Our 22-page Thanksgiving Planner includes:

• Brief History of Thanksgiving
• Thanksgiving Games
• 4-Week Thanksgiving Planner and Devotionals
• Article: “The Danger of Unmet Expectations”
• Recipes ~ both Family Favorite Recipes and Whole Food, Allergy-Friendly Recipes
• Harvest Crafts and Home Decor Ideas

Click HERE to purchase or for more information. Your purchase helps support our ministry. Thank you!

I think there are a few rules of thumb that anyone who wants to improve their home and get it comfy/cozy can follow:

Get it clean
Keep it warm
Bring in some color
Make it cheerful
Create a sanctuary

Get it clean ~ obviously a home is more comfy if it is clean and uncluttered.  That’s why we have our annual Fall Cleaning Event at the message board, to offer help and encouragement for those who need it. Cold weather has a way of creating it’s own kind of clutter in a house. Cleaning now will reduce some of that winter-time clutter, later. So get your little abode clean and tidy and you’re half way there to a cozy retreat!

Keep it warm ~ There are varied levels of warmth that we each enjoy. We keep our home on the cool side. But we do enjoy having a warm place to snuggle up when the cold winds are blowing outside! You can create warmth in your home in several ways; candles give the impression that the house is warmer, afghans and fuzzy blankets on chairs and sofas are always available to wrap up in and just their presence makes the house seem warmer. Rugs under foot keep tootsies warm. And on the practical side, insulating and weather stripping go a long way toward making your home warm and comfortable.

Bring in some color ~ Fall offers a beautiful palette of color and texture that you can borrow from to decorate your home. You don’t have to spend to make a beautiful fall home, just go outside and see what treasures you can bring indoors. A bowl of pine cones makes a lovely centerpiece. Red, yellow and orange leaves can be used in many ways; left on stems, they can be placed in vases, off of the stems they can be strewn about on your dining table. Just a bowl of leaves is beautiful to look at! Acorns, rocks, sticks, driftwood, dried seed pods, leaves even flowers can all be terrific decor for your Fall home.

Make it cheerful ~ when you close up your home in preparation for cooler weather, the last thing you want to do is to make it dreary! Open some curtains, let the light in. Light some candles in living spaces, put on some cheerful music and keep living areas brightly lit while you and your family are in them.

Create a sanctuary ~ That’s what we all want to do isn’t it? We want to make a place to come home to that the whole family will appreciate and enjoy. We want to create a home that our spouse and children will want to come home to. Do you know what the main ingredient of a sanctuary-like home is? Its you, mom or wife! Your attitude, your walk with God and His presence in your home, your physical appearance, your care and love all make that little home a sanctuary to come home to.

Have fun creating a warm, cozy and comfy sanctuary this Autumn. And come by the T2CHK Message Board for more great ideas!

The Fall-Winter 2008 issue of To Teach Keepers is jam-packed! You’ll find 28 pages full of information on these topics:

• Devotional: The Lord is My Portion
• Pastor Appreciation Month: October
• Fall Reflections
• Preparing Your House for the Winter
• Homeschool Curriculum Review: Mystery of History
• Bread Making 101
• Homemade Tortillas
• Best Sewing Tips
• …and more!

To Teach Keepers™ is published quarterly. Each issue is packed with information, encouragement, devotionals, studies, poetry, stories, recipes, instruction and more! Our eZine is available for download for a small fee of $1 per issue. Click HERE to start your purchase!

We’d love to know what you think about our eZine. So please leave a comment below or use our contact form to give us your suggestions and/or feedback.

"Gentle" by Jen Meyer

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Galatians 6:1

… let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. 1 Peter 4:3

Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:29

…to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. Titus 3:2

Gentleness is one of the hallmarks of a Christian who knows Jesus and reflects His character traits. Matthew 12:20 gives us the perfect picture of how Jesus deals with us in gentleness, “a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, til he leads justice to victory.”

Bruised reeds and smoldering wicks are people who are hurting, spiritually weak or weak in faith. Jesus does not condemn us for our weaknesses and rule breaking, but in gentleness leads us to the place where we need to be. Not only is this Jesus’ way for dealing with his people, it is our pattern when we are dealing with others. Paul’s appeals to the church at Corinth are a good example of this kind of Christ-like behavior. He didn’t demand that they obey him or Christ. In doing this he exercised the spiritual gift of Gentleness.

Genuine Christians treat others with gentleness in all areas. A Pharisee-like Christian will adhere to rules and laws in favor of offering grace in gentleness to those who are struggling. They are always asking, “Is it in line with the law?” The gentle person asks, “Is it kind or the right thing to say or do?” I’ve been in churches where the leadership and other Christians nearly destroyed brothers and sisters with their lack of gentleness in dealing with sin and failings. But Church life isn’t the only area where lack of gentleness is obvious.

How tactful are you in your own speech? Some people think it is a mark of honesty to be blunt and abrupt in their speech. Are we not to answer all people with sensitivity and consideration? I personally know people who are blunt and yet tactful and kind with their words. Often though, bluntness and lack of tact can be signs that we are impatient and thinking only of ourselves and just want to get our message out. When we think of others first, we use gentle words… no matter how desperate the situation. If you tend to be blunt and tactless, examine yourself for motives.

How gentle are you in dealing with those who fail?

How much compassion do you show those who are involved in sin?

Are you gentle with your spouse when he fails in some way?

What about that elusive Gentle Spirit? Do you have a gentle spirit? Are you, at your very core, gentle and kind? Paul compares gentleness to a mother nursing her baby. You who have nursed or bottle-fed your little babies, you know what that means. You can bring back to your mind those feelings of care and protectiveness. This is the gentleness we are use in dealing with others. That amazes me! I don’t naturally feel that way toward others, do you? And because of that, the Spirit moves to give us the fruit of gentleness with His presence in our lives. He gently leads us so that we can treat others with gentleness.

If you ask the Holy Spirit to make you aware of every time gentleness is needed, He will do so. First though you have to decide that you want to be gentle. You will have to let go of your love of rules and regulations. You will have to put people first, just like Jesus did if you want to care for people and show gentleness.

Philippians 4:5
“Let your gentleness be known to all.”

Sylvia is giving away three books on September 15th.
Head on over to Christian Homekeeper and sign up!

Read More about How to Make a Tea Cozy.

Life has a way of changing and God shows us different plans.

As you know if you are a regular reader here at T2CHK, this ministry has been led by myself and a beautiful, godly lady named Traci Knoppe for the past 3 years.

I have known Traci for the past 11 years and have grown to love and cherish her as a true friend. So you can imagine my emotions as I tell you that Traci is moving on, following God’s leading and leaving T2CHK ministries.

The Lord led us to establish T2CHK together, and without Traci, it simply would not have been done. Traci has been the crucial link in the ministry that brought together all of the the ideas and aspirations and the reality of Internet ministry for T2CHK.

Traci’s articles on parenting and family relationships have blessed our pages throughout her time here. Her busy life has never been too busy to talk to someone, encourage and bless them with godly wisdom for their situation. She’s been a constant source of encouragement for me, too.

God does all things with purpose, and that makes me feel excited about His plan for both Traci and T2CHK. God will continue to use Traci to help others as she moves on into new areas of service.

Thank you,Traci, for your years working with me, in and out of this particular ministry. And thank you for your dear friendship which goes on. God bless you as you follow His plan and as you serve Him!

Love, Sylvia

We are pleased to announce a new feature on the T2CHK site, the Simple Living Journal, where we offer you a peek inside homes where life is simple, frugal, slow and gentle. The Simple Living Journal showcases blogs of individuals who are committed to living simply and frugally, whether rural or urban.

Take a peek! Visit the Simple Living Journal.

And don’t forget about our Cafe Press Store, where you can find aprons, t-shirts, notepads and more which sport the T2CHK apron and dove logo.

All proceeds from items purchased help support the T2CHK ministry. Thank you for your support!

Making peach jam is not difficult but it does take concentration and exact measurements. Get your work area clean and uncluttered and gather up your supplies before you start.

Read more of Sylvia’s Peach Jam Tutorial with pictures…