romans 8:35-39 should describe our marriage. It states, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Our commitment to one another should be so strong, and our roots of love should grow so deep; however strong the winds may blow and hard the rain may fall, we will not separate one from another.

4. A Common Conviction
We must share a passion for Christ, the cause of Christ and the Church of Christ. The Scriptures say in Psalm 127:1, Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

Husband and wife, you must get on the same page: for the sake of your marriage, your children, your church and your nation.  We have heard the phrase before, Our family will only be as strong as the marriage; the church will only be as strong as the family; and the nation will only be as strong as the church. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Christ must reside in the center of your relationship! Christ must exist as the foundation for which you build your marriage upon. Christ must be the Cornerstone of your life; both husband and wife must decide to never seek a replacement for Christ. Do not use your spouse to replace Christ in your life.

If we will learn to love each other like Christ loves the church, in the end we will reach the goal!

Written by Marvin Smith, Jr.

Here is a mission project that can include the whole family. Did you know in the world today that every fifteen seconds a child dies from a lack of clean water to drink? Your family can help build clean drinking wells for children around the world through a project known as “The H20 Project.” It is really a very simple project that can have a lasting lesson for both child and parent alike.

Americans spend over $50 billion dollars every year on soft drinks, which may provide the sweet-tooth drinker with some enjoyment, but the fact is, water is much more healthy and beneficial to our bodies.

Challenge your family to a 40-day soda-pop fast. In the process, you can develop some daily devotions around fasting (Matt. 6:16), serving (Rom. 12:11), prayer (Matt. 21:22), and helping others (Matt. 25:34-40). Every time someone in the family sacrifices their soda, have them put $ .50 or $1.00 into a H20 jar that you can donate
to The H20 Project at www.theh20project.org

Not only will you have taught your children how to serve, sacrifice, and help children get clean water, but everyone will be a little healthier in the process!

Written by Jim Hill