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posted by Donald on 05/31/07

Art is a universal language. What an experience it is to learn to capture an object or event on paper in your own way. But what is better than being an artist? Teaching other artists! I remember that a reporter once wanted to run an article on my work—but now I have the opportunity to be the reporter and I have a lot to report about Jonathan and David!

Jonathan has the valuable character quality of diligence.

Every other Tuesday, we try delving a little deeper into the different techniques of chalk art. We watched Ding Teuling’s videos and started practicing on the easel that Grandpa made for us to use years ago when we came from Manassas to do chalk talks in Salem. As Jonathan and I work together, it grants a particular fulfilment to pass on what I’ve learned from Matthew Bowman and so many others.

David often encourages me with his enthusiastic spirit.

For James’ birthday, David and I looked off of a stamp to draw a strikingly-colored bufflehead on a new placemat. You should have seen James when he pulled it from the gift bag and saw it for the first time!

One of the tricks of the trade that David used was drawing a grid that helped him enlarge the tiny picture on the stamp. He agrees too that actually turning a picture upside down and copying it that way is a very useful tactic. It helps you draw exactly what you see and not what you think you see.

God bless you also with diligence and perception. Maybe you will have the chance to try some of these rewarding techniques. Most of all, may all our work glorify Him as we remember to do it “wholeheartedly, as unto the Lord”.

DILIGENCE

      Visualizing each task as a special assignment from the Lord
                 and using all my energy to accomplish it 

3 Comments » | posted in Art Work

posted by Michael on 05/29/07

          A few weeks ago I happened to be reflecting on the games of capture the flag we had with friends in Virginia. As long as a flag is well guarded, the game can actually seem pointless. Suddenly a new perspective struck me: Satan feels the “game” is pointless when our hearts are well guarded! A courageous brother in Christ once said that Proverbs 4:23 was the most important verse in the whole book of Proverbs. The other verses and commands in Proverbs are really either a part of it or inconsequential without it. Do you know what it says?

             My heart is just like the flag: what good would it do me to gain the whole world and lose my own soul? What could I give in exchange for my soul? Do we watch and defend our hearts with the same energy and care that we would guard the flag in a game? As in Capture the Flag, one method Satan uses is speed. Another is stealth. One is to try to get us to focus in one direction while he sneaks up or runs in from another, or to stop the pressure temporarily so the defender becomes slack and helpers go away. Have you noticed Satan using these tactics in your life?

            Does it sometimes seem impossible to guard the flag without helpers? By staying openly accountable with others, we not only get more help in guarding our hearts, but they receive the same help in their own struggles.

            Correctly guarding the flag is abiding in Christ. “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust.” – Psalm 91:1-2. Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand…. I and My Father are one.” Guard that flag! Abide in Christ! 

5 Comments » | posted in Family News

posted by James on 05/28/07

This is not really the time of year to be thinking about maple sap; that is what we did in February and March. But actually, now that time has passed, we can examine the results of the experiments we made during sap season. On a previous post, I said that sap was great for drinking straight from the tree, using it slightly concentrated for cooking, and boiling down to real maple syrup. All this is all true. However, when it came to preserving the “sap concentrate” by canning, we found that we must have done something wrong. When opened, it smelled sour and was unfit for drinking or cooking. If anyone has done this successfully, let us know how you do it; there are no recipies on how to can water that I know of.

However, the jars we have opened of the “real thing”, or maple syrup, have been absolutely fine and we are still enjoying this amazing substance.

This reminds me of the parable Jesus gave in Luke 12:16-21 about the man who came to destruction because of his greediness in over-storing what God had blessed him with.  As we use what God so graciously gives, let us remember to lay up treasures in heaven which makes us rich toward God.

1 Comment » | posted in Possessing the Land

posted by Jonathan on 05/26/07

One day David and I were riding our bikes and thought of somthing really fun we could make. We built a ramp for the bikes. We used old boards and nails. It is a lot of fun trying to jump farther then last time. I think our record for now is over 2 yards.  You don’t always have to buy new equipment. You can use old materials that would otherwise be wasted. There are  many ways we can show resourcefulness. 

5 Comments » | posted in Family News

posted by Robert on 05/21/07

I was sitting down at the piano the other night, playing away to my heart’s content, when up walked two friends with a problem. Lauren had locked her keys in her car. Unfortunately, AAA had sent a tow truck instead of a locksmith. Not much help.

Well, they asked for a flashlight and I did have a flashlight. But it was a tiny key chain flashlight with a dead battery. Not much help.

The poor tow truck driver tried unsuccessfully for at least twenty minutes to get into the car. No success. But as he walked back to his truck, I knew that I couldn’t pass up this opportunity to talk with him about the most important decision in life.

“Arthur,” I said, “Have you heard the good news?” He hadn’t. It is just amazing how many people in our “Christian” nation have not heard it! “Would you say that heaven is something that you have to earn or is it a free gift?” I asked. He replied, “Well, I’d say you have to earn it.” How sad. He had no idea how impossible this was.

Of course my tow-truck-driver friend Arthur agreed that if he earned his way to heaven than he would be the one who would get the credit for earning it. “So who are you putting your faith in?” I asked. There was no getting around it. When it came right down to it, he admitted that he was putting his faith in himself.

After helping him to see his own sinfulness when held to the standard of God’s law, he came to the point of realization, as I once had, that his faith had to be in someone outside of himself.

What a joy to be able to show from the Bible that Jesus Christ willingly died to pay the price for his sin. By putting his faith in Jesus Christ and accepting His free gift of forgiveness, he could be saved from the eternal punishment that he deserved for his sin!

Arthur was ready to pray right then and there to accept this gift. I was so happy for him! Afterwards he had a big smile on his face as he shook my hand and drove away. “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift”!

Later on, Lauren remembered that she had actually let a friend borrow her keys. They were promptly found and all was well. On the outset it may have seemed like a mistake, but isn’t it amazing how God even uses “mistakes” to bring glory to Himself?

6 Comments » | posted in Ministry Reports