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March 28, 2007

A Special Night for Mom & Dad

I just wanted to share with you girls an idea of how to create a special surprise for your mom and dad. My sister and I did this for our parents, and they really liked it!
In order for it to be a surprise, you will need to have your parents gone for the evening. Maybe you can drop a subtle hint that your dad should take your mom out for dinner or something. The night when we did our surprise, Dad took Mom out, so we had the evening to prepare.
The idea is to make their bedroom look like a room at a hotel or a bed-and-breakfast. We did the bed-and-breakfast. First, we cleared out any clutter that was hanging around and moved it into the spare bedroom. Then we put a pitcher of (silk) flowers on their dresser. In the bathroom, we folded two sets of towels the way they do at hotels: Take the largest towel (the bath towel) and fold it in thirds; then fold it in thirds again, with the edge inside (see illustration). Set it on the bathroom counter (if it isn't firm enough to stand by itself, you can fold it in half again). Now take a hand towel (not the washcloth), and fold it in thirds, as you did in the first step of the bath towel. With the edge down, lay it over the top of the bath towel, lengthwise. Now take the end that is on the outside, and partially open it up. Fold the bottom up, and tuck the sides around the back, forming a pocket. Now take the washcloth, "accordion" fold it, then pinch it in the middle and fold in half. Stick it in the pocket so that it fans out of the top. Voila! (Now, did that make ANY sense??).
After that, if you have any miniature shampoo and conditioner bottles, maybe from those little bags they give you at the airport if you're flying overnight, put those on the counter in front of the towels too, or in the shower. Another nice touch would be to put a still-in-the-wrapper bar of soap on the counter and/or in the shower.
For the actual bedroom, you can create some ambiance by lighting a few candles and putting on some quiet, classical music. If you happen to have live flowers handy, especially roses, you can sprinkle some of the petals on their bed. Be sure to dim the lights!
My sister and I wanted to put a chocolate on each of our parents' pillows, because they do that in high-end hotels. Alas, we didn't have any in the house! Not being easily daunted, however, we melted some chocolate chips, poured it into 2 heart-shaped molds, and put them in the refrigerator to harden. When they were done, we wrapped them in foil and put them on the pillows.
For the final touch, I made up a brochure to look like a bed-and-breakfast brochure. We just moved to our new house, and were considering names for the house. One of them was Fairview, so I made the name of the B & B the "Fairview Bed & Breakfast". The brochure is folded in thirds. Below is a sample of the brochure I made. When making your own, make up creative names for the different rooms and "amenities". For instance, at our house, the kitchen table, where we generally eat breakfast, has a deck outside the window and there are always chipmunks running around out there; our cats go crazy watching them! So I called this "The Chipmunk Ridge Breakfast Parlor" and I assure you, my parents got a kick out of it! The "Conservatory" is really a small greenhouse, "The Beach at Glacier's Mirror" is our pond. Do you get the idea? Make it sound like a resort, while at the same time giving it a humorous twist. Click on the images to enlarge.
^ This is the front and the inside flap of the brochure.^

^This is the inside of the brochure.^

Alright, the last thing we did was to make a small card which we set by their telephone that reads, "Please Dial {insert your phone#} for Room Service."

Well, I hope you have fun creating a special evening for your Mom and Dad!

March 22, 2007

Scripture Name Acrostics

Here's a great idea for a cute and fun project. Take a name (you could also do a word if you wanted to), and then fit a Scripture verse to each letter of the name. For example, "Kathryn":

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. (Prov. 4:23)
As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. (Ps. 42:1)
T
rust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (Prov. 3:5)
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (Micah 6:8)
Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right. (Prov. 16:13)
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Ps. 23:4)
Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake. (Ps. 115:1)

These would make very nice gifts; create a Scripture acrostic in the receiver's name, print it out on feminine paper in a pretty font (unless you are giving it to your dad or brother!) and then place it in a frame.

Enjoy making up your own acrostics!

March 20, 2007

A Mother's Instruction

By Anonymous

My dear, (my mother said to me), beware how you spend your days,
By idling the time away, a fool you're apt to be.
Guard your heart from sinfulness and keep a watchful eye,
For the world is full of sin and will tell you a lie.

Cooking and cleaning, washing and baking: these are good skills to learn,
But all of these are half as good as a difficult turn.
A turn away from sin and death, a turn to joy and life;
A turn of heart, a turn of mind, a turn away from strife.

Mold your character and be a woman fit for praise,
And may our God, the Lord of all, bless you all your days.

March 19, 2007

Homemaking Conference Update

The online Christian Homemaking Conference was great! We gathered in our home with about 15 mothers and daughters from our church. Despite some technical challenges, we managed to hear 2 wonderful sessions, the first by Mrs. Jennie Chancey and the second by Victoria, Anna Sophia and Elizabeth Botkin. They were very encouraging, and I would definitely recommend that you get the recordings when they become available!
It was great to see how many ladies were online listening; there were women from all over the world! Australia, England, and others across the United States. It's so encouraging to know that we are not the only ones out there who believe the way we do!
A big thank you to all those who worked to make the conference a success! I hope they will do it again sometime...

March 16, 2007

A Picture of Purity

Last year, my father, sister & I attended the Vision Forum Father/Daughter Retreat, at beautiful Callaway Gardens in Georgia. The grounds of the resort were just lovely! On one of our walks, we passed a small pond, and at the edge was growing a lily. Looking at the picture we took of it, it reminds me of what we "maidens of virtue" are striving to be; pure, blameless, rising above a world of awful impurity and corruption. In this picture, we see the lily, white and spotless, and beneath and behind it we see the mud and grime of the pond's edge.
I just want to encourage all of you girls out there to stay pure and faithful to what God has called us to be, and not be defiled with the "dirt" of the world.

March 14, 2007

New Recipes

I've added 3 new recipes to the Maidens of Virtue recipe page:

Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients:
2 cups oatmeal
2 cups cottage cheese
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup honey

Instructions
Mix all ingredients together. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 40 minutes. Serve with maple syrup if desired.
Variations: Add cut apples, blueberries or other fruit to the mixture before baking for a different twist.


Chili
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
about 4 cloves (or more J) garlic, pressed
1 small onion, chopped (optional)
3 to 4 (14 ½ oz.) cans diced tomatoes, NOT drained
1 to 2 (14 ½ oz.) cans black beans, drained
about 2 to 3 Tbsp. of chili powder

Instructions:
Brown beef with garlic and onion in a large pot over medium-high heat. Drain off fat. Add remaining ingredients, cover and simmer till heated through, about 15-20 minutes.


Simple Beef Stroganoff
Ingredients:
1 (10 ¾ oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (14 ½ oz.) can beef broth (chicken broth works too)
1 lb. beef stew meat, or round steak, cut in 1" pieces
1 cup sour cream
3 to 4 cups cooked noodles

Instructions:
Combine soup and broth in slow cooker (crock pot). Add meat; cover and cook on high 3-4 hours. Reduce heat to low and cook 3-4 more hours. Stir in sour cream and noodles. Cook on high for 20 more minutes.

Enjoy!

March 12, 2007

My Biggest Dream

"What is your biggest dream?"
Have you ever been asked that question? I have, and when I try to explain what my biggest dream is, people seem disappointed. "You 'just' want to be a mom? But, your you could do so much more with your life! Why not choose something more... well, fulfilling or something to benefit the community?"
My biggest dream is to be a helper meet for my future husband. I want to support him, submit to him, build him up and help him to carry out his vision. This dream includes having children, as many as the Lord shall see fit to give me. I want to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4); to have to privilege of teaching and training them myself, not leaving it to others. I want to cook their meals, kiss their bumps and bruises, and do those tasks that many women consider menial. In doing so, I will be shaping part of the next generation! Many have heard the saying, "The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world," but I wonder how many actually comprehend the truth in that short quote. Mothers are the ones who are determining the direction of the world! Isn't that a sobering thought? When a mother sends her children off to public school to be taught by politically correct teachers, she is, essentially, tearing down her house with her own hands. In my biggest dream, I want to do the opposite. Raising godly children will be the way in which I benefit the community, rather than leaving home and going around doing "good things" on my own, apart from my family. Is this choice going to be easy, exciting and glamorous? No. Worthwhile and fulfilling? Yes.
"That's as big as your biggest dream gets?"
Well, I don't think it could really get any bigger.

March 9, 2007

Poetry Contest!

The first ever Maidens of Virtue Poetry Contest has just been announced! The contest is open to girls ages 10 to 25. There are two categories:

Young ladies ages 10-17
Subject: Serving Your Family
Write a poem describing how you can help either your father, mother, brother, sister, OR the family as a whole.

Young ladies ages 18-25
Subject: The Proverbs 31 Woman
Using your own words, write a poem describing the Proverbs 31 woman, using Proverbs 31:10-31 as your guide.

Click here for a list of the great prizes awarded to the Grand Prize winners!

Contest begins March 10th, and is open to submissions until April 30th, 2007. Complete rules can be found at www.MaidensOfVirtue.com.

March 7, 2007

Tea Time Charm

Do you love tea? I do. I always have, suffice to say that I used to load it with milk and sugar. I have fond memories of visiting my Oma (grandma) and we would always have tea and cookies. As a matter of fact, we still do. My Oma tells me that we (my sister and I) used to ask her all the time, "Oma, can we have sweet tea?" Now, perhaps we don't have it quite so sweet, but tea and cookies is always something we do together.
I hope you and your mother and sisters, if you have any, have tea time quite often. We recently moved to a beautiful 6 acre property, and while exploring the land the other day, discovered several picturesque little spots that would be perfect for an informal tea party; there is a little screened garden house down by the garden, and under one large evergreen, the lower branches had been cut away creating a big "room" underneath, high enough for me to stand up straight. Now, isn't that just the perfect spot for a "woodland tea"?



Tea Time Charm
By Miss Kathryn Y.

Tea Time…what does it bring to mind? I think of little girls dressed up in hats and gloves, sipping tea out of white porcelain teacups with roses painted on them. But Tea Time doesn't have to be just for little girls; older girls enjoy it too.

For me, Tea Time is the perfect opportunity to be a "young lady". It is the time when good manners and proper posture are at their peak. What girl doesn't love to put on a pretty dress, curl her hair, and play at being a "lady"? Sadly, girls these days are usually too caught up in cell phones and goofing off to appreciate the value of having tea. Tea Time offers a welcome rest from the hectic rush of the day. Even if you don't "dress up" for it, Tea Time gives a sense of femininity and grace; there is a certain old-fashioned charm about pouring out tea, and asking your companions if they take cream or sugar?
Tea Time need not always be a "tea party"; it can be informal, or very elegant. Invite your closest friends, or just share a cup of tea with your mother. When girls grow older, too often they shut out their parents, and do what "they want". What a mistake! Having Tea Time with your mother is such a lovely way to keep acquainted, so to speak. Somehow, it seems easier to talk to your mom over a cup of tea.
Don't think that just because you are older than 10 you are too old to have Tea Time; I'm 13 and I love it! I have a tea party for my birthday every year. It's so fun!

So, two sugar cubes or none…either way, it's Tea Time, young ladies!

Article used with permission of FunEvents4Girls.com.

Christian Homemaking Conference

On March 17th we will be gathering with about 20 mothers and daughters in our home for this online Christian Homemaking Conference! The conference is featuring speakers Jennie Chancey, Kim Brenneman, Jennifer McBride, Lydia Sherman & Lillibeth Humphrey, and Anna Sophia & Elizabeth Botkin.
We are greatly looking forward to this event! I will be sure to update on it here. You can find more information on this conference at www.ChristianHomemakingConference.com.

March 6, 2007

Welcome

Welcome to The Girlhood Gazette! This is a blog for Christian young ladies who have rejected the world's idea of womanhood and desire to live a virtuous life for God's glory.

I hope to post recipes, poems, and thoughts on girlhood as they occur to me. There will be some of the same things on this blog as on MaidensOfVirtue.com, so don't be surprised to see some similarities! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you'll come back soon!