The Importance of RoutinesBy: Liza AsherAt 8:30 p.m. at the Osborne family house in Burlington, Vermont, an exemplary bedtime process is underway. The three children are upstairs changing into their pajamas, brushing their teeth, and settling into their beds to read. There is remarkably little protest or variation. "Bedtime is the one area where our routine has not wavered," says mom Eleanor. "Since the boys were toddlers, we've been doing the same thing, and now it's automatic. This is usually the calmest period our day."Regular schedules provide the day with a framework that orders a young child's world. Although predictability can be tedious for adults, children thrive on sameness and repetition. "Knowing what to expect from relationships and activities helps children become more confident," says Dr. Peter Gorski, assistant professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School in Cambridge, Massachussetts.Routines begin from the first days of life, says Susan Newman, a social … [Read more...]

Here's another devotional from my Names of God series...OMNIPRESENT (EVER-PRESENT)Psalm 139:7-12Where could I go from Your Spirit? Or where could I flee from Your presence? If I ascend up into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol (the place of the dead), behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning or dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there shall Your hand lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me and the night shall be the only light about me, Even the darkness hides nothing from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You.He is always here...He is always there. He is EVERYWHERE...AT ONCE! We are never alone. What other "god" can say that? No matter what we are going through...no matter how deep or dark the valley...HE IS WITH US! Isn't that awesome?! He never leaves us! NEVER!Hebrews 13:5b says; ...for God, Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor … [Read more...]

I just began remodeling The Recipe Finder. My plan is to integrate it with Moms of Faith. I strongly believe that we are called to bring glory to God in EVERYTHING we do...including COOKING! SO, here are some great summer salad recipes. Bon appetite!Summer SaladsGreen vegetables are the food most missing in modern diets. Nutritionally, greens are very high in calcium (120 -190 mg per cup!) They're also high in magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, zinc, and they are a power house for Vitamin A, C, E and K. Believe it or not, they are also crammed high with fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll and many other micro-nutrients and phyto-chemicals. You just can't get any better than this. Take a look at the following two recipes to help move you into a sensational summer!Sensational Summer SaladFor a summer snack that will cleanse the kidneys and help the body to unload toxic wastes from the blood, use the following high powered recipe.1/2 cup of watercress1/2 cup of dandelion greens1/2 cup of … [Read more...]