Christmas time...

I LOVE Christmas. It is probably my favorite time of year. People bustling to and fro, fireplaces roaring, pretty lights smothered all over your neighborhood... and every year, once Christmas day is past, I always feel like it went by to fast. But this year, a sense of contentment fell over me instead of a sense of regret. I feel like I thoroughly enjoyed the season, and the time with family... I loved every minute of it! And today, two days after Christmas, i watch the snow fall outside my window and reflect on the good (and bad) times of the season, and thank God for it all.

Peacherino Monthly 7!

Peacherino Monthly

A newsletter for Christian Homeschoolers

Worldview

When you hear the word "Thanksgiving", what is the first thing that comes to your mind?  Stuffing?  Cartoon turkeys dressed in black top hats and pilgrim apparel?  Perhaps you are looking forward to watching Thanksgiving football later in the afternoon.  Or maybe you're excited to have that big family reunion, to see your cousins, uncles, and third cousins twice removed on your mother's side again.  Either way, Thanksgiving is a holiday for family, feasting, and good times.

I'm sure we're all pretty familiar with the origin of Thanksgiving.  The English settlers, thankful for the bountiful harvest of their year's crops, held a feast, fellowshipping with the Native Americans.  The ensuing "celebration" lasted for days.  The feast's intention was to give thanks to the Lord for His ever faithful provision.  Now, even centuries later, Thanksgiving is acknowledged as a national holiday.  But it seems that this day is celebrated a little differently then it was originally.  See, originally, Thanksgiving was a day of... well, giving thanks!  The pilgrims recognized God for His grace, and thanked Him for it.  But perhaps the attitude towards this day has changed of late.  Now Thanksgiving seems to be about gluttony (where the calorie intake of one meal equals that of five meals), and bumming around (if you're a parent, perhaps a small nap is in order... well, maybe not small, but...)  Is there anything wrong with these things?  Well, napping... no, not always.  But gluttony?  Yes.  The Bible speaks out clearly against over indulging in any earthly desire.  Romans 13:14, Paul writes "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires." Psalm  23:20 says "Be not among drunkards, nor among gluttonous eaters of meat." Clearly, we are to avoid living out our lives doing nothing but seeking to satisfy the "desires of the flesh."

We are also supposed to thank God for all things, "praying unceasingly" (1 Thessalonians 5:17).  Ephesians 5:20, "And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."  For all things, every circumstance, good and bad, we are to give thanks.  And Thanksgiving is not the only day we are instructed to do this.  We are to "give thanks always!" Nothing should stand in our way of doing this... neither football, nor turkey, nor napping...

Now, hold on.  This does NOT mean that you are not licensed to enjoy Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving dinner!  Just enjoying the things of this world is not a sin.  However, when pleasures are sought in excess, that is when the things of this world get in our way.  That is when they stand between us and God.  Don't let that happen to you.

So grab that turkey!  Dig into that stuffing! Just keep in mind, as you enjoy those delights provided for you, to give thanks to the Provider... not only the Provider of delicious meals, but also of eternal life.

Before I Go...

A Quick Blurb
Want to get rid of those pesky toll free callers?  Easy.  Here are three things you can say next time they phone that'll scare them off for sure.

1. "Congratulations!  You've just won the 'Stop Calling Me Now or Die Contest'!"

2. "You see my fist?  You see your face?..."

3. "Are you selling fig newtons?  Because otherwise, forget about it."

...Or just ask them politely to remove you from their calling list.  Either way works.

--By Sam Parker

Digging deeper into Christmas

Christmas – The wonderful time of year when you get to get to eat scrumptious food, exchange gifts, take in all of the beautiful sights of snow and houses decorated with multiple colored lights (some houses are a bit extreme, don’t you think?), and watch all of your favorite Christmas movies; It’s a Wonderful Life, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Jack Frost, Elf… those are just a few of my personal favorites. But what gets neglected so often during this wonderful time is the TRUE meaning of Christmas.

Yeah, everyone knows the story of the angel coming to Mary and telling her the good news that she is going to bear a son – God’s son. Then she and Joseph, who she was betrothed to, went to Bethlehem because of the census. When they got there, however, they found that there was no room for them in any of the inns, so they ended up staying in a stable behind one of the inns. Then Jesus was born, and the Wise men and shepherds all came to worship the new born king. But what I really want to talk about are the little details that aren’t talked about as much. I’m going to talk about what it must have been like from each of the people’s different points of view, and look closer at little things that are sometimes neglected.

♦ Have you ever thought about how Mary felt? I mean, what if this happened to you? She was only about 14 or 15 years old, and she just suddenly finds out she’s going to have a baby. And when Gabriel came to her, she said to him, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said” (Luke 1:38). It sounds pretty cool to be visited by an angel, until you realize that no one probably believed her when she told her family what had happened. They probably asked her things like, “How can you have a baby if you aren’t even married?” which, of course, they would not believe her if she said that she had not been with a man. But Mary had done what God had told her to do, and she knew he would fulfill his promise.

♦ Joseph was going to be Mary’s husband, and all of this occurred before they were married. When he found out about Mary’s pregnancy, he probably didn’t believe her story either. He most likely thought that she had been unfaithful to him. Even though he and Mary weren’t married yet, they were just engaged, they would have had to go through a divorce. Joseph knew that a divorce would disgrace Mary, and she could even be put to death because people didn’t believe that she was never with a man. So, Joseph planned to divorce her in secret. But that night, Joseph had a vision that an angel of the Lord appeared before him, and told him that he should believe Mary’s story, and that he shall name the child Jesus. After having seen this vision, he decided not to divorce Mary, and instead to protect and care for her. But imagine how hard it would’ve been for him, to still be engaged to a girl that is said to have been unfaithful to him. But Joseph went ahead with what the angel said, and took her to Bethlehem with him.

♦ When the time finally came for Mary to give birth, she had her son in a stable. And I’m pretty sure that this stable isn’t what many people picture it as. It was filled with animals, so there must have been a horrible smell inside. Also, it wasn’t clean. The straw was probably dry and scratchy. Not a very ideal place for a baby to be born. But none the less, Jesus was born, and greeted by a band of wise men baring gifts, and some shepherds. During all of this, the bible says, “Mary treasured up all of these things and pondered them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19) If all of the things that were going on to Mary happened to me, I would most definitely NOT be “pondering them in my heart.” My mind would be racing with thoughts like “Why am I here?” “am I supposed to pay these wise men back, or just keep the gifts?” “What happens next?” I admire Mary, because she simply went with the flow and kept all of these special moments tucked away in her heart.

♦ Wise Men Facts

• They were also called “Maggi,” which means “Wise Men.”

• it was never specified if it was really 3 wise men seeking the new born king. It actually could’ve been anywhere from 2-8 of them!

• They didn’t actually visit Jesus while he was in the manger. The bible clearly says that the Maggi entered a house (Matthew 2:11). They were actually living in Jerusalem, because Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the temple to be circumcised when he was 8 days old, as was the custom at that time.

So this Christmas season, try and be thinking about these things, and “ponder them in your heart.”

--by Kiera Sterken

Bible corner

Strong and Courageous

Many of you have heard the story of Esther. Or maybe you haven't (that's okay). Let me refresh your memory...

There was a king named King Xerxes, and he had a beautiful wife, Queen Vashti. So King Xerxes was throwing this big hoo-rah (a.k.a. party), and on the seventh day of the party (long party, right?), when he was pretty high from the wine, he ordered that his wife come out wearing her royal crown to display (ahem – show off) her beauty to the people and nobles. When she refused, the Bible says that the king “became furious and burned with anger.” (Esther 1:12) Temper, temper! Long story short, Queen Vashti was kicked out (all because she wouldn't flaunt her body in front of people) and never allowed back in, and a search began for a new queen for King Xerxes.

Esther (whose original name is Hadassah) was a beautiful girl who lived with her cousin Mordecai, a Jew, because she had neither a father nor a mother. At the time of our story, a search was taking place to find a new queen. After twelve months of beauty treatment (wow!), Esther was brought into the palace (without telling them her nationality, because Mordecai had forbidden it). The king was very pleased with her, and he chose her as his bride.

Two of King Xerxes' officers were plotting to assassinate the king. Mordecai found out about the plot, and he told Queen Esther. Esther reported it to the king, crediting Mordecai.

At that time, King Xerxes honored an evil man named Haman, and he gave him a seat higher than all the other nobles. All of the nobles bowed to him, but Mordecai would not do so, and this enraged Haman. Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew. Haman didn't want to settle for planning to kill Mordecai only, so he plotted to kill ALL of Mordecai's people – the Jews (God's chosen people)! Haman told the king that there were people who would not obey the king's laws, and that he wished to eliminate them. He did not mention that the people were the Jews or that Mordecai was included in this offing. King Xerxes told Haman to do what he pleased, which much appeased Haman, and the king made a new law against the people, the Jews, to kill all of them – young and old, woman and children – on a single day.

When Mordecai heard about the new law, he mourned. When Esther heard about Mordecai's mourning and wailing and weeping, Esther was greatly distressed. Esther summoned one of the king's eunuchs, Hathak, and told him to go find out why Mordecai was so upset. When Hathak returned, he said that Mordecai told him to go tell Esther to go into the king's presence and beg for mercy for her people. Esther told Hathak to tell Mordecai, “...any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives.” (Esther 4:11). Mordecai sent back the reply, “Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13) Then Esther sent back the reply to Mordecai, “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16) So Mordecai did as Esther instructed.

Then the time came. Esther entered the king's court, and you know what? He raised his gold scepter to her. King Xerxes asked Queen Esther what her request was. Esther invited the king and Haman to a banquet that she had prepared for them. The king agreed to do so.

When they were dining, the king asked Esther what her request was. Esther simply requested that the king and Haman come to a banquet tomorrow, and then she would answer the king's question.

Long story short, at the banquet the next night, the king once again asked Esther what her request was. She replied, “If I have found favor with you, your majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life – this is my petition. And spare my people – this is my request. For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.” (Esther 7:3) King Xerxes asked Esther, “Who is he? Where is he – the man who has dared to do such a thing?” (Esther 7:5) Esther told him it was Haman. And Haman was killed (won't say how – it's kinda gross!). (To see the complete story and the ending, which I didn't include, see Esther chapters 1-10!)

It probably took a lot of courage for Esther to approach the king, even though she could have been killed. Many of us know that in the Bible God instructs us to be strong and courageous, and we want to be those things, but many times we don't reach out to people, we don't spread God's love, because we're afraid of being laughed at or made fun of or classified as the “Bible thumper” or “Christian kid.” But what if we did take a stand? There are so many people all over the world who are being persecuted and killed for their faith. Compared to that, I'd say we've got it pretty easy (although it's not always easy telling others the Good News of Christ). My favorite verse from the story of Esther is Esther 4:14 (the end of it). Mordecai says:

“And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

God can make good out of the bad we go through (Romans 8:28). What if you're where you are – school, work, etc. - so that you can be a light for Christ? Even if the situation seems difficult or impossible, how can you see that as an opportunity to be an instrument of God?

Be strong and courageous, knowing that God is on our side and that He will never leave us nor forsake us!

--by Talia DeAndrea

Things you don’t know about…

Christmas

 “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” Yes. You guessed it, CHRISTMAS! Everyone I know loves this traditional holiday. Whether it is kids (loving the gifts), parents (loving the food), or older sisters (loving the mistletoe), everyone has their favorite part of the Christmas season. You may think you know everything there is to know about this well-known holiday, but did you know that…

~There is a LAW in England that everyone MUST go to church on Christmas day, and on TOP of that they can’t use any form of transportation to get there? (The law still exists, but it is not enforced now.)

~ Instead of throwing away your Christmas tree after the holidays, you can turn it into LUNCH! The needles on the evergreen tree are as edible as any other vegetable. They also contain a lot of vitamin C, so eat up! (yum) :P

~ Gingerbread cookies were first made in Germany. These delectable treats were the first dessert to be associated with the Christmas holiday.

Since the Christmas season is just around the corner, don’t forget the TRUE meaning of Christmas. No, it isn’t the gifts or decorations, it is Jesus’ birthday! Always remind yourselves that the true reason for the season is to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ!

Merry Christmas!

 

--by Emma Campbell

Happy birthday Kara!

Happy birthday to our short story writer, Kara Siert! We all love you! And here are some little notes from the crew:

Kara,

“Hey girl! Unfortunately, I don't know you very well but I DO know that you are a very nice person!!!! :D I hope you have the best birthday ever! :)”

--Emma Campbell

“HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAY ALL YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE!!!! HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FROM KIERA SHAYE TO YOU! HEY!! (that’s my birthday song!!!) Hiya girlie!! You are an amazingly awesome writer and friend, and I absolutely LOVE writing with you!!! Love ya! (: ♥”

--Kiera Sterken

“Kiera's poem was horrible, don't you agree?

I'm blinded with tears now, I can not see.

For the poetry so horrible

it made me weep

I lie awake in my bed

unable to sleep

May that horrible poet's hand be cursed

so hopefully we can be spared

for her writing was so horribly terse

it caused wide-spread despair

If only Kiera could write in verse

but her head has been vilely cursed

Better luck next time, K

good, now we all know it

the horrible Kiera Shaye

is not a poet.

Happy belated birthday Kara!  Sorry I'm late.  And also sorry you had to deal with Kiera's poetry.”

--Sam Parker

“Whatever. It’s a song, not a poem. I’m sorry my poetry skills don’t live up to your standards (If you can even call a SONG poetry.)”

--Kiera’s reply to Sam’s *ahem* UNRULY poetry.

I love you so much! You are truly something special. I hope you had an amazing birthday, and it was SO COOL to meet you. You are truly inspiring and an encouragement to me. I love you a ton!

--Talia DeAndrea

SHORT STORY

After escaping from a crumbling castle, Meredith wonders where the King of Meriel is…

“We always believe in the King,” an older woman finally said, stepping forward with trembling hands.

“We just…know,” a young woman added, shrugging.

“Yes,” a little boy piped up.  “We just trust him.”

“But why?” Meredith exploded.  Her logical mind demanded answers and these ridiculously naïve people didn’t seem to have.  She grabbed Tanya’s hand.  “Come on, let’s go to the shelter you mentioned…  so much for your so-called king.”

The people followed in an uncomfortable silence, stopping as Meredith directed, when the waves of grass came near them.  The farther they traveled away from the castle, the less frequent the waves became, until they could only feel a slight rocking of the ground every once in a while.  Even though they were safe from the earthquake, they now found themselves in an open grass plain, unprotected from the coming army.

“We’re traveling east,” Tanya told Meredith.  “Audemar and Remondin are coming from the east as well, coming towards us.  If we reach the shelter before they do, we can gather arms and gather needed food.  But if they reach it first…we’ll be trapped.”

“What are we to do?” Meredith asked.  “These people are on foot…I’m sure A and R’s army will be on horseback at least.”  (She had long ago grown tired of saying, “Audemar and Remondin”, and abbreviated their names to “A and R”.)

The people had walked all day and longed to take a break.  Soon they were begging and pleading Meredith to stop; before long, some of them simply plopped themselves down onto the ground and refused to go any farther.

As the group of former castle dwellers prepared to spend the night in the soft grass, Meredith paced up and down, jumping at every sound, her nerves tense.  “Will A and R’s army stop for the night as well?” she asked.  “If not, they will reach the shelter before we do…”

“The people there will put up a good fight,” Tanya said, “but I doubt they can win without our men to help them.”

The two girls stared up at the moon, wondering what tomorrow would bring.

* * *

They awoke the people as soon as the sun peaked over the green hills.  The children cried and complained for lack of food, and adults particularly grim as they continued their long walk.  Tanya encouraged them, naming off all sorts of delicacies that the shelter would serve – cakes, pies, apples, pears, bananas, oranges, beef, cheeses, milk, water, wine…  the list went on and on until Meredith’s head swam with the different pictures of food each jostling each other for the foremost place in her mind.

Then, one of the children cried out, “Look!”  She pointed to the distance, where a huge grey building with a thatched roof stood, stark against the green grass and blue sky.  The distance between the people and the building was great, but the stone palace gave the people hope.  Before long, they were running – running! – to their source of food and weapons.

“We don’t need a king,” Meredith muttered.  “All we need are food and swords.”

But as they neared the building, and some of the children ran up to its wooden doors, something seemed wrong.  No smoke came from the chimneys that surely would’ve led to kitchen fireplaces.  No happy shouts or even the clash of soldiers practicing their swordsmanship came to Meredith’s ears.

“Wait,” she called out.  “Wait!”

But many of the people had already pulled open the huge wooden doors to the building.  Meredith found herself trapped in a throng of people, racing toward the entrance.  A large, strong, and very tall man standing in front of her blocked most of her vision.

“Excuse me!” she called.  “Let me through!”

Suddenly, a scream came through the air, followed by a child’s wail.

Meredith pushed her way to the front, only to see the huge crowd of people racing back out of the building in a terrified stampede.  “Wait!” she called out.  “What –”

Her words died in her mouth as a huge horde of soldiers emerged from the building like ants from an anthill… only much worse than six-legged insect.  They came swinging their swords and carrying their shields…racing onto a group of people who were helpless to defend themselves.

Mothers clutched their children; fathers stood, ready to fight to defend their family.

Meredith grabbed Tanya’s arm.  “What do you we do?”

“The only thing we can do,” Tanya replied.  “We must ask the King for help.”

Meredith couldn’t help rolling her eyes.  “No!  We need an actual plan to save these people!”  She grabbed a small child in one arm and motioned to Tanya to take another.  She glanced at the horizon, but all around her, stretched hills and hills of green grass…and a forest.  “There,” she said.  “We must get the women and children there!”

But as she spoke, the ground rippled yet again.

“Oh no,” she muttered.  “Another earthquake? Really?”

But no…this time it was much, much worse…

To be continued.

--by Kara Siert

Christmas Movies: Old Vs. New

Do you respect the classics, or welcome the new change? Here's a little poll that I whipped up for a newspaper that I write for. Please comment on YOUR favorite Christmas movies!

It's a Wonderful Life











VS.
Elf'














White Christmas

VS.
A Christmas Carol

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

VS.
Home Alone

Snow! ♥

Well, it's officially snowing where I live... Snow is so beautiful, isn't it? It makes me happy every time I look out the window. And I mean like, I look out and I'm like "Yay!" kinda happiness. God is so good, just to throw random little things into my life that make my happy. Do you ever feel like that?

It is gonna be here soon!

Yep, that's right, issue number 7 is going to be here, on this blog, very soon! I'm excited, and the rest of the crew is excited, so you should be excited too! Make sure to check back in a little while and see what it's all about! I have a feeling this issue is going to be a special one!

Have a very happy Christmas season!
-Kiera (: ♥

Peacherino Monthly 5/6!

Peacherino Monthly

A newsletter for Christian Homeschoolers

Worldview

Have you ever had that dream where you're falling?  It's just falling, falling, falling, and then WHAM!  The dream ends as you hit the bottom of...well, whatever.  Next thing you know, you're sitting bolt upright in your bed.  Gradually, you calm down.  "It was just a dream" you tell yourself.  You lie back down, and fall back to sleep.

I have this dream often.  It is a recurring vision.  And a similar thing happened to the United States only it wasn't a dream.  Our country fell, and hit the ground so hard, it cost more than 3,000 lives.  In the words of historian Joy Hakim, "We'd forgotten that freedom is a delicate flower that needs nurturing, or rough feet will trample it."   On September 11th, 2011, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners and flew two of them into the World Trade Center in New York City, one into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and the fourth was deterred from its intended target (presumably the White House or the Capitol Building) and crashed into a Pennsylvanian Field due to a spectacular passenger takeover.  Not one survived the crash.  Many lost family members, and loved ones.  Three hundred forty-three firefighters died heroically, saving people from the burning buildings and mass wreckage.  In New York City, the World Trade Center, made up of two beautiful skyscrapers known as the "Twin Towers", collapsed after burning uncontrollably.  The result left a vast portion of the city covered in dust. In Arlington, highway travelers watched helplessly as an enormous jet soared low overhead and rammed into the Pentagon.  The damaged wall exploded and burst into flames.  After mourning it's losses, comforting it's injured, and working to repair its damage; America rose from the ground, wiped off the dust, and fought back.

America knew who was behind this barbaric attack.  There had been many like it in different countries over the years.  This assault was the work of a large terrorist network known as Al Qaeda, lead by a Saudi and radical Muslim, Osama bin Laden.  Osama had previously issued an edict, which said "To kill Americans and their allies, both civil and military, is an individual duty of every Muslim who is able, in any country where it is possible..." The terrorist leader was demanding what he called a "holy war" against Americans, though many Muslims agree; there is nothing holy about it.  The slaughter of the innocent can hardly be a pure or righteous act.  As America prepared to deal with Bin Laden and his followers, President George W. Bush announced "This is the world's fight...this is civilization’s fight... Either you are with us or you are with the terrorists."  He referred to the attacks as "evil and despicable acts of terror." Meanwhile, on the home front, relief for injured and mourning came swiftly.  Donors lined up to give blood.  School children made sandwiches for workers, who provided the repair of damaged phone, water and gas lines.  The New York Times tried to write an obituary for every victim.  Law enforcement and television reporters rushed to the attack scenes to provide aid and information.  And a platform was raised at the World Trade Center grounds, known now as "Ground Zero" so that family members of victims could visit the sight.  Americans stood together, hanging Old Glory from door to door, symbolizing one free patriotic country that showed its ability to love.

Ten years later, September 11th, 2011 (colloquially called “9/11”) is an iconic date in American history.  Ceremonies are held every year at the attack sights and at many public events, in memory of the dead and in respect to the families and loved ones affected.  TV specials on the attack and the following events roll film about the tragedy and the action taken to resolve the conflict (Osama Bin Laden is now dead.  He was killed on May 1st, 2011 by an elite group of Navy Seals.) Americans weep over these events every year.  We remember, and won’t ever forget.

Good Friday is a 9/11 in the Christian sense.  Our Lord and King was killed though he had done nothing to deserve his death.  But He openly forgave His murderers on His deathbed.  Although there is nothing on TV about the death of Christ, we still need to remember, we still need to weep over it, more than just once a year.  We need to dwell on the INCREDIBLE sacrifice that Jesus made.  So this year, when you are mourning over the events that transpired on September 11th, 2001, also remember the sacrifice that occurred thousands of years ago, by one who loved so much, He gave his own life for “such a worm as I!”

“At the cross, at the cross, where I first saw the light

 and the burden of my heart rolled away!

 I was freed from sin, I received my sight

and now I am happy all the day!”

 -“At the Cross”

Back Yard Missions

Look around you...missionaries are everywhere. Some serve across the world. Some serve in our neighborhoods. But they all serve the same Father: Christ

I had the opportunity to speak with Austin Shaner, a fifteen year old Christian man from Anderson, Indiana about his Missions trip to Chelyabinsk, Russia.

1. On how many missions’ trips have you been?

 This was my second International Missions Trip but I've been on around 10 inside the United States.

2. How much money was required to go, and how did you earn it?

 Each individual was asked to raise $2,500. I raised most of mine through telling people about my trip with a letter and asking if they would pray for the trip and possibly donate money. I also did a lot of fundraisers and a few odd jobs.

3. Who did you go with?

 I went with 33 teenagers and adults from my youth group and another youth group in my town. There were also 7 youth pastors from around the country who joined us.

4. How did you guys reach your desired destination?

 We had 4 plane flights to get to Chelyabinsk and when we landed we rode in vans most of the time. On the way back we had a 33 hour train ride to Moscow, two plane flights to Chicago, and then we rode in vans to Anderson.  

5. What were the sleeping and living arrangements like?

 Because we were such a large group we had first class treatment. When we were in the city we slept on bunk beds at a church retreat center. We camped for a week so we slept on the ground in tents when camping.

6. What was the main purpose of your trip?

The reason we went was to share the gospel and build relationships with Russian teenagers. Our outreach tool was that we went to a camp to teach English to teenagers who already knew at least a little bit of English and to just do life with them for a week. 

7. What jobs did you undertake?

The only job we had was to build relationships with them.

8. How long were you in Russia?

We were gone 15 days, 10 in Chelyabinsk, 1 on a train, 1 in Moscow, and 3 traveling.

9. Did you enjoy the trip?

I LOVED THE TRIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

10. What was your favorite part?

My favorite part was Thursday night when I got to see 9 of my new Russian friends accept Christ!!!! 

12. Would you consider doing something like this again?

 I would do something like this again in a heartbeat!!!!!

13. You went to serve Christ.  Do you feel that you did so fully?

 Very much so!

14. Did you get to share the gospel story with anyone?

I got to share the gospel story every day through my actions! I didn't get to say anything through words but God definitely told the gospel story to at least 9 people through all of the Christian's actions!

15.  Was there any particular personal experience that you look back on?

 I think the biggest thing God taught me on this trip was that you can make an impact on anyone and sometimes you won't even know it!

16.  What was Russia like?

I learned that the only major difference between American people and Russian people is the language.

About Austin Shaner

Family: Mom -Vickie, Dad- Mark, Sister -Gina 26, Brother -Zach 23, Brother -Timothy 12

Likes to: Smile, Hang out with his family, Play soccer, and glorify God

A big thanks to Austin Shaner for taking the time to talk with me about his trip.

Before I Go…

A Quick Blurb

Do you ever feel threatened by forward emails?  Really, I’m serious.  I was emptying my inbox one day, when I stumbled across and old email.  Out of curiosity, I opened it.  It was a poem… and at the bottom of the page, a single line said something along the lines of “Forward this to your entire contact list in the next five minutes, and you will inherit great wealth.  However, those who ignored this email have died in the next 24 hours”… sheesh, please don’t send me this one people!

--By Sam Parker

 

Bible corner

That Whole "Purity" Thing

1 Timothy 4:12

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Psalm 51:10
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

2 Timothy 2:22
Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

The Bible talks about purity many times. So do some people. But what does purity mean to you personally?
Make a list of words that remind you of purity (or things that remind you of purity). Or draw pictures. Here are a few things that come into my head when I think of purity:

♥Waiting to kiss until marriage
♥A glass of clear, clean water
♥NOT having premarital sex
♥Striving towards God's plan and purpose and staying as far away from sin as possible 
♥Untouched snow

Are some of the words on your list similar to the words listed above? Now, decide (or evaluate) where you stand in your thinking about purity. Rate yourself on a scale from one to ten, with ten being "all-out for purity!" and one being "stay away."

"Your Purity Scale"
1            2           3            4          5          6           7            8            9              10

Stay away!               In the middle              All out for purity!

Now whether you're "stay away," "all-out," or "in the middle," you should know this...

♥Purity is in God's plan and desire for your love life.♥ 

It doesn't matter if you think boys are gross, like hanging out with them, or are ga-ga over guys - it's true: Purity is in God's plan and desire for your love life! He so desires for you to be pure in not only your love life but in every single aspect of your life. But what does it even mean to be pure? And how can you get pure? And why would you want to anyway? Well, let's focus on each of these questions...

What does it mean to be pure?

Purity can be a toughie to describe. But I hope this will help to change your perspective on purity if it's bad. I believe that being pure means serving God in all you think, say, and do, and being clean of sin in every area of your life - physical, mental, spiritual. And I know you and I will make mistakes - everybody does (except God, of course!)! But if you DO make a mistake, the right thing to do would be to confess it to God and ask Him to cleanse you from that sin. I believe that being pure would NOT be "seeing how close I can get to the line of impurity," but rather "how far AWAY I can get from the line of impurity."

How can I become pure?

Before we continue, please understand that purity is usually not an overnight dealio. Although your perspective can change overnight, usually you do not become pure with the snap of your fingers. Becoming pure is not just asking God to make you pure - you have to act on it and actually put purity into practice.
Here is an "S.A.Y.O." code, which stands for "Seek, Act, Yearn, Obey" that I've made to help you better understand and act on becoming pure.

S.A.Y.O. - Becoming Pure

Seek God out and ask Him to make you pure in Him.
Act out of purity in everything you think, say, and do.
Yearn to be pure as Jesus is pure, and continually ask Him to cleanse you.
Obey God's plan of purity for your life.

Why would you want to be pure, anyway?

This is a difficult question to answer. Many people do not want to be pure, and it is shown in their actions and words. But I believe that a lot of us have a yearning for a pure life that pleases Jesus Christ. Since I am not going to tell you personally why you should or do want to be pure, but I will tell you some reasons why I desire purity personally.

♥Because purity pleases God.
♥Because purity leads to many godly blessings.
♥Because purity does not involve the heartache, rebellion, brokenness, and hurt that impurity does.
♥Because pleasures that come from purity really last, unlike temporary pleasures that come from impurity, which only last a moment.
♥Because being pure is honoring others and also honoring the body God gave you (the Bible says that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit).
♥Because purity shows respect for others and also for ourselves in that we do not just give ourselves away to whoever wants us.

Purity is definitely God-given, and it cannot be gained or obtained without God! A life of purity is so much more prosperous in godly ways and actions than a life of impurity. Even if you do believe that it is too late for you to be pure, erase that thinking and ask God to make you pure in Him. Then wait. Wait for His blessings, for His provision, for His plan and desire. The outcome will be so much more desirable, admirable, and pure than doing it on your own.

--By Talia DeAndrea                 

 

Things you don’t know about…

Cotton candy

Although, introduced in the early 1900’s, Americans have not lost their love for “fairy floss” or more recently known as Cotton Candy. Ever heard of National Cotton Candy Day??? It is celebrated by many Americans every year on December 7^th. Can you believe that when cotton candy first started it sold for only 25 cents? Now, you can barely find the sugary treat for sale under 1.50! Here is a list of some of the MANY flavors!

Grape

Blueberry

Cherry

Lemon

Pink Vanilla

Apple

Orange

Mango

Strawberry

Almond

Cotton Candy

The tasty treat of cotton candy,

Makes the world a place so dandy.

When you eat a sugary puff,

It dissolves in your mouth just like fluff.

Cotton Candy in my dreams,

I just can’t get enough it seems.

--By Emma Campbell

 

Books to check out

The Borrowers – Mary Norton

 

  

“The Borrowers is a story about a family, the Clocks, who live underneath the Grandfather Clock in Her house. They are tiny people, who live off of borrowing things from “Human Beans” as they call them. All is fine and well until Arrietty, Pod and Homily’s daughter, is “seen”. Not just seen, but talking with a Human Bean! I Love this story, it is definitely one you won’t want to miss!”

                                                      -Kiera Sterken-

              The Peleg Chronicles: The Foundling – Matthew Christian Harding

 “The Foundlings is the first of a series called the Peleg Chronicles. It is a series full of excitement and adventure, and a King called McDougal. Behind this story lies Christian beliefs and it is very uplifting!”

-Kiera Sterken-

 

Short story

After being transported to a land called “Meriel”, Meredith finally accepts her role as the Meriel’s chosen rescuer when Lord Audemar and Remondin lead a revolt against the King.

Talya’s small feet finally came to a stop as they reached a deserted room, filled with dusty crates and a few sacks of grain.  “Here,” she said, grabbing a torch from the hallway.  “This room will do – come inside.”

Meredith entered the room first; Talya closed the door behind them.  Meredith glanced around the endless stacks of storage containers, lined up against the wall.  She took a seat on a vacant crate in the middle of the room, and her eyes fell to a small barrel the corner, upon which a little brown mouse nibbled on a hunk of bread.

“Ahhh!” Meredith screamed.

“Shhh!” Talya cautioned.  She threw a handful of grain at the little rodent, and it scampered down the barrel and behind the wall of crates.

“Don’t think about the mouse,” Talya said, as if she knew Meredith, a lifelong musophobic, was mentally, as one from our world might say, “freaking out”.
          “Okay,” Meredith said, half to herself and half to her friend.  “Don’t…think about…the mouse.  Talya, tell me about my, uh…destiny.”

“For all of history,” Talya began, “Lord Audemar and Remondin have rebelled against the King.  It is said that one day, they will have full power over Meriel.  But when someone comes into the kingdom, they are defeated, little by little.”

“What do you mean, ‘come into the kingdom’?” Meredith asked.  “I’m in the Kingdom of Meriel already, but it doesn’t seem to be working.”

“It’s not a physical kingdom,” Talya said.

“Whoooaaa. Not a physical kingdom?  What do you mean?”

“It’s a kingdom inside your heart,” Meredith persisted.

“That doesn’t make sense.  A big city, full of little people… inside of me?”

“You don’t understand,” Talya said.

“No, I don’t.”

“The kingdom…is belief.”

“So, it’s a hypothetical kingdom.”

“No, not exactly…  Belief isn’t hypothetical, not necessarily.  I mean, I believe the crate I’m sitting on is real.  It’s not hypothetical.”

“Okay, okay…”  Meredith said, trying to understand.  “What do I have to believe in, to help the king?”

“You have to believe that he has the power to save you.”

“From what?”

“From –”

At that moment, the whole castle seemed to shake.  Meredith’s heart froze.  Then, another tremor came, one that rocked the castle as if the ground below it were writhing in pain.  Meredith tumbled off the crate.  She looked up just as another ripple ran through the earth; the boxes teetered above her head and one by one, crashed onto the stone floor.

Talya grabbed Meredith’s hand, jerking her out of the way just in time.  She dragged Meredith out of the room and down the hallway.  “It’s an earthquake!” she shouted, above the cracking of the walls and the continual crashes of objects hitting the ground.  She looked around to see the ceiling caving in on her right.  The girls turned to the left, and saw a small rodent, racing down the hallway.  A chunk of stone crashed in front of it; the little mouse squealed and turned around, racing into Talya’s outstretched hand.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Meredith cried.  “We’re about to be squashed by pieces of the ceiling, and you stop to save a mouse?”

“We were given the task of caring for nature,” Talya said, as if reciting a catechism.

“Oh come on!” Meredith yelled, as the two girls (Talya still holding the mouse) raced through the castle.  They stumbled down the stairs amidst a group of screaming women and children.  The last one – a small girl – made her way to the end of the stairs only a few seconds before the whole stair way collapsed into a heap of dust and rubble.

At the bottom of what was once the staircase, they found a door leading to the outside.  The group of castle-dwellers poured out of the castle, only to find a terrifying sight greeting them.

The ground indeed rippled – it rolled, like ocean waves crashing against each other.  Except these were waves of grass and dirt.  Waves of grass, dirt, trees, and little houses…

The ground came towards them in one huge wave.  “Brace yourself!” Talya warned.

Meredith’s brain had other ideas.  She jerked Talya’ to the ground, and they lay on the grass as the wave came towards them.  The ground came up, and the girls came up with it – then, the ground relaxed.  The ripple continued into the castle.  “This is better than an amusement park,” Meredith muttered.

“Come on,” Talya said.

“Where are we going?”

“I don’t know.  Anywhere!”

Meredith peered into the distance – even the horizon thrashed and writhed.  “It’s hopeless, Talya.  There’s nowhere to go.”

“Get away from the castle!” a voice cried out.

The group of men from the castle courtyard had joined the women and children – now, they called for everyone to run from their former home.  Indeed, chunks from the towers and battlements hammered the ground.

“Run!”  Meredith joined in the call.

Then another ocean wave of grass came.  “Stop!” she cried.  It was useless to run against such turmoil within the earth.  She fell onto the ground, and others nearby followed her example, waiting for the wave to pass.  Those who had not heard her lost their footing as the ground rippled – they fell on top of each other like dominoes.

“Now – run!” Meredith ordered.

The people followed their command.  When they’d reached a short distance from the castle, they waited, watching as the once beautiful structure fell to the ground, crumbling just like the staircase.

Meredith counted the seconds between each wave – the frequency wasn’t changing.  The waves of grass still came as strong as ever.  “Where can we go?” she asked.  The people were bruised and weary.  They couldn’t lie upon the grass all day, until hopefully the ground stopped moving.  Lord Audemar and Remondin would be here soon, with their army.  They would find “easy pickings” here.

“I know,” Talya said.  “The shelter.  We can go to the King’s shelter.”

“Is it far away?” Meredith asked.

“No, not far.”

Meredith glanced at the nearby soldiers.  They seemed to be encouraged by Talya’s idea.

“Speaking of the King, though,” Meredith said.  “Where, exactly, is he?”

Her question left the crowd speechless.  All heads turned to the castle, now a heap of debris on an incessantly churning ground.

To Be Continued…

-- By Kara Siert

Word of the month

Askance

\uh-SKANS\, adverb:

1. With suspicion, mistrust, or disapproval.
2. With a side glance; sidewise; obliquely.

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