YOUTH GROUPS {yes... or no?}

What are your thoughts on church youth groups? What about Sunday School? Are they Biblical? Does that even matter?


My brother in law, a former youth pastor, sent me this link and asked me to share it with you:



DIVIDED, THE MOVIE



For a limited time you can watch the full length feature for free. Personally, I had to watch it twice to really hear what they were saying.

I'd encourage you to watch it with your spouse. Then I'd love to hear what you think...


Blessings to you!

READY FOR A LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT?

READY FOR A LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT?

I have shared before how blessed I am to fellowship with an amazing group of ladies. Our family has commuted an hour for the past five years to fellowship at Central Valley Presbyterian Church (CVP) in Ceres, California.

That may sound a little crazy, but I can tell you that it has been worth the drive. When we found leadership and other families that re-inforce what we are doing all week long-- an hours commute seemed a small price to pay.

Recently, in a bittersweet decision, my husband has decided that the Lord would have our family support a new work our church is starting- a church plant in the Elk Grove, California area.

I hope I am clear that our family is not leaving CVP for any negative reasons. We are simply joining a new work CVP is starting in the Sacramento area to create a bit of what we have been driving so far to enjoy.

Our family still feels very much a part of the Central Valley Presbyterian body and are blessed to participate in the various ministries they offer.

We hope you will enjoy...

A DAY OF ENCOURAGEMENT

If you are in the Modesto area and are ready for a little encouragement, please feel the above invitation is for YOU.

Join us for inspiring messages and sweet fellowship as we are encouraged in the promises of God! Come on out Saturday, August 13 and hear women share biblical encouragement to refresh us in the role God has for us.

Topics include:

Peace and Promises

Hospitality

Homeschooling the Age Spectrum

Organic Gardening- Even without the Space

High School, Transcripts and College

Creative Non-academic Activities

Great Letter Writing

The cost is only $5.00 and covers lunch. Be sure to RSVP to cvpwomen@gmail.com before July 24 to be entered in a prize drawing.

Interested? CLICK HERE to see a previous Women's Encourgement Day post.

WILL YOU BE AT THE MODESTO HOMESCHOOL CONFERENCE?


Some of you may not be able to attend the Women's Encouragement Day, but may be at the Modesto Homeschool Conference (VHE). If so, please look for the booth in the corner of the exhibit hall calling all stressed out moms!

The ladies from CVP will be there to serve you.

Need a cozy spot to sit and put your feet up?

A bite of chocolate or a free water bottle?

A massage?

An encouraging ear or word?

Come on over! You'll gain the refreshment you need to refocus and get back in the game!

While you are there, be sure to sign up for the email list to get connected and stay connected. The ladies will let you know about other events you may be interested in. And if you sign up for the email list, you might win a family photo from little 'ol me. : )

Again, everything at this booth is free of charge. They simply just want to bless ladies and encourage us as we minister within the family.


In His Joy and Service,

_____________________

For those of you in the Sacramento, California area who may be interested in a family integrated, reformed church feel free to e-mail me at: rebecca.teamjnz@gmail.com I'd love to connect with you and let you know more about this new work.

*** PLEASE FORGIVE MY SILENCE. I have not been able to leave comments in the comment section for the past few days. Did you leave a comment and find it isn't here? I'm sorry about that. I value your comments and hope this is something we can fix shortly. ***

ORGANIZE IT SIMPLY {Kid's Closet}

All five of our girls share one room (I know that sounds a little crazy and crowded, but really- they love it!).
The only thing is, no matter how hard I try to keep things organized I end up needing to RE-organize their closet at least once every few months. Actually, that's not true. It probably needs to be reorganized every month... but I get to it every few.

Does this striketh a chord with anyone?
With the seasons changing again, I had another reason to be in there- pulling out the bulky sweaters and unpacking spring and summer wear. And I think I even found a way to keep the closet from getting so out of order.

EVERYDAY CLOTHES Since I was in there anyway, I decided to change the organization a bit. For everyday clothes I decided to add these daily organizers (hanging cubbies) for each girl.

My thought is, they will have an outfit a day all clean and ready to go. As I put away laundry I can load the cubbies with what I want, then I have a helper who hangs up the rest in the other closet (to follow). It really helps me to easily see what each girl has and doesn't have. In my mind, an outfit a day is plenty of clothing. Beyond that we just have more than we need. These cubbies help me keep the bare minimum.






You will see that Hailey realized I was about to take a photo and zipped right in to model her fancy attire- a bright hat with single matching mitten; homemade doll apron and an "It's my Birthday" button just in case someone is thinking about handing out presents. Thank you Hailey! :) The cubbies are from WalMart and are under $7.

The hairbows and headbands are organized into sturdy vases and a mirror from the thrift store hangs where the girls can finish their outfits.


SUNDAY BEST The other closet now holds their church outfits, their backpacks, hats and jackets. I had previously kept the two older girls in one closet and the younger three in the other, but this simplifies things for me.







 

Pictured above, Hailey's Sunday purse which carries her little books and do-dads found at the Dollar Tree Store.

I'd love to hear your creative kid's closet ideas!

May you be blessed,

Cousin Camp!

COUSIN CAMP!



Have you ever wanted to coordinate a Cousin Camp or VBS for your troops, but felt like it was a huge undertaking or would be too expensive?

Me too. But recently, with the help of our older girls, we came up with a simple two day camp that was both easy to pull off and inexpensive, so of course I wanted to share it with you.

All of the cousins are really into The Kingdom Series right now, so we thought anything based on that premise was sure to be a hit, but you do not need to be into this book series to use this camp.

In fact, you don't even need local cousins. This could be just as much fun with your own little brood or some friends you'd like to invite over.

THE SCHEDULE- DAY 1


We kept things pretty simple, my gut telling me that it doesn't take something hugely elaborate or expensive to make a big impression- and I think my gut was right.


Our Camp Verse- "Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." ~Ephesians 6:10-11

DAY 1

The schedule went something like this (although somehow we never followed it exactly):


1:00 March, Songs, Bible Verse and Bible Lesson

1:20 Decorate camp shirts/coloring pages

2:15 Sword training: basic maneuvers

2:35 Dragon hunt: use the clues to track it down!

2:55 Slay the found dragon (piñata)

3:15 Cousin photo with camp shirts on

3:30 Puppet show: Walking by faith, not sight

4:00 Snack


We started each day with a march and military chant; a few songs with hand motions; work on our memory verse and a Bible Lesson.

Find the complete day 1 song list and lesson plan here.

I used the example of these coloring sheets (see below) to draw a larger picture of the armor we are to wear and as I explained what each piece was (details in the day 1 lesson plan), I would ask them what color they thought we should color that piece on the poster. Then, they colored theirs. The older children also liked this armor picture to color and label.

My sister, Elizabeth, ironed on all the Cousin Camp shields (thank you Lizzie!)

which were made by downloading one of these shield samples and using the free

program Picasa to add the words.

T-shirts are not necessary, but were a fun splurge. The t-shirts were on sale at Jo-Ann Fabric for less than $2.50 each and the iron on transfer paper for dark shirts was just under $20. Be sure to bring in your HSLDA card and get a Teacher Appreciation discount card to save 15% on everything.

The day 1 sword training included the cousins pairing up for slow, deliberate sword contact. We were basically just keeping them busy long enough to hide the homemade pinata (it is a turned inside out grocery bag with a drawing of a dragon, or dragamoth, on the front and bits of streamers taped on the bottom) and the clues that were to lead them to it.

"Honor, glory, power, the Prince!" The dragamoth was captured per the Prince's orders.

... and defeated.

The older girls put on the Puppet Show "By Faith and not Sight." Script found here.

Another detail that cut down on missing cups- simple goblets were made using jewels.

DAY 2

1:00 March, Songs, Bible Verse and Bible Lesson

1:20 Make your own streamers!

2:15 Shield training: deflect the beanbags!

2:50 Make stained glass window using tissue paper

3:25 Intrepid Course

4:00 Snack

On the second day, we discussed Gideon and how God shows Himself mighty in battle with humble, least of these kind of folk who are willing to fear God rather than man.

Oh, how I love these types of accounts of God's might!

For the complete Day 2 Song list and Lesson plan, click here.

Shield training. For shield training we used some of our beloved beanbags, made from our sweet friend Sommer and her girls, and a shield. Knights took turns tossing beanbags that were deflected by another knight's shield. Keeping the skills sharp.

Stained Glass Window. Somehow this craft never happened, but was to be a brown construction paper window frame with colorful tissue glued on the back. Do you remember making those as a child?

The streamers were a big hit with everyone. I used the same red, orange and yellow streamers for everything- the decor, the pinata and these streamers.



Intrepid Course. We also set up an obstacle course using materials we already had. Knights had to jump rope 10 times, toss a beanbag onto a target, go up some logs, cross a beam, jump over more logs, hit a ball through a wicket, jump rope again and then run to the finish line. It is important for knights of the King to stay in good shape, of course!

My fun sister, Elizabeth, giving the course a go!

Awards. To finish up, we had the knights line up and say their verse as a group. Then we called each one forward (using their knight name, Lady Mercy pictured below) and awarded them a medal with the simple words: "Well done faithful Knight of the Prince." You should have seen their little faces glow with these words and that plastic medal being placed around their neck!

Everyone had a great time!

Even these silly heads.

May you be blessed,

Little Things

LITTLE THINGS


"The race is not to the swift." ~Ecclesiastes 9:11


Well, that is good because swift I am not.

Instead I have learned to be content in little things.


THE KIDS TABLE

This week I accomplished a few more little things that were on my list.

I took the mismatched kids table and chairs and gave them a quick painting.

Somehow when things are unified by color they seem to match- even when they are different styles.

The result? Peaceful.


THE DINING ROOM


"Build houses and dwell in them." ~Jeremiah 29:5


When we built our home we had the vision of a reading room. After living in the house a while we realized that what we really needed in its place was a dining room. We moved the dining table in, but the books on the shelves stayed there. It wasn't relaxing. It felt cluttered, so I finally cleared the shelves.

Once the shelves were cleared and cleaned, I pulled out my collection of white dishes. I love the simplicity of their silhouettes against the dark wood. And I love transformations that don't carry a price tag.










IN THE MASTER BATH


I have been seriously lacking in the textiles department. Curtains and other coverings can be a big decision, but deciding to make a simple valance for our master bath wasn't. And it wasn't costly or time consuming either. With a yard of fabric, an inexpensive curtain rod and some iron on seam tape I created this quick treatment one night while the kids were in bed.




Did I mention that the rod was inexpensive? WalMart stocks these for just under a dollar.




Just rearranging a few things can make everything feel fresh and new. I'd rather find new ways to use old things than go out and buy the world. One of my favorite quotes is from Baldassare Forestiere who said:

"To make something with lots of money,

that is easy.

But to make something out of nothing--

that now, is something!"

If you haven't seen how he created something from nothing, you will have to read his story! You will be inspired.

IN THE KITCHEN

One of our favorite mottoes has long been: "Many hands make light work."

So this week an old frame got a quick spray paint and our motto was typed and slipped inside.

I moved a little lamp we weren't using into the kitchen and have been enjoying the coziness it lends.

SOMETHING I LOVE


It struck me the other day that all the patterns I love so well were displayed in Creation first.

Darling polka dot rain jackets take their cue from the Lady bug and the Polka Dot Grouper. My friends lovely Tortoise shell jewelry, well the tortoise shell. The animal prints, furs and so on are all bits of God's handiwork. And I love them.


So when I saw this fun Zebra print pillow, embellished with beads I thought it would be the perfect punch for these traditional wing backs. I actually spent money. $13. (at WalMart) The girls gasped- I thought one might pass out. But we all love it from any angle and we've recovered that Mom bought retail. Smile.


The little galvanized buckets were at the Target dollar spot and I think they make the sweetest little vases for flowers.

SOMETHING TO DO

The list of little projects goes on. It's always there. Some projects will happen sooner, some later.

Next I think I'd like to build a simple frame around this homemade chalk board. A little left over moulding and paint ought to do the trick.

But for now, it wears a new message. I thought this was sweet.

Have a great weekend!

May you be blessed,

THRIFT STORE SHOPPING {for clothing}

THRIFT STORE SHOPPING

One topic we often receive questions about is clothing- specifically where we find modest and feminine options for girls at an affordable price.

I know, it can be tough. And sewing is not always an option. Even if you have the skill, quite honestly sewing has become cost prohibitive for many. Especially if you have to buy the fabric, pattern, thread and notions. You'd often be better off, from a budget perspective, buying new.

Personally, we rely heavily on our local thrift stores for both clothing and household items. Especially for dresses, you will do well in a thrift environment. Many girls just don't wear skirts or dresses often enough to keep them in their closets. They often seem to be purchased for special occasions, so they remain in good shape.

When I first began to explore thrift stores I thought that I just didn't have good stores in my area, but as I learned more about thrift store shopping, I began to find both where to find the good stores were as well as what to buy (and not buy) used.

FROM THE CLOSET


To give you a real idea about the prices I am willing to pay, I went into the girl's closet and pulled a few things out. These were all purchased second hand.

From left to right:

Toddler Circo Top $2.50 and Kids Headquarters Skirt $2.50
Bright Blue Cherokee Dress $1.47
Hanna Anderson Tier Dress $1.97
Ralph Lauren Polo Dress $2.47



PURCHASING GUIDELINES




I have certain guidelines for myself when buying second hand.

1. I prefer the item to be a one piece outfit (preferably a dress). I think that dresses just make life easier overall- you won't have half the outfit hanging in the closet and the other half in the wash- with nothing matching to wear. Also, when buying second hand, dresses are usually less expensive than buying two pieces. Of course, there are times when I just fall in love with a skirt (see that cute little number above on the left with flowers and black tule underneath- oh my!) then I just make myself find something that makes it an outfit before I leave the store. I don't want a lone skirt hanging in the closet forever and not being used.

2. The item cannot be faded or stained. Even second hand items should not be in poor condition. The outfit can be slightly faded, but it generally needs to be church quality when I buy it. That is just me. In my thinking, if I buy four poor quality items, I may as well save the money and buy a new dress on clearance at Land's End. Even second hand price tags add up. But on the other hand, if I buy wisely I can obtain all we need for far under the price of buying new.
3. The item must be very usable. When I first began thrift store shopping I'd just buy up everything denim to be safe- all the denim dresses and skirts went home with me and then I would buy inexpensive t-shirts at Walmart or Target. And still, denim is a really safe bet. Dark denim is not only very durable it also hides spills- a great option if we are planning a long day away from home.
4. Know what I want before I shop. I want to be sure I am caught up on laundry (I use that phrase loosely...) and check in the girl's closets before I shop. I want to identify exactly what we need and don't need before I go.
5. Not t-shirts. I rarely buy plain t-shirts second hand. We wear little white t-shirts under spaghetti straps and such, but they are too similar in price with Walmart or Target not to just buy them new. T-shirts need to have special detailing (like applique flowers) to be a consideration for us to buy them second hand.
More clothing below, again from left to right:


Orange Flower Cherokee Top $2.50, Orange ellemeno Walking Shorts $5.50
Green April Cornell Dress $2.50
Blue Cherokee Polka Dot Dress $2.47
Tan Paris Blues Jacket $3.00 (skirt was a hand down)






NOT ALL STORES ARE CREATED EQUAL


GOODWILL
Like I mentioned before, I used to think that I just didn't have any good thrift stores in my area, but that wasn't completely true. I only knew about Goodwill and Salvation Army and really- those are rarely the best stores for selection or price in my experience. You'll do okay buying denim items or jackets there, but that is about it.
The only exception to that is if you find a Goodwill in town down the street from a Target. I often find that Target will donate the items that don't sell at clearance prices. I presume they can make more with the write off than going lower than their clearance price (and then there is the marketing impact of reducing the price too low in the store as well). Of course, that is just my theory.
We've often found Target household items, still in their original packaging, or new matching dresses from Target at Goodwill for a fraction of their original cost. But overall, your shopping trip will be more expensive at Goodwill than finding a large thrift store that is seeking to be competitive with other thrift stores.


HOW TO FIND A STORE


You will want to search THRIFT on line to find something in your area. Do not limit yourself to the tiny stores or Goodwills. You will likely need to shop in a city- downtown. You are looking for the larger stores that offer daily half off specials, where frequent purchases earn gift certificates. I have yet to find a Goodwill that offers these types of promotions.
For real reviews before you try a new location, try Yelp!
For those of you who are interested in second hand, but want more consistent and newer looking results, try finding a Once Upon a Child in your area. My sister in law jokes that it is named that because each item was worn only once upon a child. In my experience, the quality and price are both good. They have maternity items and children's items up to about age 10.
Buying second hand can be a lot of fun! The kids love finding a purse for 94 cents, new shoes for $2.50 or a new dress for $1.97. It's always an adventure.


DEALS ON NEW
If buying items second hand just doesn't seem like your thing, the following avenues have also been helpful to us.
1. Lands End Clearance
2. Laura Ashley dresses at Costco (Spring time- only to size 6X I believe). This link is old, but you can see what the dresses look like.
3. After Easter sales- Target and Burlington Coat Factory

Do you have a favorite place to shop for good deals on modest and feminine clothes at affordable prices? If so, feel free to share!


May you be blessed!

Please Join Us!

YOU CAN MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE TODAY!

Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

~James 1:27

For the past three years our family has been blessed to be a part of the amazing Riverbend Ranch Charity Carnival! It's an fantastic work run by Christian families solely for the benefit of widows and orphans. 100 percent- yes really- 100 percent- of every contribution goes to the selected charity for the year.

All the prizes and costs are covered by local business owners and families that participate (primarily the Kjeldgaard family) so that every dollar spent by participants is donated directly to widows and orphans!

CHECK THIS OUT

This is the organization being benefitted this year:

Drawn from Water an organization that rescues tribal children from being drown if they are born with a birth defect or suspected of being cursed.

Please stop reading this now. Please go to Drawn from Water and watch the short video on their website. Then return here. If you are not completely moved with a desire to help, then please don't feel obligated. But if this moves your heart to act please come on back and find out how you can help!

WHERE ARE WE SAVING OUR MONEY?

This economy is tough. We know of one Christian family that just didn't have the money to donate this year, but decided to buy raffle tickets (where the carnival makes the biggest amount of money) with a portion of their savings. That may sound crazy to some, but they know that the money is safe now where it will not be lost.

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

~Matthew 6:19

We would absolutely love if each one of you could come on out tomorrow and join us. We know for some, that is just not possible. If you can come, it will be a fantastic family day spent with other like minded Christian families. Admission is FREE and games are very low cost for those attending. If you come out, please find us- we will be manning the Craft Booth and we'd love to meet you!

If you cannot come, would you please consider donating? At the end of the raffle page is the option to simply donate.

If you have a blog or FaceBook page, please link over and ask your friends and family to join us.

We can make an eternal difference today!

Richest blessings to you!

__________________

Photo: Our little Lydia with her prize from the Goldfish Toss Booth.

The carnival's history:

In 2007, over $8000 was donated to Acres of Hope, an orphanage and relief organization working in Monrovia, Liberia.

In 2008, over $16,000 was donated to the Davis Family Educational Fund administered by Central Valley Presbyterian Church to help the newly widowed Heather Davis and her children.

2009 witnessed yet another rise as $20,000 was raised on behalf of Agape Children's Ministry of Modesto and Seeds in His Garden Ministry of Monterey. Each organization works with children in Kenya and received $10,000 form Carnival donations

Back in the Swing

Christmas break has ended here. And there is something exciting about getting back in the swing of things.

Even little red heads stop spinning long enough to beg for another reading lesson. This little girl loves to learn.


To be purposeful, weekly charts hang in the girl's room.


I love paper. Writing in assignments and seeing each student's school plan laid out in front of me- it's ideal.

Simple charts were created in Excel and uploaded to Scribd. Even a generic version, in case you wanted one.
Sarah's SCHOOL Chart


Friday has become a great day to follow up on things, making sure we didn't miss anything on our chart.

This past Friday there was an educational movie available for those who had pushed especially hard Monday through Thursday doing extra assignments ahead of time.

That gave me time to pull out my wonderful paper. To write in the assignments in the boxes on each chart and attach school work for the following week. This could become a habit.

Simple.

Having a plan helps us to work in the fun stuff.


The My Body science book (from my good friend Dana- thanks D!) has you trace students on a big roll of paper and then build their body layer by layer, learning as you go. Anyone know what the spleen does? I do now!



Using a free sandwich book report template we were able to write a few highlights about an exciting historical fiction series we are finishing up. Writing and art? Perfect.



And a bit of Christmas money put to use above the mantel. What a precious verse.


Blessings to you!


_________________________
Photos/Resources:

• Michaela being her cute 10 year old self. Gotta love a girl in pearls and Keds!
• Clipboards found at WalMart. Loved the "old fashioned" clip with the newer clear plastic board. Sleek. Black and white gingham ribbon help corral the girl's daily work charts neatly behind their bedroom door.
• Vinyl Scripture found at Vision Forum. Would you believe I've looked at vinyl lettering for three years, but could never find the verse that was "just right?" When I saw this one, I fell in love instantly. You can also buy direct from Fruitful Vine Creations.