The Blessing of Younger Siblings...

My baby brother and I enjoyed a beautiful day on Tuesday!! I just love having younger siblings. They are such a wonderful blessing!

Valentine's Day for Stay-At-Home Daughters

Valentine's Day has always been one of my favorite times of the year! Even though it's emphasized as a holiday for couples, we always make it a wonderfully fun day for everyone in our house! Each year we make our own home-made Valentines and pass them out to everyone in the family... it's become quite a fun tradition! We try to 'out do' last year's Valentines with new fresh ideas!

Here are some of the cards I made for my family this year.

I can't wait to see what the rest of my family has come up with!!

Recently, I've been thinking about ways that a stay at home daughter can reach out to others on Valentine's Day. Last year, a good friend from my church held a Valentine's bake at her home. All of the single girls in our church got together and had a wonderful time socializing while baking cookies for the older members of our church, as well as those who were stuck at home or sick. It was wonderful fun and those cookies were such a blessing to our church members! I also love to voluteer at the local assisted living center and nursing home. The people there love to hear hymns and I love to play them on the piano. It's so much fun to spend time with older people-- they are so wise and have so much to tell!

This year, I've already been preparing and planning ways that I can glorify God on Valentine's Day as an unmarried daughter. First of all, I made Valentines and wrote lengthy letters to some of my more distant relatives telling them all about what our family is up to now and how much they mean to us. I know they'll love to receive those, especially my great-grandmother and great-aunt! I also helped my younger siblings with their letters and valentines for our relatives.

I love to serve my family by cooking and baking, and this year (shhhh, don't tell) I'm making a surprise Valentine's day dinner complete with a fancy cake. I even bought a special tablecloth to decorate our table.

Be sure to check back, I'll post pictures of the finished cake (and supper). Hopefully it will turn out well! I've already bought some frosting.... mmmm....


Another way I've helped others celebrate Valentine's Day is by babysitting for my family or the neighbors so that parents can enjoy a night out together. While their parents are gone, I help the children make special messages for their mom and dad... and leave them on their pillowcase! My parents love to receive cards and surprises from us!

These are just a few ideas for an unmarried young lady to be a blessing to others on Valentine's Day! I'd love to hear your suggestions! Leave a comment below!

Crystal from Biblical Womanhood is holding a great Valentine's Day contest for the unmarried, the deadline is tomorrow! Head on over there and take a look!

--Flibby

Fruits of the Spirit: Love

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23

We are beginning a new series here on Stay-At-Home Daughters! Every month check back for the next installment of our fruits of the spirit series. February's topic is love. How fitting! I'm going to share practical ways a Stay-At-Home Daughter can show love to her family, friends and those who persecute her.

The hardest aspect of love, for me, is being able to show love to those who hate you, persecute you, or wish to show you harm. When presented with a challenge or accusations, I answer them gently and cautiously. As the Proverb says:

"A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger." Proverbs 15:1

Sometimes those you love turn from the ways of the Lord, and can become what the Bible calls, "a heathen". Matthew 18 explains how to deal with this,

Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
Matthew 18:15-18

I have various extended family members from whom we have had to separate ourselves. Many other family members argue that we are "not showing Christian love" when we don't support the lifestyle of the rebellious. On the contrary, biblically this is the only way we can truly show Christian love to our brethren, by following biblical example and demonstrating the fact that their lifestyle is not okay. Though this may seem harsh, ultimately we have to answer to an almighty God for our actions, not our family members. The best way to show Christian love for them is to pray for them. We pray for our lost extended family members and friends, and those who try to convince us that we are in the wrong.

For some girls, loving those closest to you can be tough. I thought I'd share some ways to not just get along with your siblings and family, but to show the love of Christ to them in everyday life.

Simple gestures of kindness mean a lot! My mother loves it when I bring her a glass of tea, start the laundry, iron, clean out the refrigerator or any other simple task without being asked. A lot of times, your family won't even notice the small things you do for them, but that's ok! The Lord will take notice! Remember -- character is who you are when no one is looking. Not seeking recognition for something is a wonderful way to exercise selflessness. The most important way to show love to your parents is to be submissive to them as your God given authority, and show cheerful obedience and respect. Sometimes when I want to do something helpful for my mother, I take my siblings and do something to keep them occupied. This is a great way to not only show love for your parents, but your siblings as well! The way your younger siblings will pick up on how much you love them is by how much time you spend with them! Playing with them may not be the most fun for you, but to them it's such a thrill!

My little sister loves when I make cards for her. Just a little piece of paper folded with a flower drawn on the front is enough to make her smile! It's easy to tell what things your siblings love when you spend time getting to know them. Every once in a while I prepare surprises for my little siblings, like a treasure hunt! They get so excited over such a simple thing! My little siblings also love it when I read to them, or sing to them. I love to be able to tuck them in at night and tell them I love them.

My sister (Poppy) and I are best friends. We talk about everything, joke, laugh, and share the same interests. The Lord was so good to put her in my life, but I know that everyone has different situations. Some of you may have siblings that are older, or very close to you in age. The best way I've found to show love to older siblings is to listen to them, being sensitive to their wishes and needs, and show them respect. It's much harder to get into arguments if you have their best interest at heart. Spend time learning things together! My sister and I have spent the past few months mastering the splits. It's so much fun to stretch together everyday! She and I exercise with my mom regularly, we shop together, we take piano lessons together, and we write this blog together! We have quite a few differences, and we have some disagreements, but we love and respect each other.

Overall, to learn how to truly apply this fruit of the spirit to your life, you have to learn to put yourself last! Selflessness is a trait that isn't easy to master, but the Lord can make it your second nature. Also, pray for your family, your friends, and fellow man, pray for the lost and the weary and pray for the Lord to help you show His love to the world.

God has blessed me with an intense love for those around me. It's such a blessing to be able to find joy in simply spending time with people!

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.

Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13

A thought on being a blessing to my siblings.

I was playing with one of my little sisters the other day and she said "I hope I grow up to be like you!". When she said that, I was reminded of how much responsibility I really have! I am the older sister to two wonderful little girls and two wonderful little boys who are constantly watching and learning. It reminded me how much I really have to watch myself, and see the example I am setting.

Recently I have been trying to be a blessing to my little sisters (and brothers) by helping them with things, teaching them things and sometimes just playing with them. For example, every time I have baked something recently I always call Hannah B and Cindy Lou in to help me. They adore cooking with me, especially when I let them crack the eggs :P

Also, my younger siblings and I have been working on a secret project and they adore spending time together, helping and working on it every day. It is so much fun to just spend time with them laughing and enjoying ourselves.

I would rather be with my siblings any day than without. They are amazing. You wouldn't believe how special they feel when I let them help me sew, take care of the baby or even fold my laundry.

I hope I have encouraged you to stop what you are doing and give some time to your siblings. You wouldn't believe how much it means to them.

The Blessing of a Baby Brother.

When Noah was born four months ago, I was thrilled and couldn't wait to start helping Mom in any way I could. I did this because I knew it would be a blessing to my mother and father, but I didn't understand the blessing that it would be to me! Ever since we have had Noah in our home, the Lord has been opening my eyes to what a blessing and a lesson he is. It is almost like Flibby and I are his second and third mother! This experience has taught me so many things about the care of children and the real role of a mother. Right from the start I was doing all the things that Mom was doing and watching carefully how she did them. I have learned so much! There are so many books that you can read, classes that you can take and people that you can talk to about being a mother, but nothing compares to experiencing it first hand! I am so glad that I have this opportunity to care for Noah before I get married and have my own children. This way, I have already experienced caring for an infant and I won't wave to be a young mother who knows nothing of what she's doing. My mother continues to tell me what a blessing it will be to have had this experience in child care when I am a mother myself.

I am so blessed to have this little one in my life, and I wouldn't trade him for anything! Not only Noah, but all of my siblings are such blessings to me! Each and every one of them teach me so much, and I have no idea what I would do without them.

~Poppy

A Recipe......

One of my favorite things to do with my siblings is to cook! The little ones especially love to help, and often ask to work right along with me. This is a very easy recipes, just 4 ingredients, perfect for cooking with your siblings! :)

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Peanut Butter Cookies

1 Cup Peanut Butter (smooth or crunchy!)
1 Cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla (or Vanilla Extract)

Preheat oven to 350^ F. Mix all ingredients together very well, until completely blended.

Next, roll walnut sized balls and place on cookie sheet. After you have rolled all the balls, use a fork to criss-cross a design on top of the balls, lightly pressing down so that it looks like really tiny squares.

Bake until set, 8-10 minutes. Cookies will not look done when they are ready. If you bake them too long, they will be really crunchy or burnt and definitely not very good!

Let cool on cooling rack until set. Make 1 dozen cookies.

I can usually have a batch of these whipped up in less than 20 minutes, bake time included.

Variations:
I have been known to add M ‘n’ M’s, nuts, or chocolate chips to these for variety.
You can also make Peanut Butter Blossoms by baking these, and pressing a Hershey’s Kiss into the center of each one. They make wonderful holiday cookies!

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Enjoy!

~@~Courtney~@~

Influence On Siblings

Welcome to our new blog! To start off, I thought I would post about a topic that weighs heavily on my heart as the oldest of six. I'm going to share some practical advice for maintaining a godly relationship between an older daughter and her siblings.

The relationship between siblings is, from the world's viewpoint, mocked and looked upon as a nuisance. Rivalry is considered normal, even for Christians. Is it not true that Christians should follow Jesus' example and show love and compassion for fellow man? Is not one's family more important than common man? It is quite crucial to consider the way Christians are represented in this corrupted world. If you are bickering with your siblings, you are showing those that are lost that Christians are no different from them. Why should they want what you have?

• First of all, to be a godly influence on my siblings, I need to be sure that my heart is right with the Lord. Prayer and the reading of Scripture are required if you want to become a virtuous woman in any regard.

• Take joy in caring for your siblings! I have found that caring for my young siblings is a wonderful training experience for future parenthood! In these years of preparation to be a wife and mother, I can have lots of experience with my siblings regardless of how old they are. It's true with so many years difference between my baby brother and me, I have been able to do nearly everything a mother would do for him including putting him to sleep, changing him, bathing him, and even staying up with him in the middle of the night. These things have been a wonderful learning experience for me as well as a tremendous help to my mother! Even with siblings closer to me in age, I learn patience, selflessness and the self-discipline that it takes to be a parent. I love being able to experience firsthand how the minds of children work and I can observe and learn from my mother how to rear them in the fear and admonition of the Lord.

• I have learned that one of the most important ways to get along with my siblings and virtually all others around me is to remember to always treat them with kindness and compassion. A little respect goes a long way with siblings, especially those who are closest to you in age. They may be the hardest to get along with. The golden rule applies here: Treat others as you wish to be treated.

• Another thing that is crucial in building godly sibling relationships involves one little word, time. A very wise lady once told me, "Children spell love, T-I-M-E." There is nothing my little sisters love more from me than spending time playing their games, reading to them or teaching them a new skill. Though it's often a hard investment to make, the Lord blesses my efforts greatly! Sometimes I employ them in a very productive activity by making it into a game! They LOVE it when I play "restaurant" while fixing lunch. Sometimes I'm an Italian chef, sometimes a baker, sometimes a waitress at "Flibby's Sandwich Bistro." They also love to play things like "airplane" when I play the pilot, the stewardess, and a passenger all in one. Or, I simply come in and play a brief part in their game. A little goes a long way. They love it when I read to them, direct a play that they star in, or just play their favorite song for them on the piano while they sing.

• It's important to build your siblings up instead of always treating them in a condescending way. While, occasionally I must gently reprimand them, I never discipline or play the part of their mother. They should be loved and built up by their older sister, not constantly scolded or threatened.

• One of the more important things I've learned is that a great encouragement to younger siblings is to always model Biblical, feminine behavior. They are constantly around me so I have to be aware of the innocent little eyes that are watching me and looking up to me for an example. This is a sobering thought which I'm sure is greatly intensified when you become a parent yourself. I always need to be respectful and obedient to my parents, industrious, ladylike, and gentle in speech. Also, I should model patience, kindness, and be sure to encourage them to read Scripture and pray everyday by doing the same. Modeling my biblical calling as a woman is highly beneficial for my younger sisters because they get to see, firsthand, the kind of woman God wants them to become. They see me practicing my home-making skills and want to do the same. They walk with feminine grace. They prefer dresses to pants. This is also beneficial for my younger brothers because it encourages them to behave in a chivalrous fashion and to seek to use their time wisely- to pursue manly ambitions. It's easier to be a gentleman, when you are under a lady's influence. I always try my best to encourage them when they act in this manner. It's very important to encourage your siblings when you see them doing right and pleasing the Lord in their actions and thoughts.

• To be a godly sister, it's essential to practice selflessness and patience. These are necessary character traits for every Christian and require lots of prayer and help from the Lord to master. If you can master these, becoming a godly sister will come easily.

• Show genuine care for your siblings and their relationship with God. Your siblings are able to tell if you genuinely care for them and their well-being.

• Also, always remember to think on things which are pure:

  "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Phil. 4:8

  When you have these things on your mind, it's easier to display them in your conduct. Be careful what you read, watch, and say. Little children remember these things.
  

• Pray for your siblings! This is very important. When praying for yourself and asking the Lord to cultivate a godly character in you, do the same for your siblings. Pray for faults you may notice, pray that God will give them a vision for the future, pray that the Lord will keep them safe in the hollow of His hand, and most importantly, pray that the Lord will save their souls and that they would serve Him all the days of their lives.

I hope this has been an encouragement to you! I pray that this blog will continue to be an encouragement to young women and stay-at-home daughters everywhere who are embracing the Biblical calling of virtuous womanhood. I'm not at all a perfect sister and, of course, I know how difficult it is when you realize you've failed in this aspect. I trust the Lord for grace and wisdom in all things, including those things concerning my influence on my siblings. I hope and pray that you can do the same!

I would love to hear your thoughts on this matter! Please leave a comment below!