National Honor Society Junior Year

National Honor Society is awesome. It really helps celebrate your successful grades. I love that they get together at school for a few hours afterwards to just have some fun. What is nice this year is it was the last day of a weeks worth of testing. After all that testing its a much needed break.

Zekaryah works just as hard in class, sometimes harder as its difficult for him at times to retain information, copy it from one text to another etc. He has improved so much this year. I love how far his writing has truly come. He does an amazing job at giving time to the Lord. He is always willing to serve in any capacity he can. He works as a student leader for the ministry, he serves in the band, he works with little ones in our younger areas called Son Harbor, he also helps with sign language on stage during the music time on Sundays for the youth. He really loves this portion of serving. He is involved in Track, Cross Country, Men's Choir Ensemble at School as well as Mixed Chorale. He is BUSY~
I love hearing from other parents about how hard he works, how honest he is and just what a blessing he is in their lives. While he may not make grades enough to be in Honor Society he does an amazing job in my book. 

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DAR Award

I was shocked and brought to tears literally last night when the counselor of the school announced my daughters name as the recipient of this years National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. I am always so proud of all three of my children. They are so unique from one another. I can see the Lord's plan before them and their contribution to society. This is an honor I have seen presented before to a young lady. I remember thinking of MeKenzei that night two years ago when my oldest was in 8th grade. Hoping that she would continue to grow and demonstrate the same great qualities. I never imagined that as a 7th grader she would be nominated for this prestigious award.

Some background on the Daughters of the American Revolution

"The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was founded on October 11, 1890, during a time that was marked by a revival in patriotism and intense interest in the beginnings of the United States of America. Women felt the desire to express their patriotic feelings and were frustrated by their exclusion from men's organizations formed to perpetuate the memory of ancestors who fought to make this country free and independent. As a result, a group of pioneering women in the nation's capital formed their own organization and the Daughters of the American Revolution has carried the torch of patriotism ever since. "

Her award states:

Good Citizenship Award

Honor: honesty, high principles, trustworthiness, loyalty, truthfulness, punctuality, moral strength and stability, cleanliness in mind and body.

Service: cooperation, meritorious behavior bringing honor to school or community, kindliness, unselfishness, true Americanism, individual responsibility to God, Home and Country

Courage: mental and physical, determination to overcome obstacles.

Leadership: personality, originality, ability to lead others, good sportsmanship, responsibility.

Patriotism: fundamental Americanism.

I think about her lately and how she has grown. A couple things come to mind. She had sought out to join a group called PALS, our oldest son was involved with the program and I was excited to see her interest. She was disappointed when she did not make it, however there were only 20 slots out of 100+ applications. Very difficult to choose I am sure. When she told me why she was so upset my heart went out to her. It was not that she could not be part of the group. She really wanted to be able to mentor students at the elementary school where she had attended. That was very important to her. Such wisdom to want to help others.

Then this past couple of months she has been really pushing hard to earn money for her own braces. We cannot afford to get these for her. She has been saving everything she can and now has $400. I think of the idea of saving for braces. What a huge responsibility. I think about the fact that she just turned 13 and realizes that I would give them to her if I could but that she has the ability to do something about it. She took it upon herself to save that money. Those are skills and qualities that we would want in all of our children. It shows great Leadership. Think of the world if we had a Congress full of leaders with such qualities. 

I am so proud of her hard work. Proud of her character and what she sets out to achieve. I can't wait to see what her next 5 years hold.

Thank you to our local DAR Chapter for this wonderful award and honor.

 

Christmas Goodies for Seniors

I was at a meeting for the Society of Samaritans here in Magnolia tonight. 

They were mentioning an idea that they did last year which was giving goody bags to Seniors who are less fortunate. 

If you follow my Blog you know how important elderly women are to me, they are dear to my heart. I immediately felt led to help with this great idea!

I thought on the way home about items that would be neat to put in these bags/pillowcases. I thought of how the Lord continues to bless my Sunshine of Autumn Quilts company too, and how to bring the two together. I would like to have people help me with this process.

I could use fabric donations or monetary donations to make this possible.

I would like to make pillowcases to hold their items.

I would also like to make a set of potholders.

I know some of you make soap, knit/crochet, sew or do other crafty things.

I am open to suggestions things like crossword puzzle books, book marks, slippers etc can be items purchased for their gift bags.

If you are interested in helping us with this great way to serve others, please leave me a message.

Use your time, talents and treasures to be a moment of sunshine in someone else's life.

Menu Monday and a Bit on Serving

Well I must confess I have no idea what we will eat this week. I have been so busy! Friday night our church The Fellowship of the Woodlands had an activity for children in 2nd-4th grade. I picked up my daughter, middle son and their friend in 2nd grade from school, then came home real quick to talk with my oldest-make a couple phone calls. Found out I was picking up not just one of my son's friends but two. We went out got them, then drove to the church. SO I arrive with five children all but one is in 4th grade. Wow, what a car ride that was.

We all had a very good time. I got to do one of my favorite things ever- serve Children!

It was nice because I could leave my husband and oldest at home that night, and let the five children I brought blend in with the rest of the kids, worry about nothing but painting little girls fingernails all night in the Glamour Room they had set up for "Blast Off". What a joy.

It was wonderful to see them get their hair done, even some by an actual hair stylist- who us adult women might pay a fortune for. Some got some eye makeup- which I never let my daughter do- she is not even 10 yet, ugh... but nonetheless it was an event so she got to try on some blue eyeshadow. YEAH. LOL
These little girls showed the true feeling of just having fun. Talking about school, boys, home, the High School Musical 3 movie that was playing. Most asking for black nail polish, which I would have to decline and choose the darkest blue for, each time asking are you sure this is the color you want, your mom won't get mad? I was so concerned for some of them. Then I realized why i was there that night- among all these little girls.

A little girl came up, picked her polish and said I love Blast Off, I said well that is great, what have you done tonight? We preceded to talk and I found out her parents had recently divorced, she was here from Louisiana, didn't know anyone and just wanted to stay there and have fun, not go home. My heart went out to this little girl, who then enjoyed my conversation so much that about 15 min later she brought her twin sister to meet me so I could then do her nails- a similar color which her sister was thrilled with.

It reminded me of God and how often times we are displaced in our lives, maybe we are still in our home, but we move the slightest bit away from him. How we feel alone and sad and just could really use a Blast Off day. In my serving children I got to be that smile that girl needed- maybe that stranger that she could confide in, that person that could tell her how much Jesus loves her, show her by painting her nails and giving her a ray of sunshine into her life- even so brief. So maybe as she grows older and things continue to change she can look back at that moment and remember it as one not quite so bad afterall. She is in a new church, living with dad, a church that loves god so much, and loves everyone who attends. I can't wait to see that little girl another time and see where she has grown.

We are so lucky to live here in a place that can freely worship Jesus and have hope. Hope is what those two sisters left with that night, and hope can make a huge difference in those dark tunnels we face for whatever reason they come.

As for my menu- I am sure I will throw something together this week. It will be rushed between Book Fair, Special Pals Week at Lunch, Choir Practices before and after school, A Choir Performance this week on Thur... Busy busy.. Thankfully I have hamburger frozen, some eggs, stuff to make pancakes, and a fresh bag of Pinto beans for some Bean Soup. This week we might just go Menuless. I'll let you know how we made it through next Monday.

Have a Wonderful Week

And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.(Matthew 18:2-6 ESV)

What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should

perish.(Matthew 18:12-14 ESV)

And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.(Mark 10:13-16 ESV)

You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.(Deuteronomy 11:19 ESV)