Had a wonderful evening tonight with a great friend& sister( love you Mary) Was so nice to sit and catch up, relax and enjoy some great girlfriend time!! Has been to long, seems life gets us all so busy that we loose the ability to be with one another.. We must make sure to make each other a priority, this I am learning more and more. I so appreciate the people God has placed in our life!!!
Thankful for the encouragement  being with friends and family brings to my soul. God is so good.

Tomorrow we go look at a house, praying it goes through, if that is what the Lord wants. We want Gods will more than anything!!!

I Have Been Blessed!!!!!( Live At Union Grove Baptist in Lenoir NC).mpg

"This is the day that the Lord hath made, I will rejoice and be glad in it."

So encouraged in the Lord today! Wonderful service this am... What a glorious thought, that our God is always in control over&in all things concerning His childrens lives!! He is never out of answers, always right on time! His ways are above our own&they are past finding out!!
Nothing we face is ever a surprise to Him.
I am written in my Fathers hand, and He cares for me!

Had a wonderful lunch&now getting ready to go visit with some dear friends for dessert &coffee!

God is good... All the time!!
      All the time...... God is good!!!!!

Shania&Kaitlyn

Kelsey&mama waiting for daddy to drop his truck@the office after church

Friends 2011 No Teardrops Will Fall

Praise GOD, HE is always with me!!

I Just Wanted You To Know ~ Camden Baptist Church

Laying the Foundation of Courage
by Charles R. Swindoll

Read 1 Kings 17:1–7; James 5:17–18

EIijah had prayed that it would not rain and, ultimately, it did not rain for three and a half years. So the dried-up brook was just an indication that the very thing he had prayed for was beginning to take place. He was living in the result of his own prayer.

Have you ever had that happen? "Lord, make me a godly man." "Lord, mold me into a woman after your own heart." Meanwhile, in your heart you're thinking, but don't let it hurt too much. "Lord, make me stable, long-suffering, and gracious," but don't remove too many of my creature comforts. "Lord, teach me faith, make me strong," but don't let me suffer. Have you ever bargained with God like that? We want instant maturity, not the kind that requires sacrifice or emotional pain or hardship. "Lord, give me patience . . . and I want it right now!"

God's spiritual boot camp doesn't work that way. It is designed for our development toward maturity, not for our comfort. But self-denial is not a popular virtue in today's culture.

A short time before Robert E. Lee passed into his Lord's presence, a young mother brought her tiny infant to him. With tenderness, Lee took the child and held him in his arms, looking deeply into the baby's eyes. He then looked up at the mother and said, "Teach him he must deny himself."

The seasoned veteran knew whereof he spoke. As Douglas Southall Freeman writes, "Had his [Lee's] life been epitomized in one sentence of the Book he read so often, it would have been in the words, 'If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.' "¹

Our God is relentless. He never ceases His training regimens. He shaves off our hair, He takes away our comfortable and secure lifestyle, He moves us into cramped and unfamiliar quarters, and He changes our circle of friends—it's like we're in a spiritual boot camp!

In the process, He strips us of all our pride! And then He begins to lay the foundation blocks of heroic courage, and a new kind of confidence, if you will—the kind that no longer defends us but defends Him. What a magnificent change that is. And how essential in our journey toward maturity! Again, it's all part of being cut down to size.

A Step at a time !!!

by Charles R. Swindoll

Read 1 Kings 17:4

God's direction includes God's provision. God says, "Go to the brook. I will provide."

Vance Havner, in his book, It Is Toward Evening, tells the story of a group of farmers who were raising cotton in the Deep South when the devastating boll weevil invaded the crops. 
These men had put all of their savings, dedicated all of their fields, set all of their hopes in cotton. Then the boll weevil came.
Before long, it looked as if they were headed for the poorhouse.
But farmers, being the determined and ingenious people they are, decided, "Well, we can't plant cotton, so let's plant peanuts." Amazingly, those peanuts brought them more money than they would have ever made raising cotton. When the farmers realized that what had seemed like a disaster had actually proved to be a boon, they erected a large and impressive monument to the boll weevil---a monument to the very thing they once thought would destroy them.

"Sometimes we settle into a humdrum routine as monotonous as growing cotton year after year," says Havner, himself a seasoned old saint of God at the time he wrote these words. "Then God sends the boll weevil; He jolts us out of our groove, and we must find new ways to live. Financial reverses, great bereavement, physical infirmity, loss of position---how many have been driven by trouble to be better husbandmen and to bring forth far finer fruit from their souls! The best thing that ever happened to some of us was the coming of our 'boll weevil.' "¹

When God directs, God provides. 
That's what sustained Elijah during his boot camp experience.

We have to learn to trust God one day at a time. Did you notice that God never told Elijah what the second step would be until he had taken the first step? God told His prophet to go to Ahab. When Elijah got to the palace, God told him what to say. After he said it, God told him, "Now, go to the brook." He didn't tell Elijah what was going to happen at Cherith; He just said, "Go to the brook and hide yourself." Elijah didn't know the future, but he did have God's promise: "I'll provide for you there." 
And God didn't tell him the next step until the brook had dried up.

Ramblings

So as I sit here  I am thinking over the time since my life was changed FOREVER!! The day Jesus came into my heart and cleaned up the dark muddy mess I was. It was an impossible situation...
I found an old diary the other day and was reading over a page that I had written at the lowest point of my life. I don't feel comfortable giving details, but I can tell you it was as pathetic, hopeless, impossible, all the chips had fallen, it was done... over... no life left, ruined, to much had been done.. there was NO WAY anything could change and save it. BUT GOD... did you hear me.. BUT GOD in HIS mercy, and the prayers of the saints, reached down and led me back home. 
It was the hardest mountain to climb, the biggest valley to walk through, the most painful healing process I have ever been through... BUT GOD kept HIS promise and HE carried me most of the way, and other times made me walk to make me stronger. Some peaks I crawled over with bloody hands and knees with tears streaming down my face, yet my Father was with me. Time and time again the great I AM, has made the way when there seemed to be no way. And today HE IS still leading and guiding step by step. I have no idea what the future holds, have no answers for the problems that need to be solved, some are desperate pleas.. BUT this I know for sure.. GOD WILL ANSWER PRAYER, just like HE always has, always does, and always will. HE IS all that I need, HE sticks closer than a brother, no one knows me like HE does. The longer I serve HIM the more I feel a hunger and thirst that after each time HE feeds me, gets stronger and stronger. I yearn for HIS Holiness, to be near HIM daily, there is no other presence I desire more... but my KING JESUS!!! 

I know HE is never late, always on time with what is best for me. HIS ways are above my own  they are past finding out. He answers not just for the temporal, but for the eternal... I KNOW my Jesus is coming soon.. I KNOW my redeemer lives, HE lives in my heart. He has changed my heart, made me a new person inside and out. He controls my life, my heart, my soul, He directs my steps, my today and tomorrow's. 

I love Him so much. I refuse to give in, give up, or sit down. Yes I am weary at times, overwhelmed, do not have the answers.. but I can go to the ONLY ONE who does. I can open HIS word every day, I can bow on my knees before the THRONE in Heaven and expect to be heard. The Holy Spirit comforts me as I wait on the Lord. 
Oh God, renew me this day, help me I pray. Teach me how to serve you, mold me, make me into your image. Create in me a heart pure and true as only YOU can. Guide me, apply healing where I need it, give me strength and authority through Your Son and in Your Spirit. Fight my battles, give me wisdom. I want wisdom and discernment more than riches that will one day burn to ashes. My home is not here, it is being prepared for me by my Savior... Keep me on the straight and narrow way, put the blinders on to the world, looking ahead, not to the right nor to the left. Use me as you see fit... This life is not my own, I have been bought with the highest price. 
Send revival.. send the fire on my soul.

Karen Peck & New River - Why Should I Worry?

"There Is A River" By The Gaither Vocal Band (2005?)

Change is in the air.

Due to circumstances WAY beyond our control... Change is coming in our life... and so weird we actually weren't looking for it. But it is ok, God has worked out the details and is taking care of us, His children! Thank you Lord!! 


Prayers would be much appreciated as we tackle this move. I know God will give us grace. We started tonight, feels so weird.. We were so happy here( the down side to not owning the home) Upside is not being responsible with all the expensive repairs :) 


SO moving from a home we were happy and content with, to another beautiful home we will be happy and content as long as the good Lord wants us to. We know God is molding us and shaping us for the next BIG step. But for now, while still being pruned, taught, shaped, and cared for, we will be still before the Lord and listen for His promptings... 


So to those of you whom did not make it over to our home here( current location) We will have ya over to the new location. As soon as it is presentable.. ha.. I know you don't believe me.. but we have downsized in a BIG way, and will continue to do so during this move.. MAJOR donation pick up next week scheduled.. Lots of trash bags on hand.. lol. 


First thing to pack tonight was the scrapbooking supplies.. that was a HUGE chore, but with help got it done( Thank you Shania) 


Well it is late, and I am going to try and get some decent sleep. Back at it tomorrow. 


Have a great week everyone!!!

What Never Changes ~ Camden Baptist Church

Alabaster Box ~ Camden Baptist Church

A Speck Of Dirt ~ Camden Baptist Church

I'll Take Him Back ~ Camden Baptist Church

Pastor Paul Chappel: Passing the Baton from Lancaster Baptist Church on Vimeo.

I Will Trust You Lord ~ Camden Baptist Church

How We Keep Our Marriage Fresh

By caryschmidt | August 18, 2011

When Dana and I were engaged, there was one thing we dreaded—someday becoming one of those married couples that appear to barely tolerate each other. You know—those couples who never even hold hands or exude joy in being together. We vowed to each other that we would do everything within our power to resist the trends and habits that take a couple gradually down the path to boredom, mediocrity, and relational monotony. Not even knowing what it would require, we vowed to each other to “keep the romance.”
Twenty-two years later, we’re winning the battle so far. I realize we have a long ways to go, but I sat down last night and made a list of things I think God has used between us to help us resist the normal drift apart that many couples experience. Here goes:

We spend time together: I know this is basic, but so many couples spend less and less time together the longer they are married. Big mistake! Honestly, one of the greatest blessings of my cancer battle this past year was that I got to spend a lot more time with Dana. Granted, it wasn’t the kind of time we would normally desire, but the extra time together, even in sickness, was a real delight. A good marriage take lots and lots of TIME! You can’t fast-track a strong relationship.
We listen to each other: This one sort of snuck up on me, and Dana is better at it. I really have to work at this. But when we’re together, there’s usually one of us leading the conversation. Usually Dana has more to say—she’s a woman. (And that’s not an insult, by the way.) But we both have our moments of “needing to be heard.” And I think we both value the sound of the other’s voice. I meet some husbands who get tired of “listening”—don’t do that. Be thankful that YOU are the one she’s chosen to talk to! What a compliment!
We try to bless and care for each other: After this year, Dana has a HUGE lead on me in this area. She’s waited on me hand and foot for about a year now. But even before cancer, I can honestly say we have chosen to find pleasure in taking care of each other. She delights in pouring me a glass of tea, I delight in holding her while she falls asleep at night. We both delight in doing little things that bless the other. Those little things go a long ways toward keeping love alive.
We retreat together regularly: Leaving the kids is always difficult. Finding a little extra money to get away is a challenge for any growing family. But early on, we committed to get-away together a couple of times a year—whether or not it was convenient or affordable. These retreats together have become cherished memories. They have fueled our marriage and our whole family in more ways that I could possibly describe. I would call these retreats “mini-honeymoons.” In which case, for those who do them, the honeymoon never really “ends.”
We express physical affection: This one was an easy one to see as an engaged couple. The longer some people are married, the less they touch. So we decided we wouldn’t do that. We decided we would always love holding hands, sitting arm in arm, and snuggling up to each other. Life has it’s way of getting busy and this one can easily fall by the way-side. We’ve had to remind each other from time to time, but I’m thankful that this hasn’t changed much since the day we were married.
We listen to good “marriage music” together: We have gradually built our own collection of songs that speak to our love and strengthen our devotion to each other. We save that collection, occasionally add to it, and use it often. Whenever we get in the car for a date or a trip together, we pull out that collection, hold each other’s hands, and let the music minister to our marriage all over again. Just last night we were doing this once again, and every song carried with it it’s own set of memories connected to when we found it and where we first listened to it. Some were sad. Some were happy. But twenty-two years later, that song collection has wonderfully blessed our marriage.
We dream together: One of the great things that keeps our marriage alive is looking forward together. Sometimes we’re looking forward to something more immediate, like a vacation or special time (like our son’s senior year.) At other times we’re dreaming for the big picture and long term, like our children getting married and starting their own families, or what the Lord might do in our lives or ministry together in the years ahead. One of my personal favorite things to do is dream out loud with Dana about God’s will for our future together. We share common dreams, and that knits our hearts very close.
We read books that challenge us: This one is simple, but we try to build our marriage book collection regularly as well. Over the years we’ve each read a lot about marriage, and every book has challenged us in different ways, provoked different discussions, and cause us to grow. These books, for us, are like attending a well-prepared, truth-filled marriage retreat. They refresh us, renew us, and reset our focus on loving each other better.
We wait out the “weary places”: Every relationship goes through valleys. For us, cancer was certainly one of those valleys this past year. Work pressures, financial pressures, busy-ness, and a myriad of other external factors can weigh down upon your marriage and bring you into a season of weariness. During these times you often lack emotional and spiritual energy, and your marriage relationship can be strained. Many couples “jump ship” during these times. Over the years, Dana and I have learned to look each other in the eye and say, “We will get through this… let’s just be patient and keep holding on to God and each other.” This year was definitely one of those years, but God has brought us through many such times.
We forgive each other quickly: Dana does a lot more forgiving than I do, but we decided years ago that we wouldn’t hold grudges against each other. Expectations often lead to unmet expectations, which lead to disappointment, frustration, conflict, and distance. To keep your marriage fresh, you must be quick to own your failure and apologize. And you must be quick to forgive when you’ve been hurt or slighted.
We laugh and enjoy our family a lot: Like every family, we have our conflicts, but we decided intentionally that we wouldn’t allow our family to be dominated by conflict. Many families are consumed with it. When conflict arises, we work through it and resolve it, and then we move back to the enjoyment mode. As a family, laughter with and at each other and abundant joy with each other is the norm. Much of this is due to Dana’s abundantly joyful spirit and delightful sense of humor as a wife and mother. The whole family sort of adopts her delightful personality.
We take walks together: We need to do this more, but we really enjoy catching a summer evening sunset or taking a late evening walk under the stars. We hold hands, we take our time, we talk, and we enjoy the closeness with each other and with the Lord. (It’s good for us physically too!)
Well, this stuff isn’t rocket science. It’s pretty simple, but it has worked for us. We are more in love today than we were twenty-two years ago. Keeping your marriage fresh is possible if you decide to work at it.
What about you? Please add to this list. What do you do to keep your marriage fresh?
P.S. One final thought… we always kiss when we’re alone on elevators…

TIP #4: “To be, or not to be!” Dramatize it!  If you want to see children get excited, pull out a storage bin of fun dress up clothes and assign them someone to be! You’re not going to be able to slow them down. What better way is there to get an “oral report” than to have the child dress the part of what he or she has learned about and repeat back to you the lesson from the character himself! Use a camcorder and record their performances, or assign them roles of newscasters, reporting through an interview with “Queen Elizabeth,” inquiring what she’s going to do about the Spanish fleets of King Philip. Perhaps “Daniel Boone” can share about his travels through the Kentucky wilderness! Dramatizing also allows the child to relate to the character or situation they are studying about. It adds an element of understanding that mere reading or discussion can not do. It’s simple to begin a collection of costume materials. Yard sales and thrift stores are great places to pick up formal gowns or suit coats very inexpensively. A woman’s ruffled white blouse can become a great colonial shirt. Pick up inexpensive pants and cut them off below the knee, stuffing them in high socks for knickers. Often children’s toys such as hats of various occupations can be acquired inexpensively too. A woman’s skirt can become a long skirt of a pioneer or colonist to a younger girl. Shawls, boots, bandanas, and gloves are good finds as well. Keep an eye out for yard sale jewelry that might be fitting for a sixteenth century “Queen,” or to complete a nineteenth century ante-bellum outfit. Look for panels at fabric stores, such as flags, red and white checkered material, lace, and muslin. They will always come in handy! And don’t forget props—swords and guns, “armor,” glasses, fake beards, wigs, hats, whatever you can find that would fit another era. You need to look with a different eye! I once found a large, gold, plastic vase that originally held florist foam and a spray of silk flowers. With the flowers and foam removed, it resembled a chalice that might have been held by King Henry VIII. We’ve since used it for all medieval play. We’ve also used fake fur scraps for “mountain man” acting. Used army/navy surplus is a great way to gather costume material for WWI and WWII. Reenacting is another wonderful way of getting into character! If you study the Civil War, act out a battle! Set up a camp and recruit friends and family. Serve authentic foods and assign names of famous leaders or civilians, such as Clara Barton or Sergeant York. If you can, attend an actual local reenactment. Be sure to ask lots of questions of the reenactors! They will often answer in character, making you feel like you have been transported back in time. Living history museums are also fantastic ways to immerse a child into another era! To read our current issue, CLICK HERE!

TIP #3: You’ve Heard of
the “Three R’s”—
Introducing the “Three G’s”!
Games, Gizmos, and Gimmicks

· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·

I’m not for fooling a child, but when it comes to learning, if he forgets he’s actually learning and thinks instead that he is playing, that’s fine with me! I don’t know a child that wouldn’t rather be playing games than filling out workbooks. We often think of drill as only flashcards or repetitive writing. There are many alternatives that will help the information stick in a much more enticing way!

GIMMICKS: When I refer to gimmicks, I’m meaning songs, poems, and sayings that appeal to a child’s creative side. A child will remember information much better if he hears it in a song and can relate it to its tune. Do you remember singing the song in grammar school, “Fifty nifty United States, from the thirteen original colonies!” Perhaps I’m dating myself, but I learned that song in first grade and never forgot what our newly fifty states (I had learned the song in the mid-1960s) had begun from. There are many jingles and limericks that help us remember punctuation and grammar rules, mathematics facts, historical facts, presidents, books of the Bible, and others. I’ll guarantee you, if you taught your child the long and short vowels with a song, they would have a greater retention of the sounds than if you drilled strictly with flashcards. There’s nothing catchier than a good tune to stick in your head!

GIZMOS: What are “gizmos”? Basically, in this case they are hand-held helps to assist in drilling facts. One example might be an electronic game that will flash or beep if the math fact or spelling word is correct or wrong. Sometimes they come in the form of a book with a wand with which you tap the answer you wish to give. Again, you’d be told if you were right or wrong according to a light or sound. Another gizmo that my children loved was “Learning Wrap-Ups.” These are hand-held, specially designed objects where a string wraps from information on one side to its match on the other side. They utilize several senses and help the child master facts. Learning Wrap-Ups came in all kinds of topics: math facts, vowels and consonants, states and capitals, musical notes, sign language letters, and much more.

GAMES: I love incorporating games in learning, and there are MANY available! Just walk down a department store aisle and you will find educational computer games and board games galore. Start making wiser choices about the games you purchase for your family. Many are obviously used for academics, while others teach skills such as strategy, creativity, and how to think “out of the box.” Common card games, such as “Go Fish,” can be substituted with matching cards that can relate to a topic of study.

My favorite kind of game is the file folder game! A common, colored file folder can open up to become a game board that can easily be filed away when done. By decorating with a pathway of your choice, you can create a great way to drill spelling, answer history or science questions, learn about authors, a country, presidents, an ancient civilization, or practically any topic you wish. I have had the best success with the children retaining information when using question cards on a topic we had studied. And here’s a bonus! Have the children research the material they studied to make the question cards themselves. Not only will this give them the “leg up” they need to play the game (they will of course know the answers to their own questions!), but it will force them to really study the materials and resources in order to extract facts for questions. If you have several children, divide them in groups and send them off to collect questions. By having the children divide and conquer the materials they’ve been taught, you won’t even have to make the question cards. The more they can participate in, the better!

H A N D S - O N    T E A C H I N G    T I P S

Unleash a Love of Learning in Your Child!
 

TIP #2: Making Math Make “Cents”!

In the last installment, I referred to the “right brained” thinker. You may be asking, what is the difference between a left-brained and a right brained thinker? Those with “right-brained” qualities are usually highly creative and artistic, with little patience for detailed steps. They can tend to have a harder time staying focused and have an inclination towards the arts, drama, and music. Left-brained people tend to be more sequential in their thinking, and gravitate toward technical and analytical thinking. Their aptitude usually lies in the sciences and math. This, of course, can become a problem when the right-brained child is forced to learn concepts of math that do not come easily for him!

Math is an abstract concept that can be made more understandable when illustrated with visuals and manipulatives. What are manipulatives? They are hands-on objects that show, not only visually, but in a three-dimensional space, the method of solving a problem. Many manipulatives are available for the subject of mathematics. When studying number placement (ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, etc.), base-10 blocks are commonly used. Children can see how a one-unit is one-tenth of a 10-unit, and a 10-unit is one-tenth of a hundred-unit, and so on. By placing the units on a chart and regrouping by adding or taking away, the idea of addition and subtraction is illustrated, helping the child’s brain to visualize the concept and better understand it. Basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division can be taught by using objects as counters. If you use edible counters, such as grapes or small candies, you’ve just added in the element of “snack time”!

When studying fractions, there are a variety of fractional materials available in the form of circles, bars, and more. Children can see visually how fractions relate to each other, as well as equivalencies between fractions with different denominators. Try breaking a graham cracker or chocolate bar to represent fractions. I can guarantee you, if you gave a child a candy bar and asked her if she’d rather share it with one other friend and keep half or share it with eleven other children and keep one-twelfth, she will remember more keenly that the larger the denominator, the smaller the fraction… or in this case, the piece of chocolate!

Money is always best taught by using actual or play money. I’ve found that when children are put in a “store” scenario, certain concepts begin to become second nature. Have them create price tags for a variety of items such as pencils, rulers, hats, books, toys, and anything they can find. Start younger children with items priced between $.01-.10 and increase the costs as per the child’s level. Addition of items and subtraction for change will be practiced over and over as the children take turns shopping and cashing out each other. Introduce multiplication with groups of items, such as a box of 12 pencils at $.05 each, or a dozen eggs at $.03 each.

What child doesn’t like a lesson that includes food! When studying weights and measures, have him bake or cook something. Don’t waste all that good measuring time—let it result in a nice dessert or snack! Try to vary forms of measurement, using utensils and a kitchen scale, and both solid and liquid measuring tools. This is a great time to sneak in fractions. You can purposely use a measuring cup that is not an exact match to challenge him to approximate equivalent measurements.

These are just a few ideas to keep math both hands-on and above all, understandable to a visual child. Most people are visual and need problems “shown” to them to really make cents… oops, I mean “sense.”

		H A N D S - O N    T E A C H I N G    T I P S   Unleash a Love of Learning in Your Child!   TIP #1: Abandon the Textbooks and LIVE the Lesson! · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·  That’s right! I didn’t say “throw them out,” but I did mean set them aside. I’ll explain.      Reading, writing, and “’rithmetic” are necessary staples for a good education. If you can read, you can go anywhere and learn about anything. If you can write, you can create and share your thoughts and ideas. If you know math, you’re not only prepared for the practical aspects of life, you also learn systematic methods and techniques which are important for problem solving. Unfortunately, all three of these topics can be dry and tedious at times, as they are taught precept upon precept. Each step generally must be mastered before you can advance to the next step. These subjects also take major brain power, as they may not come easily to all children (I’m thinking specifically about those right-brained, creative thinkers!). These three topics also tend to be taught via text books and work books, as they are usually accompanied by exercises, practice, and drill. At the elementary levels up through seventh or eighth grade, children need to explore, touch, taste, create, and just “be.”      Because these subjects take such focus and intense study, other subjects can end up taking a back seat to them. History and science will often be thrown into the text-book mix. When the child’s brain is too taxed to take on any more, art and music can sadly end up being left off altogether! With a full day of text-book remedial learning, it is no wonder a child is losing interest by afternoon and fidgeting to get outside! Children were made to move and absorb information, but when it is all presented the same way, in a dull, monotonous fashion, it will not stick. Above that, it will not be appreciated by the child. It is at times like that we begin to hear, “This is boring!” or “I don’t like school”—words that make us cringe!      What’s the solution? LIVE the lessons! Don’t read from a text book; find a good “living” book at the library and read that. A "living book" is a book that puts you there or envelops you in the story. Are you studying Ancient Greece in history? Read a book such as Growing Up in Ancient Greece. Cook a Greek meal for dinner, or go to a Greek restaurant. Take that teachable moment to discuss the main staples of the Greek diet. Paint a terra cotta flower pot with Greek symbols and do research online to find what the symbols mean, or to find pictures of Greek pottery. Make a mosaic with paper or actual shards of tile! Or perhaps for science, read up on Archimedes and try an experiment by placing items in a tub of water and testing the idea of “displacement.” Be sure to read his story regarding the gold of the King’s crown! For health, look up what the “Hippocratic Oath” was and discuss how it is still in practice today.      Text books still have their place, mind you! They can act as a spine, allowing you to see what came before, what came after, and important people and events that happened during. But use them as your starting base and jump from there. Work books are already heavily used in the reading, writing, and arithmetic. Give the children something to look forward to with everything else!      By high school level, many more topics can be handled in a text book, for the mind is prepared for longer-term reading and a more advanced level of focus. Can high-schoolers also learn hands-on? You bet! Every chance they get should be filled with additional related projects and programs that mold a maturing character. Hopefully by this age, children have not been “burned out” to the idea of textbooks and can appreciate them for their ability to skim over topics, giving key facts and brief information. The substance of the lessons and most memorable impressions, however, come from diving into the details and truly living them in a hands-on way! · · · Watch for Tip #2… Making Math Make “Cents”! · · · Look forward to more tips, freebies, and study ideas in my “Hands-on Teaching Tips!” MONTHLY NEWSLETTER Each issue is geared toward helping your child not only succeed in gaining knowledge, but to develop a desire and passion for learning, right past graduation and through his or her entire life! Education should be an adventure, full of discoveries and opportunities to explore. This newsletter, full of mini-units, printables, and activities, is my gift to you and the children you impact in your teaching! To read our current issue, CLICK HERE! Amy Pak http://www.homeschoolinthewoods.com Home of HISTORY Through the Ages Historical Timeline Figures And Time Travelers Activity-based History Studies

The Courtship of Hayley & John By Amy Pak Our only daughter was recently married. Several people have voiced an interest in knowing how her romance progressed to a marriage, and we decided to share her story. First, let me preface this by saying that our idea of courtship is by no means the “bar” for relationships to be weighed against—for some time we have looked into the idea of courtship versus dating, and what we did with our daughter’s relationship might not even be the exact method we would use with our other children, although I can’t imagine it being too different. Of course it relies on the people involved: their age, maturity, expectations, future plans, etc., but this worked for us and we’re happy to share what we discovered. As we educate our children through their academic years, we hope that we are forming their character and preparing them to launch into responsible and successful lives of their own, built on a foundation of Christ. As home educators, it has been our mission to raise up our children in the Lord, molding them to be honorable and set apart from the world, and to respect their parents in obedience and love, an ideal greatly blessed by God. A time when they enter into a covenant with a spouse marks an end to our relationship as the main directors and caregivers, and we entrust them to another. How we prepare them for that journey is a precious responsibility, and one God has entrusted to us as their parents…and does not lend itself well to a “do-over.” Hayley had already determined in her teen years that she didn’t even want to be approached by a boy until she was at least eighteen. We happily obliged, as it was difficult to witness the drama that we saw with younger couples who would date and then break up, date again, and then break up. The focus of their lives had often centered on the relationships and was a distraction, not to mention emotional roller coaster for the youth involved, especially at young and impressionable ages. Instead, Hayley focused on getting her schooling accomplished, and working to build a savings for her future. What we found was important in all of our children was the need to encourage personal responsibility and to begin to work for their own money early in life. They needed to learn that things come at a cost, and to bear the weight of paying for their own items, whether it be a car, an education, or a simple pair of shoes. By the time Hayley was 16, she had saved enough to purchase her own car, one she could practice on with her permit and use once she attained her license. While she was home with us, she also prepared meals and menus, hand-crafts, how to budget, and began to establish credit. You may ask, “What about college?” Although she looked into that for a short time, Hayley felt a desire to be a wife and mother, and did not want to go into a marriage with debt, and already ‘married’ to a career. Still a hard worker, she at times has worked up to three jobs at a time to earn and save. Again, this is no reflection of judgment on the part of others—this was her choice and we honored that. On her 18th birthday, a long-time friend of hers was on our doorstep, asking her father if he could court her. We did not know until just a matter of weeks before that he had held an interest in her, and came to find he had kept it quiet for two years, waiting until the time he could approach us. Although we knew him and his family through homeschool events, we did not know him well. This became a time of having him visit her at our home so we could all get to know him better, and scheduling time for our families to get to know each other. At this point I’m sure some of you are asking, “What exactly is courting?” It has been defined different ways, but one I tend to lean toward is a “controlled relationship.” In other words, it began with the intent that both of them could view the other with ultimately marriage as the end goal. This was a time to get to know each other and spend time together in a safe and protected environment. When John came to visit or Hayley went to John’s house, someone had to be there, and preferably on the same floor of the house (often another room, giving them privacy to talk). We did have rules of not riding alone in a car together, but they could meet at public places or events with friends. And although they were allowed to hold hands and hug, we did have a “no kissing” rule until a possible engagement. Why all the rules? We felt that once physical aspects get introduced, they can become the focus of the relationship. When the physical elements are removed, what is left is time to focus on really getting to know each other while maintaining the purity. Not to mention, all that becomes more special once a deeper relationship is attained! If the two were to find out that they were not compatible to be married, that would have been just as successful a courtship as if they did end up together, and the purity would have remained intact and waiting for the future spouse to come along. Society doesn’t always think this way these days, and views dating as a time to “try people out,” both emotionally and physically. Unfortunately, much gets centered on the physical, and once they realize the relationship isn’t what they thought it would be, they break up and move on… a model of divorce, with the baggage of having left a piece of yourself behind. It is our desire to see these young adults come to a marriage with their whole selves intact to give to their spouse, and although a heartbreak may have been involved, it is far less damaging than the scarring that can happen when there has been much physical affection invested, too. Okay, back to the story! After a couple of months, Hayley did hit a wall, being overwhelmed and confused by the emotions and feelings that John had for her, as well as her own. His head-start of admiring her from afar for so long made him ready for the relationship with her, but when she was approached regarding his feelings, she actually had to think for a while if she could view him as a husband. So, she was basically at square one when they began, and like a deer caught in the headlights, she hit a point of fear and broke it off. Although devastated, John still claimed his feelings for her and asked if he could wait for her. Even though he was advised by some to move on and that “she did not know what she was losing,” he still chose to be devoted to her. In Hayley’s world, she actually needed a breather to collect her thoughts and assess her feelings…and within a short time she found that she did really care for John. This break also gave us as her parents a chance to assess their relationship and figure out what had derailed the path they were on. One thing we saw was that they did not truly ‘talk’ enough. There was a lot of “techno-talk” (texting, chatting through IM, etc.), but not enough face-to-face about important topics. After three weeks apart, Hayley came back to us in tears, saying that she did want to go back to courting John, but at that point, her father put the brakes on. He asked them both to write a paper on what they expected in the relationship, and what had changed during their time apart. We also had them write a list of key, foundational things they would find imperative for their spouse to have in common (such as issues of faith, politics, children, child-rearing, etc.). They met for coffee one night a week and would discuss things from these lists. The change in Hayley was immense as we saw her viewing John in a whole new light—a truly transformed relationship. However, it was still a good additional month before Ed gave his blessing and felt they were ready to continue in a courtship. Once they began their relationship again, John’s father, a pastor, encouraged John to lead the couple in a weekly Bible study, which laid the foundation for him as the spiritual head. Now their relationship began to cement itself, and over the next year and a half, they slowly built an understanding of each other and a trust in open communication, as well as encouragement for each other. They also began attending counseling with John’s father, which progressed over the course of their whole relationship, providing them with guidance and tools for a successful start to a life together. In June of 2010, after almost a 2-year courtship, John approached Hayley's father, who gave John his blessing to propose to Hayley, and an October wedding was planned. Some rules were lifted—although now allowed to share a kiss, there were still limits on that as well. Also, having the wedding only four months away gave a solid end date that helped maintain existing rules. After all, temptation is a tool of the deceiver, and he tries to use it whenever he can! Their wedding was a beautiful time of union between two people who had been brought up to understand the gravity of marriage and commitment, and to have come to it as purely and devoted to each other as if their gift to each other were themselves, untainted. Never before had they kissed another. Their hearts were devoted to the task before them—to provide and protect, to care for and love, to cleave to one another and begin a new union on the foundation of Christ. Yet, another thing took place as the whole congregation stood and committed to act as witnesses to the event—children watched as the couple took their vows; young teenagers watched (as they had watched the progression all along), influenced by their respect for their parents and choices they had made; young men wiped tears as they were inspired by a truly young man of moral commitment to his virtuous young bride; and young women were encouraged to not be deceived by the ways of the world, but to hold themselves pure and accountable for their special chosen one. It was truly a day of fulfillment—one that honored the parents’ commitment to raising their children for this day, of a covenant between a husband and a wife, and of the blessings and promises of God to a young couple that had prepared themselves as fitting unto the Lord. Top Left: Hayley and John on Hayley's 18th birthday, the night that John spoke to Mr. Pak Top Right: The couple are announced as husband and wife Bottom: Beginning their life together

He Is.m4v

Sorry for the delay

And to everyone who was so kind to send words of encouragement and gifts to Shania.. THANK YOU.. and I apologize for the delay in you receiving your thank yous from Shania.. She did her part, they have been waiting for me to mail them and well I did not get that done. Good Lord willing we plan to mail them out tomorrow.. Along with her pictures to those of you who live out of town. We did not forget.. things concerning me have been a lil hectic.. And to you who came to support her , we have not forgotten you either!! 

                      ~  God Bless ~

Tonight was privileged to attend our main homeschool group's planning meeting tonight. Was good to see some familiar faces ( missed you Patty) and met some new, and looking forward to others when park days begin again. We are Blessed to live in an area where homeschooling has exploded over the past few years, in more activity and groups, and options, without driving to the other side of town for everything. I really enjoyed myself tonight ladies, THANKS for all you do our family truly appreciates it!!! ( praying for you Sandra and Karen) and all of you... 
and to add to the nice evening I won a door prize :) a really nice one too!!! Looking forward to it! 
Came home even more energized and encouraged for this year.... Shared with hubby and girls all the info and they are excited as well!! 
Very Blessed indeed... God is good, so so very good!! 

Thanks for the words of encouragement ladies!! Look forward to seeing you all in a few weeks. Good Lord willing... look forward to being more involved this year!!

Have You Ever Been Speechless with Sorrow?

Text Size: Zoom In

Aug

18

2011

When he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich —Luke 18:23

The rich young ruler went away from Jesus speechless with sorrow, having nothing to say in response to Jesus’ words. He had no doubt about what Jesus had said or what it meant, and it produced in him a sorrow with no words with which to respond. Have you ever been there? Has God’s Word ever come to you, pointing out an area of your life, requiring you to yield it to Him? Maybe He has pointed out certain personal qualities, desires, and interests, or possibly relationships of your heart and mind. If so, then you have often been speechless with sorrow. The Lord will not go after you, and He will not plead with you. But every time He meets you at the place where He has pointed, He will simply repeat His words, saying, “If you really mean what you say, these are the conditions.”
“Sell all that you have . . .” (Luke 18:22). In other words, rid yourself before God of everything that might be considered a possession until you are a mere conscious human being standing before Him, and then give God that. That is where the battle is truly fought— in the realm of your will before God. Are you more devoted to your idea of what Jesus wants than to Jesus Himself? If so, you are likely to hear one of His harsh and unyielding statements that will produce sorrow in you. What Jesus says is difficult— it is only easy when it is heard by those who have His nature in them. Beware of allowing anything to soften the hard words of Jesus Christ.
I can be so rich in my own poverty, or in the awareness of the fact that I am nobody, that I will never be a disciple of Jesus. Or I can be so rich in the awareness that I am somebody that I will never be a disciple. Am I willing to be destitute and poor even in my sense of awareness of my destitution and poverty? If not, that is why I become discouraged. Discouragement is disillusioned self-love, and self-love may be love for my devotion to Jesus— not love for Jesus Himself.

Then the Lord said to Moses: “How long will these people reject Me? And how long will they not believe Me, with all the signs which I have performed among them? http://bible.us/Num14.11.NKJV

And the Lord said to Moses, “Has the Lord’s arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not.” http://bible.us/Num11.23.NKJV

GREER BAPTIST CAMP MEETING - JULY 1, 2011.wmv

GREER BAPTIST CAMP MEETING - JUNE 30, 2011.wmv

Striving together in Unity

Philippians 1:27 "Only Let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel." 


Philippians 2:2-8, 12-16 " fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambitions or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interest of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. But made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance of a man,He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. - Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure, Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of  crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain."

( These are a few of my personal notes taken from this message below)

We live in a time where ministry and holding true to the old paths is a battle. There is a war going on for our souls and those around us, Bro Chappell used points taken from the book " Instructions for American servicemen in Britain 1942".
                        Things to remember in our Christian Battle
1.No Time to fight old wars- Don't bring up old grievances

2.Don't Be a show off- It grieves the Holy Spirit

3.Keep OUT of arguments- Look, Listen, and Learn, before you start to tell others how much better you do things.

4.Always impolite to criticize your host- Don't have the preacher for Dinner(specially in front of young people-what you say DOES effect their thinking and opinions, regardless how much you say it does not)

5.It is militarily stupid to criticize your Allies- Put your critical, sanctimonious, pious, self righteous, Pharisaical attitude away. Get you some "balm from Gilead" get your heart, body, and soul in the Lords Battle. Stand behind your brothers and sisters in Christ, know where you stand and let the Commander in Chief do HIS job of leading the troops. It is not your place. If you truly knew Whose job you were messing with by acting like that, you would re-think your stance and get back in place where you belong.

6.Remember there is a war on!!


I believe these points are why more is not getting done for the Lord, and why more and more people are walking away. Sure it takes some heat off of us when we can use scripture when it is convenient, when we don't want to look in the mirror, and the truth be known. I am thinking of myself here, so no I am not pointing at anyone person in particular. But I keep thinking how if we do not get it right in our hearts now, what makes us think we will have another chance when we stand before God almighty? Yes we are in the day of the great falling away, but don't ya think just maybe, now I know this might be a stretch, but just maybe we have had something to do with that as well? Why not own up, man up, suck it up, say we are SORRY and restore relationships and sharpen one another as the Word says to. And let GOD do the job of lining us up.. I see nowhere in scripture that God handed over control to man kind once He created us.. Stop using scripture against scripture to hide behind. There is no need in it. A very wise preacher told me in a phone conversation something like this " if I have to tear down another person, church, or belief to prove Gods Word, there is something wrong with me, and I am just trying to lift myself up" I thought that was a very good example to use. 

Folks, Jesus is coming soon.. This world is full of hurting people, we are to be the salt and light, we might be the only Bible some people ever see.. How does my Bible look today? How does yours? Lord help us. We need a Holy Ghost revival in our churches today. 

I highly recommend listening to The message in full!!


God Bless

SLC 2011- Bro.Paul Chappel

Paul Chappell: Monday Night SLC 2011 from Lancaster Baptist Church on Vimeo.

Friendship IMB Church Youth CHoir ~ This Is Just What Heaven Means To Me...

Part 1 of 2~ He Knows My Name AND He Left The Nin...

Part 2 of 2 ~ He Left The Ninety And Nine ~ 07 28 ...

Friendship IMB Church Youth Choir ~ There Is A Remedy ~ 07 31 2011

LPL- Sept 10th!

So excited and looking forward to Sept 10th!!! Won't be actually in the same location this time as Mrs Beth Moore, but at a church with a large group of women participating live via live stream!! So Blessed, a good friend of mine will be going along too!! Looking forward to a day in the word, a time to grow, a time to refresh, and refuel. Thankful to have the privilege to attend this event. Looking forward to the day spent in fellowship!!

Answer to prayer!!!!

As some of you know, I have been having major health issues going on. One being we are lapsed in health ins coverage,and I desperately needed to get into my electrophysiologist ASAP!! Specialists are VERY expensive on a cash pay basis....we have along with family and friends been praying for my healing and Gods will to be done. Cash pay to this DR was in the high high price range&thus far couldnt get in. as of today the good Lord opened the door for us to get me an appointment for only 145$ that also will cover an EKG!!!!! God is SO So So very very GOOD! Thank you Jesus!

God opens doors no man can shut!!! That's my King!!

It's all in Gods hands&I have felt peace.... I knew it would all work together for my good in HIS timing. All glory&honor goes to my heavenly Father!!

So if you would,please continue to pray with us that Gods perfect will be done, with my heart&back&other things. The tumor on my spine has had to of grown,because I have had more severe paralysis in my back&extreme pain. I do so thank the Lord for giving me grace to cope, without Him.... I don't even want to think about it.

I have not given a public update in some time, things have been rough physically but again, so very thankful for Jesus& husband&girls I am blessed with. Also blessed to have a wonderful extended family on both sides... Along with true friends... Without that,this journey would be extra hard.

I love Jesus He means so much to me!!

Will update after the 23rd, that's my appointment@11am.

Have a  blessed day in the Lord!!

There is a remedy-Bro.Shirley

Watch "Friendship IMB Church Youth Choir ~ Bro. Tim And There Is A Remedy ~ 07 31 2011" on YouTube

Few pic's from Shania's graduation

Kaity took this picture of the bell hop dude..

                                         

Shania during graduation rehearsal

Lined up before the Ceremony outside the ball room

Her poster board hung for display

                      

She did it!!! Congrats Shania!!!!

                                           

Group of friends and family that came for her graduation(minus my sister and I)

                                           

Back in the land of the internet world

We changed internet providers, thus creating a lag in our computer use....which we didn't miss it far as entertainment goes'..however we sure did miss it as far as buisness & homeschooling resources go.
Getting off to a good start, easing into our unit study&all that it includes..excited to have found a math curriculum mainly for Kelsey&Kaity, can use some to build on to algebra1 for Shania.. Using Apologia for Science, very excited about that.  our main Unit Study this year will be and in-depth study in American history, to included Character building by looking into the lives of the individuals being studied. We did not plan to spend another whole year on it, but a whole nother,much deeper level was discovered. Great thing about our language arts this year, we won't be looking for a complete seperate curriculum,it's intertwined all throughout the unit study&the classics. You would think I was the student, I am so excited ..... To see it all come together,straight from the Lord,as I still had a few loose ends to tie up in order to complete the master lesson plan. Now to dig into the sub-quarter plans..

We have had to change a few things around,such as our plans for our enrichment classes,mainly due to my health. But the Lord knows all about that&had these other wonderful things instead! Girls are very excited!

Well dinner is over, the pool is calling my name,and I hear the family heading out to get in, I better get off of here&join them.

Was good to be in the house of the Lord!

Thank the Lord for His touch on me so we could make it to church this am. Steve wasn't feeling well so it was just us girls... Was a very encouraging&uplifting,also food for thought... Thankful our impossibles, are possible with God!!! 
Didn't make it tonight, to much pain.... But am holding on, I know&believe God is in control. Couldn't make it without Him!!!

So the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped. http://bible.us/Exod4.31.NKJV

Shania read the Bible to us tonight. Out of James 1 & Psalm 107 , Gods word is full of hope,promises,and is a solid foundation to stand on. Throughout His entire word He tells us He never changes.. We can trust the road we are on if it's the one He has made for us. All other ground is sinking sand for sure.... Why we strugle is not His fault,its ours...
With having several different health issues going on,it gets dark&overwhelming,I'm human. There are things I'm use to doing& I can't right now... Sometimes I get frustrated that people still expect me to be a certain way,but in all reality I am the hardest on myself. So so so very thankful to have a wonderful caring loving husband&three wonderful girls. We are truly blessed!  I couldnt do it without them. I am thankful for the lessons the Lord has taught me/us during this time in our lives, it has helped us to be&show more compassion to those around us.  I am striving to become a better Wife&Mother... It certainly is a learning process that I believe is a life-long journey, one I wouldn't trade for the world!

Going to try this

Watch "Duggar's Homemade Laundry Detergent" on YouTube

God is so good!

So thankful for a prayer answering God!! He is never late,always on time.... Knows just what is best,doesn't run on our time clock,leads steps by steps,and ya know He doesn't get worried when it takes me a bit longer than what someone else thinks it should take. He is in control in&over all.. Never sleeps,never gets tired... Never puts me on hold when I go in prayer to Him,always there as my ALl sufficient Savior!! Bless His name!! So undeserving that's what we are. I love my Jesus!! Nothing else in this world has ever,or could ever love me like He does!

One eye open!

Wow! I have so got to slow down&work on just the most important tasks@hand... But life has a way of throwing curve balls in the mix... I need more than 3-4 hours of sleep at beST!

This am, taking my mother for a surgical procedure, follow up tomorrow, and another surgical procedure on the 16th of this month.

I was in so much pain@2am,had Steve&the girls pray over me. I honestly knew without the help of the Lord,I could not go today. My heart rate was up to 150 ....felt horid! Have had a rough go of it with my blood pressure&heart rate,with meds....just going to take some time to settle down'..it's all in Gods hands. My heart&my back.

Still working on the details of our school year, so much I want to do but know we can't do it all....so what we can,we can.! I always over plan ......there is just so much neat stuff to learn. The good Lord has just helped the theme,goal,and vision for this year to come&fit together as only He can.!
     
Steve found more of our old homeschool things from way back to our first year,WOW is an understatement....God has brought us so far. I'm so thankful for the awesome foundation He gave us in TN. The group we were in was amazing! It set the bar&have never wanted anything less. Am very encouraged to read back over those early lesson plans, I didn't have a clue what I was doing,or how to do it. Couldnt figure out how giving up my career would benefit our family,was an foreign concept to me. But ohhhhhhhh thank God He knew just how to help...and He did!! Steve being 100% involved has been a HUGE blessing!!!!!! To have my best friend,partner,to plan&dream for this journey!!

Well better get going, wow,didn't think of sharing all of that.... Maybe will share more later on..

Have a great day in the Lord!

Field Trip pictures

Ice skating with friends!! Brought back sooooooooooo many memories for me,from my child hood. Was a great time! After we left were starving&it's also tradition to take the girls out for a treat on our first field trip of the year!we were missing daddy,but had a great time together. Thank the Lord for every day!