Working

I haven't had a "real" job since I was pregnant with Michael. When I found out I was pregnant with him, in March of 2000, I decided I would quit my job at a day care center at some point in the pregnancy and be a stay-at-home-mom. I ended up quiting much sooner than I had planned because every time I went to work I threw up and was sent home. After a week of that I decided I might as well go ahead and stay home. I didn't just have morning sickness, I had all day every day sickness for the first 16 weeks of my pregnancy.

Four kids and almost 15 years later I have a "real" job again! I think I prefer to say I have a job "outside the home". It's really the perfect job for me. I work at a small produce store. We sell fresh, local produce. Much of it is organic. We also have things like eggs, honey, grits, a few hand made items, and hopefully other things soon, like natural soaps. There is so much potential for a little store like this!

I work part time, Tuesday through Friday. 2-5:30 PM. The school work that the boys need help with gets done in the mornings while I am at home, and the rest they can do on their own. At 14, 12, and 9 I feel comfortable leaving them home alone for those few hours, especially since our nearest neighbors are their great-aunts. This week I have decided to make a point to bring each of the boys to work with me one day a week. Michael on Tuesdays, Jason on Wednesdays, and Gideon on Fridays. We can work on extra school work between customers, and the boys can help me with things like sweeping up around the store.

I wasn't looking for a job but when this opportunity arose I jumped at it! Party because I selfishly want the store to stay open so I can get my fresh local and organic veggies every week! I also think it is a good experience for our family and a learning opportunity as well. I don't know how long I will work, I don't know if the store will be a smashing success (although I hope it will be), but for now I am happy to be working there and enjoying my one on one time with each of the boys every week.

Come by and see me sometime if you are local! The name of the store is Southern Bloom and it is on the corner a few doors down from Andy's in down town Lyons.

Through the Bible in a year

 I finished my Bible reading plan to go through the whole Bible in a year! Although I have read the whole Bible before, I have not done it in a year before.

My Grandmother set an excellent example for me. She read her Bible all the way through every year. No matter what was going on, whether she was travelling, or had a bunch of grandkids over to her house, she always took the time she needed for her Bible reading. She is in Heaven now, I am sure she was one of the first to greet Silas when he arrived. I have one of her Bibles.

I hope I can set an example for my children and grand children. Even though I may not get through the whole Bible each year, I hope I will at least spend time in God's Word daily. For in His Word I find comfort, peace, strength, courage, correction, discipline, and love.

A video chat with Heaven

I wish I could have a video chat with Heaven
I wish I could see if Silas has grown
If his hair is still blonde or if it turned back to brown
I would ask him who he has met and who he spends time with
I would show him that my hair is growing out again like he wanted me to
I would show him the chickens we got, and the new dog
I would be able to see that he really is well and happy.

I wish I could have a video chat with Heaven every day

A letter of encouragement to AWANA parents

If you do not know, AWANA club is a Bible memorization program that many churches offer for children and teens. AWANA stands for Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed. It is based on 2 Timothy 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

A typical AWANA night is divided up into 4 parts. 1. Opening prayer and pledges to the American flag, the Bible, and the AWANA flag. (Parts 2-4 are in different orders for different age groups). 2. Counsel time, a time of instruction from the Bible that is geared towards the age group being taught. All of the children sit together and listen to a teacher. 3. Handbook time. The children are usually separated into smaller groups and each child has the opportunity to recite Bible verses that they have memorized from their handbooks to their group leader. They can earn awards for memorizing scriptures and for completing their handbooks. 4. Game time. All of the children in an age group (say K-2nd grade, or 3-5th grade) gather around the game circle and play games directed by an adult leader.

AWANA has programs for ages 2 through Highschool, although my observation is that around here most churches only have AWANA programs through 5th grade and then offer something different for older children.

When I was younger, I was in AWANA for a few years. I participated in the teen program and I helped as a leader in training with the younger groups. A couple of years I worked with Sparks, the program for K-2nd grade, and another year I worked with girls in the 3-5th grade group.

I have honestly forgotten many things about my experience with AWANA back then, like what years I participated! But that doesn't really matter. What matters is what I have never forgotten. I have never forgotten the scriptures I learned during that time. They have stayed with me all of these years. It has literally been about 20 years now, but those scriptures have been written on my heart. I cannot always quote every scripture I have learned at the drop of a hat, but they are there and the Lord has brought them to my memory at all of the right times.

Isaiah 55:11 says "So shall My Word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."

God's Word is powerful. When we put it in our hearts through study and memorization it will always be there. We may or may not be able to quote the scriptures we have learned at a moments notice, but when we need them, the Holy Spirit will bring them to our remembrance and they will help guide us. His Word will always accomplish His will in our lives!

So now, to the parents who have their children in the AWANA program, and to the parents who are teaching your children scriptures. Don't lose heart! Don't give up! These scriptures that you are helping your children learn now will impact them for the rest of their lives! You may struggle teaching your children the scriptures (like I do!), but it will not be in vain. The Lord has a plan, He has sent out His Word, and it will accomplish His will in your child's life. Every moment spent working with your child on scripture memorization will be worth it.

Here are some practical tips for helping your child memorize.

~ Take their handbook with you in the car and have them practice while you drive around during the week.
~ Have your child's handbook next to the bed and make it part of the bedtime routine, working on verses for a few minutes every night before bed.
~ Keep your child's Bible and Handbook in a bag such as a canvas bag or back pack so you can keep track of it easily and so your child will be less likely to lose them on club night.
~ For longer verses, break them down and memorize only short parts of the verses at a time and then put them altogether.
~ If your child does not have a CD with the books of the Bible songs on them you can do a web search for "Books of the Bible song" on video.
~ Memorize the scriptures along with your child! Have your child test you to see if you have learned it correctly.
~ Write the scriptures out on index cards to carry around with you, or to post on the walls in your home. In front of the bathroom mirror is a good place.
~ Work on two or three sections of your child's book each week so that they can complete the book in 1 year.
~ Encourage your child! Tell them how important memorizing scripture is and show this to them by being interested in what they are learning and learn the scriptures yourself!
~ When you pick your child up from AWANA, take a look at their book to see which sections they were able to pass, and what you need to start working on next.
~ If you ever have any questions, don't hesitate to ask your child's AWANA leader!
~ Don't worry if your child memorizes "too quickly". The scriptures will be gone over again in review and if your child completes their whole book before the AWANA year is over, your child's leader can provide more material for them to learn.
~ Don't worry if your child memorizes "too slowly". My children have not always finished their books by the end of the year, but I know that what they did hide in their hearts will always be there.
~ Pray with your children. Ask the Lord to help them hide His Word in their hearts. Psalm 119:11 "Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee."

This program offers such a wonderful opportunity for both you and your child. I hope and pray that you have been encouraged by this and that it will inspire you to be involved in what your child is learning in AWANA. God's Word is the most powerful tool in the life of the believer, what a wonderful thing to put in the hands and hearts of our children.

Everyone can do something...

This is what I wrote last year, but I would really like to share it again. Seriously, everyone CAN do something. 

http://edenfieldjourney.blogspot.com/2013/09/day-5.html

What are you going to do?

We can't do nothing

Why do we continue to "go gold", spread the word, and raise funds for childhood cancer. After all, Silas isn't here anymore, we can't help him anymore.

Why? Because we can't do nothing! We know now, we know that children are being diagnosed every day with cancer. We know that the funding for childhood cancer research is pitiful. We know that more needs to be done to support families fighting cancer, more needs to be done to provide researchers with the resources they need to do their jobs, more needs to be done to find less toxic treatments.

More needs to be done.

We are not millionaires. We have a tight budget. But that doesn't mean we can't do something. We can't fund all childhood cancer research by ourselves, but we can do something. We can tell others about the need and maybe some of those others will be able to donate large amounts of money, or maybe if we tell enough people and each of them donates a little, it will add up to a lot.

One of the things we have done this year, along with another family, is make bead bracelets with turtles and gold ribbon charms on them. We have been selling them to raise funds for childhood cancer research! The supplies for this are relatively inexpensive and I have bought them off and on over time rather than all at once. People seem to really like them and we have sold a dozen already this month! We have several events coming up and I hope to sell all the bracelets I have! (83 at last count but I plan on making more today)

Childhood cancer facts for today.

~The American Cancer Society donates only 1% of funds raised to childhood cancers.
~3 out of 5 children who survive cancer will suffer long term side effects from the cancer and treatment.
~Since the 1950's the overall cure rate for childhood cancers has gone from less than 10% to nearly 80% (although some childhood cancers the cure rate is still 0%).

Did you know?

If you are reading this, you probably already know that kids get cancer. If you know me, you know that kids get cancer. When Silas was first diagnosed we were told that on average 1 in 330 children would get cancer before the age of 20. That has changed however. This year there is a new statistic and it is not encouraging, now on average 1 in 285 children will be diagnosed with cancer before the age of 20! Cancer among children is on the rise, but funding has not improved. Less than 4% of government funding for cancer research goes to childhood cancer research.

You can help fill the gap by making donations to reputable childhood cancer organizations that fund research. The following organizations do a tremendous work for kids fighting cancer and will handle your money wisely and use it to find a cure.

www.stbaldricks.org
www.curechildhoodcancer.org
www.alexslemonade.org

Check out these organizations for yourself! Make a donation, share information with your friends and family, participate in fundraisers.

Remember, every dollar counts! Even if you can only afford $1.