Journals (written by Katrina)

Journals are very important. In them we write about all our hopes, dreams, discouragement’s, failures and God working in our lives. Also, we can read them to our children and they will believe it because they know it actually happened and know that it is true. I would like to have a journal to tell of all my adventures and read it to my kids just like my Dad and Mom do to me.
Posted by:Katrina
photo credit

Who do you belong to? (by Rebecca)

There is tremendous peer pressure on young girls today. The age at which peer pressure is experienced seems to be happening earlier. It is not uncommon for young girls to have a growing resentment toward their parents if the parents continually ask their daughter to be different from their peers. This resentment manifests itself in girls who aren't permitted to enjoy, without restriction, friends and peer approval. If a young girl is different from her peers, but does not understand why, she will get confused about fitting in when she is surrounded by her peer group. This is usually when and where the real battle starts (Prov.8:1-5), a battle in our heart to see who we really do belong to. John 5:44 says, "How can you believe, when you recieve glory (honor) from one another, and you do not seek the glory (honor) that is from the one and only God?"

Discontentment is the real reason a girl might be feeling restricted. The battle that goes on in our hearts will not happen if we know who we belong to, and why, and we are convinced of both in our hearts. When a girl decides who she is going to give her heart to, she is changing her relationship with her father, either "for better or for worse". "For better or for worse"- this sounds like marriage, and it is, preparing us for our relationship with our husband some day if we marry. If she decides to follow her peer group will she be able to look her father in the eye and see the disappointment? When young girls choose the peer group she is throwing away the love, protection, and leading of her father to follow a life that is hollow and empty.

What kind of women is our future husband going to be waiting for? A true maiden of honor. So why do we want to be like those who's words and actions do not please God? The young men who are giving attention to them are only being led by their visual and temperal desires, having no wisdom, depth, or standard. Jesus knows everything that we think. He knows when we have been coveting things that are not meant for us, or for any daughter of God.

Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are God's workmanship (masterpiece, work of art) created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Then it is our duty to show our peers, and others, what it means to be a woman of God and a daughter of our father. We can do this by obeying our parents and by the way we present ourselves to others. As girls reject the ways of the world God will help them to live a life that is above reproach (see 1Timothy 2:9-10).

Posted by: Rebecca

photo credit:allposters.com

A Good Romance Book for Girls (by Jessica)

Before You Meet Prince Charming is a book that every girl should read. It talks about the dangers of dating, using our "waiting" years for the Lord and to grow in the Lord. It talks about keeping ourselves pure, a concept that is foreign to our culture today. It made me see the importance of purity, not just physical purity, but keeping our thoughts pure as well. Here is an analogy of keeping ourselves physically pure: you spent the whole morning making a cake for a birthday party, you frosted it, decorated it, and it looked perfect. Later someone came into the kitchen saw the cake and took a small piece. Your cake was now ruined. You could put another piece in the gap and from a distance it would look fine, but it would not be perfect, it would always have a scar. It is the same way with us. Even if we just give away a little tiny piece our rose(body) it will always have a little tear, ruining it's beauty forever.

Keeping our thoughts pure is important. It is also very hard to do. Take for example romance novels. Romance novels are traps, covered in flowers, waiting for someone to pick them up and get sucked into their world of fantasy, romance and happily ever after. Many girls fall into that trap and spend their days dreaming about romance stories that, for the most part, aren't true. Many romance novels also give the wrong impression of "prince charmings". In real life not too many princes come riding in on a white horse with shinning armor to sweep you off your feet. Movies are also very dangerous. So many girls are looking to the movies to be their guide about what is a man. So many married women are asking, "Why isn't my husband like that, why doesn't he act like the guy in the movies?" What they don't realize is that the perfect man doesn't exist. We should not invest our time watching something that is going to make us discontent and unhappy with the real world.

Another thing talked about is, desire the very best. Don't lower your standards just because you think there is no one to meet them. Our culture has the tendency to "lower the bar". But don't take the one dollar now when you could have ten thousand dollars later. It is very hard to wait. But waiting produces patience, and patience produces character, and character leads to godliness. We often have to wait because God has something better for us and we need to use our "waiting" time wisely so that when "prince charming" comes, we are ready.

Posted by: Jessica

Before You Meet Prince Charming is available here

Sisters, love your brothers and help them be men

(ad by dockers)
Written By: Jessica

Our culture is running out of men. Men who will lay down their lives for their families, men who will stand up for what is right and men who are willing to die for their faith. As sisters, we need to be encourging our brothers to be men. We need to not only encourage our brothers and build them up but we need to love them. That is sometimes a hard thing for us as sisters to do. As sisters, we shouldn't tolerate our brothers because we have to, but we should love them because we want to. Brothers are a gift from God. Our brothers have been put in our families for a reason and God has given us our brothers for a reason. If we wouldn't throw away a present that our best friend made for us then why throw away a present that is from God. As sisters we should be as concerned for our brothers and their well being as Mariam was for Moses in Exodus 2:1-10. She was willing to risk her life for her brother, are we willing to do the same?

How do we act toward our brothers? Do we continually put them down and discourage every idea that they have? How we treat our brothers now is how we will treat our husbands someday. Also, the example that we ourselves give to our brothers is what they will someday look for in a wife. Do we want our brothers to have wives who are continually putting them down, criticising them and simply making life miserable for them? We should start setting a good example of what a godly woman is now when we are young because it does not get easier as we get older.

We need to encourage our brothers and let them "be the man". If our brothers want to help us or serve us in some way we should be thankful for that and we should let them know that we appreciate what they did for us. When our brothers do things for us they are practicing being men. As girls we tend to resent "brother" help, thinking that we have to prove that we are as good or better than them. We should be glad for the time that we have with our brothers because it will not last forever. We only have one life to live and at the end of our lives do we want regrets or do we want to be glad that we used our time wisely?

Posted by: a big sister

Christmas 2009 Newsletter (written by Jessica)

To all our family and friends: Greetings.

In January we started meeting together as a family once a week to pray for people in our church and community. In March we started inviting other families to join us. We meet for supper at six and prayer meeting at seven on Wednesday nights. Also, January was mom's birthday.

In February we packed up the camper and went to the warm, sunny, state of Georgia. We spent 3 days there at a family conference where we made many new friends and learned so much. On the way back we stopped at the Creation Museum near Cincinnati, Ohio , a very worthwhile stop. We also got started on sewing. Grace and Katrina have made several doll dresses (with Mom’s help) while Rebecca and I made skirts.

March- Rebecca and I helped out with meals more since mom had morning sickness. We have learned a lot about making meals and planning ahead. Dad started preaching once a month at church. We also took a trip to SD to attend the funeral of a close friend, Grandma Martha.

In April Joseph, Amos and Micah had their birthdays. The twins turned 3 and Joe turned 10.

May - Rebecca had the opportunity to take flute lessons once a week for most of the summer. Starting in May we fed bottle calves every day twice a day for 4 months.

In June our friend Elena came for a 3-week visit, which was very fun. Rebecca, Elena and I played music several times for church, rode horse and stayed up late talking. Elena became an expert at feeding bottle calves.

July was hot, but bearable, because we often went swimming in the neighbor’s pool. For the 4th we had some friends over and shot fireworks. Grandpa and Grandma came for a visit in July bringing with them a very nice 4-wheeler. The 4-wheeler is everyone’s, but Joseph is the one who takes care of it and uses it the most. His sisters are sticking to horses for the time being, although a 4-wheeler is much easier to catch.

In August we took a trip to Paradise Valley to visit our good friends, the Riglers. We had a great time. While we were there we took a short trip through Yellowstone. We didn’t see Old Faithful because of road construction but we stopped and saw the waterfall, which was very beautiful. The scenery was also very beautiful.

In September was Dad’s birthday, which wouldn’t be complete without a chocolate cake with banana filling and peanut butter frosting.

October was spent being sick. We all got colds and the flu. That month was also spent getting ready for Daniel’s birth. We baked lots of hotdishes, banana bread, muffins and buns and put all of it in the freezer. It was nice not having to worry about what we were going to have for supper and breakfast after Daniel was born.

November - Daniel was born on the 12th weighing 11 ½ pounds. He is very chubby and is very loved by his brothers and sisters. The Grandparents came around Thanksgiving time. Grandma Polly brought her famous Graham Cracker Pie and we made a big Thanksgiving meal. Rebecca and Grace's birthdays were also during November.

In December, we have been making lots of Christmas cookies and other goodies. Last Sunday was the Christmas program at church. Joseph played his harmonica, Rebecca played the flute and Katrina, Grace and I played the piano. Also, Katrina and I had our birthdays.

We are very thankful to God for all that he has done for our family this year. A special thank you to all who pray for us.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

The Vander Vorsts

Family Picture

The Birth of Daniel- A Father's View (for men)

We did plan on having our baby at home, just not by ourselves, but that is how it worked out. And, by God's grace, it worked out to be a good thing, for several reasons. First, it made me recognize how much I trust in man, including myself, without even realizing it. The midwife was involved in another labor and we were behind the time curve on this labor because it went so fast. Suddenly all of my 'props' were removed. When I realized I would have to deliver Daniel it caused me to pray a lot and depend upon God entirely. I know my response would have been quite different had a doctor or midwife been there. So who am I really trusting in? This is subtle and yet robs God of much glory. My hope must be in God, completely.

Another thing I learned is that there is great value in a man realizing his own weakness and God's exceeding power, in all things, but especially in his most important role, that as father and husband. My only strength is truly in my utter weakness and dependance upon Him. There is no greater application of this truth to my life than in my home. When I realized that this baby was going to be born and that I was going to deliver, I was anxious. A friend complimented me on delivering Daniel but I must say, "Be impressed by what God did, He really was working with quite a helpless attendant." As men we have reason to live in a state of utter humility and dependance upon God- God has greatly honored us by making us the head of our homes. God longs for men to come to Him as fathers and hubands in humility and dependance as we serve our families. God has not abandoned us as fathers and husbands. His power is great toward us but I am afraid that many of us men have forgotten God. We try to be strong in our own power rather than His, and it doesn't work very well.

Third, what better hands to catch a baby than the hands of the father? A father's hands are probably the strongest in the home, and yet gentle enough for the occassion. Personally, I would encourage midwives and doctors to do this when possible. It is a powerful way of "turning the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers" (Malachi 4:6-7). An elderly friend told me when his children were born the doctor chased him out of the room and down the hall. Dad couldn't get too involved or too near until it was time to pay the bill. My heart and their heart (kids) is going to turn somewhere. The less I have to do with my kids the more my heart turns elsewhere and the more their heart turns elsewhere. It is a fact of life. It reminds me of the Christmas tree Joseph brought in today. It isn't the prettiest tree we have had but it may be the best because of what it means. He went out and found it himself, cut it and hauled it home and it was twice his size. He worked hard. Our hearts are connected to that Christmas tree more than the grandest tree because we know Joseph invested hands-on sweat equity to bring it home. God has designed the family to operate with the input of a father, and no amount of toys, money, or fringe benefits can replace a godly father. There can be no substitutes!

A special thanks to all who have been praying for us. Thank you very much.

Posted by: Dad

New Family Member!!!!

DANIEL TODD VANDER VORST

Born: Nov. 12 at 5:30pm

11 1/2 lbs

Mom and baby are doing great.

We are praising God for our new little (or not so little) blessing.

Be of a good cheer (by Joseph)

Do you spread cheer or discouragement? A boy went to visit his friend Gabe. Gabe was having trouble with his math and said that he was dumb but his friend said "you are not dumb. You are just having trouble with your math. You can still be an engineer." That encouraged him. But if he said to Gabe "you're dumb" that would not make him feel good. So do not put people down. Speak kindly to people, it can make a big difference. If they are doing wrong it is important to speak to them with love in a nice voice why you think they are wrong. With genuine love in our hearts for the other person, we can speak the truth and be of good cheer. PHILIPPIANS 4:4-5

A Clear Conscience and Good Relationships (by Katrina)

In reading Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends-
most people desire to have good relationships, but a clear conscience is necessary to have good relationships. Our conscience can be clear, it can be guilty, or it can be dead. A dead conscience is guilty but denies the guilt and says everything is OK; it happens when we disobey so much that it no longer bothers us. A guilty conscience is guilty but does not want to confess what it has done because it is afraid of getting in trouble; it gets more and more guilty because it does not confess. A clear conscience is where it does something bad but it is bothered by it so it confesses. Psalm 32:1-5

Confessing our mistakes makes for good relationships because it builds trust in the other person and makes us want to do better next time. It makes us responsible. Six important words are "I AM SORRY" and "WILL YOU FORGIVE ME", but they must come from the heart and not just our lips. A dead conscience ruins relationships and a guilty conscience avoids relationships, but a good conscience builds relationships. 2 Timothy 1:3

Traditions of Man or the Word of God (by Jessica)

Statistics indicate (see previous blog about young people leaving the church) that christian education in evangelical churches is failing. Children who attend Sunday school are more likely to leave the church than those who don't. The number of youth pastors has increased dramatically over the past 30 years but the number of young people continuing in their faith through college is plummeting.


Ken Ham (in his book Already Gone) suggests that even though the research data suggests that the church may be better off by eliminating these programs, that would be too radical. He wants to be "solution" oriented, to focus on the positive rather than be negative. Mr. Ham suggests a makeover of cirriculum and teachers as a starting point. Cirriculum needs to be more apologetic, focusing on specific answers to specific questions and issues common in our culture. Teachers need a new passion and sense of awe in representing God before students.


Mr. Ham's solutions to revitalize a christian education (CE) program that appears to have an 80% failure rate are not new and the problems he is trying to solve are not new. What is new is the accelerating rate of failure and the statistical research to prove it. How long will our churches continue to pursue what is failing, and failing quickly? We need to seek a biblical answer rather than one steeped in man's wisdom. The church's response in times of decline has often been pragmatism, that is, to become more relevant, creative, entertaining, and stimulating in the eyes of man, which has meant a step back from God.

In his final chapter, "Welcome to the Revolution", Mr. Ham suggests that to change the trend we need reform in four areas- parents, christian educators(defined as Sunday school and elementary Christian school teachers), youth pastors, and pastors. Mr. Ham starts with parents and says this, "If our survey should teach you anything, it's that you can no longer depend on the Sunday school and youth ministries in your church to educate your kids in the things of God. In all honesty, this was never their responsibility in the first place. This is your job; this is your responsibility; you need to step up to the plate and take charge." To each of the other three groups targeted for reform, Mr. Ham offers soul searching action points, and yet these challenges are not new, but rather, are good reminders. A refreshing challenge to youth pastors was to "equip the parents"; and don't just say that but actually make it a priority.

One is left, again, with a certain disconnection between church and reality. Statistics shout that Sunday school isn't working and yet man says "let's be positive, it just needs reform". Mr. Ham tells parents they cannot depend upon and look to the church to teach their kids the things of God but his solution amounts to updating the potency of the drugs that parents are so addicted to (ie Sunday school, youth groups, children's church, VBS, etc) for teaching their children about God. If we continue 'as is' we indeed become irrelevant and even hypocritical because we know it isn't working but continue to go through the motions because we honor the traditions of men more than the word of God. Jesus Christ, the head of the church, is bringing about encouraging change.

Looking at the bigger picture (by Katrina)

In reading Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends, I have been learning how the big picture helps me get along with my family. The big picture is loving my brothers and sister so that there will be generations of godly families that love God and each other. But I must start loving my brothers and sisters now if I want to have generations of godly families. I don't know what the future holds but if I have strong, loving relationships with my brothers and sisters, when something bad happens they will be my closest friends and a source of strength . If my sister takes one of my toys and I want that toy now and I grab it, I am just looking at the little picture and thinking about me. I could ask for the toy nicely and not grab it. It helps me to look at the bigger picture while I am living with my brothers and sisters.

Psalm 145: 4 One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts. (NKJV) Posted by- Katrina

Contentment (by Rebecca)

I read a story that dealt with contentment in a book called Raising Maidens of Virtue. Contentment is a big problem today. The opposite of being content is coveting. Coveting means desiring something too much. And too much is measured by how that desiring compares to desiring God. If desiring leads you away from God rather then closer to God, it is covetousness. If you put your desires over God it is idolatry. Idolatry is sin.

Only God can give us true contentment. There are many places in the Bible where there are stories of people, such as Paul, being content with their situation. Consider the Israelites, who were thankful to God that He led them out of captivity, but when they got to thinking about the food they left behind in Egypt, they started to become discontent. We do the same thing. We are given a gift; perhaps from God or from a person but we focus on the gift and forget the giver.

So how do we stay content? Instead of trying to persuade ourselves to be happy in our circumstances (to be needed, to be beautiful, to be noticed, to be important etc.) we need to believe and trust God's goodness for our lives in what He has already given to us and promised to us. Philippians 4:11-13 Paul talks about learning to be content in whatever situation he is in. Storing God's word in our hearts can help with staying content. Psalms 119:11 says "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you".

Another way we can be content is to be mindful of who we look up to. We can pick out peers whose lives show that God is their greatest treasure and "keep our eyes on them". It is a way to fight covetousness. Philippains 3:17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.

Be a Man (by Joseph)

There was a boy at the dentist office. He did not want to be there and did not want any pain so he was being whiney. He did not listen to the dentist and the dentist said, "Be a man." The boy said, "I do not want to be a man." The dentist could not believe that, because God made boys to become men.

TV commercials and movies often make fun of manhood. Manhood is not easy but you can do it. An example is the boy was being whiney and did not sit up at the dentist office. Manhood is like that. When your day is not going well, instead of whining, one should sit up, but it may not be easy. Boys used to be taught that it was their job to provide the money, but even that has been changing. Fewer young men are ready or able to provide the money to support their families.

But the most important thing as a dad is not your job, it is what takes place in your home, taking care of problems and spending time with your family. Providing the money is important,but loving God's word, reading the Bible to your family, and loving your family is more important. This is what it means to be a man. This will help us prepare to become young men.

(Taken from Boyhood and Beyond)

The Fence Dwellers (by Rebecca)

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2 [NKJV]

Once there was a Gardener who planted a beautiful garden with almost every kind of flower and bush. Next to the flower was a rock pit that was gray and ugly. The flowers that were next to the pit started to turn their heads to the rocks and imagine what it would be like to be strong and smooth. The rocks didn't produce any seed but the flowers didn't care. As the flowers continued to look upon the rocks they began to covet the strength and size of the rocks. The flowers started to despise themselves and these flowers became known as the Fence Dwellers. The fence dwellers started to rip off their beautiful petals and they even went as far as to put clay on themselves and crouch down wanting ever so much to be like the rocks. Wanting to be something they were not created for. The fence dweller's stories soon spread to the younger flowers and the young flowers began to do the same things as the fence dwellers only they only tore a few of their petals and covered themselves only half way with clay. The fence dweller's stories spread to the rest of the flowers and soon afterward the whole garden was covered in clay. The Gardener sadly walked through his once beautiful garden and said to the garden, "Why did you do this to yourselves? Don't you know that I created you for a purpose ? Why have you rejected me?" The fence dwellers didn't hear him. The clay had suffocated them and they died without producing any seed.
Then it started to rain and the rain washed the flowers clean and from that day on they were happy to be what they were created to be.
This story is taken from the book called Raising Maidens of Virtue written by Stacy McDonald.
The rocks in this story represent men, the flowers women, and the Gardener is God.

The flowers lost their purpose. They wanted to be like the rocks but they weren't made to be rocks. Who were women created for? 1 Corinthians 11:8-9 For man is not from woman, but woman from man. Nor was man created for the women, but woman for man. [NKJV]

What effect did the fence dwellers stories have on the other flowers and why?
It is similar to girls that might be dressed immodestly having an influence on the young Christain lady. The fence dwellers stories seemed so bold and confident and powerful that the younger flowers started to remove their petals, wanting to be like them, yet knowing that this was not natural. Sometimes we listen to music and wear clothing that probably isn't the most modest or appropriate but we compare ourselves to the world's standard rather then scripture. Romans 12:1

The fence dwellers died without seed...
Only a woman can carry in her body the miracle of life. Only a woman can conceive and nurture this life with her own flesh and blood. Only in a woman's body can take place the uniting of mortal flesh and a living, eternal soul. This is a genuine gift, given by God, that can take place only in a woman's body and it will never be changed by lawmakers or scientist.

Today many woman are choosing not to create life. The more educated we become the less children we seem to have. We opt for career rather than life and raising children. Birth rates in the most developed nations fall short of population replacement rates, alarmingly so.

I am not supposed to dress modestly just because my parents say to and because it looks nice. These are important reasons. But I have learned that most of all I am to dress modestly because it pleases my heavenly Father. When I choose what to wear I should be thinking of others, would I cause someone [male or female] to stumble because of how I dress? Would I rather please God or man?

This story has helped me to think rightly, to stand against a culture that so strongly influences young girls to conform to a standard that leads to destruction. As girls, we can dress immodestly and not even think about the reason for doing it. I am really thankful that I have been taught how and why to dress modestly. I am sorry to see that many other girls don't know this. What is a young girl to do or how should we then live? We can live by example in how we dress and act, living to a higher standard which pleases our heavenly Father. We can speak the truth in love when opportunity is given but we must be ready to do it. And we can pray.
Posted by:
Rebecca

Admit It! (by Joseph)

I am reading a book called Boyhood & Beyond by Bob Shultz. In the chapter called Admit It, there was a man driving his friends home and his friends were dodging things. Something flew by him and he turned the steering wheel and hit another pickup. His friends wanted him to keep going; not to tell the man sorry. But he told the man sorry and the man that was taking his friend's home paid for the damage on the other man's pickup. After a few months he got it paid and they were good friends.

Another example the book gave was there was a man working by a bathtub. He dropped an air gun and it shot a nail through the bathtub. He thought that nobody would notice but then he knew that somebody would find out about it. He told his manager about it, that he was sorry. The man that was nailing was happy because the bathtub had not passed it warrenty. He learned that when you tell somebody that you did something wrong right away, that God will bless you for that.

What I learned was that when you do something wrong, if you do not tell somebody and somebody finds out, you will be in worse trouble. When you do something wrong and you have the first chance to tell, do it because it will just get worse if you don't tell.

Written by Joseph

Young People Leaving the Church (by Jessica)

When people think about the younger generation leaving the church they think about the college kids. They are the ones physically leaving the church. But when do their hearts start to leave the church? When do they start to doubt the Bible and what is being taught to them? Well, 39.8% first start doubting in middle school, 43.7% start doubting in high school and 10.6% start having doubts in college. What percent of kids go to church? It starts at 95% going to church regularly during elementary and middle school, 55% going regularly during high school and 11% going regularly during college. The most kids leave church mentally during middle school and high school. (Surveys are of Evangelicals in America)
If you look at the church in England you will see very little. Most of their churches are either dead or dying. The churches that are empty are not honored as being a church. They are being turned into: bars, restaurants, strip clubs, museums etc. England used to be a Christan nation but now that has declined. The same thing is happening to America. The church is dying. The college kids aren't coming back to church. There is the exception, of course, but for the most part they are not coming back. Some of the top 10 reasons for leaving the church are: 12% Boring service, 12% Legalism,11% Hypocrisy of leaders, 10% Too political, 9% Self righteous people,7% Distance from home, 6% Not relevant to personal growth,6% God wouldn't condemn to hell, 5% Bible not relevant or practical, 5% Couldn't find preferred church in area.
(Info taken from book I've been reading; Already Gone by Ken Ham and Britt Beemer)
Parents say that their kids won't leave church if they bring them to Sunday school, youth group, church etc. But they are leaving the church. The church is losing 61% of its young people. Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. Adults expect young people to rebel. So the young people are. They are leaving church as quick as they can. Deut. 6:6-7 And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down and when you rise up.(NKJV) The church can't teach everyone's children all day as parents can. God gave that responsibility to parents. Sunday school teachers only spend around 45 minutes each Sunday teaching children. Most of that is telling Bible stories. There is nothing wrong with Bible stories but are Bible stories going to be enough to get them through high school and college? Will 45 minutes a week be enough? Let's say parents, taught their children for an hour each day. That would be 7 hours a week and 365 hours a year. In Sunday school the time that children spend learning is about 36 hours a year. Parents can decide what to talk about. For example, our dad might read an article that he might or might not like. If it is something that we need to talk about, we talk about it. I personally have learned more from this than I ever did in Sunday school. Instead of the church teaching the young people our family believes that it is the parents responsibility and the parents gift to teach their children. - posted by
Jessica

Not Being Caught Off Guard (by Katrina)

The book I have been reading is called Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends

The part I have been reading is by Grace Mally a 12 year old girl.

Grace was sitting in the car and Sarah said, "let's write a book to help brothers and sisters". Grace thought "another one of Sarah's big ideas". They have seen familys not get along. So they agreed to write the book. They said we shoudn't be suprised if it is hard to get along. The very first brothers on earth fought. They fought and Cain even killed his brother Abel.

When we say something without thinking about it it can lead to trouble. Some years ago Grace's dad had gallbladder surgery. That night after the surgery Grace's dad was very sore. Grace's mom had to help Grace's dad get into the bed. In the night the phone started ringing. Grace's dad got out of bed and ran to the phone. Then he remembered the surgery. In the same way, we can be caught off guard in our family and that can cause problems.

This book helps me not to be caught off guard when my brothers and sisters say or do something I don't like. It helps me not to say something bad. It helps me to be aware of it so I am not caught off guard and then all of a sudden say something bad. - posted by Katrina

Ephesians 1:3

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.