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.

Contents found in: Dictionary

Peacherino Monthly 4!

Peacherino Monthly

A newsletter for Christian Homeschoolers

-By Kiera Sterken, Talia DeAndrea, Sam Parker, Kara Siert, and Emma Campbell

world view

"You're a grand old flag, you're a high-flying flag!"

America: the land of the free and the home of the brave.   What better sight than purple mountains' majesty above the fruited plain?  What better sounds than that of Lake Erie lapping against the sandy beach, or the roaring of a large excited crowd packed inside a football stadium?  What better than the cool scent of oranges drifting over a warm Floridan breeze, or the sweet smell of bristling Michigan pine trees?  From see to shining sea, America is truly a blessed country.  It's hot dogs and popcorn, it's baseball and music: it's the heart and spirit of freedom.  And everywhere you look, symbols of that freedom stand proud and resolute.  American flags flutter on the porch of house after house, the Statue of Liberty shines as a beacon of light and hope to foreign newcomers, Mt. Rushmore, a brilliant depiction of our forefathers; they all sing the same song: the Star Spangled Banner.

"God shed His grace on thee!"

Sometimes, I forget the reason we have all this.  I forget how important July 4th really is, beyond the fire works and the 1812 Overture. I forget the month of February, 1945, when the U.S. Marine Corps struggled a valiant and bloody battle on Iwo-Jima to conquer the slopes of Mt. Surabachi. I fail to remember the willingness of our troops to take on the war on terror after the fall of the World Trade Center on 9/11.  These are important historic events...but they are also so much more.   Flip back through your history books and read about the American Civil War, finally ridding the U.S. of slavery.  Flip back even further and read about the Revolutionary War, and the Declaration of Independence.  Read about George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Ulysses S. Grant, and Abraham Lincoln.  These men are the reason this country is so brilliant.  These men, and the men and women serving our country today have all sacrificed there time, safety, and often, there lives to something greater than themselves.

"From the halls of Montezuma..."

And along the lines of sacrifice, there is another important event that I often don't think a whole lot about.  Oh, every Sunday perhaps, for a few hours I focus on it, and ponder it deeply.  But then I move on.  The death of Christ doesn't seem as if it would be hard to remember, does it?  I mean, it's iconic.  But it's not the first thing on my mind when I sit down to a pile of school papers.  It's not the first thing that pops into my head when I pick up a good book.  And it is DEFINITELY NOT the first thing I think about when I get into an argument.  When I want something, or I "need" something, the cross is not my first thought.

"Oh, that old rugged cross!"

But that is not right.  The cross should be my centerpiece.  It should be the most important aspect of my life, and it should SHOW.  But it doesn't, or at least, not always.  Maybe I should think about that.  Maybe I should start considering taking a different approach to my life.  Maybe it's time that I glance up from my own life, my own ambition, and my own desires to take a look around, and notice the sacrifice going on around me everyday.  My parents work to keep a roof above me, and a bed below me, the military risks life and limb to keep my own life and limbs intact, and Christ...well, Christ was scourged, mocked, flouted, spat on, and finally, was nailed to a cross...in my stead.  Wow.  So pick this apart.  If it weren't for sacrifice, I would be homeless, destroyed by my enemies, and finally, crucified on a tree.  You know, when you put it that way, it makes having to wait an extra 15 minutes for your turn on the computer seem bearable.

"Glory, glory hallelujah, His truth is marching on!"

Before I Go...

A Quick Blurb

I learned the hard way that you shouldn't fish for compliments: I caught the wrong fish.  I was fishing for compliments, and i came out with a large trout.  And I'm not a big trout fan.  I would of preferred a nice salmon.  Or maybe a tilapia.  Anyway, it just goes to show you where compliment fishing can lead.

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 sit down and talk with Josie Parker (my sister), and one of my very good friends, Nick Fights, and talk about their missions trip to Muncie, Indiana with the Blood-N-Fire ministry.

1. On how many missions trips have you been?

Josie: This was my first.

Nick: Three, I think.

2. How did you guys earn the money to go on the trip, and how much was required?

Josie: $115 was required.  I babysat, and both my brother, Ben, and Nick here made a donation to me.  Thanks, by the way, Nick.

Nick:  Yeah, you're welcome.  I mowed lawns to get the money.

3. Who did you guys go with?

Nick: Well, let's see, we went with lots of people...

Josie: We went with a service group called Service Team Six.

4. How did you guys reach your desired destination?

Nick: In a car.  With wheels, and an engine.  (laughs)

5. Where is Service Team Six based?

Josie: Tabor Baptist Church.

6. What was the main purpose of your trip?

Nick: To serve in the inner-city Muncie community.

7. What jobs did you and your friends undertake?

Nick: Oh you know, moving bricks, sawing trees, sweeping, mowing, clearing lots...moving naked mannequins down the street... (laughs)

Josie: Yeah, Clearing lots, polishing floors, pulling trees down with ropes.

8. How long were you guys in Muncie?

Josie: I was there for five days.

Nick: Um, I was there for five as well.

9. Did you guys enjoy the trip?

Josie: Yes, I did.

Nick: Yeah, it was great.

10. What was your favorite part?

Josie: Pulling down a tree with a rope.

Nick: Scaring women in the wee hours of the morning. (laughs)

11. Where did you and your friends stay the nights?

Nick: In a really creepy attic.

Josie: The girls and I stayed in the Muncie Mission warehouse nursery.

12. Would you guys consider doing something like this again?

Nick: Yes, I'm already signed up for next year.

Josie: I'm as signed up for next year as I can be without actually being signed up.

Nick: Me too, I'm actually not signed up.

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

Nick: Yes.

Josie: Definitely.

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

Nick: Through our actions, we were, yeah.

About Josie:

Age: 15

Family: Sue and Brooks Parker (mom and dad), Sam (13), Ben(11), Anna(7), Matthew(4)

Lives: Anderson, Indiana

Likes to: Read, play piano, and play soccer

About Nick:

Age: 15

Family: Lisa Fights (mom), Noel(11)

Lives: Anderson, Indiana

Likes to: Bike, play soccer, operate his lawn care business

About the Blood N' Fire:

Blood-N-Fire is an active Christian Community that intentionally embraces diversity and seeks out creative ways to express worship to God. If you are searching for a deeper connection with God, we invite you to come and experience His love through music, discussion, arts, service, and fellowship. To read more about Blood-N-Fire ministries, visit them at www.bloodnfiremuncie.com

To see pictures of the Service Team Six Muncie Missions Trip, email me at gocubsgo914@hotmail.com.

By Sam Parker

bible corner

For this issue’s Bible corner, I’d like to share something with you – something that happened to me…and changed my life.

It started at church camp. It was the last night – campfire night. We all sat around the fire, and our youth pastor told us to be quiet and look at the fire and just think about the week – what we’d learned, what God had showed us during the sessions and our quiet times. After that, we did worship, and I began to cry. I wrapped my arms around myself as I shivered. Sure, I was physically cold, but my heart and soul were warm. It was like God Himself was wrapping His loving arms around me. When we started singing "Grace Like Rain," something happened inside me. "Amazing Grace" is a song that touches my heart like no other song does. I prayed as I sang and thanked God for being so good and always being there for me, even when I neglect Him – which I do so, so much. My heart was filled with joy as I cried.

After worship, our youth pastor told us his testimony, which was really amazing. Then he opened it up for anyone to share what they had learned that week, what God had taught them and showed them through the sessions and our quiet times. To my pleasant surprise, a lot of boys talked about what they had learned, followed by a couple of girls. When my friend shared her testimony, I cried again. It kept going through my head that God is so amazing.

After that, we crowded closer to the fire, and our youth pastor held a light-up disk and said to pass it to someone and say something about them or to them. I cried during part of this, too. What people said to me and about me touched my heart, and what people said to others touched my heart as well. One boy who used to be a goof-off had been listening closely and seriously taking notes during the sessions that week. I cried as people said that they were proud of him, that they could tell he was taking it seriously. One of our pastors had the disk, and he gave it to a boy who goofs off a lot and gets in trouble a lot. He said, "I see a lot of potential in you, but I don’t think you see it in yourself. I don’t think you know how much Christ loves you." I agree completely with what he said. It was an amazing moment.

So, in closing, the night was amazing and the week was amazing. It wasn’t just a "camp high." It was real. God is real. God is amazing. And His love is real. And that week, I learned that if I want God to use me for His glory and His purpose, I need to be willing to say, "I will follow you," even though I don’t know where He will take me, even though it will most likely be outside my comfort zone, even though it will be hard. God says that it won’t be easy – it’ll be hard. But He promises to be with us the whole way if we trust in Him. And that week I was reminded of just how amazing God is, how amazing His salvation is, and how amazing grace is.

By Talia DeAndrea

Things you don’t know about…

Popcorn

Definition of popcorn-

Pop·corn (pŏp'kôrn')

1. A variety of corn, having hard kernels that burst to form white, irregularly shaped puffs when heated.
2. The edible popped kernels of this variety of corn.
1. A small piece, as of polystyrene, used in quantity to protect items during packaging and shipment.

EVERYONE knows what popcorn is but not everyone knows many facts about it! I asked a few people what they knew about popcorn and here are some responses I got.

“Um, it can come in different colors.”

“IT’S CRUNCHY!!!”

“Indiana produces (roughly) 90% of the world’s popcorn”

“The smaller the kernel, the BIGGER the taste!”

Those facts are pretty bare bones, but all of them have SOME truth to them.

DID YOU KNOW…

> Popcorn can pop up to 3 feet in the AIR!!!!

> Americans eat 1.12 BILLION pounds of popcorn a year!

> Out of five different types of corn, only popcorn pops!

> Popcorn sales go wayyyyy up in the Fall!

> The world largest popcorn ball measured 12 feet in diameter and had 2,000 pounds of popcorn in it, 40,000 pounds of sugar, 280 gallons of corn syrup, and 400 gallons of water!

> The most popular way to cook popcorn is in microwaves. Most microwaves have a “popcorn” button!

> If you made a trail of popcorn from New York City to Los Angeles, you would need more than 352,028,160 popped kernels!

So, next time you grab a second handful of popcorn, remember…

Popcorn kernels
In the pot
Jump and dance
When they get hot.

When they've
Carried on enough,
They do a flip

And turn to fluff!

By Emma Campbell

poem

His face is marred by a wrinkle in his forehead

Premature for such a young man

He sits and thinks

From the time he could listen he accepted what he was taught

He’d never questioned it before

He sits and thinks

But his new friend showed him things in a book

They didn’t flow with what he’d been taught

He sits and thinks

Maybe Jesus was more than a man and a teacher

What if he’d been wrong?

He sits and thinks

The words in the book made sense

Jesus died for him

He sits and prays

By Jessica Webster

Contest

I’m very happy to announce our first ever contest winner!!! Emma Campbell wrote a wonderful ending to the story! Her ending is in blue. Enjoy!

Noel was washing the dishes like she did every night after supper, when suddenly there was a knock on the door. “Coming!” she shouted. She hurried to the door, and opened it. To her surprise, there was a very peculiar looking woman standing outside! She had long, red hair, and very pale skin. Her eyes were blue, like the color of a cloudless summer day. Her arms looked unusually long, and her legs strangely short. “Good day!” she said, with a loud, obnoxious voice. “Same to you!” said Noel. “Be a good dear and let me in!” the woman said as she pushed Noel aside and stomped in. “Hey! You can’t just barge into my house like that!” Noel said in pure shock. The woman seemed to pay to mind to her though, and bolted down the hallway toward the living room, Noel close behind. “What’s your name?” Noel said. “Hollingsworth. Gertrude A. Hollingsworth!” “Well that’s… a long name.” “Why thank you, my dear!” Gertrude said. “I think you should get out of my house, though!” said Noel. “Why do you say that?” Gertrude replied. “Because I didn’t invite you in, and I don’t think my parents would like you rummaging through our pantry like that!” Noel said, for it was true that Gertrude had made her way to the kitchen and was tossing things left and right out of the pantry. “Here it is!” Gertrude yelled. “Here what is?” Noel said, slightly annoyed from being ignored. “The box!” Gertrude said, still quite loud. “What bo-” Noel was interrupted as Gertrude suddenly grabbed Noel’s arm and dashed toward the front door. “What are you doing?” Noel shouted.

“I’m kidnapping you,” Gertrude said with a broad surprisingly genuine smile.

“Um, kidnapping me? I DON’T think so”! Noel yelled so loud that she startled herself! With that Gertrude opened her rickety car door, and by habit Noel got in!

“What am I doing?” Noel thought just as Gertrude started the rumbling engine, drove away and began babbling happily “Well since you are kidnapped by me, what do you want to do?”

“What do I want to DO?” Noel thought “What do you mean?” she finally answered aloud. Gertrude looked puzzled… “I MEAN do you want to go to the park or play games or go swimming, or…” Noel tuned out for a second and NOW it was HER turn to look puzzled, Gertrude had covered a lot of ground since Noel remembered… for it just seemed that they pulled out of the driveway and now they were turning at the end of the block!

“This could be REALLY fun,” she concluded (in her head of course). “Well,,,” Noel started, “I’ve always wanted to go to Awesomely Awesome World… A new theme park that opened up just down the road from here…”     Gertrude almost jumped up through the roof of the car! Which actually wouldn’t take TOO much effort since the car roof was sagging down at LEAST 5 inches.

“AWESOMLY AWSOME WORLD????” she sounded surprised but Noel couldn’t tell whether it was a good or bad surprised feeling, for she had just met Gertrude and wasn’t sure whether she would like the idea.

“Is that where the new Blasting Wedgie water coaster is at?” Now Gertrude sounded like a kid in a candy store! “Yes, yes, YES” Noel said, Gertrude’s happiness was rubbing off on Noel. “OH MY! Gertrude was ecstatic. “Well then, that is where we will go!!!”

Gertrude and Noel were both VERY happy! When they FINALLY pulled in at the new crazy cool theme park, Noel had just ONE more question. “Gertrude?” “Yes???” Gertrude answered, “Well, I was just thinking, WHY did you need that box from my pantry??”

To Noel’s surprise Gertrude started laughing so hard that the car shook! “Oh Honey,” Gertrude said still tickled by the question, “that was just a box of darn Cheez Its! I got ‘em just for a snack! A girl’s gonna get hungry riding all those crazy rides!” And with that they walked up to the entrance.  Noel knew that as long as she was with Gertrude, she was in good hands!

By Kiera Sterken, ending by Emma Campbell

books to check out

Black Beauty – Anna Sewell

   

“Black Beauty is a wonderful book, about the life of a horse that is very well raised, but is sold from master to master. I very much enjoyed reading it, and would definitely recommend it to anyone who has a heart for horses!”

-Kiera Sterken-

 

short story

Meredith finds herself in a medieval country called “Meriel”…where the king claims she is the rescuer everyone has been waiting for.

Meredith kept running through the grass, forcing her tired body to keep moving…perhaps, if she ran far enough the forest would somehow appear, and she would see her home again…

She was not Meriel’s rescuer.  She was not the man King David awaited.  She was just Meredith, a girl with an extensive imagination and a heart that longed for adventure.  But not a full-scale adventure… maybe just… a backyard adventure, one that didn’t involve fighting and battles and blood.

“Stop!  Please, please stop!” a voice rang out behind Meredith.

She willed herself not to slow her steps, but somehow, the voice’s entreating won.  Meredith turned around to see the young girl, still clutching the blue handkerchief.

“You can’t leave us!  There’s no way to go!  You can’t go back.” The girl paused to take a breath.  “Even if you’re not ready to save Meriel…don’t go.”

“I have to go home.  I can’t stay here!  I don’t even know where, exactly, ‘here’ is!”

“You can run from us,” the girl said, “but you won’t have anywhere to go.  Meriel is a large country, but you’ll never find your home again.”

“How do you know about my home?” Meredith asked.

“Don’t waste such valued time arguing!  Come home with me.  I’ll give you a fine dinner, of roast pig and wine…”

“Wine?” Meredith echoed.

“If you’d rather, we have other refreshments…such as juice, squeezed from the king’s finest fruit.  Just stay with us, Meriel…”

“My name isn’t Meriel!” Meredith exploded.  “I’m Meredith, just Meredith.”

“Meredith, then,” the girl continued.  “Come with me.  You can always run away tomorrow.”

Confused, Meredith followed the girl back into the castle; they exchanged only a few words as they walked.  Meredith felt the same summer breeze cascading around her; at least Meriel seemed to contain the same air as Meredith was accustomed to breathing.

“Thank you,” the girl said finally.

Meredith looked at her.  “I’m not your rescuer.  There’s nothing to thank me for.”

Once inside the king’s home, Meredith wondered what the castle’s inhabitants thought of her.  First, she’d come into the castle in awe; then, she’d fled in terror; now, she reluctantly returned, escorted by a girl of her own age.

“You haven’t told me your name,” Meredith observed.

“I’m Talya,” the girl said.

“And why were you crying earlier?” Meredith asked.

“Meriel is under great distress.  Our country will be lost if our rescuer does not do as she is asked.”

Meredith dropped the subject and followed Talya to her room, where the two girls sat across from each other, each on their own settee.  Although outside the air seemed warm, Talya’s tower room seemed cold and dreary.  Meredith appreciated the small fire, crackling in a stone fireplace.  In-between the settees stood a table, upon which Meredith received the promised dinner.

“What does Meriel need rescuing from?” she asked finally, sipping a glass of freshly-squeezed orange juice.  From everything on the table – a roasted pig with an orange on its mouth, a tray of strange looking fruit, and something that vaguely resembled sponge cake – Meredith had judged the orange juice safest to drink.  At least it tasted somewhat like the juice which accompanied her breakfast every morning, at home.

“Two of our lords have fallen under deep suspicion.  We fear they may have accepted lies of an evil power that tempts all of Meriel.”

“That’s it?” Meredith asked.  “Some lords are messed up?  Why can’t you just…get rid of them?”

“It is rumored that these lords will bring people against King David.”

“Just tell the people not to listen.”

Talya smiled, almost wistfully.  “Winning isn’t easy.”

“But who says there’s a fight to win?  When King David told me I had to…rescue Meriel, I thought there would be a battle or something.  But I think you’re all jumping to conclusions.  Can’t you just imprison the lords or talk them out of their ideas?  What is this evil power, anyway?”

“The evil power in Meriel has been here, ever since the rebellion long ago.  All the people rebelled against the king, but some returned to him.  The first king has not been in Meriel for a long time; various men ruled after him, men who would do what was best for Meriel.  But if some of the lords form an uprising against King David, then they could usurp him and change Meriel…forever.”

“So what is my role in all of this?” Meredith asked.

“You will help in the battle.  You will help King David to remain on his throne.”

“Why can’t you do this?” Meredith asked.

“I have another role to play,” Talya replied.  “You mustn’t ask of me what I am not called to do.”

“But how do you know I’m called to do this?” Meredith asked.

“You are,” Talya said simply.

Meredith didn’t argue, instead, daring to try a small bite of the roasted pig.  Although the seasoning tasted different than anything she’d ever tried at home – a strange mixture of sweetness and some kind of spicy sauce – she enjoyed the flavor.  Meredith was about to ask Talya another question, when they heard a commotion outside the door.

Talya stood up and walked to the door, pausing to listen.  “I doubt the messenger brings good news.”  She motioned for Meredith to follow her, and the two girls walked outside the room to another part of the tower.  Meredith saw the stairs leading down; a cluster of noblewomen who lived in the same tower had already started toward the main castle.  Talya and Meredith followed them.

Once they reached the courtyard, the castle seemed to be in an uproar.  Most men seemed busy buckling sheathed swords around their waists, or taking up their shields, or examining their bows and arrows.  Some of the women were crying; others seemed to be saying goodbye to their loved ones.

“What is going on?” Meredith cried.

One knight stopped to answer her question.  “Lord Audemar and Remondin have led their revolt.  We can fight against them, but Meriel may well be lost.”

“You must save us,” Talya said.  “You see, you’re our only hope.”

Meredith shook her head.  “I don’t understand how I can help!”

“Come with me,” Talya said. “I’ll tell you.”

In a moment, Meredith made her decision.  She followed Talya into a deep part of the castle, where her part in Meriel’s destiny would be revealed.

To be continued…

By Kara Siert