Newsletter 2012

Below is a 'newsletter' of sorts I sent out to my friends and pen-pals this year, catching them up and filling them in on a few of the goings-on of my life in the past year. Much of it will mean little to most of you, but I included it here on my blog for those interested, and for my own record.

"
Dear friends,                                                                    Dec. 20, 2012

I thought when I finished college last fall that somehow I would have ‘time’ again. Time to pleasure-read, time to write letters, to journal, to go for walks, to craft to my heart’s content, to study subjects other than school requirements, etc. What a myth! While I have been freed from late-night studying for tests and from stacks of impossible homework assignments, all that ‘free time’ that was supposed to materialize never showed up :) . I say all that by way of hopeful explanation for the neglect I’m sure some of you feel for my long letter-writing silence, and to warn you that it may become regular for my letters to be very few and far between :/ . I usually don’t like the idea of a mass mail-out – though those letters are just as heart-felt, they somehow seem not quite as personal as receiving a hand-written note with your own name at the top. But, I am learning that if I put off writing until I can write a personal letter to each of my dear friends, none of them will get anything! So here I am, doing the end-of-the-year-newsletter mail-out. Please be assured though, that each of you are personally thought of and loved as I type :) . So, on to ‘news’.

2012 has been a year of learning for me. Come to think of it, I could truthfully say that of the two years before it, for I spent them in learning of not only a spiritual and personal, but also an academic sort. But in the spiritual category, 2012 has seemed to be the ‘final test’ at the end of the semester. Seems like all the Lord has taught me 2009-2011 has been put to the test. I myself have been put to the test. My trust in the Lord’s power, my faith in His wisdom, my hope in His unfailing love, and my submission to His plans have all been tried. I was given success, realized dreams, and answered prayers. I was also given betrayal, hurt, and tears. Trials I had prepared myself to face never showed up, and instead I was presented with a series of entirely unexpected situations that have shaken me brutally. But praise God for the lectures and repeated lessons of the years before, and because of them the test, though hard, was not impossible to take, and I believe I made a passing grade. The fact that the Teacher is always available certainly is the greatest comfort!

With the Lord’s help, I did finish junior college last December, and ‘officially’ graduated in May with a technical degree in Web Development. As of right now, I do not have any plans to go on to a university.

I continue to work as an after-school employee at Victory Road Christian Academy, the Christian private school started by Victory Rd. Baptist Church – the church I am a member of. There are good days and bad days, but I love these kids so much! I can see so much growth in them, and they have taught me so much as well. My prayer is that I can be a Godly influence and use my time with them in the best possible way – they are so alert and eager and soak up whatever is going on around them. I want to always keep good examples and wholesome options present before their amazingly observant eyes and ears.

In September I took another small job, working at a little restaurant owned by a couple in the church. It’s uncomfortable at times, as I work closely with others who are not Christians and act like they are not. But it is a great witnessing opportunity and I am trying to build friendships with them. Two of my co-workers came to church a couple of weeks ago, and I was so excited – it was a big step for them. I love the fact that I am in constant contact with other local people. Even if I don’t have an opportunity to talk with them very long, at least I get to smile and wish them a great afternoon or a Merry Christmas. People notice a smile, and I love when one of the many hard or sad faces that comes by asks why I’m so happy. To get to tell them about the One Who gives real joy is the ultimate satisfaction.

Twice this year I have had the opportunity to go on state-side mission/service trips with Victory Rd., and since another mission trip to Trinidad was out for this year, Trissy and I both went on these two. In January we went to [a neighboring state] to a children’s home and ranch near [the state's capitol city]. It was cold, but it was a great time of hard work and also of fellowship and bonding with the other church members who went. In June we went to Illinois and an area near Chicago to help a church there. Again, lots of hard work, and lots of wonderful memories of time spent with church family. This trip may very well be the highlight of my year. I had hopes and even expectations for it, but the Lord gave me abundantly above what I even imagined!

When school started back in the fall, I was asked to help teach the junior-high class at church on Wednesday nights. Not being much of a teacher, I was hesitant to jump in, but there was a need for more help in that area and even before I was asked, I felt like the Lord was encouraging me to consider getting involved. Besides, for years I’ve had a great love for teen-agers and desired to be able to minister to them somehow. This wasn’t exactly what I’d had in mind, but it would be good to get out of my ‘comfort zone’ a little. It has been very different than I imagined, even to the point of discouragement. Several times I’ve thought, “What am I even doing here?” But sticking with it, the Lord has showed me at least one young thirteen-year-old reason I think He has me there, and I myself have begun receiving great blessing from it.

Speaking of teenagers and my desire to minister to them, one of the great joys and sorrows of this year has been a young friend in the church. Satan is trying – through discouragement, misunderstanding, and bad advice from so-called ‘friends’ – to destroy the spirit and testimony of one of the young people of Victory Rd. The desire to serve and please the Lord is there, but difficulties and struggles are hitting hard and fast, knocking down good intentions and belittling the efforts of others to help. The highs and lows and ups and downs – the past few months especially – have been exhausting and discouraging for those who love this dear young person. Please pray for all involved, at least now as you read, but continued prayers would be SO appreciated! Pray for courage and spiritual strength for the teenager, wisdom for those who are trying to help, and ultimate great victory over Satan’s evil plans – for the glory of God.

And if you would, as you pray, please pray for Victory Road Church as a whole. The Lord has been using us in great ways, and I guess Satan decided he wanted to get busy and mess things up. We have faced a lot of hardship this past year. Ridiculous but effective attacks from inside have been the most harmful and hurtful. Thank you for all prayers!

Well, my time is running out and so is my mental energy :) . I’m sure I have hardly scratched the surface as far as all the opportunities the Lord has given me and all the things I have been involved in this past year, but I’ve tried to catch you all up on a couple of the highlights that have been the most influential on my life :) . I have no big job or career, I’m not in college any more, and I’m not married – things that I think many, if not most, people measure a successful life by. But I find my life very fulfilling. I love my two little jobs, the people, and the opportunities involved in both. I love my church, the precious dear friends in it, and the opportunities and doors the Lord has opened to me through it. Of course there are things in my life that I am not happy with, but no one could appreciate perfection if there were no such thing as flaws. So, if my life was ‘just perfect’, meaning, ‘just as I’d have it if I could’, I’d soon begin taking it for granted, forgetting the God Who gave it to me, and growing soft and weak. I hope I learn from the difficulties in my life, grow closer to God because of them, and become stronger through the struggling.

A very Merry Christmas to all of you, dear friends! Thank you to those who have kindly continued to keep me updated on your own lives :) . I hope the Lord has been proving Himself as mightily to you, and more, as He so mercifully has to me.

Closing with a verse that has come to mean a great deal to me in recent months,

'Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.'

Joshua 1:9 

SOLI DEO GLORIA!

Your friend,

-Kyrie<><
"

"5 Small Things Friday" No. 63

Go back and read this post for the story behind "Five Small Things Friday".

For this week, here is my list:

1. Sight: VRCA Christmas Program

2. Hearing: "The First Noel"

3. Smell: Breakfast

4. Taste: Cappuccino

5. Touch: Archer's iPhone

The stories behind the list:

1. Last night was the academy's Christmas program and they had it in Victory Rd.'s gym. It was a simple enactment of the Christmas story. The students who didn't have a character part made up a red-shirted choir that flanked the little 'set' on both sides and sang between 'scenes'. It was a heart-warming thing to witness - all those squeaky young voices singing lustily the dear old Christmas carols, or costumed little figures stumbling bravely through lines and motions and parts. It reminded me of a treasured story my family has a recording of, about another school's little Christmas play.

2. Joy has been taking violin lessons for about six weeks and is doing very well at it. At one point during the service Sunday morning, she played "The First Noel".
Except for that pure sweet melody, there was complete silence as the congregation sat watching and listening. I was in the choir, behind her, watching the lights among the decorative greenery and the quiet joy on the faces of those listening.
It was pure Christmas.

3. Thursday morning Trissy decided she was going to get up and make us all a little country breakfast, and enjoy one of her seemingly favorite hobbies - inventing recipes, or putting new 'spins' on existing ones. I began to smell it before I knew what she was doing. Home-made cheddar bay biscuits and scrambled eggs. The biscuits were the experiment. And a huge success!

4. Friday night was the night for the annual Christmas festival held at the local junior college, the same one I went to. A little bunch of us Victory Rd. folks ran a booth selling loaded baked potatoes, and a s'mores bar. We do a booth each year, and those that help run it divide up the money to use for mission trips, conferences, or other church activities. It's always a fun night of fellowship with the other Victory Rd. folks working, and a wholesome, fun, family-friendly Christmas event.
Abigail and Piper were two of the others working and Trissy and I had a nice time chatting and working with them, as always.
It's usually really cold, but this year's winter weather has been pretty much non-existent (Southern weather keeps you guessing) and people were out in light shirt-sleeves or t-shirts. But there was a booth selling cups of hot cappuccino, and in a thrill of Christmas spirit, Piper bought Trissy and me each a cup. Then Trissy bought her one, and we stood laughing at each other and sipping our hot, but very delicious, Christmas cappuccino.

5. Victory Rd.'s youth music group has been asked to lead the music at a camp in January, put on by the church The Grandparents attend. At music practice Tuesday night, we were getting started practicing for that. Archer had the list of potential songs we plan on doing in his phone and was passing it around for us to look over. I don't think I'd ever held an iPhone before :) . And it was warm from the hands that held it before me.

His Mysterious Ways

This morning as I was grabbing my laptop, charger, books, and papers I would need for school, and trying to get it all in my bag, I was frantically looking for anything I could leave! That bag gets very heavy, and even a few papers sometimes seems to make a difference. I unzipped the outside pocket to drop in a CD I had to return to one of the teachers at VRCA, and found my DVD copy of "Lost Or Found". It has been there literally for a couple of months, waiting for me to get a few minutes (and the memory!) to run by Victory Rd. and ask our secretary to make a copy of it for The Grandparents. I took it out for a minute, then shoved it back in. If I took it out now, that copy would never get made! Hopefully it would be safe.

In art class today, all we had was a vocabulary test. That only took a couple of minutes, so I moved to the next room to use one of the computers in her Mac lab for the rest of the time that would have been used for class. It was in that same room, on one of those same computers, that I made "Lost Or Found" last Fall. Funny, touching a Mac keyboard still gives me a nice feeling and brings back all those memories!

I'd been there about an hour or so, when Mr. Smith, my instructor last Fall for the class where we made the movies, stuck his head in. "Oh! Hello! Just the person I wanted to see!"
He's what you'd call "hyper", I guess, always bouncing, always unpredictable, but a great teacher.
Now I wondered what on earth he would want me for, but as he came into the room, a whole string of students was following him, and he was talking to them.
"...in last year's class...made a movie...you wouldn't happen to have a copy of the movie you made with you, would you?"
I blinked, then nodded slowly.
"Yes sir, I do."
"Do you really? Would you mind if the class saw it? They were wanting to see an example of what the finished product is supposed to look like."
I got up and went into the other room where I'd left my stuff, praying all the time.
My little movie was going to be shown - again - to a group of students. The very same class in fact, that I'd made it in, and for. What's more, some of my classmates from another class were now in this one, and would see it as well.
I unzipped that outside pocket, and took out the DVD case. I'd almost left it at the house that morning.
So sure enough, he turned my computer screen around so most of the students could see it, I popped the disk in, and after a few minutes (where my mind blanked out and I could not for anything remember how to play a DVD on a Mac), the menu screen came up, and I hit "Play Movie". As I got up and stepped away from the computer, I heard the familiar "Boing!" of the intro, and Mr. Smith's voice explaining how an intro was a requirement...that I hadn't used a video camera...a digital camera to photograph...put the images together and used the Ken Burns effect to create the illusion of movement...about 3 or 4 minutes long...
My legs were so wobbly! I was standing sortof a little to the side and behind the screen so as not to block anyone's view, but as the soundtrack to Chris Rice's "Come to Jesus" played, I could see the images playing in my mind.
It was interesting to watch the faces. Boredom, curiosity, thoughtfulness, skepticism, etc.
But when it finished, one of my classmates from last Spring leaned over and said, "That was really good Kyrie." I was surprised she even remembered my name! I got to chat with her for a couple of minutes before they had to begin their work.

What an opportunity! There was no way all that was a coincidence!
Me putting that DVD in my bag in the first place, all those weeks ago.
It staying there, me forgetting to take it to have a copy made.
Me deciding at the last minute to stick it back in this morning.
Me staying over after the test to work on one of those computers, instead of going on up to the library, like I usually do.
Staying that long. I'd intended to leave after just a little while, but I was still there when Mr. Smith's class came in.
My classmates from another class, now being in this one.

It had to be what they call, "a God thing".
The Lord works in mysterious ways.
May He be glorified, and continue to use this little movie for His purpose - for that was why it was made in the first place!

What Have I Learned In Three Years?

Well, today is my blog's third birthday. Three years ago today I was sitting at a computer in this same row, in this same library, in this same school, clicking the "Publish Blog" button, and starting on a whole new adventure in journal-keeping. How little did I imagine the enjoyment I would get, and the lessons I would learn from it.

What have I learned in three years?
Well, I know alot more about HTML than I did then!
I've learned that the 'outside world' really is as heartless, depraved, and sad as I'd always heard.
I've learned that there really are other Godly people out there - there is still hope for this heartless, depraved, sad world!
I've learned how to cook (a little bit better, anyway)!
I've learned to fall in love with photography. I've learned about photographic styles, and which I like best. I've learned Gimp is just about as good as Photoshop - and it's a whole lot cheaper (Gimp is free)! I've learned that I just don't have much photographic talent - yet!
I've learned that to plant Flowers, you've got to get your hands in the Dirt.
I've learned how to set up an Etsy shop.
I've learned to never take a good church for granted.
I've learned to never take good friends for granted.
I've learned that writing is rewarding. And that it's tough.
I've learned that God is sovereign.
I've learned to find pleasure in the small things.
I've learned alot about art.
I've learned alot about determination, perseverance, and how to "Do Hard Things".
I've learned that sometimes if you really want something to happen, you've got to go after it and make it happen.
I've learned that sometimes being introverted is a choice. Being extroverted is too.
I've learned that I love the color combination black and ivory.
I've learned that there are some books that are just not worth reading - even if they come highly recommended.
I've learned (again) that good people aren't perfect; the best and most mature Christian has a chink in his armor. The young and inexperienced Christians have a bunch!
I've learned that a mission trip is one of the most rewarding experiences a young person could have.
I've learned that prayer really is the greatest force on earth, and that if people know you believe that, they will open up their hearts to you and ask you to pray for things in their life.
I've learned that saying "goodbye" is sometimes the hardest thing you ever go through. I've also learned that there is no such thing as a wasted life in the kingdom of God.
I've learned about Christian apologetics and thinking logically.
I've learned that love must be tough always.
I've learned that thankfulness is the key to happiness.

Of course I'm being a tad facicious with some of the things on this list, but these really are areas where I have 'learned' in the past three years. Some things I learned from the ground up, some things I learned more about what I already knew a little bit about, some of the things were just transfers of what I knew in my head, to what I now TRULY BELIEVE, through tests and results, and seeing firsthand that they really are true.

Like about planting flowers in the dirt. Of course I knew that you plant flowers in dirt! But there's a two-fold meaning there. When the Lord told us to go into the world and tell others about Him, He didn't mean for us to do it from the safety of our own little clean, white, comfort zones. He didn't! He got down among the 'dirty' people He loved, and He planted seeds of beauty and Godliness in the Spiritual dirt. If we expect to share His saving grace with those who don't know Him, we must expect to get in among them, love them with His love, and be willing to get our hands dirty to show them how much we care. In my time at college, I've had a hard time getting past barriers like dress, bad language, inappropriate topics, and other things about the people I'm around that I have nothing in common with. But the Lord has helped me work on that (after all, these people don't know Him; how else would lost people be expected to act?!) and learn how to try to be a friend and show HIM to them, through how I conduct myself and how I care about them.

I've learned alot in the past three years. And the above is by no means an exhaustive list!
It's been an interesting journey. I wonder what the next three years will bring... Maybe it's best that I don't know now.

More Recent Happenings

This is another 'Recent Happenings' post. I have to go such gaps in my posting that when I do get to post just a 'journal' type post, there is SO MUCH to tell! Maybe someday I can get on a schedule that allows for regular blogging - I don't want to forget all these memories! Until then, I'll just do my best.



Mission Journey 2011 - my (and Trissy's) first mission trip was an amazing blessing and experience! Ten from our church went, as well as the churches former pastor who agreed to come to do the preaching. Our team did a series of services that lasted five evenings. Each night about half of us led special classes for children, while the rest had a church service for the adults. We worked with the local church, and were blessed beyond measure, besides the added blessings of their testimonies of how we had blessed them!
We also worked on their church building, helping with some fixes that needed to be done.
The story is so long and wonderfully full! I will not tell it all here. Suffice it to say, I believe I will never forget my experiences there, the bonds and friendships made, the lessons learned, and the tremendous blessings poured out. I pray the Lord used us to impact lives to such an extent, that the local Christians will be able to water the seed we planted, and that God will give such an increase that all we can do is praise Him!



Oliver got married this past month to a girl he met in Bible College. He'd brought her down here a couple of times on school breaks this past semester, and Victory Rd. got to meet her, but it still took us all a little by surprise, I think, when we heard he was getting married! Bro. Mike said the church would be taking our bus over there for anyone who wanted to go to the wedding (Oliver stayed over in the state where the college is, instead of coming back here for the summer). It ended up only being five of us who went. Bro. Mike and his wife, Toby, Lindy, and me.

We drove over Friday, the wedding was Saturday evening, and we came back Sunday afternoon after going to the church Landon attends when he's there.

That was the most 'different' wedding I think I've ever been to. I don't guess it was bad, it was just... nontraditional, shall we say. But I was glad I went. Some of Oliver's church family from down here needed to be there to support him and show we still love and care about him, even though he's not here any more.



We gave our old (well, young actually) mean rooster to Mom's cousin and his family who live up the road from us, and their little grandson LOVES him! We had him out in the pen, and Mom and Trissy were afraid of him because he would try to spur them whenever they went into the pen. Dad and I were the only ones he respected - we made sure he knew who was boss!



Mom was so tired of being afraid in her own yard that she was about ready to put him in a pot, but he'd been part of the first batch we'd hatched in the incubator, and we hated to eat him ourselves, so we gave him to our cousin. They keep him in a smaller cage by himself, and they can just reach in to feed him. The little grandson loves to look at him and hear him crow :) . So we're glad the matter was 'disposed of' so satisfactorily to everyone! We got rid of a menace, and they got a pet!

The chicks we hatched were getting so big, and as soon as we got rid of the rooster, we put them out in the big pen with the hens. Two of the banty eggs and one of the medium-sized ones from Mrs. H hatched, and also four of our own. When we let them out into the big pen, they were so happy to be out and able to 'fly' around!



Day before yesterday though, something got the little banty rooster chick (bottom left in the picture). We thought maybe it had been one of our cats, but they acted hungry at feeding time, and just didn't seem like they would do that - they're pretty used to the chickens, and leave them alone.
Then yesterday something killed the little medium-sized one (the white one at the top), but left most of it (the banty was completely gone except for a little pile of feathers). Trissy had seen a squirrel in the pen yesterday, and we are wondering if a squirrel might have gotten them. Does anyone know if squirrels eat chicken?! There's getting to be somewhat of an over-population of them around here, and if they can't find enough of their normal food, would they go for a small chicken?
Anyway, we've locked the last five chicks in the chicken house with food and water, and put a nesting box out in the yard for the grown hens for now. We hope to get some wire soon (today if possible) and totally enclose the area.



We had VBS in June, and really enjoyed being involved again this year. Trissy went 'out on a limb' this year, and was the assistant teacher for ages four and five, with Lindy being the teacher. The young Spanish woman who our family's having Bible studies with, brought her two little kids, and they all seemed to really enjoy it.



I've finally gotten the top of my bedspread made! I've been wanting to make a denim bedspread for several years, using our old denim clothes and scraps given to me by friends and family, so it will be sort of a memory quilt. I finally gathered enough scraps - it took 315 squares!



I wrote on little scraps of paper where each denim piece came from, and pinned it to the fabric. I plan on embroidering on the back of the quilt, who each square came from.



I got the top pieced a couple of weeks ago. I had to lay it all out on our living room floor, because that was the only place big enough to leave it spread out until I got all the squares sewn together!



It took me almost two weeks to get it done, working in my spare time. Mom was very patient to let me leave it spread out in the middle of the floor so long!



On the Fourth of July, Trissy made a delicious 'fruit pizza' desert using sugar cookie dough for the crust, and a whipped cream/cream cheese mixture for the 'sauce'. She loves decorating those things, but this year we didn't have much fruit except blueberries, so that's what she used.



I thought it turned out so western/country/rustic looking - I love that style - and it tasted SO good!



Dad, Mom, Trissy, me, and The Grandparents all took a little 'field trip' out to a blueberry farm near where we live, and got to see how blueberries are picked by a machine, and how they are examined, sorted, and packaged for selling.











One of the men who works there goes to the same church as The Grandparents, and he told them they aught to go out and see how it was done! The owner is also a friend of his, and took us around, giving us the 'grand tour'. It was fascinating!
Before we left, we bought some of their blueberry lemonade - it was so cold and refreshing!





Last month, we were outside one evening at The Grandparents, and kept thinking we heard a kitten mewing. We eventually found it up inside the motor area of our van! It was dark by this time (we were getting ready to go back to our house), and the kitten was black, so we had quite a time finding it and getting it out of there. We think someone probably didn't want it and dropped it off near our place. Anyway, we'll probably end up keeping it instead of giving it away. We've gotten kind of attached to it, and Trissy wants it for herself, since Bobby is sort of the family's cat, and Winky is mine. We've named it Magnolia, after a black kitten in a Christmas story we have :) .



The S. family came over a few weeks ago one Saturday evening to bring us a little banty rooster. He was from the first batch they hatched and raised, but he was getting picked on at their place by the other chickens, so they offered him to us.

Bro. and Mrs. S., Law, and Piper all came, Archer was at work I believe, and Abigail was gone to church camp with a friend. It was the first time any of them had been to our place; after releasing the rooster into the pen, we stood around 'talking chickens' and caught some of the chicks to hold. We showed them our garden, fruit trees, and the rest of our yard, our basktetball goal, and our cats. Piper got attached to Magnolia :) . They stayed for about an hour and a half, and we just chatted out in the yard. It was so nice to have them! We wanted them to come in for a while, but they had to get on back. Church in the morning, and it was getting on toward sunset. They are such dear people.



I have been so thankful for the personal projects the Lord has helped me accomplish the past few weeks! My denim quilt top, and also the seat to my desk chair, and my 'window mirror'!

I found saw this chair by the side of the road one Wednesday night on our way to church about four years ago. Trash pick-up was the next day, I think, so I asked Dad if we could stop on our way home from church, and see what kind of condition the chair was in.
When we stopped, it turned out the frame was in great condition, only it's rush seat was all torn up. So we took it back to the house, and I tore off the ruined seat, sanded and stained the chair frame, and sat it at my desk until I could order the cane to put a new seat in.
Well, there it sat for approximately four years, waiting for me to spend the money on some cane for a seat (there always seemed to be something more pressing the money I had needed to be spent on).

So this past month, I finally got the cane ordered, and put that seat in (I ordered the 1/2 inch flat reed from Rockler Woodworking and Hardware, and it only cost $15.54, including tax)!
I love it! I can actually sit at my desk now to do my work :D !





I also got my 'window mirror' stained and hung. I've wanted one of these since I was about eight years old, and I saw one in my uncle and aunt's house. This frame was given to me by The Grandfather's brother and his wife, when I found it in the loft of their old barn. The glass was broken out of it, and the various layers of paint were peeling, but I wanted a natural stain anyway. Mom stripped it, and Dad and Mom paid someone to put the mirrors in as my Christmas gift last year. I was so excited!



So this month I got it stained, and Dad helped me put a wire hanger on it.
We hung it above my bed. It's across from my window, and makes my little room seem larger and so much more airy!



One Sunday morning a couple of weeks ago, Dad, Mom, Trissy, Toby, Lindy and I went about a half-hour away to a baptism service of one of the Spanish churches up a little north of us. Our family is in charge of the Spanish ministry at our church, and Toby and Lindy are two of our most involved and enthusiastic in the ministry. We've been getting advice and help from the Guatemalan pastor of this church that was having the baptism, and on his last visit down to a small Spanish service we had, he was telling about the baptism that was going to be taking place, and told us their church was praying that the Lord would prepare twelve people to be baptized that day. We decided we'd like to go up and be there, both for support for them and also for the experience ourselves. We invited Toby and Lindy to come along. There ended up being eleven people baptized!



It was quite an experience! We were the only 'white' people, and we stood out like sore thumbs! But it was really neat and very moving to see how the people loved the Lord, and wanted to learn about Him. They met in a park so they could use the lake to baptize in, and it was raining that morning, but people just stood out in the rain for their classes like it was nothing! We are so spoiled.





This past week I finished Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. I read the full version. You know, the one that's twenty inches thick? Ok, well, maybe not twenty inches...

I must admit, I was extremely disappointed. I believe it's considered one of the classics, besides, I've heard people rant and rave over how wonderful it was.
I love to read, and am always looking for good material, so I borrowed it from a cousin and read it. The story was extremely interesting, there were lots of surprise twists, narrow escapes, and gripping scenes. It was very good - from a literary standpoint.

But the author's seemingly wishy-washy attitude on things like drinking, loose living, and using anger and animal-like violence to get one's way, disturbed me greatly. He seemed to rant and rave to a huge extent on the injustices and flaws of certain areas of society, yet be condoning and even approving of other ungodly and distorted ways of thinking.
Anyway, I could not in good conscience recommend this book to anyone. Just saying.



Bro. Dennis and Mrs. Carrie are supposed to go Tuesday to see how things are going with the baby, and find out whether it's a boy or a girl (it's a boy though, I know it is ;) ).
Mrs. Carrie just seems to glow all the time. Praise the Lord for His goodness!



Justice and Noel will be leaving Aug. 5. I miss them already. Austin will be going to join them and go to the same seminary as Justice, after he finishes this next year of college. He and Justice believe the Lord may be calling them to start a church together, though they don't know how, when, or where. Aron and Henley announced Wednesday night that they will probably be moving to another state within a couple of years, for Aron to go to Bible College as well.
It's sad to think about everyone dispersing, but so exciting too, to see how the Lord will use these dear young lives for His purpose and work.

Sunday evening after church the young people met for supper together (as we have been doing for quite a while now), and after the usual banter and fun that always comes when we all get together, we fell into a discussion of 'preference vs. principle' - how so many churches do things because 'that's how we've always done it', and not maybe because those preferences have their root in Scripture. We must carefully examine the Bible, and determine what among our habits (both as a church, and as individuals) are preference, and what are principle. We may need to throw out some preferences that can not truthfully be called principles, while carefully preserving the 'preferences' that are also 'principles'!

As I sat listening (and discussing!), I couldn't help thinking, "How many groups of college-age young people, even among 'church youth groups', would have a conversation that so easily and naturally turned to Biblical things, without being urged by an adult?! Praise God for this dear group who have HIM as their center!! Praise Him for allowing me to be a part of it!"



I am now on Etsy! Praise the Lord, another project checked off my list that's been there forever! I've had an account since February, but hadn't set up the buy/sell side of it yet. I got that done yesterday with the gracious help of a local friend who's an Etsy seller. Praise the LORD!
My shop is empty right this minute, but I hope to start listing things soon!
HERE is the link to my shop. If anyone who may be reading is an Etsy user, I'd appreciate any support :)



Victory Road Christian Academy starts back to school Aug. 8th, and I'm so excited! I love working there, and can't wait to see all my little after-school kids again. Bro. Earl announced Sunday that there are over a hundred students enrolled, and the school now goes up through twelfth grade. Praise the Lord! That's a few more that the public schools won't get to poison for a while anyway!

Note: I'm not bashing public schools, I know there are many good Godly principals and teachers out there who are trying to fix a sick system. But I am afraid that public schools are nothing more than a disaster waiting to happen. Most of the ungodly and dangerous influences that children are exposed to come from their school. Public schools are especially dangerous to children of Christian families. They are little sheep being fed to the lions - what control do loving parents have over what the little eyes see, what the little ears hear, what the little minds soak up about a world that is saturated in filth and evil, when they are away from them? Church gets them maybe a couple of hours a week. School gets them most of the day, most of the week, and most of the year.
The ideal is homeschooling. The second-best is a Godly, Christian, private school.



School starts back for me Aug. 19th. This is my last semester, and is basically just a 'clean-up' one. I'll be taking my last few required classes, and also an art class, simply because, as a crafter and 'artist', I'd like to learn a little more about good design.
I'm hoping and praying this semester will be easy! I have so much else I'd like to have time to be involved in!

{Zig-zags courtesy of Jones Design Company}

Recent Happenings

So, before anything else really happens, I wanted to record a few of the things that have been going on lately.


First off, I am SO thankful to be done with yet another semester of school! Lord willing I only have one more (this Fall) and I'll be done for good! YAY!!! :)
The Lord was good, and gave me A's in all my classes, too. I've done well, as far as grades, but I want to finish off the rest of what I have to do, with all A's.


We have a busy summer ahead though! Right now, Trissy and I are trying to get ready for the mission trip we're planning on taking. Several people from our church are planning to be going on various mission trips this summer, and our church itself is planning two of our own. Trissy and I are planning on going on the first one, which is just a little less than three weeks away!


Last week Jaylyn helped us get set up with a Skype account, so now we can talk with them when they go back to the mission field! We're really excited. But they'll be another continent away... that seems so far, yet with the blessings of modern technology, not nearly as far away as when The Grandparents were missionaries overseas!


Mrs. H said for us to keep her incubator over the summer and try to hatch some more chicks. We'd tried right before the end of school, and had put more than twenty eggs in, but not one hatched! We've got thirty-one this time (including eight eggs she gave us from her chickens), and we are hoping and praying they all hatch, are healthy, and are mostly hens! Our hen population is down to three, and Mom is missing getting to do all her cooking with 'home-grown' eggs.







The ones in the first picture are two of the ones from Mrs. H. She gave us four of the little tiny white banty eggs, and four others that are real small, but I don't think completely banty.
The ones in the next picture are the two sizes we put in.
The last picture just shows a comparison of all four sizes together.
(Sorry about the marker on the shells. We wrote the date we gathered each egg in Sharpie on the shell, so we could tell later how the age of the eggs affected how likely they were to hatch.)



Uncle David came over for a week-or-so's visit, and The Grandparents have been thrilled to have him here! His whole family was hoping to get to come right after Christmas, and the funeral of the oldest uncle, but were not able to afford the plane fare for four people across the ocean. Someone in their sponsoring church, though, gave an offering of enough for Uncle David to come and see his parents. He is so hyper and fun and joking, and yet so willing, hard-working, and one of the most respectful-to/of-his-parents people I know. It's been good having him around to 'increase our endorphins', and we can tell The Grandparents have really 'perked up' to have his lively spirit around.


Yesterday, was Justice and Noel's wedding. The bridesmaids wore black dresses, and the groomsmen wore black suits. The women carried red roses and the men wore red rose boutonnieres. Justice's coat was white to match Noel. Somehow I did not end up taking a single picture! Oh well...
We ended up going to two weddings yesterday. Justice and Noel's, and then one of a young man whose family we have known since the kids were just little bitty. They are home school friends, and we were part of the same home school group for years. I did take a few pictures there.




Lindy and her family used to go to church with their family, so she was there too, and sat with us.


While we were in town yesterday, we went by Lifeway and I picked up 'The Voyage of the Dawn Treader' that I had pre-ordered before it came out. Dad took Trissy and me to see it in the theater - Mom was sick, and couldn't go with us :( - and that was the second time Trissy and I had been to a theater (the first was for Fireproof). I would NOT want to go regularly, but I'd like to support good movies. We hope to go and see Courageous when it comes out in September. But anyway, Dad really liked 'Dawn Treader', so Trissy and I are going to give it to him for his birthday :) .
While I was there, I also got 'Pendragon' which I have been wanting ever since I saw it several months ago. If you want something good, clean, imaginative, and exciting to watch, (not including Sherwood Pictures movies) I would recommend this! It is excellent! Uncle Alvin's are supposed to come down tonight, and Jaylyn and Jewel have been wanting to see it again, so maybe we can watch it after church.


Toby hurt his knee playing basketball a couple of weeks ago, and the doctor thinks he may have torn his ACL. If he has, he'll have to have surgery to fix it, and may not get to go on the two mission trips he was planning on being a part of this summer. Lindy said he's pretty discouraged about that, but still hopeful. He has an MRI on Tuesday, to find out for sure what's wrong, and after that, he and his parents can make a decision on what he's going to do.


Mrs. Shannen, Bro. Earl's wife, recently learned she has a hole in her heart, and she's going to have surgery this week, Lord willing. A week or so ago, she was at work, and one side of her face went numb, and she felt lightheaded. After alot of tests, they found out that the hole in her heart that all babies have when they're born had never closed up, and it was letting little clots through, and causing minor strokes.
It kind of gave us a scare, but she seems fine now, she's just going to have to have it closed up.


Bro. Earl's got laryngitis, so he couldn't preach this morning. Bro. Dennis preached for him, and it was excellent as usual. He preached on what true success is, and how to obtain it. Success is not health, wealth, and prosperity. Success is being satisfied with where the Lord has you, and doing your best for Him in the situations you find yourself it.
That's the sermon in a very small nutshell :) .

About halfway through the sermon, the electricity went off! I mean everything, the microphone, the lights, the recording machine, everything. He was just talking along, and all of a sudden there was kindof a snap, and the whole big auditorium went dark. Nobody missed a beat, just 'rolled with it' as they say, and Bro. Dennis just kept preaching and would say something like, "Now, if you can see your Bibles, please turn to this scripture reference" every now and then.
It was actually kind of cozy :) ! Some of the men got up and opened the doors into the hallways and the foyer, to let the sunlight in, and we just kept going. I am just sad that the recording machine couldn't work, because I had wanted a copy of the service to re-watch later.


"Austin and The Band" as Bro. Mike calls them (our young people who play and lead the singing for the youth class on Wednesday nights) led our music this morning and did an excellent job. I suppose they did the music because Bro. Dennis was preaching and couldn't do both.
They are getting better and better. They're all good musicians, but when they first started, they sounded like they were just starting, if you get my drift ;) . Now they blend and seem to play off each other really well. It seems like they're better every time I hear them just about! They usually pick out really good music and songs too, which of course, is half the thing, right there. And they use their great talents to glorify the Lord; that's the best thing - knowing these kids want to love and serve Christ - that's so rare these days in young people. These are such a blessing!


Dad had made hamburgers Friday, and we had them for left-overs today for lunch. Mom usually likes us to cook a 'Sunday dinner', but with all the running around and other things that have been happening lately, and since we had plenty, we just decided to do left-overs today. Trissy started fixing Dad's burger, then she called me over and showed it to me and said, "I'm going to call him to finish it!" :) .



She's real cute with things like that.


Well, I think that's about it. Besides, Trissy and I need to scoot on off to choir practice. Bro. Dennis let us all have a couple of weeks off after Easter :) .

I just wanted to record a few of the things that have been happening around and to me.
This morning church especially was SUCH a blessing and refreshment from the Lord! I can never cease to thank Him for leading us to this place, and the wonderful family He has given us, and the lessons (both easy and hard) He has taught us here. He is so amazing; so good.

{Zig-zags courtesy of Jones Design Company}