Hats for Bobby-Week 15

The Dainty Daisy: "Shell Stitch Beanie"

The only thing I have against this hat is that the top was a little hard to do along with the flower. But other than that it is super adorable.

105 days down, 295 to go!

Hats for Bobby-Week 14

Kaleidoscope Beret


This has got to be one of the easiest hats I have ever made. And it's going on my list of favorites. As a kid I loved kaleidoscopes and I wish I had had a neat multi-colored yarn that would have made it look like one. But purple is good too. :)

98 days down, 302 to go!

Hats for Bobby-Week 13

"The Amy" in Sage and Dark Green

This one was made for a friend of Betty's who wanted one just like Amy and Emily's, only in different colors.

91 days down, 309 to go!

Hats for Bobby-Weeks 11 and 12

"The Amy and the Emily" Matching Hats

Yeah! I'm finally starting to catch up!

These, which I have dubbed the Amy and the Emily after the beautiful ladies I made them for, are weeks 11 and 12. I originally got the pattern off of about.com but it was so bad that I ended up having to change it so much that it basically became my own pattern. Anyway, they love them and I hope they get a lot of use out of them. Amy, by the way, is Bobby's sister-in-law, and Emily is his wonderful little neice.

84 days down, 316 to go!

Hurricane Party

Rain is pouring. The power just came back on (we lost it for 22 minutes). Wind's blowing. There are 12 people in our little house, hunkering down for the storm. They told me not to come in to work today, so I have basically all day with nothing to do. Time to work on some "Bobby" hats, learn to use the camera for my brother's wedding, and watch Rio! (maybe. China Cry is more likely.) Stay safe, everyone. Use this locked up time to have some quality bonding time. We're certainly getting a lot of it here, 3 of us sitting on the same couch, using the same internet modem.

Hats for Bobby-Week 10

Puff Stitch Beret



And we finally come to posting for week 10. When I first started making this hat I wondered who in their right mind ever made up that puff stitch! But, as it went along, it wasn't as hard as it was before. And it's comfortable, cute, and I seem to have a thing with berets.

70 days down, 330 to go!

A Quick Note

It's currently passed midnight. I got home from work around 10:30, talked with my mom and sister until about 11:30 and then threw something in the slow cooker for tomorrow's (technically today's) dinner. The point of this is I'm really busy so that's why I'm 3 weeks behind on posts for Hats for Bobby. And I'm also running out of pattern resources. If you know of any good ones, please leave me a comment. And please be patient as I try to catch up. And continue to pray for Bobby and the 13 wives and 21 children that were left behind after that Chinook crash in Afghanistan.

Hats for Bobby-Week 9

Owl Hat

A little late but better late than never. I had a lot of gray and white yarn so I decided to make an owl hat for my little one-year-old sister. The pattern was obviously designed with a boy in mind, but I changed the color tan to pink to make it a little more girly. She can't wear it until the winter but she loves it. She has a thing about hats.

63 days down, 337 to go!

Hats for Bobby-Week 8

Groovy Crochet-Camelot

This has got to be my favorite hat yet. It's comfortable, not too hot, and is really cute. I did have to add 20 extra stitches in the beginning for it to fit my head. And sorry about the quality of the picture-my sister, who normally takes the pictures, is gone for a month, so this picture, taken at a birthday party, was the best I had.

56 down, 344 to go!

Don't Expect to be Served, Serve

I was coming home from the grocery store earlier today when I came across our elderly neighbor, Bob, trimming the branches on the trees that run along the long lane that we both live on. Usually he has his grandson or my sisters out there to help but today he was all by himself. So I took the groceries in and walked out to help. And I came to realize, while shoving sticks into the back of his truck, that we need to serve, not expect to be served.

Bob is eighty years old, a Southern Baptist of strong Carolina stock. And he's spent his entire life serving others. For his eightieth birthday, his daughter sent out a letter asking for people to do good deeds in her father's name instead of giving him gifts. This touched his heart more than any material thing ever could.

Jesus Himself was a servant and washed His disciples feet as they prepared for the Passover. Jesus is the Lord of all creation, but He humbled himself to one of the nastiest jobs of the time. "For the Son of Man came to serve, not to be served." There are so many things that we can do to serve and all we have to do is open our eyes, and our hearts, to see them.

Hats for Bobby-Week 6

As a tribute to Independence Day, this hat, the "Victorian Pinkie" from week three with an added bow, was made with Sugar n Cream self-striping yarn and modeled (as I have a serious lack of patriotic-colored clothing) by my dear little sister. And she wanted to everything but hold still and smile.

42 days down, 358 to go!
P.S. Thank God for the soldiers who died and are currently fighting to keep your independence. Freedom doesn't come free!

Mercy, Compassion, Forgiveness...You Got It, Why Can't She?

Casey Anthony was just acquitted of murder for her daughter Caylee. Since then there's been a massive breakout of angry people who say she should have been punished. The first question I want to ask is whether or not you actually followed the trial and saw that there was next to know evidence to prove it either way. All the facts contradicted themselves. I read maybe only 4 news stories on the subject, and, from all of them, found that I wouldn't know either way how to charge her. Whichever way it actually was, God knows whether she did it or not.

Second, consider this quote taken from a friend's facebook status:

"Why do people always look for the bad and wanna see the worst in people! If she wasn't guilty then she wasn't guilty! Casey Anthony has a soul just like everyone else yea she messed up and lied, but that doesn't make her a worse person than you or I. We all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."

As Christians, should we be accusing her or forgiving her? Getting mad or showing mercy? Damning her or showing compassion. Jesus could have damned us all. We all sinners. We've all fallen short of the glory of God. But Jesus instead chose to die for our sins and show us forgiveness, compassion, and mercy. He could have called it quits, asked His Father for those 10,000 angels that were standing by and destroyed the whole world and started over. None of us would be here today if He did. We are all recipients of great compassion and great mercy. In return God asks that we love the world as He did. Don't give someone what they deserve. Love them.

Thank God for Independence

On July 4, 1776, a delegation of rebels to the British crown, calling themselves "Americans" and "Patriots", gathered to sign a document that changed the course of American history-the Declaration of Independence. Through this document and the one that followed it, the U.S. Constitution, ensure you and your future generations that you enjoy the freedoms that Britain wouldn't give the colonists. They risked their lives, fortunes, and reputations when they signed the Declaration.

So today as you watch fireworks, eat barbeque, and wave American flags, thank God for the men that risked everything to give you that freedom. And thank God for the men who continue to die to preserve that freedom.

"And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."

Hats for Bobby-Week 5

Toddler Sunhat

I have a terribly adorable one-year-old little sister and my mom loves to put her in hats. I was originally making this hat for my two-year-old sister, but about half way in I knew it would never fit her head. This one was a little easy to make after you figure out how to do a front post double crochet (simpler than it sounds, promise). I did have to add somewhere around five or six extra rounds on the hat to make it long enough (and she has a little head) so maybe I went wrong somewhere. Who knows? The clip was taken from her older sister's collection of hair bows.

35 days down, 365 to go!

Hats for Bobby-Week 4

"May Flowers Hat"

"So proud of my soldier"
Betty and Bobby

This one was a lot more time consuming than the others have been. It probably took me at least two days between making the actual hat, then the flowers and leaves and then sewing it all together. But it was completely worth it in the end seeing as how it had a pattern for a large head. I would highly recommend it for anyone with a lot of time on their hands (which I currently have). End of 28 days for Bobby!

P.S. Please include him, his parents, and all the other soldiers and their families currently deployed in your prayers. They need it, alot!

Hats for Bobby-Honoring an American Soldier

There is a lovely lady I know named Betty. I've known her for years and even adopted her as my grandma (since I don't have any). Betty has three children-two daughters and a son. On May 25, her son, Bobby, shipped out for 400 days of deployment overseas. They originally thought it was only 365 when he shipped out, but then they found out otherwise. Betty said she is working on an afghan for him everyday that she's gone to pass the time (only one afghan, not 400, please don't get confused). So I decided I would do something similiar to support this woman I love so much. For every week that he's gone, I'm crocheting a hat. I did the math and that makes 57 hats. I'm not keeping that many (I don't even know how I'm going to get yarn for that many!) and will probably donate some to The James 2 Project and probably make some and give them to my baby sisters (my mom loves putting hats on them). But either way it turns out, I'm going to try my best to support my "grandma" and her son.

Week 1
"Woods, Elle" Hat

I had recently watched "Legally Blonde" and found that I loved a purple crochet hat that she wore in several scenes. So I looked up a crochet pattern on line, and, sure enough, there was a pattern for (link included in title). Due to the fact that I have a rather large head, I had to alter the pattern slightly to make it fit my head.

Week 2
"Renaissance Rose Cap" (Designed by Melissa Mall)

I've always loved the medival/renaissance period (not the part about the beautiful ladies in their elegant gowns, at least not until later in life; as a child I was always interested in the swashbuckling knights and their adventures) so this one was an instant hit with me and most of my sisters. It's fairly easy to make (unfortunately I don't have the link) and looks great when it's done.

Week 3
"Victorian Pinkie"

Now, this one obviously isn't pink. The yarn was actually leftovers from a hat that I made for a friend for Christmas one year. This one is a little more difficult to master and has vague directions but there are three or four different ways to wear it. And, Bobby is now through 24 days!

Thank God for Homeschooling

This post won't apply to everyone who reads it. But, to a lot of kids like me, it will. Please bear with our bias.

Homeschool is defined in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as "to teach one's children at home." Before there were schools in America, all children were taught at home by their parents. Today, it's a choice parents make for the benefit of their children.

Homeschooling gives a parent the opportunity to teach a child the way they want, not the way the government wants. It gives them a chance to teach their children godliness, the Bible, faith-all things that have been stripped out of the public school systems. It always keeps the children away from the bad influences of other children. And, contrary to popular belief, it makes the chlidren better able to communicate with people of all ages, not just their age group.

It's a gift and one we should be highly grateful for. Eduacation in and of itself is a great gift and to be homeschooled is an even greater one. We can learn the way we want and we can have a greater opportunity to learn about God and to serve him. If you are homeschooled, thank your parents for making the decision to homeschool you and, above all, thank God for allowing you to be homeschooled. Maybe, someday, your name could appear among the greats of homeschooling.

Famous Homeschoolers

•  John Adams                                                
• James Garfield
• Abraham Lincoln
• Franklin Delanor Roosevelt
• George Washington
• Woodrow Wilson
• Henry Clay
• Benjamin Franklin
• Daniel Webster
• Patrick Henry
• Pierre du Pont
• Stonewall Jackson
• George Patton
• Robert E. Lee
• John Jay
• Albert Einstein
• Booker T. Washington
• Claude Mone
• Leonardo da Vinci
• Joan of Arc
• Jonathan Edwards
• D. L. Moody
• Hudson Taylor
• John & Charles Wesley
• Alexander Graham Bell
• Thomas Edison
• Eli Whitney
• Wilbur & Orville Wright
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• Hans Christen Anderson
• Robert Frost
• C. S. Lewis
• Christopher Paolini
• Jennifer Love Hewitt
• LeAnne Rimes
• Jonas Brothers
• Andrew Carnegie
• Clara Barton
• Susan B. Anthony
• Davy Crockett
• Jason Taylor
• ...and many, many more!

Gotta Love Homeschooling

So, as part of their Bible, my sisters were supposed to write a summary of the life of the prophet Daniel, based off of the book of Daniel that I think they had just finished reading. This is two of theirs, ages 11 and 12, non-edited.

Danil in the lion's Den (The 12-year-old's)
Some men wanted to kill David so they made a law with the king's seal that you could not worisp any Gods but the king. So any body who did not worishp the king would be thron in to a dem of lion's. After they caut David praying to God. So the told the king. After that he fasted for a whole night and did not slpeep. Then the next day the king put him in the Deon of lion's and sealed it with his seal. the next day David was alive because god preted him from the loin's. thenthe king toke him out and put the men that made the law into the Den with there wives and children and the lion's at them up.

DAnieL 605-530 BC (the 11-year-old's)
The king made DanieL the leader over everything and these guys got jelius. They made a law where whoevever doesnt worship the king gets throne into a den of lions. Well DanieL worshiped god 3 times a day. Then one day those people saw DanieL and threw him into a den of lions. the King was sad and couldent eat or sleep. The next day the King went to the den and moved the stone that sealed the opening. Then he saw that DanieL dident have a single scrach. He was so happy that he took away the law. and the King threw the Peaple who talked him into making that law into the lions den with there wives and children.

End of Soccer Season

This was actually around three weeks ago, but I thought I'd share my good news. Our soccer team, after coming off a hard year of a completely new team, an unexperienced goalie, and new players alongside seasoned ones, took third place in our league. The story below was written by Mike McColley, our assistant coach.

News Article - Lady Lions defeat Chestertown in Consolation Game - May 6, 2011

Photo by April McColley

The CCA Lady Lions traveled to Fairwinds Christian School in Bear, Delaware on Tuesday, May 3, 2011 to play in the Delaware Valley Christian Athletic Confernce championship consolation game. The Lady Lions lost a tough playoff game the previous day to Salem County Christian School, palying them at their home field at Carney's Point. CCA had very little practice over the past few weeks due to Spring Break. After losing to Salem, the Lady Lions were set to face Chestertown Chrsitian in a game for third place in the league. The Lady Lions were looking forward to the match, as they had a record of 1-1 with the team during regular season play.

The day couldn't have been better for a soccer match; sunny and 80 degrees. CCA had all of their players available for play except one player out for illness and one for an injury. They were looking forward to the match because their loss to Chestertown during the regular season came after being short handed, having several players injured or unable to play. They were now at full force and ready to rumble.

The game started out with both teams playing agressively for control of the ball. The Lady Lions were able to strike first when Sarah Eckels nailed one in on the Chestertown keeper from the right side of the field. Chestertown tried several times to get a shot in on CCA, but the Lady Lions defense was in top form on this day, and were able to keep Chestertown at bay. About midway through the first half, CCA had an inadvertent hand ball in the penalty box, giving Chestertown a one-on-one penalty kick against the Lady Lion keeper. Miri Rose Goldsberry was able to make contact with the shot, but it still got by her an into the goal. The Lady Lions kept their heads up and took control of the ball, keeping it in Chestertown's end of the field for a significant amount of time. Briana Love was able to make a break up the right side of the field and sink one in from outside the 18, putting CCA up 2-1. The half ended with the Lady Lions leading the game.

The Lady Lions discussed how they could improve ball control during halftime, and went back onto the field fired up and ready to make a statement. Shayna Cole had been having a good day at controlling the ball in the middle of the field, and was fiannl able to get through Chestertown's defense and score goal number 3 for CCA. The battle continued with the possesion of the ball changing frequently. Chestertown was able to score a second goal, setting the score at 3-2 in favor of CCA. This really got the Lady Lions fired up, and they went down the field with a vengance. Shayna was able to continue her control of the middle of the field, and the Lady Lions forwards and midfielders were able to make exceptional passes, taking several shots on the Chestertown keeper. Shayna was able to take advantage of a free kick on a Chestertown penalty, laying the ball in behind the keeper to set the score at 4-2 Lady Lions. As the game was nearing the end, Shayna was able to complete the hat trick, scoring her third goal in the second half of the game, putting CCA up 5-2. As the game ended, a Chestertown player had a leg cramp and had to be assisted off the field. Soon after the game resumed, the referees blew the whistle, signaling the end of the match and a win by the Lady Lions. CCA had had their best performance of the year, and it came at the most opportune time. They had beaten Chestertown Christian for a second time during the season, a school that CCA had never beaten in the school's womens soccer history. Paula Beiler, Yessie Martinez, Sarah Eckels, Lillie Bailey and Brooke Marble were key in the forward line for CCA. The midfield was controlled incredibly by Shayna Cole, Briana Love and Lindsey Staniszewski. The Lady Lion defense was anchored by Emily Bosco, Madison Robinson, Bethany McColley and Hannah Slater. Miri Rose Goldsberry was credited with 12 saves during the match. All Lady Lions that played in the game were a key ingredient in the win, as the team was able to keep fresh players in the game. Great job Lady Lions !!!

The team was presented the D.V.C.A.C. third place trophy after the match, and were able to celebrate on the sideline.

The coaching staff would like to congratulate the girls on a successful season in which they improved their skills and team work. The team will not graduate any players this year, and should start next season with a very strong team.

Thank God For Churches

We may not actually even think about it, but when we step through the doors of a church every Sunday morning, possibly Sunday night and Wednesday, we're experiencing a blessing larger than we can comprehend. Because when we just walked through those doors, we weren't arrested, we didn't have any fear of getting arrested or shot at, or killed, or even getting our faith tested. We went in, sat down in a pew, and listened to the sermon in peace.

It is a great blessing to be able to do this. In restricted nations around the world, they don't have the freedom to do this. Most meet in underground churches and hope that the police don't discover the presence of their illegal Christian gathering.

These nations include:

• In the Americas: Cuba, Chiapas (Mexico), and Colombia
• In Europe, yes, Europe (seeing as how one wouldn't of Europe as having religious persecution): Belarus
• In Africa: Mauritania, Nigeria, Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Comoros, Ethiopia, and Somalia
• In Asia: North Korea, China, India, Laos, Burma, Vietnam, Tibet (China), Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh
• In the Middle East: Oman, Yemen, Iran, Iraq, Afganistan, Jordan, and Gaza*

And these are but a few. So when you go to church today or any other day, be sure to remember to thank God for the ability to come and publicly worship.

*Source: persecution.com

What Are Alien Youth?

I heard the term years ago on a Skillet CD my brother loved to listen to. The song, called “Alien Youth”, calls for youth to take over the world for Christ. And, so, I recently got the song stuck in my head again, and then began thinking over the meaning of it.

Jesus had a special heart for the youth. John, the youngest of the disciples, thought to be between the ages of fourteen and sixteen by some, was called “the disciple whom Jesus loved” and was included in his inner circle. Together with Peter and his older brother James, he got to see things none of the other disciples did and was often sent with Peter on important errands such as fetching the colt he rode into Jerusalem and making sure they had a place to celebrate Passover. He saw the Transfiguration and followed Jesus all the way to the cross even when the all the others left Him. John was most likely an energetic, passionate young man (Jesus didn’t call him a “son of thunder” for nothing) and Jesus realized what great potential this teenager had to further the kingdom. And John didn’t let Jesus down. After Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension, John:

·         took Mary, Jesus’ mother, into his home and cared for her (John 19:27)

·         healed a lame man with Peter (Acts 3:6)

·         wrote 5 books of the New Testament (John, 1,2, &3 John, Revelation)

·         endured persecution including dealing with his brother’s beheading, getting boiled in oil, and being exiled to the island of Patmos (after the boiling oil and several other things failed to kill him).

This fisherman-turned-apostle did much for the kingdom of God despite all the odds, Roman emperors, and Jewish leaders stacked against him. In a way, you could say he started the alien youth movement through his devotion to a wandering, penniless preacher and his willingness to drop everything and go at two simple words from his Master-“Follow me”.

After John came John Mark and Timothy, two companions of the Apostle Paul. While not much is said about either of them, both accompanied Paul on missionary journeys. While in prison, Paul wrote to letters specifically to Timothy encouraging him to be an “alien youth” (not his exact words; I can guarantee those two words, at least not together, do not appear in the Bible, no matter what your translation is). Before them all came Mary, Jesus’ mother, believed to be only fourteen at the time of Jesus’ birth. In faith Mary stepped out and agreed to be the Messiah’s mommy, even though it could mean her death. As the story goes, Mary was betrothed to Joseph. By Jewish tradition, that meant they were married but Mary couldn’t enter Joseph’s home and had to remain pure for a year. Then they could have their official marriage ceremony.

This gave Joseph time to build her a home and make things ready for her. It gave Mary time to embroider the swaddling bands that would be wrapped around their hands during the marriage ceremony and later would swaddle their newborn children. The only way the betrothal contract could be broken would be through divorce and only for very severe reasons, such as adultery. If Mary was found to be pregnant, she could be accused of adultery and stoned to death for it. Not an easy thing to deal with. But she went through with it any way, and because she did, Joseph took her for his wife early and Jesus was born safely without his mother being stoned.

In a nutshell, alien youth are young people who give up everything to follow Jesus, down to their very life. He has the say, not them. He calls the shots and they follow them to the letter. They take up their crosses and follow Him daily. They answer the call to help “the least of these”. They pray for more than just their meals and their problems. They’re sold out, radical, Jesus freaks.

Take a look around you and try to count up the number of teenagers you know who fit this description, who could be counted in with the likes of Mary, John, Timothy, and John Mark. You can probably count them all on one hand. But here’s the other thing-can you count yourself as one of them?

If you can’t, there’s a problem and it’s a big one.

Thank God for Mommies

Not everbody has one. But there are some women in people's lives who are take their place (perfect example-our "adopted brother"). Some don't get so lucky. So if you have one, thank God for her. Moms are the ones who care for you from birth and are always there for you to talk. Mom is always softer on you than Dad. Mom loves you, nurtures you, trains you, and, one day, has to let you go.

Mom is a full-time job. She's a nurse, a driver, a teacher, a caregiver, and so much more. It's been estimated that if stay-at-home moms were paid, they'd make over $138,000 a year. So go to your mom, give a big hug, thank her for all her hard work, and thank God for giving her to you.

Happy Mother's Day!

Alien Youth-Introduction

I’ve met a lot of teenagers. And I met them mainly through church. And that’s where the problem comes in for me. You see, I’m confused. People say the word “church” and what do they think? It depends on the person. Some think overly pious snobs who sit in their pews wearing Prada shoes and turning up their noses at the poor and ungodly. Others think of people who constantly shove a Bible in their faces yelling, “You must be saved!” And while being saved is important, it’s not the whole story-it’s the beginning. And this is where my confusion comes in.

Too many people believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as their savior and then just leave it alone. They go to church on Sunday, get convicted, cry, go to the altar and pray, and then lose it when they walk out the door. You would never know that Jesus is supposed to be their King of kings. They act just like everybody else. Especially teenagers.

I know that teenagers face constant peer pressure to be like everybody else because I felt it and I still do. I’ve given into it and sometimes I still do. There’s a certain standard set (not a very high one) for teens that includes loafing your way through high school, graduating with a C average, partying hard on the weekend, spending Friday nights on dates, playing a sport(s), a few chores, not crashing your car, getting a job, and maybe paying for your own gas. Not very much is expected of us. Not very much is asked of us. Not even of Christian teens.

For Christian teens the bar can be raised a bit (but not too much). We are expected to stay away from those parties (or at least the alcohol), keep our purity until marriage (or however much of it we can manage to keep in our wave of compromise), go to church on Sunday, go to Christian youth conventions, volunteer every now in the name of Jesus (or getting those community service hours needed to graduate), and religiously attend youth group on Wednesday nights.

We are raised in Christian homes with Christian parents. Why then does the apple fall so far from the tree? Because our faith is not our own, it’s our parents’. And because we don’t know the real Jesus.

Out of all those teenagers I’ve every met, a handful I would say are genuinely saved, genuinely concerned about heavenly things, though not enough to distract them from conversations about movies, non-Christian music, and (with them being mainly girls though a few boys are included) guys they like, guys they hung out with, and buff, handsome movie stars. In ways, they’re better than normal, worldly teenagers, but they just don’t have it all there.

Out of all my teenager acquaintances, I can, maybe, pull five who I know are sold out for Christ. They still have their faults and their shortcomings, but you can see the Jesus glow. You can hear it when they talk and see it in their smiles. And so, the question that sums up my confusion is, why aren’t there more teenagers like this? Why is five pushing it when I look for teenage friends who really know and love Jesus more than anything? Why can’t I find anymore alien youth?

 I’m asking you to join me in an alien invasion-an invasion of expectations, peer pressure, and the whole dead culture surrounding the teenage “world”. I’m asking you to help me say that I know five, ten, fifteen, twenty, a hundred teens sold out for Christ, living their lives to the fullest of His purposes. Because without Christ, we’re dead and we know it. Let’s storm Planet Earth, take it over, and set up a new kingdom-His kingdom.

Comfort for Caitlyn

A week ago, our church was told that a young girl named Caitlyn who comes when she is able is without a bed or a dresser. Apparently they had been renting them from rent-a-center and they needed the money, so they gave them back. If you know anyone (or you personally) who has an extra bed or dresser that they would be willing to donate, please email me at amanhareth@gmail.com. Thank you!

Be Still

Exodus 14:14-"The Lord will fight for you; you only need to be still."
How many times do we try to fight our own battles? We conjur up all our knowledge, choose what we think is best, and then charge it towards the enemy. Sometimes it works but we don't like the result-we hurt someone, lose a friend. But did you ever think of letting the Lord fight for you.
You may say, "Oh, no thanks, God, I've got it." But what would have happened if the Israelites, there at Pi Hahiroth, with the whole of the Red Sea stretched in front of them and the Egyptians behind them, had decided to do what they thought was best? They would have gone back to Egypt, back to their slavery, to their discontent and hard lives. Where would King David be then? Or Solomon? Or Joshua? Or Elijah? Or Ruth? Or Deborah? Or Josiah? Or Job? Or Isaiah? Or Esther? They would all be back in Egypt, hands covered in mud and straw, crying "Deliver us, Oh Lord!"
Maybe, when God's anger with his people had subsided, he would have raised up another to lead them to the Promised Land. But by then, how many great generations would have been missed? Would their be the King after God's own heart? Or his wise son who counseled the world? Or the Queen who dared to defy the protocol to save her people? Who can say but God?
So when tough times come your way and you find yourself gearing up for the fight, put down your sword, take off your helmet, and bow down and be still before the Lord. And He will give you a victory that will stagger you imagination.

Karissa is Improving

This past weekend, Karissa was playing Uno and put down the right card 90% of the time. Please continue to pray for her recovery!

Thank God For Your Bible

There's one on your coffee table, one or two in your bedroom, one in the office, two or three on your bookshelf, and several more in the other bedrooms around your house, most likely several different translations, all to your family's tastes. But in persecuted countries, Christians pray daily for long hours to receive a Bible, and sometimes, they never do. Ministries like Bibles Unbound are working to send Bible to these countries but it isn't always easy and the houses are often raided and their precious books taken away and burned. Thank God for your Bible(s) and for the fact that you can go out to just about any place that sells books and pick up a new one if you need too.

This story is from Voice of the Martyrs and gives a story of a woman and her Bible in persecuted China.

China: Mrs. Lu Ying

     "Take her furniture, and search the house for Bibles!" said the commanding guard.

     Tears filled Mrs. Lu Ying's eyes as she watched four Communist guards ransack her home.

     "I found it!" yelled the guard. But just as the guard held out the Bible to give it to his commanding officer, Mrs. Lu Ying bravely grabbed it back from him. 

     "This book contains all I need to know about my dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and I do not want to part with it," she said passionately while holding the Bible close to her chest.

     "Take her outside," yelled the commander. "We'll see how long she wants to hold onto her book about Jesus."

     The four Communist guards took Mrs. Ling into the street, mocked her, spat on her, and beat her until she could no longer stand. "Do you still believe in your myths?" laughed the guards.

     Through a swollen, bleeding mouth, still holding her Bible, Lu Ying repeated her statement of faith.

     The guards grabbed an iron bar and smashed the bones in her hands causing her now crippled hands to lose their grip. The Bible fell into the street and was confiscated.

     Nearly twenty years later, a mission courier delivered Mrs. Ling a Bible. Her eyes filled with tears. She clutched it with her deformed hands and whispered, "This time I'm not letting go."

Final Notes on The Warm Hugs Project

The Warm Hugs Project has a failure status for this year due to lack of interest, not enough pre-planning, and not enough advertising. Not a single blanket was collected. And while I hate to have to report on a failure, especially a failure of this magnitude, I still want to praise God for putting me through this experience. It showed me a lot of weaknesses that I have in some areas that I need to improve and I can definately grow from this. But, please keep watch and plan for The Warm Hugs Project 2012!

Thank God For Dirty Dishes



This 2-year-old girl, Nichole, is an orphan at El Hogar De Ninos in
Santa Barbara, Honduras. She was so malnourished when she
came to the Hogar that all her teeth had fallen out.
Photo by Brianna Hoffecker



A preacher I knew as a little girl had a saying-"Thank God for dirty dishes." And, as a little girl, I hated washing the dishes. There was 11 of us in one house, and the dishes were constantly in abundance. Now, there are 9 people in the house and the dishes are just as many. But we should thank God for our dirty dishes. It means we had something to eat three times today-something 925 million people in 2010 didn't have. While world hunger may not be something we come into contact with every day, it's very much a problem throughout the world. Poverty causes many to go without. Fifteen million children die every year from hunger. A little closer to home, in the U.S., one out of eight children under the age of twelve go to bed hungry every night. Every 3.6 seconds, one person dies of hunger. This statistics aren't to guilt trip you into thinking you eat too much or anything like that, but simply to show you how God has blessed you. You get three square meals a day and sometimes you go out to dinner for a more expensive meal. The very fact that you can afford this is a sign of God's blessings upon your life.



So thank God for the dirty dishes you have to wash today, tomorrow, and the rest of your life, whether it be one or two or a few hundred. And thank Him for the food that was on those dishes.

Thank God For Dirty Dishes
Author Unknown

Thank God for dirty dishes;
They have a tale to tell.

While others may go hungry,

We're eating very well.

With home, health, and happiness,

I shouldn't want to fuss;

By the stack of evidence,

God's been very good to us.

To find out how you can help reduce world hunger, visit Food For The Hungry at http://www.fh.org/. 







Inspiration from Isaiah

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

When you pass through the rivers,

they will not sweep over you.

When you walk through the fire,

you will not be burned;

the flames will not set you ablaze.

For I am the LORD, your God,

the Holy One of Israel,

your Savior."

          Isaiah 43:1-3 

  Photography by Emma Pearson and David Dill.

St. Valentine: The Man Behind the Chocolates

February 14 has become a day of love around the world. We hand out little cards, chocolates, various candies, and hope to receive some roses from that oh-so-special someone. But St. Valentine's Day started with a courageous act by a Christian martyer. (Didn't see that one coming, did ya?)

In the third century, A.D., there was a priest named Valentine who served in Rome. At this time, Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than married men and so outlawed marriage for all young men. Valentine, instead of following the unjust decree, married young lovers in secret. When he was discovered, he was thrown into jail. It is said that then was when the first "Valentine" was sent by Valentine himself. Lengend has it that he fell in love with a young woman (possibly the jailer's daughter) who visited him during his imprisonment. Just before his death, he wrote her a letter which he signed, "From your Valentine."

Although these stories may or may not be true, St. Valentine paints a picture of a heroic, courageous, sympathetic and (a collective sigh from the ladies) romantic man. And he, this martyer of the faith, is the reason you'll get those chocolates.

Happy Valentines Day!

Voices of the Innocent

The day for this coming up soon. I'm going to do it and you should too! Voices of the Innocent is a pro-life project started by two teenage girls. The basic thing of it is that on February 14, 2011, people write out letters to their local newspaper and stick them in the mail. Their hope is that if enough people all send these letters at the same time, it will make an impact for life around the country. You can read more about it at http://www.voicesoftheinnocent.blogspot.com/.

~Miri

Update on Karissa

Karissa is now awake! I don't know how long she's been awake, but she's been sitting up and gaining more control of her body. Read more about it on the new blog post on http://www.purpleforkarissa.com/. And remember to keep praying for her!

Thank God For Clean Drinking Water

There are so many things that we, as Americans, take for granted. America is home to the richest people in the world, even if we don't feel like it sometimes and even in the face of finicial difficulties. Through this, my "Thank God" series, I want to cover the different things we take for granted and remind us to thank God for them.




Pictures taken from dollarforadrink.org.



You're thirsty. So, you walk to the cabinet, pull out a cup, and get a glass of cold water from the refridgerator or sink. You don't think about it, but you've just accessed something that some 660 million people don't have-clean drinking water. Around the world, women walk an average of 3.7 miles a day to collect water every single day. One child dies approximately every 18 seconds from a water related disease. There is something you can do to help though. A teenage boy named Joshua Guthrie started a program called Dollar For A Drink where you can donate money to help build wells in Africa. Also, remember when you drink your clean water to thank God for it-it's one of the many blessings He's given Americans.

A Celebration of Hope for Karissa Yoder

On February 19, a fundraiser is being help to help Karissa's parents, Kevin and Carla, with the medical expenses having to do with Karissa's accident. It's being held at Greenwood Mennonite School (12802  Mennonite School Rd, Greenwood, DE) and will begin at 6:30. The admission is free and there will be a bake sale, coffee bar with the proceeds going to the family. At 7:00 an evening of praise and worship will begin featuring local praise teams and the Teen Challenge praise team. For more info contact Elvita Yoder at 302-629-4084 or curelyoder@hotmail.com.

Blog Transfer

So when I originally set out to start a blog, I thought it would be just a few random scribblings of a young girl. But then it turned into something much more important. The reason why all these blog posts are from just one day is because they're being transfered from another blog, titled "Much Ado About Nothing". My blog is now definately more than just nothing!

~Miri

Changes to Warm Hugs

Since Warm Hugs was created almost a month ago, some changes have been made. First off it is now called "The Warm Hugs Project" instead of just "Warm Hugs."

Second is a change to the donations received. Blankets now can just be new or gently used blankets, gotten from any place you like. Whether you go out to the store and find one or just donate a gently used blanket that just's sitting around your house taking up space, all will be accepted. The change comes from the fact that not too many people seemed interested in making a blanket, and I don't blame them. It's a lot of hard work. Blankets are a big thing that take a lot materials and a lot of time.

Donations will be accepted from now until February 19. So if you are interested in donating a blanket, please email me at avonlea.elena@gmail.com for the shipping address.

~Miri

Purple For Karissa

On November 7, 2010, 18-year-old Karissa Yoder was in a serious two car accident along with her friend and her roommate in Rosedale, Ohio. She was taken by helicopter to OSU Medical Center. From the accident, Karissa had a severe skull fracture and an area on her left temple that was idented and pressing on her brain. They had to do an emergency surgery. Her family, located in Delaware, then took the long road trip out to Ohio to be with their sister and daughter. Despite the fact that Karissa has yet to wake up from her coma, God has used this accident to strengthen the faith of her family. As of January 26, 2011, Karissa has been successfully moved to Bryn Mawer Rehab hospital. To follow Karissa's progress or buy a bracelet in support of Karissa and her family, click here.
Please pray for Karissa!

~Miri

Warm Hugs Intro

Okay, so, here's the deal. Warm Hugs is a project of my own design, inspired by the books by Alex and Brett Harris. I've been thinking lately that it would have been easier to simply ask for blankets, but God normally doesn't do easier. I'm asking for people to commit to a month-long project of making a blanket that would then be sent to me for distribution. These blankets would go to homeless shelters (The Shepherd Place, ect) that have blankets on their wish list.
According to a 1996 NSHAPC survey,

Family status

• 61% Single men
• 15% Single women
• 12.2% Women with children
• 4.6% Other women
• 5.3% Other men
• 2.3% Men with children

Racial demographics of head of household

• 41% White, non-Hispanic
• 40% Black, non-Hispanic
• 11% Hispanic
• 8% Native American
• 1% Other

Length of current homeless period

• 5% Less than one week
• 8% Greater than one week, less than one month
• 15% One to three months
• 11% Four to six months
• 15% Seven to twelve months
• 16% Thirteen to twenty four months
• 10% Twenty-five to sixty months
• 20% Five or more years

Lifetime self-reported alcohol, drug and mental health problems

• 62% Alcohol
• 58% Drugs
• 57% Mental health
• 27% Mental health and alcohol or drug (dual diagnosed)

It is also said that 3.5 million people can be homeless, whether for a short or extended period of time, in a year. Causes behind this could be things like mental illnesses, disabilities, substance abuse, fleeing from domestic violence, institutional release, natural disasters, or unexpected emergencies such as being laid off from work or a house fire.

The goal for the project is fifty blankets. So far I can count on one, maybe two. E-mail me if you have any questions or anything that needs to be said. avonlea.elena@gmail.com

God bless!
~Miri