Precious- Red Skelton on The Pledge of Allegiance

This is delightful...and sobering, oh my how far we have gone as a country.
Oh American Church, awake from your slumber. Some may say or think..."Oh I love God but I love the world too." Let's love God and hate sin. Some may think they may know better and try to defy God even in seemingly small ways but that is like jumping out of a window, thinking they may defy gravity.

Let's love God and others.

I received this dandy from media causes.

Edit. 5.21.10: I have a an easy family Italian recipe posted on thats-italian.blogspot Enjoy!

God is in the Arts, and Manners too!

Recently our youngest daughter, Rebecca attended a class for photography, one of which she greatly enjoyed and gleaned so much from by the way...A Christ centered photography class. Praise God for those sweet young teachers who lived their faith out before the students. Oh that we would have more Christians in the Arts today, those who will stand for faith, modesty and what is right and good unabashedly. We do not have to compromise our faith. God made the Arts. We should glorify Him in the Arts!

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom right? That is what my Bible tells me and from watching and living life, I can testify to the truth in that! : )

The week before Rebecca left for her classes, my dad had sent her a notebook she had left at his home....To me? A thank you note was in timely and swift order before Rebecca was to leave for her classes out of town. My dad is 80 years old and really can't see as well as he once did. Those sparkling blue eyes have macular degeneration and I know it was a labor of love for him to promptly get to the post office with her notebook.

My dad has written a handwritten note in response to Rebecca's little thank you letter to him... And I just loved it. I loved the respect he exhorted her to have.

Here is a very small excerpt of the letter as follows....

Hi Rebecca,

Thanks for the letter. Are you going to San Antonio by yourself?

If you go to the Alamo remember it is still a church and I think it was 187 men died there in 1836 fighting...


I was so blessed by the respect my father exhorted Rebecca to have at the tourist filled mission. In this age of baseball caps at the dinner table... The national anthem being sung, many times we are hardpressed to find a hand on a heart. Even when the American flag goes by in a parade, it's very few who even know to put their hand over their heart...I find his loving grandfatherly exhortation refreshing.


You know, social graces and manners are very important as I'm sure you'll agree and it has been said, that good manners are simply putting other people first and making them feel at ease and valued. As Christians, shouldn't this be the most important thing in teaching our children besides the utmost importance of a personal relationship with the Lord?

Manners are important, they help others to feel appreciated and give us self confidence in a good and godly way.

I hope to share soon some of the tips from my father's manners book I now have from when he was in private military school... Oh the tales he tells of those days! The young military school men crossing the Missippi river in dress uniform, white gloved to attend the party at the girl's school there. Oh my.

I also look forward to seeing the wonderful handwritten correspondence that will start between Rebecca and my dad.

Let's expect much in the way of courtesy and do much, let's put others first, let's not allow people to feel used, let's bless them with appreciation without motive. Isn't that what Jesus would do? Sounds simplistic? It is. : )

People may not remember what you said but they will remember how you made them to feel. ~My Dad


A nice tried & true recipe plus easy cotton napkins you can make on my thats-italian.blogspot
Feel free to stop by...Stay sweet, remember...Our actions or lack of, will affect others good or bad. Let's be found blameless. : )

'Made For Each Other' (1939) In Entirety...

Oh goodness, I see the clips of Made For Each Other (1939) from my previous entry have been deleted...However, I have found it in entirety on another site! Here it tis, I do hope you will enjoy this sweet movie.

Here is the direct site for Made For Each Other in entirety. Enjoy!


Many of these old movies are so wonderful, these old wholesome movies are what our entire family, including our four daughters, ages 16 to 27 enjoy and are used to. In our family we appreciate the older movies greatly. Now days, most of the movies are not fit for a Christian to see as I'm sure you would probably agree. : ) Give your family a treat, what they deserve, take your family back to the better days. Just because our present society dishes out their sin so brazenly doesn't mean we have to take it and be defiled by it. As I'm sure you'll agree, we don't have to buy into the ....They just do that now a-days.... way of thinking. : )


For recent sentimental thoughts, easy crafty ideas, and 'Change Begins at the Dinner Table' feel free to visit too at:
thats-italian.blogspot.
Keep it sweet, blessings to all. ~Amelia

Made For Each Other (1939)

I love this movie, this was one of the first old movies I purchased years ago and it's still one of my favorites, Jimmy Stewart plays the new father. This scene depicts the new couple as their baby boy is in the hospital fighting for his innocent life. Shown here is the mother and her mother in law sharing such a sweet moment after being at odds that are many times very typical. At the end of the clip, the mother in desperation as she sees her sweet baby laying in an oxygen tent...she asks quietly, desperately within herself what can she do....

EDIT: Videos posted here were discontinued. Please see above entry (April 20) for a direct site with entire movie! : )

You will hear this mother call upon God to help their little baby...

Most parts of the movie are not that sobering but lighthearted, so many moments in this young married couple's life I can relate to as the couple struggles financially, my husband is in business for himself and oh how I can relate to so much of their struggles.

No matter what Christian faith you are this should touch your heart. I try not to claim any particular Christian faith, I try to stay with the Bible, and prayer time in communion with the Lord. In our particular area of the country the division can be disheartening. There are so many 'religious experts' it seems, blogs being done etc. touting theology instead of Jesus. Oh it ought not be.

The greatest commandment of all:

Matthew 22:36-40 (New International Version)

36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'[a] 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[b] 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."


I hope everyone is having a sweet day and week.
If you're in the mood for sentimental thoughts....you may enjoy my thats-italian.blogspot too. Blessings!

Beware of Busyness. God's Plans? Your Plans?

I was recently asked to write a prolife article for an online magazine...in the article the Lord gave me the words and memories of my life as the moral decline began in my little girl's world back in 1967. I'm hoping to post it here soon.





As I wrote the article I realized something, something very frightening.



What? I see the same moral decline in homeschool and church settings. It's not easy to find homeschoolers or church goers sold out to the Lord.




Not all homeschoolers are like my friend who lives in another area of the country...She enjoys her children, taking turns reading in front of the fireplace and enjoying cooking together and living life for Jesus in every day life settings.



One of the saddest and most disappointing days in recent years was sitting alone at a large Christian homeschool support group activity several years ago as I observed and listened to a number of moms talking of dissecting little animals, college transcripts and how wonderful it was that homeschoolers were more open-minded and they thought perhaps Ayn Rand was a Christian...

Not one mention of a personal Lord was heard the entire time.

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel says: "Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quiet and and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it. You said, "No, we will get our help from Egypt." ~Isaiah 30:15-16a


For homeschool and church going moms, dads or anyone calling themselves a Christian...


May I humbly warn that if your zip-up planner has become of more importance than living the Bible, there may be a problem of the heart. If you are doing the planning and asking God to bless your plans instead of asking Him for The Plan it will be all in vain.



If excellence in essay writing is more important than teaching your children to take the time to write a sweet, heartfelt thank you note than perhaps the mark and goal of a Godly homeschool has been missed. If you as a mom are too busy to personally wish an ill friend well, to offer prayers and let them know you have offered prayers and care for them, I would venture to say, something is wrong.



Perhaps you are so busy running to church services you have no time for "menial" things as encouraging people that don't attend your church. Is your churchianity a busy-ness that only mimics holiness, in reality, a pharisee-ism?



One of my greatest regrets is not spending more time with my aging grandmas, not bothering to write them a sweet thank you note or letter that they would have treasured. Yes, I did write some but I was not near on top of things as I should have been. I see things my grandma gave me that I did not respond to, and my heart breaks, it breaks. Yes, I was busy, I still am with things here in my home, but I am learning I had better sit myself down and do the things God would have me to do.



How many times did I miss out on visiting my grandma when she was ill because of Sunday church service. Now I live with that sad regret. How lonely my two grandmas must have felt and how unappreciated they must have felt when I didn't thank them for little things they would send my way, it breaks my heart to this day. Do you know that some of my Italian Grandma's most prized possessions were those little drawings and shadow boxes I had made for her as a little girl??? Given to me, still carefully wrapped in clear plastic as she did her most precious things...they were given me...after she passed away.....After she passed away.

Guess what? I wrap my prized possessions now in plastic wrap too....I do the same things...




How do you treat those you consciously and sub-consciously deem as unimportant at the moment? Are ministry opportunities only for the resume' for the National Honor Society or for ministry school credentials? Where is the heart in your home or homeschool? Would people want to attend your church by the way you are treating them? Is Jesus and intimate relationship with Him lifted and stressed? ...Or do you lift up pet doctrine to the point of ugliness. The same ugliness that put Jesus on the cross.



I like what David Wilkerson eluded to in his recent blog... Do you really think your light is going to shine in your exclusive church cliques?



Soon to come, I hope to share in incremental pieces, the article the Lord graciously gave to me...Roe Vs. Wade and What Has Become of Us?



It's time for me to sign out...I have an email I need to get off soon to respond to a lovely young lady, I'm learning to see these things as a most important privilege from the Father. Can I be trusted to minister to her and lift her up in Jesus? I hope and pray so. I hope and pray so.



You may not read perfect blogs here but they will be from the heart. I can guarantee you that. : )





Until then keep things real, focus on the home and what is truly important for Eternity and that goes for me double in this blogging world. Live with no regrets. Come on over and visit me at my other abode too, thats-italian.blogspot, and enjoy some coffee over yonder....Plenty of smiles and wholesome entertainment coupled with a pretty good recipe or two, all kinds of stuff to make ya smile. : )

Elisabeth Elliot has it Right...

Once again Mrs. Elisabeth Elliot has it right...



Are Three Hearts Better Than Two? ...Me thinks YES! : )

(You may pause music at bottom of page)



Oh this is my heartcry! We have four daughters, ages 16 to 27. Believe me, according to our life journey so far, the protection offered and given even through heartache at times... Elisabeth has it quite right.



Remember, anything great and glorifying to God is so worth the sacrifice of going against the culture.



May God be glorified...





Our four daughters....Ages 19, 24, & 27...Photography is usually done by our youngest age 16, pictured in bottom photo. You may enjoy her photography blog here: Poetic Capture.

If you would like, please feel free to also check out our daughters' online store and blog: Bellissima Modesty Boutique.

There was a child went forth every day,
And the first object he look'd upon, that object he became,
And that same object became part of him for the day or a certain part of the day,
Or for many years or stretching cycles of years.

The early lilacs became part of this child,
And grass and white and red morning glories, and white and red clover,
and the song of the phoebe-bird,
And the Third-month lambs and the sow's pink-faint litter,
and the mare's foal and the cow's calf.....

~Walt Whitman

Hope you enjoy my thoughts and ponderings here...As you may see, I love my family.

Take care all. Signing out from your blogging friend, wife and mother...that hopeless romanticist and merciful artist whose heart becomes grieved many a time in this ol' world, but knows where her trust remains...The Lord Jesus Christ.

P.S. Please visit my other blog too: http://thats-italian.blogspot.com/ ...For fun tips, good ol' 40s movie suggestions and little somethings that will make you smile, perhaps make you cry but will encourage you. : )

A Call to Christian Men (And Women)

I thought this was a nice sampling of some of some of our favorite preachers. You can also find these men on http://www.sermonindex.net/ as well as the site mentioned, http://www.loudvoice.org/ ...which seems to be a nice site I recently discovered with many wonderful and edifying resources.


Please feel free to mute the music on my player at the bottom of the page here before listening.


Our day is a time of desperation and a tremendous need for revival. When we look at the condition of the so called "church" it is a fearful reality...


Many of you may see the moral climate we are walking in, I think you'll agree, it's truly the Eternal that truly matters. Does this thing or that thing have anything to do with Eternity? In our homes, in our everyday sphere of life, what we talk about is what concerns us....What concerns us today? What has our heart?

What are we putting before our eyes? What are we allowing into our homes, and into our hearts? Is this thing lifting us up? Is this thing pulling us down? Does this thing bring Peace to our home, an atmosphere of praise to the Lord? Or does it add confusion?



Let's care about what may offend God and let's make sure and do what He loves, loving others. Let's show care for each other. Brothers, sisters, if we cannot even show common courtesy, compassion and thoughtfulness for others. If we cannot even thank people or show gratitude... What has become of us?


Let's not be found anywhere or doing anything where we would not want to be found or doing when Jesus comes back.

What frets our heart today? What excites our hearts today?

And let's remember, people may not remember what we say, but they will remember how we made them to feel.




Blessings to All,



~Amelia



I have a favorite soup recipe, an oh-so-fun slipper craft and oh-so-magnificent 40s movie selections and more you might enjoy on my other blog, come on over, enjoy! thats_italian.blogspot