Book Review and Links

I found So Much More to be a great encouragement to what my parents are already implementing in their training of my sisters and I. Anna and Elizabeth's insights and information on the duty of daughters toward their fathers and families has been a blessing to me as I read the book.

Our duty as daughters is to be truly joyful and helpful in our fathers' house. This must be in place before marriage is to be considered,otherwise the newly-made home will be a disaster! Insights such as these are found throughout the book, supported by our Heavenly Father's words. Anna and Elizabeth also give information on the result of not being genuinely happy at home, namely, the sad state of our world since woman has claimed her supposed independence.
To sum up the entire book I would say that So Much More answers the biggest question a daughter may have: "What does the Lord want me to do with my life?" The answer? She has no farther to look than letting the Lord do His work through her as she goes about her daily life at home with her parents and siblings,encouraging, and lifting them up. Sound boring? Life lived in the hands of the Potter, letting Him have His way is never boring. (Eccl. 12:13, Phil. 2:13-16, 2 Cor. 2:14-15, John 17)

I encourage you to read this book and let God continue to conform you to His image through it!

Thank you Anna and Elizabeth for giving us So Much More!

In Christ,
Allison Marshall



Other Links from The Botkin Sisters

Annnnd We're Back!

Maiden's Warfare is back in the 'loop'!

Aren't you overjoyed? :D

Evvie will be the main blogger-maiden, and the rest of us will add various articles now and then :)

Stay tuned!

-Allison

P.S. We are wondering what a 'dead blogger award' looks like....

White Linen

Some of our linen tablecloths
and napkins were getting
yellow by staying in storage,
so we took them out today
and had them cleaned.

Lemon juice on the stains works
as a natural bleach, once you
put the fabric in the sun.

A mild hand-wash of dish or laundry
detergent works too.
Bleach is fine just to be sure you
get it all out :)

(I think if I used film instead of digital, I would
use up at least one roll of film just on white linen!)

"Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white
as the snow. Though they be red as crimson,
they shall be as wool."

Hair Care for Maidens

Greetings, my dear maidens!
While on a short vacation with my family to a friends' quaint summer cottage, I came across this article in an old edition of a Victoria magazine.



For Auburn/ Red-Haired Maidens:

For your hair's natural luster these herbs will naturally enhance your sunset tones!
Sage: tones down brassiness and is excellent for dry scalps
Marigold: the blossoms produce yellow/orange highlights and is great for dry hair
Madder Root: brings out warmer tones in auburn hair
Henna: adds volume, mends split ends, and conditions the hair shaft

Some treatments: Crabtree and Evelyn's Marigold Conditioner, Aveda's Madder Root Shampoo



Shimmering Sunlight for Blondes

Lemon: a mild bleach
Chamomile: a conditioner and lightener

A Sunlight Rinse:
Mix the juice of three lemons with one pint warm water. Or steep 1/4 cup chamomile flowers in 1 quart of boiled water. Pour entire amount through hair.



Glowing With Remembrance-Brunettes

Rosemary: Rosemary essential oil is intense and effective in invigorating the scalp. Massage onto roots, or use an infusion of Rosemary tea on hair ends to add gloss.


Our hair is our glory, let us take care of it for the glory of God!

Truth

Welcome to Maiden's Warfare!

We are so glad you are visiting our site! Our aim with this blog is to encourage ladies of all ages to rejoice in their God-given feminine roles as girls and women. We plan to update bi-weekly with Bible lessons, herbal information, reading suggestions, etiquette and craft ideas, musical 'notes', and much more! Please do visit often, and let us know what you think! We also welcome ideas and questions for what you see here, or would like to see :)

If you would like to be on the update mailing list, simply drop us a line here

Thank you again for visiting, we look forward to your next visit!

Allison-Maiden of Truth
Annick-Maiden of Grace
Evvie-Maiden of Life
Catrina-Maiden of Purity

Forget-Me-Not

Because the plant is shade receptive, it is a beautiful addition to the landscaping below a tree or among bushes. The seeds of the Forget-Me-Not are very sticky and should be planted in a fertile compost mix where moisture is abundant. If seeds are planted in early Spring they will grow into a dome shaped plant and bloom the following spring. Blooms are evident from May through July at which point seeds can be gathered, collected, washed and stored for sowing the following year. Because they grow most profusely in shaded areas, Forget-Me-Nots should be planted 4-5” apart, in a general purpose fertilizer, covered in 1/8” of soil and mulched in the winter. As a biennial, the following spring, your garden will have a beautiful array of flowers in a large pool or mass.



The Forget-me-not are traditionally worn by Newfoundlanders on July 1st in remembrance of those Newfoundlanders who died during the First World War. July 1 was chosen because of the high number of casualties suffered by the Royal Newfoundland Regiment on 1 July 1916 during the Battle of the Somme.

Baklava for Mother's Day

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough
• 1 pound chopped nuts
• 1 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup honey
  

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C). Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9x13 inch pan.
2. Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon. Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough. Cut whole stack in half to fit pan. Cover phyllo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work. Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 2 - 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6 - 8 sheets deep.
3. Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. You may cut into 4 long rows the make diagonal cuts. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.
4. Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
5. Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool. Serve in cupcake papers. This freezes well. Leave it uncovered as it gets soggy if it is wrapped up.

This is our mother's chosen dessert for her special day! It is SO delicious! Baklava gets better 'with age', so try and make it even a day before your event to let the flavors 'mingle'. Rarely are there any leftovers :)
Enjoy!

In Him,
Truth

FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A POST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good afternoon, my fair princesses! Greeting from the house of Marshall :) Sorry about the long delay in our blog posting. Life has been happening! God is good! Jesus saves! Heaven awaits us!!!

Now for my post:
excerpt taken from 101 Hymn Stories

I Will Sing The Wondrous Story
Frances H. Rowley Peter P. Bilhorn

" I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever; with my mouth will I make known Thy faithfulness to all generations."
Psalm 89:1

Frances Rowley was born in Hilton, New York, on July 25, 1854. Later he became a Baptist minister and served churches in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Illinois. He has given the following account for the writing of this hymn:

" I was the minister of the First Baptist Church of North Adams, Massachusetts in 1886. The church and community were experiencing a period of unusual interest in religious matters, and I was assisted by a remarkable young Swiss musician by the name of Peter Bilhorn. One Sunday following the evening service he said, "Why don't you write a hymn for me set to music?" During the night these verses came to me. The original poem began "Cant You Sing the Wondrous Story?" However, when the song was first published by Ira Sankey in 1887, the phrase was changed to "I Will Sing the Wondrous Story".

This beautiful hymn was presented by Rowley to Ira Sankey as a gift. Sankey was so impressed with the merit and usefulness of this hymn that he published it in the 1887 edition of Gospel Hymns and Sacred Songs and Solos. It soon became one of the most popular songs in the entire collection.

I will sing the wondrous story if the Christ who died for me, How he left his home in glory for the cross of calvary.
I was lost but Jesus found me- Found the sheep that went astray, Threw his loving arms around me, drew me back into his way.
I was bruised but Jesus healed me- Faint was I from many a fall, Sight was gone and fears possessed me, But he freed me from them all.
Days of darkness still come o'er me- Sorrows paths I often tread, but the savior still is with me by his hand I'm safely led.
He will keep me 'til the river rolls it's waters at my feet- Then he'll bear me safely over where the loved ones I shall meet.

Chorus:
"Yes I'll sing the wondrous story- Of the Christ who died for me, Sing it with the saints in glory gathered round the crystal sea."

This hymn has meant so much to me these past few months, Sometimes I think it was written
just for me! I wrote some new music for it and sing it to myself all the time. God is so faithful, even when I fall, he's always there to pick me up again. Even while I endure the consequences of my actions, God 's mercy is that He will see me through all the way! So that I can be:

Grace under fire.
~With love,
~Grace

Sweet Baked Brie

This is a very simple recipe for a very delicious
cheese dip. It's perfect for showers, tea parties,
and just for a snack! Eat it with crackers,
or on breads. Once it is removed from the oven,
it will start to firm up, so just warm it up
to get it 'wonderfully melty' again.


Ingredients: brown sugar, pecans, and a brie
wheel.
Set your oven to 350F, and get out a sharp knife.

1. Shave off some of the white topping on the top.

2. You can shave the sides too, if you'd like.

2. Place brie wheel in a baking dish, then
press brown sugar on the top and sides of the wheel.

3. Chop pecans finely, and press
on top of the sugar. You'll
have to press the sugar and
nuts firmly, since the cheese
is not very soft.

4. Bake at 350F. for about 20 minutes, and then
turn off oven and leave the cheese in until you are
ready to eat. If you have shaved the sides of the brie,
the sides will 'sag' to show you it is done.

This is SO yummy, you probably won't have leftovers!

Allison-Maiden of Truth

Come with us into James chapter 1...

Hair care tips from Maiden of Truth

Did you know that curly/wavy hair should not be shampooed or brushed?

I didn't for several years, then I heard about, and read the book "Curly Girl" by Lorrraine Massey! Though I don't advocate her philosophy behind having curly hair, her instructions on how to care for it are great and very helpful. Wavy girls can use a little shampoo, but curly girls should only use conditioner(slightly diluted). Believe it or not, curly hair is very fine and easily damaged, even though it looks thick and voluminous :) Conditioner will release the oils and dirt in your hair without stripping the hair shafts of all the natural oil that is necessary for good hair health. A quick comb-through with a pick comb after showering is fine, but brushing only ruffles the hair shaft and gives you tons of frizz! (The hair shaft is made up of overlapping plates, like cuticles, that will shine and give a smooth look when laying flat.) Clip your top layer of hair in bunches, to keep the the under-hair from being flattened, after showering and let it air dry. When dry, take out the clips, and you will have more curls! If you desire, a dryer on cool/low with a diffuser works for the times you need fast drying.

For my straight-haired friends: a minimal amount of shampoo is best for you too( even dilute it with water), and conditioner should be applied to the hair below your ears. Use water that is as cold as you can stand when you wash your hair. The cold water will seal the hair shaft and keep it from ruffling and will make your hair soft and shiny! Letting it air dry and using a wide tooth comb or a boar-bristle brush to untangle it is advised, though a hair-dryer on cool is fine too. Straight girls may want to check out the Curly Girl book as well in order to get some lovely recipes for homemade hair 'treats' :)

Now once you embark on the above hair-washing treatments, you may be wondering what you should do with all those hair products you have!?!? Weeelll....what I did was to dump out the products and rinse out the bottles to use for:
:: my diluted conditioner: as I had two kinds of conditioner on hand, I mixed them together, added 1 1/2-2 parts water, and filled up some of the empty bottles.
:: Clear gel is one product you don't need to throw out, and it can be used by straights and curlies.
:My empty hairspray bottle I filled up with water and about 3-4 tablespoons of conditioner, shook it up, and will use it on my hair to give a little more moisture as needed.
:: A brown sugar scrub: 1 tablespoon brown sugar mixed with 3 tablespoons conditioner. Double or triple as you like and bottle. Use when washing hair, it feels great!

Other products that I still have and like are:
::Special Effects Extreme Shine (spray) -use sparingly, a little goes a long way!
::Herbal Essences Frizz Defying Spray Gel -passion flower/patchouli/vetiver scent
::Herbal Essences Style Refreshing Mist- iris/water lily/lemongrass scent
::Marc Anthony Rich Reds Anti-Fade Serum
:: John Frieda Wind-Down Relaxing Creme-for the days I'd like a little less curl

Annick, Maiden of Grace, has straight hair and really likes these products:
::got2b crazy sleek Shine Lock (spray)
::got2b crazy sleek to smooth Flat & Blow-Dry Iron Lotion-protects, and keeps hair smooth when using a straightener
::got2b curl vacious hot twist curl iron styler- for when she wants to be curly too :)
::got2b kinky curl defining mousse

Evvie, Maiden of Life, is curly/wavy, and Catrina, Maiden of Purity, is straight. For special occasions, they like curly hair so we use either the got2b kinky mousse or Suave mousse on their hair, and we curl with Wrap, Snap and Go curlers or regular foam curlers. They can sleep in them and keep them in until the last moment. Hot curlers work really well on my hair, especially after a night's sleep rearranges my freshly washed curls, and Annick uses either a curling iron or a Conair straightener on her tresses.

P.S. In case anyone was wondering, I'm going into the 4th month of no shampoo...

"Quality of your hair depends on your general health. Protein rich diet, with a profuse use of fruits and fresh vegetables is good for beautiful and healthy hair. So, before you look for a magical product to make yourself beautiful, be sure to remember the basics: lots of water and lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Vitamin E can help your hair to have more shine, and you can get this much needed vitamin by incorporating brown rice, nuts, wheat germ and leafy green vegetables into your diet."

Until I see you again

In February when we went to the princess tea,
we each received, before leaving, a poem which

I would like to share with you.

Until I see you again
Oh child, precious one
Let your life shine like the sun
But you say " How long 'til I can come home
"Til can rest in you arms again"
And I say 'Not long but don't miss this life and I'll be
Waiting 'til then"

Live with the wonder of all a child
Pray with your arms thrown open wide
Love with a love that has no end
Until I see you again

Oh child, precious one
With each breath know you are loved
But you say "How long 'til I can come home
"Til I can rest in your arms again"
And I say " not long but don't miss this life and I'll be
Waiting 'til then"

Live with the wonder of a child
Pray with you arms thrown open wide
Love with a love that has no end
Until I see you again.

~ Mark Schultz

~Maiden of Purity

The Princess Tea

Princesses Frances and Nicole hosted a Princess
Tea this week, and we enjoyed dressing in gowns
jewelery and tiaras. It was a lovely evening!

The lovely tea party food!

The princess table covered with books and tiaras!

Princess friends l to r:
Annick, Lauren, Rachel, Hannah,
Catrina and Charity

Leah the Princess photographer

Princess Laura gave a lovely
devotional about how we princesses
are to live since we are of the royal
line of King Jesus by salvation.

The Princess and the Kiss

Each group of princesses acted out the book which
was sitting on their table. The Heyworths and we
three had the "Princess and the Kiss"

Charity was the Princess.
Hannah was "'Prince Peacock', a mighty man of valor
with muscles to match."

Rachel was Prince Romance, who promised
"gifts and a honeymoon of a lifetime."

Catrina was Prince Treasure Chest, he promised
"riches and anything she could desire."

Annick was the true Prince who had "saved his first
kiss for a princess who had saved her first kiss
for her Prince."