Posted by Posted in Family, holidays, Home, memorys

Thanksgiving!

First off, I am sorry this is late. I am writing this ater thanksgiving. But hey thats ok. 🙂

Second off, I want to tell you about my thanksgiving. We went to our grandparents house in Asheville NC. We slept in on thanksgiving morning and then watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade. Then my mom took our school pictures and we had the big lunch. We had all the classics plus zuchinni casserole (a new menu item).

After the meal we ususally go on a thanksgiving walk and take family pictures. It is such a pretty area! Most of the family watched the Panthers game but I read a book. We served the pie (I made an apple pie) and then played a game of family football. We also shot off the bb gun in there somewhere. We had leftovers for dinner (of course) and all in all we had a great day.

Next I want to tell you five things I am grateful for:
Nature and beautiful weather on Thanksgiving!
I love the beautiful nature God made and it continually shows me the awesome power of God, the Creator!

My amazing family and friends
Celia, Jace and William, you are the best siblings a girl could ask for. Mom and Dad, you guys are the best parents, teachers and friends in this whole wide world. My friends, you know who you are and know that I thank the Lord for our friendships!

Books and stories
You all know I am a book-lover! I am so grateful for the good stories and books out there that enrich my life and give me a window into other worlds.

A Bible
I get updates from Wycliffe Bible translators and every time I see an update I thank the Lord that I have a Bible in my languaage that I have the freedom to read. My faith always grows stronger when I am in the Word!

The Grace of God
I saved the best for last. 🙂 I thank God that I do not wallow in my sin anymore but I am saved by grace and this is not my own work but it is a gift from God.

There you have it! Five things I am grateful for. Comment below with five things you are grateful for!

Lastly I want to give you some ideas for how you can celebrate the holiday of Thanksgiving.

1. Make placecards/placemats.
We have a tradition of making the placecards or placemats each year. It is really fun to do fall crafts and you can make simple ones to do with little kids or more complicated ones to do with older kids. Maybe I will post about some ideas later…

2. Study the Pilgrims
So the Pilgrims started the first thanksgiving. They worked really hard to get there though! It is always fun to study the Pilgrims and thier hard journey to that Thanksgiving day. We can learn a lot from those amazing people.

3. Sing a hymn
Sing a hymn around the table. We chose “For the Beauty of the Earth” this year.

4. Start a gratitude journal
Thanksgiving is a great time to start a gratitude journal. Just get a memo book and write down a few things you are grateful for each night. It will help you develop the habit of gratitude. I think it is a great way to really focus on the true meaning of Thanksgiving- giving thanks.

Hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving!
Priscilla

Posted by Posted in gospel and outreach, holidays, missions

Changing A Life Through A Shoebox

Yesterday was a big day. For all of you who don’t know it was the start of National Shoebox Collection Week!

Millions of shoeboxes pour in every year to an Operation Christmas Child processing and distribution center. Then they are shipped out and handed to a child and then… that childs life is changed.

Operation Christmas Child was started by Franklin Graham (the head of Samaritans Purse and son of famous evangelist Billy Graham). Operation Christmas Child is a program that goes on every Christmas to give children all around the world a shoebox full of gifts. Sometimes whatever is in the box is the only possesions that child owns.

Here is how it works:
1. Individuals choose what age and gender they will make a shoebox for. You can choose girl or boy ages 2-4, 5-9 or 10-14.
2. Then you take a shoebox (or box shoebox sized) and fill it with gifts. Items to pack include hygenie items (toothbrush, toothpaste, washcloth, hair brush/comb, soap and soap dish), school supplies (notepad, coloring book, pens/pencils, crayons), hard candy (no chocolate!), other useful items (flashlight and batteries, t-shirt, sunglasses, mittens, water bottles, plastic plate etc.) and toys (for boys: soccer balls are a favorite and for girls: jump ropes, dolls and jewelry)! Things NOT to pack include: army related toys, liquids, glass/breakables, chocolate and complicated toys and games kids won’t understand.
3. Write a letter to your child and include a picture (this step is optional). Make sure to include your address in case they want to write back!
4. Add $7 to the box to cover shipping, or you can donate your $7 online and they will track your box for you.
5. Take your box to a drop-off center near you!
6. Pray for the child who will recieve it. This is important!

Tips and tricks:
-Dollar Tree is a great spot to shop for shoebox items. They have lots of great stuff there and everything is only $1!
-With the $7 donation and shopping at Dollar Tree, our boxes usually cost about $20 per box.
-The older children (10-14) are good ones to pack a box for, lots of people choose the younger children so I choose the older ones a lot.
-Boys LOVE soccer balls so you can buy a deflated one and add a ball pump in for them too.
-We usually buy a pack of hard candy (smarties, lifesavers and jolly ranchers are good) and then scatter it through the box after it is packed to save room.

My History with Operation Christmas Child:
Operation Christmas Child has been a huge part of my Christmas every year. We almost always packed boxes as kids and now I always put money aside to pack at least one shoebox. Here are some other ideas that you can try.

1. Packing Party
My sister and I have birthdays in early December so for a birthday party (my 10th) we wanted to do a shoebox packing party. We sold cookies all fall to raise $120 to make six shoeboxes. We each invited two friends and went shopping and then came home and put them together. It is always better to give than receive, isn’t it? You could do a packing party with your church, school, friends or family.

2. Shoebox Drive
Last year I was president of our 4H club. One of my responsibilities was to help our club leader plan activities, service projects and programs. I organized a shoebox drive for November. We had boxes, labels, and information in October and the club members brought the shoeboxes back in November. Our club made around 15 boxes.

3. Shoebox Gift
This year I had a friend whose birthday was in late October and for her gift I gave her a shoebox outing. She picked the age and gender and we went shopping together and then out for a treat. This is a great gift to give your giving friends who you want to bless with a meaningful gift.

4. Volunteer at a Shoebox center
Our youth group has gone to volunteer at the shoebox processing center for the past three or four years. It is soooo fun! The shoeboxes go through an assembly line, you take out the donations, go through the box (make sure it is full, take out any inappropiate items, etc.), tape the box up, box the boxes up and send them off. It is very fun to see all the thoughts and prayers put into each box. You must be 13 or older to go and you need to have 1 adult for every 4 youth.

I hope you have the oppurtunity to bless a child with a shoebox this year. It is amazing, beautiful and heartwarming. After the children are given a shoebox, some are entered into a discipleship program and presented with the Gospel. Lets hear it for Operation Christmas Child!

Lovingly,
Priscilla

Posted by Posted in character, essays, history, holidays, homeschool

A Tribute to Christopher Columbus

Today is Christopher Columbus day for all who didn’t know. 🙂 As a tribute to this great man I am posting my report on him I did in August. Enjoy!

Christopher Columbus was a great man of history and we can learn many lessons from his life.
1. Determination: Christopher went from being the son of a weaver to Admiral of the sea. How did this happen? Chistopher was born to a weaver and when he reached the appropriate age his father started training him to carry on the business. Christopher hated it. His heart longed for the ocean.
He and his brother Bartholemew, started a map making business together and Christopher also joined a few voyages to learn more about sailing. Christopher read many books from Marco Polo and soon came up with the idea of sailing west to get to the East and Cathay (China). He now tried to find someone to sponsor his expedition.
For years he pleaded with kings and queens from Portugal, France, Italy and Spain. Christopher never gave up though and finally his determination was rewarded. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain decided to finance him now that the war with the Moors was over.
Christopher had gone from son of a weaver to Admiral of the ocean sea! Through hard work, determination and endurance, Christopher stuck with his God-given idea and went on to find America! (2 Timothy 4:7-8*)
2. Christ-bearer: Christopher felt his expedition was a God-given task. Christopher mean Christ-bearer and Christopher believed that God had called him to bring the light of the gospel to the Indies. On his second voyage, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella sent priests with him to convert the Indians. (Mathew 28:19-20*)
3. Pride: With all the royal titles, riches and attention Christopher was getting, pride started to form in his heart. On one of his voyages back to Spain, there was a great storm. Just like Jonah, Christopher had been running away from God and God was letting him know through a storm.
Still, pride remained. After Christophers first voyage he came back in a parade of pomp and splendor. This made the pride grow. Pride continued to poison Christophers character until later he was humbled and came back to Spain wearig the robe of a monk (more on that later ;)).
We must learn to stay humble before God, even when prosperity comes. We must keep that dangerous pride out of our life. (Proverbs 16:18*)
4. Humility: Christopher struggled with pride but after some events at his colony (Hispaniola), Christopher was unjustly fettered and kept prisoner. Although this was unjust it taught him a lot about himeself and humility. After this humiliation, Christopher didn’t struggle with pride quite as much. (1 Peter 5:6*)
5. Injustice: There were some things that Christopher Columbus did that I do not agree with and I think were unjust. His treatment of the Indians, his haughty leadership, his revenge-filled hate for those who opposed him and his negligence of his wife and children. Christopher Columbus had some struggles especially when governing his lands and although I admire his good qualities I dislike his injustice and harrasment of those around him. (Proverbs 21:15*)
Christopher Columbus was a great man and I learned a lot by looking at his life. Christopher died still thinking that he had discovered the Indies but he actually paved the way for others to follow and settle in the New World- America!

* “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.”
2 Timothy 4

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Sprit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded and I will be with you until the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-20

“Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
Proverbs 16:18

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you.”
1 Peter 5:6

“When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous, but terror to evildoers.”
Proverbs 21:15

**If you want to read more about Christopher Columbus check out “Heroes of History: Christopher Columbus” by Janet and Geoff Benge It is a good book!

Enjoy celebrating this hero!
Priscilla

Posted by Posted in 100 Hard Things Challenge, Bible, challenges, character, do hard things, faith, holidays, Living for God, myth of adolescence, teens, teens doing big things, the rebelution, time

#27- Made New Years Resolutions

Ever made New Years Resolutions? Yes. Ever kept them? Nope. Well, I don’t usally make resolutions and all that but this year I did a hard thing and made some. Jace, my older brother acutally served as an example to me. He made a very nice list of goals and he never makes goals normally! So if you would like to look at my list please go down to my last post titled “Living the List” Did you make resolutions? Do you intend to keep them? Do you see areas that need personal growth this next year? What does the Bible say about making New Years Resolutions? Hard questions right? Well, I am learning that there is never a stand still in Christian life. Our goal is to always strive to be closer to God and grow in Him. Sometimes we can feel like we are not growing but just like a seed that is planted we are growing. Sometimes the growing just happens deep in the soil or deep in our heart. With a little sun and a little water and a lot of love from God he helps us sprout, then grow and finally start producing fruits. Fruits for His kingdom. Anyway about the question, “What does the Bible say on New Years Resolutions?” here is a link.. 😉

http://www.openbible.info/topics/new_years_resolutions

Keep doing hard things!

Priscilla

Posted by Posted in challenges, character, holidays, time

Living the List

Happy New Year to all of you who read my blog!

It is the time where people make thier lists of New Years resolutions. And yes, you guessed it, this is mine. I hope to acutally live it this year, not just make the list like I have done in past years. 🙁

Spiritual

-read through the Bible (Psalm 119:105)
-start having devotions outside so as to have some quiet time with God (1 Thessalonians 2:12)
-become a strong praying woman (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
-work on Christ-like characteristics (Galatians 5:22-23)
-finish going through the “Becoming God’s True Woman” with my mom and sister and work on becoming a true woman (1 Peter 3:3-6)
-listen to all of the Louie Giglio audios that I can get my hands on (Phillipians 3:17)
-start memorizing more Scripture (Psalm 119:11)

Musical

-start playing piano at nursing homes or other places like them (1 Peter 4:10)
-learn more worship songs (Hebrews 13:15)

Personal

-finish the 100 Hard Things Challenge (Hebrews 10:24-25)
-strengthen relationships with family and friends (Galatians 5:14)
-go through the book “Find Your Fit” with my sister (Psalm 139:14)
-blog more (Luke 1:3)
-embrace my passions (2 Peter 1:10)
-being a pilot
-read through the airplane handbook and go through pilots course online
-being a missionary
-take my 3rd trip to Rancho3M in Mexico and find a way to be an advocate for missions throughout the year
-the outdoors
-go hiking more and go on a camping and canoeing trip
-farming/gardening
-plan, plant, grow and harvest the garden and raise chickens

Physically

-go running in the mornings once a week (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Academically

-work on science and math (for pilots training) (1 Corinthians 10:31)
-really really study spanish to be able to really really talk to and understand the kids at Rancho3M (Phillipians 4:13)

I will hopefully try and do these this year. Please pray!

Happy New Year!

Priscilla