Summer Review

Hello everyone!  I know I have been rather hit and miss this summer, but I am going to post at least one more time before school starts on tomorrow.  :-)

At the beginning of summer, I wrote a list of goals for this summer; and in order that I would not get too overwhelmed or discouraged, I wrote another list of  things I did accomplish.  My "Summer Goals" list contains sixteen items and, as of now, my "Things I've Done This Summer" list contains 63 items (including a couple repeats, social events, personal achievements, and random "goings on").  The following are highlights from the latter list.  This post is not meant to brag about all the things I've done this summer but to give you a taste of what I've been doing and to remind myself of what a blessed three months I've had and that I've not entirely wasted the summer.  :-) (The list is roughly in chronological order. :-) )

• Went to a game night with the Ellen's speech and debate group
• Helped with the VBS (Vacation Bible School) at our church
• Took the ACT
• Went to volleyball get-togethers with friends
• Spent the night and watching movies with Grandma
• Swam in our cousins' lake and spent a lot of time with family
• Went to the College World Series
• Had a Strength Finders consultation
• Blogged more (hehehe at least for a while)
• Drank my first chai tea latte :-)
• Shopped with Mom and Grandma (several times)
• Visited Red Mango several times :-)
• Took pictures
• Babysat two kids from church with Ellen
• Read and listened to fun and interesting books--I would highly recommend: Jesus Among Other Gods Youth Edition by Ravi Zaccharias and Kevin Johnson (recommended for 13 and up) and Knight's Fee by Rosemary Sutcliff 
• Went to a church cookout
• Crocheted and knitted several blankets and mason jar cozies
• Took Driver's Ed and earned my driver's license! 
• Caught up with friends in my Bible Study group
• Started kitchen remodel
• Went to Two Rivers in August with friends
• Assisted in Ellen's piano recital
• Taught piano for some of the summer
• Practiced more violin (one of my sixteen goals)
• Went to our family reunion in August with Grandma where we spent time with family and also did some paddle boating :-)
• Went to Campy Rivercrest!!!
• Listened to new Christian contemporary songs
• Went to see Finding Dory :-)
• Played games with Ellen and had fun together (several times)
• Baked breakfast snacks with Grandma (for when school starts)
• Went to a Labor Day weekend game night with families from church

So I hope that gives you bit of a glimpse of what I've been doing (in between blogging).  It was a very fun summer, but now I am ready to start school and get back into routine.  Time for fall! :-)

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven".

Ecclesiastes 3:1 

I'm back!!

Hi!  I am extremely sorry that I have not posted since the end of October!  My life has been crazy and I have just not taken the time to post anything.  In spite of that, I am going to post LTC (Leadership Training for Christ) pictures (upon request) and a couple songs that I have been thinking about lately.

Opening ceremony

Bible Bowl!  

This year the theme was No Fear taken from the books of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth.  Ellen and I took the three round multiple choice quiz that covered those three books.  (No, Dad didn't do it too.  :-) )

Grandma was able to come with us!!!  She was very kind and drilled us on Bible Bowl questions the entire way down to Kansas City.  I don't know what we would have done without her!

Puppets!

My high school puppet group (I'm the girl with sandy brown hair in the middle.)

Ellen's middle school group

Songleading

Ellen led "Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus".

I led "God Bless You, Go with God".

In one of the adjoining hotels we found a piano that we could play.  :-)  (There was a waterfall in the background which covered up some of the sound so it didn't disturb what was going on.)

There were many smiles and laughs (and food!)

Small choruses:  

Large Chorus

Ellen and I really enjoy being in large chorus and each being in small chorus.

The whole group!  

I think I heard that there were about 40 kids from our church participating this year.  It is such a wonderful opportunity to participate in this every year.  I enjoy doing the group activities and spending time with other people from our church.  I learn much from the books of the Bible we study each year (many of which I would not study otherwise) and the songs we sing.  I am very thankful for all the people who put so much effort into helping us prepare for it and making it happen.

This song talks about fear which fits this year's theme, and I had it stuck in my head throughout LTC weekend.  I am trying to learn to surrender my fears to the Lord and let Him carry them.
Never Walk Alone:

Announcing Bright Lights Conferences in the Omaha Area!

 There will be both a Strong in the Lord conference (girls ages 8-14) and a Radiant Purity conference (girls ages 12-22+).  To register go to Bright Lights conference registration.

     Bright Lights (Being Radiant in Godliness, Holiness, and Testimony) is an amazing ministry that was started by Sarah Mally.  It has impacted my life in so many ways within the last six years.  The most important thing I have learned through it is the importance of having a personal relationship with God and committing to reading His Word on a regular basis.  After I attended my first Strong in the Lord conference, I committed to spending time with God and reading my Bible every day.
     The conferences are so much fun with humorous skits, singing, chalk talks, small groups, great Biblical teaching and more. It is also encouraging to see the lives of other girls who are fully committed to living their lives for the Lord.

NCHEA 2015!

Again this year I had the opportunity of being an assistant leader in the NCHEA (Nebraska Christian Homeschool Educators Association) Kids' Conference April 9-11th.  This year the theme was LEGACY and seeking wisdom.  It was set a little after World War 2 in Europe.  The drama was about four orphaned children as they traveled through Scotland, Germany, Italy, and Holland following clues and trying to discover the inheritance their parents had left them.  

All the small group lessons were based on James 3:17:

“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, 

gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, 

without partiality and without hypocrisy.”

I taught the lessons on gentleness and good fruits.  Then I wrapped up the lesson on impartiality after a Leader in Training came and told the story Beggar at the King's Court.

This year I had some great team leaders! They did a great job, and it was a joy to work with them.  Our team was Edenkoben, Germany.

Below are pictures of my room: 

Kaylin made the window boxes and came up with the tree. Ellen and I made the signs that went with each lesson. (Thank you Ellen for writing them for me!)  Then our team leader came up with the tree stump since we had some extra tree supplies.  It all turned out so well, and we were awarded first place for the most distinguished city.

(It was a wonderful disguise for the unused tables!)

Decorating!

Leaders' teaching session

Drama practice!

This year Ellen had a part in the drama as a French waitress.  I love her costume!

Teaching Staff

It was a wonderful weekend!  There were almost 300 kids who attended and I'm not wuite sure how many staff members and actors! I always love the drama, singing, and time investing in younger children's lives.  It is such a highlight of my year!  It also stretches me as speaking and teaching is rather out of my comfort zone, but I really enjoy doing being a part of it. :-)

LTC 2015!!!

These have been a very busy two weeks!  Two of our biggest events this spring landed back to back weekends which made for a pretty busy schedule!

The first event, which this post is about, is our annual Leadership Training for Christ when we prepare for events throughout the year (primarily the spring semester) with our church.  Then we go down to Kansas City and perform those events.  This year Ellen and I were each in five events: Bible Bowl (a multiple choice quiz on the book of Luke), puppets, song leading, large chorus, and small chorus.
This year the theme was Give It Up from the book of Luke.

Kansas city downtown from the 32nd floor or our hotel

In the "Link" that goes from our hotel to Panera

 Helping with t-shirts before the kick-off 

 One of the bulletin boards done by kids from our church

Ellen and Alexis

 Such a cute baby!

The song that Ellen led.

The song that I led.

My puppet team

I'm the blonde haired girl on the left :-)

The Ellen pose!

Ellen and her puppet team

 Ellen and her purppet :-)

Ellen's favorite puppet show was last year's, and she just couldn't help getting a picture with "her fox".

 Ellen's small chorus

My small chorus

 Large chorus

Group picture

There was 32 kids from our church participating and 105 people total from our church.  We all had a great time!