Our home has sustained minor damages as far as I know. My husband returned today to assess the damages and to see what he could do to start clean-up. We have many trees down, but none fell on our home or other builidngs. We have no power or water, so the children and I are staying with friends in West Monroe until my husband says that we can come home. I haven't heard from him tonight, cell phones aren't working well...please pray with me that he stays safe and the we are able to return home soon! My husband's business was primarily sales to the refinery business, so pray that we can make it through this difficult time. Thanks for your prayers!

We evacuated to West Monroe LA! Will update when back online.

Week 2 of Clay Classes with Katrina Evacuee Kids

I was able to bring my potter's wheel this week for the children at Camp Pearl to learn to use. A 17 yo girl was very excited at the chance to try the potter's wheel. Her mother told me that they had looked into lessons for her a couple of years ago, but they were too expensive. Now she has the opportunity to learn for free, and her mother pointed out how God was blessing her. I am also blessed by the opportunity to share one of my joys with someone who desires to learn.

I have also been blessed with a great team of supporters of this ministry. My children and some of my pottery students helped to work with the kids who were not working on the wheel, while I worked with those working on the wheel. Several people have donated the funds necessary to buy the clay and glazes. Thanks to those of you who have prayed for this work also. I am looking forward to seeing how God uses this work in the lives of the children!

I go back to Camp Pearl tomorrow. I fired the kids work from last week, so they will be able to glaze it this week. One of the boy's sculptures exploded in the kiln. This boy threw his clay all over the place, collected love bugs with it, etc...before he made something out of it. I warned him that it might explode, unless he followed my directions...well, it did. Please pray that he won't be too disappointed and that I might be able to minister to him through this!

I am praising the Lord for the help that he has provided for this ministry so far. I've received a donation that allowed me to purchase plenty of glazes for the kids to paint with. Five of my pottery students have volunteered to help this Saturday! This will allow us to visit more with each child and for me to bring my potter's wheel and work with some children individually on it.

Thanks for your comments and prayers!

Debbie

I have been praying about how I can minister to the hurricane victims now living in my area. We have about 100 people living at the Christian Camp that my church supports, Camp Pearl, about 15 minutes from my home. I offered my help to the camp director in any way, but asked if he thought a "clay class" for the children living there would be helpful. He thought that would be a great idea for the 17 school-aged children living there. We will begin on Saturday morning at 10 am. My children & I will bring 50 lbs of clay and a servants heart to Camp Pearl to see how God can use it to comfort and encourage these homeless children.

I would covet your prayers...I'll let you know how it goes!

Debbie

We live in Southwest LA and were not affected by the storm itself.

We are now housing the evacuees everywhere possible...civic centers, coliseums, churches, state parks, homes, etc..Lake Charles is feeling the brunt of an immediate boost in population.

It is great to see people helping people, especially when we could have been the ones in need, if the storm had hit 50 miles more westerly. We are having great opportunities to serve others, I realized today that just allowing my 9 yo son to go to play with some of the children from NO living in a church gymnasium is a great act of service for him. He wants to go back tomorrow. My daughters and I will go to the coliseum tomorrow to help sort donations.

There are also stresses of car jackings and siphoning gas from parked cars. The tension is high, not only in New Orleans, but all over the Gulf Coast.

We all need prayers for comfort and patience!

I love Oswald Chambers...he's so deep. This touched my heart and I wanted to copy it here to process it some more....

"Behold, He cometh with the clouds." Rev. 1:7  July 29th

In the Bible clouds are always connected with God. Clouds are those sorrows or sufferings or providences, within or without our personal lives, which seem to dispute the rule of God. It is by those very clouds that the Spirit of God is teaching us how to walk by faith. If there were no clouds, we should have no faith. "The clouds are but dust of our Father's feet." The clouds are a sign that He is there. What a revelation it is to know that sorrow and bereavement and suffering are the clouds that come along with God! God cannot come near without clouds, He does not come in clear shining.

It is not true to say that God wants to teach us something in our trials: through every cloud He brings, He wants us to unlearn something. His purpose in the cloud is to simplify our belief until our relationship to Him is exactly that of a child-God and my own soul, other people are shadows. Until other people become shadows, clouds and darkness will be mine every now and again. Is the relationship between myself and God getting simpler than ever it has been?

There is a connection between the strange providences of God what whe know of Him, and we have to learn to interpret the mysteries of life in the light of our knowledge of God. Unless we can look the darkest, blackest fact full in the face without damaging God's character, we do not yet know Him.

"They feared as they entered the cloud..." Is there anyone "save Jesus only" in your cloud? If so, it will get darker; you must get to the place where ther is "no one any more save Jesus only."

My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers, p. 153.

This was cool...I think that it does describe me!

I am Psalms!

http://quizilla.com/users/reflectedgrace/quizzes/Which%20book%20of%20the%20Bible%20are%20you%3F/

My daughter and I attended the Louisiana 4-H State Horse Show last week. On the way home she shared what she thought was the most important lesson that she learned.

Not to put people up on a pedestal just because they look good on the outside!

My daughter was very impressed with another child who won High Point Performance Horse at our District Horse Show and also did very well at the State Horse Show. My daughter spoke with her and found out that she didn't take care of her horse at all. It was boarded and cared for at a trainer's facility and her family did not even transport it to the shows. This child only got on the horse to ride. My daughter was no longer impressed and the other child's winnings seemed shallow to her.

4-H is designed for the child to learn responsibility and other character traits through the care and raising of an animal. My daughter does all the care for her horse. In fact, she knows a lot more about horses in general than my husband or I. She worked diligently in preparing her horse for the shows; feeding, grooming, mucking stalls, and practicing every day. Unfortunately, she cannot compete with the high dollar horses and trainers at the shows. Her goal at this show was to receive a ribbon. She received a 9th place ribbon in Western Horsemanship and she was satisfied! Western horsemanship judges the rider's abilities to communicate correctly with her horse...in caring for her horse, she has developed a great ability to communicate with her horse and she has been rewarded in this contest. The high dollar horse and riding apparel is not necessary! Praise the Lord!

Her "self-esteem" was bolstered through this experience and I do praise the Lord for His work and revelation in her life!

Q:What is your absolute favorite book? A: Can't name just one! Sacred Romance, Safely Home by Alcorn, Francine Rivers (her first books, not the series) Q:What is your favorite book to read outloud to your child/ren? A: Dr Seuss...And to think that it happened on Mulberry Street! (My grandmother lived two blocks from the real Mulberry Street in Springfield, MA.) Q:Have you ever started writing a book and not finished? A: Yes Q:If so, what was it about? A: Using Dr. Seuss books to teach reading. Q:Today, if you were to write a book (assuming you had the time), what would it be about? (If you’ve already written a book, what do you dream of writing about one day?) A: I'd finish the Dr. Seuss Reading curriculum and I'd write one about God, The Potter.

Well, fogotten pants didn't ruin it all! My daughter got a blue ribbon at the 4-H University at LSU for her Team Horticulture Use Demonstration "Beach Berry Brews." My other daughter also recieved a blue ribbon for the dress that she sewed. Fifth place to be exact...pretty good for her first real sewing project! 4-H University is a group of contests for high school 4-H members from across the state of Louisiana. The blue ribbon group includes the top ten contestants.

If you read my previous post, just wanted to leave an update...

My daughter was able to borrow some white capris from someone else on the trip. They did their demonstration and were able to answer most of the questions that the judges asked. She said that they made a few mistakes, but our 4-H agent assured her that the judges didn't notice. I'll find out how they placed among the 21 contestants from across the state on Thursday night.

God is good!

We have to send achievement test scores to reapply for the homestudy application in Louisiana. I just got my 15 yo daughter's scores in...their not as high as I'd like them to be...and I'm not sure I want to report them to the state...I don't have to...I could apply as a private school and not have to send scores, but is that a cop-out?

We are a very hands-on family. We don't use many text-books or work-books. We use the 4-H materials for writing speeches, demonstrations and studying science. My daughter is about to do a 15 minute team demonstration at a state contest at LSU this morning...I'm home praying for her! She is very capable of accomplishing any task that she decides to do, she's the child that is coaching gymnastics. She is wonderful with children and animals, very caring. She loves the Lord and she's teaching a summer tumbling class at our church.

But...her achievement test scores in language arts didn't look very good. I know that she doesn't have a great vocabulary and she's just beginning to stretch in what she chooses to read. But, she does read and write daily. I know that she still has room to grow in her language arts skills, but she often gets discouraged when she doesn't know all the grammar terms like other children her age. She has already told me that she wants to focus on geography next year, because she knows that she needs to know more.

I'm rambling...I'm questioning my skills as a teacher...am I ruining my children...am I focusing on the wrong things

Oh my gosh, she just called and she forgot the pants she was supposed to wear for her demonstration at LSU! Its 2 1/2 hours away...I can't do anything but pray!!!!

Gone to pray!

I have been teaching pottery lessons to two ladies from my church since February. They are members of the Coushatta Indian Tribe located near us. Since I love Indian pottery, I thought it facinating to be teaching Indians how to do pottery! The Coushattas do not have a tradition of Indian pottery, but pine needle baskets instead.

Well, during class tonight, Sehoya told me that their continuing education director wanted to know if I'd be willing to go to the reservation to teach pottery! This may not amaze you, but it is quite amazing to this blonde, white, Yankee (born in Boston) potter! My husband called this an honor and and what an honor it is!

I named our school "The Potter's House Christian School" because I have been a potter since I was twelve years old. I believe that God is using me to mold my children into the godly men & women that He wants them to become.

Since my first child was born 17 years ago, I have been able to do pottery for brief spans of time. When my youngest child is about 3 (he's 4 now!), I can take my potter's wheel out again.

I just recently set my wheel up permanently and began teaching "clay classes." I just finished a week of "clay camp" with three children. What a joy to share my passion with others! Not only that, I am able to supplement our family income from home. God is so good!

I also enjoy teaching Bible lessons using my potter's wheel. I have been able to travel with my potter's wheel and teach a Bible lesson while demonstrating the wheel to groups of all ages and sizes. I'm looking forward to speaking for a Ladies Retreat in October.

My favorite verse:

Isaiah 64:8

Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. 
We are the clay, you are the potter; 

we are all the work of your hand.

My 15 yo dd came running in from gymnastics last night with great news! She had finally accomplished her glide kip on the uneven bars after a year of struggling. If you know anything about competitive gymnastics, you know that a glide kip is a level 4-5 skill. Many children reach level 4 by the time they are 9-11. Amy couldn't accomplish this in a one-hour per week class, but was not invited to join the team. She was about to quit last year, when my husband learned about a new gym opening in our town. The coach allowed her to join the team at a level 4 and she started working out 9 hours per week. She was the oldest level 4, but she was determined to accomplish her goals; a round-off back handspring and the glide kip. She has accomplished those skills and more this year. There has been much blood, sweat and tears though!

One of the rewards of her persistence and hard work was a job offer! Last night, her coach offered her a job as a coach for 10 hours per week and she can continue to be on the team! Oh, was she excited! Her dream job, since she was a small child, has always been to be a gymnastics coach. She wasn't going to ask for a job until she was 16, but her coach beat her to it. He said that he has watched her hard work this year and knows that she will make a great coach.

She has impressed me in her persistence. I know that I would not have stuck with gymnastics with all the aches and pains that go along with it! As my children get older and I am beginning to see the fruits of my labors, I am so encouraged to keep keeping on. I often question our decision to homeschool through high school, until someone starts talking about how much they appreciate my child's good character. Then I realize that I'm on the right track...gotta just keep going!