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WELCOME TO HOMEBODIES
January 30, 2007
Volume 8, Issue 5
Weekly encouragement and empowerment e-zine
for stay-at-home parents and working parents
considering the at-home lifestyle
Your Hostess - Cheryl Gochnauer, author of
"Stay-at-Home Handbook", "So You Want to Be a
Stay-at-Home Mom", "Mom to Mom" and founder of
http://www.homebodies.org
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THIS WEEK'S ARTICLES:
"Birth of a Friendship", by Homebodies founder Cheryl Gochnauer, excerpted
from the compilation book Kisses of Sunshine for Women (Zondervan, 2005)
"Quick and Easy Super Bowl Party Tips” by Homebodies columnist Mary Jo
Rulnick, author of The Frantic Woman’s Guide to Feeding Family and Friends
"Financial Resolutions" by Homebodies columnist Gary Foreman, founder of The
Dollar Stretcher (http://www.stretcher.com)
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BIRTH OF A FRIENDSHIP
Homebodies
By Cheryl Gochnauer
homebodies@comcast.net
Excerpted from Kisses of Sunshine for Women
Copyright 2005 Zondervan
“If one falls down, his friend can help him up.” Eccl. 4:10 (a) (NIV)
Dismay blanketed the office as news spread from cubicle to cubicle: the wife
of one of our favorite co-workers had just lost her baby.
Jack’s workstation was silent, a darkened room with shadows falling on
family photos and his three-year-old son’s crayon masterpieces. As employees
whispered, I slipped into the bathroom and wiped empathic tears for his wife
Suzanne. I had miscarried the year before, and understood the grief of
pre-empted parenting.
I also knew the frustration of fielding inane comments from people who mean
to help but who trample tender hearts instead. “It was God’s will,” “You’ll
have more children,” “At least you weren’t too far along,” and other phrases
had left me feeling even more bereft.
Like Suzanne, I had a preschooler at home to hug me, to smile, and to remind
me of exactly what I had lost. So though I’d never met her, I wrote this
young Christian mother a letter which said all the things I wished someone
had said to me.
Suzanne wrote back. Our friendship was instant and deep, a sisterly bond
forged by common hurt and common belief in the Son who shared our troubles.
Over the following year, we spent lots of time together, a couple of
modern-day Hannahs trying to catch God’s attention, and eventually the
giggles outweighed the tears.
As we were about to discover, our Father was listening to every word.
“I’m going to have a baby!” Suzanne’s bubbly voice danced over the phone
line. I celebrated like I was the one who was pregnant.
A week later, I was.
“No way!” But there it was. The test strip was bright blue.
While Suzanne dove into preparations for her coming child, I held back. What
if something happens to this baby?
Suzanne would have none of that. As I once prompted her, she pushed me
toward the Giver of Life. My hesitation gave way to cautious optimism, then
to joyful planning of my own.
One sunny September afternoon, Carrie Marie arrived, healthy and perfect. As
I stood over the birthing room bassinet admiring her shining red hair, a
familiar face appeared beside me. “Hey, Neighbor!” Jack beamed. “We’re right
next door!”
Within the hour, I was walking the hospital halls with Suzanne and Jack as
my newborn slept. In true been-there, done-that fashion, I cheered Suzanne
on as she waddled along, clutching her contracting belly. “You’re gonna do
great!”
And she did. A few hours later, I held Carrie to my breast and listened as
Suzanne gave one last push in the adjoining birthing room. Garrett Neal
squalled a robust hello as I laughed out loud and thanked God for not only
His mercy, but His impeccable timing.
A dozen years have passed since that glorious day when God filled both our
arms with cherub-cheeked treasure. Suzanne and I now smile at our precocious
preteens and their equally-adored older siblings, keenly aware of how
special each one of them is.
Just like our other children, who are playing at Jesus’ house until their
mommies come home.
“For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness
continues through all generations.” Psa. 100:5
*****
Read other tender stories like this one, written by some of your favorite
female authors (like Cheryl!) in Kisses of Sunshine for Women (Zondervan,
2005), available from your favorite bookstore. Comments? Write Cheryl at
homebodies@comcast.net.
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QUICK AND EASY SUPER BOWL
PARTY TIPS
Mary Jo’s Greetings
By Mary Jo Rulnick
mjrwrites@aol.com
Copyright 2007
Here are some practical tips that will save you time and work for this
weekend’s football bash:
For your refreshment or kitchen table, top it with a solid-colored flat bed
sheet in your team's color. A twin-sized sheet works well with most tables
and is usually more reasonable than a cloth tablecloth and more durable than
a plastic one. And you'll love how easily it washes up and can be reused
again and again.
Now if you're feeling really creative, buy a piece of indoor/outdoor carpet
grass (like the kind you would find on a porch) to use as an Astroturf
tablecloth. With paint or white adhesive tape, mark yard lines on the
carpet. Add team names to the end zones. I had an Astroturf cloth for one of
my son's birthday parties and an event I planned for senior citizens and it
was a huge hit with all. By the way, you can spray off any spills with water
and a little soap.
Print the team logos from the team's web site and tape them on a garbage can
and place near the food table. Or if you have a team pennant, tape it to the
container. (Psst. The kids can do this one.) Put a couple of extra trash
bags in the bottom of the trash can. When the bag is full of garbage and
ready to be taken out, there's another bag ready to take its place.
To make less clean-up work, place trash cans within arm's reach of the
buffet table and eating areas to eliminate guests stacking empty cups,
food-spoiled plates and used napkins on the nearest flat surface. Believe
me, you'll find garbage everywhere if garbage cans aren't available.
Keep paper towels, hand wipes and cleaning cloths in a basket on the kitchen
counter and near the refreshment tables for mishaps that are bound to
happen. And whoever makes the mess can clean the mess.
Use plastic cups in the team's color or white. For a fun and practical party
opener, have guests write their favorite player's name or number on the cup
with a permanent marker. But, there's one rule to follow. Only one team
player allowed per party. No repeats.
Plan an easy-to-make and simple-to-serve buffet menu that won't require a
lot of your attention. The last thing you want to do is spend the afternoon
preparing food, while everyone else is having a good time. A roaster filled
with chicken strips, a slow cooker holding vegetarian chili and/or a
sandwich board will satisfy the crowd's hunger pains. Now, you don't have to
make all three. You can make one or two entrees and fill in the menu with
quick side dishes.
Serve cut veggies in paper or foam cups for easy snacking. This is a
healthier version of fries in a cup you'd find at the stadium. Once the
veggies are cut, put kids in charge of filling the containers.
Make a self-serve drink station. Fill a stainless steel tub or plastic bin
with ice and cans of sodas. Line the container with a garbage bag to keep
leakage and condensation to a minimum. If you have a team stadium blanket or
beach towel handy, place it under the tub or bin to catch any drips.
Serve a punch for guests to help themselves when thirst calls. Keep a larger
washable or vinyl placemat underneath the punch bowl or pitchers (pour punch
into lidded pitchers) to catch any drips and spills. Be sure to have a ladle
or two for the punch bowl.
For a quick snack, buy lunch bags in team colors and pack them with popcorn.
Place bagged popcorn in a large basket, plastic tub or Little Tykes football
toy box (if you have one) for guests to grab as they get the munchies. (Even
though my youngest has outgrown his football toy box years ago, we kept it
and it’s a fun way to serve up snacks on football Sundays.)
*****
Mary Jo Rulnick is the author of THE FRANTIC WOMAN'S GUIDE TO FEEDING FAMILY
AND FRIENDS (Warner Books, 2006) and the do-it-yourself expert. She has been
a featured guest on radio and television programs across the country and
Canada. Visit Mary Jo at MaryJoRulnick.com or email her at
mjrwrites@aol.com
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FINANCIAL RESOLUTIONS
The Dollar Stretcher
By Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Copyright 2007
This is the time of year when many people take stock of themselves and their
future. So alongside your plan for a trimmer waistline, we'd like to suggest
some financial resolutions for the new year.
Resolve to save at least $1 each day. It doesn't seem like much, but it does
add up faster than you might think. You've probably seen the numbers before.
Let's assume that you earned 10% per year on your savings. That's the
long-term average for the stock market.
At the end of 10 years you'll have nearly $5,000. After 20 years you will
have accumulated over $20,900. If you start at age 30 and keep it up until
you're 65, your measly $1 a day will have grown to $99,000!
So how will you save $1 a day? How about bringing soda to work instead of
hitting the vending machines at break time? Or skip the 'supersize' at
lunch. If you can't think of something ask your friends or family for their
ideas.
Maybe you'd rather do the whole week at one time. How about staying in for
lunch one day a week? Carpool twice a week with a neighbor? You get the
idea. Anything that'll help you save $1 a day or $365 a year will work.
Certainly there's somewhere in your expenses that can be squeezed that much.
Resolve that your credit card debt will not increase in any month this year.
A comic once said that the first key to getting out of a hole is to quit
digging. It may not be funny, but it is true.
To keep your card balances from increasing you'll need to pay off any new
charges you make each month and also pay any interest caused by your old
balance. For some people that will be tough. They see no connection between
using a credit card and paying it off. They think that paying the minimum
each month is a major victory. It isn't.
Keeping this resolution will require you to keep track of your credit card
spending and to stop spending when you run out of money.
Roughly one third of all credit card users carry a zero balance. While you
might not be able to achieve that goal this year (wouldn't it be nice if you
could!), you can manage to keep your financial hole from getting any deeper.
The next resolution will help you achieve the last one. Resolve to consider
alternatives before making any purchase of $100 or more. Over the last 30
years the size of the average home has grown by 50%. And, self-storage
locations are a fixture in most towns. The reason for this is simple. We buy
too much stuff and then have to store it.
The concept is simple. Before making any major purchase, wait a couple of
days. Use the time to think about ways you could get the benefit without
spending the money.
Do you really need a new fertilizer spreader? Couldn't you borrow one from
your next door neighbor? Rent one? Or even buy one used?
Often going to the store and pulling out the plastic is not the best way to
achieve your goal. But you'll never know unless you think about alternatives
first.
Resolve to have a proper will and estate plan. No one likes to think about
their death. But, everyone should legally prepare for it. Even if you're
young, single and don't have any children. If the unexpected happens someone
will need to step in and make decisions about your funeral and take care of
closing out checking accounts, IRA's and selling your car and other
possessions.
Everyone should have a will. And, many will want to have a 'living will' to
state their preference on being kept alive using life support equipment.
It's wise to also have a plan in place in case you're incapacitated.
These documents aren't as expensive as you might think. And, in most cases,
they'll work fine for many years. Take the time this year to put the proper
legal papers in place in case something happens. Your loved ones will
already be dealing with grief. Don't make them deal with legal complexities,
too.
Finally, resolve to learn one new money-saving tip each month this year and
put it into practice. There are literally thousands of ways to save money.
You really don't have to look very hard or very far to find good ideas. It's
simply a matter of making up your mind that saving money is important to you
and you're willing to put forth a little effort to accomplish your goal.
Try one new money-saving idea each month. You might just find that you end
the year in much better shape than you entered it. Isn't that what
resolutions are all about?
*****
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits The Dollar
Stretcher.com website and newsletters. You'll find hundreds of articles to
stretch your day and your dollar. Visit today!
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PUBLICATION INFORMATION
Copyright 2007 Cheryl Gochnauer. All rights reserved. For permission to
reprint an article, please write homebodies@comcast.net.
All articles are printed with the author's prior consent. It is assumed that
any questions, tips or replies to questions may be reprinted. All letters
become the property of Cheryl Gochnauer.
Cheryl Gochnauer does not assume responsibility for advice given. All
advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and
applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe
and suitable for their own situation.
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