With fervor, the young lady scrubbed the dirty dinner pot. She was growing frustrated with the seemingly enormous stack of dishes that awaited her attention, for she wanted to finish a sewing project after kitchen duties were completed. Her siblings had vanished after the meal was over, leaving her alone to clean up. Sharon inwardly grumbled in self-pity, when her thoughts were shocked to silence when her mom walked in the kitchen with a sober face. Her announcement was startling.

​Our Heavenly Father gives us many things to be grateful for. Just take a moment and make a mental list of those things you can thank God for.

​Your list probably included some of the following: family, friends, a warm house, food, salvation, etc. These things are easy to be thankful for, but did your list include: siblings that are difficult to work with? A little brother or sister who has a tendency to get into your things? Disappointment? Loss? Being sick? Those who persecute you and revile you?

It’s that time of the year again when we give thanks to our gracious Lord and Savior for all that He has done in our lives! Need some scrumptious recipes? Need a craft idea? What about a new tradition to start each Thanksgiving? Maybe these are some help to you! :)

Ahh . . . Dessert!! What a sweet thought! As the leaves fall from the trees and snow begins to fall (at least in my part of the country!), I find myself spending quite a bit of time in the kitchen experimenting with new recipes and making old favorites. Desserts are my favorite things to bake. Most desserts are chocked full off unhealthy fats, sugars, and artificial ingredients. As I bake, my desire is to produce a flavorful yet healthy product.
 
Ever since I started cooking as a young child, my parents have reinforced this important principle for quality food:
 
“Quality food should not only taste good, but it should
look good, be good for you, and be good for the budget.”
 
This principle has served to guide me as I’ve progressed in my cooking skills. However, it is challenging to apply this principle to desserts, especially the “be good for you” part!  Here are some of the ways I’ve learned and ways I’m working on to make desserts fit the principle:

“And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in Thee.”—Psalm 39:7
 
Have you ever heard a single girl say something to this effect: “I’m waiting for the Lord to bring me a husband.” Probably most of us have. In fact, we may have even thought something like that ourselves! And frankly, for many of us, there’s truth to the statement. We are waiting for the Lord to bring the right man to be our husband. God’s best is certainly worth waiting for! However, I’d like to share some thoughts that the Lord has been impressing on my heart lately. I think that by telling ourselves (and others) that we’re “waiting,” we could potentially slip into a mindset that keeps us from using our “single” years fully for the glory of God. 

Kneeling down before my King,
My precious daughters to Him I bring.
How can I raise them to be virtuous and true?
Oh Lord, I'm weak; I need You.
 
I can strive to teach them to be morally good,
To say the right things, dress the right way,
act in a way every lady should.
But if I fail to teach them mercy, grace, and love,
To live my own life only for God above
 
Oh Lord, they need to be planted by the streams of living water,
That is what will make them a truly virtuous daughter.
So back on my knees before You I pray,
Lord, You need to work in their heart, You are the only way. 

​Dear Sisters,
 
The Bible says, “young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands that that word of God be not blasphemed.”—Titus 2:4–5
 
How can we apply to these verses? We can apply to part of these verses by babysitting. Babysitting does not only mean that you babysit children when the parents are gone. You can babysit children when the parents are there too. I know probably some of you girls aren’t allowed to babysit when your parents are away from home, and I'm not allowed to either...

“Daughter of mine, a woman so kind,
how did you grow up to be so fine?”
A voice in answer so quiet and low,
“you trained me up in the way I should go.”
Proverbs 22:6
 
“Daughter of mine, so busy was I,
how did I teach you, when found I time?”
“Diligently you taught me all through the day,
 as a young child in a Mother's special way.” 
Deuteronomy 6:6-7
 
“Daughter of mine, If this be true,
what are some things that I taught you?”
“I learned to esteem others better than me.
not to love only in words; but also in deed.
Philippians 2:3,  1 John 3:18
 
I learned by example to love sisters and brothers,
as I saw you look on the things of others.
To always walk in truth you taught,
God's commands taught from the heart.”
  Philippians 2:4, 3 John 1:4
 
“Mother of mine, You are so kind,
You are the one who is so fine.
I'd hear you pray, and learn how true,
the realness of God is in you.”
 
“Many a time I’ve failed and stumbled,
Daughter of mine in tears I’m humbled.”
LMS
 
"But as he which hath called you is holy,
so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;"
 1 Peter 1:15